Stuart Bell, the lone finalist to be the next president of University of Florida, aimed to avoid the fate of the previous solo finalist by pledging allegiance to the conservative higher education policies storming Florida campuses.
During an afternoon of faculty, staff, and student forums Wednesday, Bell, former president of the University of Alabama, addressed concerns raised by critics and alumni on social media who questioned his position on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
Bell made clear early in the afternoon that he endorses “reshaping higher education, refocusing on student achievement, academic excellence, and the alignment of the values of the people in the state of Florida.”
“I’ve been following those reforms certainly closely. I understand the policies that have been adopted by the governor, that have been adopted by the Board of Governors, and by the UF Board of Trustees, and I certainly agree with those and support those,” Bell said.
Within hours of the UF Board of Trustees announcing Bell was its pick to run the university, critics took to social media to call into question the academician’s 40-year career and position on DEI.
During Bell’s time in Alabama, the university in 2017 opened the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. He shuttered it in 2024 to comply with an Alabama law that banned state or municipality support for DEI.
After the Alabama law took effect, Bell replaced that division with a Division of Opportunities, Connections, and Success (OCS), designated to help individuals work with others from various backgrounds. He led the university for 10 years before retiring last year.
Bell said Wednesday that Alabama lawmakers were content with the steps he took to comply with the law.
“As I’ve said repeatedly, my own views have always been rooted in that simple principle of every individual should have opportunity, every individual should be treated with dignity and respect, and every individual should be focused on merit, achievement, character, and the potential that has always been for them,” Bell said of organizations that changed their focus away from DEI.
UF has been without a permanent president after Ben Sasse unexpectedly stepped down in July 2024.
Following Sasse’s departure, former UF president Kent Fuchs agreed to return in an interim position as the university launched a presidential search to replace Sasse.
That search recommended University of Michigan President Santa Ono for the post in May 2025.
Ono was unanimously approved by UF trustees. But members of the Board of Governors grilled Ono a week later, pressing him about his positions on DEI. The BOG ultimately voted 6-10 against Ono.
Aware of the kerfuffle over Ono and the criticism lodged against him on social media, Bell immediately moved to distance himself from controversy.
“Well, and let me just start off and be crystal clear. I’m certainly not coming to Florida to bring DEI or any form of woke back. Period,” Bell said.
Florida has passed laws in recent years banning “identity politics,” among other things, in general education courses and prohibiting state spending on DEI.
Bell furthered his pledge to Florida’s policies.
“What also stood out to me is the alignment from governor and Legislature to the board of governors to our amazing UF Board of Trustees, and that is the level of focus and investment that we’ve seen here at the University of Florida. It really does signal purpose, it signals focus, and I want you all to understand that if you look across the U.S., it is rare, it is rare to find that type of focus and that type of investment,” Bell said.
Pre-screened questions
Bell answered pre-screened questions asked of him by leaders from the respective audience (student, faculty, staff).
Bell said he’s stood for, and will continue to stand for, student success “regardless of their background.”
“And I believe that that happens through culture, a culture of merit,” Bell said. “Through a culture of excellence, through hard work, through accountability, through high expectations that we have for those students.”
Universities, businesses, and government entities, including in Florida, pledged commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion and created spaces and administrative positions to prove the pledges. In some places, those efforts have disappeared; in other places, those efforts were rebranded.
“What has not changed is my commitment to that opportunity. What has changed is what some institutions named that, and there were changes that occurred,” Bell said. “If you look at my record, you will find that Alabama remained focused on academic excellence, student success, research growth, and recruiting outstanding students and faculty.”
UF Board of Trustees Vice Chair Rahul Patel hosted the trio of forums. At each event, Patel listed the credentials the board saw in Bell, including, academic success (he increased graduation and retention rates) and athletic accomplishments (he was the president of the Southeastern Conference, or SEC.)
Patel said Bell has “a remarkable, demonstrated ability to connect students, alumni, faculty, staff, and administration.”
Jewish students
Support for Jewish students was among the top concerns during the last presidential search. Following campus protests in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, universities across the state amended their protest policies. Ono had been questioned about his support for Jewish students.
Encampments at a university led by Bell would be not be tolerated, he said.
“We didn’t have any action that would disrupt our mission of having our classes and education on our campus, we were just rock solid in that message, and support and care for our Jewish students. I mean, I told our group, ‘If I see encampments and tents going up, we’re going to have a tent sale the next day,’ ” Bell said.
Bell mentioned that he received an award dedicated to “beacons of hope for the Jewish people” from the White Rose Society. It was awarded following the attack.
Artificial intelligence
This spring, university commencement videos from across the country made social media rounds in which speakers spoke about the positive uses of AI while students booed, perhaps fearing the technology will eliminate their job.
But Gainesville and the university are home to the fastest university-owned supercomputer. As such, UF has a heavy focus on artificial intelligence, looking to weave its use across academic disciplines.
“AI applications are amazing,” Bell said, commenting on cross-disciplinary use of the technology.
Bell said technology creates jobs.
“I think we just have an incredibly innovative opportunity that’s right before us, and I think AI is going to be one of those,” Bell said.
Scoping out potential
When UF announced Bell as a finalist last month, Gov. Ron DeSantis voiced his support, while Sen. Rick Scott criticized UF’s selection process and system promoting secretive searches.
In the last handful of years, the state’s universities have selected political allies of DeSantis to lead them.
Bell’s participation in the SEC overlapped with Fuchs’. Bell referred to Fuchs as a “great friend.”
Leonardo Villalón, director of the Center for Latin American Studies, said that, as a faculty member, he’s found the lack of a permanent president “pretty disruptive.”
“I’m looking at the moment, given the rockiness, I think we want some stability. I think we want a calm and firm hand at the tiller, as it were, to lead the university,” Villalón said.
He continued: “Obviously, higher education is in transformation, the state of Florida is in flux, the national level politics is in flux, and universities are navigating difficult times. That’s just a statement of fact, that’s not a political, editorial comment. And I think he brings a wealth of experience.”
Villalón said his general impression of Bell was positive.
“I think the very general statements he made today show that he’s cautious and savvy, and that’s okay, that’s probably good,” Villalón said.
UF trustees will vote on Bell next week although that isn’t the definitive vote. To be the next UF president, Bell must receive final approval from the Board of Governors.
–Jay Waagmeester, Florida Phoenix
JOE D says
Just great…a Major State university with an ultra conservative politically appointed leader with a politically motivated agenda could set UF education back a decade (or more) in national academic ratings!
His wish is to promote academic excellence in “Alignment with the values of the People of Florida”
WHOSE VALUES?!? Apparently “non-Woke”, mostly white, definitely right leaning, conservative people definitely!
I remember college in the mid 70’s (yep I’m THAT OLD) was a multi-ethnic, multi-Cultural, multi-religious, multi-political view point ENLIGHTENING education experience out of my small town Catholic School. I went to a Nationally recognized East Coast State University known for its Science, Math and Engineering programs ( and its ranking national SPORTS PROGRAMS). It was a WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE!
This new UF “regime” appears to be letting students and faculty know UPFRONT they are a conservative “no nonsense,” new administration, that isn’t going to tolerate differing views (in my opinion) not dictated by the current conservative State Governor…makes me feel like we’re proposing a MILITARY SCHOOL…surprised they didn’t discuss DEMERITS!
Florida State students ( if they want in-state tuition options)…don’t have much choice but to tow the CONSERVATIVE LINE. However out of State parents and students, are going to be evaluating what kind of BALANCED education they are going to be getting for their tuition dollars in a higher education environment made in the likeness of MAGA ( like NEW COLLEGE’S expensive forced MAGA “transformation”) At a ridiculous Florida state tax payers’ expense!
Those out of staters just might vote with their feet and choose other MORE BALANCED out of state institutions! I give it 3 years for the new regime to undo the current UF academic excellence ( in my opinion)!
Deborah Coffey says
It’s hard to believe that Florida could sink any lower than the depth of depravity to which Ron DeSantis and his ilk have brought it. But, here we are…returning to slavery and being run over and bled dry by big wealthy donors. We need a billboard that says Welcome to Florida! The First Fascist State in America.
Samuel L. Bronkowitz says
Parents, send your kids out of state or out of country if you want them to have a respectable degree. The in-state schools now have the same reputation as corinthian colleges or liberty university.
Samuel L. Bronkowitz says
Parents, send your kids out of state or out of country if you want them to have a respectable degree. The in-state schools now have the same reputation as corinthian colleges or liberty university.
Pogo says
Welcome to Floriduh
Wait for it
…Trump and DeSantis bill us to bury coal in the Everglades, and pay Floriduh mining companies to dig it up
https://www.google.com/search?q=trump+700+million+for+coal
Pogo says
New UF merch
… Swamp Thing
P.S.
Kudos to everyone with the insight(s) about the hard-earned, worldwide, excellent reputation of Florida’s public universities being treated like priceless jewelry thrown in the trash by dimwits who only want the box it was in.
Sherry says
Well, it also seems the new rules include “NO THINKING”. Seems “right” in Fascist Florida!
Skibum says
Another old white guy, spouting made up grievances against those who look just like him. Uh huh, you’d think the entire nation is somehow targeting and harassing the Caucasian race… keeping the white man down, keeping the white man from obtaining college education and jobs. What BS!
And you want to know who absolutely LOVES this crap? The “proud boys”. The “oath keepers”. The un-Christian nationalist white extremists. The KKK – yes, they are still out there with baited breath, encouraged by our racist president, our very own maga supporting bigot for a governor, and Mr. Nazi himself… Steven Miller. Yes, that Steven Miller in our federal government, who probably dances around in some secretive WH room coming up with more and more ways to target black students, immigrants, gay people, foaming at the mouth in anticipation of ongoing purges to rid the nation of all except white folks because it is white people who are always picked on… yeah right.
Unless we have EVERYONE stand up and denounce this white supremacy crap, it will undoubtably continue to be supported by the maga republi-cons in our state government, in charge of our state’s higher educational institutions that are fast becoming the shithole of learning, just like our former public school systems after a concerted effort to defund them and funnel our taxpayer money to private, mostly religious based schools.
The U.S. is fast relinquishing the last vestiges of our renowned educational systems, while the rest of the world passes us by because of stupidity, ignorance, and prejudice sponsored by our own government.
Robjr says
That guy should put on his pointed hat and his sheet right now and don’t wait for the appointment.
Atwp says
Just the beginning. People of color get ready. If this continues people of color get ready for not even the right to breathe. The white train is slowly gaining speed and moving for the white man. The good things about some trains are they do run off the cliff. I hope no people of color will be on the trains when they collide and fall off the cliff.
Laurel says
Well, here’s the thing that gets me. Parents pay into the Florida system for years, to provide a state college education for their children. This is a good thing. But…when the child is ready to go to college, it is absolutely the wrong thing to pull a stunt like changing the ideology, and forcing it on them. This is wrong on so many levels! This is choice removed after the education is paid for. This is a blatant ripoff of the parents, an absolute theft, and manipulating a society wanting an education.
No one, with any particular ideology would want it changed, last minute, and forced on them. It becomes a bait and switch, not what was originally intended.
Slimey!
Skibum says
I wonder if there is a mechanism for parents to get their money back when they or their kids decide oh hell no, I’m going to college out of state where they actually value higher education. Since it is Flori-DUH, probably not, huh?
Keenan Hreib says
It’s always about what the “FICTIONAL AMERICAN” people want.
First of all i don’t think anyone can definitely provide a very good definition for what WOKE is.
The University of Florida like the rest of the state is spitting in the face of free thought, debate,critical thinking, or anything that resembles the possibilities of what institutions of higher learning are supposed to do, which is prepare young adults to solve problems.
This is Trump and the Right’s attempt to desperately hold on to power by holding on to the very last thing they have left….their base, and it’s cracking.
Forget about the Two Party System and the fact that it’s a failure. With all it’s warts and imperfections the Left will never be as depraved and evil as this version of the RIGHT and what Donald Trump has done to it. The Right is no longer policy driven at all!
Let’s be analytical for a moment: The LEFT with their so called WOKE agenda and DEI to better level playing fields are what??
What are they? At their absolute worst what are they??? Annoying to the Right? Too politically correct for the Right?
The face of the country has been changing both physically and psychologically for quite some time.
Trump and the Right capitalize on the “FAKE FEAR” they create for their base. They double down using fear to be able to DUPE their base while they gut education, healthcare, cancer research for children, give hundreds of millions of dollars to ICE to cast wide nets. Shoot first and ask questions later if at all, no due process!!! No Constitutional law!!!! No rule of law whatsoever from the law and order party that told you DOGE was cutting waste and fraud, cutting every program in sight and putting all the money in their billionaire pockets.
TOO MANY OF YOU BELIEVE THEM. HOW AMERICAN OF YOU? HOW FACIST OF YOU!!
Florida is just the latest example of all of this.
Laurel says
“Woke” is not an acronym, it is a word. It means to be awake, or past tense to wake up, as “I woke up.” It is slang for staying alert. The slang has been used by the African American community to teach their children to be aware of their surroundings, as their surrounding may be dangerous. Young African Americans have been harassed and even shot for little to no reason, so they must stay alert, or awake, to their surroundings, thus “woke.”
The Republican Party has bastardized the word “woke” to their own meaning, which is an unfairness to white people, especially males. Hiring people of color, people of different religions, and women, is considered “WOKE.” The word is written as an acronym, but there is no acronym, and stands for nothing. Just political bullshit.
Keenan says
Thank you, Laurel! You explained it way better than I ever could. I understand what the majority of us mean it to mean, but too often I hesitate. Thank you for the clarity. you are right. The bastardization of woke, is simply the refusal to acknowledge in humanity and how it affects us all. TheRight thinks they have cornered the market on rights. Primarily their rights and no one else’s.
Laurel says
They think they are the sole owners of the American Flag as well.