Jesse Scheckner
Former Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez, a two-time graduate of Florida International University (FIU), has been officially confirmed as FIU’s seventh President.
The Florida Board of Governors voted unanimously to approve her appointment, following unanimous support from the university’s Board of Trustees earlier this month.
The panel’s Chair, Brian Lamb, said Nuñez brings “a wealth of experience, a deep connection to South Florida, and a bold vision for the future” to the job.
“Through her leadership, FIU will be elevated to new heights and strengthen its impact across the globe,” he said, according to FIU News.
Nuñez, 52, becomes the first woman and the first FIU alumna to lead the university. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from FIU and previously taught as an adjunct professor in the school’s Department of Public Policy and Administration.
In a message to the university community after her Wednesday confirmation, Nuñez vowed to elevate FIU to a top-30 ranking by 2030.
“In just 53 years, FIU’s success has been exceptional. We have shown it’s possible to support our students, to provide them with an affordable high-quality education, to help them open doors to meaningful careers, to be preeminent, and to be a very high research university,” she said.
“As President, the students will be at the center of everything I do. I commit to sharing our FIU story and the remarkable work being done throughout our campuses, making the FIU student experience unforgettable, increasing our fundraising efforts, pushing the limits on our academic excellence, supporting recruitment and retention of faculty, reengaging alumni and bringing them back home, elevating our athletics program, and expanding our FIU brand throughout the state, country, and world.”
The FIU Board of Trustees selected Nuñez to serve as interim President in February, following the departure of then-President Kenneth Jessell. In early May, she was named the sole finalist after two other candidates withdrew from consideration. The FIU Board formally picked her June 2.
Her contract is expected to include a base salary of $925,000 annually, with up to $400,000 in additional performance-based compensation.
Nuñez brings extensive experience in government and public service to the role. Before serving as Florida’s Lieutenant Governor under Gov. Ron DeSantis from 2019 to 2023, she completed four terms in the Florida House of Representatives, including a stint as Speaker Pro Tempore.
Her appointment follows a broader trend in Florida of former DeSantis allies assuming leadership roles at public universities, a shift that has drawn attention and scrutiny from Democrats and higher education observers.
Supporters say Nuñez is well-suited for the job. That includes FIU Board Chair Rogelio Tovar, who praised her “unique combination of experience and extensive network” as making her “the ideal leader to help propel FIU into the future.”
Nuñez’s confirmation comes as FIU celebrates another major milestone: being named the top-performing university in the State University System of Florida for the third consecutive year. FIU earned 96 out of 100 possible points in the state’s performance-based funding metrics, which evaluate institutions on graduation and retention rates, cost of attendance and employment outcomes for graduates.
The school — which ranks among the top 50 public universities in the country, according to U.S. News and World Report rankings, The Wall Street Journal and Washington Monthly — serves close to 55,000 students across multiple campuses in Miami-Dade County.
