After Florida’s Board of Governors voted down Santa Ono as president of the state’s flagship university Tuesday, even members of the board seemed shocked by what they’d just done.

“The motion fails,” said board chair Brian Lamb, his tone registering disbelief after the votes were tallied. “First time that’s really happened.”

The board’s rejection of Ono — unanimously approved just a week earlier by the University of Florida’s Board of Trustees — was so unexpected that the university had not prepared a contingency statement.

Those who voted against Ono pointed to what they described as substantive concerns to his record and responses during a tense, hours-long interview. Board members cited his reversal on diversity and climate change initiatives, and his delayed response to antisemitism

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