State argues about Bright Futures cuts

For the second consecutive year, Florida legislators made cuts to the Bright Futures scholarship program.

With the status of the economy, increasing state-wide budget cuts and hopes to increase state-wide tuition, more changes are expected to occur, according to university officials.

The supplemental award – which can be used to purchase textbooks for students receiving the 100 percent Bright Futures award – was cut from $300 to $225 per term in 2007 and reduced again to $187.50 July 1 for cost savings.

Universities are also adding new fees to offset local costs that aren’t covered under the scholarship. UNF recently added transportation costs to cover shuttle expenses and a new technology fee, neither of which is covered under Bright Futures, said Jim Owen, director of One Stop.

“The budget situation is not looking very sunny right now, and it’s not looking like it’s going to make a strong rebound next year,” Owen said. “And that, of course, affects Bright Futures.”

During the annual 60-day legislative session, the legislators were also considering changing Bright Futures to a set-amount scholarship rather than keeping it percentage-based. This would allow universities to raise tuition without having to cover additional expenses.

Under the current system, if tuition is increased, Bright Futures has to be increased.

“It never really stabilizes unless the universities stop raising tuition, but the universities want to raise tuition because they’re receiving less money from the state,” Owen said.

In 2007, tuition for in-state students at Florida universities was the cheapest in the country, and Florida universities have accepted 65,000 additional students in the past decade, 50 percent of which are a part of the Bright Futures program, Florida Chancellor Mark Rosenberg said in a recent Board of Trustees meeting.

“All of the cuts we’ve seen so far are a reflection of student enrollment,” said Jaryn Emhof, press secretary for the Legislature’s office.

The change to a set amount wasn’t approved, but Owen expects it will be covered again in next year’s meeting, he said.

“It seems to be coming up every year, and until the state and regional economy stabilizes, it will still be a hotly discussed topic,” Owen said. “It’s kind of like social security – the sacred cow – where nobody wants to be the guy that dismantles that, politically.”

Owen said a fixed amount would make more sense for taxpayers, since they would know each year exactly how much money would be allocated for Bright Futures.

University officials are also concerned with the percent of students receiving Bright Futures that don’t need it financially, cutting into funds available for need-based grants.

Legislators also discussed increasing Bright Futures and other scholarships in the future for math, technology and science majors since the demand for jobs is rapidly increasing, Owen said.

Bright Futures is funded through the Florida Lottery, and one positive sign for the program and university system is that while the state economy has been down, lottery sales have increased during the past five years, said Doug Ott, education and information specialist for the Florida Lottery.

A new chairman and administration for the higher learning committee of Legislators that votes on Bright Futures decisions will be appointed in November after the national presidential election, and any future changes to the scholarship program will not occur until then, Emhof said.

E-mail Josh Salman at managing@unfspinnaker.com.