A Florida senator will teach at UF and help students find government internships, but the recent hire has raised some questions among faculty.
Sen. Mike Haridopolos, a Republican from Melbourne poised to become Senate president in 2010, accepted a $75,000 offer to lecture in UF's political science department and coordinate internships at UF's Bob Graham Center for Public Service. A lecturer is a one-time, non-tenure track position.
Though Haridopolos' appointment would only last a year, faculty expressed concern about his education, high salary in the face of budget cuts and the lack of faculty input in the decision.
Haridopolos has a master's degree in history from the University of Arkansas. He has taught at Brevard Community College, and he taught a UF graduate course in 2005.
Walter Rosenbaum, Graham Center director, said he met with Haridopolos and former U.S. Sen. Bob Graham about three weeks ago to discuss the position. Rosenbaum said Haridopolos would work on his doctoral degree at UF.
Joe Glover, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences interim dean, said the political science department chairman would decide what classes Haridopolos would teach.
Stephen Craig, chairman of the political science department, declined to comment.
Glover said he hired Haridopolos after Craig and Rosenbaum approved. He said it's not unusual to consult with both departments when the position is split between two disciplines.
But that wasn't enough for Kenneth Wald, a UF political science professor.
Wald said he didn't learn about the appointment until he opened a newspaper Thursday morning.
"I've been here for 25 years, and we have never done anything like that," he said, referring to hiring a high-salary lecturer without faculty input.
When UF shells out that much money to hire a part-time lecturer, it makes it hard to convince those on the outside that UF is experiencing a budget crisis, Wald said.
He said he thinks UF President Bernie Machen should explain his reasons for hiring Haridopolos without consulting the faculty.
UF's Faculty Senate should investigate the situation, he added.
After Thursday's Senate meeting, Machen said he doesn't think it would be appropriate for him or the Senate to get involved.
He said UF had to pay Haridopolos such a high salary because it needed his expertise.
