Florida State University News
A roadmap to success: FSU reaping rewards of strategic plan
FSU’s Roadmap to Success Starts with its Strategic Goals
Goal I: Entrepreneurship and Innovation (E&I)
Goal VI: Excellence and Reputation
When Florida State University embarked on an ambitious five-year strategic plan in 2017, President John Thrasher made clear that it would not sit on a shelf.
Thrasher wanted to see a widespread campus effort to put the university’s strategic goals into action. Individuals across the university answered the call, and the result has been an unprecedented run of success for FSU.
“The strategic plan provided us with a roadmap to becoming one of the very best public universities in the country while staying true to our core values of student success and academic excellence,” Thrasher said. “We’ve come this far because we know where we are going, and the benchmarks we have put in place ensure that we stay on course.”
Governor Ron DeSantis recently appointed Morteza “Mori” Hosseini, James “Bill” Heavener and Fred Ridley to the University of Florida Board of Trustees, subject to approval by the Florida Senate.
Mori Hosseini has served on the UF Board of Trustees as chair and prior to that was a former Chairman of the Board of Governors of the State University System of Florida. He is Chairman and CEO of ICI Homes and also serves as chairman of the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Board of Trustees and serves on the Board of Directors for Enterprise Florida and Space Florida.
Bill Heavener has been a member of the UF Board of Trustees since 2013 and is the Co-Chairman and CEO of Full Sail University. He is a Legacy Director and formerly served as President of the University of Florida Gator Boosters and was a recipient of the 2018 Golden Gators Lifetime Philanthropist Award. Heavener is also involved with the University of Florida Alumni Association, University of Florida Foundation, U
FSU scores top four-year graduation rate in state of Florida
February 8, 2021 | 12:20 pm | SHARE:
Florida State University now has the best four-year graduation rate of any public university in Florida, according to data that will be part of the State University System’s 2021 Accountability Plan later this year.
The university’s four-year graduation rate is 74 percent, placing FSU first in the State University System of Florida and in the top 10 nationally among public universities. More significantly, it’s the highest four-year graduation rate in the State University System’s history. In addition, FSU posted a six-year graduation rate of 84 percent also a university record.
Two UF Board of Trustee members begin new terms
Two members of the University of Florida Board of Trustees began new terms last week, with Trustee Chris Corr returning after a hiatus and Trustee Marsha Powers continuing her service after being appointed for a second consecutive term.
Corr is the senior vice president of real-estate development at Rayonier and president of Raydient, Inc., a subsidiary company focused on real-estate development primarily in Florida, Georgia and Washington. Corr served on the UF Board of Trustees from 2012 to 2016 and was appointed by then-Gov. Rick Scott. He earned his bachelor s degree from UF and succeeds Len Johnson.
Gainesville’s biggest news stories of 2020
From the coronavirus pandemic to social justice protests, events of national interest trickled down into Alachua County.
And beyond that, the area experienced some of its own unique challenges and changes. But there was still some good to come out of it all, even if it came in unexpected ways.
Here’s a look at some of the biggest news stories covered by The Gainesville Sun this past year.
Pandemic perseverance
Since mid-March, an unseeable predator essentially ruled over our daily lives. The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way local government boards meet, how we greet each other in public and claimed the lives of at least 128 local residents.