University of South Florida Scholar Commons Crow's Nest University History: Campus Publications 9-23-2019 Crow's Nest : 2019 : 09 : 23 University of South Florida St. Petersburg Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/crows_nest Recommended Citation University of South Florida St. Petersburg, "Crow's Nest : 2019 : 09 : 23" (2019). Crow's Nest. 801. https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/crows_nest/801 This News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the University History: Campus Publications at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Crow's Nest by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. LOST AT SEA? POSING WITH PUPPIES MERGED ENOUGH ALREADY NEWS, page 2 FEATURES, page 4 OPINIONS, page 6 The Coast Guard rescued five students from the During campus recreation’s Fitness Week, The Crow’s Nest staff weighs in on the vague, sailing team on Sept. 12, they said. But were they students stretched their paws with dogs from the long-term plan to move the publication online and really in danger? university’s Puppy Raiser Club. Read online editor merge with USF Tampa’s The Oracle. Katlynn Mullins’ firsthand account of the event. THE CROW’S NEST THE CAMPUS NEWSPAPER AT UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA ST. PETERSBURG Volume 53, Issue 4 - September 23, 2019 | Online at crowsneststpete.com @CrowsNestStPete @USFCrowsNest @USFCrowsNest @USFSPCrowsNest Demanding Action St. Pete’s once — and future? — academic czar By Nancy McCann Contributor hen USF system “Personally, I think that President Steve student reporters should be WCurrall came to St. allowed to report on campus Petersburg on Aug. 30 to discuss events that impact the consolidation, his second in educational opportunities and command sat quietly in the mission of USFSP.” audience. The meetings with Wilcox Currall never introduced come at a perilous time for the Provost Ralph Wilcox. If you St. Petersburg campus, which didn’t recognize him, you was stripped of its independent wouldn’t have known he accreditation – effective next was there. July – by the Legislature. In hindsight, that seemed Under Currall’s tentative all the more curious when – 11 plan for consolidation, which days later – Currall unveiled a he calls “USF as one university proposed plan for consolidation geographically distributed,” the that would put Wilcox in charge general education curriculum JONAH HINEBAUGH | THE CROW’S NEST of St. Petersburg’s academic and is consistent across all three More than 20 St. Petersburg businesses and organizations participated in the climate strike student affairs. campuses, there is one office of Sept. 20, including the Suncoast Sierra Club, Pinellas Democratic Socialists of America and Those sweeping admissions to recruit students Black Crow Coffee Co. responsibilities, which have and one office of student See story, page 8 belonged to a St. Petersburg- success. based executive for decades, His organizational chart would be moved to a silver- shows all deans reporting to haired veteran of academic Tampa. Education professor awarded Tampa governance based 35 miles away Meanwhile, Regional in Tampa. Chancellor Martin Tadlock As some in St. Petersburg would get a longer title – leadership position struggled to process both the regional chancellor and vice By James Bennett III core and the details of Currall’s president – but his “refreshed [email protected] “preliminary blueprint,” the role” would leave him in charge campus was left to wonder: of non-academic support staff prominent professor System Faculty Council, which Who is Ralph Wilcox, and how and university “advancement” at USF St. Petersburg works with the faculty senates would the campus fare under his activities, like fundraising and has been named a on the three campuses, Michael leadership? alumni relations. A As if sensing the curiosity Tadlock’s sweeping authority department chair at the College serves on the university system’s and fears, Wilcox has been would pass to Wilcox, 65, who of Education in Tampa. 13-member Board of Trustees. meeting with groups of faculty as the top assistant to Currall But Deanna Michael said Her stint as a trustee was and staff in St Petersburg. and his predecessor, Judy she will remain on the education supposed to end in August, On Sept. 20, it was faculty Genshaft, has played a key role faculty in St. Petersburg, where Michael said, but it was extended from the College of Education in consolidation planning. she teaches two classes, and so she could help guide the and staff from student success who met with him. spend a majority of her time three campuses through the On his agenda next week is here. consolidation process. a meeting with faculty from the The department chair role Michael’s new role on the campus’ largest college – Arts in Tampa means she gets both a Tampa campus comes at a time and Sciences – on Sept. 26. promotion and the chance to stay of uncertainty for the College of COURTESY OF USF That meeting, like the others, Longstanding USF St. in a university system that she Education in St. Petersburg. will be private. Petersburg faculty member “It is not at all unusual” for has grown to love, she said. Under the rules of the Dr. Deanna Michael became Wilcox to meet with colleagues When the opportunity in regional agency that accredits chair of USF’s department of in St. Petersburg “on important education on Sept. 20. Tampa materialized, she said, USF, the consolidated university university business, including “I was like, ‘I get to stay. I can have only one college of Florida A&M University. consolidation,” said university system spokesman Adam get to stay in St. Petersburg. I education and one dean. And Dr. Brenda Walker, who spent get to stay with the students I both will be in Tampa. Freeman. 28 years on the education faculty “University employees are absolutely adore. I get to stay St. Petersburg’s college in Tampa, was named to replace permitted to have meetings that with my friends. And I get to apparently will become a school Watson, but with a different title aren’t open to the public or news work with my friends in Tampa.’ or schools offering education – interim associate dean. media.” COURTESY OF USF At least one faculty member What’s better?” courses with a particular focus. Michael, who assumed her Although many in St. Petersburg suggests that is a mistake. Michael, an associate The last dean of St. new role last week, said the “I’m saddened to learn that don’t know him, Provost Ralph professor, is also a prominent Petersburg’s College of College of Education in St. The Crow’s Nest will not be Wilcox ran the campus for a year player in the governance of the Education, Dr. Allyson Watson, Petersburg is not large enough to allowed” at the meeting, said in the early 1990s. USF system. served for only two years before have chair positions. To achieve Melanie Riedinger-Whitmore, an As president of the USF leaving last summer to work at associate professor and chair of >> SEE TAMPA on P3 the Department of Biology. >> SEE CZAR on P2 2 September 23, 2019 THE CROW’S NEST Sailing students rescued by Coast Guard By Savannah Carr [email protected] he sailing team drew Olivia Smith, a member of national attention after the sailing team, said the people Tsailors from U.S. Coast on the capsized boat were Guard Sector St. Petersburg beginners who didn’t know how brought five students ashore to recover their vessel. from Bayboro Harbor on Sept. “When we went out, the 12. winds were not overpowering, According to a news release, and when we realized the winds winds of 25 mph caused the were gaining speed, we started boats to capsize during a sailing to head in,” she said. “We had class. All of the students were our safety boat out there trying wearing life jackets, and most to help, but the current pushed returned to campus with the them into the rocks. That’s when help of the instructor vessel. the Coast Guard came to help.” The Coast Guard towed Fortunately, most sailing two boats to prevent them from students are well-prepared for hitting the rocks. incidents such as this, according “Fortunately for sail students to team member Delaney at USFSP, Coast Guard Station Brown. Many have previous St. Petersburg is right next door experience, and those who don’t to keep an eye out for trouble,” are taught what to do, she said. the Coast Guard said in a tweet. “If they are brand new to But Sam Kappaz, the the sport, we recommend they sailing team’s secretary, said take Campus Recreation’s ‘Start the incident “was not serious Sailing Right Course,’ which enough for the Coast Guard to goes over the basics of sailing intervene.” and teaches capsize recovery,” “While we appreciate their Brown said. help, dinghies flip sometimes,” “Usually, when a storm she said. “It’s just part of our comes in and brings a lot of sport.” wind, we only send a smaller The incident was reported group of sailors that are able COURTESY OF U.S. COAST GUARD SECTOR ST. PETERSBURG in Stars and Stripes and the to confidently handle a boat in Two of the sailing team’s boats had to be towed back to campus after 25 Associated Press. breezier conditions.” mph winds caused them to capsize during a sailing class. CZAR, continued from P1 Wilcox supported Genshaft’s welcome center, a student health and the Legislature to follow seek to establish a Center of about the questions asked and the position that USF St. Petersburg center and a parking garage; and the recommendation of the Excellence to advance innovation resulting discussion” when some could be “somewhere in- increasing the number of faculty Consolidation Task Force and in community and digital faculty and staff met with Wilcox between” a branch campus and from 124 to 171.