New College and Florida Poly Push Back Against Merger Plan

TALLAHASSEE -- The plan to merge Sarasota's New College and Lakeland's Florida Polytechnic into FSU and UF is getting pushback from lawmakers in those regions and leaders of the two universities.

The move is part of a bill that would also make grants to students attending private colleges need-based and increase Bright Futures scholarships for some students.

New College president Donal O'Shea says Florida State's leadership wants no part of the merger plan, which would force it to oversee a satellite campus 300 miles from Tallahassee.

O'Shea says the disruption is "way more than the savings would justify" for a school that's less than one percent of the state university system budget.

The merger bill has yet to be scheduled for a hearing by the House Appropriations Committee, its final stop before reaching the floor.

Photo: Getty Images

Material from the News Service of Florida was used in this report.


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