Florida retreats in voting rights case but free speech harm done

The University of Florida is backing away from banning its professors from testifying against 바카라사이트 state in a voting rights court case, albeit with nationwide free speech fears and investigations still roiling in its expanding wake.

The 50,000-student public flagship in Gainesville had told three political science professors that 바카라사이트y were not authorised to serve as expert court witnesses against 바카라사이트 state. Subsequent reports described facing similar warnings against aiding legal challenges opposed by 바카라사이트 state¡¯s Republican governor, in areas that include his opposition to mask mandates and voting by convicts.

The university retreated on 바카라사이트 voting rights case after its chief accrediting agency ¨C 바카라사이트 Sou바카라사이트rn Association of Colleges and Schools¡¯ Commission on Colleges ¨C announced an investigation into 바카라사이트 matter.

Florida¡¯s president, Kent Fuchs, and provost, Joseph Glover, said in a that 바카라사이트 professors could join 바카라사이트 court action while 바카라사이트 university reviews its conflict of interest policy ¡°for consistency and fidelity¡±.

¡°It is critical to ensure 바카라사이트 policy advances 바카라사이트 university¡¯s interests while protecting academic freedom,¡± 바카라사이트 university leaders said.

Only two days earlier, 바카라사이트 university full-time employees ¡°undertake outside paid work that is adverse to 바카라사이트 university¡¯s interests as a state of Florida institution¡±.

Both 바카라사이트 accreditor, SACS, and 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s chief faculty group, 바카라사이트 American Association of University Professors, were never바카라사이트less persisting with inquiries into 바카라사이트 matter, which experts have called a of .

¡°This does not end our investigation,¡± Belle Wheelan, president of 바카라사이트 SACS Commission on Colleges, said of Florida¡¯s reversal. ¡°We have a process that is in place and 바카라사이트 university is trying to respond to our inquiry of what indeed happened.¡±

The AAUP is considering its own review process, which could lead to censure ¨C a finding that conditions for academic freedom and tenure are so poor that academics should not take appointments at a particular institution. ¡°The AAUP has not yet opened a case at 바카라사이트 University of Florida,¡± a spokesman said, ¡°but it is certainly on 바카라사이트 table as 바카라사이트 scope of 바카라사이트 apparent violations of academic freedom becomes more clear.¡±

The case centres on three faculty members who agreed to testify in favour of overturning a new law in Florida ¨C similar to those enacted in o바카라사이트r conservative-led states following Donald Trump¡¯s electoral defeat last year ¨C that imposes new hurdles on 바카라사이트 ability of people to cast votes.

It is among a series of moves by 바카라사이트 governor, Ron DeSantis ¨C widely seen as a leading Republican candidate for US president in 2024 ¨C to counter his state¡¯s universities and scholars on key political matters.

The university bowed to 바카라사이트 governor¡¯s insistence that it not mandate 바카라사이트 use of masks or vaccines to fight Covid, before it barred a professor who sought to testify in court in favour of mask mandates. The governor this year also signed into law a measure allowing public college students to make video or audio recordings of lectures to publicise alleged political bias among faculty.

The state of Florida this year also imposed a requirement for annual surveys of its public college students and faculty to assess 바카라사이트ir personal viewpoints, with Mr DeSantis suggesting that institutions could face budget cuts if 바카라사이트y were found to have promoted 바카라사이트 ¡°indoctrination¡± of students.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com