<p>I’m not sure Gov. Scott has even received the bill yet in his office. Once the bill hits his desk he has 15 calendar days to sign, veto, or let bill slide into law by default by doing nothing. If it doesn’t become law now, I am confident tuition will still keep going up one way or another in the future with the state cutting back funding to higher education more and more. UF’s president Machen stormed out of a Board of Governors meeting a week or so ago all ticked off when the governors didn’t approve a fee increase for UF. Maybe Machen was doubly mad because he already knew Gov. Scott might not sign this Preeminent University bill either allowing the extra tuition increase! Time will tell.</p>
<p>I thought I read that today was the deadline for it being signed into law, vetoed, etc. Has anyone read anything that confirms this? I may just be crazy…</p>
<p>He hasn’t received the bill yet from the legislature. I thought that today was the deadline as well, but it turns out that it isn’t, because he hasn’t received it yet. Once he does he has 15 days to sign, veto, or do nothing with (which is essentially signing) it.</p>
<p>Preeminent University Act (HB 7129) hasn’t been presented to Gov. Scott yet according to this list: [Bill</a> Action](<a href=“http://www.flgov.com/bill-action/]Bill”>http://www.flgov.com/bill-action/)</p>
<p>Thanks for the link Tallalassie!</p>
<p>According to below news story, if bill becomes law, market rate tuition probably wouldn’t be charged for at least another year, and only for new students, not currently enrolled students. When FSU officials meet with Gov. Scott April 12th to discuss the bill, I hope UF officials are not in the same room colluding with FSU future tuition to be charged students, or the higher tuition to be charged might be more “fixed” than “market.” </p>
<p>[UF</a>, FSU may delay charging “market rate” tuition until fall 2013 - Sun Sentinel](<a href=“http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2012-04-02/news/fl-uf-fsu-tuition-20120402_1_big-tuition-increases-uf-and-fsu-tuition-hike]UF”>http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2012-04-02/news/fl-uf-fsu-tuition-20120402_1_big-tuition-increases-uf-and-fsu-tuition-hike)</p>
<p>That’s good news. I felt that it would be unfair to dramatically increase tuition for students who will probably graduate before the additional staff and resources become available. Of course, that’s assuming that I don’t go to grad school. Of course, it’s not such good news for the Freshman class of 2013, or later, but at least they still have some time to prepare or decide to go somewhere else.</p>
<p>Just thought I’d bump this. </p>
<p>According to an article I read about UF shutting down their Computer Science department in order to save $1.7 million, Governor Scott signed into law the bill that creates Florida Poly on Friday.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevensalzberg/2012/04/22/university-of-florida-eliminates-computer-science-department-increases-athletic-budgets-hmm/[/url]”>http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevensalzberg/2012/04/22/university-of-florida-eliminates-computer-science-department-increases-athletic-budgets-hmm/</a></p>
<p>Gov. Scott’s chief-of-staff, Steve MacNamara, is a tenured FSU professor on leave now from FSU while working for Scott. MacNamara is the background guy who calls the shots and tells Gov. Scott what he should do. MacNamara is first in line whispering in Scott’s ear about any issue; if MacNamara tells Scott to approve the Preeminent Universities Act, Scott will sign the bill to allow increased “market-rate” tuitions.</p>
<p>That Forbes article is grossly misleading. There have been two Computer Science programs at UF (one in CLAS and one in COE). What UF is doing is consolidating CS research and PhD programs into the College of Engineering. Undergrads and masters students will still be able to get degrees from whichever college best aligns with their broader academic objectives. Cutting-edge research will simply be in consolidated into COE.</p>
<p>I’m surprised that he actually signed the USF-Poly bill. I thought that would get vetoed. </p>
<p>Apparently, even the governor is not immune to JD Alexander’s persuasiveness.</p>
<p>Gov. Scott is supposed to make his decision on the Preeminent Universities bill, and market rate tuition increases, by end of this week. I don’t think he’ll approve it. He’s said all along he doesn’t like tuition increases. Scott just pushed the chairman of the UF trustee board out because the trustee was always pushing for tuition increases. Too, if Scott vetoes the bill, I wouldn’t be surprised if UF’s president Machen resigns in disgust before his contract runs out next year.</p>
<p>[Gov</a>. Rick Scott wants to reshape the State University System in his own image | Gainesville.com](<a href=“http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120424/OPINION01/120429852/1076/opinion?p=1&tc=pg]Gov”>http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120424/OPINION01/120429852/1076/opinion?p=1&tc=pg)</p>
<p>I doubt he’ll go that far. Resigning early could have financial repercussions for him, as well as burn a bridge.</p>
<p>Contracts are made to be broken. There’s probably fine print in his contract Machen could use for leaving early like citing health…Machen for example could catch a case of “Urban Meyeritis.” Besides, academia is in a foul mood with the way it’s being treated by politicians now with all the funding cuts…academia would back up Machen for sticking his thumb in the face of politicians meddling in university business.</p>
<p>It would seem pretty schizophrenic if Scott vetos this bill after agreeing to creating a new university while also slashing the budget by $300 million.</p>
<p>^ Yeah, you got that right! President Obama was on TV last night talking about loans many students will have to take out if Gov. Scott doesn’t veto this bill.</p>
<p>[Slow</a> Jam The News with Barack Obama: Late Night with Jimmy Fallon - YouTube](<a href=“Slow Jam The News with Barack Obama (Late Night with Jimmy Fallon) - YouTube”>Slow Jam The News with Barack Obama (Late Night with Jimmy Fallon) - YouTube)</p>
<p>Whatever the decision will be, the fact that he is waiting until a Friday or a Saturday suggests that he expects controversy. </p>
<p>Making unpopular announcements on Friday afternoon is a well-known PR trick to dampen the impact of a news story. If you want a story to make waves, release it Monday morning. If you want it to get buried, release it Friday afternoon, or on the weekend.</p>
<p>He vetoed it. Thank goodness. From the email that went out, there is no question that President Barron was disappointed.</p>
<p>It’s not that good. We are going to lose a lot of good faculty.</p>
<p>I’m not sure that the bill was really all that good for FSU and UF. Charging up to 40% more for tuition than other colleges would be enough, I am sure, to have tons of great students go elsewhere. </p>
<p>I think the bill came out at a terrible time, and it being vetoed is probably the best decision at this time. In the future, it might be such a bad thing.</p>