Haniffa, Aziz
India Abroad
01-31-2003
Florida Governor Jeb Bush has appointed Dr. Zachariah P. Zachariah to the
prestigious Board of Governors that will oversee the state's universities
and colleges.
Zachariah, a cardiologist from Fort Lauderdale and friend of the Bush
family, has been appointed to serve on this body - previously known as the
Board of Regents - by the governor almost immediately on completion of his
third term as chairman of the Florida Board of Medicine in December 2002.
He becomes the first Indian American and physician to be a member of the
17-member board - 14 of whom are appointed by the governor, with the
remaining spots automatically filled by the commissioner of education, the
chair of the Advisory Council of Faculty Senates and the president of the
Florida Student Association.
Bush said 'these appointees offer a broad range of skills. They are highly
qualified and effective leaders who are committed to Florida's higher
education system.'
In an appointment letter to Zachariah, the governor said, 'Because of your
outstanding qualities and commitment to Florida's higher education system,
I am pleased to appoint you as a member of the Florida Board of Governors.
You are appointed for a term beginning January 7, 2003, and not to exceed
seven years.'
'On behalf of Florida's students and the higher education system, I
appreciate your commitment to this important endeavor,' Bush added.
Florida voters overwhelmingly approved the constitutional amendment
creating the Board of Governors in November 18 months after the legislature
abolished the Board of Regents. Under the new law, the board is charged
with setting broad policy and centralizing decision-making for the state's
university system.
Senator Bob Graham, who spearheaded the constitutional amendment campaign,
said he was pleased Bush had made the appointments and hoped the new board
would examine the selection and payment of university presidents.
'I hope the board will put an end to what has become a bidding war among
the universities for compensation rates of presidents, rather than a focus
on academic leadership,' Graham said in a statement.
Zachariah, the Republican Party stalwart who has raised millions of dollars
for GOP coffers over the years, told India Abroad, 'I am absolutely
ecstatic the governor appointed me to this position where I will have an
opportunity to help make a difference in our state's education system. It's
one of the best appointments you can get in Florida and I am so happy he
chose me.'
The Board, which had its first meeting immediately upon its formation, will
meet at least four times during the year, 'and maybe more, depending on the
circumstances,' Zachariah said.
Besides selecting all the presidents for the state's 11 public universities
and deciding their salaries, Zachariah said the board would also deal with
the 'budgets of these universities and have a say in the setting up of the
curriculum that will require a strong commitment to educational excellence
and student achievement.'
'Its mandate will be to work within Florida's seamless, student-centered
school system, allowing coordination and accountability at all levels of
education,' he added.
Zachariah, 53, felt he could 'make a significant contribution, specially
regarding the many medical issues. It's important we make sure the number
of medical schools in Florida is controlled.'
'Today, every university and college wants to have a medical school. I
don't think it is the right thing to do because what you are going to do is
reduce the standard of the quality of students entering the medical school
system,' he argued.
Zachariah hoped to bring a South Asian American perspective to the
university and college curriculum and 'also make sure these students as
well as the [South Asian American] faculty is not discriminated against.'
Endorsing strongly President George W. Bush's and the governor's opposition
to racial quotas, he said he would emphasize merit-based admissions to
these universities, but admitted 'we have the problem of Indian American
and Asian kids doing so well in SAT [Special Aptitude Test] and other tests
that there's no room for all of them in the top flight universities.'
Zachariah has been in private practice in Fort Lauderdale since 1976.
He also serves as the director of cardiology at Holy Cross Hospital, a
570-bed, not-for-profit community hospital.
In 2001, he was appointed by President Bush to the President's Advisory
Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders - the only South Asian
American to serve on this body - and served as the Special Private Sector
Advisor to the US delegation to the meeting of the 55th session of the
World Health Assembly of the World Health Organization in Geneva in May
2002.
Earlier, he served on the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Advisory Council
of the National Institutes of Health from 1990 to 1993, being appointed to
this position by then President George W. Bush.
Over the years he has received numerous honors including being the first
recipient of the Zachariah P. Zachariah Golden Heart Award, established in
his honor by the American Heart Association to recognize and honor
outstanding members of this specialized medical fraternity for dedicated
service and commitment to humanity.
The governor of Florida and the cabinet proclaimed that day, October 27,
1989, as 'Zachariah P. Zachariah Day' in the state.
Article copyright India Abroad Publications, Inc.
V.XXX
India Abroad
01-31-2003
Florida Governor Jeb Bush has appointed Dr. Zachariah P. Zachariah to the
prestigious Board of Governors that will oversee the state's universities
and colleges.
Zachariah, a cardiologist from Fort Lauderdale and friend of the Bush
family, has been appointed to serve on this body - previously known as the
Board of Regents - by the governor almost immediately on completion of his
third term as chairman of the Florida Board of Medicine in December 2002.
He becomes the first Indian American and physician to be a member of the
17-member board - 14 of whom are appointed by the governor, with the
remaining spots automatically filled by the commissioner of education, the
chair of the Advisory Council of Faculty Senates and the president of the
Florida Student Association.
Bush said 'these appointees offer a broad range of skills. They are highly
qualified and effective leaders who are committed to Florida's higher
education system.'
In an appointment letter to Zachariah, the governor said, 'Because of your
outstanding qualities and commitment to Florida's higher education system,
I am pleased to appoint you as a member of the Florida Board of Governors.
You are appointed for a term beginning January 7, 2003, and not to exceed
seven years.'
'On behalf of Florida's students and the higher education system, I
appreciate your commitment to this important endeavor,' Bush added.
Florida voters overwhelmingly approved the constitutional amendment
creating the Board of Governors in November 18 months after the legislature
abolished the Board of Regents. Under the new law, the board is charged
with setting broad policy and centralizing decision-making for the state's
university system.
Senator Bob Graham, who spearheaded the constitutional amendment campaign,
said he was pleased Bush had made the appointments and hoped the new board
would examine the selection and payment of university presidents.
'I hope the board will put an end to what has become a bidding war among
the universities for compensation rates of presidents, rather than a focus
on academic leadership,' Graham said in a statement.
Zachariah, the Republican Party stalwart who has raised millions of dollars
for GOP coffers over the years, told India Abroad, 'I am absolutely
ecstatic the governor appointed me to this position where I will have an
opportunity to help make a difference in our state's education system. It's
one of the best appointments you can get in Florida and I am so happy he
chose me.'
The Board, which had its first meeting immediately upon its formation, will
meet at least four times during the year, 'and maybe more, depending on the
circumstances,' Zachariah said.
Besides selecting all the presidents for the state's 11 public universities
and deciding their salaries, Zachariah said the board would also deal with
the 'budgets of these universities and have a say in the setting up of the
curriculum that will require a strong commitment to educational excellence
and student achievement.'
'Its mandate will be to work within Florida's seamless, student-centered
school system, allowing coordination and accountability at all levels of
education,' he added.
Zachariah, 53, felt he could 'make a significant contribution, specially
regarding the many medical issues. It's important we make sure the number
of medical schools in Florida is controlled.'
'Today, every university and college wants to have a medical school. I
don't think it is the right thing to do because what you are going to do is
reduce the standard of the quality of students entering the medical school
system,' he argued.
Zachariah hoped to bring a South Asian American perspective to the
university and college curriculum and 'also make sure these students as
well as the [South Asian American] faculty is not discriminated against.'
Endorsing strongly President George W. Bush's and the governor's opposition
to racial quotas, he said he would emphasize merit-based admissions to
these universities, but admitted 'we have the problem of Indian American
and Asian kids doing so well in SAT [Special Aptitude Test] and other tests
that there's no room for all of them in the top flight universities.'
Zachariah has been in private practice in Fort Lauderdale since 1976.
He also serves as the director of cardiology at Holy Cross Hospital, a
570-bed, not-for-profit community hospital.
In 2001, he was appointed by President Bush to the President's Advisory
Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders - the only South Asian
American to serve on this body - and served as the Special Private Sector
Advisor to the US delegation to the meeting of the 55th session of the
World Health Assembly of the World Health Organization in Geneva in May
2002.
Earlier, he served on the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Advisory Council
of the National Institutes of Health from 1990 to 1993, being appointed to
this position by then President George W. Bush.
Over the years he has received numerous honors including being the first
recipient of the Zachariah P. Zachariah Golden Heart Award, established in
his honor by the American Heart Association to recognize and honor
outstanding members of this specialized medical fraternity for dedicated
service and commitment to humanity.
The governor of Florida and the cabinet proclaimed that day, October 27,
1989, as 'Zachariah P. Zachariah Day' in the state.
Article copyright India Abroad Publications, Inc.
V.XXX
