Overview
- The Board of Governors’ Nomination and Governance Committee is set to consider the draft language next week, with full board action and a 14‑day public comment period to follow if it advances.
- The proposal would bar trustee boards from using the H‑1B program to hire any new employees across the State University System through Jan. 5, 2027.
- Florida universities rely on H‑1B talent, including 253 workers at the University of Florida and about 110 each at Florida State University and the University of South Florida in fiscal 2025.
- The effort aligns with national changes such as a new $100,000 federal fee on many H‑1B petitions, which higher‑education groups are contesting in court while seeking sector exemptions.
- A governor‑appointed majority holds 14 of 17 board seats, and the draft also adds explicit nondiscrimination language to university personnel policies.