U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse could receive a vote of no confidence by University of Florida faculty before he even is confirmed as that university's president.
The UF Faculty Senate will consider a vote of no confidence regarding the university's presidential selection process at an emergency meeting Thursday. Sasse, a Nebraska Republican, was announced as the sole finalist for the school's 13th president last month, leading to immediate backlash.
Ben Sasse
During his first visit to campus, Sasse faced a large student protest mainly focused on his stance on same-sex marriage and other LGBTQ+ issues. That prompted current University of Florida President Kent Fuchs to announce Monday he was enforcing a 20-year-old regulation banning protests inside campus buildings.
The Faculty Senate resolution focuses on the selection process university officials followed that led Sasse to be the sole finalist, claiming it "undermined the trust and confidence" of the Faculty Senate in Sasse's selection. It also indicated that the body doubted Sasse's qualifications for the role.
"The next President should come already equipped to lead an institution of this caliber rather than aiming to learn on the job," the resolution read.
Before he was elected to the U.S. Senate, Sasse led Midland University in Fremont, a school with roughly 1,600 students. UF's student population stands at nearly 60,000 students.
The resolution claimed that at a Faculty Senate meeting Oct. 20, members were informed that there were other "well-qualified" candidates for the presidency that were eliminated because they were unwilling to be named as finalists within the university's 21-day public notification requirement. This prevented faculty from being informed about the other candidates and their qualifications, the resolution read.
Faculty Senate Chair Amanda Phalin did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Sasse still faces a vote by the school’s Board of Trustees and then must be confirmed by the state Board of Governors before he is officially named president.
If approved, he’s expected to resign his Senate seat. Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts has said he would leave Sasse's replacement to the state's next governor. Sasse's successor would serve until 2024, when a special election would be held to fill the seat.
The UF Faculty Senate will consider a vote of no confidence regarding the university's presidential selection process at an emergency meeting Thursday. Sasse, a Nebraska Republican, was announced as the sole finalist for the school's 13th president last month, leading to immediate backlash.
Ben Sasse
During his first visit to campus, Sasse faced a large student protest mainly focused on his stance on same-sex marriage and other LGBTQ+ issues. That prompted current University of Florida President Kent Fuchs to announce Monday he was enforcing a 20-year-old regulation banning protests inside campus buildings.
The Faculty Senate resolution focuses on the selection process university officials followed that led Sasse to be the sole finalist, claiming it "undermined the trust and confidence" of the Faculty Senate in Sasse's selection. It also indicated that the body doubted Sasse's qualifications for the role.
"The next President should come already equipped to lead an institution of this caliber rather than aiming to learn on the job," the resolution read.
Before he was elected to the U.S. Senate, Sasse led Midland University in Fremont, a school with roughly 1,600 students. UF's student population stands at nearly 60,000 students.
The resolution claimed that at a Faculty Senate meeting Oct. 20, members were informed that there were other "well-qualified" candidates for the presidency that were eliminated because they were unwilling to be named as finalists within the university's 21-day public notification requirement. This prevented faculty from being informed about the other candidates and their qualifications, the resolution read.
Faculty Senate Chair Amanda Phalin did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Sasse still faces a vote by the school’s Board of Trustees and then must be confirmed by the state Board of Governors before he is officially named president.
If approved, he’s expected to resign his Senate seat. Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts has said he would leave Sasse's replacement to the state's next governor. Sasse's successor would serve until 2024, when a special election would be held to fill the seat.
University of Florida faculty to consider no-confidence vote on Ben Sasse this week
U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse could receive a vote of no confidence by University of Florida faculty before he even is confirmed as that university's president.
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