DeSantis appoints conservative think tank members to a university board

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis have appointed five new members to the board that oversees the University of West Florida in Pensacola, including two people associated with the conservative think tank behind it Project 2025.

The appointments to the public university in Florida’s western panhandle come two years after DeSantis tapped six new board members to monitor New College of Floridain what critics say was a hostile political takeover of the small progressive school.

Newly appointed to UWF’s board of directors include Adam Kissel, a visiting fellow on higher education for The Heritage Foundationwho proposed Project 2025 as a policy plan for a hard right turn in American government and society. Kissel served in the US Department of Education under President Donald Trump.

DeSantis also appointed Scott Yenor, a professor of political science at Boise State University who was previously a visiting fellow in American political thought at The Heritage Project.

The other nominees are Paul Bailey, an adjunct professor in the pre-law program at Pensacola Christian College; Gates Garcia, president of private equity firm Pinehill Capital Partners; and Chris Young, founder of the personal injury law firm Perry & Young.

The appointments are subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate, where Republicans have a supermajority. In 2023, senators declined to confirm one of DeSantis’ most controversial New College nominees, but approved the others.

DeSantis built his national profile by exploiting divisive politics in Florida classrooms, ban on teaching sexual orientation and gender identityroot out diversity programs and limits what Florida schools can teach about racism.

___ Kate Payne is a staff member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places reporters in local newsrooms to report on undercover issues.