The Florida Senate is considering passing a bill that would categorize each of the public universities based on its strengths and weaknesses. The way these categories will be determined is causing controversy.
The bill, SB 2442, would instruct the Board of Governors to use the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education to set a mission for each school based on its strengths.
This means that research-heavy schools would focus more on research while smaller schools would have the opportunity to focus on smaller class sizes and the student base. The bill would affect the 11 public universities.
It's difficult to predict what would be the exact effects of the bill, which was proposed by Sen. Evelyn Lynn of Ormond Beach.
The original language of the bill caused controversy because it used the term "flagship" to describe the top-ranked university, which would be based only on the research generated by that university. The controversy stemmed from the fact that the University of Florida was the only school that met the requirements in the state. Sen. Lynn is a graduate of UF.
"I don't think it [the bill] would be disastrous for us, but it wouldn't be good for us," said Josh Miller, the UCF Student Government Association senate president pro tempore.
The earlier version of the bill didn't specify guidelines for UF, but it was heavily implied that UF would be the flagship school, Miller said.
With the new wording though, Florida State University and the University of South Florida are in the top tier of the Carnegie classifications along with UF.
Under the Carnegie classifications, UCF is in the level directly below UF, FSU and USF. UCF would be classified as having a high research level. The other three are at a very high level.
The only way to increase to the very high ranking is for UCF to produce more research, Miller said. This level does not take into account the quality of the research, only the amount.
The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education is a system by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and is primarily used by researchers writing about education. According to the foundation's website, the classifications are based on research levels as well as other sectors universities can voluntarily take part in.
"We will definitely be in that highest classification level in the next year or two," said Marla Spector, the former chair of the SGA Governmental Affairs Committee and the future director of the Governmental Affairs Division for the Kilbride administration.
The effect of the bill will merely be prestige, Andreu Szempruch, the new chair of the Governmental Affairs Committee, said.
The bill doesn't mention funding, only that the universities will be given more freedoms. What shape these freedoms will take is left vague, the bill only states that the universities will be given the freedom to pursue "fair competition with other institutions of other states in the highest Carnegie classification."
Fear about the bill has come from the unclear wording and the original use of the word flagship. While a change in funding is not stated, it is implied, Szempruch said.
If there is any change in funding it is likely to come for online classes, allowing the top tier to change the extra charge for classes to compete with other universities outside of Florida, Spector said.
Overall though, Spector said there is little reason to worry: The bill lacks a house component — a requirement for it to pass — the Board of Governors can ignore it, and UCF can enter that top tier soon.
is a member of the 
Be the first to comment on this article!