FEATURES, page 2
GREEN & GOLD From a waterfront cleanup to a recycling workshop, USF St. Petersburg goes above and beyond your typical Earth Day — opting instead for Earth Week. Read about the campus’ greenest week here.
OPINIONS, page 6
ARTS, page 7
KING OF DREAMVILLE
FREEING THE PRESS
Student-run media organizations across the country have to fight daily to maintain independence, in both funding and coverage. In reaction to this trend, campus newspapers are joining together to #SaveStudentNewsrooms to showcase the challenges they face.
J. Cole’s lyricism makes him a divisive figure — some call his style socially conscious rap, some call it preaching. His most recent album, “KOD,” continues the trend with a healthy dose of musical hypocrisy.
THE CROW ’S NEST T H E C A M P U S N E W S PA P E R AT U N I V E R S I T Y O F S O U T H F L O R I D A S T. P E T E R S B U R G
Volume 50, Issue 13 - April 23, 2018 | Online at crowsneststpete.com
University still hush-hush on consultant By Nancy McCann Contributor
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t’s been more than two months since a Boston labor lawyer hired by the university met with adjunct faculty on all three campuses and taped a video that was sent to all adjuncts. But the university still refuses to say how much Katherine Lev was paid or provide any records about her contract. In emails to The Crow’s Nest and its attorney this month, the university’s spokeswoman and its general counsel repeated the university’s assertion that the records requested by the newspaper are exempt from disclosure under a provision of the state’s Public Records Law. But the newspaper’s attorney, Alison Steele, responded that the narrow exemption cited by the university “does not apply to contracts between government agencies and outside attorneys, or to such
attorneys’ invoices.” Steele, a veteran media lawyer whose clients include the Tampa Bay Times, urged the administration to “make diligent inquiry to locate and produce its records” related to Lev’s engagement by the university “with substantially greater alacrity than has become its custom.” At issue is the secrecy surrounding the role of Lev, a lawyer, labor law consultant and adjunct faculty member at Boston College. Her name emerged as the university system’s 900 adjuncts neared a vote on whether to have a union – the Service Employees International Union – represent them in their quest for better pay and benefits. The university strongly opposed the union drive at every turn, downplaying the potential benefits for adjuncts and criticizing the SEIU in several emails to adjuncts. >> SEE HUSH on P2
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Fish to Dish: Patrick Bixler, assistant to The Tavern at Bayboro’s owner, utilizes every part of the grouper after butchering it. Read about The Tavern on P4 & 5.
Davis Hall second floor due for remodel
By Emily Wunderlich ewunderlich@mail.usf.edu
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nviting, flexible and modern. That’s how Edward Lewis, USF St. Petersburg construction project manager, envisions the second floor of Lowell E. Davis Memorial Hall, which is in the planning phases of renovation. “The process starts with a conceptual design,” Lewis said. “We’re trying to work out how that space is used and how we can best utilize it and get the maximum out of it. At the moment, you’ve got a building that was built 25 or 27 years ago, so we need to bring it up to modern
THE CROW’S NEST Since 1969
sort-of ideas.” The university received $3.1 million in state funding for the project in 2017 and chipped in an additional $2 million. Although this is only enough to cover the cost of the second floor, Lewis considers the remodel an “ongoing project.” Lewis expects a rendition of the final product to be complete by fall 2018. BFRANK Studio, LLC, the same architectural company that remodeled The Edge in August, will tentatively begin construction the following spring. To minimize disruptions to students and staff, Lewis predicts renovations will be
split into two phases over the course of four to six months. “There’s never an ideal time to do a project of this size,” Lewis said. “Nobody wants to overstress or put students out from their routine, but there will be an element of that because we’re going to be remodeling the building.” “Unfortunately we’ve got to break a few eggs to make an omelette in this case,” he said. In addition to classrooms, offices and part of the university’s information technology department, the 34,000-square-foot space will include standardized room dimensions to reflect class sizes as mandated by
the state. “We’re working closely with the registrar’s office to make sure that what we design, when it goes back in, meets the classroom requirements for size,” Lewis said. “As an example — I know it must happen sometimes — a classroom that seats 50 people will have 6 people in the class, or the other way around.” Lewis said the university is also exploring different systems of construction, such as demountable walls that can be moved from room to room. “The technology that goes into this is fantastic,” he said.
As one of the largest teaching buildings on campus, Davis Hall houses the largest college on campus: the College of Arts and Sciences. The building has undergone several minor maintenance jobs since its opening in the early 1980s. “If we had a bottomless pit (of money), I’d be doing the whole building,” said Lewis, who once heard a student compare the hall’s interior to a scene from the 1980s horror film “The Shining.” “But even that would be difficult because we haven’t got enough space.”
THE CROW’S NEST IS THE WEEKLY STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA ST. PETERSBURG. ALL CONTENT IN THE PUBLICATION IS PRODUCED BY USFSP STUDENTS. SINGLE COPIES FREE.
April 23, 2018
Students present research at 14th annual symposium
By Delaney Brown delaneybrown@mail.usf.edu
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he University Student Center ballroom was filled with hundreds of research posters Tuesday for USF St. Petersburg’s annual undergraduate research symposium. With 169 posters on display, this year’s event was the largest in the symposium’s 14-year history. The research symposium was free and open to all students looking to present their work. As an added perk, students presenting in the symposium could have their
posters printed free of charge. “It’s stimulating to see research from so many different disciplines,” said Sean Cornell, a senior finance major. “It was nice to read about different projects and see what my fellow students spend time studying.” The research on display ran the gamut. Hanging from the temporary walls were posters covering everything from animal reproductive behavior to local cocaine arrests and modern day piracy. For most of the students, the event was a preview of what to expect later in their careers. Marcia Graiha, a psychology major whose
research examined how a “destiny vs. growth” mindset affects relationship dynamics, said the symposium was good practice. She hopes to go into clinical psychology, and says that research experience is something that will help her stand out when applying for graduate school. “The students in this room represent the ideal of the USF student body,” said Olufunke Fontenot, interim regional vice chancellor of student affairs, addressing the couple dozen students and faculty circulating through the posters. “We are proud of you — as you should be proud of yourselves.”
THE C ROW ’S NE ST Consulted, continued from P1 The university also brought in Lev, who had voluntary informational meetings with adjuncts on all three campuses on Feb. 1315 and taped an eight-minute video that the administration emailed to adjuncts. Lev and the administration stressed that she was neutral about the union and was retained to provide information and answer questions about unionization and labor law. But some of the adjuncts who attended Lev’s meetings questioned her impartiality and accused her of using scare tactics against the union. The opposition of the administration ultimately failed. Adjuncts decided to join the union on a 326 to 91 vote that was announced by the state’s Public Employees Relations Commission on March 13. Four requests, four denials
MARTHA RHINE | THE CROW’S NEST
Students from every discipline showcased their academic passions at USF St. Petersburg’s annual undergraduate research symposium
Since March 3, The Crow’s Nest has submitted four public records requests seeking to find out what Lev was paid and obtain a description of the work she was hired to do for the university. In mid-March, the newspaper was told by university spokesman Adam Freeman that “there are no public records that show whether or not she (Lev) was paid or how much, if any.” The next day, shortly after repeating that there were no public records on payments to Lev, university spokeswoman Lara Wade corrected herself. She wrote that records responsive to the newspaper’s request are “exempt from production under 119.071 (1) (d), Florida Statutes” until “conclusion, including any appeals, of the matter of SEIU, FPSU, CTW v. University of South Florida Board of Trustees before the State of Florida Public Employee Relations Commission; Case No. EL-2018-002.” The case she cited includes the monthslong skirmish of motions and responses submitted to PERC by the union and the administration. But Steele countered that “there is just no way that a public agency’s arrangements with any attorney fits within this exemption.” In a March 28 letter to USF general counsel Gerard Solis, Steele asserted that the requested records are not exempt. The exemption cited by the university “is a narrow one” and not relevant to all attorney-client communications, she said. “Florida’s Attorney General has repeatedly provided specific guidance
with respect to the narrow reach of this exemption,” wrote Steele. “It does not apply to contracts between government agencies and outside attorneys, or to such attorneys’ invoices. “Invoices may, of course, be redacted where they ‘genuinely reflect’ the attorney’s ‘mental impression, conclusion, litigation strategy, or legal theory,’ but otherwise records concerning fees and costs billed and payments to attorneys for public agencies are simply not subject to withholding.” But the university continues to claim that the requested records related to Lev’s work are currently exempt from production. Solis reiterated the narrow exemption for attorney work product – in Chapter 119.071 (1) (d) of Florida law – in his April 2 response to Steele. “In sum, USF will produce responsive records to the extent the records exist and no exemption applies,” wrote Solis. “Finally, please keep in mind that there is no requirements to provide information about records produced so (The Crow’s Nest’s) questions may not always be answered to (its) satisfaction. This is unfortunate, but unavoidable from time-totime given the volume of requests received.” Wade repeated the same tight exemption when responding April 16 to an updated and expanded request made by The Crow’s Nest on April 12 for documents related to “any services provided and/or agreed to be provided by labor attorney Katherine Lev to the USF system,” including records in the possession of Lev for work on behalf of USF. When contacted by the newspaper last week, Lev said she does not comment to reporters on her work. The university says that the exemption it has repeatedly cited applies until the “conclusion, including any appeals,” of the prolonged case between the union and USF before the Public Employees Relations Commission. The university had 15 days after the March 13 election to file post-election objections with PERC. That time limit has expired. The deadline for filing an appeal in state court – which would be the university’s next step – is Friday, April 27. As of mid-day April 20, PERC had not been notified of an appeal.
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April 23, 2018
Earth Week: putting the green in green and gold By Luke Cross lukecross@mail.usf.edu
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s a waterfront campus with a history of green initiatives, USF St. Petersburg doesn’t just celebrate Earth Day — it celebrates Earth Week. Hosted by a handful of student organizations cooperating with Student Government’s department of sustainable initiatives, the week’s environmental festivities spanned four days, a far cry from the former Gaia Festival. “Gaia Fest was the old Earth Day celebration with yoga, musicians and vendors from around St. Pete,” said Madeline Thorpe, president of the student environmental awareness society. “This year we tried to keep it more campus-based, involving the student community.” Since 2016, USF St. Petersburg has opted to extend Earth Day celebrations for the entire school week and include organizations such as The Garden Club and Food Recovery Club. This year, Earth Week celebrations were tailored to attract students from every major. “We’re not just talking to the environmental science kids, but to the business students, the philosophy, the psychology, the history students,” said Thorpe. The week began with an
‘alternative transportation’ theme Monday, offering an on-campus mechanic to tune students’ bicycles, followed by a group mural tour across the city. The mechanic was free to any student and performed services including chain greasing, brake alignment and part installation. “That’s his whole business model, on-location bike repair. Check out his yelp reviews — he’s no slouch, and it’s showed in his work with the students,” said Byron Baugh, SG sustainability coordinator. Tuesday was marked by a planting event as well as a seed giveaway, where students gathered to breathe new life into the butterfly garden adjacent to Sixth Avenue. Wednesday’s theme, “Protect Our Waterways,” featured two major events: a waterfront cleanup at Salt Creek, and the Missing Map-a-thon, hosted by Gamma Theta Upsilon, the international geographical honor society. The Map-a-thon, which had students guessing the country to which a map section belongs, showcased the diversity and beauty of ecosystems across the world with vibrant imagery. Salt Creek’s cleanup had students launch from the Haney Landing Sailing Center in kayaks to paddle their way toward the creek
in the Old Southeast, where trash was pulled from the water’s banks. “For SEAS, Earth Week is really about raising awareness for our little bay on campus, protecting our waterways, including Salt Creek,” said Ayden Marullier, beach clean up coordinator for SEAS. Beyond cleaning waste from the water, Marullier also looks to educate students during cleanups. “I like to quiz them on what LUKE CROSS | THE CROW’S NEST the most commonly discarded item into our waterways is. St. Petersburg’s Fifth Annual Earth Day Festival filled 99 percent said it was plastic WIlliams Park to the brim with ecological organizations and nature friendly vendors. water bottles or straws, which is completely wrong,” said and musicians. said. “Moderate success is I Many of USF St. guess what I’d say.” Marullier. “It is actually cigarette butts, which take just Petersburg’s events, however, In addition to more effective were hamstrung by organization advertising, Baugh is looking to as long to decompose.” Thursday, the final day of and advertising issues. bring more professional voices “Perhaps there could’ve into Earth Week events. USF St. Petersburg’s Earth Week, was titled “Zero Waste been some improvements “Maybe have panels Day” for its workshop that with location advertising, of experts, environmental taught students the intricacies putting things out sooner scientists. Also, a studentand making locations led and moderated panel of recycling. “Its a multi-step, sort better known,” said Baugh. would be great for the of complicated process,” “I should’ve added ‘For students,” said Baugh. said Baugh. “For instance, specifics, follow us on Alongside possible plastic bags and straws can’t social media,’ or something panels, Marullier and SEAS be recycled, but glass and like that.” hope for more communityDespite organizational led initiatives and solutions food containers can be when hiccups, Baugh and fellow from within the campus. properly washed out.” After the campus organizers hold that the “We find so many finished its celebration, St. events and their turnout hit disposable, single-use Petersburg began its own the targets they intended to. plastics during our cleanups,” “Calling it a resounding said Marullier. “One of the festivities Saturday with the fifth annual Earth Day success might not be super next steps is figuring out Festival. The event was appropriate … but we what to do with all this waste hosted by a number of local helped some students, made from the campus, instead of ecocentric organizations and an impact on the waterfront just dumping it.” featured a sea of vendors and fixed bikes,” Baugh
Preview: Graphic design seniors tackle activism By Whitney Elfstrom welfstrom@mail.usf.edu
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SF St. Petersburg senior graphic design students will be taking over The Studio@620 Friday night for their senior exhibition. The event will showcase the students’ senior theses covering the topic of social issues. Students were tasked with selecting a social issue they’re passionate about and taking an activist approach to the idea, according to Jordan Prince, a senior graphic design major. Topics for the theses range from sex education to how to make raw food and veganism more appealing. The 17 seniors were given the topic over summer break to ensure they would be prepared at the beginning of the 20172018 academic year. In the fall semester, they presented their ideas and explained what they wanted to tackle, while they solidified their designs throughout the semester and created everything from phone apps to condoms to represent their theses. “The responses aren’t to meant to fix whatever the issue is, it’s just a possible response. It’s not meant to solve (the social issue,)” Prince said.
Together the seniors crafted the title “Respond” and created the branding to go along with the exhibition, which includes posters, specialized invitations and a website. Each year, 20 students are chosen for the Graphic Artists and Design program out of a pool of applicants. To enter the graphic design program, students must apply online with 10 examples from their portfolio and explain what they are looking to accomplish through the program. “Respond” gives the seniors a chance to prove what they’ve learned during their two years in the program. Unlike senior exhibitions from prior years, when the event took place in both Harbor Hall and The Studio@620, the event will solely take place at the gallery. “We’re trying to set up [the exhibition] in an art gallery setting and make sure that our spaces are designed in a more artistic way,” Prince said. The students paid for the gallery space by selling their work at Localtopia, an annual event that celebrates local St. Petersburg artists and businesses. They raised $1,800, which was more
than double what they were expecting. Prince encouraged students and faculty to come out and support the free exhibition at 620 First Ave S. “It’s always good to support the arts — especially locally. We’re apart of the
school so they would be supporting the school as well, just through a more artistic experience,” she said. The event begins at 5:30 to 9 p.m. and will feature a free alcoholic beverage from a partnership between Kozuba and Sons Distillery
and Made Coffee. TeBella Tea Company also donated its blueberry pomegranate tea for a nonalcoholic option. For a sneak peak of the theses follow @re.spond on Instagram or go to respondexhibition.com.
COURTSEY OF THE GRAPHIC ARTIST AND DESIGN PROGRAM
THE C ROW ’S NE ST
April 23, 2018
From pole to plate: The Taver By Tim Fanning Contributor
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he Tavern at Bayboro’s inviting picnic tables and covered patio are packed with professors and students ready to kick back a couple of Bayboro Blonde Ales before the chaos of final exams begins. It’s 11 a.m. — lunchtime. The Tavern has been a fixture on campus since 1981 and is independent from the university. Here, you can enjoy a brief respite from exams, coursework and the stale cafeteria food offered nearby. You are likely to meet owner Tom Herzhauser, who an hour ago finished filleting three whole red groupers at the fish filleting station near the cash register. He estimates that in another two hours, he will have to fillet another three to keep up with the demand. The $10 grouper sandwich is so popular that it rivals the Cuban and any of the four burgers as a top draw.
Herzhauser is like the mayor of USF St. Petersburg. He knows everyone and has friends everywhere — friends at Mastry’s Fresh Seafood in St. Petersburg and friends at Fish Busters in Madeira Beach. With those kinds of friends, he has great access to red grouper: fish you might say is to the Florida Gulf coast what lobster is to Maine. Herzhauser buys 60 pounds of whole grouper a day, which he brings back to The Tavern in his gray 2004 Oldsmobile Silhouette to fillet himself. Then he grills or deep fries it, selling 100 grouper filet sandwiches by closing time at 11 p.m. Set between a soft, buttered and toasted homemade rosemary bun are two tomatoes, crisp romaine and a six-ounce fish. You can order it grilled, blackened or crusted with Corn Flakes and sliced almonds and deep fried. Once considered a byproduct in the 1980s, grouper has soared
in popularity among seafood consumers. In fact, the fish is so popular that Florida supplies about 80 percent of all grouper caught in the U.S., according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. In 2016, 5.3 million pounds of grouper were commercially harvested and had an estimated value of $17.8 million, according to a FWC commercial fisheries and landing summary. “We take it off the bone when we need it,” said Patrick Bixler, Herzhauser’s assistant. “You can’t get fish any fresher than you can here — unless you got a pond in the backyard.” When it’s Bixler’s turn to prepare the fish, he starts by cutting out the cheeks, which he saves for The Tavern’s grouper cheek specials once a month. The Tavern utilizes virtually every part of the fish, except for the fins and heads. Grouper yield a high quantity of edible meat compared to its body weight. An 8-pound
grouper, for example, produces over 3 pounds of edible flesh, Bixler said. The Tavern uses the fillets for sandwiches and other parts for soups and stocks. Bixler doesn’t use a regular flexible fillet knife, but a strange-looking firm one, which he says he learned to use when he worked at Holiday Seafood, a seafood wholesaler in Tarpon Springs. For seven years he filleted fish, shoveled ice and lugged 150 pounds of fish off boats. “We cut them here because we can. It’s a big deal and takes a long time to learn how to process a fish. The fact that we can do it makes more sense for us to buy whole grouper because it keeps longer, it’s more fresh and we know what we’re getting,” Bixler said. Tracing it back As much as 30 percent of the seafood entering the United States is estimated to be
mislabeled, undercutting U.S. fishermen, the nation’s seafood industry and consumers of up to an estimated $25 billion annually, according to the Tampa Bay Times. It’s a problem the Tampa Bay area struggled with amid investigations years ago by the Times and others showing fake grouper being passed off as real to unwitting customers. But The Tavern guarantees what it sells is real. “Come on in and watch me cut up this fish,” Bixler said. “If I needed to, I could tell you, with a phone call, where this fish was caught, an average of how deep the water was, what bait was used and who caught it. We know because we go through the right channels. We can track this fish back to when it was alive.” That’s because commercial fishermen include data of any species that are harvested and sold for human consumption. The state of Florida collects that
The Tavern at USF St. Petersburg has been awarded multiple Creative Loafing “Best of the Bay” awards, partly for its renowned grouper. The Tavern goes through 60
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April 23, 2018
rn’s award-winning grouper data to generate statistics on the types of species and quantities landed, as well as the size, weight and age distribution of harvested species. That information is reported on a Marine Fisheries Trip Ticket at the time the fishermen sell the fish to the wholesaler. The trip ticket also includes information about the harvester, the dealer purchasing the fish, the date of the transaction, the county the fish was landed, the time fished and pounds of each species landed for each trip. This information helps agencies like the FWC manage fish populations. “If you have a good idea of what the whole (grouper) population looks like, and a good idea of what (fishermen) are removing from the population, it helps you manage it better what’s out there,” said Chris Bradshaw, an assistant research scientist for the fisheries dependent monitoring section at the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute.
“It’s like if someone brought a big bowl of M&M’s to a party and then asked you to find out how many green ones are in the bowl. What we do as dependent research scientists is that we ask the people munching on green M&M’s how much they had to eat to determine how many were actually in the bowl,” he said. The bulk of Florida’s grouper harvest occurs in the Gulf of Mexico, and red grouper is the species most frequently sought, according to the FWC. Red grouper are caught by slow-moving longline boats, which string miles of line with hundreds of soaked hooks at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico. Another fishing method is what’s known as “vertical line” fishing, sometimes known as “bandit rigs.” This is a traditional method with one- or two-man crews anchored over specific spots, send a few lines down and wait for something to bite. A bandit fisherman must stalk prey and anchor in deep
water, fighting wind and current to hover over one small spot. Bandit boats might bring close to 2,000 pounds of grouper a trip, one-third as much as a longliner. “These fishermen are real characters, with leather skin and veins full of salt,” Herzhauser said. “It’s a tough life.” At the fish house, the fish are unloaded, measured, weighed and packed in ice. Within an hour, they are loaded in trucks to go anywhere from Miami to Canada. Serving it fresh Back at The Tavern, it’s about lunchtime, and prep cook Edward “Chubby” Smith is upstairs preparing the daily soup, mac and cheese, potato salad and coleslaw. He’s waiting for Bixler, who has finished filleting the four whole grouper Herzhauser bought that morning. Darius Rucker’s “Wagon Wheel” twangs over the house radio as Smith lays out the
0 pounds of whole grouper a day, usually selling 100 fillets before closing time.
ingredients to start prepping the crunchy grouper sandwich. He takes about five minutes to prepare 10 or 15 fish filets. “Everything here is homemade. Nothing is bought, except that tartar sauce,” Smith said, as he poured a whole cornflake cereal box into an aluminum pan filled with sliced almonds. “It’s healthy for you. You got your protein, your cornflakes and the almonds,” he said. “I like the blackened grouper myself. But folks go crazy over this one right here. There’s this rich businessman who lives up in Fort Myers who flies all the way down here to eat the sandwich. He says it’s the best he’s ever tasted.” The Tavern has won multiple Creative Loafing “Best of the Bay” awards since Herzhauser bought the place. “Best College Hangout” and best “Grouper Sandwich in Tampa Bay: The Dardenne,” are awards
Herzhauser displays with pride. The sandwich was dedicated to Robert Dardenne, a beloved professor and one of the founding members of the journalism department at USF St. Petersburg, who died in 2013. He was 66. Smith and Herzhauser met in 1998 and have been working together ever since. Wherever Herzhauser went, Smith went with him. “I go with Tom because he’s a good guy. He knows what good food is and why that’s important,” Smith said as he brought the grouper fillets downstairs to be served for lunch. He takes about 20 trips downstairs a day to the storage refrigerator next to the kitchen. Smith is halfway done today. Tomorrow, he’ll start over again at 7 a.m with a fresh batch of red grouper.
TIM FANNING | THE CROW’S NEST
April 23, 2018
THE C ROW ’S NE ST
Campus newspapers in crisis By The Crow’s Nest Editorial Staff
THE CROW’S NEST 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. Opinions in this newspaper do not necessarily represent those of the administration, faculty or student body.
Reach Us Office 2400 140 Seventh Ave. S. St. Petersburg, FL, 33701 (727) 873-4113 usfcrowsnest@gmail.com
Staff Michael Moore Jr Editor-in-Chief
Editorial Whitney Elfstrom Managing Editor Emily Wunderlich Online Editor Jeffrey Waitkevich News Editor Anna Bryson Arts & Life Editor Luke Cross Opinion & Features Editor Delaney Brown Assistant Editor
Design Brianna Rodriguez Creative Director Jonah Hinebaugh Photography Editor Juliet Di Preta Design Assistant
Operations Brenden DelaRua Business Manager Rob Hooker Adviser
Letters to The Editor The Crow’s Nest accepts letters to the editor. All submissions should be no more than 500 words. Writers must include their full name. In addition, USF faculty should include their title, department and extension. All letters are subject to editing for clarity and length. Letters can be sent to michaelmoor@mail.usf.edu with subject title “Letter to the Editor.” Because of high production costs, members of the USFSP are permitted one copy per issue. Where available, additional copies may be purchased for 10 cents each by contacting the newspaper’s editor-in-chief or managing editor. Newspaper theft is a crime. Those who violate the single copy rule may be subject to civil and criminal prosecution and/or university discipline.
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his week is the oneyear anniversary of a story that almost got us in trouble. We broke the news that Samuel Goetz, then vice president-elect for Student Government, had resigned due to being named in a sexual assault allegation filed by a female student during the previous semester. We reported on the story in a sensitive, fair and ethical manner — which is exactly what we explained to the two members of student government and the one staff member who showed up to our newsroom to scold us about how we shouldn’t have published the story. Publishing the story was no different than what the Tampa Bay Times or any other professional news outlet would have done, we explained. “You’re not the Tampa Bay Times,” we were told. It wasn’t the first controversy we covered and it wouldn’t be our last. Maybe it shouldn’t have come as a surprise when, that same year, student government cut The Crow’s Nest budget by 15 percent, while virtually all other student organizations received an increase. So goes the plight of the student newspaper. How many countless campus newspapers have been attacked, ridiculed or
censored under the thinlyveiled accusation that they aren’t a “real newspaper?” How many have been threatened and harassed by administration? How many have had their funding cut in retribution? Ask any editor and they’ll tell you: student newsrooms are Win trouble. The Daily Campus, the nearly century-old independent newspaper at Southern Methodist University, announced earlier this month that it would stop printing in May and move under the control of the university’s journalism department. That same week, The Independent Collegian of The University of Toledo released an editorial called “Our newspaper is dying.” The Independent Florida Alligator responded with an editorial of its own and a movement: #SaveStudentNewsrooms. “Across the U.S., studentrun newsrooms — just like professional newsrooms — are struggling to survive. They are hemorrhaging. But no one is talking about it,” the editorial read. On April 25, what they are calling the “day of action,” the whole country will be talking about it. Coincidentally, it’s the oneyear anniversary of the Goetz story that almost got us in trouble. At the beginning of
the school year, SG and administrators were in talks about potentially moving The Crow’s Nest under the control of the journalism department, much like what happened to The Daily Campus. Frank LoMonte, then executive director of the Student Press Law Center, was brought in to give a presentation to administrators and The Crow’s Nest staff about the importance of an independent press. Thankfully, the talks stopped. But what if they hadn’t? We’ve printed since 1969, which is young in journalism years — but how close did that nearly 50-year tradition come to dying out? Or, at the very least, how close was it to being muzzled, silenced, censored? We printed 200 copies less per week than the previous year. Our papers were flipped upside down, vandalized and abused. We were publicly lambasted by both SG and administrators for our coverage on a regular basis. So far, we’ve survived. But for how much longer? Due to the severe limitations of our budget, most of our staff only gets paid for around 5 hours of work per week. The reality is, most of us spend 30, 40, sometimes even 50 or more hours per week in the newsroom, around campus covering stories and taking photographs, or editing from home. We are being pushed
every year to phase out our print circulation in favor of becoming a strictly online publication. We are told every year that we need to rely more on ad revenue and less on students’ activities and service fees — but look around, just like the student newsrooms across the country that are dying, ad revenue is disappearing. This year, the impossible happened and our budget was increased — but only after massive speculation and rumors of our print circulation being slashed amid a year that saw our readership grow substantially. What happens when our readership takes a dip or we have an off year? Or worse, what happens when Student Government decides they just don’t care, that they’ve had enough or that they are sick of dealing with us? It’s not just our problem. It’s a student newsroom problem. It’s why we must #SaveStudentNewsrooms. We become journalists knowing that it’s a thankless job, but that doesn’t stop us from giving it our all and trying to bring you the best news possible. It doesn’t stop us from dropping everything at a moment’s notice, it doesn’t stop us from accepting the low pay and terrible hours, and it will never stop us in the quest to “seek truth and report it.” We’re not the Tampa Bay Times, but we’re still a newsroom. So don’t stop us from being one.
Top 10 places to cry on campus By Anna Bryson annabryson@mail.usf.edu
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s college students, we’re all bound to have mental breakdowns every now and again, but in the days leading up to finals week, you can break down in public and it’s slightly more acceptable. Here’s the best places on campus to make a spectacle of yourself and display your inability to control your emotions. 1. The Davis fountain: If you sit in the fountain and cry, your tears will blend in with the waters of school spirit, just as USF St. Petersburg intended. Plus, tuition dollars go toward maintaining the fountain, so it’s sort of poetic. 2. Office hours: Head to your professor’s office during office hours, sit on the floor and cry. They might not know how to handle it, but I promise it will help your grade. Bonus points if you get tears on their button down and use their tie as a handkerchief. 3. On Cheryl the Bull: School spirit? Climb up on top of Cheryl and show her the emotional turmoil she puts you through — really
grab the emotional breakdown bull by the horns. Use her as a punching bag. Or don’t, because she’s a solid metal statue. Up to you, really. 4. Prospective student tours: Find a group of prospective students touring the campus and follow them around. Use the students as free therapists. They want to know more about the college experience, and you are the perfect example of it. Just avoid the middle school tours — the young ones shouldn’t know the truth so early on. 5. While giving a presentation: If you didn’t prepare for your final presentation, just go up to the front of the class and start crying while you present. You don’t have to have any real content prepared — just cry through broken words. Your professor will take pity on you and won’t fail you. 6. The bookstore: It’s basically a pit that students are forced to throw money into, might as well sit at the entrance sobbing violently. 7. The library: The library has private study rooms waiting for you. You can only cry loudly on the first floor,
though, because if you do on the second or third floors, other students will yell at you to be quiet (been there, done that.) They don’t take book returns doused with tears, though. Again, speaking from experience. 8. The waterfront: Our bay is already polluted to hell, if anything your tears will help to dilute the sewage and trash. The fish are already crying anyway. 9. The College of Business: You’ll forget about your own
problems and start crying about the next generation of young capitalists who are going to exploit you and your children. 10. Literally anywhere off campus: Because if you’ve made it this far into this pity party of an article, you’ve probably fantasized about dropping out more times than is healthy. Sure, you may already be thousands of dollars in the hole, but a degree isn’t worth much these days anyway, right? Right?
JONAH HINEBAUGH | THE CROW’S NEST
Instead of chlorinated water, USF St. Petersburg’s Davis fountain runs on the tears of students.
TH E CROW ’ S N E ST
April 23, 2018
Swerving steers J. Cole away from his strengths By Jonah Hinebaugh jonahh@mail.usf.edu
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hether you call it “Kids On Drugs,” “King OverDose” or “Kill Our Demons,” Jermaine Cole’s fifth studio album tackles all with a 45-minute commentary on the world around him. Welcomed by some and hated by others, J. Cole has a seemingly compulsive need to attack the new culture and trend that has become ever popular in today’s hip-hop scene. From his single “False Prophets” to present day, he has been preaching from a soapbox down to his peers. This is what makes him divisive and listeners wary before playing this album. Surprisingly, Cole, in some sort of shallow analysis of the current culture, borrows many aspects of what he criticizes. From repetitive choruses or the use of the triplet-style flow, it seems confusing as to why he thought this would be useful because it is far from his strong suit. (A prime example being the weak “skrrt” ad-libs on “Kevin’s Heart.”) It does keep the listener awake, though — most of his albums put you to sleep before you reach the end. The mumble rap style he uses seems like a lazy way to profit off something he disses. It could be a mockery of it, but it misses its target, and hopefully he won’t use it in any future projects. On “Photograph,” Cole’s cliche qualities arise as he raps about how popular social media has become, specifically Instagram, as he falls in love with a girl solely based on the pictures she posts. He talks about how he isn’t comfortable “shooting his shot,” so he tries to let her know his interest with a “click,” liking her photo she posted. The whole song will put off just about anyone who listens and is familiar with social
media, but if listeners can make it through, he redeems himself. This track should be cut, and maybe he should download Tinder while he’s at it. He produced every song on the album and has no features besides an alter ego dubbed “kiLL Edward.” From beginning to end, it’s reminiscent of albums such as “To Pimp A Butterfly” and “DAMN.” by Kendrick Lamar. From whispering female vocals, pitched-down intros and bridges to mesmerizing beats that switch up at the drop of a dime, it reminds listeners of the talent Cole possesses when he channels it correctly. Lamar’s influence on him is nothing out of the ordinary. Of all artists at the top of their game right now, these two resonate and share similar qualities compared to someone like Lil Pump, who Cole later disses on “1985 (Intro to “The Fall Off”).” Just like in “DAMN.” J. Cole combines a ying-yang duality of love and lust with the baggage that comes with money, drugs and addiction. Some of his most important criticism comes toward the latter part of the album, with songs like “BRACKETS” and “FRIENDS.” In the former, Cole denounces the absurdity and unsupervised handling of his taxes. He questions if it goes to schools that teach the heroism of white people without accounting for their sins? Or maybe some company that pours guns throughout the country to eventually “wind up in my hood, making bloody clothes?” Welcome to the resistance, Comrade Cole. “FRIENDS” describes the climate of the black community he is surrounded by. He explains the stigma surrounding mental health, leading to self-medication to cope with the pain repressed by those affected. The message within the song sheds light on issues
COURTESY OF INTERSCOPE RECORDS/DREAMVILLE
J. Cole’s most recent album steps out of his comfort zone and right into unabashed hypocrisy, relying on many of the musical tropes he criticizes.
behind addiction, an issue that cripples communities, as well as the atmosphere surrounding predominantly black neighborhoods that have been oppressed through institutionalized racism. Whether it be economics, an influx of drugs in the community or the prison industrial complex it creates, in his words, people who live there feel stuck and unable to attain anything more, and as a result, repeat the cycle for generations. “FRIENDS” conveys raw emotion, showing how personal the issue is to him, which makes it the best song on the album. It is apparent all he wants for his friends, family and loved ones is success. Another personal issue Cole brings to task is his mother’s alcoholism on “Once an Addict (Interlude).” Squeezed between the aforementioned tracks, he
recounts avoiding the issue because he was too young to deal with the pain of “seein’ my hero on ground zero.” The painful recollection couldn’t have been easy, but to anyone facing similar issues, it must help knowing that even people who are idolized don’t live perfect lives. The track seems to be a point of healing for him. While some cliches are forced and unnecessary, he faces his demons in a deeply personal album he shares with the world. KOD rarely loses its momentum, besides on songs like “Photograph.” While tying themes together is important, the album can be oversaturated, as he continually drives home similar points without saying anything new. Avoiding dissing other artists and focusing on other issues that are more relevant to him would’ve made the
album stronger. This is crucial because his final track is just a lame diss tarnishing a great run of emotive songs. One of the most important aspects of a story album is to have a strong finish, but “1985 (Intro to “The Fall Off”)” ends the album on a sour note as he tries to overcompensate to prove he’s better than the younger artists on the scene. It reinforces the stereotype, started by his “woke” fans, that people who listen to him have a higher IQ than those who like the trap-rap that is popular today, which is an elitist and tired viewpoint. This album emulates his theme of dichotomy, whether it be his corny songs and great songs or the themes that arise within them. In any case, the album is worth checking out even if you aren’t a fan.
W hat to do t h i s week: Apr i l 2 3 - Apr il 2 9 By Ashley Campbell Contributor MONDAY Fete Fit Mat Mondays hosted by Ashlee John is every Monday from 7 to 8 p.m. at Fete Fit Caribbean Cardio at 2005 N Lamar Ave in Tampa. Participants are asked to supply their own mats and waters. All fitness levels are invited and the class is $7. TUESDAY Any Harry Potter fans looking show off their knowledge of the series? There will be Deathly Hallows Trivia from 7 to 9
p.m. at Jacks London Grill at 1050 62nd Ave N. For just $1, come out and meet fellow Potterheads and have the chance to win cash and themed prizes. Questions stem from the books and the movies. WEDNESDAY The Foo Fighters are playing at the MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre at the Florida State Fairgrounds. Tickets range from $61-$490. If you’re drowning in the stress from the end of the semester you can relax at Wednesday Meditation and Prayer Service hosted
by First Unity Spiritual Campus at 460 46th Ave N. This event is from 6 to 7 p.m. and occurs every Wednesday. THURSDAY Free Workout Class is hosted by The Gathering St. Pete at 2300 62nd Ave N. from 7:15 to 8 p.m. This event will occur every Thursday through March 28, 2019. Yoga at the Gallery is an all-levels yoga class held in an art gallery hosted by Moving Meditations every Thursday from 6 to 7 p.m. Get bendy amidst artwork at this donation based class held the Libertine Contemporary
Fine Art Gallery at 200 Central Ave #111. FRIDAY The USFSP graphic design senior exhibition will take place from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at The Studio@620 at 620 First Ave. S. Respond will showcase the senior theses of the graphic design students. The event is free and will offer free alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages. SATURDAY The 32nd Anniversary Green Thumb Festival will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Walter Fuller Park at 7901
30th Ave N. There will be plants and flowers available for auction and sale, as well as activities for people to participate and win prizes. Admission is free. SUNDAY Stand Up Paddleboard Yoga is back, hosted by The Body Electric Yoga Company and SUP YOGA St. Pete. From 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. participants can enjoy soothing yoga on the water at Sunset Beach at the corner of W. Gulf Blvd. and 77th Ave. Tickets are $15 if you bring your own board and $25 to rent a board.
THE C ROW ’S NE ST
April 23, 2018
St. Petersburg coffee shop tour By Margaretha Seibert Contributor
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hether you like large, open windows and white marble tables or cozy, dark lighting with mismatched furniture, St. Petersburg has the coffee shop to fit your aesthetic pleasure. St. Petersburg boasts many local coffee shops, each with a unique style (but if chain coffee is more your speed, there are plenty of Starbucks locations around to fit the bill). Here is a tour of five coffee shops where you can get a quick brew, sit for hours, finish that novel or chat with your best friend. Intermezzo Coffee & Cocktails is a bright and airy local shop that Instagram users love for its midcentury furniture and minimalistic drinkware. Although the lattes aren’t the smoothest, you can’t deny the satisfaction of snapping a photo of the intricate tulippainted glass cup placed on a tiny blue saucer. Eat something before snagging a drink though, because the shop doesn’t carry more than the occasional croissant. Intermezzo serves the late crowd too, with coffee and cocktails on weekdays until 11 p.m. and weekends until 1 a.m. Among the usual crowd you can find Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Chris Archer and other trendy community members enjoying some espresso and conversation.
Channing Shettle, sophomore, loves Intermezzo “because of how minimal and white the interior is but with added color of furniture, plants or art books.” 1111 Central Ave, St. Petersburg, (727) 342-0156; www. https://intermezzo.com Black Crow Coffee Co. is the polar opposite of Intermezzo atmosphere-wise and is nestled in the Old Northeast neighborhood. Black Crow is for the rainy day where you want to curl up on a well-worn couch with your favorite book. With an ever-friendly group of baristas serving their own locally-roasted coffee, going for a vanilla iced latte with soy milk is always a good idea. Their menu has baked goods ranging from bagels to muffins, and even a few vegan options. Students can be seen collaborating on projects right next to the neighborhood regular who’s sitting back checking emails. Erin King is a St. Petersburg local who loves the atmosphere of Black Crow because “having a locallyrun coffee shop with local art creates a place of creativity and conversation.” 722 2nd St N, St. Petersburg, (727) 580-7200; www.blackcrowcoffeeco.com Craft Kafe downtown is the company’s newest location. With a perfect
people-watching view at the corner of Central and University Way, a Saturday afternoon spent here is never wasted. The inside seating area is busy and small, but is home to sleek white flooring and wood accents. The most unique part about Craft Kafe is its goal to serve gluten-free goodness. Their menu offers organic salads, sandwiches, a soup of the day, assorted baked goods and a build-your-own omelet. The cafe attracts families, couples, friends and many cute dogs if that’s what you’re looking for. Also, if you’re a fan of the Tampa coffee scene, you’re in luck, because Craft Kafe proudly serves Buddy Brew lattes for $3.75. 200 Central Ave, Suite 170, St. Petersburg, (727) 2568587; www.craftkafe.com The Bikery Coffee & Bicycle Shop is a unique twist to your run-of-the-mill cafe, sitting right in the middle of a fully-functioning bicycle shop. Surprisingly, there is no shortage of coffee excellence. Whether you’re a cyclist who needs a pick-me-up or a local stopping in for a quick drink, The Bikery is a good choice. The coffee peddler offers a rotating selection of craft roasters and now serves single-origin coffee from Onyx Coffee Lab. Don’t stop at coffee though. In addition to bicycle
COURTESY OF MARGARETHA SEIBERT
Craft Kafe is new to downtown St. Petersburg and is home to gluten free goodies.
accessories, you can enjoy tea, craft beer, pastries and wine. After finishing a latte in St. Petersburg’s most unique coffee stop, your last sip reveals a secret message at the bottom of the cup that reads, “Now go ride.” 2222 1st Ave S, St. Petersburg, (727) 826-0501; thebikery.bike/coffee-shop Bandit Coffee Co. is also a minimalist’s dream, but if you aren’t a fan of hard, benchstyle seating and high-tops, don’t plan to stay at Bandit for any long meetings. The aesthetic of the shop is easily Instagramable, with small black latte cups, plain white tables and scattered greenery. In addition, Posies Flower Truck makes an appearance every Wednesday, selling
fresh blooms from 10 a.m to 1 p.m. Bandit’s merchandise, aesthetic and trendy flower truck are the best reasons to go because the bourbon vanilla latte is not amazing unless you’re interested in unique flavors. Bandit regularly pulls locals and visitors of all ages to enjoy the atmosphere, a pour-over and some pastries. 2662 Central Ave, St. Petersburg, (727) 836-0817; http://banditcoffee.co It’s safe to say there is no shortage of coffee in St. Petersburg. With each shop offering different flavors, aesthetics and food options, there is a place for everyone.
A year in review with Harborside Activities Board By Martha Rhine Contributor
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he Harborside Activities Board is a student-run programming group responsible for organizing events at USF St. Petersburg — from Week of Welcome to homecoming to Casino Night. The board consists of six paid directors who manage different areas. There is a director of traditions to manage USFSP Week and homecoming, and a director of films to manage Screen on the Green and Campus Movie Fest. There are other directors for stage acts, marketing and design. Each director has a committee of volunteers who help plan and execute the events. HAB President Kevin Patrick described the year as an innovative one: The directors were challenged to think outside the box and come up with new ideas, resulting in new activities and improvements to events. HAB had the first ever Best Friend Game Show and two free concerts: Hip Hop Duke and Dylan Dunlap. The Screen on the Green movie event for “Pitch Perfect 3” featured a
student karaoke competition and an acapella group. Some of the changes were in regard to venue, such as the fashion show that moved from the USC ballrooms to the The Edge. The monthly HAB Market helped introduce the board to students and promote their activities through swag like HAB hats, pop sockets and portable chargers. Despite these efforts, Patrick said low attendance was their leading issue. The university has around 6,000 students, yet their events averaged around 100 people in the fall semester. “Getting more students to come to the events, that is always a struggle,” Patrick said. “The events are very innovative and they’re fun and they’re entertaining and we spend a lot of money on them and then we’ll have like maybe 70 people.” According to Patrick, HAB’s primary demographic is first- and second-year students, as they’re normally the ones seeking out the college experience. All HAB activities are open to faculty and university staff. The range of attendees makes
it challenging to balance appealing to young students eager for new experiences and keeping events professional for faculty. Patrick believes that PG-13 movies and clean music can be disenchanting for students looking for a college party experience. Next year, the directors hope to better gauge EMILY WUNDERLICH | THE CROW’S NEST prospective attendance so The Harborside Activities Board is responsible for many they can cater to students. engaging events on campus, including concerts, movie They also talked about having showings and the annual cardboard boat race. board. We call ourselves the cash bars that serve alcoholic didn’t go their way. “The board itself this year HAB Fam for a reason,” beverages to those of legal was so bonded together it was Carmack said in an email. drinking age. “We’re all super close and Marketing initiatives like a family,” he said. A few of the events really root for each other and are vital to carrying out successful HAB events. In went better than expected. are always there to help, inside addition to the monthly HAB Campus Movie Fest had more and outside of HAB.” Carmack said that renting Market, a marketing street participants than ever before, due to a collaboration with out AMC Sundial 20 for team is in development. The street team is a branded St. Petersburg College and the premiere of “Black group whose job will be to Eckerd College. Patrick said Panther” with The Black the partnerships could be Student Alliance was a engage students . noteworthy event. However, Patrick would like to see useful in the future. The success of rapper and she did acknowledge that low upperclassmen and commuter students get more involved, spoken word artist Hip Hop attendance throughout the which would require HAB Duke indicated students want year was discouraging. She said that future to be more visible and more on campus concerts. Kelli Carmack, vice marketing efforts should be approachable on campus. Despite the challenges, president of the board, had an broadened outside the usual HAB has had its share of optimistic view of the past year. places, as most efforts are successes. According to Like Patrick, Carmack said the online or at The Reef. This Patrick, the bond between this bond between the board was responsibility falls to Carmack as she takes over as HAB’s year’s board members helped one of the top highlights. “We’ve never had a stronger president in the fall. boost morale when things