University of Florida News

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida’s consumer confidence dropped one point in May to 71, reflecting pessimism about personal finances despite an improved national economic outlook, the latest University of Florida survey finds.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Brain may win out over brawn as the primary cause of breathing problems in children with a severe form of muscular dystrophy known as Pompe disease.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The University of Florida’s final budget reduction plan for 2009-2010 is available on UF’s home page at www.ufl.edu.
The plan calls for $30.6 million in specific cuts, which reflect the permanent loss of recurring state funding. About 150 faculty and staff positions will be eliminated through a combination of vacant positions, retirements and [...]

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Samuel Proctor Oral History Program (SPOHP) will be participating in events to commemorate Memorial Day and D-Day, two important dates in America’s history.
In honor of Memorial Day, SPOHP will be sharing and discussing its World War II collection of oral histories at the Alachua County Veterans Day program. The ceremony [...]

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — University of Florida spinoff companies are creating new ways to keep people safe and healthy:
Contact lenses improve eye treatment
UF researchers developed soft contact lenses that contain tiny drug-filled particles capable of releasing medications slowly and steadily into the eye. Apeliotus Ophthalmics of Atlanta is developing contact lens drug delivery systems based [...]

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The recent addition to the University of Florida’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium has just been ranked as one of the most environmentally friendly buildings in the U.S.
The Heavener Football Complex has received platinum certification from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, the highest ranking available. It [...]

President Bernie Machen’s decision to donate his bonus to the Florida Opportunity Scholarship Program was the subject of a May 12 Associated Press story.

President Bernie Machen was quoted in a May 11 Money magazine article about the growing financial pressure faced by large public universities such as UF. Also quoted were geology department chairman Michael Perfit and student Peter Laumann.

Plant pathologist Randy Ploetz was quoted in a May 8 Associated Press story about the threat of the redbay ambrosia beetle to Florida’s avocado industry. The story was the result of a news release from the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

A dissertation by doctoral student Jim Porter about who was most likely to defend students from bullying was the subject of a May 6 column on ABC News.com. The column was the result of a News Bureau news release.