A Publication of the florida association of colleges and universities volume lxxx, winter 2014
Association News
FACU &
SAVE THE DATE!
FAC&U ANNUAL CONFERENCE
JUNE 4, 2014
REUNION RESORT . KISSIMMEE, FL welcome new presidents! Jason Hurst Chipola College Jeanette Brock Hodges University
Roslyn Clark Artis ElmirA Mangum Florida Memorial University Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University Thomas Leitzel South Florida Cynthia A. Bioteau State College Florida State College at Jacksonville
Welcome New SUS Chancellor Marshall Criser, III! fac&u endorses legislation supporting veterans in pursuit of higher education See full resolution on page 2
A resolution by the Florida Association of Colleges and Universities, supporting veterans in their pursuit of higher education in Florida. WHEREAS, recognizing the contributions of those who served our country in defense of our freedom, the Florida Association of Colleges and Universities - the only organization in the state that represents all of Florida’s community and state colleges, state universities and private, independent colleges and universities - supports the professional development and advancement of servicemen and women in our state; and WHEREAS, each year over 30,000 servicemen and women and their families attend Florida colleges and universities and claim veterans benefits; and WHEREAS, the State of Florida has the third largest population of veterans in the United States with more than 1.6 million veterans – 12 percent of our state’s population over the age of 18; and WHEREAS, our colleges and universities are opening our doors welcoming veterans home and improving services to meet the unique needs they present; and WHEREAS, the State of Florida is a leader in its support for veterans and continuously seeks to enhance its support for those who serve our country; and WHEREAS, the Association supports all legislation with provisions to grant resident status for tuition purposes for veterans of the Armed Forces of the United States, including the National Guard and reserve components joining 20 other states in the Union who have passed similar legislation; and WHEREAS, the Association supports giving veterans broader educational choices that address their specific needs and helps ease their transition into civilian life afforded by the proposed G.I. Bill Tuition Fairness Act of 2013 that grants instate resident tuition at public colleges and universities. NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the Florida Association of Colleges and Universities hereby commends the contributions of active duty servicemen and women and veterans of the Armed Forces and declares our support for their pursuit of higher education in Florida. ADOPTED this 14th day of January, 2014, by unanimous action of the Association’s Board of Directors and signed by the members of the Association’s Executive Committee below on the opening day of Florida’s legislative session, this 4th day of March, 2014. Exceutive Committee Florida Associaton of Colleges and Universities
FAC&U President FAC&U Past President Sister Linda Bevilacqua, OP, Ph.D. Katherine M. Johnson, Ed.D. President, Barry University President, Pasco-Hernando Community College
FAC&U Vice President John Delaney, J.D. President, University of North Florida
FAC&U Legislative Committee Chair James Murdaugh, Ph.D. President, Tallahassee Community College
FAC&U Vice President, Elect Eileen Holden, Ed.D. President, Polk State College
news from across the state palm beach state college All Eyes On Hoo?
A live webcast from the Palm Beach State College Belle Glade campus is giving students and the world a bird’s eye view of the intricate lives and behaviors of one of the earth’s most mysterious creatures, the barn owl. Webcams installed inside two owl nesting boxes on campus provide up-close observation anytime from any computer or mobile device. The cameras catch everything from the owls’ resting patterns and food selections to their interaction with one another and their owlets. “It’s like being in someone’s house. Instead of seeing a snapshot, you see events 24-7,’’ said Dr. Vetaley Stashenko, PBSC anatomy and microbiology professor who supervises the project. Stashenko built the plywood boxes, added wood shavings for nesting material and mounted them on 10-foot poles. Within a week of installation, two owls had populated the nesting boxes. A campus-wide naming contest came up with the names Hootie and Luna for these first two residents, who continue to inhabit the first nesting box while another pair of owls have made the second nesting box their home. The owls spend their days sleeping, sitting attentively, grooming or caring for their owlets and their nights guarding their nest and searching for food. “We’re already finding out very interesting modes of behavior that are not recorded anywhere in the wildlife literature,’’ Stashenko said. “For example, we have discovered that the owls can recognize infrared light from the cameras. We have the ability to change the intensity of that light, and if we manipulate it, the owls will answer or call to the light.” In addition, he said that while wildlife literature says that owls normally lay eggs between December and March, these owls have shown that is not always the case. “They’re like people. They’re going to behave differently. They’re going to feed from different sources. They differ in how they behave, how they reproduce and how long they stay inside of the box. In the literature, you can’t find this sort of data,’’ Stashenko said. To view the Barn Owl Project, visit www.palmbeachstate.edu/programs/gladesbiology/owls.aspx.
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 Edwin Moore, PhD President, Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida
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news from across the state ROLLINS COLLEGE
Rollins College Opens Newly Expanded and Renovated Bush Science Center Rollins College students were welcomed by a newly renovated, expanded and state-of-theart science center when classes began this fall. The new 103,580-square-foot Archibald Granville Bush Science Center positions Rollins to provide students with increased research opportunities and a highly interactive and engaging learning experience. One of the goals of the $30 million project was to create an interdisciplinary environment that would promote integrative science. Faculty members from various academic d i s c ip l i n e s — bi o l o g y, chemistry, computer science, marine biology, mathematics, physics and psychology—will be able to more easily collaborate
on research in a building that supports connectivity and accessibility. “The science center’s dynamic, interdisciplinary spaces create an atmosphere of scientific discovery and will allow us to keep pace with the emerging technology of the 21st century,” said Rollins College President Lewis Duncan. “With a national focus on STEM education, Rollins is better equipped to encourage and support current and future students to pursue scientific fields.” Designed by EYP Architecture & Engineering, the science center blends seamlessly with the college’s distinctive SpanishMediterranean architecture and is now the largest
building on campus with 51 offices, 15 classrooms, 15 instructional teaching labs, 19 research labs, and 18 student/faculty lounges. Brasfield & Gorrie served as the general contractor on the project and has recently teamed with Rollins College on the newly opened Alfond Inn. A key feature of the new building is the threestory Rice Family Atrium, with floor-to-ceiling windows facing the main pedestrian promenade and the nearby Annie Russell Theatre. Not only does the atrium provide dramatic views to the green space outside the building, it also encourages visits from passersby and students from nearby build-
ings. Once inside they experience a cutting-edge, modern and contemporary space with areas for gathering as well as for viewing the exciting research happening in the labs. Another goal of the building design was to promote sustainability with eco-friendly features such as an energy recovery wheel for retrieving energy lost during cooling and dehumidification, direct digital control, LED lights and chilled-water powered air conditioning. The site will also utilize rain water harvesting for non-potable usage and Florida-native cypress trees to aid in the natural treatment of storm water. Rollins anticipates that the building will receive LEED Gold Certification.
saint leo university
Saint Leo University Makes News with New Polling Institute The Saint Leo University Polling Institute, a new initiative of Saint Leo University, has attracted widespread attention as an independent, nonpartisan source of data on public attitudes on political and cultural issues. The institute was announced and its inaugural survey results were released in mid-December 2013. Results
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were reported in scores of media outlets, including newspapers, broadcast outlets, and online publications. Most notably, the poll reported on the popularity of Pope Francis the very same week the pontiff was named Person of the Year by Time magazine.
The institute has committed to conduct its regular polls quarterly. The Saint Leo University Polling Institute uses online technology to survey adults both nationally and within the state of Florida. The institute’s political polls regularly include oversamples of
Florida voters to generate statistically valid data on views within the state. Faculty from Saint Leo help create the survey questions and interpret the findings. Full poll results and survey information are still available for viewing at the polling institute’s website, polls. saintleo.edu. The institute also created a Twitter feed: @saintleopolls.
news from across the state florida institute of technology Causes of Algae Superbloom Under Study Funding
Professors John H. Trefry and Ashok Pandit of Florida Institute of Technology and Professor Jonathan B. Martin of the University of Florida were awarded a contract for $865,000 from the St. Johns River Water Management District for sediment and groundwater studies in the Indian River Lagoon. The group will investigate inputs of the nutrient elements nitrogen and phosphorus to the lagoon via the sediments. Trefry and Martin will determine release rates for nutrients from muck sediments. Martin and Pandit will measure the rate of input of ni-
trogen and phosphorus to the lagoon from seepage of groundwater up through sandy sediments to lagoon waters. An algae superbloom hit the lagoon in 2011 and the blooms are continuing to harm the system. In the past three years, more than 47,000 acres of seagrass— approximately 60 percent of the total seagrass area in the central and northern lagoon—has disappeared because the algae blooms block incoming sunlight. Trefry notes that “The distribution of muck has continued to increase in
the lagoon and the release of nitrogen and phosphorus from muck sediments may have played an important role in fueling these algae blooms.” The group will focus sampling along the following three transects across the lagoon: adjacent to the mouth of the Eau Gallie River, across the Indian River and Banana River lagoons from near Rockledge to Cocoa Beach, and across the Indian River and Mosquito lagoons north of Titusville and Haulover Canal. The group will collab-
orate with Florida Tech’s Professor Kevin Johnson in his recently funded study of zooplankton, organisms that have the potential to graze on the nuisance algae. The two projects bring a total of $1.1 million to the newly established Indian River Lagoon Research Institute (IRLRI). The institute is a collaboration of the university’s scientists, engineers, coastal resource managers, and educators working independently and with community organizations to improve and sustain the health of the Indian River Lagoon.
BARRY UNIVERSITY
Barry Names President’s Award and St. Catherine’s Medal Winner Barry University School of Law’s Sister Pat Siemen, OP, was among the key leaders of the emergent nature-rights movement participating in the first international Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature summit and tribunal from Jan. 13-17 in Ecuador. Summit participants analyzed the experiences of communities in Ecuador, Bolivia, and the
United States that have implemented “Rights of Nature” laws. They also discussed a unified global strategy for advancing the Rights of Nature movement. Sister Pat is Director of the Center for Earth Jurisprudence, a collaborative initiative co-sponsored by Barry and St. Thomas Universi-
ties. A Dominican Sister and civil attorney, Siemen has been a leading environmental advocate in Florida, championing issues such as the ongoing Wekiva Springs cleanup and serving as a speaker in last fall’s TEDx Jacksonville event. The Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature
was created in 2010 to help advance the message that humans are one part of an interdependent community of life on Earth and human existence is wholly dependent on the health of the world’s rivers, plants, animals, oceans, forests, and other ecosystems. The five-day summit concluded with a public tribunal in Quito, where key Rights of Nature cases were heard.
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news from across the state Tallahassee Community College
Tallahassee Community College to Open New Environmental Institute Some might say the most important part of Tallahassee Community College’s Wakulla Environmental Institute is already complete. After all, the breath-taking natural space of TCC’s new property in Crawfordville will be the Institute’s most unique and widely used classroom. Nevertheless, it was with great excitement that the College broke ground for the Institute’s first building in April of 2013. TCC President Jim Murdaugh and WEI Director Bob Ballard—with the help of TCC trustees and local and state dignitaries—celebrated TCC’s expanded future in mostly rural Wakulla County before a crowd of more than 200. Trustee Dana G. Callen unveiled the new sign that will designate the road to the Institute—Preservation Way. The facility will formally open to students in January of 2015 and is slated to offer associate degrees and college-credit certificates in hospitality and tourism man-
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agement, aquaculture management, parks and leisure services technology, agribusiness management and more. Instruction will be provided online in conjunction with field training on the Institute’s 158 acres. The Institute already offers an environmental science technology A.S. degree and a water quality technician certificate through TCC’s existing Wakulla Center. The Institute will also host noncredit programs, such as Green Guide Certification. One purpose of the Institute is to promote the economic development of Wakulla County, which has been hit hard by the economic downturn, the Gulf oil spill, and declines in oyster and other fisheries. The hope is that the WEI will increase Wakulla County’s share of the growing ecotourism market and assist local residents in transitioning from tra-
ditional fishery-related employment to new jobs focused on the natural heritage of their community. The Institute recently welcomed 10 oyster fishermen to a new program designed to help them learn oyster farming techniques. Oyster aquaculture offers the possibility of a more stable source of income than fishing does, and Wakulla County’s coastal region is ideal habit for the tasty shellfish. “This has the potential to revitalize the local oyster industry,” said Ballard. “Farmed oysters help fertilize wild oysters, they encourage sport fish and they are tremendous cleaners of the environment. Just a small parcel of land can house thousands of cages, which can produce hundreds of thousands of oysters.” The program offers micro-loans to students to purchase the equipment they will need
for the class. Once they graduate, students will keep the equipment and be ready to start farming. Another innovation is an introductory professional diving course now being offered by WEI. The 16-week course targets students who wish to extend their skills in compressed-gas diving in order to support their work as research scientists or underwater crime scene technologists, or who seek a career in teaching diving or running a dive store or dive boat. Additional courses will be developed to facilitate students’ entry into these career fields. Among future opportunities will be the eventual diving exploration of the natural cave system and sinkholes that run under the WEI campus, possibly linking the campus to the Gulf of Mexico. For information about the Wakulla Environmental Institute, visit www.tcc.fl.edu/wei or contact Bob Ballard at (850) 201-9661 or ballardb@tcc.fl.edu.
news from across the state north florida community college
NFCC receives $737,189 Rural Health Information Technology Workforce Program grant North Florida Community College has been awarded a three-year, $737,189 Rural Health Information Technology (HIT) Workforce Program grant in partnership with the US Department of Health and Human Services. The grant is one of 15 new Rural HIT Workforce grants awarded in 2013. The overall goal is to develop Health Information Technology (HIT) training programs that will produce a pool of qualified and certified workers to help rural hospitals and clinics transition records from a paper system to a digital for-
mat. The HIT Workforce Program was developed in part in response to local need identified through the North Florida Rural Healthcare Workforce Development Network and the North Florida Workforce Development Board. “This grant enables NFCC along with the North Florida Rural Healthcare Workforce Development Network to provide training that is responsive to the current and future HIT workforce needs of our service area,” said Julie Townsend, NFCC Director of Al-
lied Health. “NFCC’s HIT specialist training will be geared for people already working in healthcare or information technology who need to upgrade their technology skills to successfully transition to the future paradigm of medical services delivery. These trained HIT personnel will be critical to medical providers now and in the future.” North Florida Community College will utilize funding to develop a sixmonth, non-credit online HIT specialist training program, to hire personnel
to implement the program and will offer scholarships for students who successfully complete the courses and pass the national exam (ONC HIT Professional Competency exam). The Rural Health Information Technology (HIT) Workforce Program is focused on training students from our rural areas, providing them apprenticeship opportunities at our rural facilities, and ultimately coordinating with local employment resources to assist with job placement, when necessary, back into our rural communities.
polk state college
Polk State Chain of Lakes Students Help Make Prom Dreams Come True Polk State Chain of Lakes students are once again collecting prom dresses, a project that is much deeper than silk, tulle and ribbon. “This is a cause near and dear to our hearts,” said Michelle Luckett, a senior at the high school and a member of the its Leadership Cadre, a service-learning club. “Prom is such a big event in a high school girl’s life. I can’t imagine not being able to go.” Luckett and her classmates first collected prom dresses last year. Over the course of three months,
they collected about 40 dresses, which they then handed over to Winter Haven’s Women’s Resource Center. “Knowing that so many girls were able to have a special prom night, and that they’re girls just like us right here in Polk County, it was pretty great,” Luckett said. Inspired by the impact they had last year, the students decided to repeat the project. The students are using Facebook and flyers around campus and town
to garner donations. They are accepting donations through May 1. Women’s Resource Center will sell the dresses at a deep discount at its Cheep Boutique, 165 Ave. A N.W. The effort won’t just benefit females. Students are also accepting shirts, ties, suits and shoes to help guys have the perfect prom night, too. Donations may be dropped off on school days between 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. at the Polk State Chain of Lakes Collegiate High School, on the cam-
pus of Polk State Winter Haven, 999 Ave. H N.E. All styles and sizes of dresses and suits are welcome, but donations should be in good condition, with no stains or tears. Polk State College operates three public charter high schools, including Polk State Chain of Lakes Collegiate in Winter Haven, and Polk State Lakeland Gateway to College and Polk State Lakeland Collegiate High School. The schools allow students to earn their high school diplomas while also earning college credit — all at no cost to the stu- 7 dents.
news from across the state Florida Keys Community college
Florida Keys Community College’s Student Team Shines in DoD’s Perseus Three Florida Keys Community College students can rest a little easier now following an intense week marking the culmination of a two-semester research, design, and building challenge called Perseus. The program, sponsored by the Office of the Secretary of Defense’s Rapid Reaction Technology Office, brought undergraduate student teams from four universities to FKCC’s Key West Campus for the second year running. Their mission: to create an underwater vehicle capable of locating and analyzing simulated explosives submerged 40 feet beneath the water’s surface in the College’s dive lagoon in a demonstration held recently. The objective of Perseus is to explore if a party with modest resourcing and in a relatively short period of time could assemble an Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV), Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) or Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) capable of conducting a specified mission. It also provides a venue for students to demonstrate their multidisciplinary science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills. At first, the FKCC team seemed at a rela8 tive disadvantage—
consisting of only three freshman and sophomore students in the non-engineering disciplines of computer science, marine environmental technology, and diving. The other teams were larger and comprised of juniors and seniors majoring in fields like electrical, mechanical and ocean engineering from larger universities—specifically, Florida Atlantic University, Georgia Tech, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and Stevens Institute of Technology. For many of those students, Perseus was their capstone senior project. Nevertheless, the FKCC team was confident in their recently reworked creation dubbed the “Hammerhead.” They initially designed a submersible device, but water-proofing, buoyancy control and engineering agile navigation presented many challenges—as many of the teams experienced. The team cleverly opted for a simpler surfaceskimming design with above- and below-water components. The device is steered via a wireless navigation system from a laptop computer, which also displays live images
and location data. Upon discovery of an object, the students can direct the “Hammerhead” to descend its lower unit for closer investigation and analysis. After three days of final tweaks, repairs and practice at FKCC, it was time for the student teams to show off their unique devices. Each team was allotted 45 minutes to locate simulated unexploded ordinance (UXOs) of various shapes and sizes that were strewn throughout the College’s dive lagoon by the Navy’s Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit. Ultimately, the FKCC team located three UXOs during the exercise. Only one other team, from Stevens Institute of Technology, was able to complete the same feat. FKCC diving student Justin Gabbard praised his Perseus teammates, Ricardo Castro Perez and Jarrett Clark, for their success: “It was a team effort.
Our programmer, Ricardo is the genius; he programmed it. Jarrett and I built it, wired it and sunk it.” Each earned four college credits for their participation. “While this activity certainly has a cool factor, it requires the students to put theory into practice by applying advanced technologies learned in STEM programs,” said FKCC President Dr. Jonathan Gueverra. “The unique devices have applications in many sectors and industries. They also reflect of the quality of education at FKCC as well as the other colleges with which we are collaboratively working.” The Perseus demonstrations, associated presentations and reports will provide Department of Defense and related stakeholders insight into a number of rapidly evolving technical areas of interest through the innovation of America’s next generation of engineers and scientists.
news from across the state miami dade college Gregorio Marañon Foundation to Open School of Government in Miami Keeping with its mission to provide a truly international perspective to students and the community, Miami Dade College (MDC) will open a School of Government in partnership with the renowned José Ortega y Gasset – Gregorio Marañon Foundation from Spain, establishing an education program for government leaders from throughout Latin America and beyond. MDC President Dr. Eduardo J. Padrón formally signed an agreement with Alfredo Pérez de Armiñán, the Foundation’s general director, at a ceremony recently. Perez de Armiñán expressed his pleasure at the creation of this center of higher learning that would benefit elected officials, government and business leaders from Latin America and the larger Hispanic commu-
nity in the United States, and that it would be located in the city known as the Gateway to the Americas. “We are extremely pleased to enter into a partnership with the College, especially since it is the institution that graduates the most Hispanics in the United States,” said Pérez de Armiñán. “We will provide all our cultural knowledge of the Spanish language, to jump-start the program as soon as possible, plus specially designed curriculum materials for public servants.” The Ortega – Marañon Foundation is a cultural organization in Spain focused on the social sciences and humanities. It will contribute its vast network of
cultural resources and educational services to the new School. MDC will contribute its proven teaching experience and its great influence and prestige as an institution known for promoting social development. The new School will also benefit from the expertise of Enrique V. Iglesias, the former secretary general of the Iberoamerican General S e c re t ar i at , who will
serve as an “honorary collaborator” in the endeavor. In the near future, MDC will share details of the initial steps being taken to open the School and receive the first class that will benefit from this groundbreaking initiative. Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado was also present at the ceremony and expressed his support for this new program. The new School also has the support of several international organizations.
Farewell departing presidents! Gene Prough Chipola College
Eric J. Barron The Florida State University
Member institutions should submit content for possible inclusion in the next issue of this electronic newsletter by April 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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