Santa Ono Lost To The Extremes

As a former Michigander who now resides in Florida, I followed the story of ex-University of Michigan president Santa Ono with great interest. In a nutshell, Ono was perceived by powerful people as too conservative for the University of Michigan, but too liberal for the University of Florida job that he sought, once he lost the support of UM’s Board of Regents. How did this eminently qualified man get chased out of one position and then denied another, seemingly more suitable one, even when the board of UF apparently wanted him? Let’s see.

First, let’s look at a brief history of Ono’s tenure as president of the University of Michigan, a school rated just a notch below the Ivy League in prestige and academic accomplishments. Ono was selected as UM’s president in October 2022, after successful stints as president of the University of Cincinnati and the University of British Columbia. So, he came to UM as a well-respected administrator as well as academician with a lengthy and impressive resume. And, at first, he appeared to be succeeding, even though he was a conservative swimming against a high tide of ultra-liberalism on the UM campus.

Unfortunately, the UM administration and student body have emulated their Ivy League contemporaries when it comes to supporting an extreme left-wing agenda, including highly visible and intimidating pro-Palestinian and antisemitic protests after the horrific Hamas attack of October 7, 2023. As one who tilted more toward the conservative side, and as a Christian, Ono did not agree with or support the antisemitic protests, and took actions to put a stop to them. He also complied with the Trump administration’s requirement to discontinue the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) department and program at UM. Ono’s positions on these two issues incensed the mostly left-wing Board of Regents. He could read the writing on the wall that his days at Michigan were numbered, even though his stewardship to that point was stellar.

When former Republican (and anti-Trump) Senator Ben Sasse left the University of Florida presidency under a cloud and after a relatively short tenure, Santa Ono applied for the position, no doubt believing that the more conservative UF would be better suited to his talents and beliefs. What he didn’t count on was the uphill battle he’d face when interviewing with Florida’s Board of Governors, the body that oversees the 12 state-sponsored universities.

Ono’s candidacy was supported and he was tentatively selected by the UF Board as president on May 27^th this year. However, he still needed to pass the interview with the state’s Board of Governors to be confirmed for the job. And this is where the Board of Governors, in my opinion, not only dropped the ball but ham-handedly supported Democrat claims about “extreme MAGA.”

Whether the Board of Governors was pressured by Trump himself or Don Jr., Governor Ron DeSantis, or acted of their own accord, Ono was nevertheless subjected to a three-hour grilling by the governors that was clearly tilted toward discrediting him, especially regarding his short tenure at the University of Michigan. According to an article in the Gainesville Sun (UF’s hometown), Ono was challenged on his views concerning the DEI policy and program at UM, his response to the antisemitic protests, his views on holistic versus merit-based admissions, gender-affirming care, and climate change – all hot-button, controversial issues of the day. The upshot was that the Board of Governors painted Ono into a corner as being insufficiently conservative on these issues to be a good fit at UF. No doubt feeling like he was ambushed, Ono sounded uncertain and almost pandering in his responses, clearly on the defensive and not knowing for sure what would satisfy the governors. As a result, the Board of Governors blocked Ono’s appointment to UF by a 10 to 6 vote against it.

As longtime conservative columnist Nolan Finley of the Detroit News put it, “several of the 16 governors, along with others who showed up to offer public comments, were intent on making Ono the poster boy of progressive rot on America's college campuses.” Apparently, the mere fact that he was president of an ultra-liberal institution (UM) tainted him with the “stench of progressivism” as Finley so aptly described it. Thus, the Board of Governors could not look past their own form of derangement syndrome and at least attempt to evaluate Ono more objectively on his accomplishments.

Santa Ono’s case is one that showcases the seemingly unsolvable divide between conservatives and progressives, and the destruction, both on a personal and institutional level, it can bring. The question before us is, what will this cautionary tale do to modify future behavior on both sides?