The Florida Atlantic University Board of Trustees voted unanimously for Adam Hasner to become the university’s eighth president on Monday.
As the university’s chief executive officer, Hasner will oversee more than 30,000 students with more than 170 degree programs across six campuses.
“My primary focus will always be on our students — ensuring that we are providing them with the best possible opportunities for success, both during their time at Florida Atlantic and beyond," Hasner said in a press release. "I have proudly championed Florida Atlantic for many years, and I am excited to continue advocating for its academic excellence and pioneering research."
Hasner, a former Republican Majority Leader in the Florida House of Representatives, is one of the latest in a trend in Florida: Presidential candidates for public universities are increasingly politically connected leaders with little experience in higher education.
READ MORE: FAU president candidate, Adam Hasner, faces protests for Republican political ties, no experience
The Board of Trustees at Florida International University, one of the state’s biggest universities, last week named Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez as its interim president. Nuñez was the former Speaker Pro Tempore of the Florida House of Representatives before becoming DeSantis's running mate in 2018 and 2022.
Hasner’s most recent role was as an executive at Geo Group, a private prison contractor.
Support for Hasner among students is mixed. The College Democrats at FAU last week organized a protest against his candidacy.
"We know that an extreme right wing candidate isn't good for the educational and research prospects of FAU students and their faculty," said FAU junior Nicholas Ostheimer told WLRN at the protest. "Because they don't know how to run a university properly and they're far more preoccupied with their partisan right wing culture war agenda than they are with what's actually in the best interest of the university community."
Hasner also had supporters. Some held up signs proclaiming "Adam Hasner will keep campus safe” and “Jewish students support Adam Hasner.”
Hasner beat two academics for the role: a dean at Florida State University and the provost of the University of Maine.
