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BOG Comment Card

May 26, 2020May 26, 20200

By UFF-FAUIn News

PACK THE BOG: May 28thNot the Same University

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March 25, 2024
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[UFF-FAU Preface: The well-funded and well-organized conservative groups constantly working to transform U.S. higher education to conform to their political ideology continue to try to make Florida an example. They are moving quickly against tiny New College in Sarasota, but are moving more slowly and carefully against the University of Florida and other large research universities. In addition to a national reputation to defend, UF has a large and influential alumni association, and the conservative groups are trying to avoid confrontations and bad publicity. Once again, your union, the United Faculty of Florida, is the only defense against political interference, budget cuts and other hostile actions toward our public colleges and universities. To build our collective power, join today!] The Chronicle of Higher EdEmma PettitMarch 22, 2024 The University of Florida is investigating whether a half-dozen professors in itsCollege of Liberal Arts and Sciences “interfered” with a Western-civilization center’sability to establish its curriculum “or otherwise fulfill its mission,” according to aninternal email obtained by The Chronicle. At least one department chair was alsoasked by the dean’s office to sign a letter affirming that his department believes thecenter’s curriculum “will provide a unique opportunity for students … and willcomplement our department’s offerings nicely.” The Hamilton Center for Classical and Civic Education, which focuses on teachingstudents the Western canon and fostering civil discourse, has been a focus of tensionon campus since it was approved by Florida’s Republican-controlled Legislature, in 202 A little-known organization called the Council on Public University Reformhired a lobbyist to advocate for the center’s formation, The Chronicle reported lastyear. Some faculty members have expressed concerns about the center, pointing to itssupposed rightward tilt and its potential replication of existing departments. John F.Stinneford, the center’s inaugural director, previously told The Chronicle that thecenter is nonpartisan and that it would build upon “existing strengths” at theuniversity. Ben Sasse, the university’s president and a former Republican U.S. senator,also vouched for the center as “an important part of the UF community.” Yet it appears that the university’s administration doesn’t believe the center isreceiving a proper welcome. Earlier this month, the chairs and graduate coordinatorsfor the anthropology, English, and history departments received notices of a“Management Directed Investigation,” according to Churchill Roberts, a professor inthe College of Journalism and Communications who leads the faculty union’sgrievance committee. Roberts shared three of those notices with The Chronicle, eachof which says the investigation was initiated by David E. Richardson, dean of liberalarts and sciences. (Richardson did not respond to a Friday-afternoon email requestingcomment. The notices do not contain much detail or point to conflicts with the Hamilton Centeras the reason for the investigation. But Brook Mercier, the university’s assistant vicepresident for human resources, said as much in a March 10 email to the president ofthe faculty union, which was shared with The Chronicle. According to Mercier,Richardson was concerned “that the action or inaction of individuals may havedisrupted or interfered with the academic freedom of students to affiliate with theHamilton Center, or may have interfered with the Hamilton Center’s ability toestablish or have curriculum approved or otherwise fulfill its mission.” The investigation notice is “a scary thing for a faculty member to receive,” Robertssaid. Soon after the notices were issued, the faculty union, United Faculty of Florida atUF, sent a cease-and-desist letter, arguing that the investigation violated the union’scollective-bargaining agreement and university regulations. Of the six professorsinvolved, only one — Sid Dobrin, chair of the English department — has met with ahuman-resources investigator so far, according to Roberts, who sat in on that meeting. Roberts said the investigator was interested in, among other things, whether facultymembers were “bad-mouthing the Hamilton Center and discouraging students fromtaking courses, and Sid said not to his knowledge.” Reached by email, Dobrin declined to comment. The other five professors underinvestigation either declined to comment or did not respond to The Chronicle. SteveOrlando, a university spokesperson, said that the institution does not comment onpersonnel matters. Pledges to CooperateAround the time he was notified of the investigation, Dobrin was also asked to sign aletter affirming the English department’s support for the Hamilton Center, includingits plans to offer two majors: Great Books and Ideas; and Philosophy, Politics,Economics, and Law. The letter, which Roberts shared with The Chronicle, is addressed to Richardson. Atthe top, it includes the instructions to “PUT ON UNIT LETTERHEAD” before sendingback and a spot for the recipient to fill in the name of the department. It says: “Webelieve that the Hamilton Center curriculum will provide a unique opportunity forstudents interested in these areas and will complement our department’s offeringsnicely. We have no objection to the implementation of these courses and degrees. Wewould also be open to discussing the possibility of shared or cross-listed courses in thefuture.” “Additionally,” the letter continues, “given the expertise of the Hamilton Centerfaculty, my colleagues and I believe that there may be instances in which our graduatestudents would benefit from their participation” on graduate-degree committees. “Inthese cases, we would fully support Hamilton Center faculty serving on suchcommittees in our department. We would welcome these opportunities and would beopen to possibilities for this and future collaborations.” The letter says the chair may “add or modify as is appropriate to your unit — but themessage of supporting/not objecting should be clear.” It’s not clear how many department chairs were asked to pledge to cooperate with theHamilton Center. Orlando, the university spokesperson, said in an email that “as thisinitiative was led by Dean Richardson and not the provost or president, we don’t haveinformation as to how many department chairs received the letter.” In Dobrin’s response letter, which Roberts shared with The Chronicle, the Englishchair wrote, in part, that while he had not discussed the proposed majors with allfaculty members in his department, he does not “object to their being submitted forapproval via standard UF procedures and regulations” and that the department “will,of course, accept the results of that process.” William Inboden, director of the Hamilton Center, told The Chronicle in an email thatwhile “it is not my place to comment News
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