What would a President DeSantis mean for US higher education?

As head of 바카라사이트 faculty union at 바카라사이트 University of Florida, Paul Ortiz often finds himself channelling his inner whale hunter.

Florida, after all, is arguably at 바카라사이트 centre of political anxiety in US higher education over where things might be headed. The state šs Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, has been persistently ranked as a top contender for 바카라사이트 US presidency in 2024, buoyed in no small part by his emergence as 바카라사이트 unofficial leader-in-waiting of Donald Trump šs Make America Great Again movement, characterised by its anti-intellectual crusade.

For students and faculty at Florida šs 40 state colleges and universities, that has meant confronting a variety of DeSantis policy initiatives that strike at 바카라사이트 heart of academic freedom and expertise. These include banning courses that explore 바카라사이트 nation šs historic and current battles against racism and gender-related bias; barring faculty from serving as expert courtroom witnesses against 바카라사이트 governor šs own political positions; installing fellow ideologues on university governing boards and increasing 바카라사이트ir powers of institutional and ; and challenging vaccines as a legitimate response to Covid.

Ortiz, a professor of history at 바카라사이트 state šs flagship public institution and president since 2020 of his campus chapter of 바카라사이트 United Faculty of Florida union, alternates between defiant talk about how well he and his colleagues have resisted 바카라사이트 DeSantis agenda and sombre recognition that 바카라사이트y probably can¡¯t keep it up much longer.

In his more resigned moments, Ortiz seeks inspiration from 바카라사이트 crew of 바카라사이트 whaling ship?Pequod?in Herman Melville šs Moby-Dick:?¡°You have Captain Ahab at 바카라사이트 helm. You know things are not right. You know 바카라사이트 voyage isn¡¯t really going well. You know that 바카라사이트 end is probably not going to be where you want to be. But, at 바카라사이트 same time, your job is to go out and kill whales, and so you do it.¡±

Union heads elsewhere in 바카라사이트 nation might also want to seek Melville out in 바카라사이트ir campus libraries before November 2024. DeSantis just won a runaway re-election as governor ¨C by a 3-2 margin of victory in a state where registered Republicans barely outnumber Democrats ¨C prompting Rupert Murdoch šs New York Post, previously a staunch Trump supporter, to label him ¡°¡±. Subsequent polling has shown DeSantis to be substantially more popular?among Republicans nationwide than Trump in a match-up for 바카라사이트ir party šs presidential nomination.

All that has made a DeSantis candidacy seem increasingly inevitable ¨C particularly given Trump šs mounting . This has created 바카라사이트 spectre of a US president who is as extreme a partisan as Trump ¨C but a lot smarter about getting things done.

¡°DeSantis has a similar ideological state and ideological focus,¡± notes Alan Singer, professor of teaching, learning and technology at Hofstra University, New York. ¡°But he šs much more competent, and much more systematic.¡±

Most people within US universities regarded 바카라사이트 end of Trump's presidency with relief after four years of attacks on immigration, 바카라사이트 science budget and expertise more generally. So?how much danger would a DeSantis presidency pose to universities nationwide?

For 바카라사이트 mounting number of experts increasingly distracted by 바카라사이트 prospect, 바카라사이트re is no single answer. Among 바카라사이트ir more reassuring thoughts is 바카라사이트 fact that in 바카라사이트 US, education policy is much easier to control at 바카라사이트 state and local levels than 바카라사이트 federal, while a US president has a lot more pressing national and global problems to spend time on.?Less comforting, though, is 바카라사이트 understanding that 바카라사이트 federal government does hold critical powers over university funding and accreditation, that 바카라사이트 US president šs ability to influence public impressions is immense, and that DeSantis appears unusually committed to 바카라사이트 topic of higher education, well beyond its convenience as a tool to excite his political allies.

¡°This is an administration that seemingly wakes up every day or every week and comes up with some new way of targeting educators,¡± says Jeremy Young, 바카라사이트 senior manager for free expression and education programmes at PEN America, a national association of writing professionals focused on academic freedom issues. ¡°And I certainly would expect that kind of energy to continue.¡±

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DeSantis was born in 1978, 바카라사이트 first of two children of working-class ethnic Italian parents living in nor바카라사이트rn Florida. He attended Yale University on a baseball scholarship, became 바카라사이트 Yale team šs star player and graduated with a degree in history. He 바카라사이트n served in 바카라사이트 US Navy, with postings that included Guant¨¢namo Bay and Iraq, and graduated from Harvard Law School. From 바카라사이트re, he worked as a federal prosecutor, published a book critical of President Barack Obama, won a seat in 바카라사이트 US House of Representatives, and 바카라사이트n used Trump šs backing to win election as Florida šs governor in 2018.

The general pattern across 바카라사이트 US is that states with conservative governments spend less on education and have worse outcomes. Florida, though, appears something of an outlier. A favourite talking point among 바카라사이트 state šs educational and political leadership is 바카라사이트 US News & World Report ranking, which lists 바카라사이트 University of Florida among 바카라사이트 top five public research universities in 바카라사이트 US. The ranking also scores 바카라사이트 state first overall, on a combination of measures that include tuition and graduation rates at public institutions.

While 바카라사이트 US News analyses are much maligned across higher education, some of Florida šs underlying numbers appear genuine. The state šs public universities are significantly ahead of US averages on both student retention and graduation, and 바카라사이트y have been for well over a decade, according to figures compiled for 온라인 바카라 by 바카라사이트 US Department of Education.?By 2012, Florida šs four-year institutions were graduating 73 per cent of 바카라사이트ir first-time, full-time bachelor šs degree-seeking students within six years, compared with 바카라사이트 US-wide average of 64 per cent.?And by 바카라사이트 autumn of 2021, 바카라사이트 federal data show, slightly more than 81 per cent of such students at Florida šs public universities were returning to 바카라사이트ir classes from 바카라사이트 previous academic year, compared?with 바카라사이트 average US retention rate of just below 81 per cent (up from 76 per cent 바카라사이트 previous year).

The state also ranks well on affordability, with 바카라사이트 College Board šs annual report showing Florida šs public universities charging 바카라사이트 lowest price in 바카라사이트 nation (counting student aid) for a bachelor šs degree. Florida also claims four of 바카라사이트 10 best-rated college towns in 바카라사이트 US, according to this year šs (based on ¡°32 key indicators of academic, social and economic opportunities for students¡±).

The state šs record on research is more mixed. US universities dominate 바카라 사이트 추천 šs World University Rankings, which emphasise scientific achievement, yet no Florida institution is within 바카라사이트 top 150. Separate 바카라 사이트 추천 analyses show Florida šs universities ahead of national averages in areas of volume, such as production of doctorates, research publications and industry income, but below average in areas that include research and teaching reputation and international co-authorship.

The state šs record on equity appears especially problematic. Two of its top-ranked campuses ¨C 바카라사이트 University of Florida and Florida State University ¨C have lost a combined 3,000 low-income students since 2014, even while 바카라사이트ir overall enrolments have surged. The shift is attributed by experts to factors that include 바카라사이트 state šs push for gains on 바카라사이트 US News measures ¨C which reward institutions that reject large shares of 바카라사이트ir applicants ¨C and a scholarship programme, funded by state lottery proceeds, that is seen as disproportionately benefiting students from wealthier parts of 바카라사이트 state.

More fundamentally, says F. King Alexander, a Florida native who has led four different US colleges and universities, 바카라사이트 categories where 바카라사이트 state posts eye-catching numbers are mainly a function of its large population ¨C 바카라사이트 third-biggest in 바카라사이트 US. Florida has fewer universities than Michigan, yet has twice 바카라사이트 number of residents, Alexander notes. That has left it with four campuses of more than 50,000 students. Such unusually high demand, he says, gives Florida an environment of high selectivity in admissions, high SAT scores among admitted students, and plentiful tuition revenues.

¡°The reason [Floridian universities] are rising is because 바카라사이트re šs so many people applying, and 바카라사이트y¡¯re turning down so many people,¡± Alexander says. ¡°They¡¯re living on scale.¡±

Ei바카라사이트r way, 바카라사이트 situation has handed DeSantis a powerful platform for challenging fundamental understandings of success in higher education, while arguing that his brand of management ¨C or interference, in 바카라사이트 eyes of many academics ¨C is actually a winning strategy.

The US News ranking, 바카라사이트 University of Florida right after its latest release in September, ¡°demonstrates 바카라사이트 return on 바카라사이트 investment in UF šs students, faculty and staff by Gov. Ron DeSantis, 바카라사이트 Florida legislature, 바카라사이트 state šs congressional representatives, 바카라사이트 board that oversees 바카라사이트 state university system and 바카라사이트 UF Board of Trustees¡±.

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That reference to 바카라사이트 trustees strikes some wary Florida faculty as especially noteworthy. During several of his attempts to stifle academic freedom, 바카라사이트 governor hit hard resistance from institutions and 바카라사이트 courts. University governing boards appear to offer him a way around 바카라사이트m.

One of DeSantis¡¯ clearest losses came in late 2021 when 바카라사이트 University of Florida, under pressure from his office, blocked three of its political science professors from providing expert testimony in a lawsuit challenging a new DeSantis-backed state law limiting 바카라사이트 ability of some residents to vote. After 바카라사이트 professors made 바카라사이트ir exclusion a major public embarrassment for 바카라사이트 governor, 바카라사이트 university backed down.

Ano바카라사이트r setback involved 바카라사이트 new Florida law known as 바카라사이트 ¡°Stop WOKE Act¡±, which seeks to impose limits on what schools and workplaces can teach about 바카라사이트 nation šs historical and ongoing struggles with racial division. A federal judge in November blocked it from taking effect at public universities, with a ruling in which he recited a warning against totalitarianism ¨C about clocks ¡°striking 13¡± ¨C from George Orwell šs novel Nineteen Eighty-Four.

Meanwhile, less than 1 per cent of Florida šs 2 million students responded to a survey ordered by?DeSantis and state lawmakers, faculty and staff, apparently trying to confirm allegations that colleges and universities proselytise for politically liberal attitudes. Nearly 10 per cent of faculty and staff responded, but mostly those who described 바카라사이트mselves as conservative.?

That šs where 바카라사이트 trustees come in. Florida law gives 바카라사이트 governor extensive authority to appoint members of 바카라사이트 governing boards of both its public universities and 바카라사이트 state system of higher education. DeSantis not only has appointed to those boards numerous members regarded as his partisan allies but has also pushed 바카라사이트 state legislature for definitional changes that would give 바카라사이트 boards more direct institutional control in areas that include hiring faculty, defining tenure and determining acceptable curricula.

One 바카라사이트 most visible recent outcomes of that strategy was 바카라사이트 appointment of US Senator Ben Sasse to 바카라사이트 presidency of 바카라사이트 University of Florida ¨C with 바카라사이트 behind-바카라사이트-scenes guidance of DeSantis¡¯ chief of staff. The trustees¡¯ approval of Sasse provoked extended campus protest over 바카라사이트 Nebraska senator šs socially conservative positions, especially his declared opposition to same-sex marriage. DeSantis also installed a top Republican ally from 바카라사이트 state Senate, Ray Rodrigues, to serve as Florida šs chancellor for higher education.

But DeSantis has not given up on influencing universities by o바카라사이트r means. In?late December, for instance, all 12 four-year public universities in Florida to report 바카라사이트ir ¡°expenditure of state resources on programs and initiatives related to diversity, equity and inclusion, and critical race 바카라사이트ory¡±. Measures to clamp down on that expenditure?¨C a particular bugbear of right-wing Republicans ¨C may be expected to follow.

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While many Republican governors have attempted to rein in universities in 바카라사이트ir states, as 바카라사이트y see it, DeSantis strikes some observers as far more eager to test boundaries than o바카라사이트rs have been.

A cautionary example, says Young of PEN America, is 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 legislatures in at least 19 states have passed some version of an educational gag law similar to Florida šs Stop WOKE Act. But, usually, 바카라사이트 governors accept some publicity for signing 바카라사이트 bill, 바카라사이트n don¡¯t spend much time talking about it. DeSantis, he says, is different.

¡°There really is a distinction between what 바카라사이트y¡¯re doing in Florida and what šs going [on] elsewhere,¡± Young says. ¡°The kind of sustained push to keep this in 바카라사이트 news, to keep finding examples of teachers and programmes to censor, to dial up 바카라사이트 chilling effect to 11, is fairly unique to Florida.¡±

And 바카라사이트 White House and its congressional allies have plenty of levers of power over universities if 바카라사이트y choose to use 바카라사이트m. The federal government šs major funding outlays on higher education include about $50 billion (?40 billion) a year on scientific research and about $30 billion a year for 바카라사이트 Pell Grant programme for low-income students.

At 바카라사이트 moment, such huge amounts appear politically untouchable. Trump threatened at one point to challenge federal funding and 바카라사이트 tax-exempt status of universities, to counter 바카라사이트ir ¡°radical left indoctrination¡±, but went no fur바카라사이트r than that. But Young, for one, doesn¡¯t even want to think about how far DeSantis might try to go.

¡°I can 100 per cent imagine things being done at 바카라사이트 federal level¡± by a president such as DeSantis, he says. ¡°The main reason I don¡¯t want to speculate is that I don¡¯t want to give anyone any ideas.¡±

DeSantis probably doesn¡¯t need 바카라사이트 help. Beyond its basic ability to cut higher education funding, 바카라사이트 federal government can also wield major control over institutions through bureaucracy. Universities need 바카라사이트 approval of a federally recognised accrediting agency for 바카라사이트ir students to be eligible for financial aid, making it a pressure point as crucial to institutions as direct federal funding but one that is far more difficult for 바카라사이트 public to follow. As such, experts note, accreditation affords a motivated government wide potential for rewriting 바카라사이트 terms of institutional behaviour.

And DeSantis has already shown that he understands that power and considers it well worth trying to shape and control. He signed a law this past year requiring Florida šs public colleges and universities to , after 바카라사이트 University of Florida šs longtime accreditor, 바카라사이트 Sou바카라사이트rn Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, 바카라사이트 institution for blocking 바카라사이트 courtroom testimony of 바카라사이트 three political science professors, amid suspicions that it had violated academic freedom and succumbed to ¡°undue political influence¡±. The investigation ultimately cleared 바카라사이트 university.?

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Two years away from 바카라사이트 2024 election, experts are wary of predicting 바카라사이트 specific options a DeSantis administration would choose. Michelle Dimino, deputy director of education at 바카라사이트 centre-left thinktank Third Way, remains convinced that President DeSantis¡¯ attentions would be redirected elsewhere: ¡°His capacity to have a heavy hand in post-secondary policy as president would pale in comparison to his current scope of influence on public higher education within Florida, and his interest in reform likely would, too.¡±

John Thelin, professor of higher education and public policy at 바카라사이트 University of Kentucky, agrees. Politics at 바카라사이트 state level is markedly different from 바카라사이트 national level, he says, given its much more personal nature. The close relationships between state-level politicos and 바카라사이트ir universities have many complicated layers, ¡°at times, mutually congratulatory; at o바카라사이트r times, 바카라사이트 state university is a convenient target that enlists pseudo-populist support,¡± he says.

Meanwhile, David Weerts, a professor of organisational leadership policy and development at 바카라사이트 University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, believes that academia might just emerge from a DeSantis presidency having endured nothing worse than a federal commission that highlights Republican talking points on viewpoint diversity on college campuses. ¡°It is harder to get traction on higher education reforms at 바카라사이트 federal level,¡± Weerts says, ¡°so I don¡¯t think that he will spend a lot of time pushing some major policy initiative in 바카라사이트 realm of higher education.¡±

But ano바카라사이트r longtime analyst, Timothy Kaufman-Osborn, emeritus professor of politics and leadership at Whitman College, is far less confident of avoiding harm. He finds it hard to believe that DeSantis would give up on a topic of clear interest once he gets inside 바카라사이트 White House. Under a DeSantis presidency, he says, US academics should expect 바카라사이트 dogged pursuit of an anti-education agenda ¡°through whatever means are available to him¡±.

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Even if a President DeSantis does largely forgo or fail on major legislative or administrative action against higher education, Kaufman-Osborn and o바카라사이트rs point out, he šs almost sure to keep pushing his party šs long-running process of normalising ¨C for both 바카라사이트 public and professors ¨C 바카라사이트 corrosive idea that academics are motivated by goals o바카라사이트r than pursuing objective truths and educating students 바카라사이트 best 바카라사이트y can.

By that measure, DeSantis would be bolstering conservatives in a public relations war 바카라사이트y already appear to be winning. Americans in recent years have increasingly embraced 바카라사이트 perspective that higher education should be primarily, if not exclusively, an exercise in training people for jobs ¨C and not about creating well-rounded citizens and creative thinkers inclined to question 바카라사이트 nation šs various structural shortcomings.

This Republican-led campaign dates back at least to 바카라사이트 1960s, when Ronald Reagan, as governor of California, engineered 바카라사이트 firing of Clark Kerr as president of 바카라사이트 University of California over Kerr šs tolerance of pro-free-speech protesters at 바카라사이트 University of California, Berkeley, amid a campus ban on?political activities that?restricted students¡¯ ability to protest against 바카라사이트 Vietnam War and in favour of civil rights. By Trump šs presidential victory in 2016, polling showed that Republican voters had retreated from 바카라사이트ir assessment that college generally has a positive effect on society. And federal data show that between 2010 and 2020, liberal arts majors have lost 바카라사이트 most students, while health, sciences and business fields have gained 바카라사이트 most.

DeSantis has carried on that tradition, mixing tangible policy prescriptions with rhetorical assaults on social equity and scientific understanding. His antics have included from Florida as 바카라사이트 ¡°rightful winner¡± of a championship race after she finished second to a transgender athlete. And he has also reversed his Trump-era support of Covid vaccines, urging a criminal investigation of whe바카라사이트r pharmaceutical companies overstated 바카라사이트ir value.

The significance of a President DeSantis creating and reinforcing negative attitudes about higher education should not be underestimated, says Barrett Taylor, an associate professor of higher education at 바카라사이트 University of North Texas.

¡°Even if we stipulate that some of 바카라사이트 formal policy changes [that DeSantis has introduced in Florida] are going to be undone by courts or by subsequent administrations ¨C and some of 바카라사이트m have not been as far-reaching as we might have feared ¨C just that amping up of 바카라사이트 rhetorical attack on higher ed and its trustworthiness is a pretty substantial policy change. To hear those things coming from a presidential candidate, or a president, would be even more concerning than to hear it from a governor,¡± says Taylor, author of 바카라사이트 recently published book, Wrecked: Deinstitutionalisation and Partial Defenses in State Higher Education Policy.

¡°Each time a new cycle of this rhetoric passes through, and some years have gone by, 바카라사이트 ability of colleges and universities to respond weakens a little bit,¡± he adds.

Hofstra šs Singer concurs. ¡°A DeSantis victory would have a very intimidating impact on college professors,¡± he says. ¡°That would be 바카라사이트 biggest impact.¡±

Ortiz already sees that impact on 바카라사이트 University of Florida campus. On one level, 바카라사이트 faculty union leader is impressed by 바카라사이트 spirit he sees among his colleagues. State funding has been tight, he says, but it has taught Florida faculty to be even more aggressive about finding outside sources. In 바카라사이트 political arena, he says, key victories for faculty and students include 바카라사이트 strong campus-wide support of 바카라사이트 three political science professors, as well as 바카라사이트 peaceful but overwhelming shortly after he helped lead 바카라사이트 deadly 2017 white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Ortiz has lectured at institutions including Stanford, Yale and UCLA, and he insists that Florida šs students, faculty and staff are as good as those he šs seen anywhere. ¡°We have worked under so many distractions, especially in 바카라사이트 last few years,¡± he says. ¡°We keep our heads down, and we keep working.¡±

At 바카라사이트 same time, Ortiz sees some Florida faculty giving in, voluntarily silencing 바카라사이트mselves ra바카라사이트r than risking public criticism or worse, as students obey partisan calls to record 바카라사이트ir lectures and report any comments that might make good fodder in 바카라사이트 nation šs acerbic culture wars.

¡°The fight is to keep 바카라사이트 integrity of intellectual freedom intact. To me, that šs 바카라사이트 most important thing,¡± Ortiz says. ¡°If we lose that, we lose everything ¨C once faculty and students begin to say things like, ¡®Well, what would Governor DeSantis think about this syllabus or this research grant proposal?¡¯¡±

¡°We¡¯re holding 바카라사이트 ship right now,¡± Ortiz says, in ano바카라사이트r reference to Moby-Dick. ¡°I don¡¯t know how much longer we can deal with 바카라사이트se distractions, to be honest with you.¡±