• The University of Florida has named Santa J. Ono, current president of the University of Michigan, as the sole finalist for its next president.
• Ono has a strong academic background and leadership experience at prestigious universities.
• If selected, Ono will replace Ben Sasse, who resigned in 2024 after a short tenure.

The University of Florida’s Presidential Search Committee announced that Dr. Santa J. Ono, the current president at the University of Michigan, is the sole finalist to become the university’s 14th president.

Rahul Patel, chair of the search committee and a member of UF’s board of trustees, made the announcement in an email to the university community on Sunday, May 4.

“Throughout an extensive and thorough process, we sought a leader who could match UF’s extraordinary momentum, understand its role as the flagship university of one of the most dynamic states in the country, and inspire our community to reach even greater heights,” Patel said in the announcement.

“Dr. Ono’s proven record of academic excellence, innovation and collaborative leadership at world-class institutions made him our unanimous choice. We are confident he is the right person to build on UF’s strong foundation and help realize our bold vision for the future,” he added.

According to the release, Ono, who holds a doctorate in experimental medicine from McGill University, has held previous faculty appointments at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Harvard University and University College London.

“If I could select a dream candidate for the university’s next president, it would be Santa Ono,” said Kent Fuchs, UF’s interim president, in the news release.

“His demonstrated record of success at the best universities, his leadership style, and caring personality have allowed him to work effectively with faculty, students, alumni, staff and other stakeholders everywhere he has been. I am confident that the future of the University will be in the best of hands with Santa Ono as our leader.”

Ono expected on campus in Gainesville on May 6

According to the release, Ono will be in Gainesville on May 6 to meet with students, faculty and administrators.

“Few moments in higher education are as exciting as this one at the University of Florida,” Ono said in the release. “No other public university combines UF’s momentum, its role as the flagship of one of the nation’s most important states, the extraordinary support from state leaders, and a shared vision across its entire community.

“These strengths make UF uniquely positioned not only to lead public higher education, but to stand among the most impactful institutions — public or private — in the world. I am honored and energized to be considered for this historic opportunity,” he added.

If approved by UF’s board of trustees, Ono’s appointment must then be confirmed by Florida’s Board of Governors.

UF’s Committee on Governance, Government Relations and Internal Affairs at a Feb. 25 meeting unanimously approved a compensation package for UF’s next president of up to $3 million. Ono’s base salary if hired by UF has not yet been revealed.

The Detroit News reported in December 2024 that Ono and the University of Michigan had agreed to an “unprecedented” new contract that would have paid him close to $3 million per year by 2032. The agreement came just two years after Ono began his term as president in October 2022.

George Mason University Professor Emeritus of Public Policy James Finkelstein called the contract “unprecedented in public higher education.” In a twist, Finkelstein also noted at the time that the only other public university to offer a contract of this magnitude was the University of Florida to Ben Sasse, who Ono will now be tasked with replacing.

Sasse announced his stunning resignation in July 2024, just 17 months into the job, after his wife was diagnosed with epilepsy.

Fuchs, who served as UF president from 2015 to 2023, was quickly appointed by the board of trustees to serve as interim president.

Sasse, during his short time at UF, dealt with his share of controversies. The selection of the former Republican U.S. senator for Nebraska received almost immediate backlash from the university community due to his anti-abortion stance and being accused of not supporting the LGBTQ community.

People also were upset with how the search for a new president unfolded, with Sasse being named the sole finalist after a months-long presidential search involving over 700 candidates. UF officials claimed no other finalist wanted to come forward unless they were chosen as the sole finalist.

In April 2024, Sasse was criticized by some and lauded by others for his handling of pro-Palestinian protests on UF’s Plaza of the Americas. While many protests on university campuses across the country had escalated into violence, the protests at UF remained mostly calm. Nine protesters were arrested after a days-long sit-in following what demonstrators called unfair rules and restrictions enacted by the university.

Like, Sasse, Ono also has faced backlash over the University of Michigan’s handling of pro-Palestinian protesters.

The Detroit Free Press reported in May 2024 that a tent encampment on the UM campus was removed by authorities after Ono said protesters refused to remove fire hazards. Some of the protesters were arrested for using “physical force to counter” police.

In December 2024, a federal lawsuit was filed against UM, its Board of Regents, Ono and others over the university’s handling of the protests.

It alleges that the school selectively targeted student protesters over their beliefs and took a more hardline approach to disciplining them compared to protesters involved with other causes.

This is a developing news story and may be updated. Check back later for more.