ANN ARBOR, Mich. (WXYZ) — The University of Michigan Board of Regents announced Tuesday the plan to hire Vanderbilt University Provost and Vice Chancellor Cybele Raver as the next university president — only the second time in the school's history a woman has held the position.
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Raver will become Michigan's 17th president. The board will hold a special meeting on Sept. 1 to formally elect her. She is set to begin leading the university on Dec. 1.
The announcement follows more than a year of turnover in the university president's office. Former President Santa Ono, who served from 2022 to 2025, departed to take a job at the University of Florida. Domenico Grasso stepped in as interim president before the university hired Kent Syverud of Syracuse University in January 2026. Three months later, Syverud stepped down following a devastating brain cancer diagnosis, returning Grasso to the interim role.
The board of regents, along with a search committee made up of students and faculty members, ultimately selected Raver following a months-long search.
Board of Regents member Paul Brown said Raver stood out among candidates.
"She obviously checks all of the boxes in a way that makes me feel very lazy about myself," Brown said as he laughed. "Whether it's her outstanding academic resume at Harvard and Yale or as an educator at Cornell and University of Chicago, but then what a transformational leader she's been both at NYU and Vanderbilt."
In a statement to the university community, Raver said it is an honor to be considered for the position.
"Michigan's scale and impact across research, education, economic growth and public service are unmatched and I'm eager to build on its remarkable legacy," Raver said in a statement to students, faculty and alumni.
Students on campus expressed optimism about the hire. Sophomore Deandre said the news brought a sense of relief.
"I'm just excited. We're turning over a new leaf. Something more consistent," Deandre said.
Alumna Kayla Barone said she was encouraged to see another woman stepping into the role.
"Well, this is news to me, but it's great just to hear that another woman is stepping into the role. A lot of the times, you don't really see women in powerful roles like this, so I think it's great for the university and great for women empowerment moving forward," Barone said.
Graduate student Dean Williams said he welcomed the selection.
"Great school that she's coming from and I love that we're able to demonstrate with our school how forward-looking we are in the present. We don't have any qualms about who we select, creed, color or race, gender," Williams said.
Barone added she hopes Raver brings stability to the role.
"Hopefully, she can stay in that role a little bit longer than the last president and we just continue moving forward as a great university," Barone said.
Williams echoed that sentiment.
"I'm looking forward to seeing what she does with our school," Williams said.
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