The 1,700 student veterans at the University of South Florida received an early Veterans Day present Friday from President Judy Genshaft.
She released a statement supporting the top issue of the USF Student Veterans Association – in-state tuition rates for all veterans.
"As we observe this Veterans Day, the University of South Florida thanks its student veterans for their service to our country and their ongoing contributions to our campuses and our community. … USF strongly supports the proposed state legislation that grants every honorably discharged veteran the right to pay the Florida resident rate tuition at our public colleges and universities. Our nation’s veterans deserve our support in ensuring their success. Florida benefits from the leadership skills, maturity and perspective veterans bring to the classroom and to the workplace.”
Florida state Sen. Jack Latvala introduced legislation, CS/SB 84, that allows honorably discharged veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces to be automatically classified as residents for tuition purposes at state universities and colleges.
The bill analysis said the legislation “essentially waives the current one-year requirement for veterans to establish residency before qualifying for in-state tuition. Companion legislation has been filed in the Florida House by Rep. Kathleen Peters.
With her announcement, Genshaft joined Florida State University President Eric Barron who publicly backed in-state tuition for student veterans in September.
Watch President Genshaft's video message to student veterans.
http://youtu.be/JBagN2QewZg
