September 2023 | Edition 2 | FGCU.EDU/INSIDE
IN THIS ISSUE Page 2 • • •
Q&A with President Timur Marieb faculty honored Photo of the month
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Five things to know Years of service Free professional development
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FGCU welcomes back faculty and staff for new year PHOTO COURTESY OF JACK THOMAS MEDIA
DID YOU KNOW?
Campus Life staff joined Azul for a photo during the 2023 Fall Welcome Celebration.
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he FGCU Wings-Up hand gesture is credited to David Deiros, founder of the FGCU women’s softball team and its only head coach to date. In 2002, the inaugural softball team used the hand gesture as a communication code. A Wings Up from Coach Deiros let the team know which play to make, and a Wings Up back from the players meant they understood. Two decades later, the Wings-Up symbol and phrase continues to convey the forward-thinking spirit of the Eagle family! Wings Up, FGCU! Fun fact: In Spanish, Wings Up translates as Alas arriba.
FGCU PHOTO BY JAMES GRECO, JGRECO@FGCU.EDU FGCU Softball Head Coast David Deiros is credited with creating the Wings Up hand gesture we know and love. He is shown here with Ally Hulme.
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A look at how FGCU is using its new state appropriations
he 2023 legislative session resulted in historic funding support for public universities, and FGCU received approximately $38.1 million in new revenue — its single largest operating budget appropriation in the university’s 26-year history. This includes:
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$20 million in recurring $10 million operational 26% support $16.2 million • $3.1 million 43% in recurring performancebased funding $11.8 million • $5 million in 31% recurring new tuition funding • $10 million in non-recurring funds to be focused on faculty retention and recruitment efforts One example is the dedication of more than $5 million for hiring efforts in Of this, FGCU needed to direct $9 million colleges and schools. Provost Mark Rieger toward unfunded mandates and other recently announced this will focus on obligations, such as support for technology, enhancing the freshman year, supporting campus safety and security efforts, and an faculty with key staff and administrative uptick in the cost of utilities. assistance, and reducing class sizes and student-faculty ratios. Another allocation Understanding that $10 million of nonpreserved a pool of $7.2 million of recurring recurring funds were earmarked by the funds to support employee salary state for faculty retention and recruitment, increases and the creation of an end-ofthe university’s leadership team year, merit-based pay system. strategically allocated the remaining funds. They led with the guiding principle that majority of the funding — 80% — should directly support academic excellence and An update on budget allocations will be bolster support for students, both in and presented to the FGCU Board of Trustees out of the classroom. on Sept. 12.
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