Lake-Sumter State College is proud to join all 28 colleges in the Florida College System and the 12 universities in the State University System of Florida in affirming a shared commitment to academic and operational excellence.

In August 2026, Governor Ron DeSantis announced Florida as the first state to issue a joint higher education system response to U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon’s national call to action. The statement reaffirms the foundational principles of higher education, including rigorous academic standards, free expression and open inquiry, affordability, and preparing students for meaningful careers, engaged citizenship, and lives of service.

Together, Florida’s colleges and universities are reaffirming the important role higher education plays in creating opportunities, strengthening communities, and preparing students for a successful future.

TRANSPARENCY AND STUDENT ACCESS

As an open-access institution, Lake-Sumter State College (LSSC) creates opportunities for students from a wide range of educational backgrounds while maintaining clear and defined academic requirements.

LSSC provides students and families with clear information about admission requirements, academic programs, costs, financial aid, transfer opportunities, and career pathways so they can make informed decisions about their education. These are all published on the website and in the Student Handbook and Course Catalog.

FREE EXPRESSION AND OPEN INQUIRY

LSSC supports the free exchange of ideas, thoughtful discussion, and respectful intellectual inquiry as essential elements of higher education.

LSSC protects lawful expressions while ensuring that campus is an environment where students, faculty, and staff can learn and work safely. Administrative Procedure 2-26 (Speech, Expression, and Commercial Activity on College Property) outlines the college’s expectations for members of the College community to engage with differing perspectives in ways that allow instruction, College operations, events, and other activities to continue without disruption.

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

Academic excellence depends on qualified faculty, rigorous curricula, meaningful assessment, and a sustained focus on student learning.

LSSC hires and evaluates faculty based on their qualifications, expertise, performance, institutional needs, and applicable requirements. In the classroom, students examine evidence, consider diverse perspectives, think critically, communicate effectively, and draw informed conclusions.

LSSC regularly reviews its academic programs to maintain rigor, relevance, and alignment with industry standards, transfer expectations, workforce needs, and licensure requirements.

AFFORDABILITY, VALUE, AND STUDENT OUTCOMES

LSSC is committed to keeping higher education accessible to students and allowing them to complete their programs as efficiently as possible while minimizing any debt. LSSC provides clear information about tuition, fees, financial aid, and program requirements on the website and in the Student Handbook and Course Catalog.

Our focus remains on the outcomes that matter most to students: completing a credential, transferring successfully, entering a rewarding career, and improving their economic mobility.

ACADEMIC RIGOR IN THE AGE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, create new and evolving opportunities for teaching and learning while also requiring adaptability to ensure students remain academically prepared.

As an institution, LSSC supports the responsible use of AI as an instructional tool for workforce readiness. LSSC is committed to using technology responsibly while maintaining high academic standards. Faculty establish expectations for student work and assessment appropriate to their disciplines, and students are expected to demonstrate authentic learning, critical thinking, and mastery of course outcomes.

LSSC will continue to support both faculty and students as they navigate the use of AI to understand the appropriate and ethical use of the technology while ensuring that it serves as a tool to enhance, not replace, meaningful teaching and learning.

INSTITUTIONAL INTEGRITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY

LSSC is committed to strong institutional governance, responsible stewardship, transparency, and compliance with state and federal requirements designed to protect the integrity of public higher education.

LSSC maintains policies and processes to safeguard institutional resources, academic programs, partnerships, information, and operations. LSSC will continue to comply with applicable requirements concerning foreign gifts, agreements, research, information security, and other activities that could affect the integrity or security of the institution.

MEETING FLORIDA’S WORKFORCE NEEDS

One of Lake-Sumter State College’s most important responsibilities is preparing students to succeed while meeting the evolving needs of our communities and Florida’s economy.

LSSC works closely with employers, industry partners, educational institutions, and community leaders to ensure our academic and workforce programs respond to areas of demand. LSSC continually evaluates opportunities to connect education with meaningful careers and strengthen the workforce of Lake and Sumter counties.

LSSC also provides strong pathways for students who plan to continue their education, offering an affordable foundation for students to earn a degree and successfully transfer to Florida’s universities and other institutions.

Ultimately, our responsibility is measured by the success of the students and communities we serve. Lake-Sumter State College remains committed to rigorous academics, affordable and accessible pathways, strong student outcomes, and programs that create opportunity for our students while contributing to the workforce, economic vitality, and future of our region and the state of Florida.