The 2018 Legislative Session will convene on Tuesday, January 9th in Tallahassee and we hope we can count on our Bulls Advocates to help advance the USF System’s top priorities.
This year's top priorities include receiving the final $21.3 million from the state that is necessary to complete construction on the new Morsani College of Medicine and Heart Institute in downtown Tampa.
We will also be advocating to ensure that USF's achievement of the required number of metrics to be designated as the state's third
Preeminent State Research University
is not impeded. USF now meets the thresholds set in law and once those achievements are certified by the state, this prestigious designation can be awarded to USF after five years of hard work improving out student success, research & development and faculty metrics. Any changes to the Preeminence Program standards that are enacted this year should allow for a transition period for institutions like USF that achieved the existing standards that have been in place since the program's creation. The current versions of major higher education legislation,
Senate Bill 4
(sponsored by Sen. Bill Galvano - Bradenton) and
House Bill 423
(sponsored by Rep. Ray Rodrigues - Fort Myers) both provide this transition period, which USF strongly supports.
Please be sure to thank these bill sponsors and the rest of the Tampa Bay Legislative Delegation (click
here
for contact information) and ask them to ensure that USF's achievement of the existing Preeminence metrics remains protected in any changes that are passed by the Legislature in 2018. Since the Preeminence Program's creation in 2013, the Legislature and Gov. Scott have invested over $100 million in increased funding in institutions that have achieved the
Preeminent
designation.
The USF System is also requesting funding for USF St. Petersburg and USF Sarasota-Manatee to hire faculty and boost degree production in Programs of Strategic Emphasis for the state, specifically the STEM disciplines. These two regional institutions have both set goals to greatly increase degree production and class offerings in the STEM disciplines and each needs financial assistance from the state in order to help do so. STEM degrees are in high-demand in the workforce and pay graduates high-wages, but that also makes the STEM disciplines more expensive to start-up and maintain that other types of degree programs. However, the return on investment to the state and to our students makes the additional expense worth the upfront cost.
We thank you for your continued support of our advocacy program, and encourage you to promote Bulls Advocates among your professional and personal networks.
