'08-09 forecast: Higher tuition push, reduced per-student funding

As they reduced their current-year budgets by more than $350-million this afternoon, education committee chairs Sens. Stephen Wise and Evelyn Lynn warned of tougher decisions to come -- ones that will hit families.

Lynn, R-Ormond Beach, said higher university and community college tuition likely will be considered for 08-09, given the reduced state revenues.

"What the amount will be, and whether we can get agreement from the governor, is another story," she said.

Meanwhile, Sen. Wise said 08-09 might be the first time in more than three decades that per-student funding (now about $7,100) goes down.

"Next year is going to be dismal at best," he said. "I would say we have to cut closer to a billion, rather than half a billion (this year)."

Comments

Cut all waste and/or pork projects! No negative service or personnel impacts.

Problem Solved!

[Not a nole, not a gator, and happy as a clam]

Tuition hike means more online and out of state college enrollment. I went out of state because of the constant increases. The first year's tuition was higher but then I established residency and the next three years were cheaper in tuition, rent was MUCH MUCH MUCH lower than here, as was the standard cost of living. Students need to start researching out of residency tuition and states that have easy residency laws. This CAN come back to bite the University's greed and it should.

Schools need to cut all waste out their budget. The spend and spend and are somehow protected from cuts. We have many fine colleges in Florida and the FSU and UF get too much money. Run it like a business!!

[Sick of Irresponsible GOP]

Meanwhile, "Problem Solved!" and his neocon business buddies will be asking us for another tax cut.

Florida supports students going into the public higher education system at a rate higher than most states in the country. We have the lowest tution in the nation. More than 90% of the students who attend FSU or UF go for free. The average family income at UF is over $100,000. "Joe Sixpack" is struggling to put food on the table while at the same time he is paying taxes that make free higher education possible. Something is wrong with this picture.

I sort of agree with 9 a.m., but I absolutely agree with the point of the article. The citizens of Florida expect a high quality university (and community college) system. We would pay tuition or taxes to get one but we will not accept the dismantling of higher education in Florida.

9:00 could you please give the source for your $100K average famiy income figure? Thanks.