In theory, it might seem easy for colleges and universities in Florida to recruit top-tier academic talent. After all, the Sunshine State has warm weather, nice beaches, low taxes and a big, diverse population. The recruiting process practically takes care of itself.
But in practice, it’s not quite that simple. As many scholars have no doubt noticed, Ron DeSantis, Florida’s ambitious Republican governor, has already denounced college majors he disagrees with, suggesting publicly that if he disapproves of your undergraduate field of study, you should simply relocate to some other state. DeSantis has similarly waged a strange campaign against “woke” ideas in higher education, ended on-campus diversity programs, and targeted tenure.
As The Tampa Bay Times reported, the state’s Republican administration was warned that such tactics would push some professors to take positions in other states, while discouraging other top professors from considering Florida schools. The local newspaper’s research suggests the warnings had merit and “some signs of an exodus are apparent.”
The Tampa Bay Times reviewed records showing an upward tick in staff departures at some of Florida’s largest universities. And, as the Board of Governors discovered this spring, doubts about the state’s academic workplace are spreading fast. Matthew Lata, a music professor at Florida State University, told board members that candidates were turning down positions in his college “because of the perceived anti-higher education atmosphere in the state.”
To be sure, some of the evidence of a so-called brain drain is anecdotal, but it’s nevertheless difficult to dismiss out of hand. At the University of South Florida, for example, the Times pointed to a candidate for a position in the philosophy department who “took a job at a lower-ranked school in another state, pointing to Florida’s political climate.”
At the University of Central Florida, a prospective finance professor concerned about the future of tenure in the state also took a position elsewhere. At Florida Gulf Coast University, an ecology professor said open positions that once drew over 200 applicants now see fewer than 20.
The African American studies department at UF made nine offers while trying to fill three positions. None accepted. A report from the American Association of University Professors pointed to a law school position that couldn’t be filled and said some candidates were turning down Florida offers with nothing else lined up.
In the short term, this might seem inconsequential, but there’s a reason institutions recruit the best possible scholars: Good schools and good university systems suffer when good professors go elsewhere. In fact, it tends to mean the best students also look elsewhere, contributing to the broader “brain drain” problem. The Times’ report added: Hope “Bess” Wilson planned to spend the rest of her career at the University of North Florida, where she taught educational psychology at the school’s College of Education for the past 10 years. But recently, as she packed her belongings into cardboard boxes for a move to Chicago, she paused to wonder: “How had things gotten so off-course?” It felt like the past few years had brought one blow after another, Wilson said. As she saw it, lawmakers were chipping away at her rights as a faculty member and a mother.
The more scholars share Wilson’s perspective, the worse things will be for Florida’s future.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."
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