Florida Atlantic University still doesn’t have a new permanent president. But it has a new preferred name.
Apparently without calling it a “rebranding,” FAU wants to shift from that familiar acronym and replace it with “Florida Atlantic.” The idea is to separate the state university whose main campus is in Boca Raton from Florida International University, whose main campus is west of Miami.
An FAU/Florida Atlantic spokeswoman called it “a brand refresh initiative.” In January, as part of that initiative, the university issued its Visual Standards and Messaging Manual.
In it, Interim President Stacy Volnick said, “One of the goals outlined in Florida Atlantic’s strategic plan is to build a brand with a national reputation for excellence.” All faculty and staff, Volnick said, should follow the guidelines to “ensure that FAU has a clear and consistent identity in the public arena.” Any use of the name must adhere to those guidelines.
According to the manual, “Our voice creates consistency in how Florida Atlantic content is delivered. These words should inform the tone in your messaging and content choices: Ambition; Diversity, Opportunity, Coastal, Exceptional.”
The mention of diversity is notable. Last year, at the direction of Gov. DeSantis, the Board of Governors (BOG) ordered public universities to disband efforts related to DEI—diversity, equity, inclusion. The action came two years after the BOG had made DEI a priority.
As the manual notes, however, such direction goes against Florida Atlantic’s role to serve first-generation students, especially in Palm Beach and Broward counties. More than half of FAU’s student body, the manual states, are minority or international. The manual embraces Florida Atlantic’s role as the most diverse public university in the state, providing opportunity for “underserved and unrepresented communities.”
The manual cautions faculty and staff against sounding “generic, corporate or punny. We’re more authentic and imaginative than owl rhymes and puns.”
With the rebranding that FAU doesn’t call a rebranding comes a new logo incorporating the burrowing owl mascot. The logo “identifies the university on everything from stationery to vehicles.” Guidelines for its use are in the manual. The logo emphasizes “Florida Atlantic” over “University.”
The manual also explains the university’s primary colors. Blue represents “wisdom, trust, Atlantic.” Red represents “boldness, vibrancy, spirit.” The manual prohibits the use of “unapproved color combinations” or other typefaces.
Though the manual came out nine months ago, an article in FAU’s student newspaper reported that “the rollout has been slower than expected.” The old logo hasn’t gone away. It’s on older merchandise that students wear. Departments likely want to use their old stationery before ordering the new version.
Harder still will be getting people to change from saying “FAU” to “Florida Atlantic,” especially when almost every other university goes by an acronym: UF, FSU, UCF, USF, FAMU—and, of course, FIU.
It’s an attempt to separate Florida Atlantic University from its competitors as college enrollment has declined nationally, hitting a low point during the pandemic. Still, Florida Atlantic has been FAU to most people since then-President Lyndon Johnson formally opened the campus 60 years ago this month. We’ll see how long it takes for old habits to die—if they can.
New Florida Atlantic president search still in early stages
Speaking of FAU/Florida Atlantic, its presidential search plods along.
At last month’s meeting, the search committee approved a profile for the job and a marketing plan for the search. Those items and a salary range are scheduled to go before the university trustees, who next meet on Nov. 19.
According to the committee’s website, the search firm Buffin Baker then will start to “identify individuals … who may apply, be nominated or recruited to produce a qualified pool of applicants” and begin vetting them.
Those words make clear that a finalist could emerge seemingly out of nowhere. That happened in the first search, when DeSantis wanted State Rep. Randy Fine, R-Palm Bay, to get the job. The committee did not make Fine a finalist, after which the State University system chancellor suspended the search. The BOG then killed it.
This month, a Brevard County judge ordered Fine to attend anger management classes. Fine had made obscene gestures during a hearing.
The BOG, which meets Wednesday, had been scheduled to finalize a rule that would allow the panel’s chairman to review lists of presidential search finalists and make changes. That would effectively make him more powerful than the search committee. The only relevant item on the agenda is a “presidential search update.”
In “January/February,” the committee will present “an unranked list of finalists” to the FAU trustees. They would choose a candidate, whom the BOG must approve. That could happen in March.
Aside from the predictable job requirements—“bold vision”—the committee’s profile underscores the emphasis on marketing. “As Florida Atlantic’s value continues to increase, the opportunity for Florida Atlantic to envision a transformational branding message is one on which the university must capitalize.”
Florida Atlantic newsroom receives $100,000 grant
Speaking again of Florida Atlantic, the university’s experimental newsroom has received a $100,000 grant from Press Forward, an organization whose website states that its mission is “revitalizing local news and information.”
The university started MediaLab@FAU 13 months ago in the College of Arts and Letters. It came as traditional news outlets were cutting local coverage because of advertising revenue lost to social media. Students produce stories, which some of those outlets sometimes pick up.
Boca City Council approves racket facility plans
Boca Raton City Council members last week approved plans for a racket facility in North Park—what used to be the Ocean Breeze golf course.
One resident of the surrounding Boca Teeca community spoke against the project. The land became available because too few residents were playing the course. The Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District bought it with plans for a new municipal course before The Boca Raton—formerly the Boca Raton Resort & Club—donated its layout to the city.
Butters Construction & Development will build the facility. It will have 22 pickleball courts—14 of them inside—and four padel courts—two of them inside. Boca Paddle will include a restaurant. The beach and park district also plans a network of hiking trails for North Park.
PBC School Board members make interesting bet on upcoming game
Friday night’s high school football playoff game between West Boca and Atlantic has gotten personal for two members of the Palm Beach County School Board.
Frank Barbieri, whose district includes West Boca, and Edwin Ferguson, whose district includes Atlantic, have made a bet. The winner gets to wear a T-shirt signed by the other acknowledging the win/loss. Barbieri leaves the board on Nov. 19 after 16 years.
The game is a rematch from a year ago, when West Boca upset Atlantic 23-22 on a last-second Hail Mary pass. West Boca Quarterback Mason Mallory, who threw that pass, has offers from several Division I colleges, including Pittsburgh and Indiana. They are two of this year’s surprise teams in the Atlantic Coast and Big Ten conference, respectively. Mallory also has an offer from Florida Atlantic.
