TALLAHASSEE Fla. — Gov. Rick Scott on Monday challenged Florida’s community and state colleges to develop four-year degrees that would cost no more than $10,000, which also would continue their move into an area that was once the sole domain of the state’s public universities.
The mean level of tuition and fees was $3,328 during the 2011-12 academic year, according the Department of Education’s 2012 annual report for the Florida College System. At that rate, a four-year degree would cost about $13,300, or $3,300 above Scott’s goal. Tuition and fees for four years at a Florida university average about $25,000, or nearly twice as much as for the 28 colleges.
Scott made his proposal before an audience of elected officials as well as college and community leaders at the Clearwater campus of St. Petersburg College. It’s the first school to take up his challenge.
The Republican governor, who campaigned in 2010 on a promise of job creation, said the degrees should be “in fields that will provide the graduates with the best opportunity for employment.”
The idea drew applause from state education officials, but the Florida Democratic Party criticized his proposal, noting Scott supported a $300 million spending cut for state universities this year and reductions in merit-based Bright Futures scholarships.
“We’ve heard these empty words from Rick Scott before and Florida’s middle class families are looking for real leadership not failed gimmicks masquerading as sound bites,” the Democrats said in a statement.
The colleges in recent years have begun offering a limited number of four-year degrees, but the bulk of their students remain in two-year programs. Most of Florida’s bachelor’s degrees still are produced by the state’s 12 public universities. Their graduates, though, include thousands of former community and state college students who transfer for their final two years.
