Scott wants to lower the cost of degrees at Florida colleges

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Gov. Rick Scott challenged Florida's state colleges to cut the cost of higher education.

Speaking in St. Petersburg Monday, Scott announced plans to get state colleges to offer four-year degrees that cost no more than $10,000.

Channel 9 reporter Nancy Alvarez asked the president of Valencia if he thought the plan was realistic.

"The answer to that is 'yes.' And we will. But it's not realistic to do that with all our degrees," said Valencia College President Dr. Sanford Shugart.

The school already has an Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology major that will fall under the governor's plan possibly by next fall.

Christopher Smith, a Valencia student already in the major, said the governor's announcement came just in time.

"It is going to be the difference between someone being able to go to school and not go to school," Smith said.

Presidents from five other colleges attended a news conference with the governor Monday. So far, they will only offer one major for the discounted rate. They said they picked the major based on the needs of the workforce in their communities.

WFTV