Governor Rick Scott, his higher education advisory panel, and the board that oversees Florida’s universities, could be heading to a clash over tuition rates.
Governor Scott’s "Blue Ribbon" Task Force on Higher Education is proposing tying tuition rates to programs. Those deemed most important would be shielded from tuition hikes for a few years until unemployment drops. But the tuition issue could run into headwind from Governor Rick Scott, who says he wants to keep costs down.
“I think about how can we get value for the taxpayer, how can we provide the service for the individual who needs it, and it’s really tied to two things: What does it cost? And what’s the result?” Scott told members of the state university governing board, the Florida Board of Governors, Wednesday in a meeting.
As state funding for universities has fallen in recent years, tuition has increased but is still far below the national average. Scott’s higher education advisory group is also recommending strengthening the role of the Florida Board of Governors, increasing state funding to universities, and tying that funding on how well the schools perform.
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