Robert Harner
In Motion Staff Writer
Photo By: TanaMarie Wood/ In Motion
In his “It’s Your Money” tax cut agenda, Scott outlines $40 million in new funds and $40 million in redirected funds to be given to the 28 colleges that comprise the FCS. Performance-based funding would be the basis of divvying up the money between schools and the Florida State Board of Education is currently deciding on what criteria will be included in this performance “testing.”
From retention, graduation and transfer rates to how long it takes students to get a degree, these criteria are meant to determine a college’s effectiveness. Additionally, post-graduation job placement and median alumni salary are also planned variables for the funding.
Although DSC is in favor of performance-based funding, the College’s Board of Trustees has concerns about what criteria the school will be judged on. In particular, DSC is worried about median alumni salary negatively impacting the amount of funding the school receives. Students graduating from schools in higher-median-income counties should be expected to have a higher median income than those graduating in lower-wage places. The wages being higher in Collier than in Volusia County is not a result of the colleges’ influence and as such, should not have any bearing on the funding given to the schools, one of the trustees pointed out during its first meeting of 2014.
DSC hopes that the performance-based funding will provide a leveled playing field and that variables will be “locally driven with local credibility,” said trustee Brad Giles. The criteria of this performance-based funding were expected to be finalized towards the end of February, after representatives from each college convened at a Council of Presidents meeting.
In light of the announcement of performance funding, DSC acknowledges a need to better prepare students for life beyond the College. The Board believes it has to be more active in getting employers on campus, giving students more opportunities to transition into the workforce post-graduation. They plan on introducing some sort of internship-based career fair, as well as a place for employers to conduct interviews on campus.
During the Board’s Feb. 27 meeting, President Carol Eaton gave an update on the current state of the performance funding. While the model and criteria has still not been decided, the Council of Presidents agreed that that the colleges of the FCS would need time to adapt before performance funding took over. Dr. Eaton insists that the Council of Presidents is “standing their ground,” in regards to when the performance funding will actually take place. “A three year time frame would be good,” Eaton said towards the end of her presentation, “though, I’m not sure we’ll be given that opportunity.”
In other business, the Board considered the policy change that would allow the storing of weapons in cars at Daytona State College’s six campuses. The change comes on the heels of a court decision that determined the state colleges and universities can’t prohibit students and employees from bringing weapons onto their premises. Dr. Eaton presented the board with a “first reading” of the policy change, which it will consider. A second reading will take place in March before any change is implemented.