The request will now go before the Board of Governors for final approval.

“UCF is the nation’s partnership university and Dr. Hitt is indeed ‘America’s Partnership President,’” said Micky Grindstaff, Chair of the UCF Board of Trustees. “In appreciation of his 20 years of service to UCF, and in recognition of his achievements and unprecedented success, it is my pleasure to move that the university library — appropriately located in the heart of the Orlando campus — be forever named the John C. Hitt Library.”

The Board unanimously approved the motion.

On March 1, Hitt marked his 20th anniversary as president. He is currently the longest-serving president among Florida’s 11 state universities.

During Hitt’s tenure, enrollment has nearly tripled to exceed 58,500 students, making UCF Florida’s largest university and the second largest in the U.S. Typically, UCF sets new school records each year for the quality of its students, the number of transfer students it accepts from community and state colleges, and the number of degrees awarded.

U.S. News & World Report recently rated UCF as the nation’s No. 4 “up and coming” university, and the Carnegie Foundation designates UCF with its highest ranking as “a very high research institution.” Meanwhile, Hitt’s drive to establish UCF as America’s leading partnership university has made UCF synonymous with the progress and prosperity of Central Florida and the state.

In other action, the Board of Trustees:

  • Approved the conferral of degrees for the Spring 2012 commencement. UCF expects to award 6,512 baccalaureate, 1,139 master’s and 163 doctoral and specialist degrees for a total of 7,814 degrees.
  • Heard that in the past five years UCF’s state base budget has been cut by 49 percent, which includes a $52.6 million cut for the upcoming 2012-13 fiscal year. The university continues to develop plans to address the upcoming cut in a way that protects the core missions of education, research and service and minimizes the impact to students.
  • Approved a minor amendment to the campus master plan to add a 3,000 square-foot coffee shop. The new coffee shop is designed to serve the eastern quadrant of campus and will be located near the Health and Public Affairs I building, facing Memory Mall. Prior to construction, UCF will seek approval from Orange County.
  • Met Paul Jarley, the incoming dean of the College of Business. Jarley attended the Board meeting as part of a campus visit before his official July 1 start. Jarley is currently dean of the University of Nevada-Las Vegas’ Lee Business School. At UCF, he will direct a college with about 140 faculty members and 8,680 students.