Tallahassee, FL (July 11, 2025) – The Board of Governors approved the creation of the Commission for Public Higher Education (CPHE), a non-profit corporation that will serve as a higher education accreditor. CPHE will advance the quality and improvement of higher education by accrediting state public colleges and universities in the United States with a focus on student outcomes and academic excellence. CPHE will modernize the accreditation process and maximize efficiency without sacrificing quality.
“The Board of Governors’ approval of the Commission for Public Higher Education marks a transformative moment for public postsecondary education,” said Chancellor Ray Rodrigues. “This bold, collaborative effort across multiple state systems reflects our shared commitment to accountability, innovation, and transparency in accreditation, ensuring colleges and universities deliver real value.”
“Accreditation plays a critical role in ensuring accountability, quality, and continuous improvement, and it’s essential that the relationship between accreditors and institutions remains both independent and constructive. By promoting efficiency and objectivity in the accreditation process, the CPHE can support the success of our students and institutions,” said Dr. Kim Dunn, Member of the Florida Board of Governors, Associate Professor in the School of Accounting at Florida Atlantic University, and Chairperson of Champions Empowering Champions.
“Whenever academics discuss accreditation amongst themselves, they inevitably start sharing ‘war stories’ of how needlessly cumbersome and onerous the reporting is. One of the goals of the CPHE is to reduce the red tape in the process so that institutions can focus on what is most important for student success. With the Board’s approval, public colleges and universities across the United States will have access to an accreditor that understands the importance of maximizing efficiency and increasing transparency,” said Jason Jewell, Chief Academic Officer and member of the CPHE Board of Directors.
The Commission for Public Higher Education is a consortium of higher education systems from several states offering a new accreditation model that will prioritize student outcomes, process efficiency, and the pursuit of academic excellence for public postsecondary education. By establishing rigorous, transparent, and adaptable outcomes-based accreditation standards and practices, CPHE will ensure that colleges and universities meet and maintain academic quality and operational excellence on behalf of their students.
Additional information about the Board’s decision regarding the Commission for Public Higher Education can be found on the July 11 meeting page of the Florida Board of Governors’ website.
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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 430,000 students, making it the second-largest public university system in the nation. Florida has held the top spot in U.S. News & World Report for higher education since the inception of the rankings in 2017. 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 information, visit flbog.edu or follow us on X, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.