TheCrow'sNest-Vol51Issue3

LETTERS, page 6

FEATURES, page 7

FEATURES, page 4

It’s no secret that textbooks are expensive, but your librarians are here to help. See how you can save big by going through the library first for all your educational needs.

Ever wondered about those campus police officers who crashed your party last weekend? There’s more to them than you think. Our new weekly column seeks to introduce you to the people behind the badges and uniforms.

It’s real! The Golden Dinosaurs Vegan Deli specializes in tasty items like reuben and Cuban sandwiches.

The latest addition to Beach Boulevard upholds the city’s motto “Keep Gulfport Weird.”

LIBRARY TO THE RESCUE

VEGAN COMFORT FOOD?

MEET LT. ANDREWS

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 51, Issue 3 - September 4, 2018 | Online at crowsneststpete.com

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Love thy Selfie at the MFA

@USFSPCrowsNest

USFSP reaches new milestone in sustainability

By Kate Rickman Contributor

S

MARTHA RHINE | THE CROW’S NEST

Freshmen Jenna Sierra (left) and Karla Correa test out the new selfie stations posted around the Museum of Fine Arts’ new exhibit “This Is Not A Selfie.” See story page 5

University still embattled in parking garage suit

By Emily Wunderlich ewunderlich@mail.usf.edu

M

ore than two years after a female student was accosted in the campus parking garage, her lawsuit against the university is still unresolved.

The lawsuit, filed in June 2017, contends that the woman – identified as L.E. in court documents – was “sexually assaulted” by a man who masturbated behind her in a

COURTESY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

Willie Fudge III, now 27, was charged in 2016 with one count of exposure of sexual organs, a misdemeanor, and four counts of battery, for touching a person against her will in the campus parking garage

THE CROW’S NEST Since 1969

parking garage elevator on the afternoon of Feb. 22, 2016.

It contends that the university and campus police “failed to provide adequate security” or warn her of past and potential crimes in the area and seeks at least $15,000 in damages.

But the university, which acknowledges that the student was a victim of “lewdness and/ or indecent exposure,” denies she was sexually assaulted under the definitions of federal law.

It contends that the lawsuit should be dismissed, arguing that – as an agency of state government – the university has “sovereign immunity” and is immune from a civil lawsuit.

The doctrine of sovereign immunity stems from a longstanding tenet of English law that the sovereign – or government – can do no wrong.

After a May court hearing, Pinellas County Circuit Judge Thomas Minkoff gave both parties two weeks to make arguments in response to the university’s motion to dismiss the case. The arguments were filed on May 17 and are now awaiting a ruling from Minkoff.

Damian B. Mallard

of Sarasota, the attorney representing L.E. in the case, did not return phone messages from The Crow’s Nest.

The university’s attorney, James B. Thompson of St. Petersburg, also did not return calls for comment.

Although the lawsuit identifies the woman as L.E., some court documents fail to redact her name.

She could not be reached for comment, but her social media indicates that she graduated from the university last year. The Crow’s Nest does not name victims of sex-related crimes.

Meanwhile, the man who was charged in the case and ultimately went to state prison was released on Feb. 27, according to the Florida Department of Corrections.

Willie Fudge III, now 27, was arrested seven days after the parking garage incident. He was charged with one count of exposure of sexual organs, a misdemeanor, and four counts of battery, for touching a person against her will. But he was not charged with sexual assault.

The parking garage charges,

plus an earlier conviction for grand theft, landed Fudge in the Pinellas County Jail between May 27, 2016, and Feb. 27, 2017.

He was returned to jail July 3 for violating his probation and then sentenced to 18 months in state prison, with credit for time served in the county jail.

The incident occurred around 4:20 p.m. on Feb. 22, 2016.

L.E. was leaving campus after class when she noticed Fudge masturbating behind her in one of the parking garage elevators.

When the elevator stopped on the fourth floor, a police report says, L.E. “felt a breeze behind her and something wet touch her buttocks area.”

Security video later showed Fudge bending behind her, “possibly recording her personal groin area … and lifting her dress from behind.”

Fudge, a non-student of the university who lived nearby, was reported on campus three other times that week. >> SEE EMBATTLED on P2

ustainability has always been a priority at USF St. Petersburg, but the campus has surpassed a new milestone.

The Reef cut out a large amount of its single-use plastics in order to lower its carbon footprint. Plastic clamshells, disposable lids and straws are no longer available at the dining hall.

Instead, students will find reusable green to-go containers and cups with lids for $5 with a meal plan.

“Sustainability is the responsibility of all of us,” said Louis Duran, general manager of Sodexo. “We also understand you lead busy lives, so The Reef does a lot of the work for you behind the scenes.”

Students can bring the to-go containers back to the dinning hall to be washed and replaced by clean ones, free of charge.

This isn’t the first ecofriendly effort Sodexo has made in The Reef.

By having biodegradable disposables and napkins made from recycled material, Sodexo has made the university a much greener place to dine in.

It also uses a sustainable dishwashing system and works with an oil recycling company to convert used oil to biofuel, as well as buying local seasonal produce to avoid transport pollution.

Sodexo’s efforts in the past years have earned it several sustainability distinctions, such as the RobecoSAM Sustainability Award Gold Class 2018.

Sodexo was also named the top-rated company in its sector on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the 13th year. >> SEE MILESTONE on P2

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.

September 4, 2018

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EMBATTLED, continued from P1 While university police were interviewing L.E. and searching for the offender, a second woman reported a lewd and lascivious incident in which a man tried to force her hand into his groin area after a verbal exchange with him.

Security footage showed a third woman who had used the north stairwell and “was completely unaware that Fudge was behind her and masturbating,” according to police. That woman did not come forward.

Two days later, on Feb. 24, a fourth woman called police to say a man had followed her up the north stairwell of the garage, pretending that he thought her car was his, and leaving once she got in it.

Campus police identified the parking garage assailant as Fudge and caught up with him several days later, when St. Petersburg police arrested Fudge on a charge of domestic battery against his former girlfriend that was later dropped.

Be careful, police say University police offer these recommendations

MARTHA RHINE | THE CROW’S NEST

In a negligence lawsuit filed against the university in 2017, a former student alleges the police department failed to provide adequate security or warn her of potential dangers when she was accosted in the parking garage.

for students, faculty and staff: • Be alert to your surroundings • Avoid distractions.

• Walk with others when possible.

• Always have a plan.

• Trust your instincts.

• Secure your belongings.

• Report suspicious persons and incidents.

Corrections

The secretive legislative panel that investigated homosexuality in Florida schools between 1956 and 1965 was called the Johns Committee. A story in the Aug. 27 edition incorrectly called it the John Committee.

A photo that ran Aug. 27 with “Rec fest brings students outdoors” was wrongly attributed to Martha Rhine. The photo was taken by Emily Bowers.

MILESTONE, continued from P1 Duran pushes for a new sustainability effort each year. He plans to continue this push by working with the Starbucks on campus to reduce their single-use plastic consumption.

Eventually, he would also like to get rid of plastic silverware, but dishes have been “disappearing at an alarming rate,” while the cost of replacing them is high.

The best way to further sustainability efforts is to make sure students are educated on them.

Duran worked closely with Emma Jacobs, a sophomore environmental science and policy major who is now the vice chair of the Student Green Energy Fund for the 2018-2019 school year.

Duran said Jacobs was the initiator of the latest sustainability effort, and she plans to be more involved with obtaining a greener campus this year than the last.

“I really became aware of the problem, I wanted to utilize my power as a student,” Jacobs said.

“When you see those Starbucks cups, straws and lids on our campus beach, that’s when you know it’s actually serious and we are the problem.”

Jacobs suggests investing in reusable coffee mugs and containers, such as the ones available for purchase in The Reef or your own Tupperware containers in order to be more sustainable on campus.

She also suggests using reusable grocery bags, recycling, picking up trash, and buying sustainable products, such as notebooks made from recycled material.

“Make yourself more aware, educate yourself on the problems. Think about the repercussions that each choice has,” Jacobs said.

BRIANNA RODRIGUEZ | THE CROW’S NEST

By eliminating disposable lids, straws and clamshells, The Reef significantly cut down its single-use plastic consumption. The next step, says Louis Duran, general manager of Sodexo, is reducing the plastic consumption of the Starbucks’ on campus.

TH E CROW ’ S N E ST

September 4, 2018

When poetry meets journalism: Alumnus reflects on latest book

By Delaney Brown Contributor

P

atrons of prose and Florida fanatics alike will want to clear their schedules Sept. 5 to hear Tyler Gillespie speak about his new book “Florida Man: Poems” at the Nelson Poynter Memorial Library.

His talk will take place at 6:30 p.m. in the Poynter Corner of the library.

Gillespie, a USF St. Petersburg alumnus, is acclaimed for his lyrical blend of journalism and poetry.

His collection, published in May, explores Florida’s unique culture in a critical yet tender manner.

Alligators, drug addiction, drag queens and Sunshine Law all come under the microscope as Gillespie mixes journalism and personal anecdote to create a complex

portrait of a state usually portrayed in caricature.

An adjunct professor at St. Petersburg College, Gillespie holds a master’s degree in Journalism & Media Studies from USF St. Petersburg and a master’s of fine arts from the University of New Orleans.

Bulls’ offense hasn’t missed a step

By Alec Arroyo Contributor

F

resh off the first backto-back 10-win season in program history, USF football returned Saturday with a 34-14 victory over Elon University.

Year two under head coach Charlie Strong started off perfectly, with new starter Blake Barnett dazzling in his Bulls debut by going 24-34 with 305 yards and 4 TD’s (1 rushing).

The defense also forced two turnovers and held the

COURTESY OF THE ORACLE

After an impressive 2017 season, USF football returned on Saturday determined to win the American Athletic Conference.

Phoenix to 234 total yards.

The Bulls lost five starters on offense and six on defense, but have done well with recruiting these past two seasons under Strong and former head coach Willie Taggart. Redshirt freshman wide receiver Randall St. Felix was evidence of that Saturday night, with 7 receptions for 142 yards and a touchdown.

The first game of the season gave a glimpse into what can go right for this team if it all begins to click; their offense looked fantastic, and Barnett seems to be filling the shoes of former USF quarterback Quenton Flowers quite nicely after one start.

After being criticized much of last season for ‘conservative’ play calling, offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert seemed to open up his playbook for the first game of the season, giving Barnett and his offense different schemes and packages to work with;

COURTESY OF RED FLAG POETRY

Tyler Gillespie, USF St. Petersburg alumnus, merged poetry and journalism in his latest book “Florida Man: Poems.” He will present his work at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 5 in the Nelson Poynter Memorial Library.

resulting in 515 yards of total offense.

There were many signs pointing up for the Bulls, and it was nice to see this team has not skipped a beat, even after losing so many key pieces from a year ago.

The American Athletic Conference is the crown the Bulls are playing for, and they can’t get it without going through their I-4 rival, UCF. Currently ranked No. 21 in the nation, UCF is led by returning Heisman dark

horse Mckenzie Milton.

The Bulls will have their hands full contending for the AAC title, and they showed on Saturday night that they have the potential to be a threat in the conference. It is just a matter of putting it all together.

THE C ROW ’S NE ST

September 4, 2018

Power couple launches Gulfport’s first vegan restaurant

By Anna Bryson annabryson@mail.usf.edu

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uban sandwiches, decadent cakes and local beer.

The best part? It’s all vegan.

Gulfport’s first vegan restaurant, Golden Dinosaurs Vegan Deli, opened Aug 2.

Menu items include barbecue tofu, buffalo tempeh and pastrami reuben sandwiches.

The owners, Audrey and Brian Dingeman, have been vegan for 10 years. They wanted to open a vegan restaurant that focused on comfort food.

“We really want to show people that vegan food isn’t scary,” Audrey Dingeman said. “It’s not weird. It’s not all necessarily health food.

We want it to be accessible for everyone.”

Originally from Iowa, the power couple moved to Gainesville in 2010 and to Gulfport last year.

“We love Gulfport,” Dingeman said. “It’s quiet, funky and weird.”

The name Golden Dinosaurs is “just a really dumb

joke” between Audrey and Brian. The snazzy restaurant is adorned with tiny dinosaurs, some of them sparkling gold.

All the decor was thrifted by Brian Dingeman, a talented picker apparently.

The pastel pink coffee mugs match the walls that are painted with rays of pink, gold and army green. Golden Dinosaurs exclusively carries coffee from Bandit, Audrey’s favorite locally roasted coffee.

They’ve each worked in the restaurant industry for 20 years and have wanted to open a restaurant together for 10.

“It’s the industry we know from top to bottom,” Dingeman said. “It makes sense for this to be the next step in our lives.”

Their best-selling item is the pastrami reuben, followed closely by the Cuban sandwich.

Golden Dinosaurs, 2930 Beach Blvd. S, is the first restaurant in St. Petersburg to sell products with seitan, a vegan protein that mimics meats like pastrami or mojo pork.

Audrey Dingeman makes the seitan with beans, vegetable broth, spices and wheat protein. The organic tofu is

COURTESY OF AUDREY DINGEMAN

The incredible vegan cakes are all baked from scratch by Audrey Dingeman.

ANNA BRYSON | THE CROW’S NEST

The married couple Audrey and Brian Dingeman opened the Golden Dinosaur Vegan Deli last month. The grand opening will be in late November.

produced in Plant City and the organic tempeh, a soy product, is produced in Gainesville.

Their cake was expected to account for 5 to 10 percent of sales, but has actually accounted for 20 to 25 percent. It sells out every weekend. Dingeman said cake is one of her favorite foods, so she doesn’t mind baking six in a day.

“We’re not trying to be the place where you go get your green smoothie,” she said. “Because those places already exist and we’re glad they’re here.”

There are plenty of beers to wash down the sandwiches and cake, including brews from Green Bench Brewing Co., Pinellas Ale Works, Mastry’s Brewing Co. and Coppertail Brewing Co. The outside patio area that seats about 40 people is surrounded by greenery and

ANNA BRYSON | THE CROW’S NEST

The all-vegan menu features sandwiches made with seitan, a vegan protein made by Audrey Dingeman. The Golden Dinosaur Vegan Deli is the only restaurant in the St. Petersburg area that offers seitan.

lights strung overhead. The area will soon be the sight of community events. “Punk rock yoga” will be held monthly and a vegan bake sale will take place in September.

Although right now is considered the restaurant’s “soft opening” phase, it has

been very busy according to Audrey Dingeman. The couple plans to have the grand opening in late November.

“We make good food for good people,” Dingeman said. “You don’t have to be vegan to eat here.”

‘Searching’ for a decent thriller

By Bryce Lawson Contributor

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ne of Hollywood’s favorite storylines follows a parent’s quest to find their missing child. Aneesh Chaganty’s “Searching” latches onto this trope as John Cho, who plays David Kim, does just that.

Unlike other missing person thrillers, the entire film is shot from the point of view of a webcam and iPhone.

For some, this may come off as a cheap idea, but as the twisted plot unravels, viewers start to get caught up in the story instead of thinking about how this is all taking place on computer and iPhone screens.

The use of old family videos allows the viewer to connect with John Cho and his family, starting with his daughter Margot’s first piano recital, all the way up to her first day at high school. Films like “Up” have used similar techniques to connect the audience with

the lead character.

John Cho really proves in this film that he can pull off a dramatic lead role, coming a long way from his comedic “Harold and Kumar” roots. His portrayal of a worried father searching for answers leads viewers on a rollercoaster of emotions.

Any time he finds a lead in the search, you feel his excitement, and when he receives devastating news, you fully understand his pain.

For a webcam thriller, “Searching” also deals with some socially relevant themes. In order to find leads on his daughter’s whereabouts, David goes through her Facebook and other social media accounts.

Certain secrets from Margot’s personal life are revealed, showing David that his daughter is not really who he thought she was.

Many parents will be able to connect with this theme, and it may even leave them wondering if they really know who their child is.

Leads and research in

the film are done through Google and social media.

They demonstrate how easy it is to look up someone and find whatever you want to know about them. It is really creepy to see just how far some people are willing to go to cover up things or to hide who they truly are.

Going into this film, I had pretty low expectations.

I saw the trailer showing off the gimmicky webcam footage and was completely turned off. This film showed me you can’t always judge a movie based on the trailers.

The only thing that held me back from loving this film was probably the last 20 minutes. Some aspects of the story go in a direction I wasn’t fully on board with.

This film will leave you appreciating your loved ones and looking at how your actions affect others. If you are looking for a nail-biting thriller that uses different filmmaking techniques, I would definitely check out “Searching.”

4/5 stars

COURTESY OF BAZELEVS ENTERTAINMENT

The movie “Searching” is entirely shot from the point of view of an iPhone and webcam to revamp a classic storyline.

TH E CROW ’ S N E ST

September 4, 2018

MARTHA RHINE | THE CROW’S NEST

The Museum of Fine Arts opens a new exhibit titled, “This is Not a Selfie,” showcasing self-portraits by influential photographers throughout time.

Class up your selfie at the MFA’s newest exhibit

By Whitney Elfstrom welfstrom@mail.usf.edu

W

e live in the “Age of the Selfie.”

Many of us take hundreds of snapshots of our faces before we pick the perfect one to post on Snapchat or Instagram, but amid instant gratification, the Museum of Fine Arts is getting back to the basics of self-portraits with its new exhibit “This Is Not A Selfie.”

“In some ways a selfie is a subset of a self-portrait, it’s a kind of self-portrait,” said Robin Odell, the museum curator of

photographic collections. “The premise of the exhibition is that a self-portrait, in the hands of an artist, is a different thing and it transcends just the image.”

The exhibit, which is on loan from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, features 80 photographs from 66 artists from the personal collection of Audrey and Sydney Irmas, who started collecting selfportraits in the early 1980s.

The artwork tackles “themes of self-reflection, performance and identity while blurring the distinction between reality and fantasy, artifice and authenticity, and public and

private imagery,” according to the museum representatives.

Odell said the exhibit takes a deeper look at the way selfportraits have evolved over 150 years and almost dates back to the beginning of photography, which was invented in 1839 by William Henry Fox Talbot, with its display of Alphonse-Louis Poitevin’s 1853 self-portrait.

“It’s interesting to think that since the very beginning photographers have been doing self-portraits. It didn’t take very long before people started pointing (the camera) toward themselves,” she said.

Jenna Sierra, a freshman political science major at USF St. Petersburg, checked out the exhibit on a whim after hearing the museum offered $5 tickets after 5 p.m. Thursdays.

She pointed out that selfies are normally taken in a split second, but the photos shown throughout “This Is Not A Selfie” come with a purpose and message.

The photos displayed in the exhibit are more than just simple snapshots of an artist’s face, according to Odell, many of the pieces are elaborately designed and orchestrated productions.

“Therein lies the interest to see how different people express themselves and their ideas in different ways,” she said.

For example, ORLAN’s “Holy Shroud #3” is a photo transferred to gauze imbued with blood and then lit up on a Plexiglas light box. The piece is a part of a larger series called “The Reincarnation of Saint Orlan” and explores ORLAN’s quest to adopt physical characteristics of famous muses through history.

Selfie stations are featured throughout the exhibit to help guests venture into the minds of the artists and explore their respective photographs. The stations were the brainchild of Odell and Jorge Vidal, who specifically chose works that would inspire museumgoers to create interesting photographs that go beyond selfies.

“It is our goal that people will learn, but also that it’s really fun and people will enjoy coming to not just see, but also to interact,” Odell said.

Interested?

“This Is Not A Selfie” will be at the Museum of Fine Arts through Nov. 25. The exhibit is included with regular admission to the museum.

Four community events will also take place in relation to the exhibit: Sept. 6: Film and discussion - Ingrid Goes West at 7 p.m.

Sept. 16: Gallery Talk - Selfie, Selfie, Selfie, on the Wall at 3 p.m.

Oct. 25: Gallery Talk - Really! This is (So) Not A Selfie! With Eve Schillo, assistant curator at Los Angeles County Museum of Art Nov. 8: Film - Ego Symposion (2016) by exhibition artist Yasumasa Morimura Tickets are $15 with a student I.D. or $5 after 5 p.m. on Thursday.

255 Beach Dr. NE; (727) 896-2667; mfastpete.org

MARTHA RHINE | THE CROW’S NEST

Self portraits can involve other people and feature action, as done by photographer Martin Kersels in his series, “Tossing a Friend.”

MARTHA RHINE | THE CROW’S NEST

German photographer Bettina Hoffmann explores the different versions of herself in her untitled self-portrait.

THE C ROW ’S NE ST

September 4, 2018

Letter to the Editor: Library here to help

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 USFSP Student Life Center Office 2400 140 Seventh Ave. S. St. Petersburg, FL, 33701 (727) 873-4113 usfcrowsnest@gmail.com

Staff Whitney Elfstrom Editor-in-Chief

Editorial

Emily Wunderlich Managing Editor Jonah Hinebaugh Online Editor Anna Bryson News Editor Brianna Rodriguez Arts & Life Editor Dylan Hart Opinion & Features Editor Dinorah Prevost Assistant Editor Amy Diaz Staff Writer

Design

Juliet Di Preta Creative Director

Martha Rhine Photography Editor

By Kaya van Beynen

Department head of Library Research & Instruction kayatown@mail.usf.edu

A

2016 study of Florida’s public universities examined how students responded to the high cost of textbooks.

Many reported that they didn’t register for courses, they dropped the course if they couldn’t afford the materials, or they simply didn’t buy the textbooks. They sadly admitted that these choices led to poor or even failing grades. As I’m sure you know, high textbook costs impact your pocketbook, but they also affect your grades and ability to graduate.

We hear you and we are concerned about high textbook costs too. Logically, you might respond to me by saying “Good! But what are you doing about it?”

Here at the Nelson Poynter Memorial Library, we’re tackling the issue on several fronts.

Two years ago, the library started the Textbooks on Reserve Program.

If we own either the required or recommended textbook for a USF St. Petersburg course, we put it on 3-hour reserve in the library. All of these books are listed on our library guide at lib.usfsp.edu/textbooks.

Operations

Brenden DelaRua Business Manager Rob Hooker Adviser

Letters 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.

members to find free or low-cost textbooks.

The problem with parking on campus

Jordan Prince Design Assistant

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 welfstrom@mail.usf.edu with subject title “Letter to the Editor.”

Go ahead, look up your St. Petersburg faculty to find materials that are copyrighted course by course number; if free or low-cost alternatives for sharing and reuse. If you we have the print book, the to their textbooks. Faculty are looking for something title is listed in black, if we kept their academic freedom to do, the Open Textbook have the e-book, click on the to choose the materials Alliance has a toolkit geared link to the full text. Right that best meet the needs towards student government now, we have 470 books on of their curriculum, but as leaders on how to start an reserve for the fall semester. librarians, we helped them open textbook campaign.

I wish I could say that we become aware of other One thing we won’t do have every textbook required wonderful, relevant, and is ask faculty to sacrifice on for every course here at USF low-cost resources for them quality. Sometimes there is St. Petersburg, but I’ll be to consider. no alternative and the best honest and say that we simply Between our Textbooks book is expensive.

You can’t afford that. Imagine on Reserve Program and deserve textbooks, courses how expensive it is for you, working with faculty to find and an education that are then multiply that across all free or low-cost textbook thoughtful, informative, USF St. Petersburg courses. alternatives, we estimated that current, and relevant and your Our budget just isn’t there. we’ll save USF St. Petersburg professors put a lot of time, But our textbook students $420,000 by the end consideration, and expertise collection is expanding. How? of this academic year. into choosing materials and Your librarians purchase the And what can you do? crafting your curriculum. textbooks if possible. Multi- Check out what textbooks we There is no one answer to user e-books are our preferred have on reserve. If we don’t this problem, but our efforts format, and the USF Tampa have a copy and you do, pay to reduce your textbook Library has an e-books in the it forward and donate your expenses will not stop. We Classroom program, where textbook at the end of the will continue to work with USF St. Petersburg faculty semester. Or else, put your faculty to reduce the cost can request the licensing of efforts into a bigger cause and of their required course these multi-user e-books. become active in the Open materials and we will update That is, if the textbooks can Access movement. Faculty our Textbooks on Reserve be institutionally licensed as and universities across the collection each semester. an e-book, and if that license country are creating course is affordable. Those are two big ifs over which we have little control.

We also encourage faculty to lend us a copy of their course materials – we’ll happily put that copy on 3-hour reserve and extend these offerings to the student. And at the end of each semester, we have our “Pay It Forward” program encouraging students to donate their used textbooks to the library. Your colleagues have donated textbooks for accounting, chemistry, and other courses.

This program saves you and the library money.

What else are we doing? In the spring 2018 semester, the librarians and WHITNEY ELFSTROM | THE CROW’S NEST instructional designers at the On top of the Textbooks on Reserve Program, the Nelson Poynter Memorial library worked with more than 20 USFSP faculty Library worked with 20 USF

By Alyssa Harmon

Senior English major with a concentration in Writing Studies alyssaharmon@mail.usf.edu

F

inding parking is hard enough, but when USF. St. Petersburg closed one of its parking lots during the first week of classes, it became even more difficult.

At 10:30 a.m. Aug. 22, the university sent out an email that said the parking lot near the soccer field would be closed for the rest of the day so faculty could set up for Rec Fest.

The elimination of a parking lot caused students to circle like vultures around every parking space as directed by the faculty, who were handing out maps in the parking garage.

Since most students were in class by that point, I knew the probability of finding a student and following them to their car wasn’t going to happen.

Eventually I found a parking spot, but it was nowhere near my class. I was 30 minutes late and I wasn’t the only one.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t the first time that the school closed a parking lot. In the spring, the university held the St. Petersburg Conference on World Affairs, which would surrender our paid parking spots to the public for three days.

Of course there wasn’t enough parking, so administration also opened up the garage’s resident

parking on levels six and seven. The school directed students, faculty and conference attendees to the other parking lots as well.

This happened again in fall 2017, when the university unexpectedly closed the parking lots near Harbor Hall on a Thursday.

When I drove to the entrance, an employee had me roll down my window and asked if I was a student. She then informed me that students and faculty weren’t allowed to park there that day. Instead, the parking lot was opened to the public for the science festival that wasn’t taking place until the weekend.

Parking has been an issue since I became a student, and for three years there has been no solution.

Telling students to “just leave earlier” to ensure they find a spot does not always work because some have

jobs or other obligations that keep them from doing so. It shouldn’t be the student’s responsibility to fix a problem that the school created.

This parking problem not only frustrates students, but also affects their academics by causing them to be late to class.

A good place to start would be to actually give the students the spots they pay for and not offer them to the public for free. Maybe temporarily opening one small, dirt parking lot away from the center of campus isn’t a good solution.

This problem needs to be addressed because our school keeps growing, which means that we have more students with the same amount of parking spots.

For a $174 annual parking pass, students should at least be able to find a spot to park on their commuter campus.

TH E CROW ’ S N E ST

September 4, 2018

Eminem releases new album Kamikaze UPD officer of the week

By Brianna Rodriguez blrodriguez@mail.usf.edu

O

n Aug. 31, Eminem abruptly unveiled his tenth studio album “Kamikaze.”

After seven years without an album, Eminem released “Revival” in December 2017, which received backlash for his political influence and self-doubt. Despite his collaborations with popular artists Beyonce, Alicia Keys and Ed Sheeran, his album was scrutinized.

Looking to redeem himself after “Revival’s” flop, Eminem dropped “Kamikaze.” This 13-track album responds to “Revival” while also addressing topics like mumble rap, the media, relationships and his previous rap group, D12.

In the first song, “The Ringer,” Eminem apologized for his last album before taking aim at popular artists.

It explored his displeasure with popular mumble rappers and he even rapped to the beat of Lil Pump’s song “Gucci Gang.” He called out Tyler, the Creator along with Chance the Rapper, Drake and Lil Yachty to name a few.

One could question if his negative remarks of these artists are a form of jealousy.

Many of these artists have gained popularity for mindless and repetitive verses, which is not Eminem’s rap style.

Many of his famous songs like “Till I Collapse” and “Mockingbird” evoke an abundance of emotion that listeners relate to or if not, they feel empathy toward. To compete against rap music with little creative phrasing must be a slap in the face for non-mumble rappers who share the genre.

A reoccuring theme in many of his albums is his undeniable issues with relationships.

“Normal,” “Nice Guy” and “Good Guy” all contain lyrics that open up about his dating life and his unhealthy relationships.

Although not uncommon for Eminem, “Nice Guy” in particular contains a pre-chorus that repeatedly uses profane language, the instrumentals are in minor key and I cringed at every line.

Two of the three, “Nice Guy” and “Good Guy,” both feature singer Jessie Reyez. It’s debatable, but her vocals seem distasteful. There were some memorable lines, but these tracks were marking the low point in the album.

Eminem addressed his old rap group D12 in the track “Stepping Stone.” This song unveils a lot of reflection

regarding how the rap group fell apart after the loss of one of its members, Proof.

This track seemed to close the wound that had been open for awhile. He says, “The less is left for closure, so let’s let this go. It’s not goodbye to our friendship but D12 is over.”

Eminem also seems to regret that the ending of the group brought him to more fame in the lines, “To all of the friends I may have hurt...I never meant to use you all as my stepping stones.”

Overall, “Kamikaze” wasn’t a bad album because it reminded hip hop fans of Eminem’s talent as a lyricist.

His verses were often well thought out and demonstrated his technical ability and clever wordplay. It’s an obvious improvement from “Revival,” focusing less on political commentary and returning to more creative lyrics.

He revived his creative verses, but the storytelling and imagery that Eminem is also known for was scarce.

“Kamikaze” still can’t compare to some of his legendary albums “The Slim Shady LP,” “The Marshall Mathers LP,” “The Eminem Show,” and “Encore.”

3.5/5 stars

COURTESY OF INTERSCOPE RECORDS

With lyrics tackling mumble rap, the media, relationships and former rap group D12, Eminem’s “Kamikaze” was an honorable attempt at redemption from his previous album “Revival.”

By Juliet Di Preta dipreta@mail.usf.edu

L

t. Paul Andrews, 52, is one of the newest police officers on campus as of March.

“Prior to coming here, I was six years at St. Petersburg College,” Andrews said.

“Prior to that, I was in law enforcement for 27 years at the city of Pinellas Park.”

But Andrews is no stranger to the Bull, as he received his master’s degree in criminal justice administration from USF in 2008.

Andrews became involved with law enforcement at a young age through the Police Explorers program, a function of the Boy Scouts of America.

“I got involved with that as a teenager at Treasure Island Police Department, and that kind of got me interested in that track,” he said.

“From there I eventually became a dispatcher and then a police officer, and then promoted up through the ranks at my old agency,” he said.

“So, I’ve been involved in some form of function of law enforcement since about 1982.”

Born in New Jersey, Andrews moved to the St. Petersburg area when he was 2 years old. His first job was at a golf course and tennis court, where he was responsible for maintenance.

Andrews has been married to his wife Michele for 32 years. They have three adult children, two boys and a girl.

“Two of them, coincidentally, are in law enforcement now,” Andrews said.

Having both cats and dogs in his life, Andrews stated that he prefers cats due to their low-maintenance nature.

“We have one cat, Agnes,” Andrews said. “My daughter named her after the character from Despicable Me.”

JULIET DI PRETA | THE CROW’S NEST

Lt. Paul Andrews is one of the newest members of UPD and the first featured officer of the semester.

Andrews didn’t have many hobbies growing up, but found endurance sports piqued his interest.

“I’ve done endurance sports up until a few years ago,” Andrews said. “I’ve done a couple of half ironman triathlons and some other shorter distance triathlons as well.”

Between figuring out the new job and getting things done around the house, Andrews also enjoys the occasional video game.

“When my daughter doesn’t hound the Playstation 4, I’ll play a video game once in a while,” Andrews said.

He likes sports and racing games over first-person shooter games.

“It just doesn’t interest me.

My kids on the other hand, they love it,” Andrews said.

Andrews’ interest in sports doesn’t end at video games, though.

“I grew up here, so I was here before we had sports teams,” Andrews said. “I’m a homer, I like all the home teams.”

“Funny for a Florida guy, but hockey is probably my number one,” he said. “My wife and kids actually are drawn towards that.”

W hat to do t h i s week: Sept. 3 - Se pt. 9

By Brianna Rodriguez blrodriguez@mail.usf.edu TUESDAY If you’ve always dreamt of joining the circus, then maybe it’s time to check out the Cirque Fit class at The Movement Sanctuary, 910 Fifth Ave. N Unit A. The class meets weekly from 6:15 to 7:15 p.m. After the class, the St. Pete Juggling Club will meet from 7 to 9 p.m. if you want to explore more skills.

Looking to unwind with music?

Join Bay Kings Band for their rehearsal as they perform a variety of music at 8 p.m at Nova 535, 535 Dr Martin Luther King Jr St. N.

WEDNESDAY Pets usually aren’t allowed on campus, but the opportunity to pet puppies is here. Therapy dogs visit the Nelson Poynter Memorial Library from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. for Project PUP, which aims to have pets uplift people.

A fan of poetry? Tyler Gillespie, journalism and media studies graduate program alumnus, speaks at the Nelson Poynter Memorial Library at 6:30 p.m. about his book “Florida Man: Poems.” This event is free to the public.

Caddy’s On Central, 217 Central Ave., hosts Drag Queen Bingo with by Greta Grip and tons of prizes. The

event will take place from 8 to 11 p.m. Attendees who dress in drag receive a 10 percent discount.

THURSDAY If relaxing is on the agenda for the night, listening to jazz might be the way to go. Ruby’s Elixir, 15 Third St. N, hosts musicians Hiram Hazley + Le Jazz Trio along with special guest Anthony Castellano at 7:30 p.m. for a weekly performance of lively jazz music. Must be 21 and up.

FRIDAY The Bends, 919 First Ave. N, hosts its six-year anniversary at 8 p.m. There will be an art show featuring work from several local artists, live performances from The Venus, Fever Beam, Haute Tension (formerly Mo

Booty) and $6 cocktails. This event is 21 and up.

SATURDAY Mad Hatter’s Ethnobotanical Tea Bar, 4685 28th St. N, hosts Wonderflow every Saturday night from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m.

A variety of performers, including fire spinners and poi spinners, will be at the event, dancing to electronic dance music.

Calling all yogis. Show up for free yoga in the park at Crescent Lake Park, 1320 Fifth St. N at 9 a.m. This event takes place every first Saturday of the month.

Intermezzo Coffee and Cocktails, 1111 Central Ave., celebrates its two-year

anniversary from 7 p.m. to midnight. Along with the business’ menu, there will also be an open-air market, a smoked meat pop-up and DJ. SUNDAY End the weekend with some vocal performances.

Bula Kafe hosts a karaoke night every Sunday starting at 8 p.m. So go sing your heart out to all your favorite tunes.

If crafts pique your interest, visit the Crafty Fest Local Market at the ARTPool Gallery, 2030 Central Ave., from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tons of local vendors will sell handmade and vintage products.

THE C ROW ’S NE ST

September 4, 2018

September ushers in new art at Black Crow Coffee Co.

By Amy Diaz amydiaz@mail.usf.edu

J

ust a few hours before its September Art Premier was set to begin, Black Crow Coffee Co. posted a Facebook update that read “All art is hung up and the show goes on, rain or shine!”

At 722 Second St. N, the quaint coffee shop is part of a little plaza in Old Northeast, squeezed between a pizza parlour and an old laundromat.

On most days, Black Crow is a hub for people looking for caffeine or vegan treats, and a place to hang out or get work done.

But on the first Saturday of every month, the coffee shop becomes a lively venue for local artists, musicians and vendors to connect with the community.

Black Crow has put on monthly art premiers since it opened three years ago.

In St. Petersburg, the event coordinators don’t need to look very far to find artists interested in displaying their work.

“Black Crow is welcoming and creative and open,” said Karli Schneider, a Black Crow barista. “I think that’s why a lot of people come through and are like ‘How can I put up art here?’ And then the next art show, they’re here, they’re on the wall.”

Schneider is also an artist on the side and has had work displayed at the shop before.

Her art can be found on

Instagram at @dirt_hands.

This month’s art premier showcased a mix of different mediums, with everything from paintings to typewriter poetry.

“Sometimes we have themes,” Schneider said.

“Like, B put on a Sharpie Show where it didn’t matter what necessarily it was on, but Sharpie art was the theme.”

In addition to being a barista, B is the social media manager and event coordinator for Black Crow.

“That was an open submission one too, so everyone was welcome,” B said, referring to last month’s Sharpie Show. “Even if you’ve never had a piece of art up before, you were definitely welcome. As long as it was with Sharpie it was in there.”

Its youngest featured artist displayed work at the Sharpie Show and made the first sale of the night. He was 7 years old.

“It just fosters the art scene even more because there’s no censorship, there’s no commission, fees, everything is just to support the artist,” Schneider said. “St. Pete has a great art scene, but it can be competitive and there is exclusivity, so Black Crow opens all of those doors.”

It certainly opened a door for 22-year-old Julia Scheiber, a senior graphic design student at USF St. Petersburg.

“This is actually my first time displaying work anywhere besides the internet,” Scheiber said. “I knew I definitely wanted to display my work

DINORAH PREVOST | THE CROW’S NEST

New art fills the walls at Black Crow Coffee Co. for the September Art Premier.

at some point, but I felt that I didn’t have enough to show until recently.”

Now hanging up on the wall alongside the other local artists’ work are Scheiber’s digital conceptual portraits made up of bright colors and soft pastels.

You can also find her work on Instagram @skelies.

“I’ve been practicing digital painting for years now, and it’s one of my favorite mediums,” Scheiber said. “A couple pieces were made last year, but the majority of my work was made within the last few months. The most recent painting I did last weekend, and it took around seven hours.”

Some of Scheiber’s classmates have displayed their work at previous Black

Crow art premiers.

“When you have a melding of people like this, especially at events like this where there’s more of a turnout, it’s really about visibility and accessibility,” Schneider said.

“There is no, ‘You have to have a name for yourself’ or whatever, it kind of inspires you and gives you the confidence to show your work.”

For a coffee shop that sits in the middle of a neighborhood, it makes sense that the goal of its events has nothing to do with prestige and everything to do with community celebration.

“It’s to bring people together, honestly,” B said.

“Hang out. Do whatever. Chill.

Make friends.”

Garden Club, a local

band that describes itself as an experiment blending elements of jazz, hip-hop, and eastern folk, provided the music for the evening.

With a bass guitar, drums, a keyboard and a harp, the band was just as eclectic as the art on the walls and the people inside. (See story below.)

After their first song, the band called on the audience to cheer for St. Petersburg — and they did with no hesitation.

The October Art Premier, which is also a Halloween costume party, will be another open submission show, but with a spooky theme. Any medium is welcome, and artists can submit one to three pieces to b@blackcrowcoffeeco.com.

Garden Club grows a new kind of jazz fusion

By Dinorah Prevost dprevost1@mail.usf.edu

W

hat’s the one instrument you’d never think about in any band — the most sacred, classical instrument you could imagine?

If you thought a harp, you’re right.

Now think of its place in a vibey jazz fusion band, competing with a bass-drenched, percussion-pounding, keysinfused sound. If you thought it was non-existent, then there’s a St. Petersburg band proving you wrong.

It’s called Garden Club.

Bassist and singer Savvas Savvindis said bringing in a harp player just happened.

“(Natalie) met Seth somewhere and then she texted me and said ‘Hey, we’re gonna have a harp player for our next rehearsal,’” he said. “We’re still trying to figure out how to implement the harp.”

Savvindis, a senior history major at USF St. Petersburg, formed Garden Club with Natalie Depergola last October. Depergola, the

DINORAH PREVOST | THE CROW’S NEST

Garden Club started as a duo but recently added harp player Seth Lynn (pictured) and keyboardist Alex Merrill.

band’s drummer, has trained with the likes of former Prince drummer John Blackwell, who passed away last year.

The two more recent members are harp player Seth Lynn and keyboardist Alex Merrill.

Savvindis, 24, and Depergola, 19, met while playing in another local band, Danielle Mohr and the Moonlight Madness (now called HoneyWhat). But they eventually realized the music they were making in the band didn’t satisfy them.

So they struck out on their own.

“Natalie and I both have an appreciation for mainly modern jazz … electro jazz. We like neo-soul and R&B music.

So we thought we’ll just try to do our own weird future jazz project and see what happens,” Savvindis said.

Since forming Garden Club, they’ve worked with a handful of guitar players, keyboard players and horn players to find their sound.

In March, they recorded a early rendition of “Rain” in a studio jam session and posted it on YouTube. But it was “not necessarily the sound we wanted,” Savvindis said.

Eventually they brought in Lynn and Merrill. Now

the foursome are writing and recording, hoping to put out a live EP by the end of the year.

Savvindis said that fitting both Lynn and Merrill into the band’s sound has been a learning process.

“We can play a set with either one of them and it’ll sound very good. We can play … with both of them and it’ll sound very good,” he said.

“Sometimes when we have all four people in the band, we’ll strike gold and we’ll get certain sounds that are really cool. But at other times, it might sound a little busy.”

While the band finds its musical footing, they experiment in public with a handful of sets around Tampa Bay. On Sept. 1, they performed at Black Crow with local singer-songwriter Kyle Knudsen. The set featured original material as well as covers of “Them Changes”

by Los Angeles bassist Thundercat and “Electric Feel” by rock band MGMT. Garden Club plays a series of shows throughout September at places like The Bends in downtown St. Petersburg and The Blueberry Patch in Gulfport. You can find them on Facebook and Instagram at @ gardenclubmusic.