Abigail Varga's psychology classes are now three minutes from her dorm room. That's the upside of New College of Florida's expansion onto the North Campus, the former University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee property the state transferred to New College in July.

But for students like freshman Emmanuel Beltran, the two-campus setup means figuring out how to get between buildings in the gap between classes.

"We are still trying to navigate honestly," senior Rishann Tampell told ABC7 during the first week of the fall semester, which began Tuesday, Aug. 18.

New College officially took ownership of the former USF Sarasota-Manatee campus after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the transfer into the state budget on June 30. The college now calls it the North Campus. USF signage still hangs throughout the property, though the Rocky the Bull mascot statue has been removed from its former spot.

Varga, a junior and resident assistant living in the North Campus dorms, said her entire psychology department appears to have relocated there. She called the North Campus "very pretty" and said the short walk to class has been a welcome change, according to Tampa Bay 28.

For students without cars, transportation between the original campus and the North Campus is available through a contract with Breeze Buses. The campuses are also walkable, Varga said.

Beltran, who chose New College for its lower cost and the chance to play sports, said the commute between campuses has been his biggest adjustment. Sophomore Daniel Snyder sees the expansion differently: Friends who previously had to live off campus can now stay in dorms on the North Campus.

Enrollment growth drove the campus consolidation

James Miller, New College's vice president of communications and chief marketing officer, said enrollment has grown 15% to 18% annually over the past four years. The college had already been using 80% of the North Campus dorm space under a lease arrangement that began after the 2024 storms, when the Florida Legislature gave New College permission to use USF Sarasota-Manatee dormitories.

"We have an underutilized campus right next to a campus that is growing 15% per year," Miller said. "Public policymakers decided, 'Hey, let's see what we can do to make this the best and most efficient campus for taxpayers.'"

As part of the transfer, USF retains more than $22 million in recurring operating funds, and all USF Sarasota-Manatee faculty and staff remain employed. USF students enrolled before July 2026 can finish their degrees on the campus through a four-year teach-out process.

DeSantis visited the North Campus during the first week of classes and said the college will be "expanding the footprint" in a way he called "really, really exciting."

New graduate programs target 1,200 students by 2028

New College is launching graduate programs this semester, including a master's in educational leadership alongside existing programs in data science and marine science. The college's stated goal is to reach 1,200 students by 2028, up from roughly 870 undergraduates as of late 2025.