The University of Florida has been asked by its accrediting body to explain how denying a request by three professors to serve as paid experts in a voting rights lawsuit conforms to standards for academic freedom and avoids undue political influence.

University leaders prohibited professors Dan Smith, Michael McDonald and Sharon Austin from being paid as expert witnesses in a lawsuit that says Florida's new elections law harms voting rights. Over the weekend, school officials said such testimony would go against the school's interest by conflicting with the administration of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.