Tuition Bill Passes!

Colleges and Universities A-Z Florida State University
1

<p>If you want FSU and UF to succeed nationally, you need to get behind this legislation.</p>

<p>From the Tallahassee Democrat: <a href="http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070502/CAPITOLNEWS/70502020/-1/BREAKINGNEWS%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070502/CAPITOLNEWS/70502020/-1/BREAKINGNEWS&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>TALLAHASSEE - After heated debate, the House gave final approval today to an historic change in university funding that would also allow Florida State University and the University of Florida to raise tuition as much as 40 percent over the next four years.</p>

<p>Supporters defended the move, which also includes a 30 percent increase for the University of South Florida, as a break with the past that would give the larger schools an opportunity to set themselves apart and compete at the national level.</p>

<p>It would limit year-to-year tuition increases to no more than 15 percent and exempt students who receive financial aid. Students who hold pre-paid contracts would be exempt but sponsors acknowledged that high-performing recipients of Bright Futures scholarships would have to pay the fee.</p>

<p>"This is really about letting Florida achieve the best that it can achieve. It's not about an individual university or individual universities," said Rep. Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton.</p>

<p>Critics described it as another assault on working students and families who are struggling to get ahead through higher education.</p>

<p>"Members, I can tell you that the middle class in this state and in this country is being squeezed from every angle," said Rep. Curtis Richardson, D-Tallahassee. "And here we are putting another financial burden on the backs of the middle class families in this state."</p>

<p>The House voted 79-37, largely along party lines, to send the bill to Gov. Charlie Crist.</p>

<p>Crist has given the proposal a cool reception and hinted that he would veto the measure.</p>

2

<p>Here we go, first off have they expalined what the increases will be used for?
And what exactly will the fee be? And the part about students on financial aid not having to pay, what exactly are we talking about, are we only regarding those who have an efc of 0, or are we talking about everyone recieving some type of aid.....I'm completely against this, can't the state just increase funding or something?</p>

3

<p>The extra funds will be used to enhance undergraduate education, nothing else. This means extra faculty or advisors, fewer students to each advisor, closer work with each student. </p>

<p>The state won't or can't increase funding given the expense of the class size amendment. This bill funds the kind of changes FSU needs to rise in the national rankings. Just to get the ability to impose fees a university must meet a number of criteria that shows they are research based. Presently, only FSU and UF qualify at the top tier. USF at the lower tier.</p>

<p>None of this comes for free. FSU and UF are the least expensive flagship universities in the US (see: <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2006-08-30-tuition-survey_x.htm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2006-08-30-tuition-survey_x.htm&lt;/a> ). And look - only UF is barely above 50 and FSU is currently at 110. Pretty weak rankings, compared with lesser universities that receive better funding.</p>

4

<p>When does the benefit (and extra fees) kick in? Is there time to implement for the incoming fall class? How do you hire 200 new professors and 100 new guidance counselors in 3 months? (rough numbers per UF info)</p>

5

<p>You can't. Academic hires for full-time, tenure track positions follow schedules dictated by particular discipline's schedules. Often you advertise in the summer and fall, do some preliminary interviews at the national conference in the fall, and invite candidates for on-campus interviews in the fall or winter. Positions then start the following fall semester. It might be possible to hire for temporary positions, perhaps for spring 2008, but the full-time, tenure-track hires couldn't start until fall 2008.</p>

6

<p>As a graduate of Florida State University, I think the tuition increase is great. FSU and UF need much more money to increase their academic quality and compete with other national universities. I'm sure many future students are against this tuition increase, but they'll be thankfull once they graduate. The value of a degree is important in the workforce when you're competing, with other graduates, for the same positions.</p>

7

<p>Parent I know you were pulling for this so I guess I'm happy for you. We will see what happens and if Christ will sign it. I would want as a resident to see every dollar accounted for and to make sure that it goes to the expressed purpose that it was intended for. I never trust accounting at public institutions, you know it's the squeaky wheel gets the grease.</p>

8

<p>Im against, purely for the fact that im going to start attending FSU this fall.</p>

9

<p>If you want your alma mater to compete nationally it's going to cost money. It's already the second least expensive "flagship" university in the US. If you don't care, then why bother to attend FSU at all? There are easier universities to attend.</p>

10

<p>I think that they should look at other sources of money rather than the students. I know we are one option, but there are also other places to get the money from. Taxes, for one. I'll be a resident of Florida after I graduate and I wouldn't mind paying more taxes so a person after me can attend easily. Other is marketing FSU and selling more merchandise, but that depends on the football team.</p>

11

<p>I agree with your sentiment, Jebus. The problem is that there aren't many other options. The State of Florida refuses to invest in higher education. It has been this way for years, and it will probalby continue to be so. The only remaining option is to let the universities come up with the money themselves, by raising their own tuition. If the state would invest a little more in higher education, we probably wouldn't have this debate to begin with.</p>

12

<p>I know. Im not trying to sound like a greedy or non-caring person but as a human being(and most who are in the same position would agree) I want to pay thousands more for an education that will probably be around the same. The benefits would probably only be seen after I am long-gone.</p>