The student newspaper at Florida Gulf Coast University since 1997
AGLE NEWS Wednesday, January 7, 2014
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Volume 13, Issue 18 @fgcueaglenews
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Shoo flu! Students prepare for season of sickness EN Illustration/Emily Ford By Rebecca VanEtten @fgcueaglenews With the sun and heat of Southwest Florida, it’s hard to fathom getting the flu even if it is winter. However, as senior Kalhan Rosenblatt knows, the flu can creep up when it is least expected. “I was out to dinner, and I couldn’t keep my head up anymore,” Rosenblatt said. “Usually when I get sick I feel it in my sinuses or I have a sore throat and I can kind of tell something is coming. But this just hit me like a truck.” Rosenblatt has had the flu at least three times and although the idea of getting a flu shot always crosses her mind, she has never followed through with it. Dr. Larry Hobbs from Urgent Care Centers of Southwest Florida said the two best ways to prevent catching the flu are to wash your hands and to get a flu shot. “Unless you have an allergy to eggs, everyone should get a yearly flu shot,” Dr. Hobbs said. According to the Centers for Diseases Control, some flu vaccinations contain eggs. If a person has a severe allergic reaction to eggs, they need to take care in obtaining the correct type of flu vaccine. According to the CDC and Prevention website, flu symptoms usually include fever, cough, sore throat, runny
or stuffy nose, body aches, headaches and tiredness. There have been articles stating that this year’s flu strain has been worse than previous years. In Jodie Tillman’s article for the Tampa Bay Times, “Flu biting Florida hard,” she wrote that the H3N2 virus, this year’s dominant flu strain, mutated after this season’s flu vaccine was created. Therefore, the vaccine doesn’t work as well in preventing it. The CDC declared an influenza epidemic much sooner than usual for the flu season, according to Margot SangerKatz’s “This Year’s Flu Is Outpacing Those From Recent Years” article in The New York Times. The article also stated that 22 states and Puerto Rico have reported high flu intensity this year. But Dr. Hobbs’ experience with the flu this year in Southwest Florida proves differently. “It varies every year as viruses rapidly mutate,” Dr. Hobbs said. “To date, this year’s flu strain seen in Southwest Florida has not been any more dangerous than in previous years. There have been occasional infections of a strain that the current flu shot did not cover, but they have been rare.” The CDC also reported that flu activity peaks between December and February. When Rosenblatt got the flu, she
had to take off school for three days and was fighting the virus for about five to six days. “The worst part is getting thrown out of your usual schedule … It is not only the week you are out, but it is also the week you spend getting caught up,” Rosenblatt said. The amount of time spent on catching up can relate back to cooperation from teachers. Rosenblatt said some teachers were understanding of her absence as long as she provided a doctor’s note. However, other teachers weren’t as understanding. Christine Wright-Isak, assistant professor of marketing at FGCU, hopes that if a student is sick with the flu, he or she will stay home. “I thank them for not spreading germs and let them make up the work they miss,” Wright-Isak said. “No one is helped — me, the sick student, or the other students in the class who will end up sick a week later — by insisting they either lose credit or drag themselves into class.” With classes starting up again and about two more
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Good housekeeping: FGCU prepares for new degrees, BOT cleans out old programs By Nina Barbero News editor @EN_Barbero In an age when STEM degrees are a hot topic and a factor in the funding of Florida public universities, Florida Gulf Coast University is keeping its degree offerings balanced. At a November board of trustees meeting, which 36 suspended degree programs were in discussions to be discontinued, several trustees expressed concerns that FGCU was eliminating degree programs without offering new programs. “At the same time we are growing and eliminating programs, we need to be looking at the community to see which programs we need to be adding,” trustee Russell Priddy said. The BOT discussed review of academic degree programs in relation to the strategic plan of the Florida Board of Governors. The BOG strategic plan involves monitoring university academic planning, and reads “university goals are being set to increase the numbers of graduates with degrees in STEM fields.” Trustee Robbie Roepstorff spoke about the responsibility that trustees have to the students of FGCU to
food pantries
FGCU men’s basketball has a shaky series of games over break
Trustees discontinue suspended programs
As students and professors prepared for finals this past December, the BOT took care of a little housekeeping. The board voted unanimously to discontinue 36 out of 39 degree programs that were previously suspended and had not been accepting new students. Provost Ronald Toll said that this discontinuance will have no affect on current program offerings because the
>> Continued on A4
Back to the grind:
E&L assistant Klaudia Balogh gives tips to set goals for the semester
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OPINION
WINK News hosts seventh annual event
A long December:
Hospital. “This degree has been asked for by the community, asked for by students, faculty, everybody,” she said. At the same time, Dean Richard Behr of the College of Engineering is working to propose a master’s degree in engineering. Behr said he does not think proposals for STEM degrees have a better chance of passing than proposals for non-STEM degrees. “I think any new program proposal has to survive the same justification process,” Behr said. “STEM is getting a lot of attention these days, I think for good reason, but this University is taking a very balanced approach to launching new degrees.”
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E& L
Hunger Walk:
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SPORTS
NEWS
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provide programs that students need. “I really think we need to move from the board of governors. We need to look at it up one side and down the other and see how it affects students,” Roepstorff said. “Students come first and foremost, and we need to stand behind that to the board of governors.” With a push for more STEM programs and Areas of Strategic Emphasis – which include health and education programs – students may be afraid of humanities programs becoming neglected. That is not the case, according to Cathy Albergo, director of Bower School of Music and the Arts. “I’m not having problems with that,” Albergo said. Roepstorff “We can’t offer every degree that students want, but we are constantly in contact with students, talking about what they’re looking for.” In fact, Albergo is currently working to create a bachelor’s degree in music therapy, which will be funded through the Southwest Florida Children’s Charities
2014 wrap-up:
Opinion editor Kelli Krebs discusses events of the past year
EDITOR: NINA BARBERO NEWS@EAGLENEWS.ORG
A2 NEWS EAGLE NEWS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7 The official student produced newspaper at Florida Gulf Coast University since 1997.
SERVICE LEARNING
SAVE THE DATE
AGLE NEWS Editor-in-Chief Justin Kane
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productionmanager@eaglenews.org Entertainment and Lifestyle Editor Aubrie Gerber
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Events
Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center is looking for students to assist with our 4th Grade Estuary Explorers program. Learn and teach about water quality, plankton, oysters as well as explore our trails and learning center. Many dates available weekdays from 9-1 through April. Contact Volunteer Coordinator, Donna Young at volunteer@ rookerybay.org or call 239-530-5974. www.rookerybay.org. WGCU (on campus) presents family literacy workshops at 14 area Title I schools. The station provides single-page handouts to parents who attend the workshops. Currently, all handouts are printed in English and WGCU seeks to provide Spanish versions. This project requires a student who is fluent in Spanish and can translate in writing from English to Spanish. For more details please contact Paula Sklodowski at 239-5902510 or email psklodow@wgcu.org.
Klaudia Balogh
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Photo and Media Editor Kelli Krebs photography@eaglenews.org Sports Editor Jill Himmelfarb
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Eagle News McTarnaghan Hall 217 10030 FGCU Blvd. S Fort Myers, Fla. 33967 MISSION STATEMENT: Eagle News, the student media group at Florida Gulf Coast University, represents the diverse voices on campus with fairness. We select content for our publication and our website that is relevant to the student body, faculty and staff. Members are committed to reporting with accuracy and truth. Our purpose is to encourage conversations about issues that concern the on-campus community. Eagle News views every culture with equal respect and believes every person must be treated with dignity.
ABOUT US: Eagle News, founded in 1997, is the student newspaper at Florida Gulf Coast University. The newspaper is the only student produced publication on campus and is entirely student run. Eagle News is published weekly during the fall and spring semesters and monthly in the summer, with the exception of holiday breaks and examination periods. The print edition is free to students and can be found on campus and in the community at Gulf Coast Town Center, Germain Arena and Miromar Outlets.
Colloquium Florida DEP is looking for volunteers to help build a new oyster reef for the Peace River in Punta Gorda. Kate Aug, Florida DEP Community Outreach Coordinator, is looking for individuals & groups. You must be able to lift 30 lbs. to make oyster bags. Most bagging events are scheduled Tuesdays and Wednesdays 8:30 am to 10:30 am or so. Some Saturday dates are available. Please contact Kate by phone or email. Katherine. Aug@dep.state.fl.us or call: (941)-5755861 Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center is looking for students to assist on Saturdays in our visitor’s center and our Nature Store. Also, groups wanted to help with trail maintenance. Contact Volunteer Coordinator, Donna Young at volunteer@rookerybay.org or call 239-5305974. www.rookerybay.org. Charlotte Harbor Preserve is partnering with The Nature Conservancy to launch an oyster reef restoration project adjacent to the City of Punta Gorda’s Trabue Harborwalk. Volunteers are needed to: prepare mat material, make oyster mats and fill bags with shells, and deploy the materials in the water. If you are interested in participating, please contact Katherine Aug at (941) 575-5861 ext. 117 or via email Katherine.Aug@dep.state. fl.us. FGCU Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park in Naples is accepting additional student volunteers to assist with our beach survey and beach counts which take place 7 days a week. Contact Michael Odom at michael.odom@dep. state.fl.us or call 239-597-6196. Barefoot Beach is looking for volunteers to come out and help with removal of invasive species. Interested students should contact Jan at jjbchrch@comcast.net. ECHO (Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization) Help out with agricultural development. Fill out a volunteer application at www.echonet.org. For questions, contact Ruth at rmay@echonet.org. Koreshan State Park Historic Site is ALWAYS looking for students to help around the park! If you are interested in partnering with Koreshan, please email Mike Heare at michale.heare@ dep.state.fl.us. Naples Botanical Garden Horticulture gardening starts at 8:00 am Monday thru Friday and includes weeding, potting, moving plants, digging, raking, sweeping, clearing debris, etc. Wear closed toe shoes. No shorts or tank tops. Bring water. Wear sunscreen. Bring work gloves if you have them. Looking especially
for groups of students on Fridays. No last minute requests. Give 4-5 day lead time. If you commit, then can’t make it, give notice. Be on time. Email Sally Richardson at srichardson@naplesgarden.org.
Committee & Long Term Opportunities Boys & Girls Club Naples is looking for students to become part of the Immersion Mentoring Program. This program is designed to ignite youth interest in science and technology through group mentoring with an emphasis on marine life and environmental sciences. If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact Paul Schultz at pschultz@bgccc.com or (239) 325-1752. Guadalupe Social Services in Immokalee is looking for students to teach English at their Guadalupe English School (formerly Schools on Wheels). This program is to empower women through leaning the English language. Class are help Monday-Friday from 12:30-2:30pm at the social services office. Volunteers are need to assist in the classroom, but also to assist with childcare services provided for the women who attend classes. For more information, please contact Devan Gisoni at devan@catholiccharitiescc. org or (239) 657-6242. Rookery Bay Reserve is looking for Communication and Hospitality Management students to assist their Friends of Rookery Bay Event Planner. You would be attending events with her to secure donors; preparing flyers and other advertisements, as well as assisting during events. Depending on your interest and level of commitment, additional opportunities may be considered. Contact Volunteer Coordinator Donna Young at volunteer@rookerybay.org or 239530-5974. Lee County Homeless Coalition needs assistance with their social media and online presence. There is a three month commitment for 4-5 hours per week. You will help develop strategy, post various information to different media outlets, help with research, and assist Executive Director in creating online updates. If you are interested please contact Janet Bartos at (239) 322-6600 or email her at leehomeless@gmail.com. Collier-Seminole State Park is offering an amazing opportunity for an interested student as Park Promotions Specialist. If you want to gain real world experience doing special event planning, public relations, learning about park operations & more, this could be the opportunity for you. Don’t miss out! Email Darren Flickinger at Darren.Flickinger@dep. state.fl.us or call (239) 394-3397. Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties strives to bring people together to build homes, communities, and hope. They believe there can be a world where everyone has a decent place to live. In order to achieve these goals in 2015 they are looking to place 55 families in new and/or rehabbed homes in Lee and Hendry Counties. If you and a group of friends (sororities, fraternities, student organizations etc.) would love to join Habitat, select a few dates that would work for your group - Tuesday thru Saturday - and once the date is agreed upon you’ll be able to sign up online (directions will be provided). About a week before your selected volunteer day, Habitat will send all registered volunteers information on the build day location. This is a great team building activity, full of fun and laughter while helping out our community. AND no experience is necessary! Contact Paula Schenz at (239)652-1684 or paulas@habitat4humanity.org Do you live in or near North Port, Fl?
Or know a fellow student that does? Woodland Middle School is looking for COMMITTED volunteers to assist math students in grades 6th, 7th, and 8th. This will be during school hours and the time slots are: 9:30-10:35 / 10:38-11:36 / 11:39-12:38 / 12:41-1:40 / 2:16- 3:14 / and 3:17-4:15. In order to have consistency with the kids and teachers, they are looking for either 2 days a week, 3 days a week, or every day at the same time slot for a SEMESTER. If interested please contact Christi Hoffman at Christi. hoffman@sarasotacountyschools.net or call (941) 240-8590. Do you have spare time between 2p.m .and 6p.m.? If so, please help support the “Q” Children at Quality Life Center. Help is needed with reading to children and assisting them with homework and special projects. You can volunteer one day a week or one hour a day! For more information, please contact Angela Pena at apena@qlcswfl.org or stop by the office. YMCA of Lehigh Acres is looking for mentors for their Reach & Rise program. Reach & Rise is a therapeutic mentoring program for youth ages 6-17. Mentor requirements are: desire to work with at risk youth, 23+ years old, pass the YMCA screening process, and have a valid driver’s license and car insurance. Mentors will also be required to complete 15 hours of training and spend 1-3 hours per week with youth mentee for a minimum of one year. For more information, please contact Donna San Salvador at (941) 468-1187 or visit www.swflymca.org/mentor. St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry is in need of volunteers and vehicles this summer! SVDP operates the largest food pantry in SWFL as Harry Chapin’s largest agency. Distribution days are Tuesday and Friday. Volunteers are needed at the Harry Chapin loading dock at 7:30am to help load the food and bring it back to our location. We will then bag the food in preparation for distribution between 9am and 11am. For more information, please contact Patrick Walker at (239) 543-4694. Volunteer Collier has two servicelearning positions that need to be filled! First, they are in need of a graphics-tech person to help upgrade and maintain their website. Second, they need someone to contact each of their listed agencies to make sure their information is up-to-date. The mission of Volunteer Collier is to recruit volunteers for all non-profit agencies in Collier County and to promote the needs of those agencies to the public. For more information, please contact Donald Scott at dscott@volunteercollier.org. FGCU Museum Studies Minor is looking for volunteers for various projects including: research, inventory/accessioning, advertisement, and event programing. Students must be willing to commit to the projects until completion, be willing to learn museum protocols, have a deep interest in artwork/art history, and have the ability to work independently. For more information, please contact Professor Creagan at fcreagan@fgcu. edu or (239) 590-7426. Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties is gearing up for a busy fall, winter and spring. There are families waiting for homes, and we need to get busy building them! In order to accomplish all that we need to do, individuals, groups and/ or organizations are needed to help us out. We are scheduling groups/organizations for the upcoming season. Pick your volunteer date (or dates) and contact us today. Individuals can sign up online and select the day that works best for your schedule. You can volunteer Tuesday thru Saturday. If you have any questions about scheduling a group or would like to set your group date – just contact volcoor@habitat4humanity.org or 239-652-1684 and we will get you set up! Don’t delay – sign up for a volunteer day!
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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7 EAGLE NEWS NEWS A3
Many students try to avoid ordering books through the campus bookstore because of the high prices, but some FGCU courses have university-specific books that are difficult to find from other sources.
EN Photo/Joe Albano
Beyond the bookstore: The quest for cheaper textbooks By Madison Hampton Assistant media editor @Hamantha5 Every semester students fight lines at the bookstore and give their arm — and often a leg if you’re a STEM major — for their textbooks. The College Board estimates that the average student spends around $1,200 a year on books and supplies. A single book can cost as much as $200. Many students can relate to having a class that requires an expensive textbook but a professor who never actually uses it. With a new semester beginning, students are looking once again to get their textbooks without losing a few limbs over it. Students have Facebook pages where they pawn off their books to each other, but is this really the best place to get your books? Not only do you have to hope other students are selling the specific books and editions that you need, you also need to compete with other students for them. Some students illegally download or torrent their books, but then you are faced with the legality of it, along with hoping the book is actually available online. So now students are left with the options of buying or renting the books from a store. Begin by looking to rent. Rental prices are generally one third to half of a book’s list price, which might be appealing unless the book is one you
want to keep for reference. Amazon, the school bookstore and hundreds of websites will rent out books to students for just the duration of the semester and can save them hundreds of dollars. A lot of renters will even let you write and highlight in the book. Just be sure to take care of these books, otherwise students will end up paying for them. If you’re looking to buy a book and it isn’t being sold on a local Facebook or Craigslist page, then it’s time to reach out to other sites. Amazon offers a Prime membership to college students, which will save students on shipping and can often get better deals. Be aware that buying textbooks from the school bookstore could include a markup because part of the payment goes to the school. Are students always going to have to go through this each and every semester to attain their books? According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, in 2011, seven in 10 students said they had not purchased a textbook at least once because they had found the price too high. Taylor Nelson, a junior at Florida Gulf Coast University studying community health, said “I have boycotted buying books for classes … I find that I either don’t need them or they are way too expensive. I think books are way too out of the price range for students who are on their own and are expected to pay ridiculously high prices for dorm living, tuition and books.” Nelson isn’t the only one who feels this way, and it isn’t
only FGCU students facing this problem. Felicia Sobieski, a freshman studying communication at the University of Florida agrees with Nelson. “Certain textbooks are way too expensive,” Sobieski said. “I think books are an important aspect of learning, but now they are not as necessary with technology and the Internet. I did not buy my math book this year because it was too expensive and I just shared with my roommate.” There are also FGCU students such as Ashley Waskiewicz, a senior studying criminal justice and legal studies, who make sure to get every book, with the fear of being unprepared. Waskiewicz says she thinks that everything will go digital as more and more professors are using downloadable texts. This semester, make sure to actively shop for your textbooks. Look around for the best prices and weigh the pros and cons of renting or buying. Don’t forget to ask professors if you really need the textbook. Purchasing used textbooks is almost always going to be the cheapest route. Professors, pay attention to the cost of your textbooks. Make textbook choices early and stick to the same edition for multiple years in order to allow your students to buy and sell them from each other. Happy hunting, and may the prices be ever in your favor.
Registration opens for Hunger Walk By Jimena Tavel @fgcueaglenews Food insecurity is defined as the state of, or risk of, being unable to provide food for yourself. Unbelievably, people in the United States experience food insecurity every day. As of 2015, the hunger fight is still not over. Some people living in Southwest Florida, our own neighbors, experience this unfortunate situation. The fight is still not over, which is why it’s time for the WINK News Feeds Families 7th annual Hunger Walk. This walk will benefit our own Florida Gulf Coast University Campus Food Pantry and the Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida. Ever since 1983, when the Harry Chapin Food Bank was opened, this foundation has fought hunger in Southwest Florida. The food comes from growers, community food drives, distributors and retailers. This food is then distributed to partner agencies and through Harry Chapin Food Bank programs to people in need. FGCU Campus Pantry is one of the partner agencies for the HCFB. FGCU Campus Pantry serves the students in need. According to the official HCFB webpage, the partner agencies serve more than 30,000 people monthly, and the HCFB distributed 18.7 million pounds of food in 2013 and 2014. Jo Anna Bradshaw, first lady of FGCU and a volunteer for the FGCU Food Pantry, is one of the leaders of the FGCU Cares team for the hunger EN Photo/Joe Albano WINK News hosts a hunger walk each year to raise money for the FGCU Food Pantry and the Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida.
walk. “I believe everybody should care about people who are experiencing food insecurity, this is a real issue.” Bradshaw said. “Being hungry is not something you can control. You wake up and you’re hungry. Our fellow human beings need us.” Bradshaw explained this cause is extremely important for her. “I am passionate to help those who are in unfortunate situations. This cause is the one I’m most serious about nowadays,” Bradshaw said. The walk will take place in Miromar Outlets on Jan. 17. Anybody who is interested in participating can register at http:// harrychapinfb.dojiggy.com/2015fgcucares. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and the walk will start at 9:30 am. Bradshaw encourages everybody to go to the hunger walk. “This walk is about getting people together — not only FGCU faculty, staff and students, but also their friends and family and other volunteers — to fight hunger,” Bradshaw said. “It’s roughly two miles. It’s not a competitive walk. It’s more about raising money than competing,” Bradshaw said. Bradshaw stated this walk is the Harry Chapin Food Bank’s main fundraising event. “Supporting this cause is worthy and necessary.” Bradshaw said.
A4 NEWS EAGLE NEWS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7
EDITOR: NINA BARBERO NEWS@EAGLENEWS.ORG
Forgive me, Registrar, for I have failed
By Jessica Souza @Jessica_E_Souza
immediately. We quite frequently have seniors who will wait it out to make sure there aren’t any better opportunities and they’ll turn them in right before they graduate so they know which ones were the best-case When a student doesn’t pass a class at Florida scenarios. Students should look for classes where Gulf Coast University, they can redeem themselves by they had the biggest gap between their original and asking for forgiveness: grade forgiveness, that is. repeat grades. Pulling F’s out of your GPA can be very Grade forgiveness is a process at FGCU where significant for a student.” a student can have an insufficient grade replaced While there is no specific major track that has in their GPA after retaking the course. Any grade the most grade forgiveness forms turned in, the most that is a C- or lower is eligible to be forgiven as long common classes that students grade forgive tend to be as the original and repeated course were both taken science or math classes. at FGCU. Courses taken prior to Fall 2000 are not “There are certain classes that we have at FGCU eligible because the Grade Forgiveness policy had that have higher drop, withdrawal and fail rates,” not been established yet. Students can only grade Bacigalupi said. “For example, a biology class where forgive two separate courses during their entire students are more prone to not do well, especially undergraduate career at FGCU. since it is taken within a student’s first or second In order to grade forgive a class, students must semester. College algebra and chemistry are also ones fill out a Grade Forgiveness application form that is that we see the most frequently. But sometimes we available at all academic advising offices. After filling get students where psychology didn’t go very well, or out the form, students must receive an adviser’s composition, or even an elective coures. There’s not signature and then bring the form to the Office of the necessarily a specific program that has more grade Registrar for processing at the end of the semester. forgiveness forms submitted, but definitely DWF As long as a student meets the above criteria, courses where students are more prone, especially in which is also listed on the Grade Forgiveness Form, EN Photo/Joe Albano their first semester as freshmen, to not do as well. It’s his or her form will be signed by his or her academic Students who receive a C- or lower in a class and will retake that class at FGCU can request grade typically math and science because the intensity is so adviser. much higher than students are used to in high school. Allison Bacigalupi, director of undergraduate forgiveness, so the failing grade does not affect their GPA. They aren’t used to needing tutoring or assistance studies advising, said, “It’s really rare that we would ramifications. As long as you submit your form prior to the see someone who doesn’t meet the criteria. Instances deadline in your final semester before graduation, and you all the time, so that’s a transition too. And we try to expose students to those resources as much as we can early on so include if a student tries to have more than two courses meet the criteria, it can be processed.” grade forgiven, or if a course was taken before fall of 2000. The only deadline on a grade forgiveness form is the day that they get the help that they need to be successful.” The best advice, according to Bacigalupi, is to speak Also, the repeat grade has to be higher than the original indicated in the Academic Calendar for a student’s term of grade. Sometimes students will turn in the form a little graduation. Because of this, Bacigalupi advises students to with your academic adviser. “Talk to your academic adviser early and they’ll end up getting a D the first time and a make sure that the gap in their grade is big enough to make about what your best situation is, and determine a strategy, not only for grade forgiveness if you need to use it, but D the second time or worse. The biggest advice I give to a difference. students is to turn the form in at the point in which you are “If you’re going from a D to a C, sure you can grade for getting assistance and getting connected to campus confident in the grade you are going to get. If you are going forgive the course, but is that best for you to do right now?” resources.” into your math final and you’ve got a C, but coming out of Bacigalupi said. “Just because you immediately repeat that math final you could not have a C, that could have huge the course does not mean you have to turn in your form
Police Beat 12/16/2014 9:18 p.m. A student was stopped outside of building L in North Lake Village and issued a verbal warning for an open container. The individual was 21 and holding a beer in her hand, and was asked to pour it out. 12/19/2014 7 a.m. UPD arrived at Griffin Hall to find a Christmas tree vandalized and ornaments strewn across the floor. The top of the tree was missing and the ornaments were broken, but no suspects were located. 12/19/2014 8:40 a.m. UPD received a complaint that someone had done donuts behind the baseball fields sometime during that night. No suspects were found.
12/21/2014 8:15 p.m. An individual reported being robbed by the stairwell of Sandpiper in North Lake Village. The suspect told the victim that he needed help with his car, then continued to state that he had a knife and then robbed the victim. After multiple canvasses of the area, no suspect was found or identified.
reportedly broken by her phone flying out of his hand.
12/28/2014 1:12 a.m. A UPD officer injured himself on a Segway and EMS was called. The officer was examined and suffered an injured knee, scraped elbows and hands and a swollen lip. A workplace hazard investigation report was completed.
01/02/2015 4:30 p.m. A parent attending a Saturday orientation tripped on a crack in front of Griffin Hall and reported it to the Registrar’s Office. UPD placed a cone over the hole and it will be repaired next week.
12/29/2014 Midnight A student in North Lake Village called to report a broken window a little after midnight. The student said that her boyfriend was “playing around” and the window was
01/03/2015 1 a.m. Early Saturday morning, the Biscayne Hall elevator broke with students inside of it. UPD contacted San Carlos Fire to retrieve the students.
>>Program offerings continued programs had already been suspended — some from as early as 2000. “No student or faculty member here were affected in anyway by the movement to discontinuance,” Toll said. Most programs were discontinued because they had already been replaced with a higher degree level of the same subject, had been expanded into several more specific programs or had been renamed. For example, Dean Jane McHaney of the College of Education recommended at a November BOT meeting that the bachelor of science degree in education be discontinued because FGCU students prefer to go for a doctorate in education instead. “The way the public school system is structured with their pay scale, they do not necessarily receive a pay increase with the Ed.S., whereas they do with the Ed.D.,” McHaney said. “Absolutely do not bring it back.” The bachelor of arts degree in music was removed because it had been developed into two separate degree programs for music education and music performance. The computer science B.S. was renamed to software engineering. Thirty-three other programs were removed because of similar reasons. Three programs — the M.A. in environmental studies, nurse educator M.S.N. and primary healthcare nurse practitioner M.S.N. — were left on the suspended list so that the curriculum can be changed before students are enrolled in the program, and then the revamped programs can be offered in the future. The difference between a suspended program and a discontinued program is that suspended programs can be brought back by the administration, but once a program is discontinued, the BOT must vote to have it put back in the university catalog.
>>Flu season continued months of flu season left, the recommended prevention is to get a flu shot. FGCU students can make an appointment with Prevention and Wellness to get the flu shot for $15. According to Kevin J. Collins, Director of Health Services, 552 students have gotten his or her flu shot at Prevention and Wellness this season. Collins said that college students generally have a lower vaccination rate than the rest of the population. At the beginning of the season, 800 flu shots were purchased by Student Health Services. Prevention and Wellness has about 250 flu shots left to administer. Once the remaining 250 are issued, Prevention and Wellness will not have any more. After Rosenblatt’s experience with the flu, she advises everyone to get the flu shot even if your schedule seems too busy. “I drive past Walgreens and I think ‘I should do that’ and then I get distracted with 6 million things I have to do,” Rosenblatt said. “But, go get a flu shot. Don’t follow my lead. It is definitely not the way to go.”
12/30/2014 4:30 p.m. A student in South Village called to report her car had been hit. When UPD arrived, it was discovered the car was not hit, but had dry wax on it from being waxed and detailed earlier that day.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7 EAGLE NEWS NEWS A5
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ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE Be smart and prepare for the semester
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Klaudia Balogh @KlaudiaBaloghPR Assistant E&L editor
It might feel like just yesterday that you walked out of your last final of fall. However, here we are in the middle of first week of spring semester. For some of us, our minds might still be circling around those extra hours we got to sleep in and all the free time we got to play with. This week should not be so stressful just yet, but it`s time to set your mind on the next 16 weeks to come. Here are a few tips that can point you in the right direction and help you start out this semester strong.
1
3
Set both short and long-term realistic goals — Think of the things you would like to achieve during the semester. Consider that some of your goals might only affect a particular class, while others will affect your life after the semester ends. So your short-term
Organize your classes — This first week is your last chance to figure out your class schedule. When you have that all done, check for exams and major paper dates, so you will know what to expect. You can place the dates on a phone calendar or planner to make sure you never miss a deadline.
goals will be the foundation of reaching your long-term ones.
Tips for a successful semester
2 Plan ahead — Pick a day of the week when you will plan out your responsibilities for the next seven days. Make plans for school, work, when you eat and when you exercise. Balancing out the major events of your day will help you stay organized instead of rushing to get them done.
4 Get involved — There are endless opportunities on campus. Take advantage of that. Of course, if you are already involved in clubs and organizations, then keep it up. Classes are great to figure out what you want to do in your future; however, getting involved in a club of your interest can boost that and give you a firsthand experience. Needless to say, you will meet students who share the same interests and become part of a community within FGCU.
EN photo/ Aubrie Gerber
Four trip-planning tips for students
Making travel arrangements months in advance is worth your while By Aubrie Gerber @AubrieGerber E&L editor
With the start of classes, most students are focused on learning their professor’s name, becoming acclimated with group-project partners and figuring out their new work schedule. And while all of these things are necessary, planning your next trip should be as well. Yes, you’re reading that correctly. You just ended a (hopefully) glorious three-week vacation, and I’m advising you to start planning your next adventure right now. Here are four tips to make planning a trip in advance worth
your while. 1. Scatter the spending, don’t bundle. When you purchase flights, hotels and activities in advance, you’re able to gradually pay for things. College students are notorious for not spending their money wisely; waiting to book everything until the month of a trip will leave you with an empty bank account and a potentially lackluster trip. By looking up deals and booking months in advance, students are able to pay for their trip and save for shopping and dining money. Which brings me to my next tip… 2. Stash the cash! Don’t spend the extra cash found in your wallet on a
Starbucks coffee or Culver’s sundae. Rather, store it in a personal envelope (I label mine “Travel splurges”). You’ll be surprised how much it adds up. By keeping a little extra cash out of your bank account and in an envelope, you won’t notice the extra spending money and be tempted to spend it. When it’s time to leave for your trip, deposit the money into your account for some additional vacation splurges. The saying is true; travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer. 3. Research religiously. The best way to compare prices is to do your own research. Yes, flight search engines such as Expedia are great for comparing,
but they also don’t show every airline. Be wise and search multiple outlets throughout the week. Prices for hotels and flights change daily (even hourly), so rather than trolling social media, I suggest you frequently search travel sights. (Tip: Purchase flights on Tuesdays or Wednesdays when airlines are known for lowering prices.) 4. Request off now. If you work, make sure to request off once the flight is booked. Doing this way in advance will be a win-win for both you and your boss. The last thing you want is a canceled trip or to find out you’re fired when you return.
EDITOR: AUBRIE GERBER ENTERTAINMENT@EAGLENEWS.ORG
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7 EAGLE NEWS E & L A7
Expires December 31, 2015 Photo provided by Schmidt Relations
Local concert
Keepin’ it country Alan Jackson comes to Germain Jan. 8
By Kelli Krebs @thereal_kkrebs Opinion editor
On Jan. 8, country superstar Alan Jackson will kick off his 25th anniversary “Keepin’ It Country” Tour at Germain Arena, just miles from Florida Gulf Coast University. Jackson, described by some as a country music legend, is most known for his song “Five O’Clock Somewhere,” the national anthem for beach bars and hotel resorts everywhere. Along side Jackson, Jon Pardi or Brandy Clark will open for Jackson. Break out artist Brandy Clark earned best album of 2013 in any genre for her debut album, “12 Stories.” Jon Pardi, a California native, brings hits such as “What I Can’t Put Down,” and Gold-certified Top 10 tune “Up All Night,” with his debut album, “Write You A Song,” earlier this year 2014. Pardi describes Jackson as one of his
primary musical influences. “For me being on this tour is awesome,” Pardi said, “(Jackson) is one of my heroes. To be able to tour with a living legend — and I mean he’s up there with (George) Strait — it means a lot to me. When I look back at everyone I toured with, I will always remember that I was on the ‘Keepin’ it Country’ anniversary tour with Alan Jackson.” Pardi added that he was looking forward to Dallas and Red Rock, Colorado — but of course was looking forward to kicking off the tour in Florida. “I’m going to go to the beach, man. I am so pale right now,” Pardi said. This will be the second time Jackson’s tour has kicked off in Southwest Florida (Estero). In 2004, Jackson kicked off his Reveal tour in Fort Myers with Martina McBride. The concert will begin at 7 p.m. Jan. 8 at Germain Arena on Jan. 8. Tickets are on sale and range from approximately $23 to $80.
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Eagle News Give-a-way
The FGCU Eagle News staff gave away two tickets to the Alan Jackson show through a contest over the winter break. Contestants submitted their funniest and most awkward Christmas card photos. The staff selected Hailey Hafer, a junior health science major as the winner.
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EDITOR: AUBRIE GERBER ENTERTAINMENT@EAGLENEWS.ORG
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7 EAGLE NEWS E & L A 8
Spring semester movie preview
Photo courtesy of Insurge Pictures/IMDB.com
By Joel Morris @joelelmorris
Jan. 30 “Project Almanac” “Chronicle” meets time travel in this newest entry into the found footage genre. Several teens discover one’s father’s research for DARPA and it takes them into the past, where they fix the mistakes they’ve made in school and have a little fun. However, they realize their trips may be causing larger disasters, so the race begins to undo the damage while not erasing their new lives.
Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures/IMDB. com
Feb. 20 “Hot Tub Time Machine 2” The gang returns, this time going into the future to identify an assassin who manages to shoot one of them (Rob Cordry) in the present. Hijinks ensue.
Photo courtesy of Village Roadshow Pictures/ IMDB.com
Feb. 6
Photo courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation/IMDB.com
Feb. 13
Photo courtesy of Focus Features/IMDB.com
Feb. 13
Photo courtesy of Mayhem Pictures/IMDB.com
Feb. 20
“Jupiter Ascending” The Wachowskis (“The Matrix”) direct Channing Tatum and Mila Kunis in a sci-fi tale about recovering a lost heir to an empire of the stars. Expect gorgeous visuals and heavy Eastern philosophy.
“Kingsman: The Secret Service” A ne’er-do-well ruffian is recruited by a friend of his father’s to be a member of a secret spy organization. The bad guys are Samuel L. Jackson and a chick with swords for feet, so there you go. The original comic was written by Mark Millar (“KickAss,” “Wanted”), and the film is directed by Matthew Vaughn (“X-Men: First Class”), so expect a lot of crazy action, mixed with a lot of humor.
“Fifty Shades of Grey” The book that spawned/ misunderstood a slew of BDSM fetishes is finally coming to the big screen. Christian Grey is a wealthy young playboy who spends his nights performing bondage and domination (as opposed to fighting crime, unfortunately). He enters into an odd relationship with Ana, and together the two explore the kinkier side of sex.
“McFarland, USA” Kevin Costner, having exhausted all other sports, leads yet another athletic drama, this time about high school cross country runners. As the new P.E. teacher in town, he gathers together a group of Hispanic boys who work the fields and turns them into champions. Or maybe they lose, but they’re winners at heart.
Photo courtesy of Alpha Core/IMDB.com
Photo courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures/IMDB. com
Photo courtesy of Nostromo Pictures/IMDB. com
Photo courtesy of Gary Sanchez Productions/ IMDB.com
March 6 “Chappie” When an inventor creates a robot with true artificial intelligence, he encourages it to find its own humanity, all while numerous factions attempt to hunt it down.
March 13 “Cinderella” A pretty straight-forward retelling of the classic Disney version of the story. As opposed to other “darker” fairy-tale movies, this one seems to maintain a lot of the whimsy and optimism of the most famous iteration.
March 20 “The Gunman” Sean Penn and Javier Bardem are directed in this assassin thriller by the director of “Taken.” Penn plays a gun for hire who discovers he’s being used to advance an agenda outside of his ethics. His attempts to expose his employer lead to the kidnapping of his love, and the assassin makes his move to rescue her and kill those responsible for her capture.
March 27 “Get Hard” Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart team up for this comedy about white-collar crime. When Ferrell’s character is sentenced to go to prison, he hires the man who washes his car (Hart) to help him prepare. Hart sees the opportunity and grabs it, actually being a simple, hardworking husband.
Minaj-a-trois: ‘The Pinkprint’ review By Joel Morris @joelelmorris
Nicki Minaj’s third album was released this December, and the divisive pop star has decided to go a far different route than her breakout album, “Pink Friday.” Instead of being saturated with catchy, bass-heavy fluff, “The Pinkprint” focuses on her relationships, past and sexuality in ways not previously seen since her rise to stardom. “Anaconda” is obviously the most talked-about track, but the upbeat, sample-intensive song actually feels shockingly out of place with the album as a whole, even if it does touch on the performer’s conquests. Out of the four major tracks that discuss what goes down in Minaj’s boudoir, “Get On Your Knees” with Ariana Grande manages to be more creative than just talking about “dat ass” over and over, far more sexpositive and has a better beat.
“Feelin’ Myself” with Beyoncé is also superior in pretty much every way to last fall’s biggest, roundest hit. The album actually starts off with “All Things Go,” a rather depressing look at the people (and people to be) that the artist has lost. That’s followed up by “I Lied.” It’s an introspection of the harm that is done to relationships by refusing to be vulnerable. After some lighter music, the somber tone returns with the trinity of “Pills and Potions,” “Bed of Lies” and “Grand Piano.” All are solid, but the last of them manages to be both the quietest and catchiest, if a little trite —almost like a Disney song. All this said, Minaj does still have some old standbys. “The Night is Still Young” is reminiscent of her popular dance hits like “Superbass” and “Starships.” Fans of her self-hype tracks like “I’m the Best” and “I’m Legit” may appreciate “Win
Again,” even though it has quite a different feel than those. “Want Some More” is also kind of a fun piece of puffery. The album’s best song is easily “The Crying Game.” Eastern-influenced strings provide the background for a tale of a failed relationship and its emotional toll that builds up its beat. It’s at once both thoughtful and fun. Nicki Minaj is not really the first artist who comes to mind when one says the word “introspective,” and that might be why “The Pinkprint” is so successful. After releasing a hit single about “[tossing] salad” that samples a 20-year-old song as a crutch, a series of personal tracks about abuse, power and a miscarriage are about the last thing you’d expect. The only downside is the overall flow of the album is just sort of all over the place. Going from “Grand Piano” to “Big Daddy” is pretty Nicki Minaj’s third album was released on Dec. 15. jarring.
Photo courtesy of mypinkfriday.com
ATHLETICS
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FGCU men’s basketball struggles over winter break Demetrius Morant dunks over Ave Maria University defender.
EN Photo/Tessa Mortensen
By Matt Mramer @ENSportsMatt While most of us were on vacation or back at home spending time with our families over winter break, the Florida Gulf Coast University men’s basketball team had no such luxury. After a convincing win over University of Massachusetts in Springfield, the Eagles fell into a rut and have struggled mightily over the last three weeks. The Eagles’ hot 8-1 start began to fizzle away after a home loss to Florida International. The team responded and bounced back nicely with an 83-78 win over Furman, but that was the end of good basketball for FGCU. The Eagles would go on to lose their next three games, all on the road against high-level opponents. Iona has always been a tough matchup for FGCU, and once again they got the better of the overmatched Eagles. Next it was off to University of Pittsburgh and Xavier University, who play in the ACC and Big East respectively, two of the best conferences in college basketball. FGCU’s offense continued to sputter and the Eagles had trouble stopping the Panthers and Musketeers on the defensive end. The good news is that the Eagles got to come home and play a brush up game against local NAIA school Ave Maria
University before they dive into meaningful conference games. Ave Maria is definitely a brush up game, right? Wrong. FGCU came out flat and played what Naples Daily News reporter Dana Caldwell called “without question the worst half of FGCU men’s basketball since the team went Division I.” He wasn’t kidding, as the Eagles shot just over 21 percent from the field and trailed, yes trailed, 13-12 at halftime. “Watching the first half set basketball back a few years,” coach Joe Dooley said. “When you come out flat and don’t make shots it’s a bad combination.” The second half was much better, with Brett Comer and Demetris Morant connecting on seven alley-oops in the final 20 minutes. The easy inside baskets helped the Eagles to shoot more than 75 percent from the field in the second half and pull away from the Gyrenes. “Every team we play, there’s nobody as athletic that can get high as he can get,” Comer said of Morant. “He jumps so high and he’s so long that he can go and get every ball. So I try to look for him every time [down the floor].” Despite the win, FGCU continued to have issues defensively and frequently missed open looks that they were converting on earlier in the year.
The struggles didn’t end there, however, as the Eagles headed to California on Monday night for their last nonconference game of the year, a rematch against UC-Santa Barbara. After beating the Gauchos at Alico Arena back in November, FGCU headed out west for the second half of the home-and-home series. FGCU again struggled on the offensive end, and Bernard Thompson was the only Eagle in double figures with 16 points. The defense was improved, holding the Gauchos to just 37.7 percent from the field but it wasn’t enough. UCSB’s big men managed 16 offensive rebounds and the Gauchos also managed 16 more shots than the Eagles. Top NBA prospect Alan Williams again tore the Eagles apart inside, posting 22 points and 13 rebounds. FGCU never held a lead in the contest, and ended up falling 63-50. The loss to UCSB dropped FGCU to 1-4 in its last five games and 10-6 overall. With the conference schedule starting against Stetson on Friday, the Eagles have massive improvements to make if they hope to book a return ticket to the NCAA tournament in March. “We’re a work in progress,” Dooley said. “We’ve practiced well the last couple of days so maybe if we can practice better we can play good.”
The week ahead in FGCU Athletics
1/7-11 M Tennis FGCU Spring Invite All Day
1/10 W Basketball Stetson 4 p.m.
1/8 W Tennis Syracuse 1 p.m.
1/10 M Basketball Stetson 7 p.m.
1/10 Swimming and Diving Nebraska 10 a.m.
EDITOR: JILL HIMMELFARB SPORTS@EAGLENEWS.ORG
B2 SPORTS EAGLE NEWS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7
Kane’s Korner
The playoff committee wasn’t that bad after all
By Justin Kane Editor-in-chief @ByJustinKane After much scrutiny, the College Football Playoff committee got it right. The four teams they picked (Alabama, Oregon, Florida State and Ohio State) gave us two of the best games of the bowl season.
Oregon demolished FSU 59-20 in the Rose Bowl and Ohio State stunned Alabama 42-35 in the Sugar Bowl to give us a national championship that nobody, well except ESPN expert Austin Ward, predicted. Monday will be fun. We have two top-five offenses that will play in the first national championship in Jerry’s House in Dallas. Although some fan bases are pretty mad, looking at you TCU and Baylor, the 12-person committee picked the four most deserving teams and now we have a fun and exciting national championship. The game features two of the most profiled quarterback’s in the game today. Oregon’s Heisman-winning quarterback Marcus Mariota, who many project will be the No. 1 pick in the 2015 NFL draft, is looking to win the first national championship for the Oregon Ducks after falling 22-19 against Auburn in 2011. On the other side of things Ohio State’s Cardale Jones at the beginning of the year
was third on the Buckeyes’ depth chart. After Braxton Miller and backup J.T. Barrett both went down with injuries during the year, Jones had his first start in the Big Ten title game and hasn’t looked back. My prediction: Oregon 42, Ohio State 35 The two national semifinal games weren’t just the best games of the bowl season. There was plenty for bowl fans to be happy about. At the start of bowl season, the best game started in Miami with the Miami Beach Bowl on Dec. 23, which featured a back and forth battle between BYU and Memphis that ended after two overtimes in a brawl between both teams. On Christmas Eve in the Popeye’s Bahamas Bowl, Central Michigan scored 34 points in the fourth quarter including a lastsecond hail mary. The Chippewas decided to go for two at the end and failed and ended up losing 49-48. One of the feel good stories of the bowl
season came when Penn State defeated Boston College 31-30 in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl. The Nittany Lions learned this year that they were eligible for a bowl after the NCAA lifted their bowl ban after everything that happened with the Jerry Sandusky scandal. As always the New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day games lived up to the hype. On New Year’s Eve, Boise State won another Fiesta Bowl after defeating Arizona 38-30. TCU manhandled Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl and Georgia Tech defeated Mississippi State 49-34 in the Orange Bowl. On New Year’s Day, fans were treated with Wisconsin defeating Auburn in the Outback Bowl 34-31, Michigan State scored 21 in the fourth of the Cotton Bowl to defeat Baylor 42-41 and Missouri defeated Minnesota in 33-17 in the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl.
JANUARY 12, 2015 AT&T STADIUM - ARLINGTON, TEXAS 8:30 P.M. (ESPN) ASSOCIATED PRESS COLLEGE BASKETBALL TOP 25
KENTUCKY 13-0
1
GONZAGA 14-1
MARYLAND 14-1
BAYLOR 11-2
DUKE 13-0
2 3
ARIZONA 13-1
11
OKLAHOMA 10-3
7 8
KANSAS 11-2
12 13
IOWA ST 10-2
17 18
OHIO ST 12-3
4 5
9 10
VIRGINIA 13-0
WISCONSIN 14-1
LOUISVILLE 13-1
6
VILLANOVA 13-1
UTAH 12-2
TEXAS 12-2
NOTRE DAME 14-1
16
WICHITA ST 12-2
22 23
NORTH CAROLINA 11-3 ARKANSAS 11-2
WEST VIRGINIA 13-1 SETON HALL 12-2
14 15
21
19 20
VCU 11-3
ST. JOHN’S 11-3
24 25
OLD DOMINION 12-1
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7 EAGLE NEWS SPORTS B3
WWW.EAGLENEWS.ORG
Swimming and diving
Tribute
FGCU defeats Liberty, Campbell and Central Connecticut State By Dylan Schmittler @Dylansfgcu The Florida Gulf Coast University swimming and diving team began 2015 with a sweep Saturday at the FGCU Aquatic Center. One of the three wins was over Liberty by a score of 217-77. The other two wins were over Campbell and Central Connecticut State. This moves the Eagles record to 8-1 and 3-0 in the Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association on the season. Last year, Liberty ended the Eagles’ run of winning the CCSA Championship by defeating them 732.5-718.5 in 2014. This ended the Eagles’ run of five consecutive CCSA titles from 2009-2013. “Everyone knows the story of how Liberty won the conference last year after we made a few mistakes, but it was nice today to come out and say we’re ready to try and get it back,” FGCU swimming and diving coach Neal Studd said. The Eagles won 14 of the 16 events contested on Saturday. Reigning AllAmericans Kira Toussaint and Emma Svensson each took home four victories for the Eagles during the meet. The 200-yard medley relay kicked off the event, and it was the Eagle relay team of Toussaint, Evita Leter, Svensson, and Becky Derogatis who came away with the first victory of the day for FGCU with a time of 1:42.06. The FGCU team of Sandra Wilk, Katie Armitage, Yee Ching Wong, and Kristen Julien finished in third with a time of 1:45.31. Lani Cabrera ran away with the 1000yard freestyle, winning in 10:22:14. Nina Schiffer finished in second place with a time of 10:25:40. Devon Robbins, Maggie Holling and
Cassie Niles then swept the top three places in the 200-yard freestyle for the Eagles. After that, Toussaint took home her first individual win of the day in the 100-yard backstroke, finishing in 56.52. Wilk finished third in the same event with a time of 58.49 Leter made some history of her own in the 100-yard breaststroke for the Eagles. She won with a new pool record time of 1:03:17. Armitage finished in second with a time of 1:04:26 for FGCU. Svensson would take home victories in the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard freestyle for the Eagles. On the diving board, it was more of the same for the Eagles. Cayla Collins was running the show, picking up victories in the one and three-meter diving with scores of 232.87 and 250.42, respectively. Mikaila Buening finished behind Collins in both diving events with scores of 224.77 and 217.27, respectively. Toussaint nabbed her second individual victory of the day in the 200-yard backstroke with a winning time of 2:02.49. Her FGCU teammate, Karen Vilorio, finished in third with a time of 2:07.12. Cabrera continued to show her prowess in the distance races with another victory in the 500-yard freestyle, winning with a time of 5:04.02. Just like before, Schiffer finished second with a time of 5:04.64. Wong picked up another win for the Eagles in the 100-yard butterfly before finishing second in the 200-yard midividual medley. The Eagle team of Julien, Derogatis, Toussaint and Svensson closed out the day for FGCU with a convincing victory in the 200-yard freestyle relay with a time of 1:33.94. The Eagles will remain home to welcome Nebraska at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 10.
YOU COULD END UP WITH MORE THAN A
Gone, but not forgotten: Rest easy, Stuart Scott By Matt Mramer @ENSportsMatt Dear Stuart, I can’t believe it’s over. It seems so wrong, so unfair that a person like you could get taken like this, so young and with so much life left in you. I know I’ve waited far too long to pen this letter, but I want you to know how much you’ve meant to me and millions of others around the world who grew up watching SportsCenter. You were so much more than an anchor, Stu. You were a friendly presence in my living room throughout my childhood, keeping me up on the everyday happenings of the sports world. You were a comedian, adding sizzle and fun to a typically bland broadcast with your catchphrases like “BOO-YAH!” and “cool as the other side of the pillow.” You were a friend to many in an industry where everybody fights to be the first to break a story or be the guy to bring a fresh new take. You were a pioneer, not just for sports broadcasters, but for African Americans all over the country who could suddenly identify with sports and the media in a new way. You were a father to two girls who I know will grow up to be very successful, because they had a dad who loved them and raised them with pride. You were a fighter, kicking cancer’s ass for upwards of seven years and showing the world that when life hits, you have no option but to hit back and keep fighting some more. But more than all of that, you were an idol, a role model for kids such as me who spent their childhoods dreaming of sitting behind that desk and being the voice of sports for people around the world. Thank you Stu, for making SportsCenter fun and for making me realize that I could do
Hockey Eagles begin their spring season with a big weekend By Mike Danielewski @MDanielewski The Florida Gulf Coast University DII Hockey team returns from winter break to take on the Illinois State Redbirds at 8:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 9 at Germain Arena. Game two of the series will be held at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 10. Tickets are $5 at the door, but free with your Eagle ID. The Redbirds lead the Mid-American Division with a 9-3-1 record. Leading goal scorers, Tim Talty and Connor Anderson look to capitalize on the solid FGCU defense. Talty holds on to a +32 rating, having scored 16 goals with 36 assists. Eagles’ goaltending must be on-point in order to thwart the offensive efforts of the Redbirds. On Dec. 5, the Eagles defeated the University of Central Michigan with scores of 9-0 and 5-4. The FGCU DIII Eagles look to bounce back from a pair of pre-break losses for a
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anything if I was just willing to fight for it. Thank you for your willingness to show your vulnerability and in the process become an inspiration for people to keep going; everyone is fighting some type of battle and your words and never-say-die attitude helped and will continue to help millions of people all over the world. That, Stuart, truly is as cool as the other side of the pillow. It seems crazy to be crying about the loss of someone I never met, but I had dreamed of meeting you since I was younger than 5. I wanted to shake your hand. I wanted to look you in the eye and say thank you. You never knew how much of an impact you had on me, making me realize that I had a passion for sports that will never burn out, and that I could choose a career path that would let me share that passion with others who feel the same way. Simply put, I wouldn’t be the person I am today without your influence. You gave me a drive, a determination to work for what I want. And now, I will strive to live my life in a way that would make you proud; fighting for what I love and never, ever giving up. There are so many great journalists, hosts and broadcasters out there, many of whom you’ve spent time working with at ESPN. I can barely keep up with all the SportsCenter anchors nowadays, but nobody will be able to fill the void that’s left behind in your absence; there is only one Stuart Scott. And you will be dearly missed. I hope you’re finally free of pain, resting and knowing that your fight is over now. Rest in peace Stu, and know that there has never been more of a winner than you in the battle against cancer. You will never be forgotten. RIP Stuart Scott July 19, 1965 – Jan. 4, 2015
weekend matchup against Palm Beach State College. Palm Beach will host the Eagles in game one of the weekend matchup at 9:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 9 at the Palm Beach Ice Works, before returning home to conclude the series at 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 10 at Germain Arena. Tickets are $5 at the door, but free with your Eagle ID. In their last meetings, the Eagles destroyed the Palm Beach Panthers with a score of 11-0, forcing the compromised Panthers to forfeit the second game of the series. FGCU will need to watch out for a determined Panthers’ offensive. Prior to the winter break, the Eagles challenged the University of Central Florida and Grand Valley State University. The weekend of Dec. 5, FGCU defeated the USF Bulls with scores of 10-1 and 7-3. The weekend of Dec. 12 the Eagles were handed two losses from Grand Valley State University by scores of 6-3 and 3-1.
EDITOR: JILL HIMMELFARB SPORTS@EAGLENEWS.ORG
B4 SPORTS EAGLE NEWS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7
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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7 EAGLE NEWS SPORTS B5
Memorable sports moments from 2014 By Jill Himmelfarb Sports editor @JillHimmelfarb Florida Gulf Coast University had three teams make appearances in the NCAA tournament in 2014.
Women’s soccer Swimming and diving
Tabby Tindell led the FGCU women’s soccer team to a 17-4 season. The Eagles were undefeated in conference play (7-0). They beat Kennesaw State 3-1 for the A-Sun Conference Championship title. The biggest event of the year was the announcement at the watch party that FGCU women’s soccer would host a first round of the NCAA tournament. For the first time in the school’s history, and in the history of the Atlantic Sun Conference, an A-Sun school hosted an NCAA tournament bout. FGCU hosted Auburn University in the first round of the tournament. A-Sun Player of the Year Tindell went down with an injury early in the first half. The blow to the team seemed to take the wind of the Eagles’ sails. Auburn defeated FGCU 1-0.
The FGCU swimming and diving team made a big splash in 2014, gaining its first national ranking on Swimswam.com’s NCAA Power Rankings. During the week of Nov. 18, the rankings came out with FGCU as No. 24 on the list.
EN Photo/Kelli Krebs
EN Photo/Kelli Krebs
Hockey club funding During the start of the school year, Student Government denied funding to the FGCU hockey club. After several articles regarding the issues surrounding the funding cut, Student Government brought the bill up for a second reading where funding was granted to the club. The DII hockey team is currently undefeated (17-0), keeping a positive attitude despite the difficulties around the funding issue.
Men’s soccer Albert Ruiz and the FGCU men’s soccer team captured an A-Sun Championship win over the University of North Florida, 1-0. The Eagles headed to Coastal Carolina to play in the first round of the NCAA tournament. In the final five minutes of the match, Coastal Carolina beat FGCU goalie Nathan Ingham for the lone goal in the game. The Eagles ended the season 8-7-5.
Photot courtesy of Lightsnow Photography
EN Photo/Kelli Krebs
FGCU alumni in the pros
Women’s basketball
FGCU alumi Casey Coleman and Chris Sale made sports news in 2014. Coleman and the Kansas City Royals made it to the MLB World Series, where they were defeated in seven games by the San Francisco Giants. Sale made his third-straight appearance in the MLB All-Star game.
DyTiesha Dunson and the FGCU women’s basketball went into March Madness as a No. 12 seed after defeating Stetson in the A-Sun Conference title game. The Eagles faced Oklahoma State University at Purdue University in the first round of the tournament, where they were eliminated, 61-60 in overtime. FGCU finished 26-8 on the season.
EN Photo/Kelli Krebs
Photo courtesy of Keith Allison
John Sleezer/The Kansas City Star
OPINION Eagle News Editorial Department Justin Kane editorinchief@eaglenews.org Editor-in-Chief Kelli Krebs opinion@eaglenews.org Opinion editor
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Why we love the apocalypse We’re up to our ears in GMOs By Madi Hampton Assistant Media Editor @Hamantha5
After years of misjudged apocalypse theories, humanity has become desensitized to the concept of “the end.” Books and movies portray a post-disaster world over and over, while the increase in our culture’s fascination with an apocalypse can be completely blamed on our own anxiety. Where did this spike come from? It stems from the plausibility. Look back at 2012. From constant earthquakes and outer space collisions, to the Mayan calendar pulling possibly the century’s best prank, the year was a full of doom scares. However, will these remain just scares? Have our desensitized brains been designed to prepare for the inevitable end? History proves that bad things do happen. Just ask the dinosaurs. The Ice Age still holds secrets we will probably never understand. Is there an ending approaching that we can’t see over all the zombie blockbusters and pictures of cute polar bears losing their glaciers? We need to redesign. Our food, transportation and energy sources are costing us our home. We have to let go of our selfish desire to mass-produce killer corn and experimenting on angry chimpanzees named Augustus. Political consistency keeps us from changing and is often confused with security. We can only say the word “change” so many times until the world ends. Looking back at history, there are lessons to be learned about dangerous monopolies and treating animals as test subjects. Humans are now lined up behind the Dodo birds to seal their fate. We are modifying plants and animals to our needs or desires with no regard to repercussions of alternating their environment or food chain. The saying “what goes around comes around” is not just a lyric to a Justin Timberlake song; what it means is that what we do to our environment, it will do to us. We’ve all seen “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” or at least understand the basic premise of it. In the movie, monkeys are genetically altered in order to study a possible cure to alzheimers. The cruel experimentation may pay off temporarily while we look for a cure, but it isn’t long until the apes return the favor. Karma’s fury is not only in defense of animals but also to plants. In an article written by Jeffrey Smith about the toxicity of altered corn, he says farmers no longer just spray towxins, but build them in. The toxin doesn’t wash off anymore and ends up being consumed. This lead to farmers suffering from flulike symptoms from handling genetically engineered cotton plants that produce Bttoxin. Corn is not the only danger. There has recently been something dubbed with the name “Zombie Wheat.” There is literally a strain of wheat that does not die. According to an article by Willy Blackmon scientists confirmed that the wheat was genetically engineered, but no one knows where it came from. We live in a world where corn and wheat – staple foods since cavemen could crack their knuckles, are drowning us. We’re now up to our ears in angry crops. Our desire for more and better crops has led us to alter them beyond our own control.
Photo courtesy of AMC Josh McDermitt plays Eugene, a character off of the AMC television show, “The Walking Dead,” stands in front of a corn field.
Organic goods have become something inconvenient to the average consumer and require extra money or effort. We want “healthy” plants to keep us in our best shape and producers alter plants to increase produce and profit. The Institute for Responsible Technology published “10 Reasons to Avoid GMOs” on its website. Plants are altered simply for production benefits. Doctors now prescribe specific diets for patients instructing them to eat organic. It’s not just a trend. Our grocery stores are stocked with toxins and our world is melting. Frogs have three legs because they’ve been poisoned in their own homes. Chicken can’t even walk because they are so fat and full of hormones, steroids, preservatives, and anything else that would make them larger and meatier. Modern technology has reached a point where anyone with a functioning biotechnology lab can create his or her own GMOs. With all this genetic tampering, could we create our own zombie apocalypse? First of all, what exactly is a zombie? They’re more common than ever in today’s mainstream media: there are crawlers, walkers, runners, and thrillers. Sometimes they eat people and sometimes they turn them into more zombies, but sometimes they just help Michael Jackson create iconic music videos. So let’s break this down. There are two main types of zombies found in media. The first is a traditional “I-wantbrains” zombie. This zombie is raised from graveyards by some sort of supernatural force. Then there are today’s “will-eateverything-that-moves” zombies. These are the zombies that have been infected by some sort of disease or virus. In the recent blockbuster “World War Z,” the zombies had a type of rabies that infected humans due to the evolution of the virus. This is seemingly plausible, and this movie is yet another example of how we cope with the anxiety of that plausibility. There are two ways that GMOs could begin a real life zombie apocalypse. The first being intentional creation. Someone could intentionally create a malicious infection to manufacture their own army of flesh-eating soldiers. These bio-villains could have warfare in mind or just plain, old mass world destruction. As Alfred said to our Dark Knight, “some men just want to watch the world burn.” The other option would be the accidental creation of zombies. This would mean gene therapy gone wrong or angry GMO classified pigs getting a little too hungry. All it takes is one bite to start a domino effect. We may not mean to create these flesh craving organisms, but maybe our tampering prevents RNA from doing its job and we lose control of our brains. There is a lot that can go wrong from modifying what nature created for us. In the 2009 film “Daybreakers,” we have imagined a cure to a global apocalyptic sickness. What is the cure? Vampires. We don’t know how to cope, and we look to the same storybook area the zombies limp from, only to find Vampires. Logical isn’t it? Vampires aren’t alive. That’s just it though – they are not alive. We never thought zombies were possible, but look at where we are now. The films helps us cope, showing that things will be tough but we will prevail, yet, another story of good triumphing the bad. This feel good ending to not such a good-feel story helps the public cope with the plausibility.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7 EAGLE NEWS OPINION B7
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Photo courtesy of USA Today James Franco and Seth Rogen star in their new movie, “The Interview.”
Rogen, Franco take on Lil’ Kim Sony gets hacked, ‘The Interview’ gets flak
By Luke Janke @Jankeleg What better way to sum up the comedic styling of a Seth Rogen film than to compare it to a funny cigarette you buy off the street: cheap, poorly put together and usually laced with marijuana. This particular film depicts a talk show host and a producer commissioned by the FBI to conduct an assassination disguised as an interview in North Korea with Kim Jong-un, a big fan of this American talk show (for some reason). With all the charming, talented actors in the U.S., I’m a little baffled that an action-packed movie about two unsuspecting agents assassinating the ruler of North Korea had to star “the western capitalist pigs” who brought you other unimportant movies, Rogen and James Franco.
More importantly, I feel kind of bad that North Korea felt intimidated enough by these two to feel obligated to lash out and hack all of Sony Pictures for a sub-par comedy. On Nov. 24 of last year, Sony shut down its entire system when it discovered a hacking entity known as #GOP gained access to more than 100 terabytes of data. The hack was speculated to be from North Korea, but experts are still unsure as Pyongyang denies the attack. Emails were released exposing that female stars were being paid less than male stars and that certain directors were treating some actors such as Amy Adams poorly. These and a plethora of other nasty emails were just a few of the casualties of the hack. The group then sent an email to Sony executives saying that if “The Interview” was released, the theaters showing it on opening night will suffer non-specific, but deadly consequences. In turn, many theatres scheduled to show it
dropped the viewing as not to risk any attacks. Of course, many people still found ways to see the movie, either on YouTube or on other entertainment platforms. The viewer rate was substantially higher than if it were viewed in theaters, mostly because Americans want what they can’t have and by golly, the government can’t make me not see this movie! The controversy and popularity of this film due to the hacks will undoubtedly boost the fame of Rogan and Franco, but the publicity is grossly undeserved. To say that the two actors are American heroes would be an insult to real heroes such as Theodore Roosevelt or Cher. Although the Sony hack was one of the biggest breaches in history, to say that it was all because of a mediocre comedy to stick to ol’ Kimmy J is almost shameful, and I don’t think the actors should be celebrated for it.
Gay marriage (finally) in Florida Online poll: Do you agree with gay marriage in Florida?
Yes No
71%
29%
Total votes: 38 EN Photos / Paul McDade North Fort Myers residents, Terry Hayes (left) and Freda Routt are issued their marriage license at the Lee County Clerk of Courts Office. Hayes and Routt have been together for 16 years.
By Kelli Krebs Opinion Editor, @TheReal_KKRebs and Cait Schall, Assistant Opinion Editor @CaitlinSchall Finally, gays and lesbians have the right to eventually get divorced. A long, long time in a retirement state not so far away, citizens got together and voted to ban gay marriage. That was 2008. In December, the Supreme Court ruled the ban unconsititutional and said yes to the dress(es). Marriages could begin Jan. 6. A few days later, Lee County Clerk of Court Linda Doggett released a memo stating that Lee County would not issue same-sex marriage licenses because it was unclear to her if the court ruling applied to other counties other than Washington County, where one of the gay couples involved
in the challenge to the ban lives. Tuesday morning, Lee and Collier County Clerks began (reluctantly) issuing same-sex marriage licenses across Southwest Florida. Couples lined up early to finally tie the knot and say their vows – and it actually matter to the state. If you would’ve asked me last year if I thought I would see Florida legalize gay marriage before my graduation, I would have told you no. Then I remembered Florida includes South Beach and Key West. Regardless, I am still pleasantly surprised that this actually happened. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result every time. The rate at which couples file for divorce rises exponentially each year. Surprisingly, there has been an increase in people leaving their unions with someone of the opposite sex for someone of the same sex. It is an absolute shame that society has caused many people to feel the need to cover up and submit to a life they
are not fully content with in order to receive the same luxuries that come along with a “normal” marriage. Marriage is a sacred promise of a union between two people who love each other. Who are we to put a label on what is right when considering love? These days finding someone who reciprocates genuine feelings with absolute no hidden agenda is rare. When two people fall in love, we should not question it. We should not ridicule a person on whom they decide they want to spend the rest of their lives with. Instead we should celebrate the fact that two people have found each other on this earth and have decided to make a commitment to one another regardless of whether they are of the same sex or different. Same sex marriage being approved in Florida has brought us as a whole one step closer to a better future for happy successful unions.
OPINION Give ‘em Kel
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The year’s best
Opinion editor Kelli Krebs reviews FGCU’s 2014 By Kelli Krebs Opinion & Media Editor @TheReal_KKrebs The year 2014 brought big stories to Florida Gulf Coast University and the world. In 2014 FGCU saw students discover a new virus; the appearance and disappearance of the mobile barber shop on campus; the hockey team lose its budget – then get it back; Puppypalooza; and even saw the 18-year-old school host its very own NCAA game. With the first week of 2015 upon us, let’s take a look back (in no particular order) on the highlights of 2014 for FGCU and its students.
1. Big year for FGCU athletics
A year after earning national attention from the 2013 men’s basketball team’s run in the Sweet Sixteen, FGCU sports teams followed up in 2014 with another historic and successful year. Collectively, 2014 brought five Atlantic Sun regular season titles, three A-Sun Championship titles, several nationally ranked players and three NCAA appearances. In March, the women’s basketball team made it’s way to the women’s NCAA tournament after defeating Stetson in the A-Sun Conference championship at Alico Arena. The Eagles took on Oklahoma State in the first round of the tournament in West Lafayette, Indiana for the program’s second NCAA Division I tournament appearance. After going into overtime, the Eagles fell to Oklahoma, 61-60. After reclaiming the A-Sun tournament title in 2014, the men’s soccer team returned to the NCAA tournament for the third time. The Eagles flew to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to take on Coastal Carolina University in the first round of the NCAA tournament, but fell 1-0. In the 2014 season the men’s soccer team competed against some of the nation’s top teams including No. 8 Washington, No. 23 Louisville, Brown, Portland and Akron. The FGCU women’s soccer team saw a record-breaking season in 2014. Lead by sophomore Tabby Tindell, the Eagles earned a perfect conference season record for the first time in conference history since Kennesaw State in 2004. With only three losses through the season, the Eagles hosted Auburn University in the first round of the NCAA tournament, making it the first time in school history an FGCU team would host an NCAA tournament game. The Eagles fell to Auburn, 1-0. Photo courtesy of USA Today FGCU women’s soccer forward Shannen Wacker attempts to outrun a defender during the Eagles’ NCAA first round tournament game against Auburn on Nov. 15 at the FGCU Soccer Complex.
2. Tracking the shuttles
After years of anticipation and promises, FGCU students were finally given the ability to track the current locations of the campus shuttles right on their phones. No longer will campus residents have to endure the game of cat and mouse when catching a shuttle to campus. Thankfully, Student Government, along with the help of the Business Operations office, released a new feature to the already existing FGCU Business Operations app that allows the user to see the exact location of the shuttles on its route. The app, available for both Apple and Android, made its debut this fall.
3. Programming Board steps up its game
Finally. After disappointing bookings at Eaglepalooza and NestFest in the past couple years, the Programming Board really stepped up its game in 2014. In the spring, students were pleasantly surprised to hear the announcement of the FGCU Programing Board bringing in the popular EDM artist, Krewella, along with Logic and Radical Something to Germain Arena for NestFest. Again, I think we were all pleasantly surprised at how good the show actually was. It happened again in the fall. The Programming Board brought in J. Cole along with YG for Eaglepalooza, and while the act is not exactly the same caliber of Krewella, it’s still better than Bubba Sparxxx. Actually, anything is better than Bubba Sparxxx. Between the yearly concerts and shows, the Programming Board brought us the Winter Wonderland in December. In the midst of the end of the semester, students were given the opportunity to “let it go” in a frozen wonderland, no shortage of some Florida-style snow: aka floating soap bubbles. Winter Wonderland has been one of my favorites for a while just because it’s always so well done. But in all honesty, the announcement of the 2015 Nest Fest is really what gave the Programming Board a spot on this list. In November, the Programming Board announced that Kevin Hart, yes, Kevin Hart, will be the next act to grace the stage of Germain Arena. Without a doubt, Hart is the biggest name the school has booked since Pitbull and it’s pretty damn impressive. I’m not sure how they did it, but 2015 only looks like it’s getting brighter for student life. Bravo, PB.
Photo courtesy of the FGCU Programming Board Kevin Hart performs at NestFest on March 27.
4. The Aquatic Center reopens
After remaining closed for eight long months the Aquatic Center finally reopened its doors in June after struggles with plumbing, surprise leaks and environmental obstacles. The closing of the Aquatic Center forced the FGCU women’s swim and dive team to move practices and meets to other locations while the FGCU water polo club team was forced to cancel its season. It also forced students to swim with the freshman in the new South Village pool. With the reopening of the Aquatic Center, the lap pool gained a bit of a face lift, giving the pool more lanes and a new orientation. The Aquatic Center is still free to students with a valid student I.D.
5. Long-awaited campus plans in motion
Finally, campus expansion is no longer just a bunch of rumors and pipedreams. In 2014, FGCU made several announcements to accommodate for the extreme growth in students the school has seen over the past few years. During the summer, the South Village community saw another building go up, this time providing housing to more than 500 students, classrooms, advising offices, kitchens, a movie theater and a game room. Eagle Hall, located next to the community’s second-youngest building, Osprey Hall, and the new pool, opened for its first semester in the fall. Later in the fall semester, the school also announced the construction of a much-needed roads that will help decongest a lot of FGCU’s traffic. In September, Miromar Development Corporation announced that it will begin building housing for Florida Gulf Coast University students that will be available in 2016. Students will finally get the true collegecampus environment we all have been hoping for so long. The University Village will be comprised of two and four-bedroom lakefront apartments in three-story garden-style buildings. The village will accommodate 1,400 students and each apartment building will be built near a central courtyard. University Village will be located just south of campus on the east side of Ben Hill Griffin and will span 100 acres. FGCU athletics announced this fall the plans for Alico Arena, adding more athletic offices and more EN Photo / Kelli Krebs notably, an athlete-only gym. Finally, student-athletes will no longer have to share a gym with mere mortals Eagle Hall in South Village opened in fall 2014. just like at a real university. Who could forget the beatuiful library lawn’s transformation from a boring shortcut to class to a courtyard-style lawn that now plays a better host to events and busier traffic patterns. For FGCU, 2014 was a great year in taking steps toward becoming the big state school that none of us could get into – also a great year for local construction workers. Now if we could only get a parking garage near Alico...
Things we should leave in 2014 1. Matthew McConaughey Lincoln commercials (actually Matthew McConaughey anything)
2. Ice Bucket Challenge videos
Sure, it originally had a great intentions, but the charity of it got so watered down that it left our Facebook feeds swimming in just another silly social media trend.
3. Violence
As the great Will Ferrell once screamed to a bus full of semi-pro basketball players: “Everybody love everybody!” I mean, seriously. 2014 brought way too many racial, sexual, gender and beyond violence and discrimination stories that it became the biggest topic of the year. From Ferguson, to Eric Garner, to now the shooting of police in New York City, these issues are not new, but with the Internet and the power of a viral video, the white elephant in the room has taken center stage. In 2015, let’s stop waging a war on police let’s stop profiling teenage minorities, let’s stop senseless violence towards each other. Everybody love everybody.
4. Pro and college athletes in the headlines
If one more athlete finds himself on the front page of the paper for something other than Sunday night’s game or a heroic act of saving 100 puppies from a burning building, I’m pretty sure the sporting world might just implode. I’m looking at you, Ray Rice, Hope Solo, Jameis Winston, Treon Harris, Adrian Peterson and yes, even you Donald Sterling.
5. The criminalization of marijuana ‘Cause my back hurts, man.