Florida Board of Governors confirms Dr. Stuart R. Bell as 14th president of the University of Florida
The Florida Board of Governors today confirmed Dr. Stuart R. Bell as the 14th president of the University of Florida, effective immediately, completing a national search and ushering in a new chapter for one of the nation’s leading public universities. This confirmation follows his unanimous selection by the UF Board of Trustees and unanimous recommendation by the UF Presidential Search Advisory Committee.
“With Dr. Bell’s steady hand at the helm and with his vast experience, there is no limit to what the University of Florida can accomplish,” UF Board of Trustees Chair Mori Hosseini said. “Dr. Bell has fully embraced our Board of Trustees’ vision of leading UF to become one of the top three public universities in the nation, and I am absolutely confident he will take us there.”
Dr. Bell said he’s eager to start.
“I’m ready to get to work,” Dr. Bell said. “The University of Florida is an extraordinary institution with exceptional talent, remarkable momentum and limitless opportunity. I look forward to working alongside our students, faculty, staff, alumni and supporters as we continue building one of the world’s great public universities.”
Dr. Bell also thanked the Board of Trustees, the Board of Governors, the search committee and the Gator Nation for their support.
Rahul Patel, UF Board of Trustees Vice Chair and Chair of the UF Presidential Search Advisory Committee, offered his congratulations to Bell and recognized the committee’s significant contributions.
“I congratulate Dr. Bell and welcome him to the Gator Nation,” Patel said. “The Presidential Search Advisory Committee conducted a comprehensive, thoughtful and rigorous search. I am deeply grateful for their dedication and am confident that we have selected exactly the right leader for UF at this important time in its history.”
Dr. Bell previously served for a decade as president of the University of Alabama, where he led record growth in research, student success and fundraising.
Dr. Bell’s inauguration will take place at the university later this year.