Ono blocked as University of Florida's next president by state board

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Source: Tampa Bay Times

Ono blocked as University of Florida’s next president by state board

The vote followed mounting conservative pushback on Santa Ono’s stances at the University of Michigan.


University of Florida president-elect Santa Ono reads a statement during a meeting of the Florida Board of Governors in Orlando on Tuesday as Mori Hosseini, right, chairman of the UF Board of Trustees, listens. [ JOE BURBANK | Orlando Sentinel ]

By Ian HodgsonTimes staff
Published 5 hours ago | Updated 2 hours ago

ORLANDO — Florida’s highest university board voted Tuesday to block the University of Florida from selecting Santa Ono as its next president. … It is the first time in the Board of Governors’ 20-year history that members have overturned a university’s presidential selection.

The 10-6 vote, with one member absent, came after a monthlong campaign by conservative politicians and activists who opposed Ono’s prior stances on diversity, equity and inclusion at the University of Michigan, and his handling of pro-Palestine protests in the wake of the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

Ono and UF Board of Trustees chairperson Mori Hosseini quickly left the meeting through a side door, escorted by police. When approached by reporters, Hosseini declined to take questions. Ono didn’t look back.

The downvote sends UF back to the drawing board on picking a qualified leader — which will be much more difficult now, said Amanda Phalin, a former faculty representative on the board. … “It’s an absolute embarrassment,” Phalin said. “The political questions that were being asked portends more politics in the process and less focus on academics.”

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Ian Hodgson is the higher education reporter, working in partnership with Open Campus. Reach him at [e-mail].

Read more: https://www.tampabay.com/news/education/2025/06/03/university-of-florida-president-santa-ono-board-of-governors-desantis/