New State Bill Will Survey College and University Students On Their “Intellectual Diversity”

Judge’s gavel lays flat. Photo by Tingey Injury Law Firm on Unsplash.

Jordan Coll / News Director

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill on Tuesday that will require public universities and colleges to survey their  students, faculty and staff on their political and ideological beliefs to protect “intellectual diversity,” according to the new bill.

The State Board of Education and the Board of Governors will be required to “annually review intellectual freedom and viewpoint diversity at certain institutions,” stated the bill.

As defined by the bill H.B.233, “intellectual freedom and viewpoint diversity,” is the level of exposure students, faculty and staff have to various ideological and political perspectives.

The new piece of legislation was one out of three DeSantis signed that reviews how civics are taught in Florida public universities and colleges.

“It used to be thought that a university campus was a place where you’d be exposed to a lot of different ideas,” DeSantis told Tampa Bay times. “Unfortunately, now the norm is, these are more intellectually repressive environments. You have orthodoxies that are promoted, and other viewpoints are shunned or even suppressed.”

The bill will go into effect starting July 1 to determine the level of “intellectual freedom and viewpoint diversity,” of Florida public universities and colleges.

DeSantis along with Rep. Sen. Ray Rodrigues, who sponsored the bill, suggested budget cuts are expected if universities and colleges are found to be “indoctrinating” students. 

The university has not put out an official statement regarding the signing of the new state bill this Tuesday.

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