What’s the State of Higher Education in Florida & How Will It Impact My Education at FSU?

1. What’s the State of Higher Education in Florida & How Will It Impact My Education at FSU? Produced february 2009 by the “fate of the state coalition”* *A coalition of the FAMU, FSU, & TCC faculty and graduate assistant chapters of the United Faculty of Florida, plus a growing number of student and staff organizations and community partners

2. What’s the Financial Situation? FSU’s 2008-2009 budget has already been reduced by 6%. The 2009-2010 budget may be reduced by an additional 10-15%. …What does that mean for my education?

3. Larger Classes • Florida has the worst student-faculty ratio in the U.S. • FSU anticipates 200 fewer faculty if there’s a 10% budget cut. • Increased enrollment + fewer faculty means the student-faculty ratio will get even worse. • In addition to larger classes, this means faculty will have less time for: • Advising • Office hours • Feedback on papers • Letters of recommendation

4. Reduced Course Offerings and Services Students waste time and money waiting to graduate. Some programs and departments may be shut down (this is already FSU’s plan if there’s a 10% budget cut). Departments have begun pulling phones and rationing paper. Library budgets have been cut.

5. Faculty Will Leave • Universities outside Florida have announced their intention to recruit the best faculty away. • Every year 14% of faculty leave the State University System. The most productive faculty are among the most likely to leave. • The ranking and reputation of Florida’s institutions will suffer. This will affect: • Your ability to get into graduate school. • Your ability to find a good job. • Your starting salary. • The value of your FSU degree.

6. Why Does This Matter? • It’s not just your education or the jobs of faculty and staff that are on the line; it’s also about the future of Florida. • The fastest way out of a recession, leaving Florida with a stronger workforce than when the recession began, is to increase funding for higher education. • Of all categories of government expenditure, higher education has the greatest multiplier effect on the state economy.

7. But Aren’t All Budgets Being Cut? • Over the past two decades, funding for higher education has continually been shrinking as a portion of the state’s budget, so Florida’s higher education has already been suffering for a long time. • Since September 2007, Florida’s universities have suffered cuts of 11.4% ($425 million) and public colleges have been cut 12.8% ($153 million). • The underfunding of higher education has to stop, especially now when higher education is so desperately needed.

8. What Can I Do About It? • March on the capitol…. • For your Education. • For FSU. • For the Fate of the State. • When? • Tuesday, March 3. • Assemble at 11AM at Westcott Fountain for march downtown. • Teach-in at noon by the dolphin sculpture on the west side of the capitol (Duval Street) to teach the legislators about the value of education.

9. What Else Can I Do? • Call your legislators and tell them that funding Florida’s higher education system must be a priority in the upcoming legislative session. • To find out who your legislators are and how to contact them, enter your ZIP code in the “Find your Legislators” boxes at www.myfloridahouse.govand www.flsenate.gov. • Participate in the Landis Green call-your-legislator phone-a-thon (Wednesday, Feb. 25, noon-3pm). We’ll supply cell phones and legislator contact information. • Tell your parents to contact their legislators too.

10. Where Can I Get More Information? • Stay connected. Join our Facebook page by going to www.facebook.com and searching for fate of the state. • For more information about the budget cuts and possible alternative sources of revenue for higher education in Florida, visit fateofthestate.ning.com.