Cornell University Provost Kent Fuchs was selected quickly, and with little comment,
on Wednesday to lead the University of Florida’s efforts to improve its national academic reputation.
The University of Florida Board of Trustees unanimously picked Fuchs, 59, to become the school’s 12th president, after a discussion that lasted less than five minutes. The trustees’ selection followed morning interviews with Fuchs and New York University Provost David W. McLaughlin.
Fuchs and McLaughlin were on a short list of candidates that was whittled from three to two on Tuesday.
Fuchs, pronounced “Fox,” is expected to start with the Gainesville school just after the start of the new year, replacing President Bernie Machen who is retiring in December after 10 years.
Trustees Chairman Steven Scott, who helped recruit Fuchs, said the Cornell provost “clearly” stood out as an academic leader.
“He knows all about our preeminence program,” Scott said during a news conference moments after the selection. “We’re well on our way, and we felt like we needed someone who would help us get to a new level. We believe that Kent is that person.”
The University of Florida, which has 33,000 undergraduate students and in-state tuition rates of $6,310, was most recently ranked 48th among national universities by U.S. News & World Report.
Cornell, a private school with an enrollment of just over 14,000 and an annual tuition of $47,286, stands in 15th place in the magazine’s annual rankings.