Report: UWF ‘demonstrating an inability to manage’ Complete Florida Plus

According to a Florida College System report, the University of West Florida should no longer host the Complete Florida Plus Program.

The report, prepared by the Learning Resources Standing Committee, says UWF is “demonstrating an inability to manage” the program, which oversees Florida Virtual Campus and the Florida Academic Library Service Cooperative, among other things.

Additionally, the report claims UWF’s stewardship of the program has proven costly.

“UWF currently charges the maximum overhead amount for managing the CFPP program at 5%. With the CFPP funding allocation form the Legislature at approximately $23,000,000, the overhead charge to the program is in excess of $1,000,000 per year for UWF. Those charges are above the direct costs already funded from the CFPP budget, including leases and administrative personnel,” the report states.

The committee goes on to say the state Department of Education is better equipped to host the program, “at a fraction of the administrative cost to taxpayers.”

However, the report doesn’t detail the potential financial impact, simply noting that the committee “believes” the move would result in “significant program savings.”

The report also pitches the move as common sense, owing to DOE being the “one governmental structure that administers all state Colleges and Universities through the umbrella units of the Florida College System (FCS) and Board of Governors (BOG) for the State University System (SUS).

“CFPP is one of the only state-wide programs that is legislatively mandated to collaboratively serve all members of those groups.”

The CFPP controversy comes as UWF is facing allegations of financial mismanagement.

In his second legislative budget request, Gov. Ron DeSantis called for an audit of the institution. While it’s being conducted, the state would hold back $5 million of the CFPP funding.

If the audit doesn’t turn up evidence of financial mismanagement, the State University System Board of Governors could file a budget request asking for the $5 million to be released.