New Director for Honors Program

Thomas Smith, PhD, is the new director of the Honors Program at USF St. Petersburg. Smith has been an assistant professor of government and international affairs on campus since 2000.

Smith takes over for Ray Arsenault, PhD, who served as director of the program from 1995-2005. Arsenault will continue to act as associate director for the program.

“Thomas Smith is a terrific faculty member and he will do an excellent job,” said Arsenault, co-director of the Florida Studies program.

He said the transition is a natural one for Smith, who previously served as acting director of the program for one semester.

Before Smith came to USF St. Petersburg, he taught for three years at Koc University in Istanbul. He also spent time at Harvard University as visiting scholar at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies.

"I've always believed that the Honors Program is one of the best things
about USF St. Petersburg and I'm delighted to take over as director," said Smith. "The Honors curriculum, designed to intellectually challenge and engage our best and brightest students, helps to elevate the overall academic environment on our campus."

Under Smith’s direction, Arsenault says the Honors Program will continue in its goal to give students opportunities to achieve scholastic distinction.

For more information on the Honors Program at USF St. Petersburg, visit http://www.stpt.usf.edu/coas/honors/index.htm .

Walls Go Up on Residence Hall

The scenery has changed on the corner of Fifth Ave South and Second Street South, just across from the USF St. Petersburg Welcome Center. Amid the piles of dirt, bulldozers and cranes, the prefabricated walls of Residence Hall One are now visible.

With the use of a 250-foot segmented crane, about 145 walls and additional 56-foot floor panels will be erected over the next 10 weeks, resulting in the construction of the $18.3 million, seven-story, 126,000 sq. ft. residence hall to house 354 students in apartment-style living.

“We’ve been waiting for this day for a long time,” said Regional Chancellor Karen A. White. “Watching the walls go up is thrilling and it brings us even closer to the day next August when our first residential students will arrive with boxes, crates and suitcases.”

“On that day, the campus will be an even more welcoming home for students,” said White.

For more information on Residence Hall One, or to view a virtual tour, visit www.stpt.usf.edu/housing.

Show your Bulls Spirit at the Campus Football Night

Mark Saturday, Sept. 17 on your calendar for the annual USF St. Petersburg night at Raymond James Stadium.

Join faculty, staff, students, alumni and guests as the USF Bulls take on the University of Central Florida Knights at 7 pm. Plus, 13 min prior to the game, the campus will premiere a 60-second video to celebrate its 40th Anniversary.

Each faculty or staff member with a valid USF ID card can receive up to four tickets. Tickets are available in the CAC this week and are available on a first come first serve basis. On Thursday, Sept. 15, remaining tickets will be made available to students.

For more information, please call University Relations at 553-4256.

USPS Senate Recognizes Jennifer Woroner with Award

The USPS Senate recently honored Jennifer Woroner, office manager to the College of Arts & Sciences, with USF's Quiet Quality Award. In charge of an office of almost 200 faculty and staff, Woroner attempts to innovate and improve the operations of the college.

Mark Durand, PhD, regional vice chancellor of Academic Affairs, nominated Woroner for the quiet way in which she professionally and efficiently performs her job.

“She is always looking for ways to improve the service of the office for students and faculty,” Durand said. “It is here where she really shines!”

The USPS Senate implemented the Quiet Quality Awards in the Fall of 1996, with support from USF administration, to increase employee recognition. Nominees must be full- or part-time employees with six months of continuous service at USF.

USF St. Petersburg Anthropologists Receive NSF Grant

The National Science Foundation has awarded a grant of $95,100 to John Arthur, PhD, assistant professor of anthropology, and to Kathryn Weedman, PhD, instructor of anthropology.

“USF St. Petersburg is delighted to receive this highly competitive award from the prestigious National Science Foundation,” said Chris D’Elia, PhD, regional associate vice chancellor for Research & Community Partnerships. “The grant will enable the awardees to pursue their studies in Africa by providing safe and reliable transportation for their research team.”

The funds will be used to purchase a Toyota Land cruiser GX. With this vehicle, Arthur and Weedman will continue their research on the archaeological, ethno-archeological and oral history of the Gamo culture.

Arthur and Weedman conduct their research in remote highlands of Southwestern Ethiopia, where roads are mainly dirt and there is little public transportation.

Read: Gamo Research

Spend an Evening with a Pulitzer Prize Winner

The campus community is invited to join Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist William Raspberry for a community conversation at the Poynter
Institute on Thursday, Sept. 15 at 6:30 pm.

The evening, which is co-sponsored by USF St. Petersburg, will begin with a VIP reception at 5:15 pm, followed by the moderated conversation,
Educating Our Children, at 6:30 pm led by Raspberry, a seasoned Washington Post columnist.

The cost of the event is $25 for the conversation and $50 for the VIP reception and conversation, with proceeds benefiting writer's camps for elementary and high school journalism programs.

For more information and to RSVP, please contact the Poynter Institute
at 821-9494.

See: Event Flier (.pdf)

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

Learn and experience Hispanic culture through a series of campus events during National Hispanic Heritage Month, scheduled for Sept. 15 - Oct. 15, 2005.

Located just around the corner from our campus, the Dali Museum is a way to experience a part of Hispanic culture. Attend a tour and reception, sponsored by the USF College of Marine Science and SeaGrant. Guests are invited to attend the event on Friday, Sept. 23 from 5 pm – 7 pm.

Visit the Poynter Library for a month long exhibition on Hispanic Heritage. The exhibit is on display during regular Library hours.

For the main event, sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Affairs, the campus community is invited to spend an afternoon with actress and writer Sonia Manzano, who portrayed Maria on Sesame Street. She will discuss her experiences throughout her career as a first generation American of Latino descent.

For more information about Hispanic Heritage Month and upcoming events, please contact Steve Marshall, interim coordinator of Multicultural Affairs, at 553-4845.

For more information about the Dali tour and reception and to RSVP, please contact the College of Marine Science and SeaGrant at 553-1186 or laural@marine.usf.edu

See: Sonia Manzano flier (.doc)

Lecture Series Features Ethics

Professor Hugh LaFollette, PhD, invites the campus to attend a series of ethical lectures that will begin with a visit from Randall Curren, professor of philosophy and educational leadership at the University of Rochester, New York.

A specialist in the fields of philosophy of education and educational thought, policy and ethics, Curren will give his first presentation entitled "Elite Sports v. Academic Integrity," on Thursday, Sept. 22 at 4 pm in DAV130, where he will examine the role of sports within a university.

The next presentation, "Responsibility and Impairment," will take place on Friday, Sept. 23 at 11 am in DAV130. Through the course of this lecture Curren will offer a new account of responsibility for action in relation to persons with mental deficiencies.

For more information on the upcoming lectures, please contact Hugh LaFollette at 553-4830 or visit http://www.stpt.usf.edu/hhl/.

Read: Randall Curren

Guidance Counselors Get Updated Information

As we kicked off our 40th anniversary last week, Enrollment Services hosted a breakfast meeting for high school guidance counselors to learn more about our improving programs and growing campus.

John Vassel, director of Prospective Student Outreach, welcomed more than 30 counselors from Pinellas, Manatee, Pasco, Hillsborough and Sarasota counties. Representatives from student affairs, international affairs, and each of the campus’ three colleges provided campus highlights.

“We are trying to attract quality students to our campus with the improvements we are making,” said Mark Durand, PhD, regional vice chancellor of Academic Affairs.

Counselors also heard from Charles Brown regarding the new residence hall and plans for student life enhancement on campus and Frank Hohengarten, EdD, dean of Enrollment Services, addressed upcoming events that might be of interest to high school students.

“USF St. Petersburg is on the move,” Hohengarten said. “Our common desire with the counselors is to provide information to assist their students to make the best choices regarding where to attend college.”

For the latest information from HR, visit: USF SP HR Web site

Change In Store for Employee Benefit Program

Open Enrollment will take place from Oct. 3 – Oct. 28, 2005, when employees may enroll, change or cancel benefits that are available through the State of Florida. All changes will be effective Jan. 1, 2006.

New health plan options, HMO choices, and additional services are some of the changes that employees can expect.

Read: Benefit Changes (.pdf)

Learn about Eldercare

Are you interested in learning about eldercare issues? If so, please contact Volunteer Services Coordinator Barry McDowell at 553-4990 or mcdowell@stpt.usf.edu. McDowell plans on coordinating workshops based on campus community needs.

USF-St. Petersburg Marks 40 Years Of Higher Learning

Tampa Tribune

Sunday, Sept. 11

The University of South Florida-St. Petersburg celebrated 40 years of education last week.

The campus, which opened as a series of warehouses along Bayboro Harbor, is starting "an exciting year" of testimonials to the university, USF President Judy Genshaft said.

Officials are finalizing plans for a "signature event" to mark the 40-year milestone, university spokeswoman Alyson Seligman said.

Read: Full Story

A MILESTONE FOR USF ST. PETERSBURG

University celebrates 40 years

St. Petersburg Times

Thursday, Sept. 8

Les Tuttle waxes nostalgic when asked about the early days of Florida's first regional university.

The professor they called the "boy dean" remembers when the University of South Florida St. Petersburg's entire class schedule could be listed in a newspaper ad.

When tuition was collected in a shoe box on the first night of classes.

When the party for an entire graduating class cost less than $800.

Tuttle, who steered the fledgling campus in its early years, was among those who celebrated the school's past and toasted its future Wednesday at a 40th anniversary bash outside the Nelson Poynter Memorial Library.

Read: Full Story