E-sports gain strength at Florida universities

The big story: Gamers are finding new outlets for their interests in Florida’s higher education arena.

The University of South Florida recently opened a 2,700-square-foot e-sports lab in the campus recreation center, filled with gaming consoles, a private game suite, production equipment and more.

The school has two courses related to e-sports, and it has plans to offer scholarships, too.

“E-sports represents the pinnacle of strategy, teamwork and collaborative competition, which is why we’ve decided to invest in this program at USF,” President Rhea Law said in a statement.

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Intellectual freedom: Faculty members at Florida’s state universities are taking issue with the system’s push to eliminate courses and materials deemed antisemitic, saying the effort weakens the goal of encouraging academic inquiry.

UF spending: The audit that University of Florida former president Ben Sasse said found nothing wrong with his spending practices never existed, the Independent Florida Alligator reports.

Union representation: Edward Waters University in Jacksonville faces a National Labor Relations Board trial over the school’s decision to eliminate its faculty union, Jacksonville Today reports.

K-12 hot topics

What’s in a name? The Hillsborough County school board spent three hours listening to passionate proposals for how to name the district’s newest high school. Members said it wasn’t an easy choice.

Testing: More than 120,000 Florida students have taken the Classic Learning Test as an alternative assessment for high school graduation and college admission since the state approved it as an option a year ago, Florida’s Voice reports.

Teacher discipline: A Broward County teacher whose certification was permanently revoked by the state was able to keep teaching in Palm Beach County months afterward, until a parent complained to the district, WPBF reports.

Taxes: An advocacy group has launched its campaign to renew the Sarasota County school district’s local-option property tax, which first won approval in 2002, Florida Politics reports.

Start times: The Palm Beach County school district is seeking parent input as it prepares to meet state law requiring later start times for middle and high schools, WPEC reports.

Security: The St. Johns County school district will provide added security at campuses in the aftermath of a school shooting this week in Georgia, WJXT reports. • Martin and St. Lucie school district security officials said their adoption of a panic alarm system helps relay crisis situations more easily to law enforcement, WPTV reports. • Some Tampa Bay area parents are raising concerns about schools’ newly restrictive cellphone policies, saying they want children to have access in the case of emergencies, WFLA reports. • Leon County schools are reminding students to use their anonymous tip line if they see anything suspicious, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

School closures: Plans to close and merge several Duval County schools continue to undergo revisions, with a new version of the plan unveiled Thursday, WJXT reports.

Legal counsel: Polk County school board attorney Wes Bridges is retiring after 26 years on the job. The district isn’t close to finding his successor, the Ledger reports.

Language learners: The Department of Justice reached a settlement with the Clay County school district to ensure students learning English are provided adequate services, Florida Politics reports.

Don’t miss a story. Here’s a link to yesterday’s roundup.

Before you go ... Are you ready for some nighttime star gazing this month? Here’s what you might see.