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Hall Adorns Crane Snags on Kennedy the Jenkins Bridge, Major Delays Ensue Name After Substantial Donation

By LAUREN RICHEY Managing Editor

Doha Madani/ The Minaret The construction crane that fell into the Hillsborough on Tuesday caused major traffic jams and will create a delay in the River Walk Project.

By DOHA MADANI Multimedia Editor

A crane cable managed to snag on the teeth off the west edge of the Kennedy Boulevard drawbridge across from campus Tuesday morning, the way a belt loop manages to catch just

Coral Skies Festival: The Bands and Brands See A&E Page 7

UT Grading System Hurts Students’ GPAS See OPINION Page 11

Women’s Soccer Rolls Toward Miami’s Shores for SCC Semifinals See SPORTS Page 16

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perfectly onto a door knob and snaps you backwards.

This accident occurred during a seemingly typical crane transport across the Hillsborough River, causing area roads to shut down while city officials attempted to unhook the cable from around the bridge

edge which kept it dangling off the side. No injuries were reported, but complications arose when the equipment pulled off the barge transporting it and into the water, leaving the crane hanging off the

$10 million. One of the largest monetary gifts in UT’s history was recently bestowed by two longtime Tampa residents, according to UT’s website. Howard and Patricia Jenkins are prominent figures in the business world and are the parents of two former UT students.

Due to their large donation to the university, they now have their names engraved upon the former West Kennedy Hall, an 11-story residence hall located off of West Kennedy Blvd, housing 528 students and completed in August of 2013.

“The Jenkins have made such a significant and visible impact on so many cultural and educational areas in Tampa Bay,” said President Vaughn in an official statement in October. “We are pleased to welcome them to the UT community and are thrilled they have chosen UT as one of the institutions they believe in enough to support.”

Howard Jenkins, 63, is the chairman of the executive committee of Lakeland-based Publix Super Markets Inc., and is a member of UT’s board of trustees, according to UT’s website. Jenkins’ father, George W. Jenkins, was the founder of the Publix brand, and the

To BRIDGE Page 5

To JENKINS Page 4

Expectations Affect Student Transfer Rate

By BIANCA LOPEZ News Writer

The University of Tampa has a first-tosecond year retention rate of 76 percent meaning 24 percent of students leave UT after their first year, according to Forbes.com. While this may not seem like a huge portion of the population, it does not account for the amount of students who consider transferring but do not for a myriad of personal reasons.

In a nonscientific survey conducted by The Minaret of 44 UTampa students, 63.6 percent of students admitted to having considered transferring out. 32.6 percent admit to currently considering transferring. 31.82 percent admit to having applied to transfer to other schools.

Of these students, 90.9 percent claimed that UTampa was either their first-choice school or among their first choices when they originally applied to schools.

What makes students change their minds about UT? Common concerns cited by new students are homesickness and having unrealized expectations of the school.

“While nothing is yet official, I have been considering transferring from UT since late September and have applied to a few schools. One of the main reasons I am likely to transfer for next semester is because I’m really homesick. When choosing to come to UT I

7 11 out of

students consider transferring out of UT never thought I would be homesick, let alone want to transfer because of it. Another reason as to wanting to transfer is the climate change,” said Stephanie Forlini, freshman advertising and public relations major.

“While I sincerely have given my best effort to join clubs and activities, I just don’t really feel like I fit in here and nothing seemed to work out. The gorgeous weather and my friends will be really hard to leave, but I know we will stay in touch and I need to do what is best for me,” Forlini said.

Other students surveyed cited reasons for staying that ranged from getting more comfortable at the school over time to feeling like they have come too far to leave now.

“The reasons I am not transferring are: one, because of my internship and two, because of the people I met in my fraternity,” said Patryk Klimek, a freshman pre-dental major.

“I considered transferring just because I am

Graphic by Studio Het Mes

really far from home and didn’t really have many people to go to ASAP. After meeting a ton of people and all, I started to like it more.

It’s basically the connections you make and all your friends that influence whether you like [a school] or not.”

To accommodate for the transfer-out rate, UT has a fairly high transfer-in rate. Seven percent of the student population consists of students who transferred in from other colleges and universities, according to CollegeTransfer. net.

“I transferred to UT because I was looking for a school that challenged me more, a school that was still small but [offered] a lot of opportunities,” said Michelle Fitzhenry, junior marketing and pre-medical major. “Moving here has definitely been a challenge but I would never change my mind on transferring here.”

Bianca Lopez can be reached at bianca. lopez@spartans.ut.edu

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NOVEMBER 6 2014 | THE MINARET

MINARET

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mia Glatter

mia.glatter@theminaretonline.com

MANAGING EDITOR Lauren Richey

lauren.richey@theminaretonline.com

ART DIRECTOR

Justine Parks justine.parks@theminaretonline.com

NEWS + FEATURES

Katherine Lavacca, Editor

katherine.lavacca@theminaretonline.com

Zoe Fowler, Asst. Editor

zoe.fowler@theminaretonline.com

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT Jackie Braje, Editor

jacquelyn.braje@theminaretonline.com

Selene San Felice, Asst. Editor

selene.sanfelice@theminaretonline.com

OPINION

Richard Whitaker, Editor

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Avery Twible, Asst. Editor

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SPORTS

Phil Novotny, Editor

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Jordan Llanes, Asst. Editor

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MULTIMEDIA

Doha Madani, Editor

doha.madani@theminaretonline.com

Savanna Blackerby, Asst. Editor

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PHOTOGRAPHY Casey Budd, Editor

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ADVISER

Tiffini Theisen

ttheisen@ut.edu

COPY EDITORS

Khadijah Khan, Head Copy Editor khadijah.khan@theminaretonline.com

Tess Sheets, Copy Editor

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Caitlin Malone, Copy Editor

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STAFF WRITERS Kai Miller Madison Irwin Dominick Falco Sammi Brennan

COLUMNISTS Marcus Mitchell Griffin Guinta Terry Preston Liz Rockett

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NEWS + FEATURES

Alternative Transportation A UTampa student attracts a bit of attention with his new wheel. Creed Smith talks about his ride and what it means to him.

By MADISON IRWIN

Arts and Entertainment Writer

If you haven’t seen him around campus, you’ve probably heard about him from your friends or have at least read about him on Yik Yak. The mysterious boy on the unicycle has made quite an impression on many students at the University of Tampa.

Although it’s certainly a unique form of transportation, there is more to this student than just his unicycle.

Creed Smith, a sophomore film major from La Grande, Oregon, is all about the good vibes as he sits in Vaughn Courtyard and basks in the Florida sun. He wears a camouflage muscle shirt and cargo shorts, along with black sunglasses and a tan baseball cap. He is holding on to his favorite accessory with his right hand. It has one wheel and is the shiniest silver. He has tan skin, shaggy brown hair and one of those rare smiles that instantly gives away he is a genuine person who enjoys the simplicities of life. Surely, everyone has gone through some form of hell during their lives not excluding Smith. Nevertheless, he chooses not to let the bad stuff bring him down.

The unicycle is only a small part of who Smith is, although it is indeed one of the most magnetic things about him. The 19-year-old is always up for anything. “I have a whole bucket list of things I want to do, and one of them was to ride a unicycle,” Smith said. “For some people, music fulfills them. But for me, trying new and unique things is what gets me through life.”

It all started on Nov. 28, 2013. It was Thanksgiving day and Smith had planned to stay on campus, but he ended up going to a friend’s house, which he was invited to for dinner. There was a bike shop close to the house and Smith walked in, knowing exactly what he wanted.

“I asked for a unicycle and the workers looked at me like I was a crazy clown,” Smith said. “I guess it’s not a very common request after all.”

Smith dedicated an hour of practice every day after that. He knew how to ride a bike, but the unicycle was a whole different story, one that required a great deal of balance and coordination. Although he had to endure falling many times, Smith was determined to get it down.

After all of his hard work and practice, about two months later, he was a unicycle master. Now, Smith takes his unicycle everywhere he goes.

“No matter what it may be, whenever I want to do something, I never give up,” Smith said.

Rachel VanKirk, a sophomore psychology major, who he has been friends with since his freshmen year, said that she admires his abdominal strength and positive outlook on life. “You will rarely see Creed unhappy, and if he ever is, just feed him and things will be better,” VanKirk said.

The two friends lived in Austin hall together on the honor’s floor. VanKirk recalled that they met during the floor meeting on the first night and he sat in the middle of the circle of kids on the floor.

When it was his turn to talk, he introduced himself by saying, “the moment you’ve all been waiting for!”

Madison Irwin/ The Minaret Creed Smith rides his unicycle in the Vaughn Courtyard. He managed to balance and coordinate impressively.

VanKirk described him as an eternally hungry, endlessly goofy mountain man.

“He may forget to close his door when he naps, and he may have terrible taste in music, but he is an incredibly kind person,” VanKirk said. “He has a wonderful heart and cares a lot about other people, especially his friends. He’s like a brother to me, annoyance and all.”

Although anyone would say that Smith is very sure of himself, he wasn’t always that way. As a kid, he had his fair share of being bullied in elementary school. “It was mainly a lot of racism because of the fact that I’m part Pakistani,” Smith said. In the hallways, kids would sometimes snicker at him, called him names, like terrorist or Osama.

“All I could do was try and cope by trying to excel in things,” Smith said.

So, when Smith reached high school, he decided to try out for sports. He played football, wrestling and track. Creed had finally become more confident in himself and had a lot of friends. But he still felt as if there was something missing.

Although Smith grew up as a Christian, he was nowhere near as devout as his father had been. As a young kid, it was very hard for him to deal with his parents’ divorce.

“For a while, any deep relationship was very uncomfortable to me,” Smith said. “In middle school, I felt broken and purposeless.

Once I got to high school, I thought that there had to be something more.”

So, one day, Smith picked up his father’s bible and read it. Soon after that, he became closer with God and felt completely fulfilled.

“In high school, God definitely got to me.

He is a big part of my life now and he has changed me in a lot of ways,” Smith said.

Now, Smith is a part of InterVarsity at UT and leads the men’s small group.

They do everything from homeless feeds to bible studies, as well as other activities, like soccer games.

“In a nutshell, we look into what it’s

like to follow Jesus,” Smith said. “What I love most about [InterVarsity] is that I’ve been shown how to live more for Jesus by the amazing community down here. I also love how supportive of a community we are to each other.”

Joshua Haupt, who is the organizer of InterVarsity, has been on staff for six years.

The 29-year-old has a BA in marketing from USF and is currently the director for the city of Tampa as well. Haupt respects how committed Smith is to bringing people to God and how he gives them a chance respond to the love of God. He describes Smith as an onion.

“At first glance, he is just a chill dude that doesn’t rock the boat and goes with the flow,” Haupt said. “But when you start to peel back the layers, you start to realize how intelligent and deep he is. He is a dedicated person, who cares deeply about God and his relationship with him.”

Besides Smith’s love for God, he also has a love for writing and film. As far as writing goes, he likes to write philosophical themed fictions, as well as poetry on occasion. Eventually, Smith would like to publish some books and make them into blockbusters.

“Even at a young age, I thought it would be so cool to make movies,” Smith said.

Some other activities that he enjoys include, slacklining, flag football intramurals and paint balling. He also started working at Pita Pit recently. Smith does it all, which brings us back to the unicycle. It’s not about impressing others, but it’s about impressing himself.

“I’m not trying to be an attention whore,” Smith said while laughing. “But I do like performing. And it feels a lot classier riding a unicycle to class, in my humble opinion. It’s more unique and an expression of personality to a certain degree.”

Madison Irwin can be reached at madison.irwin@spartans.ut.edu

THE MINARET | NOVEMBER 6 2014

NEWS + FEATURES

3

Student Runs For City Council, Promotes Gov Transparency

Photo courtesy of Tyler Barrett

By KHADIJAH KHAN Head Copy Editor

Many government and world affairs majors dream of working in politics. UT junior Tyler Barrett is getting a head start on that dream by running for Tampa City Council District 4.

Barrett, 22, will face the District 4 Incumbent, Harry Cohen and his other opponent Kent King, who is the development manager for the Tampa Atlantic division of Southern Wine & Spirits of Florida.

“I never would have thought that this would happen, especially happening while I’m in school at UT. The students and other young voters in the district feel that they don’t have a voice at all,” Barrett said.

Barrett was very involved in politics, as his family has had a history in politics which helped shape his ambitions.

“I got involved in politics when I was very young, 12 years old,” Barrett said. “My grandparents always taught me that being politically aware is important as well as being politically active. Therefore, I volunteered on campaigns along with my grandparents when I was younger.”

Barrett served as the Hillsborough County Coordinator for Nan Rich, the former Florida Senate Minority Leader, in 2013-14.

“Nan definitely inspired me to run,” Barrett said. “But above all, she taught me that you can’t just run for office because you want to have

a title. She always told me “It has to be about the issues!” She is a pioneer for LGBT rights in Florida along with women’s rights. She’s incredible.

To say she inspired me is simply an understatement.”

Barrett has also been involved in on and off campus organizations such as his fraternity, Alpha Tau Omega; a member of College Democrats; and a volunteer for the Tampa Bay Aids Walk. Barrett feels that there should be a higher level of transparency in city government and that a city councilperson should be a community activist.

Barrett also plans to address health-care services, disability rights, homelessness and public transportation.

“Those are things that City

Council doesn’t even talk about,” Barrett said. “As crazy as that sounds, issues that heavily impact our community are sometimes ignored.

These issues are not always pleasant to discuss, and a city council-person should have a pretty comprehensive plan to make something happen but it all starts with having someone listen to the people of the community.”

Barrett plans to address disability issues by reforming local public transportation, making it more wheelchair-accessible.

Some students at UT have gotten behind the idea of a fellow student running to be a councilman.

“I think it’s fantastic. A student is as much a part of the local community as anyone else, and quite honestly there needs to be more representation from our demographic [students],” said Nicholas Finch, junior English and writing major.

“If we have a voice in the city, and someone is willing to be that voice whilst maintaining grades - then let’s get behind them.”

Other students feel no student is truly prepared for taking on a political position.

“Nobody in their early 20s or late teens has the emotional intelligence to conduct such an important position. A certain level of wisdom is needed for politics! They don’t even know who they are, nevermind decide what’s best for others,” said Matthew Colletti, senior and finance major.

Barrett filed Oct. 1 to become an official candidate, but the elections are not until March 3. His campaign, which is mostly comprised of students but contains people from the ages 18 to 68, is coordinated

by Linsey Stiglic, a sophomore government and world affairs and philosophy major.

“We define victory as mobilizing voters who feel that they do not have a voice. This movement is about the community,” Barrett said.

Khadijah Khan can be reached at khadijah.khan@spartans.ut.edu

INFORMATION

POLICE BEAT

Reports compiled by Zoe Fowler

Tailgating is a Sin On Oct. 28, a resident student attempted to allow a student into a residence hall in violation of university sanctions.

What Did the Blinds Do to You? On Oct. 29, a window blind was found damaged inside the Vaughn Center Computer Lab. Barrynomore On Oct. 31, a room search was conducted in the Barrymore Hotel resulting in one UT student arrested for drug violation.

First Degree Damage On Nov. 1, a student intentionally damaged a wall inside a residence campus.

Diamonds are a Thief’s Best Friend On Nov. 1, a student reported the theft of her ring from her room.

Not Worth the Time On Nov. 1, an intoxicated student struck a pole in a university parking lot, left the scene without stopping as required by law, and was subsequently arrested by TPD for DUI.

Police Graphic by Guerra Quintanilla, Spartan Graphic by Orun Bhuiyan

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Metropolitan Ministries Food Drive The Drive ends on Nov. 18. Bring non-perishable foods to General Assembly.

Lunch with Dean of Students On Nov. 14, SG President and Dean of Students Stephanie Krebs will be discussing student conduct with students during lunch in the cafeteria.

Up Til Dawn The St. Jude’s UT chapter is hosting an awareness week.

Shine Philanthropy Council A Phil the Jar Penny War will be taking place in Dec.

4 NOVEMBER 6 2014 | THE MINARET

NEWS + FEATURES

Communication, Courtesy: Tips for Daily Student Life

By BIANCA LOPEZ News Writer

College students spend approximately four years living in a petri dish. Everyone shares the same classes, the same gossip, the same illnesses. While living with others starts off great, little quirks can start to become irrevocable differences when you see the same people every day.

While it is impossible to please everyone, one way to combat these differences is by simply being a decent human being. By following these “commandments” given by UTampa students, you’ll be on your way to being a tolerable community member.

Clean up after yourself The maids are not there to clean up your room, and the cafeteria workers are not there to pick up your dirty dishes. A quick way to annoy your roommates and the school staff is to act like a slob.

Make sure that you keep your mess in your area while you are in the residence halls.

Also, in the cafeteria, place your dirty plates and utensils on the dish carousel when you finish your meal.

“When you finish eating, throw your stuff away,” said Jadira Scott, sophomore chemistry major. “Don’t be disrespectful.”

Don’t talk loudly in the library

Look Up From Your Phone

No. No. Stop it. The library is silent. A student should be able to walk in and hear only their steps echoing throughout the building.

Sure, that is an unrealistic goal to strive for, but even still, the students in the library are all there for a purpose – nursing majors study so they don’t get kicked out of the program, writing majors try their hardest to avoid passive voice, business majors do math… ugh.

Regardless of their reasons for going to the library, they go so that they can escape distractions. When people talk loudly or just make a lot of noise in the library, they ruin the studying vibes. Don’t ruin the studying vibes. “[The library] is a place to study, you’re supposed to be focused and if people make noise it can distract you,” said Sika Zedia, student library assistant and finance graduate student. “If you want to talk, we have study rooms.”

In a school the size of UT, chances are that you will run into people you recognize from classes, clubs or other extracurriculars on a daily basis. While striking up an entire conversation is not entirely necessary, especially if you’re in a rush, a little wave or smile or “what’s up?” does wonders.

“Our entire campus is so isolated,” said Marina Alfonso, junior biochemistry major. “You never know when you will brighten someone’s day [by saying hello].”

Who knows? You may even make a friend or two.

Stop Feeding the Squirrels No, they are not your furry new buddies. No, they do not want to offer you unconditional love. Why? Because squirrels are not pets – they are rodents with fluffy tails and only want you for your Chick-fil-A. “Don’t feed the squirrels because they might have rabies,” said Mike Vek, freshman political science major. “People don’t realize how serious rabies is.”

Get to Know People With students from all 50 states and 137 countries, according to ut.edu, UT offers a wide array of personalities and cultural backgrounds.

“I feel like you can’t fit in at UT if you can’t respect people’s culture,” said Onyx Davis, sophomore pre-med biology major.

Sit down with someone you have not yet spoken to next time you go to the cafeteria – chances are that they’d enjoy the company too. Students love talking about their hometowns and backgrounds because, in most cases, they have never been away from home for a long stretch of time.

Strike up a conversation and actually care about what they say.

Now, go out and spread this newfound knowledge. Flash a smile at a passerby, make your bed (for the sake of your roommate’s sanity), study silently in the library, get to know the people around you, and never forget - stay away from those crazy squirrels.

Bianca Lopez can be reached at bianca.lopez@spartans.ut.edu

Donation will go toward building Palm Apartments From JENKINS Page 1 family has been in Tampa since the 1930s.

Patricia Jenkins, 59, the founder of Apollo Environmental Inc., which specializes in hazardous-materials consulting and analysis, is originally from New Jersey.

In a statement made to the Tampa Bay Times, Mr. Jenkins said his children “were very appreciative of the education they received, and the help they received from the university,” and that “the school treated them as individuals, not just numbers.”

The $10 million will be going toward the construction of the new residence hall, Palm Apartments, of which the first installments are set to be completed in late January of 2015. The old south wing of ResCom that housed 93 students was demolished and is being replaced with new apartments that will house 209 students, according to the UT website.

The final project will result in the full demolition of ResCom, once home to 234 residents, and the replacement of Palm Apartments in their entirety, will have a capacity of 547. The final project date has not been set as of yet.

“The Jenkinses wanted the donation to be used toward a project that the university had identified as a need and that would benefit students,” said Eric Cardenas, UT’s Director of Public Information. “Plus, Howard Jenkins is chair of the planning committee of the Board of Trustees, so he recognized the need for additional housing on campus.”

Kevin Falk, senior business management major and president of Student Productions, also commented on the large donation.

“I think it’s great that UT is building more residence halls for students to live on campus,” said Falk. “While the Barrymore is a nice overflow, students are missing out on campus culture by being

Ann Rowland/Public Information Office The Jenkins and Vaughns pose next to Plant Hall before the naming ceremony of the former West Kennedy Residence Hall.

off campus. For me, I lived on campus all four years and in no way regret it. It’s put me in the middle of the action.”

As a private university, UT depends largely on the philanthropic donations from the community, since according to the UT website, it can’t run completely on tuition alone. 49 percent of these donations come from UT alumni, with the remaining 51 percent coming from parents, teachers and staff, and other friends of the university. All donations go into the Annual Fund that provides money for “academic scholarships, need-based scholarships, academic programs, campus improvements, teaching excellence and faculty developments,” according to UT’s website.

There is another type of donation, however, that is not grouped with the Annual Fund. These donations are called Planned Giving, which are “gifts made by will, trust or other planned giving arrangements [that] can leave a lasting legacy and provide financial benefits to the donor.” In some cases a donor can even give in the form of appreciated stock or mutual fund shares, that allows them to “avoid paying capital gains tax on the increase” and “receive a tax deduction for the full fair market value when contribution was made,” all stated in the UT website’s donation section.

“I am extremely grateful to the Jenkins Family for their $10 million dollar donation to the university,” said Kristin

Anderson, senior Student Government President and advertising and public relations major. “I had the privilege of attending the President’s Reception for the naming of West Kennedy Hall; the Jenkins family was both humble and extremely appreciative of the international atmosphere present in the previously named West Kennedy Hall.

I encourage any and all students to take the time to thank our donors and alums and to remember that they allow 92 percent of our students to get subsidized tuition, and they play a huge factor in the beautification and functionality of our campus.”

Lauren Richey can be reached at lauren.richey@theminaretonline.com

NEWS + FEATURES

THE MINARET | NOVEMBER 6 2014

5

Alumnus Creates Crane accident Unique Event Venture causes major delays From BRIDGE Page 1

By JAKE VAN LOON News Writer

Entrepreneurs don’t follow trends and expectations; they follow themselves. This is true in the case of Matthew Rutkovitz, a recent University of Tampa graduate and president of his own start-up company, Outeraction.

Rutkovitz, 23, was born and raised outside of Baltimore and came to Tampa to pursue a degree in entrepreneurship. After a successful four years at UT, including a year as the Student Government President, Rutkovitz took a job in sales. He quickly realized his career path was not for him.

“I was so sick of following the numbers,” Rutkovitz said. “I didn’t feel I was contributing.”

Rutkovitz quit his job in April of this year and opened shop for Outeraction in June of this year.

Outeraction plans events that target professionals ages 21-34. The company’s mission, according to Rutkovitz, is to help young adults “have an awesome time that is out of the box and meet new people.”

The inspiration for Outeraction came while Rutkovitz was in his sales job. He realized he wasn’t the only one unhappy at work. There was nothing he could do to improve his co-workers’ working lives, so he started creating events to fill the hours outside of work. From that, Outeraction was born. All of Outeraction’s events cater to fewer than 30 people at a time, never cost more than $30 and never last more

than three hours.

“The point is to keep it simple,” Rutkovitz said. The plan targets those who“crave consistency and simplicity.”

Some of the events that Outeraction has hosted so far have been laser-tag, canoeing trips, paddleboarding, brewery tours and scavenger hunts. Each event has attracted 15 to 25 participants.

Rutkovitz’s goal is to “create more of a friend setting than an event setting.”

“I had a great time,” said recent UT graduate Katie Reisman. “Matt is a friend of mine, and I think it is good to support local businesses.”

Matt is not alone in his new business. A friend of Rutkovitz’s, Jacob Filloramo, helps with some event planning,and UT student Jessica Simon runs the start-up’s social media and graphic design.

On top of event planning, Rutkovitz has been running a successful video blog to promote Outeraction and generate additional revenue. He currently runs two recurring segments. The Millennial Moment is a rundown of five events that happened overnight, and the 2 Minute Talk Show features local guests.

Rutkovitz’s goals include reaching 1,000 views on his video blog and, eventually, expand Outeraction to other Florida cities.

Jake Van Loon can be reached at jake.vanloon@spartans.ut.edu

teeth of the bridge until an even larger crane could be brought in to assist in its removal.

“Unfortunately, it was determined that the crane located at the Riverwalk staging area (former Trump site) could not safely stabilize or lift the drill rig which had partially fallen into the Hillsborough River,” said Ali Glisson, Public Affairs Director for the City of Tampa in a statement. “Orion Marine will bring in an alternate 225 ton crane which is capable of stabilizing and lifting the drill rig.”

Students gathered around campus as helicopters flew over UT and police blocked off sections of Kennedy Boulevard outside Plant Hall. Crowds of locals also stood in Curtis Hixon Park, looking on as the downtown area was completely redirected to keep the bridge area secure.

Traffic was heavily congested through the connecting area, causing many bystanders to reconsider their route home. Some experienced commuting problems early during the morning rush hour close after the incident occurred.

“I came down on Twiggs and it was just barely moving. No one knew what was going on and it wasn’t until I got closer to Kennedy that I saw this bridge up, and realized ‘Oh, the bridge is up, no wonder we are not moving,’” said Jenna Nelson, head of human resources at Sykes Enterprises.

Nature may make the process more difficult, as the crane is due to stay halfsubmerged in the river overnight. Tide

times will be crucial in keeping the crane in place so it cannot cause more damage to the street.

“Tidal flows through the Hillsborough River will be incredibly important as the process to stabilize and then remove the crane at the bridge moves forward. Low tide [Tuesday] will be at 6:11 p.m. with high tide coming back in around 11:54 p.m,” said Glisson.

At the time of publication, Tampa officials did not anticipate the bridge reopening until late Wednesday, when the crane can be removed and the bridge inspected for needed repairs. The street will have to be shut down until they are able to determine the damage to the bridge, which was originally constructed in 1890 and last renovated 20 years ago.

“I haven’t been over there, but they are trying to repair the hinges that are attached to the concrete. That’s what they are trying to do right now,” said a Tampa Police Department official on the scene.

While the city is working towards a solution, traffic will be diverted through Jackson Street and Cass Street in order to access Kennedy Boulevard. While locals didn’t have much in the way of answers in the afternoon after the accident, many were positive that the damage was not a quick fix.

“I don’t think this is going to be repaired before [Wednesday] because I think once it gets dark, I think it is going to be hard to do it safely. I think we have at least another day, maybe two,” said Nelson. “I’m rethinking my route tomorrow.”

Doha Madani can be reached at doha.madani@theminaretonline.com

Amendment 2 Not Passed, Students React

The amendment that would have brought medical marijuana to Florida was ousted by voters Tuesday. The amendment needed 60 percent of votes to pass and fell short by 2.5 percent.

I actually am really surprised! I definitely thought it would pass. I personally don’t choose to use it for recreation so I can’t say much for the product but I’ve read so much about the benefits it has for people with chronic illnesses. It’s a shame really.

-Senior, Majda Ettore

I don’t smoke so it does not affect me or my life. However, I don’t think weed should be legalized because it causes the mind to go crazy and can get you into other more serious drugs.

-Sophomore, Anthony Nicolo

I think someone tampered with the votes.

-Sophomore, Nina Quigley

Well I don’t smoke but I think that’s dumb. I’m prob not the best to quote but I do believe in medical marijuana.

-Senior, Alli DiGiacomo

Although I don’t use Marijuana it makes no sense to me that it wouldn’t be passed. For medicinal purposes anyway. If there is proof it can help people than why not pass it?

-Freshman, Aaron Schoenfeld

I’m not too surprised that it didn’t pass. I feel as the years go by the voting population will get closer and closer to passing it.

The outcome may just be due to voter demographics; when our generation as a whole starts participating in elections more, I think it will be passed.

-Senior, Micah Thomas

6 NOVEMBER 6 2014 | THE MINARET

DIVERSIONS

ON CAMPUS OFF CAMPUS NOVEMBER 6

NOVEMBER 6

Delta Sigma Pi will be selling bracelets for former DSP president, Jessica Moran, who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. The sale will take place in Vaughn Lobby from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and all proceeds will go towards Jessica and cancer research.

Head to Curtis Hixon Park for free, live and local music at 6:30 p.m. with a special Power of Design art exhibit on the Tampa Museum verandah.

Selling Bracelets For Jessy

NOVEMBER 7

Magician: Justin Williams

Comedic magician and Cupcake Wars star will perform in Reeves theatre at 8:00 p.m. Event is free with a student ID. NOVEMBER 10

Minaret Weekly Meeting

Join The Minaret’s staff in a discussion on current events and brainstorming content for the weekly paper. The meeting takes place in Vaughn 212 at 7:30 p.m.

NOVEMBER 11

Musician: Rachel Brown

Unique and sultry vocalist Rachel Brown will perform in Morsani Hall at 8:00 p.m.

Rock the Park

NOVEMBER 7

Ben Folds

The multi-platinum singer-songwriter will perform a collection of his pop hits at the Straz Center at 8:00 p.m. Tickets begin at $35.

NOVEMBER 8 Picasso/Dali Exhibition Opening Director Hank Hine and Museu Picasso’s exhibition, displaying rarely loaned works, will open at the Dali Museum at 10:00 a.m. and continue on until Feb. 15.

NOVEMBER 12

Greater Pinellas County Fair A country themed fair complete with live music, a rodeo and fair food. The event takes place at England Brothers Bandshell Park at 5:00 p.m. and tickets are $8.

websudoku.com

PICTURE of theWEEK

Photo by Casey Budd

Jack Antonoff played Coral Skies Music Festival on Oct. 25 with his band Bleachers, performing hits such as “I Wanna Get Better,” “Rollercoaster” and “Wild Heart.”

THE MINARET | NOVEMBER 6 2014

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

7

Coral Skies Festival: The Bands and Brands

Photos by Casey Budd (top right, bottom left) and Savanna Blackerby (top left, bottom right)/ The Minaret.

Starting from top left: Charity clothing line Krochet Kids, electro-pop group Wild Cub, Tampa rocker Benjamin Booker and missionary-based clothing line Then, Now, Always.

By SELENE SAN FELICE

Arts + Entertainment Assistant Editor

BANDS

The beautiful cloudless day that was Oct. 25 couldn’t have been more perfect for the Coral Skies music festival, unless the event had actually been held under coralcolored skies. With big indie-alternative names like Bleachers, Bombay Bicycle Club and The Hold Steady on the schedule, the Midflorida Credit Union Amphitheater was a sea of man-buns and wide-brimmedhat hipsters. Luckily, there is no need to rock a man-bun or a wide brimmed hat to get into the indie scene. The following are some of Coral Skies’ little known performers that even some of your hipster friends might not have heard of.

Good Graeff

Twin sisters Brit and Brooke Graeff make up this dynamic duo from Sarasota, with Brit on cello and Brooke’s amazing voice front and center. Good Graeff kicked off Coral Skies bright and early at 12:00 p.m. on the Sunrise Stage, performing songs from their latest album Better Half as well as tracks from their upcoming EP.

The group also premiered a new version of their unreleased song “I Want That.”

“I know we keep saying we’re going to release new music really soon,” Brooke said to the crowd. Brit quickly chimed in, “But we mean it this time!”

Benjamin Booker

Tampa native Benjamin Booker and his band rocked the Scion Stage midday with their hard rock sound and Booker’s sultry, unforgettable voice.

After booking gigs on David Letterman and Conan, performing with Jack white, and playing Lollapalooza, Booker and his band are certainly picking up steam.

The amphitheater filled up as Booker played songs from his premier self-titled album, which dropped in August. The boys also covered Otis Redding’s “Shout Bamalama” and Fury Lewis’ “Falling Down Blues.” Hipsters and rock fans alike went wild as Booker finished his set with his album’s biggest hit “Violent Shiver.”

While Booker is still a rock star on the rise, you can say you knew him before everyone else for a little while longer.

Wild Cub

The scent of food truck deliciousness (and something a bit more herbal) drifted through the air as Wild Cub took the stage that Saturday afternoon. The band’s intense electro-pop sound had the entire crowd dancing, or at least bobbing their heads as they sat on their picnic blankets.

Reminiscent of 80’s pop, Wild Cub’s lead singer Keegan DeWitt’s deep, passionate voice paired remarkably with the band’s synth rock style. DeWitt encouraged the audience to support small-time artists by purchasing music. “There’s still a currency in music when one person hands it to another and says ‘This is special to me,’” DeWitt told the crowd.

BRANDS

Still looking to get away from the mainstream? Pac-Sun no longer piquing your interest? Here are some of Coral Skies’ featured clothing brands to get you ahead of the curve.

Then, Now, Always

These aren’t your average missionaries.

Founded in their christianity, this brand

takes popular indie styles to a new level of originality. Their galaxy t-shirt doesn’t use just any generated image, but is instead taken from an actual photo of Death Valley at 3 A.M. Founder Troy Lano has been running Then, Now, Always with his wife for over a year and a half and the brand has been featured at Warped Tour, Riot Fest and several other festivals around the country.

Krochet Kids

Clueless’ notorious fashionista Cher Horowitz emphasized the importance of doing something good for humanity. While Krochet Kids’ project is a bit more powerful than playing high school matchmaker, their sense of fashion and charity would certainly make Cher proud. Founded by 3 crotchetloving snowboarders, this brand funds the education of women in poor countries such as Peru and Uganda to be able to craft and crochet in order to break the cycle of poverty. Each piece is personally signed by the woman who made it. This makes paying roughly $30 for a beanie all the more worth it. Besides, you’ll need something to cover up while you grow out your man-bun.

Selene San Felice can be reached at Selene.Sanfelice@theminaretonline.com.

8 NOVEMBER 6 2014 | THE MINARET

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

1989 Disappointingly Digresses Into Pop Pap Swift’s 1989 is “vaguely 80s, bubblegum pop beat”

By LAUREN MILICI

Arts + Entertainment Writer

Taylor Swift is notorious for writing songs about ex-boyfriends that include unnecessary personal details and passiveaggressive lines that sound like she’s still stuck in her freshman year of high school (“All you are is mean/ and a liar/and pathetic/and alone in life/ and mean/ and mean/and mean”). She’s Taylor Swift/wikimedia.org a frequent user of the “other-woman-as-enemy” trope and is no stranger to slut-shaming (“She’s an actress/But she’s better known for the things that she does on the mattress”).

People talk about her love life in the same way they live-tweet TV shows. And before you chalk it up to celebrity-dom, remember that she announced on Ellen that Joe Jonas broke up with her over the phone and referenced it in her opening monologue on Saturday Night Live the

following year.

Still, Swift is a star. She has the ability to blur the lines between pop and country and the result thus far has been a series of admittedly fun and infectious hits. She’s broken four world records according to the website for the Guinness Book of World Records, two of them being the First Female Solo Artist to have two albums sell one million copies in the first week and the Fastest Selling Single in Digital History for “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.”

Her list of awards and nominations has its own Wikipedia page. Swift has spent the last seven years perfecting the art of making hits and topping charts. She knows society loves a bitter ex-girlfriend with blonde hair and a banjo. She knows that at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how many boyfriends she bashes or celebrities she dates, because the public will always eat it up.

Take “1989,” for example. Over the summer, Swift announced that she and Nashville were breaking up. “I woke up every single day not wanting but needing to make a new style of music that I had never made before,” she told fans on a Yahoo! livestream. At first, society shrugged. No more country? Wasn’t she already pop? After she released “Shake It Off,” society exploded. In the instant hit, Swift responds to criticism in her classic high school way, using the popular phrase “haters gonna hate,” but this time over a vaguely eighties, bubblegum-pop beat that

gives no hint to her country roots.

In the video for “Shake It Off,” she shows the world all the ways she’s never fit into the standard pop scene by awkwardly dancing through music video clichés and makes audiences feel like idiots for thinking she was ever anything other than country. “Shake it off” was Swift’s way of saying, “I traded in my banjo for a drum machine and this is a big deal.”

With ‘1989’ aimed to sell 1.2 million copies in its first week, it is in fact kind of a big deal. The album is already being called ‘the best pop album of the year’ by The Daily Beast and NPR even referred to Swift as the “peppiest pop star we have right now.” Catchy hooks and happygo-lucky love tunes aside, ‘1989’ is an ambiguous and insincere collection of plastic pop. Swift’s vocals are pretty, but the music is synthesized monotony, the lyrics are adolescent. “I Wish You Would” sounds like a sad Tumblr poem with cliches like, “You give me everything and nothing.” “Welcome to New York” belongs in Not Another Teen Musical with Swift singing “Welcome to New York/It’s been waiting for you!” while “walking through the crowd.”

Arguably the most comical thing about ‘1989’ is that nearly half the album seems to borrow from other artists. “Out of the Woods,” “Bad Blood,” “Clean” and “I Know Places” are all reminiscent of Lorde’s Pure Heroine. Each track contains the same pseudo-eighties electro

beat, with “Blank Space” sounding like early demo of “Team.” Expect Youtube to explode with mash-ups of both tracks within coming weeks. Swift makes a laughable attempt to channel Lana Del Rey in “Wildest Dreams.” She lowers her voice to mimic Del Rey’s breathy tone and sings, “say you’ll remember me standing in a nice dress staring at the sunset, babe/red lips and rosy cheeks/ say you’ll see me again even if it’s just pretend.” For fun, try singing the chorus of Del Rey’s “Without You” over “Wildest Dreams.”

The uncanny resemblance could be dismissed as coincidence, but it wouldn’t be Swift’s first time borrowing from Del Rey. In 2012, Swift blatantly stole the bad-boy-biker backdrop and dramatic opening monologue from the video for Del Rey’s “Ride” and used it in her “Trouble” music video. Given that Del Rey was still new at the time, it’s possible that Swift figured no one would notice.

There’s no point in asking what happened to the little girl who wrote “Teardrops on My Guitar.” She grew up, and sound evolves as musicians age.

‘1989,’ however, is hardly the product of evolution. The album is simply part of Taylor Swift’s recent convoluted rebirth that ultimately reminds us why – after five albums and seven years spent in the mainstream – we still shouldn’t take her seriously.

Lauren Milici can be reached at Lauren.milici@spartans.ut.edu.

Lake Street Dive Jazzes Up The Cuban Club

Lake Street Dive performed with The Congress at The Cuban Club on Nov. 1

By MADISON KAZAR

Arts + Entertainment Writer

Local Tampa radio station WMNF 88.5 supplied the musical stylings of The Congress and Lake Street Dive this past Saturday evening at Ybor City’s Cuban Club. The Cuban Club, an outdoor venue, had the Florida natives bundled up head-to-toe in their gloves and scarves due to the recent change in climate. Despite the chilling sixty degree weather, the crowd still managed to rock out to these incredibly talented bands.

The Congress kicked off the night with an indie rock feel, presenting the crowd with original numbers off of their newest album, Whatever You Want.

The Denver-based band opened with a suggestion to all of the registered voters of Tampa Bay to make sure and vote yes on the ball to legalize medical marijuana.

This did not go over all that well with the predominantly older crowd present at the event, and led some of the attendees to rather loudly speculated the meaning behind their band name going as far to say; “I wonder if they painted ‘congress’ across their drum set to beat some sense in to congress both literally with drumsticks and figuratively with their devil may care attitudes,” expressed a rather inquisitive listener.

Whether or not these men had attempted to “stick it to the man,” they definitely stuck it to the crowd. The Congress’ cover of “Killing Me Softly” had the audience jamming in no time.

The four-piece folk-jazz band

Lake Street Dive/ Facebook.com

The jazz-folk quartet Lake Street Dive has appeared on Conan and was described as “this year’s best new band” by Rolling Stone

Lake Street Dive soon took the stage appearing one by one, and showcased a sound that easily transported the crowd to the 60s: a time where thoughtprovoking lyrics and raspy voices dominated the airwaves.

Lake Street Dive recently made their debut on Conan performing their hit “Stop Your Crying” and have been quickly gaining fans since their performance. The band was also described as “this year’s best new band”

by Rolling Stone, and for good reason.

Every aspect of Lake Street Dive amazed the crowd. With vocalist Rachel Price as their lead singer, this band is entirely fearless. Price’s hauntingly beautiful voice, accompanied by magnificent cello and trumpet harmonies, was absolutely breathtaking.

Lake Street Dive’s tour was prompted by the release of their new album Bad

Lake Street Dive’s latest album Bad Self Portraits, complete with 11 tracks, is now available on iTunes for $9.99.

Self Portraits which was what most of the set list for the night was composed of. The band opened with the track “You Go Down Smooth,” and with Price’s raspy and extremely unique voice, the crowd hung on to every word.

To follow, the band played their title song “Bad Self Portraits” which explores the current craze of selfies and compares the act to loneliness. The lyrics go as far to say: “I’m taking bad self portraits of a lonely woman.”

Venturing from their arsenal of original pieces, the band performed

B-52’S classic “Love Shack.” They expressed to the crowd that when looking for a song to cover, they started a tradition of only covering songs performed by bands that have four people with two guys and two girls. This definitely limits the band’s choices, but it keeps the performance interesting.

With the recent surge in Lake Street Dive’s popularity, the band expressed their eagerness to stay true to their roots.

Their unique name stems from a street in the hometown of the band’s trumpet and guitar player. This street is home to a string of bars that features small bands looking to make it big. This ideal struck home for this quartet and seemed to be the most fitting name for them. It seems they too will be making it big based, on their performance this past weekend.

Madison Kazar can be reached at Madison.kazar@spartans.ut.edu.

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

THE MINARET | NOVEMBER 6 2014

9

Act Natural: Student Journalist Ventures to Nudist Resort

By SELENE SAN FELICE

Arts + Entertainment Assistant Editor

I am laying out on a lawn chair poolside.

I’ve worked and lived around pools my entire life, but at this particular instance nervousness and anxiety fills my body. I look down and it hits me that I have no top on. As I look around cautiously I can see several middle aged patrons socializing around me, most completely nude. I’ve had nightmares like this before, but for once this isn’t a nightmare. In fact, to some it’s paradise...

I decided to visit Lutz, Florida’s Paradise Lakes Resort as a challenge to myself.

My friends thought the idea of visiting a clothing-optional resort was so taboo, and I wanted to write about an experience that would really stand out. I know I certainly will never forget it.

When I called to ask for more information on the resort I was informed that entrance was free to “Single Ladies” after 4 p.m. on Sundays and Wednesdays.

As a single lady who happens to have Sunday and Wednesday evenings free, I figured I would give it a shot.

Unfortunately no one else wanted to give it a shot with me. If my friends didn’t give me a look of horror when I proposed the idea, than they sighed and explained that their boyfriends just simply wouldn’t stand for the girls to be naked without them.

“Forget them,” I said to myself. “I can do this alone. Who needs friends to visit a nude community?”

That fateful Sunday afternoon came around and I found myself feeling a lot less ballsy and a lot more tens “What does one wear to a nude resort?” I thought. “Should I wear makeup? Why would I wear makeup if I’m not wearing clothes?”

Generally when getting dressed for the pool or the beach I run through a checklist in my head of what to wear. This time I had to run through a checklist of what not to wear. When you’re going to a place where everyone will be naked, is it possible to offend people? Should I shave? Will I smell bad?

It wasn’t my own body that I was concerned about, but the fact that I was about to do something I had been told was forbidden my entire life. Changing after swim team or even around close friends I was told to somehow cover up while I got undressed and look away from others doing the same. Now I was about to look a pool

full of nudists in the ass. It was as if I was taking a trip to an alien planet instead of just driving 20 minutes up the road.

I opted for black bikini bottoms covered up with a flowered backless sundress for my first visit and set my GPS to 2001 Paradise Lakes Blvd.

As I drove up to my destination I noticed the very prestigious looking Lutz Preparatory School while making the turn into the questionable looking Paradise Lakes Resort directly across the street.

After checking in at the front desk I entered the pool and looked around for a chair. Although it wasn’t crowded I knew I couldn’t avoid the other nude patrons. Most were middle aged. Some wore clothes but I couldn’t help noticing the large stark naked man sitting around 100 feet across from me.

It was extremely cloudy and looked like it could start pouring at any moment.

They say cloudy days are best for tanning, as the sun can still pigment the skin without making it hot, but somehow I wasn’t feeling the urge to whip off my sundress. Today was a day I didn’t even want to take the top off of my car, let alone be topless myself.

I found myself almost shaking with anxiety, when I soon realized that there was nothing to be worried about. Who should I fear? These nice naked people who just want to be comfortable? After a few minutes I began to relax. I took a deep breath, ripped my sundress off like a band-aid, laid on my stomach and read a magazine.

As I had been psyching myself up to strip down, bingo numbers were being read off and announced in the bar next to my chair. Soon after a band could be heard playing “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.”

Too curious to see if this Beatles cover was being done au natural, I got up to get a drink.

I didn’t see the band, but what I did see was an array of different things. Naked men playing pool, couples standing around drinking and socializing, totally comfortable with or without their clothes on.

Across from my seat was the Oasis Gym. I looked up to see a naked woman on an elliptical. I wondered if that was even comfortable or sanitary, but I certainly did not judge. I went up to the bar and was greeted by Cory, the clothed bartender. He was friendly and could probably sense that I was nervous, even with my sundress on.

“Can I get some water in this?” I asked trying my best to sound natural.

“Just water? No ice or anything? That’s cool, I get that.” Cory replied.

He smiled and filled up my tumbler. I wondered if I could get away with asking for alcohol here. Not many people must try to come and drink underage, and if there was ever a time that I needed a drink it would be now.

I glanced at my bright green tumbler that read “WATCH YOUR B.A.C.,” and listed a “slow down gin fizz” mocktail recipe on the back and figured I’d better play it safe and head back to my spot.

The pool area was actually quite nice, but on a gloomy sunday afternoon it was mostly empty. I looked around imagining naked grown-ups playing shuffleboard, spiking volleyballs across the pool net, and floating in rafts as the glamorized pictures on paradiselakes.com boasted.

A hot tub gurgled a few steps away from the bar, and unlike the rest of the pool area it had a bustling crowd. A large naked woman and several nude middle aged men sat soaking and making conversation.

I would have joined them them but somehow I just couldn’t leave that chair without my sundress.

The concept of being naked around these people didn’t bother me anymore, and I couldn’t have cared less that they were letting it all hang out. What made me stick out--sundress or no sundress--was my age. I was clearly much younger than all of these people, and even worse I was alone. What reason did I actually have to be here? I had broken my biggest pet-peeve as a lifeguard and come to a pool on the world’s cloudiest afternoon. I flipped over on my back and pretended to soak up the invisible sun-rays, reading the same page of my magazine for the 20th time in a row.

As naked karaoke was under way I slipped my sundress back on and made my way out. It had begun to rain and as much as I wanted to go watch the rendition of “Love Shack” going on at the bar, I had to go home. A couple belted out “As Time Goes By”-my parents wedding song-as I made my exit.

Although most of my visit to Paradise Lakes involved me wearing some type of covering and sitting alone as a nervous trainwreck, I still left that pool with a sense of accomplishment. I had done what most kids my age would never have the guts to do.

When I got back to my dorm, mentally and emotionally exhausted, I put on as many clothes as I could, but not before convincing my roommate to go back with me for another free “Single Ladies” afternoon.

That visit came later the next week.

With the sun out, my roommate by my side and our bikini tops at home the experience was actually a lot of fun and extremely liberating.

I can now testify that my poolsideresume includes work as a swimmer, a lifeguard, a coach, and now a nudist.

Mission accomplished.

Selene San Felice can be reached at Selene.sanfelice@theminaretonline.com.

Netflix Guru’s Pick of the Week: Under the Electric Sky

By CLAIRE FARROW

Arts + Entertainment Writer

Just in time to get EDC (Electric Daisy Carnival) Orlando attendees pumped, Netflix has released Insomniac’s documentary of last year’s Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas concert, aptly titled Under the Electric Sky. EDC is coming to Orlando Nov. 7-8 and is bringing a big line up of Electronic Dance Music (EDM) DJ’s and artists, such as Above and Beyond, Aly &

Fila, Andrew Rayel, Brillz, Cedric Gervais, Ummet Ozcan and many more. Under the Electric Sky doesn’t just give viewers a backstage pass to the concert, but also showcases personal stories of the people who attend these events.

EDC is an annual EDM music festival that takes place in Orlando and Miami, and occasionally in various other cities across the country, such as Las Vegas, and also in Mexico and Puerto Rico. Begun in 1993

by Pasquale Rotella, CEO & Founder of Insomniac, this musical event has helped Rave and EDM culture take a more mainstream role for over 20 years.

While this year’s concert takes place in Orlando, last year’s took place in Las Vegas, Nevada. This documentary is a must-watch, especially for those who will be attending EDC Orlando. Additionally, this film is an impressive introduction to the world of EDM and Rave culture, and has the power to inspire a love for this music.

A visual orgy of art, music, lights and people, it is hard not to get sucked into the world of EDC. Just looking at the size of the festival from the film, it looked like a city of music had just popped out of nowhere. Even viewers who aren’t huge EDM fans will still feel a longing to be there and experience this monstrous event.

However, this film isn’t just a recap of last year’s festival, but rather a way of telling the story of EDM and Rave culture. When discussing why he chose to create EDC, Pasquale Rotella said that what really grabbed him was the energy behind the EDM and rave culture. And there is no denying that there is high energy at these concerts.

In the documentary, DJ Armin Van Buuren says, “[EDC] is not just an event— it’s a cultural movement. It’s all very positive. It’s almost like Woodstock, reinvented.” This couldn’t be more true. In the documentary the festival seems exactly

like a twenty-first century Woodstock.

The purpose of EDC is to promote love and harmony, which is very reminiscent of the famed 1969 concert that epitomized a cultural movement.

One thing that was so wonderful about this documentary was it’s special care to show how much this event is dedicated to music and Rave culture, and the safety of all its patrons. EDC’s department of health and safety had a continuous presence throughout the entirety of the film. It is explained that they have a strict no drug policy, and that they are constantly checking on the well-being of those in attendance.

Side note: Strobe lights, drastic changes in light and images and other such sensory overloads are a staple in this film. While it is very pretty to look at, it may cause some discomfort to those who are sensitive to flashing lights.

Claire Farrow can be reached at Claire. farrow@spartans.ut.edu.

10 NOVEMBER 6 2014 | THE MINARET

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

The University of Tampa Department of Speech, Theatre and Dance Presents

Les M iserables A New Production of Boublil and Schönberg’s

Directed by Paul E. Finocchiaro

•

Musical Direction by Tara Richards Swartzbaugh

Nov. 20, 21, 22 at 8 p.m. • Nov. 23 at 2 p.m.

Falk Theatre

428 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa General Admission Cost: $15 Non-UT Students and Seniors: $10 UT Students, Faculty and Staff: Free w/ID (813) 253-6243 • www.ut.edu Les Misérables is licensed by Theatre International (MTI) by arrangement with Cameron MacKintosh LTD. Photo Credit: Deen van Meer • Poster Design: Julia Rifino, UT Class of 2017

THE MINARET | NOVEMBER 6 2014

OPINION

11

Rescom’s “Pardon Our Dust” Series Disapoints

By KATIE DRAKE Opinion Writer

“PARDON OUR DUST” is a series of newly created programming events for Rescom meant to appease residents, but it’s just not cutting it. This series put on by the resident assistants and the Rescom area coordinator is meant to support residents through their challenging living conditions brought about by the ongoing construction.

When I first read this email about the new programming, I laughed out loud, literally. I cannot imagine any type of program that could possibly make up for the chaotic environment that Rescom residents are living in.

The funny part wasn’t the actual programming event or even what the event entailed but the way the email to announce the programming was written. The email came off with sincere intentions, but just didn’t measure up. As a Rescom resident, I thought the email wasn’t very genuine since the new programming events were thrown in right after an update about construction.

The first event was cupcake night on Tuesday, Oct. 28. Now, I like cupcakes just as much as the next person, but are cupcakes really supposed to reconcile the construction.

Cupcakes don’t even begin to make up for the lack of Rescom amenities... Not to mention the continuing unwanted wake up calls by construction workers and loud pounding noises occurring at 7:00 am and even sometimes at 4:00 am. Cupcakes really don’t surmount to the amount of stress that has caused. Unless this is some type of event like cupcake wars, I don’t think they ever will.

We are more than halfway through the semester and they just now decide to do something. I think they should have tried, maybe a month or two ago when all these problems began. From the very beginning when Rescom residents sent numerous emails complaining about the living conditions and construction starting too early, we received no response. Now they finally decided to aid our stress by doing programs that are already mandatory for all residence halls. It is part of the resident hall association’s job to plan

Photo by Liz MacLean

The “Pardon our Dust” campaign has seriously failed in its objective to make up for the neverending ongoing construction occurring around Rescom.

activities such as cupcake night that bring residents together. By putting the title on the series of events, “Pardon our Dust,” they are putting a label on something to make Rescom residents feel special, but in reality, the event has been done before and isn’t really anything special. By titling it, they are trying to add importance to the events but little do they know, Rescom residents don’t care about the programming. Most of the residents are juniors or seniors and probably have better things to do anyways but who are we to deny free food, afterall we are college students.

They have to do programming regardless of whether or not the construction is happening. The fact that they are trying to take a mandatory program and say that it is to support us, is ridiculous. If they wanted to support residents, they should have done it from the beginning or got something that

might actually help, such as earplugs or noise cancelling devices… not a cupcake.

The next “Pardon our dust” programming events are in the works according to sophomore communication major and Rescom resident assistant Leila Rugambarara. “At this moment we do not know what the next programs will be,” said Rugambarara. “We [the resident assistants and head resident] decide on the programs and welcome all our residents to pitch in.”

I appreciate the effort and am grateful that they are trying to reconcile with us and that they finally understand our situation with living in Rescom, but they should have done this sooner. I highly doubt they would want to pay $3,442.00 per semester to live here and deal with what we have to deal while at the same time focusing on education. No amount of cupcakes, or any programming event for that

matter, will make up for living conditions. As a Rescom resident, I will be taking advantage of the Pardon our dust programs since after all they are “implemented to help me through this challenging time.”

If the people responsible for Rescom thought of taking action sooner, fewer residents might have moved out. “Oh my god. They think cupcakes can help with being woken up Monday through Saturday between 3-5 am and go until 6 pm? What makes me want to explode is the fact that no one in Rescom received a single email regarding what would take place during almost half the semester; for all the money we pay at UT, we at least deserved a heads up,” said senior marine biology major and former Rescom resident Laura Frías.

Katie Drake can be reached at katie. drake@spartans.ut.edu

UT Grading System Hurts Student’s GPAs

By LIZ ROCKETT Opinion Columnist

Over the past few years I have attended the University of Tampa, nothing has upset me more than the grading system. Frankly, our grading system benefits students who get lower grades. For example, by clumping A- and B+ grades into an AB, students who would normally receive a B+ are rewarded for receiving lower grades over the course of the semester. In turn, these students receive a higher GPA for doing lower quality work while students who have done better are being penalized.

Even though professors are allowed to adjust the grading scale to their liking, I have not seen this is many of my classes in the past, and regardless of whether or not it is adjusted, GPAs are still affected negatively. If the

UT grading scale were to implement plus and minus grades as opposed to whole letter grades, students who earned more points would benefit by being able to receive more accurate grades that showcase how well they performed.

In a 2012 study, the University of Cincinatti College of Pharmacy assessed the benefits of their transition to a plus/minus grading scale from a whole letter grading scale. “The transition from whole-letter grading to plus/minus grading in courses from 2005 to 2010 reflects pharmacy faculty members’ perception that plus/minus grading allows for better differentiation between students’ performances,” as reported by the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education. While it is obviously important for students receiving graduate degrees to be accurately ranked amongst their colleagues, I don’t see why undergraduate students

should be penalized by the grading system here at UT. Students are not the only people on this campus who would benefit from a plus/minus grading scale. Professors would also benefit by recognizing who in their classes would benefit the most from extra help. Since small class sizes help communication with our professors here at UT, they would probably be more likely to reach out to students who are struggling by offering extra attention, extra credit assignments, or whatever means are necessary to help their students succeed. Afterall, if students are performing poorly, it reflects their teaching abilities, not just students’ intelligence.

Receiving more accurate grades may also benefit students who intend to apply to graduate school. GPAs do not matter as much for students who are able to seek jobs directly after graduating with a bachelor’s degree.

Personally, I plan to attend graduate school, and the higher GPA I can receive, the better my application will look to the schools of my choice.

How is it fair to me, as well as many other hard-working UT students, if people are receiving the same GPA as me when I am receiving more points than them in the class. If it came down to me and another student from this school with the same GPA as me but put less effort into their classes, I would be very upset if that student was admitted to a graduate program instead of me.

I think whoever is in charge of choosing the grading system should reevaluate which type would benefit students and professors the most. If UT is a school that prides itself on quality education, accurate grades should be a part of the quality education students receive.

Liz Rockett can be reached at elizabeth. rockett@spartans.ut.edu

12 NOVEMBER 6 2014 | THE MINARET

OPINION

Florida Proposal to Split State is a Waste of Time

By SAM ALLEN Opinion Writer

If you had asked me a month ago to describe what the difference between North and South Florida was I would have laughed and said “North Florida may as well be South Georgia.”

It would appear that this cultural separation has also been recognized by others, most notably the Mayor of South Miami, Philip Stoddard.

Stoddard has recently proposed a legal separation of North and South Florida, making South Florida the 51st state according to The Sun-Sentinel. While I can understand Stoddard’s reasoning, I find this proposal to be an unrealistic expectation for the state of Florida, and one that many Floridians may not be willing to spend taxpayers’ money on.

The emphasis should instead be put upon who is elected to run the state instead of splitting the state in two. Florida needs elected officials who are equipped to handle the varying climates and differing communities. Florida is made up of historical districts, big cities, and rural areas; elected officials should have a basic understanding of the specific needs of each of these and have a comprehensive plan on how cater to them, even if it means forming committees.

Astoundingly, the proposal was

passed with a 3-2 vote at a city commision meeting held on Oct. 7, The Sun-Sentinel reports. Stoddard and Vice Mayor, Walter Harris proposed the separation based on South Florida’s rising sea level. They believe that not enough regard is given to South Florida in the way of storm preparation and would like to see a change in the way environmental issues are handled in the Southern half of the state. “The resolution points out that the average elevation of North Florida is about 120-feet above sea level while the average elevation of South Florida is less than 50 feet. It is estimated that there will be a 3 to 6-foot sea level rise in the next 100 years,” reports USA Today.

If South Florida was made the 51st state, the border would begin “from roughly Orlando down,” USA Today says. Harris’s reasoning behind this is to “keep South Florida’s Water Management district,” which is located in Orange County.

In theory, this could turn out very well for South Florida, since “Orlando down” is where most of Florida’s revenue is generated this would keep all the money that is earned by these counties in their rightful districts.

Instead of the revenue being disbursed throughout the entire state, South Florida was benefit directly from it’s own earnings, which could be used to create a more efficient plan for unruly weather. The proposal in reality, however, would never pan out because it’s completely unnecessary.

Harris and Stoddard feel that their weather concerns are being ignored by

Tallahassee and offer this succession of South Florida as their solution. “We have to be able to deal directly with this environmental concern and we can’t really get it done in Tallahassee … I don’t care what people think -it’s not a matter of electing the right people,” Harris said of the proposed split. While the difference in weather are indeed significant, breaking off into two separate state’s would be a mistake, especially because this proposal has been made before.

In 2011 California proposed the very same thing with no success.

The more conservative counties in Southern California wanted to split the state in half in order to change the way the state was run. This proposal was not received enthusiastically and was described as “a supremely ridiculous waste of everybody’s time,” by the California state Governor’s spokesperson according to The Huffington Post. The outcome is likely to be the same in our state.

Unsurprisingly, the prospects of South Florida being successful in their succession are not looking bright.

“The proposal has to be approved by the governing bodies of the 24 counties that would make up the state of South Florida, and even if it is, the proposal would then have to pass a state electoral vote and then be approved by Congress,” reads an article by Eric Zerkel. It seems unlikely that many of the 24 counties involved will consider this proposal a priority.

I believe that the solution to this problem, however, lies elsewhere:

The voter’s poll. Tampa Bay Times has speculated, very accurately, that Stoddard and Harris don’t just have the environment in mind with the secession of South Florida, as they have so honorably proposed.

“Forget, for a moment, the climate change debate. Instead, consider the difference in voting patterns.

Republicans dominate a huge chunk of Florida’s geography, but Democrats control the population centers,” Says John Romano of The Tampa Bay Times. The article goes on to mention that higher concentration of Republican voters in certain districts completely overrides the Democratic vote, even in spite of the larger number of Democrats registered to vote.

The solution, of course, is easier said than done: South Floridian’s need to be educated on issues, such as how our climate could threaten our half of the state, and make it our priority to change the way the State is run as a whole. Tallahassee will be forced to regard South Florida’s climate with a higher level of significance if a person who understands the state as a whole is elected. As a student of the University of Tampa, I was personally shocked that news of upcoming elections was noticeably missing from campus. If we want to have a elected officials with our interests in mind, we need to start caring more about who we elect; that means all of us!

Sam Allen can be reached at samantha.allen@spartans.ut.edu

Why Are There No Men in McNiff Fitness Classes?

By LIV REEB Opinion Writer

Fitness classes aren’t just for women. There are a few common misconceptions about men going to these classes, whether it is the social stigma of men going because it’s not “manly,” due to the majorly female attendance or the lack of heavy weights, or the thought that fitness classes aren’t a good enough workout.

Fitness classes are neither “womanly” nor “manly” so there is no need for it to be socially unacceptable for men to attend.

Poundfit at McNiff Fitness Center, for example, is a leg workout, a cardio routine and some core work all mixed together into a 45 minute class. Men and women both have legs, a heart, lungs and core muscles, so both sexes should be able work them out in a class together. As a regular member of Poundfit, I can honestly say that there have been a total of maybe six men that have shown up to the class all semester. On the off chance that a man does come to class, sometimes he doesn’t even make it fully through the class, and he usually doesn’t come back again.

McNiff also offers yoga classes, but men are hardly ever in attendance. It’s confusing as, like other forms of exercise, yoga is great for increasing strength,

balance and flexibility while helping a person to relax and find their happy place.

Men that take yoga often do so to relieve pain from a sports injury or relax after a stressful day. Yoga can and will be difficult on the first try, especially for someone with limited flexibility or someone that’s unfamiliar with the positions. That’s no reason not to try it, everyone in the class was a beginner at one point. Nobody’s watching you anyway, they’re most likely checking themselves out in the mirror, have their eyes closed, or are focused on either the instructor or their positions.

The first fitness class is always hard no matter how much physical strength a person has. Classes aren’t about how much weight a person can lift, but about cardiovascular and muscular endurance.

Doing exercises outside of a regular routine is actually better for the body than doing the same thing over and over because your muscular system will adapt and your fitness will plateau if you’re doing the same routine for as little as six weeks, according to healthline.com. The challenge that comes with a new experience, like a fitness class, is actually a better workout than the normal routine, especially if it’s more difficult than expected. I think some men go into classes feeling like it’s going to be too easy for them and end up getting a lot more than they bargained for, possibly making them feel emasculated because the women in the class are making it through with perceived ease.

The gym seems like a very segregated place. It feels as though the weights are for men only, while cardio and fitness classes are for women. I’m sometimes intimidated by the burly men lifting hundreds of pounds, and it seems like some girls tend to avoid the weight section altogether to avoid the strange looks they encounter when they pick up any actual equipment. Also, if they do use weights, women are sneered at or worse, objectified by the men surrounding the section when all they want is to do some squats in peace. Some men appear to be as intimidated by fitness classes as women do about the weight section. They might feel as though they’re going to be sneered at or objectified either by the women in the class or the other men that watch them walk into the room where the classes are taught. People in fitness classes, however, don’t generally take notice about how the other people in the class are performing and once a person is physically inside the workout room, the blinds stay closed so onlookers from the outside can’t catch a peek. The gym doesn’t need to be a segregated place, nor should it be.

There’s nothing wrong with working out in a group rather than on your own.

Yes, a bunch of people are doing the same exercises as each other, but you’re still getting out of the workout what you put in.

Everyone is welcome to take the classes at whatever level of intensity they want by doing variations of the movements.

An instructor will demonstrate different

ways to hold positions in varying degrees of difficulty so that everyone in the class can be doing something. It’s important for men and women to know that those at a higher ability level won’t be looking at anyone in the group, they’ll be too focused on what they’re trying to achieve. And those that don’t have much experience will be following the instructor and ignoring everyone else in the room. There’s nothing wrong with being in shape from doing exercises other than lifting weights.

Fitness is not all about “gains,” it’s about being a healthy person. The classes offered are designed to help a person be healthy. Everyone’s heard the story about football players being forced to do ballet to increase flexibility and perfect their footwork on the field. If football players can find benefit in “girly” fitness activities, so can everyday men that like to work out. And in case nobody’s noticed, those little nine year old ballerina girls have better six packs than about half the people at the gym.

Men shouldn’t feel hesitant or embarrassed about going to fitness classes.

Anyone is allowed to attend, and everyone should attend at least twice to give it a fair try. The first class is always difficult.

But the benefits of fitness classes, such as increased flexibility, strength and cardio are worth the effort. Those benefits are equally important to both men and women.

Liv Reeb can be reached at olivia. reeb@spartans.ut.edu

OPINION

THE MINARET | NOVEMBER 6 2014

13

New Airplane Design to Offer Incredible Views

By REBECCA TURNER Opinion Writer

360 degree projection will change how we fly in the future Imagine waiting hours at airport security to find yourself boarding a plane without windows. The Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) of the U.K. hopes to achieve just that within ten years. The planes will utilize cameras on the outside and will project the footage live on OLED displays inside the aircraft, according to ABC News. This technology represents the future of air travel, one that is likely to draw shock value for the company, but will also alienate many customers who are uncomfortable with the floating sensation. For those of us that do not fear heights and also do not nap on planes, it will offer a unique and futuristic experience that will be well worth the adjustment.

When looking at the photo mockups of what these planes will look like from a passenger’s perspective, it’s easy to wonder if this is how our parents’ generation felt when computers were first adapted for consumer use. It seems unbelievable that there will be planes in the next decade that will show passengers

what flying really means instead of making them feel trapped in a moving metal box. It seems imaginary-- and it will remain that way for right now-but it should be a reality before the current college student population turns 35. This will be the way of travel in the future as we take our vacations, or travel for business.

This could also be a ploy from CPI to gain the monetary upswing the technology would provide by simply being the first to have planes with these features. It would presumably be financially lucrative, at least at first, given that many people would want to experience this new technology. Just remember, however, that if you do decide to fly in a plane like this and nap for part of the trip, it will be more than a little shocking when you open your eyes.

While the planes would attract some customers, the idea does have its drawbacks. As of right now, the design would project throughout the plane, leaving all passengers subject to its vertigo-inducing, headspinning, yet beautiful visuals, according to the Today Show. For those who are afraid of heights, it’s unfair to subject every passenger to this non-traditional environment. If these planes do take off in another ten years, CPI and its competitors will need to ensure that other options are available for its uncomfortable passengers. They should certainly provide access to some type of off switch for your aisle, if feasible, as well as continuing to run flights without this technology.

While the strangeness of this

Technicon Design/Mashable.com

The new plane design will have no windows, only projects of the outside environment in flight.

technology will throw many passengers for a loop, it’s also important to consider what this means for ticket price. Plane tickets are already expensive enough, and new technology usually equals higher prices, as we’ve all seen with Apple and their products. However, in this case, the ticket price will probably be lower. It seems counterintuitive, but apparently by removing the windows on the planes, the plane weight will decrease thus decreasing fuel usage and other operational costs, according to ABC News. It should also increase individual passenger space, resulting in more room for less money. That certainly doesn’t interfere with CPI’s marketing strategies. Though, it would not be surprising in the slightest if CPI initially makes these plane tickets extremely expensive.

Despite the decrease in costs on their end they may initially try to make more money by catering to the

elite first. Then they could target the general populace later, once the novelty dies down.

Nevertheless, it would be quite an incredible experience to travel in a plane that emphasizes the awesome technology that we already have. It would also offer every passenger the feeling of having a window seat while keeping plane capacity approximately the same as current planes offer. This technology is the future of aviation and should certainly be implemented

by CPI in the U.K, as well as U.S. companies over the next decade.

You won’t be flying in one of these planes on your next flight home, but development is undergoing and, luckily, it’s not nearly as far from science fiction as it first appears.

Rebecca Turner can be reached at rebecca.turner@spartans.ut.edu

Brittany Maynard’s Choice Sends Negative Message

By EMILY SILVERMAN Opinion Writer

Brittany Maynard, now a household name, recently made a very controversial decision that has sent an adverse message to the world. Maynard has rapidly become the face of the death with dignity movement as the heartbreaking story of her battle with terminal brain cancer grabbed the nation’s attention and millions cried alongside her. As planned, the twenty-nine year old advocate for assisted suicide and death with dignity legally ended her own life with medication this past Sunday, according to USA Today. My heart goes out to Maynard and her family during this unimaginably difficult time, but in the midst of the sadness, we must put our emotions aside and realize the extremely detrimental affects her highly publicized decision is capable of having on the way we look at and care for the sick.

Because of the horrific and painful side effects she was destined

to endure as her cancer worsened, Maynard and her husband moved to Oregon, one of only five US states where assisted suicide is legal, according to The Chicago Tribune.

Maynard decided she wanted to die with her dignity, and end her own life rather than allow her cancer to kill her. But what does it mean to die with dignity? And what message does linking a dignified death with suicide send? Seeing this woman referred to as brave and heroic may lead others in similar positions down a very slippery slope. If dying with dignity requires a person to end their life before their disease takes over, do those who die at the will of their illness die without their dignity?

Glorifying assisted suicide teaches patients that in order to die nobly and respectably, they need to take matters into their own hands. This way of thinking is dangerous.

Watching Maynard’s heartwrenching story play out has led many to sympathize and agree with her choice. It has begun to create this idea that living with a terminal illness isn’t really living, it’s just suffering until certain death, so what’s the point in staying alive?

Exulting suicide in the face of disease strips patients of their self worth. It makes them believe that their lives matter less than the lives of the healthy, that they should just end them before it gets worse, all masked by the notion that killing them is more humane than letting them suffer. If this way of thinking becomes the norm in regard to the terminally ill, what will come next?

Perhaps those with brain injuries and paralysis will be viewed similarly, and the choice of death will be offered to them as well. The far reaching implications surrounding this case could influence others to end their lives when there are alternatives.

Maynard did not believe she was committing suicide because she claimed “[she didn’t] want to die. Those who commit suicide are typically people who want to die,” according to NBC News. Those who commit suicide as a result of depression often do so not because they wish to die, but because they wish to end their suffering, according to www.save.org. Choosing to end suffering due to a physical illness is essentially the same concept.

Grappled by the media, Maynard’s death, one of the most emotional and personal aspects of human life, has become a very public ordeal.

Her life, diagnosis, and now her death, have been shared with the whole country,through numerous media outlets, bringing the topic of assisted suicide into national discussion. Watching Maynard’s heart wrenching story play out has led many to sympathize and agree with her choice, including influential celebrities such as Lucy Hale and Colton Haynes, who tweeted their support, according to ibtimes.com.

With a large number of supporters, it is very possible for assisted suicide to become more widely accepted and legalized in more states than the very few it is currently legal in.

Maynard and her family have gone through an impossibly difficult time, and unimaginable agony. In no way do I wish to disrespect her or belittle her decision, but rather to warn that if assisted suicide is to become common medical practice, there is no telling where it will end.

Emily Silverman can be reached at emily.silverman@spartans.ut.edu

14 NOVEMBER 6 2014 | THE MINARET

OPINION

Labeling the Relationship: A Two-sided Ordeal SEX AND LOVE COLUMN

By TERRY PRESTON Opinion Columnist

Collaborate with your partner to find out what you both want There are few things worse than finding out that your significant other is not actually your significant other.

In the age of label-free relations, many find themselves treading the murky waters of what is undefined interaction. When there are no clearly defined boundaries, how does one know when an action counts as cheating—and whether or not they have the right to be upset about it?

Many relationships today take the “no pressure” approach. Two individuals casually see one another for a period of time without any real level of commitment. After a handful of dates and or hookups, the relationship typically either dissolves or continues at its own rate.

Unfortunately, when this continues, the overall risk factor increases. You must both know if you are on the same page, and be prepared to head in the direction of a relationship.

There is, however, such thing as dating around without any intention of becoming exclusive whatsoever.

Though I previously believed this to be illogical, I have recently learned

why this lifestyle is the most suitable option for some. For example, college ends—and you and your partner may not end up in the same place after you’re finished walking across the stage. When working with your romantic life on a deadline filled with uncertainty, it makes sense to keep it casual. In an effort to prevent the heartbreak associated with severing deep emotional ties, it is best to refrain from becoming too close altogether. Many may think that if this is the case, it is best to avoid any type

new target and to spare your heart the trouble.

Most importantly, do not ever assume that you and your partner are on the same page. This thought process is a cop-out for confronting legitimate issues that may or may not cause you to lose the set-up with your friends with benefits. During the stage of freeflowing relations, it is easy for you and your partner to develop your own meanings without consulting the other person—which can lead to chaos.

“It’s not how long you’ve been with

“When an individual states that they are not looking for a relationship, it is because they are not looking for a relationship.” of romantic interaction at all—but this is even less logical, because humans have the need for companionship (and sex).

Because there are people who are looking to date without commitment, make sure that you are both in the same boat—otherwise you will be left drowning in your own sorrows.

When an individual states that they are not looking for a relationship, it is because they are not looking for a relationship. Do not use this as a challenge—if you are looking for a relationship and your person of interest is not, then it is best to find a

someone, but how deep you’re getting with them,” said McKenna Lupica, a freshman blank major. “If it becomes a one-sided, label free relationship, then you need to have the talk.”

It is easy to measure each party’s level of effort in a relationship. When there are no clearly defined boundaries, each individual involved can find themselves on completely opposite ends of the field from one another. For example, one may believe that they are sitting comfortably in unlabeled exclusivity, whereas the other may believe that they are both openly seeing other people. While it may seem that the

two of you have an understanding, the interpretations of that “understanding” can shift in an instant.

One misreading of an action or comment can take you from casual to committed in your eyes or in the eyes of your partner. When the conversation is not had, then each individual is keeping the other in the dark. Honesty truly is the best policy, and when you develop the sense that you are headed in two different directions, it is best to lay it all out.

To put it in layman’s terms, if you are looking for a relationship, be clear. Hoping the other person will catch on and playing emotional games with one another is both exhausting and a waste of time.

Though it may not be the most appealing to be straightforward, it is easily the most beneficial way to ensure you are investing your time and efforts properly. Despite what popular television and movies may suggest, nobody is a mind reader, and not everyone interprets your actions the way you intend. If you are looking for something specific, then let the other person know.

The defining talk is avoided because it is a make or break situation every time. When approaching the topic, be sure that you are mentally and emotionally prepared, because it has the potential to preserve what you have, take it to the next level, or end in heartbreak for one. However, this is the risk we take—because that’s what happens when you play the game of hearts.

You either win—or you cry.

Terry Preston can be reached at terrence.preston@spartans.ut.edu

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OPINION

THE MINARET | NOVEMBER 6 2014

15

Swift Rightfully Removes Music from Spotify

By CAITLIN MALONE Opinion Columnist

After listening to a number of Taylor Swift’s songs, you could say she is pretty used to getting her heart broken, but this past Tuesday she was the heartbreaker when she announced the removal of her entire catalog from Spotify. I was extremely disappointed when I heard the news as I have always been a huge fan of Swift’s music, and I am concerned with the how this move will affect her career in the future.

Swift is signed with Big Machine, a company that is owned by Scott Borchetta who made the final decision to pull Swift’s albums, according to USA Today. However, this is not the first time that Big Machine has kept albums from Spotify. In 2012 when Swift released her album Red, it was also withheld from the music streaming website, but for only 120 days. Other Big Machine artists like Rascal Flatts and Brantley Gilbert have withheld albums for a period of time after being released as well, according to USA Today. Swift stands behind Borchetta’s decision as she has never been a fan of streaming services.

“Music is art, and art is important and rare,” said Swift, according to Rolling Stone. “Important, rare things are valuable. Valuable things should be paid for.” Swift and Big Machine feel that services like Spotify are the reason for the decrease in album sales which is their ultimate motivation behind this decision, according to USA Today.

I understand the reasoning for this bold move made by Swift and Big Machine, but I feel that they are trying to fix this issue the absolute wrong way. Upsetting fans and Spotify is not going to motivate more people to buy Swift’s album. People who really don’t want to buy the album are going to get it through other means such as piracy, and online streaming services like Spotify and Pandora do not support piracy. I completely support artists being compensated for their work, but that is not the issue with online streaming sites. A large percentage of their revenue goes back to the musicians who create the music, according to Rolling Stone.

Online streaming is quickly becoming the music economy of the future. Paid subscriptions to online streaming services are up 57 percent from last year, according to the Recording Industry Association of America, and album sales have decreased 14 percent, according to Rolling Stone. The proof is in the numbers; nobody wants to buy CDs anymore or albums from online stores like iTunes and the Google Play Store.

Services like Pandora and Spotify make money off of ads which are a part of the free user experience, but also offer paid subscriptions that will play music uninterrupted by ads. Spotify allows users to pay $5 or $10 a month to eliminate ads.

Radiohead’s Thom Yorke is another artist that has issues with the business models of online streaming services. He insists that the artist only receive low royalty payments while the users get to listen to their music for free, according to Rolling Stone. I understand how an artist like Yorke could be upset because these royalty payments are significantly lower than what they would receive for a purchased album, but that’s

Eva Rinaldi/ Flickr

Taylor Swift recently removed her music from Spotify, claiming she thinks music is rare and rare things should not be obtained for free.

the point. We get to listen to the music as users, but we still don’t own it, and I’m sure those low royalty payments add up quickly. Representatives at Spotify have assured concerned artists like Yorke that the money improves as more users sign up for the service and premium subscriptions are bought.

In my experience with online streaming sites, rarely do people feel the need to buy the the paid subscription. Most of the commercials are only about 10 to 20 seconds long and are not played after every song.

They don’t bother me enough to feel the need to pay to have them removed, and I’m probably not the only one.

It seems to me that there is a lack of communication between services like Spotify and the artists that give them permission to play their music.

If album sales continue to go down and online streaming subscriptions continue to go up, the business models of companies like Spotify and Pandora will need to be altered in order to better compensate the artists.

Spotify is aggressively working to get Taylor Swift and Big Machine to go back on their decision, according to the company’s blog. They recently launched a social media campaign called #justsayyes quoting lyrics from one of Swift’s most popular songs Love Story and Stay on a post on their blog.

The statement said, “We love Taylor Swift, and our more than 40 million users love her even more – nearly 16 million of them have played her songs in the last 30 days, and she’s on over 19 million playlists. We hope she’ll change her mind and join us in building a new music economy that works for everyone. We believe fans should be able to listen to music wherever and whenever they want, and that artists have an absolute right to be paid for their work and protected

from piracy. That’s why we pay nearly 70 percent of our revenue back to the music community. PS – Taylor, we were both young when we first saw you, but now there’s more than 40 million of us who want you to stay, stay, stay. It’s a love story, baby, just say, Yes.” The response made by Spotify was both hilarious and clever. I think it

Twenty million playlists on Spotify contained songs by Swift, and 25 percent of users have streamed her songs. What Big Machine did with Swift’s music is not usually allowed meaning that most artists are unable to just pull their music from companies like Spotify, according to Business Insider. The sole reason this particular instance was allowed to happen is

“It seems to me that there is a lack of communication between services like Spotify and the artist.” was a perfect way to respond as it was not too serious and will get others involved quickly by using social media.

Universal Music Group (UMG), the distributor of Swift’s music for Big Machine, worked hard to convince Borchetta that his way of thinking is not current and that his decision to pull Swift’s music was very “shortsighted,” according to Business Insider.

UMG CEO Lucian Grange spoke about how streaming is the future of the music business at the WSJ tech conference in Southern California last week. He mentioned the great benefit of online streaming services which is that artists will be getting paid for their music throughout their lives and not just one time when their albums are first purchased, according to Business Insider.

because of a special deal that Big Machine has with Universal Music Group.

Swift’s most recent album, 1989, is on track to sell 1.3 million copies in its opening weekend, which would make it the biggest opening weekend in album sales since 2002, only a year before the iTunes music store came into existence. With the price set at $10 per album, that’s $13 million in revenue brought in by Swift’s album in one week Let’s be honest, Swift doesn’t need to be worried about album sales, and as a die-hard Swift fan I hope Big Machine changes their mind and can come to some agreement with Spotify so that Swift’s music can return to their library.

Caitlin Malone can be reached a caitlin.malone@spartans.ut.edu

16 NOVEMBER 6 2014 | THE MINARET

SPORTS

Women’s Soccer Rolls Toward Miami Shores For SSC Semifinals

Raeshaad Long/The Minaret

The women’s soccer team defeats Eckerd in the opening round of the Sunshine State Conference Tournament.The ladies will square off against the Barry Buccaneers on Friday for a shot to advance to the SSC title game.

always leaves her heart on the field. We will miss her speed and aggression next season,” said Lucey, when asked about The UT women’s soccer team ended the defender’s college career coming to their regular season by winning their a close. final home game on senior night 8Gabby Russo has been another solid 0 over Warner on Oct. 28. They then performer for the Spartans throughout went on to win their final away game her collegiate career, winning several 2-1 at Palm Beach Atlantic on Oct. 30. awards and honors along the way.

After a disappointing home loss She was awarded first-team Allagainst Rollins three days earlier by a SSC and second-team NSCAA Allscore of 2-1, the Spartans were keen on South Region her freshman year, bouncing back and getting the win on and continued to back up her strong senior night. The Spartans impressively showings in the subsequent seasons. demolished the Royals by a score of She was once again awarded first-team 8-0. Prior to the game, the Spartans All-SSC and second-team NSCAA Allhonored their four graduating seniors South Region during her sophomore Arielle Gonzalez, Jenny Karl, Gabby year, when she also was selected to the Russo and Candice Shields on the field. SSC All-championship team.

“It felt kind of surreal,” said Her junior season, she was twice Gonzalez, describing how her named SSC Offensive Player of the competitive career is coming to an end Week. Coach Lucey discusses the after playing the sport since the age of valuable talents that Russo possesses. five. “It is an interesting feeling. I’m “Gabby Russo has been one of the top still getting used to it.” players in the SSC and region the past One of the biggest standouts of few years. A player blessed with skill, the UT women’s soccer team over technique and pace. She has tormented the past few years has been Candice defenses and hopefully will finish off Shields. She has been a regular starter her career with a strong postseason for the team since her freshman year, showing,” said Lucey. The forward has providing consistency within the played a key role in her team’s offense, starting lineup. scoring four and assisting another 10 “Candice Shields has had a fantastic goals this season alone. career with us for four years. She During her first season, Arielle

By ANDREW STAMAS Sports Writer

Gonzalez played in just seven games for the Spartans. Her playing time drastically increased throughout her sophomore season, as she compiled 289 minutes in total.

Also, she recorded two assists in 19 games played, making her integral part of the Spartans lineup.

By her junior year, she netted her first two career goals as a Spartan in 17 games played. Coach Lucey touched on how much Gonzalez has improved since her freshman year.

“Arielle Gonzalez is one of our most technical players but struggled in her first season with the physical side of the game. We give Arielle a lot of credit for her tremendous work rate to turn her career upwards and become a key member of the team the past three years. A gifted player who is capable of the unexpected,” Lucey said about one of the team’s most important midfielders.

Unfortunately for the other senior on the team, Jenny Karl did not see any action this season since she tore her ACL during the preseason. However, Coach Lucey is sure that she would’ve made a significant impact on the team this year had she been able to play.

“She has grown as an individual and player so much these past few seasons and is also a team captain. Another

player who would run through a brick wall for her team,” Lucey said.

The Spartans ended the regular season with 12 wins, three losses, and three ties. They peaked at the No. 12 position in the national rankings, although they are currently unranked going into the postseason.

“The season was fairly successful overall and we overcame a few hurdles.

We are disappointed in ourselves for a few of the results as we basically handed games away. Hopefully, we have learned from these mistakes and can move forward from here,” Coach Lucey said.

Lucey is confident for the postseason. “Our team knows we are capable of winning the SSC tournament and going deep into the NCAA tournament if selected. We have to tighten up defensively and stop leaking weak goals and hopefully get the attack firing beginning this week,” Lucey said.

The Spartans are off to a good start in the SSC Tournament, after defeating Eckerd 2-0 at Pepin Stadium on Tuesday night.

They will play against Barry University on Friday in Miami Shores for a spot in the SSC Championship.

Andrew Stamas can be reached at andrew.stamas@spartans.ut.edu

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Maddon Departs Rays for the South Side Longtime Rays manager leaves for the Chicago Cubs

By GRIFFIN GUINTA Sports Columnist

Joe Maddon has left the building. The beloved wine-sipping, bike riding, seemingly ageless manager left Tampa for a new adventure over 1,200 miles away. As of Oct. 31, Maddon is the newest manager of the Chicago Cubs.

For die-hard Rays fans, this move is devastating. In Maddon’s nine-year tenure in St. Petersburg, he led the scrappy Rays to four playoff berths, two American League Eastern Division titles, and one World Series appearance. Despite this being his first full-

time managerial job, Maddon quickly revealed himself to be one of the best managers in the game, winning AL Manager of the Year in both 2008 and 2011.

Opposing teams praised his ability to turn talent-thin teams into contenders through smart baseball and strong team chemistry, while fans relished his witty, quirky sentiments. When Joe strolled out of the dugout, there was no telling what to expect.

Maddon truly established a new culture within the Tampa Bay Rays, an organization whose only semblance of pride was the retired Wade Boggs jersey hanging from the rafters in left field. Granted, Maddon wasn’t solely responsible for the rapid Rays makeover over the past nine years, but he did bring a sense of flair to an otherwise boring team.

Beyond the concrete walls of Tropicana Field, Maddon was a local icon and built a reputation as a benevolent force in the community.

Keith Allison/ Flickr

Former Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon leaves Tampa for the Windy City to manage the Cubs.

His annual “Thanksmas” events benefitted thousands of underprivileged citizens and his suave persona gave the Rays the much needed face they lacked for so long.

So what happened?

After the departure of general manager Andrew Friedman, fans couldn’t possibly fathom losing another vital component of their central command. Not only a week after, however, headlines of Maddon’s departure clogged every social media outlet in the nation.

Many thought the news to be some kind of hoax, as just a few weeks prior Maddon had announced he was “A Ray for life.”

Perhaps he only meant it metaphorically.

The news was confirmed after Rays president Stuart Sternberg revealed that the club “tried diligently and aggressively to sign [Maddon] to a third contract extension prior to his decision,” but “enabled him to explore opportunities throughout Major League Baseball.”

This is somewhat baffling, as not a soul in Tampa knew that Maddon even had an optout clause in his contract. By all indications, Maddon was signed through the 2015 season.

Nonetheless, Major League Baseball is a business and money often talks over loyalty.

Only Joe Maddon seems like the last person to leave a gig where he has quite a bit of established influence for money alone, leading many speculating that there was internal strain unaware to the public.

Maddon, however, denied any ill will towards the Rays ownership. “[The contract] did not meet up to what I [wanted] and we came to an impasse,” Maddon told MLB.com’s Bill Chastain. “And that happens. There’s no friction between me and him or me and [principal owner] Stu [Sternberg]. I had great conversations with Matthew and Stu, they were very candid and open. I felt good about it moving forward. I hope they don’t feel betrayed, because I don’t feel betrayed by the offer.”

Regardless of what happened, the fact is that Joe Maddon is no longer at the helm for the Rays, and they must go on without him.

Some believe the loss of Maddon is crippling, as the Rays significantly improved upon his arrival.

“He really held that team together, I could see them falling apart without him,” said sophomore criminal justice major Nicholas Falduto.

Others aren’t concerned with the departures of Maddon and Friedman, considering that the Rays have an excellently established farm system and a capable replacement in bench coach Dave Martinez.

Former team president and Friedman protege Matt Silverman has slid into Friedman’s role, so there shouldn’t be too much of a drop off in terms of front office stability.

Rays pitcher Alex Cobb was adamant that the departure of the two men doesn’t spell the end for the Rays.

“I think inside the clubhouse, it sounds rough to say, but I don’t think the impact that those guys had on us on a day-to-day basis is going to affect us as much as a lot of people are speculating,” he told the Tampa Bay Times. “I don’t mean to take away from what Andrew and Joe do, but the people that win ball games are the people that are in between the lines every single day, and that’s who’s going to continue to win ball games.”

As for the Cubs, the arrival of Maddon can only help their young and inexperienced roster.

Of note, their current roster has some eerie resemblances to the team Maddon inherited when he joined the Rays in 2006. Only a short two years later, he had the Rays playing in their first World Series. After a string of mediocre managers like Dale Sveum and Rick Renteria, the Cubs may finally have found the missing puzzle piece to take them to the next level.

Griffin Guinta can be reached at griffin. guinta@spartans.ut.edu

Giants Capture Third Title in Five Years Over Royals

By JAMES BELLUSCIO Sports Writer

The 2014 World Series taught us one thing: San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner is the real deal. That is the only logical explanation for what we witnessed from the Giants’ ace left-hander, who cemented himself in baseball history while finishing off the Kansas City Royals in a blood pumping Game Seven victory.

After Bumgarner pitched a complete game shutout in Game Five to give San Francisco a 3-2 lead in the series, he returned with only two days’ rest in the fifth inning of Game Seven. Most people watching expected him to pitch only an inning or two given his short rest and third appearance in the seven game series.

Well, he did much more than that; he pitched the distance.

Going five innings of scoreless baseball, he earned the save to give the Giants their third world championship in five years.

In three World Series games pitched, Bumgarner won two with a 0.43 ERA (Earned Run Average) which capped one of the best performances in the history of the fall classic.

That was the first time in MLB history a pitcher came in and pitched five-plus innings in the postseason on only two days’ rest. What is truly amazing about this is he didn’t just pitch; he dominated.

He kept the speedy Royals off the bases and off balance from the first pitch in the

fifth to the last in the ninth. His dominance doesn’t stop there; he also broke the record for most innings ever pitched in a postseason with 52.3 innings. He only allowed one earned run and his 0.43 ERA in the Fall Classic is the best since Sandy Koufax’s 0.38 earned run average (ERA) in 1965.

Though, the Giants did not win the Series’ only because of Bumgarner.

Performances of Hunter Pence and Pablo Sandoval should not be lost. Pence went a crucial 2-for-4, finishing with a .444 batting average. While soon-to-be free agent Pablo Sandoval went 3-for-3, scored two runs, and in the process, made MLB history. He had 26 hits this postseason which is the most for a hitter in a single postseason.

With Wednesday night’s victory, the Giants also became the only road team to win Game Seven of the World Series since the historic 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates. In the first time in over a decade, a franchise has captured three World Series titles in five seasons. Despite this unprecedented success, the Giants have remained unrecognized by the baseball world making the team a prominent force in the years to come. Manager Bruce Bochy has been at the helm for all three championship teams since 2010 and may look to focus on how to sustain the team’s core that has brought them to this point.

They were never the favorites to win, and will remain the dark horse sitting in the National League in 2015. They

phoca2004/ Flickr

Giants ace, Madison Bumgarner, won the World Series MVP and NLCS MVP during the team’s title run.

beat a very good Royals’ ball club and credit is due. Kansas City has budding stars in outfielder Lorenzo Cain and starting pitcher Yordano Ventura, and the way manager Ned Yost leads the team, it seems they will be here to stay in the American League. They have a dominant bullpen consisting of closer Greg Holland and dominant set-up men Wade Davis and Kelvin Herrera in addition to a talented rotation which included Ventura, ace James Shields and lefthander Jason Vargas.

Overall, baseball fans have to respect

a player that will hustle down the line on every play and will turn on an extra gear late in the game to get to the ball in the gap. That was the epitome of both teams, and that is why they were the last two teams standing.

This World Series was truly special, and with the latest reports of the TV ratings being at an all-time low is a travesty. The two hardest working teams battled all season long and both were in it until the final pitches of the season.

James Belluscio can be reached at james.belluscio@spartans.ut.edu

18 NOVEMBER 6 2014 | THE MINARET

SPORTS

Historic Clubs Rule Champions League Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund among top UEFA teams

By MARCUS MITCHELL Sports Columnist

With the first three sets of matches done, the contenders and pretenders are beginning to sort themselves out in this year’s UEFA Champions League.

In Group A, there is a tight three-club race to advance. Sitting at the top of the group is last year’s runner up Atletico Madrid. Atletico are without Diego Costa, but have fared well with Costa’s replacement Mario Mandzukic, who has scored twice in the tournament thus far. Atletico is looking for a return trip to the Finals, but Greek club Olympiacos remains a force in the group. After being eliminated in the knockout round last year, the Greeks are out for blood and gathered crucial home wins against Atletico and Juventus. Prominent Italian club Juventus find themselves in the same point as last year as they fight for a ticket to the knockout round. And although not likely to advance, Swedish club Malmo could play spoiler in the group as well.

Real Madrid won it all in last year’s Champions League Final and they have continued their winning ways with an unbeaten streak in Group B. Christiano Ronaldo has been a goalscoring monster and Toni Kroos and Luka Modric have evolved into top-class playmakers. Sitting behind Real Madrid is Liverpool, who have been disappointing thus far. The Reds suffered a thrashing from Real Madrid and also lost against group minnows FC Basel of Switzerland.

The most surprising aspect of the group has been the success of group underdogs Ludogarets Razgard of Belgium. Founded in 2001, Ludogarets barely snuck into the group stage but have been playing well so far.

In Group C, every club has a chance to advance into the knockout round. Before the tournament began, AS Monaco were pinned as dark horses in their return to the Champions League after a decade long absence. However, with their superstars Radamel Falcao and James Rodriguez sold, the club is now fighting just to advance. Standing in their way are German club

FC Barcelona forward, Lionel Messi, dribbles through defenders tremendously during La Liga play.

Bayer Leverkusen and Zenit St. Petersburg of Russia. Both have had moderate success in the group but neither have pulled away to secure the group. Sitting at the bottom of the group is Portugal powerhouse Benfica who has been disappointing this tournament to say the least.

In last year’s Champions League, Borussia Dortmund of Germany and Arsenal of England were matched together in the same group. Now, the two clubs find themselves together again in Group D and have cemented themselves on top. Dortmund won the group last year and are looking to secure a top seed over Arsenal once more, despite struggling in the Bundesliga in the past month.

Also struggling is Arsenal, but they have Theo Walcott returning from longstanding injury and Alexis Sanchez had finally begun to find his place on the pitch. Hoping to play spoiler in the group are Belgian champions Anderlecht and Turkish champions Galatasaray, both of which have squads capable to upset.

In Group E, German champions Bayern Munich are joined by English champions Manchester City, Russian champions CSKA

Moscow, and Italian runner-ups AS Roma.

Munich is looking to secure the top seed of the group with a team that some consider to be the best in Europe. Behind them is a tough battle for the second spot between Man City and Roma. After a 1-1 draw between them earlier, the bout between the two will likely be decided when they meet in Italy on the last matchday in December.

Unfortunately for group minnows Ajax Amsterdam and Apoel Nicosia, Group F has nearly been secured. FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain sit on top of the group and the two have been competing for the top spot in the group. PSG won the first matchup between the two in Paris and did so without their superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovich.

However, FC Barcelona striker Luis Suarez back from his suspension and he should provide a boost to a squad that has had to have been carried by Lionel Messi. The two meet again on the last matchday in December.

In Group G, it has be a battle of which european club powerhouse will prevail. On top are England powerhouses Chelsea, “the blues”

Jeroen Bennink/Flickr

and close behind them are German contenders Venue Information Schalke 04, “the royal blues”.

Chelsea has proved to be superior for the most part without losing a game in their first set of matches. Schalke also didn’t suffer a loss in their first set of matches and their youthful players are beginning to develop into stars right before our eyes. From the outside looking in are NK Maribor of Slovenia and Sporting Lisbon, who has been another disappointing Portuguese squad alongside Benfica.

In Group H, everyone has a shot at advancing but the expectations beyond the group stage are minimal at best. Likely to solely represent Portugal in the knockout stage is FC Porto who look to secure the top seed in the group. Behind Porto sits a rather underrated club in Shakhtar Donetsk of the Ukraine.

Shakhtar features top-level players in the Brazilians Fred and Bernard, as well as Croatian veteran Darijo Srna. They could become a team to watch for once the knockout round begins.

Marcus Mitchell can be reached at marcus. mitchell@spartans.ut.edu

Cardinals Outfielder Oscar Taveras Dies In Car Accident

By PHIL NOVOTNY Sports Editor

Jubilation and heartache often live in the souls of baseball fans during this time when teams are still in contention for a world series title. This year, the baseball world mourned not a team, but a player as one of the sport’s rising stars was killed in his native country.

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Oscar Taveras died at the age of 22 due to multiple fatal injuries during a car crash outside of Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. Taveras was signed by the Cardinals at the age of 16 and has been seen as one of baseball’s top prospects going into the 2014 regular season.

Taveras was ranked the third-best prospect in all of Major League Baseball according to Baseball America. He hit a home run for the Cardinals in the National League Championship Series against the San Francisco Giants who eventually went on to win the World Series.

During Game Six in the World Series, Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Yordano Ventura paid tribute to his countryman by writing “R.I.P. O.T. #18” in gray sharpie on his hat. Ventura went on to pitch a shutout in Taveras’ honor.

Looking back, it is strange to think that if the

Cardinals were to make the World Series then Tavaras would have still been in the United States playing for a championship.

Lieutenant Colonel Jose Armando Brito, spokesman for the branch of national police who represent Puerto Plata stated that Taveras lost control of his Chevy Camaro while driving along a curved road eventually hitting a tree, according to USA Today.

Brito goes on to say that remolacha.net/Flickr Royals starter Yordano Ventura paid tribute to his fallen countryman the roads were affected during Game Six of the World Series. by the heavy rains in the region of the country. On the contrary, the Associated not known for strict driving laws in relation Press quoted spokesman Diego Pesqueira of the to the United States. In fact, the World Health Metropolitan Transportation Authority who said Organization reported in 2013 that for every that Taveras was driving at a “very high speed.” 100,000 inhabitants of the nation, 42 of them die In addition, San Francisco Giants outfielder every year from traffic accidents.

Juan Perez later told news reporters that the road Sophomore biology major Adrien Almonte he was driving on is known for being slippery. weighs in on his home nation’s driving laws: With that said, if the reporters and Cruz’s “When I visit the Dominican Republic, I statement are true, then his death could have notice that the driving violations are different been avoided. The Dominican Republic is compared to the United States. They are less

organized.”

According to the Huffington Post, traffic deaths are the number one cause of death in males in the Dominican Republic. Dominican officials believe that the high percentages of traffic deaths are due to a mix of alcohol, speed, and blatant disregard for the current laws. The death of baseball’s next big phenom is a tragedy and we should learn from it.

This problem is plausibly fixable but it requires a change of driving laws and the enforcement of new laws that still need to be put into place. The government of the Dominican Republic needs to implement a model that requires the appropriate discipline for irresponsible drivers. If this happens then the number of auto-related deaths will decrease and lives like Tavares’s will be spared.

Driving responsibly and staying safe off the diamond is an issue that needs to be a top priority amongst professional Dominican athletes, as well as other international athletes need to strongly take into account. Hopefully, the world will use the death of Taveras seriously enough to make a major impact of their society.

Phil Novotny can be reached at philip. novotny@theminaretonline.com

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THE MINARET | NOVEMBER 6 2014

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Laird Leads Men’s Soccer In Final Year

Senior forward finishes UT career with strong season

By ED KERNER Sports Writer

After four years as a forward for the Spartans, Craig Laird practically bleeds red and black.

Laird comes from a long line of great soccer players who played in the United Kingdom. Craig Laird’s brothers Jamie and Scott Laird both captained the Scotland Under 15 youth team growing up, with Craig Laird also being a part of the team.

Scott Laird decided to take up football professionally and currently plays for Stevenage Borough FC in England.

Growing up, football was very important to to the youngest Laird brother. Aside from playing for the Scotland Under 15 youth team, he was also selected to be a part of the English Schools Under 18 Football squad.

Laird graduated from Robert Blake Science College and previously attended Millfield School in England. He was the captain of the Millfield England ISFA U18 squad, and received the distinguished honors of being the England U18 Player of the Year. He was honored for being Somerset County’s U18’s top goal scorer. He led his team in scoring every year and was named team captain each season in which they won the district championship.

So why would a player with that many accolades decide to come to Tampa? Laird discussed why he decided to come to UT: “UT has a great sporting tradition that no other university in the state has. The program is based off hard work, will, and passion, which is something I always try to carry in my game.

My attitude of the game suited the standards set here at UT and it was a perfect match. And of course the sunshine. You don’t get this weather in the UK.” As a freshman, Laird was placed on

the Sunshine State Conference (SSC) Commissioner’s Honor Roll.

In his first season, Laird recorded three shots on goal in six shots while starting six games out of ten total appearances.

During his sophomore season Laird started 14 games in 16 total appearances.

He recorded a total of 20 shots, with seven on goal. Laird also started in the SSC tournament and made an appearance in the NCAA tournament.

In his junior season, Laird started 15 matches, and played all 90 minutes in eight of those matches. He scored a goal against conference foe Rollins, and recorded 12 shots with five on goal for the season. In his senior campaign, Laird started in all eighteen matches, a feat that every soccer player strives for.

While speaking with head coach Adrian Bush, Craig’s work ethic as a player was a topic of discussion: “One of his best attributes is his work ethic, in the classroom and also on the field,” said Bush. “I don’t think he missed a practice in four years and was never late to any soccer commitment in his time at UT. In training he put forth his best effort and I feel it is one of the things he will be able to look back on and know he gave everything he had at training. As an athlete those are the ones that have success.”

Throughout his time at UT, Laird has continuously improved and impressed his fellow teammates and coaches, including Bush.

When asked about his favorite memory of Laird, Coach Bush said, “I would say it has been this entire year as a senior. I think he will be honest and say it has taken him some time to get settled in on the field. When he came in we looked at him as a forward but the last 2 years he has really found good success at right back.

This season was by far his finest on the field and as a favorite memory for me it was watching him enjoy such a great senior year.”

Laird’s senior year has been his strongest yet, but like the rest of the team’s seniors, graduation will be here in a few short months.

As this season came to a close, Bush had some

Photo Courtesy of Tom Kolbe Senior forward Craig Laird has been one of the focal points of the offensive attack for men’s soccer.

advice for one of his pupils.

“The advice I would give is to never stop learning and if he wants to keep playing, go after it with everything he has. I know Craig Laird will find success in everything he does,” said Bush.

Laird wants to pursue a professional career in soccer after graduating, but his time as a Spartan on both the pitch and in the classroom has allowed him to look at alternative options for his life.

“Ever since I was a young boy I have wanted to play professionally,” said Laird.

“However, coming here I have realized there is much more in the world than this soccer.

Yes, I will continue to stay as close to the sport as possible, whether it be playing or even coaching.

However, UT has broadened my horizons and there are many other directions I believe I can take other than soccer.”Bush used the phrase that most people use to describe a great soccer player when describing his departing forward: “It’s in his blood.”

Ed Kerner can be reached at edward. kerner@spartans.ut.edu

SSC Standings Men’s Soccer 1

Lynn Fighting Knights 13-1-1 (7-0-1)

2

St. Leo Lions 10-2-3 (6-2-0)

3

Florida Tech Panthers 10-4-2 (6-2-0)

4

Rollins Tars 10-4-2 (5-2-1)

5

Nova Southeastern Sharks 6-8-1 (3-5)

6

Tampa Spartans 9-6-2 (2-5-1)

Women’s Soccer 1

Barry Buccaneers 11-1-2 (7-0-1)

2

Rollins Tars 14-2-0 (7-1-0)

3

St. Leo Lions 12-4-0 (6-2-0)

4

Tampa Spartans 13-3-3 (4-3-1)

20 NOVEMBER 6 2014 | THE MINARET

SPORTS

Men’s Soccer Caps Season With Road Victory Over NOVA

Photo courtesy of Tom Kolbe

The men’s soccer team finished off their season with a road win against Nova Southeastern College.

By REGINA GONZALEZ Sports Writer

As the men’s soccer team earned a 2-0 victory against regional opponent Nova Southeastern College this past Saturday, they are keeping their heads high as the game officially concluded their 2014 season.

The Spartans will end their season nationally ranked with an impressive final record of 9-6-2, however, the team is slightly disappointed for not making it to the SSC conference tournament this year. As always, the men faced the challenge of being in the best conference in the country for men’s soccer where

every opponent put up a fight and proved to be a strong team. Small errors that led them to the few losses they endured, kept them from qualifying for the tournament.

“Those were key losses and games I felt we should’ve won… When you are not getting shots/chances you have major problems, it wasn’t about us not creating chances we just needed to be more efficient with our opportunities.

In the end we must execute better and have more consistency,” said Head Coach Adrian Bush.

Although the season may not have ended the way they wanted, the seniors on the men’s soccer team will graduate in May. Working hard off the field as well,

the senior line up successfully holds over a 3.5 GPA also recognized three of them on The Capital One Academic AllDistrict list released to recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances, athletically and in the classroom.

The six seniors were honored alongside their families and loved ones at a ceremony before their last home game/ senior game against Rollins College. The sky’s the limit for them as many are going on to tryout for professional teams in both the United States and Europe.

Senior forward Kevin Knowles, who was not able to play in his senior game or final game at Nova due to a recent ankle injury, reflected on his senior year and experience playing soccer at UT. “Personally, going in I wanted to play my best and have a good showing for my final season, we all expected to at least make the conference tournament, but lost control of things which was a bit disappointing, but things happen and you have to move on and keep going. I’m glad I played soccer for UT, being on this team easily helped me make friends and we became a family. I most definitely want to keep playing in the future.” Knowles has the opportunity to tryout for a professional team in his home state of Colorado and a combine for three teams in Denmark.

Senior defender Andrew Clare reflected on his senior as well before playing his final match. “We are a good team, a really good team, and unfortunately the season didn’t fall the way we wanted to, and everyone has to take a little responsibility for it. It was a rollercoaster ride of a season but this sport is unpredictable. We are grateful to have a coach that constantly told us to keep our

heads up, especially when I’m personally one to get real negative real fast. As far as my career here, I wouldn’t have come here if it weren’t for soccer, it turned my personal life and life on the field into one big love for UT, the way it went was meant to be.”

Clare plans on finishing his degree at the university. As far as playing professionally, he will start training for future tryouts; He got the opportunity last spring to go to Germany and play with a team and trained with the Tampa Bay Rowdies this summer as well.

In preparation for next season, there are no breaks for coach Bush and his staff.

They cannot train with the team after the season due to NCAA Bylaw 17.1.7, and will get started with the team in the spring of 2015 for a short 45 day period as the NCAA allows them to train and play five exhibition matches during the off-season, which happens each year.

Recruiting for their future team is a never ending process, but Bush seems determined to find the best players to fill his 2015 roster.

“The future is very promising as we have an excellent returning class. We need to replace five senior starters which is never easy but we are committed to bringing in the right student athletes who have the winning mindset on and off the field,” Bush said. “Our goal is to win a national championship and we will continue to work on and off the field to get to that goal. We will bring in good character guys, committed to excellence on and off the field, that is the University of Tampa way.”

Regina Gonzalez can be reached at regina.gonzalez2@spartans.ut.edu

Swim Team Starts Season Off With Strong First Meet

By GRANT PAWLAK Sports Writer

With the beginning of the swim season finally underway, the swim team has a lot to look forward to despite their unfortunate loss against Florida Southern in their opening home meet. The meet began well for the Spartans, with a first place win for the men in the 200 Medley Relay race. Juniors Jordan Augier and Martin Hammer, freshman Wayne Denswil, and senior Khalid Aldaboos comprised the team that finished the race with a time of 1:33.94.

Denswil also went on to win the 100 Breast and 200 IM with times of 58.88 and 1:54.74 respectively in this freshman’s first meet of his college career. Aldaboos also went on to win both the 50 Freestyle and 100 Fly with times of 21.20 and 51.25. Another Spartan win was chalked up for junior Runar Borgen who was able to claim first in the 100 Free with a time of 47.10. The UT men also went on to place first in the last race of the meet, finishing with a time of 1:24.22 in the 200 Free Relay. Along with Aldaboos, juniors Hammer, Augier and Jeremy Parker also finished the relay race.

On the women’s side, the Spartans were able to take the top three finishing spots in the 200 Fly, with a first place victory by freshman Sophie Long finishing with a time of 2:11.51.

She was followed by freshman Charissa Venice (2:13.69) and Paige Dunham (2:14.14) as they took second and third place for the Spartans.

The UT women were then able to take another

top three places in the 100 Fly, led again by Long with a time of 59:19. Long was followed up by senior Emily Grams (59.70) and Dunham (1:01.40). Then, Long went on to claim her third first-place performance as she won the 200 IM, finishing with a time of 2:10.78. The swim team was able to claim a another first-place victory in the final event of the evening, the 200 Free Relay. The team comprised of senior Erin Plachy, sophomore Marisa Barton, freshman Noel Styer along with Grams who finished with a time of 2:10.78.

However, despite the Spartans best efforts, Florida Southern snatched the victory over the Spartans with a close total score of 134-128 on the men’s side and a score of 157.5 to 104.5 on the women’s side. With the Spartans holding their own against last year’s NCAA runner-ups, the rest of the season is still up in the air. With their next meet against Saint Leo a few weeks away and the Nova Southeastern Invitational looming on the horizon, the Spartans have ample time to prepare for future wins.

“We were quite pleased on the men’s side. It’s always more fun to win, but six pints down to last year’s NCAA runner-up is not an embarrassment. The ladies were not as competitive but that’s a work in progress, they will be much better as the season progresses.

What needs to improve is our health. In 45 years of coaching I’ve never had so many athletes sick,” said head coach Ed Brennan.

The future of the Spartans seems dead set on the Nova Invitational coming up in December

Photo courtesy of Tom Kolbe

The swim team had a strong initial showing during the season’s first meet against Florida Southern.

and Sunshine State Conference Championships in February. While the importance of dual meets can never be underestimated, they are but a warm up for the major meets in December, February and March against Rollins, St.Leo, and Boston College.

“Our preparation is for the Nova Invitational in December and our conference meet in

February. Dual meets are a measurement along the way to gage our training progress. St. Leo has beaten our men in dual competition several times in the past few years. It’s a very competitive conference, it doesn’t take a lot to get up for a dual meet,” said Brennan.

Grant Pawlak can be reached at grant. pawlak@spartans.ut.edu