FAMU, UF officials ask Crist to release rainy-day dollars, Tallahassee Democrat

By Angeline J. Taylor
August 6, 2008

One is a local pastor who serves as vice chairman of Florida A&M’s board of trustees. The other sits at the helm of the University of Florida — the state’s flagship university.

Within the past two weeks both UF President Bernie Machen and local pastor Rev. R.B. Holmes Jr. have requested something of Gov. Charlie Crist — they want him to release reserve dollars to help public universities maintain their academic momentum.

The two men didn’t get together to speak out on behalf of state universities. Instead, each said universities face an emergency situation and that’s where the state’s $4 billion in reserve funds come in.

To read the rest of this article, click here.

Skyrocketing utility costs hit public universities, Tallahassee Democrat

By Angeline J. Taylor
August 6, 2008

Florida’s public universities have another financial hurdle to scale for the 2008-2009 school year -- skyrocketing utility costs.

Costs have escalated as much as 20-percent for the 2008-2009 fiscal year creating utility bills of $13.2 million for Florida A&M University, $51 million for Florida State University and a staggering $62.8 million for the University of Florida.

To read the rest of this article, click here.

For a related article, click here.

Cost-cutting moves at FAU extend to used cooking oil, Palm Beach Post

By Kimberly Miller
August 7, 2008


At Florida Atlantic University, the budget crunch has even hit Cap'n Crunch.

In an effort to deal with skyrocketing prices on everyday items, FAU officials this fall are replacing the giant scoops used by students to fill their cereal bowls with single-serving dispensers. Students still can fill up more than once, but the hope is it will reduce food waste.

To read the rest of this article, click here.

Fiscal eclipse? Tallahassee Democrat

August 6, 2008

On the bright side of a gloomy economic picture, one might posit that the Sunshine State has been through ups and downs before and emerged with steady, sometimes robust revenue streams to support an array of public services.

In a state with sunshine, great beaches and a thriving agriculture industry, even the bursting of the housing bubble is a temporary setback, however painful the resulting reduction in state government revenues.

Eventually, solutions, imperfect as they may be, will be crafted to address the nation's credit crisis, and Florida's hobbled real-estate market will recover, when everything will return to ... what?

To read the rest of this editorial, click here.

Chancellor: Allocate $65.4 million to help stop "brain drain" of Florida university faculty, Treasure Coast Palm

By Scott Travis
August 5, 2008

Florida's budget-strapped universities may deteriorate in quality as other states siphon off the most talented faculty, a top education official says.

Mark Rosenberg, chancellor of the State University System, is recommending that the Legislature allocate $65.4 million to help stop "brain drain." This would mean a 4-percent raise for all faculty if spread evenly across the board. The Board of Governors, the policy making board for public universities, will discuss the proposal at meetings Wednesday and Thursday.

To read the rest of this article, click here.

For related stories, click here and here.

Economy to force state cuts, or tapping of reserves, Sun-Sentinel

By Aaron Deslatte
August 5, 2008

TALLAHASSEE - Florida' sagging economy will push state government back into the red this month and force Gov. Charlie Crist to either further cut spending or tap deeper into the state's reserves.

Florida's sales and real-estate tax revenues have continued to plummet this year, forcing Crist in June to order all state agencies to hold back 4 percent of the $25.7 billion operating budget for the fiscal year that began July 1.

To read the rest of this article, click here.

Florida's loss in real-estate value: $153 billion, Miami Herald

By Marc Caputo
August 5, 2008

TALLAHASSEE -- The bursting of the Florida real-estate bubble now has a price tag: $153 billion.

That's the loss in market value of all Florida properties, from houses to businesses, between 2007 and 2008.

To read the rest of this article, click here.

Crist throws clout behind "tax swap" The Ledger (Lakeland)

By Joe Follick
August 4, 2008

TALLAHASSEE Gov. Charlie Crist said Monday he would support the controversial "tax swap" amendment that Floridians will vote on in November.

To read the rest of this article, click here.

Paying for Law Enforcement, Gainesville Sun

By Brandon C. Kutner
August 4, 2008

With the passing of Amendment 1 last January, the citizens of Florida voted for a decrease in property tax rates that have effectively crippled some local governments and dramatically decreased the level of services available in others.

This sweeping reform was never intended to reduce the public safety infrastructure that all citizens rely heavily on for their personal safety. Yet it is that strong sense of public safety that is now thrust to the foreground in a highly contested debate with regard to the upcoming budget year.

To read the rest of this guest column, click here.

FAU might increase out-of-state enrollment to boost revenue, Sun-Sentinel

By Scott Travis
August 3, 2008

Florida Atlantic University could be in for a windfall if it can transform itself from a state commuter school to a more nationally recognized university.

The Boca Raton university is discussing ways to attract more out-of-state students. Currently, they make up nearly 7 percent of the 26,000 FAU students. FAU officials say state law allows them to go as high as 10 percent.

To read the rest of this story, click here.

Were women and minorities targeted in UF layoffs? TV20 WCJB

August 1, 2008

Women and minorities were disproportionately targeted for layoffs by the University of Florida, according to an email message sent by the school's Faculty Union President and now obtained by WCJB.

To read (or listen to) the rest of this story, click here.

What's missing" Gainesville Sun

August 2, 2008

What's in a missing word?

That Santa Fe College no longer has the word "Community" in its title makes neither its stature nor its mission radically different. With the dropped word, however, comes new expectations: Santa Fe is now one of a handful of former community colleges authorized to offer four-year degree programs.

To read the rest of this editorial, click here.

Machen calls university funding shortfall 'an emergency' Gainesville Sun

By Nathan Crabbe
August 2, 2008

University of Florida President Bernie Machen expects more budget cuts to rain on higher education and wants the governor to use a multi-billion-dollar umbrella.

State universities have already experienced about $115 million in cuts for the fiscal year starting in July. Higher education officials are bracing for more cuts by year’s end, a fear fueled by recent projections that lottery revenues will fall short of expectations.

To read the rest of this article, click here.