Proposal would consolidate USF, end separate accreditation for local campus

House Bill 423 was recently proposed in the Florida House of Representative, as a part of the higher education bill. A similar bill has been passed by the Senate. It is likely that if the bill is accepted and implemented, the University of South Florida would be made to shift back to its home campus, in Tampa. University of Florida operates its campus separately from the main campus; a change implemented back in 2010.

Only recently, a ten-year accreditation was granted to the university, but with the proposed bill, it seems the tables might turn for USF.USF’s board of Trustees have been asked to devise and submit a plan, until 15^th January 2019, to design separate accreditation for the Sarasota-Manatee and ST. Petersburg campuses.

In case the bill is approved and implemented as a law, the university officials explain they are trying their best to make sure that the students, faculty, and staff remain least effected by the consequent changes. USF spokesperson Wade-Martinez said “The values of the USF system include unity, loyalty and the recognition that we are stronger when we work together. We intend to use those principles to help guide us through this process.”