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CRC Update: April 12 Public Hearing Re-Located to FAMU in Tallahassee

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FL CRC

In order to maximize public input and Commissioner participation, the Constitution Revision Commission (CRC) has re-located its public hearing scheduled for Wednesday, April 12 to be held at Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU) in Tallahassee. The hearing will begin at 5:00 p.m. 

The April 12 public hearing was originally scheduled to be held in Escambia County. The CRC will re-schedule a public hearing to be held in the Florida Panhandle in the upcoming weeks. View the updated public hearing schedule online at FLCRC.GOV and at this direct file link: http://flcrc.gov/CRCPublicHearings.pdf.

NEW LOCATION FOR APRIL 12 PUBLIC HEARING
LEON COUNTY (Previously Escambia County)
Wednesday, April 12, beginning at 5:00 p.m.
Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU)
Efferson Student Union, Grand Ballroom
1628 S. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
Tallahassee, Fla. 32307
Link to Google Map of Venue: http://bit.ly/EffersonStudentUnionMap
*Complimentary parking will be available. Doors open to the public beginning at 4:00 PM.
Individuals requiring an accommodation to participate in public hearings (such as a sign language interpreter) are requested to notify the Constitution Revision Commission five days prior to the scheduled hearing date at [email protected] or 850.717.9550.

ABOUT THE FLORIDA CONSTITUTION REVISION COMMISSION (CRC)
Once every twenty years, Florida’s Constitution provides for the creation of a thirty-seven member revision commission for the purpose of reviewing Florida’s Constitution and proposing changes for voter consideration. The Constitution Revision Commission (CRC) meets for approximately one year, traveling the State of Florida, identifying issues, performing research, and possibly recommending changes to the Constitution. Any amendments proposed by the CRC would be placed on the 2018 General Election ballot. For additional information, visit FLCRC.GOV. Follow the CRC on Twitter @FloridaCRC and like the CRC on Facebook @FloridaCRC.

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.
 

Judge Belvin Perry to Address FAMU Community During Black History Month Convocation

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WHAT: History-making judge, attorney, and Florida A&M University Board of Trustees member Belvin Perry Jr., will deliver an inspiring keynote address during FAMU’s annual Black History Convocation.
WHEN: Friday, February 10, 2017
10:10 a.m.
WHERE: Jake Gaither Gymnasium
1835 Wahnish Way
Tallahassee, Florida 32307
WHO: Interim President Larry Robinson, Ph.D.
Attorney and Retired Judge Belvin Perry Jr.
FAMU Concert Chorale
FAMU Wind Symphony
FAMU Student Government Association
WHY: Perry is widely known for his work to combat homelessness, address wrongful conviction issues, and provide support to help citizens overcome drug addiction. He also presided over the Casey Anthony case – one of the most talked about cases in America.
Perry is the first African American to be elected to the circuit bench of the Ninth Circuit without first being appointed. He is also the first African-American chair of the Florida Conference of Circuit Court Judges.
He is currently an attorney with the nationally acclaimed law firm Morgan & Morgan P.A.
The public is invited to attend.

An updated list of Black History Month events at FAMU is available here.

FAMU choral students to perform at prestigious Carnegie Hall

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Concert Choir Students Selected for 2017
Young Adult Honors Performance Series

Choral Students

From L-R: FAMU choral students Maiya Stevenson, Akeisha Mandela, and Kyrik Gaines will perform before thousands on the world-renowned Ronald O. Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall.

Three Florida A&M University (FAMU) Concert Choir students have been selected to showcase their talents as members of the honors choir during the 2017 Young Adult Honors Performance Series at the renowned Carnegie Hall in New York City.
Their February 5 performance will mark a significant milestone as they were chosen from a pool of students from across 45 states in the U.S. and two provinces in Canada. Maiya Stevenson, Akeisha Mandela, and Kyrik Gaines will perform before thousands on the world-renowned Ronald O. Perelman Stage.
Their accomplishment reflects the world-class training they’ve received under FAMU’s acclaimed choral program, which has taken its students to global stages including Spain and Africa. Students in the award-winning program have also performed with Grammy winners such as Phil Driscoll, Richard Smallwood, and the amazing Three Mo’ Tenors.
“I am excited about the opportunity to perform at this historic concert venue,” said Gaines, who is a voice student of FAMU professor Marcus Rhodes. “Performing at Carnegie Hall will help to highlight the diverse, talented musical organizations and groups that our university has to offer.”
The Young Adult Honors Series at Carnegie Hall assembles some of the most talented college-aged and young adult vocalists in the world to experience the thrill of working with master conductors and performing in one of the most prominent concert halls.
Choral Professors

From L-R: FAMU music professors Mark Butler, Alethea Kilgore, and Marcus Rhodes work together to prepare vocal students for the performance of a lifetime at Carnegie Hall.

Rhodes, along with FAMU Concert Choir Director Mark Butler, DMA, nominated the three students for the opportunity to perform in the honors choir.
“I was delighted to nominate them,” said Butler. “Getting these talented students to Carnegie Hall will allow our university and choral division to be recognized as having one of the finest choral and vocal programs in the nation.”
Rhodes agrees that this opportunity will shine a positive light on FAMU’s ability to train top-notch singers.
“It is exciting that this exposure can increase interest in the music program while motivating our students to continue to strive to be their best,” Rhodes said.
Mandela, a senior music performance student, sees this moment as an inspirational learning opportunity that will be beneficial for her and her classmates.
“This opportunity means there are more doors opening. It also means that as long as I apply myself, there are no goals too big for me,” Mandela said. “I’m very excited to partake in such an experience and to bring back as much knowledge as I can for my classmates and friends that are also pursuing classical music.”
Mandela expressed gratitude for the guidance of Dr. Butler and the meticulous training she received through her vocal coach, FAMU professor Alethea Kilgore, DM.
“It gives me great joy to see Akeisha excel in the manner that she has,” Kilgore said, noting that Mandela will also be featured in several more competitions this year. “We will be working extensively to polish her vocal instrument. This opportunity will inspire her to go even further with her performance ability.”
Stevenson, a fourth-year music performance student, who trains with Butler, also has a lot to prepare for in the near future. She recently won an audition to perform a leading role in Mozart’s Opera “Don Giovanni” this summer in Bulgaria, located in southeastern Europe.
Butler said the honors performance has special meaning to the choral department. It marks the fifth invitation members of the FAMU Concert Choir have received to perform at Carnegie Hall, but it’s the first time they were able to attend due to budgetary constraints.
The students and their professors are focused on ensuring that they leave a lasting impression.
“Preparation for the big day is the primary focus,” Butler said. “All three students are working diligently to perfect their material before they make their mark in Midtown Manhattan on Sunday.”

FAMU Statement Regarding Executive Order Affecting Foreign Travel and Immigration

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Please find below a statement from Interim President Larry Robinson, Ph.D., regarding the recent executive order affecting foreign travel and immigration.
“Florida A&M University has a strong and vibrant academic and research community, which includes diverse students, staff, and faculty representing various countries. The University remains committed to providing its faculty, staff, and students with a safe, positive, and fruitful working and learning environment regardless of their nation of origin.
As the University works to attain more information about the application and enforcement of the executive order, we encourage all faculty, staff, and students from the seven listed countries – Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen – to refrain from travel to these areas for the next 90 days. We also encourage those planning to travel abroad during this period and thereafter, including spring break excursions, to consult with the FAMU Office of International Education and Development before departing the country.
There are currently approximately 200 international students within our campus community, and we are working to determine how they, as well as international faculty and staff, have been impacted by the executive order.
The FAMU community encourages careful consideration of the effects the executive order will have on the U.S. higher education and research community, as FAMU students, faculty and staff are often involved in ongoing education, research, and service projects in the international arena.
We stand ready to assist in offering solutions to support and strengthen the higher education and research community in light of the recent changes to U.S. foreign travel and immigration policy.”

Charter Communications Joins BTNC-FAMU Collaboration to Establish First Black News Network

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Florida A&M University (FAMU), the state’s only public historically Black university, has moved another step closer to serving as the headquarters for the nation’s only African-American news network.
The Black Television News Channel (BTNC) announced yesterday that it signed a multi-year agreement with Charter Communications to premiere the news network in 14 of the digital cable television service’s top African American markets in the United States. BTNC programming will be shown in Charter markets that include New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Dallas, Detroit, Boston, Tampa, Orlando, Cleveland, Charlotte, Birmingham, Norfolk, Raleigh-Durham, and New Orleans.
In 2014, FAMU entered into an 11-year agreement with BTNC to house its 24-hour, multi-platform news network in the School of Journalism & Graphic Communication (SJGC). On Feb. 24, 2017, FAMU, BTNC, and Charter will hold a groundbreaking ceremony on FAMU’s campus to announce the African-American news network’s official launch date.
The addition of Charter Communications to the project represents a milestone for BTNC, as it now has carriage or distribution agreements with three of the nation’s four major subscription television providers.
“As we get closer to the launch date of this groundbreaking network, the University remains excited about the opportunity to play a key role in bolstering the nation’s African-American news offerings, reporting the cultural achievements of the African-American community, and developing the next generation of minority journalists,” said FAMU’s Interim President Larry Robinson, Ph.D.
According to a study by the Florida State University Center for Economic Forecasting and Analysis, the network will serve as an economic powerhouse for the North Florida region. The center reports that BTNC will generate more than 100 jobs in Tallahassee and more than $30 million annually in economic stimulus for the region. FAMU’s journalism and graphic design majors, and other student groups and organizations, will benefit from the millions of dollars of equipment and other resources provided by BTNC.
“Our students will receive internship and job opportunities as a part of the BTNC collaboration,” said SJGC Dean Ann Wead Kimbrough, DBA. “This unique opportunity affords our students cutting-edge training experiences that will provide advantages in a competitive marketplace.”
According to BTNC, its network operation center will be the first 4K Ultra HD newsgathering and production infrastructure of its kind and will include a multi-million-dollar, media-training center for aspiring journalists. FAMU students will benefit from multiple courses of study in network broadcasting, digital media, virtual reality, and operations.
Kimbrough said locating BTNC’s headquarters on FAMU’s campus provides the network the opportunity to link with one of the nation’s most respected and award-winning schools of journalism. This location also affords BTNC direct access to the next generation of aspiring multimedia communicators and a rich pool of on-air contributing analysts including FAMU faculty, administrators, staff, and alumni.

Women’s March on Tallahassee coincides with national effort

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Other marches take place across Florida and U.S.

While the Women’s March on Washington was happening Saturday, Floridians joined the Women’s March on Tallahassee. The grassroots effort culminated in a rally with speakers including civic leaders, women’s advocates and others at the FAMU recreation center.
“These marches in Tallahassee, in Washington and around our state and nation are sending a bold message to the new administration and Congress in Washington, to Florida Governor Rick Scott and the Florida Legislature, and to the world – that women’s rights are human rights,” said Lillian Tamayo, President and CEO, Planned Parenthood of South, East and North Florida.
The Women’s March on Tallahassee was a show of solidarity with women and families across the state for the protection of women’s rights, health and safety. The event was inclusive with all genders, races, ages, religions and sexual orientations invited to participate.
“We envision a future where each of us will be treated with dignity, respect and compassion,” said Tamayo. “In the spirit of democracy and honoring the champions of human rights, dignity, and justice who have come before us, we stand together, recognizing that defending the most marginalized among us means defending all of us.”
“The rhetoric of the past election cycle has insulted, demonized, and threatened many of us, including immigrants, Muslims and those of diverse religious faiths, LGBT Americans, Native people, Black and Brown people, people with disabilities, and survivors of sexual assault,” said Barbara Zdravecky, President and CEO for Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida. “We will not tolerate hatred, racism and sexism and we will fight for respect, dignity and justice for all,” she added.
In addition to the March on Tallahassee, Floridians gathered in solidarity for sister marches in Key West, Orlando, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, Naples, West Palm Beach and Miami.

Please visit www.fappa.org for more information.

FAMU Legend Bob Hayes to be Honored by NFL at Super Bowl LI

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Rattler Football Great Among 29 HBCU Legends to be Recognized in February

Robert “Bullet Bob” Hayes, undoubtedly the greatest male student-athlete produced by the legendary athletic program at Florida A&M University (FAMU), will be among the 29 historically Black college and university (HBCU) gridiron greats honored in February by the National Football League (NFL) during the Super Bowl LI festivities in Houston, Texas.

Bob Hayes
Bob Hayes

In December 2016, the NFL joined the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) at the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl in Atlanta, Georgia to kick off an enhanced partnership initiative titled, “Strength of HBCUs: Impacting Pro Football Since 1948.” The goal of the partnership is to honor the history and impact of HBCUs and their players and increase career opportunities for students and athletic administrators at these institutions.
The NFL announced that its celebration of the influence of HBCUs and their players will continue at this year’s Super Bowl, where it will honor the 29 Pro Football Hall of Fame players who attended HBCUs, culminating with an on-field, pregame ceremony featuring the Hall of Famers at NRG Stadium on Sunday, February 5, 2017.
Hayes was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in July 2009, seven years after his death in September of 2002, at the age of 59. The legendary two-sport Rattler was credited by many with revolutionizing the game of professional football with his world-class sprinter’s speed. In addition to a successful career with the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys and a stint with the San Francisco 49ers, Hayes was an Olympic gold medalist, and earned the nicknames, “Bullet Bob” and “World’s Fastest Human.”
FAMU’s Interim President Larry Robinson, Ph.D., expressed the University’s appreciation for the NFL’s commitment to HBCUs, and for the unique way it will honor one of the institution’s most beloved sons.
“I commend the NFL for honoring Bob Hayes along with the other well-deserving HBCU greats,” Robinson said. “I look forward to representing FAMU and Rattler sports at one of the world’s most widely viewed athletic events.”
He added, “The University has worked with the NFL on several previous occasions, including our Marching ‘100’s’ performance at Super Bowl XLI with the late music legend, Prince. We look forward to a growing and fruitful relationship with one of the most influential brands in the world.”
In a recent statement, NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations Troy Vincent said, “the HBCU influence on the NFL goes beyond the evolution of the game and reaches deep into the very fabric of football.”
“Our partnership with the HBCUs is an important initiative which celebrates the tremendous legacy fostered by these institutions that continue to contribute a standard of excellence and character for our game,” Vincent said.

FAMU Provost Names Lt. Col (Ret.) Henry Talley V New Dean of Nursing

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Florida A&M University (FAMU) Interim Provost Rodner Wright has announced Henry Clinton Talley V, Ph.D., as the new dean of the School of Nursing.

Henry Talley
Henry Talley

Talley succeeds retiring dean Ruena Norman, Ph.D. His tenure begins Tuesday, January 17, 2017, and marks the first time a man has served in the capacity. He was selected following a national search conducted in partnership with Greenwood/Asher & Associates, Inc.
A retired lieutenant colonel in the United States Army Reserve Nurse Corps, Talley previously served as the founding director of the Michigan State University Nurse Anesthesia Program, and chief anesthetist and operations director of anesthesiology service at the VA Medical Center in Memphis, Tennessee.
He also served as an assistant professor/associate director of the Nurse Anesthesia Program at Arkansas State University and an anesthetist and instructor for physiology in anesthesia at the Harlem Hospital Center in New York.
“I am honored to continue my work in the important field of nursing as a member of the FAMU community,” Talley said. “The University and its nursing school have a long and distinguished history of success, and I look forward to helping to continue the tradition of ‘Excellence with Caring.’”
Talley is a past president of the Alpha Psi Chapter of the National Honor Society for Nursing and past-treasurer of the Board of Directors for the American Association of Nurse Anesthetist and the Michigan Task Force for Nursing Practice. He received the American Association of Nurse Anesthetist Foundation research grant for his dissertation, “The effects of general anesthesia on plasma ascorbic acid and its effect on post-anesthesia consciousness.”
Talley graduated from the Harlem Hospital Center Schools of Nursing and Anesthesia in 1979 and 1981, respectively. He earned the American Association of Nurse Anesthetist certification as a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) in 1981. He was awarded the Bachelor of Arts in Health Services Administration from Ottawa University of Kansas City in 1994. He also earned a master’s degree and a doctorate in nursing from the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center in 2001 and 2003, respectively.
“Dr. Talley brings to FAMU a wealth of experience and knowledge in innovative health care practices that will help to bring the FAMU School of Nursing many more years of success under his leadership,” Wright said. “His commitment to research, nursing policy, and community empowerment for the underprivileged and marginalized also align perfectly with FAMU’s mission to enhance the lives of constituents through innovative research, engaging cooperative extension, and public service.”
Talley is a member of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetist; Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing; American Nurses Association; Men In Nursing; International Anesthesia Research Society; and founder of Minority Anesthetists Gathered to Network, Educate, and Train (M.A.G.N.E.T.).
Wright also commended Norman for her outstanding contributions to the school, which recently began celebrating its 80th anniversary.
“It is with great thanks that we acknowledge Dean Norman for her tireless service to the School of Nursing and Florida A&M University,” Wright said. “During her tenure, Dean Norman has led the school in securing numerous top rankings and national recognitions, and we are proud of all that was accomplished under her leadership.”