New College to Acquire USF’s 32-Acre Campus, Tripling Size Under DeSantis
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jun 21
New College to Acquire USF’s 32-Acre Campus, Tripling Size Under DeSantis
1 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jun 21
Summary
Next month’s transfer gives New College of Florida the 32-acre, 2,000-student USF Sarasota-Manatee campus, sharply expanding a school that now enrolls about 900 students.
A four-year teach-out will let current USF students finish degrees in Sarasota-Manatee, but programs including nursing, tourism and hospitality are expected to close afterward.
Florida Democrats and local education leaders say Republicans revived the handover in a budget conference after a standalone proposal stalled in the state senate, bypassing normal scrutiny.
Critics tie the deal to Ron DeSantis’s remaking of New College as an “anti-woke” flagship, citing heavy state backing including President Richard Corcoran’s $1.2 million pay package and high per-degree costs.
The takeover deepens a broader fight over Florida higher education and could still face political reversal after DeSantis leaves office in January.
After a 40% budget cut, how will New College manage a campus three times its size and $53 million in new debt?
With USF’s popular nursing and hospitality programs closing, who will fill the region's critical workforce gap?
Can a small liberal arts school successfully absorb a large public university campus and its distinct culture?
Florida’s Higher Ed Shakeup: USF Sarasota-Manatee Campus Transfer to New College in July 2026 Sparks Backlash and Uncertainty
Overview
The University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus will transfer to New College of Florida in July 2026, following a decision by the USF Board of Trustees. This move is part of a broader political agenda led by Governor Ron DeSantis to reshape higher education in Florida, with House Bill 5601 proposing the legal and financial details of the transfer. New College accepted changes that other universities rejected, aligning closely with the Governor’s goals. The transfer has sparked widespread opposition from students, faculty, and community leaders, who worry about the loss of USF’s programs and the future of local higher education.