University of Michigan trustees are courting Kent Syverud, chancellor of Syracuse University, as a stabilizing candidate to lead a flagship beset by recent controversies, governance turnover and athletic department turmoil. The hire would be read as a search for steady, experienced leadership after a string of high-profile departures and governance challenges on campus. Syverud’s record at Syracuse—where he led recovery efforts and institutional retooling—figures into the calculus. Trustees and campus stakeholders will weigh his experience managing institutional reputation, athletics oversight and faculty relations. The appointment process will test Michigan’s ability to restore campus confidence and repair donor and alumni relationships. Observers should track the timeline for any announcement, interim management plans, and whether the Board of Regents will set specific benchmarks for campus culture and governance reforms as part of a new president’s mandate.