Because Sasse dedicated his academic career to studying American history, UF history department faculty and students are curious to see how the senator will fit into their college.
Sasse has backed laws that have limited abortion access and tightened immigration policy, among other initiatives.
Although Sasse has piqued conservative students' interest with his political beliefs, he’s not the conservative representation they expected.
Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Nebraska, has been under the scrutiny of UF’s student body since he was announced as the sole finalist for UF’s next president Oct. 6. Sasse’s past voting record and expressed lack of knowledge on UF graduate students’ issues has raised concerns for some students across campus. Others feel confident about his potential ascension to the presidency.
Strong ties between the two educational institutions have left SFC staff and students to debate whether the announcement of the UF presidential candidate has any effect on their nearby campus.
As Ben Sasse stands as the only finalist in the running to be UF’s next president, his comments about China are concerning for many Chinese community members on campus. Sasse has characterized himself as a staunch opponent of the Chinese government, but he’s also been criticized for hostile comments on China’s role in the pandemic.
Sen. Ben Sasse is currently in line to take over for Fuchs as he’s the sole candidate to be named president of the university. Sasse, or whoever becomes the next president, likely won’t have this same hurdle as Stricklin is set to be in charge for the foreseeable future.
A look into Sasse’s campaign contributions reveals thousands of dollars from the fossil fuel industry. However, Sasse has more recently affirmed his belief in climate change. And yet, he remains skeptical about the federal government's role in mitigating climate change.
The coalition is calling their plan of action “Spook Sasse Out of Our Swamp.” One part of the plan includes attending President Lauren Lemasters’ office hours on Oct. 27 at 8 a.m. The second part of the plan is a protest during the final interview between the Board of Trustees and Sasse from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. outside of Emerson Alumni Hall.
As both the UF president and Gainesville mayor look to term out in the coming months, Mayor Lauren Poe reflects on the improvement of city-university relations. Looking to the future, candidates for mayoral elections were interviewed on their opinions on Sasse as well as how they would continue to strengthen those relationships.
The Faculty Senate will hold an emergency meeting Oct. 27 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. to debate and possibly adopt a resolution of no confidence in the selection process of the 13th president of the university. A vote of confidence would signal that a majority of the Faculty Senate feels that Sasse’s selection was inadequate.
Solutions by The State News
