Brian McGrory resigns from Boston University to lead Boston Globe

Brian McGrory, a two-time editor of the Boston Globe, has resigned from his faculty position at Boston University, making his return to the newspaper permanent.

McGrory had been on a two-year leave of absence from his role as chair of the journalism department at BU since December 2025 to lead the Globe's newsroom. In a note to staff, McGrory stated that he did not want to commit to a return date to the university that he might not be able to keep, nor did he want to work at the Globe with an immovable deadline hanging over him.

McGrory previously served as the Globe's editor from 2012 to 2023. He was succeeded by Nancy Barnes, who departed the role in late 2025. McGrory's return to the Globe was initially described as temporary, but his resignation from academia formalizes his extended stay at the publication.