The State University System of Florida: An Overview

The State University System of Florida (SUSF) stands as a cornerstone of higher education in the Sunshine State. Comprising 12 diverse universities and serving over 430,000 students, it ranks as the second-largest public university system in the nation. This article delves into the structure, governance, and key aspects of the SUSF, highlighting its commitment to accessible and high-quality education.

A History of Growth and Reorganization

The roots of Florida's public university system trace back to the 19th century. In 1836, the United States Congress authorized the establishment of a University of Florida in the Florida Territory. The Florida legislature voted to establish two seminaries of learning in 1851: West Florida Seminary (which later became Florida State University) and East Florida Seminary (which later became the University of Florida).

The system's governance has evolved significantly over time. From 1905 to 1965, the few universities in the system were governed by the Florida Board of Control. Subsequently, the Board of Regents held authority until its disbandment by the Florida Legislature in 2001. Following this, authority was divided between the Florida Board of Education and appointed university boards of trustees.

In 1905, when the Buckman Act reorganized higher education in Florida, the three resulting state institutions (Florida, Florida State, and Florida A&M) all adopted 1905 as their founding date. In 1935, the Florida Board of Control changed the founding dates of Florida and Florida State to the years their predecessor Seminaries opened: 1853 and 1857, respectively. In 2000, Florida State reverted to the charter date of 1851 as its founding date, which was used before 1905, reflecting the date the legislature authorized both seminaries.

The Florida Board of Governors was created in 2003 to centralize the administration of the State University System of Florida.

Governance and Structure

The State University System of Florida is governed by the 17-member Board of Governors. The Board’s responsibilities include defining the distinctive mission of each institution within the System and managing the System’s coordination and operation. As required by art. IX, s. 7(d) of the Florida Constitution, the State University System of Florida is overseen by the Board of Governors (BOG), which consists of 17 members. Each system institution has a 13-member Board of Trustees dedicated to the purposes of the system.

The Board includes seventeen members, fourteen of whom are appointed by the Florida Governor and confirmed by the Florida Senate for a term of seven years. The remaining members include the President of the Advisory Council of the Faculty Senate, the Commissioner of Education, and the Chair of the Florida Student Association. Assisting the Board Members in their responsibilities is a professional and administrative office created in July 2005 and led by the Chancellor of the State University System.

Member Universities

The State University System of Florida encompasses twelve diverse institutions, each contributing unique strengths and specializations to the state's higher education landscape. These universities are:

Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU)
Florida Atlantic University (FAU)
Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU)
Florida International University (FIU)
Florida Polytechnic University (POLY)
Florida State University (FSU)
New College of Florida (NCF)
University of Central Florida (UCF)
University of Florida (UF)
University of North Florida (UNF)
University of South Florida (USF)
University of West Florida (UWF)

National Recognition and Affordability

Florida has remained number one because the System graduates students on time, provides the lowest cost for in-state tuition and fees, and offers higher education with little to no debt. The College Board’s “Annual Trends in College Pricing” report confirmed that the cost of a bachelor’s degree at Florida’s public universities has been the lowest in the country for three consecutive years. News & World Report also ranked Florida as No. 1 for tuition and fees.

The average State University System student pays $270 for a bachelor’s degree after factoring in Florida’s investment in financial aid, marking the sixth consecutive year of decline. Within the SUS, over 17,000 fewer resident undergraduate students took out loans in 2020-21 compared to 2019-20, while 77% of resident undergraduate students did not take out any loans.

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Carnegie Classifications

Nationally, the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education is a framework for recognizing and describing diverse colleges and universities in the United States. The framework is used to help researchers group and study similar institutions. Florida’s public universities are categorized into the following Carnegie Classifications:

Doctoral Universities with Very High Research Activity: Florida Atlantic University, Florida International University, Florida State University, University of Central Florida, University of Florida, and University of South Florida.
Doctoral Universities with High Research Activity: Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, University of West Florida, and University of North Florida.
Research University: Florida Gulf Coast University.
Institution with an Arts and Sciences Focus: New College of Florida.
Institution with a Technology, Engineering, and Sciences Focus: Florida Polytechnic University.

Preeminent and Emerging Preeminent Universities

For the state's 12 public universities, s. 1001.7065, Florida Statutes, establishes academic and research excellence standards for the Preeminent State Research Universities program. Each state university that annually meets at least 12 of the 13 academic and research excellence standards is designated a Preeminent State Research University. Once the university's five-year benchmark plan is approved, the Board of Governors awards the university its proportionate share of any funds provided annually to support the program.

Each state university that annually meets at least 7 but fewer than 12 of the 13 academic and research excellence standards is designated an Emerging Preeminent Research University. Emerging preeminent research universities must also submit a five-year benchmark plan with target rankings on key performance metrics. The Board of Governors is encouraged to identify and grant all reasonable, feasible authority and flexibility to ensure that each designated preeminent state research university and each designated emerging preeminent research university is free from unnecessary restrictions.

State Universities of Distinction

The State Universities of Distinction program is intended to recognize and invest in universities that focus on one core competency unique to the State University System and have achieved excellence at the national or state level, as recognized by the Board of Governors. The program is also intended to meet state workforce needs and foster an innovation economy focused on areas such as health care, security, transportation, and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

Additional Educational Entities

The 28 institutions in the Florida College System are Floridians’ primary accessible point to higher education and drive Florida’s engine for workforce education. The Commission for Independent Education has statutory responsibilities in matters relating to nonpublic, postsecondary, educational institutions. The Florida Department of Education, Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) serves as a guarantor for the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) and the administrator of Florida's scholarship and grant programs. Career and Adult Education is designed to meet the needs of our customers, which include students and business/ industry. This area represents a significant collaboration and partnership across both private and public sectors throughout the state of Florida to improve Florida's workforce.

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Admissions Considerations

Students should apply to five or more colleges. These colleges should include at least one Reach School, one Match School, and one Safety School.

Reach School: Your academic credentials fall below the college's acceptance range for the average first-year student. This is a long shot, but is possible.
Match School: Your academic credentials fall within or exceed the college's acceptance range for the average first-year student.

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