Higher Education

Stuart Bell, former president at the University of Alabama for 10 years, participated in three forums throughout the afternoon on campus in Gainesville.

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill Friday to expand the armed “school guardian” program to Florida's colleges and universities.

Opponents question whether the Department of Education has the authority to make the rule change. A hearing is scheduled for May 14.

Since March 2025, at least 15 Florida public universities and colleges, including the University of Florida and Florida State College at Jacksonville, have signed memorandums of agreement for their campus police departments to collaborate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

If HB 757 becomes law, public colleges and universities would be left to decide whether to opt in. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will ultimately decide whether the expansion of the guardian program reaches college campuses.

The board governing Florida’s universities voted Thursday to remove sociology as a general education offering at the state’s public universities, leaving it available as an elective course.

The University of Florida is moving to deactivate its College Republicans chapter after reports of antisemitic behavior by some members. UF officials said over the weekend that the Florida Federation of College Republicans told them it already disbanded the Gainesville chapter.

An effort to further limit the number of out-of-state and international students at top Florida universities drew House support Tuesday.

With only a year left in office, Gov. Ron DeSantis has a limited window of time to wield power in Tallahassee. But on college campuses across Florida, DeSantis continues to expand his army of political loyalists — both college presidents and university trustees, who are poised to dominate for many years to come, no matter who is elected governor in 2026.

New international student enrollment is down significantly nationwide. In Florida, some schools saw decreases, while others continue to recruit students from abroad.

Sen. Don Gaetz is sponsoring the legislation, entitled “School Safety,” to address security concerns in higher education. If passed, the bill would remove college campuses as gun-free zones — marking a significant shift in how Florida handles gun issues.

Programs that made the cut, like lawyers and doctors, can borrow up to $200,000. Those that did not, including nurses, can borrow half that.