Following the departure of Santa J. Ono, Michigan’s 15th president, who left for an opportunity at Florida, Kent Syverud was officially scheduled to join the Wolverines as its 16th president on May 11. But he would no longer take the position due to a serious health concern.

On Wednesday, Syverud announced his diagnosis of a form of brain cancer. He is currently receiving treatment at Michigan Medicine. While he will not serve as president, he will remain at the university as a professor of law and a special advisor to the Board of Regents.

“While my diagnosis and treatment will prevent me from serving as the 16th President of the University of Michigan, I am deeply moved by the generosity of the Regents, who have invited me to continue contributing as a professor in the Law School and as a special advisor to the Board. My wife Ruth and I look forward with great anticipation to rejoining this remarkable community,” Syverud said.

“I am currently undergoing treatment at the University of Michigan. As I shared with the community back in January, I have a deep and personal affiliation with Michigan Medicine. I am where I need to be, and I am in excellent hands. I am deeply grateful to the outstanding teams at University of Michigan Medicine and Crouse Hospital and for their extraordinary care. I also want to thank the Michigan Board of Regents and Syracuse University Board of Trustees for the support and compassion they have extended to me and my family.”

Kent Syverud has a deep, multi-generational connection to Michigan, spanning over 45 years as an alumnus and faculty member. He arrived in Ann Arbor in May 1978 on a scholarship. Then he earned two postgraduate degrees from the program: a Juris Doctor in 1981 and a Master of Arts in Economics in 1983. He even met his wife, Dr. Ruth Chen, at Michigan when she was a doctoral student in the School of Public Health.

From 1987 to 1997, Syverud served on the faculty of the University of Michigan Law School. To cap it off, from 1995 to 1997, he served as the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Now, following his diagnosis, the Board of Regents announced that Domenico Grasso will continue to serve in an interim role until they can select the next president.

“The board plans to re-engage a search process as soon as possible. We will share details about this in the coming days. We have no doubt that outstanding candidates will seek an opportunity to lead our great university because, as Kent said earlier this year, ‘Michigan has been, is now, and must remain the best public research university anywhere,'” the statement read.

However, saying goodbye to its long-anticipated incoming president, at least for now, became an emotional moment for Michigan.

A historic homecoming turns into an emotional announcement

After spending 12 years at Syracuse, serving as its 12th chancellor and president, Kent Syverud got the chance to return to Michigan. Upon his appointment as the 16th president of the Wolverines, he referred to the role as his “dream job,” stating that only Michigan, his alma mater, could have convinced him to leave his previous post at Syracuse. Now his helplessness in stepping away from the job because of cancer treatment left Michigan heavy-hearted.

“We recently celebrated Kent Syverud’s selection to serve as our next president. It was a joyous and historic homecoming. So it is with a heavy heart, and with Kent’s permission, that I share with you that Kent is currently receiving treatment at Michigan Medicine for a form of brain cancer,” said Mark J. Bernstein, the chair of the Board of Regents. “Our first priority is helping Kent and his family address this challenge. And we will do so with every resource we have. We know how deeply Kent loves Michigan. And we love him.”

That love became an inspiration for Syverud to take this challenge optimistically. “I am aware that I am one of many, many people who face a diagnosis like this — people who show up each day with courage. I take inspiration from all of them. I want you to know that I am ready to meet this challenge. I am approaching this with optimism, with determination, and with full confidence in the people who are caring for me. I believe in the road ahead, and I intend to walk it with everything I have,” said Syverud.

We also pray for the incoming Michigan president’s quick recovery and well-being.