On Monday, March 2, the Florida Board of Governors (BOG) unanimously approved the appointment of Interim President Angela Falconetti of the University of North Florida.

During the meeting, the BOG also discussed the pause on H-1B visas in Florida, per Governor Ron DeSantis’ request for BOG consideration.

Falconetti Appointment

While Falconetti has been operating as UNF’s interim president for the past few weeks, she was not officially appointed by the BOG until the Monday meeting.

During the meeting, Governor Kimberly Dunn referenced her own collaboration with UNF Board of Trustees member James Beasley and asked Falconetti if she planned to prioritize staff input during her time at UNF.

“Trustee Beasley and I do not always agree, and we often approach issues from different angles, but I can say with certainty that my decisions are stronger when I take the time to listen to Beasley, understand his concerns, and consider his perspective,” Dunn said. “As you begin your tenure at UNF, I respectfully ask you to take the time to know your faculty and seek their counsel before making major institutional decisions, and listen carefully to their advice and their concerns.”

“I’m committed to the success of the entire university, but I look forward to the opportunity to work collaboratively with faculty,” Falconetti said.

Following the unanimous approval of Falconetti as interim president, Chairman Alan Levine provided insight into the UNF presidential search, revealing that a presidential search committee has not yet been established.

“I’ve spoken with Chair Moore; he’s working on developing a list of search committee members that he’s assembling to consult beyond,” Levine said. “I’ve asked Aubrey Edge to be the BOG representative to the search committee.”

BOT Chair Steve Moore is set to speak to the progress of the presidential search during the upcoming UNF BOT meeting, according to the meeting’s agenda.

H1-B Visa Pause 

Following Governor DeSantis’ urging, the BOG approved a “temporary pause” on new H1-B visas through the calendar year, according to Chancellor Rodrigues.

According to Chancellor Rodrigues, this policy will not result in the termination of current H-1B contracts or affect contract renewals.

“This will only prevent new H1-B visas and new contracts,” explained Chancellor Rodrigues. “This [pause] allows time for research on the matter.”

This policy comes after an October press conference at the University of South Florida on October 29, 2025, in which DeSantis urged the Board of Governors to stop the use of H-1B visas.

The H-1B visa pause was approved by all governors except Governors Kimberly Dunn and Carson Dale, who expressed concerns about its effects and ramifications.

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