PRODUCED FEBRUARY 2009 BY THE “FATE OF THE STATE COALITION” * * A coalition of the FAMU, FSU, & TCC faculty and graduate assistant chapters of the United Faculty of Florida, plus a growing number of student and staff organizations and community partners 1
� FSU’s 2008-2009 budget has already been reduced by 6%. � The 2009-2010 budget may be reduced by an additional 10-15%. � …What does that mean for my education? 2
• Florida has the worst student-faculty ratio in the U.S. • In 1988, FSU’s student-faculty ratio was 20:1. Now it’s 35:1. • FSU anticipates 200 fewer faculty if there’s a 10% budget cut. • Increased enrollment + fewer faculty means the student- faculty ratio will get even worse. • In addition to larger classes, this means faculty will have less time for: – Advising – Office hours – Feedback on papers – Letters of recommendation 3
� Students waste time and money waiting to graduate. � Some programs and departments may be shut down (this is already FSU’s plan if there’s a 10% budget cut). � Departments have begun pulling phones and rationing paper. Library budgets have been cut. 4
� Universities outside Florida have announced their intention to recruit the best faculty away. � Every year 14% of faculty leave the State University System. The most productive faculty are among the most likely to leave. � The ranking and reputation of Florida’s institutions will suffer. This will affect: � Your ability to find a good job. � Your starting salary. � The value of your FSU degree. 5
• It’s not just your education or the jobs of faculty and staff that are on the line; it’s also about the future of Florida. • The fastest way out of a recession, leaving Florida with a stronger workforce than when the recession began, is to increase funding for higher education. • Of all categories of government expenditure, higher education has the greatest multiplier effect on the state economy. 6
– Over the past two decades, funding for higher education has continually been shrinking as a portion of the state’s budget, so Florida’s higher education has already been suffering for a long time. – Since September 2007, Florida’s universities have suffered cuts of 11.4% ($425 million) and public colleges have been cut 12.8% ($153 million). – The underfunding of higher education has to stop, especially now when higher education is so 7
� March on the capitol…. • For your Education. • For FSU. • For the Fate of the State. � When? • Tuesday, March 3. • Assemble at 11AM at Westcott Fountain for march downtown. • Teach-in at noon by the dolphin sculpture on the west side of the capitol (Duval Street) to teach the legislators about the value of education. 8
� Call your legislators and tell them that funding Florida’s higher education system must be a priority in the upcoming legislative session. • To find out who your legislators are and how to contact them, enter your ZIP code in the “Find your Legislators” boxes at www.myfloridahouse.gov and www.flsenate.gov . � Participate in the Landis Green call-your- legislator phone-a-thon (Wednesday, Feb. 18, noon-3pm). We’ll supply legislator contact information. � Tell your parents to contact their legislators too. 9
• Stay connected. Join our Facebook page by going to www.facebook.com and searching for fate of the state . • For more information about the budget cuts and possible alternative sources of revenue for higher education in Florida, visit fateofthestate.ning.com . 10
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