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The UF Board of Trustees unanimously approved Dr. Donald W. Landry, a professor of medicine at Columbia University, as UF’s interim president beginning Sept. 1 while the search for a permanent leader continues.
Landry is the current president of the American Academy of Sciences and Letters and Hamilton Southworth Professor of Medicine at Columbia, from where he graduated. Landry previously served as the physician in chief of New York Presbyterian Hospital at the Columbia Medical Center.
Landry will need approval from the Board of Governors to continue as interim president long-term, but his work may begin while the confirmation is pending. The board is scheduled to meet Sept. 10, according to a UF spokesperson.
“I hope to make more than small changes, but the smallest change that’s done will be made in close collaboration with the Board and for the greatest good,” Landry said.
Speaking before the Board of Trustees Aug. 25, Landry described the concept of academic excellence as being “under threat,” referencing the idea of free speech and emphasizing his belief in truth. While freedom of speech and expression are important, he said a larger focus should be put on the rights to learn and teach.
When questioned on UF’s commitment to upholding state DEI laws, Landry said previous DEI initiatives had gone too far.
“We can all be thankful that the government has intervened and returned us to a rational meritocracy,” he said.
Landry vowed to continue UF’s work abiding by Florida’s laws against DEI, saying the university will require the best leadership to continue responding to local and national challenges effectively.
Landry also worked under President George W. Bush’s Council on Bioethics. In 2009, he was awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal by President Bush for his work improving patient treatment opportunities and advancing scientific knowledge.
Despite not having a president for over a year, UF won’t be expecting a permanent leader until 2026. The Board of Governors’ rejected the University of Michigan’s former president, Santa Ono, as UF’s 14th president in June, leaving the presidential search in an unprecedented place.
Ono faced criticism over the closure of the University of Michigan’s DEI office and his handling of student protests, but prominent conservative voices argued he didn’t go far enough to push back on “woke” ideology on college campuses. While the UF Board of Trustees unanimously confirmed him, Florida’s Board of Governors rejected his appointment in a historic 10-6 vote June 3 — making it the first time the board has denied a presidential finalist despite trustees’ unanimous support.
Interim President Kent Fuchs, who previously served as UF’s president for eight years, was set to leave UF July 31, but his contract was extended until Sept. 1.
Fuchs addressed faculty during the Faculty Senate meeting Aug. 21, emphasizing school pride and continued excellence alongside a smooth leadership transition as the search for a permanent president continues.
“The president’s search has become more challenging with the developments of the past few months,” Fuchs said. But he said he has full faith in the Board of Trustees in selecting a good leader and believes UF remains one of the nation’s “truly great universities.”
Contact Swasthi Maharaj at smaharaj@alligator.org. Follow her on X at @s_maharaj1611. Contact Maria Arruda at marruda@alligator.org. Follow her on X at @mariazalfarruda.
