The Florida Board of Governors on Tuesday voted 10-6 to reject Dr. Santa Ono’s appointment as the next president of the University of Florida, halting a nomination that had received unanimous backing from the university’s Board of Trustees.

Ono’s candidacy drew criticism from several Republican officials, including gubernatorial candidate U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds and U.S. Rep Jimmy Patronis, over his previous support for diversity, equity and inclusion programs and his handling of campus protests at Michigan.

During nearly three hours of questioning in Orlando, governors pressed Ono on his views regarding antisemitism, admissions policy, and DEI, which has been banned in Florida’s public universities under a 2023 state law.

Despite publicly disavowing DEI since being named a finalist and pledging that such programs would not return to UF, Former House Speakers Paul Renner and Jose Oliva, now members of the Board of Governors, questioned whether Ono’s ideological shift was genuine.

The university will now resume its search for a new president. Former UF President Ben Sasse resigned last year and was succeeded on an interim basis by his predecessor, Kent Fuchs.

Last month, the University of Florida Presidential Search Committee unanimously recommended Dr. Ono as the sole finalist to become the university’s 14th president.

The decision was announced by Presidential Search Committee Chair Rahul Patel, who said Dr. Ono was selected for his record of academic leadership, institutional advancement, and administrative experience at top-tier research universities.

“Throughout an extensive and thorough process, we sought a leader who could match UF’s extraordinary momentum, understand its role as the flagship university of one of the most dynamic states in the country, and inspire our community to reach even greater heights,” said Patel. “Dr. Ono’s proven record of academic excellence, innovation and collaborative leadership at world-class institutions made him our unanimous choice. We are confident he is the right person to build on UF’s strong foundation and help realize our bold vision for the future.”

Dr. Ono has served as president of the University of Michigan since 2022 and previously held leadership roles as president and vice chancellor of the University of British Columbia, president of the University of Cincinnati, and senior vice provost at Emory University. He earned a Ph.D. in experimental medicine from McGill University and a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from the University of Chicago. His academic appointments have included positions at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Harvard University, and University College London.