LSSC, state colleges gear up for budget battle - Lloyd Dunkelberger, The News Service of Florida

Florida state colleges are preparing for a renewed legislative fight this spring over how the 28-college system is governed and the number of bachelor's degrees they can award. The colleges' lobbyists told the college system's Council of Presidents, which met in Tallahassee on Friday, that the Senate is working on a major bill that is expected to contain those elements and will be filed shortly. The proposal will follow other Senate legislation filed this week that would create new performance standards for the colleges, requiring students to earn their degrees more quickly. And it follows Gov. Rick Scott's call to freeze tuition and fees for the college system as well as the state universities. The college presidents, who are seeking a $100 million boost for their system, were also told they could expect an initial budget proposal from lawmakers for the 2017-18 fiscal year that could reduce the current $82 billion state budget by up to $1.9 billion. http://www.dailycommercial.com/news/20170113/lssc-state-colleges-gear-up-for-budget-battle