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University of Florida bars professors from testifying in a voting rights case

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Re: University of Florida bars professors from testifying in a voting rights case

#31

Post by endisneigh »

gradys wrote: post #28
endisneigh wrote: post #16

this doesn't sound like a big deal. UF is saying that professors cannot both receive compensation for your testimony and testify as a member of the university. in other words, they can testify for free, or they cannot use their the fact that they're UF professors as part of their credentials without prior approval, or do anything that's a "conflict of interest" as defined by UF themselves. the article itself admits t…

They are in fact UF professors though, and that fact would be relevant in any case they testified in. Are UF professors banned from acting as paid expert witnesses in general? Or just for this issue? To your edit: the fact that the entity in question is a government is the difference here in my opinion.

per the article:

> Are UF professors banned from acting as paid expert witnesses in general?

No

> Or just for this issue?

Yes

Re: University of Florida bars professors from testifying in a voting rights case

#32

Post by obelos »

endisneigh wrote: post #16

this doesn't sound like a big deal. UF is saying that professors cannot both receive compensation for your testimony and testify as a member of the university. in other words, they can testify for free, or they cannot use their the fact that they're UF professors as part of their credentials without prior approval, or do anything that's a "conflict of interest" as defined by UF themselves. the article itself admits t…

Organizations that aren't the government. State universities are public institutions, not private ones.

Re: University of Florida bars professors from testifying in a voting rights case

#33

Post by josefresco »

CoastalCoder wrote: post #21
josefresco wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You don't need a "voting rights professor" to tell you what they're doing in Florida is undemocratic, un-American and 100% politically motivated.

I don't mean to nitpick, but calling this un-American strikes me as the No True Scotsman fallacy. I.e., Florida is part of the U.S. So if Florida does it, in at least a small way it is American.

It doesn't represent American ideals, but it does represent the reality of America's current (and past) political and cultural landscape.

Making it difficult for certain groups of people to participate in the democratic process is unfortunately a long-standing American tradition.

Re: University of Florida bars professors from testifying in a voting rights case

#34

Post by endisneigh »

obelos wrote: post #32
endisneigh wrote: post #16

this doesn't sound like a big deal. UF is saying that professors cannot both receive compensation for your testimony and testify as a member of the university. in other words, they can testify for free, or they cannot use their the fact that they're UF professors as part of their credentials without prior approval, or do anything that's a "conflict of interest" as defined by UF themselves. the article itself admits t…

Organizations that aren't the government. State universities are public institutions, not private ones.

really? which private entities explicitly or historically have allowed a member to testify against either the entity itself or another entity that funds the one in which the member of a part of?

even whistleblowers generally quit before testifying, or are expected to not necessarily retain their rights as a member afterwards.

there's really no incentive for an organization to explicitly allow a member to testify against them or another entity that funds them.

genuinely curious if it's happened before.

Re: University of Florida bars professors from testifying in a voting rights case

#35

Post by JKCalhoun »

twofornone wrote: post #14
babyblueblanket wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

By this logic, no experts should be allowed in court unless the opposing lawyer has as much education as the expert in their subject.

If the subject is politically polarized then I am inclined to agree. Its an open secret that right leaning opinions are taboo across academia. That doesn't actually mean such opinions are wrong.

> Its an open secret that right leaning opinions are taboo across academia.

This sounds like something someone would say whose opinions were not defensible academically.

Anecdotally, I see examples of right leaning opinions from academically schooled contributors to HN all the time.

Re: University of Florida bars professors from testifying in a voting rights case

#36

Post by ianai »

elliekelly wrote: post #10

I have a colleague who does environmental litigation. (Think Erin Brockovich.) They have a big civil case against a large energy company in a southern, “energy-friendly” state. They had an expert witness all lined up - a professor at the (public!) state university. Well this expert happened to be up for tenure and was (allegedly) told in no uncertain terms that, should they testify as an expert witness in this case,…

Agree. With all the anti-democratic practices being rolled out across the states it’s pretty scary to imagine things even a year from now and a long time forward. Life threats against election officials and all the way up to Senators. Gerrymandering. Even the SCOTUS is biased. Seems civics in the US are about to be rigged for one party rule.

Re: University of Florida bars professors from testifying in a voting rights case

#37

Post by ModernMech »

elliekelly wrote: post #10

I have a colleague who does environmental litigation. (Think Erin Brockovich.) They have a big civil case against a large energy company in a southern, “energy-friendly” state. They had an expert witness all lined up - a professor at the (public!) state university. Well this expert happened to be up for tenure and was (allegedly) told in no uncertain terms that, should they testify as an expert witness in this case,…

As a professor, I think the actions of The University of Florida are abhorrent. I would never want to work in an environment that kowtows to politics. There are enough political considerations within a University, but having to deal with state politics as well? Count me out.

At the same time, he doesn’t have tenure? So they are actually fully within their rights to do this, and really no one should be surprised.

But here is my question: the prosecutors couldn’t find any tenured professors to help them in their lawsuit? Because the University can’t say anything to them about it; a tenured (full, not typically associate) professor has the right to use the name of their institution without their permission. It seems to me to be an expert witness, one would desire the use of the UoF credentials.

Re: University of Florida bars professors from testifying in a voting rights case

#38

Post by runako »

twofornone wrote: post #14
babyblueblanket wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

By this logic, no experts should be allowed in court unless the opposing lawyer has as much education as the expert in their subject.

If the subject is politically polarized then I am inclined to agree. Its an open secret that right leaning opinions are taboo across academia. That doesn't actually mean such opinions are wrong.

Reminder that attorneys for both sides are allowed to bring their experts. The process itself is not biased toward either side.

> Its an open secret that right leaning opinions are taboo across academia

Not in the South, they aren't.

> If the subject is politically polarized then I am inclined to agree

Does this apply to police testimony as well? Courts use their testimony all the time, and it's certainly politically polarized much of the time.

Re: University of Florida bars professors from testifying in a voting rights case

#39

Post by gpm »

rayiner wrote: post #29
gpm wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Private companies are not bound by the first amendment, state actors including this university are.

It’s more complicated than that. State actors have have certain freedom to restrict speech when acting in their capacity as private employers: https://www.oyez.org/cases/2005/04-473

That doesn't justify the post I was replying to at all...

Re: University of Florida bars professors from testifying in a voting rights case

#40

Post by poorjohnmacafee »

Most countries, including EU nations, ban mail-in voting minus exceptions like living abroad, these laws being passed because of discovered fraud in elections.

Election integrity is the difference between democracy and a one-party state. Every citizen should be bending over backwards to make sure our elections dont have sources of fraud.

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