FSU, FAMU, TCC expected to get millions in Legislature’s state budget. Here's a breakdown

Tarah Jean, Tallahassee Democrat
Updated ·4 min read
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Florida State & Florida A&M universities as well as Tallahassee Community College are in line to receive millions toward several key legislative requests in this year's state budget — all while some big-ticket wish list items were left out.

The Florida Legislature released a proposed $117.5 billion state budget Tuesday for the 2024-25 fiscal year.

To close out the annual legislative session Friday, lawmakers are expected to vote on the spending plan and forward it to Gov. Ron DeSantis, who will then issue line-item vetoes and OK the rest.

Related news: With lawmakers back in town, what’s on FSU, FAMU, TCC’s state budget wish list?

The Legislature's proposed budget report shows the operating money that would go toward the universities, where FSU is slated to receive a grand total of $622.7 million and FAMU is expected to get nearly $122 million.

In preparation for this year's legislative session, FSU's top request from its wish list was $50 million to grow the university's national prominence while FAMU's priority was a request for $45.5 million to go toward its own academic excellence efforts.

With tens of millions of dollars being sought by FSU and FAMU, the expected operational funding from the proposed state budget could be used in part for the universities' goals that include student success, hiring new faculty and recruiting and retaining top talent.

Within the overarching operational funds, a shared item in favor of both FSU and FAMU in the budget is $21.2 million for the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering to go toward the join school's efforts of becoming one of the top 50 engineering colleges in the nation within the next five years.

The $21.2 million means that the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering's request for a $13 million operating budget increase was rejected since its budget in the previous fiscal year was $21 million.

In addition, the engineering school is expected to get $5 million of PECO money (Public Education Capital Outlay) for its building C.

The Westcott Building at FSU.
The Westcott Building at FSU.

Florida State University

On FSU’s behalf, one of the biggest items in the budget is $55.4 million for the university’s Dittmer Building remodeling project.

The building, which was built in 1967, houses the university’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.

A $10 million has also been proposed to go toward an FSU Academic Support Building where the university’s Mendenhall Building for maintenance and facilities is currently located. The initiative would mean going through the process of a new construction, a remodeling, or renovations.

Additional money allocated to FSU will go to:

  • Florida Institute for Child Welfare ($10 million)

  • Institute for Governance and Civics ($8 million)

  • Veterans Legacy Complex ($7.5 million)

  • Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases ($5 million)

  • Center for Energy Independence ($3 million)

  • Nursing Education Programs ($2.6 million)

  • FSU College of Nursing Planning ($2 million)

  • College of Medicine’s Autism Institute ($1.48 million)

  • Multidisciplinary Educational Services Centers ($1.45 million)

  • Wakulla Springs Research ($750,000)

  • FSU Behavioral Health ($525,000)

  • Florida Center for Reading Research ($250,000)

  • Boys and Girls State Housing ($200,000)

  • Florida Veterans Business Training ($38,706)

At the same time, the Legislature’s proposed budget report notes that “no state appropriation of funds will be associated” with a specific list of projects, including FSU’s healthcare facilities, football operations facility, Doak Campbell Stadium enhancements and athletic facilities renovations.

Lee Hall on FAMU's campus.
Lee Hall on FAMU's campus.

Florida A&M University

Money allocated to FAMU includes $5 million for its Chemical and Biological Research Laboratory Center after the university’s $19.1 million request to have the new center serve as a research and study space for students, faculty and staff in health-related or STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) disciplines.

FAMU is also set to receive $5 million in HBCU (Historically Black College and University) security grants, according to the Legislature’s proposed budget.

But when it comes to the university's request for $29 million to renovate its School of Business and Industry south wing — which is part of a four-building complex — the item is not included in the proposed state budget, meaning that it was potentially rejected.

FAMU related news: ‘FAMU Day at the Capitol’: President Robinson plans to ‘double down’ on successes

Here are other FAMU allocations from the proposed state budget:

  • Division of Research ($9.3 million)

  • Crestview Education Center ($1.5 million)

  • Nursing Education Programs ($1.1 million)

Tallahassee Community College's campus.
Tallahassee Community College's campus.

Tallahassee Community College

Besides FSU and FAMU, TCC is also slated to get its portion from the 2024-25 fiscal year state budget, where a proposed $41.3 million in operating funds is included for the college.

Here is a list of other funds that would go to TCC:

  • 2+2 Student Success Incentive Fund ($834,876)

  • Nursing Education Programs ($678,930)

  • Work Florida Student Success Incentive Fund ($176,526)

  • TCC Adults with Disabilities Program ($25,000)

CORRECTION: An earlier online version of this story incorrectly stated that the $21.2 million operating budget for the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering was about $8 million more than the requested $13 million. The engineering school actually asked for a $13 million operating budget increase.

Contact Tarah Jean at tjean@tallahassee.com or follow her on X: @tarahjean_.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Legislature's proposed budget shows FSU, FAMU, TCC could get millions