Protect Academic Freedom Vote NO on SB266 HB 999

I am writing this letter to urge you to vote against Florida House Bill 999 / SB 266. The bill proposes to eliminate academic freedom in the public higher education system in Florida, which would have an irrevocable impact on the entire education system. What is academic freedom? In the American context, it means: - Faculty and students at public universities are free to investigate, study, and teach without fear of government censorship. - The state, in the person of elected politicians, administrators, and political appointees, does not determine hiring, evaluation, or curriculum content. - Faculty determine the curriculum, hire faculty, and evaluate the performance of students and faculty. We have to STOP government overreach, censorship, and limiting free speech and academic freedom in our colleges and universities. The public higher education system plays a vital role in shaping the intellectual and socio-economic landscape of Florida. The proposed bill will only exacerbate the ongoing academic freedom issues and faculty recruitment problems currently faced by public institutions in Florida. By eliminating academic freedom, Florida’s public higher education institutions will lose their competitive edge over private institutions and other states. Furthermore, implementing the proposed bill could create problems with accrediting agencies which will lead to the degradation of the value of the degrees granted by these institutions. This can also lead to the loss of millions of dollars in federal grant money that the institutions count on for research and academic programs. Considering the negative impact of the elimination of academic freedom, it is our duty to protect and enhance the public higher education system in Florida. We must not let this proposal succeed as it will have irreparable consequences for the future of our state. Many also believe due to the severe restrictions and vague language around banning Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs that this will severely limit not only the courses, areas of research, and degree programs but it will also severely limit student organizations, fraternal orders and much more. This bill will result in: - A massive loss of jobs for our universities - A massive loss in critical faculty that bring investment into our public schools - A massive loss and erasure in decades worth of efforts to build Florida public schools' prestige at the national level. - Massive government overreach, censorship, and limitations of free speech - Countless lawsuits as it is a clear violation of the 1st Amendment’s Free Speech clause In conclusion, I request you please vote against the Florida House Bill 999 in order to protect academic freedom and public higher education in Florida. Thank you for your consideration.