By Lynn Hatter
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wfsu/local-wfsu-994055.mp3
Tallahassee, FL – Governor Rick Scott has called for greater accountability in tracking how the state's 11 public universities spend their money, calling attention to the issue a few months ago by posting the salaries of faculty and staff online. Lynn Hatter reports State University System Chancellor Frank Brogan says the funding issue is an important conversation to have just not this year.
Florida's public universities are funded based on the number of students in them, not what happens to those students when they graduate. Governor Rick Scott says the state should look at additional things like the number of STEM degrees being produced and how well a university's graduates fare in the job market. State University System Chancellor Frank Brogan says the funding issue is complicated.
"We believe that we can create a formula for an outcome based funding model. Other states have done it. But we think it's going to take a year to look at those states, see what they did, see what they wish they hadn't done, and come back with a well-rounded, balanced approach to outcome based funding."
The call for higher education reform is growing louder as the 2012 legislative session gets closer. But what that reform will look like remains unclear.