The New York City-based Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has announced the appointment of Don Michael Randel as president of the foundation, effective July 1, 2006. He will succeed William G. Bowen, who has served as president since 1988.

President of the University of Chicago since 2000, Randel led efforts to strengthen the humanities and arts on campus, was instrumental in further strengthening the university's programs in the physical and biomedical sciences, and initiated a broad range of interactions with the city of Chicago. He also led an ongoing $2 billion fundraising campaign, the largest in the university's history.

A musicologist by training, Randel attended Princeton University, where he received bachelor's, master's, and doctorate degrees in music. He joined the faculty of Cornell University in 1968, where he remained for thirty-two years, serving at various times as chairman of the department of music, vice-provost, and associate dean and dean of the college of arts and sciences. He became Cornell's provost in 1995.

"Under Don's leadership we are confident that Mellon will continue to provide strong support for some of our nation's most important institutions and for our unique international programs," said Mellon board chair Anne M. Tatlock, who is also chair and CEO of Fiduciary Trust Company International. "His deep knowledge of the arts and the humanities is a marvelous fit for the foundation, as is his experience leading one of the country's great research universities."

Bowen will serve a final year as president before continuing his research and writing. He will also continue to serve as board chair of Ithaka Harbors, Inc., a nonprofit organization whose mission is to accelerate the productive uses of information technologies for the benefit of higher education around the world.