Benno was the president of Yale University from 1986 to 1992, where he was known for his outspoken defense of freedom of expression and liberal education. During his presidency, Yale's endowment grew from $1.7 billion to nearly $3 billion, the highest rate of growth among the major endowed private universities in this country. Benno presided over one of the largest building programs in Yale's history, he fashioned a model partnership between the university and the city of New Haven, and he helped build a number of new interdisciplinary programs, especially in environmental sciences and policy and in international studies. Benno oversaw Yale College and 11 graduate and professional schools; approximately 2,000 faculty members; 7,000 staff members; some 11,000 students; and operating and capital budgets of about $900 million. Before joining Yale, Benno was the dean of Columbia University Law School where in 1973 he became, at age 29, one of the youngest tenured professors in Columbia's history. He was named Harlan Fiske Stone Professor of Constitutional Law in 1982. Benno served as law clerk to Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren.

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