During the BOG Budget and Finance Committee meeting Ben Watkins, Director of the Florida Division of Bond Finance, commented, “The operating environment for college athletics is changing fundamentally.”

Watkins tells the committee that it’s important to focus on putting athletics into a “bigger picture,” he said. He advises the committee to focus on keeping college affordable for all Florida families and on what’s fundamentally important to institutions like high school graduation rate, retention rate, and graduation rate.

Through the NCAA settlement, universities may not receive as much from sporting events like March Madness because a portion of that money will be given to the NCAA to pay back the House, Hubbard and Carter settlements. Governors Alan Levine and Peter Collins discuss how this can affect their student-athlete scholarships and revenue.

“This is another area where some of our schools are at a disadvantage,” Gov. Levine said, “This proportionately damages universities that are capable of getting to March Madness and producing an audience.”

Gov. Collins pointed out that Florida does have an advantage because it has the lowest tuition in the country, so universities can disperse more in scholarships.

During the Budget and Finance Committee meeting, Governor Levine introduced a panel of experts to discuss the new changes in college sports. The panel is here to help inform the BOG of the changes to college sports and what it means for their institutions.

Jared Tidemann, NCAA Director of Legal Affairs, speaks on the House, Hubbard and Carter settlements with the NCAA. Tidemann explains the big point going forward is that the NCAA will be removing around 300 rules for student-athletes and their relationships with their institutions.

This means institutions will now be permitted to give more to their student-athletes in whatever way they see fit, according to Tidemann. “This could be in the way of scholarships or directly setting up contractual relationships with their student-athletes,” said Tidemann.

During the BOG Budget and Finance Committee meeting, Governor Alan Levine and Governor Eric Silagy commented on FEMA and the possibility of FEMA’s future elimination by President Trump.

New College of Florida sustained significant damages in Hurricanes Helene and Milton, and they used $2.5 of their %4.4 million reserve funds to repair the damages, although FEMA should reimburse them in full.

“For those of us that have dealt with FEMA,” Gov. Levine said, “They’re not typically very timely in their reimbursements.”

“I don’t even know if FEMA’s going to be here next year,” Gov. Silagy said, “based on the comments from the administration in Washington.”

Gov. Levine advises that the BOG revisit any possibility of FEMA being removed at a later time if it occurs.

The BOG is on break and will resume business with the Budget and Finance Committee at 10:30 a.m.

The BOG approves Peter Jones appointment to the FSU Board of Trustees

The BOG Nomination and Governance Committee was called to order at 10 a.m.

Chair Brian Lamb welcomed the committee and began .

Dr. Nelson outlines the professional graduate degree excellence report program 2023-2034 expenditures.

Out of the $60 million budget, 60 percent was used on faculty, 25 percent was used on students, 7 percent on research, 2 percent on carryforward and the remaining amount on other expenditures.

The professional graduate degree excellence report passes.

The BOG Academic and Research Excellence Committee called roll and called its meeting to order at 9:48 a.m.

The current committee speaker began with a presentation on the return on investment in university research initiatives.

The committee approved the 2025 World Class Faculty and Scholars Report.

At the end of the Academic and Student Affairs Committee meeting, Governor Amanda Phalin recognized and advocated for the importance of research funding in public universities.

“If we do not have those funds, then we are shortchanging our country’s economic future,” Said Gov. Phalin, “At least half of our country’s long-term economic growth can be attributed to the money spent on research at our public universities.”

The Academic and Student Affairs Committee passes the general education course list for Florida public universities.

View the 2025-2026 course list here, and the BOG summary here.

The first BOG committee meeting, Academic and Student Affairs, called its meeting to order after roll-call.

Committee Staff Emily Sikes outlined the institutional general education course review process that began after recent state legislation. The BOG will vote to approve university course lists today. These reviews began back in Feb. 2024 and are in accordance with Florida’s SB 266.

“We are not prohibiting universities from offering courses,” Chancellor Raymond Rodriguez said. “They will just not be included as part of the gen-ed requirements.”

President Limayem said that UNF started to complete course reviews back in 2022 before the legislation was passed. He explained UNF used to have around 150 courses on its gen-ed list, but now, after course reviews has around 45 courses. Limayem said the university put together a team of faculty advisors to complete the reviews.

UNF President Moez Limayem gives a welcome speech to the Board of Governors, welcoming them to UNF and Jacksonville.

Limayem introduced UNF Partners, who spoke to the BOG via a hologram. Limayem thanked UNF faculty, staff, the UNF Board of Trustees, BOG and the university’s donors.

Limayem gave the floor to Carly Eagle, a UNF graduate student and engineer at Mayo Clinic. Eagle spoke on the experiences she’s received through her internship with Mayo Clinic.

The first item on the agenda is the Academic and Student Affairs committee, beginning now.

Trustee Jack Boyle, Mayo Clinic CEO and others joined President Limayem via hologram during his BOG welcome speech to speak on UNF partnerships with community organizations.

The speakers were from Mayo Clinic, Florida Blue, JEA and other organizations.

Board of Trustees Chair Kevin Hyde kicked off the Board of Governors meeting at 9 a.m., welcoming the room to UNF and thanking President Moez Limayem for hosting.

The United Faculty of Florida will hold a press conference at 8:30 a.m. before the Board of Governors meets. Watch Spinnaker’s live stream at the link above.