Two days before his contract was set to expire, Interim President Kent Fuchs decided to stay with the Gators a little while longer.
UF spokesperson Cynthia Roldán Hernández confirmed Fuchs will remain interim president until Sept. 1. His contract was set to end July 31.
The university expects to select a new interim president by September and plans to launch a new presidential search the first quarter of 2026, she said.
UF Board of Trustees Chair Mori Hosseini addressed the ongoing presidential search during a special board meeting July 23. He said UF is searching for an interim president, and it will “hopefully” start a new presidential search this coming year.
Fuchs' extension follows his July 24 announcement calling for a full return to in-person work. The email, sent under his name, shocked UF employees. Some speculated he made the announcement because his contract was ending in less than a week.
UF’s presidential search has seen several twists and turns since it began in January following former president Ben Sasse’s sudden resignation in July 2024.
Santa J. Ono was announced as UF’s sole presidential finalist May 4. He was unanimously approved by the UF Board of Trustees. When a series of controversies was unearthed before his confirmation hearing with the Florida Board of Governors, Ono’s alignment with Gov. Ron DeSantis’ values was not enough to secure his seat as UF’s next president.
Ono’s past statements couldn’t escape him. He was criticized by politicians and professors for his previous support of DEI initiatives and lack of response after Oct. 7 attack and its effect on Jewish students. Ono was rejected by the Florida Board of Governors, marking the first time the board rejected a Florida university’s presidential candidate since its creation in 2003.
Florida Republican politicians resumed their focus on the search following Ono’s rejection, calling for a transparent search. Sen. Rick Scott and Reps. Greg Steube and Byron Donalds wrote a letter to the UF Board of Trustees June 18 advising against having another closed search and calling for candidates to be publicly named.
Rumors have circulated about who UF’s next interim president might be with Fuch’s contract coming to an end. Nikki Fried, the chair of the Florida Democratic Party, tweeted that Casey DeSantis, the wife of Gov. Ron DeSantis, would become UF’s interim president. A UF spokesperson said there was no truth to the rumors.
UF spokesperson Steve Orlando said he couldn’t confirm whether any changes were made to Fuchs’ contract other than its extension.
Contact Maria Avlonitis at mavlonitis@alligator.org. Follow her on X @MariaAvlonitis.
