ORLANDO, Fla. – Amidst pushback from some students, the University of Central Florida has reaffirmed its commitment to a state version of the Trump’s administration Department of Government Efficiency.
During a board meeting on Thursday, UCF President Alexander Cartwright briefly addressed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s “DOGE” task force.
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“We know that efficiency will continue to be an important topic moving forward, and as we conclude this legislative session, we’re working along with the other SUS universities in producing this information that the state’s DOGE effort is looking for,” Cartwright said. “And we remain committed to maximizing tax-payer value while fueling Florida’s future.”
DeSantis introduced the state DOGE task force in February, he said it will help streamline the government and “eliminate unnecessary bureaucracy” to ensure tax dollars are used efficiently, according to News 6 partner WJXT.
The state’s DOGE task force is similar to President Donald Trump’s administration’s task force, led by Elon Musk, assigned to find ways to fire federal workers, cut programs and slash federal regulations.
DeSantis has also said as part of the task force, public universities will be subjected to an independent review and audit to study the efficiency of their operations. After the initial announcement, UCF said it looked forward to partnering with DeSantis’s DOGE team.
This sparked some pushback from student groups, as they argued that it is almost guaranteeing services toward LGBTQ+ students will be eliminated, such as the space on campus, Pride Commons.
DeSantis said he has already made strides in eliminating DEI programs in colleges and touted that “he will continue that fight” through his DOGE task force.
Meanwhile, Cartwright, during the board meeting, showcased a new website on UCF — one that is dedicated to “efficiency” and showcasing the message that the school is doing “more with less.”
“I believe that Florida has a story to tell at the national level that is different from many institutions around the country,” Cartwright said. “Because of the performance-based funding, because of the things that were implemented in this state, all of our institutions have become better.”
Currently, there is a proposed amendment making its way through the Florida Legislature that is looking to expand DeSantis’s DOGE efforts by making it a cabinet position rather than a task force.
