There will be no Blue & White published on July 17. News stories » Noted artist Allen Leepa dies » SPC again near top of annual national rankings » Florida's colleges lead the nation » Health Risk Assessment » Healthy/green lifestyles » Family and Medical Leave Act » Lifelong Learning events » Graduation July 25 in Largo Calendar notes » Meeting notice » July birthdays/anniversaries (pdf) Regular columns » Cultural Corner » Wellness » SPC This Week » Sustainability » On SPC TV » Board of Trustees Highlights PAYCHECK DEDUCTION REMINDER Because there are three paydays in July and to allow time for processing changes in benefits, benefit deductions were not taken out of the July 3 paycheck. Instead, deductions will be taken from the paychecks on July 17 and 31. The next time there are three paydays in a month (December), the deductions will be taken from the first two paychecks.

Allen Leepa (1919-2009) Allen Leepa keeps a close eye on Jammel Davis' artistic efforts at the November 1999 groundbreaking for the Leepa-Rattner Musem of Art in Tarpon Springs. Read more» View image gallery Read local news coverage

Noted artist Allen Leepa dies

Allen Leepa, a noted Abstract Expressionist and minimalist artist who, along with his then-wife Isabelle, donated a valuable art collection to St. Petersburg College that became the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art, died June 27. He was 90.

SPC President Carl M. Kuttler Jr. sits with Allen Leepa in 1997 as the announcement of the Leepas’ gift to the college is made. View more photos on our online image gallery.

A professor of art for many years at Michigan State University, he retired to Tarpon Springs. In 1997, the Leepas decided to donate their extensive art collection to St. Petersburg College, which in turn established the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art at the Tarpon Springs Campus.

The collection, consisting of thousands of works by Leepa; his mother, Esther Gentle Rattner; and his stepfather, Figurative Expressionist Abraham Rattner; as well as by Picasso, Chagall, Rouault, Hans Hofmann and others, is valued at more than $20 million. Besides the art collection, the Leepas gave the college $2.5 million to put toward establishing the new museum.

The groundbreaking for the 58,000-square-foot museum complex at the Tarpon Springs Campus was Nov. 9, 1999, and it opened in January 2002. At the groundbreaking, Leepa described his vision for the museum.

“This museum is a vehicle to promote education through the arts,” he said. “The creative and emotional development attainable through personal involvement in art can offer profound guidelines in education and to the personal growth of the college student and public spectator.”

SPC President Carl M. Kuttler Jr. remembered Leepa’s gift and discussed its meaning to the college as well as to the community.

“This very generous gift of such magnificent works by Allen and Isabelle Leepa has become one of St. Petersburg College’s most valuable assets,” he said. “It also has added greatly to the cultural value of West Central Florida. We are proud that they chose our college to become their collection’s permanent home.”

Lynn Whitelaw, Director of the Leepa-Rattner Museum, remembered Allen Leepa as a man whose commitment to his art never waivered.

“Allen was a beatnik from the 1950s who stayed true to his convictions,” Whitelaw said. “He was passionate about art throughout his 90 years on this earth. He believed art had a higher meaning as an expression of life.

“To Allen, art dealt with what is real and true; philosophical and psychological; emotional and with expression,” he said. “On a personal side, Allen was kind and caring and appreciative of what people did for him.” 
  
Janice Buchanan, Coordinator of Development and Grants for the museum, was deeply involved in the gift of the art collection and knew Dr. and Mrs.Leepa well.

“Dr. Leepa believed strongly that the collection should enrich this community, and he thought a lot about how that could best be accomplished,” Buchanan said. “We are delighted and proud that he chose St. Petersburg College, and we are deeply committed to keeping our shared vision alive.”

The Museum will organize an exhibition entitled Allen Leepa: In Memoriam to open Aug. 2 with a special tribute to the life of Allen Leepa at 3 p.m. The exhibition will run through Aug. 30. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Allen Leepa Memorial Fund at the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art.

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SPC again near top of annual national rankings

St. Petersburg College has once again placed near the top of Community College Week’s Top 100 Associate Degree Producers list.

This year’s report is based on data for the 2007-08 academic year, compiled by the U.S. Department of Education.

In the primary category, All Disciplines, SPC was ranked 10th among the nation's more than 1,200 community colleges.

In other categories, SPC was ranked as follows:

• Nursing, 8th
• Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, 12th

The rankings apply to two-year institutions, including those that offer four-year degrees.

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Florida's colleges lead the nation in graduation rates

The Florida College System’s three-year graduation rate of 30 percent is nearly double the southern region’s average of 16 percent, and is the highest among all 16 SREB member states.

The Florida College System also leads the region in three-year student progression rates. This measure tracks full-time freshmen enrolled in degree or certificate programs who graduated, were still enrolled, or who transferred to another college within three years. At 59 percent, the state’s progression rate is the highest in the region.

Florida’s average also greatly exceeds the national average of 20 percent, according to the SREB Fact Book. The rates are inclusive of full-time freshmen who first enrolled in public two-year colleges to pursue an associate’s degree or vocational certificate.

The Fact Book, one of the nation’s leading sources of comparative higher education data, annually summarizes and reports key higher education data for each of the region’s 16-member states.

Based in Atlanta, the SREB helps advance education and improve the social and economic life of the region. Members include Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.

View the 2009 Fact Book (pdf) online.

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Health Risk Assessment

All employees and their dependents covered under the college’s insurance plan (including those who smoke) are eligible to take the Health Risk Assessment.

The Health Risk Assessment is part of Aetna’s Simple Steps to a Healthier Life program, which is designed to help employees reach health goals for getting in shape, eating better, losing weight, coping better with stress, and much, much more.

Learn more by visiting https://simplestepslife.aetna.com/SS/splash. Each covered employee and their dependents will need to create an individual user name and password through Aetna (if they don’t have one already).

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Healthy/green lifestyles

Are you someone who:

• Rides your bicycle to work?
• Eats vegetarian?
• Lives in a “green” home?
• Hypermiles in a high efficiency/alternate fuel vehicle?
• Runs ultramarathons?
• Composts?
• Lives an exceptionally healthy lifestyle?
• Volunteers as a community activist?

Or do you do something even more exciting?

We are starting a new monthly feature in the Blue & White that is focused on those with an environmentally and/or health-conscious lifestyle. If this is how you live, please e-mail frederick.bill@spcollege.edu so that we may profile you in a future issue.

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Family and Medical Leave Act

Did you know that you could use the Family and Medical Leave Act for:

» The birth and care of a newborn child?
» The placement of a foster or adopted child?
» The care of an immediate family member (spouse, child or parent) with a serious health condition?
» Medical leave when you can’t work due to a serious health condition?

Learn more by visiting www.spcollege.edu/central/hr/fmla.htm

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Lifelong Learning events

Shall we dance? And draw? And paint?

College for Kids is hosting a Summer Arts Week July 27-31 at the St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus’ Wellness Center, located at 70th St. N. and Burlington Ave.

Students in grades 4-12 can try their hands (and feet) in drawing, painting, ballet, choreography and more. The cost is $150. For further information, call Ext. 3184 or visit www.spcollege.edu/ac/c4k.

Boater safety

The college will offer a one-day, state-approved boater safety class on July 25 at the Dennis L. Jones Seminole Community Library on the Seminole Campus.

Topics will include type of boats, safety equipment, navigation rules, local charts, waterway markings, knot-tying and personal watercraft operation.

The course serves as a mandatory education class for boating violators, meets the certification requirements for youth operating a vessel with 10 HP motors or larger, and serves as a refresher course for boaters.

The cost is $35, including text, a certificate of completion, state registration and a boater ID card. For further information, call Ext. 3184 or visit www.spcollege.edu/ac/lifelong/.

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Graduation July 25 in Largo

The college’s 110th Commencement is at 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 25, at First Baptist Church of Indian Rocks in Largo, which features a 3,000-seat auditorium with major audio and video performance enhancements.

Approximately 300 graduates are expected to march, including those earning baccalaureate degrees. As in previous non-May ceremonies, a full faculty and staff procession with regalia will not be held. However, faculty and staff are encouraged to attend to show support for the graduates. Because of limited seating, reserved seating (ID required) can be arranged by contacting Tina O’Daniels at Ext. 5720.

The commencement address will be delivered by President Carl M. Kuttler Jr. A Student’s Perspective will be shared by two graduates, one a two-year student and one a four-year student from the Management and Organizational Leadership program of the College of Technology and Management. The 2009 Outstanding Alumnus Award, announced at Spring 2009 Commencement, will be presented to E. Ann McGee, President of Seminole Community College. Invocation and benediction will be delivered by Rev. Terry Collier of the Network of Christian Counselors.

Other notable people onstage: members of the Board of Trustees, President’s Cabinet, Baccalaureate Deans and Faculty Senate.

For those students, family and friends who cannot attend the graduation ceremony on July 25, a link to view a live broadcast of the ceremony will be available beginning at 9:50 a.m. under “Click to View Broadcast.”

Summer graduation details are online.

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Meeting notice

The Education Committee of the Board of Directors for the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art will meet at 1:30 p.m. July 23, in the Auditorium of the Fine Arts building at the Tarpon Springs Campus to discuss general museum business.

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

Bugs: 'Tis the season

How can you help to reduce the annoyance from mosquitoes and also protect yourself and your family from infection? Stay indoors at dawn, dusk, and in the early evening. This is when many mosquitoes are most active. Certain mosquitoes will be active at midday as well.

If you must be outside during peak hours, take extra care to use the precautions below.

• Wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants and socks when you are outdoors. The clothing may form a barrier against some mosquito bites.
• Choose a product that will protect you for the amount of time you expect to be outside. For example, a study found that 24% DEET provided about five hours of protection. A 7% DEET product protected for about two hours. Concentrations higher than about 30% provide little additional protection. They also may increase the chance of irritation or fabric damage.
• DEET-based products can be used with sunscreen. No studies are available on the use of other repellents with sunscreen. Apply sunscreen first, then DEET. Reapply either product as needed.
• When applying insect repellents to children, select the lowest concentration of DEET appropriate for the amount of time the child will be outdoors, says the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The product should not contain more than 30% DEET, the AAP says. The label for products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus recommends not using them on children under age 3.
• Do not allow children to apply insect repellents to themselves. When applying repellent to your child, keep the product away from their eyes and mouth. Do not apply to children's hands. Their hands may end up in their eyes or mouth, causing irritation.
• Do not use insect repellent on infants younger than 2 months, the AAP says. Use mosquito netting over strollers and infant carriers.
• Dump out standing water where mosquitoes may breed. Water may collect in places such as tires, empty flowerpots, toys and open garbage cans. Change water often in birdbaths. Keep your wading pool covered when not in use.

Explore SPC Wellness to read additional articles on wellness or follow the SPC Wellness link on the HR home page.

Contact SPC’s wellness coordinator Cathleen Shears at shears.cathleen@spcollege.edu

Source: www.intelihealth.com.  Tips come from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and/or Richard Pollack, Ph.D. Pollack is a research fellow in infectious diseases at the Harvard School of Public Health.

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Rain Barrels Growing in Popularity

Mary Jo Golley, Administrative Specialist, HEC, has five 55-gallon rain barrels at strategic locations around her home. As a result, her certified Florida Friendly Yard requires no city water.  Over the years, Golley has saved hundreds of dollars and thousands of gallons of potable water through this one simple conservation effort.

It’s not hard to see why Golley opts for an alternative to city water for her grass-free yard; with only a half-inch of rain, a 1,000-square-foot roof can fill the five 55-gallon rain barrels.

Golley uses the stored water for potted and landscape plants, as well as to refill her pond and store water in anticipation of hurricanes.

The Pinellas County Extension Office offers a rain harvesting workshop at its facilities in Largo.  The workshop provides set-up instructions and a reference booklet.

 “Our rain barrel classes are very popular,” said Vestina Crayton, Sustainable Living Educational Instructor at the Pinellas County Extension Office.  “In fact, all remaining workshops scheduled this year are full already.”

Dale W. Armstrong, Florida Yards & Neighborhoods Coordinator with the Pinellas County Extension Office, said, “The extreme drought our region of Florida is experiencing is obviously a contributing factor as well as, I believe, more and more folks adopting sustainable lifestyles and the movement towards living green.”

For $65, Mary Jo purchased five concentrated juice barrels she found on Craigslist and turned them into rain barrels using zip ties, PVC pipes, PVC adhesive, silicon caulk, spigots, and hoses.  Had she purchased the rain barrels commercially, each would have cost $100 or more.

“In addition to conserving water, harvesting water in rain barrels reduces storm water runoff and pollutants that often end up in nearby lakes and rivers,” said Jason Green, SPC Sustainability Coordinator.

For more information on rain barrels or future rain barrel classes, visit Pinellas County Extension Office at http://pinellas.ifas.ufl.edu/.  For a very detailed rain barrel guide developed by Southwest Florida Water Management District, visit http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/publications/files/rain_barrels_guide.pdf.

To participate in the Sustainable | SPC initiative, visit www.spcollege.edu/sustainability or call Jason Green at 341-3283.

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On SPC-TV
The following is the broadcast schedule for 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 SPC Summer Chorus - WATCH THE VIDEO: (45 mins)

Or watch it on SPC TV: Sunday at 5 p.m., Tuesday at 8 p.m., Wednesday at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Friday at 8 p.m.
For details on other Department of Music events, visit the Department of Music Web site

» The Music Center Presents: Rebecca Penneys
Monday at 9 p.m., Friday at 9 p.m. and Saturday at 8 p.m.
For details on other Department of Music events, visit the Department of Music Web site

» Stories from the Campfire: Living Life Without Limits
Sunday at noon and 9 p.m., Wednesday at 9 p.m.

» CoMotion Dance Theatre - Spring 2009 Dance Concert
Sunday at 11 a.m. and 8 p.m., Thursday at 8 p.m.
Watch the video on the CoMotion Web site.

» Frontline: Behind the Lines
Tuesday at 9 p.m. For details on other Palladium events, visit the Palladium Web site.

» The Music Center Presents: Percussion Ensemble
Sunday at 11:30 a.m. and 8 p.m., Thursday at 8:30 p.m., Saturday at 8:30 p.m.
For details on other Department of Music events, visit the Department of Music Web site.

» A Night at the Palladium: Divertissement Ensemble
Saturday at 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. For details on other Palladium events, visit the Palladium Web site.

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