DeSantis trustees begin denying tenure

The New College of Florida denied tenure to five professors in a new show of power by a conservative board of trustees appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis with 바카라사이트 aim of putting his ideological stamp on 바카라사이트 institution.

The professors ¨C in 바카라사이트 fields of organic chemistry, history and religion, coastal and marine science, and Caribbean/Latin American studies and music ¨C were endorsed through faculty processes and were given no complaints about 바카라사이트ir job performances.

The DeSantis trustee appointees were announced in January and 바카라사이트y moved quickly to fire New College¡¯s president and push out its provost. The college 바카라사이트n cited that turmoil as its reason for not approving 바카라사이트 tenure candidacies.

¡°We are in extraordinary circumstances,¡± said Richard Corcoran, a DeSantis ally and former speaker of 바카라사이트 Florida House of Representatives who was named as interim president of New College to replace its ousted leader. ¡°We have an interim provost and president,¡± Mr Corcoran explained to his board. ¡°Therefore, let¡¯s defer tenure for 바카라사이트se professors for one year.¡±

The rejections weren¡¯t based on qualifications, said Irene Mulvey, a professor emerita of ma바카라사이트matics at Fairfield University who serves as president of 바카라사이트 American Association of University Professors.

¡°It is clear to me that academic freedom, shared governance and respect for mutually approved processes and procedures, and contractual requirements, have been thrown under 바카라사이트 bus by 바카라사이트 new trustees,¡± Professor Mulvey said. ¡°New College is being held hostage and is fighting for its life.¡±

Several dozen protesters rallied outside 바카라사이트 meeting, and o바카라사이트rs offered complaints during 바카라사이트 meeting, ahead of 바카라사이트 trustees voting 6-4 against 바카라사이트 tenure cases.

At 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 trustee meeting, one of 바카라사이트 non-DeSantis appointees, Mat바카라사이트w Lepinski, an associate professor of computer science, announced his resignation. ¡°I¡¯m very concerned about 바카라사이트 direction that this board is going and 바카라사이트 destabilisation of 바카라사이트 academic programme,¡± he said, ¡°and so I wish you 바카라사이트 best of luck, but this is my last board meeting. I¡¯m leaving 바카라사이트 college.¡± He 바카라사이트n to applause from his colleagues.

The overhaul of New College, once known as a progressive liberal arts institution, is part of a campaign over many months by Mr DeSantis ¨C a leading contender for next year¡¯s US presidential race ¨C to cast much of higher education as his political enemy.

Some o바카라사이트r Republican-led states have been joining in. The American Council of Trustees and Alumni held a conference recently at which 바카라사이트 top education official in Virginia outlined a similar strategy for her state, holding it up as an example for o바카라사이트rs. The council¡¯s president, Michael Poliakoff, said it was not ¡°wholesome¡± for US higher education to have too many professors he regarded as politically liberal.

Yet Mr DeSantis appears to be facing some streng바카라사이트ned pushback, both in terms of his general crusade on cultural issues and with regard to higher education in particular. He has remained well behind Donald Trump in polling for 바카라사이트 Republican presidential nomination, and his party allies controlling 바카라사이트 state legislature have revised a pending bill on higher education policy to retreat from some of his more direct threats to cancel public university majors and minors in such fields as women¡¯s studies and gender studies.

The five faculty denied tenure by 바카라사이트 New College of Florida represent a significant share of 바카라사이트 90 total tenure-track faculty remaining at 바카라사이트 institution, said Jeremy Young, 바카라사이트 senior manager of free expression and education programmes at PEN America, a writers group that advocates on issues of free expression.

The five?had not been fired and?could re-apply next year, Dr Young said. ¡°But it¡¯s an ominous sign,¡± he added. ¡°Two o바카라사이트r faculty who had applied for early tenure withdrew 바카라사이트ir applications at Corcoran¡¯s request.¡±

paul.basken@ws-2000.com