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HILLEL INTERNATIONAL WELCOMES
ADAM KOLETT
AS THE NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT HILLEL OF BROWARD AND PALM BEACH Hillel’s Mission
Enriching the lives of Jewish students so that they may enrich the Jewish people and the world.
Hillel’s Vision
We envision a world where every student is inspired to make an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning and Israel.
/Hillel of Broward and Palm Beach @ hillelbpb www.hillelcenter.org Please come visit Adam and the rest of the Hillel team in the Hillel facility on the Breezeway behind Chick-Fil-A.
MEETINGS EVERY FRIDAY 2PM STUDENT UNION ROOM 214
TABLE OF CONTENTS Sept. 13, 2016 | VOL.18 | #3 NEWS
4 Don’t Walk This Way A repaired Breezeway might be great in the fall of 2017, but for now students say it’s a burden.
Photo by Andrew Fraieli
FEATURES
14 UP STAFF
NEWS
Skate Park(ing) Garage
EDITOR IN CHIEF Ryan Lynch
8
Owls aren’t the only ones out at night, as one group of longboarders proves when they take to the garage to skate.
MANAGING EDITOR Andrew Fraieli CREATIVE DIRECTOR Ivan Benavides ASSISTANT CREATIVE DIRECTOR Celeste Andrews
Give Me a Break A new fall break aims to make the time before midterms a little easier on students this semester.
FEATURES
WEB EDITOR Richard Finkel
20
PHOTO EDITOR Patrick Delaney
Missing the Marquee While being largely ignored by the student population, the on-campus Living Room Theaters mainly attracts Boca Raton’s senior community.
COPY DESK CHIEF Carissa Noelle Giard ASSISTANT COPY DESK CHIEF Kerri-Marie Covington NEWS EDITOR Joe Pye SPORTS EDITOR Brendan Feeney FEATURES EDITOR Tucker Berardi OPINIONS EDITOR Miller Lepree CREATIVE JUICES EDITOR Sabrina Loftus CONTRIBUTORS Emily Bloch,Taylor Craig, Christian Bettencourt
Photo by Ryan Lynch
SPORTS
10 Driskel vs. Parr: Allies in Action Jason Driskel started the Owls’ first game of the season on Sept. 3 but not before an eight-month long quarterback battle against Daniel Parr.
ADVISERS Neil Santaniello, Ilene Prusher, Michael Koretzky
CREATIVE JUICES
COVER PHOTO AND DESIGN BY Andrew Fraieli
23 Dreams of Mother
WANT TO JOIN THE UP? Email universitypress@gmail.com Staff meetings every Friday at 2 p.m. Student Union, Room 214 WANT TO PLACE AN AD? Contact Jacquelyn Christie 888-897-7711 ext. 124 jchristie@mymediamate.com PUBLISHER FAU Student Government The opinions expressed by the UP are not necessarily those of the student body, Student Government or FAU. ADDRESS 777 Glades Road Student Union, Room 214 Boca Raton, FL 33431 561.297.2960
9.13.2016 University Press 3
NEWS
The rerouted walkway into Traditions Plaza is a frequent area to hear “excuse me” at FAU. Photo by Patrick Delaney
DON’T WALK THIS WAY Vending machines are set up in the Breezeway outside Starbucks as a blockade to prevent students from entering construction areas. Photo by Brandon Harrington
Repairs to the Breezeway are creating hassles for students looking to get to class and avoid the weather. Story by Ryan Lynch and Joe Pye 4 9.13.2016 University Press
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he combination of fenced-in areas, closedoff entrances and hot, humid weather during Breezeway renovations are making navigation through campus less than a breeze for students. For sophomore criminal justice major Salwa Aldasouqi, the changes have negatively affected her health to the point where she has considered skipping class. “I have asthma. Getting through that [new] walkway makes my chest tight, and I feel more fatigued,” Aldasouqi said. “I have to ask: ‘Can I afford missing this class or is it really going to impact my grades?’” The Breezeway has been the main cultural hub of the Boca Raton campus since shortly after the university opened in 1964. Thousands of students use it to get to class every week as it runs through such a large portion of the campus. Student organizations like Greek life and oncampus clubs have taken advantage of its foot traffic and use it to recruit members on a daily basis. On top of that, it acts as the only extensive structure that offers shelter from Florida’s annual thunderstorms and 90-degree heat. The overhaul of the Breezeway, which is currently on time according to FAU’s Major Projects Management Database, is set to be completed by Nov. 13, 2017. According to a document that gives an overview of the project from the Office of Facilities Management, dated Sept. 13, 2010, the initial budget was estimated at $2.5 million, with $2.1 million allocated for the construction. The budget later increased to a total of $3.45 million as stated by the report, which lists ongoing construction progress on all of FAU’s campuses. Fixes will include renovating the roof to prevent leaks and puddling of rainwater, waterproofing both floors and repairing concrete pillars, according to Vincent Cucchiella, the construction project manager. Aldasouqi is frustrated with the changes she’s had to make to her routine thanks to the new building entry routes. “Walking long distances is already troubling. To walk way longer, that’s going to be even more
Boca campus students have been restricted from using the upstairs of the Breezeway because of the renovation project. Photo by Brandon Harrington troubling.” Raymond Mathis, a sophomore mechanical engineering major, takes issue with the fact that he can’t longboard on the quarter-mile-long pathway thanks to the recent construction. “That’s the biggest problem ... It’s like a highway. If you cut off the beginning, there’s going to be a push toward the end,” he said. “That was often the path I took, unless there were cops.” Something that has not changed is the emergency
Sophmore criminal justice major Salwa Aldasouqi and sophomore English major Kai Leigh have both experienced problems since the start of the Breezeway construction. Photo by Ryan Lynch
access plan for General Classroom South, which has its front entrances completely blocked off by the construction fences. Taff Geleta, the fire safety coordinator for the university, said that the normal access route for emergency vehicles is on the east side of the building and that there is an alternate side entry behind the clinic. “We have weekly meetings with the construction company, one of the items discussed is safety,” Geleta said. “Myself and other safety personnel regularly walk through the construction site to ensure the safety of our community.” In reference to the classroom entrances facing the walkway, Geleta said, “We decided not to lock the door for emergencies, but would not open it up for regular use.” Sophomore English major Kai Leigh hopes her classes won’t be near the construction come the spring semester. “Hopefully I’ll have classes in the Arts and Letters buildings or others,” she said. Just southeast of the Breezeway, the building is unaffected by the renovations. “I had one class in General North, and they switched to [General] South, so I am happy for -Salwa Aldasouqi, that,” said Leigh. “Walking through that path, sophomore criminal it’s kind of crowded because everyone is going justice major through at one time.” The construction plan also includes the replacement of old lighting fixtures with new,
“I have asthma, getting through that [new] walkway makes my chest tight, and I feel more fatigued”
9.13.2016 University Press 5
energy efficient lights and a move to refurbish all of the bathrooms in the Breezeway with new tile, ceilings, lights and the addition of air conditioning. The first phase of the three-stage process — see sidebar — started in June and is focused on the entire roof and a segment of both the bottom and top floors. After phase one which is scheduled to be completed on Feb. 27, further work will be done on the stretch of the path from the Hillel 24-hour study center to the walkway entrance near the Campus Rec, as well as the area in front of Starbucks and the food court. Workers will begin moving equipment for phase two, which includes blocking off the currently open Breezeway entrance to the Sanson Life Sciences Building, on Feb. 20. The second phase will encompass the stretch of walkway between the Behavioral Sciences Building and the entrance closest to FAU Stadium. Phase three is planned to begin on July 3. Leigh has difficulty walking to classes she used to use the Breezeway to access. “I can’t stay out in the sun too long, I get dizzy easily,” she said. “I used to go straight through the Breezeway and then turn out [toward the College of Education]. Now I have to walk all the way around.” Leigh says she would use the mulched walkway near the work area, but she gets claustrophobic within the space when a lot of students walk through it. With the project completion date so far off, Aldasouqi said, “I guess I’m going to have to start scheduling my classes [around the construction].” “At first I thought, ‘Maybe it’s not even going to take that long.’ I mean, they started since the summer,” she said. “But until I found out it was November [of next year] then I got worried.”
Phasing Out Here are what buildings you can expect to have limited access to from the Breezeway during each stage of the renovation.
Phase 1: June 16, 2016 to Feb. 17, 2017 (180 days)
Barry Kaye Hall Behavioral Sciences Building
General Classroom South, Ritter Art Gallery Phase 2A: Dec. 14, 2016 to Feb. 2, 2017 (40 days) Starbucks, Student Support Services, Breezeway Food Court Phase 2B: Feb. 20, 2017 to June 17, 2017 (95 days) Hillel 24-hour study center, Sanson Life Sciences Building
Sanson Life Sciences Building (both floors)
Hillel 24-hour study center (both floors) Ritter Art Gallery
General Classroom South (both floors)
Phase 3: July 3, 2017 to Nov. 11, 2017 (95 days) Behavioral Sciences Building, Barry Kaye Hall
Starbucks (1st floor) Student Support Services (2nd floor)
Breezeway Food Court (1st floor) Student Support Services (2nd floor)
Illustration by Celeste Andrews 6 9.13.2016 University Press
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NEWS
Give Me a BREAK
Student Government feels that having two days off before midterms will improve your grades. Story by Joe Pye
“Students’ learning outcomes would benefit from them having a short reprieve from the regular class schedule to study midsemester.” - Christopher Beetle, Faculty Senate president
8 9.13.2016 University Press
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tudents may have been surprised when they received their syllabi this semester to see two days off in October, but may not have noticed they lost two reading days from December. Classes are not scheduled Oct. 10-11 thanks to a Student Government proposal that was approved by the Faculty Senate. However, the break was not scheduled to go into effect until next year. “This wasn’t supposed to take place until fall of 2017,” said Robert Zoeller, president of the Faculty Union. “I was surprised to see that it obviously was moved up to fall of 2016, but I do not recall this being voted [on].” On April 1, Faculty Senate President Christopher Beetle brought up the break at the Senate’s monthly meeting. It was recommended to call the days off “reading days,” rather than a fall break. Beetle suggested to bring up the break again this semester to “remind faculty to assess the benefits of the fall break.” “The break has been created essentially by moving two reading days from the end of the semester to midOctober,” Beetle said. “Students’ learning outcomes would benefit from them having a short reprieve from the regular class schedule to study mid-semester.” Though some instructors may not mind the break,
not everyone on the Faculty Senate is convinced that it is necessary and are unsure that it will benefit students academically. “There was a pro and con discussion of the break, and it was put to a vote. I did not vote in favor of it,” Zoeller said. “The rationale motivating it, I didn’t feel was strong. The idea I would hope is to help students academically.” Several students said they are in favor of having the time to catch up because their workload is normally overwhelming in October. “It can be stressful during midterms. I think time off can always help,” said Marie Antoinette, a senior music education major. “Depending on what the students’ major is and the difficulty of their courses, they may need the time to study.” Freshman engineering major Farhin Haque said, “It can be a good thing to have a break … I might spend some time doing homework and studying, and maybe I’ll relax and take time off.” One student understands that not everyone will use their time wisely, but likes having the choice. “This break is like a gift,” said Christian Correa, a sophomore sports management major. “I do feel like if you are a student who goes to the beach or something two days and treats it like a weekend, this break won’t
help.” He is happy to have the couple of days to catch up with friends and family that he usually would not be able to. “I took advantage and booked a flight to visit my family,” said Correa. “Chance the Rapper is having a concert in Miami on Oct. 10, a couple of friends and I are going down there.”
Florida’s 12 public universities’ academic calendar breaks
“It can be a good thing to have a break … I might spend some time doing homework and studying, and maybe I’ll relax and take time off.” - Farhin Haque, freshman engineering major
University of Florida: Reading days: Dec. 8-9 No fall break
University of South Florida: Reading days: Nov. 30-Dec. 1 No fall break
University of Central Florida: Study day: Dec. 5 No fall break
Florida A&M University: No reading days before finals No fall break
Photo by Ryan Lynch
Florida Gulf Coast University:
Events taking place during break
Florida Polytechnic University:
Grossology: The (impolite) Science of the Human Body
Study day: Nov. 23 No fall break
Reading days: Dec. 8-9 No fall break
University of North Florida: No reading days No fall break
University of West Florida: No reading days No fall break
Florida State University:
Florida Science Center and Aquarium in West Palm Beach Event goes through Oct. 11 Open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Adults: $15 Children aged 3-12: $11
Dancing Prokofiev and Ravel
Aventura Arts and Cultural Center in Aventura Oct. 9, 3 p.m. Tickets: $30
No reading days No fall break Oct. 14 after 1:10 p.m. Classes are cancelled for Homecoming.
Sin Bandera live in concert
Florida International University:
Taking Back Sunday with Loose Talk & Mammoth Indigo
No reading days No fall break
New College of Florida: Fall break: Oct. 10-14
American Airlines Arena Oct. 9, 8 p.m. Tickets: start at $35
Chance the Rapper: Magnificent Coloring World Tour
The Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theatre Oct. 10-11, 8 p.m. Tickets: start at $95
Tennessee Titans at Miami Dolphins Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens Oct. 9, 1 p.m. Tickets: start at $40
NBA preseason game: Brooklyn Nets at Miami Heat American Airlines Arena in Miami Oct. 11, 7:30 p.m. Tickets: start at $10
Culture Room in Fort Lauderdale Oct. 9, 7 p.m. Tickets: $35
9.13.2016 University Press 9
SPORTS
Driskel vs. Parr: Allies in Action Chronicling the Owls’ quarterback competition from the end of last season through the team’s first game of this year. Story by Brendan Feeney Photos by Brandon Harrington
Daniel Parr 10 9.13.2016 University Press
Jason Driskel
D
aniel Parr watched from the sidelines as Jason Driskel marched onto the field after starting quarterback Jaquez Johnson hobbled off in Florida Atlantic’s second game of 2015 against the University of Miami Hurricanes. Prior to the season, Driskel, a redshirt freshman, and Parr, a true freshman, practiced side by side, both fighting for the starting job alongside Johnson and Greg Hankerson. But by the time the season opener rolled around, Parr found himself redshirted. While he and Driskel watched on from the sidelines, Johnson carried the offense to 44 points in an overtime loss at Tulsa University. The following week, Johnson’s injured right ankle forced him out of the Owls home opener against Miami. Head coach Charlie Partridge turned to the inexperienced Driskel. The Oviedo, Florida native led FAU on a 10play, 83-yard drive capped off by his first career touchdown, a 4-yard pass to then-sophomore tight end Nate Terry. “Definitely not the way I pictured my first game in college,” Driskel said. “I was thinking everything was going to be rainbows after that.” Driskel appeared in 10 games during the season. He threw three touchdowns, four interceptions and completed 51 percent of his throws, as Parr could only watch from the outside. “I started three years in high school and not being able to play last year was a little rough at times, but I made sure to do my best to support the team wherever we were,” Parr said. “Coming into this year, now I’m ready to get out there and play and do what’s best for this team.” Johnson finished his FAU career in the team’s final game in November, creating a vacancy for the starting quarterback job. Parr’s redshirt season was behind him. While he stood on the sidelines all season, the year was not a lost one. The Jupiter-born quarterback said he benefitted from watching and studying with the other quarterbacks, including Johnson, a threeyear starter. “He has a lot of knowledge about the game,” Parr said. “The things he taught me being a first-year quarterback, I owe a lot to him.” And so the competition for the starting position began. Parr’s improvements from the previous summer evened the talent gap between him and Driskel, whom he compared his style to. “We’re guys that can sit in the pocket and throw down field, but at the same time when things break down we can get outside and make plays with our legs and make throws on the run,” Parr said. Partridge did note that Driskel held an early
advantage thanks to his in-game experience. On Dec. 11, Driskel lost the upper hand when Travis Trickett became the team’s new offensive coordinator. His fast-paced, no-huddle offense — which led Samford University to the seventh most offensive yards per game among Football Championship Subdivision schools in 2015 — evaporated Driskel’s edge in running the offense. He still held the leverage of in-game experience, but it turned out that Parr had a trump card of his own: familiarity with Trickett’s offense. Thanks to running what he called, “a pretty similar system” to Trickett’s during his junior high season, he guided William T. Dwyer High School to a state title. The following year, Parr
Redshirt freshman Daniel Parr rolls out to his right while looking for an open receiver down the field during an August practice. Photo by Ryan Lynch
“There’s no animosity whatsoever. We’re in there each day competing against each other but at the same time with each other.” - Daniel Parr
9.13.2016 University Press 11
garnered the Class 7A Player of the Year Award. “I’m used to this type of offense: spread offense, up tempo [and] no huddle,” he said. The first major string of battles, which took place during spring practices, concluded in April’s annual spring game. Unlike the typical spring game, where the starting quarterbacks are placed on opposing sides, Driskel and Parr did not go head to head. Instead, to even the playing field between the two as close as possible, Partridge placed both quarterbacks on the same team. They swapped onfield duties every drive. Driskel completed 20-of-27 passes, threw two touchdowns and one interception. Parr converted on 9-of-12 throws and scored three touchdowns — two through the air and one on the ground. “They both showed signs of good things today and I am excited about that progress,” Partridge said after the game. The coach also mentioned that the two were still neck and neck. Trickett, whom Parr described as a “really intense guy,” made sure to keep them next to each other throughout the summer. He would have his two quarterbacks participate in every play, even if they weren’t running the offense at the time, according to FAU Athletics. One quarterback received the snap with the other just a few yards behind, Athletics said. Both would drop back and the one without the ball mimicked the player in live action — whether that meant going through a throwing motion or a hand-off motion. “There is no incumbent. There is competition every day, every drill,” Partridge said to Parr and Driskel. “Travis will not allow them to stand back there. They have to simulate the throw, so that Travis can coach both quarterbacks on every rep.” Being so close together had an effect on their offfield relationship as well as their on-field success. Besides practicing alongside each other, the two said they watch game films, go out to the movies and have dinner together. “During camp we’re here hours and hours and hours every day so we’re together literally all day so you can’t not be friends with guys that you’re around for two and a half weeks straight,” Driskel said. “That brings people pretty close together … We’re just a bunch of college guys hanging out.” Parr said he believes the competition has made the two closer. “There’s no animosity whatsoever,” he said. “We’re in there each day competing against each other but at the same time with each other … We like to make fun of each other and crack jokes and stuff like that, but when we’re out on the field we’re all serious and locked in.” 12 9.13.2016 University Press
“Competition brings out the best in everyone so obviously when you’re competing with someone directly for a role on a team, it’s going to bring out the best in both people. I think that’s the goal.” - Jason Driskel
Redshirt sophomore Jason Driskel attempts to dodge a defender during FAU’s game versus the University of Florida on Nov. 21, 2015. Photo by Max Jackson
On the field is where the two feel the biggest and most important effect from the competition. According to Parr, because they are running the same offense, they are able to learn from the other’s mistakes while also being able to support and teach each other at the same time. “Competition brings out the best in everyone so obviously when you’re competing with someone directly for a role on a team, it’s going to bring out the best in both people,” Driskel said. “I think that’s the goal.” FAU’s young and upcoming defense, which is headlined by Conference USA’s Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and Butkus Award watch-list member, senior defensive end Trey Hendrickson, is also helping the two improve. The defensive end is joined by three sophomores — Ocie Rose, Azeez Al-Shaair and Jalen Young — all of whom received all-conference preseason honors after making the conference’s all-freshman team a season ago. “[Playing against them] definitely makes us better,” Parr said. “It doesn’t make practice easy, but at the end of the day that’s what we need. Practice isn’t about doing everything the easy way. The hard way is what’s going to make us better. That’s what’s going to get us wins this season.” The struggles that come against a defense like FAU’s can be easy to come by, which is why any impressive outing stays in the mind of the coaches. “One day you think (Jason) Driskel’s got it. The next day (Daniel) Parr takes it,” Partridge wrote to FAU Athletics in June. “They are both operating as starters.” Despite saying this, Partridge made no hints about whom the actual starter would be. Neither Parr nor Driskel wanted to try and gain a read on their coaches as to what their final decision would be. “I think [looking for hints is] probably the worst thing you can do,” Driskel said. “They’re going to put you out in practice wherever they think you need to get reps and do whatever you need to do. So no matter if you’re running with the ones, twos, threes, you can’t look into that.” Parr said he shared a similar view and focused on coming out every day to better himself. By the time preseason practices rolled around in August, neither quarterback had distanced himself from the other. Partridge said that the coaches weren’t leaning toward either quarterback during the team’s media day on Aug. 21. However, for the first time since the competition began, he announced a timetable of when he expected a decision to be made. “[Trickett and I] have been having those discussions the entire way,” Partridge said. “We’ve
been looking into the collective and we have a goal to get it done by mid to end of the week.” Sure enough, the team released a statement through its website and social media two days later. “I am proud of both quarterbacks and the entire football team for how they have handled the quarterback competition,” Partridge said. “The entire body of work from January until now has been taken into account to make the decision. As we approach game week, the recent performances were weighted more heavily.” “We anticipate and expect both to continue to prepare and compete as if they were starting. Jason Driskel will be the starting quarterback versus Southern Illinois.” The following morning, Partridge told the Sun Sentinel that Driskel was “a little more ready at this point.” He also shut down the possibility of the quarterbacks splitting time, which Trickett’s offense featured at Samford a season ago. But as Driskel showed last year, being the backup quarterback doesn’t end your chances of playing. “The biggest thing [last year] showed me is that no matter where you are on the depth chart, you’re close to playing. Especially at quarterback,” Driskel said. “Football being a physical sport, you are one play away so you never know and you got to prepare like you’re starting whether you’re the starter or fifth string.” Parr, who experienced deja vu from last season when he watched Driskel take the field from the sidelines, won’t let his role hold him down. “You always got to keep your head up,” he said prior to the announcement. “There’s going to be ups and downs along the way. You can’t get too high, can’t get too low and you’re going to have your good days and you’re going to have your bad days. But at the end of the day you should always be confident in yourself and at the same time always make sure you’re prepared as much as possible.” In the opening game, Driskel led the offense to 38 points in a victory over Southern Illinois on Sept. 3. He finished the game with 287 passing yards and two touchdowns along with 54 rushing yards and a 2-yard run into the end zone in the fourth quarter. “I think he had a nice first outing of the 2016 season,” Partridge said. “It’s good to see him do things with his legs as well as throw some nice balls with his arm.” The battle came full circle on Sept. 10 when Driskel once again took the field against Miami in the team’s second game of the season as Parr watched on from the sidelines.
9.13.2016 University Press 13
FEATURES
Skate Park(ing) Garage
(From left to right) Max Wellnitz, Jamir Howard, Rod Howard, Raymond Mathis, Carlton “CJ� Harden, Raheem Rochester. Photo by Andrew Fraieli
When the sun goes down, parts of The campus turn into latenight playgrounds for these longboarders . Story by Tucker Berardi The garage of choice this night bears this about 2-feet by 1-foot sign on the entrance to the garage. Photo by Andrew Fraieli 14 9.13.2016 University Press
T
he floors and ceilings of Parking Garage 2 at Florida Atlantic’s Boca Raton campus echo after hours with the sounds of wheels coasting on pavement mixed with the excited yells that come with a successfully landed trick. Once the sun goes down and the cars leave, the three on-campus parking garages — along with other stretches of pavement on and around campus — belong to the skaters. “It’s something to do,” mechanical engineering sophomore Raheem Rochester said. “College stresses you out, it’s a way to escape.” The parking garages are one such escape. The skaters ride from the top of the garages and use the turns to slow down — or bail, if needed. The angle of the slope lets them speed up quickly, and the smooth concrete offers little resistance. The group of about a dozen skaters meets every Friday to ride around the parking garages and other off-campus locations with sociology graduate student, Rod Howard—the self-proclaimed leader—calling the shots. “I’m the originator of the group,” Howard said. “If people want to join they can usually come to me.” Howard and other skaters can be seen riding around during the day — whether going to and from class or just hanging out by the sociology building — which is when they usually recruit other skaters to join them on Friday nights. “[We] attract attention during the day, practice at night,” Howard said. Potential members be warned though: Howard is adamant that to join the group, one needs to be a competent longboarder who can keep up and stay safe. According to Howard, the group skates for a number of reasons, stating that it is a great pastime and “good exercise.” “[The] freshman 15 is a real thing,” Howard said. “[Skating] is more for staying in shape.” Max Wellnitz, a sophomore majoring in electrical engineering, is another member of the group. He spent 20 hours designing his board on campus, using the university’s tools in the College of Engineering Machine Shop to create his metal board from scratch, which he refers to as his “baby.” “I ride to all my classes, and … to the Caf,” Wellnitz said, holding his own custom-made board. “It’s the best way to get around.” The main stage for these skaters is not daytime transportation, however. They are in the spotlight when they have an open road — or parking garage — with enough space and freedom to accommodate a more intense pattern of boarding. They spend each Friday skating on some expanse of concrete, usually from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. They end their night at the Denny’s near campus on Federal Highway. The late-night diner visit is well deserved according to Howard, who says the group can skate anywhere from 14-20 miles in one night. For skaters who stick strictly to the Breezeway, their usual routes are now obstacle courses of fences and detours that leave them no choice but to walk to class
Sophomore engineering major Raymond Mathis, sophomore business finance major Carlton “CJ” Harden and sophomore mechanical engineering major Raheem Rochester talk and laugh over each other during their interview with the UP. Photo by Andrew Fraieli
Max Wellnitz, sophomore electrical engineer, holds his handmade skateboad with pride. Photo by Taylor Craig 9.13.2016 University Press 15
“College stresses you out, it’s a way to escape.” - Raheem Rochester sophomore mechanical engineering Major
Photos by Andrew Fraieli 16 9.13.2016 University Press
like the rest of us. But these nighttime skaters don’t see the construction as much of a loss and have moved their focus to other skate spots on and off campus. “[The] Breezeway construction has expanded my horizons,” said Howard. “I still have concrete to ride on.” As of right now, the skaters’ favorite spot is Dixie Highway, north of Glades Road, which they claim has one of the smoothest surfaces in the area. “It’s like grinding on clouds,” engineering sophomore Raymond Mathis said.
Photos by Andrew Fraieli 9.13.2016 University Press 17
Don’t Wait. Communicate.
Make your emergency plan today. Visit Ready.gov/communicate
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FEATURES
MISSING THE MARQUEE
Despite wanting to appeal to a younger audience, Living Room Theaters continues to be appreciated by a considerably older demographic. Story by Taylor Craig
Photo by Patrick Martin
20 9.13.2016 University Press
Older moviegoers order tickets at Living Room Theaters. Photo by Taylor Craig
W
hen Ernesto Rimoch, founder and CEO of Living Room Theaters, was asked by Florida Atlantic faculty in 2007 to build one of his theaters on its Boca Raton campus, he did not expect his clientele to consist primarily of the elderly community. Rimoch had anticipated the screenings of independent and foreign films at his theater to resonate more with a younger crowd. “I think we’ve been surprised by the fact that most of our customers are from the community,” Rimoch said. “We are, unfortunately, a little bit disappointed by how many students actually use or come to the movies.” Susan Reilly, who was the director of multimedia studies at FAU when Rimoch was looking for a new location for his theater, approached the former filmmaker with the idea of a joint venture. “I had been looking around for a movie theater company to build theaters for us because we were film people showing movies on PowerPoint screens,” Reilly said. “We wanted a real film screen, you know? A theater.”
Both Reilly and Rimoch toured the campus for possible locations for construction, a project that would be partially sponsored by the state as an investment in attracting students to the university. “His original idea was that it would be for students,” Reilly said. After construction was completed on campus in 2010, an older demographic of Boca Raton took notice of the small scale local theater that was largely ignored by nearby students. Cynthia Stein, the theater’s manager, believes that the absence of blockbuster films is the primary cause for a lack of student interest. “I think that it’s mainly because of the films. We show arthouse and independent films here, so you’re not going to find the next ‘Captain America’ playing,” Stein said. “The majority of our films are very story driven, more so than special effects or action based.” JoAnn Messori, a senior in the community who has been attending various movies at Living Room Theaters for the past two years, has a preference for the kind of films that are presented.
“I think we scare the students off, actually. The first few times I came, I really expected to see all sorts of young people here and I don’t know if I’ve ever seen anybody under 50 heading into theaters.”
- JoAnn Messori, senior citizen
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be worthwhile for the students,” Rimoch said. One film Rimoch is currently looking at is “Girl Asleep,” a coming-of-age Australian film that he describes as a “modern-day ‘Alice in Wonderland’” because he thinks it would resonate with a younger audience. “We are open to any suggestions, if there is anything students don’t like or would prefer. Send us any suggestions, any questions, any requests and we’ll try and do our best,” Rimoch said. “It’s difficult to understand why students don’t take more advantage of what is here, but I hope they learn about us and come over.”
Let’s Do Lunch! Cynthia Stein, the manager of the Living Room Theaters at Florida Atlantic, hopes that the revamped dinner menu and the new lunch menu will increase student interest.
Despite offering a variety of food specials and being located on campus, Living Room Theaters struggles to capture the attention of FAU students. Photo by Taylor Craig “Most of the independent films I’ve seen have been very good,” Messori said. “With foreign films, probably every senior in the world has closed captioning on their TV, so they’re used to looking at words on the screen.” Across the table from Messori and her soup of the day sits her friend Carolyn Nepa, who shared a similar dish and perception of the films shown in the theater. “I find that I like these films better because the other films, mainstream, the hype and the advertising is so big that when I get there, I’m usually disappointed,” Nepa said. “Because they’ve done so much advertising and spent so much money that you think you’re going to see a fabulous film. I’ve seen much better films here.” The two exchanged opinions on the lack of student presence at their favorite movie theater as well. “The same reason I come here is why I feel the young people don’t come. The advertisement out there [in society] and the publicity out there for all the films piques their interest,” Nepa said. “The power of advertising.” “I think we scare the students off, actually,” said Messori. “The first few times I came, I really 22 9.13.2016 University Press
expected to see all sorts of young people here and I don’t know if I’ve ever seen anybody under 50 heading into theaters.” Kaitlyn Laichak, a first-year graduate student, has spent years at FAU and never felt the inclination to attend one of the Living Room Theaters’ film screenings. “I haven’t really looked to see what they offer so maybe if it was publicized a little bit better maybe I’d consider it,” Laichak said. “I really don’t know what they’re playing.” An older moviegoer, Rachel Aronson believes that younger people simply don’t have any interest in the type of movies screened at the on-campus theater. “I know my son, who’s in his 30s, he likes sci-fi movies. He likes those unusual movies that are more [about] aliens,” Aronson said. “We’re the older generation so we like the old movies, basically. The more educational movies.” Despite relying on his mostly elderly audience for financial stability, Rimoch continues to book films that he thinks have a strong potential for younger viewers. “I’m always looking for [films] that I think would
This expansion into lunch service was made available by the loosening grip of FAU’s food and beverage provider Chartwells, according to Susan Reilly of the School of Communication and Multimedia Studies. “Now students are going to walk by Monday through Thursday and we’re not going to be this dark, empty building,” Stein said. “So that might help.” Executive chef Denux Attelus, who was the primary creator of the new menus and dishes, joined Living Room Theaters in December of last year after leading the kitchens at Florida International University in Miami. “He’s actually a Paris, Le Cordon Bleutrained chef,” Stein said. “He’s been in the industry for 25 years so he’s fantastic.” After adding dishes like mahi-mahi, fried risotto and braised pork to the new dinner menu, Stein believes they were still able to maintain a fair and moderate price for their meals. “Our highest price for our dinner is still $16,” said Stein. “It’s nothing outrageous.”
CREATIVE JUICES
Dreams of Mother
By Christian Bettencourt Illustration by Lee Pritz I’ve got big shoes to fill. I’ve holes in these shoes to fill. Filling these shoes with goals, to fulfill.
I’ve a note in my pilling pant pocket. Reading: “Please get your hand out of my pilling pant pocket.” I’m still, in my silver sprayed suit. The same silver sprayed suit I wore – from the night before.
I sleep on the unsympathetic sidewalk. Sympathizing with the others on this unsympathetic sidewalk. I talk to the sidewalk – it’s story time with the sidewalk. These pigeons keep me company. Poppy seed picking and pecking at pedestrians. Don’t feel bad for me. I feel enough bad for me. I’ve felt enough sad for three —
—years that were hard for me. It’s been years since you’ve looked for me. Look, don’t look at me. I’m dirty and disheveled. I’m unworthy, I’m a little devil. Remember when you told me, I’m a little devil? Scolding me, yet, not molding me to be mommy’s little angel. See how I’ve turned out? Turned out, and up, and I’m now at your doorstep.
Can you recognize me? Through the disappointed look on my face, into the sadness of my eyes, and dismay and disgrace. I’m fifty now. I’m fifty, wow does time fly when I’m not around? I wanted to take care of you. Caring for you, I wanted to be there for you, Like you were there for me when I needed you to…
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