"His elevation prompted faculty questions about why a more robust pool was not considered and whether Diaz could be properly evaluated for the job when there were no other finalists to weigh him against. Diaz, who has split his career between education and politics, must still be approved by the Florida Board of Governors, a body he served on for three years in his role as state education commissioner from 2022 to 2025."
"Diaz joins a slew of other Republican politicians who have ascended to a top job at one of Florida's 40 public institutions. Among the 12 institutions in the State University System of Florida, seven are led by former GOP lawmakers or others with ties to Republican governor Ron DeSantis. Multiple institutions in the 28-member Florida College System are also led by ex-politicos."
"The UWF Board of Trustees formally signed off on hiring Diaz on Thursday in a meeting that began with a statement of concern from a faculty member during the public comment section. Faculty Senate vice president Amy Mitchell-Cook told the board she had heard concerns from faculty, staff, students and community members about the legitimacy of the search effort. "I have served on and/or chaired several academic searches.""
Manny Diaz Jr. was approved by the University of West Florida Board of Trustees after serving seven months as interim president. He was the only finalist from a field of 84 applicants, prompting faculty, staff, students and community members to question the legitimacy of the search and whether alternatives were adequately considered. Diaz must still receive approval from the Florida Board of Governors, where he previously served during his 2022–2025 tenure as state education commissioner. Diaz previously served in the State Legislature from 2012 to 2022 and will earn nearly $1 million annually including salary and perks. Several Florida public colleges and universities are led by former Republican lawmakers.
Read at Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs
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