Santo Ono, the former president of the University of Michigan, is set to become the inaugural director of the Ellison Institute of Technology, a research and development center, he announced on Monday. 

“I am humbled to share that I’ve been appointed Global President of the Ellison Institutes of Technology (EIT), reporting directly to its founder and chairman, Larry Ellison,” Ono wrote in a social media post. Ellison is also the founder and chairman of the software company Oracle and a major donor to Jewish and Israeli causes. 

The appointment comes two months after Ono was rejected by the Florida Board of Governors as the University of Florida’s next president. At a board meeting in June, Ono, who resigned from his position at the University of Michigan in May, was questioned by the board, which oversees the state’s 12 public universities, about an anti-Israel encampment last year that remained on the Michigan campus for a month. Board members also scrutinized his response to antisemitism on campus after the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attacks, which some called inadequate.  

“What happened on Oct. 7 deeply affected the members of my community and me personally, and so at UF I would be consistently focused on making sure antisemitism does not rear its head again,” Ono, who was the only finalist considered for the UF position, responded at the time. 

Ono also faced criticism from conservatives on the board for his longtime support of diversity, equity and inclusion programs while leading the University of Michigan, although Ono had said he would not bring DEI to the Gainesville school. In March, under pressure from the Trump administration, Ono eliminated centralized DEI offices at Michigan — which have come under intense scrutiny on campuses nationwide for failing to address rising anti-Jewish hate, and at times perpetuating it.  

“Looking back, I am deeply grateful for every community I’ve been part of — from the universities I’ve served to the friendships and mentors who have shaped me,” Ono wrote on Monday. “I am even more grateful for the prayers, encouragement, and love from all of you who have walked with me through the seasons of my life, especially during this period of transition. Several opportunities came my way over the past few months, but this one was both special and compelling.” 

The Ellison Institute, which is based in Los Angles and Oxford, focuses on research and development in a range of areas including cancer treatment and securing food sustainability. Ono wrote that he is “most excited” about the institute’s reciprocal agreement with the University of Oxford.