State Session (Updated 6/7)

http://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2017/06/06/fsu-gains-academic-funding-despite-vetoes-buildings/375086001/

But Thrasher was disappointed in Scott’s veto of $8 million requested for the Interdisciplinary Research & Commercialization Building. Also cut was $5 million for a STEM Teaching Lab and $4 million for land purchases.
“Maybe we didn’t do a good enough job of explaining it,” Thrasher said during a break.
FSU also saw nearly $4 million vetoes in funding for established programs, including recurring funds of $1 million for College of Law scholarships and faculty; $608,000 for the Florida Campus Compact; $300,000 for the Charles Hilton Endowed Professorship; and $250,000 each for the Learning Systems Institute and the Pepper Center Long-Term Care Proposal.
 
“We were surprised by some of the vetoes that occurred because they had been funded before," said Kathy Mears, chief legislative affairs officer.
FSU will continue to seek money for the commercialization building in the next session, Thrasher said.
“We’re going to go back to the Board of Governors and we can certainly make a case for the investment,” he said.

While the $17 million in capital projects vetoed was the greatest lost among the State University System, FSU also came out on top with the greatest gains in construction funding. 
Construction funding approved includes:
$16 million for the Earth Ocean Atmospheric Sciences Building
$5 million for the College of Business “Legacy Hall” building
$7.5 million for the FSUS Science Technology Engineering Arts Mathematics Building
$6.6 million for building maintenance and funding.
In addition, FSU was successful in getting money approved for its core education budget.
That included $20.8 million in preeminence funding; $11.7 million to recruit top professors; $9.4 million toward its graduate degree and excellence program and $1 million for the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering.
“I think we did well,” Thrasher said. “I think we made a case for what programs were important at Florida State University.”
  


Looks like FSU had little wins this year again.  It just shoots low and that is what it gets.  The politicos get a ton of FSU fan support, but they never actually fight for FSU.

http://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2017/06/03/florida-state-loses-millions-scott-vetoes/367546001/

A variety of construction projects at Florida State University will have to wait at least another year. Scott axed $8 million intended for construction of a research commercialization building and another $5 million for a STEM teaching lab. He also vetoed a $4 million land acquisition item.


http://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/politics/2017/06/03/florida-universities-take-big-hits-gov-scotts-budget-vetoes/367416001/


Florida State University lost $8 million to build an Interdisciplinary Research Commercialization lab.
Other university projects that were previously hidden from state budgets were vetoed this year. Lawmakers used to hide money for special projects under larger line item appropriations for universities. But new rules required all projects to appear as a line item.

Among once hidden projects that Scott cut was $1 million requested by the FSU College of Law to hire faculty and award scholarships.



I never get why FSU allows itself to be used with this BS but this same politicos never advance FSU.

http://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/local/sen-aaron-bean-speaks-about-emails-that-paint-fsus-budget-as-political-backdoor/523237961

Action News Jax questioned Bean after a project that Florida State University credited Bean with slipping into its budget was called a “waste of taxpayer money” by the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives.


http://www.mypalmbeachpost.com/news/state--regional/editorial-give-legislature-for-boosting-florida-universities/pdGoRuXVGju92aqQ8U482H/

But this is a fine start. Under the new legislation, a university’s performance funding will be tied to having at least 50 percent of undergrads get their diplomas within four years. That’s a result of Negron’s belief that raising the rate of four-year graduations “is probably the single best thing we can do to increase our national reputation.”
Statewide, only 47 percent of the Florida system’s undergraduates last year earned their degrees within four years. At only four schools did the rate exceed 50 percent (University of Florida, Florida State, New College of Florida and the University of South Florida). By contrast, the University of Virginia rate is 87 percent; the University of North Carolina, 81 percent.
It’s been ages since the university system was treated so well by Tallahassee. Between the recession in 2008 and 2016, state spending for Florida’s public universities dropped almost 23 percent — while tuition and fees for students rose 64 percent, the fourth-highest rate of increase among all states.
Florida, third-largest state in population, ought to be a leader in the national rankings. The University of Florida appears in respectable 14th place on U.S. News & World Report’s latest list of Top Public Schools (tied with Penn State). But whereas California has six schools in the top 10, Florida manages to get only three more schools in the top 100: FSU (38), USF (83) and University of Central Florida (93).
Perhaps this helps explain why California’s gross domestic product is nearly three times larger than Florida’s, though just t wice as populous. The surest way to grow 21st-century jobs is to invest in education excellence. It’s good news that the Legislature agrees — and is stepping up the game.


This is not done yet, not till Rick Scott signs.

http://govrel.fsu.edu/legisletter/2017/legisletter-2017-05-09

Florida State University Budget Highlights

Performance Funding Estimated Increase	2 million (bringing the total to 525 million for SUS – a 20 million increase to the SUS this year)
Preeminence	19.5 million
World Class Scholars	11 million (Total 70 million for the SUS)
Professional & Graduate Degree Excellence Program in Medicine, Business, & Law	9 million (Total 50 million for the SUS)
Joint College of Engineering	1 million increase (7% increase to overall budget)
PECO
Earth Ocean Atmospheric Sciences Building (EOAS)	16 million
College of Business “Legacy Hall” Building	5 million
Interdisciplinary Research Commercialization Building (IRCB)	8 million
STEM Teaching Lab	5 million
Strategic Land Acquisition	4 million
FSUS STEAM Building	7.5 million
Building Maintenance and Renovation	6.5 million
Panama City Campus Projects
Joint Agency In-Water Strike (JAWS)	1 million
Rural Northwest Florida Mosquito Surveillance	700,000

The House and Senate did not authorize any tuition increases in the 2017-2018 budget. Although the legislature authorized salary increases in the budget, they did not include university or state college employees in those raises.

Governor Scott must still act on the budget. There is a great deal of acrimony between the Governor and the legislature in part because the Governor did not receive any funding for his legislative priorities. He has expressed public concern that there was not a sufficient funding increase for K-12. He has also been critical of the budget process, stating that it was not transparent.
In short, there is still a long way to go before we know exactly what Florida State University will receive in the upcoming fiscal year, but the budget approved by the legislature holds great promise.
Another piece of good news is that all of our Board of Trustees who were up for confirmation received unanimous support in committee and by the full Senate. Congratulations to Ms. June Duda, Mr. Ed Burr, Mr. Craig Mateer and Mr. Max Alvarez who will all continue to serve on the Board of Trustees for Florida State University.

2017 Budget Passes

After months of work, the Legislature passed the $82.4 billion 2017-18 budget.  Following is a breakdown of issues relating to Florida State. For a printable guide to this year’s budget click here.

Operating Budget
General Revenue	$278,204,047
Recurring projects Included in the base:
Boys and Girls State Housing	$100,000
Charles Hilton Endowed Professorship	$300,000
College of Law – Scholarships	$1,000,000
Florida Campus Compact	$608,111
Learning System Institute	$250,000
Pepper Center Long Term Care Proposal	$250,000
Student Veterans Center;	$500,000
Non-recurring projects included in the base:
Health Equity Research Institute	$750,000
Next Generation Ultra-High Field Magnets	$300,000
Tallahassee Veterans Legal Collaborative	$200,000
Preeminent & Emerging Preeminent State
Research Universities – additional for FY-2017-18
Lottery	$35,233,672
Student and Other Fees	$238,310,768
Student Financial Assistance	$1,467,667
SUS Performance Based Incentive	$520,000,000
College of Medicine
General Revenue	$35,289,974
Student and Other Fees	$13,019,086
Evaluation of Behavioral Health System of Care In Florida (NR)	$489,619
Lottery	$605,115
FSU – College of Medicine – Immokalee	$450,000 NR
FAMU/FSU College of Engineering	$14,384,389
PECO
SUS Capital Improvement Fee Projects	$45,000,000
SUS FCO – Maintenance, Repair, RenovationAnd Remodeling –	$45,562,241
FSU – Maint. Repair. Reno …	$6,500,000
Earth Ocean Atmospheric Science Building	$16,040,737
College of Business Building	$5,000,000
Interdisciplinary Research Commercialization Building	$8,000,000
Stem Teaching Lab	$5,000,000
Land Acquisition	$4,000,000
PECO -- WFSU-TV, Replace Studio Lighting	$650,000
SUS Lab School – PECO Proviso: …shall be distributed among the lab schools based upon full-time equivalent student membership.	$5,293,588
FSU Lab School Arts and Sciences Building (STEAM)	$7,500,000
Honorably Discharged Graduate Assistance/GAP	$1,000,000 NR
Proviso: … are provided for supplemental need-based veteran educational benefits. Funds shall be used to assist in the payment of living expenses during holiday and semester breaks for active duty and honorably discharged members of the Armed Forces who served on or after September 11, 2001. To ensure students in both public and private institutions have an opportunity to receive funding, allocations to institutions shall be prorated based on the number of total eligible students at eligible institutions.
Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resource Ctr. General Revenue – FSU	$450,000 R
Autism/CARD - FSU College of Medicine General Revenue	$1,224,008 R
Innovation & Engineering Pipeline Project	$1,000,000 NR
Communication/Autism Navigator – FSU Col of Medicine	$1,353,292 R
Public Broadcasting
Statewide Gov. & Cultural Affairs Programming	$497,522
Florida Channel Closed Captioning - GR	$390,862
Florida Channel Year Round Coverage – GR +proviso	$2,562,588
FSU – Public Television	$307,447
FSU – Public Radio Stations	$100,000
FSU – Satellite Transponder	$800,000
Public Radio Stations Recurring Base Appropriations Project	$166,270

Proviso…  From the funds provided in Specific Appropriation 119, "Governmental
Affairs for Public Television" shall be produced by the same contractor selected by the Legislature to produce "The Florida Channel".
From the funds provided in Specific Appropriation 119 for the Florida Channel Satellite Transponder Operations, the Florida Channel shall contract for the leasing, management and operation of the state transponder with the same public broadcasting station that produces the Florida Channel.
Performance Incentives                                                                                 $520,000,000
Proviso … $520,000,000 is provided for State University System Performance Based Incentives. The funds available for allocation to the universities based on the performance funding model shall consist of the state’s investment of $245,000,000 in performance funding, plus an institutional investment of $275,000,000 consisting of funds to be redistributed from the base funding of the State University System…
Proviso:  …the Board of Governors Foundation shall distribute $237,500 to state universities for Johnson Scholarships in accordance with section 1009.75, F.S…
Proviso:  From the funds provided in Specific Appropriations 7 and 91, $52,800,000 is provided for the Sparsity Supplement as defined in section 1011.62(7), Florida Statutes, for school districts of 24,000 and fewer FTE in the 2015-2016 fiscal year.  FSUS receives a portion of the Sparsity supplement.
FSU Panama City Campus – Rural Northwest Florida Mosquito Surveillance $700,000 (NR)
Proviso …$1,000,000 in nonrecurring general revenue funds is provided to Florida State University Panama City to support participation of the Underwater Crime Scene Investigation program in the Joint Agency In-Water Strike (JAWS)
Proviso … may be utilized to promote and enhance collaborative research                                          $       969,689
among State Universities. The Florida Public Hurricane Loss Model located at Florida International University may consult with the private sector and the Florida Catastrophic Storm Risk Management Center …
State Health Insurance Plans and Benefits – Proviso
State Paid Premiums
…For coverage period beginning August 1, 2017, the state share shall continue at the current rate….
Proviso… Each state agency, at the discretion of the agency head, may expend funds provided in this act for bar dues and for legal education courses for employees who are required to be a member of the Florida Bar as a condition of employment.
Proviso -- …facilities may be constructed or acquired from non-appropriated sources, which upon completion will require general revenue funds to operate.

Florida State University - Teaching Pavilion - Will provide teaching space for outdoor programs and academic activities, 400 gsf.
Florida State University - Administrative Annex West College Avenue - Property being acquired through the university’s land acquisition program, will be used to house E&G functions, 6,500 gsf.
Florida State University - Academic Annex South Duval Street - Project being acquired through the university’s land acquisition program, will be used to house E&G functions, 16,316 gsf.
Florida State University - Research Annex Maryland Circle - Project being acquired through the university’s land acquisition program, will be used to house E&G functions, 33,500 gsf.
Florida State University - College of Medicine Annex South Appleyard Drive - Project being acquired through the university’s land acquisition program, will be used to house E&G functions, 6,500 gsf.
Florida State University - Visitors Center Expansion - Addition will support expanding performing and visual arts programs at the Ringling Cultural Center, 7,000 gsf.

Proviso – No funds are appropriated in Specific Appropriations 1 – 161 for the payment of rent, lease or possession of space for offices or any other purpose or use at Northwood Centre, 140 North Monroe Street, Tallahassee, Florida, pursuant to State of Florida Lease Nos. 720:0139, 480:04570, 480:0644 or 480;M139 or Florida State University Lease No 2011:101, or any other lease, by the Department of Education or any state university, notwithstanding any lease or contract to the contrary.  The Department of Education and all state universities are is prohibited from expending any specific appropriation from the General Revenue Fund, any trust fund or from any other source for the rent, lease or possession of any space for offices or other purpose or use at Northwood Centre, 1940 North Monroe Street, Tallahassee, Florida, pursuant to State of Florida Lease Nos. 720:0139, 480:04570, 480:0644 or 480;M139 or Florida State University Lease No 2011:101, or any other lease.
Bright Futures Scholarship Program --                                                                             $397,282,030
Proviso -- …$39,465,544, along with any unexpended funds from the fall and spring term award disbursements, is provided for 2018 summer term awards for Academic Scholars only at 100 percent of tuition and applicable fees …
Academic Scholars shall receive an award equal to 100 percent of tuition and applicable fees, and an additional $300 each fall and spring for textbooks and college-related expenses …


This is not good.  Seems like another case of politicians using FSU when so few seem to support FSU on the capitol.

http://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/politics/2017/04/12/fsu-returns-some-secret-money-offers-few-expense-details/100399142/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Florida State University offered Wednesday to repay $200,000 from a secret appropriation received this year, but could offer few details about how the $1 million in taxpayer money was spent by a psychological firm run by the friend of a state senator.

House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes, asked FSU to provide documents clearly identifying how the university and Florida Psychological Associates spent $1 million that was secretly included in this year’s state budget. In response, FSU President John Thrasher sent a letter saying he does not suspect a “breach of trust” occurred between FSU and the Fernandina Beach business, but couldn't provide expense details showing how Florida Psychological Associates used the money.

But FSU would return $200,000 it received from the $1 million payment, Thrasher said.

“My instructions to the staff here are to absorb those costs, and we will return those dollars to the general revenue fund in the state treasury,” Thrasher wrote in a letter to Corcoran.


Corcoran also sent a letter to Florida Polytechnic University on Monday demanding details into how taxpayer money was used for an online hazing program operated by Miami-based Educational Management Services. The university and the company, based in a lobbyist's office, received a total of $3 million from the state budget. FPU kept $1 million and the company kept $2 million, the Naples Daily News has reported.

The Educational Management Services program served fewer students and received more state money than a similar program operated by the University of Central Florida, records show.


FPU had not responded to Corcoran's letter as of Wednesday. The speaker gave the university a Thursday deadline.

Both the programs funded through FPU and FSU were among dozens that received money through secret appropriations tucked inside university budgets. Lawmakers secured $315 million for the special projects over the past seven years, the Daily News has reported.

Both projects had money in next year’s state budget but they have since been cut.

Thrasher's response to Corcoran's request for spending details on the psychological program included an electronic file made up of more than 200 pages of documents, including some invoices, FSU’s contract with Florida Psychological Associates and some blank pages. There were also emails between FSU officials and the psychological firm as the two sides came to a deal on the project.

Other information requested by Corcoran, including payroll, a list of contractors, and invoices for equipment, were not included in the file.

Thrasher said Florida Psychological would be responsible for providing other information to the speaker. FSU's contract with the business, however, includes language that allows the university to demand the same information requested by Corcoran.

FSU and the company both have denied requests from the Daily News for similar spending details.

Corcoran was still reviewing FSU's response Wednesday, said his spokesman, Fred Piccolo. He added the psychological firm received a copy of Corcoran’s letter and is also expected to respond.

Florida Psychological Associates is operated by a friend of Sen. Aaron Bean, R-Fernandina Beach, who helped secure the $1 million through the secretive budget process that avoids public scrutiny. With the money, the business planned to conduct mental health screenings on a total of 7,200 school children and criminal court defendants but it failed to meet benchmarks outlined in its contract with FSU, the Daily News has reported.

http://www.tallahassee.com/story/opinion/2017/04/12/thrasherfuchs-top-ranked-universities-drive-floridas-economy/100372766/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter


The Florida Gators and the Florida State Seminoles have one of the strongest rivalries in the country. It takes an important cause to bring us together.
We write as the presidents of these universities to share our common mission and invite you to join the cause — to make Florida the top national destination to learn, create, work and live.
Thanks to the visionary and ongoing support particularly of Senate President Joe Negron, Speaker Richard Corcoran and Gov. Rick Scott, Florida is beginning to realize the benefit of recent investment in our universities. Last month, U.S. News and World Report declared Florida the best state in the nation for higher education based on value and performance. Our two preeminent universities are ranked 14 and 38. We are on the rise, but we can do so much more.

Right now, in the Florida Legislature, there is a debate about the future of higher education. Should we take our universities to the next level by investing the resources needed to create top-tier universities? Do we need to hit the brakes because good is good enough? The answer to these questions reaches far beyond the college campuses and impacts the life of every Floridian.

We know there is a direct correlation between the prosperity of a state and the quality of its higher education institutions. We contribute by:
• Research — such as the groundbreaking work FSU and UF are doing to treat and control Zika. Together, Florida institutions have over $2.1 billion in research expenditures.
• Teaching — by preparing the state’s workforce for the jobs of the future in an incredibly competitive, global economy. And it’s not just for students from wealthy families. Florida is a national leader in successfully supporting students from all backgrounds.
• Service — partnering with businesses and communities, to share knowledge, resources and expertise. Private companies licensing technology from UF infused nearly $2.3 billion into the state of Florida economy in 2015 and accounted for the employment of more than 10,600 people. FSU’s medical school has generated over $1 billion in statewide socioeconomic impact through its regional clinical campuses that employ more than 2,300 clinical faculty who teach students and provide medical care for countless patients in rural and underserved populations throughout Florida.
We are doing great work, but we can and should do more. Nationally, Florida universities are far behind our peers in several key areas, which is holding us back from realizing the full potential of our universities. We don’t have enough faculty to advise and teach students, and we need to increase research funding, attract nationally recognized faculty and improve compensation for graduate students.
Targeted investment by the state in performance funding, preeminence funding, the World Class Faculty Scholar program, the Professional and Graduate Degree Excellence program, student scholarships and university physical infrastructure will show the national higher education community the state of Florida is committed to providing high quality education, research and public service to the state and nation
So we must continue our efforts because as we all know the existing top institutions in the rest of the country aren’t standing still.
All of which brings us back to the original question: Why should having top-ranked universities matter?
Very simply, because it is a reflection of the entire state and its people.
A state with top-ranked universities stands as a beacon signaling to the rest of the country that it values progress, values knowledge and values economic growth and opportunity.

Tourism, real estate and agriculture drive our state’s economy. Florida has long sought to add a fourth leg to this stool, and Florida’s research universities have been partners in this effort by joining local and state governments in building our growing technology economy.
Having top-ranked universities also signals this is a state that values the future — not just its own but that of the entire nation, and it wishes to contribute to that future in meaningful ways.
Perhaps most important, having top-ranked universities signals that this is a state that values its young people enough to give them the best shot possible at a bright future without having to go elsewhere to find it.
That alone is a goal worth reaching.
As all of our research universities reach the next level of excellence, we will transform the state together, helping Florida to rise as a leader in commerce, in culture and in international stature.
We may be rivals on the football field, but we stand united in doing all we can to continue to improve our state.
John Thrasher is president of Florida State University. Kent Fuchs is president of the University of Florida.


http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/legislature/hospitals-higher-ed-hometown-spending-divide-lawmakers-as-budget-battle/2319330

The House also favors cuts to state colleges and universities, most of which have large cash reserves and have used school employees to raise money for their private foundations.
"This practice uses taxpayer dollars to create permanent wealth for colleges and universities," said Rep. Larry Ahern, R-Seminole, chairman of a budget subcommittee for higher education, who said campus spending has been rising at a faster rate than for most other state programs.
The House budget panel also passed a bill that prohibits the use of school employees for foundation fundraising work and ends the secrecy of foundation records except names of donors who want anonymity.
"The public has a right to know," said Rep. Carlos Trujillo, R-Miami, the budget chairman in the House.
Florida State University president John Thrasher, a former House speaker and senator, said schools need to do a better job explaining their past spending practices.
"What we did was hire people who helped raise money, and that was something that benefited the university," Thrasher said. "If we're wrong about that, we'll adjust."


Disappointed FSU isn't looking to request a major add (full mission med school, etc) here.  FSU politicos' just wont' use their influence for FSU.

http://www.advocateforfloridastate.fsu.edu/site/PageServer?pagename=priorities

2017 Legislative Priorities

Preeminence Funding - $20 million
Florida State University has used preeminence funding in the past to make considerable investments in the quality and stature of the university, and it’s working. In 2016, we had the greatest rise in national public university rankings, climbing 5 spots. FSU has a goal to become a Top 25 university and a leader in student career readiness.  Preeminence funds will allow us to continue the strategic investments, particularly in the STEM fields.
Faculty Retention & Lowering Student/Faculty Ratio - $31.5 million
Florida State University’s current student faculty ratio is 25 to 1, which places us at 168th in the country according to US News and World Report.  Investments in new hires combined with faculty retention would lower our ratio to 21 to 1. FSU’s ultimate goal is 17 to 1, which is the level that Top 50 universities provide. This investment would improve student success and promote growth in key academic areas.
Graduate and Post-Doctoral Students - $18.5 million
Florida State University has a disproportionately lower number of graduate students and postdocs than our Public Research I peers. Graduate students and post-doctoral research associates (postdocs) are integral to the research activity of top universities. Our current graduate student-to-undergraduate student ratio places us at 59th out the 81 amongst these peers. Our postdoc population is currently around 65% of the average Public Research I university. FSU is committed to dramatically growing its research activity, but this is not possible without significant expansion of the graduate student and postdoc populations.
Performance Funding - $10.6 million
Florida State University has responded to performance-based funding by aligning key efforts and resources to strengthen student success. Performance funding has enabled FSU to make considerable investments in elevating our retention and graduation rates, raising our retention rate to 94% and four-year graduation rate to 65%. FSU is ranked in the top 15 of all public universities in the country on this specific metric. Continued performance funding will extend FSU’s trajectory and enable even more students to receive the support and engagement needed to graduate and succeed in the job market.
Strategic Academic and Research Buildings

• EOAS $29 million This investment will complete the Earth, Ocean, Atmospheric Science Building.
• IRCB $10 million Total state cost for the Interdisciplinary Research & Commercialization Building, funded by a 50%-50% partnership of state and private funds.
• College of Business Legacy Hall $10 million Planning and Engineering for an $83 million building funded by a 50%-50% partnership of state and private funds.
• STEM Teaching Lab Building $5 million The facility will allow FSU to address the critical shortage of quality teaching labs on campus and to provide inventory of instructional space with modern systems that can support the STEM disciplines.
• Land Acquisition $5 million The FSU Master Plan identified strategic land purchases that will enhance the opportunities for research and learning buildings on the main campus. FSU has one of the most densely populated campuses in the entire SUS.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article137560513.html


A $162 million plan to improve state funding for student financial aid opportunities and make Florida’s public colleges and universities more competitive passed the state Senate on Thursday with near-unanimous support — marking early success for one of Senate President Joe Negron’s top priorities.
Senate Bill 2 is the cornerstone of proposed reforms that Negron, R-Stuart, wants for the state higher education system this year. Other potential changes aimed at the state college system are more controversial and moving slowly through the Senate.

This is one of the most bold pieces of legislation in my career with regard to higher education.
Sen. Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton

A companion measure to SB 2 still needs to be approved by the House. That package (HB 3 and HB 5) has yet to be considered, and it could now face more difficulty due to clashing priorities — and rising tensions — between Negron and House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’Lakes.
RELATED: “Should Florida universities’ foundation spending include foreign travel, high salaries?”
The proposed reforms in SB 2 include an array of changes to Florida’s public colleges and universities, including:
▪  Improving financial aid for students, such as by restoring 100 percent funding for Bright Futures scholars and expanding funding to include the summer term, creating a scholarship program for migrant workers and their children, expanding benefits to National Merit Scholars by allowing out-of-state students to qualify, and doubling the state-to-local match for a grant program that helps first-generation college and university students;
▪  Requiring universities to implement block-tuition rates by fall 2018;
▪  Changing accountability metrics — which are linked to state performance funding — to emphasize that students graduate on time;
▪  Establishing an articulation program to better help students who begin at a state college to finish at a state university;
▪  Establishing programs to recruit and retain top faculty at Florida’s public universities.
MORE: “Oops! Joe Negron initially didn’t vote for his hallmark higher ed legislation”
“This is one of the most bold pieces of legislation in my career with regard to higher education,” said Sen. Bill Galvano, a Bradenton Republican and the chamber’s higher education budget chairman who shepherded the bill through the Senate.
“I think the impacts will go far beyond what happens within the institutions and will result in more economic opportunity, will result in jobs and will certainly result in more return on investment for our taxpayers,” Galvano said.
SB 2 passed the Senate by a 35-1 vote. Although the bill has been one of his pet projects, Negron’s “yes” vote won’t count in the official record because he didn’t cast it until after voting ended. That was because of “miscommunication” with the chamber secretary, his spokeswoman Katie Betta told the Herald/Times.
Restoring full funding for the Bright Futures scholarship and expanding it to the summer term would affect about 45,000 academic recipients for the 2017-18 school year. That’s the predominant expense for the legislation, alone estimated at $151 million.
Qualifying criteria to receive Bright Futures money won’t change, which is something Democrats didn’t like. Sen. Perry Thurston Jr., D-Fort Lauderdale, said the Legislature’s changes several years ago to raise the standards of who could qualify for Bright Futures disproportionately cut off access to black and Hispanic students.
“There is a separate class of students who need the assistance as well — who are good students but just not quite Bright Futures,” he said.
Galvano said: “We’re not going in and changing the thresholds or metrics for achieving within Bright Futures. That’s a merit-based program.”
Full-time students would also save potentially thousands of dollars through the block-tuition policies that would be required of universities. If enacted, students starting in fall 2018 would be able to take additional courses each term without extra expense. Lawmakers hope that will be an incentive for them to complete course work faster and graduate on time or even early.
But universities could stand to lose millions in the transition, an impact that had yet to be fully accounted for, senators said.
“Florida State University says it could cost $40 million of their bottom line,” said Lake Worth Democratic Sen. Jeff Clemens, who was the only opposing vote. “The intent of the program is good, but there is a real fiscal impact.”
He had sought to require each university to study the fiscal impact of block tuition before they would have to implement it, but his amendment was shot down.
Meanwhile, Clemens and several other Democratic senators raised concerns that the financial aid expansions in SB 2 focused too heavily on merit-based programs and not enough on programs helping those who struggle to pay for college regardless of their academic level.

There is a separate class of students who need the assistance as well.
Sen. Perry Thurston Jr., D-Fort Lauderdale

On Wednesday, Democrats attempted several amendments to ease their concerns; all were rejected by the chamber’s narrow Republican majority — including one that would give need-based students priority for the state’s two tuition-assistance programs that help any Florida resident pay for attending a for-profit or nonprofit private college or university.
Clemens said the “sons and daughters of millionaires” shouldn’t get state aid over students who truly need the money.
“I find it frustrating that we would talk about giving $3,000 scholarships to students whose parents make well over seven figures a year and not focus on giving those dollars to those in need,” he said.
Galvano responded that the state still saves money by having the students attend a private university, regardless of the student’s income level.
Negron and Galvano vowed that the Senate budget proposal — which will be released later in the session — will call for more funding for need-based financial aid.


https://apnews.com/4d9497b0ef3248518c2871d0f2791b71

A top Florida House Republican says that state universities are spending way too much money inappropriately and that they don't need more help from taxpayers.
State Rep. Carlos Trujillo also suggested on Wednesday that legislators may need to look at how much university presidents are paid, as well as even how much football and basketball coaches are paid. The Miami Republican and House budget chief said too many people work for universities or university foundations who earn more than $200,000 a year.
The House is scrutinizing university spending at the same time that the Florida Senate is poised to approve a major overhaul of colleges and universities that includes spending more. Senate President Joe Negron is pushing the proposal to put Florida schools on par with other well-known universities.


Keep in mind, this from a state that just added another university that it did not need.


http://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2017/03/08/block-tuition-could-costly-universities/98918296/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Block tuition — a flat rate for undergraduates whether they take 12 or 15 credit hours a semester — has been bandied about Florida’s halls of higher education for years.
In theory.
When University of Florida Provost Joe Glover recommended block tuition several years ago, it was met with massive student opposition.

Saying it's time has come, Bradenton Republican Sen. Bill Galvano wants to flip the switch from optional to mandatory on block tuition. His omnibus education package, the Florida Excellence in Higher Education Act, would require the state’s 12 universities to come up with block tuition plans by October to roll out in time for the fall 2018 academic year.

How they would do that will be up to the universities, their boards of trustees and the state Board of Governors
“We have given discretion to the universities and the board of governors to come up with a plan,” Galvano said. “Their marching orders are that we want this as an option for students.”
Such a plan could cost Florida State University as much as $40 million, Sen. Jeff Clemens, D-Lake Worth, said when introducing an amendment Wednesday to require a fiscal impact study to find out how much it will cost each university to implement block tuition.
“It’s a $40 million hit to the bottom line of your university to do this,” Clemens said. He withdrew the amendment.
Galvano said the bill has interim thresholds on implementing the tuition.
One of his amendments that was adopted provides for an impact study of block tuition on students. When others asked if that study would include an impact on the universities, Galvano said, “The intent is a comprehensive impact would be there.”
Sen. Audrey Gibson, D-Jacksonville, asked whether universities would have to adopt block tuition even after reviewing the cost.
Galvano said the reporting requirement gives the Legislature a way of getting a progress report on how the block tuition programs are coming along.
“I understand we are focused on the student, but students have to have instructors,” Gibson said.
How will universities pay for faculty, she asked, if students are taking 15 credit hours for the price of 12, which she characterized as “buy one get a little bit free.”
Gibson also wondered what point impact studies would have if they aren't going to change the Legislature's position.
“We want students to obviously reap the benefit of the block system, but an impact can also be financial to the institution, and if that is the case will tuition increase?” Gibson asked.
Galvano said block tuition has been around for years, and other states have figured out how to make it work.
“We’re serious about getting block tuition so students can get through (in four years),” Galvano said. “This is not willy-nilly. We are moving in the direction we want it to move.”
Galvano reminded fellow senators that the bill includes $161 million for the university system, not counting parts of the bill whose financial impact have yet to be calculated.
“This is not a cheap bill for our university system,” he said. “At heart is accountability to the people of Florida and creating the best university system.”
The bill is scheduled for a third and final reading Thursday.
“We are in favor of any tool that will help us graduate students on time,” said Janine
Sykes, spokesperson for the University of Florida. “We are trying to figure out all the details how to do that without causing a major financial impact for the students or the university.”