University of Florida President Ben Sasse announced on Thursday night that he will resign from his role, effective July 31, 2024, to address family health issues.
Sasse, who became UF’s 13th president in November 2022, has asked the Board of Trustees to begin searching for his successor. In his letter to the university community, he cited the need to prioritize his family, particularly due to his wife Melissa’s recent epilepsy diagnosis and memory issues. Sasse, who served as a Republican U.S. Senator until 2022, resigned from his position in Congress to assume the Presidential role.
“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.
“I’m going to remain involved in serving our UF students — past, present, and future — but I need to walk arm-in-arm with my dearest friend more hours of every week,” Sasse said.
Mori Hosseini, chair of the UF Board of Trustees, praised Sasse’s leadership and contributions.
“The Board of Trustees thanks Dr. Sasse for his service to the University of Florida. Under his leadership, UF has continued to advance on the national and international stage, benefiting our students, faculty, alumni, community, and state. He has left a lasting impact on the university and all of those associated with it. We wish Ben all the best as he steps back to focus on his family,” Hosseini said in a prepared statement.
The university’s Board of Trustees said that it will soon announce an interim president and launch a search process for a new leader.