FSU 2015 Highlights

http://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2015/12/29/higher-education-leaders-look-ahead-2016/77678410/

Clearly 2015 brought many significant gains in higher education by way of the accomplishments of Florida State, Florida A&M universities and Tallahassee Community College.
The three institutions make up a critical part of Tallahassee’s fabric in the way of academic breakthroughs, economic development, promoting Tallahassee as a destination for young entrepreneurs and retirees looking for opportunities to engage in an academically challenging community; and preparing for tomorrow’s workplace -- be it at the doctoral level or through certificate programs that open doors for immediate employment.
In Tallahassee, the major college campuses cater to more than 60,000 students, and that represents a market that has prompted a surge of new service businesses, hotels and supplier-side enterprises.
The big news in higher education this year came a week before Christmas when Florida State University President John Thrasher announced a $100-million gift from Jan Moran and The Jim Moran Foundation to create the Jim Moran School of Entrepreneurship, which will be located in downtown Tallahassee.
The new year promises to bring more challenges and achievements in higher education, with next year’s highlights largely dependent on results from the upcoming legislative session, buy-in from private partnerships and earning the grade on performance-based metrics set by the Florida Board of Governors.
Both FSU and FAMU also will be finalizing work on their strategic plans in the early part of the new year. The plans are critical in defining each institution’s mission as it relates to what new programs will need to be funded, which programs will be dropped, what new partnerships need to be established and who pays for it all.
A top priority for Tallahassee Community College is the celebration of its 50th anniversary and how the college prepares for the future.
Here are some highlights from 2015, with a look ahead to 2016:

FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY HIGHLIGHTS

Buy PhotoWestcott building (Photo: Democrat file)

• Investiture ceremonies were held for John Thrasher, a veteran legislator, who went right to work in showing those critical of his selection that he is the right leader for the university.
• Florida State met all of the 12 performance metrics outlined by the Board of Governors.
• The University received more than $200 million in new donations toward its goal of raising $1 billion by the middle of 2018 for its “Raise the Torch” campaign.
• Sally McRorie was selected as the university’s provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. McRorie had served as Florida State’s interim provost since Dec. 5, 2014.
• Laura Greene, an internationally renowned physicist and National Academy of Science member was recruited to be chief scientist for the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory headquartered at FSU.
• Daniel Hubbard, a Florida State University psychology major studying the causes of suicide, particularly in the military community, was named a 2015 Truman Scholar. He is one of 58 Truman Scholars for this year and the only one from Florida.
• Eligible faculty received pay hikes based on performance, merit and market equity, a move that helped improve faculty morale and generate support for the new president.
• A record 400 new students enrolled in FSU this summer under the Center for Academic Retention and Enhancement. Most of the students are minorities who are first in their families to attend college.

Looking ahead at 2016:

• Florida State University could be announcing the donation of a prime downtown office building to house its Jim Moran School of Entrepreneurship.
• Thrasher and McRorie will continue their focus on increasing enrollment of minority students, staff and faculty.
• The renovation and improvements at Doak Campbell Stadium will begin to shape up and the university will aggressively be working to turn around an 11 percent drop in attendance at football games next year.
• Efforts will continue to brand FSU nationally with stronger emphasis on its academic offerings and prominent faculty hires in its quest to become one of the country’s top 25 universities.

Funding for legislative requests include:

• $10 million in additional money to be used to recruit top-level faculty.
• $35 million to complete construction for the Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science Building.
• $2.5 million toward planning for the new College of Business.
• $6.6 million to hire more faculty, buy equipment, and improve labs at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering.
• A Title IX lawsuit filed against FSU by Erica Kinsman, who has accused former FSU quarterback of raping her in December 2012, is scheduled to go to trial in July.