UCF students react after lawmaker threat to close school

Students at the University of Central Florida are reacting after a state legislator suggested the school could be shut down, for improperly using state finds. 

The university states that the newly-build Trevor Colbourn Hall was "created with themes of collaboration, flexibility, sustainability and beauty in mind." State lawmakers, however, say it's built with nearly $40 million that was never meant for putting new buildings on campus.

RELATED: Former UCF chair stepping down from board

Some are calling for drastic steps, including State Rep. Randy Fine, R-Palm Bay, who said, “I'm working on a five-to-ten year potential shutdown of the university.”  That scares UCF students.

“That would be a really messy situation,” said Cori Fisher, “one that I hope doesn't happen!”

Rep. Fine said he doesn't really want to see UCF close, but he's worried about how they're spending your tax dollars.

“UCF's an amazing institution with amazing students that does remarkable things for the State of Florida. The problem is the people supposed to be tending the store - it appears they were not,” Fine said.

The university tore down an old building there to make way for Colbourn Hall.In all, the state says the university improperly used - or planned to use - about $85 million in construction.

“Money was illegally spent to do things the legislature and governor explicitly said they could not,” Fine said.

UCF students agreed that there should be consequences.

“Now we've been threatened about 'shutting down UCF,' that affects all of us. So I feel disappointed in the administration for not taking better care of their students and making unethical decisions,” said Hannah Patterson.

The state is investigating how UCF spent the taxpayer money.