The University of Michigan has selected Kent Syverud as its next president, succeeding interim President Domenico Grasso. Syverud is an alumnus of the university and currently serves as the chancellor of Syracuse University. He has held this position since January 2024.
Kent Syverud: Background and Qualifications
Before his chancellorship at Syracuse University, Syverud was the dean at Washington University in St. Louis from 2006 to 2023. He has a strong academic background, having also served as the dean at Vanderbilt Law School for eight years. His time as a faculty member at the University of Michigan law school spanned from 1987 to 1997, where he earned tenure in 1992 and became an associate dean for academic affairs in 1995.
Academic Credentials
- Bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University
- Master’s and law degrees from the University of Michigan
- Law clerk for Judge Louis Oberdorfer and Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor
Syverud has also practiced law at Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering in Washington, D.C., before returning to academia.
Significant Legal Involvement
Syverud played a significant role in the Supreme Court case Grutter v. Bollinger, which was decided in 2003. This landmark case affirmed the University of Michigan Law School’s use of race as one factor in its admissions process, maintaining that such policies were constitutional as long as they considered multiple factors in individual applications.
Transition of Leadership
Kent Syverud’s appointment marks a new chapter for the University of Michigan. He will be the fifth president in this decade. Grasso has been serving as interim president since May 2025, following the resignation of former President Santa Ono, who left to pursue the presidency at the University of Florida.
Previous University Presidents
- Mark Schlissel: Served from July 2014 to January 2022
- Mary Sue Coleman: Interim president for nine months
- Santa Ono: Led from October 2022 to May 2025
The leadership transition is significant as Syverud prepares to address challenges while continuing to foster diversity and academic excellence at the university.
