Student leaders at the University of South Florida passed a resolution opposing the governor's proposal to transfer the Sarasota-Manatee campus to New College of Florida, saying the school adds value to the local community, and eliminating it would pose a hardship to students.
The resolution represents USF student government leaders at all three campuses, including Tampa and St. Petersburg. It opposes "any structural changes that would transfer governance, programs, or identity of the USF Sarasota–Manatee campus to another institution without full transparency, shared governance, and demonstrated student benefit."
Gov. Ron DeSantis has spoken favorably of the transfer, saying it would help New College grow, but said little about the broader impact of removing the southernmost campus of USF, which is the only preeminent research university in the area, and member of the Association of American Universities (AAU).
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The deal would give 32 acres of USF land, buildings, dorms and classrooms to New College, along with $53 million in debt that USF incurred by building new dorms, which opened in 2024.
"All students here on our campus truly would like for USF to stay here in our Sarasota-Manatee community," Dennis Kukharenko, the student lieutenant governor, told a meeting of faculty leaders Wednesday.
"A lot of us live really far away from campus. We have to drive here. And removal of this campus really removes an opportunity to get a degree affordably.”
"For those of us who live, work and teach here at the Sarasota-Manatee campus, this is more than a policy discussion. Our campus is a place we love deeply."Margarita Altuna, USF Sarasota-Manatee associate professor of Spanish
A total of 1,638 students are enrolled at USF-SM, according to a USF spokeswoman. It's a small slice of the USF community, with total students numbering more than 50,000, mainly in Tampa and St. Petersburg. New College is even smaller, reporting 900 students as of last year.
Kukharenko said taking away the USF SM campus would hurt key economic engines in the Sarasota area.
"USF has provided our community a lot of business leaders, a lot of accounting majors, a lot of nurses, doctors, just a number of people who are helping this community grow," Kukharenko said.
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The resolution called on USF to "formally engage" students, faculty and staff in any ongoing discussions about the campus.
The USF faculty Senate committee voted to endorse the students' resolution and bring it before the full faculty Senate later this month.
The governor's proposal, if it moves forward, calls for USF SM to be handed over to New College by July 1.
"For those of us who live, work and teach here at the Sarasota-Manatee campus, this is more than a policy discussion. Our campus is a place we love deeply," said Margarita Altuna, an associate professor of Spanish. "Where our faculty and staff pour their energy and care into meaningful work and where we have built a community that matters."
According to USF spokesman Ryan Hughes, students "currently enrolled would be able to continue taking classes and finish their program at the Sarasota-Manatee campus if this legislation is passed,” but no new students would be admitted.
A copy of the student resolution was sent to incoming USF President Moez Limayem.
