The Florida Board of Governors rejected former University of Michigan (UM) president Dr. Santa Ono on Tuesday as the University of Florida’s (UF’s) next president during a meeting in Orlando.
Questioned by a 17-member board, which serves as the state’s governing body for its 12 public universities, the motion to move Ono forward as UF’s president was halted in a 6-10 vote after a nearly three hour session, according to MLive. The former UM president was reportedly grilled by the board on his past support for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, along with a slew of other issues, the Gainesville Sun reported.
Leading UM from 2023 to 2025, Ono oversaw the largest and most expansive DEI establishment in the U.S., totaling over $250 million since 2016. In March, the school announced the end of its DEI program, which included closing its DEI offices, saying it would “evolve” its approach.
On May 4, Ono was announced as a finalist for UF’s president position, along with Republican Florida U.S. Reps. Greg Steube, Byron Donalds, and Jimmy Patronis. However, following the UF’s Presidential Search Committee’s announcement, the group received backlash from Republicans in the state.
“.@UF sets the benchmark for education nationwide. There’s too much smoke with Santa Ono. We need a leader, not a DEI acolyte. Leave the Ann Arbor thinking in Ann Arbor,” Patronis wrote on X.
Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott additionally released a statement June 2, saying he had “serious concerns” about Ono’s nomination.
“Clearly, Ono has a concerning record from his time at the University of Michigan, where he allowed an illegal, pro-terrorist encampment to take over the campus for nearly a month, putting Jewish students in danger and failing to uphold even the most basic standards of leadership,” Scott wrote.
“He also has a record of embracing divisive and radical DEI policies, showing he is willing to appease and prioritize far-left activists over ensuring students are protected and receive a quality education,” Scott added.
However, after securing a finalist position, Ono signaled on May 27 that his past support of DEI programs had shifted over the past year and a half after reportedly witnessing the damage and division it created on UM’s campus, according to The Detroit News.
“It became clear to me — through experience, not theory — that something had gone wrong and that real reform was necessary,” Ono said. “Changing one’s mind isn’t easy, especially in public life, but when the evidence and outcomes are clear, leadership means acting on what you have learned.”
In addition to his past support of DEI, Ono had been reportedly questioned on allowing pro-Palestine protesters to remain on UM’s campus for a month, along with his views on antisemitism and admissions, according to the Gainesville Sun.
(Featured Image Media Credit: Kate Haskell/Wikimedia Commons)
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