Sasse leaving Senate in January after University of Florida approves him as president

Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) will leave the U.S. Senate in January after he was approved by a governing body on Wednesday to officially become the University of Florida’s next president.

The university system of Florida’s Board of Governors approved his appointment during a regular meeting, following a round of questioning about how Sasse would handle the job.

Several of the board members had expressed a favorable opinion of Sasse and said they were impressed by what they knew about him.

“I’m impressed that you’re leaving a highly respected position where it’s perfectly OK to be as contentious and disagreeable as you want,” said board member Ed Haddock. “That to me says a lot about your intentions.”

Sasse’s contract says he will assume the position on Feb. 6, 2023, through Feb. 5, 2028, for an annual $1 million salary.

Sasse will leave the Senate in January, according to the Omaha World-Herald.

Sasse’s appointment had faced some difficulties after faculty members at the University of Florida passed a vote of “no confidence,” voicing concerns that his selection was politically motivated and he was too inexperienced for the job.

The University of Florida Board of Trustees approved Sasse for the job, however, and the Board of Governor’s enthusiastic vote was the last hurdle.

At the Wednesday meeting, Sasse he wanted to leverage more opportunity for lower income and socio-economically disadvantaged students.

Sasse also promised to create an inclusive environment at the University of Florida for students and faculty, including a desire to foster a community where minority views are respected.

He said as a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, he has experience in bridging divides between those with different viewpoints to tackle pressing issues.

“We’ve got big challenges around socio-economics. Higher education should be a front door opportunity for every single American,” Sasse said. “There’s a lot that we are not doing as a country that shouldn’t fall straight on a right-left dimension.”

Sasse announced in early October that he would exit the Senate for the job at the University of Florida, saying the college was the “most important institution in the nation’s most economically dynamic state.”

“Washington partisanship isn’t going to solve these workforce challenges — new institutions and entrepreneurial communities are going to have to spearhead this work,” he said in a statement at the time. “If UF wants to go big, I’m excited about the wide range of opportunities.”

Incoming Nebraska Gov.-elect Jim Pillen (R) will tap a successor for Sasse in the Senate who can fill the vacancy until 2024. Sasse’s term would have run until 2026.

Current Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts (R) is said to be a possible replacement for the Senate seat.