inthisissue
ROYAL FUN
READING MATERIAL
OCCUPYING ST. PETE
USFSP crowns this year’s Homecoming Duke and Duchess.
The Oct. 22 Festival of Reading features USFSP professors’ latest books.
Protestors gathered in South Straub Park on Oct. 15. See the photo gallery online.
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Pages 5 & 6
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thecrow’snest
monday, oct. 17, 2011 www.crowsneststpete.com
Anthropology professors respond to Gov. Scott By ARIELLE STEVENSON News Editor During a recent interview in Daytona Beach, Fla., Gov. Rick Scott made it clear to students studying anthropology or those planning to study it that they weren’t going to bring any jobs to the state. “How many more jobs do you think there are for anthropology in the state? Do you want to use your tax dollars to educate more people that can’t get jobs in anthropology? I don’t,” Scott said in the interview. “I want to make sure we spend our money where people can get jobs when they get out.” Scott is openly discussing shifting taxpayer dollars to public institutions from social science degrees to science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM. “I want to spend our money getting people science, technology, engineering and math degrees,” Scott said. “That’s what our kids need to focus all of their time and attention on, those type of degrees that when they get out of school, they can get a job.” It isn’t clear if Scott did his homework before singling out anthropology degrees. The American Anthropological Association found that 64 percent of master’s graduates were employed within a year of graduating in 2009. USFSP found that overall, 72 percent
Christopher Guinn | The Crow's Nest
Senate President Cory Hebert listens as Senate President Pro Tempore April Parsons and the Senate debate his fate as the body's top officer.
SG votes to change Senate president
By CHRISTOPHER GUINN Contributing Writer
Arielle Stevenson | The Crow's Nest
Professor Jay Sokolovsky displays his degree in Anthropology received from Penn State in 1974.
of bachelor’s degree students were employed within six months of graduating in 2008. “Smart engineers will tell you that in order to build bridges in communities where humans are, it can’t be done without an understanding of the culture those humans function in,” said Jay Sokolovsky, a USFSP anthropology professor.
USFSP had 30 percent cut from its budget this year. Next year, it expects another 10 percent. “This is a conscious effort to shift important functions of the state from the public sector to private corporations with issues that deal with the lives of humans,” Sokolovsky said. Scott’s daughter Jordan Kan-
dah received her degree in anthropology from Virginia’s College of William & Mary, but she didn’t go into the field. The statements are less aimed just at anthropology. The American Anthropological Association wrote a letter to Scott in response to the comments. “Perhaps you are unaware that see ANTHROPOLOGY, page 2
Discontent that had been growing for weeks in Student Government’s legislative branch culminated in an email from Sen. Jericka Knox to the Senate on Wednesday afternoon, calling for Senate President Cory Hebert to resign from his position or face a vote of confidence. “Not until now have I felt that leadership (specifically your position) has been lacking, and I am quite disappointed by this. You have not done your part to create an environment conducive to success,” Knox wrote in the open letter addressed to Hebert. “I no longer feel as I have the ability to serve see SENATE, page 2
Lack of communication prevents timely club funding By TAYLOR GAUDENS Life Editor Clubs waiting on funding for campus events and activities finally received confirmation during the last week of September. However, a lapse of communication has put stress on Senate relations. SG started accepting club budgets at the beginning of August, with a cutoff date on Aug. 15, but Alex Moser, SG chief financial officer, said they did not exclude any clubs’ requests. “We definitely got a huge overflow during the first and second week of classes, more than over the summer,” he said. “Last year, everyone had worked together for three or four
years,” said April Parsons, Senate president. “That definitely reflected in the Senate.” With the “huge influx of new people” this school year, relationships and experience levels were not the same compared to the previous school year. “We don’t have very many senior members. It’s like the entire organization switched leadership after four years,” Parsons said. “Experience is half of the knowledge and we didn’t have the experience they had.” With new leadership, the view of the constitution and the statutes turned from an “intended” perspective to a more “literal” perspective. “There was definitely a switch when the leadership switched, on
how they viewed the statutes,” Parsons said. Moser is in his second year in office. He saw the changes in the Senate over the summer and noticed a difficulty in communication. “They missed out on a lot of planning time,” he said. “A little bit of that played into the chaos that happened this fall with the budget process,” he said. In fall 2010, clubs were not as quick to submit budget requests, but an appropriations committee had already been created during the summer, and they were meeting. Moser said there was “miscommunication and mistiming” between the Senate this past summer. Evan Garrett, the appropriations see FUNDING, page 3
Photo illustration by Wendy Biddlecombe and Daniel Mutter | The Crow's Nest
Clubs on campus have waited nearly six weeks for funding from Student Government and Senate.
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crowsneststpete.com | Oct. 17, 2011
Scott issues list of cost questions to university programs
thecrow’snest editor-in-chief keeley sheehan managing editor aimee alexander creative director tara mccarty news editor arielle stevenson arts editor amanda pretulac life editor taylor gaudens photo editor daniel mutter editorial page editor ren laforme advertising manager jessica kemper advertising representative colin o'hara distribution manager chris dorsey
ANTHROPOLOGY, continued from front page
Deb Wolfe serves as the adviser for The Crow’s Nest. Contact her at dpwolfeusfsp@gmail.com. Volume 46, Issue 9 A student newspaper at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg. Mission Statement: The Crow’s Nest is committed to providing its readers with news relevant to the University of South Florida St. Petersburg and its surrounding community. The Crow’s Nest abides by the highest ethical standards and focuses on stories that help readers make informed decisions on current issues. We take seriously the public’s trust in our news reporting and strive to uphold the highest standards of reporting as defined by the Society of Professional Journalists. The views expressed—both written and graphic—in the opinion section of The Crow’s Nest do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board. Submit letters to the editor to crowsnesteditor@gmail.com. The Crow’s Nest reserves the right to edit these pieces for style and length. If a letter is not meant for publication, please mark it as such. All submissions must include the author’s name, daytime phone number, and email address. The Crow’s Nest is provided free by the Activities & Services Fee, and advertising. The Crow’s Nest neither endorses nor takes responsibility for any claims made by our advertisers. Limit five issues per student. For additional copies, contact the editor-in-chief. Press run: 1,000 The Crow’s Nest office is located at: Campus Activities Center, University of South Florida St. Petersburg 140 Seventh Ave. S., St. Petersburg, Fla. 33701 (727) 873-4113 Copyright 2011 St. Petersburg, FL. The Crow’s Nest is printed by: Newspaper Printing Co., 5210 South Lois Ave., Tampa, Fla. 33611 Join us at our next staff meeting! Mondays at 5 p.m. in PRW lobby. Find us on Facebook: The Crow’s Nest at USF St. Petersburg Follow us on Twitter: @USFcrowsnest
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Christopher Guinn | The Crow's Nest
"The inspiration is not there," Sen. Eliana Agulair says of Senate President Cory Hebert. "We are losing energy." Aguilar was later elected president pro tempore, taking over for Sen. April Parsons, who ascended to the presidency.
SG holds vote of confidence SENATE, continued from front page my constituents because of your lack of leadership.” Less than four hours later, at SG’s scheduled Wednesday meeting, Hebert was removed from the presidency after a 7-to2 vote, more than the two-thirds majority required. Sen. Emily Gormon called for the opening of debate and Senate President Pro Tempore April Parsons stepped in to officiate in place of Hebert. Sen. Evan Garrett then broke several moments of awkward silence when he said that the vote should be called if there is concern, but that he had faith in Hebert’s ability to lead the Senate. Garrett later voted for removal. “From what I see, [Knox] never came and approached [Hebert] with her concerns. I do not think we should do this with him not being informed. I feel there is no ground for this,” said Sen. Walter Shelmet. Shelmet said there were problems with the Senate’s productivity, but attributed that issue to the members, rather than the leadership. “You can’t put this all on [Hebert] alone,” he said. “We do not need to be debating with who our leadership is. I do not think we should throw him out, and if you do not think that he is doing his job then tell him,” said Sen. Brian Bauroth. He also said that the impeachment proceedings against Parsons on Aug. 31 led to the Senate coming together to help her become a better, more assertive leader. “[Hebert’s] roommate,” thenAttorney General T.J. Ewin, “was the one who brought up [Parsons’] impeachment,” said Sen. James Scott. “We are not doing what was done against [her]. This is a vote of confidence. I am not confident.” “It’s not about personality,” he said.
Much of the debate focused around the creation of an ad hoc committee to clarify budget and grant procedures. Gormon had previously brought a resolution to establish a committee, but Hebert asserted his power to establish it directly, without opening up the issue to the Senate floor. “I appointed the chair of the appropriations committee and I picked people who were in tune with funds and money,” Hebert said. Sen. Lauren Reilly said Hebert mismanaged the committee by appointing members who were not interested in participating, while leaving out those who were interested. But Shelmet argued that Hebert was trying to save time. Hebert said he has been working behind the scenes, specifically on improving student advising services and putting picnic tables along the waterfront. “I cannot force senators to write legislation,” he said. “If we should call a vote of confidence, it should be on all of us,” said Shelmet, citing a lack of legislation proposed by the body. “How can he fix problems if no one brings them to his attention?” “Obviously there is a problem since we are doing this,” Scott said. “We are five months in and have nothing to show for it. I think all of us could have engaged him but I think we need a strong leader and [Hebert] hasn’t been a strong enough leader.” “He is a strong leader now,” Shelmet said, and he will get stronger. “The oil that drives a machine like this is enthusiasm,” Gormon said. “And I haven’t seen it from [Hebert].” She described the Senate as “dichotomous” and “dysfunctional” and said that she would resign her position if Hebert re-
mained president. “I can no longer stand this emotional drain. If this senate does not remove him, I will resign,” she said. “I can’t continue to work like this.” Scott made a case for Parsons being a strong replacement, saying that she improved greatly since her brush with impeachment. Rather than resign, as she was pressured to do, Parsons faced the impeachment proceedings and won. Hebert questioned Scott’s objectivity in the matter, saying that Parsons is one of his closest friends. After an hour of debate, Hebert said he would work on being a better, more approachable leader. “I apologize to anyone who said they cannot come speak to me,” he said. He added that, under his continued leadership, “the Senate can do better.” All but two senators, Shelmet and Bauroth, voted to remove Hebert from the position. He was succeeded by Parsons, who nominated Sen. Eliana Aguilar to the pro tempore position. Aguilar was affirmed with a unanimous vote. Knox was not able to attend the meeting and voted by proxy, a new procedure that allows SG members to vote despite scheduling conflicts. “One of the biggest problems we had was bad communication,” said Parsons at a later interview, “and that reflected on the view of SG across campus.” As Senate president, her main priority is to create relationships and consensus within the Senate, and to address formerly-funded projects that have fallen by the wayside. “I really hope we can move on from this … and be productive for the students,” she said. news@crowsneststpete.com
anthropologists are leaders in our nation’s top science fields, making groundbreaking discoveries in areas as varied as public health, human genetics, legal history, bilingualism, the African American heritage and infant learning,” the letter stated. Anthropology professors from seven of the state’s public universities finished a letter to the Governor outlining four points on why anthropology is an important field and degree. The letter cites new employment opportunities, the use of STEM in the field, continuing education, and the importance of the study to Florida overall. “With the industrialization of the economy in foreign markets, there are more foreign workers in everything from software to food,” Sokolovsky said. “Anthropologists help corporations understand how to effectively incorporate these populations.” Sokolovsky also cited the growing need in the field of forensic anthropology and those in law enforcement with anthropology backgrounds. “Ask any police chief in a medium city like Clearwater, which is primarily Hispanic, there are desperate needs for police officers with strong cultural understanding,” Sokolovsky said. But the issue isn’t as simple as whether anthropology degrees create jobs. It’s part of a larger scope of university operations statewide. Funding is being shifted from certain degrees to others. The state is looking to weed out “unproductive” professors. The biggest could be an overhaul on a system that has traditionally offered faculty job security. Following Scott’s comments this week, he issued university presidents across the state a questionnaire with 17 queries with questions like “How do you measure the university’s cost and revenue per program? If so, send me reports from the last five to 10 years. Additionally, please send me your individual measurable goals and tracking of your success during your term as university president.” “This is overall, a smoke screen to deflect attention from the budget cuts to public education in K-12 and universities,” Sokolovsky said. “It’s a bad deal for the universities and it’s the worst deal for the state.” news@crowsneststpete.com
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Author and journalist to speak on oil dependency By ARIELLE STEVENSON News Editor Edwin Black, a Washington D.C. based author and journalist, will speak Oct. 19 on oil dependency and the history of oil as a commodity. Black’s work has been published in The Washington Post, The L.A. Times and The Huffington Post. His latest book, “British Petroleum and the Redline Agreement,” came out this year and discusses the history of BP. “I thought that because this history is largely unknown, it would put the company into perspective,” Black said. USFSP is a school very familiar with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill of 2010, involving BP. USF was noted early in the aftermath for its research on the oil spill and the effects on the environment. Last month, the College of Marine Science was awarded an $11 million grant for research on the post-oil spill Gulf. “Because BP’s history is left out of BP’s contemporary public relations program, the Gulf was just another notch in the belt of a company who has been able to do whatever is necessary to whoever necessary in order to get the oil,” Black said. Black said that the electric car and the hydrogen fuel cell were both invented in the 1830s. “We never needed to be addicted to oil,” Black said. “It’s important to understand that the company known as BP, which is casting itself as a company that cares about the little guy, has actually been a company steeped in war and massacre since its inception.” Black will speak at USFSP on Monday, Oct.19 from noon to 1 p.m. in Davis 130. news@crowsneststpete.com
CORRECTIONS In last week’s Red Bull Flugtag article, we wrote that hundreds of people attended. It should have read over 100,000 people. Also, the uppermost photo identified Gabe Windschaue as the man dressed as Ron Burgandy. The man was actually Adam Hopkins. The Occupy Tampa photo on pg. 2 was credited to Christopher Guinn. The photo was actually taken by Daniel Mutter. In the article about the film “Married in Spandex,” Amanda Kole was incorrectly labeled as a maker of the film. Allison Kole was the filmmaker. The Crow’s Nest regrets these mistakes.
New statutes changed club budget process FUNDING, continued from front page committee chair, resigned and at the time of Garrett’s resignation, “there was about a month time period where there was no chair,” Moser said. The appropriations committee chair was not assigned until the second week of school. “They had a lot to do in a short amount of time,” Moser said. The Senate is supposed to meet biweekly during the summer, and with the chance for two meetings and time to name an appropriations chair before the fall semester began, Senate could not reach quorum—a specific number of senators present in order to vote— and therefore a chair could not be appointed. Parsons said Moser slowly received the budgets over the summer and his plan was to hold them until he could “give them to the Senate all at once.” “All the budgets I had received, I couldn’t pass to the chair, because there was no chair,” Moser said. Parsons was hesitant to make any major decisions without communicating with Cory Hebert, then-Senate president, who was out of town for the summer. She was the acting Senate president while he was away. The lack of communication made it difficult for the Senate to even hold a meeting. “It was hard because it was his position I was holding,” Parsons said.
Parsons said she and Hebert should have done the general assembly meeting agendas together on a weekly basis. Aside from the slow start to allocate funding to clubs, an issue with the process Senate was following was not correct according to the statutes. Last year, the SG leadership changed the statutes to a new process. Moser said it was brought to his attention by one of his assistants. It was brought to the attention of the Senate, which happened right after the majority of the club budgets had passed. “We were not going to let the current process continue on, knowing it was not the proper way,” Moser said. Parsons said the Senate passed the majority of the budgets and were blindsided at the next week’s meeting, the sixth week of school. “The CFO gave us bills that nobody had seen before, five minutes before the meeting started,” she said. But it’s not the reason why things were held up. “We wanted budgets to be submitted in bill form, so it was clear when [Courtney Parrish, the SG President] was passing or vetoing budgets. That’s how it reads it the statutes,” Moser said. He wants to put the process back to the way it used to be, where Senate doesn’t see club budgets, because as of now, there
is no club budget process, he said. “Clubs would receive their funding through a budget committee made up of the CFO and a collective body of students who had no affiliation with SG whatsoever,” Moser said. The only budget Senate used to see was the yearly $1.5 million that funds everyone. Parsons agreed and said that reviewing club budgets and the entire A&S fees budget “isn’t the same thing.” When the statutes were changed in 2009-2010 academic year, the new process came about. “I believe that it needs to be a process that clubs receive their funding in a timely manner and not be scrutinized on the events or activities they want to partake in,” Moser said. He also thinks Senate should not deal with club budgets. “I don’t think the Senate should have a say in what events or what projects they do, as long as the funds are being spent appropriately, according to state and university policies and that there is students support behind it,” Moser said. “A&S are accumulated from all students and the fees should benefit as many students as possible.” Parsons said the Senate is taking “active steps to fix the shortcomings.” news@crowsneststpete.com
News in brief
Midterm voting begins Oct. 25 USFSP is now in voting season with the upcoming midterm elections for Student Government. Students that have sought to be involved in representing the USFSP student body submitted their campaign paperwork on Oct. 14. Positions to be filled include 20 Senate seats, as well as positions in the executive branch and a judicial seat. Voting this year will take place online, which can be accessed through Blackboard. The Election Rules Commission will hold events during the week of the elections to remind students to vote. Voting begins Oct. 25 and ends at 5 p.m. on Oct. 26.
Occupying St. Petersburg Over 300 people protested in South Straub Park on Oct. 16, according to The St. Petersburg Times. Occupy St. Petersburg came a few weeks after protesters began occupying Lykes Gaslight Square Park in Tampa.
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arts & life
crowsneststpete.com | Oct. 17, 2011
Club explores Mayan culture By MEGHAN HOODHOOD Contributing Writer Marking the start of Hispanic Heritage Month, La Casa Hispana, USFSP’s Spanish club, co-hosted its first event for the new society, culture and language department. The event, which took place at the Campus Grind, offered homemade Hispanic food, a few words by professors and fellowship among club members. The documentary “Breaking the Maya Code” was featured and provided by Maya script expert Gabrielle Vail, adjunct professor at USFSP. “The intensity of the Mayan language was so unexpected, and really quite mind-blowing,” said Audra Hearne, junior anthropology major. The society, culture and language department now combines the programs of anthropology, world languages, criminology and interdisciplinary social sciences. As one of the first events to encompass the new department, La Casa Hispana members represented a variety of majors at the event. “There is a lot of overlap in student interests and you really can’t separate language and culture,” said Nora Gaunt, president of La Casa Hispana. Although the club admits has been slightly disorganized in the past, this semester it is working to create an environment that will bring more people to its events, with hopes to be more involved in the community.
Chris Campbell | The Crow's Nest
Campus Grind barista Courtney Kent serves Spanish fare to students and faculty attending the event.
“We try to make our events relaxed and social with real substance so people have fun and get good information. Hispanic culture is immensely diverse and consists of a plethora of different subgroups and languages,” Gaunt said. Future plans for events include playing board games in Spanish and holding a workshop with Vail for students to interactively work on decoding Mayan hieroglyphs on their own. “We want to foster and peak interest in the students,” said Dana Parkinson, vice president of La Casa Hispana. The club believes that taking learning outside the classroom re-
laxes students and opens up more opportunities for them to improve their knowledge of language. Jay Sokolovsky, anthropology professor and department chair, offered extra credit to his students for attending the event and watching the documentary. “For getting jobs, one of the best things undergraduates can do is learn another language,” Sokolovsky said. Students also want learning a language to be something that will translate into their everyday lives. “Learning previous knowledge is important to sustain culture and a way of life,” said William Nicks, political science and psychology major. life@crowsneststpete.com
Photo illustration by Wendy Biddlecombe and Daniel Mutter | The Crow's Nest
Midterm exams mean an increase in stress and studying for many students at USFSP.
Beating stress to make the grade By DAWN-MARIE PARKER Contributing Writer Students looking for ways to quell anxiety before midterm exams got tips to fight test anxiety from a Center for Counseling, Health and Wellness workshop. Daniela Venosa, practicum therapist for the center, led the workshop in Coquina Hall on Oct. 13 “There are things you can do before, during, and after a test to reduce anxiety,” Venosa said. She provided general tips for successful study techniques and gave examples of different ways to study with the VAK system: visual, auditory and kinesthetic. Venosa said students could learn in all three of these ways. The sooner students discover which system works best for them, the sooner their test anxiety will improve. “Get to know yourself,” Venosa said. “Pay attention to when, where and how you learn better.” Preparation for exams is key. Venosa recommended students avoid getting psyched up when the test arrives. Other tips included: Stay up-to-date with the
course. This will prevent studying multiple chapters the night before, which can lead to being overwhelmed. Create a schedule and study in sections—one chapter today, another chapter tomorrow, and then whatever is left to review the night before the test. Arrive 10 to 15 minutes early on the day of the test. Allowing time to get comfortable in the testing space, along with a few deep breaths, will calm any nervous feelings. Briefly review the test once it is passed out and answer the easiest questions first, in order to manage time efficiently. After receiving the graded test back, go over it to determine any weak areas and work on those first. Instead of giving up, take the time to understand the wrong answers and focus on that for the next test. Kevon Bremmer, senior ISS major, found the workshop helpful. “I get so anxious before and during tests, and breathing exercises really help me,” he said. life@crowsneststpete.com
Fall Wellness Week Tuesday, Oct. 25 Wellness screenings Boot camp for beginners Flu vaccination clinic Wednesday, Oct. 26 Clothesline project Thursday, Oct. 27 Make your own stress balls Wellness screenings Free HIV screening Visit www.usfsp.edu/cchw for more information.
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HAB kicks off homecoming 2011 with Party at the Docks By TAYLOR GAUDENS Life Editor The USF Homecoming kickoff Party at the Docks featured live music, carnival games and the crowning of USFSP’s Duke and Duchess. Harborside Activities Board and Student Government hosted the event, and SG Vice President Mark Lombardi-Nelson and HAB President Jamie Kennedy announced the winners. Though the Oct. 13 party got off to a late start, the royalty was crowned at the beginning of the event. Anthony Patterson, junior mass communications major, won Duke. Patterson commented about his runny nose and thanked the crowd upon receiving his sash and crown. Lauren Dakers, junior environmental science and policy major, won Duchess. “I am super excited,” Dakers said. “I worked really hard.” Sam Howard, sophomore elementary education major, said the event was “so much fun.” Howard said she usually attends school events because “I always get the free food.” She said the best part of the event was the cotton candy.
Activities at the event included balloon hats and animals, cornhole and live music from local bands Between Bluffs and Mighty Mongo. Scott Moser, freshman criminology major, saw the “moon bounce thing” when he got out of class and decided to attend the event. He is not going to the homecoming game because of work, but he plans to “catch the highlights” of the game. Anthony Wapshott, freshman environmental science and policy major, enjoyed the music from Between Bluffs because he likes bluegrass. “I love country, I’m from Alabama,” Wapshott said. This week’s Homecoming activities include a Caribbean festival on Monday, an obstacle course on Tuesday and Viva España Trivia at night, The Big Boot, a pass/punt/ kick game, on Wednesday and a lip synch contest at night, a foam party on Thursday, and an awards ceremony on Friday. HAB and SG are hosting all events. The remaining USF royalty will make an appearance at the homecoming game vs. Cincinnati on Oct. 12 at Raymond James Stadium at noon. life@crowsneststpete.com
Sophomore Sam Howard grabs a snow cone after finishing her cotton candy.
Lauren Dakers and Anthony Patterson were crowned homecoming duchess and duke. They will appear on-field during halftime of Saturday's homecoming game against Cincinnati.
Photos by Daniel Mutter | The Crow's Nest
Local band Between Bluffs opened the event around 6:40 p.m.
Professor’s book tackles parenting problems By AIMEE ALEXANDER Managing Editor Dr. V. Mark Durand has always been intrigued with human behavior. “That’s why I got into psychology,” Durand said. “I like to try to understand behavior. Whether it’s at the supermarket, the mall, the movie theater or on television, I am always fascinated.” His latest book: "Optimistic Parenting: Hope and Help for Your Challenging Child" was written as a result of a successful five-year multi-site research study on the effects of optimism and parenting challenging children. Durand, who is a festival author at the Oct. 22 Times Festival of Reading, wanted to share his findings as a way to offer hope to parents who needed help. “We were able to get these very pessimistic parents with very difficult children to be more optimistic and, not only were they able to make things better, but they were able to implement the procedures,” Durand said. The study examined two research groups. The first group received traditional behavior therapy and learned how to prevent problems and reinforce their child’s behavior. The second group was a cognitive behavior therapy group. They were given traditional behavior ther-
Courtesy of USF
Dr. V. Mark Durand, USFSP professor of psychology
apy plus the optimistic parenting. Durand, who obtained his doctoral degree from Stony Brook University, discovered that parents who were able to change their thought processes in the cognitive behavior therapy group became more aware of ruminating themes and achieved the most success. He explained some of the themes were things like giving up. “If you believe that, then no techniques are going to work because you give up,” he said. Another common theme was self-efficacy. “If a parent is feeling inadequate, not confidant, if they walk into a situation thinking it’s going to be a
disaster—‘here we go again’—then the idea was, can we make the pessimistic parents more optimistic?” Following up a year later, Durand found both kids’ groups had improved but after viewing video tapes of what the parents were doing with their child, “in the behavior training only, they were avoiding problems,” Durand said. “For example, one child had difficulty going to bed. The mother learned that if she put the television on, he would fall asleep,” he said. “Well, that’s not what we wanted. We wanted her to say ‘goodnight, you are going to bed now.’ ” The cognitive behavior therapy group actually pushed their kids and had more success. “They reported being more comfortable going out in the community, being around kids, so on the surface, we looked at all of these trainings and said kids get better,” Durand said. “What we found in our studies was they behaved better but it was because the parents were avoiding the problem.” Durand describes this as the “concessions process,” and it can backfire on parents. “When the kid gets to be 13, 15, now they start to run the house,” Durand said. Durand said optimism could have an enormous impact on quality of life. “[Parents] felt more likely their child could participate in sports and community activities,” he said.
“The ones who were more optimistic said ‘yes, we can go to friends’ houses, we can go to the supermarket, and I don’t have to feel like we are going to have a problem.’ ” Pessimistic parents, in stark contrast, become very isolated. “It gets to the point, sometimes, where they can’t even get a babysitter because babysitters can’t handle that kid,” Durand said. “The downside is your child begins to run the house. And in the extreme, they can’t go out, they can’t have friends.” Durand said the difference between optimists’ and pessimists’ ways are “an optimist would say I am smart. That’s why I get A’s. But a pessimist would say the opposite. I am stupid. I should have done this or that. I am a failure. And if I get an A, then I was lucky.” “And that’s what happens in parenting,” Durand said. “They [parents] start to look at these things and they don’t take credit for it when it goes well. And they always blame themselves when it doesn’t go well.” “But the optimistic part of me says you can change that,” he said. “And that’s what the book is about: hope and help. I give you hope that you can do this, and that your child can change, and I teach you the skills to help you do it.” life@crowsneststpete.com
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crowsneststpete.com | Oct. 17, 2011
Getting a jump on post-grad job hunt
Courtesy of Ray Arsenault
Arsenault and his colleagues won Emmys for their work on “Freedom Riders.” From left to right: American Experience Executive Producer Mark Samels, author and historian Ray Arsenault, Freedom Riders film producer Laurens Grant, film editor Louis Erskine and film director Stanley Nelson.
Amanda Pretulac | The Crow's Nest
Career assistants, Annina Coschigano (L) and Sarah Richardson (R) look over resume handouts in preparation for students.
By AMANDA PRETULAC Arts Editor With the lag in the current job market, the USFSP Career Center offers students ways to explore employment options before graduating. “The beginning of senior year is when the job search process really kicks in,” said Barbra Higel, assistant director of the Career Center. “Communicate to your network about your career interests so they can forward any potential opportunities. Seek out events to meet employers and alumni such as career fairs and information sessions.” Higel said it’s never too early to look up jobs on career searching websites such as Indeed.com or Monster.com to help better the chances of a guaranteed job after graduation. But even though many students are majoring in the field of their interest, they’re not quite sure what to do with their major. “Knowing your area of interest and the type of opportunity you want to pursue is key. The objective is what drives the process,” Higel said. “If you don’t know what you want to do, then it’s difficult to write a resume, target employers, and to effectively network.” Higel suggested resources to learn about employers in the area, like The Book of Lists, published annually by the Tampa Bay Business Journal, or LinkedIn, which allows users to create a profile and research companies and career openings, and network with professionals and alumni. Once an area of interest emerges, it’s time to start exploring. Internships or campus jobs can help students gain experience in a particular field. Creating a resume is also a
top priority. “The goal of the resume is to secure an interview. Since a resume is a summary, the details should reflect your skills and experiences and how they relate to your objective,” Higel said. “The position, company or industry should be taken into account when determining key words.” Employers can sometimes decide to hire a future employee within seconds. The Career Center can help tailor a resume to give students the best possible chance of securing a job. It’s best to limit resumes to one page, and create a separate reference page to allow more free space on the document. The Career Center also has a new walk-in service, CareerNow, when students can come in without an appointment and meet with a career assistant, who can help with researching careers and writing resumes, Higel said. The center also has books with ideas to help with the job searching process. Once students have pinpointed an area of interest and created a resume, reaching out to employers is next. Networking and attending job fairs are also beneficial for students about to graduate. The Career Center will host a Career Exploration day on Nov. 2 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. in Harbor Hall, showcasing USFSP majors and career options, student organizations, and professional associations. Alumni will be at the event to discuss their career experiences. CareerNow Monday: 1 - 5p.m. Tuesday - Thursday: 9 a.m. - noon, 2 - 5 p.m. Friday: 9 a.m. - noon For more information visit www.usfsp.edu/careercenter.
life@crowsneststpete.com
History professor’s book on civil rights movement makes big impact By ARIELLE STEVENSON News Editor For USFSP history professor Ray Arsenault, 2011 has had its ups and its major ups. He’s been on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” and not just any episode. Oprah did a 50th Anniversary special on the Freedom Riders as one of her final episodes. He flew to the White House on Oct. 16. His book “Freedom Riders: 1961 and the Struggle for Racial Justice (Pivotal Moments in American History)” came out in its abridged form and is being used nationwide by teachers. His book was made into a PBS American Experience documentary. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, forging a path all the way to the Emmys. The film won all three categories in which it was nominated. “It was like prom on steroids,” Arsenault said of the gala at the Emmy Awards. Arsenault was seated with PBS, whose difficulties with funding came under attack by conservatives. Funding for public broadcasting has been overwhelmingly slashed throughout the nation. In Florida, Gov. Rick Scott cut all $4.8 million in public broadcasting from the budget. “It was a rough year for PBS, with their funding under attack
by the conservatives, but they an impact. They were beaten and managed to win 10 Emmys still,” mobbed, but no one was killed and Arsenault said. they actually made the changes The Freedom Rides were a they wanted. movement fueled by young people “Contemporary American deand direct-action non-violence. mocracy can be, and should be, in They tested interstate integration citizen politics,” Arsenault said. laws established by the Supreme In the midst of all the exciteCourt and put the laws into ac- ment, one of the fathers of the tion by riding buses throughout Freedom Riders movement passed the South. Fourteen students at away. Birmingham-based Rev. Tennessee State University in Fred Shuttlesworth was at the Nashville were expelled for their forefront of the movement from participation. the start, organizing his commu“This reawakening of interest nity and eventually having a hand is great—some are getting honor- in changing civil rights history in ary degrees, some have been in- the country. He was 89. Arsenault volved in the Occupy Wall Street says there is talk that President movement,” Arsenault said. Free- Barack Obama may attend the fudom Riders are doing speaking neral of the civil rights activist in engagements, sharing their stories Birmingham. of civil disobedience sometimes Arsenault is currently working after years of silence. This sum- on his next book, a biography of mer, 40 college students from the African-American tennis star across the country were selected Arthur Ashe. to recreate the Freedom Rides on “I am deep in the information a bus across the south. It isn’t just tunnel,” he said. the book or the film. The story is Arsenault will be speaking being told on multiple platforms. about his book on Oct. 22 at the “It is a phenomena—the muse- Times Festival of Reading. Florum exhibit, the book, the website, ida’s own Freedom Riders David the film, curriculum packets for and Winonah Myers and Freedom classrooms,” Arsenault said. “It Rider Kredelle Petway will be is a three-ring circus of informa- part of the event as well. The talk tion and you reach people any way is at the USFSP Campus Activities you can.” Center and begins at noon. The story of college students that get on a bus to integrate bus stations and bathrooms has had life@crowsneststpete.com
St. Petersburg Times Festival of Reading Details:
Featured USFSP Professors:
Saturday, Oct. 22 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. USF St. Petersburg Free Admission
Ray Arsenault “Freedom Riders” Julie Buckner Armstrong “Mary Turner and the Memory of Lynching”
V. Mark Durand “Optimistic Parenting: Hope and Help for Your Challenging Child” Tony Silvia, “Power Performance: Multimedia Storytelling for Journalism and Public Relations”
opinion | 7
Oct. 17, 2011 | crowsneststpete.com
editorial
column
But other breast cancer orgs offer more bang for donated buck
By KEELEY SHEEHAN Editor-in-Chief
Controversial ‘boobies’ bracelets resonate with youth
Boobies, ta-tas, cans and bonkers, gazongas, hooters, melons and knockers. It doesn’t matter what you call them, as long as you donate to an organization that actually uses your money to fight breast cancer. Keep A Breast’s “I Love Boobies!” campaign and the Save the Ta-Tas Foundation have gotten significant press for the unconventional methods they use to promote breast cancer awareness. Keep A Breast sells small rubber wristbands with the phrase “i ♥ boobies” for $4, while Save the Ta-Tas sells shirts with various slogans on them, including their namesake. Their unusual products have been banned in schools across the country for being inappropriate, using slang or disrespectful language. In some cases, the American Civil Liberties Union has gotten involved, and in Pennsylvania, a federal judge ordered one high school to allow students to wear the bracelets after two girls filed a lawsuit. Keep A Breast argues that its
bracelets “speak to young people in their own voice about a subject that is often scary and taboo.” Pink ribbons don’t always resonate with some youths, they say, but they think that their product and the festivals, art shows and surf and skate contests they hold with the earnings are capable of getting young peoples’ attentions. The shirts and bracelets are tacky, and make light of a serious issue, but it makes kids consider a topic they might otherwise not have thought about. That’s important, as young women should begin self-screening at a young age and have a clinical breast exam every three years starting at age 20. But do they use the money they earn to further prevent breast cancer? Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem so. The organization nets about $10 million per year just by selling bracelets and T-shirts with its slogans on them. Of that, it donated about $100,000, or 1 percent. Admirably, this money went to research and environmental programs like
the University of California San Diego and California State University Fresno, but at such a small percent, donors should look elsewhere to get the most cure for their buck. Save The Ta-Tas donates 5 percent of its gross sales to fight breast cancer, meaning they donate money even if they have to take it from their operating budget. To date, the foundation has donated over half a million dollars. But with shirts at $30 a pop, that’s only $1.50 per shirt. People who can find it in their hearts to donate money without receiving some trinket or sign that they’ve donated have better options. Finding the right breast cancer organization to donate to can be tricky. Breasts are the most visible and obvious symbol of female sexuality, and sex sells. Billions of donated dollars have been used to dye America pink—from NFL jerseys to cans of soup—to negligible effect. Perhaps breast cancer awareness was necessary over 20 years ago, when the pink ribbon was
wrought to make people mindful of the disease, but everybody knows what it is now. Money should instead be funneled to research. But what charities will do that? With its name plastered on food products across the country, Susan G. Komen for the Cure is the most high-profile breast cancer foundation. Since 1982, it has invested almost $2 billion for breast cancer research and advocacy. But it also spent some of that money to keep its high profile position. The foundation has sued over 100 other charities for using the term “for the cure,” often running them out of business. That’s not an effective use of donor money. Consider instead the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. It doesn’t have a sexy name or slogan, and it doesn’t put its name on yogurt containers, but it donates 90 percent of all funding, and holds an A+ rating from the American Institute of Philanthropy (Komen has a B+). editorials@crowsneststpete.com
editorial
Tampa mayor asks USF students to stay in the Bay Jobs, education system, Florida’s image must change first Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn wants students to stay in the area after they graduate. He wants to stop the “brain drain” and see the city compete with Austin, Texas and RaleighDurham, N.C. in terms of educated minds. The city can be hip and progressive, he said, and USF students should stick around after graduating to make it so. We say, OK, Mr. Mayor, just as long as you give us something to stay for. Tampa Bay isn’t a place that a lot of people think about when they want to settle down and start a career and a family. There are the obvious reasons: heat, retirees, tourists, the ever-present threat of a cockroach infestation. But the details say more than the tropes. Unemployment in the bay area is still at a stagnant 11 percent, down from a peak of 12.6 percent in November 2010, but relatively unchanged since mid-2009. Cities like St. Paul, Minn.; Austin, Texas
and Boston are more attractive to graduates. They simply offer lower unemployment rates—6.7 percent, 7.3 percent and 6.4 percent, respectively—and have a diverse range of industries with a relatively low cost of living. Even Detroit, Mich., the place where once thriving industries go to die, made a list as the fourth easiest city to find a job in the United States. And then there’s the matter of Florida’s education system. The state desperately needs to overhaul its comprehensive testing program. Schools that perform well on these tests get more state money, while schools that perform poorly might see funding decreases. It’s a broken system, and it shows. Only 17 percent of Florida high school graduates are ready for higher education, according to ACT scores. Why would we want to live in a place where our children have such poor odds? It’s not that bay area unem-
ployment, or its shoddy education system, is Buckhorn’s fault. The Tampa mayor inherited an ugly situation, and has made some major moves to fix it. Appointing a Deputy Mayor for Economic Opportunity, creating incentive packages to bring high tech industries to the area, and calling for the development of “New Urbanism”— walkable, compact, mixed-use cities—are all great moves that could pay big dividends for the city in the future. And the state is getting tougher with its education system with the implementation of a set of nationwide standards that aim to bring the U.S. in line with better systems in places like Finland and China. But really, neither of these concerns are Tampa Bay’s biggest problem. You can find a bad education system and a high unemployment rate in 100 other cities in the United States. There’s nothing really that wrong with Tampa Bay. But there’s nothing really
right with it either. And therein lies the problem. What is Tampa known for? Conan O’Brien may have inadvertently summed it up when the Rays beat his beloved Red Sox to take the wild card spot in the MLB last month. “I’m sure Tampa is a fine place to live, if you’re a mosquito,” he said. And that’s the crux of the issue. Tampa is known for tourists, retirees and 100 percent humidity. As Buckhorn and other state leaders work to fix the economy and the education system, they should keep in mind that most people see Florida as a place where old people go to die in the warmth, and work to update that image. As graduates, we’re looking for other educated youth and the birth of opportunities, not retirement homes and bereavement. Give us something to believe in, Mayor Buckhorn, and we’ll stay. editorials@crowsneststpete.com
quotesandnotes Quote of the week
“The extremists threatening American values are what F.D.R. called ‘economic royalists,’ not the people camping in Zuccotti Park.” – Economist and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman, supporting the Occupy Wall Street movement
Throwback
Forty-three years ago, on Oct. 17, 1968, Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fists in the black power salute at the Olympics, later costing them their medals. On Oct. 18, 1985, 26 years ago, the Nintendo Entertainment System was released.
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Life in the slow lane I’m 24 years old and I just bought my first car. Well, I halfbought a car, anyway. The significant other bought the other half. He’s generously designated the passenger side as mine. I have a love-hate relationship with ground transportation. The morning after prom, I rolled out of bed, terrible up-do still intact, and took my road test. I celebrated getting my license by getting my diploma the next afternoon. After a summer away from home, re-learning the art of the right-of-way was a little tricky, but I got through it unscathed, mostly by depending on friends with both licenses and cars. I just had the little piece of plastic that didn’t get me into the good nightclubs. Commuting to school was an intricate dance of sharing. I hadn’t worked much during high school, with parents that encouraged extracurriculars over part-time employment for the sake of college and scholarship applications. My graduation gift savings went directly from my aunts and uncles’ hands to the university cashier’s office, and $7.50 an hour from a grocery store doesn’t add up that quickly. Could I have gotten one of those new fangled car loans? I don’t know. I didn’t bother to even think about it. I would wake up early on a school day, drive my mother to work, then drive to school in her big, white minivan. It was all very sexy and lots of attractive college juniors and seniors wanted to date me. But then I took public transportation for a semester, and there went that dream. If anything, taking the bus was awkward. I was awkward, fumbling for exact change was awkward, and the other girl on the bus who went to the same college as me was awkward. We’d awkwardly nod to each other, maybe exchange a few awkward hellos, and then awkwardly avoid eye contact if we saw each other on campus, I assume because we each knew the other’s dirty little secret. Why, you ask, in all those years of undergraduate education, did I not once invest in my own set of wheels? Well, because after graduation, I was going to move to New York City for graduate school, hang out at a coffee shop all the time like on “Friends,” become best pals with a real-life Serena Van der Woodsen, and then spend my commuting hours either in town cars or glamorously riding the subway. I moved to Florida instead. Florida, with its slow left-lane drivers, and its general inability to get out of the way of on-coming emergency vehicles, and its general confusion about the purpose of turn signals. I guess the half-a-first-car thing was necessary—an overdue right of passage, if you will. It’s red, it’s fine, it gets me from A to B. Well, it gets him from A to B. I only own the passenger side, after all. kmsheehan@mail.usf.edu
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crowsneststpete.com | Oct. 17, 2011
St. Pete Oktoberfest offers a little taste of Germany Zicke, zacke, zicke, zacke, hoi hoi hoi! The Grand Central District hosted the second annual St. Pete Oktoberfest on Oct. 15, offering unlimited beer and wine tastings for $30. Dozens of beer vendors from across the world set up taps under tasting tents to sample their brews. Oktoberfest is traditionally a 16 to 18 day beer festival held in Munich, Germany that runs from late September to the first weekend in October. It began as a festival to celebrate a German royal family’s wedding, but it eventually became a major annual event. Over 5 mil-
lion people attend the festivities in Munich every year. Similar events using the Oktoberfest name occur all over the world, often founded by German immigrants or their descendants. Unlike Munich’s Oktoberfest, which dispenses beer by the liter, the St. Pete Oktoberfest distributed beer in paper Dixie cups—smaller even than the plastic cups at last year’s inaugural festival. The event was scheduled to run from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., but many vendors were out of beer hours before closing time. life@crowsneststpete.com
St. Petersburg Police officers were on hand to maintain order.
Two festival attendees chat as they juggle paper cups filled with beer.
Photos by Keeley Sheehan | The Crow's Nest
Central Avenue was shut down to traffic between 20th and 22nd Streets.
Workers pour Florida Avenue Ale from a beer tap. Florida Avenue is brewed in Tampa.
Two women dish out beer samples to thirsty festival-goers. Many booths ran out of beer well before closing time.
Festival attendees sample beer from as a man in a traditional Bavarian alpine hat walks by.
Bulls' struggles continue, fall to Connecticut By TOM CHANG Contributing Writer Visiting USF (4-2, 0-2 Big East) continued its Big East Conference struggles losing to the Connecticut Huskies (3-4, 1-1 Big East) 16-10 in a defensive battle on Saturday. One thing the Bulls can take with them in this game is tying the school record with seven sacks. The Bulls failed to convert on fourth down with under 2-and-ahalf minutes to play and the Huskies ran out the clock. USF quarterback B. J. Dan-
iels scored the only offensive touchdown in the game running for a 22-yard score at the first drive of the second half. Daniels completed 15 passes out of 27 attempts for 164 yards. He was also responsible for three of the four Bulls turnovers throwing for two interceptions and fumbling a potential scoring drive away at the start of the second quarter. Daniels was the leading rusher running for 64 yards from 10 carries. Running back Darrell Scott ran for a meager 58 yards on 13 carries. Scott fumbled the ball at the USF 10 where UConn cornerback
Byron Jones would return the ball in what turned out to be the goahead score with seven minutes to play at the third quarter. USF receiver Sterling Griffin led all Bulls receivers with five catches for 63 yards while kicker Maikon Bonani only made 1 out of 3 field goals. He made his first field goal from 23 yards, but missed his remainder kicks from 46 and 44 yards respectively. The Bulls offense combined for only 339 yards (164 passing and 175 rushing). The Huskies produced less offense, producing only 253 overall
yards (135 passing and 118 rushing). UConn freshman running back Lyle McCombs lead the way running for 130 yards on 32 carries. The UConn kicker was a perfect 3-for-3 on field goals complementing on an opportunistic Husky defense. Things do not get any easier for the Bulls as they try to salvage any sort of standing in the Big East against conference-leading Cincinnati Bearcats (5-1, 1-0 Big East), who visit Raymond James Stadium on Oct. 22. life@crowsneststpete.com
opinion
Fantasy football: Time to trade edition By HANNAH ULM Contributing Writer We’re almost halfway through the fantasy season and I’m guessing your team’s weak links are becoming more apparent. Although there is always the option of picking up a free agent, it’s likely you will have to trade for a player who can really make an impact. When it comes to trades, I’ve always been a fantasy owner who shies away from dealing with my opponents. I like to stay loyal to the team I drafted or try to find an undrafted breakout rookie (hello Mike Wallace in 2009). But this year I’ve been trying some new approaches and so far they have paid off—I’m leading my league 4-1. Hopefully it’ll be 5-1 by the time this prints… but I digress. Not only did I initiate a trade, I switched up one of the most significant players on my team: my QB. Luckily the rest of my team carried me to victories while QB Ben Roethlisberger looked like he forgot which sport he played, but I knew I couldn’t always rely on my stellar lineup to make up for my QB shortcomings. And yes, Ben showed much more promise in week five, but at this point I just don’t trust him. In order to make the best trade possible, I identified a few key factors. First, which other owners had QB talent to spare. Second, the weaknesses in those other teams. Third, which players I was willing to give up (the hardest part by far). I ended up trading WR Roddy White for QB Cam Newton and I am enthusiastically looking forward to seeing how this affects my team in week six. If you are looking for a trade, I suggest remembering the factors I considered in mine. If you’re feeling morally ambiguous, you can also consider which opponents might underestimate a player you’re eyeing. Not that I personally endorse moves like that—I prefer to bask in the untainted glory of pure domination.
life@crowsneststpete.com