<p>Testimony delivered by FSU President Eric Barron on 1/13/2012. Barron talks STEM and FSU.</p>
<p>See: FSU</a> President Dr. Eric J. Barron Remarks - YouTube</p>
<p>Dr. Barron states toward end of the YouTube video clip that it is kind of a secret how good FSU’s STEM programs are. Why is it a secret?</p>
<p>It’s not a secret. The quality is well known in the academic community. However, FSU has to overcome the UF-sympathetic media in the area of publicity to the general public.</p>
<p>It is healthy that presidents Barron and Machen were on the agenda before legislators last week; the other state university presidents will appear this week at a scheduled meeting. Lawmakers are aware education is a priority with Florida’s citizens after being told loud and clear this past year by folks that they aren’t entirely pleased with the way the state is now treating public education–both higher and K-12. Even with the off Florida economy, maybe the legislators and governor will do more for Florida education this year with the limited funds available.</p>
<p>So I watched the video and it was really interesting. Though I’m not sure I quite grasp the concept of STEM… what exactly is it? and what does it do? I heard him talking about a different approach in the teaching of various subjects, but I don’t think I quite get it. . .</p>
<p>Maybe President Barron should take this opportunity to ask for our own Engineering school. FSU seems to have good programs in the arts, law, and pure sciences but its reputation for applied sciences, like engineering, is so-so. I have heard people state that they were considering FSU, but were put off by the FSU-FAMU collaboration in engineering and went to UCF instead, even thought they feel FSU is generally the better school as a whole.</p>
<p>Note: I am NOT suggesting that we pull a TK Wetherall and try to steal the existing school from FAMU. But if FSU would get their own new engineering facilities and pay for it with a combination of state funding, increased tuition and alumni fundraising, it would definitely increase the the number and quality of engineering applicants to FSU and boost the school’s STEM output.</p>
<p>Corbis, STEM is just an acronym for Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics. Basically, there is a perception among lawmakers that we are not graduating enough Engineers and tech-oriented students.</p>
<p>Really? President Wetherell tried to steal something?</p>
<p>Maybe my memory is wrong, but didn’t he try to take control of the FSU-FAMU engineering school, triggering a huge protest from FAMU?</p>
<p>T.K. wasn’t trying to “steal” anything; he was trying to “help” FAMU! Politicians like T.K. Wetherell don’t use the term “steal”…preferred terms include: dealmaking, help, negotiating, lobbying, you scratch my back-I’ll scratch yours, etc.</p>
<p>[Rattler</a> Nation: T.K.’s message to FAMU for inauguration day: leave the engineering college!](<a href=“http://rattlernation.blogspot.com/2008/10/tks-message-to-famu-for-inauguration.html]Rattler”>T.K.’s message to FAMU for inauguration day: leave the engineering college!)</p>
<p>Thanks. That’s what I remembered.</p>
<p>As you can see, FSU needs to go its own way on the issue if it wants to boost STEM output. Attempting to “help” FAMU by coercing the engineering school from their hands is a bad idea, and honestly just kind of sneaky. I can understand why FAMU was angered by the proposal.</p>
<p>FSU has a very energetic student/alumni base. That’s why I’m thinking that President Barron could rally the alumni to support the building of a new engineering school, and maybe get matching state funds, or even a sponsor. I look forward to the day that FSU has a [Wealthy Donor’s Name Here] School of Engineering.</p>
<p>I find it amazing anyone would suggest efforts to improve the shared College of Engineering amounts to “stealing”. Just incredible! </p>
<p>This implies to me an HBCU, like FAMU - a taxpayer-supported state university, does more to divide than unite. When a school like FAMU has a 97% single race freshman class in this day of diversity and race blind everything, we need a change.</p>
<p>A student at FAMU is murdered through hazing and the focus is on the Florida governor for “interfering” at FAMU. In the same period, a student has her leg broken through hazing and FAMU students protest unequal treatment at the Governor’s Mansion. </p>
<p>This is just wrong. The list of problems at FAMU seems endless, but FSU’s President Wetherell is accused of “stealing”. </p>
<p>Amazing!</p>
<p>Well, let’s say that FSU and UF were sharing an engineering school. One day the president of UF says, “ya know, FSU, managing an engineering college is such a burden for you. Why don’t you just let us take it off of your hands.” Do you think that FSU would be happy with this?</p>
<p>Are you sure that’s what occurred? Seems to me the FAMU Trustees had the opportunity to vote on a split.</p>
<p>See: <a href=“http://www.wctv.tv/news/headlines/34360849.html[/url]”>http://www.wctv.tv/news/headlines/34360849.html</a> </p>
<p>Where was the theft?</p>
<p>Where are you getting your information?</p>
<p>The FAMU/FSU engineering issue is one of the main reasons my son won’t be attending FSU next fall. He was accepted last month but was never seriously considering FSU. It will be either UCF or UF for him. If he wanted to be off campus for his major it would be different but it sort of feels like its FSU…except when you get into your major.</p>
<p>Is this theft?</p>
<p>
See: <a href=“http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/gradebook/sites/tampabay.com.blogs.gradebook/files/images/typepad-legacy-files/45333.roberts.doc[/url]”>http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/gradebook/sites/tampabay.com.blogs.gradebook/files/images/typepad-legacy-files/45333.roberts.doc</a></p>
<p>I don’t see it. I think it’s inflammatory to suggest such a thing. And by your choice of screen name…maybe that’s predictable?</p>
<p>FSU isn’t going to steal the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering; FSUPD isn’t going to raid the engineering school, change the locks and station sentries on the campus after a theft takeover. FSU would like to operate the engineering college independent of FAMU though. Two separate engineering colleges isn’t going to happen in Tallahassee either–there is only room for one in Tallahassee–state can’t afford duplicative programs next to each other. </p>
<p>Eventually FSU I feel will take over the engineering school soley. FAMU will use its “equity” in the existing engineering college as a bargaining chip; they’ll give engineering up to FSU for something in return from the state like a new professional school of some kind or expansion of some of its graduate programs or get something else they can make a buck off of. FAMU loves its graduate programs because of all the extra revenue it can squeeze from them; they are money makers for FAMU.</p>
<p>My handle comes from a legendary crocodile that lived in Australia. </p>
<p>[Sweetheart</a> (crocodile) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweetheart_(crocodile)]Sweetheart”>Sweetheart (crocodile) - Wikipedia)</p>
<p>I picked it because a crocodile is sort of a yin to UFs alligator yang.</p>
<p>My information came from the FAMU article that Tallalassie posted earlier.</p>