February Newsletter

2022 Legislative Session Update The 2022 legislative session is nearing the mid-way point, and the Education subcommittees have rolled out their respective proposed budgets. We continue to see an empashis in funding intiatives to address the state's nursing shortage and increase funding in cybersecurity training and workforce intiatives. We look forward to working with our Legislative leadership during the rest of this session to fund our main intiatives including additional operational support in Preeminence/National Ranking funding and construction funding for the Environmental Oceanographic Sciences building in USF St. Petersburg. Last week we also saw the Senate confirm the appointments of Lauran Monbarren and Fred Piccolo to the USF Board of Trustees. We will continue to keep you updated during the remaining weeks of session!

Board of Trusteess Chair Will Weatherford, Vice Chair Mike Griffin and President Rhea Law met with Florida Senator and USF alum, Danny Burgess in Tallahassee.

USFSP Honors Mayor Kriseman and Deputy Mayor Tomalin On Thursday, February 3, USF St. Petersburg honored former Mayor Rick Kriseman and Deputy Mayor Kanika Tomalin with bricks outside of the iconic fountain on campus. Additionally, during the Campus Board Meeting, Chancellor Tadlock presented both former mayors with Remark-a-Bull recognitions to thank them for their eight-year term in office and their continued support of the USF community.

University of South Florida Day at the Capitol On January 18, 2022, the University of South Florida took students from all three campuses up to the Florida Capitol for our annual USF Day at the Capitol. The students enjoyed a day-long program where they toured the House and Senate chambers, participated in discussion panels with legislators, and hosted members of the Legislature at a reception held at the Governor’s Club.

Pictured: Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, Chris Sprowls, addressing USF Students in the House Chamber.

Pictured: President of the Florida Senate, Wilton Simpson, addressing USF Students in the Senate Chamber

Tampa Bay Area Legislative Delegation Spotlight on State Representative Traci Koster

We are delighted to be highlighting Tampa Bay Area Legislative Delegation member and State Representative Traci Koster! Traci Koster has deep roots in our Tampa Bay community. She was raised in North Pinellas County and a graduate of the University of Central Florida and Stetson University College of Law, where she graduated magna cum laude. Traci’s passion for the law brought her to Hillsborough County where she practices family law at Nelson Koster.    Represenative Koster is the sponsor of House Bill 343, Mental Health Licensure which ensures graduates of Mental Health programs are able to get licensed in the state of Florida. The bill helps graduates of many of the State University System institutions including USF.

USF News: Board of Governors approves new USF strategic plan Proposed legislation would establish campus Trafficking in Persons Lab as the repository for human trafficking data in Florida Students, university leadership advocate for USF during Day at the Capitol in Tallahassee Opening of Florida Flood Hub to help St. Pete Become a Mecca for Marine Science St. Pete Ocean Science Center Tops USF's Legislative Wishlist Philanthropist Timothy Ubben Gives 5 Million to USF Health to Fight Pulmonary Fibrosis