Martin Tadlock, interim regional chancellor, hopes to highlight student voices and has encouraged them to take part in consolidation meetings this fall. Jonah Hinebaugh | The Crow’s Nest
By Whitney Elfstrom
Fall semester is underway at USF St. Petersburg, and with it come changes around campus, according to interim Regional Chancellor Martin Tadlock.
He said he expects students to notice the physical changes that have taken place over the summer, such as the installment of on-campus maps and the pressure washing of some buildings and sidewalks.
But Tadlock doesn’t think students will notice the bigger changes happening with the USF system’s consolidation of its three campus’ this fall, as it will not officially take place until 2020.
“We’re just very excited,” Tadlock said. “The enthusiasm for USF St. Petersburg does change.”
When Tadlock was named interim regional chancellor after Sophia Wisniewska was abruptly ousted in September 2017, USF system President Judy Genshaft’s administration indicated that the search for a permanent chancellor would begin in the summer or fall of 2018.
In an email to USF system President Judy Genshaft, The Crow’s Nest asked if this was still the administration’s plan or if Tadlock would get the permanent position. She did not respond to the question.
Consolidation and you
Tadlock said that right now there are more questions than answers regarding what will happen as the three campuses transition to a single accreditation. A 13-member task force, which includes Tadlock, and internal committees are studying the issue.
“We’ll have meeting and hearings here on our campus and forums on our campus about consolidation. Students are certainly welcome to attend those and find out what that means for them,” Tadlock said.
A few of the topics under discussion include student transfer issues among campuses, new doctoral programs for the St. Petersburg campus and allowing students to choose which campus will be on their diploma.
“It’s not a final decision but the initial conversation is students should be able to choose which way they want their diploma to read,” Tadlock said. “Because USF (Tampa) has been declared a preeminent university in the state of Florida now … (it) might be beneficial for students to have that on their diploma, but that’s up to them.”
The task force meetings began in April and have continued through the summer. The next meeting will be from 2-4 p.m. Sept. 11 in the University Student Center ballrooms. A list of all future meetings can be found on the USF system and USF St. Petersburg websites.
What’s changing on campus?
When students enter the Student Life Center, the first thing they will see are the murals covering the once-bare walls in an effort to beautify and enhance the campus. Tadlock said the university is bringing in local artists who will collaborate with students on artwork.
In January, Lowell E. Davis Memorial Hall will be getting a makeover, which will cause an entire floor of classrooms to be relocated in the spring semester. Tadlock warned students that while the move may be disruptive, “they need to be patient because in two years the entire Davis hall will be completely redone.”
Tadlock said he’s most excited for the new wayfinding system. At first glance, they look like gray emergency boxes, but the system is actually different maps located around campus.
“It’s exciting because a lot of people get lost here, even though we’re a small campus,” Tadlock said. “We’ve been working on it for a year to get the funding, to get the plan and to get it all laid out.”
The waterfront transformation, which began in the fall 2017 semester with the remodeling of The Edge, will continue with an extension of the back of Nelson Poynter Memorial Library. Tadlock said that phase two of the transformation will feature outdoor working and social spaces for students.
A new Computational and Applied Mathematics program will launch this year. “It’s a version of a mathematics major that is primarily based upon the needs of business and industry,” Tadlock said.
Also, over the summer USF’s 15-year contract with Barnes and Noble expired and was subsequently replaced with Follett Higher Education Group, The Oracle reported.
Looking out for students
Tadlock has made student input a priority and is seeking new ways for students to share their opinions.
Last spring, one of the student outreach programs he implemented was “Sailing with Tadlock,” which was a lottery-based event that invited the winning students to share their ideas for what they would like to see on campus with the interim regional chancellor.
Tadlock said that he intends to continue the trips this semester and include other events with students, like taking a pottery class at the Morean Arts Center, 719 Central Ave, St. Petersburg, or riding bikes around downtown St. Petersburg.
He also plans to re-up the program Delicious Dialogues — a series where students are invited to be a part of a debate session that teaches them how to disagree civilly and still argue effectively.
Tadlock said the university is working to find ways to save students money with the textbook initiative that was created last year by faculty and the library, which saved students more than $420,000.
The administration is also still in partnership with the Student Government Energy Fund to help lower the campus’ carbon footprint.
Welcome freshmen
The USF St. Petersburg community has worked hard to build an inclusive culture that is more intimate than larger universities and encourages close working relationships between students and professors, Tadlock said.
If there was one takeaway message from the interim regional chancellor to incoming freshmen, it’s to get involved on campus. While academic credentials are important, employers also look for student engagement, involvement in the community and internships, Tadlock said.
“Join something. There’s clubs and organizations here on campus that need leadership and need students … to join and become active members because they do great things in the community,” Tadlock said.
