INDEPENDENT COLLEGES UNIVERSITIES OF FLORIDA. Carnegie Foundation Selects 4 ICUF Schools. Gov Names Keiser Founder to Women s Hall of Fame

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1 INDEPENDENT & COLLEGES UNIVERSITIES OF FLORIDA ED H. MOORE, PhD PRESIDENT (850) Carnegie Foundation Selects 4 ICUF Schools Gov Names Keiser Founder to Women s Hall of Fame AMU President Keynotes Governor's Prayer Breakfast U.S. News Report singles out Flagler for Financial Efficiency Hodges Unveils State-of-the-art Finance Lab Rollins Announces New Major in Public Policy and Political Economy BU Trial Team Wins Florida Bar Competition ADU IT Department Gives Back to Local Teachers UT Announces Cybersecurity Major SEU Opens Student-Powered Financial Center STU Names New Provost CCC Announces New Criminal Justice Partner EU Grad & Former ICUF Fellow New Manatee County Energy Manager Florida College Nationally Recognized for Alumni Giving PBAU Named to President s Higher Education Honor Roll JU Breaks Ground on New Residence Hall SLU School of Business Adds Accreditation U.S. News & World Report Ranks NSU s Criminal Justice Graduate Program Stetson In cluded in US News FIT Named to President s Honor Roll Stetson University names new Dean of Students SEU Opens Student-Powered Financial Center Flagler launches Women of Vision Fund JANUARY 2015 Carnegie Foundation Selects 4 ICUF Schools The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has selected 240 U.S. colleges and universities to receive its 2015 Community Engagement Classification. Of this number, 4 ICUF institutions are included. They are Barry University; Nova Southeastern University; Rollins College; and Stetson University. Unlike the Foundation s other classifications that rely on national data, this is an elective classification institutions participated voluntarily by submitting required materials describing the nature and extent of their engagement with the community, be it local or beyond. This approach enabled the Foundation to address elements of institutional mission and distinctiveness that are not represented in the national data on colleges and universities. The importance of this elective classification is borne out by the response of so many campuses that have demonstrated their deep engagement with local, regional, national, and global communities, said John Saltmarsh, Director of the New England Resource Center for Higher Education. These are campuses that are improving teaching and learning, producing research that makes a difference in communities, and revitalizing their civic and academic missions. Gov Names Keiser Founder to Women s Hall of Fame Gov. Rick Scott has chosen three inductees for the Florida Women's Hall of Fame, one being a co-founder of Keiser University. Scott announced the choices from a list of 10 nominees offered by the Florida Commission on the Status of Women. The inductee is Evelyn Cahn Keiser, 91, co-founder and chairwoman emeritus of Keiser University. Keiser is a pioneer in higher education holding the positions of co-founder, instructor, program director, and chairman of the Board of Advisors. She received her bachelor s degree from Temple University. Ave Maria President Keynotes Governor's Prayer Ave Maria University President Jim Towey delivered the keynote address at a Florida A&M University prayer breakfast preceding Governor Rick Scott's second inaugural. Towey ran the White House Office of Faith -Based and Community Initiatives under President George W. Bush and was a legal adviser to Mother Teresa. In the 1990s, he was Democratic Gov. Lawton Chiles' secretary of the state child welfare agency.

2 Page 2 U.S. News Report Singles out Flagler for Financial Efficiency A new U.S. News and World Report analysis of colleges and universities comparing spending and educational quality named Flagler College as one of the most efficient schools among regional colleges in the South. The publication looked at schools on its 2015 Best Colleges rankings that scored highest on academic education quality, but also spent relatively less on educational programs to achieve that quality. In Best College rankings, Flagler was ranked 8th among regional colleges in the South. Amid restricted growth in many state budgets to fund higher education and increased public scrutiny about the rising cost of going to college, it's vitally important for many colleges to efficiently spend their limited resources to produce the highest possible educational quality, said study authors Robert Morse and Diane Tolis. They wrote that these schools were doing a good job in managing their financial resources relative to other schools that may have far greater financial resources because of more state funding, higher tuition or larger endowments. Hodges Unveils State-of-the-Art Finance Lab The Johnson School of Business at Hodges University has unveiled a state-of-the-art finance lab at the institution s Fort Myers campus. The new BB&T Finance Lab features a full-color rolling LED ticker with live feed; LCD monitors providing live video, breaking news reports, market data that drives world economies and seating for 20 students. Hodges University is constantly finding ways to improve the education experience, said Dr. Nancey Wyant, Dean of the Johnson School of Business. Creating this state-of-theart finance lab will enhance our business curriculum by using technology rivaling Wall Street. This will provide our students with applied, experiential learning, better preparing them for a career after graduation. The lab will also serve as a resource with unlimited promise for life-long education, updating of skills, corporate education, and research and serve as a financial literacy resource for educators, area businesses, and community residents. Rollins Announces New Major in Public Policy and Political Economy In an effort to offer a more comprehensive educational experience with a focus on careerrelated applications, this spring Rollins College will introduce Public Policy and Political Economy as a new major in the College of Arts & Sciences. Emphasizing critical and creative skills, the interdisciplinary four-year bachelor s degree is designed to explore how politics and economics interact to produce public policies. Courses include Contemporary Issues in Public Policy and Economics, Health Care Policy, Economics in Historical Perspective, Poverty and Social Welfare, and more. Seniors will also be required to complete an applied policy experience where they will work on a research problem or conduct research within an organization to solve a policy issue. Unlike other institutions offering the same focus, Rollins new major will place a strong emphasis on citizenship and ethical decisionmaking, which are both core principles to the mission of the college, said Donald Davison, professor of political science and department chair. And with the inclusion of several quantitative courses, our students will be equipped to analyze data and solve problems skills that are highly desired by employers. Students pursuing this major can choose from a variety of career paths, including business, finance, government, law or research institutions.

3 Page 3 Barry Trial Team Wins Florida Bar Competition Barry University School of Law s Trial Team has made school history, winning first place in the prestigious Florida Bar Chester Bedell Mock Trial Competition. Members of the winning team were Luis Herrera, James Smeriglio III (advocates), William Sepulveda, Nikki Metzgar-Schall, and Jackson Lubin. They were coached by Barry Law alums Jordan Ostroff, Nicholas Primrose and Denise Kim Beamer. In the semifinal round, Barry Law s advocates pulled off an upset and took First Place in the competition for the first time in school history. The win also was a personal triumph for Barry Law s Luis Herrera, who becomes the school s first three-time champion, and teammate James Smeriglio III, now a two-time champion. Herrera was named runner-up for the overall Best Advocate Award during the final round. Barry also sported a second team in this (From left): Nikki Metzgar-Schall, William Sepulveda, Luis Herrera, coach Nicholas Primrose, James Smeriglio III, coach Jordan Ostroff, and coach Denise Kim Beamer. event, with 1L participants Christopher Bailey, Tracy Scowden, Chloe Zubkin, Andrew Abreu and Sofia Hernandez. The 1L team advanced to the Top 8, which marks the first time in recent school history that both teams have advanced in the same competition. The Florida Bar victory comes on the heels of the Trial Team s most recent win, a National Championship in November s Puerto Rico Trial Advocacy Competition (PRTAC). Herrera (Perfect Score and Best Advocate) and Smeriglio were on that championship team, along with Amanda Dunn and Christina Figueroa. Barry Law s PRTAC team was coached by Ostroff and Beamer. Adventist University IT Gives Back to Local Teachers Adventist University of Health Sciences IT department visited A Gift For Teaching (AGFT) to provide local students with the school supplies needed to succeed. Every child deserves a great education and some schools in Central Florida don t have the resources to buy the necessary school supplies, explained Sarah Carroll, ADU Software Developer. A Gift For Teaching helps fill that gap, and by volunteering, it made me realize how important these supplies are to teachers and students. On average, teachers spend $500 out of their pockets each year to provide basic supplies for their students. Led by the passion to serve others, ADU s entire IT department shut down for the day, and joined together to volunteer a total of 27 hours. It was a day to focus on something bigger; to take a step back from the typical day spent on a computer, and to create change for those who need it the most. It was nice to be able to spend some time helping an organization that works so hard to improve the lives of needy kids, right here around us, explained ADU IT Director, Travis Wooley.

4 Page 4 Tampa Announces Cybersecurity Southeastern Opens Financial Center The University of Tampa will begin offering a major and minor undergraduate program in cybersecurity, considered one of the fastest growing fields worldwide, starting Fall Students in the program will learn to protect the confidentiality, availability and integrity of information and information systems that support modern organizations. The curriculum will focus on both the fundamentals of information systems as well as advanced topics in areas such as network security, cryptography, risk management, security governance, business continuity, security architecture, physical security and critical infrastructures. A key feature of UT s cybersecurity program is that it prepares students to take and pass the Certified Information Systems Security Professional exam, which certifies an individual's knowledge in the information security profession. The program also gives students extensive hands-on experience using industry standard tools in a modern cybersecurity lab. Demand for certified security professionals is expected to rise as global commerce and modern society becomes increasingly dependent on information systems and related technologies, said Kenneth Knapp, cybersecurity program director and associate professor of information and technology management. The UT cybersecurity major will develop students to be leaders in the growing cybersecurity field and employed by prominent organizations worldwide. ST. Thomas Names New Provost Through a partnership with GTE Financial, Southeastern University will open a studentpowered financial center on the university s campus. The financial center will be the second student-powered credit union that GTE has opened in Florida and will offer students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in financial services. The student-powered center will be completely run and operated by Southeastern students. This partnership enables us to offer experiential learning opportunities to our students that will develop essential skills, confidence and leadership, said Dr. Joe Childs, dean of Southeastern s College of Business and Legal Studies. These experiences will enhance their readiness for the job market. Southeastern students were interviewed and selected by GTE to operate the center. The students spent several months in training where they learned about IRAs, opening memberships, transactions, investments, member experience, and auto loans. GTE Financial is very excited and thankful to partner with Southeastern University for a new student-powered center. We will draw on our experience and success to deliver a top-notch experience to our current and prospective members, said Tim Daniska, GTE Product Manager. In an effort to continue the strengthening of the University s academic leadership, St. Thomas University President Monsignor Franklyn M. Casale announced the appointment of Irma Becerra, Ph.D., as the new St. Thomas University Provost. Dr. Becerra-Fernandez left Florida International University, where she served in a number of academic and senior management positions since 1990, including her most recent position as Vice President, Office of Engagement. She in an internationally recognized expert in the fields of knowledge management, business intelligence, entrepreneurship, and disaster management. A creative innovator in the design of programs, she has succeeded in a variety of complex challenges, from improved graduation rates to donor relations and increased resource acquirement. Dr. Irma Becerra

5 Page 5 Clearwater Announces New Criminal Justice Partner Clearwater Christian College announced its partnership with the National Forensic Science Technology Center (NFSTC) in nearby Largo, FL, to supply practical, hands-on experience for students studying Criminal Justice. Since its formation in 1995, NFSTC has been serving the justice community in evaluating, auditing, and improving forensic services in crimes labs throughout the United States and internationally. In recent years, NFSTC has completed key projects for the National Institute of Justice including training programs in crime scene investigation, footprint/tire track identification, and latent print examination, and assistance in resource management. This partnership will be helpful as forensic science taught in the CCC classroom is experienced live at NFSTC using the latest and best equipment, techniques, and NFSTC scientists. Everglades Grad & Former ICUF Fellow New Manatee County Energy Manager A recent graduate of the Bachelor of Science in Alternative and Renewable Energy Management program from the Sarasota campus of Everglades University, Diana Linville, was hired as the Energy Manager for Manatee County. While this is Ms. Linville s dream job, she will continue her education by pursuing her MBA at Everglades University and is grateful to have the opportunity to implement energy efficient technologies, write grants, and be a part of an exciting team of professionals. In the spring of 2014, Ms. Linville graduated Valedictorian of her class and represented Everglades University as an ICUF Presidential Fellow for several years while holding a 4.0 GPA. She received her Bachelor s degree at Everglades University and was the Student Government Association s President. Ms. Linville is very passionate about community service and participated in several activities including the United Way local chapter, Ronald McDonald House, Bay Pines Veterans Home Projects, and the Susan Komen Race for the Cure as team captain. Mrs. Linville is considered an outstanding student at Everglades University and a role model for students, graduates, and the Sarasota community. Florida College Nationally Recognized for Alumni Giving Florida College was among U.S. News & World Report s top 10 ranking of colleges and universities at which alumni give back to their alma mater. U.S. News recognized Florida College alumni, 64.7 % of whom donated to the College between the and academic years. The ranking placed Florida College narrowly ahead of Princeton University, where 62.5 % of alumni gave during the same period, as well as other larger institutions. Florida College, formerly a two-year institution, first introduced a bachelor s degree in 1997 and began expanding four-year offerings in This makes their ranking particularly notable, as their average age of givers is well under 35. Diana Linville

6 Page 6 Palm Beach Atlantic Named to President s Higher Education Honor Roll The Corporation for National and Community Service has named Palm Beach Atlantic University to the 2014 President s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. Palm Beach Atlantic was among 766 higher education institutions named to the Community Service Honor Roll, which recognizes institutions that demonstrate relevant and meaningful service and achieve measurable impacts in the community. Palm Beach Atlantic University students have donated more than 2.8 million community service hours since the University s founding in 1968 through a program called Workship, a University tradition of responding to human needs with Christ-like action. This is the eighth consecutive year in which Palm Beach Atlantic has been recognized with this honor. Palm Beach Atlantic University students and graduates are building communities and changing lives one relationship at a time, and much of that is a direct result of the culture of service-learning that is part of the fabric of PBA, said University President William M. B. Fleming, Jr. We are honored to receive this recognition and consider it an affirmation of the tradition of service set forth by our University s founding fathers. Jacksonville Breaks Ground on New Residence Hall Rimrock Devlin Development has started construction on Jacksonville University s new Dolphin Residence Hall, and released the first fullcolor renderings, site plan and interior designs to students and the public. Dolphin Residence Hall is a 277-bed housing development with four stories and 70,000 square feet, with a total development cost of $12 million. The three-wing building is the first new housing construction development for JU in many years and is part of the school s redevelopment of old Arlington in conjunction with the City of Jacksonville. This project represents a new era for campus life at Jacksonville University, said JU President Tim Cost. And it is part of a larger push to create additional attractive amenities for today s outstanding students our students. Engaging, modern living spaces are an absolute priority for any institution looking to expand and evolve. The new development represents the best new practices in student housing, including collaborative living space and modern amenities. Students are expected to move in in fall SUPPORT THE FRAG

7 Page 7 Saint Leo School of Business Adds Accreditation The Donald R. Tapia School of Business at Saint Leo University has attained accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Business Schools & Programs, an international association with an emphasis on rewarding teaching excellence and helping students to understand the importance of learning how to learn. The accreditation supports Saint Leo s teaching mission and creating lifelong learners. In addition to this accreditation, the Tapia School is accredited by the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education. At the program level, the undergraduate Sport Business Program and MBA Program with Sport Business Concentration are both accredited by the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation. U.S. News & World Report Ranks Nova s Criminal Justice Graduate Program For the first time, U.S. News & World Report included online graduate criminal justice programs in its annual review of the top educational programs in America and when the review was completed, Nova Southeastern University s program was ranked 22nd. We are thrilled to see our program receive such recognition, said George L. Hanbury II, Ph.D., NSU s president and CEO. We ve worked very hard to make that a robust program for our students we ve known for a while that our program was one of the best, and now it has been recognized as such. According to the report, around 5.4 million students took at least one distance education course during the fall of While online education is a fast-growing option for schools around the country, at NSU it has been something at the university s core mission almost since the school was founded. Providing as many opportunities for students to obtain a quality education has been a primary focus of NSU for the past 50 years, Hanbury said. NSU provides a myriad of high quality online course options for students we re pioneers in the area. No better example can be found than NSU s criminal justice graduate program as it s offered entirely online. This format allows students to participate in courses from anywhere in the world and provides flexibility in completing a master s degree while providing time for students to continue their current career if need be. NSU s master s program in criminal justice is designed for those interested in careers in several areas, including, but not limited to: police officer; detective; FBI special agent; DEA agent; Secret Service special agent; Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agent; and Federal Air Marshal.

8 Page 8 Stetson included in U.S. News Best Online Graduate Business Programs 2015 Stetson University s Master of Accountancy program is earning recognition again in U.S. News & World Report s 2015 Best Online Graduate Business Programs (excluding MBA) where it tied for 42 in the nation. Stetson tied for 93 in Online MBA and Graduate Business Programs specifically for the joint Master of Pharmacy/Master of Business Administration program (Pharma/MBA.). Listed consistently as one of the South s leading universities since the U.S. News survey of colleges and universities was first published in 1985, Stetson s online graduate business programs are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, known as the gold standard of business school accreditation. Because this year s rankings were divided between programs offering M.B.A.s and those that exclude M.B.A.s, the rankings and data for 2015 are not analytically comparable to those from years past. Only 118 schools are ranked this year, compared with 225 the previous year. Stetson s online Accounting graduate program is one of 180 nationally recognized AACSB accounting accredited institutions worldwide. Our online Master of Accountancy program is now in its sixth year, said Michael Bitter, Ph.D., Rinker Distinguished Professor of Accounting and chair of Stetson s M.E. Rinker, Sr. Institute of Tax and Accountancy. We are very proud of the quality of our program our faculty, our students and our curriculum and are pleased that we were one of the very first universities to offer top quality online graduate education in accounting to working professionals. Our program has helped students meet CPA examination requirements, enhance their knowledge and skills, attain promotions and compensation increases, advance in their field, and, in some cases, transition into accounting education. FL Tech Named to President s Honor Roll Florida Institute of Technology has been named to the 2014 President s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, the eighth consecutive year the university has received this national distinction. Just 766 colleges and universities among the more than 4,500 degree-granting institutions in the U.S. were named to the honor roll, which recognizes those schools that support exemplary community service programs and raise the visibility of effective practices in campus community partnerships. Inspired by the thousands of college students who traveled across the country to support relief efforts along the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina, the Community Service Honor Roll also highlights the role institutions of higher education play in solving community challenges. The goal is to encourage more students to pursue a lifelong path of civic engagement that achieves meaningful and measurable outcomes in their communities, a facet of the university experience that Florida Tech President and CEO Anthony J. Catanese believes is essential for students success in the classroom and beyond. Getting an education is certainly about lectures and research and the traditional elements of learning, he said. But it is also about having meaningful experiences outside of the classroom, and the thousands of hours our students, faculty and staff dedicate to community improvement make all of us better, more compassionate people.

9 Page 9 Stetson University names new Dean of Students Lynn Schoenberg, former executive director of Holistic Wellness at Stetson University, has been named Stetson s Dean of Students. A member of the Stetson community for eight years, Schoenberg s initial focus was on health education, alcohol prevention and late night programming within the Campus Life and Student Success Division. In that capacity, she started the Wellness Interns (Peer Education) organization, the Reality Campaign (social norms marketing), BASICS (Brief Alcohol Screening & Intervention for College Students) Program, and tobacco cessation, and was very involved in policy changes around wellness, including Medical Amnesty and Stetson s implementing the Smoke/Tobacco Free policy. At different times during her tenure at Stetson, she supervised Greek Life, Lynn Schoenberg advised student organizations, was a member of the Wellness Values Council and served as the co-chair for the university-wide Values Steering Committee for Personal Growth. I am extremely pleased to have Lynn step into the role of Dean of Students, said Christopher M. Kandus-Fisher, Ed.D, vice president of student affairs. She is a capable, reliable and confident leader who has built a trusting relationship across the university with faculty, staff and students. As the Dean of Students, Lynn will provide oversight to Wellness and Recreation, Health Services, the Counseling Center, Community Standards, and Student Development and Campus Vibrancy. She is a true student advocate. Flagler Launches Women of Vision Fund Flagler College has announced the launch of a new effort designed to provide scholarship, financial aid and educational opportunities for female students and to strengthen ties between women and the college. The new program, called the Women of Vision Fund of Flagler College, is steered by an advisory board comprised of female leaders and philanthropists from the local community. In 1971, three years after its inception, Flagler College officially became a coeducational institution, and in 1972 the college graduated its first class. Thirty-one members of the 34-member inaugural class were women. Today, 60 percent of Flagler s student population is made up of women. With the Women of Vision Fund of Flagler College, we seek to harness the collective power of women to raise money for a significant endowment fund, said Dr. Beverly Carmichael, Vice President of Institutional Advancement at Flagler College and also a member of the college s first graduating class. The ultimate goal is to create scholarships, financial aid and educational opportunities for women at Flagler College. In four years the college will turn 50, and this seems a fitting time to establish a legacy fund for the women who study here, the women who earned degrees here, and the women who are connected to Flagler in other ways. Check out the ICUF Multi-Media elibrary, where you ll find FREE online labs for students, parents and teachers all developed by ICUF students and educators.

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11 A d v e n t i s t U n i v e r s i t y o f H e a l t h S c i e n c e s A v e M a r i a U n i v e r s i t y B a r r y U n i v e r s i t y B e a c o n C o l l e g e B e t h u n e - C o o k m a n U n i v e r s i t y C l e a r w a t e r C h r i s t i a n C o l l e g e E c k e r d C o l l e g e E d w a r d W a t e r s C o l l e g e E m b r y - R i d d l e A e r o n a u t i c a l U n i v e r s i t y E v e r g l a d e s U n i v e r s i t y F l a g l e r C o l l e g e F l o r i d a C o l l e g e F l o r i d a I n s t i t u t e o f T e c h n o l o g y F l o r i d a M e m o r i a l U n i v e r s i t y F l o r i d a S o u t h e r n C o l l e g e H o d g e s U n i v e r s i t y J a c k s o n v i l l e U n i v e r s i t y K e i s e r U n i v e r s i t y L y n n U n i v e r s i t y N o v a S o u t h e a s t e r n U n i v e r s i t y P a l m B e a c h A t l a n t i c U n i v e r s i t y R i n g l i n g C o l l e g e o f A r t a n d D e s i g n R o l l i n s C o l l e g e S a i n t L e o U n i v e r s i t y S t. T h o m a s U n i v e r s i t y S o u t h e a s t e r n U n i v e r s i t y S t e t s o n U n i v e r s i t y T h e U n i v e r s i t y o f T a m p a U n i v e r s i t y o f M i a m i W a r n e r U n i v e r s i t y W e b b e r I n t e r n a t i o n a l U n i v e r s i t y Please comments and suggested news items to: marmstrong@icuf.org.