Nebraska U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse faced pointed questions and loud protests Monday during his first visit to the University of Florida as the lone finalist for the school鈥檚 presidency.
Sasse, a Republican in his second Senate term, has drawn criticism from some at the school in Gainesville, Florida, for his stance on same-sex marriage and other LBGTQ issues. Others question his qualifications to run such a sprawling school with more than 50,000 students.
The separate meetings Monday were with students, faculty and staff on campus. During those sessions, the reported about 1,000 people yelling 鈥淗ey, hey, ho, ho, Ben Sasse has got to go鈥� gathered and disrupted at least one of the meetings.
Students enter the building where finalist for UF presidency Ben Sasse holds his Q and A.
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鈥淪asse does not really believe in equality on the basis of sexual orientation,鈥� said Nathan Knorst, a senior at the university. 鈥淪o, how can he adequately represent the student body and faculty and UF鈥檚 core values, which are diversity, equity and inclusion?鈥�
Sasse, 50, was previously president of Midland University in Fremont, Nebraska, which has just over 1,600 students. He said during one meeting Monday when asked whether he opposes same-sex marriage that it is the national law as ruled upon by the U.S. Supreme Court and that his goal is to create a 鈥減lace of respect and inclusion for all Gators,鈥� mentioning the Southeastern Conference school鈥檚 sports mascot.
鈥淚鈥檝e had political positions and policy positions that represent the views of Nebraskans. It鈥檚 a completely different job to have the job of president of UF,鈥� Sasse said, according to the Sun. 鈥淭he president of UF鈥檚 job is to celebrate all of what鈥檚 going on in this community, and to be a storyteller and resource getter and salesman for it.鈥�
Sasse also said he believes in human causes for climate change but has not always supported federal efforts to deal with it.
Organizations that put together Monday鈥檚 protest include UF College Democrats, Young Democratic Socialists and Graduate Assistants United, the newspaper reported.
Some students were concerned about the secretive selection process used in selecting Sasse. A new Florida law allows universities to conduct much of the process outside of the state鈥檚 open meetings and public records laws.
RJ Della Salle, a UF freshman, said the closed system 鈥� makes me feel like my voice doesn鈥檛 matter.鈥�
Sasse, who has also been a rare GOP critic of former President Donald Trump, said the students have every right to protest.
鈥淥bviously I wish they didn鈥檛 have the position they have but I strongly support the right of people to protest and exercise their free speech rights,鈥� he said.
Sasse, who would resign from the Senate to take the position, was recommended for the school鈥檚 presidency by a search committee. He still faces a vote by the school鈥檚 board of trustees and then must be confirmed by the state board of governors.
