Former Sen. Ben Sasse Takes Office as UF President and now announces he is retiring

I guess I'd ask in what way...the actions? His lane is UF and higher education. Also, he has political intelligence, so he's smart enough, for UF's sake, to stay out of the New College & Tally legislation stuff. Unless he'd like to cut off his nose to spite his face.

Now where I'd critique him is lack of admin transparency at UF. He obviously has a philosophy of intentionally keeping some plans/actions close to the vest, that served him well as a Senator, but don't translate to this position. Whether he likes it or not, people will fill in a narrative with a lack of information. I think that's creating unnecessary stress at UF.

 

That says it all. He speaks up for free inquiry only when it's politically convenient. And that's why I don't respect his views on the issue. Yes, it would take courage to speak out because DeSantis and his puppets in the Legislature might punish him for it, but there are people who have far less risking far more standing up for what's right.

Why should I give Sasse's opinion on other schools' commitment to free speech and open inquiry any credence when he's not defending those values in his own state and his own institution?

 

FIFY

 

Also, his statements were general and could be categorized as indirectly criticizing "post-liberals on the right who would tear them (institutions) to the ground".

If he got into a back and forth with Tally, I'd be thinking "Well that was stupid. You'll be gone soon and UF will have less funding. Nice job."

 

Not a big fan of him becoming the poster child for this, even if I largely agree with him. Bullying, creating an unsafe space etc, are only issues for certain groups. He provided some examples in that letter.
Take an absolute free speech approach, or be equitable across groups. But the left has twisted itself into such a pretzel on minority rights and allowable speech around them that they can’t seem to see the forest through the trees anymore. This whole episode has finally really highlighted it.

 

You're entitled to your opinion. I'll continue to call it cowardice. If he's not willing to stand up for academic freedom and free speech when he has something to lose, I'm not going to respect his opinion on those principles when he has something to gain. I'd rather see UF be punished for fighting for what's right, like FAMU was in the 1960s, than see it bend over and become the Ministry of Truth for the politicians in Tallahassee.

 

Desi and the gang went after New College because they were a small fish that didn't have the muscle to fight back. It was their goal to set a precedent to try and cower the big fish to stay on the sideline in silence and they did just that. The state legislature knows that desi is term limited and are being much less compliant now that they know he has no chance at potus and he no longer has billions in excess covid aid to dole out to those that remain silent while he punishes conflicting thought.

 

Do you think the 3 college presidents in front of congress exhibited cowardice?

 

Do you think what 3 private college presidents think is worthy of a congressional hearing? And a resolution calling for their firing/resignation? What was the point here other than some kind of spectacle?

 

No, no, it was a political spectacle for partisan purposes. Nonetheless, it did very plainly demonstrate the problem here.

 

The problem of pointless spectacles in politics? Agreed.

 

I don’t necessarily blame the presidents and don’t necessarily think they should be fired. I don’t know enough about them or the job they do. I will say they failed instead of exhibiting moral leadership they fell back on administrative legalese. But these people have been so beaten down by opposing forces as to what they can say or can’t the result was on display.

 

That's not really the focus on the editorial, though. Hell, there are some who would say that promoting free inquiry cautions against the university picking sides in political disputes (folks who champion the Kalven Report), but I'm not sure that antisemitism would necessarily fit into that bucket.

 

No. But I do think they did a poor job of conveying their supposed values. Whoever prepped them either failed to do their jobs or the presidents didn't follow the gameplan.

 

Calling for 'moral leadership' is exactly your problem with the students isnt it? They want the administration to take moral stances too, at least in the telling of conservatives. Its just that you disagree with the morality you think that represents. Conservatives are even falling back on the language of "safety and feelings" they resent when it comes to other things they think pampered students are making too much of.

 

From the Pres:

Gator Alumni,

We’re grateful for the way Gator Nation welcomed our family to your family over the past 10 months.

UF is on a rocketship trajectory, and we look forward to continuing to partner with you all. Whether you are near or far, the opportunities for us in 2024 and beyond are endless.

May you — and all Gators around the world — have a blessed holiday season.

It’s great to be a Florida Gator.

Ben & Melissa Sasse

​

 

I'd say the point was to publicly declare and proclaim, obo the people whom they represent, in their representative capacities, that even though these elitist husks side with Palestinian terrorist sympathizers to the point of permitting them to harass and terrorize their Jewish students, we as a people in the aggregate, find such conduct to be deplorable and unacceptable.

 

Yep. And I'd say I was inordinately proud of the stance he took, the assertiveness, no caveat, no diluting, no politicking....just laid it out there, even boasting how we have the largest Jewish student population of anyone--a declaration that could easily have (perhaps did) put us on the terrorists' maps. But that's what it means to stand with a group.

I say inordinately, bc it seemed like an appropriate note to sound--until so many others, shat their britches, and left UF standing out a special in that regard. Made it a particularly proud moment (when it ought to have been a voice in a crowded chorus).

 

Sasse was speaking to his audience. A Republican governor, a conservative state, as well as the largest Jewish population and alumni set in the country from UF. I also think he said what he believed.

The presidents were speaking to who they thought their audience was. Other college administrators and students who value “woke” ideology. Their problem was they failed to understand who their audience was.

There is no difference in what Sasse did than the college presidents. It’s just that Sasse as a professional politician is much better at it.