
The University of Florida announced the head of UF/IFAS will take on the role of interim provost when current provost Dr. Joe Glover steps down at the end of July.
Dr. J. Scott Angle is senior vice president for Agriculture and Natural Resources for UF/IFAS, a role he has held since 2020, which includes leading nearly 2,300 employees who work in all 67 Florida counties.
“I’m thrilled that Dr. Angle will bring his leadership, experience, and passion for UF to the provost’s office for this interim role,” UF President Dr. Ben Sasse said in a statement. “UF has a special role as both the state’s flagship and land-grant university, and few people see that more on a day-to-day basis than Scott. At IFAS, he’s working at the intersection of teaching, research, and extension education. He’s a respected member of our community and he’s ready to roll up his sleeves ahead of the fall 2023 semester as our national search for UF’s permanent provost moves forward.”
Prior to coming to UF, Angle served from 2018 to 2020 as director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. His background also includes multiple positions at the University of Maryland and serving as dean of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of Georgia from 2005 to 2015.
“I’m grateful for President Sasse’s leadership and the trust he’s placed in me to steward this important role for a time,” Angle said in a statement. “As teachers and researchers, we’re in the business of advancing knowledge so that we can tackle big problems and advance human flourishing – we do this work so we can make our world a better place. I’m grateful to be part of this life-changing work and eager to help in this new role.”
Both Angle and Glover served on the 2022 advisory panel the UF Board of Trustees named to assist the presidential search committee, which ultimately recommended Sasse as its lone finalist.
Glover announced in January that he planned to step down as provost after a UF-record 15 years on the job. UF credited him with helping the school become a top 5 public institution, leading UF’s AI initiative, and launching top-rated UF Online, among other accomplishments.
In Thursday’s press release, Sasse praised Glover’s “tireless work” over the last 15 years.
“This university has been on a rocket ship trajectory and Joe has been a major part of that work, from faculty hires to UF’s AI initiative,” Sasse said. “I’m thankful for his service and his continued counsel.”
Glover also released a statement Thursday praising Angle and pledging to assist the transition.
“Dr. Angle understands UF’s incredible teaching and research work,” Glover said. “I’m very pleased to work with him as he transitions to his new role as interim provost.”
Hear that? Those are the winds of change…. UF needs Ben Sasse at the helm to keep from diving further into the woke abyss. Now if DeSantis does what he says and gets rid of the DEI trash, things might slowly return to the conservative side of the pendulum. This woke garbage needs to be shown the door. Thanks but no thanks…