College closed
May 31 to celebrate Memorial Day
The college will be closed Monday to celebrate Memorial Day, a day to pay tribute to the U.S. men and women who died during military service, and to honor those who now serve.
If you are uncertain as to how to spend your free time, check out the St. Petersburg Times’ list of events happening this weekend.
No Blue & White June 4
There will be no Blue & White on Friday, June 4 because of the shorter work week. The next issue will be published on June 11.
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archives | submit an article | editorial staff Friday, May 28, 2010 |
» Most raises take effect in July
» SPC thanks President Furlong with cake, punch and a red phone
» College closed May 31 to celebrate Memorial Day
» Palladium kicks off summer with Up-Up Close series
» Arts, Culture and Tourism Jobs Summit June 2
» Microsoft Outlook 2007 training
» Vet Tech building construction to start early June
» Hurricane season starts June 1
» Baccalaureate Expo June 17
» OSSD now Disability Resources
» Business Services deadlines
» Meeting notices
» June 2010 visual calendar (pdf)
Summer enrollment headcount up 10.9 percent over summer 2009
Summer enrollment has never been higher. At the end of the drop/add period (first week of summer classes), headcount is up 10.9 percent, to 18,467 students over the previous summer term.
Pat Rinard, Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management, said the increased enrollment is primarily due to the downturn in the economy.
The sharp increase follows a trend that began at the college in fall 2009-10 when headcount was up 9.2 percent. In the spring, headcount was up 13.6 percent.
“When the economy suffers, people tend to go back to school and retool (gain new skills),” Rinard said. “The state universities in Florida have been increasing their admissions standards while at the same time placing caps on enrollment in many of their programs. All of this has led to our largest enrollment ever.”
Full Time Equivalency (FTE) enrollment this term also has grown 15.5 percent, increasing from 3,107 to 3,587. This increase puts SPC in the middle of the pack among other Florida colleges, Rinard said. Some state colleges in Florida have experienced enrollment increases of 7-8 percent, while other have experienced increases upwards of 25 percent.
FTE is calculated by the number of credits each student takes. To be considered full time, a student must be enrolled in nine credit hours during the summer and 12 credit hours during the fall or spring terms. The primary use of FTE for colleges in Florida is to decide how much funding will be received from the state.
“I expect that this will continue this fall and likely for the spring 2011 term as well,” Rinard said. “As the economy begins to improve, we will not sustain our current enrollment growth pattern.”
Most raises take effect in July
The SPC Board of Trustees approved a 4.5 percent across-the-board pay increase for all budgeted employees, as well for OPS employees and student assistants. The raise is in recognition of your hard work as well as a thank you for keeping true to SPC’s core mission of teaching and learning.
Here is a summary of how the increase will be implemented in the 2010-11 fiscal year for the different pay groups:
- Hourly employees
July 2 paycheck – no adjustment because this is for the bi-weekly period ending June 25.
July 16 paycheck – 4.5 percent increase applied for most of the pay period (compensation for the work days of June 26-30 will be at the 2009-10 level; must have been actively employed at the college as of June 30, 2010).
July 30 paycheck – full 4.5 percent increase applied for entire pay period.
NOTE: Because July has three pay days, most deductions will not be taken on July 30. This means that your pay may seem artificially high because any normal deductions are not being taken.
- Career Service-exempt employees/counselors/librarians/A&P employees with July 1 contract date
July 2 paycheck – no adjustment will be made because it refers to the prior fiscal year.
July 16 paycheck - 4.5 percent increase applied; this is the first of 26 equal pays for work in the 2010-11 contract year (must have been actively employed at the college as of June 30, 2010).
- Faculty/academic chairs
Aug. 13 paycheck - 4.5 percent increase applied; this is the first of 26 equal pays for work in the 2010-11 contract year (must have been actively employed at the college as of June 30, 2010).
- OPS employees
July 30 paycheck – 2009-10 hourly rate will be increased by 4.5 percent.
- Student assistants
Sept. 10 paycheck - 2009-10 hourly rate will be increased by 4.5 percent.
SPC thanks President Furlong with cake, punch and a red phone
President Tom Furlong was greeted by smiles, handshakes and hugs from nearly 200 staff at a reception on Thursday, May 27 at the EpiCenter. A cake and punch gathering was held in his honor for his efforts as Interim President since Jan. 1.
Multiple people spoke glowingly of their experiences working with Furlong. A video of Furlong was shown. In the video, which was prepared for Student Affairs staff and Professional Development Day in March, he answers the president’s Red Phone before being escorted to the Seminole Campus with SPC security in the style of the Secret Service.
Pat Rinard, Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management, made a special presentation on behalf of Student Affairs, giving Furlong a Red Phone in remembrance of the occasion.
A photo slideshow of the event is available for viewing.
Palladium kicks off summer with Up-Up Close series
The Palladium Theater’s Up-Up Close summer concert series is bringing back the memories with performances by Peter Noone of Herman’s Hermits, the Monkees’ Davy Jones, Air Supply’s Graham Russell and Russell Hitchcock, as well as tribute bands and artists. “This concert series came out of a partnership with a company called Soundstage Live,” said Paul Wilborn, Executive Director for the Palladium Theater. “This series had been at the Ritz in Tampa last year—different acts, but still the up-close concert series—and they decided they want to do it here at the Palladium this summer.”
Tribute artists and groups such as Elvis performer Chris MacDonald, the Fab Four: The Ultimate Tribute to the Beatles, and Let’s Hang On! A Tribute to Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, will be bringing back the memories and magic of the original artists during their evening performances.
Wilborn said the promoter has indicated interest in hosting the series at the Palladium each summer.
“This will be our first summer with a series like this,” Wilborn said. “I think it will be good.”
The series runs June 26 through Aug. 28. All shows will begin at 8 p.m. with a pre-show dinner available at 6 p.m. Pre-show dinner tickets can be purchased online for $25 each or by calling Soundstage Live Productions at 813-546-0095. Tickets for all performances (except Air Supply and The Fab Four) range from $35-$55 and VIP for $75. Air Supply tickets are $55-75 and VIP are $100; The Fab Four are $55-$65 and VIP for $75.
Arts, Culture and Tourism Jobs Summit June 2
The City of St. Petersburg Economic Development Office will present an Arts, Culture and Tourism Jobs Summit on Wednesday, June 2 from 8:30-11:30 a.m. The event will be at the Progress Energy Center for the Arts in the Mahaffey Theater Ballroom.
This summit is the second in a series of six job creation summits that will be convened by Mayor Bill Foster. These events focus on each of the six industry clusters in St. Petersburg, which also includes marine science, medical services, manufacturing, information technologies and financial services.
The seven confirmed discussion panelists are:
- Andrew “Andy” Hayes, Managing Principal for Hayes/Cumming Architects
- D.T. Minich, Executive Director of St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area Convention and Visitors Bureau
- Julie Peeler, Vice President of Private-Sector Initiatives of Americans for the Arts
- Michael Pastreich, President and CEO of the Florida Orchestra
- Jennifer Parramore, Film Commissioner for Pinellas County
- Eric Higgs, artist, President and CEO of Lumastream
- Ken Rollins, President of Rollins Fine Art and former executive director of four art museums, including the Gulf Coast Museum of Art in Largo and Tampa Museum of Art.
The panel will be moderated by Paul Wilborn, Executive Director of the Palladium Theater.
Microsoft 2007 Outlook training
Are you a proficient user of Outlook 2007? Do you want to become a confident and more productive user of this powerful program without having to memorize a lot of technical information?
In the Staff and Professional Development Microsoft Outlook 2007 training course, you will see what's new and will become familiar with the most important aspects of the program, such as:
- managing e-mail messages
- creating contacts and contact lists
- creating tasks
- managing meeting requests
- customizing Outlook for maximum efficiency
Whether you are new to Outlook or you have been using it for years, this course is bound to teach you something new, as it has been customized to meet the needs of SPC faculty and staff.
The course consists of two, four-hour sessions on June 18 and 25 from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at Corporate Training in the EpiCenter. Speak with your supervisor for approval, as registration is required. Class size is limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
If you have any further questions, contact Matthew Stewart (Ext. 3116) or Eric Sierra (Ext. 3228) in Staff and Professional Development.
Vet Tech building construction to start early June
A sign marks the area where the new SPC Veterinary Technology Special Purpose Center will be located. The groundbreaking ceremony will be in August or September once the ground has been cleared. The 32,768-square-foot facility located next to Pinellas County Animal Services on Ulmerton Road in Largo, is expected to open by fall 2011.
Hurricane season starts June 1
Hurricane season is now upon us. The official hurricane season begins Tuesday, June 1 and extends through Nov. 30. Information about the college’s emergency preparedness plan will be printed in the June 11 Blue and White.
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Baccalaureate Expo June 17
The SPC Baccalaureate Expo is Thursday, June 17 from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. The event provides an opportunity for current and potential SPC students to speak with an advisor and learn about the bachelor’s degrees offered at the college, as well as the hundreds of bachelor and graduate degrees offered through the University Partnership Center. Information about financial assistance also will be available.
The expo will be at the EpiCenter, room 1-453. For more information, please call 727-341-4772 or visit www.spcollege.edu/bachelors.OSSD now Disability Resources
The Office of Services for Students with Disabilities is now Disability Resources. The change was approved a few weeks ago at the Provost Council meeting. The new name better reflects the department’s purpose.
“We want to better represent who we are and what we do,” said Peg Connell, Special Populations Coordinator for Academic and Student Affairs.
“We are a college-wide resource, not just for students but also for faculty, administration and the larger community.”For more information, visit the Disability Resources website.
Business Services deadlines
May 28 is the deadline to submit all remaining 2010 purchase orders; requisitions submitted after this date will be funded from 2011 budgets.
June 7 is the deadline to submit check requests for goods, services, etc. for the period if July 01, 2009-June 7, 2010.
June 11 is the deadline to change custodianship on existing capital assets for 2010.
June 14 is the deadline to submit current expense budget amendments (B/A) for 2010.
June 16 is the deadline to submit paper receiving reports to Site Receiving for goods, services, etc. provided on or before this date.
June 18 is the final payday for the 2009-10 fiscal year.Meeting notices
The Development Committee for the Board of Directors of the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art will meet on Wednesday, June 9 at 3 p.m. in the Interactive Gallery of the museum to discuss general business.
Board of Trustees updates
St. Petersburg College encourages open access to all Board of Trustees information. Organized by date, the BOT website serves as an ongoing record of all BOT meetings and decisions and includes the most current information on:
- Board meeting schedules, legal notices, agendas, rule development notices, supplemental board materials, meeting minutes and highlights
- Official board rules
- Board member profiles and terms of service
The Latest
- NEW – June 15, 8:30 a.m. – Regular BOT Meeting, EpiCenter, Room 1-453
- NEW – Rule Development Notice
- NEW – Highlights from May 18, 2010 meeting
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