News stories » Board of Trustees takes first step toward hiring a new president » Start your Wellness Program now to maintain discounted insurance rates » Precautions outlined for H1N1 » Dollars for Scholars on YouTube Calendar notes » August meeting notices » August birthdays/anniversaries (pdf) » August Visual Calendar (pdf) Regular columns » Cultural Corner » Wellness: Go Mediterranean! » SPC This Week » Sustainability: Tips for greener grocery shopping Board of Trustees » Meeting highlights (pdf) » Board Rules notice (pdf) Enrollment up more than 11 percent With less than two weeks to go until the start of classes, collegewide enrollment is already up more than 11 percent. Upper division classes are up almost 28 percent. Lower division classes are up almost 10 percent. The increase has resulted in about 2,100 students more than the same time period last year. Welcome As the first day of classes approaches, students are attending open houses and welcome events on all campuses. Pictured left, Daniel Kennedy attends the Open House at Seminole Campus on Thursday. For details on events at your campus, visit our Welcome page.

Preparing for the real thing HazMat officials with the St. Petersburg Fire and Rescue evaluate the situation during an exercise Friday. The college joined with agencies throughout the county in an emergency response exercise that was based at the Allstate Center. The St. Petersburg Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS) conducted the exercise that simulated a terrorist chemical attack. The exercise had auxiliary components at hospitals and other locations around the county. “We did a lot of things right, but we also had a few learning moments,” Allstate Center Chief Executive Officer J.C. Brock said. The college's Emergency Management team will gather after this term's classes start to go over the complete critique of the exercise.

Board of Trustees takes first step toward hiring a new president

The Board of Trustees met Tuesday to discuss hiring a consultant to aid in the presidential search.

The Board of Trustees said Tuesday it will hire a consultant to aid in the search for a replacement for President Carl M. Kuttler Jr., who last month announced his intention to retire after 31 years as president and 43 years at the college.

At a workshop Tuesday, board members agreed to send names of prospective consultants to Board Attorney Joe Lang by Aug. 18, and asked Lang to arrange interviews with three to five of the consultants as soon as possible. The board also designated Amelia Carey, former Director of Institutional Advancement, as a liaison to aid during the search for a consultant.

Board members said they expect the consultant to help them structure the search, establish a timeline, and gather input from the college family and the community.

“The process needs to be inclusive and transparent from start to finish,” Board Chairman Terry Brett said. “The integrity of this process is essential. We need to include faculty, staff, alumni, students and the entire community.”

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Start your Wellness Program now to maintain discounted insurance rates

By now, employees covered by the college’s Aetna health insurance plan should have completed the Health Risk Assessment to determine what areas of their health need to be improved; doing so allowed for a discount in coverage.  Those hired after July 1 will need to complete their Health Risk Assessment during their first month of benefits coverage.

The next step in maintaining the discount is for employees to complete either:

• Two programs offered through Simple Steps to a Healthier Life, or
• One program and the college’s fall wellness challenge. (Details will be announced shortly.)

Aetna has a new vendor that offers a variety of healthy living programs such as weight management, healthy heart and diabetes management.  Explore the opportunities on the Simple Steps Web site.

The Healthy Living Programs are easy to follow and provide step-by-step guidance for making health changes.  Each program provides steps to help build skills for long-term success and tools for tracking progress.     

Those who were employed at the college on July 1 will need to complete these programs by Dec. 31. Those hired after July 1 will need to complete the program by the end of their sixth month of benefits coverage.

Please note: Employees who started a healthy living program in June and completed it by Aug. 14 will receive credit for it.

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Precautions outlined for H1N1

A case of the H1N1 virus has been confirmed on a St. Petersburg College campus. As the virus continues to spread (Pinellas County learned of its first death Monday), it is important to remember the precautions against the virus that have been recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
  Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
  
  
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze.
  Alcohol-based hand cleaners also are effective.
  
  
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
  
  
• Stay home if you get sick. The CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school
  and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
  
  
• The CDC also recommends that people with an influenza-like illness remain at home until at least 24 hours
  after they are free of fever (100° F [37.8°C]), or signs of a fever without the use of fever-reducing medications.

To learn more about the virus, how it is spread, the symptoms and what you should do if you suspect you have been exposed to the virus, see the CDC’s information site about H1N1.

In the interest of protecting the privacy of the individual, the specific site isn’t being released. The bigger issue is that these cases are popping up all over the county and, we’re told by the CDC, will continue to increase in the coming weeks. It’s a good time to remind everyone that, while there’s no need for widespread panic, they should be mindful of the basic precautions.

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Dollars for Scholars on YouTube

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August meeting notices

Tuesday, Aug. 18
The Planned Giving Committee for the SPC Foundation Inc. will meet on Tuesday, Aug. 18, at noon at the District Office, 6021 142nd Ave. N., Largo, in Consular Corporate Conference Room 102.

Tuesday, Aug. 18
The Board of Trustees of St. Petersburg College will hold a public meeting to which all persons are invited, commencing at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 18, at the EpiCenter Conference Room (1-453), 13805 - 58th St. N., Largo.  The meeting will be held for the purpose of considering routine business of the college; however, there are no rules being presented for adoption or amendment at this meeting.

In the event the Board continues the foregoing meeting and/or in the event of a serious storm, or threat thereof, resulting in cancellation of the foregoing meeting, the same shall be held on Aug. 25, at the same time, and place and for the same purpose.

A copy of the Agenda may be obtained by writing to the Board of Trustees in care of the Board Clerk, P. O. Box 13489, St. Petersburg, FL, 33733, or calling the Board Clerk at 727-341-3260.

If any person wishes to appeal a decision made with respect to any matter considered by the Board, he or she will need a record of the proceedings.  It is the obligation of such person to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made.  Section 286.0105, Florida Statutes.

Those planning to attend who have a disability and are in need of an auxiliary aid or other accommodation, are requested to call 727-341-3260 at least seven days before the meeting date so that their needs can be accommodated.

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

Go Mediterranean!

Looking for a new way to eat healthy? Then go Mediterranean! Leading health institutions recommend this dietary method.

What is the diet?
It is a healthy approach to eating endorsed by the Harvard School of Public Health and the World Health Organization.

Is this a new diet fad?
No, not a fad, but a dietary option that was first introduced to Americans in 1993.

How does this approach differ from the typical American eating style?
The Mediterranean diet’s main fat source is mono-unsaturated fat, such as olive oil. Traditionally, the American diet’s principal fat is saturated fat, found in butter, red meat and all foods of animal origin.
 
Other than olive oil and olives, what other foods are included?
Foods at the base of this eating style include fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, fish, lean meats and low-fat dairy. Avocados (mono-unsaturated fat), feta cheese and sun dried tomatoes are all traditional Mediterranean foods that are easy to find in most supermarkets.

Most recipes included in this diet are vegetable-based, with meat used in moderation. Common ingredients include: tomatoes, broccoli, peppers, capers, spinach, eggplant, mushrooms, white beans, lentils and chick peas.

Why is the Mediterranean eating style so healthy?
Olive oil, fish and nuts such as walnuts may keep your arteries flexible and reduce inflammation in them that is linked to heart disease. Walnuts and olive oil are rich in omega 3 fats – these are healthy fats.

According to Web MD, research supports the health claims of eating Mediterranean. A 12-year study of more than 2,000 people concluded that this eating style greatly contributed to reducing risk factors for heart disease and improved overall health.

What else is important to know about the Mediterranean diet?
This is more of a lifestyle than an eating plan. Moderate portions and limiting total fat calories are important. Even though olive oil and nuts are "healthy fats,” eating any fats in large amounts will cause weight gain, so fat intake should remain moderate. Being physically active and enjoying meals with family and friends also are important in this approach to healthy eating.

To learn more about the Mediterranean Diet, visit www.oldwayspt.org/med_pyramid.html

Explore SPC Wellness to read additional wellness articles.

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Tips for greener grocery shopping

• Instead of drinking bottled water that creates waste, buy a filtered water pitcher.
• Buy fresh foods over processed foods. 
• When buying eggs, look for pasture raised, free range and organic.
• When buying fruit or vegetables, look for a five-digit number starting with the number “9” on the produce sticker.  Five digits means the produce is organic; four digits means it is conventionally grown.
• When buying meats, try to buy organic, or at least “all natural” products.  Organic refers to the farm and processing achieving organic certification levels.  “All natural” is not regulated and generally refers to meat being raised without the use of growth hormones and antibiotics.
• When buying dairy products, look for organic, non-fat milk and organic yogurt with active cultures.
• Bring your own reusable canvas bags.  If you must use plastic bags, recycle them.
• Because of possible contamination from sprayed pesticides, it is suggested to buy organic fruit and vegetables when consuming the skin of the produce. Examples include peaches, apples, bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce, grapes and pears. Onions, bananas and orange peels protect the fruit from sprayed pesticides, so buying these organic items aren’t as important.

Remember, “earth friendly” products minimize any negative impact on the environment and "all natural” products are minimally processed and contain no artificial colors, flavorings, preservatives or sweeteners.  Neither label infers that the products or ingredients are organic.

Want to become involved with SPC’s exciting sustainability initiatives?
To participate in the sustainable | SPC initiative, e-mail green.jason@spcollege.edu or call 341-3283.

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