{"id":15565,"date":"2025-05-28T15:02:31","date_gmt":"2025-05-28T19:02:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/miami\/?p=15565"},"modified":"2025-05-28T15:02:31","modified_gmt":"2025-05-28T19:02:31","slug":"uwf-confirms-manny-diaz-jr-as-interim-president","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/miami\/2025\/05\/28\/uwf-confirms-manny-diaz-jr-as-interim-president\/","title":{"rendered":"UWF confirms Manny D\u00edaz Jr. as interim president"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction to the New Interim President<\/h2>\n

Florida\u2019s top education official, who helped spearhead the state\u2019s crackdown on diversity programs, is now in charge of a school caught in the middle of that political fight. University of West Florida appointed Florida Commissioner of Education Manny D\u00edaz Jr. as the school\u2019s interim president, raising fears among faculty and alumni that his appointment could lead to a permanent role.<\/p>\n

Concerns Over the Appointment<\/h2>\n

\u201cIf you name him interim president you will shut down the candidate pool,\u201d said former alumni president and Pensacola Mayor Jerry Maygarden, urging the university\u2019s Board of Trustees to clarify that D\u00edaz won\u2019t be considered for the permanent job. \u201cLet him submit his application like everyone else.\u201d Others echoed concerns that D\u00edaz, a former Republican lawmaker with no prior ties to UWF, was being installed to carry out a political agenda. Former UWF Foundation vice president C. Ray Jones urged trustees to pick an interim from within the university\u2019s ranks, someone \u201cwho possesses an intimate knowledge of the school.\u201d Trustee Alonzie Scott called D\u00edaz\u2018s selection \u201ca slap in the face of the process of how we get these things done.\u201d<\/p>\n

Background of Manny D\u00edaz Jr.<\/h2>\n

The appointment comes as part of a broader reshuffling of leadership across Florida\u2019s public colleges and universities, many of them now helmed by political allies of Gov. Ron DeSantis. In the last year, former Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nu\u00f1ez became interim president of Florida International University, and former state Rep. Adam Hasner was tapped to lead Florida Atlantic University. Mel Ponder, former state representative and current president of Northwest Florida State College, spoke in support of D\u00edaz, as someone who \u201cknows the hall of the capital very well.\u201d D\u00edaz, who became commissioner in May 2022, helped lead statewide efforts to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs from public institutions.<\/p>\n

Controversies Surrounding D\u00edaz<\/h2>\n

While in the state Legislature, D\u00edaz co-sponsored the controversial Stop WOKE law, which aimed to ban employer-mandated diversity training. Federal courts blocked the law for violating the First Amendment. During his tenure as commissioner, D\u00edaz played a role in the state\u2019s crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion programs in state schools. DeSantis also recently appointed five new members to the school\u2019s board of Trustees. In the past year, seven of the school\u2019s 12 trustees are new to the board.<\/p>\n

Impact on the University<\/h2>\n

\u201cUnder the leadership of Ron DeSantis, Florida made a commitment to refocus the state\u2019s universities on their classical mission: promoting academic excellence and preparing students to be citizens of this republic,\u201d then-spokesperson Jeremy Redfern wrote in an email to the Tampa Bay Times at the time. The trustees included Scott Yenor, a Boise State University professor who garnered national media attention in 2021 after calling independent women \u201cmedicated, meddlesome and quarrelsome\u201d at a conservative conference in Orlando. In a rare move, state senators last month refused to confirm his seat on the board. The school was the target of conservative media after DeSantis appointed Yenor, with the right-leaning National Review described the school as \u201cled astray by progressive ideologues.\u201d However, the state\u2019s 2022 campus climate survey suggests that the majority of students and faculty felt comfortable expressing controversial viewpoints on campus.<\/p>\n

Next Steps<\/h2>\n

D\u00edaz will next need confirmation from the state\u2019s Board of Governors, which oversees the state\u2019s public universities. UWF will commence a search for a permanent president.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

The appointment of Manny D\u00edaz Jr. as the interim president of the University of West Florida has sparked controversy among faculty, alumni, and students. The concerns surround his lack of ties to the university, his role in the state\u2019s crackdown on diversity programs, and the potential for him to carry out a political agenda. As the university commences its search for a permanent president, it remains to be seen how D\u00edaz\u2019s appointment will impact the school and its community.<\/p>\n

FAQs<\/h2>\n