Two governance stories landed this week: the University of Michigan disclosed a contract that could pay incoming president Kent Syverud up to $3 million annually — a package that would rank among the highest for public university presidents — and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln saw Chancellor Rodney Bennett depart six months before his contract ended amid faculty anger over program cuts and a $1.1 million exit arrangement. The juxtaposition underscores mounting scrutiny of presidential compensation, trustee oversight, and faculty relations: trustees face growing pressure to justify outsized pay in an era of enrollment volatility, while campus leaders confront eroding tenures, program restructurings, and faculty pushback. Boards should expect inquiries from lawmakers, donors, and campus constituencies and be prepared to document performance metrics tied to compensation decisions.