This week in Florida we witnessed the inauguration of our 45th governor, Rick Scott, a candidate unlike any who came before him in his approach to both the election and to governing.With his election also comes a belief that he will usher in a new era of leadership in the Sunshine State.
It is no secret that Floridians have experienced tough financial times in recent years, with record levels of unemployment that remain in the double digits, historically high foreclosure rates and unprecedented budget shortfalls.
This economic downturn has lingered far too long and seemingly reinforces the old adage that bad economies hit Florida first and leave it last.
Florida needs bold leadership to get us out of this financial downturn and create pathways to link our great assets with the economy of the future. We have exceptional higher education, wonderful natural resources, excellent weather and an energetic population. These are all ingredients that can be used by effective leaders to build a vibrant new Florida economy, and we look forward to Gov. Scott and our legislative leadership bringing additional fiscal discipline combined with innovative solutions to our state.
The governor was clear in his inaugural address that we need to create a better environment for job creation. While countless Floridians are struggling to find jobs, many recent college graduates have been met with the harsh reality of either underemployment or even worse -- unemployment. After time and money have been spent on advanced degrees, it is critical our graduates land desirable jobs.
One way to achieve sustained job growth is for Florida to create and support policies that allow us to become an experimental laboratory for innovation, creating models that can be copied by other states; not just doing what everyone does to attract new businesses, but instead changing how we do business on a daily basis. It is also important to help those already in Florida who have been making vital contributions in these harsh financial times and ensure all businesses can expand and thrive.
Gov. Scott also understands how a forward-thinking education system will make our students more competitive and better prepared to excel in the work force. To reach this goal, we must have more choices to help our students attend and succeed in our universities.
This means expanding access to higher educational opportunities through programs like the Florida Resident Access Grant, additional support for all of Floridas higher education institutions under a planned effort to increase degree production at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, and creating additional avenues for students to participate in study abroad programs.
It means making a serious attempt to implement the programs and policies embedded in the governors educational transition efforts.Innovation, modeling, experimentation and a willingness to challenge all precepts through testing and evaluation will add to the toolbox needed to rocket Florida ahead of other states.
Changes in political representation create opportunity for new action. Florida can be incremental in changing how we do business, but that is old-school methodology. We must be bolder to see effective results. The window for real change is often only open for a brief period of time. We must step outside of the status quo and create policies that establish new models for both our state and nation. With every new elected official, there is always a degree of excitement over possible change.
Now, more than ever, Florida is in desperate need of creativity. The new administration seems to have a definite plan to move us forward and we all hope the best for Florida is yet to come. Lets get to work!
Dr. Ed Moore is president and CEO of the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida.
