HR 8003 full text · Session Watch

1 House Resolution

2 A resolution designating January 21, 2026, as "FSU

3 Day" in Florida.

5 WHEREAS, the Tallahassee campus of Florida State University

6 (FSU), founded in 1851, is the oldest continuous site of higher

7 education in Florida, and

8 WHEREAS, Florida State University celebrates its 175th

9 anniversary in 2026 with a yearlong commemoration that honors

10 FSU's heritage, celebrates its achievements, and highlights its

11 vision for the future, and

12 WHEREAS, Florida State University is proud to be recognized

13 as a Preeminent University by the State of Florida, and

14 WHEREAS, Florida State University is a leading national

15 research university, offering undergraduate, graduate, doctoral,

16 and professional degrees and is composed of 17 colleges, more

17 than 46,000 students, 16,000 full- and part-time employees, and

18 a global footprint that includes study centers in London,

19 Florence, Valencia, and Panama and is ranked as the nation's No.

20 1 public university for long-term study abroad enrollments, and

21 WHEREAS, under the leadership of President Richard

22 McCullough, Florida State University has reached new heights in

23 national recognition, rising to No. 21 among public universities

24 and achieving its highest-ever overall ranking of No. 51 among

25 all institutions from U.S. News & World Report, as well as

26 earning a No. 11 rank in Niche's report of Top Public

27 Universities in America, with multiple academic programs ranked

28 in the national Top 10, and

29 WHEREAS, Florida State University is recognized as a leader

30 in student success, with a first-year student retention rate of

31 97 percent and a four-year graduation rate of 78 percent, both

32 among the highest in the nation, and a transfer graduation of 80

33 percent, the best in the history of the State University System,

34 and

35 WHEREAS, Florida State University's summer/fall 2025

36 enrolled freshman class is one of the brightest in the

37 university's history, coming from all 67 Florida counties, all

38 50 states, and 50 countries, and 77 percent achieving top grades

39 in rigorous high school courses and collectively had an average

40 core GPA between 4.2 and 4.6, combined SAT score between 1340

41 and 1450 and ACT composite score between 30 and 33, and

42 WHEREAS, the faculty of Florida State University achieved a

43 record $487 million in research expenditures in 2025 and

44 submitted more than $1.22 billion in competitive grant

45 proposals, expanding discovery in areas of strategic importance

46 to Florida and central to America's innovation agenda, including

47 quantum science, superconductivity, artificial intelligence,

48 aerospace, and advanced manufacturing, and

49 WHEREAS, FSU Health is advancing a transformative vision to

50 integrate education, research, and patient care to improve lives

51 through initiatives such as the Florida Institute for Pediatric

52 Rare Diseases and Sunshine Genetics, demonstrating leadership

53 and strengthening collaboration to address critical health

54 challenges, and

55 WHEREAS, Florida State University is the home of the

56 National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, the only national

57 laboratory in Florida, which generates major scientific

58 breakthroughs and adds significant economic impact to the state,

59 and

60 WHEREAS, Florida State University contributes an estimated

61 $15 billion in statewide economic impact each year,

62 strengthening Florida's workforce, expanding opportunity, and

63 improving lives across every region, and

64 WHEREAS, Florida State University is honored to share a

65 special relationship with the Seminole Tribe of Florida, built

66 on respect, trust, and collaboration, celebrating the Tribe's

67 rich history and culture while supporting educational

68 opportunities and initiatives that strengthen this enduring

69 partnership, and

70 WHEREAS, Florida State University boasts a network of more

71 than 450,000 alumni who are making a difference in their

72 communities across Florida and around the world and

73 demonstrating the university's commitment to producing graduates

74 who lead and serve, and

75 WHEREAS, the Florida State University women's soccer team

76 won its fifth national championship in 2025, the baseball and

77 beach volleyball teams rank in the Top 10 nationally, and FSU's

78 student-athletes achieved a record 91 percent graduation rate,

79 NOW, THEREFORE,

81 Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of

82 Florida:

84 That January 21, 2026, is designated as "FSU Day" in

85 Florida in recognition of Florida State University's

86 contribution as an outstanding institution of higher education.

87 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be

88 presented to Dr. Richard McCullough, the 16th President of

89 Florida State University, as a tangible token of the sentiments

90 expressed herein.