Major opposition is mounting to a surprise bill to integrate Florida Polytechnic University into the University of Florida. The Polk County-based STEM university’s president Randy Avent said he would attend today’s Florida House Education Committee meeting to oppose the bill.
The bill, PCB EDC 20-03, emerged from the House Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee, where Chairman Randy Fine, a Brevard County Republican, said it’s a matter of fiscal prudence.
“If we can stop spending $180,000 per degree and start spending $20,000 per degree, we could get nine kids educated for what we are presently paying to educate one. It’s a winner for our students and it’s a winner for the state.” Fine told Tampa’s ABC Action News.
Florida Polytechnic’s statement about the bill:
Respecting every taxpayer dollar and maximizing the impact of those dollars is clearly at the heart of this legislative proposal. But the facts and the truth show that every dollar at Florida Polytechnic University is already having a maximum positive impact. That’s why we respectfully and strongly oppose this unnecessary and unwarranted legislation. We stand behind the fact that we have accomplished, and continue to accomplish, great things as a separate, unique institution within the State University System. Florida’s future lies in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and Florida Poly offers a core STEM education available nowhere else in our state. In its young life, Florida Poly has been doing the job it was created for. Our projections show enrollment growth, and applications have nearly doubled. This university has a substantial economic impact for the benefit of all of Florida, and our recently earned ABET accreditation is a testimony to the high standards of our academic degrees. A recent study showed that Florida Poly grads can expect a return on their investment that is more than three times larger than the other universities in the system. It would be a profound mistake, for our current and future students – and for the state of Florida – to diminish Florida Poly’s role in meeting this important state objective.