Message from the Chair: Board of Trustees names Jeanette M. Nuñez FIU's seventh president

Dear members of the university community, 

Today the FIU Board of Trustees voted unanimously to name Jeanette M. Nuñez as the university’s seventh president. Her presidency is pending confirmation by the Florida Board of Governors, which is scheduled to meet on June 18, 2025.  

President-Designate Nuñez is poised to become the first alumna and the first woman to serve as president in FIU’s history. Her connections to this university and to South Florida run deep, as does her commitment to ensuring FIU becomes a Top 30 institution by 2030. 

Since her very first day on the job as Interim President in mid-February, I have witnessed President-Designate Nuñez champion FIU.  

When meeting external stakeholders and elected officials, she’s the first to tout the role of FIU’s students, faculty, and researchers in solving some of our generation’s most pressing issues. At university meetings and events, including our 2025 Spring Commencement ceremonies, she encourages our community to be brave and bold, to do more and to do what matters.  

And there’s no greater cheerleader for our student athletes than President-Designate Nuñez. She has routinely found the time to catch early-evening basketball and baseball games, and I know you will find her at every FIU Football home game this upcoming season. 

In addition to her passion for Panther Nation, President-Designate Nuñez is a strategic and intentional leader who brings to the table many years of legislative and executive experience that position her perfectly to usher FIU into a bright future. Her background as an elected official and healthcare executive will be particularly valuable as we pursue new initiatives in important areas such as healthcare, technology, innovation, and environmental resilience. 

President-Designate Nuñez leans into the bold vision laid out in FIU’s strategic plan, Experience Impact 2030, a wise approach as we look to increase our endowment to a minimum of $500 million, triple our fundraising efforts, grow our sponsored research to around $600 million annually, secure greater operational resources, and elevate our standing in collegiate athletics. 

The next step in the search process is the Board of Governor’s confirmation of President-Designate Nuñez. BOG meetings are usually broadcast on the Florida Channel. I encourage you to tune in. Please look for a communication from President Nuñez after her confirmation.  

I would like to thank the Presidential Search Committee, chaired by BOT Vice Chair Carlos A. Duart. I also want to acknowledge the FIU community for participating in the community forums leading up to today’s vote.  

In our 53-year history, FIU has exceeded expectations to become one of the largest research universities in the country, a Top 50 public institution, with nearly 55,000 students and more than 330,000 alumni. Now, under the leadership of President-Designate Nuñez, I look forward to a bold new chapter for our Panther family.  

Please join me in congratulating President-Designate Nuñez on her appointment as FIU’s seventh president.   

Go Panthers! 

Sincerely,

Roger Tovar
Chair, FIU Board of Trustees