UF Names Cornell Provost Kent Fuchs New President

The University of Florida finally has its next president -- on Wednesday, the university named Cornell provost Kent Fuchs to be the 12th person to lead the school.

Fuchs has a lengthy history in higher education, having worked at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Purdue University and later as dean and provost at Cornell.

Dr. Fuchs brings to the University of Florida all of the important qualities we have been seeking in our next president, said Dr. Steve M. Scott, chair of the board of trustees. He is a distinguished academic who has very effectively served as provost and chief operating officer of the nations 15thbest institution among all universities.

Looking ahead, Fuchs promised he'd keep UF, Florida's largest university, on the right track.

With the great privilege and responsibility you have given me, I will devote all of my energies, talents and abilities to helping move the University of Florida toward its pre-eminence goals, Fuchs said. We wont be complacent. We will focus on being an even greater institution than we are today.

The appointment is effective Jan. 1, 2015, and must be confirmed by the Florida Board of Governors. They'll meet next month on Nov. 5 and 6.