The University of Michigan Board of Regents is scheduled to vote to appoint Syracuse University chancellor Kent Syverud as UM’s next president, according to local reporting. The board called a special meeting to confirm Syverud, who earned law and economics degrees at Michigan and served on its law faculty earlier in his career. If approved, he would replace interim president Domenico Grasso. Syverud’s expected hire follows the controversial departure of Santa Ono, who left amid scrutiny of his prior support for diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives after a prospective Florida appointment stalled. Regents signaled they value Syverud’s fundraising and engagement record; supporters pointed to his institutional history at Michigan as a qualification. The decision will shape UM’s leadership ahead of budget and governance challenges and could influence regional donor and legislative relations. Administrators and faculty governance bodies will watch how the incoming president balances external political pressures with internal priorities for research, enrollment and academic freedom.