Central Florida Future, Vol. 06 No. 14, February 1, 1974

              ORLANDO, FLORIDA
FEBRUARY 1, 1974
Open File Issue Arises
By Marvin Clegg
Florida Attorney General Robert Shevin will
request that state university officials be instructed to
open employe files to the public, according to
Deputy Attorney General Barry Richard.
In a recent issue of the University of South
Florida's newspaper, the Oracle, Richard said that
Shevin plans to ask the state cabinet to tell state
universities to allow access to files in compliance with
Florida Statute 119.
"We are going to propose a resolution to instruct
university administrators to make records open,"
Richard said. "But if they know about it there will
probably be about 1,000 of them up here to lobby
against it, and its chances of passage will be slim."
The open file issue arose at USF two weeks ago,
when Student Government (SG) President Bill Davis
tried unsucessfully to gain access to a document
concerning USF's SG constitution.
USF Vice President for Student Affairs Joe Howell
refused to release the information on the
recommendation of the university's Legal Advisor,
Larry Robinson. Robinson said he based his decision
on the Board of Regents (BOR) policy and the recent
Omnibus Education Act.
However, Richard disagreed, saying "Unless
Robinson can come up with some statutory provision
other than the Omnibus Act, I would say evaluations
are open. I don't know of any confidential personnel
records of public employes."
"They are looking for reasons to make it
confidential, but there aren't any," he added.
When an Oracle reporter attempted, on normal
assignment, to gain information about USF President
Cecil Mackey and other administration members,
Robinson suggested the Oracle make a similar
attempt to gain access to Richard's files.
Richard was quoted as saying, "Tell that guy I'm
not just a politician but that I care about upholding
the law. We have evaluations on every employe in this
office and they are open."
In a later article by Oracle Managing Editor Sandra
Wright, it was reported that Robinson released certain
files after he "culled" them.
However, personnel officials would not provide for
copies to be made, although Florida Statute 119
states that certified copies can be made upon request.
FTU administrators have apparently not changed
their policies regarding open access to employe files,
though the Deputy Attorney General has said USF
administrators may be violating state law by refusing
to release employe evaluations.
Section 119.01 of the state statutes provides that
"all state, county, and municipal records shall be at
all times open for a personal inspection by any citizen
of Florida, and those in charge of such records shall
not refuse this privilege to any citizen."
Buses Anticipated,
State $$ Requested
FTU may have an express bus
service by spring quarter,
according to Dr. George
Schrader, chairman of the mass
transportation subcommittee of
the university's special task force
on energy conservation.
The Orange-Seminole-Osceola
Transit Authority has just
purchased several new
43-passenger buses, one of which
could be assigned to FTU.
According to Schrader, the
non-profit authority would have
to break even on the new run in
order to maintain service.
Schrader said half of the $70
per-day operational cost could
be paid for by student
passengers, and that the
remainder must be generated.
"We are requesting assistance
from the State Department of
Transportation," said Schrader,
"and are aware of other
universities which offer free bus
service to the student body."
Universities throughout the
country which presently offer
free transportation to the
student body include the
University of Massachusetts,
Kent State, San Diego State,
(Continued on Page 2)
Bike Path Construction
Stymied By Legalities
By Jerry Brooks
FTU may be one of the first areas in Central Florida to get a
bicycle path, according to Scott Henderson, parks planner for the
Orange County Planning Department.
Henderson said that next year would be the earliest funds
would be ready.
In a recent meeting with Student Government President Lee
Constantine and SG Vice President Hunter Potts, Henderson said
Central Florida is far behind the rest of the state in the
development of bicycle paths.
In 1973 the federal government allocated $6 million for the
construction of bicycle paths throughout the country. The 1973
Federal Highway Act provides $2 million per year, per state for
three years to help the states build bicycle paths coupled with
matching funds furnished by the state.
The only catch in the law, according to Henderson, is that the
funds can only be used in conjunction with federal highway
projects. Since most of the areas which need bicycle paths are
served by state roads there is little chance of obtaining much aid
for the central Florida area. Henderson said Washington
legislators are aware that the law was badly written and are in the
process of rewriting it.
The State Department of Transportation has long range plans
for the widening of FTU Boulevard and Alafaya Trail, according
to Potts, who said the most econmical time to build the bicycle
path would be during the widening of these roads.
Potts added that the state has passed a bill supporting the
construction of bicycle paths, but there were no monetary
provisions made for the $5,000 per mile asphalt bicycle paths.
Henderson said he is devising a comprehensive bicycle path
plan for the county and has not had enough time to make any
projections or recommendations to the County Commission
concerning which areas of the county most need and would most
benefit from a bicycle path.
As soon as the funds from the Federal Highway Act are
eligible, Henderson said he expects the state to allocate a
generous portion of the funds to the Orlando area since Orange
County has had no money to support the construction of any
bicycle paths.
Due to the growing student population along Alafaya Trail, a
bicycle path running along Alafaya from Highway 50 would
benefit a large number of people, according to Henderson.
Many people have seen Jeremiah Turk,
dog about campus, but very few realize that
he offers one of the most unusual courses at
the university. If you, like Jeremiah, see the
world in a different light, the FuTUre
would like to help you share your ideas
with others. Black and white or color prints
may be submitted for publication. Picture
information and identification as well as
photographer's name and phone number
should be included with each print and
delivered to LB 213. (Photo by Mike
Berman)
Program Retains Students
By Michael Lochridge
Fall quarter's student
retention program returned 110
students to FTU classes this
quarter, according to Director of
Records Ed Knight.
Two college deans credit the
retention program as being the
single cause for students
re-enrolling and others attribute
value to the program for
bringing the students back.
The retention program,
initiated by Knight and graduate
student Rob Sheinkopf,
provided FTU students who
were not enrolled during fall
quarter with re-admit forms and
a letter expressing concern over
the students' absence from
school. Each letter was
personally signed by the dean or
coordinator for the program
from the students' respective
college. More than 600 letters
wer mailed in November.
Seventeen per cent of the
persons contacted have returned
to FTU, Sheinkopf said, but "to
describe the retention program
in    terms    of    statistics    is
misleading."
Figures for the number of
letters mailed in the fall and the
number os students enrolled this
quarter by the separate colleges
are: Engineering: 88 letters, 24
students; General Studies: 75
letters, 9 students; Business
Administration: 101 letters, 26
students; Education: 118 letters,
17 students; Humanities and
Fine Arts: 80 letters, 7 students;
Natural Science: 105 letters, 14
students; Social Science: 132
letters, 13 students.
"The whole program is an
effort to get personal attention
to students from the colleges by
the personal efforts of the
college representatives to sign
the letters," said Sheinkopf.
He added that 2 in 10
students have returned to school
which is "2 in 10 more than
would have come back without
the program." Students
returning are full-time part-time
and graduate students.
Many people who were
contacted provided their reasons
for not returning and expressed
appreciation for the university's
concern.
Sheinkopf also said several of
the letters never reached their
destinations. He received 51
returned letters himself.
"We feel that we have had
approximately an 80 per cent
enrollment this quarter of
students who responded to the
letters from the deans," Knight
said.
"Assuming that recruiting is
efficient and effective, we can
expect our enrollment to show a
slight gain with normal attrition
to graduation. Real progress can
then be expected by reducing
our percentage of drop-outs," he
added.
The retention program was an
"unqualified success" and
"worth every penny" to Dean
Bernard Ostle of the College of
Natural Science. Ostle expressed
the interest of faculty members
in being aware of the status of
their students. He said he doubts
if the letters can be sent out
(Continued on Page 2)