Florida Students rally for DEI at board of governors meeting

Orlando, FL – On June 27 and 28, the Florida board of governors held a meeting in the Student Union of the University of Central Florida. On June 27, various subcommittees met to discuss actions that would be up for vote the next day, including giving the UCF football department $100 million in funding despite teachers and faculty receiving news last semester that they would not be receiving a pay raise.

On June 28, approximately ten speakers arrived at the board of governors meeting to give public comment on numerous items on the agenda such as updating the Florida New College’s “Master Plan” and the board’s decision to delist “Principles of Sociology” from the core course list earlier in the year. 

Delisting the course means that the class would no longer satisfy the general education core class requirements for students. Nearly every speaker, including one member of UCF Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), had their microphones cut off for “not speaking on items on the agenda.” Public comment lasted no more than ten minutes, with the board of governors continuing on with the meeting without acknowledgment of the comments given by those in attendance.

Several members of the audience who gave public comment, spoke up against the board of governors, stating that it was absurd to be cut off when they drove hours to attend the meeting and not even be acknowledged. The members of the audience who spoke up were then ordered to leave the meeting and were escorted by police out of the room.

At 10:30 a.m. the same day, over 25 students, including members of the audience who were cut off, gathered outside the front of the Student Union to rally against the Florida board of governor’s support of the crackdown on pro-Palestinian protesters and assault on diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Several in attendance had driven from other universities in the state such as Florida State University and the University of Florida. One attendee held a sign stating, “Fund DEI not genocide.” 

Muahbohn Dahn, an organizer with Florida Student Power, explained the effects that bills such as SB 266 will have on students and their education, stating, “This bill doesn’t just defund our diversity, equity and inclusion offices in the state, but attacks our courses in general. Any course that has to do with critical race theory or critical gender theory were all removed from our catalogue, because they know if we are able to sociologically look into the systems that have been placed around us, we will see they ways in which they continue to oppress us.”

Ladara Royal, an educator and union leader of the Orange County Classroom Teachers Association, further elaborated, “It is said that public school education is the great equalizer. However, that dream has become under attack in Florida. You cannot have innovation when everyone in the room looks and thinks the same.”

Despite heavy heat and the presence of police, the students rallied outside the Student Union for an hour as the board of governors exited their meeting.

Marcus Polzer, an organizer with UCF SDS who was among those that were cut off during public comment, stated, “The Florida board of governors herald themselves as supporters of higher education and students, yet they can’t spare more than 15 minutes every three months to listen to public comment. This board has the power to dismantle entire majors. We students are a vital part of this University, and we will not be silenced.”

Madalyn Propst, a student from FSU spoke out further against the board’s recent undemocratic decisions, stating, “They think it is their God-given right to govern against the interests of students. We will not be complacent in their hatred; we will not sit idly by while they take our rights away.”

The rally and press conference were held by Florida Student Power and Youth Action Fund in collaboration with the UCF Divestment Coalition and UCF Students for a Democratic Society.

#OrlandoFL #DEI #UCFSDS #FloridaStudentPower #YouthActionFund #UCFDivestmentCoalition