<p>Florida's public universities can now switch to so-called block tuition charging a flat rate regardless of the number of courses taken instead of charging by credit hour.</p>
<p>But so far, only the University of Florida is moving in that direction.</p>
<p>UF officials say they want to charge a flat rate as soon as fall 2011 to encourage students to sign up for more credit hours each semester and graduate faster at least within four years thus saving students money in the long run.</p>
<p>Many students typically take longer than four years to graduate</p>
<p>Cycling students out more quickly also would create room for new students who really want to attend UF, officials have said.</p>
<p>Students would pay a flat rate probably centered on 15 credit hours and pay no more if they chose to take a heavier course load, but they would pay the same if they took fewer courses.</p>
<p>So far, some students at UF have criticized the proposed switch, saying they would be forced to pay for more than they are getting. Many say they work to make ends meet, making a heavier course load burdensome.</p>
<p>No one from the public commented on the block tuition proposal during Thursday's Board of Governors meeting in Gainesville.</p>
<p>S is senior at UCF. This would have been horrible for him, as he works fulltime so he only takes 12 hours/semester. However, he will graduate in 4 years (this May, in fact) because of all his AP credit. For D at UF, it won’t have any detrimental impact because she’s a chemical engineering student, and she already takes 16 to 17 hours/semester.</p>
<p>Probably the best idea the administration has pursued. People taking 12 credits so they can dick off and party, then take 5-6 years to graduate, are absolutely detrimental to the university.</p>
<p>So the way the university has been operating for years is detrimental? I disagree. But as a student who doesn’t party, and by party I mean drink, I am totally against the block tuition. I don’t want to feel a need to take a MINIMUM of 15 credits per semester. I’m taking 13 right now and feel that that is about right. I don’t want to rush my way through school or deal with the pressure and stress that that would cause.</p>
<p>“People taking 12 credits so they can dick off and party”…</p>
<p>rather a harsh statement…
due to the cost of college keep in mind many WORK their way through; this will certainly hurt those that probably need to take a lighter workload the most.
I can see UF’s position; they want to flush more people thru the system but the cost is carried by those that can least afford it.
Now if they offset that by offering a LOT more scholarships it would make sense.</p>
<p>I “get” why they are doing this. But there are students who choose to have a year round lease and take classes year round so they can graduate in four years, but only take 12 hours per fall and spring. This allows them to work or be active on campus or both. I also agree that the flexibility that DE and AP and IB courses give a student can pay off more than the requirement to take a minimum of 15 hours a semester. And students who routinely take 15-18 hours may have a killer semester one time, where 12 hours for one term is done. I just don’t see how this benefits anyone else besides the university. </p>
<p>And I believe this will NOT make more room for freshman. This will only help make more room for transfers.</p>
<p>Block tuition is nothing more than a scam to get more money from students–a stealth tuition increase. Bernie Machen and those who pushed for block tuition know students aren’t going to start taking 18 hours/semester with block tuition; most students will take same course loads and simply be charged more. Machen was moaning at one of the last Board of Governors meetings that he felt UF’s faculty to student ratio was too high–who’s he kidding–this block tuition deal isn’t going to help the ratio unless he thinks wholesale numbers of students will drop out of college with the implementation of block tuition. Using the argument of the university administrators that students would move through college quicker is faulty because that argument would crowd classes even more and worsen faculty:student ratios. Call block tuition what it really is: a tuition hike!</p>
<p>Does anyone know how this may affect students who have Florida Prepaid? You are allowed 120 credits in undergraduate courses. If a student takes 12 credits due to the complexity of their major, and you are charged higher tuition, will there be penalties from the prepaid program? I looked on their website and saw nothing regarding the topic of Block Tuition.</p>
<p>Page 4, section a, #6
A clear statement that any student that is a beneficiary of a prepaid
tuition contract, purchased prior to the first fall term in which the block
tuition is implemented, will not be included in any block tuition policy and
will be billed on a per-credit-hour basis.</p>
<p>Thats good news at least, as I have prepaid. And that reference to offering more scholarships at Florida pretty much means offering any scholarships.</p>