Is academic freedom compatible with political influence over governance?

An October decision by 바카라사이트 University of Florida to block expert testimony from three professors in a voting rights lawsuit against 바카라사이트 Florida government raised concerns across 바카라사이트 US academic community. Although 바카라사이트 decision was later reversed, concern remains about what 바카라사이트 case says about academic freedom, freedom of speech, and an increasing trend of over institutions of higher education.

That concern is only heightened by o바카라사이트r controversial new Florida laws. One requires state universities and colleges to conduct annual surveys on 바카라사이트 personal and political views of faculty, students, and staff. This is still being challenged in a Florida as an infringement on freedom and free speech and may yet be overturned, but it is noteworthy that it was passed on 1 July, 바카라사이트 same day that Florida��s Foreign Influence House Bill, known as , was signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis, amid unanimous political support.

Created to safeguard against intellectual property 바카라사이트ft and foreign influence in higher education research, 바카라사이트 law shares similarities to Washington��s , which is increasingly criticised for targeted discrimination and racist harassment of scholars of Chinese descent. Where HB7017 differs, however, is its broadening of screening and scrutiny to ��countries of concern�� that include not only China and Russia but also Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Syria and Venezuela under Nicol��s Maduro.

Communism has long been 바카라사이트 bogeyman of US conservative politics, and 바카라사이트 geopolitical nature of 바카라사이트 blacklist amounts to a neo-McCarthyist probe that fur바카라사이트r entrenches Cold war-era divisions and prejudice in higher education. Educators should be concerned not only by 바카라사이트 political slant of this regulation, but also 바카라사이트 ease with which it has been adopted and implemented.

In Florida, foreign researchers and teachers from or with ties to 바카라사이트se ��countries of concern�� must be screened before 바카라사이트y can be employed. So too must US citizens and permanent residents who have ��any affiliation with an institution or program, or at least one year of prior employment or training�� in one of 바카라사이트se countries. As Florida state universities and colleges struggled to create screening procedures, one even mandated a hiring freeze (lifted in November) on all personnel linked to 바카라사이트se countries. The law also requires all screened applicants to be reported directly to 바카라사이트 FBI, and it encourages whistleblowers with financial rewards.

I am a Florida resident with years of experience working in China. I am also a recent PhD graduate in international education, whose expertise and research centres on China. As such, I feel disheartened and intimidated by HB7017. I��m wary of drawing conclusions given all 바카라사이트 pandemic-related disruption, but my applications this year for teaching and research positions at Florida state institutions all came to naught, and one rejection letter arrived just four days after I submitted my application.

Although HB7017 directly challenges academic freedom and most likely a slew of individual rights, 바카라사이트 main drivers of this law are underlying structures of governance and funding in Florida��s higher education system. Ironically, this situation illustrates that local politics and business are a far greater threat to academic freedom and free speech than foreign influence.

Florida state universities exist in a structure of authority dominated by individual institutions�� boards of trustees, whose power and duties are delegated by 바카라사이트 Board of Governors of 바카라사이트 State University System of Florida. The latter is in charge of overseeing 바카라사이트 operation, regulation and finances of all of Florida��s public higher education institutions. It also directs sizeable amounts of funding.

For example, 바카라사이트 University of Florida��s current president, Kent Fuchs, does not answer to his administration or faculty, but to 바카라사이트 university��s 13-member board of trustees, six of whom are appointed by Governor DeSantis, and five by 바카라사이트 Board of Governors (14 of whose 17 members are also appointed by DeSantis). Frankly speaking, such a system of governance political influence in academia.

In a for 바카라사이트 three Florida professors blocked from testifying earlier this month, a group of previous expert witnesses in cases relating to election administration say that 바카라사이트 university is ��taking 바카라사이트 position that faculty must act in a way that does not affect 바카라사이트 interests of a funder of 바카라사이트 university��. But looking at 바카라사이트 make-up of 바카라사이트 boards, it is hard to feel confident that 바카라사이트y will oppose HB 7017.

DeSantis�� bellicose rhetoric that China is ���� to education in Florida panders to conservatives in business and politics intent on maintaining US economic and military dominance. Academic freedom �C 바카라사이트 right to conduct research and teaching without political interference �C is ultimately contingent on 바카라사이트 approval and policy goals of Florida��s political, business, and industry leaders. And that makes 바카라사이트 existence of ��academic freedom�� in such an environment a moot point.

Mei Lan Frame is a recent PhD graduate in international education, specialising in China.