higher education

The chancellor of Florida’s university system is calling on schools to disband chapters of the group National Students for Justice in Palestine amid the war between Israel and Hamas.

Henry Mack, a former high-ranking state education official and nearly chosen as president of Florida Gulf Coast University earlier this year, was named interim president of Broward College on Tuesday. Mack, who previously was a chancellor at the Florida Department of Education overseeing the Division of Florida Colleges, was chosen to succeed former Broward College president Gregory Haile. Another selection made Tuesday, this one by the New College of Florida Board of Trustees, selected Interim President Richard Corcoran to become the small liberal-arts school’s leader on a permanent basis.

A notice posted on the Hodges University website Friday announced the closing of the Fort Myers school after 33 years of education services.

The state university system’s Board of Governors, which oversees Florida’s network of 12 universities, was slated to weigh approval of a plan that would allow schools to individually raise tuition by up to 15 percent for students who come from other states.But Eric Silagy, the board’s vice chairman, announced last week that the plan was being postponed, saying “additional work” is needed before potentially implementing the tuition increase.

Mike Martin is shedding his title as president of Florida Gulf Coast University, but he is gaining another presidential title.Martin will be president of the Hanseatic League of Universities for the next year. He is replacing Dong-sung Cho, president of Incheon National University in South Korea.

A measure designed to carry out parts of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ higher-education agenda moved forward Wednesday in the Senate, after changes that included a proposal to give university presidents ultimate hiring authority at their schools.

Information submitted by each finalist for the FGCU presidency can be found on FGCU’s presidential search website, www.fgcu.edu/presidentialsearch. All other candidate information will remain exempt and confidential, according to Section 1004.098, Florida Statutes.

Hampshire College, a 700-student institution in Amherst, Massachusetts, has offered students at Florida's New College admission, and is matching their current cost of tuition.

Information released by the governor’s office said DeSantis is supporting legislation for the 2023 Legislative Session to "further elevate civil discourse and intellectual freedom in higher education, further pushing back against the tactics of liberal elites who suppress free thought in the name of identity politics and indoctrination."