On Wednesday, the UF Board of Trustees selected Kent Fuchs to be the university’s next president. Fuchs currently serves as the provost of Cornell University, one of the nation’s premier institutions of higher learning.
Fuchs’ academic credentials are impeccable, which makes him an ideal choice for the position. According to information provided by the UF Board of Trustees, Fuchs is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Association for the Advancement of Scienc, and numerous other academic and professional organizations.
As provost at Cornell, Fuchs oversaw a number of initiatives to help guide the university toward a top-10 ranking and to enhance its academic reputation. Fuchs has also demonstrated his commitment to diversity in academia through his leadership in Cornell’s Toward New Destinations program. The board deserves credit for its decision making throughout the presidential selection process.
Hunter Rawlings, president of the Association of American Universities, effusively praised UF’s choice of Fuchs, describing him as smart, highly organized, consultative yet also decisive; a person of high integrity and strong vision.
“He will be a superb leader for the University of Florida as well as a great colleague for his fellow AAU presidents and chancellors,” Rawlings said.
In addition to stellar qualifications, Fuchs seemed enthusiastic about potentially becoming the next president of The Gator Nation. “It would be a real honor and privilege to be a member and a No. 1 fan of The Gator Nation,” he said. Fuchs’ response starkly contrasted his competitor, NYU Provost David McLaughlin’s, apathetic response of: “I will be, at best, an honorary Gator.”
UF’s decision to select candidates with exceptional academic qualifications is especially relevant in the wake of Florida State University’s selection of its own new president. FSU apparently chose its new leader, state Sen. John Thrasher, based on his extensive political and business connections and not on his academic credentials. In addition to serving as a Florida senator, Thrasher previously served as the chair of Gov. Rick Scott’s re-election campaign.
Unlike the candidates selected by the board, Thrasher has no significant academic experience whatsoever. His supporters claimed he was selected based on his strong fundraising ability. However, Fuchs also has significant fundraising prowess, having raised $1 billion in gifts during his career at Cornell.
The selection of Fuchs demonstrates to the entire country that UF is serious about establishing itself as one of the nation’s premier universities. The decision also shows that universities do not have to sacrifice a commitment to academics by hiring presidents who are little more than professional fundraisers.
UF students can be confident that their new president is firmly committed to making their school a better, stronger university. We look forward to a bold new era of growth and change at UF under Fuchs’ leadership.
[A version of this story ran on page 6 on 10/16/2014]
