House Plan Shifts USF's Sarasota Campus to New College Control

The Florida House Higher Education Budget Subcommittee approved transferring the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus to New College of Florida, but the Senate is not on board.

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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The Florida House Higher Education Budget Subcommittee has approved a plan to transfer the University of South Florida's Sarasota-Manatee campus to New College of Florida, a move that aligns with Governor Ron DeSantis' budget proposal. However, the Florida Senate has not included such a swap in its initial budget documents, leaving the future of the campus uncertain as budget negotiations continue.

Why it matters

The proposed transfer of the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus to New College has raised concerns among Democrats, who argue that it "reeks of grift" and could put an undue financial burden on the smaller New College institution. The move is seen as part of a broader effort by DeSantis and Republican lawmakers to reshape higher education in Florida along more conservative lines.

The details

The House subcommittee approved the transfer on a party-line vote, with Democrats voting against the bill. Supporters argue the move would align governance with geographic proximity, allowing for more direct oversight and responsiveness to regional needs. However, critics point out that the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus serves a more diverse student population and offers programs tailored to local workforce needs. The House budget includes $22.5 million to be shifted from USF's budget to New College, which would also have to pay USF-Sarasota $166,617 per month until the transfer is complete.

  • The Florida House Higher Education Budget Subcommittee approved the transfer on Monday, February 16, 2026.
  • The transfer would have to be completed by October 30, 2026.

The players

Demi Busatta

Chair of the Florida House Higher Education Budget Subcommittee, a Republican from Coral Gables.

Fentrice Driskell

House Democratic Leader, who said the prospect of the transfer "reeks of grift."

Anna Eskamani

A Democratic representative from Orlando, who pointed out that the USF-Sarasota-Manatee campus serves more nontraditional students and offers programs tailored to local workforce needs.

Daryl Campbell

A Democratic representative from Fort Lauderdale, who criticized the plan as putting an "impossible weight" on New College, which has a high per-student cost to taxpayers.

Will Weatherford

Chair of the USF Board of Trustees and former Florida House Speaker, who said there is a "zero percent chance" the land swap will happen.

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What they’re saying

“The rationale behind this policy is that USF's primary campus is located in Tampa while New College is located in Sarasota, so transferring what is now currently the Sarasota-Manatee facilities to the institution that is already headquartered in Sarasota aligns governance with geographic proximity. It allows for more direct oversight, strategic planning, and responsiveness to regional needs as New College seeks.”

— Demi Busatta, Chair, Florida House Higher Education Budget Subcommittee (flaglerlive.com)

“I know it probably comes from political negotiations and so forth because, from a clearly fiscal perspective, it is not a good policy proposal.”

— Anna Eskamani, Democratic Representative, Orlando (flaglerlive.com)

“In plain English, we are considering putting a massive and impossible weight on an institution that doesn't generate recurring revenue to carry it, then calling it reform. If this were a private transaction, the board would be sued for breach of duty before the ink dried.”

— Daryl Campbell, Democratic Representative, Fort Lauderdale (flaglerlive.com)

What’s next

The Florida Senate will need to weigh in on the proposed transfer of the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus to New College as budget negotiations continue. If the House and Senate cannot reach an agreement, the future of the campus will remain uncertain.

The takeaway

The proposed transfer of the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus to New College is seen as part of a broader effort by Governor DeSantis and Republican lawmakers to reshape higher education in Florida along more conservative lines. The move has raised concerns among Democrats about the financial burden it could place on New College and the potential impact on the diverse student population and workforce-focused programs at the USF campus.