The political and legislative factors that weakened the role of the Florida Board of Regents over a 3-year period (1978-81) are traced in this report. The first section provides background on the functions of the Board from 1968 through 1978, a period characterized by a trend toward centralization and the reduction of university control. Recommendations by the Commission on the Future of Florida's Public Universities, which gave university presidents a potential political power-base through their advisory boards, and the attempt and failure of the Board to achieve constitutional status are highlighted. The second section examines legislative actions that attempted to ensure that Florida public universities had the freedom and governance structure essential to achieving the goal of educational quality, and the resultant reduction of the Board's authority. In addition, efforts to abolish the Board and the formation and effects of the Joint Legislative and Executive Commission on Postsecondary Education and the Postsecondary Education Planning Commission are reviewed. The third section examines the causes of radical transformation of the governance structure of higher education, which included presidential dissatisfaction with centralized control and the failure of the Board to fulfill one of its key missions and provide leadership in a number of areas. The final section explains the current governance structure, citing the vagueness and probable overlap of the functions of numerous planning and coordinating bodies. (AYC)