Message from the Planning Advisory Council Chair - May 2009

July 28, 2009
The Advisory Council just completed a very successful 2008-2009 year as did the URP Program. We had two productive meetings, November 14th 2008 in Orlando and April 15th in Gainesville. The November meeting was hosted by Council member Bill Kercher at his office, Glatting Jackson Kercher Anglin, a wonderfully renovated building in downtown Orlando. The Gainesville meeting was held on campus at the Reitz Union and was held in conjunction with the Department’s Planning Day activities. It is always good to get back on campus and reconnect with the University first hand.

Membership and interest in the Advisory Council continues to grow. We strive to keep the Council fresh and relevant by broadening our composition and focusing on our mission. We are, in fact, filling four vacancies on the Council now from a group of very impressive nominees to reach the Council’s full compliment of membership.

The three committees within which we have divided the Council- Development and Membership, Professional Relationship, and Program Advisory- have each been hard at work making recommendations on how to strengthen the Department and the Advisory Council so we better serve our profession and our students. We have taken steps to make the Advisory Council financially neutral for the Department so it does not consume departmental funds that otherwise could go to student functions. I thank the Council members for that support. Most importantly, we have established an Advisory Council Scholarship for our students, providing some needed economic support during these very difficult economic times.

At a time when the University and the Department need help the most, our Advisory Council members and supporters are facing perhaps the toughest financial times many of us have seen yet they continue to step up and support the Department and the College. The Legislature is wrestling with the budget and education funding will sacrifice like everything else. While nobody likes to pay taxes we have to understand that funding for the State University System is an investment in Florida’s future. We can not be a first class state with a first class economy with a second class public education system. We will lose good students and good teachers/professors to other states, and once they leave it is hard to get them back. I have one child in a state university now and another starting (hopefully University of Florida) in the fall of 2010. I believe our state university education would still be a bargain at even twice the current tuition. As painful as tuition increases are, I have come to the conclusion they are necessary to provide our children with a quality education and a degree which gives them an employment advantage.

We can’t be the best University System simply by being the cheapest or the most affordable. I ask that you encourage your legislator to increase funding for education so that we can keep Florida economically competitive. They need to know their constituents are willing to pay for quality education.

By David Tillis