UF rescinds retired Law Professor’s emeritus status after social media post “raising concerns”
Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The University of Florida announced on Friday that it has rescinded the emeritus status of an unnamed retired law professor, now confirmed to be Jeffrey L. Harrison, because he “issued a post on social media that is raising concerns.”
The September 10 post read, in part, “I did not want [Charlie Kirk] to die. I reserve that wish for Trump.”
The university’s statement, posted on its X account, on September 19, reads, “The University of Florida has been made aware of a retired faculty member who issued a post on social media that is raising concerns. In accordance with the university’s policies and regulations, UF has rescinded this individual’s emeritus status.”
The “Emeritus” title entails “continued campus courtesies, under the same conditions as required for active faculty and administrators, including parking, use of the library and recreation facilities, admission to athletics and cultural events, receipt of such publications as are sent to regular faculty members and members of the Alumni Association, participation in contract and grant endeavors, and participation in academic convocations.”
Harrison submitted an article to the Gainesville Sun in 2022 that criticized then-President Kent Fuchs, Provost Joe Glover, and Law School Dean Laura Rosenbury, calling them Governor DeSantis’s “staunchest enforcers” for refusing to mandate masks on campus during COVID. He wrote, “Clearly, Gov. Ron DeSantis has no sense of decency and will do anything to appeal to the worst values in people. Rather than lead people to embrace the moral high ground, he encourages people to wallow in the mud of racism, homophobia and xenophobia. Rather than ask people to be better, he asks them to be worse, much worse… A greater danger may lie ahead. The next president, who will ultimately be determined by DeSantis and his defenders on the search committee, may be a true believer. And those true beliefs likely include teaching ‘real’ American history, making sure LGBTQ issues are taboo and that no one should lend their expertise to a cause not supported by the governor.”
In these highly divided and politically charged times, it’s reassuring to know that Americans are unified by their shared, unprincipled hypocrisy for sometimes embracing, yet other times rejecting, episodes of cancel culture, hinged purely upon whom is being cancelled.
Exactly. The right was totally against it a few years ago while the left championed it. Now it’s reversed.
I remember when it was the left that was AntiVax and AntiGMO. Now that’s also reversed.
Funny how easily people’s programming is switched. More people need to start standing on principle and not partisanship.
They made the rules, they need to learn to live by them now.
He’s a lawyer. Nough said?
It’s clear he wasn’t an English professor.
If he was, it’s clear, (in more ways than one), why some wouldn’t want that idiot teaching their kids.
UF rescinding his emeritus status was a better decision than hiring the current HBC.
“HBC”?
Head Ball Coach.
Absurd.
What’s absurd?
this scumbag is turning out young lawyers? See ya scumbag!
Lefttards are evil and violent.
He’s no longer relevant to the law school nor the students…but he has 15′ of “fame”. Sad commentary for a supposedly learned man. What a legacy, right?
Whst does emeritus status get someone anyway?
Parking spot, inside office and an email address.
The Emeritus title is honorary…his comments reflect poorly on UF, so UF is removing the honorary title. He’s not losing his retirement pay over his defamatory comments. Just the honorary title that he failed to live up to – an Emeritus professor continues to represent the University to the community, and UF is not obligated to allow this man to keep the Emeritus title. The expectations for those granted Emeritus status are in the UF regs – he did not live up to those expectations.
Canceling someone, in my mind, is taking away their means of speech (like removing a social media account), or means of earning a living (like losing a job over refusing a shot), or means of earning a degree (like being required to choose between bodily autonomy and attending class).
Well said, Mom. Some, such as Steve Spurrier, have an Emeritus title (granted,he was not an instructor) but he handles things with class and is a positive force. He stays out of poitics and quietly mentors people and runs a successful business. Class act. Mr. Harrison embarassed himself and the UF community.Go away Harrison – just go away.
Communism has indeed infiltrated academia. Charlie Kirk proved that long ago, and these professors keep confirming it. 👿👹👺🤡💩
Lawyers are tought to circumvent the Laws, isn’t that like twisting the truth ?
He is not to smart. If University Police report his post to the Secret Service he may be in big trouble.
The arrogance is the queen of ignorance. He is a shame for
OK, small potatoes, and one hopes that a retired professor who said he awaits Biden or Harris’s death would be treated similarly, but the issue going forward is the President’s weaponization of the act of a one-off gamer nut jobs horrible act signals a national crisis and civil war.
There is little evidence he was left wing, or if he was, somehow connected to a larger left wing movement. There are conservative and non-political gays, he posted to a gamers site after he shot Kirk and with personal comments as one of them, not to members of any left wing club. One bullet said “if you can read this, your gay – lmao”, the bella tune is from a popular game as is “catch this, fascist”. Yet the president pretends otherwise because he thinks dividing us is to his benefit, as is blaming everything and anything on Biden and his “enemies” with fact free attacks meant to increase his growing power and lawlessness.
I hate to be alarmist, but watch this clip of Stephen Miller at the Kirk memorial yesterday and try to think it is not Goebbels in 1939. Remember, this guy has been one of Trump’s top advisors in the WH with him everyday in both of his administrations. He’s nuts and seriously so.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/video/charlie-kirks-death-awakened-dragon-stephen-miller-125796373
America is under attack
Move to San Francisco or NYC if you don’t agree
Paid protestors are now a big business
Watch Nate Friedman’s podcast on YouTube and open your eyes!
Give us some examples “Sane”.
You Sir are an idiot. But everybody here knows that. You should however be reminded from time to time. Lol
Sure Lee, but you’re supposed to post something proving your assertion. As to “everybody here” agreeing with, that’s your cross to bear.
Please stop. This constant refrain that everything the left disagrees with is just like Hitler is why Tyler Robinson shot Charlie Kirk. Young men start believing it is their duty to kill the person who has been identified as “just like Hitler (or Goebbels, in this case), and it needs to stop.
Also, “We will defend good. We will defend virtue” does not echo the Nazis. In fact, it echoes the founding fathers of America.
Adam, it is worrisome that you bought that, given the hateful attacks on fellow unnamed Americans prededing it. Are you a young man trying to decide which leader to follow without question?
In the meantime, any proof for your assertion that Robinson was similarly mindlessly impressed by leftists
How about CNN?
The charging document says Robinson “intentionally” targeted Kirk because of Robinson’s “belief or perception regarding Charlie Kirk’s political expression.” While prosecutors stopped short of specifically detailing what issues motivated Robinson to carry out the September 10 shooting, the charging document provided some clues.
In separate conversations with his roommate and family, Robinson shared that Kirk “spreads too much hate,” and he “had enough of his hatred,” the document said.
The document also said the suspect’s mother told investigators that “over the last year or so, Robinson had become more political and had started to lean more to the left – becoming more pro-gay and trans-rights oriented. She stated that Robinson began to date his roommate, a biological male who was transitioning genders.”
https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/16/us/what-charges-charlie-kirk-case
So, opposition to hatred of gays by gays is left wing? I did not know that. Who are these left wing influencers he was listening to when all his on-line involvement we know about was with gamers?
But young men will not be moved to violence by the words of Miller or our President Adam?
“I hate my opponent,” Mr. Trump told the crowd at the memorial in Arizona, “and I don’t want the best for them.”
The University of Florida has become so WOKE and Communistic that I am considering burning my degree in front of Tigert Hall.
Look up Nate Friedman on YouTube
This is no longer a democrat vs republican issue as paid protesters are being used to destroy America