WUFT News News and Public Media for North Central Florida from the University of Florida in Gainesville
University of Florida students, faculty and its president had a good Monday.
After seeing Gov. Rick Scott would return $300 million that had previously been cut from the state’s higher education budget, Bernie Machen said he would not raise tuition for the coming year beyond the normal inflation rate increase.
Scott signed the state’s budget Monday, vetoing a 3 percent statewide tuition increase and millions of dollars for other expenditures.
Machen said he was gratified by the funds and temporary tuition stasis.
“You should have been in my shoes the last six years,” Machen said, “and have to go out to the university community after this (budget signing) day and tell them, ‘Oh by the way, we’re going to have to cut our budget again, and by the way there’ll be no raises again.’
“To not have to do that makes this a very happy day,” he said.
Full audio of Machen’s responses to local reporters is below.
