UF Board Hires Bell as Interim President

The University of Florida Board of Governors appointed Stuart Bell as interim president on June 22, 2026. This decision came despite the Board of Governors' earlier attempt to pause the presidential hiring process due to alleged compliance concerns. Bell, who previously served as the president of the University of Oklahoma, will assume his new role immediately. The University of Florida has been without a permanent president since the departure of Kent Fuchs in early 2024. The search for a permanent successor has been ongoing, with the Board of Governors indicating a desire for a more thorough vetting process. Bell's appointment is intended to provide stable leadership during this transitional period. His tenure as president at the University of Oklahoma began in 2018, where he oversaw significant growth in research funding and student enrollment. The University of Florida is a major public research university located in Gainesville, Florida, and is one of the largest universities in the United States by enrollment.