HB 0037

1
A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to university building designation;
3designating a building located at the University of South
4Florida St. Petersburg as "H. William Heller Hall";
5directing the university to erect suitable markers;
6providing an effective date.
7
8     WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
9University of South Florida St. Petersburg has seen new
10developments, including the addition of lower-division academic
11programming which advanced the campus from an institution
12serving only juniors, seniors, and graduate students to a full
134-year institution, and
14     WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
15University of South Florida St. Petersburg initiated the process
16to achieve separate accreditation from the Southern Association
17of Colleges and Schools, and
18     WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
19University of South Florida St. Petersburg expanded course and
20program offerings so that students now are able to take entire
21course loads at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg
22and graduate on a timely basis, and
23     WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
24University of South Florida St. Petersburg won approval for
25residence halls on campus, a first for a University of South
26Florida regional campus, and
27     WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
28University of South Florida St. Petersburg obtained nearly a 30-
29percent budget increase as a result of 2002 legislative
30appropriations, representing a milestone for the campus and
31providing an opportunity for the university and campus to shape
32academic programs for years to come, and
33     WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
34University of South Florida St. Petersburg fostered
35university/community partnerships with the Florida Humanities
36Council, YWCA, All Children's Hospital, USGS, Pinellas County
37schools, City of St. Petersburg, and Bayboro neighbors, and
38     WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
39University of South Florida St. Petersburg increased diversity
40among students and faculty, realizing a gain of 20.5 percent in
41minority recruitment, and
42     WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
43University of South Florida St. Petersburg expanded disability
44services, and
45     WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
46University of South Florida St. Petersburg implemented a
47successful SAT preparation program for minorities, increasing
48student SAT scores by an average of more than 100 points, and
49     WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
50University of South Florida St. Petersburg completed an economic
51impact study with projections to 2012, and
52     WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
53University of South Florida St. Petersburg initiated and
54completed revision of the 1994-1995 master plan for the campus,
55and
56     WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
57University of South Florida St. Petersburg increased access to
58University of South Florida offerings throughout Pinellas County
59by offering as many as 10 off-campus sites, and
60     WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
61University of South Florida St. Petersburg increased student
62enrollment by 55 percent in 5 years, surpassing FTE enrollment
63goals, and
64     WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
65University of South Florida St. Petersburg tripled enrollment in
66the Honors Program in 2 years, and
67     WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
68University of South Florida St. Petersburg implemented three new
69degree programs, and
70     WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
71University of South Florida St. Petersburg nearly tripled the
72number of faculty members, and
73     WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
74University of South Florida St. Petersburg developed a
75responsive governance infrastructure for the campus,
76establishing the first A&P and USPS councils, as well as the
77Vice President's Council, and
78     WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
79University of South Florida St. Petersburg spearheaded the Urban
80Initiative, and
81     WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
82University of South Florida St. Petersburg implemented a St.
83Petersburg College presence on campus that provides educational
84opportunities for approximately 500 students, and
85     WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
86University of South Florida St. Petersburg created an internal
87infrastructure that permits greater input into campus
88decisionmaking by all groups on campus, and
89     WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
90University of South Florida St. Petersburg promoted the offering
91of Saturday classes on campus, and
92     WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
93University of South Florida St. Petersburg increased external
94funding exponentially, and
95     WHEREAS, the Legislature finds it appropriate to honor H.
96William Heller's leadership and contributions to the University
97of South Florida St. Petersburg and the Tampa Bay community,
98NOW, THEREFORE,
99
100Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
101
102     Section 1.  (1)  The building known as Coquina Hall,
103located on the campus of the University of South Florida St.
104Petersburg in Pinellas County, is designated "H. William Heller
105Hall."
106     (2)  The University of South Florida St. Petersburg is
107directed to erect suitable markers designating H. William Heller
108Hall as described in subsection (1).
109     Section 2.  This act shall take effect upon the effective
110date of the retirement or resignation of H. William Heller from,
111or the termination of H. William Heller's employment with, the
112University of South Florida St. Petersburg.


CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.