A bill filed on Monday in the Florida house would shift control of the University of South Florida (USF) Sarasota-Manatee campus to the New College of Florida and give individual universities more authority over how much they charge out-of-state students.
The proposal, HB 5601, is tied to the House’s proposed 2026–2027 state budget and would formally transfer the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus — including its buildings, land and associated debt — to New College beginning July 1, 2026.
Under the measure, New College would be required to assume full responsibility for any outstanding debt tied to the campus by Oct. 30, 2026. Until then, it would make monthly payments of $166,617 to USF to cover debt service costs.
Students already enrolled at USF’s Sarasota-Manatee campus before the transfer would be allowed to finish their degrees locally and would receive priority access to classroom space for up to four academic years. Existing student housing agreements would have to be honored through at least August 2027.
The bill also would shift authority over out-of-state tuition rates from the statewide Board of Governors to each university’s board of trustees, allowing campuses to set their own nonresident fees as long as those charges cover the cost of instruction.
Other provisions would require universities to devote a portion of excess operating funds to unfinished construction or maintenance projects, change how certain tuition waivers are applied, and clarify that state dollars may be used to comply with federal Title IX requirements in athletics.
