FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

STARS USA INC PROGRESS REPORT

Meeting September 22, 1997

Monday, September 22, 1997 I met with Dr. Kovac to brief him on the progress and plans of STARS USA Inc., specifically in context with the Weekly Planet news article titled "Phi Beta Capitalism." I do feel we only previewed many detailed subjects and I hope we can have another illuminating meeting.

It began by explaining that I felt at odds with the Engineering College where the whole STARS concept; formerly Rent-a-Student (RAS), was born.   I felt it was necessary to tell him greater details of why so many USF professionals may be intimidated by my works. So I started off by showing him the original May 26, 1987 minutes I wrote for a meeting I had with the University General Counsel & VP Student Affairs. It highlighted the President's Council Meeting's concerns with perceived conflicts between RAS and Sponsored Research. I noted that Dr. Newkome had just started at USF, and he had no interest in allowing RAS to be granted authority to develop and market student projects.

We next looked at the revised minutes completed by the General Counsel and the resulting November 3rd proposal to Dr. Newkome. Dr. Newkome refused to help, but the VP Student Affairs continued to assist in creating the 501(c)3 corporation STARS USA Inc. We next looked at the various Records of Discovery & Inventions which multiple USF professionals had signed as witnesses. This included:

Recipient Information:

I do now realize I never showed the original disclosure of 10/3/85, the "Dreamers & Doers" award winning report and/or the letter to the president. Nor did the "Social Engineering" diagrams, concepts or the Doctorate Degree Proposal I wrote for Dean of the Graduate School ever leave my folder.  I did progress with the other exciting new projects that Dr Kovac should be involved with, like Building Frat Row. He agreed that particular project needed to be completed. My current position in the County Planning & Growth Management Department had afforded me great opportunities to get major construction companies involved. I had proposed the construction should be a research project where anyone could propose a new technology to be included. Provided the original inventor retained at least 51%, STARS USA Inc. would agree to help build and then operate the facility. STARS would provide for the monitoring and testing of these new advanced technologies. Developers could then donate resources and funding to complete the construction. STARS USA Inc. could lease the facilities to USF Fraternity groups and manage the new technologies to insure proper testing and review for the future developing and permitting of the advanced products licensed to the construction companies. I asked if he could be our advisor on this project.

Dr Kovac stated he was on several Boards already and spent considerable time with the new I4 High Technology Corridor. I referred back to the "Phi Beta Capitalism" article and stated that the student anti-war riots and revolution in Berkley and Stanford were a major influence on Silicon Valley since students demanded more liberal academic support. The 60's "Me generation" concepts where college degrees were more personalized, led to greater entrepreneurial opportunities and Silicon Valley. He stated the Valley was started by a $500 grant from the Engineering Dean in the 50's. I claimed the 60's riots at UC never occurred in Florida, and that student demand for freedoms and opportunities could result in similar developments here.

He stated it was definitely a cultural change as well, but the initial impetus as he had defined could be duplicated here, as he wanted to do.  I asked him to review our Progress Reports he had received and consider working with me. He again said he had NO TIME to. But I mentioned his single word to members of his college and other peers could move mountains I still had to cross in making STARS USA Inc. a viable community resource. He asked for a specific definition of STARS. STARS is Service Learning, real-world projects for credit &/or experiential education; simply: where students receive "hands on" experience by fulfilling the needs of private industry and local governments instead of solving old textbook problems for class credit.

I would now like to recommend we do meet again, and explore making the entrepreneurial concepts of STARS the focus for a culture change. If a public pilot project can be defined to show how students can develop projects as class work and begin their own businesses at the same time, we can create some momentum for a cultural change in education and local development.

Then each of us could have a new way to expand our current systems, interests and provide assistance in directing new opportunities to each other. Interest and recommendations on this new project will be welcomed.

Rafael Rivera :)
Project Director
STARS USA Inc.
stars2man at yahoo.com


"Everything Is perception;
We can see, do & understand anything we want to." EMC2, 1997


PS.
all those receiving this would make a great board of directors for STARS USA Inc......!!!!!

Recipient Information:

Claire Robinson, CLAIRE@admin.usf.edu

William Katzenmeyer, katzenme@typhoon.coedu.usf.edu

Michael G. Kovac, kovac@eng.usf.edu

Chuck Miccolis, CRobert741@aol.com

Reply Information:

Dr. Kovac

Eric

Dr. Kovac

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Last modified: November 06, 1997