Kent Fuchs
Wesley Kent Fuchs (; born 1954) is an American university professor and academic administrator. He is the current president of the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. Upon taking office on January 1, 2015, he became the university's twelfth president. He previously served as the provost of Cornell University from 2009 through 2014. In January 2022, Fuchs announced his intention to step down as President so that he may remain at UF and return to faculty. Education. Fuchs holds a B.S.E. from Duke University; a M.Div. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School; and a M.S. and Ph.D. in electrical  engineering from the University of Illinois. Career. Fuchs was a professor in the electrical and computer engineering department and the coordinated science laboratory at the University of Illinois, from 1985 to 1996. He was head of the school of electrical and computer engineering and Michael J. and Katherine R. Birck distinguished professor at Purdue University from 1996 to 2002; While at Purdue University he was appointed a distinguished professor. He was the Joseph Silbert dean of the Cornell University College of Engineering, from 2002 to 2008. He was the fifteenth provost of Cornell University in October 2008. In 2011, he  led in the team and strategy that resulted in the winning proposal, in partnership with the Technion and New York City, to create a new graduate applied sciences campus on Roosevelt Island in New York City. The Cornell Tech campus reported to him as provost. In 2009 Fuchs launched Cornell's re-imagining initiative that resulted in enhanced efficiency in administrative services. As provost, Fuchs was also responsible for transforming Cornell's budget model. In 2010 he led the development of Cornell's Strategic Plan and the establishment of metrics for assessing Cornell's academic stature. National Science Board. On  September 16, 2016 President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate Fuchs as a member of the National Science Board and National Science Foundation. He is a member of the board’s class of 2016 – 2022. University of Florida. As President of the University of Florida, Fuchs barred three professors from testifying in a voting rights lawsuit against Florida governor Ron DeSantis over Senate Bill 90. After the university blocked its professors from providing testimony in court, the University of Florida's accreditor started an investigation into the university. Personal. Fuchs is married to Linda Moskeland Fuchs, who previously taught  at The King's Academy in West Palm Beach, Florida. They have four children, two daughters-in-law, a son-in-law and three grandchildren.