Cuts will not affect the new campus in Lakeland

[USFan]

Projected USF cuts will not have effect on Lakeland campus

BY DIANE LACEY ALLEN THE LEDGER

LAKELAND -- The University of South Florida has some serious belt tightening ahead: about $52 million in the next two years.

It will mean larger classes, a hiring freeze and possible layoffs, though specifics are still to be worked out. But the new USF Lakeland campus is still on the horizon.

"At this moment in time, we don't anticipate these reductions will have any impact on the proposed construction, planning and construction money for the new campus," said USF Provost Ralph Wilcox.

The cuts are coming out of Tallahassee, since money for the state's colleges and universities is tied to tax revenue, USF President Judy Genshaft announced Thursday. With revenues down, that means less money for schools and the need to cut USF's budget by 15 percent.

The cuts will affect regional campuses, such as the existing campus in Lakeland, Genshaft said.

The reductions were no surprise to Gene Engle of Lakeland, who has long been involved in real estate and land development. Engle was recently appointed to USF's board of trustees.

"Because of the business I'm in, I'm very much aware of where the economy is," Engle said. "What they're doing is saying, 'Here are the cuts this year and we don't see next year getting any better.' The housing industry hasn't even begun to hit bottom yet."

USF Lakeland, which will be at the eastern leg of the Polk Parkway and Interstate 4, is scheduled for groundbreaking in 2009. Its anticipated opening in 2010 would serve 4,094 students.

Marshall Goodman, CEO of USF Lakeland, said the cuts will not affect the new campus, since construction money will come from the Public Education Capital Outlay fund.

"From what we're being told, the PECO fund, which comes from utility tax revenues, is quite healthy," Goodman said. "So it'll have no impact on the capital funds. In fact, I think the state is looking for ways to get more construction funded, because that's a great stimulus for the state's economy."

But USF has already had its share of financial problems.

Gov. Charlie Crist vetoed $10 million legislators had approved to begin construction on the campus last year. The veto came after the government watchdog group TaxWatch listed the new school as a "turkey." TaxWatch later said the designation was an error, but the correction came too late in the process.

In September 2007, the State University System's board of governors approved $35 million over three years for the Lakeland campus, which will specialize in applied research and technology. That money must still be approved by the state Legislature and Crist.

To assure a nod from Tallahassee, Goodman has been on a fundraising mission to get local good-faith money. His quest is to get $65 million for the campus' infrastructure and first phase.

Last year, the Polk County Commission and the Lakeland City Commission each vowed $5 million in support for the campus. The money will go through the Central Florida Economic Development Council and the Lakeland Economic Development Council so it can receive matching funds.

Goodman is still hoping to get $5 million from the private sector.

The Lakeland campus is also ranked 40th out of 40 projects on the state list of projects to get capital outlay money.

Although that puts the high-tech school at the bottom of the list, Goodman said the list is ranked by priorities.

The first group, he said, includes continuing projects that have already been started. The second deals with deferred maintenance or critical security issues.

The third, where USF Lakeland falls, includes just two projects, with the other being a University of Florida science building.

The Ledger in Lakeland is part of the New York Times Regional Media Group.

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080120/NEWS/801200630/1060/NEWS0110