Sen. Rick Scott Criticizes UF Board’s Presidential Selection Process

Senator Rick Scott (R-Florida) has expressed significant concerns over the University of Florida’s Board of Regents’ choice of Dr. Stuart Bell as the sole finalist for the university president position. In a letter addressed to Florida State University President Raymond Rodriguez, Scott called out what he described as a “pattern of misconduct” surrounding the hiring process.

“This week, the University of Florida announced the unanimous recommendation of Dr. Stuart Bell as the sole finalist for the position of president,” Scott noted in his correspondence.

He criticized the university for conducting a non-transparent search that seemingly lacked adequate public involvement, stating that they had neglected to interview the mandatory three candidates as outlined by Florida law.

Scott also referred to his earlier criticisms involving the hiring of Dr. Santa Ono, mentioning that he was pleased the Florida Board of Governors ultimately rejected Ono’s appointment.

Moreover, he questioned why Dr. Donald Landry, the interim president, wasn’t part of the final consideration. Scott highlighted that Landry’s contract included a clause ensuring a substantial payout if he did not secure the permanent position.

“That’s crazy,” he remarked, suggesting there should be a deeper examination of Landry’s contract.

Scott referenced a report from Fox 13, which indicated that the University of Florida Law School had appointed a Florida attorney general appointee with a salary of $100,000 for a part-time teaching role, contrasting it sharply with a professor performing similar duties, who only earned $5,000.

“I don’t know the Attorney General, but this seems unusual and, if true, shows a troubling pattern in the university’s hiring and contracting practices,” Scott indicated in his letter.

He pointed out “two major issues” needing attention at the University of Florida: the contracting process and the lack of transparency in the presidential selection. Scott urged all state university institutions to transparently document any contracts involving elected officials and their families, particularly comparing their compensation with that of similar faculty members.

He also requested that future contracts across the state university system include terms for payouts should any individual fail to secure a permanent position.

Regarding the lack of candidates in the presidential search, Scott asked the committee to clarify why there were fewer than three candidates being considered.

He noted, “As I said during the Santa Ono search last year, the presidential search law signed into law in 2022 is flawed. The current frameworks allow too much of the selection process to occur away from public view.”

“Public interviews shouldn’t be the only way people find out about a single candidate; it often leads to a perception that only one name reaches the University Board for consideration,” he added.

Scott expressed his frustrations at hearing claims that having just one finalist was due to a lack of interest from other candidates. “That’s BS,” he asserted.

He emphasized that the primary goal of higher education should be to prepare students for well-paying jobs. Scott stated that “the average salary for a University of Florida graduate is $56,000 six years after graduation,” while “the average salary for a University of Florida professor is around $150,000.”

Moreover, he pointed out that over 40 percent of recent graduates find themselves in jobs that typically don’t need a college degree.

“If I were a university trustee or president, I’d feel ashamed if my institution faced such issues,” Scott concluded.