The governing body of the Research Park at FAU will refer the matter of its board member Roxanna Trinka's anti-Muslim and anti-gay Facebook posts to the Palm Beach County Commission, which appointed her to the board. See also: - Facebook Page Reveals FAU Adviser Fears Muslim Law, Gay Rights - FAU Responds to Adviser Roxanna Trinka's Anti-Muslim Comments
In a prepared statement, Research Park CEO Andrew Duffell said that Trinka's "private and personal remarks do not in any way represent" the Park or its board. The Park is a quasi-public, tax-exempt business incubator, a joint creation of the Palm Beach and Broward county commissions.
News of Trinka's posts, first reported here yesterday, also prompted disavowals from administrators at FAU, whose College of Engineering and Computer Science Trinka serves as an advisor. The South Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has called on the school to remove her from that role.
In an email to New Times this afternoon, Research Park President/CEO Andrew Duffell wrote:
We are referring the matter of Ms. Trinka's private and personal remarks to the Palm Beach County Board of Commissioners.The Florida Atlantic Research and Development Authority wishes to make clear that Ms. Trinka's private and personal remarks do not in any way represent the Authority or the Board of Directors.
The Florida Atlantic Research and Development Authority was created by the Broward and Palm Beach County Commissions in 1985 to establish and govern the Research Park at Florida Atlantic University. The Park's governance, ownership and operations are totally separate from FAU except for the day-to-day emphasis on sharing research supportively with faculty and students in furthering the mission of FAU.
FARDA's board consists of volunteer members including three appointed by the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners, three appointed by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners and one member appointed by the President of FAU.
Both FARDA and FAU have a special sensitivity to anti-Muslim sentiments. The primary developer and operator of FARDA's research park, HDG Mansur, is owned by a Dubai-based private equity fund that prides itself on adherence to Islamic law. FAU's College of Engineering includes a significant number of faculty and students of Mideast background.
Fire Ant -- an invasive species, tinged bright red, with an annoying, sometimes-fatal sting -- covers Palm Beach County. Got feedback or a tip? Contact [email protected].
Follow @NewTimesBroward
