Keep working for USF's protection

Editorial

Polk Sen. JD Alexander, known for bulldozing opponents, seemed to backpedal a bit Monday after his meeting with University of South Florida President Judy Genshaft.

The Senate budget chair said he was open to revisiting the proposed $108 million cut for USF, far more than was proposed for any other state university.

We hope he means it.

But USF advocates should not depend on Alexander's good will.

He is a master at Tallahassee manipulation and has appeared intent on punishing USF since Genshaft bucked his plans to make USF Polytechnic in Lakeland an independent university.

Perhaps he is genuinely interested in finding "what fair is." But that should have been apparent before he developed a plan that would inflict devastating cuts on USF, the fifth-largest employer in the region. He has made clear he was upset that USF did not do his bidding on Polytechnic. Until now, retribution, not fairness, seemed to be the priority.

For her part, Genshaft insisted Monday that she does not want to stand in the way of Polytechnic becoming independent, so perhaps Alexander will back off.

Regardless, Sen. Jim Norman of Hillsborough is right to prepare a legislative fix, and be prepared should Alexander continue his attack on USF.

Norman will have plenty of local support.

To their credit, Sens. Paula Dockery of Lakeland, Arthenia Joyner of Tampa, Mike Fasano of New Port Richey and Jack Latvala of St. Petersburg also have fought hard for USF.

This is hardly a lost cause.

Latvala and Dockery were able to lead a Senate revolt against a flawed prison privatization plan that leadership, including Alexander, favored.

Norman is focused on remedying the part of the Senate plan that would make Polytechnic a separate university but transfer all its faculty and students to USF — without funding.

He wants the Senate to provide the $18 million needed for Polytechnic staff and also $6 million for the USF pharmacy school that was excised in the Senate budget.

If Alexander genuinely cares about Polytechnic's long-term success, he would give up on immediate independence, which will destroy the school's appeal. Who wants to be associated with a school best known for political shenanigans?

Moreover, severing ties to USF would cost Polytechnic its accreditation.

If Polytechnic continues its partnership with USF and works for the academic, enrollment and other benchmarks the board of governors established for independence, it will build a solid foundation.

Genshaft's team is working on a systematic plan to reach those benchmarks.

The Senate's power politics gravely threaten USF and will not help Polytechnic.

If Alexander doesn't come to his senses, the region's lawmakers should make protecting USF the session's priority.