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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

#101

Post by voakbasda »

driverdan wrote: post #94
ModernMech wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

> So they are actually fully within their rights to do this, and really no one should be surprised. If it's a public institution the 1st amendment applies. Public institutions should not be applying any limits to employee speech.

Hope the ACLU gets involved.

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

#102

Post by voakbasda »

mercy_dude wrote: post #95

Good news is and many in the academic sphere may not realize this - many faculties universities are going to go out of business at this rate. One silver lining during this time has been, many have realized how much they are overpaying for things they can learn online or through their own efforts. There is no reason you need to spend 200k+ for a degree in Sociology and Gender Studies. Other than medicine, law a few sc…

After my experience in public schools, college and then grad school, I plan to homeschool my children and will actively dissuade them from going to college. The value of those institutions is purely negative at this point in US history. Like most of our government.

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

#104

Post by Miner49er »

f154hfds wrote: post #20
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.

As a curious non-Floridian, what about the bill is objectionable? I think I found the text here: https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2021/90/BillText/er/HT... I personally find issue with the idea of convicts being unilaterally disbarred from voting while I also feel that verifying the identification of the voter is pretty crucial to a believable vote. But I didn't read the whole thing. There might be more objectio…

It makes it harder to vote, simple as that.

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

#105

Post by CoastalCoder »

minitoar wrote: post #41
CoastalCoder wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

By that logic, anything going on in Columbia is equally American.

The conversation was using "American" as short-hand for "related to the U.S.A." My comment used that colloquialism as well.

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

#106

Post by AlexandrB »

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…

> the article itself admits that plenty of professors at UF serve as expert witnesses, but this particular case is unique because UF professors want to testify against the State of Florida, which funds UF.

> obviously UF wouldn't want that.

This part is ridiculous. The "State of Florida" doesn't fund the UF, the Florida taxpayers do! And it's in the taxpayers' interest to get good, equitable laws - not whatever the lawmakers plop out for their own self-interest. The fact that there's a possibility that Florida lawmakers would retaliate against another public institution to the possible detriment of the taxpayers of Florida is the real scandal if this is true.

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

#107

Post by singlow »

ceejayoz wrote: post #59
throwawayboise wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I mean, I have needed ID to vote for 30 years. I don't understand the objection to making some effort to verify that the person presenting himself as J. Random Voter is actually who he says he is.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/courts_law/getting-a... > For Settles to get one of those, his name has to match his birth certificate — and it doesn’t. In 1964, when he was 14, his mother married and changed his last name. After Texas passed a new voter-ID law, officials told Settles he had to show them his name-change certificate from 1964 to qualify for a new identification card to vote. > So with the help…

Can he not vote using the name the State does recognize?

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

#108

Post by ChicagoBoy11 »

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,…

Good argument FOR the existence of tenure, if nothing else.

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

#109

Post by ameister14 »

ceejayoz wrote: post #79
ameister14 wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Really? You were saying that the public university is subject to 1st amendment restrictions in this instance, that case says it could be otherwise. From the note: "In a 5-to-4 decision authored by Justice Anthony Kennedy, the Supreme Court held that speech by a public official is only protected if it is engaged in as a private citizen, not if it is expressed as part of the official's public duties."

It seems clear "serve as a witness on this case" is not part of these officials' public duties, yes?

I don't think that's clear, actually. If they are testifying as UF professors, they might be acting in the course of their duties because they are representing the university.

I think that's the argument, anyway, and why if they testify just as concerned citizens there would be no way to stop them.

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

#110

Post by throwawaylinux »

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,…

Which calls into question the perception of authority and freedom from bias that academia tends to have.

We should all be a little more skeptical. Nobody should be above scrutiny based on their job title or profession, their prior work, or anything else.

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