Bill to allow student fee increase catches senators off guard

The University of Florida campus (Pic by Random McRandomhead, via Flickr)

A bill that would allow universities to increase building fees was temporarily postponed in the state Senate Higher Education Committeee Thursday when state Sens. Gary Siplin, D-Orlando, and Evelyn Lynn, R-Daytona Beach, expressed concern.

The chair of the committee, state Sen. Steve Oelrich, R-Gainseville, postponed the bill for further discussion with its sponsor, state Sen. Anitere Flores, R-Miami, who was not present to explain it.

“Nobody came to talk to me about this bill,” said Siplin, “and my constituents don’t have enough money to pay for this increase.”

Lynn, who chairs the Higher Education Appropriations Committee that proposed a 3 percent tuition increase, said she could not vote to further increase the cost of education.

Under S.B. 1156 , a fee committee half made up of students would be able to raise the Capital Improvement Trust Fund fee and building fee up to a maximum of 10 percent of tuition, with oversight from the student body president, university president and board of trustees.

State colleges already have this authority. Currently, the Capital Improvement Trust Fund fee is $2.44 per credit hour. The building fee is $2.32.

Revenue from these fees could be used for property acquisition or to help cover the fluctuating and limited PECO funds used for construction projects and maintenance at universities that the Board of Governors that oversees them says is badly needed (.pdf).