ANN ARBOR, MI – On May 27, the University of Florida Board of Trustees unanimously approved Santa Ono’s appointment as president.
Read more: Santa Ono explains why he’s leaving University of Michigan for Florida Ono oversaw cuts to the university’s long-standing diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
At least 50 people have been arrested in connection with pro-Palestine protesting at the Ann Arbor university since October 2023.
While courting for the Florida job, Ono said he would prioritize combating antisemitism and crack down on non-peaceful protest.
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ANN ARBOR, MI — The appointment of Santa Ono as president was unanimously approved by the University of Florida Board of Trustees on May 27. Several days later, Ono shared an aerial photograph of Gator Stadium on his personal Facebook page.
The Florida Board of Governors, which oversees the state’s university system, destroyed Ono’s presidency in a 6–10 vote on Tuesday afternoon. After well-known conservatives in Florida questioned Ono’s prior backing of DEI and his alleged inaction on antisemitism, the action was taken.
Just before 5 p.m., the vote was held. M. on June 3. 5:23 p.m. A. modified his Facebook profile to feature a deer gazing off into space.
Tuesday’s rejection gave the University of Michigan community, who were upset about his departure, the opportunity to make fun of their former president.
Basit Zafar, a professor of economics at the university, claimed that “Karma caught up with Ono.”.
From his decisions to limit DEI efforts on the Ann Arbor campus to his crackdowns on pro-Palestinian demonstrators to accusations that he too readily shifts his opinions on issues, university officials, academics, and alumni criticized Ono for a variety of reasons.
A quotation from author Fran Lebowitz that seemed to be directed at Ono was shared by Regent Jordan Acker.
Acker wrote on X, “He doesn’t believe in anything—just auditions for approval in whatever room he’s in.”.
State Rep. The Ann Arbor campus was where Carrie Rheingans, D-Ann Arbor, received her degree in 2005. She included a link to an alumni association discussion titled “Recovering From Job Rejection: How to Reignite Your Job Search in a Tough Job Market” beneath Acker’s quote. “,”.
Words of support for Ono were scarce. Ono was described as a “man of character and integrity” on his Facebook page by university donor Eileen Weiser, the ex-wife of former Regent and Michigan GOP Chair Ron Weiser. “”.
“An impartial leader has just left Florida’s students,” she wrote.
Ono stated in Inside Higher Education that he backed “the original intent of DEI” to guarantee “equal opportunity and fairness for every student” in his bid for the Florida position. “.”.
“However, I witnessed how DEI evolved over time—more about bureaucracy, division, and ideology than student success,” Ono wrote.
See also: Santa Ono discusses his decision to leave the University of Michigan and move to Florida.
The university’s long-standing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives were slashed under Ono’s leadership. The March actions include closing UM’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Office for Health Equity and Inclusion, as well as ending the DEI 2.0 Strategic Plan.
Faculty resolutions and a 300-person protest on the Diag were among the many forms of campus outrage that followed these actions.
Nevertheless, Ono was criticized by conservatives in Florida for his previous support of DEI and for once referring to racism as one of America’s “original sins.” Ono also issued a call on Tuesday to “ensure DEI never returns to the University of Florida.”. “”.
Florida Gov. Although Ron DeSantis said last week that some of Ono’s previous remarks made him “cringe,” he left the controversy surrounding Ono to the Board of Governors. “.”.
For many people in Ann Arbor, Ono’s decision to turn against DEI was opportunistic.
Author and alum John U. questioned, “How did former (Ono) fail to count the votes for the Florida job, which he lost 10-6?”. Bacon in an X post. He could have accepted a top college job after bowing out earlier and most likely making up that it was on principle (when he doesn’t have any). He is now not welcome on either side of the DEI divide. “.”.
According to the Graduate Employees’ Organization at Ann Arbor University, Ono lacked morals.
The union wrote, “Play dumb games, win dumb prizes,” on X.
Both sides also criticized Ono for how he handled antisemitism and pro-Palestinian demonstrations on the Ann Arbor campus. Pro-Palestine demonstrations at Ann Arbor University have resulted in at least 50 arrests since October 2023.
Read more about the intricate dance between police and pro-Palestinian demonstrators near Ann Arbor, which includes FBI raids.
The U.S. is also looking into the university. S. . The Department of Education is accused of failing to take action against antisemitism on campus.
Ono made antisemitism a top priority and vowed to crack down on non-peaceful protest when he was vying for the Florida position. Sen. . In a letter to Florida board members on Monday, Rick Scott, a Republican from Florida, claimed that Ono had “failed to uphold the most basic standards of leadership” by permitting a pro-Palestinian activist camp on the Diag for approximately a month in May 2024.
See also: No arrests indicate a “hands-off” strategy as three Michigan universities received tents for Gaza.
Germanic Studies professor Silke Weineck joked that both parties support Ono’s rejection.
She wrote on Blue Sky, “kudos to the Board of Governors of the Florida university system for accomplishing the rare feat of pleasing the left and the right in equal measure.”.
Jane Coaston, a former student and host of the New York Times podcast, agreed.
She wrote on X, “Santa Ono did the impossible, find two completely different universities to annoy and do so successfully.”
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