The president of the University of Toronto is the executive head of the University of Toronto, appointed by the university's Governing Council. 17 people have held the office since the university was founded as King's College in 1827.
As set out by the University of Toronto Act, the president is an ex officio member of the Governing Council of the University of Toronto alongside the chancellor, who is the university's ceremonial head. The office of the president is located in Simcoe Hall on the St. George campus, and the official residence for the officeholder is 93 Highland Avenue in the Rosedale neighbourhood of Toronto.
The University of Toronto's current president is Melanie Woodin, who is the first woman to hold the position in the university's 200-year history. She took office on July 1, 2025 after serving as dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science since 2019.
History The first president of King's College, the predecessor institution to the University of Toronto, was John Strachan, the first Anglican Bishop of Toronto. He had long advocated for the establishment of a university in Upper Canada and took the role of its inaugural head after its royal charter was issued by King George IV in 1827. The university was closely aligned with the Church of England, and anticipating the institution's secularization, Strachan resigned to establish Trinity College, which later federated with the university.
John McCaul took over as president in 1848 and the university adopted its present name in 1850, severing its ties with the Church of England. A restructuring occurred in 1853 when University College was established as the university's teaching arm, with the president of University College now the de facto head of the University of Toronto. Holding the leadership of the university from 1848 to 1880, McCaul is regarded as the longest-serving president. Since University College was founded, no role of a university-wide president existed until The University Act, 1901, which re-established the office of president while renaming the head of University College as principal. In 1892, James Loudon became the first Canadian-born president, serving until 1906.
Unlike many Canadian universities, the president of the University of Toronto does not hold the title of vice-chancellor. A role of vice-chancellor previously existed at the university, however it was separate from that of the president and permanently suspended by The University Act, 1906.
Presidents Portrait Name Term start Term end President of King's College (1827–1850) 1 The Right Rev. John Strachan 1827 1848President of the University of Toronto (1850–1853)President of University College (1853–1901) 2 The Rev. John McCaul 1848 1880 3 Sir Daniel Wilson 1880 1892President of the University of Toronto (1901–present) 4 James Loudon 1892 1906 acting Maurice Hutton 1906 1907 5 Sir Robert Falconer 1907 1932 6 The Rev. Henry John Cody 1932 1945 7 The Hon. Sidney Earle Smith 1945 1957acting Moffat St. Andrew Woodside September 1957 July 1958 8 Claude Bissell 1958 1971acting John H. Sword 1971 1972 9 John Robert Evans 1972 1978 10 James Milton Ham 1978 1983 11 David Strangway 1983 1984 12 George Connell 1984 1990 13 Robert Prichard 1990 2000 14 Robert Birgeneau 2000 2004interim Frank Iacobucci acting Vivek Goel 15 C. David Naylor 16 Meric Gertler 17 Melanie Woodin incumbent
See also Lists of vice-presidents of the University of Toronto: List of principals of the University of Toronto Mississauga List of principals of the University of Toronto Scarborough List of provosts of the University of Toronto
References
External links University of Toronto – Office of the President