“We are extremely pleased with the efforts of the administration, faculty and students of the FAMU College of Law,” said Larry Robinson, interim president of FAMU.  “This news could not have come at a better time.  The examination results clearly demonstrate that the right steps are being taken to ensure that our law students are prepared to enter their profession.  Congratulations to the FAMU College of Law.”

FAMU Interim Provost Rodner Wright, who also serves as vice president for academic affairs, was also pleased with the nearly 20-point increase in the passage rate.  “It is clear that the university is committed to continuous improvement,” Wright said.  “That commitment is evident in the hard work of the administration, faculty and staff of the College of Law.”

In addition to exceeding the state average for the first time, this rate represents the first time in FAMU’s history that the College of Law scored above 80 percent for either the February or July Bar Exam.  The 82.6 percent rate represents a 17.1 point increase from the prior highest rate for February Bar that was achieved a year ago at 65.5 percent.

“We are very proud of our recent graduates and we commend them for the dedication they have shown to achieve this milestone,” said LeRoy Pernell, College of Law Dean.  “These results are a testament to the excellent quality of our curriculum and academic support programs at the FAMU College of Law.”

The College, on April 17, announced that its Associate degree Nursing Program is now accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission, Inc. (NLNAC).

According to Dr. Alice Nied, Dean of Healthcare Professions, becoming accredited by the NLNAC was strictly an internal initiative.

“It was a voluntary activity,” explained Nied, “but it opens so many additional opportunities for our students.”

With the NLNAC accreditation, TCC has access to a new pool of grants and has also expanded its reach with potential job opportunities for students.

“Some employers prefer to hire graduates of nationally-accredited programs,” Nied added.

During the rigorous accreditation process, the NLNAC evaluated six standards including the program’s mission and administrative capacity, the credentials of faculty and staff, facilities and other resources, and polices and services that support the students, curriculum, and learning outcomes.

Nied applauded the College’s administration for supporting the program’s desire to gain national accreditation.

“They want us to be the best and are willing to support us in whatever it takes to reach that goal,” she added.

“Having the NLNAC accreditation adds to our well-earned reputation for an excellent program that graduates highly trained and knowledgeable nurses.”

Graduates of TCC’s Nursing Program traditionally achieve a state board passing rate that surpasses both the state and national rates. In 2012, 72 of 73 (98.6%) graduates passed the licensure exam on the first attempt – higher than state (87.3%) and national (90.9%) levels.

The recommended grant awards will support the following research projects of faculty at the FAMU- Florida State University (FAMU FSU) College of Engineering:

• High Temperature Supersonic Jet Noise;
• Fundamental Studies and Control using Advanced Actuation Methods (Farrukh Alvi);
• A Novel Approach to Adaptive Flow Separation Control (Emmanuel Collins);
• Towards Ultra-light Weight Hybrids, Foams and Green Bodies: Structure Property Relationships in Novel Polymer Grafted Nanoparticles (Subramanian Ramakrishnan); and
• Simulation of Fluid-Structure Interaction for High Reynolds Number Compressible Flow (Kunihiko Taira).

The recommended funding will allow these principal investigators to conduct research in aeroacoustic prediction capabilities and actuator placement design in future work. They will explore the architectures of materials that give rise to enhanced toughness (durability) while simultaneously being amenable to processing and maintaining their properties over longer periods of time with current technologies. These findings may lead to better protection for U.S. troops.

“FAMU is extremely excited about these research initiatives and the faculty’s dedication in conducting research and training the next generation of engineers,” said K. Ken Redda, professor and interim vice president for Research.“I appreciate the hard work and dedication of these principal investigators in attracting these competitive grants that help support U.S. military initiatives.We are elated to have been recommended by the DOD’s Army to conduct new and innovative research.”

The Research and Education Program for HBCU/MI enhances research programs and capabilities in scientific and engineering disciplines critical to the national security functions of the DOD; it encourages greater participation by HBCU/MIs in DOD research and education programs and activities; increases the number of graduates, including underrepresented minorities, in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM); and encourages research and educational collaboration with other institutions of higher education.

The exhibition space is free, but space is limited and will be reserved on a first-come, first-served basis. After the expo there will be a Green Business Best Practices Conversation, where local business leaders will talk about their sustainability successes and discuss how the economy is integral to protecting the environment and ensuring our quality of life.

If you are a business or organization whose services or products address environmental issues or whose operations and practices strive to be environmentally conscious, learn more or register HERE.

Florida State law graduates taking the February 2013 General Bar Examination for the first time passed by a rate of 96 percent, according to statistics released Monday by the Florida Board of Bar Examiners. The overall passing rate of all law school graduates taking the exam for the first time was 80.2 percent. The exam was administered Feb. 26-27 in Tampa to 819 first-time takers, including 25 from Florida State.

“We are very proud that Florida State law students continue to achieve superb results on the Florida Bar exam,” said Dean Don Weidner. “Special congratulations and thanks go to our recent graduates for their outstanding accomplishment.”

In addition to performing well on the Florida Bar examination, Florida State graduates are highly valued in the legal job market. U.S. News & World Report (2013) rates Florida State the nation’s 23rd best law school, and Florida’s best, in terms of the percentage of 2011 graduates employed nine months after graduation in full-time, long-term, Bar admission-required or J.D.-preferred jobs.

The Sustainable Demonstration Center, also known as the Leon County Cooperative Extension building, 615 Paul Russell Road, was transformed into a net-zero facility in March 2012 with the addition of solar power and an ultra-energy efficient geothermal heating and air system.

One year later, the data proves this retrofitted 50-year old building operates as it was intended. The building’s net-zero classification means the site produces renewable energy at a rate equal to or greater than what the building annually consumes. In short, it cost nothing in energy consumption to heat, cool, light and power the building over a year. Because of the number of citizens who use the building for community events and other functions at Cooperative Extension, County staff knew the energy demands would be high. However, this net-zero facility has met and exceeded expectations.

“To demonstrate our commitment to the environment, we created an example of success in renewable energy,” said Leon County Commission Chairman Nick Maddox. “The Leon County Sustainable Demonstration Center is one of a handful of ‘net-zero’ buildings in the entire Southeast.”

To be such a success for Leon County, the building includes 253 solar photovoltaic cells on a ground-mounted structure, which also doubles as shaded parking. The solar array is sized to a 60-KW system compared to a 5-KW system used in the average home. This solar array supplies about 40 percent of the energy needed to power the 13,000 square-foot building.

Also, a large portion of the facility’s heating and air system was replaced by a geothermal system, which uses the earth’s relatively stable temperature of approximately 68 degrees to naturally cool or heat the building. This geothermal system is approximately 40 percent more energy efficient than a traditional heating and air system.

The Leon County Sustainable Demonstration Center represents a mark of accomplishment not only to the community in which it was built, but for the community it serves.

“In Leon County Government, we saw this opportunity as a win-win project,” said Leon County Administrator Vincent S. Long. “In County government, when you can save money, protect natural resources and make a community space even more appealing, we should act. This facility is a great learning opportunity for the youth who visit daily, and for our peers throughout the region.”

More than just an idea, Leon County’s Cooperative Extension facility hosts many programs to improve the County’s quality of life by teaching community gardening, youth development, and family wellness. The facility also conserves natural resources and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. And finally, the building strengthens the local economy by not only saving money for the County and its residents, but by actually earning credit for surplus energy.

For more information, contact Kendra Zamojski, Director of the Leon County Extension Center, at (850) 606-5200 work / ZamojskiK@LeonCountyFL.gov or Jon D. Brown, Director of Leon County Community and Media Relations, at (850) 606-5300 work / cmr@LeonCountyFL.gov.

“We understand that citizens want to communicate with the City about things that matter to them and impact the quality of life in their community such as graffiti, broken street lights and potholes,” said Commissioner Andrew Gillum, lead commissioner on the Innovation & Engagement Target Issue Committee. “DigiTally makes reporting an issue easy and convenient and allows citizens to monitor the issue until it is resolved.”

The app also contains a photo feature that allows you to attach a photograph to the request, so the responding staff person will know exactly what to look for when they arrive to address the issue.
‘We are always looking for ways to make it easy for citizens to interact with government,’ said Commissioner Gil Ziffer, member of the Innovation and Engagement Target Issue Committee. ‘When you have something to communicate, other than having an immediate face to face meeting with the right staff person, it just doesn’t get any easier than this.’
DigiTally is free and available for download from the AApple App Store and Google Play for Android.

A similar app for Leon County residents, “Leon County Citizens Connect” was launched last year and is also available free from the Apple App Store and Google Play for Android.

“RP3 utilities are shining examples of reliable and forward-thinking public power utilities,” said Brett McKinney, chair of the APPA’s RP3 review panel.

The RP3 designation recognizes public power utilities that demonstrate proficiency in four key disciplines: reliability, safety, workforce development and system improvement. Criteria within each category are based on sound business practices and represent a utility-wide commitment to safe and reliable delivery of electricity.

“Receiving the RP3 designation is a reflection of our commitment to our customers, who value having a reliable, citizen-owned electric utility,” said Rob McGarrah, general manager for the City’s Electric Utility department. “It’s an honor to be recognized on a national level for the work we are doing locally in Tallahassee.”

This is the eighth year that the RP3 recognition has been offered. APPA is a national organization representing more than 2,000 not-for-profits and community and state owned electric utilities.