By LLOYD DUNKELBERGER
THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA
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THE CAPITAL, TALLAHASSEE, March 30, 2017……… Senate President Joe Negron told state university leaders on Thursday that he views improving the four-year graduation rate as the key to raising the national profile of Florida’s higher-education system.
“I think that’s probably the single best thing we can do to increase our national reputation,” Negron told the Board of Governors, which oversees the university system.
Negron, R-Stuart, said he wants to raise Florida’s graduation rate to levels that exist at nationally recognized public universities like the University of Virginia, which has a rate of 87 percent, and the University of North Carolina, 81 percent.
Lawmakers are advancing legislation that would link a four-year graduation rate with performance funding at Florida universities. The Senate bill (SB 2) bill would set the benchmark at having at least 50 percent of undergraduates earn their degrees within four years.
