Jean Kabongo will lead the University of South Florida's Sarasota-Manatee campus through a multiyear teach-out serving more than 1,000 students, USF President Moez Limayem announced in a letter to staff shared publicly on Monday, July 21.
Kabongo serves as senior associate dean for academic and faculty affairs and as the Sarasota-Manatee campus dean for USF's Muma College of Business. He replaces interim Regional Chancellor Brett Kemker, who will continue supporting USF's accreditation and dual enrollment programs before returning to the faculty in fall 2027, Limayem wrote.
The campus, 32 acres across Tamiami Trail from Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, officially transferred to New College of Florida on Tuesday, July 1, following Gov. Ron DeSantis's signing of House Bill 5601E on Monday, June 29.
What changed on July 1
New College assumed all physical assets and legal agreements, including more than $50 million in debt that must appear on its ledgers by Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2026. If New College cannot meet that deadline, ownership of the property reverts to USF.
New College began paying USF about $167,000 a month toward that debt on July 1, according to Inside Higher Ed.
The state law did not transfer USF faculty or staff to New College. Limayem said the overwhelming majority of the campus's 137 faculty members have been matched with roles at USF's Tampa or St. Petersburg campuses.
What it means for students
About 1,600 students called Sarasota-Manatee their home campus as of fall 2025. Limayem said on June 29 that "more than 1,000 students will be part of the teach-out," a figure larger than New College's entire enrollment of roughly 900.
The teach-out can last up to four years under the state law, allowing students admitted before July 1 to remain on campus and earn USF diplomas. The two institutions will share the campus during the transition.
Nancy Parrish, president of Citizens to Protect the Ringling and USF Sarasota-Manatee, told Inside Higher Ed on July 17 that the campus hosted programs the community relied on. "These were the programs this community needed," she said, referring to teaching and nursing tracks that New College, a liberal arts institution, does not offer.
Dual enrollment and funding
No data is publicly available on how many Manatee or Sarasota County high school students participate in dual enrollment at the Sarasota-Manatee campus. Limayem's letter confirmed Kemker will support those programs through fall 2027, but the long-term future of dual enrollment at the site remains unclear.
The $22 million in recurring state funds previously associated with the campus stayed with USF after Senate negotiations rather than transferring to New College.
