TALLAHASSEE – Governor Ron DeSantis announced on Monday the appointment of Board of Governors’ chair Syd Kitson to the Executive Committee of the Re-Open Florida Task Force. The Governor’s task force includes elected officials, as well as business and industry leaders, and is charged with providing the Governor a suggested three-phase approach for re-opening Florida. The state’s short-term response, the first of the three phases, is due to the Governor by the end of the week.
“I am honored to be a part of this task force as we take a thoughtful and measured approach on how to re-open Florida”, said Syd Kitson, chair of the Board of Governors. “Throughout this pandemic the Board of Governors has worked hand-in-hand with the Governor, the legislature, university leadership, and business leaders, and I look forward to continuing that collaboration.”
Additional appointments to the Executive Committee of the task force include Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran and Eric Silagy, President & CEO of Florida Power and Light Company, both of whom serve on the Board of Governors.
The task force will meet daily at 10:00 a.m., with the Executive Committee meeting additionally at 2:00 p.m.
How and when university students return to campus will be a key discussion point in the task force.
“Throughout this crisis we have focused on providing a world-class education in the safest way possible for our students,” said Marshall Criser, State University System Chancellor. “We will continue to do that as we leverage the expertise at our universities and look for ways to safely bring our students back to campus and return to a traditional way of learning.”
Facts about the State University System of Florida and the Board of Governors
The State University System of Florida is a constitutional body led by the 17-member Board of Governors. Responsibilities include defining the distinctive mission of each institution and managing the system’s coordination and operation. The Board appoints a Chancellor who serves as the system’s chief executive. For more, visit flbog.edu, think-florida.org, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.