Contact:
Kelly Layman
Executive Director of Communications
850-245-0466
Kelly.Layman@flbog.edu
News
10/26/2011
PRESS RELEASE: New national rankings released for states’ tuition and fees ... State University System of Florida moves from 48th-lowest to 45th-lowest
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – October 26, 2011
New national rankings released for states’ tuition and fees
State University System of Florida moves from 48th-lowest to 45th-lowest nationally
Click Here for the College Board 2011-12 Tuition and Fees
Today, the College Board released its annual “Trends in College Pricing” report, which analyzes national averages for public university tuition and fees. Florida’s public universities averaged an increase of 11.8 percent to $5,626 a year – moving from 48th to 45th amid the lowest costs in the nation – while the national average for 2011-12 increased nearly the same amount, 8.3 percent, but importantly represents a far larger total number at $8,244.
The report does not include books, housing and other related costs students have while attending state universities.
The Board of Governors has carefully monitored and tracked the much larger increases in tuition during the past few years across state university systems in the United States, many of which do not have an annual or overall “cap.” Some states also have more than one public university system – Florida has a single State University System with 11 institutions. As the Florida Board of Governors continues to devote resources and talent to achieve and sustain efforts that will transform our state into an international leader in knowledge-based innovation economy, the members of the Board also are absolutely committed to not allow economic deficits and funding needs to become an undue burden on students enrolled today, or on the families making plans in future years.
“Base” tuition in Florida is determined by the Legislature. Florida is unique in that any increases in tuition and fees in the State University System of Florida, pursuant to state law, cannot translate into amounts that exceed the national average. While Florida is still far below the national average, we must be mindful of the importance of quality in the System as well.
The ranking includes the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Now, the following states are slightly lower in tuition and costs than Florida: Louisiana, Wyoming, West Virginia, New Mexico, Alaska and Utah. Attached is a PowerPoint slide with the state rankings.
The Florida Board of Governors looks forward to continuing its close work with the 11 institutions in the System and with the Legislature to be fully accountable for results expected from any tuition increases, which is a requirement outlined several years ago in Florida law.
For more information, see www.collegeboard.org
Notes: Today’s rankings also includes private universities, and the public state and community colleges. The information above is only for the public state universities portion of the report released by the College Board.
Also, extensive information and data taken up at the Florida Board of Governors’ meeting this summer – the annual meeting addressing tuition and fees that follows each Legislative Session – can be found under Budget & Finance Committee back-up materials. (See www.flbog.edu, under Previous Board Meetings, see June meeting held in Tampa at USF.)
Click Here for the College Board 2011-12 Tuition and Fees
About the State University System of Florida
The State University System of Florida is governed by a 17-member Board of Governors, a constitutional body and led by appointed public servants. The System is comprised of 11 institutions with a total enrollment of more than 320,000 students, making it the fourth-largest public university system in the nation in terms of enrollment (some states have more than one university system). The Florida Constitution (Article IX, Section 7) was amended by the state's voters in 2002 to establish a statewide system of governance for all Florida public universities. As a result, the Florida Board of Governors was created in 2003 to oversee the State University System of Florida. Responsibilities include defining the distinctive mission of each institution and ensuring the well-planned coordination and operation of the System. The Board’s 17 members include 14 appointed by the Governor, with three serving by virtue of their designations (a faculty member, a Florida Student Association student representative, and the Florida Commissioner of Education). The Board of Governors appoints a Chancellor who serves as the chief executive and administrative officer of the State University System. For more, including the Board’s Annual Report that reflects accountability measurements and benchmarks occurring at each institution, see www.flbog.edu
