Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, wants Gov. Rick Scott to meet with her and students at the University of South Florida Polytechnic before he decides on breaking the campus into the states 12th university.
Dockery, who sent her request in a letter to Scott on Tuesday, was one of four Republican senators to vote against the $39 million plan backed by Sen. J.D. Alexander, R-Lake Wales, to begin moving the Lakeland campus toward independence.
Scott told reporters Tuesday he is spending a lot of time meeting and listening to people regarding USF-Polytechnic to determine what will help students.
My filter is going to be what is going to be best for students in our state, what is going to help prepare them in the best manner to make sure they can get a job, Scott said.
In my life, the big thing for me was to be able to get an education, to be able to afford an education, and then be able to get that first job, which for all of us is probably scary.
No meeting has been scheduled.
In an email Wednesday, Scotts deputy press secretary Jackie Schutz noted that the governor has and will continue to listen to the concerns of all interested parties.
In her letter, Dockery stated the 12th university would have a negative impact on Florida taxpayers.
These students and faculty members are the ones who will be directly affected. They, like the overwhelming majority of constituents who have contacted my office, are hoping you veto this legislation, and move more cautiously toward independence.
"As the senator who represents the Lakeland community, I can assure you that most of my constituents support a science, technology, engineering and mathematics program and a polytechnic, but they do not support immediate independence and losing the USF presence that Polk County has enjoyed for the past 23 years. There are a few individuals, with financial interests, who are pushing this irresponsible plan to rush the process of creating the 12th university, but they are certainly in the minority.
The money approved by the Legislature, which is part of the USF funding that would have gone to the Lakeland campus, will be placed under the direction of a new board of trustees that will oversee the separation effort and creation of a campus that is focused on science, technology, engineering and math, and has been a legacy effort of Alexander, chairman of the Senate Budget Committee.
Last fall, the Florida 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.
Dockery was joined by Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, Greg Evers, R-Crestview, and Steve Oelrich, R-Gainesville, in voting against the bill. The bill, SB 1994, has yet to be sent to the governor.
