New College of Florida

The proposed deal is in the hands of state lawmakers, who began their annual session this week.

The city of Sarasota requires a permit to take down what are called grand trees, including live oaks, in most cases.

In addition to selecting the former UF and Ohio State coach, the governor reappointed Mark Bauerlein and Debra Jenks to the board of the Sarasota school. Appointments require state Senate confirmation.

The school failed to acquire part of the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus last year after public pushback. But a proposed state budget for 2026 shows that's back up for discussion.

With guest host Cathy Carter at the mic, "Live & Local" dives into the master plan of the Sarasota campus, plus segments on the Spacecoast, sobriety and punk rock.

Trustees voted to raise out-of-state tuition by 15% beginning in fall 2026. The school plans to sign the "compact," which would provide priority federal funding in exchange for adopting a range of policies, including a five-year tuition freeze.

The deal would have major implications for higher education in the Sarasota-Manatee area.

This week on "The Florida Roundup," we spoke separately with two prominent candidates in Florida’s 2026 Governor’s race: David Jolly and Paul Renner. Plus, we heard from listeners about affordability issues facing Floridians, looked at spending at New College of Florida and more.

The Florida Board of Governors, which oversees the 12 state universities, met in Tampa. Members discussed the contents of a state audit measuring the efficiency of each school.

On "Live & Local, we explore Hillsborough County’s DOGE audit, New College’s rising costs, safety in houses of worship and the legacy of the trailblazing nurses for the Tuskegee Airmen.

The University of Florida held steady at No. 7, Florida State rose to a record No. 19 and USF climbed to No. 36 among public universities.

A former senior member of Richard Corcoran’s administration at New College of Florida is leading a campaign to privatize the Sarasota-based liberal arts school —a dramatic reversal for an alumnus once tapped to help carry out Gov. Ron DeSantis’ conservative overhaul.