By Tina Meketa, University Communications and Marketing
More than 100 students and alumni joined Â鶹ÃÛÌÒAV leadership in Tallahassee on Wednesday for Â鶹ÃÛÌÒAV Day at the Capitol – an annual gathering that offers an opportunity to raise awareness about the university and its priorities ahead of the legislative session, which begins March 7.
The group included students from the College of Nursing, who shared directly with legislators how they are benefitting from a in the college in the 2022-2023 state budget. The funding supports efforts to help solve the nursing shortage by expanding undergraduate nursing education. Among the other highlights from last year’s session was a $55 million recurring increase to Â鶹ÃÛÌÒAV's operational budget, including new funds for each campus and Â鶹ÃÛÌÒAV Health, which represented the largest single-year investment in operational support that Â鶹ÃÛÌÒAV has received in its history.
President Rhea Law was joined on the visit by Â鶹ÃÛÌÒAV St. Petersburg Regional Chancellor Christian Hardigree, Dr. Charly Lockwood, executive vice president of Â鶹ÃÛÌÒAV Health and dean of the Morsani College of Medicine, Â鶹ÃÛÌÒAV Board of Trustees Vice Chair Mike Griffin and Ray Rodrigues, chancellor of the State University System of Florida.
Students attended panel discussions on advocacy and academic freedom, spoke with Justice Jorge Labarga during a tour of the Supreme Court, participated in a mock bill reading and vote in the Senate chamber and watched as the House convened for a special legislative session. They also had the opportunity to speak with several state lawmakers, including Sen. Shevrin Jones, House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, Rep. Spencer Roach and Rep. Juan Fernandez-Barquin.
Several alumni also participated in some of the day’s activities, such as Maya Brown, advocacy committee chair for the Â鶹ÃÛÌÒAV Alumni Association Board, and those who live in the Tallahassee area.