The State University System of Florida (SUSF or SUS) is a system of twelve public universities in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2018, over 341,000 students were enrolled in Florida's state universities. Together with the Florida College System, which includes Florida's 28 community colleges and state colleges, it is part of Florida's system of public higher education. The system, headquartered in Tallahassee, is overseen by a chancellor and governed by the Florida Board of Governors.

The Florida Board of Governors was created in 2003 to centralize the administration of the State University System of Florida. Previously, Florida's State University System had been governed by the Florida Board of Regents (1965–2001) and the Florida Board of Control (1905–1965).

History and governance

The system was created in Article IX, Section 7 of the Florida Constitution to support education, research, and public service for the people of Florida and their communities . Prior to 1905, Florida's state institutions were governed by a Board of Education and even earlier variations thereof, reaching back to the Florida Constitution of 1838 wherein higher education and normal education was established, based on grants of land from the U.S. Congress. From 1905 to 1965, the few universities in the system were governed by the Florida Board of Control. The Board of Control was replaced by the Florida Board of Regents in 1965, to accommodate the growing university system.

The Board of Regents governed until it was disbanded by the Florida Legislature in 2001, and its authority was divided between the Florida Board of Education (which was given some authority over all levels of public education in the state), and appointed university boards of trustees, which operated independently for each separate institution. In 2002, Floridians led by U.S. senator Bob Graham passed an amendment to the Florida Constitution establishing a new statewide governing body, the Florida Board of Governors.

TermChancellor
1954–1968J. Broward Culpepper
1968–1975Robert B. Mautz
1975–1980E.T. York
1981–1985Barbara W. Newell
1985–1998Charles B. Reed
1998–2001Adam W. Herbert
2001Judy G. Hample
2003–2005Debra D. Austin
2005–2009Mark B. Rosenberg
2009–2013Frank T. Brogan
2014–2022Marshall Criser III
2023–presentRay Rodrigues
Chancellors of the State University System of Floridavte
SUS Student Enrollment
YearStudents
1905620
1910835+35%
19151,341+61%
19201,882+40%
19253,688+96%
19304,655+26%
19355,550+19%
19406,395+15%
19457,020+10%
195019,015+171%
195519,847+4%
196027,053+36%
196543,849+62%
197073,676+68%
1975115,334+57%
1980128,578+11%
1985146,692+14%
1990179,775+23%
1995208,493+16%
2000240,753+15%
2005287,375+19%
2010321,503+12%
2015345,672+8%
2020353,041+2%
2021354,186+0%
Sources:

Universities within the system

State University System of Florida is located in Florida
State University System of Florida locations
State University System of Florida
InstitutionLocationEstablishedStart of instructionEnrollment (2021)Athletics
Florida State UniversityTallahassee1851185745,130ACC (NCAA Division I)
University of FloridaGainesville1853185361,112SEC (NCAA Division I)
Florida A&M UniversityTallahassee188718879,000SWAC (NCAA Division I)
University of South FloridaTampa1956196044,322The American (NCAA Division I)
Florida Atlantic UniversityBoca Raton1961196430,155The American (NCAA Division I)
University of West FloridaPensacola1963196713,317Gulf South (NCAA Division II) (ASUN, NCAA Division I in 2026)
University of Central FloridaOrlando1963196870,406Big XII (NCAA Division I)
Florida International UniversityMiami1965197256,732The American (NCAA Division I)
New College of FloridaSarasota1960 (private, joined SUSF in 1975 via USF, independent 2001)1964659The Sun (NAIA)
University of North FloridaJacksonville1965197216,594ASUN (NCAA Division I)
Florida Gulf Coast UniversityFort Myers1991199715,370ASUN (NCAA Division I)
Florida Polytechnic UniversityLakeland201220141,563The Sun (NAIA; possibly 2027–28)

Gallery

See also

External links