Inside FGCU - September 2023

IN THIS ISSUE

2

• Q&A with President Timur

• Marieb faculty honored Photo of the month

3

• Five things to know

• Years of service

• Free professional development

4

• FGCU welcomes back faculty and staff for new year

DID YOU KNOW?

The FGCU Wings-Up hand gesture is credited to David Deiros, founder of the FGCU women’s softball team and its only head coach to date.

In 2002, the inaugural softball team used the hand gesture as a communication code. A Wings Up from Coach Deiros let the team know which play to make, and a Wings Up back from the players meant they understood.

Two decades later, the Wings-Up symbol and phrase continues to convey the forward-thinking spirit of the Eagle family!

Wings Up, FGCU!

Fun fact: In Spanish, Wings Up translates as Alas arriba.

A look at how FGCU is using its new state appropriations

The 2023 legislative session resulted in historic funding support for public universities, and FGCU received approximately $38.1 million in new revenue its single largest operating budget appropriation in the university’s 26-year history.

This includes:

• $20 million in recurring operational support

• $3.1 million in recurring performancebased funding $5 million in recurring new tuition funding

• $10 million in non-recurring funds to be focused on faculty retention and recruitment efforts

Of this, FGCU needed to direct $9 million toward unfunded mandates and other obligations, such as support for technology, campus safety and security efforts, and an uptick in the cost of utilities.

FGCU Softball Head Coast David Deiros is credited with creating the Wings Up hand gesture we know and love. He is shown here with Ally Hulme.

Got

Understanding that $10 million of nonrecurring funds were earmarked by the state for faculty retention and recruitment, the university’s leadership team strategically allocated the remaining funds. They led with the guiding principle that majority of the funding 80% should directly support academic excellence and bolster support for students, both in and out of the classroom.

One example is the dedication of more than $5 million for hiring efforts in colleges and schools. Provost Mark Rieger recently announced this will focus on enhancing the freshman year, supporting faculty with key staff and administrative assistance, and reducing class sizes and student-faculty ratios. Another allocation preserved a pool of $7.2 million of recurring funds to support employee salary increases and the creation of an end-ofyear, merit-based pay system.

LEARN MORE

An update on budget allocations will be presented to the FGCU Board of Trustees on Sept. 12.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JACK THOMAS MEDIA

Campus Life staff joined Azul for a photo during the 2023 Fall Welcome Celebration.

FGCU PHOTO

FGCU PHOTO BY JAMES GRECO, JGRECO@FGCU.EDU

President Aysegul Timur is reading “The Practice of Adaptive Leadership: Tools and Tactics from Changing Your Organization and the World.”

By now you have heard President Aysegul Timur speak about our next strategic plan, her leadership style and how important it is to communicate with others. But did you know her favorite band is Queen? To learn more fun facts about our fifth president, read Inside FGCU’s casual Q-and-A with Dr. Timur.

How do you spend your spare time? It’s all about my family. If I get additional free time, I am going to spend it with my

Marieb faculty honored

Faculty and staff from Marieb College of Health & Human Services gathered for its annual retreat on Aug. 11 at Arthrex in Naples. During the event, the 2023 MCHHS Faculty Awards were announced.

Get to know President Timur

husband, Mete, and our two kids, Efehan and Alara. I am also a walker, and I like to take long walks on the weekends, especially at the beach. My favorite spot is DelnorWiggins Pass State Park. It’s my sanctuary and a great place to meditate.

Do you have pets?

Yes! We have a 5-year-old Australian labradoodle named Diva, and she totally lives up to her name. She has quite the personality. I think she is actually an economist, as she often sits beside me and listens when I’m watching the news and studying economic trends and topics.

Who is your favorite musician/band, and how does their music move you?

Queen! Their music is so participatory. I cannot sing their songs, but I can connect to the rhythm. You feel part of the song. One thing about Queen is Freddie MerCury’s voice was so unusual I love it. I went to one of their concerts while in college

in Istanbul of course, I didn’t know the meaning of the words back then, but I felt connected.

It’s time for an office potluck. What do you bring?

I would prepare a Mediterranean dish with all the vegetables and maybe orzo, and it would be a really colorful dish.

Pretend you run a book club: what do you recommend we add to our reading list? I just started reading a new book that was recommended to me, and I already love it: “The Practice of Adaptive Leadership: Tools and Tactics from Changing Your Organization and the World” by Ronald

of the Month

BURKETT

Other awards included:

Tony Burkett, the program director in the Department of Health Sciences, was awarded The Joan Glacken Faculty Award of Distinction for his long lasting and meaningful impact.

• The Dr. Elaine Marieb Junior Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award Dr. Brigitte Belanger, assistant professor in the Occupational Therapy Program.

• The Dr. Elaine Marieb Senior Faculty

Excellence in Teaching Award Dr. Lirio Negroni, professor in the Department of Social Work.

• The Dr. Elaine Marieb Faculty

Excellence in Scholarship Award Dr. Sarah Fabrizi, associate professor in the Occupational Therapy Program.

Photo

PHOTO BY IVY COWGILL, ICOWGILL@FGCU.EDU

The early morning sunlight reflects on the arches of the main academic corridor on campus as a student makes their way across campus. Do you have a picture you would like to submit to Inside FGCU? Send it to newsletter@fgcu.edu with your name and a brief description of the image.

A. Heifetz, Marty Linsky and Alexander

FGCU PHOTO BY PAMELA MCCABE, PMCCABE@FGCU.EDU

PHOTO PROVIDED

The Timur family is shown here with their four-legged friend, Diva.

5 THINGS TO KNOW

YEARS OF SERVICE

Celebrate your fellow Eagles who have reached new career milestones in September. Information in this list was provided by Human Resources.

25 Years of Service

• Lisa A. Rutter | Assistant Director, Student Account Services, Office of Student Account Services

15 Years of Service

• Nicole Lavonne Legge | Instructor II, Department of Mathematics

• Rob Rowland | Systems Engineer I, Network Security

10 Years of Service

• Megan Nicole Clipse | Senior Director, University Budgets, Administrative Services & Finance

• Miki Domjan | Maintenance Technician II, Building Maintenance

• Peggy Glatthaar | Head of Customer Services, University Library Operations

FGCU Chartwells staff Linda and Ynocencia show off the salad bar at SoVi Dining.

Now is a good time to get out and about on campus. Here are five things to do and explore on campus.

1. FGCU Athletics | With the exception of basketball, faculty and staff can attend any FGCU game for free by showing their Eagle ID. For regular basketball games, employees can enjoy a 20% ticket discount by emailing tickets@fgcu. edu. Learn more at fgcuathletics.com.

2. Food Forest | Run by FGCU students, the Food Forest provides a peaceful learning experience about growing an edible and sustainable tropic/subtropic garden. Situated near the Sugden Welcome Center, employees can show up or schedule a guided tour from sunrise to dusk. Email foodforest@fgcu. edu or visit fgcu.edu/foodforest.

3. Photo spots | While out and about on campus, stop by some of the best FGCU photo spots for a selfie or two. Designated photo spots are highlighted with signs.

4. SoVi Dining | SoVi Dining offers a diverse selection of meals for all taste buds, including vegetarian and vegan choices. Faculty and staff pay $7 for the all-you-can-eat buffet, or they can choose a meal membership for $120.55 (20 meal swipes at $6.03 per meal). For details, visit fgcudiningservices.com.

5. Bookstore | Refresh your FGCU gear at the FGCU bookstore in the Cohen Student Union. Faculty and staff can use their Eagle ID to receive 25% off in-store purchases. Learn more at fgcu.spirit. bncollege.com.

• Michael Tedford Kiniry | Producer II, WGCU Multi-Media Content

• Sherri Ann Nelson | Registered Nurse Supervisor, Assistant Medical Director

• Brooke Ann Niarchos | Travel Manager, Accounts Payable

• Matthew P. Niarchos | Groundskeeper III, Grounds Maintenance

• Haruka Urakawa | Laboratory Coordinator I, Department of Marine & Earth Sciences

• Courtney L. Vernon | Head Coach, Women's Tennis, Athletics Competitive Success

5 Years of Service

• Jessica Shultz | Human Resources Generalist II, HR Support & Employment

• Alfredo Smith | Sign Maker, Building Maintenance

• Judith Yurgalevicz | Executive Assistant, Administrative Services & Finance

CORRECTION

Lee residents can access free professional development classes at FGCU

The Lee County Economic Development Office is funding select micro-credentials and digital badge programs at FGCU for its residents.

Visit www.fgcu.edu/strategyandinnovation/ leecountyresidents to learn about the programs available, including Certified Clinical Medical Assistant and Introduction to Construction Management. An application form is available through the website. Applicants will need to provide a valid ID that includes a Lee County address.

The professional development programs are offered through FGCU’s Innovative

Education & Partnerships department, which offers a number or certificate, microcredentials/digital badges, certifications and online programs geared toward growing individual skill sets to prepare them for the growing economy. The variety of online programs offered by FGCU vary from marketing to healthcare training.

Additional programs are available to residents throughout Southwest Florida through FutureMakers Coalition, which is helping residents pursue credentials at FGCU and other educational partners in the four sectors aligned with the Equitable Jobs Challenge Grant in healthcare, education,

logistics and manufacturing.

Professional development funds are also available for full-time FGCU staff through the Staff Advisory Council. The goal of SAC’s program is to assist staff with covering the cost of professional development opportunities that would not be possible without financial assistance. The opportunities must be directly related to career goals and current job responsibilities at FGCU. For details, visit www.fgcu.edu/ sac/professionaldevelopment.

Please email questions to continuinged@ fgcu.edu.

FGCU

PHOTOS BY ROSARIO WELLE, RWELLE@ FGCU.EDU

Below: FGCU Bookstore students and employees Sydney Keller and Emily Kennedy stand in front of the new merchandise.

FGCU PHOTO BY JAMES GRECO, JGRECO@FGCU.EDU

Amy Menzel is an administrative specialist in Marieb College of Health & Human Services. The August edition stated otherwise.

A warm welcome for FGCU faculty and staff

More than 800 faculty and staff gathered Aug. 11 for the 2023 Fall Welcome Celebration at Alico Arena. The annual event was an excellent opportunity to share a meal, catch up with colleagues from across campus and welcome our newest employees to the nest.

The 2023 Fall Welcome Celebration was an opportunity for all divisions and departments to enjoy a meal, camaraderie and the FGCU spirit.

Alico

The next edition of

Faculty and staff were asked to participate in a group activity where they answered questions about FGCU.

comes out in October!

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JACK THOMAS MEDIA

Arena was packed with FGCU faculty and staff during the 2023 Fall Welcome Celebration.

Kitty Green, vice president of Advancement, served food during the 2023 Fall Welcome Celebration.

While waiting in the buffet line for their Carrabba's Italian Grill meal, employees were entertained by Azul.

President Aysegul Timur gave her first “State of the University” address.

Right: FGCU recognized faculty and staff Aug. 11 during the 2023 Fall Welcome Celebration at Alico Arena.

Left: The events team that planned the annual Fall Welcome Celebration posed for a photo with President Aysegul Timur, center.