Thu Sep 19 07:00:00 UTC 2024: ## Florida Board of Governors Takes Control of Presidential Searches

**Tallahassee, FL** – The Florida Board of Governors (BOG) has asserted greater control over presidential searches at public universities within the state. A new policy passed on Wednesday mandates that the BOG chair must approve a list of finalists before they are submitted to individual university governing boards.

This policy comes amid a series of upcoming presidential searches, including at the University of Florida, where Ben Sasse recently resigned. The decision to increase BOG involvement appears to be influenced by controversies surrounding previous searches, specifically at Florida Atlantic University (FAU), which was suspended in July 2023 due to alleged irregularities.

BOG chair Brian Lamb alluded to these issues, stating that not all recent searches have gone according to plan. The FAU search was plagued by allegations of political interference after a search committee failed to advance a Republican state lawmaker, despite evidence that a straw poll used to narrow candidates violated the state’s Sunshine Law.

The new policy has sparked concern from some university trustees who worry about the implication of diminished autonomy. “It seems like the Board of Trustees is not being trusted to make decisions,” remarked Peter Collins, chair of the Florida State University Board.

Rogelio Tovar, chair of the Florida International University Board of Trustees, echoed these concerns, adding that the new policy could make it more challenging to recruit qualified individuals to serve on presidential search committees.

This move by the BOG raises questions about the balance of power in presidential searches and the extent to which political considerations will influence the selection of university leaders.

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