Oct. 20, 2016
Good afternoon, CF Team,
We received another accolade this month. OnlineColleges.com ranked CF 10th out of 112 Florida peer institutions for Best Online College. The organization ranked more than 2,500 accredited colleges and universities in the U.S. on a variety of factors, including affordability, student services and the availability of online programs. CF ranked higher than dozens of public and private universities in the state including Embry-Riddle, Flagler, Florida Atlantic University, Florida International University, Florida State University, Jacksonville University, Stetson, University of South Florida – Main Campus, and University of North Florida. The only universities that ranked higher than CF were Saint Leo, University of Florida, and University of Central Florida. In the past decade, CF has seen enrollment in online classes quadruple, growing from 3,957 in 2006-2007 to 16,601 in 2015-2016. Recognition by this organization speaks to the quality and scope of our online program.
I am excited to announce that next week we will launch a redesigned website that has a fresh new look that embraces accessibility and mobile responsiveness. Navigation has been simplified. Graphic elements have been reduced, allowing pages to load more quickly. And the site has been optimized for screen readers, allowing site-impaired users an opportunity to navigate the site more easily.
I was pleased to attend a Candidates Meet and Greet hosted by the CF College Democrats Club Wednesday. We know, and research supports, that engaged students are the most successful. Kudos to these students and all who are making the most of their student experience. The forum also served as a reminder that we should exercise our right to vote! Election day is just a few weeks away.
Our CF Lady Patriots volleyball team is having a great season and is currently ranked first in the state and fifth in the country. They head to Daytona State College this evening for a tough conference game and will be hosting a tournament at the Ocala Campus this Saturday. Check out CFPatriots.net for more info.
I will be heading to the University of South Florida tomorrow to officially sign our new USF FUSE agreement. This partnership will guarantee admission for our AA graduates who wish to pursue a bachelor’s degree at USF. Stay tuned for more info on this exciting new partnership.
Last month I shared that we received a Title IIIA Strengthening Institutions Grant for $2.1 million over five years. I am pleased to announce that Dr. Tammi Viviano-Broderick will serve as director and Professor Karla Wilson will serve as project manager for the grant, which will enhance StartSmart@CF. We have already received the first round of funding and the team will hire additional staff, create a learning commons and other SMART student areas, enhance onsite and online tutoring, expand professional development opportunities for faculty and staff, expand opportunities for engagement, and enhance the first-year experience for students.
Please help me welcome Patricia Tomlinson to the Appleton Museum as curator. Ms. Tomlinson has a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology (Archeology) from the University of Colorado, Bachelor of Arts in Art History from Colorado State University, and a Master of Arts in Museum Studies from the University of Denver. She completed her master’s internship at the Appleton Museum of Art and has more than 15 years of experience in art, archeology and education. She served as a curatorial assistant at the Denver Art Museum for eight years and as adjunct faculty member at Coker College in Hartsville, South Carolina, Metropolitan State University in Denver, and Rocky Mountain College for Art and Design in Denver. Stop by the Appleton for one of the fall events to welcome her to the community.
As we get closer to the end of the year, our calendars seem to get fuller. Enjoy the bustle of activity, but be sure to take care of yourself. Thanks for all that you do for our students and the college.
Jim