Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Tamara LushMay 12, 2017

A “body farm” where researchers can study how corpses decompose will open next week in the Tampa Bay area with the burial of four donated bodies. Officials broke ground Friday on the Adam Kennedy Forensics Field, a five-acre patch of land north of Tampa. It’s the seventh such facility in the nation and the first […]

Gary FineoutMay 9, 2017

Nearly a decade after the Great Recession, Florida may finally restore one of its main programs that aids students headed to college. The state Legislature late Monday approved an overhaul of the state’s higher education system that is intended to lift schools in the Sunshine State into the ranks of elite counterparts. A key part […]

Jim RosicaMay 8, 2017

House Democratic Leader Janet Cruz blasted legislative leadership’s treatment of the University of South Florida, saying the school’s achievement of state “pre-eminent” status was snatched away from it at the last moment. Language in an education conforming bill late last Friday was changed, preventing USF from pre-eminence, a status that would have qualified it for millions of […]

Joe HendersonMay 8, 2017

Florida State Senate President Joe Negron continues to insist there was no dark conspiracy to deny pre-eminent status to the University of South Florida. He swears on a stack of legal briefs that state graduation guidelines weren’t changed at the last minute just to make sure USF wouldn’t qualify. As we now know, this is […]

Peter SchorschMay 6, 2017

Officials associated with the University of South Florida this weekend are fervently seeking to change the language in an education conforming bill that will keep the university from achieving ‘pre-eminent’ status next year. A loss of the pre-eminent status for USF could result in losing much as $15 million in state funding. “The amount of people who are upset about […]

Scott PowersMarch 27, 2017

After weeks of testimony before his committee on various college and university budget requests, Chairman Larry Ahern of the House Subcommittee on Higher Education Appropriations laid out his proposals Monday to slash Bright Futures money, financial reserves, university support for private organizations, and non-recurring programs, including Orlando’s Dr. Phillips Center. Ahern, a Republican state representative […]

Darryl PaulsonMarch 17, 2017

Universities are touted as bastions of diversity whose prime role is to encourage students to engage in critical thinking, ask tough questions and expose themselves to a diversity of ideas and opinions. If that is the mission of the university, they have dismally failed. Diversity is respected, up to a point, as long as it […]

Les NeuhausFebruary 23, 2017

Rep. Randy Fine introduced HB 17 simply as a measure to keep commerce moving on an upward trajectory under the leadership of local governments, flourishing enough to bring prosperity to their respective communities. “Its intent is to help businesses thrive and grow – that’s its purpose,” Fine told FloridaPolitics.com by telephone on Thursday from Tallahassee. […]

Peter SchorschFebruary 7, 2017

Charlie Crist announced Tuesday he would be serving on the influential House Committee on Science, Space and Technology. Also, the first-year Democratic congressman from St. Petersburg hired two new constituent service representatives — Michael Batista and Dillion Stafford — who will help assist Crist’s constituents of Florida’s 13th Congressional District. Since Crist was recently named […]

Staff ReportsFebruary 6, 2017

The Senate Committee on Education Monday passed Senate Bill 374, the College Competitiveness Act of 2017, sponsored by Republican Sen. Dorothy Hukill of Port Orange and co-sponsored by Republican Sens. Bill Galvano of Bradenton, and Senate Majority Leader Wilton Simpson of Trilby. Senate Bill 374 is a component of the Florida Excellence in Higher Education […]

Tag: university of south florida

Body farm for researchers and detectives opens near Tampa

Florida may restore college aid lost during Great Recession

Janet Cruz blasts USF’s treatment in proposed budget

Joe Henderson: Bottom line for USF — Close, but no pre-eminence status

USF community outraged after last-minute budget language is inserted to keep it from achieving ‘pre-eminent’ status

Proposed cuts to colleges and universities unveiled by house committee chair

Darryl Paulson: Do universities discriminate in hiring?

Randy Fine: Bill bolsters local businesses, not victimize LGBT community; detractors aren’t buying it

Charlie Crist named to influential House Science, Space committee; hires 2 constituent staffers

Senate Education Committee passes College Competitiveness Act