Bill requires intellectual freedom survey at colleges
TALLAHASSEE — Adding a mandate for an annual survey of “intellectual freedom” on state university campuses, a House panel Wednesday approved a wide-ranging higher education package that would expand Bright Futures merit scholarships.
The bill (HB 423), approved on a 12-1 vote by the Post-Secondary Education Subcommittee, is similar to legislation (SB 4) passed unanimously by the Senate this past week.
Both bills would permanently expand Bright Futures awards to cover 100 percent of tuition and fees for top-performing students known as “academic scholars.” The bills would cover 75 percent of tuition and fees for Bright Futures recipients known as “medallion scholars.”
House Majority Leader Ray Rodrigues, an Estero Republican who is sponsoring the bill, added a provision to require that each of the 12 state universities conduct a “nonpartisan” survey of students, faculty and administrators to assess “the extent to which competing ideas, perspectives and claims of truth are presented” and how “safe and supported” members of the university community feel in expressing their views.
Rodrigues said the requirement for the survey was based on national news reports and was not related to any incidents in Florida. He said he knew of no other state conducting a similar survey.
“What has been missing is a way to measure or determine if intellectual diversity actually exists,” Rodrigues said. “And more importantly, particularly in this day and age, whether students and faculty feel safe and secure in expressing their own individual viewpoints.”
Rodrigues said the survey, which would be conducted under the supervision of the university system’s Board of Governors, would be given to the Legislature. Lawmakers would determine if any other action was necessary.
Two House Democrats objected to the amendment, with Rep. Richard Stark, D-Weston, saying the survey mandate was “putting the cart before the horse.”
Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, D-Orlando, said he was concerned that the annual survey would put pressure on state universities to invite more controversial speakers.