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The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 17, 2008

In Community's Interest

Regarding "USF Can't Achieve Greatness If Branch Campuses Run Amok" (Our Opinion, Jan. 11):

Your recent editorial does a disservice to the elected, community and business leaders of St. Petersburg and Pinellas County who for 40 years have actively supported and advocated for the University of South Florida St. Petersburg. Through the years, this support has yielded critical financial support for programs, students and infrastructure. The Legislature's actions to give USF St. Petersburg fiscal autonomy and direction to seek separate accreditation strengthened the community's connection to USF.

We believe USF St Petersburg is a statewide model of a delivery system which ensures centralized and cost-effective services from USF Tampa while providing improved local responsiveness to the Pinellas community. USF's mission of providing access to the American dream through higher education is critical to the success of all of the Tampa Bay area, the state and the nation.

KENNETH W. HERETICK

St. Petersburg

Not Quite Separate

Although I applaud the Tribune for taking a position on USF's infrastructure, you've chosen a strange and incomplete perspective. Association of American Universities membership is the Genshaft/Board of Trustees top priority and every move they make is aimed that direction - including separate accreditation for regional campuses.

Your assertion that USFSP is "virtually independent" is correct, but not as you meant it. The reality is that USFSP is treated like a large department of USFT; charged to use the USF credit rating for building, charged to use interlibrary loan and all other support services; unable to grant their own degrees; teaching 8 percent of the students in the system with considerably less than 8 percent of the budget.

In a meeting last year with USFSP faculty, President Genshaft was asked directly whether she would accept AAU membership if AAU invited only USFT, without the other regional campuses. She said she would not. We will see whether she has the strength of that conviction.

ERIC C. ODGAARD

Tampa

Writer Distorted HBCUs

Regarding "The Sad Decline Of Black Colleges" (Other Views, Jan. 12):

Walter E. Williams recalls with gusto the negative words of Bill Maxwell on the former professor's "experience" at Stillman College. Williams then cites graduation rate statistics for historically black colleges. Using these points, Williams concludes, not so benignly, that perhaps it's time to ask if these colleges "have outlived their usefulness."

The low graduation rates of many black colleges are often exaggerated by a lack of financial aid that would allow many students to finish. Graduation statistics are not adjusted for such situations. Maxwell's sole experience at Stillman should not be used to malign or question the educational integrity of all black colleges or their students. These colleges continue to produce the largest number of black graduates. These graduates continue to be successful professionals who bring much to their fields of research, medicine, industry, finance, law and education. To leave readers thinking otherwise is disgraceful on the part of Williams.

VALERIE BARNES

Tampa

More Pressing Issues

Regarding "Wanted: Voters For State Song Contest" (Metro, Jan. 8):

And how much did we pay for this search for a new song? The last time I checked there were many more pressing issues in the state besides what the state song should be.

Political correctness has gotten out of hand. Should we tear down the Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial because they were both slave owners? I don't see other states lining up to take away institutions of their past. Have we gotten to the point that anytime anyone says that something is wrong it has to be changed?

ERIC HARVESTER

Tampa

Won't Be Singing Song

I was going to vote for the new state song, but after listening to the choices made by the "organizers," I left without voting. All the songs sound the same. They are depressing and somber, nothing uplifting or spirited. I did not like any of them so I did not vote. I will not be singing the winner.

BONNIE RAIFORD

Seffner

The Gift Of Life

Regarding "Kidney Transplant Surgery Is A Godsend" (Metro, Jan. 11):

The generosity of live organ donors like Martha Kitchen is wonderful. It's a shame we need so many live donors. Americans bury or cremate 20,000 transplantable organs every year.

There's another good way to put a big dent in the organ shortage: If you don't agree to donate your organs when you die, then you go to the back of the waiting list if you ever need an organ to live.

Giving organs first to organ donors will convince more people to donate. It will also make the organ allocation system fairer.

Anyone who wants to donate their organs to others who have agreed to donate theirs can join LifeSharers, a nonprofit network of organ donors who agree to offer their organs first to other organ donors when they die. Membership is free at www.lifesharers.org or by calling (888) ORGAN88. No one is excluded due to any pre-existing medical condition.

DAVID J. UNDIS

Nashville, Tenn.

Correction

Community Columnist Emily Matras is a student at Hillsborough High School.

The writer is chairman of St. Petersburg Downtown Partnership. The writer is assistant professor of psychology at USF St. Petersburg. The writer is executive director of LifeSharers.

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