▁set ▁the ▁tone ▁for ▁his ▁presiden cy ▁by ▁address ing ▁the ▁Florida ▁fac ulty , ▁saying ▁he ▁would ▁be ▁satisfied ▁with ▁" nothing ▁less ▁than ▁a ▁great ▁university , ▁second ▁to ▁none ▁in ▁the ▁land ." ▁ ▁During ▁his ▁time ▁as ▁president , ▁student ▁en roll ment ▁sw elled ▁with ▁returning ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁veter ans ▁and ▁their ▁sp ouses ▁and ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁the ▁educational ▁benefits ▁available ▁to ▁veter ans ▁from ▁the ▁G . I . ▁Bill . ▁ ▁Miller ' s ▁administration ▁managed ▁the ▁increase ▁in ▁the ▁size ▁of ▁the ▁student ▁body ▁from ▁approximately ▁ 8 , 7 0 0 ▁to ▁over ▁ 1 2 , 0 0 0 ▁in ▁six ▁years , ▁and ▁o vers aw ▁the ▁transition ▁of ▁the ▁formerly ▁all - male ▁institution ▁into ▁a ▁co ed uc ational ▁university . ▁ ▁Miller ▁also ▁super vised ▁a ▁huge ▁$ 2 0 ▁million ▁campus ▁construction ▁program ▁to ▁build ▁new ▁student ▁resident ial , ▁academic ▁and ▁administration ▁buildings . ▁ ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁major ▁prior ities ▁of ▁Miller ' s ▁administration ▁was ▁the ▁planning ▁and ▁development ▁of ▁a ▁health ▁sciences ▁program , ▁consisting ▁of ▁a ▁n urs ing ▁school ▁and ▁a ▁medical ▁school — the ▁first ▁state ▁medical ▁school ▁in ▁Florida . ▁ ▁His ▁prede cess or , ▁John ▁Tig ert , ▁had ▁proposed ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁a ▁medical ▁school ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 4 0 s , ▁and ▁a ▁blue - rib bon ▁citizens ' ▁panel ▁had ▁recommended ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁a ▁medical ▁school ▁as ▁part