Things that have happened in Tallahassee:
-Recent bill passed will set benchmarks for education to recognize universities that have already reached those benchmarks and allows those universities to differentiate themselves. Things like graduation rate, faculty, GPAs, companies started. You meet benchmarks then you get to do things differently
-UF can now require a 9-12 hour course of Gen Ed that acumates students to the university…a signature course that is sort of an introductory course to university life. Only students that meet the benchmarks above can require this course. It makes the undergraduate experience more unique and more special.
-$2600 gap between UF’s tuition now and the national average.
-They are developing a Plan for Excellence moving forward that will begin next year and will be for incoming students…this is where tuition will increase. This year it is already increasing 15%.
-Regarding flat rate tuition plan – this is where freshman’s costs stay the same all four years, a fifth year of course would reset and they would be subject to the national average. All new students each year would pay the national average and then be flat for those 4 years.
-2/3 of the 2010 class graduate with no debt! The national average for those with debt is $25,000.
-UF just got approval to self insure their employees. There were already a number of divisions self assured however the power to have everyone self insured is powerful and now UF has the ability to choose the quality of their healthcare. This will have good cost savings. There will be wellness incentives built in. He had done one in Utah and saw the benefits.
-Reported that $36.5 million cut from budget. It was actually $55M due to other behind the scenes cuts. They will be lobbying for the 15% tuition increase, which will only cover half the budget deficit. It was $43M of new cuts and $12M of carry forward cuts.
-Got $7.5M for cancer research, got $9.7M indigent care money finally after 25 years. Got $6.5M for education research, some more money for facilities. Got money for renovation of Reitz Union. This is a $75M project over 5 years. Got money to renovate their building in Lake Nona.
-2012 will be a rough year from a budget standpoint, there will certainly be no raises for employees.
-29,000 student applicants for the summer with an average GPA of 4.3
-Starting Innovation Academy, which will bring in 500 students starting in January. 2500 have already applied. 95% of students that come in are Floridians.
-March 27 is the Innovation Showcase, Governor is invited to come, and there will be 2 large announcements at that event.
-The quality of life in Gainesville is our best recruiting tool.
-The State is increasing the criteria to earn the scholarship and has lowered the amount you get. This will have little impact on UF.
-All intellectual property belongs to UF, the professors own the companies in large part.
-There is a fund created by a separate company that is in Innovation Square and UF invests in that fund because they believe in their staff and entrepreneurs.