Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the University Trustees Uwf topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Pensacola community protests several UWF trustee nominees; committee splits on one recommendation
Summary
Public testimony from Pensacola officials, alumni and students opposed multiple University of West Florida nominees, citing lack of local ties and controversy over board chair selection; the subcommittee recommended three UWF nominees but did not recommend one nominee after a contested roll call.
Public testimony from current and former University of West Florida leaders, students and community members sharply criticized several recent trustee appointments and the board’s selection of its chair, and the Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee split on recommendations for the nominees.
Several speakers from Northwest Florida urged the subcommittee to consider the university’s close community ties when evaluating nominees. Dr. Judith Bence, the university’s president from 1998 to 2017, told senators the appointments “have been chilling on the University of West Florida,” saying donors have paused pledges and some students have canceled fall enrollment amid uncertainty. Graduate student Elizabeth Delaney Turner Ward said, “These appointees do not have the knowledge and experience to pursue the best interest of UWF,” and called for trustees with local experience.
Former UWF trustee Suzanne Lewis said trustees must be engaged, visible and rooted in the community — attending events, commencement and local activities — and warned that being present only four times a year is insufficient to serve the university’s civic mission.
Several nominees for UWF spoke to their qualifications before the public testimony. Adam Kissel, a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation, described prior work in higher-education policy and said he supports veterans’ programs and campus civics initiatives. Other nominees — Ashley Ross, Rachel Moya and Rebecca Matthews — described fundraising, governance and operational experience and said they would focus on student success, workforce alignment and facilities.
The subcommittee agreed to vote on UWF nominees individually. After discussion, committee members recommended three nominees — Ashley Ross, Rachel Moya and Rebecca Matthews — to be forwarded for formal confirmation. The committee did not recommend Adam Kissel’s appointment following a roll call vote; the chair directed the clerk to notify the Ethics and Elections Committee of the outcome.
Why it matters: University trustee composition determines long-term leadership, presidential searches, fundraising priorities and community partnerships. At UWF the debate centered on whether nominees reflect local community interests and whether board leadership choices have affected donor and student confidence.
What speakers said (selected): - Dr. Judith Bence (former UWF president): “The effect of the 7 nominees… has been chilling on the University of West Florida.” - Elizabeth Delaney Turner Ward (UWF graduate student): “These appointees do not have the knowledge and experience to pursue the best interest of UWF.” - Suzanne Lewis (former UWF board chair): “Being a board member is a complicated job... the ability to do a good job means you have to listen. You have to learn and you have to watch and participate in your community.” - Chuck Harris (Pensacola resident): “Chairman Yenor's statements alone make West Florida a less welcoming place to women and other minorities.”
Meeting context: The UWF confirmations produced the meeting’s most sustained public comment; local speakers repeatedly asked for trustees with Pennsacola/Northwest Florida ties and for trustees to be responsive to community concerns.
