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Despite Gov. Ron DeSantis’ interfering and heavy handiness on what can be taught, his “culture wars”, and university boards, Florida’s higher education system remained No. 1 in the nation according to the latest survey by U.S. News & World Report.
The system has held on to the top ranking since the inception of the rankings in 2017.
Florida got high marks for its low cost and college graduation rate.
The most recent ratings relied on data from last year, and didn’t take into account DeSantis’ most recent authoritarian attacks on higher education billed as “reforms” that placed new restrictions on faculty’s research, teaching, employment, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Earlier this year DeSantis forced an ideological overhaul of New College of Florida, once a top rated public liberal arts college, by replacing six board of trustee members in one fell swoop who at their first meeting forced out the college’s president and replaced her with a conservative DeSantis ally.
This was followed by DeSantis replacing the longtime chancellor of the State University System and replacing him with a political crony.
Best professors are leaving or avoiding FL
Meanwhile, campuses at Florida public universities are experiencing an exodus of faculty members, while out-of-state professors searching for new jobs are saying “no thanks” to working in the Sunshine State under the rule of DeSantis.
“Instead of 150 people applying for a faculty position (in Florida), it’s now maybe 20 to 30,” said Andrew Gothard, president of the United Faculty of Florida said. “The best scholars and researchers are no longer interested in Florida. We are at a tipping point.”
Just last week all three finalist for president of South Florida State College withdrew their names from the search citing the state's political influence.