Rick Scott Expresses Caution about Quickly Splitting USF

With Sen. J.D. Alexander, R-Lake Wales, envisioning University of South Floridas Polytechnic campus in Lakeland being granted independence as the states 12th university as early as this summer, Gov. Rick Scott expressed a little more caution about backing such a plan as state universities are being asked to shift reserves to the state budget in the current year.

I do think we already have a process for Polytech, through the Board of Governors that we worked on this last fall, said Scott, meeting with reporters outside the Capitol on Thursday.

So Ive not been convinced thats not the process we should go through. And finally, Im being very cautious about adding liabilities to the state. So can we afford a 12th university? I want to make sure we can afford it.

Last fall, the Board of Governors set a list of benchmarks for the Polytechnic campus to be spun off into an independent university, including receiving accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Accreditation typically takes three to five years.