FSU must focus on preparing students for jobs, boost research

http://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2017/01/26/bog-chairman-says-universities-must-focus-preparing-students-jobs-boost-research/97094948/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

"Kuntz said the board’s use of performance funding has been critical in keeping universities focused on what is important. The funding formula also has played a major role in improving the number of students graduating with STEM skills.
“Last session, the Legislature allocated $500 million for performance funding,” Kuntz said. “Performance funding works because it changes behavior at the institutional level."
Kuntz pointed to a 31 percent increase in STEM undergraduate degrees and a 17 percent jump in STEM graduate degrees, he said.
"So that’s a major step in the right direction. “
Kuntz said universities are making changes to better align degrees to jobs in Florida. He cited Florida State University as an example, with its expansion of programs in public health and aerospace engineering."

“To be a premier system, our faculty must engage in meaningful research that leads to solving real-world challenges on a much larger scale than we are currently doing,” Kuntz said.
Kuntz said there are several examples of universities achieving this goal, including:
FAMU receiving a $15.4-million award from National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration to establish the Center for Coastal and Marine Ecosystems as the lead institution in conjunction with five partner universities.
Florida State University receiving $10 million from the U.S. Department of Energy to create a new Energy Frontier Research Center.
Equally important is increasing the number of students graduating in four years, he said. To that extent, the governors are endorsing the efforts of Gov. Rick Scott and legislators to expand summer funding for Bright Futures scholarships.
“Getting a degree in four years is a win – for our students, for businesses who employ our students, and for our state,” Kuntz said."


"Approved adding a request of $14.5 million in funding for FSU’s Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science building on the SUS’s list of highest priority PECO projects for the upcoming legislative session.
Approved FSU’s request that $41 million for an Interdisciplinary Research Commercialization building and $10 million for its College of Business building be in included in the governors’ supplemental PECO request.
Approved two separate loan resolutions proposed by Florida State University for the Seminole Boosters College Town project. The debt will consist of two bank loans; one, short-term loan not to exceed $15 million and a second long-range loan not to exceed $31 million. The money will go toward building student housing as part of the College Town III development just south of campus and buying out investors in College Town 1."