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VOLUME 41 ISSUE 9
The voice of UWF students since 1968
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 19, 2011
SGA declines to endorse green energy fee Terry Strickland New Media Editor At its Oct. 14 meeting, the Student Government Association Senate declined to endorse a proposed student green energy fee. The vote was 13-7. It was the second reading of the bill. The SGA had voted to endorse the fee on Oct. 7. However, confusion among senators over the purpose of the bill led to a second reading.
The confusion persisted this week. Sen. Jonathon Williams suggested that the SGA vote the bill down as a sign of neutrality on the issue. The purpose of the proposed fee is to fund sustainability projects on campus. On Oct. 7, the SGA approved a student referendum on the proposal. The student vote is to take place by November. If passed by students, the fee
would still have to be approved by the University of West Florida Board of Trustees and the state Board of Governors. It could ultimately add up to $1 per credit hour to students’ fees. UWF junior Phillip Gammon addressed the senators on Oct. 14 and asked them not to endorse the fee. He said the fee was unnecessary. “I shouldn’t have to pay for the school to do what they should
already be doing,” Gammon said. “That’s another nickel and dime out of our pocket.” “This will open the gateway for more and more fees,” he said. No other bills were voted on at the Oct. 14 meeting. The senate approved the appointment of Brian Miller as state and national affairs coordinator. It also approved the appointment of 19 students to the
New military center opens
Freshman Committee. They include Stephany Ashton, Lindsay Brammell, Afiya Brandon, Tyler Cordell, Alex Crozier, Cathlene Del Rosario, Vinese Evans, Markeitta Graham, Linda Gramminger, Randy Hightower, Zahre Jattan, Chynell Knowles, Steven Treweek, Jessica Vervoort, Tashiema Wilson, Avery Wright, Kendall Young, Amanda Marcenio, Sherell Wood and Alexandra Coxia.
VOYAGER IN BRIEF Sports
The fifth annual Argie’s Kids Club UWF Athletics gives back to the community through Argie’s Kids Club and the fifth annual Pack it Pink weekend. The volleyball team finishes 3-1 at the Regional Crossover tournament, ending their 12-game winning streak. See full stories on page 7 Photos by John Blackie/UWF
University of West Florida President Judy Bense and Marc Churchwell, director of the Military and Veterans Resource Center, cut the Argo-colored ribbon together at the entrance to the new center on campus.
n Military resource center welcomed on campus with ribbon-cutting ceremony
How Wall Street conned Main St.
Shelby Smithey Staff Writer The University of West Florida now has a place on campus that will help military and veteran students transition from a military environment to campus life. The Military and Veterans Resource Center is located in the Small Business Development Center in Building 38 and is staffed by a full-time director and student employees, all of whom are veterans. “Men and women in the military face a unique set of challenges, and this resource center will be a onestop shop to assist them in the transition from military to civilian life,” MVRC Director and U.S. Navy veteran Marc Churchwell said in a UWF news release. The MVRC provides assistance with coordinating academic advising, tutoring, counseling, disability accommodations, GI Bill education benefits and referral to state and federal. Churchwell said the total cost for the center was $150,000. Renovations of the rooms cost $75,000, and the remaining $75,000 went toward equipment. “Funding was a combination of funds designated for renovations and tech fee funds, both from the University of West Florida,” Churchwell said. “Operational funding is estimated at $90,000 annually, which primarily covers staff salaries, consumable items and equipment maintenance and replacement.”
Members of the UWF community listened to President Bense before the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Oct. 12. According to the center’s website, the MVRC assists students through its use of transition coaches, who work individually with prospective, new and current military and veteran students. They help to coordinate the various support programs provided on campus needed for students. Rick Hartley, a transition coach and U.S. Navy veteran, enrolled at UWF in 2008 and said that he is now helping other veterans in their transition to the University. “As transition coaches, we are trying to touch every veteran who attends UWF,“ he said. “When I made the transition from one culture to the next, it was frustrating for me. Things didn’t work the same. I couldn’t always figure out where or how to get the information I needed.”
You stayed late in one of the buildings on campus after your night class to work on an important paper. You just realized you parked your car in lot Z, and it is pitch black outside. There are no students to be seen. Something nags at your gut instinct not to walk to your car alone. So, what do you do? Call a safety escort! The University of West Florida offers the Safety Escort Program to any student, faculty, staff and visitor feeling unsafe and who requests an escort to any area on campus. To contact an escort, you can call 474-2415 or use one of the 36 blue-light security phones located on campus, said Lt. David Faircloth, supervisor
❱❱ Rundown Despite rumors that the escort service was cut due to lack of funds, the program is going strong. Trained escorts walk anyone who feels unsafe to any location on campus, at any time with just one phone call. To contact the escort service, call 474-2415. of the Safety Escort Program and member of the UWF Police Department. If you see an escort walking around, you can also walk straight up to them, and ask them to escort you to your destination. Contrary to popular belief, the escort program was never cut from UWF’s budget. Parking and Transportation Services was formerly joined with the Police Department, and it hired student escorts in conjunction with the police. During the 2002-2003 school year, however, Parking
Opinions Editor W. Paul Smith continues his Occupy Wall Street series. In this installment, Smith attempts to explain exactly how Wall Street swindled the American people with its complicated schemes. See full stories on page 3
Life
Read the full story at www.thevoyager.net
Safety escort program underutilized Jade Hoy Staff Writer
Opinion
and Transportation Services became a separate department. When that happened, the Police Department took over the Student Escort Program and has been supervising it ever since, Faircloth said. The escort program was created to “provide assistance in maintaining a safe, healthy and orderly environment for the faculty, staff, students and visitors of the University,” according to the safety escort manual. It was also created to involve students in the safety
and service aspects of UWF, provide interaction between students and the Departments of Housing, the Division of Student Affairs and the Police Department, and to provide experience with an active police department for criminal justice students. Craig Lockhart, a junior international studies major, has been a safety escort for about two months. He said that all safety escorts must complete a four-part training to become qualified. First, rules and procedures of the job detailing what safety escorts can and cannot do must be learned. Second, escorts must learn how to ensure confidentiality of information as they work in closely with the Police Department.
See Escort, page 2
Local band opens at Vinyl Music Hall UWF student Erin Jeffreys is lead singer for Elyse Therose. The band is opening for ‘90s pop band Gin Blossoms at Vinyl Music Hall on Oct. 25. Jerry’s Drive In is a town landmark and recently underwent renovations. The restaurant is known for its inexpensive menu, like the popular bacon cheeseburger. See full stories on page 4
Index
News . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..2 Opinion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Life & Entertainment. .. .. .. .. .. .. 4-5 Classifieds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-8
2/News
Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2011
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Barnes speaks to UWF about U.S. Supreme Court Morgan Smith Staff Writer “Washington Post” Supreme Court correspondent Robert Barnes provided a packed room of University of West Florida students and faculty members on Oct.13 with his perspective on the direction of the U.S. Supreme Court. Barnes detailed background information on the conflicting political ideologies of each of the nine justices currently serving on the court. In his lecture, “Roberts Court and the Obama Administration,” Barnes discussed a range of current issues facing the nation’s highest court, such as affirmative action, health care, gun-control, immigration and same-sex marriage. Barnes opened his lecture by underlining the significance of this decade’s recent shift in the diversity of the Supreme Court. “The court has for the first time a Latina member, it has a historic three women, and for the first time ever there is no Protestant among its members,” he said. “It’s composed of six Catholics and three Jews. All of this has produced a younger court, and a bit of a generBarnes ational change. The average age of the justices dropped from 75 to 64, and remember, this is a job with no retirement age.” “The things I want to talk to you about are the impact
“The court has for the first time a Latina member, it has a historic three women, and for the first time ever there is no Protestant among its members.”
-Robert Barnes Washington Post Supreme Court correspondent
of having three women on the court for the first time, the four youngest justices and what they represent about the court’s future, and the coming term, which I think will be a remarkable one in defining the role of the federal government, and in delivering an early verdict on the Obama administration,” he said. Barnes’ visit was coordinated and sponsored by several departments, including the School of Psychological and Behavioral Sciences, the Center for Applied Psychology, the Department of Communication Arts, the Department of Government, and the School of Justice Studies and Social Work. Stephen J. Vodanovich, professor of psychology, said that he is a longtime friend of Barnes. “I first met Robert Barnes through my wife,” he said. “They went to high school together in Pensacola, and we became friends. Over the years, we occasionally talked
UWF alcohol policies made clear Garrett Spencer Staff Writer Some University of West Florida students are curious about the alcohol policies in place. The regulations are not as black and white as most would like, especially with Homecoming this year having a tailgate party. The University does, however, have strict polices about allowing alcohol at campus events and having alcohol in dorm rooms. According to UWF Regulation 5.017 (2009), student organizations are expected to comply with all local laws, state laws and University regulations related to alcoholic beverages at sponsored events. “Alcohol, to my knowledge, was not allowed at the Homecoming tailgate party,” Ben Stubbs, assistant director for student involvement in the Division
“We want students to make responsible choices. Our rules are based on state and federal laws, so they aren’t unfair.”
-Krista Boren Associate Director Housing and Residence Life
of Student Affairs, said. “The exception is the alumni tent, which has alcohol, and to my understanding, always has had alcohol. The tent is in a fenced-off area that is controlled and regulated.” Stubbs said there are a number of procedures to go through for student organizations to have alcohol at events on campus. The person distributing the alcohol must have an alcohol license, and there has to be a certain amount of
security to make sure only people over 21 are getting and consuming alcohol. If an organization wants to have an event on campus with alcohol, the Office of Student Activities must approve it. The policies are equally straightforward when it comes to having alcohol in the dorms. “Students on campus who are 21 years of age and older can have beer and wine, but no hard liquor, in their dorm rooms,”
Krista Boren, associate director of Housing and Residence Life, said, ”Students with younger roommates can have alcohol as long as they aren’t supplying it to the minor. We ask that students don’t hold large gatherings with alcohol or anything that would constitute a party, so other students are disturbed.” Boren said there isn’t an exact number that constitutes a party. The decision is left to staff members’ discretion. If any of these rules are violated, it is documented by staff, and if a person is underage, the police are contacted. “We want students to make responsible choices,” Boren said. “Our rules are based on state and federal laws, so they aren’t unfair.
Escort: Program focuses on campus safety for the majority of their shift and to walk regularly, sometimes during The third part of training is unfavorable weather conditions. learning different codes used on Students must also submit to a the walkie-talkies that escorts are background check and be in good academic standing to be provided, learning how considered for the posito secure buildings and tion, Faircloth said. learning how to perform When an escort arrives as an escort. The final part to accompany someof training entails a combione, they must present nation of the first three, an identification card. taught by the lead security Escort shifts are typically officer, Pat Adamson, who from 6 p.m. to midnight, is a retired Pensacola police and when the escorts are officer, Lockhart said. not on duty police offiBeing a safety escort is cers take on the role of a paid position, and the Lockhart escorts, Faircloth said. program funded by UWF. “I carry a state-of-the-art walkieNo prior training is required, but students should expect to be outside talkie that gives me direct connec-
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tion with the Police Department and other safety escorts,” Lockhart said. “I also wear a bright, green or orange neon vest that has ‘safety escort’ written on the sides and the back.” In addition to escorting people on campus, escorts are also utilized by the Police Department as “extra sets of eyes and ears.” For example, when there is a string of car burglaries the Police Department asks the escorts to be on the look-out for suspicious activity such as a student looking in different car windows, Faircloth said. “The biggest problem with the escort program is that it is underutilized,” he said.
about journalism, which was my undergraduate major for two and a half years before switching to psychology. After Robert became the ‘Post’s’ Supreme Court correspondent, I chatted with him about some of the court’s key decisions.” Barnes, a Pensacola native, has worked as a reporter and editor for the “Washington Post” since 1987, and he has covered the Supreme Court since 2006. He was attracted to law during his first semester at the University of Florida, but then decided to pursue a career in newspapers after taking a journalism class. Vodanovich said that he originally asked Barnes to come speak to his graduate Equal Employment Opportunity Law class, but the idea evolved into a bigger, more inclusive event. “Initially, Robert was going to speak to my graduate class in EEO law, but Dr. Laura Koppes Bryan suggested that we open up his presentation to a larger audience,” he said. “I’m glad we did. Judging by the attendance, I think it went well.” Following his lecture, Barnes opened the floor for a question-and-answer session. One of the questions came from UWF student Casey Bowling. Bowling, who is a pre-law and a political science major, and also acts as the chief justice of the SGA Supreme, said that Barnes’ lecture was timely. “I thought the lecture was exciting and insightful,” he said. “I certainly thought it was fitting in a time where our governor does not recognize the value of students in liberal arts programs, and majors such as journalism, which are on the chopping block.”
Provost Chula King leaves on sabbatical Jesse Farthing Staff Writer President Judy Bense announced at the Faculty Senate meeting on Oct. 14 that Provost Chula King will be stepping down from her position. “I want to publicly commend Provost King for everything she has done in her long service, especially as provost, where I have come to know her best,” Bense said. King will stay through this semester and then leave on a sabbatical until 2013, after which she will return to a faculty or administrative post at the University. “She never wanted to be chair,” Bense said. “She really was reluctantly provost.” King has served as chair of the Department of Accounting and Finance since 2002 and became provost in 2009. Bense said that the University leadership has no intention of letting this deter it from movement on current initiatives like strategic planning, budgeting and academic visioning. The process to find a new provost will begin immediately. Bense reached out to other universities for advice on finding a new provost, and she was informed about an organization called The Registry for College and University Presidents, which is an interim program for colleges to find new presidents and other senior administrators. The Registry is made up of retired and vetted college and university presidents who can be contracted by universities to serve as interim officials for a period ranging from 3 months to 3 years. Bense said that the university would like to find an interim provost who has served as a president or provost for a university of similar size to UWF. The interim provost would be charged with moving forward on the university’s strategic plan and making sure the academic vision is wellserved, as well as coming up with a process to deal
with faculty salary conversion and compression. Bense said that she would like to have found a new permanent provost by fall semester of 2012, and that the search begins now. The interim provost hired from the Registry will not be eligible to serve as a permanent provost. Other items discussed at the meeting included the approval of the new master plan by the master plan committee, and it will go to the board of trustees in Dec. Th e p o s s i b i l i t y o f a locked tuition was brought up for the future in order to push students to graduate within four years – a locked tuition would set tuition cost at 15 credit hours regardless of whether or not a student took 15 credit hours, which faculty hope would push students to take more classes each semester.
“I want to publicly commend Provost King for everything she has done in her long service.” -Judy Bense UWF President
Also during the meeting was a brief presentation by the Academic Technology Center on faculty training in online courses. There are multiple training courses being offered by the Academic Technology Center each semester for instructors to take in order to improve their use of e-Learning and online instruction, workshops on how to use new technology tools for teaching, two miniconferences each year and other help for instructors to improve their online teaching. Nothing was voted on during the meeting.
Opinions Editor, W. Paul Smith
opinions@thevoyager.net
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Opinions &
Editorials
Courtesy of Andy Marlette/amarlette@pnj.com
Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2011
Courtesy of Andy Marlette/amarlette@pnj.com
How Wall Street swindled the American people W. Paul Smith Opinions Editor This is the second installment of my series on the Occupy Wall Street movement. I promised last time to try and better explain just how the Wall Street schemes worked. Everyone needs to understand that what Wall Street perpetrated on the American people and the world was perhaps the biggest heist in the history of civilization. While it is impossible to quantify the exact amount of capital lost, there is no question that trillions of dollars evaporated in this country and across the globe because of these schemes. The full story of the economic collapse of 2008 is far too complicated to tell here, but I will do my best to provide a Cliff’s Notes version of the Wall Street con job. As I stated in the first installment, investments in extremely volatile and risky mortgages were at the heart of the collapse. Much of the financial crisis finds its origins in a mortgage-investment process known as securitization, whereby many different mortgages were lent out by banks and then pooled together and repacked into an investment instrument known as “mortgage-backed securities,” which were sold off to large investment banks. A mortgage-backed security in and of itself is not necessarily a bad thing. And in the past, there were times when such an investment was not considered incredibly risky. However, what lead to the financial crisis were investments in “subprime” mortgages.
The subprime crisis A subprime mortgage simply refers to a loan made to someone who may have difficulties making payments and are often the result of a low credit score. In the years leading up to the financial crisis there was an explosion in subprime mortgages. Because investing in mortgagebacked securities quickly became such a lucrative investment, banks began to loosen their lending standards. In 1994, subprime lending only accounted for about $35 billion or less than five percent of all mortgage loans made, but by 2006, subprime loans totaled over $600 billion and accounted for over 20 percent of all mortgages. These increases in subprime mortgages also lead to severe increases in predatory lending and mortgage fraud. As early as 2004, the FBI even took notice of this, and Assistant FBI Director Chris Swecker warned that the problem could be turn into an “epidemic.” Some people have characterized the
financial crisis as resulting from the government wanting to put low-income people into homes they couldn’t afford. While that scenario is certainly not entirely true, it is also not entirely false. There is no question that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, government-sponsored enterprises that helped create and invested in mortgage-backed securities, contributed significantly to the problem. But this is only one tiny sliver of the story. The main instruments at the heart of the collapse were not only mortgagebacked securities, but the manner in which Wall Street invested in such securities, mainly instruments known as derivatives.
were subprime) along with other assets such as car loans and credit card debt into different levels or “tranches” of investments. Each tranche offered different degrees of risk and yields and were given different credit ratings. A credit rating is a score given to an investment that is supposed to measure the worthiness of the investment and the likelihood of default, with the top rating being “AAA” (indicating a safe investment) and the lowest being a “B” (indicating a junk or toxic investment). The problem with CDOs was that these tranches were then pooled together and diced up themselves. So the junk investments were mixed with the safe investments and were then cobbled together into new investments. Unregulated derivatives Credit ratings agencies such as Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s and Fitch A derivative is a contract between then gave ratings to the CDOs as a two parties in which the value of an whole, often giving them a score of investment is “derived” from the value of “AAA.” other assets. It is This process ostensibly a way to essentially had the spread the risk of effect of turning “Everyone needs to an investment. junk investments The Bank for into “AAA” investunderstand that what International ments. Settlements estiWall Street perpetrated mates the global Ratings fail on the American derivatives market to be at $1.2 people and the world A rating of quadrillion — yes, you read that “AAA” is supposed was perhaps the correctly. This to indicate that biggest heist in the amount is equivathere is almost lent to 22 times no credit risk history of civilization.” the GDP of the to the investor entire world. whatsoever and is The BIS also supposed to have a estimates that the probability of failderivatives market in the United States ure of less than one percent. alone is equivalent to approximately Credit ratings are taken very seriously $600 trillion, and considering they in the financial services industry, and are not traded on any public exchange, most investors rely on them for determuch of the derivatives market goes mining the validity of an investment. entirely unregulated. Even the SEC has guidelines for invesIn the next installment of this series, tors to rely on these ratings. I will get into the collusion between Wall So why would the credit ratings Street and Washington and explain how agency give “AAA” ratings to investsuch things became deregulated. ments that were incredibly risky and In 2002, Warren Buffett referred perhaps even toxic? That’s easy: profit. to derivatives as “financial weapons of Credit ratings agencies are paid fees mass destruction,” and as “time bombs” for providing such ratings, and during that could be “potentially lethal.” the years leading up to the financial Derivatives can include futures, crisis, their profits more than quadruoptions, forwards and other such finanpled. cial jargon, but what we need to focus The Senate Permanent Subcommittee on are derivatives instruments known on Investigations released a report in as “collateralized debt obligations” and April of this year concluding, “ratings “credit default swaps.” agencies weakened their standards as each competed to provide the most favorable rating to win business and Toxic CDOs greater market share,” … so much for the idea that the industry can be selfCollateralized debt obligations (or CDOs) were one of the main instruments regulating. There is a mountain of evidence to Wall Street used to invest in mortgagesuggest the credit ratings agencies were backed securities. aware such investments were risky CDOs were instruments that and not worthy of the “AAA” score, but contained these pooled-together mortwhat’s worse is that many on Wall Street gage-backed securities (many of which
were also aware of the risk. So aware, in fact, that many on Wall Street began betting against the very CDOs in which they were encouraging others to invest.
Betting against the house This is where the credit default swaps came into play. A credit default swap is basically an insurance policy to guarantee the credit worthiness of an investment. Investment firms such as Goldman Sachs bought billions of dollars in credit default swaps from AIG to bet against the same CDOs they were selling to their customers. This way, when the CDOs failed, Goldman Sachs hoped to still make money. But because of the unregulated nature of the derivatives market, AIG was not required to set aside the capital to cover such guarantees — and as it turns out, AIG simply didn’t have the money. And then the CDOs began to fail.
The bubble bursts When the people who had been given subprime mortgages began to inevitably default on their payments, the entire house of cards began to tumble. People stopped making their mortgage payments, and the market for CDOs simply collapsed. The rug had suddenly been pulled out from under Wall Street — the bubble had burst, and one by one the largest investment firms in the country began to fall. In March of 2008, the investment bank Bear Stearns that had sold billions in CDOs to investors was the first to go, being acquired by JPMorgan Chase. And like a viral contagion, when Bear Stearns collapsed, the infection spread across the entirety of Wall Street. The dominoes began to fall. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were the next to crumble, followed by Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch and AIG. In the end, trillions of dollars were lost, the federal government spent billions bailing out the crooks, millions of homes were foreclosed, and millions of Americans were unemployed — all in the pursuit of the quick buck in a con game. There is plenty of blame to be spread around, and every actor played some role in the collapse. But make no mistake about it, Wall Street helped engineer the heist and drove the getaway car, leaving the American people in near-economic ruin to clean up the mess. But the mess hasn’t been cleaned up, and unless something changes, the new Wall Street swindle is only a matter of time.
Corporations need to pay their fair share in taxes Freedom Whiting Contributing Writer “Shaq is rich. But the man who writes his checks is wealthy!” — Chris Rock In light of the NBA lockout, I am reminded of Chris Rock’s quote and how the gap between the wealthy and the rest of us has grown larger than the empty space between Mike “The Situation’s” ears. Notable economist and UC-Berkley professor Emmanuel Saez showed in a recent study that 90 percent of Americans make an average of $31,244 a year while the top 1 percent make over $1.1 million. That is a huge disparity in income. What is even more discouraging is the report by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office that shows since 1979, 99 percent of Americans’ income grew only 1.3 percent. As a result, the top 1 percent controlled two-thirds of the countries economic growth.
So when I hear conservatives go on taxes as individuals. And according to the about “class warfare” and the supposedly Tax Policy Center only 2 percent of small attack on the wealthy at the mere mention businesses make over $250,000 a year. of raising taxes on the top 1 percent to What about the cries of, “We can’t raise increase revenue, I scream out to high taxes on the wealthy and big corporations heaven. because they are the job creators of this First of all, taxes would only be raised country.” back to the level Well, in the they were during words of the rich, the President yet stingy Mr. Clinton era, before Crabs: “That’s “It’s not class warfare the Bush tax cuts. barnacles, me boy!” if the top percent of Secondly, it’s not For one thing, class warfare if the corporate taxes earners are asked to top percent of earnhave been at their ers are asked to pay lowest since the pay their fair share.” their fair share. 1950’s, yet jobs and Conservatives wages have been and Republicans on a steady decline like to protest that while corporate raising taxes on the top tax bracket — profits soar. And the argument that busipeople who earn $250,000 year — would nesses are over-regulated is weak. hurt small business owners who provide The whole financial crisis of 2008 was so many jobs in this country. due to lack of regulation and there has not The problem with that argument is that been much change in regulation since. most small business owners — including Still, businesses send American jobs doctors and lawyers — file their business overseas. In fact, the American Jobs
Creation Act was created in 2004 in order to help bring foreign profits back home. What was the result? A Senate panel released a study that concluded that the corporations who took advantage of the huge tax breaks did nothing to create jobs. Instead, these companies actually cut jobs and research spending, while stocking paybacks and executive pay. Surprise. Even when there is some form of regulation, corporations look for ways to make more money. We are familiar with Bank of America’s plan to charge debit card users five bucks a month in order to spend their own money. CNN’s Erin Burnett reported that BoA will make a 13 percent profit. These corporations have it so hard. If Shaquille O’Neal and Chris Rock invested right, they should have no issues or money problems like the rest of us. But even they could not ignore the old cliché: the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer.
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Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2011
L&E Editor, Rebecca Barnhart
Life &
Entertainment
entertainment@ thevoyager.net
Phineas Phogettes zombie dance Katherine Cordero Staff Writer The lights of the dance floor slowly dimmed as the DJ at Seville Quarter’s Phineas Phogg’s turned the booming music down and made the announcement the crowd had been waiting for: “Give it up for The Phineas Phoggettes with ‘Thriller’!” The crowd began to applaud and cheer as fog blanketed the dance floor. Colored lights suddenly revealed a group of lurking zombies. The familiar introduction of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” began. The zombies captivated the audience as they reenacted the familiar choreography to the classic song. As the music ended, the crowd roared with applause and began to fill the dance floor to meet and dance with the people dressed as zombies. “I thought it was a great performance,” Mackenzie Grimes, 25, a tourist from Virginia, said. “The performance was great,” Zack Miller, 21, a Pensacola local, said. “I’ve never seen a dance club do something like that.” Over the summer of 2011, Phineas Phogg’s held auditions for a dance group to add to their entertainment complex, and thus, the Phineas Phoggettes were
born. The Phoggettes are a group of 12-14 dancers and cocktail waitresses for the Phineas Phogg’s room in Seville Quarter. They regularly perform every Friday and Saturday in the two-story dance club, but for the month of October, they are dressing up as zombies and performing to the classic Halloweenthemed song of “Thriller” by Michael Jackson every Thursday through Saturday nights at 10 p.m. Jessica Jensen, 27, a University of West Florida alumna, professional dancer of 25 years, dance instructor and former contestant on the hit TV show “So You Think You Can Dance,” is the choreographer of the Phineas Phogettes. She said she credits Leigh Mitchell, an owner of Seville Quarter, with the idea of the Phoggettes in recognizing the need for more original entertainment. “The purpose of the Phoggettes was to do something different,” Jensen said. “Ten years ago, Seville was the only bar in Pensacola, and now, we have a lot of other competition. We knew there was an opportunity to provide something to the people of the area that was different, something people could enjoy, and let’s face it. Everyone likes dancing
girls.” Phineas Phogg’s has two UWF students as dancers. Marvin Ramos, 21, a junior exercise science major, is part of the break-dancing group that performs at Phineas Phogg’s on Thursdays and is also part of the “Thriller” performance. Brandee Barton, 21, a senior hospitality major, dancer of 15 years and cocktail waitress for Phineas Phogg’s, is a proud member of the Phoggettes. “I love dancing, and it’s really cool to do something different and new and have people like what you’re doing,” Barton said. “I didn’t think I was going to dance anymore after high school, so it’s nice to get back in there and be able to do what I love.” Brandice Purvis, 25, a professional dancer of 23 years, finds time in her busy schedule to perform as a Phogette. She is a member of the Board of Directors of Pensacola Winter Fest, a dance instructor of the Escambia County School District’s after-school dance programs through Perdido Dance Company, and a jazz, tap and hip-hop dance instructor at The Dance Academy of Santa Rosa. “We all have our own little spark,” Purvis said. “The Phoggettes are pretty entertaining.”
Photo by Katherine Cordero
Brandee Barton, a member of Seville Quarter’s Phineas Phogettes dance team, poses in her zombie outfit before performing “Thriller” last weekend. “I’m very honored to be able to work with so many talented people,” Jensen said. “I love dancing, and to have any opportunity to perform and to carry on that passion for it is really beautiful for me.” The Phoggettes dance jazz and hip-hop. They expect to do seasonal shows, such as “Thriller” for Halloween, and a Christmas and winter holiday revue in December.
❱❱ Rundown n Phineas Phoggs, a room in Seville Quarter, has its own dance team, the Phineas Phogettes. n The team was created in summer 2011 and features two UWF students. n The Phogettes perform every Friday and Saturday in October, dressed as zombies, dancing to the iconic “Thriller.” n
The performance is free with Seville admission.
Take a drive into Jerry’s for cheap, classic meals Nicole Yeakos Staff Writer
Photo by John Blackie/UWF
Lead singer of Elyse Therose, Erin Jeffreys, performs at last year’s University of West Florida’s Battle of the Bands competition. Her band won the first place prize. On Oct. 25, Elyse Therose will open for Gin Blossoms at Vinyl Music Hall.
UWF student fronts local indie rock band
Will Isern Staff Writer
Erin Jeffreys is in love, and she’s got the tattoos to prove it. Her tattoos of piano keys, a kick drum, and the 26-year-old’s custom Telecaster pop against the purple smoke that swirls up the musician’s leg. “Music is my all time passion in life,” said Jeffreys. “When I started, it just felt like what I was meant to do.” Audiences seem to agree with Jeffreys. Her band, Elyse Therose, is opening for ‘90s pop rockers Gin Blossoms at the Vinyl Music Hall on Oct. 25. Jeffreys said she’s thankful for the opportunity but knows it’s the long hours she’s put into her music that has gotten her this far. Thinking back to her first forays into performing and considering how far she’s come, Jeffreys laughs. “I got my first guitar when I was seven or eight. I didn’t know how to do anything, so basically I just cranked it, hit the strings and jumped off my bed,” she said. “My sister was really mad at me that year.” Like most musicians, Jeffreys has been a part of various acts along the way. She did time in an alternative-rock group named Harlen. Then she played bass for indie metal heads in Trajedy Shadow before forming what would become Elyse Therose in
2009, working on solo projects and in duos in between those projects. Last year, Elyse Therose won the University of West Florida’s battle of the bands. Jeffreys, a junior public relations major,
“She’s a dream to work with. She’s open to a lot of ideas and there’s a central focus...” —Jody Shaver Elyse Therose guitarist
said the talent show win gave her the confidence to pursue bigger goals. “It seems like it took so many years for this stuff to happen but now things are really falling into place,” she said.
Jody Shaver, guitarist for Elyse Therose, said Jeffreys’ personality contributes to the band’s success. “She’s a dream to work with. She’s open to a lot of ideas, and there’s a central focus. She’s very easy to collaborate with,” he said. Despite Jeffreys’ recent success, music isn’t paying her bills just yet. She works nights at the Melting Pot to put food, usually egg sandwiches, on the table for herself and her pet ferret Sky. Add that to the overloaded school schedule she’s taking to make up for the time she dropped out of school, and Jeffreys is busy by any standard. When she has time for fun, Jeffreys enjoys making drum videos for YouTube, filming herself while adding live drums parts to rap songs. Though, through it all, she never loses sight of her dreams as a musician. “I would love nothing more than to make enough money to support myself and tour,” Jeffreys said. “I just want to hit the road and play a different city every night.”
❱❱ Rundown n Elyse Therose is fronted by UWF student Erin Jeffreys. n The band is opening for Gin Blossoms, the 90s pop band, on Oct. 25 at Vinyl Music Hall. n Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the show begins at 8:30 p.m. n For tickets, visit vinylmusichall.com.
Never judge a book by its cover. Old clichés always manage to come back with a bite, and Jerry’s Drive In does it with a mouthful. The plain, wooden siding, the toy-sized parking lot and the short, round pig on the welcome sign are truly misleading about the experience to be had at Jerry’s Drive In. Known primarily for its unique atmosphere, great food and cheap prices, this landmark diner has something to offer for everyone. Jerry’s Drive In was established in 1939 as Jerry’s Barbecue. The restaurant at one point had carhop service in the back and was later renamed because of it. Decades after the diner’s beginning, old men still sit at the bar sharing war stories over beer, tired moms continue to fill booths with hungry Little League players and college students constantly funnel in for a quick, cheap bite. Recent renovations are drawing even more attention to the already popular diner. Updates include new kitchen equipment, larger booths, remodeled bathrooms, a new air conditioning system and a repainted exterior. “Everything seems roomier because it’s less cluttered,” said Pam Halstead, co-owner of Jerry’s Drive In. Susan Summers is the granddaughter of Raymond “Grandpa” Wessel, the original owner of Jerry’s Drive In. Wessel sold it to current owners, Jimmy and Pam Halstead in 1997. After being a waitress at the diner for 18 years, Summers is certain of what makes Jerry’s Drive In the place to be. “There’s always someone you know here,” she said. “We’re like a little community. It’s just that way.” If the Southern comfort isn’t enough for a customer to crave a second visit, the food will do the trick. Jerry’s Drive In has a simple, one-page menu with everything from a basic hamburger to fried mullet. Most menu
Photos special to The Voyager
TOP: The mullet plate at Jerry’s Drive In is a popular choice, although it is priced slightly higher than most items. BOTTOM: The double cheeseburger is around $3.
items are under $3. Hamburgers are $1.75, and the highly in-demand bacon cheeseburger is $2.50. Although tasty, the burgers are far from life-changing. For the price, however, it’s hard to complain. Seafood plates, such as the mullet or grouper sandwich, are priced slightly higher and seem to have a more lasting effect. “They have the best mullet in town,” said Elizabeth Mrachek, Pensacola native and Jerry’s Drive In regular.
Mrachek said she visits the diner with her family once a week, specifically for the mullet. But Jerry’s Drive In is not favored for its menu alone. The squeaky barstools, neon lights, loud music and random wall décor give the diner its hometown character. For anyone willing to pay less than fast food prices for a Pensacola tradition, take a drive to 2815 E. Cervantes St, look for that obnoxious pig sign and don’t judge this book by its cover.
❱❱ Rundown n Jerry’s Drive In is located at 2815 E. Cervantes Street. n It has been a Pensacola landmark since 1939. n Open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday. Closed Sundays. n The menu offers cheeseburgers, seafood, milkshakes and more.
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Spirit Halloween costumes spook Christie McClung Staff Writer
Creepy decorations are abundant inside Spirit Photos by Christie McClung Halloween. Rebekah Fallon, employee of Spirit Halloween, poses in an aisle brimming with Halloween costumes.
❱❱ Rundown n Spirit Halloween is a costume store located at 1650 Airport Blvd. n Costume prices average around $40. n The store is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
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basic Halloween objects such as cobwebs, giant spiders, zombies, vampires, and popular scary movie characters to help The jack-o’-lanterns are carved, the get shoppers into the Halloween spirit. apples are ready for bobbing and the All of these things are also available for haunted houses are all full of frightful purchase. sights and ghostly noises. “We don’t just sell products,” Spencer The Halloween season also brings the said. “We try to create displays that chance to dress up as a differmake it more of ent person, species, or characan experience ter. for people so The Spirit Halloween store, they can have “This year our located at 1650 Airport Blvd. fun with it.” in the Cordova Commons There is a most popular shopping center, is catering to small haunted all of the Halloween needs this costumes are house at the year. front entrance to probably the The Spirit store is open further enchance every year in September and the scary atmoCharlie Sheen, October, but it is not always in sphere. The Katy Perry and the haunted house is the same location. “Unfortunately because zombie wastenewer versions of aland, of the nature of the store, we full of new change locations every year,” the Lady Gaga” robotic zombies said one of the managers, Sue several —Sue Spencer a n d Spencer. “We’d like to stay in severed heads. the same place, but they may Spirit Halloween manager The display be renting the building to is meant to be someone else. Last year we a scary and fun were in the building that is treat but is also Petco now. We try to stay in a way to get the same general area.” those creative juices following and to Each store opened is owned by a local show customers exactly how to use the owner in a temporary franchise setting. The store offers a wide variety of products. Rebekah Fallon is a junior psychology costumes, from ghosts, vampires, and major at the University of West Florida. zombies to princess and fairies. “This year our most popular costumes She has worked at the Spirit Halloween are probably the Charlie Sheen, Katy store for two years in a row. “I like Halloween a lot,” Fallon said, Perry, and the newer versions of the Lady GaGa,” Spencer said. “Zombies are “and it’s my first job.” Working with all the costumes makes really big this year.” The costume prices average out it difficult to buy for yourself, she said. around $40, though some sell for “I haven’t really decided what I want to be for Halloween this year,” Fallon said, cheaper. The Spirit store is decorated with “but I like the raccoon costume a lot.”
Photo special to The Voyager
Givers, an indie pop group from Louisiana, recently released their first album, “In Light.” The band performed at last weekend’s DeLuna Fest on Pensacola Beach.
Givers’ debut ‘In Light’ becoming indie favorite Josh Cooper Staff Writer The first album by Givers, “In Light,” is definitely an interesting but upbeat choice for those searching for a new band. The five-piece band from Lafayette, La., brings a high energy level with the jumpy guitar riffs, melodious warbled synth background and pumping-kick-drumbass-combo. But there’s more to this band than the traditional high-energy rock found in most modern tunes. The band incorporates a xylophone, saxophone and flute into its songs to add a nostalgic feeling to the energy, almost like being on a kindergarten playground. The band is made up of Tiffany Lamson, Taylor Guarisco, Kirby Campbell, Josh LeBlanc, and Nick Stephan. Lamson is one of the two lead singers, but she adds the extra flair with the second drumset and the xylophone. Guarisco plays lead guitar and is the other half of the lead vocals. Campbell is the full-time drummer, LeBlanc is the bassist and rhythm guitar-
ist, and Stephan plays the song on the album, “Up, Up, keys, along with the saxo- Up” on FIFA 12. In June, phone and flute. they played the song on There is an unwavering “The Late Show with Jimmy reaction of playfulness that Fallon.” This past weekend comes with at DeLuna listening to Fest, the this album. music festival It might be on Pensacola “The band the rhythm Beach, Givers that makes is without a played a set the head on Friday to doubt, guitar bob or the promote its synthesizer driven, but the new album. that makes “In Light” the hips extra set of was released swing. Either instruments in June and way, the has earned songs bring used brings the band a out a posimore to the legitimate tive, can-do spirit. following. table...” Lamson’s The band voice is has merited slightly rusty, a gold star in giving her a lovely jazzy my book for being unique sound, the best example and creative enough to add being found in “Atlantic.” more instruments than ever While Guarisco, who has a necessary. But the band has smoother voice, is reminisearned more of my respect cent of the 80s, the band by throwing those instruis, without a doubt, guitar driven, but the extra set of ments into its songs with instruments used brings such ease. Because of the high more to the table than most energy and the unique bands offer. If you’re a fan of sports instrument lineup, “In video games, you may have Light” is unquestionably an heard their most popular album to check out.
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The Voyager Editor-in-Chief Brittany Carr editor@thevoyager.net
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Distribution Manager John Strickland The Voyager is produced weekly by students of the University of West Florida and is partially funded by Student Activities and Services fees with assistance from the Office of Student Affairs. This public document was promulgated by the president of the University at an annual cost of $.275 per copy. Opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the views of UWF, The Voyager or its staff. Advertiser and advertising agency will indemnify and hold harmless The Voyager and its staff for all contents supplied to publisher, including text, representation and illustrations of advertisements printed and for any claims arising contents including, but not limited to defamation, invasion of privacy, copyright infringement, plagiarism, and in the case of a pre-printed insert, deficient postage. The Voyager is printed by Freedom Florida Commercial Printing, in accordance with Florida Law. The above information is presented in compliance Section 283.27 of Florida Statutes.
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Corrections Corrections to the Explore UWF! article published in the Oct. 12 issue: The Explore UWF! event on Oct. 15 was the second event this semester, and it takes place in the Conference Center, with options to tour several facilities across campus. Walking tours of the campus are led by Ambassadors. Katie Condon, assistant director of Undergraduate Admissions, was misquoted in two quotes. The correct quotes should read: “The idea is to show participants why UWF is a great choice for higher education and to help them determine whether UWF is a good academic fit,” and “The faculty get a chance to really ‘wow’ prospective students and tell them about their departments. Everyone plays an important role. We want to show why we are a great choice.”
CALENDAR
Oct. 19 Aqkwontae (aquakickboxing) is the hottest fitness trend around! Great fun for all fitness levels! Men, women, beginners, plus-sized or physically challenged welcome! One-piece swimsuit recommended and aqua shoes. Course Outline: 50 minute class routine (can be varied according if equipment is used) 10 minutes of warm ups (jacks, jump ropes, ski’s, etc. then stretches) 30 minutes of cardiokickboxing specially formulated to work best with the water 10 minutes of cool downs (applying Yoga and Tai-chi stretches) The class will meet Mondays & Wednesdays through Nov. 2 16 classes cost $85. 10% UWF student and senior citizen discounts Contact Information: Name: Nancy Quina Phone: (850) 474-2981 Email: nquina@uwf.edu Oct. 19 Join us for this weekend’s soccer tournament! Registration opens Oct. 10. Captains Meeting is Nov. 17 at 5 p.m. Location Information: UWF Pensacola Campus - Health, Leisure and Sports Facility 11000 University Pkwy. Building 72 Pensacola, FL 32514 Escambia Phone: 474-2586 Contact Annina Dahlstrom at 474-2860 Email: adahlstrom@uwf. edu Oct. 19 Living Well Workshop: Conflict resolution This workshop is designed to explore how we as people deal with conflict and how we can find healthy and clear ways to resolve conflicts, which should help reduce arguments and resentments. 2 p.m. at UWF Pensacola Campus 11000 University Pkwy. Pensacola, FL 32514 Escambia Phone: 474-3000 Contact Dr. Brian Turner Phone: 474-2420 Email: bturner1@uwf. edu Oct. 19 Jackson Katz, an internationally recognized author and filmmaker speaks about sex, booze, lies and gender. He’s talked with students at over 1,100 universities and worked with members
for the NFL, Major League Baseball, and NASCAR. Free dinner will be served. Come to participate in the Get Down Series incentive program and raffle! 1st 50 students get a Get Down Series t-shirt! Funded by SGA. This event will be held at 7 p.m. the UC Auditorium. Contact Lindsey Greeson 474-2420 Email: lgreeson@uwf. edu Oct. 21 The UWF Office of the President will hold a “Breakfast with the President” for community members at 7:30 a.m. at the UWF Main Campus, School of Science and Engineering, Building 4, Room 406. Contact Geri Battist at 474-3306 Email: gbattist@uwf.edu
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Oct. 22 Join the Sailing Club for FREE sailing any Saturday this fall from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Pensacola Yacht Club. Boats, equipment and wind provided. Register by emailing sailuwf@uwf.edu. Contact Shaun Boren at 474-2819 Email: sboren@uwf.edu Oct. 24 Inclusion, diversity and differentiation are values held by Karyn Combs. Her commitment to employing diverse teaching and educational support personnel is reflected in the “global society” she has helped to build at the Elementary School where she serves as principal. Combs is an Iraqi War veteran and a retiree from the Air force Reserve. She is also co-author of “The African American Quiz Book.” Ironically, after returning to America after having served in Iraq in 2008, Combs was the victim of a hate crime in December of 2009. Come hear her powerful story and celebrate her successes as an author, veteran, and educator. Join us at 6:30 p.m. for her book signing and conversation. Location: UWF Pensacola Campus — Center for Fine and Performing Arts. 11000 University Pkwy. Building 82 Pensacola, FL 32514 Escambia Phone: (850) 857-6057 Room: Music Hall Contact Lusharon Wiley Email: lwiley@uwf.edu
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Sports
Sports Editor, Chris Elkins
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Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2011
Women’s soccer winning streak at eight games Chris Elkins Sports Editor After going 6-0 at home, the University of West Florida women’s soccer team looked to improve on a 2-2-2 road record as they traveled to play two conference opponents last week. They did just that, picking up two conference victories over Christian Brothers University and Delta State University to improve their record to 10-2-2 overall and 5-0 in the Gulf South Conference.
Christian Brothers On Oct. 14, the team shutout Christian Brothers 3-0 in Memphis, Tenn. Leading scorer for the Argonauts Tina Murray set up the first goal in the 21st minute when she passed the ball to sophomore Alex Pickrell for the score. In the 31st minute, junior Monica Malavassi set up a ball for senior Aveann Douglas who scored from the top of the box to put the Argos up 2-0. The Argos final goal came on a penalty kick by senior Jordan Stone.
Delta State
On Oct. 16, the Argos added insult to injury, defeating struggling DSU 9-1 in Cleveland, Miss. Malavassi led the way for the Argos, recording her first three goals of the season and her first hat trick at UWF. Murray then added to her team-leading scoring total, scoring twice to give her 12 on the season. She also had four assists to give her a team-leading total of 12. Three other Argonauts scored: Douglas scored
twice, freshman Meredith Testa scored once, and Stone scored once to make it her third consecutive game with a goal. The Argos flirted with their sixth shutout in seven games, but DSU scored on a penalty kick with two minutes left in the match. The Argos have outscored opponents 28-3 in their eight game winning streak. UWF goalkeepers have 35 goals on the season. The next game is at 1 p.m. on Oct. 23 against North Alabama as part of the Pack it Pink weekend.
Photo special to The Voyager
Senior Jordan Stone runs with the ball in a match earlier in the season. She is 2-for-2 on penalty kicks.
Volleyball team plays well at home n Argos go win 3, fall to No. 2 Tampa to break win streak Chris Elkins Sports Editor The University of West Florida women’s volleyball team went into the Regional Crossover tournament looking to see how it matched up against the top teams in the region. The team came away from it with an impressive 3-1 record, but a bad taste in the players mouths after ending a 12-game winning streak with a loss to the top team in the region — No. 2 Tampa. “It was a little piece of humble pie for us,” Assistant Coach Patricia Gandolfo said in an interview with UWF Sports Information. “Our performance was a little disappointing. We could’ve done better, but we’ll work on that.”
Florida Southern
The Argonauts were able to take down Florida Southern on straight sets on Oct. 13 to open the tournament with a win. After trailing early in the first set, the Argos tied things up at 15 and went on an 8-2 run to win the set 25-19. The second set wasn’t as close, with UWF leading for almost the entire set and winning 25-11. The team won the third set 25-21 to clinch the match.
Sophomore Lindsay Homme led the Argos with 12 kills. Junior Anna Stoecklein led the team with 16 digs and junior Tricia Tirabassi led with 10 assists.
Lynn
The team dominated the Knights in the first set winning 25-6. In the second set. Lynn kept things close, with UWF tying the Argos at five and coming within 2 points at 22-20, before losing 25-21. UWF won the third set 25-16 to seal the match victory. Junior Haley Shackelford led the Argos with nine kills and had three blocks.
Saint Leo
The Argos went into the next round looking to build upon a 3-0 victory against Saint Leo on Sept. 17. In the first set it looked like it would be smooth sailing for UWF, as they never trailed the Lions and won 25-19. “Defense is something we worked on a lot last week,” said sophomore Jenny Bellairs in an interview with UWF Sports Information. “It was nice to see it transfer from practice to games.” However things weren’t be as easy in the second set. The Argos led early but Saint Leo tied things up at 18 and then again at 24.
Photo special to The Voyager
Freshman Autumn Duyn goes for a kill in a tournament earlier in the season. Duyn is second on the team in kills for the season. Sophomore Lindsay Homme passed her for the lead after Duyn led all season. Saint Leo went on to win the set 28-26 in the Argos first set loss at home this season. With a chip on their shoulder, the Argos avenged the loss by defeating Saint Leo 25-19 and 25-23 in the third and fourth sets. Homme led UWF with 21 kills- a career high. Tirabassi led the team with 30 assists, and Stoecklein had 18 digs.
Tampa
The biggest match of the tournament was against undefeated Tampa University in the final round with a chance to upset the top ranked team in the region. However, the Argos never came close, falling in straight sets for their first loss at home since 2009. The first set was tied at 10 before Tampa went on
a 7 point run to win 25-17. After leading the second set early, Tampa again pulled away en route to a 25-17 win. The Argos trailed by nine in the third set before coming back within five with the match on the line before losing 25-19. Freshman Autumn Duyn led the team with 10 kills. “We can’t just be happy with our performance on
Saturday,” Gandolfo said. “We’re definitely happy with the 3-1. We wish we could be 4-0, but we’re going to keep drilling the girls this weekend to get better.” Homme earned all-tournament honors with 46 kills over the weekend. “Our performance was a little disappointing,” Gandolfo said. “We could’ve done better.”
Athletic Department offers kids opportunities to learn and play
Argos sports teams host fifth annual Pack it Pink event
Rachel Giles Staff Writer
From Staff Reports
The University of West Florida Athletic Department started a club in August to help teach children the importance of education and sportsmanship, as well as provide a unique opportunity to work with collegiate athletes. John Corwin, marketing coordinator for intercollegiate athletics and founder of the Argie’s Kids Club, said that he was inspired to start the club by his own childhood experience as a member of a similar club at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Corwin said that the club gave him the desire to attend UWM one day as a student, and he later achieved that goal. He said that he hopes the Argie’s Kids Club will have a similar effect on the children of Pensacola. The club is for children ages 3-13 who are interested in UWF sports. It does not center on sports activities for children to play. Instead, it offers free tickets to its members for all UWF sports events, with the exception of golf, cross-country, and tennis as well as postseason play. Corwin said that so far approximately 5-10 children have attended each event. There is no seating section specifically for club members at sporting events. As they are given general admission tickets, members may sit wherever they choose. Sign-ups to join the club are available at the Argie’s Kids Club website and at every sporting event the
Photo special to The Voyager
The Argie’s Kids Club gets ready for the basketball clinic on Oct. 1. members have free admission. Membership is free because of the sponsorship of the gas station and convenience store franchise Tom Thumb. Included in the free membership is a free Argie’s Kids Club T-shirt, a birthday card from Argie on the member’s birthday, and prizes at various events. Each month, a child is chosen to be a Kids Club Member of the Month by Argie, in which the child can be the bat or ball boy or girl at a UWF sporting event,and receives a free prize. “It’s basically a way to give back to local youth athletes here in town,” UWF Sports Information Director
Matt Rowley said in a phone interview. Corwin said the club is “really stressing education” to its members. At the end of each semester, club members are given a free Tom Thumb gift card for each “A” on their report card. The club also holds sporadic clinics for its members. Corwin said that the clinics are usually pizza parties in which members can meet UWF athletes, receive autographs and play games. For more information on the Argie’s Kids Club, go to goargos.com.
The University of West Florida volleyball team will host the fifth annual “Pack it Pink” breast cancer awareness match against the University of North Alabama, at 4 p.m. on Oct. 22 at the UWF Field House. For the first time at UWF, the Argonauts women’s soccer team will also join the effort to promote breast cancer awareness that weekend with a match on Sunday, at 1 p.m. on Oct. 23 against North Alabama. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. UWF is joining the effort to raise money for breast cancer research and awareness while also paying tribute to family members and friends who have been affected by the disease. Florida Blue is UWF’s official corporate sponsor of the evemt.. “We’re going to have a silent auction so people can help the fight against breast cancer,” Assistant Coach Patricia Gandolfo said in an interview with UWF Sports
Information. “Come to the match and come support our team and wear pink.” The auction will feature items ranging from pink autographed jerseys and volleyballs or golf bags to a two-night stay at the Travellodge at Pensacola Beach or lunch for four with volleyball Head Coach Melissa Wolter and Athletic Director Dave Scott. The weekend will kickoff with a tailgate hosted by UWF Athletic and Greek Affairs at 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 22, near the Field House. At 3 p.m., there will be a cancer survivors reception in the Argonaut Athletic Club. The volleyball match will begin at 4 p.m. On Oct. 23, there will be a greeks v. UWF studentathletes kickball game at the Softball Complex, and the soccer game will begin at 1 p.m. The first 750 fans at the volleyball game and the first 250 fans at the kickball game will receive a Pack it Pink T-shirt. To bid on the silent auction or for more information visit goargos.com
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Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2011
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English-born golfer enjoys life in the States Nicole Yeakos Staff Writer Aimee Paterson has drive — enough of it to come all the way from Hampshire, England for the University of West Florida women’s golf team. The freshman has already led the UWF women’s golf team to a fifth-place finish at the Marjorie Whitney Invitational in Ponte Vedra Beach and a third-place finish at the Smoky Mountain Intercollegiate Golf Tournament in Sevierville, Tenn. in September. Individually, Paterson placed in the top 10 at both events. Head Coach Jennifer Pandolfi said that although she’s only known Paterson for a few months, her effort shows. “She’s spent a lot of time honing on her skills,” Pand ol f i s aid . “She’s come on full-force and hasn’t stopped. For a freshman, that’s Pandolfi wonderful to see.” Paterson, an otherwise typical freshman with a contagious smile
and a profound love for math, said she wasn’t always devoted to golf. “Tennis was my first love,” she said. “But I started playing golf with my family about four or five years ago, and I caught the bug.” That bug sent Paterson and her family on the ultimate search for the perfect college golf team. While examining a few different colleges in the U.S., UWF caught their attention. “I thought Florida looked quite nice,” Paterson said. “UWF had a really great team, and they offered me a scholarship.” Paterson said her entire family was supportive of her decision. She keeps in touch with them via Skype and Facebook, and she is far from lonely. In her free time, Paterson enjoys studying, going to the movies, listening to music, bowling, and spending time with friends. Senior Jenny Lines, the women’s golf team captain, said Paterson is very funny when it comes to the American dialect. “I’ll say something like chips and she corrects me with the proper English word, crisps,”
“She’s come on fullforce and hasn’t stopped.” -Jennifer Pandolfi Head Coach
Lines said. “She is just always joking with all of us about how we pronounce things.” Paterson said she often jokes with friends about the American stereotype. “Everyone back home thinks Americans are fat, stupid and have a gun,” she said. “I’m like ‘No, they’re actually quite clever.’” The Florida weather was another surprise for Paterson. While playing golf in England, she said, everyone wears “jumpers and woolly hats,” a stark comparison to the shorts and T-shirts she wears at UWF. The college curriculum is also vastly different, Paterson said. In England, a college student simply chooses what courses he or she is interested in taking. Basically, general studies courses do not exist.
Photo special to The Voyager
Aimee Paterson tees off at a tournament earlier in the season. Paterson compares her life at UWF to “living the American dream.” Although she plans to return home for Christmas break and summer vacation. She has yet to decide whether she will leave the States when she graduates.
She said she desires a mathrelated degree but would like to be a professional golfer. “I think she sets a great example,” Pandolfi said of Paterson’s determination on the women’s golf team. “That in and of itself makes her a great asset. She’s got the whole package.”
ADPi hosts charity volleyball tournament Chris Elkins Sports Editor The Alpha Delta Pi sorority at the University of West Florida hosted their Fifth Annual Lionshare Volleyball Tournament on Oct. 17. Over 200 people and 24 teams participated in the double-elimination tournament that raised over $3,000. Students from UWF and members of the community arrived at Flounders Chowder House on Pensacola Beach at 9:30 a.m. for a chance to win cash prizes and compete for a good cause. “All of the money goes to the Ronald McDonald House,” ADPi philanthropy chair Brittany McGrail said. “The Ronald McDonald House is our national philanthropy, but we have one in Pensacola, so it means that much more to give back.” Last year, the sorority raised $2,400, and only 16 teams competed. McGrail said she was excited that the tournament was much bigger this year, and that the final finances were still being worked out, but initial estimates indicated that close to $3,500 was raised.
Go Argos! Photo special to The Voyager
Nursing major Aarika Buzynski sets up a ball at the Fifth Annual Alpha Delta Pi Lionshare Tournament at Flounders in Pensacola Beach on Oct. 15. Teams ranged from two to six members, and it cost each member $10 to play, with the option of paying an additional $7 for a shirt. The players were provided with free water, Gatorade and lunch. “It was a great experience,” senior criminal justice major Chandler Riviezzo said. “It was a good
Men’s soccer splits games From Staff Reports The No. 20 West Florida men’s soccer team was upset on Oct. 14 1-0 by Christian Brothers. In the physical match, eight cautions were issued, and there were 41 combined fouls. Christian Brothers scored the only goal of the match in the 69th minute. On Oct. 16, UWF defeated Gulf South Conference opponent Delta State 1-0 in double overtime. With the win, the
Argonauts improve to 8-3-2 overall and 3-1 in GSC play. The teams went into the half scoreless in an evenly matched first half. The second half was similar to the first with the Argos taking six shots to Delta’s seven. At the end of regulation, the teams were still scoreless, sending the match to overtime. In the 104th minute, senior Matthew Aldred found the back of the net on a loose ball in the box to win the game for the Argos.
atmosphere for all levels of play, and it was a good time. It was nice to meet some new people and help out a philanthropy. “ The winning team, Team Swerve, won $200 and second place won $100. ADPi works with the Ronald McDonald House throughout the year on Wal-Mart wish list drives
and walks. An estimated $800 in supplies was donated to the Ronald McDonald House last year through the efforts of ADPi. “It’s nice to be able to give back to the community,” McGrail said. “There were local sponsors, and it was nice to see everyone come together.”
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