The University of Chicago Graham School is pleased to announce the reappointment of Noah Chafets as the Cyril O. Houle Chair of the Basic Program of Liberal Education for Adults. Enthusiastically supported by his Basic Program colleagues, his continued leadership reflects a deep commitment to academic rigor, community-building, and the enduring mission of lifelong learning.
The University of Chicago Graham School is pleased to announce that Noah Chafets has been re-appointed as the Cyril O. Houle Chair of the Basic Program of Liberal Education for Adults for a new two-year term, spanning the 2026–27 and 2027–28 academic years.
Enthusiastically supported through a biannual election of Basic Program instructional staff and formally reappointed by Dean Seth Green, Noah’s selection reflects the deep trust and respect he has earned within the community. Colleagues consistently point to his thoughtful leadership, attentiveness to instructors, and ability to represent the collective voice of the faculty with clarity and care. As Zoë Eisenman, Director of Academics and Basic Program Instructor, reflects, “Noah’s leadership is defined by both thoughtfulness and trust. He has a deep respect for the instructors he represents and an ability to bring people together around a shared purpose. His re-election speaks to the strength of those relationships and the confidence the community places in his continued leadership.”
As Chair, Noah serves as a vital bridge between the Basic Program and the broader Graham School, guiding curriculum, supporting instructors, and fostering meaningful engagement among students and alumni. His leadership has been central to sustaining the program’s distinctive intellectual culture, one grounded in rigorous inquiry, shared exploration, and a commitment to lifelong learning.
Over the course of his tenure, Noah has advanced a vision that pairs intellectual rigor with long-term stewardship. This approach has contributed to measurable growth, curricular innovation, and a strengthened foundation for the program’s future.
Under his first two years of leadership, total enrollments have increased by one-third, reflecting both rising demand and an expanding community of learners drawn to the Basic Program’s model of serious, discussion-based education. At the same time, the curriculum has continued to expand into new areas. Including the introduction of the Classic Texts, Contemporary World series, which has brought foundational texts into dialogue with the defining questions of the present moment. This period has also been marked by the growth of the Basic Program faculty, the development of new in-person programming, and the return of a faculty retreat in 2025, the first since 2018, further strengthening the program’s intellectual community.
This period of growth has been matched by significant progress in the Securing the Future Initiative, a philanthropic effort focused on sustaining the long-term vitality of the Basic Program. Through this initiative, millions have been added to the program’s endowment, strengthening its financial resilience and ensuring it will continue to serve future generations of students.
Philanthropic partnership has been essential to this momentum. Don Phillips, who originally endowed the Cyril O. Houle Chair, has played a key role in advancing this vision. Reflecting on the program’s trajectory, he shared, “My goal with the Chair and in supporting the Securing the Future Initiative was to strengthen leadership continuity and ensure the long-term vitality of the Basic Program. Noah is bringing that vision to life. Under his leadership, the program has continued to expand its reach, deepen its offerings, and secure its future through the endowment.”
Noah’s leadership has also strengthened the connective fabric of the Basic Program community. As Dean Seth Green observes, “The Basic Program represents something rare in adult education: a sustained commitment to serious, discussion-based exploration of foundational texts. Noah has been an exceptional steward of that tradition, strengthening both the intellectual rigor of the program and the sense of community that makes it so distinctive.”
The Graham School looks forward to Noah’s continued leadership and the continued growth of the Basic Program in the years ahead.
