Florida lawmakers forged a budget agreement that would eliminate a dedicated funding pot for the state’s “preeminent universities,” removing $40 million that had been set aside last year for institutions including the University of Florida and Florida State University. The funding change arrives as the state’s budget process heads toward a final vote. The preeminent designation—meant to reward top-performing public research universities—will remain in place, but the agreement would leave the extra financial support at zero for the next fiscal year. Legislators previously reduced the funding pot after cutting it to half last year, according to the reporting. The budget package also includes a major structural shift: transferring the University of South Florida’s Sarasota-Manatee campus to New College of Florida, a move supported by Gov. Ron DeSantis. For Florida institutions, the combined impact is likely to be felt in faculty hiring, research capacity, and student recruitment planning tied to the lost “preeminent” funds.