believed in conspiracy theories or whose religious beliefs contradicted modern history or science; for instance, medical students whose beliefs did not allow contraception or blood transfusions. Many Florida professors and university administrators spoke out in protest, including Thomas Auxter (the President of the United Faculty in Florida) and Roy Weatherfield (the Florida Education Association's higher education director). Auxter characterized H-837 as "a right-wing political takeover" of higher education, and later testified about the unclear guidelines the bill would set, saying, "The standard will be the most easily offended student and whether or not that person will react against what you are saying". While there was a general consensus that it was inappropriate for professors to push their own views on students or punish them for ideological disagreements, many academic faculty (including Columbia University president Lee Bollinger, in a speech making mention of the bill) stated that discipline for those offenses should be the burden of schools, not courts or legislators. There was bipartisan uncertainty of the bill's necessity; Florida already has an academic Bill of Rights, and most universities have procedures to file grievances against professors who behaved in an intolerant or vengeful manner. Sobel referenced existing student protections in the form of laws and university policies, and prominent Florida Republicans like Jeb Bush (who typically supported Baxley) and Tom Lee expressed doubt about the use of such a law. In an interview with Democracy Now!, Weatherfield described H-837 as "a solution in search of a problem". In addition, claims of anti-conservative discrimination on campus were often viewed with skepticism; many anecdotes lacked proof, and typically did not name students or professors involved. Nationally, professors who were accused of anti-conservative bias denied the allegations, asserting that details were left out or falsified; faculty members and student witnesses affirmed their statements. Weatherfield shared with Democracy Now! that students infrequently filed grievance reports, a statement corroborated by university presidents Bernie Machen (from University of Florida), T.K. Weatherall (from Florida State University), and Judy Genshaft (from University of South Florida). Auxter, testifying against the bill on April 19, also noted the lack of basis for the bill: "What we've heard [from Horowitz] is anecdotes from other states. We have not heard examples in Florida. [...] [W]e have not heard of any investigations of the contentions he has made about people in other states." Both Baxley and Horowitz portrayed opposition to the bill as