Over a month after Governor Rick Scott approved a bill creating Florida’s twelfth university, the plan is moving forward. But Florida Polytechnic University isn’t out of the woods yet.
During the Florida Board of Governors’ meeting Friday, members discussed the progress of the new school. Board member Morteza Hosseini says new concerns have arisen about the transfer of the school’s property from the University of South Florida.
“The land, that the building being built is in the name of USF and in order for them to transfer from USF to Polytech they have to get the permission of the previous owner,” he told the committee.
Florida Polytech was created by allowing the University of South Florida’s polytech school to become independent. But the land it sits on was a gift to USF. The owner wants a reversion clause put in place to take the land back, but Housseini says that's unacceptable. If the transfer is unsuccessful, board members say Florida Polytechnic may have to move.