The Minirat

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Spring Concert Canceled Again, B.O.B. Blames ‘Too Much Sun’ YouTube Star Rebecca Black Moves to Front Seat Boring Stuff Head Princess

For the second year in a row, the University of Tampa’s “rain or shine” spring concert has been canceled due to weather.

Last year, Party in the Park was called off because of rain.

This year, it’s the shine to blame.

In early March, UT’s Student Productions (SP) announced that star rapper B.O.B. would be the 2011 Party performer.

But this past Tuesday, B.O.B.’s entourage contacted UT stating there was a problem.

Representative Danielle Feinstein told SP that the artist felt there would be “just too much sun in Florida” on the day of the concert.

“B.O.B. does not perform with the sun in his eyes,” B.O.B. stated about himself in the third person.

“B.O.B. cannot just pretend that airplanes are in the sky, blocking out the rays. B.O.B. could really use some rain right now, rain right now, rain right now.”

SP music chair Jack Mehoff told Feinstein they would rotate

“B.O.B. does not perform with sun in his eyes. B.O.B. cannot just pretend that airplanes are in the sky, blocking out the rays,” -B.O.B. the stage to face east, so the sun would not set in B.O.B.’s eyes.

Feinstein called later that day with a statement from B.O.B. “It’s nothin’ on you UT. B.O.B. just prefers performing under shooting stars.”

After B.O.B. called off his performance, Mehoff contacted new YouTube sensation Rebecca Black’s booking agent, her mother, to see if she would be a available.

The concert was originally scheduled for Sunday, May 1, but Black’s mother demanded the concert be moved to the day after Thursday.

To make the eighth grader feel more comfortable on stage, her mom requested UT students in the audience wear fake braces.

“She likes to feel like she’s

performing in front of her peers,” said her mom.

“Rebecca said that’s it makes her feel like she’s in homeroom.

Oh, and do you guys have an extra Auto-Tunes?”

If you would like to contact Cara Fetzer, forget about it.

Angry Stuffed Animal Retention Center

Lucky Arrested on DUI Charges

We-we-we at The Minaret are so excited about the switch from B.O.B. to Black. Are you excited about this change?

Tampa Police say a little drinking . . . can be more than you bargained for.

Visit minaretblog.com to cast your vote.

See Page

By CARA FETZER

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Spartan Cards Replaced by Body Scanners

By JOHN JACOBS

Offensive BullS**** Jingle Heimer

OnFoot4now (Didi)/FLICKR.COM

In Other News...

Next month, UT will officially begin a new program that will end the use of Spartan cards and replace them with body scanners.

That’s right, instead of requiring students to carry an ID with them, they will simply need only to step through a quick scanner whenever entering the cafeteria, or the gym, when buying things from the school store and using the bathroom.

“Sounds great to me!” said freshman Mike Sorrentino, “I mean forcing us to carry around Spartan cards has been madannoying all year, and it’s like ‘Why are you making us carry these?’ You know what I mean?”

The school came to the decision to get rid of Spartan cards and replace them with full body scanners because administration

claimed, “Spartan cards were too cheap.”

They went on to state, “By replacing Spartan cards with full body scanners, we’ll have another reason to raise tuition, as these scanners are extremely expensive and unnecessary.”

With no more Spartan cards, students may be wondering how they will be able to use their Spartan dollars.

The school plans to release a new line of Spartan dollar cards, which students will be able to use like credit cards, except only for their Spartan dollars.

The new cards will be available for purchase in the school bookstore for $15, with the option to transfer all leftover Spartan dollars from old Spartan cards to their new Spartan dollar cards for an additional $5.

“Finally!” said junior Deena Snookstein, “I swear, I’ve been

so over Spartan cards since I got here. With body scanners I won’t have to worry about carrying some stupid card around. And Spartan dollar cards seem way much more convenient.”

While the program will officially begin in May, installation of the body scanners won’t be completed until December of 2014.

But with Spartan cards gone and the installation of body scanners not finished until 2014, there will be a short transition period, during which students will be required to show their Spartan cards, Spartan dollar cards and passports at the entrance of every building with the exception of the chapel, as administration is still, “Trying so hard to get anyone in that place.”

John Jacobs is busy at the moment, please go away.

April Fools’!

OTHER CRAP OFFENSIVE BULLS**** It’s somewhere...

AF2 Meet Tampa’s Newest Nightclub

AF2 UT Tells Meat to Beat It

AF3 Police Beat: 3/25-3/31

SWEATY JOCKS Flip the paper over!

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MINIRAT

AF2 APRIL 1 2011 | THE MINIRAT

BOSSY GUY Alex Vera

bobthebuilder@usf.edu

THE EVERYTHING DEPT. Mike Trobiano

lastresort@ut.edu

BORING STUFF

Cara Fetzer, Head Princess Joshua Napier, Yogi Bear yawn@ut.edu

GOSSIP + RUMORS

Mandy Erfourth, Social Butterfly Micheal Angelo Rumore, Petey Linguini rumormill@ut.edu

OFFENSIVE BULLS***

Philippa Hatendi, Oracle Dr. John Jacobs, Jingle Heimer lies@ut.edu

SWEATY JOCKS

Daniel Feingold, the Anxious One Kyle Bennett, Louder than Snooks jockstrap@ut.edu

DA WEB

Yara Abbas, UT Hacker daweb@ut.edu

PAPARAZZI

Abby Sanford, Amish Girl 2dum2rite@ut.edu

PUT DA MONEY IN DA BAG

Zoe LeCain, Pimp David Wistocki, Honorable Mention pimpjuice@ut.edu

MASTERMIND

Daniel Reimold, Ph.D.

rebeccablackfanclub@ut.edu

NIT-PICKERS

Laura Theobald, Broken Leg :( Moriah Parrish, Theobald Look-Alike David Saucedo, The Dancing Machine Robin Hudson, TTYN :)

NOSEY ONES

Jeffrey Palmer Channing Hailey Yasaman Sherbaf Shivani Kanji

MOB SQUAD

Sophie Erber Conner McDonough Michael Paonessa Miles Parks

NO-FACTS NEEDED Richard Solomon Carolyn Hatch Camilla Chebet Nicole Robinson Hannah Webster Amanda Sieradzki

ARTSY STUFF Tara Huff

IMPORTANT STUFF TO KNOW THE MINARET is a weekly student-run publication at the University of Tampa.

The Minaret office is located next door to ResLife. Reminder, we’re the office you go to when you’re trying to find ResLife.

Angry? Unwarranted complaints aka, Letters to the Editor, may be sent to icouldcareless@ut.edu.

Your first two copies of THE MINARET are free. Each additional copy is irrelevant. Why would you want more than one anyway?

BORING STUFF

Meet Tampa’s Newest Nightclub

By AMANDA SIERADZKI No Facts Needed

Ke$ha put it most eloquently in her hit song “Take It Off”: “There’s a place I know, / if you’re looking for a show, / where they go hardcore / and there’s glitter on the floor.”

An upscale venue like the one Ke$ha describes will no longer be found exclusively in Ybor.

Beginning today, the University of Tampa students will have the option to “party safely” on campus, according to President Ronald Vaughn in a recent press release.

The Rathskeller will be changed to The Spartan Club at night when it turns into a bar.

Lurking underneath Plant Hall is a space named Rathskeller, which, up until a few weeks ago, was just an under-appreciated former speak easy.

Student government member Tiffany Buze is the driving force behind Rathskeller’s newest renovations that will transform the semi-abandoned, spooky haunt into a hopping joint fit for a Hilton, Lohan or Spartan.

Matt Oasted, a senior sports management major and student government senator, has been Buze’s right-hand man behind getting the proper paperwork through UT’s higherups.

“Rathskeller already has a functioning bar,” said Oasted, “it just needs a little sweeping, a DJ booth, and plenty of hot chicks, and it’ll be perfect for generating

Photo Illustration: Alex Vera/The Minaret

The Rathskeller will transform into The Spartan Club today. A sign-up sheet is located outside of President Vaughn’s office. Lucky will be present for the opening ceremonies, instructing students on how to properly binge drink.

revenue for the university.”

Vaughn has already expressed his approval for Rathskeller’s ambitious make-over: “The Spartan Club is going to be a classy establishment for our finest and brightest students to unwind.”

Freshman Elle Ebrius said she’s ready to experience all Rathskeller will offer.

“I heard there will be munchkins serving shots, dubstep and a ball pit.”

“It’s like drinking and driving, minus the driving,” said Ebrius’ friend Tipsy Potus in regards to having a club scene on campus that will actually promote a safe way to “get slizzared.”

Student Productions anticipates having their first Unplugged of the fall semester at the venue, and both fraternities and sororities have started a wait-list to host their academic and philanthropic events.

Lucky, UT’s safety mascot, has come out with all-new banners for The Spartan Club.

Lucky says, “Drink and be merry. Just don’t forget to hold your friend’s hair back before she hurls on a National Historic Landmark!”

Amanda Sieradzki cannot be reached due to endless hours of raving at the club.

April Fools’!

UT Tells Meat to Beat It Tofurkey Thursdays to titillate tastebuds

By MORIAH PARRISH Theobald Look-Alike

Under recent pressure from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the University of Tampa’s on-campus dining services provider, Sodexo, has decided to go meatless. The decision was announced over the past weekend, and the national food corporation has faced much criticism from students regarding their new cruelty-free policy.

Thursdays in The Caf now feature the Tofurkey of Gilmore Girls’ lore. Served with a vegetable stock-derived gravy, mashed potatoes with margarine, and plain steamed green beans, it almost could be real. Except, of course, for the soybean aftertaste.

“It’s really nothing at all like my grandmother’s cooking. I have no clue who in their right mind thought this was a good idea,” said freshman Ivana Spaamwich.

“Honestly, cruelty-free tastes kind of icky.”

Abby Sanford/The Minaret All-veggie diet keeps many students wanting more. The term ‘freshmen 15’ is deemed obsolete and the new term ‘fat-free freshmen’grows on campus.

The tofu offered in place of grilled, cubed chicken in the burritos at Salsa Rico is actually indistinguishable from true poultry. Honestly, soy and chicken both have literally no flavor.

“Dude, that’s not really chicken? But, I thought I ordered … Oh, well. Food’s food, bro,” said senior Parker Plant.

The stringy, pulled-pork substitute made from processed vegetable protein now offered in La Habana tends to melt in the mouth a little more readily than actual meat. The texture just doesn’t compare.

“This is absolutely disgusting. I texted my dad to have him call President Vaughn immediately. It’s outrageous!” decried junior Muffy Havitawl. “Where am I going to get my meat now?”

There being no good alternative to fish in the vegetable world, Einstein Brothers will no longer be offering tuna salad sandwiches.

For those observing the Catholic calendar, they now have no replacement for their fish on Fridays during Lent.

The burgers offered in Spartan Club are

now entirely comprised of soy patties— either plain or flavored with Southwestern spices—similar to Boca burgers. The flavor is all right, but they taste nothing like real ground beef. They taste like the fried vegetables congealed with soy that they are. And no amount of condiments will change that.

Sodexo representative Michael Vick declined to comment. It is safe to assume, however, that the company is pleased with the new policy, as prices for meal plans have increased for next semester, when, in fact, the food cost has decreased dramatically.

On-campus Sodexo employees have suggested rumors that the campus will be switching to vegan only products—no animal products whatsoever—within the next few months are completely true. So be on the lookout for the soy milk disguised as creamer for coffee.

As a senior stated while twirling a celery stick, “Two kinds of beans turned into a liquid and blended together do not taste as appetizing as that might sound.”

MINARET UNIVERSITY OF TAMPA’S NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1933

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She Has the Grades, But Not the Funds Area high school honor student cannot afford UT News Reporter

[

By NICOLE ROBINSON

“I don’t have shoes. I have this one pair of sandals that I have worn all year, but I’ve grown out of them now.”

- Kaitlyn Micciche,

]

For many high school students, the hardest part about college admission is actually getting accepted.

However, for some, the question of how they will afford a quality education is a far more pressing issue.

Kaitlyn Micciche, 17, a senior at Blake High School on North Boulevard, falls into this latter camp.

She is a member of the school’s National Honor Society, a harpist, a cheerleader, a leader within JROTC, a Key Club honor society member and a Fine Arts Student council member.

Micciche dreams of one day working in the medical field. “I want to become a pediatrician,” she said. “I’ve wanted to do it for the longest time. I love kids. I

She said her family has recently struggled financially, leaving her higher education hopes in doubt.

“I don’t have shoes,” she said. “I have this one pair of sandals that I have worn all year, but I’ve grown out of them now. ... Cheerleading shoes ... are the only ones I have and I can only wear them [while] cheerleading.”

She said she has five siblings and step-siblings and that sometimes her family’s financial priorities are not focused on basics like shoes.

To her peers at Blake, she said she attempts to come across like a regular student with no troubles.

“A couple of my really close friends know ... I don’t really tell

Nicole Robinson/The Minaret

Micciche heard about music programs at UT and thought it would be a good fit for her. She hopes to become a pediatrician someday.

UT senior

love helping people.”

The main roadblock to Micciche’s medical aspirations: money.

See Top , Page 5

Incoming Dean Wants to be a ‘Cheerleader for Students’ Promotion is latest step in Russell Holz’s twelve-year journey at UT

By JEFFREY PALMER News Reporter

University of Tampa’s own Stephanie Russell Holz, soon to be Dean of Students, started her UT career in the capacity of Assistant Director of Student Activities twelve years ago. At the time the university was a tiny institution of only 2,200 students and lacked many of the building projects it would acquire by the year 2011.

“Before the building of the Vaughn Center our office was located in Riverside and consisted of only three people,” she recalled.

In more than a decade of service to UT, Holz is proud to have been a part of the construction of new residence halls, a true student center and the Sykes Center for Faith and Values. She counts the formation of a Diversity Fellowship as one of the great triumphs of the university in its tremendous period of growth.

The incredible variety of the student body coupled with the close-knit community of campus NEWS + FEATURES 2 UT Responds to Growth of Co-ed Dorm Rooms 4 Students Share Memorable April Fools’ Pranks 5 Mario Lopez With Hispanic Community at UT

is what initially attracted Holz to the academic institution.

“I knew that I wanted to be a part of a smaller, more intimate campus,” she explained, “My other favorite aspect of UT is the diversity of the student body.”

Holz expressed some very strong views concerning her new obligations as Dean of Students and the role she should play in the campus community. She believes it will be her duty not only to act as voice of the student body and bring their concerns to the administration, but recognize the many achievements of those she represents and act as mentor in fostering their ambitions.

“The Dean should be a cheerleader for the students,” Holz said.

The current economic crisis and the resulting stress of many students in meeting their financial needs, is an issue the new Dean sees as a major hurtle confronting the university. She also feels it will be necessary to address evolving mediums of technology and communication as well as the ever-changing face of the student

Minaret Archived Photo

“The twelve years I’ve been here UT has been in a continuous state of constant improvement,” said Holz after she was elected UT’s new Dean of Students. Holz will be taking over the position in June as Robert Ruday’s successor.

body. Attempting to remedy age old problems of drug and alcohol abuse will also be a top priority of the new Dean.

“There always needs to be widespread awareness of drugs, alcohol and safety issues in general

to create a safe environment for students,” she affirmed.

Holz hopes to utilize her personal philosophy centered around personal interaction and the importance of bringing students together, to help confront

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT The University of Tampa College of Arts & Letters Department of Speech, Theatre and Dance presents

Directed by Karla Hartley

March 24, 25, 26 at 8:00 p.m.

March 27 at 2:00 p.m.

General Admission - $10 Non-UT Students/Seniors - $5 UT Students and Faculty Free with I.D.

FALSETTOS Music and Lyrics by William Finn Book by William Finn and James Lapine The David A. Falk Theatre 428 W. Kennedy Blvd.

For ticket information, call 813.257.3987

and overcome these issues. She is confident that her extensive experience within the unique character of the university will

See Holz, Page 5

COMMENTARY

9 ‘Falsettos’ Sings Story of Sexuality, Tragedy

19 Child Dies: Whose Welfare is the A.C.S. Looking After?

13 ‘For Good Food,’ Pach’s Place Meets Expectations

20 Facebook’s ‘Waiting Room’ Rouses Temptation and Tension

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MINARET

2 APRIL 1 2011 | THE MINARET

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Alex Vera

avera813@gmail.com

ASSISTANT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mike Trobiano

mike.trobiano@gmail.com

NEWS + FEATURES

Cara Fetzer, Senior Editor Joshua Napier, Asst. Editor minaret.news@gmail.com

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

Mandy Erfourth, Senior Editor Micheal Angelo Rumore, Asst. Editor minaret.arts@gmail.com

COMMENTARY

Philippa Hatendi, Senior Editor John Jacobs, Asst. Editor minaret.commentary@gmail.com

SPORTS

Daniel Feingold, Senior Editor Kyle Bennett, Asst. Editor minaret.sports@gmail.com

ONLINE

Yara Abbas

minaret.online@gmail.com

PHOTOGRAPHY

Abby Sanford, Head Photographer minaret.photog@gmail.com

ADVERTISING

Zoe LeCain, Ad Manager David Wistocki, Ad Designer minaret.ads@gmail.com

ADVISER

Daniel Reimold, Ph.D. dreimold@ut.edu

COPY EDITORS

Laura Theobald, Head Copy Editor Moriah Parrish, Asst. Copy Editor David Saucedo, Asst. Copy Editor

REPORTERS

Jeffrey Palmer Channing Hailey Yasaman Sherbaf Shivani Kanji

STAFF WRITERS

Sophie Erber Conner McDonough Mike Paonessa Miles Parks

COLUMNISTS

Richard Solomon Camilla Chebet Nicole Robinson Hannah Webster Amanda Sieradzki

CREATIVE/DESIGN Tara Huff, Layout

MORE INFORMATION THE MINARET is a weekly student-run publication at the University of Tampa.

Letters to the Editor may be sent to editor@theminaretonline.com.

To reach THE MINARET call 813.257.3636.

THE MINARET or THE CRESCENT Apply at theminaretonline.com/jobs Your first two copies of THE MINARET are free. Each additional copy is $1.00

NEWS + FEATURES

How to Guide For Vegetarian Diet

By CAROLYN HATCH Health and Fitness Writer

Have you ever wondered how vegetarians are able to maintain a balanced diet? Though it’s not easy, it is possible to take in sufficient protein and nutrients without eating meat.

There are various ways of doing this and it is crucial that the students who are considering a vegetarian diet understand the nutritional requirements.

The key to any diet is a full plate of nutrient-rich foods, like whole grains, low-fat dairy and a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables. Vegetarians are able to obtain protein from sources like legumes, tofu, tempeh, whole grains, nuts and dairy like cheese and eggs.

Eggs have had a negative connotation throughout the years because of their high cholesterol levels and saturated fat.

However, one of Tony, Sodexo chef’s omelets filled with veggies, egg whites and feta cheese is a very healthy, energyboosting breakfast choice.

For those who do not consume milk products, it is crucial that you eat other calcium-rich foods.

Breakfast cereals, soymilk and orange juice are all calcium-fortified (calcium added by manufacturer). On the other hand, legumes, nuts, many leafy veggies, seeds and tofu are natural sources of calcium. Daily calcium supplements are also available to ensure healthy bones and teeth.

Vitamin D is also in soymilk and

Philocrites/flickr.com

Getting a healthy amount of protein and nutrients are key for vegetarians.

breakfast cereals. Although sun exposure is a great source, supplements are also available if you are unable to get enough vitamin D. Vitamin B12 comes from animal sources only, and is imperative for the health of women who are pregnant or breast-feeding.

Like vitamin D, vitamin B12 can be found in soymilk, as well as breakfast cereals, and is also available in supplements to ensure a healthy nervous system.

For vegetarians that maintain a balanced diet and eat a variety of foods, getting enough iron is not an issue. Because iron is not as easily-absorbed from plant foods as

it is from meats, it is crucial that vegetarians take in iron-rich foods on a regular basis.

Sources of iron include cooked dried beans, peas and lentils, leafy green vegetables, and iron-fortified grain products.

The intake of foods that are rich in vitamin C will improve the body’s ability to absorb iron. Iron is essential to human health, because it not only carries oxygen to blood cells, but also acts as an energy booster.

Like iron, zinc is not as easilyabsorbed from plants as it is from meats.

Most vegetarians are able to get enough zinc by eating a lot of whole-grain breads, cooked dried beans, lentils, soy foods and vegetables. This essential mineral promotes biochemical reactions in your body, maintaining the immune system.

Fish and eggs are excellent sources of Omega-3 fatty acids, of which many vegetarians do not get enough. If you are a vegetarian that does not eat fish or eggs, it is important that Omega-3 fatty acids are obtained through hemp seeds, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, various leafy veggies, soybean oil or canola oil.

For those at risk of cardiovascular disease, a healthy heart cannot be overlooked.

A vegetarian diet can be a great way to be healthy and get fit, but it is crucial that you are open to a variety of foods. As you can see, in order to maintain a balanced diet you must be willing to try new things.

Carolyn Hatch can be reached at carolyn.hatch@spartans.ut.edu.

UT Responds to Growth of Co-ed Dorm Rooms

By CHANNING HAILEY News Reporter

A lot has changed since the ‘50s, when students of the opposite sex were rarely allowed into each other’s single sex residence halls.

Twenty years later, parents looked on uncertainly as universities began introducing co-ed dormitories.

Today, more than 90 percent of college dormitories are co-ed. For many, genderneutral dorm rooms are simply the next step in the evolution of dormitory culture.

Rutgers University has gained recent attention for its new decision to offer coed dorm rooms for students beginning in the fall.

This adjustment to previous living situations has come about as a response to the Sept. 22, 2010 suicide of 18 yearold Tyler Clementi, a freshman at the university.

Clementi’s suicide followed the surfacing of a film his roommate secretly made of him during one of his sexual encounters with another male student in his dorm room.

Many people share the opinion that Clementi would not have faced such a tragic end had he been able to choose a roommate he was more comfortable with, even if that roommate was a female.

More than 30 universities now offer coed rooms for students, including Harvard University, Columbia University, Cornell University and Dartmouth College.

The National Student Genderblind Campaign started in 2006 as a grassroots movement amongst American university students with the purpose of broadening and redefining gender equality.

The goal of the NSGC is to help students in universities across the country develop proposals and campaign their universities’ administrations for genderneutral housing, in order to provide more

equality and options for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and questioning students on college campuses.

David Norton, executive director of NSGC, told Cincinnati Magazine, “Each school has its own take on how and why to change [its housing] policy. Many see it as a social justice campaign—something that affects all students.”

Many state universities, including The University of Pennsylvania, Ohio University, San Diego State University, University of Connecticut, University of Southern Maine and University of Michigan have made the transition towards genderneutral on-campus living, in order to show students that they don’t have to move offcampus in order to live comfortably.

Some colleges are taking co-ed dorm rooms a step farther, though, opening the options for opposite sexes to cohabitate, even if both potential roommates are straight.

UT students will notice on their housing forms a statement from Residence Life reminding students that cohabitation is illegal in Florida.

In fact, a Florida Statute 798.02 states that “If any man and woman, not being married to each other, lewdly and lasciviously associate or cohabit together, they shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree.”

However, Miami University just implemented a gender-neutral housing program this year, meaning they were not hindered by the cohabitation law.

So how do UT students feel about coed dorm rooms?

“I don’t see any problem with guys and girls living together,” freshman Taylor Kelly said. “I actually wanted to live with one of my [female] friends; we just got along really well. She ended up living with me for a while when I moved offcampus.”

Chloe Campbell, a junior, had a different

take. “One of my beliefs is that it’s the way it should be right now,” she said.

“I think that during the college years, everyone gets a little crazy anyways, and living with the opposite sex would encourage more irresponsibility.”

Krystal Schofield, Director of Residence Life, said, “We have had the occasional request for a co-ed roommate. It has not only come from members of the Gay Lesbian Transgender Straight Organization (GLTSO) community, but also couples and friends of the opposite sex who would like to live together.”

A big issue of co-ed housing Schofield mentioned was the logistics.

“I cannot compare our housing options to those at Rutgers. I do not know if they offer as many singles and suite style options, or if they have primarily double loaded corridor student room like the community side of McKay. “Bathroom access would make a big difference when considering these options,” she explained.

She went on to say, “I think that having a co-ed option could be a challenge for students and staff, but also for vacancies created if one of those students moves out and they do not have a friend who fills the room.”

According to Schofield, at this time, UT is not considering implementing a genderneutral housing program.

Whether or not co-ed dorms will find a place anytime soon in UT’s future, the fact is that gender-neutral housing programs are being talked about, seriously considered and even implemented in many universities across the country.

A concept that would have seemed incredulous to students fifty years ago, providing gender-neutral housing is just one more way that today’s college campuses are evolving.

Channing Hailey can be reached at channing.hailey@spartans.ut.edu.

NEWS + FEATURES

THE MINARET | APRIL 1 2011

3

Spartan of the Week: Dory Estrada Junior Balances Roles in Campus Life

By YASAMAN SHERBAF News Reporter

Dory Estrada is a second semester junior majoring in environmental science with a minor in writing.

She is very involved in OSLE, Respondez and several other organizations on- and off-campus.

The Minaret had an opportunity to interview Estrada to find out more about her many involvements and how she balances it all.

The Minaret (M): What is your main job at UT? Dory Estrada (DE): Working in OSLE. I am the student coordinator of leadership.

We are currently working on the leadership awards night, which is on April 12, 2011.

There has been a lot of coordination with the committee planning it. Leadership awards night is a huge night to recognize student achievement.

I have been preparing for ELITE, the retreat freshmen students get to go on. I just did interviews for it. And I also just did interviews for the PLF, the President’s leadership fellows, which is a four-year scholarship program.

M: Are you yourself a part of the PLF? DE: Yes, I’m in the second year of it. It’s fairly new: in its third year. It is a four-year scholarship program. It is very selective and very few receive it.

The first year of the program is about “self.” It’s about becoming a leader through personal values. It’s very enriching; you really analyze yourself and how you fit in with others. The second year is about group; it is the most difficult kind of leadership. Ten hours of service with 15 people together... It is really difficult. We are well on our way to completing it for the semester. We have really understood how to be a leader in a group.

M: Where are you interning?

DE: I’m interning at WEDU, the local Tampa public broadcasting station. It is a

communications internship, so I’ve had a lot of writing to do.

I love going to my internship; there’s always something going on. They do a lot for the community. I had a big responsibility dealing with their biggest “friend-raising” event this year, Sojourn.

This event promotes their name and gets more people enthusiastic about it.

My boss created it and it took place in February, in its sixth year. Over 400 guests attended the event, a very formal, black tie, that took place at the Reinassance Hotel in St. Petersburg.

The theme this year was South Africa and I helped write the program. I also helped assist the South African dancers at the event. We raised a lot of money. Right now, there is a Freedom Writers event, which I am trying to promote on Facebook.

The documentary is going to be shown at the Tampa Theatre for free on April 13, 2011.

It is a documentary that took place in 1961 about segregation. The man who wrote the book Freedom Writers, a Professor at USF, is going to be at the theatre, and other freedom writers.

M: Why did you want to get involved with so many things?

DE: I was really involved in high school, and I knew I wanted more beyond studying. Getting involved is a great way to meet people and find your niche. I am just so passionate about a lot of different things.

I really like going beyond the classroom and being apart of the student culture.

The question is why wouldn’t you want to get involved?

M: Do you do anything else on campus?

DE: Yes, this year I’m really honored.

I am the Editor-in-Chief of Respondez, the student publications magazine.

That’s just been really awesome. I was on the editor board last year. My work has included working on applications for editors, conducting interviews, reading

submissions and editing submissions over break. I just finished editing.

The publication is coming out April 21, 2011. I am also really involved with Circle K International; I am the President. Our biggest event this year was this past Friday, the Murder Mystery Dinner, in which we raised about 600 dollars for Relay for Life.

M: Are you in any clubs on campus?

DE: I am in Tri Beta, the biology honors society.

We are going to the aquarium this weekend.

M: How do you balance everything?

DE: It’s challenging. I don’t have as many credits this semester: 13. I like to think I’m pretty organized.

I tell myself not to take on more than I can chew.

I make lists. I do use my planner religiously. It’s a matter of being involved in the things that I’m really passionate about.

I still keep my priorities in line, my schoolwork. I think I do a pretty good job of being involved in my interests; I try not to lose sight of that. I take it one day at a time.

M: What do you plan on doing in the future?

DE: Right now, with my academic major and minor, what I would love to do is blend both of them. Even though my major is environmental science, I am more interested in having a career in conservation science.

I am looking to write about preserving the environment. I’m hoping that going to Costa Rica is going to help clarify what

Alex Vera/ The Minaret

I want to do with my major. [I’ll] see firsthand an example of a place that’s doing a great job with the environment; and then I will use what I learn when I come back to Tampa.

At the same time, I really love people and getting people motivated and excited about things. If I can find a way of doing that on the side, then that would be great.

Think you or someone you know could be Spartan of the Week? Email us at minaret.news@gmail.com with their name, contact info and a brief description of what makes them awesome.

Yasaman Sherbaf can be reached at ysherbaf@spartans.ut.edu.

The Road to Tampa: An Inside Look at the 2012 Republican Field

By MICHEAL ANGELO RUMORE Asst. A&E Editor

Despite sweeping Republican gains in the 2010 midterms, the path to the White House in 2012 appears to be a difficult proposition.

Unseating an incumbent president has been historically difficult, especially during war time and in an improving economy— both of which describe the state of the Obama administration. This is perhaps why no major candidate has officially entered the fray, despite their strong hints.

Consider that in 2007, all major candidates except for Fred Thompson had declared their candidacy by March. Despite the hesitancy, it’s time to begin looking at the prospective Republican field. The road to Tampa, the site of the 2012 Republican Convention, remains wide open, due to the lack of a clear front-runner.

Following is a partial list of likely candidates with analysis of their strengths and weaknesses as they head into the primary season and, potentially, the general election.

Newt Gingrich: Former House Speaker

Newt Gingrich formed his exploratory committee in early March. Gingrich has the advantage of strong name recognition.

Besides being a former Speaker of the House, Gingrich has stayed in the public eye through involvement in think tanks like The Hoover Institute, and as a frequent contributor on Fox News Channel.

However, Gingrich has recently had to deal with inconsistent statements on the conflict in Libya.

On March 7, Gingrich advocated that a no-fly zone be instituted “this evening,” and then on March 23 conversely said he “would not have intervened.”

Sarah Palin: Former Alaska Governor and vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin has been widely rumored to run after resigning from her governorship of Alaska.

She’s kept a high public profile through frequent television appearances as a Fox News contributor and by starring in the reality series Sarah Palin’s Alaska.

Despite high name recognition, Sarah Palin is disadvantaged by the “negative” factor.

A recent Bloomberg News poll found 60 percent of Americans view Palin unfavorably.

Only 28 percent of respondents viewed her favorably. This translates to a 32-point net negative, which would be tough to overcome in the general election, not to mention the primaries.

Rudy Giuliani: Former New York Mayor

Rudy Giuliani recently expressed that he planned to run if he found the Republican field too far right and unelectable.

“If all we are faced with are candidates that are too far right so that they can’t win the general election, then that’s when I’d reconsider doing it,” Giuliani told Republicans in Palm Beach on March 22.

At least for now, Giuliani has the credentials to back this up.

Giuliani is the only prospective Republican candidate polls show would beat Obama if the election was held today—51 percent to 49 percent.

Mitt Romney: Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney has been consistently polling in the top tier of Republican hopefuls, despite not having formed an exploratory committee.

During the 2010 midterms, Romney proved his fundraising skills.

Romney actively campaigned for Republican candidates and raised more money than any other prospective presidential candidate.

Romney’s drawbacks include his Mormonism, which alienates certain segments of the religious right—a key Republican constituency.

Former Senator Rick Santorum,

also a rumored presidential hopeful, expressed another concern over a potential Romney/Obama match-up. Referring to Massachusetts’ universal health care laws, enacted while Romney was governor, Santorum said, “The issues, unfortunately, don’t line up particularly well for Governor Romney this time, particularly with health care being front and center on the stage.”

Since Massachusetts’ health care law is similar to the the recent federal health care overhaul, Romney will have to reconcile his record as governor with his platform of repealing the Affordable Care Act. Check in next week for more candidate analysis.

Micheal Angelo Rumore can be reached at michealangelorumore@gmail.com.

Poll:

Who would you vote for president in 2012?

Give us your response on The Crescent at minaretblog.com.

4 APRIL 1 2011 | THE MINARET

NEWS + FEATURES

Students Share Most Memorable April Fools’ Pranks

By CHANNING HAILEY News Reporter

“Daddy, I’m pregnant.” At least that’s the prank that senior Akira Robinson pulled on her father one April Fools’ day.

“He wasn’t too happy about that one,” she said with a smile.

Pulling pranks on April Fools’ day has been a long standing tradition, and many UT students had stories of their own to share.

Obviously, there were more than a handful of stories offered about feigned pregnancies. “A buddy of mine one year put a sonogram as his Facebook default picture. Everybody was congratulating him all day,” said junior Dante Spinnato.

Pulling pranks on parents was another fun topic for students. “The only prank I ever played was on my mom when I was really little,” said Sophomore Meghan Miller.

“This one time she got a Dunkin’ Donuts souvenir mug with Pepsi in it. My mom left for a while and while she was gone I mixed flour in her drink. She knew something was up but she still drank it.”

Senior Andy Lopes took pranking his mother to the next level when he was in middle school.

“My mom worked nights and slept days. One April Fools’ Day, when she was asleep, I threw my backpack from the top of the stairs. It made the most awful sound and woke her up,” he said. “I laid at the bottom of the stairs and put my leg at an odd angle and it really freaked her out.”

There were also stories of when parents turned the tables on their kids. “Every time

an April Fools’ Day came up, they’d trick me with something serious. My dad told me one year my mom died. I was crying and he just goes ‘April Fool’s.’ It was awful,” said freshman Zachary Green.

Sophomore Jen Fink recalled a parentalprank also. “My mom told me I could get a dog. We went to the store and everything and then she was like ‘April Fools’!’”

Janeesha Youmans remembered a time when a professor pranked a class.

“My professor told us that we had a 20 page paper due in less than a week,” the sophomore said.

Some people’s April Fools’ pranks bring on showers of unexpected retaliation.

“One of my friend’s brothers made me chocolate milk and put glue in it,” said freshman Jared Lichtenstaredter.

“So my friend and I peed in a bucket and balanced it on a door so it would fall on him.”

For students living in dorms, April Fools’ Day is a prime opportunity to prank roommates and suite-mates.

“My suite-mates last year Saranwrapped our fridge shut, so when we went to get drinks out at night, it took us extra long,” said Sophomore Liz Edgerton.

“They even put icy hot on our deodorant,” she added.

Senior Dan Minkow proudly recalls the prank that he and his roommate pulled on classmates Matt Thomas and Chris Baietto last year. They went into their friends’ room and stole their 50 inch plasma and brought it downstairs to their room and kept it overnight.

Baietto jumped in, “I told him that our TV had gone missing and that we’d called

security. Security had contacted the police who came and reviewed the tapes from the hallways and elevators and knew who took the TV.” Thomas took the story from there: “Dan told us that he’d taken the TV, so I decided to bring it back myself. I ended up carrying it back in the hallway through the elevator, and, of course, there are cameras everywhere.”

“The cops still came to our room and showed a picture of me and my roommate moving the TV,” Minkow continued. “We tried to explain that it was a prank, but they weren’t too happy about it.”

“The cops came to my room too,” Thomas said. “They saw we had the TV back so we have to lie and say that we just woke up in the morning and found it there, that someone had just brought it back.

“They end up showing a picture of me carrying my TV back to my room myself.”

Minkow, Baietto and Thomas broke into laughter recalling the story and admitted that pranks can sometimes get out of hand. It’s never good to have the police involved.

Senior Tyler LoPilato had a frightening experience when a couple of friends visited him his sophomore year. “We were hanging out in Stadium and they told me they were going to sit outside for a while.

“About five minutes later I got a call from the security guard downstairs telling me that she caught my friends with cocaine,” said LoPilato.

“I went downstairs and they had their hands behind their back. The security guard told me that Tampa Police was on their way and that my friends told her I sold the coke

Kyle Bennett/The Minaret

to them. I was s------- my pants. We were about to go upstairs to do a room search when they all yelled, ‘April Fools’!’”

Maybe this year will offer even more stories of pranks on friends and parents and the occasional prank that goes wrong.

Shivani Kanji also contributed to this article.

Channing Hailey can be reached at channing.hailey@spartans.ut.edu.

Tum Tum Pa Beats off at University of Tampa

By SHIVANI KANJI News Reporter

The annual Red Bull Tum Tum Pa qualifier was hosted by the University of Tampa on March 24. The event took place in Martinez Sports Center and was hosted by MC’s Chris McCarthy and Elbin Keeppanasseril.

Tum Tum Pa is a global free-style drumming competition that originated in Brazil. Students must create beats using everyday school supplies, like pens, pencils, rulers and notebooks. Traditional drums and audio or electronic sounds are not allowed.

Six groups of students, with up to four per group, competed against each other in two 60 second rounds.

The first round was “The Cover,” in which teams performed a cover song of their choice. In the second round, they performed their own compositions.

The six groups that participated in the competition were: TKE, Synfonia Beats, Alpha Chi Omega Lyres, Theta Chi, Jedi and Sack Tappers.

Their performances were judged on rhythm, creativity and audience reaction.

The category of “rhythm” was judged

by Alicia Gonzalez, who is the president of the Spartan band and also part of the orchestra, wind ensemble and small ensembles.

She said that she was “expecting creativity, especially being a musician.

There is a difference between banging and creating.”

In the end, she said that the rhythm from the groups was “awesome,” and she found that the competition was “unique and different,” which made judging the event fun.

Billy Ward/The Minaret

[L-R] Russell Colleran, Gordon Bonnett and Brandon Shea won the quailifying round at UT.

Creativity was judged by Zoē LeCain, who is also the advertising manager for the Minaret.

She said that she really did not have a method for her judging, but that she was looking for alternate supplies and performances that were “out of the box.”

Audience reaction was judged by Daniella Fusari, who was named the 2010 Homecoming Queen.

Fusari judged the crowd based on their rowdiness. She felt that the event was “something different for our campus which is refreshing,” and added, “Who doesn’t love a Red Bull?”

The scores tallied up as follows: TKE, with 16 points; Synfonia Beats, with 56

points; Alpha Chi Omega Lyres, with 46 points; Theta Chi, with 50.5 points; Jedi, with 34.5 points and Sack Tappers, with 50 points.

Third place went to the Sack Tappers, who received $75 to a TBD Red Bull Bar/ Restaurant. The group was made up of members of the Spartan swim team. They said that they were nervous, but that they “were just trying to have some fun.”

Second place went to Theta Chi, which received a year’s supply of Red Bull. The team was not present to receive their award and was not available for interview after their performance.

First place went to Synfonia Beats, who received a VIP trip to the St. Pete Honda

Grand Prix for all three days. This included free food and drinks and front row access Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The group consisted of members of Phi Mu Alpha, a music fraternity. They were happy for the opportunity to advertise their fraternity. They were originally going to create two groups, but many members were involved in a musical and could not participate.

The winning teams will enter a video of their performance on YouTube and their performance will be voted on by people in the online community. The videos with the most votes will be submitted to a panel of judges, who will choose five U.S. national finalists.

The finalists will then represent the U.S. at the Red Bull Tum Tum Pa World Finals in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

From the perspective of the crowd, senior Jen Folley felt “The competition was very exciting and I would definitely come back again.”

Fellow senior Deanna Deeb said, “There was a really good turnout and a lot of different groups who put their own twist on each song.”

MC’s McCarthy and Keeppanasseril were also surprised at how the event turned out.

McCarthy said that he was “impressed at how they were able to make such creative beats and have such creative talent.”

And that he “was so surprised at what they were able to make. I don’t know if it was the Red Bull, but the crowd was pumped.”

Many people who attended the event hope to see it come to UT again. Be sure to check it out when it does!

Shivani Kanji can be reached at shivani. kanji@spartans.ut.edu.

NEWS + FEATURES

THE MINARET | APRIL 1 2011

5

Hopeful Spartan Seeks Opportunity From Front, Top

Sophie Erber/The Minaret

Guest speaker Mario Lopez addresses graduate students last Friday about the growing Hispanic community in the U.S. and the endless possibilities available to them.

Mario Lopez Connects with Hispanic Community at UT

By SOPHIE ERBER News Reporter

“The United States is the second Lopez was also signing copies of his largest Spanish speaking country in the first diet book, Extra Lean. Free copies world, second only to Mexico” said Mike were given away to the first 20 students to Cano of Insight Edge Inc. arrive that morning.

On March 25, the University of Tampa “Don’t think of it as a diet,” said was the host of a unique seminar called Lopez. “The book is more of a way to “Connecting with Hispanic Consumers.” improve your lifestyle and incorporate Well-known guest speakers from around healthy proteins and ‘carbs’ into meals, the country, including Saved By the Bell which many people on diets try to stay star Mario Lopez, came together in the away from.

Crescent Room to discuss and present their “And of course,” he said with a smile, knowledge on marketing and effective “I sprinkled in my culture.” mass media methods.

Two of the presenters were from the Cano gave his presentation to the UT community: Pamela Echeverria, future marketers in the audience on how to Director of Graduate Business Programs effectively target the Hispanic population and Dr. Viginie Kharé, Assistant Professor in America through something he called of Marketing. Other presenters included “cultural fluency.”

Maritza Astorquiza of Coda Sound and Cano pointed out that when he was Orlando Nieves of CENTRO Tampa. growing up in the ‘60s, the only Hispanics Dr. Kharé specializes in international he ever heard of marketing, consumer were what he called behavior and the “Hollywood services marketing Hispanics.” here at UT. Her “You saw the presentation at the maids,” said Cano, event was titled “the workers, all “Assimilation and the stereotypical Acculturation.”

Hispanic roles.”

“These two But as Cano concepts can apply pointed out, the to UT students as image of Hispanics is well, since quite a very different today. few of them are new Hispanics now have to this area,” said Dr. many integral roles Kharé. in American society: “How do they Ellen Ochoa is a choose to adapt to NASA astronaut and this new culture?

Sophie Erber/The Minaret They can choose Susana Martinez is not only the Lopez signed autographs for fans. to assimilate or governor of New acculturate. Most of Mexico, but also the first female and first them, just like the Hispanic consumers Latina governor the state has ever had. here, choose to acculturate and just add Cano, known throughout the nation this new experience to their cultural as a leading marketing figure in Hispanic repertoire. This will help them grow and newspapers, directly addressed the UT mature,” Dr. Kharé said. student community.

Kharé also believes that people “Embrace the diversity,” Cano can benefit in many ways from being said. “Understand that the changing exposed to other cultures. Her personal demographics in this country are a positive experiences and the work she has done in thing.” other countries has helped her grow as a Mario Lopez, the current host on TV’s person. entertainment program Extra and Randy The recurring themes that morning Jackson’s America’s Best Dance Crew, were expressed in many ways, but boiled was also in attendance. down to one key note: learn from the Lopez said that he was glad to be a part cultures around you. Studying what of the day’s presentation because of its makes people different and applying that importance to the Hispanic community. knowledge to the marketplace will help Speaking directly about UT, Lopez almost any business flourish. said, “This is a beautiful campus, I hope Sophie Erber can be reached at I can return one day.” serber@spartans.ut.edu.

people,” she said.

“My boyfriend’s family is trying to help me out and buy me some things I need, though. I don’t feel much different from other students. I still have a lot of friends.”

Due to the related fees, Micciche wasn’t able to afford the enrollment applications to other major universities in Florida.

She caught a break with the University of Tampa. She said university officials met with her in person during a visit to Blake, looked over her transcripts, and told her she was accepted on the spot.

According to Micciche, her subsequent application was accepted for free. Micciche was also awarded with a scholarship of $9,500.

However, a week later, the school called to inform her of down payment fees of $500 if she planned to live on-campus or $300 if planning to stay off-campus.

The phone call made her realize she would not be able to afford college.

She has subsequently not asked for help from the university. She is unsure what to do next.

She said she may join the navy, if she cannot attend school. She remains determined to fulfill her long-term dream of becoming a pediatrician.

“It will probably take longer for me now, because I don’t think they have many pediatricians in the military,” she said.

“I don’t know if I can be a pediatrician anymore, but I’m going to try for it.”

When asked whether she thought money should determine the future of her education, Micciche responded, “I think everyone should have an opportunity at school and to achieve what they want to ... I’d be really happy [to have the money to attend UT] because it’s something I wanted a really long time and I’ve worked towards it. I just want to get what I need to get there.”

According to junior international business and economics major Melissa Caban, “There should be cases where the school waives expenses for students with special circumstances. She went the extra mile so she could find the financial assistance. When students exert substantial effort to better their futures and ensure that they are able to further pursue their education, it’s a shame to see those efforts go to waste, especially for situations such as this.”

Aja White, a senior English major at UT, recently found out about Micciche’s situation. She started rallying other students to help the high school-er in need. She sent Facebook messages asking other students to send clothing and shoes for Micciche.

She even made an announcement in front of the University’s Intervarsity Christian Fellowship to gather some supplies and a prom dress.

“Just knowing what it’s like where money can’t get you what you need, you feel kind of bad,” White said.

“I know what it’s like to not have, so I really wanted to help. It makes you feel good inside.” White acknowledged that the constraints brought on by class status is at times unfair.

“This opens your eyes to the injustice that economic status creates,” she said.

“There are students who achieve less academic success than Kaitlyn, but are granted a better education because of the money their parents make. Kaitlyn has worked hard. She deserves a chance.”

Micciche expressed gratitude toward White and the other UT students trying to help her.

“It feels great that UT students are helping me,” she said. “I reach out to others a lot without anything in return like at church and ROTC, but I haven’t felt like someone has reached out to me until now.”

Nicole Robinson can be reached at nrobinson@spartans.ut.edu.

Holz Discusses Future UT Plans

Billy Ward/The Minaret

“The twelve years I’ve been here UT has been in a continuous state of constant improvement,” said Holz after she was elected UT’s new Dean of Students.

From Front, Holz

also aid in this momentous task.

“The twelve years I’ve been here UT has been in a continuous state of constant improvement,” she said.

Despite her well-defined sense of purpose and approach, Holz stated that she would exercise patience in evaluating the machinery of her new office and the needs of the university.

“Anytime you start a new position you want to learn all about it first,” she explained, “I will want to meet with students and different offices to solicit

opinions and go from there.”

On her excitement for being chosen as the new Dean of Students at UT, Holz expressed jubilation tempered by humility.

“When the global went out with the announcement I heard a squeal all down the hall and students came pouring in.

This really humbled me,” she recounted.

“At the end of the day the reason I work at the University of Tampa and have stayed here so long is I love the students.”

Jeffrey Palmer can be reached at jeffrey.palmer@spartans.ut.edu.

6 APRIL 1 2011 | THE MINARET

TRAVEL SERIES

First-Hand Look at Chinese Culture

By ARIELLE WALDMAN Special to The Minaret

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Story + Photos

My trip to China started out as a gift from my Uncle Joe to his 13 nieces and nephews. It turned into a celebration of his wedding.

Joe moved to China in his third year of college, transferring from Northwestern, in Chicago, to Fudan University, in Shanghai.

He loved it so much, he decided to make China his permanent home and has been living there for the past thirty years.

Now at age fifty, he decided it was time for his family to experience his side of the world.

A month before we were scheduled to leave (on May 22), Joe sent out a mass email revealing the news of his marriage to the general manager of his company Grace, a native of Shanghai.

He and Grace had already gone to China’s version of Town Hall and gotten married. While we were there, he planned a wedding ceremony on a boat down the Huangpu River.

That wasn’t all he planned. We visited Xian, Beijing, Hungjou, and Shanghai, where we spent most of the trip. Shanghai was like the Chinese version New York City.

Unlike other places in China, Shanghai had more of an array of cultures, especially in the restaurants.

The World’s Fair was being held while we were there, so the city was much cleaner than usual, according to my uncle. But I had to agree, it was just as clean as any city I have been to, and there are far more people (a population of 19,213,200).

Everywhere we went, it was crowded.

Traffic was horrendous. China battles between the traditional use of bicycles and the modern use of cars.

I was shocked at how our big bus was able to swerve at the last second to avoid hitting bicyclists.

Taking cabs was no picnic either. Every cab had a protector around the driver’s seat, in case anyone tried to rob or hurt the driver. That made me a little uneasy.

It felt weird being the minority. I couldn’t understand anyone around me.

I was able to see Joe in his own territory, especially when he took us for his usual breakfast.

The restaurant was a Chinese woman’s house, located down an alley. Tables, chairs and umbrellas were set up outside the woman’s kitchen.

We had a traditional Chinese breakfast, which consisted of noodles in soup. It sounds plain, but it was one of the most delicious things I had the whole trip.

I loved eating breakfast with a view into the woman’s house to my left and listening to my uncle and now aunt Grace chatting in Mandarin, making jokes just like Joe does with us.

Beijing was my favorite city. The Olympics were held there. We visited an orphanage, and of course the Great Wall.

I decided to take the gondola up the Great Wall, instead of hiking up the wooded path, because I wanted to spend as much time on the wall as possible. When we got to the entrance, we headed left, toward the steeper part of the wall. Every hundred feet or so, were stations where the

guards used to keep post. Stones created opens rooms with walls and roofs, where soldiers hid from the rain or the hot sun.

Stairs spiraled up from the posts to higher look-out spots.

I climbed the steps and jumped up onto the Wall, where I could see trees and bushes for miles and just beyond, buildings from Beijing’s urban centers.

We continued walking until we came to the steepest part of the wall, which tourists were allowed to climb. We walked about a hundred stone steps, the steepness increasing with every one.

When I looked behind me, the people near the bottom looked like ants. We made it to the steepest part of our hike, up a narrow, ladder-like set of stone steps.

At the top of the climb was a plateau and a sign reading, “No visitors beyond this point,” in front of the next set of stone steps. Near the sign was an older Chinese women selling cold bottles of water, Powerade and Coca Cola (a very popular drink in China).

I could not believe this older Chinese woman made the climb everyday to make a living.

On top of that, I could not get over how content she looked. We bought drinks from her (how could we not?)

The rest of the Chinese sellers were waiting at the exit with their stands full of jewelry, watches, tapestries, Great Wall tshirts, chopsticks, tea kettles and many other souvenirs.

Arielle Waldman can be reached at awaldman@spartans.ut.edu.

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1. One of many buildings which made up an ancient Emperor’s hot spring used for bathing. 2. View from steepest part of the Great Wall that we were allowed to climb. 3. Bamboo trees on a hike up the mountains in Hungzou. 4. The Terracotta Warriors statues stood at the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China. 5. Paddle Boat down the river in Water City-what Shanghai was like a 1000 years ago. 6. View of the “Bird Cage” where the 2008 Olympics took place.

THE MINARET | APRIL 1 2011

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8 APRIL 1 2011 | THE MINARET

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THE MINARET | APRIL1 2011

Diversions

9

FOR RELEASE APRIL 11, 2011

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

Justin Davis/The Minaret

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis

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THAT MONKEY TUNE by

Michael A. Kandalaft

3

(4) 5

© 2011 MCT

Horoscopes

By Linda C Black / Tribune Media Services

Aries (March 21-April 19) The next two days are about follow-up and completion. Don’t take it too seriously. A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down. Burn calories and frustrations. Listen to your dreams. They do come true.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Time to get together with friends. Being interested makes you interesting. Travel a new route. Moderate a clash between normally gentle souls. Provide common sense where you find it lacking.

Gemini (May 21-June 21) You’re stepping up the ladder. The next few days bring ample opportunities, so be selective and get ready for direction. Experts and a partner provide solutions.

Cancer (June 22-July 22) Suddenly everything seems possible, and it is. Before launching into the next fantastic adventure, finish off chores. Hitch your wagon to a star for fun and profit.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Keep saving as a priority, and watch your nest egg grow. Encourage someone to put their dreams down on paper, and listen carefully to their crazy ideas. There’s gold in there.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Use your shrewd business ability to replace something that’s broken at home for the best price. Imagine a simple solution that keeps

systems flowing smoothly.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Don’t get so lost in your thoughts that you lose sense of reality. Listen carefully to a crazy suggestion. Remind someone what you love about him or her.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Figure out what you really want to accomplish. Don’t try to win the argument for a change. It doesn’t matter to the big picture. Consider a purchase that supports your aim.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Home sweet home. Put out the welcome matt and cuddle in the comfort of your nest. Don’t open the door to strangers. Solve the problem by yourself.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) An old dream comes true. It may require short-distance travel. Your work may seem more important than your relationships today. Don’t be fooled.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Let your curiosity be your guide. A little study brings tremendous results. Consider how to best direct this new skill. Maybe it’s the missing link to fulfilling an old dream.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Your confidence is contagious. Get past your self-assigned limitations for fulfillment. Do what you love, whether or not you think that the money will follow. It will.

10

APRIL 1 2011 | THE MINARET

Arts + Entertainment

‘Bouncing Cats’ Breakdances to Fletcher Lounge

Award-winning documentary unites ‘dance and humanitarianism’

By SOPHIE ERBER

Arts + Entertainment Writer

“Bouncing cats, baboons and cats.”

When the children of Breakdance Project Uganda don’t have any music to dance to, they make their own.

A young Ugandan man by the name of Abraham “Abramz” Tekya taught the children in his program to chant variations of the above phrase because it has a good beat, and because they frequently have no music to dance to.

Bouncing Cats, is an eye-opening documentary, directed by Nabil Elderkin, that was screened free of charge in Fletcher Lounge on Monday night, followed by a Q&A with hip-hop dancer Mouse, who has appeared on America’s Best Dance Crew.

The film follows Abramz’s inspiring story, as he attempts to help create a bright spot in the lives of the Ugandan children through hip hop and breakdance.

The film was narrated by hip-hop artist Common and featured interviews with Will.I.Am and K’Naan.

Legendary B-boy Crazy Legs of the Rock Steady Crew traveled from the U.S. to take the journey around Uganda with Abramz, BPU’s director and founder. The goal was to “unify, empower and inspire youth in the war-torn region that has been called one of the worst places on earth to be a child,” according to the film.

“You see all these people struggling, hustling.… I couldn’t believe how bad

things were for them,” said Crazy Legs.

“With hip hop, at least something is going on outside of the struggle.”

The documentary is not so much about dance, as it is about showing what the power of dance can do for children born into a war-torn, poverty stricken country.

BPU offers dance classes free of charge and the turnouts are often so large that countless children are sent away due to a lack of space to dance.

After the screening, Mouse reiterated something that Crazy Legs mentioned in the film: b-boy culture began because dance was the only free thing they could do growing up; every other sport or activity cost money that they did not have.

“The film was a beautiful example of how we can give back to our world while applying what we love,” said Colleen Itani, President of UT STAND. STAND partnered with Red Bull to sponsor this unique event. Free Red Bull was available to all who watched the film.

“We strived to unite various students on campus,” Itani said, “and since the film had an unorthodox pairing of dance and humanitarianism, reaching out to different groups made sense.”

“I see little people [who] are going through what I was going through as a kid,” said Abramz. “Losing both my parents when I was about seven or eight years[-old], hip hop was all I had. That’s why I really want to share it.

In the documentary, one could see the

Photo courtesy of Colleen Itani

“Bouncing Cats” follows the children of Breakdance Project Uganda and the positive influence of dance on their war torn lives.

immense joy that learning dance gave the children. The sense of belonging to a group was important for them as well. Throughout the film, many of the interviewed children beamed as they proudly announced, “I am a b-boy” or “I am a b-girl.”

The UT community was privileged to have the chance to watch this awardwinning film.

“Bouncing Cats” has been the recipient of numerous recent awards, including “Best Documentary Feature Film” at the Urbanworld Film Festival in New

York and “Outstanding Achievement in Documentary Filmmaking” at the Newport Beach Film Festival in California.

To spread his message of peace and unity throughout North and South Uganda, Abramz uses nothing besides the universal language of dance.

“I’m not a politician, so I’m not gonna use politics,” Abramz said. “I’m not a soldier, so I’m not gonna hold a gun. I’m a B-boy.”

Sophie Erber can be reached at serber@ spartans.ut.edu.

From Beach Bum to Beach Ready How to find the right bathing suit to flaunt your beach body

By CAROLYN HATCH

Arts + Entertainment Columnist

It’s time to stop thinking you are not “beach-ready,” because there is a swimsuit for everybody. With a variety of choices that can compliment your particular physique, it is only a matter of finding the perfect match.

Whether you want to flaunt it in a string bikini or find a bit more coverage

dudumihaela/photbucket.com

A monokini, no matter how connected, is a glamorous alternative suit.

in a cutout monokini, just remember that fit is key. Set apart your best and worst features, targeting areas that may need a bit more coverage, when purchasing a new swimsuit.

There are a variety of stores that carry bathing suits, but there are a few that carry specific styles. If you are looking for something sexy and sleek, Victoria’s Secret has an extensive line that will fit the style you are looking for.

If you prefer a tasteful, classic style then J. Crew will carry chic looks with a bit more coverage.

For those nautical girls that love their navy blue stripes, Dillard’s and other department stores have a wide selection to choose from.

Target is a less-expensive option that can often have fun, modern styles for those who are not looking to drain the bank account. These are only a few of the many options, as most clothing stores do carry swimsuits.

Mixing-and-matching separates, or even adding some ruffles to the mix can distract from flawed features and create a fun, vibrant look. A little black suit can be sleek and sexy as it slenderizes the body.

If you are searching for a style with a bit more cover that is still youthful and sexy, the cutout monokini allows you to choose what parts of your body are exposed and what is covered.

Many of us could use a little boost in the bust, which is why push-ups have become a lifesaver. Victoria’s Secret carries pushups that have underwire. Unique necklines are sure to provide maximum lift. For those fortunate enough not to need extra “help” in this region, halters provide added support.

If lift and support do not take top priority in your swimsuit search, the bandeau is a strapless choice that looks great, if fitted correctly.

Though triangle tops can also lack essential support for those who need it, they are the most common bikini style.

Finding the right top for your body may not always be easy, but there are many options out there; it is just a matter of taking the time to find the right one.

For those who wear two-piece bathing suits, the perfect bottoms are just as crucial as a top that fits. When going for the common triangle-top style, string-bottoms are most likely to be a good match.

However, those who need a bit more coverage on the bottom will find the scoopbottom the best bet. The tanga-bottom is fun and flirty, with a tie on one side, and the cheeky-bottom is low-rise with minimal back coverage for those beach bums.

Skirted-bottoms are a more conservative, feminine style that can be adorable when paired with a fun top.

Now that you have found the style that

Lavish_Lux/photbucket.com

String bottomed bikinis are perfect for those who want to show a little more leg.

plays up your body, do not forget to grab the matching cover-up. They do not have to come as a set, but it is always nice to throw on something pretty after a long day at the beach.

Now go soak up those rays and feel confident walking the beach in a style that compliments your figure.

Carolyn Hatch can be reached at cvhatch@spartans.ut.edu.

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

THE MINARET | APRIL 1 2011

11

‘For Good Food,’ Pach’s Place Meets Expectations

By MORIAH PARRISH

Arts + Entertainment Columnist

smiliekiwi/photobucket.com

The All-Campus Speech Contest is allows students to speak their minds and potentially win some money.

Ask Not What Speech Contest Can Do For You

By LAUREN ROSSI

Arts + Entertainment Writer

Attention all University of Tampa students who like to talk. Friday, April 8, the Department of Speech, Theatre and Dance will be holding the 10th Bi-Annual All-Campus Speech Contest.

Each semester, the department holds the competition as part of UT’s goal to better students’ public speaking ability.

The contest is open to all UT students and community members interested in competing for cash prizes of $150, $50 and $25 for first, second and third place. Contestants placing fourth, fifth and sixth will receive contest certificates.

Contestants are encouraged to prepare a speech on any topic of interest as long as it is appropriate for campus grounds. Speeches must be between six and eight minutes; running under or over the time constraints may result in point deduction.

Speeches are to be delivered in an informative or persuasive manner, though all delivery styles are welcome.

UT faculty and members of the community will judge, focusing on strength of thesis, presentation skills and argument.

Winners of the Fall 2010 contest and speech titles include first place and grand prize winner, Timothy D. Bourn, with Your Brain: There’s an App for That; second place winner Umar Sattar, with Education Reform; and third place winner Carolina Remes, with The Reality of Excellence.

The event will begin at 6:00 p.m. in Riverside room 107.

For more information on contest rules, and to register for participation in the event, contact Professor Ann Coats by April 6 at acoats@ut.edu.

Lauren Rossi can be reached at lrossi@spartans. ut.edu

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            





Pach’s Place, located in the bottom corner of an office building, is not at all what it may first appear to be. The awning above the door states the name and the simple words, “For Good Food.” They’re not kidding.

The smell of a hot skillet breakfast and the hustling of middle-aged waitresses met me as I joined the line waiting to be seated just inside the door. The small dining room was packed by 9:30 on a Sunday morning, and I had to wait a few minutes to get a table.

As I took my seat, I noticed the people populating the noisy diner.

The ladies wore Nike jogging suits with their diamond earrings, and the men were decked out in Tommy Bahama. The location of the restaurant—on the corner of Bayshore and Bay-to-Bay Boulevard can be determined by the guests

The Dish Pach’s Sunrise Special: $5.50 Average Entrée: $6.00 Service: Lightning Fast and Jovial Atmosphere: Lively and Friendly Variety: Home-style Breakfast and Lunch

Moriah Parrish/ The Minaret

Pach’s Place offers generously sized skillet breakfasts at affordable prices. One with a modest stomach may feel full for the rest of the day.

enjoying their pancakes and eggs.

This is a classy greasy spoon.

My waitress, upon my request, plopped a mug full of hot coffee down in front of me and asked, “Do you know what you’re eatin’, hon?”

I did. The sun reflecting off the Bay inspired me to order Pach’s Sunrise Special. The plate offered two eggs, two sausage patties or four slices of bacon, home fries or grits, toast or biscuit, coffee or tea and a small juice to go with it all.

That sounded like the perfect way to start my day. I chose eggs overeasy, bacon, home fries, wheat toast and orange juice.

My meal took only about ten minutes to arrive, which was impressive given the small size of the kitchen and the filled-to-overflowing dining room. The eggs were cooked to perfection, the home fries hot, bacon crisp, and toast was buttered already, for my convenience. It was all there, a sublime home-style breakfast. The waitress, however, did forget my orange juice.

I reminded her mid-way through

my meal, and she said, “Oh, you wanted juice?” and darted off before I could mention that it came with my breakfast. She brought back a large glass and began to add the item to the check she had already placed on the table.

I said I thought it came with the entrée, and then she laughed, said, “Oh, yeah,” and took the juice away.

She brought back a shot-glass-sized portion of juice and stated that was the one that came with my meal.

She scooted away again, and I stared giggling at the embarrassingly small juice before I downed it in one gulp.

At least the coffee came with free refills.

I finished about two-thirds of the meal before I could do no more. For $5.50, I was filled-up for most of the day.

I happily picked up my check and headed towards the counter, satisfied with the entire experience. But I did drink more orange juice later that day.

Moriah Parrish can be reached at mparrish@spartans.ut.edu.

Finally, An App Made For Royalty

By TODD SANBORN

Arts + Entertainment Columnist

Apple’s now trademarked phrase “There’s an app for that!” seems to be appropriate for almost everything, right down to Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding.

The wedding of the decade will take place on April 29 across the pond, and the preparations are already in full swing.

Developers have already began making apps for various Smartphones, including Apple’s iPhone and iPad, which will give people around the world the chance to get countdowns to the wedding, updates, photos and even video, almost immediately following the ceremony.

There are apps that will even give you a ten-day forecast as to the weather in London near Westminster Abbey, and a list of royal protocol, in case you are one of the lucky few who will get the chance to meet the Queen.

You can also send the royal couple marriage advice and share it through Facebook and Twitter, so your friends can see you “chatting” with William and Kate.

For those of us not lucky enough to be able to cross the pond, we can take a tour of the London streets with Google’s 3-D mapping service

introduced last month for the royal wedding. Within a few hours, all the video will be available through online resources like iTunes and Britain’s Decca Records.

The significance of this wedding probably doesn’t hit most of us as much as it does for those living overseas.

Personally, I wouldn’t spend money on any of these apps, because I don’t necessarily care to know any more about the royal wedding than what I already do.

My adverse reaction to the apps, though, prompted me to do some research around campus, to see if fellow students felt the same way.

Joseph Geary, a graduating senior, felt the same way as I do, saying that these apps aren’t really “important, because, regardless, as soon as the wedding is over, every major magazine, newspaper and online source will be carrying headlines along with photos. I can wait until I’m at the checkout line in the grocery store to see them. And I don’t need an app for that.”

Jorgia Stone, who was born in England, and moved to America when she turned six, felt the same way.

“I wouldn’t get an app. The wedding is going to have so much publicity on it’s own that an app would be pointless.”

A new app hits the jackpot for stalkers of the British Royal Family.

The apps are currently running from free up to $2.99, so even if you don’t think you have the absolute desire for such an app, it’s still something to do in your down time while your humanities professor is rambling on about, well, who knows.

The countdown has started, so we shall wait until April 29, when the wedding bells will chime and unite William and Kate.

Todd Sanborn can be reached at todd.sanborn@spartans.ut.edu.

12 APRIL 1 2011 | THE MINARET

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

‘Falsettos’ Sings Story of Sexuality, Tragedy Musical ‘Falsettos’ both humorous and heartbreaking The University of Tampa College of Arts & Letters Department of Speech, Theatre and Dance presents

Directed by Karla Hartley

March 24, 25, 26 at 8:00 p.m.

March 27 at 2:00 p.m.

General Admission - $10 Non-UT Students/Seniors - $5 UT Students and Faculty Free with I.D.

FALSETTOS Music and Lyrics by William Finn Book by William Finn and James Lapine The David A. Falk Theatre 428 W. Kennedy Blvd.

For ticket information, call 813.257.3987

Falsettos tells the story of a family dealing with issues of sexuality and infidelity. Tragedy strikes when AIDS changes their lives forever.

By SOPHIE ERBER

Arts + Entertainment Writer

In every way possible, University of Tampa’s performance of Falsettos was stunning. The casting was perfect, the costumes were incredible and the set design was both visibly appealing and highly versatile.

Director, cast and crew put 110 percent of themselves into this fantastic show, and

their efforts did not go unnoticed. The audience erupted into applause after each song was finished and gave the performers a standing ovation.

Falsettos was entirely comprised of song—many filled with humor and sarcasm, others much more sentimental and serious. However, one did not notice that nothing was spoken because of each scene’s natural fluidity and exhilarating pace.

The story revolves around a Jewish man named Marvin, who leaves his wife and son for a man.

The antics and situations that ensue make-up the plot of the show.

The lyrics to the songs were hilarious and blunt, frequently alluding to stereotypical Jewish jokes.

The first song, titled “Four Jews in a Room Bitching,” set the tone for the majority of the musical.

“Four Jews in a room bitching.… I’m Jewish, I’m Jewish, I’m Jewish … half Jewish! Funny, funny, funny, funny …”

The lyrics reflected the neurotic, cynical mood that many of the songs contained.

Another hilarious number called “I’m Breaking Down” was performed by senior Colleen Cherry who played Trina, Marvin’s ex-wife and mother of 12 yearold Jason, whose part was played by senior Meagan Nagy.

In “Breaking Down,” Cherry sang brilliantly as she violently chopped away at a merciless bushel of carrot sticks, releasing her anger towards her now openly-homosexual ex-husband.

She seemed to be circumcising each stick with an increasing amount of pleasure.

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“He’s a queen; I’m a queen. Where is our crown? I’m breaking down; my life is s----- and my kid seems like an idiot to me.… I only want to love a man who can love me, or like me … or help me!”

“It was a wonderful experience,” said junior David Bevis, who played Whizzer, the dashing, fashionable gay man with a heart of gold.

“It really brought back the reality of life [that] we all sometimes forget. It reminded me to love and live life, yet, to still be safe.”

In a more somber, contemplative piece called “The Chess Game,” Whizzer sings with Marvin, Trina’s ex-husband and Whizzer’s new lover.

The men sing a moving duet in which the game of chess is an allegory for life.

“Life’s a sham and every move is wrong,” the song said.

Whizzer’s character dies tragically in the end, losing his battle to AIDS and leaving a dark hole in the lives of all the characters in the show.

The cast was small, but packed a powerful punch. Gabe Saienni did a spectacular job playing Marvin, the character who the majority of the conflict centered around.

Zachary Hines kept everyone laughing with his over-the-top comedic role of

Mendel, Marvin’s flirtatious shrink who eventually courts and marries Trina.

“I loved performing every night with such a talented cast,” said senior Bela Aquino. Aquino played Dr. Charlotte.

Her lover Cordelia was played by junior Natalie Lopez.

The couple sang wonderfully together in all of their duets and created a believable, beautiful chemistry.

“I had a tremendous time working with students on such an important piece of theater,” said Director Karla Hartley.

“The most challenging obstacle was giving the actors a context for the work.

They live in a time in which AIDS is not the terrifying unknown it was in 19791981,” Hartley said. The late ‘70s and early ‘80s is the time-period in which the play is set.

The actors displayed these feelings of terror and uncertainty with such an intense precision that the audience was moved to tears when Whizzer died in the end.

“The times and the uncertainty of them are integral to understanding how this play works,” said Hartley.

I give it wo thumbs up. It was a spectacular production.

Sophie Erber can be reached at serber@ spartans.ut.edu.

By LAUREL SANCHEZ

believes adds interest to the piece. He also added that, while he uses these materials in his paintings, Stryffeler tries to use recycled materials like old curtains and couch materials.

“Best to recycle something I can find, than buy new and let the old get wasted,” he said.

Not only does it draw attention to the piece, but Stryffeler said this method makes the surface easier to manipulate, than just plain wood.

On the piece Untitled (clown), the use of warm colors touched with accents of black and gold made the piece stunning.

A unique touch for the piece was a lot of music notes.

Stryffeler has a background in music, mainly during High School. He said, “I am a big music fan. I used the musical notes on the [clown] paining that was in the gallery show because I thought the song related to the message of the image.”

While Stryffeler used a more modern, mixed-media approach for his art, Pulham took a more traditional, but nonetheless stunning one, painting with oils on canvas.

One of her works was a self–portrait titled Untitled (self–portrait). The detail on this piece was mind-blowing. Oil on canvas is notoriously difficult to master, but to have such intricate detail made this piece amazing.

Another piece that was quite spatially interesting was Pulham’s Untitled 8. This piece was another oil painting, and uses lots of warm colors. What was interesting about this piece was the angle of the model.

Whether the artist creates an oil painting on canvas or mixed media, art comes to life in many forms. Some of the works in the gallery are up for sale.

The OSLE show will be displayed for a while, so go and see the wonderful exhibition there.

Laurel Sanchez can be reached at lsanchez@spartans.ut.edu.

Seniors Selected for OSLE Gallery Arts + Entertainment Writer

Last Friday night, a small crowd gathered to enjoy the art of student artists Amanda Pulham and William Stryffeler at the “Paintstaking Progress” art exhibit.

What makes this gallery different from others showcased at University of Tampa, is the size.

In the R.K. Bailey Art Gallery, many students can showcase multiple pieces of artwork—sometimes an almost overwhelming amount. At the Office of Student Leadership and Engagement Art Gallery, there is a showcase of one to three select students and their work.

Stryffeler said that both artists chose OSLE to display their work because they wanted to display their most current work at UT. For a fine art major, it’s also great to have a personal showcase on your resume.

The art featured by Pulham and Stryffeler were both very unique to the artists and were made in contrasting mediums.

Stryffeler, a senior fine art major, used a very interesting method for creating his work. With many of his works, he used hand-sewn material on his canvases.

“I try to use found materials for my paintings when I can,” Stryffeler said. “I use cloth materials mostly because I can manipulate it as a surface much easier.”

Mixed media is this artist’s preferred medium, but his focus currently is on painting and ceramics. His works titled Suited Personality, Untitled (clown), and Untitled (heart) display his method. To exemplify his medium, the piece Suited Personality features a man that has a suit sewn of cloth.

Other little details, like buttons, were added to give a 3D effect. However, his other painting, titled Song Bird leans towards the more traditional style of painting, with cool colors of turquoise with black, white and gold accents.

Most of his pieces have a few different mediums within one work, which Stryffeler

13 Yellowcard Shows New Maturity

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

THE MINARET | APRIL 1 2011

By RICHARD SOLOMON

Arts + Entertainment Columnist

Mackenzie Crowly/The Minaret

Kate Greenstreet has released two books of poetry, case sensitive and The Last 4 Things, through Boise State’s Ahsahta Press.

Kate Greenstreet’s Poetic Experiments

By MICHEAL ANGELO RUMORE Asst. Arts + Entertainment Editor

When we picked up visiting poet Kate Greenstreet from the downtown Sheraton, I didn’t know what to expect.

I’d read some of her work, though not nearly enough (as I’d soon find out). Laura Theobald, assistant-editor of Quilt and the key player in bringing Mrs. Greenstreet to UT, rode with us.

She had seen Mrs. Greenstreet read at the AWP conference in Chicago a few years back and was enchanted by her poetry. Asked to describe why in a few words, Theobald said, “It’s like asking the Pope what he loves about God.” “I think that’s her husband,” Theobald said as the car approached the hotel. She pointed at a thin long-haired man waiting in front of the hotel. A shorter woman stood beside him. “That’s Kate,” Laura said, trying to contain her excitement. I could see the ridges of her lips holding back a grin.

Max Greenstreet waved at us, recognizing my car, which I had lent out earlier to a friend, who had picked them up from the airport. They introduced themselves graciously, exuding an uncommon warmth.

We took the Greenstreets to Thai Island with Derrick Austin, editor-in-chief of Quilt, a group of students and UT writing professor Dr. Erica Dawson.

Mr. Greenstreet sat across from me.

“I have a habit,” he said, “of ‘Googling’ people we are about to meet.”

He had gotten my name from Austin before our meeting and found websites related to bands I used to play in. We began talking about music, Mr. Greenstreet being a musician himself.

“I love music, but I don’t think of myself as a songwriter,” he said. Instead, he said, he found musical freedom through writing short pieces for Mrs. Greenstreet’s experimental poetry films.

I was eager to see the films, which would be shown the following night. “I find that, working with Kate, I have better musical ideas,” he said.

Mrs. Greenstreet also described her complex artistic history. She began as a painter, but now refers to herself as a poet, since she’s “got two books.” She still paints, in addition to her poetry and films.

After we’d eaten, I dropped Laura Theobald, Derrick Austin and the Greenstreets off at Four Green Fields. I went back to campus to finish a paper, and when I returned, Laura was giddy. “She asked me if I liked boats!” she exclaimed, referring to a favorite line from The Last 4 Things, Mrs. Greenstreet’s latest book.

Thursday night, Mrs. Greenstreet screened selections of her poetry films, many of which were included in a DVD that accompanies The Last 4 Things. Of Mrs. Greenstreet’s films, I was most struck by “56,” a ten-minute film drawn from the long-poem, “56 Days.”

Inspired by a pirated Chinese DVD

that displayed the wrong subtitles, “56” juxtaposes spoken lines with unrelated subtitles from select pages of “56 Days.”

In the background, images of winter — falling snow, barren trees, dying leaves — come and go, accenting Mrs. Greenstreet’s desolate tone.

The images illuminated Mrs. Greenstreet’s disconnected poetic style.

The isolated lines became like photographs in an album — each a distinct snapshot that contributed to a complete collection.

Mr. Greenstreet screened his documentary on Mrs. Greenstreet, My Own Eyes, born from excess footage shot during a recent book tour. In the documentary, Mr. Greenstreet asks Mrs. Greenstreet if she considers herself a photographer.

Mrs. Greenstreet said, “No,” and added that she just “likes to take photographs.”

This cemented her poetry’s connection to photography. Unfortunately, the showing was sparsely attended. Only regular Quiltgoers and Dr. Dawson attended, though every attendee was impressed by Mrs. Greenstreet’s unique presentation.

Friday evening, Mrs. Greenstreet read selections from her books at the Grand Salon. The reading took on an informal feel. Instead of holding questions until the end, she asked that the reading be treated like a dialogue. “If you want to say something,” she said, “just jump in. Just not in the middle of a poem, of course.”

The audience laughed.

Mrs. Greenstreet also read poems from her new chapbook, called. Only 80 copies were made, though 200 were promised. It sold out. However, its poems did not fail to impress.

One poem from the chapbook, “2 of Swords,” so moved Professor of English Dr. Morrill that he requested she read it again.

“Think about the words Big Picture,” the poem asks. “The Big Picture.” The poetry spoke for itself, but Mrs. Greenstreet’s ethereal voice accentuated her sparse style. The turnout, while better than the following night, was still poor.

“What are you doing after the reading?”

Dr. Morrill asked Mrs. Greenstreet, after she finished signing books.

“Whatever my posse’s doing!” she said, referring to the Quilt members in attendance.

Mrs. Greenstreet even joined the “Quilt posse” for Saturday’s Coffeehouse Open Mic, which is rarely the case for UT’s visiting writers. She seemed to enjoy the student’s poetry, saying that Conner McDonough’s “North Country Lessons,” which will be appearing in Quilt’s next issue, made her cry.

Quilt Editor-in-Chief Derrick Austin summed up Mrs. Greenstreet’s visit, saying, “Kate Greenstreet is a gracious poet and in my four years of being here and interacting with visiting writers, I’d never seen a poet interact with students on such an intimate level and leave such a lasting impression.”

Micheal Angelo Rumore can be reached at michealangelorumore@gmail.com.

Most people remember Yellowcard for their catchy hit “Ocean Avenue,” which we all listened to during eighth grade. Back in 2008, the band went on hiatus and longtime fans thought that was the end of the poppunk band from Jacksonville, Florida.

In 2010 the band reformed and began working on a new album. When You’re Through Thinking, Say Yes is an alternative rock album with far more mature songwriting than Ocean Avenue.

I never loved early Yellowcard. I enjoyed the catchiness of Ocean Avenue and knew a song or two from Lights and Sounds.

A few years back I bought Paper Walls on a whim, the last album they released before the breakup. Paper Walls is probably one of my favorite albums, and when I heard the band was working on something new, I was skeptical of how good it would be.

It may be just me, but the first two songs of When You’re Through Thinking, Say Yes are boring. I was uninterested and lost any desire to keep listening. The first single, “For You, and Your Denial” is actually the second song, which made me think the entire album would be awful.

If you’re like me, you would either skip the first two songs or just try to get through them. You won’t regret continuing to listen as the album begins to pick up with “With You Around” and then “Hang You Up.” They’re really good.

“Hang You Up” deviates from the standard power pop violin showcasing that Yellowcard loves, and instead lets frontman Ryan Key carry the track with his strong vocals. The album switches back to fast-paced songs and features stronger songwriting and violin-based melodies.

Then, in a similar vein to “Hang You Up,” “Sing For Me” hits home. I fully recommend also getting the acoustic of the song. While both versions are strong, the acoustic is more powerful and Keys’ voice seems a lot stronger. However, if acoustic isn’t your thing, then the full band version is still great.

The emotional and poignant lyrics are about Key’s Aunt, who died of cancer. The last verse reads, “Out of time, / all out of fight, / you are the only thing in life that I got right.”

If you remember “View From Heaven” from Ocean Avenue, then you’ll recognize something similar in the next track, “See Me Smiling.” Both songs are about losing loved ones.

While “See Me Smiling” doesn’t have the chilling backup vocals that Alieka Wijnveldt gave in “View From Heaven,” you won’t be disappointed.

The final song on the ten-track album is “Be The Young.” It’s a strong way to finish things off. While I don’t think it’ll be anybody’s favorite, it’s definitely a good listen.

Overall, When You’re Through Thinking, Say Yes is a solid mix between the catchy Ocean Avenue and the mature, excellent Paper Walls. I was a bit underwhelmed during my first listen and a little disappointed, but I think that’s because I was comparing it to Paper Walls the entire time. By itself, the new album is a great release and shows that Yellowcard is only getting better.

If you liked this album, absolutely check out Paper Walls.

Richard Solomon can be reached at richard.solomon@spartans.ut.edu.

Yellowcard, fresh off hiatus, attempts to bounce back with new album.

adrain_maala/photbucket.com

Yellowcard, a popular band from Jacksonville, FL, is best known for their 2003 hit album Ocean Avenue, which included the hit title track.

14 APRIL 1 2011 | THE MINARET

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

The Rock Returns to WWE to Host Wrestlemania

By DANIEL FEINGOLD Sports Editor

Finally, The Rock has come back to WWE Monday Night Raw! And with that, The Rock has also come back to host Wrestlemania 27 this Sunday at 7 p.m.

The Rock made his triumphant and electrifying return to the wrestling world in Anaheim in mid-February. He had been gone for seven years. For seven years, wrestling fans didn’t get to hear his theme song blast from the speakers in arenas around the country, they didn’t get to see him smack talk or layeth the smacketh down on any jabronis and they didn’t get to see the people’s elbow, unless it was by means of Youtube videos of old footage.

wrestleheat.com/wikipedia.org

After a seven year hiatus, “The People’s Champ” returned home to the WWE to electrify fans.

It’s no secret where he has been. Whether you think any of his movies are good or not, he certainly has made his impact in the film industry over the past decade or so. I was pretty young when he was around in his prime. I was just a kid who was engrossed in the world of wrestling (back then it was WWF) and would always get my parents or my friends’ parents to fork over money for the Pay-Per-View events, the main one, of course, being Wrestlemania.

Simply put, I grew up watching The Rock and wrestling; it was a big part of my life for a few years a while ago. I say that it was a while ago because it has been a while since I was interested; try like seven years ago. See any parallels here? Once The Rock left, I slowly lost interest, and eventually just stopped watching. Other big names, like Triple H, Kane and The Big Show were still around, but they simply just could not draw fan interest like The Rock could, and apparently still can.

So through those seven years, the WWE changed from a PG-13 rating to a PG rating.

John Cena came around and essentially was implanted as the new face of the organization. He was there to attract more of a younger audience, and by looking at some of the fans in these various arenas, he accomplished that to a certain degree.

However, for whatever reason, Cena just didn’t seem likeable enough for wrestling fans. I had stopped watching, but I would see Raw or Smackdown on while flipping through the channels, and watch for a few moments.

I empathized with those fans, because nothing about the product was appealing to me anymore. Instead, it just made me miss the days when The Rock and Stone Cold

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Steve Austin joined teams, as well as the days when Stone Cold was bad and faced off against The Rock. Okay, so maybe Stone Cold was bad for just about a week and then that idea was scrapped. So, I went on Youtube and watched a few old clips.

I noticed a lot of fan-made promos for a non-existent match between The Rock and John Cena. With that, I saw a lot of negative comments towards Cena. I was fairly surprised at what I was reading, seeing as though Cena seemed to be the guy who took over after The Rock left.

That is why it actually comes as no surprise to me that, now that The Rock is back, the boos for Cena are louder than ever. I’m not positive on why exactly The Rock returned, but I can say for WWE and Vince McMahon’s sake, they should be pleased. When your apparent top wrestler, the man who you market the most, is getting heckled immediately after The Rock returns, then there’s something wrong. I have no reason to not like John Cena, seeing as though he is suppose to be on the good side, but it’s as if he might as well be the villain here.

The Rock came back after practically abandoning his fans for nearly a decade, and within seconds, he seemed to be forgiven. The deal is, Cena called out The Rock a few years prior for leaving his socalled “home” in wrestling to do movies.

Fast-forward to 2011, and The Rock isn’t too happy with those comments.

Once The Rock spoke John Cena’s name into the microphone in Anaheim, it was made apparent who a majority of fans actually care about. I know that because I am an example of that fan, one of The Rock’s millions (and millions!) of fans

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around. I watch every week now just to become familiar with some of the names in the industry and the storylines developing leading up to Wrestlemania.

Bringing The Rock back was a fantastic marketing tool for WWE, as now they have more people watching. Sometimes The Rock isn’t on until the end of the show, or he may not be on at all, but I still watch. It gets me excited again, and it gets me reminiscing about a time during my childhood that seemed so long ago.

There have been lots of storylines constructed in the past few weeks, but none are greater than The Rock vs. John Cena vs. current WWE Champion The Miz. The Miz is the bad guy of the group, the one you love to hate.

Now keeping tabs of everything that has gone on the past six weeks, I’ve actually grown to appreciate The Miz. He is so excellent at being the bad guy, and that really hasn’t been done effectively since Triple H was bad, which was quite a while ago.

Speaking of which, Triple H and The Undertaker will be facing off at Wrestlemania, in a battle of likeable wrestler vs. likeable wrestler.

There is plenty of other stuff going on, but who really cares? The Rock is back and will be, in some capacity, involved in Wrestlemania. It will be the first one I’ve watched since probably 2002, but even with just my recent knowledge of the goings-ons in WWE, this year’s big event looks like it’ll be a great one.

Oh, and Snooki will be fighting as well.

Daniel Feingold can be reached at minaret.sports@gmail.com.

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15 APRIL 1 2011 | THE MINARET

Commentary

Final Goodbye: The Death of Romance In Modern Times

By RICHARD SOLOMON Columnist

To Whomever Cares, I’m so tired. I am a failure. I’m useless and I’ve completely failed.

I used to do well, really well. Back in the day my name meant “chivalry” and I tried to be good. Knights would hunt dragons in my name just to woo a girl and women would wait years for their “intended” to come see them.

Now I’m stupid and useless. Nobody waits for anyone any more, nobody tries to slay anything in my name, unless you count trying to kill Reagan to impress Jodie Foster. (I guess the dragon analogy actually works on that one.)

But look at me: I’m ugly now. I’m a total failure. People used to write poems in my name—this amazingly beautiful poetry—just to try to court someone.

During the Enlightenment, during the Renaissance, works of art and literature were everywhere. Entire operas were written about love and the main plot of nearly everything was how to romance a girl.

Now? Now I’m a failure. Forget poetry, the closest thing to poetry is what some emo girl wrote in her latest blog: bad poetry about how much nobody understands her

Richard Solomon/ The Minaret

A final letter from the abandoned concept of romance in modern society. With hook-ups prevalent, and love being confined to dating sites and Sparks novel, there seems to be no place for romance.

except for some boy named Dustin or Colin. World, I’ve failed you. I’m sorry you had to deal with me. I don’t know what’s happened to me.

I used to mean something, really I did, but now the only literary works I’m in are either about vampires and teen girls who think romance is just not killing someone, or are a Nicholas Sparks novel where the message is, “Love sucks and you’ll be really sad. Also, the best way to have a romance is to be depressed.”

Now do you see why the world would be better if I were just gone?

I mean, I feel like I’m dying anyway.

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I never meant to hurt anyone. I never wanted it to end like this. I feel like I can’t go on though. Nobody likes me and I feel useless. The earth would be a better place if I were just gone. Marriage means nothing anymore. The word “relationship” seems more like a pejorative nowadays than anything meaningful.

There used to be an entire process dedicated to me. People would labor long hours to think of ways to perform grand gestures in my name.

I used to be bigger than the moon. I was the Casanova of life.

Now people can just text each other,

“come over” and skip the entire process.

And dating websites? Don’t get me started! Gone are the days of putting yourself out on an emotional limb. Instead of actually committing to one person and working to gain his or her favor, people spam each other with pre-written words and just hope for a casual hookup.

Movies make people think it’s not a relationship unless there’s a big fight and some elaborate misunderstanding.

Television has you convinced that the girl of your dreams will be an incredibly attractive nerd who cooks like a professional chef and loves to watch you play Halo.

Books make you think that Mr. Right will be rich, strong, handsome, sensitive and will somehow also be single and sincere and want only you. Now do you get why I feel useless and like nobody cares about me anymore? Where did the actual love go? When did romance go from chivalry, to love, to Nicholas Sparks novels?

Dying is all I’m good for now. The world will be a better place without me.

I hate existing and feeling this way and I don’t think anyone will care if I’m gone.

I’m practically dead anyway.

Love, you’re the best. You’ve been a great friend and I will miss you. In the words of Kurt Cobain, “Please, be happy.”

Sex, you and I haven’t always seen eye-to-eye, but in the end you were always there for me. Be well, and keep going.

Sincerely, Romance.

Richard Solomon can be reached at richard.solomon@spartans.ut.edu

THE MINARET | APRIL 1 2011

COMMENTARY

16

Editorial: Deadlines Lessen Time Available to Students To Gather Funds Facing Fall 2011 both in and out of school may seem like a challenge to many existing and prospective students.

For graduating seniors, May 7 is an end to a memorable four years quickly followed by a slap in the face by the real world as they realize the responsibilities and challenges that face them behind the closed classroom doors.

Other students are extending their connections through internships and networking.

While many people think free labor is not worthwhile, it does help separate one from the herd.

To employers, it says that the person has a good work ethic if he is able to come in

EDITOR LETTER

TO THE

Retort To Article On The Homeless in Tampa Last week, The Minaret ran an article about homelessness, written by John Jacobs, presenting many inaccurate opinions of homelessness as fact in an attempt at humor.

The fact is homelessness is a very real issue affecting the city of Tampa and the state of Florida.

Because this issue is so visibly present in the Tampa Bay area, I hope to illustrate a truthful painting of the homelessness that often feels omnipresent.

As the current AmeriCorps VISTA serving at The University of Tampa, one of my primary responsibilities is to bring “additional awareness to the homeless

on time and fit in with the people. While this may not be the case for incoming or continuing students, there still lie other conflicts ahead.

Continuing and incoming students are faced with more financial woes than their former classmates. With the Pell Grant and Florida Resident Access Grant (FRAG) under debate by politicians, students and parents are faced with the question of how to pay off debt for school loans with tuition inflation.

According to the Yale Daily News, the Pell Grant may drop from $5,550 to the $4,000 next year.

Currently, the University of Tampa offers students various scholarships based

on academic excellence or other specialties.

Some of these scholarships include the Presidential Scholarship, Dean Scholarship, and Army/Air Force/Navy/ROTC Scholarships.

What the school system doesn’t offer students is time. Deadlines are set in advance, but when it comes to money, sometimes students are not given enough time to gather enough funds.

Kaitlyn Micciche is a prime example of a college-seeking student who is not ready to handle the financial burden for attending college.

Micciche is a senior at Blake High School for the Arts in Tampa.

After being accepted to the University

of Tampa, she was faced with the reality of figuring out how to pay school bills.

If the Pell Grant and FRAG are taken away, students like Micciche will have even fewer opportunities to going to college.

Is the move to decrease education grants the right decision for our nation or is it a way to target lower-income families?

Being that the United States is a capitalist nation, it would only seem logical that there are more and more graduating students causing our society to rethink its current economic structure.

The Editorial Board can be reached at editor@theminaretonline.com or you may submit a Letter to the Editor form online at www.theminaretonline.com.

situation in the Tampa Bay area.”

Hillsborough County currently has the sixth largest homeless population in the country.

The lead agency working with homelessness in the community is the Homeless Coalition of Hillsborough.

Quickly browsing their website (http:// www.homelessofhc.org) one gets a very different view of homelessness in the Tampa Bay area that presented in the article.

The most recent statistics come from the single day homeless count in Hillsborough County in 2009. On that day, 9,566 individuals were homeless.

In Jacobs’article homeless individuals in the community are depicted as choosing to spend their “last $5 to buy one-tenth of a crack rock” or investing towards being a “full-time homeless person.”

The reality of those 9,566 individuals is different from this image of a haphazard looking group of individuals jockeying for

premier street corner space. One of the most common misconceptions of homelessness is the accompaniment of a substance abuse problem or mental illness; in Tampa 81 percent of homeless individuals do not have a substance abuse problem and 63 percent have no mental illness.

Homelessness is not a career, while some homeless individuals are perpetually homeless, 41 percent were experiencing homelessness for the first time and 42 percent had been homeless for less than a year.

Shockingly 23 percent of homeless in! dividuals are children. 1,700 homeless students attended school in Hillsborough County on February 26, 2009.

These numbers speak for themselves as to the far-reaching truths homelessness has taken in our community.

On January 27, 2011, the bi-annual single day homeless count was performed.

The results of this count will be used by the Homeless Coalition and other member

agencies to apply for grants and funding over the next two years. The homeless population is currently underserved and budget cuts are threatening worsen the problem.

Governor Rick Scott’s budget proposal calls for the elimination of all homeless fundingfrom the state budget ($6 million in total).

This threatens to intensify the problem.

Homelessness can be seen across the city, state and nation and is not a social dilemma to be taken lightly.

Jacobs’ says if it weren’t for the drawbacks of homelessness, he would think about experiencing it at least once.

He depicts homelessness as a choice.

I believe that many of the homeless individuals in Tampa would provide a different narrative. If you are interested in making a difference, please stop by the PEACE Volunteer Center (Vaughn 206) or email me at khemer@ut.edu to learn more on how.

AIDS Becomes a Global Problem Closing In on Home

By PHILIPPA HATENDI Commentary Editor

On a college campus, one might think that sex is the main meal of the day.

In fact, one might think that it’s the dessert and the appetizer too.

However I feel like the sex that we “consume,” isn’t necessarily always best for us. Or the most important.

Sex these days is seen as a symbol of liberation, its glamorized in popular culture through every form of media possible.

In our personal lives, we focus on how to please our partners, and how to ensure our own fulfilment in the field, we never take the time to look deeper, into the darker interior of sex and the consequences.

This isn’t an article condemning the number of pregnant teenage girls, or the prevalence of STDs on our college campus (even though that is an issue that seriously needs to be addressed).

This is an article about the attitudes that young people seem to have about AIDS. Being from Africa, I often can’t escape the issue of AIDS (since Western media has decided to make it the focus of its coverage of Africa, that and war, of course).

AIDS is deeply prevalent in Africa, I’m not about to dispute that.

According to cabsa.org there are 33.3 million people in the world today living with AIDS. Statistics from avert.com state that 22.5 million of those people reside in SubSaharan Africa.

The highest numbers being in countries like Lesotho, Botswana, Swaziland, Nigeria, Zambia and my homeland, Zimbabwe. It’s not like I’m trying argue with these statistics.

I am trying to address the stereotype that states that AIDS is an African problem, and that we as youth in America don’t need to be concerned with such a foreign issue.

We, as students, are all aware of the levels of promiscuity in this school.

I often ask myself if people here are not aware of the devastating effects of their actions.

And I have often heard that because there is easy access to medication here in the States, youth are not so concerned with STDs or HIV. I wonder if most people are aware that more than a million people are infected with the disease in the States, a fifth of whom are unaware of their infection, and thus more likely to transmit it to others.

In 2009 alone, Avert statistics estimated that a person was infected here every nine and a half minutes.

These numbers are all still growing.

With those sorts of figures, I really wish that people would take more care in their choice of sex partners and the frequency of their exploits.

It may not distress (or surprise) people so much to find out that New York has the highest rates, along with Los Angeles, Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

We can still pretend that AIDS is something that affects people outside of our own immediate vicinity, until we find out that the fifth city on that list is Miami.

Yes, Miami.

AIDS is right outside our doorstep.

We need to take a moment to do some

self-reflection and think about the attitudes that we have toward the disease, and towards sex in college.

I think that we can all contribute to the curbing (and eventual elimination) of this disease in our world.

Some ways to do so are to realize, and truly comprehend the severity of the issue in our own individual lives.

Get tested with each sexual partner, read up on STDs and their symptoms, use contraceptives, and most importantly, remain faithful to your sexual partner.

The Hook-up Culture that we have created as a generation has to stop.

Today.

There is too much at stake for us to continue engaging in such promiscuity.

AIDS is not just an African problem, its a global problem, and an American problem.

If we don’t take the time to combat it as young men and women in college, it will destroy our lives and communities when we leave.

In Africa, most of the 22.5 million people infected with AIDS don’t have access to good education.

We do.

We have no excuse for the levels of STDs and AIDS that we have on college campuses.

At some point the “fun” has to stop, and the responsibility has to begin.

Philippa Hatendi can be reached at phatendi@spartans.ut.edu.

alephnaught/ flickr.com

HIV infection has become more prevalent amongst youth and Americans. Take action and be a part of the elimination of this disease. HIV testing will be held on campus on April 13.

17 APRIL 1 2011 | THE MINARET

COMMENTARY

Child Dies: Who’s Welfare is the A.C.S. Looking After?

By ALYSIA SAWCHYN Columnist

The New York Times recently published an article about the death of a young girl named Marchella Pierce, who was in the child welfare program in Brooklyn, NY. The article describes the upcoming trial regarding her death, in which her mother, grandmother, former case worker and the case-worker’s supervisor have been indicted.

When Marchella died in September, she was four years-old, and weighed eighteen pounds.

A CNN article reported that officials stated her cause of death as, “acute drug poisoning, blunt impact injuries, malnutrition and dehydration”—a horrifying way for any human being to die.

It’s terrible that people can do this to one another.

The fact that this was done to a child, and one who was supposed to be under the care of a child welfare agency, makes it even more so.

Marchella’s mother and grandmother have been indicted with murder and manslaughter charges, respectively, among others.

Damon Adams, her former case worker, and Chereece Bell, his supervisor, are being charged with criminally negligent homicide, official misconduct and endangering the welfare of a child.

Adams is also being charged with tampering with public records and falsifying records.

This is apparently the first time a New York that child service worker is being charged with any form of homicide.

And they should be, I think. But there are, of course, several opinions.

John Mattingly, commissioner of the Administration for Children’s Services (A.C.S), is quoted in the same New York Times article, about the possible ramifications of charging welfare workers.

“If the people who are interested in those kinds of jobs see these actions taken by the district attorney, we have a concern, with social workers all around the country, that this will hurt our ability to recruit and retain talented people,” Mattingly said.

It seems that John Mattingly’s concern

is misplaced, although I almost appreciate it.

The sentiment seems to be that if people don’t apply to or stay in social services, agencies will become even more understaffed and the possibilities for abuse and neglect going undetected wil rise.

However, given the circumstances of Marchella’s death, Mattingly’s comments come off as shallow.

He did acknowledge, in the same statement, that the A.C.S. failed in its purpose to protect Marchella. But that’s not enough.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg is quoted in another Times article saying that Marchella’s death was not a result of overloaded employees.

He cited the national caseload average for a social worker as 15. Adams and Bell had nine.

Adams was required to make biweekly visits to Marchella’s house.

Over the year and a half period leading up to her death, Adams recorded two attempts to contact Marshella’s mother, Carlotta Brett-Pierce. One record was of a phone call and another was an attempted home visit.

So, if Adams was not overwhelmed with a large caseload, what is his excuse for such little effort and care?

It seems to me that the only explanation is sheer negligence.

In addition to the lack of visits and attention paid to Marchella’s case, Adams has the additional charges of tampering with public records and falsifying records.

After Marchella’s death, Adams recorded an additional five entries, claiming that he had met with her family in March, April, June and August.

There seems to be two reasons for this: either Adams forged the records outright, or he is an incredibly forgetful man.

I don’t know what the truth is, but I know what it appears to be: criminal negligence.

Even if the entries that were recorded following Marchella’s death are legitimate, I fail to see how seven visits over a year and half period can seem sufficient to any person with a conscience.

Bell, Adam’s supervisor, was similarly accused by prosecutors of creating records

after Marshella’s death.

In the records, Bell reports to have had discussions with Adams concerning Marshella’s case.

She is not, however, being indicted with the same falsifying charges as Adams is.

This is not a case wherein a tragedy occurred despite repeated interventions and best attempts of a social service agency.

Instead, it seems fairly obvious that someone was not doing their job, and that, as a result, a child was killed.

That Adams and Bell were social

service employees should make them more culpable, not protected under an administrative umbrella.

In fact, charging the Administration for Children’s Services’ former employees would probably improve the public’s view of the agency.

If the A.C.S. exists to help and protect children, then it shouldn’t matter who the responsible party is, only that they be brought to justice.

Alysia Sawchyn can be reached at asawchyn@spartans.ut.edu.

Alysia Sawchyn/ The Minaret

The A.C.S. exists in order to protect the rights of children. That protection should be extended in all circumstances. Shifting responsibility from party to party avoids the attainment of justice.

What a Relief, Florida Legislature ‘Restarts’ Economy

By ALEX CARABALLO Columnist

What a relief! I’m so glad the Florida legislature got the economy going. I’m glad that Floridians are finally back to work and we’ve stopped all of the foreclosures.

The Florida legislature finally discovered the root of all of our economic problems: baggy pants. It’s baggy pants, ladies and gentlemen.

Thank God we solved this problem. I always knew there was a direct correlation between low pants and the economy.

Our brilliant Republican Legislature finally caught on to the problem and banned them in schools.

And the teachers! Don’t get me started on those teachers with their luxury 2004 Honda Civics and their 3 bed/2 bath mansions.

I mean, $35,000 a year is so much money. They even get to fly coach on commercial airplanes. They are just sucking the taxpayers dry with their exorbitant salaries.

Teachers don’t work nearly as hard as our state legislators, who work 60 days a year for $30,000. I mean, $500 a day?

That’s almost below the poverty line!

Again, I’m just so relieved that the legislature finally solved all of Florida’s problems.

I mean, Governor Rick Scott said he had a clear vision to create 1.7 million jobs, but he has really shown the leadership and commitment to make Florida’s economy grow.

Rick Scott showed us that it was those pesky state-owned airplanes that were causing the $3 billion budget deficit.

He sold them with bold leadership and vigor. Now those overpaid state employees have to pay $600 to fly from Tallahassee to Miami while our great governor flies in a private jet reimbursed by Florida taxpayers.

Even with all of this vision and leadership, Rick Scott still had the time to create a new public records website, in which he began charging for public record requests for the first time.

That will definitely balance the budget and create accountability.

Rick Scott is so committed to transparency he locks journalists out of private dinners in the governor’s mansion with lobbyists and state legislators.

Florida is finally back on track! It only

JAXPORT/ flickr.com

Baggy pants in schools, ‘exorbitant’ teacher’s salaries and transparency in government have been established as the problems with our economy.

took 12 years of Republican control of Florida to finally put Floridians to work and solve all of our problems.

Now that everything is fine and dandy, they finally had the time to create leadership slush funds to be filled with lobbyist cash for elections. They are even contemplating raising campaign contribution limits.

Now that unemployment is down to

11.8 percent and foreclosures are at an alltime high, I think it’s time we send a big ol’ “Thank You” card to the legislature for working so hard.

It really takes a lot of hard work to tackle all of those tough issues that are dragging down our economy.

Alex Caraballo can be reached at acaraballo21@gmail.com.

THE MINARET | APRIL 1 2011

COMMENTARY

18

Facebook’s ‘WaitingRoom’ Rouses Temptation and Tension

By HANNAH WEBSTER Love and Sex Columnist

Ever wished a friend was single?

That question stands as the tagline for the Facebook app WaitingRoom, a new application that offers its services to those crushing on someone who is already taken.

After the application is added, no annoying post blows up your friends newsfeeds with “JUDY JUST INSTALLED WAITINGROOM!” Your friends are not sent invitations. No quiz results are posted.

The application becomes a part of your profile completely anonymously. It’s your little secret.

Well, it’s a secret from whoever you want it to be, anyway.

The app works like this: you select your beloved and are placed in their “waiting room.” The application will send them an email, even if they do not have the application, and inform them of “someone’s interest” — someone who is obviously not responsible for the big fat “in a relationship” displayed on their profile.

If the status of the selected person becomes “single,” another email is issued, informing them of the identity of the person in their waiting room.

I hope someone is reading this and thinking, “That’s kind of f----- up,” besides me.

Wanting to do a little experiment of my own, I selected “Get Started” on the app’s web page. But upon being redirected to

Hannah Webster/ The Minaret

The ‘WaitingRoom’ App creates tension within relationships by establishing competition between an existing partner, and a potential one.

Facebook, it has a few warnings to offer.

In order to install the app, I was required to release access to my basic information, my data (even when not using the app), access to my family and relationships, access to my friends information, and allow them to send me any email.

Geez, that’s more than Farmville wanted. It seemed just a little bit invasive for my taste.

Plus, I had nightmares about it unknowingly sending emails to my selected experimental specimen that said “This chick wants to do you” alongside a big picture of my face, or sending my relatives messages that say “Your daughter/niece/ third cousin is a HOME-WRECKER.” It seems that little good could come from a service that tells committed people that others hold interest in them. It’s asking

for problems: questioning your relationship unnecessarily, infidelity, you name it.

It was hard enough getting my exboyfriend to stop starring at any set of boobs that walked by. Now, for future reference, I have to worry about it coming in through email.

And what about the people choosing to be in someone’s waiting room? Like any online matchmaker, you’re always taking the chance that the person on the other end is nuts.

“I don’t think it will really work,” said freshman Angel Lugo. “People will just change their status to find out and then change it right back. Then it will just be awkward. Or it could cause problems: they’ll start flirting and stuff.”

Let’s say curiosity overwhelms an otherwise fully-committed girlfriend. She

breaks it off with her hubby and eagerly awaits the email that contains the name of the person waiting on her.

Much to her dismay, it turns out to be the creepy guy in her psychology class that stares at her chest instead of her eyes while talking about how much “fun” it would be to get her plastered (while he remains sober).

Prince Charmings don’t use Facebook apps to approach the woman they wish to have as their betrothed. I find it hard to believe that a successful relationship could begin with dumping someone you met conventionally for someone who hides behind technology to convey romantic interest.

Regardless, this app is making headlines.

The website for WaitingRoom eagerly displays their appearance on everything from MSNBC.com to The Onion.

I believe WaitingRoom just exists as another tool to help people believe they have options for romantic partner. And while that may stand with good intentions for those in bad relationships looking to find someone new, it also has the potential to ruin something real out of mere curiosity.

It would be easy for someone— even in the strongest of relationships— to let curiosity get the better of them and end something genuine for something unknown.

The WaitingRoom website claims that application “will give you the confidence to become single again—if that’s what you really want.”

You might want to ask yourself that question before dumping your significant other for a complete stranger, or potential stalker.

Hannah Webster can be reached at hannahkarine31@gmail.com.

Keep Your Enemies Close and Your Friends Closer

By DOMINIQUE C. BARCHUS Love and Sex Columnist

Have you ever noticed that your friends are the ones you tend to be in the biggest competition with?

I’ve seen this so many times, especially when it comes to material things: “Who can have the largest quantity or best quality of something, or body image? Who can have the best looking body to show off?

For example, if two guys go shopping for televisions together, they compete to pick the better TV. They want to be the one who has the biggest and best.

The thing they tend to forget about are: one, what their wives are going to think about such an extravagant electronic; two, the price of the television; and three, what their wives are going to think about such an extravagant electronic device.

In the moment, they care more about having a leg up their friend and any consequences seem worth it.

With women, it’s a little different. It’s as if everything is more sneaky. They may not make it verbally obvious that they want the advantage, but the actions they take make it completely clear.

For example, when women go out to the club, they always ask their friends what they are going to wear, in order to get an idea of how they should dress.

They wont necessarily match one another, but they will try to make the sexiness of their outfits relatively equal to everyone else’s. This sounds all fine and dandy until someone decides to change

their mind. Let’s say they all planned on wearing pants and last minute someone changes and wears a sexy dress and heels.

This sudden change is going to make everyone else in the group want to change because, although they do not want to say it, they now feel as if the friend wearing the dress will receive more male attention.

Girls always want the best for their friends, but when it comes to going out, it is definitely a competition as to who can look the best. Now, the girls must scramble to change their clothes and find an excuse as to why they want to change. But we know the real reason behind it all.

You love your friends and you enjoy the time you spend together, but there will always be little competitions here and there.

It is all fun and games, but when it comes to certain aspects of life, competition with friends can be detrimental to a friendship.

I think one of the worst situations that can occur in a friendship is when two friends are interested in the same person.

Things begin to get a bit complicated and competitive when this innocent attraction grows stronger. Friends begin to compete against one another in order to get attention.

Tactics can range from making sure one looks good at all times, to showing off when the person of interest is around (i.e. playing a sport or dancing) to taking the initiative and going up to them, getting their number and potentially asking them on a date. These acts can cause tension between parties. On one hand you are their friend, but on the other, there is a natural instinct to compete. This kind of conflict can cause a hint of anger and quite a bit of jealousy between the two.

“I had a friend [who] told the girl we were both interested in that I cheated on

Dominique C. Barchus/ The Minaret

Competition between friends can be a source of harmless fun, however it can also create a lot of pain in a friendship.

my ex girlfriend in order to convince her not to go out with me. I got pissed at him for a while because this information made it back to my ex [...]. So my ex got upset and cursed me out and my chances of going out with that girl was blown. Double whammy,” said Jeff Spielman.

“One night I went out with all my friends and there was this baseball player that we all had a crush on. The whole night all the girls crowded around him and, sadly, I did too, but then I found out that he was making fun of me with all the girls. Turns out I had gotten my period and you could see it on my dress. Everyone knew and

didn’t tell me. Let‘s just say now I know who my real friends are,” explained Jalissa Carugno.

Competing with a friend, or anyone for that matter, for a relationship is obviously not the best idea. Sometimes these competitive situations with friends can be in fun, but sometimes they can actually cause a lot of problems in a friendship.

There is always an appropriate time for competition, but it is important to know when it is not a good idea.

Good luck loving!

Dominique C. Barchus can be reached at dominique.barchus@spartans.ut.edu.

19 APRIL 1 2011 | THE MINARET

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20 APRIL 1 2011 | THE MINARET

Sports

Illegal Online Streaming of Games May be Here to Stay

By DANIEL FEINGOLD Sports Editor

What once had a homepage full of free links to stream a slew of sporting events, now is stamped with government agency logos and a concise letter from Homeland Security Investigations saying the domain has been seized.

ATDHE.net, the once popular, growing website where any computer owner could stream sporting events for no charge, was indeed shut down days before Super Bowl XLV. That doesn’t mean the site has been shut down for good, though, or even that it was out of commission for more than a few hours.

Stefen Anderson, Digital Content Manager for Clear Channel’s 620 WDAE, a Tampa-based sports radio station, said these streaming websites were created for gambling purposes. As a webmaster and member of a radio station that is the flagship network for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Rays and Lightning, Anderson is a knowledgeable observer of this trend.

“Everybody gambles,” Anderson said.

“In the United States where it’s illegal, people still do it online. The thing is, is that they don’t have to rely on somebody else’s word on how the game goes. They can watch it in real time.”

Nonetheless, various groups of people seem to be using websites like ATDHE. net.

Tony Cooper, a writer for SanDiego. com and journalist for 30 years, has written multiple articles while tracking the happenings of ATDHE.net. He confirmed that ATDHE, as well as other sites just like it, are being used by different people, namely people who live in “blacked out” areas. For the National Football League, if a team does not sell out a home game

within a certain amount of time, the game does not get shown, or is “blacked out,” locally on television.

“It’s particularly big with football, regarding the black outs,” said Cooper, who has been through a few black outs from the San Diego Chargers recently.

“People are really resenting that they have to be blackmailed into going to games, which doesn’t work.”

In the 2009 NFL season alone, the league took down 2,800 unauthorized online streams, according to NFL spokesman Dan Masonson, as stated in a CNN article from late 2010. And according to several reports, in early February of this year, authorities shut down and seized 10 sports streaming sites, with ATDHE.net being one of them.

“The thing is, these sites, if you look at them, they’re professional,” Cooper said.

“One of these sites has legitimate ads, so the people who do this know what they’re doing.”

[

“I don’t think you’ll ever put an end to it all. I think the names will change, but the problem will remain.”

College students who are sports fans are also among the groups that stream games online. Students attending universities out of the state or country may end up watching their hometown team’s games online if they are not shown on television. For some fans in college, this online streaming may even be a necessity.

“As a fan, it’s a necessity to see these games, so you’re going to do whatever you can do to see it since you don’t have Daniel Feingold/The Minaret the ability to legally,” said University of International soccer is one of the many sports Tampa student Greg Tilleli. A New York websites that ATDHE offers to its viewers. native, Tilleli said he uses ATDHE to watch Jets and Knicks games whenever they’re not shown in Tampa. He also said “If anything, it’s going to improve. that just about everyone he knows does the People just kind of keep perfecting it on same for some reason or another. how to use it and there’s obviously going Likewise, UT student Patrick Garvey to be people that are going to fight against has used ATDHE before. Garvey is from it, but the Internet’s the Internet,” he said.

Minnesota.

“People are still going to be able to find a “I use it a lot to watch all the Vikings’ way to watch sports like that for free no games and I’ll probably watch a couple of matter where they are in the country, in the Twins’ games,” said Garvey, who added world.” that he has streamed mixed martial arts Garvey may have a point, as both events online as well.

Cooper and Anderson echoed similar While these UT students who use thoughts. Anderson didn’t have an exact ATDHE come from up north, taking answer as to how these unauthorized advantage of online resources for sporting websites could ever be completely shut event streaming is not just limited to the down by government agencies and sports United States. Sophomore and Brazil leagues. native Mathias Hoffrichter also stated that “I don’t think that you’ll ever put an he uses the same website. When in Brazil, end to it all,” Anderson stated. “I think the he streams American football, watching for names will change, but the problem will no specific teams, but rather for “whatever’s remain.” good,” and when in the States, he watches Indeed, the name has changed, at least soccer. He does this because the two sports for ATDHE.net. Though shut down and do not broadcast on television in their seized by authorities, the site is back up corresponding locations. under a new domain name. While it may Hoffrichter, Tilleli and Garvey all not offer as many links as the original believe that when it comes to sports, online website, it still is serving the online public streaming is here to stay. Garvey, for one, with unauthorized links to sporting events. thinks the whole thing could only progress Daniel Feingold can be reached at from this point forward. minaret.sports@gmail.com.

]

In fact, in early March, the Department of Homeland Security and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement arrested Brian McCarthy, who ran another popular streaming site, channelsurfing.net, on one count of copyright infringement, per a Fox News article. Authorities said the 32-yearold made more than $90,000 from being paid to advertise on his website.

According to the article, the site still received upwards of 1.3 million hits after it had been seized.

Roller Hockey Team Wins Region, Earns Spot in Nationals

By TIM SHANAHAN Sports Writer

University of Tampa roller hockey finished its season with a 15-2-3 record, winning the Southeastern Collegiate Region and earning a bid to nationals in Madison, Wi., beginning April 6.

Headed by seniors Jeff Kotcher, Rob Harrison and Rowan Porter, the hockey team is a club sport and part of campus recreation.

For its 2011 campaign, the team is participating at the Division I level, competing against the likes of Arizona State, North Carolina State, Michigan, Penn State and many more.

Kotcher’s brother Brett formed the squad in 2006 as the second roller hockey team he has created. Brett started the roller hockey team at Valley Stream South High School in Long Island and is also the coach of the UT team.

The team does not recieve UT funding so the coach spends his own paychecks on the club for travel purposes.

The team’s season is spread out over the course of two semesters. This past season, they’ve played tournaments in Snellville, Ga., Ft. Myers, Fla., Old Bethpage, N.Y. and West Palm Beach, Fla. 5’11’’ Captain Jeff Kotcher led the team and conference in points during the season and is the team’s highest point scorer over

its history. The defenseman credits himself with a majority of the recruiting for the team.

“If you look at our roster, almost 80 percent is from the northeast. I recruited people I knew of and told them to come to Tampa. In turn, over the years we have been successful,” said Kotcher.

Other key roller hockey contributors on the team include Cameron Rowand and Rob Harrison. Rowand has piled up 50 points on the season and is third in the conference with 26 assists. Harrison has compiled 39 points this season and holds the club’s mark for most games played in the four-year history.

Over the previous three seasons, the team has had increased success. In the 2007-2008 season, UT lost in the Sweet 16 in Ca. In ‘08-’09, they lost in the Elite 8 in Feasterville, Pa. Last season, UT finished fourth in the country, playing its last games in San Jose, Ca. This also served as the last season the team competed in Division II before making the jump to D-I. Roller hockey differs from ice hockey in a few regards. Ice has five on five competition, plus a goalie, and applies the offside penalty, while roller hockey is four on four, with a goalie but no offsides’ penalties.

The reason for these variances make for a quicker-paced and higher scoring game. It can be more attractive for the fan to watch

than the typical hockey game most people are accustomed to.

What goes unnoticed when thinking about ice hockey being more well-known than roller hockey is that there are in fact some professional players who have been active in roller hockey their entire lives.

Professional NHL players such as Bobby Ryan, USA Silver Medalist and Anaheim Ducks forward, played roller his whole life. Lee Sweat (Vancouver Canucks), Pat Maroon (AHL Minor League) and Henrick Lundqvist (New York Rangers) have played their whole lives as well.

UT roller hockey may not get much recognition, but regardless, they have found success since the team was created.

“It’s like we are pushed to the side,” Kotcher said. “But realistically we have Photo courtesy of Rachel Lewis been the most successful sport organization Senior defenseman Jeff Kotcher lead the UT since we have started going to nationals Roller Hockey team total points this season. four out of five years of existence.”

The team practices in Temple Terrace, forms – through road trips and adversity in just down the block from Busch Gardens. the rink.”

They skate usually once or twice a week, The squad will face North Texas, and twice a week before tournaments.

Buffalo and West Chester at the nationals According to Sam Sherman the team tournament. has bonded well through getting to know Kotcher hopes to continue on the one another on road trips. quest to blossom as a team and generate “The team chemistry is great,” Sherman, awareness for UT roller hockey as one of a member of the team, said.“We are all the premier athletic teams on campus. solid friends who have a ton of fun together Tim Shanahan can be reached at on the road. That’s how team chemistry tshanahan@spartans.ut.edu.

SPORTS

THE MINARET | APRIL 1 2011

21

Spartan Pitching Paves the Way to 2011 Success Starters Henriott, Walsh lead team to 29-4 record

By APRIL WEINER Sports Writer

The University of Tampa softball team is having a dominant 2010-2011 season thus far, with a 29-4 record, 10-2 in Sunshine State Conference games.

Coming back from a season last year in which the team went 23-17, with a 14-10 record in league play, the team’s increased success this time around can be attributed to stellar performances from top two

Samantha Battersby/The Minaret

Deanna Henriott has tossed three no-hitters this season, including a perfect game.

pitchers, junior Deanna Henriott and senior Kari Walsh.

It may seem strange that the team essentially only uses two pitchers, unlike baseball which generally has multiple pitchers seeing action every couple of games.

Softball pitchers pitch underhand, rather than overhand like in baseball. The underhand pitching motion is a natural motion for the arm because it puts less strain on the body. The overhand motion used in baseball is unnatural, so it puts strain on the shoulder.

Since softball pitchers pitch in a more natural motion, they do not need as much rest time between starts, and can therefore pitch back-to-back games, thus decreasing the size of a team’s pitching staff.

When asked about their strong performances, both pitchers were quick to take the shine off themselves and put it on their teammates.

“Our teammates have been great.

They’ve given us a lot of run support,” Henriott said.

It is true that their teammates have provided significant run support- needing only five innings to win six of their games this season, with eight-run leads and a run limit that if reached, ends the game early.

The pitching has been dominant as well, boasting thirteen shutout games. Henriott opened the season on the mound for the Spartans. It was her first start since May of 2009 due to injury. She notched a perfect

game in that start to kick off the season, and has accumulated two no-hitters since.

The perfect game was the first of Henriott’s career and the second in Spartan history.

Henriott and Walsh recognize the old adage, “there’s no ‘I’ in team.”

When discussuing the team’s success this year, due in large part to superb pitching, both were reluctant to take the credit.

They stressed the team effort and then the combination of the other pitchers.

“We have each other’s backs,” Walsh said. “If one of us is having trouble, the other one can come in and help out.”

The pitchers maintain that they have not changed anything that could contribute to their success. Fortune must be on their side then, since this year is statistically better than last.

Samantha Battersby/The Minaret Henriott missed last season due to a torn Kari Walsh possesses an 11-2 record, 1.70 ERA hip labrum, and Walsh was the number two and 198 strikeouts this season through 14 starts. pitcher who took the role as the staff ace once Henriott was out. Walsh’s numbers included a 2.65 ERA and a 9-7 record with against SSC rivals. No conference game 87 strikeouts and 22 walks. comes without a challenge in the SSC. This year, the left-handed Walsh is 11“The rest of the season will be tough.

2 so far, with an ERA of 1.70, 52 strikeouts We’ve got some tough matchups coming and 19 walks. up,” Walsh said.

The right-handed Henriott is 18-2, with However, if the team continues to an ERA of 0.42, 198 strikeouts and 22 play as they have all season, with solid walks. pitching and run support backing their The team still has 12 games left in the pitchers up, the Spartans should be just regular season, and look to improve their fine. current 10th place status in the national April Weiner can be reached at april. rankings. All of those 12 matches are weiner@spartans.ut.edu.

You heard right!

Shorter session.

Longer vacation.

2-Week MayTerm May 9-20 6-Week Sessions May 23 – June 30 July 5 – Aug. 11 12-Week Session May 23 – Aug. 11

More courses, flexible sessions and smaller classes let you earn credits your way in our summer sessions.

OFFICE OF GRADUATE AND CONTINUING STUDIES

(813) 253-6249 | scs@ut.edu

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Visit www.ut.edu/summer

22 APRIL 1 2011 | THE MINARET

SPORTS

Tourney Down to Final Four, All Unexpected Contenders

By MICHAEL PAONESSA Sports Writer

David and Goliath have met again, and this time, they have landed in Houston in a different form. The 2011 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championships have reached the Final Four with unexpected twists and a blueprint that basically no one predicted.

An avid fan, even an expert, could not have predicted this set of teams to meet in the Final Four, which begins April 2nd.

This year’s teams have shifted the balance of power in past years to form a hybrid of the sports stories of David and Goliath.

The four teams left in the tournament are Connecticut, Kentucky, Butler and Virginia Commonwealth. Connecticut and Kentucky bring tradition having compiled nine national titles in their existence and both play in power conferences, the Big East and Southeastern Conference, respectively. The two teams will face off against one other in the prime-time slot as tipoff is scheduled for 8:45 p.m.

On the other side of the bracket come two teams who are as unexpected to this year’s Final Four as a groundhog in late winter.

Butler reached the national championship game in 2010 but fell just short of the title and enters the 2011 Final Four as a surprise team. Losing their star point guard Gordon Heyward to the 20092010 season to the NBA Draft, the Horizon League champions entered the tournament as a No. 8 seed and according to many analysts were supposed to lose in the second round to No. 1 seed Pittsburgh.

The “weak” 2011 Butler team has beaten No. 1, No. 2, No. 4 and No. 9 seeds to advance to consecutive Final Four appearances. 2010 doesn’t seem to be a fluke anymore now, does it?

For VCU, a team that got treated like an overweight fourth grader at recess has made a Cinderella story become reality. A team who did not receive one pre-season

top-25 Associated Press vote has turned from a team that doesn’t belong, to a team that people now want to throw the rock around with.

VCU was selected as the last team into the tournament, with much skepticism of the fact that they are not considered in the four power conferences, and that they did not even win their conference tournament.

They lost their last five of eight games to end the season and were selected as a No. 11 seed in the tournament. VCU fans get the last laugh, though.

The Rams of VCU have outscored their opponent by 12 points per game in the tournament, knocking off No. 1, No. 3, No. 6 and No. 10 seeds, including Southern California in the play-in game to then compete in the opening round.

It looks like Cinderella can dance freely with the glass shoe placed perfectly on her foot. As the Davids of the tournament rest up for their game this weekend, the Goliaths stand tall representing basketball tradition. But this year, Goliath was not ohso-mighty.

Connecticut, like VCU, did not receive one preseason top-25 AP vote, and were picked by Big East Conference coaches to finish tenth in the conference. With seven freshmen entering the squad in 2011, they looked to help propel the team back to the promise land with junior point guard Kemba Walker at the helm.

Connecticut did not make the NCAA tournament in 2010 and ended their season in disarray. With a new-look Husky team, fans and coaches were in for a surprise.

Behind a fast and impressive start, the Huskies jumped to No. 7 in the nation in mid-November and Walker was turning heads of basketball fans alike.

Walker turned into a candidate for National Player of the Year with remarkable stats that far exceeded the competition and his personal stats from 2008-2010.The Huskies looked as if they had their swagger back, and they did.

FELICIANO887/photobucket.com

Behind the leadership and impressive offensive skill set from junior Kemba Walker, Connecticut find themselves back in the Final Four. They will take on No. 4 seed Kentucky on Saturday.

Connecticut has won nine straight games and while on the streak, they won their conference tournament. To do so, they won five games in five days, then four straight games in the NCAA Tournament.

It appears as though Goliath had to turn for some of David’s advice.

As for Kentucky, one of the most recognizable and most storied programs in college basketball, not only faced diversity entering the 2010-2011 season, but has been on a roller coaster type of a season.

The Wildcats lost five players to the NBA Draft after the ‘09-’10 season, all first-round picks with one of the players, guard John Wall, selected as the number one overall pick.

With Kentucky welcoming the No. 2 high school freshman point guard according to Scout.com Brandon Knight, the Wildcats looked for the freshman to bring back the program and help lead them to their first Final Four appearance since 1998.

They did just that after battling an up-and-down season. They won their conference tournament and are winners of their last 10 games. They’ve reached the Final Four to play Connecticut, who they

lost to last November by 17 points.

So I wonder, who is David and who is Goliath left in the tournament? Four teams that in the beginning of the year no ESPN analyst picked as their national champions remain. Four teams that have surprised the sports world and reached the Final Four, college basketball’s most prestigious venue.

Is it VCU who plays Butler, programs that have never won a national championship or ever received National Player of the Year honors? Or is it Connecticut and Kentucky, storied basketball programs that entered this season with no recognition for a shot at the tournament title.

David and Goliath have become one.

They have mixed into a breed that belongs in the positions they have put themselves into; a shot at the title.

There is no dominant team left, but rather only teams which have fought from the ground up this season to reach the Final Four. Take your pick, who you got? In my opinion, David walks home victoriously with his slingshot in his left hand.

Michael Paonessa can be reached at mpaonessa@spartans.ut.edu.

Major League Baseball Fan: Living With Perennial Heartbreak

By MILES PARKS Sports Writer

Like a horribly dysfunctional romance, my heart was shattered five months ago.

Yet here I am, begging for another chance.

And like clockwork, every April, I’ll get it.

Such is the life of the loser.

In the waning weeks of fall, a champion is crowned in Major League Baseball. One team out of 30 will host a parade, and the others are sent packing.

Sometimes it’s in the end of October, sometimes it starts off November. But one thing is certain for the other 29. Winter always hits just a little too early.

As a lifelong fan of the Tampa Bay Rays, I haven’t tasted a World Series Championship yet, but I really do think this is our year. So do the Cubs though.

And the Braves. And the Rangers. That’s always struck me as funny.

There are Las Vegas baseball experts somewhere right now coming up with

Talk of the Town Professional Sporting Events in the Region

fancy formulas and equations to guess the next champion. Sometimes they are even right.

An online betting site, www.BetEd. com, has the Pittsburgh Pirates listed at 20,000/1 odds to win the championship (a bit generous if you ask me).

Yet there is a Pirates fan somewhere knowing that this is the year that Paul Maholm is going to win 24 games and Pedro Alvarez is going to hit 40 homers and the Pirates are going to win 99 games and they’re going to win the pennant.

“If it were not for hopes, the heart would break.” Wrote Thomas Fuller, an English historian. If every year, the losers didn’t hope that they could win, then they would cease to be fans, and they would cease to love baseball.

Baseball is perfect because there are 162 games. Every team will win at least one of them. And every team will lose at least one of them. Baseball is perfect because perfection is impossible. This sport values

a man with a .300 batting average. This means that he is doing well if he is bad 70 percent of the time. Any given day the loser could win, and the winner could pull a hamstring. This keeps us coming back for more heartbreak, because one day, we’ll be Cinderella.

Baseball is perfect because it reflects real life. We love our losers because we’re losers too.

When the Mariners went and got Cliff Lee and Chone Figgins last year, people were expecting big things. They lost 101 games and embarrassed themselves. The embarrassment was felt by fans as well.

Sometimes, it looks good on paper, but things just don’t go as planned. But they re-evaluated things in the offseason, and they think they made themselves better.

They hope they made themselves better.

The real Seattle fans still love their team.

You can’t lose faith because they fail, or else they’ll never ever win again. That’s true for life too.

@

@

Opening day is upon us as the Rays start their season at home versus the Baltimore Orioles. The three game series at Tropicana Field will begin on Friday, April 1, first pitch at 7:10 p.m.

Orlando, still in the four seed as they have been in the last few weeks, will host the Charlotte Bobcats, a team vying for a playoff spot. The game will take place Friday, April 1 at 7 p.m.

Nothing and nobody is ever perfect but it’s about being perfect enough for nine innings, for seven games, for a few months.

But this is a trying relationship.

Ideals aside, it’s just plain harder to love the loser, because it’s a lot more work.

When the Rays were still the Devil Rays and they were still awful, I would read through countless stats, trying to find optimism.

I’d find it in the little things, like in their sacrifice hits and batting average against middle relievers and three or four wins against the Yankees.

Baseball is perfect because the losers are the real soldiers and their fans are the real diehards.

Baseball is perfect because we believe it has to be.

Baseball is perfect because the losers always have their hope.

Miles Parks can be reached at mparks@ spartans.ut.edu.

@ The Lightning look to solidfy their spot in the Eastern Conference heading in the playoffs, still trailing Washington in the division. They’ll take on the Wild on Saturday, April 2 at 2 p.m.

THE MINARET | APRIL 1 2011

SPORTS

23

Conference Home to Four of Last Six National Champions [From Back, Baseball]

Samantha Battersby/The Minaret

Andrew Jones leads the Spartans offensively with three home runs and 29 RBIs this season.

Andy Meng/Sports Information

Tampa’s top starting pitcher Evan Stobbs is first on the team with 32 strikeouts in four starts.

Alongside Florida Southern, the only other team to remain undefeated in conference play is Barry University.

Barry’s number one pitcher, Manny Rodriguez, has pitched and earned a win in four shutouts on the season – the only four shutouts claimed in Buccaneer history.

With Barry on UT’s schedule in a few weeks, the Spartans are preparing themselves for the talent they may see.

Florida Tech pitcher Jonathan Cornelius is one of the top pitchers in the conference.

Cornelius, who has already claimed an SSC Pitcher of the Week this season – the fourth of his career – is well-known around the conference.

The Tampa Spartans certainly do not underestimate this player. In fact, last year, as the regional seeds were being released, UT had some concerns.

“I was actually hoping to not end up with him on the mound in the regions,” Urso said. “That’s how much I respect that guy. He’s one of the top pitchers in our league.”

Cornelius currently has a record of 4-1 with a 3.50 ERA. He shut out UT in his only appearance against the Spartans this year, going the full nine frames while striking out seven.

The SSC is not an easy conference, with quality pitchers and big bats it makes a name for itself every year with the numbers it puts up.

“There are no breaks in the schedule,” said Coach Urso. “You can look at any conference and each year there may be a team at the bottom of the conference that

maybe people don’t fear, but against [any] of the nine teams in the SSC, it’s not easy to sweep a three-game series. We beat up on each other week in and week out. It’s a very tough league.”

This tough league is the reason that four out of the last six D-II National Champions are rooted in the SSC – the talent and strength of this difficult conference prepares the teams for the tough competition that lies ahead, beyond the Sunshine State.

Tampa will look to make up ground in the conference as they host Saint Leo University for a three game series beginning April 1.

Maya Todd can be reached at mtodd@ spartans.ut.edu

Sunshine State Conference Standings, as of March 30 School FSC

SSC Record 6-0

Barry

9-0

Nova

7-2

Tampa

6-3

Tech

4-8

Lynn

2-4

Rollins

1-5

Saint Leo

1-8

Eckerd

0-6

College Student Pricing: $25 Lower Level Tickets and $10 Upper Level Tickets* *Limit one per student with valid student ID, only at the McDonald’s Box Office at the St. Pete Times Forum.

Not valid on all seating areas. Some restrictions may apply. While supplies last. Offer begins two hours prior to puck drop on game day.

vs Friday • April 8 • 7:30pm First 5,000 fans receive a Lightning banner flag courtesy of the St. Petersburg Times Follow the Lightning on

Call 813.301.6600 for Tickets

MINARET

UT’S SOURCE SINCE 1933

SPORTS

Softball Pitching [21]

MLB Season [22]

Playing in the Competitive Sunshine State Conference Johnathan Cornelius/ Florida Tech LHP/Senior/6’0’’, 183 lbs.

2011 Stats: 4-1, 3.05 ERA, 3 CG, 72 SO, 13 BB 2011 vs. UT: 1 start, 9.0 IP, 0 ER, 6 H, 7 SO, 1 BB

Andrew Durden / Nova Southeastern OF/Senior/6’0’’, 200 lbs.

2011 Stats: .329 BA, 8 HR, 23 RBI, 8 SB 2011 Nova Record: 20-8, 7-2 (SSC)

University of Tampa Spartans

2011 Season Record: 21-8 2011 Conference Record: 6-3 Top Offensive Performer: OF Andrew Jones, .409 BA, 3 HR, 28 RBI Top Pitcher: Evan Stobbs, 3-0, 23 IP, 1.57 ERA, 32 SO, 9 BB

“

There are no breaks in the schedule... We beat up on each other week in and week out. It’s a very tough league.

”

-Coach Joe Urso

Statistics according to the universities’ athletic websites, and are accurate as of Tuesday, March 30

2010 Results: 41-16, NCAA South Regionals 2011 Record: 20-5 (6-0 SSC) All-time vs. UT: FSC leads 72-71

Manny Rodriguez/ Barry LHP/Senior/6’0’’, 183 lbs.

2011 Stats: 5-2, 2.17 ERA, 1 CG, 70 SO, 15 BB 2010 Stats: 7-3, 3.67 ERA while with Palm Beach State College

2010 Results: 32-19, sixth in the SSC 2011 Record: 22-8 (9-0 in conference) All-time vs. UT: UT leads 60-18

A look at the players, teams that give UT the most challenges in 2011

By MAYA TODD Sports Writer

The Sunshine State Conference baseball matchups this year, just like in years prior, are crucial to the success of the University of Tampa Spartans – strength and talent are the backbones of these conference teams, and they should not be taken lightly.

Winning the SSC has proven to be a huge accomplishment in itself, as well as an optimistic stepping stone to further the team into the NCAA Regionals and possibly the NCAA National Championship.

Four of the last six seasons, the Division II baseball National Title has been taken home by a Sunshine State Conference program.

After Florida Southern claimed the D-II crown in 2005, UT captured back-to-back national championships in 2006 and 2007.

There was a year-long drought before Lynn University won in 2009.

When it comes to baseball in the SSC, more often than not, it comes down to a battle between Tampa and longtime rival Florida Southern. Other than the Fighting Knights’ victory in 2009, only the Spartans and Moccasins have won national titles in the conference’s 36-year history.

“Going into the year, obviously people will talk about the University of Tampa and Florida Southern,” said Spartan Head Coach Joe Urso. “That’s not going to stop.

They’re our rival, year in, year out and everyone knows that each team wants to come out on top.”

The Mocs are currently undefeated in conference play.

In recent years, however, the two squads have faced increased competition from the rest of the conference, primarily from the likes of Barry, Florida Tech and Nova Southeastern.

While the Spartans were the South Regional champions last season, a year which included an appearance in the NCAA II Champions in Cary, NC., it didn’t come easily and this year is no exception.

There is no more evident example of the strength of the conference than in the Spartans’ opening league series when they took on unranked Nova Southeastern University in a three game set.

“In the last few years, even though they haven’t made it to the [regional tournament], I’ve felt that they were on the verge of having a break-out year,” Urso stated. The Sharks have given Tampa trouble in the past and such a pattern resumed in 2011 as NSU

Andy Meng/Sports Information

The SSC is one of the toughest conferences in D-II baseball, with four of the last six national champions coming out of the SSC. UT won two of those championships, back in ‘06 and ‘07.

convincingly took two-of-three to drop the Spartans in the national rankings. Nova, which finished third in the conference last season with a 15-9 record in the SSC (3521 overall), currently stands in third this season at 7-2, 20-8 overall.

Urso believes that Nova seems to be bringing up a lot of “power guys.” The team was very careful when pitching to Nova and, more specifically, their big-hitter

Andrew Durden, who is currently leading the squad with a .392 batting average and eight home runs.

With the weekend against Nova behind them, the Spartans are looking ahead at future conference matchups to redeem losses they have suffered. UT got back on track with a series win over Florida Tech.

[See Baseball, 23]

BORING STUFF

THE MINIRAT | APRIL 1 2011

AF3

New Campus Policy Forces Students to be Fashionable

By CAROLYN HATCH No Facts Needed

Beginning this fall semester, I regret to inform the students at the University of Tampa that fashion citations will be written.

For those students that often appear to have gotten dressed in the dark, I suggest that you get yourself together before there are serious consequences.

Shallow or not, as a private university, UT is dedicated to maintaining its snob appeal. This snob appeal comes along with only the finest textiles and most renowned

designers. Over-accessorizing or blatantly disregarding the most up-to-date fashions will not only harm your reputation, but also your student records.

Denim on denim is simply unacceptable and wearing spandex with a VPL (Visible Panty Line) or the very worst, camel toe, is absolutely intolerable. This list could go on for days, so I do suggest that you take a look at the citation conditions.

Next time you decide to mix patterns just think, “What would UT security say?” and you will surely take a second look in that mirror.

Police Beat 3/21-3/27

Roid Rage At 5:15 p.m. on March 21, security was called to break up a fight in the McNiff Fitness Center. The fight allegedly started over who had the biggest biceps. The students were referred to judicial (Jersey Shore).

It’s Real, I swear At 2 a.m. on March 22, a student was found to be belligerent and when asked for ID she presented false Identification.

The student is still claiming to be 38year-old Anita Richards.

Speedy Get Away At 2:30 a.m. on March 23, a student was caught vandalizing a UT Security golf cart. The student fled the scene of the crime. Having no golf cart, security did not bother to chase after him. The case is still open.

Priorities At 3:45 a.m. on March 24, a student contacted security after being mugged outside of Vaughn. No security responded however because they were busy writing parking tickets.

Close But No Cigar At 1 p.m. on March 25, three students were allegedly smoking marijuana in Plant Park. However, security could not catch them because they threw the roach in the water.

No Longer Safe At 3 p.m. on March 26, two students were caught smoking marijuana in Plant Park.

The students cursed the name of Cara Fetzer for exposing their “safe zone” several weeks prior.

Science Project At 10 p.m. on March 27, security was contacted in reference to a drug violation.

A room search was conducted and over 150 illegal substances were extracted from the room. The students claimed they were just trying to make the drug used in the new movie Limitless.

Reports Compiled by Abby Sanford

anntaylor93/photobucket.com

Over $15,000 was spent in the production of fashion citations. The funds were spread over UT student accounts. Students will be allotted 30 citations per three dollars.

UT Introduces Intramural Boxing on Campus

By MILES PARKS Sports Writer

The first intramural boxing match at UT ended with a knockout.

J.P. Anderson took a right hook from sophomore exchange student Ivan Drago.

But the left was the killer. It burst open a gash in his right eyebrow; blood spewed and it sent him to the ground.

Anderson, 18, stayed on the mat for a few minutes before coming to consciousness in a daze. His mom cleaned his brow, and tried to readjust his fractured nose. He iced his ribs and said the ABCs backwards.

“I don’t think I’ve got a concussion,” Anderson said. “Last time I had a concussion I couldn’t see straight for a couple days. I was walking into signs, like 15 of them. I can see fine now. I only walked into like two or something.”

A student with a thermometer in hand tried to stop him as he left, but it was past midnight and he didn’t have time to talk.

“Sorry John, I’ve got class at eight,” Anderson said. “I’ll come over to your room tomorrow and we can try to fix my nose.”

Anderson is one of 6.7 students registered for intramural boxing at the University of Tampa this spring.

The sport was introduced to the Department of Campus Recreation’s

repertoire of intramural sports in the fall, but it took almost three months to get the staff ready to deal with such a physically demanding sport, according to a press release earlier this month.

Andy Reagans, a first year sports medicine major, says the school didn’t have the money to hire any professional doctors.

He says the sport gives students like him the opportunity they might never have had.

“I have absolutely no qualifications for this job,” says Reagans. “I got a BC in first year bio, and I honestly thought I wouldn’t even be able to get an internship. But here comes this bloody sport, I Google a little bit, and ‘boom!’: I can cure your broken jaw.”

To participate in intramural boxing, you must be registered at least two hours before your fight, and bring your own gloves. It costs $6 to fight, but the financial aide department has been working on creating scholarships.

This shouldn’t be expected though until at least next spring, according to a university official.

Officially, you must be a UT student, but Apollo Creed, Director of Boxing Affairs at UT, says that’s not too big of an issue.

“We want participation. That’s the bottom line,” said Creed. “If you’re

DavidErickson/flickr.com

This is a dramatic representation of intramural boxing, a new sport on campus. After the Department of Campus Recreation announced the addition, 6.7 UT students registered to compete.

homeless and in downtown Tampa and you want to come down to Cass Gym and get your butt kicked by a rich kid from Connecticut, then you’re encouraged.

We’re just trying to get people excited and involved.”

Boxing is an Olympic sport and an American tradition. The buzz around campus hasn’t been this hot about an intramural sport since the school tried out co-ed rodeo in 1989.

Freddy Cabbanierostein said his whole floor is going to the next fight, and that it’s becoming a Monday night tradition.

The sport seems to be a great fit for the university, and may be here to stay.

“My roommate and me were arguing a lot, so we decided to register for a fight,” said Cabbanierostein. “It was a lot easier than talking to the R.A.s, and we settled our issue like men. What’s the point of mediation when you can just put a kid in a coma? We haven’t had even one argument since then. I just think this was a great idea.

I just think this is great for the university.”

You can e-mail Miles Parks to ask if this story is true or not at mparks@spartans. ut.edu.

Spartan Head Coach Fired After Batter Strikes Out Search for a new UT skipper focuses on A-Rod

By WHATSON SECOND Sports Writer

Samantha Battersby/The Minaret

Coach Joe Urso was let go from his managing duties at UT following a three-pitch strike out in the fifth inning of a game. This photo was taken just moments before the incident occured.

University of Tampa baseball Head Coach Joe Urso was fired in the fifth inning of a game Sunday after a Spartan batter struck out.

“We expect nothing less than perfection at UT,” said the university’s Manager of Baseball Operations Yogi Berra in a news conference Monday. “Simply put, strike outs just aren’t acceptable. Neither are balks, fielding errors, sacrifice flies and spitting near the dugout.”

Heading into Sunday’s game, the nationally-ranked Spartans had not struck out once during Urso’s 11-year tenure as head coach.

With a 10-0 lead though, Whose Onfirst, the first batter up for UT in the fifth inning, was set down on strikes-- on three straight pitches.

“I remember the silence, this horrendous silence that came over the stadium, right after the third pitch sailed by me,” said Onfirst.

“I walked back to the dugout with my head down. The team statistician told me later he didn’t even mark it as a K. Instead, he told me, ‘Dude, they’re calling it an O, for Onfirst.’”

Berra said the letter placed in the stat book ultimately made no difference.

“The real letter we’re talking about here

is F, for failure,” Berra said. “What kind of image do we exude as a program if we allow even a single failure each season?

This is very similar to the 1979 season when our reserve centerfielder batted under .900. Let’s just say that he now works at USF.” The firing ends a successful stint for Urso that included NCAA National Championships in 2006 and 2007 and an NCAA Championships appearance last season.

“None of those successes matter!”

Berra screamed to reporters in Sykes Chapel while playing the organ. “You know, it’s interesting. I’ve learned firing someone is 90 percent mental. The other half is physical.”

With Urso being let go mid-season, the search for a new head coach has begun.

Although Berra wouldn’t name specifics, he did name current Yankees’ third baseman Alex Rodriguez as the frontrunner to take over the reins. Rodriguez, who had recently been seen running on the UT track, could not be reached for comment.

“He’s a guy that I have been eyeing for some time now,” Berra said.

“We’re going to do everything we can to get him to retire and head over to UT. Wait, that was off the record. Seriously, don’t put that in print.”

Whatson Second can be reached at abbottandcostello@ut.edu.