UF presidential search is getting underway (U Michigan prez is the sole candidate) update- merged

Listen - I want to be clear, I don't care about Ono in particular. I don't have a lot of patience or empathy for high-level university administrators. They are often self-serving and chicken shits and Ono had that on full display licking all the conservative boots he could find.

The problem with that god awful display put on by the BOG yesterday is that it will scare off legitimate university presidential candidates that have actual experience managing big universities. And this is critical, because a university like UF is one of the most complex organizations on earth, with tens of thousands of employees spanning across a myriad of different disciplines from farming, to animal lab research, to cancer treatment.

It takes a special kind of person to run that kind of organization - and more importantly - to hire the right people to delegate to.

We are seeing a slow diminishing of talent in academic leadership, because talented people are no longer as interested in these highly politicized and in some cases, neutered, positions. That's why I'm upset, not because I really care about Ono, but because this display will make the next applicant pool far weaker.

 

History of controversial speakers at UF

Conservative activist Charlie Kirk challenges UF students to ‘prove me wrong’ - The Independent Florida Alligator

UFF-UF Responds to White Supremacist Speaker on Campus – United Faculty of Florida at UF

 

Are these dregs coming in to speak and rile the campus up or are they trying to see if our legislature will green light them to be the next UF president?

 

Unfortunately, that was largely what the last guy did, and it was a disaster. The university needs real leadership and vision at this moment. But you're right that an ideologue can certainly do much more damage than just leaving UF as a rudderless ship.

 

He had a record of supporting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at Michigan, and even though he supposedly changed his stance on this, I don't believe him. I prefer middle of the road. Even Center-left is fine.

 

So you don't like him because he has a diverse opinion (that he denies). And you won't tolerate that.

 

Well, that's inexcusable. We all know that you're not allowed to change your mind about something. It's why our Board of Governors has always opposed diversity, equity, and inclusion . . . oh wait.
https://www.flbog.edu/wp-content/uploads/DEI-Workgroup_MEMO_Final.pdf

You can talk yourself in circles. We all know you're lying. You made very clear what you wanted in your first post in this thread. You want UF destroyed.

 

Something tells me you would not be behind someone to the left of Ben Sasse. I bet if you looked it up whatever school Sasse was at in the past had some sort of "diversity" program while he was there.

 

.I think they vetted him, and thought they had the perfect guy— a guy that rejected DEI after previously embracing it, a guy who could fundraise, and a guy who would be intolerant to agitators. What they didn’t count on was Rufo, and his unquenchable lust for causing misery to others, and that is DeSantis’ hand-picked guy. Once the Rufo hate campaign shifted into gear, it was an all-out fight, and hate—blessed by DeSantis—won again.

 

Just like with McCarthy, it will need to run its ugly, evil course. Just like McCarthy did, they’ll eventually pick the wrong guy to go toe-to-one with, and he will expose them for the hate-filled evil which they represent. Just like with McCarthy, the people reached a point where enough was enough. And I don’t think we are far from that point. Already people shift uncomfortably when the made-up word, “woke” is touted and flaunted. Lots of us are sick of it, and more are getting tired of its abuse.

Time, and ultimately common decency, will expose this and mark its place in history.

 

Folks who support diversity, equity and inclusion seem to be the ones who actually do not support diverse ideas. But you know this. The lefties love to come up with terms that do not define their intent or their actions. Affordable Care Act - not really affordable, Border Security Bill - would have made the border less secure. Y'all love to play your little word games.

Of course I will tolerate whoever is the prez, but I don't prefer someone ultra left wing, nor do I want someone ultra right wing.

 

Merely because it is not evil “to them” doesn’t make it any less evil. Communism was inapposite to democracy, and we were in a Cold War. But McCarthy weaponized labeling his enemies as “communist” just as Rufo and DeSantis label their enemies as “woke.” It is evil.

 

Patience is never been my strong suit. Wife says karma will come around, I say screw it I'm spinning the damn wheel

 

Where was this outcry when the Desantis admin promoted DEI? Obviously they have changed their tune so do you trust them now?

 

I don't recall this, but yes I would have opposed this. Same way I was in opposition to Trump when he was rolling out the vaccines. Same way I don't like this stupid ass bill he is trying to push through.

 

Yea, I don't really believe in karma.

 

I was thinking more like Kid Rock.

 

So you have no facts, just an opinion like me. Got it. So your contention is DeSantis who approved everyone who approved Ono originally then caved to Rufo and the rest of the far right. Maybe, maybe not. But the "bledd by DeSantis" is just opinion obviously. It makes DeSantis look weak so that is why I don't think he was behind this.

 

It seems like you are the one who does not support diverse ideas. Again, pretty simple evidence here: you celebrated a person not getting a job that he clearly was qualified for because you don't trust that he doesn't have beliefs that you won't tolerate. It seems like projection to claim that on other people. For example, I tolerate the fact that he has very different ideas from me and am able to look at his qualifications and realize that he should have been approved, despite the fact that I would likely hate many of his ideas. And yet, you didn't do that. Seems like you enjoy cancel culture as long as it is directed at your ideological enemies.

 

I mean, I’m not sitting in the room. So everything I write is black-letter supposition. But I think it’s pretty good supposition based on what’s been written. Clearly though, nobody should rely on my thoughts as accurate depictions of first-hand factual reporting.