The Florida State Legislature's Appropriations Committee convened on March 5, 2025, to discuss key aspects of the state's higher education system, focusing on enrollment, funding, and tuition structures. The meeting highlighted the significant scale of Florida's higher education system, which comprises 12 universities serving over 430,000 students and employing 78,000 staff, including 24,000 faculty members.

The committee noted that Florida's universities awarded over 100,000 degrees in the previous academic year, with business degrees being the most prevalent. The state has maintained the lowest tuition rates in the nation and has been recognized as the top state for higher education for the past eight years. The discussion included the ambitious goal of having eight universities ranked in the top 100 nationally by 2030.

A strategic plan titled "SUS 30 Extraordinary Impact" was adopted in January, which will guide the system's direction over the next five years. The committee reported a rebound in student enrollment following a decline due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with projections estimating growth to approximately 375,000 students in the next five years.

The total operating budget for the higher education system is approximately $20 billion, with the largest portion allocated to Education and General (E&G) funding, which includes state appropriations and student tuition. The committee emphasized that while state funding has increased, tuition collections have remained flat since the removal of tuition from the appropriations bill two years ago.

Tuition rates were also a focal point of the discussion. The undergraduate resident tuition is set at $105.07 per credit hour, a figure that can only be adjusted through a two-thirds vote by the legislature and the governor's approval. The last increase in tuition occurred over a decade ago, in the fall of 2013. The committee highlighted that a 1% increase in tuition would yield approximately $7 million for the system, underscoring the importance of state appropriations in supporting the universities.

In conclusion, the meeting underscored the robust nature of Florida's higher education system, its strategic goals for future growth, and the critical role of state funding in maintaining low tuition rates for students. The committee's discussions set the stage for ongoing evaluations of funding and tuition policies as they work to enhance the educational landscape in Florida.