UF President Ben Sasse to announce university's new plans in Jacksonville

[pierre]

This is going to be such a disaster. All so Curry can get a photo op with Ben Sasse on his way out of office.

[vicupstate]

Is anyone asking the candidates for Mayor if they support this?  If so, what are they saying?

[Ken_FSU]

Curious if there's ANY precedent for this.

A city gifting an outside university $50 million in taxpayer dollars, to study the possibility of potentially someday maybe opening a hypothetical campus, in some area or another, offering degrees in TBD.

It's baffling.

[marcuscnelson]

So the bill calls the... thing a "University of Florida Health and Financial Technology Graduate Education Center." That's... something? Maybe?

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2023/feb/14/council-introduces-bill-to-partially-fund-possible-uf-health-and-financial-technology-graduate-education-center/

By the way, this is a bit of a silly aside, but I do like the banner with the traditional seal they used at the announcement. The blue and silver logo has always had a weirdly dated look to me, and the red and blue "City of Jacksonville" wordmark Curry puts on letterheads is just awful.

[Jax_Developer]

Why does Carlucci seem to be the only council-member asking questions when something strange comes around?

[thelakelander]

Why does Carlucci seem to be the only council-member asking questions when something strange comes around?

I think most of the council likely already know the details that the public doesn't know. Legislation doesn't pop up that fast without some lobbying taking place prior. There's already a general name and theme....University of Florida Health and Financial Technology Graduate Education Center. UF Health isn't that far away so something in the vicinity of that medical campus and building off that local investment has some natural logic.

Also, although likely not agreed to in stone, this pretty much tells you where the desired site is. There's clearly been discussion on the site prior to the public announcement based on JEA sending a letter and offer of $10 million in in-kind services earlier this month.

Although officials have not identified a site or how much land would be needed, the location could have a connection to the northern border of Downtown and Springfield.

A Feb. 2 letter to UF Vice President Thomas Mitchell from JEA Managing Director and CEO Jay Stowe says the utility would commit $10 million in in-kind services, including access to a trail to the project through the Main Street Water Plant and Laboratory parcel through a purchase/lease/easement.

"It is our intent to support this project as it supports downtown revitalization, complemented with the Hogan's Creek revitalization and Emerald Trail projects," Stowe wrote.

That in-kind investment includes:

• Access to the trail through the Main Street Water Plant and Laboratory parcel through a purchase/lease/easement.

• Within the JEA footprint, all infrastructure and beautification work, including the use of the conservation building.

• Beyond the JEA footprint, additional beautification in JEA rights of way.

Curry said a UF site selection committee would make a final decision.

Now, why the public isn't getting a more cohesive picture at this time, I don't know.

[Jax_Developer]

I bet that UF is betting on that area to improve in the completely unknown timeline for them to start.

[Ken_FSU]

Really interesting article.

Seems like the West Palm campus may be in a bit of jeopardy.

https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/education/2023/02/18/university-of-florida-campus-in-west-palm-beach-stalled-over-land/69854179007/

Sure hope that our city leaders are confident that Jax isn't being used as a pawn in some political game with West Palm.

[fsu813]

Really interesting article.

Seems like the West Palm campus may be in a bit of jeopardy.

https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/education/2023/02/18/university-of-florida-campus-in-west-palm-beach-stalled-over-land/69854179007/

Sure hope that our city leaders are confident that Jax isn't being used as a pawn in some political game with West Palm.

This is hilarious. In jeopardy because of what name will be on the building. Lol.

[Charles Hunter]

Really interesting article.

Seems like the West Palm campus may be in a bit of jeopardy.

https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/education/2023/02/18/university-of-florida-campus-in-west-palm-beach-stalled-over-land/69854179007/

Sure hope that our city leaders are confident that Jax isn't being used as a pawn in some political game with West Palm.

This is hilarious. In jeopardy because of what name will be on the building. Lol.

[SARCASM]
At least the argument now is just over his name. People are saying that his earlier demand was that UF and WPB erect a larger-than-life statue of himself.
[/sarcasm]

[thelakelander]

Really interesting article.

Seems like the West Palm campus may be in a bit of jeopardy.

https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/education/2023/02/18/university-of-florida-campus-in-west-palm-beach-stalled-over-land/69854179007/

Sure hope that our city leaders are confident that Jax isn't being used as a pawn in some political game with West Palm.

This is hilarious. In jeopardy because of what name will be on the building. Lol.

Seems completely silly. If he's giving them land valued at $50 million for free, perhaps they should take him up on his offer. Beggars can't be choosers.

[jaxlongtimer]

After reading this article it seems WPB has the same concerns people are raising here in Jax.  The difference is their government and supporters seem to be much more savvy about insuring UF does what it promises.

It also appears that much of what UF is promising WPB overlaps with what is being offered to Jax.  On how many campuses can UF offer first rate programs along the same lines? 

After reading this, I have to wonder if UF will play Jax against WPB for the best deal.  Further, I note the State offered WPB a $100 million matching grant but Jax gets nothing from the State.  WPM also appears to be getting a significantly bigger commitment than Jax.

Add it all up, and I wonder if we are either getting the short end of the stick or just being had.  Not good either way.

[marcuscnelson]

Looks like the state might pitch in at least a little.

https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/local/2023/02/21/university-of-florida-asks-legislature-to-pay-for-jacksonville-campus/69914944007/

A few interesting quotes:

"We're not trying to jump-start this industry in Northeast Florida," Duggan said. "It's already here. We're already very successful at recruiting businesses to come here with high-wage jobs."

The appropriation request filed by Duggan says in the initial phase, UF would need to lease space in downtown Jacksonville while it hires additional experts and faculty so it can "begin offering part-time programs in 2025 as plans move forward to build a new campus over a multi-year period."

Duggan said the projection by the University of Florida is that once the education center is "fully up and running," the combined number of faculty and students at it will be in the range of 2,000 to 4,000.

"That's a very significant number of people," Duggan said.

This year's appropriation request for the UF Health and Financial Technology Graduate Education Center says it will offer professional graduate programs creating a "pipeline of highly trained students" for the state while fostering innovation and invention through "solutions-based programs" developed by UF Health and the UF colleges of business and engineering.

The center will boost biomedical and artificial intelligence technologies, healthcare safety and quality for patients, health care administration and fintech, according to the appropriations request. Fintech is the use of technology in financial services.

"The primary direct services will be education and related support" and the initial academic programming "is expected to focus on UF's colleges of medicine, nursing, engineering and business," according to the request.

UF would use the state money to work with "public/private partners" in developing the center and its curriculum. The state funding also would lease facilities "as needed while development is underway and after," hire faculty and student support professionals and explore "collaborative education/innovation opportunities" with other education and research institutions in the area along with the kindergarten- through 12th-grade school system.

[fsu813]

Location:

https://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/local/investigates-secret-details-revealed-about-proposed-uf-campus-that-could-cost-200m/UQU7ZTA2ZFGYVIO5OQ3RQDUFAA/

[marcuscnelson]

Huh. Parcels 1, 2, and 3 are owned by FSCJ, Parcel 4 by JEA, and Parcel 5 (the Phase 2) by the city (currently the Singleton Senior Center). The plan is 18 acres total, ~14 of them in Phase 1. Surprisingly low-rise for how much money is being proposed here.

Personally, I get a bit nervous about the feasibility of all this looking at a slide trying to compare a UF Jacksonville graduate campus to Boston/Cambridge, Austin, Charlotte, and Stanford/Berkeley. Not to dump on us, but... we're not there.

Also the state support mentioned on this slide is half of what a state legislator has actually proposed. Seems like a bad sign.