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Friday, March 13, 2009
The Blue & White is published weekly for St. Petersburg College employees and interested visitors. It is designed for you to be able to scan the headlines quickly. If you are interested in an article listed below, click on the link and you will be directed to that article. You also can view the paper version locations or the printable pdf.
Calendar items with a specific deadline are marked with an *.
College sticks with five-day work weekAfter much deliberation, the President’s Cabinet voted unanimously on Monday to continue the five-day work week for the summer. Support for the four-day work week was strong among employees who responded to the survey, but making this transition in time for the summer session is not feasible because of the many programs and events already in place and the many offices that need to remain open on Fridays. President Carl M. Kuttler Jr. indicated the subject will be revisited, and it’s possible a four-day work week could be implemented next summer. “We appreciate everyone’s interest in this option,” he said, “but the Cabinet did not feel comfortable making a major change at this time.” Catherine Kennedy to oversee international programs
Kennedy had been responsible for such educational partnerships as those that exist between St. Petersburg College and other U.S. educational institutions through the UPC. The expansion of Kennedy’s duties is part of a continuing reorganization in which administrators are taking on dual roles without additional compensation. The position of Dean of International Programs, held by Karen Kaufman White until she became Provost of the St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus, will not be filled. “I’ll be overseeing all aspects of SPC’s international efforts – Study Abroad initiatives, International Student Services and others,” Kennedy said. Kennedy will retain her office on the Seminole Campus but also will work out of an International Programs office on the St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus. In both of her roles, Kennedy will report to Anne Cooper, Senior VP, Academic & Student Affairs. $5,000 Silverberg Endowment grant proposals now being soughtThe Silverberg Endowment for Academic Excellence first was awarded in 1982 and has been given annually since then. The annual grant, of up to $5,000, goes to support, enhance, enrich or develop programs of benefit to SPC and its students. Proposals for 2009 now are being accepted. Submissions should be forwarded to the campus provost for review and signed approval. They then must go to Executive Director Paul Hanna of the SPC Foundation at the District Office by March 20. Proposals will be considered by the Silverberg family, and it is expected that the 2009 award will be announced by April 30. Proposals should include:
Deep appreciation is expressed to the members of the Silverberg family for the establishment of the Endowment Fund, and for their interest in and support of St. Petersburg College. Douglas Raynor, Epi custodian, dies at 56
His wife, Jodi, who works in Facilities Planning at EpiServices, said he was diagnosed with cancer about two years ago. “Doug absolutely loved working for the college, and he loved his crew and all his co-workers,” she said. “He was very happy here.” Jim Waechter, Director of Facilities Services, said Mr. Raynor worked at the Clearwater Campus briefly when he first joined SPC, then worked at the Tarpon Springs Campus for about two years before joining the EpiCenter crew. “I had a few precious moments to spend with Doug last week,” Waechter said. "He would want you to know that he was completely at peace. That peace comes from Doug's knowledge that his beloved wife Jodi is loved and cared for so much by so many of us here at the college.” Jodi Raynor said her husband enjoyed riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle, and also enjoyed boating and camping with his family. A celebration of life will be held Sunday at 4 p.m. at Hospice House Woodside, 6770 102nd Ave., Pinellas Park. Graduation reminder to faculty and staff
Spring graduation is at 10 a.m., Saturday, May 9, at Tropicana Field, and the deadline to order rental or keeper graduation regalia is March 31. Attendance is mandatory for all full-time faculty and Administrative and Professional staff. Adjuncts and percent-of-load faculty are not required, but are welcome to participate. Required faculty and staff may seek to be excused by submitting a written request to President Kuttler by April 24 with the purpose clearly stated. Regalia can be ordered from Follett’s Bookstore on any campus. Follett’s will need your name, height (with shoes), weight, cap size (or head measurement, in inches), full title of your degree, and the school which conferred your degree along with the university’s location (city and state), and a phone number where you can be contacted. Orders received after March 31 will incur a late fee. Questions should be directed to your campus bookstore.
Spend 2008 FSA money by March 15There’s still time. You have until March 15 to incur expenses for your FSA money and until April 30 to submit your claim form and receipts.
Things to know when you submit your claim: » Be sure to include documentation with the provider’s name, date of service, services rendered and the amount requested. » Some expenses -- vitamins, supplements, weight loss programs, etc. -- require a doctor’s letter of medical necessity. The letter must reflect a medical condition and state the item submitted for reimbursement is recommended as treatment of the condition. » Please do not highlight or put tape on receipts or cash register tapes. That makes the documents impossible to read after faxing or copying. » Canceled checks, bank statements, credit card statements, discharge papers and estimation of fees are not considered receipts. » Claims received by Wednesday each week are processed that week; claims received after Wednesday are processed the following week. For a detailed list of items and expenses that can or cannot be paid with FSA money, visit the Custom Benefit Service’s Web site, or call Custom Benefit Services at 1-800-809-8161. Cultural Corner
St. Petersburg College: Legacy of Leadership, St. Petersburg Museum of History, 335 Second Ave. NE, on the approach to the Pier. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. $12 general, $9 seniors and students, $7 ages 7 to 17, ages 6 and younger free. Continuing through April 12 March 13-April 5 Friday, March 13 Friday, March 13-14
Tuesday, March 17 Friday, March 20 Friday, March 20 March 20-22 NEW - Thursday, March 26 Friday, March 27 March 27-29 Sunday, March 29 Tuesday, March 31 NEW - Thursday, April 2
NEW - April 3-5 NEW - Friday, April 3 NEW - Sunday, April 5 NEW - April 6-24 NEW - Thursday, April 9 NEW - Friday, April 10 NEW - Monday, April 13
Wellness Challenge: And the winners are ...The six-week Wellness Challenge has ended and close to 9,000 points were earned by all SPC teams in the pursuit of such healthy habits as exercising, eating fruits and vegetables, wearing a seat belt, and attending lunch and learn sessions. Here are the winning teams at each site and the overall college-wide winning team: Allstate Campus – Guns and Hoses Clearwater Campus - BT Bods Downtown Campus –Downtown Dancing Queens EpiCenter/District Office –Health Nuts Health Education Center - HEC “100 Mile Club” Wellness Walkers Saint Petersburg/ Gibbs - Working For Less Seminole- Seminole FitNuts Tarpon Springs - The Tenacious Tarpons The Health Nuts, the collegewide winning team with 4,049 points, gained an edge by hours of documented volunteer time with a team project to benefit others at local nursing homes and churches. Congratulations to all teams for a job well done! Everyone is a winner! To explore additional wellness updates, visit the SPC Wellness blog. Locker Room: Baseball team unbeaten after 4 conference gamesThe baseball team swept Polk Community College in the first three games of the Suncoast Conference season and then rallied to beat South Florida CC Wednesday night, 9-3. The team scored 10 runs in the top of the ninth inning Saturday afternoon at Polk CC to pull out a 14-9 victory. Game three of a three-game series with South Florida CC is Saturday afternoon at Carpenter Complex at 2 p.m. The team’s overall record is 20-11 after Wednesday’s win. The softball team is 8-11 overall and 2-0 in the Suncoast Conference after winning a double header Tuesday against Hillsborough CC. The next home doubleheader is March 19 against Pasco-Hernando CC at Eddie C. Moore Complex in Clearwater. The first game starts at 5 p.m. The tennis team continues to play non-conference matches as it tunes up for the state tournament April 18-19. It had a big victory Monday afternoon against Central Florida CC. The state junior college basketball champions were decided last weekend and Chipola defeated Gulf Coast CC in the final of the men’s and women’s tournaments. For results please visit www.spcollege.edu/athletics.
Environmentally friendly lawnsThe issue
Be part of the solution
Want to become involved with SPC’s exciting sustainability initiatives? HR NotesTo take better advantage of your Aetna health coverage, please visit the HR Benefits page. Learn more about wellness discounts (pdf) available to budgeted employees who have Aetna health coverage. You can take advantage of discounts such as: vision, hearing, and weight management discount programs. On SPC-TV  Tuesday 8 p.m.; Thursday 9 p.m. » The Music Center Presents: St. Petersburg College Band » CoMotion Fall Dance Concert » A Night at the Palladium: An Evening with Rosa Rio » A Night at the Palladium: Valentine and Stardust |
Catherine Kennedy, Associate VP, University Partnership Center and International Programs, assumed expanded responsibilities Monday that put her in charge of international partnerships and programs.
Douglas Raynor, a Custodian Crew Leader at the EpiCenter and an SPC employee for the past eight years, died Monday at Hospice House Woodside in Pinellas Park.
You can visit the doctor, pay for prescriptions or other approved medical expenses, or buy qualified over-the-counter items and still get reimbursed from 2008 monies. Our third-party administrator, Custom Benefit Services, automatically looks for unused 2008 funds before refunding 2009 funds to you. 
Saturday, March 14
NEW
Check out the upcoming events at the Florida Orchestra in their online calendar:
