Dear students, staff and faculty, Beginnings are such important times – times to remember our traditions, to reaffirm our values, and to renew our aspirations. So let us begin again, in pursuit of our mission as one of the world’s great universities, dedicated to discovery and excellence, and committed to lifting the distinct, ineffable potential …

(As prepared for delivery) I’d like to begin by formally congratulating and welcoming our new Chair, Regent Katherine White, and our new Vice Chair, Regent Mark Bernstein. Regent White was first elected to the board in 1998, and I’m so grateful for her relentless dedication, her unstinting service and her steadfast commitment to the University …

Dear colleagues, students and friends, Dr. Marschall Runge, an M.D. and Ph.D. who has served as Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs and CEO of Michigan Medicine since March 2015 and Dean of the Medical School since January 2016, will retire from these leadership roles following the conclusion of his contract on June 30, 2025. …

I was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Ann Lurie, and join with her family and friends and the University of Michigan community in mourning her passing. Ann’s generosity catalyzed discoveries and created spaces that changed how our students learn. Her influence is felt deeply throughout our campus and community. Ann was committed …

(As prepared for delivery) As we begin, I’d especially like to thank Sarah Hubbard, our outgoing chair. In a year in which we have faced significant challenges, Sarah has been a committed leader, a steadfast supporter, and a passionate advocate for our university. During her tenure we broke ground on the U-M Center for Innovation …

Dear Deans, Directors and Department Heads: At the University of Michigan, we are devoted to the highest ethical standards. As university citizens, each of us has an essential role in fostering, sustaining, and strengthening our ethos of honor and integrity.  An important component of these values is our commitment to reporting suspected criminal activity, and …

Faculty, students and staff: The war in Gaza and reactions to it have proven challenging, not just for our university community, but for universities and other institutions both in our country and around the world. Times like these are exactly why freedom of expression is so important and must be honored at public institutions like …

(As prepared for delivery) I’d like to begin by congratulating all of our recent graduates – Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint. We’re so proud of them, we’re so grateful for the time we shared with them, and we’re looking forward to all they will achieve with their University of Michigan degrees. I’m also pleased to …

Dear members of the University of Michigan family, campuses and community, Today we’re celebrating our final commencement ceremonies. We’ve had 53 across our three campuses, and I’d like to congratulate each of you on the successful conclusion to another academic year, and to thank you for all that you did to make our finish memorable, …

Dear friends, colleagues, students, staff and members of our faculty,  For the past year, we have engaged in a strategic visioning process to determine what we will dare to achieve as a great public university. More than 25,000 students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors and local community members engaged in this highly collaborative process. Their input …