FCCJ to become state college, name change likely

[rjp2008]

If you want to spur downtown development and activity, nothing better than upgrading your higher education right in the middle of downtown. Ensures a constant influx of young adults. BU in Boston, NYU in New York, etc, etc.

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/072408/met_308718930.shtml

Jax State College?
Jax College (kinda like that one)
Jax College International (heh heh)

[Jason]

Sounds like a great opportunity.

[Joe]

That's great news.

I wonder if all FCCJ locations will be partly 2-year, partly 4-year classes - or if one location will become the 4-year college?

[thelakelander]

Hopefully this will lead to on-campus housing at the downtown location.

[Jimmy Olsen]

I really like the idea of FCCJ moving up the ranks, especially with how over crowded our current Universities are. I would also love to see a University downtown!

BUT....


A few of my Professors at FCCJ do not like the idea of it becoming a state school. The main issue being affordability for lower income students in the area. A lot of people who wouldn't be able to go to school depend on FCCJ's low cost for higher education. If FCCJ were to become a state school, it would drive up the prices making it harder for people to attend.

This isn't my opinion, I actually love the idea. I just wanted to let you guys know what some of the FCCJ peeps are saying about it.

[downtownparks]

Under the new system, state colleges will be able to offer approved bachelor's degrees but still must retain many of the characteristics of community colleges, including affordable costs, a variety of associate's degrees and adult education.

[copperfiend]

There is already a Jacksonville College in Texas. I don't know if that matters or not.

[konstantconsumer]

this sounds like a great thing to me!  Jacksonville College would be great.  If they included downtown dorms, it would be a huge step in the right direction.

[rjp2008]

To play the "if I were Mayor bit" here, I would be in favor of increased funding to this development, and encourage a new direction along the lines of "Innovation State College".

While still offering easier access Associates, the other major part of it would be a jewel for creative young engineers, planners, artists, architects, etc.

[Joe]

Hopefully this will lead to on-campus housing at the downtown location.

I hope you're right, of course. However, the way things tend to go in Jacksonville, I would bet that they'd turn the Beach Boulevard Campus into the residential 4 year college.

[willydenn]

New student housing, done properly, would be a great addition to downtown!  It would be great to see young people walking and riding their bikes to class and around the city.  

[Ocklawaha]

To our new mayor

The Honorable Stephendare:

Your excellency, it has come to my attention that the sprawling campus of Cowford State Express University now has a fully operating medical school, and teaching facility in conjunction with the University of Florida, Shands and Mayo Clinic. As CSXU has quickly become one of the fastest growing medical research Universities in the world we should address the needs of our many area veterans.

Therefore I, Thurston Howell - Justice IV, world traveler, part time Colombian, streetcar builder and friend to spotted cats and teal blue women everywhere, offer to build, free of charge, a new 500 room Veterans Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville.  Your early interest would be appreciated.

Thirsty IV Justice

[Driven1]

story in the WSJ yesterday about this happening around the country at comm colleges.

[RiversideGator]

There is already a Jacksonville State in Alabama.

[BridgeTroll]

I really like the idea of FCCJ moving up the ranks, especially with how over crowded our current Universities are. I would also love to see a University downtown!

BUT....


A few of my Professors at FCCJ do not like the idea of it becoming a state school. The main issue being affordability for lower income students in the area. A lot of people who wouldn't be able to go to school depend on FCCJ's low cost for higher education. If FCCJ were to become a state school, it would drive up the prices making it harder for people to attend.

This isn't my opinion, I actually love the idea. I just wanted to let you guys know what some of the FCCJ peeps are saying about it.

Lacking enough facts at this time I tend to agree.  FCCJ serves a vital function in Jax just as it is.  FCCJ is an oustanding institution and provides advanced learning opportunities to many who would otherwise not get it.  It is a springboard into higher education for those who did not achieve or "mature" enough in high school.

$.02