State's Millions Still Go To Private Colleges

By ADAM EMERSON The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 26, 2007

While Florida's public universities groan over the governor's move to kill a tuition increase, private colleges continue to enjoy millions in state support.

On Thursday, Gov. Charlie Crist signed off on nearly $140 million in money for Florida's 28 independent colleges and universities, including:

•$350,000 for motion picture studies at the University of Miami.

•$300,000 for science and engineering studies at the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne.

•$6.7 million for health programs at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale.

Nearly three-quarters of the money funds the Florida Resident Access Grant, which pays $3,000 annually to Florida residents attending a private college full time.

Other dollars slated for private schools didn't make Crist's cut - he vetoed $500,000 for nursing at the University of Miami and $200,000 for forensic science at the University of Tampa, among other programs.

Public support for private education is nothing new. The state has paid tuition grants since 1979, and the money for private colleges represents a fraction of the $5 billion appropriated to state universities and community colleges.

Some public university leaders question the subsidies.

"It's an odd state of affairs," said Ralph Wilcox, vice provost at the University of South Florida. "A private institution is setting tuition at $30,000 a year and is still receiving a state appropriation. While at the same time, we're limited to charging a little over $3,000."

The state has more than doubled the money it pays in private college tuition grants, from $48 million in 1999 to $102 million in 2006. Nearly 32,500 students benefit statewide.

The state pays the money to help meet the demand for undergraduate education. There's not enough money to send all Florida residents to public colleges, and advocates say that $3,000 is a fraction of what it costs to finance a student's education at a state university.

"We don't feel like we're taking money away from the public universities," said John Van Gieson, spokesman for Independent Colleges & Universities of Florida, the private schools' umbrella group. "We feel like we're all sharing in a pot of money."

The subsidies are common practice nationwide. State governments find them a cheap solution to relieve pressure on public education.

In Florida, the tuition grants can supplement the Bright Futures scholarship, which also is available for private schools. Depending on their high school performance, students can receive the average Bright Futures award for a public university and apply it to private tuition.

"If you're in the business of education, and you're the state government, the goal is to educate your population," said state Rep. Ed Homan, R-Tampa. "Let's see how we can get the most kids educated for the dollars we have."

Some public school leaders say those dollars first need to go to their schools. Crist vetoed a 5 percent tuition increase for community colleges and state universities. The hike would have generated $39 million for the state schools.

Without higher revenue, state university leaders warn that classes at public college classrooms will continue to inflate with students, and class sections will be closed to those who need them to graduate in four years.

"I think that private universities have made a case that they're significant players in meeting demand," Wilcox said. "However, we are so much more dependent on state appropriations. Our hands are tied."

Despite the largesse, Crist killed about $11 million in planned projects at private colleges.

Florida TaxWatch, a Tallahassee watchdog, recommended the vetoes, which targeted nursing at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, architecture at the Florida Institute of Technology and a cancer center at the University of Miami.

Harvey Bennett, a leader of the watchdog group, said the vetoed projects may be worth state funding, but they never underwent the legislative scrutiny the group demands to bankroll private education.

The private college programs Crist axed were new requests. Most that survived have received state funding for years.

MAKING THE CUT

Gov. Charlie Crist vetoed about $11 million in funding for private colleges, but signed off on nearly $140 million for the schools. A sampling follows:

What's In

Florida Resident Access Grant, all colleges ($102.7 million)

College of Medicine, University of Miami ($7 million)

Motion picture studies, University of Miami ($349,897)

Health programs, Nova Southeastern University ($6.7 million)

What's Out

Sylvester Cancer center, University of Miami ($2.5 million)

Nursing studies, Florida Southern College ($500,000)

School of Architecture, Florida Institute of Technology ($200,000)

Forensic science, University of Tampa ($200,000)

Reporter Adam Emerson can be reached at aemerson@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-8285.