<p>I saw this article linked in another thread and thought it deserved it's own.</p>
<p>Barron</a>, Board of Trustees discuss cuts | fsunews.com |</p>
<p>As the parent of a student currently deciding between FSU and UF, I find this article more than just a little disturbing.</p>
<p>Obviously the economics of the state are impacting the entire university system, but are other schools (specifically UF) losing faculty talent at this rate and experiencing overworked and overstressed teachers in the same way?</p>
<p>Is there some hyperbole involved here because the legislature is in session and currently exploring budget cuts?</p>
<p>I would love to hear any informed opinions on this subject.</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>All 11 Florida public universities are struggling now with money woes. Looks now like the legislature won’t allow this year tuition increases above 15%. The state’s higher education budget will be balanced out of the hides of students and reductions and cutbacks at the colleges. UF might be in the worst shape of all the state universities with its Shands Hospitals in Gainesville and Jacksonville taking an enormous hit with medicaid payment reductions coming up. </p>
<p>[No</a> more than 15% tuition hike, top lawmaker tells universities](<a href=“http://www2.tbo.com/content/2011/mar/24/no-more-than-15-tuition-hike-top-lawmaker-tells-un/news-breaking/]No”>http://www2.tbo.com/content/2011/mar/24/no-more-than-15-tuition-hike-top-lawmaker-tells-un/news-breaking/)</p>
<p>No university is ever immune from external talent recruitment - especially during this time of thin budgets. If you are told UF is somehow immune…you better check and see if you still have your wallet on the way out - you are being snookered. </p>
<p>FSU does fight for its rising stars, however. President Barron was at UTexas and Penn State before Florida State. He knows how the game is played and he competes. Working for dollars from the Legislature is normal during the annual Session.</p>
<p>Some of the professors that leave Florida universities now are leaving because they know that their depts. are likely to be eliminated in next couple of years–they’re getting out before they get a pink slip. The colleges are paring back and eliminating depts. that are overly costly and maybe not entirely necessary to improve and maintain the academic integrity of the institution. For example do both UF and FSU really need real estate depts. in their business colleges right now? If you were a professor of building construction at UF, wouldn’t you be dusting off your resume now knowing few students are enrolling in the building construction program now with construction business off so much now? Florida universities rightly will be eliminating programs that are not necessary and duplicated at multiple Florida universities when not necessary to better serve students and citizens of Florida.</p>
<p>This is not unique to Florida. California’s system is struggling, Texas public U’s are struggling. Things are tough all over. And FSU started belt tightening several years ago. To be honest, they are well ahead of other states. And profs are no longer migrating away like they did 2-3 years ago. Because FSU has already become more lean and mean, Barron has really made a huge difference, and spots are drying up elsewhere. FSU is actually is a better position than it was a few years ago, and years ahead of other states just now realizing there is a problem.</p>
<p>Tlass - Real Estate at FSU happens to be excellent and nationally ranked. I doubt faculty are leaving.</p>
<p>^Dr. Barron seems to be concerned about faculty leaving depts. like the real estate program as he described in above referenced Flambeau news article:</p>
<p>“In the Board of Trustees meeting, Barron cited the college of business as an example of the effect of this fact. Since 2010, the faculty in the College of Business within the Insurance, Risk Management and Real Estate programs, programs for which FSU has a respectable reputation, have had 12 offers from other institutions. Nine of the offer letters totaled a $627,000 raise above FSU’s pay, an average raise of $70,000. Barron pointed out in his presentation that many of these competing institutions were institutions of lower rank.”</p>
<p>Dr. Barron has his hands full, but that’s his job. Losing just one or two professors in a relatively small dept. like the real estate program could literally wipe out the nationally ranked program. It’s difficult keeping faculty with Florida sunshine as compensation when other competing schools are dangling much bigger money carrots. FSU will get through all this money stuff with the right attitude and hard work, which FSU folks like Dr. Barron seem to exhibit in abundance.</p>
<p>Excellent faculty frequently get offers. It’s a competitive business.</p>
<p>Yep, the best ivory towers have doors that freely swing both in and out allowing academic freedom.</p>