From Ocala.com, by Nathan Crabbe
Former Florida Gov. and U.S. Sen. Bob Graham called Tuesday for a veto of $300 million in cuts to the state university system, arguing that the University of Florida's role in attracting the software company MindTree Limited to Gainesville showed the influence of state universities in job creation.
"If we're going to have more MindTrees in Florida, we're not going to do it by mindless reductions in the capability of our state universities," he said.
Graham spoke as part of a lecture series named for E.T York, the founder of UF's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and former state university system chancellor. Later Tuesday, Graham delivered a lecture at his namesake Graham Center for Public Service at UF about the newly formed Florida Conservation Coalition, a bipartisan environmental group.
His speech in the York series was partly a history lesson about the origins of the land-grant university system, marking its 150th year, and partly his thoughts on how York would view the system today. York died last year at the age of 88. York's wife, Vam, said her husband would be angry about cuts being made to UF and other state universities, according to Graham.
"In my opinion, this action not only deserves E.T. York's anger, but it deserves the anger of the people of Florida because of its stupidity and its shortsightedness," he said.
He said the state's future should be linking state universities to industries that recognize their value, citing as an example last week's announcement that India-based MindTree has chosen UF's Innovation Square development for its U.S. center. He contrasted that with the Legislature's decision to make cuts that include tapping $150 million in university reserves.
"There has been a political assault on higher education in Florida," he said.
He called for a cascade of email from UF students, employees and alumni to urge Gov. Rick Scott to veto the cuts. Graham said after the speech that there is precedent for such a move, as he vetoed the 1980 state higher education budget while he was governor.
UF is following a model of privatization based on what has been done with the University of Virginia, Graham said. But UF has significant differences in being larger and having a more diverse array of majors than the University of Virginia, he said, as well as being in a state that is less wealthy and a shorter history of support from benefactors.
Following Virginia's model would be "a siren song for mediocrity" for UF, he said.
Graham recalled York's role in establishing the current governing body for the Florida state university system. After the state Legislature disbanded the previous governing body in 2001, York worked with Graham in getting a state constitutional amendment passed to create the Board of Governors to take its place.
Graham is now a party in a lawsuit, which the Florida Supreme Court recently agreed to hear, contending that the Board of Governors and not lawmakers has the power to set tuition and establish programs.
"I believe this is critical if we are to reverse the politicization of our university system," he said.
Graham, a Democrat, spoke later in the day with former state Sen. Lee Constantine, a Republican, about the Florida Conservation Coalition. Graham said the group was formed in response to cuts to land conservation programs and changes to growth management laws in 2011, which he called the worst year for the environment in the state since the 1950s.
Constantine said environmental advocates need to get on the offensive to protect the state's natural resources. While environmental laws have been changed in the name of promoting growth, he said, people are attracted to the state because of things like its beaches and other natural areas.
"People don't come to Florida because we have the best strip malls," he said. "People don't come to Florida because we have the best housing developments."
Contact staff reporter Nathan Crabbe at 338-3176 or nathan.crabbe@gvillesun.com. For more stories on the University of Florida, visit www.thecampussun.com.
http://www.ocala.com/article/20120403/ARTICLES/120409912/1001/news01?p=3&tc=pg
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