The University of Florida Board of Trustees held a virtual meeting Monday morning, where board members heard an update on the university’s search for a new interim president.
At the conclusion of a virtual special meeting on July 23, Board of Trustees Chair Mori Hosseini addressed UF’s ongoing presidential search. This followed the Board of Governors’ rejection of Dr. Santa Ono – the board’s sole finalist for the university’s next president – in June.
During that meeting, Hosseini said UF is searching for an interim president and that it will “hopefully start a new presidential search in the coming year.”
Kent Fuchs has been serving as UF’s current interim president since August 2024 after the resignation of former President Ben Sasse. This came after an eight-year stint serving as UF’s 12th president.
In returning to serve in an interim capacity, Fuchs and the Board of Trustees reached an employment agreement that would see him stay in the role for nearly a one-year term, ending on July 31. However, just days before his contract was set to expire, Fuchs agreed to a one-month contract extension that will keep him in the role until Sept. 1.
During Monday’s meeting, Hosseini told board members that he is continuing the work of finding a candidate for the interim president position.
“This has been a focus over the past few months, and I have taken a deliberate and heartfelt approach to this responsibility,” he said. “President Fuchs has been extremely gracious in extending his appointment. As soon as we have an interim president candidate, we will schedule an in-person board meeting to interview and consider the candidate for interim president.”
Fuchs expressed his appreciation to the board later in the meeting.
“I know that you all are not settling for just anyone that wants the position or that might be recommended,” he said. “You want the very best for the institution.”
In July, UF spokesperson Steve Orlando told Mainstreet that the university plans to launch a new presidential search “somewhere in the first quarter of 2026.”
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.
I understand that Professor Quincy Adams Wagstaff, the former president of Huxley College is available
The Board of Governors trashed this process and it is unlikely a candidate as good and qualified as Ono – he was over qualified by virtue of running a bigger, richer, and more highly ranked University than UF – will apply given their foolishness. The Board is supposedly a collection of wealthy powerful and influential members, but who spent 2 hours questioning Ono on nothing except his past DEI record. Given that a good university president is part politcian and tells the powerful what they want to hear and that in any case DEI is dead at UF, this was a ridiculous display by ridiculous people and no self respecting applicant would choose to deal with them in public.
Guess what we’ll get here? Same as all the recent University president selections in the state – an over the hill GOP politician. This is more devaluation of UF by meddling autocrats in Tally. Goodbye to that high ranking and growing national prestige.
Well, maybe on the basketball court!
I am a Republican and I agree 100%?with this comment
I doubt UF will recover in 10 years. All delivered by zealots in the political world you wanted to take down UF in. a show of power