Florida Board of Governors

Universities under the board

Current members of the board

The Florida Board of Governors has seventeen members, including fourteen voting members appointed by the governor, as well as the Florida commissioner of education, the chair of the Advisory Council of Faculty Senates, and the chair of the Florida Student Association. The board appoints a chancellor, who serves as the system's chief executive.

Initiatives

2016 Think Florida

In January 2016, the State University System launched a statewide communications and marketing campaign to build and bolster the state's entrepreneurial climate - Think Florida: A Higher Degree for Business. The campaign's focus is a strong connection between the system's universities and Florida's businesses, with an emphasis on collaboration in the areas of talent, research and partnerships.

2014 Performance-based funding

The Board of Governors unveiled a performance-based funding model in 2014 to incentivize universities to improve on key metrics, from graduation rates to post-graduation success.

The model has four guiding principles:

1. use metrics that align with SUS Strategic Plan goals,
2. reward excellence or improvement,
3. have a few clear, simple metrics, and
4. acknowledge the unique mission of the different institutions. Key components of the model:

• Institutions will be evaluated on either excellence or Improvement for each metric.
• Data is based on one-year data.
• The benchmarks for excellence were based on the Board of Governors 2025 System Strategic Plan goals and analysis of relevant data trends, whereas the benchmarks for Improvement were determined after reviewing data trends for each metric.
• The Florida Legislature and governor determine the amount of new state funding and a proportional amount of institutional funding that would come from each university's recurring state base appropriation.

2010 Preeminent State Research Universities

In 2010, the Florida Legislature created the Preeminent State Research University program and set 12 benchmarks to define these schools, which are awarded more state funding for research. 11 of the 12 benchmarks must be met for a school to be classified as Preeminent by the Board of Governors. The benchmarks are:

• An average weighted grade point average of 4.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale and an average SAT score of 1200 or higher on a 1600-point scale or an average ACT score of 25 or higher on a 36 score scale, using the latest published national concordance table developed jointly by the College Board and ACT, Inc., for fall semester incoming freshmen, as reported annually.
• A top-50 ranking on at least two well-known and highly respected national public university rankings, including, but not limited to, the U.S. News & World Report rankings, reflecting national preeminence, using most recent rankings.
• A freshman retention rate of 90 percent or higher for full-time, first-time-in-college students.
• A 4-year graduation rate of 60 percent or higher for full-time, first-time-in-college students.
• Six or more faculty members at the state university who are members of a national academy.
• Total annual research expenditures, including federal research expenditures, of $200 million or more.
• Total annual research expenditures in diversified nonmedical sciences of $150 million or more.
• A top-100 university national ranking for research expenditures in five or more science, technology, engineering, or mathematics fields of study.
• One hundred or more total patents awarded by the United States Patent and Trademark Office for the most recent 3-year period.
• Four hundred or more doctoral degrees awarded annually, including professional doctoral degrees awarded in medical and health care disciplines.
• Two hundred or more postdoctoral appointees annually.
• An endowment of $500 million or more.

Currently, three universities are classified as preeminent: the University of Florida, Florida State University, and the University of South Florida. All three have exceeded each of the 12 benchmarks.

Former members of the board

References

References

1. "System Accountability Report".
2. "Headcount Enrollment by Student Type".
3. "State University System of Florida | Board of Governors". Flbog.edu.
4. (November 28, 2023). "Gov. DeSantis appoints campaign donor, lawmaker's daughter to University System Board of Governors". Florida Politics.
5. "State University System of Florida {{!}} Board of Governors : Press Room".
6. "Think Florida – The State University System of Florida leverages its distinctive strengths for the benefit of all the state's citizens and business enterprises.".
7. "Board of Governors Performance Model Overview". Florida Board of Governors.
8. "Statutes & Constitution :View Statutes : Online Sunshine".
9. "Criminal investigation preceded suicide of high-powered GOP insider".
10. (January 17, 2026). "DeSantis sidelines longtime ally after UF feud to appease top donor". Miami Herald.