ISSUE 11 APRIL 26
SPRING 2016
Shedding light on Florida Tech's veterans The next transition
Photo by Chandler Erisman Hanging up the uniform, military veterans share their transition stories from the battlefield to the halls of Florida Tech. “It got me off that dirt road I was born on in North Carolina and got me out to see the world,” said James Baucom, a user experience specialist at Evans Library. “The world that is in many ways the same and many ways different.” Baucom, along with others from faculty and staff to students, who have served their country for years, are now living life as civilians with their priceless memories that helped shape them. “I still got a lot of Marine in me,” said Ian Sumner, a former Marine and a current defensive lineman on the football team at Florida Tech. The transition from
military to civilian life is different for everyone. For Col. Stauffacher, the director of industry education programs at the College of Business, it was the appropriate time. “I realized when I left the military that I was leaving, it’s fun to talk about but it's something I don’t miss because I knew it was time to leave after 27 years, so you move on,” Stauffacher said. Others left the service for different reasons. For John Allen, professor and manager of assessment at the College of Business, it was family. “They asked me to go again and my daughter just told me not to go anymore and it's hard to say no to an 8 year old kid when you’ve missed a couple of years already,” Allen said. Many veterans can
testify to being put through intense situations before their transition. “It’s one of those huge amounts of stress, really quick decision making situations,” Allen said when telling one of his stories. Once while scanning the crowd on his way back to base in Iraq, Allen faced one of those situations. He saw a young boy begin to pull out a pistol from behind his back. “I can remember looking down the sights on my gun and at this kid,” Allen said. “At the last moment, as I’m switching from safe to semi to pull the trigger and become the latest guy on CNN, I see that the tip of the gun is orange and it’s a toy gun.” Allen ended up paying the little boy for his toy and breaking it in front of the crowd, but this did not save
the child from abuse inflicted by his family. The stress and nature of the military makes it a little different for veterans to adjust to civilian jobs. “In the military you have to have a little Teflon skin,” Baucom said. “You can’t get upset because somebody raised their voice at you, or said hey do this instead of saying hey would you please do this.” Sumner likens the interaction to receiving instructions from a football coach. “They don’t pat on the back, it’s always critiquing,” he said. “You can’t take it personally, you’ve got to have thick skin.” Allen sees things a little differently. “The hardest thing when you get out of the military is to find something that matters, something where you still affect something else in a large
way,” he said. “In the army it’s easy if I’m deployed. I had multi-billion dollar budgets and I was building roads in Afghanistan, and helping build clinics, so you have a very real effect that you can see when you’re relatively young.” Sumner appreciates coming back to the U.S. after serving in places like Afghanistan. “It definitely gave me a different perspective on life and how precious it is, how good we have it,” he said. “It opens your eyes to how lucky we really are to live in a country with freedoms.” This sense of gratitude manifested itself slightly differently in Baucom. // ABEER JANAKAT CONTRIBUTING WRITER
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LYNN EDWARD WEAVER The president that no one talks about
Bust of Lynn Weaver behind Olin Engineering Complex. Photo by Ebube Ubochi
Most students have probably never noticed the bronze bust behind the Olin Engineering Complex, but it stands in the likeness of one whose legacy is impossible to ignore. Lynn Edward Weaver served as the third president of Florida Tech and is credited with bringing about remarkable developments in the university's academic reputation, physical plant, budget, endowment and research programs. Despite his role in the maturation of Florida Tech into the institution it is today, many students seem to be unaware of his influence, partly because he is in retirement and not a particularly visible presence, but also because they are concerned with other things. “Most people don’t care about history,” said Chubby Idigo, junior in mechanical engineering. “Like, it’s cool
and all, but people couldn’t be bothered.” Daniel Oguntoyinbo, also a junior in mechanical engineering, feels like Weaver should be talked about more. “I’d never heard of him before this and considering the way the school carries itself,” he said, “I feel like more should be said about him if he did so much.” Gordon Patterson, professor of history at Florida Tech, is one of many who had a chance to work directly with Weaver in his early years as president, and describes him as a transformative figure in the history of Florida Tech. Weaver first came to
Melbourne in 1984, after building a remarkable career as an educator that included an associate deanship at the University of Oklahoma, a deanship at Auburn University, and department head positions in the University of Arizona’s engineering department and Georgia Institute of Technology’s School of Nuclear Engineering and Health Physics.
// EBUBE UBOCHI SCI-TECH EDITOR
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In this issue INFORMATION OVERLOAD SPACEX LANDS ROCKET BOOSTER MENS ROWING, PALA WIN GOLD
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CAPS PSA
When you hear “predatory drugs,” it may not fully register to you what these are. A better known term is “date rape drugs” These are any chemical substances used for the purpose of rendering a victim passive, submissive, unwilling or unable to resist unwanted sexual advances. What are the most commonly used drugs? What can you do to protect yourself and others? What could happen? We will answer these questions below.
Predatory Drugs:
The most common predatory drugs are GHB, Rohypnol and Ketamine. Alcohol is also a commonly used predatory drug many people do not think about.
Effects:
GHB produces intoxication followed by deep sedation. It takes about 1020 minutes after the drug is ingested to have an effect and lasts about 4 hours. Ro-
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OPINIONS Predatory Drugs
hypnol has similar effects; however, it can last up to 12 hours before it will wear off. Ketamine often causes loss of time and identity and can last from 30 minutes to 2 hours. The most common “after effects” are memory loss, dizziness, depression, respiratory distress and loss of consciousness.
Warning Signs:
Predatory drugs often make people feel as if they have had copious amounts of alcohol when they have not. The physical effects often mock severe intoxication and the effects are similar: memory loss, disorientation/confusion, drowsiness, dizziness and impaired judgment. If you feel you or a friend, have been given a predatory drug, it is important to seek help right away by dialing 911 or go to your nearest hospital. If ingested in too high of a quantity, predatory drugs can be
deadly.
Safety:
Keep your glass covered with your hand or a coaster if you are at a bar chatting with a friend or looking away. Do not leave your drink unattended, and make sure your friends do the same. Watch your drink being poured to be sure it has not been altered. Do not take drinks offered from strangers. Do not drink out of a glass if you cannot remember if it was yours, or if the glass looks different. Check on your friends and have them check on you. Always have the number of someone you can call for help. It is important to remember that alcohol is one of the most commonly used predatory drugs because it is cheap and easily accessible. Always make sure you know how much you have had to drink and drink
responsibly. Also, do not accept multiple drinks from strangers or try to “keep up.” Know your limits and keep yourself safe! If you, or someone you know, feels they have been drugged, call Campus Security, 911, or find a bar/ restaurant staff member for help and try to keep a sample of the drink, if possible. Also, seek testing right away at a local emergency room, as date rape drugs leave the system quickly. If you have been a victim of sexual assault or wake up with unknown bruising and soreness, seek medical help immediately from your doctor, a hospital, or the student health center. You should not shower as this can wash off any DNA that could have been left behind. For emotional support, seek help from the student counseling center (CAPS), To request services, call 321-674-8050, or walk into
the center. CAPS is located on the corner of Country Club Road and University Boulevard. Additional supports available 24/7 are as follows: Brevard 211 Helpline -call 211 –or- 321-632-6688 Free/Confidential emotional support to those who may be in distress and need a listening ear, help with managing a crisis situation, and/or assistance with information/referral services. National Sexual Assault Hotline -- 1-800-656HOPE (1-800-656-4673) Free/Confidential emotional support to those who may have experienced rape, sexual assault, and/or incest. v
// KENDRA BARTEL CAPS OUTREACH COLUMNIST
Dramatic increase in cases of chlamydia diagnosed at Student Health Center Over the past three months the number of cases of Chlamydia, a sexually transmitted infection, has been diagnosed with unprecedented frequency among FIT students. The reason for this can only be presumed from our conversations; fewer students are using condoms during sexual activity. Many students lack the knowledge of consequences to make informed decisions to protect themselves. The distressing truth is 90 percent of those infected have no symptoms, thereby passing along the infection unknowingly. Chlamydia causes (often heartbreak-
ing) infertility in men and women, as well as Pelvic Inflammatory Disease in women, a serious infection which could require hospitalization, multiple antibiotics and result in chronic pelvic pain. Chlamydia, other STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) and pregnancy can occur even with hand to genital contact as well as brief exposure to penile penetration without ejaculation. Recent statistics find 1 in 4 sexually active students will contract an STD sometime during their college years. The freedom of independent living, the
availability of alcohol, and peer pressure can place students in some risky situations. Alcohol reduces inhibitions and the ability to think rationally, which is known to promote risky sexual behaviors. According to a survey by the American College Health Association the risk of getting an STD when mixing sex and alcohol is almost doubled! It was found that 45 percent of college freshmen who were under the influence didn’t use condoms! (ACHA, 2012). From a legal standpoint a potential sexual partner cannot give consent, plac-
ing the initiating student at risk for charges of sexual assault, the chances of safe sex are very low, and regretting the behavior and its consequences is quite likely. Misconceptions about STD’s, Testing and Contraception “FIT is a small, expensive school, there’s little risk of STD’s here!” Fact – on the average, the Student Health Center diagnoses 3 – 4 cases of gonorrhea or chlamydia and 2 cases of Genital Herpes monthly. However, over the past 3 months we have diagnosed 1-2 cases
of Chlamydia a week!!! We know that many students go to the local health department or private practitioners for testing so these numbers are far from complete. “STD testing is just for cheaters and players!” STD’s are equal opportunity infections! Anyone sexually active can get an STD, even someone starting their first serious relationship. The adage of you are sleeping not only with your partner, but with all their previous partners, and their’s is scary, but true. // DEBORAH MARINO, ARNP DIRECTOR, HOLZER SHC
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ContinueD FROM PAGE 1 “I came back and I had a hard time celebrating Christmas or appreciating a lot of the things we have because I’ve seen so many people with so little; it really kind of messed me up a little bit,” Baucom said. Their time overseas gave these veterans a chance to serve their country as well as build cultural experiences and lasting friendships. “It’s invaluable,” Baucom said. “Now because of being exposed to so many cultures and living in different places, I have realized the differences and the similarities and it helps
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FEATURES me in communicating with the population here who is 30-something percent foreign.” Others made friends for life. “You have a bond, you almost become a family,” said Sumner, talking about his unit members who deployed with him. Friendships formed not only between the soldiers, but with locals. “What I see in Iraq right now is just breaking my heart because I just think about those people all the time,” Allen said. “I still keep in touch with people from Afghanistan and I’m not talking
Photo by Abeer Janakat
about Americans in Afghanistan,” Allen said. “One of my close Iraqi friends — he’s a huge University of Kentucky basketball fan, he and I always
get into March Madness and stuff like that.” In this country’s fight for the freedom of its people: “Some people it hurts, you know, mental-
ly,” Sumner said. “Some people, they get mentally stronger.”v // ABEER JANAKAT CONTRIBUTING WRITER
A LOOK AT INFORMATION OVERLOAD Professor's work highlights causes, solutions to information overload
Information overload: “We have all experienced information overload and we know it when we encounter it — but how do we define it?” These words come from “Information Overload: An International Challenge to Professional Engineers and Technical Communicators,” a book edited by Florida Tech professor Judith Strother. Strother, who earned her Ph.D. degree in psycholinguistics at Eindhoven University of Technology and also has a master’s degree in applied linguistics and an M.B.A. degree from Florida Tech, says that she became interested in studying information overload “probably just by living it.” “The idea of information overload is that basically it is a situation in which a person simply has more information, data, activities than they can handle without undue stress. So I think we all go through that all the time,” Strother explained. “Information Overload,” which was written and edited by an international group of experts, formally defines information overload as “stress induced by reception of more information than is necessary to
Judith Strother, Ph.D. Professor of global strategic communication
make a decision or that can be understood and digested in the time available.” The book identifies causes of information overload as the unlimited accessibility of everyone to everyone, the ease of relatively nonexistent cost of sending messages, devices allowing multitasking and rapid switching from task to task, etc.. The book also mentions that everyone being expected to be available 24/7, the fact that we “sanction unlimited sending of unsolicited messages,” and that people are expected to be good at multitasking and can switch quickly are also contributing factors to information overload. We all experience information overload, but the question is, how do we manage it? “Probably more than anything else, it is time management,” Strother said. “We all have the same 24 hours a day. The question is, ‘What you do with them and how you organize them?’” Strother remarked. According to Strother, an important step towards managing information overload is learning to look at commitments and prioritize. “Basically that is something some students are [not the best] at. They haven't learned to do that yet. So they have 10 different tasks or assignments and they give them all equal priority and maybe one is a two-point something and one is a research paper that
Photo illustration by Lindsay Isaac. is going to be worth 30 percent of your grade. So it is a matter of looking at commitments and prioritizing. We all have to do that. That's not just a student problem. That's a problem we all have,” percent Strother explained. “It is about figuring out how to take that 24 hours and allocate it reasonably so that you get your priorities taken care of, but you still have enough time for yourself, because that is critical too,” Strother continued. “I think at this point in the semester, that is where some students crash and burn, because if they haven't prioritized and organized well then they
do nothing but study and school work instead of you know, really having that balance of getting some fresh air, taking a break, whatever recharges your batteries. Right? So I think that makes a difference,” Strother said. “If you are looking for student suggestions, I think that is the nutshell right there: You've just got 24 hours. What do you do with it?” Strother concluded. Strother is also the Chair of the Graduate Program in Global Strategic Communication, but is retiring this semester. She authored over 60 publications and five books. Keturah Mazo, an instructor for the School of
Arts and Communication at Florida Tech, discussed the following methods to reduce information overload in her course Professional Communication for Executives: -Establish a schedule for checking your email. -Set aside specific times to respond to digital correspondence. -Categorize and organize your email. -Turn off your mobile phone or limit use to specific times. -Take breaks. Step away from technology and spend some time outside. v // LINDSAY ISAAC STAFF WRITER
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CAMPUS LIFE
CATCH A TYPO? WE'D LIKE TO HAVE YOU. Join the Crimson on Monday nights at 6:30pm to snag a story and a slice of pizza.
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CAMPUS LIFE
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Continued from page 1 He arrived with his wife Anita for an event at the Kennedy Space Center; it never crossed either of their minds that Weaver would be invited to become president of Florida Tech only three years later, according to Patterson. “President Weaver is a man who works with care and precision, and never seeks the limelight for himself,” Patterson said. “He realized that Florida Institute of Technology was at a critical junction, that the school had reached a certain plateau.” Weaver believed that the future of the university would be built on research and developing new facilities, and he was aware that the problem for a private institution like Florida Tech at the time was getting the funds to do this. It was at his time that he began working with board members Bill Potter and Jack T. Hartley, the then CEO of Harris, and a handful of other people to
discern the best course of action. Weaver felt that the F.W. Olin Foundation might be a possible benefactor for the university, so he invited them to Florida Tech in the early 90s. Based on the positive impression they had, they provided the university with a fairly small donation to support its growth. The foundation visited again covertly in 1996. Only a few were in attendance. “Dr. Weaver called me up and asked me to meet him at 8 o’clock in the morning at the Old Schoolhouse,” Patterson said. “I was part of a group of people who showed the people around the campus and talked to them.” hAfter this, things were quiet for four months, and then the Olin Foundation announced that they were setting aside $100 million for Florida Institute of Technology — $50 million in an outright gift for new
facilities which we know today as the Olin Engineering Complex, the Olin Life Sciences building and eventually the Olin Physical Sciences building. This was only the first of many significant infrastructural changes, as the growth of Florida Tech and the change in its atmosphere were more than apparent. “The university was a different place. New laboratories, new classrooms, new energy was felt across the campus,” Patterson said. Information Systems junior Oforma Osi-Ogbu is one of countless students who make frequent use of the Olin facilities daily. “It was definitely a great idea, because the library has a closing time,” Osi-Ogbu said. “Basically, if you’re planning to do an all-nighter or just staying to study late, Olin’s the best place. “I think it’s testament to Lynn Weaver that in this
process, there never was a moment in which he said ‘Look at me, look at what I’ve done,’ Patterson said. “He always said look at our students and what they will do.’” “I view him as a great educator, a great administrator and a man that I was proud to serve under,” Patterson continued with a smile. “He is in many respects, the unsung hero of the university. In my own efforts to write the history
of the school, the chapter on Lynn Weaver will be one which will be long and detailed.”h Weaver stepped down from his role as president of Florida Tech in 2002 at the age of 70 and has since retired. Now 85 years old, he is still quite active and goes on runs from time to time.v // EBUBE UBOCHI SCI-TECH EDITOR
NEW STUDENT GOVERNMENT ELECTED Elected leaders talk about vision Students have voted and the new Student Government executive board — Warren Pittorie as president, Daniel Ata as vice president, and Trenton Lizakowski as treasurer — are getting adjusted to their upcoming roles. The Crimson sat down with these student leaders to talk about their visions for their roles. Warren Pittorie is the upcoming President of SGA. His platform was for students to know what the SGA is and get students involved. When he was campaigning, Ata and Pittorie visited clubs such as the ROTC and some sports clubs which aren’t usually involved with student life but are still organizations that are prominent on campus. Pittorie is a confident person, which a good sign for a president. When asked how he would have felt if he lost, he said that he would have been fine because the others are
very strong candidates and brought different ideas to SGA and would have done a great job. He said something that was unique about some of the changes that could be done which was that the SUB has a “sea of fliers which you are trying to swim through” that haven’t really caught his attention. Sadly the lack of attention in the four years that he has been coming here, not one of those fliers drew him in to the point of attending anything. He would like to rework that advertising technique so that it is more appealing to the students and draws in more attention. On a larger note, he would like to see the SGA be more involved in other organizations such as visiting their meetings. Pittorie would also like to bring more awareness to the international clubs and their events. He believes that there could be a lot more attendance with
more advertisement to the student body. With more attendance there could be more involvement with the school for future times. Daniel Ata is the newly elected vice president of the SGA. When asked about his position in SGA, he said that he is the behind-the-scenes person. “The vice president is the keeper of the senate,” Ata said. “He is to keep everyone accountable and make sure they follow Robert's Rule of Order to make things run efficiently.” He addressed the fact that that some of the SGA members are apathetic to their jobs. When asked how he would address this, he said that he would address the person who isn’t performing their duties properly and if things don’t improve, the person would have to step down from their position. Ata will also like people to know that SGA is a tool for students to use to make their life easier. As a new
executive board, he and his colleagues plan on visiting the clubs and introducing themselves so that if there are any problems, then clubs know where to go to get them addressed. Trenton Lizakowski was elected as the treasurer of SGA. When asked if he was prepared for his role as the financial advisor of the SGA, Lizakowski said that he had the experience similar to this because of being previously involved with budgeting in two of his high school organizations. Having some of this experience should prepare him for what is to come ahead, but he is not doing this alone because the previous treasurer Jonathan Cirillo will help guide him into the position so Lizakowski can better serve the students. Some of the things he wishes to improve is the SAFC document, which he said he thinks hasn’t been clearly written.
He wishes to show the administration that the money that is being given to SGA is going towards productive things and not just sitting in an account being useless. Lizakowski said he believes there is a need to reach the students and show them what SGA has done, such as a trolley app to help students monitor where the trolley is. Lizakowski isn’t the only one of the executive of SGA that believes that the students should be reached. So — did you make the right choice in picking your representatives? These elected representatives seem to have ideas and want to make a difference in our university and the only way we can see their results is with time. v
// SVETA WARREN STAFF WRITER
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NEWS
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Graduation tickets an ongoing source of struggle for students, staff Spring graduation on May 7 will be a day to remember for students, family and friends. For some who will be present, they are able to see the ceremony live, and for others it will be on a livestream television screen. Last spring, seniors had five graduation tickets to give out amongst family and friends on one of the most important days of a lifetime. This year students have four tickets to hand out. “We have a much larger graduating class,” says the registrar’s office at Florida Tech. It is true that the student population has been
increasing over the years, and The Clemente Center (where graduation takes place every year) is only so large. But students have a lot to say when it comes to limiting who they can and cannot invite to see them get their diploma. “I understand the limited number of ticket sales is due to the growth in graduates,” said Krista Foster, graduating this May, “but limiting tickets for students really affects family dynamics. “Personally, even after my father passed away, four tickets is too few for all the relatives making the journey to Florida to see me graduate,” Foster said. Many people resort to
asking their friends if they have extra tickets available. If that does not work, students search on FitForum for people selling their extra graduation tickets from anywhere in between $50- $200. There is a live stream available for those who are not able to be present during the ceremony, but students are still not satisfied. “Because there are a ton of graduates who also need extra tickets,” said senior Duke Richardson, “it’s virtually impossible to find them. Graduation is a special time for everyone and it’s a shame that some people are unable to have the people they want at the
ceremony, because they didn’t have the money to buy black market tickets from someone random,” Richardson said. But the school is doing the best they can to accommodate students and their families. “We have no other options at the moment,” says Jennifer Johnson, who works in Florida Tech’s registrar office. “The Clemente center is the largest indoor venue in Brevard County,” she said. Many people have been calling the registrar’s office asking questions regarding changing the location of graduation. Some have suggested moving graduation
outdoors, possibly to the Florida Tech football fields, but administration is not in favor. Because of weather inclinations, say if a storm were to occur during the ceremony (which is somewhat probable in Florida in the summertime), they would have to cancel and not have a ceremony at all. Ultimately it is up to administration to decide where to have graduation and if it will change next year. Until then, students will have have to have a limited number of people present at their ceremony. v //MARY KOZAITIS STAFF WRITER
SpaceX successfully lands rocket booster on drone ship
SpaceX remote camera photo of rocket booster landing on Drone Ship. Photo by SpaceX. In the ongoing effort to privatize and expand space travel one of the biggest limitations is cost. SpaceX hopes to reduce this by recovering and reusing rockets after launch which previously would have been lost. To do this, they are utilizing a combination of careful rocket landing and a mobile autonomous sea landing barge. SpaceX was able to successfully land a Falcon 9
rocket’s main-stage booster on an autonomous ocean landing ship on April 8. The rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral for the Dragon CRS-8 resupply mission to the International Space Station. The Dragon capsule continued on to deliver 7,000 lbs of supplies and an inflatable room. According to International Business Times, The booster was 23 stories tall and landed about 2.5 minutes after launch 185
miles northeast of Cape Canaveral. Elon Musk, SpaceX Founder and CEO said at a press conference, “I think it’s another step towards the stars. In order for us to really open up access to space, we’ve got to achieve full and rapid reusability.” Space X President Gwynne Shotwell said reuse of first stage boosters could reduce costs by 30 percent compared to current Falcon 9 rocket prices.
According to the Verge, The Falcon 9 costs $60 million to produce and costs $200,000 to fuel. The landing barge is known as an Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship. According to Universe Today it measures about 170ft x 300ft. This particular ship was named “Of Course I Still Love You,” based on a ship from a novel by Iain Banks. The platform is driven by four diesel powered
azimuth thrusters and can move autonomously via GPS data or can be controlled remotely. Its ability to function remotely eliminates risk to operators should anything go wrong in the landing. This success comes after 4 previous attempts to land at sea which had ended in failure. SpaceX’s last attempt in March had low prospects of success due to its mission to deliver the heavy SES-9 satellite which resulted in limited fuel and a very hot reentry. The three earlier attempts to land at sea resulted in the booster toppling over and exploding. According to the Verge, in December, SpaceX had its first successful attempt to land a rocket on the ground. Ground landing generally proves easier due to the wider area and stable surroundings, but also requires more fuel since the rocket must orient itself for the surroundings. In the case of sea landings the drone ship can instead orient itself to catch the rocket on the path it is already falling preventing additional fuel usage. SpaceX expects onethird of its rockets to land on ground and the rest to land at sea. v // CHRISTOPHER PANGALOS STAFF WRITER
NEWS
7 FCC pushes for standardized cable boxes to allow competition ISSUE 11
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The FCC voted in favor of new rules to give consumers options to choose cable boxes and support alternative manufacturers on Feb. 18. The proposal is intended to remove competitive barriers and pave the way for alternative set-top boxes used for cable TV. The rulemaking proposal states the rules are meant
to “empower consumers to choose how they wish to access the multi-channel video programming to which they subscribe and promotes innovation in the display, selection, and use of this programming and of other video programming available to consumers.” The final rulings on the proposal will likely not be completed till the end of
this year. According to the FCC 99 percent of pay-TV subscribers rent their cable boxes and have limited ability to choose between them. The FCC gives an average of $231 annually in rental fees for an average American household and a combined total of $20 billion annually for all U.S. consumers. While prices of computers, TVs, and cellphones have dropped by 90 percent since 1994 the price of cable set-top boxes has risen by 185 percent. These FCC proposed rules aim to require service providers to deliver three streams of information that could be accessed and used by manufacturers. The first is “Service Discovery”, such as channel listings, channel information, and video-on-demand options. Service providers would also need to provide “Entitlement” information which says what a device is allowed to do with content, for instance whether or not it can be recorded. Lastly
Florida Tech’s feline residents When walking the school grounds, it’s common to feel a pair of reflective yellow eyes watch you walk by, or a small, furry figure quickly dart underneath the security carts. Around five cats have been spotted around Florida Tech and some have become like campus pets to the students and staff. Gleason, Pete and Marconi are just a few names given to the black cat that lingers at the school. Many students and staff have become fond of Gleason at WFIT, the national public radio station on campus, allowing him in the building and feeding him. Gleason isn’t the only cat that roams the campus, but why is it that these feral cats take to Florida Tech? Fan Xia, a sophomore at FIT, said that the reason the cats may be hanging around the school is because some people feed them. “They are just feral, they don’t get spayed, people feed them and they stick around,” Tom Wonak, an employee at the Black Kat Kafé, said. “I’m not a fan of cats. I would rather have the raccoons than the cats,” Wonak said. According to Maggie Harp, a maintenance worker, the cats have lived around FIT for at least eight years. Maggie said that there are so many cats in the area because children get kittens, get out of school and they leave their pets behind.
“Kids shouldn’t get pets until they are graduated and settled down,” Harp said. Although some cats may roam the sidewalks and the Botanical Gardens, some cats end up finding new loving homes, as was the case for one stray that was found behind Panther Dining Hall. Kit-Kat is a tortoiseshell cat that was found by Kaija Owen’s father one day behind PDH by the dumpsters, who took her home and then to the vet. “We thought she was a kitten because she was so small and malnourished,” Owens said. According to Owens, Kit-Kat weighed at about 3.6 pounds and had only two molar teeth left when she was found, but since being in the care of the Owens family, she has regained her weight and even given birth to three kittens. Her teeth had to be completely removed due to a gum disease that made eating painful. “Since her teeth were removed I started calling her Gummy,” Owens said. Kit-Kat was taken to multiple vets who said that she was possibly abandoned as a pet. It is unknown how Kit-Kat found her way to FIT after being abandoned, but he has been given a new chance to live a happy life with her new family. v // RILEY GEESKIE CONTRIBUTING WRITER
service providers would need to allow access to the video itself, which is typically encrypted, so the boxes could use and display it. The FCC recommends the information be available to competitive manufacturers through a “published, transparent format that conforms to to specification set by an independent, open standards body” According The New York Times, on April 15, President Obama announced his support for the FCC’s proposal. Obama said consumers spend billion on cable boxes per year and there hasn’t been much innovation. Obama also noted the private sector becomes less effective “if we get closed systems or if people are gaming the system.” According to CBS news, earlier this year presidential candidate Bernie Sanders along with 5 senators sent a letter to the FCC complaining of a lack
of competition in cable-TV and broadband internet markets which has created “troubling and questionable customer service and payment practices.” According to Cnet, Comcast, which is the nation’s largest cable provider, announced on April 20 that it will offer its Xfinity suite of cable TV offerings to third party partners. This includes live TV, on-demand, channel listings, and cloud based-DVR facilitating their use in third-party apps. The FCC responded that it offers” only a proprietary, Comcast-controlled user interface and seems to allow only Comcast content on different devices, rather than allowing those devices to integrate or search across Comcast content as well as other content consumers subscribe to.” v // CHRISTOPHER PANGALOS STAFF WRITER
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SPORTS
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Men’s Rowing aces SIRA Championship, takes 3 gold Men’s rowing continued their transformation into a highly elite collegiate team as they took gold in three races in their season debut at the SIRA Regional Championships. “This was the best performance we’ve had at a SIRA Championship in a really long time,” said Head Coach Jim Granger. The varsity eight, junior varsity and double teams were all champions. It has been decades since this combination of teams has won at SIRA, and the first time in school history that the 2v won. The varsity eight continued their streak as a powerhouse, adding a notch to their list of SIRA wins over the last decade. “Coming away from a regatta knowing that your best was enough to come out on top is a great feeling,” said junior Kevin Coyle. “Our lack of official racing was a concern going into the competition, but we were confident in our abilities as a boat and in our training.” The men’s rowing team practices all semester with intrasquad races, never seeing any real competition, until their debut at SIRA. Coyle said the biggest challenge is not so much physical, but psychological. The teams only get one chance to give their best
The Panthers' varsity eight took gold in three races. Photo by Kerry Armstrong, courtesy of Florida Tech Athletics.
race and the tiniest mistake can cost a team time. “There is the need to build some mental fortitude,” Coyle said. “You are voluntarily putting yourself in position to either lose, or endure 6 minutes of intense pain.” Granger said that the team is in a good position moving forward to their next competition, the Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta, in May. The Panthers won the Dad Vail last year for the first time since 1988 and are looking to put up stiff competition.
PALA TAKES GOLD, Federica Pala is a business administration major on the Florida Tech Women’s rowing team. The 21-year-old is a freshman at Florida Tech, but is no amateur in her sport. Pala hails from Oristano, Sardinia, Italy and rows on her nation’s Olympic team. Her most recent accolade was clinching the gold medal spot in the women’s single event at Knecht Cup, a regatta held on Mercer lake in West Windsor, New Jersey on April 10. Pala has been rowing for 11 years and practices around 25 hours a week. She has worked hard for that gold, but she has a more prestigious medal in mind. “I'm focused on our next race in Sarasota, but I'm also preparing for the selection for the World Championships in the single,” Pala said. Pala loves the feeling of being in the boat and the rush of competing. It is what keeps her going, day in and day out, she said. That drive is what has
The most important thing his team still has to learn is there race identity. The teams haven’t had a lot of real race time to gel, and it showed at SIRA. “Each pass on the course they’ll learn about themselves, they learn more about their teammates and you know what their expectations are,” Granger said. The graduating seniors this year have played a significant role in the current success for the Panthers. “Our current seniors have definitely pushed
us as boat,” Coyle said. “Marty and Joe were both in the boat last year when we won against Columbia, at SIRAs, and the Dad Vail championship. Both set the bar pretty high for the varsity eight in our goals and standards for making it into the boat.” When this senior class began their careers four years ago, FIT was the only Division II school voted on in the coach’s poll. Granger said they couldn’t get any of the coaches to take FIT seriously. Then the senior class
started having some respectable finishes. After an invite their sophomore year to the men’s rowing national championship, they helped to put FIT on the map. “There was a strong will from those guys in the boat that this was their last regional championships up in Tennessee, so they wanted to go out with a bang and I think they accomplished that,” Granger said. v // AUDREY GANGLOFF SPORTS EDITOR
conference championship in sight for women’s rowing
placed her within reach of worldwide recognition of her excellence in the sport. Compared to the Olympic team, Pala said the attitude at Florida Tech is the same, but the atmosphere is different. “In Italy, I had girls with more experience to follow. Here, we are all at the same level,” Pala said. “The concept of team is stronger
at Florida Tech; in Italy we are more individualistic.” Before a race, Pala’s only thought is to be focused, with a clear mind. That was her attitude during the team’s last race in New Jersey, their final 2-kilometer race in the varsity eight. She said the memory is now one of her favorites. Pala and her team were
neck and neck with another Philadelphia University’s boat at the end of a race, but Florida Tech fought hard and pulled through to beat them. The result was a bronze medal finish for the athletes in the varsity eight. Up next for women’s rowing is a return to Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, Florida to com-
pete in the Sunshine State Conference Championship on April 29. “The lesson that I learn every day is that work always pays off,” Pala said, “and this applies to all fields in life.” v // AUDREY GANGLOFF SPORTS EDITOR
Federica Pala pushes off from the dock at Mercer Lake in West Windsor, New Jersey. Photo by Alex Coultrup.