UNIVERSITY PRESS
THE
UPRESSONLINE.COM January 18, 2011 Vol. 16 Issue 16
Shipping out FAU director Peter Tatro helped sell the school’s only ship to a Brazilian company. A few months later, he quit to go work for that company. Some people think that’s fishy. -12-
First issue is free; each additional copy is 50 cents and available in the UP newsroom.
2 January 18, 2011
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News
Get the “Lowe” down university press Campus safety tips from Police Chief Charles Lowe www.upressonline.com January 18, 2011 Editor-in-chief Gideon Grudo Managing Editor James Shackelford ART DIRECTOR Mariam Aldhahi WEB EDITOR Tyler Krome Copy DESK CHIEF Ricky Michalski SPORTS EDITOR Franco Panizo Features editor Alyssa Cutter Entertainment Editor Briana Bramm senior editor Karla Bowsher LISTINGS EDITOR Kaceion Hudson Assistant art director Ariana Corrao Assistant Web Editor Paul Cohen Senior photogrpahers Christine Capozziello Liz Dzuro STAFF REPORTERS Ryan Cortes Sergio N. Candido Mark Gibson Monica Ruiz STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Todd Roller Elizabeth Whitton COPY EDITOR Rachel Chapnick CIRCULATION MANAGER Chris Persaud STAFF ILLUSTRATOR Adam Sheetz ADVISERS Marti Harvey Michael Koretzky
777 Glades Road Student Union, Room 214 Boca Raton, FL 33431 PHONE: (561) 297-2960 Want to join our team? E-mail: upress@fau.edu Staff Meetings: Every Friday at 2 p.m. in the Student Union, Room 214 WANT TO PLACE AN AD? Contact Marc Litt at (732) 991-6353 or marc@universityimpress.com PUBLISHER: FAU Student Government The opinions expressed by the UP are not necessarily those of the student body, Student Government or the university. Cover photo illustration by: Tyler Krome PHOTO BY JAMES Shackelford
3 January 18, 2011
Monica Ruiz Senior Reporter It may be a New Year, but FAU has the same ol’ crime problem with theft being the number one crime on campus. To ensure students have a safe semester, Chief Lowe offered tips for campus safety:
Theft: “Most of the thieves are criminals for opportunity. They are looking for the easiest take and on our campus its people who leave things in their car that is openly visible and don’t secure the vehicle.”— Lowe Don’t leave your purse or any other valuables in the car. It sounds obvious, but people still do it. “It’s amazing how many people will lay down valuables and walk away from them. We’ve had people go to the Rec center, put their stuff in the lockers and don’t put a lock on it.”—Lowe Treat your valuables as if they were your children. If you like them, protect them.
Dorm safety: “We know people tailgate into the resident halls and go looking for those open doors. This comes to a shock to students, but a lot of times it’s their classmates that are stealing from them.”—Lowe Rule of thumb: If you don’t know the person, don’t let them in. “You can name any resident hall on campus, pick any floor in that resident hall and I can find an unsecure room with no one in it. I promise you.”—Lowe You’re not living at home anymore. Your neighbor might not have the same return policy as your little brother who takes your video games without asking. If you like your stuff lock your door.
Be aware of your surroundings and know what’s going on around you. Look for walkways that are well lit … not the man-made patches in the grass.
Other services:
Lost and Found: Students can find a property list on www.fau. edu/police. Items are held for 30 days before being auctioned off. Free bike registration: Students can register bikes at the university police station and get a non-removable decal. If the bike gets stolen, campus police can identify the owner.
Operation Bookmark: To help lessen textbook theft, students can have the inside of their book stamped with an information block that identifies the owner. FAU police will be notified if someone other than the owner of the book tries to sell it.
Blue phones: There are 66 blue phones on campus that students can use to get in direct contact with the police. Response time is usually three minutes max.
Rape Aggression Defense: A three day course for women which teaches them self defense tactics and techniques. For more information call Harriet Pioquinto or register at www.fau.edu/police. Cost is $10 for students (refunded if student attends all three days) Dates: Jan. 13, Jan. 20 and Jan. 27
Bike theft: “Most all the bikes that are taken are not locked up and a lot of times we end up recovering the bikes at some other point on the campus. Someone would pick it up and borrow it for whatever amount of time they want to use it and then leave it.”—Lowe Would you leave your car keys in the ignition ready for whoever needs a ride? Nope. Lock your bike, and you’ll keep your ride.
Identity theft:
Check www.upressonline.com for weekly coverage of the police blotter log to know what crimes are happening on the Boca campus.
PHOTO BY ChRIStINE CApoZZIELLo
“Most of the problems we run into [with identity theft] have been related to debit and credit cards. Identity theft is an international problem and it’s growing all the time and social media doesn’t help at all.”—Lowe Identity theft on campus usually correlates with other theft. If you don’t want to give someone a shopping spree on your tab, secure your wallet at all times.
Personal safety: “We are all in a hurry and we will take the straightest line to get anywhere, but that is not always the safest way to go. Stay in the areas that are designated pedestrian walkways that are lit.”—Lowe
ABOVE: Police cruisers like this one can be seen patrolling the campus, in an attempt to crack down on crime. upressonline.com
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From the archives
FEATURE
Annals of the Owls
Brandon Ballenger Senior Reporter
FAU student means being an “Owl,” but it wasn’t always that way. We could’ve been the Kids, the Monkeys or the Sundancers. At one point, Student Government randomly decided we were going to be the Seahawks — until the student body protested. FAU opened in 1964 but didn’t have a mascot for the first six years, according to archives of The Atlantic Sun, which was the original name of FAU’s student newspaper. We didn’t have a football team either, and the students didn’t originally want one. (What FAU did have from nearly the start was a softball team, which was called “The Blue Wave.”) Instead, FAU adopted the Miami Dolphins as its official team when the Dolphins got their start in May of 1966. Students got discounted seats — only $1 per ticket — and the first Dolphins cheerleaders were FAU students. In fact, FAU didn’t get their own football team until 2001, almost 40 years later. But back in 1967, when FAU first began to dream of an intercollegiate sports program, The Atlantic Sun conducted an informal poll asking students what names might work for a mascot. Some of the answers they got were: Mustang, porpoise, tiger, “holy mackerel,” monkey and elephant. Students first voted on a mascot in the fall of 1970. “Burrowing Owls,” which had always been visible eing an
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and popular around the Boca campus, was the winning name. According to The Sun, the second-most popular choice was “Kid,” after a stray dog known to wander around the campus. On April 23, 1971, FAU became an official sanctuary for the burrowing owls. At the time, there were 100 on campus. Now there are fewer than 30. According to Annabelle McKie, who researched the decline of the owl population in 2003, the decrease in owls is partially due to FAU’s habit of relocating its beloved mascot for construction projects. Most recently and ironically, the new stadium project represented a threat to the owls, according to the Palm Beach County Environmental Coalition. Although the burrowing owl was officially incorporated into Student Government’s bylaws as the FAU mascot, they somehow lost track of that fact by 1983. According to The Sun, SG became confused about the official status of the mascot. One student leader named Chris Carson took it upon himself to settle the matter, and submitted legislation to change the mascot name to “The Seahawks.” SG voted in favor. His motivations are vague, but the archives do indicate that the name suggestion came from thenathletic director Jack Mehl, who is quoted as saying to SG, “There’s no need to canvas the student body. You’re
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their representatives. It’s the senate’s decision. There’s no need for a referendum.” The students begged to differ. After the vote — which came only one day after The Sun published an announcement that SG was soliciting ideas for a new name — many complained, and SG took a step back to hear out more student opinions. Multiple editorials were submitted to The Sun defending the Owl, and SG took a poll of students in the Breezeway. The Owl won and has stuck. Carson learned his lesson: He later ran for student body president and heavily featured the burrowing owl in his campaign materials. But nobody had forgotten he was the one who tried to change the mascot in the first place — least of all The Sun, which published an editorial mocking him for it. He lost the election. Issues of The Atlantic Sun were generously shared by the University Archives, Special Collections, FAU Libraries. For more information on this story, including scans of the original Atlantic Sun articles which inform this one, go to upressonline.com. This is only the first part of a series called From the archives, which will run throughout the semester.
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News
Taking care of business UP FILE ART
Business competition offers more than $100,000 to winners
BRIANA BRAMM ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR his spring, FAU students and alumni have the opportunity to present business plans to a professional committee risk-free — with the chance of winning part of a $100,000 prize. Now in its third year, the Business Plan Competition is open to both students and community members to submit business plans for the competition. “This is an opportunity not only for our students, faculty and alumni, but also the business community to get involved in trying to create successful businesses,” said assistant dean of community relations Kimberly Gramm. For students, this competition offers an opportunity to present their business ideas to a panel of professionals to iron out any bugs their ideas may have, without the risk of what a failed business plan would mean in the real world. “Through this activity, [students’] business plans are vetted through numerous screening judges that can be made up of faculty or industry experts. And they get a chance to win cash and prizes so that they can start their businesses,” Gramm explained. But while the opportunity is there, the process takes commitment. “It was very time-consuming, from the beginning, which was organizing the actual group and putting the business plan into writing, to the initial screening process, which narrows down, I don’t know, 300 to 16? And then there’s the competition,” explained Marshall Sklar, an FAU alum and a 2009 Business Plan Competition winner. After his win in 2009, Sklar came back to the competition in 2010 as a judge. “Compared to 2009, 2010 was definitely bigger, more organized, more detailed. And I’m assuming 2011 should be the same,” said Sklar. And this year, more than $100,000 in cash and prizes is up for grabs. To be selected as the winner of the competition, the submitted business plans go through a panel of 50 to 60 judges and are read individually up to five times to give each plan a collective score. The top-scoring plans then advance to the next round. “Every round adds a level of complexity,” said Gramm. Although the competition is available to everyone, this year the competition has been split into two tracks, one for students and one for alumni and community members. This division into two separate tracks means that students will be competing only against other students for the first-, second- and third-place prizes available. “Last year we made the change in the track because we found that students would prefer not to compete against people that are much more seasoned entrepreneurs … sort of level out the playing field, so to speak,” said Gramm. This means that the prizes will be divided between the two tracks, giving each track equal opportunity to the same amount of winnings at the end. “One of the things we’re trying to accomplish through this idea of creating businesses is that faculty get involved … we want smart people from all walks of life to come to this place to vet whether these are good business ideas to stimulate our local economy,” explained Gramm. “If you don’t go for it, you’ll never know,” said Sklar. “You have absolutely nothing to lose, and you have everything to gain.”
T
9 January 18, 2011
ABOVE: The winners of the 2009 Business Plan Competition pose with their prizes.
Check it out:
To enter the competition, visit www.faubpc.com to sign up as an individual or a team.
Dates to remember:
wJan. 28: Intent to compete and business competition concept deadline.
wFeb. 18: Team registration form deadline wMarch 27: Business plan submission deadline wApril 14 and 15: Event and presentation For full rules on the competition or for more information, go to www.faubpc.com.
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MARK GIBSON STAFF REPORTER
GAMER’S PA
A road map to the best of 2010 video games for The Casual Gamer
T
his past year was a big deal in the world of video games. Whether you are a hardcore gamer, a casual on the go gamer, or anything in between, there was plenty of merchandise to keep you busy. If you love video games, then 2010 was a big year for you. Tittles such as Halo Reach, Starcraft 2, and Call of Duty: Black Ops were some of the most anticipated games of the year. And for the casual gamer, you weren’t left in the dark. Games like Plants vs. Zombies and Robot Unicorn Attack were cheap and fun to play on the go. While waiting for 2011 to start rolling out more games, this map will provide both the dedicated and casual gamer with a guide to the games from 2010.
Run-of-the Mill G
(I play video games when I’m bored or in a social setting.)
(I enjoy playing both casua hardcore video games.)
I enjoy playing simple games and games on the go.
I like arcade games.
I play games on my Nintendo DS.
Super Meat Boy
Picross 3D
Sonic 4: Episode 1
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
I enjoy playing games w friends (or strangers onli
I play games on my phone.
I like playing muliplayer games online. I love shooters.
Limbo
I have a Playstation 3.
I have Xbox
Call of Duty: Black Ops
Halo Reac
Medal honor
I prefer games that are free. Death Worm
Robot Unicorn Attack
Tap Tap Revenge 4
I don’t mind paying for a game as long as it’s worth the money. Plants Vs. Zombies
I’m sick of shooters. I want a new multiplayer experience!
ModNa
B
Angry Birds
Need f Hot P
Flowchart design by Ariana Corrao
10 JANUARY 18, 2011
I like ra
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ARADISE
IN THE KNOW
r the casual and hardcore fan The Dedicated Gamer
Gamer
(I rarely leave my room and often neglect personal hygiene.)
al and
I enjoy playing games on my own.
with my ine).
e an 360.
o ch
I prefer multiplayer games with friends in the same room
I’m an RPG (role playing game) person.
I like sports games.
Final Fantasy XIII
Rock Band 3
NCAA 2011
Fallout: New Vegas Mass Effect 2
Dance Central
NBA 2K11
I like music games.
l of r
I want an action game! God of War III Disney Epic Mickey Red Dead Redemtion
acing games.
ation Racers
I’m a PC gamer.
Blur
Starcraft 2
for Speed: Pursuit
11 JANUARY 18, 2011
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm
Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood
Get familiar with a few popular 2010 games Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood Not only is this a great action game, but the multiplayer experience is unlike anything seen before. Instead of using firepower and your trigger finger, Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood is all about stealth and patience. Although that may seem boring, this style of multiplayer offers a surprisingly intense experience, as you are constantly on the edge of your seat. Mass Effect 2 This space-age sci-fi fantasy is one of the most popular and innovative role-playing games (RPG) on the market. It combines the elements of a third-person shooter with the use of an RPG to make an exciting hybrid video game. But what will really keep you hooked is the storyline. Mass Effect 2 is a character-driven story that you’ll find similar to watching a movie you never want to end. StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty After 12 years of waiting, StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty is finally among us. Blizzard, which also developed World of Warcraft, does not disappoint. The single-player storyline is one of the best so far in any real-time strategy game (RTS). The multiplayer experience can be frustrating if you are new to the game of StarCraft, but the singleplayer will be enough to keep you busy for a long time. Dance Central Dance Central is one of the first of a batch of games to utilize the Xbox 360 Kinect technology. This controller-free game will get you off your couch and dancing around your living room with friends. This is a unique music game which is fun for both the amateur and professional dancer. Sonic 4: Episode 1 Sonic is back, and this time it’s a game worth playing. If you are a fan of the original Sonic games on the Sega Genesis, then you will love Sonic 4: Episode 1. The best part is that this is only the first of many installments for the arcade game. It is only playable by download through Xbox Live, Playstation Network, WiiWare or PC.
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News
PHOTO BY JAMES SHACKELFORD
Ship it and quit it! Campus executive hired by company to which he sold FAU’s only ship The R/V Seward Johnson had been part of FAU’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute for more than 25 years when it was sold and shipped to Brazil. The research vessel was known most recently for its international expeditions and the national TV coverage it brought FAU during the Deep Horizon oil spill in 2010.
GIDEON GRUDO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
P
Tatro resigned from FAU while his most expensive accomplishment — the $6 million sale of a ship — was somewhere in the ocean between Florida and Brazil. For almost two years prior, Tatro was the lead figure in getting rid of the R/V Seward Johnson, the university’s only research vessel. Tatro, who was an associate executive director at the Harbor Branch campus, consulted on the entire contract of the ship’s sale. His graphs and presentations set out to prove that the ship was leaking money and had to go. He was also partly responsible for choosing to cut the ship off from U.S. research funding so it could contract with private companies. And then, while the ship was on its way to its new home, Tatro sent in his resignation letter to FAU on Dec. 22, which announced both his departure and his new boss — the company that bought the R/V Seward Johnson from the university. “For my part, I have been asked to join the Cepemar Group,” He wrote. “This is a stimulating and challenging business opportunity for me.” This “opportunity” might have Tatro working in the Boca campus’s Cepemar office, or maybe Brazil — Cepemar officials refused to comment. At least that’s what the secretary in the company’s two-room office said after explaining that everyone was out “on the field.” All five desk chairs were, indeed, vacant. She couldn’t confirm that Tatro had in fact been hired, explaining, “Only the GM knows who’s employed.” As of press time, the general manager of Cepemar’s Boca office, Craig Ash, could not be reached for comment. eter
The ship was sold in the summer of 2010, leaving for its new home in December. Its destination was Brazil, and it arrived there on New Year’s Eve, a week before Tatro left FAU. Scientists at Harbor Branch, FAU’s oceanographic campus, opposed the sale —they didn’t want to see their only research vessel go away. Administrators argued that the sale would keep the campus from financial disaster. While Provost Diane Alperin knew that Tatro was leaving, no else did — not until the entire campus received a modified version of his resignation letter two
12 January 18, 2011
hours before he would no longer be an FAU employee and a week after the Seward Johnson arrived at its destination. [See the sidebar] “As most of you know, I am resigning my faculty appointment and employment at [FAU] effective the close of business today,” wrote Tatro, whose annual salary was more than $150,000. “It has been a privilege and joy to work with all of you.” FAU professor Robin Radtke, who has a doctorate in accounting ethics, said that, based on the timing of his resignation, it’s safe to assume that Tatro’s negotiations with Cepemar for his new job started well before his resignation from FAU — during the time he was selling them the Seward Johnson. “It looks questionable if he finalized the deal and then immediately went to work for the buyer,” she said. Radtke compared the situation to a court trial, explaining that this is why you never see a lawyer representing both sides. Cepemar’s interest, she said, could have been “closer to [Tatro’s] heart.” “If he had the intent to go to Cepemar and was the negotiator for the sale of the ship at the same time, that’s clear-cut conflict of interest,” she said. “This is Wikipedia knowledge.” Diane Alperin was out of the country when Tatro resigned and returned only after he was gone. She said, “Everything FAU did was appropriate.” According to Alperin, Tatro would not have had the chance to steer the sale in his interest since the process was open and transparent. “When I received his resignation, one of the first things I did was consult the people,” she said regarding relevant FAU administrators. “I feel confident, from everything I’ve been told, that we followed the public process.” But John Reed, who’s been at Harbor Branch for more than thirty years, said that Tatro’s move seemed fishy. “Scientists and engineers are rightly disturbed by the unethical activities,” the senior research scientist said, adding that when Tatro joined the institute more than four years earlier, he had told scientists he would sell the ship for $10 to 12 million, almost double its actual price tag. “It was Tatro’s objective to get rid of the ship from the start.” Three other scientists refused to comment about Tatro on the record.
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News
Peter Tatro bids farewell On Dec. 22, 2010, Peter Tatro sent his resignation letter to Provost Diane Alperin. On Jan. 7, 2011, an assistant sent an e-mail to all employees of Harbor Branch — FAU’s oceanographic campus — announcing Tatro’s resignation with a few hours’ notice. Both letters end with his name. The two letters had different opening sentences. Resignation letter: I am writing to resign my faculty … Farewell letter : As most of you know, I am resigning my faculty …
Then the two letters continue exactly alike: … appointment and employment at Florida Atlantic University and Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute effective the close of business today, Friday, January 7. I have been privileged to serve with Megan Davis and Patrick Boles as the interim leadership of Harbor Branch and am proud of what has been accomplished over the last couple of years. I firmly believe that Harbor Branch and FAU are well positioned for a successful and exciting future in important and relevant marine science and technology areas. The selection of a new Executive Director, with the corresponding appointment of Associate Provost is exciting and bodes well for the work ahead. For my part, I have been asked to join the Cepemar Group to lead a new company that marries environmental monitoring work across several countries and continents with relevant scientific and educational opportunities. This is a stimulating and challenging business opportunity for me. More than that, though, I firmly believe that, in this corporate capacity, I may help create and foster significant scientific and technological research and educational
opportunities for FAU. I look forward to a continuing relationship with the university to that end. The resignation letter ends there, followed by the signature. Tatro’s farewell letter is a little longer; it continues: It has been a privilege and joy to work with all of you. I came to Harbor Branch 4-1/2 years ago because I believed in the capabilities and mission of the institute and, most importantly, I was inspired by the passion of the faculty and staff. The great legacy of Harbor Branch, and the brilliant future in front of it, is because of its people. You have a lot to be proud of and a lot to look forward to. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this great story. Respectfully, Pete Tatro
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SPORTS
THE EVOLUTION OF FAU FANS
The Dirty Birds continue to make their presence felt at sporting events
n mid-November, at FAU’s home opener for the basketball season, Warner University arrived at The Burrow for a 7 p.m. tipoff. One of Warner’s players had long hair, bangs flowing in front of his face and covering a portion of his eyes. As he dribbled up the court, chants of “Bieber!” vibrated throughout the arena. Although singer Justin Bieber is popular among a younger demographic, the cheers were meant to badger Warner’s point guard. The fans making those chants weren’t just any fans, either. They were the Dirty Birds. “That’s just the Dirty Birds being the Dirty Birds,” said senior forward Brett Royster. “They’re always going to have something. We laughed, we thought it was funny, because obviously we could hear it too.” Throughout the game Warner’s players were hit with jeers, each one more inventive than the last. To cause confusion for the opposing offense, multiple fans would shout “Hey,” not in unison, to give the illusion of multiple players calling for the ball. “The Dirty Birds and all the student groups have the same mission, and it’s to support the basketball team, to give them a home court advantage,” said Mike Burdman, founder of the Dirty Birds and current graduate assistant for alumni relations. “You go to any other mid-major school, most of them have a good student section that actually gives the team a home field advantage when they’re playing and that was the whole idea behind the Dirty Birds.” With Burdman’s help, home games for the Owls are now loud and vibrant, filled with young fans brimming with passion. It wasn’t always that way, though. “I remember being in the stands during basketball games and there were 10, maybe 15 of us on a good day,” said Burdman of basketball games from 4 or 5 years ago. Prior to head basketball coach Mike Jarvis’ tenure beginning in 2008, the Dirty Birds were known as the Rowdy Rexes, named after former basketball coach Rex Walters. Essentially, the group consisted of Burdman and a few friends determined to cheer FAU on. When Walters left, it was obvious to Burdman that a name change for his group was in order. As a result, the Rowdy Rexes became the Dirty Birds, an expanding group of passionate fans, bestowing a new home court advantage upon FAU’s athletics. Today, the Dirty Birds fill up The Burrow, FAU’s basketball arena, with screams and squeals. However, with a slew of parents and children beside the Dirty Birds, Burdman has always demanded that those screams remain devoid of any offensive language. “We make it a point not to say anything that would be considered bad — no cursing, that’s one of the rules, we don’t like cursing at all,” said Burdman. With the number of members in the Dirty Birds expanding, though, that isn’t always easy to regulate.
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Last year, the Dirty Birds and others filled The Burrow though you weren’t with us today, Smitty, congratulations. with chants of “rapist” upon the arrival of FIU’s coach, You were as much a part of this program as anyone who Isiah Thomas. was here today.’” The chants upset Thomas’ wife, Lynn, who was in the Following the call, Smith and others from both the Dirty stands that night. She was so upset that she called FAU Birds and the prOWLers made their way to New Orleans herself to say so, a move that resulted in the university for the bowl, and the result was every bit as emotional as the conducting an investigation into the chants. phone call preceding it. “I was contacted by one of the athletic directors and was “Going to the New Orleans Bowl as an alum and not a asked if I knew who did it, and obviously I didn’t,” said student was very emotionally moving for me,” said Smith. “I Burdman. “And they told me they were investigating it, but caught myself crying in joy as did many people on Bourbon I don’t know what ever came of it.” Street chanting ‘Go FAU.’” Now graduated and removed from the front line of the Perhaps the most satiating element behind both the Dirty Dirty Birds, Burdman is in an administrative role, currently Birds and the prOWLers is the gratitude FAU athletes give helping out another student group, the prOWLers. back. Today the prOWLers and the Dirty Birds work mostly as “The entire basketball team has brought us back to the one by attending numerous FAU sporting events, all in the locker room with Coach Jarvis to thank us for what we’ve name of creating difficult environments for opponents of the done to help them,” said Burdman “And it’s a great feeling Owls to play in. when the players come up to you and thank you.” Back in 2002, however, with support dwindling, Student Even Royster, known for his tenacious defense, isn’t governor Pablo Paez enlisted the help of freshman Rick afraid to shower the Dirty Birds with love and praise. ‘Smitty’ Smith to ensure that the prOWLers would have a “It means a lot. They’ve always been dedicated fans since future with FAU fans’ support. I’ve been here, they've always meant a lot to me,” said Smith, who currently sits on the board of directors for the Royster. “Every time I look into the crowd, they're always alumni association, rewarded Paez’s faith by growing the right there front and center, and it means the world to us.” prOWLers. Smith oversaw the prOWLers, and Owls fans like the Dirty Birds and the with his help, his beloved student group prOWLers cheer on the men’s basketball — along with the Dirty Birds — has team at every home game. transformed the atmosphere at FAU games. Smith himself can’t even believe the transformation the student groups have created. “It’s unreal,” said Smith. “It’s absolutely unreal to watch what the university has done, and what the students have done has been incredible.” The transformation is not lost on even the most tenured of athletes. “I told some of the guys the other day, ‘I feel like I actually play college basketball now because we actually have a legit student section,’” said Royster. While Smith would be complimented by such a comment, his favorite memory came in 2007. “The single greatest moment was in early December 2007,” said Smith. “FAU had just beaten Troy in football and we knew we were going to the New Orleans Bowl, and I had people calling me from Troy saying we won and we were going to a bowl game. “But then I get a call from an unknown number and I answer the phone and it’s [head football] coach Howard Schnellenberger and he called me from his cell phone from Troy and said, ‘Even PHOTO BY LIZ DZURO
Ryan Cortes STaff reporter
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listings & sudoku Details: A banquet honoring the birthday of the late Martin Luther King Jr. More info: Shamal Williams, swill227@fau.edu
What: Talent Show Auditions When: Tuesday, Jan. 18 Where: Grand Palm Room, Student Union, Boca campus What time: 5 to 8 p.m. Cost: Free Details: Students will audition for a chance to showcase their talents in the Spring Talent show More info: Adler Marchard, amarcha4@fau.edu What: NAACP— “Why Don’t We Vote?” When: Tuesday, Jan. 18 Where: Queen Palm Room, Student Union, Boca campus What time: 6 to 7 p.m. Cost: Free Details: A seminar on voting and its presence on a college campus More info: Anabel Cordero, acordero09@gmail.com
What: How to Start a New Club When: Thursday, Jan. 20 Where: Royal Palm Room, Student Union, Boca campus What time: 3:45 to 4:45 p.m. Cost: Free Details: Training workshop on how to start a club on campus More info: Gina Lavagna, glavagna@fau.edu
LISTINGS
KACEION HUDSON LISTINGS EDITOR
What: Program Board- Comedy Show When: Tuesday, Jan. 18 Where: Carole and Barry Kaye Performance Arts Auditorium, Student Union, Boca campus What time: 9 to 11 p.m. Cost: Free Details: A comedian will perform More info: Carey Jones, cjones3@fau.edu
What: JSU Comedy Night When: Thursday, Jan. 20 Where: Coyote Jack’s, Boca campus What time: 7 to 10 p.m. Cost: Free Details: Comedy show featuring Dave Ahdoot and Ethan Fixell More info: Lauren Heyman, lheyman@fau.edu What: FAU Punk Kollektiv When: Friday, Jan. 21 Where: Schmidt Gallery, Boca campus What time: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Cost: Free Details: HootWisdom Recordings artist performs at the Raymond Pettibon Exhibition More info: www.fau.edu/galleries/pettibonprogramming.php All events were taken from events.fau.edu/mastercalendar/ mastercalendar.aspx
What: Martin Luther King, Jr. Legacy Luncheon When: Wednesday, Jan. 19 Where: Live Oak Pavilion A, B & C, Boca campus What time: 12 to 1:30 p.m. Cost: Free
Looking for more on-campus events this week? Visit www.upressonline.com and click on the ìListingsî tab.
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19 January 18, 2011
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