Bill Text: FL S0266 | 2023 | Regular Session | Comm Sub
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Higher Education
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (? 3-1)
Status: (Passed) 2023-05-16 - Chapter No. 2023-82, companion bill(s) passed, see CS/HB 1035 (Ch. 2023-38) [S0266 Detail]
Download: Florida-2023-S0266-Comm_Sub.html
Bill Title: Higher Education
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (? 3-1)
Status: (Passed) 2023-05-16 - Chapter No. 2023-82, companion bill(s) passed, see CS/HB 1035 (Ch. 2023-38) [S0266 Detail]
Download: Florida-2023-S0266-Comm_Sub.html
Florida Senate - 2023 CS for CS for CS for SB 266
By the Committee on Fiscal Policy; the Appropriations Committee
on Education; the Committee on Education Postsecondary; and
Senator Grall
594-04104-23 2023266c3
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to higher education; amending s.
3 1001.706, F.S.; revising the duties of the Board of
4 Governors relating to the mission of each state
5 university; revising requirements for the Board of
6 Governors’ strategic plan relating to the goals and
7 objectives of the State University System; requiring
8 the Board of Governors to annually require each state
9 university to include certain information in its
10 economic security report; requiring, rather than
11 authorizing, a Board of Governors regulation to
12 include a post-tenure review of state university
13 faculty on a specified basis; amending s. 1001.7065,
14 F.S.; requiring the Board of Governors Accountability
15 Plan to annually report certain research expenditures
16 of a specified amount; revising the number of
17 standards an institution must meet to receive a
18 specified designation; creating s. 1001.741, F.S.;
19 providing that each state university president is
20 responsible for hiring the provost, the deans, and
21 full-time faculty; providing that the president has a
22 duty to assess the performance of the provost and
23 deans; authorizing the president to delegate hiring
24 authority to specified individuals and entities;
25 prohibiting a university from using specified methods
26 in its admissions or personnel processes; providing
27 that certain actions regarding personnel may not be
28 appealed beyond the university president; requiring
29 each state university board of trustees to have review
30 procedures for the president’s selection and
31 reappointment of certain faculty; requiring each state
32 university president to annually present specified
33 performance evaluations and salaries to the board of
34 trustees; amending s. 1004.06, F.S.; prohibiting
35 specified educational institutions from expending
36 funds for certain purposes; providing exceptions;
37 requiring the State Board of Education and the Board
38 of Governors to adopt rules and regulations,
39 respectively; creating s. 1004.3841, F.S.; creating
40 the Institute for Risk Management and Insurance
41 Education within the College of Business at the
42 University of Central Florida; requiring that the
43 institute be located in a specified county; providing
44 the purpose and goals of the institute; amending s.
45 1004.6496, F.S.; authorizing the Board of Trustees of
46 the University of Florida to use charitable donations
47 in addition to appropriated funds to fund the Hamilton
48 Center for Classical and Civic Education; requiring
49 the University of Florida to annually report to the
50 Governor and Legislature on the transition of the
51 center to a college; revising the goals of the center;
52 requiring the University of Florida president to take
53 specified actions; providing requirements for the use
54 of appropriated funds; authorizing the university to
55 provide additional funding to the center; amending s.
56 1004.6499, F.S.; renaming the Florida Institute of
57 Politics at the Florida State University as the
58 Florida Institute for Governance and Civics; providing
59 the goals of the institute; amending s. 1004.64991,
60 F.S.; authorizing the Adam Smith Center for the Study
61 of Economic Freedom to perform certain tasks in order
62 to carry out its established purpose; amending s.
63 1007.25, F.S.; revising how general education core
64 courses are established; requiring the State Board of
65 Education and the Board of Governors to consider
66 approval of certain courses; requiring faculty
67 committees to review and submit recommendations to the
68 Articulation Coordinating Committee and the
69 commissioner relating to certain courses by a
70 specified date and periodically thereafter;
71 prohibiting general education core courses from
72 teaching certain topics or presenting information in
73 specified ways; providing requirements for general
74 education core courses; requiring specified
75 educational institutions to offer certain courses;
76 prohibiting public postsecondary educational
77 institutions from requiring students to take certain
78 additional general education core courses; creating s.
79 1007.55, F.S.; providing legislative findings;
80 providing requirements for general education courses;
81 requiring public postsecondary educational institution
82 boards of trustees and presidents to annually review
83 and approve general education requirements; requiring
84 public postsecondary educational institutions to
85 report certain courses to the department; requiring
86 the Articulation Coordinating Committee to submit
87 general education courses to the State Board of
88 Education and the Board of Governors for action;
89 providing a penalty for failing to meet such review
90 and approval requirements; prohibiting public
91 postsecondary educational institutions from requiring
92 students to take certain additional general education
93 courses; requiring the State Board of Education and
94 the Board of Governors to adopt rules and regulations,
95 respectively; amending s. 1008.47, F.S.; specifying a
96 one-time limit on the requirement to change
97 accrediting agencies; providing for expiration;
98 prohibiting an accrediting entity from requiring a
99 public postsecondary institution to violate state law;
100 amending s. 1009.26, F.S.; requiring the Board of
101 Governors to identify state-approved teacher
102 preparation programs eligible for a tuition waiver;
103 providing that certain postsecondary fee waivers
104 continue until specified criteria are met; providing
105 an effective date.
106
107 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
108
109 Section 1. Paragraphs (a) through (d) of subsection (5) and
110 paragraph (b) of subsection (6) of section 1001.706, Florida
111 Statutes, are amended to read:
112 1001.706 Powers and duties of the Board of Governors.—
113 (5) POWERS AND DUTIES RELATING TO ACCOUNTABILITY.—
114 (a) The Legislature intends that the Board of Governors
115 shall align the missions of each constituent university with the
116 academic success of its students; the existing and emerging
117 economic development needs of the state; the national reputation
118 of its faculty and its academic and research programs; the
119 quantity of externally generated research, patents, and
120 licenses; and the strategic and accountability plans required in
121 paragraphs (b) and (c). The Board of Governors shall
122 periodically review the mission of each constituent university
123 and make updates or revisions as needed. Upon completion of a
124 review of the mission, the board shall review existing academic
125 programs for alignment with the mission. The board shall include
126 in its review a directive to each constituent university
127 regarding its programs for any curriculum that violates s.
128 1000.05 or that is based on theories that systemic racism,
129 sexism, oppression, and privilege are inherent in the
130 institutions of the United States and were created to maintain
131 social, political, and economic inequities. The mission
132 alignment and strategic plan must shall consider peer
133 institutions at the constituent universities. The mission
134 alignment and strategic plan must shall acknowledge that
135 universities that have a national and international impact have
136 the greatest capacity to promote the state’s economic
137 development through: new discoveries, patents, licenses, and
138 technologies that generate state businesses of global
139 importance; research achievements through external grants and
140 contracts that are comparable to nationally recognized and
141 ranked universities; the creation of a resource rich academic
142 environment that attracts high-technology business and venture
143 capital to the state; and this generation’s finest minds
144 focusing on solving the state’s economic, social, environmental,
145 and legal problems in the areas of life sciences, water,
146 sustainability, energy, and health care. A nationally recognized
147 and ranked university that has a global perspective and impact
148 must shall be afforded the opportunity to enable and protect the
149 university’s competitiveness on the global stage in fair
150 competition with other institutions of other states in the
151 highest Carnegie Classification.
152 (b) The Board of Governors shall develop a strategic plan
153 specifying goals and objectives for the State University System
154 and each constituent university, including each university’s
155 contribution to overall system goals and objectives. The
156 strategic plan must:
157 1. Include performance metrics and standards common for all
158 institutions and metrics and standards unique to institutions
159 depending on institutional core missions, including, but not
160 limited to, student admission requirements, retention,
161 graduation, percentage of graduates who have attained
162 employment, percentage of graduates enrolled in continued
163 education, licensure passage, nondegree credential attainment,
164 average wages of employed graduates, average cost per graduate,
165 excess hours, student loan burden and default rates, faculty
166 awards, total annual research expenditures, patents, licenses
167 and royalties, intellectual property, startup companies, annual
168 giving, endowments, and well-known, highly respected national
169 rankings for institutional and program achievements.
170 2. Consider reports and recommendations of the Florida
171 Talent Development Council under s. 1004.015 and the
172 Articulation Coordinating Committee under s. 1007.01.
173 3. Include student enrollment and performance data
174 delineated by method of instruction, including, but not limited
175 to, traditional, online, and distance learning instruction.
176 4. Include criteria for designating baccalaureate degree
177 and master’s degree programs at specified universities as high
178 demand programs of emphasis. The programs of emphasis list
179 adopted by the Board of Governors before July 1, 2021, shall be
180 used for the 2021-2022 academic year. Beginning in the 2022-2023
181 academic year, the Board of Governors shall adopt the criteria
182 to determine value for and prioritization of degree credentials
183 and degree programs established by the Credentials Review
184 Committee under s. 445.004 for designating high-demand programs
185 of emphasis. The Board of Governors must review designated
186 programs of emphasis, at a minimum, every 3 years to ensure
187 alignment with the prioritization of degree credentials and
188 degree programs identified by the Credentials Review Committee.
189 5. Include criteria for nondegree credentials.
190 (c) The Board of Governors shall develop an accountability
191 plan for the State University System and each constituent
192 university. The accountability plan must address institutional
193 and system achievement of goals and objectives specified in the
194 strategic plan adopted pursuant to paragraph (b) and must be
195 submitted as part of its legislative budget request. Each
196 university shall submit, as a component of the university’s
197 annual accountability plan:,
198 1. Information on the effectiveness of its plan for
199 improving 4-year graduation rates; and
200 2. The level of financial assistance provided to students
201 pursuant to paragraph (h).
202 (d) Beginning in the 2014-2015 academic year and annually
203 thereafter, The Board of Governors shall annually require a
204 state university prior to registration to provide each enrolled
205 student electronic access to the economic security report of
206 employment and earning outcomes prepared by the Department of
207 Economic Opportunity pursuant to s. 445.07. In addition, the
208 Board of Governors shall require a state university to provide
209 each student electronic access to the following information each
210 year prior to registration using the data described in s.
211 1008.39:
212 1. The top 25 percent of degrees reported by the university
213 in terms of highest full-time job placement and highest average
214 annualized earnings in the year after earning the degree.
215 2. The bottom 10 percent of degrees reported by the
216 university in terms of lowest full-time job placement and lowest
217 average annualized earnings in the year after earning the
218 degree.
219 (6) POWERS AND DUTIES RELATING TO PERSONNEL.—
220 (b) The Board of Governors shall may adopt a regulation
221 requiring each tenured state university faculty member to
222 undergo a comprehensive post-tenure review every 5 years. The
223 board may include other considerations in the regulation, but
224 the regulation must address:
225 1. Accomplishments and productivity;
226 2. Assigned duties in research, teaching, and service;
227 3. Performance metrics, evaluations, and ratings; and
228 4. Recognition and compensation considerations, as well as
229 improvement plans and consequences for underperformance.
230 Section 2. Paragraph (m) is added to subsection (2) of
231 section 1001.7065, Florida Statutes, and subsection (3) of that
232 section is amended, to read:
233 1001.7065 Preeminent state research universities program.—
234 (2) ACADEMIC AND RESEARCH EXCELLENCE STANDARDS.—The
235 following academic and research excellence standards are
236 established for the preeminent state research universities
237 program and shall be reported annually in the Board of Governors
238 Accountability Plan:
239 (m) Total annual STEM-related research expenditures,
240 including federal research expenditures, of $50 million or more.
241 (3) PREEMINENT STATE RESEARCH UNIVERSITY DESIGNATION.—
242 (a) The Board of Governors shall designate each state
243 university that annually meets at least 12 11 of the 13 12
244 academic and research excellence standards identified in
245 subsection (2) as a “preeminent state research university.”
246 (b) The Board of Governors shall designate each state
247 university that annually meets at least 7 6 of the 13 12
248 academic and research excellence standards identified in
249 subsection (2) as an “emerging preeminent state research
250 university.”
251 Section 3. Section 1001.741, Florida Statutes, is created
252 to read:
253 1001.741 State university personnel.—
254 (1) Except as delegated pursuant to paragraph (a), each
255 state university president has the final authority for hiring
256 the provost, the deans, and all full-time faculty for the
257 university, and has an ongoing duty to assess the performance,
258 productivity, and employment practices of the university’s
259 provost and deans. The president of the university is encouraged
260 to engage in faculty recruiting as appropriate, and shall
261 provide a regular report and recommendations on employment
262 practices to the board at least twice annually.
263 (a) The president may delegate hiring authority to
264 individuals on the university’s executive management team within
265 the president’s office, to the provost, or to individual deans;
266 however, the president or the person delegated such hiring
267 authority is not bound by the recommendations or opinions of
268 faculty or other individuals.
269 (b) A state university may not require any statement,
270 pledge, or oath other than to uphold general and federal law,
271 the United States Constitution, and the State Constitution as a
272 part of any admissions, hiring, employment, promotion, tenure,
273 disciplinary, or evaluation process.
274 (2) Notwithstanding s. 447.401 or any other law, personnel
275 actions or decisions regarding faculty, including in the areas
276 of evaluations, promotions, tenure, discipline, or termination,
277 may not be appealed beyond the level of a university president
278 or designee. Such actions or decisions must have as their
279 terminal step a final agency disposition, which must be issued
280 in writing to the faculty member, and are not subject to
281 arbitration. The filing of a grievance does not toll the action
282 or decision of the university, including the termination of pay
283 and benefits of a suspended or terminated faculty member.
284 (3) Each state university board of trustees must have
285 procedures for the review of the president’s selection and
286 reappointment of each member of the university’s executive
287 management team, and his or her respective contract and annual
288 salary, before such contracts and salaries become effective, in
289 accordance with the personnel program established by the Board
290 of Governors.
291 (4) Each state university president shall annually present
292 to the state university board of trustees the results of
293 performance evaluations and associated annual salaries for all
294 evaluated academic and administrative personnel earning an
295 annual salary of $200,000 or more, regardless of the funding
296 source for such salaries. The results may be presented in a
297 summary or written format.
298 Section 4. Section 1004.06, Florida Statutes, is amended to
299 read:
300 1004.06 Prohibited expenditures.—
301 (1) A No Florida College System institution, state
302 university, Florida College System institution direct-support
303 organization, or state university direct-support organization
304 may not shall expend any funds, regardless of source, to
305 purchase membership in, or goods and services from, any
306 organization that discriminates on the basis of race, color,
307 national origin, sex, disability gender, or religion.
308 (2) A Florida College System institution, state university,
309 Florida College System institution direct-support organization,
310 or state university direct-support organization may not expend
311 any state or federal funds to promote, support, or maintain any
312 programs or campus activities that:
313 (a) Violate s. 1000.05; or
314 (b) Advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, or
315 promote or engage in political or social activism, as defined by
316 rules of the State Board of Education and regulations of the
317 Board of Governors.
318
319 Student fees to support student-led organizations are permitted
320 notwithstanding any speech or expressive activity by such
321 organizations which would otherwise violate this subsection,
322 provided that the public funds must be allocated to student-led
323 organizations pursuant to written policies or regulations of
324 each Florida College System institution or state university, as
325 applicable. Use of institution facilities by student-led
326 organizations is permitted notwithstanding any speech or
327 expressive activity by such organizations which would otherwise
328 violate this subsection, provided that such use must be granted
329 to student-led organizations pursuant to written policies or
330 regulations of each Florida College System institution or state
331 university, as applicable.
332 (3) Subsection (2) does not prohibit programs, campus
333 activities, or functions required for compliance with general or
334 federal laws or regulations; for obtaining or retaining
335 institutional or discipline-specific accreditation; or for
336 access programs for military veterans, Pell Grant recipients,
337 first generation college students, nontraditional students,
338 “2+2” transfer students from the Florida College System,
339 students from low-income families, or students with unique
340 abilities.
341 (4) The State Board of Education and the Board of Governors
342 shall adopt rules and regulations, respectively, to implement
343 this section.
344 Section 5. Section 1004.3841, Florida Statutes, is created
345 to read:
346 1004.3841 The Institute for Risk Management and Insurance
347 Education.—The Institute for Risk Management and Insurance
348 Education is established within the College of Business at the
349 University of Central Florida. Since insurance and risk
350 management is a major industry in this state, with a
351 concentration of such industry in Volusia County, the institute
352 must be located in Volusia County. Like many other industries in
353 the state, the insurance and risk management industry is being
354 revolutionized by, among other things, the integration of
355 technology, predictive analytics, and data science, and is
356 becoming more complex, given its exposure to transformative
357 trends in the economy and environment. The purpose of the
358 institute is to respond to the ever-evolving insurance and risk
359 management industry and the present and emerging needs of this
360 state and its residents. The goals of the institute are to:
361 (1) Pursue technological innovations that advance risk
362 valuation models and operational efficiencies in the insurance
363 industry.
364 (2) Drive the development of workforce competencies in data
365 analytics, system-level thinking, technology integration,
366 entrepreneurship, and actuarial science.
367 (3) Leverage the University of Central Florida’s world
368 class assets in data science, artificial intelligence, computer
369 science, engineering, finance, economics, and sales.
370 (4) Take advantage of the University of Central Florida’s
371 robust portfolio of academic program offerings and draw on
372 faculty and industry experts in diverse fields, including
373 actuarial science, computer science, economics, engineering,
374 environmental science, finance, forensics, law, management,
375 marketing, and psychology.
376 (5) Develop and offer risk management and insurance
377 education, including education that recognizes risks in areas
378 such as the environment, pandemic disease, and digital security.
379 (6) Offer programs, workshops, case studies, and applied
380 research studies that integrate technology and artificial
381 intelligence with soft skills while preparing students and
382 professionals for the technology-enabled insurance industry of
383 the future.
384 Section 6. Section 1004.6496, Florida Statutes, is amended
385 to read:
386 1004.6496 Hamilton Center for Classical and Civic
387 Education.—
388 (1) The Board of Trustees of the University of Florida may
389 use funds as provided in the General Appropriations Act and
390 charitable donations to establish and fund the Hamilton Center
391 for Classical and Civic Education as an academic unit within the
392 University of Florida. The purpose of the center is to support
393 teaching and research concerning the ideas, traditions, and
394 texts that form the foundations of Western and American
395 civilization.
396 (2) Beginning January 1, 2025, and by each January 1
397 thereafter, the University of Florida must report to the
398 Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the
399 House of Representatives on the progress toward establishing the
400 center as a permanent college at the university. The report must
401 include a timeline for establishing the college, enrollment and
402 educational outcomes and future goals for enrollment and
403 educational outcomes, current financial progress and future
404 financial needs, and any recommendation for changes in general
405 law.
406 (3) The goals of the center are to:
407 (a) Educate university students in core texts and great
408 debates of Western civilization and the Great Books.
409 1. The center is responsible for developing curriculum and
410 courses to satisfy the requirement for the competency in civil
411 discourse.
412 2. Courses developed under this paragraph may be used to
413 satisfy the requirements of s. 1007.25(5).
414 (b) Educate university students in the principles, ideals,
415 and institutions of the American political order.
416 (c) Educate university students in the foundations of
417 responsible leadership and informed citizenship.
418 (d) Provide programming and training related to civic
419 education and the values of open inquiry and civil discourse to
420 support the K-20 system.
421 (e) Coordinate with the Florida Institute for Governance
422 and Civics of Politics created pursuant to s. 1004.6499 and the
423 Adam Smith Center for the Study of Economic Freedom created
424 pursuant to s. 1004.64991 and assist in the curation and
425 implementation of Portraits in Patriotism created pursuant to s.
426 1003.44.
427 (f) Develop educational programming and a plan for the
428 implementation of such programming to ensure that all university
429 students demonstrate competency in civil discourse.
430 (4) In order to carry out the goals set forth in subsection
431 (3), the president of the University of Florida must:
432 (a) Annually update the board of trustees on the center’s
433 progress toward developing educational programming to ensure
434 that all students at the university demonstrate competency in
435 civil discourse. The president’s report must identify a timeline
436 and support necessary for the university to achieve this goal.
437 (b) Guide the university’s leadership and the center to
438 ensure that the center is able to enroll students, hire faculty,
439 ensure a pathway to tenure for faculty, develop curricula and
440 courses, establish certificate and degree programs, establish
441 major and minor programs, and fulfill other actions approved by
442 the president of the university.
443 (5) Funds appropriated specifically to the center may not
444 be used for any other purpose; however, the university may
445 provide additional funding as available to the center.
446 Section 7. Section 1004.6499, Florida Statutes, is amended
447 to read:
448 1004.6499 Florida Institute for Governance and Civics of
449 Politics.—
450 (1) The Florida Institute for Governance and Civics of
451 Politics is established at the Florida State University within
452 the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy. The purpose of
453 the institute is to provide the southeastern region of the
454 United States with a world class, bipartisan, nationally
455 renowned institute of politics.
456 (2) The goals of the institute are to:
457 (a) Provide students with access to an interdisciplinary
458 hub that will develop academically rigorous scholarship and
459 coursework on the origins of the American system of government,
460 its foundational documents, its subsequent political traditions
461 and evolutions, and its impact on comparative political systems
462 Motivate students throughout the Florida State University to
463 become aware of the significance of government and civic
464 engagement at all levels and politics in general.
465 (b) Encourage civic literacy in this state through the
466 development of educational tools and resources for K-12 and
467 postsecondary students which foster an understanding of how
468 individual rights, constitutionalism, separation of powers, and
469 federalism function within the American system Provide students
470 with an opportunity to be politically active and civically
471 engaged.
472 (c) Model civic discourse that recognizes the importance of
473 viewpoint diversity, intellectual rigor, and an evidence-based
474 approach to history Nurture a greater awareness of and passion
475 for public service and politics.
476 (d) Plan and host forums to allow students and guests to
477 hear from exceptional individuals who have excelled in a wide
478 range of sectors of American life, to highlight the
479 possibilities created by individual achievement and
480 entrepreneurial vision and interact with experts from
481 government, politics, policy, and journalism on a frequent
482 basis.
483 (e) Become a national and state resource on using polling
484 instruments and other assessments to measure civic literacy and
485 make recommendations for improving civic education information
486 and survey methodology.
487 (f) Provide fellowships and internship opportunities to
488 students in government, nonprofit organizations, and community
489 organizations.
490 (g) Create through scholarship, original research,
491 publications, symposia, testimonials, and other means a body of
492 resources that can be accessed by students, scholars, and
493 government officials to understand the innovations in public
494 policy in this state over a rolling 30-year time period Provide
495 training sessions for newly elected state and local public
496 officials.
497 (h) Organize and sponsor conferences, symposia, and
498 workshops throughout this state to educate and inform citizens,
499 elected officials, and appointed policymakers regarding
500 effective policymaking techniques and processes.
501 (i) Create and promote research and awareness regarding
502 politics, citizen involvement, and public service.
503 (j) Collaborate with related policy institutes and research
504 activities at the Florida State University and other
505 institutions of higher education to motivate, increase, and
506 sustain citizen involvement in public affairs.
507 Section 8. Subsection (3) is added to section 1004.64991,
508 Florida Statutes, to read:
509 1004.64991 The Adam Smith Center for the Study of Economic
510 Freedom.—
511 (3) In order to carry out the purpose set forth in this
512 section, the institute is authorized to:
513 (a) Hire necessary faculty and staff pursuant to s.
514 1001.741;
515 (b) Enroll students;
516 (c) Develop curriculum and offer new courses, including
517 honors courses, certificates, and major and minor programs;
518 (d) Hold events, including fundraisers;
519 (e) Fulfill other actions approved by the president of the
520 university; and
521 (f) Generate resources based on student credit hour
522 enrollment, in the same manner as any college within the
523 institution.
524 Section 9. Subsection (3) of section 1007.25, Florida
525 Statutes, is amended to read:
526 1007.25 General education courses; common prerequisites;
527 other degree requirements.—
528 (3) The chair of the State Board of Education and the chair
529 of the Board of Governors, or their designees, shall jointly
530 appoint faculty committees to review and recommend to the
531 Articulation Coordinating Committee for approval by the State
532 Board of Education and the Board of Governors identify statewide
533 general education core course options for inclusion in the
534 statewide course numbering system established under s. 1007.24.
535 Faculty committees shall, by July 1, 2024, and by July 1 every 4
536 years thereafter, review and submit recommendations to the
537 Articulation Coordinating Committee and the commissioner for the
538 removal, alignment, realignment, or addition of general
539 education core courses that satisfy the requirements of this
540 subsection.
541 (a) General education core course options shall consist of
542 a maximum of five courses within each of the subject areas of
543 communication, mathematics, social sciences, humanities, and
544 natural sciences. The core courses may be revised, or the five
545 course maximum within each subject area may be exceeded, if
546 approved by the State Board of Education and the Board of
547 Governors, as recommended by the subject area faculty committee
548 and approved by the Articulation Coordinating Committee as
549 necessary for a subject area.
550 (b) Each general education core course option must contain
551 high-level academic and critical thinking skills and common
552 competencies that students must demonstrate to successfully
553 complete the course.
554 (c) General education core courses may not distort
555 significant historical events or include a curriculum that
556 teaches identity politics, violates s. 1000.05, or is based on
557 theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege
558 are inherent in the institutions of the United States and were
559 created to maintain social, political, and economic inequities.
560 (d) General education core courses must meet the following
561 standards:
562 1. Communication courses must afford students the ability
563 to communicate effectively, including the ability to write
564 clearly and engage in public speaking.
565 2. Humanities courses must afford students the ability to
566 think critically through the mastering of subjects concerned
567 with human culture, especially literature, history, art, music,
568 and philosophy, and must include selections from the Western
569 canon.
570 3. Social science courses must afford students an
571 understanding of the basic social and behavioral science
572 concepts and principles used in the analysis of behavior and
573 past and present social, political, and economic issues.
574 4. Natural science courses must afford students the ability
575 to critically examine and evaluate the principles of the
576 scientific method, model construction, and use the scientific
577 method to explain natural experiences and phenomena.
578 5. Mathematics courses must afford students a mastery of
579 foundational mathematical and computation models and methods by
580 applying such models and methods in problem solving.
581 (e) Beginning with students initially entering a Florida
582 College System institution or state university in 2015-2016 and
583 thereafter, each student must complete at least one identified
584 core course in each subject area as part of the general
585 education course requirements. Beginning in the 2022-2023
586 academic year and thereafter, students entering a technical
587 degree education program as defined in s. 1004.02(13) must
588 complete at least one identified core course in each subject
589 area as part of the general education course requirements before
590 a degree is awarded.
591 (f) All public postsecondary educational institutions shall
592 offer at least one general education core course in each of the
593 identified subject areas and accept these courses as meeting
594 general education core course requirements upon transfer,
595 regardless of whether the receiving institution offers the
596 identical general education core courses. The remaining general
597 education course requirements shall be identified by each
598 institution as approved in accordance with this section and
599 listed in the statewide course numbering system and reported to
600 the department by their statewide course number.
601 (g) A public postsecondary educational institution may not
602 require a student to complete an additional course to meet a
603 subject area distribution requirement that was completed by the
604 student with a course that has since been removed as a general
605 education core course.
606 (h) The general education core course options shall be
607 adopted in rule by the State Board of Education and in
608 regulation by the Board of Governors.
609 Section 10. Section 1007.55, Florida Statutes, is created
610 to read:
611 1007.55 General education course principles, standards, and
612 content.—
613 (1) The Legislature finds it necessary to ensure that every
614 undergraduate student of a Florida public postsecondary
615 educational institution graduates as an informed citizen through
616 participation in rigorous general education courses that promote
617 and preserve the constitutional republic through traditional,
618 historically accurate, and high-quality coursework. General
619 education courses should provide broad foundational knowledge to
620 help students develop intellectual skills and habits that enable
621 them to become more effective and lifelong learners. Courses
622 with a curriculum based on unproven, speculative, or exploratory
623 content are best suited as elective or specific program
624 prerequisite credit, not general education credit. General
625 education courses must:
626 (a) Meet the course standards as provided in s. 1007.25;
627 and
628 (b) Whenever applicable, provide instruction on the
629 historical background and philosophical foundation of Western
630 civilization and this nation’s historical documents, such as the
631 Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, the
632 Bill of Rights and subsequent amendments, and the Federalist
633 Papers.
634 (2) Public postsecondary educational institution boards of
635 trustees and presidents are responsible for annually reviewing
636 and approving, at a public meeting, general education course
637 requirements, as authorized and approved in accordance with ss.
638 1007.24 and 1007.25 and this section, at their respective
639 institutions. The following must be included for each listed
640 general education course:
641 (a) The general education distribution area;
642 (b) The number of state universities that offer the course
643 and the number of Florida College System institutions that offer
644 the course; and
645 (c) The course level.
646 (3) Public postsecondary educational institutions must
647 report courses meeting institutional general education subject
648 requirements to the department by their statewide course number.
649 (4) In performing it duties under ss. 1007.24 and 1007.25,
650 by December 1, 2024, and each December 1 thereafter, the
651 Articulation Coordinating Committee shall submit to the State
652 Board of Education and the Board of Governors courses that have
653 been approved by public postsecondary educational institutions
654 as meeting general education requirements. The listing of
655 general education courses must include the information in
656 paragraphs (2)(a), (b), and (c). The State Board of Education
657 and the Board of Governors must approve or reject the list of
658 general education courses for each Florida College System
659 institution and state university, respectively.
660 (5) Public postsecondary educational institutions that fail
661 to comply with the requirements of this section are not eligible
662 to receive performance-based funding pursuant to s. 1001.66 or
663 s. 1001.92.
664 (6) A public postsecondary educational institution may not
665 require a student to take an additional course to meet a subject
666 area distribution requirement that was completed by the student
667 with a course that has since been removed as a general education
668 course.
669 (7) The State Board of Education and the Board of Governors
670 shall adopt rules and regulations, respectively, to implement
671 this section.
672 Section 11. Present subsections (3) and (4) of section
673 1008.47, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (4)
674 and (5), respectively, a new subsection (3) is added to that
675 section, and subsection (2) and present subsection (3) of that
676 section are amended, to read:
677 1008.47 Postsecondary education institution accreditation.—
678 (2) ACCREDITATION.—
679 (a) By September 1, 2022, the Board of Governors or the
680 State Board of Education, as applicable, shall identify and
681 determine the accrediting agencies or associations best suited
682 to serve as an accreditor for public postsecondary institutions.
683 Such accrediting agencies or associations must be recognized by
684 the database created and maintained by the United States
685 Department of Education. A public postsecondary institution may
686 not be accredited by the same accrediting agency or association
687 for consecutive accreditation cycles. In the year following
688 reaffirmation or fifth-year review by its accrediting agencies
689 or associations, each public postsecondary institution must seek
690 and obtain accreditation from an accrediting agency or
691 association identified by the Board of Governors or State Board
692 of Education, respectively, before its next reaffirmation or
693 fifth-year review date. The requirements in this section are
694 limited to a one-time change in accreditation. The requirements
695 of this subsection are not applicable to those professional,
696 graduate, departmental, or certificate programs at public
697 postsecondary institutions that have specific accreditation
698 requirements or best practices, including, but not limited to,
699 law, pharmacy, engineering, or other similarly situated
700 educational programs.
701 (b) Once a public postsecondary institution is required to
702 seek and obtain accreditation from an agency or association
703 identified pursuant to paragraph (a), the institution shall seek
704 accreditation from a regional accrediting agency or association
705 and provide quarterly reports of its progress to the Board of
706 Governors or State Board of Education, as applicable. If each
707 regional accreditation agency or association identified pursuant
708 to paragraph (a) has refused to grant candidacy status to an
709 institution, the institution must shall seek and obtain
710 accreditation from any accrediting agency or association that is
711 different from its current accrediting agency or association and
712 is recognized by the database created and maintained by the
713 United States Department of Education. If a public postsecondary
714 institution is not granted candidacy status before its next
715 reaffirmation or fifth-year review date, the institution may
716 remain with its current accrediting agency or association.
717 (c) This subsection expires December 31, 2032.
718 (3) PROHIBITION.—An accrediting agency or association may
719 not compel any public postsecondary institution to violate state
720 law, and any adverse action upon the institution based upon the
721 institution’s compliance with state law constitutes a violation
722 of this section that may be enforced through subsection (4),
723 except to the extent that state law is preempted by a federal
724 law that recognizes the necessity of the accreditation standard
725 or requirement.
726 (4)(3) CAUSE OF ACTION.—A postsecondary education
727 institution negatively impacted by retaliatory or adverse action
728 taken against the postsecondary education institution by an
729 accrediting agency or association may bring an action against
730 the accrediting agency or association in a court of competent
731 jurisdiction and may obtain liquidated damages in up to the
732 amount of federal financial aid received by the postsecondary
733 education institution, court costs, and reasonable attorney
734 fees.
735 Section 12. Paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) of subsection (18)
736 of section 1009.26, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
737 1009.26 Fee Waivers.—
738 (18)(a) For every course in a Program of Strategic
739 Emphasis, or in a state-approved teacher preparation program
740 identified by the Board of Governors, as identified in
741 subparagraph 3., in which a student is enrolled, a state
742 university shall waive 100 percent of the tuition and fees for
743 an equivalent course in such program for a student who:
744 1. Is a resident for tuition purposes under s. 1009.21.
745 2. Has earned at least 60 semester credit hours towards a
746 baccalaureate degree within 2 academic years after initial
747 enrollment at a Florida public postsecondary institution.
748 3. Enrolls in one of 10 Programs of Strategic Emphasis as
749 adopted by the Board of Governors or in one of two state
750 approved teacher preparation programs identified by the Board of
751 Governors. The Board of Governors shall adopt eight Programs of
752 Strategic Emphasis in science, technology, engineering, or math;
753 and, beginning with the 2022-2023 academic year, two Programs of
754 Strategic Emphasis in the critical workforce gap analysis
755 category; and beginning with the 2023-2024 academic year, two
756 state-approved teacher preparation programs for which a student
757 may be eligible to receive the tuition and fee waiver authorized
758 by this subsection. The programs identified by the board must
759 reflect the priorities of the state and be offered at a majority
760 of state universities at the time the Board of Governors
761 approves the list.
762 (b) A waiver granted under this subsection is applicable
763 only for upper-level courses and up to 110 percent of the number
764 of required credit hours of the baccalaureate degree program for
765 which the student is enrolled. A student granted a waiver under
766 this subsection shall continue receiving the waiver until the
767 student graduates, exceeds the number of allowable credit hours,
768 or withdraws from an eligible program, regardless of whether the
769 program is removed from the approved list of eligible programs
770 subsequent to the student’s enrollment.
771 (c) Upon enrollment in a Program of Strategic Emphasis or
772 in one of two teacher preparation programs identified by the
773 Board of Governors, the tuition and fees waived under this
774 subsection must be reported for state funding purposes under ss.
775 1009.534 and 1009.535 and must be disbursed to the student. The
776 amount disbursed to the student must shall be equal to the award
777 amount the student has received under s. 1009.534(2) or s.
778 1009.535(2).
779 Section 13. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.
