<p>^^^and that’s no different from any other state university that’s been started in the last 60 years.</p>
<p>Time will tell what becomes of Florida Poly. I don’t think the best interests of Floridians were served opening the new university. If the state was dead set on opening a 12th university it would have made more sense to put it in Broward county with its 2 million population rather than in Polk county with its 600,000 residents.</p>
<p>The whole USF Poly/Florida Poly thing makes me want to take a shower…has anyone seen those $$ Star Wars statues? How about Captain Kirk’s chair? Ugly politics and financial waste…it’s been the issue for a few years.</p>
<p>However, it’s now the 12th university, and it will take years to build up.</p>
<p>NO college can be accredited without already being in operation. Florida Poly expects to be accredited in 2016, within two years of opening. It is true that there will be problems with transferring credits to another university BEFORE accreditation happens, and that they can’t offer Federal Student Aid. However, there are many alternative ways to fund college, including private loans and Florida Bright Futures – and their inaugural scholarship.</p>
<p>Take a look at USF Polytechnic’s degrees (you can still find them out there on Google). They were nothing like what Florida Poly will offer out of the same facility. They looked like vo-tech school. There’s simply a lot of sour grapes out there when this fantastic new campus (and the money that went with it) was removed from the USF umbrella. Other than UCF’s College of Engineering, state universities in Florida are sorely lacking in education for the high tech field. This school is needed and once it starts up and word gets out, applications will be pouring in. </p>
<p>Going to a brand new school is a risk, but it can also be a good fit for certain people. Florida Poly will start classes August 25, 2014 and holds great promise for those who have the guts to take a chance.</p>
<p>Florida Poly’s financial management is already a mess. I don’t see Florida Poly getting accredited by 2016.</p>
<p>[Issues</a> with rehired staff raise questions on Florida Poly hiring practices - SaintPetersBlog](<a href=“SaintPetersBlog – Life and politics from the Sunshine State's best city”>SaintPetersBlog – Life and politics from the Sunshine State's best city)</p>
<p>@lizard Having watched the mid-June Board of Governors meetings where COO Ava Parker and newly approved president Randy Avent gave reports, everything at Florida Poly is on track for accreditation in 2016. </p>
<p>I wish Florida Poly success, but the school is still a long way from attaining accreditation. Florida Poly is still working on the application it has to submit to the regional accreditation body. Gotta complete and submit the app first before getting accredited…getting accreditation before end of 2016 isn’t going to be easy for Florida Poly.</p>