House Speaker Says Higher Ed System Has “No Clear Mission”

The Florida House

House Speaker Dean Cannon said House members have muddied the mission of state universities.

Florida House Speaker Dean Cannon said state lawmakers trying to benefit their own parochial interests have muddied the mission of the state’s higher education system.

Cannon, R-Winter Park, said the House will study how to improve the system because the state’s economy is tied to a “strong and dynamic” higher education system, according to prepared remarks sent to the media.

Cannon did not promise a bill — in fact he said it’s up to the Board of Governors and not the Legislature to set the university system’s priorities. But Cannon said both the House and the Senate would have a conversation about overhauling higher education.

Cannon’s statement is after the jump:

And that brings me to my final topic – reform of our Higher Education System.   Florida once had a public higher education system built on the 2+2 model with an overriding goal of providing access to higher education.  Twenty years later, after a steady stream of reform proposals, several originating from this House, we have a higher education system with no clear mission, universities pursuing overlapping agendas despite limited public resources, and our community colleges rapidly transforming themselves into 4 year degree institutions.    We have a Board of Governors unsure of how to exercise its authority or execute its mission.  And we, as a Legislature, and I freely include myself in this critique, have contributed to the problem by parochially advancing the interests of our local university or college at the expense of the system as a whole.   If left unchecked, we will continue to have a higher education system that is aggressively racing to the middle.

 

I am not standing before you today to tell you that I know the solution to the problem.  In fact, the Florida Constitution makes it clear that it is not the role of the Florida Legislature to dictate the mission of the State University System; that role is reserved by the constitution for the Board of Governors.  And while this may not have been the system I would design, if we are going to have a successful higher education system, we need to stop playing musical chairs with the governance structure and focus on implementing a modern, coordinated system for the State of Florida.

Since we have contributed to the muddying of the waters, it is my hope that the Florida House can play a constructive role in clarifying them.  To that end, I have tasked the House Education Committee to engage our university presidents and the members of the Board of Governors in a dialogue about the future of our system.   This Friday, the presidents of the University of Florida and Florida State University will meet with the Education Committee.   During week two of Session, the committee will visit with the remaining nine presidents over the course of three separate committee meetings.   The purpose of these conversations is to help solve a problem of vital importance for the future prosperity of our State.  So I would ask our Members that you approach these conversations with open ears and open minds.

We have not started down this path with a predetermined outcome in mind, and these discussions may or may not result in legislation.   But the time feels right to have this conversation, in no small part because this is our chamber’s last opportunity to draw on the wisdom and experience of Dr. Bill Proctor before he is termed out of office.   Dr. Proctor was a leader in this state on higher education issues before I was born.  He is, along with our beaches, our sunshine, and the Everglades, one of Florida’s precious natural resources, and I can think of no better person to help us chart a path to success than Chairman Proctor.

Our State has reached a moment in our history where we must find new pathways for success.  The undeniable fact is that the stability and diversity of our state’s economy are inextricably linked to the maintenance of a strong and dynamic system of higher education.  We must ensure that Floridians are provided with the tools they need to compete in the global economy.

I’ve often said that government can’t create jobs. But we can promote public policies that create the stability, the confidence, and the opportunities necessary for private sector job creation to occur.

I know that all of you share this goal. And I know it is a goal that is shared by our partners in the Florida Senate, and by our Governor. While we may have different ideas or approaches on how to best address the challenges facing Florida, I believe we are more similar than different. We want to see Florida’s unemployment rate continue to drop as jobs return to the private sector.   We want to continue to reduce the burden of government on Florida’s families and businesses.  And we want to promote a vibrant, diverse K-20 education system.