The official student newspaper of florida Tech
Fall, issue 1
august 13, 2013
Tuition does not increase for the 2013-14 school year Allison McLellan Staff Writer Back to school usually consists of getting textbooks, figuring out where your classes are and bracing yourself for the inevitable tuition rise from last year. This year, Florida Tech students have gotten an enjoyable break from one of those. Instead of the usual tuition increase that occurs at most colleges across the country, tuition prices will not increase this year at Florida Tech. “We felt enrollments were growing, the university’s finances looked good, and so we decided
it was appropriate not to do it,” said Robert Niebuhr, senior vice president of financial affairs. Niebuhr uses a variety of methods to make his recommendations to the Florida Tech Board of Trustees about possible tuition increases. He uses the Consumer Price Index and the Higher Education Price Index to look at cost projections for some of Florida Tech’s expenses for the coming year. “We look at those things, and then we try not to go beyond those two indices,” Niebuhr said. “We try to match, and the last 7-8 years we have been pretty close to matching that on the average.” Niebuhr also compares costs at Florida Tech to a list of 30 private universities nation-wide. “We don’t just look at tuition
and fees, we look at housing and food, and we compare that with other private schools in the state of Florida plus some of our peers outside the state,” he said. Niebuhr is also pleased with Florida Tech’s track record of tuition increases. “Over the past five year period, Florida Tech’s average tuition increase was 4.3 percent versus our peer schools average of 4.5 percent,” he said. Anthony J. Catanese, Florida Tech president and CEO offered more reasons for the lack of a tuition increase in an earlier interview with the Crimson. He cited research grants, personal gifts and endowments and online education as money making areas that were able to subsidize tuition. Some students are suspicious about tuition increases in the coming years. Thomas Carter Rochester, a senior civil engineering major, expressed concerns that having an increase free year would lead to higher than normal increases
Florida Tech doubles number of varsity sports under Catanese
down the road. “There’s no way that it’s not going to,” Rochester said. Although tuition did not increase for the coming school year, the cost of student meal plans
went up by 4 percent. Niebuhr attributed this to both a USDA projected rise in annual food prices for 2013 and Florida Tech being over budget in food costs for the last several years. “This year we did increase the food pricing,” Niebuhr said.
SGA write-ins take student by surprise Hershlay Raymond Editor-in-Chief
image property of Florida Athletics Florida Tech has doubled its number of varsity teams during Catanese’s time as president, from 11 to 22.
David Barkholz Sports Editor “How many sports would you like to add?” It was 2002 and Bill Jurgens, athletic director of Florida Tech since 1976, had just met the university’s new president. “I thought ‘Wow,’” Jurgens said. “Here’s someone that understands the value of sports.” Since becoming president 11 years ago, Anthony Catanese has led Florida Tech through the addition of 11 new varsity sports teams to the school’s athletics program. With the new women’s lacrosse team, the university’s latest effort in athletic expansion,
Florida Tech has now doubled its number of varsity teams during Catanese’s time as president, growing from 11 to 22. “I think lacrosse is the hot sport in Florida and throughout the south,” Catanese said. “Historically it’s been a northeastern sport, but the amount of enthusiasm in Florida at both the high school and college level is just astonishing.” Florida Tech’s women’s lacrosse team will join Florida Southern, Rollins College, Saint Leo University and University of Tampa in Sunshine State Conference, which with five teams is now an NCAA championship-eligible conference. “I am honored that Florida Tech has bestowed their faith
Meet your new sga
Introducing the new president, vice president, treasury and secretary.
See SGA, pg 4
“We don’t want to cut back on the quality of food, but the quantity of food partaken in by the students was more than we expected.” Both Niebuhr and Florida Tech president and CEO Anthony J. Catanese seemed hopeful that students would enjoy this year’s break from tuition increases, which have been the norm at many schools. “I want to feel some love from students for not raising tuition this year,” Catanese said. That feeling was echoed by Niebuhr. “Hopefully students are appreciative.” Mark Harrison Nanney, a senior ocean and mechanical engineering major, is very appreciative. He said he found the lack of a tuition increase exciting. “This is the greatest thing that’s ever happened since I’ve been at FIT.”
in me to begin what will be a fantastic addition to an already successful athletic department,” recently named head coach Corinne Desrosiers said in a press release. “The most exciting part of all this is that we truly get to start from scratch and put a personal stamp on what Florida Tech women’s lacrosse is going to be: an established tradition of success.” Florida Tech’s men’s lacrosse team completed their inaugural season last spring, posting a 6-8 record – pleasantly surprising for a first
See students, pg. 10
When Tyler Seidman looked at the Student Government Association results last semester, he was shocked to see his name towards the bottom of the senate race. His surprise did not come from the fact that he came 21st out of 20 slots for senator. His surprise came from the fact that his name was even there at all. “We didn’t really know anyone running for senator, so we wrote in Tyler,” said Joshua Aguilar, one of Seidman’s friends who initially began the idea to place Seidman’s as a write-in. Aguilar teamed up with Seidman’s roommate Nathaniel Cunha and quickly expanded the number of people involved in Seidman’s secret bid for senator. “Twenty-two people were contacted through Facebook to vote for Tyler and a few through email and a few through text,” said Aguilar, a junior in premed/biology. “We were not only selling it as a prank, but selling Tyler as a product too. It will be funny if we elected him, and it would benefit the school because Tyler’s a good person.” Cunha said he knew that Seidman would be good for the senate position, but thought that he would insist for everyone not to write him in. “We wanted him to win, because we wanted him to be a surprise senator,” said Cunha, a junior in mechanical engineering. Aguilar said that Seidman
fILM REVIEW Heather Macy reviews one of the most frightening films of the summer.
See review, pg 6
was “dumbfounded” when he became aware of what had happened. “We were in the middle of studying ochem when he found out,” Aguilar said. “He had no idea.” Seidman only found out about the write-in plan the day results were released. “My roommate texted me a picture of the results,” Seidman said, “and I couldn’t believe it. I was very confused at first. I didn’t understand why I was in the race or how I acquired so many votes. Everyone did a pretty good job keeping it a secret.” Initially, all of Cunha and Aguilar’s work seemed futile when the results showed Seidman losing by six votes. “I was so mad at those results. I could have done more,” Aguilar said. Though Seidman never planned to become senator, he was “actually kind of upset” by the results. “I felt that I could make a big difference as a Florida Tech senator, and I was saddened by the loss,” he said. “Luckily, I got a second shot later on.” Two of the originally appointed senators were dismissed after failing to meet requirements for remaining a senator. “Because of academic reasons, they were not able. Under our bylaws, they wouldn’t be allowed to,” said Jessica Cushman, the vice president of SGA. Seidman is eager to begin his time as a member of the senate.
See Write-in, pg. 5 OPINIONS....................... 2 Campus life ................ 4 Entertainment............ 6 SCI/TECH....................... 8 sports........................ 10