GAINESVILLE - For college students in Florida, finding an education at an affordable rate can be a tough task. Given the constantly rising costs of tuition and record levels of student debt, many college students are having a tough time making ends meet.

 

In an effort to solve these problems, Gov. Rick Scott offered up what he's calling the "College Affordability Challenge". He's challenging all of the state's colleges to create a bachelor's degree program that costs $10,000 or less for all four years. The challenge applies only to the state's 28 community colleges, not the universities. 

 

Administrators from Santa Fe College in Gainesville say while the challenge issued by the Governor is a difficult one, they have already identified a new degree program that will meet the requirements. "It's an exciting challenge. It is, to be sure, a challenge," said Provost Ed Bonahue. "We are looking at it. We've tentatively identified a degree in public safety management, as something that would serve the community," he said. 

 

The four year public safety degree would be a new offering for Santa Fe. In order to make existing degree programs more affordable, Bonahue says the state legislature needs to relinquish it's power to set the maximum tuition rates, something it does every summer. Bonahue says colleges need to have more control over setting their own rates, something he hopes the legislature implements soon.