USF gets disproportionate cut in Senate budget recommendations

The University of South Florida is reeling today after the Senate's budget recommendations over the weekend revealed a disproportionate cut to the school compared to other universities. 

Of the $400 million recommended to be cut from the entire state university system, $79 million of that -- or 20 percent -- would come from USF.

Another $25 million would be held in "contingency," pending USF's cooperation in immediately severing its branch campus in Lakeland. That move, pushed hard by Senate budget chairman JD Alexander, would require giving the new "Florida Polytechnic University" all USF Polytechnic's money, property, foundation dollars and more with USF retaining all USF Poly's faculty and staff. Absorbing all those people is expected to cost another $16 million to the university, said USF Provost Ralph Wilcox. 

And then there's USF's pharmacy school. Currently housed at the main Tampa campus, the school was intended to eventually move to USF Poly. As such, its funding comes out of USF Poly's $28 million budget. Last year that was $6 million, which USF spent on new faculty and staff. Under the Senate budget, USF would keep the school and those people but not receive any more funding, Wilcox said.

"It is just an inexplicable inequity," Wilcox said. 

USF's Board of Trustees is holding an emergency meeting this afternoon to try to make sense all the implications. 

Meanwhile, USF Poly's faculty are up in arms about the budget conforming bill to split off USF Poly right away. (See attached letter).  Download FSLettertoLynnSigned[1]

 

Comments

[Anti-Tallahassee]

The Haridopolos payback and payoff in the same stroke. Haridopolos thinks he can smile and screw anyone to get what he wants. It will be a great day in Florida when he gets what he deserves.

[Anti-Tallahassee]

It's obvious from my previous post that I really don't like Haridopolos, but my comments should have been aimed at JD Alexander. It's hard to imagine anyone being more self-serving than Haridopolos, but JD has him beat. Congratulations Mr. Alexander, you are the nastiest piece of garbage in the Florida Senate. The smell isn't so noticable to you now because you are in the middle of the trash heap, but you will be out of the Senate soon. The smell will be much harder to ignore in the "real" world.

[Nathan]

JD Alexander is clearly playing bully politics to try to get his pet project supported. The students and employees of USF, the Tampa Bay area, and the state of Florida deserve better than this. This illustrates clearly why we need a functional two-party legislature.

[IM Digusted]

Bow down to your new master! All hail the great JD Alexander, Building his "Bridge to Nowhere" (JD Alexander Polytech)off the backs of the taxpayers. Bow down and submit or JD Bully-Boy will take his revenge and make you pay!!!

USF quoth the Raven is "Nevermore"

Boss JD Hogg's revenge on Tampa Bay.