The University of Florida is holding an investigation after allegations that University administrators pressured researchers to destroy Covid19 data. The story of an investigation being launched first became public on December 10th when several University of Florida faculty members began posting the contents of an internal e-mail to social media.
CNN reports that “Dr. Danaya Wright, a professor at the University of Florida and one of six authors listed on the report told CNN.
‘I don’t know that we need a smoking gun, in particular, to say that this is coming from state government’…” The full report from the University of Florida that led to calls for a proper investigation notes a highly politicized campus environment where professors face “barriers to research and publication, restrictions related to participating in outside activities that challenge the political priorities of the Executive branch of state government and pressure to alter syllabi and course content to avoid viewpoints unpopular among current elected state officials.” The report also notes a “grave fear of retaliation” among faculty members if they present viewpoints counter to the interests of Donald Trump, Governor Ron DeSantis, or the oil and gas industry.