About
On July 1, 2023 a new state law went into effect requiring the establishment of an Office of Public Policy Events at each member institution of the State University System in Florida. The purpose of the OPPE is to facilitate the advancement of knowledge through the sponsorship of events featuring open discussion and debate of contested public policy issues from diverse perspectives.
At the University of South Florida, we have designated the Institute for Public Policy and Leadership as our Office of Public Policy Events (OPPE) starting with the Fall 2023 Semester. The Institute for Public Policy and Leadership (IPPL) at the University of South Florida will engage the preeminent academic resources of the institution, as well as local and global experts, to guide a dynamic exchange of ideas about important policy and leadership issues.
As required by law each OPPE must organize, publicize, and stage no less than four events during the academic year, including debates or group forums that address, from multiple, divergent, and opposing perspectives, an extensive range of public policy issues widely discussed and debated in society at large. At least two such events must occur during the fall semester and at least two events must occur during the spring semester. Such events must represent a wide range of views on opposing sides of public policy issues from within and outside the campus community.
The law defines debate as an event at which two or more participants speak in favor of opposing approaches to the same public policy dispute, after which each participant is allotted time to address and rebut the position presented by the opposing speakers. The law defines group forum as an event at which two or more speakers address a public policy dispute from divergent or opposing perspectives, after which each participant is allotted time to address questions from the audience and to comment on the other speakers' positions.
Additionally, the OPPE must maintain a permanent, publicly accessible, searchable, and up-to-date calendar in print, on the office's website, and on each state university's website listing all of the events sponsored by the OPPE and all other debates, group forums, and events open to the entire campus community at the state university that address public policy issues.
Finally, the OPPE must make publicly available, in an online format, a complete video record of every debate or group forum organized by the OPPE. Events hosted by the OPPE must be open to all members of the campus community and to the general public, unless restricting attendance to such event is necessary to achieve a compelling governmental interest.
Please visit the USF Libraries Digital Commons for archived events.