Bill could elevate UF's status in state - (This can and will affect USF sports)

[The_Reaper]

I am so freakin tired of these legislators trying to "get mine in." They are F*****G with my paycheck. (I am a teacher), Trying to F##K with my retirement, and generally F&&K with anything that is not nailed down. I wish THEY had to sit down and deal with parents, go under the certification process that we do, and be payed according to what my constituents progress shows, even though there are some malcontents that will have an effect on the skew! I love to teach and I am **** good at it. But these legislators and their 15 minutes of fame mentality need to go. If I make a mistake I am fired. If they make a mistake it is shoved under the rug and spun. UF equivalent to MIT? Oh honey, be for real. Sure sounds like something escaped from your ass. Come to think of it, there has been quite a lot of gas coming from Talahassee lately! >

[Oldsmobull]

UF already tried this before back in 1988 and it was defeated:   http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XsQMAAAAIBAJ&sjid=E2EDAAAAIBAJ&dq=dressler%20flagship&pg=6416%2C7729797

State Senator Evelyn Lynn is semi-senile and should have left the legislature years ago.  The state tried to create an "MIT" over 45 years ago with its creation of Florida Technological University--its now called the Univ of Central Florida.

UF's Bernie Machen is full of it saying this isn't about money; it's ALL about money.  UF wants the sole "flagship" label so it gets first in line for state funding.  Florida has 19 million people; the state is large enough to have maybe 4 flagships:  publics UF, FSU, USF and private UM.  In Senate Bill 2442 the only really measurable yardstick that could distinguish UF from other Florida universities is the $500 million/yr research threshold mentioned in the bill.  If the threshold was adjusted to whatever USF's annual research amount is (around $350 million?) than USF could be designated a "flagship."

Judy "Shaft" Genshaft needs to leather up and get the boxing gloves on and straighten these guys out pronto!

Senate Bill 2442:  

http://www.flsenate.gov/cgi-bin/view_page.pl?Tab=session&Submenu=1&FT=D&File=sb2442c1.html&Directory=session/2010/Senate/bills/billtext/html/

[Dogma]

so how bout the chances of other Florida school obtaining that status in the future?

And it sounds like it would be more difficult to let great athletes with bad grades (aka 90% of top football recruits) in to a "elite" school

This as well.

If they leave UF getting the pick of the litter on research and funding.. that just will keep all other schools constantly down

Sort of the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

You would think that this type of measure wouldn't pass, considering how big USF, FSU, UCF, FAU and FIU are (UM is private so I don't think this would affect them at all,) and the powerful and populous areas they represent

[CowbellBandit]

so how bout the chances of other Florida school obtaining that status in the future?

And it sounds like it would be more difficult to let great athletes with bad grades (aka 90% of top football recruits) in to a "elite" school

I don't see how this affects USF any more than FSU or other public schools. UF is already attracting top tier in the state, I would be surprised if it changed dramatically. Worst case a fire is lit under the other schools to catch up. Good call on the elite athletes though.

[Tampabull99]

This is most certainly bad for USF (and the other "directional" schools in the state) as far as academics, however I can't help but think it's kind of pointless.  UF is already, albeit unofficially, the flagship university of the state and that's not ever going to change.  I am getting sick and tired of UF graduate's myopic views of their alma mater's academic prowess.  Yes, UF compares favorably but that's only when considered among it's peers in the state, deep south, or SEC athletic conference.

To illustrate my point, let's look at the latest university rankings by US News and World Report and let's compare UF to the state universities in California.  Here's the schools that rank Higher than UF

Cal Tech #4

Cal Berkely #21

UCLA #24

UC-San Diego #35

UC-Davis #42, tied with

UC-Santa Barbara #42

UC-Irvine #46

. . .and then comes UF at #47 nationally.  So the gators would be the 8th best public university (10th if you count USC and Stanford) in the state of California.  The point of this exercise is that a state university system functions best when it works together.  When it comes to pursuing research money, pooling resources, and working together in an academic/research setting, the UC system is much more cooperative amongst schools than here in Florida.  Obviously Cal and UCLA are the big names out there but the fact that these schools cooperate with the other universities in CA (academically) at a level far greater than this state is a big reason their system is so good.  I have a hard time believing that there are state reps in CA that are Cal/UCLA alum that have this "we got ours, eff every other state school" mindset that some gator alums in Talllahassee obviously have.

[Oldsmobull]

This senate bill ticks me off.  In 1988 when this was tried before by UF, it was little old FAMU that raised the biggest stink and got the deal killed.  What is USF's official position on this bill; i haven't heard a peep from USF administrators or trustees on the bill.  Is USF just going to roll over and let the bill pass without saying a word?

[crambone]

I would go R. Kelly on Senator Lynn if this ever got approved.

You'd pee on another person?

=p

[smazza]

gotta love repulbicans with their ridiculous laws they try to pass

to much government in our lives

[IncrediBULL]

They tried to create a tiered system a few years ago with UF/FSU/USF in the Research I tier.  Technically we are all three in that tier today based on Carnegies rankings.

UCF falls in the next level of Research.  But still would be considered a Research Facility.

The next level below that included most of the other state schools. 

[gainesvillebull]

I am so freakin tired of these legislators trying to "get mine in." They are F*****G with my paycheck. (I am a teacher), Trying to F##K with my retirement, and generally F&&K with anything that is not nailed down. I wish THEY had to sit down and deal with parents, go under the certification process that we do, and be payed according to what my constituents progress shows, even though there are some malcontents that will have an effect on the skew! I love to teach and I am **** good at it. But these legislators and their 15 minutes of fame mentality need to go. If I make a mistake I am fired. If they make a mistake it is shoved under the rug and spun. UF equivalent to MIT? Oh honey, be for real. Sure sounds like something escaped from your ***. Come to think of it, there has been quite a lot of gas coming from Talahassee lately! >

+1 here too. I too am a teacher and this week has been FRUSTRATING!!!!