Florida Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez Named Interim President of FIU

Nuñez, a two-time FIU alumna, was appointed following a rushed vote influenced by Gov. Ron DeSantis, sparking criticism from faculty and students.

Jeanette Nuñez, Florida's lieutenant governor and a two-time graduate of Florida International University (FIU), will assume the role of interim president starting February 17, 2025.
The FIU Board of Trustees approved the appointment in an expedited vote reportedly influenced by Gov. Ron DeSantis, bypassing a traditional search process.
Nuñez's selection has drawn criticism from the FIU Faculty Senate and students, who expressed concerns about political interference and the lack of transparency in the decision.
Nuñez will be the first woman and first FIU graduate to lead the university, which serves over 56,000 students, many of whom are Hispanic and first-generation college attendees.
The appointment aligns with a broader trend of Florida Republican lawmakers being placed in leadership roles in the state's education system under DeSantis' administration.