‘Family first, last and always’ — the example Ben Sasse sets with University of Florida resignation

Ben Sasse has resigned from his position as president of the University of Florida to focus on his family.

Sasse, formerly a Republican senator from Nebraska, said in a statement his wife, Melissa, was diagnosed with epilepsy and now faces memory issues. “I need to step back for a time and focus more on the needs of my family while we rebuild more stable household systems,” he wrote.

Calling Melissa the strongest person he knows, Sasse said she suffered an aneurysm and strokes in 2007.

“Back then, the docs prepared us for the worst, but — in God’s providence — she made an incredible comeback,” wrote Sasse. “In the years since — from Nebraska to DC to Florida — she kept our family grounded while I missed too many family dinners, little league games, hugs, and tears.”

Boyd Matheson, host of the KSL NewsRadio show “Inside Sources,” has known Sasse for years and said, “There was no decision for Ben Sasse to make about stepping down as president of the university of Florida. He had made that decision a decade ago — family first, last and always.” And Chris Stewart, who represented Utah 2nd Congressional District for years before resigning due to his wife’s health, said it is not often people are tested in this way — to continue with a job you love or put your family first.

Sasse, a father to two college-age daughters and a 13-year-old, said he has “two spectacular callings in life.” The first as a husband and father, and the second as the president of the best university in America.

“Those callings are significantly at odds with each other right now,” wrote Sasse. “Gator Nation needs a president who can keep charging hard, Melissa deserves a husband who can pull his weight, and my kids need a dad who can be home many more nights.”

The Sasse family will stay in Gainesville and Sasse said he will continue to teach classes. “It’s great to be a Florida Gator! ... It’s even greater to be a husband and a dad,” wrote Sasse.

Matheson told the Deseret News over text he saw Sasse’s commitment to family when he ran for U.S. Senate in 2014. As Matheson put it, the campaign was “a family affair.”

“I watched Sen. Sasse create space in his official office in DC so his kids had a place to do their school work. His daughters were trained to give tours of the capital, which are still the best I have experienced,” said Matheson.

Sasse’s love of family extended into his tenure as University of Florida president.

When Matheson was in the president’s box at a football game, he said Sasse’s family was present and expressed admiration for what he observed happen. “His older daughters moved in mature, skillful dialogue with government and business leaders along with academics and boosters while Ben and Melissa engaged in deep, meaningful conversations about things that had nothing to do with sports or academics or politics.”

The family has the practice of going without their phones one hour a day, one day a week and one week a year to remain united and focused, said Matheson. “The Sasse family understands that work and service are seasonal efforts that should never last too long or become a defining identity.”

Sasse is the kind of leader without ego or misplaced identity who can serve, leave a legacy and then move on, said Matheson.

“Putting family first at the first ensures a legacy that will actually last,” said Matheson. “We need more leaders and more families that follow this model — it would make our communities better and our nation stronger.”

Mori Hosseini, the chair of the university’s board of trustees, thanked Sasse for his service.

“Under his leadership, UF has continued to advance on the national and international stage, benefitting our students, faculty, alumni, community and state,” said Hosseini in a statement. “He has left a lasting impact on the university and all of those associated with it. We wish Ben all the best as he steps back to focus on his family.”

Stewart: What goes into a decision like Sasse’s?

Stewart had represented Utah’s 2nd Congressional District for just over a decade when he made the decision to resign from his seat. Stewart’s wife had a stroke and he wanted to be there for her and his family.

To get perspective on what goes into making a decision like this, the Deseret News spoke to Stewart on the phone about his decision-making process.

Stewart said due to his service in the military, he and his wife had navigated some of the same challenges of trying to find a balance between loving your job and also knowing that your family is more important than anything else.

As for the decision to resign his seat, Stewart said he and his wife “reached a point where we realized it was the right to do, that I needed to be home with my wife and once we made that decision, everything was easy.”

Stewart said they have not looked back since.

Speaking about his Latter-day Saint faith, Stewart said people of his faith talk about how important family is and how we should always put our spouses, children and family first.

“The truth is that most people, that’s never tested,” said Stewart. “We say it, but there aren’t that many circumstances where you have to prove it by actually making a substantial decision.”

Stewart said he is glad his faith has taught him this concept because it leads to happiness and happy families.

Before making the decision to step back from his service, Stewart said a few people told him it could cause people to look at him more suspiciously. But since he did it, he said hundreds of people from all around the country have reached out to him and told him he set an important example to them.

“Almost universally, people have been very supportive and I’m really grateful for that,” said Stewart. “It’s reaffirmed my faith in people — that they would be supportive of me and my decision, and they were encouraging rather than skeptical or dismissive of my decision.”

Sasse’s legacy at University of Florida

The 13th president of Florida’s flagship university, Sasse was appointed to the position in 2022 and began his tenure there in 2023. He left the U.S. Senate for the job.

Sasse, who previously served as the president of the private Lutheran university Midland University, reportedly called University of Florida the “most interesting university in the country.”

He was contracted to stay in the position until 2028.

During his tenure as president, Sasse received national media attention for his response to the Oct. 7 attacks and then subsequently, the pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses.

Sasse issued a strong condemnation of Hamas’ attack on Israel, calling it “evil” and said “there is no defense for terrorism.” He said too many in academia were “weakened by their moral confusion” or in other cases, expressed support for terrorism.

“As for us, our educational mission here begins with the recognition and explicit acknowledgment of human dignity — the same human dignity that Hamas’ terrorists openly scorn,” said Sasse. “Every single human life matters. We are committed to that truth. We will tell that truth.”

As protests ensued on campuses across America, Sasse went on CNN to discuss his approach to handling the demonstrations. He said students can peacefully protest, but they cannot take over the university.

“What we tell all of our students, protesters and non (protesters), is there are two things we’re going to affirm over and over again: We will always defend your right to free speech and free assembly,” said Sasse. “And also, we have time, place and manner restrictions, and you don’t get to take over the whole university.”

Sasse said the university believes in the right to free speech and free assembly, but other universities “bizarrely get the most attention and most voice to the smallest, angriest group, and it’s just not what we’re going to do here.”