Florida International University

The high demand and high costs for housing in South Florida is taking a toll on college students who juggle classes and part-time jobs.

Movie and television producer Lee Caplin, who with his wife, has donated $10 million to the newly named Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media at Florida International University, said he chose to contribute to FIU because of its diverse students and faculty, and to fund the training of the next generation of journalists at a time when local journalism is in crisis.

The Conversation spoke with Stefan Schmitt, a forensic scientist at Florida International University who has investigated war crimes and mass grave sites in multiple conflicts, to better understand what is involved with investigating an explosion site like the one outside the Gaza hospital.

South Florida native Kenneth A. Jessell is the president of Florida International University. He tells us how he went from being the first in his family to go to college to leading FIU.

The University of Florida fell one position to No. 6 among public universities in the new, annual national rankings published overnight Sunday by U.S. News & World Report, even as the state's flagship school climbed one spot to No. 28 in the magazine's rankings of top public and private universities overall.

Presidents and trustee chairs of all 12 state universities endorsed the idea, and the system’s Board of Governors is set to discuss it.

During a formal ceremony on FIU's campus, President Ken Jessell pledged to advance "freedom of thought and expression" and “respect the dignity of all individuals." The investiture comes just days after Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a new law banning diversity programs on public campuses and restricting what can be taught at universities.

A few notable graduates from around the state share their stories.

Award-winning author Sandra Cisneros joins WLRN's Carlos Frías to talk about her latest book "Woman Without Shame." She reads from this new poetry collection about aging, desire, spirituality and shame.

Florida International University (FIU) and Florida Atlantic University (FAU) have joined other public schools across the state in banning TikTok on campus. Once a tool to recruit students, state officials flagged the app over data privacy and national security concerns.

Artists John William Bailly and Edouard Duval-Carrié join WLRN's Carlos Frías to talk about their individual artwork that explores history, culture and mythology. Their work is displayed at the Center for Visual Communication in Wynwood.

Stephen Fain was hired to be a professor of education at Florida International University before it opened in 1972. Now after over 50 years at the university, he's retiring.