Legislative Update - August 2009

Higher Education

As thousands of Florida college students head back to campus this month, I thought it would be a good time to take a look at the state of our community colleges and universities.

Like other areas of our state government, this was a tough budget year for higher education.  The overall budget for Florida's public universities and community colleges did increase slightly this year.  For state universities, the total budget increased by about $96 million - about 1.1%.  Community colleges received an additional $50 million in this year's budget, which represents an increase of about 2.9%. In a time when many areas of our state budget saw cuts, of course, this slight increase in funding is certainly better than a net loss of funding.

At the same time, however, this year's higher education budget contains many of the "fund shifts," that occurred in other areas of the state budget.  Despite the small net increase in funding for state universities and community colleges, the level of state funding (called general revenue) actually fell.  For the state universities, the amount of general revenue was actually cut by $265.7 million.  This reduction was offset in part by $219.3 million in federal stimulus funds.  For the community colleges, general revenue was cut by $12.2 million, which was offset by $35.1 million in federal stimulus funds.

So instead of federal stimulus funds being used to enhance our state universities and community colleges, and to increase access to higher learning after years of inadequate funding led to enrollment caps, these funds were simply used to make up budget shortfalls.  Two years from now, when the federal stimulus funds run out, we'll be right back where we started from - ranked dead last among the 50 states in higher education funding.

What's even more troubling is that we need higher education now more than ever.  In tough economic times, people turn to state universities and community colleges to gain new skills to make themselves more marketable in the workplace.  For this reason, state universities are seeing greater numbers of applicants, and community colleges are seeing increased enrollment.  In fact, the percentage increase in unemployment is almost the same as the percentage increase in applications to state colleges and universities.  Unfortunately, state funding of our institutions of higher learning hasn't kept pace with the increased demand for higher education.  As a result, state universities have had to cap enrollment, and community colleges have reduced available sections of classes - delaying the ability of students to graduate and jeopardizing the community college open-door policy.

The remaining shortfall for state universities will be made up with an across-the-board 15 percent tuition increase.  While Florida's public universities remain among the least expensive in the country, the reason the legislature gave state universities the authority to make incremental tuition increases was to enhance educational programs, hire and retain highly qualified professors and to reduce class sizes.  We felt that with such low tuition, we were jeopardizing our state universities' ability to remain competitive with the nation's other top public universities.  So now, instead of using tuition increases to keep our state universities among the nation's best, these funds are also being used to fill our state's budget shortfall.

In addition, funding for student financial assistance was cut.  Funding for Bright Futures scholarships was cut by about $18 million.   And funding for the Florida Residence Access Grant (FRAG) was cut by $7 million.  This grant is given to students attending private universities, and helps ease the load of students in our public universities.  The grant is far less than what it would cost the state if the student attended a public university, but still helps the student offset the higher cost of attending a private Florida university.  Because of this year's cuts, the amount of each student's grant will be reduced by a $308, from $2,837 to $2,529.

All of this adds up to students at our state universities and community colleges being shortchanged on access to quality higher education.  In the short run, this will make it more difficult for students to get the classes they need.  In the long run, it will slow our state's economic recovery and mean Florida continues to struggle to attract high-skilled, high-paying jobs.

Because this year's budget inadequately funded higher education, and other state programs like health care and children's services, I voted against it.  I will continue to work for adequate funding for the needs of this state.

As always, I welcome your questions on this, or any other topic relating to state government.  Please feel free to contact my office at (954) 747-7933, or nan.rich.web@flsenate.gov.

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	Senator Rich Addressing Seniors at the Daniel Canter Senior Center
	Nan Rich with Gradutes of Weston University
	Senator Rich with the Final Graduting Class of Weston University 2010

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