Our University

[SeaBull]

Thanks for posting that...it's very interesting to see what is important in they eyes of who calls the shots.

What I would like to see besides some upgrades to various buildings is a centralized hang out. An ourside area where there are always people hanging out at. That "quad-ish" looking area where the current MLK plaza extends to the grass between the natural sciences and band buildings looks promising. I hope there will be some prominent landmark that with be the center of the university.

[Paul Wall]

JoeBull that would be redicolous if it was that cheap... not feasible at all, a dreamer .... more like unrealistic.

[USF03]

Thanks for posting that...it's very interesting to see what is important in they eyes of who calls the shots.

What I would like to see besides some upgrades to various buildings is a centralized hang out. An ourside area where there are always people hanging out at. That "quad-ish" looking area where the current MLK plaza extends to the grass between the natural sciences and band buildings looks promising. I hope there will be some prominent landmark that with be the center of the university.

That area has been a target for student leaders for years to use CITF funds to enhance.  But more so, you will see the MLK area near the Marshall Student Center become more of a hang out than it is now.  Live music from the sports bar, shops, etc plus more open seating etc outside the MC will go a long way to what you are looking for.  You might see that ayear or two after the new MC is done (july 2008) and they distroy the old MC and build that new courtyard/MLK social area (Oct 2008).

[USF03]

We already have the lowest tuition/fees in the country.  Do you really think it will go lower!

The Cost to Attend and the Cost to Educate are two different things.  The current Cost to Educate (tuition and fees) is approximately $3,240, whereas the current real Cost to Attend (tuition, fees, books, living, etc) is approximately $15,390.

For example, a $3 a credit hour fee would be $36 for 12 credit hours, which is only 0.2% of the Cost to Attend.

Affordability is the capacity of the poorest in a society to pursue education.  The sticker price of tuition and fees is not a significant factor in ensuring affordability; only need-based financial aid options determine affordability because they allow students in need to finance the larger cost of attendance including room and board, etc.

LOOK AT THE COST TO ATTEND, NOT THE COST TO EDUCATE.  IT'S THE COST OF LIVING THAT HURTS STUDENTS, NOT PAYING FOR COLLEGE.

[JoeBulls]

You act like $3,240 is the REAL cost of an education..

You act like it SHOULD cost thousand or more dollars to educate yourself.

Why??

Its like society has just accepted that it should take thousands of dollars worth of debt to attend at TAX-SUBSIDIZED institution..

It is an absurd notion..  It is ridiculous.

Who cares that Florida is one of the most affordable places to send your kid to college.

Why not keep it affordable????

It is unproductive... it is stupid economically to continue to raise the tuition rates...

It does nothing but saddle kids with thousand of more dollars in college education costs.

PLUS -- college students never realize what a degree costs - because they do nothing but BORROW money to pay for it...

I remember when I worked in the US Senate..  A Senator by the name of Judd Gregg from New Hampshire would litteraly raise hell over raising the federal borrowing limits for Stafford Loans.  He is a Republican (I am a Democrat) from New Hampshire.  He chaired the Education Committee in the US Senate.

He said "by raising the limits by which  students can borrow money for college education in the form of a stafford loan, you are giving colleges and universities free will to raise tuitions...  They know EXACTLY what a kid can borrow to pay his tuition.   Who wins?  Sallie Mae and your local bank....not the undergraduate.!"

The undergraduate sees very little in his quality of education given -  compared to the actual tuition charged.

I couldn't agree more.

It is a ridiculous notion to state that a kid should have to pay/borrow 10K dollars a year to go to college.

It is downright stupid.

Colleges and Universities benefit ten fold from taxpayer dollars -- they need to learn to either lobby for general revenue or raise it from the public sector.

The days of going after the non-voting bloc of college students with high tuition rates should be over with

[USF03]

You act like $3,240 is the REAL cost of an education..

You act like it SHOULD cost thousand or more dollars to educate yourself.

Why??

Its like society has just accepted that it should take thousands of dollars worth of debt to attend at TAX-SUBSIDIZED institution..

It is an absurd notion..  It is ridiculous.

Who cares that Florida is one of the most affordable places to send your kid to college.

Why not keep it affordable????

It is unproductive... it is stupid economically to continue to raise the tuition rates...

It does nothing but saddle kids with thousand of more dollars in college education costs.

PLUS -- college students never realize what a degree costs - because they do nothing but BORROW money to pay for it...

I remember when I worked in the US Senate..  A Senator by the name of Judd Gregg from New Hampshire would litteraly raise hell over raising the federal borrowing limits for Stafford Loans.  He is a Republican (I am a Democrat) from New Hampshire.  He chaired the Education Committee in the US Senate.

He said "by raising the limits by which  students can borrow money for college education in the form of a stafford loan, you are giving colleges and universities free will to raise tuitions...  They know EXACTLY what a kid can borrow to pay his tuition.   Who wins?  Sallie Mae and your local bank....not the undergraduate.!"

The undergraduate sees very little in his quality of education given -  compared to the actual tuition charged.

I couldn't agree more.

It is a ridiculous notion to state that a kid should have to pay/borrow 10K dollars a year to go to college.

It is downright stupid.

Colleges and Universities benefit ten fold from taxpayer dollars -- they need to learn to either lobby for general revenue or raise it from the public sector.

The days of going after the non-voting bloc of college students with high tuition rates should be over with

I'm sure you are the authority on college funding and college debt.

[Belle of the Bull]

Ok kids- lets look at the facts.

I think we can all (well not everyone but most people) agree that FL is one of the most affordable states to attend college. However, we have 11 public universities and a relatively low education tax.

FL also has Bright Futures

That costs hundreds of millions of dollars a year and relitively low standards for recieving the funds.  

USF is one of the most populated universities in the country.

We are arguably the  second best institution for higher education in the state of FL.

We have 3 top ranked programs in the arts and sciences and our B school is pretty **** good too- not to mention engineering.

However - we are among the cheapest universities in the country and also the most underfunded by the state of FL.

We have a low number of alums in the FL legislature so you know most of the states money goes to FSU and UF - largely for that reason.  

USF simply cannot afford NOT to raise tuition. End of story

What we do need to be concerned about is not if they raise tuition but WHAT they do with the money they raise.  How do they spend their money? What aren't they doing? How can we as alums "check" up on this so they improve usf and not waste money like they have in the past? The administration is no stranger to screw ups and wasting money.

Lets take a trip down memory lane shall we?

1. the last strategic plan called for a "premiere greek housing community" = oh they built one allright. they built glorified duplexes and had to spend MILLIONS in repairs.

2. the front entrance has had to be re landscaped at least three times in the past 10 years. around 2000 they spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to have the front entrance landscaped only to realize that it was tacky and spent thousands of dollars changing it back to the way it was.

3. they spent 250,000 to paint the student union in 2003 only to pass the MC reconstruction plan a year later.

4. they spent 500,000 dollars to have historic homes physically moved to the st pete campus. i dont care why. its a waste of money.

5. they hired a web designer - but NO changes have been made to improve the website. So they are paying someone to design websites that never get up and running. how is that cost effective?

6. I can think of a #6 and a #7 a #8. However - i have made my point and think its best to stop.

All I am trying to demonstrate is that even though USF is underfunded - I think they could do a better job with the money they already have.

The administration claims to want alumni feedback. I think we should give it to em.  Go visit the strategic plan online - but better yet - read it and also visit the tampa campus. I think we call can agree that there is room for improvement as far as aesthetics are concerned. So give them your feedback.

Sure its nice to complain about things on this board- but your time is better served by also putting it in writing and e mailing administration your thoughts. You probably have better ideas than they do a lot of the time.

[USF03]

Bealle is right, but I think USF wastes money more in the crazy bureaucracy they try to create than those examples.  (by the way, the re-painted the MC again this year... while the distroyed the SEC... it does look better!)

Just walk into the Marshall Center one day.  Over half of the building is full of offices with people who do very little day to day work, have overlapping jobs, or are cut off from view like the 3rd floor of the MC, have YOU ever seen it?  I have, it's just more Student Affairs offices (I don't know what they do).  

USF attempts to baby every student now days (i.e.: mandatory overnight orientation or classes in dorms) at great expense.  Most of that expense is sent to students.  Soon enough, college will be nothing more than a fancy high school.

I agree, I don't really mind small increases, but I want the university to be more fiscally conservative.  If I have to pay for it, don't waste it.

[Belle of the Bull]

Bealle is right, but I think USF wastes money more in the crazy buacracy they try to create than those examples.  (by the way, the re-painted the MC again this year... while the distroyed the SEC... it does look better!)

Just walk into the Marshall Center one day.  Over half of the building is full of offices with people who do very little day to day work, have overlapping jobs, or are cut off from view like the 3rd floor of the MC, have YOU ever seen it?  I have, it's just more Student Affairs offices (I don't know what they do).  

USF attempts to baby every student now days (i.e.: mandatory overnight orientation or classes in dorms) at great expense.  Most of that expense is sent to students.  Soon enough, college will be nothing more than a fancy high school.

I agree, I don't really mind small increases, but I want the university to be more fiscally conservative.  If I have to pay for it, don't waste it.

well to be fair the student affairs staff does do a lot. but the bureaucracy is KILLING the budget. BUT-- Its the bureaucracy that allows for these stupid mistakes to happen. trust me. I worked in student affairs for 3 years. I know first hand how and why money is misspent.

[USF03]

Bealle is right, but I think USF wastes money more in the crazy buacracy they try to create than those examples.  (by the way, the re-painted the MC again this year... while the distroyed the SEC... it does look better!)

Just walk into the Marshall Center one day.  Over half of the building is full of offices with people who do very little day to day work, have overlapping jobs, or are cut off from view like the 3rd floor of the MC, have YOU ever seen it?  I have, it's just more Student Affairs offices (I don't know what they do).  

USF attempts to baby every student now days (i.e.: mandatory overnight orientation or classes in dorms) at great expense.  Most of that expense is sent to students.  Soon enough, college will be nothing more than a fancy high school.

I agree, I don't really mind small increases, but I want the university to be more fiscally conservative.  If I have to pay for it, don't waste it.

well to be fair the student affairs staff does do a lot. but the bureaucracy is KILLING the budget. BUT-- Its the bureaucracy that allows for these stupid mistakes to happen. trust me. I worked in student affairs for 3 years. I know first hand how and why money is misspent.

In regards to SA... it depends.  Some offices are very good and do alot... other are horrible and do nothing.  It isn't just SA, it's everyone.  I just see SA staff day to day as I go to my little office and try to make sense of everyone!