On Monday, April 11, President Mark B. Rosenberg sent this message to the FIU community.
Dear FIU Family,
The 2016 legislative session has concluded and I would like to share with you the funding decisions impacting our FIU.
We secured nearly $30 million in new funding for our university in the 2016-17 state budget.
Please join me in thanking Governor Rick Scott and the State Legislature, especially our Miami-Dade delegation, for championing FIU’s priorities and for supporting FIU’s commitment to our community’s success. We are also thankful to the Florida House and Senate leadership for their work in supporting FIU, as well as the Board of Governors for its advocacy before the legislature and the Governor.
Key successes include:
- $7 to 8 million for Performance Funding. We continue to prioritize our commitment to improve performance and competitive success according to the Florida Board of Governors’ performance metrics
- $7.1 million for the Satellite Chiller Plant Expansion at MMC. This will allow us to complete necessary air conditioning and water cooling system improvements
- $8 million for Fixed Capital Outlay projects including critical deferred maintenance, renovation, remodeling and repairs, and Capital Improvement Trust Fund (CITF)
- $3 million for the University Paradigm: Learn, Interact, Facilitate, Transform (FIU UP:LIFT) initiative to deploy state-of-the- art evidence-based instruction, learning technologies, and advanced classroom assessment throughout critical Gateway and STEM courses
- $2.2 million for Hurricane Research Mitigation Projects including the Wall of Wind and Public Loss Model
- $1.25 million for Startup FIU, a university-wide initiative that fosters innovation and entrepreneurship for students, faculty and the community
- $354,000 for the Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars
- $300,000 for security management technology
While we had a successful session, Governor Scott vetoed the funding we received under the campus expansion request, his reasoning being: “a total project cost has not been established.”
Despite our continual, good faith efforts and multiple proposals, we have not reached an agreement with the Fair board. This has limited our ability to provide a holistic project plan, including costs. However, we will continue to advocate the importance of relocating the Fair in order to realize the academic and economic benefits to our community through FIU’s expansion.
The proposal for the relocation of the Fair to the South Dade site is the only choice for all interested parties. South Dade would provide economic development and 365 days of activities. We are working to secure up to $50 million to help relocate the Fair, while maintaining the educational and expositional opportunities. As a community, we need to rally behind FIU and continue to pursue excellence in higher education for our future.
Currently serving 54,000 students, we have maximized use of our existing space and we need to expand our footprint so that we can continue to meet the needs of the South Florida community, spur economic activity, and serve a greater public purpose.
While we are disappointed with the veto, we respect the governor’s reasoning. We want to thank the governor and his staff for their continuous engagement and support for our projects throughout the past few legislative sessions.
We are grateful for the ongoing support of the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Commission, many municipalities, our students and so many of you. Thank you!
I thank all of you for your support during this legislative session and for being engaged members of the FIU community. FIU is committed to our community and our students. Together, we can make a difference.
Are you ready to take your FIU support to the next level? Join FIU Advocate and help us by thanking the State Legislature on Twitter for championing FIU’s priorities and recognizing that FIU’s success is our community’s success.
We invite you to tweet and share your FIU story now on social media with your elected officials, thanking them and letting them know what FIU means to you, and to this community and state. Don’t forget to use #AdvocateFIU. See what others are saying at advocate.fiu.edu/social.
FIU faculty and staff are invited to view our Frequently Asked Questions regarding legislative activity.
Thanks to you, FIU continues to be Worlds Ahead!
Sincerely,
Mark B. Rosenberg
President
Tags: Legislative Affairs × Mark B. Rosenberg