The Crow's Nest

Student Government Vice President Quincy Lopez resigned from office in late June, four months after he and President Mark Lombardi-Nelson were elected with 70 percent of the vote.

Lombardi-Nelson said Lopez gave no indication he was going to resign.

“One thing set him off and this is how it rolls,” Lombardi-Nelson said, declining further comment.

The SG Senate confirmed James “Jimmy” Richards as Lopez’s replacement in July upon the recommendation of Lombardi-Nelson. Richards previously served as Lombardi-Nelson’s chief of staff.

Construction workers affixed a shiny chrome name and address to the side of the new University Student Center in late June, a week after the school announced the building was 90 percent complete.

The USC will house around 200 residents this fall, in addition to a ballroom, dining services for both dormitories and other office spaces and meeting rooms.

Students will move in to the new building in mid-August, but a formal opening ceremony will take place on Sept. 6 at the end of Welcome Week.

Meanwhile, the Student Life Center—formerly the Campus Activities Center—is still slated for a fall opening. Campus leaders view the SLC as a “one stop shop” for student life activities. The building will be home to the school’s new wellness center, as well as Student Government, Harborside Activities Board, Multicultural Affairs, Disabilities Services and The Crow’s Nest.

The building’s fitness center has remained operational during renovations.

 RIO Student Support Services has found a home amidst a sea of cardboard boxes and temporary walls.

RIO moved from Terrace 302 to Coquina Hall 101 in mid-June. It shares the space with Student Government, Harborside Activities Board and The Crow’s Nest. TRIO will take over the entire room when the three organizations move into the renovated Student Life Center later this year.

Up to 200 undergraduate students use TRIO’s academic and personal support services to pursue success at USF St. Petersburg each year.
The University launched a colorful new website on July 5, in part to differentiate itself from the USF Tampa campus.

The site was slated for an April launch, but “design revisions” held it back, according to Michel Fougeres, USFSP’s Strategic Web Developer & Project Leader.

Most of the main pages—including academics, admission information and community connections—have been updated. Department pages, student organizations and other deep content pages will see a redesign in coming months.