Bill > S1296

This bill: - Requires the Board of Governors to require state universities to conduct an annual assessment of intellectual freedom and viewpoint diversity on their campuses using an objective, nonpartisan, and statistically valid survey. - Revises the standards for the preeminent state research universities program, including changing the criteria for graduation and doctoral degree rates. - Expands the performance-based metrics used to distribute funding to state universities, including new measures related to 2-year graduation rates for 2+2 transfer students, 6-year graduation rates for Pell Grant eligible students, and the percentage of students graduating without excess hours. - Prohibits the transfer of state appropriations by university boards of trustees to direct-support organizations and their subsidiaries and affiliates, except for funds pledged for capital projects, the delivery of healthcare services, intergovernmental services matching, or graduate medical education. - Requires the University of South Florida to consolidate its separate accreditations for its branch campuses under a single institutional accreditation by June 30, 2020. - Provides for a reverse transfer agreement to award associate in arts degrees to students who transfer from a Florida College System institution to a state university before earning the degree. - Expands the eligibility for Bright Futures scholarships to cover the spring and summer terms.

Budget and Finance, Education

Education (S)

https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2019/1296