</p>
<p>Dear:</p>
<p>As a student of Florida State University, I am deeply concerned about the ramifications of CS/SB 2442 on many of our state’s universities. Under the version vetted by the Higher Education Board on Friday, March 25, there are several additions to the text that harm the status of almost all of the universities in the state, as well as the students that attend those institutions. Here’s the wording in the bill (lines 23-49 and again in 87-103):</p>
<p>“The mission alignment and strategic plan shall acknowledge that have a national and international impact have the greatest capacity to promote the state’s economic development through: new discoveries, patents, licenses, and technologies that generate state business of global importance; research achievements of an eminent faculty that brings over one-half billion dollars per year into the state’s economy through external grants and contracts; the creation of a resource-rich academic environment that attracts high-technology business and venture capital to the state; and this generation’s finest minds focusing on solving the state’s economic, social, environmental and legal problems in the areas of agriculture, water, sustainability, energy, and health care. A nationally recognized and ranked university that has a global perspective and impact shall be afforded the freedom to pursue an agenda on the global stage in fair competition with other flagship universities of other states. The Board of Governors and the Legislature may assign specific projects, missions, exemptions, and other responsibilities to such institutions.”</p>
<p>Specifically, lines 33 through 50 of the bill set up a situation where Florida could have a flagship-status school. Lines 38 though 41 require that institutions have “… research achievements of an eminent faculty that brings over one-half billion dollars per year into the state economy through external grants and contacts…” to be considered as a flagship school.</p>
<p>Currently, only one school meets this requirement – the University of Florida. Passing this legislation would be detrimental to all other higher education institutions for several reasons:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>It classifies hardworking, expanding institutions as “second-class” schools by default, stigmatizing them.</p></li>
<li><p>It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy: colleges and universities will be unable to compete with the flagship school because of their non-flagship status. This will eliminate competition among the universities in the state, because none of the non-flagship schools will ever be able to compete with the designated flagship school.</p></li>
<li><p>It devalues the degrees that students and alumni worked so hard to achieve at non-flagship universities, hurting the state’s economy.</p></li>
<li><p>It is insulting to all students and alumni of every other institution except the University of Florida.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Florida has not had a flagship school, nor does it need one. The current environment of competition is what allows Florida’s higher education program to be robust and diverse. The University of Central Florida’s Research Park has brought millions of dollars into the local community; the University of South Florida is the fastest-growing research university in the United States, with a 213 percent increase in grants in the last 7 years; Florida State University is designated a “Doctoral/Research University – Extensive”, which is the top designation awarded by the Carnegie Foundation.</p>
<p>These achievements are impressive in their own right, and show that at least 3 out of the 11 universities in the state system are committed to maintaining a high research standard while increasing their financial impact on the state. Passing CS/SB 2442 would belittle (at best) or completely undermine these programs, causing material damage to these institutions. There is no reason why extra opportunities would be afforded to the flagship school, when it is clear that our state offers many institutions that are active and effective in various fields of research.</p>
<p>This bill strikes me as nothing more but an unethical and unnecessary power grab by alumni of the University of Florida to further enrich and entrench their own special interest needs over the well being of the entire State University System and all of the residents of the State of Florida. I highly encourage you to vote against this bill.</p>
<p>Sincerely,
Your Name