They succeed board members James Atchison and Richard Crotty.

The 13-member board is responsible for budgeting, implementing programs and maintaining education standards of 麻豆原创.

The 麻豆原创 Board of Trustees approved the creation of a new College of Dental Medicine that will expand opportunities for local students, create jobs and help Central Floridians lead healthier lives. Trustees voted unanimously to move ahead with plans to build the college at the university鈥檚 Health Sciences Campus at the 鈥渕edical city鈥� in Lake Nona. 麻豆原创 is not seeking state funding for the project.

The college is expected to create at least 110 permanent local jobs as well as an initial economic impact of $73 million from construction. Additional economic impacts will flow from the research opportunities available to the college. Some of that research will explore the links between dental and medical health.

The college also will benefit the community by providing services at its dental clinic to those who can least afford care.

The project still needs the state Board of Governors鈥� approval to move forward. 麻豆原创 is striving to open the school in 2014 with a charter class of 60 students. There are currently only two fully accredited schools with students in Florida.

In other action Thursday, the Board of Trustees:

Approved a partnership agreement with Brevard Community College that would make W麻豆原创-TV the primary PBS affiliate in Central Florida. Pending PBS鈥� approval, which could come next week, 麻豆原创 and Brevard Community College will work together to begin offering PBS鈥� flagship programming on W麻豆原创-TV on July 1.

Approved tuition rates that will take effect in the fall. For undergraduates, the tuition increase will include an 8 percent increase set by the state and a 7 percent increase in 鈥渄ifferential tuition鈥� approved by 麻豆原创鈥檚 trustees. Differential tuition revenues are spent on need-based financial aid and on directly enhancing undergraduate student learning. The tuition increase for graduate students will be 8 percent. 麻豆原创 has been named one of the nation鈥檚 best values by Kiplinger and the Princeton Review, and tuition costs at Florida鈥檚 public universities rank 48th in the country.

Approved trustee ermeritus status for charter trustees Judy Albertson and Phyllis Klock. President Hitt presented Albertson and Klock with plaques recognizing their many years of dedicated service to the university. Hitt also recognized outgoing trustee Joe Mantilla for his service to the university.

Welcomed to the board newly appointed trustees Richard T. Crotty, Alan S. Florez and John R. Sprouls and new student body president Matthew McCann.

Recognized two Conference USA championship teams: women鈥檚 track and men鈥檚 golf. Trustees also praised the football team for posting a record 2.844 GPA during the spring semester. Fifty-five players posted a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Honored Pegasus Professors Kevin Belfield of Chemistry and Ranganathan Kumar of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering.

Praised Professor Henry Daniell for earning a $761,302 grant from the Bill聽& Melinda Gates Foundation to develop a polio vaccine.

Recognized retiring College of Sciences Dean Peter Panousis and College of Business Administration Dean Thomas Keon, who will become chancellor of Purdue University Calumet on July 1.

Recognized several 麻豆原创 students who served as legislative scholars interning in Central Florida state representatives鈥� and senators鈥� offices this spring.

Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday announced the appointments of Richard T. Crotty, Alan S. Florez and John R. Sprouls and the reappointment of Olga Calvet, who is a charter member of the 麻豆原创 Board of Trustees. All of the appointments are subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.

The new trustees will serve four- or five-year terms beginning today.

Crotty, 62, is among the first graduates of 麻豆原创, then known as Florida Technological University. He served for 14 years in the Florida Legislature, where he was the prime sponsor of a bill creating the first Prepaid College Tuition program in the United States. He also placed in the state budget the original funding for 麻豆原创鈥檚 Institute for Simulation and Training.

Crotty served as Orange County鈥檚 chairman and mayor for eight years. He is currently executive vice president for Crossman and Company. He will succeed trustee Joe Mantilla, who has served on the board since April 2010.

Florez will return as a 麻豆原创 trustee. The 1998 麻豆原创 graduate previously served on the board for nearly four years until January 2010. Florez, 34, of Flagler Beach, is the executive vice president of Brown & Brown Insurance. Prior to joining Brown & Brown, Florez served as former Gov. Jeb Bush鈥檚 deputy director of Legislative Affairs and special assistant.

Florez will succeed Phyllis Klock, a charter member of the Board of Trustees and a retired president and chief operating officer of CompBenefits Corp. She previously served as graduate program coordinator for 麻豆原创鈥檚 College of Business Administration. Klock also is a former member of the 麻豆原创 Foundation Board of Directors.

Sprouls is the executive vice president and chief executive officer of Universal Parks and Resorts. Sprouls, 52, of Windermere, joined Universal Orlando in 1996 as vice president of Human Resources after having spent 15 years in various senior level roles for The Seagram Company. Before that, he was a practicing attorney in New York and New Jersey.

Sprouls will succeed Judy Albertson, a Winter Park art consultant and active supporter of 麻豆原创鈥檚 arts programs. A charter member of the 麻豆原创 Board of Trustees, Albertson helped to establish the Friends of 麻豆原创 for the Flying Horse Press. She also has served on an advisory committee for 麻豆原创鈥檚 Judaic Studies program since its inception, and she is a member of the 麻豆原创 Foundation Board.

Calvet, 61, of Orlando is a senior vice president and chief financial officer of Palmas Inc. She received an Accounting degree from 麻豆原创 in 1971, and she has previously served as a Florida Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission member and as chair of the 麻豆原创 Foundation.

The other members of the Board of Trustees are Chair Rick Walsh, Vice Chair Tom Yochum, Jim Atchison, Faculty Senate Chair Ida Cook, Ray Gilley, Michael J. Grindstaff, Harris Rosen and Student Body President Michael Kilbride.

More information about the Board of Trustees is available at .

鈥淭he 230,000 square feet of shared space in these three buildings anchors the $2.5 billion local industry in simulation and training that contributes so greatly to the economic well-being of Central Florida,鈥� said 麻豆原创 President John Hitt. 鈥淲ith nearly 17,000 employees at more than 100 Central Florida companies, this industry is central to our region鈥檚 aggressive efforts at economic diversification and its bid for technologically advanced industries.鈥�

Partnership III also will enhance the safety and security of U.S. armed forces and allow 麻豆原创 and its partners to expand their research capabilities in such areas as medical simulation, high-performance computing and mobile applications for training.

In one example, 麻豆原创 and military research focuses on improving medical care in the battlefield to save the lives of military personnel and civilians. Such research also benefits law enforcement officers and emergency health care providers.

鈥淧artnership III is a fitting home for a world-class IST that is widely recognized as a major player on the international modeling and simulation stage,鈥� Navy Rear Admiral Tim Alexander said.

During tours of the new building, IST researchers showcased a variety of research projects. One of those simulations helps future teachers prepare for the challenges of a classroom. Exhibits also included a driving simulator, museum exhibits about the Everglades and gravity, and a simulation of the 1964-65 World鈥檚 Fair in New York City.

The ceremony celebrated the opening of the building and the longstanding partnerships that have made Orlando a national hub for simulation and training.

Speakers included Dean Cannon, speaker-designate of the Florida House of Representatives, and retired State Senator and 麻豆原创 Board of Trustees member Dan Webster, both of whom led efforts to secure state funding for the new building. Orange County Mayor Richard Crotty and state senators Lee Constantine and Thad Altman attended the ceremony.

Partnership III is a mirror image of Partnership II, located next door. The building鈥檚 general contractor was Clancy + Theys, and the architect was Schenkel Shultz.

IST and Department of Defense agencies have shared the Partnership II building since it opened in 2004 and Partnership I since 2000.

Orange County Government in partnership with the 麻豆原创 Venture Lab hosted a Cleantech Symposium Workshop on February 18 at the 麻豆原创 Executive Development Center, to discuss the creation of a statewide Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (RPS).

The Cleantech Symposium featured experts in Cleantech policy, technology and finance to discuss ways of increasing renewable energy production by creating an RPS for Florida with a special guest appearance by Florida鈥檚 Governor Charlie Crist. Attendees had the opportunity to actively participate in building a consensus on an important issue that will impact Central Florida and the state, with a forum for open dialogue with industry experts.

An RPS is currently being proposed in the Florida Legislature that would require the increased production of energy from renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, biomass, and geothermal. The RPS would create renewable energy production in Florida by requiring utilities to produce a certain percentage of their electricity from renewable sources.

Speakers included Special Guest 鈥� Governor Charlie Crist; industry experts: Dr. Jim Fenton, Director, Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC); Michael Dobson, Founder, President & CEO, Florida Renewable Energy Producers Association; Tommy Boroughs, Partner, Holland & Knight and former Florida Energy Commissioner, FSEC PAB; George Cavros, attorney and counsel for Natural Resources Defense Council & Southern Alliance for Clean Energy; and Jennifer Szaro, Renewable Energy Manager, Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) among other Cleantech experts.

Seventeen recommendations for growing cleantech were presented in a report released on October 7, 2009 by the 麻豆原创 Institute for Economic Competitiveness: Metro Orlando Cleantech 鈥� Assets, Capabilities, Presence & Potential. Seventy percent of people surveyed upon release of this report selected creating a Florida RPS as either their first or second priority for a cleantech symposium.

Orange County is continually asking 鈥淲hat鈥檚 Next鈥� for our economy. Many people believe that cleantech represents the next big wave of innovation and job creation. In 2008, Mayor Richard T. Crotty launched two initiatives to target cleantech economic development鈥攁imed at attracting, creating, and growing the companies the produce the products and provide the services that will allow us and the rest of the world to go green. The first initiative was preparation of the Cleantech Report that identified our assets, capabilities, and potential. The second initiative was a Cleantech Symposium Series that would provide broad-based input into the Cleantech Report.

Transcripts, videos and copies of presentations from the February 18 Cleantech Symposium Workgroup have been posted to the . Stay tuned for the announcement of the next Cleantech Symposium Workshop which will focus on Green Buildings & Ordinances.

More than 200 people attended 鈥淩epositioning Real Estate: Political and Economic Trends,鈥� which was hosted by the 麻豆原创 College of Business Administration鈥檚 Dr. P. Phillips Institute for Research and Education in Real Estate.

鈥淚 am pleased we had such an outstanding turnout for this inaugural presentation,鈥� said Thomas L. Keon, dean of the 麻豆原创 College of Business Administration. 鈥淭he large participation confirms that people are interested in learning more about Central Florida鈥檚 real estate market.

鈥淚 would like to thank Mayor Richard T. Crotty, the moderators and the panelists for making this event such a success.鈥�

Randy Anderson, 麻豆原创鈥檚 Howard Phillips Eminent Scholar Chair, and John Crossman, president of Crossman and Company, moderated the presentation. Panelists included Robert Carmichael, senior vice president of Key Bank; Paul Ellis, president of CNL Commercial Real Estate; and Cynthia Shelton, director of investment sales at Colliers International and past president of the Florida Association of Realtors

Attendees learned about the status of both residential and commercial real estate. With 516, 711 foreclosures in 2009, Florida ranks third in the nation. There was more than a 34 percent increase in foreclosures in the state from 2008 to 2009. However, there are some signs of improvement as inventory levels are decreasing and pending sales are on the rise.

Commercial real estate always trails behind the residential sector by 12 to 18 months, so the commercial market is not expected to rebound until late 2010 or in 2011. It is expected that the commercial real estate market in Florida will face significant challenges for the next few years.

To better prepare those wishing to achieve senior-level positions in the real estate industry, 麻豆原创鈥檚 College of Business Administration is offering a new graduate program in real estate. The Master of Science in Real Estate begins in June and will be taught in a professional format at the 麻豆原创 Executive Development Center (EDC) in downtown Orlando.

For more information on the new graduate real estate program, contact pmre@bus.ucf.edu or call 407-823-3622.

The Dr. P. Phillips School of Real Estate was established in 2005. Dr. Phillips Inc. committed $2.5 million, which combined with a state matching gift, created a $5 million endowment for the Dr. P. Phillips School of Real Estate. The endowment supports the Howard Phillips Eminent Scholar Chair in Real Estate, the Dr. P. Phillips Institute for Research and Education in Real Estate, and the Dr. P. Phillips scholarship program for real estate students.

A new study released today outlines Orange County鈥檚 future as the nation鈥檚 next 鈥渃leantech hub鈥� with green jobs that will fuel the region鈥檚 economy.

The study, authored by the 麻豆原创鈥檚 Institute for Economic Competitiveness, calls for establishing green building codes and creating 鈥淕reen Energy Challenge Grants鈥� to encourage researchers to develop and commercialize new technologies.

It also calls for expanding public-private research partnerships with 麻豆原创, Orange County and local companies.聽 A new Cleantech Business Incubator at 麻豆原创, for example, would help start-up companies focusing on environmentally friendly and competitive businesses.

鈥淲hen it comes to cleantech, I think we鈥檙e talking about the 鈥榥ext big thing,鈥欌�� Orange County Mayor Richard Crotty said. 鈥淭his is about attracting the kind of companies to Orange County that will produce the goods and services to help the world go green.”

Clean technology — or 鈥渃leantech鈥� — means using innovative technology efficiently to drive business and provide solutions to global challenges while protecting the environment. Cleantech spans many industries from renewable energy and agriculture to recycling and transportation.

The study completes a year鈥檚 worth of brainstorming with environmentally conscious companies, researchers and county leaders. The meetings were part of Orange County鈥檚 Cleantech Symposium Series, spearheaded by Crotty and 麻豆原创鈥檚 Venture Lab.

鈥淐leantech has gone from being an exotic concept 10 or 20 years ago to something that鈥檚 much more commercially and economically feasible,鈥� said Sean Snaith, director of 麻豆原创鈥檚 Institute for Economic Competitiveness. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to involve government action as well as free markets, and that combination is what will drive cleantech forward in Orange County.鈥�

Transforming Orlando into a cleantech hub akin to Seattle or San Diego will take the same kinds of partnerships that occurred in the creation of the 鈥渕edical city,鈥� Snaith said.

At the state level, the Metro Orlando cleantech study suggests requiring electric companies to supply a portion of power from renewable energy sources.

Another recommendation is the creation of a statewide clean energy public benefit fund. If Florida power companies added just 60 cents to their average customer’s monthly payment, the state could generate $114 million a year toward new energy-saving programs and incentives to help create and attract cleantech companies, according to the Florida Renewable Energy Association.

In addition to offering ideas from the county鈥檚 yearlong symposiums, the study also provides in-depth examples of other successful cleantech clusters around the country, such as San Diego, Boston and Austin, Texas.

Metro Orlando already has nearly 100 cleantech companies, several of which are some of the region鈥檚 largest public and private businesses, said John Lewis, Orange County economic development administrator.

鈥淐leantech is the next wave of innovation and job creation in this country, and regions that take advantage of it are the ones that are going to be successful,鈥� Lewis said. 鈥淐leantech has the ability of creating jobs and new companies all over Orange County, not just in one area.鈥�

He added, 鈥淐leantech represents a good number of new start-up companies and emerging companies, but it鈥檚 also represented by two of our largest employers — Siemens and Mitsubishi Power Systems — which puts Metro Orlando in a unique position when it comes to cleantech.鈥�

Orange County government commissioned Snaith鈥檚 office to research and write the study. The county selected 麻豆原创 partly because of its strong role in promoting clean tech industries in the region. Examples include 麻豆原创鈥檚 Florida Solar Energy Center, Nanoscience Technology Center and Advanced Materials and Processing Center.

麻豆原创鈥檚 Institute for Economic Competitiveness and Venture Lab were established as part of Orange County鈥檚 economic stimulus packages in 2002 and 2003.

To read the full study, visit .