TALLAHASSEE, FL: On Monday, April 22, Governor Scott signed SB 1076, designating the University of Florida as a pre-eminent research university, a designation that allows extra flexibility, autonomy, and allows UF to require incoming freshman take up to 12 credit hours of courses that could not be bypassed via Advanced Placement courses.

Additionally, the measure sets up the states most prestigious institution, UF, to create an online learning institute which will begin offering fully online bachelor’s degrees in 2014.

Finally, another measure moving through the legislature would appropriate extra funds to the University of Florida, which would open approximately 100 new faculty lines in an effort to move UF towards its goal of being a top ten public university.

Source: Miami Herald