Sen. Rick Scott Releases Statement on Concerns Regarding Santa Ono’s University of Florida Presidential Bid

Sen. Rick Scott, (R-FL) held a press conference outlining his concerns on the presidential bid of University of Michigan’s former president Santa Ono.

“I have serious concerns about Santa Ono’s nomination to be the president of the University of Florida and every single member of the Florida Board of Governors should be demanding answers right now. UF is a world-renowned institution and our state’s flagship university that has set a gold standard for fighting antisemitism and protecting Jewish students, and its leadership must follow suit. Clearly, Ono has a concerning record from his time at the University of Michigan, where he allowed an illegal, pro-terrorist encampment to take over the campus for nearly a month, putting Jewish students in danger and failing to uphold even the most basic standards of leadership.” stated Scott.

Scott also demanded to have questions answered regarding Ono’s appointment.

“During Ono’s tenure at the University of Michigan, he allowed issues to persist and reportedly stood by while a pro-terrorist encampment occupied the campus for an entire month. What specific actions would Ono take proactively to combat antisemitism?”

“How will Ono ensure the protection of Jewish students and effectively address the rise of antisemitism on college campuses, particularly considering the increase observed during his presidency at Michigan?”

“What changes will Ono implement compared to his time at Michigan, where divisive DEI policies were pushed and hate speech was permitted to go unchecked on his campus?”

U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL), holds a similar sentiment as he wishes for the Board of Governors to reject the selection of Ono as the next President of the University of Florida.

“We need to restart the search process. Too much has come out about Mr. Ono. I don’t know the man, but I will tell you, if he actually ends up becoming the president of the University of Florida, and I step in as the state’s next governor, we are going to be observing him very, very closely,” Donalds said in an interview with Florida Politics.

Ono will become president of the University of Florida June 3, 2025.