castor!ls in charge: inside usf inaugurates first vvoman
TRANSCRIPT
~ SCHNUR JAT" ES A DAV118
A publication for the faculty and staff of the University of South Florida
Oct. 14- Oct. 27, 1994 Office of Media Relations and Publications ADM264
tLOC! DAVZ07l
Send address changes to Personnel Services, SVC 2172
Inside Castor!ls in charge:
2 Follawthebouncingballc USFmen's and women's basketball gets started with Bull Blast IV, on Oct. 14 in the Sun Dome.
5 Bull blitz: USF's Admissions office goes after potential students more aggressively.
B Vulcan's vinegars: Computer support specialist Kathleen Buckley erea tes her own brand of vinegarfor cooking and seasoning, Private Stock, in her free time.
Snuffingoutsmoking: Phillip Marty, interim dean of the College of Public Health, has a goal: to make Florida smoke-free in three years.
Briefly Violent students put on notice
After the battering of a USF female student in Mu Hall on Oct. 2, administrators decided to change the policy on how to handle students who commit acts of violence.
Five students were suspended by the Office of Student Affairs, pending an emergency hearing that was to take place by Oct. 10.
Aggressive behavior and acts of violence will not be tolerated on this campus, said Student Affairs Vice President Harold Nixon. President Betty Castor added that the incident represents a standard of behavior that is totally unacceptable in an educational environment.
Although individual student disciplinary records are confidential under Florida law, USF will endeavor, through coordination with the University Police, to make the USF community aware of the disposition of such cases.
The suspended students were not identified in this case.
Office change USF's Internal Auditing office on Oct.
1 became part of the Office of the Inspector General. The change was the result of state legislation. Questions can be directed to Michael Peppers at FAO 155.
USF's EAP is model program
USF's EmployE·e Assistance Program is a model program within the State University System of Florida and is among the best in the nation. The EAP offers counseling and referral to faculty and staff and can be reached at ext. 4-5469.
USF inaugurates first vvoman president With a 2:30 p.m. ceremony on Fri
day, Oct. 14, USF will inaugurate its first woman and fifth permanent President, Betty Castor.
The ceremony is the high point of a week that included conferences, art exhibits, brunches, receptions, jazz performances and a gourmet dinner.
Castor's inauguration ceremony will be attended by U.S. Rep. Sam Gibbons, Gov. Lawton Chiles, Board of Regents member Steve Uhlfelder, Tampa Mayor Sandra Freedman and many other dignitaries.
For Castor, becoming President is just one of many firsts. She was the first woman on the Hillsborough County Commission, the first woman to serve as president pro tern of the Florida Senate, the first woman to serve as state education commissioner and the first woman ever to hold a cabinet position in Florida.
Castor took the reins as President on Jan. 18, and immediately plunged into a press conference at the USF Library, calling attention to the need for better funding for books and journals. Since then, she has called for an increase in faculty and staff salaries, been the first President to use e-mail and changed the USF policy regarding students who commit violent acts.- among many other achievements. (For more on Castor's background, see Page 3.)
Former President John Lott Brown was the first President to have an inauguration ceremony. Castor has said that
she wanted an inauguration, not a coronation. Events were planned so that they were accessible to as many people as possible.
After the ceremony, the public is invited to a reception at the Lifsey House, the President's new home and USF' s hospitality center. The free reception, with refreshments, will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. USF students will perform
music. At 7:30 p.m., Bull Blast IV, a pep
rally with Red Johnny and the Round Guy, from MTV, will kick off in the Sun Dome. Men's and women's basketball teams will have their first practices of the season.
Finally, at 8 p.m., the USFSymphony Band will entertain in Theatre II.
By Lisa Cunningham
e Inauguration of President Betty Castor Celebrating Leadership, Partnership and Vision
Schedule of Events
Friday, October 14, 1994
8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Democracy, Toleran ce and Freedom of Speech: A Community Dialogue, will feature author Nat Hentoff • Marshall Center • Cost: $25 per person includes luncheon and seminar materials
2:30 p.m. - 4:30p.m. Inauguration Ceremony and Honors Convocation • Sun Dome
5 - 7 p.m. Reception • Visit the new Lifsey House and share the celebration •
Enjoy a variety of music performed by USF students • Light refreshments • No cost
8p.m. Symphony Band, Theatre IT ($3 general admission, $2 students and seniors)
For further information, call ext. 4-1816.
USF's finest to be recognized at c~retnony More than 50 USF faculty will be
honored during the 1994 Honors Convocation, which will take place during President Castor's inauguration on Oct. 14.
Top honors include the Town and Gown Community Service Award, which will be accepted by William Scheuerle, the Jerome Krivanek Distinguished Teaching Award, which will be received by Susan McMillan, the Distinguished Service Award, which will be given to Roy Mumme, and the Theodore and Venette Askounes-Ashford Distinguished Scholar Award, which will be accepted by Linda Moody.
Outstanding Undergraduate Teach-
ing Awards will be given to: Marvin Alvarez, Kevin Archer, William Blount, Maria Esformes, Marcia Finkelstein, Jennifer Friedman, Mary Parrott, Linda Whiteford, Cynthia Cohen, Joel Reedy, Nell Faucette, Marjorie Wynn, Scott Campbell, Mary Filippo, Hilton Jones, Lois Lowry, Diane McGuinness, Barbara Clarke and Robert Hall.
Outstanding Undergraduate Advising Awards will be distributed to: Gerald Barkholz, Walter Brugger, Phyllis LaBaw, Joanne Melreit and Sylvia Salter.
Charles Amade and Elton Smith, two long-time USF professors, will re-
ceive Distinguished Service Professors awards. Other faculty will receive professor emeritus status. They include: Sarah Boyd, Raymond Castle, Ernest Cox, J. Fred Dickman, Roger Grange Jr., Kevin Kearney, Anne Kelley, John Knego, P. Judson Newcombe, Linus Scott, Evelyn Searls, William Smith and Stewart Swihart.
William Katzenmeyer and Scheu erie will receive dean emeritus status. And finally, Herman Friedman, Mark Goldman, Douglas Nelson and William Spellacy will earn Distinguished Research Professor status.
Physician takes crusade to Washington On Oct. 4, a group of physician-sci
entists gathered in Washington, DC for the formal filing of an emergency petition demanding an end to the US trade embargo against Cuba. The group, led by USF anesthesiologist Anthony Kirkpatrick, charged at a National Press Club news conference that a direct correlation exists between the increase in death and disease in Cuba and the tightening of the embargo under the 1992 Cuban Democracy Act.
The petition attributes increasingly higher rates of death and disease - including pneumonia and influenza- to the drastic decline in the importation of medicines-including antibiotics-and medical supplies into Cuba. The result is a violation of international human rights standards, charged the petition.
That petition, which was based on evidence gathered by Kirkpatrick and·
others who made fact-finding trips to Cuba, was actually filed by the New York-based Center for Constitutional Rights with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, an arm of the Organization of American States. According to the petition, the embargo violates four articles of the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man and an OAS Charter article barring one member state from engaging in economic coercion against another.
"We are, in effect, causing the needless deaths of innocent, helpless, defenseless Cuban citizens," said Kirkpatrick, an expert on chronic pain.
While championing the cause of those whose suffering is embargoinduced, Kirkpatrick allowed that the experience was far from exhilirating. It's not easy to take on one's own country, he conceded.
"Frankly, it felt awful to stand up against your own country," acknowledged Kirkpatrick, "but it's something we all had to do. We were also standing up - and standing in - for innocent people who can't help themselves."
The packed news conference, which included reporters from CNN, AP, UPI, USA Today, TV Marti, the New York Times and the "MacNeil-Lehrer News Hour," is likely to create further forums for Kirkpatrick. NBC's "Dateline" show already has asked him to accompany a camera crew to Cuba in November to further document embargo-related conditions.
"Whatwe'redealingwithisaneedless human tragedy," said Kirkpatrick. '1'm not about to do anything less than I can to make people, including the President of the United States, aware of this reality."
By Joe 0 'Neill
~
c -· -- - -- ·- - --
Inside USF, Oct. 14 - 27, 1994
USF nets $7.5 million for underwater research A $7.55 million grant from the U.S.
Department of Defense to USF will lead to the safe detection of dangers below the water line, protecting marine scientists and expensive naval vessels.
The one-year grant from the Office of Naval Research will enable USF marine scientists and engineers to develop sensors to ride aboard an eight-foot long, computer-controlled submersible being designed and built by researchers at Florida Atlantic University. Development of the "autonomous underwater vehicle" is being funded through the grant to USF. The University of Tampa is also involved in the project.
The Navy's interest in the project is the detection of underwater mines. The
United we stand
submersibles will scout an area, send information back in real time- classifying such things as tethered or submerged mines- without risk to personnel, said project leader Torn Hopkins of the USF Marine Science department.
Hopkins pointed out that the development of the AUV and its sensors not only have vital military implications, but also could prove to be very important to environmental research. The high-tech sensors will generate almost instantaneous information about current, pollutants, nutrients and changes in the salinity of shallow ocean waters.
"It will have a broad spectrum of uses and applications," said Hopkins. "It will give us greater capabilities, giving a much bigger picture- which can also
President Betty Castor, from left, Associate Athletic Director Lee Roy Selmon, WFLA-TV Ch. 8 anchor Irene Maher, Hillsborough County United Way chair George Koehn and Lifelong Learning Director Lee Leavengood urge USF faculty and staff to donate to the United Way campaign, during a kick-off on Sept. 30 in the Administration building courtyard. For information on how to donate, call an area representative or Rollin Richmond at ext. 4-2804.
help to better interpret satellite data." For example, said Hopkins, the AUV
can be set in deep coastal waters in the path of a hurricane to collect information before and immediately after the storm passes. It also can be sent into oil spills to follow its movement.
"It can go where we don't want to send a person," he said.
One submersible is currently in operation, with three more to be built this year.
The ONR grant is the largest oneyear grant ever received by US F. It comes on top of a $2-rnillion grant received earlier this year from the ONR for the same project. Congress has approved another$10.1 million for the 1995-96 budget year.
The project has helped foster a strong relationship between USF and F AU. "No one organization can cover the scope of this research," said Hopkins.
According to Sam Smith, assistant professor of ocean engineering and technical project director at FAU, the USF-FAU relationship has been a critical component to the research of this project.
"USF marine scientists who have the oceanographic research mission, combined with our AUV, provides for a unique opportunity," said Smith. "Given the reduced R&D funding, institutions working together will be critical to the development of successful projects in the future."
By Ron Fa1g
Friedan to discuss aging in America
USF will examine the phenomenon of aging as it's presented in literature, the media and the visual arts during a conference on "Aging and Identity: A Humanities Perspective," Oct. 20-21. The conference will feature activist Betty Friedan.
According to Lagretta Lenker, codirector of the Center for Applied Humanities and conference organizer, the event will address the issue of aging from multiple points of view.
"It will examine the myths, often embodied in literature, the media and the visual arts, that equate longevity with senility and aging with decrepitude," said Lenker. "We will also explore visual and literary representations that celebrate the potentiality and pleasures of active old age."
Topics will include "Aging and the Never-Married Woman,"" Aging and the African-American Community" and "Hemingway and the Aging Superman."
The conference will conclude with a lecture, "Aging in America" by Friedan. She will speak at 7:30 p .m., Oct. 21 , in the Special Events Center.
Friedan, a founder of the National Organization for Women and the Betty Friedan
National Women's Political Caucus, is one of the foremost advocates for women's rights in the world. Her book, The Fountain of Age, is based on 10 years of research on changing sex roles and the aging process.
Registration fee for the two-day conference is $40. The fee for USF faculty and students is $20. Friedan' s lecture is free and open to the public. For more information, call the Division of Lifelong Learning at ext. 4-5201.
Handwritten letters, phone calls and 262 visits Recruitment efforts encompass entire university
When President Betty Castor announced in her annual address to the faculty that USF had met its enrpllrnent goals for the year and would not have to refund any money to the State University System, the audience cheered and applauded.
What made that moment possible was the result of a lot of work and, according to Linda Erickson, University Registrar, a change.
"Enrollment has finally become a university priority, rather than the responsibility of one or two offices," Erickson said. "That is what is making a difference- everybody is working to-gether." ·
And working, and working and working.
This fall, Vice President for Student Affairs Harold Nixon sent out a letter to all returning stud ents and gave out a help line number. A letter from President Castor was also sent to every student. The Admissions office coordinated the massive mail-out.
'The Admissions Office is really the front door of the University," said Admissions director Pamela LaPan. '1t is the first place students have contact with."
LaPan, who has been with the university for 15 years, said that USF has succeeded over the years in making more of a presence in the community.
"There is an awareness that we do treat students well," she said.
Recruitment efforts for this fall actually began last spring, said assistant director Marc Harding.
"We send a big mailing each spring to
students whose names we purchased from the College Board (which administers the SAT- Scholastic Achievement Test) and a list from the Board of Regents of Florida of students with a GP A of 3.5 or better. That is 25,000 names," Harding said.
The general information packet includes a postage-paid response card and USF follows up with students who return the card.
"We pay a lot of attention to our feeder markets in our 15-county service area," Harding said.
In the fall, USF' s Admissions office visits every single major high school in the state. This fall, USF will visit 262 schools between Sept. 1 and Dec. 1. The recruitment staff will also participate in 80 college day I night programs throughout the state. ·
"We take special care of the local students," Harding said. "This is the fourth year that we will hold USF decision days in local public high schools. We take staff to the high schools and make on-the-spot admission decisions. Last year we held 14 USF decision days and admitted 45 to 50 students at each day."
USFPreview Programs, which serve as an open house for incoming freshmen, will now be held only on Saturdays, making it easier for students and their parents to attend. Campus tours and admissions, financial aid and housing sessions are held every Monday through Friday and campus housing tours are held every Saturday at noon.
For the first time this year, students who send in their SAT scores and their high school transcripts electronically get
a pre-printed "fast application" that takes less time to fill out and return. Handwritten, personalized, congratulations letters are sent to every single admitted freshman, along with a personalized letter from the dean of the college students have chosen as their major. Parent receptions are held around the state, with information on housing, financial aid, admissions and orientation. A phone-a-thon is held to contact all students who were admitted but haven't registered for orientation.
And the effort doesn't stop with just getting the students into the school, but serving them once they are here.
This fall, mid-term grades will be issued by the Registrar's office to all freshmen so they can see how they are doing. Also starting this fall, all freshmen are guaranteed Freshman English and a math, social science and natural science class that meets the liberal arts requirement. Guaranteed. Also, freshmen are being encouraged to sign up for 15 hours their first semester, rather than 12, so they can graduate in four years.
Students can access Sun Link on their computers and look up their grades or schedule. Next spring, they will also be able to browse the schedule of classes for open sections and change their address on-line, among other features.
During registration, colleges get an unrnet demand report each morning that lets them know what classes students are trying to sign up for and can't get. The result has been that colleges can make arrangements to open up more sections, and less students are being caught without needed classes.
Incoming freshmen aren't the only students receiving special attention. The majority of incoming students consists of transfer students and adults returning to college. To meet their needs, a new office of Adult and Transfer Student Services has opened. This year, incoming transfer students each received a personal phone call from USF.
"That went very well," said Albert Colom, an office staff member. "The students were really happy to receive information about what they needed to do."
The office also conducted a retention survey of students who were eligible to return to school but had not. On-the-spot admissions days were offered at area community colleges and 160 students were admitted in a period of two to three weeks. The office is also looking intc offering expanded hours.
Extra attention is also provided tc multi-cultural students. Sam Wright saic he has been in his office as late as 11 p.rn or 12 a.m. processing students'folders His office conducts a minority adrnis sions road show that has been highl~ successful.
"Ninety-five percent of the student that attend that program attend USF i1 the future," Wright said. "When a pro gram is earmarked for multi-cultural stv dents, the participation is better."
With the recent hiring of a Hispani recruiter and a new black student rE
cruiter, the office will be able to increas its efforts even more.
For USF's Admissions office, it's a in a day's work.
By Alissa Algan
Page
-f