Broward College Weighs In Against Amendment 4
By J. David Armstrong, Jr., President of Broward College. | October 25, 2010
Although much has been written about Amendment 4 on the November 4th ballot, there has been no discussion of the deleterious unintended consequences that its passage would inflict on higher education.
As an educator, a major concern of mine and of Broward College’s District Board of Trustees is that the passage of Amendment 4 will likely cause a delay in providing new facilities and expanding campuses to serve our growing student body. As a result, this would cause added expense, loss of jobs and impairment of our ability to meet our students’ needs at a crucial time.
Florida’s college system is a multifaceted economic driver and passage of Amendment 4 would constrain our ability to carry out our academic, workforce and professional development mandates for our students.
We know that downturns in the economy consistently result in increased enrollment, as people who have lost their jobs seek to earn academic and career education to enhance their credentials and employability. Florida’s state colleges and community colleges are open-access institutions, and as such, are required to respond to community needs.
To ensure that we are able to meet the critical needs of our burgeoning student population, we encourage a “no” vote for Amendment 4.
J. David Armstrong, Jr. is president of Broward College.
