Rick Scott's Veto List $615 Million

[CityLife]

Tacachale, if anyone should be mad about the Higher Ed vetoes it is UF and FSU (especially UF who got $0). I really hate to offend any UNF graduates here, but UF and FSU are on a totally different level than UNF. Heck even UCF and USF are on a totally different level.

UF is the #53 rated University in the country by US News (I know their ratings don't use the best methodology) and FSU is #104. Both are in the top 50 best public schools in the country according to the US News rankings.

UNF isn't even in the top 50 schools that don't have doctoral programs schools in the south. That doesn't count schools like UF, FSU, UGA, UNC, and the hundreds of other research schools. So basically UNF isn't even in the top 250 universities in the south.

You complaining about UNF furthers my argument about regionalism. With Florida's population and wealth, both UF and FSU should be top 50 Universities nationally. Yet those schools don't get near the funding that they should because politicians funnel higher ed money to lesser schools in their districts (see USF Poly). UF and FSU are really the only state schools that can keep Florida's brightest students at home, yet we as a state don't invest nearly enough money to enable that to happen. I know I would have gone out of state if my parents weren't FSU alumni and I had been raised a die hard Seminole. However, not everyone is like that and we lose a lot of bright students and future leaders out of state.

Again no offense to any UNF graduates. I know many UNF graduates who are very sharp and are doing quite well, but UNF has no right whatsoever to complain about lack of funding when much better schools are in the same boat.

I don't think we disagree on the fundamental part of this problem. But the real matter is that this affects the integrity of the univeristy system as a whole. It's nice to think about UF and FSU in a vacuum, the "flagships" of the state, but UNF and the other regional schools (USF, UCF, FIU, FAU, UWF, and FGCU) were created for a purpose: there was a deficiency in our university system, which simply couldn't accomodate the volume of students the state produces. Unless they accepted literally hundreds of thousands of students, UF and FSU (and FAMU) can't provide for Florida's higher ed needs by themselves. If it weren't for the newer schools, Florida would lose a LOT more of its best and brightest, regardless of how awesome the flagships were.

The money Scott cut was, unless I'm mistaken, intended specifically for building and infrastructure. Young schools with growing infrastucture needs obviously require money to fund it (and larger schools require more proportionally, of course.) UF and FSU have other needs (and in the case of FSU right now, they have a lot of other needs), but this isn't one of them. In this economy, you'd also expect schools to get their house in order and put out realistic requests. UNF is a young school, and is also well run - it's about the only school in the system that managed its finances well enough to not have to cut programs and lay off employees. And it's not like they were seriously requesting an amount that would hurt the "better" school; it was by any measure modest - seriously, 1.5% of the total. Regardless, that got cut entirely, while certain other projects based in politically powerful senate districts were more protected.

That's the problem right there. An young, up and coming school faced a 100% decrease in its infrastructure request basically for doing what it's supposed to be doing. Decisions like this affect the entire university system, and therefore, the quality of life in the state.

To CityLife, your post made me feel like shit after graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design / Digital Media. UNF has successfully managed to survive without collapsing its own few departments during the economic recession's pressure while other Florida universities are suffering.

To Tacachale, thank you for trying to defend UNF and other "non-higher" standard education universities.

-Josh

Like I said, I know plenty of UNF graduates who are doing well and successful. Don't be so sensitive.

Do you really think UNF should be funded as well as UF or FSU?

Florida's upper tier universities are structured completely differently than an undergrad oriented school like UNF. UF, FSU, USF, and UCF have many elite professors who are paid much higher than UNF's best and who are highly sought after around the country. A few of these professors have been cherry picked by schools whose states allocate more to Higher Ed. Heck my department at FSU lost very good professors to UCLA and Georga Tech in my time there. Other than that those schools are doing just fine, minus the budget cuts that every school is dealing with.

[CityLife]

wsansewjs, as a digital media graduate you may be able to appreciate this project that FSU is partnering with James Cameron's company (Digital Domain) on in Downtown West Palm Beach. This is the type of Economic Development that UNF is simply not capable of.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/fsu-studio-expand-plans-for-digital-animation-college-1408390.html

[CityLife]

Also, I'm like 80% sure BigGuy is Ron Swanson

[ChriswUfGator]

I'm about 99% sure it must be Jerry Moran, but I guess everybody has their own Big Guy conspiracy theory.

[Garden guy]

When you can't afford paper clips, you don't buy paper clips.

We were spoiled by unrealistic economic growth and propserity. It gave us unrealistic expectations going forward.

This is the new normal.

We can't spend like we used to, nor should we expect to be able to.

Unrealistic economic growth and prosperity based upon the republican ideas rules and regulations..so we can blame all our bullshit on them right? I mean it was your god the wonderful intelligent george bush that was leading us all was'nt it?..good...then we can blame them...that's nice to hear someone should stand up and take the blame...

[jcjohnpaint]

Big Guy I do agree with you.  Either you increase revenue or cut spending.  All Scott is doing is making Party Favored cuts and not even strategic at that.  I guess if we flipped the issue over to the private sector- is he coming down as hard?  Not at all.  Lets be fair!

[jcjohnpaint]

On the UNF note- every institution is reaching to become Highest Tier.  UF is a Tier One, but does not mean the professors are superior.  I have many friends who teach at Tier One schools and have half the resume of mine or any of my other colleagues at UNF.  UNF is a teaching school, but has been improving at an alarming rate over the last few years.  I don't think this conversation will be happening in 10 yrs.   

[tufsu1]

Either you increase revenue or cut spending

actually given our local, state, and Federal budget issues you do both!

[tufsu1]

I live two blocks from the St. John's River. I can see it out my window. I don't see any toxic waste floating by. Again. Relax.

just wait a few weeks/months...that nice green sheen will be back

[riverside planner]

The Gov. also vetoed $2.5 million in fuding for Florida's 11 regional planning councils...and for TBARTA...nice!

http://www.tbarta.com/content/tbarta-responds-governor-scott’s-decision-veto-state-funds

Yep, thanks to the "jobs governor" (gag!), it's very likely that I will be out of one!

[fieldafm]

wsansewjs, as a digital media graduate you may be able to appreciate this project that FSU is partnering with James Cameron's company (Digital Domain) on in Downtown West Palm Beach. This is the type of Economic Development that UNF is simply not capable of.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/fsu-studio-expand-plans-for-digital-animation-college-1408390.html

You do realize that's a irrelevant comparison.  I personally discussed this the other day with an administrator at UNF.  If a private developer came up to UNF with $81 million in state and local money and wanted them to simply administer a dual enrollment program(they and JU both offer dual enrollment programs now)... it would happen.

-Signed
An FSU graduate.

[MusicMan]

QUOTE FROM BIG GUY "Why cut tax breaks to fund services?

It punishes success, and rewards failure.

The goal is to put as much money in people's pockets and allow them to purchase the services they want. It sounds like you (and most liberals) want to take everyone's money and choose the services they get.

This is why Rick Scott got elected in the first place. People would rather have their tax cuts and lose services, than pay higher taxes and get services."


Big Guy, I don't agree with your opinions at all, but the reason Rick Scott won was money.  HE SPENT ABOUT $75 MILLION OF HIS OWN MONEY TO DEFEAT MCCOLLUM AND SINK.  HAD SINK SPENT AN EQUAL AMOUNT OF MONEY ON THIS ELECTION SHE WOULD BE GOVERNOR TODAY. 

$75 million divided by 2.5 million votes = $30 per vote

[BigGuy219]

Also, I'm like 80% sure BigGuy is Ron Swanson

I'm about 99% sure it must be Jerry Moran, but I guess everybody has their own Big Guy conspiracy theory.

No. I'm not either of those people.

[BigGuy219]

Also, I'm like 80% sure BigGuy is Ron Swanson

I'm about 99% sure it must be Jerry Moran, but I guess everybody has their own Big Guy conspiracy theory.

No. I'm not either of those people.

cool.  what kind of shrimp special was it that Jerry happened to tell you he was thinking about for La Cena this weekend, again?

I don't recall. He told me, but I was more focused on walking passed all the local businesses to get to Subway for a $5 footlong. 

[tufsu1]

wait...you mean there are national chains downtown?  Is that the Subway that is now open on Saturday and until 8pm on weeknighs