FSU Animation and Digital Arts West Palm Beach students in limbo while school decides on program

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Anthony Cabrera and Warren Williams are going through things most college students don't experience.

Their school might move.

"The faculty is trying to keep us on track, focusing on our films because in the end us students don't really have much control over that anyway," said Williams.

Cabrera said, "Even if they move the program to Tallahassee, a lot of people are on board of doing that move if it has to be.”

Since Digital Domain filed bankruptcy, Florida State University hasn't said if it's closing its Animation and Digital Arts program in City Place in West Palm Beach.

West Palm Beach city leaders just approved to pay $200 thousand of FSU’s lease in CityPlace, if the program stays.

 It's a program of 30 students now, with hopes it will grow to more than 300.

West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio also believes higher education downtown will help attract business. 

"We started off this endeavor with FSU so we're committed to them. They came to us, we want to move forward with it. "

But staying could go against State University System Board of Governors guidelines. University leaders are supposed to negotiate before moving programs  into each other's territory. Florida Atlantic University president Dr. Mary Jane Saunders says that's not happening as much as it should.

Her opinion is, with Digital Domain leaving West Palm Beach, FSU should reconsider staying as well.

“With that going away it doesn't seem like there's a reason that they would have a satellite campus over 400 miles from their main campus in Tallahassee."

FSU is expected to reveal its decision at a January Board of Governors meeting.