Transcript of ASK THE GOVERNOR 0

As taped for radio release the week of 1 \
February 12, 1962 4 1 T I
(release for AMs, Monday, February 19)
It's time to "Ask the Governor," when Gove q arri>

Bryant answers questions based on letters and comments fr E da

citizens.

QUESTION: Governor, many Floridians are curious for more

details on the tri-mester plan adopted for the state university

system. Just what will this mean to students enrolling next fall?

GOVERNOR: It will mean a great deal to them. For those

who enroll as freshmen next fall it means that instead of taking

four years to complete a degree they can complete such a degree in

less than three years if they desire to. And if they are going on

into further graduate professional work they can complete that in

correspondingly less time. It means, also, that they will be

attending school if they desire to do so, the year 'round, and this,

of course, will make for a change in their economics and other plans.

QUESTION: What sort of economic effect will it have on

our school operations?

GOVERNOR: It should reduce the load substantially, not

that we can expect the overall cost to be reduced, because the

expanding demand for higher education is one of the reasons for

adopting this program. It will mean that where you had, let's say

for example, 10,000 students in a university attending the first \

semester and then another or the same 10,000 the second semester,

you could theoretically have a third 10,000 attending the third

semester, or the same going for that much longer period of time,

and thereby derive a 50 percent additional benefit from the capital

facilities -- the libraries, buildings, etc., on the campus.

QUESTION: Well, this increased utilization of the campus

facilities, will it take any of the load off the pressing university

building program that has been much discussed?

GOVERNOR: Yes it will. It won't relieve us of the

necessity for going forward because with projected plans which call

for our present student body running about 65,000 to grow to

150,000 in a relatively few years. This plan, plus all the buildings






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that we can afford will be necessary just to keep abreast, to say

nothing of keep ahead of the other states of the nation andof the

requirements of our young people.

One rather significant feature of this plan is the effect

on university professor's salaries. This will enable us to compete

in a better way for highest quality instructional staffs, by reason

of the fact that we are going to be able to employ professors on a

year 'round basis, and, therefore, be able to pay them higher

salaries than would be otherwise the case.

QUESTION: Now in connection with this university building

program you have spoken of a bond issue to finance some structures.

Is this leading Florida, as some would have us believe, down the

road toward deficit financing?

GOVERNOR: There ought to be certain things clearly

understood. First of all, Florida has been financing buildings on

this pay as you go basis for a long, long time. I think during the

last six or seven years there has been about $350 million worth of

various types of construction under this plan. This is a simple

plan under which the Development Commission builds a building and

then rents the rooms, rents the facilities,to those who use it. We

are using it now with the Industrial Commission, with the Welfare

Department, with the University System, in almost every agency of

government, and have been for a long time. This particular application

has drawn fire, but it is not different in principle.

QUESTION: How about the charge that your approach to this

is an invasion of the area of legislative prerogative?

GOVERNOR: On the contrary -- indeed quite on the contrary

-- we don't propose to build any building that the Legislature has

not appropriated for. We don't propose to do it by any means except

those that the Legislature has directed us to use -- or has

specifically authorized us to use. Rather than invading the

legislative prerogative, let me say that we are merely carrying out

the legislative mandate.

EVANS: Thank you, sir. If you have a question of general

interest you would like Governor Bryant to answer on this program,
jot it down on a post card and send it to "Ask the Governor," the
Governor's Office, Tallahassee, or in care of this station, which has
made available this time in the public interest. Be with us next week
when again we "Ask the Governor."