University of Florida’s board of trustees confirmed Santa Ono to be the school’s next president Tuesday.

Over the course of a two-hour interview with trustees Ono voiced his support of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ vision for the state’s flagship public university — stating his opposition to diversity initiatives, his support of Jewish students and positive view of post-tenure review.

Ono reiterated his alignment with the state’s opposition to perceived overrun of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives on U.S. college campuses.

“As I have said publicly and unequivocally: DEI will not return to the University of Florida during my presidency,” Ono said during his opening address to the board.

Ono took criticism from some conservative commentators for launching what he called “D.E.I. 2.0″ during his time as president of University of Michigan.

Ono clarified that he closed the DEI offices at University of Michigan before being approached for the UF role.

“The fact is that some of my past remarks on DEI do not reflect how I think today,” he said.

“The goal is not to replace one orthodoxy with another — it is to restore balance, protect the pursuit of truth and create a university environment where all students can thrive, regardless of viewpoint,” he added.

He further addressed concerns of antisemitism in the wake of the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.

“I believe that antisemitism is not just one form of hatred among many—it is a uniquely virulent and persistent threat, especially on college campuses today,” Ono said. “It often hides behind the language of political critique, but its effect is unmistakable: intimidation, isolation, and fear for Jewish students and faculty.”

He redoubled his position of ambiguity on the issue of climate change.

“I have embraced the position of institutional neutrality, which means I will not use my role to promote personal beliefs on politically or socially contested issues—including climate change,” he said.

“It is not the role of a university president to advocate for one interpretation or viewpoint,” he added. “My responsibility is to ensure that the university remains a trusted source of objective research, open dialogue and credible data.”

Ono will next need approval from the state Board of Governors, which oversees the state’s public university system.

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