Lynn grilled on university system budget cuts, 12th university - Miami Herald

Sen. Evelyn Lynn, chair of the Senate's higher education appropriations committee, got an earful on the Senate floor Thursday after rolling out her budget recommendations that cut $400 million from the state university system. Lynn, R-Ormond Beach, echoing what's been said repeatedly by Senate budget chairman JD Alexander, R-Lake Wales, justified the cut by pointing to universities' reserve funds. Sen. Jeremy Ring questioned the wisdom of that, telling Lynn that he's heard from university presidents who say those reserve funds are internally committed to various university needs. "Taking this away," Ring said, "They're going to have to cut programs." Lynn disputed that, saying she hadn't heard that from any presidents.