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Gulf Specimen Marine Lab’s Annual Sharks & Chablis Event Aims to Raise Funds for Marine Life Research and Education

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Live music, seafood dinner, silent auction among highlights

The best way to learn about the Gulf is to get out on it, and the Gulf Specimen Marine Laboratory’s annual Sharks & Chablis fundraiser will be held on Saturday, May 19, to raise money for a new research boat. This year’s much-anticipated event will generate funds to go specifically toward the C-Hawk Turtle Rescue & Offshore Specimen Research boat, dedicated to the discovery, research, and preservation of marine life.

“We’re thrilled to host our annual Sharks & Chablis event to benefit a new research boat,” says Cypress Rudloe, executive director of the Gulf Specimen Marine Laboratory, located in Panacea. “It’s such a pleasure every year to bring together local businesses, community leaders, and residents alike to enjoy themselves while raising funds for the lab’s many important research programs.”

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UT Creates New Institute Focused on Sales Education for Students

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New institute will provide curriculum and events to prepare students for careers in sales; collaborate with Tampa Bay business community for training opportunities and networking

The University of Tampa has announced a new institute tasked with the primary mission of educating interested students of all majors in sales methodologies and preparing them for careers in sales.

The Institute for Sales Excellence, based in UT’s Sykes College of Business, will have four specific functions: (1) prepare students for careers in professional business-to-business sales, (2) encourage networking between students and businesses, (3) serve as a staffing resource for regional, national and global firms, and (4) provide learning resources for local and regional businesses.

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Department of Education Announces Appointment of Damien Kelly as Director of Newly Created Office of Safe Schools

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The Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart today announced long-time law enforcement officer Damien Kelly as director of the newly created Office of Safe Schools. Following the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Governor Rick Scott signed into law the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act. One component of the comprehensive law is the creation of the Office of Safe Schools within the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) and the appointment of its director.

On March 23, Governor Rick Scott sent a letter to district superintendents and school board members that set deadlines FDOE and each school district must meet. Governor Scott directed FDOE to hire a director for the newly created Office of Safe Schools by May 1, 2018.

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UT Education Program Receives Accreditation Renewal, Strong Marks on Teacher Preparation

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Under a new and more rigorous teacher preparation evaluation system, The University of Tampa recently renewed its accreditation from the Florida Department of Education (FDOE).

The FDOE recently began the new accreditation system in conjunction with Teacher Prep Inspection-US (TPI-US), which reviews teacher preparation programs to determine how the programs can expand their promising practices and address areas of improvement.

In March, UT’s Department of Education underwent a weeklong inspection that included observation of faculty and students teaching, interviews with stakeholders, analysis of all documentations, and evaluations of work samples and students’ work.

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Florida dominates national affordability rankings, including for online education

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Recognizing Florida’s commitment to higher education affordability, recent rankings by AffordableColleges.com place several Florida universities among the top in the country for both traditional and online degrees.

Seven State University System institutions were ranked in the “50 Most Affordable In-State Public Universities,” with the University of Florida, New College of Florida and the University of South Florida earning the top three slots. Further, the University of Florida earned the No. 1 ranking in the “50 Most Affordable Online Colleges” category, with the University of Central Florida, Florida International University, University of South Florida, and University of West Florida all garnering spots in the top 20.

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CFO Jimmy Patronis Releases Top 7 Tips to Boost Financial Education during Financial Literacy Month

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Data breaches at major companies like Equifax, Target, Uber, and most recently Saks Fifth Avenue, Lord & Taylor and Under Armour’s MyFitnessPal app will continue to happen and Florida’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) wants to ensure Floridians take steps to protect themselves from fraud and safeguard their finances. One of the top ways to protect yourself from fraud is to freeze your credit, and CFO Patronis successfully eliminated the fee imposed to do so during the 2018 Legislative Session. Knowing how to protect your finances is equally as important as knowing how to manage your finances and with Financial Literacy Month recognized in April, CFO Patronis released his top 7 easy tips to strengthen and protect your financial future.

“Nearly half of American adults don’t have enough money saved for a $400 emergency, a third of American adults have not saved a penny toward retirement, and 16.7 million consumers were impacted by identity fraud in the United States last year,” said CFO Jimmy Patronis. “These are shocking statistics and numbers we can change with increased awareness and education to safeguard your finances.”

  1. Freeze your credit if you’re a victim of a data breach. CFO Patronis worked to eliminate the credit report freeze fee during the 2018 Legislative Session. Freezing your credit is one of the top ways to protect yourself from identity fraud.
  2. Watch your credit report. Check it for inaccuracies by setting up alerts to better protect yourself from fraud.
  3. Keep your passwords secure. You can avoid opening your financial world to anyone who knows your pet’s name or your birthday, and make sure to change your passwords regularly.
  4. Follow the 20-10 rule when it comes to credit cards. Don’t borrow more than 20 percent of your annual net income on all your loans (not including a mortgage). Payments on those loans shouldn’t exceed 10 percent of your monthly net income.
  5. Set up alerts whether via a credit card’s app or via email so you don’t ever miss a payment. It also helps you know when charges are made on your cards so you can flag anything that is suspicious.
  6. Keep track of everything you spend for a week and adjust your spending as needed. Make purchases with cash to help you stick to a budget and avoid impulse purchases.
  7. Rank nonessential expenses and keep the ones you like the best and cut the items on the bottom of the list.
CFO Patronis’ Division of Consumer Services offers several resources and programs to help increase Floridians’ financial knowledge and protections:

Frauds and Scams – An overview of frequent frauds and scams that impact consumers.

Consumer Alerts – Sign up to receive Consumer Alerts to stay abreast of important issues that impact consumers such as insurance, current frauds, scams, disaster alerts and more.

Consumer Protections – A section that covers insurance topics to help consumers gain a better understanding and assist in making informed insurance and financial decisions.

Mediation and Neutral Evaluation Programs – If consumers have a claim dispute with their insurance company, the Department’s Mediation and Neutral Evaluation programs offer alternative dispute resolution options that may help resolve the issue prior to taking legal action.

For more information on the Department’s Division of Consumer Services, call the toll-free Insurance Consumer Helpline at 1-877-MY-FL-CFO (693-5236) or visit www.MyFloridaCFO.com/Division/Consumers.

Florida Lottery celebrates latest milestone of $33 billion in contributions to education over 30 years

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The Florida Lottery announced today it has reached the $33 billion mark in total contributions to the state’s Educational Enhancement Trust Fund over the past 30 years. Since the Lottery’s inception, Florida’s public schools have received more than $11.6 billion, colleges and universities have received a combined total of more than $8.4 billion, and more than $5 billion has been used to fund the Bright Futures Scholarship Program, sending over 775,000 students to college since 1997.

Governor Rick Scott said, “Today’s news that the Lottery has reached $33 billion in total contributions to education means that more Florida students will have the opportunity to get a great education in our state. The success of the Florida Lottery has a direct connection to the continued success of Florida’s scholarship programs and world-class education system. Just this month, U.S. News & World Report again ranked Florida as the best state in the nation for higher education and this latest milestone achievement will help us continue the important work of making sure that every student has access to a great education in Florida.”

“As the Lottery celebrates its 30 years in operation, we are especially proud of this milestone moment in education funding,” said Secretary Jim Poppell. “We are thankful to Governor Scott for his leadership, our loyal players, hardworking retailers and dedicated employees who allow us to help Florida students achieve their dreams of a brighter future.”

The Lottery has established itself as a committed and dependable funding source for public education; contributing more than $1 billion annually for the past sixteen consecutive years, while remaining one of the most efficiently operated lotteries in the country. The benefits continue to be felt in communities across the state.

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].