Presidents from 10 of Florida’s 11 universities stormed the state Capitol today to urge lawmakers to keep the college’s budget whole. The issue over how much to spend on higher education is holding up the closed-door budget negotiations between the two chambers.

Lawmakers will probably hand them the power to raise tuition up to 15 percent next year, but the presidents said that was not enough. Further cuts, the presidents said, would force colleges to shut down programs, lay off teachers and furlough staff.

Cut would also kill the state’s efforts to pull through the economic recession.

Here’s a sample of their comments today (click on the links to hear their full statements).

UF President Bernie Machen

“If we are crippled to the extent that we’re unable to be responsive, everybody suffers. It’s a clarion call from the presidents to try and make sure the entire state understands the seriousness of the situation.”

FIU President Modesto A. Maidique

“This is not just another budget reduction, another cycle that we emerge from in a year or two and things will be fine … This is armageddon.”

“It takes generations to build universities, but they can be destroyed in a very short period of time – a period of two or three years.”

UCF President John C. Hitt

“This indeed a grave situation. The fact that 10 of us are here today speaks to that.”

FAMU President James H. Ammons

“Jeopardizing our future by failing to continue to invest in higher education in this budget is not the path to a bright future … This would drastically change the way Florida A&M operates.”

UNF President John Delaney

“We’re not trying to attack or be critical, but we’re very, very concerned about where the numbers are at this point in time.”