LAKELAND, Fla. — Florida Polytechnic University is celebrating a big win from this year’s state budget legislative special session.
In the budget, which was passed by the Legislature in late May, the university secured $19 million in state funding to support student success and future growth.
Bryan Brooks, vice president of student affairs and enrollment management, said $10 million would be used to build a Student Achievement Center, a project that has been in the works for the past five years.
“You’re going to see everything from a student success center to offices for mentoring and coaching,” Brooks said.
The $85 million facility, located next to student housing, will also provide a wide range of services, including career planning and professional development. Brooks expects construction to begin in the spring, and said the project is even closer to becoming a reality thanks to the investment from the state.
“It’s great to have their support in the state Legislature,” he said.
Lawmakers also approved an additional $7.5 million to help Florida Poly reach its goal of 3,000 students enrolled by 2030. Brooks said the university is already ahead of schedule, with nearly 2,200 students expected to be enrolled in the fall.
“Beyond that, we’re going to have to revisit our strategic plan to see what the future for this university holds,” he said.
University leaders said the remaining $1.5 million would be used for operational support.
While the Legislature has passed the budget, it has not been signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis — who used his line-item veto authority to strike $567 million from the previous budget before it went into effect.