"His selection is a huge victory for students," Levin said. "He's willing to listen to student voice in making important decisions."
Hennessy, a 1973 Villanova University graduate, has both a master's and a doctoral degree in computer science. He is well known for co-founding MIPS Computer Systems, a successful Silicon Valley company based on research he started at Stanford in 1981.
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However, Hennessy said his academic work has always drawn him back to Stanford.
"In my heart of hearts, I like being an academic, and I like working with students," he said.
Hennessy, the recipient of numerous national awards in his field, is the author of two computer science textbooks.