Volume 54 Issue 4

COLD, HARD FACTS FEATURES, page 4

AIN’T NOTHIN’ BUT A GROUNDHOG OPINIONS, page 6

LESBIAN LITERATURE ARTS AND LIFE, page 8

Alastair Graham, an associate professor of geological oceanography in USF’s College of Marine Science on the St. Petersburg campus, left for his ninth trip to Antarctica last month. Last year, his polar research was featured in Rolling Stone magazine.

Groundhog Day takes place every year on Feb. 2.

A satirical short story imagines if Punxsutawney Phil came to USF St. Petersburg.

A three-day celebration of lesbian literature took place in Gulfport over the weekend. The third annual ReadOut fest featured author panels, book readings and more. Contributor Gabby Dacosta fills in what you missed at Gulfport Library.

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 54, Issue 4 - February 3, 2020 | Online at crowsneststpete.com

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CURRALL CHANGES COURSE – AGAIN

By Nancy McCann Contributor he USF administration in Tampa, which has zigzagged through months of consolidation planning, has done another about-face.

Revised organizational charts and new details released late Friday appear

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to square with state law requiring St. Petersburg and Sarasota-Manatee to operate as full branch campuses once consolidation takes effect July 1.

They show five regional vice chancellors in St. Petersburg reporting to Regional Chancellor Martin Tadlock.

Only three weeks ago, the organizational structure proposed by USF system President Steve Currall had no leadership positions on the St. Petersburg campus reporting directly to Tadlock.

All of the solid reporting lines in the charts went to Tampa.

Shortly after the revisions

were released to university leaders at 4:12 p.m.

Friday, The Crow’s Nest emailed university system spokesman Adam Freeman seeking Currall’s comments on the changes and asking why his administration has changed position twice in recent weeks.

Freeman said Currall

On the ‘Road to the White House’

was unavailable to respond, and provided a response from USF system Provost Ralph Wilcox.

Regarding the abrupt turnaround last week, Wilcox answered that as consolidation documents are finalized “it is important to ensure accuracy, clarity >> SEE CURRALL on P2

Virus prompts precautions

By The Crow’s Nest

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COURTESY OF THE ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE WEBSITE

A group of USF students is visiting New Hampshire to assist in presidential primary campaign efforts.

By James Bennett III jamesbennett@mail.usf.edu

J

acob Terrell is not a traditional student.

After earning his associate degree in environmental studies from Southern Illinois University, the 32-year-old focused on experiences rather than carving out a career path. He traveled across the country and went to music festivals like Lollapalooza and Electric Forest while working jobs in the service industry.

Hungry for more, and in the wake of the 2016 presidential election, Terrell decided to return to college in 2018 to pursue a bachelor’s degree in political science.

On Feb. 2, Terrell was

one of 29 USF students who left for a 10-day trip to New Hampshire to assist in presidential primary campaign efforts through the university’s “Road to the White House” class. New Hampshire’s primary is on Feb. 11.

Although the final five days of campaigning during the primary election will be the most intense, Professor Judithanne Scourfield McLauchlan said she’s taking the class up early so they can see how their campaigns react to the Iowa caucus on Feb. 3.

The course only comes around every four years, during the presidential primaries. It’s so sought-after that students in the class had to submit a written application before going through an interview

and reference checks. By the time McLauchlan cut off the applications on the Google forum, roughly 60 people had applied.

The class is worth six credits. The New Hampshire trip counts as three internship credits, while the majority of the semester is spent working on seminar credits.

The seminar portion of the class has already begun and has included student presentations on each presidential candidate.

McLauchlan said she still plans on covering topics such as campaign financing, the electoral college and polling.

For the internship portion, the students are divided among eight campaigns, including former Vice President Joe Biden; Pete Buttigieg, former

Democratic mayor of South Bend, IN; Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-MN; Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-VT; President Donald Trump; Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-MA; Andrew Yang; and the New Hampshire GOP. Each student was given the opportunity to choose which campaign they would work for.

Bernie Sanders was the most popular candidate, with nine students.

The students have been warned that they need to be prepared to work from 6 a.m. until midnight each night.

Although it’s unlikely they’ll have to work for the entirety of that time frame, McLauchlan wants the students to get the most out of their time in New Hampshire. >> SEE ROAD on P3

s alarm over the coronavirus spreads around the world, the USF administration has assured students, faculty and staff that it is closely monitoring developments.

In an email on Jan. 31, USF system President Steve Currall noted that there have been no cases reported in Florida so far.

But university officials “have initiated communication, coordination and planning with local health departments using the most up-to-date information from state and federal health organizations,” he said.

Currall also shared tips for preventing the spread of all respiratory viruses, urging people to frequently and thoroughly wash their hands and avoid touching their faces with unwashed hands. (See tips, page 3.)

Meanwhile, USF St. Petersburg spokeswoman Carrie O’Brion said the university’s global initiatives office has decided to cancel the study abroad program to China, which had been scheduled for May. There are no USF St. Petersburg students studying in China now, she said.

The coronavirus has infected more than 14,000 people – and killed more than 300 – since it began in China two months ago.

Most of the cases, and all but one of the deaths (in the Philippines), have been in China. But more than 100 cases have now been confirmed in 28 other countries, including the United States.

On Jan. 30, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a global emergency.

And the next day the United States declared a public health emergency in this country.

Most airlines have suspended flights between the U.S. and China, and the American stock market has >> SEE VIRUS on P3

2 February 3, 2020

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CURRALL, continued from P1 and consistency of guiding documents and practice as USF prepares to operate as one, singly accredited university beginning July 1, 2020, consistent with state law.” (See Wilcox’s full statement below.)

Tadlock welcomed the changes, noting that the “revised organizational charts and accompanying text better reflect the definition of a branch campus than what was contained in the first version” of charts last month.

He reminded the St. Petersburg campus that “consolidation is a work in progress and will unfold over a long period of time.

There will be starts and stops and pauses and leaps forward.” (See Tadlock’s full statement below.)

One of the regional vice chancellors who would report to Tadlock under the latest organizational revision is Patricia Helton, the campus’ chief administrator for student affairs and student success.

Asked for her reaction, she said, “This is a good change for USFSP. The changes restore local authority to the Chancellor thereby shifting back the hiring and firing authority.”

In the prior version of the organizational charts, Helton was shown reporting directly to Paul Dosal, vice president for student success in Tampa.

History professor

Ray Arsenault, who last month blistered the Currall administration for “backsliding” and causing “needless confusion and heartache,” is speaking at a conference in Paris and could not be reached for comment.

The changes released Friday mark yet another turnabout for the administration of Currall, who inherited the hot potato of consolidation when he succeeded longtime USF system President Judy Genshaft last summer.

For months, Genshaft made clear that her top priority in consolidation was maintaining the Tampa’s campus newly won designation as a state preeminent research university – status that she feared the St. Petersburg and Sarasota-Manatee campuses might jeopardize.

She suggested that the two smaller campuses could be “somewhere in-between” a branch campus and a less prestigious instructional site.

But many in St. Petersburg took a dim view of her position, and so did the Pinellas County legislators who – in a surprise move in 2018 – abolished the independent accreditation of St. Petersburg and SarasotaManatee and rolled the three campuses into one.

In 2019, they rewrote state law to insure that St. Petersburg and SarasotaManatee would be full

COURTESY OF USF CONSOLIDATION ACADEMIC AND STUDENT SUCCESS IMPLEMENTATION HANDBOOK

In the latest organizational charts, St. Petersburg’s five regional vice chancellors report directly to Regional Chancellor Martin Tadlock. St. Petersburg’s campus and associate deans report to college deans in Tampa and have a “dashed-line” or “consultative relationship” with Tadlock.

branch campuses with their own budgetary and hiring authority and their own faculty and administrative organization.

When he took over last July, Currall assured St. Petersburg and its allies in government and the Pinellas business community that the campus would not lose its autonomy or distinct identity.

But a “preliminary blueprint” he released a few weeks later took control of academic and student affairs away from Tadlock and moved those responsibilities to Tampa.

That prompted a firestorm in St. Petersburg and stern words from Pinellas legislators, and in October the Currall administration issued a revised plan that gave Tadlock “clear

JONAH HINEBAUGH | THE CROW’S NEST

Martin Tadlock

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he Crow’s Nest asked Regional Chancellor Martin Tadlock for his reaction to the updated organizational charts for consolidation.

This was his response: “I believe the revised organizational charts and accompanying text better reflect the definition of a branch campus than what was contained in the first version of consolidation volume one. I appreciate the president’s leadership

vice provost); Helen Levine (government and external relations); Nick Setteducato (administration and finance); Deborah Read (advancement); and Helton (student success and student affairs).

The plan also illustrates various leadership groups on the three campuses, including St. Petersburg’s branch campus leadership team. (See diagram, above.)

St. Petersburg’s campus and associate deans are still shown as reporting directly to college deans in Tampa.

Tadlock said there will be a St. Petersburg campus forum at 11 a.m. on Feb. 5 in Davis 130 “to update everyone on the proposed organizational structure of the consolidated USF.”

Provost: Ensure accuracy, clarity

Chancellor: Focus on student success throughout this very fluid process, and the patience and support of so many members of the university community, and our extended communities, as we work through this.

“As I continually remind people, consolidation is a work in progress and will unfold over a long period of time. There will be starts and stops and pauses and leaps forward.

What matters most is that we stay focused on the success of our students as we work through this complex process.

“Our incredible faculty and staff have managed to do that extremely well despite the distractions, and our success metrics are evidence of that. I am very fortunate to be surrounded by phenomenal people, and in the end that is what will make consolidation work.”

responsibility” and authority for the campus.

When the administration presented a handbook on consolidation on Jan. 9, however, the organizational charts it contained once again stripped away much of Tadlock’s authority.

Those charts did not match the description of a branch campus offered last year by Belle Wheelan, the president of the accrediting agency that oversees colleges and universities in the Southeast.

A branch campus, she told The Crow’s Nest, is a “full-blown operation with someone in charge.”

Under the plan released Friday, the five regional vice chancellors reporting directly to Tadlock are Catherine Cardwell (academic affairs and

JAMES BENNETT III | THE CROW’S NEST

Ralph Wilcox

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he Crow’s Nest asked USF system President Steve Currall to respond to questions about last week’s consolidation revisions.

Provost Ralph Wilcox provided answers in an email.

What are the most important changes in the revised consolidation handbook and organizational charts released on Friday?

How do the changes bring the St. Petersburg and Sarasota-Manatee campuses back on track as full branch campuses?

“The recent additions and revisions to the USF Consolidation Academic and Student Success Implementation Handbook include the first USF Branch Campus Organizational Chart specifying membership of the regional chancellor’s Branch Campus Cabinet and accompanying revisions to membership roles, relationships and responsibilities.

“Also added to the document are new representations of universitywide and branch campus leadership groups. These plans confirm the regional chancellors’ membership on the USF President’s Cabinet, inclusion of the regional vice chancellor for academic affairs on the USF Council of Deans along with broadly representative, though distinctive, Branch Campus Leadership Teams led by each regional chancellor.

“Consolidation planning

and implementation seek an optimal balance between the letter and intent of state law, the expectations of regional and specialized accrediting agencies, and the USF Board of Trustees’ Guiding Principles for Consolidation.”

Why was there a reversal from the October vision of organizational structure for St. Pete and Sarasota – which seemed to hit close to the mark for branch campuses – and then another quick turnaround this week?

“As USF works to finalize the Substantive Change Prospectus, and support documentation, for submission to SACSCOC (the accrediting agency), it is important to ensure accuracy, clarity and consistency of guiding documents and practice as USF prepares to operate as one, singly accredited university beginning July 1, 2020, consistent with state law.”

3 February 3, 2020 VIRUS, continued from P1

been roiled by the uncertainty and panic around the world.

President Donald Trump’s national security adviser, Robert O’Brien, downplayed the risk of a coronavirus outbreak in the United States, saying on CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday that “right now there’s no reason for Americans to panic.”

Public health officials stress that college campuses, where students are packed into classrooms and residence halls, are particularly vulnerable to viruses, which can spread rapidly even in normal winters.

Health officials note that this was already a bad year for seasonal influenza, which began in mid-November with a surge of influenza B and saw an uptick last month with the H1N1 type of influenza A. So far this winter, more than 19 million Americans have had the flu, with 180,000 landing in the hospital and 10,000 deaths.

Student reactions to the virus vary. Some attempt to shed light on the situation by posting memes and cracking jokes on the matter.

Meanwhile, others, like senior biology major Cathy Mai Do, are not only concerned about the virus but also its reflection on Asian culture and how Americans portray Asian people.

“People already have these stereotypes ingrained around Asians, and the virus helps exaggerate that,” said Mai Do in a Facebook message. “Of course, I am concerned about the virus spreading, but I’m more concerned that people think that ‘Asians deserve this because they eat dog’ and consider that stereotype as an excuse to be horrible to Asians.”

Brianna Rodriguez contributed to this report.

Information from The New York Times, Washington Post and Associated Press was also used in this report.

Tips for prevention Prevent the spread of respiratory viruses by following hand and respiratory hygiene and safe food practices: • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

• Stay home when you are sick.

• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.

• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

If you have symptoms Since it’s cold and flu season, don’t jump to the conclusion that you have the coronavirus just because you have the symptoms.

If you are sick, make an appointment to see your doctor.

Students should contact the following to make an appointment with health professionals: • USF Tampa: Student Health Services (SHS100) at 813-974-2331 • USF St. Petersburg: Wellness Center (SLC 2200) at 727-873-4422 • USF Sarasota-Manatee: Counseling and Wellness Center (5805 Bay Shore Rd.) at 941-487-4254 If you are severely ill and cannot get to your doctor, call 911 or go to an emergency room at a local hospital.

THE C ROW ’S NE ST

Parking garage settlement cost university nearly $20,000 in attorneys’ fees

By Emily Wunderlich

ewunderlich@mail.usf.edu

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fter accounting for attorneys fees and costs, it cost the university more than $95,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by a former female student who was accosted in the campus parking garage four years ago.

The settlement, reached on Dec. 5, stipulated that the university pay the woman $75,000 — but the agreement stresses that the payment cannot be “construed as an admission of liability.”

According to the Florida Division of Risk Management, the university’s insurance carrier, the university paid Goodis Thompson and Miller, a private law firm in St. Petersburg, $19,620.15 to handle the case.

Donna Tisch Inc., the Sarasota-based mediator who helped negotiate the settlement, was paid $1,600, with the two sides splitting the cost.

The Division of Risk Management did not immediately respond to a request for elaboration from The Crow’s Nest.

The lawsuit, filed in Pinellas County Circuit Court on June 5, 2017, played out in a lengthy array of filings and hearings over two and a half years. It contends that the former student – identified as L.E. in court documents – was “sexually assaulted” by a man who masturbated behind her in a parking garage elevator on the afternoon of Feb. 22, 2016.

The university acknowledged that L.E. was a victim of “lewdness and/ or indecent exposure,” but argued that she had not been sexually assaulted under the definitions in federal law.

The university also argued that as an agency of state government, it had “sovereign immunity” and was protected 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.

The woman’s social media indicates that she graduated from the university in 2017. Although some court documents fail to

redact her name, The Crow’s Nest does not name victims of sex-related crimes.

A non-student named Willie Fudge III 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. He was not charged with sexual assault.

The parking garage charges, plus an earlier conviction for grand theft and a later penalty for violating probation, landed Fudge in the Pinellas County jail between May 2016 and February 2017 and in state prison between July 2017 and February 2018.

USFSP earns prestigious classification

By James Bennett III jamesbennett@mail.usf.edu

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SF St. Petersburg has been designated with the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification for the second time since 2010.

The university earned the classification — which serves as a recognition of the campus’ community and civic engagement — alongside 118 other colleges and universities, including USF Tampa.

Judithanne Scourfield McLauchlan, director of the campus’ Center for Civic Engagement and an associate political science

professor, said the yearlong 2020 application was more in-depth than in the past.

“The Carnegie Foundation made it very clear how much more rigorous the standards are this time around,” McLauchlan said in a university press release.

“They basically said that just because you had the designation before, don’t think this will be a walk in the park,” she said. “It’s striking how many universities that had the community-engaged classification in 2010 chose not to pursue reclassification.

“The Carnegie

ROAD, continued from P1

Some students may need to be at their campaign offices at 5 a.m. on election day.

Terrell will be working with the Elizabeth Warren campaign team. He chose to work with Warren’s team because he said she’s tough on corporate greed.

“There’s just so much about her that it’s like, if everyone was like that, the world could just be a better place,” he said.

Luckily, the “Road to the White House” class doesn’t plan on spending the entire trip canvassing.

Their itinerary also includes a tour of New Hampshire’s statehouse; a visit to the New Hampshire Institute of Politics; sitting in on an Executive Council meeting (over which the Governor presides); and visiting the Democratic Party Headquarters. They also plan on meeting with the New Hampshire Republican Party and the Secretary of State.

Although it isn’t set in stone yet, McLauchlan is also trying to get the class to a Trump rally and make sure the Democrat

students are able to go to the 61st annual McIntyre-Shaheen 100 Club Dinner.

McLauchlan said she started the class in 2004 because she wanted students to have hands-on experience working at the New Hampshire primary rather than just sitting through a lecture about presidential campaigns.

It took her about one year to organize this year’s class.

“The commitment of time it takes to teach these kinds of classes is extraordinary,” McLauchlan said. “I do it because I’m really passionate about it. And I really love it.

And I love New Hampshire and the primary.”

Although the outcome of Florida’s general election is “incredibly important,” according to McLauchlan, students would not be able to participate in a grassroots campaign of the same degree as New Hampshire if the class stayed in Florida.

“There’s really nothing like it. There’s no substitute. It is

Foundation’s expectations were very daunting.”

McLauchlan added that the designation, while challenging to obtain, presented the campus with an opportunity to demonstrate its “meaningful, sustained partnerships” and reflect on the campus’ identity.

According to the certification’s website, the classification is not an award.

Instead, it is an “evidencebased documentation of institutional practice to be used in a process of self-assessment and quality improvement.”

Judithanne Scourfield McLauchlan, director of the campus’ Center for Civic Engagement and an associate political science professor, said the yearlong 2020 application was more in-depth than in the past.

exhilarating,” McLauchlan said.

“It’s so intense, and I’m trying to prepare (the students) for that.”

Other than the real-world experience that comes along with enrolling in the class, some students were drawn to the class

by McLauchlan’s connections and expertise.

After studying and working as a teaching assistant at Rutgers University for six years, McLauchlan worked in the White House for both of former President Bill Clinton’s terms, and has worked on several presidential campaigns, including Al Gore’s. She also worked for the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Justice Department for the U.S. Supreme Court.

There are students from multiple majors and from both USF St. Petersburg and Tampa enrolled in the course.

Jadzia “Jazzy” Duarte, USF St. Petersburg’s Student Government president, is working with the Amy

Klobuchar team. Duarte said she was attracted to the Klobuchar because she’s running a more personalized campaign than other “mainstream” candidates. Duarte also appreciates Klobuchar’s female empowerment and her environmental agenda.

Since nine USF St. Petersburg SG members are going on the trip, SG members who are staying on campus will take on more responsibilities during the trip. For example, Michael Johnson, the newly elected senate president pro tempore, will lead the SG general assembly while Veronica Jimenez, the newly elected senate president, is out of town.

If you would like to follow the class’ progress throughout the trip, a class blog and individual student blogs are available through the university’s website. Students will also take turns representing their campaigns on the @iam_ usfsp Instagram page.

COURTESY OF BROWN UNIVERSITY’S WEBSITE

4 February 3, 2020

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Management class takes on millennial yachting

By Dylan Hart dhart4@mail.usf.edu

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hen College of Business professor Stephen Diasio saw an op-ed criticizing the excess of yachting in the Jan. 20 edition of The Crow’s Nest, he knew it was the perfect opportunity to show how students in his class are challenging public perception. “(The author) was following a common bias or common perception of the industry that may or may not be true, but it’s what my students are tackling,” Diasio said of the article.

He’s taught the class, Strategic Management/ Decision Making, for four years and partnered with a different local business each semester. This semester, Diasio’s students are working with Navigare Yachting.

The perception may be that yachts are reserved for extraordinarily wealthy baby boomers, Diasio said, but as the baby-boom generation dwindles, the class’ studentdriven research aims to help Navigare find a way to market to the millennial generation.

Navigare was founded in 2001 in Malmö, Sweden.

The company has bases in Croatia, Thailand, Rhode Island and the British Virgin Islands, among others. It recently opened offices in St.

Petersburg.

The packed class of about 38 students meets every Thursday evening. Students are split up into eight groups, each conducting their own research on the target market, the company, operational best practices and competitors. On Jan. 30, the groups presented their preliminary research to the class.

Some groups decided to pick names to accompany their pitch presentations.

Some were serious in their emulation of a research and development company, like “Sixers Strategic Solutions Inc.,” while others were a bit more playful, like “Boats & Pros” or “The Leading Ladies +1.”

Collectively, the groups came to similar conclusions about the target market.

Yachting is a growing industry projected to reach as high as $25.5 billion by 2027, and millennials may be a better consumer base than some may assume because of the rise of yacht chartering.

Instead of selling yachts outright, companies like Navigare give vacationers the opportunity to take one out for a short period, usually one to three weeks. Experienced sailors can crew their yacht, or more casual consumers can

pay a bit extra for a crew to tag along.

But how can millennials — a generation perceived as broke and frustrated — afford to take a luxury boat out for a spin? Their misfortunes may be a misconception as well, the students found.

“Younger consumers are on the rise, since they’re much more frugal than their parents,” said presenters from the group Boats & Pros.

Millennials travel for 35 days per year, more than any other generation. With an average annual vacation budget of $4,500, some yacht charters may be within reach — although “luxury crewed” options still stand at over $14,000.

The challenge for companies like Navigare, then, is to make yacht chartering attractive enough for millennial consumers to spend their budget on a single trip.

Yachting may be a good match for millennials, though. Students found that millennials prefer experiences over relaxation or sightseeing, and sailing a yacht may be a way to fill that niche — especially if supplemented with other activities. They also said millennials also more about the environment

COURTESY OF USF ST. PETERSBURG

Diasio has taught Strategic Management/Decision Making for 12 semesters, partnering with companies like Valpak, the Dalí Museum and The Moorings.

and experiencing culture than other generations.

Regardless, the biggest weakness of yachting is still its barrier to entry, the groups concluded.

The class plans to conduct more research and will turn

in a research booklet toward the end of the semester detailing their findings. It’s an opportunity for business students to get real-world experience conducting business research and pitching their ideas.

USF scientist helps measure a rapidly melting glacier

By Carter Brantley Contributor

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hink about the size of the state of Florida.

Now think about a glacier that big, and melting at a rapid pace.

That’s potentially a huge problem.

The Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica has been melting so fast that scientists from several countries are measuring the changes to help governments around the world prepare for potentially catastrophic rises in future sea level.

One of those scientists is Alastair Graham, an associate professor of geological oceanography in USF’s College of Marine Science on the St. Petersburg campus.

Graham, 38, left last month on his ninth trip to Antarctica, specifically the Amundsen Sea. The International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration is a fiveyear, $25 million program to study changes in the

huge glacier. Scientists from the U.S. and U.K. are leading the endeavor, with contributions from Sweden, Germany and South Korea.

The research is being financed by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the U.K. Natural Environment Research Council.

Graham won a prestigious British award for polar research in 2013, and last year his work was featured in a Rolling Stone magazine story about climate change and the glacier.

The lead photo shows Graham on the bridge of an icebreaker, peering at towering icebergs on the fringe of the glacier.

The Thwaites Glacier is not melting on the surface. It is melting from the bottom up. So Graham and his colleagues are collecting information from the ocean floor beneath and in front of the huge glacier.

He has been going to

study glaciers and the changes in Antarctica since 2007.

Graham moved to America last August from the U.K., where he got his doctorate from Imperial College London.

Working in America at USF has been different, but a relatively easy transition, he said. “Here, faculty have larger groups of students around them.”

Although scientific ventures in the cold of Antarctica are never easy, Graham said, he has grown accustomed to the conditions and rigor of the work.

It is a privilege to be part of the international team, he said, and it’s important to be grateful for the opportunity.

“Last time I went I made sure to appreciate it,” he said.

Graham works with a large group of other scientists on these trips, and it is always rewarding, he said.

COURTESY OF USF

This is Alastair Graham’s ninth trip to Antarctica.

He is one of the scientists aboard the Nathaniel B. Palmer, an icebreaker that is working in the Amundsen Sea. The research cruise will last 10 weeks, ending in March.

The logistics of working in Antarctica – one of the most remote, inhospitable spots on Earth – can be daunting, but Graham says that the accommodations on the ship

are actually quite nice.

The cooks are mostly from New Orleans, so the food is delicious, he said.

The meals include gumbo, jambalaya and other Louisiana cuisine.

The cooks even celebrate Mardi Gras, with king cake to mark the occasion.

The sleeping quarters are almost like college dorms, with two sets of bunk beds in each room and a shower hall for people to wash up.

The members of the ship work in 12-hour shifts to collect data in a draining routine of work, eat, sleep.

“I want to experience the events,” Graham said, but it’s sometimes difficult to balance the work while trying to enjoy the experience.

Information from the website of the International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration was used in this report.

5 February 3, 2020

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Local acts vie for slot at Okeechobee Music and Arts Festival

Story and photo by Thomas Iacobucci tiacobucci@mail.usf.edu

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even acts. Fifteen minutes. Three songs. One stage.

One destination.

Concert-goers gathered Jan. 30 at Jannus Live in downtown St. Petersburg to witness Destination Okeechobee, a live event hosted by the Okeechobee Music and Arts Festival. The event pitted local acts from across the Tampa Bay area against each other, with the grand prize being a slot on stage at the Okeechobee Music and Arts Festival. The 2020 festival will occur March 5-8.

Happening across the state, Destination Okeechobee featured local artists from each of the five cities it visits. This year saw St. Petersburg added to the list of other major Florida cities that include Miami, Tallahassee, Gainesville and Orlando. One act is chosen from each city, guaranteeing an audience with tens of thousands at the festival.

The St. Petersburg show included seven acts from all types of genres, aligning

with the diverse theme of Okeechobee’s past lineups.

With only 15 minutes per set, each of the acts had enough time for three original songs to impress the judges and the crowd. Though it was not the sole system of rating, attendees had the power to vote for their favorite in the lineup. These votes were only factored in if the judges could not come to a unanimous decision.

The first act to grace the stage at Jannus was Sick Hot, a modern rock trio from Tampa that draws influences from classic rock and heavy metal.

With two USF Tampa students, Sick Hot’s style resembles the sounds that were popular during the birth of rock ‘n’ roll.

The second act was indiesynth-pop quintet, Crownz.

Based out of Tampa, this five-piece combines the use of electronic sounds with high-key indie guitar riffs. A local favorite in the Tampa music scene, Crownz has previously played 97X’s Backyard BBQ, as well as 97X’s Next Big Thing.

Following Crownz was the funk-fused jam band called The

Reality. The foursome, made up of seasoned musicians, brought their independent style to the stage, standing out with their ska-inspired performance.

Tampa band WD-HAN had the stage next, playing with as much ferocity as an experienced band could.

The trio is no stranger to the Jannus stage, having previously opened for Kaleo back in 2017. The band teeters on the edge of sounding like the White Stripes with soulful blues guitar riffs and massive drum fills, while also blending pop and synth beats.

St. Petersburg local and crowd favorite Kerry Courtney followed WD-HAN with a much more mellow set.

Courtney, 28, is a veteran of musical competitions, having participated in American Idol back in 2016. Courtney and his backing group blend soulful indie lyrics with a folk/ Americana sound that feels both moving and authentic.

Rohna appeared next on stage, upping the energy from the previous performance.

Hailing from Tampa, this four-piece rocked the venue,

Kerry Courtney, a St. Petersburg local musician, performed his new single “Wes Anderson,” during his 15-minute set for Destination Okeechobee.

thrashing around the stage like they have been touring for years. Combining heavy alternative, indie rock, and punk, this band offered a positive energy to the crowd that remained.

Capping off the qualifying acts was Tampa local Grant Lee. Combining produced electronic sounds with intermittent guitar riffs and beats from his synth-drum pad, Lee’s house style music got the crowd dancing and shuffling, even demanding an

encore after his set finished.

Though each band arrived with their own distinct sound and style, only one act could move on to the final destination.

After deliberation and a tally of crowd votes, Grant Lee received the coveted pass to play the Okeechobee Music and Arts Festival next month. Lee will soon share the stage with acts such as Vampire Weekend, Bassnectar and Mumford and Sons.

Birds of prey descend on Boyd Hill Story and photos Carrie Pinkard clarice2@mail.usf.edu

“

Duck! I mean…

HAWK!” an announcer yelled as a bird swooped low over the audience.

The bird was a Harris’s Hawk, the first in a series of birds of prey shown at Boyd Hill Nature Preserve’s seventh annual Raptor Fest.

On Feb. 1, the nature preserve was transformed into a giant birdcage, and the community was invited to shake feathers with birds from around the world.

Tents lined the edges of the event, where you could dissect owl pellets, learn more about bird watching or buy a “bird nerd” tote bag.

There were picket signs scattered throughout with facts about birds of prey, including one that said “falcons mate for life.”

Walking down the middle of the path made avoiding birds impossible.

Owls, perched on the shoulders of their handlers, swiveled their heads 270 degrees to greet you.

At the end of the path was an arena to watch a “birds in flight” presentation.

Raptor Fest has been held at Boyd Hill Nature Preserve for the past seven years.

“By having a better understanding of our raptors, you’ll have a better understanding of our natural world,” said host Steve Hoddy, welcoming the crowd to the show.

Among the birds presented was a Eurasian Eagle-owl named Fretia.

Hoddy told the crowd that the owl’s eyes collect 100 times more light than humans’ do.

Next to fly out of their cage was a pair of “nature’s sanitation engineers,” also known as vultures. Hoddy said these birds’ digestive systems can destroy almost any bacteria, so there’s no

limit to what they can eat.

The final bird to swoop in and steal the show was a Peregrine falcon named Renegade. Peregrine falcons are the fastest animal in the world, moving up to 240 mph when diving for food.

Raptor Fest is hosted by the organization Friends of Boyd Hill Nature Preserve, which aims to promote the Preserve through environmental education and advocacy.

Raptor Fest is the largest fundraiser the organization puts on each year. It is a free event, but donations are strongly encouraged.

Birds of prey fans were able to get up close and personal with owls at Raptor Fest.

The fastest animal in the world, the Peregrine Falcon, seen perched on the arm of a handler.

6 February 3, 2020

THE C ROW ’S NE ST

Letter to the Editor: Chick-fil-Hate

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 Editor-in-Chief Emily Wunderlich

By Naya Payne

Junior political science major nayapayne@mail.usf.edu

E

ating at Chick-fil-A is an act that supports hate, and it is disingenuous and hurtful to not acknowledge it as such.

Recently, an advertisement cropped up on campus for a couple of weeks: “Chick-filAmbassadors: Come have some Chick-fil-A and apply for ambassadors!”

When I saw the USF ambassadors promoting one of their events using Chick-fil-A in 2020, I couldn’t help but feel worthless and invalid in their eyes.

I felt compelled as an LGBT student, and as a defender of equality, to say something.

In my private message to the ambassadors’ Instagram account, I expressed my

Editorial Staff

Creative Director Mary Kate “MK” Brittain Photography Editor Thomas Iacobucci

Operations Staff

Marketing Manager Brianna Rodriguez Adviser Rob Hooker

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

Because of high production costs, members of the USFSP community are permitted one copy per issue.

Where available, additional copies may be purchased for 10 cents each by contacting the newspaper’s editor-inchief 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.

you as to what constitutes a marriage. And I pray God’s mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude that thinks we have the audacity to redefine what marriage is all about.”

Shortly after these public comments, it was revealed that Chick-fil-A had been donating millions of dollars to antiLGBT organizations through their “charitable” WinShape Foundation since 2003. These organizations include but are not limited to: • The Fellowship of Christian Athletes, which prohibits its employees from engaging in “homosexual acts;” • The Salvation Army, which has a long list of infamous qualms against the LGBT community, including stating publicly: “Scripture opposes homosexual practices by direct comment and also by clearly implied disapproval. The Bible treats such practices as self-evidently abnormal ...

Attempts to establish or promote such relationships as viable alternatives to heterosexually-based family life do not conform to God’s will for society;” • The Family Research Council, which is classified

as an “anti-gay hate group” by the Southern Poverty Law Center; • Exodus International, which was an organization devoted to harmful “conversion therapy.”

These are just a few examples of where your money goes when you buy that average chicken sandwich and subpar lemonade. Your dollars actively fund bigotry, hatred and death.

Chick-fil-A announced late last year that it would stop funding The Salvation Army and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in 2020. But the same claim was made when Cathy first made his bigoted comments and the corporation’s donations came to light in 2012.

This, however, was quickly uncovered to be a lie, as ChickFil-A still continued to donate to anti-LGBT causes and organizations. So, how are we supposed to trust it now?

Even if Chick-fil-A did truly stop all of its bigoted antics, that still does not make up for all of the damage that it has already caused.

Editor’s note: This letter was shortened for print. To read the full version, visit crowsneststpete.com.

Satire: Punxsutawney Phil visit St. Petersburg

Managing Editor Dylan Hart Online Editor Katlynn Mullins News Editor James Bennett III Arts & Life Editor Carrie Pinkard Op-Ed & Feature Editor Jonah Hinebaugh Staff Reporter Savannah Carr

Design Staff

concerns and received this response: “I’m sorry that you feel this way and thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. We want to make sure that you and everyone else knows that we are a group of diverse students from various backgrounds including the LGBTQ community. We are accepting and love all the wonderfully diverse people that make up our university.”

Ouch.

The ambassadors might have meant well with this message, but this comes off as nothing more than an empty platitude with no action or change to back it up.

I urge the ambassadors and every other organization at USF to commit to severing ties with Chick-fil-A. It is not enough to just “not be racist, sexist or homophobic” — we have to actively be anti-racist, antisexist and anti-homophobic, denouncing any form of bigotry at all times.

Chick-fil-A’s bigotry first came into the public eye in 2012, when the corporation’s Chief Executive Officer Dan Cathy said, “We’re inviting God’s judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at him and say we know better than

By Carrie Pinkard Digital journalism and design graduate student clarice2@mail.usf.edu

I

never even wanted to be a meteorologist.

I wanted to be an Olympic figure skater, but my dad said, “You are Punxsutawney Phil the 34238083rd and you will NOT let this family down.” So off to weather school I went.

I studied shadow puppets, sundials, and seasonal depression. And for what?

Humans to respect my expert opinion one day a year?

This year is worse than any I’ve had in Philadelphia.

This year, the Groundhog Day ceremony is being held at the university who won the raffle in St. Petersburg, Florida.

A man named Martin Tadlock has locked me in a crate and given me a bowl of blue Gatorade to drink. Everyone is wearing “flip-flops.” I didn’t even know humans grew hair on their toes. It’s revolting.

I’ve been waiting all morning because Tadlock

kept muttering things like, “not enough press yet,” and “suck it, Tampa.”

He left me in a sunny patch near the Peter Rudy Wallace building, saying that the university already has a rodent problem, so no one should notice one more.

I’m sweating profusely and the humidity is really messing with my fur.

My cousin, the gopher from “Caddyshack,” was never treated this badly.

Finally, a group of aggressively smiley students in green jackets comes to greet me. I quickly gather that they are called “ambassadors” because they slip that word into every conversation.

One of the girls sticks her finger in my cage and I promptly bite it off. Note to self: Floridians taste like Publix subs and swamp water.

An osprey flies over with a message scribbled on a scroll in its beak and lands on the girl’s shoulder. She grabs the message from the beak and shrieks, “It’s from Tadlock, he says it’s time!”

The six ambassadors hoist my crate up over their heads and begin to carry me across campus, stepping over alligators and narrowly avoiding an oncoming trolley. I wash down the taste of the finger with more blue Gatorade.

As we get closer, I see thousands of students are circled around a statue of a bull. They’re dressed in unseemly shorts, tank tops

MK BRITTAIN | THE CROW’S NEST

Every year Groundhog Day takes place in Punxsutawney, Philadelphia, but what would happen if the ceremony was held right here at USF St. Petersburg?

and backward baseball caps.

I can’t help but wonder: Do these people even know what winter is?

The crowd of nerds — who obviously have no Super Bowl parties to attend — begins cheering as they see me approach.

Finally, we arrive, and Tadlock takes my cage and fist bumps each ambassador before they bow and disappear into the crowd.

“For today and today only, Punxsutawney Phil becomes Petersburg Phil!” he exclaims while hoisting me above his head like Simba.

I smile dutifully for the press, my teeth stained blue from the Gatorade. I wonder how much longer I’ll even have a job before PETA

replaces me with an A.I. groundhog. No one’s job is safe from automation.

After the media gets their photo-op, Tadlock puts me on the ground and it’s time to make my prediction.

I climb to the top of the bull’s head and pause, channeling my inner Tonya Harding. Suddenly I leap off the head, do a flawless triple helix spin and land gracefully on my feet.

I look up into the crowd and deliver my verdict, in perfect English.

“I’ll give you a winter prediction: It’s gonna be hot, it’s gonna be humid and it’s gonna last you for the rest of your life.”

And the Florida crowd goes wild.

7 February 3, 2020

THE C ROW ’S NE ST

Campus Movie Fest returns

By Savannah Carr savannahc4@mail.usf.edu

T

he fifth annual Campus Movie Fest will return to USF St. Petersburg with a launch at noon on Wednesday in The Reef.

Campus Movie Fest is a film festival that gives college students the opportunity to shoot and produce a five-minute short movie over a week’s period at no cost.

No film experience is needed; the only requirement is that applicants be USF students.

According to a press release, each team of students will be given professional equipment, including cameras, sound equipment, and a laptop with editing software, along with training. Supplies are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

After production ends on Feb. 11, the top 16 movies chosen by judges will be shown at the premiere on Feb. 17 at 7:30 p.m. in the University Student Center ballrooms.

The top four films chosen by a panel of judges during the screening will be awarded the Jury Award and move on to the national competition, “CMF Terminus: Conference

+ Film Festival” in Hollywood, California.

Jury Award winners will also have the opportunity to apply for the CMF Cannes program in France, where they can network with industry professionals and other creative minds.

Silver tripod trophies will also be awarded to winners in specific categories, including directing, editing and performance. Students can also compete in special categories, such as The Walt Disney Company’s Women in Film category, Elfenworks Foundation’s Hope in Social Justice category and Ideas United’s Pitch This category.

When Student Government leaders initially proposed the 20192020 student fee budget, the $10,000 allocation for CMF had been eliminated.

After SG faced backlash for not taking “as much of a reduction as everyone else,” thenStudent Body President Daniel “Kaeden” Kelso restored CMF’s funding and allocated an additional $722 for the festival. The additional funding came from an account used to take students to USF football games in Tampa.

W h at to do t his we e k : Feb. 3 -9

By Brianna Rodriguez blrodriguez@mail.usf.edu MONDAY Play the real-life version of “Clue” at the Harborside Activities Board Murder Mystery event in USC Ballroom 3 from 9 to 11 p.m.

Have a dinner party with free food while solving the mystery and finding the killer.

TUESDAY Spend your night fantasizing about skipping class and watching Ferris Bueller’s Day Off at Caddy’s On The Beach, 9000 Gulf Blvd., Treasure Island, from 7 to 10 p.m.

This is a free event.

Instead of lounging around, take part in the Get Fit St. Pete cardio tennis. Enjoy a free workout from 6 to 7 p.m. at Lake Vista Park, 1401 62nd Ave. S. WEDNESDAY Create a love note for your significant other… or yourself. Stop at the Compass Office between 4 and 5 p.m. to create your free craft.

Dress in your semiformal attire and attend a night of fashion at the Culture and Couture event in the USC Ballrooms from 6 to 10 p.m. This inclusive

event will be open to the community and will host local vendors.

THURSDAY Go downtown and take advantage of local college night discounts.

Enjoy specials at Crafty Squirrel, 259 Central Ave., with a 15-percent student discount.

Pour Taproom, 259 Central Ave. gives 50 percent off on bar tabs from 7 to 11 p.m.

FRIDAY Enjoy a free Chipotlecatered lunch and talk with the Dean of Students Jacob Diaz from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the USC Palm

Room. The event is open to all students and aims to illimate discrimination by providing a welcoming, inclusive environment.

SATURDAY Check out local artists and musicians at the Guerrilla Art Market. There will be live demos and local art for sale located at the St. Pete Side Lot next to Three Daughters Brewing, 222 22nd St. S from 5 to 10 p.m.

Flaunt your hippie vibes and visit the boho night market at Bula Kafe Kava Bar and Coffee House, 2500

Fifth Ave. N. Enjoy local entertainment while munching on food from Boardwalk Vibes Food Truck and checking out handmade jewelry.

SUNDAY Enjoy a girl’s day out and celebrate Galentine’s Day from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at Blush Tea and Coffee St. Pete, 2382 Dr. M.L.K. Jr. St. N. Curious Cat Bakery will provide guests with five different tea and dessert pairings to enjoy. The event is $35 and includes the pairings.Tickets can be purchased at https:// bit.ly/2UfLEPS.

8 February 3, 2020

THE C ROW ’S NE ST

Gulfport library celebrates LGBTQ+ authors

Story and photo by Gabby Dacosta Contributor

F

rom words of growth and love to representation and opportunity, lesbian romance and erotica flourished at the Gulfport ReadOut on Jan. 31.

Gulfport Library hosted the three-day celebration for lesbian literature this weekend with author readings, vendors and special guests for the third year, welcoming anyone interested.

“It’s so nice to see people who are a bit isolated come here and not feel isolated anymore,” said Karen Kelly.

The 65-year-old, visiting the event for the second year in a row, said she attended because it helps build community. She enjoyed seeing the familiar faces she met the year before.

With a panel of six published authors reading from their books, Kelly said future authors and writers can be encouraged by their success.

Alison Solomon, who hosted the celebration, also said that it benefitted the guests as well as the authors.

The library is one of only a few in Florida that offers an LGBTQ+ resource center, which earned it national recognition last year when it received the National Medal for Museum and Library Service. Solomon said she hopes it helps the community

Authors read from their published works about lesbian love in Gulfport Library, the only library in Florida that has an LGBTQ+ resource center. learn more about lesbian literature as well as providing LGBTQ+ representation.

“We want everyone to hear this stuff, but primarily it’s for folks who just want to hear stuff written by women like them,” she said.

A seven-hour drive

didn’t stop Riley Scott from partaking in ReadOut. She did a reading from her book, “Backstage Pass,” about sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll as well as personal growth, acceptance and love.

“To be here in a room where everyone is celebrating who we

are and celebrating literature is really empowering,” said Scott.

Coming from a small, conservative town, she said that she went through conversion therapy and felt very constricted.

Being in a room full of people who support and accept her felt “great,” she said.

While some authors read graphic moments from their books, others recited the sweet first moments in which the two main characters of their book met.

“The worst part of writing for me is writing the erotic part,” said author Erin Zak. “But it is my favorite part to read.”

She read from her fourth published book, “Beautiful Accidents,” about an improv actor trying to make it on “Saturday Night Live.”

Attending the event for the third year in a row, Zak recognized the many authors who came before her and made it possible for her to be where she is now, including Harper Lee. Other authors who attended included Becky Harmon, Lynn Carr, Tina Michele and Ellen Levy.

From the difference between romance and erotica to the development process of characters, audience members were able to ask the authors questions and share their own perspectives.

Solomon closed the Friday event by inviting guests to return the next two days for more author panels and writing workshops.

Coffee catharsis: Exhibit on love opens at Kahwa

Story and photos by Decker Lavely Contributor hose looking for love before Valentine’s Day can find it hanging on the walls of Kahwa Coffee South.

As part of the “Love, Love, Love” art exhibit, colorful pieces of nature, people and abstract works decorate the coffee shop.

The exhibit opened Feb. 1 at 204 Second Ave. S, featuring artists from Creative Clay, a nonprofit for artists with disabilities.

It explores the versatility of love while highlighting its many representations through art. Love isn’t always about romance or heartbreak. It can be found through subjects such as wildlife, like in one of the exhibit’s paintings titled “The Manatee.”

“When you look around, the one thread that seems to be common is that there is a brightness and vitality to it, but if you really look, they are all very unique,” said Kim Dorhman, CEO of Creative Clay. “You can tell the style of each person, and we are supportive of each artist finding their own authentic voice.”

The sounds of a live acoustic guitar filled the space during the exhibit’s opening night while visitors roamed and studied the artwork.

“Love, Love, Love”

T

showcases 20 pieces from multiple Creative Clay artists, curated by Jody Bikoff, the director of exhibitions.

Curating the pieces required selecting works that related to the exhibit’s theme of love, but also a focus on color, style and technique, Bikoff said.

On the far left wall, two paintings created by artist Shasta Gordon, 44, are displayed side by side.

Gordon, a former operations specialist for the United States Navy, said she knew she wanted to paint a piece with angels as the focus when she created “The 2 Angels.”

“There is always a guardian angel over you, wherever you go,” Gordon said.

The inspiration for her other showcased painting “The Couple,” came to her while flipping through a magazine.

Gordon said her message behind “The Couple” is that “if you love someone, be with that person.”

These paintings of love will welcome visitors at Kahwa Coffee South through Feb. 28, and the and artwork is for sale at various price points.

The exhibit is available during regular Kahwa Coffee South business hours. It’s open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.

Two paintings from the “Love, Love, Love” exhibit created by Creative Clay artist, Shasta Gordon: “The Couple” and “The 2 Angels.”

The “Love, Love, Love” exhibit highlights different styles and techniques of Creative Clay artists.