Welcome to

For just the second time in its history, Florida’s University faculty members are supporting a tuition hike. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, the United Faculty of Florida say funding for state universities is approaching an emergency situation.

Hear it Here

At 14%, faculty turnover at Florida’s universities is the highest in the nation. Facing even more budget cuts, the faculty union, for just the second time in its history, is supporting tuition increases of up to 15 percent a year for the next 6 years.

“Last year 30 percent of the faculty said they were looking for another job. 40 percent said they would be looking for another job this year,” Jack Fiorito, United Faculty of Florida, FSU President said. “So when you lose faculty, you can’t offer classes, students can’t get classes.”

In the end, not being able to get the classes you want, could end up extending your college career and costing more than higher tuition.

Music major Kyle Gilcher says he is already finding some non-major classes hard to get.”

“If it doesn’t work out with getting classes in need right away, then I will probably need to stick around for a semester or two to finish the minor in business, which would be unfortunate but then I get to stay in college longer,” Gilcher said.

Universities can also expect to see less cash from their foundations next year. The FSU Foundation has seen its investment decline by over 100 million dollars, a 25% drop.

“If you look at the state economy, it’s not good and it’s beginning to have an impact on higher education,” FSU Foundation president Charles Raspberry said.

The plan to hike tuition 15 percent a year would double the cost over six years, but it would still only raise the tuition rate to the national average.

Florida currently ranks 46th in tuition nationally. The only other time the faculty union has supported a tuition hike as last year.