Florida Southern College

What it reported doing in 2024

Florida southern college is a private, comprehensive college dedicated to teaching excellence in 60 programs of study for undergraduate students. The college offers 16 master degree programs in business, education, nursing and psychology, along with four doctorate programs in education, nursing, and physical therapy. The college is accredited by the southern association of colleges and schools commission on colleges. In 2024, the college welcomed a freshman class of 762 as part of the institution's 2,605 full-time traditional undergraduate population, representing 47 states and 46 countries and territories. Notably, 81% of these students reside in campus housing. More than 99% receive some form of financial assistance, including 36% who receive pell grants. (see schedule o.)Florida southern is nationally recognized for excellence in experiential education. Our engaged learning pedagogy challenges students to deepen their learning and explore their potential. We are proud to provide students with opportunities to apply their learning through student-faculty collaborative research, student musical performances, service learning, civic engagement, internships, and study-abroad opportunities. The college's instructional staff includes 165 full time faculty, contributing to a supportive academic environment with a 14:1 student faculty ratio. Faculty credentials are equally impressive, with 78% holding terminal degrees in their fields.Florida southern college emphasizes whole-student development and maintains a comprehensive co-curricular program that supports intellectual, physical, spiritual, and social growth. In addition to classroom instruction, students participate in leadership development, service learning, campus ministry, athletics, performing arts, and professional organizations. These activities are guided by trained professional staff and are integrated into the college's educational mission.Florida southern continues to receive national recognition for academic quality and institutional effectiveness. The college is regularly included in the princeton review's best colleges, u.s. News & world report, colleges of distinction, and the fiske guide to colleges. The college has also been recognized by u.s. News & world report among "best value schools, and by money magazine for educational value and return on investment.the barney barnett school of business and free enterprise holds aacsb accreditation and has been recognized by business journals, including poets&quants, ceo magazine, and bloomberg businessweek. Its mba program has been identified as a tier one program and included in national rankings of online mba programs. The ann blanton edwards school of nursing and health sciences and the school of education have also received national recognition through u.s. News & world report's graduate program rankings.the college's 120-acre campus supports its academic and co-curricular mission through academic buildings, residence halls, athletic facilities, student life and activity spaces, administrative offices, student support and learning centers, a performing arts center, auditoria for campus programming, chapels for campus ministries, and maintenance and workshop facilities. The college also owns and operates nearby apartment complexes used for student housing.Florida southern's campus has received national recognition for architectural significance and campus environment, including rankings among the most beautiful campuses in the nation.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 80.3%; rating input score 80
• Program expense ratio: 87.4%; rating input score 87
• Fundraising efficiency: $14.14 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 50; 50th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Scored; rating input score 0
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 77th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Yes; rating input score 100

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 77th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 6.3%; rating input score 62; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.04; rating input score 64; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.13; rating input score 78; 78th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 2%; rating input score 55; 55th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 6.2% per year; rating input score 100; 50th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 6.3% per year; rating input score 100; 55th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 4.8% per year; rating input score 100; 35th percentile among comparable filings