Florida’s lieutenant governor gets a university post, handing DeSantis another key appointment

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Lt. Gov. Announcing the appointment Friday, FIU Board of Trustees Chair Roger Tovar said he was contacted directly by DeSantis’ office about tapping Nuñez and later had multiple conversations with her. It’s the latest shakeup among the state’s top officeholders, as Florida Republicans score jobs in President Donald Trump’s administration and beyond — and another chance for DeSantis to cement his influence long after his time in the governor’s mansion runs out. Under DeSantis’ influence, the boards tasked with hiring presidents for the state’s public colleges and universities are increasingly choosing Republican politicians allied with his conservative agenda — a pattern that has alarmed many students and professors. Selecting DeSantis’ second-in-command for a presidential post — which generally comes with a multi-year contract for a six-figure salary and a plush on-campus residence — is just the latest and clearest example of the governor’s impact on higher education.