{"id":136661,"date":"2026-01-29T19:43:11","date_gmt":"2026-01-29T19:43:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/136661\/"},"modified":"2026-01-29T19:43:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T19:43:11","slug":"florida-board-of-governors-confirms-manny-diaz-jr-as-uwfs-next-president","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/136661\/","title":{"rendered":"Florida Board of Governors confirms Manny Diaz Jr. as UWF\u2019s next president"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Florida Board of Governors confirmed Manny Diaz Jr. as the seventh president of the University of West Florida at their meeting today, marking a significant milestone in the University\u2019s leadership transition. Diaz was named sole finalist for the position<\/a> by the UWF Presidential Search Committee in November and was approved by the UWF Board of Trustees earlier this month. He will assume the permanent position on Feb. 1, 2026.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am honored by the confidence of the Florida Board of Governors and thankful for the opportunity to continue serving the University of West Florida,\u201d Diaz said. \u201cEducation has been the foundation of every endeavor I\u2019ve undertaken, and it remains central to UWF\u2019s mission of excellence and service. The University\u2019s momentum is undeniable, and I look forward to working with our talented students, faculty, administrative staff and community partners to strengthen academic distinction, expand access, and ensure UWF continues to advance the economic and civic vitality of Northwest Florida and beyond.\u201d<\/p>\n

Diaz has served as UWF\u2019s interim president since July 2025, bringing more than 30 years of educational leadership and policy experience to the role. His background includes time as an educator, as a college administrator, as Florida\u2019s Commissioner of Education, as a member of the Florida Board of Governors, and in the Florida Legislature, where he championed policies supporting students, families and educators.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith strong leadership and governance, Manny Diaz Jr. will lead the University of West Florida to new heights,\u201d said Florida Board of Governors Chair Alan Levine, who also served on the UWF Presidential Search Committee. \u201cUWF\u2019s recognition as a top 10 regional public university in the South by U.S. News and World Report and its drive of a more than $1 billion annual economic impact on Northwest Florida demonstrates the dedication of faculty and staff to providing a high-quality education for students and serving Florida communities. Diaz will build upon this momentum through his strategic vision and deep education expertise.\u201d<\/p>\n

Throughout his interview and public remarks to the UWF Board of Trustees, Diaz outlined priorities focused on advancing the University\u2019s academic profile, strengthening enrollment and retention, expanding research and innovation, and deepening partnerships across Northwest Florida and the state. He emphasized building on UWF\u2019s existing strengths while positioning the University for long-term growth and increased impact.<\/p>\n

\u201cPresident Diaz is the catalyst the University of West Florida needs to accelerate its growth and elevate its national profile,\u201d said UWF Board of Trustees Chair Rebecca Matthews. \u201cSince his arrival, President Diaz has demonstrated steady leadership, a deep understanding of higher education, and a clear, unwavering commitment to the University\u2019s mission and future.\u201d<\/p>\n

During Thursday\u2019s meeting, members of the Florida Board of Governors expressed confidence in Diaz\u2019s leadership as UWF\u2019s next president.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s with some emotion that I am involved today in recognizing President Diaz,\u201d said BOG member Doug Broxson. \u201cUniversities lift the spirit of an area, and for Northwest Florida, the University of West Florida represents a community that loves the university.\u201d<\/p>\n

Addressing Diaz, Broxson added, \u201cYou will do a great job because you are a hard worker and you take any challenge and make it successful.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no one that is harder working, there is no one more humble\u2026 making sure that we\u2019re prioritizing student safety, academic achievement, ensuring that we\u2019re fighting for teacher pay, ensuring that our system as a whole\u2019s moving in the right direction,\u201d said BOG member and Florida Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas. \u201cHis legacy will be felt in this state for years to come.\u201d<\/p>\n

For more information about UWF, visit uwf.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Florida Board of Governors confirmed Manny Diaz Jr. as the seventh president of the University of West…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":136662,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[6876,27238,27237,28,25812,30,29,2571,5242,66806,35173,66807],"class_list":["post-136661","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-florida","tag-board-of-trustees","tag-bog","tag-fl-bog","tag-florida","tag-florida-board-of-governors","tag-florida-headlines","tag-florida-news","tag-manny-diaz-jr","tag-president","tag-president-manny-diaz-jr","tag-presidential-search","tag-presidential-search-2025-26"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/136661","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=136661"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/136661\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/136662"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=136661"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=136661"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=136661"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}