Higher-Education Funding: Repudiate University Cuts of 2012 - The Ledger

This year alone, lawmakers raided $300 million from the Florida State University System to help subsidize spending elsewhere in state government — on the flimsy excuse that the universities had sufficient reserves to stand the loss. "Once those reserve dollars are gone, they are gone," Chancellor Frank Brogan said recently, in asking lawmakers to return a fraction — at least $118 million — of what was taken away this year. Last week the National Science Board issued a report warning that America's top 101 public research universities are in decline because of years of state funding cuts. "At a time of increasing global competition, public research universities are drivers of economic development," NSB member Ray Bowen said. "All of us should be concerned about their continued strength, and ability to educate and conduct cutting-edge research." http://www.theledger.com/article/20121003/EDIT01/121009885