The Florida Board of Governors will meet have a Trustee Nominating and Development Committee today beginning at 1:00 PM via conference call. There will be a Board of Governors – Regular Meeting upon adjournment of previous committee meeting.
State University System
Did GEO Group Edit Its Wikipedia Page to Hide Its Past?
Huffington Post
Word came out yesterday that Florida Atlantic University had sold the naming rights to its new football stadium to the GEO Group, which is the second largest private prison company in America. Since that news broke, there has been an outpouring of criticism. Now, it appears that in an effort to minimize the damage from this developing story, the GEO Group may have decided to give its Wikipedia page a facelift…
FAU’s stadium deal with company that runs prisons draws criticism, praise
Palm Beach Post
George Zoley describes the connection between his company, the GEO Group, and Florida Atlantic University as a “special relationship.” On this, there appears to be agreement, although Wednesday, there was little agreement on whether that unique partnership reflects positively or negatively on the university. FAU’s board of trustees unanimously approved a 12-year arrangement Tuesday in which the school’s 2-year-old football stadium will be called GEO Group Stadium following a gift of $6 million. The GEO Group is a Boca Raton-based firm employing numerous FAU alumni, including Zoley, former chair of the school’s board of trustees — but it also runs privatized prisons that have come under criticism from federal regulators who once found “cesspool” conditions at a youth facility in Mississippi…
Group starts petition to remove GEO Group name from FAU Stadium
Sun-Sentinel
It took less than 24 hours, but the outcry over GEO Group, a multi-national private prison corporation,purchasing the naming rights for FAU Stadium has led to a formal request for a reversal. A petition, started Tuesday, calling for the removal of the GEO Group name from FAU Stadium, has received middling support to this point, but the Dream Activist staff have seemed keen on using the “Owlcatraz” nickname proposed by FAU play-by-play announcer Ken LaVicka…Here’s the petition: http://action.dreamactivist.org/florida/geostadium/
Florida Atlantic University GEO Group Stadium deal causes outrage amongst students, immigrants
WPTV
Students and South Florida pro-immigrant activists are expressing outrage after Florida Atlantic University announced it will change the name of its football stadium to that of a private prison corporation accused of human rights violations.
Mathematical Sciences building evacuated
Central Florida Future
The Mathematical Sciences building was evacuated due to a suspicious package and was inaccessible to students and faculty from 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Grant Heston of UCF News and Information confirmed the package in question was an orange backpack left in a stairwell. The contents of the backpack were not abnormal…
UCF would be controlling interest in NorthView project’s new entity
Orlando Business Journal
The University of Central Florida’s Finance & Facilities Committee approved the creation of UCF Lockwood Communities Inc., a new nonprofit organization that will run the $60 million NorthView student housing development at the north end of campus…
UCF suspends most fraternity, sorority activities amid ‘alcohol, hazing issues’
Orlando Sentinel
The University of Central Florida has shut down most fraternity and sorority activities as it investigates two Greek organizations for alleged hazing and alcohol abuse. It’s the first time that the state’s largest public university has taken such drastic action. But officials said they wanted to send the clear message that UCF‘s Greek culture needs to change before things turn tragic. University officials announced Wednesday that they have halted all fraternity and sorority social events, new-member education activities and initiation activities until “Greek culture reflects the values of the UCF Creed and, more importantly, that we can ensure compliance with laws and university regulations governing hazing and alcohol.”
Top women executives set to speak at USF
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Roughly 20 women CEOs and other top executives from the Committee of 200 will speak to students at the University of South Florida on Feb. 26…
UF helps assess how climate change affects Southeast
Gainesville Sun
According to Dr. Jim Jones, a professor in the agricultural and biological engineering department at the University of Florida and one of the chapter’s co-authors, the consortium is helping water managers and farmers already with short-term solutions.
State College System
Daytona State to host Women in History Month luncheon
The DeLand-Deltona Beacon
The Daytona State College Center for Women and Men and its advisory board will host their annual luncheon recognizing National Women’s History Month on Thursday, March 28, from noon to 1:30 p.m. The luncheon will be held in the Hosseini Center (Bldg. 1200), on the Daytona Beach Campus, 1200 W. International Speedway Blvd…
Emergency Vehicle Operations Training
wmbb
Police vehicles are an officer’s desk and in order to use them effectively and safely, they train once a year to find their limits. Gulf Coast State College‘s campus in Southport is home to a controlled road course for law enforcement agencies…
PSC, Covenant Hospice to present play
Pensacola News Journal
The Pensacola State College Performing Arts Department and Covenant Hospice will present the 2007 Pulitzer Prize winning drama “Rabbit Hole” in performances this weekend and March 1-3.
Orlando Magic donate $50K to Seminole State to benefit first-generation college students
Sanford Herald
Seminole State College of Florida has received a $50,000 grant from the Orlando Magic Youth Fund (OMYF) to benefit first-generation college students.
Independent Colleges and Universities
This college is building new dorms … for cats
msnNOW
How do you solve a huge feral cat problem? According to Florida Southern College, just give the kitties some on-campus housing. The Lakeland, Fla., school has made plans for six five-foot-tall cat dorms built in the style of Frank Lloyd Wright to match the school’s famous architecture. The dorms will each include cat cafés for its residents (yes, this is real).
Study: Art School Graduates Rack Up the Most Debt
TIME
Pity the poor art student. Not only do art degrees tend to result in lower-paying jobs overall after college, but a recent analysis by the Wall Street Journal over the latest Department of Education statistics finds that graduates of art schools actually rack up more debt than those who attend other types of colleges…The Creative Center is followed by the Manhattan School of Music, where high levels of student debt are also attributed to the high cost of living in New York City. Other artsy schools that have high median debt loads include the Newschool of Architecture and Design in California, the Design Institute of Chicago, the Ringling College of Art and Design and the Digital Media Arts College in Florida.
Yip Yap: Noted and Quoted FLHE Voices from Around the State
Editorial: Illegal Child Immigrants: Equal Protection For Students
Lakeland Ledger
It’s simply wrong to punish children for the sins of their parents. In the case of Florida charging out-of-state tuition to the children of illegal immigrants, it’s also unconstitutional…
Where Should Colleges and Sports Teams Draw the Line in Selling Naming Rights?
New York Times
Companies often pay big money for the right to attach their name to a sports stadium, college football bowl game or even athletic team (think New York Red Bulls). But does corporate naming ever cross the line? This week, Florida Atlantic University announced its plan to rename its football stadium after a multibillion-dollar private prison corporation. What do you think? Has corporate naming gone too far?
Opinion Video: Jokes aside, FAU makes good deal
Sun Sentinel
Jokes must be expected for the new name of the football stadium at Florida Atlantic University, home to the Owls. If you sell your stadium’s naming rights to a company that runs private prisons, as FAU has done, you better count on the one-liners. Owlcatraz is particularly inspired…
Cerabino: FAU not being held prisoner to new stadium partnership with GEO Group
Palm Beach Post
As you may have heard, your beloved alma mater has sold the naming rights to our new football stadium to a private prison company. This partnership between Florida Atlantic University and the GEO Group has been met with a measure of derision and disbelief from some. But let us assure you, it’s perfectly natural to link a university with a prison. Both are large institutions that house adults for years, feed them lousy food and credit their time toward eventual release. Was a prison company our first choice? No. But let’s face it, for a $6 million donation we probably would have sold the stadium naming rights to Massengill and called the stadium The Douche Dome…
Hyde: Welcome to The Big House - FAU’s new stadium name is a marketing dream
Sun-Sentinel
So Florida Atlantic sold its stadium naming rights to a prison company, huh? What’s that about? Do they want everyone to call it “The Big House?” On twitter, the most embraced name would be “Owlcatraz”. Or how about GEO Group Stadium at Prison Yards? Or call the stadium “The Pen”? But shouldn’t the fan experience at the stadium reflect the name that it bears? Shouldn’t they replace the seats being called sections and turn them into cell block numbers? How about a new nickname to boot: Jailbirds?
Lowe: FAU sells stadium naming rights to a prison company
Sun-Sentinel
The grand old names—the ones we gave to places before somebody invented “naming rights” for sports venues—can still stir the American spirit with their roughhewn poetry: Camden Yards, Fenway Park, Yankee Stadium, Candlestick Park, Three Rivers Stadium, the Coliseum.
Mayo: FAU stadium deal with prison company GEO Group is odd way to feather nest
Sun-Sentinel
My first reaction when I heard Boca Raton-based GEO Group was paying $6 million for stadium naming rights to Florida Atlantic University: A prison company sponsoring a college football stadium? Wouldn’t the University of Miami Hurricanes be a better fit? My next reaction: How does a private company that depends on government contracts and taxpayer dollars for business turn around and use $6 million to put its name on a college stadium? I mean, doesn’t that seem at odds with the (Republican) party line that privatization leads to more efficient use of tax dollars?
Moulton: NCAA must throw out entire case against University of Miami …
Naples Daily News
The University of Miami messed up. No one is challenging the most damaging claims of what convicted fraudster Nevin Shapiro detailed in a Yahoo! story 18 months ago, that numerous NCAA rules were broken by the football and basketball programs last …
Nocera: The Miami Mess, Unraveled
New York Times (blog)
I don’t do this very often – and certainly not as often as I should – but this blog post, by Vishnu Parasuraman, who writes for a University of Miami fan site called Sebastian’s Pub, is worth a read…
Man, 18, wanted in thefts from Daytona State College
Daytona Beach News-Journal
An 18-year-old man, known to stay in Daytona Beach and South Daytona, is Daytona Beach police’s most wanted this week. Demarcus James has five felony warrants for his arrest, all on charges of grand theft, spokesman Jimmie Flynt said. On at least two separate occasions last September, James stole electronic items — a laptop and an iPhone — from Daytona State College‘s campus, according to a Daytona Beach police report…
Edison student running for statewide college post
Naples Daily News
Jacob Winge, student government president of Edison State College’s Collier campus, announced Wednesday his candidacy for president of the statewide organization representing students enrolled in Florida’s 28 state and community colleges. If elected April 12, Winge said he would be the first Edison student to serve as president of the Florida College System Student Government Association…
Harriet Tubman Pistol & Sword on Display at FAMU [SLIDE SHOW]
WCTV
Harriet Tubman‘s pistol and ivory handle sword are now on display at FAMU. The items are at the Black Archives. Tubman is known as the Moses of the Underground Railroad. She is well known for leading many slaves to freedom.
FAU hires former FSU coach as women’s soccer coach
Sun-Sentinel
FAU has hired former Florida State coach Patrick Baker to be the next head coach of the school’s women’s soccer team. Baker was the 2003 Soccer America Coach of the Year at Florida State, where he led the Seminoles to the NCAA Tournament six times, including a 2003 appearance in the College Cup. From 1999-2004, Baker’s Seminole teams amassed a record of 80-46-11.
FAU hires Patrick Baker as new women’s soccer head coach
University Press
On Wednesday, the athletic department announced the school has hired former Florida State coach Patrick Baker to head the Lady Owls soccer squad. Baker replaces former FAU coach Brian Dooley, who left last month for a coaching position with Missouri.
Bartow Lawyer Frost Donates $1 Million to FSU College of Law
The Ledger
John W. Frost II is a Gator fan through and through, but he cares about Florida State University’s College of Law so much he’s provided it with several large donations, including a recent million-dollar gift…
John R. Wood’s real estate empire rooted in humble beginnings
Naples Daily News
Wood‘s is the 2013 Humanitarian of the Year, an award given by Hodges University…
Dolphins call each other by name, study claims
NBCNews.com
Heidi Harley, a professor of psychology at New College of Florida, is a leading expert on cognitive processes in dolphins.
Northwood University senior Ra’Shad James is one of the top …
WPTV
Northwood University senior guard Ra’Shad James is one of 16 nominees for the State Farm Dark Horse Dunker competition. State Farm Dark Horse Dunker nominees are under-the-radar players who have what it takes to compete against the D-I field in Atlanta. The winner will participate in the Denny’s Slam Dunk Competition during Final Four weekend on April 4 in Atlanta on ESPN…
Founder of Center for Book Arts will visit the Ringling College of Art and Design
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Book designer, maker, binder and artist Richard Minsky will discuss “Material Meets Metaphor” Feb. 21 at the Ringling College of Art and Design. Minsky is the founder of the Center for Book Arts in Manhattan, the first organization of its kind in the United States dedicated to contemporary interpretations of the book as an art object.
Charges dropped against Doug Johnson for lack of evidence
Gatorsports.com
The State Attorney’s Office has dropped a case accusing former University of Florida quarterback Doug Johnson of taking part in the beating of a Gainesville man after a UF football game…
USF, Moffitt inventors earn national recognition
TBO.com
Five University of South Florida professors, along with the head of Moffitt Cancer Center who holds a joint appointment to USF, have now been recognized for their career accomplishments by being named charter fellows in the National Academy of Inventors. ”I think this is one of the most prestigious of recognitions if you look at the kind of fellows that were selected and the judges,” said Shyam Mohapatra, a distinguished health professor and new fellow. “It’s very exciting. I feel good that I was selected.”
Releases and Web Stories
Former New York Times executive editor to speak at the Bob Graham Center
University of Florida
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Howell Raines, former executive editor of The New York Times, will bring his years of experience in political journalism to the Bob Graham Center for Public Service at 6 p.m. Monday at the University of Florida’s Pugh Hall…
Animal Cell Therapies, Inc. and University of Florida Receive $330k Grant from The Sabes Foundation for Stem Cell Study
PR Web (press release)
Animal Cell Therapies, Inc. of San Diego and the University of Florida has received a $330k grant from The Sabes Foundation to fund a study about orthopedic conditions in dogs. Animal Cell Therapies Inc. is an early stage Veterinary stem cell therapy company whose mission is to deliver a new frontier of stem cell therapies for the treatment of canine orthopedic conditions…
Florida Hospital Pepin Heart Institute and USF Health Team Up for the Groundbreaking Study of Novel Therapy for Heart Failure Patients
PR Web
Cardiovascular disease specialists at Florida Hospital Pepin Heart Institute and Dr. Kiran C. Patel Research Institute affiliated with the University of South Florida announced today they have enrolled their first two patients into a clinical trial testing a novel gene therapy for the treatment of heart failure after ischemic injury.
