4 President's Office: SBICU

I. Overview

 Title: Records of the State Board of Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida

Date: 1978-2001

Location: 04/53 (paige box)

Extent: (1 linear ft.)

Language: English

 

II. Historical note

 The State Board of Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida (SBICU) was created by 1971 Florida Legislature, and began operating in January 1972, in response to a need to rid the state of several "diploma mills." In the 1960s and early 1970s, Florida had an unfortunate reputation as a haven for diploma mills, because of the lack of regulation. Diploma mills are businesses that sell degrees with few or no academic requirements.

The Board, which is attached to the state Department of Education, focus on improving the quality of education offered by private colleges in Florida. Its main purposes are to facilitate and promote the acquisition of a minimum satisfactory education by all the citizens of Florida, and to protect the individual student from deceptive, fraudulent, or substandard education, protect the nonpublic colleges, and protect the citizens of Florida holding academic degrees.

All rules amendments and new forms prepared by the Board must be reviewed by the Joint Administrative Procedures Committee (JAPC) for compatibility with the Administrative Procedures Act. Rules must also be approved by the Governor and Cabinet, sitting as the State Board of Education.

For some years during her presidency of Barry University, Sister Jeanne O'Laughlin served as Chair of the State Board of Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida. To maintain eligibility for state funds, "institutional data" was submitted annually, and by virtue of accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Barry received Certificates of Exemption testifying that it met the licensing requirements of Chapter 246, Florida Statutes.

 

III. The Collection

The collection includes material related to the State Board of Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida, such as correspondence, certificate of exemptions, institutional data, annual reviews, handbooks, agenda and minutes of meetings. The collection roughly covers years of Sister Jeanne O'Laughlin's presidency (1981-2004).

The collection is organized by type of document into three series arranged chronologically.

 

IV. Container list

 Series I. SBICU

04/53   Correspondence, 1978-2001

Members and committees, 1981-1996

Members and committees: Sr. Jeanne O’Laughlin, 1987-1994

Meetings: agenda, 1979-1998

Meetings: minutes, 1983-1994

Standards for accreditation, 1991-1992

 Series II. Barry University

04/53   Annual reviews and certificate of exemption, 1980-2001

Institutional data, 1980-2000

Survey of Independent Colleges and Universities, 1980

 Series III. Works

04/53   1992-1993 SBICU management planning and review process, 1993

Comparison of standards, 1994

Florida State postsecondary review entity fiscal year 1993 plan, 1993

Florida Statute: 246.011 – 246.151, 1991

Guidelines for the quality education system, n.d.

Handbook for Board members, 1994

The higher education amendments of 1992

Review of personnel structure, administrative procedures, and

            agenda organization, 1992

A review of the State Board of Independent Colleges and Universities

            in the Department of Education prepared pursuant to the

            Sundown Act, 1980

Rules State Board of Independent Colleges and Universities, 1993

SB 80-H, Reauthorization Bill, 1992

SB 1430-HB 1093 (Regulation of nonpublic religious colleges), 1993

Summary of proposed rules amendments, 1989

 

V. Administrative Information

Acquisition Information: Transfer, President's Office, 2009 Jul.

Access Restrictions: This collection is open for research

Processed by: Sister Arnold Benedetto, O.P., revised by Ximena Valdivia, 2011

Preferred Citation: Records of the State Board of Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida, Barry University Archives and Special Collections, Miami Shores, Florida