<p>A</a> town without students - News - GainesvilleSun.com</p>
<p>"In addition to the summer proposal, Machen suggested UF could shrink the size of its 2008-2009 freshman class. The resources simply may not be there to serve a standard class of more than 6,000 students, he said."</p>
<p>This will hurt not matter what.</p>
<p>Well if the Legislature keeps the funding at such an egregiously low-level then how can UF possibly stay quality? We need to be concerned with excellence at this Flagship University, and there are still 9 other universities to provide access.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, we can't fund the universities while continuing to offer tax cuts. It's sad, really. Both sides both need the money, but who will get it? The people, or the organizations that serve them?</p>
<p>I just read an article in my local paper today about FAU's plans to further cut costs because they're expecting yet another budget cut. They've discussed everything from cutting salaries of professors, raising the classroom temperature to save on energy costs, etc. Unfortunately, the only solution not proposed was canceling plans to build their new football stadium. Hmmm.......Classrooms.....or football?</p>
<p>can somebody copy and paste that article? it won't load on my comp for some reason</p>
<p>Do you think if they cut summer classes, that would mean cutting Distance Learning ones too? </p>
<p>If then didn't cut the Distance Learning classes I might have a shot at actually graduating still on time, if the summer-cut goes through...</p>
<p>^ Cry me a river...</p>
<p>What if you applied to the Summer B session for the class of 2012?</p>
<p>I think in the end, UF will have their summer B term. For now, they need to put out these warnings to try and force the state to hold back on cutting funding. </p>
<p>The reality is that UF has a healthy endowment that potentially generates close to $50-60 Million a year in interest income alone. the university knows this, the state knows this and its really just a question of the university either having to use some of the income from the endowment or the state providing some funding.</p>
<p>I would be very surprised if the summer B term was cancelled.</p>
<p>Think of it as some kind of exotic reptilian mating ritual. And you know how those things end up: fertilization, egg laying, shared incubation. and then......
more GATORS!</p>
<p>I wonder if this isn't BM way of cutting the size of the 2012 class-- By saying "I saved summer". Throw out the worse case, shut G'ville down and the impact on the community. Cutting the size of 2012 would sound as bad</p>
<p>BM would reduce the student to faculty ratio, increase selectivity applications vs acceptances and save some money.</p>
<p>I would have no problem with that. UF really needs to focus on providing quality graduate programs for Florida, the South East, and the rest of the Nation.</p>
<p>What is so bad about that?</p>
<p>^^It's a FLORIDA public school. It's exists to serve primarily FLORIDA residents.</p>
<p>Sadly, the average per capita taxable income in Florida consistently ranks in the bottom third or the bottom quarter nationally. In 2004 we were ranked 39th, below Louisiana and way below NC or Virginia. When you add to that a constant avalanche of retirees moving down, requiring constant infrastructure building and rebuilding, and include an overwhelmed natural environment requiring $$$ billions in repair work and flood control, you can't expect much from our university system. Actually, I am surprised they do so well.</p>
<p>"^^It's a FLORIDA public school. It's exists to serve primarily FLORIDA residents."</p>
<p>I understand that. But the state of Florida also requires a workforce that has graduate degrees. Graduate Education & Research is now, and will forever be UF's main focus. We churn out Doctoral & Masters graduates to work in Florida. We also generate 6 billion for Florida's economy, and we deserve more autonomy.</p>
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<p>"When you add to that a constant avalanche of retirees moving down, requiring constant infrastructure building and rebuilding, and include an overwhelmed natural environment requiring $$$ billions in repair work and flood control, you can't expect much from our university system. Actually, I am surprised they do so well."</p>
<p>Don't be surprised that UF is doing so well. We have easily one of the strongest alumni bases in the USA. Check it out:</p>
<p>List</a> of University of Florida people - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</p>
<p>
[quote]
Well said dvm258. UF is a public school intended to serve the residents of Florida. UF is not any more or less important to the legislature than USF, UCF, Florida State, FIU and the rest of them (no matter how bitter this is to swallow for some people here)
[/quote]
</p>
<p>With that reasoning, shouldn't students be ok with going to USF, FIU, FSU, UCF, UNF, etc and stop focusing on going to UF only. </p>
<p>I personally don't think that UF will cancel summer. I think its a scare tactic directed towards the legislature so they will give UF more money. The legislature can't expect UF to keep functioning at its current level if they continue with budget cuts. Hopefully UF will be allowed to raise tuition soon so they wont be in this type of mess in the future.</p>
<p>No, but the legislature doesn't discriminate with funding when it comes to a school's selectivity.</p>
<p>If graduate and research is what Florida needs, then why do we have such a horrific public secondary system? If the state really cared about expanding in those areas, they would improve in that department. The way things are now, people aren't going to be moving down to Florida for jobs anytime soon. Many are already leaving for the Carolinas and Georgia. In fact, there is a possibility my own family may move to Chicago for a better life. (Also better job security.) I've already applied to UIUC and Northwestern in case I choose to move with my family if the move happens.</p>
<p>This is why we have bright futures, to bribe current students to stay in the state. And guess what? It actually works! But how long can the state keep giving away lotto money that the pre-college system desperately needs?</p>
<p>"This is going to change. UF is already suffering the impact of the budget woes. </p>
<p>There are plenty of problems to be addressed for instance, at UF liberal arts and sciences college ( the largest of 16 colleges !! ), however liberal arts has been without a permanent Dean since january 1st 2007 when Neil Sullivan resigned after a $ 4million debt controversy. They have been unable to recruit because top notch people are going elsewhere..... because of money."</p>
<p>Wow, you sound like a Negative Nancy. UF has a 4.3 billion operating budget, a 1.2 billion endowment, and generates 6 billion to Florida's economy. Oh we are also in the midst of a 1.5 billion Capital Campaign. UF will simply respond by taking less students. I also believe we should take more out-of-state students to generate more revenue.</p>
<p>In addition, the state does give UF & FSU a disproprtionate amount of funding in comparison to the rest of the SUS. They are the Flagships, have the history, alumni, & prestige, and therefore are treated as such. Now that Jeb Bush is out of office, the disparity is really going to shift back into UF & FSU's favor.</p>
<p>Lastly, I can tell you now - If the Legislature squeezes UF then it will be taken out on the Undergraduate Program. The CLAS debt that you brought up is in regards to UF being forced to take so many Community College transfers. Hopefully plans are in progress to reduce them as well.</p>
<p>As many have pointed out on this board, UF has done a great job with its endowment and continues to raise more money. In addition to using the money to hire more teachers and cover costs for summer session, i don't understand why more funds aren't being used to make UF a better place. we visited several Florida universities and clearly UF does not seem to be doing as much new construction/renovation as many of the other universities. </p>
<p>it could be that the fascilities at UF are really good (dorms updated, classrooms not over crowded etc) and don't require any updating and improvement. during our two visits to the UF campus, it seemed to be really nice, but in all honesty we didn't see much of the inside of the buildings. the tour guide walked us around campus and pointed out buildings, but didn't take us into any of them. we later walked into some buildings on our own. the new rec center was really awesome, but when comparing the dorms and academic buildings with those we saw at other florida universities, it didn't seem to be as updated.</p>
<p>Are there plans for construction and renovation?</p>
<p>^ Well I don't work for UF, just a die-hard alumni. I get my sources from the Alligator, friends, and the UF Website.</p>
<p>Here is a website that gives updates in regards to construction on campus.</p>
<p>i checked this site</p>
<p>Facilities</a> Planning & Construction - Project Pages</p>
<p>and when i click on the links to read about major projects, nothing comes up. do you know what projects are under way? are more classrooms being added? are the dorms being updated or new ones built to accomodate the freshman class?</p>
<p>thanks</p>