The Oracle W E D N E S D A Y , S E P T E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 4 I V O L . 5 2 N O . 1w8w w . u s f o r a c l e . c o m
Inside this Issue
M A N A G I N G
Fan club watches Burton films. Page 4
Montage
S PORTS Bulls prepare for Wisconsin’s running game. BACK
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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
Student group rallies support for medical marijuana By Roberto Roldan
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The Index
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In light of the November election, representatives from the international nonprofit Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP), together with its USF chapter, tabled outside Cooper Hall on Tuesday in support of Florida’s medical marijuana amendment. This was the third week SSDP Florida Campus Coordinator Colin Fitzgibbon has spent reaching out to students in the Cooper Hall breezeway to rally support for Amendment 2, which will be on the ballot Nov. 4. Fitzgibbon and a representative from the USF chapter also signed up students to vote for National Voter Registration Day. Fitzgibbon said the state and national chapters of SSDP have
spent a lot of time and money in Florida recently because this is the first time such a “progressive drug policy” has been up for a vote in the state. “We’re really trying to come at it from a scientific direction because any time you mention marijuana, people think ‘Oh it’s this or it’s that.’ But the reality is that it helps a lot of sick people and we don’t think people should be thrown in jail for trying to use it,” he said. The opposition to Amendment 2, spearheaded by Polk County Sherriff Grady Judd and the Florida Sheriffs Association, believes the current draft of the amendment will allow anyone access to marijuana, not just patients in need. SSDP is looking specifically to target the student vote, which Fitzgibbon said is going
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Students for Sensible Drug Policy tabled outside Cooper Hall on Tuesday in support of legalizing medical marijuana. ORACLE PHOTO / ROBERTO ROLDAN
Sofa selfie
To read about Snitch, the new Shimberg Health Sciences Library ambassador and finals week therapy dog, see Page 3. PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE
USF President Judy Genshaft discussed cardiovascular health Tuesday on a couch provided by Ashley Furniture HomeStore as a part of the American Heart Association of Tampa Bay Sofa Tour. ORACLE PHOTO / BRANDON SHAIK
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to make a huge impact on the amendment in Florida. Fitzgibbon has also tabled at FSU and UF over the last few months. “We’re going to need students because we have to have a 60 percent popular vote,” Fitzgibbon said. “It’s going to be easy for the opposition because they only need to get the 40 percent who think marijuana is the devil’s herb or something like that.” The most recent Tampa Bay Times/Bay News 9/UF Bob Graham Center poll shows supporters of Amendment 2 are just shy of the 60 percent majority mark with 56.7 percent of respondents saying they will support the Amendment in November. As it gets closer to the election, SSDP, as well as United for Care, the largest pro-medical marijuana campaign in Florida, will host events at campuses across the state and
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encouraging students to hold rallies and share their opinions with local news organizations. Fitzgibbon said the biggest obstacles to securing the student vote for Amendment 2 are political apathy and actually getting students to show up on Election Day. “We have the loudest voice of any generation; we have the reins on social media and all the power in the world like that, but we also vote the least of any demographic,” he said. In the coming weeks, SSDP and United for Care will look to host events at USF to rally support and showcase patient testimony. According to Fitzgibbon, United for Care and SSDP will return to USF on Oct. 2 to host a rally and a discussion on medical marijuana. “We want to make sure students know the facts about medical marijuana,” Fitzgibbon said. “It’s about compassion, it’s about people getting access to the medicine that they need, it’s not about people just getting high.”
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Therapy dog becomes USF’s golden Snitch By Allison Leslie C O R R E S P O N D E N T
Move over Rocky, there’s a new mascot on campus. The 5-year-old golden retriever Snitch, named after the Golden Snitch from Harry Potter, has been wagging her way into the hearts of students and faculty at the Shimberg Health Sciences Library. Snitch’s owner, Jill Baker, said the retriever isn’t just here for play; this therapy dog is here to work. “We thought … the library needs some kind of a good will ambassador, some sort of mascot to liven things up a bit,” Baker said. The idea to hire Snitch originated after Shimberg Library brought in temporary therapy dogs during finals week. Lauren Adkins, former worker at the library’s cir-
culation desk, said she suggested it would give students a break from the stress of studying. Manjari Pedapudi, a premed student, said playing with a therapy dog did help her get through exam week. “We are always looking for study breaks to have anyway,” she said. “Instead of just roaming around the hallways, you can just come here and play with the dogs.” Student reaction was so positive, Adkins said, that they decided to keep bringing in at least one therapy dog every month. Then, in August, Snitch was made the official ambassador for the library. During Week of Welcome, Snitch, who has her own USF identification card, greeted students at the welcome table of the Morsani College of Medicine Student Organization Fair.
“(Students) were like ‘Oh I miss my dog; I had to move here and go to school and I left my dog at home,’” Baker said. “They’ve got (Snitch) in a bear hug.” Baker said the crowd at Week of Welcome didn’t bother Snitch one bit. In fact, she licked up the attention. “She really just goes up to each student, and loves to be petted,” Baker said. “She’s very calm; there’s almost a sympathetic kind of emotion that you feel between her and the people she is visiting with.” While many of Snitch’s polite manners come from training, golden retrievers are also known for their loyalty, gentleness and friendliness toward people. “Some (dogs) have temperaments that lend themselves to being therapy dogs,” Baker said. “She has
a very calm presence around people.” Besides pawing her way around student libraries, Snitch also visits the elderly at nursing homes and small children in hospitals. “I can’t really imagine what life would be like without a pet,” Baker said. “It just brings out something special in people.” Therapy dogs are important to different people for different reasons. The benefits students, patients or disabled people get from therapy dogs are both emotional and physical. Pets have been shown to lower blood pressure and reduce stress levels, according to the National Center for Health Research. And the Stress and Mental Health poll showed that 85 percent of students reported feeling overwhelmed on a daily basis.
Baker said, when students come in contact with therapy animals, anxiety fades and a smile breaks out on their faces. “All of a sudden people are nicer; they are happier,” she said. While Snitch isn’t working her magic on stressed students, she is searching for squirrels or doing her agility training. Snitch placed fifth in the 2013 Purina Incredible Challenge. “She comes out of the field like a bomb,” Baker said. “Or she can go right into the library and visit with students and be calm.” With all the positive feedback to the new furry ambassador, Baker said students will likely see Snitch again at various campus events and during finals week.
Lifestyle
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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
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Students celebrate Burton By Rene Thomas Rodriguez C O R R E S P O N D E N T
The Oracle’s Top Five
Tim Burton Movies
1. “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993) 2. “Edward Scissorhands” (1990)
For students Tawney Schreier and Nevedha Duraimurugan, starting Team Burton, a club devoted to the films of Tim Burton, seemed like a great way to share their passion for the ominous beauty that Burton’s aesthetic has created over the span of almost four decades. Starting a fan organization for Burton may appear to be an esoteric endeavor, but for the club’s members, it’s more than just watching his films. “Burton’s work goes beyond just the movies,” said Schreier, a senior majoring in biomedical science. “He has also done poems and fine arts, which makes it a more interesting experience when we get together.” Of course, the films are still the central reason for their organization. Duraimurugan, a junior majoring in psychology
and the president of Team Burton, said the films ignite something inside her when she watches them. “There is just something about his films that inspires people,” she said. Burton is known for his strange, dark and colorful work and distinct style that tends to celebrate that which is different and life’s many oddities. Schreier and Duraimurugan do not hesitate to choose their favorite film from the master of gothic utopias, though they do disagree on who is right. Schreier said she prefers 2010’s live action “Alice in Wonderland,” while Duraimurugan said her favorite is the 1993 cult classic “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” “The writing concepts are just great,” Duraimurugan said. The club is also a great way for new Burton fans who wish to gain a greater appreciation of the artist’s work. “It’s a niche community to find,” Schreier said.
“But as long as you have a general appreciation for his work, then anyone can join.” At its first meeting, two weeks ago, the club hosted a screening of Burton’s adaptation of the musical “Sweeny Todd.” For each of the club’s screenings, refreshments tend to be related to the movie that is being screened. In this case, pies were served, a favorite of Sweeny Todd’s that play a pivotal role in the film. Team Burton also strives to be more active and reach beyond the boundaries of campus. The club plans to make chocolates for Shriners Hospitals around the time for the screening of Burton’s remake of Roald Dahl’s 1964 classic book “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” The club will screen “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” on Oct. 7. Team Burton meets every Tuesday and Thursday in the Marshall Student Center.
3. “Ed Wood” (1994) 4. “Big Fish” (2003) 5. “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” (2007) PHOTOS SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE
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Football
USF’s offense nearly identical to last season By Vinnie Portell S P O R T S
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USF’s offense scored a Football Bowl Subdivision-low 11 touchdowns for all of last season, and with one third of the season complete, this year’s stats are looking eerily similar. Statistics certainly don’t tell the whole story of a team or even a specific unit, but the USF offense is putting up nearly identical numbers to those from last season. In the first third of last season, coach Willie Taggart used three quarterbacks who combined for 594 yards on 47-for-117 passing with four touchdowns and five interceptions. Taggart has played three quarterbacks this year as well, but last season’s quarterback carousel was due more to a lack of production than anything else. This season, junior quarterback Steven Bench has seen time on the field filling in for sophomore quarterback Mike White after he fractured his arm playing against Maryland. Freshman quarterback Quinton Flowers was briefly introduced because the coaching staff said they believe he adds another element to the offense: speed from the quarterback position. But regardless of injury, weather or any other extenuating circumstances, these quarterbacks have combined to throw for 567 yards on 40-for-
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and instability from the offensive line, as demonstrated against Maryland and N.C. State. Wulff said a healthy offensive line is a big step in achieving this consistency. “Part of the problem was we were shuffling guys around, starting them in different spots,” Wulff said. “We just couldn’t settle due to injuries here and there. Wisconsin’s offensive attack has been explosive this season and is a big reason why it is ranked, but Wulff said that the Badgers’ defense also cannot be ignored.
102 passing with two touchdowns and five interceptions. Judging from those stats, the Bulls’ passing offense has been slightly worse this season, throwing for 27 yards and two touchdowns fewer than last season. The Bulls can’t use a difficult schedule as an excuse for the lack of offensive production. USF’s first four games last season included Michigan State - Rose Bowl winners - and Miami - ranked 15th at the time. Those two teams are certainly more formidable than any team USF (2-2, 1-0) has played so far this season. The only team the Bulls have faced this season that had more than four wins last year is Maryland, which won seven games, but finished the season winning two of its final seven. USF has had success in its rushing attack this season, with the emergence of freshman running back Marlon Mack. The Bulls have rushed for 605 yards and six touchdowns, benefiting from Mack’s 502 yards and five touchdowns, excluding quarterback rushes. USF has put more of an emphasis on running the ball this season, attempting 39 more runs than last season so far, but it has only 34 more yards to show for it. Despite the lack of notable improvement in offensive production, USF has scored 29 more points this season. These extra points have been “They are a top-25 team for a reason and they’re not just top-25 on one side of the ball, I think they are throughout the team,” Wulff said. Injury report: Senior wide receiver Andre Davis participated in practice for the first time since he bruised his sternum on a catch against Western Carolina in Week 1. However, he hasn’t been cleared by Taggart to play just yet. Senior nose tackle Todd Chandler practiced with a brace on his left arm, but there was no comment on any injury. Sophomore quarterback Mike White was still wearing his brace during practice, but is expected to start Saturday.
generated by the defense, as well as senior kicker Marvin Kloss. USF’s defense has forced three more turnovers this season and has kept the offense in the game by allowing 8.25 fewer points per game. Kloss has excelled for the Bulls this season, hitting 6-of-7 field goals and kicking for 27 points compared to only three field goals and 16 points last season. USF has already matched its win total from last season and has had explosive games from Mack, who has two games with over 100 yards. However, the offense has put up nearly identical numbers as the first third of last season and last season’s Bulls made it clear that performance isn’t something to hang your hat on.
USF will have its hands full with Wisconsin, which rushed for 644 yards against Bowling Green on Saturday. ORACLE FILE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU
Opinion
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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
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Career politicians shouldn’t run Florida universities vate quality centers for research and learning, elbow each other out for a shrinking pot of resources. But his critics — namely faculty, students and those that are essentially the beginning and end of what should be higher education — say he is unqualified to serve as president of such an institution. While the career politician received his bachelor’s in business and a law degree from FSU, that is essentially the extent of his experience in the classroom. He has never taught or worked in a university. Indeed, cash-strapped times call for innovative ways to bring in revenue and many public universities have found themselves engaged in activities and “partnerships” with non-academic, purely profit-driven entities that might seem nefarious to an academic purist. But the president of a university serves as much more than simply chief hobnobber. While it is important for a president to have connections for leverage, the president of a university is one who should value what the institution embodies at its core. But perhaps FSU, one of Florida’s oldest and most “preeminent” institutions, seems to
Divya Kumar COLU M N I ST
It’s no dirty secret that the ivory tower of academia in higher education has found itself increasingly entangled in the creeping vines of politics. But perhaps it has never been as indiscreet as Florida State University’s Board of Trustees’ decision to name powerful conservative state Sen. John Thrasher as the new president of the university. Thrasher is currently part of Florida Gov. Rick Scott’s re-election campaign and has received campaign contributions from many of FSU’s BOT for his own campaign. He has been lauded by supporters as someone with enough political clout to help FSU lobby for its fundraising goals. These goals are becoming increasingly important as state universities, attempting to culti-
the Oracle
be having a bit of an identity crisis as it faces the dire straits of today’s economic climate. Moreover, this does not seem to be the first time the university has found itself compromising morals for money. In 2011, the university came under severe scrutiny regarding the role that some of its wealthiest patrons, specifically the billionaire Koch brothers, played in hiring decisions. As the angry students and faculty of FSU have said, their university is “not for sale.” Though the entire institution of public higher education should not be for sale until the next funding model du jour can be proven sustainable, it seems as though we will see more of the traditional values associated with higher education auctioned away. While indeed it is true that the entire field of higher education may benefit from a dose of rooted practicality here and there, is it too lofty an ideal to think that somewhere amid the entrails of cold politicking and the struggle for funds, the heart of academia still beats for the simple love of education and greater discourse? Divya Kumar is a senior majoring in mass communications and economics.
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What you said Multimedia editor Adam Mathieu asked students if they feel confident about getting a job after graduation.
“Yes, I want to be a mathematics instructor and that field has many openings, but I understand that the market is limited.” — Greg Churchill, a Ph.D. candidate in mathematics
“I feel positive with the medical field because there is no scarcity in jobs.” — Julian Jackson, a junior majoring in health science
“Yes, because I want to enter government and politics. Still, these days, just having a bachelor’s degree is not enough.”
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“Engineering has a good outlook, but it still helps to know people and network.” — Sean Daconceicao, a junior majoring in mechanical engineering
Classifieds UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
To place a classified ad go to HELP WANTED Part Time Medical Assistant Needed! Looking for a part time medical assistant near the USF area. Training will be provided. 10-15 hours per week, $9 per hr., Spanish speaker preferred. Call (813) 932-5389.
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http://www.usforacle.com/classifieds
Math tutor needed for grades K-12. Starts at $8.50/hr. Email resume, name of last completed math class, and schedule to newtampa@mathnasium.com (813) 644-7282
Physical Therapy Receptionist Part Time Front office for outpatient physical therapy orthopedic/sports medicine clinic. Fax resume to 813-975-8708. Email debbie@pro-activephysicaltherapy.com
New radio show on WSRQ, Business Buzz, is looking for on air and off air interns. Flexible hours. Saturday, 9am show. Submit resume to: mgomez1016@aol.com
Chiropractic assistant Six to eight hours a week. Will train. Carrollwood area. Respond with resume to hegsethvirginia@gmail.com
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Sports
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Football
Bulls ready to stop Badgers’ Gordon By Vinnie Portell S P O R T S
E D I T O R
The Bulls will play their first ranked opponent of the season when they face off against No. 19 Wisconsin on Saturday, and they have their fair share of challenges awaiting them in Madison. Stopping Melvin Gordon: Wisconsin junior running back Melvin Gordon has rushed for 431 yards this season, including 253 yards on only 13 carries last Saturday against Bowling Green. “It gives you extra motivation, you want to go in there against the 19th ranked team with a Heisman candidate running back, and if you can shut him down you can be the team that says ‘Oh yeah we beat that guy; he’s human,’” redshirt freshman Auggie Sanchez said. Junior safety Jamie Byrd said Gordon is such a tough runner that one defender might not be able to bring him down alone. “We’re going to have to gang tackle him,” Byrd said. “We aren’t going to be able to tackle him one on one so we’ll have to tackle him
as a team.” Sanchez said the Bulls have to be wary of Gordon’s big play ability – he’s had rushes of 69 and 63 yards this season. “It looks like he’s bottled up in the backfield and he ends up taking it 70 yards; the guy’s a good running back,” Sanchez said. Coach Willie Taggart said much of Gordon’s success comes from Wisconsin’s sturdy offensive line. “I think, up front they’re fundamentally sound and very well coached,” Taggart said. “You watch those guys; they come off the ball with low pad level. It makes it easier for a back.” Keeping up with Wisconsin: The Badgers are currently ranked 19th in the nation in points scored with 43 per game. In order to have a chance, the Bulls will need to play one of their best offensive games. Offensive coordinator Paul Wulff said the key to a successful game for the offense comes down to the offensive line. “We made some adjustments with our (offensive line) scheme having to do with our splits that
As a redshirt freshman, Auggie Sanchez has been an anchor of USF’s defense recording 15 tackles as well as an interception. ORACLE FILE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU helped us out,” Wulff said. “I thought our backs ran really well and took advantage of the holes that were there; and the times there wasn’t, they made some.” Wulff said the running backs will need to have as productive a
game as they did against UConn, when they rushed for a combined 172 yards. “The better we can run the ball, the better opportunity we have,” Wulff said. “At some point we have to be able to be consistently
running the football and we have to find a way to do that in this game.” USF has struggled to find consistency in the running game this season because of poor play
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Men’s Golf
Bulls fall short despite strong showing By Jacob Hoag A S S T .
USF shot 28-over for the tournament putting them in second place in the Inverness Intercollegiate. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE
S P O R T S
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After winning their first tournament of the season by a 27-stroke margin, the Bulls backed that up with another strong performance. However, they were unable to edge out a win over Eastern Tennessee, finishing second with two players in the top five. With 12 teams on the field at the Inverness Intercollegiate Invitational, which took place Monday and Tuesday, USF and Eastern Tennessee were able to break away from the pack early. Both teams shot 11-over through 36 holes to gain a share of the lead, with the closest team 12
shots behind. The Bulls had a chance to take the lead in the final round but faltered later, shooting 17-over, which landed them in second place (28-over), two shots behind Eastern Tennessee. “In this game, you lose more than you win,” coach Steven Bradley said. “It was a great performance and I don’t expect this close loss to carry into the next tournament.” The Bulls didn’t fair well on the front nine of the course – one that has hosted many PGA tour events – shooting 12-over as a team through six holes to start the day. The Bulls dug themselves a hole too deep to crawl out of. “We weren’t playing with the
leaders so we didn’t really know how they were doing,” Bradley said. “We knew we were running out of holes and started pressing to make shots.” Though they couldn’t secure back-to-back wins, a consistent effort will give the team momentum going into their next tournament. Freshman Claudio Correa and senior Trey Valentine had a strong showing, with Correa finishing third (4-over) and Valentine tying for fourth (5-over). “(Correa) is unbelievably talented,” Bradley said. “For it only being his second collegiate event, he played very well. It just shows that he’s the real deal.” Correa followed the team’s trend, shooting a tournament-
leading 1-under in the first round, but he wasn’t able to sustain his early success as he shot a combined 5-over in the remaining two rounds. “It felt nice,” Correa said. “I played good on a difficult course. We lost, but we’re going harder for the next tournament.” Junior Chase Koepka finished 18th out of the 69 golfers in attendance, shooting 12-over for the tournament. Sophomore Rigel Fernandes and Junior Askel Olsen rounded out the team, finishing for 20th (13-over) and 36th (20-over), respectively. USF will look to keep the momentum rolling as they travel to Hartford, Wisconsin on Oct. 5 to compete in the Erin Hills Collegiate tournament.