College plans to join Facebook, Twitter and YouTube

The President’s Cabinet last week unanimously approved use of the social networking tools Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.com/edu as a way to market St. Petersburg College. But the group said it wants to move into this area with some caution.

“We realize this is the way many people communicate and that it’s a great way to get the word out about St. Petersburg College,” President Carl M. Kuttler Jr. said. “At the same time, we want to be sure that we’re not moving into any areas that can reflect poorly on the college.”

Institutional Advancement, the department in charge of the college’s marketing and media relations, will manage all the social networking opportunities. Within the next couple of months, IA will set up a Facebook page for the college as a whole. Institutional Advancement staff will be in charge of the status updates posted on the page.

Some of those also will be sent as tweets on Twitter.

Once that page and others IA chooses as test sites are in place and the protocols are affirmed, other departments can request Facebook pages through IA.

The same procedure applies to Twitter.

The college’s application for a YouTube edu channel has been approved by YouTube. The YouTube edu channels are offered only to colleges and universities and are free of advertising. While the list of institutions with a YouTube edu channel is growing rapidly, St. Petersburg College joins only a handful of institutions of higher education in the state to be awarded one so far.

The channel will feature promotional videos about programs and departments at the college; the college’s television commercials; student testimonials; and videos of cultural performances. Content will be posted on the new channel this month.

IA also will control the content of that channel.

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College offers summer programs for kids

SPC employees don’t have to look far to find a quality day camp for their children this summer. A variety of entertaining and educational camps for students in elementary, middle and high school are available.

For more than 30 years, SPC has offered College for Kids, a program for students completing kindergarten through fifth grade. The program, offered at sites around Pinellas County, expanded this year to offer programming for middle school students at the same locations the elementary programs are offered.

While elementary students can attend College for Kids for one week, eight weeks or any number in between, the middle school camps only are offered in monthly increments.

The college also offers a variety of specialty camps, including:

• Admiral Farragut Academy (for students in grades 4-9) – activities include oceanography, sports, math, Spanish immersion, art and computer classes. There’s also a one-week sailing camp.
• Musical Theater Camp (for students in grades 6-12) – participants will produce “Seussical Jr., The Musical” and learn set direction, costuming, singing and dancing.
• Spanish Immersion Camp (for students in grades 2-8) – children will learn vocabulary words, rhymes, culture, conversation, cooking, games and more.
• Captain Mack’s Space and Rocketry Camp (for students in grades 2-8) – students will have a chance to build a rocket, and take trips to the Kennedy Space Center and the SPC Planetarium – all while learning about outer space.
• Camp of Public Safety – Who Done It (for middle school students) – students learn how to collect and process “evidence” to solve a crime, which gives them hands-on experience in fingerprinting, investigation of a crime scene and working in a crime lab.

In addition, the college offers music camps at the St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus for middle and high school students. Students can participate in Summer Chorus, Summer Jazz Band for beginners or Summer Jazz for advanced musicians.

Although there are no employee discounts or scholarships for SPC’s summer programs, the camps are reasonably priced compared to other programs in the area.

“SPC camps are great because of our staff of credentialed Pinellas County teachers and assistants, the attention to detail in planning the camps, and the promotion of SPC in the community,” Lifelong Learning Program Director Jackie Addis said. “Kids return year after year because it’s fun and educational.”

For more information on dates, locations and prices for the College for Kids and specialty camps, visit the College for Kids Web site. For information on SPC’s Music camps, visit the Lifelong Learning Web site.

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Reminder about Fall Faculty

Just a reminder, as part of the college’s determined efforts to cut expenses and maintain quality services during the current economic downturn, the annual Fall Faculty event planned for August 2009 has been canceled.

“Fall Faculty is an SPC tradition and something that everyone looks forward to. It’s a rare opportunity for the college faculty and staff to get together and consider strategies for the upcoming academic year,” said President Carl M. Kuttler Jr. “But these are difficult and challenging times, and we need to put the needs of our students first.”

SPC’s Board of Trustees and leadership have been working hard to find ways to cut the budget without slashing programs or trimming staff, pay or benefits. While Fall Faculty always is much anticipated by the college family, it was deemed expendable under the current difficult circumstances.

“We believe we are well positioned to weather these troubling times, but we understand that we will have to make some tough decisions along the way,” Kuttler said “This is an example of that. Hopefully, the decisions we make now will lessen the impact of things that may challenge us down the road.”

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Prepare for graduate classes with GRE Prep Class

St. Petersburg College is offering a combined GRE Math and Verbal review class beginning June 23 at the Clearwater Campus.  The new analytical writing section will be included in the curriculum.  The course is taught by SPC professors of math and English.

The prep class is scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday nights from 5-8 for four weeks June 23-July 16.  Tuition is $275 and includes all course materials. The course is offered in a computer lab.  The fee includes a textbook, practice test workbook and CD that features test-taking strategies, review questions, and official retired practice tests for home study use.

 Learn how to achieve your highest test score possible and relieve some anxiety by signing up for this prep course.  This is a great time to prepare yourself for graduate level classes. Class size is limited.

For information or to register, visit SPC’s Lifelong Learning Web site or call 727-341-3184.

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Student museum attendance on the rise

The Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art experienced a signigicant increase in student visitors during the 2008-09 fall and spring terms. LRMA experienced an estimated 1,500 student visitors during the fall and 1,700 so far during the spring.

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Russian ensemble to play

The Divertissement Ensemble, a prize-winning orchestral group from Orenburg, Russia, will appear at the Tarpon Springs Performing Arts Center Friday at 7 p.m., and Saturday at the Palladium Theater in St. Petersburg at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Tickets are $5 for the general public. Tickets and information are available by calling the Tarpon Springs Performing Arts Center at 727-942-5605 or The Palladium at 727-822-3590. Admission is free for all students and SPC staff.

Listen to a sample of their music.

Founded by the Orenburg State Philharmonic Society in 1994, the ensemble is one of the most popular classical music groups in the Volga and Urals regions of Russia. The ensemble has given rich repertory performances in the most prestigious concert halls of Russia, including the M. Glinka Philharmonic Chamber Hall in St. Petersburg, the Moscow State Conservatory, the Moscow State Philharmonic Society and in the grand estates around St. Petersburg – Tsarskoye Selo and Pavlovsk. Members are participants and winners of different international competitions.

Divertissement Ensemble plays a variety of music, from ancient to modern and ultra-modern.

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Educators in Industry summer session

The summer session of Educators In Industry (EII) runs June 8 - 11.  Participants will meet on Monday from 1 – 4 p.m. at Pinellas County Schools Administration building, and Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8:30 a.m. until 4 pm at various businesses.  Six visits (two a day) will be made to business and industrial sites to acquire knowledge regarding career opportunities in Pinellas County.  Visits will include such sites as WorkNet Pinellas, L-3 Communications, Tech Data, Pinellas Waste Water Plant and PSCU Financial Services.

In addition to the business and industry site visits, the EII board members expect participants to attend a banquet to be held in November. 

Registration form (pdf)

As in all workshops that require you to be away from your work site, please be sure to get your supervisor’s permission to attend.

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Cultural Corner
This weekly column features some of the arts and entertainment events presented by St. Petersburg College and its partners. NEW items are noted for your convenience.

Continuing through May 10
American Stage in the Park: Altar Boyz, 8 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday, Demens Landing, St. Petersburg. $11-$14.

Continuing thorugh May 5
Student Charrette Art Show, Fine Arts Building, Tarpon Springs Campus. Reception April 25. Free.

Continuing through May 9
The 28th Annual congressional High School Art Competition and Exhibition. Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art Auditorium. Free.


Friday, May 1
St. Petersburg College Piano Concert Series: Dolores Gadevsky, solo recital, 7:30 p.m. St. Petersburg College Music Center, St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus. Free.

May 1-2
Divertissement Ensemble, a prize-winning orchestral group from Orenburg, Russia, 7 p.m. May 1, Tarpon Springs Performing Arts Center ; 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. May 2, Palladium. $5, students and SPC staff free.

May 1-3
Florida Orchestra Masterworks Concert: Brahms: Symphony No. 3, Stefan Sanderling, Conductor; Karen Gomyo, violin. 8 p.m. Friday, May 1, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center; 8 p.m. Saturday, May 2, Mahaffey Theater; and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, May 3, Ruth Eckerd Hall. $19-$65.

May 2
Florida Artist Group: 58th Annual Exhibition Members Opening Reception. 7 p.m. Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art Fine Arts Lobby. Free to members. $10 for guests.

May 3- July 19
Florida Artist Group: 58th Annual Exhibition. Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art Auditorium. Free.

May 15-17
Florida Orchestra Masterworks Concert: Mahler Symphony No. 2, Resurrection, Stefan Sanderling, Conductor. Featuring the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay, Richard Zielinski, artistic and music director. 8 p.m. Friday, May 15, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center; 8 p.m. Saturday, May 16, Mahaffey Theater; and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, May 17, Ruth Eckerd Hall. $19-$65.

Check out the upcoming events at the Florida Orchestra in their online calendar:
May

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This article and other health information are available on our Wellness blog.

Water

Water is one of six essential nutrients necessary to maintain good health and vitality. The other nutrients are:

• minerals
• vitamins
• proteins
• fats
• carbohydrates

Water differs from the other five in that the human body does not store water very well. For example, the body is better at storing fat, so if stranded without food and water, you could survive several weeks without food, but only a few days without water.

Water is a major part of every body tissue; your body weight is 50-60% water.

How much water is needed?

We lose about 10 cups of water a day through breathing, sweating, cooling the body and the elimination of waste. Water that is lost to these physical functions must be replaced to avoid dehydration. Dehydration is dangerous, especially for those living in a hot and humid climate like Florida’s, because water plays a role in temperature control. Thirst lags behind the body’s need for water and can often be a sign of dehydration.

It is unclear where the origin of the common advice to drink eight glasses of water a day originated. The most recent recommendations by the Institute of Medicine (2004) say that other beverages such as juice and milk can count as fluid replacement; this is because most foods and drinks contain mostly water. For example, one cup of milk is 89% water.

Other foods that have a high water content are:

• Lettuce, 95% water in 1 1/2 cup
• Watermelon, 92% water in 1 1/2 cup
• Broccoli, 91% water in 1 1/2 cup
• Apple, 84% water (one medium)

Water is the best bet for fluid replacement because it has no calories. Have you ever wondered about the difference between various types of water?

• Spring water - Marketed as bottled from a “natural” source but does not always come from a spring; some “spring” water is tap water.
• Tap water - In the U.S., water from the tap is strictly regulated by the EPA, (Environmental Protection Agency) is safe to drink and free.
• Mineral water- Contains minerals at a greater concentration than spring or well water.
• Distilled water- Minerals have been removed, not usually for drinking as the taste is unpleasant. This type of water is ideal for use in machinery such as irons and car engines.
• Purified water – Contaminates and minerals have been removed, so distilled water is also purified.

To contact SPC’s Wellness Coordinator, contact Cathleen at shears.cathleen@spcollege.edu

To explore additional wellness updates, visit the SPC Wellness blog.

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Locker Room: Three teams headed to postseason play

The spring has been good to the college’s sports teams. All are headed to postseason play.

The tennis team, under Coach Phil Girardi, begins play Sunday in the national tournament in Tucson, Ariz., the softball team begins state-tournament play in Auburndale today and the baseball team will open the state tournament May 8.

The softball team of Coach Jamie Madeoff-Grodecki opens play at noon against Pensacola Junior College. Sixteen teams are participating in the three-day tournament at the Auburndale Softball Complex.

The baseball team went down-to-the-wire to win a spot in the state tournament, earning the second spot from the Suncoast Conference with a 14-11 victory against Pasco-Hernando Saturday night in the final of a best-of-three playoff.

It is the 11th straight year that Coach Dave Pano has directed his team to the state tournament. The path this year is similar to the route taken in 2005 when the team finished second in the country. They didn’t win the conference, had to play in through the playoffs and went on to win the state tournament.

The team opens play at 10 a.m. May 8 against Santa Fe CC, the winner of the Mid-Florida Conference.

The state tournament is played at Chain O’ Lakes Field in Winter Haven.

For results please visit www.spcollege.edu/athletics.

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We’re eco-friendly at home, but what about at work?

The issue
We’re eco-friendly at home, but what about at work?

The larger issue

We spend at least 40 hours a week here at St. Petersburg College; we might as well be eco-friendly while we are at it.

Be part of the solution
What can each of us do to be more sustainable?  How about:

• If possible, carpool.  You can cut your weekly fuel costs in half if you take turns driving (or even better, use PSTA or ride a bike).
• Turn off you computer at night.  A computer left on 24 hours a day costs you between $115 and $160 in electricity annually.
• Reduce word document margins to .75” and turn scrap paper into note pads.
• Use your windows.  Natural light is always better then electric lighting.  If you must use electric lights, turn them off when not in use.
• Don’t use screensavers.  Instead, set your monitor to turn off automatically after 10 minutes of non-use and set computers to sleep/hibernate after 30 minutes.
• Print double sided and only what is necessary.
• Don’t go out for lunch.  Stay on campus and off the road, eat at the campus café or bring your own healthy, natural and organic lunch.
• Recycle.  St Petersburg College is working toward a comprehensive collegewide recycling program; when it’s underway, recycle.
• Recycle your mobile phone.  Instead of throwing it away, recycle it at the EpiTech building.
• Stop buying bottled water.  Instead of buying bottled water every day, how about buying a filter/pitcher once?  Doing so will keep 230 plastic bottles out of the landfill.
• Try fair trade, organic and shade grown coffee.  Learn more about Fair Trade Certified products.

Want to become involved with SPC’s exciting sustainability initiatives?
To participate in the sustainable | SPC initiative, e-mail green.jason@spcollege.edu or visit www.spcollege.edu/sustainability.

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Onward & Upward

Cathy King, RN, DNP, CCRN, an instructor in the College of Nursing, has been named National League for Nursing Ambassador.

As an NLN Ambassador, she will keep SPC’s faculty and administration informed about NLN initiatives, grant opportunities, conferences, publications, workshops and other benefits.

King has been an RN for 30 years, and an instructor here since 1998.

The NLN Ambassador Program was established in the fall of 2006. The ambassadors now total 700, and they represent nursing schools in 49 states.

The NLN offers faculty development, networking opportunities, testing and assessment, nursing research grants, and public policy initiatives to 27,000 individuals and more than 1,100 institutional members.

Martin Smith to serve on FHIMA board

Martin Smith has been elected to serve on the Executive Board of the Florida Health Information Management Association (FHIMA). FHIMA is the membership organization of health information management which fosters the professional development of its members through education, communication and advocacy.

Smith now will have a voice as a recognized leader in Health Information Management and Healthcare Informatics for the state of Florida. Each year three directors are voted onto the board. They serve as liaisons to committees and conduct business of the association. This is a two-year commitment.

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HR Notes: Health benefits during vacation travel

What happens if I’m out of the area, state, or the U.S. and have a medical  emergency?  How will I be taken care of?  You always are covered in case of an emergency, day or night, no matter where you are in the world.  Preauthorization is not required for an emergency.  Please refer to page 6 of the Open Access Select Pamphlet for details.  It is located on the Human Resources Benefits page.

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On SPC-TV
Here is the broadcast schedule for the original cultural programs recorded by SPC for broadcast on the college station. SPC-TV can be seen on Bright House 620, Knology 19 and Verizon 47 in Pinellas County.

NEW The Music Center Presents: Percussion Ensemble WATCH THE VIDEO: (30 min)

Or watch it on SPC TV:
Monday at 9:30 p.m.; Friday at 9:30 p.m. and Saturday at 8:30 p.m.

For details on other Department of Music events, visit the Department of Music Web site.

» Frontline: Behind the Lines
Wednesday at noon and 9 p.m. and Saturday at noon and 9 p.m.

For details on other Palladium events, visit the Palladium Web site.

» The Music Center Presents: St. Petersburg College Band
Sunday noon and 9 p.m.; Friday 8 p.m.

» A Night at the Palladium: Harambee; African Culture Showcase
Monday 9 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m. and 8 p.m.

For details on other Palladium events, visit the Palladium Web site.

» A Night at the Palladium: An Evening with Rosa Rio
Sunday 11 a.m. and 8 p.m.; Tuesday 9 p.m.

For details on other Palladium events, visit the Palladium Web site.

» A Night at the Palladium: Nathan Laube
Monday 8 p.m.

For details on other Palladium events, visit the Palladium Web site.

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