Florida college and university leaders recently discussed House cuts to the higher education budget.
The Florida House of Representatives budget proposal will implement changes to the Effective Access to Student Education (EASE) Grant, which helps Florida students pay their tuition at qualified, independent, non-profit colleges and universities. If implemented, the changes would result in more than 21,000 students at 15 Florida universities losing access to this vital grant program, according to the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida (ICUF).
Mike Allen, Ph.D., President of Barry University, David Armstrong, President of St. Thomas University, and Arthur Keiser, Ph.D., Chancellor of Keiser University recently had a press conference to discuss the devastating changes to the EASE Grant.
EASE provides lifeline funding to Florida residents attending qualified private, nonprofit universities in Florida. These schools are members of the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida (ICUF). They say this House language will cause 21,836 students in Florida to lose access to EASE this year, forcing them to pay thousands more in tuition and limiting Florida residents’ access to higher education.
Students at 15 of Florida’s independent, nonprofit schools, including every independent HBCU in Florida, most independent HSIs (Hispanic Serving Institutions), every private university in Miami-Dade County, the nation’s top university for aeronautics, and Florida’s two largest producers of nurses, will lose their tuition vouchers if this budget passes.
The group also said the proposed changes to the EASE program threaten not only the financial stability of thousands of students but also the future workforce that supports Florida’s economy.
Many of the students who depend on EASE are critical to Florida’s workforce demands – Florida’s independent, nonprofit colleges and universities produce 28% of the state’s nursing degrees and 25% of our teaching degrees compared to the state’s public institutions. Cuts to EASE vouchers will impact many of the students pursuing degrees in these high-demand fields, forcing them to pay more for their degrees or leave school altogether.
Discussing the potential Florida cuts to higher education, they also said cuts to EASE disproportionately impact non-traditional and low-income students who choose to attend independent, nonprofit colleges and universities, adding these students depend on EASE to afford tuition while juggling multiple jobs and family responsibilities. Without EASE, their ability to stay in school – and, for many, to break generational cycles of poverty – will be at serious risk.
EASE is a very small part of the Florida budget, yet it generates 79,529 Florida jobs every year and more than $10.1 billion economic impact in Florida each year.
Every dollar spent on EASE generates $3.83 in tax revenue, making it one of the most cost-effective educational programs in Florida. For every $1 million in state support, ICUF institutions graduate 277 bachelor’s degree recipients compared to just 17 graduates per $1 million from the State University System.
Keiser University is a private, independent, non-profit university serving nearly 20,000 students at 21 Florida campuses, online, and two international sites. St. Thomas University (STU) is one of the South’s premier Catholic universities. It is a private, nonprofit institution committed to fostering students’ academic and professional success and helping them become ethical leaders in the global community. As South Florida’s largest private Catholic institution of higher learning and as one of the leading universities in the nation for promoting social mobility, Barry University is preparing students for the future workforce by offering them more than 100 degree programs in a variety of disciplines and giving them the tools and real-world experience that transform concepts into impact.
