Former DEI supporter selected as University of Florida’s new president

The University of Florida Board of Trustees voted unanimously on Tuesday to select Dr. Santa J. Ono as the university’s 14th president, despite intense scrutiny from conservative activists who questioned his previous support for diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

Ono previously served as president of the University of Michigan, the University of British Columbia and the University of Cincinnati. A world-renowned vision researcher, he has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine and the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, among other prestigious organizations.

However, his appointment faces significant opposition due to his past advocacy for DEI initiatives. Conservative activist Christopher Rufo, who serves on New College of Florida’s board of trustees, found prior statements by Ono supporting DEI programs and reposted them online. U.S. Reps. Byron Donalds and Greg Steube also expressed opposition, with Steube writing about “grave concerns” regarding Ono’s “woke politics.”

Despite the criticism, Ono received the support of anti-woke Gov. Ron DeSantis, who reportedly expressed trust in school officials. Board Chair Mori Hosseini, who has focused on improving the university’s national standing, also endorsed Ono, saying he is “precisely the right person” to be president at this time and that his values “align perfectly with ours here in the great state of Florida.”

Ono has since renounced his previous DEI positions. “Over time, I saw how DEI became something else — more about ideology, division and bureaucracy, not student success,” he wrote in a widely circulated op-ed. “That’s why, as president of the University of Michigan, I made the decision to eliminate centralized DEI offices and redirect resources toward academic support and merit-based achievement. It wasn’t universally popular, but it was necessary. I stood by it — and I’ll bring that same clarity of purpose to UF.”

Ono’s appointment follows the search to replace Ben Sasse, the former Nebraska senator who resigned abruptly in July 2024 after serving little more than a year. Under the proposed contract, Ono would receive a $1.5 million annual base salary plus potential bonuses and $500,000 from UF Health, with duties including preventing money from being spent on DEI or activism.

The Florida Board of Governors is expected to vote on his appointment next week.