The contradictions in Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s approach to policymaking. And, a reminder to apply to join our HBCU Student Journalism Network.

‘Do as I say and not as I do’

“Education is about the pursuit of truth, not the imposition of ideology or the advancement of a political agenda,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said in January.

But DeSantis’s brand as a defender of free speech is under scrutiny from the right and the left, Divya Kumar, one of our higher ed reporters at the Tampa Bay Times, wrote this week. That’s because in addition to speaking out against what he sees as universities indoctrinating students, he has also blocked Students for Justice in Palestine from university campuses, made it easier to ban books, restricted classroom discussions on race and gender, and defunded diversity programs.

“What we’ve seen from the governor over and over again, in both K-12 and higher education, is, ‘Do as I say and not as I do,’” said Andrew Spar, president of the Florida Education Association teachers union. “It’s not surprising he’s saying, ‘I want this to be the free state of Florida, but not if you disagree with me.’”

++ Divya also recently profiled a different kind of leader — Ronald Vaughn, who will soon retire after 29 years at the helm of the University of Tampa. In that time, he oversaw major change and helped the university weather enrollment headwinds.

Support our work

In 2024, we hope to double our local network to 20 locations; expand coverage of community colleges in the nation’s biggest states — California, Texas, and New York; and use our newly announced story fund to help local newsrooms tell ambitious, one-time stories.

Open Campus relies on support from foundations and individual donors — we can’t do this work without you. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to our NewsMatch campaign this year. That’s right, now through Dec. 31, donations to Open Campus will be doubled up to $20,000.

Calling all HBCU students

It can be intimidating to enter a career or a workplace where most people don't look like you. Without experience, it's even harder to get a foot in the door. A recent survey from the Pew Research Center shows just 6% of the nearly 12,000 working journalists who responded were Black.

This context was something we thought about as we launched the HBCU Student Journalism Network, a paid fellowship dedicated to providing support for budding journalists and increased coverage of historically Black colleges and universities. We are now accepting applications for our third cohort.

Through mentoring and professional support from Open Campus journalists and peers in newsrooms across the country, the program provides students with the opportunity to establish professional connections and have their work published in national outlets.

Previous fellows have reported on what one Louisiana college is doing to produce more Black male teachers, and why there are a dearth of men at so many HBCUs.

The program will run from Jan. 16, 2024 to May 24, 2024, and fellows will work remotely. Each student will be paid $1,200 a month and will be expected to work 10-15 hours a week.

Know anyone who might be a good fit? Forward them this email, and tell them to apply here. Have questions? Read our FAQ page here, or reach us at [email protected].

— Kayleigh Skinner

++ This week, Tamilore Oshikanlu, one of our current fellows, explored the challenges HBCU athletes face in landing endorsement deals compared to athletes at predominantly white institutions. We co-published this story in Capital B.

Elsewhere on Open Campus

From Cleveland: Amy Morona, our reporter at Signal Cleveland and a first-generation college graduate, put together the kind of guide that would have helped her as she considered next steps after high school. There are extra barriers for students who’d be the first in their families to go to college, she writes.

From Mississippi: Jackson State University is on the cusp of a new president. Meanwhile, Molly Minta at our partner Mississippi Today has new documents that raise questions about the health of its development foundation. One document shows the foundation is lacking about $7.6 million in cash on hand. Another is the resignation letter of a board member who stepped down earlier this year due to concerns about the foundation’s bookkeeping.

From Texas: An Austin university started two years ago by a group of higher education critics is set to accept applicants for the 2024 academic year. Students will be admitted on a rolling basis until the university hits 100 students. The students will have full scholarships for the entirety of their four years, leaders said this week.

The goal of the University of Austin is to create an institution that’s “fiercely independent” and offers an alternative to what its founders say is a rise in “illiberalism” on college campuses, writes Kate McGee, our reporter at the Texas Tribune.

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