After a formal interview and trustee discussion Wednesday, the University of North Florida Board of Trustees voted 10-2 to appoint Michael P. Shannon as UNF’s eighth president.
The trustee decision followed a nearly three-hour-long interview and concluded a five-month national search process that drew 152 initial applicants. Shannon, who currently serves as the president of the University of North Georgia, emerged as the sole contender after other finalists withdrew from consideration.
UNF Professor James Beasley gave a public comment, expressing his disapproval of Shannon as a candidate and criticizing the current system for finding presidential candidates.
“It didn’t have to be this way,” Beasley said.
Board interview and trustee deliberation
During the public meeting in the Osprey Commons’ Talon Room, trustees questioned Shannon on institutional priorities, strategic growth, and operational management.
Shannon addressed UNF’s goals to grow its student body, saying he supports the endeavor but that it needs to be done correctly.
“You can break the heart and soul of a university if you don’t know what you’re doing,” said Shannon.
Trustee Allison Korman Shelton noted that UNG is not directly comparable to UNF and asked Shannon how his experience at UNG prepared him to lead UNF and what tangible value he brings beyond replicating what he has done at UNG.
Shannon acknowledged that he leads a very different institution and said he brings experience serving both the “everyday kid” and the “cream of the crop.” Shannon also brought up the need for someone to lead the current team at UNF.
“At the end of the day, as the president and CEO of the university, your role is to ensure that the team is in the boat, pulling oars in the same direction,” said Shannon.
Search Committee Chair Jack Boyle highlighted Jacksonville as one of UNF’s greatest assets and asked Shannon how he plans to strengthen UNF’s relationships with groups of interest around Jacksonville and translate those relationships into tangible results for students, staff, and faculty.
Shannon described Jacksonville as “off the chain” and said that, from the perspective of someone “on the outside looking in” at UNF, Florida has much to offer UNF that it isn’t fully utilizing.
“Jacksonville is a goldmine that UNF has not fully tapped into. It’s here and it’s vibrant,” said Shannon.
Later, Shelton said there are more important metrics for measuring institutional success than how many students stay in Jacksonville, and that the question isn’t what UNF can do for Jacksonville but what Jacksonville can do for UNF.
Shelton then asked Shannon how he would help UNF find its identity and stand out among other schools. Shannon said UNF should focus heavily on graduate students, student success, and becoming “the best experiential learning university in America.”
“You might be a kid in Syracuse, N.Y. or you might be a kid in Pocatello, Idaho…, you want to come to North Florida because of that promise,” said Shannon.
Chair Clarence Moore ended the interview by asking Shannon what he believes student success means.
Shannon said that student success is made up of four pillars: student achievement, a sense of purpose, well-being and belonging.
“If you can do all of that, you will build a university in the United States of America that is so sought after, you have a capacity issue,” said Shannon
After the interview, the trustees deliberated on whether Shannon is a good candidate for president.
Members such as Boyle and Trustee Jill Davis spoke in favor of Shannon, highlighting Shannon’s record in higher education leadership and military service and reiterating his emphasis on student success, community engagement, and regional impact.
“His diverse experience is going to help him learn his way through becoming UNF’s president. I think he has very strong character and leadership,” said Boyle. “I think Dr. Shannon will be the right person for us to accelerate and really get the most out of the staff, the cabinets, the dean, the students that we have here, so I’m a strong endorser.”
Shelton spoke against Shannon, saying that she was disappointed in the selection process and that while she wanted to be excited for this candidate, she was not satisfied with his interview response.
“UNF was not important enough for us to have other candidates,” said Shelton. “I think it was a really, really sad statement for UNF that we didn’t have some additional choices,” said Shelton.
Trustee John Gol seconded this view, saying that while he thinks Shannon is a good person, he does not feel he is a good candidate.
After deliberating, the trustees voted 10-2 in favor of Shannon, with Shelton and Gol voting against him.
The UNF Board of Trustees will convene later to further discuss Shannon’s contract. The Board of Trustees previously approved a salary range of $1 million to $1.4 million annually. The proposed starting salary represents an increase over former President Moez Limayem’s base starting salary of $525,000.
While the Board of Trustees has completed its vote, the appointment is not final until statewide leadership confirms it. The Florida Board of Governors holds final confirmation authority over the selection and will hold a hearing on a later date.
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