University of Florida surpasses $1 billion in research spending for first time in 2022

| 7/21/2022

University of Florida surpasses $1 billion in research spending for first time in 2022

With $1.076 billion in research expenditures, UF joins an exclusive group of about 15 public universities around the country to surpass $1 billion, including the University of Michigan, UCLA and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. UF Vice President for Research David Norton praised the faculty and staff for driving the university's relentless pursuit of new knowledge and discovery through research and scholarship. [Source: UF News]

The national teacher shortage is growing. In Florida, controversial laws are making it worse.

Anita Carson fielded questions from students about her personal life each year she taught for Polk County Public Schools in Florida, giving them a short presentation about her friends and family and asking them to do the same. But for the first time in 12 years, when school resumes this fall, the bisexual middle school instructor won’t be in a classroom. She resigned in May due to a combination of factors, chief among them Florida’s recent passage of laws, including the "Parental Rights in Education," dubbed "Don’t Say Gay," bill and the Stop WOKE Act, that limit what educators can say about issues such as sexual orientation, gender identity and race. [Source: The 19th]

New council to help hospitals, universities deal with nursing shortage

By 2023, Florida workforce projections show a supply of 243,546 registered nurses but a demand for 267,355, a 91% supply adequacy. By 2035 the percentage adequacy in registered nurses drops to 88%, with a projected 285,542 nurses and a demand for 322,928. When it comes to licensed nurse practitioners (LPN) in the state, the outlook is a bit grimmer. A report by the Florida Hospital Association and the Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Florida shows percentage adequacy of LPNs at 83% by next year, with a supply of 46,680 and a projected demand of 55,962. [Source: Miami Today]

Veterans can now teach in Florida with no degree. School leaders say it 'lowers the bar'

A potential solution to a statewide teacher shortage issue has education leaders feeling as though Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration is undermining the qualifications of classroom instructors. The Florida Department of Education announced that military veterans and/or their spouses, could receive a five-year voucher that allows them to teach in the classroom despite not receiving a degree to do so. The plan is linked to the $8.6 million the state announced would be used to expand career and workforce training opportunities for military veterans and their spouses. "There are many people who have gone through many hoops and hurdles to obtain a proper teaching certificate," said Carmen Ward, president of the Alachua County teachers union. "(Educators) are very dismayed that now someone with just a high school education can pass the test and can easily get a five-year temporary certificate." [Source: Gainesville Sun]

Education Department issues new guidance to prevent ‘accreditation-shopping’

The U.S. Department of Education released guidance Tuesday that could make it harder for colleges to switch accreditors — potentially setting up a clash with a new Florida law requiring the state’s public colleges to change accrediting agencies every accreditation cycle. The guidance requires colleges to obtain the agency’s approval before they attempt to switch accreditors or else risk losing access to federal financial aid. The Ed Department will weigh several factors to ensure colleges aren’t attempting to evade oversight by changing agencies. [Source: Higher Ed Dive]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› DeSantis announces launch of Florida public service workforce training program [Florida Department of Education]
Governor DeSantis awards $6.5 million to launch Civics Academies, training the next generation of state and local leaders.

› New research ranking study puts UF in top 5 best universities at turning knowledge into market power [Forbes]
It seems for every college, there’s a list about colleges – a ranking. Some rankings and lists are really shallow marketing ploys put out by college recruiters and click-bait engines. Rankings that try to measure and score colleges on their financial return are unhelpful: Colleges and universities should never be measured by how many dollars they can put in your pocket. Heartland Forward, is more of a research paper scoring how well and often schools take their considerable research prowess and transfer it into markets. It’s a research ranking.

› Financial literacy a ‘good beginning’ for Florida students [UM News]
As a requirement for graduation, the state now mandates public high school students to pass a course that teaches the basics of finance.

› Florida Institute of Government at FSU names Jerry Parrish chief economist [Florida Trend]
Florida economist Jerry D. Parrish, who for decades has been known as one of the state’s leading analysts, has been named chief economist and director of state and local policy analysis at the John Scott Dailey Florida Institute of Government at Florida State University.

Tags: Education eNews

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