Bill Text: FL S1774 | 2020 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: University of Florida
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2020-02-26 - Adopted [S1774 Detail]
Download: Florida-2020-S1774-Introduced.html
Florida Senate - 2020 (NP) SR 1774 By Senator Perry 8-02126-20 20201774__ 1 Senate Resolution 2 A resolution commending the University of Florida for 3 its continued achievements in the pursuit of academic 4 and research excellence and designating February 18, 5 2020, as “Gator Day” at the Capitol. 6 7 WHEREAS, the University of Florida is a top 10 university 8 in the United States, rising from No. 8 in 2019 to No. 7 in the 9 2020 U.S. News & World Report list of Best Public Universities, 10 and 11 WHEREAS, the University of Florida continues its upward 12 momentum with 28 programs nationally ranked in the top 30 in 13 their respective disciplines, including 7 programs ranked in the 14 top 10, and 17 in the top 20, according to the 2020 U.S. News & 15 World Report Best Graduate Schools rankings, and 16 WHEREAS, according to the National Science Foundation, the 17 University of Florida’s research spending rose nearly 8 percent 18 to a record $865 million in the 2018 fiscal year, and 19 WHEREAS, University of Florida Health researchers have been 20 instrumental in developing a vaccine used to prevent the spread 21 of the Ebola virus, a breakthrough with the potential to save 22 countless lives which has been listed by National Geographic as 23 one of the top 20 scientific discoveries of the decade, and 24 WHEREAS, the University of Florida is a national leader in 25 transferring its research to the marketplace through its two 26 award-winning incubators — UF Innovate-The Hub and the Sid 27 Martin Biotechnology Institute — both of which have been 28 recognized as leading national and international business 29 incubators by the International Business Innovation Association, 30 and 31 WHEREAS, the University of Florida continues to expand 32 access to education through the UF Online pathway, with more 33 than 2,000 students having graduated through this unique program 34 and 4,000 active learners, earning the No. 5 spot nationally 35 among all online educational programs by U.S. News & World 36 Report in 2019, and 37 WHEREAS, the University of Florida athletic program has 38 ranked among the nation’s top 10 for 36 consecutive years — from 39 1983-1984 to 2018-2019 — and has attained a top 5 overall finish 40 in 21 of the past 28 years, according to national all-sport 41 rankings, and 42 WHEREAS, the University of Florida Athletic Association has 43 contributed more than $112 million since 2006 to help fund UF’s 44 various academic endeavors, and 45 WHEREAS, the University of Florida and related entities 46 contributed $16.91 billion to the state’s economy in the 2017 47 2018 fiscal year and accounted for $10.4 billion — or 1.1 48 percent — of the Gross State Product of Florida, NOW, THEREFORE, 49 50 Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida: 51 52 That the University of Florida is commended for its 53 continued achievements in the pursuit of academic and research 54 excellence and that February 18, 2020, is designated as “Gator 55 Day” at the Capitol. 56 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution, with 57 the Seal of the Senate affixed, be presented to University of 58 Florida President W. Kent Fuchs as a tangible token of the 59 sentiments of the Florida Senate.