Florida Board of Governors

The Florida Board of Governors is a 17-member governing board that serves as the governing body for the State University System of Florida, which includes all public universities in the state of Florida.

Florida Board of Governors
TypeGoverning board
Established2003
ChancellorRay Rodrigues
Students349,921 (2022)
Location, ,
U.S.
Campus12 member institutions of the State University System
Websiteflbog.edu

After its predecessor, the Florida Board of Regents, was abolished by an act of the Florida Legislature that was signed into law by Governor Jeb Bush in July 2001, United States senator Bob Graham, who objected to the abolition of the statewide higher education body (Board of Regents), responded by leading a ballot initiative to restore it. The Board of Governors was established in 2003 after the successful passage of the constitutional amendment heralded by Graham in 2002. The Florida Board of Education, also appointed by the governor, oversees kindergarten through higher education, but focused mostly on K-20 education and community colleges. The Board of Governors, as part of the Florida Constitution, cannot be abolished without another constitutional amendment.

During the 2022-2023 academic year, the State University System enrolled 349,921 total students and is the second largest State University System in the United States.[1]

Board composition

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The Florida Board of Governors has seventeen members, including fourteen voting members appointed by the governor, as well as the Florida commissioner of education, the chair of the Advisory Council of Faculty Senates, and the chair of the Florida Student Association. The board appoints a chancellor, who serves as the system's chief executive.

Governors[2]
Name Profession Education Term Start Term End
Appointed by Governor
Ashley Bell Barnett former teacher, donor[3] BA (Florida Southern), MPA (USF) November 27, 2023 January 6, 2026
Tim Cerio attorney BA, JD (UF) October 27, 2017 January 6, 2024
Aubrey Edge President & CEO, First Coast Energy February 3, 2020 January 6, 2027
Patricia Frost retired school principal BA (Colby), MA (Columbia) October 27, 2017 January 6, 2024
Edward Haddock lawyer & businessman BA (Ohio Wesleyan), JD (UVA) November 20, 2020 January 6, 2027
Ken Jones lawyer & businessman BA (FSU), JD (UF) November 20, 2020 January 6, 2027
Darlene L. Jordan former attorney BA (Fordham), JD (Suffolk) June 22, 2017 January 6, 2024
Brian Lamb, Chair business executive BA, MBA (USF) March 29, 2019 January 6, 2026
Alan M. Levine President & CEO, Mountain States Health Alliance BSc, MBA, MSc (UF) June 22, 2017 January 6, 2024
Charles H. Lydecker insurance executive BA (American) June 14, 2019 January 6, 2027
Craig Mateer businessman BA (FSU) March 11, 2022 January 6, 2027
Jose Oliva politician, businessman January 4, 2023 January 6, 2026
Eric Silagy, Vice-Chair President & CEO, Florida Power & Light BA (UT Austin), JD (Georgetown) March 29, 2019 January 6, 2026
Remaining Members
Manny Diaz, Jr. Commissioner of Education BA (St Thomas), MEd (Nova Southeastern) June 1, 2022
Amanda J. Phalin Chair, Advisory Council of Faculty Senates PhD August 1, 2023 July 31, 2024
Jack Hitchcock Chair, Florida Student Association BA (in progress, FSU) June 1, 2023 May 31, 2024

University campuses

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Universities
University Location Established
Florida A&M University Tallahassee, Florida 1887
Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, Florida 1961
Florida Gulf Coast University Fort Myers, Florida 1991
Florida International University Miami, Florida 1965
Florida Polytechnic University Lakeland, Florida 2012
Florida State University Tallahassee, Florida 1851
New College of Florida Sarasota, Florida 1960
University of Central Florida Orlando, Florida 1963
University of Florida Gainesville, Florida 1853
University of North Florida Jacksonville, Florida 1969
University of South Florida Tampa, Florida 1956
University of West Florida Pensacola, Florida 1963

Think Florida

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In January 2016, the State University System launched a statewide communications and marketing campaign to build and bolster the state's entrepreneurial climate - Think Florida: A Higher Degree for Business. The campaign's focus is a strong connection between the system's universities and Florida's businesses, with an emphasis on collaboration in the areas of talent, research and partnerships.[4][5]

Performance-based funding

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The Board of Governors unveiled a performance-based funding model in 2014 to incentivize universities to improve on key metrics, from graduation rates to post-graduation success.

The model has four guiding principles:

  1. use metrics that align with SUS Strategic Plan goals,
  2. reward excellence or improvement,
  3. have a few clear, simple metrics, and
  4. acknowledge the unique mission of the different institutions.

Key components of the model:

  • Institutions will be evaluated on either excellence or Improvement for each metric.
  • Data is based on one-year data.
  • The benchmarks for excellence were based on the Board of Governors 2025 System Strategic Plan goals and analysis of relevant data trends, whereas the benchmarks for Improvement were determined after reviewing data trends for each metric.
  • The Florida Legislature and governor determine the amount of new state funding and a proportional amount of institutional funding that would come from each university's recurring state base appropriation.[6]

Preeminent State Research Universities

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In 2010, the Florida Legislature created the Preeminent State Research University program and set 12 benchmarks to define these schools, which are awarded more state funding for research. 11 of the 12 benchmarks must be met for a school to be classified as Preeminent by the Board of Governors. The benchmarks are:[7]

  • An average weighted grade point average of 4.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale and an average SAT score of 1200 or higher on a 1600-point scale or an average ACT score of 25 or higher on a 36 score scale, using the latest published national concordance table developed jointly by the College Board and ACT, Inc., for fall semester incoming freshmen, as reported annually.
  • A top-50 ranking on at least two well-known and highly respected national public university rankings, including, but not limited to, the U.S. News & World Report rankings, reflecting national preeminence, using most recent rankings.
  • A freshman retention rate of 90 percent or higher for full-time, first-time-in-college students.
  • A 4-year graduation rate of 60 percent or higher for full-time, first-time-in-college students.
  • Six or more faculty members at the state university who are members of a national academy.
  • Total annual research expenditures, including federal research expenditures, of $200 million or more.
  • Total annual research expenditures in diversified nonmedical sciences of $150 million or more.
  • A top-100 university national ranking for research expenditures in five or more science, technology, engineering, or mathematics fields of study.
  • One hundred or more total patents awarded by the United States Patent and Trademark Office for the most recent 3-year period.
  • Four hundred or more doctoral degrees awarded annually, including professional doctoral degrees awarded in medical and health care disciplines.
  • Two hundred or more postdoctoral appointees annually.
  • An endowment of $500 million or more.

Currently, three universities are classified as preeminent: the University of Florida, Florida State University, and the University of South Florida. All three have exceeded each of the 12 benchmarks.

Former members

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Name Profession Education Term Start Projected Term End
H. Wayne Huizenga Jr. businessman January 10, 2013 January 6, 2027
Sydney Kitson, Chair real estate developer June 22, 2017 January 6, 2024
Kent Stermon COO, Total Military Management March 29, 2019 December 8, 2022[8]
Richard Corcoran attorney BA (St Leo), JD (Regent) May 26, 2022 January 6, 2024
Steven M. Scott physician and entrepreneur MD (Indiana) March 29, 2019 January 6, 2026

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "System Accountability Report" (PDF).
  2. ^ "State University System of Florida | Board of Governors". Flbog.edu. Retrieved 2021-02-23.
  3. ^ Scheckner, Jesse (November 28, 2023). "Gov. DeSantis appoints campaign donor, lawmaker's daughter to University System Board of Governors". Florida Politics. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  4. ^ "State University System of Florida | Board of Governors : Press Room". flbog.edu. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  5. ^ "Think Florida – The State University System of Florida leverages its distinctive strengths for the benefit of all the state's citizens and business enterprises". www.think-florida.org. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  6. ^ "Board of Governors Performance Model Overview" (PDF). Florida Board of Governors. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2016.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  7. ^ "Statutes & Constitution :View Statutes : Online Sunshine". www.leg.state.fl.us. Retrieved 2021-10-06.
  8. ^ Glenn, Sarah; Schindler, Anne. "Criminal investigation preceded suicide of high-powered GOP insider". First Coast News. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
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Preceded by Governing Body for the
State University System of Florida

2003–Present
Succeeded by
NA