President Joseph E. Aoun announced the committee responsible for appointing David Madigan’s replacement as Northeastern’s provost and senior vice president for academic affairs in a Feb. 5 email to the Northeastern community.

The announcement comes weeks after an internal email sent to faculty and staff Jan. 16 shared that Madigan would be stepping down from his role in June 2025, a post he has held since 2020. The email announcing Madigan’s departure was not sent to students but was posted on Aoun’s “Messages and Writings” website on Jan. 16. 

Hailing from Ireland, Madigan spent 12 years at Columbia University as executive vice president for arts and sciences and dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences before Northeastern hired him.  Following his resignation, he will stay onboard faculty as a professor in the Khoury College of Computer Sciences, according to the Jan. 16 email. 

“I am delighted to announce the following faculty members, students, and university leaders who will serve on the committee that will search for our next Provost,” Aoun wrote in the Feb. 5 email. 

According to the Feb. 5 email, the provost search committee is chaired by Alessandro Vespignani, Northeastern’s Sternberg Family distinguished professor of physics and director of the Network Science Institute at Northeastern. Additionally, Vespignani holds multiple interdisciplinary appointments in the Khoury College of Computer Sciences, the College of Science and Bouvé College of Health Sciences. 

The university published a “Provost 2025” website, which allows people to nominate candidates for the committee’s consideration. In its “About the Position” section, it says the provost is responsible for “guiding” Northeastern’s academic planning, leading research initiatives and “elevating” Northeastern’s reputation as a research and experiential learning institution. 

As one of the university’s highest-ranking officials, Madigan currently directs all of Northeastern’s colleges and schools as the chief academic officer, overseeing research expansion. He also works alongside Senior Vice President for Finance Thomas Nedell to establish the university’s financial priorities.

Additionally, Aoun said Northeastern has retained its partnership with the executive search firm Isaacson, Miller, which works to help clients fill leadership positions. Previously, Northeastern has worked with N2Growth and CIO Partners for its executive search needs. 

The committee is made up of 22 Northeastern faculty and staff members and two students, representing all 10 schools and colleges at Northeastern. In addition to Vespignani, the committee that will appoint the next provost and senior vice president of academic affairs is as follows, according to the Feb. 5 email from Aoun.

Representing the Bouvé College of Health Sciences is Clinical Professor Margarita DiVall, Professor Gene Tunik and University Distinguished Professor Mansoor Amiji. 

From the Khoury College of Computer Sciences is Professor Jay Aslam, Joseph E. Aoun Professor Tina Eliassi-Rad and Teaching Professor Laney Strange. 

Joining from the D’Amore-McKim School of Business is Associate Professor Marla Baskerville and University Distinguished Professor Ravi Ramamurti. 

Dean’s Professor Mai’a Cross and Professor Ron Sandler represent the College of Social Sciences and Humanities on the committee. 

Representing the College of Engineering is Senior Co-op Coordinator Alison Nogueira, Professor Dagmar Sternad and University Distinguished Professor Akram Alshawabkeh. 

From the College of Arts, Media and Design is Professor Sylke Meyer. 

Professor Amy Farrell represents the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice and the College of Social Sciences and Humanities. 

Joining from the School of Law is Dean James Hackney and Professor Margaret Woo. 

From the College of Professional Studies is Associate Teaching Professor Shannon Alpert. 

Representing Mills College at Northeastern University is Associate Professor Meryl Bailey. 

Additionally, Chancellor and Senior Vice President for Learning Ken Henderson and Senior Vice President for Global Network and Strategic Initiatives Mary Ludden sit on the committee. 

From Northeastern’s student body is Cassidy Donoghue, executive vice president of the Northeastern Student Government Association who is working towards her bachelor’s of political science, and Haricharan Mahalingam, president of the Northeastern Graduate Student Government and a master’s student in engineering management.

“I want to thank everyone in our community for your continued engagement in Northeastern’s success,” Aoun wrote at the end of the Feb. 5 email.