{"id":127627,"date":"2026-01-22T10:21:21","date_gmt":"2026-01-22T10:21:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/127627\/"},"modified":"2026-01-22T10:21:21","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T10:21:21","slug":"president-says-university-is-on-a-roll","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/127627\/","title":{"rendered":"President says university is ‘on a roll’"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Florida Capitol was decked in garnet and gold\u00a0for Florida State University’s<\/a>\u00a0annual ‘Day at the\u00a0Capitol’\u00a0event Jan. 21, which comes as the university is requesting over $260 million of operational funding in\u00a0this year\u2019s\u00a0legislative session<\/a>.<\/p>\n

And as the university\u2019s\u00a0students, faculty,\u00a0administrators\u00a0and alumni\u00a0spent the day lobbying and meeting with legislators,\u00a0one of\u00a0the\u00a0biggest efforts the university is seeking funding for is\u00a0FSU Health<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 an initiative\u00a0in which $50 million of recurring and non-recurring funds\u00a0are being requested.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile,\u00a0moves are still\u00a0being\u00a0made\u00a0for FSU to\u00a0acquire the Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare<\/a>\u00a0campus.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn research, we are setting a new pace,\u201d\u00a0FSU President\u00a0Richard\u00a0McCullough<\/a>\u00a0said.\u00a0\u201cWe\u2019ve launched FSU Health\u00a0and\u00a0we have partnered with Tallahassee Memorial\u00a0hospital\u00a0and, more recently, with the city.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYesterday,\u00a0we signed the historic agreement for us to move forward in a memorandum of understanding to transfer the city assets<\/a> of the hospital to Florida State University,\u201d he added, \u201ccreating a new partnership to bring even better healthcare to Leon County and the surrounding area.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Florida<\/p>\n

Florida State University President Richard McCullough speaks to a large crowd gathered in the Florida capitol courtyard for FSU Day, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026.<\/p>\n

Related news: Tallahassee city commission clears path for final sale of TMH to FSU<\/a><\/p>\n

In the university\u2019s legislative budget request for the 2026-27 fiscal year,\u00a0the $50 million for\u00a0FSU Health\u00a0\u2013 which is an initiative with the goal of transforming the quality of\u00a0healthcare in Florida\u2019s most underserved regions\u00a0\u2013\u00a0consists of $33.5\u00a0million\u00a0of recurring funds and $16.5 million of non-recurring funds.<\/p>\n

But the goal of creating a healthcare enterprise like UF Health will likely take many, many more millions from lawmakers in the years to come, especially for FSU to meet its promise to invest $1.7 billion in healthcare and research over the next 30 years.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0MOU\u00a0with the city includes a sales price of $109 million, to be paid by\u00a0FSU\u00a0to the city over 30 years in yearly installments of $3.633 million, and a commitment by\u00a0FSU\u00a0to invest $100 million in existing hospital facilities and another $150 million toward the\u00a0FSU\u00a0Health endeavor.<\/p>\n

As the State University System of Florida\u2019s Chancellor\u00a0Ray Rodrigues<\/a>\u00a0also shared remarks during the Day at the Capitol event, he highlighted FSU\u2019s accomplishment of\u00a0increasing its research expenditures by 50%\u00a0since 2021.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat number is only going to go up with the partnerships you\u2019re establishing in healthcare here in Tallahassee,\u201d Rodrigues\u00a0said. \u201cI\u2019m\u00a0very excited\u00a0to continue to watch the success of FSU.\u201d<\/p>\n

Besides FSU Health, other initiatives the university is seeking funding for in its legislative budget request include\u00a0$32.5 million for the Florida Behavioral Health Center of Excellence, $43.7 million for a translation hub\u00a0on healthy aging, $70.5 million\u00a0to advance breakthroughs across several science fields and $65 million\u00a0to advance\u00a0the university’s national prominence.<\/p>\n

In addition, according to a university spokesperson, highlights from FSU\u2019s\u00a0fixed capital outlay\u00a0requests this year include:<\/p>\n

FAMU-FSU College of Engineering: $91.97 million<\/p>\n

Veterans Legacy Complex: $13 million<\/p>\n

Kellogg Research Building Remodel:\u00a0$33.7 million<\/p>\n

FSU Health Facilities Deferred Maintenance:\u00a0$20 million<\/p>\n

Rovetta Renovation:\u00a0$33.5\u00a0million<\/p>\n

Moore Auditorium Remodel:\u00a0$28\u00a0million<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are on a roll, and we are going to continue to accelerate our momentum at Florida State University,\u201d McCullough said.<\/p>\n

Attendees at the Capitol building Wednesday included\u00a0Board of Trustees<\/a>\u00a0chair Peter Collins, vice chair\u00a0Vivian de las Cuevas-Diaz\u00a0and\u00a0Student Body President Carson Dale as well as\u00a0members\u00a0Peter Jones\u00a0and Jim Henderson. Several legislators who are FSU alumni were also acknowledged, although many of them were unavailable due to the legislative\u00a0session.<\/p>\n

On top of the usual pomp and circumstance at the annual event\u00a0Wednesday,\u00a0a House resolution\u00a0marked Jan. 21,\u00a02026\u00a0as “FSU Day” in Florida\u00a0\u2013\u00a0a\u00a0designation that comes as the university is celebrating 175 years since its founding. FSU First Lady Jai\u00a0Vartikar\u00a0is leading a year-long celebration at the university in honor of the milestone anniversary, McCullough said.<\/p>\n

The Day at the Capitol event \u2013 which was filled with\u00a0classic\u00a0tunes from the FSU Marching Chiefs band and\u00a0energetic\u00a0routines by cheerleaders \u2013\u00a0also\u00a0featured a special\u00a0presentation of the university\u2019s\u00a0women\u2019s soccer team after the group of student athletes secured\u00a0its fifth national title<\/a>\u00a0with a 1-0 win over Stanford in December.<\/p>\n

“Your support makes it possible for us to win championships and earn our degrees simultaneously,\u201d team member and FSU sophomore Janet Okeke told the attendees. \u201cToday’s student athletes are tomorrow’s leaders in businesses, education and public service.\u201d<\/p>\n

Following the event at the Capitol was a celebration of FSU\u2019s 175th anniversary at Legacy Walk near the Student Union on campus\u00a0with cupcakes\u00a0and\u00a0giveaways\u00a0to continue the festivities.<\/p>\n

Tarah Jean is the higher education reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat, a member of the USA TODAY Network \u2013 Florida. She can be reached at\u00a0tjean@tallahassee.com<\/a>. Follow her on X:\u00a0@tarahjean_<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU holds annual Day at the Capitol event during legislative session<\/a><\/p>\n