FIU Trustees make Maidique President Emeritus
MIAMI (June 12, 2009) – The Florida International University Board of Trustees voted unanimously Friday to rename the institution’s southwest Miami-Dade County campus Maidique Campus in honor of Modesto A. Maidique’s 23 years of service as president of FIU.
Trustees also were unanimous in their decision to confer upon him the title of President Emeritus, citing his “dynamic and dedicated leadership”.
“For more than two decades, President Maidique has demonstrated his strong, passionate and unyielding commitment to FIU, leading this university’s historic transformation,” said Board of Trustees Chairman David Parker. “The board’s actions are an expression of our gratitude for his tremendous contributions to FIU and the community at large.”
FIU opened its doors in 1972 in the shadows of an old airport control tower in what eventually became known as University Park.
In renaming the campus, trustees highlighted Maidique’s contributions in transforming that abandoned airfield into a premier urban public research university. In more than two decades as president, FIU has tripled in physical size, from just a few structures to 109 buildings; doubled enrollment to almost 40,000 students; added 22 new doctoral programs and 18 undergraduate programs; and seen its endowment surpass $100 million and its research expenditures grow from about $6 million to nearly $110 million.
“Two decades ago, my dream was to transform FIU into a major urban public university,” Maidique said. “This university now has all the major components in place to join the ranks of the nation’s top universities. This honor is the pinnacle of this incredible journey.”
Under his leadership, the university also has established accredited the Colleges of Law, Engineering, Architecture and Public Health, all headquartered at the 344-acre Maidique Campus. In August 2009, the FIU College of Medicine, also housed at the newly named Maidique Campus, will welcome its first class of 43 students from a pool of more than 3,000 applicants.
“As a student, there will be no greater pleasure than to attend classes at the Modesto Maidique Campus,” said Student Government Association-Maidique Campus President Anthony Rionda.
Maidique will step down as president on Aug. 3 and will continue his service as a Professor of Management in the FIU College of Business Administration as well as Executive Director of the Center for Leadership.
A renaming ceremony will be scheduled in the fall.
The campus should not be named after President Maidique. He may have accomplished several amazing goals for our FIU, but the campus should not be named after it. He didn't make so many wonderful things happen on his own, so are we going to add everyone else's names in renaming our campus? I don't think so. Leave it as University Park. It sounds better and is more respectable.
NO TO MAIDIQUE'S CAMPUS!
Why haven't the students been asked? This isn't a decisions that should have been made solely by the board of trustees. Name the new SIPA building after him! Or any other building after him.
Naming the entire campus after him is ridiculous and quite frankly very selfish.
I've read so many comments regarding this issue that it has become somewhat ridiculous.
We do have a voice on the Board of Trustees. That would be our SGA President. If he had some reservations or concerns, then he should have brought it to the Boards attention.
Other than that, I agree you can change the name as much as you want; it is still FIU – and I applaud Dr. Maidique's contributions over the years. Best of luck to him and best wishes to Dr. Rosenberg as he begins this new venture.
This is totally ridiculous. Students did not vote on this. This University is getting real corrupt. We all know the whole hiring process with a sham. And of course, our wonderful student government will not SAY A WORD. DO you know why? They won't say a word because ALL OF THEM are little brown-nosers. All they want to do is brown-nose and brown-nose the elites so they can have nice plush jobs when they graduate. They are all striving to lead this stupid ineffective self-serving and non-productive capitalist sytem.
I think that changing the name is utter nonsense. It should be left as is. We need to keep it simple because that name is way too long. I want to remember the campus for how it was when I was a student there.
This is a disgrace. This is reminiscent of a totalitarian regime like that in North Korea where all the buildings are named after KIM JONG IL.
It is inappropriate to name anything for a person that is still alive.
That being said, it shows how business in Miami is still done and how cuban americans ride roughshod over the
diverse communities in this city!
I do not dispute Mr. Maidique's leadership, but it is nonsensical to rename the campus just because he recently retired.
the fact that Rosenberg allowed this, shows gross lack of leadership!
Just rename the campus Fascist Campus. We already have a building after a corrupt Balart and Ronald Reagan. Reagan was a killer of indegenous people in Central America and Balart was tied to Batista and his minions. Maidique is just another one in the line of third world exploiters.
HEY ALL
I think this stupid little dispute should end once and for all, with that said, let me answer some doubts and concerns that fill these comments:
1. Students do have a voice, its called student government. If you have an issue, disuss it with them they will be able to help, or even better get involved and do something about it
2. Maidique being corrupt…whoever wrote that needs to go read a book because that man is far from it…if you have a problem with Regan or Balart…whatever, those are your political opinions, why do they have buildings named after them…well because they donated to the university….whether it be time or money they did, and so did Maidique and thats why he is getting this honor.
3. FIU the laughing stock of Miami? I dont know where you got that from….FIU has ranked and recognized programs, departments, students, alumni, and athletics…so if you for one second think that FIU is being laughed at..you need to go do some FIU research and come back with some solid proof of what exactly is being laughed at…from what i can see, the only thing worth laughing about, as to cry, is the student body that lives to complain and wear other universtiy gear.
4. FIU being the only university with a campus named after a person….now that is something to laugh at…once again, if you all are going to complain, you need a little more information than what she told him who told her who told me nonsense…..There are hundreds of universities, world wide, that have campuses named after leaders.
i would like to stress to students that college is the best years of your life, instead of finding something wrong and complaining all the time, make the most out of your years at FIU, you will regret it later if you dont. Go make friends, join a club, and do more than just sit home go to class and go back home. FIU has a lot to offer, and judging from all this creativeness, you have alot to offer to, so be productive and do something. I can promise you that if it is not the campus renaming something else is bound to tick you off and make you mad about FIU…like registars or financial aid….let me just say all schools are the same, no university is perfect, so instead of picking at it, help mend it….you may ask me why, well because at the end of the day, your diploma will say FIU on it, and your next employer wont care what the name of the campus is, they will care what you have done in your years there, what grades you got, and how you grew as a person….with that said, let yourself grow, help FIU help you and you will be successful.
That is all for me folks….I hope one day you will all see how bright us panthers are!!!!
In true FIU spirit,
Me
To James Baker, ethnicity is not the issue here.
To READ:
1. You say that student government is the voice of the student. I tried voicing my opinion on this matter with SGA, but their website doesn't even have the feature. Of course, I could visit the office in GC, but not everyone can visit them in their office anyway. So no, SGA isn't the voice of the students because it hasn't provided the proper channels to do so. FIU used to be a commuter school, but now it is run by Greek Life and students who live on campus, so it is that group of students who are getting their voices heard by SGA. you're advising us to do something about it? We are. Several students have written to the trustee members, we've created internet groups, and in case you didn't read the FIU News, there are almost 2,000 students rallying against this name change compared to the 200 siding with it (that we are aware of). As for our president, he is PERSONALLY supporting this issue, despite the fact that so many students are against, and he is aware of them. I don't want to call him out for being a typical politician, but it seems to be the case.
2. I agree that there are several individuals who have posted nonsensical information on this bulletin. I don't think Maidique is corrupt, I don't even know the man. You mentioned that he donated a lot of his time to our University, and this is the reason he is going to be honored with the campus-wide name change. To this I would like to say that he did not donate his time because he was paid for it, it was his job. I haven't read up on all of his accomplishments for FIU, but I guarantee you he didn't do them single-handedly. So my question is, if we change UP to MMC, will it also include the names of all of the individuals who helped him in changing our university? I don't think so. Not only is he still alive, he is still in office. Changing UP to MMC will put FIU in a bad light – it will show that those in upper management can do what they want, when they want. If we are naming the campus after him for all of his wonderful work, why didn't we change the campus' name after the first president who got UP started? Or after any other president who made great changes?
3. Again, FIU will be ridiculed for naming it's main campus after the current president, as mentioned in #2. As for the students who wear other college gear to school, I also find it very disrespectful to our school, but did you think maybe they attend undergraduate school there prior to coming to FIU? Or maybe a family member attended and gifted them the gear? Or perhaps it's laundry day, and they didn't have anything else to wear? There are so many possibilities that for you to bring it up is a little ignorant.
4. There may be other university campuses named after a person, but are those persons still the president of the university? Even so, just because one university did it, does it mean FIU has to?
5. Please don't disregard our comments, concerns, and beliefs and pass them off as "complaints". We are voicing our opinions, that is what we are supposed to do. the only complaint that most of us MMC-opponents have expressed is about not involving all of the students regarding this matter. We simply don't want UP to be MMC, not only for the reasons I posted today but because University Park sounds much better than Modesto Maidique's Campus. It is not HIS campus, he may have contributed a great deal to it, but so have others – they just didn't fight to brand UP with their names.
I look forward to your response.
To lisa Cardoso:
Thank you for your response…I am really glad you did so and I would be more than glad to answer back to all your comments.
1. Regarding student government. I understand you think you dont have a voice, that the campus is run by greek life, and that nothing can be done about management overruling students. I would like to take the time to point out that i am not greek, i was very much involved on campus, and if you wish to change this imaginary greeks rule it all thing going on in FIU, get your friends to join something and be that change. I am not sure why SGA has no link to refer students to when they are concerned or in need of some answers, that is one heck of a preposition you could propose to the current SGA president, Anthony. I assure you he is good people and he will be able to respond to your questions and take some action towards this link idea. You say there is no proper channels…but there are, just because they are not electronic doesnt mean they dont exsist. You could very well go to their office, there is always someone there in working office hours, and if it is directly to the president you wish to speak to, you can set up a meeting with him. There is also comment boxes throughout campus where you can leave comments and suggestions regarding FIU…SGA collects these comments daily and answers to them accordingly. I am glad you are doing something about it, creating groups and writing letters, however please note that 2,000 students that have showed their disapproval is a meer 5% of the entire student population (which is currently at around 40,000). There is no way you can sit there and say that management and SGA and FIU as a whole doesnt care for their students just because 5% of the student body cant change a trustee course of action. Now if 40% or more of the student population were against this….ok….I would agree with you and be upset at management….but 5%…come on! I know this might be going through your head, so i will address it now….regardless of if the other 95% are pro or indifferent, they are not against it…so even if you know for a fact only 200 agree…which is one heck of an assumption, the other 37,800 students dont care, making indifference the majority, which means, why is this even an issue when the student majority couldnt care less.
2. I am glad you agree with me and the "nonsensical information on this bulletin". As for Maidique and the donation of his time. I understand he was paid, and that this was his job. However no where in his job discription did it mention half of the stuff he has accomplished. I am glad you admitted to the fact that you dont know all that he has done, I need you to google him and find out that way you understand where i am coming from. Let me give you a great example, Mother Theresa was honored with a Nobel Peace Prize for her work in India, yes it was her job, she did get paid (nothing compared to Maidique but still, she was in a mission as a nun and that was her job). She did not win this prize because she did her job, she won because she went above and beyond. She took her job to the next level, she did not just work, she formed a way of life, and because of that she is honored, respected, and is one of my role models and to many of us, our hero. Now dont go saying how can this writing compare Maidique to Mother Theresa, I am not, I am just saying there is a difference between what one does between the hours of 9-5 and gets paid, and what one does additionally for the love of their work. There is no argument that Maidique loved FIU and still/forever will!
Now as for the single handedly thing you mentioned…you are right, he might not have been alone in all his accomplishments, I am sure he wasnt, however that has nothing to do with the campus getting a name change. All great leaders have a right hand man/right hand team beside them, yet for good and bad it is the leader who will get the recognition or the blame. If you are angry about that…well that is a whole other bag of issues….take for example any one of our past presidents….Bush will do, Bush didnt sit in his room one day and decide everything he has decided for the past 8 years, he has, like all leaders, a group of people who tell him and advise him. The final decision is said and made by the president, that is why you see all the bush jokes and bush bashing on the news, because he opened his mouth and declared war, not bob smith in the back. For the rest of American history, people wont know or study or remember 15 or so names of bushes closest team and advisories, they will remember just one name BUSH. Here in FIU it is the same, I am not going to remeber our board of trustees, I am going to remember Maidique.
Along with googling Maidique, I need you to also google FIU history. You will find answers to all your questions regarding names of buildings and honors bestoyed upon people and why. To specifically answer your question of the first president and why he is not the campus name…i will tell you why, by the time Charles E. Perry left office, the biggest honor that could of been bestoyed, and was, was naming the first building in FIU, where all offices where located, along with all graduation ceremonies because it was the only big enough space, Primera Casa, Charles E. Perry Building. Note that everyone still calls it PC….just like i assume everyone will still call the campus UP, however that name is there, it is in the front of the building for all to see.
3. I need further information as to why FIU will be ridiculed…where are you getting this information from. I can only guess you are saying this because you are upset about the name change, because there is no reason, correct me if i am wrong, from any newspaper, magazine or anything state or nation wide saying how nuts FIU is for this name change….I mean seriously, do you honestly thing that in the news something like "In recent news more troops have been sent to Iraq, steady progress is said to be made, more on this after the break, also local public university, FIU renamed their campus to the recently retired Modesto Maidique, Miami is at a state of shock, more on how this will affect the state of Florida and their credibility as a university. Lets check in with the weather, Stacy "…"Thank you Bill, that is some alarming news, FIU who would have ever though, ok well we will be seeing some showers……"
Going on with my apperently ignorant comment about other university gear, you know what you are right, maybe just maybe its laudry day, or a gift, or from their previous university they attended. However I think the ignorant one here is you for even thinking that! I mean come on, do you think it was a coincidence the day UM beat FIU that people were rocking UM gear. Or whenever UM has a game on Saturday, come Monday people are rocking the UM gear. Tell me something, because I am sure you have not been to other universities or else you would have not made this comment, universities like UF who pride themselves with their university and their accomplishments, something i wish FIU would do more of, if you step into that campus with anything but UF gear or normal everyday gear they will seriously give you dirty looks and more than one will approach you. I was in a conference up there, rocking the FIU, FIU isnt even a direct competitor in any way shape or form, and i was getting all sorts of looks, two people approached me, and it wasnt until i arrived at the conference location and saw other people that i felt safe…..at the end of the day i wasnt pissed off at them, i was jealous, i wish FIU would do that….I wish someonw would dare walk into GC with some other gear for everyone to pounce on them ….I WISH!!!!! that day will soon come though, it will be that day, when people give dirty looks to other gear that FIU will finally be seen state and nation wide as the top university I always known it has been
4. I like this comment, and to it i say, your right, just because other universities do stuff doesnt mean FIU has to too. I dont think the board changed names because other universities did so, I think they did it because they wanted to honor the man that made FIU what you see today….and what better way to honor him than to name the campus that he made after him. I mentioned the fact that other universities do it to is because some other person made a comment regarding the fact that FIU will be seen as fools because no one does that kind of thing….little do they know, other universities actually do
5. I dont even know where to begin with this last one…..let me start by apologizing for calling your concerns complaints…you have all the right to voice concern and i am glad you have done so, we need more students like you and the other 1999 that care enough about the university to discuss it. There is no arguement there. I just wish to point out that along with your concerns, you should also be able to listen to the responses that have been made regarding your concerns to find a proper solution or answer to the problem. With that said i hope that my answers have helped you better understand this campus name change situation. I would be more than glad to hear your response to the matter. Let me just comment on that last thing you wrote….that the other people that helped make FIU what it is didnt work so hard to brand their name on the campus…..I think you wrote that out of God knows what and didnt think that one through…..because you and I both know that this was not Maidiques idea, he was given this honor by the board of trustees, the current president approved of it, so did our SGA president and that is that.
Please take into consideration all that i have mentioned, please let me know if something was left unsaid….
Thank you and I too look forward to your response
To READ:
"this was not Maidiques idea, he was given this honor by the board of trustees, the current president approved of it, so did our SGA president and that is that".
Of course the current president would approve of the name change. Maidique is the current president. Until August 3rd Maidique is the president of FIU. Instead of telling everyone to google FIU and its history maybe you should use google to verify who the current president is before submitting your comment (or you can actually read the article at the top of this page).
I would like to point out that the displeasure that is being voiced over the name change should be directed at the Board of Trustees since they introduced and unanimously approved the measure of renaming the campus. The SGA president is on the Board of Trustees so if you're a student against this name change I would suggest sending your message of disapproval when the SGA elections are held.
I agree that it is questionable whether a whole campus should be named after a living person. We are still too close to all that Maidique accomplished to be objective. That being said, I have some other points to bring up,
Firstly, why should the students be consulted? They should have a voice in matters that concern their education, but not in what amounts to the legacy of the University. If current students would be able to weigh in, there would also have to be provisions made for all alumni and then also for each incoming class that might want to make a change. That is what the Trustees are there for.
If a corporation wants to change its name, it does not poll its workers (past and present), the Board votes on the change. Even the stock holders are not consulted.
My second point – how many times has the name of the North Miami Campus been changed? It has been Interama (the name when I attended) , Biscayne Bay and too many others to remember. To myself, and to many other older alumni, the two campuses will always be known as FIU North and FIU South.
One other point. To people other than the FIU family- do any of them know the names of the campuses? To the world at large, we are known only as FIU.
Doesn't it cost money to change the name of an ENTIRE CAMPUS??? (new signs, catalogs, posters, stationary, etc)
And clearly, money is something that FIU does not have!
An Afterthought…….. Do you know what really stinks? That the BOT is honoring Maidique's accomplishments and he spent so much time building up FIU and here we are downsizing it. We already cut about 20 programs last year, 11 this year, along with cheerleaders, etc etc. Times are rough, Our Prez worked hard for FIU and a lot of that work seems to be going down the drain. Well, except for the medical school, they seem to be doing fine…… So many problems, so little solutions!
I wonder how many students are applying to FIU compared to the last years? Cuz with decisions like these I know that high school students on not impressed!
I am really frustrated at the people responsible for making our comments oficial on this website…I have posted up my comments in respond to Mr, Miss or Mrs. READ comments made on "-June 29th, 2009 at 5:49 am " . My comments were DELETED on FIVE seperate occasions!! To READ or any other individual who wish to read my comments please go to the following webpage http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/wall.php?id=117… , scroll down to July 8, 2009 11:11pm-11:12pm.
I just approved your last comment. The reason that your comments would not make it up before is because they contained obscene or profane language and some of them constituted a personal attack on an individual.
To EDUARDO MERILLE (Author),
I appreciate you "approving" my last comment. I cleaned up my comments a lot I think but it still wasn't good enough for you, I was not aware you had to approve our comments…if I had known this then I would not have posted any comments at all! no hard feelings
. I did not attact Mr. READ, I simply gave him a reality check. What I said about SGA is all true and as far as Modesto Maidique, everything I said about is not far from the truth…not far at all! This will be the last comment I will ever put up on this website…..cheers
Departing FIU President Modesto 'Mitch' Maidique might get $100,000 bonus
FIU President Modesto 'Mitch' Maidique, who is leaving Aug. 3, might see his final bonus jump from $50,000 to $100,000.
By LUISA YANEZ
lyanez@MiamiHerald.com
A money crunch has state schools facing program cuts and enrollment caps, but on Thursday, some Florida International University trustees recommended doubling a bonus to its departing president.
In his final job evaluation, Modesto ''Mitch'' Maidique received a ''superior rating'' from the board's compensation subcommittee, which then moved to recommend that his bonus be upped from $50,000 to $100,000.
During his 22 years as president, Maidique, 69, raised money, grew programs and oversaw the creation of both a law and a medical school.
He made $478,000 a year.
Under his current contract, Maidique, whose last day on the job will be Aug. 3, was to receive a bonus of “at least $50,000.''
The wording gives the board the option of increasing that amount.
To honor Maidique, the trustees have also decided to rename FIU's University Park Campus after him, a move that angered some students who launched a campaign against it on Facebook.
Maidique's entire bonus would not come from FIU's $630 million operating budget, but from the FIU Foundation.
''The committee has recommended that Dr. Maidique get a $100,000 bonus,'' said Maydel Santana-Bravo, spokeswoman for the school.
“But the measure still needs the approval of two boards — the full board of trustees and the foundation's board.''
Both are scheduled to meet in September and a final decision will be made then on whether to increase Maidique's bonus, which could be paid out over two years.
FIU, like other universities, took a 15 percent reduction in recurring general revenue from the state, representing more than $20 million.
Austere times have impacted FIU.
The school's cheerleading squad, recently cut, was just rescued.
Also on the chopping block was the religious studies program, which is being resurrected with the help of the Dalai Lama, who donated $100,000 to the effort.
1) We hope to see you on Monday, August 3 between 3pm and 6pm at the 16th Street /107th Ave. FIU entrance.
2) We also hope that you will encourage all your friends that are/were/or will be FIU students to join Say No to Maidique's Campus at http://www.notomaidiquescampus.com/
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Take Three Concrete Actions Online:
Encourage friends to become members of "Say No to Maidique's Campus"
at http://www.notomaidiquescampus.com/
PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION! THANKS!
http://www.petitiononline.com/FIUUP01/petition.ht…
Vote UP on The Beacon's UP vs. Maidique's Campus poll. The poll is on the bottom left on The Beacon's homepage.
http://fiusm.com/