President’s budget update

The following message was sent from President Mark B. Rosenberg to the university community on May 27, 2011.

Dear members of the university community:

Many of you have been asking about the news yesterday that more than $600 million in projects have been eliminated from the state’s $69.1 billion budget. All $80 million in university facilities projects were vetoed except for USF Polytechnic New Campus Phase I ($35 million).

FIU’s vetoed project was the third installment in a planned $14 million chiller plan to provide air conditioning capacity for the northeast quadrant of the Modesto A. Maidique Campus. These vetoes were prompted not by the merits of the projects, but by the Governor’s concern about the state’s level of indebtedness.

I’m pleased to report that while some universities lost all of their miscellaneous infrastructure funding, approximately $2.8 million in new FIU infrastructure funding will remain available for critical needs.

The State University System will work with the Governor and the Legislature to explore the possibility of different methodologies for sustainably funding and maintaining Florida’s education infrastructure.

We are grateful for the continued support of our legislators and are especially proud of the six FIU alumni among them. We are pleased our legislators recognized the important role higher education plays in the economic recovery of our state.

In 2011-2012 FIU will continue to expand access to qualified students and graduate thousands. I look forward to another year of working with you to turn the impossible into the inevitable.

Sincerely,

Mark B. Rosenberg
President