Introduction to the University of Florida’s President Finalist
Santa J. Ono’s introduction to the faculty, staff and students of the University of Florida was a carefully scripted, stage-managed meet and greet at the school’s spacious and gleaming Emerson Alumni Hall. Ono, the current president of the University of Michigan, was named UF’s sole finalist for president this week, selected by a search committee that worked in secret to vet candidates. Tuesday, he praised most everything about the Gators — from athletics to academics, from the Gainesville campus to the Florida climate — during three separate forums with faculty, students and administrators.
Alignment with DeSantis’ Views
He also affirmed that his views aligned with Gov. Ron DeSantis’ and made him a “good fit” for UF. “I’ve been tracking what’s happened here for the last 10 years. UF is like a rocket ship,” Ono said. “Florida is not just the place to be because the weather is a little better but because of the alignment with the state. Its trajectory is second to none. My intention is to make it the best public university in the country. I know how to do it. I have been to plenty of schools.”
A sign outside Emerson Alumni Hall at UF reminds attendees that protesters are not allowed inside. University of Michigan President Santa Ono, the sole finalist for the University of Florida presidency spoke at a forum held there on Tuesday. (Jeffrey Schweers/Orlando Sentinel)
A Calm and Civil Introduction
His introduction was a calm, civil affair in stark contrast to Ben Sasse’s first meeting with the university community two and a half years ago. Sasse, a former U.S. senator with little higher education experience before he was tapped as UF’s president, was greeted by a swarm of protestors who stormed the alumni hall’s lobby after a meeting with students ended.
Attendance and Security
About 100 faculty and 45 students attended the forums organized for Ono. During Ono’s visit, signs were posted outside the hall reminding people that protesters were not allowed inside university buildings. The doors were guarded and floors patrolled by a heavy phalanx of university police officers.
Ono’s Background and Controversies
Ono is a highly respected immunologist who also served as president at the University of British Columbia and University of Cincinnati. He had a somewhat contentious track record at Michigan, however, particularly over the way he handled pro-Palestinian protests after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack and Israeli counter-attacks and the way he handled a graduate student strike. Those actions prompted questions about his commitment to academic freedom and fairness, a lawsuit from the ACLU on behalf of people who were arrested and banned from the campus and a federal complaint from the Council on American Islamic Relations based on comments Ono made about Islamophobia.
Dirk Shadd/Tampa Bay Times/TNS
Aron AliMcClory, a second-year University of Florida student, works to lead a chant as students protest outside the President’ s Ballroom at Emerson Alumni Hall at the university as U.S. Sen Ben Sasse of Nebraska was scheduled to speak on Monday, Oct. 10, 2022.
DeSantis’ Allies Question Ono’s Fitness
This week, some allies of Gov. Ron DeSantis quickly questioned his fitness for the UF job, taking to social media to call him a “left-wing administrator” and a “betrayal” of the governor’s higher education agenda.
Ono’s Praise for DeSantis and the Florida Legislature
During the forums, Ono praised DeSantis and the Florida Legislature for its support of UF during the past six years and vowed he would collaborate with them to further advance the university’s national standing as a top public university. “I have done a lot of studying about the state and the university,” Ono told faculty and students. “I am excited about where the state is, the governor, the board of governors, and the board of trustees. We’re all on the same page and that is a good fit for me.”
Ono’s Plans for UF
At each of the forums he answered general questions culled by university search committee members from 116 questions submitted in advance via a university web portal and based on what would be of interest to the largest number of people. He spoke about how he would create a strategy for UF’s future, include students and faculty in decision-making and work with the state’s political leaders to further the university’s mission.
Criticisms and Concerns
Ono was spared the tougher, more critical questions filed by faculty union and graduate student union members about his fight with Michigan graduate students over pay raises and his decision to have them arrested, accusations that he spoke out against antisemitism while ignoring Islamophobia and whether he championed First Amendment rights and would rather resign than violate his own principles. “These things are pure theater, dog and pony shows, this time sans dog,” said Meera Sitharam, faculty union president about the forums.
Ono’s Selection and Next Steps
Ono’s selection by the presidential search committee was unanimous, but he still has to go before the UF Board of Trustees and the State University System Board of Governors before his presidency is official.
Why Ono is Leaving the University of Michigan
Asked why he would leave higher-ranked University of Michigan for a school that had slipped in the ranks for the past two years, Ono said he was impressed by the role the state plays in supporting UF, mentioning its high-speed computer and agricultural research. UM is ranked third nationally among public universities while UF is ranked 7th.
Investments in UF
Ono noted that the investments made by Florida to UF “are second to no other state in the union,” and three times what the state of Michigan invests in his current campus in Ann Arbor.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Santa Ono’s introduction to the University of Florida community was a carefully managed event, where he praised the university, its students, and faculty, as well as Governor DeSantis and the Florida Legislature. Despite some controversies and criticisms, Ono’s selection as the sole finalist for the presidency is seen as a positive step towards advancing the university’s national standing. His plans for UF’s future, including creating a strategy, including students and faculty in decision-making, and working with state leaders, are expected to be implemented if he is officially appointed as the president.
FAQs
Q: Who is Santa Ono?
A: Santa Ono is the current president of the University of Michigan and the sole finalist for the presidency of the University of Florida.
Q: What are Ono’s plans for UF?
A: Ono plans to create a strategy for UF’s future, include students and faculty in decision-making, and work with state leaders to further the university’s mission.
Q: Why is Ono leaving the University of Michigan?
A: Ono is leaving the University of Michigan because he is impressed by the role the state of Florida plays in supporting UF, mentioning its high-speed computer and agricultural research.
Q: What are the controversies surrounding Ono’s selection?
A: Some of Governor DeSantis’ allies have questioned Ono’s fitness for the job, calling him a "left-wing administrator" and a "betrayal" of the governor’s higher education agenda. Additionally, Ono has been criticized for his handling of pro-Palestinian protests and a graduate student strike at the University of Michigan.
Q: What is the next step in Ono’s selection process?
A: Ono still has to go before the UF Board of Trustees and the State University System Board of Governors before his presidency is official.
