New Michigan president to start July 1 after Regents approval
Kent Syverud, the former Syracuse University chancellor and president, was approved Monday by the University of Michigan Board of Regents to become the school’s next president. The board’s vote was unanimous, and Syverud will begin his post July 1, replacing interim President Domenico Grasso, who has held the office since May.
Syverud will become the university’s 16th president and the first U-M alumnus to serve as president in nearly a century. The regents’ decision comes after former U-M President Santo Ono stepped down after less than three years.
In remarks after the meeting, Syverud said his new role will test the university and the broader system of American higher education. “These are challenging times for Michigan, for higher education and the whole world,” Syverud said Monday. He added that the university has a choice on how to respond, saying Michigan can lead rather than “curl up in a ball.”
Syverud’s message: ‘We can lead’ amid ‘rough patch’
Syverud also emphasized the need for time and engagement as he transitions into the job. In a video introduction posted to YouTube, he said, “When I start in July I will need your help,” and said the university “has had a rough patch recently.” He said he will have “a lot of listening and a lot of learning to do.”
Syverud’s contract is for five years. The report said his base salary will be $2 million, with the possibility of an annual performance award of up to 30% of his salary.
Board chair Mark Bernstein said the regents believe the university needs leadership prepared for the challenges facing higher education. “For our university and our society, American higher education faces more challenges now than at any point since World War II,” Bernstein said.
Challenges outlined include federal funding cuts and federal mandates
Regents and university officials highlighted multiple issues Syverud will need to address. Among the concerns are changes to federal funding and mandates affecting research and campus operations.
The report said U-M’s annual research report documented $2.16 billion in research spending across the university’s Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint campuses for fiscal year 2025, including $1.2 billion in federal funds. According to Arthur Lupia, U-M vice president for research and innovation, federal funds have been slashed for 189 U-M grants since President Donald Trump began his second term last year.
Lupia said many of the affected grants were in their last year of funding and that “numerous ones were challenged and reinstated,” though he was not sure how many were ultimately reinstated as U-M continues to challenge the cuts. The report said U-M officials did not respond to inquiries seeking clarity.
The report also said the federal cuts and mandates extend beyond research funding, including reductions to Medicaid and other federal programs, and mandates impacting the university’s hospital such as gender-affirming care for minors.
Regent Paul Brown said there had been a debate after World War II about maintaining federal government funding for large research universities, and he argued that the relationship between federal government and universities is changing without a national debate. Brown said Syverud, “as a lawyer,” understands the issues and can help Michigan “push back on that and refuse the mandates, so to speak,” describing him as a “humble negotiator.”
Athletics investigations and NCAA penalties are also in focus
The report said U-M has grappled with high-profile athletic department problems, including two scandals in two years. It said the university in December hired Jenner & Block, an outside law firm, to investigate what happened leading up to the firing last month of head football coach Sherrone Moore over an alleged inappropriate relationship with a staff member. The report said the investigation’s report is forthcoming.
The report also referenced NCAA action after an investigation into illegal scouting and sign-stealing by the U-M football program. It said the NCAA’s investigation led in 2025 to fines that included the loss of postseason revenue for two seasons and other penalties.
Flint and Dearborn: ‘three main campuses’ and a plan to understand them
Syverud also raised expectations for how the university should define its campuses. The report said he planned to visit U-M Flint on campus Monday before returning to Syracuse, saying many people have long viewed U-M’s Flint and Dearborn campuses as “extra campuses.”
“My belief is that University of Michigan is a great university with three main campuses, not with one,” Syverud said. He added that he wants to “understand Flint and Dearborn well,” and said he does not want to “perform on that” but instead to make it “true.”
The report said U-M Flint had been engaged in a strategic planning process in 2022 after former U-M President Mary Sue Coleman highlighted low graduation rates and enrollment declines, which the report said had turned around in recent years.
Affordability, access and AI will shape the next term
The report said affordability and access are central concerns. It said tuition and fees for in-state undergraduate students enrolled on U-M’s main campus in Ann Arbor total $18,346 for 2025-26, the second-highest cost among the state’s 15 public universities, with Michigan Technological University’s tuition higher at $19,982.
Regents said cost-control and support for students beyond tuition are part of the challenge. The report said Regent Michael Behm said students receiving tuition support also need help with finances for books, housing and other costs. Regent Paul Brown said there is a gap in K-12 students’ exposure to what they can do to access higher education, and that U-M and other colleges “lose a huge part of really capable students” because of knowledge and resources gaps in their communities.
Syverud also said it was important to reflect the state’s diversity.
Finally, the report said Syverud will face the impact of artificial intelligence, which is described as transforming higher education for students and for U-M’s research, discoveries and data processing.
Regents describe Syverud as prepared to lead
Several regents described Syverud’s fit for the job in leadership terms. Bernstein said Syverud is “a deep, steady and broad thinker” with “a track record of success.”
Regent Sarah Hubbard said in a statement that Syverud brings a deep understanding of higher education leadership, a strong commitment to students and faculty, and appreciation for the responsibility that comes with stewarding one of the world’s public universities.