University of Florida. General Extension Division

The General Extension Division (GED) was created in 1919 to extend the work of the institutions under the direction of the Florida Board of Control to residents of Florida not enrolled in those institutions. Agricultural extension and home economics, which fell under the mandate of the Florida Cooperative Extension Service, were excluded from the program of the GED. As the state university with the broadest academic program, the University of Florida was selected as the division's headquarters.

GED's initial focus was on adult education in the areas of consumer, business, and civic awareness. Later, the focus shifted to continuing professional education. GED was abolished in 1962. Its first and only dean was Bert C. Riley. In 1965, the legislature enabled each university in the State University System to conduct its own continuing education program with specific responsibilties assigned to each unit.

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