<p>Ranked No. 1 by the National Science Foundation in agricultural R&D, IFAS sets a world-class standard for innovative research.</p>
<p>IFAS is taking the biggest hit with these budget cuts.</p>
<p>Starting pay for many of Ag science grads with a BS is 55k-65K. They are opening 3 new water plants in Florida and there are not enough people operate them. </p>
<p>Art History majors 22K.</p>
<p>What does Florida need more of Art History majors or Ag science grads.</p>
<p>I blame Jeb Bush. :P</p>
<p>Seriously. Is education the ONLY thing this legislature cuts?</p>
<p>If you read, they are also cutting undergrad population by 4,000 or ~11%. By doing so, I think they will improve the undergrad quality of education, as well as increase it's admissions standards to be on par with UB-Berkeley, UVA, NYU, possibly Cornell. I don't see that making sure a university uses money effectively as a bad thing at all. For example, they are cutting over 100 administrative jobs but only 20 faculty members. Couple this with a reduction in undergraduates and the student/faculty ratio n stays the same or even decreases, which along with higher SAT scores and lower admissions should translate into a good 5-10 ranking points in the next few years. Who knows, maybe to a top 25 university soon.</p>
<p>People don't think and immideately want to reduce property taxes, but they don't realize that the state gets most of its revenue from property taxes. The state needs to get that money one way or the other. The legislature will just add another tax or increase sales tax.</p>
<p>Well this sure shakes things up.</p>
<p>
[QUOTE]
I blame Jeb Bush. :P</p>
<p>Seriously. Is education the ONLY thing this legislature cuts?
[/QUOTE]
</p>
<p>Makes perfect sense. College age kids are less likely to vote than older sections of the population. Thus, public officials find it favorable to slash spending (and thus taxes) to please their constituents, since the young were unlikely to vote for them (or anyone else) anyways. This is compounded by Florida being a state associated with older age groups who are unlikely to have college age children and are therefore more worried about their social security than education.</p>
<p>...right, sorry about that. I just had my AP Government Exam this morning, and I haven't shifted out of free-response mode yet >.<</p>
<p>So you think the budget cuts are a good thing as long as it brings UF up in the rankings? Is that all that matters anymore here on CC? What good is a state institution if it can't efficiently serve the state? More and more high school grads are now going to college competing for less and less spots at state universities. In the next four years alone, a total of 10,000 FTIC freshman will be denied admission that would have otherwise been granted to them before the budget cuts. Because the other state universities are also making class sizes smaller, this effect "trickles down" the college prestige ladder eventually to the denial of this many students from college, whether or not they even applied to UF. I understand it's logical that this needs to be done now, but you're acting like the denial of these students and an overall increase in selectivity is a good thing.</p>
<p>Here's the issue with selectivity: You're comparing the Florida university system to California's. California has multiple reputable public schools to accommodate its high achieving students, such as USC, UCLA, UCB and UCSD. However, Florida only has one--UF. None of the other universities have stepped up to the plate (unless you count NCF, but they hardly put a dent in this statistic) to take in high achieving state residents. Instead, each university, including UCF and FAU, have created honors colleges, to accommodate "UF rejects." FAU even gave the honors students their own campus, library, professors, and facilities in Jupiter. Their stats are even similar to UF's, with a 3.75-4.30 GPA midrange. This needs to stop. One university needs to step up and start achieving their potential to be a top-ranked university along with UF. FSU or UCF are most suited at the moment to do this job, and should start marketing to these students who don't get into UF and eventually just head OOS instead of going to the "lesser" universities, which IS happening at this point. Not only will doing so retain more state residents, but it would relieve admissions pressure from UF, giving even Gator hopefuls a very enticing 2nd option.</p>
<p>^^^^ best post ive read in a while. cant agree with you more dvm.</p>
<p>budget cuts will effect every one in the near future. whether any one likes it or not. people who DESERVE a shot at UF will not get it and thats just disapointing. and next year it will come from all angles. Undergrads, graduates, professional, and even transfer students will take a hit.</p>
<p>It's not all about rankings. It's abut making sure the tax money that is given to schools isn't squandered by them-fiscal responsibility. Anyone who makes enough money to pay a lot of taxes should want to see a lot more of forcing of fiscal responsibility on ALL government institutions. For what it is worth, I feel the public secondary school system wastes more money than any state government entity and Universities wouldn't be in this situation if Tallahassee would crack down there. Fat chance though, as the union has the legislatures by the balls.</p>
<p>Keep in perspective that Tuition Differential Money by LAW has to go to Undergraduate education. When in full swing we are talking about $70 million a year that must go to more Professors (mostly Instructors) and Academic Advisors.</p>
<p>In essence: the Undergraduate Program should be okay.</p>
<p>DVM,</p>
<p>Cry us a river. Stop blaming UF because the Legisature is controlled by Senior-Citizens who refuse to implement an Income Tax. The funding was not there and UF does not want to suffer in quality. Keep in perspective how bad the Class-Sizes were at UF & FSU (the Flagships).</p>
<p>Also this last Legislative Session the state allowed multiple 4-year programs at Broward Community College, Indian River Community College, Polk Community College, Santa Fe Community College etc..</p>
<p>So if students can't get into the Regional Universities: UCF, USF, FIU, FAU, UNF, UWF, and FGCU then they can now earn Bachelor Degrees at these new Hybrids.</p>
<p>In the future all of the Community Colleges will be expanded to offer 4 year programs. So the state will increase Bachelor Degrees, but the substandard students who need remediation will just have to attend one of the newly established programs. Not all Florida High School graduates are entitled to the University experience.</p>
<p>Overall the Higher Education System in Florida is starting to become more like California (which has the greatest Public Higher Education System in the world).</p>
<p>I hope they cut a lot of unnecessary administration positions. I saw a study done by MIT awhile back where that school DOUBLED its number of such positions over the past 40 years and yet have roughly the same number of students/faculty. I don't understand how running a university could have become that much more difficult over a 40 year period outside of the handful of people dedicated to such things as technology transfer.</p>