While it may not have been as glamorous or as influential as Oprah Winfrey's endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama - and certainly didn't receive as much media attention - UF President Bernie Machen's unusual public announcement that he would endorse Sen. John McCain for president this week did raise more than a few questions across campus.
Though Machen adamantly maintains that his endorsement of the Republican senator is completely separate from his duties as university president, we can't imagine why he would want to make such a public gesture unless it was to capitalize on his notoriety as a university leader.
If this election truly is such a personal matter to him, why did he agree to publicly endorse the senator only after a representative from the McCain campaign approached him?
Why didn't Machen just endorse McCain months ago when he first announced his candidacy?
Not only was this public endorsement made shortly before Florida's primaries completely inappropriate for someone in Machen's position. We also aren't accepting the flimsy explanation that this announcement was merely a reflection of Machen's personal opinion.
It was a blatant gesture to influence public opinion as a state leader.
As students and Floridians, we think that public universities are supposed to serve all residents of a state, and a president of such a university should not show even a hint of political partisanship for a few reasons.
First, those who do not share his political views - namely faculty and students - may be angered by what normally would and should be the president's private choice.
Once that issue has been made public, the president needlessly and carelessly politicizes a campus that is supposed to be a safe place for the exchange of ideas. He has essentially chosen a side before the election has even begun, even if he is a registered independent.
Also, the mere appearance of partisanship by someone who represents the university may inadvertently cause damage to the university's reputation.
Who's to say that fellow state leaders within the Republican Party won't completely disagree with Machen's choice for presidential candidate?
This may cause an acrimonious situation that is completely unnecessary. Machen has a responsibility as president not to behave in ways that create risks - especially political - to the university he serves. He should realize that his job may sometimes have to be the top priority.
However, we're not saying that Machen doesn't have the right to vote for whomever he wishes.
While we realize that he did not give up his right to be politically active as an American citizen when he accepted the position as UF's 11th president, he did become a representative for UF in the public realm, whether he accepts that fact or not.
So, as much as Machen may try to separate himself from his official title, it is impossible for him to do so until he no longer holds it.
Until then, it's better for the university if he just kept his politics to himself.
