The Florida Board of Governors passed a regulation Thursday that will allow state universities to implement block tuition as UF students protested the concept by gathering petitions and planning demonstrations.
“The board is not approving or instituting block tuition, they are drafting a process for universities to request approval to implement block tuition should they choose to do so,” said Tico Perez, chair of the board’s budget committee.
But that didn’t ease concerns of protesters and UF students, who said they were worried because Thursday’s vote brings them one step closer to being charged for classes they don’t take. Block tuition could require full time students to pay for 15 credit hours, regardless of whether they take more or less — and most students at UF take less.
“I don’t think block tuition is going to be beneficial for the vast majority of the students,” Aldon Gilespie, a UF computer science major, said. “It’s basically a way for the university to increase revenues and motivate students to get out the university more quickly so they can free up resources.”
Now that the regulation has passed, university staff will send out requests to the BOG due sometime in January, should they choose to implement block tuition.
The regulation lays out how any university would submit a proposal with comprehensive details, should it choose to do so. The first hearing on the regulation, which BOG spokeswoman Kelly Layman stressed was not a rule, took place in September at the Board of Governors meeting. The second and final hearing occurred at this week’s Board meeting.
Layman said it is important to note that only UF at this point has indicated its intent in pursuing this optional opportunity for its students, and several universities are on record as not intending to pursue this option at any point in the foreseeable future.
Just before the vote passed, Gallop Franklin, who serves as a student representative on the board, assured the public that this proposal was not going to hike up tuition as it has been interpreted by many students and their families.
“This is only a mat to allow universities to implement block tuition should they choose to, and all this is done with the students’ interests held at heart,” Gallop said, before voting to pass the regulation.
Though Gallop voted for the regulation, he admitted in an interview with KnightNews.com prior to approving it that he heard plenty of negative feedback from the students he represents.
“Every student body president I’ve spoken to don’t believe it’s a great idea, naturally, for their particular institution to institute block tuition,” Gallop said, adding that the BOG will look carefully at UF’s proposal to do so once its submitted.
Before the regulation was approved, Chad Binette, associate director of UCF News and Information, said that despite the outcome of Thursday’s meeting, UCF has no intention to implement block tuition.
“At this time, UCF has no plans to adopt block tuition should the proposal be approved by the Board of Governors,” Binette said.
UCF Student Body President Mike Kilbride issued a statement in opposition to block tuition hours before the regulation was approved.
“The Student Government Team has been working with our colleagues across the state to advocate against block tuition policies. From our discussions it has become clear that block tuition is not in the best interest of the students of the State University System,” his statement read.
