Gators, it is time to take action
Author: Mrs. Katie Marquis Publication Date: Friday April 02, 2010
Dear Gator Nation™,
The University of Florida needs your support of legislation to secure UF's role as the state's flagship university!
Senate Bill 2442, which is not a funding bill, recognizes the need to treat universities differently according to their strengths and creates a new category for universities that meet certain high criteria. This legislation facilitates the development of a compact between the State University System's Board of Governors and specific universities using accountability measures tailored to the unique talents, mission, and capabilities of the universities. Currently, only the University of Florida meets the qualifications set forth in the bill. Others may well qualify in the future, but no university will until the first one does.
A "one size fits all" approach to higher education policy does not maximize the state's return on investment of our limited public education dollars. Treating all universities the same fails to promote excellence and ignores the unique, statewide resource that is the University of Florida. Unfortunately, some of our sister state universities are already calling on state legislators to defeat this legislation, fearing that unless all universities are treated alike, they could somehow be harmed. That is not the point of the proposal, and, in fact, any university that one day meets the criteria could receive the same treatment as UF. The short-sightedness of bill opponents could make it harder for any Florida university to achieve its full potential on the global stage.
With your help, UF can secure the tools and flexibility it needs to excel and become recognized alongside the top public universities in the country, including the University of Virginia, the University of Michigan and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Here is why UF should become the state's first flagship university:
Global — UF has an international reputation for excellence in academics, research and service, and the global connections and academic networks that result from that reputation. It also has the ability to access national and international resources to benefit the state.
Academics — As one of the largest universities in the nation, UF has a wide range of academic disciplines that combine, on one campus, experts from all areas who can work together to solve complex state problems. UF is a land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university. At No. 15, UF is the state's highest ranking public research university and Florida's only member of the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU).
Teaching mission — UF competes with the nation's leading universities for faculty and research funding. UF's freshman class is made up of some of the brightest students in the nation with a high school GPA of 4.2 and an SAT score of 1963.
Obstacles — Higher education policies that make sense for most public universities limit UF's ability to compete globally. For example, UF should be able to charge market rates for internationally ranked online courses and apply any excess revenues earned to enhancing its educational and research programs. The Economist magazine recently ranked the world's best online MBA programs, and UF tied with a Spanish university that charges $75,000. State law says UF can only charge enough to recover its costs.
Research — With more than $574 million in research funding last year, UF boasts a critical mass of research to generate discoveries and patents leading to economic development and job creation. No other state university comes close to that. In 2007, Business Week magazine ranked UF third in the nation and the Milken Institute ranked UF fifth for success in creating companies from university research.
State return on investment — Through its research and other activities, UF contributes more than $6 billion a year to Florida's economy and is responsible for generating more than 77,000 jobs statewide. UF helps drive statewide economic development by creating a knowledge-based economy; building a thriving biotechnology industry; addressing the medical, scientific and social problems of an aging population; and ensuring the future of Florida's water supply.
Read the entire bill here: www.flsenate.gov/data/session/2010/Senate/bills/billtext/pdf/s2442c1.pdf
Please write or call your legislators as soon as possible, and ask them to support SB 2442. The following is a suggested message, but I recommend that you personalize yours.
Dear Legislator:
SB 2442 can help the University of Florida become one of the very highest ranked institutions in the nation. As the country's fourth largest state, Florida deserves a top ten university that stands out in the areas of education, research and service.
SB 2442 would direct the Board of Governors to work with UF to develop its own unique strategic plan. One-size-fits-all planning for the 11 state universities does not recognize UF's leadership in education and research. This bill would give UF the freedom to pursue its agenda on a global basis.
You can find contact information for your State Representative and State Senator at the Gators for Higher Education Website, http://gatorsforhighered.ufl.edu. Click the "Find your Legislator" Link.
Make no mistake — without a strong outpouring of support from the Gator Nation™, we will likely lose this opportunity to secure for the University of Florida its rightful place in the State of Florida and, more important in the global higher education community. Some of our sister institutions are already working hard against us. Please take action today in support of SB 2442, and urge all of your Gator friends to do the same!
Go Gators!
Jeff Jonasen
President, UF Alumni Association