The Oracle WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2015 I VOL. 52 NO. 103
Inside this Issue
Growing company customizes sunglasses for USF students. Page 4
Montage
University Lecture Series and Frontier Forum aim to get big-name speakers to visit campus. S T A F F
S PORTS
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
How two lecture series bring QB Mike experts students want to hear White moves on from USF By Chelsea Mulligan
Bulls’ offense stymied by Hatters in midweek loss. BACK
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W R I T E R
When most students learned that USF is bringing Bill Nye the Science Guy to campus Tuesday, they may not have considered who actually brought him. University Lecture Series
(ULS), which is presenting Nye’s lecture, and Frontier Forum are the two programs often responsible for bringing the biggest named lecturers to USF. Though the speakers ULS and Frontier Forum bring usually fill the room, there are differences between the two in funding, organization and philosophy. Funded through the Center for Student Involvement (CSI), ULS’ vision is to bring speakers with a big name and a big message to campus, according to CSI coordinator Athena Bressack. “Their name’s going to get
them in the door,” she said. “We hope that (students) leave inspired and learn something, and can take that with them and do something with it.” The ULS program is entirely student-run. The lecture series also focuses on student input through cooperation with Student Government, surveys, brainstorming sessions and communication such as emails from students and student organizations. Bressack said ULS should reflect the interest of the student body, though it is not always possible to meet exact
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Spoilers are coming
Costume contests were held outside the Marshall Student Center Oval Theater on Tuesday night for the season five premiere prescreening of “Game of Thrones.” ORACLE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU
By Jacob Hoag A S S T .
S P O R T S
E D I T O R
The quarterback position has been a point of uncertainty for USF under coach Willie Taggart. A slew of athletes have tried to make their case, but none have been able to make their name stick. This uncertainty will continue as the school announced Tuesday that junior quarterback Mike White, who started 10 of the Bulls’ 12 games last season, will be transferring in search of new opportunities. The quarterback said he didn’t make the decision due to any frustration with the program, but said it was a “career move” and the best choice for him to leave now rather than wait. “Given that my redshirt wasn’t burned, I have three years left to play football, so playing at another school is the best opportunity for me,” White told The Oracle. “This decision wasn’t made in spite of anyone or any coaches at USF. “It’s just what I felt — after talking to my family — was the best opportunity for me and my football future.” White had the most experience running Taggart’s system but still showed little improvement. He threw only eight touchdowns last season.
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Wikipedia Edit-a-thon to study contributor demographics By Melody DiClemente C O R R E S P O N D E N T
If knowledge is power, then the power over knowledge is a great responsibility. Today, USF School of Information students Peter Cannon and James Scholz will host a Wikipedia Edit-a-thon in which students can group-edit the popular online encyclopedia. After the three-hour editing session, Cannon and Scholz will gather data from students to document their experience. “There’s two things that are going on here,” Cannon said. “One is the research paper, the research plan that we’re doing, and the other thing is solely concerned with Wikipedia itself — and that is conducting this Edita-thon to improve the project.” Cannon and Scholz said the event will not only improve the site, but they also hope the data amassed from their study can be used to figure out larger, more important issues plaguing Wikipedia than poor punctuation.
Specifically, Cannon and Scholz said they will look at such trends as regular contributors leaving Wikipedia and why an estimated 90 percent of its editors are male. “More females than males do drop out before the first year has passed by with their editing,” Scholz said. He noted a reason why both genders leave might be because “veteran editors can be kind of clubby and exclusive.” The ability to be “clubby” is due to Wikipedia becoming like a social media site, said both Cannon and Scholz. Users have their own profile page and inbox where they can talk to other editors from around the globe and collaborate on editing and new articles. For example, Cannon created the page for librarian Clara Breed and was assisted by another editor. The page then went on to be a Wikipedia featured article. Cannon said these moments of working together and producing important work is what makes editing Wikipedia and these Edit-a-thons enjoyable.
Participants can edit a little or a lot, but either way, they are still contributing to one of the world’s largest databases just by adding a sentence or two that was not previously there. Scholz and Cannon said this can create lasting memories once users get through the cliquey editors who argue about who can write what, spelling and grammar, among other topics. “Overall, it’s very positive, very fun, even to the point of being addictive,” Scholz said. “We want to further that collaborative atmosphere and also help to make the experience fun for new users, and to let the users know that you have a community that’s there for you to help you through the experience.” The Wikipedia Edit-a-thon will be today from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in room 209 at the Library or remotely through Google Hangouts. Students from all majors are welcome to participate and can choose to edit articles pertaining to their own majors or interests.
The Wikipedia Edit-a-thon will gather data to look at which demographics edit the online encyclopedia. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE
Rally the realm!
Students lined up outside the Marshall Student Center on Tuesday evening for the season five premiere of “Game of Thrones,” shown almost two weeks before it airs on HBO. ORACLE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU
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not only USF but our Tampa Bay community,” she said. Continued from PAGE 1 “We like to look at things that are current topics that are going on or issues that are wishes. affecting our area. We take in “Oftentimes when we ask a lot of different considerations a blanket question like, ‘Who when choosing a speaker … we do you want to bring?’ stualso do a lot of cross-checking. dents will say Beyonce. Well, We want to make sure these Beyonce is out of our price are top-notch speakers and we range, doesn’t really do speakcall other schools that have had ing engagements,” Bressack them.” said. “We sort of try and take: Dye said Frontier Forum OK, they’re recommending an speakers typically draw a crowd entertainer, so let’s try and look of about 300 people. However, at similar people with a similar mission if we can’t “We feel the College of Arts and when Frontier Forum and ULS collaborated get exactly who students want.” Sciences is really the intellectual for the Jane Goodall event in the fall, which This year’s ULS budget, according to the cur- heart of the campus, so we try cost $60,000, it drew an audience of between rent Activity and Service Fee budget, is $257,792. and find speakers that advance 4,000 and 5,000 people Bill Nye will cost $52,000 conversation, engage not only USF to the USF Sun Dome. Dye said the success for a lecture, a Q&A and a book signing. but our Tampa Bay community.” of the Goodall event inspired Frontier Forum Typically, Bressack to bring in fewer speaksaid if the series brings Christina Goldstein ers, but focus on bigger in a lesser-known speakEvent planner for the College of Arts and Sciences names. er with a powerful mes“The Dr. Goodall sage, the department would USF Phi Beta Kappa Alumni spend more on marketing since Faculty and the Provost, comes event was our first event at the cost of the speaker is com- from the College of Arts and the Sun Dome,” Dye said. “We decided it would be really great paratively less. Conversely, as Sciences. This lecture series seeks to to bring in a big, big name once with Bill Nye, it is not always necessary to market much at bring speakers who have a rel- a year and do that event at the evant message within the lib- Sun Dome.” all. Prior to Goodall, one of When the Bill Nye announce- eral arts and sciences to USF ment was posted on Facebook, students and the community. Frontier Forum’s biggest events Bressack said it was viewed Together, both lecture series was a talk by physicist Michio give the greater Tampa area a Kaku at MOSI, which brought more than 10,000 times. in about 1,200 people, but was “A lot of times we pay for chance at a different image. Michele Dye, communica- standing-room only. Facebook advertisements Frontier Forum plans to have because … it’s a better use of tions and marketing director our money than additional print for the College of Arts and about three or four speakers advertisements, because a lot Sciences, said Frontier Forum next year, as opposed to its of students are on social media was conceived as a way to past average of six. Other speakers have included and we meet them where they boost not only the campus, but the Lacks family, who appeared are,” Bressack said. “We were also the community. “We’re just excited about in September 2013 to comconsidering doing that for Bill Nye, but we didn’t have to the growth of the program,” plement the common reading because it was so organically she said. “Now that it’s been experience novel for that year, around for five years, people “The Immortal Life of Henrietta shared.” Past speakers include know about it and the commu- Lacks.” Neuroscientist Daniel prominent journalist Soledad nity gets really excited about Levitin, writer of “This is Your O’Brien, who spoke in January which speakers we’re bringing Brain on Music,” spoke at USF in February. on ethnicity, equality and race, in.” Frontier Forum plans to Speakers are chosen by the and former congressman Ron Paul, who spoke on his liber- dean of the College of Arts and have contractual information tarian political values around Sciences with significant input for speakers finalized over the from department chairs within summer, with the list of speakmidterm elections. The selection process for the college as well as from a ers released for the new acaULS speakers involves input student advisory board. Event demic year. According to Brent from the student body as well planner Christina Goldstein Smith, director of business seras direct representation from said there is a focus on bringing vices for the College of Arts and five student board members in speakers who are relevant Sciences, the annual budget for Frontier Forum is $100,000. working in the ULS office, who and compelling. ULS also hopes to release the “We feel the College of Arts ultimately decide on speakers. Bressack still sees some room and Sciences is really the intel- full fall lecture series in August, for improvement in the pro- lectual heart of the campus, so depending on when contracts we try and find speakers that are finalized with speakers. cess. “I think a goal for us moving advance conversation, engage forward is to do a better job of surveying and assessing. That’s my goal as a coordinator now that we’re fully staffed,” she said. “I want to do a better job of finding out examples of who students want and figuring out how to ask those questions … I want to make sure we’re not just surveying, but surveying effectively.” ULS is not the only lecture series bringing prominent speakers to campus. The Frontier Forum Lecture Series, which is sponsored by the
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Lifestyle UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
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Scratchy’s sunglasses goes green and gold
The customizable glasses, available via myscratchys.com, allow wearers to personalize while accessorizing. PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE
By Zach Leete S T A F F
W R I T E R
Living in the Sunshine State isn’t always the brightest idea, especially for those without sunglasses. Purchasing expensive sunglasses, only to have them lost at sea or scratched by sand, is even worse. However, finding a solution that addresses both of these issues would be a bright idea. Six months ago, Ryan Breheney decided he was done spending more than $100 on a pair of sunglasses only to have them scuffed up and scratched in a month. “I thought to myself,
scratches need to be the style,” Breheney said. The Tampa resident started brainstorming ideas that combined scratches and glasses. Soon, an idea came to him: scratch-off sunglasses. Using a special type of scratch-off paint, Breheney was able to apply a top layer of paint onto the arms of sunglasses. Then he could scratch off any design he wanted. “It hit me like a ton of bricks,” Breheney said. “I realized I could write or draw whatever I wanted in the paint and the base color came through.” He presented the idea to
his friend, Ricky Maestrelli, who Breheney said instantly “got it” and offered to invest in half-ownership of Scratchy’s. “People are drawn to items they can personalize,” Maestrelli said. “Being able to wear an accessory that you’ve designed yourself has everyone really excited. We’ve had a lot of interest for sports events and themed parties.” Currently, the sunglasses cost $10 and are offered in two different styles of frames and almost any color combination, including a special USF-inspired gold pair with scratch-off green arms. Every pair of Scratchy’s is
bundled with an etching tool to accurately scratch out a design, and a custom-fitted, transparent sticker that seals the design once the owner is done scratching. Presently, no other sunglasses on the market have a similar feature. “Inventing a product is a great feeling of accomplishment,” Breheney said. “Realizing you’ve come up with something new and original, especially nowadays when it seems like there’s no such thing as an original idea, is exciting and gratifying.” Scratchy’s is currently in the patent pending stage. Maestrelli said the patent
offers the company certain advantages. “Our goal with the patent isn’t to monopolize,” Maestrelli said. “Just to protect ourselves and the consumer. It gives us the ability to license the process and product out and still maintain some control of what gets put on shelves.” For now, Scratchy’s will be available online through myscratchys.com, and local markets such as the vendors’ market at Luxe Studios in Soho beginning May 2. “Our next step is to reach out to retailers,” Maestrelli said. “But I think it’s important to establish a track record first.”
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Why Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act needs an overhaul The timing of this bill’s passing with the upcoming Supreme Court hearings on same-sex marriage is obviously not coincidental, and it represents a clear loophole that a number of businesses in Indiana could use to discriminate against samesex couples and the state’s LGBT community in general. While the changes included in Indiana’s RFRA read as seemingly insignificant legal jargon, one in particular allows for blatant discrimination and a host of civil rights issues. The law’s first departure from the federal RFRA — the ability for corporations to have First Amendment religious expression rights similar to individuals, according to The Atlantic — is controversial, but not new. For instance as mentioned in the article, in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, the Supreme Court ruled last June that the federal RFRA applied to corporations, which allowed Hobby Lobby employers to deny contraceptive coverage to its employees. The second edit made to the state law, however, allows both individuals and corporations to use religious “burdening” as a legal defense against lawsuits by other people, rather than only those brought on by the government. In the Hobby Lobby case, the U.S. Department of
Russell Nay COLU M N I ST
With less than a month before the U.S. Supreme Court will hear four cases on recognizing same-sex marriage, Indiana’s infamous Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) comes at a tense time. While many other states possess their own versions of the federal RFRA — passed in 1993, which protects from substantial governmental burdens on individuals’ expression of their religion — Indiana’s RFRA, approved by Gov. Mike Pence, is decidedly different. Indiana’s law, according to an article in The Atlantic examining its language in detail, would allow individuals and private for-profit businesses to use evidence of religious “burdening” as a defense in court, even when a government entity is not involved.
the Oracle
Health and Human Services was involved, which is a government entity. Indiana’s RFRA, however, opens the door for private businesses to refuse to serve a customer by claiming that doing so violates their right to religious expression, which would be legally justified in Indiana under this RFRA law. As reported in the Daily Beast, bakers, florists and photographers who choose not to provide their services for a same-sex couple would have ample protection under the law in Indiana, and private pharmacists could refuse to fill a prescription for HIV preventative medicine to a homosexual customer. While Pence has called for another bill to prevent Indiana’s RFRA from supporting discrimination, according to USA Today, it is too early to determine what impact the law will have on the state and same-sex marriage in Indiana. The only acceptable version of Indiana’s RFRA is one that includes no legal window for any business to discriminate based on sexual orientation. As of now, the bill is simply too broad to ensure that it wouldn’t do so.
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What you said After comedian Trevor Noah, the Daily Show’s new anchor, came under fire for previously posting anti-Semitic and sexist tweets between 2009 and 2011, according to the New York Times, editors Isabelle Cavazos and Adam Mathieu asked students if they think old social media posts should affect the public’s perception of someone.
“It depends on the severity of it. If it was subtle and sarcastic, it’s OK.” — Katherine Kulesza, a freshman majoring in criminology
“Putting anything offensive on social media is just ridiculous, especially if you are in that place of authority.” — Joly Aziz, a junior majoring in behavioral health care and biomedical sciences
“I think it depends on the person and how far back the post was. If it was old enough, it shouldn’t affect them now.”
Russell Nay is a freshman majoring in mass communications.
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Baseball
Hatters hold off Bulls after five-run fourth By Tiana Aument C O R R E S P O N D E N T
Pitcher Brandon Lawson, who took the loss Tuesday night at Stetson, has given up 24 runs in 28 innings of work. ORACLE FILE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU
WHITE
Continued from PAGE 1
Though not a flashy sell to fans, White did show glimpses of success. His 242-yard, three-touchdown performance in the second half against Tulsa sparked a comeback-victory late last season. White was benched the following game due to poor play and was in the midst of yet another heated battle for the starting role with senior Steven Bench and sophomore Quinton Flowers. “Mike and I talked after the conclusion of spring practice, and he expressed his desire to pursue the remainder of his career at another school,” Taggart said in a statement released by the school. “We wish Mike all the best in his future and thank him for his contributions to our program and university.”
Taggart, now entering his third year with USF, signed only one quarterback in this year’s recruiting class, which leaves him with one less option now that White has left the team. “I think they’ll do a heck of a job,” White said of Bench and Flowers. “They’re good quarterbacks and there is a reason they were recruited here. They can go out there and get the job done. They’ll be just fine.” Women’s basketball roster changes The Tampa Bay Times reported Tuesday that coach Jose Fernandez and the USF women’s basketball team picked up another European player. Kitija Laksa, a 6-foot shooting guard from Latvia, is averaging 9.1 points per game for the TTT Riga Basketball Club.
Stetson snapped USF’s fivegame winning streak Tuesday night and used a big inning to beat the Bulls 6-3 in DeLand. Big innings have hurt the Hatters (15-15) in three of their four losses leading up to the in-state matchup, but a five-run fourth inning gave them an advantage they would not relinquish. Designated hitter John Fussell’s two-run homer cut the Bulls’ lead to 3-2 in the fourth. With two outs, backto-back doubles then drove in three runners to give Stetson a 5-3 lead. Sophomore starter Brandon Lawson (0-2) allowed another two-out hit before redshirt sophomore Tommy Eveld relieved him for 3 1/3 innings of one-run ball. Sophomore Mark Savarese pitched the remainder of the game. Stetson pitcher Frankie Romano (1-0) earned the win after tossing 2/3 of an inning
for starter Adam Schaly, who allowed the Bulls’ only runs. The Bulls (20-9-1) couldn’t muster much offense after Luke Maglich’s solo homer in the fourth. The right fielder went 2-for-4 with two runs. Third baseman Andres Leal scored Maglich and first baseman Buddy Putnam on a double down the left-field line in the second. Leal went 2-for-3 with a walk. The Hatters committed four errors, but the Bulls could not capitalize. Stetson tacked on another run in the sixth with shortstop Tyler Bocock’s sacrifice fly. Closer Tyler Warmoth picked up his third save after pitching 1 1/3 two-hit innings. Kevin Merrell and Levi Borders hit consecutive, one-out singles in the ninth, but Warmoth got out of the inning with back-to-back fly outs. USF will continue its road trip to play UConn for a threegame conference series beginning Thursday at 3 p.m.
Once the 18-year-old signs with the Bulls, Fernandez will have three scholarships left to give after juniors Shavontae Naylor and Bre Brooks were granted their releases Monday. Women’s golf takes ninth The Bulls shot their best round Tuesday in the final round of the Web.com Intercollegiate in Ponte Vedra, as they finished ninth out of 17 teams. Sophomore Ashley Burke shot an even-72 Tuesday and finished with 3-under for the tournament. She tied for fifth in the tournament individually, and shot 11 strokes better than the next-best Bull. The University of Miami won the tournament with a team score of 10-under for the two-day event.
Mike White started 15 games at quarterback over the past two seasons, but threw only 11 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. ORACLE FILE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU