Senate Committee rejects controversial UWF trustee appointee

The Florida Senate Appropriations Committee on Higher Education has voted to reject Adam Kissel’s appointment to the University of West Florida (UWF) Board of Trustees with only one favorable vote. The decision comes after intense questioning about Kissel’s previous writings on privatizing public universities and his views on the GI Bill, along with concerns from the Pensacola community about the direction of UWF under new leadership.

Kissel’s Background and Introduction

Adam Kissel introduced himself as a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation focusing on higher education reform. He highlighted his professional background, which includes work at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), the Charles Koch Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Education under Secretary DeVos.

During his introduction, Kissel, who lives in West Virginia, mentioned his Florida roots, noting that his family has lived in Pinellas County for nearly 40 years, and that he was valedictorian at Countryside High School in 1990. He emphasized his recent commitment to Northwest Florida and UWF, describing meetings with university faculty, deans, and leadership during a recent visit to Pensacola.

Controversial Views on Privatization and the GI Bill

Committee Chair Senator Gayle Harrell questioned Kissel about his writings advocating for the privatization of public universities. She specifically referenced an article where Kissel suggested states could save $126 billion per year by stopping higher education subsidies.

When asked if Florida should stop funding state universities like UWF, Kissel clarified that his privatization proposal was intended for “shrinking, troubled small universities” like those in West Virginia, not growing institutions in Florida. He stated, “I would say that probably more resources rather than fewer should be going to a growing university like University of West Florida.”

The committee also pressed Kissel on his statements about the GI Bill. Chair Harrell quoted from his writing that “this problem began in the mid-20th century GI Bill, which intentionally put veterans in college instead of the workforce.” Kissel defended his position by distinguishing between his historical analysis of the 1940s and his current support for veterans’ educational opportunities, saying his comments about the past “have very little to do with what I might think about veterans today.”

Free Speech and Academic Freedom

When asked about his solutions to what he described as a “culture of speech suppression” on college campuses, Kissel emphasized his experience with academic freedom and free speech issues. He advocated for policies that protect free expression while also guarding against discrimination and harassment, mentioning his work to connect UWF’s general counsel with FIRE to potentially make UWF the fifth Florida institution to receive FIRE’s “green light” rating for free speech policies.

Connections to the Heritage Foundation and Project 2025

Senator Tracie Davis questioned Kissel about his affiliation with the Heritage Foundation and its connection to Project 2025. While acknowledging his role as a visiting fellow focused on higher education policy, Kissel distanced himself from authorship of Project 2025’s content, stating, “My name doesn’t appear in the Project 2025 report at all.” However, he added, “I will say that I agree with probably everything in it,” referring specifically to the education chapter.

Community Opposition

The committee heard testimony from several Pensacola residents and UWF supporters who opposed Kissel’s appointment. Dr. Judy Bense, UWF president emeritus, expressed concern that the university was being negatively impacted by the recent trustee appointments, noting that “donations have come to a screeching halt” and students were canceling their fall enrollment.

A significant concern raised by multiple speakers was the lack of local representation on the board. According to Bense, “All of the other trustees on the list today to be confirmed are from their own region. Ours is the only region that has five trustee nominees from outside the region with no connection to the University of West Florida.”

UWF graduate student Elizabeth Domani Turner-Ward testified that Kissel’s views on privatization and the GI Bill were “very troubling considering the relationship our university has with the veteran community.” She added that students were already canceling their enrollment due to concerns about the board’s direction.

Former UWF trustee Jean Godwin pointed to the unanimous vote by the new appointees to make Boise State professor Scott Yenor the board chair as evidence of their alignment with his controversial views. “Given that action, I can only assume they all support and endorse his positions and policies,” she said, referencing statements attributed to Yenor that “only non-Jewish white men are capable of leadership” and that women are “medicated, quarrelsome and meddlesome.”

Support for Kissel

William Maddox, senior director of the J. Stanley Marshall Center for Education Freedom at the James Madison Institute, spoke in support of Kissel, describing him as “a very thoughtful, mild-mannered, respectful individual who does serious scholarship.” Maddox praised Kissel’s “willingness to sometimes challenge conventional thinking and to think in new directions.”

Committee Decision

Despite Kissel’s attempts to distance himself from his previous writings and reassure the committee of his commitment to UWF, the Senate Appropriations Committee on Higher Education ultimately rejected his appointment with only one favorable vote.

The decision validates SaveUWF’s efforts and Inweekly’s position on the importance of local representation and community values in university governance.

For UWF, which serves a region with a strong military presence and deep community ties, the outcome underscores the tension between state-level appointments and regional priorities.

Next Steps

Gates Garcia, another DeSantis appointee, did not show up for the hearing. However, the committee did approve the three state Board of Education appointments: Ashley Ross, Rachel Moya, and Rebecca Matthews.

Sen. Don Gaetz attended the hearing and told Save UWF representatives that Kissel and the other appointees will face his Ethics and Elections committee in two weeks. Save UWF will attend those hearings.

1 thought on “Senate Committee rejects controversial UWF trustee appointee”

Jackie Hartstein says:

March 27, 2025 at 3:35 pm

Will you please give us a few days notice of the Ethics and Election Committee’s hearing date in Tallahassee. We could overflow the room with Save UWF supporters!

Senate Committee rejects controversial UWF trustee appointee

Kissel’s Background and Introduction

Controversial Views on Privatization and the GI Bill

Free Speech and Academic Freedom

Connections to the Heritage Foundation and Project 2025

Community Opposition

Support for Kissel

Committee Decision

Next Steps

1 thought on “Senate Committee rejects controversial UWF trustee appointee”

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