Campus Invited to VCAA Interviews

Message from Ellen Hufnagel, Faculty Council chair and Regional Chancellor Karen A. White:

Faculty, staff and students are invited to participate in the open forums that are part of the interview process for the position of Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.  The resume and itinerary of each candidate are available on the Academic Affairs Web site at http://www.stpt.usf.edu/academics/vchancellorsearch/index.htm. We encourage you to review credentials, attend the forums and participate in the question and answer period. 

We value your opinions and encourage you to email comments on candidates and their presentations to Vivian Fueyo, chair of the search committee, at vfueyo@stpt.usf.edu or Ellen Hufnagel, chair of the faculty council, at hufnagel@stpt.usf.edu.  

The open candidate forums are scheduled from 10 - 11 am in DAV130 on the following dates:

Jeanne Gerlach       Wednesday, January 19

V. Mark Durand        Friday, January 21

V.K. Unni                 Tuesday, January 25

Greg Weisenstein    Tuesday, February 1      

We appreciate that your time is valuable and there are many demands on you at the start of the semester. We hope that you find the time to participate in this process and assist in choosing academic leadership for USF St. Petersburg.

New Students Learn Ropes at Campus Orientation

After Spring New Student Orientation sessions wrapped up last week, more than 240 new students started classes prepped about all the campus essentials.

“Students learned valuable information as they were introduced to campus policies, procedures, administrators and staff,” Jenn Quinn, coordinator of new student orientation and Harborside Activities Board said. “All of the new students said they are really looking forward to their first semester on campus.”

All new students were given a campus tour provided by current USF St. Petersburg student leaders, giving new students the opportunity to hear about campus from a students' perspective and see the campus hot spots.

International Criminal Law Expert To Speak This Week

Columbia Law School Professor George P. Fletcher, PhD, will discuss the seeming decline of mutual respect in international affairs during a guest lecture at USF St. Petersburg Thursday, Jan. 13 at 7 pm.

During the lecture, Crises of Respect in International Affairs, Fletcher will explain the critical role of respect, especially within international legal order, and will identify several ways that our post-Sept. 11 politics have actually encouraged a breakdown of respect.

"The presidential campaign ended last year without any serious discussion of international law,” Fletcher, Cordozo Professor of Jurisprudence said.  “It appears that the candidates and the American public no longer care about these values.”

>> Read More

Awards Luncheon January 20

To recognize the hard work and dedication of the campus community, faculty and staff are invited to the annual Awards Luncheon Thursday, Jan. 20 at noon in the CAC.

Outstanding USPS and A&P staff award winners will be announced at the luncheon. Campus administration will also recognize faculty Excellence in Teaching winners, newly tenured and promoted faculty and Length of Service recipients.

Invitations will be distributed to the campus community this week through campus mail. To RSVP, please call Annette Hamon in University Relations at 553-4256 for your free, non-transferable ticket by January 17. 

United Way Campaign Raises Almost $10,000

Message from Campaign Co-Chairs, Vivian Fueyo, PhD, and Bill Benjamin:

The 2004 United Way Campaign was a great success for many reasons. We want to thank the campus community for raising almost $10,000 to benefit citizens and charitable organizations throughout Pinellas County. This generous gift will continue to provide benefits all year long.

Within the USF St. Petersburg community, the campaign created partnerships among faculty and staff working together.

It was a rewarding experience for everyone, and we were honored to be chosen as co-chairs for this year's campaign.

Campus Offers Healthy Tricks for '05

If your New Year’s Resolution involves starting an exercise plan, a healthier diet, losing some weight or improving your overall fitness level, Health Educator Sandy Blood has developed a handful of helpful programs for faculty, staff and students to get started on the right foot.

After completing an initial fitness assessment, “You can plan where you would like to be,” Blood said.  Because exercise is a key component to overall health and fitness, Blood has developed a USF St. Petersburg Walking Group. The group meets Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 12:30 to 1:30 pm in front of the Fitness Center.

“This walking group is a great way to get your exercise in during the workday, to interact with other members of the campus community and is appropriate for all skill levels,” Blood said.

Another way to exercise during the day is “Lifestyles,” a program that combines a 20-minute information session with 40 minutes of exercise.  This program runs Jan. 25 through April 7 and will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:30 to 1:30 pm in the Fitness Center.

Blood also offers free and confidential one-on-one weight management coaching to all faculty, staff and students.

“Let 2005 be your year, the year for you to achieve a higher level of wellness because you deserve it.  You’ll look better, feel better and be better,” Blood said.  

For more information, contact Blood at 553-4114 or blood@stpt.usf.edu. 

Chiller Plant Update

Earlier this week, one of the two cooling towers at the Chiller Plant released residue that those parked closely may have noticed. This non-hazardous substance was a result of water vapor being released by a cooling tower. The residue had particles from the cooling tower fan blades that were released with the vapors.

“After immediate testing, we found that there was just vapor coming out of the cooling towers,” Ron Bugg, Physical Plant director, said. “This happens on university campuses across the country every year, but we have corrected this glitch. Additionally, we have a factory representative coming out to do further analysis.”

If your car has residue, Bugg suggests immediately cleaning your car. If there are problems, a combination of vinegar and water should remove it.  If you have any additional questions, please contact Physical Plant at 553-4135.  

Resolve Issues Using NASA-based Strategies

Former Lockheed engineer and NASA consultant, William Cutler, PhD, will explain how the strategies that enabled the US to put a man on the moon can help us resolve controversial social, political and environmental issues during a lecture Friday, Jan. 21 in CAC, Room 133.

He has used his approach to successfully aid several public action organizations with environmental problems, watershed management, transportation, as well as educating hearing-impaired students.

“During the years, I have learned how to solve complex scientific and engineering problems,” Cutler said. “I later realized we can use those same tools to move us beyond the obstacles hindering sound social, political, and economic issues.  I want to share these ideas with others.”

A graduate of Cornell and Stanford, Cutler worked for 34 years as a system engineer for Lockheed, and was the lead engineer for a NASA project to develop a life science research facility for use aboard the international space station.       

This lecture is free and open to the public and is sponsored by Hugh LaFollette, the USF St. Petersburg Cole Chair in Ethics. For more information about the lecture, contact LaFollette, at 727-553-4820 or hhl@stpt.usf.edu.

Naomi Tutu Headlines Black History Month

Nontumbi “Naomi” Tutu, daughter of South African Archbishop and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Desmond Tutu, will kick-off Black History Month at USF St. Petersburg's Opening Ceremonies February 1 at 6:30 pm in the Campus Activities Center.

Tutu, a race and gender activist, will present Striving for Justice: Searching for Common Ground based on her vision that there is still much to do to eradicate centuries of racial oppression in South Africa and around the world. The event is free and open to the public and is sponsored by the City of St. Petersburg and USF St. Petersburg Multicultural Affairs.

>> Read More and see Black History Month Calendar of Events

Renowned Bioethicist to Discuss Hot Topics

Prominent bio-ethics professor Tom Beauchamp from Georgetown University will visit USF St. Petersburg to present two lectures – The Future of Physician Assisted Suicide and The Limited Vision of the Belmont Report.  Both lectures are free and open to the public.

Wednesday, Jan. 26 at 7 pm in the Campus Activities Center

The Future of Physician-Assisted Suicide will explore the current moral and political issues of physician-assisted suicide, and discuss how law, public policy and moral judgment should evaluate it. Beauchamp will discuss current issues and argue that these decisions should be made by each state and its voters and legislators. Beauchamp claims there is nothing inherently immoral about physician-assisted suicide.

Thursday, Jan. 27 at 10 am in Davis Hall, Room 130

During The Limited Vision of the Belmont Report, Beauchamp will offer a retrospective look at the Belmont Report and discuss its impact. In 1979, Beauchamp was the principal author of the Belmont Report: Ethical Principles and Guidelines for the Protection of Human Subjects of Research. This report sets official policy governing research on human subjects.

>> Read More

Writers' Conference Moves to St. Pete Beach

Recently designated in Writer's Digest magazine as one of the Top 10 Workshops/Conferences for Writers in the U.S., USF’s 33rd Annual Florida Suncoast Writers' Conference offers a high-powered how-to-do-it program on the art and business of writing. This year’s conference is  Feb. 3-5 at the Sirata Beach Resort in St. Pete Beach.

Featured speakers include fiction writers Margaret Atwood, Jill McCorkle, Joseph Bruchac and Mary Kay Andrews. More than 50 workshops will be led by expert writing and publishing professionals.

Conference registration is $225 until January 20 and the regular cost is $245. Students and teachers can register for $190 through January 20. Sponsors include USF Department of English, USF Humanities Institute and USF Continuing Education.

To register online, visit the USF Continuing Education Web site or call 813-974-2403.  For more information, visit the conference Web site at: http://english.cas.usf.edu/fswc/ or call 813-974-5731. 

7,000 Clams Hits Bay Area

Pinellas News

December 7, 2004

It’s got bootleggers, Babe Ruth, gambling, lounge singers, spring training, nude sunbathing at the pier, speakeasies, murder and a love triangle in St. Petersburg. Sounds vaguely like the urban metropolis we know today, no? — minus the Babe, of course.

7,000 Clams, the debut novel by Lee Irby, captures the spirit of St. Petersburg at the height of the Roaring Twenties. A work of historical fiction, it chronicles down-and-out bootlegger Frank Hearn’s trip to St. Petersburg to collect a $7,000 gambling debt from Babe Ruth who is visiting for spring training.

>> Read: Full Article

A book party launch party will be held for author Lee Irby, a USF St. Petersburg alumnus, at the campus bookstore, Bayboro Books, Feb. 4 at 6 pm.

Find Volunteer Opportunities at Campus Volunteer Fair

If you’d like to make a difference in the community, stop by Davis Hall Lobby Wed., Jan 19 from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm to visit the campus Volunteer Fair.

More than 12 agencies including Big Brothers Big Sisters, Hospice, St. Petersburg Free Clinic, Habitat for Humanity, St. Petersburg Museum of History and PARC are recruiting volunteers for the Spring.

For more information, contact Barry McDowell at mcdowell@stpt.usf.edu or 553-4990.

Participate in the MLK Jr. Parade Monday

Members of the campus community are invited to join the USF St. Petersburg contingent participating in the 20th Anniversary Martin Luther King, Jr. National Drum Major for Justice Parade on Monday, Jan. 17.

USF St. Petersburg participants should assemble at Tropicana Field at 12:30 pm and parade marshals will direct you to the specific site.  Make sure to wear USF green and gold!

The Parade begins at 1:15 pm and ends at North Shore Pool, just north of the Vinoy, about 4:15 pm.

If you would like to sign up or have any questions, please contact Juanita Fountain, PhD, at 553-4575 or stop by her office on COQ214.

Volunteers Needed at Museum of Fine Arts

Volunteers are needed for Monet’s London, the Museum of Fine Arts exhibition running Jan. 16-April 24. For more information, please contact Evelyn Wilty at 896-2667, ext. 211, or evelyn@fine-arts.org.

The USF St. Petersburg Calendar of Events can advertise to faculty, staff, students and the general public. Events may include lectures, conferences, ceremonies, concerts, sporting events, scholarship events, fundraising events and exhibits. 

Submit information at the central news form: http://www.stpt.usf.edu/news/submissions.htm.