The University of West Florida’s board of trustees voted 11–1 to name Manny Diaz Jr., a former Republican lawmaker and state education commissioner, as president — a decision faculty called the product of a flawed search process. Reporting from The Chronicle and Josh Moody documents that Diaz was the sole finalist after a national search and that faculty senators objected, citing procedural irregularities and a rushed timeline. Trustees approved a compensation package with a base salary of $674,000 and potential bonuses that could push total pay close to $1 million, pending approval by Florida’s Board of Governors. Faculty leaders publicly criticized the lack of multiple finalists and invoked regulations requiring broader applicant pools except in exceptional circumstances. The hire follows a reshaping of the board via gubernatorial appointees and signals a governance alignment with state political priorities. University leaders, trustees and faculty now face a high-risk transition: maintaining accreditation, academic standards and campus morale while implementing new leadership priorities.