University of Michigan Names Vanderbilt Provost as Next President

The University of Michigan Board of Regents has selected C. Cybele Raver, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at Vanderbilt University, as its preferred candidate to become the university’s 17th president.

The Board of Regents is scheduled to hold a special meeting at 11 a.m. on Sept. 1 to take a formal vote on Raver’s appointment. If approved, she is expected to assume the presidency on Dec. 1, succeeding current President Domenico Grasso.

Raver has served as Vanderbilt’s chief academic officer since 2021, overseeing the university’s academic and research enterprise. During her tenure, Vanderbilt’s annual research expenditures surpassed $1 billion, the university recruited eight new deans and established the College of Connected Computing, its first new college in more than four decades.

She has also overseen the expansion of Vanderbilt’s academic presence beyond its Nashville campus, with new or expanded initiatives in New York City, San Francisco, Chattanooga, Tennessee, and West Palm Beach, Florida.

“Dr. Raver has a proven record of building strong teams, expanding research excellence and strengthening every institution she has served,” Michael Behm, chair of the University of Michigan Board of Regents, said in a statement. “She understands what it takes to lead a complex, world-class university.”

Raver’s academic background is in developmental psychology and human development. She is the Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Psychology and Human Development at Vanderbilt’s Peabody College and a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Her research has focused on child development, education policy and poverty, attracting more than $24 million in support from agencies and foundations including the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and the MacArthur Foundation.

Before joining Vanderbilt, Raver served as deputy provost at New York University. She previously held faculty positions at the University of Chicago and Cornell University. She earned her Ph.D. in developmental psychology from Yale University.

In a statement, Raver said she was honored to be considered for the presidency and highlighted Michigan’s role in research, education, economic development and public service.

“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. “I look forward to working alongside faculty, staff, students and alumni to lead Michigan forward.”

Her selection follows a national presidential search conducted by the university’s Presidential Search Committee with assistance from executive search firm Spencer Stuart.

Grasso will remain president through Nov. 30 and is expected to work with Raver during the transition period.

“It will be an honor to welcome Dr. Raver as the university’s next president,” Grasso said. “I look forward to working with her in the weeks ahead to ensure a smooth and successful transition.”

Raver’s appointment would come as universities across the United States continue to navigate challenges involving research funding, enrollment, academic strategy and the evolving role of higher education in economic and public life. Her background combines senior academic administration with a research career in developmental and social science, positioning her to lead one of the country’s largest public research universities.