TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — For an extended period, political scholar Scott Yenor has been vocal about the need for a significant change in the academic landscape, arguing that colleges and universities hinder traditional family structures by promoting career paths for women that lead to delayed childbirth.
Recently, Yenor received an opportunity to implement his educational reforms after being appointed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to the board of the University of West Florida (UWF), located in Pensacola and serving approximately 14,000 students.
DeSantis’ decision to appoint Yenor, along with four other individuals to the UWF Board of Trustees, follows a controversial restructuring of another institution, New College of Florida, which many critics deemed a politically charged takeover. This restructuring led to the dismissal of the existing president, followed by the appointment of a former state lawmaker who is a known ally of the governor.
Yenor, a professor at Boise State University, has published extensive writings addressing what he perceives as the adverse effects of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in higher education. He often emphasizes declining marriage rates and low birth rates across the United States. Additionally, he has previously held a fellowship at The Heritage Foundation, which has proposed a comprehensive policy framework aimed at steering the nation towards more conservative governance.
During the National Conservatism Conference in 2021, Yenor characterized many aspects of feminism as harmful, referring to “independent women” as “medicated, meddlesome, and quarrelsome.” He criticized colleges and universities as “the citadels of our gynecocracy,” suggesting a governmental system led by women. He made his intentions clear by stating, “If we want a great nation, we should be preparing young women to become mothers,” arguing against the notion of young women prioritizing career establishment first.
Yenor contended that higher education fosters a culture of postponement regarding maturity, dubbing colleges as “indoctrination camps.” He believes society should shift focus away from recruiting women into fields like engineering, instead advocating for increased recruitment of men in these areas. “If every Nobel Prize winner is a man, that’s not a failure. It’s kind of a cause for celebration,” he commented, illustrating his perspective on gender roles in academia.
While Yenor did not respond directly to media inquiries regarding his previous statements, he expressed support for the educational policies put forth by DeSantis. He believes, “An education system shapes the culture. Our current education system, with its divisive DEI policies and ideological monoculture, has produced an ever-worse culture,” crediting DeSantis’ changes with improving Florida’s educational landscape.
Chasidy Hobbs, who teaches Earth and environmental science and leads the faculty union at UWF, expressed dismay at Yenor’s comments, deeming them “disheartening” and “offensive.” She reflected, “My most important work of my life was being a mother, while also working as a professional woman in a career that I find almost as important as motherhood — to help the future generation learn to think for themselves.” Nonetheless, she remained optimistic about collaborating with the new board.
Julia Friedland, the deputy press secretary for the governor, stated that the new board members are expected to “break the status quo” and reorient the university toward its fundamental educational mission without addressing Yenor’s earlier comments.
Through various articles and speeches, Yenor has described diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives as a “grave and gathering danger” to national unity and governance. He has advocated for the elimination of certain academic programs, such as African Diaspora Studies, while also calling into question the necessity of some traditional disciplines like History and English. His vision includes sex-segregated education and restrictions on state employees collecting data based on race or gender.
The Florida Senate must confirm Yenor and the other new members appointed to UWF’s 13-member board.
