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MEDIA ADVISORY

January 25, 2006

Bill Edmonds
Director of Communications
(850) 245-0466

Florida universities receive more than $90 million from Congress to support special research projects for 2006 budget year

GAINESVILLE — Chancellor Mark Rosenberg announced today that the State University System of Florida received more than $90 million in special project funding from Congress in support of university research.

Rosenberg noted that Florida's public universities enjoyed another year of strong support for their research agendas despite significant cutbacks in federal program spending.

"This was a tough budget year," Rosenberg said. "Congress faced continuing costs for wars, hurricane relief and deficit reduction, and so the State University System faced huge obstacles in maintaining our edge in congressionally supported research. Our delegation in Washington worked very hard on our behalf."

Congress completed action on appropriations bills in December, which will fund the government through September.

John Cavanaugh, president of the University of West Florida and chair of the State University Presidents Association, said that Congressman Bill Young, who is vice-chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, was steadfast in making sure Florida's universities got their fair share of funds.

"Chairman Young has long been the construction foreman for our united efforts in Washington," Cavanaugh said. "He has continually prioritized university research in his appropriations work. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to him for all he has done to enhance our work with federal government agencies. We also are grateful to all of our members who worked with Congressmen Allen Boyd, Ander Crenshaw and Dave Weldon who are also on the appropriations committee in addition to Senators Bill Nelson and Mel Martinez."

Among projects funded in the congressional appropriations process, the State University System received sixth-year funding for its system-wide anti-terrorism research project, which brings together expertise from across the system and has propelled Florida into the forefront in chemical, biological and rapid response work.

Recently, the State University System of Florida and Johns Hopkins University joined forces to win a competitive national Homeland Security Center grant in high consequence disaster management. Cavanaugh said that winning this grant was the direct result of the congressional support the state has received over the past several years.

Florida's universities also were rewarded with system-wide grants in hurricane mitigation research, advanced turbines research with NASA and robotics research for the defense department. System work in aging long-term care, port security, hydrogen research and electric power infrastructure will also continue.

In addition to combined system work, the 11 public universities won support for several agricultural research projects, medical and public health initiatives and marine sciences transportation and environmental projects.

A report listing each university's research projects receiving funding from Congress is attached.

In addition to the more than $90 million in new research funds, the SUS institutions will also receive about $31 million in congressionally sponsored grants approved in the '05 budget.

Chancellor Rosenberg and President Cavanaugh said planning was under way for the FY 2007 budget year. The State University System of Florida is one of the few university systems in the country that consolidates and advances its requests in a one-stop shopping portfolio, and Rosenberg credits this cooperative approach with contributing to the continued success in Washington. For the past six years, all of the state's 11 public universities have received special project funds for cutting-edge national research.

"Our ability to come together and work together is a distinct advantage," said Rosenberg. "It has paid great dividends for the past several years in promoting the expertise of State University System in Washington."

STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM SPECIAL PROJECT APPROPRIATIONS
FY 2006 Project Funding and FY 2005 Carry-Over Funding

Here are the special project appropriations designated for the State University System of Florida in FY 2006, with details on FY 2005 carry-over projects and funds that the SUS will be able to administer this year or over the next 18 months.

When carry-over funds are included for projects that were appropriated in FY 2005, but not obligated to our universities until late in the fiscal year or, in some cases, which are still pending, the SUS will realize over $123 million in funds for 62 projects.

The accompanying analysis includes a review of the congressional projects funded for the SUS in FY 2006 and FY 2005 projects that will be funded and operative throughout FY 2006.

The FY 2005 projects are designated by a * next to the project name to differentiate their funding status from those appropriated this past year. In some cases, the same project will be listed twice — this simply means appropriations in both 06 and 05 with carry-over authority due to late or forthcoming obligations.

Note: Due to a congressional decision to include no special projects in the Labor/HHS/Education Appropriations bill in FY 2006, the Aging Long Term Care (USF Lead) and Reading, Math, Science (FSU Lead) projects received no funding. Projects may continue depending on availability of funds.

TOTAL PROJECTS FY 2006: 47

TOTAL REVENUE FY 2006: $92.495 million

**TOTAL PROJECTS FY 2005 OBLIGATED FY 2006(EST): 15

**TOTAL FY 2005 REVENUE OBLIGATED FY 2006(EST): $31.350 million

**05 projects and revenue estimates based on status report from all universities received by SUS Washington office in September, 2005.

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