The dean of the University of Florida’s Levin College of Law, Merritt McAlister, addressed faculty concerns in a private meeting regarding the controversial hiring of Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier as a highly compensated adjunct professor. McAlister defended the decision, stating it was in the law school's “best interest” and made without political pressure, despite questions from faculty about the salary and hiring process.
Uthmeier's part-time contract provides him with an annual salary of $100,000, a figure that has drawn significant scrutiny. In the closed-door meeting, McAlister took responsibility for procedural issues but maintained that the attorney general provides unique value to the institution.
Key Takeaways
- UF Law Dean Merritt McAlister defended her decision to hire Attorney General James Uthmeier for a $100,000 part-time teaching position.
- McAlister stated the decision was hers alone and aimed to increase intellectual diversity and connect the school with state government.
- Faculty members raised concerns about Uthmeier's high salary, which is roughly eight times the median for adjunct law instructors.
- The dean acknowledged procedural “screw-ups” in the hiring and curriculum approval process but stood by the arrangement.
- McAlister expressed her intent to renew Uthmeier's contract, citing the value he brings as a “connector” to Tallahassee.
Dean Addresses Faculty in Private Meeting
In a 20-minute address to law school faculty, Dean Merritt McAlister asserted her autonomy in the decision to bring Attorney General James Uthmeier onto the teaching staff. “I want to make it very clear that this was my decision,” McAlister said during the meeting, a recording of which was reviewed by reporters. She insisted that any directive from outside the university would have been “an impermissible intervention.”
McAlister framed the hire as part of a broader strategy to navigate the current political landscape and safeguard the school's academic freedom. She emphasized her goal to “protect and preserve” the faculty's independence, a task she sees as critical in an era of intense political focus on higher education.
“That is foremost in my mind at all times,” she explained, adding that the hire was consistent with the school's objectives to “increase and expand intellectual diversity” and to forge deeper connections with the state government in Tallahassee.
Scrutiny Over a Six-Figure Salary
The central point of contention for many has been James Uthmeier's compensation. His $100,000 annual salary for a part-time role makes him the highest-paid adjunct instructor at the UF law school in at least 25 years. This amount is approximately eight times more than what the median adjunct law instructor earns.
By the Numbers
- $100,000: Uthmeier's annual salary for the part-time teaching position.
- $240,000: Uthmeier's total annual state-funded compensation, combining his teaching stipend and attorney general paycheck.
- 20%: The contracted hours Uthmeier is expected to work compared to a full-time employee.
- 8x: Uthmeier's salary is roughly eight times the median for adjunct law instructors at the university.
Dean McAlister acknowledged that the salary is “a large number” and “obviously the issue that has caught many people’s attention.” She suggested that in hindsight, a title such as “governmental scholar in residence” might have better reflected the scope of his duties, which she said extend beyond typical classroom instruction.
According to McAlister, Uthmeier serves as a political “connector” for the law school. His role involves attending events, providing feedback on institutional matters, and helping to connect the school with influential figures in state government. “He has provided significant value above and beyond what an ordinary adjunct provides,” she stated.
Procedural Missteps and Lack of Transparency
Beyond the financial concerns, questions were raised by faculty about the hiring process itself. Dean McAlister admitted to several procedural shortcomings during the meeting. She noted there was “some irregularity with respect to the Curriculum Committee” regarding Uthmeier’s course syllabi, which have been criticized for lacking detailed lesson plans and a full list of materials.
“That was a screw-up on our part,” McAlister conceded.
She also acknowledged that she is “not always as careful about some processes as I could be” when a professor questioned whether a policy requiring full faculty approval for an adjunct teaching two courses in one year had been bypassed. McAlister further admitted to being “shy” about publicizing the hire initially, attributing it to recent negative media attention the school had received for an unrelated matter.
A Politically Charged Campus Environment
The hiring of a prominent political figure like Attorney General Uthmeier, a close ally of Governor Ron DeSantis, occurs within a broader context of political efforts to reshape higher education in Florida. McAlister's argument that the hire enhances “intellectual diversity” is presented as a measure to balance the ideological spectrum on campus and protect academic independence from external pressures.
Justifying the Hire as Intellectual Diversity
A key part of Dean McAlister's defense was the argument that Uthmeier's presence contributes to a diverse intellectual environment. She pointed to a recent week where the law school hosted the attorney general’s class alongside a symposium critical of a major Trump-era policy, a lecture on racial injustice, and an environmental conference.
When asked by a professor if she would offer a similar role to a prominent Democrat, McAlister responded, “Absolutely.” She cited the principle of “institutional neutrality” and said she would make the same decision if Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Nikki Fried were the attorney general.
At least one faculty member at the meeting spoke in support of the decision. The professor argued that having the attorney general on campus provides students with valuable opportunities and gives Uthmeier a firsthand look at the school's academic culture. “It’s very helpful to have him here and see we’re not a bunch of devils with horns growing out of our heads,” the professor remarked.
McAlister echoed this sentiment, stating that Uthmeier has been instrumental in helping students find clerkships and jobs, including offering positions in his own office. “I recognize not everyone’s going to agree with the choices I’ve made,” she concluded. “I hope that at least it comes through that my goal, first and foremost, is to protect and preserve the law school.”
