A new bill could bring public access back to the selection process for Florida’s public university and college presidents. 

According to reporting from The Daytona Beach News- Journal, Republican state Sen. Alexis Calatayud and state rep. Michelle Salzman filed identical bills, SB 1726 and HB 1321, to remove the public records and open meetings exemption for applicants seeking a presidential position at a Florida public institution of higher education. 

Supporters of the exemption argue that confidentiality encourages more candidates to apply, while open-government advocates maintain that public searches have historically resulted in strong leadership. Florida’s current law, signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2022, makes applications confidential, with only a list of finalists made public. 

The University of Florida’s 2022 search under the exemption resulted in then-Sen. Ben Sasse being named the sole finalist from over 700 applicants. Sasse later resigned after 17 months, citing his wife’s health, and faced an investigation into his spending during his tenure. More recently, Florida International University appointed Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez as interim president after DeSantis’ office contacted the board chair about her candidacy. 

In addition to transparency changes, the proposed legislation would shift the power to confirm university presidents from the Board of Governors to the institutions’ boards of trustees. It would also require Board of Governors members to comply with financial disclosure rules, set term limits, mandate Florida residency, and add restrictions on who can recommend a presidential candidate. 

For state colleges, the bill would allow presidential appointments, reappointments, suspensions, and contract extensions without approval from the Department of Education. 

If passed and signed by DeSantis, the law would take effect on July 1. 

Posted: March 11, 2025
Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Brechner Freedom of Information Project, Florida, FOI, FOIA, open records laws, public records, Secrecy Tracker