Winner of florida Tech’s organization of the year award, 2011-2012, 2012-2013
sPRING, issue 2
february 4, 2014
U.S. driving laws, customs confuse some international students Daniel Hereau Staff Writer
photo by Efram Goldberg The new trolleys were previously used for wine tours in California.
Florida Tech acquires two more trolleys Hershlay Raymond Editor-in-Chief Florida Tech is now the proud owner of two more trolleys. “We wanted to expand service,” said Greg Tsark, vice president for facilities operations. “Adding a new trolley to the mix, putting another trolley out there, reduces the wait time and increases ridership. We are about up to 300 riders a day which is significantly higher than last spring. It validates their use.” The original two trolleys
are older and have been becoming less reliable, needing frequent repairs. There were also mobility issues because of their large size. “They are so big that it was difficult to get around campus. We are adjusting and getting vehicles that fit our campus,” Tsark said. The new trolleys were manufactured in Healdsburg, California, an hour and a half north of San Francisco. They were previously used in a winery in Paso Robles, California. “The only thing remaining on the trolley that you can tell it was from a winery is that there are these little grapes etched into the corners of the windows,”
said Lee Martucci, transportation supervisor. The latest trolleys are similar in appearance to the original two trolleys and have many of the same elements: though, there are some differences. The new trolleys are smaller in size and there are cup holders next to the seats. “The exteriors appearances of the trolleys are very similar,” Martucci said. “The biggest differences are technical differences that only the drivers would notice.” The two new trolleys began their routes last week.
Toyota, Hyundai to launch hydrogen-fueled vehicles in near future Rebekah Duntz Campus Life Editor The timeline for hydrogen-fueled cars to be distributed through dealerships in the Washington area is set for three to four years. Hydrogen fueled cars were on display this past week in the Washington Auto Show, and the first wave of hydrogen cars will hit dealerships this spring, according to the Washington Post. Manufacturers like Toyota, Honda, and Hyundai will being selling hydrogenfueled cars up north, and it may only be a matter of time before they make their way down south. The carbon footprint is much lower than that of natural gas fueled cars; hydrogen cars emit only water vapor from the exhaust pipe. Electric cars have also made advances in reducing the driver’s carbon footprint, but also need several hours to recharge at electric charging stations. In contrast,
filling up at a hydrogen fuel pump takes a few minutes. The only thing standing in the way of the hydrogen fuel economy now is that the United States lacks the infrastructure needed for drivers to refuel. Currently, there are some stations surrounding the city of Boston and in parts of California, but not enough to where one could travel across the country, according to the Washington Post. “There would have to be enough stations where it’s conve-
Liz Fox, director of Catalog & Graduate Information, is embracing the change. “I think it’s the best next step, because there are problems using the hybrid electrics because of the batteries,” said Fox. “Just like with all this computer garbage we’re creating, where do these batteries go to be broken down? Are there Indonesian children on a shore walking around in all these hazardous chemicals? Hydrogen is not going to do that; hydrogen is cleaner.” Hydrogen fuel may be a possible solution to the problems of disposal in the United States. T h e question is: are we ready for it? “I think a lot of people are ready for it. I think they’re tired of high gas prices, and fluctuating gas prices,” said Zachary Eichholz, a junior majoring in sustainability and vice president of the Florida Tech Environmental Club. “I know they’ll be expensive at first. But once we have the infrastructure, it’ll be a great alternative fuel.”
“I know they’ll be expensive at first. But once we have the infrastructure, it’ll be a great alternative fuel.” —Zachary Eichholz nient for you to use it. You don’t want to have to drive 100 miles just to fill up,” said Bill Bowden, owner of a 2007 Toyota Prius. “Costs would be a factor down here, because there’s an older population. People are retired, so they have to think about their income. It’d have to be cheaper to make a major impact,” said Bowden. Others remain less skeptical.
Tara Drumm wins Joan Bibxy Award The award is named in honor of Joan Bixby, a former university administrator and alumna.
See DRUMM, page 2
Many of the things that college students have to worry about have to do with driving: getting a driver’s license, finding a parking spot, buying gas, getting insurance, using public transportation, etc. With many countries having driving laws and customs that are different from the United States’, international students have even more things to worry about. Shiyu Zhao, president of the Chinese Students Association, described some of the difficulties that Chinese students faced while adjusting to U.S. laws. “Two of the more important differences between Chinese and U.S. driving laws and customs are that there are no stop signs in China, since it is all done by lights, and police sirens are only used when chasing criminals or for emergencies,” she said. Zhao said some of the students in the CSA had a joke of how a Chinese student new to the U.S. was speeding. A police car started chasing them with lights flashing and sirens blaring, and it took the student a while to realize the police officer was signaling him to pull over. Kevin Graham, director of the Department of Security at FIT, said a common difficulty international students have is recognizing U.S. traffic signals and signs that are different from the ones in their home country. He said one of difficulties for some of the international students was one of attitude, where they weren’t used to the different laws and customs of the U.S. and aren’t sure how the laws apply to them. To help international students adapt to U.S. laws, International Student and Scholar Services and FIT Security have presentations and make all the information regarding U.S. driving laws and customs available online
for the international students. Graham gives some of the presentations to help highlight some of what international students need to know regarding U.S. driving laws. Jackie Lingner, associate director of the ISSS, said that the question international students ask most frequently is why they are unable to get a U.S. driver’s license until at least 10 days after they arrive and register with the immigration system. The delay is so that the information has time to be uploaded to the other databases needed to register for a driver’s license. Lingner said that sometimes there are discrepancies between the data that was submitted to the immigration database and the information given to the DMV when registering for a U.S. driver’s license. She said the student then has to go back to the immigration services and have the information corrected before they can get a U.S. driving license. She said that one problem she had seen some international students having was that sometimes they come over as a family, and only one of them knows how to drive. If the driving family member is waiting for a U.S. license, family members have to figure out how to get to work and classes, often having to car pool with other students or use public transportation. Lingner said that the program and information the ISSS gives out has been updated over the years based on feedback from the students. She said she thinks they have improved it greatly in the time she has been with the ISSS in helping international students get the information they need. Graham said that while the ISSS and FIT Security do their best to help international students, ultimately, it is the international students’ responsibility to utilize the resources provided to them by the ISSS and FIT Security to learn the driving laws and customs of the United States.
Panther Dining Hall discourages DIY to-go boxes Carlo Mencarelli Staff Writer An apple here, a sandwich there. Some students may have taken something from Panther Dining Hall at one time or another. When is taking something from the Dining Hall crossing the line? Is it acceptable that students take bags of cereal at a time or a bunch of bananas? The staff at Panther Dining has confirmed that it just isn’t food being taken. Plates, silverware, and cups have also been disappearing from Panther Dining Hall. There have even been rumors of students taking dining
sets, which, while not entirely confirmed, has kernels of truth in it. The staff at Panther Dining Hall has recently been cracking down on people taking things from the facility, but that hasn’t discouraged people from continuing to take food. Sophomore Tyler Hackett admits he has not only taken food, but plates and silverware from the Dining Hall as well: “Yeah they’ve yelled at me, but I did it again after that anyway.” Hackett mentioned that he always returns what he takes from the dining hall.
See Dining hall, pg 3
OPINIONS....................... 2 Students react to the rain through memes campus life................. 3 sci/tech....................... 7 See rain, pg 5 sports.......................... 8