The actual head count of state college students is about 780,000 this year, down from a peak of nearly 900,000 in 2010. More than 60 percent attend part-time.
florida higher education
Immigration Reform’s Latest Cheering Section: Florida College and University Presidents
Florida college and university presidents are calling on Congress to pass immigration reform this year, saying it would be better for the state’s economy if foreign students could stay after graduation, instead of being forced to take their diplomas and leave.
Florida College Presidents’ Compensation Ranges From $143,866 to $630,157
The contracts for Florida’s 28 state college presidents range widely, totaling almost $10 million in compensation, and in several cases seem to violate state law, according to a review released Monday by Gov. Rick Scott’s top oversight official.
With Gimmicky Interpretations, Gov. Scott Says 23 Colleges Meet $10K Challenge
Shedding light on the gimmickry, one college said it had met Scott’s challenge – as far as students are concerned. The cost of a degree at the school is about $13,700, but is less than $10,000 only when financial aid is taken into account.
Gov. Scott’s Notion of Cheaper State College Degrees Termed “Walmart of Education”
Gov. Rick Scott “challenged” state colleges to create $10,000 four-year degrees, a continuation of his low-cost strategy for higher education that Democrats slammed as an attempt to turn the schools into “the Walmart of Education.”
Board of Governors’ Power Over Universities Would Grow While Curtailing Legislature’s
A higher education task force is moving toward a recommendation that would significantly increase the power of the Florida Board of Governors, allowing the panel to set the budgets for each of the state’s 12 universities.
Bob Graham Ridicules $300 Million Higher Ed Cut as Issue Galvanizes Democratic Races
Democrats have started a push to make higher-education cuts and the state’s tuition burdens an issue in state legislative campaigns. The state pays just 40 percent of universities’ tabs, down from 75 percent.
Contending With a $300 Million Cut, Florida Universities Find Insufficient Funds in Reserves
State universities, including UCF and the University of Florida, are considering reductions beyond spending down reserves, the solution favored by the Legislature in debate over the plan this past winter.
Gov. Scott Vetoes Bill Calling For Unlimited Tuition Increases at UF and Florida State
Gov. Rick Scott’s tuition bill veto rejects pleas of higher education and business officials who said steeper tuition would make the schools more competitive. The veto underscores Scott’s emphasis on holding down the cost of living in the state.
What Rick Scott Can Learn from Anthropology
Rick Scott should lay off behavior modification and let people study everything from art to zoology, argues Cary McMullen. Don’t worry. We’ll figure out what we want to be when we grow up.
Class-Action Lawsuit Calls Florida’s In-State College Tuition Restrictions Unconstitutional
American citizens who’ve lived in Florida for years and have all the documents to prove it are denied in-state tuition rights the moment they can’t prove that their parents are lawful Florida residents–an unconstitutional form of discrimination against citizens, the Southern Poverty Law Center charges in the lawsuit.
Don’t Mess With Florida: Lawmakers Leery Of Texas-Like Assembly-Line Higher Ed
Florida Senators are willing to listen to Gov. Rick Scott’s proposal to adopt the Texas model of higher education, but they don’t like students treated as customers on a university assembly line.
Dim Futures: Florida’s Student-Loan Default Rate Rises to 10 Highest in the Nation
Students are defaulting on loans at higher rates, especially in Florida, because of a lousy job market, higher interest rates, and a rise in for-profit colleges that typically charge more than public colleges.
Borrowing From Rick Perry: Gov. Rick Scott Wants More Texas in Florida Universities
Gov. Rick Scott wants to treat universities and colleges more like private businesses, as Rick Perry is trying to do in Texas, with more scrutiny over professor and university performance.
College Drop-Outs: Florida Lawmakers Cutting Bright Futures Scholarships a Further 20%
Once a scholarship that covered almost 100 percent of a student’s tuition and fees and half the cost of books, students entering UF next year will see their Bright Futures scholarship covering less than 50 percent of those costs.