After only a few years, the Florida legislature is on track to reverse course on a policy that allowed the hiring process for university presidents to happen behind closed doors.
Several parts of the bill would also weaken the control the state’s governor has over public colleges and universities.
Since Florida lawmakers made the process private in 2023, Republican politicians with limited university administration experience have been selected to lead the University of Florida, Florida International University and the New College of Florida. And concerns about political intervention stalled the hiring process at Florida Atlantic University before another former Republican lawmaker was hired there earlier this year.
Escambia Republican Representative Michelle Salzman said during her bill’s committee stop Tuesday that how the state’s university system implemented the public records exemption went beyond what the legislature intended and should be reversed.
“One of the biggest decisions made was made in the shade a part of one of the biggest parts of Florida's budget. So, this bill is taking it out of the shade and putting it back into the sunshine so Floridians no longer question or don't understand how the university searches are made or how presidents are selected,” she said.
The bill doesn’t just make the university presidential search public again. It gives control of the process to each individual institution’s board of trustees instead of the State University System Board of Governors, whose members are mostly appointed by the state Governor.
It also prohibits the Governor or any executive branch employees from discussing a presidential vacancy or supporting a candidate for the job.
Salzman’s proposal has support from groups that are often critical of the legislature. AFL-CIO Policy Director Rich Templin said he thinks the bill will return independence back to universities.
“So much of the process was self-governance of faculty and input from all of the different stakeholders, the students, the community, the business leaders. And that was taken away a few years ago. And we want to thank Rep. Salzman for putting them back,” he said.
Other elements of the bill also institute term limits on members of the Board of Governors, and university and college boards of trustees. It also makes those serving on the boards either live in Florida or be a graduate of a Florida college or University. The members will also be required to file financial disclosure forms. Those rules would impact several current members of those boards that were appointed by DeSantis.
So far, the proposal has been advancing in both chambers, with the Senate proposal scheduled for its second hearing later this week. After Tuesday’s hearing, the House version is ready to be heard by the full chamber.