HB 0037

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to university building designation;
3	designating a building located at the University of South
4	Florida St. Petersburg as "H. William Heller Hall";
5	directing the university to erect suitable markers;
6	providing an effective date.
7
8	WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
9	University of South Florida St. Petersburg has seen new
10	developments, including the addition of lower-division academic
11	programming which advanced the campus from an institution
12	serving only juniors, seniors, and graduate students to a full
13	4-year institution, and
14	WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
15	University of South Florida St. Petersburg initiated the process
16	to achieve separate accreditation from the Southern Association
17	of Colleges and Schools, and
18	WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
19	University of South Florida St. Petersburg expanded course and
20	program offerings so that students now are able to take entire
21	course loads at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg
22	and graduate on a timely basis, and
23	WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
24	University of South Florida St. Petersburg won approval for
25	residence halls on campus, a first for a University of South
26	Florida regional campus, and
27	WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
28	University of South Florida St. Petersburg obtained nearly a 30-
29	percent budget increase as a result of 2002 legislative
30	appropriations, representing a milestone for the campus and
31	providing an opportunity for the university and campus to shape
32	academic programs for years to come, and
33	WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
34	University of South Florida St. Petersburg fostered
35	university/community partnerships with the Florida Humanities
36	Council, YWCA, All Children's Hospital, USGS, Pinellas County
37	schools, City of St. Petersburg, and Bayboro neighbors, and
38	WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
39	University of South Florida St. Petersburg increased diversity
40	among students and faculty, realizing a gain of 20.5 percent in
41	minority recruitment, and
42	WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
43	University of South Florida St. Petersburg expanded disability
44	services, and
45	WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
46	University of South Florida St. Petersburg implemented a
47	successful SAT preparation program for minorities, increasing
48	student SAT scores by an average of more than 100 points, and
49	WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
50	University of South Florida St. Petersburg completed an economic
51	impact study with projections to 2012, and
52	WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
53	University of South Florida St. Petersburg initiated and
54	completed revision of the 1994-1995 master plan for the campus,
55	and
56	WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
57	University of South Florida St. Petersburg increased access to
58	University of South Florida offerings throughout Pinellas County
59	by offering as many as 10 off-campus sites, and
60	WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
61	University of South Florida St. Petersburg increased student
62	enrollment by 55 percent in 5 years, surpassing FTE enrollment
63	goals, and
64	WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
65	University of South Florida St. Petersburg tripled enrollment in
66	the Honors Program in 2 years, and
67	WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
68	University of South Florida St. Petersburg implemented three new
69	degree programs, and
70	WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
71	University of South Florida St. Petersburg nearly tripled the
72	number of faculty members, and
73	WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
74	University of South Florida St. Petersburg developed a
75	responsive governance infrastructure for the campus,
76	establishing the first A&P and USPS councils, as well as the
77	Vice President's Council, and
78	WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
79	University of South Florida St. Petersburg spearheaded the Urban
80	Initiative, and
81	WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
82	University of South Florida St. Petersburg implemented a St.
83	Petersburg College presence on campus that provides educational
84	opportunities for approximately 500 students, and
85	WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
86	University of South Florida St. Petersburg created an internal
87	infrastructure that permits greater input into campus
88	decisionmaking by all groups on campus, and
89	WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
90	University of South Florida St. Petersburg promoted the offering
91	of Saturday classes on campus, and
92	WHEREAS, under H. William Heller's leadership, the
93	University of South Florida St. Petersburg increased external
94	funding exponentially, and
95	WHEREAS, the Legislature finds it appropriate to honor H.
96	William Heller's leadership and contributions to the University
97	of South Florida St. Petersburg and the Tampa Bay community,
98	NOW, THEREFORE,
99
100	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
101
102	Section 1.  (1)  The building known as Coquina Hall,
103	located on the campus of the University of South Florida St.
104	Petersburg in Pinellas County, is designated "H. William Heller
105	Hall."
106	(2)  The University of South Florida St. Petersburg is
107	directed to erect suitable markers designating H. William Heller
108	Hall as described in subsection (1).
109	Section 2.  This act shall take effect upon the effective
110	date of the retirement or resignation of H. William Heller from,
111	or the termination of H. William Heller's employment with, the
112	University of South Florida St. Petersburg.

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