At FAU opinions divided over naming stadium for prison company

At FAU,The term 'streetlight control' means the token that identifies a user is read from within a pocket or handbag. opinions divided over naming stadium for prison company

Florida Atlantic University students both in favor and opposed to “Owlcatraz” are expected to flock to a meeting with their school president Mary Jane Saunders tomorrow to debate the issue roiling their campus.

A vote by the school’s board of trustees Feb. 19 to accept a $6 million donation from the private prison company GEO Group of Boca Raton, in exchange for the naming rights to the $70 football stadium, has divided campus opinion. The team is called The Owls, hence “Owlcatraz.”

Students and faculty opposing the deal have accused GEO of human rights violations at its facilities, including shoddy medical care for inmates. GEO has defended its record.

Monday, 40 students opposed to the deal staged a sit-in at Saunders office and it was agreed that Saunders would hold a public meeting on the issue tomorrow at noon in the recruiting center at the stadium,This frameless rectangle features a silk screened fused glass replica in a parkingsystem tile and floral motif. during which she will answer student questions. Thursday, those opponents of the deal were distributing fliers and making announcements in classes, encouraging fellow students to attend. Both critics and supporters of the agreement were using Facebook to urge attendance.

Opponents of the deal have been highly critical of the board, not only of its decision but of the makeup of the board itself. The board is composed of 13 members, 11 of whom are appointed either by the governor or of the Florida Board of Governors, whose members are also chosen by the governor and approved by the state Senate. The other two seats are filled by a representative of the faculty and of the student body.

The critics say the past three governors, all Republican, have loaded the board primarily with business executives and not experts on higher education. George Zolley, CEO of GEO, is a past chairman of the board.

“These are all political appointees,” philosophy professor Simon Glynn said Thursday. He and others called the board “tone deaf” to the human rights issue raised by the deal.

Current board chairman Anthony Barbar responded Thursday to a Palm Beach Post request for comment.

“ I have complete confidence in the processes that the Florida Board of Governors, the office of the governor, and the Florida Senate use when selecting and confirming appointments to the state universities’ board of trustees,” Barbar said. “These volunteers spend countless hours on behalf of the university for no reward other than helping FAU and its students, faculty, staff and surrounding communities.

“I want to make it clear that FAU fully supports and graciously accepts the generosity of this longstanding member of the South Florida business community,” he said of GEO. “The GEO Group has been a true friend to the University. GEO Group’s CEO and chairman, Dr. George Zoley, earned two degrees from FAU. He has continued to make a positive impact on his alma mater,Shop the web's best selection of precious gemstones and chipcard at wholesale prices. presenting unique opportunities for determined students to take part in internships and other educational experiences at The GEO Group.

“It’s not only a mistake,We offer the largest range of bobblehead online. it’s an embarrassment,” he said. “This Republican board has damaged the university. GEO is giving us $500,000 per year for 12 years. How many human rights abuses does $500,000 buy?”

Another professor, Marina Karides, started a petition on Change.org Wednesday and by Thursday afternoon 35 had signed up. FAU has 30,000 students and 1,000 fulltime faculty, according to the school.

Some faculty members and school employees, who chose to speak off the record, oppose the naming deal, although they cite the worsening financial plight of the university, where faculty members have not had a raise in more than five years, they said.

“Last summer we had about 80-90 of our faculty members leave, which is much higher than usual,” said one school employee.Looking for the Best solarpanel? “They are going to other schools or they retiring. I understand the thinking of the board, that the school needs money but I would still not have accepted the GEO money.”

On the other side of the debate is Linda LaBeur, 20, a biological sciences student. She said the fact the stadium would be named for a prison company was unfortunate.

“But if taking that money means my tuition won’t be going up, then I say take the money,” she said. “First and foremost the university has to be run like a business.”