Proposal: Different Tuition Rates Based on the Degree Students Seek

Sarah Gonzalez / StateImpact Florida

Students protesting tuition hikes in Tallahassee, Fla. during the 2012 legislative session.

Gov. Rick Scott’s Blue Ribbon Task Force on State Higher Education Reform has reached tentative agreement on its recommendations.

The panel on Wednesday called for different tuition rates based on the type of degree being sought such as business, education or engineering.

It also proposed letting “preeminent universities” set higher tuition rates.

In addition, the task force suggests the Board of Governors, which oversees the State University System, should have bigger roles in budgeting and hiring university presidents.

It backed away, though, from a proposal that would have set a goal of reaching the national average for state university funding. Florida now ranks near the bottom.

The seven-member panel plans to finalize its recommendations to Scott and the Legislature next week.

Editor’s note: This post was written by the Associated Press.

Let us know what you think about the proposal:

• Would setting lower tuition rates for degrees in science, technology, engineering and math encourage Florida students to major in STEM fields?
• Or would the state set higher tuition for those degrees since they tend to be well paid jobs?
• Where should the cost of a degree in education fall?