Text of FL S 266 (2023)

Florida Senate - 2023 SB 266 By Senator Grall 29-01465B-23 2023266__ 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to higher education; amending s. 3 1001.706, F.S.; revising the mission of each state 4 university; revising requirements for the Board of 5 Governors’ strategic plan relating to the goals and 6 objectives of the State University System; requiring 7 each state university to submit documentation of its 8 efforts to promote specified educational topics and 9 information relating to the removal of certain 10 courses; requiring the Board of Governors to annually 11 require each state university to include certain 12 information in its economic security report; 13 authorizing a post-tenure review of state university 14 faculty at any time, with cause; amending s. 15 1001.7065, F.S.; requiring each state university to 16 annually report certain research expenditures of a 17 specified amount; creating s. 1001.725, F.S.; 18 providing that each state university board of trustees 19 is responsible for hiring faculty; authorizing the 20 board to delegate hiring authority to the president; 21 prohibiting a university from using specified methods 22 in its hiring process; authorizing each state 23 university board of trustees to review any faculty 24 member’s tenure status; requiring each state 25 university board of trustees to confirm specified 26 employee reappointments and contracts; requiring each 27 state university president to annually present 28 specified performance evaluations and salaries to the 29 board of trustees; amending s. 1004.06, F.S.; 30 prohibiting specified educational institutions from 31 expending funds to promote specified concepts; 32 providing construction; amending s. 1004.6496, F.S.; 33 authorizing the Board of Trustees of the University of 34 Florida to use funds to establish and fund the 35 Hamilton College for Classical and Civic Education; 36 revising the goals of the college; providing powers of 37 the college; amending s. 1004.6499, F.S.; renaming the 38 Florida Institute of Politics at the Florida State 39 University as the Florida Institute for Governance and 40 Civics; providing the goals of the institute; amending 41 s. 1004.64991, F.S.; authorizing the Adam Smith Center 42 for the Study of Economic Freedom to perform certain 43 tasks in order to carry out its established purpose; 44 amending s. 1007.25, F.S.; revising how general 45 education core courses are established; requiring the 46 Commissioner of Education and Chancellor of the State 47 University System to consider approval of certain 48 courses; requiring faculty committees to submit 49 recommendations to the Articulation Coordinating 50 Committee and the commissioner relating to certain 51 courses by a specified date and every three years 52 thereafter; prohibiting general education core courses 53 from teaching certain topics or presenting information 54 in specified ways; providing requirements for general 55 education core courses; requiring specified 56 educational institutions to offer certain courses; 57 creating s. 1007.55, F.S.; providing legislative 58 findings; requiring the Articulation Coordinating 59 Committee to submit an annual report to specified 60 entities relating to courses that have been approved 61 as meeting specified requirements to be used by public 62 postsecondary educational institutions; providing 63 requirements for general education courses; requiring 64 public postsecondary educational institution boards of 65 trustees and presidents to annually review and approve 66 general education requirements; providing a penalty 67 for failing to meet such review and approval 68 requirements; requiring public postsecondary 69 educational institutions to report certain courses to 70 the department; amending s. 1008.47, F.S.; removing a 71 prohibition against a public postsecondary institution 72 from being accredited by the same accrediting body for 73 multiple consecutive accreditation cycles; providing 74 an effective date. 75 76 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 77 78 Section 1. Paragraphs (a) through (d) of subsection (5) and 79 paragraph (b) of subsection (6) of section 1001.706, Florida 80 Statutes, are amended to read: 81 1001.706 Powers and duties of the Board of Governors.— 82 (5) POWERS AND DUTIES RELATING TO ACCOUNTABILITY.— 83 (a) The Legislature intends that the Board of Governors 84 shall align the missions of each constituent university with the 85 academic success of its students; the education for citizenship 86 of the constitutional republic; the alignment of its programs to 87 Florida’s existing and emerging workforce needs; the national 88 reputation of its faculty and its academic and research 89 programs; the quantity of externally generated research, 90 patents, and licenses; and the strategic and accountability 91 plans required in paragraphs (b) and (c). The Board of Governors 92 shall periodically review the mission of each constituent 93 university and make updates or revisions as needed. Upon 94 completion of a review of the mission, the board shall review 95 existing academic programs to ensure alignment with the mission. 96 The board shall include in its review direction to each 97 constituent university to examine its programs for the inclusion 98 of any specified major or minor in critical race theory, gender 99 studies, or intersectionality or any derivative major of these 100 belief systems, that is, any major that engenders beliefs in 101 those concepts defined in s. 1000.05(4)(a). The mission 102 alignment and strategic plan shall consider peer institutions at 103 the constituent universities. The mission alignment and 104 strategic plan shall acknowledge that universities that have a 105 national and international impact have the greatest capacity to 106 promote the state’s economic development through: new 107 discoveries, patents, licenses, and technologies that generate 108 state businesses of global importance; research achievements 109 through external grants and contracts that are comparable to 110 nationally recognized and ranked universities; the creation of a 111 resource rich academic environment that attracts high-technology 112 business and venture capital to the state; and this generation’s 113 finest minds focusing on solving the state’s economic, social, 114 environmental, and legal problems in the areas of life sciences, 115 water, sustainability, energy, and health care. A nationally 116 recognized and ranked university that has a global perspective 117 and impact shall be afforded the opportunity to enable and 118 protect the university’s competitiveness on the global stage in 119 fair competition with other institutions of other states in the 120 highest Carnegie Classification. 121 (b) The Board of Governors shall develop a strategic plan 122 specifying goals and objectives for the State University System 123 and each constituent university, including each university’s 124 contribution to overall system goals and objectives. The 125 strategic plan must: 126 1. Include performance metrics and standards common for all 127 institutions and metrics and standards unique to institutions 128 depending on institutional core missions, including, but not 129 limited to, student admission requirements, the education for 130 citizenship of the constitutional republic, retention, 131 graduation, percentage of graduates who have attained 132 employment, percentage of graduates enrolled in continued 133 education, licensure passage, industry certification attainment, 134 average wages of employed graduates, average cost per graduate, 135 excess hours, student loan burden and default rates, faculty 136 awards, total annual research expenditures, patents, licenses 137 and royalties, intellectual property, startup companies, annual 138 giving, endowments, and well-known, highly respected national 139 rankings for institutional and program achievements. 140 2. Consider reports and recommendations of the Florida 141 Talent Development Council under s. 1004.015 and the 142 Articulation Coordinating Committee under s. 1007.01. 143 3. Include student enrollment and performance data 144 delineated by method of instruction, including, but not limited 145 to, traditional, online, and distance learning instruction. 146 4. Include criteria for designating baccalaureate degree 147 and master’s degree programs at specified universities as high 148 demand programs of emphasis. The programs of emphasis list 149 adopted by the Board of Governors before July 1, 2021, shall be 150 used for the 2021-2022 academic year. Beginning in the 2022-2023 151 academic year, the Board of Governors shall adopt the criteria 152 to determine value for and prioritization of degree credentials 153 and degree programs established by the Credentials Review 154 Committee under s. 445.004 for designating high-demand programs 155 of emphasis. The Board of Governors must review designated 156 programs of emphasis, at a minimum, every 3 years to ensure 157 alignment with the prioritization of degree credentials and 158 degree programs identified by the Credentials Review Committee. 159 5. Include criteria for nondegree credential offerings. 160 (c) The Board of Governors shall develop an accountability 161 plan for the State University System and each constituent 162 university. The accountability plan must address institutional 163 and system achievement of goals and objectives specified in the 164 strategic plan adopted pursuant to paragraph (b) and must be 165 submitted as part of its legislative budget request. Each 166 university shall submit, as a component of the university’s 167 annual accountability plan, information on the effectiveness of 168 its plan for improving 4-year graduation rates and the level of 169 financial assistance provided to students pursuant to paragraph 170 (h). In addition, each university must submit documentation of 171 its efforts to promote the education for citizenship of the 172 constitutional republic and the cultivation of the intellectual 173 autonomy of its undergraduates. It must also submit, as a 174 component of the university’s annual accountability plan, 175 information on the university’s process to remove from its 176 course catalogues any specified major or minor in critical race 177 theory, gender studies, or intersectionality or any derivative 178 major of these belief systems, that is, any major that engenders 179 beliefs in those concepts described in s. 1000.05(4)(a). 180 (d) Beginning in the 2014-2015 academic year and annually 181 thereafter, The Board of Governors shall annually require a 182 state university prior to registration to provide each enrolled 183 student electronic access to the economic security report of 184 employment and earning outcomes prepared by the Department of 185 Economic Opportunity pursuant to s. 445.07. In addition, the 186 Board of Governors shall require a state university to provide 187 each student electronic access to the following information each 188 year prior to registration using the data described in s. 189 1008.39: 190 1. The top 25 percent of degrees reported by the university 191 in terms of highest full-time job placement and highest average 192 annualized earnings in the year after earning the degree. 193 2. The bottom 10 percent of degrees reported by the 194 university in terms of lowest full-time job placement and lowest 195 average annualized earnings in the year after earning the 196 degree. 197 (6) POWERS AND DUTIES RELATING TO PERSONNEL.— 198 (b) The Board of Governors may adopt a regulation requiring 199 each tenured state university faculty member to undergo a 200 comprehensive post-tenure review every 5 years. Each university 201 may initiate a post-tenure review of a faculty member at any 202 time, with cause. The board may include other considerations in 203 the regulation, but the regulation must address: 204 1. Accomplishments and productivity; 205 2. Assigned duties in research, teaching, and service; 206 3. Performance metrics, evaluations, and ratings; and 207 4. Recognition and compensation considerations, as well as 208 improvement plans and consequences for underperformance. 209 Section 2. Paragraph (m) is added to subsection (2) of 210 section 1001.7065, Florida Statutes, to read: 211 1001.7065 Preeminent state research universities program.— 212 (2) ACADEMIC AND RESEARCH EXCELLENCE STANDARDS.—The 213 following academic and research excellence standards are 214 established for the preeminent state research universities 215 program and shall be reported annually in the Board of Governors 216 Accountability Plan: 217 (m) Total annual research expenditures of $50 million or 218 more benefiting STEM-related occupations, businesses, or 219 industry partners located in this state and currently employing, 220 or seeking to employ, residents of this state. 221 Section 3. Section 1001.725, Florida Statutes, is created 222 to read: 223 1001.725 University boards of trustees; personnel.— 224 (1) Each university board of trustees is responsible for 225 hiring faculty. The president may provide hiring recommendations 226 to the board. The president and the board are not bound by 227 recommendations or opinions of faculty or other individuals or 228 groups. 229 (a) The board may delegate its hiring authority to the 230 president; however, the president may not delegate hiring 231 authority, and the board shall approve or deny any selection by 232 the president. 233 (b) A university is prohibited from using diversity, 234 equity, and inclusion statements, critical race theory, or other 235 forms of political identity filters as part of the hiring 236 process, including as part of employment applications, including 237 applications for promotion and tenure, conditions of employment, 238 or reviewing job qualifications. This prohibition applies to all 239 hiring at the institution, including the president. 240 (2) Each university board of trustees may, at the request 241 of its chair, initiate a process to review any faculty member’s 242 tenure status. 243 (3) Each university board of trustees shall confirm its 244 president’s selection and reappointment of the university’s 245 executive management team members and their respective contracts 246 and annual salaries, in accordance with the university’s 247 personnel program established by the Board of Governors. 248 Contracts and responsibilities of the president and executive 249 team members, including, but not limited to, provost positions, 250 must explicitly delineate that the duties of positions, other 251 than the president, are limited to administrative oversight and 252 operational supervision of curricular, instructional, and 253 research affairs, as applicable to the position. 254 (4) Each university president shall annually present to his 255 or her board of trustees for review the results of performance 256 evaluations and associated salaries of all evaluated personnel 257 earning an annual compensation of $200,000 or more, regardless 258 of fund source. 259 Section 4. Section 1004.06, Florida Statutes, is amended to 260 read: 261 1004.06 Prohibited expenditures.— 262 (1) No Florida College System institution, state 263 university, Florida College System institution direct-support 264 organization, or state university direct-support organization 265 shall expend any funds, regardless of source, to purchase 266 membership in, or goods and services from, any organization that 267 discriminates on the basis of race, national origin, gender, or 268 religion. 269 (2)(a) No Florida College System institution, state 270 university, Florida College System institution direct-support 271 organization, or state university direct-support organization 272 may expend any funds, regardless of source, to promote, support, 273 or maintain any programs or campus activities that violate s. 274 1000.05(4)(a) or that espouse diversity, equity, and inclusion 275 or critical race theory rhetoric. 276 (b) Programs required for compliance with federal 277 regulations, or access programs for military veterans, Pell 278 Grant recipients, first generation college students, 279 nontraditional students, “2+2” transfer students from the 280 Florida College System, students from low-income families, or 281 students with unique abilities, are not prohibited by this 282 subsection. 283 Section 5. Section 1004.6496, Florida Statutes, is amended 284 to read: 285 1004.6496 Hamilton College Center for Classical and Civic 286 Education.— 287 (1) By July 1, 2024, the Board of Trustees of the 288 University of Florida may use funds as provided in the General 289 Appropriations Act and charitable donations to establish and 290 fund the Hamilton College Center for Classical and Civic 291 Education as an academic unit within the University of Florida. 292 The purpose of the college center is to support teaching and 293 research concerning the ideas, traditions, and texts that form 294 the foundations of Western and American civilization. 295 (2) The goals of the college center are to: 296 (a) Educate university students in core texts and great 297 debates of Western civilization and the Great Books. 298 (b) Educate university students in the principles, ideals, 299 and institutions of the American political order. 300 (c) Educate university students in the foundations of 301 responsible leadership and informed citizenship. 302 (d) Provide programming and training related to civic 303 education and the values of open inquiry and civil discourse to 304 support the K-20 system. 305 (e) Coordinate with the Florida Institute for Governance 306 and Civics of Politics created pursuant to s. 1004.6499 and the 307 Adam Smith Center for the Study of Economic Freedom created 308 pursuant to s. 1004.64991 and assist in the curation and 309 implementation of Portraits in Patriotism created pursuant to s. 310 1003.44. 311 (3) In order to carry out the purposes set forth in 312 subsection (2), the college is authorized to: 313 (a) Hire necessary faculty and staff; 314 (b) Enroll students; 315 (c) Develop curriculum and offer new courses, including 316 honors courses, certificates, and major and minor programs; 317 (d) Award degrees; 318 (e) Hold events, including fundraisers; 319 (f) Fulfill other actions approved by the president of the 320 university; and 321 (g) Generate resources based on student credit hour 322 enrollment, in the same manner as any other college within the 323 institution. 324 (4) The president of the university may hire a dean for the 325 college, subject to the approval of the board of trustees. 326 (a) If at any time the position of dean becomes vacant, the 327 president of the university may appoint a faculty member of the 328 college to serve as the acting dean. The president of the 329 university may remove the dean in accordance with the policies 330 and procedures established at the university. 331 (b) The dean of the college must report directly to the 332 president of the university. 333 (c) The dean of the college has the same delegated 334 authority, in the same manner, as any other dean at the 335 university. 336 (5) Faculty of the college may be awarded tenure subject to 337 the tenure policies of the university. 338 (6) Funds appropriated specifically to the college may not 339 be used for any other purpose at the university; however, the 340 university can provide additional funding as available to the 341 college. 342 Section 6. Section 1004.6499, Florida Statutes, is amended 343 to read: 344 1004.6499 Florida Institute for Governance and Civics of 345 Politics.— 346 (1) The Florida Institute for Governance and Civics of 347 Politics is established at the Florida State University within 348 the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy. The purpose of 349 the institute is to provide the southeastern region of the 350 United States with a world class, bipartisan, nationally 351 renowned institute of politics. 352 (2) The goals of the institute are to: 353 (a) Provide students with access to an interdisciplinary 354 hub that will develop academically rigorous scholarship and 355 coursework on the origins of the American system of government, 356 its foundational documents, its subsequent political traditions 357 and evolutions, and its impact on comparative political systems 358 Motivate students throughout the Florida State University to 359 become aware of the significance of government and civic 360 engagement at all levels and politics in general. 361 (b) Encourage civic literacy in this state through the 362 development of educational tools and resources for K-12 and 363 postsecondary students which foster an understanding of how 364 individual rights, constitutionalism, separation of powers, and 365 federalism function within the American system Provide students 366 with an opportunity to be politically active and civically 367 engaged. 368 (c) Model civic discourse that recognizes the importance of 369 viewpoint diversity, intellectual rigor, and an evidence-based 370 approach to history Nurture a greater awareness of and passion 371 for public service and politics. 372 (d) Plan and host forums to allow students and guests to 373 hear from exceptional individuals who have excelled in a wide 374 range of sectors of American life, to highlight the 375 possibilities created by individual achievement and 376 entrepreneurial vision and interact with experts from 377 government, politics, policy, and journalism on a frequent 378 basis. 379 (e) Become a national and state resource on using polling 380 instruments and other assessments to measure civic literacy and 381 make recommendations for improving civic education information 382 and survey methodology. 383 (f) Provide fellowships and internship opportunities to 384 students in government, nonprofit organizations, and community 385 organizations. 386 (g) Create through scholarship, original research, 387 publications, symposia, testimonials, and other means a body of 388 resources that can be accessed by students, scholars, and 389 government officials to understand the innovations in public 390 policy in this state over a rolling 30-year time period Provide 391 training sessions for newly elected state and local public 392 officials. 393 (h) Organize and sponsor conferences, symposia, and 394 workshops throughout this state to educate and inform citizens, 395 elected officials, and appointed policymakers regarding 396 effective policymaking techniques and processes. 397 (i) Create and promote research and awareness regarding 398 politics, citizen involvement, and public service. 399 (j) Collaborate with related policy institutes and research 400 activities at the Florida State University and other 401 institutions of higher education to motivate, increase, and 402 sustain citizen involvement in public affairs. 403 Section 7. Subsection (3) is added to section 1004.64991, 404 Florida Statutes, to read: 405 1004.64991 The Adam Smith Center for the Study of Economic 406 Freedom.— 407 (3) In order to carry out the purpose set forth in this 408 section, the institute is authorized to: 409 (a) Hire necessary faculty and staff; 410 (b) Enroll students; 411 (c) Develop curriculum and offer new courses, including 412 honors courses, certificates, and major and minor programs; 413 (d) Award degrees; 414 (e) Hold events, including fundraisers; 415 (f) Fulfill other actions approved by the president of the 416 university; and 417 (g) Generate resources based on student credit hour 418 enrollment, in the same manner as any other college within the 419 institution. 420 Section 8. Subsection (3) of section 1007.25, Florida 421 Statutes, is amended to read: 422 1007.25 General education courses; common prerequisites; 423 other degree requirements.— 424 (3) The chair of the State Board of Education and the chair 425 of the Board of Governors, or their designees, shall jointly 426 appoint faculty committees to review and recommend to the 427 Articulation Coordinating Committee for approval by the 428 Commissioner of Education and Chancellor of the State University 429 System identify statewide general education core course options 430 for inclusion in the statewide course numbering system 431 established under s. 1007.24. Faculty committees shall, by 432 December 1, 2023, and by December 1 every 3 years thereafter, 433 review and submit recommendations to the Articulation 434 Coordinating Committee and the commissioner for the removal, 435 alignment, realignment, or addition of general education core 436 courses that satisfy the requirements of this subsection. 437 (a) General education core course options shall consist of 438 a maximum of five courses within each of the subject areas of 439 communication, mathematics, social sciences, humanities, and 440 natural sciences. The core courses may be revised, or the five 441 course maximum within each subject area may be exceeded, if 442 approved by the State Board of Education and the Board of 443 Governors, as recommended by the subject area faculty committee 444 and approved by the Articulation Coordinating Committee as 445 necessary for a subject area. 446 (b) Each general education core course option must contain 447 high-level academic and critical thinking skills and common 448 competencies that students must demonstrate to successfully 449 complete the course. 450 (c) General education core courses may not suppress or 451 distort significant historical events or include a curriculum 452 that teaches identity politics, such as critical race theory, or 453 defines American history as contrary to the creation of a new 454 nation based on universal principles stated in the Declaration 455 of Independence. 456 (d) General education core courses must meet the following 457 standards: 458 1. Communication courses must afford students the ability 459 to communicate effectively, including the ability to write 460 clearly and engage in public speaking, through engagement with 461 the Western literary tradition. 462 2. Humanities courses must afford students the ability to 463 think critically through the mastering of subjects concerned 464 with human culture, especially literature, history, art, music, 465 and philosophy. 466 3. Social science courses must afford students an 467 understanding of the basic social and behavioral science 468 concepts and principles used in the analysis of behavior and 469 past and present social, political, and economic issues. 470 4. Natural science courses must afford students the ability 471 to critically examine and evaluate the principles of the 472 scientific method, model construction, and use the scientific 473 method to explain natural experiences and phenomena. 474 5. Mathematics courses must afford students a mastery of 475 foundational mathematical and computation models and methods by 476 applying such models and methods in problem solving. 477 (e) Beginning with students initially entering a Florida 478 College System institution or state university in 2015-2016 and 479 thereafter, each student must complete at least one identified 480 core course in each subject area as part of the general 481 education course requirements. Beginning in the 2022-2023 482 academic year and thereafter, students entering a technical 483 degree education program as defined in s. 1004.02(13) must 484 complete at least one identified core course in each subject 485 area as part of the general education course requirements before 486 a degree is awarded. 487 (f) All public postsecondary educational institutions shall 488 offer at least one general education core course in each of the 489 identified subject areas and accept these courses as meeting 490 general education core course requirements upon transfer, 491 regardless of whether the receiving institution offers the 492 identical general education core courses. The remaining general 493 education course requirements shall be identified by each 494 institution as approved in accordance with this section and 495 listed in the statewide course numbering system and reported to 496 the department by their statewide course number. 497 (g) The general education core course options shall be 498 adopted in rule by the State Board of Education and in 499 regulation by the Board of Governors. 500 Section 9. Section 1007.55, Florida Statutes, is created to 501 read: 502 1007.55 General education course principles, standards, and 503 content.— 504 (1) The Legislature finds it necessary to ensure that every 505 undergraduate student of a Florida public postsecondary 506 educational institution graduates as an informed citizen through 507 participation in rigorous general education courses that promote 508 values necessary to preserve the constitutional republic through 509 traditional, historically accurate, and high-quality coursework. 510 Courses with a curriculum based on unproven, theoretical, or 511 exploratory content are best suited as elective or specific 512 program prerequisite credit, not general education credit. 513 (2) In performing its duties under ss. 1007.24 and 1007.25, 514 by July 1, 2023, and each July 1 thereafter, the Articulation 515 Coordinating Committee shall submit to the State Board of 516 Education and Board of Governors courses that have been approved 517 to be used by public postsecondary educational institutions as 518 meeting the additional general education requirements. 519 (3) General education courses must meet the following 520 criteria: 521 (a) Be in the general education core subject areas and meet 522 the course standards as provided in s. 1007.25; 523 (b) Be offered by at least half of all public postsecondary 524 educational institutions; 525 (c) Be identified as lower level in the statewide course 526 numbering system; and 527 (d) Whenever applicable, promote the philosophical 528 underpinnings of Western civilization and include studies of 529 this nation’s historical documents, such as the United States 530 Constitution, the Bill of Rights and subsequent amendments, and 531 the Federalist Papers. 532 (4) If a course is approved as a general education course, 533 that course must be accepted as a general education course, in 534 the same subject area and regardless of whether it is offered by 535 the institution, by all public postsecondary educational 536 institutions. 537 (5) Public postsecondary educational institution boards of 538 trustees and presidents are responsible for annually reviewing 539 and approving, at a public meeting, general education course 540 requirements, as authorized and approved in accordance with ss. 541 1007.24 and 1007.25 and this section, at their respective 542 institutions. Public postsecondary educational institutions that 543 fail to comply with the requirements of this section are not 544 eligible to receive performance-based funding pursuant to ss. 545 1001.66 and 1001.92. 546 (6) Public postsecondary educational institutions must 547 report courses meeting institutional general education subject 548 requirements to the department by their statewide course number. 549 Section 10. Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section 550 1008.47, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 551 1008.47 Postsecondary education institution accreditation.— 552 (2) ACCREDITATION.— 553 (a) By September 1, 2022, the Board of Governors or the 554 State Board of Education, as applicable, shall identify and 555 determine the accrediting agencies or associations best suited 556 to serve as an accreditor for public postsecondary institutions. 557 Such accrediting agencies or associations must be recognized by 558 the database created and maintained by the United States 559 Department of Education. A public postsecondary institution may 560 not be accredited by the same accrediting agency or association 561 for consecutive accreditation cycles. In the year following 562 reaffirmation or fifth-year review by its accrediting agencies 563 or associations, each public postsecondary institution must seek 564 and obtain accreditation from an accrediting agency or 565 association identified by the Board of Governors or State Board 566 of Education, respectively, before its next reaffirmation or 567 fifth-year review date. The requirements in this section are 568 limited to a one-time change in accreditation. The requirements 569 of this subsection are not applicable to those professional, 570 graduate, departmental, or certificate programs at public 571 postsecondary institutions that have specific accreditation 572 requirements or best practices, including, but not limited to, 573 law, pharmacy, engineering, or other similarly situated 574 educational programs. 575 Section 11. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.

ENROLLED 2023 Legislature CS for CS for CS for SB 266, 1st Engrossed 2023266er 1 2 An act relating to higher education; amending s. 3 1001.706, F.S.; revising the duties of the Board of 4 Governors relating to the mission of each state 5 university; revising requirements for the Board of 6 Governors’ strategic plan relating to the goals and 7 objectives of the State University System; requiring 8 the Board of Governors to annually require each state 9 university to include certain information in its 10 economic security report; requiring, rather than 11 authorizing, a Board of Governors regulation to 12 include a post-tenure review of state university 13 faculty on a specified basis; amending s. 1001.7065, 14 F.S.; requiring the Board of Governors Accountability 15 Plan to annually report certain research expenditures 16 of a specified amount; revising the number of 17 standards an institution must meet to receive a 18 specified designation; creating s. 1001.741, F.S.; 19 providing that each state university president is 20 responsible for hiring the provost, the deans, and 21 full-time faculty; providing that the president has a 22 duty to assess the performance of the provost and 23 deans; authorizing the president to delegate hiring 24 authority to specified individuals and entities; 25 prohibiting a university from using specified methods 26 in its admissions or personnel processes; providing 27 that certain actions regarding personnel may not be 28 appealed beyond the university president; requiring 29 each state university board of trustees to have review 30 procedures for the president’s selection and 31 reappointment of certain faculty; requiring each state 32 university president to annually present specified 33 performance evaluations and salaries to the board of 34 trustees; amending s. 1004.06, F.S.; prohibiting 35 specified educational institutions from expending 36 funds for certain purposes; providing exceptions; 37 requiring the State Board of Education and the Board 38 of Governors to adopt rules and regulations, 39 respectively; creating s. 1004.3841, F.S.; creating 40 the Institute for Risk Management and Insurance 41 Education within the College of Business at the 42 University of Central Florida; requiring that the 43 institute be located in a specified county; providing 44 the purpose and goals of the institute; amending s. 45 1004.6496, F.S.; authorizing the Board of Trustees of 46 the University of Florida to use charitable donations 47 in addition to appropriated funds to fund the Hamilton 48 Center for Classical and Civic Education; requiring 49 the University of Florida to annually report to the 50 Governor and Legislature on the transition of the 51 center to a college; revising the goals of the center; 52 requiring the University of Florida president to take 53 specified actions; providing requirements for the use 54 of appropriated funds; authorizing the university to 55 provide additional funding to the center; amending s. 56 1004.6499, F.S.; renaming the Florida Institute of 57 Politics at the Florida State University as the 58 Florida Institute for Governance and Civics; providing 59 the goals of the institute; amending s. 1004.64991, 60 F.S.; authorizing the Adam Smith Center for the Study 61 of Economic Freedom to perform certain tasks in order 62 to carry out its established purpose; amending s. 63 1007.25, F.S.; revising how general education core 64 courses are established; requiring the State Board of 65 Education and the Board of Governors to consider 66 approval of certain courses; requiring faculty 67 committees to review and submit recommendations to the 68 Articulation Coordinating Committee and the 69 commissioner relating to certain courses by a 70 specified date and periodically thereafter; 71 prohibiting general education core courses from 72 teaching certain topics or presenting information in 73 specified ways; providing requirements for general 74 education core courses; requiring specified 75 educational institutions to offer certain courses; 76 prohibiting public postsecondary educational 77 institutions from requiring students to take certain 78 additional general education core courses; creating s. 79 1007.55, F.S.; providing legislative findings; 80 providing requirements for general education courses; 81 requiring public postsecondary educational institution 82 boards of trustees and presidents to annually review 83 and approve general education requirements; requiring 84 public postsecondary educational institutions to 85 report certain courses to the department; requiring 86 the Articulation Coordinating Committee to submit 87 general education courses to the State Board of 88 Education and the Board of Governors for action; 89 providing a penalty for failing to meet such review 90 and approval requirements; prohibiting public 91 postsecondary educational institutions from requiring 92 students to take certain additional general education 93 courses; requiring the State Board of Education and 94 the Board of Governors to adopt rules and regulations, 95 respectively; amending s. 1008.47, F.S.; specifying a 96 one-time limit on the requirement to change 97 accrediting agencies; providing for expiration; 98 prohibiting an accrediting entity from requiring a 99 public postsecondary institution to violate state law; 100 amending s. 1009.26, F.S.; requiring the Board of 101 Governors to identify state-approved teacher 102 preparation programs eligible for a tuition waiver; 103 providing that certain postsecondary fee waivers 104 continue until specified criteria are met; providing 105 an effective date. 106 107 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 108 109 Section 1. Paragraphs (a) through (d) of subsection (5) and 110 paragraph (b) of subsection (6) of section 1001.706, Florida 111 Statutes, are amended to read: 112 1001.706 Powers and duties of the Board of Governors.— 113 (5) POWERS AND DUTIES RELATING TO ACCOUNTABILITY.— 114 (a) The Legislature intends that the Board of Governors 115 shall align the missions of each constituent university with the 116 academic success of its students; the existing and emerging 117 economic development needs of the state; the national reputation 118 of its faculty and its academic and research programs; the 119 quantity of externally generated research, patents, and 120 licenses; and the strategic and accountability plans required in 121 paragraphs (b) and (c). The Board of Governors shall 122 periodically review the mission of each constituent university 123 and make updates or revisions as needed. Upon completion of a 124 review of the mission, the board shall review existing academic 125 programs for alignment with the mission. The board shall include 126 in its review a directive to each constituent university 127 regarding its programs for any curriculum that violates s. 128 1000.05 or that is based on theories that systemic racism, 129 sexism, oppression, and privilege are inherent in the 130 institutions of the United States and were created to maintain 131 social, political, and economic inequities. The mission 132 alignment and strategic plan must shall consider peer 133 institutions at the constituent universities. The mission 134 alignment and strategic plan must shall acknowledge that 135 universities that have a national and international impact have 136 the greatest capacity to promote the state’s economic 137 development through: new discoveries, patents, licenses, and 138 technologies that generate state businesses of global 139 importance; research achievements through external grants and 140 contracts that are comparable to nationally recognized and 141 ranked universities; the creation of a resource rich academic 142 environment that attracts high-technology business and venture 143 capital to the state; and this generation’s finest minds 144 focusing on solving the state’s economic, social, environmental, 145 and legal problems in the areas of life sciences, water, 146 sustainability, energy, and health care. A nationally recognized 147 and ranked university that has a global perspective and impact 148 must shall be afforded the opportunity to enable and protect the 149 university’s competitiveness on the global stage in fair 150 competition with other institutions of other states in the 151 highest Carnegie Classification. 152 (b) The Board of Governors shall develop a strategic plan 153 specifying goals and objectives for the State University System 154 and each constituent university, including each university’s 155 contribution to overall system goals and objectives. The 156 strategic plan must: 157 1. Include performance metrics and standards common for all 158 institutions and metrics and standards unique to institutions 159 depending on institutional core missions, including, but not 160 limited to, student admission requirements, retention, 161 graduation, percentage of graduates who have attained 162 employment, percentage of graduates enrolled in continued 163 education, licensure passage, nondegree credential attainment, 164 average wages of employed graduates, average cost per graduate, 165 excess hours, student loan burden and default rates, faculty 166 awards, total annual research expenditures, patents, licenses 167 and royalties, intellectual property, startup companies, annual 168 giving, endowments, and well-known, highly respected national 169 rankings for institutional and program achievements. 170 2. Consider reports and recommendations of the Florida 171 Talent Development Council under s. 1004.015 and the 172 Articulation Coordinating Committee under s. 1007.01. 173 3. Include student enrollment and performance data 174 delineated by method of instruction, including, but not limited 175 to, traditional, online, and distance learning instruction. 176 4. Include criteria for designating baccalaureate degree 177 and master’s degree programs at specified universities as high 178 demand programs of emphasis. The programs of emphasis list 179 adopted by the Board of Governors before July 1, 2021, shall be 180 used for the 2021-2022 academic year. Beginning in the 2022-2023 181 academic year, the Board of Governors shall adopt the criteria 182 to determine value for and prioritization of degree credentials 183 and degree programs established by the Credentials Review 184 Committee under s. 445.004 for designating high-demand programs 185 of emphasis. The Board of Governors must review designated 186 programs of emphasis, at a minimum, every 3 years to ensure 187 alignment with the prioritization of degree credentials and 188 degree programs identified by the Credentials Review Committee. 189 5. Include criteria for nondegree credentials. 190 (c) The Board of Governors shall develop an accountability 191 plan for the State University System and each constituent 192 university. The accountability plan must address institutional 193 and system achievement of goals and objectives specified in the 194 strategic plan adopted pursuant to paragraph (b) and must be 195 submitted as part of its legislative budget request. Each 196 university shall submit, as a component of the university’s 197 annual accountability plan:, 198 1. Information on the effectiveness of its plan for 199 improving 4-year graduation rates; and 200 2. The level of financial assistance provided to students 201 pursuant to paragraph (h). 202 (d) Beginning in the 2014-2015 academic year and annually 203 thereafter, The Board of Governors shall annually require a 204 state university prior to registration to provide each enrolled 205 student electronic access to the economic security report of 206 employment and earning outcomes prepared by the Department of 207 Economic Opportunity pursuant to s. 445.07. In addition, the 208 Board of Governors shall require a state university to provide 209 each student electronic access to the following information each 210 year prior to registration using the data described in s. 211 1008.39: 212 1. The top 25 percent of degrees reported by the university 213 in terms of highest full-time job placement and highest average 214 annualized earnings in the year after earning the degree. 215 2. The bottom 10 percent of degrees reported by the 216 university in terms of lowest full-time job placement and lowest 217 average annualized earnings in the year after earning the 218 degree. 219 (6) POWERS AND DUTIES RELATING TO PERSONNEL.— 220 (b) The Board of Governors shall may adopt a regulation 221 requiring each tenured state university faculty member to 222 undergo a comprehensive post-tenure review every 5 years. The 223 board may include other considerations in the regulation, but 224 the regulation must address: 225 1. Accomplishments and productivity; 226 2. Assigned duties in research, teaching, and service; 227 3. Performance metrics, evaluations, and ratings; and 228 4. Recognition and compensation considerations, as well as 229 improvement plans and consequences for underperformance. 230 Section 2. Paragraph (m) is added to subsection (2) of 231 section 1001.7065, Florida Statutes, and subsection (3) of that 232 section is amended, to read: 233 1001.7065 Preeminent state research universities program.— 234 (2) ACADEMIC AND RESEARCH EXCELLENCE STANDARDS.—The 235 following academic and research excellence standards are 236 established for the preeminent state research universities 237 program and shall be reported annually in the Board of Governors 238 Accountability Plan: 239 (m) Total annual STEM-related research expenditures, 240 including federal research expenditures, of $50 million or more. 241 (3) PREEMINENT STATE RESEARCH UNIVERSITY DESIGNATION.— 242 (a) The Board of Governors shall designate each state 243 university that annually meets at least 12 11 of the 13 12 244 academic and research excellence standards identified in 245 subsection (2) as a “preeminent state research university.” 246 (b) The Board of Governors shall designate each state 247 university that annually meets at least 7 6 of the 13 12 248 academic and research excellence standards identified in 249 subsection (2) as an “emerging preeminent state research 250 university.” 251 Section 3. Section 1001.741, Florida Statutes, is created 252 to read: 253 1001.741 State university personnel.— 254 (1) Except as delegated pursuant to paragraph (a), each 255 state university president has the final authority for hiring 256 the provost, the deans, and all full-time faculty for the 257 university, and has an ongoing duty to assess the performance, 258 productivity, and employment practices of the university’s 259 provost and deans. The president of the university is encouraged 260 to engage in faculty recruiting as appropriate, and shall 261 provide a regular report and recommendations on employment 262 practices to the board at least twice annually. 263 (a) The president may delegate hiring authority to 264 individuals on the university’s executive management team within 265 the president’s office, to the provost, or to individual deans; 266 however, the president or the person delegated such hiring 267 authority is not bound by the recommendations or opinions of 268 faculty or other individuals. 269 (b) A state university may not require any statement, 270 pledge, or oath other than to uphold general and federal law, 271 the United States Constitution, and the State Constitution as a 272 part of any admissions, hiring, employment, promotion, tenure, 273 disciplinary, or evaluation process. 274 (2) Notwithstanding s. 447.401 or any other law related to 275 faculty grievance procedures, personnel actions or decisions 276 regarding faculty, including in the areas of evaluations, 277 promotions, tenure, discipline, or termination, may not be 278 appealed beyond the level of a university president or designee. 279 Such actions or decisions must have as their terminal step a 280 final agency disposition, which must be issued in writing to the 281 faculty member, and are not subject to arbitration. The filing 282 of a grievance does not toll the action or decision of the 283 university, including the termination of pay and benefits of a 284 suspended or terminated faculty member. 285 (3) Each state university board of trustees must have 286 procedures for the review of the president’s selection and 287 reappointment of each member of the university’s executive 288 management team, and his or her respective contract and annual 289 salary, before such contracts and salaries become effective, in 290 accordance with the personnel program established by the Board 291 of Governors. 292 (4) Each state university president shall annually present 293 to the state university board of trustees the results of 294 performance evaluations and associated annual salaries for all 295 evaluated academic and administrative personnel earning an 296 annual salary of $200,000 or more, regardless of the funding 297 source for such salaries. The results may be presented in a 298 summary or written format. 299 Section 4. Section 1004.06, Florida Statutes, is amended to 300 read: 301 1004.06 Prohibited expenditures.— 302 (1) A No Florida College System institution, state 303 university, Florida College System institution direct-support 304 organization, or state university direct-support organization 305 may not shall expend any funds, regardless of source, to 306 purchase membership in, or goods and services from, any 307 organization that discriminates on the basis of race, color, 308 national origin, sex, disability gender, or religion. 309 (2) A Florida College System institution, state university, 310 Florida College System institution direct-support organization, 311 or state university direct-support organization may not expend 312 any state or federal funds to promote, support, or maintain any 313 programs or campus activities that: 314 (a) Violate s. 1000.05; or 315 (b) Advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, or 316 promote or engage in political or social activism, as defined by 317 rules of the State Board of Education and regulations of the 318 Board of Governors. 319 320 Student fees to support student-led organizations are permitted 321 notwithstanding any speech or expressive activity by such 322 organizations which would otherwise violate this subsection, 323 provided that the public funds must be allocated to student-led 324 organizations pursuant to written policies or regulations of 325 each Florida College System institution or state university, as 326 applicable. Use of institution facilities by student-led 327 organizations is permitted notwithstanding any speech or 328 expressive activity by such organizations which would otherwise 329 violate this subsection, provided that such use must be granted 330 to student-led organizations pursuant to written policies or 331 regulations of each Florida College System institution or state 332 university, as applicable. 333 (3) Subsection (2) does not prohibit programs, campus 334 activities, or functions required for compliance with general or 335 federal laws or regulations; for obtaining or retaining 336 institutional or discipline-specific accreditation with the 337 approval of either the State Board of Education or the Board of 338 Governors; or for access programs for military veterans, Pell 339 Grant recipients, first generation college students, 340 nontraditional students, “2+2” transfer students from the 341 Florida College System, students from low-income families, or 342 students with unique abilities. 343 (4) The State Board of Education and the Board of Governors 344 shall adopt rules and regulations, respectively, to implement 345 this section. 346 Section 5. Section 1004.3841, Florida Statutes, is created 347 to read: 348 1004.3841 The Institute for Risk Management and Insurance 349 Education.—The Institute for Risk Management and Insurance 350 Education is established within the College of Business at the 351 University of Central Florida. Since insurance and risk 352 management is a major industry in this state, with a 353 concentration of such industry in Volusia County, the institute 354 must be located in Volusia County. Like many other industries in 355 the state, the insurance and risk management industry is being 356 revolutionized by, among other things, the integration of 357 technology, predictive analytics, and data science, and is 358 becoming more complex, given its exposure to transformative 359 trends in the economy and environment. The purpose of the 360 institute is to respond to the ever-evolving insurance and risk 361 management industry and the present and emerging needs of this 362 state and its residents. The goals of the institute are to: 363 (1) Pursue technological innovations that advance risk 364 valuation models and operational efficiencies in the insurance 365 industry. 366 (2) Drive the development of workforce competencies in data 367 analytics, system-level thinking, technology integration, 368 entrepreneurship, and actuarial science. 369 (3) Leverage the University of Central Florida’s world 370 class assets in data science, artificial intelligence, computer 371 science, engineering, finance, economics, and sales. 372 (4) Take advantage of the University of Central Florida’s 373 robust portfolio of academic program offerings and draw on 374 faculty and industry experts in diverse fields, including 375 actuarial science, computer science, economics, engineering, 376 environmental science, finance, forensics, law, management, 377 marketing, and psychology. 378 (5) Develop and offer risk management and insurance 379 education, including education that recognizes risks in areas 380 such as the environment, pandemic disease, and digital security. 381 (6) Offer programs, workshops, case studies, and applied 382 research studies that integrate technology and artificial 383 intelligence with soft skills while preparing students and 384 professionals for the technology-enabled insurance industry of 385 the future. 386 Section 6. Section 1004.6496, Florida Statutes, is amended 387 to read: 388 1004.6496 Hamilton Center for Classical and Civic 389 Education.— 390 (1) The Board of Trustees of the University of Florida may 391 use funds as provided in the General Appropriations Act and 392 charitable donations to establish and fund the Hamilton Center 393 for Classical and Civic Education as an academic unit within the 394 University of Florida. The purpose of the center is to support 395 teaching and research concerning the ideas, traditions, and 396 texts that form the foundations of Western and American 397 civilization. 398 (2) Beginning January 1, 2025, and by each January 1 399 thereafter, the University of Florida must report to the 400 Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the 401 House of Representatives on the progress toward establishing the 402 center as a permanent college at the university. The report must 403 include a timeline for establishing the college, enrollment and 404 educational outcomes and future goals for enrollment and 405 educational outcomes, current financial progress and future 406 financial needs, and any recommendation for changes in general 407 law. 408 (3) The goals of the center are to: 409 (a) Educate university students in core texts and great 410 debates of Western civilization and the Great Books. 411 1. The center is responsible for developing curriculum and 412 courses to satisfy the requirement for the competency in civil 413 discourse. 414 2. Courses developed under this paragraph may be used to 415 satisfy the requirements of s. 1007.25(5). 416 (b) Educate university students in the principles, ideals, 417 and institutions of the American political order. 418 (c) Educate university students in the foundations of 419 responsible leadership and informed citizenship. 420 (d) Provide programming and training related to civic 421 education and the values of open inquiry and civil discourse to 422 support the K-20 system. 423 (e) Coordinate with the Florida Institute for Governance 424 and Civics of Politics created pursuant to s. 1004.6499 and the 425 Adam Smith Center for the Study of Economic Freedom created 426 pursuant to s. 1004.64991 and assist in the curation and 427 implementation of Portraits in Patriotism created pursuant to s. 428 1003.44. 429 (f) Develop educational programming and a plan for the 430 implementation of such programming to ensure that all university 431 students demonstrate competency in civil discourse. 432 (4) In order to carry out the goals set forth in subsection 433 (3), the president of the University of Florida must: 434 (a) Annually update the board of trustees on the center’s 435 progress toward developing educational programming to ensure 436 that all students at the university demonstrate competency in 437 civil discourse. The president’s report must identify a timeline 438 and support necessary for the university to achieve this goal. 439 (b) Guide the university’s leadership and the center to 440 ensure that the center is able to enroll students, hire faculty, 441 ensure a pathway to tenure for faculty, develop curricula and 442 courses, establish certificate and degree programs, establish 443 major and minor programs, and fulfill other actions approved by 444 the president of the university. 445 (5) Funds appropriated specifically to the center may not 446 be used for any other purpose; however, the university may 447 provide additional funding as available to the center. 448 Section 7. Section 1004.6499, Florida Statutes, is amended 449 to read: 450 1004.6499 Florida Institute for Governance and Civics of 451 Politics.— 452 (1) The Florida Institute for Governance and Civics of 453 Politics is established at the Florida State University within 454 the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy. The purpose of 455 the institute is to provide the southeastern region of the 456 United States with a world class, bipartisan, nationally 457 renowned institute of politics. 458 (2) The goals of the institute are to: 459 (a) Provide students with access to an interdisciplinary 460 hub that will develop academically rigorous scholarship and 461 coursework on the origins of the American system of government, 462 its foundational documents, its subsequent political traditions 463 and evolutions, and its impact on comparative political systems 464 Motivate students throughout the Florida State University to 465 become aware of the significance of government and civic 466 engagement at all levels and politics in general. 467 (b) Encourage civic literacy in this state through the 468 development of educational tools and resources for K-12 and 469 postsecondary students which foster an understanding of how 470 individual rights, constitutionalism, separation of powers, and 471 federalism function within the American system Provide students 472 with an opportunity to be politically active and civically 473 engaged. 474 (c) Model civic discourse that recognizes the importance of 475 viewpoint diversity, intellectual rigor, and an evidence-based 476 approach to history Nurture a greater awareness of and passion 477 for public service and politics. 478 (d) Plan and host forums to allow students and guests to 479 hear from exceptional individuals who have excelled in a wide 480 range of sectors of American life, to highlight the 481 possibilities created by individual achievement and 482 entrepreneurial vision and interact with experts from 483 government, politics, policy, and journalism on a frequent 484 basis. 485 (e) Become a national and state resource on using polling 486 instruments and other assessments to measure civic literacy and 487 make recommendations for improving civic education information 488 and survey methodology. 489 (f) Provide fellowships and internship opportunities to 490 students in government, nonprofit organizations, and community 491 organizations. 492 (g) Create through scholarship, original research, 493 publications, symposia, testimonials, and other means a body of 494 resources that can be accessed by students, scholars, and 495 government officials to understand the innovations in public 496 policy in this state over a rolling 30-year time period Provide 497 training sessions for newly elected state and local public 498 officials. 499 (h) Organize and sponsor conferences, symposia, and 500 workshops throughout this state to educate and inform citizens, 501 elected officials, and appointed policymakers regarding 502 effective policymaking techniques and processes. 503 (i) Create and promote research and awareness regarding 504 politics, citizen involvement, and public service. 505 (j) Collaborate with related policy institutes and research 506 activities at the Florida State University and other 507 institutions of higher education to motivate, increase, and 508 sustain citizen involvement in public affairs. 509 Section 8. Subsection (3) is added to section 1004.64991, 510 Florida Statutes, to read: 511 1004.64991 The Adam Smith Center for the Study of Economic 512 Freedom.— 513 (3) In order to carry out the purpose set forth in this 514 section, the institute is authorized to: 515 (a) Hire necessary faculty and staff pursuant to s. 516 1001.741; 517 (b) Enroll students; 518 (c) Develop curriculum and offer new courses, including 519 honors courses, certificates, and major and minor programs; 520 (d) Hold events, including fundraisers; 521 (e) Fulfill other actions approved by the president of the 522 university; and 523 (f) Generate resources based on student credit hour 524 enrollment, in the same manner as any college within the 525 institution. 526 Section 9. Subsection (3) of section 1007.25, Florida 527 Statutes, is amended to read: 528 1007.25 General education courses; common prerequisites; 529 other degree requirements.— 530 (3) The chair of the State Board of Education and the chair 531 of the Board of Governors, or their designees, shall jointly 532 appoint faculty committees to review and recommend to the 533 Articulation Coordinating Committee for approval by the State 534 Board of Education and the Board of Governors identify statewide 535 general education core course options for inclusion in the 536 statewide course numbering system established under s. 1007.24. 537 Faculty committees shall, by July 1, 2024, and by July 1 every 4 538 years thereafter, review and submit recommendations to the 539 Articulation Coordinating Committee and the commissioner for the 540 removal, alignment, realignment, or addition of general 541 education core courses that satisfy the requirements of this 542 subsection. 543 (a) General education core course options shall consist of 544 a maximum of five courses within each of the subject areas of 545 communication, mathematics, social sciences, humanities, and 546 natural sciences. The core courses may be revised, or the five 547 course maximum within each subject area may be exceeded, if 548 approved by the State Board of Education and the Board of 549 Governors, as recommended by the subject area faculty committee 550 and approved by the Articulation Coordinating Committee as 551 necessary for a subject area. 552 (b) Each general education core course option must contain 553 high-level academic and critical thinking skills and common 554 competencies that students must demonstrate to successfully 555 complete the course. 556 (c) General education core courses may not distort 557 significant historical events or include a curriculum that 558 teaches identity politics, violates s. 1000.05, or is based on 559 theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege 560 are inherent in the institutions of the United States and were 561 created to maintain social, political, and economic inequities. 562 (d) General education core courses must meet the following 563 standards: 564 1. Communication courses must afford students the ability 565 to communicate effectively, including the ability to write 566 clearly and engage in public speaking. 567 2. Humanities courses must afford students the ability to 568 think critically through the mastering of subjects concerned 569 with human culture, especially literature, history, art, music, 570 and philosophy, and must include selections from the Western 571 canon. 572 3. Social science courses must afford students an 573 understanding of the basic social and behavioral science 574 concepts and principles used in the analysis of behavior and 575 past and present social, political, and economic issues. 576 4. Natural science courses must afford students the ability 577 to critically examine and evaluate the principles of the 578 scientific method, model construction, and use the scientific 579 method to explain natural experiences and phenomena. 580 5. Mathematics courses must afford students a mastery of 581 foundational mathematical and computation models and methods by 582 applying such models and methods in problem solving. 583 (e) Beginning with students initially entering a Florida 584 College System institution or state university in 2015-2016 and 585 thereafter, each student must complete at least one identified 586 core course in each subject area as part of the general 587 education course requirements. Beginning in the 2022-2023 588 academic year and thereafter, students entering a technical 589 degree education program as defined in s. 1004.02(13) must 590 complete at least one identified core course in each subject 591 area as part of the general education course requirements before 592 a degree is awarded. 593 (f) All public postsecondary educational institutions shall 594 offer at least one general education core course in each of the 595 identified subject areas and accept these courses as meeting 596 general education core course requirements upon transfer, 597 regardless of whether the receiving institution offers the 598 identical general education core courses. The remaining general 599 education course requirements shall be identified by each 600 institution as approved in accordance with this section and 601 listed in the statewide course numbering system and reported to 602 the department by their statewide course number. 603 (g) A public postsecondary educational institution may not 604 require a student to complete an additional course to meet a 605 subject area distribution requirement that was completed by the 606 student with a course that has since been removed as a general 607 education core course. 608 (h) The general education core course options shall be 609 adopted in rule by the State Board of Education and in 610 regulation by the Board of Governors. 611 Section 10. Section 1007.55, Florida Statutes, is created 612 to read: 613 1007.55 General education course principles, standards, and 614 content.— 615 (1) The Legislature finds it necessary to ensure that every 616 undergraduate student of a Florida public postsecondary 617 educational institution graduates as an informed citizen through 618 participation in rigorous general education courses that promote 619 and preserve the constitutional republic through traditional, 620 historically accurate, and high-quality coursework. General 621 education courses should provide broad foundational knowledge to 622 help students develop intellectual skills and habits that enable 623 them to become more effective and lifelong learners. Courses 624 with a curriculum based on unproven, speculative, or exploratory 625 content are best suited as elective or specific program 626 prerequisite credit, not general education credit. General 627 education courses must: 628 (a) Meet the course standards as provided in s. 1007.25; 629 and 630 (b) Whenever applicable, provide instruction on the 631 historical background and philosophical foundation of Western 632 civilization and this nation’s historical documents, such as the 633 Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, the 634 Bill of Rights and subsequent amendments, and the Federalist 635 Papers. 636 (2) Public postsecondary educational institution boards of 637 trustees and presidents are responsible for annually reviewing 638 and approving, at a public meeting, general education course 639 requirements, as authorized and approved in accordance with ss. 640 1007.24 and 1007.25 and this section, at their respective 641 institutions. The following must be included for each listed 642 general education course: 643 (a) The general education distribution area; 644 (b) The number of state universities that offer the course 645 and the number of Florida College System institutions that offer 646 the course; and 647 (c) The course level. 648 (3) Public postsecondary educational institutions must 649 report courses meeting institutional general education subject 650 requirements to the department by their statewide course number. 651 (4) In performing it duties under ss. 1007.24 and 1007.25, 652 by December 1, 2024, and each December 1 thereafter, the 653 Articulation Coordinating Committee shall submit to the State 654 Board of Education and the Board of Governors courses that have 655 been approved by public postsecondary educational institutions 656 as meeting general education requirements. The listing of 657 general education courses must include the information in 658 paragraphs (2)(a), (b), and (c). The State Board of Education 659 and the Board of Governors must approve or reject the list of 660 general education courses for each Florida College System 661 institution and state university, respectively. 662 (5) Public postsecondary educational institutions that fail 663 to comply with the requirements of this section are not eligible 664 to receive performance-based funding pursuant to s. 1001.66 or 665 s. 1001.92. 666 (6) A public postsecondary educational institution may not 667 require a student to take an additional course to meet a subject 668 area distribution requirement that was completed by the student 669 with a course that has since been removed as a general education 670 course. 671 (7) The State Board of Education and the Board of Governors 672 shall adopt rules and regulations, respectively, to implement 673 this section. 674 Section 11. Present subsections (3) and (4) of section 675 1008.47, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (4) 676 and (5), respectively, a new subsection (3) is added to that 677 section, and subsection (2) and present subsection (3) of that 678 section are amended, to read: 679 1008.47 Postsecondary education institution accreditation.— 680 (2) ACCREDITATION.— 681 (a) By September 1, 2022, the Board of Governors or the 682 State Board of Education, as applicable, shall identify and 683 determine the accrediting agencies or associations best suited 684 to serve as an accreditor for public postsecondary institutions. 685 Such accrediting agencies or associations must be recognized by 686 the database created and maintained by the United States 687 Department of Education. A public postsecondary institution may 688 not be accredited by the same accrediting agency or association 689 for consecutive accreditation cycles. In the year following 690 reaffirmation or fifth-year review by its accrediting agencies 691 or associations, each public postsecondary institution must seek 692 and obtain accreditation from an accrediting agency or 693 association identified by the Board of Governors or State Board 694 of Education, respectively, before its next reaffirmation or 695 fifth-year review date. The requirements in this section are 696 limited to a one-time change in accreditation. The requirements 697 of this subsection are not applicable to those professional, 698 graduate, departmental, or certificate programs at public 699 postsecondary institutions that have specific accreditation 700 requirements or best practices, including, but not limited to, 701 law, pharmacy, engineering, or other similarly situated 702 educational programs. 703 (b) Once a public postsecondary institution is required to 704 seek and obtain accreditation from an agency or association 705 identified pursuant to paragraph (a), the institution shall seek 706 accreditation from a regional accrediting agency or association 707 and provide quarterly reports of its progress to the Board of 708 Governors or State Board of Education, as applicable. If each 709 regional accreditation agency or association identified pursuant 710 to paragraph (a) has refused to grant candidacy status to an 711 institution, the institution must shall seek and obtain 712 accreditation from any accrediting agency or association that is 713 different from its current accrediting agency or association and 714 is recognized by the database created and maintained by the 715 United States Department of Education. If a public postsecondary 716 institution is not granted candidacy status before its next 717 reaffirmation or fifth-year review date, the institution may 718 remain with its current accrediting agency or association. 719 (c) This subsection expires December 31, 2032. 720 (3) PROHIBITION.—An accrediting agency or association may 721 not compel any public postsecondary institution to violate state 722 law, and any adverse action upon the institution based upon the 723 institution’s compliance with state law constitutes a violation 724 of this section that may be enforced through subsection (4), 725 except to the extent that state law is preempted by a federal 726 law that recognizes the necessity of the accreditation standard 727 or requirement. 728 (4)(3) CAUSE OF ACTION.—A postsecondary education 729 institution negatively impacted by retaliatory or adverse action 730 taken against the postsecondary education institution by an 731 accrediting agency or association may bring an action against 732 the accrediting agency or association in a court of competent 733 jurisdiction and may obtain liquidated damages in up to the 734 amount of federal financial aid received by the postsecondary 735 education institution, court costs, and reasonable attorney 736 fees. 737 Section 12. Paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) of subsection (18) 738 of section 1009.26, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 739 1009.26 Fee Waivers.— 740 (18)(a) For every course in a Program of Strategic 741 Emphasis, or in a state-approved teacher preparation program 742 identified by the Board of Governors, as identified in 743 subparagraph 3., in which a student is enrolled, a state 744 university shall waive 100 percent of the tuition and fees for 745 an equivalent course in such program for a student who: 746 1. Is a resident for tuition purposes under s. 1009.21. 747 2. Has earned at least 60 semester credit hours towards a 748 baccalaureate degree within 2 academic years after initial 749 enrollment at a Florida public postsecondary institution. 750 3. Enrolls in one of 10 Programs of Strategic Emphasis as 751 adopted by the Board of Governors or in one of two state 752 approved teacher preparation programs identified by the Board of 753 Governors. The Board of Governors shall adopt eight Programs of 754 Strategic Emphasis in science, technology, engineering, or math; 755 and, beginning with the 2022-2023 academic year, two Programs of 756 Strategic Emphasis in the critical workforce gap analysis 757 category; and beginning with the 2023-2024 academic year, two 758 state-approved teacher preparation programs for which a student 759 may be eligible to receive the tuition and fee waiver authorized 760 by this subsection. The programs identified by the board must 761 reflect the priorities of the state and be offered at a majority 762 of state universities at the time the Board of Governors 763 approves the list. 764 (b) A waiver granted under this subsection is applicable 765 only for upper-level courses and up to 110 percent of the number 766 of required credit hours of the baccalaureate degree program for 767 which the student is enrolled. A student granted a waiver under 768 this subsection shall continue receiving the waiver until the 769 student graduates, exceeds the number of allowable credit hours, 770 or withdraws from an eligible program, regardless of whether the 771 program is removed from the approved list of eligible programs 772 subsequent to the student’s enrollment. 773 (c) Upon enrollment in a Program of Strategic Emphasis or 774 in one of two teacher preparation programs identified by the 775 Board of Governors, the tuition and fees waived under this 776 subsection must be reported for state funding purposes under ss. 777 1009.534 and 1009.535 and must be disbursed to the student. The 778 amount disbursed to the student must shall be equal to the award 779 amount the student has received under s. 1009.534(2) or s. 780 1009.535(2). 781 Section 13. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.