 |
| Senate President Don Gaetz and House Speaker Will Weatherford |
Last year, the legislature sliced $300M from the State University
System of Florida (SUS). It told public
universities to use a portion of their reserves to fill the budget gap. Florida
law requires public universities to keep a fund balance, or reserve, of no less
than 5 percent.
Lawmakers gave the SUS an “IOU,” saying they intended to
restore the money universities were forced to take out of their reserves in FYE
2013.
This year’s budget followed through in replenishing the
recurring funds FAMU lost last year. FAMU received $82.7M in general revenue for FYE 2014.
2013-2014’s general revenue budget is the largest since the
one the Florida Legislature approved in 2009. FAMU received $87,047,777 during
the 2009 regular session, but lost $4,179,917 during the 2010 special session
for a net of $82,867960.
FAMU also saw a bump in its education enhancement
appropriation, which comes from lottery dollars. It is up by about $2M.
The budget also increases SUS tuition by three percent. The
legislature estimates that FAMU will bring in $73M in tuition. But the tuition
projection is inflated. Lawmakers assume that every student at every state
university will take a full course load every semester, which isn’t realistic.
2013
General Revenue $82,770,293
Education Enhancement $11,940,834
Tuition/Fees $73,003,785
2012
General Revenue $65,584,450
Education Enhancement $9,917,968
Tuition/Fees $72,006,551