State universities fear brain drain is setting in

TALLAHASSEE - Associate history professor Matt Childs needs to spend another four to six months in Cuba to finish his second book on the country's slave history, but Florida's 2-year-old ban on research travel to the communist country prevents him from going.
He has received just one merit raise in his six years at Florida State University. He's married with one toddler, and another baby and endless bills on the way.
So when the University of South Carolina recently came calling, Childs answered.
Starting in the fall, he will teach and pursue his Cuba research from USC's Columbia campus.
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They say Childs and his wife, an elementary school teacher who stands to earn at least 25 percent more in South Carolina, are an example of the brain drain threatening the state's public education system.
Already, Florida's $2-billion budget deficit has the 11 public colleges considering layoffs and program cutbacks - and that has professors thinking twice about their futures here.

http://www.sptimes.com/2008/01/23/news_pf/State/State_universities_fe.shtml

And that speaks volumes of the people who are empowered to actually do something about it.

I sometimes wonder if they actually fear an educated and enlightened electorate? :shrug:

They just announced a 15% cut across the board at USF. They also announced a hiring freeze for all positions not covered by a grant. They're cutting quite a few people loose here and are not filling retiring positions. I guess they figure that if they keep us stupid, Floridians will continue to elect Repugs.