October 2016

E D H . M O O R E , P h D P R E S I D E N T ( 8 5 0 ) 6 8 1 - 3 1 8 8 e m o o r e @ i c u f . o r g

INDEPENDENT

Colleges &

Universities of Florida

Warner Holds Inauguration of Third President ICUF Honor Roll Stetson, ADU Unite to Cre-ate New Career Pathways Former Palm Beach Atlan-tic All-American Honored Family Nurse Practitioner Specialty Launched at Flor-ida Southern Webber Announces Tuition Freeze for 2017/18 Rollins Renewed as Change Maker Campus Ringling Wins Pitch IT! Challenge UT Research Examines Local Startup Community St. Thomas Joins Haiti Relief Efforts Saint Leo Appoints New Chief Information Officer Flagler’s FLARE Takes Top Spot Edward Waters Partners with EPA Bethune-Cookman Re-ports Record Enrollment NSU Researchers Receive Grants from U.S. Army Growth Spurs Major Reno-vation Project at JU Hodges Participates in White House Computer Science for All Initiative Florida College Student Wins Essay Contest Ave Maria to Build $11M Academic Building

October

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Warner Holds Inauguration of Third President

The inauguration ceremony of Dr. David A. Hoag as the third President of Warner Uni-versity was held in Lake Wales, with University of Florida President Dr. W. Kent Fuchs giving the inaugural address. Dr. Hoag has been in the active role of President of Warner Universi-ty since May of this year, and brought with him many changes, as he hit the ground running. The unanimous vote from the Board of Trus-tees and subsequent hiring ended a two-year executive search for the 48-year old institution.

Dr. Hoag holds a Ph.D. in Higher Educa-tion from Saint Louis University, a Master of Science from the University of Kentucky, and a Bachelor of Science from Asbury University. He also has earned a Certificate of Achievement from Indiana University Center on Philanthropy Fundraising School. His came to Warner from Trinity Interna-tional University in Deerfield, Illinois, where he served as Senior Vice Presi-dent of Advancement.

President David A. Hoag

Honor RollHonor Roll!

l-r: Mariah Hillery, Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis, Senator Oscar Braynon,

Sydney Chanlatte, Nicole Collins and Christopher Austin

Florida Memorial University President Roslyn Artis present-ed an ICUF Presidential Honor Roll Award to Senator Oscar Braynon in recognition of his support of Independent Higher Education during the 2016 legislative session.

October 2016 Page 2

Former Palm Beach Atlantic All-American Honored

Former Palm Beach Atlantic University volleyball standout Faith Rohn Visconti was honored as one of the NCAA Woman of the Year Top 30 recipients at the NCAA Woman of the Year Awards dinner. Previously, Visconti was named as one of the top 30, becoming the first PBA selection to the top 30. She finished her PBA career by leading the volleyball team to the NCAA National Championship match in 2015. She was the pro-gram’s first AVCA All-American First Team selection and first CoSIDA Ac-ademic All-American. She led PBA to their first NCAA South Region title as a senior and finished her career with over 1,600 kills. The Woman of the Year award is given to someone who demonstrates excellence in aca-demics, athletics, community service and leadership.

Faith Rohn Visconti

Family Nurse Practitioner Specialty Launched at Florida Southern

Florida Southern College is launching a new program in its School of Nursing and Health Sci-ences designed to prepare family nurse practitioners, who comprise a fast-growing and critically needed sector of healthcare in America. The new program is one of four tracks in the master of sci-ence in nursing degree and will enroll its first class in January, said Dr. Linda Comer, dean of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences. Nurse practitioners provide all forms of healthcare except surgery, including diagnosing acute and chronic conditions, and prescribing medications. There are several specialties within the field, and family nurse practitioners are trained as primary care provid-ers to care for patients of all ages. It is the largest specialty, with 55 percent of the almost 250,000 nurse practitioners nationwide. “It is the most versatile of the nurse practitioner degrees,” Dr. Comer said. “Studies have shown that the care provided by these nurse practitioners is of the same quality as physicians, and the approach to healthcare is a little more holistic and focused on wellness.”

Stetson, Adventist University Unite to Create New Career Pathways

Stetson University and Adventist University of Health Sciences (ADU) signed a milestone agreement to collaborate in the creation of new opportunities for their students. “Stetson and ADU are far more complementary than competitive,” stated Dr. David Greenlaw, President of ADU. “ADU has access to world-class clinical facilities at Florida Hospital with several graduate degrees like Physician Assistant and Physical Therapy where we can build bridges for our students. There are also some op-portunities for joint research in the health sciences.”

The agreement outlines several career pathways that Stetson and ADU students can follow toward earning degrees at either campus as well as dual-degree offerings. These new prospects introduce stronger career options for graduates. Dr. Wendy B. Libby, President of Stetson, said, “Some of our MBA students may like to add the Master’s in Healthcare Administration from ADU, and those students may like to pursue graduate law degrees with Stetson. Students in our life sciences programs can prepare for entrance to ADU graduate de-grees in Physical Therapy or Occupational Therapy. This agreement really opens up new career op-tions for our students.” The partnership will bring other benefits as well. Students from both schools will have the opportunity for collaborative research as well as access to certain campus clubs, events and facilities.

Stetson President Libby and

ADU President Greenlaw

October 2016 Page 3

Webber Announces Tuition Freeze

for 2017/18

Rollins Renewed as Change

Maker Campus

Rollins College was once again named an Ashoka U Changemaker Campus. Ashoka U works with colleges and universities to cre-ate a campus-wide culture of social innova-tion. Rollins recently received the renewed recognition on behalf of its flourishing pro-gramming in social innovation, social entre-preneurship, and community engagement. Rollins is one of just 37 colleges and universi-ties around the world to earn the Change-maker Campus designation. "Our relationship with Ashoka U aligns with our mission, val-ues, and drivers for change,” says Mary Con-way Dato-on, associate professor of interna-tional business and social entrepreneurship and faculty director of Rollins’ Social Innova-tion and Entrepreneurship Hub. “Our success reflects multiple collaborators across campus and community partners who have made an impact in social innovation and engagement. We are pleased with the renewal and mutual commitment to this important work."

Ringling College of Art and Design has announced that the Col-lege's DRAW Learning Portfolio Platform was chosen as the winner of the Pitch IT! Challenge at the 2016 Educause Conference. Educause is the higher education

Information Technology association. DRAW is the acronym for Ringling College's Digital Re-source Archive Warehouse. Developed over the past three years, DRAW is a learning portfo-lio platform for archiving, downloading and searching student artwork, photography and other digital works. DRAW was presented at Pitch IT! by Jeff Schwartz, Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs for Ringling College to a panel of judges made up of representatives from Amazon Web Services, Dell, EdSurge and USA Funds.

Ringling was chosen to compete with three other institutions out of a field of 25 in this Shark Tank-like challenge for the opportunity to have Educause and its members throw their weight into further developing DRAW into a higher education product applicable to Art and De-sign institutions worldwide.

Due to skyrocketing operating costs, health insurance premiums doubling, along with increased costs up across the board, most schools, Webber included, have had little choice but to pass increased costs along. However, there was something of a surprise when Webber recently announced its tuition, room, and board rates for the 2017/18 academic year would have a 0% hike. “We’re not raising tuition a penny next year,” said Dr. Keith Wade, the University’s President & CEO. “Same for room and board. Zero change. Associate’s, bache-lor’s, MBA, budget dorm, luxury dorm, meal plan, application fee, graduation fee… zero change for next year.” Student insurance and books, items whose price the Universi-ty does not influence, are not included in the freeze. “The reality is that we’re not a rich school. Tuition, room, board, and help from our friends pay the bills. We budget at break-even,” said Wade. “The other reality is that while we are extraordinarily proud of our affordability, our average student debt, and our job placement rates, most of our students and their families are sacrificing a good deal to be here. That higher educa-tion is a good investment doesn’t make it inexpensive. So this seemed like the right thing to do. We’re a 501(c)(3), so we’ll do a bit more fundraising. We’re a business school, so we’ll find some ways to cut a few costs and run a little leaner.”

Ringling Wins Pitch IT! Challenge

Jeff Schwartz

October 2016 Page 4

A year-long research project has yielded a model for strengthening entrepreneurial ecosystems in Tampa Bay and other cities nationwide. The findings could make a profound impact on the success of local entrepreneurial ventures into the future. Spearheaded by Re-becca White, University of Tampa Entrepreneurship Department chair and director of the John P. Lowth Entrepreneurship Center, along with a team of professors across the nation, the research included in-depth surveys of entrepreneurs and their businesses in Tampa Bay. The project will help give the Tampa Bay Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) recommenda-tions for how it can better support businesses as well as data-driven recommendations for improvement in connectivity the venture capital pipline from a separate study. The research was funded by a $150,000 grant from the Kansas City-based Ewing Marion Kauffman Foun-dation.

"Investing in ecosystem research is an investment in entrepreneurs. Investing in entre-preneurs is an investment in our economy,” said Yasuyuki Motoyama, director in research and policy at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, “We see a lot of potential in Tampa Bay for new ventures and for researching its emerging entrepreneurial ecosystem." Academ-ic research in entrepreneurship has often been more concerned in the qualities and habits of the entrepreneur. In recent years, there has been a shift to study the ecosystem in which the entrepreneur and the new venture exists.

University of Tampa Research Examines Local Startup Community

The most powerful Caribbean storm in a decade wreaked havoc on the northwestern part of Haiti in what is likely to be the country’s worse humanitarian crisis since its 2010 earthquake. Less reported in the media is the devastating impact Hurricane Matthew brought to the Northwest Department of Haiti. The NW Department, also known as the Diocese of Port-de-Paix, is the poorest region in Haiti, and one of its most inaccessible.

In the aftermath, St. Thomas University has joined with the Archdiocese of Miami and the Diocese of Port-de-Paix, Haiti, in supporting immediate relief, as well as long-term re-building efforts, in Miami’s heavily-damaged sister-diocese of Port-de-Paix, Haiti. The univer-sity’s contacts on the ground describe almost total destruction in the far northwest region of the diocese; hundreds of houses have been destroyed, thousands are left without shelter, most livestock have been killed, and crops were destroyed – creating a critical need for both an immediate response and long-term support. Caritas Port-de-Paix, the local Diocese of Port-de-Paix’s official relief and development organization, is mobilizing a region-wide re-sponse in Haiti’s northwest.

St. Thomas Joins Haiti Relief Efforts

Saint Leo University has appointed Vijay Sonty the chief information officer of the university. Sonty is an information technology executive with more than 30 years of experience in a variety of settings, including posi-tions in education, in technology consulting to industry, at a hospital, and at a major advertising agency. Sonty holds two master’s degrees from South-ern Illinois University, one in management information systems, and one in environmental science. He earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry in India at Osmania University.

Saint Leo Appoints New Chief Information Officer

Vijay Sonty

October 2016 Page 5

Flagler’s FLARE Takes Top Spot

The spring 2016 issue of FLARE: The Flagler Review won first place in the Four Year Literary Magazine of the Year category at the College Me-dia Association’s 2015-16 Pinnacle Awards this past October. FLARE is a student-run literary journal produced by an English Department publication class at Flagler College. “I think I did something like a happy dance while posting the link on my Facebook page,” FLARE co-editor Stephanie Austin said of learning the news. “I’m friends with several of the staff members who were part of FLARE last semester but graduated. I wanted to make sure they knew what we’d done.” This is the second year in a row Flagler’s stu-dent-run literary journal has been recognized in the competition. It placed third last year. According to Austin, who shared the editorship with now-alum Drake Stevens, the publication’s success can be attributed to diversity of perspectives on the staff. “Oftentimes the publication is a mixture of people who have been on staff before and people who haven’t,” she said. “Sometimes, new people have never been part of any publication. That gives a unique perspective when it comes to improvements. We don’t always see eye-to-eye but disagreement, when put to use, leads to something better.” FLARE is printed in the spring, and publishes up-and-coming and estab-lished writers and artists from throughout the United States.

Edward Waters Partners

with EPA

Edward Waters College (EWC) will host an official signing ceremony to mark the commencement of a new part-nership between the College and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). President Nathaniel Glover and EPA Region IV Senior Advisor, Caroline Freeman will each sign the memorandum and exchange pens as a symbol of shared dedication to advancing and im-proving educational opportunities in envi-ronmental science and good citizenship.

Immunologist and Biologist, Dr.

Brian Seymour, has directed research on

Immunoglobin E (IgE) and the effects of

environmental allergens on inner-city,

minority communities suffering from

chronic asthma. The collaboration will

enhance Dr. Seymour’s scientific re-

search findings on health disparities.

Bethune-Cookman University is experienc-ing historical enrollment numbers for its new aca-demic year. The university has welcomed 1,177 freshmen and a total of 3,964 students, both the largest numbers ever reported by the university, with more being added in fall Subterm II. The Of-fice of Admissions reported the incoming freshman class is one of the most academically prepared classes to enter the university in over three years. The current freshman class exceeded SAT and ACT testing requirements for student admissions; and has accepted over 200 scholarships, the high-est amount of offered and accepted scholarships for an incoming class at B-CU.

Director of Admissions, Manicia Finch stat-ed, “I am so proud of my team for the hard work they have put in to prepare our incoming freshmen. Our success has come from the strength of better communication and activities such as Wildcat Day, B-CU Connect Day and our spring recruitment tours across the Southern region and California.”

Bethune-Cookman Reports

Record Enrollment

October 2016 Page 6

NSU Researchers Receive Grants from U.S. Army

At least a quarter of the 700,000 soldiers who fought in the 1991 Gulf War suffer from a debili-tating disease called Gulf War illness (GWI). GWI is a medical condition that affects both men and women and is associated with symptoms including fatigue, chronic headaches, memory problems, muscle and joint pain, gastrointestinal issues, neurological problems, respiratory symptoms, hormo-nal imbalance and immune dysfunction. Researchers at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) are conducting multiple studies to learn more about and ultimately help veterans facing GWI. Two NSU research teams recently received grants from the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity totaling $1,830,389 to fund three studies.

Improving Diagnostics and Treatments for GWI Females by Accounting for the Effects of PTSD1 Disentangling the Effects of PTSD from GWI for Improved Diagnostics and Treatments2 Persistently Elevated Somatic Mutation as a Biomarker of Clinically Relevant Exposures in GWI3

Growth Spurs Major Renovation Project at Jacksonville

Recently, the White House hosted a Computer Science for All summit to address the initiative brought forth by President Barack Obama to provide students the oppor-tunity to learn computer science in school. Included in the 2016 summit was a White House fact sheet, which included Hodges University’s participation, stating, “Hodges University will collaborate with the Southwest Florida Regional Technology Partnership, a nonprofit, to directly engage and encourage by June 2017, 2,500 K-12 students and teachers in Southwest Florida to explore com-puter programming as a problem-solving mechanism for community issues.” With 119 public schools in Lee and Collier counties, Hodges’ Fisher School of Technology faculty and students, as well as the South-

west Florida Regional Technology Partnership plan to “provide a two-hour curriculum consisting of coding and an active discussion on how computer science can provide real solutions to local problems,” according to Profes-sor Tracey Lanham, program chair of Hodges’ computer information tech-nology programs. As a strong proponent of technology and STEM-based initiatives in K-12 schools, Lanham views Hodges’ participation in this sum-mit initiative as an opportunity to “publically acknowledge and showcase the strides we are making to provide the tools to teach and learn computer science in grades K-12,” she said.

Increased residential enrollment has spurred Jacksonville University to begin a major renovation of its 132-room Williams Hall, with work on the $5.9 million project making housing available to incoming freshmen beginning fall 2017. The project will include all new study rooms and recreation areas, a community kitch-en and laundry facilities, as well as all new fin-ishes throughout. “Investing in the residential experience by creating innovative living and learning spaces is a key element in our goal to enhance the student experience, both from a co-curricular perspective and academically,” said Kristie Gover, Senior Vice President for Student Affairs. The improvements come after a boost in admissions of new incoming students, as JU has seen double-digit freshman enrollment growth over the last three years, to the point it is nearing its housing capacity.

Hodges Participates in White House Computer Science for All Initiative

October 2016 Page 7

Abigail Alford, an incoming Florida College freshman and presiden-tial scholar, has been selected as one of the 10 grand prizewinners of Chipotle Mexican Grill’s “Cultivating Thought” student essay scholarship contest, judged by acclaimed author Jonathan Safran Foer. “My mom and I decided early on that applying for scholarships would be a priority, and we’re so thankful for the positive results of that decision,” Abigail said. The “Cultivating Thought” contest challenged students ages 13 to 18 to submit an original story about when food created a memory. Abigail’s essay, “Two Minutes with Granny Sue,” was chosen based on its originality, creativity and quality of composition. The essay is about the first time she enjoyed ice cream from an ice cream truck after a lifetime of hearing “no” from her loving parents. “Two Minutes With Granny Sue” is featured on Chipotle packaging alongside artwork inspired by the essay, and Abigail received a $20,000 scholarship to support her continuing education. “When I first found out about winning the Chipotle scholarship, I remember breaking down in tears and thanking God over and over again because I was so grateful to have won something that would ease the financial burden of my college expenses,” Abigail said. Abigail graduated from Summit High School in Spring Hill, Tennessee, and joined the Florida College family on campus this fall as a freshman in the elementary education program.

Florida College Student Wins Essay Contest

Abigail Alford

Ave Maria University announced that it plans to build a new $11 million academic build-ing in honor of Mother Teresa of Calcutta that will house the University’s nursing program and provide venues for the performing arts. The new academic building will provide over 37,000 square feet of space for classrooms, a nursing laboratory, 13 private offices for faculty, and staff space for Campus Ministry and the Mother Teresa Project. The building also will include a permanent home for the Mother Teresa Muse-um, as well as a 400-seat performance hall and a 125-seat auditorium with a thrust stage. The auditorium is designed for AMU’s nationally-acclaimed Shakespeare productions that take place annually under the direction of Dr. Travis Curtright, chairman of AMU’s Department of Humanities. The auditorium also will accommodate ac-ademic lectures, students on retreat, and groups who visit the museum. The University has raised over $6.5 million to fund the costs of phase one which will consist of the construction of the main structure of the building and the completion of the interior of the wing that houses the auditorium. The final phase of construction will commence once the remaining funding has been secured. “This is a great day for Ave Maria University and our community,” said Jim Towey, president of the Uni-versity. “We owe a debt of gratitude to the many trustees and donors who believe in our mission to provide an authentic and affordable Catholic liberal arts education.”

Ave Maria to Build $11M Academic Building

October 2016 Page 8

of Independent Colleges and Universities Florida

S P OT L I G H T S

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Click HERE for a listing of all our ICUF Preferred Vendors

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Adventist University of Health Sciences

Ave Maria University

Barry University

Beacon College

Bethune-Cookman University

Eckerd College

Edward Waters College

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Everglades University

Flagler College

Florida College

Florida Institute of Technology

Florida Memorial University

Florida Southern College

Hodges University

Jacksonville University

Keiser University

Lynn University

Nova Southeastern University

Palm Beach Atlantic University

Ringling College of Art and Design

Rollins College

Saint Leo University

Southeastern University

St. Thomas University

Stetson University

The University of Tampa

University of Miami

Warner University

Webber International University

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