School is back in session for the more than 70,000 students enrolled at the University of Central Florida. UCF is the largest university in Florida, a major employer with thousands of workers, and a research institution. Faculty leaders say a budget shortfall, the loss of federal research money, and missing out on state funding are adding up to difficult choices.
Legislature eliminated state preeminence funding
For years, Florida lawmakers have used a program called preeminence to elevate and reward the state’s highest performing public universities. To qualify, universities have to meet a series of benchmarks in graduation rates, research performance, endowment size, and other performance measures prioritized by the state. Last year, UCF was not among the four schools that earned that preeminent designation. The University of Florida, Florida State, the University of South Florida, and Florida International, split the $40 million allocated in the budget. The year before, the allocation was $100 million. UCF spent years and resources working to become a preeminent university and announced last September that for the first time, it met the metrics to achieve preeminence status. However, the Florida Legislature eliminated preeminent funding this year.
“I think the floor kind of dropped out of this plan,” said Robert Cassanello, associate professor of history at UCF and statewide United Faculty of Florida union president. “So they're trying to pay for the spending they wanted to do this year by cannibalizing the budgets of the various colleges and programs at UCF.”
Cassanello said faculty in his department and others have heard proposals to increase the number of students taught in classes which could reduce the need for adjunct instructors. In the history department, Cassanello said there have been conversations about reorganizing academic units as a cost-saving measure. He said several faculty members who have left the department have not been replaced, which could provide some savings without immediately eliminating existing faculty positions. Cassanello also said the possibility of layoffs is a concern.
“I would be concerned that the solution might be layoffs or terminations, because in a lot of colleges, the biggest pot of money is salary,” he said.
UCF is asking state lawmakers for $35 million in the 2027-2028 budget to support its preeminent university status.
Changes to federal funding
UCF is a major research university and much of that research depends on federal funding. UCF has lost millions of dollars. At the beginning of 2025, executive orders from the White House paused federal funding research while agencies reviewed programs and their alignment with administration priorities. In June of last year, the university said 28 federal awards were terminated representing about $21 million in funding that disrupted researchers and staff.
Talat Rahman is a professor of physics at UCF. She says the loss of federal funding is affecting faculty and research, and she is concerned about what could come next.
“We hope that some changes happen so that these cuts do not continue to go on for too long, because if we do keep getting cuts, then there's no question that our competitive edge will be eroded,” she said.
Rahman pointed to the closure of UCF’s Florida Solar Energy Center as one example of the impact. She said the center employed 66 people, and about 60 were laid off after it closed in December.
Central Florida Public Media reached out to UCF last week for a response to faculty raised concerns about the impact of a budget shortfall and to changes to preeminence funding. We also asked if any majors or departments are being eliminated or consolidated due to budget challenges and whether budget reductions are expected to result in layoffs or hiring freezes. UCF acknowledged our request, but as of deadline Thursday afternoon, Central Florida Public Media had not received a response.
