<p>(The flagships are making it happen. This is good for Florida, I'd suggest.)</p>
<p>From the Florida Alligator. (Complete article here: <a href="http://www.alligator.org/pt2/070322program.php%5B/url%5D">http://www.alligator.org/pt2/070322program.php</a> )</p>
<p>A bill that would allow UF to charge students money on top of tuition was passed by a state Senate committee Wednesday.</p>
<p>The Committee on Higher Education passed the bill, written by committee chairman Sen. Steve Oelrich, with a 3-2 vote.</p>
<p>If it passes through the Legislature, the bill would enable UF President Bernie Machen to implement his "Academic Enhancement Program," which would charge incoming students an additional $1,000 a year.</p>
<p>Students would pay the fee in the fall, and the money would go toward hiring 200 new faculty members and 100 academic advisers over four years.</p>
<p>The bill does not specifically mention UF or the program but would give the State University System's highest governing body, the Board of Governors, the final say on such fees. Currently, the Legislature must approve of any tuition increases or new fees.</p>
<p>Oelrich, who represents Alachua County, said he intends for UF to be the only university to institute the fee for the first year.</p>
<p>Florida State University President T.K. Wetherell agreed with Oelrich.</p>
<p>"We all came to the conclusion that we needed a pilot program, and it just seemed logical that Florida would be the one to receive it," Wetherell said.</p>
<p>But as for FSU, Wetherell, who addressed the committee in support of the bill Wednesday, said it would be presumptuous to say whether he supports instating a similar fee at his university.</p>
<p>He said the purpose of instituting a pilot program is to wait for the results and evaluate the effect it may have on incoming students, such as a decrease in UF applicants.</p>
<p>"I think President Wetherell has taken the high road," Oelrich said.</p>
<p>"He has the best interest of the university system and particularly UF in mind," he said. "He knows the higher UF goes, so goes FSU."</p>
<p>In a phone interview from New Orleans, Machen agreed, saying UF and FSU are partners and that Wetherell has been involved in the planning of UF's program since the beginning.</p>
<p>"I'm thankful to my friend, T.K. Wetherell, who recognizes that UF and FSU are kind of the same," Machen said. "If there's any indication of the friendship we have, well, I don't think there could be a better one than that."</p>
<p>Wetherell said he and Machen have been friends since Machen became president in 2004, and the program is just one of many issues they work on together.</p>
<p>For now, Wetherell said he feels very positive about the future of the bill, despite Gov. Charlie Crist's proposed freeze on tuition and fees in his budget.</p>
<p>Wetherell said though he and Machen are planning for every stage of the bill, right now it's a matter of changing focus as the bill progresses.</p>
<p>"We have to work with the pending crisis of the moment, but I think Bernie's very comfortable there, and rightfully so," he said.</p>
<p>But before the bill gets to the governor's desk, it must first pass through the Committee on Higher Education Appropriations, the Senate and the House of Representatives.</p>
<p>A separate but similar bill written by Rep. Charles Dean will be presented at a meeting for the House Committee on Postsecondary Education today.</p>
<p>Oelrich said he hopes to combine the two bills and send a message to the governor.</p>
<p>"Governor Crist favors talking about the people of Florida, but we're the Legislative branch and we represent the people," he said. "I just can't imagine him vetoing something that's going to be good for the university system."</p>