Unanimous Vote

The University of Michigan Board of Regents confirmed C. Cybele Raver as president-elect with a unanimous vote on Tuesday. Her five-year term as the university's 17th president begins on Dec. 1. She was formally introduced by the current president, Domenico Grasso, who said: "When the search began, we were looking for the very best, and we found her in Cybele."

Raver told the trustees that Michigan "truly represents greatness, in every sense of the word." Regent Jordan Acker added: "Thank you to my colleagues for this process and for finding a candidate that was in a really talented pool and rose to the top."

Regent Denise Ilitch praised Raver's leadership qualities at the meeting, saying: "Our new president is a very trusted individual and will continue to build trust in our community." She described Raver as a strong listener, team builder, and collaborator, adding, "One added bonus: She's really fun to be around." Ilitch also called Raver a "change agent" with "strong inner strength."

Background and Appointment

Raver will replace Domenico Grasso, who was named U-M's president in May after Kent Syverud, the university's original pick for the job, withdrew after being diagnosed with a form of brain cancer. Syverud agreed to serve as a law professor and special advisor to the Board of Regents. Grasso first took the role in May 2025 when Santa Ono stepped down.

Raver's pending appointment was announced on Aug. 18. Her contract extends for five years, with a base salary of $2 million per year and an annual incentive program up to 30% of her base salary, based on mutually agreed-upon performance metrics, according to a contract provided to news media.

Raver's Career and Personal Ties

Raver was previously provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at Vanderbilt University. Before that, she was deputy provost at NYU and held faculty roles at the University of Chicago and Cornell. She earned her D. in developmental psychology from Yale University.

Her research has attracted more than $24 million in funding from the NIH, NSF, MacArthur Foundation, and others. Raver's stepfather is from Flint and attended U-M; her mother and sister, actress Kim Raver, attended the meeting.

Raver said after the meeting: "In my view, this is the best job in the country." She will select a new athletic director when Warde Manuel steps down and a new chief executive for Michigan Medicine.

Historical Significance

Raver is the second woman to lead the University of Michigan, following Mary Sue Coleman, who served from 2002 to 2014 and again in 2022 on an interim basis.