GAINESVILLE, FL (352today.com) — The University of Florida will restart its presidential search after the Florida Board of Governors voted 10-6 Tuesday to reject Santa Ono’s appointment as the school’s next president.
Ono, most recently president of the University of Michigan, had been unanimously approved in May by the UF Board of Trustees. The state board’s reversal is unprecedented.
Concerns raised by board members and elected officials focused on Ono’s past support for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, as well as positions related to climate change, campus protests, and other academic policies.
In a recent Inside Higher Ed op-ed, Ono wrote that although he initially supported DEI efforts, “over time, I saw how DEI became something else — more about ideology, division and bureaucracy, not student success.” He added that he eventually limited DEI offices at Michigan and supports Florida’s higher education goals.
Board member Charles Lydecker questioned the process, saying it resembled an interrogation. Former House Speaker Jose Oliva said Ono’s past views appeared inconsistent with Florida’s current direction.
Ono was to replace interim president Kent Fuchs. A new search will be launched to find the University of Florida’s 14th president.
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