afernandez@alligator.org
The UF Board of Trustees approved 12 new faculty hires in hopes of pushing UF toward becoming a top 10 public university.
Seven of the new hires specialize in areas where UF preeminence is building on, including health, agriculture, computing and education, according to a UF press release.
Student Body President Cory Yeffet said the addition of new faculty members is an important part of the preeminence plan and is a new trend the university has adopted to bring in the best faculty from around the country.
“They are top faculty, and hopefully they’ll bring with them the ability to bring new grants and gain high recognition here,” he said.
According to the release, the new faculty were granted tenure after the board approved recommendation with their appointments.
The board also passed a resolution Friday naming Bernie Machen president emeritus.
Machen, who will be stepping down at the end of the semester, will remain in Gainesville with his wife, Chris.
Janine Sikes, a UF spokeswoman, said the title does not come with any duties but that he could serve in an advisory role in the future.
“It’s an honorary title,” she said. “I think they’re still discussing his role going forward.”
Yeffet said the title is well deserved.
“I think he undoubtedly deserves it after everything he’s done in the last decade,” he said.
