TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN MADE IN COLLABORATION WITH NEWS SERVICE FLORIDA. SEE ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE. Still, U.S.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced the formation of a new higher-education accrediting body, the Commission for Public Higher Education, in collaboration with university leaders from five other Southern states.
The new accrediting body, which will require federal approval, aims to replace the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS), with which Florida has had conflicts in recent years.
“We want to focus on real, serious academic rigor,” DeSantis said during an appearance at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton.
The initiative includes participation from university systems in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.
Accreditation is crucial for schools to be eligible for federal financial aid. Florida has been moving away from SACS, even engaging in legal battles with the Biden administration over accreditation issues.
In 2022, Florida’s legislature passed a bill requiring public universities and colleges to periodically change accreditors, following concerns raised by SACS about Richard Corcoran’s candidacy for president of Florida State University.
Florida filed a lawsuit against federal education officials challenging the accreditation system’s constitutionality. Still, U.S.. Florida District Judge Jacqueline Becerra dismissed the case, stating Florida could seek changes through Congress or provide its own funding.
The state has appealed the dismissal to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, where the case is still pending.DeSantis emphasized the need to get the new accreditation commission approved during Donald Trump’s presidency, suggesting that a future administration could revoke it.
State University System Chancellor Ray Rodrigues criticized the current accreditation process as a waste of time focused on bureaucracy rather than academic excellence.
The formation of the Commission for Public Higher Education represents a significant shift in Florida’s approach to higher education accreditation, with potential implications for academic standards and federal funding eligibility.
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