FAC&U Association News May 2014

A Publication of the florida association of colleges and universities volume lxxx, SPRING 2014

Association News

FACU & FAC&U TO HONOR SPEAKER WILL WEATHERFORD AT ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Wednesday, June 4, 2014 ~ Reunion Resort, Kissimmee, Florida Florida House of Representatives Speaker Will Weatherford will be presented with the Distinguished Service Award at the organization’s annual awards dinner on June 4, 2014.

FEATURED LUNCHEON SPEAKER LANNY J. DAVIS Lawyer, Author, Commentator, Strategist, Crisis Manager

Colleges and universities are not immune to crisis. Being prepared to handle the media, legal issues and public relations is essential to any college or university president.

Lanny J. Davis is a lawyer, crisis manager, consultant, author, and television commentator providing strategic counsel to clients under scrutiny on crisis management and legal issues. As principal in the Washington law firm of Lanny J. Davis & Associates, he represents individuals, countries, and companies in high stakes global crises, litigation, government investigations and crisis management. His clients have included Whole Foods, Starbucks and Penn State University, among others.

Lanny J. Davis has been a regular television commentator and analyst for MSNBC, CNN, CNBC and network TV news programs and has published numerous op-ed/analysis pieces in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post and other national publications. He is currently a contributor to Fox News, and has a “Purple Nation” column that appears regularly in The Hill, The Huffington Post, FoxNews.com, The Daily Caller, and Newmax.

Lanny J. Davis is the author of several books, including his latest, Crisis Tales- Five Rules for Handling Scandal in Business, Politics and Life.

Conference Agenda (Tentative - Subject to Change) 9am ~ Executive Committee & Staff Meeting 10:00am ~ FAC&U Board of Directors Meeting 11:45am ~ FAC&U Luncheon and Keynote Speaker 1:45pm ~ Afternoon Session 1

3:00pm~ Afternoon Session 2 4:30pm ~ FAC&U Annual Business Meeting 6:00pm ~ Reception 7:00pm ~ Dinner and Awards Program

Register at facuflorida.org by Friday, May 16, 2014!

news from across the state florida association of colleges & universities Officers 2013-2014 President Sister Linda Bevilacqua, OP, PhD Barry University Vice- President John Delaney, JD University of North Florida Vice- President Elect Eileen Holden, EdD Polk State College Past President Katherine Johnson, EdD Pasco-Hernando Community College 2013-2014 Board Members Jeffery Albritten, EdD Edison State College Anthony Catanese, PhD, FAICP Florida Institute of Technology Mr. Andrew Corty Publisher, Florida Trend David Greenlaw, DD Adventist University of Health Sciences James Kerley, EdD Gulf Coast State College James Murdaugh, PhD Tallahassee Community College Donal O’Shea, ScD New College of Florida Mark Rosenberg, PhD Florida International University Ex-Officio Members Marshall Criser, III, JD Chancellor, State University System Randy Hanna, JD Chancellor, Florida College System

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Edwin Moore, PhD President, Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida

barry university

Barry Student Named Recipient of Jamaican Prime Minister’s Youth Award for Excellence Barry University freshman John Powell was recently recognized as a 2014 recipient of the Jamaican Prime Minister’s Youth Award for Excellence. Powell was one of 23 Jamaican youth to receive the prestigious award from Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller at a ceremony on April 6 in Kingston.

The Jamaican Prime Minister’s Youth Awards for Excellence are presented each year to Jamaican youth between the ages of 15 and 24 for outstanding achievement in agriculture, arts and culture, entrepreneurship, international achievement, journalism, youth in service, leadership, and sports and youth work.

Powell, 20, is a recipient of the Stamps Leadership Scholarship.

Founded by South Florida philanthropists, Penny and E. Roe Stamps, the full merit scholarship is awarded yearly to the best and brightest students and the most promising future leaders at 39 universities throughout the country. The Stamps Leadership Scholars Program provides full tuition and room and board over four years, plus funds for study abroad, undergraduate research, and other exceptional learning experiences.

As a Jamaican native, Powell is the first, and presently, the only international Stamps Leadership Scholar. He previously served as a representative of the Stamps Leadership Program at the Undergraduate Scholar’s Programs Administrator’s Conference in San Antonio, Texas in November 2013.

Powell was selected as the youngest and only Jamaican to represent Jamaica and the Caribbean at the United Nations Alliance of Civilization’s 5th Vienne Youth and Global Forums in Austria in 2013. Fluent in both Spanish and French, Powell was selected as the winner of the LabCitoyen French competition in Jamaica, to represent Jamaica and the English speaking Caribbean in Paris and Nantes, France.

In addition to his numerous accolades, Powell is the current president of Barry’s Model United Nations organization, which he recently helped reorganize after a five-year hiatus; and the treasurer of Barry’s All-Nighter for the Poor Initiative. He is a member of Sigma Alpha Pi Society for Leadership and Success, Phi Eta Sigma Honors Society, Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, M.A.L.E.S, and the Caribbean Students Association (CSA).

This year, 94 youth were nominated for the Jamaican Prime minister’s Youth Award for Excellence. Powell is among 23 individuals and two organizations that were recognized for the award.

For more information on Powell’s award, visit: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/latest/article.php?id=52162

news from across the state MIAMI DADE COLLEGE

Miami Dade College Wins National Excellence Award Miami Dade College (MDC) has once again garnered a prestigious award: the Student Success Award of Excellence, conferred upon the college by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). MDC was selected from among 1,200 colleges across the nation. This distinction complements the inaugural AACC Award of Excellence in Advancing Diversity that the College received last year.

The AACC Student Success Award of Excellence recognizes a community college that has demonstrated, through

evidence, a sustained commitment to and proactively advanced the cause of student success.

The AACC praised MDC for their nationally-recognized Learning Outcomes and Student Achievement Initiatives that have led the way to transformative change.

The award recognizes the integrated set of practices, policies and procedures that the College has developed to positively impact student success and that serve as a model for college completion at other institutions.

“Student success is at the heart of the College’s mission to change lives through the opportunity of education,” said MDC President Dr. Eduardo J. Padrón.

“This award would not have been possible without the hard-working faculty, staff and trustees of Miami Dade College who truly embrace the notion that student success is a shared responsibility.”

Awards were given in six categories: Emerging Leadership, Student Success, Faculty Innovation (new this year), Ex-

emplary CEO/Board, Advancing Diversity and Outstanding College/ Corporate Partnership.

Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the American Association of Community Colleges is a national organization representing the nation’s close to 1,200 community, junior, and technical colleges and their more than 13 million students.

Community colleges are the largest sector of higher education, enrolling almost half of all U.S. undergraduates. For more information about AACC and community colleges, visit www.aacc.nche.edu.

hodges university

Hodges University Holds Investiture Ceremony For New President The investiture of Dr. Jeanette Brock as the second president of Hodges University took place on Friday, March 14, at the Hodges Naples campus.

Local community leaders joined Hodges faculty, trustees and members of the university community in procession at this historic academic ceremony marking an important leadership transition.

Along with the inaugural address by Dr. Brock, the event included speeches from John

Agnelli, Hodges Chairman of the Board, Florida Representative Kathleen Passidomo, and a keynote speech by Dr. Ed Moore, president of the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida (ICUF).

Hodges University is a private, non-profit institution of higher learning offering 25 undergraduate and nine graduate degree programs of study.

During her investiture speech, Brock outlined

a set of ambitious goals that include doubling the student body from 2,500 to 5,000 by 2019. The University also plans to add several new academic majors, and will look to recruit new students outside of the Southwest Florida area for online programs.

The University has also instituted “mini-terms” to their scheduling options, helping both traditional-age and adult learners who seek more

flexibility in their class scheduling.

An investiture is a formal ceremony recognizing the official designation of a university president.

Typically held during or at the end of the president’s first year in office, the investiture confers the authority and symbols of the office upon the president.

This academic inauguration allows the campus community to mark the beginning of a new era and formally welcome the new president.

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news from across the state polk state college

Within Just Weeks, Participants in New Polk State Program Can Begin Manufacturing Careers A new Polk State College training program will offer participants a quick route to careers in advanced manufacturing and employers a new source for desperately needed skilled labor.

In late 2012, Polk State received $1.2 million in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Labor. The money was part of a $15 million package awarded to a 12-college consortium for implementation of the Florida TRADE (Transforming Resources for Accelerated Degrees and Employment in Advanced Manufacturing) program.

Florida TRADE calls for the consortium colleges to combine their resources and work with industry partners and economic development agencies to provide fast-track manufacturing training. The Florida TRADE program targets three groups of workers: the unemployed, veterans and incumbents who want to expand their skills in advanced manufacturing.

Polk State College has offered accelerated training to incumbent workers for several months, and convened its first “manufacturing boot-camp” for unemployed workers 4 on March 31, Drake

said.

Participants will spend three weeks — Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. — taking classes at the Polk State Clear Springs Advanced Te c h n o l o g y Center in Bartow.

There, they will learn from working professionals the basics of manufacturing practices, processes, safety and quality.

Those initial three weeks will prepare participants to earn the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council’s Certified Production Technician (CPT) certification and their OSHA-10 General Industry card. The CPT is nationally recognized as the manufacturing industry’s foundational certification that affirms the basic competencies needed in modern manufacturing. The OSHA-10 validates training on the recognition, avoidance, abatement and prevention of safety and health hazards in workplaces.

After the CPT and OSHA-10 level, trainees will move directly into an additional two days of training to receive their OSHA-30 Industrial Safety certification.

Through this training pathway, participants

will earn three nationally recognized industry certifications that will help them get work anywhere in the country. With their certifications in hand — just a month or so after starting the program — participants will be ready to move into internships or start work as paid employees.

Local employers, who say they can’t get enough trained workers to fill their openings, eagerly anticipate Polk State College’s Florida TRADE program.

“There is a strong need for trained manufacturing workers in Polk County,” said Larry Bull, president and CEO of Rockford-Ettco Procunier, a designer and manufacturer of drilling and tapping products, and president of the Manufacturing and Supply Chain Alliance of MidFlorida.

“Anyone interested in a career in manufacturing should become MSSC CPT certified.

MSSC certified employees will likely go to the top of the list of candidates for manufacturing jobs, even if they have little or no work experience in manufacturing.

Manufacturing careers provide above-average pay and benefits, and today’s manufacturing environments are clean, fast-paced, technologyrich and interesting places to work.”

Because the training is grant-subsidized, it is offered for $549 per participant. However, Polk State has also partnered with CareerSource Polk, which has additional assistance available for participants. According to CareerSource, individuals who are currently unemployed or underemployed, or who are veterans, may qualify for full tuition assistance.

Prospective participants must first contact CareerSource Polk Career Specialist Patricia Jones at 863.508.1100, ext. 3356. The eligibility process begins with the Florida Ready to Work assessment.

The Polk State Advanced Technology Center is home to the Polk State Corporate College, which provides workforce training for industries as varied as manufacturing and child care, as well as high-tech degree programs in Computer Networking, Engineering Technology, and Supply Chain Management.

news from across the state north florida community college

NFCC Honors Top Students at Honors Convocation Ceremony North Florida Community College’s brightest students were honored during the college’s Honors Convocation ceremony in April at the NFCC Fine Arts Auditorium. Students from various academic areas and student organizations received recognition for outstanding achievement and character during the 2013-2014 academic year.

NFCC faculty and staff announced each award recipient as NFCC President John Grosskopf and Dean of Academic Affairs Dr. Sharon Erle presented the awards.

“There are a lot of exciting times during the course of the year, but there is something very special about the Honors Convocation program,” said President John Grosskopf. “It is meant to be a

celebration of the very best that NFCC has to offer.”

Jonathan Bolick of Live Oak received NFCC’s prestigious “Student of the Year” award.

Bolick serves as the Vice President of Promotion for NFCC’s Student Government Association, is an Academic Success Center mathematics tutor, an academic coach for Student Support Services, treasurer for the Gaming and Technology student organization, a member of Phi Theta Kappa, a member of the Sentinel Upstage Players community theater group, and is a work-study student for the NFCC Student Center. He is graduating this term with an Associate in Arts Degree with Business Emphasis

and a 4.0 GPA. “The student who is the recipient of this award must be a student that has not only excelled academically while attending NFCC, but has demonstrated a high level of participation in student life activities outside the classroom,” said NFCC Dean of Academic Affairs Dr. Sharon Erle. “This student [Jonathan Bolick] clearly excels in both the academic and student life realms of the college experience.”

In addition to recognizing outstanding students, NFCC also named its 2013-2014 “Friend to the College.” Madison County Chief of Police Gary Calhoun was recognized for showing outstanding support and dedication to NFCC and

their community. NFCC President John Grosskopf applauded Chief Calhoun for his humility, integrity, dedication and desire to serve. “[Chief Calhoun], behind the scenes, is constantly thinking about our safety,” said Grosskopf.

“He is constantly providing support for our college activities and is constantly making sure the people, the students and property of this college are safe in all weather and at all times.”

NFCC’s Honors Convocation ceremony is held annually in April to recognize outstanding students and celebrate student achievement prior to NFCC’s Spring Term commencement ceremony in May.

pasco hernando state college

PHSC Faculty And Staff Recognized For Excellence Pasco-Hernando State College is proud to announce its recipients of the annual National Institute of Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) Excellence Awards. The 2014 honorees include Rene Brioso, assistant professor, information technology programs; Shirley Cherry, associate profes-

sor, mathematics; Patricia Garcia, assistant professor of nursing; and Burt Harres, Ph.D., vice president of instruction/provost, West Campus.

NISOD’s Excellence Awards recognize men and women each year who have demonstrated an

outstanding commitment and contribution to their students and colleagues. PHSC’s NISOD Excellence Award recipients are invited to attend the 2014 International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence, May 25-28, in

Austin, Texas. They will be honored during a ceremony that has become the largest and most inspiring gathering that recognizes the contributions and achievements of community and technical college faculty, administrators, and staff.

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news from across the state university of central florida

Social Work Graduate Fights for the Rights of Disabled College Students Like other freshmen, Sarah Goldman was excited to experience independence, live on her own and get a taste of the real world when she arrived at the University of Central Florida.

Nearly four years later, Goldman has done all of that and more. She has earned a bachelor’s degree in social work from UCF’s College of Health and Public Affairs, but what’s truly impressive is the impact she’s had on faculty members and other students at UCF. Goldman was born with cerebral palsy, and she’s used the experiences she’s faced as a college student with a disability to create a campus dialogue about the biases and challenges facing students

like her. After graduation, she’ll continue her advocacy while pursuing a master’s degree in clinical social work at Florida State University.

The master’s degree will allow her to work as a licensed social worker who can counsel others. She hopes to help students transition from high school to post-secondary education and would like to facilitate support groups for teens with physical disabilities.

“In order to have an equal opportunity, I’ve had to fight for social services.

I’ve had advocates and case workers assist me to get the services I need and to help me to get to where I am today,” Goldman

said. “I’ve also faced a lot of rejection and exclusion as a person with a disability. I’ve been in many situations where I was treated as a minority and stereotyped. Being in these situations helped to broaden my view of the world around me and see how important it is for every person to have equal opportunity.”

“Now I want to use my life experiences to contribute, give back and help others,” she said.

During her time at UCF, Goldman has served as pledge trainer for her sorority, Sigma Phi Lambda, and worked in Student Disability Services as a peer mentor. In addition, she is a student leader in

her campus ministry, Cru, and she participates in the Bachelor’s of Social Work Student Association and in the Phi Alpha social work honor society.

Each summer, she serves as a staffer at the Able Trust’s Florida Youth Leadership Forum for high schoolers with disabilities, helping instill hope for the future. Earlier this year, she was appointed to Gov. Scott’s Commission on Jobs for Floridians with Disabilities.

To read more about Goldman, visit http:// www.ucf.edu/pegasus/disabled-students-overcomechallenges-of-college/.

university of florida

A First: Real-Time Genome-Scale Sequencing at Sea A University of Florida researcher has become the first scientist to achieve genome-scale sequencing and analysis of fragile marine creatures at sea aboard a ship and in real time.

The genomic sequencing of potentially thousands of marine species had been impossible until now because their fragile genetic material 6 could not be stored

or shipped reliably. Sequencing, too, used to take days.

But using an atsea full-equipped genomic laboratory and UF’s powerful new HiPerGator supercomputer, Leonid Moroz has opened the floodgates to discovery.

The potential benefits are great: about 50 percent of drugs today are derived

from natural products.

The globe is 70 percent ocean, and scientists estimate 14 million to 20 million compounds remain to be discovered at sea.

“It is possible now to get the genomic blueprint of all animals in the sea,” said Moroz, a distinguished professor of neuroscience, genetics,

chemistry and biology at UF’s Whitney Laboratory for Marine Biosciences, McKnight Brain Institute and College of Medicine.

“And this is not science fiction.” >>>For the full article, click here: http://news.ufl. edu/2014/04/28/real-time-genome-sequencing-at-sea/?utm_

news from across the state Tallahassee Community College

Tallahassee Community College Announces Staff Excellence Award Recipients Tallahassee Community College announced its recipients of the annual National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development Excellence Awards on March 18, 2014.

2014 honorees include Bill Bierbaum, director of certificate programs at the Florida Public Safety Institute; Jennifer Bradley, assistant to the dean in the Division of Communications and Humanities; Stephanie Breedlove, professor of developmental mathematics; Carol Chenoweth, faculty librarian; Brian Kupfer, associate professor of political science; and Patrick McDermott, associate professor of college success and career planning. NISOD’s Excellence Awards recognize men and women who have demonstrated outstanding commitment to their students

and colleagues.

In 1989, in connection with a University of Texas at Austin national study of teaching excellence, NISOD hosted its first ceremony honoring NISOD Excellence Award recipients. The response to that ceremony was so positive that NISOD began what has become the largest and most inspiring gathering that recognizes the achievements of community college and technical college faculty, admin ist ra tors and staff.

“The NISOD Excellence Award winners for 2014 represent the outstanding efforts of the faculty and staff here at TCC,” said Karinda Barrett, director of TCC’s Center for Teaching, Learning and Leadership. “With a strong em-

phasis on supporting our students, these inspiring people have made great contributions in creating a productive and positive learning environment at TCC.” “Each of the six honorees plays an integral role in the success and growth of the College,” said TCC President Jim Murdaugh. “We are tremendously proud of the work they do.”

Excellence Award recipients will be celebrated during NISOD’s annual International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence, May 25-28, in Austin, Texas. During the Excellence Awards Dinner and Celebration, each honoree will receive a specially cast pewter medallion. Honorees will also be included in a spe-

cial booklet that features congratulatory ads from many of the recipients’ colleges and will be listed in a multi-page display in a special edition of Community College Week.

“Recognizing those individuals who have contributed to student success and their colleges’ mission is something we look forward to doing each year,” said Edward J. Leach, NISOD’s director.

“The extraordinary work of these men and women includes not only what they do for their students and colleagues, but what they do for the communities in which they live and work. We’re honored to be able to play a part in celebrating their achievements.”

For information contact Karinda Barrett at (850) 201-6209 or barrettk@tcc.fl.edu.

Member institutions should submit content for possible inclusion in the next issue of this electronic newsletter by July 15, 2014.

Articles should be 250-300 words in length and sent electronically to news@facuflorida.org.

Photos and a current school logo are encouraged.

FAC&U is the only organization comprised of all 70 college and university presidents in all three sectors of the non-profit private and public higher educational institutions in Florida; this includes all presidents from the State University System, the Florida College System and the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida.

FAC&U (850) 488-4845 P.O. Box 15587, Tallahassee, Florida 32317 www.facuflorida.org

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