Committee and lawmakers on defense against state's FAU presidential search investigation

After suspending Florida Atlantic University's presidential search when the state ordered it shut down — citing “anomalies” in the way it has conducted the process — the committee tasked with choosing the next president went on the defensive this week, refuting each allegation.

Meanwhile, local lawmakers claimed that state higher-ed leaders' concerns were politically motivated.

In a four-page letter sent to Ray Rodrigues, the chancellor of the State University System of Florida, FAU Board of Trustees Chairman Brad Levine defended the committee's process used to choose finalists and said that FAU is eager to resume the search.

The public university, whose main campus is in Boca Raton, started the search last November. In March, state Rep. Randy Fine, a Palm Bay Republican, said Gov. Ron DeSantis had asked him to consider the job. That news prompted vocal criticism over Fine's record on what some call anti-LGBTQ legislation he pushed for in Tallahassee. FAU announced the three finalists for the president's position on July 5, but Fine was not among them.

The three finalists were Florida State University business college dean Michael Hartline, U.S. Naval Academy Superintendent Sean Buck and former University of North Carolina Wilmington chancellor Jose Sartarelli. Buck, after serving in the Navy for 40 years, said he applied because he wanted to work in higher-ed to "help shape and mold and educate the future leaders of our country."

Buck said the search firm called the three finalists to let them know the presidential search was paused, and he said he doesn't have any concerns.

"I remain very proud and happy to be one of their finalists, and I really look forward to the process re-commencing and see where it leads," Buck told The Palm Beach Post. "I'd love to be the person chosen to be the next president of FAU."

Fine has not commented publicly on the FAU search since the finalists were announced.

Levine complied with Rodrigues' request to halt the search, yet his Monday letter added additional details to defend the process.

"The university maintains that its search process complies with all legal requirements and has been conducted in a proper manner," FAU spokesman Joshua Glanzer added.

Local lawmakers: Order from Tallahassee was politically motivated

Democratic state Rep. Kelly Skidmore of Boca Raton said she believes the order to stop the search came from DeSantis' office to retaliate after Fine was eliminated from consideration.

"I think that universities should be left to their own devices to find their leaders, but we know that that's not how the landscape is working these days when you look at New College and the interference from the executive office on that," Skidmore said. "When you do that (interference), you contaminate the process."

Skidmore referred to the remaking of New College of Florida, a well-regarded liberal arts school in Sarasota. DeSantis solidified a conservative reformation of the small, public university through naming new trustees who fired the university's president and plucked out other college officials.

State Sen. Lori Berman, a Democrat from Delray Beach, said she doesn't think the FAU search committee broke any rules, and she doesn't understand why the state is "second-guessing" the committee.

"For the chancellor to come in and say that it was improperly done is almost slanderous," Berman said. "The only reason why this one was called out was because the governor's political appointee was not included in the final selection list."

FAU presidential search coverage: Florida Atlantic names three finalists for school president; Randy Fine not on short list

What's all the commotion over choosing a new FAU president?

Rodrigues did not accuse FAU’s presidential search committee of breaking any laws in his letter, but did point out that a straw poll in which its members ranked their top six candidates “may run afoul” of a state statute. He also pointed out that a candidate had claimed he was asked to complete a questionnaire, and answer whether his sexual orientation was "queer" and if he was a "male or transgender male," and was later asked what his preferred pronouns were. Rodrigues said such questions were “potentially illegal,” citing guidelines from the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

As for what happens next, Rodrigues said in the letter that the search is suspended "to provide an opportunity for the Board of Governors staff to obtain the facts around these concerns and other potential anomalies."

Presidential search pending: FAU pauses search for new president after pressure from Florida officials

Levine wrote in the defense letter that the straw poll did not violate Florida law and it was a way to recognize a "consensus around a top tier of the candidates," so that discussions could be focused on a group rather than all 60 applicants. The straw poll, conducted by a search firm hired by FAU, drew about 20 names that were brought into discussions, but committee members were free to talk about any candidate, whether or not they made it in the straw poll.

As for the profile questions, Levine wrote "that such surveys are routinely administered to job applicants across industry, including at our state universities," and referenced the University of Florida, Florida State University, University of South Florida and University of North Florida as examples of schools that have similar questionnaires.

Levine said the search committee did not receive the questionnaire, and it was never used in discussions involving the candidates. He said it was meant as an authorization to allow for a search of public records and online resources.

More on FAU presidential possibilities: Does firebrand Randy Fine want to lead FAU? He won't say. Others worry he's not a good fit.

Dick Schmidt, a major FAU donor and presidential search committee member, wrote in an op-ed in the Tallahassee Democrat, like The Palm Beach Post a member of the USA Today Network-Florida, that the search included some applicants who were sitting or former university presidents and others in senior university positions. He said it seemed that the state's involvement to halt the search process may have come from "political influence."

"I feel personally outraged and slandered by the implications of the chancellor’s letter on me and my colleagues, for what appears to be an attempt to unwind our successful, hard work and reopen a search for a candidate more to the liking of certain politicians," Schmidt wrote.

UF, New College, now FAU: Accusations of DeSantis interference

University curriculum and diversity policies came under fire in this year's legislative session. As a result, DeSantis signed bills into law that would implement bans on diversity, equity and inclusion spending in universities, and set restrictions for topics taught in general education courses, including “theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States and were created to maintain social, political and economic inequities.”

Some groups pushed back on the new laws out of the Legislature, especially throughout the transformation of New College. UF also faced some backlash from student groups, including LGBTQ+ students, who opposed the university's choice of former U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse, a conservative Republican from Nebraska, as its new president.

The United Faculty of Florida, a union that represents faculty at state universities, released a statement earlier this week accusing Rodrigues of grasping at a "partisan straw" since FAU's presidential search process was the only one called into question, compared to New College and UF.

"Based on his patterns of silence and complicity, it is clear that the Chancellor only barks when the Governor yanks his chain, not when laws are actually being violated," the statement read. "In short, Florida’s university system deserves better than this partisan sham of leadership."

Stephany Matat is a politics reporter for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY-Florida network. Reach her at smatat@pbpost.com. Support local journalism: Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Committee and lawmakers jab at Florida for FAU presidential pause