Florida International University, home to the Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, has earned the highest score among public universities in the state according to the Florida Board of Governors performance-based funding scores announced today. In Florida, state universities are evaluated on key metrics including four-year graduation rate, retention rate, cost of attendance to students and employment of recent graduates.
“The hard work of our students, faculty and staff over the past few years has paid off,” said FIU President Mark B. Rosenberg. “Our top performance this year affirms that our commitment to the academic and research mission, our intentionality, and our dedication to student success have proven to be a winning strategy.”
This news comes at the end of a banner year for FIU, which has included multiple top-50 rankings and on the heels of the $40 million donation by philanthropist and author MacKenzie Scott and her husband Dan Jewett.
FIU earned 97 points, the highest score in the history of the Performance Based Funding (PBF) Model. This represents a nine-point improvement over the university’s PBF score last year.
FIU showed significant advances in several key areas: four-year graduation rate (6.5 percent improvement), six-year graduation rate for students who are awarded a Pell grant in their first year (3.5 percent improvement), and the number of post-doctoral appointees (7 percent improvement).
“This historic top student success ranking score is the culmination of 7 years of focused efforts that ensure each of our students reach their highest potential,” said FIU Provost and Executive Vice President Kenneth G. Furton. “It cements FIU’s reputation as a Top 50 university that has been recognized with national rankings in international business, law, nursing, public health, social mobility and environmental resilience efforts. This is a testament to the high quality of our academic programs, research and impact on our community.”
“At Stempel College, we see firsthand the hard work and dedication our students, faculty and staff put in to help make this world a better place for all,” said Tomás R. Guilarte , dean of Stempel College. “I am proud of the achievements of our FIU community and know that we will continue to build on this success in the weeks, months and years ahead.”
About Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work:The mission of FIU’s Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work is to inspire groundbreaking research and education through a nurturing academic environment that influences policy and promotes healthy lives in communities near and far. Stempel College’s public health school ranks 44th in the country among public universities by U.S. World News & Report. The college’s academic disciplines—public health, dietetics and nutrition, social work, and disaster preparedness—are advancing research and practices to realize this mission, bringing our students and faculty to the forefront of their fields. To learn more, visit stempel.fiu.edu .