If you want a snapshot of how far Florida is from the railroads, take a look at the epic collapse of Santano’s presumed presidency at the University of Florida. His era ended last week before it began, sank into secret, the right wing woke up and fell into online pollution. It was a ignorant moment of history that has been trying to harm Florida for years. Anyone who is stumbling on an ugly episode is to drink Kool-Aid on their own or not pay attention.
Amid an unprecedented move, the board overseeing the state’s university system has stopped UF from appointing Ono as the next president. The UF board unanimously approved Ono’s employment as the school’s 14th president in May after the former president of the University of Michigan was appointed as the sole finalist for the job.
However, the board refused to sign off for the first time in its 22-year history. The 10-6 vote followed a month-long campaign by conservative activists who opposed Ono’s previous stance on the diversity program in Michigan and his handling of Palestinian protests in the wake of Hamas’ fatal terrorist attacks on Israel in 2023.
I’m not here to carry Ono’s water. During the selection process, he appears to be struggling to rewrite his views on diversity, climate change and Covid-19, coinciding with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state’s Republican leader. Ono agreed to the state’s opposition to diversity programs on the university’s campus, giving it a calm defense of free speech and signaling an institutional retreat at the UF to lead the day’s major social issues. While it is one thing to be practical, Ono’s explanation of his evolving views surprised me that he has crossed over loyalty and pandering to set a false example for leaders who are supposed to inspire our best and brightest.
But seducing the Michigan president would have been a coup in Florida’s higher education system. As president of Michigan, Ono is a skilled scholar and administrator who led one of the world’s most respected public universities. He brought to history with Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Harvard University and other major institutions. His choice would also have taken charge of Florida’s flagship university and, at least temporarily, stopped the sloppy practice of spooning these jobs into the governor’s political struggles.
As Ono was attacked unrelated to his choices, just like Donald Trump Jr. and the Republicans at Backbench House, anything that evaporated in the cancel culture blogosphere that drives the American far-right evaporated.
The University of Florida can denounce itself. After a private and protected search from the state’s open government laws, Ono was selected as the only finalist. The chairman of the search committee defended the operation of the closed door by writing to the Tampa Bay Times that “the most competitive candidate” would not take part if the “most competitive candidate” was published as a candidate. Nevertheless, UF argued that the search was “comprehensive”, “thoughtful” and “exhaustive”. However, the secret ultimately backfired. Because it prevented the university from airing Ono’s records in full and managing criticism when it was installed.
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What does Florida mean when it is possible to award university presidents to former lawmakers, lieutenant governors and lobbyists, but not as highly regarded experts as Ono? Has MAGA Allegiance become a decisive qualification to lead the University of Florida and universities? What do all parents who buy prepaid college plans think about this doctrinal acquisition of this higher education? And how do these political appointments affect the relationship between these schools and their students, teachers, alumni and community advocates? We haven’t seen the impact of these decisions downhill yet.
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a South Florida Democrat and UF alumnus, understood that. The governor’s actions were, “please ask a question: what greatest academic leaders will submit to the far-right fanatics who run Tallahassee,” she said. The University of South Florida is also looking for a new president, so you can bring the same questions closer to your home. Florida telegraphed that the university was ready for political interference. By apologizing to the Irish, that’s Nina’s variation. It does not need to be applied by independents.
