Currents March 2017 5
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Senate Bills 2 and 4 are key components of the Senate ' s Excellence in Higher Education Agenda for the 2017 Legislative Session. Senate Bill 2, the Florida Excellence in Higher Education Act, promotes on-time graduation by expanding student financial assistance and support, establishing tuition and fee incentives, streamlining 2 + 2 articulation, and strengthening mechanisms that keep colleges and universities accountable to Florida taxpayers. Senate Bill 4, Faculty Recruitment, expands policy and funding tools universities can leverage to recruit and retain the very best faculty, enhance professional and graduate schools, and improve aging infrastructure and research laboratories.
SENATE BILL 2- THE FLORIDA EXCELLENCE IN HIGHER EDUCA- TION ACT
Expands Student Financial Assistance and Support.
Reinstates Highest Bright Futures Scholarship Program Award( Florida Academic Scholar) to cover 100 percent of tuition and certain tuition-indexed fees, including the summer term, plus $ 300 for textbooks and collegerelated expenses during the fall and spring terms.
Expands the Benacquisto Scholar Program to provide awards for qualified out-of-state students, as funded in the General Appropriations Act( GAA), equal to the highest cost of resident student attendance at a state university. The student must physically reside in the community of the university he or she is attending.
Revises the 1st Generation Matching Grant Program to provide two to one( state to local match versus one to one), as funded in the GAA.
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