Scott retired from NASA and the U.S. Navy at the end of September 1999 to accept a position at his alma mater, Florida State University, as Vice President for Student Affairs. He then served as director of the Florida Space Authority. His responsibilities included the development of space-related industry and economic initiatives. He represented the State's interests in the development of space policies and programs and advised the governor and lieutenant governor on all civil, commercial and military space matters. Scott urged, then Gov., Jeb Bush to dissolve and combine the three state space organizations; the Florida Space Authority, the Florida Aerospace Finance Corp and the Florida Space Research Institute, into a single organization. The combination became what is now Space Florida.