Navigating New Norms: International Faculty Experiences With Florida's Legislative Changes and Impacts on Academic Freedom

• In Event: Navigating State-Level Anti-Equity Policies

Abstract

Academic freedom, crucial for fostering the free exchange of ideas, faces challenges due to these legislative shifts. This study will explore the lived experiences and perceptions of international faculty on Florida's legislative shifts and their impacts on academic freedom and offer recommendations to stakeholders, including policymakers, scholars, and educational and community agencies, regarding the legislative changes. This qualitative phenomenological study employed semi-structured interviews to explore how foreign-born faculty navigate these changes and their impacts on academic freedom. The findings highlighted themes such as self-censorship and faculty recruitment and retention difficulties. The study will inform stakeholders, including policymakers and educational agencies, about the implications of these legislative changes and offer recommendations to support international faculty and uphold academic freedom.

Authors

• Andrea Clemons, Florida Gulf Coast University

• Hasan Aydin, Florida Gulf Coast University