State could increase UCF funding
TALLAHASSEE — The University of Central Florida could get a funding boost from the state this year thanks to a proposed expansion of a program benefiting colleges that meet standards aimed at increasing their preeminent status in the country.
The University of Florida and Florida State University already receive $15 million for meeting 11 of 12 criteria, including mini- mum GPAs and test scores of incoming students, a 90 percent freshman retention rate, a 70 percent sixyear graduation rate, high research spending and 100 total patents issued over a three-year span.
Meeting those goals means the colleges are “preeminent universities” in the state.
The money is put toward improving those standards and raising their status among other colleges across the country.
Under proposals in the Legislature, schools that meet six out of the 12 criteria could qualify as “emerging preeminent” schools.
The only two colleges that meet that threshold are UCF and the University of South Florida.
“UCF believes this is one of the most significant steps in terms of recognizing the growth and maturity of the metro schools,” said Dan Holsenbeck, UCF vice president of university relations.
Whether the program will make it into law and how much funding it will receive, however, is still in question.
The House has advanced a bill that sets up the program and mandates that “emerging preeminent” schools receive half of the money that the “preeminent” schools receive.
In the budget passed by the House, preeminent schools are to split $20 million and emerging preeminent schools are to receive $10 million.
The Senate, however, hasn’t advanced the meas- ure as a stand alone bill, but has $15 million total for both the “preeminent” and “emerging preeminent” programs.
Even though the funding for the program is in flux, Holsenbeck said it’s a good sign there’s at least some money in each chamber’s budget heading into formal budget negotiations, which could start as soon as Saturday.
Lawmakers must pass a final budget by March 11, the last day of the legislative session.