Confusing Politics and Academics at FSU

Another editorial in the Tampa Tribune advocates that FSU's Board of Trustees -- and especially John Thrasher, its chair -- vote not on the chiropractic school proposal.  As the editorial concludes:

If Thrasher and the FSU trustees are determined to grow FSU's prominence, they should do the right thing Friday and take a stand. They should recommend that the Board of Governors reject the chiropractic school.

As the editorial states, Thrasher is in a bind, largely of his own making:

Thrasher is in a quandary because the proposed school is the pet project of two powerful lawmakers in Tallahassee, where he makes his living.

Former Senate President Jim King has made clear that the Legislature ``would be angry'' if the chiropractic school were rejected. King, who used his influence to prevent any serious legislative review of the proposed school, is joined by Sen. Dennis Jones, a Treasure Island chiropractor rumored to be a potential dean for the school.

In other words, if Thrasher votes against the school, he risks endangering his business. But if he votes for it, he risks damaging his integrity and the school's reputation.

However, FSUblius is convinced that John Thrasher, along with TK Wetherell, FSU's President (and a former football player for the university, Tallahassee Community College President, and former Senator and lobbyist himself), could not give a damn about FSU's academic reputation and quality.  As the editorial also states:

Thrasher says he doesn't have a problem with lawmakers creating an academic program by legislative fiat. ``They speak for the people of Florida and I think they should be given great deference.''

Frankly, FSUblius finds this to be a dangerous approach for the chair of the governing body of a major research university to take.  If Thrasher and TK Wetherell are in charge, academic freedom at FSU is in serious danger indeed.

In addition to purporting to "run" FSU, Thrasher runs the largest lobbying firm in Tallahassee -- and TK Wetherell was once his partner.  Fortunately, current Florida Senate President Tim Lee has proposed a bill banning lobbyists from serving as members of university board of trustees.  This would include John Thrasher, along with Steve Uhlfelder, who sits on Florida's Board of Governors.  Lee's proposal is a much-needed solution in Tallahassee, where lobbyists, politicians and university leaders are unfortunately so intertwined that FSU has lost any claim at all to independence and vision as an academic institution.  If FSU is to be successful as a research and academic institution in the current governance structure in Florida, we are in serious need of both structural reforms, such as Lee's proposal, and academic leadership.