SARASOTA, Fla. (Sept. 25, 2018) – Members of the Sarasota-Manatee community are invited to join University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee students, faculty, and staff at a town hall meeting of the USF Consolidation Planning, Study and Implementation Task Force on Tuesday, Oct. 2, from 3 to 5 p.m., at USFSM’s Selby Auditorium, 8350 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota.
The meeting will provide members of the local community and USFSM campus an opportunity to address the 13-member task force that will make recommendations to the University of South Florida Board of Trustees as the USF System consolidates its independent academic accreditations under one umbrella by July 1, 2020.
The task force will make recommendations in key areas, including student access, shared governance, academic programs and campus identity.
“It is so important for members of our community to attend the town hall meeting to share their thoughts about why the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus is so important to the region and how our university can continue to make an even greater impact for families and businesses once we become reunited as ‘one USF’,” said Dr. Karen Holbrook, USFSM regional chancellor.
A portion of each town hall meeting will be dedicated to public comment. However, individuals unable to attend in person may submit their comments online.
Town hall meetings were previously held at the USF Tampa campus on Aug. 22 and USF St. Petersburg campus on Sept. 11.
“An important part of the process is hearing from students, faculty, staff and community members. In order to do so in a meaningful way, we invite them to hear a status update on the task force’s work and share their comments,” said Dr. Jonathan Ellen, president of Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg and chair of the task force.
The task force is divided into three subcommittees, with each holding a series of public hearings that community members are encouraged to attend as well.
Prior to the town hall meeting on Oct. 2, the Shared Governance/Transparency Subcommittee will hold a hearing in USFSM’s Selby Auditorium from 1 to 3 p.m. A full schedule of upcoming meetings and archives of previous meetings is available online. ### |
About USF Sarasota-Manatee (USFSM) USF Sarasota-Manatee is a regional campus of the University of South Florida system, offering the prestige of a nationally ranked research university with the convenience of a hometown location, including classes in Manatee and Sarasota counties, Venice and online. USFSM is ideal for those interested in pursuing a baccalaureate or master’s degree, professional certification, or continuing education credit in a small, personal setting with distinguished faculty and a dynamic curriculum of more than 40 academic programs. Website: www.usfsm.edu. |