UF receives millions in June

UF recently received more than $100 million between the state and a private donor.

With about $97 million for the upcoming school year, UF tops the list of performance funds received from the Florida Board of Governors.

The state had $500 million to spread across its 11 universities, according to a press release.

This money will be used to maintain UF’s infrastructure and to hire well-respected faculty, according to the release.

UF received the most funds due to its high scores in research and in every other category the board set in 2014.

Just a couple weeks prior to the performance funding announcement, UF alumnus Joseph Hernandez invested $10 million to UF’s chemistry department, according to a press release.

At 43-years-old, Hernandez is the youngest donor in UF’s history to make this large of a gift, according to the release.

Bill Dolbier, a professor and chemistry department chair, said Hernandez’s donation will be placed under the Joseph Hernandez Endowment, and that he and other members of the department will strategize how to best use the donation.

“His donation, as I said, will create an endowment which will benefit students, undergraduate and graduate students, probably internships for undergraduates and scholarships for graduate students,” Dolbier said.

A budget for construction of the building, which will be named Joseph Hernandez Hall, is already in place, and Hernandez’s donation will be used for other costs.