Latest news with #BoardofGovernors
Straits Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Europeans try to coax Iran back to diplomacy, as Trump considers strikes
GENEVA - European foreign ministers are set to meet their Iranian counterpart on Friday aiming to create a pathway back to diplomacy over its contested nuclear programme despite the U.S. actively considering joining Israeli strikes against Iran. Ministers from Britain, France and Germany, known as the E3, as well as the European Union's foreign policy chief spoke to Abbas Araqchi earlier this week and have been coordinating with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. In a rare call they pressed upon Araqchi the need to return to the negotiating table and avoid further escalation. At Iran's suggestion the two sides agreed to meet face-to-face. The talks will be held in Geneva, where an initial accord between Iran and world powers to curb its nuclear programme in return for sanctions lifting was struck in 2013 before a comprehensive deal in 2015. They come after negotiations between Iran and the United States collapsed when Israel launched what it called Operation Rising Lion against Iran's nuclear facilities and ballistic capabilities on June 12. "The Iranians can't sit down with the Americans whereas we can," said a European diplomat. "We will tell them to come back to the table to discuss the nuclear issue before the worst case scenario, while raising our concerns over its ballistic missiles, support to Russia and detention of our citizens." The European powers, who were not part of Iran's nuclear negotiations with the United States, had grown increasingly frustrated by the U.S. negotiating strategy in the talks. They deemed some of the demands unrealistic, while fearing the possibility of a weak initial political framework that would lead to open-ended negotiations. Two diplomats said there were no great expectations for a breakthrough in Geneva, where the European Union's foreign policy chief will also attend. But they said it was vital to engage with Iran because once the war stopped, Iran's nuclear programme would still remain unresolved given that it would be impossible to eradicate the know-how acquired, leaving it potentially able to clandestinely rebuild its programme. An Iranian official said Tehran has always welcomed diplomacy, but urged the E3 to use all available means to pressure Israel to halt its attacks on Iran. "Iran remains committed to diplomacy as the only path to resolving disputes — but diplomacy is under attack," the official said. Prior to Israel's strikes the E3 and U.S. put forward a resolution that was approved by the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency, a U.N. watchdog, which declared Iran in breach of its nuclear non-proliferation obligations. As part of last week's IAEA resolution, European officials had said they could refer Iran to the United Nations Security Council later in the summer to add pressure on Iran if there was no progress in the nuclear talks. That would be separate to them reimposing UN sanctions, known as the snapback mechanism, before October 18 when the 2015 accord expires. The Europeans are the only ones who can launch the snapback mechanism, with diplomats saying the three countries had looked to set a final deadline at the end of August to launch it. "Iran has repeatedly stated that triggering snapback will have serious consequences," the Iranian official said. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Miami Herald
a day ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
Out-of-state students could face tuition hikes at Florida universities
Out-of-state students attending Florida universities could see a 10 percent increase in tuition this fall and an additional hike the following school year, under a rule unanimously adopted by the state university system's Board of Governors on Wednesday. Tuition hikes for out-of-state students would have to be approved by university boards of trustees, and schools would have to maintain their current ratio of in-state students to out-of-state students. If increases are approved for the 2025-2026 school year, they would be the first tuition hikes in more than a decade for out-of-state students, according to documents distributed before Wednesday's Board of Governors vote. None of the state's 12 universities has raised tuition since 2012, and Florida State University hasn't had an increase since 2004, the documents said. Florida has the nation's third-lowest tuition and fees for out-of-state students, at an average of $21,690 in 2023-2024. That was about 28 percent lower than the national average of $30,140. Nearly 33,000 undergraduate students from outside the state — about 12 percent of all students — attend Florida's public universities. Roughly 25,000 of the state's 76,000 graduate students, or 33 percent, are nonresidents. Board of Governors member Alan Levine, who proposed the increase, noted that 'our total cost of a degree is one of the lowest in the country for students.' Levine said in a text message to The News Service of Florida that the proposal would allow increases of up to 10 percent this fall and up to 15 percent in fall 2026, He said his 'strong suspicion is it will end up being less than 10% this year as trustees try to minimize impact on current students' A hike over two years would give out-of-state students more leeway to plan their finances, Levine suggested during the meeting. Florida law caps annual tuition increases for in-state and out-of-state students at 15 percent. 'We want to make sure we don't create sticker shock for students that are here currently,' Levine said. Maintaining ratios of in-state and out-of-state students would ensure that Floridians don't lose slots in schools to higher-paying applicants. 'We do not want to see universities raising their nonresident enrollment rates to increase revenues, particularly at the expense of in-state students,' Levine said. Tuition increases approved by university boards of trustees would have to be shared with university system Chancellor Ray Rodrigues. An across-the-board 5 percent tuition increase for out-of-state undergraduate students at all of the state's universities would generate nearly $24.2 million annually, according to the document presented to the board. A 15 percent hike would bring an extra $72.5 million to the state. Tuition for out-of-state students varies throughout universities. For undergraduates, the University of South Florida offers the lowest per-credit hour rate for nonresidents, at $346.50. The University of Florida weighs in as the highest, at $707.21. The average statewide is $491.90. Board of Governors member Eric Silagy tried to link the proposed increases to part of Florida law that says tuition for out-of-state students should offset the cost of providing education to such students. Silagy said three schools in the system — New College of Florida, Florida A&M University and Florida Polytechnic University — don't meet the requirement. 'I don't think we should be allowing the board of trustees to go up to the maximum 15% because these three schools have an obligation, not a choice, an obligation, to be in compliance with state law,' Silagy said. Silagy, who has harshly criticized New College in the past, argued that schools where Florida taxpayers are 'subsidizing' out-of-state students shouldn't be allowed to increase the number of nonresident students. According to Silagy, the state is spending more than $82,000 per student for New College, which has 802 students, including 90 who aren't Florida residents. As a comparison, the state spends roughly $19,000 per student at the University of Florida. Silagy's remarks drew fire from New College President Richard Corcoran, a former state House speaker who was recruited by Gov. Ron DeSantis to remake the Sarasota liberal-arts school into a conservative higher-education institution. Corcoran called Silagy's comparisons of New College to other Florida universities 'odious.' 'When we, the new board, came onto the scene, here's the rhetoric that we were told: 'Be the Hillsdale of the South. Grow your prestige to what you were in the past,'' Corcoran said, referring to the conservative Hillsdale College in Michigan.. New College is 'just not like the rest' of Florida's public universities, Corcoran argued. 'I mean, we took over an absolute failed institution, had it been not publicly funded, would have closed a decade ago, without question,' he said. 'The question is, do you want to build, for the Legislature and the governor, a world-class liberal-arts institution? If the answer is yes … we can't be graded or evaluated in that same context.'
Miami Herald
a day ago
- Politics
- Miami Herald
State board approves 3 DeSantis allies as university presidents. One drew protesters
When it comes to picking university presidents in Florida, traditional academics are so passé. Politicos are all the rage. The state university system's Board of Governors followed that trend on Wednesday when it unanimously approved three new university presidents, each with strong ties to Gov. Ron DeSantis: former Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez at Florida International University, Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. as interim president of the University of West Florida and telecom executive Marva Johnson as president of Florida A&M University, the state's only public historically Black university. Among the three confirmations, Johnson's appointment has drawn the most intense backlash. Her selection followed a divisive search process and came despite vocal opposition from students, alumni and even members of the FAMU Board of Trustees. At Wednesday's meeting, they continued to voice their concerns. The board's confirmation votes — delivered with little debate — confirmed the new normal in Florida higher education: placing Republican insiders and political appointees in top academic leadership roles. Eleven of the 25 public university and state college presidency vacancies over the past five years have been filled by former GOP lawmakers or lobbyists. The Board of Governors rejection of former University of Michigan president Santa Ono for the University of Florida presidency earlier this month confirmed that Florida is no longer interested in academic pedigree. Ono sat for a three-hour grilling about his views on diversity, equity and inclusion and other topics before the vote. By contrast, Wednesday's proceedings moved swiftly, even as Johnson's appointment sparked significant opposition and required special legislation to fund her contract. Wednesday's bulk approvals further DeSantis' effort to cement his legacy of conservative higher-ed reforms as the term-limited governor winds down his second term. Now, five of Florida's 12 public universities are set to be led by DeSantis allies. Past appointments include former House Speaker Richard Corcoran — now president of New College of Florida, where he's steering the liberal-arts school rightward — and former House Majority Leader Adam Hasner, who was tapped earlier this year to lead Florida Atlantic University. Nuñez and Diaz, like others recently appointed, lack terminal degrees — once considered standard for university presidents. Nuñez holds a bachelor's and master's from FIU; Diaz holds a master's and served as COO of Doral College, a small private institution. Johnson has a juris doctor from Georgia State University and no previous experience as a university administrator or HBCU affiliate. Supporters argue that these leaders bring political savvy, fundraising ability and Tallahassee connections — assets that are increasingly valuable as education policy becomes more politicized. But critics warn that these appointees often lack academic credentials and experience in university governance, potentially alienating faculty and threatening the integrity of higher education. Rattlers hiss at Johnson At Wednesday's meeting, more than a dozen public speakers condemned Johnson as underqualified. Kimberly Godwin, a FAMU alumna and former ABC News president, said Johnson was 'underprepared and short-sighted' and 'did not earn' the privilege of running one of the nation's top-ranked public historically Black universities. Johnson has never worked in higher education. Her background includes eight years on the Florida Board of Education — appointed first by former Gov. Rick Scott and later reappointed by DeSantis — as well as executive roles in the telecom industry. Critics noted her lack of ties to historically Black colleges and universities and her alignment with policies, including the DeSantis-backed bans on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, which many FAMU stakeholders see as hostile to their institution's mission. But Board of Governors members defended the selection, pointing to her credentials as a corporate executive and her service on various state boards. Vice Chair Alan Levine, who sat on FAMU's presidential search committee, praised Johnson's 'resilience and spine' amid public attacks and called her a 'highly qualified and excellent candidate.' 'She deserves this opportunity because she earned it,' Levine said. Board member Paul Renner, a former House Speaker, likened Johnson's situation to that of the late John Thrasher, a Republican lawmaker whose controversial appointment as Florida State University president in 2014 eventually won broad support. 'Marva Johnson's success is FAMU's success,' Renner said. 'We all want to see that success.' Addressing her critics, Johnson said she was committed to steering the Tallahassee-based school through a shifting higher-education landscape and promised to work alongside the FAMU community to 'chart a unified path to elevate student success.' 'As I step into this role, I recognize the legacy that I carry,' Johnson said. 'To the Rattler community … I am listening and I hear your dreams and I hear your concerns and my door will always be open.' Still, as Johnson spoke, two dozen FAMU students and alumni stood and turned their backs in protest. One woman in the audience wept. After the board's vote, many walked out. FAMU dips into reserves for Johnson's salary While Johnson's path was fraught, Nuñez and Diaz faced comparatively little opposition. Nuñez, who had been serving as FIU's interim president since February, was confirmed to a five-year contract with a $925,000 base salary and performance bonuses up to $400,000 annually. A former state representative and DeSantis' lieutenant governor, Nuñez is the first FIU alum to lead the university. Diaz, who is stepping down as Florida's education commissioner, will earn a $643,000 salary at UWF — $324,000 more than his current role. His contract also includes a $60,000 housing allowance, a $24,000 relocation stipend and a provision allowing the use of donor funds for local club memberships. He begins July 14. Johnson's pay package became a flashpoint in the debate. Her $650,000 base salary and $836,000 total compensation exceed that of her predecessor, Larry Robinson, by over $300,000. Due to a state law that caps taxpayer-funded presidential salaries at $200,000, FAMU's fundraising foundation was expected to cover the rest. But with the foundation only committing $388,562, the Legislature passed a last-minute budget provision allowing the university to dip into reserves to make up the shortfall. Johnson's appointment follows former President Robinson's resignation in July 2024, amid fallout from a scandal involving a bogus $237 million donation pledge. Interim President Timothy Beard has been serving in the role since August. When Johnson steps into her Rattler-in-Chief position Aug. 1, she'll take over a school that has been mired in controversies over financial mismanagement. Prior to her approval vote, the Board of Governors on Wednesday grilled FAMU leadership over a state audit showing poor fiscal oversight. Gabrielle Albert, a lifetime member of the FAMU National Alumni Association, told the Miami Herald that by hiring Johnson, the university and state boards were placing the school 'in harm's way.' She said the school would have been better off with FAMU's current chief operating officer, Donald Palm, who had emerged as the community favorite during the presidential search. 'This has nothing to do with her being a good previous government employee; she's not qualified to leave the school,' Albert said of Johnson. 'I mean, if you have financial issues, are you going to hire a COO, or are you going to hire a federal lobbyist?'
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Three more DeSantis allies to take the helm of public universities in Florida
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — The state board that oversees Florida's public universities has confirmed three more allies of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis to become university presidents. It's a move supporters say will grant the schools the political capital to secure critical state funding and navigate a rapidly shifting legal landscape, and one that critics see as another sign that alignment with the governor's conservative education agenda has become a prerequisite for academic leadership in the state. The elevation of two Republican former lawmakers and a lobbyist comes after the state Board of Governors rejected the nomination of a longtime academic to lead the University of Florida, amid conservative backlash against his past support for diversity, equity and inclusion programs that board members viewed as unacceptable liberal ideology. With the appointments approved Wednesday, five of the state's 12 public universities will be led by former Republican lawmakers or lobbyists, a move that will help bolster DeSantis' legacy in higher education that could long outlast his time in office. Leading a Florida universities generally come with a multiyear contract for a salary of at least six-figures and a plush on-campus residence. The process for picking these leaders happens largely behind closed doors, creating what the state's Republican House speaker has called 'a spoil system for a select few.' DeSantis' former lieutenant governor, Jeanette Nuñez. was confirmed as the president of Florida International University in Miami. Meanwhile, telecommunications lobbyist Marva Johnson was tapped to lead Florida A&M University, the state's only public historically Black university. Johnson was previously a DeSantis appointee on the state board of education. Manny Diaz, a former state lawmaker and state education commissioner under DeSantis, was picked to lead the University of West Florida in Pensacola on an interim basis, mirroring the appointment of Nuñez, who was first named interim president before getting the permanent job at FIU. Johnson's appointment, in particular, has alarmed FAMU students and alumni, who begged the board not to confirm her on Wednesday, arguing that she failed to meet the job's minimum requirements and that her requested salary far exceeds her predecessor's. Johnson's appointment has stoked longstanding fears that the HBCU could be merged with Florida State University, the predominantly white institution across the railroad tracks. 'I can't decide if her appointment is politically motivated, gross negligence on the part of the board, or just you guys wanting to get rid of FAMU altogether,' alumnus Angelo Pettis told the Board of governors. Board members defended Johnson, her credentials as a telecoms executive and her service on various state boards. Johnson addressed the concerns of FAMU students and supporters, saying she's 'ready to lead with boldness' and committed to working alongside them. 'I remain deeply committed to ensuring that the legacy of the university is not lost,' Johnson said. ___ Kate Payne is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Florida is now the Stanley Cup's semi-permanent home. What does that mean for Canada?
'There are a lot of things I do not understand about this proposed expansion,' New York Times sports columnist George Vecsey wrote in December 1992, as the NHL wrapped up its annual Board of Governors meeting in Palm Beach, Florida. During that week's meeting, the league received expansion proposals for two teams. One was for a team in Anaheim, California, backed by Disney. The other was for a team in Miami, Florida, put forward by waste management-and-VHS-video magnate, Wayne Huizenga. 'What makes it think the Sun Belt is ready for all these hockey teams?' Vecsey wondered. At the time, the answer was money. With more time, the answer seems to be: because championship hockey teams can be built anywhere, including in the South. On Tuesday night in Florida, the Panthers won their second-straight Stanley Cup against the Edmonton Oilers, this time in six games – one fewer than they needed last season. If anything, you could now argue that there's no better place to build a championship NHL team than the southern US. Since 1990, the Stanley Cup has been awarded to a team based in the South nine times – but five of those have come in the last six years. And three of those have also been against Canadian teams. Advertisement North of the border back in 1992, the fear of American dominance was palpable, even though, at that time, the most recent expansion to Tampa Bay and San Jose (alongside Ottawa) looked like an on-ice failure. Nevertheless, the mere presence of these teams, not to mention two more, was a concern. 'This is the age of marketing, my friends, and we're selling image, brand names, fuzzy feelings and merchandising opportunities,' Globe and Mail sports columnist John Allemang warned after the NHL's December 1992 meeting, sarcastically proposing changes for the increasingly Americanized, commodified game. 'Let's scrap this three-period stuff, introduce the concept of half-time,' he snarked. 'Emilio Estevez learned to skate for Mighty Ducks, give him a chance, tell him the wife [Paula Abdul] can sing the national anthem. The American anthem, stupid. Is there any other?' Beyond the potential for merch sales and richer owners, 'does anyone else win?' Montreal Gazette columnist Pat Hickey asked around the same time. 'Then there's the question of what these new franchises do for the Canadian psyche,' Hickey wrote. 'If we ever thought this was our game, the latest decision on expansion should dispel this notion.' It seems hardly worth repeating that Florida's win Tuesday further extends the Canadian Stanley Cup drought to now 32 years, more or less fulfilling the worst fears of those sports columnists, and many others, who saw the NHL's US growth as a threat to the sport's true identity and thus by extension to that of its birth country, Canada. And they weren't entirely wrong. This year, more than most others, the existential threat of American dominance on the ice spoke to a bigger Canadian national identity crisis that would have seemed unthinkable in 1992. The idea that Canada, including hockey, could be subsumed by the US has felt more pressing than ever. Canadians – like swimming phenom Summer McIntosh or NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – are dominating in other sports. Youth hockey numbers may be declining, loosening generational ties to the game. Yet, nothing still spurs deep national anxiety like hockey failure. So yes, yet another Cup hoisted in the US – in Florida, again, no less – certainly stings a little from a nationalist point of view for Canadians. It fulfils all the worst nightmares of 1992's sports writers. But the Oilers' loss is frankly more frustrating strictly from a hockey perspective. Taken together, the Oilers' undisciplined play, general lack of offence, uneven goaltending, and lacklustre defence in the clutch, made it not only difficult to believe they could win, but that they even should. The Panthers are a scary-good hockey club, with a roster filled with pure gamers, the likes of which other teams only have one or two. Florida play an aggressive, often suffocating offence, and are backed by elite goaltending. The Panthers play great hockey. They just happen to be in Florida. There may not be a lot else to it. Advertisement It may be, in fact, that the quality of hockey in south Florida is so high because of, rather than in spite of, all that marketing and money and commercialization the NHL welcomed in the early 1990s. Expansion meant that the league – and by extension, the game – had to find a way to appeal to new audiences, most of whom had been living just fine without it until then. This meant that the NHL had to rethink its product. It had to embrace something much of the hockey world still often reflexively rejects – change. Over the decades, the NHL gradually morphed hockey into something new. Along the way, the game lost some aspects, like enforcers, but added things like goals. It got faster, more finessed, more exciting, more watchable, even as some argued it was somehow softer. It hasn't always gone smoothly (it's worth mentioning here that Atlanta is looking to get a new team for the third time), but its audiences and profits also grew, more or less according to plan. And so far, hockey hasn't lost its Canadian identity. After the NHL's buzzy, highly commercialized Four Nations tournament this past spring, it may even be more entrenched than ever. Looking back now, it's clear that the cynical, calculated marketing — and of course the money — were indeed the point of the NHL's expansion to a place like Florida. But they didn't destroy hockey. Instead, it just keeps getting better.
