Chancellor Frank Brogan on Florida Budget

After the final budget committee conferencing Tuesday, Frank T. Brogan, chancellor of the State University System of Florida issued the following statement on the proposed 2011-12 state budget:

We are grateful for the Legislatures commitment to the State University System of Florida, its 11 institutions with more than 320,000 students, and the many valued faculty, staff and researchers. Legislative budget leaders, in particular, have been diligent in their work to construct a comprehensive budget for public universities.

"The final budget as proposed allows us to remain steadfast as we continue the challenging work to sustain and strengthen both the quality and competitiveness of the State University System. The final budget averts any significant additions to the cumulative 24 percent reduction in base funds that the State University System has experienced since fiscal year 2007-08.

"We are turning a corner, and we are seeing early indications of the reversal of the economically driven trend that was our collective situational reality in Florida. The State University System also has a notable partnership and shared governance with the Florida Legislature one that balances tuition costs with our No. 1 joint priority: student access to the State of Floridas public universities.
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