| 1 | House Resolution |
| 2 | A resolution designating April 11, 2007, as "The |
| 3 | University of Florida Day" in Tallahassee. |
| 4 |
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| 5 | WHEREAS, the University of Florida, a member of the |
| 6 | prestigious American Association of Universities and one of the |
| 7 | 20 top-rated public universities in the nation, is home to some |
| 8 | of the country's top faculty members; has over 50 eminent |
| 9 | scholar chairs; and attracts some of the best students in the |
| 10 | nation, ranking first among universities worldwide in the number |
| 11 | of International Baccalaureate students enrolled, and |
| 12 | WHEREAS, the university is the state's leading research and |
| 13 | education institution, drawing $518 million in research grants |
| 14 | last fiscal year and offering more than 100 bachelor's degree |
| 15 | programs and more than 200 graduate and professional degree |
| 16 | programs, and |
| 17 | WHEREAS, the university, a major economic engine with an |
| 18 | economic ripple effect worth over $4 billion, is a major |
| 19 | developer of new technologies, disclosing 272 inventions, |
| 20 | licensing 66 technologies, and earning $40 million in licensing |
| 21 | revenue in 2005 alone; and companies based on its technologies |
| 22 | contribute nearly $500 million to Florida's economy annually, |
| 23 | and |
| 24 | WHEREAS, the University of Florida is home to several |
| 25 | state-of-the-art research facilities, including the recently |
| 26 | completed Cancer and Genetics Research Complex and the Center of |
| 27 | Excellence for Regenerative Health Biotechnology, and in 2006 |
| 28 | was selected as a site for two Centers of Excellence and one |
| 29 | National Science Foundation Research Center, and |
| 30 | WHEREAS, the University of Florida is the alma mater to |
| 31 | several distinguished graduates, including Academy Award winning |
| 32 | director Jonathan Demme, Florida Lieutenant Governor Jeff |
| 33 | Kottkamp, and Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives |
| 34 | Marco Rubio, and |
| 35 | WHEREAS, the University of Florida is also the alma mater |
| 36 | of Bob Vila, a 1969 graduate of the university's College of |
| 37 | Journalism and Communications and host of several nationally |
| 38 | televised home improvement programs, including "Bob Vila," "Bob |
| 39 | Vila's Home Again," and "This Old House," and |
| 40 | WHEREAS, the university is home to a student body that is |
| 41 | becoming increasingly diverse, with 10 percent of its freshmen |
| 42 | class African-Americans and 14 percent Hispanic, and |
| 43 | WHEREAS, the University of Florida's athletes are among the |
| 44 | most talented in the nation, recently attaining sixth place in |
| 45 | national all-sports rankings to mark the twenty-second straight |
| 46 | year that the Gators have landed among the top 10 in athletics, |
| 47 | and |
| 48 | WHEREAS, the University of Florida is the first and only |
| 49 | university in history to hold both football and basketball |
| 50 | national championship titles in the same year, NOW, THEREFORE, |
| 51 |
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| 52 | Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of |
| 53 | Florida: |
| 54 |
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| 55 | That the House of Representatives recognizes the singular |
| 56 | contributions of the University of Florida and designates April |
| 57 | 11, 2007, as "The University of Florida Day" in Tallahassee. |
| 58 | BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be |
| 59 | presented to Dr. J. Bernard Machen, President of the University |
| 60 | of Florida, as a tangible token of the sentiments expressed |
| 61 | herein. |