House passes university presidential search bill awaiting governor’s veto pen

In the face of a threatened veto from Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Florida House passed a bill Wednesday with widespread member support that would reopen presidential searches to public scrutiny. 

Representatives voted 104-8 on HB 1321, introduced by Rep. Michelle Salzman and decried by DeSantis, which would repeal the public records exemption on applicants for presidencies at state colleges and universities. 

“In summary, this bill is about transparency, term limiting bureaucrats, and good governance,” Salzman said on the House floor Wednesday. 

The bill would prohibit the governor’s office from influencing who might lead the institutions and  remove the Board of Governors’ required approval of finalists presented by search committees. The bill would leave searches to boards of trustees of individual universities, which typically include more local stakeholders. 

“This isn’t an attack on the Board of Governors. This isn’t an attack on our great governor. This is simply bringing the second largest component of the state budget into the sunshine,” Salzman said. 

During a news conference about law enforcement in Fort Myers on Wednesday, DeSantis said the bill would “kneecap our ability to hold higher ed accountable.”

“I don’t think that’s gonna get on the desk. If it does, we’ll invite you all to the ceremony where we’ll veto. That’s fine, but I don’t even think it’s gonna get there,” DeSantis said. 

University presidential search laws are a major topic inside the Florida Capitol

SB 1726, the bill’s Senate companion with material differences including keeping searches secret, awaits its final committee stop in the Rules Committee. It received unanimous approval in its previous two committee stops. 

Bills need two-thirds support in each chamber to override a veto. 

Among the votes against the bill, seven were Republicans: Reps. Kiyan Michael, Patt Maney, Chip LaMarca, Ryan Chamberlin, Mike Caruso, and Tom Fabricio. Rep. John Temple voted late against the bill. Democrat Yvonne Hinson also voted no.

Caruso consistently has been willing to stand with the governor while the House has deviated from the executive branch’s wishes this session. 

“Public colleges and universities are funded by taxpayers from the entire state of Florida, so the state has a vested interest in overseeing leadership choices. Having the State Board of Education approve appointments ensures that presidents are held to statewide priorities, not just internal or local interest,” Caruso, the only representative to speak in opposition to the bill on the floor, said. 

Caruso made the argument that Salzman’s bill “unravels all the success we’ve made over the years in higher education,” an argument DeSantis has also made. 

DeSantis called the bill “ill-conceived” during a news conference in Pensacola on Tuesday about Hope Florida. 

Recent searches

While Florida has been ranked the best higher education system in the nation for the last eight years by U.S. News & World Report, presidential searches have faced controversy in recent years. 

Ben Sasse was the sole finalist announced for the presidency at University of Florida after a secret search. Sasse held the job for less than a year and was criticized for lavish spending while in the office.

Florida Atlantic University restarted a secret search after the governor’s office tried and ultimately failed to position then-state Rep. Randy Fine for the job.

The governor’s office reached out to Florida International University to advocate for Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez to take their interim presidency.

Former House Speaker Richard Corcoran was named president at New College of Florida, perhaps the first and most widely publicized instance of a DeSantis political ally being named leader of a SUS institution. 

Among the aforementioned provisions, the bill would impose term limits for the Board of Education, Board of Governors, and university and college trustees and require that members would have to be alumni of the institution or residents of Florida.

Reporter Jackie Llanos contributed to this story.