Top-performing state research universities used to be rewarded by the Legislature for its merits. This year, however, state lawmakers aren鈥檛 giving a single dollar for preeminent funding.
That鈥檒l affect the University of Florida, Florida State University, the University of South Florida and Florida International University 鈥� the institutions that qualify for preeminent status.
Last year, the elite research universities received $40 million, an amount the Senate wanted to allocate again this budget session. But the House of Representatives didn鈥檛 budge,
Two years ago, the group of schools shared $100 million that could be used for hiring faculty or building student initiatives.
Preeminent status is awarded to universities that meet 12 of 13 requirements on students鈥� average GPA and SAT scores, the school鈥檚 endowment size, how many patents faculty have been awarded and graduation rates or freshmen retention rates.
Florida lawmakers could vote Friday on an approximately $114.5 billion budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1.
Last year, lawmakers passed a $115.1 billion budget which fell to $114.8 billion after DeSantis wielded his veto pen before signing it into law.
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