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FAMU President Announces Statewide Recruitment Tour

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Florida A&M University (FAMU) President Larry Robinson, Ph.D., will launch his first statewide recruitment tour as the University’s 12th president on Friday, March 9.

“The President’s Tour” is part of the University’s strategic enrollment management plan to attract the state’s top scholars by exposing them to the life-changing educational experiences provided by FAMU’s faculty and staff.

The tour will begin in Pensacola on March 9 at Booker T. Washington High School and end in Miami on Monday, March 12 at Miami Jackson High School.

During the tour, Dr. Robinson will give a special presentation to high school students and their families about why they should choose FAMU, and accomplished alumni in their respective fields will give personal testimonials about how FAMU impacted their lives. They will be joined by other alumni, student representatives, faculty, deans, administrators, and recruiters who will interact with potential students as well as admit top scholars on the spot.

FAMU’s renowned student song and dance ensemble, “The FAMU Connection,” will “bring down the house” with performances at each stop.

“FAMU is a place that provides students a nurturing and supportive environment to excel academically, grow personally and develop professionally by exposure to quality academic programs, meaningful extracurricular activities, and career-expanding access to research and internship opportunities. Through the efforts of our outstanding faculty and staff, we prepare our students to be leaders committed to making impacts in their local, national and global communities,” Robinson said. “We look forward to meeting with some of Florida’s top students, introducing them to our tradition of ‘Excellence With Caring,’ and welcoming them to the FAMU family.”

In preparation for the tour, FAMU is launching three new online platforms for incoming students, including a new virtual reality tour, a customized social media network for admitted students, and an admissions landing portal.

Students and parents can RSVP for the tour stops by calling the Division of Student Affairs at 850-599-3183.

A schedule of events is as follows:

March 9
6:30 p.m. CST
Booker T. Washington High School
6000 College Parkway
Pensacola, Florida

March 10
12 p.m. EST
Springhill Missionary Baptist Church
120 S.E. Williston Road
Gainesville, Florida

March 11
3:30 p.m. EST
Palm Beach State College
4200 Congress Avenue
Lake Worth, Florida

March 12
9:30 a.m. EST
Broward College
3501 Davie Road
Davie, Florida

March 12
6:30 p.m. EST
Miami Jackson High School
1751 NW 36th St.
Miami, Florida

Expert on Academic Freedom in Higher Education to Speak at UT on Monday, March 19

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Risa Lieberwitz, professor of labor and employment law at Cornell University and general counsel of American Association of University Professors (AAUP), will speak at The University of Tampa about academic freedom in higher education on Monday, March 19, at 3 p.m.

This presentation is free and open to all UT students, faculty and staff, and the public. It will be held in the Sykes Chapel and Center for Faith and Values on campus.

Lieberwitz will address the role of law and institutional policies in protecting the multiple aspects of academic freedom in public and private institutions of higher education — individual rights of free speech and due process and collective rights of shared governance. The presentation, “The Many Faces of Academic Freedom: Free Speech, Due Process and Shared Governance,” will also examine the following questions: What does academic freedom mean? Does it extend beyond the teaching and research? Does it include rights to due process?

Lieberwitz’s presentation will be followed by a Q-and-A session.

The event is organized by the UT Workgroup on Free Speech and Academic Freedom, and is sponsored by the Office of the Provost and Faculty Senate. The presentation is the first of a series of forums and events meant to cover the principles of free speech and academic freedom for the benefit of the entire University community.

For more information, contact Marcus Arvan, UT assistant professor of philosophy and chair of the UT Workgroup on Free Speech and Academic Freedom, at [email protected].

PSC to Help Consumers in Washington County for National Consumer Protection Week

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The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) will be informing consumers about scams targeting utility customers during the 20th Annual National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW), March 4–10, 2018.

On Thursday, March 8, 2018, PSC staff will be speaking with customers in Washington County about how to avoid these scams while also providing tips on energy and water conservation and information about the Lifeline Assistance telephone/broadband discount program.

The time and place for the PSC event is below:

Thursday, March 8, 2018
2:15 p.m. CST
Washington County Council on Aging
1348 South Boulevard
Chipley, Florida 32428

For more information about NCPW and to see a nationwide calendar of events, please visit ncpw.gov.

Senate Passes Proposed Constitutional Amendment Requiring Supermajority Vote for Tax Increases

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Florida voters can require two-thirds vote of both the House and Senate to raise taxes

The Florida Senate today passed HJR 7001, Supermajority Vote for State Taxes or Fees. The legislation proposes an amendment to Florida’s Constitution to require that a state tax or fee imposed, authorized, or raised by the Legislature, be approved by two-thirds of the membership of each house of the Legislature.

“Florida families plan their budgets carefully to make every dollar count and the Legislature exercises the same attentiveness when appropriating the tax dollars Floridians send us,” said Senate President Joe Negron (R-Stuart). “Just like Florida families, state government should live within its means.”

“When families across Florida have to find a way to pay for medical bills, braces, a new car, or a broken appliance, they have to sacrifice either by cutting expenses or increasing revenues by working extra hours, or taking on a second job,” said Senator Kelli Stargel (R-Lakeland), Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Finance and Tax, who presented HJR 7001 on the Senate floor. “State government should be just as diligent with determining when to make cuts and when to increase revenues. This important legislation gives voters a chance to make it harder for the Legislature to raise state taxes and fees.”

The amendment proposed in HJR 7001 will take effect on January 8, 2019, if approved by sixty percent of the voters.

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to Host Webinar on Consumer Protection

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In recognition of National Consumer Protection Week, March 4-10, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will host a webinar to help educate Florida consumers on how to protect themselves from scams. The free webinar on Wednesday, March 7, from 1 to 2 p.m. will highlight the department’s role in business registration, the consumer complaint and mediation process and more. Consumers can register for the webinar at FloridaConsumerHelp.com.

National Consumer Protection Week is a nationwide effort to educate consumers about their rights and how to make well-informed decisions to avoid scams and fraud.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is the state’s clearinghouse for consumer complaints, protection and information. The call center is staffed with trained analysts who can respond to questions about programs and regulations under the department’s purview, provide information on a wide variety of topics or direct callers to the appropriate government agency. Consumers can get tips or file a complaint at FloridaComsumerHelp.com.

Consumers who believe fraud has taken place can contact the department’s consumer protection and information hotline at 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352) or, for Spanish speakers, 1-800-FL-AYUDA (352-9832).

FLVC’s Open Educational Resources Summit discusses the high cost of student textbooks

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Florida Virtual Campus held its first Open Educational Resources Summit Feb. 7-8 at the Hilton Sandestin Beach & Golf Resort in Miramar Beach, Florida. FLVC is a Complete Florida Plus Program, managed by the University of West Florida Division of Research and Strategic Innovation.

“We are deeply grateful to all our amazing speakers, staff, and support teams who helped make this event a hit for state and campus leaders,” said Dr. John Opper, executive director of Distance Learning and Student Services at FLVC. “We had approximately 200 attendees, some stating the summit was as good as any national summit they had attended.”

Attendees heard from Cable Green, director of Open Education at Creative Commons, and many other national and campus leaders who are involved in defining and driving OER strategies and initiatives. The summit’s discussion focused on the high cost of college textbooks and the resources available to students. Speakers identified ideas and options for how Florida can raise the level of awareness regarding textbook costs and bring OER options to the forefront of the conversation.

Studies have shown that the cost of college textbooks is creating a barrier to student success. According to the 2016 FLVC Student Textbook and Course Material Survey, almost 46 percent of college students report not registering for particular classes due to the high textbook cost, and 26 percent of students dropped a course when they found out the cost of the textbook.

Open educational resources are freely accessible, openly licensed text, media, and other digital assets useful for teaching, learning and research purposes. One state funded resource for storing and sharing OER is the Orange Grove, an online collection of textbooks and educational materials available to Florida students and faculty for free. Using this resource, students can find textbooks for a range of courses, from english composition to oceanography to precalculus.

If you were unable to attend the summit, a video archive of the presentations can be found on the FLVC YouTube page.

Attorney General Bondi Warns of Common Scams in Recognition of National Consumer Protection Week

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Attorney General Pam Bondi is warning Floridians about common scams in recognition of 2018 National Consumer Protection Week. Scammers often target Florida because of its large senior population, military bases and millions of tourists. Tax scams and vacation rental scams are also common during this time of the year.

“My office will continue to work tirelessly to fight fraud and protect Floridians from consumer-related scams, and we need you to join us in this effort.” said Attorney General Bondi. “This National Consumer Protection Week I urge Floridians to learn how to spot scams and what to do if you are targeted.”

Some common types of scams reported in Florida include:
 
Tech Support: Fraudulent pop-up ads claiming a computer is infected with malware that can be eliminated by calling the tech support number on the ad. If a consumer calls the number, the scammer will try to take remote control of the computer and hold it for ransom. For more information, click here. 

IRS Tax Scams: Scammers will call impersonating an IRS official and threaten to arrest or take legal action against a consumer for back taxes, unless the victim immediately wires funds or provides a prepaid debit card number. For more information, click here. 

Illegal Robocalling: Pre-recorded messages pitching a product or seeking financial information. Often the number is spoofed, or changed using software, to appear to be from a reputable company or charity. For more information, click here. 

Vacation Rental Scams: Fake internet postings advertising a vacation rental property not owned by the scammer. The goal is to steal the tourist’s deposit by leading them to believe they have booked a hotel or vacation house. For more information, click here. 

Military Scams: Scammers will target military members, veterans and their families promising exclusive discounts or other deals related to military service, benefits or charity. In 2017, Attorney General Bondi created the Military and Veterans Assistance Program to identify and stop scams targeting the military. For more information, click here.

Floridians can report these scams or other fraudulent business practices to the Florida Attorney General’s Office by calling (866) 9NO-SCAM or filing a consumer complaint online at MyFloridaLegal.com.

Since taking office in 2011, Attorney General Bondi’s Consumer Protection Division has recovered more than $10 billion for Floridians and consumers nationwide. Today, Attorney General Bondi will be reaching out directly to Floridians with Consumer Protection Tips on Twitter. To follow the Attorney General’s Twitter campaign visit Twitter.com/AGPamBondi.

PSC to Help Consumers in Leon County for National Consumer Protection Week

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The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) will be informing consumers about scams targeting utility customers during the 20th Annual National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW), March 4–10, 2018.

On Thursday, March 8, 2018, PSC staff will speak with consumers in Leon County about how to avoid these scams while also providing tips on energy and water conservation and information about the Lifeline Assistance telephone/broadband discount program.

The PSC event is scheduled at the below time and place:

Thursday, March 8, 2018
10:30 a.m.
Woodville Senior Center
8000 Old Woodville Road
Tallahassee, Florida 32305

For more information about NCPW and to see a nationwide calendar of events, please visit ncpw.gov.

PSC to Help Consumers in Hillsborough County for National Consumer Protection Week

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The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) will be informing consumers about scams targeting utility customers during the 20th Annual National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW), March 4–10, 2018.

On Tuesday, March 6, 2018, PSC staff will be speaking with consumers in Hillsborough County about how to avoid these scams while also providing tips on energy and water conservation and information about the Lifeline Assistance telephone/broadband discount program.

Information on the PSC’s NCPW events is below:

Tuesday, March 6, 2018
11:15 a.m.
Tampa Housing Authority
J.L. Young Garden Apartments
Dining Room
8220 N. Florida Ave
Tampa, Florida 33604

***

Tuesday, March 6, 2018
12:30 p.m.
The Oaks at Riverview
101 East Kirby Street
Tampa, Florida 33604

For more NCPW information and to see a nationwide calendar of events, please visit ncpw.gov.

For additional information, visit floridapsc.com.

Volunteer Florida, Uber Collect 3,540 Items for #SuitsForSession

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Volunteer Florida and Uber today announced that the third annual #SuitsForSession service project at the capitol collected 3,540 donations of professional attire for job-seekers statewide. In addition to collecting items at the capitol, Uber drivers picked up items across Leon County for free this past Tuesday.

Highlights include:

  • Total items: 3,540
  • Number of suits collected: 373 (237 women’s, 136 men’s)
  • Number of women’s items collected: 2,270
  • Number of men’s items collected: 743
  • Other items (shoes, belts, etc.) collected: 527
  • Number of bags of clothing donated through the Uber app: 27
  • Number of participating organizations which collected clothing: 26

Florida leaders including Lieutenant Governor Carlos Lopez-Cantera, Senate Majority Leader Wilton Simpson, General Michael Calhoun of the Department of Military Affairs, Department of Juvenile Justice Secretary Christine Daly, Surgeon General Celeste Philip, M.D., Department of Management Services Secretary Erin Rock, Secretary of Elder Affairs Jeffrey Bragg, Commissioner of the Office of Insurance Regulation David Altmaier, Department of Business and Professional Regulation Secretary Jonathan Zachem, Secretary of the Lottery Jim Poppel, Department of Revenue Director Leon Biegalski, VISIT FLORIDA CEO, along with legislative staff and members of the private sector, stopped by the #SuitsForSession display throughout the day to donate their items.

Volunteer Florida CEO Vivian Myrtetus said, “Volunteer Florida is happy to co-sponsor this wonderful event again this year.  #SuitsForSession is a great and convenient way for all those involved in the legislative process and to give back. The people of Tallahassee matched these donations by bringing and sending in their own business apparel. Uber has been a tremendous partner to Volunteer Florida and we are so thankful for their participation in another successful year of #SuitsForSession.”

Uber Florida General Manager Kasra Moshkani said, “Tuesday’s third annual #SuitsForSession capitol service project was a tremendous success, and we are proud to have played a role in making the donation of items easy and convenient for Uber users. We are thankful for the generosity of those in Leon County, who came together to collect thousands of items for the local community.”

Senate Majority Leader Wilton Simpson said, “It was great participating in another #SuitsForSession clothing drive. My staff and I are always proud to support this service project that helps job seekers throughout our state.”

Florida State University Unconquered Scholars Program Director Lisa Jacksonsaid, “The purpose of the Unconquered Scholars program is to lift up and support our youth who need it most so we are delighted to be a recipient of the #SuitsForSession campaign and extremely grateful for the generosity of so many in our community.”

Dress for Success Tampa Bay Executive Director Katie McGill said, “We are so grateful to everyone who worked together to make this event such a success. Dress for Success is delighted to be able to distribute so many items of professional attire to our job seekers. The clothing gives them a critical boost of confidence as they enter the workforce.”

Chapman Partnership President and CEO H. Daniel Vincent said, “For residents at Chapman Partnership, self-esteem is an essential component to empowering our homeless.  Daily we see how lives are changed by helping to augment the outward appearance of our residents, coupled with hard and soft employment skills that give them the confidence needed to re-enter the workforce. Thank you Volunteer Florida and Uber for once again organizing this meritorious event.”

ECHO Outreach Ministries Executive Director Freddy Branham said, “ECHO is honored to participate in #SuitsForSession for a second consecutive year. These donations are an invaluable resource for our clients who are working or seeking employment as a path to lift themselves out of poverty.”

Donated items will be delivered to Chapman Partnership in Miami, Dress for Success Tampa Bay, ECHO Outreach Ministries in Tallahassee, Bridges of America (statewide locations), and the Florida State University Unconquered Scholars program in Tallahassee throughout the coming days.