The Board of Governors this week held its annual Trustee Summit, hosting Board of Trustee members from all 12 institutions and discussing system-wide goals as well as best practices in higher education. The Board of Governors also moved forward on several important initiatives to boost student safety, enhance student success, and strengthen ties with the business community.
Trustee Summit speakers included Bob Morse, chief data analyst for U.S. News & World Report, as well as keynote speaker Dr. Michael Okun, chair of UF’s neurology department and one of the world’s leading experts on Parkinson’s disease. Panelists also led trustees in discussions on a variety of topics, ranging from graduation rates to fundraising.
“The Trustee Summit is a highlight of the year because it’s a chance for leaders from all 12 institutions to come together and be a part of something bigger,” said Ned Lautenbach, chair of the Board of Governors. “By enhancing outcomes at their individual institutions, our trustees are also contributing to the success of the System and ultimately, the prosperity of the state of Florida.”
After the close of the Summit, Board of Governors’ committee meetings began, with the Board approving changes to its performance-based funding model. Among other changes, the updated model includes Board of Trustee Choice metrics and a new allocation methodology that eliminates the bottom three.
“Performance funding has been enormously successful, with student outcomes improving by virtually every measure,” said Syd Kitson, the Board of Governors’ vice chair. “These changes should accelerate our momentum as well as boost student success.”
The Drugs, Alcohol and Mental Health Taskforce also met, hearing updates on its initiatives to ensure student safety and well-being. The Board also heard a presentation on the relationship between mental health and substance abuse.
“We are being very intentional about keeping student safety and well-being front-and-center during every meeting,” said Marshall Criser, State University System Chancellor. “College is a time of transition, and we want parents to know when they send their children to our universities that our students will have resources available to help them if they struggle.”
Other meeting highlights:
- The Board approved the Public Education Capital Outlay (PECO) Priority List for inclusion in the 2019-2020 Fixed Capital Outlay Legislative Budget Request.
- The Board approved the Strategic Plans for New College of Florida and Florida Atlantic University as well as a Legislative Budget Request for an “FAU 100” initiative to accelerate the university’s advancement in national rankings.
- The Board recognized ShipMonk Founder Jan Bednar as a State University System Business Champion. A graduate of FAU Tech Runway®, the university’s technology start-up incubator, Jan has 220 employees and is projected to earn $30 million in sales this year. He enjoys speaking to classes at FAU and helping students launch their own companies.
- To promote the impact of online education in the State University System and to recognize the accomplishments of individual online students, the Board recognized Jazmin Campos, a student in the MBA Online program at Florida Atlantic University who is scheduled to graduate in December.
For more information, consult the meeting’s official minutes at flbog.edu. The Board’s next meeting is January 30-31 at Florida International University in Miami.
