Posted on 05/28/2025 4:10:40 AM PDT by MtnClimber
The University of Florida must not make a mistake in hiring the president who will replace Ben Sasse. To do so could destroy one of the crown jewels of American higher education, a model of excellence and the plain common sense so sorely lacking on campus. The haste with which the Gator trustees will vote upon their sole finalist, Santa Ono, and the Board of Governors will make final their decision is ill-advised. There are cases in which the presentation of a sole finalist to the board ends successfully, but it is a risky procedure. When controversy over a candidate’s record emerges, especially the type of controversy that swirls around Dr. Ono, prudent and unhurried review is what is owed to the citizens of Florida.
Relying on the guidance of a search firm is to lean upon a broken reed. There are too many examples of bad search firm guidance from even well-known and high-profile firms to allow any level of complacency. Indeed, the organization I lead, the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA), has for decades counseled trustees to take individual responsibility to be informed and engaged throughout the process of selecting a new president: it is arguably the most important decision they will make in their fiduciary role. The search firm that helped select Dr. Ono as a finalist will emerge unscathed if it turns out to be a bad choice: trustees, who bear ultimate responsibility for the school they govern, will not escape, nor should they escape blame. Doing it right is their solemn responsibility.
(Excerpt) Read more at realcleareducation.com ...
Just say HELL NO.
Looks like it’s a done deal.
“trustees, who bear ultimate responsibility for the school they govern…”
Duh
They want to corrupt that? Now? When the colleges are getting looked at for how they’re not serving the students?
The governor needs to intervene and stop this leftist moron from destroying UF.
“The University of Florida must not make a mistake in hiring the president who will replace Ben Sasse. To do so could destroy one of the crown jewels of American higher education, a model of excellence and the plain common sense so sorely lacking on campus.”
Shut up Michael.
Can he get them out of the ACC and into the SEC, and into the playoffs?
I had a high school history teacher who was fond of quoting a president of, I believe Oklahoma, who said the silent part out loud: “I want a University that my football team can be proud of.”
Wrong School, UF is NOT in the ACC and has been in the SEC for decades as a charter member. FSU is the school in the ACC who wants out because of money and would love to be in the SEC, years ago FSU had a chance to join the SEC but Bobby Bowden vetoed the move and decided to go into the ACC because it was an easier conference to win in versus the SEC.
I would say right now, FSU has ZERO chance of getting into the SEC and very little chance of getting into the Big 10, if the ACC breaks up, the two schools most likely to get into the SEC are North Carolina and Virginia, major TV markets, very good academic school and good all-around athletic programs.
The issue the article leaves out is that Ben Sasse was starting to be in real hot water for some of his decisions, he was really strong on getting rid of DEI at UF and immediately putting a stop to any anti-Israel protests at UF, UF has one of the largest, perhaps the largest undergraduate Jewish student populations in the country.
Ben Sasse was accused of hiring and spending millions on consultants many of which were friends who were going to advise him on UF expansion, for example UF is very close to finalizing a deal with Jacksonville for land in downtown Jacksonville which will be used to build a graduate school for robotics, AI and other STEM fields.
UF has had other very, very liberal Presidents in the past, I’ve lived in the Gainesville area since the late 60s and graduated from there in 1980. During the Vietnam war UF was a hotbed for anti-war protests, the students took over the Administration Building on Campus, shutdown the main intersection in Gainesville and fought with police on regular basis.
As long as we have a Republican Governor in Florida who appoints the School Trustees, UF will be fine, they won’t allow this new guy to get too far out in left field, they can remove him at any time if he goes too far left.
The governor needs to intervene and stop this leftist moron from destroying UF.
No idea ...
How many of these Board members were selected by the Gov?
As the parent of son who attended UF, FSU and USF in Florida, I was infinitely more impressed with USF than the other two. USF was far more constructively engaged with the students.
And Michigan did win a Natty on his watch. ;)
I was talking with a guy a few weeks ago who was very proud that her daughter picked a college because of their football team.
I wisely refrained from calling him a moron.
It doesn’t seem like ANY of those were bad decisions. Even the consultant thing, if it led to good choices and it seems that it did. Business with friends is not always bad or crooked.
It was more about how he went about hiring the consultants, Florida has some pretty serious open records/meeting laws, the real question is why a school like UF needs consultants to begin with, if they need consultants, why do they have a highly paid President and administrators.
Sasse wasn’t UF President long enough to have made any real long-term changes.
Here’s a more detailed report about the hiring practices of Ben Sasse.
Oh. Ok. Desantis is in charge not the head of the colleg?
DeSantis is not really in charge of UF, the Governor of Florida whoever it is appoints the Trustees that are in charge of the school, if the President gets too far out in left field the Governor can remove the Trustees, appoint a new batch and get the President removed.
Sounds like pure bs
If the students and their parents was this total bs then fine
Taxpayer money goes to the university laundered through FAFSA If it gets paid back by the student with interest that’s lucky
If we want kids getting indoctrinated then that’s what we’re getting
I am not buying that dessntis is really the one in charge
Your wasting my time.
you’re welcome to ignore my posts if your time is being wasted, I don’t believe anyone is twisting your arm to pay any attention to what I post.
I never said Desantis was in charge, all I said he appoints the Trustees just as the next Governor of Florida will be able to do. The Trustees can remove the President.
For example, if the new President wants to bring back all the DEI positions that were eliminated or allow anti-Israel protests, I think he would be removed pretty quickly.
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