Inweekly is not the only one seeking answers from University of West Florida President Manny Diaz Jr., his administrators and the Board of Trustees. Too often, the public records and their actions have contradicted their statements.
- Argodillo For All is a UWF alum and donor and asks questions and seeks transparency on behalf of students, parents, employers, donors, and staff in our community. Their accountability journey, operating anonymously, can be followed on Argodillo For All’s social media accounts.
We reached out to Argodillo For All and hit the truth-seeker with a few questions of our own:
1. What prompted you to create Argodillo for All?
I’m glad you asked; while Argodillo for All has gained a lot of recent attention, I originally created the account in early April. As UWF’s Founders Week approached, I realized the vibe around UWF had shifted considerably. The Argos in my life were speaking less of their excitement and passion and more about their frustrations and unheard concerns.
- Why this matters: I don’t know how much of this information really went beyond the campus, but there were students speaking up in BoT meetings and forums with President Diaz about the neglect of LGBTQ+ students and how proposed policy changes could disproportionately affect them. Students of color were protesting the proposal to remove Juneteenth as a university holiday. It seems like it was a very contentious time, and UWF staff members and the Student Government Association were taking on a lot of the responsibility of responding to these concerns.
All of these things set a tone for the campus, and it’s not a tone that’s welcoming for a lot of Argos. How can it be, when you feel like the administration of your university doesn’t respect you? I felt compelled to try to keep up some discussion about both President Diaz and Trustee Zack Smith, both to maintain accountability for leadership and to make sure those Argos felt seen and supported.
- And, I feel it is worth mentioning – I’ve attended and volunteered at UWF events like Juneteenth and National Coming Out Day on campus. Do you think either Diaz or Smith have engaged with those facets of our community, other than to slight or harm them?
2. How have UWF officials reacted to your public record requests and social media posts?
If we were in person, this is where I would laugh. I fully expected my account to just be ignored – ignorance is bliss and all that, and I figured that not engaging was the easiest thing for UWF.
Instead, I’m able to see that UWF keeps a pretty close eye on my Instagram stories, and, one time, I posted a poll asking if anyone would be interested in free Argodillo for All stickers. That poll got hundreds of “yes” votes, but it also got one “no” – from the main @UWF account.
Here’s a screenshot of the poll and the vote. The original poll read: “If we were to order a batch of Argodillo for All stickers, would you be interested? They would be completely free, and we would be happy to give a few bunches to local clubs and businesses!”
So I know that they see me and my posts, but they generally just don’t reply.
Back in April, before my account gained so much traction, I submitted a public record request, stating “much of the greater Pensacola community would like more information about the upcoming logo changes and the decision-making process involved in this transition, if any analyses or invoices from the redesign are available.” I sent that email on April 20 and received a copy of the UWF Institutional Logo Stakeholder Perception Survey (which I summarize on my Instagram) on April 23.
Slow Summer Turnaround: I know summer is a busy time as the campus gets ready for a new academic year, but it feels worth mentioning that that quick turnaround time has stopped now that my account has so many eyes on it.
Like right now: I reached out requesting “any details or records available pertaining to the firm/vendor who delivered the new logo and assets? Are you able to disclose the name of the vendor, or the budget amounts and sources for this project?” on July 1. After a week of no response, I followed up and was told “We respond to requests in the order received and will be responding to you shortly regarding this question” on July 9. It’s now July 19, and I still haven’t heard back.
3. What are you hearing back from the faithful who supported UWF pre-Manny Diaz Jr.?
This might be the most important question you ask me because I want UWF leadership to hear this one thing: the community’s faith in UWF is drastically declining, and I am not a sole person who just dislikes change.
- In messages and on Reddit, I’m hearing people say that they will be withdrawing their donations moving forward. Alumni and students alike see that their opinions were not valued during this logo-change process, that an undisclosed amount of money was wasted, and that the current administration does not value UWF’s heritage and history. I actually saw dozens of comments from people saying they “only went to UWF because of the nautilus.”
- I’ll be honest – I didn’t know those feelings ran that deeply – but art, biology, and anthropology students especially see this move as a complete erasure of the incredible research and work they are doing to preserve our history and connect with the community.
His “Year in Review” video especially brought out the pre-Diaz supporters. Many pointed out that things like enrollment have already been healthily increasing, and UWF would have reached some of these milestones regardless of Diaz’s leadership. Not to mention, the version of this video that was posted on social media cut out the part where Diaz mentions this “phenomenal rebrand.”
- That scene remains in the full YouTube upload, so it feels apparent that UWF and Diaz know how the UWF community feels, but they will continue to publicly tout this project as a success until Argos move on. I’m proud to see so many students and alumni who are determined to make sure that isn’t the case.
4. How do you really feel about UWF President Manny Diaz, Jr. and his leadership of the university?
This feels like a good time to say that I’m not just some hater who would never give President Diaz a fair shot. When he was first brought to campus, many community members pointed out that he does have great connections that could be beneficial to UWF, especially when he talks about expanding internship and business partnership opportunities for UWF students.
Maintaining “Small Campus” Feel: However, I’m also one of those community members who came to those presidential search sessions and listened to what Argos wanted in their next President, and, candidly, Diaz just isn’t that. I heard Argos say they value someone who is approachable, who maintains our “small-campus” feel, who values their staff and their exceptional contributions.
- Meanwhile, Diaz’s record shows that he often skips faculty and staff senate meetings, which representatives have called him out for in public forums. It truly appears that he dodges accountability at every opportunity, and it can only go on for so long.
5. What do you think about community leaders shilling for Diaz, his administration and the Board of Trustees?
My thoughts on those community members are pretty simple: if I am free to criticize Diaz and his Board of Trustees, others are allowed to be supportive. However, I encourage those who are blindly supportive to consider how a more balanced engagement with leadership would be more effective both for the university and for their own reputations.
- This is much of my problem with trustee Zack Smith, as well. I don’t have any problem with having a conservative trustee; much of the community is conservative, so it seems fair to have that perspective represented. However, he is another figure who refuses to engage in person, via email, or on Instagram, other than to like Instagram comments that say I’m just a hater.
Message for UWF Trustee Zack Smith: Mr. Smith, if you see this, I have shaken your hand in meetings with leadership. I have directly asked you, “Can you please elaborate on why you refused to vote to amend the UWF Presidential Search Criteria to include the language that a graduate degree would be required and a terminal degree would be preferred?”
- You choose not to respond, which suggests to me that you recognize your own lack of integrity. You let UWF organizations and students defend you, while you sit back and reap the benefits of systematically dismantling both UWF and Florida higher education as a whole.
These hypocrisies that lie within UWF’s current leadership are exactly what Argodillo for All is about at this moment. If these “leaders” won’t hold themselves accountable or respond to direct questions, what choice do we have but to try our very best to get UWF students, staff, and alumni to unite, keep a close eye on this nonsense, and demand better?
- We See You: It’s about letting Diaz and his devotees know that someone sees you. I see you. I see the Presidential Reports that are absent from the Board of Trustees agendas but remain in the YouTube recordings. I see the collusion between charter-school champions who couldn’t care less about public education. I see the lack of attendance at academic and arts events. Other Argos see it, too, and I’m proud of caring enough to try and make UWF a better place – not just a place I can leave my mark on before bailing.
Argodillo For All Social Media
Who is Argodillo For All?
“I am an alum of UWF, but, at different times in my life, I’ve also been an instructor, a staff member, a donor, a volunteer, and more. I have familiarity with and love for UWF from so many different angles, and that’s why I feel so impassioned to be vocal at this time. I want the UWF experience I enjoyed to keep existing for these incoming students and staff: an experience that values inclusion, diversity, and high standards of academic excellence, as well as that ‘Great College to Work For’ accolade.”