Chair Brian Lamb dismissed the board, and the BOG meeting was adjourned at 3:39 p.m.

Dr. Matthew Leon, a professor of management at the UNF Coggin College of Business, spoke during the public comments section. Leon addressed the general curriculum agenda item regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion. Leon is also the grievance officer for the UNF faculty union.

During his comment, Leon was interrupted by one of the governors who asked what his comment had to do with the BOG agenda. Leon continued after explaining that his comment was in regard to the gen-ed curriculum approval but was cut off by the three-minute time limit.

“I think one of the most important things we do as educators to give our students an ability to thrive in the world we live in,” Leon said. We’re just diverse.”

“I’m disappointed that the BOG couldn’t listen to three minutes of commentary on DEI; it’s just sad,” Leon said.

Rodrigues brought up a 2023 Gallup poll that found that only 36% of U.S. adults have a great deal of trust in higher education institutions.

“These next five years for higher education are going to be turbulent,” Rodrigues said.

“The general education curriculum that was approved today makes Florida the only state in the nation to address the number-one reason why Americans have no confidence in higher education.”

Rodrigues said that Florida’s education does not contain “indoctrinating concepts.”

The regular Board of Governors meeting was called to order at 2:30 p.m.

Chair Brian Lamb gave his report to the board and thanked the presidents and staff of each university.

Lamb commented on the UNF and its successes.

“You don’t have to look long to see that the trajectory of [UNF] is pretty special,” Lamb said.

“I am very lucky to work with members of the Board of Governors,” Lamb said. “I’m truly proud to work alongside you.”

Lamb said there’s a lot to unpack with the new strategic plan and advised the governors to “stay the course.”

“Stay the course and take great care of your faculty and staff,” Lamb said. “Their voice matters.”

Gov. Ashley Bell Barnett questioned how HR elements and students’ career success would fit into the new strategic plan.

“We focus so much on the hard strategic plan,” Barnett said. “I also feel that we miss the point sometimes.” Barnett said universities should prioritize professional development and soft-skill at the same time as graduation and retention rates.

Gov. Ken Jones responded, saying that strategic plan initiatives and making sure students have job skills are not “mutually exclusive.”

Gov. Brian Lamb commented on the peer-comparison portion of Sikes’ SUS strategic plan presentation, saying that the plan is a pivot in the right direction.

Gov. Ken Jones explained the peer-comparison portion of the plan as taking inspiration and implementing other state systems’ and universities’ “best practices.”

During Emily Sikes’s presentation on SUS30: Extraordinary Impact, the 5-year strategic plan for 2030, Sikes revealed that SUS30 has a strategic priority to produce world-class talent from its graduates.

Speaking on research and economic development, Sikes explained that Florda’s state universities are doing a good job in research and economic development.

“We want to continue this momentum into 2030,” Sikes said. If this continues to remain a priority, “I believe Florida will be 3rd in the nation in research by 2030” according to Sikes.

Sikes announced she will be back in March to continue speaking about SUS30: Extraordinary Impact.

Emily Sikes began presenting the new State University System strategic plan: Extraordinary IMPACT.

According to Sikes, the letters of IMPACT stand for the SUS values: Integrity, Modeling excellence, Access and affordability, Collaboration and Transformative innovation.

The mission of the new strategic plan is, “to serve the needs of our state and society by providing high-quality higher education, innovative research, and public service through a coordinated system of institutions, each with distinct missions, collectively advancing civic principles, fostering world-class talent, and propelling Florida’s economic prosperity,” according to the presentation.

“As one SUS we are one resource for industry, state, students and faculty,” said Sikes. “Our reputation for student success will serve as a model for the nation of what student success looks like.”

Emily Sikes, Vice Chancellor of Academic and Student Affairs, gives a presentation on nursing education across Florida’s public universities.

In her presentation, Sikes recognized UNF for adding 100 pre-licensure program slots within the last year. She also congratulated UNF on having one of the largest increases in nursing graduates across Florida this year.

Gov. Ken Jones called the BOG Strategic Planning Committee to order at 1:36 p.m.

The first update on the agenda for the committee is accreditation updates. In 2022, Florida passed a law that requires public universities to review its accreditation every five years. This is the same law that requires post-tenure review for university faculty.

President Moez Limayem gave his accreditation update to the board. He said the university is still waiting to hear back from its accreditation agency.

“The team is working really hard for our fifth-year review,” Limayem said.

Julie Leftheris presented the internal audit external quality assessment results and the compliance program external quality assessment results.

According to Leftheris, both reports showed that the audit programs met or exceeded expectations.

The Budget and Finance closed their discussion to break for lunch.  It was requested that board members be back to meet at 1:15 p.m.

Gov. Eric Silagy addressed Chair Alan Levine addressed what he calls inconsistencies between reported university budgets.

Silagy noted that institutions like FIU charge over 10 times that of other state institutions such as UCF.

“We need to understand: why is it so valuable?”

Levine responded, “It’s not easy to pin these numbers down.”

“The legislature knowingly made a decision not [to close New College]… our job is to make it work,” Levine said.

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 Rodrigues 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 Carleigh 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.