Jeanette Nuñez on Wednesday was confirmed as the seventh president of Florida International University. The state Board of Governors – which holds the final stamp of approval – unanimously approved her for the role.
Nuñez was named interim president of the university in February. She was previously Florida’s lieutenant governor under Ron DeSantis. Her conservative politics and position in DeSantis’ administration drew widespread criticism.
Meanwhile, telecommunications lobbyist Marva Johnson was tapped to lead Florida A&M University, the state's only public historically Black university. Johnson was previously a DeSantis appointee on the state board of education.
Manny Diaz, a former state lawmaker and state education commissioner under DeSantis, was picked to lead the University of West Florida in Pensacola on an interim basis, mirroring the appointment of Nuñez.
With the appointments approved Wednesday, five of the state’s 12 public universities will be led by former Republican lawmakers or lobbyists, a move that will help bolster DeSantis' legacy in higher education that could long outlast his time in office.
Nuñez is the first FIU alumna to be named president.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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