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Kent Syverud

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Kent D. Syverud
Syverud in 2014
12th Chancellor and President of Syracuse University
Assumed office
January 13, 2014
Preceded byNancy Cantor
Dean of Washington University School of Law
In office
2005–2013
Dean of Vanderbilt University Law School
In office
1997–2005
Personal details
BornIrondequoit, New York, U.S.
SpouseRuth Chen[1]
EducationGeorgetown University (BA)
University of Michigan (JD, MA)
WebsiteSyracuse University's Chancellor and President

Kent D. Syverud is the 12th Chancellor and President of Syracuse University. He began his term of office on January 13, 2014. He was previously the dean at Washington University School of Law and Vanderbilt University Law School.

Education and early career

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Syverud earned a bachelor's degree magna cum laude from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in 1977, a Juris Doctor degree magna cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School in 1981, and a master's degree in economics from the University of Michigan in 1983.[2] At Michigan, he was awarded the Henry M. Bates Memorial Scholarship, the Abram W. Sempliner Memorial Award, the Joel D. and Shelby Tauber Scholarship Award, and the Clifton M. Kolb Law Scholarship, and was elected to the Order of the Coif.[3] After graduating from law school, Syverud clerked for U.S. District Judge Louis F. Oberdorfer. Syverud counts among his closest mentors retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, for whom he clerked shortly after she became the first woman named to the Supreme Court bench.[3][4]

Professor of law

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From 1987 to 1997, Syverud taught complex litigation, insurance law, and civil procedure at Vanderbilt University and at the University of Michigan Law School, where he earned tenure in 1992 and advanced to Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in 1995. Syverud served as Dean of the Vanderbilt University Law School from 1997 to 2005, where he was the Garner Anthony Professor of Law. Under Syverud, the law school underwent a $24 million facility expansion that more than doubled its size and the number of faculty grew from 33 to 47 members.[5]

Syverud served as dean of the Washington University School of Law from 2005-2013, where he was also the Ethan A. H. Shepley Distinguished University Professor in 2005.[6]

Syracuse University Chancellor and President

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On September 12, 2013, Syverud was named the 12th Chancellor and President of Syracuse University, succeeding Nancy Cantor.[1] He formally took office as Chancellor on January 13, 2014, and was inaugurated on April 11, 2014.[7]

During Syverud's term, high-profile schools and programs at Syracuse retained their top rankings. Additionally, he successfully stabilized SU's finances, oversaw the renovation of the Carrier Dome, transformed a campus street into a pedestrian walkway, oversaw the construction of new buildings such as the National Veterans Resource Center, and played a critical role in luring the Micron Technology's $100 billion chip factory project to the area.[8]

In 2024, Syverud received the TIAA Institute's Hesburgh Award for Leadership Excellence.[9]

Public service

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In addition to his higher education leadership, Syverud previously served as co-chair of the Central New York Regional Economic Development Council, part of a statewide network created by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to help spur economic growth throughout the state.[10][11] Under his leadership, plan submitted by central New York council was selected for an Upstate Revitalization Initiative grant of $500 million.[12][13][14]

He also previously served as one of two independent trustees of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Trust., a $20 billion fund to pay claims arising from the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.[15][16] In 2016 he completed six years of service as one of the two trustees of the $20 billion Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Trust.

He has previously served as a Commissioner for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education [17] and as Chair of the Law School Admissions Council.[18]

Syverud currently serves as the chair of the Atlantic Coast Conference Board of Directors.[19] He serves on the boards of The Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities in New York, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ex-officio), Crouse Hospital and Boy Scouts of America Longhouse Council.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Boll, Carol (1 January 2014). "Thoughtful Presence". Syracuse University Magazine. Vol. 31, no. 1. pp. 22–29. Retrieved 6 March 2024. Chancellor Kent Syverud is Known and Admired for a Leadership Style that Reflects His Personable Nature, Sharp Intellect, Passion for Listening, and Commitment to Helping Others Achieve Success
  2. ^ "Syverud named dean of the School of Law at Washington University in St. Louis - The Source - Washington University in St. Louis". 22 April 2005. Archived from the original on 12 May 2008. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  3. ^ a b "Alumnus serves as Supreme Court clerk" (pdf). Law Quadrangle Notes. 29 (2). Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Law School: 14. Winter 1985. hdl:2027.42/55599. ISSN 0458-8665. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  4. ^ "Stanford Law Review" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 June 2007. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  5. ^ "A Brief History of Vanderbilt University Law School". 23 August 2007. Archived from the original on 23 August 2007. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  6. ^ "Washington University School of Law Faculty Profile". Archived from the original on 2007-08-18. Retrieved 2007-05-08.
  7. ^ "Chancellor Kent Syverud Inauguration | Syracuse University". inauguration.syr.edu. Archived from the original on 2017-05-19. Retrieved 2017-04-03.
  8. ^ Linhorst, Stan (11 April 2023). "Kent Syverud on leadership: Aim high, ask questions, share credit, take blame". Syracuse Post-Standard. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  9. ^ "TIAA Institute Honors Syracuse University's Kent Syverud with Hesburgh Award for Leadership Excellence in Higher Education". American Council on Education (Press release). 4 March 2024. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  10. ^ "Chancellor Syverud Appointed Co-Chair of Regional Economic Development Council". Syracuse University. May 2, 2014. Archived from the original on September 14, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  11. ^ "Syracuse University Chancellor Kent Syverud to co-chair regional economic council". Syracuse.com. May 1, 2014. Archived from the original on September 16, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  12. ^ "Central New York makes its case for $500 million in state economic aid". syracuse.com. Archived from the original on 2017-07-05. Retrieved 2017-05-18.
  13. ^ "CNY RISING FROM THE GROUND UP" (PDF). ny.gov. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 29, 2017. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
  14. ^ "Central New York a winner in Cuomo's $1.5 billion Upstate revival initiative". syracuse.com. Archived from the original on 2017-03-03. Retrieved 2017-05-18.
  15. ^ "BP Froms Gulf of Mexico oil spill escrow trust" (Press release). Houston, London: BP Press Office. 9 August 2010. Retrieved 2020-05-29.
  16. ^ "WUSTL law dean to oversee $20 billion BP Gulf fund - The Source - Washington University in St. Louis". 9 August 2010. Archived from the original on 10 January 2016. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  17. ^ "Chancellor Appointed to 2019 Middle States Commission on Higher Education Executive Committee". 22 January 2019.
  18. ^ "Michigan Law History | University of Michigan Law School". michigan.law.umich.edu.
  19. ^ "ACC Council of Presidents Announces Constitution and By-Law Changes". SU News. June 23, 2020. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
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Academic offices
Preceded by Chancellor of Syracuse University
2014–present
Incumbent