Hosseini reappointed to UF board

Mori Hosseini [Photo courtesy UF Board of Trustees]

Amid questions about how the University of Florida will move forward with hiring a new president, Gov. Ron DeSantis on June 9 reappointed two members of the UF Board of Trustees, including Chairman Mori Hosseini.

The Board of Trustees last month unanimously selected former University of Michigan President Santa Ono to become UF president. But in a rebuke to the trustees, the state university system’s Board of Governors last week rejected Ono’s selection after grilling him about issues such as diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI.

Hosseini, a Volusia County home builder and major Republican donor, called the skepticism about Ono “heartbreaking” and said the Board of Governors needed to rely on UF’s trustees.

DeSantis, as is common, did not comment on the reappointments Monday of Hosseini and trustee Fred Ridley, a partner at the Foley & Lardner law firm.