Capital Soup

Florida News Straight From the Source

You are here: Home / Archives for Contributor

Contributor

Excellence in Higher Education Legislation Passes Final Senate Committee

Posted on

Senate Bill 2 available for consideration on the
Senate Floor during the first week of Session

Senate Bill 2, the Florida Excellence in Higher Education Act, and Senate Bill 4, Faculty Recruitment, both sponsored by Senator Bill Galvano (R-Bradenton), were merged today and passed as a package through the Senate Committee on Appropriations, chaired by Senator Jack Latvala (R-Clearwater). Having passed all three committees of reference, Senate Bill 2 is available for consideration on the Senate floor during the first week of the 2017 Legislative Session, which begins on March 7.
“Students, parents, and taxpayers who support our State University System receive the best return on their investment when Florida students attend our own universities, complete degree programs on time, and then graduate with job opportunities in high-demand fields needed in our growing communities,” said Senate President Joe Negron (R-Stuart). “This legislation will help to ease financial barriers that impede on-time graduation and delay students entering their chosen careers. Over time, these key policy enhancements and targeted financial investments in faculty and infrastructure will enhance the national reputation of Florida’s State University System.”
“I am grateful for the input we received both before and during the committee process from students, parents, instructors, administrators and others,” said Senator Galvano. “Florida is a place where people of all educational, ethnic, and economic backgrounds can succeed in contributing to our diverse and growing economy. For many Floridians, our university system is the key to unlocking their future career path. This legislation will help keep our State University System nationally competitive, while both maintaining and improving the flexibility options that allow students to tailor their education to ensure that they can meet family and work obligations.”
Senate Bills 2 and 4 have been key companions in defining the Senate’s Excellence in Higher Education Agenda for the 2017 Legislative Session. Senate Bill 2, the Florida Excellence in Higher Education Act, promotes on-time graduation by expanding student financial assistance and support, establishing tuition and fee incentives, streamlining 2+2 articulation, and strengthening mechanisms that keep colleges and universities accountable to Florida taxpayers. Senate Bill 4, Faculty Recruitment, expands policy and funding tools universities can leverage to recruit and retain the very best faculty, enhance professional and graduate schools, and improve aging infrastructure and research laboratories. By merging the components of both bills into one, Senate Bill 2 now represents a more complete package of tools available to help universities serve their students while elevating the prominence of their institutions.
SENATE BILL 2 – THE FLORIDA EXCELLENCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION ACT
Expands Student Financial Assistance and Support

  • Reinstates Highest Bright Futures Scholarship Program Award (Florida Academic Scholar) to cover 100 percent of tuition and certain tuition-indexed fees, including the summer term, plus $300 for textbooks and college-related expenses during the fall and spring terms.
  • Expands the Benacquisto Scholar Program to provide awards for qualified out-of-state students, as funded in the General Appropriations Act (GAA), equal to the highest cost of resident student attendance at a state university. The student must physically reside in the community of the university he or she is attending.
  • Revises the 1st Generation Matching Grant Program to provide two to one (state to local match versus one to one), as funded in the GAA.
  • Creates the Florida Farmworker Student Scholarship Program to provide need-based scholarships to cover the cost of tuition and fees for farmworkers and the children of farmworkers to earn a workforce certificate or a college degree.

Establishes Tuition and Fee Incentives
The Legislature has authorized state universities to implement flexible tuition policies to assist students in accessing higher education in our state. To date, no state university has implemented a block tuition policy.

  • Requires universities to implement a block tuition policy, which must specify an in-state block tuition rate and an out-of-state block tuition rate for full-time undergraduate students. The university board of trustees and the Board of Governors must publicly approve the block tuition policy in time for implementation by no later than the Fall 2018 semester.

Streamlines 2+2 Articulation

  • Establishes the 2+2 targeted pathway program to strengthen Florida’s 2+2 system of articulation and improve student retention and on-time graduation in four years with a baccalaureate degree.
  • Requires each community college to execute at least one 2+2 targeted pathway articulation agreement by the 2018-19 academic year. The articulation agreement must provide students who meet specified requirements guaranteed access to the state university and baccalaureate degree program in accordance with the terms of the agreement.
  • Requires district school boards to notify students and parents with accurate and timely information about how college credits generated in high school will apply towards a college degree.

Strengthens Mechanisms That Keep Colleges and Universities Accountable To Florida Taxpayers
Incentivizes full-time student graduation in four years by focusing institutional efforts on initiatives that reduce student time to, and costs of, on-time degree completion.

  • Upgrades State University System (SUS) Performance Metrics in Preeminence and Performance Funding programs: 
    • Tightens graduation rate expectations to four-year (from six-year) for a baccalaureate degree. (Note: Universities are only evaluated based on the graduation rates of students who are enrolled full-time, beginning in the fall semester, and who have not previously enrolled.)
    • Repeals preeminent university authority for a six-credit set of “unique courses” that consume time and money for non-transferable credit.
  • Upgrades Florida College System (FCS) Performance Metrics in Distinguished College and Performance Funding programs:
    • Tightens degree (associate and bachelor) graduation rate metrics to 100 percent (versus 150 percent) of normal-time completion. (Note: Colleges are only evaluated based on the graduation rates of students who are enrolled full-time, beginning in the fall semester, and who have not previously enrolled.)
    • Adds a college affordability metric, which must be adopted by the State Board of Education.
    • Specifies the job placement metric must be based on wage thresholds that reflect the added value of the applicable certificate or degree.

Expands and Enhances Policy and Funding Tools State Universities can Leverage to Recruit and Retain the Very Best Faculty

  • Establishes a World Class Faculty Scholar Program to fund university efforts to recruit, recognize, and retain star faculty and teams, as funded in the GAA.
  • Establishes a University Professional and Graduate Degree Excellence Program to promote quality and excellence in university professional school and graduate study outcomes in high-impact fields of medicine, law, and business, as funded in the GAA.
  • Links education to job opportunities by expanding university responsibility to identify internship opportunities for students to benefit from industry experts and mentors, earn industry certifications, and become employed in high-demand fields of unmet need.

 

Sen. Jeff Clemens and Rep. Lori Berman file bill to strike unconstitutional language from HB 1411

Posted on

Sen. Jeff Clemens (D-Lake Worth) and Rep. Lori Berman (D-Lantana) have filed Senate Bill 1114 and House Bill 6025, striking unconstitutional language from House Bill 1411 (HB 1411), the omnibus anti-reproductive health care bill passed during the 2016 session. Last June, Planned Parenthood of South, East and North Florida and Planned Parenthood of Southwest Central Florida successfully challenged three parts of HB 1411.
“Thank goodness we have a court system that acts as a check on the Legislature,” Sen. Clemens said. “It’s unfortunate that the majority in the Legislature continues to pass unconstitutional bills.”
“I am proud to file a bill to repeal the language in HB 1411 that the Federal District Court has deemed unconstitutional,” said Rep. Berman. “It is deeply disturbing that we use valuable legislative time in such a counterproductive manner and that we as taxpayers end up footing the cost for defending these ill-conceived ideological bills.”
During the 2016 legislative session, when this bill passed, it was never heard by the Judiciary Committees in either chamber. When concerns about the constitutionally of the legislation were raised, they were dismissed by supporters of the bill. In August 2016, a Federal District Court permanently blocked the Florida law from being enacted.
“This bill would repeal unconstitutional language that attempted to defund family planning providers who provide safe and legal abortion care from offering preventive care such as birth control, cancer screenings, STI tests, and other essential health care services,” said Barbara Zdravecky, CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida. “It would also repeal unconstitutional language jeopardizing the privacy of women who have an abortion by requiring that at least 50 percent of those patient records be reviewed by state officials, a mandate not required in any other medical procedure.”
Defunding an essential community provider and mandating onerous inspection requirements does nothing to improve the health and safety of care. This unconstitutional law is a part of a nationwide trend to target abortion providers and restrict access to reproductive health care services. Since 2011, 334 abortion restrictions have been enacted across the county.
“This legislation continues to highlight the constant attacks targeting abortion providers and the legislature’s disregard of protecting a patient’s constitutional rights,” added Lillian Tamayo, CEO of Planned Parenthood of South, East and North Florida.
Just last week the Florida Supreme Court blocked a Florida law that would have required women to wait 24 hours before having an abortion. This is yet another example of the courts reminding lawmakers they don’t have the right to block access to safe and legal abortion. This ruling is a major victory but it appears to have fallen on deaf ears in the halls of the Capitol, as legislators continue to file bills this year that continue to attack access to abortion.

Please visit www.fappa.org for more information.

Media Advisory: Hawkins Park Ribbon-Cutting on Monday

Posted on

On Monday, February 27, the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, RESPECT of Florida, and local dignitaries will officially open Hawkins Recreational Park. The accessible park is being reopened to the public after renovations and the installation of new playground equipment. The property was donated to the state of Florida for the benefit of individuals with disabilities.
WHAT: Hawkins Recreational Park Ribbon-Cutting
WHEN: Monday, February 27 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
WHERE: Hawkins Recreational Park
5550 Bubba Lane
Milton, Florida 32570

Academic Excellence Symposium: A Dialogue on Equity and Inclusion

Posted on

A Dialogue on Equity and Inclusion will be the theme during Daytona State College’s 9th annual Academic Excellence Symposium slated for Friday, March 3, in the Hosseini Center on the college’s Daytona Beach Campus, 1200 W. International Speedway Blvd.2.23.2017 dialogue equity inclusion
The free, public symposium, geared toward giving educators strategies for best practices in teaching and learning, will focus on equity and inclusion through three specific lenses: poverty and affluence in the 21st century; LGBTQ issues and perspectives; and supporting students with disabilities and special needs.
Gary Paul Wright, founder and executive director of the African American Office of Gay Concerns and a national authority on HIV/AIDS prevention, will present on LGBTQ issues and perspectives during one of a variety of sessions and panel discussions that also will include student views on many of the topics.
Carol Tonge Mack, assistant dean in the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Cincinnati, will join DSC English Prof. Frank Gunshanan in heading up a conversation about affluence and poverty in the 21st century. McMicken is an expert on social justice and diversity in the workplace, while Gunshanan is a leader in Daytona State’s initiative to fight hunger and homelessness among students.
Participants also will have the opportunity to attend a variety of sessions hosted by Daytona State faculty and staff that will further explore the symposium’s theme of equity and inclusion. Attendees are encouraged to come prepared to engage in the conversation by sharing observations, concerns, successes and challenges related to the three areas of focus.
Space is limited. Additional details, including a link to the registration page, are available at DaytonaState.edu/ProfessionalDevelopment/Symposium.html.

Polk County Declares March 14, 2017 “Women in STEM Day”

Posted on

17_0221_FLPolyWISday_02

Provost Terry Parker with gathering of Florida Poly faculty and staff inside the Polk County Neil Combee Administration Building in Bartow, Florida for the proclamation signing.

Florida Polytechnic University has received a proclamation from the Polk County Board of County Commissioners designating March 14, 2017 as “Florida Polytechnic University Women in STEM Day.”  On that date, the university will host its second annual Women in STEM Summit, which aims to foster alignment, partnership and collaboration among university scholars and industry leaders. 2.23.2017 Women in STEM
The proclamation was read during the Polk County Commission meeting in Bartow on Tuesday. Florida Poly Provost Dr. Terry Parker accepted the proclamation on behalf of the university, along with more than a dozen other Florida Poly faculty and staff.
“Diversity in all forms – demographic, cultural, philosophical – is important to building a strong academic community,” said Dr. Parker. “Nationwide, it seems especially hard to find diversity in STEM, but through programs like the Women in STEM Summit, Florida Poly hopes to inspire more students of all backgrounds to consider opportunities in these innovative fields.”
STEM stands for “science, technology, engineering and mathematics.” In 2015, women earned approximately 20 percent of all bachelor’s degrees conferred in engineering, and 16 percent of those in computer science, according to federal data. Florida Poly’s current degree programs focus exclusively on the core STEM subjects of technology and engineering.
Florida Poly’s Women in STEM Summit will give students, faculty and industry leaders the chance to network, develop mentorship opportunities and learn from the experience of several accomplished speakers. The event’s keynote is Karen Catlin, former Vice-President at Adobe Systems, who now advocates for women in technology. The event will also include a panel conversation with men and women who have overcome barriers to find success in STEM industries.
For more information about Florida Poly’s second annual Women in STEM Summit, click here.

FDLE Agents arrest St. Lucie corrections deputy sheriff on contraband charge

Posted on

Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested Ingrid Yearby, a corrections deputy sheriff with the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office, on introduction of contraband into a correctional institution.
Yearby is the wife of James Yearby, who was arrested last week on a contraband charge at Martin Correctional Institution (MCI).
An investigation revealed that Ingrid Yearby tried to arrange a bank scam that would deposit $875,000 into her bank account. She had communicated with an inmate via text and voice at MCI. The inmate told Ingrid Yearby that he had access to an overseas dead person’s account. The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office assisted FDLE in the case.
Ingrid Yearby was booked into the Martin County jail and bond was set at $5,000. The Office of the State Attorney, 19thCircuit, will prosecute.

Florida's rubber stamps for Trump's anti-environmental agenda

Posted on

Rubber Stamps: The 10 Florida Members of Congress Who Have Voted
100% of the Time for President Trump’s Anti-Environmental Agenda

In the four weeks since President Donald J. Trump was confirmed as the 45th President of the United States, the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives have held a combined 26 roll call votes on nominees or issues that pertain to energy or environmental policy.
Of Florida’s 29 senators and representatives in the U.S. Congress, 10 have voted 100% of the time for President Trump’s anti-environmental agenda, putting each of them squarely out of synch with public opinion in a state where a majority of residents say they are worried about global warming.
“The question is, what will it take for our elected representatives to stand up to President Trump and to vote independently, on behalf of all Floridians?” said Progress Florida Executive Director Mark Ferrulo.
This disconnect between their early voting records in the 115th Congress and their constituents’ views may be one reason why only three of them are currently scheduled to hold in-person town halls or public meetings in this first week back home since President Trump was sworn in.
In 2017, Sen. Marco Rubio has voted four out of four times for President Trump’s anti-environmental agenda. Specifically, he voted to:

  • Overturn the Stream Protection Rule, which protected U.S. drinking water from toxic mine waste;
  • Enable oil companies to engage in bribery and corruption overseas;
  • Confirm Exxon Mobil’s CEO Rex Tillerson to serve as Secretary of State; and
  • Confirm Oklahoma’s Attorney General, Scott Pruitt, to serve as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Meanwhile, Rubio has no in-person town halls scheduled and his overall “Trump Score” across all policy areas is 100%, according to Nate Silver’s FiveThirtyEight.com.
Of 22 environment-related roll call votes in the House of Representatives in 2017, Florida Congressmen Matt Gaetz, Neal Dunn, Ted Yoho, Bill Posey, Gus Bilirakis, Dennis Ross, Vern Buchanan, Thomas Rooney, and Francis Rooney have not cast a single vote against President Trump’s anti-environmental agenda. They have voted to:

“Like Sen. Rubio, these nine Florida congressional Republicans have turned their back on their constituents – not just through their extreme anti-environmental voting record, but in most cases ducking voters in their home districts by avoiding town hall meetings,” added Ferrulo.
According TownHallProject.com, only Reps. Yoho, Gaetz and Bilirakis have in-person town hall meetings scheduled during the congressional recess. Reps. Gaetz, Dunn, Yoho, Posey, Bilirakis, Ross, Buchanan, T. Rooney, and F. Rooney all have an overall “Trump Score” of 100% according to Nate Silver’s FiveThirtyEight.com.

FDLE Agents arrest Orlando man on 12 counts of child pornography

Posted on

Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement today arrested Adalberto Delgado-Martinez, 40, of 5846 Dolphin Drive, Orlando, on 12 counts of child pornography.
FDLE Agents with the Cyber Crimes Task Force conducted an investigation and found that Delgado-Martinez used a computer device to download and collect digital files depicting children under the age of 18 engaged in sexual acts. A search warrant yielded an external hard drive, which was located in the top dresser drawer in Delgado-Martinez’s bedroom. During a forensic preview, several digital videos, some including children as young as 7, were found.
Delgado-Martinez was booked into the Orange County jail with no bond. The case will be prosecuted by the State Attorney’s Office, 9th Judicial Circuit.

MyCareerShines surpasses another major milestone

Posted on

More than 300,000 Florida students are taking steps toward a bright future

More than 300,000 Sunshine State students and adults are planning their future on MyCareerShines, Florida’s comprehensive education and career planning system. The system is powered by a suite of age-appropriate online tools that allow students to develop a personalized education plan that connects interests and skills to careers and jobs. MyCareerShines is administered by the University of West Florida Innovation Institute and is free for all Florida students from middle school through college and beyond.
“MyCareerShines is helping students plan for the future,” said Dr. Karen Rasmussen, associate vice president of academic strategies. “Whether it is college, training or straight into the workforce, MyCareerShines gives students all the information and tools to succeed.”
MyCareerShines currently offers two online tools developed by Kuder, Inc., an internationally recognized career guidance services provider specializing in research-based career assessments. Students in middle and high school use Navigator® to develop an education plan that prepares them for college and a rewarding career after graduation. College students use Journey® to develop a plan to pursue and land their dream job.
“When students have a plan, they are more likely to stay on track, on time and on budget for earning their degree,” said Dr. Rasmussen. “MyCareerShines helps them make that plan, starting as early as seventh grade.”
Students build a plan by going through the step-by-step process or they access features in the system that meet their immediate needs. The system allows students to assess their interests and skills, explore the extensive catalog of careers, learn about the education requirements for their top job choices, make a plan for school, create resumes, prepare for interviews and find jobs.
MyCareerShines is fully funded by the Florida Legislature, which has made it a priority to prepare Floridians with the knowledge, skills and tools to succeed in school and the increasingly competitive global economy. The system is being implemented and managed by the UWF Innovation Institute, which also manages Florida’s Student Hub of Innovative Educational Services – FloridaShines, for short.
MyCareerShines 
MyCareerShines is Florida’s comprehensive education and career planning system. The system is powered by a suite of age-appropriate FREE online tools that allow students and job seekers to develop a personalized plan that connects interests, skills and education to careers and jobs.
UWF Innovation Institute 
The Innovation Institute is a collaborative makerspace for building innovative solutions. The Innovation team, founded around the principles of extreme collaboration, high energy, deep research and innovative thinking are focused on solving significant educational challenges. One of the cornerstones of the Institute is it focus on being a “Thought Leader” in education – creating and implementing innovative tools, programs and resources to the advancement of education and learning.
Kuder, Inc.
More than 165 million people have used Kuder’s research-based career assessment, education planning, and guidance resources to help visualize which industry or career, field of study, or school to pursue next in life. Kuder helps ensure that people of all ages can unlock the power of their own potential, and create a bright future. For more information, visit www.kuder.com or call (800) 314-8972.