The university’s explanation is they “were not authorized” to serve as witnesses and their testimony would “pose a conflict of interest to the executive branch of the State of Florida” and “create a conflict for the University of Florida.” Read story here.
Do you detect the governor’s heavy hand here? Are the trustees afraid of being swatted?
I guess if I were the lawyers, I’d fire the professors as paid witnesses, then subpoena them to testimony. I’d like to see the university stop that.
And … if Florida professors can’t testify against the state in court cases, the next big question is, can their athletes read?
Update (11/5/21): Faced with backlash and threats of a donor boycott, the university backed down, and decided to let the professors testify after all. See story here.