Dudley blasts Florida Polytech's request for additional funding

In a statement, the attorney turned lawmaker says FPU request comes when the rest of the state's universities are still smarting from the massive cuts the Legislature has made to higher education over the past few years.

“Is this money being used to lure away top-notch instructors?," Dudley asks. "Is it necessary to launch some sort of cutting-edge research project? Unfortunately, neither is the case. This $25 million—which will be added to the $88 million that USF was forced to part with in order to spawn Florida Polytechnic—is being used to build a lavish, ornate building that, judging from an artist’s rendering, calls to mind images from the realm of science fiction. The truth of the matter is that Florida does not need another university. What we need is more funding for the universities that we have. Florida has some of the best colleges in the country, along with some of the most knowledgeable and skilled faculty. If we are going to allocate millions of dollars to higher education, let us direct those dollars toward the students—not a ridiculous eyesore.”

Recently Polytech administrators have spoken optimistically about being ready to open by the fall of 2014, and ultimately get accreditation by 2016.