Harvard College Dean Rakesh Khurana, the longest-serving Harvard College Dean in more than a century, will step down at the end of the 2024-25 academic year, marking the end of his 11-year tenure.
Dean Hopi E. Hoekstra, Edgerley Family Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science, announced Khurana’s decision to depart his deanship on Aug. 29 in an email to College affiliates, followed shortly by an email from Khurana himself. Khurana began his email by sharing how serving as Dean of the College “has been one of the greatest honors and joys of [his] life.”
In his email, Khurana revealed that he was prepared to leave his role last year, but at “the request of senior leadership, [he] agreed to remain for an additional year to support transitions at the University.” Khurana’s decision to stay for an additional academic year was intended to provide stability for the University’s administration amid the leadership turnover ignited by former Harvard President Claudine Gay’s resignation earlier this year.
Following his departure in June 2025, Khurana plans to stay at Harvard, where he holds additional faculty positions in the College’s Sociology department and at Harvard Business School, according to College spokesperson Jonathan Palumbo.
Prior to his appointment as Dean in 2014, Khurana’s leadership journey at Harvard began in 2010 when he and his wife, Stephanie R. Khurana, served as Faculty Deans of Cabot House until 2020.
Throughout his lengthy tenure, Khurana oversaw several significant changes to the College. In 2018, Khurana testified, representing the Harvard administration, in the three-week-long admissions trial that examined whether Harvard’s race-conscious admissions policy discriminated against Asian-American applicants.
In 2014, the organization “Students for Fair Admissions” filed a lawsuit against Harvard University, alleging that their admissions process unfairly discriminated against Asian-American applicants by considering race as a factor, specifically claiming Harvard used a “racial quota” system. In June 2023, the Supreme Court ruled against Harvard, declaring that their race-conscious admissions policy violated the Equal Protection Clause, effectively striking down affirmative action in college admissions. Khurana remained insistent that the College’s race-conscious admissions policy was not unconstitutional. He also was part of a group of Harvard administrators who traveled to Washington D.C. in 2022, when the Supreme Court heard arguments in the case.
Khurana spearheaded the launch of the Intellectual Vitality initiative which sought to promote a free exchange of ideas on campus, amidst concerns of student self-censorship. In 2018, Khurana established the Dean of Students Office, where he combined the former Office of Student Life and the Freshman Dean’s Office. The DSO is dedicated to building a campus residential and social community that is welcoming, open, and accessible to all students. Combining the Accessible Education Office, the Housing Office, the Office of Academic Integrity and Student Conduct, and the Office of the Registrar, Khurana also led the creation of the Office of Student Services in 2022.
Most recently, Khurana faced public scrutiny for his role in sanctioning students who participated in campus protests last semester during the 20-day pro-Palestine encampment in Harvard Yard, which drew significant media attention. Many students and faculty members deemed Khurana responsible for the Administrative Board’s decision to deny 13 seniors their diplomas at Commencement over their encampment involvement. However, the Harvard Corporation, the University’s highest governing body, released degrees to 11 of the 13 seniors in a sudden reversal over the summer.
Over the years, Khurana’s favorability has fluctuated. In 2015, shortly after he became Dean, 82 percent of graduating seniors said they viewed Khurana favorably. In following years, the figure sank to 62 percent among the Class of 2016, reached an all-time low of 42 percent in 2017, and once again rose to nearly 52 percent within the Class of 2024.
Dean Hoekstra, in her email on Thursday, applauded Khurana for his leadership, thanking Khurana for his ability to guide “the College through both periods of renewal and unprecedented challenge, with a vision rooted in empathy, inclusivity, and a fundamental commitment to Veritas.” Hoekstra further emphasized her gratitude for “Rakesh’s continued service this past year, providing continuity during the changes in leadership at the FAS and the University.”
Khurana’s presence is acknowledged and embraced by undergraduates, including his relentless efforts to photograph and celebrate students in all corners of Harvard’s campus. Dean Hoekstra details how Khurana’s engaging Instagram account, the Deanstagram, where he shares daily gratitude for Harvard’s community of students, is evidence of Khurana’s “distinctive leadership style, characterized by approachability and a genuine commitment to listening to the voices across the entire Harvard community.” Hoekstra shared how “no one can take a better selfie.”
To conclude his own email, Khurana shared his optimistic view about Harvard’s future. “Institutions often seem as though they will endure forever, but we must not take for granted the stability and strength of this great university, and the depth of talent we have assembled,” he wrote. With a legacy of fostering an equitable, resilient, and hopeful College, Dean Khurana’s vision and impact on our community is rooted in laughter, love, and a commitment to Veritas.
Rania Jones ’27 (rjones@college.harvard.edu) will miss Khurana’s sideways-angeled selfies deeply and dearly.