The student newspaper at USF St. Petersburg
I mustache you a question
November 18 - 24, 2013 | Volume 48 | Issue 13
p. 5
Greenstock St. Pete USFSP’s environmentally friendly music festval, p. 4 crowsneststpete.com
Students elect new reigning class of senators Student with disability shares his love for dance
No challenge too great
By Danielle Von Dreele Crow’s Nest Contributor Student Government elections concluded on Nov. 13 with a highly contested 27-candidate race for Senate. The 20 students selected for office will serve through the 2013-2014 academic year. This semester’s batch of hopeful senators marked one of the largest candidate pools in USF St. Petersburg history. Brandon Garbett, director of marketing and communications for SG, explained that the need for senators was marketed heavier this year compared to previous elections. Senate recruiters persuaded potential candidates by emphasizing SG’s inclusiveness and lowpressure atmosphere. “We try to be very laid back,” Garbett said. “We try to understand the students. I mean, we are representing them.” Each candidate had one week to campaign his or her name to the USFSP community. Some campaigners attempted to persuade students with colorful chalk drawings sketched on the campus sidewalks. “This is probably some of the craziest amount of chalking I’ve ever seen,” Garbett said. Winning candidates Jared Pieniazek and Catherine Clifton received recognition for their elaborate and amusing chalk drawings. Clifton, a freshman and current SG deputy attorney general, felt passionate about her role as a decision maker. She strived for her senator title by creating T-shirts, flyers and stickers displaying her name. “I really went all out for sure,” Clifton said. “I just did it for the fun, mainly.” Many candidates used social media websites like Twitter and Instagram to reach out to potential supporters. Candidates like freshman Juan Salazar campaigned virally through Facebook posts.
See SENATE, p. 3
College of Education student Dwayne Scheuneman, center, started his own dance company for people with disabilites after becoming paralyzed in an accident. Last month, he was honored as the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Community Hero.
By Chelsea Tatham Staff Reporter
Three days after education student Dwayne Scheuneman, 44, broke his neck in a pool diving accident, paralyzing him from the chest down, he woke up in the hospital to his friend saying, “Game on.”
“I didn’t think too much about the future … I took it one day at a time,” Scheuneman said of his adjustment to living his life in a wheelchair. Nineteen years later, he received the Tampa Bay Lightning Community Hero award for his work with disabled children and adults at his nonprofit dance company REVolutions Dance. Scheuneman founded REVolutions Dance along with
Courtesy of Dwayne Scheuneman
Amie West in 2005 with the goal of helping those with and without disabilities move in their own way. Scheuneman discovered his love for dancing while cross training for wheelchair racing. Before creating REVolutions Dance, he competed in the National Veterans Wheelchair Games in 2003 in California (he served four years in the Navy).
See HERO, p. 2
Campus territory to expand
Plans are pending for USFSP’s purchase of nearby buidling By Jennifer Nesslar Staff Reporter
Negotiations for USF St. Petersburg’s purchase of the Gulfcoast Legal Services property at 641 First St. S. are underway. USF announced its intention to buy the property at a Board of Trustees Finance and Audit Workgroup on Nov. 7. No agreement has been settled yet, Kathleen Mullin, executive director at Gulfcoast Legal Services, clarified in an interview with the Crow’s Nest. “Everyone’s reporting that we sold our building,” she said. “This is news to me.” USFSP made an offer in May
2012 to purchase the property for $850,000, but it never went through. After an appraisal, the university reduced its offer to $735,000 on Sept. 23. The inclusion of Gulfcoast’s property into campus would provide USFSP with 10,000-squarefeet in space. The school would also acquire 17 parking spaces, which could be accessed through the Parking Lot 5. “If you didn’t know otherwise, you would think it’s part of our campus,” said Tom Scherberger, USFSP’s director of communications. Scherberger said USFSP is still deciding what services they would
move into the new building, but Graduate Studies Admissions is one option. Currently, the admissions staff is scattered throughout different buildings on campus. Another option is Academic Support Services, currently located in the Terrace, according to minutes from the Nov. 7 Board of Trustees meeting. Gulfcoast Legal Services, a nonprofit company that assists eligible Tampa Bay area residents with legal matters, has owned the First Street S. property since opening in 1978, Mullin said. Since then, it has opened offices in Clearwater, Bradenton and Sarasota, but St. Petersburg remains its
headquarters. After 35 years, they have outgrown the space, Mullin said. The St. Petersburg office handles legal matters involving domestic violence, children of immigrants, unemployment and homelessness, among others. Mullin said if Gulfcoast Legal Services does end up relocating its St. Petersburg office, they hope to stay in downtown St. Petersburg, in order to best serve their clients, many of whom do not own reliable transportation.
See AGREEMENT, p.3
crowsneststpete.com
November 18 - 24, 2013| Volume 48 |Issue 13
Scheuneman honored as community hero Continued from front page
News Briefs With schoolwork piling up and finals looming overhead, you may just need a movie reprieve. Here’s what USF St. Petersburg has to offer … for free! Thursday, Nov. 21 “Catching Fire.” Harborside Activities Board is renting out a theater at Baywalk Muvico. Get to the theater by 8:15 p.m. If you do not donate a can to HAB’s canned food drive by Tuesday, Nov. 19, your chances of securing a seat are less likely, but try anyway! Monday, Nov. 25 “The Lorax.” Come to the USC ballrooms on Monday, Nov. 25, for some Seussical delight. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the movie starts at 8 p.m. We hear there’s cake, so even if Dr. Seuss isn’t your style, it still may be worth attending. Wednesday, Nov. 20 For even more food, check out the Multicultural Affairs’ 10th Annual Feast. Food from all over the world will be featured at this event, located in the USC ballrooms from 6 to 7:30 p.m. In order to bring a dish, you must fill out a form on the Office of Multicultural Affairs’ Petesync page by 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 18. There will also be a best dessert competition at the event. At the final research colloquium of the semester, three students will be sharing their research projects from Dr. Leon Hardy’s Computational Biology class. Taylor Adams, Shuchun Liu and Monica Mion will be sharing their research in the Poynter Corner of the Nelson Poynter Memorial Library at noon. Friday, Nov. 22 If you always wanted to go line dancing but were too embarrassed because you didn’t know how, here’s your chance! Line dancing lessons will be held on Harborwalk from 1 to 7 p.m. Afterward, make your way to the Reef to put those new skills into practice at the Boot, Scoot and Boogie event. Dance and enjoy some food until 11 p.m. Can’t get enough of avantgarde art? The Salvador Dali Museum has you covered. Beginning Jan. 18, and running for more than three months, the museum will display Andy Warhol’s artwork in an exhibit called “Warhol: Art. Fame. Mortality.” The collection is on loan from the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh.
He returned to competing this past July at the Wheelchair Games in Tampa, winning four gold medals and three silver medals. He competes in track and field and racing events. But competing can get expensive, requiring a different specially designed chair for racing, dancing and everyday living. Dance is all about movement, and Scheuneman believes “everyone can move in some way.” He even helped choreograph a dance for a girl who uses a power chair so she could dance with her head and by moving her chair. REVolutions Dance aims to help kids find their own movement and gives them a physical and therapeutic experience without setting specific goals or measuring anything. “In the physical therapy setting, there’s a set plan and goals to be met,” Scheuneman said. “In the arts setting, it’s all about exploring.” Kids and teens in the dance program practice at the studio in Oldsmar and often perform for local fundraisers like a recent Council for Exceptional Children event at the downtown Hilton Hotel and Shriners’ events. Scheuneman was nominated
for the Tampa Bay Lightning Community Hero award by a friend and was honored at the Oct. 26 game. He was given a $50,000 grant to put toward enhancing REVolutions Dance and to donate to local charities of his choice like Great Explorations, the Center for Autism and Related Disabilities/ USF Foundation, Hands Across the Bay and the Marcia P. Hoffman Institute/Ruth Eckerd Hall. He hopes the dance studio will become self-sustaining and continue to thrive after he is gone. “It means a lot for me to give back to the kids. They have it tough these days,” Scheuneman said. Scheuneman spent most of his
Courtesy of Dwayne Scheuneman
Dwayne Scheuneman teaches dance to those with and without disabilities at his Oldsmar studio REVolutions Dance.
“In the physical therapy setting, there’s a set plan and goals to be met. In the arts setting, it’s all about exploring.” -- Dwayne Scheuneman, REVolutions Dance. time after his injury babysitting his niece and nephew, which led him to start his own home day care center. After ending his business, he began substitute teaching for Pinellas County Schools in the Exceptional
Student Education classrooms. Scheuneman also spent nine years with the Great Explorations Children’s Museum as the director of the preschool. Scheuneman still substitute teaches ESE classes while pursuing
his bachelor’s degree in elementary education from USF St. Petersburg and teaching dance classes on Saturdays. He also practices with his adult professional dance group on Wednesday evenings.
For more info: Visit REVolutions Dance group at revdance.org or on Facebook at facebook.com/pages/ REVolutions-Dance-Inc.
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November 18 - 24, 2013 | Volume 48 | Issue 13
Students ‘empowered’ through campus self-defense course
RAD program offers defense skills and peace of mind
By Amanda Starling Staff Reporter
Teri Deardorff, a junior, often walks alone to the USF St. Petersburg parking garage from her job at the Fitness Center after 11 p.m. Walking through campus late at night makes Deardorff and at least 10 other women at USF St. Petersburg feel unsafe. Equipping them with a solution and the skills to defend themselves, is a semester-long self-defense course called RAD, which stands for Rape Aggression Defense. “It’s very empowering,” Deardorff said. The program makes her feel like a “deadly weapon” and
confident to defend herself. “It makes me feel not afraid to walk around and it lets me know I have resources here [at] the university.” Meghan Ward, graduate assistant with Campus Recreation, partnered with USFSP police and P.E.E.R.S. to bring the RAD back to campus. The program was previously discontinued due to lack of interest. “We want to make sure individuals on campus feel safe and if they need to defend themselves, are knowledgeable,” Ward said. The six-week course meets once a week for two hours. Officers certified with the RAD program rotate instruction over the 12 hours
to offer various techniques on defending against and disarming aggressors. “A lot of times, students don’t want to take a whole weekend for a course, so we figured [we’d] have it late at night and make it really easy for the individuals interested to take part in the class,” Ward said. RAD is a national nonprofit program with more than 11,000 instructors. It has instructed 900,000 women since 1989 in colleges, classrooms and law enforcement programs. Instruction is also available to children and men. “I think if we can drum up support and the interest to those different programs offered by RAD
taught on campus, that would be awesome and I think that would empower a lot of students,” Deardorff said. The mats in the Studio 1 Aerobics Room at the Fitness Center were the best option for falling exercises in the self defense course, according to Sgt. Walter Ewing, of University Police Services. Demonstrations of defense mechanisms come first, and then the women try for themselves. “RAD can show a woman how to defend against someone bigger, stronger,” Ewing said. “It gives women an alternative to submitting or running. It gives them another option.” Ewing, who teaches defensive
tactics, encouraged more officers to become RAD instructors after the program was first brought to campus in 2009. “A lot of people don’t have prior fighting experience,” Ewing said. “RAD will give students techniques that they probably never thought of, things that they can do in a bad situation.” Admission to the program is closed for now, but if enough interest in garnered, courses will be offered again in the spring. Sign-up is done through the Fitness Center.
news@crowsneststpete.com
For new senators, involvement was easy Continued from front page
“I used the Know-It-All page on Facebook,” said Salazar, whose use of the pun ‘Juan is number Juan,’ and similar posts, drew him 127 votes, the fourth highest count. For two days, students voted either in the University Student Center Regatta Room or online through PeteSync on Nov. 12 and 13. After the ballots of 278 students were collected, 20 new SG senators were announced. Candidates with the highest
number of votes included freshman Dan Nguyen with 168 votes and sophomore Andrew Defraties with 153 votes. Another winning candidate, Blake Shay, found it easy to get involved in the election. “I like that I’m in a small community,” said Shay. “It’s not hard to get noticed at all.” This election’s ballot consisted of many freshman names with a few sophomores and juniors.
“I’m hoping that the current Student Government members can lead the freshmen, but the freshman can also have their own ideas,” Garbett said. Most of the new senators already have their own ideas on how to improve the school and campus community. Sen. Shay wants to install water fountains in the USC. Sen. Salazar suggested the idea of a nap room for commuters. Many SG members,
Clifton included, are focused on heavier event planning and raising awareness of SG activities. There overall goal, however, will be addressing the needs of USFSP students. “We need people who can lead but also people who can understand,” said Garbett. “We need students who can represent other students.”
By the numbers: 27 students ran for Senate 20 senators were elected 278 votes were cast 168
voted for Dan Nguyen, who received the most votes
news@crowsneststpete.com
USFSP-Gulfcoast agreement is probable Continued from front page
Mullin thinks that USFSP and Gulfcoast Legal Services will reach an agreement, but she is not sure when. Both sides must operate through a board of directors, which slows the process, she said. Because property at the St. Petersburg campus is limited, USFSP looks when buildings become available nearby, Scherberger said. In early 2013, the Poynter Institute for Media Studies put four acres of its property, adjacent to USFSP along Third Street S., up for sale. USFSP looked at the Poynter property, Scherberger said, but they are not planning on buying it. Buying property is cheaper than leasing it, according to the Board of Trustees’ minutes. Leased property away from campus also burdens students and faculty to travel beyond the limits of USFSP news@crowsneststpete.com Taylor Austin/ The Crow’s Nest
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November 18 - 24, 2013| Volume 48 | Issue 13
Dirty Little Secret A Playlist
‘90s Nostalgia
By Erin Murphy Staff Reporter
In our high-tech world of clearas-day computer graphics and instant communication, it can be hard to remember a simpler time. Think back to the shoddy graphics of a Nintendo 64, an old pair of rollerblades, Furbies. Even though the early to mid-generation of ‘90s kids are now enrolled in college classes, we can still be kids at heart. Reminisce about the glory days of childhood with this list of memories: • Full House: An ever-popular sitcom based on the power of family, the pains of getting older and the annoying antics of Uncle Joey. Precisely 27 and a half minutes into the show, Bob Saget would deliver a piece of parenting advice over very sentimental background music. And it went on for eight seasons -- EIGHT SEASONS!!
Everybody has “that” song -- the one that you punch the play button on only after checking to make sure no one else is in the room.
The Crow’s Nest staff is right there with you, and we hope this collection of the most embarrassing songs in our music libraries will help you feel less ashamed. “Helena” -- My Chemical Romance The morose and moody tones of this pop punk band were a fitting soundtrack to the awkward age of 13. I never went as far as wearing eye-makeup, but I was certainly there in spirit. Sadly, the band broke up earlier this year (probably because they knew their glory days were past). “So long and goodnight!” -- Ryan Ballogg “Come Clean” -- Hilary Duff This song, ironically titled for such a playlist, was one of my favorites in elementary school. “Come Clean” is the sassy single off Duff’s debut
album, “Metamorphosis”, and it continually conjures up images of badly bleached blonde hair, and episodes of Lizzie McGuire. I have no regrets. -- Erin Murphy “Jam (turn it up)” -- Kim Kardashian I shamelessly admit to occasionally keeping up with the Kardashians. Obviously, when Kim released this song in 2011 and they didn’t play the entire thing on TV, I had to illegally download it. Though this is without a doubt one of the worst songs ever recorded, some good did come out of it: Half the proceeds went to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, and Kimmie decided she would not be releasing a full-length album. -- Tyler Killette “Labels or Love” -- Fergie
Don’t judge me. I heard it once and thought it was catchy enough, so I downloaded it onto my Zune. When it came up on shuffle, sometimes I listened to it, other times I skipped it. I don’t want to talk about this anymore. -- Matt Thomas “Shake It” -- Metro Station I had a love-hate relationship with this song for a year. I wasn’t sure whether to cringe or blast it. So eventually, I gave in and decided I liked it. For a week. If it comes on shuffle in my car, expect me to zip on past it. Alone, it’s not so bad, right? -- Amanda Starling “Sugar We’re Goin’ Down” -Fall Out Boy If you say you didn’t not know every word to this song or any others on Fall Out Boy’s “From
Under the Cork Tree” album, you are a big fat liar. When I was 13, my day was not complete until I watched the adorable antlered boy in the music video try to fit in and get the girl. -- Chelsea Tatham “Thank You” -- Dido The CD “No Angel” came out in 2001 and was met with fanfare by the public and critics alike, and eventually, it was even sampled by Eminem. Having said that, every time I have it on, anyone within earshot groans and fervently tries to get me to change it. I stand by this one, and it isn’t because she autographed my CD and I can’t seem to part with it. -- Suzanne Sidler “In Da Club” -- 50 Cent Yup. -Meaghan Habuda
Review
• Pokemon: When you’re 7 years old, there’s nothing more satisfying than card collecting -- especially if you’re the kid that was lucky enough to have holofoils. (And then sell them at a convention for 20 bucks.) Pikachu, I choose you!
Cycle Brewing Company
• Super Mario 64: Setting the standard for any and all video games since 1996.
By Ryan Ballogg Staff Reporter
• Nickelodeon: No matter how crazy the child stars of the day are now (read: Amanda Bynes), ‘90s Nickelodeon was basically the coolest thing ever. Legends of the Hidden Temple, anyone?
Cycle Brewing Company, at 534 Central Ave., officially became an on-site brewery this past weekend as production started in the backroom lined with tanks. Founder Doug Dozark has been brewing beer for five years, a craft he got into with his mom and stepdad at Peg’s Cantina, a brewhouse in Gulfport. “Opening my own place was always in the back of my mind,” Dozark said. After Peg’s, Dozark worked at Cigar City Brewing in Tampa for three-and-a-half years, gaining experience and cultivating his taste in beer. A difference in brewing and managing philosophy made him realize it was time for a change. Cycle officially opened in September, and since then, the taps have been filled with beer brewed in Gulfport. Now the transition to a functioning microbrewery has begun as Dozark and his wife, who own the brewery, find a permanent location for brewing operations. By the bar in the front of the tasting room, a black wall displays the
• VHS tapes: Be kind, please rewind. • Beanie Babies: Although that Princess Diana bear won’t be able to pay for your room and board, you have to admit it was worth a shot. If you don’t have a box of these hiding under your bed, you’re lying. • Light-up sneakers: Do they make these for adults? They need to make these for adults. • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Teenage turtles reside in the sewer to learn the ancient art of karate from a rat, and like most angsty adolescents, they have a hankering for pizza. ...What?
Brewery owner Doug Dozark believes downtown St. Petersburg fosters a special craft beer scene available brews in large chalk lettering. Many of them are named after bike tricks or terminology, including Free Wheel, Fixie and Patch Kit. Others are equally unique, from Tang and Biscuits, an IPA, to Ryerish Red. Dozark said the beers are named by a committee that includes regular customers, his mom and whoever is there when they finish brewing it. He said he opened his brewery in St. Petersburg because he lives here, but more importantly, because of its sense of community. He said the growing craft beer culture just happened to be another added bonus. “St. Pete has a real core that Tampa was just lacking,” Dozark said. The atmosphere of Cycle is noticeably more urban than fellow craft brewery Greenbench Brewing Company, adding some variety to the growing St. Petersburg brewery scene. Works by local artists line the walls with nametags and QR codes that allow patrons to find out more about them. There is ample seating in the main tasting room, and out front there are wooden picnic
benches for those who prefer to be on the street. Two local artists also created the wooden art and concrete furniture in the tap house. Dozark said a lot has gone into the atmosphere, but the beer itself is what is most important to him. “It’s all about the beer,” he said. “The chairs might be uncomfortable, the lighting might not be perfect … but that’s not what matters to me. We have some of the finest craft beer at Cycle.” His favorite part of the crafting process is creating recipes, and then making adjustments as the beer brews, which he calls “quality control and analysis.” Dozark said he appreciates unique beers, but for him it’s more about creating a quality product. The drinks run $5 each, and Cycle only accepts cash as a matter of principle. “A lot of people don’t realize that local businesses have to pay and lose money when they use cards. I just don’t want to support that. I want to raise awareness,” Dozark said. life@crowsneststpete.com
Guide to Cycle We tried: Tang and Biscuits (IPA) Recommendation: Tang is right! If you desire distinctive taste, fill your gullet with this. Doug’s favorite: “Right now, the pilsner! It’s an excellent pilsner.” Also on tap: Freewheel Fixie Endo IPA Cream & Sugar Please Ryerish Red Wheelie Ducky’s Pilsner Patch Kit Columbus Bottom of the 9th Brown
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November 18 - 24, 2013 | Volume 48 | Issue 13
Your guide to Greenstock By Tyler Killette Staff Reporter
It’s local, it’s indie, it’s green and it’s free. It’s an environmentally concerned, musically aware USF St. Petersburg student’s dream come true. The Student Green Energy Fund, Student Environmental Awareness Society, Gardening Club and the Live Music Collective have teamed up to bring you Greenstock St. Petersburg -- a concert showcasing local musical talent and USFSP’s sustainable initiatives. When: Monday, Nov. 25, 2013, from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m Where: USFSP Harborwalk Why: To showcase the connection between the campus and the city Also: Free chips and salsa from Chipotle!
The lineup: Green Sunshine -- Describing itself as the “quintessential late night party band,” eight-piece Green Sunshine produces a groovy fusion of funky Motown and hip-hop. Freelow -- Slow, vibing reggae-rock band Freelow has played dozens of Tampa Bay stages since planting itself here in 2011, intent on “elevating minds and making you dance.” Article 47 -- Tampa three-piece Article 47 plays trippy, experimental tunes that drone, clash, vibrate
Courtesy of Green Sunshine
and explode all at once. If you’re having trouble envisioning it, just go see ‘em. The John Clark Band -Delivering progressive folk-rock that falls somewhere in between Tom Petty and The Decemberists, the socially conscious members of The John Clark Band play with passion, soul and long, untamed locks.
Movember
Hair-raising money for charity since 2003 By Erin Murphy Staff Reporter Movember is not just about growing fantastical facial hair and impressing all your friends. On the contrary: Celebrating manly moustaches during the month of November is actually less about the scruff and more about a movement. According to the charity’s website, Movember aims to improve men’s health through “the sprouting of millions of moustaches on men’s faces around the world.” Facial hair growth for cancer awareness? Sign me up! The participants, who spend the month of November growing a hearty moustache, are fondly referred to as Mo Bros. The site encourages donations and hopes participating Mo Bros will raise awareness via their flashy facial hair. What exactly is Movember? It’s a charity that encourages men to spend the month of November growing a moustache. Participants can register online and donate. The goal is that the moustache will encourage conversations about men’s health and raise awareness about prostate and testicular cancer. How long has Movember been around? This November marks 10 hairy years of Movember -- a decade of dapper dudes dedicated to change, and a suave ‘stache.
Do I have to be a man to participate? No, you don’t! The cause is not only for Mo Bros. The Movember site also invites women, or Mo Sistas, to get involved via donation, or by encouraging the men they know to grow a mustache. What happens to the funds I raise? They go toward raising awareness about men’s mental health, and prostate and testicular cancer. The charities Movember supports each year vary, but they have similar goals. Where can I go to get more information on this delightful moustache movement? Go to http://us.movember.com/?home to learn more. How is USFSP getting involved? Student Government will soon ask those who’ve participated in the month of growth to submit photos of their finished projects. They will give an award for “best beard” to the applicant with the most unusual or patchy form of facial hair, worn with pride. Prizes include a hat and sunglasses to block out the rest of their face so more attention can be paid to their patchy masterpiece. SG encourages women to participate by not shaving their legs and/or armpits, though the Crow’s Nest includes this bit hesitantly. life@crowsneststpete.com
Sonic Graffiti -- With intricate electric guitar riffs, impossibly fast harmonicas and rich, bluesy vocals, Sonic Graffiti’s mix of funk, punk and classic rock’n’roll culminate into a sound that can only be described by its name. Other Performances by: Ajeva Just Satellites The Lonely Drone
Part Time Models Andrew Haas DJ Sky Plunkett Gino Capone The South FloridaAll Stars Dance Performance
life@crowsneststpete.com
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November 18 - 24, 2013 | Volume 48 | Issue 13
Editorial
JMS rules limit student success USFSP’s mass communications graduates need greater access to practical experience
The student newspaper at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg. Editor-in-Chief:
Tyler Killette
Managing Editor:
Chelsea Tatham
Creative Director:
Suzanne Sidler
News Editor:
Amanda Starling
Assistant News Editor:
Jennifer Nesslar
Arts & Life Editor
Ryan Ballogg
Assistant Arts & Life Editor:
Erin Murphy
Sports Editor
Mike Hopey
Entertainment Critic
Matt Thomas
Photo Editor
Taylor Austin
Copy Editor
Meaghan Habuda
Marketing Manager
Lazar Anderson
Advertising Manager
Jess aldrich
Community Relations
Samantha Ouimette
Staff Adviser
Rob Hooker robhooker47@gmail.com.
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 e-mail 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. The Crow’s Nest office is located at: Student Learning Center 2400, University of South Florida St. Petersburg 140 Seventh Ave. S., St. Petersburg, FL 33701 (727) 873-4113 Press run: 1,000 Copyright 2013 St. Petersburg, FL. The Crow’s Nest is printed by: Web Offset Printing 12198 44th Street North Clearwater, Florida 33762
Facebook: The Crow’s Nest at USF St. Petersburg Twitter: @USFcrowsnest crowsneststpete.com
According to a New York Times report from April, only about 53 percent of recent college graduates are employed full time in their fields of study. Sixteen percent are working part-time jobs that don’t require a degree and 40 percent are unemployed. These numbers do not represent a lack of jobs -- they demonstrate the dwindling significance of a college degree. The 53 percent of graduates who found full-time positions, including 39 percent who found jobs before graduating, likely have more than just a degree to show for themselves. In today’s competitive workplace, the value of practical experience is ever-increasing. In the realm of mass communications and journalism, this is especially true. Students need internships -multiple credible internships that expose one to the working world. And they need to start early. No newspaper, online magazine or public relations firm is going to pay mind to an applicant with nothing to show but a 3.5 GPA and some writing samples they have from class assignments. Students may learn in the classroom, but being able to apply their skills is what’s truly important. And employers know that. The USF St. Petersburg mass communications program requires students to complete 15 credit hours in the program and JOU 2100, Beginning Reporting. For
most students, this doesn’t happen until junior year. For those serious about their careers, that’s not early enough. Students at other schools are beginning their internships sooner. And they’re the ones getting the jobs. Students on accelerated academic tracks, such as those with credits from AP exams or early college, are at particular risk of being screwed by the system. Students whose third year of school ends up being their senior year may not be eligible for internship credit until their last year here, when they should be focusing on graduating, writing an honors thesis or perhaps running the Crow’s Nest. It’s understandable that USFSP doesn’t want to send their students into the field without proper preparation, but just because one hasn’t been taught how to write a lead in exactly 25 words or how to count characters in a headline, doesn’t mean they won’t be an asset to a publication or company. Some students may accept an internship without enrolling for class credit, but employers who don’t pay their interns (most of them) usually require them to be earning class credit for legal purposes (So, essentially, students are paying for their internships through tuition which, while outrageous, is not the point of this editorial). The students who seek these internships on their own and
complete them for the mere sake of gaining experience are smart, but it’s not a practical tactic for everyone. A full load of classes, a parttime job and an unpaid internship is too much for most of us to handle, and understandably so. But, if students are able to replace one of their three-credithour courses with a three-credithour internship, the strain is at least slightly eased. And in the long run, the practical experience gained during the internship would stretch miles longer than the knowledge offered in the classroom. The reason USFSP mass communications students must complete certain courses before participating in internships is because, apparently, they aren’t ready, they don’t know enough about journalism yet. This is a roadblock journalism students will be facing for their entire careers: you don’t have enough experience to gain more experience. We’re constantly faced with seemingly insurmountable paradoxes such as, “you can’t have an internship at a daily newspaper unless you’ve had at least one other internship at a daily newspaper,” or, “you can’t apply for this entry level writing job unless you have two to three years of professional writing experience.” The career we seek is one giant Catch-22, and the only thing we can do to escape it is be better. While, the current is mass
communications program is capable of churning out above average grads, it could be doing more Too many students graduate from this program without lifting a finger outside the classroom. And at the opposite end of the spectrum, those who have had multiple internships and dozens of published clips will still be fighting for those less than 30K a year jobs. So, the ones who were never urged to take internships are going to fall in with that unemployed 40 percent. The argument here is not that USFSP should allow students to take internships before they’re ready. However, faculty should recognize that “readiness” comes at different times for each student. This program is small enough that each student’s case could be evaluated individually. A student who has been writing for his or her school newspaper for nearly a year and has a paid position on staff, is in the honors program and on track to graduate a year early, and shows a sincere desire to learn and grow as a journalist should not be barred from expanding his or her range of knowledge and experience because of one prerequisite class. That’s a disservice not only to the student, but to the integrity of the program. If USFSP’s journalism faculty is serious about producing well prepared, career-ready graduates, we hope they’ll agree.
Follow-up On Monday, Oct. 21, The Crow’s Nest published a story called “Make Papi happy,” which discussed Student Body President Mark Lombardi-Nelson’s effort to raise money for his ailing father. We are sad to report that Mark Nelson, 57. passed away Tuesday, Nov. 12 after fighting an extended illness. The Crow’s Nest staff has Mark and his family in their thoughts.
Brussel Sprouts By Kati Lacker
crowsneststpete.com
November 18 - 24, 2013 | Volume 48 | Issue 13
Living on a whim By Matt Thomas Staff Columnist I’m a creature of habit. After doing the same thing over and over again long enough, everything becomes easier. I’m simply going through the motions. I go to the same job, same classes, I eat out at the same place and I talk to the same people which is fine, but this past week was a nice change of pace. This week I was stuck with a thought I didn’t want to think about and would’ve done anything
to focus on something else. This week happened to be the week where I deviated most from my natural schedule. Starting a new job definitely helped along with worrying about all the small mistakes I could make that would get me fired. I would’ve wasted Veteran’s Day if I didn’t start working. For the rest of the week, I did things on whim. I didn’t do anything major, I just took detours. Why not come to campus instead of going home after work? Why not call that friend who never answers his phone one more time? Why not offer a friend you
see waiting for the bus a ride, and still follow through when you find out that friend needed to go a lot farther than you were anticipating? These decisions were minor, but they lead to surprises, and each time I went home afterward, I was thinking, that was a surprisingly fun diversion. At the end of the week, I realized I’m not capable of working a 9 to 5 job. I saw this week as a sign that I should be doing these things more often. Drive home to your parent’s place one evening just because you can, show up at the friend’s place
without calling first, start a conversation with a complete stranger without being creepy, go eat somewhere you haven’t before, spend the night after a party even if you can drive yourself home, oven take the long route to work or school. Next thing you know you’ll be somewhere doing something you had no idea you were going to do when you woke up that morning. Those are the best kind of days without question. I’m sure most people learned this lesson long ago, but I suppose I got too comfortable lying on my
futon. So look out world, I’m going to sleep on the floor tonight, and we’ll see where that gets me the next day.
Matt Thomas is a senior majoring in mass communications and the entertainment critic. He can be reached at matthew17@mail.usf.edu or on Twitter at @handsomestmatt.
Encouragement from the past By Erin Murphy Staff Columnist
While actively procrastinating my criminal justice homework a few weeks ago, I discovered a box full of old papers under my bed. Among the findings were halffinished tales about talking animals, homemade magazines and a poorly written superhero novel. They were horrible, but adorable. Tucked amidst these stacks of stories was a note from my first grade teacher. It was written on floral stationary in blue ink in neat, teacher-y script, circa 2001.
I’ve kept that note for more than 12 years. Is this pack-rat syndrome or sentimentality? You be the judge. Somehow, it survived the annual cleaning I do of my desk drawers, and underneath the abyss of my bed. Tons of odd little doodles, old wrapping paper and receipts have all found their way to the trash pile, but for more than a decade, I have preserved that letter, perhaps without fully realizing why. It occurred to me that even a 7-year-old with dreams of writing books about dragons can be encouraged by the effort of a single person. When you’re in first grade, you don’t know about careers,
competition and clichés. You just want to have fun and do what you love. Our society recognizes the potential to have those dreams, but most of us end up behind a desk, not fighting fires, or adventuring in outer space. This may sound cheesy coming from an intensely nostalgic stranger penning an odd opinion piece, but I want to encourage you to follow your dreams. What did you want to be when you were a kid? What do you love to do most? Although we all can’t be actors, astronauts or rock stars, your younger self might know more than you give him or her credit for.
When you’re young, you’re virtually untainted by the pressures of the world. There are no debts or deadlines, and the biggest decision you have is choosing regular or chocolate milk. (Or strawberry!) Though responsibility and adulthood are inevitable, we’re all still the kids we were before, just in bigger bodies. We all have passions that we can’t explain, things that we need to do regardless if there’s money or a tenure-ensuring job attached to it. A wise first grade teacher encouraged my sassy 7-year-old self to go for it. She knew the pressures that would be put on me in the decade to come but, regardless,
wanted my dream to come true. So, whatever you love -- pursue it. Careers aside. And don’t forget to thank all those that helped you along the way.
Erin Murphy is a sophomore majoring in mass communications and the assistant arts and life editor. She can be reached at erinmurphy@mail.usf.edu or on Twitter @ sassyerbear.
Home found in local businesses By Amanda Starling Staff Columnist Greenhouse have grown through St. Petersburg City Hall. Hundreds of small businesses line the streets Community of St. Petersburg. and freshness are I can’t deny my grocery shopthe two qualities that I look for- ping at Publix and my sifting for ward to in my local dives, diners deals at Dollar General. We all turn and shops. I’m proud of those worn to corporate for some products. But leather seats in my favorite restau- what I spend there is minimal. I use rants and the local art that adorns my two for one deals to save those the walls. extra bucks to be used on local resLocal. That’s a word that carries taurants for date nights and coffee some weight in a city. from my favorite booths at the Supporting small businesses, Saturday Morning Market. medical practitioners or hair salons I won’t deny it. I put up a big is emphasized in every election. fuss when I found out that Ringside Entrepreneurial programs at the Cafe and Casita Taqueria would be
Throwback Nov. 19, 1863 – In just 272 words, President Abraham Lincoln delivers the Gettysburg Address at the dedication of the military cemetery in Gettysburg, Penn. The battle of Gettysburg was the bloodiest battle of the Civil War with more than 45,000 men killed, injured, captured or reported missing.
moved for the sake of Trader Joe’s. But luckily, my favorites found homes elsewhere in St. Pete, where I can only hope they receive the same traffic that they had along the Fourth Street corridor. Each week, I skim the Keep St. Pete Local page on Facebook for new galleries, restaurants and markets. It’s refreshing to be another body supporting the new artist forming their gallery rather than thumbing through magazines on a Saturday night. I like to quench my food pallette with new options every weekend rather than Applebee’s.
Even if it’s trying a pastry at the new bakery, I get this sense of adventure. I didn’t travel 1,000 miles or spend $1,000 to visit something new and unique. It was just down the road. The appeal of local is this need for community, a feeling that is so routine in St. Petersburg but unusual elsewhere. It’s about supporting your neighbor that owns a consignment shop or opened a new coffeehouse. It’s that wonderful feeling when the barista knows your name and order when you become a regular. St. Petersburg is one of few cities who boasts a
balance of corporate and local palettes. We’re regulars at El Cap and Sweetbay. It can’t feel more like home than in your local business.
Amanda is a junior majoring in mass communications and the news editor. She can be reached at astarling@mail.usf.edu or on Twitter @starlingaj.
“The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.” -- Lincoln said in the conclusion to his “little speech.”
crowsneststpete.com
November 18 - 24, 2013 | Volume 48 | Issue 13
Congratulations USF men’s soccer 2013 American Conference Champions Women’s Basketball Wednesday
USF vs. N.C. Central, 7
Sunday
USF vs. Clemson, 2
Football
Memphis 23, South Florida 10 1 2 3 4 F Memphis 3 3 0 17 - 23 USF 0 0 3 7 - 10
Team Comparison
Top perfomers Memphis
att comp. yds td int P. Lynch 13 6 59 0 1
Rushing
car yds avg TD lg B. Hayes 20 78 3.9 1 16
Receiving
rec yds avg TD lg K. Malone 2 25 12.5 0 15
South Florida Passing
att comp. yds td int M. White 33 18 198 1 4
Rushing
car yds avg TD lg M. Shaw 11 57 5.2 0 36
Receiving
rec yds avg TD lg A. Davis 7 110 15.7 1 31
AAC Standings
conf. overall
w l w l str yUCF 5 0 8 1 W5 yLouisville 5 1 9 1 W3 yCincinnati 5 1 8 2 W5 yHouston 4 2 7 3 L2 SMU 3 2 4 5 W1 Rutgers 2 3 5 4 L1 USF 2 3 2 7 L3 Memphis 1 4 3 6 W2 UConn 0 5 0 9 L9 Temple 0 6 1 9 L3 y-eligible for a postseason bowl game
fourth quarter to finish with 198. White also added a 32-yard touchdown to Davis. All of White’s fourth quarter stats came after the Tigers had put the game out of reach. “He’s such a competitive kid and he works so hard you know why he’s so frustrated, Taggart said. “I told Mike every quarterback out there is going to have a bad day.” Over the 16 days the Bulls had off, White was reported to have sat in on coaches meetings and working hard to get ready for his second start. “I really can’t say that he wasn’t up for the game. Because he was,” Davis said. “He was excited. We had turnovers. That can change the game itself. He has the talent to come back and do what he did in Houston next week.” Despite the poor performance, Taggart says White is the quarterback. The musical chairs under center have stopped with the freshman from Fort Lauderdale. White will need to take another step forward next week. Southern Methodist comes to Tampa bringing a high-powered offense that White and company will need to try and keep pace with.
By Mike Hopey Staff Reporter
Tale of two starts
vs.
Houston
311
2 TDs 1 INT vs.
Memphis
198
yards
Passing
By Mike Hopey Staff Reporter After throwing for 311 yards and two touchdowns against Houston on Halloween, it looked like Mike White was the answer to the South Florida quarterback problem. Then against Memphis he came crashing back to earth. “Mike didn’t play as well as we needed him to,” head coach Willie Taggart said. “I thought Mike tried to do too much at times. When the offense wasn’t going well he wanted to make some plays.” In the Bulls 23-10 loss to Memphis, White threw four interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown that put the game out of reach. In total, the Tigers scored 13 points off of White’s turnovers. The interception returned by Memphis’ Bobby McCain made White the fourth Bulls quarterback this season to have an interception returned for a touchdown. “Every play can’t be a touchdown,” said Bulls’ running back Marcus Shaw. “I keep telling him to keep his head up. Through three quarters White had only 101 yards on 11 completions. He added 97 yards in the
UCF survives in Philly
yards
MEM USF 1st downs 16 18 3rd down eff. 2-10 6-13 4th down eff 0-0 1-1 Total yards 242 325 Passing 59 198 Comp-att 6-13 18-33 Yards per pass 4.5 6.0 Rushing 183 127 Rusing Attempts 39 29 Yards per rush 4.7 4.4 Penalties 9-81 9-70 Turnovers 2 5 Fumbles lost 1 1 Interceptions 1 4 Time of possession 29:18 29:56
Back to Earth
Roundup
0 TDs 4 INT
USF will need quick start versus SMU By Mike Hopey Staff Reporter
Saturday’s loss to Memphis eliminated USF from postseason bowl contention. The only thing the South Florida Bulls have left to play for is pride and to be a spoiler. That starts next Saturday night when they can hurt SMU’s chances at a bowl game. The points will be there against the Mustangs. SMU gives up an average 38.1 points per game to their opponents. That ranks near the worst in the country at 116th. But if the Bulls are going to capitalize on a suspect SMU defense, they have to take the lead early. “We don’t start early. We don’t start strong,” said Bulls’ head
coach Willie Taggart after the loss to Memphis. “We aren’t mentally tough yet to handle getting down early.” Unlike Memphis, who struggled to score as much as USF did for much of their game, SMU can score points. The Mustangs average 32.4 points. “The kind of offense that we are. We can’t fight from behind and expect to come back and do magical things,” Bulls’ receiver Andre Davis said. To outscore the air raid, quickpaced offense of SMU, the Bulls will need a bounce-back game from freshman quarterback Mike White, who struggled against Memphis. White has developed a rapport
with Davis, who has caught touchdown passes in his last two games. White has also found success with University of Florida transfer tight end Mike McFarland. Southern Methodist is lead by senior quarterback Garrett Gilbert, who has thrown for 3,390 yards and 21 touchdowns so far this season. The high-powered offense that has resurrected the SMU program, which was nearly dead after crippling sanctions from the NCAA, is lead by June Jones. Jones had similar success while at Hawaii where his teams broke many conference and NCAA records. The Rainbow Warriors even made it to a Bowl Championship series game losing to Georgia.
Central Florida’s J.J. Worton has a career day for the Golden Knights in Philadelphia against Temple. The wide receiver caught 10 passes for 179 yards and three touchdowns. His last touchdown was a diving one-handed catch with 1:06 remaining in the game to pull the Knights even with the Owls. UCF needed to score 17 points in the fourth quarterback to sneak past Temple and stay perfect in the American Athletic Conference. Kicker Shawn Moffitt added his third field goal of the game as time expired to give the Golden Knights the 39-36 victory. UCF quarterback Blake Bortles had another stellar game throwing for 404 yards and four touchdowns. The Golden Knights stay in first place in the conference with Louisville and Cincinnati right behind them with one loss each in conference play. *** USF’s next opponent Southern Methodist had no problem keeping the Connecticut Huskies winless with a 38-21 win in Dallas. SMU quarterback Garrett Gilbert threw for 353 yards in the win with four touchdowns. Receivers Kennan Holman and Jeremy Johnson each caught a pair of touchdowns for the Mustangs. In the win, SMU picked up 27 first downs but only went 4 of 14 on third down; signs of an efficient offense. *** Louisville scored 10 points in the third quarter and held on to beat the Houston Cougars 20-13. Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater, a certain Heisman Trophy nominee, only threw for 203 yards and no touchdowns. The Cardinals offense came from running back Dominique Brown who had 137 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Houston’s big-numbers quarterback John O’Korn had more struggles than Bridgewater. The true freshman from Florida only had 121 yards passing with no touchdowns. *** Brendon Kay threw four touchdowns, including three to receiver Mekale McKay, as Cincinnati beat Rutgers 52-17 to keep pace with Louisville and UCF. sports@crowsneststpete.com