ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman and other city officials have a laundry list of complaints about how USF St. Petersburg is faring under consolidation.

State legislators said consolidation was designed to be a move to strengthen USF's standing, giving students more access to additional majors, scholarships, and services.

But Kriseman fears instead USF St. Petersburg is being diminished.

He wrote a letter to State Senator Jeff Brandes that said he's concerned about sagging freshman enrollment and he doesn't like the school being referred to as the "St. Petersburg campus."

Kriseman tweeted, "I've asked State Senator Jeff Brandes, who brought the idea of consolidation forward, to hold the USF Board accountable or consider unwinding consolidation altogether."

Brandes said he agrees there needs to be a better plan.

"One, I want what we've already secured which is more admissions because that drives the entire conversation. Two, they need to double down on their programs and three, they need to invest in the business community and the business community needs to invest locally," Brandes said.

State Representative Chris Sprowls said USF officials have assured him they're committed to growing the school's enrollment in St. Petersburg.

"Consolidation is a work in progress so we've now come out and said the goal for next year is 650 kids in the entering class which will bring enrollment back up to the pre-consolidation levels," Sprowls said.

USF President Steven Curral issued a statement that said: "We remain committed to maintaining the unique identity of each USF campus as we work together with the communities we serve to strengthen our position as one of the nation's premier research universities and a leader in student success."

Specifics about how to boost enrollment at USF St. Petersburg will be discussed at a campus advisory board meeting next Thursday, October 22, at 9 a.m.