Bulls Advocates Newsletter

May 2018

2018 Legislative Session Recap

It was a great year for the USF System thanks to President Judy Genshaft's leadership and the amazing support of our advocates in the Florida Legislature and Governor Scott.

Below is a breakdown of funding for the USF System's priorities that were passed by the legislature and approved by Governor Scott:

$7 million towards construction of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine and Heart Institute in downtown Tampa.
$6.2 million for maintenance of existing facilities.
$6 million for new student life facility projects on all three campuses.
$3 million was allocated as part of the "World Class Faculty & Scholars" program.
$1.75 million for USF St. Petersburg to hire faculty and boost degree production in STEM disciplines and maintain and strengthen access programs.
$1.2 million for the "Professional and Graduate School Excellence" program.
$300,000 for the Florida Center for the Partnerships for Arts Integrated Teaching (PAInT) at USF Sarasota Manatee.

Watch the video above to see USF System President Judy Genshaft thank Governor Scott and the Florida Legislature, and recap the Florida Excellence in Higher Education Act of 2018.

Additionally, the Senate confirmed the appointments for three new USF Board of Trustees members: Oscar Horton, Les Muma and Charles Tokarz.

We are very grateful to all of our lawmakers and Governor Scott for their continued support of the USF System. Please take a minute to contact your legislators and thank them for their work and support. Click here to locate contact information for your State Senator and Representative.

Spotlight on Senate Bill 4:

This year's higher education bill, Senate Bill 4, by Senator Bill Galvano was signed into law by Governor Rick Scott on Sunday, March 11 ^th . This bill establishes the “Florida Excellence in Higher Education Act of 2018” and includes provisions that help advance state universities such as additional Bright Futures funding, World Class Faculty and Scholar Program, State University Professional and Graduate Degree Excellence Program, and financial aid programs such as the Benacquisto Scholars Program and the Florida Farmworker Student Scholarship Program.

Senate Bill 4 also revised the standards to become a Preeminent State Research University to allow for a transition period for institutions like USF that achieved the existing standards set into law to achieve this prestigious designation. USF Tampa meets the eligibility criteria for this prestigious designation, but will need to be formally designated by the Board of Governors of the State University System at their upcoming meeting in June. If designated by the Board of Governors, USF will become the state's third Preeminent State Research University . With this designation comes additional funding which will help USF make strategic investments in areas of impact, hire and retain world class faculty and further position USF for membership in the Association of American Universities (AAU).

Additionally, Senate Bill 4 contains a provision that requires the USF System – currently composed of University of South Florida Tampa, USF St. Petersburg and USF Sarasota-Manatee – to consolidate their separate institutional accreditations under one umbrella. The USF System has already begun a planning process to implement the law. Our top priority at USF is the success of our students, and this consolidation will ensure that all future USF students will receive their diploma from a preeminent, nationally-ranked research institution.

The consolidated accreditation does not go into effect immediately; rather, it will be officially completed on July 1, 2020. During the transition, all campuses will retain their accreditation, and at no time will any USF campus lapse in accreditation.

Click on the video above to hear a special thank you from students across the USF System to the Florida State Legislature and Governor Rick Scott, about how receiving the Pell Grant and other financial aid has positively impacted their college experience.

Brian Lamb named One of the Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America

USF Board of Trustees Chairman, Brian Lamb, is recognized as one of the most influential Blacks in corporate America by Savoy Magazine.

Savoy awards this honor to showcase the elite representation of African-American men and women who demonstrate exceptional leadership in national and global-leading corporations.

Chairman Lamb expresses his gratitude for this honor,

"I am proud to be part of such a distinguished group of respected and accomplished business and community leaders from across the country."

Chairman Lamb continues to exhibit his unparalleled leadership and dedication to the community through his roles as executive vice president, head of wealth and asset management, Fifth Third Bank and chairman of the University of South Florida Board of Trustees.

Morsani College of Medicine: The Anchor for Tampa's 'Best-Kept Secret'

As featured in The New York Times column "How Developers Discovered Tampa's Best-Kept Secret" the Morsani College of Medicine and Heart Institute's new facility serves as the anchor for the downtown Water Street Tampa project.

The 42-acre development reflects Tampa's transformation from an entertainment hub to a bustling catalyst for high-tech, financial, and creative sectors. Mayor Bob Buckhorn comments,

"I knew that if we were going to invest in intellectual capital, we had to create a built environment and an urban core that was attractive to young people, which meant completely transforming downtown Tampa on the waterfront.”

Contributing to the transformation, the USF Morsani College of Medicine and Heart Institute is expected to revitalize the area with an influx of highly skilled medical professionals, technological advancements, and unparalleled economic activity. Scheduled to open in late 2019, the state-of the art facility will attract over 1,800 students, faculty, and staff to the area, and the Heart Institute alone is projected to drive up to $73 million in local economic activity annually.