Gov. Crist proposes universities raise own tuitions (from Miami Herald)

The Governor was quoted as saying that Florida has the lowest tuition in the country. I would add that Florida also has amongst the lowest wages, higher gas prices (on average .20 cents more than the country average), and outrageous services such as medical, home utilities, etc. When you consider one of the largest public universities in the state, FIU, many of its students are first-generation college students without much financial capital to rely on. For those who thought that a few thousand was already an impossible cost for a college education, these increases just push those already on the margins further away from the possibility of attending college. --Dr. Louie F. Rodriguez
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Miami Herald
Posted on Thu, Nov. 20, 2008
Gov. Crist proposes universities raise own tuitions
BY JENNIFER LIBERTO, STEVE BOUSQUET AND MARC CAPUTO
Bowing to the pleas of Florida's cash-starved state universities, Gov. Charlie Crist Thursday announced a plan that would give all 11 schools the power to raise tuition by as much as 15 percent yearly.
The proposal could raise about $1.5 billion over the next seven years for the universities. It also could affect a lawsuit over whether the Board of Governors or the state Legislature sets tuition rates.

The Legislature needs to sign off on Crist's package. Its leaders issued statements of support but said they needed to see more details. Crist, who had once opposed raising tuition rates in tough economic times, explained he simply ``changed my mind.''

''Things evolve,'' Crist said. ``You produce good jobs by having great education.''

Crist also stressed that, even if tuition rates increase by 15 percent annually, ``we'll still have the cheapest tuition in the country.''

To cushion the blow of higher tuition, Crist wants to boost financial aid to the state's poorest students because 30 percent of the new money raised would be used to lower tuition and fees for low-income students. Crist projects $200 million in new financial aid will be available by 2015.

The aid package, though, wouldn't help cover tuition increases for students who receive the state's Bright Futures scholarship program, one of Florida's biggest middle-class entitlements.

Asked how he could explain the need for higher tuition to struggling middle-class families, Crist said he would tell them students will now ``have a great opportunity to get an even better education.''

The state's five largest research universities -- including the University of South Florida in Tampa and Florida International University in Miami -- were given the authority this year to raise tuition by 15 percent annually.

Crist's proposal was developed quietly in conversations between his education advisor Dean Colson, the Board of Governors that oversees the state university system, university presidents and the Council of 100, an influential group of business leaders.

Crist likely wouldn't have announced the legislative package without some indication of support from state legislative leaders. Both House Speaker Ray Sansom and Senate President Jeff Atwater were noncommittal Wednesday and said they looked forward to seeing the details.

''We thank Gov. Crist for his proposal, and we look forward to working with him to accomplish our common goal of creating a great higher education system for the people of Florida,'' Sansom, a Destin Republican, said in a brief written statement Thursday.

Atwater also applauded Crist ``for his leadership.''

By contrast, Senate Democratic Leader Al Lawson of Tallahassee blasted Crist for the proposal and urged the governor to rethink his decision.

''This move puts higher education even further out of reach,'' Lawson said. ``Florida ranks among the highest for foreclosures, job loss and bankruptcies. Dumping tuition hikes into the laps of students and their families is the wrong move at the wrong time. It's the latest in a long line of bad moves shifting the state's funding obligations down to the people, and the people are suffering enough.''

FIU President Modesto ''Mitch'' Maidique said that because his university got a head start this year and was allowed to raise tuition, the change will have little immediate effect. The long-term advantage of the plan, he said, is that it will allow more students to attend universities. Cash-strapped institutions have had to turn students away and the small tuition increases -- coupled with the increases in financial aid -- will help the entire state, he said.

Florida Atlantic University President Frank Brogan said the proposal was ''long overdue'' and welcomes the opportunity for the university's board to determine what to do. He said FAU is unlikely to take advantage of the full 15 percent tuition hike because of the number of ''economically fragile'' students on its rolls. He said 47 percent of the FAU student body is made up of minorities and most of them receive some form of financial assistance.

''If given this ability, the Board of Trustees will very carefully weigh what the tipping point will be economically for our students,'' Brogan said.

Sen. Charlie Justice, D-St. Petersburg, works at the University of South Florida and acknowledges the need for more funding for universities. ''We're making it harder for Florida families to afford colleges,'' he said. ``Everyone knows when the economy turns south more and more people head to colleges. This is something we really need to talk about before we pass.''

The Legislature and the newly approved Board of Governors have been at a standstill over who controls tuition due to a lawsuit filed by former Gov. and U.S. Sen. Bob Graham. Graham says a 2002 voter-approved constitutional amendment removed the Legislature from major university decisions by setting up the Board of Governors. State legislators say the amendment wasn't intended to give the board such autonomy.

Graham said he has ''concerns'' about Crist's proposal because it rests on the Legislature, which has a poor track record of funding education. He said there needs to be a guarantee that the Legislature won't just cut higher-ed money while raising tuition rates.

''I'm just concerned that the increase isn't part of a larger strategy to reverse this decline we've seen in the last 20 years in higher education,'' Graham said, ``and it could become almost a narcotic to cover up the real problems by shifting more of the total cost of education to students while the state does not keep up its end of the bargain.''

Crist's plan calls for the Board of Governors to delegate the power to each university board of trustees to figure out how much of the tuition hike they plan to charge, the draft memo said. They could raise tuition 15 percent a year, as long as the increase doesn't exceed 40 percent in three years.

Bright Futures could be another sticking point in Crist's plan. The wildly popular program for students with good grades isn't based on financial need -- and it's growing faster than the state's ability to pay for it. Bright Futures is supported with state money from the lottery that has seen a drop-off in ticket sales as Florida residents have less discretionary money.

The proposed tuition changes would shift the burden of paying for the state's higher education system away from general taxpayers and more toward students. Not only would Bright Futures recipients pay more, but so would those who bought prepaid tuition plans after July 1, 2007.

Tuition at Florida's 11 universities ranges from about $3,400 to about $4,000 a year for in-state students.

Universities are facing unprecedented financial pressures. With tuition rates capped and costs rising, schools have been slashing undergraduate enrollment, cutting academic programs and wiping out degree programs. They've also begun laying off faculty and staff statewide.

Facing another year without salary increases, many top professors are being lured out-of-state.

''Tuition for a full year of college education in Florida is cheaper than sending a 4-year-old to day care for a few hours a day -- it's just too cheap,'' said University of North Florida President John A. Delaney.

Delaney and other university presidents who attended Crist's news conference praised the governor for his ''bold'' leadership.

The group that lobbies the Legislature on behalf of students, the Florida Student Association, knew about the governor's tuition plan and said students are in a bind. They're concerned about tuition hikes, but they're also worried about the condition of the higher education system.

''The general sentiment is that tuition can go up. They understand it needs to go up,'' said Chris Krampert, FSA executive director. ``But, it's a Hail Mary giant leap forward, instead of taking a step forward.''

Higher education advocates who have been hearing about such plans on the sidelines say they approve of the move, especially imposing the tuition increases on state-funded Bright Futures scholarships as well.

''I applaud the governor for dealing with this, especially in a tight budget year,'' said Steve Uhlfedler, a former Florida State University board trustee.

Herald/Times Bureau reporters Alex Leary and Mary Ellen Klas contributed to this report.