<p>Can someone explain what the new state budget means, in practical terms??</p>
<p>The state budget hasn’t been finalized yet. The senate proposed budget bill in the legislature is far more harsh to the state universities than the house proposed budget bill. The Senate bill is voted on by the Senate Thurs. The house and senate have to negotiate and work out final budget bill that should be approved by governor in early March. If everyone can’t come to agreement it’s back to Tallahassee to get a budget done. Funding for Florida public universities is far from finalized. USF was treated worse than any of the other 10 state universities in the proposed senate plan. Lots of political drama currently going on–USF president Genshaft is scheduled to meet with Senate budget committee chair JD. Alexander for a face to face sit down at 1:00 PM! Bottom line: state universities will certainly get less money from the state this year!</p>
<p>[USF’s</a> Genshaft to meet with JD Alexander today over budget cuts - Tampa Bay Times](<a href=“http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/college/usfs-genshaft-to-meet-with-jd-alexander-today-over-budget-cuts/1216216]USF’s”>http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/college/usfs-genshaft-to-meet-with-jd-alexander-today-over-budget-cuts/1216216)</p>
<p>basically, this guy named JD Alexander has a grudge against USF-- so he made a ridiculously unfair budget in order to penalize USF and prove a point. there’s no way it will get through the senate and house as-is… most likely, all the state universities in FL (like USF, UF, FSU, etc) will end up with a budget cut of 20-25%. it’s just politics…</p>
<p>Feb. 20th Budget Update memo from USF President Genshaft: [Feb</a>. 20: President Genshaft Provides Budget Update - University of South Florida](<a href=“http://news.usf.edu/article/templates/?a=4185&z=186]Feb”>http://news.usf.edu/article/templates/?a=4185&z=186)</p>
<p>USF Budget tracker: <a href=“http://www.usf.edu/budget2012/[/url]”>http://www.usf.edu/budget2012/</a></p>