Vol. III August 26, 2011 St. Petersburg, Florida Special Edition

Florida politicsThe who’s who in Florida government

— Page 4

Get to know ECPast, present & future

— Page 9

Evacuate?Be prepared for hurricane season

— Page 5

Welcome to Eckerd College

photo by Lauren Murphy

special edition

2 Friday, August 26, 2011

Photos by Lauren Murphy

special editionspecial edition

The class of 2015 signs next to their handprints on the honor banner to be displayed in the cafeteria.

Ceremony of Lights, held Aug. 12, symbolizes the freshman class joining the Eckerd Col-lege community.

Class of 2015

Students gambled EC-money on Aug. 20 at Ca-sino Night in Fox Hall.

A freshman recites the Litany of Commitment.

Design by Ashley Daniels

Friday, August 26, 2011 3

autumn term 2011

photo by Weston BabelayGamma wins! Dorm complexes competed against each other Aug. 21 in a Kickball Tournament. The final came down to Delta and Gamma.

On Aug. 14, the class of 2015 en-joyed a day at Fort DeSoto beach, explored the his-toric Spanish fort and ate lunch un-der the pavilion.

Students dine on hamburgers and hotdogs at Fort DeSoto.

Photos by Lauren Murphy

Quick facts about the freshman class:

–You are one of more than 500 students representing the class of

2015.

–You come from 43 states plus the District of Columbia & Puerto

Rico.

–You represent 18 countries.

Welcome to Camp EckerdBy Max MartinezManaging Editor

I’ve been given an impossible task: to welcome all of you, the newest class of Tritons, to the campus we’re lucky enough to call home.

This, if you haven’t yet realized it, is our school newspaper, The Current, recently named the Best College Newspaper in Florida by the Florida College Press Association. We’ve undergone quite the transformation since I arrived as a freshman in August 2008, when the newspaper was “The Triton” and nobody, not even the editors, enjoyed reading it. Obama can promise change, but we actually delivered.

More important than the changes we proposed over a Chili’s dinner in 2009 was the incredible support we received from the Eckerd community, a testament to the spirit of innovation this school embraces.

Imagine telling the president and deans of your local state school that you plan on completely overhauling the school newspaper, throwing away

everything from the previous edition. They’d laugh, the alumni (especially former editors) would be enraged and only miniscule changes would be implemented.

Not here. The president was onboard. The deans were supportive. Faculty, staff and students began picking up copies, reading what for so long had gone unnoticed. Only at Eckerd are you free to make such radical changes. There’s probably a few other schools where it would work, but I guarantee none of them has a beach on campus.

The point is, you can make a mark here that is

you can imagine. So start a club, join ECOS or one of the media outlets (we’re clearly the coolest, but ECTV needs somebody to run it), or achieve immortality in other ways, like countless students before you.

Some wrote an epic, nearly undecipherable tale on the seawall, others installed steps and a seat in the largest tree in the Palm Hammock, while a few more accidentally burned down part of Kappa.

On second thought, don’t follow that lead.

BY SHAWN LAWLOR

Contributing Writer

Last year’s election saw the rise of a Tea Party assurgency in the Florida government and it would be helpful as a new citizen of Florida to know what’s going

truly know Florida.Senator Marco Rubio (R) was elected to

2010. Rubio is the son of Cuban immigrants who rose to political prominence through hard work and a charismatic persona. As a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 2000-2008, Rubio sought to push through initiatives to lower

In Congress, Rubio matches the perfect

capital gains and opposes a federally managed healthcare system. In regards to the environment, Rubio is hesitant to put further regulations to preserve the Everglades.

also supports raising the retirement age for those citizens seeking Social Security. However, despite Rubio’s small government rhetoric, Rubio is strongly supportive of government regulation of

marriages. In this summer’s debate on raising the

debt ceiling, Rubio was opposed to the Congressional deal to cut over $2 trillion

statement, “I cannot support this plan because it fails to actually solve our debt problem, fails to diminish the risk of a credit rating downgrade and is not a long-term solution to avert a debt crisis.”

Senator Bill Nelson (D) has remained Florida’s Democratic voice in government

in 1972. Since then he has served as a member of the state legislature, Florida cabinet, a U.S. senator since 2000, and

respected senior member of Congress, Nelson serves on a number of Senate committees including the Commerce, Budget, Finance, Intelligence and Aging committees. Nelson also spoke at Eckerd College’s graduation ceremony last year.

Senator Nelson has taken on several

protecting its citizenry and environment. The Senator’s website lists a number of

which include, “preventing oil drilling off Florida’s coast; ensuring veterans and

and have access to quality health care;

that allows the government to negotiate lower drug prices from pharmaceutical companies.”

This past summer, Nelson’s voice was less prominent then Rubio’s. Ultimately, Senator Nelson sought to form a

compromise in Washington’s partisan gaffe. This was the Senator’s statement on

that government spending must be cut, that the public debt must be reduced — otherwise, our economy will not recover and America will no longer be in good standing around the world.”

Former Hospital CEO, Governor Rick Scott (R), campaigned on a promise to defeat President Obama’s health care reform initiatives in the state of Florida. Following Florida’s Tea Party movement in last year’s election, Rick Scott’s political slogan resonated well with traditional conservatives and the unemployed, “Let’s get back to work.” During his short tenure which started at the beginning of this year, Scott’s policies have led to nothing but the opposite.

As governor, Rick Scott’s policies have disenfranchised the majority of Florida’s citizens. Scott has eliminated almost $70

$700 million of which were last minute line item vetoes to community projects and environmental land purchases. The budget eliminated $1.35 billion in funding for classrooms cutting thousands of teaching positions. Education cuts also

Florida students like me receive such as the Florida Resident Access Grant and Florida Bright Futures were defunded.

While Rick Scott campaigned on a promise to create jobs for Floridians, his policies have already eliminated 4,500 public jobs.

Scott’s boldest move was turning down over $2 billion in federal money for an electric rail line from Tampa to Orlando. This is something we have been trying to achieve in the 1-4 corridor for years, and the federal government was going to pay for it. According to the Federal Department of Transportation, the rail line would have created needed jobs and government revenue.

Not surprisingly, commentators and pundits in Florida often refer to our governor as the Dark Lord, due to his physical and behavioral similarities to the Harry Potter villain Voldemort.

Florida is a great state to engage in politics with its vibrant characteristics and diversity of important issues. Make sure you know what’s going on as a new citizen of this state.

4 Friday, August 26, 2011

special edition

Online Now: Interested is starting a club on campus?

www.theonlinecurrent.como Download the Club Chartering PDF to find out more!

BY STEPHEN BARBER

ECOS President

On behalf of the entire Eckerd College Organization of Students, we would like to welcome all new and returning students for the upcoming academic year. Whether

great break and are glad that you’re back on campus.

and programs, and we are all looking forward to the opportunity to serve as your student government.

Our goals this year include transforming the degree of collaboration between student clubs and organizations and ECOS; increasing the transparency of our procedures and processes as representatives of the student body; and leveraging the following multi-faceted plan.

Continuing TraditionEngineeringEvolution

One of our objectives is to build upon the

while maintaining the fundamental ECOS programs and traditional events (pizza with the president, pitchers with professors, etc.) to preserve the legacy left before us.

However, we also acknowledge that campus dynamics are far from stagnant. Each new class brings an improved demographic and refreshed attitude, so we are driven to engineer events catered to who we are today as a student body. Successful engineering requires effective communication, collaboration, ideation and implementation, and this year, every branch of ECOS has the resources and capabilities to do so.

Evolution is our long-term adaptation and design of a vision and foundation for the future. It is our goal not only to succeed as a student government by continuing tradition, engineering and evolving, but most importantly to establish an innovative legacy to leave behind.

We hope you take advantage of our open door policy throughout the year, and always welcome any ideas, thoughts, suggestions or concerns. We wish you the best of luck and hope you have a great year.

PRESS RELEASE

ECOS Public Relations

Eckerd College Organization of Students was especially busy Aug. 14, not only sponsoring the Fort Desoto beach trip but also hosting “Getting Involved with ECOS,” during

encouraged students to get involved in several ways, such as joining a standing

the Financial Affairs Committee) or running for an ECOS Senate seat in the third academic week of September.

The Senate is a branch of the ECOS government

that works with Eckerd students, faculty and staff to facilitate projects, ideas and interests of the Eckerd student body. Made up of 13 members of the student body (one representative

and two off-campus students), senators get the opportunity to use the numerous resources that Eckerd has to offer. In the past, ECOS senators have spearheaded projects such as Safe Ride, Sigma Block Party, Kappa Karnival and the RespECt Campaign.

Gamma Senator Kyle Berghold, a junior majoring in Marine Science, stood for election a year ago because he wanted to get involved in ECOS and the academic

side of Eckerd College. “It’s a liberal arts school so everything is mostly run by students, which is how we have ECOS,” Berghold comments. “Usually, if you want to start doing something, you just have to get yourself involved and just start working at it. ECOS is unique because there are a lot of resources and funding available to the student body. All you have to do is have an idea and start running with it.”

Rhemy Brezin, the senator for Alpha agrees with Kyle and encourages students to make contact with ECOS. “If you aren’t sure where to start, go

member,” she advises, “or just swing by the ECOS

where there is always someone who can steer you in the right direction.”

Elections are open to the student body and will take place between September 19 and 23. For more information, contact Erik Brydges at ecospr@eckerd.edu.

photo by RobBixbyPhotography/FlickrGovernor Rick Scott.

Friday, August 26, 2011 5

presents

Eckerd College activates its plan once a hurricane is projected to

approach our area. The plan is de-signed to promote the safety of the Eckerd College community, protect the college’s facilities and provide

for continuity of the college’s oper-ations. When we face a storm, you have important decisions to make, and the college needs your assis-tance, too, to protect it from po-

tential storm damage. This guide has been prepared to provide you information so you will know how

to plan and respond.

Important Contact Information

Eckerd’s Toll Free Number: 1-800-456-9009Eckerd’s website: www.eckerd.eduEckerd’s Emergency website: ecemergency.comPlease note the emergency website has to be typed into the browser exactly as above. This website is based out of California which allows for students, staff and faculty to stay in contact.

photos courtesy of Wikicommons

special feature

6 Friday, August 26, 2011

Eckerd College is likely to order an evacuation before Pinellas County officials order one. Why evacuate and close the college at least two days before the projected arrival of a hurricane?

Time is of the essence. Eckerd College wants to give students and staff time to leave the area before Pinellas County becomes con-

and the outer bands of the storm arrive. Pinellas County has four

County Emergency Management generally orders evacuations

Level E evacuation is ordered). When Pinellas County orders an

-ning through St. Petersburg and

-dents evacuating from regions surrounding Pinellas County. For students and staff who choose to shelter at home in Pinellas

We were evacuated and I left something important (medication, for example) behind in my dorm room! What can I do?

Call the college at 1-800-456-9009 and listen for instructions

arrangements to escort you to your room.

Are Eckerd College faculty involved in hurricane preparedness planning, response and recovery?

Faculty Coordinating Com-

organized a Fall 2005 forum

-

meteorological education sessions organized through the EMG.

-

ing time for evacuation and the time the college resumes normal

collegial chairs.

How do I know when I can come back on campus after a storm?

-sessment and Recovery Team will assess the college for safety.

-

Hurricane Season:-

Hurricane Warning:--

Hurricane Watch:-

Eye:

cloud.

--

Hurricane:

-

comfortable while being evacuated. Arrange with

-

mobile homes and manufactured housing. There

-

a kennel in a non-

located on 46th

in advance for arrangements. A

before you leave to make sure you can -

alternate contact method.

Know that the faculty and staff of Eckerd

-

time.

Many Eckerd College students hail from other states, so it is important to be informed about the seriousness of a hurricane. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) web-site provides essential information. Below are “hurricane terms” provided by NHC.

BY ASHLEY DANIELS

Editor-in-Chief

DESIGN BY MAX MARTINEZ AND ASHLEY DANIELS

special feature

Friday, August 26, 2011 7

Eckerd College is likely to order an evacuation before Pinellas County officials order one. Why evacuate and close the college at least two days before the projected arrival of a hurricane?

Time is of the essence. Eckerd College wants to give students and staff time to leave the area before Pinellas County becomes con-

and the outer bands of the storm arrive. Pinellas County has four

County Emergency Management generally orders evacuations

Level E evacuation is ordered). When Pinellas County orders an

-ning through St. Petersburg and

-dents evacuating from regions surrounding Pinellas County. For students and staff who choose to shelter at home in Pinellas

We were evacuated and I left something important (medication, for example) behind in my dorm room! What can I do?

Call the college at 1-800-456-9009 and listen for instructions

arrangements to escort you to your room.

Are Eckerd College faculty involved in hurricane preparedness planning, response and recovery?

Faculty Coordinating Com-

organized a Fall 2005 forum

-

meteorological education sessions organized through the EMG.

-

ing time for evacuation and the time the college resumes normal

collegial chairs.

How do I know when I can come back on campus after a storm?

-sessment and Recovery Team will assess the college for safety.

-

Remove trashLock doors

Course material

documents Medications

Cash

Personal hygiene items

Flashlight

Keys to car and residenceContainer or suitcase with lock

Food and treats for two weeksFood and water bowlsMedications and care instructions

comfortable while being evacuated. Arrange with

-

mobile homes and manufactured housing. There

-

a kennel in a non-

located on 46th

in advance for arrangements. A

an evacuation. Prices for gasoline may also increase with

car in this lot is reduced but not eliminated. Please review

Omega. Flood waters will cause them to slide and collide.

before you leave to make sure you can -

alternate contact method.

Know that the faculty and staff of Eckerd

-

time.

courtesy of Wikicommons

For more information, please visit the Tropical Weather Up-date through the link on the Eck-erd College website. There you

about hurricanes, procedures and policies.

metsla@eckerd.edu.

8 Friday, August 26, 2011

Pinellas County Emergency Manage-ment uses a storm surge data model

--

-

Zone A; that means we are in a coastal

waves washing over the seawall. Flood

courtesy of Pinellas County Emergency Management

that individuals who are ordered to evacuate from their

homes of family and friends in

--

is near the homes of Eckerd College staff members who can check on our sheltered students.

-

in the shelter.

There are also various hotels in non-evacuation areas including

Clearwater Central in Clearwa-

advance to secure a room.

Please note: These listings are

and not as an endorsement by Eckerd College.

Friday, August 26, 2011 9

Executive Board

Editor-in-ChiefAshley Daniels

Managing EditorMax Martinez

News EditorJaclyn New

currentnews@eckerd.edu

Asst. News EditorCait Duffy

Entertainment EditorShelby Howell

currententertainment@eckerd.edu

Viewpoints EditorJeralyn Darling

currentviews@eckerd.edu

Asst. viewpoints EditorCarver Lee

Sports EditorLincoln Andres-Beck

currentsports@eckerd.edu

Web EditorMax Martinez

Asst. Web EditorJohnny Jones

Web MasterShawn Craine

Faculty AdviserTracy Crow

Director of PR/AdvertisingDevon Williams

currentads@eckerd.edu

Asst. Director of PR/AdvertisingArielle Burger

Director of FinancesBeth Robison

Contributing Writers

Stephen BarberSean Lawlor

Photographers & Illustrators

Lauren Murphy

• August 26, 2011 •• Vol. III Special Edition •

autumn term 2011

BY CAIT DUFFY

Asst. News Editor

Autumn term at Eckerd College can only be described as a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Each year provides a new group of students, a new group of personalities entering a unique school. As you may have already noticed by this point, there’s no way to tell exactly what you’re in for over the next few months. All the movies, books and advice in the world can’t seem to fully cover every

weeks here, you may feel that you’re ready for what’s next, after the rest of the students are back and the full semester begins. Yet you still have no idea what the future holds. Trust me, it’s always good to prepare.

Prepare to share. But share within reason. Whether it’s food, over-the-counter meds, clothing, secrets, or whatever else, it’s not exactly advisable to share more than that person is willing to share with you.

Prepare to budget your time. Freedom is found in abundance at Eckerd’s campus. It’s up to you to do your homework, go to class, and have time for yourself. People are going to be telling you what to do, mainly your professors, but it’s completely up to you to actually do them.

Prepare to be broke. Budgeting money is just as important as budgeting your time. To those of you

that money can go through your hands shockingly fast. And to those of us lucky enough to have a helping hand from family, it can be embarrassing to have to explain that you don’t have enough money left over for gas, band-aids, medicine or laundry because a little too much was spent on your weekend fun.

Prepare to go to class. Over fall semester, say one of your classes meets three times a week, for the 15 weeks of the semester. Not only do you miss valuable instruction time and chances for help with

$95. If the class meets twice, then it costs you $142 per class, and once a week is $285 per class. Each class you miss is literally like throwing hundreds of dollars down the drain.

Prepare to adjust to the climate. For those of you from Florida, you already know what the weather entails here. But

for those of you from elsewhere, your body will adjust to the temperatures. When you become acclimated to 90 or 95 degrees every day, a dip down into the 70s or even the 60s will feel cold. Trust me, down the line, you’ll really enjoy having sweatshirts, jeans and maybe even a light jacket.

Prepare to feel homesick.

away, whether they admit it or not. Even going into my third year I still get homesick for the lovely state of New Jersey. It’s normal to miss somewhere or something that you’re so used to and comfortable with. But don’t let that homesickness overwhelm you. Talk about it, get it out, and go on an adventure here. Get comfortable with your new home.

Prepare to stand up for yourself. While peer pressure may seem like a thing of the past, it’s going to be found every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night, and very possibly every other night of the week. Learn to say no if you want to; just because everyone else is doing it doesn’t mean you have to. There is a lot of respect to be given to those who know their limits and boundaries.

Prepare to go out of your way to make friends. Everyone is just as scared as you are these

but making new friends can also seem a daunting task. Put yourself out there, the Eckerd community is incredibly welcoming and accepting. Especially to those of you living in Sigma; get yourself out of that bubble and meet people from other dorms. After spending my freshman year living in Sigma, my biggest regret is not getting to

know more people from the “other side” of campus. On the note of making friends, don’t be afraid to make friends with the staff! The maintenance staff, cafeteria and pub staff, and security guards (yes, the security guards) are all incredibly friendly people. Say hi, send out a smile, get a name and shake a hand. You’d be surprised how far that goes.

Prepare for the bubble. Yes, the Eckerd bubble is a terrifyingly real thing. Watch the news, get off campus, do what you can to reconnect with the “real world.” It’s really easy to forget about the world outside of our safe haven, this beautiful little oasis by the water. There’s enough to keep you fully active and immersed every day that you’re here, but make sure you don’t forget about what’s on the other side of our campus, state and country borders.

Prepare to be unprepared. Eckerd College is a very unique school. There is no Greek life here, no football team for us to root for. We have our own beach and waterfront, and an incredibly diverse yet small student body from all over the country and the world. Feel free to throw out most of the ideas you have about what your college experience is going to be like. The movies and TV shows ain’t got nothin’ on what it’s like to be a student at Eckerd. And the amazing thing is, every single student’s experience is completely different from anyone else’s. You are embarking on an incredible, unique journey, the likes of which you cannot fully prepare for, no matter how hard you may try. Don’t be afraid of it, be excited for it.

Prepare yourselves, things just got real

photo courtesy of Eckerd College/Flickr

1972: Florida Presbyterian College

gratitude to Jack Eckerd, who the year before donated $12.5 million

trouble for the young college. The founder of the Eckerd drugstore chain, Jack Eckerd

well-respected businessmen of the area, and became quite the philanthropist after amassing his fortune. He bought the naming rights for the Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater (it was a gift to his wife) and set up camps for troubled youth across Florida. He also served as interim president of the college in 1977 after the departure of President Wireman.

10 Friday, August 26, 2011

special edition

Where we’ve been... ...and where we’re going1960: Two years after the Florida Legislature granted the charter of Florida Presbyterian College, a ground-breaking ceremony was held on what would become our waterfront campus. That same year, the school began holding classes for the inaugural freshman class of 155 students in buildings downtown until campus was ready three years later.

1962-68: Given our current “hippie” reputation, it’s only

(originally Florida Presbyterian College) began during the

cultural upheaval of the 1960s, with campus opening the same year the Beatles took America by storm. The 60s saw the construction of many buildings we still use today, including Fox Hall, Siebert and the Roberts Music Center. But make no mistake about it, Florida Presbyterian College was far from the Eckerd you know now. Winter Term was in its infancy stages (the idea came from a small Massachusetts college, but we were

alcohol wasn’t allowed on campus regardless of a student’s age, and, according to an old school newspaper article we dug up, women had curfews. Then-President William Kadel announced that while he supported freedom of speech and debate, he would not allow a speaker on campus if they were a known member of the

his term as president in 1968 and was replaced by Billy Wireman (as in, Wireman Chapel), who at the time became the youngest college president in America, at 35 years old. Oh, and tuition? $1,675 in 1962,

is equal to roughly $12,000 in 2010.

1971-78: In June 1971, the Presbyterian synods gave over control of the college to a board of trustees, creating our current covenant relationship with the church As noted above, FPC was

academic departments were reorganized into the collegium structure we use today.

The 70s brought the toughest challenges yet to the young college.

faculty spots were lost, 21 perceent of the total faculty. In 1977, President

his name, until he,too, left before the end of the year to run for governor. Sadly, he lost. Peter Armacost took over as president in October 1977, a post he would hold for the next 23 years. During his tenure, the college added the popular Marine Science and Environmental Studies majors, as well as ASPEC and the PEL program. The 70s were not without highlights in student life. The English Language Service (ELS) center opened in 1977. Talk of adding an ROTC program stirred up debate around campus, but ultimately passed in 1978.

on a campus that caused one EC newspaper reporter in 1976 to write, “In theory, drug usage has always been against Eckerd policy, but R.A.’s are now being asked to enforce the heretofore lax policy.” Look for more about that article in a future issue of The Current.

A brief history

1977-2000: The tenure of President Peter Armacost kickstarted Eckerd’s rise to a new level of academic achievement and growth, yet ended with the school nearly bankrupt and its future in question. Under Armacost’s leadership, Eckerd added the Program for Experienced Learners (PEL) and the Association of Senior Professionals at Eckerd College (ASPEC), two renowned hallmarks of Eckerd College. The student body grew, and new dorms were constructed to meet demand. Some of today’s most popular majors, including marine science, environmental studies and international relations were added shortly after Armacost’s arrival. During this time, the college also received a number of grants from prestigious organizations such as the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Ford Foundation and the National Science Foundation.

innovative colleges in America. At the turn of the century, undergraduate enrollment stood at 1,485, with 1,200 more students in the PEL program. The faculty now consisted of 92 full-time professors.

Armacost’s impressive time at Eckerd ended on a sour note in 2000. That year, the board of trustees learned that over the previous 18 months, the school’s endowment shrunk from $34 million to $13 million. Without the board’s permission or awareness, Armacost had invested the bulk of Eckerd’s endowment in two ventures, an assisted living facility and a residential development on Eckerd property (you know, the one behind the pool). Both projects ended up in bankruptcy. Armacost resigned that summer, and the college’s endowment was eventually restored, the result of personal donations made by board members. Despite this, it is important to remember that Armacost “oversaw a period of impressive growth and innovation at Eckerd,” in the words of the St Petersburg Times. The new library that was completed in 2005 now bears the name of President Armacost. As board chairman Miles Collier said at the library groundbreaking ceremony in 2002, “of those presidents who have served this college, none has loved this college more nor given more of his talents than Peter H. Armacost.”

f

u

t

r

e

(a n d

2011, You Are Here: Eckerd College is young, younger than some of your parents and a good number of our professors. It’s part of our charm. Without generations of tradition to direct us, we’ve been free to innovate. Over time, our knack for innovation has become our trademark, from inventing the 4-1-4 academic calendar to our own version of the Coast Guard (happy 40th birthday, EC-SAR). To bring you up to speed on what’s happened in our short time as a college, and to let you in on what the Master Plan says is going to happen to us, we present: A Brief History (and Future) of Eckerd College. Enjoy.

2001-present: Donald Eastman III became Eckerd’s fourth president at a pivotal juncture in our college’s history at the turn of the century. Before moving to Eckerd, Eastman spent the previous ten years at the University of Georgia,

Relations and later as VP for Strategic Planning and Public Affairs. This experience more than

encounter at Eckerd. When he arrived, the college was recovering from

resignation. The to-do list was long, and, when it comes to maintaining a college, it never really gets

shorter. Before long though, Eastman hadback on track. In 2002, Eckerd was recognizedas one of the top 13 Institutions of Excellencethe First College Year, and a year later,from the Chronicle of Higher EducationEckerd led the nation in percentage ofwho study abroad. The way the college operated changed, too.end of Eastman’s third year, the college’swas balanced and the by-laws re-written.school adopted a new resource allocationand investment strategy while simultaneouslyshedding previous failed investments likeestate developments of Armacost.

BY MAX MARTINEZ

Managing Editor

autumn term 2011

Friday, August 26, 2011 11

Where we’ve been... ...and where we’re going

of Eckerd College

t

u

e )

Eastman had things recognized

Excellence in later, a study

Education reported of students

changed, too. By the college’s budget re-written. The

allocation model simultaneously

like the real

the Eastman era came in 2004, when the Phi Beta Kappa honor society granted Eckerd a chapter. Only 280 institutions across the country have chapters of Phi Beta Kappa, and Eckerd is the youngest to receive such an honor. Moving forward, Eastman prepared Eckerd for the future with the creation of a Campus Master

Plan sets a track for Eckerd for the foreseeable future, including the construction of several new buildings on campus, detailed throughout the rest of this timeline.

2008: In November 2008, in the thick of Eckerd’s 50th birthday celebrations, the college announced the start of its capital campaign, “Many experiences, one spirit,” with the goal of raising $80 million for improvements to the campus.

enormous success. By May 2011, the campaign came to a close after surpassing its goal, collecting nearly $81 million in donations and pledges. The campaign placed a high priority on a new, $25 million state-of-the-art Molecular and Life Sciences Building, currently under construction at the front of campus. Other priorities include a $2.5 million Center for Ceramic Arts and Sculpture, $1.5 million for chapel renovations and $2 million for “enhancing the environment.” Another $5 million is allocated for endowed professorships. Earlier this year, the GO Pavilion opened, made possible by a gift from trustee George Off (hence the name, GO Pavilion).

2012-13: The new Molecular and Life Sciences building is slated for completion in 2012, but given the normal pace of construction on campus, a 2013 opening is more likely. The $25 million complex will provide Eckerd’s burgeoning science department with much-needed lab and classroom space. At nearly 55,00 square feet, it will be the largest academic building on campus, despite only being one story tall.

campaign, its construction was made possible by the generosity of more than 300 individual donors, 200 of whom pledged more than $5,000 each. From Eckerd’s “Many Experiences, One Spirit” campaign website: “The new building will feature a single-story facility to include 9 laboratories; two classrooms; three faculty-student

greenhouse; a lobby and gathering space; several student study areas and meeting rooms; research support spaces and more.”

Photos, clockwise from top left: Jack Eckerd, philanthropist, interim Eckerd President and fi-nancial savior; Donald Eastman III, current President of Eckerd College; an artist’s rendering of the planned Ceramics build-ing an artist’s rendering of the Molecular and Life Sciences building. All photos courtesy of Eckerd.edu

2014: In the tradition of conserving the environment on campus, what we know now as Omega parking lot is slated to be dug up by 2014. In its place, will be an open green space, much like Kappa Field. The change is part of a larger plan to adjust the parking situation on campus, which began last year with the removal of Sheen parking lot (now the construction site for the new science building). As part of that plan, Omega lot will be removed and Dorm Drive will be converted to a wide sidewalk that can be used as a service road, like the one currently running between Iota and Kappa. The school hopes to make campus more friendly to walking while reducing the number of students who drive to class from their dorms. Before the class of 2015 graduates, all parking will be located on the outskirts of campus. North parking lot, lovingly referred to as “the freshman lot,” is undergoing an expansion to accommodate more vehicles. New lots have sprung up next to Upham and near the waterfront to make the transition smoother for the time being. The only parking lot to survive the shift will be Beta lot,

2015-20: By the time construction on the new performing and visual arts buildings is completed, every current Eckerd student will most likely have graduated. Even if you stay for a super-senior year, you’ll most likely miss it. Nevertheless, at some point this decade, the area behind Kappa will be graced with

above, is the Center for Ceramic Arts and Sculpture, which will occupy the land that is now Kappa parking lot. Currently, ceramic work is done in a small, temporary building just in front of the Ransom Art building. Rumor has it that the “temporary” studio has been in use for decades, so a new state-of-the-art center is long overdue. Farther down the road, the Master Plan

calls for the expansion of Bininger Theater, a new Fine Arts

building and a new music building, all in an area

dubbed “the arts quad.”

Special Edition: Autumn term 2011

E. Burrito Boarder (11-13 min)17 3rd St. N., St. PetersburgPhone: 727-209-0202www.burritoboarder.comHours: Su-Wed (11am-10pm) Tr-Sat (11am-2:30pm)Food: 4.5Price: $$-$$$

F. Lucky Dill Deli (11-13 min)277 Central Ave., St. PetersburgPhone: 727-895-5859www.luckydillofstpete.comHours: M-Tr (8am-9pm) F-Sa (8am-10pm) Su (8:30am-4pm)Food: 4Price: $$

G. The Chattaway (13-16 min)358 22nd Ave. S., St. PetersburgPhone: 727-823-1594Hours: Su-Sa (11am to 9:30pm)Food: 4 Price: $-$$

H. Cafe Bohemia (9-11 min) 937 Central Ave., St. PetersburgPhone: 727-895-4495Hours: M-T (8am-7pm) W-Th (8am–11pm) F (8am-12am) Sa (11am-12am)Food: 4Price: $$

I. Tijuana Flats (11-15 min)944 4th St. N., Ste 100, St. PetersburgPhone: 727-823-5882

Hours: Su-Tr (11am–10pm) F-Sa (11am–11pm)Food: 5Price: $$

J. The Globe Coffee Lounge (8-10 min)532 1st Ave. N., St. PetersburgPhone: 727-898-JAVAwww.globecoffeelounge.comHours: M-Tr (11am–1am) F (11am–2am) Sa (4pm–2am)Food: 4.5Price: $$

A. Undertow Beach Bar (6-10 min)3850 Gulf Blvd., St Pete BeachPhone: 727- 368 – 9000www.undertowbeachbar.comHours: Su-Sa (8am-2am)Food: 3.5Price: $$-$$$$

B. Shaner’s (7-10 min)2000 Pass-A-Grille Way, Pass-A-GrillePhone: 727-367-4292Hours: Su-Sa (8am-7pm)Food: 4.5Price: $-$$

C. Crabby Bill’s (6-10 min)5100 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete BeachPhone: 727-360-8858www.crabbybills.comHours: Su-Tr (11am-10pm) F-Sa (11am-11pm)Food: 4Price: $$-$$$$

D. Healthy Hut (9-11 min)595 Corey Ave., St. Pete BeachPhone: 727-363-4488www.hhutmarket.comSun (9am-8pm) M-Sa (8am-9pm)Food: 4Price: $$-$$$

Restaurant (travel time by car from Eckerd’s Campus)AddressContact InformationHoursFood Quality (1-5)

Now that you have the feel of what Eck-erd has to offer, it’s time to get off campus and explore the eclec-tic variety of eateries within our beautiful city. Here, we bring you some of the best of the St. Pete Sampler from the Spring 2011 semester. We here at The Current hope to provide you with a jumping off point for your explorations and endeavours around town. Bon Appetit!

*Price $-$$$$ $ = <$5.00 per meal $$$$ = $20.00+ per meal

Legend:Maps courtesy of Mapquest