UPDATE 6/19: Live video of the Board of Governor’s meeting on the UCF campus, when available:
Gov. Rick Scott spoke today and told the board how he is opposed to tuition hikes.
Also: See what UCF parents told us about the skyrocketing tuition and the burden it’s placing on their families.
Just days after the University of Florida backed off from seeking its full 15 percent tuition hike, the University of South Florida followed suit.
Prior to those two institutions’ votes, the University of Central Florida voted to seek the full 15 percent tuition hike allowed by law. All of the proposed tuition hikes need to be approved by the Florida Board of Governors during its three day meeting, which will be held at UCF June 19-21.
But UCF may have a hard time getting that amount approved. During an interview, State University System Chancellor Frank Brogan said, “If universities are walking into next week’s meeting in Orlando simply expecting to get a 15 percent differential (tuition) increase, they need to think again.”
UCF Student Body President Cortez Whatley voted for the full 15 percent tuition hike during the UCF Board of Trustees meeting in May. He also sits on the Board of Governors. KnightNews.com will let you know if Whatley, like the UF and USF leaders, has a change of heart and votes for a tuition hike that is less than the maximum amount possible.
UF’s student body president voted against a proposed 15 percent hike before settling on a 9 percent hike, saying it was a good compromise between administration and students.
Gov. Rick Scott has been pressuring decision makers not to raise tuition, have said he does not believe in tuition increases. University leaders say the tuition hikes are needed to make up for budget cuts to higher education.
