Landry Gets Go-Ahead as UF Interim Leader

By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida

TALLAHASSEE — The state university system’s Board of Governors on Thursday approved the hiring of Donald Landry as interim president of the University of Florida, with an annual base salary of $2 million — and a potential additional payout if he doesn’t get the president’s job on a permanent basis.

The approval of Landry, a physician and former chairman of the Columbia University Department of Medicine, came four months after the Board of Governors rejected the UF trustees’ choice of former University of Michigan leader Santa Ono to become president of the Gainesville school. UF is expected to restart a presidential search in early 2026.

“You can hear a lot of enthusiasm amongst my colleagues,” Board of Governors Chairman Brian Lamb said before the board voted to approve Landry.

The board didn’t discuss details of the contract, which also offers up to $500,000 in performance incentives, provides the Dasburg Presidential House as Landry’s residence and includes moving costs and reimbursements for “reasonable” business, travel and entertainment expenses for Landry and his wife.

Landry could receive another $2 million in severance if he doesn’t get the permanent job as president.

“We’re excited to see what UF can accomplish under his leadership,” UF Board of Trustees Chairman Mori Hosseini.

The UF trustees selected Landry on Aug. 25, but the appointment also needed approval from the Board of Governors.

Landry was picked to replace Kent Fuchs, a former UF president who became the school’s interim leader last year after Ben Sasse resigned as president.

”My role is one of service. I look forward to serving UF students, faculty, staff and our stakeholders throughout the state. Go Gators!” Landry told the Board of Governors.

In rejecting the selection of Ono to serve as president, the Board of Governors cited his previous embrace of diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, programs and his handling of campus protests at Michigan. Fuchs had agreed to serve one year as interim president after Sasse’s resignation, leading to UF needing to find another interim president after Ono was rejected.

Landry said he will “be locking in the culture of freedom of academic expression, tempered by civility.”

Landry talked of a need for academic freedom against intrusive protests and “ideological pressure,” pointing to climate science activism that he said for three decades has stifled the ability “to freely discuss science.”

Gov. Ron DeSantis has repeatedly been critical of Columbia’s handling of issues such as pro-Palestinian protests and DEI programs.

Landry said, “there has to be a limit” to speech that “is so loud and intrusive and occurs day and night, and classes cannot be conducted.”

Among his key UF duties, according to the contract, include setting fundraising goals; increasing progress on the university’s Jacksonville campus and the Hamilton Center for Classical and Civic Education; appointing a permanent provost and interim deans who are “firmly aligned with and supports the principles guiding Florida’s approach to higher education;” working with state and federal efforts to “eliminate waste, fraud and abuse;” keeping the campus safe for students; and prohibiting the use of public funds for political or social activism.