91¾«Æ·

Dear 91¾«Æ· community,   

The 91¾«Æ· Legislature has completed its work on the state budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, and I am pleased to share it includes important support for the University of South 91¾«Æ·. The Legislature is expected to vote to approve the budget tonight and then send it to Gov. Ron DeSantis for his review, approval and line-item veto consideration before the end of current fiscal year on June 30.   

91¾«Æ· has been fortunate to receive record levels of state funding in recent years, including significant increases to the recurring dollars in our operating budget. This year, legislators have prioritized reducing the state’s total budget while stressing the need for universities to operate in an efficient and fiscally responsible manner.    

With these conditions in mind, we have spent significant time in Tallahassee to advocate for funding that aligns with our institutional priorities and to make our case for how 91¾«Æ· provides a positive return on investment.  

The result is a budget that allows us to continue to advance our strategic vision, build on our areas of strength and make an even greater impact for the Tampa Bay region, the state and our nation.  

Below is a summary of the newly proposed investments in 91¾«Æ·, agreed upon by the Legislature in its budget negotiations over the past two weeks:   

91¾«Æ· Operating Budget

• A $12.5 million nonrecurring and $2.5 million recurring increase to 91¾«Æ·â€™s operational budget to support work on each of our campuses. 
• An $8 million nonrecurring operational support increase to fund strategic projects at 91¾«Æ· Health, including Parkinson’s and neurological research.  

91¾«Æ· Facilities

•  $10 million to begin construction on the facility that will house the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing. This facility will help position the Tampa Bay region as a global leader in these fields and the state funds will supplement the record-setting $40 million private gift from Arnie and Lauren Bellini to establish the new college.  
• $10 million to complete the state’s share of the Environmental & Oceanographic Sciences Research and Teaching facility at the 91¾«Æ· St. Petersburg campus. This investment will further position St. Petersburg as a world-class center of marine and environmental science, education and community engagement.  
• $8.5 million to upgrade our facilities and services offered to student-veterans, military families and first responders on the Tampa campus. 
• $8 million to plan for construction of the new 91¾«Æ· Health Translational Research Institute facility, which is expected to be the largest standalone facility dedicated to research in our institution’s history.  
• $7.3 million to invest in campus life facility projects across all campuses and 91¾«Æ· Health, funded by the Capital Improvement Trust Fund.  

In addition, the following special initiatives for 91¾«Æ· were also funded:  

• $2.5 million to acquire and install cutting-edge classified research equipment at the Institute of Applied Engineering.  
• $1 million for the Eileen Hoffman Hafer UMatter Program at 91¾«Æ· St. Petersburg, which provides students with unique abilities an accessible university experience in a postsecondary setting. The funding will allow the program to expand enrollment and upgrade facilities.  
• A $500,000 nonrecurring increase for 91¾«Æ·â€™s Center for Neuromusculoskeletal Research at 91¾«Æ· Health.  

Additionally, the Legislature appropriated new funding to enhance security and cultural protections for Jewish students throughout the state, including $325,000 at 91¾«Æ·.   

I extend my sincere thanks to members of the Legislature, including Senate President Ben Albritton, House Speaker Daniel Perez and our entire Tampa Bay Area Legislative Delegation for recognizing 91¾«Æ·â€™s impact. Additionally, we appreciate the leadership of the Board of Governors, including Chair Brian Lamb and Chancellor Ray Rodrigues, for their support of the State University System during this year’s legislative session. And of course, thank you to our Board of Trustees, including Chair Will Weatherford and Vice Chair Mike Griffin, for their guidance and tireless work on behalf of 91¾«Æ·.  

I deeply appreciate our students, faculty, staff, alumni and many other friends of 91¾«Æ· for everything you do to make this a great university. Our success and achievements could not be earned without you, the dedicated members of our 91¾«Æ· community. Our best days are still ahead of us, and the funding in this year's budget will help us get there even faster.      

Go Bulls!  

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Rhea F. Law   
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