Donald Trump Jr. referred to as on the College of Florida’s board of governors to reject former College of Michigan president Santa Ono as UF’s president following the varsity’s board of trustees unanimous vote to rent Ono.
“WTF! Have the choice makers at @UF misplaced their minds!???” Trump Jr. exclaimed in a submit on X on Wednesday. “This woke psycho is perhaps an ideal match for a Communist college in California, however how is he even being thought-about for this function in Florida?
“Each single member of the Florida Board of Governors ought to vote in opposition to him!!!” he added.
The submit is the most recent instance of conservatives pushing again Ono moving into the college’s high management function, citing his previous stances on variety, fairness and inclusion (DEI), which has develop into a goal of the Trump administration.
Ono wrote in a latest op-ed that his views on the difficulty have developed.
“Like many, I supported what I believed to be the unique intent of DEI — making certain equal alternative and equity for each pupil,” Ono wrote in an op-ed in Inside Larger Ed earlier this month. “That’s one thing on which most everybody agrees. However over time, I noticed how DEI grew to become one thing else—extra about ideology, division and forms, not pupil success.”
On Tuesday, Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) referred to as the college’s board of trustees transfer to approve Ono “a grave mistake,” urging the board of governors to reject Ono.
“At the moment, Dr. Ono gave it his finest “school strive” strolling again his woke previous, claiming he’s now “developed.” However I’m not bought,” Steube mentioned in a submit on X.
This function is simply too essential to gamble on handy conversions. Because the flagship college of a state that has led the way in which on reality and freedom, UF must be LEADING the struggle in opposition to woke ideology, not coming round solely when it’s politically handy.”
Florida gubernatorial candidate Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) and the state’s former governor Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) have additionally spoken out in opposition to Ono main UF.
Nevertheless, the state’s Gov. Ron DeSantis (R ) has largely prevented moving into the controversy surrounding Ono, saying earlier this month that he trusts the college’s choice makers.
“I belief the people who had been concerned in that course of. They had been trustees that I’ve appointed, which have carried out exemplary for the state of Florida in these capacities,” DeSantis mentioned.
The Chair of UF’s board of trustees Mori Hosseini, who’s a DeSantis ally, has backed Ono because the choose to guide the college.
“Santa Ono is exactly the appropriate particular person to be president of the College of Florida at this second in its historical past,” Hosseini mentioned in a press release following the board’s vote on Tuesday.
“He’s a remarkably completed scholar and a solidly confirmed tutorial chief, and his values align completely with ours right here within the nice state of Florida. Dr. Ono will make sure that advantage and scholarship, not ideology, are the gold requirements for achievement, and he’ll see to it that the College of Florida continues its ascent towards turning into America’s premier public college, bar none.”
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