Florida Senate budget offers least pain for FAMU

Florida Senate Pres. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville

Last year, the Florida Senate assured the State University System (SUS) that it would restore a multi-million dollar cut to public university reserves in 2013-2014.

“The budget includes a nonrecurring general revenue reduction of $300 million, which will be restored in 2013-14. Universities will use a portion of their fund balance to maintain full operations,” the Senate Appropriations Committee wrote in 2012.

Now that Florida is expected to collect an extra $3.5 billion in tax revenue, the senators want to keep their promise. The Florida Senate’s proposed budget for the fiscal year ending (FYE) in 2014 returns the $300 million to SUS reserves.

The Florida House and Gov. Rick Scott have proposed restoring only part of the reserve cut from last year. The House wants to return $200 million of what the Florida Legislature took away during FYE 2013. Scott only wants to give back $118 million.

The House appropriates another $65 million for “performance funding.” Scott proposes $167 million for “performance funding.”

Back in February, FAMU Interim President Larry Robinson told the Board of Trustees that the university lost $19.8 as a result of last year’s cut. If FAMU doesn’t get all that money back, then very painful cuts lie in the near future.

“The consequences of not getting the $300 million back or having strings attached will require some drastic action by this board,” Robinson said in a quote published by the Tallahassee Democrat.

Neither the Florida Senate nor Scott proposed tuition increases. The House mandates an across-the-board six percent tuition increase and claims that it will generate $37 million. But the estimate is inflated because it is based upon the assumption that every student in the SUS will take a full course load. Many students at FAMU don’t have enough money to take full course loads every semester (although FAMU’s course load average is improving).

Scott has the power to simply strike the tuition increase with his line item veto.

The Senate budget includes $45 million for “Performance Funding for High Demand Programs” and $30 million for “University Research Preeminence.” The House appropriates $65 million for performance-based funding and $45 million for “preeminent universities.”

The “University Research Preeminence” money is likely to be divided between the University of Florida and Florida State University. Scott’s budget designates $15 million for UF, alone.