NOVEMBER 2020 | HARBOR NOTES NEWS | USF ST. PETERSBURG CAMPUS
EXPANDING ACCESS
USF expands program to enhance access for high school students from lower-income backgrounds
The University of South Florida has nearly doubled the size of a program that guarantees admission to any of its three campuses for students who attend local high schools serving historically underrepresented communities. Through the Guaranteed Admissions Pathway Program (GAPP), students at 17 Title I high schools in and around Tampa Bay can secure their place at USF by sustaining a 3.7 GPA by the end of their junior year and earning a score of 1100 on the SAT or 22 on the ACT. READ MORE
FORD COLLEGE COMMUNITY CHALLENGE
USF St. Petersburg campus awarded $25,000 grant from Ford Motor Company to fight food insecurity through urban farming
USF’s St. Petersburg campus is one of only seven higher education institutions across the nation to receive a grant through the 2020 Ford College Community Challenge. A $25,000 grant from the Ford Motor Company Fund is going towards a project that will promote food security in South St. Petersburg by producing up to 150 pounds of fresh vegetables for the community each month. 

The Fresh and Local Greenhouse Project could help address food inequality while engaging college and high school students in agriculture and business development skills each semester. READ MORE
ADDRESSING SCHOOL DISCIPLINE
USF RISES to gather student opinions on disproportionate school punishment of African Americans
Multiple studies have shown that African American students are disciplined at a disproportionate rate when compared to their peers, which can have a significant impact on their ultimate ability to succeed.

Now a team of researchers from the University of South Florida is talking to students and families affected by this disparate treatment to get their opinions on how schools should address this corrosive problem. READ MORE
CLIMATE CHANGE SOLUTIONS
Workshop targets vital role of technology in addressing local impacts of climate change
This year witnessed historic wildfires that burned throughout the west and an Atlantic hurricane season that spilled into the Greek alphabet to name all the storms. The frequency of extreme weather events indicates to many scientists and planners that the impacts of climate change are here today and only getting more pronounced.

For the sixth year, USF’s St. Petersburg campus Initiative on Coastal Adaptation and Resilience (iCAR) brought together scientists, policymakers and the local community to focus on preparing and becoming more resilient to climatic changes. This year’s workshop, which took place virtually on November 12-13, drilled down on how technology can better investigate climatic trends, enhance communication with those impacted and develop the much-needed solutions to foster resilience. READ MORE
SO GREEN WE'RE GOLDEN
From cutting waste to counting trees, sustainability initiatives launch across campus
With many public and private institutions vowing to scale back their carbon footprint, USF’s St. Petersburg campus is accelerating its commitment to sustainability through a series of initiatives designed to decrease emissions, grow green infrastructure and continue its stewardship of the environment.

Several new campus-wide initiatives are cataloging and mapping trees, exploring green roofs and walls and creating a zero waste campus. READ MORE
HEAD OF OCEANOGRAPHIC RESEARCH
New Florida Institute of Oceanography director selected
The University of South Florida announced the appointment of William Montrose (“Monty”) Graham as the new director of the Florida Institute of Oceanography (FIO). Hosted by USF, FIO serves as the state of Florida’s hub of oceanographic research and coastal stewardship and as an education and research resource for schools across the State University System.

Graham was recruited from the University of Southern Mississippi, where he has served as a tenured professor of marine science and the founding director of the School of Ocean Science and Engineering. READ MORE
RESPONDING TO CORONAVIRUS
Responding to the pandemic through remote instruction, virtual learning and engagement tools
We continue to respond to the coronavirus in a number of ways to ensure our students have the tools and resources to continue their academic success, the latest health guidance and science to stay safe and numerous ways to engage with one another.

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