DeSantis Signs Bill Requiring University Staff to be Evaluated Every 5 Years

Published Apr. 19, 2022, 1:09 p.m. ET | Updated Apr. 19, 2022

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April 19, 2022 Updated 1:05 P.M. ET

TALLAHASSEE (FLV) – Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill requiring staff members at state universities to undergo a comprehensive post-tenure review every five years. 

“We need to make sure the faculty are held accountable and that they don’t just have tenure forever, without having any type of, have ways to hold them accountable or evaluate what they’re doing,” DeSantis said. 

The new law says the review must look at the following: 

Accomplishments and productivity

Assigned duties in research, teaching, and service

Performance metrics, evaluations, and ratings

Recognition and compensation considerations, as well as improvement plans and consequences for underperformance

“Tenure was there to protect people so that they could do ideas that maybe would cause them to lose their job or whatever and academic freedom,” DeSantis said.

“I don’t know that that’s really the role that it plays, quite frankly, anymore.”

DeSantis said the new law will also protect students from increased fees. State universities are required to post any proposed changes to tuition and fees on the website where it is easily accessible. 

“When you’re trying to budget for what the tuition is, and the room and board, you kind of look at that. And then if there’s all these other fees, well, that can be pretty significant if it’s not kept in check,” DeSantis said. 

Any proposal or action of the Florida College System to raise or impose a fee, except for tuition, must be approved by a supermajority vote of the members of the board of trustees of the institution.

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