Weekly Briefing: Florida Is Changing Accreditation, Post-Tenure Review, and More

New legislation deals with the minutiae of the state's public colleges. Why? ADVERTISEMENT [Weekly Briefing Logo]( Did someone forward you this newsletter? [Sign up free]( to receive your own copy. Florida lawmakers get into higher ed’s nitty-gritty. Every few months the Sunshine State makes higher-ed news of national importance. This week, Florida’s Republican-controlled Legislature [passed a bill]( that would require public colleges to seek new accreditors and would allow the Board of Governors to call for a post-tenure review every five years. Another bill would allow public colleges to [conceal the names]( of presidential candidates until the finalists are chosen. Both bills are expected to be signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican. The requirement to force colleges to seek out new accreditors may be the first of its kind, said our senior reporter Eric Kelderman, who covers accreditation. Post-tenure reviews, meanwhile, are quite common. Many institutions, including ones in Florida, require tenured faculty members to undergo a comprehensive evaluation every five years or so. But Florida faculty members and some lawmakers expressed concerns about the tenure-review bill, arguing it’s unnecessary and seems politically motivated. The Board of Governors, which supervises the state’s 12 public universities and which will write the post-tenure review regulation, “is appointed by the governor,” one Democratic representative said, [according to the]( Bay Times](. “It’s inherently political.” The legislative actions in Florida are seen, in part, as a response to the academic-freedom saga at the University of Florida last fall, when professors [were]( allowed to serve as expert witnesses]( in a voting-rights lawsuit against the state. Though the decision was [reversed]( after a public [outcry]( they were at first told that faculty testimony would be “adverse to UF’s interests.” The bills, which regulate the finer details of higher education, are not attention-grabbing measures like [restricting how racism]( is taught or [penalizing student protesters](. Supporters of the changes say they are meant to improve student outcomes, hold faculty members more accountable, and encourage qualified candidates to apply for leadership positions. However, national higher-education experts and some Florida professors say the bills are an attack on the principles that protect faculty members and their institutions. Last fall the accreditor of Florida’s public colleges sent a letter to the University of Florida asking about reports that it had prevented several faculty members from serving as expert witnesses in the voting-rights case. The situation was a possible violation of the accreditor’s standards for academic freedom. Belle Wheelan, president of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools’ Commission on Colleges, also sent a letter to Florida State University about its presidential search, expressing concerns that Richard Corcoran, the state’s education commissioner and an ex-officio member of the Board of Governors, had been nominated. The letter said there could be a [conflict of interest]( if Corcoran was considered for the position while remaining on the state board. Other accreditors have similar standards that would have led to similar inquiries, but new rules, approved under the former U.S. education secretary Betsy DeVos, make it easier for some institutions to find new accreditors. But on Thursday the U.S. Department of Education [sent a letter to]( and to]( Florida]( of Education]( warning that forcing public colleges to seek new accreditors could jeopardize their access to federal funds in the form of student loans, Pell Grants, and other financial aid. The Education Department raised three issues in its warning letter. Notably, the letter says, any college applying for a new accreditor must get approval from the secretary of education and demonstrate a “reasonable cause” for the change. That approval process aims to “prevent institutions from changing accreditors in search of lower standards, which may be implicated here,” reads the letter. In an email to Eric, a top department official said that his staff was still evaluating the situation. Read the full stories: - [Education Dept. Warns Florida: Forcing Colleges to Change Accreditors Jeopardizes Federal Aid]( - [Florida Lawmakers Put a Conservative Stamp on Higher Ed]( - [Florida’s Public Colleges May Soon Recruit Presidents in Secret]( SPONSOR CONTENT | The Registry [Providing Experienced Leadership for Change]( ADVERTISEMENT Lagniappe. - Learn. Where do you feel the pinch of inflation? At the gas pump? Grocery store? Dining out? Here’s [where 2,200 Americans notice a change](. (The New York Times) - Read. Why are new movies [so long]( (Variety) - Listen. If you like chocolate and languages, [this podcast]( — about Kinder Surprise Eggs, a British treat — is for you. The surprise is always a small toy, but the accompanying warning paper is a delight itself. The advisory is in 34 languages. Here’s a close look at the tiny warning. (The Allusionist) - Laugh. Has anyone ever won a New Yorker caption contest? If you (like me) have not, don’t worry. [Turns out an AI program couldn’t even do it](. (The Pudding) —Fernanda SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHRONICLE Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for unlimited access to essential news, analysis, and advice. Chronicle Top Reads A CIRCLE OF SUPPORT [The Redemption of Frederick Shegog]( By Eric Hoover [STORY IMAGE]( What a six-time dropout learned about getting through college. 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