Gov. Jeb Bush announced a plan Oct. 7 at the University of North Florida to provide two programs that will help retain and recruit teachers in Florida.
     With the help of Freddie Mac, edsouth and Bank of America, teachers will be eligible to receive low-interest loans and purchase affordable homes. The Florida Teacher EdLoan program, sponsored by edsouth, will offer loans with an interest rate of 1.06 percent to teachers who seek higher education.
     Freddie Mac and Bank of America will allow teachers to purchase homes early in their careers with little or no down payment.
     "Our teachers are our school's best resources," Bush said. "It is important that we invest in our teachers as they continue to invest in our children."
     Bush came to UNF

Gov. Bush announced new low mortgage and interest rates for teachers in Florida Oct. 7 at the University Center. Photo by Faith Kimball

to make the announcement because he often visits state universities, and he wanted to make an announcement dealing with teachers at UNF's College of Education and Human Services, said Jill Bratina, spokeswoman for the office of the governor.
     Bush said teachers are facing challenges in the current education system. The combination of people moving to Florida and children staying in school longer creates a higher number of students for an increasingly older population of teachers reaching retirement age.
     The loan and home mortgage incentives were developed to recruit new teachers in Florida and retain current teachers, Bush said.
     Selena Dempsey, senior in COEHS, said she felt Bush's announcement was very informative.
     "I think that it will really filter in a lot more people [into the field of education]," Dempsey said.
     Judith Kersner, vice president of marking from edsouth, explained the details of the new loan program for teachers. Edsouth will provide the Federal Stafford Loan with a low interest rate to teachers, school administrators and school counselors.
     "Edsouth is dedicated to providing access to higher education," Kersner said. "I truly believe this program will result in life-long benefits for Florida."
     Craig Nickerson, vice president for community development at Freddie Mac, explained the Homes 4 Teachers initiative, which is a $50 million campaign to increase teachers' home ownership. The Freddie Mac company will not provide the mortgages, but it will help teachers locate affordable mortgages.
     Nickerson said the Homes 4 Teachers initiative was designed to attract teachers to Florida and persuade them to stay long term. He said if teachers can afford to buy a house, they will be more likely to stay in a community.
     "When Florida's communities are unable to attract teachers to their schools because of a painful shortage of affordable homeownership opportunities, we must use our combined expertise and financial resources to remedy this situation," Nickerson said. "The clear remedy is to make homeownership more accessible to Florida's teachers."
     Freddie Mac's Home 4 Teachers initiative will be assisted by Bank of America's TeacherFlex mortgage loan, according to Tim Laney, president of the Bank of America.
     The TeacherFlex mortgage loan helps teachers buy homes despite having limited savings and being unable to prove job security, Laney said.
     According to a press release, the new plans are part of Bush's ongoing commitment to teachers.

     Contributing Writer Heather Darenberg can be reached at uspinnak@unf.edu.

Coggin donates $5 million to COBA
Heather Darenberg
Contributing Writer

     The College of Business Administration at the University of North Florida received donations totaling $12 million Oct. 7, including $5 million from the Coggin family, the largest gift in the history of the university.
     Blanche and Luther Coggin donated $5 million to the college, which will be matched by the state, giving COBA $10 million. Luther Coggin also announced an anonymous gift of $1 million to the college. It, too, will be matched by the state. The money will be used for scholarships and professorships in the college.
     "The generous gift of the Coggin [family will] move the institution from one of regional prestige to one of national prestige," said Dr. David Kline, interim president of the University of North Florida.
     Dan Dundon, director of news and publications, said it could be two or three years before the state money is given to the university, so COBA can only allocate $6 million. UNF will be placed on a waiting list to receive the matching funds.
     The business college has unofficially been renamed the Blanche and Luther Coggin College of Business Administration in the couple's honor, Kline said. According to Carol Thompson, chairwoman of UNF's Board of Trustees, the name will become official pending approval of the board at its next meeting.
     The Coggins's gift put the university's Access to Excellence campaign at $76 million, over the campaign's goal of $65 million, said Ann Hicks, Board of Trustees

The College of Business Administration added Coggin to its title after receiving at $5 million donation from Luther Coggin and his wife, Blanche, Oct. 7. Photo by Faith Kimball

member and capital campaign chair.
     "I'm moved almost beyond words at your generosity," Dr. Earle Traynham, dean of COBA, told Blanche and Luther Coggin at the presentation ceremony.
     Coggin, who is a member of the Board of Trustees, said he gave the money because he supports education and opportunity, and he has been impressed with the education at UNF.
     "I think the present and past administration and all the leadership at UNF has been absolutely outstanding," Coggin said.
     The donated funds will help students and faculty lay the pathways to the world of free enterprise, Luther said.
     Traynham said $4 million will be used for student merit scholarships, $4 million will be used for professorships and $2 million will be used for special endowments. The professorships and endowments will help support research and enhance the educational opportunities within the college, he said.
     The $1 million anonymous gift and the state's equivalent donation was announced after Traynham explained how Coggin's donation and the state match would be used in the college.
     Dundon said the state's matching of the donations comes from generated state revenues. Every year, the legislation appropriates a certain amount of money for the matching grant program, he said.
     Depending on the vitality of the economy, a number of organizations are eligible to receive funds from the program as a way to motivate people to donate to the institution, Dundon said.
     Traynham said the donations are important to the future of the college.
     "[The college] cannot attract [students] without this kind of support," Traynham said.
     Hank Rogers, student body president, said he gave a heartfelt thanks to Coggin on behalf of the student body for his generous donation. He said COBA is fortunate to have friends like Coggin, and these friends help to make COBA one of the finest colleges of business in Florida.
     Coggin said he made the decision to donate the money to UNF Oct. 2, the same day as the beginning of UNF's 30th anniversary and the start of Founder's Week. He said he felt it was an appropriate time to announce his donation to the university.
     "I would only hope that Blanche and our family gift would only [help] move [the college] to higher [prestige]," Coggin said.

     Contributing Writer Heather Darenberg can be reached at uspinnak@unf.edu.