Senate committee OKs Ron DeSantis picks for Florida Poly board

A Senate committee gave its approval for Gov. Ron DeSantis’ appointees to the Florida Polytechnic University Board of Trustees.

The appointees include University of Chicago Associate Professor Dorian Abbot, Manhattan Institute senior fellow Ilya Shapiro, former DeSantis staffer David Clark, retired logistics executive Clifford Otto and radar tech company owner Sidney Theis.

The Senate Ethics and Elections Committee offered approval, with Democratic Sen. Tina Polsky opposing Abbot and Shapiro’s appointment due to their rejection of diversity, equity and inclusion programs. DeSantis has railed against DEI in higher education.

Shapiro posted to X in October that the practice should be eradicated.

– Janelle Irwin, Florida Politics