The Board of Regents has extended President Santa J. Ono’s contract through Oct. 1, 2032.
Recognizing Ono’s steady hand over a complex academic and research enterprise, the contract includes a base salary increase to $1.3 million and increases in annual deferred compensation as he begins his third year as president.
“We are extraordinarily fortunate to have President Ono as our president,” said Regent Denise Ilitch, who noted that discussions over a revised contract had been ongoing in recent weeks.
“He continues to lead with strength, grace and genuine care for the entire University of Michigan community. We’ve seen him step up countless times to ensure the U-M meets its mission to serve the people of our state, advance knowledge and make ours a more equitable and sustainable world.”
As part of the president’s annual October performance review, the regents noted the university’s continued climb in enrollment, academic reputation, research excellence and global rankings. They also recognized Ono’s work in planning for the university’s future and his efforts to fuel job creation and economic development in the state through the Detroit Center for Innovation and other collaborations.
Ono also chairs the U-M Health Board, which advises the regents and Michigan Medicine leadership on strategic direction and operating performance. He was instrumental in bringing Sparrow Health System, one of Michigan’s largest health systems, into Michigan Medicine in 2023, creating a $7 billion organization with 11 hospitals and hundreds of health clinics and centers.
Since Ono joined the university in 2022, he launched two universitywide initiatives — Vision 2034 and Campus Plan 2050 — which engaged more than 25,000 students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors and local community members in the development of a 10-year strategic vision for the university and a 25-year blueprint for the Ann Arbor campus.
In April, the university unveiled Vision 2034, a plan to make the U-M a defining public university exemplified by its innovation and service to the common good with a focus on four impact areas including life-changing education, human health and well-being, democracy and civic and global engagement and climate action, sustainability and environmental justice.
Last month, the university announced Campus Plan 2050, which will guide the university’s expansion efforts for the next 25 years.
These plans are key to maximizing the impact and potential of the university, which registered $11.6 billion in operating revenue in 2023. U-M’s economic impact on the state of Michigan last year was $12.1 billion and the university is one of the state’s top employers with roughly 8,000 faculty and 43,000 staff. U-M continues to grow in size and complexity, reporting a record $1.86 billion in research volume during fiscal year 2023 and a record enrollment this fall of 52,885 students.
Ono acknowledged the regents contract extension saying, “Our university is a collective of extraordinary individuals, working at all levels, to push the boundaries of knowledge, make world-changing discoveries and educate the next generation of leaders. I’m humbled and grateful for the opportunity to take part in this work and advance our mission at one of the world’s greatest universities.”
(UPDATE: The Board of Regents unanimously voted to ratify the contract extension Oct. 17.)
