By Lynn Hatter
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Tallahassee, FL – Florida University System Chancellor Frank Brogan says lawmakers should view higher education as an investment, not an expenditure. Florida's colleges and universities are facing a large budget cut as lawmakers look to steer more money into K through 12. Lynn Hatter reports.
The state is looking to cut about 500-million dollars out of the Higher Education budget. Lawmakers are also looking at canceling out the New Florida Initiative a program geared at boosting investment into science, technology engineering and math programs. University System Chancellor Frank Brogan says it's important for lawmakers to understand the difference between expenditures and investments.
"The diversity of this system is un-paralleled. 11 outstanding institutions, baccalaureate degrees, master's degrees PhD's, research and development. And as we continue to say, as it says on your placards, we're not asking for an expenditure into that system, we're asking for an investment into that system."
The universities are looking to raise tuition by 15-percent this year in order to try and make up some of the budget losses but even with those tuition increases, they say it won't be enough to counteract the budget cuts.