Some of Florida’s best and brightest professors are leaving for jobs outside of the state. Budget cuts and heavy out-of-state recruiting are to blame. Many of the professors will take thousands of research dollars with them when they leave.

Florida State University Professor Charles Figley wanted to retire in Tallahassee, but with funding cuts to higher education becoming an annual event, he’s packing his bags.

“We’ve taken so many cuts, we had to keep pushing back and pulling back.”

Florida’s Universities are cutting budgets and positions, creating concerns about pay raises and job security. Out-of-state schools are taking advantage of the situation and recruiting Florida professors.

Figley gave in to advances from Tulane University. He says other FSU professors are looking at their options.

“Numbers of people have come up to me and said keep them in mind, because we’re probably going to be hiring a number of people when we go to Tulane.”

Administrators at FSU were too busy to talk on camera about retaining quality professors.

Students say they’re seeing more classes being taught by student teaching assistants.

“Sometimes I have TA’s that don’t even have Graduate Degree so it frustrates me to have a TA over a professor and I think they have way too many TA’s here.”

“I’m sure everybody’s really concerned about if they’re going to get the same education that they use to.”

Not only are universities losing professors they’re also losing research dollars. When Figley leaves he’ll take along this picture as a reminder of his 19 years in Florida and a grant he’ll now use at Tulane.

Not only are State Universities losing professors they’re also losing students. Enrollment numbers are set to decrease by thousands over the next four years.