Florida Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez expected to be appointed temporary FIU -President

Miami – Florida Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez is expected to resign to become the temporary president of Florida International University, five sources have told CBS News Miami.

A “special meeting” has been called to Friday morning by the chairman of the FIU Board to discuss “presidential search and selection”, according to the agenda. The current FIU president Kenneth Jessell still has a contract through the end of the year, but sources tell CBS News that the administrators will name Nunez the temporary president effective immediately.

“It’s imminent,” a source told CBS News.

“She’s available now,” another source added.

The exact time when Nunez will resign is not clear, but the expectation is that she will quickly move to take responsibility for the university.

“She won’t be there for session,” noticed another source referring to the start of the law meeting in March.

Several sources say she has already reached some important officials in FIU about her transition.

Neither Nunez nor the Governor’s office responded to a request for comment. A spokesperson for FIU said they had no information other than the message for Friday’s special meeting.

Because FIU is a public institution, the board must do a formal search and cannot simply name Nunez for the position of University President. However, nothing prevents the administrators from naming Nunez “Interim” president and then beginning a search with the expectation that when it was over the “temporary” mark would be removed.

The move to FIU comes with a significant salary bump for the lieutenant governor, who is currently earning $ 135,515 a year.

Jessell’s base salary is $ 650,000 with an additional $ 175,000 in bonuses. Nunez is likely to negotiate an annual salary and bonuses well over $ 1 million. The job also comes with his own house on Campus.

Nunez’s resignation would give government manager Ron Desantis the opportunity to appoint a replacement. Several names have been moved, including former House speaker Jose Oliva. But a source familiar with the discussions says CBS News that there is no urgent character in choosing a new lieutenant governor and that Desantis would probably keep it open for a while.

“He doesn’t feel the need to fill it right away,” said a source.

By keeping the position open, he can dangle it as a carrot to extract support from those who are interested in the job. He can also use the election to signal who he will support to become the next governor when voters choose in November 2026.

Supporters of Nunez say her selection as university president makes sense.

“We are a state institution that is dependent on significant financing from the state,” noted a source. “She can definitely help us with that.”

If the board of directors were to reject Nunez, they would only risk anger Desantis and the legislature or what a person described as “poking the bear.”

Attorneys for Nunez Note that she has a long history with FIU. She served her bachelor and master’s degrees from FIU and has been an adjunct professor and adviser to the university.

Supporters believe she will also improve their fundraising skills.

It is also well known that Nunez spends some time in Tallahasee as Lieutenant Governor and prefers to remain in Miami with her husband and three children instead.

The move also follows Desantis’ efforts to politicize the State College and universities and push to install political allies in the presidency of state schools, including Richard Corcoran as president of the New College of Florida.

As for the current president, Jessell is expected to go on a Sabbath day in the remaining ten months of his contract and then return to the university as an employed professor.

“Jessell is very respected and no one will do anything to hurt him,” a source said.

Jessell did not return call that searched his comment.