The budget approved by Florida lawmakers Monday adds about $120 million in new funding for the University of Florida, including money for Zika and medical marijuana research.

Included in the new money for UF is $55 million to hire new faculty and provide raises for current faculty and graduate students. Tuition will not change for the coming academic year, but a new block tuition plan will be implemented for freshmen arriving in fall 2018.

The budget, which awaits approval from Gov. Rick Scott, includes money for several big-ticket items:

• Renovation of Norman Hall — $17.4 million

• Renovation and construction of the Engineering Nexus Building — $8.65 million

• Planning for a new music building — $7 million

"We are especially pleased that the Legislature provided enough funding to complete the Norman Hall project a year earlier than expected," said UF spokesperson Janine Sikes, in an email to The Sun. "The Legislature also approved $17 million for building maintenance for UF."

Also on the list for UF:

• Center for Neurodegenerative Disease and Research — $2.5 million

• College of Pharmacy for medical marijuana — $2 million

• Zika infrastructure — $1.5 million

• Veterinary Institute for Comparative Diagnostics — $1.5 million

• Integrated Pediatric Research and Education — $1.25 million

• Lastinger Center, access to abuse prevention and trauma-informed care — $1.3 million

• IFAS workload — $1 million

• Lastinger Center, Algebra Nation — $1 million

• Lastinger Center, Math Nation — $1 million

• IFAS water quality best management practices — $800,000

• IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center — $750,000

• Program to cure dystonia and other muscle disorders — $500,000

• St. Augustine roofs, damaged by Hurricane Matthew — $250,000

• Early childhood music education incentive — $250,000

• Advanced training for pediatric child abuse specialists — $300,000

“I am extremely grateful to the Florida House and Senate for their support of higher education and the University of Florida," UF President Kent Fuchs said in a statement sent to The Sun. "The 2017-18 budget includes significant investments in our programs and educational spaces, scholarships for our students and support for faculty and graduate students — all bolstering UF’s push to become one of the nation’s top public institutions. Special thanks go to the Gator Caucus and chair George Moraitis.”

The Legislature also requires universities to adopt block tuition, where students pay a flat fee per semester rather than a credit-hour charge, but didn't specify what tuition will be. It would go into effect for new freshmen in fall 2018. And tuition for all students will not increase for the next academic year, according to Sikes.

Academic-level Bright Futures scholarships were increased to cover 100 percent of tuition and associated fees, plus a $300 stipend for textbooks. Students now may use the scholarships for summer classes.

In the area of human resources, the Legislature approved a cafeteria-style health insurance plan for state employees, a requirement that new state employees who do not designate a retirement benefit be placed into the state’s defined contribution plan, and an option for re-hired state employees who previously contributed to an investment plan to resume contributions.

Need-based aid will increase by more than $126 million, with the bulk of it going toward “Florida student assistance grants,” the state's largest program to help students with financial need.

Operating funds will increase for all 12 state universities, including $245 million in performance-based funds, a $20 million increase.

Statewide, the budget provides $71 million to universities to attract top-level faculty and researchers, with another $50 million aimed at high-achieving medical, law and business graduate schools.

The spending increases were tied to Senate President Joe Negron's initiative to elevate Florida's universities to “elite, national destination” institutions, while holding the schools to higher performance standards and offering more financial support for students.

But controversy erupted over the weekend when University of South Florida advocates learned a related budget bill had been changed Friday to increase the performance standard for “pre-eminent” universities from requiring that more than 50 percent of students graduate in four years to a 60 percent standard. USF has a 54 percent four-year graduation rate.

Currently, only UF and Florida State University have gained pre-eminent status, which will entitle them to an additional $48 million in the next year. USF and the University of Central Florida are striving to reach the pre-eminent level.