Our University

[Economics_Nerd82]

You're not in the right areas then. People usually lay out around the pool areas. Greeks have a pool and so do the other dorms. I've also seen people tossing footballs and such around the dorms. Recently I saw some girls laying out between BSN and Burger King.

The library looks fine... the problem is the fairly large parking lot in front of it... but, I don't think much can be done about that now.

I think a large bull statue, al-la Wall Street, would look great somewhere on campus. There is plenty of space for this or other statues between the MLK plaza and the college of art.

[Bulls 8_va]

The Bull Statue will be there when they tear down the Mashall Center, in June of 08.  They are Building a Bull "mascot-type" statue in the courtyard of the New Marshall Center.

BTW:  If you havent seen the layout and the plans for the New Marshall Center(which opens summer next year) you should check it out.  Its gonna be HOT!!!

[Drewski]

Funny you guys started talking about the library....read below. It was in the oracle a few days ago...

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Students in the Social Sciences and Humanities departments may soon have access to a state-of-the-art facility free of leaking ceilings if the Board of Trustees approves a proposal presented by Provost Renu Khator to the Faculty Senate on Wednesday.

Pending authorization by the Board of Trustees and the statewide Board of Governors, the proposed Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan requests state funds be used to build a new $87.5 million, eight-floor building for the Social Sciences and Humanities departments.

Aimed at alleviating overcrowding on one side of campus, the building would replace the current Social Sciences building, which faculty members have called a health hazard citing odd smells, a lack of hot water and broken toilets.

"It's bordering on uninhabitable," said Steven Tauber, chair of the Faculty Senate's Ad Hoc Committee on Facilities. "I do most of my research at home because of the conditions in (Sociology)."

Calling the new plan an example of shared governance in action, Tauber emphasized that the building fits in with USF's expressed goals as a tier-one research university while serving the needs of students.

"Obviously, in the Social Sciences and Humanities we do our research," Tauber said. "We don't have labs, but this building will give us access to what we need."

The proposal also includes plans to raise private funds for a new library.

According to Vice Provost Ralph Wilcox, the library was originally slated for a massive renovation but said "a legitimate, mature research university deserves a functional, welcoming library."

The new library would become the centerpiece of the USF library system, a pivotal part of the University's bid to become the newest member of the American Association of Universities.

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I definitely agree that we need more of an identity on our campus, but it definitely has improved drastically over the years. Also bear in mind that we're only 50 years old. UF didn't build their century tower monument until they were 100 years old, hence the name, Century Tower. Once our campus master plan starts to come into fruition, none of us on this board will even recognize the campus in the future...

[bulls96go]

about time we get a bull staute on campus

place the bull in front of the college of business

wall street 2 "the bull run"

[Bulls 8_va]

make it happen bulls96go.  Spread the word!

...ask not what USF can do for you, ask what you can do for USF!!! <- E.T. quote

[Paul Wall]

Eco.. you have to be kidding me if you think people laying out is activity for the campus... if you go to UF or FSU.. you'll see people on the grass laying out anywhere, playing in the water fountains all sorts of stuff... Tampa campus is tame... and thats an understatement. Quiet campus its not what I like to see.

[USF03]

Oelrich just wants to get UF that fee (or something like it).  It doesn't matter... Sen Lynn has it locked in committee (she wont hear it in HE Appro).  Besides, the Governor has said many times he will veto any increase in fees, etc at universities.  Hell, even a student backed small tech fee is hard to get across his desk... let alone $1000 fees at UF or anywhere else!

It is a good point though.  USF has been mentioned in many of the "higher tier" talks... read the pappas report from the board of governors.  its at http://www.flbog.org/forwardbydesign/backblue.asp

[Guest]

Bernie Machen at UF wants the fee to hire better faculty.  Lynn doesn't want to hear it because she doesn't believe in the "Flagship" model... that only one university deserves this type of fee.

Spreading it to three universities will get the bill heard... and I'd be all for giving USF more money to hire more top notch faculty.  Yes, we are getting a decent amount of research dollars... but great professors like to be well compensated (don't we all)... and having more money in the budget would help...

So would having another $1 billion in the endowment (see other thread).

[Drewski]

Oelrich just wants to get UF that fee (or something like it).  It doesn't matter... Sen Lynn has it locked in committee (she wont hear it in HE Appro).  Besides, the Governor has said many times he will veto any increase in fees, etc at universities.  Hell, even a student backed small tech fee is hard to get across his desk... let alone $1000 fees at UF or anywhere else!

It is a good point though.  USF has been mentioned in many of the "higher tier" talks... read the pappas report from the board of governors.  its at http://www.flbog.org/forwardbydesign/backblue.asp

The pappas report was definitely a good read. One of the most important parts of it was the suggestion to create what they call "state universities" that consist of universities that will only be allowed to award baccalaureate degrees. It even explicitly suggests that UCF be changed to this type of school.

Since that would probably be impossible due to their strong opposition, this proposal would be another way to shake up the Florida University landscape and create the separation needed for the top Universities in the state to thrive.

Also, this explanation for why it might get past Christ was on that same FSU thread linked above. Don't know how plausible, but it's a thought:

Charlie Justice won his State Senate seat because he promised to enhance USF (he is also employed as an Academic Advisor for USF as well). He has been able to be appointed to the Higher Education Committee, and the Higher Education Appropriations Committee.

Basically it has to be a package deal that must include USF. Also this may be good because Crist is beholden to the Tampa/St. Pete Caucuses. Why would he want to piss off his "Bread and Butter"?

[Belle of the Bull]

Those 'Noles brought a a good point. USF's campus is BLAH! There are no significant land marks except the water tower - there isn't even any statues or anything except at the stegnant MLK plaza that gets turned on once a year...can we at least get a big bull somewhere? The first time I went looking for the USF campus as a visitor, I had to look really hard to see that we were in in "bulls country." I was more intersted in the MOSI, and nearly drove past the enterance.

The area around fowler lacks a college feel. People like me are partly to blame too, I drive from town and country to school, go to my classes then I'm out of there. But on the other hand, why reason do I have to stay? very few people are throwing a frisbee and no one lays out on our lawns...(I know, I know - be the solution instead of the problem.)

We have a great library...on the inside. From the outside it looks like some prison.

Okay, this is turning into a serious rant....all I'm saying is the campus needs a face lift. It's too late to have to old glorious buildings of the 1800's so it's time to build state of the art.

uh. cooper hall used to BE a prison for those who didnt know that. lol. Im serious.

as for tuition being too low - im right there with ya. higher athletics fee and higher tuition. if they want to be an R1 - they better start acting (and charging) like it.

and as far as the lawn situation goes - when i was in school - it was against the rules to lay out and toss the Frisbee around outside the MC. that needs to be changed.

The campus does need a facelift  - but they also have to pay for things. UCF almost went bankrupt. They have a pretty campus but their academics (save for a few key programs) are seriously lacking. If you poke around the USF 10 year plan - they have already addressed these issues. Read it and e mail your comments. They welcome alumni and student feedback. It might be because they genuinely care - or it might be because total morons make the key decisions in administration at USF and better ideas come from people like us. Either way - they seem to really encourage feedback. Ill try to find the link and post it when I get a chance.