Leaders of New College of Florida and USF welcome Sarasota land transfer

Leaders from University of South Florida and New College of Florida Tuesday chimed in on a land handover following a weekend of budget negotiations that yielded the plan.

According to language agreed to by House and Senate budget negotiators, but not voted on just yet, New College of Florida is set to take full liability for USF’s Sarasota-Manatee campus, located less than a mile away, on Dec. 31, 2026. 

“New College is prepared to steward this transition with care and intentionality as we continue building a nationally distinctive public liberal arts institution focused on academic excellence, civic discourse, innovation, and student opportunity,” New College of Florida President Richard Corcoran, a former House Speaker, said in a social media post Tuesday. 

“Florida’s higher education system is strongest when institutions work together with clarity of purpose, fiscal responsibility, and a shared commitment to students. As the end of the special legislation approaches, the potential transition represents a thoughtful and…

— New College of Florida (@NewCollegeofFL) May 26, 2026

Gov. Ron DeSantis and the House proposed the swap, but the Senate was unwilling to go along until the last days of budget negotiations. 

“I don’t think there’s heartburn over the transfer; the heartburn is over the money,” Senate Budget Chair Ed Hooper told reporters last week. 

The House eventually dropped its push to transfer $20 million budgeted to USF to New College for operation of the campus.

New College, located on 110 acres on Sarasota Bay, has been looking to grow its footprint. Last year, the governor proposed Florida State University hand over the Ringling Museum, which it operates, to New College, located steps away, but that isn’t happening. New College has also been working with the federal government in attempt to access land owned by the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport. 

Under the deal set to be approved later this week, NCF owes debt payments to USF and USF-SM students have rights to dorm space until August 2027. 

“USF has been engaged in discussions on this issue with New College, the Board of Governors, Chancellor Ray Rodrigues, the Florida Legislature and Governor’s Office since September 2024 when the BOG asked us to work together on a path forward for our two institutions. From our latest conversations, it is clear to me that this is in the best interests of USF, New College and our state,” Former House Speaker and now USF trustee Will Weatherford posted to social media Tuesday. He was chair of the board until recently. 

As the end of the special legislative session approaches, I want to share my support for the proposal to transfer facilities from our Sarasota-Manatee campus to @NewCollegeofFL and @USouthFlorida. USF has been engaged in discussions on this issue with New College, the Board of…

— Will Weatherford (@willweatherford) May 26, 2026

New College since 2023 has been object of a conservative makeover led by DeSantis and Corcoran. It has been the topic of national attention regarding conservative higher education policy. Meanwhile, it has been criticized for its spending, by far the most per student in the state system.

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More higher education 

The House got its wish that universities holding preeminent status won’t receive special funding tied that status. Preeminence is a status awarded to state universities that meet benchmarks related to research, graduation rates, and faculty credentials. 

FSU, the University of Florida, University of South Florida, Florida International University, and soon, the University of Central Florida are rated preeminent. 

Two years ago, the Legislature approved $100 million for preeminence.

“I happen to think that preeminence is very, very important,” Sen. Gayle Harrell, a Republican from Stuart and the Senate’s higher education budget chair, said during negotiations. “We are the number one state system in the entire country and preeminence has been a key part of driving that, improving our universities, and really making them strive.”

Rep. Demi Busatta, the House’s higher education budget chair and a Republican from Coral Gables, said institutions “prefer operational support because they have more flexibility of what they can do with those dollars as they need to.”

The supplemental funding lists from each chamber include “operational enhancement” monies for certain universities, meaning funds spendable at the university’s discretion.

The House “sprinkle list” (local spending projects typically established late during budget negotiations) sends millions to Florida A&M University ($5 million), Florida Atlantic University ($5 million), FSU ($11 million), UCF ($3.5 million), the University of North Florida ($5 million), University of West Florida ($5 million), and FIU ($8 million).

The Senate will send operational enhancements to FAMU ($2 million), FAU ($2 million), Florida Gulf Coast University ($2.5 million), Florida Polytechnic University ($1.5 million), UF ($8 million), UCF ($2.5 million), USF ($2 million), and UCF ($2.5 million), as well as to various state colleges.