If anything Ben Sasse’s short run in Gainesville can be remembered, it’s a confused state legislator who made their well-oiled supply pan when choosing the university president. The bill that passes through Florida homes will repair the damage by resuming the process to public scrutiny and helps better prepare campus leaders for the rigour of work.
The University of Florida Board of Directors voted unanimously to appoint SASSE president in November 2022, just weeks after the Nebraska Republican senator appeared as the only finalist in the post. Many critics opposed Sasse for his public attitude as a conservative politician and his lack of experience at major research institutions, but many correctly condemned the selection process itself. Sasse has emerged as the only finalist under just-established laws that maintain the early stages of the public university’s presidential election process. The UF claimed the search was “exhaustive,” but the university refused to name the 12 other candidates that are said to be seriously considered for the job.
The blowback was fast, intense and obvious. The UF Student Senate voted confidently for both the search committee and the student body president for her role in choosing SASSE as the finalist. The faculty senate voted confidently in the process, and the teachers union called on the Senate speaker to vote against SASSE. The UF has been defending this issue for several months. Citing personal reasons, Sasse suddenly resigned in July 2024, not two years of his post. This was an inevitable mistake that embarrassed Florida flagship university. The roots of this mistake go back to legislative stubbornness.
That’s why HB 1321 deserves bipartisan support. The bill will repeal the 2022 law, which was exempt from public records and presidential search meetings. It also makes other changes to the leadership and operation of Florida’s higher education system, ensuring that universities and the communities they serve are more responsible. The House Committee unanimously approved the bill this month, awaiting a suspension of the second final committee. The Senate has not yet advanced its peer bill.
This is a wise law that will return public scrutiny to those who run Florida colleges and universities. Floridians will see who is being applied and the qualifications they bring to lead these major civic institutions. Students, faculty, alumni and local employers can weigh these candidate priorities and shape the future of these economic engines better. Like any educational environment, knowledge is power.
The bill takes a step by creating time limits for board members, umbrella governing bodies of the university system, and council members of the university committees. Board members can serve a single term of seven years, while university trustees can serve up to ten years. The Act also requires members of the Governor’s Committee to submit detailed financial disclosure forms and end the requirement that the board sign off individual universities to hire as president.
I’m not a fan of the time limits for elected officials, but the dynamics are different for political appointees. This change could broaden the cross-section of university board experiences and bring new perspectives to these campuses as the times and universities evolve.
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American colleges and universities are on the shooting line, and there are all indications that higher education continues to be entangled with the American culture war, both in Florida and across the country. House laws can better prepare the university president for the public role they envision, while giving the community more power to shape higher education in their hometowns. This is a positive legacy for the SASSE trials and a rare, bipartisan achievement that lawmakers should capture.
