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Florida Institute of Technology

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Florida Institute of Technology
File:Fitlogo.png
Florida Institute of Technology University Seal
MottoAd Astra Per Scientiam
"To the stars through science."
TypePrivate
EstablishedSeptember 22, 1958
Endowment$42.9 million[1]
PresidentAnthony J. Catanese
ProvostT. Dwayne McKay
DeanRodney Bowers (Dean of Students)
Academic staff
364
Students5,118[1]
Undergraduates2,594
Postgraduates2,524
Address
150 W. University Blvd., Melbourne, FL 32901
,
Melbourne
,
Florida
,
United States

28°03′56.78″N 80°37′28.14″W / 28.0657722°N 80.6244833°W / 28.0657722; -80.6244833
CampusSuburban
ColorsCrimson   and Gray  [2]
NicknameFlorida Tech
AffiliationsNCAA Division II, Sunshine State Conference
MascotPanthers
Websitehttp://fit.edu
File:FloridaTechPanthers.png

Florida Institute of Technology, also known as Florida Tech, is a private, independent technical university located in Melbourne, Florida. Founded in 1958 as Brevard Engineering College, the institute has been known by its present name since 1966. Florida Tech's curriculum is largely focused on engineering fields, and places highly in several regional and national college-ranking surveys. The institute has a student body of over 5,100, almost equally divided between graduate- and undergraduate-level students, with the plurality of them focusing their studies on engineering and the hard sciences.

History

Miller Building

In the beginning, classes were held in leased classrooms at Eau Gallie Junior High School (now Westshore Junior/Senior High School at 250 West Brevard Avenue) and at University of Melbourne's lone building on Country Club Boulevard. Classes were moved from Eau Gallie Junior High School to Melbourne Methodist Church on Waverly St. in 1959 after the school district disapproved of two black students using the junior high school classrooms.

In 1961, Brevard Engineering College purchased the property of the University of Melbourne (Florida)[3] which became the main campus in the heart of Melbourne, Florida. The only existing building at the time was the current Ray A. Work building. The next building to be built was the Keuper building, originally used as a library. Today it houses the Admissions, Financial Aid and Student Employment departments. In the 1960s and 1970s many buildings were constructed on the main campus.

Since 1996 the university has been in the midst of much construction and expansion. Following a $50 million grant given to them by the F. W. Olin Foundation, Florida Tech has constructed three new facilities for their engineering, life science, and physical science departments.

In the early 1990s Florida Institute of Technology changed its promotional identity from FIT to Florida Tech, to avoid confusion with the Fashion Institute of Technology at the State University of New York. This name change created some confusion in the Orlando, Florida area with the existing Florida Technical College and Florida Technological University, the former name of the University of Central Florida.

As part of Florida Tech's 50th Anniversary celebration, new construction began starting summer of 2006 with the construction of the Pantherium, located adjacent to the Homer Denius Student Union Building, as well as the South Campus Expansion, which includes three new residence halls, a new four-story life sciences building, a new parking complex, an autism research center, and a new dining/multipurpose facility. Construction is set to complete within the next five to seven years, with the three new residence halls, currently named as "South Village",[4] to complete and operational by the beginning of the Fall 2008 semester.[5]

Geographic history

Florida Tech Panther

The northern part of Florida Tech's main campus contains some rich history. The headwaters of Crane Creek are located here, and the creek begins in the Botanical Gardens southeast of Columbia Village Suites. These Botanical Gardens, colloquially referred to as 'The Jungle', occupy much of the northeastern part of the main campus and are home to a wide variety of local species, with transient visits from alligators and manatees. Crisscrossed by several trails (the main one is named for Dent Smith), they contain a collection of many varieties of palm trees and other flora. Numerous bridges on campus provide crossings over two of the three streams that feed Crane Creek. The third stream comes south from the Roberts Hall and Columbia Village Suites area to the north.

The Jungle is colloquially divided into the "near Jungle" and "deep Jungle", with the former consisting of the area near campus with paved or wooden paths and bridges and the latter consisting of the more distant portions in which trails are simply worn paths through the vegetation. The plants and structures of the near Jungle are actively maintained by campus, while the deep Jungle has reverted to primarily Florida wilderness. Small wooden pagodas are scattered through the deep jungle, and students have previously set up hammocks. There are numerous "regions" of the deep jungle, characterized by their flora, including a heavily wooded area lacking singificant undergrowth and an area directly behind Evans Dormitory replete with extremely large pothos.

This area around Crane Creek was known as Cathead in the early 1900s after numerous panthers that lived in this area.

Melbourne's first (one-room) wooden school house is here, at the end of the Dent Smith Trail, northwest of the Evans Library.

The railroad of the Union Cypress Company traveled from east to west here just south of the Crawford Science Tower. It carried lumber from cypress swamps to the west, to the former mill town of Hopkins, just south of Crane Creek and U.S. 1.

Jensen Beach Campus

Main article: Florida Institute of Technology (Jensen Beach Campus)

In 1968, the Hydrospace Technical Institute (HTI) was chartered in a donated building in Cocoa Beach. In 1972, the campus of Saint Joseph College of Florida located on the Indian River in Jensen Beach, Florida was purchased with the support of Ralph Evinrude, owner of Outboard Marine Corporation and husband of Frances Langford. The HTI was moved to Jensen Beach, and became the School of Marine and Environmental Technology(SOMET). The Jensen Beach campus closed in 1986 and SOMET was transferred to the main campus to become the Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences(DMES). An MBA program had been started on the campus and it was continued for a time in rented quarters on East Ocean Boulevard in Sewall's Point. The campus in Jensen Beach was subsequently sold. The dormitories and cafeteria located on the hill west of N.E. Sewall's Point Road were torn down and replaced by an assisted living facility. The rest of the campus lying east of Sewall's Point Road is now owned by the Martin County government and is now the Martin County Indian Riverside Park. The old chapel building is being converted into the Children's Museum of Martin County while the former administration building (once a home called Tuckahoe) located on Mount Elizabeth, which is actually a Native American midden, is being restored by the Friends of Mount Elizabeth. The library and classroom buildings and the old metal building were all demolished.

In early 2005, Florida Tech held a symposium attracting 85 engineers and contractors to hear from experts in the fields of disaster reconstruction, planning, contracting and mitigation.[6] The timing was to prepare professional to cope with the 2005 hurricane season.[7] Florida Tech sponsored its First French Film Festival in 2006.[citation needed] Florida Tech has been sponsoring and hosting a "Business Ethics Competition" since 1996 for Brevard County high schools.[8]

Campus

Main campus

Crawford Building

Florida Tech's main campus is located in Melbourne, Florida.

For a list of residence halls at Florida Tech, see Florida Institute of Technology housing.
  • Grissom Hall - First floor contains classrooms and some faculty offices, especially humanities professors. Grissom Hall's basement is home to WCRR, Crimson, and FITV. Its second and third floors are used as residence.
  • Homer Denius Student Union Building (SUB)- First Floor houses the SUB Café, Florida Tech Bookstore, Florida Tech Mail Annex. Second Floor houses the Office of Student Life, offices for Student Government Association, FITSSFF, Campus Activities Board, Student Ambassadors, College Players, Anime Club, Alpha Phi Omega, Players in Harmony, and the Greek Life Office. Second Floor also contains the John and Martha Hartley Room.
  • Shepard Hall - Classrooms used for math, science, and English, houses the department of science/mathematics education.
  • Link "Engineering" Building - Department of Marine and Environmental Systems and the Florida Tech Hydrogen Center.
  • Skurla Hall - School of Aeronautics.
  • Crawford "Science" Tower -Humanities and Math department offices.
Olin Physical Sciences Building
  • Gleason Performing Arts Center[9] - for plays,[10] WFIT concerts and special performances on campus.
  • Charles and Ruth Clemente Center for Sports and Recreation - contains a dining facility, two large gymnasiums, and a racquetball court.
  • F.W. Olin Engineering Complex - (Not to be confused with the Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering, which was founded by the same foundation) Engineering Departments of Mechanical/Aerospace, Electrical/Computer, Civil and Chemical; and the Computer Sciences Department.
  • F.W. Olin Life Sciences Building - Biological Sciences programs.
  • F.W. Olin Physical Sciences Building - Chemistry Department and the Physics/Space Sciences Department. One notable feature is a large telescope dome on the roof of the building that houses a 32" telescope (the largest optical telescope in the state of Florida).
  • Frueauff Building - Fluid Mechanics Laboratory, Engineering Material Sciences Laboratory.

South campus expansion

Florida Tech has begun the next wave of expansion efforts in the south end of campus. Three new residence hall are currently under construction and are scheduled to open for the Fall 2008 semester. In addition, there are plans to build an NCAA certified pool next to Clemente Center, a new life sciences building, a parking complex to replace the current life sciences labs located in Simcox Square, a new dining services facility, and a new autism center.[11]

Satellite campuses

Florida Tech also has satellite campuses at Huntsville, Alabama (Redstone Arsenal Site), Hampton Roads, Virginia (Fort Eustis Office, Army Education Center), Norfolk Naval Station (Building CEP-87), Fort Lee, Virginia (Fort Lee Site at the United States Army Logistics Management College), Alexandria, Virginia (National Capital Region Site), Marine Corps Base Quantico, Fort Detrick, Morris County, NJ, Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Kennedy Space Center, Rockledge, Florida, and Orlando, Florida.[12]

Organization

Florida Tech signage on Babcock Street

Florida Tech’s administration is headed by the Executive Council,[13] consisting of President Anthony J. Catanese, Provost and Executive Vice President T. Dwayne McCay, Vice President of Financial Affairs and CFO Jack Armul, and Senior Vice President for Advancement Thomas G. Fox.

Under Provost McCay are the six individual college deans, Vice Provost of Academic Affairs R. H. Fronk, Vice Provost for Enrollment Management Garry Hamme, Vice Provost for Research, Vice Provost for Student Affairs/Dean of Students, Associate Provost for Auxiliary Enterprises Brian Dailey, Assistant Provost for Government/Community Relations J. C. Gleason, Associate Provost for Information Technology J. R. Newman, Director for Facility Security P. Porche, Assistant Provost and Registrar Charlotte Young.[14]

Academic Affairs covers the graduate and international programs, study abroad programs, institutional research, the university safety office, and the Evans Library. Enrollment Management covers undergraduate and graduate admissions as well as financial aid and scholarships office. Vice Provost for Research covers sponsored programs, Institute for Energy Systems, Intellectual Property, Institute for Computing and Information Systems, Institute for Materials Science and Nanotechnology, National Center for Hydrogen Research, Institute for Biological and Biomedical Sciences, National Center for Small Business Information, and Institute for Marine Research. Student Affairs covers the Office of Student Life, which includes Residence Life and student organizations, Career Services and Cooperative Education, International Student and Scholar Services, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), Campus Ministry, and the Holzer Health Center/OMNI Health Care. Auxiliary Enterprises include the Clemente Center, Athletics, Food Services, Campus Services, Bookstore, and ELS Language Center.

Outreach

Florida Tech employs around 800 people at its main campus in Brevard County. It attracts over 3,300 full and part-time residents to Melbourne each year.[15] It has been a partner in the community's economic growth and in the growth of high-tech industry on the Space Coast for the past 45 years. Florida Tech growth continues with increasing enrollment numbers, and multiple off-campus locations.

Academics

Student demographics

Enrollment Breakdown in Florida Tech Student Body[16]
College of Engineering 1,840 36%
College of Science 715 (14%)
College of Aeronautics 335 (7%)
College of Psychology and Liberal Arts 377 (7%)
College of Business 258 (5%)
University College 1,472 (29%)
No College Designated 101 (2%)

Florida Tech enrolls approximately 2,594 undergraduates and 2,524 graduate students.[16] The current male to female ratio in the student body is 2:1. 86% of all students come from the United States, representing all 50 states; 30% of these are from Florida. 17% of all students come from 99 other countries.

36% of students studying at the Melbourne main campus are enrolled in the College of Engineering.

Colleges

Main article: Florida Institute of Technology Academics

The university offers degrees in a wide variety of science and engineering disciplines, and is one of the few universities to offer an aviation degree. Florida Institute of Technology is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). The Engineering programs are also accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). The Computer Science program is accredited by the Computer Science Accreditation Commission of the Computing Sciences Accreditation Board. Its chemistry program is accredited by the Committee on Professional Training of the American Chemical Society. Aeronautical Science and Aviation Management programs are accredited by the Council on Aviation Accreditation. The university is divided into six colleges: College of Aeronautics, College of Engineering, College of Business, College of Psychology and Liberal Arts, College of Science, and University College.

Rankings

  • Florida Institute of Technology was rated by Barron's Guide rated Florida Tech a “Best Buy” in College Education. Florida Tech was *also named one of the top 14 technical institutions in engineering in the Fiske Guide to Colleges.
  • In the psychology arena, the doctoral program in industrial/organizational (I/O) psychology rates second in nation.
  • Washington Monthly College Rankings rated Florida Tech's ROTC program ranked first in nation.
  • Princeton Review rates Florida Institute of Technology among the top southeastern colleges.
  • Washington Monthly College Rankings rated Florida Tech as one of the top private university in Florida.
  • Florida Institute of Technology is ranked as a third-tier national university in the US News & World Report's 2007 college ranking guide.[17]

Research and endowment

Main article: Florida Institute of Technology Academics

Florida Institute of Technology has various research facilities, including Institute for Energy Systems, Intellectual Property, Institute for Computing and Information Systems, Institute for Materials Science and Nanotechnology, National Center for Hydrogen Research, Institute for Biological and Biomedical Sciences, National Center for Small Business Information, and Institute for Marine Research, as well as other departmental laboratories.

Florida Tech performs research in the field of photo-voltaic powered automobiles and robotics.

Faculty and students in the Physics/Space Science department conduct research in Astronomy and Astrophysics, High Energy Physics (experimental particle physics), Lightning, Solid State and Condensed Matter Physics, and Space and Magnetospheric Physics.

In 2004, Florida Institute of Technology’s endowment was approximately $34 million, significantly lower than other competitive technical universities like Virginia Tech, MIT, and Georgia Tech, mainly due to Florida Tech’s young history. It is projected that the university’s financial structure will improve by 2014, to increase its endowment to $100 million or more.[18]

Student life

Athletics

The athletics program at the university emphasized the school's NCAA Division II baseball team. Other sports include basketball, crew, and soccer. Florida Tech is a member of the Sunshine State Conference.

Boston Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield attended Florida Tech and set the home run record in 1987 as a first baseman. His number (3) was retired in 2006.

The ice hockey team has a rivalry with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University from Daytona Beach, Florida. The Florida Tech ice hockey program is a member of the American Collegiate Hockey Association, playing at that organization's Division 3 level.

Florida Tech's Daniela Iacobelli won the National NCAA Division II Woman's Golf Championship in 2007.[19][20]

On-campus housing/residence life

Main article: Florida Institute of Technology housing

Campus housing is divided among seven residence halls and one eight-building apartment complex and the seven-building Columbia Village suites. Six of the residence halls are located on or near the "Residence Quad."

Student organizations

Student Union Building
Inside of the Homer Denius Student Union Building (1st Floor)
File:2007 the crimson format switch.png
Recent format change of The Crimson

Florida Institute of Technology currently has approximately 95 active student organizations on campus.[21] The university-sponsored student organizations, such as Student Government Association, Campus Activities Board, the Homecoming Committee, FITV (CCTV Channel 99 on campus), and The Crimson (student-run university newspaper) operate in primary university funding. Some organizations are run by membership dues, such as the many fraternities and sororities on campus, as well as certain professional organizations like IEEE and AIAA. Other organizations are operated via Student Activities Funding Committee funding, overseen by the Student Government Association Treasurer. Organizations like Residence Hall Association, ACM, Anime Club, and others are operated by SAFC funding.

Florida Tech Student Organizations
Governance
Fraternities and Sororities
Academic/Professional Organizations
Diversity Appreciation Organizations
Service Organizations
Student Arts/Media/Performances Organizations
Research Organizations
Common Interest Organizations
Athletic Organizations
Student Organizations Listing on the Student Activities Website

Notable Florida Tech People

Alumni

Name Class year Notability Reference(s)
Jere H. Akin 1974 MG (Major General) USA, (Ret). Commanded Army's Pentagon Logistics Operations during Operation Desert Shield/Storm (1990-91) [22][23]

[22][24]}}

James Ball 1974 MG USA, (Ret)
James E. Bickford 1974 BG (Brigadier General) USA, (Ret). Kentucky Secretary of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection.
William L. Bond 1979 MG USA, (Ret). Director, Force Development, US Army
Edward M. Browne 1974 MG USA (Ret)
Douglas D. Buchholtz 1974 LTG USA, Class of 1974. Director for Command, Control, Communications, and Computer Systems Joint (DOD) Staff
Charles C. Cannon 1976 MG USA (Ret)
Charles F. Drenz 1973 MG USA (Ret)
Otto J. Guenther 1973 Lieutenant General USA (Ret). Director of Information Systems for Command, Control, Communications, and Computers for the United States Army
Joan Higginbotham 1992 American engineer, NASA Astronaut, M.S. Management Science, 1992, M.S. Space Systems, 1996
Ronald V. Hite 1974 LTG USA, (Ret)
Dennis K. Jackson 1980 BG USA
Harry G. Karegeannes 1973 MG USA (Ret)
Aaron L. Lilley 1974 MG USA, (Ret)
Johnnie E. Wilson 1977 GEN USA, (Ret), M.S., Logistics Management, 1977 [25]

[26]}}

Michael J. Pepe 1973 BG USA, (Ret)
Albert Scott Crossfield 1982 USAF Astronaut, Honorary Doctorate of Science, 1982.
Waleed a. Samkari 1988 Brigadier General. Former director of the Jordanian Maintenance Corps. Masters Degree, 1988
Hubert G. Smith 1975 LTG USA (Ret)
Julian A. Sullivan, Jr. 1980 MG USA (Ret)
Stephen Lee Morgan 1980s Chief Operating Officer of CLS America, M.S. and Ed.S. in Engineering Management and Space Technology
Galen B. Jackman 1983 Chief of Legislative Liaison, U. S. Army, MG USA (Ret) [27]

[28]}}

Guillermo J. (Willy) Cabeza Youngest president of an aviation company. B.S., Aviation Management and Flight Technology
Tim Wakefield Drafted by professional baseball in his junior year.
Felix Soto Toro 1990 Astronaut applicant, Developed the Advanced Payload Transfer Measurement System (ASPTMS) for NASA, B.S., Electrical Engineering, 1990 [29]

[30]}}

Kathryn P. Hire 1991 NASA Astronaut (STS-90), M.S., Space Technology, 1991
David A. King 1991 Director, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, MBA, 1991 [31]

[32]}}

Larry L. Hereth 1992 Commander of the Fifth Coast Guard District of the United States Coast Guard, MBA, 1992
Stephen R. Speed 1993 U. S. Naval Officer, Former mayor of Dover, Delaware, MBA, 1993
Sunita Williams 1995 NASA Astronaut, M.S., Engineering Management, 1995
George D. Zamka 1997 NASA Astronaut (STS-120), USMC Officer, M.S., Engineering Management, 1997
Scott Naro-Norman 1997 Structural Engineer, Letourneau Technologies (B.S., Physical Oceanography, 2004; B.S., Ocean Engineering, 2005) [33]

See also

References

  1. ^ http://www.fit.edu/about/factcard/ Florida Tech Fact Card.
  2. ^ Florida Institute of Technology
  3. ^ not to be confused with the University that bears the same name in Australia
  4. ^ OxBlue Pro Construction Cameras
  5. ^ http://activities.fit.edu/crimson/issues/fall2007/090707.pdf
  6. ^ Florida Institute of Technology
  7. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_Atlantic_hurricane_season
  8. ^ SHS students win ethics competition, The Beaches Hometown News, March 23, 2007, page 1
  9. ^ Gleason Center
  10. ^ College Players
  11. ^ Crimson Fall 2007
  12. ^ Florida Institute of Technology
  13. ^ University Officers
  14. ^ http://fit.edu/faculty/orgchart/orgchartweb2006.pdf
  15. ^ Florida Tech Fact Card
  16. ^ a b Florida Tech Fact Card Cite error: The named reference "facts" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  17. ^ USNews.com: America's Best Colleges 2008: Florida Institute of Technology: At a glance
  18. ^ http://www.it.fit.edu/studio/events/compplan/compplan1.ppt
  19. ^ Parsons, Mike (May 13, 2007). Iacobelli's eagles land NCAA title. Florida Today.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  20. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCAA_Women%27s_Golf_Championship
  21. ^ Florida Institute of Technology
  22. ^ a b "Stellar Alumni". Florida Institute of Technology. Retrieved 2007-10-12.
  23. ^ "Major General Jere H. Akin". Quartermaster Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2007-10-12.
  24. ^ "Major General Jere H. Akin". Quartermaster Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2007-10-12.
  25. ^ African-American Ascends from Private to Four-Star General
  26. ^ African-American Ascends from Private to Four-Star General
  27. ^ http://www.hqda.army.mil/ocll/DOC/JackmanGalenB.doc
  28. ^ http://www.hqda.army.mil/ocll/DOC/JackmanGalenB.doc
  29. ^ NASA Quest > Space Team Online
  30. ^ NASA Quest > Space Team Online
  31. ^ NASA - NASA'S Marshall Center Director David King Receives Presidential Rank Award - Nation's Highest Honor for Federal Service
  32. ^ NASA - NASA'S Marshall Center Director David King Receives Presidential Rank Award - Nation's Highest Honor for Federal Service
  33. ^ http://www.letourneautechnologies.com

Further reading

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