State University System
FAU Student Organizer: Administrators “Expected People Not to Care” About GEO Group Stadium Naming Rights
New Times
The student organizers behind the protests at Florida Atlantic University are currently prepping for a high-noon showdown Q&A Friday with school President Mary Jane Saunders. The topic on the table is the administration’s decision to sell off the Owls’ stadium naming rights to the GEO Group, one of the largest prison operators in the world. But students say it’s been all uphill trying to get the administration to play ball with terms favorable to open discussion…
At FAU, opinions divided over naming stadium for prison company that pledged $6 million
Palm Beach Post
Florida Atlantic University students both in favor and opposed to “Owlcatraz” are expected to flock to a meeting with their school president Mary Jane Saunders tomorrow to debate the issue roiling their campus…
Abuse charges dog GEO prison company
Palm Beach Post
In just a matter of days, backlash over GEO Group’s proposed $6 million stadium naming deal with Florida Atlantic University has put the Boca Raton private prison firm on the defensive, raised the hackles of civil rights groups and prompted questions about inmate conditions. It’s nothing GEO hasn’t faced before. The firm’s most recent brush with notoriety — a two-year Department of Justice investigation into a squalid and dangerous Mississippi juvenile facility operated by GEO — made national headlines…
From Enron to Digital Domain, if FAU nixes it’s naming stadium rights deal, it wouldn’t be the first
Palm Beach Post
Florida Atlantic University has been dealing with some negative feedback from its student body after its recent decision to accept a $6 million donation from the private prison corporation GEO Group. The Boca Raton-based company pledged the money in exchange for naming rights on the school’s football stadium…
UCF nursing students staff health fair for homeless
Daytona Beach News-Journal
UCF nursing instructor Rachel Daily, front, along with BSN nursing students Lindsey Brady, left, Shanina Flowers, right, and Lynn Figaro, rear, man the skin cancer screening booth at a health screening fair at the STAR Family Center in Daytona Beach
Court: UF must disclose locations of animal research labs
Gainesville Sun
The University of Florida has to release the locations of its animal research labs after a court battle with animal rights activist Camille Marino ended with an appeals court ruling that the locations are public record…
UNF will change its buildings names to Skinner-Jones
Florida Times-Union
The University of North Florida is planning to rename its Building 3 and Building 4 after a family of landowners and property developers. During a special ceremony Friday, the university will rename Building 3 as Skinner-Jones Hall South…
Jacksonville Business Exchange hosts business expo at UNF Tuesday
Florida Times-Union
The Jacksonville Business Exchange is holding the Business Expo North from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday at the University Center, 12000 Alumni Drive, on the UNF campus. The free event is aimed at entrepreneurs who want to leave corporate life, develop career independence and establish business ownership…
USF St. Petersburg College of Business plans to open its own building
Tampa Bay Times
After years without its own home, the College of Business at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg is about to put down solid roots on the downtown campus. The university plans to erect a three-story, 66,000-square-foot building for its College of Business on 2.5 prime acres that now houses the “Piano Man” building, so called for its original role as a piano store. USF St. Petersburg interim chancellor Bill Hogarth says the university expects to open the new facility for the fall 2015 semester.
State College System
Kerigan Marketing Associates wins Panama City district advertising federation
Port St. Joe Star
Kerigan earned Gold ADDYS for clients from Gulf and Bay County but also as far away as NC and LA, including The Eye Center of North Florida website, Uretek Mid-Atlantic website, Orthopedic Surgery Center website, The Atchafalaya Golf Course website, Metro Golf Academy website and their mobile website for Gulf Coast State College Digital Viewbook…
“Holy Remnants” Opens at TCC Gallery
WFSU
Tallahassee Community College’s Art Gallery sometimes heads into edgy territory. Tom Flanigan reports the gallery’s current exhibit falls squarely into that category. The exhibit is called “Holy Remnants”. It’s the latest offering from Tallahassee artist and educator Linda Hall…
Independent Colleges and Universities
Beacon’s new building shines
Daily Commercial
Downtown Leesburg has a new $2.3 million investment on Main street — Beacon Hall — an 8,000 square foot facility featuring state-of-the-art reconfigurable classrooms and offices for Beacon College personnel all designed to meet the growing need of educating students with learning disabilities.
Feral Cat Campus Solution
CatChannel.com
SPCA Florida and Florida Southern College (FSC) have collaborated to address the issue of unowned cats on the college campus. Approximately 100 community cats live across the FSC campus, which is home to the largest collection of Frank Lloyd Wright-designed building structures in the world…
Winter Park in talks to build new baseball stadium
WDBO Radio
Rollins College and Winter Park are hoping to bring a minor league team to the city by building a new stadium. The stadium would cost $11 million, hold between 3-4 thousand fans, and would be privately funded…
Christian student organization, Rollins College in dispute
WOGX
(WOFL FOX 35 ORLANDO) — The Knowles Memorial Chapel is an interdenominational chapel on the picturesque campus of Rollins College in Winter Park. It’s one of the places college leaders used to allow members of a Christian student organization to meet. Last Friday, the college said it would no longer designate a meeting place for the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship chapter and its 15 or so members, because the college no longer recognizes the group as an official campus organization. The board of trustees cited that the group was in violation of the school’s non-discrimination policy…
Yip Yap: Noted and Quoted FLHE Voices from Around the State
Editorial: FAU owes many answers on GEO Group stadium deal
Palm Beach Post
At today’s public meeting, the burden will be on Florida Atlantic University President Mary Jane Saunders to show why the $6 million stadium naming rights deal with the GEO Group is good for the university…
Our Stance: Alerts of packages getting out of hand
Central Florida Future
For what seems like the 10th time in a span of about a week, a building was shut down Tuesday due to a suspicious package found somewhere on campus, most recently being the College of Sciences building. While safety is a top priority for both faculty and staff, having alerts sent out every other day about some apparent threat to campus is not reliable or believable. It’s becoming very much a “boy who cried wolf” situation, and people are getting fed up. Just wait for about five minutes outside a closed off area and you’ll hear the sighs, grunts and groans of students inconvenienced by the alerts…
Students at Ave Maria University honor the pope
Wink News
“Jump in for a little bit, even though I have a midterm at 2 o’clock,” said Haas. Rather than studying one last time, Ave Maria sophomore Joey Haas chose to get his hands dirty instead. ”While grades are important, I think doing this is for a little bit would also be very good,”said Haas. Haas and dozens of other students found spots at these tables, making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. They filled 530 brown paper bags with food for families in need.
Ave Maria reflects, serves on historic day for Catholics
NBC2 News
“These kids find joy in it. You’ll see as they’re making these sandwiches, giving up their lunch. They’re smiling. Laughing and having fun with their friends. They know that someone will appreciate the work that they’re doing,” said Bill Kirk, the VP of Student Affairs at Ave Maria University.
Miami Catholics React and Reflect on Pope Benedict XVI’s Final Day
NBC 6 South Florida
Barry University professor Ed Sunshine and students Nancy Arias and Samantha Lopes also discussed the news…
FAU’s Stadium Debacle: Professor Moderating Talks Is Linked to Right-wing Foundation, Conservative Causes (UPDATED)
New Times
After Florida Atlantic University students flooded her office and staged a sit-in, university president Mary Jane Saunders agreed under pressure to hold a forum to discuss the planned sale of stadium naming rights to private prison operator GEO Group. But Saunders cherry-picked the moderator — and the political science professor she chose is deeply involved with a rightwing foundation which promotes conservative thought on college campuses. On his CV, Professor Kevin Wagner describes himself as “College Republicans Advisor, Florida Atlantic University (2007-Current). Prominently featured on Wagner’s web page is his position with the Jack Miller Forum, of which he is associate director. The forum is affiliated with the Jack Miller Center, a Chicago-based organization whose academic council is chaired by James Ceaser, a major conservative intellectual…
Florida House Speaker Clarifies Remarks on Florida Poly
The Ledger
Florida House Speaker Will Weatherford said Wednesday his intentions are not for the Legislature to turn its back on Florida Polytechnic University but to support its efforts for a successful outcome…
Weatherford stands by vote to establish Florida Polytechnic
Tampa Bay Times
Earlier this week, House Speaker Will Weatherford seemed to indicate he regretted his vote last year in favor of establishing Florida Polytechnic University. When asked to clarify recent statements, Weatherford said he essentially had no choice but to go along with then-Senate budget chief JD Alexander‘s push for the university, but stands by the decision. ”I voted for it, we all voted,” Weatherford said today. “It was the budget. We didn’t have a budget without Polytech. I think that was abundantly clear, and I think we all remember that process very well.”
Ward only Native lacrosse coach for major college
Cherokee Phoenix
Marty Ward, head coach of the men’s lacrosse team at Florida Southern College, is a Cherokee Nation, Iroquois citizen and the only Native American head lacrosse coach at a major university in the country…
FSCJ student who was told to repay Pell Grant starts petition to hold college accountable
Florida Times Union
A Florida State College at Jacksonville student who’s been told he must repay a Pell Grant hopes to build pressure to force the school – instead of students – to square up with the federal government. Randy Durden, who is enrolled in FSCJ’s culinary program, started an online petition at iPetitions. The goal, he said, is to hold the college accountable for errantly awarding $4.2 million in federal grants over two years…
Students honor local radio personality
The News Herald
Local college students honored Bay County disc jockey legend Curtis “C.C.” Carter on Thursday, the last day of Black History Month. “On the campus of Gulf Coast Community College WKGC, in the city by the bay; I’m not an old man, I’m a sweet loving’ soul man,” introducer Janice Lucas recited Carter’s motto. “If it was hot and happening, ‘Soul with C.C.’ had it on Saturday morning,” Lucas said, adding Carter’s program introduced Bay County radio listeners to the blues in 1974…
Record-breaking spring break forecast
Herald-Tribune
Van Jazmin, a 21-year-old illustration major at the Ringling College of Art and Design, intends to stay put during her week-long spring break and enjoy the area. “It’s so hard for me to really experience Sarasota and do all the things I want to do when I’m in school,” Jazmin said. “I’m just too busy.”…
The Impulsive Traveler: In Sarasota, Fla., stop and smell Mrs Ringling’s roses
Washington Post
Not that the Ringlings and the Florida land boom allowed it to stay that way for long. John became the area’s largest landowner and built the causeway from Sarasota to St. Armands, Longboat, Lido and Bird keys, which he then developed. After creating the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, he was instrumental in founding what has become the Ringling College of Art and Design…
UF associate dean nominated to lead University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
Gainesville Sun
After 22 years at the University of Florida, a UF associate dean has been nominated to serve as the next chancellor of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. Laurence Alexander, associate dean of the UF Graduate School and director of the Office of Graduate Minority Programs, began his career at UF, also his alma mater, as an associate professor in 1991. He rose through the ranks and has since served different roles within the university.
Releases and Web Stories
Flagler College professors to take sabbatical leave for 2013-14
ReadMedia (press release)
AUGUSTINE, FL (02/28/2013)(readMedia)– Flagler College professors Michael Butler and Elizabeth Robbins have been granted sabbatical leaves for the upcoming 2013-14 year…
FAU’S Prison Group Stadium To Feature Concerts
BocaNewsNow.com
BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) — Fresh on the heels of announcing that private prison company GEO Group bought the naming rights to FAU‘s football stadium comes word that the school is entering into a marketing agreement that may bring major acts to the venue…
Florida Tech Leads Moving Target Defense Network Research under $1.9 Million Department of Defense Funding
Press Release
/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ –Florida Institute of Technology leads a new security effort to design and implement a command and control framework for moving target defense management and coordination for computer networks. The three-year project, in collaboration with the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, is funded by a $1.9 million award from the U.S. Department of Defense…
Full Sail University, In Partnership with Valencia College, Was Proud to Host the First Take Stock In Children of Orange County Graduation & Scholarship Ceremony
Press Release
Winter Park, FL (PRWEB) March 01, 2013 Today, Full Sail University, in partnership with Valencia College, was proud to host the first Take Stock In Children of Orange County’s graduation and scholarship ceremony. During the event, 49 high school students who have participated in the Take Stock In Children mentorship program for five years each received a 2+2 Florida Prepaid $30,000 scholarship…
Indian River State College announces writer’s day
TCPalm
Writers and aspiring authors are invited to polish their craft at the Indian River State College Writer’s Day event on Saturday, March 16…
Keiser University golf students caddy at Honda Classic Pro-Am
WorldGolf.com
Students from the Keiser University College of Golf & Sport Management receive experience that goes far beyond the classroom…
UF/IFAS expert: Female mosquitoes become savvy about other-species suitors
University of Florida
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Talk about meeting Mr. Wrong. Female yellow fever mosquitoes sometimes contend with the courtship and mating efforts of males from another, competing species — the Asian tiger mosquito. She’s naïve, he’s sneaky. Both species spread dengue, a viral disease that’s a major human health threat. In an ironic turnabout, Florida dengue cases may rise in the near future due to female yellow fever mosquitoes becoming savvy about the false-flag suitors, leading to increased yellow fever mosquito populations, says an expert with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
Campaign to enforce safety belt law starts Friday
University of Florida
The University of Florida Police Department is joining other law enforcement agencies across the state in a “Click It or Ticket” campaign starting Friday through March 16. During the campaign, state and local law officers will show zero tolerance for motorists who fail to use their safety belts. Not wearing a safety belt is a primary traffic violation meaning if you are stopped, you will likely receive a ticket…
New model could lead to improved treatment for early stage Alzheimer’s
University of Florida
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Researchers at the University of Florida and The Johns Hopkins University have developed a line of genetically altered mice that model the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s disease. This model may help scientists identify new therapies to provide relief to patients who are beginning to experience symptoms…
CEOs Impart Wisdom
University of South Florida
TAMPA, Fla. (Feb. 27, 2013) – Working in the male-driven energy field, former CenterPoint Energy president and current University of South Florida adjunct professor Georgianna Nichols met challenges on her way up the corporate ladder…
