New "Tech" Fee Likely at FSU

Colleges and Universities A-Z Florida State University
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<p>Along with concrete and steel, more than $1 million of technology was poured into Florida State University's new $20.5 million classroom building.</p>

<p>That's what it took to install wireless, smart blackboards and other high-tech gizmos in the building opening next month.</p>

<p>In 2007, Florida university students for the first time may be asked to pay a long discussed technology fee of up to $10 per credit hour, possibly as much as $300 a year for a full-time student. </p>

<p>Legislative approval of a technology fee - which still would have to be pursued by each university - is a major priority this coming year for the universities and Board of Governors leading the system, Chancellor Mark Rosenberg said in a recent Tallahassee Democrat interview.</p>

<p>''The vision is for a nationally competitive university system that is affordable, but giving students the educations they need to prosper in the global economy," said Rosenberg, who backed the tech fee as soon as he came aboard as chancellor a year ago.</p>

<p>He recently brokered a deal with student leaders not to oppose the tech fee as they did in the past. That was based on students on each campus having input as to the amount of the fee and how it will be used.</p>

<p>Students sharing the responsibility of making the universities great "is what I like," Rosenberg said.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, so pervasive is technology on campuses, from Internet research to data crunching and online libraries, "It has become just like heat, air, water and light," said FSU President T.K. Wetherell, a fan of the proposed tech fee. "Students are paying for it whether you charge it or not...We're having to take it out of tuition and shortchange students in terms of the faculty we hire and everything we can do."</p>

<p>For the complete article see:
<a href="http://www.tdo.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061221/FSU01/612210347/1010%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.tdo.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061221/FSU01/612210347/1010&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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<p>"We're having to take it out of tuition and shortchange students in terms of the faculty we hire and everything we can do."</p>

<p>If the new fee was imposed, do you think there would be hiring of new, better teachers? Wetherell's making a direct correlation to it, I just wish there was a direct correlation once students are charged for it...I personally would pay another $300 a year or more if less TAs taught classes -- but that's an entirely different discussion.. :)</p>

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<p>I would say the new fee is virtually a done deal. Already we have seen increases in costs not covered by Bright Futures or Prepaid tuition. A required meal plan for some dorms is also an increase in expense, though not billed as such. But the renovated, on-campus dorms (no parking issues) are very nice and worth the cost of the meal plan. </p>

<p>Frankly, FSU is one heck of a deal for what we pay, so I am not bothered too much by the ratcheting up of expense; especially when compared to private schools. For Florida State and UF, for that matter, to compete with the best of the state schools in the US we have to improve the instructional ratio. As of 2005 it was about 21 to 1 for both FSU and UFL.</p>

<p>FSU's Pathways of Excellence, where the university is looking for some 200 top-notch professors is a good start...but it's going to cost some $150 million plus. (See: <a href="http://pathways.fsu.edu/faculty/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://pathways.fsu.edu/faculty/&lt;/a> ) Of course, such investment should reap rich rewards in terms of secured research funding down the road as a result, thus paying for itself and more. But one has to get there first.</p>

<p>Yes...more money should result in better staffing.</p>

<p>TAs teaching undergraduate courses is a mixed bag. I've had some who were great and some awful. It was the same with full professors. I'd rather have the full professor, of course, but not all - anywhere - are superb teachers.</p>

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<p>The Florida prepaid tuition and local fee plan does not cover the current FSU transportation fee of $6 per credit BUT the FAS Bright Futures scholarship does!! I wonder what will happen when this technology fee (of up to $10 per credit) is added in the future...</p>

<p>Has there been any word on this yet?</p>

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<p>I haven't seen it yet in tuition and fees of current students...unless it's buried.</p>

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<p>Just found this press release at </p>

<p><a href="http://www.florida529plans.com/news/press121306.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.florida529plans.com/news/press121306.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
FLORIDA PREPAID COLLEGE BOARD RESPONDS TO THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS
PROPOSED ACADEMIC ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM FEE
Tallahassee, Fla. With the goal to maintain the integrity of the State’s commitment to Prepaid College Plan participants and at the same time, not impede the universities’ ability to develop funding strategies to improve the overall quality of the education provided, the Prepaid College Board unanimously voted to recommend that if the Legislature chooses to authorize the Board of Governors proposed Academic Enhancement Program fee, the Legislature should exempt the Prepaid College Board and all current owners of a Prepaid College Plan from being assessed the fee when their child attends any university that implements the program now or anytime in the future. The Prepaid College Board also agreed that if the Legislature chooses to authorize the Academic Enhancement Program fee, the Board should have the authority to establish a means for future purchasers of a Prepaid College Plan to save in advance for these fees.
Florida Prepaid College Board Chairman Ted Hoepner led a discussion with Board members at their meeting last week regarding the impact the Academic Enhancement Program fee proposed by the Board of Governors would have on Prepaid College Plan participants. The Board of Governors is requesting authorization from the Legislature to implement the Program through a pilot program at the University of Florida. If implemented, the University of Florida will assess all new undergraduate students entering the University for the first time during the fall 2007 term a $500-per-semester fee, which would represent a 41 percent increase in tuition rates, in a single year. According to the University of Florida, the revenue generated from the fee will be used to improve the university’s student-to-faculty ratio and to hire additional academic advisers.
When the Program was announced by the Board of Governors, it was reported that the fee would not be covered by the Prepaid College Plan or by the Bright Futures Scholarship Program.
Although the specific details on the program implementation have not been finalized, Chairman Hoepner stated, “We have a responsibility to the families that have saved their hard earned money by purchasing a Prepaid College Plan to uphold the guarantee? that their plan will cover the cost of tuition when their children are ready to attend college.” The Prepaid College Board members agreed that Florida families who had purchased Prepaid College tuition plans understood the plan would pay the actual costs of tuition when their children attend college. Prepaid Board members expressed concern that, although the Board of Governors proposal was identified as a “fee,” some might consider it to be “tuition” because in the past these types of costs have been covered by tuition, not by a special fee. The Prepaid College Board will submit its recommendation to the Governor and legislators for their consideration.
The Florida Prepaid College Plan is the largest program of its kind in the country, with more than 1.1 million contracts sold and close to 800,000 eligible children enrolled. For enrollment information, visit <a href="http://www.florida529plans.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.florida529plans.com&lt;/a> or call 1-800-552-GRAD (4723).
? Financially guaranteed by the State of Florida. Section 1009.98(7), Florida Statutes.</p>