Florida Senate - 2020                            (NP)    SR 1774
       
       
        
       By Senator Perry
       
       
       
       
       
       8-02126-20                                            20201774__
    1                          Senate Resolution                        
    2         A resolution commending the University of Florida for
    3         its continued achievements in the pursuit of academic
    4         and research excellence and designating February 18,
    5         2020, as “Gator Day” at the Capitol.
    6  
    7         WHEREAS, the University of Florida is a top 10 university
    8  in the United States, rising from No. 8 in 2019 to No. 7 in the
    9  2020 U.S. News & World Report list of Best Public Universities,
   10  and
   11         WHEREAS, the University of Florida continues its upward
   12  momentum with 28 programs nationally ranked in the top 30 in
   13  their respective disciplines, including 7 programs ranked in the
   14  top 10, and 17 in the top 20, according to the 2020 U.S. News &
   15  World Report Best Graduate Schools rankings, and
   16         WHEREAS, according to the National Science Foundation, the
   17  University of Florida’s research spending rose nearly 8 percent
   18  to a record $865 million in the 2018 fiscal year, and
   19         WHEREAS, University of Florida Health researchers have been
   20  instrumental in developing a vaccine used to prevent the spread
   21  of the Ebola virus, a breakthrough with the potential to save
   22  countless lives which has been listed by National Geographic as
   23  one of the top 20 scientific discoveries of the decade, and
   24         WHEREAS, the University of Florida is a national leader in
   25  transferring its research to the marketplace through its two
   26  award-winning incubators — UF Innovate-The Hub and the Sid
   27  Martin Biotechnology Institute — both of which have been
   28  recognized as leading national and international business
   29  incubators by the International Business Innovation Association,
   30  and
   31         WHEREAS, the University of Florida continues to expand
   32  access to education through the UF Online pathway, with more
   33  than 2,000 students having graduated through this unique program
   34  and 4,000 active learners, earning the No. 5 spot nationally
   35  among all online educational programs by U.S. News & World
   36  Report in 2019, and
   37         WHEREAS, the University of Florida athletic program has
   38  ranked among the nation’s top 10 for 36 consecutive years — from
   39  1983-1984 to 2018-2019 — and has attained a top 5 overall finish
   40  in 21 of the past 28 years, according to national all-sport
   41  rankings, and
   42         WHEREAS, the University of Florida Athletic Association has
   43  contributed more than $112 million since 2006 to help fund UF’s
   44  various academic endeavors, and
   45         WHEREAS, the University of Florida and related entities
   46  contributed $16.91 billion to the state’s economy in the 2017
   47  2018 fiscal year and accounted for $10.4 billion — or 1.1
   48  percent — of the Gross State Product of Florida, NOW, THEREFORE,
   49  
   50  Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:
   51  
   52         That the University of Florida is commended for its
   53  continued achievements in the pursuit of academic and research
   54  excellence and that February 18, 2020, is designated as “Gator
   55  Day” at the Capitol.
   56         BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution, with
   57  the Seal of the Senate affixed, be presented to University of
   58  Florida President W. Kent Fuchs as a tangible token of the
   59  sentiments of the Florida Senate.