Florida International University trustees name Lt. Gov. Nunez as interim president
Calling her "the mother of panthers," after the school's mascot, the Florida International University Board of Trustees Friday named Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez its interim president.
At a meeting Friday morning, all board members present except one voted to name Nuñez the university's interim president.
Board Chair Rogelio Tovar said Gov. Ron DeSantis' office contacted him and asked him to consider Nuñez as the next president of the South Florida-based university.
After conversations with Nuñez, Tovar called her appointment "a great opportunity."
"I have always always been impressed with her engagement and her tireless efforts as a champion of FIU," he said. 'I could think of no better advocate."
More than a dozen speakers who appeared virtually at the Zoom call meeting opposed her nomination, however, with some sporting a "No Nuñez" background wallpaper. Many said they were students and alumni.
Throughout the week, there had been reports circulating Nuñez's name to replace Kenneth Jessell, the current interim president who has led the Miami school for the last three years. His term was set to end this year, and he had told the board he did not want an extension.
Tovar said the school would continue a search for its seventh president, and Jessell will become a senior vice president and chief administrative officer at the university.
Faculty Senate President Noël Barengo was the only board member to vote against Nuñez's appointment as interim president, saying faculty were concerned and disappointed over some of her political positions.
Recently, she did an about-face on granting in-state tuition to students who came to the country illegally, a policy she supported and argued for as a Florida House member.
He said faculty appreciate her history as a two-time alumna, but had questions about how her appointment came to be: "What made this change necessary?" he asked.
Nuñez, 52, is an FIU alumna who has also taught at the school and served as an adviser. She served in the House for eight years, rising to Speaker pro tempore, before joining DeSantis on his ticket in his 2018 run for governor, becoming the first Latina lieutenant governor in the state's history.
As lieutenant governor, Nuñez earns $135,516 per year. Jessell's base salary is $650,000 with other bonuses and perks, such as a house on campus, included.
At an unrelated press conference at the Capitol Friday, Gov. Ron DeSantis said she would not resign the lieutenant governorship immediately, and gave no indication when he might name a replacement or who that might be.
"I am honored to be selected as Interim President of Florida International University by the FIU Board of Trustees," Nuñez posted on X after the meeting. "As a two-time alumna and a proud Panther mom, I am deeply committed to the success of FIU. I look forward to working with the Board of Trustees in the coming days."
As for who DeSantis could name to replace Nuñez, a CBS News report pointed to former Florida House Speaker Jose Oliva, a Miami Republican and a political ally of DeSantis.
There's no deadline in Florida law, however, requiring DeSantis to name a lieutenant governor when there's an opening.
During Rick Scott's tenure as governor, the lieutenant governor position was vacant for 10 months and was filled after a Tallahassee lobbyist filed a petition in court, forcing Scott' 's hand. He eventually picked Carlos Lopez-Cantera, ending a 308-day vacancy in the office.
DeSantis said he knew becoming FIU's president was something Nuñez wanted to do, and he supported and endorsed her for the position.
"I think FIU has an opportunity to really expand its horizons. I think they've done a good job, but I think you're going to see them pick up even more steam with her at the helm, so it's an exciting time," he said.
Gray Rohrer contributed to this story. Ana Goñi-Lessan, state watchdog reporter for the USA TODAY Network – Florida, can be reached at agonilessan@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez named interim president of FIU
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US Export-Import Bank considering $120M loan for Greenland rare earths project
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Israel Says Goal Is Not Iran Regime Change as Trump Vetoes Ayatollah Strike
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The United States and Iran have held five rounds of negotiations regarding the country's nuclear program, with a sixth round scheduled for Sunday that ultimately did not happen as Israel and Iran each continue to carry out attacks on each other. Rocket trails are seen in the sky above the Israeli coastal city of Netanya amid a fresh barrage of Iranian missile attacks on June 15. Inset: Iranian Supreme leader Ali Khamenei during the Friday prayer... Rocket trails are seen in the sky above the Israeli coastal city of Netanya amid a fresh barrage of Iranian missile attacks on June 15. Inset: Iranian Supreme leader Ali Khamenei during the Friday prayer ceremony on October 4, 2024, in Tehran, Iran. More Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images // Iranian Leader's Press Office - Handout/Getty Images What To Know Speaking with CNN anchor Bianna Golodryga, Sa'ar insisted that his country's goal is not to force regime change in Iran, saying, "The security Cabinet had decided on the objectives," and that regime change "was not one of the objectives." "This is for the Iranian people to decide," Sa'ar said. "We, Israel, don't see the Iranian people as our enemies. We had great relations with Iran until 1979 until the Islamic Revolution, when a very fanatic and barbaric regime came to power. And these are the people that chant 'Death to America,' 'Death to Israel.' And they put as an objective to eliminate the State of Israel." "It's not for us to decide: That's for the Iranian people to act or to do what they want to do," Sa'ar added. "We took as an objective the nuclear program, the ballistic missiles program, the elimination program. It's all things we must stop and create the conditions for moves afterwards that also will able to achieve these objectives." When asked about what kind of advanced notice the U.S. had about the attack, Sa'ar said Israel had informed the Trump administration that "we are going to act," which occurred after the U.S. and Iran had an opportunity to reach a diplomatic solution. He accused Iran of wanting to just "waste time and continue" pushing forward their nuclear plans "even during negotiations." "Iran is in a situation of non-compliance. They breach everything they were committed to," Sa'ar said, noting that Iran's foreign minister had cancelled his interview with CNN, which would have immediately followed Sa'ar's own. "After all other options are gone, we must take care of our security and of our existence. Of course, we informed the US as friends and allies that we are going to operate," he said. Meanwhile, Trump wrote in a Saturday social media post that the U.S. "had not nothing to do with the attack on Iran, tonight." Iran has said it believes the U.S. is involved. Israeli officials have reportedly asked the Trump administration to join in on efforts to attack Iran, with Iran's nuclear program having long been a focal point of U.S. and Israeli concern. Trump talked to ABC News' Rachel Scott on Sunday about the matter, saying, "We're not involved in it. It's possible we could get involved. But we are not at this moment involved." Trump Rejected Israeli Plan to Kill Khamenei Reports on Sunday from the Wall Street Journal and Reuters revealed that Israel had attempted to execute a plan to take out Khamenei, but that Trump put a stop to it. Both outlets cited unnamed senior U.S. administration officials. One of the sources told Reuters: "Have the Iranians killed an American yet? No. Until they do we're not even talking about going after the political leadership," underscoring the U.S. desire to keep distance from the conflict. An unnamed U.S. official on Sunday told CNN that Trump did indeed reject the plan to assassinate Khamenei. Israel had the chance to kill Khamenei, but Trump opposed the plan, which prevented Israel from pursuing the opportunity. A second source told the outlet that Trump's opposition comes from a desire to avoid another protracted and involved war in the Middle East. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during an interview on Sunday with Fox News said: "There's so many false reports of conversations that never happened, and I'm not going to get into that." He added: "But I can tell you, I think that we do what we need to do, we'll do what we need to do. And I think the United States knows what is good for the United States." Photo taken after an explosion in downtown Tehran amid Israel's two-day campaign of strikes against Iran on June 15. Photo taken after an explosion in downtown Tehran amid Israel's two-day campaign of strikes against Iran on June 15. Khoshiran/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images What People Are Saying President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social: "Iran and Israel should make a deal, and will make a deal, just like I got India and Pakistan to make, in that case by using TRADE with the United States to bring reason, cohesion, and sanity into the talks with two excellent leaders who were able to quickly make a decision and STOP! Also, during my first term, Serbia and Kosovo were going at it hot and heavy, as they have for many decades, and this long time conflict was ready to break out into WAR. I stopped it (Biden has hurt the longer term prospects with some very stupid decisions, but I will fix it, again!). Another case is Egypt and Ethiopia, and their fight over a massive dam that is having an effect on the magnificent Nile River. There is peace, at least for now, because of my intervention, and it will stay that way! Likewise, we will have PEACE, soon, between Israel and Iran! Many calls and meetings now taking place. I do a lot, and never get credit for anything, but that's OK, the PEOPLE understand. MAKE THE MIDDLE EAST GREAT AGAIN!" Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video address on Friday: "More is on the [Tehran] regime doesn't know what hit them. They don't know [what] will hit them." What Happens Next? Israel and Iran have shown no indication of decreasing their exchange of missiles, with more to follow as the U.S. seeks de-escalation and an end to the current conflict. This article included reporting by The Associated Press.
