Festival of Reading Moves to USF St. Petersburg

The 13th Annual St. Petersburg Times Festival of Reading has relocated to USF St. Petersburg and is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 29 from 10 am to 5 pm. The free Festival is an annual celebration of literacy, featuring nationally known author talks, book signings, panel discussions, workshops and a variety of entertainment.

Previously held at Eckerd College, the event draws more than 10,000 people each year. St. Petersburg Times representatives said they are excited to bring this major event to USF St. Petersburg and the ever-increasing downtown area.

In addition to authors, there will be several celebrity readers, a variety of entertainment and poetry reading, an extensive Book Market, food and drink concessions, and many children’s activities including arts and crafts, interactive games, costumed story-book characters and an appearance by SPOT the News hound — the Times’ literacy mascot.

USF St. Petersburg is currently seeking faculty, staff, students and alumni who have recently released a book or have upcoming book releases to contact faculty representative Lisa Starks at starks@stpt.usf.edu or Sudsy Tschiderer at tschider@spadmin.usf.edu. The campus is also seeking volunteers for the week prior to and the day of the event.

For more information, please visit the Festival of Reading Web site at www.festivalofreading.com

>> See: Event Flier (.pdf)

Beloved Campus Math Professor Remembered

Beloved USF math professor, John E. "Jack" Kelley, PhD, came to USF Tampa in 1964 before transferring to USF St. Petersburg until his retirement in the 1980s. Kelley died on May 9, 2005 after a long battle with Alzheimer's. He was 85.

"Dr. Kelley was proud of the evolution of the St. Petersburg campus, from its quiet beginnings, to the vital and active role that the campus now plays in the life of the community," Kelley's family said in a letter to the campus.

He earned his bachelor's from the University of Wisconsin, his master's from Marquette University and his doctorate from the University of Michigan. He was an Army veteran of World War II, serving in the 85th Infantry Division, and was a prisoner of war.

Survivors include three sons, Paul, Jim, and John, and a daughter, Mary.

Utilizing the Campus Calendar of Events

The USF St. Petersburg Calendar of Events is an important and useful way to advertise upcoming campus events to both the campus and the general public.

This easy to use, yet very effective publicity tool can promote events such as lectures, conferences, ceremonies, concerts, sporting events, scholarship events, fundraising events and exhibits.

University Relations encourages all faculty and staff to submit information so the campus can provide one unified location for all information. The campus' Calendar of Events is the primary way the community finds out about upcoming events.

You can submit events and information on the USF St. Petersburg central news form at www.stpt.usf.edu/news/submissions.htm. This all-in-one submission page enables you to submit your event to both the Calendar of Events and eNews at once.

>> See: Calendar of Events

Pinellas Alumni Chapter Announces Outstanding Senior

Each year, the USF Alumni Association recognizes an exceptional USF St. Petersburg senior who has excelled both in academics and extra-curricular organizations during his or her tenure on campus. This year, the Outstanding Graduate Award was presented to Michael Rogers, who graduated with honors with a bachelors in psychology.

While maintaining a near 4.0 GPA, Rogers has dedicated his efforts toward multicultural advocacy, particularly focusing on gender and sexuality issues. He was the co-coordinator of the USF St. Petersburg Campus Women’s Collective, a program coordinator for True Expressions, a community youth center for sexual minority youth, and is currently the trainer and Tampa Bay chapter director of the National Coalition Building Institute, a diversity leadership organization that works to end all oppressions.  

Rogers is also a recipient of the Doorways Scholarship from the Pinellas Education Foundation, a scholarship program that, through community support, provides financial assistance for low-income students to attend college. Rogers received this scholarship in seventh grade and since then he said he has received financial assistance, enriching programs, a community mentor and “the assurance that if I worked hard I would be able to attend and succeed at college.”

“I am the first person in my immediate family to have earned a bachelor's degree and have overcome considerable socio-economic challenges in doing so,” said Rogers, who has received numerous other scholarships in addition to the Doorways scholarship.

“I was honored to receive the Outstanding Graduate Award because it stands as recognition of all the work I have done and is a testament to my abilities as well as the dedication and support that I have received from my mother, family, friends, and various communities.”

Rogers is also a member of Psi Chi and Omicron Delta Kappa leadership honorary organizations and has been involved with the Psychological Science Club. He presented his research at the campus’ 2004 Tomorrow’s Leaders Symposium and the 2005 National Conference on Comparative Cognition.

Grand Slam Effort by Campus Softball Teams

For more than 15 years, USF St. Petersburg faculty and staff, along with friends and family, have trekked to USF Tampa to participate in the annual university Softball Tournament at the USF Faculty/Staff Family Picnic. This year's contingent included two teams of 11 members each led by Team Managers Sudsy Tschiderer and Juan Benitez.

Wharf Rats I and Wharf Rats II, which had participants representing numerous departments around campus, played two games each against other USF teams. Although the Wharf Rats only won one game overall, the team managers said everyone enjoyed the spirit of the game.

The event concluded with A Taste of Bulls Country, where local food vendors provided snacks for USF faculty, staff and their friends and family.

>> Read: Softball Game Play-by-Play by Team Managers

Update on Campus Parking Lot Closures

As construction for the residence hall and parking center nears, three campus parking lots temporarily closed in addition to the sidewalk next to the residential housing site on second street.

The closed lots are:

• Lot 16, which is the site of the Parking Center One on the corner of Fifth Avenue South and Third Street, will re-open Fall 2006.

• Lot 12, located east of the Campus Activities Center, is scheduled to reopen October 2005.

• Lot 15, located across the street from the Piano Man Building on Seventh Avenue South, will temporarily close with a partial reopening January 2006.

Campus members should utilize the outer lots, such as those at USGS and Children's Research Institute and allow additional time to park.

If you have any questions, please contact Facilities Planning at 553-4820.

>> See: Updated Campus Parking Map (.pdf)

Campus Beach Cleanup

Help clean the Tierra Verde bridge area with the campus’ Volunteer Services at the Beach Cleanup on Saturday, May 21 from 9 to 11 am. Please contact Barry McDowell at 553-4990 or mcdowell@stpt.usf.edu.

For the latest information from HR, visit: USFSP HR Web site

A&P and USPS Staff: Reclassification Design Project

Message from Barbara Fleischer, Human Resources coordinator:

As a follow up to the letters from Carl Carlucci and Sandy Lovins about the USPS and A&P Classification Redesign Project, here is advance copy of the Position Description Questionnaires (PDQ). According to the redesign timeline, the PDQ request will be officially sent from USF Tampa on June 1 and our office will need all campus PDQ's returned by Friday, July 22. Please let this serve as a heads-up on the upcoming request. 

Please see the following:

Form A: PDQ - Filled Positions (.doc)

For classifications of filled positions to be completed by the employee and the immediate supervisor of the position.

Form B:  PDQ - Vacant Positions (.doc)

For vacant positions to be completed by the immediate supervisor of the position only.

These forms are also located on our Human Resources Web site. Each USPS and A&P position, filled and vacant, must have a PDQ completed and submitted to Human Resources at TER402 by Friday, July 22, 2005, so I can get them to Tampa by the August 1 deadline.  Please share this information with the appropriate individuals on campus.

Please call me at 553-4115 if you need any additional information or if you would like me speak with your college or department regarding the Reclassification Design Project and PDQ.