The student newspaper at Florida Gulf Coast University
[ nnn%\X^c\e\nj%fi^ ]
Mfcld\ 0# @jjl\ ).
FEC@E< eaglenews.org
N\[e\j[Xp# 8gi`c )'# )'((
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT DAY Dfi\ k_Xe ('' jkl[\ekj ZXd\ flk kf gi\j\ek k_\`i Zfddle`kp j\im`Z\ gifa\Zkj kf X gXe\c f] al[^\j% J\\ n_`Z_ gifa\Zkj nfe%
pg. A8 >>
M@;<F1 N_fËj k_`j6
Find out on www.eaglenews.org in the multimedia section
Knf jkXe[ flk Xdfe^ ()#''' =>:L i\m\Xcj k_\ le[\i^iX[lXk\ Xe[ ^iX[lXk\ Jkl[\ekj f] k_\ P\Xi g% 8+ 55
Ifcc\i _fZb\p ^\kj fe X ifcc K_\ `eXl^liXc =>:L ifcc\i _fZb\p k\Xd nXj X eXk`feXc ÔeXc`jk `e `kj Ôijk p\Xi% g% 9- 55
8i\ n\ i\X[p ]fi jfd\ =FFK98CC6 Efk p\k %%% 9p 8cc`jfe >X^c`Xi[` <[`kfi$`e$:_`\] During the Board of Trustees meeting Tuesday, President Wilson Bradshaw shared the numbers and facts presented in the football feasibility s t u d y that was completed Nov. 30 Bradshaw by Carr S p o r t s Associates Inc. The plan outlines what needs to be done for an FGCU football team to be competitive at the NCAA Division I level. “I have decided that at
this time we will not move forward with football,” Bradshaw said. To implement football at the university would require recruiting coaches, meeting conference guidelines, adding women’s sports to remain in compliance with the Title IX, acquiring land, and building a stadium and facilities. “We need to provide additional resources to be competitive,” Bradshaw said. Seventy-eight percent of the athletics department is funded though student athletic fees, which are one of the highest in the state at $11.79 per credit hour. “We cannot add more dollars to that fee,” Bradshaw said.
Gi\j`[\ek 9iX[j_Xn XeefleZ\[ Xk k_\ 9fXi[ f] Kiljk\\j d\\k`e^ Kl\j[Xp k_Xk ]ffkYXcc `j efk X ]\Xj`Yc\ fgk`fe% <E g_fkf& D`b\ I`ZZ`
%%% 9lk _\i\ Zfd\j k_\ aflieXc`jd dXafi 9p <X^c\ E\nj jkX]]
LeljlXc X[m\ij`kp =>:L ^iX[lXk\ IfdXe EXidYXp\ lj\[ k_\ jgfik f] YXjb\kYXcc Xj X nXp flk f] :_X[# 8]i`ZX% g^% 8/ 55
ÊB`jj Xe[ K\ccË1 J\o Xe[ i\c`^`fe I\X[ k_\ cXk\jk `ejkXccd\ek XYflk _fn `k `j Y\kk\i kf b\\g j\o Xe[ i\c`^`fe j\gXiXk\% g^% 9+ 55
The Board of Trustees approved the long-awaited journalism major at FGCU on Tuesday. “The B.A. Journalism degree program emphasizes clear writing, factual accuracy, critical thinking, ethical and legal principles, social consciousness, technological skill, and practical, hands-on reporting and editing experience,” reads the executive summary. There will be no concentrations, tracks or
Jkl[\ek C\\ =\iiXek\ lj\j _`j :Xk_fc`Z ]X`k_ kf `eÕl\eZ\ _`j dlj`Z% g% 9( 55
according to the executive summary. Assistant professor Lyn Millner, who became the official journalism project leader in 2007, told Eagle News in a recent interview, “We want to create something completely realistic based on what employers actually need. Students will learn skills they can use in a variety of different careers.” Audio and Visual Journalism is one of the classes that has been added for the fall. Millner celebrated the
board’s decision with several students. “It was a happy time.” Millner said. “At our happiest moments we are at a loss of words.” Alex Pena, a senior communication major with a journalism minor, celebrated with Millner. “We have done so much without a journalism program, so I can’t imagine what students will do now that there finally is a journalism program,” Pena said. “It’s not just me. The students made this happen,”
Millner said. But her students disagree. “We will soon be one of the best programs in the nation. With Professor Millner working with us, nothing is beyond our reach,” said Allison Gagliardi, editorin-chief of Eagle News. “With Lyn Millner it’s going to skyrocket,” Pena said. If students are interested in declaring journalism as their major, they can contact the appropriate advising office.
GENDER IDENTITY Jkl[\ek Z`iZlcXk\j g\k`k`fe Xj Êmf`Z\Ë f] _\i g\\ij 9p BXk`\ <^Xe J\e`fi jkX]] ni`k\i
Dlj`Z`Xe dXb\j _`j fne Xik
specializations within the program. Students will be required to complete 120 hours. The first 60 hours entail general education and common prerequisite requirements in accordance with state and university guidelines. The last 60 hours consist of nine hours of interdisciplinary courses, 30 hours of core coursework in the major, six hours of electives in the major, three hours of University Colloquium and sufficient electives to total 120 hours,
For three weeks, Cathryn Hillegass has been trying to break the silence on gender identity at FGCU. “It’s such a silent issue,” said the junior, who’s majoring in criminal forensics. “I want to spread the word and educate the university community.” Gender identity is defined as a personal conception of oneself as male or female (or sometimes, both or neither), according to emedicine. medscape.com. “It’s the way they behave, their characteristics and the way they dress,” Hillegass said. “It’s not about who you’re attracted to, but who you are as a person.”
Hillegass said gender identity is often confused with sexual orientation. “If a man identifies himself as a female, he can still be attracted to women,” Hillegass said. “It depends on the person.” Hillegass says she’s met five students struggling with gender identity this semester. And she wants them to be heard. “I want them to come out of the shadows,” Hillegass said. “I don’t want them to be afraid to walk to class or (to) approach the administration.” Hillegass says the university community has been trying and is willing to accept gender identity. Susan Evans, university spokeswoman and chief of
staff, says the university will not tolerate any harassment of students, faculty, staff, vendors and campus visitors. “Anyone who feels he or she is the victim of harassment should immediately report it so that the university is aware of the situation and can swiftly act to investigate and address the complaint,” Evans said. The penalties for complaints that result in findings of harassment are serious, according to Evans. “The code provides for a range of disciplinary actions from reprimand all the way to expulsion from FGCU,” Evans said. Hillegass plans to meet in May with Dr. Mike Rollo, vice president of student affairs, to present her petition
to get gender identity in FGCU’s anti-discipline and harassment policies. Hillegass currently has 200 signatures on her petition and hopes to get 500 or more before her appointment with Rollo. “I’ll be your voice,” Hillegass tells those struggling with gender identity. “I don’t care what people say about me.” Evans also urges those in the “shadows” to come forward. “The policies and procedures already in place at the university are the appropriate vehicles for reporting, investigation and discipline where there are findings of harassment, and this includes for harassment based on gender identity,”
Evans said. “The most important thing I can emphasize is that anyone who feels harassed must report it so the university can address it.” Students should immediately report any harassment to the dean of students, Michele Yovanovich, at myovanov@ fgcu.edu or 239-590-7705.
EN ONLINE PETITION Log on to www.eaglenews.org to access the petition.