John Sexton

For other people named John Sexton, see John Sexton (disambiguation).
John Sexton
Sexton in 2021
15th President of New York University
In office
May 17, 2002 – December 31, 2015
Preceded byL. Jay Oliva
Succeeded byAndrew D. Hamilton
Dean of New York University School of Law
In office
1988–2002
Preceded byNorman Redlich
Succeeded byRichard Revesz
Personal details
Born
John Edward Sexton

(1942-09-29) September 29, 1942 (age 82)
New York City, New York, U.S.
EducationFordham University (BA, MA, PhD)
Harvard University (JD)
Sexton in 2010

John Edward Sexton (born September 29, 1942) is an American legal scholar. He is the Benjamin F. Butler Professor of Law at New York University where he teaches at the law school and NYU's undergraduate colleges.[1][2] Sexton served as the fifteenth president of NYU, from 2002 to 2015. During his time as president, NYU's stature rose dramatically into the ranks of the world's top universities,[3] and it became the world's first global network university.[4] Sexton has been called a "transformational" figure in higher education and was named by Time Magazine as one of the United States' 10 best college presidents.[5][6]

From 1988 to 2002, he served as dean of the NYU School of Law, during which time NYU became one of the top five law schools in the country according to U.S. News & World Report. In 2000, Kent D. Syverud, then-dean of the Vanderbilt University Law School, called John Sexton the most effective dean of his generation.[7]

Sexton has served as chair of several major higher education organizations, including the Association of American Law Schools, the American Council on Education, the Independent Colleges and Universities of New York State, the New York Academy of Sciences, and the University of the People President's Council.[8] He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and has received many awards and honors for his work in education, including the American Council on Education's Theodore M. Hesburgh Award for Leadership Excellence and 24 honorary doctoral degrees. In July 2008, he was named as Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur, the national order of the Legion of Honor of France; and in April 2024, Sexton received the Abu Dhabi Award,[9] which is the highest civilian honor issued by the United Arab Emirates.[10] From January 1, 2003 to January 1, 2007, Sexton was the Chairman of the Board of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York; in 2006, he served as chair of the Federal Reserve System's Council of Chairs.[8]

Throughout his time as dean and president of NYU, Sexton continued to teach a full faculty schedule (at least four courses) and to write books and articles.[11][12] Since stepping down as NYU’s president, Sexton has continued to teach a full schedule and write both for the academic and popular press.[13][14][15] He also has worked to expand access to education for underrepresented groups and refugees — the most notable of these efforts is the Catalyst Foundation for Universal Education, created with former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown to advance opportunities for refugees worldwide.[16]

  1. ^ "NYU School of Law Faculty Biography". NYU School of Law. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  2. ^ "NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Study Faculty Biography". NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Study. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  3. ^ "Times Higher Education World University Rankings". Times Higher Education. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  4. ^ Loveland, Elaina. "The Emergence of the Global Network University" (PDF). NAFSA: Association of International Educators. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  5. ^ "John Sexton, the man who transformed NYU". New York Daily News. 18 December 2015. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  6. ^ "The 10 Best College Presidents". TIME. 11 November 2009. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  7. ^ Kent Syverud (3 September 2006). "Three Principles Of Effective Deaning". University of Toledo College of Law. Archived from the original on 3 September 2006.
  8. ^ a b "NYU School of Law Faculty Biography". NYU School of Law. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
  9. ^ "UAE President honours eight individuals with Abu Dhabi Awards". Abu Dhabi Media Office. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  10. ^ "About the Awards". Abu Dhabi Awards. Abu Dhabi Awards. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference The New York Times was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ "John Sexton - NYU Office of President Emeritus". New York University. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  13. ^ "Baseball as a Road to God Praise". Penguin Random House. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  14. ^ "Standing For Reason by John Sexton". Yale University Press. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  15. ^ "John Sexton - Faculty Biography". New York University School of Law. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  16. ^ "John Sexton, Chief Executive and Director". The Catalyst Foundation for Universal Education. Retrieved 1 May 2021.