University of Florida accused of Sunshine Law violations

The University of Florida is opening its board of trustees’ retreats to the public after the board was accused of violating state law by essentially holding closed-door meetings, affiliate WUFT reported at NPR.

While board retreats are supposed to be public, per Florida’s Sunshine Law, the UF Board of Trustees has been meeting in secret locations since 2018. Although the Board of Trustees has announced the dates of the meetings as required by law, the university did not indicate the location of the meeting. retreats, which critics say amount to holding meetings behind closed doors.

“The (Board) is violating the Sunshine Law by not providing notice and allowing the public to attend its retreats,” Barbara Petersen, who directs the nonpartisan Florida Center for Government Accountability, told WUFT who campaigns for transparency. “The Sunshine Law applies to all BOT meetings at which public business is to be transacted or discussed.”

David Cuillier, director of the Brechner Center for the Advancement of the First Amendment at UF, also told the radio station that the board’s actions were “inconsistent” with Florida’s Sunshine Law.

Additionally, UF has not released the agendas or minutes of these meetings, WUFT reported.

Following critical media coverage, UF spokesperson Steve Orlando told the NPR affiliate that board retirements are public and “the intent of the board is not was never to close them.” In the future, the university will publish the location of these retreats in advance, he said.