Following unanimous approval by the Presidential Search Committee and the UF Board of Trustees, Dr. Santa Ono’s path to become the university’s 14th president came to an unexpected end before the Florida Board of Governors on June 3.

The Board of Governors (BOG) has always approved the candidate sent by the UF trustees, but last week, they rejected Ono in a 10-6 vote.

“Alright, the motion fails. First time that’s really happened,” Board Chair Brian Lamb said after the vote.  

The rejection leaves UF without an option for its next president. Ono was the sole finalist, and interim President Kent Fuchs is scheduled to finish his contract in July after former President Ben Sasse resigned in July 2024.  

At the UF Board of Trustees regular meeting on June 5, Chair Mori Hosseini supported the thoroughness of the search committee. He said the BOG vote was disappointing but that it will not diminish UF’s momentum.

“This outcome is deeply disappointing to our Board of Trustees,” Hosseini said. “We believe Dr. Ono was uniquely qualified to lead this university at this time.”

Hosseini said the significance should not be lost that a sitting University of Michigan president was willing to leave and join UF. He said it’s proof of the strength of the Florida model of higher education.

While not from the political arena like Sasse, who was a sitting U.S. senator, Ono proved a political pick. Ono had been the face of the University of Michigan as it dealt with pro-Palestinian protests and new diversity, equity and inclusion policies from the national level—along with internally analyzing the policies’ impact.

Many Florida Republicans were surprised and wary of Ono’s selection.

Sen. Rick Scott held a press conference and released a statement that outlined his concern the day before the BOG meeting.

“I have serious concerns about Santa Ono’s nomination to be the president of the University of Florida, and every single member of the Florida Board of Governors should be demanding answers right now,” Scott said.

Republican U.S. Rep. Greg Steube called on the BOG to reject Ono because of his “dubious record” and “hollow assurances” of an evolved mindset.

BOG members grilled Ono for four hours, focusing on the timeline of when he shifted from a DEI supporter to detractor. Members also asked about his handling of the admission policy and the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Your recent reversal on an entire architecture of ideology is nothing short of incredible,” Board member Jose Oliva said at the start of his remarks.  

Hosseini stepped in during the meeting. He said it seemed like the BOG had decided today was the day that they would take somebody down. But he said it also shows a lack of trust in the Board of Trustees, who are the backstop in case anything goes wrong, in case Ono tries to slip DEI policies under the door.

Florida Democrats said the BOG let politics get in the way, and former gubernatorial candidate Nikki Fried released a statement calling out the vote.

“UF trustees approved this candidate unanimously, but DeSantis’s hyper-partisan Board of Governors decided he was too qualified to serve,” Fried said. “No qualified candidate will consider coming to Florida now that our system is politicized, merit is condemned, and only loyalty to Republicans is rewarded. 

UF has yet to announce its next steps to fill the presidency, with questions remaining if the university could select one of the other candidates it vetted this year.

Nathan Collier, UF alumni, donor and lecturer in the business school, said he thinks an internal candidate would fit best.

“I would highly recommend Joe Glover to the Board of Trustees, and I think we’d be hard pressed to find anyone better qualified,” Collier said. 

Glover currently serves as interim provost.

Collier said UF is incredibly complex, with few leaders having the required experience needed to come in and manage. He added that UF doesn’t have time for a president to learn on the job, as UF loses momentum.  

Collier told The New York Times that the outcome of the Ono campaign will make it difficult for UF to find a candidate willing to undergo the same gauntlet.