[3] The precise wording has evolved through subsequent state constitutions, and as of November 2018 the office is defined by Article VIII, section 5 of the Constitution of 1963:[4] The regents of the University of Michigan and their successors in office shall constitute a body corporate known as the Regents of the University of Michigan; ... Each board shall, as often as necessary, elect a president of the institution under its supervision.

...Between the establishment of the University of Michigan in 1837 and 1850, the Board of Regents ran the university directly; by law, they were supposed to appoint a chancellor to administer the university, but they never did, and a rotating roster of professors carried out the day-to-day administrative duties instead.

[5] While the modern office was created in 1850, the University of Michigan itself now traces its date of founding to 1817, when its precursor, the University of Michigania, was founded.

[6] The 15th and most recent president of the university is Santa Ono, appointed in 2022.

Of the previous presidents: Source: (Bentley Historical Library 2004) harv error: no target: CITEREFBentley_Historical_Library2004 (help) Italics denote acting or interim president (or term)