Dear UF family and friends,

As many of you are aware, the State of Florida Board of Governors on Tuesday declined to confirm Dr. Santa Ono as president of the University of Florida. This action is unprecedented in the Board of Governors’ 22-year history.

Dr. Ono is one of the most accomplished academic leaders in the world. He most recently served as president of the University of Michigan, one of the nation’s top ranked public universities. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He has led three globally recognized research universities. He has a distinguished record of academic excellence, executive leadership, and public service.

We had a national search led by a committee composed of faculty, the student body president, administrators, alumni, other stakeholders and a representative of the board of governors. The committee unanimously selected Dr. Ono as the recommended finalist in early May.

On May 27, after a thorough public interview and discussion, the UF Board of Trustees unanimously selected Dr. Ono as the 14th President of the University of Florida. The Board of Trustees is the governing body responsible for the leadership and day-to-day oversight of the University of Florida, and it conducted a thorough, deliberative, and principled process in reaching its decision. Our Board of Trustees stands by the integrity of the search, the strength of the candidates it produced, and the principles that guided our work. It also continues to stand by its selection of Dr. Ono and fully supported that selection at the Board of Governors confirmation meeting.

The Board of Governors provides state university system-level oversight, including the statutory mandate that it shall confirm the presidential selection by a university board of trustees. The Board of Governors failure to confirm Dr. Ono is deeply disappointing to our Board of Trustees.

We believe Dr. Ono was uniquely qualified to lead this University at this moment. The symbolism and substance of a sitting president of a university as prestigious as the University of Michigan choosing to come to the University of Florida should not be lost. It was a powerful signal that Florida’s model for higher education — grounded in merit, academic excellence, institutional neutrality, and accountability to students and taxpayers — is earning the trust and interest of top-tier leaders across the country who are ready to advance that vision. Still, we remain focused on our mission and united in our commitment to this institution.

Let me be clear: this moment, while disappointing to our Board of Trustees and many of you, will not diminish the University of Florida’s momentum, with or without Mori Hosseini.

We remain firmly committed to our students, our faculty, our staff, and our role as a national leader in public higher education. Our responsibility now is to move forward with strength, purpose, and an unshakable belief in UF’s future. We will continue to pursue the kind of bold, principled, and forward-thinking leadership that Gator Nation deserves.

Go Gators,

Mori Hosseini
Chair, UF Board of Trustees