University of Florida President Ben Sasse resigns
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) - Less than two years after stepping up, UF President Ben Sasse is stepping back down.
He announced on social media Thursday night that he’ll be resigning at the end of the month.
TV20 reached out for comment from UF representatives about President Sasse’s departure and if it will affect the contract bargaining sessions.
“It is with deep sadness to hear about the recent announcement concerning Melissa’s health. We are wishing the best for President Sasse and his family, and I fully support his commitment to prioritizing his family and their wellbeing during this difficult time. President Sasse has been a great leader, guiding our university to new heights and we are so thankful for all his contributions. I am hopeful about the future of the University of Florida and the selection of a new University President. Let us come together as a community to offer our support and best wishes to President Sasse and his family,” said John Brinkman, UF Student Body President.
“I wish Ben Sasse and his family much strength during a difficult time. To your question: To my knowledge, we will continue bargaining sessions next week. It is hard to predict, given the level of political meddling in higher education in the State of Florida, whether the next president will be:
- More willing to speak out against political meddling, or at least
- More willing to ameliorate its effects instead of rubbing salt into the wound,
- More respectful of faculty and student rights, abilities, work ethic, and power to shape their own future,
- Less prone to using students as scapegoats to grandstand on national media
- More of a believer in the careful processes of shared governance as opposed to a top-down, “move fast” approach to curricular matters and to the allocation of state appropriations
- Less prone to hiring friends and seilschaft
- And less reliant on the likes of McKinsey.
- said Professor Meera Sitharam.
A chairman of the Board of Trustees released the following statement.
“The Board of Trustees thanks Dr. Sasse for his service to the University of Florida. Under his leadership, UF has continued to advance on the national and international stage, benefiting our students, faculty, alumni, community and state. He has left a lasting impact on the university and all of those associated with it. We wish Ben all the best as he steps back to focus on his family,” said Mori Hosseini, chair of the Board of Trustees.
July 31st is Sasse’s last day.
He says he’s stepping down so he can put his family first.
Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
Copyright 2024 WCJB. All rights reserved.
