Gov. Ron DeSantis鈥� office and state Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis on Thursday raised the possibility of looking into spending under former University of Florida president Ben Sasse.
鈥淲e take the stewardship of state funds very seriously and have already been in discussions with leadership at the university and with the (state university system鈥檚) Board of Governors to look into the matter,鈥� DeSantis spokesman Bryan Griffin said in a statement.
Earlier in the day, Patronis offered support for an audit.
鈥淩eports of (the university鈥檚) exorbitant spending by Ben Sasse鈥檚 office are concerning,鈥� Patronis posted online. 鈥淎s my agency can investigate fraud, waste and abuse, @FLDFS (the Florida Department of Financial Services) will reach out to @FLBOG (the university system Board of Governors) to offer auditing support. BOG should investigate this issue to ensure tuition and tax dollars are being properly used.鈥�
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On Monday, reported Sasse more than tripled his office鈥檚 spending to $17.3 million when compared to his predecessor.
The costs included hiring several of his former U.S. Senate staffers, including two who were allowed to work remotely from the Washington, D.C., area. Sasse was a Nebraska senator before getting hired for the UF job.
Travel costs for Sasse鈥檚 office also jumped from $28,000 to $633,000 in one year, according to the student newspaper. Sasse, who had been at UF less than two years, abruptly resigned in July, citing his wife鈥檚 health.
鈥淢y wife Melissa鈥檚 recent epilepsy diagnosis and a new batch of memory issues have been hard, but we鈥檙e facing it together,鈥� Sasse said in a prepared statement. "Gator Nation needs a president who can keep charging hard, Melissa deserves a husband who can pull his weight, and my kids need a dad who can be home many more nights.鈥�
Sasse was confirmed as president by the state university system鈥檚 Board of Governors in November 2022 over the objections of some students and faculty members.
Sasse鈥檚 five-year contract included a $1 million base salary, with annual performance bonuses of up to 15%. He will forego a $1 million payout that would have been provided if he served the full five-year term.
Former President Kent Fuchs will lead the school on an interim basis. The Board of Governors did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.
