'Disappointment': Head of Florida school quits as Ron DeSantis crusade gathers speed
University of West Florida President Martha Saunders will resign months ahead of the expiration of her contract on Dec. 31, she announced Monday morning. She has served as president since 2017.
The resignation came after Gov. Ron DeSantis made clear his intention to overhaul the Pensacola university, including controversial trustee appointments and criticisms of university research and student activities.
“In accordance with the terms of my contract, and after thoughtful reflection, I have made the decision to conclude my presidency,” Saunders wrote in a letter to the university community. “This was not an easy choice. I know it may come as a surprise, and for some, a disappointment. Please know I did not make it lightly. I believe this is the right time — for me and for UWF.”
DeSantis (and Board of Governors) appointees to the UWF Board of Trustees caused a stir this legislative session, with one rejected by the Senate and two others resigning before the Senate could vote on their confirmation.
DeSantis said last month there are “big changes” in store for UWF while bragging about the political overhaul of New College of Florida.
DeSantis said UWF has some of the “most liberal programs in the state” and that Florida will not tolerate “indoctrination camps” during an April 15 news conference about Hope Florida in Pensacola. “Buckle up,” DeSantis said to UWF.
UWF stakeholders and some senators have questioned how liberal the university could be, considering the significantly higher number of registered Republicans than Democrats in the counties the school primarily serves.
Senators asked the UWF trustees during April confirmation hearings if they thought major changes were needed in regards to administrative or political problems at the university. Most said they weren’t aware of any major changes that needed to be made, the Phoenix reported.
Trustee concerns
Since DeSantis’ “big changes” comment, he appointed Zack Smith, a fellow at the Heritage Foundation, to the UWF board last week. DeSantis appointed Smith to the Pensacola State College board in February, too.
Days after his appointment, Smith, a Pensacola local, described a “pattern of problematic actions” at the university under Saunders’ presidency.
During a UWF trustee meeting Thursday, Smith questioned Saunders about university actions he found “deeply troubling.”
A student-organized drag show presented in partnership with the university’s office of equity and diversity in 2019 and UWF libraries recommending reading “How to be an Anti-Racist” by Ibram X. Kendi in 2023 were among actions Smith took exception to.
Smith said he was not fully satisfied with Saunders’ responses to his questions about those topics.
Smith was asked by WEAR News on Saturday if the goal of the board was to oust Saunders. He did not directly answer the question; instead, he said the duty of the board is to do what is best for students.
“Over the past several years, we’ve accomplished extraordinary things together: record enrollments, historic fundraising, national recognition, and a campus culture that puts students first,” Saunders wrote. “We’ve met challenges head-on and kept our values intact. I could not be more proud of what we’ve built.”
Her letter does not mention a leave date. “I will work closely with the Board of Trustees and the campus leadership to ensure a smooth transition. My commitment to this University and its people remains strong through my final day in office — and beyond,” she wrote.
Senators responded to public pushback against trustee appointments Gates Garcia, Adam Kissel, and Scott Yenor. Those appointees, and five others, were part of DeSantis’ (and the Board of Governors’) push to change UWF.
Yenor, a political science professor from Idaho, director at the Claremont Institute, and a Heritage Foundation writer, was elected chair of the board earlier this year but resigned following an uproar in the UWF community. He has a history of controversial comments about women and the LGBTQ community.
Other newly appointed trustees voted for Yenor to be chair, and senators asked them to defend that vote while considering their confirmations.
Garcia, a Tampa resident, resigned after facing the curious senators and Kissel was rejected, with senators citing their desire for more local members on the board. Sen. Gayle Harrell said the Senate is “closely watching” the UWF board.
Officials in the DeSantis administration raised concern over a UWF research grant they called a “social justice grant.”
According to DeSantis communications director Bryan Griffin, on X, the grant was eliminated as part of the Florida DOGE initiative.
The $800,000 grant from the National Science Foundation was called Educating Science and Mathematics Majors to Teach with Social Justice Models in High-Needs Schools. The university said it has used about 25% of the grant, WUWF reported.
The university said social justice was not incorporated in the program despite the title of the grant. The grant had been funding a water quality sampling study, the university said.
Saunders’ contract base salary is $536,273 and up to a 20% performance bonus. Her contract requires 90 days written notice to resign, although the board can waive that wait period.
Saunders may return to her job as a tenured professor, according to her contract.
DeSantis’ office did not respond to a request for comment Monday afternoon.