Chancellor Herbert began with an informal talk. He said that no institution would be hurt by the differentiation plan. Remembering the hurdles he had to face as President when UNF expanded, he said that in his view UNF should not have had such barriers to growth. He wants UNF to have the option of doctoral programs in the future. Comprehensive doctoral university is the designation for UNF and for Florida A & M, which means about 8-10 doctoral programs. There must be product differentiation for available resources. The state needs to be more focused as it goes forward. Since the political institutions of the state have not provided this focus, and since the universities have not clearly defined their goals, the state system needs to do that now to demonstrate return on appropriated dollars. The alternative is micro-management by non-educational agents. If the system itself gives a sense of direction, the legislature will defer to it.

Dr. Herbert showed some transparencies of the objectives of the system, where student growth will occur, especially among younger, traditional students, and the SUS "delivery platforms." FAU's 2010 enrollment projection was given as an example. 82,000 extra new students will need to be accommodated in the next decade throughout the system. SUS Research Alliance Priorities were displayed along with the Florida Research Alliance map showing corridors of development along major highways. Co-operation between UF and FSU is vital for the future of the I-10 corridor. Herbert displayed the Carnegie Foundation Classification and parallel SUS and institutional classifications; he also showed how the SUS institutions squared with the Top 10 AAU public institutions. He promised that he will not do anything within this plan that will hurt UNF; in fact, funding for undergraduate programs is a priority.

Steve Shapiro: Would you address differential tuition?
Chancellor Herbert: UF's students' family income is the highest in the state; FSU is next. Many qualify for a free ride on the Bright Futures scholarships. UF, FSU, and USF should cap their undergraduate enrollments. Differentiated tuition recognizes different costs at those places. Some institutions must provide greater value for an education and doing so will make UNF more attractive to students.

David Courtwright: The I-10 alliance is geographically long; could it be broken into smaller components?
Chancellor Herbert: That may happen, but the MAG lab requires UF-FSU partnership. Jacksonville offers UF a window of access to people, but collaboration with UF comes with problems, too.

Allen Tilley: Are there models of comprehensive universities, like an Antioch College, for instance, with which UNF could identify?
Chancellor Herbert: Yes. Each institution must do that; each should engage in shaping the university for the coming decade.

Jim Crooks: Have you looked at social problems in Florida and how the universities could deal with them?
Chancellor Herbert: Yes. Community development is also a vital part of what we have to do to transform the state. The social sciences, the arts, all contribute to the quality of life.

Ellen Wagner: What is the plan to recognize the role of scholars and research at UNF?
Chancellor Herbert: We must maintain a commitment to scholarship at each institution and must convince legislators that we should have research assignments at least at the 20% level; they would like to see it reduced to 10%. We must be pro-active in persuading law-makers that research is essential at all universities, even those without doctoral programs.

Marianne Barnes: The quality of educational systems is problematical; K-12 needs more emphasis.
Chancellor Herbert: That is getting emphasis; a special Board of Regents committee will deal with that. Florida must have a strong pool of undergraduates.

Chris Rasche: She is concerned over the impact of differentiation on UNF's future hiring. How can we be competitive in hiring as an undergraduate teaching institution?
Chancellor Herbert: That has always been a problem. The mission needed to be defined in order to help UNF take off as a comprehensive doctoral university. Graduate enrollments have been declining here for several years. What does that say?

Jeffrey Michelman: Where does the plan stand on articulation agreements with community colleges.
Chancellor Herbert: He strongly opposes community colleges offering four-year degree programs. The big issue is the A.S. degree and what we can expect from that. The integrity of existing delivery system is important.

Lew Radonovich: How much flexibility do you expect in this system?
Chancellor Herbert: The plan creates three levels of partnership with the private sector; companies can find educational assistance in their own communities or plug into the center of the alliance or wherever they locate; we have the capacity to work with them. We have the collective strength to help foster economic growth and development.

Scott Hochwald: What will happen to the teaching, scholarship and service allocations of faculty assignments?
Chancellor Herbert: Those things would not change.

Willie Ervin: How will you get the general public to understand this arrangement?
Chancellor Herbert: It takes time, but we must plan for the future. We will then have greater control over our destiny. Unfortunately, the press had made the proposal into a discussion of "tiering" within the state. Outstanding liberal arts institutions are happy to be so and have nothing to apologize about. In 20 years, who knows?