GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) – The Florida Board of Governors confirmed Dr. Stuart Bell as the 14th president of the University of Florida on Wednesday, following more than an hour of questioning from board members. The vote was 16-1, with board member Aubrey Edge casting the lone dissenting vote.<\/p>\n
Board Questions Bell before the Vote<\/p>\n
Board members questioned Bell on a range of topics, including his stance on free speech, DEI, and his plan to connect with students<\/a>.<\/p>\n Bell said he does not take the opportunity for granted. <\/p>\n \u201cI will serve with integrity, I will serve with humility, I will serve with accountability to this group and to my board of trustees. I am truly excited to be here,\u201d Bell shared.<\/p>\n He repeatedly emphasized that he does not intend to bring DEI or what he called \u201cwoke\u201d policies back to the university. Bell also outlined his priorities for the institution, citing leadership in artificial intelligence, healthcare, and agriculture.<\/p>\n \u201cI do want to address one issue that I know there have been some questions about, and that\u2019s about DEI, so I want to be very clear, and maybe we can set this aside,\u201d said Bell. \u201cI\u2019m not coming to Florida to bring DEI or woke back to the State of Florida.\u201d<\/p>\n Edge voted against Bell\u2019s confirmation, citing concerns about Bell\u2019s stance on DEI and what Edge described as declining national academic standards during Bell\u2019s tenure as president of the University of Alabama.<\/p>\n Bell responded to Edge\u2019s concerns, saying Alabama is ranked differently in research because its medical school is not located on the main campus.<\/p>\n Bell\u2019s Plan for UF<\/p>\n After the vote, Bell emphasized the importance of collaboration in continuing the university\u2019s success.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re all going to have to be rowing in the same direction. We\u2019re all going to have to be working for those aspirational goals that are laid out here, so I do covet your support. I covet what we\u2019re going to have to do. And we\u2019re going to have to lock arms with you to make sure that we\u2019re able to do that,\u201d Bell said.<\/p>\n Bell said he already has a plan for his first 100 days in office, which includes expediting searches for open dean positions. He met with former interim President Dr. Donald Landry this week to discuss those searches.<\/p>\n \u201cWe will prepare the best engineers, the best teachers, the best lawyers, the best doctors, the best service providers at the University of Florida first and foremost,\u201d Bell said. \u201cThen, what we do in research and discovery, what we do in agriculture, serving the state, and serving those industries. It will be remarkable.\u201d<\/p>\n UF Athletics Director Scott Stricklin expressed his confidence in Bell in a statement to TV20:<\/p>\n \u201cDr. Bell brings extensive higher education leadership experience and a strong understanding of the important role athletics plays in advancing a university\u2019s mission. His familiarity with the Southeastern Conference and commitment to excellence make him well-positioned to lead the University of Florida.<\/p>\n I look forward to working alongside Dr. Bell as we continue to build on Florida\u2019s tradition of excellence, provide an outstanding experience for our student-athletes, and serve Gator Nation around the world. We are excited to welcome Dr. Bell and his family to the Gator community.\u201d<\/p>\n RELATED: UF trustees submit Bell contract ahead of presidential confirmation vote<\/a><\/p>\n UF Presidential Search Process<\/p>\n It\u2019s been a long road to finding a new president of the university following the resignation<\/a> of former UF President Ben Sasse in 2024, less than two years after replacing former UF President Kent Fuchs.<\/p>\n The UF Board of Trustees\u2019 initial pick, Dr. Santa Ono, was rejected by the state<\/a> Board of Governors last year due to concerns over DEI and COVID policies during his tenure at the University of Michigan.<\/p>\n The trustees later appointed Landry<\/a> as interim president of UF; however, he was passed over for the permanent president position. Due to provisions in his contract, he was entitled to $2 million in compensation<\/a> despite not getting the job.<\/p>\n The UF Presidential Search Committee announced Bell as the sole finalist<\/a> in May. While some raised concerns about diversity programs during his tenure at Alabama, much of the public criticism over the pick was about the process.<\/p>\n U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, a Republican from Florida, called out<\/a> the search committee for only selecting one finalist during a secret process. He also expressed concerns about Landry receiving a large payout.<\/p>\n After the UF trustees unanimously approved Bell as the next president, Board of Governors chair Alan Levine delayed the confirmation vote<\/a> due to concerns about trustees\u2019 governance. He accused the trustees of giving Chair Mori Hosseini improper authority that rightfully belongs to the university president or the full board.<\/p>\n