 In 1974 , the Florida Board of Regents chose Marston as the seventh president of the University of Florida located in Gainesville , Florida ; he undertook the presidency during a time of economic recession , state budget cuts and increased demand for private funding of the university . During his ten @-@ year tenure , the university matured into one of the United States ' ten largest single @-@ campus universities and one of the five most inclusive in the scope of its academic programs , with significant growth in its sponsored research activities , and notable advancement of the university 's academic excellence and reputation . Marston 's accomplishments as university president included the organization of a non @-@ profit corporate structure for the management of Shands Hospital , helping establish the State of Florida 's Eminent Scholars Program , dramatically increasing the university 's private financial support , developing plans to recruit National Merit Scholars and National Achievement Scholars , and laying the organizational foundation for the University of Florida 's eventual membership in the Association of American Universities ( AAU ) . 
