<p>You all may have heard that UF is getting their budgets slashed in an unprecedented fashion. But if you really look at the long term, then UF is showing a pattern of substantial improvement over the last 30 years. It’s reasonable to assume that the future is so bright for the Gator Nation that we will have to wear shades.</p>
<p>Let’s look at the facts:</p>
<li><p>In the early 90’s UF was ranked the 29th overall best public university in the USA, and peaked at 13th overall in 2007. We had a little bump in the road for 2008, but in the long run the UF machine will grow to epic proportions.</p></li>
<li><p>For the first time UF is starting to build an endowment that is able to match some of the strongest research universities (both private & public).</p></li>
<li><p>UF has already raised $700 million over the last 3 years in their latest Capital Campaign, and they are projected to reach $1.5 billion in just a few more years. For the first time the Alumni are really striving to make gains on this end.</p></li>
<li><p>The population in the state of Florida is projected to reach 28 million by the year 2030, and it’s a fact that their will be an substantial increase in demand for the FTIC incoming classes. Also Bright Futures is politically untouchable and it’s almost a given that the Legislature will continue to pay the tab for Florida’s students (although I do think the present system needs to be tweaked).</p></li>
<li><p>The athletic program is easily one of the strongest in the nation, and will continue to have great success in the years to come. This will be a huge draw for incoming freshmen. Just look at how the demand has spiked since the 3 national championships! (from 55% admitted to 36% admitted, and 5,000 more students have applied since 2005)</p></li>
<li><p>The money raised from Tuition Differential alone will bring in enough instuctors and junior faculty that Class-Sizes will reduce to the teens by 2010.</p></li>
<li><p>The rest of the nation is now staring to pay attention to the biomedical research and life sciences that the state is now starting to produce. The business community in Florida is under the disposition that they must shift our economy from Agriculture and Tourism to a more diversified economy (right now the state generates over $700 billion, and it’s projected to grow amazingly after we get over the housing bust).</p></li>
<li><p>The Florida Board of Governors and the Legislature are now in deep discussions about changing how we fund universities in the state of Florida. Basically the funding formula will be changed to benefit UF & FSU while at the same time the Directional Universities will be taken care of as well.</p></li>
<li><p>UF & FSU are now really starting to work together so that they can both raise at the same time. Basically the lobbying power has increased 10 fold.</p></li>
</ol>
<ul>
<li>For all of these reasons I believe that UF & FSU are on the rise. This is a long term pattern that will show substantial improvement in the years to come.</li>
</ul>
<p>That is a complete fairy tale and I don't believe it for a second. 2010 is around the corner, I doubt such a drastic change will occur from now till then.</p>
<p>^ Why they are going to generate an extra $70 million dollars (recurring funding) a year in revenue from the Tuition Differential windfall. Basically the law stipulates that this money MUST be spent on hiring an increased faculty and academic advisors. So I would imagine that would equate to atleast 500 faculty members and 200 academic advisors.</p>
<p>Also they are planning on reducing the incoming classes by 1,000 a year for 4 years. That is 4,000 less students that UF is responsible for. Okay so how about you meet me half way and say 2012.</p>
<p>These are the types of discussions we should also be having on this board. When Machen took over, the UF Board of Trustees made it a goal to have UF a top 10 public university in 10 years. We are definitely behind schedule on that largely due to state cut backs.</p>
<p>We are very lucky to have a president like Machen at UF who is able to steer UF in the right direction despite the crappy cards UF is currently being dealt with.</p>
<p>I agree with SSobick that a student/teacher ratio in the teens is very attainable with differential tuition along with a decrease of the student body by 4K.</p>
<p>*** Oh, I also forgot to add: UF generated $583 million in research last year. With the expansions into Torrey Pines, and Moffitt research firms - UF will be churning out double the research expenditures in only a short time. </p>
<p>In addition, UF just signed a MAJOR contract with one of the most successful Venture Capital firms. The sky is the limit in how that will turn out.</p>
<p>Yes. That firm, Alexandria Real Estate, is the largest property life science venture capitalist in the world. They are very well known for investing large sums of money into MIT and UCSF. If those facts don't speak volumes about UF's research reputation than I don't know what does!</p>
<p>Are you sure that UF partnered up with Torrey Pines??</p>
<p>^ WHoops I made a mistake they are working with the Burnham Institute in Orlando, and not Torrey Pines.</p>
<p>But Lord know what other awesome deals Machen is making with these Bio-tech Giants. I am just an alumni, and don't get to hear the inside scoop until it hits the presses.</p>
<p>I am sick and tired of UF getting the shaft because of our low Peer-Assessment rankings. I might also add this is because we are quantified as a southern Institution, and evidently the Old-Guard believes (who ranks here) that we should only get a 3.6 overall even though we are one of the strongest Research Universities in the world. We generated over $580 million in research funding last year alone!</p>
<p>We have also produced more U.S. Senators, Ambassadors, U.S. Congressman yada yada yada... than most Ivy League institutions, and we still get little respect on the national scale!</p>
<p>Florida now has 18.5 million residents and it's time for the rest of the USA to start taking note! Give UF the Peer-Assessment score they truly deserve!</p>
<p>Or maybe UF is overrated within its own state.......?</p>
<p>Just sayin. I mean, it makes sense. If UF is getting low assessment rates, it's reputation is probably very inflated within the state.</p>
<p>By the way, a university's alumni list is really just another fancy representation of a school's selectivity. It doesn't demonstrate the quality of its education. Naturally, the more people who are smart to begin with who attend a university, the more notable alumni it will have.</p>
<p>Also, did you know Charlie Crist is an FSU alum? That means if he's John McCain's running mate, wins, and McCain's cancer comes back and kills him, FSU would beat UF to the presidency? (I know, long shot. So many variables) Just a fun fact. :)</p>