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First Coast Connect: UNF President Discusses Plans After Retirement

The University of North Florida will face a major change next year, after its longest serving president announced his retirement last week.

After 14 years as UNF president, John Delaney told First Coast Connecthost Melissa Ross Wednesday what the public could expect next when his contract expires May 30, 2018.

Delaney, who served eight years as mayor of Jacksonville, said he thinks he might have another run for office in him. However, “that maybe got a little more attention than I anticipated,” he said.

“I cannot see ever running for mayor,” Delaney added. “That's not a job you need to do twice.”

Delaney has also joked about running for mayor of Neptune Beach, and said he had written off Washington as well as a run for governor.

Delaney said he sees himself running for something, probably in the private sector, but hasn't decided on what yet.

“I just like living in Jacksonville,”  Delaney said. “So, it’d be something local or in the state.”

But for now, he said he still has 15 months as UNF’s president.

“If you plan too much for it, then you're not doing the job you're in,” he said.

News Intern Joy Kader can be reached at newsteam@wjct.org or on Twitter at @joykader95.

Joy Kader is a senior at the University of North Florida, pursuing a degree in communication with a concentration in multimedia journalism and production.