Contact:
Kelly Layman
Executive Director of Communications
850-245-0466
Kelly.Layman@flbog.edu
News
01/19/2012
PRESS RELEASE: New Chair of Florida Board of Governors Makes Annual 'State of the State University System' Remarks
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Jan. 19, 2012
NEW CHAIR OF FLORIDA BOARD OF GOVERNORS MAKES ANNUAL 'STATE OF THE STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM' REMARKS
Chair Dean Colson discusses quality and competitiveness,student financial aid, governance issues in presentation
To view a video of the Chair's remarks, click here
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.— Attorney Dean Colson of Coral Gables presided over his first meeting today as Chair of the Florida Board of Governors, opening with comments focused public universities’ quality and competitiveness, student financial aid and governance issues. The Florida Board of Governors is the constitutional appointed oversight body of the 11-institution State University System, which serves more than 325,000 total enrolled students. His comments, as well as his complementary PowerPoint presentation with data underscoring points of focus, are both posted in today’s Board meeting materials located at http://www.flbog.edu/pressroom/meeting_agenda.php?id=129.
Colson was elected unanimously at the November meeting of the Board of Governors and was first appointed to the Board of Governors by the then-Governor in January 2010. Colson has been a partner with the law firm of Colson Hicks Eidson in Miami since 1981, and served as Vice Chair of the Florida Board of Governors and Legislative Committee Chair the past two years. He served nearly 20 years on the University of Miami’s Board of Trustees (1991-2009), a private university, including as its Chair.
Colson cited many of the metrics in the 2010-11 Board of Governors’ Annual Accountability Report released this week (see attached email), as well as the Board of Governors’ just-finalized Strategic Plan for the State University System of Florida: 2012-2025. The Board’s Annual Accountability Report has undergone significant enhancements the past two consecutive years, and is quickly evolving into a leading model for accountability among public university systems nationally. It was formally presented Wednesday in the Strategic Planning Committee (and is posted in that section), and will be taken up by the full Board at today’s full-membership meeting.
Immediately following Chair Colson’s remarks, House Speaker-designate Will Weatherford addressed the Board of Governors as a follow-up to his recent letter regarding the growth of distance learning, one of the priorities of the past year of the Academic and Student Affairs Committee. His letter is posted under Advance Materials at http://www.flbog.edu/pressroom/meeting_agenda.php?id=129.
About the State University System of Florida
The State University System of Florida is governed by a 17-member Board of Governors, a constitutional body and led by appointed public servants. The System is comprised of 11 institutions with a total enrollment of more than 320,000 students, making it the fourth-largest public university system in the nation in terms of enrollment (some states have more than one university system). The Florida Constitution (Article IX, Section 7) was amended by the state's voters in 2002 to establish a statewide system of governance for all Florida public universities. As a result, the Florida Board of Governors was created in 2003 to oversee the State University System of Florida. Responsibilities include defining the distinctive mission of each institution and ensuring the well-planned coordination and operation of the System. The Board’s 17 members include 14 appointed by the Governor, with three serving by virtue of their designations (a faculty member, a Florida Student Association student representative, and the Florida Commissioner of Education). The Board of Governors appoints a Chancellor who serves as the chief executive and administrative officer of the State University System. For more, including the Board’s Annual Report that reflects accountability measurements and benchmarks occurring at each institution, seewww.flbog.edu.
