MIAMI— Today, Chair Brian Lamb delivered a robust State of the System address that outlines key initiatives to invest in the System, recognize and reward high-performing faculty, examine the out-of-state fee structure, empower our university leadership, and build upon our strong relationship with the Governor and Florida Legislature.
In his State of the System address, Chair Lamb envisions a State University System of increased academic excellence that begins with funding the System’s performance-based funding model, the foundation of student success. The refreshed model includes additional dollars to reward excellence and improvement and added financial investments in the state’s preeminent institutions. This investment is necessary to maintain Florida’s role as the nation’s #1 state for higher education. With this critical funding from the Florida Legislature, the State University System can continue to support world-class, affordable education for students, strengthen Florida’s workforce and economy, and meet Floridians’ everyday needs through life-changing university research.
“The continued upward trajectory of the State University System of Florida would not be possible without the steadfast financial support of Governor DeSantis and the Florida Legislature,” said Brian Lamb, chair of the Board of Governors. “We are grateful that our leaders understand the value their investments in the System bring to the State, and we look forward to our continued partnership to make a generational impact on our students that is unmatched elsewhere in the country.”
Secondly, Chair Lamb envisions a System whereby our highest performing faculty are recognized and rewarded, highlighting their enormous contribution to the success of Florida’s students by delivering excellence in the classroom and producing record levels of research at our universities. This bold plan is in conjunction with the Board’s new post-tenure review process, which will spotlight faculty excellence and allow targeted incremental funding investments to reward the highest-performing faculty across the System.
An additional priority for the Board under Chair Lamb’s leadership is to reassess the current out-of-state fee structure. After over ten years of having the second lowest undergraduate tuition in the country, Florida now boasts the absolute lowest. Couple this affordability with our #1 ranking in quality, the value of a degree from a Florida public university is one of the most attractive investments in the country. This value has tripled the number of out-of-state students in the last 12 years. Chair Lamb urged the Board and the Chancellor to work with the universities to devise an effective yet thoughtful method to lighten the burden on Florida taxpayers and allow our universities to raise out-of-state fees for undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees.
Finally, Chair Lamb encouraged the university leadership to lean in and make thoughtful decisions that will increase both success and accountability at the institutional level. He also emphasized the Board’s commitment to advocating and promoting their accomplishments. This collaboration will empower and motivate the System to continue to support and expand Florida’s economy with research discovery, innovation, and quality graduates who will provide the workforce talent needed for the state’s economy.
In other meeting highlights the Board:
- Confirmed the reappointment of Dr. Larry Robinson as the president of Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University.
- Confirmed the reappointment of Dr. Randy K. Avent as the president of Florida Polytechnic University.
- Approved the reports on the World Class Faculty and Scholars Program and the Professional Graduate Degree Excellence Program.
- Approved the proposed amendments to the 2023-24 Fixed Capital Outlay Legislative Budget Request.
- Reappointed the following trustees:
- Roger Tovar, Florida International University
- Jim Henderson, Florida State University
- Oscar Horton, University of South Florida
- Appointed the following trustees:
- Ryan Anderson, New College of Florida
- Ricardo Cardenas, University of Central Florida
For more information, consult the meeting’s official minutes at http://www.flbog.edu/. The Board’s next in-person meeting is March 28-29, 2023, at Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University in Tallahassee.
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Facts about the State University System of Florida and the Board of Governors
The State University System of Florida is a constitutional body led by the 17-member Board of Governors. The System has 12 universities and more than 420,000 students, making it the second-largest public university system in the nation. Responsibilities include defining the distinctive mission of each institution and managing the System’s coordination and operation. The Board appoints a Chancellor who serves as the System’s chief executive. For more, visit flbog.edu or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.