UF President Bernie Machen is staying in Gainesville at the request of Gov. Rick Scott and UF Board of Trustees Chair David Brown.
“President Machen has earned a reputation for visionary thinking and has a record as a change agent," Scott said in a news release published Tuesday afternoon. "I have asked him to continue his service as president, and I look forward to working with him, the Board of Governors and the Board of Trustees on this effort to realize a new vision for higher education in Florida.”
In the statement, Brown referenced the university administration's goal to move UF into the top 10.
"This is a window of opportunity and we need a proven leader who can immediately champion this effort," he said. "President Machen has the experience and can provide a continuity of leadership."
The presidential search has been suspended.
“Making UF a top 10 university has been my highest priority over the course of my tenure at the University of Florida,” Machen said. “Now we stand at a crossroads where we have the potential to make giant strides. I have been asked to remain in office to lead that effort, and I am pleased to do so.”
Contact Julia Glum at jglum@alligator.org.
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