Ben Sasse resigning as President of UF, citing wife’s battle with health issues

Citing concerns about his wife’s health in recent months, former U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse is resigning as President of the University of Florida (UF).

Florida Politics publisher Peter Schorsch first broke the news. Sasse confirmed his resignation shortly after with a statement he also posted to social media.

“This isn’t an easy note to write but wanted to give you an update on our family. As many of you know, my wife Melissa suffered an aneurysm and series of strokes in 2007. Back then, the docs prepared us for the worst, but — in God’s providence — she made an incredible comeback. In the years since — from Nebraska to DC to Florida — she kept our family grounded while I missed too many family dinners, little league games, hugs, and tears. She’s the strongest person I know,” Sasse said.

“We’ve battled some nasty seizures the last couple years, but she’s always remained a warrior. In recent months, Melissa has been diagnosed with epilepsy and has been struggling with a new batch of memory issues. It’s been hard, but we’ve faced it together. A lot of late nights, a lot of hard decisions, and a lotta ‘what matters most?’ conversations. Our two wonderful daughters are in college, but our youngest is just turning 13.”

Because of those family demands, Sasse said he asked to step aside as President.

“I’ve got two spectacular callings in life right now: First, I’m a husband and dad. Second, I’ve been blessed to serve as president of the best dang public university in America — Go Gators! — and I’ve loved the challenge of giving this university everything I’ve got. But here’s the bottom line: Those callings are significantly at odds with each other right now,” Sasse explained.

“Gator Nation needs a president who can keep charging hard, Melissa deserves a husband who can pull his weight, and my kids need a dad who can be home many more nights. After extensive prayer and lots of family tears, I today asked UF Chair Mori Hosseini and our Board of Trustees to initiate a search for a new president of the university. I need to step back for a time and focus more on the needs of my family while we rebuild more stable household systems.”

Sasse took over the role as UF President after resigning his position in the U.S. Senate, where he represented Nebraska. He was named a sole finalist for the position in late 2022 before being officially selected in November of that year.

His formal inauguration took place in November of last year. Now, just months later, he is stepping away from the role.

Sasse’s tenure saw multiple successes, as the university continued earning recognition as a top institutions in the country. Sasse also earned plaudits for his handling of student protests regarding the Israel-Palestinian conflict, which engulfed many other universities across the country in chaos.

In his announcement late Thursday, Sasse said he would remain involved in UF, transitioning to a teaching and advisory role.

“I’m going to remain involved in serving our UF students — past, present, and future — but I need to walk arm-in-arm with my dearest friend more hours of every week. I’m grateful for our board’s support. Mori and the board have giant hearts — for this university and for this community,” Sasse added.

“It’s easy to see why. I’m grateful for you, Gator Nation. You’ve welcomed our family with open arms. Professors who change the world, students who pack the Swamp, men and women who do the unsung work of keeping a big place like this rolling (shout out to the third-shift maintenance crews, the early morning cafeteria workers, and the Ben Hill Griffin cleanup team). We love you. You touched our hearts and made this more than a job — you made it our community. That’s why we’re not going anywhere. Our family is staying here in Gainesville. I’ll be here as President Emeritus and professor, continuing to teach classes. It’s great to be a Florida Gator! … It’s even greater to be a husband and a dad. With love and gratitude, Ben.”

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This is a breaking story and may be updated.