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FGCU president talks about expansion, fee hikes and “greening” of campus
QUENTIN ROUX / Staff
Florida Gulf Coast University President Dr. Wilson Bradshaw was in town early Friday to talk at the Marco Island Area Chamber of Commerce's monthly business before breakfast session. Among his topics were the "greening" of the campus with innovations such as solar powered trash compactors, introducing the university's first doctoral program (in physical therapy), budgetary constraints and the need for a six percent hike in tuition fees in the new year.
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Working towards being an environmentally conscious institution has become a priority at Florida Gulf Coast University.
This was the message from Dr. Wilson Bradshaw, the university’s third president, during an address at a Marco Island Area Chamber of Commerce business before breakfast session held April 25 at the Marco Island Yacht Club.
Already, Bradshaw said, solar-powered trash compactors have been installed on campus, and this will lead to what he called a “greater capacity for solar energy on the campus.”
Bradshaw said in view of budgetary constraints following a $2 million funding cut, tuition fees will rise 6 percent this Fall.
At the moment fees run around $3,400 annually, he said, but this is appreciably less than the national average of $6,200.
Thus, he said, the increase will still be significantly lower than $4,000.
Bradshaw said in the interests of growing the university and its faculties, he’s in favor of an eventual figure of $5,000.
“Students (of which 65 percent of from the immediate area) tend to stay in the area,” Bradshaw said, “so they are increasingly serving the (local) businesses and industries.”
Students will number about 10,000 this year, but the aim is to accommodate 20,000 with continued growth, he said.
In the cards for the university this Fall is the university’s first doctoral program (embracing physical therapy), Bradshaw revealed, and it is to be followed likely by similar programs in education and nursing.
“We’re committed to the needs of the region,” Bradshaw said.
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