Kent Fuchs

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Kent Fuchs
Fuchs at 2017 National Science Board
President of the University of Florida
Interim
August 1, 2024 – August 31, 2025
Preceded byBen Sasse
Succeeded byDonald Landry
In office
January 1, 2015 – February 6, 2023
Preceded byBernie Machen
Succeeded byBen Sasse
15th Provost of Cornell University
In office
January 1, 2009 – November 14, 2014
Preceded byCarolyn Martin
Succeeded byMichael I. Kotlikoff
Personal details
Born
Wesley Kent Fuchs

(1954-11-03) November 3, 1954 (age 70)
Oklahoma, U.S.
SpouseLinda Moskeland
Children4
EducationDuke University (BS)
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (MS, PhD)
Trinity International University (MDiv)
Scientific career
FieldsElectrical engineering
Institutions
ThesisConcurrent error detection in vlsi systems through structure encoding (fault tolerance, self-checking) (1985)
Doctoral advisorJacob A. Abraham

Wesley Kent Fuchs (/fɒks/; born 1954) is an American electrical engineer, who served as the interim president of the University of Florida from August 2024 to August 2025.

Fuchs served as the 12th president of the University of Florida from January 2015 to February 2023, as the 15th provost of Cornell University from January 2009 to November 2014, and as dean of the Cornell University College of Engineering from 2002 to 2008.

Education

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Fuchs received a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Duke University in North Carolina in 1977, a Master of Science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1982, a Master of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Illinois in 1984, and a Doctor of Philosophy in electrical and communications engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1985.[1]

Career

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Fuchs was a professor in the electrical and computer engineering department and the coordinated science laboratory at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, from 1985 to 1996. He was head of the school of electrical and computer engineering at Purdue University from 1996 to 2002. While at Purdue he was appointed to the Michael J. and Katherine R. Birck distinguished professorship.[citation needed]

Cornell University

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Fuchs was the Joseph Silbert dean of the Cornell University College of Engineering from 2002 to 2008.[citation needed]

In October 2008, Fuchs was appointed the 15th provost of Cornell University.[2] 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.[3] The Cornell Tech campus reported to him as provost.[4] In 2009, Fuchs launched Cornell's re-imagining initiative that resulted in enhanced efficiency in administrative services.[5] As provost, Fuchs was also responsible for transforming Cornell's budget model.[6] In 2010, he led the development of Cornell's Strategic Plan[7] and the establishment of metrics for assessing Cornell's academic stature.[8]

University of Florida

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He served as the 12th president of the University of Florida from 2015 to 2023. As the president of the university, Fuchs barred three professors from testifying in a voting rights lawsuit against Florida governor Ron DeSantis over Senate Bill 90.[9][10][11] After the university blocked its professors from providing testimony in court, the University of Florida's accreditor started an investigation into the university.[9]

In January 2022, Fuchs announced that he would step down as president of the University of Florida, though he might stay at the university and return to the faculty. He was succeeded by Ben Sasse, a former U.S. senator from Nebraska. After Sasse resigned on July 31, 2024, Fuchs returned as interim president on August 1, 2024, and will serve until a new president is appointed.[12]

Social engagement

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On September 16, 2016, United States president Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate Fuchs as a member of the National Science Board and the National Science Foundation.[13] He is a member of the board's class of 2016–2022.[14]

Personal life

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Fuchs is married to Linda Moskeland Fuchs, who previously taught at The King's Academy in the city of West Palm Beach, Florida. They have four children, two daughters-in-law, a son-in-law and three grandchildren.[15]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "W. Kent Fuchs". Cornell University College of Engineering. Archived from the original on June 4, 2025. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
  2. ^ "After Months of Search, Kent Fuchs Named as University Provost". The Cornell Daily Sun. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  3. ^ Blumenstyk, Goldie (December 16, 2011). "Cornell U. Is Winner of Competition for NYC Science Campus, as Stanford Pulls Out". The Chronicle of Higher Education. ISSN 0009-5982. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  4. ^ "Cornell Tech". Cornell Tech. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  5. ^ "Plans to improve operations, cut costs are moving ahead | Cornell Chronicle". www.news.cornell.edu. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  6. ^ "Provost outlines university's new budget model | Cornell Chronicle". www.news.cornell.edu. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  7. ^ "Cornell University: A Strategic Plan : Strategic Plan". www.cornell.edu. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  8. ^ "Strategic Metrics". irp.dpb.cornell.edu. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  9. ^ a b "U. of Florida's Accreditor Will Investigate Denial of Professors' Voting-Rights Testimony". www.chronicle.com. 2021. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
  10. ^ "University of Florida bars faculty from testifying in voting rights lawsuit against DeSantis administration". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
  11. ^ Wines, Michael (October 29, 2021). "Florida Bars State Professors From Testifying in Voting Rights Case". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
  12. ^ "Kent Fuchs expected to serve as interim UF president after Sasse resignation". The Independent Florida Alligator. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
  13. ^ Fry, Paige. "President Obama plans to appoint President Fuchs". The Independent Florida Alligator. Retrieved September 17, 2016.
  14. ^ W. Kent Fuchs. Biography National Science Board. Retrieved September 18, 2021
  15. ^ Florida, University of. "Office of the President - University of Florida". our12thpresident.ufl.edu. Archived from the original on April 25, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
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Academic offices
Preceded by Provost of Cornell University
2009–2014 		Succeeded by
Preceded by President of the University of Florida
2015–2023 		Succeeded by