Florida Universities

The new president greeted students, passed out stickers and outlined big-picture plans for the University of South Florida.

The bill comes after a shooting during the 2025 legislative session, where a student killed two people and wounded five others at Florida State University.

A measure would, among other things, prevent partisan political parties and fundraising at public institutions, which the sponsors say belong to the taxpayers. Some say it would restrict free speech on college campuses.

The governor says he wants the Florida Supreme Court and not the American Bar Association to be the accreditor for law schools in Florida.

Sen. Don Gaetz is sponsoring the legislation, entitled "School Safety," to address security concerns in higher education. If passed, the bill would remove college campuses as gun-free zones — marking a significant shift in how Florida handles gun issues.

DeSantis is also calling for increased campus security and continued his call to slash property taxes.

Programs that made the cut, like lawyers and doctors, can borrow up to $200,000. Those that did not, including nurses, can borrow half that.

The online education pioneer has selected St. Petersburg for its first standalone, immersive in-person learning site in its 54-year history.

Florida's public university system is typically a good return on investment for in-state students, says Emily Sykes, State University System Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs.

In most cases, Florida requires people to graduate from accredited law schools to be eligible to take the bar exam to practice law. The American Bar Association has served as the accreditor for decades.

State officials accuse higher education institutions of abusing the H-1B program. They also canceled or repurposed more than $40 million in grants for having some relation to DEI.

Democratic lawmakers and others say it politicizes higher education and distracts from more pressing statewide issues.