Amid bitter conservative backlash, state board rejects University of Florida president pick

Politico

2 days ago

TALLAHASSEE, Florida — State university leaders rejected Santa Ono as the University of Florida's prospective president Tuesday in a shocking move sparked by conservative outrage over his support of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives while leading the University of Michigan.
The unprecedented decision by the university system Board of Governors erases a presidential pick that UF trustees expected to propel the school into greater national prominence. But Ono was met with a lukewarm response from Gov. Ron DeSantis, a powerful voice in higher education, and outright opposition from other Republicans including Sen. Rick Scott and Reps. Byron Donalds and Greg Steube.
Florida's flagship university now must restart a presidential search from square one as uncertainty surrounds what's next for Ono, who only weeks ago led one of the country's top universities.
'Yes, my visions have evolved, as you've heard. But over 18 months — since 2022,' Ono told the state board Tuesday. 'And I'm here to ensure that DEI never returns to the University of Florida.'
To UF trustees, who unanimously backed him, Ono was the 'visionary leader that the University of Florida needs at this moment.' They billed the immunologist who has served as Michigan's president since October 2022 and previously led the University of Cincinnati and the University of British Columbia as a candidate who can propel the school in national rankings and research standings.
The university — and even DeSantis — had touted how Florida was able to lure a sitting president away from a top-ranked university.
And yet Republicans like Donalds, Steube and even Donald Trump Jr. urged state leaders to tank Ono's nomination, with the president's son labeling him a 'woke psycho.'
The Board of Governors grilled Ono over these issues and more, questioning him over past decisions and statements from social media posts nearly a decade ago on topics ranging from race-based admissions to the Israel-Hamas war. The hours of back-and-forth exposed fault lines of Florida's power structure as conservative politicians sparred with high-powered donors and business leaders.
'Your recent reversal on an entire architecture of ideology is nothing short of incredible,' Jose Oliva, a Board of Governors member and former House speaker, told Ono.
At one point, a state board member suggested the panel's extensive public interview of Ono 'feels patently unfair,' as former House Speaker Paul Renner went through a list of 'exhibits' detailing his past moves.
'This is not a court of law,' said Charles Lydecker, the Board of Governors member who served on UF's presidential search committee. 'I've been on this board for 5 to 6 years and we have never used this as a forum to interrogate.'
During another tense moment Tuesday, it was revealed that at least one sitting Board of Governors member — Renner — was approached about UF's top job. This led to another board member asking Renner if he would recuse himself from voting on Ono, since his rejection could once again create an opening at the Gainesville university.
Renner sternly defended his position amid the revelation, stating he has 'no intention' of serving in the role regardless of Tuesday's outcome.
'I was asked by a trustee at the University of Florida to speak to the chair, which I did, and he said he wasn't interested — and that's it,' Renner told the board, saying that the conversation took place before he was appointed by Desantis.
Ono, since being named the sole finalist for UF's top job, had been full-throated in his support for DeSantis and his policies that have reshaped higher education in the state.
When he was selected by UF trustees, Ono said his past statements supporting DEI programs 'do not reflect what I believe today,' as he attempted to assure critics that he is 'not coming to Gainesville to slow the pace of reform.'
Attempting to shore up support for Ono, UF leaders pointed to notable conservatives who have switched parties in the past, including former President Ronald Reagan, who was once a Democrat.
'Americans gave him a chance,' Mori Hosseini, UF's trustees chair and a GOP megadonor, told the Board of Governors. 'Please, give Dr. Ono a chance.'
UF went as far as baking assurances into Ono's $15 million contract that the school wouldn't spend a dime on DEI under him and that he would work with DeSantis' DOGE cost-cutting team to 'evaluate and reduce administrative overhead.'
But that wasn't enough to quell 'serious concerns' from critics like Christopher Rufo, an education adviser to DeSantis and the Trump administration, who feared UF was hiring a 'DEI acolyte.' Florida's congressional delegation also put consistent pressure on the Board of Governors to oppose Ono leading up to Tuesday's vote, with Scott bashing his response to pro-Palestinian protests at Michigan and an encampment that he said illustrated the university president 'putting Jewish students in danger and failing to uphold even the most basic standards of leadership.'
DeSantis, for his part, never publicly endorsed Ono — which would have given him support from the state leader who appoints most Board of Governors members. The GOP governor instead backed the presidential search process at UF and warned any DEI policies would be swiftly countered by the state.
'Here's a novel idea: instead of 'loyalty pledges' and $15 million favors, how about UF chooses a president who represents Florida values and rejects divisive progressive ideology like DEI? Just a thought,' Steube wrote on social media ahead of the state board's final vote.
Ono, as a leading academic, would have marked a deviation in Florida's recent pattern of schools picking new presidents with ties to the DeSantis administration and state Legislature. Schools such as Florida International University and Florida A&M University have chosen leaders connected to the state with hopes of scoring more funding and prestige. UF's last president was former GOP Sen. Ben Sasse, who abruptly resigned last July and has since been flagged by state auditors over questionable spending habits.