TALLAHASSEE — The University of Florida remained in the top 10 nationally but slipped one place among public universities for the second consecutive year in U.S. News & World Report rankings released this week.
And New College of Florida, an educational testing ground for Gov. Ron DeSantis and his conservative allies, saw its ranking among liberal-arts schools tumble.
But most Florida state universities moved up or had unchanged rankings in the annual report released Tuesday.
“The impressive rankings achieved by our 12 universities this year reaffirm Florida’s status as the top state for higher education,” state university system Chancellor Ray Rodrigues said in a prepared statement.
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Often disparaged but closely watched, the U.S. News rankings are based on numerous factors, such as graduation rates, retention of first-year students, financial resources for students and class sizes.
Schools pay thousands of dollars for the right to promote their rankings to alumni and prospective students, which U.S. News says isn’t tied to rankings.
In 2023, U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said such rankings have “created an unhealthy obsession with selectivity.”
The state university system boasted that Florida now has four schools — the University of Florida, Florida State University, the University of South Florida and Florida International University — in the top 50 for public universities, second most among all states.
The University of Florida was ranked seventh among public universities, down from sixth last year and fifth the previous year. Among all schools nationally, UF went from 23rd to 30th.
Florida International climbed 18 places to No. 46 among public universities and 26 spots to be ranked No. 98 among universities nationally.
“A few years ago, we made the strategic decision to invest in finding innovative ways to help our students succeed and in doing that we have created a leading American university,” FIU President Kenneth A. Jessell said in a statement.
The University of South Florida said it has risen 39 spots over the past decade among public universities and is now No. 45. It also said it has risen 65 spots among all universities and is at No. 91 this year.
“This recognition is a testament to the dedication and collective effort of our students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, partners and all who support our university,” USF President Rhea Law said in a statement.
Florida A&M University jumped 10 spots to No. 81 among public universities and for the sixth consecutive year was the top-ranked public historically Black college or university.
The online magazine ranked 436 public and private universities across the country.
Among other public universities, Florida State University held at No. 23. The University of Central Florida moved up from No. 64 to No. 61.
New College landed at No. 122 among national liberal arts colleges, down 22 spots. DeSantis appointees to the school’s Board of Trustees and President Richard Corcoran have made a series of controversial changes to the Sarasota school since early 2023.
NOT A STORMY ELECTION
DeSantis anticipates local elections officials will be able to handle any impacts Hurricane Helene throws at the state.
“You’re going to be able to vote. That’s not going to be an issue,” DeSantis said Tuesday during a news conference at the state Emergency Operations Center.
With some sites no longer available, local elections officials consolidated polling places after Hurricane Ian hit Southwest Florida in September 2023 and Hurricane Michael hit near Mexico Beach in October 2018.
The voter-registration deadline for this year’s election is Oct. 7. After Michael, the voter-registration deadline was extended to the first day after elections offices reopened in Panhandle counties hammered by the storm.
The state also allowed the eight counties to set up temporary polling places and early voting sites and to send ballots to other counties for tabulation.
Some counties, such as Bay, set up “mega” locations that were available to all voters regardless of their addresses for early voting and Election Day.
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After Hurricane Ian, Charlotte, Lee and Sarasota counties were allowed to extend the early-voting period and designate additional early-voting locations. Elections supervisors in the counties were also allowed to relocate and consolidate polling places and designate new locations for vote-by-mail drop boxes. To ensure polling places were staffed, state employees were encouraged to work at sites.
A study by the Brennan Center for Justice found Hurricane Michael affected 3 percent of Florida’s Election Day polling places, and turnout across the eight Panhandle counties was down 7 percentage points.
SOCIAL MEDIA POST OF THE WEEK: “Florida’s Amendment 3 will still pass, but this is setting a dangerous precedent and is unlikely to be authorized in Florida’s budget. Expect lawsuits! Plus, $15 million could’ve fixed a lot of potholes. Desperation is not a good look!” — Former state Sen. Jeff Brandes (@JeffreyBrandes) responding to a report that the state is spending $15.5 million to counter a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow recreational use of marijuana.
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