Book Description

How many of Florida's four million children should expect to attend the State University System someday? And what should they find when they arrive? The bare minimum? Or world-class universities with facilities on a par with the best the nation has to offer? This report states that a "business as usual" approach has corroded the link between the state's strategic priorities and its higher education facilities. It is time for a change of course. Recognizing the urgency of the need for a change in course, a state university system task force convened in spring 2006 to recommend changes that would make it possible to move forward with major new statewide facilities initiatives. The task force included representatives from all eleven institutions, including provosts, vice presidents for finance, and senior administrators responsible for planning, budgeting, and facilities management. The task force focused on construction, maintenance and deferred maintenance, and made recommendations to Board of Governors Chancellor, Mark B. Rosenberg related to increasing efficiency, identifying and expanding revenue streams for investment, and improving processes in each category. The work of the task force is the foundation for the four key recommendations in this report. These recommendations include: (1) Improve efficiency--Best practices in utilization, maintenance, construction and design; (2) Invest in the next generation--$3.4 Billion in capital funding for quality and access; (3) Preserve Florida's investment--Maintenance and improvement of current facilities; and (4) Lead the nation in sustainability--Cutting-edge research, engineering, architecture and planning. This report is a call to immediate action. Parts of the plan outlined in this report can begin now, as universities and the Board of Governors office implement policies to make the system work more efficiently. Appended are: (1) Calculation of 2012-13 Projected Need; and (2) Facilities Task Force Participants. (Contains 1 table, 4 figures, and 15 notes.) [This document was produced by the Board of Governors State University System of Florida.].