Ranking House Democrat Questions Necessity for Another Florida Public University

House Democratic ranking member Betty Reed, D-Tampa, wants the Florida Board of Governors to reject -- on financial grounds -- letting the University of South Florida's Polytechnic campus in Lakeland become an independent public university.

The board is scheduled to discuss on Wednesday breaking off the Polk County campus into the states 12th institution during the first day of a two-day meeting at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton.

"At this time, an independent polytech will not help Florida achieve its goal of developing a world-class education system and it would occur at great expense to the University of South Florida and the rest of the university system," Reed stated in a release.

"We already have all the universities we can handle. The evidence is abundant and clear that an independent USF Poly would be a costly mistake. Despite political pressures, it is simply not a good time to proceed with an independent USF Poly."

The branch campus, in the backyard of Sen. J.D. Alexander, R-Lake Wales, received $35 million in state funds this year and is being designed by internationally known architect Santiago Calatrava.

Last month, Sen. Evelyn Lynn, R-Daytona Beach, advised Frank Brogan, chancellor of the State University System of Florida, that she wanted more detail about the proposal beyond a simple desire to have another state university.