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Extra funding for UF, FSU rankles other universities

The governing board also is miffed by the budgeting of capital projects it didn't okay.

By SHANNON COLAVECCHIO-VAN SICKLER
Published May 6, 2006

Once again, the political muscle of Florida's two oldest universities is stirring controversy and hard feelings.

This time, the issue is more than $30-million in construction dollars set aside in the state budget for Florida State University and the University of Florida - without an endorsement from the Board of Governors, which oversees state universities.

"Somebody cut a separate deal," said John Delaney, president of the University of North Florida. "It's not pretty."

The political heft of UF and FSU isn't new. But the latest windfall for the universities includes millions for FSU's medical school.

With Florida International University and the University of Central Florida about to start their own medical schools, FSU's move illustrates the intense competition for limited dollars that could come in future years.

In the budget proposal headed to the governor, FSU gets $8.2-million for branch medical school facilities in Daytona Beach, Fort Pierce and Immokalee. Legislators approved FSU's medical school six years ago, thanks in part to the political heft of FSU alumnus John Thrasher, then House speaker.

During a conference call Friday, state university presidents and some members of the Board of Governors expressed surprise and dismay.

"We actually had our own universities out lobbying against us," said board member Charles "Charlie" Edwards. "We need to look at how our universities' lobbyists work with us. They should not be allowed to lobby against the interests of the board."

Chairwoman Carolyn Roberts added: "And the board needs to determine, if they don't follow that, what is the penalty?"

Of $445-million in capital projects for Florida's 11 public universities, legislators set aside $42-million for FSU. Earlier this year, the Board of Governors agreed to ask legislators for only $26-million worth of projects for FSU, including classrooms and research space.

When the proposed budget came out this week, though, legislators also gave FSU $7.5-million for a health center and $8.2-million for the regional medical school facilities.

The Board of Governors in March endorsed $74.2-million for UF projects. UF got all of that in the proposed budget, plus nearly $15.2-million for renovations to 17 statewide facilities belonging to the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

Jimmy Cheek, a senior vice president at IFAS, said UF's board of trustees approved the expenditure and it was a priority for UF officials lobbying in Tallahassee. "This is a tremendous help to deal with critical needs," Cheek said.

The University of South Florida's regional campus in St. Petersburg got a bonus, too: $9-million for a science and technology building that wasn't slated for funding until 2008.

"I was not consulted on any of these new projects, and don't know how they got in," said Education Commissioner John Winn, stressing that Gov. Jeb Bush could veto projects. "The projects that are added are scrutinized closely."

FSU president T.K. Wetherell, a former lobbyist and speaker of the House, said it's not unusual for legislators to add things to the budget. And neither universities nor the Board of Governors can prevent them from doing so.

Shannon Colavecchio-Van Sickler can be reached at 813 226-3403 or svansickler@sptimes.com

[Last modified May 6, 2006, 02:00:14]