MANATEE -- State College of Florida announced Monday it will accept the challenge made by Florida Gov. Rick Scott to create a $10,000 baccalaureate degree.

Earlier Monday, Gov. Rick Scott announced that all 23 institutions in the Florida College System that offer baccalaureate degrees have announced their support for his recent education affordability challenge.

"SCF has accepted Gov. Scott's $10,000 baccalaureate degree challenge as a new opportunity to be even more inventive as we work with our partners to identify programs, existing and new, that offer the most immediate application to today's workforce needs," Carol F. Probstfeld, president of SCF, said in a college news release.

"I have appointed Dr. Mike Mears, vice president of baccalaureate programs, to lead a task force that will work with all due speed on ideas and bring forward proposals for a feasible model that can be implemented in a reasonable and timely manner," Probstfeld added.

Mears said in the news release that the focus of the new initiative likely would be to allow students to matriculate efficiently and to stay on track to complete their degree.

"The ultimate objective is to help our students complete a college degree in the most efficient manner that saves both time and money and paves the way for them to start contributing to the economy," Mears said.

At current tuition rates, a student can complete an associate degree and a bacca

laureate degree at SCF for about $13,000.

"We are excited about this new opportunity to demonstrate SCF's innovative philosophy and at the same time remind the community about the wonderful value their college represents," Probstfeld said.

In a statement, Gov. Scott said, "I congratulate State College of Florida for accepting my 10k degree challenge. Higher education is a key to helping our students succeed in the 21st century economy and to grow jobs in Florida. It is important our students can get an affordable education, and our state colleges have stepped up to the challenge."

Details and the projected start date for SCF's $10,000 bachelor's degree will be announced later.