The University of Central Florida’s Board of Trustees approved the acquisition of the Partnership IV Facility during the Board of Trustees meeting at the Fairwinds Alumni Center at UCF on Thursday, September 24, 2015. The $14.05 million Partnership IV Facility is located adjacent to the Partnership II and III facilities in Research Park.
The Board’s approval of the site is the first of several steps in the legal acquirement of the facility. UCF also has several conditions that need to be completed and a 90-day due diligence period before the sale can be finalized. The school is in the process of purchasing the site from two realty companies; Leidos Realty, LLC and Cowperwood Orlando I, LLC.
“This still has to go the State for approval,” said Jennifer Cerasa, Associate General Counsel while addressing the Board. “The purchase and sale agreement will require approval from the State of Florida,” in specific clarification through Cerasa’s publishing presented to the Board.
The Board also reviewed an update to the Type I Campus Proposal for the Downtown UCF project and approved and update to the Student Code of Conduct in regards to sexual assault and bullying.
The Downtown UCF project will go ahead in the Type I Campus format which will be a much more gradual and long-term project since Governor Scott’s veto last June. A revised slide-show featuring a campus vision, academic concept, criteria for planning process, new academic building proposal, center for emerging media facility and additional development in the future was shown. The update was presented by Dale Whittaker, Provost and Executive Vice president.
This additional development would consist of four primary contributors, UCF, the City of Orlando, private developers and students provided by Valencia College. The Valencia students would presumably attend UCF for their final two years of college.
“As a part of the extraordinary opportunity for UCF to develop an innovative living and learning environment that capitalizes on the economic, social and cultural activity of downtown Orlando, the university proposes updates to its Type I campus proposal for UCF Downtown,” said Diane Chase, Vice Provost for Academic Program Quality.
UCF expects a capacity of 7,314 students at the downtown UCF site in the first year with the use of one existing building which will house the Center for Emerging Media along with a new academic building. The plan also includes an expansion which includes a UCF housing/student services building, privately developed housing, Valencia Culinary/Hospitality building, 600 space parking and a power plant.
The Board reviewed specific Student Conduct rules.
“The Trustees approved an amendment to Chapter five of UCF’s regulations, which outlines students rights and responsibilities and the Student Conduct process,” said Chad Binette, Assistant Vice president of News and Information. “The changes mirror updates to policies of the Florida Board of Governors, which oversees the state’s 12 public universities and are in line with federal standard.”
The Chairman of the Board explained his boredom of the legal jargon that lasted for over 100 pages.
“If you could refresh my memory, I have to admit, it was really good for nodding off,” said Marcos Marchena, Chairman of the UCF Board of Trustees.
“This preceding will have a panel that would give a recommendation to the director of the Offices of Student Conduct and propose sanctions,” said Youndy Cook, Deputy General Counsel.
After correcting the word “target” in the student conduct proposal to “alleged target,” which changed an implication of guilt of an accused to an accusation legally, Chairman Marchena put the proposal up for a vote and it passed.
