Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, on Tuesday, issued a stark warning to the University of West Florida (UWF) during a fiery press conference, declaring the state’s “most conservative” region would no longer tolerate what he called “liberal indoctrination” on campus.
“University of West Florida, buckle up. You’re going to see a lot of changes there for the better,” DeSantis said at Pensacola State College, criticizing UWF’s gender studies program as an example of “gender ideologies” out of step with Northwest Florida’s values.
The remarks marked his first public appearance in Pensacola since his controversial January appointment of professor Scott Yenor to UWF’s Board of Trustees—a move that collapsed months later amid bipartisan opposition.
Yenor, a Boise State University professor known for opposing diversity initiatives and feminism, resigned in April after facing fierce resistance from Florida Senate Republicans and a groundswell of local backlash. Community leaders rallied behind UWF during a “Save UWF Day” in March, drawing hundreds of residents and bipartisan resolutions of support from the Pensacola City Council and Escambia County Commission.
But DeSantis, undeterred, doubled down on his push to reshape state universities, accusing UWF and others of embracing “ideological leftist fads.” “They are going to go very hard left. We can’t have that in Florida,” he said, vowing reforms would ensure campuses reflect the state’s “values.”
The governor also took aim at House GOP lawmakers, lambasting probes into his “Hope Florida” anti-poverty initiative and bills he claims threaten his education agenda. Critics, however, argue his focus on culture-war issues distracts from pressing challenges, including Florida’s soaring higher education costs and professor recruitment struggles.
UWF has not publicly responded to DeSantis’ latest remarks. Meanwhile, faculty and students brace for renewed political battles. “This isn’t about ideology—it’s about protecting academic freedom,” said Escambia County Commissioner Lumon May, a Democrat who joined Republicans in defending UWF’s autonomy during the Yenor controversy.
DeSantis’ pledge to “up-end” higher education administration follows a national conservative playbook targeting diversity programs and humanities curricula. Yet his setbacks in Pensacola—a GOP stronghold—signal potential headwinds as he tests the limits of his influence.