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Hundreds speak out against a proposed USF Sarasota-Manatee transfer to New College
By Kerry Sheridan
February 26, 2026 at 5:49 AM EST
They gathered on the campus to say they don't want to see the school taken over and that there's still time to save it.
Around 300 alumni, students and business owners gathered at the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus Wednesday night to oppose plans to give the campus to New College of Florida.
They say there's still time to save the campus.
Gov. Ron DeSantis placed the transfer in his budget proposal and said he wants to hand over the campus by July 1.
This week, a House subcommittee advanced a bill that would transfer the 32-acre campus and $53 million in dorm debt to New College. The Senate takes it up Monday.
ALSO READ: USF faculty oppose Sarasota-Manatee handover as Limayem pledges transparency
Lisa Carlton, a former lawmaker who serves on the campus board of USF Sarasota-Manatee, said this is not a done deal.
"There is still a lot of work to be done, and legislators are listening," Carlton said. "They listen to their constituents."
Carlton urged people to call their legislators and "let them know how important this campus is to students, the community, business, community, families, future students."
Untitled
Some of those who attended the community forum were from local hospitals that hire nurses from USF.
"All of our students that come through our hospitals, our clinical rotations, they live right here in the community," said Pariss Clark, chief nursing officer at Blake Hospital in Bradenton.
"They go to school here, and they wanted to not go far to have their clinical rotations," she added. "We end up hiring most of them that come through our building."
Campus board member Ernie Withers pointed to the nursing shortage across the country.
"To lose the potential students that are going to come from our nursing program here and not have that available to us, that's going to be a big setback for our community," said Withers. "It costs us a lot of money, because when you have to hire traveling nurses, it costs double, three times what it would cost for someone who stays in state. So it's a huge impact."
Other speakers were business owners, like Garrett Shinn, who works for Carr, Riggs and Ingram, which provides certified public accounting and financial advising services. He praised the quality of students his firm has hired from USF Sarasota-Manatee.
"We've seen a huge decline in accountants. So every student matters. And this university has been a true gem for our community and our business," said Shinn.
"Over 20% of our local workforce is a graduate, whether it be from your undergrad or your graduate degree program, here from the local campus," he added.
Shutting down USF Sarasota-Manatee would "close off a pipeline that's crucial for our success, expansion and growth and ability to serve clients," Shinn added.
USF Sarasota-Manatee student Sarah Fitzgerald wondered what would happen to her ability to take in-person classes if the campus is given away.
"I came to this campus because I was so tired of continuing online classes after COVID, and I work a full-time job. I can't commute to Tampa," she said.
USF has said it will allow students to finish their degrees at Sarasota-Manatee, but the details of that "teach-out" are unclear. Board of Trustees Chair Will Weatherford recently signaled that budget maneuvering in Tallahassee to take $22.5 million away from USF and give that money to New College threatens USF's ability to "protect" its people.
"How is that going to affect the education that I specifically came here for, when these professors are some of the best professors I have ever worked with?" Fitzgerald asked.
USF president Moez Limayem and Weatherford say negotiations for the transfer are happening in Tallahassee, and it's not an outcome they control.
"In the meantime, we are doing everything we can to look at different possible outcomes, and if the transfer is to happen, to still have the resources so that we can take care of our students, faculty and staff," Limayem told "Florida Matters Live & Local" earlier on Wednesday.
ALSO READ: Ex-New College strategist says transfer of USF dorm debt ‘will kill the college'
Nearly 2,000 students are enrolled at USF Sarasota-Manatee, and 150 faculty teach there.
Former regional chancellor Karen Holbrook said the reach of USF Sarasota-Manatee is even broader.
"We have 2,000 students here, but we teach 14,000 to 15,000 students. And why? Because our faculty are extraordinary, and they teach online courses, and students from the other USF campuses want to take our courses," she said.
Holbrook also poined to programs USF Sarasota-Manatee hosts, including a recent symposium on the Russia-Ukraine war and the annual Climate Adaptation Conference.
When asked about the prospect of USF's programs being transferred to New College, a nearby liberal arts school with fewer than 900 students – most from out of state – Holbrook said it would not work.
"None of these programs will transfer to New College," Holbrook said. "They're all accredited here. They're all accredited with USF. They cannot move. So these programs, if they're not here, are not going to be in the community. They can go to Tampa, because we will certainly teach all our students, and our students will finish their degrees. Nobody's going to leave the students high and dry, but none of these programs will go to New College."
New College freshman Luci Pimiento attended the meeting to offer her support for USF.
"I think it's kind of absurd," she said of the proposed takeover. "A lot of New College students ... feel like USF is kind of a safe space for freedom of speech and wouldn't be too happy to see that freedom of speech go away."
Kevin Wolfe is a USF marine biology student who takes some classes at the Sarasota-Manatee campus, and interns at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota.
"They've given me so many opportunities that I wouldn't have had otherwise, if I had been up in the other campuses or at a different college as a whole," he said, adding he'd like to see New College and USF continue to coexist because one cannot replace the other.
Added his father, Ken: "And you hear that it's out of their hands and that may be true, but if something's important to you, you need to speak up. You don't stick your head in the sand. It may be up to the Senate, but that's when you need to voice your opinion."
Some students and alumni came away energized after the meeting, including Roberto Mundo, a 28 year-old Marine Corps veteran who graduated from USF Sarasota-Manatee with a degree in finance.
"Just having this, it says we are fighting back. We are here for you guys. It gives me hope there is a possibility it will not go away," Mundo said.
USF Sarasota-Manatee professor Karen Atwood urged people to call their state senators every day.
"Even if it's the same person calling, that's still a tick mark that they note, and they count all of those tick marks," Atwood told the crowd.
WUSF broadcasts from studios at the University of South Florida, including one on its Sarasota-Manatee campus, which is the subject of this story. Its broadcast license also is held by USF.
No USF or WUSF officials reviewed this story before it was published.
Tara, Kevin and Ken Wolfe stop for a photo after the community forum hosted on the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026. Tara is an employee on the campus, her son is student there, and her husband says he is their biggest cheerleader. They do not support a state proposal to transfer the campus land and buildings to New College. (2500x1875, AR: 1.3333333333333333)
They say there's still time to save the campus.
Gov. Ron DeSantis placed the transfer in his budget proposal and said he wants to hand over the campus by July 1.
This week, a House subcommittee advanced a bill that would transfer the 32-acre campus and $53 million in dorm debt to New College. The Senate takes it up Monday.
ALSO READ: USF faculty oppose Sarasota-Manatee handover as Limayem pledges transparency
Lisa Carlton, a former lawmaker who serves on the campus board of USF Sarasota-Manatee, said this is not a done deal.
"There is still a lot of work to be done, and legislators are listening," Carlton said. "They listen to their constituents."
Carlton urged people to call their legislators and "let them know how important this campus is to students, the community, business, community, families, future students."
Untitled
Some of those who attended the community forum were from local hospitals that hire nurses from USF.
"All of our students that come through our hospitals, our clinical rotations, they live right here in the community," said Pariss Clark, chief nursing officer at Blake Hospital in Bradenton.
"They go to school here, and they wanted to not go far to have their clinical rotations," she added. "We end up hiring most of them that come through our building."
Campus board member Ernie Withers pointed to the nursing shortage across the country.
"To lose the potential students that are going to come from our nursing program here and not have that available to us, that's going to be a big setback for our community," said Withers. "It costs us a lot of money, because when you have to hire traveling nurses, it costs double, three times what it would cost for someone who stays in state. So it's a huge impact."
Other speakers were business owners, like Garrett Shinn, who works for Carr, Riggs and Ingram, which provides certified public accounting and financial advising services. He praised the quality of students his firm has hired from USF Sarasota-Manatee.
"We've seen a huge decline in accountants. So every student matters. And this university has been a true gem for our community and our business," said Shinn.
"Over 20% of our local workforce is a graduate, whether it be from your undergrad or your graduate degree program, here from the local campus," he added.
Shutting down USF Sarasota-Manatee would "close off a pipeline that's crucial for our success, expansion and growth and ability to serve clients," Shinn added.
USF Sarasota-Manatee student Sarah Fitzgerald wondered what would happen to her ability to take in-person classes if the campus is given away.
"I came to this campus because I was so tired of continuing online classes after COVID, and I work a full-time job. I can't commute to Tampa," she said.
USF has said it will allow students to finish their degrees at Sarasota-Manatee, but the details of that "teach-out" are unclear. Board of Trustees Chair Will Weatherford recently signaled that budget maneuvering in Tallahassee to take $22.5 million away from USF and give that money to New College threatens USF's ability to "protect" its people.
"How is that going to affect the education that I specifically came here for, when these professors are some of the best professors I have ever worked with?" Fitzgerald asked.
USF president Moez Limayem and Weatherford say negotiations for the transfer are happening in Tallahassee, and it's not an outcome they control.
"In the meantime, we are doing everything we can to look at different possible outcomes, and if the transfer is to happen, to still have the resources so that we can take care of our students, faculty and staff," Limayem told "Florida Matters Live & Local" earlier on Wednesday.
ALSO READ: Ex-New College strategist says transfer of USF dorm debt ‘will kill the college'
Nearly 2,000 students are enrolled at USF Sarasota-Manatee, and 150 faculty teach there.
Former regional chancellor Karen Holbrook said the reach of USF Sarasota-Manatee is even broader.
"We have 2,000 students here, but we teach 14,000 to 15,000 students. And why? Because our faculty are extraordinary, and they teach online courses, and students from the other USF campuses want to take our courses," she said.
Holbrook also poined to programs USF Sarasota-Manatee hosts, including a recent symposium on the Russia-Ukraine war and the annual Climate Adaptation Conference.
When asked about the prospect of USF's programs being transferred to New College, a nearby liberal arts school with fewer than 900 students – most from out of state – Holbrook said it would not work.
"None of these programs will transfer to New College," Holbrook said. "They're all accredited here. They're all accredited with USF. They cannot move. So these programs, if they're not here, are not going to be in the community. They can go to Tampa, because we will certainly teach all our students, and our students will finish their degrees. Nobody's going to leave the students high and dry, but none of these programs will go to New College."
New College freshman Luci Pimiento attended the meeting to offer her support for USF.
"I think it's kind of absurd," she said of the proposed takeover. "A lot of New College students ... feel like USF is kind of a safe space for freedom of speech and wouldn't be too happy to see that freedom of speech go away."
Kevin Wolfe is a USF marine biology student who takes some classes at the Sarasota-Manatee campus, and interns at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota.
"They've given me so many opportunities that I wouldn't have had otherwise, if I had been up in the other campuses or at a different college as a whole," he said, adding he'd like to see New College and USF continue to coexist because one cannot replace the other.
Added his father, Ken: "And you hear that it's out of their hands and that may be true, but if something's important to you, you need to speak up. You don't stick your head in the sand. It may be up to the Senate, but that's when you need to voice your opinion."
Some students and alumni came away energized after the meeting, including Roberto Mundo, a 28 year-old Marine Corps veteran who graduated from USF Sarasota-Manatee with a degree in finance.
"Just having this, it says we are fighting back. We are here for you guys. It gives me hope there is a possibility it will not go away," Mundo said.
USF Sarasota-Manatee professor Karen Atwood urged people to call their state senators every day.
"Even if it's the same person calling, that's still a tick mark that they note, and they count all of those tick marks," Atwood told the crowd.
WUSF broadcasts from studios at the University of South Florida, including one on its Sarasota-Manatee campus, which is the subject of this story. Its broadcast license also is held by USF.
No USF or WUSF officials reviewed this story before it was published.
Tara, Kevin and Ken Wolfe stop for a photo after the community forum hosted on the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026. Tara is an employee on the campus, her son is student there, and her husband says he is their biggest cheerleader. They do not support a state proposal to transfer the campus land and buildings to New College. (2500x1875, AR: 1.3333333333333333)