Norman blasts Lynn over higher ed cuts

Sen. Jim Norman echoed the fury that came out of the University of South Florida this week during discussions with the Senate's budget committee. He took to task Sen. Evelyn Lynn, higher education appropriations chair, for what he said seem like cuts to USF that'll come "on the backs of students."

"University of South Florida, they are not saying that they do not want to participate and be a fair participant in addressing these budget issues," said Norman, R-Tampa. "But either all the smart people that have analyzed their impact and analyzed how it has been divied up are all wrong, or this rom is full of people that don't understand."

He chastised Lynn, R-Ormand Beach, for not bringing USF to the table when calculating the cuts. It doesn't help that there's a bill slipped into the budget to make one of USF's branch campuses into the 12th university, Norman said.

"If this was with any other university in the state, they would be knocking the doors down, too," Norman said. He pointed to the two bus-loads of students who came to the meeting from USF, sprinkled around the room.

Lynn patently denied USF was being treated differently than anyone else.

"We computed it in a fair way," Lynn said. "If the University of South Florida can't compute it, I suggest their finance person -- who is excellent, by the way, meet with staff."

"Sen. Lynn, maybe you didn't hear what I said," Norman responded. "I said, if you would have listened, I said that these people have a misunderstanding either through these numbers or how it is impacting. I said they want to participate... I was not disrespecting staff. I was not disrespecting anyone. However, I think the disrespect is to USF, if you didn't sit down with them before the cuts came down." 

A day earlier, USF supporters came out in full force, emailing and calling lawmakers about cuts they see as disproportionate when compared to other universities. 

The Senate's breakdown of the cuts shows that USF's are, in fact, nearly even with fellow large institutions. The University of Central Florida actually has a slightly higher cut, according to those documents. 

But USF says the Senate is lumping all its campuses together when illustrating the cut disbursement. That includes USF Polytechnic, which under a budget conforming bill would be split off from USF right away with its $35 million budget. And it does not include $25 million the bill would hold in "contingency" until USF gives USF Poly all those assets. It also does not take into account the $18 million in costs for USF Poly faculty and staff that USF is expected to retain, and another $6 million for USF's pharmacy school which now comes into USF Poly's budget. 

 

Comments

[makers]

Nobody has been a stronger supporter for higher education than Evelyn lynn.

[Realist]

Apparently she can't add, if she thinks that sticking the main campus budget at USF with all these costs for Alexander's pet project is fair. It is just a vendetta-- the faculty there opposed him, so they get axed; the student regent did, so the position gets redefined so he gets axed; money is held back until he gets his way. This is madness.

[Penny]

Lynn has proven that she is an Alexander minion. Can't blame her for being afraid of him-- he took Fasano off as Committee Chair for opposing him on privatizing prisons. And most telling, back in November of 2011, Alexander threatened revenge on a student leader who alone had the guts to stand up to JD:
Alexander told him his actions were "highly inappropriate" and that he had just marred his future career." So he is basically telling a college student leader that he is going to exact vengeance on his fture career? This is Evelyn Lynn's ally?
http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/college/article1201267.ece

[Carolyn]

I agree with everything posted by Penny in the above. I would also like to add that USF cannot take on the current staff and faculty payroll so that means they will get axed. Not right at all!!!

[Susan]

How did Lynn make it this far in politics? We need some young blood to get involved more in this state. However, it seems when young adults make an effort to participate in Florida politics antique politicians, like Lynn, disrespect them. I'm sure this will become fodder on the Colbert Report, as usual.

This is why Florida will never be able to compete with the rest of the country.

How sad!