After the 2023 Legislative Session, and despite cuts to higher education funding in the new Florida state budget, incuding some at Florida Gulf Coast University, both the outgoing and incoming presidents of FGCU said the institution was "treated quite well."
In a joint email release to FGCU Faculty, staff and students, outgoing president Mike Martin and incoming president-select Aysegul Timur said that as part of the $116.5 billion state budget signed Thursday by Gov. Ron DeSantis, FGCU is set to receive:
- $20 million in recurring operating funds to cover, in part, increased costs of operations, and some additional funding likely will be coming thanks to system-wide investments.
- $58 million in capital funding to support the construction of a Health Sciences Building we will call Academic Building 10. This ranks us third in growth funding among the State University System.
- $2.2 million of continued support from the Prepping Institutions, Programs, Employers and Learners Through Incentives for Nursing Education (PIPELINE) Fund. Additionally, FGCU expects to receive funding from the Linking Industry to Nursing Education (LINE) Fund, which will be distributed by the Board of Governors.
- $4.15 million for a water-quality project through the Peace River Basin Water Quality and Community Resilience (SF3173).
"Budget aside, several policy bills passed this Legislative Session that may have impacts on the way we carry out our mission," the joint release said. "Senate Bill 266 is, perhaps, the most prominent among them. This bill is comprehensive, and among its topics are diversity, equity and inclusion programs on State University System campuses."
Martin and Timur said FGCU leaders are working alongside the Board of Governors and the chancellor’s office to evaluate and interpret how to implement the policy coming from the legislature.
"We realize some may be concerned of the potential outcomes of SB266, but at this time we are not able to fully articulate the impact this bill may have, if any, on FGCU as a whole, and on its departments and employees in particular," the joint email said. "Once we know how to comply with the requirements of the new laws, FGCU leaders will provide more information to the campus community. It will likely be some time before a system-wide response is fully articulated. In the meantime, let’s all focus on the important work of FGCU serving our students and the community."
One funding area that was impacted in the budget, announced Thursday, was a proposed $14.5 million renovation to Florida Gulf Coast University’s Reed Hall classroom building.
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