The UCF Report, Vol. 14 No. 20, April 29, 1992

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Volume 14, Number 20
The University of Central Florida newspaper for faculty and staff
April 29,1992
r News clips -, Hitt: UCF could be one of best
universities in America by 2000
Spring ceremony
UCF will hold its 1992 spring
commencement ceremony at
the Orlando Arena on Saturday,
May 2, beginning at 1 p.m.
Doors open at noon. Of the
1,987 graduating students from
various colleges throughout the
university, 1,716 will receive
baccalaureate degrees, 249 will
receive master's degrees, nine
will receive doctoral degrees
and 13 will be named
educational specialists. An
honorary degree will be
presented by President John
Hitt. The recipient will be
announced at the ceremony.
Robert Bryan, former interim
president, will be the
commencement speaker.
Staff assembly
The annual staff assembly for
USPS employees will be
Tuesday, May 12, in the
business administration
auditorium 119, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
The assembly takes place to
update employees on business
conducted by the Staff Council.
This year a charter revision is
on the agenda for approval.
Also, candidates for Staff
Council will present themselves
to the assembly for election.
President John Hitt has been
invited to speak to employees.
Leftover directories
The telecommunications
office has extra Florida
telephone directors (Suncom)
available. Departments in need
of extra copies can pick them up
at telecommunications office,
library room 143.
Leaving cars parked
The University Activity
Center Transportation
Authority and the American
Lung Association of Central
Florida are urging motorists to
tight air pollution by changing
transportation habits on
Thursday, May 7: Don't Drive
Day. It is part of the American
Lung Association's Clean Air
Week, and is intended to show
motorists they can clean the air
by leaving cars home and trying
more efficient or alternative
transportation, such as mass
transit, walking, biking or car
pooling.
By the year 2000, UCF could be one of the top universities in the country, President John Hitt told a crowd of
175 at the faculty assembly on April 23.
Outlining five goals he would like the university to
achieve in the next eight years, Hitt said that if faculty,
the administration and staff work hard enough UCF
could be the "most outstanding metropolitan university
in the country."
The five goals are:
• Offer the best undergraduate education in Florida.
• Achieve international prominence in key graduate
and research programs, including fields such as
computer science and engineering.
• Give an international focus to course offering and
research programs.
• Increase cultural diversity on campus.
• Increase partnerships with business, government
and public schools to be America's leading partnership
university.
"All (the goals) are important. I don't know if I'd say
any one is more important than the others," Hitt said.
Hitt addressed each goal individually.
For the university to offer the best undergraduate
For your eyes only
Sharon Wieser, assistant director of purchasing, tests her eyesight during
the annual employee benefits and health fair, April 15-16. This year's fair
was held in the UCF Arena. More pictures on page 7.
education in the state it will "take a great deal creativity,"
he said. Most so-called experts rate quality education
using tangible statistics: teacher/student ratio, size of
classrooms and other such factors. Hitt said that for UCF
to "win at that game" the university will have to use
"another form of measurement."
"What we've got to look at is what we think
undergraduate education excellence is," he said.
His second goal — achieving international prominence
in graduate and research programs — ties in closely with
the first, Hitt said. The university already has gained
international and regional recognition for several
programs, such as computer science and CREOL. The
president said he would like to see UCF have about eight
or 10 such well-respected programs. That quality would
spill over into undergraduate studies.
For UCF to compete against other universities, Hitt's
third goal of adopting an international focus must be
implemented, he said. As the world becomes friendlier
and countries more dependent"oTreach other, if is
important for universities to reach abroad as well to be
Please see GOALS, page 3
Disney sings
WUCFs tune
WUCF-FM received a boost from
Walt Disney World on April 21.
The university's student-operated
radio station was one of 65 non-profit
organizations and programs in
Orange, Seminole and Osceola
counties to receive a cash award from
Disney during the company's annual
awards luncheon. Almost $400,000
was awarded this year.
WUCF-FM and four other
agencies received $2,500 each in the
category of cultural involvement. The
Orlando Shakespeare Festival, which
is sponsored in part by the
university, received one of 10 Judges
Awards of $7,500 each.
This year's big winner was the
Coalition for the Homeless of Central
Florida, which received the $50,000
Bob Allen Outstanding Community
Service Award.
More than 400 organizations
entered this year's competition. Since
1972, when Disney World began
handing out the cash awards, about
$2.5 million has been given to more
than 1,000 service organizations.
"I was completely surprised and
exceptionally pleased when WUCF-
Please see WUCF, page 3
Next issue of The UCF Report is May 13 • Deadline May 6
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