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Dear USF community,
Throughout the past several months in Tallahassee, we have continued to tell the University of South Florida’s story of becoming one of the youngest universities invited to join the Association of American Universities (AAU), ranking among the top 50 public universities in the U.S. for five consecutive years and reaching other milestones faster than many thought possible – all achievements that we could not have earned without you, the dedicated members of our USF community.
Today, the Legislature completed its work on the state budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, and I am excited to share that the budget includes increased recurring operational funding and support for other significant projects for USF. In the coming days, the Legislature is expected to vote to approve this budget and send it to Governor Ron DeSantis for his review, approval and line-item veto consideration.
Below is a summary of some the newly proposed investments in USF, pending the governor’s approval:
- A $50 million recurring increase to USF’s operational budget to support the work of each of our three campuses and USF Health, as well as to expand cybersecurity research and the cyber workforce. A portion of this increase was funded through a new $100 million recurring investment in the state’s Preeminent State Research Universities Program, which will be split equally between the four institutions that are expected to meet the necessary preeminence benchmarks this year. This investment is critical in helping continue our path toward becoming a top 25 public university and in carrying out our research mission.
- A $35 million nonrecurring operational support increase to fund strategic projects for the institution, including completing the major clinical trial underway at USF Health to measure the effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on alleviating the symptoms of PTSD/TBI in military veterans, an initiative that was funded by the state last year.
- $31 million for critical infrastructure and safety improvements to ensure appropriate capacity for the present and future growth of the USF Tampa campus.
- $10 million to upgrade our facilities and services offered to student-veterans, military families and first responders on all three campuses.
- $7.2 million to invest in campus life facility projects funded through the state’s Capital Improvement Trust Fund.
- $3.9 million for a joint project between the College of Nursing and the College of Behavioral and Community Sciences designed to both lower opioids use statewide and to assist counties to better plan for and respond to opioid overdoses.
- $750,000 for the USF Trafficking in Persons Risk to Resilience Research Lab that will go toward the development and operation of a statewide human trafficking data repository. The database will assist law enforcement human trafficking investigations, address gaps in victim services to provide essential resources, develop prevention programs and provide a better understanding of the magnitude and trends in human trafficking across Florida and over time.
The Legislature also agreed to invest $100 million nonrecurring funds for the State University System’s Performance-based Excellence Recognition Program, which was created to recruit and retain top faculty and research talent in the state. The exact amount of USF’s funding from this state investment will be determined in the coming months by the Board of Governors based on our 2024 performance-based funding scores and the number of full-time faculty and researchers employed in programs of strategic emphasis.
We are incredibly grateful to the Legislature, including Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, and House Speaker Paul Renner, for their support and recognition of our university’s trajectory. I also want to thank our Tampa Bay Area Legislative Delegation for their steadfast commitment to helping us reach our top 25 goal. Additionally, I wish to thank the leadership of the Board of Governors, including Chair Brian Lamb and Chancellor Ray Rodrigues, for their invaluable support for the State University System during this year’s legislative session. And finally, thank you to our Board of Trustees, under the leadership of Chair Will Weatherford and Vice Chair Mike Griffin, for their tireless advocacy on USF’s behalf in Tallahassee.
This is another remarkable budget for USF that will allow us to advance our strategic goals in student success, research and innovation excellence, impactful community partnerships and engagement and the countless other ways we provide immeasurable benefits to the Tampa Bay region, state of Florida and beyond.
I am deeply appreciative of our students, faculty, staff, alumni, fans and other supporters for everything you do to make this a great university and a such strong investment for the future.
Go Bulls!
Sincerely,
Rhea F. Law
President
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