1 00:00:06,051 --> 00:00:07,021 We appreciate 2 00:00:07,021 --> 00:00:10,866 you joining us today on a day of liquid sunshine. 3 00:00:10,866 --> 00:00:16,450 [auidence laughter] As many of you know, UNF is in its 35th year, 4 00:00:17,353 --> 00:00:20,897 and today's groundbreaking ceremony for the new student 5 00:00:20,897 --> 00:00:23,940 union is just another example of how 6 00:00:23,940 --> 00:00:26,381 UNF is getting better every day. 7 00:00:27,651 --> 00:00:31,864 Before we begin, I would like to introduce and recognize several groups. 8 00:00:32,734 --> 00:00:35,375 We do have members of our board of trustees, 9 00:00:35,375 --> 00:00:37,950 including our chair, Bruce Taylor [audience clapping]. 10 00:00:43,667 --> 00:00:44,436 As the members 11 00:00:44,436 --> 00:00:49,820 from our foundation board, including past presidents, members from the Student 12 00:00:49,820 --> 00:00:54,902 Affairs Advisory Council, very important volunteer group for that division. 13 00:00:55,972 --> 00:00:58,747 We have faculty and staff 14 00:00:58,747 --> 00:01:01,656 and of course, our students. 15 00:01:01,656 --> 00:01:04,431 They're here today representing.[ 16 00:01:04,431 --> 00:01:08,444 auidence clapping] 17 00:01:08,444 --> 00:01:12,122 They're representing our campus community. 18 00:01:12,122 --> 00:01:17,204 That's the five colleges, clubs, organizations, and during the ceremony, 19 00:01:17,204 --> 00:01:20,815 you will hear from our Student Government Association president. 20 00:01:21,952 --> 00:01:24,426 Also joining us today is 21 00:01:25,730 --> 00:01:30,311 folks from Elkins Constructors, the project management company, 22 00:01:30,947 --> 00:01:33,153 including Barry Allred, its CEO. 23 00:01:33,855 --> 00:01:36,464 And we also have with us the project manager, 24 00:01:36,464 --> 00:01:39,540 David Burkleback David's back there and Barry's up front, 25 00:01:40,242 --> 00:01:43,686 and just a little information about the company. 26 00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:48,902 It has employed seven UNF alums that are on site for this project. 27 00:01:49,470 --> 00:01:52,680 And David is the project manager, 28 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:56,158 has a degree from Building Construction and Management at UNF. 29 00:01:56,158 --> 00:01:58,130 He's what's called the Fab Grad. 30 00:01:58,130 --> 00:02:01,340 So if you go to our website, you can see a profile of David, but 31 00:02:01,340 --> 00:02:04,818 glad to have you and the company here. 32 00:02:09,900 --> 00:02:11,170 We also have folks 33 00:02:11,170 --> 00:02:14,581 from Rank Design Company, including Jack Diamond 34 00:02:14,949 --> 00:02:18,660 and Tom Reynolds, and I know that there's a group of people back there from Rank. 35 00:02:18,928 --> 00:02:22,004 Glad to have you joining us today. 36 00:02:22,004 --> 00:02:25,949 [auidence clapping] 37 00:02:25,949 --> 00:02:29,026 Both firms are working 38 00:02:29,026 --> 00:02:32,068 closely with UNF facilities 39 00:02:32,704 --> 00:02:35,980 planning and construction office, and that includes Zach Ovadia, 40 00:02:35,980 --> 00:02:39,056 the director, as well as the project manager Rich L. 41 00:02:39,056 --> 00:02:41,765 Moore, and I believe they're back there. There's Zach thank. 42 00:02:47,181 --> 00:02:48,987 We do have our UNF drumline. 43 00:02:48,987 --> 00:02:52,097 These are students and some of our cheerleaders 44 00:02:52,665 --> 00:02:56,276 that are providing some entertainment. 45 00:03:00,723 --> 00:03:05,404 And we have Ozzie, our mascot. 46 00:03:05,404 --> 00:03:08,514 [auidence 47 00:03:08,514 --> 00:03:11,590 clapping, cheering, and laughing]. 48 00:03:11,590 --> 00:03:15,168 He has a lot of energy 49 00:03:15,168 --> 00:03:18,545 for 35 years old, and that's in bird years too. 50 00:03:18,545 --> 00:03:20,284 [auidence laughing]. 51 00:03:20,284 --> 00:03:23,794 In just a moment you'll be hearing from our president, 52 00:03:23,794 --> 00:03:28,241 John Delaney, but we also have with us Lucy Croft, the Assistant Vice President 53 00:03:28,241 --> 00:03:31,752 for Student Affairs, who will be speaking, as well as Rachel Tutwiler, 54 00:03:32,053 --> 00:03:35,831 president of SGA and also a member of our board of trustees. 55 00:03:36,266 --> 00:03:39,209 So now, won't you please join me in welcoming our president, 56 00:03:39,209 --> 00:03:40,713 John Delaney. 57 00:03:46,665 --> 00:03:46,832 Well, 58 00:03:46,865 --> 00:03:51,112 this is a great day for our campus and a couple of people I also wanted 59 00:03:51,112 --> 00:03:55,325 to mention Clay Yarborough from our city council is here [auidence clapping]. 60 00:03:55,325 --> 00:03:57,665 And uh he's an UNFer. 61 00:03:57,665 --> 00:04:01,143 Here mentioned our chair, Bruce Taylor, 62 00:04:01,143 --> 00:04:04,553 and then of course, Rachel also serving on our board right now. 63 00:04:04,721 --> 00:04:07,061 This is a really hard working group of volunteers. 64 00:04:07,596 --> 00:04:10,472 Bruce was here from 8:30 till six Monday. 65 00:04:11,073 --> 00:04:12,879 He's back here this morning. 66 00:04:12,879 --> 00:04:16,490 We have an event tonight that he is attending and then all morning 67 00:04:16,490 --> 00:04:20,034 tomorrow we have our committee meetings and and that's an average week. 68 00:04:20,536 --> 00:04:24,281 But we really appreciate his willingness and the board's willingness 69 00:04:24,281 --> 00:04:25,117 to really work on it. 70 00:04:25,117 --> 00:04:27,290 And in saying there are also like to 71 00:04:27,290 --> 00:04:30,901 introduce Justin Damiano, who was last year's student body president and. 72 00:04:35,415 --> 00:04:37,054 The students spoke 73 00:04:37,054 --> 00:04:40,899 when Justin was president and then Tom...the year before, and Rachel 74 00:04:40,899 --> 00:04:44,710 now have been very involved in the design and the layout of this building. 75 00:04:44,710 --> 00:04:48,322 I know that Frank Reynolds, Jack's firm, that Tom's firm 76 00:04:48,322 --> 00:04:51,465 you guys really worked with the students decided to add a tremendous value to this 77 00:04:51,465 --> 00:04:55,109 and very, very, very wonderful experience, I think, for all of us. 78 00:04:55,744 --> 00:04:59,188 It is fun when Bruce and Justin were on the board at the same time. 79 00:04:59,289 --> 00:05:03,368 Justin's a marine and Bruce was a navy guy to hear them 80 00:05:03,368 --> 00:05:06,411 one up each other on who's dumber or who's smarter, a marine or a sailor. 81 00:05:06,411 --> 00:05:06,812 [auidence laughing]. 82 00:05:06,812 --> 00:05:12,262 And Bruce was talking as we walked over here that that defined 83 00:05:12,262 --> 00:05:15,438 this is really a watershed event for the university, and it didn't mean it. 84 00:05:15,572 --> 00:05:19,183 I would neither of us minute in reference to the weather, but it really is. 85 00:05:19,852 --> 00:05:24,065 We are defining ourselves here about the quality of the faculty instruction. 86 00:05:24,065 --> 00:05:26,205 And as Peter mentioned, 87 00:05:26,205 --> 00:05:28,479 this is our 35th year and during that time, 88 00:05:28,813 --> 00:05:31,555 the focus has been on the construction of our academic buildings. 89 00:05:32,123 --> 00:05:34,664 But a key element of what makes UNF distinct 90 00:05:34,999 --> 00:05:37,640 is the fact that we focus on the smaller classes. 91 00:05:37,640 --> 00:05:42,221 We focus on the student experience, and this is a testament to that. 92 00:05:42,221 --> 00:05:45,632 This up till now will be the most expensive building 93 00:05:46,334 --> 00:05:48,942 that we have ever built in the history of this campus. 94 00:05:48,942 --> 00:05:50,480 And that's our student union. 95 00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:53,389 And to give you a little sense of of scale on that, 96 00:05:54,158 --> 00:05:57,067 it's about 100 almost 150,000 square feet, 97 00:05:57,501 --> 00:06:01,581 and that's 20% bigger than UNF Hall or the old AOL building 98 00:06:01,581 --> 00:06:05,392 across the street to be able to put it into some perspective. 99 00:06:05,392 --> 00:06:07,733 And I'll give you a few more details in a minute. 100 00:06:08,101 --> 00:06:09,639 But why do we think this is so important? 101 00:06:09,639 --> 00:06:13,183 Is that so much of going to college, I sort of joke 102 00:06:13,183 --> 00:06:15,223 that about half of what you learn is in the classroom. 103 00:06:15,524 --> 00:06:19,035 The other half is the experiences with the faculty member before and after. 104 00:06:19,035 --> 00:06:20,907 It's the experiences with your fellow students. 105 00:06:20,907 --> 00:06:22,880 It's talking about current events. 106 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:25,588 It's the student life, the student activities, the Greek life 107 00:06:25,588 --> 00:06:29,166 that the drum line, the band, the athletic events, 108 00:06:29,166 --> 00:06:31,506 all of these things that help us grow and mature. 109 00:06:31,908 --> 00:06:35,452 And really, this building is a testament to that the maturing of this campus. 110 00:06:35,452 --> 00:06:38,595 And now let me give you a little bit of details on the building, 111 00:06:38,595 --> 00:06:39,799 because I think they're all important. 112 00:06:39,799 --> 00:06:42,273 I've already mentioned the size and then it's what goes in 113 00:06:42,273 --> 00:06:43,744 and it's going to have a convenience store. 114 00:06:43,744 --> 00:06:46,519 It's going to have a game room. Administrative offices. 115 00:06:46,519 --> 00:06:49,595 Student government offices, and it's actually kind of two buildings 116 00:06:50,064 --> 00:06:53,474 that's connected by a covered open air plaza. 117 00:06:54,109 --> 00:06:57,152 The west side of the building is going to incorporate a bookstore. 118 00:06:57,620 --> 00:07:00,028 The Boathouse Grill will in effect, move in there. 119 00:07:00,930 --> 00:07:04,174 The open air plaza will have this canopy, so it'll be a great place 120 00:07:04,174 --> 00:07:05,845 for students to be able to congregate, 121 00:07:06,982 --> 00:07:09,323 to talk, to get out of the sun or into the sun. 122 00:07:09,691 --> 00:07:11,463 We'll have some tables out there 123 00:07:11,463 --> 00:07:15,709 and we also know how important music is in the lives of students around the world. 124 00:07:15,709 --> 00:07:16,612 But particularly at UNF. 125 00:07:16,612 --> 00:07:19,889 We have a phenomenal world class music department. 126 00:07:19,889 --> 00:07:23,466 We have an incredible drum line, the number one jazz program 127 00:07:23,466 --> 00:07:26,777 in the country, which means since it's an American music form, 128 00:07:26,977 --> 00:07:29,920 that's the number one program in the world at that, 129 00:07:30,254 --> 00:07:33,029 and we've designed the student union to have an amphitheater, 130 00:07:33,029 --> 00:07:35,905 they'll kind of span out that way, going to the northwest. 131 00:07:36,339 --> 00:07:39,951 And one of the difficulties with the green is that we really have to be careful 132 00:07:39,951 --> 00:07:42,358 a number of amplified events we have down there 133 00:07:42,358 --> 00:07:45,033 and we want to be able to have concerts and shows 134 00:07:45,033 --> 00:07:48,176 and comedy shows and those sorts of things connected to the student union. 135 00:07:48,778 --> 00:07:52,356 And we don't want to have it where we will disrupt the classes on on campus. 136 00:07:52,690 --> 00:07:54,261 It's also going to follow 137 00:07:54,261 --> 00:07:58,341 the social sciences building and the Brooks College of Health addition. 138 00:07:58,608 --> 00:08:01,985 It's undergoing a way kind of over my shoulder, and the core social sciences 139 00:08:01,985 --> 00:08:05,764 building opened a little bit ago as a green building. 140 00:08:06,064 --> 00:08:09,141 That's the social science building was the first green building, 141 00:08:09,141 --> 00:08:12,250 environmentally friendly building as a national ranking 142 00:08:12,250 --> 00:08:15,293 that goes on at the first one like that built in Northeast Florida. 143 00:08:15,661 --> 00:08:18,336 And I think these two will be the second and third that have been built 144 00:08:18,336 --> 00:08:18,937 in Northeast Florida. 145 00:08:18,937 --> 00:08:22,916 A few other entities are considering those, but it's incorporates 146 00:08:22,916 --> 00:08:26,661 energy saving materials, recycled materials, 147 00:08:26,929 --> 00:08:30,506 natural lights Designed in a way to reduce the use of water 148 00:08:30,506 --> 00:08:33,649 and electricity for heating, air conditioning and lighting. 149 00:08:34,352 --> 00:08:37,461 And again, I think because, as Bruce alluded to, is a watershed moment 150 00:08:37,461 --> 00:08:41,173 when this opens in about two years, student life really is going to take 151 00:08:41,173 --> 00:08:42,677 on a whole new meaning. 152 00:08:42,677 --> 00:08:44,282 This is a work of art. 153 00:08:44,282 --> 00:08:47,927 We really have committed to make our buildings be, be works of art, 154 00:08:47,927 --> 00:08:48,662 be testaments. 155 00:08:48,662 --> 00:08:52,340 And that's really been the instructions with the architectural firm. 156 00:08:52,340 --> 00:08:54,948 And I know they've taken that to heart and done something that, 157 00:08:55,383 --> 00:08:58,125 much like the last set of buildings, they designed the library over here, 158 00:08:58,125 --> 00:09:01,268 the addition to the library, which which has won architectural awards. 159 00:09:01,669 --> 00:09:04,946 Again, this time I'd like to introduce the person that's been helping 160 00:09:04,946 --> 00:09:08,290 to guide this, this process the last few years, and that's Dr. 161 00:09:08,290 --> 00:09:09,360 Lucy Croft. Lucy. 162 00:09:14,342 --> 00:09:15,512 [audience clapping]. 163 00:09:15,512 --> 00:09:17,752 Thank you, President Delaney. 164 00:09:17,752 --> 00:09:22,166 Wow, it is truly an honor to be standing here this morning on this beautiful day, 165 00:09:22,400 --> 00:09:24,841 and I do say it beautiful because it is beautiful 166 00:09:24,841 --> 00:09:27,582 when we can recognize the accomplishments of our campus 167 00:09:28,084 --> 00:09:30,224 and what is coming before us. 168 00:09:30,224 --> 00:09:32,798 Of course, our beautiful student union. 169 00:09:33,099 --> 00:09:36,410 I'd like to say a special thanks to President Delaney. 170 00:09:36,711 --> 00:09:37,680 Student government. 171 00:09:37,680 --> 00:09:40,890 Rank Design. Elkins Construction Facilities. 172 00:09:40,890 --> 00:09:43,130 Planning Administration and Finance. 173 00:09:43,398 --> 00:09:44,902 Student Affairs. 174 00:09:44,902 --> 00:09:50,520 Student Life and of course, Institutional Advancement and our potential donors. 175 00:09:50,954 --> 00:09:53,797 Because all of you are making this happen for us today. 176 00:09:54,198 --> 00:09:57,508 Over the last two years, just to give you an idea of what's been occurring. 177 00:09:57,909 --> 00:10:00,049 Representatives from these various entities 178 00:10:00,049 --> 00:10:02,189 have spent over a hundred meetings. 179 00:10:02,423 --> 00:10:07,271 That's an average one meeting per week, For those who are math statistics. 180 00:10:07,806 --> 00:10:10,515 Averaging two hours per meeting, so that's over 181 00:10:10,515 --> 00:10:15,029 208 hours of planning time that has gone into fine 182 00:10:15,029 --> 00:10:18,105 tuning the details of the design, the program, 183 00:10:18,105 --> 00:10:21,148 the architecture of this fine building that is coming before us. 184 00:10:21,850 --> 00:10:24,224 So thank you so much to all of you. 185 00:10:24,224 --> 00:10:25,929 Thank you to the potential donors. 186 00:10:27,133 --> 00:10:30,142 President Delaney and I could talk for hours and hours and days 187 00:10:30,142 --> 00:10:33,720 and days of what this building means to our campus and to our students. 188 00:10:33,954 --> 00:10:37,063 It is for our students that we are making this possible 189 00:10:37,297 --> 00:10:41,310 to go into the next 35 years, 70 years, 100 years 190 00:10:42,212 --> 00:10:44,620 well into the future that this building will stand, 191 00:10:44,620 --> 00:10:47,696 representing our students and our student union forever. 192 00:10:47,963 --> 00:10:52,544 So on that note, our president of student body Rachel Tutwiler. 193 00:10:52,544 --> 00:10:54,617 Rachel. 194 00:10:54,617 --> 00:10:58,295 [audience clapping] 195 00:11:03,010 --> 00:11:04,949 Thank you, Dr. 196 00:11:04,949 --> 00:11:05,718 Croft. 197 00:11:06,086 --> 00:11:10,667 Today is September 19, 2007, and this day will go down 198 00:11:10,801 --> 00:11:13,108 in the history of the University of North Florida. 199 00:11:13,810 --> 00:11:17,989 This is an exciting day for all students affiliated with the university. 200 00:11:18,324 --> 00:11:21,166 Those who have come before me, they got the ball 201 00:11:21,601 --> 00:11:23,740 rolling on this exciting project. 202 00:11:23,740 --> 00:11:27,084 For those students who like myself, have the pleasure 203 00:11:27,084 --> 00:11:30,829 of watching this project go from a rendering to a reality. 204 00:11:31,096 --> 00:11:34,139 The current students, and for those future students, 205 00:11:34,173 --> 00:11:38,085 will be able to enjoy the new student union for decades to come. 206 00:11:39,623 --> 00:11:40,626 A decade 207 00:11:40,626 --> 00:11:44,605 dependent upon who you ask may be considered a lengthy amount of time, 208 00:11:45,273 --> 00:11:48,584 and I would agree with those who would suggest that it might be. 209 00:11:49,453 --> 00:11:53,064 For almost a decade, student leaders have been working with the university's 210 00:11:53,064 --> 00:11:57,277 administration, demonstrating commitment to the success of this project. 211 00:11:58,247 --> 00:12:01,992 To be precise, for eight years, student government officials 212 00:12:01,992 --> 00:12:06,405 have participated in the implementation of a UNF student union. 213 00:12:06,405 --> 00:12:11,956 Identifying a need, formulating ideas, gathering information, 214 00:12:12,190 --> 00:12:15,333 polling the student constituency, making designs 215 00:12:15,333 --> 00:12:18,108 and protecting the integrity of those designs. 216 00:12:19,345 --> 00:12:22,990 I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge my predecessors, 217 00:12:23,157 --> 00:12:27,771 starting with Anne Duskin, Lindsay Hodges, Hank Rogers 218 00:12:27,938 --> 00:12:31,449 and Jared Watterson as major components of the success of this project. 219 00:12:31,449 --> 00:12:36,832 Among us today, we have several SG president emeritus who too have been 220 00:12:36,832 --> 00:12:40,009 active and critical components toward the UNF Student Union. 221 00:12:40,410 --> 00:12:43,520 Gentlemen, please wave to the crowd as I acknowledge you. 222 00:12:43,520 --> 00:12:45,125 We have Thomas Foran [audience clapping]. 223 00:12:50,742 --> 00:12:53,083 And Justin Damiano. 224 00:12:53,083 --> 00:12:56,058 [auidence clapping]. 225 00:12:56,058 --> 00:12:58,733 Thank you for being here today. 226 00:13:00,071 --> 00:13:04,484 As you can see, the UNF student union meant equally as much to them 227 00:13:04,484 --> 00:13:07,460 as it does to me and trust me, that's a lot. 228 00:13:08,229 --> 00:13:11,339 Today marks the beginning of the future of a new day 229 00:13:11,339 --> 00:13:14,047 for the students and our campus community. 230 00:13:14,649 --> 00:13:17,123 A groundbreaking for the student union means 231 00:13:17,123 --> 00:13:20,534 the groundbreaking for our community center. 232 00:13:20,534 --> 00:13:23,510 A place where students will thrive together 233 00:13:23,677 --> 00:13:26,519 by virtue of their social and cultural gains. 234 00:13:26,519 --> 00:13:29,662 A place that students can rightfully call their own. 235 00:13:29,829 --> 00:13:34,544 At a college campus where there is truly no one like you and no place like this. 236 00:13:34,978 --> 00:13:38,021 Today we can take pride in our institution. 237 00:13:38,121 --> 00:13:41,030 As the groundbreaking of the student union exemplifies 238 00:13:41,131 --> 00:13:45,277 what we students refer to as a breakthrough to the future, 239 00:13:45,979 --> 00:13:50,727 a future where student life is maximized and getting better every single year. 240 00:13:51,964 --> 00:13:54,171 I wish it weren't raining today. 241 00:13:54,171 --> 00:13:58,016 We had originally planned for President Delaney to jump on a backhoe 242 00:13:58,384 --> 00:14:00,290 and officially 243 00:14:00,390 --> 00:14:02,697 break ground this morning, but 244 00:14:02,697 --> 00:14:05,439 because of the weather, we're going to have to pass on that. 245 00:14:06,776 --> 00:14:08,682 They say that rain is good 246 00:14:08,682 --> 00:14:11,792 luck on a wedding day, so let's just believe 247 00:14:11,792 --> 00:14:15,470 that today's storm will bring wonderful luck to our new facility. 248 00:14:16,272 --> 00:14:18,981 Soon enough, the mud around the corner will transform 249 00:14:18,981 --> 00:14:22,191 into a wonderful place for everyone to enjoy. 250 00:14:22,425 --> 00:14:24,330 Rain or shine. 251 00:14:24,330 --> 00:14:26,337 President Delaney made a comment earlier 252 00:14:26,571 --> 00:14:30,015 about letting the rain, not letting the rain dampen our spirits. 253 00:14:30,449 --> 00:14:33,291 No amount of rain could do that. 254 00:14:33,291 --> 00:14:37,939 The students here at UNF are so excited about the new student union. 255 00:14:38,541 --> 00:14:40,948 We'll do whatever it takes to make it a success. 256 00:14:40,948 --> 00:14:42,152 To the students 257 00:14:42,152 --> 00:14:45,596 who have joined us today, thank you for your support on this project 258 00:14:46,131 --> 00:14:50,511 and I invite every one of you back in the 2009 dedication. 259 00:14:51,113 --> 00:14:54,724 I know that the skies will open up and the sun will shine on that day. 260 00:14:55,560 --> 00:14:59,004 I'll turn it back over to President Delaney for a few closing comments 261 00:14:59,004 --> 00:14:59,673 at this time. 262 00:14:59,673 --> 00:15:02,314 Thank you. 263 00:15:02,314 --> 00:15:07,029 [audience clapping]. 264 00:15:07,029 --> 00:15:11,777 If today we would have to do a backhoe in a rowboat, [auidence laughing] 265 00:15:11,777 --> 00:15:15,187 I think if we are going to do the ground breaking, so with with this, this 266 00:15:16,190 --> 00:15:18,230 ceremony, we're kicking this off and 267 00:15:18,230 --> 00:15:21,707 I want to thank everybody for coming out in the glad to see Tom joined us here. 268 00:15:21,707 --> 00:15:23,379 I don't know if he was here in the beginning of the comments, 269 00:15:23,379 --> 00:15:25,920 but great participation of the student body. 270 00:15:26,021 --> 00:15:28,629 Great participation of our volunteer supports. 271 00:15:28,629 --> 00:15:30,535 And it's going to be a great step forward. 272 00:15:30,535 --> 00:15:32,808 A watershed event, as Bruce described for UN. 273 00:15:32,808 --> 00:15:35,015 Have a great day and go forth. Take care. [drums playing].