The University of Florida is aiming to become one of the top public universities with the help of Gov. Rick Scott's new budget proposal.
Scott's budget proposal included an award of $15 million to UF, which requires approval by the Florida Legislature, and would be used to hire new faculty, UF President Bernie Machen said in an email Thursday.
The proposal represents a significant step toward a goal that has been at the forefront of the agenda for the current board of trustees and generations of UF leaders, Machen said.
Scott unveiled his $74 billion budget proposal, $1.2 billion of which he said would be used to strengthen public education, on Thursday. He said he wants Florida to be the No. 1 state in education and receiving jobs after college.
A Top 10 status would heighten prestige for Florida's university system, provide a world-class experience for Florida's brightest students and enhance UF's ability to compete with the nation's largest centers of business and technology.
Machen asked UF families to support by encouraging their representatives to get behind the proposal.
Audreyanna Loguerre wrote this story online.
Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated the amount Scott is requesting for education. Of the total request, $1.2 billion is dedicated to education.