Critics believe finalist for South Florida State College's next president was hand-picked by Gov. DeSantis

AVON PARK, Fla. - Rep. Fred Hawkins addressed Thursday the criticism he's received following the announcement he's the only finalist to be the next leader of South Florida State College in Highlands County.

The school's Board of Trustees is expected to finalize Hawkins, R-Osceola County, as South Florida State's next president next month.

"I think with my attributes and where I served in the community and my corporate involvement and being in the legislature, it is positioned me right for this school," Hawkins told FOX 13. "I don't think I would be a perfect fit for maybe other colleges and universities, but this one, it's similar to where I currently live and the type of industry and challenge we face that we're overcoming."

Pictured: State Rep. Fred Hawkins, who is the sole finalist for South Florida State College's next president. 

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Critics, however, question whether Hawkins is the right person for the job. Michele Roberts, a former dean at South Florida State who worked there for 16 years, is among those who believe Hawkins is Gov. DeSantis' hand-picked choice to fill the position.

The school's three previous finalists all dropped out citing personal reasons. Roberts said they learned the governor wanted Hawkins to take the job. Trustees then decided to no longer require candidates to hold a doctorate; Hawkins has a bachelor's degree in Political Science.

Hawkins said the speculation isn't true.

Pictured: St. Rep. Fred Hawkins with Governor Ron DeSantis. 

"I have never spoken to Governor DeSantis as about this position," he said. "We talk a lot. I ran some major bills for him this year, but never, ever spoken about me taking a position at this college or any other school."

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Meanwhile, video resurfaced Thursday showing Hawkins at a homeowners' association meeting at a community in Kissimmee flashing an Osceola County Sheriff's Office badge, claiming to be with the department and telling a security guard she's going to be arrested.

Hawkins was charged with impersonating an officer. At the time, Gov. DeSantis suspended him from his role as Osceola County commissioner. Hawkins maintains the arrest – which occured during his campaign for the State House – was politically motivated.

"We had a Democrat state attorney, a Democrat sheriff. I think they smell blood in the water. But what I'm most proud of is the people saw through it," he said, adding what the video doesn't show is that he was there to support the community members in their fight against their HOA and that the sheriff gave him permission to oversee crowd control.

Roberts, meanwhile, isn't convinced. Along with her role as a former dean, she also spent 25 years as a deputy. She believes the arrest should have been disqualifying.

"It just showed such a clear lack of judgment," Roberts said. "It's just not any behavior that's becoming of a president of any of a higher education institution. It's just to me, it's just unfathomable that the board would consider this man."

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Trustee Tim Backer to FOX 13 the board was aware of the arrest prior to selecting Hawkins as a finalist. Several other board members declined to comment.

Hawkins was elected to the State House in 2020 and re-elected in 2022, which included an endorsement from DeSantis. He's currently the vice chair of the Higher Education Appropriations subcommittee. He's also on the Education and Employment Committee.

Hawkins said he's focused on earning the trust of students and faculty.

"We're just waiting for the trustees to make it official, so we can come down there, roll up our sleeves, start getting some sweat on our brow and get to work," he said.

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Jeremy Redfern, a spokesperson for the governor, said in a statement:

"The selection of a president is up to the college's trustees, and under Florida law, one's candidacy for president is confidential until there are finalists. Of course, we support selecting a qualified individual committed to truth and academics and not trendy ideological agendas."

If DeSantis is involved in the search for a leader of a small college, it wouldn't be the first time. At New College of Florida in Sarasota, his hand-picked board members led the charge to replace the college's president with Richard Corcoran, a DeSantis ally and former Florida Commissioner of Education.