Ron DeSantis loses his Lt. Gov. as she quits nearly 2 years before end of term

Florida International University trustees voted Friday to install Lt. Gov. The university must launch a formal search to name a president, although trustee Dean Colson said the “probable results of the search are already known.” Sitting FIU President Kenneth Jessell, who served for three years and whose contract was set to expire in November, will become senior vice president and chief administrative officer. Tovar said Nuñez’s experience as a health care lobbyist and lieutenant governor make her “an ideal leader to help transition FIU into the future,” noting her connections in the community and in Tallahassee. He questioned the need to remove Jessell before the contract ended and voiced “deep concern about what we see as another effort by the governor’s office to interfere with public higher education.” Several of the about 15 people speaking during public comment questioned Nuñez’s qualifications to serve in higher education, as well as the need for a new president given the lack of criticism of Jessell’s leadership. And I think you can’t help but wonder what happens in two years when we have a new governor — are these presidencies going to be included in the jobs that a new governor might want to fill during his or her transition or first few years in office?” Presidential searches often take months, requiring appointment of a formal search committee that names a shortlist of finalists that must be approved by the Board of Governors and university trustees.