There is new reason to be suspicious about the search for Florida Atlantic University’s president.
Last week, Florida’s Board of Governors (BOG)—which oversees the public university system—gave preliminary approval to a rule that would give the BOG chairman “prior review and approval” of potential presidential finalists. Final approval could come at the BOG’s Oct. 29 meeting.
If that happens, it will give BOG Chair Brian Lamb extraordinary influence over who becomes FAU’s new president. He would see the search committee’s unranked list of finalists, and he could reject whoever he wanted without ever explaining the rejection publicly.
However, that isn’t how Lamb and his like-minded BOG colleagues characterized the change. It would not be “an overreach,” Lamb said. It simply would allow him to intervene “when things go awry.”
Lamb’s comment clearly referred to FAU’s first search, which State University System Chancellor Ray Rodrigues ended in July 2023 two days after State Rep. Randy Fine, R-Palm Bay, did not become a finalist. Fine, who has no higher education experience, had been Gov. Ron DeSantis’ choice.
BOG Vice Chair Alan Levine, who helped to torpedo that search as a member of the committee, claimed that the change would protect “the reputation of the applicants.” A new law keeps those names secret until the announcement of finalists.
In fact, this change would allow even more insider dealing. It was especially ironic to hear University of Florida Trustee Chair Mori Hosseini defend this power grab, as the “confidentiality” of that new law produced former U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse in late 2022 as the only finalist to be UF’s president. Critics claimed that Hosseini and others engineered the search to produce Sasse at DeSantis’ urging.
Sasse resigned two months ago for reasons that remain unclear and may involve Hosseini. Reports show that Sasse overpaid new staff members—former members of his Senate office—who never moved to Gainesville. Sasse spent twice as much running the president’s office as his predecessor did.
Hosseini further undermined his argument by stating that the search had drawn many impressive applicants. So why was Sasse chosen? And why would the result be better if Lamb—who, like almost all BOG members, reports to the governor—could work out of public view to steer the search committee’s decisions at a time when DeSantis has sought more control over higher education than any other governor?
FAU Trustee Chair Piero Bussani understated when he called the proposed rule “a particularly acute issue” as the new search ramps up. “I understand the intent, but we shouldn’t underestimate the impact.”
Indeed. Why bother serving on a search committee if one person can undo months of work? Already, individual boards of trustees choose from among the finalists, and the BOG must approve that choice.
“We can’t regulate trust,” Lamb said, missing more irony. The BOG likely has little trust outside its political bubble. After installing DeSantis’ chosen president for New College—former Education Commissioner and House Speaker Richard Corcoran—the BOG approved a spending plan that gives the college 10 times the systemwide rate per student.
In 2021, before the state shrouded searches in secrecy, Florida State University chose finalists from Harvard, Tulane and the University of North Carolina. That system obviously didn’t discourage heavyweights from applying. Among those the search committee rejected? Richard Corcoran. The choice, Richard McCullough, is still there, drawing high praise.
The BOG will approve this rule. And faculty, staff and students at FAU will worry more about who becomes president.
FAU climbing the ranks
Speaking of FAU, the university advanced in this year’s US News & World Report rankings.
FAU rose from 112th to 103rd among “Public Schools” and from 209th to 189th among “Top National Schools.” FAU also advanced in the “Best Value” and “Social Mobility” categories. Social Mobility emphasizes success in graduating students who are the first in their family to attend college and receive federal Pell Grants based on family income.
In addition, the U.S. Department of Education named A.D. Henderson/FAU High a Blue Ribbon School.
According to a news release, it’s the third such award. The federal government recognizes Blue Ribbon Schools for academic performance and for closing the performance gap among different demographic groups. No other school in Palm Beach County received the designation.
Boca environmental advisory board to review proposed oceanfront home
Review will begin tonight of a proposed house on the Boca Raton beachfront at 2600 N. Ocean Blvd.
Before the Environmental Advisory Board is the roughly 7,000-square foot—under air—four-story project. It would have four bedrooms, seven bathrooms, and the sort of luxury amenities—such as a rooftop pool—that luxury hotels offer.
It also has a long and complicated history. In 2019, the city council rejected a needed variance to build so near the ocean. The developer successfully sued the city over release of public records that the developer claimed would show improper collusion before that vote. That lawsuit named a former member of the environmental advisory board as prejudicing herself when the board heard the original variance.
In August, the city council approved a settlement. Under it, the city agreed to process the application for a smaller house than the developer first had proposed. Other changes would make the house more compatible with the environment.
Since the settlement will become final only if the city approves construction of the house, it is not surprising that the staff recommends approval. According to the staff memo, the smaller size and other changes “will contribute towards (sic) a reduction of potential negative environmental impacts.” Approval would come with “robust conditions to further mitigate environmental impacts.”
From the environmental advisory board, the application will go to the city council. The developer still would need a permit from the state. Since the state granted one for the larger design, though, that approval seems certain.
Some neighboring snowbirds emailed to ask that the city delay its review until they return. Obviously, Boca Raton cannot schedule events around the schedules of part-timers.
I’ll have more after the hearing.
Delray Historic Preservation Board appointments met with resistance
Last week, Delray Beach got a new member of the city’s Historic Preservation Board.
Under the rotation system, the appointment went to City Commissioner Rob Long. He first chose Christina Godbout, a manager at Tin Roof who until this year had served on the Downtown Development Authority board. At that Aug. 19 meeting, the commission approved her unanimously.
But Commissioner Juli Casale later challenged the appointment, saying that five of the seven members must have specified professional qualifications. Godbout did not. City Attorney Lynn Gelin agreed, adding that the deficiency could affect the board’s ability to receive public grants.
Long reluctantly conceded the point. Last week, he appointed Vlad Dumitrescu. As an architect, he qualifies for one of the five professional positions.
Casale’s concerns for Long’s appointments don’t align with her own appointment to the DDA board of a woman who, according to state records, does not own the business she claims to own. Casale also used a loophole to name a political ally to the planning and zoning board.
Perhaps Casale would have been just as diligent if someone other than Long—who defeated Casale in 2023—had made the appointment. But that doesn’t seem likely.
Lawsuit from former Delray fire chief moving forward
A judge has refused to dismiss the lawsuit against Delray Beach by former Fire Chief Keith Tomey.
During a Sept. 16 hearing, Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Carolyn Bell found that Tomey’s attorney had presented “a sufficient factual basis” for the lawsuit to proceed. Tomey is challenging his firing last May by City Manager Terrence Moore for policy violations.
Tomey claims whistleblower status, saying that the firing was retaliation for his accusation against Moore of sexual harassment. Attorneys for the city countered that Tomey sought whistleblower status too long after the alleged incident. An independent investigation found the accusation unsubstantiated.
By her ruling, Bell did not suggest that Tomey had made his case. She called the motion to dismiss “premature” until factual questions are resolved.
