Legislature still has final say over health professional programs

Late last year, the University of South Florida sent out a press release stating that it still planned to open a pharmacy school in 2011. The announcement came despite the fact that the proposed school failed to receive authorization from the Florida Legislature last session.

However, a recent news report shows that the legislature still holds all the cards when it comes to establishing new health professional programs in the Sunshine State.

According to the St. Petersburg Times, legislative certification is “necessary for a program that will result in a student getting a state-issued license.” Without such a license, USF pharmacy graduates will not be able to practice in Florida.

Even though the Board of Governors can approve new programs, it has no authority over the Florida Board of Pharmacy, which grants licenses. The Board of Pharmacy is part of the Florida Department of Health, which operates under the laws passed by the legislature. The board will only grant licenses to students from legislatively-certified programs.

This news shows that FAMU may have another avenue for seeking a dental school even if the Board of Governors does not support the proposal. FAMU could still ask the legislature for certification to train dental students who will be eligible to receive licenses from the Florida Board of Dentistry.

The BOG has lost practically every one of its fights with Florida’s House and Senate. It is currently backing out of its lawsuit to take tuition-setting authority away from the legislature. It also remained quiet after the legislature struck down its controversial proposal to increase its presence in the hiring and evaluation processes for university presidents.

FAMU is requesting $1.5M to assist it in planning for the School of Dentistry. If the legislature makes an early investment into a potential FAMU dental school, then FAMU will be in the best position to get full funding for a dental program when the state's budget situation improves. There are many other ambitious public universities in Florida that want to train dentists, as well. But, FAMU is trying to put itself at the front of the line now.

It is critical that FAMU supporters lobby vigorously throughout the next legislative session. Every Rattler who wants a dental school should contact Fla. Sen. Durell Peaden R-Crestview, who is likely to remain chairman of the Health and Human Services Appropriations Committee, and ask him to keep on supporting FAMU’s health science education goals. In 2008, Peaden played an instrumental role in securing $2.5M to aid FAMU pharmacy’s school’s expansion into Northwest Florida.