Introduction
This report considers the role of Florida’s independent colleges and universities as an element in the state’s endeavors in higher education. The 11 institutions that comprise the State University System fill a critical need in undergraduate and graduate education, in research and service, and they enrich the communities that are fortunate enough to house them. The 27 institutions of independent, nonprofit higher education – those that belong to the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida (ICUF) and are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools – are likewise an asset of great worth to our state. Their graduates fill positions in areas of critical need and, in some cases, achieve honors and distinctions that are unmatched in any Florida institutions, public or private.
