On May 27, the University of Florida Board of Trustees voted to unanimously select Santa J. Ono, Ph.D., as the next UF president. The trustees spent 2 ½ hours asking Ono tough, pointed questions to address concerns, if not accusations.
Some people have stated these concerns in public and often in passing, while some have exploited the obscurity and anonymity of the internet to sow doubt about Ono’s fitness to hold the position. Ono addressed these questions, in public, on the record, live-streamed and over an extended period.
Among the accusations being leveled against Ono: the claim that he is antisemitic.
As a distinguished professor of neurology and a member of the Jewish community at the University of Florida, I feel uniquely qualified to address both the need for leadership that protects free speech and the UF Jewish community, as well as to help identify someone who can lead one of the most complex R1 universities in the country.
Antisemitism is discrimination or hostility against Jewish people based on religion, ethnicity, or cultural identity. It has no place at the University of Florida, or anywhere else in our society. I have personal experience with antisemitism, so I know it when I see it. Therefore, I want to state unequivocally: Santa Ono is an ally to the Jewish community. He is not antisemitic and suggesting otherwise is both factually incorrect and deeply harmful.
Don’t take my word for it, though. In a letter sent to Ono just last week, Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO and National Director of the Anti-Defamation League, wrote to Ono, “I know you have worked hard to demonstrate your support for the Jewish community, sometimes at personal cost and threat to you and your family.”
I’ve had the privilege of serving this incredible institution for almost 23 years, and I can tell you that we are at a pivotal moment. Our university is rising in stature, in impact, in national recognition and in complexity. From AI to healthcare to elite athletics and a dynamic admissions environment, UF needs a leader who can meet the moment and take us to the next level of excellence.
It was not an easy task to find that type of leader, and not one the UF Presidential Search Committee took lightly. The committee set out to find a candidate who was a nationally respected educator and scholar. The committee sought a proven leader with academic gravitas and passion for both research and innovation. We sought a champion for academic freedom, interdisciplinary collaboration and individual student success. Our quest was to identify an individual capable of making strong connections with all stakeholders including students, faculty, donors and lawmakers.
As a member of the search committee, I can attest that we did our homework. We received interest from a long list of exceptional individuals, including sitting and highly accomplished presidents of major U.S. universities. From that distinguished pool, one candidate rose to the top, and that person was Santa Ono.
He didn’t just meet the qualifications, he exceeded them. Ono is a scholar of international reputation, a visionary leader, and a person who understands the delicate and powerful intersection of education, innovation, community and public service. He is deeply committed, and he brings with him a track record of excellence in research, teaching and engagement at every level. He is also someone who shares the values of this institution, and he brings a passion that will energize every corner of our campus.
In short, he is the leader we need to meet our rising moment. I truly believe that the people of Florida and our elected leaders are going to love working with him, and I am hopeful the Florida Board of Governors, which oversees Florida’s state universities, will feel the same when they meet June 3 at the University of Central Florida to consider confirming him. One of the great things about this country and this state is our commitment to public dialogue and transparency.
The committee worked hard. We took our charge seriously. And we delivered a candidate of the highest possible caliber to lead UF and the state of Florida into the next generation.
Michael Okun, M.D., is the Adelaide Lackner Professor of Neurology and Executive Director of the Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases at the University of Florida. He was one of the individuals serving on the 15-member UF Presidential Search Committee.
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This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Ono is the right choice for UF and for the Jewish community | Opinion
Reporting by Dr. Michael Okun / Palm Beach Post
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