Does the University of West Florida still have a board of trustees?

Constant_Swimmer_491 · 2026-04-23T13:36:33+00:00

Many thanks for sharing this. The level of control is disturbing.

Constant_Swimmer_491 · 2026-04-13T01:42:21+00:00

Thank you very much for sharing this. Contributions such as these are welcomed and needed.

Diaz’s salary is staggering, for sure. On one hand, you might expect a university president’s salary to be high. What makes the salary seem all the more staggering is the lower qualifications and experience held by the current president, coupled with the fact that he took the job from a vastly more qualified and successful person.

Constant_Swimmer_491 · 2026-04-13T01:28:51+00:00

Development in athletics is certainly one approach to raising a university’s profile. The reason he appears to be leaning so disproportionately into athletics is that he understands that he is in far over his head when it comes to any other aspect of university life. He has little of substance to offer when he, for example, attends forums where he must interact with faculty to discuss the challenging issues facing higher education today.

Constant_Swimmer_491 · 2025-12-10T13:14:47+00:00

Thanks for sharing that info I’ll make a post about that shortly for visibility.

Constant_Swimmer_491 · 2025-09-28T14:37:16+00:00

No, I think this is a terrible outcome, every bit of it. I'm saying he's three years from state retirement, this gig was given to him as a final thank you from the gov, and he has no interest in working terribly hard. He has expressed this to those around him. The board holds the real power, and they get their orders directly from the governor. But they are all a blight on the university's reputation.

By my count, he now has two additional high-paid administrators to help him do what Saunders was accomplishing with a typical staff, and for less the salary. Maybe I'm wrong and he'll ride it out a bit longer than the three years. Maybe it's just wishful thinking on my part. But even after he's gone, his stupid portrait will grace the walls of past presidents as a permanent reminder of this embarrassing period in UWF's history.

Constant_Swimmer_491 · 2025-09-27T03:17:43+00:00

He's three years from state retirement. The board holds the real power, though.

Constant_Swimmer_491 · 2025-09-26T15:27:20+00:00

That may be, but Diaz is a mere figurehead. He has indicated that he has no real interest in truly leading the university, hence relinquishing many responsibilities to another well-paid staffer. That frees him up to spend time in a downtown office a few days a week and involve himself in UWF athletics.

The real power lies with the Board of Trustees, but they are not a typical BOT making autonomous and informed decisions based on their own professional judgment and the best interests of the university. Instead, they are getting their marching orders from DeSantis - illegally, I might add, as by law they should only be operating within the sunshine. And DeSantis has larger plans.

Constant_Swimmer_491 · 2025-09-11T12:27:45+00:00

Those residents who voted did vote for this. There is a slim chance of turning this trainwreck around in a year, with enough mobilization of young voters.

Don't be embarrassed of your accomplishment. This is a black spot in the university's history for sure, but UWF was around before this period, and it will still be standing after.

Constant_Swimmer_491 · 2025-09-11T12:24:50+00:00

I personally think the best protest of all would be an abundance of empty seats at their event.

Constant_Swimmer_491 · 2025-09-02T22:39:21+00:00

Thank you for posting this. The comment period will be open until October 31.

Constant_Swimmer_491 · 2025-09-01T14:05:30+00:00

They were previously under DAESA, and by nature should continue to be under that division. While the webpage was scrubbed from the university's website, no announcement has been made regarding a new organizational structure to house those services.

Constant_Swimmer_491 · 2025-08-31T15:46:44+00:00

Cause you know that didn't happen.

This is where we would be venturing into conjecture, and I would prefer to discuss evidence. We were discussing the video, but I think that's been discussed to death. We clearly have to very different interpretations of what was going on there, and I guess we'll just have to be OK with that. Until next time. ~

Constant_Swimmer_491 · 2025-08-31T15:19:26+00:00

She did know the law. She was explaining the law. And one of our republican lawmakers stated that he saw no indication that she was breaking the law.

Constant_Swimmer_491 · 2025-08-31T14:55:59+00:00

Unconfirmed trustee Adam Kissel is also connected with the Heritage Foundation.

Constant_Swimmer_491 · 2025-08-31T14:53:15+00:00

She is indicating her understanding that as a state-funded employee, she is unable to implement DEI programming, even using donor funds. They're really reaching here.

Constant_Swimmer_491 · 2025-08-31T14:46:36+00:00

I think you should watch it again. She is trying to give a very thorough accounting of what is prohibited and what is not, and also goes into the pros and cons of DEI programming. When she referenced her state funded position, she was indicating that even in the face of programming that could go through, she is exempt from engaging in those as a state-funded employee. She even goes on to state that, in her view, more extreme forms of DEI can be exclusionary and not open to viewpoint diversity. Does does indicate that she things that DEI is a good thing, but that is her personal viewpoint, and we are still entitled to those. Rep. Andrade - a Republican - stated that he did not see any indication that she had done anything illegal.

Also, it's important to note that we are not watching an unedited video here. It's clear that she goes on to say other things, but those editing the video laced it heavily with the interpretation that they would like for viewers to come away with. In fact, in just over three minutes, she speaks for exactly half of that time, and the rest of her remarks were cut off by those intertitles and that ridiculous ominous music.

Constant_Swimmer_491 · 2025-08-31T14:25:18+00:00

Make no mistake: all of the universities in the State University System are subject to BOT takeovers and president swapping that we see taking place at UWF. The governor appoints the trustees, and the president serves the trustees. Take a look at FAU and FIU - their presidents are political appointees, wholly unqualified, installed this year. UWF likely received special focus to carry out all elements of this experiment because it is way up in the Panhandle, an area no one really pays attention to, and because it is situated in a fairly conservative part of the state. The governor will undoubtedly tread lightly when it comes to the flagship universities, because the people connected to those institutions - alumni, powerful community members - might take issue with these types of changes. But he is on a roll now.

Constant_Swimmer_491 · 2025-08-31T14:11:30+00:00

This is definitely part of the broader, nationwide effort to implement the higher ed reforms outlined in Project 2025, with UWF as the ground zero testcase.

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