The University of Michigan announced incoming president Kent Syverud has withdrawn from the appointment after receiving a brain cancer diagnosis and will not assume the leadership role as planned. Board of Regents leadership said it will restart the presidential search process and keep Domenico Grasso serving as interim president following his prior interim role. Syverud, previously chancellor of Syracuse University and a University of Michigan law professor and administrator, said he is undergoing treatment and thanked the institution’s care teams. Trustees also invited him to return as a law school professor and special advisor to the board. The change leaves US higher education watching succession risk at major flagship institutions—especially as presidential transitions are already constrained by regulatory scrutiny, fundraising timelines, and student-impact planning.