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Gov. Scott Applauds Senate’s Focus on Jobs; Concerned House is Slashing Jobs Programs

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Governor Rick Scott released the below statement on the proposed budgets within the Florida Senate and Florida House. The Florida Senate’s proposed budget includes more than $80 million for Enterprise Florida programs and $76 million for VISIT FLORIDA, while the Florida House’s proposed budget eliminates Enterprise Florida and slashes VISIT FLORIDA’s budget to $25 million. 

Governor Scott said, “Over the past few months, Floridians and job creators from across the state have come together in support of important economic development programs like Enterprise Florida and VISIT FLORIDA. I want to thank the Florida Senate for listening to our families and job creators by proposing to fully fund Enterprise Florida and VISIT FLORIDA. 

“Unfortunately, at this time, the Florida House has chosen to continue ignoring the Floridians they serve. The House’s decision to severely cut the budget of VISIT FLORIDA is especially shocking when we look at how disastrous this has been in other states. A reduction of tourism marketing means a reduction of visitors and revenue, which increases the tax burden for our families and threatens the jobs of more than 1.4 million Floridians who rely on the tourism industry. 

“Over and over again, politicians in the House have failed to understand that Florida is competing for job creation projects against other states and countries across the globe. Eliminating Enterprise Florida means we will not be able to effectively compete for new opportunities. Furthermore, while the House originally claimed that the role of EFI could be relocated to DEO, their proposed budget instead slashes positions within DEO’s Division of Business Development. The individuals in these positions are crucial to ensuring businesses honor their contracts and job creation goals before receiving any economic incentive dollars. Eliminating the majority of these positions puts our taxpayers’ hard-earned money at risk.”

Universities rally for critical student success and research initiatives

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Joined by police chiefs, mental health counselors, medical school deans, and student leaders, the Board of Governors and presidents from all 12 of Florida’s public universities came together on Wednesday to rally support for additional mental health counselors and law enforcement officers, raising the State University System’s research profile, and rewarding university performance.
The rally marked the kick-off of the Safer, Smarter, Stronger initiative, designed to demonstrate the return on investment for each of the System’s top priorities. Speakers included Board of Governors Chair Tom Kuntz, Senator Gary Farmer Jr., University of West Florida Student Veteran Timothy Jones, UF Researcher Dr. Glenn Morris, Florida State University First Generation Student Genevieve Bell, and Vice Chair Ned Lautenbach.
“Florida recently ranked top in the country for higher education in U.S. News & World Report, an achievement that inspires all of us to continue striving toward our goals,” said Board of Governors Chair Tom Kuntz. “By putting measures in place to optimize student retention and success, and by positioning our universities to be more competitive in research, we’re priming our state to meet its full economic potential.”
During the rally, Florida Senator Gary Farmer Jr discussed the importance of funding mental health services for students. He was followed by UWF Veteran Timothy Jones, who was diagnosed with PTSD, and said it’s because of mental health counseling and community support that he’ll be graduating this spring. Information on student mental health is available here.
Dr. Glenn Morris, Jr., M.D., M.P.H & T.M. Professor and Director of the UF Emerging Pathogens Institute, discussed the leadership of UF and other institutions on addressing Zika and other diseases.
“Universities are at the front lines in addressing some of the world’s most pressing problems, including critical work on understanding how to prevent, and treat, human diseases,” said Dr. Morris. “The emergence of infections such as Zika are an unfriendly reminder of why we must continue to invest in research, and pursue the discoveries and inventions that make all of our lives safer and better.”
Florida State University Student Genevieve Bell, who is earning a doctorate in neuroscience, also addressed the group about her experience as a First Generation Student. Recognizing the Legislature for proposals to raise the state match on First Generation scholarships, she said she would have never been able to pursue an education if it wasn’t for financial assistance.
State University System Chancellor Marshall Criser said, “Safer, Smarter, Stronger is more than just a slogan, it is a description of what we are accomplishing for our higher education system by working together with the Governor, the Legislature and the universities. We all know that the strength of Florida’s higher education system is directly tied to the success of our students and the prosperity of our state.”
The Board of Governors’ legislative budget request is here. Please call Brittany Davis to arrange interviews with a rally participant or to be connected to sources at your local university.

Facts about the State University System of Florida and the Board of Governors
The State University System of Florida is a constitutional body led by the 17-member Board of Governors. The system has 12 universities and more than 341,000 students, making it the second-largest public university system in the nation. Responsibilities include defining the distinctive mission of each institution and managing the system’s coordination and operation. The Board appoints a Chancellor who serves as the system’s chief executive. For more, visit flbog.edu, think-florida.org, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

FAMU Leaders Join State Universities to Rally for Funding for Student-Centered Services

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University and student leaders from Florida A&M University (FAMU) joined the Florida Board of Governors, police chiefs, mental health counselors, college deans, student leaders, and presidents from Florida’s 11 other public universities on Wednesday to advocate for funding of student-centered programs associated with mental health services and campus security. The event served as the launch of the “Safer, Smarter, Stronger” initiative, created by the Board of Governors to demonstrate the return on investment for each of Florida’s public universities’ top legislative priorities.
In light of the new “Safer, Smarter, Stronger” initiative, FAMU administrators, researchers, and faculty members are calling attention to the need for additional funding for mental health programs, counseling, security services, and related research on college campuses.
“FAMU has emerged as a leader in bringing unique mental health and safety programs to our campus and underserved communities,” Robinson said. “We are focused on identifying additional opportunities to support our students, faculty, and staff in environments that are safe and promote ‘Excellence with Caring,’ the cornerstones of our existence.”
FAMU is asking the Florida Legislature for additional support for its efforts to offer students more streamlined services and programs via a one-stop-shop through its new Student Affairs Building.
Set to be completed in the summer of 2019, the center will house counseling programs, health services, the Center for Disability Access and Resources, a police sub-station, and other wrap-around support services all in one building.
“Equipping students with all of the tools they need to not only be successful but also to thrive is an essential component of our legislative efforts this year,” said William E. Hudson Jr., Ph.D., FAMU’s vice president for Student Affairs. “The Student Affairs Building is a necessary student-centered approach that enhances and modernizes the campus experience, which improves persistence to graduation.”
Anika Fields, Ph.D., FAMU’s director of Counseling Services and member of the International Association of Counseling Services’ Board, underscored the need for additional funding to support mental health programs and services.
“Since the mid-1990s an increasing number of students have come to college with serious mental health issues. In order for them to have a chance at being successful in college, they need continued mental health services,” said Fields. “Students who complete our satisfaction survey each semester say that counseling has kept them in school and contributed to their academic success.”
FAMU’s efforts to meet this demand include individual, group, and couples counseling, as well as special programs and training that focus on victim advocacy, safety therapy, self-esteem promotion, and psychiatric consultation.
Fall 2016 FAMU graduate Donovan Harrell, who was impacted by suicidal ideation before and during college, said that participating in programs like the FAMU Counseling Services Suicide Awareness Walk during his freshman year were helpful. As a student journalist, the event was a stepping-stone to him writing and speaking about mental health while facing his own challenges.
“There were numerous personal obstacles I had to overcome, all of them stemming from mental illness,” said Harrell about the need for college students to have support for their mental health needs. “I was one of the fortunate ones. There are many that aren’t as fortunate as me. (Graduation) was truly an achievement for me as someone who once thought I wouldn’t live to see the day.”
In addition to the support he received through external health care, Harrell said that having access to student programs was also beneficial to helping him manage mental illness.
“The FAMUan (the University’s on-campus student newspaper) provided me with a healthy support group in the form of my coworkers and professors. It gave me a sense of purpose that helped me cope,” said Harrell, who is now a full-time political journalist.
Through the research and training provided by the FAMU Center for Ethnic Psychological Research and Application and its Mental Health First Aid programs, professors like Jackie Collins Robinson, Ph.D., are making strides toward more effectively promoting mental health literacy and improving overall behavioral and mental health on campus and nationally to help more individuals like Harrell. Collins Robinson explained that new data reveals a growing need for mental health support nationally.
“A recent survey of American college freshmen by the Cooperative Institutional Research Program at the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA showed that emotional health is at its lowest in three decades,” Collins Robinson said. “The sooner mental health conditions are recognized, and appropriate interventions are provided, the more likely it is that these students will go back to functioning well and will matriculate through college.”
In addition to its mental health programs, FAMU has also implemented new technology to help students have a safer on and off campus experience. Terence M. Calloway, FAMU’s chief of police, said that an increased investment in campus security by universities and the legislature is necessary for student success across the board.
“With services like our new LiveSafe app we’re able to leverage technology to communicate directly with students, faculty, and staff who need assistance immediately,” said Calloway. “The app allows us to respond to safety concerns and hazards in real-time and receive and share information more quickly via text, photo, and video in an emergency situation. Having additional funding for our security efforts will allow us to put more programs like this in place.”
Learn more about LiveSafe at http://www.famu.edu/index.cfm?PublicSafety&LiveSafeapp.
 

Gov. Scott Announces Freshwater License-Free Fishing Days

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Governor Rick Scott announced that this weekend, April 1st and 2nd, Floridians and visitors will be able to fish without a freshwater recreational fishing license. All bag limits, seasons, and size restrictions will still apply.
Governor Scott said, “This weekend’s license-free fishing days are a great chance for families and visitors to enjoy the spring weather and experience the many fishing sites Florida is well known for. Florida is proud to be the Fishing Capital of the World, and I encourage everyone to take advantage of the license-free days this weekend.”
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Chairman Brian Yablonski said, “If you’ve never been fishing before, this is a great opportunity to get out there and give it a try, or, if you’re a seasoned angler, take a friend or family member who has never been. They just might learn to appreciate it as much as you do.”
This year, FWC is celebrating the 75th anniversary of Florida’s Wildlife Management Area system– nearly six million acres of lands managed as a habitat for wildlife and for people to enjoy fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and more. For more information on Wildlife Management Areas near your community, click here. For fishing tips, locations and regulation information, click here.

University of North Florida Seeks Additional Funding for Mental Health Counselors

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The University of North Florida, along with Florida’s 11 other public universities, is asking the state legislature to allocate additional funding to hire mental health counselors for more than 341,000 students across the state of Florida.
Today’s launch of the “Safer, Smarter, Stronger” initiative brought together State University System stakeholders from across Florida to promote the importance of hiring mental health counselors and other system-wide priorities.
UNF has a Counseling Center on campus that offers individual counseling, psychiatric services, nutrition services and group sessions, such as art therapy, to the campus community. The University hopes to secure funding to add two full-time psychologists, two full-time counselors, a full-time psychiatric nurse practitioner, a full-time crisis management counselor as well as a database that helps the University collect and track student behavior information.
“Due to the increase in student demand and no increase in funding resources, wait times for an initial appointment have gone from one to two weeks just a few years ago to three or four weeks currently,” said Dr. Andrew King, UNF Counseling Center director and licensed psychologist. “Additionally, students who were seen initially every week are now scheduled every two or three weeks. When dealing with the stresses of college and the potential for mental illness, time is of the essence.”
The literature on college success and the UNF Counseling Center’s own research, King noted, has made it clear that college students are more likely to remain in college after the first year, complete their degree and graduate on time than college students who don’t seek counseling. When mental health is ignored, opportunities for growth are lost and preventable suffering only serves to exacerbate existing stress.
The UNF Counseling Center, accredited by the International Association of Counseling Service, opened its doors on campus in 1975. Center staff had more than 7,700 student appointments between 2015 and 2016 and between May 1, 2016, and November 21, 2016, mental health staff saw nearly 14 percent more students and provided over 24 percent more appointments to students when compared to the same time frame during the previous year.
According to King, Counseling Center analysis shows that the severity of student symptoms has increased from year to year, while the utilization rate of services has gone up and academic stress remains stable from year to year.
“Students are demonstrating a need for these services, and our universities are working to make sure they’re safe and have the resources to be successful,” said Rep. Kathleen Peters, a mental health advocate who spoke at the rally. “We need to make sure the funding is there to help the students who really need it.”
Other speakers included Board of Governors Chair Tom Kuntz and Timothy Jones, a student veteran at the University of West Florida, who has used mental health counseling services on that campus. Jones said it’s only because of mental health counseling and community support that he’ll be graduating this spring.
The mission of the UNF Counseling Center is to enhance students’ total educational experience by providing a confidential and supportive environment, where student concerns can be shared and explored. Center services assist students with their personal development and enhance their potential for academic success.
The Board of Governors’ legislative budget request is here. Contact UNF PR Director Joanna Norris to set up an interview with the University’s Counseling Center director or Brittany Davis, BOG communication director, to arrange interviews with a rally participant.
UNF, a nationally ranked university located on an environmentally beautiful campus, offers students who are dedicated to enriching the lives of others the opportunity to build their own futures through a well-rounded education.

Florida Realtors warns consumers to watch for listing scams

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Ready to rent a perfect apartment downtown or maybe buy that dream house? Finding the right place to call home takes time and can cause a range of emotions from excitement to anxiety – especially since Realtors® across Florida report seeing an increase in online listing scams.
“Unfortunately, criminals keep coming up with sophisticated schemes that target online rentals and property listing sites,” says Florida Realtors® 2017 President Maria Wells, broker-owner with Lifestyle Realty Group in Stuart. “Realtors must be aware that criminals are using their legitimate listings data to lure consumers to phony listings on internet portals. As the voice for real estate in Florida, Florida Realtors is committed to protecting consumers – we urge our members to use diligent efforts to help safeguard against these schemes and to encourage their clients to call their Realtor to verify any information.”
According to Florida Realtors General Counsel Margy Grant, federal and state authorities have tried to rid online marketplaces from scams involving bogus sales or rental listings, but they continue.
Here’s what happens in a common fraudulent scheme: Scammers visit rental property or homes for sale listing websites, “scrape” or steal the data, then reuse it in various ways that make them money. They may repost entire listings on sites like Craigslist with their own contact information, so when an unsuspecting consumer sends an email or calls about the property, they’re dealing with the scammer instead of the Realtor who legitimately represents the property.
“We urge consumers to double check all information about any property listing before sending any funds to anyone,” says Grant. “Criminals are creating extremely realistic listings, or stealing others’ listings, in an attempt to convince consumers to send deposits before they confirm the actual true listing agent. If a deal sounds too good to be true, if someone can’t show you the property in person because they’re out of state or out of the country, if they want you to send a deposit or first month’s rent via a wire service before you’ve seen the property or signed a lease, if they want all your personal financial information – these can be possible signs of listing scams.”
It’s a good idea to research the email address and phone number of the landlord, property owner or listing representative. Do a quick internet search and you may find alerts have already been posted about the individual – you may also find the property you’re interested in has duplicate listings with varying prices, different representatives and contact emails.
Report any rental scam to your local law enforcement agency and to the Federal Trade Commission, https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0079-rental-listing-scams. You can also file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at https://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx. Also contact the website where the ad or listing was posted.
Florida Realtors® serves as the voice for real estate in Florida. It provides programs, services, continuing education, research and legislative representation to its 165,000 members in 55 boards/associations. Florida Realtors® Media Center website is available at http://media.floridarealtors.org.

National Geographic Photographer Jodi Cobb to Speak at UT April 5

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On Wednesday, April 5, stop by The University of Tampa to hear veteran National Geographic photographer Jodi Cobb give a retrospective of her distinguished career that has spanned four decades. The event begins at 1 p.m. in Reeves Theater on the second floor of the Vaughn Center and is free and open to the public.
Cobb is a member of a group of intrepid National Geographic photographers who go to great lengths and often take serious risks to bring back the powerful stories readers expect to see in the magazine.
Known for breaking through barriers and going undercover to reveal hidden societies, Cobb has captured glimpses of worlds such as Japan’s secret geisha culture and the cloistered lives of Saudi Arabian women.
In 2004, she published a landmark story on “21st Century Slaves,” which exposed a wide range of human trafficking. The story generated more positive reader mail and commendations than any other story in National Geographic’s history to that time.
This National Geographic Live event is sponsored by UT’s Office of International Programs. For more information, contact Lisa Shemon, coordinator of international programs education and outreach, at (813) 258-7431 or [email protected].

Attorney General Bondi Joins President Trump and Governor Christie for Announcement about National Opioid Epidemic

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Attorney General Pam Bondi is joining President Donald J. Trump and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie at the White House for an announcement regarding the nation’s deadly opioid epidemic.
“I am honored to be appointed to the President’s Opioid and Drug Abuse Commission. Thousands of Americans each year die from drug overdoses. I want to thank the President of the United States, Governor Christie and many others for caring about this deadly epidemic,” said Attorney General Bondi.

RoadWatch Advisory: Westbound University Parkway in Sarasota/Manatee

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FDOT Header

Westbound University Parkway CLOSED Thursday, March 30 and
Friday, March 31 at I-75/University Parkway Interchange

SARASOTA/MANATEE
I-75 (SR 93) / University Parkway Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) Sarasota/Bradenton:  Construction Project:
Detour – WESTBOUND University Parkway CLOSED under I-75 at the I-75/University Parkway Interchange:  
Thursday, March 30 and Friday, March 31. Details below:
The contractor anticipates implementing a temporary detour route on westbound University Parkway at the I-75/University Parkway interchange on Thursday, March 30 at 10 p.m. through Friday morning at 6 a.m. and Friday, March 31 at 10 p.m. through Saturday morning while crews pave University Parkway under I-75.
Motorists traveling west on University Parkway (east of I-75) wishing to travel west through the interchange are directed to travel north on I-75, exit at westbound SR 70/Exit 217B, enter southbound I-75, and exit at University Parkway/Exit 213.
Motorists traveling north on I-75 wishing to travel west on University Parkway are directed to exit at westbound SR 70/Exit 217B (north of the closure), enter southbound I-75, and exit at University Parkway/Exit 213.
Improvements being made as part of this project consist of constructing a diverging diamond interchange, adding an auxiliary lane on northbound and southbound I-75, constructing new bridges on  I-75 over University Parkway, widening of University Parkway, widening of I-75 bridges over Errie Creek and Foley Creek, realignment of on-ramps and off-ramps at I-75/University Parkway, addition of ponds, drainage improvements, new lighting and signalization, construction of a noise wall on the west side of I-75, sidewalks, bike lanes, and pedestrian walkways. Expected completion is fall 2017. The contractor is Prince Contracting, LLC. For additional information, please visit the project website at http://www.swflroads.com/i75/university/

Media Advisory: State University System to announce campaign

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Joined by university presidents, police chiefs, counseling center directors, students and other stakeholders, the Board of Governors and Florida’s 12 public universities will announce their campaign to support student mental health and security, university research, and initiatives to promote student success. 

When: Wednesday, March 29 at 12 p.m. 

Where: 4th floor of the Capitol, Senate side

Who (in order of appearance): Board of Governors Chair Tom Kuntz, Senator Gary Farmer, Jr., UWF Student and Veteran Timothy Jones, UF Researcher Glenn Morris, M.D., M.P.H., T.M., FSU First Generation Student Genevieve Bell, Board of Governors Vice Chair Ned Lautenbach 

Contact: Brittany Davis Wise, Florida Board of Governors, 850-323-0353