Rick Scott announces budget plan to help make college more affordable
The Florida governor is looking to have students graduate on time by putting a freeze on tuition rates and fees.
Florida Governor Rick Scott addresses the public in FAU’s bookstore on Feb. 12, 2015 about eliminating sales tax on college textbooks. Photo by Idalis Streat.
January 11, 2017
T
he majority of undergraduate students aren’t graduating in their recommended four years, and Governor Rick Scott wants to change that.
Tuesday, Scott released a budget plan called “Finish in Four, Save More,” to freeze college tuition and fees, cut graduate teaching assistant fees by 25 percent, expand Bright Futures and cut taxes on textbooks.
Only 44 percent of undergraduate students are completing their degrees in four years, while 71 percent are finishing in six years, according to a press release on the plan.
“Florida students should have every opportunity to earn a degree in four years without graduating with mountains of debt,” as stated by the release. “Our institutions need to provide more value to our students by becoming more affordable and helping students graduate in four years so they can save money and get a great job.”
Scott’s plan for cutting taxes on textbooks will collectively save students $48 million next year and students taking five classes or more will save $60 a year on average, according to the release.
Currently, Bright Futures covers fall and spring semesters. The budget proposes to expand the scholarship to cover summer classes as well.
Joe Pye is the news editor of the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email [email protected] or tweet him @jpeg3189.
