Congressman and Florida gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds (R-FL) listed a series of questions Monday that he'd like Dr. Santa J. Ono to answer before being officially ratified as the next president of the University of Florida (UF) by the Florida Board of Governors.
Through his nomination process, Ono has faced skepticism for prior views on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) made at the University of Michigan. Although Ono has walked back those comments as his nomination nears the finish line, Rep. Donalds is seemingly not convinced.
He even insisted that Ono's past comments on DEI were, in fact, genuine. Donalds asked Ono to be clear to Floridians about his views in his initial line of questioning.
- What are your heartfelt views on DEI?
- Do you believe those views are in line with the University of Florida?
- How can you be trusted to serve UF as a principled leader when you so quickly transform and abandon your beliefs depending on whether you’re in Michigan or Florida?
Donalds also questioned Ono's other left-leaning beliefs and whether his ideology would follow over to Gainesville. Among them, Ono called racism an "original sin" in America and described climate change as an existential threat to the planet.
"How can Floridians be sure that their tax dollars won’t go toward instituting the “Indigenous Strategic Plan,” “Climate Action Plan,” and the “Anti-Racism Inclusive Excellence” task force—all programs you’ve championed in the past—at Florida’s flagship public research university?" Donalds said.
He continued.
- Do you believe systemic racism is embedded in the University of Florida?
- And if so, how do you plan to make every student-regardless of race- feel safe, welcome, and treated equally on campus given the polarizing nature of that viewpoint?
In addition, Donalds asked for transparency from Ono on his views involving antisemitism, which has increased on college campuses following the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack by Hamas against Israel. The United States has also been hit by two violent anti-Semitic attacks in Washington, D.C., and Boulder, Colorado, in recent days.
- Do you still find university leadership's attention to Islamophobia and anti-Semitism to be “unbalanced”?
- How can the UF community be assured that you’ll be realistic about the prominence of anti-Semitism on college campuses, shut down protests, and keep public order?
But Donalds isn't the only Florida lawmaker questioning Ono's hire. Congressman Greg Steube doesn't appear to be buying into what Ono is selling, nor is U.S. Rep. Jimmy Patronis.
".@UF sets the benchmark for education nationwide. There’s too much smoke with Santa Ono," Patronis said. "We need a leader, not a DEI acolyte. Leave the Ann Arbor thinking in Ann Arbor."
Ono's vote by the Board of Governors is set for Tuesday.
