By Lynn Hatter
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wfsu/local-wfsu-994068.mp3
Tallahassee, FL – The debate over whether to allow the University of South Florida's Polytechnic campus to start on a path toward independence is not over yet. Lynn Hatter reports Senate Budget Chief JD Alexander wants an investigation into the University's leadership. He claims comments made during a debate over the cost of building the polytech's new campus are misleading.
In last week's debate over the University of South Florida Polytechnic, the board that oversees the state's 11 public universities questioned USF officials over a plan to design and build a 160-thousand square foot science and tech building at the Polytech campus. USF President Judy Genshaft and other top officials claimed no direct involvement with the building project. But now Senate Budget Chief JD Alexander is calling for an investigation into that claim. In a letter to the Board of Governors, Alexander says Genshaft and others approved the contract.
Atwater's letter says university leaders traveled to New York and Switzerland to negotiate the terms of the contract and accepted a million dollar contribution from the contractor. He also claims top USF officials misled the Board of Governors about the contract in an attempt to derail USF Polytech's independence bid.