The University of Michigan is basically a small city. When you think about the President of the University of Michigan, you aren't just looking at a scholar in a robe. You're looking at the CEO of a multi-billion dollar enterprise that includes a massive health system, a legendary athletic department, and roughly 50,000 students who all have very loud opinions.
Santa J. Ono took the reins as the 15th president in October 2022. He stepped into a role that was, frankly, a bit of a mess. His predecessor, Mark Schlissel, had been removed by the Board of Regents after an investigation into an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate. The vibe on campus was tense. Trust was low. People were tired of the drama.
Ono didn't just walk in; he arrived with a specific kind of energy. If you follow him on social media, you know he’s a bit of a "superfan." He’s at the games. He’s taking selfies with students. But behind that approachable, bowtie-wearing persona is a seasoned administrator who previously led the University of British Columbia and the University of Cincinnati. He knows how the gears turn.
The Weight of the Diag: What the Job Actually Requires
People often underestimate the sheer scale of this position. The University of Michigan isn't just a school in Ann Arbor. It has campuses in Flint and Dearborn. It operates Michigan Medicine, which is one of the largest academic medical centers in the country.
The President of the University of Michigan has to answer to the Board of Regents. These are eight individuals elected by the citizens of the State of Michigan. It’s a political role, whether they want it to be or not. They have to lobby in Lansing for funding while simultaneously managing a donor base that expects "The Leaders and the Best" to actually be the best.
Money matters here. A lot. The university's endowment is north of $17 billion. Managing that kind of capital while navigating the cultural minefields of a modern university is a tightrope walk. You have to be a fundraiser, a diplomat, a crisis manager, and—occasionally—a cheerleader.
Transparency and the Post-Schlissel Era
Ono's first big hurdle was culture. You can’t just "fix" a culture with a memo. He inherited a campus reeling from various scandals, including the fallout from the Robert Anderson abuse case, which cost the university nearly $500 million in settlements.
He’s pushed for more transparency. He’s been vocal about mental health, which is a personal cause for him. Honestly, it’s rare to see a university president talk openly about their own struggles with depression, but Ono does it. It humanizes a role that usually feels very corporate and distant.
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The NIL and Jim Harbaugh Era
Let’s be real. A huge chunk of the public only cares about the President of the University of Michigan when it comes to football.
During the 2023 season, while the team was marching toward a National Championship, they were also under the microscope for the Connor Stalions sign-stealing saga. Ono found himself in a weird spot. He had to defend the institution and Jim Harbaugh against the Big Ten conference, while also making sure he didn't compromise the university's academic integrity.
He chose to stand by the team. He famously sent a letter to Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti, urging "due process." That move bought him a lifetime of goodwill with the alumni, but it also raised questions about the balance between athletics and ethics. It’s a classic Michigan dilemma.
Managing NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) is another beast. Ono has had to navigate a landscape where college sports are basically professionalized, yet the university has to maintain its non-profit, educational status. It’s messy. It’s expensive. And if the president gets it wrong, the donors stop writing checks.
Key Initiatives Under Santa Ono
It hasn't all been football and damage control. Ono has leaned heavily into several key areas that will likely define his legacy.
- BASE (Building Academic Success and Excellence): This is about more than just grades. It's about student retention and making sure the "Michigan Difference" isn't just a marketing slogan.
- Sustainability: Michigan has committed to carbon neutrality. That’s a massive lift for a campus with aging infrastructure and a massive hospital system that runs 24/7.
- The Detroit Center for Innovation: This is a big one. It’s a partnership with Stephen Ross and Dan Gilbert to plant a flag in downtown Detroit. It signals that the university isn't just an ivory tower in Ann Arbor; it's invested in the state's economic engine.
The University of Michigan is a public institution, but it acts like a private ivy. This tension is constant. Ono has to keep tuition affordable for Michigan residents while competing for the world's top researchers who demand massive salaries and state-of-the-art labs.
Dealing with Campus Activism
2024 and 2025 have been difficult years for university presidents nationwide. Protests regarding the conflict in Gaza have hit Ann Arbor hard. We saw encampments on the Diag and disruptions at commencement ceremonies.
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Ono has been criticized from both sides. Some say he’s been too soft on protesters; others argue the university has been too restrictive of free speech. It’s a no-win scenario. But his approach has generally been to lean on the "Principles on Diversity of Thought and Freedom of Expression" adopted by the university. He tries to play the middle, emphasizing that while protest is allowed, disruption of university operations isn't. It’s a fine line.
Why the President's Salary is Always a Talking Point
People love to complain about how much the President of the University of Michigan makes. Ono’s base salary is nearly $1 million. When you add in the housing allowance (he lives in the President's House on South University) and other perks, it's a massive package.
Is it too much? If you compare it to a high school principal, yes. If you compare it to the CEO of a $10 billion healthcare and education conglomerate, it's actually market rate. The reality is that if Michigan doesn't pay that, they won't get the caliber of leader required to manage 30,000 employees.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Role
Many people think the president has absolute power. They don't.
The University of Michigan is highly decentralized. The Dean of the Law School or the Head of Michigan Medicine has a massive amount of autonomy. The president is more like a prime minister who has to build a coalition among powerful, semi-independent "barons" within the university.
Also, the president doesn't decide every admission. They don't choose the starting quarterback. They set the vision, hire the key people, and act as the "Fundraiser-in-Chief."
The Future of Michigan Leadership
Looking ahead, the President of the University of Michigan will have to tackle the "enrollment cliff." The number of high school graduates in the Midwest is dropping. This means Michigan has to work harder to attract students from the coasts and overseas, which complicates its mission as a state school.
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Artificial Intelligence is another looming shadow. How does a massive research university integrate AI into the classroom without losing the value of a liberal arts education? Ono has already started task forces on this, but the tech is moving faster than the bureaucracy.
Actionable Steps for Engaging with the University
If you’re a student, alum, or just a curious citizen, you actually have more access to the President of the University of Michigan’s office than you might think.
1. Attend Regents' Meetings
They are public. If you want to see how the sausage is made, go to one. You can even sign up for public comment if you have a specific grievance or idea. It’s the most direct way to get your voice into the official record.
2. Follow Official Communications, but Read Between the Lines
The "University Record" is the official mouthpiece. It’s great for facts, but for the real story, you need to look at independent student journalism like The Michigan Daily. They are often the first to report on administrative friction.
3. Use the Public Records (FOIA)
Because U-M is a public university, almost all of the president's emails and calendars are subject to the Freedom of Information Act. Most of the big "scoops" regarding the university come from journalists filing FOIA requests.
4. Engage with the Strategic Vision
Ono recently launched "Vision 2034." It’s a ten-year plan. If you are a donor or an alum, this is the roadmap for where your money is going. Read it. If you don't like the direction, the university has various advisory boards and alumni associations that actually have the president’s ear.
The role of the President of the University of Michigan is as much about symbols as it is about substance. In Santa Ono, the university found a leader who understands the "brand" of Michigan—the excellence, the arrogance, the tradition, and the potential. Whether he can steer this massive ship through the political and economic storms of the late 2020s remains to be seen, but the foundation he's building is focused on stability and a very loud, very public pride in the Block M.