University of Florida president Ben Sasse is resigning after his wife was diagnosed with epilepsy

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — College of Florida president Ben Sasse plans to depart his place as head of one of many main public universities within the U.S. to concentrate on taking good care of his household after his spouse was identified with epilepsy.

In a submit on the social platform X, the previous U.S. senator from Nebraska stated Thursday night time that “after in depth prayer and many household tears,” he requested college officers that day to begin in search of a brand new president. In an announcement, the college stated his resignation is efficient July 31. He took the place nearly two years in the past.

“I have to step again for a time and focus extra on the wants of my household whereas we rebuild extra steady family techniques,” Sasse stated, including that he would proceed to show on the college in Gainesville, Florida.

Sasse’s spouse, Melissa, who had an aneurysm and a collection of strokes in 2007, was just lately identified with epilepsy and has been having “a brand new batch of reminiscence points,” he stated.

“We’ve battled some nasty seizures the final couple years, however she’s all the time remained a warrior,” he stated.

The couple has two daughters in faculty, and their youngest little one is popping 13, he stated.

Sasse, a Republican, left the senate final yr after being named the thirteenth president of the college.

Whereas within the Senate, he was a outstanding critic of former President Donald Trump who joined with a handful of different Republicans to vote in favor of conviction in his impeachment trial after the 2021 Capitol riot. That led to criticism from inside Sasse’s personal get together despite the fact that he voted with Trump 85% of the time and helped get his three Supreme Court docket nominees confirmed.

Sasso was a controversial choose to move the College of Florida, and he confronted vocal opposition from some college and college students who objected to his stance in opposition to same-sex marriage and positions on different LGBTQ points.

Some college and college students additionally questioned his {qualifications} to run such a sprawling faculty with greater than 50,000 college students. The college’s college Senate voted no confidence on an opaque choice course of by which Sasse emerged as the only finalist.

The chair of the college’s board of trustees, Mori Hosseini, thanked Sasse for his management.

“He has left a long-lasting influence on the college and all of these related to it. We want Ben all the perfect as he steps again to concentrate on his household,” Hosseini stated.

Sasse thanked the college for welcoming his household and stated he was grateful for the professors and college students as effectively these behind the scenes, like third-shift upkeep crews and the early morning cafeteria staff.

“We love you. You touched our hearts and made this greater than a job — you made it our group,” Sasse stated. “That’s why we’re not going anyplace.”