The UF Board of Trustees unanimously approved an unspecified compensation package for UF’s next president Tuesday.
During the roughly 10-minute meeting, trustees also approved a list of desired qualifications for applicants and an advertisement that will be used to market the search to candidates.
The search committee developed the compensation range using national benchmarks and market trends to “attract and retain top-tier” candidates, according to the proposed document.
Former UF President Ben Sasse’s compensation package included a base annual pay of $1 million with a performance bonus of up to $150,000 per year. As part of his resignation agreement, he continues to receive a little over $1 million per year as a professor through 2028.
Interim President Kent Fuchs is receiving $1 million annually in his temporary role — $40,000 less than Sasse.
University spokesperson Steve Orlando didn’t immediately respond to an email asking about the presidential compensation package approved by trustees Tuesday.
The board also approved a list of 54 desired qualifications developed using feedback from 10 listening sessions and an online survey.
A top-tier candidate, the criteria list said, would be a “distinguished scholar” who is respected within and outside the UF academic community and someone who can “serve as an effective steward of UF’s financial resources and assets.”
The list didn’t rule out politicians as potential candidates, despite that being a popular request from the attendees of community listening sessions used to craft the criteria. The list said while academic experience at a research university is “strongly desired,” those who demonstrate “scholarly and administrative success outside of academia” will be considered.
But the criteria did note UF’s next president must focus on promoting the university’s achievements and “take great care not to use the University of Florida or the position as a platform to advocate for personal political viewpoints.”
After trustees passed the agenda items, Fuchs called the presidential search a “time to seize the opportunities.”
“I have never in my 40 years in higher ed seen a time when there are both so many incredible opportunities but also challenges,” he said. “I know that the university is really well-positioned for the leadership of the future.”
Contact Grace McClung at gmcclung@alligator.org. Follow her on X @gracenmclung.
Grace McClung is a third-year journalism major and the university administration reporter for The Alligator. In her free time, Grace can be found running, going to the beach and writing poetry.
