USF knows what it’s like to be short-changed by the Legislature. When you don’t have the clout of UF and FSU and you lack a law school, it matters. That’s because law schools beget more than lawyers—as in politicians who can take care of their own when they get to Tallahassee.
Now USF has one of its own, alum House Speaker Chris Sprowl of Palm Harbor, to advocate and deliver for USF priorities. Plus, Pasco County’s Wilton Simpson is the current Senate president. That they are Republicans hasn’t mattered. As a result, USF has never had a better legislative session. It experienced the largest ever single-year investment in operations.
Specifically, that means $75 million for a new marine science building on the USF St. Petersburg campus. It thus accelerates the process of USF morphing into a marine science powerhouse. It also provided multi millions in funding for nursing programs and the remodeling of USF Health ($45 million), cybersecurity ($57.5 million), building maintenance ($72.8 million) and the operational budget ($55 million).
“Having a speaker and a senate president from your region generally only helps the university,” underscored State Sen. Jeff Brandes, “and I think you’re seeing that kind of windfall play out here now.”
Too often USF didn’t receive funding sufficient for a metropolitan, research university that was meeting and exceeding performance metrics. Not this year.