A weekend New York Times story prompted public pushback from UF President Ben Sasse, who said the university excels with employment retention and acquisition.
The Times article broadly included all Florida universities but focused on UF and said some faculty have had enough of the state’s political climate. The author based the story on interviews with 12 Florida faculty members from UF, Florida State and the University of North Florida along with reports compiled from the university, warning that signs point to scholars being harder to recruit for the Sunshine State.
Sasse took to X, formerly Twitter, to cite positive recruitment at the top-six public university in the nation.
“UF has a great story, but since facts don’t fit NYT’s predetermined goal, they skate past them,” Sasse wrote.
Sasse slams the piece for twisting facts to fit a preconceived narrative and points to two sets of numbers for backup.
First, he said UF’s faculty retention numbers—attrition rate—remain better than the national average of 10.6% for universities. Plus, Sasse said a large portion of the turnover comes from doctors at UF Health entering private practice, not staff disenfranchised by politics.
UF provided Mainstreet with the following annual attrition rates:
- FY17: 8.4%
- FY18: 7.8%
- FY19: 8.9%
- FY20: 7.4%
- FY21: 7.0%
- FY22: 8.6%
- FY23: 9.3%
Second, Sasse said UF recruitment is strong. He pointed to more than 600 applications received this year, plus around that same amount last year, to work at UF’s new Hamilton Center—likely to become the university’s 17th college. Sasse said the university’s faculty size has grown over past years.
UF provided Mainstreet with the following annual hiring numbers:
- FY17: 520 professors hired
- FY18: 539
- FY19: 550
- FY20: 614
- FY21: 379 (due to COVID)
- FY22: 560
- FY23: 606
“A couple activists willing say what the NYT’s predetermined narrative wants don’t speak for thousands of faculty members who are doing amazing work,” Sasse said.
The New York Times article cited the first set of numbers since 2019, showing a 1.3% increase. It also points to a UF study that notes difficulties hiring and keeping arts faculty and faculty of color in liberal arts.
The article also reported on an increase from Florida State of professors leaving for reasons other than retirement—37 in the past year versus an average of 23. The UF report quoted in the story also points to the political climate as a barrier for some to come.
However, a quote near the top of the story from UF’s Sarah D. Lynne, chair-elect of UF’s faculty senate, calls Florida’s situation normal.
“Florida isn’t really a unique scenario when it comes to the politicization of higher education,” Lynne said in the article. “It’s a beautiful state to live in and we have amazing students, so we’re staying.”
The article also included anecdotes from many faculty members leaving for political reasons, but for Sasse, the whole article is based on political activism and “embarrassing” that the paper published it.
“UF will always defend academic freedom,” he said. “We believe in open inquiry & speech. That’s different than political activism.”
You can find the full New York Times article here along with Sasse’s comments here.
On Tuesday, the American Association of Professors released a report on higher education in Florida, warning that academic freedom is under threat and attacks could have “dire implications for the entire country.” The report is available here.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated.
The NYT is not a valid news source. Once the gold standard of journalism is it now ruled by a woke mob in the staff room. Ideologues who will call a black wall white if needed to support their ideology. In today’s world there is zero honesty and integrity for the NYT.
I have read and subscribed to the NYT for 70 years. For the last 15 years I have come to understand that anything cited as a fact by the NYT is usually untrue. Promulgated by staff driven by hate and contempt for American values of truth and honesty.
It is obvious what the NYT goal is. Florida is not on step with the cancel culture endorsed by leadership at most universities. It wants to diminish Florida and new president Sasse. No lie is to big to accomplish the NYT’s goal.
I applaud Sasse for speaking out against the NYT’s attempted destruction and degradation of U of F.
Thank you for covering our higher education system and for the link to the NYT article. The article was discussing specific laws and policies that are affecting decisions by professors and is factual since it relates exactly what those professors are saying.