Students and faculty at Florida International University staged a walkout on Thursday in protest of the appointment of Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez as the university’s interim president. Without a search, Nuñez was appointed Feb. 7 by the Board of Trustees in an 11 to 1 board vote.

The FIU Board of Trustees voted 11 to 1 to hire Nuñez as Interim President, finalizing plans Gov. Ron DeSantis set in motion weeks ago to install his second-in-command in the public university’s top post. “I am honored,” Nuñez said in a statement.

Florida International University’s Board of Trustees is expected to name Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez interim president on Friday, according to two sources familiar with the school’s plans.

If Nunez is selected, she would resign as lieutenant governor and Gov. Ron DeSantis would have to appoint a replacement. DeFede says a source familiar with the discussions says there is no urgency to select a new lieutenant governor and DeSantis would keep the position open for a while.

Florida International University’s Board of Trustees agreed to make Florida Lieutenant Gov. Jeanette M. Nuñez interim president and assign current President Kenneth Jessell to a new executive role.

She’s the interim president but a board member noted the search process for a permanent president seems ‘already known’

Lt. Gov. Nuñez was hired at the state-funded school at the request of the office of Gov. Ron DeSantis. Many students and faculty have pushed back on her appointment, expressing concern over political interests the selection represents.