State College of Florida trustees abandoning traditions, excellence to run school like business

In 1957, Manatee Junior College opened under the direction of the Manatee County School Board with the first classes meeting at the old school board building in downtown Bradenton. Later the land where the college now stands was donated by the developers of the Bayshore Gardens community. Manatee County was proud of its college, and through the years thousands of local students studied there.

As the college grew, so did its reputation as an excellent school, both academically and as a source of support for Manatee and Sarasota counties. Graduates have excelled in professional careers and many have stayed in the area and helped build the community.

As retired educators, many of us have studied at MJC, MCC, or, as it is now called, State College of Florida. And through all the years, the excellent education that a person could receive there was a source of pride to us all.

Now SCF has come upon some dark days. A Board of Trustees with no appreciation for the traditions and excellence of our college has decided to throw the experience and growth of 58 years away on a misguided idea that academia "should be run like a business."

Faculty will no longer have the protection to express and encourage the free discussion of ideas in their classes. They will be asked to endure a bidding process for setting their salaries. Support staff members will suffer cuts in pay and vacation days.

These changes will surely set off a loss of academic excellence, which will lead to a general decline of a wonderful institution which has always excelled and has always has been a bright light in our community.

Ellen Bell, Manatee County Retired Educators Association

Bradenton

This story was originally published December 20, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "State College of Florida trustees abandoning traditions, excellence to run school like business ."