Florida Rising

ACTA’s 11th state report finds higher education in Florida has both sunny spots and storms to avoid, yet overall has strong potential to set an example for other states to follow. The report, Florida Rising: An Assessment of Public Universities in the Sunshine State, examines issues of cost, speech codes, administrative vs. academic spending, core curriculum, athletic spending, and graduation rates. “Florida higher education navigated the economic downturn with more restraint than many other states in terms of keeping tuition relatively affordable, and can be seen as a model for the nation in that regard,” said Anne D. Neal, ACTA president. “However, rampant athletic spending, restrictive speech codes and an incomplete core curriculum show that continuing Florida’s upward course will need strong and active leadership from governing boards.”