University of Florida President Bernie Machen spoke of the university becoming a “global beacon” through distance-learning programs while calling for more tolerance at home Thursday in his annual state-of-the-university speech before the Faculty Senate. Machen touted an 18 percent growth in research awards last year, which rose to a record $678 million. But he said that cuts in state funding and international competition are helping push UF toward a planned expansion of online programs.
Machen credited the faculty for his “best piece of news today,” the growth in research awards. Much of the growth was due to the federal stimulus – which accounted for $77 million in funding, helping boost federal research funding at UF by 45 percent from the previous year.
