FL Budget Deal Would Transfer USF Sarasota-Manatee To New College

SARASOTA, FL — A Florida budget agreement would transfer the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus to New College of Florida, including 32 acres, buildings, equipment and furnishings.

The Florida House and Senate agreed on the deal Sunday and state lawmakers are expected to vote on the budget Friday.

According to the deal, USF students enrolled at the Sarasota-Manatee campus before July 1 would get priority use of classroom space in the transferred facilities, USF President Moez Limayem said in a message on Tuesday.

He also said that USF would retain more than $22 million in recurring operating funds tied to the campus, allowing the university to keep all faculty and staff and teach out current students.

The budget language also requires New College to assume liability for outstanding debt tied to the transferred property by Dec. 31, 2026, and to honor USF student housing leases until Aug. 15, 2027, unless students leave sooner.

“I fully recognize that this agreement creates significant uncertainty and anxiety for our dedicated, outstanding faculty, staff and students. My focus remains the same as it has always been: To take care of our people, to communicate with transparency and to support the workforce needs of the Sarasota-Manatee community,” Limayem said.

The university prepared an initial “FAQs” list for students and employees in case the transfer receives final approval, he said.

New College President Richard Corcoran wrote on X that the transition could expand the school while preserving continuity for the community, students, faculty and staff.

“Florida’s higher education system is strongest when institutions work together with clarity of purpose, fiscal responsibility, and a shared commitment to students. As the end of the special legislation approaches, the potential transition represents a thoughtful and forward-looking opportunity to expand New College’s capacity while preserving continuity for the Sarasota-Manatee community, its students, faculty, and staff,” Corcoran wrote, adding, “New College is prepared to steward this transition with care and intentionality as we continue building a nationally distinctive public liberal arts institution focused on academic excellence, civic discourse, innovation, and student opportunity. We look forward to working closely with regional leaders, faculty, staff, and community partners to ensure a positive long-term decision for the region, for the State University System, and for the future of higher education in Florida.”