University of Florida trustees stand by their controversial choice for college president

University of Florida trustees on Thursday stood by their selection of Santa Ono as the next president, despite his nomination being denied by the State University System Board of Governors (BOG).

Mori Hosseini, chair of the UF Board of Trustees and a proponent of Ono,  defended the UF trustees’ decision to forward Ono to the BOG for final approval.

“Our Board of Trustees stands by the integrity of the search, the strength of the candidates it produced, and the principles that guided our work,” Hosseini said during a lengthy board meeting. “This outcome is deeply disappointing to our Board of Trustees.”

Ono was rejected by the Board of Governors in a 6-10 vote after he was questioned for hours about his conflicting stances on diversity, equity, and inclusion. The UF board voted unanimously in favor of Ono the week prior.

Back to the drawing board: UF presidential finalist nixed for conflicting DEI stances

Had he received the job, Ono’s contract would have provided him about $3 million annually.

“We believe Dr. Ono was uniquely qualified to lead this university at this moment,” Hosseini continued. “The symbolism and substance of the sitting president of a university as prestigious as University of Michigan, choosing to come to University of Florida should not be lost. It was a powerful signal that Florida’s model for higher education grounded in merit, academic excellence, institutional neutrality, and accountability to students and taxpayers is earning the trust and interest of top team leaders across the country who are ready to advance this vision.”

The UF presidency is being filled on an interim basis by former President Kent Fuchs. The permanent job has been open since July, when former U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse resigned from the presidency.

“We will continue to pursue the kind of bold principle and forward thinking leadership that Gator nation deserves,” Hosseini concluded.