April 15 – Today a press release from Accuracy in Media was shared with news outlets about a new task force that is using undercover investigators. The following is from today’s release:
Accuracy in Media Video Exposes University of South Florida Administrator Bragging About Ignoring State DEI Ban
St. Petersburg, FL – Today, Accuracy in Media released a new video that shows an administrator at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg campus bragging about ignoring a state law that bans DEI programs at public universities in Florida.
The state law specifically prohibits the use of taxpayer dollars to fund DEI programs. In the video, Heather Klišanin, Director of Student Conduct and Ethical Development and Dean of Student Ambassadors at USF St. Petersburg, tells AIM’s undercover investigator that USF is now funding these programs with student fees instead of eliminating them altogether.
However, this “loophole” employed by USF is still likely in violation of state law, because not all student fees are paid through private sources. As of fall 2022, over 74% of Florida residents enrolled at USF received a taxpayer-funded scholarship through the Bright Futures program.
In the video, Klišanin also notes that while the program names “may be adjusted at some point,” the university is not planning “to remove any of the services.”
When AIM President Adam Guillette confronted Klišanin, she denied ever having made those comments. Once Guillette showed her a video recording of the conversation, she directed him to speak with Carrie O’Brion, Regional Associate Vice Chancellor of Communications and Strategic Initiatives.
“DEI is a poisonous ideology that leads to division, hate and antisemitism,” said AIM President Adam Guillette. “It has no place in our education system, and both Gov. DeSantis and the Trump administration must ensure these programs are rooted out of public universities and K-12 schools.”
You can watch the full video here.