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UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA UNF gets country- fried, page 11 October www.unfspinnaker.com 15 Volume 32, Issue 11 2008 Wednesday Bright Futures burning out Senator wants to phase out statewide funding, Board of Governors discusses setting a cap BY JONATHAN MORALES NEWS EDITOR The Florida Board of Governors has been in discus- sion about setting a cap to the Bright Futures schol- arship program, with funds appropriated for need- based aid and science, technology, engineering and math majors. Tight budgets and stricter admission standards have been forcing university administrators through- out the state to look much farther for places to save money, university officials said. And with the escalating cost of the scholarship program, its future is in question. The Bright Futures program currently costs Florida nearly $400 million, and while one Florida senator has voiced for it to be phased out in the next $62,100,900 10 years, the program is expected to cost the state nearly $1 billion annually throughout the next de- cade. $35,870,900 Not only is the total cost unsustain- 24,400 able, but Bright Futures is partially respon- $9,900,000 4,800 sible for the under-funding of need-based fi- 17,200 $2,000 nancial aid, according to a Florida Board $2,500 $2,100 of Governors conference call. $2,400 $890,900 370 Currently, the Bright Futures program awards 60 percent of all state-funded financial aid, leaving only 23 percent to fund need-based scholarships. Traditionally, the program was designed to award recipients based on merit in academic performance, awarding up to 100 percent paid tuition and fees, but some said the program artificially lowers the cost of $78,190,900 tuition in Florida, which is the lowest in the nation. “Whenever the Legislature raises tuition to pump more money into the universities, they have to also increase the amount of the scholarship to match the $49,900,200 new tuition level, and thus have to find revenue from somewhere else to put into the program … thus, the 26,800 20,100 analogy that Bright Futures keeps tuition low,” UNF $13,800,700 CHAD SMITH 5,900 President John Delaney said. $2,900 $2,500 $2,300 $2,600 Setting an award cap of $3,500, for instance, is a $946,100 way for legislators to keep the program from further 360 lowering the cost of tuition in schools because as state tuition goes up, the state funding must also in- crease to preserve the scholarship, Delaney said. Total funding dispersed In a University of Florida Community Campus Council breakfast, Sen. Steve Oelrich said he favored Number of students who receive scholarship a need-based scholarship, and that the state should move away from the merit-based approach and begin Average funding awarded phasing it out. The future of the Florida Bright Futures scholarship is in question because the rising number of students who received funding has increased during the past four years. The program currently costs $400 million annually. See SCHOLARSHIP, page 3 � INSIDE BUDGET SG election results, page 6 Professor educates CUTS incarcerated juveniles, page 12 Ospreys battle through soggy UNF plans for additional cuts field conditions, page 19 BY REBECCA MCKINNON rather it covered the costs with money STAFF WRITER saved from 2008-2009 reserves. “We pulled 4 percent of [the budget] Gov. Charlie Crist informed all state out and locked it up and set it aside agencies June 12 that in addition to the for a rainy day,” UNF President John 3.3 percent cut for the 2008-2009 fiscal Delaney said. year, he was going to be holding back 4 To explain the concept of reserves, MIKE TOMASSONI percent of the allocated budget. Delaney created the analogy of students To cover the 3.3 percent cut, UNF receiving money from their parents at administrators decided to lessen non- the begining of the school year, saving $1 billion academic travel, eliminate 25 faculty po- some of it and having to use the savings ONLINE Gov. Charlie Crist pulled sitions, some summer classes and limit on car repairs at the end of the year. $1 billion from all state agencies. enrollment. To cover the extra 4 percent, Log onto unfspinnaker.com for UNF turned to its reserves to UNF did not have to do anything – See BUDGET, page 3 � blogs by the staff on campus, compensate for the cuts. national and world issues. PagE 2 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2008 NEWS QUESTION OF THE WEEK What movie has been inspirational to you? KATHLEEN TAJH ASHTON BRYAN DALTON MEAD GOSWA M I JONES PATES JA M ES FRESHMAN , SENIOR , SOPHOMORE , SENIOR , SENIOR , COMMUNICATION BIOLOGY COMPUTER COMMUNICATION ENGLISH SCIENCE “‘Titanic’ because of “‘Crash’ because it “‘Coach Carter’ “‘Boondock Saints’ “‘Titanic’ because I how rebellious the girl made me see the view- because it shows you because it teaches don’t trust boats was.” points of other cultures what being on a team morals through an anymore.” and to respect them.” is like and what immoral but positive coaches go through.” way.” Compiled by Jonathan Morales. 7-DAY POLICE BEAT FORECAST THURSDAY OCT. 16 Oct. 6 - Oct. 11 Mostly 1 Oct. 6 – Stolen resident who advised Sunny property (Building 38) he would not involve 87/65 – UPD was dispatched himself in that type in response to 7a sto- of behavior again. Rain: 10% len parking decal. The complainant 4 Oct. 11 – Posses- said she searched sion of alcohol everywhere for the (Building W) – UPD FRIDAY OCT. 17 hanging tag after was dispatched to finding a park- Osprey Landing in ing citation on her reference to an alco- Partly windshield but could hol investigation. Cloudy not locate the decal Six suspects were 87/67 anywhere. Patrol found along with efforts have been 32 cans of Natural Rain: 10% suspended. Light beer and three bottles of Budweiser. 2 1 Oct. 7 – Theft Two students were (Building 52) – 8UPD issued notices to SATURDAY OCT. 18 responded to a appear for an open complainant who said house party and pos- Isolated another person was session under 21. All displaying a stolen six were referred to T-Storms 7 decal in his vehicle. Student Conduct. 1 78/59 The alleged sus- 5 Rain: 30% pect said he know- Oct. 11 – Posses- ingly accepted the sion of drugs (Build- decal from somebody9 ing X) – UPD was who found it to park dispatched on a drug in Building 44. investigation. Upon 10 SUNDAY OCT. 19 The decal was entering the room, initially reported the officer noticed a Partly stolen Sept. 2. The strong odor of mari- student was referred juana. Cloudy 9 10 to Student Conduct. There were also 76/60 several opened cans 3 2 Oct. 11 – Suspi- of Natural Light and Rain: 20% cious activity (Lot plastic cups contain- 15) – Several witness ing beer, which ap- accounts reported peared to have been 6 4 a subject wearing a used for beer pong. 11 MONDAY OCT. 20 5 white mask scaring Six students were 11 residents in Osprey referred to Student 3 Crossings. Conduct, and two Mostly One witness12 students were issued Sunny 19 observed the subject a notice to appear. 78/63 walk up to the vehicle they were in, cock 6 Oct. 11 – Intoxicat- Rain: 10% his head to the side ed person (Building and continue staring. F) – A complaint was 3 After driving off, filed by a resident 12 the subject followed assistant that a male 6 TUESDAY OCT. 21 5 behind on foot. was vomiting off the 9 8 The subject terror- balcony. ized another witness When police Partly as they were exiting entered the suspect’s Cloudy an elevator. dorm room, they The suspect was found approximately 80/65 later identified as a 40 empty beer cans. Rain: 10% WEDNESDAY OCT. 22 Compiled by Jonathan Morales. Isolated T-Storms Point increase on People attended the 78/63 Last week by the Dow Jones men’s soccer match Rain: 30% industrial vs. Mercer Oct. 11 at the numbers 936 average Oct. 13. 225 Hodges Stadium. Each week the Spinnaker staff For updated reports what’s going on around SG Senators -time Mt. Everest Political pollster, campus: the good and the bad. weather, visit In this little space, we want to elected Oct. 13 conqueror spoke at John Zogby, summarize the life of the Osprey for the Fall 2008 the University lectured to UNF UNFSpinnaker.com. during the past week. 23 semester. 4 Center Oct. 13. 1 staff, students and faculty Oct. 14. Source: NOAA WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2008 PagE 3 NNEWSEWS UNF divided on grading policy SCHOLARSHIP � from page 1 you reliable financial aid and be- BY ANDREA FARAH STUDENTS SAY: PROFESSORS SAY: “We just can’t afford to do it cause a two year degree earned CONTRibuTING WRITER anymore,” Oelrich said. “It’s go- at a Florida junior college guar- The grading system is unfair Deciding the grading scale is ing to have to be phased out over anteed you acceptance to a four After taking several classes at because GPAs are altered when part of the professor’s academic a period of time.” year institution, Goldstein said. UNF, students might notice the professors teaching the same freedom. Grades and GPAs are But a program that has ex- But both of these promises grading scales used in their cours- course use different grading not the only factor graduate isted successfully for so long have recently come under scru- es vary among faculty members. would be impossible to phase tiny by everybody except the scales. schools and employers look at, Earning a 90 percent with one out and doing so would cause an students whom the program fa- professor who considers it to be an but also test scores.