The Florida Board of Governors moved to slow the University of Florida’s presidential hiring process over alleged compliance issues, but UF’s board still appointed Stuart Bell as interim president. The system chair Alan Levine delayed the permanent vote, citing concerns about whether UF’s board authority and practices complied with Florida’s university governance rules. UF’s interim appointment was made in a unanimous special-meeting vote late Monday. Bell’s contract sets a $2 million base salary starting July 1, with a new contract if he is confirmed permanently. The dispute is playing out amid an ongoing right-wing push to reject Bell due to his past support for DEI initiatives when he led the University of Alabama. The timing also mirrors earlier conflicts that derailed a previous UF presidential selection. For higher ed professionals, the development matters because it spotlights how state system governance disputes can stall presidential timelines and reshape institutional risk—particularly when politically sensitive compliance questions are raised before final appointments.