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A bill bringing more transparency to university presidential searches passed overwhelmingly in the Florida House Wednesday.
The bill’s sponsor says it’s meant to bring more transparency to a search process she says creates distrust.
House Bill 1321 would remove the public records exemption for applicants to be president of Florida’s public colleges and universities.
Republican Representative Michelle Salzaman sponsored the bill.
“They put the entire process in the shade, and it created a huge level of distrust amongst Floridians across the state,” Salzman said.
Salzman argued that it brings the presidential selection process back into the sunshine.
“This is simply bringing the second-largest component of the state budget into the sunshine. Choices we are making for one of the largest components of our tax dollars should be in the sunshine,” Salzman said.
Currently, the law allows presidential searches to be mostly confidential.
But it’s drawn controversy.
For example, former University of Florida President Ben Sasse was announced as the only finalist for the role, and later investigated for unnecessary spending.
The bill passed 104-8 in the House.
The Senate version is still going through subcommittees.
In a post on X, Governor Ron DeSantis spoke out against the bill, calling it the “Make Universities Woke Again Act.”
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