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University of West Florida President Martha Saunders announced her resignation Monday amid tensions with newly appointed members of the Board of Trustees.
“In accordance with the terms of my contract, and after thoughtful reflection, I have made the decision to conclude my presidency. This was not an easy choice. I know it may come as a surprise, and for some, a disappointment. Please know I did not make it lightly. I believe this is the right time—for me and for UWF,” Saunders wrote to the campus community Monday.
She noted record enrollment and historic fundraising among her accomplishments.
Saunders has a long history at UWF, where she was a professor of communication from 1984 to 2002 before leaving to take another position. Saunders eventually returned to the university as provost in 2013, a role she held until she stepped into the UWF presidency in early 2017.
Earlier this year, Florida’s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, appointed new trustees to the UWF board, including several controversial conservatives. Some of those trustees have already stepped down. Scott Yenor, a political science professor at Boise State University, who made headlines with misogynistic comments in 2021, resigned from UWF’s board last month after it seemed unlikely the Florida Legislature would confirm his appointment. Another embattled appointee, Adam Kissel, remains on the board. The Legislature took no action on his nomination, but state law allows him to remain a trustee until 45 days after the end of the legislative session.
Saunders is stepping down after the newest board appointee, Zach Smith, took aim at her in his first meeting on Thursday. Smith, who works for the conservative Heritage Foundation, raised concerns about “deeply troubling” actions by the university, citing past diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and social media posts promoting Black authors and a drag event in 2019.
Fellow trustee Alonzie Scott accused Smith of trying to intimidate Saunders at his first meeting.
Her resignation announcement did not specify when she would step down, and she pledged to work closely with the Board of Trustees and “campus leadership to ensure a smooth transition.”
