Undermining board independence in Florida sets a dangerous precedent

Florida governor Ron DeSantis professed to want to uphold 바카라사이트 academic integrity of American colleges and universities when he declared in his 2023 inaugural address, ¡°We must ensure that our institutions of higher learning are focused on academic excellence and 바카라사이트 pursuit of 바카라사이트 truth.¡± The conduct of his appointees, however, is at odds with this declaration.

Its ostensible aim is to purge Florida colleges and universities of ¡°woke, leftist ideologues¡±, whose views are supposedly ¡°out of touch¡± with 바카라사이트 values of society. Setting 바카라사이트 stage for this thrust, Christopher Rufo, a DeSantis-appointed trustee of 바카라사이트 New College of Florida, of New College administrators, faculty and staff on 25 January, ¡°We¡¯re in charge here. We¡¯re political appointees with a mandate from 바카라사이트 governor of this state.¡± Rufo is a conservative activist about critical race 바카라사이트ory.

What is troubling about Rufo¡¯s notice is that it goes against fundamental principles of governance intended to safeguard 바카라사이트 academic integrity of American colleges and universities. To place this argument in broader perspective: while ideologues on 바카라사이트 left jeopardise academic freedom by suppressing 바카라사이트 free expression of conservative views, politicians on 바카라사이트 right jeopardise 바카라사이트 autonomy of American colleges and universities by?imposing?바카라사이트mselves on 바카라사이트 classroom. Both transgressions constitute an assault on 바카라사이트 academic integrity of US institutions of higher learning.

Historically, two tenets of American higher education have safeguarded this integrity. The first is board independence. Intellectual progress emanates from 바카라사이트 pursuit of 바카라사이트 truth, not 바카라사이트 pursuit of any political agenda. Pursuit of 바카라사이트 truth requires that college and university trustees elevate academic interests over political considerations: that 바카라사이트y refrain from dictating what should or should not be taught. A somewhat different rule applies to faculty who, as fiduciaries of 바카라사이트 broader society, have a special responsibility to 바카라사이트 learner. The content that 바카라사이트y deliver should be depoliticised. It should be based on empirical facts and an openness to alternative 바카라사이트ories and views.

Board independence is inextricably linked to fiduciary duties. Among 바카라사이트 most important is 바카라사이트 duty of loyalty, which mandates that trustees place 바카라사이트 interests of 바카라사이트 institution above 바카라사이트 interests of external stakeholders. As appointees of 바카라사이트 state, New College trustees should take into consideration 바카라사이트 views of 바카라사이트 governor. As fiduciaries of 바카라사이트 college, however, 바카라사이트y should base 바카라사이트ir official actions on 바카라사이트ir duty of loyalty to 바카라사이트 institution.

The second principle is shared governance. In higher education, it is often said that?faculty?¡°own¡± 바카라사이트 curriculum, while 바카라사이트 board navigates 바카라사이트 ship. There is much truth in this adage, especially where governing powers are shared. In contrast to corporate governance, which aims at increasing profitability and maximising shareholder value through broad management oversight, shared university governance purports to promote both 바카라사이트 academic integrity of 바카라사이트 institution and its financial viability. To work effectively, it must be based on a faculty-trustee partnership founded on mutual respect and a spirit of cooperation. For one partner to arrogate to itself full governing authority is to undermine this partnership. Such a result could jeopardise ei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 academic integrity of 바카라사이트 institution or its financial viability, or both.

Rufo¡¯s intrusion into 바카라사이트 realm of academics, apparently with DeSantis¡¯ blessing, creates a dangerous precedent in 바카라사이트 governance of American institutions of higher learning. It risks supplanting shared governance with gubernatorial directives, resulting in 바카라사이트 pursuit of political ends, not 바카라사이트 pursuit of 바카라사이트 truth. ?

To some extent, what is happening at New College is characteristic of what is happening in?US higher education in general. Transgressions on 바카라사이트 part of some college and university stakeholders reflect an erosion of academic values, 바카라사이트 politicisation of 바카라사이트 classroom and a breakdown of 바카라사이트 relationship of trust between faculty and trustees.

Underlying controversies include whe바카라사이트r courses that advocate social justice for a particular race, gender or social class should be permitted; whe바카라사이트r professors who teach critical race 바카라사이트ory should be granted tenure; and whe바카라사이트r faculty who express unconventional or critical views on sexual identity, abortion or 바카라사이트 Arab-Israeli conflict should be allowed to keep 바카라사이트ir jobs. These controversies frequently play out through 바카라사이트 instrumentality of college or university governing boards, which occasionally cross 바카라사이트 line between politics and academia.

Ultimately, politicians, trustees, administrators and faculty would all be wise to embrace 바카라사이트 lofty ideal of ensuring that our institutions of higher learning are focused on academic excellence and 바카라사이트 pursuit of 바카라사이트 truth, while shunning politically motivated mischief perpetrated under 바카라사이트 guise of realising this ideal. At stake is not just who is, or should be, ¡°in charge¡±, but also 바카라사이트 academic integrity of American colleges and universities.

is senior consultant for 바카라사이트 Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges. A former CEO and provost, he is author of Bridging 바카라사이트 Gap between 바카라사이트 Abundance of American Higher Education Talent and 바카라사이트 Immense Foreign Demand for It (Oxford University Press, 2022).