In the UNF Board of Trustees meeting on Thursday, Angela Garcia Falconetti was confirmed as the university’s next interim president. Falconetti is still subject to approval by the Florida Board of Governors.
11 BOT members voted in favor of Falconetti, and one trustee, James Beasely, voted against her.
She will be replacing Moez Limayem, after he was approved to be the University of South Florida’s ninth president in Dec. 2025.
Falconetti Confirmation
Before the trustees voted, Beasely asked Falconetti if she would affirm that she would not apply for the permanent position of UNF’s presidency.
“I will not be applying for the permanent position,” said Falconetti. “It will be my honor to join alongside you, the faculty and staff, administration, and also the district board of trustees and the board of governors to ensure the best of the best president is hired to continue to move the mission of soaring higher forward for the University of North.”
Additionally, Beasley asked Falconetti about a letter she received in Jan. 2023 from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) and the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) that raised concerns about a public statement she joined regarding classroom instruction on critical race theory and related concepts.
“The letter you’re referring to was a culmination of all 28 presidents to respond to a matter,” said Falconetti in response. “I value academic freedom very much, and I take it seriously. We all know academic freedom is the evidence to examine and engage with multiple view pointsand foster critical thinking, but my role as interim president will be ensuring that we abide by state law.”
BOT Chair Steve Moore will begin negotiating her contract.
Interim President Search
The search for an interim university president and the search for a permanent university president differ due to the nature of the positions.
Florida university boards of trustees select interim presidents, often from within the institution or through closed searches, which must then be confirmed by the Florida BOG.
For implementing a permanent university president, the search process requires a committee and often keeps applicant identities confidential until a sole finalist or short list is announced.
While universities often rely on specialized firm registries for pre-vetted candidates in order to find experienced, temporary leadership like Falconetti, it is unclear what specifically led to her consideration by the UNF BOT.
The latest UNF interim president, Pamela S. Chally served from 2021-2022 before Moez Limayem filled the position.
Several interim presidents have served at UNF and each term has not lasted longer than a year before the university solidified a permanent replacement.
In the case of UNF alumnus Falconetti’s confirmation, she will serve as UNF interim president while a permanent presidential search process begins.
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