Florida Blue Key
From Free net encyclopedia
Florida Blue Key is a student organization at the University of Florida.
Originally begun as the National Blue Key organization, started at the University of Florida in 1923, the National Blue Key split from FBK in 1935, when the UF student organization quickly grew in power. Initially, membership in the organization was ex-officio; a student automatically belonged to the organization if he (the organization did not admit women until the 1970s) held one of the major student organization positions on campus. This includes leadership roles in organizations such as student government and fraternities.
The organization was founded when President A. A. Murphree believed the University should have a day set aside when students would invite their fathers to come to the campus for a special celebration -- to see the University and to learn about it -- with them. He asked Dr. B.C. Riley, Dean, General Extension Division, to suggest the project to students. Dean Riley brought together some of the titular leaders of the Student Body who, under his guidance, planned a Dad's Day in the Fall with the key event being a football game. The event was successful and continued another year, with the name being changed to Homecoming.
To this day, the organization's primary responsibilities include sponsoring and organizing the University of Florida's annual Homecoming celebration, which includes several events and community activities throughout the fall semester and leads up to the Homecoming football game; sponsoring and producing Gator Growl, a special Homecoming pep rally show which is billed as the largest student run pep rally in the world, with nearly 60,000 in attendance; and the Blue Key Speech & Debate Tournament, one of the largest and most prestigious high school speech & debate tournaments in the country (founded in the early 1980's). In addition, there are several other events sponsored by Florida Blue Key Divisions that benefit University of Florida students throughout the year.
In 1995, FBK was sued by graduate student Charles Grapski, who claimed that the organization had run a slanderous campaign against his candidacy for student body president (John McGovern, a student and member of FBK, allegedly used the printer in the FBK office, after office hours, to print a flyer reporting Grapski's arrest record, and adding to it an allegation that Grapski had been charged with child molestation). Two years later, FBK was found liable for defamation of character and conspiracy to defame, and held liable for damages of $250,000 (Following an appeal, the two parties settled for $80,000.) To this day, Grapski still teaches on campus, but his reputation remains marred from this confrontation while most media sources see a new, more prestigious Florida Blue Key emerging from the scandal.