A word from President Genshaft

[SixtySix]

Current Students-

This is something that needs to be seen by all. Please pass this along to your friends who are currently enrolled. Things arent getting any better.

http://www.netcast.usf.edu/public/announce/admin/president/2008/webcast-011708.asx

By the way... One of the reasons for the shortfall is the lack of taxes coming into the state because of all the tax cuts wanted. The state can't have it's cake and eat it too.

[mikebeau]

The state got rich on property taxes in the real estate run up in the last five years.  This is no more than an adjustment to the real estate market. 

[Guest]

SixtySix .... Tax cuts have nothing to do with it.

MikeBeau .... The state does not collect property taxes.

The State of Florida relies on heavily on sales taxes and corporate income taxes for the bulk of its funding... so when the economy slows down, and people spend less money, and business slows down, tax collections slow down as well.

[SixtySix]

Then explain to me Jim where the SUS gets it funding from exactly?

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/jan/18/na-layoffs-very-very-likely-at-usf/

hint: paragraph 3

[USF_Grouper]

I am all for reducing enrollement.  USF needs to work to increase undergraduate admission standards and increase graduation rates.  I am not nearlly knowledgable enough about university funding to understand how that helps in a budget shortfall.  I would think USF gets x dollars per student from the state.  Therefore reducing enrollement also reduces the number of dollars you get.  Perhaps USF gets something like [ funding = fixed_amount + students x per_student_amount ].  Regardless, reducing enrollement helps us meet other goals and probably should be considered regardless of shortfall.

[Guest]

Then explain to me Jim where the SUS gets it funding from exactly?

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/jan/18/na-layoffs-very-very-likely-at-usf/

hint: paragraph 3

The Third paragraph reads:

That's just the start, however. State economists predict a $2 billion shortfall next fiscal year, a symptom of Florida's housing woes that are depleting tax collections. Anticipating those bad times, USF leaders will spend the next two weeks considering how to cut $26 million more out of next fiscal year's budget.

I don't see a mention of "tax cuts" here.  As I said above, when the economy slows down, tax collections slow down.

The SUS gets the bulk of its "Education and General" (Operational) funding from the General Revenue trust fund, the 3/4ths of which comes from sales tax collections...

(See this link for info on G.R. - it's a bit dated but the concepts are still the same)

[Jamie]

Jim, any chance USF may, reluctantly, cut the cords on the satellite campuses? I read somewhere that the state is trying to force them to run each like a separate university. That seems like an easy way to generate a net savings, assuming some percentage of those students end up moving over to the Tampa campus.

[hbryan]

Jamie,

I see that as a drain on the SUS system, since much of the administrative duties that are handled at the Tampa campus will now have to replicated at each satellite campus.  It may help USF Tampa in a small amount, but it also would mean less SUS funds.  To me, separating the satellite campuses is a very bad idea.

[Guest]

Only the St Pete Campus is really "separate" -- with its own accreditation.  Lakeland and Sarasota/Manatee are still under the same managerial structure.  But even St. Pete uses a lot of the Tampa administration.

HBryan is right that it will cost a little more without much real benefit... so the Legislature has not been pushing for total separation of the branch campuses.