The University of Michigan Board of Regents voted unanimously to confirm C. Cybele Raver as the institution's 17th president.
Raver, who currently serves as provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at Vanderbilt University, will officially take office on December 1. She succeeds President Domenico Grasso, who has led the university — initially on an interim basis — since May 2025, following the departure of former president Santa Ono.
Raver holds a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and a Ph.D. from Yale University. Prior to her leadership at Vanderbilt, she held senior administrative and faculty posts at New York University, the University of Chicago, and Cornell University.
Following her confirmation, Raver highlighted her excitement in building on the university's legacy.
"You have truly a wonderful way of building a lifelong sense of community, while also channeling a fierce pride in winning," Raver said. "And I just love that about this university."
Raver also emphasized that her background as a quantitative social scientist will shape her decision making process across the University of Michigan's Ann Arbor, Dearborn, and Flint campuses, as well as Michigan Medicine.
"I look forward to learning about your perspectives, your viewpoints across our faculty, our students, our staff, our alumni, and our Michigan community," Raver said. "You can also expect me to take swift and decisive action after weighing your input and the evidence."
In an emailed statement, The board of regents expressed full confidence in Raver’s record of expanding research and building strong academic teams, saying she strengthens institutions. "She is the best person to lead our complex, world-class university at this moment," the regents said.
President Grasso will remain in his leadership role through November 30. The university said he will work closely with Raver over the coming months to ensure a seamless leadership transition.
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