Is DeSantis Following Orbán's Playbook on Universities?

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the state's Republican-controlled legislature have passed a suite of laws that ban the teaching of critical race theory, restrict academic freedom, and end programs in gender studies and other “unproven” disciplines at New College of Florida (Sarasota), the state’s small public liberal arts college. DeSantis has also restructured New College’s board of trustees so that it is in line with his conservative and political priorities and fresh legislation gives the state’s 12 universities new powers over appointing professors and reviewing tenure.

Nathan M. Greenfield of University World News covered OSUN's webinar on “Academic Freedom in the Balance: Central European University and New College Florida," which focused on the national and international implications of the governor’s actions at New College and compared it to similar events that took place in Hungary in 2019. The discussion between two student activists from New College and Michael Ignatieff – who was rector of the Central European University (CEU) when restrictive laws passed by Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán forced the university to move from Budapest to Vienna, Austria – detail the chilling effects of the "conservative counterattack" as well as potential responses.

Read the article in University World News

Post Date: 03-16-2023