University of Florida presidential pick not approved in final vote amid growing GOP opposition

Board of governors rejects Santa Ono as UF president

Evan Axelbank reports.

ORLANDO, Fla. - The University of Florida's pick to become the institution's president was not approved in a final vote from the Florida Board of Governors as more Republicans came out against his appointment.

Who is Dr. Santa Ono?

The backstory:

Dr. Santa J. Ono served as president of the University of Michigan from October 2022 until May 2025, when the UF Board of Trustees unanimously approved his appointment to the post.

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Ono holds a doctorate in experimental medicine and has also previously led the University of British Columbia and the University of Cincinnati.

He also brings a history of fighting for diversity programs, which gave some politicians pause because of the state's effort to end DEI programs at state universities.

At Michigan, for example, Ono applauded the school's efforts to defend affirmative action in the U.S. Supreme Court.

Pictured: Dr. Santa Ono.

The other side:

Gov. Ron DeSantis has been a staunch critic of DEI initiatives and campus activism, which could work against Ono. Last week, Ono said he understood the parameters the state has set.

"We have all seen what happens when universities are handed over to political activists and grievance entrepreneurs. America needs leaders grounded in scholarship, not ideology," Ono said.

When asked about Ono last month, DeSantis said he wants the Florida Board of Governors to "do their job" and let the process play out.

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"I think the folks that were involved in the search, after having interviewed him, spent time with him, it's their judgment that he's really kind of reached the limit on the campus leftism, and he would want to leave Michigan, where that is prevalent, to Florida, where it's frowned upon, because he wants to be more in line with what Florida is doing and our policies," DeSantis said.

GOP critics of Ono's appointment to lead Florida's flagship university include U.S. Rep. Greg Steube, who represents Sarasota County. He denounced Ono's pick in a letter to the board, going so far as to call for a full investigation into his past comments, citing what Steube called a "history of discriminatorily charged comments."

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Sen. Rick Scott and U.S. Rep. Jimmy Patronis also criticized Ono on social media, saying they have doubts about his record.

"There’s too much smoke with Santa Ono. We need a leader, not a DEI acolyte. Leave the Ann Arbor thinking in Ann Arbor," Patronis wrote.

What's next:

The school will now have to start a new search in an effort to find a new president.

The UF presidency opened last year when Ben Sasse announced his resignation after less than two years in the job. Former President Kent Fuchs has served as interim president.

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The Source: Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Mariah Harrison, with additional details from previous FOX 13 News reports. The News Service of Florida also contributed to this report.

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