VOL.19 | #6
November 07, 2017
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UP STAFF EDITOR IN CHIEF Joe Pye MANAGING EDITOR Kerri-Marie Covington CREATIVE DIRECTOR Celeste Andrews WEB EDITOR Richard Finkel BUSINESS MANAGER Ryan Lynch NEWS EDITOR Katrina Scales 2 11.07.2017 University Press
FEATURES EDITOR Thomas Chiles PHOTO EDITOR Alexander Rodriguez DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Benjamin Paley CONTRIBUTORS Viviana Lopez, Nate Nkumbu, Hope Dean, Brian Ramirez, Joshua Giron, Violet Castano, Carol Porter, Ivan Benavides ADVISERS Neil Santaniello, Ilene Prusher, Michael Koretzky
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Table of Contents Meal Plan Mark Up
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From Graduation To Government
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Top 5 Most Funded FAU Research Projects
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FAU Football fans lead Florida in gameday arrests
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News Briefs Halloween On Campus
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A look into food data of Florida’s 12 public universities, where FAU stacks up, and how students feel about the high prices. Graduate student Ryan Rossi is running for office — and he hopes to improve FAU along the way.
A look at how $5 million of federal money is spent by FAU researchers.
Among the largest and most well known Florida college football programs, FAU’s fans led the nation in arrests at home games last year. A highlight of the UP’s top news stories from the past few weeks. A photo gallery of some of the events FAU put on in preparation of Halloween. 11.07.2017 University Press 3
NEWS BRIEFS Atlantic Dining Hall hosts Halloween party Viviana Lopez | Contributing Writer
A local haunted house previewed its main attraction at the event.
Haunted house Enigma Haunt character poses in the dining hall. Joshua Giron | Staff Photographer 4 11.07.2017 University Press
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creams and laughs were heard coming from the Atlantic Dining Hall’s Halloween party Oct. 25. The event included Boca Raton haunted house Enigma Haunt, an attraction voted the “#1 Must See Haunted House in Florida” by TheScareFactor.com. The haunted house featured screaming characters who jumped out and chased students. Enigma Haunt marketing employee Damian Conti acts as “Dr. Grant, a mad scientist” for the haunted house. “We are a haunted house, we are here to entertain our guests. We are a charitable cause, we partner with Don’t Be a Monster [a bullying prevention program],” Conti said. “We want to bring the spirit of Halloween back to South Florida.” At the cafeteria, students spun a wheel to win prizes such as beads, candy, shot glasses, or a free ticket to the haunted house six minutes away from campus. A short preview of the full Enigma Haunt house was located in the corner of the hall. After exiting the “maze of scares,” neuroscience and behavior major Sebastien Nicolas said he enjoyed the scare. “I was kind of expecting for them to jump out of the side,” Nicolas said. “I knew ‘IT’ was the theme, so I was expecting clowns.” Along with the haunted house, there was a pumpkin carving contest held at the front of the dining hall. Ten teams made up of two members participated. The winners of the contest were a freshmen couple, Deja Wallace and Emari Wiles Lee. The prize was a $50 Universal gift card and $9 in FAU dining dollars.
Student Government considering on-campus bike rental program Members plan to implement security measures to prevent bike theft. Nate Nkumbu | Staff Writer
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he Boca Raton campus House of Representatives wants to provide bike rentals for students, but the planning has yet to be completed. Student Government members met Friday, Oct. 27 in the Student Union House Chambers to discuss a resolution that would create an on-campus bike rental program. But house speaker Marianne Alex said that it would take some time before it’s available to students. “Students have made that request before and we’re also going to do a survey to make sure that they do want it,” she said. Alex said that there will be security measures in place to protect the bikes from getting stolen or lost. She added that the university would work with the city of Boca Raton to install bike locks. “They’ll stay locked until you pay via credit card or by phone,” Alex said, adding that “we haven’t gotten that far yet.”
Office of Multicultural Affairs hosts conversation on LGBT dating violence Hope Dean | Contributing Writer
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he Office of Multicultural Affairs hosted a meeting for students to learn about issues affecting LGBT couples at the new Women and Gender Equity Resource Center Oct. 26. The space is still not completed, but is already being utilized for talks and activities. Oct. 26’s seminar called, “It’s Not What You Think,” discussed misconceptions associated with same-sex dating. Located on the second floor of the Breezeway above the food court, the center provides services such as a lactation room for student mothers, resource options, and an open space to gather and relax. Abuse can come in multiple forms, Whitney Hagen explained, the LGBT program’s coordinator and psychologist at the Counseling Center. It can be about physical harm, manipulation, explicit sexual assault, financial abuse, and emotional harm. According to Hagen, 21 percent of men and 35 percent of women in LGBT relationships have experienced intimate partner violence as opposed to the 7 percent of men and the 20 percent of women in heterosexual relationships. Almost 35 percent of transgender people were reported to have endured abuse as well. Despite the numbers, it is difficult for members of the LGBT community to be able to seek help when they are in an abusive relationship, Hagen said. She cited
FAU police: Man brings BB gun into Parliament Hall The man’s attorney said he waved the gun to break up a fight involving his girlfriend. Katrina Scales | News Editor
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man is facing felony charges after wielding his airsoft gun in a dorm room to break up a fight between two female students. Jamarlee Treasure, 19, was arrested just before midnight Oct. 23 on the sixth floor of Parliament Hall. According to an FAU police affidavit, officers arrived at the scene after the physical altercation and reported noticeable injuries on both women. Treasure’s attorney said his client, who is not a student, was only trying to break up the fight involving his girlfriend and her roommate, WFTV said. However, all individuals on the scene believed that the firearm was real and feared for their safety, according to the FAU police
two likely reasons: fear of their partner and fear that law enforcement may not take a report as seriously if the individuals are in a such a relationship. The FAU Police Department is currently taking steps to address these concerns. Jonathan Ponce is a former FAU student and the LGBT liaison for the campus police department. Ponce explained that his experience with police after coming out was positive and that this department will not discriminate. FAU police have not reported any same-sex violence cases,
Photo courtesy of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office
report. A judge issued a no-contact order, banning Treasure from the Boca campus. He has been charged with aggravated assault with a firearm without intent to kill and possession of a weapon on school grounds. His bond was set at $8,000 Oct. 24 and he is scheduled to appear for a hearing at the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Nov. 22.
according to Ponce, but that doesn’t mean that none are happening. “We want to connect with the community and we want to help out,” Ponce said. “We’re starting little by little.” In the case of abuse, FAU’s Victim Services is located in the Wimberly Library in Room 156 and the FAU police department is located on the north end of the Boca campus off NW 8th Ave.
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From Graduation To Government
Graduate student Ryan Rossi is running for office — and he hopes to improve FAU along the way. Thomas Chiles | Features Editor
Ryan Rossi speaks with Congressman Alcee Hastings and students at the Youth Leadership Academy congressional session earlier this year at Palm Beach State College. Photo courtesy of Ryan Rossi’s Facebook 6 11.07.2017 University Press
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hen Ryan Rossi graduated from FAU in December 2007, he knew he wanted to get involved in politics. What he didn’t know is that 10 years later he would be pursuing a master’s degree while beginning his campaign to represent District 89 at the Florida State House, the very district FAU is located in. Rossi, 32, is a current graduate student scheduled to graduate this semester with a master’s in political studies. He filed as a Democrat in May of this year to represent Florida’s 89th state house district. Until the election in November 2018, Rossi plans to campaign as much as possible to ensure his voice is heard. “We are actively campaigning, we had a meet-and-greet, we’ve gone around and made some speeches,” Rossi said. “We are pretty much a full-fledged campaign at this point.”
FAU’s Influence Although he was interested in politics when he initially started at FAU, some of Rossi’s classes and professors helped further influence his path toward politics. “My junior year they had a class that they don’t offer anymore which was a mock legislature of the U.S. Congress,” Rossi said. “At that time, I was presented with an opportunity to be on the student court, which of course I accepted.” Rossi said that one of his most influential professors was Robert Watson, Ph.D., who taught at FAU for over five years until 2007 before he left to work at Lynn University. During his time at FAU, Watson won Distinguished Professor of the Year in 2005 and the Faculty Service Award in 2006. It’s been over a decade since he’s had him in class, but Watson still remembers Rossi very well from his political science class. “Although professors are not supposed to say such things, I will state that he was one of my absolute favorite students,” Watson said. In class, Watson said that Rossi was always at the front of the room and was a leader in all of the class debates and discussion. He would stay late after class to further discuss and debate the day’s lesson. “[Rossi] had the admiration and respect of his peers in class and treated the other students with openness and support,” Watson said. Watson’s nickname for him was “Kennedy,” because former President John F. Kennedy is one of Rossi’s heroes. So the professor wasn’t surprised when Rossi began his campaign for Florida’s House District 89 this year. “I always knew that Ryan would run for public office someday,” Watson said. “He not only had a great grasp of political issues
but exhibited a genuine enthusiasm for public service. This is apparent in how he has spent the years since graduating, devoting himself to the community.” As an undergraduate student, Rossi was also involved with the College Democrats and Student Government’s Student Court. But when he received his bachelor’s degree in 2007, he realized how limited the political job market is for a 23-year-old graduate. “When you are passionate about politics and you go to college, you think that’s something you really want to do,” Rossi said. “Then you realize when you graduate that your options are a lot less.”
The Real World After graduation, Rossi received his real estate license and began working for his friend’s company in a marketing position. He said that his position was comfortable, but unfulfilling. “I didn’t even consider going into teaching, which is something that political science majors usually do,” Rossi said. He ended up back at the high school he graduated from, St. John Paul Academy, teaching government, economics, and psychology. Rossi was also involved with the high school’s Student Government and was the moderator of its council. But still, Rossi had an itch for public service that he hadn’t satisfied. He knew he wanted to run for public office, but as a teacher, he didn’t have the time or money to launch any kind of campaign.
“The reality at the time was that the wages just weren’t high enough,” Rossi said. “But real estate kept itself in the picture and I never got rid of my license.” Rossi jumped back into real estate and started his own business before joining a larger company, where he currently sells residential properties in Palm Beach County. “So I transitioned from business, to education, and then back to business, but I’ve always kept an interest in politics throughout that time,” Rossi said. “It was something I was never able to fully separate myself from.” Now, Rossi had the time and funds to truly begin his political path. But first he wanted his master’s in political science, which he began at FAU in January 2016. He’s scheduled to graduate this December.
Back to FAU Rossi holds high praise for the political science graduate program’s classes and professors. One of Rossi’s current professors is also one of his favorites — Robert Rabil, Ph.D. “He’s studious, his arguments are well, he knows his topics,” Rabil said of Rossi. “And he’s always had a lot of interest in this area. In the community he is active and also active on the social issues here in the area.” Rabil, just like Watson, knew that Rossi would one day run for office. Although Rossi is seeking political office at such a young age,
Ryan Rossi. Violet Castano | Contributing Photographer 11.07.2017 University Press 7
Rabil’s advice is that he must start somewhere. “If not now, when?” Rabil said, quoting the famous Jewish leader Hillel the Elder. “Even if he doesn’t win now, it will prepare him for the next election in two years.” Just weeks from graduating, Rossi finally feels ready for public office. His campaign has begun, and his political platform is built around local issues — one that includes the FAU campus itself. One of Rossi’s main goals as the representative of District 89 would be to try to get more funding for research at FAU. “It certainly would be my personal goal to work as hard as I can to make sure FAU has what it needs, within the scope of reason,” Rossi said. “To continue becoming one of the up-and-coming successful universities in the state is important to me.” Compared to older, more established state universities like UF and FSU, FAU doesn’t receive as many research funds from the state. “From the position of the state legislature you’re kind of limited with the scope of what you can do,” Rossi admits. “I’ve been incredibly impressed by [FAU’s] research and development and so I would hope they would continue to have the funding they need. We want to make sure FAU is moving in that direction and that the state is aware of the progress FAU is making.”
Rossi’s Campaign Platform If he wins the election, Rossi has chosen to focus on three issues affecting the district: public education, the environment, and the opioid crisis. House Bill 7069 was signed in the most recent state house session, which Rossi says essentially takes funding from public schools and puts it into charter schools, which receive government funding but operate outside of the state school system. “I definitely think introducing a fairer education bill that keeps funding in public schools is something that I want to talk about pretty immediately,” Rossi said. As a former teacher, Rossi said he values public education system funding. “Not every kid can afford to go to a private school,” Rossi said. “So when it comes to investing in public education you want to be sure that every kid is afforded equal opportunity, that teachers are paid adequately for their services, and that we are focusing on things like critical thinking.” 8 11.07.2017 University Press
The second issue Rossi hopes to positively affect is the local environment and addressing issues like storm surge, beach erosion, and saltwater intrusion. “It’s troubling to me that there are people in the state, opposite of me party-wise, who don’t even want to acknowledge the words climate change when it’s such a real issue,” Rossi said. “If you live in this district, you definitely know it’s real.” Rossi believes that one reason it’s important to elect younger people into political office is because they have a stronger understanding of the impact of climate change. “When sea levels are rising at the rate that they are, that’s something that has to be acknowledged,” Rossi said. “We need to start working across the aisles to invest in the right infrastructures here locally.” Rossi’s final local issue to address is the opioid crisis, which has now become an area of national concern. “We ar dealing with people that are dying at an unprecedented rate, it’s a national crisis and emergency,” Rossi said. “We are at Ground Zero here in Palm Beach County.” Rossi praised daily newspaper The Palm Beach Post for its extensive coverage of the opioid crisis and drug arrests in the area.
“We need to start engaging with the community on public safety and how to reintegrate people who are suffering from addiction and figure out what the next role should be for them in the community,” said Rossi. Rossi’s only current competition in the Democratic primary election is Jim Bonofiglio, the current vice mayor of Ocean Ridge, located near Boynton Beach. Only one candidate is running on the Republican ticket, Matt Spritz. But as far as his own election fate, Rossi is hopeful. “I feel pretty confident because I think that right now at least from what I hear, it’s time for younger people to start taking the mantle of leadership and becoming more active,” Rossi said. “With everything that’s happening in the country right now, I think that younger people are the key to correcting many of the problems that we face.”
“With everything that’s happening in the country right now, I think that younger people are the key to correcting many of the problems that we face.”
Ryan Rossi promotes the Youth Leadership Academy at the local Democratic Executive Committee meeting. Photo courtesy of Carol Porter
haLlOWEEN ON cAMPUS
FAU President John Kelly drops the first pumpkin off the Physical Science Building at the 11th annual Pumpkin Drop. Brian Ramirez | FAU President John Kelly watches as a pumpkin plummets from the Physical Science Building. Brian Ramirez | Contributing Photographer Contributing Photographer An employee from haunted house company Enigma Haunt is seen dressed up in a clown costume while serving four meals during the Halloween party hosted by the Atlantic Dinning Hall Oct. 26. Joshua Giron | Staff Photographer
Students from Central Charter School and the FAU A.D. Henderson University School scream and cheer as the pumpkins are thrown off the top of the Physical Science Building. Brian Ramirez | Contributing Photographer
FAU freshman communication major Emma Horan (center) said, “If I don’t look at it, it’ll go away” to the person dressed up in a clown costume (right). Joshua Giron | Staff Photographer
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Top 5 Most Funded FAU Research Projects The school receives millions of dollars in research funding each year from the National Institutes of Health to make groundbreaking scientific discoveries. Katrina Scales | News Editor
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ince Florida has received a recordbreaking amount of federal funding, FAU biomedical researchers are putting the university’s Division of Research on the map. Seventeen FAU biomedical projects have been awarded a collective $5.4 million to research how to reduce illness, understand the nuances of the human brain, and improve society’s overall health. The National Institutes of Health is the primary government agency responsible for funding biomedical and public health research, investing nearly $32 billion annually in higher education and private research organizations. Florida received a record-setting haul this year — $644 million — up from last year’s record of $528 million, according to the Palm Beach Post. The majority of Florida’s NIH grants were picked up by state schools; FAU came in 12th among Florida’s public institutions. In recent months, the university has received recognition for its efforts to position itself among the state’s top contributors to scientific inquiry. In October, the National Council on Undergraduate Research selected FAU for the 2017 Award for Undergraduate Research Accomplishments. Most projects are a team effort, comprised of professors, Ph.D. students and undergraduate students. The following is a look into five of the most funded scientific developments happening at FAU right now.
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#1
Treating Brain Disorders
The Scientist:
Dr. Randy Blakely ≈ $3.2 million
Randy Blakely, Ph.D., is an internationally renowned neuroscientist who joined FAU’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine in 2016 from Vanderbilt University. He currently serves as executive director of the FAU Brain Institute, where researchers look to improve the lives of those with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, drug addiction, Alzheimer’s disease, and dementia, among others. Blakely is also a professor of biomedical science at the Jupiter campus and is responsible for a dozen patents related to his gene discoveries.
and autism. Blakely’s ultimate goal is to change the way we treat these disorders and diminish the harsh side-effects that come with certain antidepressant drugs like Prozac and Zoloft.
The Research: Blakely has a track record of landing government funding for his work. This fiscal year, he was awarded $857,866 for two projects: “Regulation of Serotonin Transporters” and “Knock-In Mouse Model of Dopamine Dysfunction Underlying Traits of ADHD.” Serotonin is a mood-regulating chemical that carries signals between nerves and can activate muscle constrictions. It’s also a compound that directly contributes to our feelings of well-being and happiness. Blakely and his team of scientists use lab mice to study a specific serotonin mutation, which essentially stops the chemical’s production. Through their research, scientists hope to understand how to better treat conditions like depression and addiction. The neuroscientist was also granted an extra $2.5 million to continue his study of serotonin and its relationship with disorders like anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder,
Randy Blakely. Photo courtesy of FAU News Desk
The FAU Brain Institute Established in 2016 on the Jupiter campus, the institute was also named a Nikon Center of Excellence in December the same year. The Nikon Center is a partnership with select research centers that invest in providing young researchers with access to high-end imaging technology. The institute is now one of only seven centers in the U.S., and 17 internationally, to have received the distinction.
#2
Studying Bilingual Language Development Dr. Erika Hoff = $583,649
The Scientist: Erika Hoff, Ph.D., is an FAU psychology professor in the College of Science. Hoff is also the director of the Language Development Lab. Its researchers have been studying the linguistic development of children who only speak one language, English, and the development of English and Spanish in bilingual children for seven years. In 2013, Hoff was appointed as a member of the Language and Communication Study Section of the National Institutes of Health. Last year, Hoff was granted $2.9 million for her work in bilingual language studies.
The Research: Hoff’s research focuses on how language development is different in children who are acquiring two languages simultaneously. The 7-year-old study began when the participants were 2 1/2 years old and will continue until they are 10. Hoff and her team are following their development to study how their early language skills are related to their later language and literacy skills. In February 2017, the study was published in the journal, “Developmental Science” and reported that when Spanish-English bilingual children learn two languages from birth, each language progresses independently of the other. The researchers also found that Spanish vocabulary and grammar skills can be influenced by their English skills, but English is not susceptible to influence from Spanish language rules. “One of the clear lessons from our research is that it is difficult to maintain Spanish skills in an English speaking world,” Hoff wrote in an email to the Universtiy Press. “This comes as a surprise to many people because we hear Spanish spoken all the time in South Florida. But Spanish is spoken more by older immigrants. For children English encroaches on their development of skills in Spanish.”
Erika Hoff sits with a member of her linguistics study. Photo courtesy of FAU News Desk
National Institutes of Health: The ‘gold standard’ for scientific research Securing thousands, let alone millions, from the National Institutes of Health is not an easy task. The vetting process for research funding is long and complicated, making it that much more significant that Hoff was chosen to receive over $2.9 million. The institutes reported that more than 80 percent of applications were denied in 2016, which was a higher success rate than the previous year.
Developing Naturally Derived Chemicals To Treat Brain Damage The Scientist:
#3
Salvatore Lepore, Ph.D., is a chemistry professor in the College of Science. Lepore began his scientific career at FAU in 2000. He has received numerous awards and grants from the American Chemical Society, the National Science Foundation, and the National Institutes of Health. In addition, he is an associate editor for “Perspectives in Medicinal Chemistry,” an international, peer-reviewed journal for medicinal chemists. Lepore was first awarded funding in 2014 and continues to work closely with FAU Brain Institute Associate Director Ken Dawson-Scully and his team.
The Research: Lepore’s project revolves around developing new kinds of medicine using naturally derived chemicals from plants and animals. The Dawson-Scully group researches how to protect the brain from damaging neurological conditions by using their internationally known chemical derived from fruit flies. Their efforts, along with Lepore’s, hold promise for a new treatment strategy of damage caused by strokes and certain neurological diseases like
Dr. Salvatore Lepore = $448,500
Parkinson’s. These studies are intended to serve as a starting point for the development of new medicines. “I want to stress that our research is of a fundamental nature, which occurs at the beginning of the drug development process,” Lepore told the UP. “We Salvatore Lepore. Photo courtesy are discovering of Newswise new knowledge in Chemistry and Biology that, if all goes well, will pave the way for future medicinal therapy.” The project is in its final grant cycle, meaning the teams have one last step before they’ve finished creating this naturally derived chemical.
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#4
Preventing Damage Caused By The Aging Process
The Scientist:
Herbert Weissbach, Ph.D., has been a research professor in the College of Science and director of the Center for Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at the Jupiter campus for 20 years. Before he came to FAU, he worked for the U.S. government and spent 27 years in the biomedical industry. Weissbach is known for his discovery of chemicals that work to target and kill cancer cells without harming healthy cells. He found that cancer cells, unlike healthy cells, are more sensitive to damage after exposure to antiinflammatory drugs.
Dr. Herbert Weissbach =$442,560
#5
Researching Behavior And Its Role In Brain Disorders Dr. J. A. Scott Kelso =$385,008
The Research: Weissbach and his team of FAU researchers are looking to prevent damage caused by the aging process and age-related diseases. Using flies and worms as test subjects, the team discovered that their lifespan can be stretched by increasing the level of protective chemicals in their DNA. Though these findings are not for human use, they inspired a search for the treatment of retinal damage in the eye. Some diseases of the retina lead to vision loss that are due to the aging process. Today, Weissbach is working to treat two age-related diseases, macular degeneration and a genetic disease called retinitis pigmentosa using funding from the National Institutes of Health.
The Scientist: Scott Kelso, Ph.D., is a neuroscientist and professor of psychology and biological sciences. Originally from Northern Ireland, Kelso left Yale University to start the Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences at FAU in 1985. His move was supported by “visionaries” at the National Institutes of Health who provided funding not only for his research, but for a national training program in complex systems and brain sciences based at the university. This past summer, Kelso was admitted to
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Herbert Weissbach. Photo courtesy of Division of Research
Did You Know:
FAU’s Research Park on the Boca campus is the only state-affiliated research facility in South Florida and is home to more than two dozen billion dollar companies and five support organizations.
the Royal Irish Academy, Ireland’s leading group of experts in sciences and humanities. Kelso told the UP that research and teaching are his calling. “I don’t want to glorify it, but for me the life of a scientist is a combination of work and wonder,” Kelso said. “Like everything else it has its ups and downs, its fits and starts, its ebbs and flows, priorities that come and go, but you just get on with it.”
The Research: Kelso and his team are using state-of-theart brain imaging technology and theories
J. A. Scott Kelso. Photo courtesy of FAU Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences
surrounding behavior to understand how humans interact. This new field of social neuroscience relates to disorders like schizophrenia and autism. The researchers tested the brains of two interacting people to observe the patterns of interaction that evolve to form a “dance.” It is this dance that Kelso’s lab believes produces ordinary behavior and can be affected by mental conditions and disease.
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Meal Plan Mark Up
As registration for spring classes begins, students express their frustrations over campus food costs. Nate Nkumbu | Staff Writer Ilustrations by Celeste Andrews | Creative Director
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hile students gear up for their spring semester classes, they’re also renewing their meal plans. But many students complain that the meal plan is too costly for what it offers and that even the options outside of campus don’t cater to students, leaving some to worry where they’ll find food. The cost of the most expensive FAU meal plan currently stands at $1,932 for residents, with the least expensive coming in at $1,630. When including the cost of tuition, a student can spend upward of $4,648 per semester on just food and classes alone. The average monthly cost for groceries for males between the ages of 19-50 costs $368.80, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. For females, the costs stand at $327.20. The FAU meal plan, spread out over the length of a semester, averages out to $408-483 per month. Licensed dietitian Wendy Dickerman said that while the USDA’s food guidelines are an accurate measurement of what a person pays per month for food, it doesn’t take into account additional food costs and general costs of
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living. “Those numbers don’t take into consideration is that buying items like milk, bread, yogurt, meat, peanut butter, jelly, whatever you need at that moment,” she said. “It also doesn’t take into account cooking the food and adding herbs and spices that you need to cook.” Dickerman said that buying groceries and eating out will cost more in wealthy areas like Boca Raton. “Food is going to expensive in a place like Boca than in rural Wisconsin,” she said. The dietitian added that the cost of food isn’t the only factor taken into account when FAU calculates meal plan costs. Chartwells, the company that operates all food services at FAU, has to cover the costs of food, maintenance, and employee salary. “When you look at a meal plan, you have to take into account that someone is cooking it for you, you have to pay for a cook, someone to clean the floors, you have to pay someone to clean the ovens,” she said. The University Press requested to speak with Chartwells about on-campus food prices but the company did not respond as of
Meals and Deals University of Florida
Maximum Deal: $2,214.90 Minimum Deal: $1,906.00
Florida State University Maximum Deal: $1,999.00 Minimum Deal: $899.00
Florida Atlantic University Maximum Deal: $1,932.00 Minimum Deal: $1,630.00
Florida International University Maximum Deal: $2,149.00 Minimum Deal: $499.00
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Maximum Deal: $2,991.00 Minimum Deal: $2,591.00
Florida Institute of Technology Maximum Deal: $2,940.00 Minimum Deal: $1,775.00
University of Central Florida Maximum Deal: $2,166.50 Minimum Deal: $1,915.00
University of South Florida Maximum Deal: $1,869.00 Minimum Deal: $769.00
University of West Florida Maximum Deal: $2,131.00 Minimum Deal: $1,890.00
University of North Florida Maximum Deal: $2,050.00 Minimum Deal: $1,700.00
Florida Gulf Coast University Maximum Deal: $2,149.98 Minimum Deal: $500.00
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University of Central Florida
Hours: 7:30 a.m. - 10 p.m.
EU
THE
University of West Florida
Florida Tech
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Number of outside options: 113 Number of residents: 5,345
Number of outside options: 108 Number of residents: 1,974
ou
12
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:30 UC a.m F .-
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:7
Florida Institute of Technology
University of South Florida
Hours
a.m
Number of outside options: 100 Number of residents: 2,116
Ave ra
2 a.m.
.m. - 1 : 6:30 a
: 8 FA a. M m U .10 p. m .
a.m
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
Number of outside options: 77 Number of residents: 6,440
FIU
USF
rs: 7
Number of outside options: 94 Number of residents: 4,409
.
.m.
Hours of Operation
UWF
Florida International University
a.m
rs: 7 FAU a.m .-2 a
7a
Hou
12
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EU
Number of outside options: 221 Number of residents: 5,927
F UN . - 3 a m
TH
s: our
:30 FSU a.m .-
:7
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Florida State University
Number of outside options: 77 Number of residents: 4,330
urs
m.
.
7a
: urs
Number of outside options: 120 Number of residents: 8,293
Florida Atlantic University
Ho
.
U .m CG 12 a
rage Ave
Sa
Tech Florida alary: verage S A $39,289
UCF
Average Salary: $49,511
USF
Average Salary: $52,000
UWF
Average Salary: $70,238
*Residents’ average salary in each Florida university’s respective city 11.07.2017 University Press 15
publication time. The average cost of an inexpensive restaurant meal in Boca Raton is $17.50, according to cost-of-living database Numbeo. In Gainesville and Tallahassee, where the University of Florida and Florida State University are located respectively, an average “inexpensive” meal costs $11. Near the University of South Florida’s main campus in Tampa, the average cost of a restaurant meal is $13.50. With the cost of the current FAU meal plan and Boca’s high cost of living, many students are seeking alternative options. Senior sociology major Yuval Pritz said that the cafeteria food isn’t worth the cost that the school issues for the meal plan. Despite this, she still ends up spending close to $500 on food from the Breezeway food court and Boca takeout every month. “It’s not quality food at the cafe and it’s only quality when orientation comes by so that’s maybe the days I would go to the cafe,” she said. As a commuter, Pritz said that even takeout and food court meals are expensive and put a strain on her finances. “The [food court] quality isn’t the best and there aren’t that many options,” Pritz said. “Sometimes I have to order delivery or I don’t eat for the day.” Junior communication major Flaviane Chavez said that as a resident, she’s no longer required to have a meal plan, but during her freshman year, she frequently ate at the food court to avoid the cafeteria food. “I used to always get a bagel in the morning … three times a week so I would spend around $2, $6. If I was here all day, I could easily see myself spending $10 a day and I was here three times a week so around $30,” she said. Chavez said that the Wendy’s located in the food court, the Subway near FAU Stadium, and the Chick-fil-A located near the Wimberly Library are the only places where she can eat on a budget. She also added that Outtakes items seem to cost too much for what they offer. “I feel like the price over there is super inflated,” Chavez said. “It’s almost like price gouging during hurricane season, even the bookstore food is expensive, especially if you’re looking for snacks.” The communication major said that going out to eat isn’t much of an option as well due to parking and time. Chavez said that getting food off campus would mean fighting for parking all over again. Senior psychology major Valeria Castro and Ph.D. mathematics student Daniel Grey said that they don’t stay on campus enough to warrant having a meal plan. And while they eat at the food court because it fits their budget, 16 11.07.2017 University Press
they aren’t usually impressed. “I mainly do Chick-fil-A and the Chick-N-Grill and Wendy’s. In general, the quality is crap,” Castro said. “I just buy the sandwiches from Outtakes,” Grey added. Both students say that paying for on-campus food is a hassle. Castro said that between paying for Starbucks in the morning and leaving in the afternoon, she spends $15-$20 a day eating on campus. With her schedule sitting around three to five class meetings per week, she spends around $60-$100 buying food on campus. Grey said that there are options that are cheaper than what the school has to offer but due to the distance and his concern over being able to find parking again, he’s forced to go to Outtakes. “There’s probably a ... convenience store that sells sandwiches for cheaper than here but it’s an hour and a half away,” the Ph.D. student said. He added, “It’s like going to a gas station that knowingly rips you off and you can’t do anything about it.”
Tuition Total University of Florida
Tuition: $3,190.00
Florida State University
Tuition: $3,235.5
0
c Atlanti Florida versity Uni 6.00 : Tuition
Florida Internat ional Univers ity
Tuition: $ 3
,282.94
$2,71
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
Tuition: $2,892.50 n: tio Tui .00 Florida Institute 470 of $2,
Technol o
gy
Univers ity of Central Florida
: tion i u T 00 84. 1 , 3
$
Univers ity of South F lorida
n: itio 00 u T 5. ,20 $3
University of West Florida
Tuition: $3,180.0
0
University of North Florida
Tuition: $3,197.00
Co
Gulf a d i r y Flo ersit 0 v i n .5 ast U ,085 : $3
n Tuitio
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FAU Football fans lead Florida in arrests on gameday Ryan Lynch | Business Manager Ilustrations by Celeste Andrews | Creative Director
Can FAU Football fans manage to finish first and last at the samtime? New statistics from NBC’s Portland outlet, KGW news, say that the school’s supporters lead the state in getting arrested, but are last in getting kicked out. KGW reached out to every Football Bowl Subdivision school to ask how many fans were ejected and arrested per game. FAU finished last out of all teams with no ejections, but had the most arrests among more established programs in the state.
18 11.07.2017 University Press
University of Miami did not report their arrest or ejection numbers. They were the lone Football Bowl Subdivision team in the state not to do so. The University of South Carolina finished with the most ejections total out of all the teams, with 496 total among 538,441 fans. Of the 128 programs, 122 in the subdivision reported some or all of their data.
Number of Arrests: Florida State University: 6
Number of Ejections: Florida State University:
150 ejections per 460,801 total fans
University of Florida:
150 ejections per 439,229 total fans
University of Central Florida: 13 ejections per 214,814 total fans
University of South Florida: 59 ejections per 262,772 total fans
Florida Atlantic University:
University of Florida: 12
University of South Florida: 13
University of Central Florida: 8
Florida Atlantic University: 21 Florida International University: 18
0 ejections per 60,437 total fans
Florida International University: 5 ejections per 117,526 total fans
11.07.2017 University Press 19
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