- U.S. Sen. Rick Scott criticized the University of Florida for a presidential search process lacking transparency and not interviewing three candidates as required by Florida law.
- Former University of Alabama President Dr. Stuart Bell was named the sole finalist for UF's 14th president, sparking controversy over the search process.
- Scott also questioned UF's multimillion-dollar contract with interim president Dr. Donald Landry and criticized the university for paying Attorney General James Uthmeier $100,000 to teach part-time.
U.S. Sen. Rick Scott is calling out the University of Florida over its presidential search process on the heels of the university’s pick for its next president.
On Monday, UF announced former University of Alabama President Dr. Stuart Bell as the sole finalist to become its 14th president.
On Wednesday, Scott posted a four-page letter on X that was addressed to Raymond Rodrigues, chancellor of the State University System of Florida. In the letter, Scott shared his concerns over UF’s presidential search process.
“While I don’t know Dr. Bell, it is clear to me that once again, UF has engaged in a search process that lacked any transparency or public input and failed to interview three candidates as mandated under Florida law,” Scott said in his letter.
A UF spokesperson declined to comment on the letter on Thursday morning.
Scott and U.S. Reps. Byron Donalds and Greg Steube sent a joint letter to the UF Board of Trustees in June 2025, calling for a more open and transparent presidential process after UF’s previous presidential search with then-University of Michigan President Dr. Santa Ono fell through.
Ono was rejected by the Florida Board of Governors in a 10-6 vote in June 2025 after being selected as the sole finalist to become UF’s 14th president and receiving unanimous support from the Board of Trustees.
In the letter to Rodrigues, Scott said that he met with UF Board of Trustees Chair Mori Hosseini last week regarding the president search process. Scott noted that after their meeting, what he didn’t understand was why Dr. Donald Landry, who has served as UF’s interim president since September 2025, was not considered for the permanent position.
“Just like Dr. Bell, I personally do not know Dr. Landry or have enough familiarity as to whether he would be the right person to lead UF,” Scott said. “But, what I do know is that Dr. Landry has a clause in his contract that he would be awarded a multimillion-dollar payout if he failed to become the permanent president at UF. That is crazy.”
Landry’s one-year contract includes an annual base salary of $2 million and a $500,000 bonus if he meets performance goals. By not being selected as UF’s permanent president, he will also receive a $2 million severance payment.
Scott called for an investigation into Landry’s contract.
“It is my understanding that the UF Board [of Trustees] delegated its authority on a multimillion-dollar contract solely to its Chair,” Scott said. “I don’t understand how that process is in the best interest of the university, its students and taxpayers. It begs the question as to why UF even bothers to have a governing board.”
Scott also criticized UF for awarding state Attorney General James Uthmeier $100,000 to teach at the Levin College of Law “a few hours a week, when similarly situated professors make $5,000.”
“I was told this arrangement was done by UF so the Attorney General would hire more UF Law grads,” Scott said. “I don’t know the Attorney General, but that is frankly bizarre and if true, it demonstrates a pattern of malfeasance in UF’s hiring and contracting process. Does that mean all Florida law schools need to retain the Attorney General?”
Uthmeier has defended his teaching position at UF, saying he needs a six-figure adjunct teaching job to support a “growing family,” according to reporting by Florida Politics.
In his letter, Scott outlined “two major problems at UF” that he believes need to be addressed next year by state lawmakers and the next governor. This includes “UF’s contracting process and the university’s “lack of a transparent presidential search.”
A 2022 Florida law keeps presidential searches in the state under wraps until the searches are in the final stages, according to reporting by Higher Ed Dive.
In April 2025, the Florida House of Representatives approved a bill to overturn the law but it ultimately never passed.
Nick Anschultz is a Report for America corps member and writes about education for Mainstreet Daily News. This position is supported by local donations through the Community Catalyst for Local Journalism Fund at the Community Foundation of North Central Florida.