Dr. Santa Ono
The rejection of Ono, who has served as president of the University of Michigan since 2022, marks an unprecedented intervention by the state board, which overturned the unanimous recommendation of UF's Board of Trustees from May. The decision forces the university to restart its presidential search entirely.
Conservative critics targeted Ono's previous support for diversity, equity and inclusion programs throughout his career, despite his recent pivot away from such initiatives. The proposed contract for his UF position included specific requirements to dismantle DEI programs and align with Governor Ron DeSantis' educational agenda.
Republican Senator Rick Scott led the charge against Ono on social media, claiming the administrator would "appease and prioritize far-left activists over ensuring students are protected and receive a quality education." The opposition coalition included Donald Trump Jr. and several Florida Republican representatives.
During Tuesday's contentious board meeting, former Republican state House speakers Paul Renner and Jose Oliva subjected Ono to intensive questioning about his past statements supporting campus diversity initiatives and his handling of pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Michigan.
In a recent op-ed, Ono attempted to distance himself from his previous DEI advocacy, writing that while he initially supported such programs for their goals of "equal opportunity and fairness for every student," he later concluded that "DEI became something else — more about ideology, division and bureaucracy, not student success."
Ono described limiting DEI offices at Michigan and expressed alignment with "Florida's vision for higher education" — a reference to the state's systematic elimination of diversity programs across its university system.
Board member Jose Oliva challenged this transformation during the hearing, questioning how Ono could "abandon an entire ideological architecture" and asking trustees to trust this fundamental shift in philosophy.
The aggressive questioning drew criticism from board member Charles Lydecker, who objected to the interrogation-style proceedings.
"We have never used this as a forum to interrogate. This is not a court of law. Candidly, this process does not seem fair to me," Lydecker said, highlighting concerns about the politicization of university leadership appointments.
The rejection reflects Florida's broader campaign against what state leaders term "woke" policies in higher education. Under DeSantis' leadership, Florida has eliminated DEI programs, restricted diversity-related hiring, and imposed ideological requirements on university administrators.
The UF situation demonstrates how political considerations increasingly influence university governance, potentially deterring qualified candidates who have previously supported diversity initiatives from seeking leadership positions in states with restrictive policies.
Ono was set to replace Dr. Kent Fuchs, who has served as interim president since former U.S. Senator Dr. Ben Sasse's departure last summer. Sasse, who left his Senate seat representing Nebraska to lead UF in 2023, stepped down after his wife's epilepsy diagnosis, though his tenure was also marked by controversy over high-salary appointments for former staff and excessive spending on entertainment.
The failed appointment leaves UF, one of the nation's largest public research universities, without permanent leadership as it navigates an increasingly restrictive political environment for higher education in Florida.
