The 2017-2018 school year has brought changes and new goals to NSU. Over the course of these two semesters, The Current has reported on all of the things students may be able to look forward to in the university’s future — here is a recap of some of the biggest stories.
College of Education to begin the Fischler Academy
The Abraham S. Fischler College of Education is set to launch the Fischler Academy in the fall. Approximately 100 incoming students will be able to earn their bachelor’s and master’s degree in either a four or five-year track. Students who complete their degree, after partaking in various experiential learning activities, are guaranteed a job offer in a local county upon graduation.
Preparing for the Class of 2022
In line with the university’s 2020 Vision, the class of 2022 is expected to enroll approximately 1,150 incoming students. The class of 2020 came in with 665 freshman and the class of 2021 enrolled 992. As of April, there was an estimated 11,700 applications circulating through admissions. The 2020 Vision, if achieved, expects at least 1,505 incoming freshman for the class of 2024, and 515 transfer students, equalling 2,020.
Undergraduate students moving to Rolling Hills
NSU is expecting a record-high enrollment of incoming students this fall, causing a housing “crunch,” as termed by Brad Williams, vice president of student affairs and dean of the college of undergraduate studies. The university was forced to make the tough decision to not offer graduate students on-campus housing at Rolling Hills. “You’re a junior by credit status, but you may be 18 or 19. It’s thinking about I’m going to make that 19-year-old live in [off campus housing] versus a graduate student,” said Aarika Camp, associate dean of student services and adjunct faculty member in the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and Fischler College of Education. “That’s really what it came down to.”
Caption: The new residential building will hold 500-600 units and house a portion of NSU’s upperclassman population.
NSU to build new residence hall and parking garage
NSU plans to begin the construction of a new residence hall, in public-private partnership with an Atlanta-based company called Rise. The new hall will be located where the practice soccer field, just outside of Leo Goodwin Sr. Residence Hall, sits. It is expected to hold 500-600 rooms for upperclassmen. After this residence hall is opened, which is projected to be in the fall of 2019, the housing model is expected to return to normal, with graduate students being offered housing at Rolling Hills again.
Hybrid dining service to launch in the fall
The implementation of a new hybrid dining service is expected to begin in the fall. According to Adee Shekar, director of operations, the idea behind this new hybrid service is that, during certain meal periods, an “all you care to eat” section of the UC will open, where students can pay a flat rate and eat for the duration of the predetermined period. This is expected to make dining easier for students with dietary restrictions, as they will have full control over what is put on their plate.
Guy Harvey Institute hoping to expand to tracking more marine life
In 2014, a tiger shark named “Andy” was tagged off the coast of Bermuda by scientists at the Guy Harvey Research Institute (GHRI), and has since become the longest tracked tiger shark on record. They are hoping to expand their tracking beyond the current 150 sharks of various species including tigers, makos and oceanic whitetips. To follow the GHRI and its future endeavors, go to cnso.nova.edu/sharktracking/ for updates.
Teaching hospital to be built in the empty University Park Plaza
A new relocation and replacement of Plantation General Hospital is set to be built in the former space of the University Park Plaza. Plantation General Hospital will keep its emergency room at its current location open even after the new hospital is built, and will remain a fully functioning hospital until then. The land was sold to Hospital Corporation of America, but still plans to have close ties with NSU as a teaching and research hospital. The hospital, which is expected to take 24 months to construct, will also serve as a fully functioning medical care facility for the South Florida community.
