<p>Sentinel Staff Writer
1:27 PM EDT, September 27, 2007</p>
<p>TALLAHASSEE - The state's 11 universities will raise tuition by 5 percent in January.</p>
<p>The Board of Governors voted unanimously to require the increase. It would mean a $55 increase per semester for a full-time undergraduate taking 15 credit hours.</p>
<p>Florida university officials say that the state's universities have the lowest average tuition in the country, at $2,500 less than the national average.</p>
<p>The Board of Governors also is urging that the universities put a heavy emphasis on using some of the money for increasing student financial aid.</p>
<p>But the governor says the Board does not have the "authority" to raise the tuition, only the legislature does, and he vetoed that bill earlier this year. So this seems to mean that the lawsuit filed (in Tallahassee) over whether the Board has the authority to raise the tuition will go forward and will have to run it course....unless the Senate/House and the Governor get together soon. </p>
<p>I hope to see the increase happen. It will ultimately raise the quality of education, esp if some of that money is specifically used to increase the numbers of profs and lower class sizes. </p>
<p>That said, I do have to disclose that I my kids will have both Florida Prepaid and Bright Futures. </p>
<p>I do feel a little guilty about the Bright Futures money, in that it is merit aid and results in there being much less financial aid available to in-state students.</p>
<p>This will be interesting. President Wetherell says he won't raise tuition unless the Legislature agrees. The lawsuit that is pending should clarify things...the Board of Governors will probably win.</p>
<p>Looks like another round between the legislature and the governor...</p>
<h2>from today's Orlando Sentinel:</h2>
<p>Secret's out on budget cutting
In a GOP plan at odds with Gov. Crist, health care would lose money and tuition would rise.</p>
<p>Florida lawmakers proposed Wednesday to pull the state out of its budget hole by slashing spending for schools, colleges, health care and other programs.....</p>
<p>.....And it will reopen a battle with the first-year Republican governor by proposing a 5 percent tuition increase at community colleges and universities beginning in January. Crist vetoed a similar tuition hike in May and has repeatedly said he doesn't want to make students pay higher costs to plug budget holes.</p>
<p>Lawmakers also rejected Crist's call to slash $10.2 million for new medical schools at the University of Central Florida and Florida International University. UCF would lose only $183,000 out of the $4.7 million the school was promised last spring. FIU would lose $212,000.</p>
<h2>"That clearly would have been a major, major fight," Rep. David Simmons, R-Maitland, said of Crist's planned cut. "The med school and life sciences programs are sacred ground as far as I'm concerned."</h2>
<p>If I go OOS and attend FSU, the tuition is still less than my state's in-state.</p>
<p>How amazing is that?</p>
<p>The Legislature will never be out of higher education. The BOG will try and achieve a working relationship with them. The Governor may still veto parts of the bill.</p>