Kent Syverud

Kent D. Syverud is the 12th Chancellor and President of Syracuse University, New York, United States, commencing his term of office on January 13, 2014.

Kent D. Syverud
Chancellor and President of Syracuse University
Incumbent
Assumed office January 13, 2014
Preceded by	Nancy Cantor
Dean of Washington University School of Law
In office 2005–2013
Dean of Vanderbilt University Law School
In office 1997–2005
Personal details
Born	Irondequoit, NY
Spouse(s)	Dr. Ruth Chen
Children	3
Alma mater	Georgetown University (B.A.) University of Michigan (J.D., M.A.)
Profession	Lawyer
Website	Syracuse University's Chancellor and President

Education and early career

Syverud earned a bachelor's degree magna cum laude from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in 1977, a law 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.[1] 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.[2] 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.[2][3]

Professor of law

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.[4]

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.[5]

Syracuse University Chancellor and President

On September 12, 2013, Syverud was named the 12th Chancellor and President of Syracuse University, succeeding Nancy Cantor. He formally took office as Chancellor on January 13, 2014, and was inaugurated on April 11, 2014.[6]

Public service

In addition to his higher education leadership, Chancellor 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.[7][8] Under his leadership, plan submitted by central New York council was selected for an Upstate Revitalization Initiative grant of $500 million.[9][10][11]

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.[12][13] In 2016 he completed six years of service as one of the two trustees of the $20 billion Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Trust.

Syverud serves as the chair of the Atlantic Coast Conference ACC Board of Directors.[14]

References

1. "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.
2. "Alumnus serves as Supreme Court clerk" (pdf). Law Quadrangle Notes. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Law School. 29 (2): 14. Winter 1985. ISSN 0458-8665. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
3. "Stanford Law Review" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 June 2007. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
4. "A Brief History of Vanderbilt University Law School". 23 August 2007. Archived from the original on 23 August 2007. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
5. "Washington University School of Law Faculty Profile". Archived from the original on 2007-08-18. Retrieved 2007-05-08.
6. "Chancellor Kent Syverud Inauguration | Syracuse University". inauguration.syr.edu. Archived from the original on 2017-05-19. Retrieved 2017-04-03.
7. ""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.
8. "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.
9. "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.
10. "CNY RISING FROM THE GROUND UP" (PDF). ny.gov. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 29, 2017. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
11. "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.
12. "BP Froms Gulf of Mexico oil spill escrow trust" (Press release). Houston, London: BP Press Office. 9 August 2010. Retrieved 2020-05-29.
13. "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.
14. "ACC Council of Presidents Announces Constitution and By-Law Changes". SU News. June 23, 2020. Retrieved 4 July 2020.

Academic offices
Preceded by Nancy Cantor	Chancellor of Syracuse University 2014–present	Incumbent