Another Florida university picks a former Republican lawmaker as its next president

In the most recent instance of a public university in the state selecting a political background for such high-paying positions above seasoned academic leaders, Florida Atlantic University appointed a former Republican senator as its leader on Monday. Adam Hasner was chosen by the Boca Raton university’s board of trustees to be the new president after a protracted and contentious search process that saw FAU reject its first group of candidates. The declaration is made as Governor Ron DeSantis seeks to increase his sway over the state’s educational system. Following the exclusion of a Republican state senator who was then allied with DeSantis from consideration for the position, state officials canceled the school’s prior presidential search.

Hasner, a former Republican majority leader in the Florida House, became a finalist after FAU reopened the search. Hasner, who is currently a vice president of the private prison business GEO Group, based in Florida, defeated two academics for the position: the provost of the University of Maine and a dean at Florida State University. A president’s primary duty is to serve as their school’s “top lobbyist,” according to Hasner, who claimed that his prior experience representing Palm Beach County in the Capitol offers him an advantage over the other university officials running for the position. “It’s going to take someone years to be able to do that if you’re coming from the outside and you’re trying to learn about the legislative or regulatory process in Florida,” Hasner stated. “I can get started right away on Day One.”

Some students and faculty members expressed concerns about Hasner’s political background, lack of expertise in higher education, and employment for GEO Group, which stands to benefit from President Donald Trump’s push for mass deportations. These issues led to Hasner’s appointment. After former president John Kelly resigned in December 2022, FAU, which has more than 31,000 students, has been without a permanent president for more than two years. Hasner’s selection follows days after Florida International University in Miami declared that, without a public search, it was selecting DeSantis’ second-in-command, Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez, to serve as the institution’s acting president.