Ben Sasse, the president of the University of Florida, made the announcement late on Thursday that he will step down from his role of almost two years to devote more time to his family after learning that his wife had epilepsy.
The former US senator from Nebraska claimed in a post on the social media site X that he ordered university officials to begin the search for a new president that day “after extensive prayer and lots of family tears.” The institution said in a statement that his resignation takes effect on July 31.
Sasse stated that he will keep teaching at the institution, saying, “I need to step back for a time and focus more on the needs of my family while we rebuild more stable household systems.”
Melissa, Sasse’s wife, suffered from an aneurysm and many strokes in 2007. She was recently diagnosed with epilepsy and has been experiencing “a new batch of memory issues,” according to Sasse.
“We’ve battled some nasty seizures the last couple years, but she’s always remained a warrior,” he stated.
According to him, the couple’s youngest child is turning 13 and their two daughters are enrolled in college. Following his appointment as the university’s thirteenth president, Republican Sasse resigned from the senate last year.
He was a vocal opponent of former President Donald Trump in the Senate and voted in favor of his impeachment trial following the 2021 Capitol riot, along with a few other Republicans.
Despite the fact that Sasse voted with Trump 85% of the time and assisted in getting his three Supreme Court candidates confirmed, that drew criticism from inside his own party.
Mori Hosseini, the chair of the university’s board of trustees, expressed gratitude to Sasse for his guidance.
“He has left a lasting impact on the university and all of those associated with it. We wish Ben all the best as he steps back to focus on his family,” Hosseini stated.
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In addition to expressing his gratitude to the institution for accepting his family, Sasse acknowledged the instructors, students, and staff members who work in the background, such as the third-shift maintenance crews and the early morning restaurant employees.
“We love you. You touched our hearts and made this more than a job — you made it our community,” Sasse stated. “That’s why we’re not going anywhere.”
