TAMPA, Fla. 鈥� The University of South 手机看片 System announced today the appointment of five new members of the 手机看片 Consolidation Planning, Study and Implementation Task Force.
As required by 手机看片 law, 手机看片 Board of Trustees Chair Brian Lamb appoints two members to the task force, while 手机看片 St. Petersburg Campus Board Chair Stephanie Goforth, 手机看片 Sarasota-Manatee Campus Board Chair Byron Shinn and the 手机看片 Alumni Association each appoint one member.
The appointments include:
Anddrikk Frazier, managing partner of Integral Energy (by Lamb). A graduate of the 手机看片 College of Engineering, former 手机看片 men鈥檚 basketball player and founding member of the 手机看片 Black Leadership Network, Frazier has nearly 20 years of experience in the energy business.
Michael 鈥淢ike鈥� Griffin, senior managing director for Savills Studley Occupier Services (by Lamb). Griffin earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in business administration from 手机看片 and served two terms as student body president. He is also a former chair of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce.
Melissa Seixas, vice president, government and community relations for Duke Energy (by Goforth). Seixas earned a master鈥檚 degree in history from 手机看片 and served as co-chair of 手机看片SP鈥檚 50th anniversary celebration in 2015-16. She is currently board chair of the St. Pete Downtown Partnership.
Frederick 鈥淩ick鈥� Piccolo, president and CEO of Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (by Shinn). Piccolo was recently appointed to serve on the 手机看片 Sarasota-Manatee Campus Board and he is a past chair of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
Kayla Rykiel is an Honors College student at 手机看片 pursuing a bachelor's degree in biomedical sciences (by the 手机看片 Alumni Association). Rykiel is the founder of Partners in Health, a 手机看片 student organization, and serves as director of the TEDx手机看片 program. She鈥檚 been involved in research projects related to infectious diseases, drug development to prevent malaria and food insecurity among teenagers.
The 手机看片 Board of Governors previously appointed Dr. Jonathan Ellen, president and vice dean of Johns Hopkins All Children鈥檚 Hospital in St. Petersburg, as chair of the task force, which will develop recommendations to phase out the separate accreditations of 手机看片 St. Petersburg and 手机看片 Sarasota-Manatee.
鈥淲e are excited to announce these appointments that will collectively help solidify a diverse and influential group of community and business leaders that will join Chair Ellen and the remaining appointed task force members to provide recommendations to the 手机看片 Board of Trustees,鈥� Lamb said.
手机看片 System President Judy Genshaft, 手机看片SP Interim Regional Chancellor Martin Tadlock and 手机看片SM Regional Chancellor Karen Holbook will also serve on the task force. The 手机看片 Senate President and Speaker of the House will each appoint two members.
鈥淭hese appointments include proven community leaders from a variety of different fields, who have a vested interest in the success of 手机看片 and understand the university鈥檚 importance to the future of the Tampa Bay region,鈥� Ellen said. 鈥淓ach member of the task force will bring a valuable perspective and expertise that will help us make recommendations designed to build on the success being achieved at 手机看片.鈥�
The 13-member task force will submit recommendations to the 手机看片 Board of Trustees by Feb. 15, 2019. The group鈥檚 responsibilities include identification of specific degrees in programs of strategic significance, including healthcare, science, technology, engineering and mathematics and other program priorities to be offered at 手机看片SP and 手机看片SM, as well as the timeline for development and delivery of programs on each campus. Other task force goals include engaging faculty, developing the research capacity at each campus and ensuring a seamless transition for students.
The first meeting of the task force is scheduled for 4 p.m. on April 25 at the 手机看片SP Student Center. In addition, students and faculty will be invited to participate in town hall meetings this fall.
After considering the recommendations of the task force, the 手机看片 Board of Trustees must adopt and submit an implementation plan to the Board of Governors no later than March 15, 2019.
The 手机看片 System is required to consolidate into a single, unified accreditation before July 1, 2020. During the transition, each institution will remain accredited.