University of Michigan’s Board of Regents has appointed Domenico Grasso as the institution’s 16th president. Grasso steps into the role following Chancellor Kent Syverud’s withdrawal due to health issues, specifically brain cancer. With his appointment retroactive to May 2025, Grasso continues a tradition of leadership dating back to the 1800s. The decision follows Santa J. Ono’s resignation, marking a significant transition period for the university.
Regent Carl Meyers expressed gratitude, stating, “When we asked Domenico Grasso to step in and serve as president last year, he did so knowing it was the right thing to do for his university. He has now accepted the call to serve for a second time.” The University of Michigan, founded in 1817 and relocated to Ann Arbor in 1837, has seen numerous leaders since its first president, Henry Philip Tappan, was appointed in 1852.
As the first Michigan alumnus president since Alexander Grant Ruthven, Grasso’s academic background includes a Michigan doctorate in environmental engineering. He is the second engineer to hold the position, with James J. Duderstadt being the first. Grasso also holds positions as a professor of civil and environmental engineering at UM-Ann Arbor and sustainable engineering at UM-Dearborn.
Mary Sue Coleman, the university’s 13th president and the only woman to hold the position, praised Grasso’s leadership, noting his contributions as both president and UM-Dearborn chancellor. Grasso is the first to have held both roles.
Grasso has often cited leaders like Tappan, Coleman, Duderstadt, and James B. Angell as inspirations. Angell served as Michigan’s president from 1871 to 1909, becoming the longest-serving president in its history. “The satisfactions it has brought to me are quite beyond my deserts,” Angell wrote about his tenure.
Board Chair Mark J. Bernstein expressed, “We are profoundly grateful to President Grasso for answering the call to serve our university during these consequential and challenging times.” Grasso will stay on until a new president is appointed, residing with his wife, Susan, and their dog, Nola, at the historic president’s residence on campus, once home to Tappan.
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