University of Florida President Ben Sasse announced Thursday he is resigning from his position, citing his wife's health issues.
Sasse was appointed as the university's 13th president in November 2022. He will leave his job on July 31 and transition to a teaching and advisory role.
“My wife Melissa’s recent epilepsy diagnosis and a new batch of memory issues have been hard, but we’re facing it together,” Sasse said in a statement.
"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," he said. "I need to step back and rebuild more stable household systems for a time. 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."
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The university's Board of Trustees said it will initiate a search for a new president but will announce an interim in the meantime.
Sasse is a former Nebraska senator and a historian by training with a doctorate from Yale University. He was previously president of Midland University in Fremont, Nebraska, which has just over 1,600 students. He also taught at the University of Texas.
