ABOUT FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
The University
Florida International University - Miami's public research university - is one of America's most dynamic institutions of higher learning. Since opening in 1972, FIU has achieved many benchmarks of excellence that have taken other universities more than a century to reach. The University has a nationally renowned full-time faculty, known for their outstanding teaching and cutting edge research; students from throughout the U.S. and more than 130 foreign countries; and its alumni have risen to prominence in every field and are a testament to the University's academic excellence.
A member of the State University System of Florida, FIU is a research university offering a diverse selection of undergraduate, graduate and professional programs. Through its 19 colleges and schools (Accounting, Architecture, Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, Chapman Graduate School of Business, Computer Science, Continuing and Professional Studies, Education, Engineering, Health, Health and Urban Affairs, Honors, Hospitality and Tourism Management, Journalism and Mass Communication, Law, Music, Nursing, Policy and Management, and Social Work), FIU offers more than 190 baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral degree programs in more than 280 majors, conducts basic and applied research, and provides public service. Committed to both quality and access, FIU meets the educational needs of traditional students as well as the increasing number of part-time students and lifelong learners. Interdisciplinary centers and institutes at the University conduct research and teaching that address economic and social concerns.
FIU currently has 34,000 students, 1,100 full-time faculty and 95,000 alumni, making it the largest public university in South Florida. FIU has been ranked among the top 100 public national universities in the U.S. News & World Report annual guide to "America's Best Colleges." FIU was the youngest institution in the group. The magazine has reported that FIU students are among the least indebted college students in the nation and recognized the University as a "best buy" in higher education. In 1998, Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine ranked FIU as the country's 18th best value in public higher education. FIU was named one of the top 10 public commuter colleges in the U.S. in the 1995 edition of Money Guide , an annual report published by Money magazine , and has been cited in several other of the country's leading college guides. FIU is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, the country's oldest and most distinguished academic honor society.
Campuses
FIU has two major campuses, University Park in western Miami-Dade County and the Biscayne Bay Campus in North Miami. It also has two academic sites that serve Broward County, in Davie and downtown Fort Lauderdale.
Architecturally distinctive University Park, FIU's first campus and administrative headquarters, occupies 342 acres of lush tropical landscaped grounds. Apartment style and traditional residence halls, the Golden Panther Sports Arena, a new state-of- the-art eight-story Library, an environmental preserve and other athletic facilities contribute to a pleasant collegiate atmosphere. The 40-acre Center for Engineering and Applied Sciences, a major research facility, is located near University Park.
The Biscayne Bay Campus in North Miami encompasses nearly 200 tropical acres in a resort-like setting, including a natural mangrove preserve. Its scenic campus offers direct access to the bay with state park beaches directly across the waterway, apartment-style housing, a library, an aquatic center with Olympic-size outdoor pool, tennis courts, and the Roz and Cal Kovens Conference Center - a state-of-the-art facility that can accommodate up to 500 persons. The School of Hospitality and Tourism Management Building and the adjacent Southern Wine and Spirits Beverage Management Center are located on this campus.
The FIU Broward site at the Pines Center in Pembroke Pine offers a variety of degree programs.
National Recognition
In 2000, FIU received the highest research university ranking conferred by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. That same year, FIU was awarded Phi Beta Kappa chapter, the country's oldest and most distinguished academic honor society. FIU is one of only 78 universities nationwide to hold both designations.
FIU has been ranked among the top 100 public national universities in the U.S. News & World Report annual guide to "America's Best Colleges." FIU was the youngest institution in the group. The magazine has reported that FIU students are among the least indebted college students in the nation and recognized the University as a "best buy" in higher education. In 1998, Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine ranked FIU as the country's 18th best value in public higher education. FIU was named one of the top 10 public commuter colleges in the U.S. in the 1995 edition of Money Guide, an annual report published by Money magazine, and has been cited in several other of the country's leading college guides.
Top Programs
The School of Hospitality and Tourism Management has the highest ranked hospitality and tourism program in the southeast United States; the program is ranked sixth in the nation as reported by the latest study published in the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Education.
In January 2001, the Academy of Management Journal ranked FIU's College of Business Administration (CBA) Management Information Systems (MIS) unit the 11th best in the U.S. The rankings, which stem from a study of more than 700 accredited MBA programs, are based on faculty research productivity over the 1986-1998 period.
The Creative Writing Program is ranked among the top ten creative writing programs in the country by "Who Runs American Literature?" in the Dictionary of Literary Biography.
The Tropical Biology Program, which links campus departments, centers, and governmental agencies with Fairchild Tropical Garden, embraces one of the largest concentrations of tropical biologists in the United States. Tropical studies at FIU are strengthened through FIU's membership in the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS), an international consortium of more than 50 universities dedicated to furthering tropical research and education.
The Latin American and Caribbean Center, recognized as one of the finest programs of its type in the world, conducts interdisciplinary programs in undergraduate and graduate studies, faculty research, public education and public service. The center is designated as a Title VI National Resource Center Grant by the U.S. Department of Education.
The 1999 National CPA Examination Report noted that Accounting graduates ranked first in the nation in passing the CPA exam on the first try and are consistently (last 5 years) in the top 5 in their exam scores.
The International Hurricane Center is the nation's only university-based research facility dedicated to mitigating the damage tropical storms inflict on people, the economy and the environment.
The Hemispheric Center for Environmental Technology, established in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), researches, develops and demonstrates innovate environmental technologies and facilitates their transfer to commercial and government users. HCET is the DOE's largest university site for nuclear decontamination research.
Research Programs
Florida International University emphasizes research as a major component of its mission. Sponsored research funding from outside sources grew to a record $64 million in 2001-02, the ninth consecutive year it has increased. These funds, secured through contracts and grants from private foundations, corporations, and federal and state agencies, are used to conduct research, provide stipends for graduate students and improve research facilities.
Notable centers of excellence include:
Biomedical Engineering Institute: The institute, operated in conjunction with the Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute at Baptist and South Miami Hospitals, conducts significant interdisciplinary biomedical research; leads academia-clinical-industry partnerships in biotechnology development; and delivers education and training. Areas of concentration include: biomedical instrumentation and devices; computer modeling; cardiovascular experimental modeling; cardiovascular biomaterials and biocompatibility; blood flow analysis; nuclear imaging and diagnostics; and ultrasound technology.
Computer Science: The FIU High Performance Database Research Center conducts research on database management systems. It is developing new methods of using databases, including parallel computing where a large number of processors simultaneously work on database tasks. Government agencies and industries, including NASA, the National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Department of the Interior support the center's research. One of its latest innovative projects is TerraFly which can be accessed at www.terrafly.com.
Hemispheric Center for Environmental Technology: Established in 1995 by the University in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy, the center researches, develops and demonstrates innovative environmental technologies and facilitates their transfer to commercial and government users. As a testing center, HCET is an international leader in the evaluation and demonstration of new technology for decontaminating and decommissioning of nuclear facilities.
International Hurricane Center: Established in 1996, the IHC - the only university-based hurricane research center in the country - conducts research to help reduce the damage hurricanes inflict on people, the economy, and the environment. The IHC takes advantage of its proximity to and relationship with the National Hurricane Center, which is located on FIU's University Park campus.
Latin American and Caribbean Center (LACC): Recognized as one of the finest programs of its type in the world, the center conducts interdisciplinary programs in undergraduate and graduate studies, faculty research, public education and public service. One of LACC's programs is the Summit of the Americas Center, was created by the state of Florida in 1995, is monitoring the accords reached at the historic 1994 Summit of the Americas and promoting Florida's activities to strengthen hemispheric trade and commerce. Another affiliated program is the Cuban Research Institute, the only academic center in the United States devoted exclusively to the study of Cuba and Cuban Americans.
Public Health: The department conducted the South Beach Health Survey, a survey to identify the prevalence of HIV infection and the risk factors and behaviors associated with HIV infection. It is now planning a community-based project to eliminate health disparities in the African American and Hispanic populations in Broward County, with an emphasis on reducing the incidence of HIV infection and AIDS.
Southeast Environmental Research Center: The center conducts basic and applied research on the myriad environmental challenges confronting South Florida -- from Lake Okeechobee south to the Florida Keys -- with an emphasis on the Everglades. The results of its research reveal solutions for problems and steps to prevent future degeneration. The program houses the offices of two federal agencies also working to restore the South Florida ecosystem: the U.S. Geological Survey - Biological Research Division and the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force.
Tropical Biology: Combining expertise from the departments of Biological Sciences, Geology and Environmental Studies, as well as the Southeast Environmental Research Center, the United States Geological Service Biotic Resource Division and Fairchild Tropical Garden, the program embraces one of the largest concentrations of tropical biologists in the United States. Faculty participating in the program have broad research interests that are explored in tropical oceans, wetlands, and terrestrial habitats.
Student Body
In fall 2001, enrollment was 34,000, which includes students from almost all 50 states and more than 130 foreign countries. The student body is a microcosm of the diverse Miami community, with nearly 70 percent of student enrollment from minority groups: 51 percent Hispanic, 14 percent black, and 3.5 percent Asian. Approximately 10 percent of enrollment is comprised of international students.
Alumni
Since opening in 1972, the University has conferred more than 100,000 degrees to some 95,000 graduates. The Office of Alumni Affairs sponsors alumni programs, including professional advancement, fund raising and social events, and communicates with alumni through the FIU Magazine, newsletters and special mailings. Membership in the FIU Alumni Association, which is led by a volunteer board of alumni leaders, is open to all graduates, spouses and friends of the University and includes a wide variety of benefits.
Athletics
FIU's intercollegiate athletic teams compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I, the nation's most competitive college sports division, and the Sun Belt Conference. Fifteen sports programs are offered: women's programs consist of basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, indoor and outdoor track and field and volleyball; and the men's program includes baseball, basketball, cross country, soccer, and indoor and outdoor track and field. In Fall 2002, FIU will be launching its first intercollegiate football program, with its team competing in Division I-AA. The University's primary sports facilities include the Golden Panther Arena, a building that seats 4,500, the FIU Community Stadium (which is being expanded to accommodate 18,000 fans for football), and lighted baseball and soccer fields.
The University also has programs in eight intramural sports: bowling, basketball, flag football, golf, soccer, softball, softball and volleyball. Fitness centers at both University Park and North Campus are equipped with a complete line of Nautilus and Universal equipment and free weights. The Aquatic Center at Biscayne Bay Campus features an Olympic-sized pool and diving well.