The Crow's Nest - Volume 50 Issue 9- March 19 by The Crow's Nest

NEWS, page 2

FEATURES, page 4

OPINIONS, page 6

Spring break saw thousands of college students taking a break from the stresses of school. Some experienced the culture of other countries, others hit the snowy peaks of east coast mountains.

Famed astrophysicist Stephen Hawking died at the age of 76, leaving behind a legacy of innovation and intellectualism. His work inspired millions, and his contributions reach far beyond the realm of science.

HAPPY TRAVELS

UNIONIZATION USF St. Petersburg adjuncts have made the vote to form a union to represent them, much to the university’s chagrin.

STARS BURN OUT, TOO

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Volume 50, Issue 9 - March 19, 2018 | Online at crowsneststpete.com

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Farewell, separate accreditation By Jeffrey Waitkevich jwaitkevich@mail.usf.edu

elcome to the beginning of the end of USF St. Petersburg’s separate accreditation. It’s official. On March 10, Gov. Rick Scott signed off on Senate Bill 4, the bill that consolidated accreditation among the three universities in the USF System. The first step is appointing members to the USF Consolidation Planning Study

and Implementation Task Force, which was created to help reassure the St. Petersburg community that they would have a voice. However, USF St. Petersburg is only guaranteed two of the members. This mouthful of a committee will consist of USF system President Judy Genshaft, Martin Tadlock, interim regional chancellor at USF St. Petersburg, and Karen Holbrook, USF Sarasota-Manatee’s regional chancellor, along with 10

Psst! It’s a secret By Nancy McCann Contributor

uring its determined but unsuccessful effort to thwart a union drive by adjunct faculty, the USF administration brought in a labor lawyer from Boston. The lawyer, Katherine Lev, 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. How much was Lev paid? The university won’t say. In fact, university spokesman Adam Freeman seemed to suggest that she might not have been paid at all. On March 3, The Crow’s

Nest filed a public records request seeking documents that would reveal Lev’s compensation. When the university did not provide the information, the newspaper renewed its request on March 15. “Regarding Katie Lev, there are no documents (in) response to your request,” Freeman said in an email reply that day. “Does this mean what she was paid is not public information?” the paper asked. “It means there are no public records that show whether or not she was paid or how much, if any,” replied Freeman. >> SEE SECRET on P3

additional members from the three campuses appointed by legislative and university leaders. Tadlock believes those leaders will begin appointing members within the next two weeks. The 13 members will be tasked with creating the plan for consolidating accreditation. Tadlock expects to be “involved to a great extent” throughout the process, but he hasn’t discussed it with Genshaft yet.

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>> SEE FAREWELL on P2

COURTESY OF GAGE SKIDMORE

Bill expands Bright Futures

JONAH HINEBAUGH | THE CROW’S NEST

until March 15, 2019, to create and submit a plan to implement the above recommendations, make a timeline so accreditation can be consolidated by June 30, 2020, reduce effects on current students and have USF operating as one accredited university by July 1, 2020. Olufunke Fontenot, interim vice regional chancellor of academic affairs, has been through a consolidation before at Albany State University in Georgia.

Gov. Rick Scott has signed Senate Bill 4, which consolidated accreditation across the three universities in the USF System. The next step is appointing members to the committee to plan how to phase out separate accreditation.

By Michael Moore Jr. michaelmoor@mail.usf.edu

For months, USF system President Judy Genshaft’s administration fought the union effort by opposing it in filings with PERC and repeatedly attacking the union in emails to adjuncts.

The committee has until Feb. 15, 2019, to submit a report to the USF Board of Trustees, which will recommend: degree programs, how to maintain each campus’ unique identity, each campus’ research capacity, how program and resources will be distributed, how to keep budget matters transparent and how programs will be developed and delivered, according to the legislation. Then, the BOT will have

egislation signed by Gov. Rick Scott earlier this month will bring changes to universities throughout the state. One education bill, in addition to stripping USF St. Petersburg of its separate accreditation, will permanently expand the Bright Futures scholarship program for those high-achieving students who qualify. Another will give students who take too many classes en route to earning a bachelor’s degree the opportunity to avoid financial penalty. The Florida Excellence in Higher Education Act, or Senate Bill 4, will award the top tier

of Bright Futures, “Academic Scholar,” with 100 percent of tuition and fees covered and a $300 stipend for textbooks. The second tier, “Medallion Scholars,” will have 75 percent of their tuition and fees covered. The scholarship will also now cover summer classes, with the changes coming into effect during the 2018 summer semester. According to the Tampa Bay Times, this marks a $124 million investment into the program, bolstering its coverage to prerecession levels. Over the last several years, the top tier of Bright Futures recipients have received about half of the average annual in-state tuition cost of approximately $6,100, while

the next tier received about a third of tuition. According to the Times, the program was initially slashed during the recession years, with lawmakers reducing the amount of the awards and the pool of students receiving them. This legislation permanently boosts the program back to its original level. In order to qualify for the top tier award package, high school students must have a weighted GPA of 3.5, 29 or higher on the ACT or a 1,290 on the SAT and 100 service hours. The second tier requires a 3.0, a 26 on the ACT or 1,170 on the SAT and 75 service hours. >> SEE BILL on P3

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.

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March 19, 2018

Adjuncts vote to form union By Nancy McCann Contributor

djunct professors in the USF system have voted overwhelmingly to form a union to represent them. In a tally released March 13 by the Service Employees International Union, the vote was 326 yes and 91 no. The state Public Employees Relations Commission, which conducted the election, said there were 893 eligible voters. “After a long fight, we couldn’t be more excited about (the) victory,” said adjunct professor Dana Corrigan in a news release from the union. “We’ve been standing up for what’s right, and it feels so good to finally have official recognition of our union.” “We are disappointed by these results, as well as the low voter response,” said university spokesman Adam Freeman in an email statement. “It is troubling that only a limited number of voices were heard, and that the desires of a few will affect the future for so many.” The USF adjuncts who fought to unionize – and shared stories of poverty-level wages and unpredictable employment – joined a nationwide movement of part-time teachers seeking better pay, benefits, job security, and inclusion in campus life. Previously isolated from any campus power structure, the nearly 900

adjuncts from USF Tampa, USF St. Petersburg and USF Sarasota-Manatee gained the right to be represented by the SEIU. The USF system joins schools like Duke, Georgetown, Tufts and the University of Chicago, where adjuncts have won union elections. The USF election is the third victory in Florida for adjuncts organized by the union under the name Faculty Forward. Broward College voted to form a collective bargaining unit for adjuncts in December. Hillsborough Community College – the first public school in the South to form a union for adjuncts – held its election in late 2016. USF system President Judy Genshaft and the university administration tried to crush adjuncts’ efforts to unionize from the start of the USF Faculty Forward campaign in January 2017. Messages to adjuncts from top administrators at the three USF system campuses and information sessions delivered by a consultant painted a risky portrait of union representation. In emails sent to adjuncts in March, Olufunke A. Fontenot, the interim vice chancellor for academic affairs on the St. Petersburg campus, attacked SEIU’s reputation. She warned that some adjuncts might end up with lower salaries, and

FAREWELL, continued from P1

While the university was able to offer an easier transition and more programs, according to Fontenot, she said the lesson she learned was that it is “critical to build trust and address the human capital cost of consolidation.” Some of the challenges she faced were the “blending of institutional missions and cultures,” the process being “highly emotionally charged, with significant toll on faculty and staff” and the “mutual suspicion and absence of trust.” Sound familiar? Many people at USF St. Petersburg and their allies – including Pinellas County government

COURTESY OF GEORGIA COLLEGE

Olufunke Fontenot

officials and business leaders – have strongly opposed the legislation for fear that USF St. Petersburg will return to the dark days when the administration in Tampa ruled over them with an iron fist. Tadlock urges everyone to be patient, saying, “We have a little over two years to get to where we want to be.” He also said he thinks that this consolidation will end up benefiting students. “I’ve always said it is not a bad thing for students,” Tadlock said. “They will have a lot more options about the majors they want to choose.” In regard to faculty and staff, Tadlock was less specific. “There’s benefits,” he said, “and I’m sure those will be determined as we go through the process.” Student body president David Thompson said that he is “very confident” that the consolidation will end up being a good thing but doesn’t think “any (current) students will notice any particular differences.” He added that Rep. Chris Sprowls, R-Palm Harbor, and Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, “care about their

that students’ education could suffer, because of unionization. But the university administration’s strenuous opposition did not stop the overwhelming majority of adjuncts from voting yes in the secret ballot election, which ran from Feb.16 through March 13. Adjuncts make up around 26 percent of the faculty at the three campuses in the USF system. About half of the faculty at USF St. Petersburg are adjuncts; 23 percent at the Tampa campus and 40 percent at Sarasota-Manatee, according to information from the National Center for Education Statistics. Across the country, more than half of faculty appointments are part time, and the “common characteristic is that their institutions make little or no long-term commitment campus” and want their campuses to succeed. However, Thompson’s term ends this semester, so student body president-elect Kaeden Kelso will be manning Student Government throughout most of the planning process. In an email to The Crow’s Nest, Kelso stressed the importance of informing and conversing with students during the transition. He also said that it is too early to say if the consolidation will benefit USF St. Petersburg and only time will tell. “As of right now I will keep working as if it won't change a thing,” Kelso said. “If something must change, (SG is) ready to adapt to the situation to continue our commitment to students.” Mariah McQueen, who led the Diverge the Merge movement against consolidated accreditation, said, “This is disappointing but not over.” She said she is “hoping for the best but cautious about the challenges ahead.” She also plans to leave the Diverge the Merge Facebook page up “as record of our resistance … because it deserves to be there.”

to them,” according to the American Association of University Professors. “Many faculty in so called ‘part-time’ positions actually teach the equivalent of a full-time course load,” the AAUP says. USF system adjuncts will have to wait up to 15 working days from March 13 to learn if any post-election objections are filed with the Public Employees Relations Commission. If objections are filed, the other party has seven days to respond. Some adjuncts participating with Faculty Forward have said they are aware that contract negotiations can be long and grueling after forming a collective bargaining unit, but they view a union as their only hope for improvement. “Sixty percent of first contracts (negotiated by the union) won a raise of 20 percent for the lowest

paid” and “71 percent of first contracts included professional development funds, valued at $897,500,” according to information SEIU provided to The Crow’s Nest. In his statement, Freeman repeated the administration’s assertion that unionization does not best serve “the needs of students, adjuncts or the university as a whole.” But now that the election is over, he said, “it is critically important that we all work together now to provide our students with the best education possible. While we may disagree, we value the many contributions our adjuncts make to the university, and we are committed to bargaining (with the union) in good faith.”

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March 19, 2018

Coordinator of multicultural affairs will not continue at USFSP

By Jeffrey Waitkevich jwaitkevich@mail.usf.edu

SF St. Petersburg is no longer continuing with one of its most recognizable faces. Javier Gonzalez, coordinator of multicultural affairs, was notified of his dismissal in a March 5 letter from Dwayne Isaacs, director of student life and engagement. The letter said that the decision was “based on the conclusion that it is no longer in the university’s best interest” to continue with him on staff. “Thus, this notice of non-reappointment does not

constitute a dismissal for cause or disciplinary action,” the letter continues. “But rather the exercise of the university’s prerogative to discontinue its employment relationship with you with proper notice given.” Gonzalez’s employment with USF St. Petersburg will end on April 6. Until then, his assignment has been “converted to an off-campus professional development leave.” He has served as coordinator of multicultural affairs and as a Zumba instructor with USF St. Petersburg’s Campus Recreation since November 2016. He will remain with Campus Recreation as an instructor.

SECRET, continued from P1 When pressed for further explanation the next day, university spokeswoman Lara Wade again asserted that “there are no records in response to your request.” The paper then expanded its request to include all types of public records for any of Lev’s services that were arranged by and provided to USF related to the adjuncts’ union efforts. Again, the answer from Wade was, “There are no records for any of these items.” About four hours later, however, Wade apologized for providing “incorrect information” and updated her response, saying the “only records responsive” to the paper’s most recent request are “exempt from production.” She cited the part of the Florida public records law that provides an exemption for a narrow list of attorney work products, including litigation strategy and legal theory of the attorney or agency. “That exemption will expire upon 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,” wrote Wade. The case she mentioned is the monthslong volley of motions and responses submitted to PERC by the union and the administration. But a veteran media lawyer took issue with the university’s position. There is just no way that a public agency’s arrangements with any attorney fits within this exemption,” said Alison Steele, a 30-year media lawyer whose clients include the Tampa Bay Times. “What the agency has paid the attorney or will pay the attorney doesn’t either. “In my experience, public agencies don’t hire attorneys

over the telephone,” said Steele. “And attorneys don’t bill their clients over the telephone. There have to be records, and they are not exempt.” Lev’s visit to the university system’s three campuses came as adjuncts began voting on whether they wished to have a union – the Service Employees International Union – represent them in their quest for better pay and benefits. For months, the administration of USF system President Judy Genshaft fought the union effort at every turn. It opposed the union in filings with PERC and repeatedly attacked the union in emails to adjuncts. The administration also turned to Lev, a lawyer and adjunct faculty member at Boston College who also sits on a three-member board that handles labor disputes involving public-sector unions in Massachusetts. The administration and Lev herself stressed that she was neutral about the union drive and had been hired to provide information about labor law and unionization. But some of the adjuncts who attended Lev’s informational sessions accused her of trying to demonize unions and scare adjuncts into voting no. The efforts of the administration ultimately went for naught. Adjuncts decided to join the union on a 326 to 91 vote. Lev’s compensation – whatever it was – could be a touchy issue for the university administration. One of adjuncts’ principal complaints is that they are underpaid, noting that many adjuncts on the St. Petersburg campus get only $2,750 per course per semester. Genshaft’s annual compensation package is about $925,000.

Gonzalez graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 2012 and his master’s degree in education in 2014 – both from USF – according to his Facebook profile. In a Facebook message to The Crow’s Nest, Gonzalez said, “I am currently taking time to focus on personal matters and am grateful for the experiences and opportunities both USFSP and its students have provided during my time there.” He declined to further comment on his dismissal. Isaacs and interim Regional Chancellor Martin Tadlock also declined to comment.

COURTESY OF JAVIER GONZALEZ

Coordinator of multicultural affairs Javier Gonzalez (right) has been notified of his dismissal period, it will take effect on April 6.

Prominent attorney selected for Campus Board By The Crow's Nest Staff

usan Hamilton Churuti, a longtime government attorney who helps manage retail space on St. Petersburg’s tony Beach Drive, has been appointed to the fivemember Campus Board. She replaces her husband, Bob Churuti, who has joined her over the year in numerous civic and philanthropic endeavors. According to a news release from USF St.

Petersburg, Susan Churuti is a partner in the Hamilton Partnership, which owns and manages the retail space at 400 Beach Drive and Parkshore Plaza, two mixeduse, high-rise developments. For more than 20 years, she was Pinellas County attorney. That ended in 2007, when the County Commission fired her after a grand jury criticized her for her role in the county’s purchase of land owned by the Pinellas property appraiser. The other members of the

Campus Board – who must be residents of Pinellas County – are Judy Mitchell, John Connelly, Lawrence Hamilton and Stephanie Goforth, who also serves on the university system’s 13-member Board of Trustees. The Campus Board oversees USF St. Petersburg’s annual budget and operations. Information from the Tampa Bay Times and Tampa Tribune was used in this report.

BILL, continued from P1 Another piece of legislation, House Bill 565, requires state universities to refund up to 12 hours of assessed excess credit hour surcharge fees to first-timein-college students who graduate within four years of enrollment. Students who take in excess of 132 credit hours for a major that only needs 120 credit hours pay an excess-hour surcharge, which doubles the tuition rate. As per the new legislation, students would pay the initial penalty but would later be reimbursed for up

to 12 hours through a refund given by the university. In addition to the changes made to the Bright Future program and consolidated accreditation, SB 4 brings other changes. The bill also prevents campuses from creating designated “free speech zones” by creating the “Campus Free Expression Act.” In it, there is language that states that universities may create and enforce restrictions that are “reasonable and content-

neutral” but that such restrictions must “be clear and published” and “provide for alternative means of expression.” However, it also states that a public institution may not designate any area of campus as a free-speech zone or “create policies restricting expressive activities to a particular outdoor area of campus.” Several free-speech advocacy groups have been critical of said zones in the past, citing a violation of the First Amendment.

COURTESY OF BRIGHT FUTURES

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March 19, 2018

Spring break deep inside a mountain By Whitney Elfstrom welfstrom@mail.usf.edu

pring break is a time for college students to head as far south as possible. Cancun is overflowing with body shots and foot-long margaritas – but that’s not really my scene. Living in central Florida, I have all summer to hit the beach, and let’s be real most of fall and winter too. The move for me has always been to go north or out west, and this year was no different. My roommate Jordan and I drove to visit my aunt and uncle in Banner Elk, North Carolina where we were met with a foot of snow and and 19 degree weather. As two longtime

COURTESY OF JORDAN PRINCE

Grandfather Vineyard and Winery is a quaint winery at the base of Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina.

Floridians, it’s safe to assume that we were unprepared and under packed for the weather. Luckily layers exist, and they were taken advantage of. I’m talking the little brother from “A Christmas Story” level.

The weather meant that many of our outside plans were squashed and instead we spent most of our time at Grandfather Valley & Winery – but we’re not going to complain about drinking red wine in a snow covered cabin. There were moments of trying to venture off into the cold for a change of destination. We tried to drink wine on the side of Beech Mountain at sunset, but after not being able to withstand five minutes outside those dreams died. On the penultimate day of the trip the winter weather broke, and we were met with 60 degree temperatures and sunshine. The snow had come and gone within a 36-hour period and clear skies signaling it was time to dangle from the side of Grandfather Mountain – also known as zip lining. The only problem was that blue skies didn’t mean the wind had stopped. Zip lining was canceled. Instead we hit Linville Caverns, a tourist destination for visitors to explore the inside of Humpback Mountain. If we couldn't soar over the mountains at least we could dwell beneath them, right? As we waited for the tour to begin Jordan pointed out that the surrounding area held an eerie resemblance to The Haunted Mansion ride at Walt Disney World, but something told me the scariest thing we might bump into were a few bats.

COURTESY OF WHITNEY ELFSTROM

Jordan Prince (left) hiking through Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina after the snow melted.

We filed into the cavern in a single file line, and the temperature instantly dropped to 52 degrees. Water dripped from the ceiling and covered the cavern floor. Dim lights were hidden within the small crevices of the walls. We definitely weren’t in Disney, but we were in the closest thing western North Carolina has to a theme park. Our peppy tour guide with red and green striped hair, Amy, led us through the cavern dropping facts about the cave, which were often followed up by rock puns. The biggest rule was “don’t touch the rocks.” Linville Caverns is one of the few remaining active caverns, which means the the oils from visitor’s hands had the ability to cause damage and inhibit future growth. Linville Caverns opened its doors to the public in 1937, but it was discovered in 1822 by a fishing expedition led by Henry E. Colton after the fishermen saw trout

swimming in and out of solid rock. Drawn to the odd sight, the men followed the fish and found a small opening that led them into the cavern. We wandered through the living cave and were careful not to slam our heads into any protruding rocks because, according to Amy, as soon as one person hit their head it would turn into a ripple effect, and no one wanted that. Amy tossed out facts about the coloration of the rocks and the population of bats hidden among the ceiling. Green rocks were covered in algae and moss while red showed signs of iron oxidation. As for the bat population, what was once a thriving community has now decreased to one sole, two-inch bat that dwelled within the cave. This was due to a disease called White Noise Syndrome, a fungus that attacks hibernating bats. Finally we entered the only place in the cavern in which visitors were allowed to touch the walls – in fact it was encouraged. This was an effort to keep the sliver of space from closing in; however, those with claustrophobia were advised to stay back. There we stood above a bottomless pool of water and legend has it that someone once hung a 250 foot rope into it, and it still didn’t reach the bottom. We all held onto our wifi-less phones closely because what was dropped would never be found again.

The tour came to an end with a demonstration of absolute darkness, something that can only be seen in the back of a cave or the abyss of the ocean. The lights went out. I looked to my left and to my right – nothing. I held my hand inches from my face and again, nothing. Amy said that after six months of complete darkness a person would go completely blind, but by then it wouldn’t have matter because the person would have already been insane for three months, and I could see why. Luckily after a minute or two we were brought back into the light and freed from impending insanity. As the tour came to an end Amy shared another Linville legend, apparently the mineral rich water that had been dripping from the ceiling and onto our heads was a “kiss from the cave” that would leave us with three days of good luck or crystallized hair that she called “dread rocks” if we forgot to wash it out.

COURTESY OF WHITNEY ELFSTROM

Jordan Prince taking advantage of the touch zone of Linville Caverns.

Pastor Snoop Dogg doesn’t have enough bite By Jeffrey Waitkevich jwaitkevich@mail.usf.edu

noop Dogg – the 46-yearold rapper who gave us “smoking that bomb like THC4” – is now dropping gospel tracks like they’re hot. Last year, Snoop returned to rap and released “Neva Left.” Now, he’s no longer running the rap game and switching to something holier instead by producing “Snoop Dogg Presents Bible of Love.” In theory, Snoop meets church music is a cash factory. Then you look at the album and see it has 32 tracks and runs for 2 hours and 14 minutes, which is longer than recently released Marvel movie “Black Panther.” Then you listen to it and Snoop only appears on a half dozen songs, three of which come at the the end of the album. It doesn’t help that the songs don’t follow any sort of pattern. Playing the album on shuffle might even make more sense than listening to it in order This album is just too long and jumbled making it hard to make heads or tails of what the album is trying to accomplish However, some songs are

stellar. After the intro, the next song Snoop appears on is “Always Got Something to Say.” It features him rapping over some slow gospel music to create a chill vibe that is full of soul. On the final track, "Words Are Few," listeners are treated to Snoop's singing, something seldom heard from the OG of 90s West Coast rap “Sunshine Feel Good” sounds the most like a typical Snoop song, just with different themes because The Lord frowns on “fallin' back on that ass with a hellified gangsta' lean” before marriage. His past shouldn’t stop anyone from like this album. If anything, appreciate the boldness to try a 180 degree turn from rapping about girls, money and drugs to God, Jesus and forgiveness. Church-goers should enjoy this album and embrace Snoop’s newest conversion, after a brief stint as “Snoop Lion,” into a preacher of sorts. Moreover, this album is mostly non-Snoop artists. It has some familiar names – Patti LaBelle, Soopafly, Jazze Pha – but it’s mostly a hodgepodge of talented singers from all different genres.

COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Releasing another album at age 46, Snoop Dogg decided to try his hand at curating gospel music and even appeared on a few of the songs. The result was a beautiful mess that lasted as long as most superhero movies.

“Changed” featuring Isaac Carree and Jazze Pha is one of the best Snoopless songs along with “On Time” (featuring B. Slade), “You” (featuring Tye Tribbett) and “My God” (featuring James Wright). The variety will appeal to a lot of people as it contains a mix of traditional soulful gospel songs, rap music and just about everything in

between, including some pop and R&B. However, the lack of order bogs the album down, which makes the similar songs so far between that makes trudging through the album to find the good tracks becomes a chore. The album starts slow and transitions into a mishmash of random music in the middle and then stops in upbeat

town before ending on a slow medley of tracks showing off Snoop’s Christian rap abilities. If any ‘90’s rapper was going to drop a jumbled, twohour album about religion, it had to be the one who starred on a cooking show with Martha Stewart. 2.5/5 Stars 5/5 Question Marks

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March 19, 2018

Mexico’s beauty can leave you breathless, but can also knock the wind out of you By Tim Fanning Contributor

ast week, my girlfriend and I watched a man tether his puppy to a metal post in his backyard. Last week we watched him beat its snout with a closed fist until the dog stopped whimpering. We saw it all from the street above in Tepoztlan, Mexico. He stomped into the house and out of sight. The puppy tried to retreat to the rusted shed 10 feet away, but was choked by the short rope that held him in place. When the man re-appeared, he was holding something heavy and metallic. We couldn't tell what it was, but the dog knew. It yelped, it screamed and tried to run. But the man was on the dog in a second. I froze. I didn't know what to do. Do I yell something in Spanish? What words? ¡Basta ya! ¡Ayuda! Impulse told us both to run, so we ran. I could hear the dog’s panicked pleas for respite. But that was drowned out by the roar of a truck. By the time the truck passed,

there was only silence from that backyard. These are the gritty things our friends and family don't want to hear about when we come home. These are the things I never want to write about. These are the things I push to the back of my mind at the end of the day, until now. There were all the holocaust thin children, begging on the street with grandma, dad or mom. There were the gaunt faced 10-year-old girls and boys, who sneaked into the bar to sell us candy, and who stayed, long after we tried to ignore them. Their eyes were searing. There were the legless men and women who dragged themselves on the floor of the subway car, selling USB flash drives or bill folds. There were the families playing cards in the social welfare lines that snaked for blocks. There are other things I don't want to put to ink, so I'll end this sentence with a period. These scenes made me wonder aloud: Where are the other tourists? They were absent from

the cramped subway cars and stations. They were not ordering breakfast at the counters or eating lunch at the street cart vendors. They weren't walking behind, beside or in front of us on the sidewalks to and from our destinations. Honestly, I don't remember seeing any outside the main attractions in Mexico City. They were taking selfies inside el Palacio Nacional, admiring revolutionary-era murals in El Museo Nacional de Historia and sitting in comfortable cafes with English menus. I wondered what they saw or heard. In Mexico, it's easy to only see the polished and the shiny. It's easy to research neighborhoods with low crime, fresh paint and lush green trees. These are like pockets of middle and upper class living surrounded by the realities of the daily struggles in a city of 8.8 million. With free time and a preference for strolling, my girlfriend and I weaved in and out of these places and themes on our way to check off things on our to do list. Travelers, especially

novice ones, often brag about how much better life is “over there.” Those who don't travel abroad often remind me, as if it's not the millionth time I’ve heard it, of how “good we have it here.” And what will I say when I return home? I’ve learned that to travel is to experience what life might be like elsewhere. It's about being forced into situations that often make

you cringe and squirm. It's about crossing paths with a billion or so other lives that are different from your own. This trip over spring break made me realize that these things are what makes travel so interesting, intriguing and inviting. It gives us something new – not only outwardly, but also inwardly. Traveling sometimes knocks the wind out of you, but it also leaves you breathless.

COURTESY OF TIM FANNING

El Palacio Nacional in México City, as well as other nearby locations, were some of the only places we saw fellow travelers. Here, hordes of tourists file into photograph a famous Diego Rivera mural called “The History of México,” which depicts México’s history from ancient to present.

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March 19, 2018

Stephen Hawking’s brilliant mind inspired generations By Michael Moore Jr. michaelmoor@mail.usf.edu

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

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f I was a little better at math, I might be an astrophysicist. Much of my childhood was spent sprawled out on the concrete of my driveway gazing up at a starry sky. To this day, my favorite birthday present of all time remains the telescope I received from my father in fifth grade. My superheroes growing up were athletes and scientists. Muhammad Ali was my Batman and Albert Einstein was Superman. Ali was, well, Ali – and Einstein’s mental capacity and acumen can be described as nothing short of super. Stephen Hawking was among my “Justice League” of boxing stars and theoretical physicists. He was the living embodiment of everything that inspires and motivates me to be curious about the world around me. He died Wednesday. It was Pi Day – the annual celebration of the mathematical constant and irrational number best known for its utilization in finding the area of a circle. For the uninitiated, it’s observed on March 14 due to the first three significant digits of Pi being 3.14. The most renowned physicist of our time died on the one day of the year that mathematician’s get to openly celebrate their geekiness and love for numbers. Hawking was born on the 300th anniversary of

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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.

out of my love for science communication and education. I yearned, and still yearn, to express the beauty of physics, examine the marvels of the natural world, and untangle the complexities of climate change for readers everywhere. Sometimes it’s only possible to see and pursue your passions while standing on the shoulders of giants. There are other living physicists who deserve just as much credit and recognition for their scientific achievements. People like Leonard Susskind, Edward Whitten and Roger Penrose go largely ignored by popular culture when they are just as accomplished. Hawking wasn’t Einstein. The radiation that he theorized is emitted from black holes will never hold the same weight as general or special relativity. He never won a nobel prize. But Hawking captures the public’s imagination in

a way that no scientist since Einstein has. And that, in itself, is special. He popularized science, and he glorified intellectualism. He was more than a scientist: He was a superhero for every little boy and girl with a telescope. His adviser at Cambridge, cosmologist Dennis W. Sciama, once called Hawking’s thesis “the most beautiful paper in the history of physics.” He was one of its most beautiful minds and the world took notice. He once said this: “Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see and wonder about what makes the Universe exist. Be curious. And however difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at. It matters that you don't just give up." I’ve been looking up at the stars ever since.

Astrology is the of study of planetary movements and cosmic events that take place in the universe and how they affect human life. The Babylonians are credited with the birth of astrology and for over 2,000 years astronomy and astrology were considered the same science. Horoscopes, on the other hand, are created by writers who have a loose understanding of the art, but in reality are just trying to tell readers what they want to hear. I used to scoff at the idea that somehow the way the planets aligned were supposed to have some sort of affect on me. I would read a horoscope for one zodiac sign and realize that it could apply to most people. But after going through one too many break ups with Geminis I started to think that maybe, just maybe, there was some truth behind this whole astrology thing. It’s pretty well known in the astrology world that signs next to one another in the zodiac line up are destined for failure due to the friction from the universe. As a Cancer,

I can vouch for the Gemini/ Cancer match gone wrong. I looked into the different signs to see what they were all about. Typically when someone reads a horoscope it refers to their Sun sign, or the sign determined by the day and month when a person is born. The Sun sign is said to represent someone’s personality. The pseudoscience of astrology goes further than that though. By factoring in the time and place of birth, a person’s Moon and Rising sign is uncovered. The Moon sign represents a person’s inner or emotional feelings while the Rising sign represents how a person perceives someone upon meeting them. Basically that means a person can a Cancer and a Libra at the same time. Once the different signs are figured out it’s easy to figure out why you might perceive situations in a certain way. Cancers are known to be moody and introverted while Libras are analytical and harmonious so the signs act together to create a balance within a person.

Now listen, I know that those who don’t believe in “this whole astrology thing” are probably rolling their eyes at this point, but we learn in grade school that the solar system is in constant motion. For those that believe everything in the universe is connected why would it be so crazy that the sun and the moon have an effect on our lives? There’s more to life than just black and white, and astrology falls into that little gray area that is so often overlooked. I’ve met enough people that match the exact description of their sign. I know plenty of perceptive Pisces and several gregarious Gemini’s – the two signs’ most well known traits. So yes, when you sign on Facebook and someone just shared a post about “signs as types of bread” of course people are going to roll their eyes and turn up their noses at the slightest mention of astrology. But, it’s an age-old practice that helps people find a deeper understanding of themselves and life.

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Stephen Hawking, 76, died on Pi Day and what would have been Albert Einstein’s 139th birthday. He left behind a legacy as a science popularizer, a bestselling author and the world's most renowned theoretical physicist. trophysics Einstein and Sir Isaac Newton.

Astrology: When the stars align

Brianna Rodriguez Creative Director

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Galileo’s death and died on what would have been Einstein’s 139th birthday. Both he and Einstein were 76 when they passed away. For many years he held the position of Lucasian professor of mathematics at the University of Cambridge, the same post held by Sir Isaac Newton 300 years earlier. The stars are oddly poetic sometimes. During his 76 years on this planet, Hawking made several contributions to our knowledge of the universe, most notably regarding black holes. But I hypothesize that his single most lasting achievement may come by way of how many countless young scientists he inspired. I’m no astrophysicist: Eventually I traded in my telescope for a notepad (figuratively speaking, because notepads are cheap and telescopes are not.) But the giants of the field – people like Hawking, Einstein and Newton – have left lasting impressions on me. Growing up I always wanted to be a scientist, professional athlete or writer. Somewhere along the way I realized that my calling was to write about science and sports, not to participate in them. If it weren’t for people like Hawking, I would never have gotten into journalism. It sounds strange to say, but it’s true. My love of being a reporter was born

By Whitney Elfstrom Junior Journalism and Digital Communication Major welfstrom@mail.usf.edu

strology and horoscopes: People think they’re fake or that they’re a fad college females grasp onto to explain why Brad is ignoring them or why they flunked their psychology exam. They use it as an excuse for why they act a certain way one day and justify their mood or behavior saying, “My horoscope told me that I was going to have a bad day and, you know what, it was right.” But, here’s the thing, the dayto-day horoscopes that pop up on Facebook or in Cosmopolitan are bullshit. The study of astrology is not.

TH E CROW ’ S N E ST

March 19, 2018

CMF premieres The ultimate guide to downtown St. Pete nightlife student films W J By Dylan Hart Contributor

ust a day after the Academy Awards, USF St. Petersburg held a film ceremony of its own with the Campus Movie Fest premiere. Campus Movie Fest, which touts itself as the largest student film festival in the world, provides students with equipment for a week in February to produce their own 5-minute film. The festival serves over 30 schools and has now concluded its third annual run at USF St. Petersburg. Joseph Conte, a USF St. Petersburg alumnus, acted in the film “Blow Me Away” in addition to submitting his own film this year. “This is my second year doing CMF,” said Conte. “It was set up nicely and it was a great presentation. I also thought it was great how inclusive they were with the sort of films they accepted.” The festival rolled out the red carpet into the USC ballroom, providing food and giving out a number of prizes for attendance and audience participation, ranging from massage packages to highend cameras. Student filmmakers shattered the school record for participation this year by over 20, submitting 58 films for the festival. While all 58 films are available online, only the top 16 films, which were chosen by anonymous judges, were shown at the school premiere. Out of those 16, the top four films were then selected to represent USF St. Petersburg at TERMINUS, the national-

level competition in Atlanta. This year’s four films that were presented with the Jury Award and an invitation to TERMINUS were “Christi,” a documentary by Kelli Marie Carmack featuring Colin Stanart, “a USFSP student by day and emerging drag queen by night”; “Alone,” a somber, dramatic reflection on suicide by Felix Ali, Alexandra Guerrier, Yvayela Jeudy and Darnell Henderson; “Haunted Hallways,” a comedic parody of ghost hunting shows by Matthew Bryant, Natalie Guerra, Amber Piazza, Branndon Baez and Paige Sharp, and: “The Laundromat,” a surreal, genre-bending movie about a woman visiting a laundromat in her dreams by Courtney Odonoghue, Jesse Knafla, Drew Forret and Grayson Horsey. Student Bella Beyer also won an award for Best Performance for her acting in the film “Somebody.” The films that premiered varied widely in genre, scope and vision. Several films, including “The Coloring Book” and “Where is Home” discussed student diversity on campus in an interview format, while documentaries such as “Booker Creek Investigation” and “How to Read a Creek” explored environmental issues. The festival also showcased comedies such as “How to Make a Student Film,” suspenseful thrillers like the aforementioned “Somebody” and even the occasional music video, such as “My Pool Float Broke.”

By Anna Bryson annabryson@mail.usf.edu

ant to get crying-on-thesidewalk-drunk in downtown St. Petersburg, but don’t know which bar is the perfect place for you to make bad decisions? Here is a guide to help you stumble to the bar of your blackout dreams. Trust me, I’m such as pro that all of these bars have banned me — get ready to learn a thing or two. MacDintons: Are you looking to be serenaded by dudebros who are singing “Sweet Caroline” off-key at karaoke every. single. time? MacDintons is packed assholes-to-elbows with bros who will spill their drinks on you, but it’s a great place to get mad smizzed on a budget. With dollar beers on Thursdays, you can blackout for under $20. How can you say no to that? When they turn the bright fluorescent lights that show even the smallest of mistakes at 3 a.m. and yell at you to leave, that guy Chad who bought you a few beers will be mad that you don’t want to go home with him and tell you that “this is why he doesn’t trust women.” Park and Rec: Remember all of the terrible people from high school you prayed you would never see after graduation? Well, all of them are at Park and Rec waiting to talk to you again and tell you about how much they love Kappa Frappa Zappa. You’ll find a plethora of stumbling 21st birthday girls and their underaged friends who are either wearing Sperry Top-Siders or Tory Burch sandals. With oversized beer

Finding the perfect bar in St. Petersburg can be tricky. The Bends might be the place for you if you’re already kneedeep in bad decision-making.

pong on the front deck, this is every frat boy’s dream. Ringside: You won’t run into any old classmates here, but you might run into your grandpa — if he’s an old, bearded guy wearing tie-dye who swears he used to know Jerry Garcia. There are a bunch of these dudes hanging out at Ringside to watch their friends’ jam bands. It’s a fun place to boogie and old guys will offer to pay for all your drinks ... and your college tuition. Five Bucks: If you want to be asked for 16 forms of ID, have them all questioned, and then sit around doing absolutely nothing, this is the place for you. The Emerald: “Hole in the wall” is too kind. If you were trying to find the dirtiest bar downtown, congratulations, you’re here! The smell of stale cigarettes will stick to you all night, but the drinks are cheap and they’re not lying when they say it’s a strong pour. But really, you’re better than this. Blue Goose: You’re here because you’re trying to

act fancy, huh? Don’t fool yourself. Everybody here is pretending to be more sophisticated than they really are, and after a few more drinks, you’re going to walk across the street to The Bends even though you promised yourself you wouldn’t. Your demons are calling. The Bends: You stumble in the door at 2 a.m. wondering how you got here. The Bends is never a first destination, but always ends up being the last one when it’s one of those nights. How the hell did you walk six blocks to get here? You only go to The Bends if you want to make bad decisions. You’ll find a bunch of men drinking PBR and smoking American Spirits talking about how they “just don’t conform to mainstream society.” You’re better off going to the bathroom in the gutter because the line to the bathroom will always be too long. There’s a lot of sniffing sounds coming from in there. They’re probably crying because they’re at The Bends.

W hat to do th i s week: Ma r ch 1 9 - Ma r c h 2 5 By Ashley Campbell Contributor MONDAY Peace House Garden Day is a reoccurring event by St. Peace House Co-op starting at 9 a.m. Support urban gardening and take home some vegetables as long as you bring your own bag. Stick around afterwards for some philosophy and discussion. TUESDAY Come audition for USFSP’s Got Talent from 6 to 9 p.m. in SLC 2100. Make sure to fill out the form on PeteSync before auditioning. HAB general body meeting will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. in the HAB office. USFSP week is coming, so head on over to hear what is

happening. Food and drink will be provided and 100 Pete Points will be awarded. The theme is green and gold, so come decked out in school spirit. WEDNESDAY Mayer’s Lunch Truck it Food Rally will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Williams Park. A variety of choices will be available from participating food trucks presented by The Gulf to Bay Food Truck Association.

THURSDAY The Pop-Up Shop for Charity will be at the Harborwalk from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. All proceeds will go to She’s the First, a nonprofit that supports women’s education in low-income countries. All

clothes and books will be affordable, and anything not sold will be donated. Pay with cash or Venmo. Screen on the Green is back. Get prepared to watch Coco, the 2017 Disney movie about a 12-year-old boy named named Miguel Rivera who is accidentally transported to the land of the dead. Head over to Harborwalk from 8 to 11 p.m. for free drinks, snacks, and popcorn.

FRIDAY The deadline for students to submit to Papercut, USF St. Petersburg’s literary journal, will be at the end of the day. Papercut accepts short stories, screenplays, flash fiction, nonfiction, essays, scripts and poems. Works can be submitted online to usfsppapercut.com.

Enjoy Pajama Jam from 8 to 10 p.m. in the USC ballrooms. Students can make DIY pillowcases and eye masks, sing karaoke, play board games and enter a pajama contest. This event is worth 400 Pete points, and free food will be provided. SATURDAY The Busch Gardens Food and Wine Festival is taking place every weekend until April 29, featuring exciting cuisine and live concerts every Saturday and Sunday. All concerts are included with any Annual Pass, Fun Card or daily admission to the park, and discounts are available for USF students. The concert headliners include Better than Ezra, Tonic and Michael Bolton.

Romeo and Juliet, directed by Stephen Ray, will be at Williams Park starting at 8 p.m. and is a reoccurring event open to the public. Seats will not be provided, so be sure to bring blankets or lawn chairs. SUNDAY The Festival of Speed will be at Vinoy Park from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission will be $20 per person. Children 12 and under get in free. The luxury lifestyle Motorsports display will showcase over 300 exotic cars.

THE C ROW ’S NE ST

March 19, 2018

“A Wrinkle in Time” is full of untimely wrinkles

Disney’s “A Wrinkle in Time” is a treat visually, but it lacks enough substance to do its 56-year-old source material justice.

By Anthony Nolfi Contributor

hile visually captivating and with good intentions, “A Wrinkle in Time” doesn’t offer much as an original take on a beloved novel, nor as a stand alone movie. Based on the sci-fi fantasy novel written by Madeleine L’Engle, the film follows the story of troubled 13-yearold Meg Murray (played by Storm Reid) and her cosmic adventure to rescue her long lost father from the other side of the universe. Along for the ride are Meg’s younger brother and prodigy, Charles Wallace, classmate Calvin O’Keefe, and three supernatural beings, Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which, who aid Meg in her journey.

The cast of unusual characters travel the expansive, beautiful universe, flying across spectacular alien worlds and meeting all sorts of strange and unique beings – all while trying to find Meg’s missing father and avoiding the dangers of the mysterious darkness looming at the edge of the universe. The film’s visual wonders are impressive, despite the intensive use of CGI. The worlds are expansive and varied and would be interesting if the film stuck to them for more than 10 minutes at a time. Most of the focus is on Meg, who is a fine protagonist. She’s relatable and sympathetic, showcasing a rebellious, troubled attitude that many children can relate to. It’s not a particularly strong

performance from Reid, but she’s not terrible. Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, and Mindy Kaling portray the three Mrs. Ws. Similarly, they aren’t bad, though their whimsically odd outfits are more than enough to distract viewers from bizarre terminology like “tesseract” (the warping ability they introduce that isn’t explained) or the wondrous aspects of the worlds around them. The plot speeds along a bit too quickly, jumping from scene to scene in an easy to grasp pattern. The story gets where it needs to be, but it feels rushed and incohesive. One of the weaker points of the film comes from the ominous, albeit generic, antagonist, another cosmic entity known sometimes as just “The Darkness” or “The It.” It throws many challenges

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at Meg and her companions, such as a hurricane of doom that chases Meg and Calvin, but Meg always seems able to get by with her keen mind and analytical nature. Perhaps younger audience members could relate to the trials and tribulations Meg goes through, but it feels too easy of a resolution. As its own story, it’s serviceable. If taken as an adaptation, however, the film falls flat. Some elements from the original novel are changed, such as the Happy Medium. Originally a woman with a crystal ball, the character in the film is played by an unremarkable Zach Galifianakis. Many other elements are missing entirely: Sandy and Dennys, Meg’s twin brothers, the centaur beings on the first planet the children visit and the

frightening inhabitants of the planet where “The It” resides. Obviously, it’s nearly impossible to stay faithful to the source material, but with the way the film presents the bare, open worlds as well as the minor characters scattered throughout the first third of the film, there’s no excuse for not bringing a bit more life to the places Meg and company visit. There’s more than just a few wrinkles in this Disney adaptation, though they are hidden behind some remarkable visuals. For a younger audience, it’s nice enough, but for most others, this is a disappointing, if not pretty to look at, distraction. Rating: 2/5 Stars

“Marvel’s Jessica Jones” returns without a bang By Jeffrey Waitkevich jwaitkevich@mail.usf.edu

fter bursting onto the scene in its first season, “Marvel’s Jessica Jones” fell flat on its second go-round. The second installment of the Netflix original series takes a deep dive into Jessica’s (Krysten Ritter) past while she struggles with the everyday life of being a “superhero.” Jessica’s complex origin story allows for a solid premise, but it falls flat. She was the lone survivor among her family in a car accident and when she wakes up she has super strength. She finds out she wasn’t the only science experiment and uses her skills as a private investigator to find out what really happened after the car crash that killed her family. The plot is full of twists but moves slowly and feels drawn out over the 13 episodes. It also moves away from the powerful themes of rape and consent from the first season that were created by Killgrave, a supervillain with mind control.

This “superhero show” also lacks everything that is associated with the genre. There isn’t a supervillain, which is a major disappointment after Killgrave nearly stole the show in the first season. Instead, the antagonists are unoriginal jerks and misunderstood personalities. Worst of all, “Jessica Jones” somehow finds a way to make super strength boring. There are only so many heavy objects to lift and so many tall buildings to jump onto before it becomes a non-factor. This season could have introduced Jessica’s flying ability that occasionally makes an appearance in the comic books or the return of Luke Cage, who appeared in the inaugural season but has now left for his own show. It almost feels like a completely different show from the first season. The only characteristics that carry over are Jessica’s sass and alcoholism. While Jessica is the star and namesake of the show, the characters to follow are Trish Walker (Rachael

Taylor), the adoptive sister and best friend, and formerjunkie Malcolm Ducasse (Eka Darville). Trish is the child star turned radio personality who grew up with a superpowered adopted sister, while Malcolm moves past his addiction to become more than just an assistant. Exploring the dynamics between the three returning main characters is what saves this show. However, Jeri Hogarth, a down-to-business lawyer, squanders her expanded spotlight as a shoehorned side story. Aesthetically, the show is unspectacular. The setting is mundane and never goes dark enough to fit the serious mood of the show. The acting – with Ritter in the lead role – is generally strong, but it has some low points that are hard to forget. It’s worth a watch but expect your socks to remain unmoved the whole time. Rating: 3/5 Stars

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“Marvel’s Jessica Jones,” starring Krysten Ritter, kicked off as a hit series following the success of “Marvel’s Daredevil.” In the second season, Marvel and Netflix attempted to build on that success but instead took a step in the wrong direction.