In a move that caught nobody by surprise, the UF Board of Trustees has agreed to increase in-state undergraduate tuition for UF students by 15 percent next year.
The move, which was passed unanimously Friday, will raise $26 million in revenue for UF. Officials maintain that the finances raised will help keep the quality of education high for a university that has faced budget cuts in four of the past five years.
"It's a significant amount of money," UF President Bernie Machen said. " We think it's an investment in the university."
In the spring, state legislators approved an 8 percent increase in tuition. Each state university has the power to raise tuition another 7 percent, bringing the total increase to 15 percent.
The measure has to be approved by the Board of Governors, the governing body of the state university system, who are meeting next week in Tampa.
In a presentation Friday before the Board, Machen laid out his blueprint for attacking a $50.3 million shortfall for the upcoming school year. Among the ideas he proposed were the tuition increase and reform to employee benefits.
Under the proposal, UF employees would not receive pay for the Friday of Homecoming and the week after Christmas. If implemented, these moves would save the university an estimated $7.5 million.
In addition, UF employees who leave the university will now only be allowed receive payout for 240 hours of unused vacation time, down from 352 hours. This would provide the university with about $2.3 million in savings.
UF employees will also, under the proposal, not receive payout for accumulated sick leave, a move that would save UF an estimated $2.1 million.
Despite all the talk of a tightening budget, Machen coupled his call for reductions with a proposed 3 percent raise for faculty and staff who make $75,000 or less. The move is intended to counteract Tallahassee's mandate for state employees to chip in 3 percent of their salaries toward their pensions.
"In my opinion," Machen said, "if we don't get the benefit changes, then we can't do the raises."
The raise would take effect in September pending approval by the Board and successful negotiations with employee unions. Those UF employees earning more than $75,000 may then receive a raise in January.
Machen also addressed the $9 million shortfall in need-based financial aid, an issue that UF Student Body President Ben Meyers has stumped for during his tenure.
During Thursday's meeting of the Committee on Education Policy and Strategy, Meyers sought assurance that the gap in student financial aid would be closed in the budget. Both Machen and Provost Joe Glover said the university would meet these needs.
"I feel like I represent the students and parents who struggle to pay tuition," he said.
Had Machen's budget not accounted for the $9 million gap, Meyers said he would have "vigorously opposed" the tuition increase.
While Meyers acknowledged that his vote for the tuition increase may be interpreted by some as a slight to UF students, he said it was necessary to maintain the value of a UF degree.
"I don't make votes for popularity," he said. "I make votes that I truly believe are best for the students."
Carlos Alfonso, the newly-elected chairman of the Board, said tuition hikes even hit home with him, as he has a daughter who attends UF.
For him, though, the focus remains on the value of the degree.
"I've paid the increases as a parent," he said. "I'm helping you by making your diploma worth a ton."
He also noted, like Meyers, that the students are his priority.
"I consider my constituency to be the students," he said.
