THE BILL ITSELF
SR 1768
FSU Day at the Capitol
Florida Senate - 2026 (NP) SR 1768 By Senator Simon 3-01877-26 20261768__
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Senate Resolution
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A resolution commending Florida State University for
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its achievements as a national leader in academics,
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research, and student excellence and designating
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January 21, 2026, as “FSU Day at the Capitol.”
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WHEREAS, the Tallahassee campus of Florida State University
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(FSU) was founded in 1851 as the West Florida Seminary and is
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the oldest continuous site of higher education in Florida, and
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WHEREAS, FSU will celebrate its 175th anniversary in 2026
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with a yearlong commemoration to honor its heritage, celebrate
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its achievements, and highlight its vision for the future, and
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WHEREAS, FSU has been recognized as a preeminent research
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university by the State of Florida and offers 277 undergraduate,
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graduate, doctoral, and professional degrees across 17 colleges,
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with an enrollment of more than 46,000 students, who are
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supported by over 18,000 full and part-time faculty and staff,
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and
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WHEREAS, FSU is ranked as the No. 1 public university for
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long-term study abroad enrollments, with a global footprint that
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includes study centers in London, Florence, Valencia, and
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Panama, and
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WHEREAS, under President Richard McCullough’s leadership,
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FSU has reached new heights in national recognition, rising to
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No. 21 among public universities and achieving its record
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overall ranking of No. 51 among all institutions, public and
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private, according to U.S. News & World Report, and Niche ranks
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FSU No. 11 among its Top Public Universities in America, with
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multiple academic programs ranked in the national top 10, and
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WHEREAS, FSU is recognized as a national leader in student
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success, with a 97 percent first-year student retention rate, a
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78 percent 4-year graduation rate, and an 80 percent transfer
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student graduation rate, the best in the history of the State
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University System of Florida, and
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WHEREAS, FSU’s first-year student cohort admitted for
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summer and fall 2025 is one of the brightest in the university’s
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history, with students representing all 67 Florida counties, 46
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states, and 34 countries and entering FSU with an average GPA of
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4.4, an average SAT score of 1395, and an average ACT score of
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31.5, and 78 percent of the cohort were among the top 10 percent
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of their high school class, and
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WHEREAS, FSU faculty achieved a record $487 million in
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research expenditures in 2025 and submitted more than $1.22
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billion in competitive grant proposals, expanding discovery in
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areas of strategic importance to this state and to America’s
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innovation agenda, including quantum science, superconductivity,
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artificial intelligence, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing,
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and
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WHEREAS, FSU Health is advancing a transformative vision to
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integrate education, research, and patient care to improve lives
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through initiatives such as FSU’s Institute for Pediatric Rare
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Diseases and Sunshine Genetics Pilot Program, demonstrating
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leadership and strengthening collaboration to address critical
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health challenges, and
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WHEREAS, in 1990, FSU was awarded the National High
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Magnetic Field Laboratory, the only national laboratory in this
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state and home to the most powerful magnets in the world,
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facilitating major scientific breakthroughs and adding
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significant economic benefit to this state, and
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WHEREAS, FSU’s contributions generate an estimated $15.5
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billion in statewide economic impact each year, strengthening
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Florida’s workforce, expanding opportunities, and improving
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lives across every region, and
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WHEREAS, FSU is honored to share a special relationship
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with the Seminole Tribe of Florida, which is built on respect,
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trust, and collaboration and which celebrates the tribe’s rich
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history and culture while supporting educational opportunities
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and initiatives that strengthen this enduring partnership, and
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WHEREAS, FSU boasts a network of more than 419,000 alumni
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who are making a difference in their communities across this
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state and around the world, affirming the university’s
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commitment to producing graduates who lead and serve, and
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WHEREAS, in 2025, the FSU women’s soccer team won its fifth
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national championship, the baseball, beach volleyball, and men’s
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and women’s golf teams are ranked in the top 10 nationally, and
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FSU’s student athletes achieved a record 91 percent graduation
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success rate, NOW, THEREFORE,
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Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:
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That January 21, 2026, is designated “FSU Day at the
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Capitol” in recognition of Florida State University’s
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contribution as an outstanding institution of higher education.
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution, with
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the Seal of the Senate affixed, be presented to Dr. Richard
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McCullough, the 16th President of Florida State University, as a
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tangible token of the sentiments of the Florida Senate.