University of Florida President Ben Sasse resigned after his wife was diagnosed with epilepsy

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – University of Florida President Ben Sasse announced Thursday that he will step down from his role of nearly two years to focus on caring for his family after his wife was diagnosed with epilepsy.

In a post on the social platform X, the former US senator from Nebraska said that “after extensive prayers and many family tears”, he asked university officials that day to start looking for a new president. In a statement, the university said his resignation will take effect on July 31.

“I need to take a step back and focus more on the needs of my family as we rebuild more stable home systems,” Sasse said, adding that she would continue teaching at the university.

Sasse’s wife, Melissa, who had an aneurysm and a series of strokes in 2007, was recently diagnosed with epilepsy and has been having “a new batch of memory problems,” he said.

“We have battled some nasty seizures over the last two years, but she has always remained a warrior,” he said.

The couple has two daughters in college and their youngest daughter is turning 13, he said.

Sasse, a Republican, left the Senate last year after being named the 13th rector of the university.

While in the Senate, he was a prominent critic of former President Donald Trump who joined a handful of other Republicans in voting in favor of conviction in his impeachment trial following the 2021 Capitol riot. This sparked criticism within Sasse’s own party, even though he voted with Trump 85% of the time and helped confirm his three Supreme Court nominees.

The chairman of the university’s board of directors, Mori Hosseini, thanked Sasse for his leadership.

“He left a lasting impact on the university and all those associated with it. We wish Ben all the best as he returns to focus on his family,” Hosseini said.

Sasse thanked the university for hosting his family and said he was grateful to the faculty and students, as well as those behind the scenes, such as third-shift maintenance crews and morning cafeteria workers.

“We love you. You touched our hearts and made this more than a job – you made this our community,” Sasse said. “That’s why we’re not going anywhere.”