Joseph B. Moore announced that he would retired the following year. In 2016, Jeff A. Weiss became president and resigned in 2018 due to personal health reasons (he almost immediately became Chief Strategy and Transformation Office at Mass General Brigham.). In 2018, Richard S. Hansen became interim president.
In July 2018, Lesley announced the purchase of the historic buildings formerly owned by the Episcopal Divinity School (EDS), making Lesley the sole owner of the 4.4-acre Brattle Campus. The purchase included five buildings – St. John's Memorial Chapel, Wright Hall, Burnham Hall, Reed Hall and 4 Berkeley St. – and the remainder of Sherrill Hall. Since 2008, Lesley and EDS had jointly owned Sherrill Hall as part of the schools' condominium agreement.
=== 2019-present ===
In 2021, Lesley briefly piloted a community-based partnership with DeMello International Center in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Janet L. Steinmayer became university president in July 2019.
Part of a long-term demographic trend of fewer college …
