The University of Florida’s Presidential Selection Advisory Committee unanimously recommended Dr. Stuart R. Bell as the sole finalist for the position of University of Florida’s 14th president. The recommendation now goes to the University of Florida Board of Regents and must be reviewed by the Florida Board of Regents.
Mr. Bell most recently served as president of the University of Alabama, where he led the university for 10 years. During his tenure, the University of Alabama increased enrollment, improved graduation and retention rates, expanded and modernized campus facilities, strengthened academic standards, and achieved R1 research status.
Bell also has ties to the Southeastern Conference, where he served as SEC president from 2023 to 2025 and as a member of the conference’s executive committee from 2021 to 2025. In these roles, he worked with SEC schools, conference commissioners, federal legislators, and the NCAA on issues affecting college athletics.
Prior to leading the University of Alabama, Bell served as president and engineering professor at Louisiana State University. He also served as Dean of the College of Engineering and Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Kansas. Bell received his Ph.D. He holds a PhD in mechanical engineering and a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering from Texas A&M University.
Rahul Patel, chairman of the Presidential Search Advisory Committee, said Bell’s experience leading a flagship university, background in fundraising, and relationships in higher education led to the committee’s selection.
“After a thorough and extensive investigation, our committee unanimously concluded that Dr. Bell is the best choice to lead the University of Florida,” Patel said.
Mori Hosseini, chairman of the university’s Board of Trustees, supported the recommendation and said he believed Bell could help the university continue its efforts to further raise its national profile.
“The search committee recommended a candidate whose academic record and experience at a flagship state university makes him a natural choice to lead UF going forward,” Hosseini said.
Mr. Bell succeeds Dr. Donald Landry, who served as interim president for the 2025-26 academic year while on leave from Columbia University. Mr. Hosseini thanked Mr. Landry for his service and said he would return to Columbia as a tenured professor of medicine and professor emeritus of the School of Medicine.
Former University of Alabama football coach Nick Saban also praised Bell’s leadership, calling him a “good friend and passionate supporter of athletics” who had a tremendous impact on the University of Alabama and the Tuscaloosa community.
Bell said he is grateful for the opportunity to be considered for the UF president position.
“The University of Florida is a special place, and I look forward to the opportunity to lead this top-ranked university and help establish it among the nation’s top three public universities,” said Professor Bell.
Under Florida law, the Presidential Search Advisory Committee was responsible for developing search criteria, vetting candidates, and recommending finalists to the board. Final appointments are subject to the approval of the University of Florida Board of Regents and the approval of the Florida State Board of Regents.
