Category — Updates

ORLANDO, Fla. (October 6, 2015) – Today, Secretary of Commerce and President & CEO of Enterprise Florida, Inc. (EFI), Bill Johnson, announced the appointment of Joseph S. Hice Jr. to the position of Senior Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer for EFI. Hice will oversee all EFI marketing and communications activities.

“I am confident that, working with our team, Joe will take Enterprise Florida’s marketing program to a new level in raising awareness, managing perceptions and influencing public opinion in support of our economic development activities,” said Secretary Johnson. “I look forward to working with him to aggressively and effectively market Florida as the best state in the nation for business. Our state has an incredible business story to tell and I know Joe will lead us in our efforts to get that story out there.”

Hice has spent more than 30 years as a marketing, communications and public affairs executive at  prestigious institutions  and businesses including the  Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, the University of Florida, North Carolina State University, Harley-Davidson Motor Company and Segway Inc. Currently, he is a partner with Tampa-based Well Strategics, a communications firm specializing in clients doing business in the healthcare and wellness industries.

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Passion Rules!

 

The highest GPA for a graduating senior in Hillsborough County this year was 10.43.  Wow!

The average GPA for graduating Valedictorians was 6.839444.  The once elusive 4.0 graduate wouldn’t even make the cut as the lowest GPA posted by a Valedictorian this year was 4.25.

I know it’s a different world we live in, but when a student can earn (I use that term loosely) a TEN POINT FOUR THREE grade point average through his or her high school years, we’ve lost touch with reality.  So, if 6.8 is the new 4.0, I graduated high school with the equivalent of a 5.282 adjusted for today’s grade inflation.  And that, my friends, is just CRAZY.

Female Valedictorians outnumbered male Valedictorians 2 to 1.  By my quick count there were 30 female winners and 15 male winners.

So ask yourself, when a student can achieve a 10.43 GPA and the average Valedictorian earns a 6.8 GPA, is the 4.0 no longer relevant?

Here’s a link to last year’s story. That’s back in the good ole’ days when a 10.02 could win you top honors!  http://www.hiceschool.com/1-of-many/10-02-gpa-can-you-say-grade-inflation/

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“I am quite sure of the diagnosis — she had cancer.,” said researcher Andrey Letyagin.

The Princess was found buried with cannabis, which she may have used to deal with her immeasurable pain. There is other archeological evidence that the Pazyryk people used cannabis, wine, and opium for analgesic purposes.

“Probably for this sick woman, sniffing cannabis was a forced necessity,” Natalya Polosmak told the Siberian Times. Polosmak led the team of researchers that found the mummy in 1993. “And she was often in altered state of mind. We can suggest that through her could speak the ancestral spirits and gods. Her ecstatic visions in all likelihood allowed her to be considered as some chosen being, necessary and crucial for the benefit of society. She can be seen as the darling of spirits and cherished until her last breath.”

She died of Breast Cancer 2500 years ago. She self medicated with marijuana!

Read the whole story here:  http://tinyurl.com/lk9z3pq

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I’m excited that Russell Wilson and Seattle will be playing in the Super Bowl, but so irritated by Seattle defensive back Richard Sherman that I’m tempted to not even watch the big game.

Russell Wilson is an amazing human being

Richard Sherman (#25 for Seattle) is a jerk.  He’s the reason people are moving away from the NFL. He’s a punk.  He’s an embarrassment to the NFL on National TV.

It is a shame because Russell Wilson is an amazing player.  I was fortunate enough to meet him when I was working at NC State. He has the drive, the passion, the compassion that makes us all proud.  I can’t imagine how he deals with idiots like Richard Sherman (#25 for the Seahawks.)

So while I’ll be rooting for Wilson and the Seahwaks in the Super Bowl, I hope Payton Manning and the Bronco’s throw at least two touchdowns over Richard Sherman (#25 for Seattle) and show what a fool he is to the nation, during the game.  Even if he really is a good guy (I have my doubts) his “first impression” made him many enemies.

So go Russell Wilson and Seattle.  Eff you Richard Sherman (#25 for Seattle.)   You’re an effing idiot.

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Lehigh Valley Health Network  is partnering with Moffitt Cancer Center to enhance cancer care by joining the newly launched Moffitt Oncology Network. Lehigh Valley, based in Allentown, Pa., is the first member of the network outside of Florida.  As a member of the Moffitt Oncology Network, Lehigh Valley will have access to Moffitt’s experts and best practices, which include multidisciplinary cancer care, peer review, clinical pathways and quality assurance standards.

The Moffitt Oncology Network extends Moffitt’s knowledge and expertise to physicians and providers with the goal of offering the best personalized cancer care. Lehigh Valley’s physicians will collaborate with Moffitt physicians on patient care and novel clinical research.

Key elements of the relationship include:

• Joint clinical research-driven cancer care
• Utilization of Moffitt Clinical Pathways
• Quality management strategies including physician education and audits
• Development of strategic Centers of Excellence

[Read more →]

Watching yesterday’s NFL Playoff game where Denver quarterback and Gator great Tim Tebow continued to amaze brought back fond memories of The Gator Nation branding campaign at the University of Florida.

While Tebow was not directly involved in the campaign itself, his success — on the field and off — helped draw attention to the university and helped propel the campaign into the stratosphere.  I may be a little prejudice here, but I believe that campaign is still the finest higher education branding campaign in the nation.  No tricks, no gimmicks, pure Gator.

Anyway, we produced a little video back in 2009 that featured “A day in the life of” theme.  Naturally, everyone thought it was a day in the life of Tim Tebow.  That video still exists and is just another example of how one person, even one as big as Tim Tebow, can be part of something even bigger and have fun while doing so.  Do you think Tebow is having fun today!

Take a look.  I think you’ll enjoy.  And Go Broncos!

A day in the life of . . . Tim Tebow. A day in the life of Tim Tebow

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“The deep cuts proposed today by the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Education present an enormous challenge for the University, and more importantly, for our students.  Permanent net cuts totaling nearly $483 million (17.4%) could not be absorbed without inflicting irreparable damage to our academic quality and reputation.  To put this in context, a cut of this magnitude is equivalent to the entire state appropriations for UNC Asheville, UNC Greensboro, UNC Wilmington, Western Carolina University, and Winston-Salem State University combined.  Because state dollars are the primary source of funding for basic academic programs, cuts at this level would require eliminating approximately 3,200 faculty and staff positions across the University and eliminating 240,000 class seats.  As a result, students would find themselves in far larger classes and would find that courses they need for graduation are no longer offered or are only offered sporadically.

While we are grateful that the Subcommittee draft would fully fund enrollment growth in the first year and provide operating support for new buildings, state funding for need-based financial aid would shrink.  That is a tremendous concern, given that 60% of our in-state undergraduates depend on need-based financial aid, and rapid tuition increases have put additional strain on students and their families.  Other proposed cuts that would adversely impact the University include the loss of all state support for UNC Hospitals, the phased elimination of state support for UNC-TV, and the loss of funds critical for recruiting top graduate students to North Carolina.  We are mindful that it is still early in the budget process and will continue to work with legislative leaders to preserve the quality of a UNC education.”

By James Monteleone
Journal Staff Writer
University of New Mexico regents say an initial budget proposal for 2012 doesn’t do enough to cut vice presidents and executive pay for administrators.
The regent finance committee on Monday saw a first draft of next year’s budget recommendations, which outline a $12 million shortfall beyond cuts already proposed through months of cost-containment meetings.
If no additional cuts are found, the budget would mean a 16 percent tuition increase for students next year, according to the data.
But regents are telling administrators to go back to the drawing board because the recommendations do not cut any of the university’s 28 executive vice presidents, vice presidents and associate vice presidents.
“I think we put the vice presidents on the table,” Regent Don Chalmers said. “I think, to show good leadership, we need to put executive salaries on the table.” [Read more →]

The NC State draft strategic plan is now available for campus review. A pdf version of the document is attached to this e-mail and the document may also be accessed at http://info.ncsu.edu/strategic-planning/draft-plan/.

We welcome and encourage your comments and advice on the draft strategic  plan – please use the form available on the strategic planning website at http://info.ncsu.edu/strategic-planning/feedback/. Please provide constructive feedback to help us improve the document.  All comments received by 3/25/11 will be considered.

After this plan has been approved, we will establish clear targets for each measure of accountability so that we can monitor our progress toward its implementation.  We will set those targets in light of past trends, best practices, and comparisons with our peers.

Thank you for your continued involvement in the strategic planning process.

Sincerely,

Provost Warwick Arden and Dr. Margery Overton
Co-chairs of the Strategic Planning Committee