State University System
College students may bear the price of politics with higher loans
Palm Beach Post
With average student debt in Florida already topping $21,000, moves that Congress and the State University System make, or don’t make, in June could go a long way toward deciding the future depth of the red ink. A doubling of interest rates on federal student loans is slated to occur July 1 unless Congress acts. If Congress doesn’t act, it could cost Florida students an additional $443 million annually…
FAMU ‘pass through’ program no secret to 2 top Senate lawmakers
The Florida Current
Two of the Senate’s most powerful members — Senate President Mike Haridopolos and budget chief JD Alexander — had at least some knowledge of Florida A&M‘s Targeted Student Assistance Program, a “pass through” program that was used to help send millions of dollars to nonprofits with links to two other state senators…
FAMU band’s hazing culture: How did school officials miss it?
Orlando Sentinel
The culture of hazing is so embedded in the fabric of the Florida A&M Marching 100, investigative records show, that the band adopted a language known not just by current and former band members, but even kids in high school aspiring to join the famous ensemble…
Amid hazing scandal, a call for review of FAMU finances
Orlando Sentinel
Last summer, state education leaders told Florida A&M University about complaints involving “fraudulent” audits submitted by the school — “executive summaries” for internal financial reviews that, in fact, had not been done…
New FAMU audit chief has a challenge ahead
Tampabay.com
Nearly everyone took the day off Friday from Florida A&M University, an official school holiday to start off the Memorial Day weekend. Not Rick Givens. Givens can’t afford a day off. Just hours after being tapped to run FAMU‘s Division of Audit and Compliance, Givens already had plenty to do….
Judge denies release of affidavit in FAMU case
WPEC
A judge in Orlando has denied a motion by The Associated Press and the Orlando Sentinel to release a probable cause affidavit used for the arrests of the 13 defendants charged with the hazing death of a Florida A & M University drum major.
Businesses reneg on promised Scripps pledges
Palm Beach Post
It has a second facility at Florida Atlantic University’s Jupiter campus. Cheney Brothers also argued that the agreement was “vague.” In the May 2006 agreement, the businesses leaders said that their pledges were “contingent upon final approval to …
Plans to create 12th state university could be in trouble
WFSU
A few wrenches have been thrown into the plan to create Florida’s 12th state university. For example, not enough people are applying to be members of Florida Polytechnic University’s Board of Trustees and the cost of constructing the standalone university is over budget. The plan is to convert the Lakeland campus of the University of South Florida into Florida Polytechnic University.
23 doctors graduate from FSU’s Daytona Beach campus
Daytona Beach News-Journal
Twenty-three students from the Florida State University College of Medicine’s regional campus in Daytona Beach have graduated recently as physicians and start their residency programs in June. This was the fourth and largest graduating class since the campus started in January of 2007 and had its first graduating class of eight in 2009, according to Andrea Leech, regional campus administrator…
UF administrators’ salaries criticized, defended
Gainesville Sun
Opponents of the University of Florida’s proposed budget cuts have criticized Provost Joe Glover’s $350000 salary and the $50000 raise that he received in 2010, but a review of administrative salaries shows that he’s not alone in …
New College Commencement Is President’s Last
Patch.com
As students encounter multiple career changes post-college, it’s their open-mindedness and intellectual curiosity that will guide them to succes, New College of Florida outgoing President Gordon E. “Mike” Michalson, Jr., told the college’s Class of 2012 on Friday…
New College graduates its 2nd largest class
WWSB ABC 7
New College of Florida can boast a new class of graduates. The school held its commencement exercises Friday evening along Sarasota’s bayfront. 179 students received their degrees as the sun set. It’s one of the largest graduating classes in …
UCF earns $1.2M in research grants, among nation’s top 10 recipients
Bizjournals.com
The University of Central Florida is among the top 10 award recipients in the country, earning five research grants worth $1.2 million from the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program…
High tech corridor has implications in Manatee County
Bradenton Herald
It has given $30000 to METI to help the company develop a human patient simulator using research from the University of Central Florida.
Fate of Jehovah’s Witnesses convention in doubt over rent increases
Gainesville Sun
The amount would have been between $22000 and $23000 this year but was negotiated back down to $19000 through arrangements the Jehovah’s Witnesses made with Gainesville and the University of Florida Police Department, he said…
What’s ahead for new business school, major art collection, Panhandle land and …
Tampabay.com
In St. Petersburg, the groundwork for a new home for a University of South Florida business school is finally in the works. It looks like a site, a likely design and at least initial funding are coming together.
State College System
Daytona State preschool closing leaves parents scrambling
Daytona Beach News-Journal
A preschool that serves children of Daytona State College students and parents in the community is closing at the end of June.
Turnaround artist: Withdrawn Edison State candidate had history of fixing …
Naples Daily News
Hearing about Edison and its recent challenges, he was compelled to apply. He was a frontrunner in the search, but on Friday, he withdrew his application after a major business opportunity presented itself…
Edison State College president finalist from Cape Fear Community College withdraws
The News-Press
The finalist with the most experience is no longer interested in leading Edison State College. Eric McKeithan, president of Cape Fear Community College in North Carolina, withdrew Friday afternoon from the list of four finalists to become Edison’s next president, citing other things he wants to pursue this summer with his family.
Finalist for Edison State College presidency from Arizona means business
The News-Press
Giovannini, a finalist for the president’s job at Edison State College, has helped to address that mission by growing GateWay’s signature health care programs, and the school’s latest venture is helping to create new businesses…
passion for community
The News-Press
Joe Sarnovsky wants to be the next president at Seminole State College. Over 10 years, he put in the time and effort, and his level of responsibility steadily increased. He’s now second-in-command and highly regarded by trustees, and a draft succession plan penciled him in as president in the next year or two. But his boss, longtime Seminole President Ann McGee, opted not to retire. Much like a mother bird reluctantly pushes her chicks to fly into independence, McGee calls it bittersweet in encouraging Sarnovsky to pursue the presidency at Edison State College.
McKeithan withdraws candidacy from Edison president search
Wink News
Dr. Eric McKeithan has withdrawn his candidacy for District President of Edison State College. The Cape Fear Community College president was scheduled to visit each of Edison’s four Southwest Florida locations and participate in public forums next week …
Woman dies after driving into Roosevelt Boulevard traffic
Florida Times-Union
One woman died and a second driver was injured in a two-vehicle accident that shut down part of northbound Roosevelt Boulevard this morning. Police reopened the road at Plymouth Street about 10:45 a.m. — 3 1/2 hours after the accident at an entrance of the Florida State College at Jacksonville Kent Campus.
GCSC Foundation opposes 2nd fundraising group
The News Herald
The Gulf Coast State College Foundation does not support the community college’s efforts to start a new direct support organization.
NWF State negotiating with Barnes & Nobles for bookstore
MENAFN.COM
Northwest Florida State College is negotiating with Barnes & Noble’s college division to open a store on campus…
Seminole State will launch pharmacy tech, management degree programs
Mysanfordherald
To accommodate the growing need for pharmacy technicians in Central Florida, beginning in August 2012, Seminole State College of Florida will launch a …
Independent College and University System
Flagler College students earn second place at national competition
St. Augustine Record
The Flagler College Students In Free Enterprise team (SIFE) won second place at the 2012 SIFE USA National Exposition in Kansas City, Mo., where teams from around the country competed Thursday…
Pilot in DeLand Publix crash dies
Daytona Beach News-Journal
A passenger, Tom Rhoades, and three people in the store were also injured, including Stetson University student Brendan Beitler.
UM Gets $7.5 Million for Nanotech Institute
Florida Technology Journal
Propelled by a transformative gift from a longtime contributor, the University of Miami is announcing the creation of the Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Biomedical Nanotechnology Institute, a collaboration of key scientific disciplines …
Launch Pad Accelerator Program in Miami gets a boost
MiamiHerald.com
By Ina Paiva Cordle Miami’s Downtown Development Authority last week voted to pay up to $230000 each year for two years to help fund the creation with the University of Miami of a “Launch Pad Accelerator Program” in downtown Miami.
NCAA not expected to resolve Miami case for at least several months
Sun-Sentinel
Based on the steps that remain in the process, the NCAA might not announce its findings until after the 2012 regular season and possibly not until early 2013…
Yip Yap: Noted and Quoted FLHE Voices from Around the State
Our Opinion: Clearer path to a degree
MiamiHerald.com
The future is now, and creating an ever-stronger South Florida means applying all the resources we can muster — now. A committed coalition, including former Sen. Bob Graham, the Knight Foundation and mobilize.org, has set its sights on South Florida’s community college students and the challenges that they face staying in school…
Kassab: FAMU hazing would not be tolerated in football
Orlando Sentinel
If Robert Champion were a quarterback instead of a drum major, and Julian White were head coach instead of band director, the scene at FAMU would be very different today…
The best deal they’ll get
Palm Beach Post
The deal fell through after The Post reported it. The county commission, though, pressed ahead with Mecca for Scripps, even after Scripps’ CEO criticized the site. Despite warnings from environmental groups, which were suing to block Scripps at Mecca, and The Post, the county began work. Then the county lost in court, and Scripps wound up on the Jupiter campus of Florida Atlantic University - a fitting location.
Middleton: The Baby Boomers Commencement Address
Huffington Post
I recently delivered a commencement address to Masters graduate students at Florida Institute of Technology. All of the graduates were working professionals, many of them middle-aged and beyond. As I looked into their faces, I realized that they were …
Editorial: Fla. Polytechnic taking baby steps
News Chief
When Sen. J.D. Alexander pushed through his bill making Florida Polytechnic University an independent institution now instead of five years down the road, the idea was that it would gain its freedom more quickly than under the original plan…
Hiaasen: Hail to our newest campus: Useless State
MiamiHerald.com
At a time when Florida’s 11 state universities are financially gasping, the Legislature and Gov. Rick Scott are throwing $50 million away on a whimsical new school that might as well be called Useless State. It’s the work of a Lake Wales Republican named JD Alexander, who — sadly for taxpayers — chaired the powerful Senate Budget Committee.
McNulty: FSU football would be the big winner in move to the Big 12
TCPalm
There are only two reasons Florida State University should not seriously consider any future invitation to join the Big 12 Conference…
Tristam: Why I’m relieved my daughter won’t be a Gator
MiamiHerald.com
As many parents know, April can be the cruelest month, breeding college rejection letters from across the land. My daughter Sadie, who’s completed the IB program at Flagler Palm Coast High School, had high hopes. But she was wait-listed at her four top choices, all four out of state. She finally enrolled, to her great disappointment and ours, at the University of Florida…
Barry University athlete suffers shark bite
7Online WSVN-TV
A Barry University basketball player is temporarily sidelined after suffering a bad shark bite while swimming in the ocean. Chad Renfro survived a shark attack while he was home visiting his parents in Jacksonville, Wednesday.
Barry University basketball player bit by shark in Jacksonville while surfing
Palm Beach Post
Barry University basketball player Chad Renfro was bit by a shark after he ventured into the waters in Jacksonville to surf Wednesday…
Weird but true
New York Post
Chad Renfro, of Barry University in Miami Shores, Fla., was bitten in the waters off Jacksonville and needed 85 stitches. The 6-foot-4 guard plans to be ready for his senior season late this fall.
Bethune-Cookman’s ‘Tank’ remembered as ‘great mentor’
Daytona Beach News-Journal
A large Bethune-Cookman University crowd gathered like family Saturday to honor one of its father figures – Lloyd “Tank” Johnson, the former coach, athletic director and key architect of the Florida Classic …
Travolta event set for June 30
Ocala
John Travolta is scheduled to headline a $150-per-guest reception and preview screening of his upcoming film “Savages” on June 30, the College of Central Florida Foundation announced Friday…
Bystander shot during Urban Beach Week awaits justice
Sun-Sentinel
The bullet that struck [Carlson] Saint Louis, a Broward College student, shattered his left hip and destroyed his femur – a bone that extends from the pelvis to the knee. Doctors reconstructed the bone with titanium rods…
Paying for jails, arrests and hospitals, but not mental health treatment
Sun-Sentinel
He [Frantz Aboubaker] was a fraternity leader at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. And now he is being held in the North Broward jail without bond after his fourth brush with the law this year. She said her brother is schizophrenic and bipolar, has been denied …
Latina mommy bloggers gain influence in South Florida
Sun-Sentinel
The Florida Atlantic University graduate started the blog in her spare time in 2009 when she saw few sites with information on deals in Spanish. Now, [Denisse] Icaza has more than 4000 subscribers to her blog and more than 3000 fans on her Facebook page.
Southwest Florida fans rally around famous sleuth Sherlock Holmes
The News-Press
For Barbara Stewart of Fort Myers, who works in the finance department of Florida Gulf Coast University, membership in the society is an interesting diversion into the world of words, rather than numbers…
State’s economy picking up steam with South Florida helping the recovery
Sun-Sentinel
It may take even longer, said Jorge Salazar-Carrillo, an economics professor who directs the Center of Economic Research at Florida International University. “I see a slower pace of growth than what Wells Fargo is expecting,” he said.
Two Florida beaches among best in America, according to Dr. Beach
Bay News 9
Two of Florida’s beaches have made the top ten list of best beaches by “Dr. Beach,” professor Stephen P. Leatherman of Florida International University. The beaches are located in Florida’s Panhandle (#4) and near Miami (#8).
Beaches, art and economic gains
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Today, the 2012 beach winner will be announced by Dr. Stephen Leatherman, professor and director of the Laboratory for Coastal Research at Florida International University.
Broward, Palm Beach County beaches not nationally acclaimed –again
Sun-Sentinel
“There are 650 beaches [analyzed] in the country, it’s very hard to make that top 10 list,” said Stephen P. Leatherman, director of Florida International University‘s Laboratory for Coastal Research, also known as “Dr. Beach.”
Isiah Thomas: ‘I definitely want to be in basketball again’
CBSSports.com (blog)
The Hall of Famer and former Detroit Pistons guard has informed ESPNChicago.com that he’s ready to make his next career move after being fired as coach of Florida International University back in April. “I definitely want to be in basketball again whether it be coaching or as a general manager,” Thomas said by phone. “My gift is basketball. I would love working with the kids. If it’s the right college program, I would consider it. If it’s the right GM job or coaching job in the NBA, I would consider it. I love the game. I just want to be in the game.”…
Mayor Alvin Brown’s position on Jacksonville human rights ordinance could be …
Florida Times-Union
That doesn’t mean Brown will lose such voters if he comes out in support of the legislation, said Marcella Washington, a political science professor at Florida State College at Jacksonville.
MacQueen ready to dive into ‘dream job’
BurlingtonFreePress.com
Steve MacQueen, director of the 7 Days of Opening Nights Performing Arts Festival at Florida State University in Tallahassee, FL, has been hired to succeed outgoing artistic director Arnie Malina at the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts and the …
SUNBURN for 5/28: A morning read of what’s hot in Florida Politics
SaintPetersBlog
Checking in with Jason Walton, Co-chair of Presidential debate at Lynn University: “Our little campus is running full tilt right now. Just over 150 days until October 22!!! Doing substantial site work and construction over the summer. The whole campus looks like a Roosevelt-era Works Progress Administration project.”
Congressional speeches show less smarts
Sun-Sentinel
“After watching ‘The Apprentice’ and the Kardashians, maybe we can’t handle multi-syllable words,” said Robert Watson, professor of American Studies at Lynn University in Boca Raton.
Plans taking shape for law officers memorial
The Northwest Florida Daily News
Sean Lynch is pouring his energy in to finding a way to build a law officers memorial at Northwest Florida State College. The former Okaloosa County sheriff’s deputy and director of the college’s Criminal Justice Department said the idea …
Monday’s Memorial Day service will honor college veterans
Gainesville Sun
This year’s ceremony, which is free and open to the public, will also feature Jackson Sasser, president of Santa Fe College, as a guest speaker…
“Looks like we got us a Dragon by the tail.”
Florida Trend
In the photo above, University of Central Florida President John Hitt makes an annual visit to Rippe Health in Celebration. “He had a heart attack and another health-related scare in 2006. Especially since then, he has been very health conscious, as you can imagine,” says UCF spokesman Grant Heston.
Bruce Floyd, lead social media specialist for University of Florida is among the guests for HigherEdLive.com ’s discussion (YouTube video below) of how colleges and universities are covering commencement events online:
10 Who Make a Difference: Others who were nominated
Florida Times-Union
Sid Gefen: Received Lifetime Achievement Award from the University of Florida College of Health and Human Performance for outstanding service to the tourism and recreation industries.
University of Florida scientists say they’ve found the chemicals that make a …
The Republic
University of Florida scientists say they’ve unlocked the chemical secrets of why some tomatoes taste good and others don’t. The researchers, led by horticultural science professor Harry Klee, said on Thursday that their findings could result in better tasting commercial tomatoes, a $431 million annual crop in Florida ….
Inflated auto-insurance claims? Morgan & Morgan, Dan Newlin deny State Farm …
Orlando Sentinel
But lawyers are not allowed to intentionally overstate medical costs in lawsuits, said Amy Mashburn, a University of Florida legal-ethics professor who is not familiar with the Morgan & Morgan lawsuits…
Why that flat Facebook IPO isn’t so bad after all
The Associated Press
Says Jay Ritter, a finance professor at the University of Florida, “Selling something for what it’s worth is the way most people think a market should work.”
Congressional Black Caucus rallies preachers to tackle voter-ID laws
Kansas City Star
African-Americans composed only 13 percent of voters in Florida but 22 percent of early voters. And they accounted for 31 percent of voters on the final Sunday before the election, Dartmouth College government professor Michael Herron and University of Florida political science professor Daniel Smith told a Senate Judiciary subcommittee in January…
‘T.J.’ Villamil
Gainesville Sun
Jose Antonio “TJ” Villamil IV is the new University of Florida Student Government president. Villamil’s nickname stands for Tony Jr., after his father, Tony Villamil, a former undersecretary of commerce under President George HW Bush.
State’s new surgeon general still finds refuge in Ocala
Ocala
For the past six years, [John] Armstrong has spent much of his time at the University of South Florida, either as a professor or as the chief medical officer for its Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation in Tampa…
Facebook ripple on IPO market already felt
Reuters
“Everyone from underwriters to investors is going to be looking carefully at new issuers,” said Dan Bradley, an associate professor at the University of South Florida’s College of Business. “After all the hype with Facebook, there’s going to be some lessons learned.”
The great Cuban sandwich debate
msnbc.com (blog)
Because as Andy Huse, a University of South Florida librarian who works in the school’s Florida Studies Center, extensively researching the sandwich’s origins, argues “the original Tampa cubano included a sliced salchichón, which was a Spanish cured, dried sausage. That became hard to find here in America, and it was replaced with the much more accessible salami, which was similar.” Tampa natives also believe their Cuban bread, which they say is notably more crusty and flaky than the kind made in Miami, is also more authentic. Huse points to the fact that Tampa’s bread is made with the same recipe and technique used more than 100 years ago, proof of pedigree and heritage…
Hey, do corporations need any more tax cuts?
Tampabay.com
And when I ran this by University of South Florida tax professor Ryan Huston, he suggested I might be mixing and matching concepts that don’t necessarily fit. So feel free to disagree or dismiss as much of this as you wish…
Professor, students hunt graves on Dozier campus
Jackson County Floridan
An anthropology professor, other researchers and students from the University of South Florida in Tampa will likely spend most of July and August in Marianna, searching to determine whether there are unmarked graves on the old Dozier School Boys campus as their preliminary findings suggest. That information comes from Robert Straley, an alumni of Dozier who helped USF assistant professor and forensic anthropologist Erin Kimmerle get oriented to the campus after she obtained permits to investigate the site…
Rachel Burgin enters race against Tom Lee for Ronda Storms’ state Senate seat
Tampabay.com
The race is shaping up as a contest of “old guard versus young guard,” said University of South Florida political science professor Susan MacManus.
Seeing-Eye dog helps law student get her degree
New York Daily News
The duo set off to the University of Tampa, where [Amanda] Davis pursued her undergraduate degree. After a few spills on the uneven sidewalks, and a few other mishaps, Ellis and Davis adjusted to life as partners…
School Notes
The Ledger
Dr. H. Keith Wade, president of Webber International University, was elected treasurer of the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida…
Releases and Web Stories
Stetson University opens new Veterans Law Institute to serve active duty …
PR Newswire (press release)
GULFPORT, Fla., May 25, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ – Stetson University College of Law is opening a new Veterans Law Institute on May 31 in Gulfport, Fla. The institute will serve the growing population of active duty military, veterans and their …
High-Tech Pomp and Circumstance: Universities Webcast Commencement Ceremonies …
MarketWatch (press release)
Nearly two dozen schools such as Johns Hopkins University, University of Southern California, Ball State University, Ashland University and University of Florida are using Mediasite to webcast their graduation ceremonies so global audiences can watch their loved ones walk across the stage. For students whose family and friends can’t travel hundreds – or even thousands of miles – this is particularly special, because now they can see them graduate in both real time and on-demand.
Becker’s Hospital Review Names 100 Leaders of Great Hospitals
San Francisco Chronicle (press release)
Timothy Goldfarb, Shands at the University of Florida (Gainesville, Fla.).
Fun with KLOUT
It was a long, soggy holiday weekend… So, what’s a blogger to do?
Many of you enjoyed our Twitter account showdown infographic from earlier this month depicting a head-to-head brawl for Twitter supremacy between @FloridaState and @UFlorida which was created using tools from visual.ly.
For your enjoyment, FLHESpectator.com has created another social media infographic. We pulled and assembled (in descending order) a Memorial Day weekend snapshot of the KLOUT scores of most Florida Institutions. KLOUT has attracted both devoted fans and detractors for claiming to be the web’s Standard for Influence. Scores are dynamic and change daily, but here is where things stood over the weekend according to KLOUT:
