Florida pushes higher education transparency with public syllabus proposal
DeSantis-backed measure would require colleges to post course materials online, aiming to rebuild student trust in higher education.
The goal is to increase transparency and help students evaluate whether classes are worth their time and money.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state’s Board of Governors have introduced a proposal that would require all public colleges and universities to publish course syllabi, reading lists, and textbooks online before student enrollment, Politico reports.
The goal is to increase transparency and help students evaluate whether classes are worth their time and money.
When it comes to Americans spending big bucks on four-year education, most colleges and universities are not required to disclose course content or reading materials prior to student enrollment. Florida, however, says it is seeking to hold its schools more accountable.
[RELATED: Survey: Nearly two-thirds of young Americans support socialism]
The proposal comes as Americans’ confidence in higher education continues to decline. A 2023 Gallup poll found that only 36 percent of adults say they have “a great deal” or “quite a lot” of trust in colleges and universities—down sharply from 57 percent in 2015. Republican confidence has fallen the most, from 56 percent to just 19 percent.
Advocates of the Florida initiative argue that making course materials public will hold professors accountable and discourage the inclusion of ideologically biased content.
Jenna A. Robinson, president of the Martin Center, a conservative-leaning higher education nonprofit based in North Carolina was interviewed by Politico and said it’s about “basic accountability.”
”We need to ensure professors are teaching what the course is supposed to be about,” Robinson stated.
Critics, however, claim the proposal could limit academic freedom or discourage faculty experimentation.
Robert Cassanello, the president of the United Faculty of Florida Union, spoke to Politico: “That’s what this is all about, scrutinizing what everybody is reading without context,” suggesting that the new requirement could affect how professors are viewed.
[RELATED: STURGE: Colleges are teaching Gen Z to love socialism]
A Cato Institute study found that 71 percent of conservative and 69 percent of moderate students reported self-censoring their views in class. Transparency advocates contend that public syllabi could help address such concerns by allowing students to make informed decisions about which courses to take.
Georgia implemented a similar requirement in 2023 and soon after saw an increase in enrollment to the institution. According to the University System of Georgia, enrollment across its 26 institutions increased by 5.9 percent this fall—the system’s highest rate in a decade.
Campus Reform reached out to students at the University of South Florida for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
