Why is Santa Ono leaving Michigan? A look at former university president’s next move

Santa Ono was brought in as the 15th president of the University of Michigan in 2022. He previously served as the president of the University of Cincinnati and senior vice provost at Emory University in Georgia.

However, according to reports, Ono is now looking forward to the next step in his professional career.

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Why is Santa Ono leaving Michigan?

Santa Ono is leaving the University of Michigan to take up the same position with the University of Florida. The search committee reportedly recommended him as the sole finalist for the job.

Ono is expected to arrive at the university to replace interim president Kent Fuchs. Ben Sasse, the University of Florida's previous president, announced his resignation in July after being diagnosed with epilepsy. He wanted to focus on spending time with his family.

Fuchs gave his vote of confidence to Ono as the 14th president. Fuchs called him his "dream candidate" and praised his ethical values and dedication to the job.

"His demonstrated record of success at the best universitites, his leadership style, and caring personality have allowed him to work effectively with faculty, students, alumni, staff and other stakeholders everywhere he has been," Fuchs said on Monday, via ABC News.

Rahul Patel, the chair of the University of Florida's presidential search committee, also dubbed Ono as their ideal candidate.

"Dr. Ono's proven record of academic excellence, innovation and collaborative leadership at world-class institutions made him our unanimous choice," Patel said.

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Santa Ono shares his thoughts on the University of Florida

Santa Ono is expected to build his connection with students and faculty at the campus on Tuesday. Before taking over as the new president, he shared his feelings about the University of Florida.

"Few moments in higher education are as exciting as this one at the Univesrity of Florida," Ono said on Monday, via ABC News. "No other public university combines UF's momentum, its role as the flagship of one of the nation's important states, the extraordinary support from state leaders, and a shared vision across its entire community."

With Ono's departure, the University of Michigan will search for its next president. It will be interesting to see who the school will hire as his replacement in the coming days.