Just four days before it was expected to hire a new leader,
the University of Florida suspended a presidential search that is estimated to
cost no less than $41,000. Bernie Machen will stay put as the head of Gator Country.
Scott led the way in pleading for Machen to rescind his
resignation and remain in charge. A university press release said that Scott has
promised to support Machen’s goal of raising UF to a top 10-ranked national
institution.
The move represents a new political strategy for a governor
who is plagued by rock-bottom poll numbers as he heads into his reelection
campaign. Quinnipiac University’s latest Florida poll found that most voters disapprove
of Scott’s job performance and don’t believe that he deserves another term. The
poll also showed that 53 percent of Republicans want a candidate to challenge
him for the party’s 2014 gubernatorial nomination.
Scott’s hat-in-hand appeal for Machen to remain in office
came after numerous UF supporters accused him of interfering in the university’s
affairs for political purposes. There was speculation that Machen announced his
retirement in June 2012 under pressure from the Scott.
Back in February of 2012, Scott vetoed a Machen-backed bill that
would have permitted UF to raise its tuition differential above the 15 percent
cap. Machen also chose to only ask the
Board of Governors (BOG) for a nine percent tuition differential increase after
Scott publicly berated him for his support of the tuition hike bill.
BOG member John Temple hinted that Machen made the decision
in response to the pressure from the governor’s office.
Scott also declined to reappoint UF Board of Trustees
Chairman Carlos Alfonso, who was dismissive of the “Seven Breakthrough
Solutions” plan that has attracted strong interest from the governor. The plan’s
critics believe that it indirectly destroy tenure. Machen told Alachua County’s
legislative delegation that UF “will quickly become a regional university at
best” if tenure is eliminated.
Now that Scott has reconciled with Machen, it looks like UF
is in for good news when the governor releases his next budget. It is also
likely that Scott will leave UF’s tenure system alone.
This is simply another example that shows how Rattlers have
done the right thing by refusing to let Scott and his FAMU puppets like Rufus
Montgomery, Bill Jennings, Charles Langston and Cleve Warren take over the school. The real
Rattlers will continue to be just as firm in resisting Scott’s
power grab in the State University System of Florida as the real Gators have been.