On July 11, the Florida Board of Governors, led by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), took a major step in reforming higher education across the Southeast by unanimously approving the new Committee of Public Higher Education. This decision follows a series of state laws, including post-tenure review and a mandate to rotate accreditors every five years, all aimed at more broadly holding institutions accountable for their decisions in recent years.
Florida leads regional leaders in seeking an accreditation alternative to the existing Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, and Tennessee all immediately welcomed the proposal with open arms and pledged monetary and administrative support late last month.
