B A C K PA G E
The independent student newspaper at The Florida State University™. Established 1915.
A TELLING TALE Would winning an NBA Championship help or hurt the reputation of Miami’s LeBron James?
FAMILIAR TERRITORY The ’Noles find themselves in the ACC Championship for the third consecutive year in a three-game series versus NC State. SPORTS | 14
RUMBL AND TUMBL Follow us at fsview. tumblr.com and keep up with our Editor-inChief’s pop-culture blog every Monday, Wednesday and Friday
fsunews.com web poll results Previous question: What are you doing to entertain yourself in ghost-town Tally over the summer?
33% 33% 22% 11%
I’m taking classes Nonstop pool party Playing video games Won’t find me in Tallahassee
This issue’s question: Will you be attending FSU baseball’s last regularseason home series starting this Thursday? WEATHER Monday Mostly Sunny
52º-79º Tuesday Sunny
52º-77º Wednesday Sunny
55º-81º Thursday Sunny
61º-88º INDEX ARTS & LIFE SPORTS VIEWS
5 10 9
CLASSIFIEDS 10 NIGHTLIFE 7 STUDY BREAK 11
MONDAY MAY 16-22, 2011
W W W. F S U N E W S . C O M
VOLUME XX ISSUE XXXIV
Barron defends Koch donation President ‘sets the record straight’ over million-dollar debate ANA REBECCA RODRIGUEZ News Editor Florida State University President Eric J. Barron resolved to take matters into his own hands and “set the record straight” over FSU’s arguably controversial relationship with the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation. In a letter addressed to the University, Barron addressed the hotly debated implications concerning a 2008 donation by the Koch Foundation, stating that FSU in no way compromised its integrity. “First and foremost, I want to make it perfectly clear that Florida State University did not—and would not—sacrifice academic freedom in order to receive a donation of any kind,” said Barron. The debate over the $1.5 million donated by the foundation began after two FSU professors wrote a “My View” letter to the Tallahassee Democrat that was published on May 1. According to Ray Bellamy, a practicing physician who is also a faculty member at FSU’s College of Medicine, and Kent S. Miller, professor emeritus of psychology at FSU, the involvement of corporations—such as that of the Koch brothers—means that they are allowed to further their own agendas. Charles Koch, partowner of Koch Industries—maker of products
Joseph La Belle/FSView
Bo Rader/Wichita Eagle/MCT
FSU President Eric Barron publicly defended a $1.5 million donation from the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation pledged in 2008.
Conservative businessman and billionaire Charles G. Koch, part-owner of Koch Industries, is estimated to be worth somewhere near $22 billion.
How do you feel about Charles Koch’s $1.5 million donation to FSU?
Photos and survey compiled by Joseph La Belle/FSView
“I feel like it is a gift, and a gift should not give the power to control our school in any type of way.” —Matthew Jones, senior such as Brawny paper towels and Dixie cups— is a known conservative businessman and outspoken opponent of government interference in business. He is estimated to be worth somewhere near $22 billion. “Recently a number
“If they are going to give us the money it should not be up to them on how to use it.” —Jamaar Aris, senior
INSIDE: The FSView
weighs in on the Koch donation dispute; see page 9 of corporations have focused on universities in order to further a political ideology of free markets and diminished government regulation,” read
“If I was in that department I would feel unsteady; it’s just more personal when someone can control your education based on their money they donated.” —Jessica Roberts, junior the letter by Bellamy and Miller. “They are less interested in creating new knowledge than in getting their message out and improving their bottom line.” According to Barron, however, the gift never
“It sounds like it’s going to be a good thing when you get people like that investing money into it. It’s going to have something great coming out of it.” —Kenneth F. Keenan III, freshman threatened the power the university maintains, nor did it bestow any special privileges—like control over hiring procedures— to the Koch Foundation. SEE DONATION 2
New Florida budget restricts funding FSU suffers severe financial losses following legislative budget State University System
RENEE JACQUES
2011-2012 Distribution of infrastructure funds
Contributing Writer When Catherine Nissley, an upcoming Florida State University senior, heard about how her tuition will increase at least 8 percent come fall, and that her Bright Futures scholarship faces a 20 percent reduction, she was shocked and angry. “I’m going to have to take out more loan money and continue to work two jobs instead of one during school,” said Nissley. “It’s hard being a college student, working and trying to stay out of debt.” Nissley is among the many students and administrators who will be largely affected by the implementation of the provisions in the new budget starting next fall semester. When the new budget was finalized by the Florida legislature last week, FSU was hit with a $19.3 million reduction in appropriations. This accounts for over $85 million in cuts for the school since 2007.
(Fixed Capital Outlay)
FGCU FIU FSU USF Polytechnic
NCF UCF UF
$120
9% 8% 7% 6% 5% 4% 4% 3% 1%
$100 $80 $60 $40 $20 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Total base tuition, tuition Base tuition per credit hour Base increase Differential increase differential per credit hour
Among the changes in the new budget affecting all public universities is an 8 percent tuition increase for all undergraduate students (bring-
ing the average credit hour rate from $95.67 to $103.32), an employee requirement to contribute 3 percent of their salary toward retirement each
FLAVORED $ 75 5
CRUST IT'S WHAT’S ON THE OUTSIDE THAT COUNTS
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical Univ.: $2,014,769 Florida Atlantic University: $3,251,463 Florida Gulf Coast University: $11,029,524 Florida International University: $7,676,584 Florida State University: $7,676,584 New College of Florida: $6,335,336 University of Central Florida: $21,346,431 University of Florida: $11,297,085 University of North Florida: $1,972,294 University of South Florida: $2,549,206 USF Polytechnic: $46,000,000 USF Sarasota/Manatee: $162,723 USF St. Petersburg: $173,571 University of West Florida: $1,771,079 SUS Formula Maintenance Allocation: $13,848,000
Carry-out
11am-4pm
2008 2009
Base tuition
2009 2010
2010 2011
Tuition differential
Information from flblog.edu, the State University System of Florida website
year and the exclusion of funding for the Major Gift Matching Program--a program that many universities, especially FSU, rely on to help renovate
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buildings and provide resources for students. As far as capital outlay for capital infrastructure, the total appropriated for all schools is $123.4 million funded by PECO and lottery bond proceeds, significantly lower than the $336.4 million that was appropriated last year. FSU requested about $8.9 million for capital renewal and the applied science building, and the university received around $7.8 million. This mix of huge budget cuts, raised tuition and severed paychecks for employees has created a massive dilemma for FSU students, teachers and university officials. FSU faculty face a 3 percent cut from their paycheck—in addition to not receiving a raise in five years—leaving the university in danger of losing many valued professors without the ability to hire new recruits of high caliber. FSU President Eric Barron expressed his SEE BUDGET 2