Fla. Stat. § 1004.6496 — Florida Code / Title XLVIII / Chapter 1004 / Part II / Section 1004.6496
1004.6496 Hamilton Center for Classical and Civic Education.
Status: in_force

(1) The Board of Trustees of the University of Florida may use funds as provided in the General Appropriations Act and charitable donations to establish and fund the Hamilton Center for Classical and Civic Education as an academic unit within the University of Florida. The purpose of the center is to support teaching and research concerning the ideas, traditions, and texts that form the foundations of Western and American civilization.

(2) Beginning January 1, 2025, and by each January 1 thereafter, the University of Florida must report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives on the progress toward establishing the center as a permanent college at the university. The report must include a timeline for establishing the college, enrollment and educational outcomes and future goals for enrollment and educational outcomes, current financial progress and future financial needs, and any recommendation for changes in general law.

(3) The goals of the center are to: (a) Educate university students in core texts and great debates of Western civilization and the Great Books. 1. The center is responsible for developing curriculum and courses to satisfy the requirement for the competency in civil discourse. 2. Courses developed under this paragraph may be used to satisfy the requirements of s. 1007.25(5). (b) Educate university students in the principles, ideals, and institutions of the American political order. (c) Educate university students in the foundations of responsible leadership and informed citizenship. (d) Provide programming and training related to civic education and the values of open inquiry and civil discourse to support the Early Learning-20 education system. (e) Coordinate with the Florida Institute for Governance and Civics created pursuant to s. 1004.6499 and the Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom created pursuant to s. 1004.64991 and assist in the curation and implementation of Portraits in Patriotism created pursuant to s. 1003.44. (f) Develop educational programming and a plan for the implementation of such programming to ensure that all university students demonstrate competency in civil discourse.

(4) In order to carry out the goals set forth in subsection (3), the president of the University of Florida must: (a) Annually update the board of trustees on the center’s progress toward developing educational programming to ensure that all students at the university demonstrate competency in civil discourse. The president’s report must identify a timeline and support necessary for the university to achieve this goal. (b) Guide the university’s leadership and the center to ensure that the center is able to enroll students, hire faculty, ensure a pathway to tenure for faculty, develop curricula and courses, establish certificate and degree programs, establish major and minor programs, and fulfill other actions approved by the president of the university.

(5) Funds appropriated specifically to the center may not be used for any other purpose; however, the university may provide additional funding as available to the center.

History: s. 35, ch. 2022-154; s. 161, ch. 2023-8; s. 6, ch. 2023-82; s. 3, ch. 2024-102.