Board of Trustees Holds August Meeting, Approves Additional $100K for Wertheim College

Alexander Luzula | Assistant News Director

The Wertheim College of Nursing is on track to receive a significant increase of funding, following the approval of the Board of Trustees.

Meeting over Zoom on August 28th at 8:30 a.m for their first meeting of the fall semester, the Board of Trustees approved a proposal asking for an additional $100,000 from the State University System’s Linking Industry through Nursing Education Fund, a fund aimed at matching contributions to nursing programs from healthcare providers. 

The proposed $100,000 would match Nicklaus Children’s Hospital’s original contribution, aimed at financially supporting nursing students placed at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.

If the funding is approved, the support would double from 10 nursing students to 20 at a rate of $10,000 a student. The students would be placed at NCH for their clinical practice for two years, identifying and facilitating future nurses at NCH facilities.

Over the last two years, FIU’s Generic Bachelor of Science in Nursing program has increased over time from 120 students in 2021 to a projected 180 students in 2023, growing at a rate of 50%, while its Accelerated Option BSN has increased by 10% from 60 to 66.

The proposal was introduced at the last session in July by board member and Academic Studies and Student Policy Committee Chair Natasha Lowell. 

Lowell introduced the item on the agenda, followed by Provost Elizabeth Bejar giving a presentation on the issue at hand. The proposal was accepted unanimously.

“This opportunity creates partnerships with local hospitals for bedside nurses,” said Wertheim College Dean Jorge Valdes.

“These scholarships go a long way for our students. $10,000 covers more than half of their tuition, so these $10,000 scholarships go a long way for many of them.”

No new business was introduced during this board session, though trustees celebrated several other exciting pieces of FIU news.

Board Chair Roger Tovar took the time to congratulate the football team for their work, as well as the men’s and women’s soccer team for their recent victories. 

Chair Tovar also announced that FIU was ranked as the 19th best university in the nation by Washington Monthly magazine, as well as ranking as the 6th best public university nationwide and the best in the state of Florida.

“This is not only incredibly exciting, but also very important, because the Florida Board of Governors recognizes this ranking for preeminence metrics. This ranking further validates everything we have known all along,” said Chair Tovar. 

“We got here by doing what we do best. We are being the best version of ourselves and we are paving the way for other universities to emulate our success in supporting the American Dream.”

The next meeting is scheduled to be held on September 14th at 9 a.m. in person at Tamiami Hall’s Multipurpose Room at the Modesto Maidique Campus.