Tampabay.com
JUNE 17, 2008

Crist signs bill allowing higher tuition at UCF, FIU

Gov. Charlie Crist just signed into law HB 745, which will allow UCF and FIU to start charging the extra tuition, dubbed a "differential", that USF, FSU and UF are about to start charging this fall.

The law changes the requirements a university must meet to charge the 30 to 40 percent differential, so that basically a college would just have to have $100 million or more in research activity year. UCF meets that threshhold and would be able to charge 30 percent above the base tuition for in-state undergrads, and FIU will meet it as well.

The extra revenues are supposed to go toward hiring more and better faculty. Though with cuts in state funding, the money will just allow these universities to feel a little less pain than the others...

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Gradebook features education articles and insights on schools in Florida, focusing on Tampa Bay area schools. What's the latest from the Florida Department of Education? How is the FCAT being used to compare Florida schools? What's going in on in Tampa Bay schools? Get an insider's view from the Times education reporting team.

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Rebecca Catalanello covers Pinellas County schools. E-mail her: rcatalanello@tampabay.com.

Tony Marrero covers Hernando County schools. E-mail him: tmarrero@tampabay.com.

Marlene Sokol covers Hillsborough County schools. E-mail her: sokol@tampabay.com.

Ron Matus covers Pinellas County schools. E-mail him: matus@tampabay.com.

Jeffrey S. Solochek covers Pasco County schools. E-mail him: solochek@tampabay.com.

Kim Wilmath covers the University of South Florida. E-mail her: kwilmath@tampabay.com.

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