President of the University of Michigan

Last updated
President of the
University of Michigan
UBC President Santa Ono.jpg
Incumbent
Santa Ono
since October 14, 2022
University of Michigan
Reports to Board of Regents
Residence President's House
Appointer Board of Regents
Constituting instrument Constitution of Michigan
Formation1850 (1850)
First holder Henry Philip Tappan
Salary$1,014,000 [1]
Website president.umich.edu

The president of the University of Michigan is a constitutional officer who serves as the principal executive officer of the University of Michigan. The president is chosen by the Board of Regents of the University of Michigan, as provided for in the Constitution of the State of Michigan. Fifteen peoplefourteen men and one womanhave held the office, in addition to several others who have held it in either an acting or interim capacity.

Contents

The University of Michigan's current president is Santa Ono, formerly the president of the University of British Columbia in Canada. He took office on 14 October 2022. [2]

History

The office was created by the Michigan Constitution of 1850, which also specified that the president was to be appointed by the Regents of the University of Michigan and preside at their meetings, but without a vote. [3] The precise wording has evolved through subsequent state constitutions, and as of November 2018 the office is defined by Article VIII, section 5 of the Constitution of 1963: [4]

The regents of the University of Michigan and their successors in office shall constitute a body corporate known as the Regents of the University of Michigan; ... Each board shall, as often as necessary, elect a president of the institution under its supervision. He shall be the principal executive officer of the institution, be ex-officio a member of the board without the right to vote and preside at meetings of the board. ...

Between the establishment of the University of Michigan in 1837 and 1850, the Board of Regents ran the university directly; by law, they were supposed to appoint a chancellor to administer the university, but they never did, and a rotating roster of professors carried out the day-to-day administrative duties instead. [5]

While the modern office was created in 1850, the University of Michigan itself now traces its date of founding to 1817, when its precursor, the University of Michigania, was founded. The only president of that institution, Rev. John Monteith, appears in the list of presidents but is not officially considered to have been a president of the University of Michigan. [6]

List of University of Michigan presidents

The 15th and most recent president of the university is Santa Ono, appointed in 2022. Of the previous presidents:

Presidents of the University of Michigan
No.NamePortraitYears in officeNotes
Rev. John Monteith John Monteith.jpg 1817–1821First and only president of the University of Michigania; 4 years in office
Vacant1821–1837Office abolished in favor of a Board of Trustees
1837–1852Board of Regents replaces Board of Trustees
1 Henry Philip Tappan Henry Philip Tappan.jpg 1852–1863First president of the University of Michigan, removed by regents; 11 years in office
2 Erastus Otis Haven Erastus Otis Haven.png 1863–1869Resigned to become President of Northwestern University; 6 years in office
acting Henry S. Frieze Henry Simmons Frieze History of UM.png 1869–1871Following President Haven's resignation.
3 James Burrill Angell James Burrill Angell.png 1871–1909Retired after 38 years in office (longest-serving president)
actingHenry S. Frieze Henry Simmons Frieze History of UM.png 1880–1882While President Angell is U.S. Minister to China
1887–1888While President Angell is on the commission negotiating the Bayard-Chamberlain Treaty
acting Harry Burns Hutchins Harry Burns Hutchins.png 1897–1898While President Angell is U.S. Minister to Turkey
interim1909–1910Following President Angell's retirement.
41910–1920Was the first student to receive a degree from James B. Angell at Michigan; retired after 10 year in office
5 Marion LeRoy Burton Marion LeRoy Burton.png 1920–1925Died in office
acting Alfred Henry Lloyd Alfred Henry Lloyd.png 1925From February through September after the death of President Burton
6 Clarence Cook Little Clarence Cook Little.jpg 1925–1929Resigned to conduct research at Bar Harbor, Maine; 4 years in office
7 Alexander Grant Ruthven Alexander G. Ruthven.png 1929–1951Retired after 22 years in office
8 Harlan Hatcher Harlan Hatcher.png 1951–1968Retired after 17 years in office
9 Robben Wright Fleming Noimage.svg 1968–1979Resigned after 11 years in office; was chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
interim Allan Frederick Smith Allan F. Smith University of Georgia School of Law Commencement 1980 (cropped).jpg 1979Following President Fleming's resignation.
10 Harold Tafler Shapiro HAROLD SHAPIRO.jpg 1980–1988Resigned to become president of Princeton University; 8 years in office
interim Robben Wright Fleming Noimage.svg 1988Following President Shapiro's resignation.
11 James Johnson Duderstadt James Duderstadt at NSB open session.jpg 1988–1996Resigned to return to teaching; 8 years in office
interim Homer A. Neal Homer Neal at Physics Today Roundtable.jpg 1996Following President Duderstadt's resignation.
12 Lee Bollinger Lee Bollinger - Daniella Zalcman less noise.jpg 1996–2002Resigned to become president of Columbia University; 6 years in office
interim B. Joseph White B. Joseph White portrait.jpg 2002Following President Bollinger's resignation.
13 Mary Sue Coleman Mary Sue Colman.jpg 2002–2014Retired [7] after 12 years in office as the first female president of the University of Michigan
14 Mark Schlissel Mark Schlissel University of Michigan (cropped).jpg 2014–2022Removed [8] by regents
interim Mary Sue Coleman Mary Sue Colman.jpg 2022Following President Schlissel's termination
15 Santa Ono UBC President Santa Ono.jpg 2022–presentIncumbent, took office on October 14, 2022

Source: ( Bentley Historical Library 2004 )

Notes

  1. "Regents laud Ono's performance in first year". record.umich.edu/. University of Michigan Record. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  2. "The Ono presidency begins | The University Record". record.umich.edu. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
  3. State of Michigan 1850, Article 13, section 8
  4. State of Michigan 1963, Article VIII, section 5
  5. Hinsdale 1906 , p. 37
  6. Bentley Historical Library
  7. "University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman to retire in 2014". Archived from the original on 2014-10-07. Retrieved 2015-05-05.
  8. https://www.freep.com/story/news/education/2022/01/15/university-michigan-president-mark-schlissel-fired-board-investigation/%5B‍%5D [ bare URL ]

References