Florida Board of Governors

06/21/2012

PRESS RELEASE: New student representative member on higher education leadership panel: Florida Board of Governors welcomes UCF student Cortez Whatley

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—JUNE 20, 2012

NEW STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE MEMBER ON HIGHER EDUCATION LEADERSHIP PANEL: FLORIDA BOARD OF GOVERNORS WELCOMES UCF STUDENT CORTEZ WHATLEY

HEADSHOT JPG FILE ATTACHED

ORLANDO—The Florida Board of Governors this week welcomes University of Central Florida student Cortez Whatley at his first meeting as he begins service in the student member seat on the 17-person governing board of the State University System as a full voting member. His first votes will occur today with his committee assignments having been made.

Whatley is UCF’s student body president for the second-largest university in the nation based on student enrollment – and the largest state university in Florida. He is the first UCF student president to be elected chair of the Florida Student Association (FSA), which is a separate non-profit organization.

“On behalf of my fellow Board members, we are delighted to have Cortez Whatley join the Florida Board of Governors to represent the perspective of nearly 330,000 students enrolled in the State University System,” said Board Chair Dean Colson, a Miami attorney.

Colson assigned Whatley to the committees of Academic and Student Affairs, Budget and Finance, and Legislative Affairs. A full list of all committee assignments is available below.

Born in Auburn, Ala., Whatley is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree with independent majors in Legal Studies and Public Administration, and a minor in Political Science.

Whatley previously served several capacities in the UCF Student Body Senate and has served in the role of Attorney General for the Student Government Association. Whatley also has served on several university committees with faculty and administrators.

Whatley is a regular volunteer at his local Y.M.C.A. branch.

He will serve a one-year term and succeeds New College of Florida junior Michael Long.

Long was recognized Wednesday by the Board and presented with a resolution stating that his effectiveness as “a tenacious and unwavering advocate” for 330,000 students was compelling, and that he utilized his position “to encourage discussion and interest in the issues affecting students.”

“He is an exemplary role model of effective advocacy for current and future leaders, and displayed calm and professionalism in carrying out his duties,” it also stated.

Long said he appreciated the opportunity to serve and said he looks forward to Whatley achieving another record turnout for the annual “Rally in Tally” of the Florida Student Association next March during Session.

“I can’t think of anyone more qualified than my good friend Cortez Whatley to represent me and more than 329,000 fellow students on the Board of Governors,” Long said. “He is of great character and competence, and he will make the most of this unparalleled opportunity to learn from some of Florida's greatest leaders in higher education. It has been an absolute pleasure working with the Board members and staff on very big issues during the past year.”

The FSA is a separate 501c non-profit organization comprised of the student body presidents of institutions in the State University System of Florida. The FSA coordinates the collective efforts of each of the member student governments with a goal of providing unified student representation before the Florida government. The chair of the Florida Student Association serves as the student representative on the Florida Board of Governors. See www.myfsa.org.

Board of Governors – Committee Assignments

Academic and Student Affairs

Chair:  Norm Tripp

Vice Chair:  Patricia Frost

1. Matt Carter
2. Joseph Caruncho
3. Tom Kuntz
4. Gerard Robinson
5. Gus Stavros
6. Rick Yost
7. Cortez Whatley

Audit and Compliance

Chair:  Ava Parker

Vice Chair:  John Temple

1. Matt Carter
2. Joseph Caruncho
3. Patricia Frost
4. Tom Kuntz
5. Gus Stavros

Budget and Finance

Chair:  Tico Perez

Vice Chair:  Tom Kuntz

1. Dick Beard
2. Dean Colson
3. Ava Parker
4. John D. Rood
5. John Temple
6. Norm Tripp
7. Cortez Whatley

Facilities

Chair:  Dick Beard

Vice Chair:  John Temple

1. Matt Carter
2. Joseph Caruncho
3. Tico Perez
4. Gerard Robinson
5. Gus Stavros
6. Rick Yost

Legislative Affairs

Chair:  Norm Tripp

Vice Chair:  Mori Hosseini

1. Dick Beard
2. Dean Colson
3. Cortez Whatley

Strategic Planning

Chair:  John D. Rood

Vice Chair:  Vacant

1. Joseph Caruncho
2. Dean Colson
3. Patricia Frost
4. Tico Perez
5. Rick Yost
6. Elizabeth Webster

Trustee Nominating and Development

Chair:  Mori Hosseini

Vice Chair:  John Temple

1. Joseph Caruncho
2. Tom Kuntz
3. Ava Parker
4. John D. Rood
5. Gus Stavros
6. Norm Tripp

Tuition Appeals

Chair:  Dean Colson

1. Dick Beard
2. Mori Hosseini
3. Ava Parker
4. Tico Perez
5. Norm Tripp

Note: Special committees will be appointed by the Chair, as needed. Right now, the Board has a Select Committee on Florida Polytechnic University (Chair Hosseini, Members Tripp and Beard.)

Facts about the State University System of Florida and the Florida Board of Governors
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 has 12 universities and a total enrollment of nearly 330,000 students, making it the second-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 Accountability Report that reflects important measurements for the System, see www.flbog.edu. The Board of Governors also released its 2025 Strategic Plan for the System in November 2011, also available from the home page of the web site.

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