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Florida Governor Unveils Plan to Increase Enrollment at State Public Colleges

Posted on: Wednesday, 11 January 2006, 21:00 CST

By Linda Kleindienst, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Jan. 12--TALLAHASSEE -- Hoping to reverse a decline in the number of black freshmen entering Florida's public universities, Gov. Jeb Bush on Wednesday unveiled a $52 million plan that includes scholarships for students who are first in their family to seek a college degree.

"It is important that our state's university system takes steps to increase accessibility, offering students the opportunity to pursue their dreams of a higher education," said Bush, who is asking the Legislature to fund his proposal for the 2006-2007 school year.

The governor's new push comes as university enrollment figures show a precipitous drop in the percentage of black students in the freshman class that enrolled in Florida's 11 public universities last fall.

While the actual number of black students in the university system has risen -- except for a slight drop last year -- their ranks are not growing as fast as white and Hispanic students, so they make up a smaller percentage.

Bush, surrounded by dozens of black students who attend FAMU, the state's only historically black public university, said this year's numbers were a "wake-up call."

Black students made up 18.1 percent of the freshmen accepted at the state-owned universities in 1999, before Bush championed his "One Florida" plan to eliminate affirmative action in university admissions. In October of 2005 black students made up 13.7 percent of the freshman class -- even though overall minority admission was up, mostly due to a surge in Hispanic students.

The infusion of cash Bush is seeking for minority and low-income students comes as the governor, first elected in 1998 with the promise of overhauling the state's education system, finds himself scrambling in the final year of his second term to preserve his image as Florida's "education governor."

Last week, Bush experienced one of the worst blows of his more than seven years as governor when the Florida Supreme Court struck down one of his most dramatic reforms -- the nation's first statewide private school voucher program. This week, he is working with legislative leaders to figure out how the voucher program can be revived, a plan likely to involve legislation this spring and a proposed change in the constitution.

Bush supporters credit him with bringing accountability into the state's public school system, particularly in using the state's standardized test to establish a school grading system that rewards the best schools and offers tax-paid private school vouchers to students in chronically failing schools.

"Whether you agree or disagree with his policies, he has provided a lot of emphasis on public schools," said Wayne Blanton, executive director of the Florida School Boards Association. "Engaging the public in the school debate ... creates a better atmosphere."

Opponents contend he has done little to improve the system, pointing out that Florida continues to lag behind its sister states in the amount of money it pays its teachers and puts in the public school and university classroom. They say the tuition hikes, the lack of need-based scholarships and the absence of affirmative action are to blame for the drop-off in black enrollment.

"If the governor and other state officials are truly concerned about boosting the enrollment of blacks and other minorities ... start with this: a serious financial commitment to schools at the elementary level, started with those branded as 'failing.' And an equally serious commitment to student aid," said Senate Democratic Leader Les Miller of Tampa, who is black. "The $35.8 million he's proposing to add to student aid is a trinket compared to the more than $8 billion he's lavished on his tax breaks for the super rich."

State officials blame much of the drop on out-of-state students who are being priced out of the Florida university system. Florida residents are paying $107.95 per credit this year, as opposed to $78.80 in 2000. Non-resident students are paying $530.18 per credit compared to $323.39 five years ago.

Bush's budget plan, rolled out on Wednesday, calls for a $35.8 million, or 36 percent, increase in need-based funding for university student scholarships. That funding level could provide an average of $1,152 to 116,842 students.

The $6.5 million first-generation grant proposal would provide a dollar-for-dollar match with private donations to state universities. Bush wants to see the scholarship awarded to full-time students who are Florida residents, the first in their family to attend college and in need of financial help.

Keneshia Grant, a 22-year-old graduate student from Lauderhill, worked with a group of fellow FAMU student government representatives to develop the grant idea first suggested by University of Florida President Bernie Machen.

"My mom didn't go to college so that would have helped me close the gap between the 75 percent I got from Bright Futures and the 25 percent I still needed to go to school," said Grant, who last year was vice president of the student body at FAMU. "It would have been a tremendous help. And there are a lot of other students out there like me who could benefit."

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Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel

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