U.S. Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) has requested that the Florida Board of Governors block the appointment of Dr. Santa J. Ono as the next president of the University of Florida. The call to reject Dr. Ono, currently president of the University of Michigan, came in a letter sent by Rep. Steube following the University of Florida (UF) Board of Trustees’ decision to advance Dr. Ono’s candidacy.
The University of Florida Presidential Search Committee unanimously recommended Dr. Ono to be considered by its Board of Trustees as the sole finalist.
Dr. Ono currently serves as president of the University of Michigan and brings a record of leadership in academia and public health across the United States and Canada.
READ: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Sounds Alarm On “Ultimate Calamity” As Debt Ceiling Looms
“On behalf of the Presidential Search Committee, I am proud to announce Dr. Santa Ono as the sole finalist to be the University of Florida’s next president,” Rahul Patel, Chair of the Presidential Search Committee, had stated. “Throughout an extensive and thorough process, we sought a leader who could match UF’s extraordinary momentum, understand its role as the flagship university of one of the most dynamic states in the country, and inspire our community to reach even greater heights. Dr. Ono’s proven record of academic excellence, innovation and collaborative leadership at world-class institutions made him our unanimous choice. We are confident he is the right person to build on UF’s strong foundation and help realize our bold vision for the future.”
The final decision on Dr. Ono’s appointment now rests with the Florida Board of Governors, who are scheduled to meet on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. in Orlando to consider the confirmation.
“As a Double Gator, I am appalled and disappointed by the decision of the University of Florida’s Board of Trustees to select Dr. Santa J. Ono as its next president,” Rep. Steube stated in his subsequent communication. “His dubious record throughout his career makes it clear that Dr. Ono is unfit to lead our state’s flagship university. Hollow assurances of an ‘evolved mindset’ cannot erase Dr. Ono’s history of preferential treatment for far-left causes, coupled with his cold indifference to student safety.”
READ: Stephen A. Smith Unleashes Fury: Slams “Original Sin” And “Complicit” Dems In Alleged Biden Cover-Up
In his letter dated May 30, 2025, Rep. Steube detailed several concerns regarding Dr. Ono’s past actions and stances. He criticized the UF Board of Trustees for labeling objections from him and others, including Senator Rick Scott who called for an investigation into the presidential search process, as mere “external voices.”
Steube’s letter highlights Dr. Ono’s tenure at previous institutions:
University of Michigan: Steube alleges Dr. Ono waited nearly three weeks before promising action after pro-Hamas demonstrators reportedly assaulted law enforcement, disrupted classes, and vandalized property in May 2024. He also points to Dr. Ono’s 2022 declaration urging faculty and students to “believe in and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI),” and notes that formal changes to DEI programs at Michigan only occurred in December 2024 and March 2025, which Steube suggests was a reaction to legal pressures rather than a genuine shift in perspective.
University of British Columbia: During his presidency there, Dr. Ono reportedly made “climate justice” a top priority and promoted “radical gender ideology.”
General Statements: Steube also referenced Dr. Ono’s claim that “systemic racism is embedded in every corner of any institution” in the United States and his 2023 inaugural address at Michigan, which focused on “DEI 2.0” and “wrestling with racism and inequity and injustice.”
Rep. Steube expressed skepticism about Dr. Ono’s recent op-ed and claims of an “evolved perspective,” arguing that such changes should not qualify him as the best fit for UF. He questioned the confidential search procedures, stating he remains “unconvinced that sacrificing transparency yielded the best possible candidate.”
READ: Illegal Alien’s Threat To “Shoot Trump In The Head” Sparks DHS Chief’s Urgent Warning On Rhetoric
“Dr. Ono stated that he was ‘not an expert’ on the damaging initiatives he long championed, and that it ‘takes time to understand what is really going on,’” Steube wrote. “Yet the consequences of these past decisions are permanent: political expedience cost deserving students and faculty opportunities that may never return. There may exist other opportunities for academic administrators to reconcile regressive campus cultures they once enabled – the University of Florida is not one of them.”
The Congressman concluded his letter by urging the Board of Governors to “reject Dr. Ono’s selection and urge the Board of Trustees to identify a candidate that continues to advance Florida as the leader in intellectual liberty and academic excellence.”
The UF Board of Trustees, in a May 22 statement titled “Taking UF Forward,” had previously responded to criticisms, with Chairman Mori Hosseini and Vice Chair Rahul Patel (who also chaired the Search Committee) expressing confidence in their selection process and Dr. Ono. Chairman Hosseini pointed to Dr. Ono’s recent op-ed as evidence of a “decisive break from the progressive orthodoxy.”
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Connect with us: Follow the Tampa Free Press on Facebook and Twitter for breaking news and updates.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
