colleges

The ceremonies will be held at Tropicana Field with a limited number of guests in attendance. Graduates also won't march onstage.

The university dropped the requirement after the signing of a new law that bans businesses, schools and governments from mandating proof of vaccinations.

Public universities expect to increase classroom occupancy to pre-COVID capacity by the 2021-22 academic year, and resume full participation in social and sporting events.

Under the proposal, public and private colleges and universities would be shielded from lawsuits stemming from campuses being shut down during the pandemic and students being forced to learn online.

The COVID-19 pandemic took the world by surprise last year, shutting down major colleges and universities around the country. Two USF students experienced their freshman year during the pandemic.

More campuses are expected to add the requirement, with potential legal challenges ahead. One key point: Requiring vaccines for infectious diseases is nothing new for many residential colleges.

When lawmakers slashed Florida's Bright Futures scholarship amounts during past difficult budget cycles, Black and Latino students lost out the most.

The private university announced that vaccinations are mandatory by Aug. 1. School officials say they plan to resume full, in-person classroom learning for the fall semester.

The Senate Education Committee unanimously approved the measure, which includes two proposals by Democrats related to testing and letting parents choose to retain students in their current grade levels.

A Senate committee will take up a bill that would protect Florida universities from lawsuits over decisions to close campuses because of the COVID-19 pandemic.