Former Univ. of Alabama president named sole finalist for UF presidency

Florida's public university system requires that sole finalists for presidential positions be publicly identified and subject to a mandatory waiting period before a board of trustees vote can proceed. The University of Florida, the state's flagship public research university, is a member of the Association of American Universities and consistently ranks among the top public institutions in national surveys. The University of Alabama, where the finalist previously served, is the flagship campus of the University of Alabama System and a major public research university in the Southeast. Presidential transitions at flagship state universities often draw regional attention given their broad impact on academics, athletics, and state policy relationships.