GAINESVILLE, Fla. — University of Florida President Kent Fuchs has announced that 2022 will be his final year in office.
The 67-year-old scholar made the announcement in a video address released Wednesday, saying he plans to return to the classroom to teach electrical and computer engineering after his replacement is chosen, which he expects will be in 2023.
Since taking office in 2015, Fuchs has raised UF's profile as one of the nation's top public universities.
But the last few months have been marked by controversy as his administration barred three professors from testifying in court against Florida's new election law.
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D, FL-23) released the following statement regarding Fuchs' announcement:
“President Fuchs helped propel the University of Florida to the elite ranks of America’s public universities, and he did it while leading a phenomenally successful capital campaign and helping hold tuition costs down. His personal touch on campus was a warm welcome for many students, like it was for my own children. Unfortunately, he also dealt with untenable, unacceptable pressure from the executive branch and their appointees that resulted in policies anathema to the integrity of an academic institution. UF has benefitted greatly under his leadership. My hope is that in his final year, this president reasserts the academic freedom and integrity that will continue to fuel my alma mater’s scholarly excellence and achievements. The next woman or man to succeed him must be free to reestablish a clear policy of academic freedom and the full ability to utilize their expertise without interference from the executive branch or the UF Board of Trustees. I wish President Fuchs the best in his final year as president and am thankful for his commitment to the Gator Nation.”
