Gov. Rick Scott’s proposed budget, which was unveiled in Tallahassee on Wednesday, drew the applause Thursday of Ed Moore, the president and CEO of the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida. Moore, who leads the group of 29 private higher-education institutions, praised Scott for continuing to support the Florida Resident Access Grants.

“The focused increase in both per-student funding and total funding for FRAG will significantly impact the future of Florida in many ways,” said Moore in a statement on Thursday. “It’s said time and time again -- higher education plays a critical role in the long-term economic well-being of the state. Increasing access to higher-education degrees through support of programs like FRAG is truly a great investment into our state with high returns. Governor Scott should be commended for his vision and for his support of higher education access.

“Our students are the state’s future innovators and many would say that without the assistance of FRAG they would not have been able to pursue their dreams,” added Moore, who noted that almost 38,000 Florida residents receive FRAG which takes less than 1.5 percent of the total funds the state pays out in higher education. “The benefits of programs like FRAG are clear. The more students graduating with higher-education degrees, the more attractive our talent pool here in Florida becomes to potential businesses looking to relocate or start up.”