Congressional panel begins investigation of possible violations of free speech at UF
A House subcommittee launched an investigation Thursday into whether the University of Florida is violating professors’ First Amendment rights and their academic freedom, sending a letter demanding records related to the university’s conflicts-of-interest policy.
In the 10-page letter dated Nov. 18 and addressed to UF President Kent Fuchs, two Democrats — South Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin — expressed “deep concern” that UF is “censoring its faculty based on viewpoint.” Raskin is chair of the U.S. House Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, which will direct the inquiry.
“We are also concerned that, possibly due to pressure from trustees, politicians, or others, UF has adopted and enforced a conflicts policy that undermines the academic and free speech values that are essential to American higher education,” the letter reads.
NAMES OF THOSE WHO CREATED UF CONFLICTS POLICY
The subcommittee is requesting that UF identify all individuals who were involved in developing its conflict-of-interest policy, and to identify the names and titles of every professor whom UF has barred from engaging in outside activities under the conflicts-ofinterest policy.
It also is seeking all documents, including minutes of meetings and emails, from Fuchs, Provost Joe Glover, other administrators and the board of trustees regarding the creation of the new policy.
In July 2020, UF amended its conflicts-of-interest policy to “require all employees to seek approval from the university before engaging in outside activities,” according to the letter. Before that date, professors needed only to notify UF of outside activities and financial interests.
UF spokeswoman Hessy Fernandez said Thursday the university is working to fulfill the subcommittee’s request.
“We have received the letter and have acknowledged receipt to the committee,” she wrote in an email. “We are working to respond within the guidelines we received.”
The congressional investigation, along with an investigation by UF’s accrediting body, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools’ Commission on Colleges, were launched after UF in October initially denied three political-science professors from serving as paid expert witnesses in litigation against the state over a new Florida law that restricts voting access.
“Outside activities that may pose a conflict of interest to the executive branch of the State of Florida create a conflict for the University of Florida,’’ wrote David Richardson, dean of UF’s College of
Arts and Sciences, in response to the request of one of the scholars, Daniel Smith, to testify in the case.
As a UF alumna, Wasserman Schultz said she wants to protect her alma mater.
“I bleed Gator Orange and Blue, and I will not condone repressive political actors trying to strong arm or silence UF’s leaders or its brilliant professors,” she said.
The subcommittee set a Dec. 3 deadline for UF to produce its requested information.
UF BACKLASH
UF, which as a public university receives state funding, has faced intense backlash after it barred the three professors from serving as expert witnesses in the case. To quell the uproar, UF reversed course, allowing them to testify as long as they didn’t use
university resources and did it on their own time. University administrators also agreed they could be paid as expert witnesses.
But the incident has raised questions about UF’s governance and concerns about undue political influence.
This month, the three professors sued UF, alleging the university violated their First Amendment rights. They asked the court to strike down the conflicts-ofinterest policy, saying it has led to “stifling of faculty speech against the state.”
On Monday, three other UF professors joined the suit, saying the university prevented them from lending their expertise in two other lawsuits against the state — one relating to a felon voting-rights case and another related to COVID-19 mask mandates.
UF has said it doesn’t comment on pending litigation.
I BLEED GATOR ORANGE AND BLUE, AND I WILL NOT CONDONE REPRESSIVE POLITICAL ACTORS TRYING TO STRONG ARM OR SILENCE UF’S LEADERS OR ITS BRILLIANT PROFESSORS.
U,S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who represents parts of South Florida