The University of Florida's only finalist for president will visit Gainesville Wednesday, when he is scheduled to meet with UF faculty and staff.
Stuart Bell was the former president of the University of Alabama. He also served as the president of the Southeastern Conference from 2023 to 2025.
Generally, students and faculty viewed Bell positively during his tenure, said Ben Smith, a news editor of the Alabama Crimson White. That's the student newspaper of the University of Alabama.
But Bell's time at the school didn't come without friction.
There was the time he made no comment when ICE detained and deported a graduate student, and some scrutiny about unsafe student behavior during the pandemic.
According to Smith, some students pushed back when president Trump spoke at last year's commencement — a practice uncommon at the university
"His leadership was one of stability in spite of all the events that occurred under his tenure. I think that balance of academic performance and athletic excellence are some of the thing that he prioritizes the most," Smith said. "And sometimes some of the goals of the university socially come at expense of that."
Next week, Bell will be interviewed by the UF Board of Trustees.
If the trustees approve him, the Florida Board of Governors will vote on approving his contract.
