Demolition Paves Way for Residential Housing

The wait is finally over: Demolition for the first phase of campus residential housing is scheduled for the week of Feb. 14 on the corner of 5th Avenue South and Second Street.

The first phase of the estimated $18.3 million facility will offer students apartment-style living and will include 354 beds in a seven-story building. The project is slated for completion Fall 2006.

Unlike traditional dormitories, the apartments will offer private rooms for each student, one bathroom for every two students and a kitchen in each suite that is shared by no more than four students. Research has shown that students prefer this new living style that offers additional privacy.

Specifically, the residence hall will include 79 four-bedroom apartments, seven double bedroom units with a resident director apartment on the ground level and an apartment for a resident advisor on each floor.

For increased student convenience, each floor will have a laundry room and study lounge and there will be a lobby, meeting areas, catering kitchen and courtyard patio on the ground level. A proposed policy would require freshmen to live on campus if they live more than 30 miles away.

Showcase your Department at Spring Fling

During this year's annual Spring Fling, prospective students are invited to spend a day at our waterfront campus to learn more about our academic excellence and vibrant student life. Get involved at the event Monday, March 7 from 10 am to 2 pm to help showcase what our campus has to offer.

Spring Fling, coordinated with Student Affairs and led by Director of Prospective Student Outreach, John Vassel, targets local high school juniors and seniors who visit local colleges and universities on College Day while sophomores are taking the FCAT.

During the event, prospective students can join the campus community for fun activities including basketball and jousting contests and a barbecue lunch. This is also a chance for them to speak to our students, faculty and staff about USF St. Petersburg has to offer.

Those interested in participating must register for a booth by Thursday, Feb. 25. For more information, please call Solitaire Kelley at 553-4275.

>> See: Spring Fling Booth Sign-up Form (.pdf)

Enhancing our Ethical Culture

As we continue to nurture our ethical climate on campus, professor Deni Elliot has coordinated a lecture series this semester entitled, “Enhancing an Ethical Culture,” to discuss ways we can come together as our campus continues to thrive.

“We are a campus of rapid growth and development and we must work together to reinforce the elements that make us want to come to work each day,” said Deni Elliott, D.Ed., Poynter Jamison Chair in Media Ethics and Press Policy. “As Dr. White says, we want a campus community where creativity and learning can thrive.”  

During last week’s workshops, Elliot hosted MIT professor and nationally renowned speaker Stephanie Bird, PhD, who led three workshops about building positive professional relationships and the importance of conducting and communicating effective research.

During one of Bird’s lectures, she examined the role mentors play in academic settings. “We must realize that mentoring not only plays a critical role in professional and personal development but can be beneficial to the entire institution,” Bird said.

In another lecture, she addressed the importance for academics to understand their audience when they disseminate research findings. Although many people and officials use science to make decisions and policies, she said we must recognize that many users are not scientifically literate.

The next event, “Campus Conversation: Promoting an Ethical Culture,” will be a campus-wide discussion led by Elliot and Regional Chancellor Karen A. White on Monday, Feb. 28 at 9 am at the Williams House. For more information on our campus initiative please contact Elliot at elliott@stpt.usf.edu.

Your Survey Feedback Makes a Difference

Thanks to 70 eNews readership survey respondents, University Relations is using your feedback to improve campus communications. Currently, we are working to acquire new software that will improve the quality of the design layout, ease of navigation and the ease of reading eNews.

More than 60 percent of respondents would like to continue to receive eNews once a week and more than 80 percent believe the Friday submission deadline before Wednesday publication is the appropriate amount of time to submit news.

Based on more than 85 percent of respondents interested in a campus Calendar of Events, we encourage all campus members to submit upcoming news and events to our general submission page: www.stpt.usf.edu/news/submissions.htm. We are also developing plans to increase calendar functionality and all suggestions are welcome.

Beyond campus events, respondents had the highest interest in reading about Human Resources Information, faculty research, course news and achievements and honors. Currently, the primary sources for campus information is by email as well as co-workers and department meetings.

If you have any additional feedback about campus communications or would like to serve on an eNews advisory committee, please contact Alyson Seligman, University Relations coordinator, at 553-4456 or alyson@spadmin.usf.edu.

>> See: Survey Results (.pdf)

Student Shares Her Study Abroad Experience in China

Last September, psychology senior Sarah McDougal took a leap of faith into the unknown.

After being selected as the first USF St. Petersburg recipient for a $5,000 Freeman-ASIA scholarship, she packed her bags and headed to China for a semester-long study abroad  program where she would be immersed in Chinese culture and study.

McDougal traveled by herself and lived in a student dorm with a Japanese roommate. She attended language classes four hours each day at Nankai University and studied in the afternoon. At night, she had the chance to explore the city and meet locals.

“The classes were a lot more rigorous and intense than I expected,” said McDougal, who was one of only four Westerners out of 50 students in her class. “It was also tough for the teachers because the Koreans and Japanese students were more familiar with the characters and dialect. They pushed us very hard but understood it was more difficult for us.”

>> Read More

>> See: Photo Gallery

>> See: Article in St. Petersburg Times

Campus Black History Month in Full Swing

USF St. Petersburg Multicultural Affairs has planned educational programming to enhance African American history and awareness for the campus and community during Black History Month.

This week:

African American Health and Wellness Issues Information Table

Thursday, Feb. 10, 10 am – 2 pm and 4 – 6 pm

Topics include: Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, Sickle Cell Anemia and HIV/AIDS.

Davis Hall Lobby

Sponsored by: Counseling and Career Center

Diversity Circle: Discussion Forum

Thursday, Feb. 10, 12 – 1 pm

Share your thoughts and experiences regarding cultural, ethnic and geographical diversity and its impact on identity. Please bring a brown bag lunch and a beverage and dessert will be provided.

Terrace 300, Presidential Conference Room

Sponsored by: Counseling and Career Center and Multicultural Affairs

>> See: Complete Black History Month Calendar

Shank Presents Research at Korean Conference

Business professor Todd Shank, PhD, was the only North American invited by conference hosts, the Korean Academy of Business Ethics, to speak to more than 100 Korean businessmen and academics about corporate social responsibility at the 2004 International Conference on Corporate Social Responsibility in Seoul, Korea. A leading expert in the field, Shank presented Doing Well While Doing Good Revisited: A Study of Socially Responsible Firms' Short-Term versus Long-Term Performance, a paper he co-authored with professors Ronald Hill, PhD, and Daryl Manullang, PhD.

“Asian audiences are less familiar with this concept so it’s extremely rewarding to help spread this idea and share our research,” Shank said.  “I was glad to participate in this conference because it’s another way to encourage the booming Chinese business market to start socially responsible companies instead of trying to change existing ones."

Their research examined the long-term impact of corporate social responsibility. Contrary to previous short-term findings that examined companies after three or five years, their research found that after 10 years, ‘do-gooder’ companies outperformed the rest of the market. They selected the 10 most popular socially responsible mutual funds and looked at characteristics from each company to compare to the rest of the market in order to evaluate performance.

“Although the short-term payoff might not be there, in the long-term social responsibility is a financially viable strategy that companies can sell to their shareholders,” said Shank, whose research compared the 10 most socially responsible companies to the rest of the market. 

Corporate social responsibility includes treating employees well, reporting honest financial reports and overall, doing the right thing. For more information, visit the College of Business Web site at: http://www.stpt.usf.edu/cob/index.htm.

>> See: Shank's Photo Gallery

College of Education Hosts Children's Artwork Display

Those who have recently walked through the College of Education office have noticed vibrant artwork decorating the halls. During the next few months, the College will display local children’s artwork from the Word and Image exhibit at The Arts Center in downtown St. Petersburg.

Since 1998, Pinellas County students have created theme-based work and incorporated a written statement within the piece. This year’s theme Star Spangled Banner encourages elementary students to create art by incorporating their idea of patriotism with the words of the famous song.

Dean Vivian Fueyo worked with Joyce Nutta, Gwyn Lightsey and Barbara Frye, faculty on the College of Education’s Professional Partnerships Committee, to select art for the exhibit. The Arts Center Director Evelyn Craft was an integral component of the process of helping to develop the partnership and providing volunteers to transport the artwork to campus.

Campus members can view the artwork through the summer in COQ201.

Research Workshop Highlights Funding Essentials

The newly-formed St. Petersburg Research Administrators’ Roundtable will offer a series of Research Workshops this spring starting Friday, Feb. 18 with a two-part information session on how to identify research funding opportunities and an overview of the grant writing process.

The seminar, presented by the Division of Research Resources, will begin with an introduction by Christopher D’Elia, PhD, associate vice chancellor for research and community partnerships, followed by two presentations.

Research Information Specialist Kevin Hale will present Funding Attack, which will discussing finding funding, guidelines, ways to collaborate and how to promote your research. Rebecca Puig, director of research resources, will discuss The Basics including creating proposals, creating budgets and setting up the award for spending.

Participants are encouraged to bring proposal ideas and funding agency guidelines, as well as any questions or concerns. Refreshments will be served. For information, please contact Pat Butcher at pewhite@stpt.usf.edu or Pat Scott at pscott@stpt.usf.edu.

>> See: Flier (.pdf)

Community Says Goodbye to Beloved USF Member

During Phyllis P. Marshall's 34 years at USF, she was long known as USF's unofficial housemother, confidant and mentor. She joined the staff in 1960 as the school's first resident instructor and after two other university positions became the director of the University Center in 1975. In 1994, as a tribute to the former director, the building was named in her honor. She died in her sleep Saturday, Feb. 5 at the age of 78.

While at USF, Marshall served on more than 25 planning committees. She was an active supporter of state and local Olympic programs. She chaired monthly meetings for the Athena Society, a women's civic organization in Tampa, and also was active in the area chapter of the Leukemia Society.

Many said that Marshall was seen as a strong role model for students and throughout the years was recognized for her contributions to the university and its students.

The family has asked the university community for consideration in observing Marshall's passing. The university will host a celebration of her life later this spring.

Information provided by USF Web site.

>> See: Article in St. Petersburg Times

>> See: Editorial in Tampa Tribune

Great Ways to Make a Difference

USF St. Petersburg has a multitude of volunteer opportunities to make a difference in the community this spring. A few upcoming events include:

Valentines Day Dinner at the Ronald McDonald House – Bring your loved ones to help prepare and serve a Valentines Day dinner Monday, Feb. 14 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at the Ronald McDonald House.

Sojourn Bear Project – Make hand-made teddy bears with the Student Disability Services Office to give to cancer patients. Sewing skills are not necessary.

Tampa Bay Special Olympics - Volunteers are needed to help with scorekeeping, awards and carnival games Saturday, March 5 from 8:30 am to 1 pm at Lakewood High School.

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

First a stranger, student finds her way on China trip

St. Petersburg Times

February 9, 2005

Drooping, Sarah McDougal walked out of a crowded Chinese airport and into the smoggy air.

After a 30-hour flight with stops in Los Angeles and South Korea, the University of South Florida St. Petersburg scholarship student was exhausted and alone on the other side of the world.

She could not speak Chinese.

As she left the Tianjin airport, she began to worry: She had not planned how to get from the airport to Nan Kai University, where she was to stay for the semester.

>> Read: Full Article

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.