University of Florida officials asserted in the statement that they fully complied with Florida law and regulations from the state Board of Governors when selecting Bell.
“Reasonable people may hold differing views regarding any candidate,” university officials stated. “But it is wrong to suggest that UF circumvented the law or operated outside the bounds of transparency established by the State of Florida.”
Days after the university announced Bell as the sole finalist for UF president on Monday, Scott sent out a letter suggesting the university had failed to interview three candidates, which he claimed is mandated under state law.
The debate centers around a 2022 state law that permits university presidential search committees to keep the early stages of the hiring process secret until one or more finalists are presented to the board of trustees.
Scott’s letter describes the state law as “flawed” because it prevents public transparency during all stages of the process and results in only one finalist emerging from the search.
UF officials argue that the most qualified candidates wouldn’t apply without confidentiality in the hiring process.
“Florida’s process reflects a deliberate policy choice by the Legislature and the Board of Governors to ensure universities can attract the strongest possible candidates while still providing robust public scrutiny of finalists,” UF officials stated.
Now that Bell has been announced as a finalist, Bell will participate in public forums on June 3, a week before the UF Board of Trustees interviews him. If approved, he will also have to go before the state Board of Governors.
The university’s statement doesn’t address the senator’s concerns about the contractually obligated payout to interim UF President, Dr. Donald Landry, who wasn’t selected for the position, or the hiring of Attorney General James Uthmeier.
