DeSantis to transform New College of Florida into "Hillsdale of the South"

[jimbogumbo]

With Christopher Rufo on the BoT: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2023/01/06/gov-ron-desantis-wants-conservative-overhaul-appoints-christopher-rufo-new-college-of-florida/11003116002/

[Parasaurolophus]

Nice to see them aiming so high.

[dismalist]

Create two, three, many Hillsdales!

Look, higher ed is a left wing oasis! That there is little ideological choice in higher education could be interpreted as a positive wonder-- everybody inside happens to agree. However, the voluntary agreement is being largely financed by government, and is controlled by government. Thus, those who disagree must get their own government to change course. This is perfectly fine at the State level. And it stays fine, so long enough lefty places are left to exist. Because higher ed is controlled by government, governments must compete with each other to ensure academic success. I have no fear that lefty places are under substantial threat from any of this.

Competition, not a parchment right, is the guarantor of choice and improvement.

[jimbogumbo]

Create two, three, many Hillsdales!

Look, higher ed is a left wing oasis! That there is little ideological choice in higher education could be interpreted as a positive wonder-- everybody inside happens to agree. However, the voluntary agreement is being largely financed by government, and is controlled by government. Thus, those who disagree must get their own government to change course. This is perfectly fine at the State level. And it stays fine, so long enough lefty places are left to exist. Because higher ed is controlled by government, governments must compete with each other to ensure academic success. I have no fear that lefty places are under substantial threat from any of this.

Competition, not a parchment right, is the guarantor of choice and improvement.

I really care not about how many Hillsdale's there are. To me this was a DeSantis post. But, I'll just say any BoT that starts with Christopher Rufo as a charter appointee is a joke.

[dismalist]

Create two, three, many Hillsdales!

Look, higher ed is a left wing oasis! That there is little ideological choice in higher education could be interpreted as a positive wonder-- everybody inside happens to agree. However, the voluntary agreement is being largely financed by government, and is controlled by government. Thus, those who disagree must get their own government to change course. This is perfectly fine at the State level. And it stays fine, so long enough lefty places are left to exist. Because higher ed is controlled by government, governments must compete with each other to ensure academic success. I have no fear that lefty places are under substantial threat from any of this.

Competition, not a parchment right, is the guarantor of choice and improvement.

I really care not about how many Hillsdale's there are. To me this was a DeSantis post. But, I'll just say any BoT that starts with Christopher Rufo as a charter appointee is a joke.

I guess you don't like Christopher Rufo. :-) Hell, I don't even know who he is!

Mickey Mouse would be better than some right now. Only competition will find the right persons.

Given the way higher ed is financed, DeSantis is doing something productive.

[pondering]

"Gov. DeSantis taps Christopher Rufo, 5 others to transform New College of Florida into 'classical college'": https://floridapolitics.com/archives/579522-gov-desantis-taps-christopher-rufo-5-others-to-transform-new-college-of-florida-into-classical-college/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Gov. Ron DeSantis has appointed conservative activist Christopher Rufo and five others to the New College of Florida Board of Trustees in his continuing move to eliminate "political ideology" from public higher education.

With the six new members of the school's Board of Trustees, the DeSantis admin plans to weed out concepts like diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and critical race theory (CRT)... In a statement Friday, DeSantis Communications Director Taryn Fenske said New College has been "completely captured by a political ideology that puts trendy, truth-relative concepts above learning."

[...]

"I'm proud to announce that Gov. Ron DeSantis has appointed me to the Board of Trustees of the New College of Florida," Rufo tweeted. "My ambition is to help the new board majority transform New College into a classical liberal arts institution. We are recapturing higher education."

Others appointed Friday are Emory University professor Mark Bauerlein, Claremont-McKenna College professor Charles Kesler, attorney Debra Jenks and Inspiration Academy Co-Founder Jason "Eddie" Speir.

Rounding out the list is Matthew Spalding, dean of Hillsdale College D.C. campus' Graduate School of Government. Hillsdale College is a private conservative liberal arts college that the DeSantis administration is referencing as its model for transforming New College.

"It is our hope that New College of Florida will become Florida's classical college, more along the lines of a Hillsdale of the South," DeSantis Chief of Staff James Uthmeier said in a statement.

I'm not sure how a public university can become a conservative Christian college (which is what Hillsdale is), but if there's anyone who's willing to violate every norm and law to try to make it happen, it's DeSantis and his lackey Rufo.

[Sun_Worshiper]

I think these folks really have no idea what is going on in universities. They think every college is an elite liberal arts school where everyone majors in women's studies or activism, when the reality is that most universities are doing everything they can to emphasize how STEM-oriented and practical they are, while the humanities are dying.

[kaysixteen]

They can become what Hillsdale is, because Hillsdale is not actually a 'Christian' college, though it was founded by a Baptist sect in the 1840s.  For decades, otoh, it has not only been totally unconnected to any Christian sect or denom, but it also places no religious tests on faculty or students, requires no religious observances or practices, etc.   

[Anon1787]

It's good politics for DeSantis and good policy. Boards of trustees are usually clueless, so Rufo will at least fight the good fight against the growing cancer of DEI.

[Wahoo Redux]

I think these folks really have no idea what is going on in universities. They think every college is an elite liberal arts school where everyone majors in women's studies or activism, when the reality is that most universities are doing everything they can to emphasize how STEM-oriented and practical they are, while the humanities are dying.

The particular brand of conservatism that DeSantis belongs to see the world in stark, simplistic, extremely antagonistic oppositions and is really only concerned with appearances anyway.

[marshwiggle]

The particular brand of <insert political/ideological affiliation here>  that <insert activist/politician here> belongs to see the world in stark, simplistic, extremely antagonistic oppositions and is really only concerned with appearances anyway.

With those changes this could apply to many of the nosiest voices from all over the political spectrum.

[pondering]

Now Inside Higher Ed has caught onto the story: https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2023/01/09/desantis-taps-anti-crt-conservatives-trustees?fbclid=IwAR1dhXrW1d8EHOigXHTsNguRtubzFNHt4HODlqjZBYLpFTi4txjp28c9Iwk

"We are now over the walls and ready to transform higher education from within. Under the leadership of Gov. DeSantis, our all-star board will demonstrate that the public universities, which have been corrupted by woke nihilism, can be recaptured, restructured, and reformed," Rufo tweeted Friday.

[apl68]

They can become what Hillsdale is, because Hillsdale is not actually a 'Christian' college, though it was founded by a Baptist sect in the 1840s.  For decades, otoh, it has not only been totally unconnected to any Christian sect or denom, but it also places no religious tests on faculty or students, requires no religious observances or practices, etc.

I guess it depends on definitions.  They state that they have no religious tests on faculty or students (Neither did my alma mater, except for a very general statement of faith for faculty--and it's unabashedly a Baptist-affiliated school), no denominational affiliation, and no required religious observances (Alma mater has long had a weekly required chapel, but it was more a place where you listened to speakers on spiritual matters than an actual religious service).  But they do refer to themselves, repeatedly, as a "Christian school," and claim that it's an important part of who they are. 

They have a number of Christian student groups and one Jewish student group, and regular optional chapel services.  Oddly enough, Baptists are not represented in their list of student organizations--Catholics, Lutherans, Anglicans, Mormons, Orthodox, and a couple of nondenominational Christian fellowships, but no Baptist groups.  They've certainly moved a long way from their original denominational affiliation.  Their official chaplain, interestingly enough, is an Anglican. 

So...not a denominationally-affiliated school, but one that regards itself as from a broadly Christian tradition, and encourages students to engage in Christian practices.  There are such colleges here and there.

[apl68]

"Gov. DeSantis taps Christopher Rufo, 5 others to transform New College of Florida into 'classical college'": https://floridapolitics.com/archives/579522-gov-desantis-taps-christopher-rufo-5-others-to-transform-new-college-of-florida-into-classical-college/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Gov. Ron DeSantis has appointed conservative activist Christopher Rufo and five others to the New College of Florida Board of Trustees in his continuing move to eliminate "political ideology" from public higher education.

With the six new members of the school's Board of Trustees, the DeSantis admin plans to weed out concepts like diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and critical race theory (CRT)... In a statement Friday, DeSantis Communications Director Taryn Fenske said New College has been "completely captured by a political ideology that puts trendy, truth-relative concepts above learning."

[...]

"I'm proud to announce that Gov. Ron DeSantis has appointed me to the Board of Trustees of the New College of Florida," Rufo tweeted. "My ambition is to help the new board majority transform New College into a classical liberal arts institution. We are recapturing higher education."

Others appointed Friday are Emory University professor Mark Bauerlein, Claremont-McKenna College professor Charles Kesler, attorney Debra Jenks and Inspiration Academy Co-Founder Jason "Eddie" Speir.

Rounding out the list is Matthew Spalding, dean of Hillsdale College D.C. campus' Graduate School of Government. Hillsdale College is a private conservative liberal arts college that the DeSantis administration is referencing as its model for transforming New College.

"It is our hope that New College of Florida will become Florida's classical college, more along the lines of a Hillsdale of the South," DeSantis Chief of Staff James Uthmeier said in a statement.

I'm not sure how a public university can become a conservative Christian college (which is what Hillsdale is), but if there's anyone who's willing to violate every norm and law to try to make it happen, it's DeSantis and his lackey Rufo.

They don't even accept government grants or federal student loans, so as to stay entirely independent of any sort of government interference!  Sounds very principled for a private school.  Doesn't make an obvious model for a publicly-supported college. 

[Parasaurolophus]

Merged this thread and the one in General Discussion.