By Claire Grunewald/Fresh Take Florida

A federal judge ruled Wednesday against chapters of pro-Palestinian college student groups in Florida, backing the DeSantis administration and leaving the door open to possible action against the groups — although that appears unlikely.U.S. District Judge Mark Walker denied a request for a preliminary injunction by chapters of Students for Justice in Palestine at the University of Florida and the University of South Florida that would have protected the groups.

A federal judge on Friday criticized Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state's senior higher education appointee for "running their mouths" with directives for two universities in Florida to shut down chapters of pro-Palestinian student organizations.The judge did not immediately issue a protective order covering the chapters of the Students for Justice in Palestine as they had asked.

Ben Sasse, the former Republican U.S. senator for Nebraska, was formally inaugurated Thursday as the 13th president of the University of Florida during a ceremony full of pomp and symbolism that dated to the Middle Ages.

The University of Florida fell one position to No. 6 among public universities in the new, annual national rankings published overnight Sunday by U.S. News & World Report, even as the state's flagship school climbed one spot to No. 28 in the magazine's rankings of top public and private universities overall.