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Students OK With Earmarked Tuition Boost

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By BILL KACZOR The Associated Press

Published: September 5, 2007

TALLAHASSEE - Several university student leaders on Tuesday told Gov. Charlie Crist they could accept a tuition increase if it's used for such purposes as reducing class sizes and offering more need-based financial aid. The governor remained cool to the idea.

About half of 12 student government leaders raised their hands when Crist asked how many would support a tuition increase during one of the governor's 'Tallahassee Tuesday' meetings with groups of citizens.

'It was more hands than I expected, perhaps,' Crist said. He said he would rather not see lawmakers use a tuition increase to help balance the state's budget when they meet in a special session tentatively set for Sept. 18.

Crist vetoed a 5 percent increase for university and community colleges this year, saying it would be too burdensome for students and their parents during hard economic times.

Some lawmakers want to revive the increase, saying they hope Crist will change his mind. They argue Florida has the nation's lowest tuition while the universities are so cash-strapped they've had to take such steps as freezing freshman enrollment for the next three years.

'I'm struggling with it,' Crist told the student leaders as he asked for their help.
Florida State University Student Body President Joe O'Shea asked Crist what percentage increase he had in mind. O'Shea said students would support an increase if they have a say in how it is spent.

Some of the money should go for more need-based aid to make sure young people have access to higher education no matter how rich or poor they are, O'Shea and other student leaders said.

'The majority of students I've talked to feel that earmarked tuition, tuition where they know where it's going, is much better,' said University of South Florida Student Body President Barclay Harless.

He said no one wakes up wishing for an increase, but it's obvious Florida's 11 state universities need more money. He said some classes at South Florida are held at University Mall because there's insufficient space on campus.

Higher tuition may save students money in the long run if it enables them to get classes they need to graduate on time, said Logan Berkowitz, vice president of the student body at the University of Central Florida.

Students often have to attend an extra semester or two because of limited class offerings, and that adds to the cost of their education, he said.

'Something needs to give,' Berkowitz said. 'I don't want to be here forever.'

The Board of Governors, which oversees the State University System, has tentatively agreed to raise tuition with or without legislative approval. A lawsuit is pending on whether it has the power to do that.

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