Dear Students, Faculty, Staff, Alumni, and Community Members,
This past year, UF saw historic advances for our Hispanic-Latino and Black students. We’ve hired two full-time program coordinators and opened the Hispanic-Latino Engagement Center and the Black Enrichment Center in the heart of campus, the Reitz Union. These centers give Hispanic-Latino and Black students expanded space for collaboration, community, education and dialogue.
As this new academic year begins, we turn our eyes to the needs of the Institute of Hispanic-Latino Cultures and the Institute of Black Culture. For decades, the Institutes have stood on the edge of campus as a beacon for our cultural progress and a safe space for students. These facilities are more than buildings, they show where we’ve been and are paramount to where we are heading.
The years and usage have weighed heavily on these structures, and it is now time to recognize the immense need for functional and healthy space. Through the Capital Improvement Trust Fund (CITF), we are investing in the future and fortifying houses to enhance students’ experiences.
The University of Florida and the Division of Student Affairs are committed to honoring the history and legacy of the Institutes, as we rebuild for tomorrow. Your involvement and voice matters, and we encourage you to be part of the journey. Throughout the fall, we look forward to updating you on the project and creating opportunities for you to be involved.
Please help us embrace your history, while accommodating the present and future student body.
Thank you, and Go Gators!
Dave
David W. Parrott
Vice President for Student Affairs
University of Florida
