Overview
- The Board of Regents approved him unanimously in a special session, setting a five-year term beginning July 1 with a $2 million base salary and potential annual performance pay up to 30%.
- Syverud, currently Syracuse’s chancellor and president, is a U-M alumnus who previously led law schools at Vanderbilt and Washington University and earlier served on Michigan’s law faculty.
- Jewish leaders and organizations praised the choice, citing his enforcement actions and engagement at Syracuse, his rejection of academic boycotts of Israel, and prior recognition by the Simon Wiesenthal Center.
- Pro-Palestine activists at Michigan and some faculty criticized his October 2025 comments alleging Iranian influence on campus protests, arguing the statements misrepresented their movement.
- Syverud flagged major challenges ahead, including federal cuts affecting 189 research grants, scrutiny of the athletic department by outside counsel, student affordability pressures, the rise of AI, and elevating the Flint and Dearborn campuses.