The Oracle TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2014 I VOL. 52 NO. 25
Inside this Issue
N E W S
Dress for the season with fall fashion. Page 4
Montage
S PORTS Bulls search for first win against ranked team. BACK
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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
Cocco censure unlikely to lead to impeachment By Wesley Higgins
LI F E STYLE
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The Index
News.................................................................1 Lifestyle......................................................4 Opinion.......................................................6
E D I T O R
The censure against student body president Jean Cocco is unlikely to lead to impeachment, according to members of Student Government (SG). SG Senate enacted a censure resolution last Tuesday to reprimand Cocco for holding a seat on the Local Fee Committee. Though the majority of SG senators voted for censure, SG Senate President Andy Rodriguez said no senators have presently indicated that they would sponsor an impeachment, which requires three signatures. “Impeachment and censure are not necessarily hand in
hand,” Rodriguez said. “It’s obviously not an impeachable offense, or something that he should be impeached for.” Nonetheless, Rodriguez said that the senate was correct to censure Cocco. SG statutes state the student body president cannot sit on the Local Fee Committee, a committee Cocco appointed himself to on Aug. 15. Cocco said while challenges to his seat on the Local Fee Committee play out, he will remain on the committee. The Senate passed the statute during their final meeting last spring. The Local Fee Committee recommends fee increases for the Athletic, Activity and Service, and Health fees. “It’s more or less the concept that
you would be representing something and then be voting back on it,” said former Senate President Pro Tempore Adam Aldridge about the new statute, on April 15. Central to the issue is whether SG statutes can supersede Florida statutes and whether Cocco’s right to sit on the committee is an issue within SG’s jurisdiction. On Aug. 15, the Judiciary and Ethics Committee deliberated and found Cocco in violation. SG Attorney General Alexander Johnson, however, said the SG statute was unconstitutional, as it conflicted with Florida law that states the student body president must nominate students for the Local Fee Committee, but
does not forbid a student body president from sitting on the committee itself. In his legal opinion, Johnson wrote that SG does not have the ability to further define state law within its own internal procedures. The Dean of Students Michael Freeman also said Cocco is eligible to sit on the committee and recommended that SG Senate not pursue action against Cocco. In email correspondence with The Oracle, Freeman said Florida statutes clearly allow Cocco to sit on the committee. However, Freeman’s involvement brought up another issue: whether SG Senate has the authority to set further limitations on the Florida statutes.
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Students develop nail decal to detect date rape drugs By Chelsea Mulligan C O R R E S P O N D E N T
Research by the Centers for Disease Control Prevention claims that nearly one in five women have been raped. Sexual violence also came to the forefront recently when Emma Watson addressed the issue at the U.N. Headquarters in New York last month. Three fourth-year students — Ileana Alvarez, Roger Stern and John Pilz — are working with the USF Innovation Incubator to develop a drugdetecting nail decal intended to combat sexual violence, but it is not without controversy. “It is unfortunate that we need such a product as theirs, but I think that it is much needed. I think that their solution, if they are able to make it work, would be an extra step in protection,” said Keosha Poole, a USF graduate student and Student Innovation Incubator co-founder. The product, created by the
student company Spike Drink Detectors, is similar to the nail polish product Undercover Nails developed by UNC students, which changes color when exposed to chemicals commonly used in date rape drugs. Some of the most common date rape drugs include Rohypnol (roofies), GHB and Ketamine. Alvarez said the intention is to develop a sticker-like decal that will be applicable to any type of nail polish including gel nails, as opposed to just another nail polish. “We just want to make it easy and discreet and just something you can apply, literally, in a second,” Alvarez said. When UNC students released their product Undercover Nails, a number of critics said the product doesn’t do anything to stop rape culture. Alvarez said she could understand criticisms of the product, agreeing the similar decal sticker her company is developing could be viewed as perpetuat-
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A product created by Spike Drink Detectors changes color when exposed to commonly used date rape drugs. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION
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Happy Homecoming!
This year’s Homecoming Week kicked off Monday in the Marshall Student Center Amphitheater, with appearances by the Sun Dolls, USF cheerleaders, the Herd of Thunder marching band, Rocky and more. ORACLE PHOTOS/ADAM MATHIEU
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CENSURE
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“In terms of whether (Cocco) should sit on the Local Fee Committee, we think that’s an internal issue for the general body to decide,” Rodriguez said. Coco said he believes it is an external matter because it involves a committee that SG does not operate directly. Johnson said presenting the issue to the dean of students also raised the question whether it is Freeman’s place to make a decision for Student Government. “The man is the dean of students,” Johnson said. “The man can do whatever he wants.” Johnson said, as a possible silver lining, SG would better clarify the boundaries of their jurisdiction. “We have come across another problem in that we have no delineation for what is an internal or external issue,” Johnson said.
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Rodriguez said he hopes to introduce a bill that would clearly define the difference between an internal and an external issue. “It might not be possible,” he said. “We need to at least try to find a way to solve this problem before it creates more.” If Cocco does not step down from the Local Fee Committee, SG Senate will vote on whether to move forward with impeachment proceedings next Tuesday. “I was there at the first meeting last Friday,” Cocco said. “I intend to be there this Friday.” Both Cocco and Rodriguez said it was best for SG to move past the censure and focus on cooperation, for the sake of the student body. “I’ve been in contact with senate executives and Student Government advisors, and I believe the issue has become moot,” Cocco said. “I think we’re ready to move forward and serve the students.”
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ing a culture of victim blaming, though she remains optimistic. “All these devices that have come out have saved lives and have done a really good thing for women,” she said. Nanci Newton, director for the USF Center for Victim Advocacy and Violence Prevention, said she believes such products may not address issues of victim blaming and rape culture. “When we keep coming up with these newer and newer ideas and devices aimed at having women change their behavior or do something, we’re not focusing on the problem. The problem is not victims. The problem is offenders,” she said. Newton also said it is necessary to have men participate in protecting women, since most men are not violent. “You do that by recognizing that stopping a rapist is the
responsibility of everyone, and that a majority of that responsibility actually relies on men, on the vast majority of men who are good men and who need to step up to the plate,” she said. In response to the general criticism surrounding the prevention product, such as practicality or victim blaming, Alvarez said she wants Spiked Drink Detectors to do more than just alert women of drugged drinks in the moment. “What we want to do as a company is not just create a product that will let you know if there’s these chemicals in a drink, we also want to bring awareness, making men a part of the solution,” she said. “I think a good way to decrease the number of incidents would be just to have education. So we’re thinking of once we get sales, we’d like to give back, give education, spread education not just around campus, but around Tampa.” Alvarez said she hopes the company could eventually
increase knowledge about date rape across Florida, although she, Stern and Pilz are just now in the very early stages of product development. As to awareness, Newton said that some of the problem lies just in the language used surrounding date rape. “I don’t think ‘date rape’ is really the proper term for it because most of the time people aren’t actually out on a date together,” she said. “Some people call it ‘acquaintance rape,’ but again that’s not very accurate because sometimes when you’re at a bar or a party, it’s a just-met stranger, and I would hesitate to call that an acquaintance. So the term my office uses is ‘non-stranger.’” Though devices such as those being planned by Spiked Drink Detectors are not the complete solution to a problem endemic in the culture, Alvarez said there is a possibility that they could prevent some crime until future answers are found.
Lifestyle
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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
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TRENDS TO FALL INTO By Alina Rodriguez C O M M E N T A R Y
For the time being, Floridians have to wait for sweater weather to kick in, but they can still enjoy some of the street styles seen in Fashion Week. Royal blue, rich chocolate and sangria shades are the colors to look out for while revamping your wardrobe for the fall.
April Durrett, senior majoring in management. ORACLE PHOTO / ADAM MATHIEU
Dhearj Mahbubani, senior, Varuna Maraj, junior. ORACLE PHOTO / ADAM MATHIEU
Women: • Think matchy-matchy this season. Co-ords, an outfit consisting of a top and bottom that have matching prints or matching solid colors, have gone from “do not” to “must have,” breathing new life into a long-forgotten 90s trend. If it’s too much for you, they can be paired with different items, or there is always the option to buy solid pieces, such as all black. “Clueless” fans, it’s your time to shine. • The chunkier the heel, the better. Who needs to hobble around on stilettos, anyway? A lace up ankle boot allows you to bring out
your inner grunge girl. Go for something shiny when you shop because patent leather is on the up and up. • Blazers have always been “in” for the fall, so let’s not forget the schoolboy blazer; a more flexible fabric that also allows flexibility with your wardrobe. It’s the easiest blazer to dress down, and still gives you a touch of sophistication. • Celebrate your inner minimalist. The look mainly consists of black, white and gray but should still be done carefully. This modern classic is one of the most tasteful looks, for nothing is more elegant than sleek simplicity. Men: • The best time to wear a striped sweater is all the time, but the fall is exceptionally good. Aside from the previously suggested colors, experiment with orange hues as well as cypress green. Pair it with dark denim and you have your look. • If you want to try something other than combat boots, get a pair
of desert boots. They have more delicate stitching and are typically seen in suede. The laces do not go up to the ankle, but stop rather abruptly after a couple of loopholes. It’s a lighter shoe for the warmer weather. • Comfort and style make a perfect collision with men’s jogger pants. Having a lazy day can give you that “effortless look” that says you just threw it on, yet it coordinates well with some of your nicer shirts. • A boxy-fit plaid T-shirt should be a strong candidate next time you shop. It screams fall without the need for the layers. Dark colors and a pattern with bigger, thinner boxes go away from the lumberjack look and toward Paris runway. Just because the weather does not reach the typical fall expectation, doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy some of the biggest trending patterns, colors and occasionally thin layering.
ORACLE PHOTO / ADAM MATHIEU
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WAKE
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Collegiate tournaments, which are usually held by Empire Wake, are judged by professional wakeboarders. The competition is separated into boat, cable, and wakeskate divisions. The boat and cable divisions consist of beginner, intermediate, advanced, and open levels, and the wakeskate division consists of beginner skim, beginner surf, advanced skim, and advanced surf levels. The cables are divided into four quadrants, and each pro judges one. “It’s completely different, as far as how you’re being pulled and the obstacles they give you,” said Ryan Hagen, a noncompetitive member of the wakeboarding club. WakeUSF is not only a competitive team; the club’s top eight members form the competitive portion of the club, but practices are open to anyone. Heyman encourages new members to join. “Practice is open to everyone, from beginners to the most advanced riders who are pro or semi-pro,” Heyman said. Though the cost to wake-
BULLS
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Ruffin McNeill. USF Recruiting While the team was resting, Taggart was out recruiting the next cluster of USF players. Without going into any specifics, Taggart said he went to six or seven schools and a few games.
T H E O R AC L E
board may worry some, club members ensure that joining is affordable. They only pay for the fee to enter the cable park where they practice, and the cost of transportation to get to practices and competitions. Practice at McCormick’s Ski School and Cable Park is $22 for two hours and at the Orlando Watersports Complex, it is only $20 for three hours. For the Collegiate Cable Competition, USF covered $1,500 of the $2,000 cost to compete, and the remaining $500 was split between team members. Equipment is provided by the parks. Hagen and Hanson both admitted that there are not nearly as many women in competition as there are men, despite the fact that wakeboarding is a co-ed sport. In the male-dominated sport, Heyman has seen success as President of the club. She placed first in Tommy’s Tournament Series’ Women’s division on September 27th, boasting a strong start to the collegiate season. “I haven’t seen a single person who has tried wakeboarding and didn’t like it,” Hanson said.
After announcing the transfer of freshman offensive tackle Reilly Gibbons from Stanford on Friday, USF received more good news with the commitment of 6-foot-6, 255-pound offensive tackle Marcus Norman, according to Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers. Out of Sebastian River High School, Norman was graded a three-star recruit by 247Sports. com.
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Opinion
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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
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UF sets example for universities handling sexual assaults filed and the case is currently under investigation by UF police with the help of the Gainesville Police Department, Harris was suspended indefinitely from the team because of the allegation. Conversely, when Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston was accused of sexual assault in January 2013, the case wasn’t even made public until November. It wasn’t until a year later that university administrators questioned Winston, and Winston wasn’t pulled off the field until last month — a single game suspension caused by something unrelated to the allegations. In two days, UF has shown more commitment to taking sexual assault allegations seriously than FSU has in almost two years. UF is showing the kind of zero tolerance and leadership that all universities should strive for when handling sexual assaults. In two years, FSU has been dancing around the topic of sexual assaults through due process and bureaucratic nonsense and trying to sweep the discussion under the rug.
Alex Rosenthal COLU M N I ST
In the news recently, all you seem to hear about is domestic battery among NFL players and how universities are mishandling sexual assault allegations. Finally, however, faith has been restored in the world after one university has actually taken a rape allegation seriously. On Monday, University of Florida football coach Will Muschamp canceled his weekly news conference and later that day the university president made a public statement about allegations of sexual battery brought against freshman quarterback Treon Harris over the weekend, according to an article by the Tampa Bay Times. While no charges have been
the Oracle
Whether Harris and Winston are guilty or innocent, they should not be treated as though they are above the law, regardless of the team they play for. Accusations of rape should be taken seriously, and investigations into the matter should not be waived due to athletics. Though the incidents at UF and FSU are perfect examples of right and wrong in handling sexual assault allegations, they are just two examples of a problem that occurs nationwide. The federal government is investigating over 70 colleges around the country for Title IX violations, and the White House stepped in earlier this year to create a task force to address the issue of sexual assaults on college campuses. The issue is a complex one, but only when universities, such as UF, begin to face sexual assaults head on, openly and with full seriousness, can the problem start to be resolved.
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What you said Correspondents Sebastian Contento and Savannah Cuttitta asked students what they think should be done to prevent sexual assaults campus.
“We need better communication with resources because some people do not speak out when they are sexually harassed and it becomes more dangerous.” — Donovan Jackson, a junior majoring in computer engineering “We need more fun events to educate people on sexual assault prevention, rather than the forced online courses when starting at USF.” — Jackson Cardarelli, a freshman majoring information technology “We need a cultural shift, men should advocate the prevention of sexual assault. We need education for both sexes and men should be held accountable.”
Alex Rosenthal is a senior majoring in mass communications.
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“We need more security and more lighting around campus. Also, we need to teach students awareness on sexual assault and what to do to prevent it.” — Natalie Murrieta, a junior majoring in communications
Classifieds UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
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Sports
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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
Soccer
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Notebook
Bulls earn Bulls seek first signature win of Taggart era conference honors By Jacob Hoag A S S T .
Senior defender Nikola Paunic helped USF hold its opponents scoreless last week. ORACLE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU
By Vinnie Portell S P O R T S
E D I T O R
Three Bulls were honored for their performances this week, during which they won both matches 3-0. Senior forward Tyler Blackwood earned the AAC Offensive Player of the Week for scoring four of the Bulls’ six goals last week, including a hat trick in Saturday night’s victory over Temple. Blackwood scored his first goal with USF on Wednesday against Georgia Southern. This is the University of Tampa transfer’s first AAC honor. Senior defender Nikola Paunic also earned his first conference honor, claiming the AAC Defensive Player of the Week. The senior led the Bulls to two shutouts, including allowing only one shot on goal in both games. Behind Paunic’s stellar defensive play, USF leads the AAC in allowing goals per game (0.78). Midfielder Eduardo Maceira earned a place on the AAC honor roll after scoring the game-winning goal against Georgia Southern and recording an assist against Temple. USF will finish its three-game homestand when it hosts Tulsa at 7:30 p.m. in Corbett Stadium on Wednesday.
S P O R T S
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Big wins against top teams in the country are key in building up a program. Coach Willie Taggart has been close — with near wins against Michigan State and Wisconsin in his first two years — but has yet to seal a win that can spark the football program. “It’s big for any team to win a win like that,” Taggart Said. “For us, a win against a ranked opponent would be big. You look what Ole Miss did against Alabama and same with Mississippi State and Texas A&M (last week); those were big for those programs.” Coming off a bye week, Taggart will have a chance to pull a major upset this weekend as the Bulls take on No. 19 East Carolina, a team that is new to the spotlight, but has top-tier talent that will pose problems for USF in the homecoming game. “We’ve done well running to the football and gang tackling,” Taggart said. “With all of their athletes, they try and spread you out and get you in space. We have to do a good job of getting off blocks and running to the football.”
Pirates’ high-powered offense
East Carolina boasts one of the most dynamic offenses in the country. This is due in part to its Heisman-hopeful quarterback senior Shane Carden who ranks first in the AAC in passing yards per game as well as total offense. The Pirates’ offense is ranked fourth in the nation in passing (395.6 yds. /gm.) as well as ninth in points (43.6). To put that in perspective, USF averages 148 yards per game (117th in the nation) through the air, scoring 19.4 points per game (113th). No quarterback is complete without a complementary receiver. Carden’s go-to guy, senior Justin Hardy, has built a rapport with his quarterback, racking up 479 yards and five touchdowns. Along with posing problems for opposing secondaries outside the hashes, he has also shown off his strong arm, completing a 41-yard touchdown. Three years ago, East Carolina was 5-7. Since then, the Pirates have posted 8- and 10-win seasons under coach
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Coach Willie Taggart has a 4-13 record as USF’s coach and has not beaten a ranked opponent yet. ORACLE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU
Bulls wakeboarding third in nation By Savannah Cuttitta C O R R E S P O N D E N T
Jack Hanson finished in first place in the Advanced category at the 2014 College Cable Championships. PHOTO PROVIDED BY ERIN HEYMAN
USF’s Wakeboarding Club has been named October’s Club of the Month by the Center for Student Involvement. After placing in the national championship, USF recognized the club and its officials for their involvement at the university. During the weekend of Sept. 20, the WakeUSF team competed in the 2014 College Cable Championships in Little Elm, Texas against the top
teams in the country. USF’s Jack Hanson placed first in Advanced, Beau Brown placed first in Wake Skate and Erin Heyman earned third in Women’s. USF’s team finished third overall in the national competition. “It gives me a feeling that nothing else really does. It motivates me to keep going, and it motivates me to do well in school so that I can keep doing what I love,” Hanson said.
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