Former University of Florida President Kent Fuchs will serve as interim president following the resignation of current President Ben Sasse.

Former University of Florida (UF) President Kent Fuchs has agreed to serve as interim president of the institution, as stated by UF on Tuesday.

If the action is approved, Fuchs would take office on August 1, following the resignation of current UF President Ben Sasse, effective July 31. Fuchs previously served as UF president from 2015 to 2023. Earlier this year, he returned to teaching, offering an electrical engineering course at UF’s Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering after a one-year sabbatical.

“I am thrilled that Kent has agreed to take on this important role at such a critical time to ensure a smooth and orderly transition as we prepare to initiate a national presidential search,” said Mori Hosseini,  UF Board of Trustees chair. “We owe him a huge debt of gratitude.”

Before his tenure at UF, he was Provost and Dean of Engineering at Cornell University. He also served as a faculty member at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and as School Head at Purdue University.

“My wish is only to be of service to the university. I look forward to working this year with the faculty, staff, students, and alumni as we lead the nation in our teaching, research, and land-grant and clinical activities,” Fuchs said.

Sasse announced his resignation from the role last week to address family health issues. In his letter to the university community, Sasse, who became UF’s 13th president in November 2022, asked the Board of Trustees to begin searching for his successor.

“Gator Nation needs a president who can keep charging hard, Melissa deserves a husband who can pull his weight, and my kids need a dad who can be home many more nights,” Sasse said on X.

Despite resigning, Sasse stated that he will remain involved with the university as President Emeritus and a professor, continuing to teach and advise students.