Staff Reports
Florida’s independent colleges and universities are pitching in to fight the new coronavirus.
The Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida this week highlighted the actions being undertaken at its 30 SACS-accredited, non-profit member institutions.
They include Barry University, which will graduate seniors in its Cardiovascular Perfusion Program a few weeks early so they can get to work at Florida hospitals. And the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine, where a team of researchers is hard at work developing a rapid test for COVID-19.
Florida Southern College, meanwhile, has donated protective equipment it had on hand for biology lab classes to the Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center. The University of Tampa’s College of Natural and Health Sciences has done the same, with unused supplies it had set aside for clinical and scientific teaching labs heading to Tampa General Hospital.
Other ICUF schools are providing online classes to the general public, not just students.
Those holed up with nothing to do can navigate to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s website to study a variety of subjects, including aeronautics, meteorology, and history.
Also, Southeastern University has produced some material relevant to parents in the coronavirus era — its “Going Remote” curriculum is aimed at informing parents on how to help their children keep their studies up as they transition to online classes.
“Florida’s independent, nonprofit colleges and universities are known for their ability to adapt quickly to the needs of our state and the demand of Florida businesses,” ICUF President and CEO Bob Boyd said in a news release.
“This quality rings true even during the COVID-19 outbreak as many of these institutions step up to meet the needs of their students, support their communities and find innovative solutions to fight the global pandemic.”
