Keep it OUR university
What is save UWF?
SAVE UWF is a bipartisan grassroots organization with our No. 1 goal to stop the appointment of Idaho resident Scott Yenor as chairman of the Board of Trustees at the University of West Florida. Our No. 2 goal is to remove West Virginia resident Adam Kissel from the board entirely.
Yenor’s views are fundamentally incompatible with leadership in higher education.
He has publicly stated that women should stay home to have babies rather than attend college. He has also denigrated Jewish people and racial minorities, repeatedly expressing a preference for Christian, white male dominance in society. His views are well-documented, unequivocal, and broadly rejected — and he cannot be taken seriously as a leader in any public university.
Kissel’s record is equally troubling. A longtime critic of the GI Bill and other educational benefits for veterans, he supports the privatization of public universities — a direct threat to a campus that embraces military-affiliated students in a region with eight major bases.
These appointments were made by the Governor, but they must be confirmed by the Florida Senate. Until then, we have the power to speak out — and stop them.
UWF belongs to all of us — students, alumni, faculty, staff, veterans, and the greater Pensacola community.
THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING.
This fight is just getting started — and our voices are making an impact.
Together, we’re building a grassroots movement of students, veterans, alumni, faculty, business leaders, and community members who refuse to stay silent while our university is politicized.
We’re showing up. We’re signing petitions. We’re speaking out. We’re making noise in Tallahassee.
Stay connected—sign up for updates in our Contact section to get the latest news, events, and ways to take action.
We’re actively working on next steps and update this homepage often, so check back regularly for new opportunities to get involved.
Together, we can protect UWF’s future. Join us and keep the momentum going
LATEST NEWS & UPDATES
April 2, 2025
March 31, 2025
Make Your Voice Heard—Write to the Senate Committee Today
We need your help.
The Ethics & Elections Committee in the Florida Senate will soon be voting on critical changes that directly impact UWF’s future. A strong show of public concern can make a difference—and time is of the essence.
We're asking all supporters to write to the individual senators on the E&E Committee—preferably via snail mail, but email is great too, given the tight timeline. Even a short, heartfelt note can help sway a vote.
This link is to senator names, addresses, and email contacts. Please consider taking a few moments to send a message—and share this with anyone else who cares about preserving UWF.
This matters. Let’s flood Tallahassee with support for UWF.
FILL THE BUS TO TALLAHASSEE!
The future of UWF is at stake, and we need YOU to make a difference! We’re heading to Tallahassee for the Senate Ethics and Elections Committee meeting (tentatively April 7 or 8) to stand up for our university.
Transportation is free, and your presence will make a big difference in protecting our university. Numbers count at Sen. Gaetz’s committee, and we need to show that the community is upset at this hostile political takeover attempt.
Together, we’ll make our voices heard!
Yard Signs & Pins are available to show your support. Pick them up on front porch at 423 E Government St.
Coming Soon:
Final Senate Vote Dates (TBD)
Info on Scott Yenor’s Confirmation Timeline
Additional Local Events
A Note to UWF Students
Your trust means a lot to us, and we want to be open with you about what we’re doing and why.
Our message is simple: Keep it OUR university. UWF is more than just a campus—it’s a community made up of students, alumni, faculty, and the wider Pensacola area. Our team includes community leaders, alumni, former trustees, and most importantly, students like you.
We’re proud to have one student representative on board who is actively involved and shares their perspective to help us stay connected to what students care about. But one voice can’t capture every perspective—that’s why your input is invaluable.
We’re not perfect, and we’re learning as we go. But we’re here because we love this university and want to see it thrive. If you have questions, ideas, or just want to know more, reach out. We’re always up for real conversations because your voice matters.
ABOUT
SAVE UWF, a grassroots effort from a cross-section of the local community, opposes Scott Yenor’s proposed appointment as UWF board chair due to his misogynist and antisemitic rhetoric, including his claim that working women are “more medicated, meddlesome, and quarrelsome than women need to be.”
Yenor’s leadership threatens UWF’s reputation and Pensacola’s $1.1 billion economic impact. Critics warn of decreased enrollment, faculty departures, lost alumni donations, and potential lawsuits.
A Senate hearing will address the risks of his leadership. Senator Randy Fine stated, “There is no place for antisemitism in our universities, let alone in their leadership.”
As we looked closer at the UWF Board of Trustees appointments, it became clear that Scott Yenor wasn’t the only cause for concern. Other recent appointments raised similar red flags about the future of our university.
One of those is Adam Kissel, whose appointment to the Board threatens UWF’s funding. As a vocal critic of federal education funding and the GI Bill, he pushes for privatization—jeopardizing veteran support and putting UWF’s $1.1 billion regional economic impact at risk.
Then there’s Rachel Moya, whose appointment raises serious questions about qualifications and integrity. With no experience in higher education governance and no prior ties to UWF, she arrived in Florida just in time to receive a board appointment. To make matters worse, her recent role at a private education tech company brings up ethical concerns.
None of these appointees have regional ties or a stake in UWF’s success. These candidates, as well as the 3/9/25 list of newly-appointed Board of Trustees, are to be confirmed at a future date.
— Steven Barry, UWF Graduate & Escambia County District 5 Commissioner
(Source: Pensacola News Journal, March 10, 2025)
A similar pattern of governance changes at New College of Florida in 2023 resulted in faculty departures, donor withdrawals, and a decline in national rankings, raising concerns about potential impacts on UWF.
How You Can Help:
Sign the Petition on Change.org. Note: Any donations made here go directly to Change.org, not the cause. Click here to see petition comments
Attend & Comment on the Board of Trustees Meeting, May 8, 2025
3027
Petition Signatures
Updated Daily