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Items to watch for the upcoming Board of Governors’ meeting

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Performance-Based Funding: The Board will consider changes to its performance-based funding model. Potential changes include new Board of Trustee Choice metrics and a new allocation methodology that replaces the bottom three with a student success plan.

Drugs, Alcohol & Mental Health Task Force: The Board will continue its emphasis on student mental health, hearing updates on several initiatives to enhance student safety and well-being, such as system-wide mental health awareness training for faculty and staff. The Board will also hear a presentation about the relationship between mental health and substance abuse.

Facilities Committee – Following up on the Oct. 16th Workshop, the Board will consider adoption of a Public Education Capital Outlay (PECO) Priority List for inclusion in the 2019-2020 Fixed Capital Outlay Legislative Budget Request.

Strategic Plans: The Board will consider approval of 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.

State University System Business Champion: Jan Bednar, CEO of the shipping and logistics company ShipMonk, will receive the award. Bednar, a recent graduate of FAU’s Tech Runway program, has 220 employees and made the Forbes 30 under 30 list in 2018. Recruiting frequently from FAU, he enjoys speaking to classes and working with students to help them succeed. The award is a part of the Think Florida: A Higher Degree for Business initiative.

Recognition of Exemplary Online Student: To promote the impact of online education in the State University System and to recognize the accomplishments of individual online students, the Innovation and Online Committee will recognize Jazmin Campos, a student in the MBA Online program at Florida Atlantic University, who is pursuing an online graduate degree program and is scheduled to graduate this December.

FWC Chairman to move into a new arena of conservation service in 2018

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The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) congratulates Chairman Brian Yablonski on his new position as Executive Director of the Property and Environment Research Center, a national conservation research institute in Bozeman, Montana, focused on environmental entrepreneurship and market-based conservation. He will begin his new role in January 2018.
“On behalf of the state of Florida, we truly appreciate Brian’s service. His focus has helped make this a great place for families to live, work and enjoy the outdoors,” said Gov. Rick Scott. “I am confident Brian will continue to work to conserve our nation’s natural treasures. I wish him and his family all the best in this next endeavor.”
Yablonski began his service to the FWC in January 2004 and has held positions as vice chairman and chairman. He will continue to serve in his current role through the end of this year.
“I can think of no one better-suited for this important role with PERC,” said Nick Wiley, FWC Executive Director. “We know more great things are on the horizon for America’s fish and wildlife resources and habitats, and we cannot thank Chairman Yablonski enough for his leadership and conservation legacy with the FWC.”
Yablonski’s leadership on the Commission has been grounded in his attention to Florida’s diverse wildlife and unique habitats. In a state with over 20 million residents and 100 million visitors, he understood the importance of engaging landowners, anglers, hunters, sportsmen, wildlife and bird watchers, hikers, paddlers and recreational boaters while focusing on common ground.
During his 14 years at FWC, Yablonski worked to create new critical wildlife areas, provide landowners and citizens with more conservation incentives – including a constitutional amendment providing tax relief for conservation – and support freedoms and opportunities for current and future generations to enjoy Florida’s natural resources. In 2009, Yablonski was named Florida’s Wildlife Conservationist of the Year by the Florida Wildlife Federation, and in 2016 he was the recipient of Audubon Florida’s Theodore Roosevelt Award. 
“It has been a true lifetime honor and privilege to work with my fellow Commissioners and FWC staff, the best in the nation, as we’ve engaged with stakeholders, partners and residents on the important issues impacting wild Florida,” Yablonski said. “Florida has been my home for more than 25 years. Its great beauty, bountiful fish and wildlife resources, and good friends working in the stewardship arena, will always have a special place in my heart. To serve on behalf of our fish and wildlife in a state that served as an inspiration for Theodore Roosevelt has made all the difference. I will reflect fondly on our efforts and successes here in Florida as I engage in new and exciting ways to advance the cause of conservation.”
You can view the announcement from PERC at PERC.org.

Board of Governors Hosts Safety and Security Summit

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The Board of Governors and State University System brought together leaders from all 12 of Florida’s public universities on Monday and Tuesday to share best practices for avoiding, preparing for and dealing with crisis situations on campus, from student mental health challenges to cybersecurity.
Hosted by the University of South Florida in Tampa, the Summit included roughly 100 university leaders, including presidents, administrators, police chiefs, government relations, and communications staff. Speakers included Dr. Larry Barton, one of the world’s leading experts in crisis management and threat assessment, and retired Vice Admiral Mike McConnell, who is chair of the Board of Advisors at the Florida Center for CyberSecurity. Stakeholders also heard from FBI Supervisory Special Agent Cari Robins, who is at the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit, Behavioral Threat Assessment Center, and assesses stalking cases.
“Students come to universities to learn and prepare for their careers, but they can only do that if they are in a safe and healthy environment,” said Norm Tripp, chair of the Board of Governors’ Academic and Student Affairs Committee. “That means we need to stay focused on the mental health issues that are facing so many of our students in addition to other security threats.”
The Board of Governors and State University System regularly convene stakeholders to discuss strategies for facing security threats. This year’s Summit is especially important because of the Board of Governors’ work over the past year to raise awareness about student mental health issues and the growing need for counselors. In fact, the Board of Governors is asking each university to develop a plan for how to address mental health needs on their campuses, which have skyrocketed in recent years, in line with national trends. Florida’s counselor-to-student ratio is lower than national recommendations.
The Summit also included panel discussions on cybersecurity, protests on campus, and crisis management. Toward the event’s end, participants had the chance to debrief and discuss next steps, including best practices to take home to their campuses.
“The purpose of this Summit is to hear from the people who have their boots on the ground every day and have concerns about our students’ mental health, their security, and how to deal with a crisis should one arise,” said Tom Kuntz, Board of Governors’ Chair. “We hope every participant goes back to his or her home campus with new inspiration and ideas, and we look forward to continuing to receive feedback on how the Board of Governors can help advocate for critical safety and security needs at the state level.”

HIGHLIGHTS: Board of Governors Meeting, March 29-30

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From data on student mental health to the Board of Governors’ first-ever
Annual Report for Online Education, the Board this week took up a number
of important initiatives during its meeting at Florida A&M University.

The Board of Governors this week pushed forward on several initiatives to ensure accountability and progress for the State University System and to make sure students are getting the resources they need to be successful. 

Those include approval of the Board’s Annual Accountability Report, which showed that universities demonstrated year-over-year improvement on six of the eight performance funding metrics that are shared by all universities. The Board’s new metric on cost to the student showed that the average cost of earning a bachelor’s degree is less than $15,000 after financial aid is taken into account. Additionally, the report shows that 34 degree programs were eliminated during the 2015-16 academic year. 

“The Annual Accountability Report is a critical part of the Board’s nationally recognized accountability system, and it plays a huge role in keeping us on track to meet our goals,” said Tom Kuntz, Board of Governors Chair. “Best of all, if you look at our remarkable improvement each year, it’s clear that our approach is working.” 

The Board also approved its first-ever Annual Report for Online Education, which documents the System’s progress toward the goals set out in the 2025 Strategic Plan for Online Education and identifies opportunities for improvements. Florida continues to be a leader in online education, ranking second in the nation in the number of students enrolled in distance learning courses. Sixty-one percent of State University System students took at least one distance learning course in 2015-16. 

“Florida is one of the first and only states to implement a Strategic Plan for Online Education, which  guides the growth of online education in the System and makes sure that our 12 institutions have high-quality and cost-efficient instruction and services,” said Ned Lautenbach, Board of Governors Vice Chair and Chair of the Innovation and Online Committee. “Our Annual Report shows that we are moving in the right direction to meet our goals.”

The Board also heard new data on student mental health, which included a steep increase in year-over-year demand for services. As an example, the number of crisis visits more than doubled from 4,200 to 9,100 between 2014-15 and 2015-16, and the number of Baker Act hospitalizations grew from 300 to 440. 

“Many of our students are dealing with serious and complex mental health issues, and we need to make sure that those who need counseling are able to access it quickly and without barriers,” said Norm Tripp, Chair of the Academic and Student Affairs Committee. “In some cases, counseling could make the difference in whether these students are able to graduate and go on to live healthy, productive lives.” 

The meeting also included a Think Florida: A Higher Degree for Business panel, including Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Director Cissy Proctor, Florida Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Mark Wilson, and Florida Council of 100 President and CEO Bob Ward. The panel was moderated by Chancellor Marshall Criser III and included questions from Board members. 

“The business community is a critical partner for our universities, which is why we have ramped up our efforts to make sure we’re listening to employer needs,” Chancellor Criser said. “All three of our panelists came with great ideas and advice for our universities and students.”   

Additional meeting highlights include:

  • The State University System launched of the Safer, Smarter, Stronger campaign, designed to promote the State University System priorities on student mental health and security, university research, and performance funding.
  • The Task Force on University Research discussed the Research and Innovation Metrics Dashboard, designed to document the System’s progress toward its research goals. Additionally, the Board heard a presentation on the immediate and long-term impact of university research on the economic and social vitality of Florida.
  • The Board confirmed the appointment of Michael Martin as president of Florida Gulf Coast University, contingent on a revised employment agreement.
  • The Board confirmed the reappointment of University of South Florida President Judy Genshaft.
  • The Board appointed Dean Colson to Florida International University’s Board of Trustees. Mr. Colson previously served as chair of the Board of Governors and chair of the University of Miami Board of Trustees.
  • The Board approved the University of Central Florida Lake Nona Medical Center, a joint-venture between UCF’s College of Medicine and Hospital Corporation of America. No state funds will used for construction of what is proposed as an initial 100 bed hospital.

For more information, consult the meeting’s official minutes at http://www.flbog.edu/. The Board’s next meeting is scheduled for June 19-21 at the University of South Florida in Tampa.

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 338,000 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 www.flbog.edu, follow us on Facebook and Twitter, or download the Board of Governors’ app.

Board of Governors appoints Dean Colson to Florida International University Board of Trustees

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Dean Colson, of Coral Gables, is the chief executive officer of Colson Hicks Edison. Mr. Colson currently serves as an executive committee member of the Institute of Contemporary Arts, visiting committee member of the University of Miami Law School and Visiting Committee Member of University of Miami School of Education. Mr. Colson previously served as chair of the Board of Governors and chair of the University of Miami Board of Trustees. Mr. Colson received his bachelor’s degree from Princeton University and his law degree from University of Miami School of Law. He is appointed for a term beginning March 30, 2017 through January 6, 2021.

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 www.flbog.edu, visit Think-Florida.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Items to watch for the upcoming Board of Governors meeting

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Campaign Press Conference: The Board of Governors and all 12 universities will come together to announce the State University System’s 2017 legislative campaign. Featured speakers (in order of appearance) include Board of Governors Chair Tom Kuntz, Senator Gary Farmer, University of West Florida Student Timothy Jones, University of Florida Professor and Director of the Emerging Pathogens Institute Glenn Morris, M.D., M.P.H., T.M., Florida State University Student Genevieve Bell, and Board of Governors Vice Chair Ned Lautenbach. 12 p.m., Capitol 4th floor, Senate side   
Accountability Report: Board members will consider the 2015-16 Annual Accountability Report, which provides information and metrics on the System’s progress toward the 2025 Strategic Plan Goals. Highlights include year-over-year improvements on six of the eight performance funding metrics that are common to all universities.  Committee: Strategic Planning.
Annual Report for Online Education: Board members will discuss the System’s first ever Annual Report for Online Education, which marks the System’s progress toward the goals set in the 2025 Strategic Plan for Online Education and identifies opportunities for future improvements. Committee: Innovation and Online
University Research: Board members will discuss the Research and Innovation Metrics Dashboard, designed to document the System’s progress toward its research goals. Additionally, Vice Chancellor Jan Ignash will provide a brief presentation on the magnitude of research in the State University System, particularly from the perspective of its immediate and long-term impacts on the economic and social vitality of Florida. Task Force on University Research.
Student Mental Health:  Board members will discuss a new information brief on the rising demand for mental health services, the current staffing levels and impact of counseling centers, as well as information about students in crisis. Committee: Academic and Student Affairs.
Presidential Confirmations: The Board will consider the appointment of Florida Gulf Coast University Presidential Candidate Michael Martin and the reappointment of University of South Florida President Judy Genshaft. Full Board Meeting.
UCF Hospital: The Board will consider approval of the UCF Lake Nona Medical Center, a proposed joint-venture between UCF’s College of Medicine and Hospital Corporation of America. Committee: Facilities.
Think Florida Panel: Florida Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Mark Wilson, Department of Economic Opportunity Director Cissy Proctor, and Florida Council of 100 President and CEO Bob Ward will discuss talent and the state workforce. The discussion is a part of the Think Florida: A Higher Degree for Business campaign, designed to strengthen ties between the State University System and the business community. Full Board Meeting.
*Reporter’s Note
The Board of Governors meeting will be held at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, with committee meetings scheduled to begin March 29 at 1:30 p.m.  The full Board meeting is scheduled to begin on March 30 at 1 p.m. Meeting times are subject to change. The full agenda and live streaming are available at flbog.edu. Updates are also available on Facebook and Twitter and on the Board of Governors app.

Highlights from Board of Governors' Meeting, January 26

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Board Chair Tom Kuntz’s State of the System Address, a workshop on how to
strengthen Florida’s 2+2 Articulation Program, and a presentation on the
impact of student counseling services are among the highlights of the
January Board of Governors’ meeting at Florida Polytechnic University.

Joined by new Board member Sydney Kitson, the Board of Governors this week advanced a number of strategic initiatives designed to enhance accountability, make higher education more affordable, and ensure students have every opportunity to be successful.
Chair Tom Kuntz outlined the Board’s progress on those initiatives during his annual State of the System Address. In the past year, Florida has made strides toward aligning degrees with jobs, raising the State University System’s research profile and enhancing Florida’s 2+2 Program. Chair Kuntz also discussed the need for more mental health counselors on campuses due to the soaring demand.
“Florida universities consistently win awards for their quality and affordability, but there are also opportunities to spark meaningful improvements,” said Board of Governors’ Chair Tom Kuntz. “By focusing on enhancing the profile of our universities and helping our students succeed, we’re raising the value of a college degree from Florida despite remaining the lowest in the country on price.”
The Board also heard a presentation on the impact of campus mental health services, including increased academic success, improved mental and behavioral health, and reduced risk to self and others. Counseling centers also appear to have a positive impact on student retention and graduation.
“The need for mental health services around the country has simply outpaced the ability of our campuses to keep up,” said Norm Tripp, chair of the Board’s Academic and Student Affairs Committee. “Many of our students are coming to our counseling centers with very serious issues, and we want to make sure we’re doing everything we can to help them address those problems, graduate, and live productive lives.”
Other meeting highlights include:

  • The Board’s Select Committee on 2+2 Articulation discussed how to further strengthen Florida’s 2+2 Program for students who are transferring from state colleges to universities. Among other topics, the committee considered how to streamline the admissions processes between colleges and universities and ensure that credits transfer smoothly.
  • The Board approved a list of facilities to be included in its 2017 Legislative Budget Request, primarily focusing on maintenance and repair.
  • Vice Chancellor Jan Ignash presented on the work of the Strategic Planning Committee, which plays an enormous role in steering the State University System toward the state’s highest needs. The Committee’s work, which includes the 2025 Strategic Plan, the Annual Accountability Report, and University Work Plans, has been nationally recognized for its rigor.
  • As part of its Think Florida: A Higher Degree for Business campaign, the Board of Governors heard from John Townsend, vice president of T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. & T. Rowe Price Services, Inc. about his company’s many partnerships with USF.

For more information, consult the meeting’s official minutes at http://www.flbog.edu/. The Board’s next meeting is scheduled for March 29-30 at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee.
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 400,000 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 www.flbog.edu, visit Think-Florida.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.