Former University of Florida President Ben Sasse’s spending is under scrutiny after a report by the student-run newspaper found that he awarded secretive consulting contracts and high-paying jobs to former members of his U.S. Senate staff and Republican allies. Governor Ron DeSantis and Florida’s chief financial officer called on the state university system’s Board of Governors to investigate. Sasse defended his actions, stating that the hirings were necessary for the university’s initiatives in new satellite campuses, K-12 charter schools, artificial intelligence, and advancements in medicine and technology. He also welcomed an audit and expressed confidence that the expenditures were appropriate.
Sasse’s office spent $17.3 million in his first year as president, compared to $5.6 million spent by his predecessor. Most of the former staffers hired by Sasse did not move to Gainesville but work remotely from hundreds of miles away. Some of the appointees include Raymond Sass, Sasse’s former Senate chief of staff, who was hired as the university’s vice president for innovation and partnerships at a salary of $396,000, more than double his previous Senate office salary. James Wegmann, Sasse’s former Senate communications director, became UF’s vice president of communications with a salary of $432,000, while Taylor Silva, his former Senate press secretary, was given the role of assistant vice president of presidential communications and public affairs with an annual salary of $232,000.
In addition to former staffers, Sasse hired individuals with strong Republican Party ties, such as former Tennessee Commissioner of Education Penny Schwinn and Alice James Burns. Schwinn was appointed as UF’s vice president for pre-kindergarten to grade 12 and pre-bachelor’s programs at a salary of $367,500, while Burns became the director of presidential relations and major events at a salary of $205,000. Most of these appointees still live outside Florida, leading to travel expenses amounting to $633,000, significantly higher than previous years. Sasse also awarded a $4.7 million contract to McKinsey & Company, a management consulting firm where he once worked as an advisor, without disclosing the details of the work involved.
Sasse resigned from his position as university president on July 31, citing his wife’s diagnosis with epilepsy. His hiring had been controversial due to his lack of experience in leading a large institution like UF, which has 60,000 students and 6,600 faculty members. Sasse defended his hirings and consulting contracts as necessary for the university’s growth and development, emphasizing the importance of the initiatives in various fields. DeSantis and Florida’s chief financial officer expressed concerns regarding the spending and called for an investigation by the Board of Governors to ensure the proper use of tuition and tax dollars. The university has not disclosed the specific details of the consulting work awarded to McKinsey & Company and other firms.
