Syverud commends chancellor, AD picks in penultimate University Senate remarks
SU Chancellor Kent Syverud commended two recent university appointments — Mike Haynie as chancellor-elect and Bryan Blair as incoming director of athletics — in remarks at Wednesday’s Senate meeting. Avery Magee | Photo Editor
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Syracuse University Chancellor Kent Syverud commended the university’s recent chancellor and director of athletics selections at Wednesday’s University Senate meeting.
In recent weeks, search committees filled two high-level openings at SU, naming current Vice Chancellor of Strategic Affairs Mike Haynie chancellor-elect and tapping Bryan Blair to replace outgoing Director of Athletics John Wildhack.
“I have asked a lot of Mike over the last 12 years, and he has consistently delivered for our university,” Syverud said. “Chancellor-elect Haynie’s two decades of extraordinary experience and commitment at Syracuse, I think, make him an ideal leader for Syracuse University at this moment.”
Syverud, who is leaving SU at the end of the academic year to become president of the University of Michigan, thanked members of the senate who served on the Chancellor Search Committee — a process from which he recused himself.
The chancellor also praised Haynie’s “first official order of business,” helping select Blair as SU’s next director of athletics.
Blair has worked as the University of Toledo’s vice president and athletics director since 2022, and held other leadership roles at Washington State University, Rice University and the University of South Carolina.
“Bryan has earned national acclaim as an innovator in the changing athletics landscape, while achieving both competitive and academic success,” Syverud said.
Up first for Blair is likely the search for Syracuse’s men’s basketball head coach. The university fired Adrian Autry last week after three seasons. Syverud briefly mentioned the basketball search as he voiced confidence in Blair’s new role.
“From everything I’ve learned about him, Bryan Blair is the right person to lead Orange Athletics forward,” he said.
Syverud said he plans to meet with representatives from the Athletics Policy Committee, which presented on the shifting national athletics landscape during January’s senate meeting.
The last senate meeting of the semester, Syverud’s 120th and final one, is scheduled for April 15.
“I am committed to doing everything in my power to position the university and Chancellor-elect Haynie for success in these last weeks this semester,” Syverud said. “I believe the best way the senate can help is to give Chancellor-elect Haynie some grace through the transition, which I can testify is somewhat overwhelming in Syracuse.”
