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Zorro

(16,210 posts)
Fri Jul 19, 2024, 08:44 AM Jul 2024

Ben Sasse Will Step Down as President of University of Florida

Ben Sasse, the president of the University of Florida and a former Republican senator from Nebraska, announced Thursday that he was resigning his position so he could dedicate more time and attention to his ailing wife.

Dr. Sasse, 52, took office in early February 2023. His resignation will be effective July 31. Mori Hosseini, the chair of the university’s board of trustees, said in a separate announcement that the board would work quickly to appoint an interim president and would begin the search for a new president.

In a long and heartfelt message on X, Dr. Sasse said that his wife, Melissa, who had an aneurysm and a series of strokes in 2007, was in recent months diagnosed with epilepsy and had been “struggling with a new batch of memory issues.”

Although his two daughters are in college, his son is just turning 13, he said in the post.

“I’ve got two spectacular callings in life right now: First, I’m a husband and dad,” Dr. Sasse wrote. “Second, I’ve been blessed to serve as president of the best dang public university in America — Go Gators! — and I’ve loved the challenge of giving this university everything I’ve got. But here’s the bottom line: Those callings are significantly at odds with each other right now.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/18/us/ben-sasse-university-of-florida.html?unlocked_article_code=1.8U0.L5lT.NSunJ5Jz7BlS&smid=url-share

Well that didn't last long. I also suspect he had issues with DeSantis' notorious anti-educational policies.

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JI7

(90,237 posts)
3. I wonder if his wife has a certain disease causing all these problems
Fri Jul 19, 2024, 08:54 AM
Jul 2024

or maybe the earlier strokes itself led to these continuing issues.

magicarpet

(16,140 posts)
4. Dr. Sasse is under the thumb of DeSantis in Floridah.
Fri Jul 19, 2024, 08:57 AM
Jul 2024

This requires Sasse to be way more the Nazi than he ever contemplated.

Such a short stay, but now Sasse wants to run for the exit doors and get away from DeSantis and his hyper Fascist policies.

Spend more time with family,... yes we have heard that story many a time and often.

FarPoint

(13,520 posts)
5. My grand daughter is there at the campus this week...
Fri Jul 19, 2024, 08:59 AM
Jul 2024

Gainesville...she is 9 and the girls basketball camp got canceled... So, a family member who is in the Sports Department with the Gators got her time with the girls basketball team... Shaq O'Neill's daughter plays there and she spent time with her...

Prairie Gates

(2,580 posts)
6. I'm going to say something some here won't like...
Fri Jul 19, 2024, 09:01 AM
Jul 2024

Sasse seems like a good guy and I feel for his situation. Best of luck to him and his family.

Fla Dem

(25,545 posts)
9. We may strongly disagree with a person's politics, but unless they are vile and and just plain nasty
Fri Jul 19, 2024, 09:35 AM
Jul 2024

(like DJT) you would rarely if ever see a DU member wish anything bad on their family. On the person probably.

Sen Sasse while a staunch Republican also opposed DJT.

So no I would guess most DU'ers are fine with your comment. I too hope for the best for his family.

OnDoutside

(20,633 posts)
7. Woohoo ! Great news ! My nephew will be going there in a couple of years and this asshole was going
Fri Jul 19, 2024, 09:03 AM
Jul 2024

to be a big dark cloud over it.

I wonder is this the cover story for the true story to come out later ?

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