O
October 24, 2016
Vol. 54 No. 19
On alert
Campus emergency notification system faces criticism from students Page 3
Students need to utilize right to vote Page 6
Halloween events across Tampa Page 8
Skeete’s leadership instilled deep down Page 14
2
M O N DAY, O C TO B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 6
the Oracle the University of South Florida’s student newspaper since 1966
Editor in Chief Jacob Hoag oracleeditor@gmail.com Managing Editor Miki Shine oraclemeditor@gmail.com News Editor Abby Rinaldi oraclenewsteam@gmail.com Assistant News Editor Chelsea Grosbeck
Multimedia Editor Jackie Benitez oraclemultimediaeditor@gmail.com
Copy Editor Grace Hoyte Graphic Artists Destiny Moore Mark Soree Advertising Sales Alyssa Alexander Jess DiLiello Destiny Moore Dylan Ritchey The Oracle is published Monday and Thursday during the fall and spring semesters, and once weekly, Wednesday, during the summer. The Oracle allocates one free issue to each student. Additional copies are $.50 each and available at the Oracle office (SVC 0002).
Opinion Editor Breanne Williams oracleopinion@gmail.com Lifestyle Editor Nicole Cate oraclelifestyleeditor@gmail.com
Main . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sports ................ Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Website: Facebook: Twitter:
T H E O R AC L E
The Index News........................................................3 Opinion.................................................6 Lifestyle................................................8 classifieds..........................................10 Crossword.........................................10 sports....................................................14
BY PHONE
Sports Editor Vinnie Portell oraclesportseditor@gmail.com
●
974-6242 974-5190 974-1888 974-2842 974-2620 974-6242
usforacle.com facebook.com/usforacle @USFOracle
CORRECTIONS The Oracle will correct or clarify factual errors. Contact Editor in Chief Jacob Hoag at 974-5190.
News Briefs Donald Trump unsure if he’ll concede During last week’s third presidential debate, Republican nominee Donald Trump said he would “leave you in suspense” over whether he would concede if he lost the election. Since then, Donald Trump he’s said he would accept it if he won. “Of course, I would accept a clear election result, but I would also reserve my right to contest or file a legal challenge in the case of a questionable result,” Trump said. “I will follow and abide by all the rules and traditions of the many candidate who came before me, always.”
AT&T plans to buy Time Warner
On Saturday, AT&T announced it was buying Time Warner for $85.4 billion, according to the New York Times. This deal would connect AT&T’s customers with Time Warner’s media content including HBO premium network, cable networks TBS and TNT, and the Warner Bros. film and TV studio. According to the Times, this deal is AT&T’s attempt to keep up with Comcast, which is the country’s largest cable operator and expanded into content when acquiring NBC Universal.
news
USF campus police notification system Organization provides receives criticism from students shuttles to UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
●
M O N D AY, O C T O B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 6
●
3
T H E O R AC L E
early polling sites By Miki Shine M A N A G I N G
Students across campus have raised concerns about the notification system used by University Police to alert students about potential dangers around campus. ORACLE PHOTO/JACKIE BENITEZ By Breanne Williams O P I N I O N
E D I T O R
When a University Police (UP) dispatcher received a call from an anonymous source on Sept. 1 threatening to blow up JuniperPoplar Hall on campus, a team was sent to the dorm to clear the building. One thing, however, was missing. No text or emails alerts were sent to students informing them of the threat, according to UP chief Christopher Daniel. The team sent to the dorm informed the students inside the building of the threat and gave them the option of going into the parking garage if they wished to leave. The timing of the call impacted the department’s reaction to the threat since the call came in right as a lightening storm began. Sending students out into
the storm might have put them in harm’s way as well. When the team searched the building, no threat was found. UP is required to share information about crime on campus “and inform the public of crime in or around campus,” according to the Clery Act, which is a requirement for all federally funded colleges and university. Students frequently criticize the efficiency of the department in alerting students to threats. However, the department is not in the wrong from a legal standpoint. Daniel said there are multiple reasons behind the department’s determination of threats as worthy of an alert and the speed at which they are distributed to students. Last October, hours after USF won its homecoming football game over Syracuse, USF athletes Benjamin Knox and
Lamar Robbins were accused of discharging a gun on campus in celebration of the victory. According to UP reports, the two fired several shots from a .45-caliber handgun that struck the exterior of the Holly D residence hall, where one of the players lived. The guns were discharged shortly before 4 a.m., yet students didn’t receive an alert until nearly 12 hours later. Giovanni Mercado, a junior majoring in psychology, was living in the Kosove dorm when the gunshots went off across the street. “Luckily, I was back home that day,” Mercado said. “If I had been at my dorm, I would have heard the gunshots and assumed something was happening. I would’ve immediately grabbed my phone to wait for an alert.” Mercado recalled his
n See UP on PAGE 7
E D I T O R
The organization For Florida’s Future is launching its “Shuttle Together, Stronger Together” initiative Monday, which is geared toward encouraging students to vote. The program will run shuttles from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. between the USF campus and the nearest polling location — The Temple Terrace Public Library — during early voting weekdays. “We live in Florida, which is the biggest swing state in the country,” Melissa Baldwin, Tampa Bay regional press secretary of For Florida’s Future, said. “We actually live in the I-4 corridor, which has the power to swing this election. “So we’ve been working to make sure that students are able to register to vote and that they have the opportunity to get to the polls and participate in democracy.” For the first day of the initiative, shuttles won’t start until after the launch party, which will take place outside of the Marshall Student Center at 12:30 p.m. As part of the kickoff, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn will be delivering a speech. The organization’s goal is to shuttle around 600 students to the polls during early voting, which will last from Oct. 24 – Nov. 6. “(For Florida’s Future has) been working very hard to register new voters,” Baldwin said. “We’ve registered over 800 students in the time that we’ve been working there, and we want to make absolutely sure that each and every student has the opportunity to exercise their voice in this election, to really get out there and make a difference.”
4
Building a BRIDGE M O N DAY, O C TO B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 6
●
T H E O R AC L E
Student-led health clinic serves low-income community By Chelsea Grosbeck A S S T .
N E W S
E D I T O R
The USF Building Relationships and Initiatives Dedicated to Gaining Equality (BRIDGE) Clinic is a free, student-run clinic available to members of the Tampa community who are unable to afford health care. This year, the clinic was awarded a $40,000 grant, which will allow it to continue to provide free colon screenings, a major offering at the clinic. The grant was awarded by the Florida Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (FAFCC). Located at the USF Health Morsani Center for Advanced Healthcare, the internal medicine clinic transforms into BRIDGE every Tuesday from 5:30 p.m.9:00 p.m. The clinic provides a multitude of resources to patients, with services in primary care, physical therapy, social work, pharmacy and public health. Money to keep these divisions stocked with medical technology and resources has been a struggle, but grants like the FAFCC’s donation and another from Florida Hospital are now making it possible to provide additional services, including specialty care by neurologists, psychiatrists, gynecologists and dermatologists. Since 2007, BRIDGE has been servicing over 900 patients annually who fall 200 percent below the poverty line, according to Kristin Prewitt, executive director of BRIDGE. Some applicants to the clinic survive on $800 per month, she said. Prewitt started working at BRIDGE as a first-year medical student in 2013 and is now a fourth-year, dual-MD-Ph.D. student. Upon graduation she will be an epidemiologist with a master’s in public health. “Most of our patients are undocumented and Spanish speaking,” Prewitt said. “With Obamacare, many patients don’t have access to healthcare because a lot of them are undocumented. That’s why we make sure the services we provide are free for those in need.” An additional partnership
The internal medicine clinic in the Morsani Center for Advanced Healthcare turns into the BRIDGE clinic in the evening. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE
with Moffitt Hospital allows the patients who test positive during mammograms to have procedures done by surgical oncologists at Moffitt. “Normally these patients would not have access to screenings like mammograms, as well as our colon cancer screenings,” Prewitt said. “Most free clinics will only have diagnostic screenings and no follow-up care. The great thing about working with Moffitt and what this clinic offers is (to) diagnose the patients and still offer treatment.” Morsani doctors partnered with BRIDGE to generate screening initiatives for patients. Dr. Fred Slone is an attending doctor, USF professor and gastroenterologist who brought the colon cancer screening project to the clinic. According to Mayssan Muftah, BRIDGE financial director and a fourth-year medical student at USF, Slone “is the biggest reason our colon cancer screenings are funded and patients are able to have access to colonoscopies.” “I’ve seen BRIDGE grow (and) we are providing more and more services for our patients every year,” Slone said. “We are becoming one of the few clinics in the Tampa Bay area that can provide more procedures and advanced care than a lot of other clinics.”
One of BRIDGE’s patients, Deniese Moodie, has been with the clinic for two years and recently became unemployed. “I’m very grateful I could find something like this to cater to all my medical needs in one place,” Moodie said. “Without (the clinic), I don’t know what I would have done. The people here have been very caring.” An in-house pharmacy provides discounted pharmaceuticals with vouchers and alternative medicine for a more-affordable option. “We can give our patients a script to go to the pharmacy, if the drug is $200, … we make sure the patients can still afford the care,” Prewitt said. USF medical students have the opportunity to use the clinic as training in a professional medical environment. Third- or fourth-year medical students are paired with first or second year students as a “mentorship tiered interdisciplinary system,” according to Prewitt. “The first real patient I ever saw was here,” Prewitt said. “It was amazing. You get really nervous, and to have a mentor walk you through the process also allows patient care not to be compromised.”
n See BRIDGE on PAGE 7
M O N DAY, O C TO B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 6
●
T H E O R AC L E
5
6
Opinion
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
●
M O N D AY, O C T O B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 6
One hundred points to St. Petersburg
●
T H E O R AC L E
EDITORIAL Stronger together: Make voting great again
St. Petersburg received a top score on the Municipal Equality Index. The city is praised for being inclusive toward all its residents and a great place for members of the LGBT community to live. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE and Tampa followed close behind LGBT youth and 2 times greater By Breanne Williams C O L U M N I S T with a still-impressive score of 86. for questioning youth than that of Tampa’s laws do not discrimi- straight youth.” In light of the current election, nate against someone based on A study by the Centers for it is easy to feel as though the their sexual orientation or gender Disease Control and Prevention country is one step away from identity, and the city offers mul- found one in six LGBT high school catastrophe. Politicians are contiple services and programs for students have seriously considstantly highlighting this nation’s members of the LGBT community. ered suicide within the past year. many flaws and rarely bring up its One of the services offered Florida Gov. Rick Scott has not plethora of strengths. for our community is the Metro been shy in opposing not only We may have had 372 mass Wellness Community Center, marriage but also adoption for shootings in 2015, owe $19 trillion which consists of a network of same sex couples. His overwhelmin debt and still be fighting against locations including LGBT-specific ingly harsh and antiquated mindracism in 2016, but at least we are sites, which provides health and set has led to tensions throughout making improvements on one cruwellness services to the citizens the state despite his assurances of cial social justice issue: gay rights. of Tampa. not challenging Florida’s current St. Petersburg was one of three The centers offer support policy on gay adoptions. Florida cities to have received groups, workshops, free HIV testUntil Jan. 7, 2019, Scott’s last the highest score available on the ing and prevention programs, and full day in office, the LGBT comMunicipal Equality Index, an meacounseling services. munity cannot safely assume their sure of the quality of life for resiA total of 506 cities were evalu- rights will be protected under the dents in cities who are members ated and only 60 received a top state. It’s up to individual cities to of the LGBT community. score. Unfortunately, not every ensure their citizens feel not only The index critiques non-discity in Florida respects the rights safe and protected, but welcomed crimination laws, municipality of all of its citizens. and cherished. employment availability, municiCape Coral and Port St. Lucie Hence the importance of cities pal services, fair law enforcement received the lowest scores for the like St. Petersburg scoring so high and city leadership’s relationship state: 25 and 30, respectively. Both on the Municipal Equality Index. with the LGBT community. cities received a zero in the non- Florida, along with the rest of With states like North Carolina, discrimination laws and municipal the country, may still have major whose oppressive governor could services categories because they hurdles to overcome, but it is thankfully be unseated Nov. 8, are both legally able to discrimi- reassuring to know we are movcontinuing to persecute its citizens nate against LGBT members and ing — though at what often feels a based solely off of who they love fail to offer sufficient services for glacial pace — toward an inclusive or the gender with which they the affected community. tomorrow. identify, it is a breath of fresh air St. Pete recognizes the intense to know we live in a community obstacles many in the commuthat is inclusive of all of its memnity face. According to the Trevor Breanne Williams is a senior bers. Project, “The rate of suicide majoring in mass communications. St. Pete scored 100 on the index attempts is 4 times greater for
Election season is well underway in Florida as early voting begins. Sixteen polling locations in Hillsborough County opened today and it is absolutely crucial students utilize their right to vote. This election has created passionate rivalries on both sides of the spectrum and has led to many claiming they won’t be voting at all. Whether or not you wish to vote for president, students need to lend their voices to the many other issues on the ballot. This election is so much more than deciding if Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump should occupy the White House. Only 57.5 percent of eligible voters went to the polls in 2012, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center. That ballot had many controversial issues such as healthcare, public funding of abortion and religious freedom. Unsurprisingly, when laws that impacted the day-to-day lives of many Floridians began to change, they began to voice their displeasure. However, not showing up to the polls completely invalidates your right to complain when your rights begin to be restricted. If you didn’t care enough about altering the healthcare system to take five minutes out of your day to vote then you don’t have a right to complain. This year, there are several major issues on the ballot other than the presidency. Eighty-eight percent of seats in Congress are up for grabs, an amendment on solar energy, the legalization of medical marijuana, a tax exemption for disabled first responders, and many state and local judge appointments will all be decided by those who choose to take the time to fill in a bubble on a Scantron at one of the many polling locations throughout the state. If you can’t be bothered to take a second out of your oh-so-busy day to exercise your right to vote on issues that could literally reshape entire aspects of your life, you forfeit the right to whine when lawmakers you could have prevented from obtaining office shoot down issues you care about.
M O N DAY, O C TO B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 6
UP
Continued from PAGE 3
frustration at receiving the text notification the following afternoon. He said he wished they had sent out a text informing students there was no immediate threat rather than adopting “radio silence.” Daniel said there is an exception to the Clery Act that allows the police to withhold an alert if the notification could disrupt or hinder efforts to get the situation under control. According to Daniel, the police feared a notification would intensify the situation because they were not sure where the shooter was. “We feared sending a notification,” he said of the incident. “We do know in the case of Christopher Bates — north of campus, when that was going on — he became aware of us looking for him based on the emergency notification, which actually caused him to flee where he was and get into the shootout with the sheriff’s office. “We have to make sure we’re not creating more harm by sending the information out.” Some students, however, believe there has been several instances where UP failed to properly notify them of crimes and threats on campus. “If there was a bomb threat in a building, I’m not going to let everyone know after it
BRIDGE
Continued from PAGE 4
The medical students are accompanied by a social work student and a translator who meet with the patient to take their medical history and perform the physical exam. When the case is discussed with the attending physician, a plan will be developed and then the patient will be diagnosed. Michelle Hummel, fourthyear medical student, has been volunteering with BRIDGE since her first year; and her mentee, Alanna Balbi, a first-year medical student, just attended her first day at BRIDGE. “We evaluated one patient who had back and knee pain for several years that has gone untreated,” Hummel said. “We were able to
●
7
T H E O R AC L E
blows up,” said Michael Gregory, a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering. “Panic or not, at least students would leave or avoid the area. I think they should’ve said something.” Gregory also felt UP should be more active in alerting students when there are multiple thefts on campus, such as the string of five vehicle burglaries that took place on Sept. 27 in various parking lots around campus. He said he understood that frequent texts may annoy students, but they are necessary for a safe community. “I would rather it be a false alarm than they just didn’t tell me fast enough,” Gregory said. The selective notification system is not unique to USF. Both the University of Florida’s and Florida State’s campus police departments follow similar practices. There are also multiple systems utilized to alert students, and UP is not in charge of deciding every time what goes out. For example, if housing decides something that happened on campus warrants an alert they have the ability to send that information out to students via their own system, regardless of if UP notified the public or not. All universities also face the dilemma of keeping their students informed without causing unnecessary panic. At FSU, 157 alerts were prescribe an anti-inflammatory to help with pain, as well as referring her to physical therapy here at BRIDGE to work on strength and flexibility to combat the pain.” In addition to the medical students, translators are also needed in the examination room. Mery Yanez, third-year undergraduate student majoring in anthropology and biomedical science, has been translating Spanish for BRIDGE since she was a freshman. “Being a pre-med student, I like how I can volunteer and shadow at the same time,” Yanez said. USF student involvement in BRIDGE has impacted the role of every disciplinary department in the clinic. The Quality Improvement Project is meant to decrease patients’ time in the exam room and improve efficiency within the clinic.
issued in 2015. Of those, 23 were sent via Full EZ Button, which activates all of the 37 available alert systems including text, email, social media and alert pages, according to the FSU Alert Emergency Notification and Warning System’s Annual Report. Not all students have complaints with the notifications. Olusegun Akinwolere, a senior majoring in behavioral healthcare, recalled a time the notification system put him at ease despite a looming threat. “I actually have class near the public health buildings and
“
“I think (the notification system) is OK,” he said. “I just want to know more information. I think it’s a bit daunting seeing how many people call in. “There should definitely be a middle ground.” Daniel said social media might be the answer to getting around overloading students with information while still keeping them informed. After learning students are unhappy with the current system, Daniel said UP would continue to work on getting more active online to be able to notify students of things that
I would rather it be a false alarm than they just didn’t tell me fast enough.
Michael Gregory, a sophomore
there was someone in that area who had a gun — I think it was last year,” Akinwolere said. “That notification came up, I was alerted about that, and I was pretty happy.” Akinwolere said he realizes that many students communicate every threat or notification they receive with their parents. He said he trusts UP’s judgment in determining how much information they relay to the public in order to prevent frightening students and whoever else receives the alerts. Akinwolere added he would like to receive more frequent texts.
”
might not qualify for a campuswide alert. However, Daniel recommends students sign up for the variety of services offered by the police. MoBull Messenger — the fastest method used to notify students — sends alert texts. The Rave Guardian app allows students to turn their smartphone into a safety device. And following UP on Facebook and Twitter helps keep them informed of threats that may not warrant a text or email alert. Louisa Flaig, a junior majoring in integrative animal biology, thinks Facebook may be the fastest way to get information
USF Health students dedicate their time to give back to the community through the BRIDGE clinic. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE Other projects were developed to improve patient-doctor communication. The program called Care Message sends text messages to patient’s phones to remind them to check their blood
sugar, monitor blood pressure or attend an appointment to decrease clinic cancellations. The clinic’s clientele has been able to expand by word of mouth. Seeing 10-12 patients a night has
out to a large number of people. She suggested that the university should add UP to each of the individual “USF Class of” pages and post less-serious alerts there. She also suggested adding a threat-alert level to each notification — ‘red’ for bomb threats or a gunman on campus, ‘yellow’ for burglaries and ‘green’ for flashers — which could help students immediately gauge how serious the danger is. Flaig believes being more interactive with students also will help the overall perception of the department. “I think maybe they should do something at Bull Market,” she said. “I think they should interact with the students, tell them what services they have … When they write the stupid citations for walking on the crosswalks when it doesn’t say to walk, it makes me want to tell them to eff-off. Let us know they’re more worried about our safety instead of just writing citations.” For Mercado, the current system is not satisfactory. Though he said he’s not sure what the solution is, he’s confident there must be a better way to keep students informed. “Even if it disrupts 10 minutes out of someone’s day, it’s better to inform the students so they have the option to go out of their way to avoid whatever the threat may be than to not inform them at all,” Mercado said. “There needs to be some type of improvement.”
kept the clinic sustainable for nine years. “We don’t have any open appointments until January,” Prewitt said. “We are fully booked.” As the end of the year approaches, BRIDGE is beginning to accept donations for the BRIDGE Holiday Party. The fundraiser is held to provide gifts for patients’ children. In addition to the gift collection, Santa will also be at the event in the BRIDGE office to take photos with the families. Two boxes will be placed around campus for gift collection in December: one box in the Physical Therapy building and the other at the Office of Student Affairs. In addition to the invitation to donate, students are also encouraged to volunteer at the clinic, as well as the fundraiser.
8
LIFESTYLE
Halloween events for students in Tampa UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
●
M O N D AY, O C T O B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 6
●
T H E O R AC L E
By Nicole Cate L I F E S T Y L E
E D I T O R
Halloween will be bittersweet for college students this year: it falls on a Monday. But that does not mean that they can’t have fun. There are many events in Tampa, and some on campus, that students can take part in over the course of the next week leading up to Halloween. 5K costume fun run Hope for the Homeless at USF will be hosting a costume fun run — Trick or Trot — Saturday starting at 9 a.m. at the USF Campus Recreation Trails. The entry fee is $15, and participants will receive a t-shirt. According to the event’s website, “All ages are encouraged to participate and there will be a costume contest and raffle to offer fun for the whole family.” The money that is raised will be going toward care packages for the homeless community in the area. Free Chick-fil-A will be provided for the first 50 students to register using their USF email. The event is also still in need of helpers. Volunteers are encouraged to dress up as well, and will need to be there at 7 a.m. to help set up. They will be helping with water stations along the trail during the race and cleaning up after. Interested parties can go to the Trick or Trot 5K website for more information. Pumpkin patch The Humane Society of Tampa Bay started its 14th annual pumpkin patch event Saturday and it will continue until Oct. 31st. The pumpkin prices range from $5 to $25, and all proceeds go to the pets at the shelter. The patch can be found at 3607 N Armenia Ave. and is open Monday to Friday
This Halloween season, students can take part in events that benefit a variety of causes, such as a 5K costume fun run to benefit the homeless or a pumpkin patch that aids homeless pets. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE. from noon – 7 p.m. and 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Trick or treat For the college student who is still a child at heart, the Tampa Riverwalk will be hosting its first ‘Trick or Treat along the Riverwalk’ event Saturday. Starting at 5 p.m., participants are invited to put on their costumes and walk 1.1 miles between the Tampa Bay History Center at Cotanchobee Park & Curtis Hixon Park. There will be over 20 points set up along the mile that will provide Halloween snacks, food and beverages. March of the Pumpkin King
This year, the City of Tampa will be putting on a parade for adults — sorry, under-21s — on Saturday. Taking place on Seventh Avenue at 7 p.m., participants for the March of the Pumpkin King must be at least drinking age with a valid ID. There will be music and club lighting set up on the balconies of the buildings along the parade route. Participants can walk behind the float of their choice, and discounted food and beverages will be available at certain venues afterward. The rules of the parade state that people who wish to take part must be in costume and “be in the assigned staging zone between 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.,” according to the website. Parade walkers cannot be
visibly intoxicated and cannot have open containers of alcohol during the march. There should also be no political or religious signs, and anyone that wants to throw beads during the route can either purchase them at the parade — $10 for a bag of 12 — or bring their own, as long as they have proof that the strands contain no lead. General admission tickets start at $20. More information can be found at marchofthepumpkinking.com. Paranormal Investigation Living up to its reputation as one of the most haunted buildings in Tampa, the Tampa Theatre will be hosting its ‘LateNight Lights-Off paranormal
Investigation’ on Saturday at 9 p.m. as a part of its ‘A Nightmare on Franklin Street’ series. The four-hour tour will include food and drinks, as well as expert paranormal guides from Genesis Paranormal Services and GhostStop, who will be demonstrating paranormal investigative equipment. They will be focusing on five of the most supernatural occurrences at the theatre, including Foster ‘Fink’ Finley, a projectionist who died in 1965 after 35 years of employment at the historic cinema. Tickets start at $60 for the public, with a $10 discount for Tampa Theatre Members. Students can find out more about the event at tampatheatre. com.
M O N DAY, O C TO B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 6
●
T H E O R AC L E
9
10
M O N DAY, O C TO B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 6
â—?
T H E   O R AC L E
Crossword
Classifieds To place a classified ad go to
http://www.usforacle.com/classifieds
COMPUTER Aspiring Video Game Graphic Designers Wanted Looking for volunteers to work on a new video game start up. Perks: Work from home. Flexible with your busy college schedule. Hand written letter of recommendation. Expand your portfolio. For more info or to sign up, please email: ZachZinn@tampabay.rr.com
M O N DAY, O C TO B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 6
●
T H E O R AC L E
11
12
M O N DAY, O C TO B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 6
T H E O R AC L E
Women’s basketball starter ruled out ●
After losing several players to graduation, junior forward Laura Ferreira returns as one of four players to start at least 16 games in 2015. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE/GOUSFBULLS.COM
By Vinnie Portell S P O R T S
E D I T O R
USF junior forward Laura Ferreira is out for the time being with a plantar fasciitis injury that could potentially force the returning starter to miss the 2016-17 season. According to a report by the Tampa Bay Times, the injury could likely force Ferreira to take a medical redshirt this season, but coach Jose Fernandez is waiting to see just how severe the injury is. “We continue to monitor her status,” Fernandez Told the Times. “And at the present time, we do not have a definite timeline on her return to practice and if this foot injury is something that she is going to be able to play through.” After the team lost seniors Courtney Williams, Alisia Jenkins and Shalethia Stringfield, Ferreira was slated to return with the second-most minutes and points on the 2016 roster, trailing Kitija Laksa in both categories. USF begins its season Nov. 15 against North Florida in the Sun Dome. Volleyball picks up AAC win In the midst of a five-game homestand, USF volleyball split its
two games of the weekend, losing to SMU 3-1 on Friday before coming back with a 3-1 win over Tulsa on Sunday at The Corral. SMU, which leads the AAC with a 9-1 record in conference play, took the first two sets against USF despite 12 kills in 17 attempts from junior middle-blocker Joli Holland. Sunday, USF responded by downing ninth-place Tulsa in four sets in which the Bulls won three sets by four points or fewer. Sitting at fifth place in the AAC, USF will host East Carolina at The Corral at 7 p.m. on Thursday. Men’s Soccer stays atop AAC with win With only two games remaining in the regular season before the AAC tournament begins, USF won a crucial 1-0 game Saturday against Memphis to maintain its seat atop the conference. A goal from senior forward Nazeem Bartman in the fifth minute was all USF (7-6-2, 4-1) would need as its defense held the Tigers to four shots on goal all match. To wrap up the season, USF will play at SMU this Saturday and then host Temple on Nov. 5 for the final game of its regular season.
M O N DAY, O C TO B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 6
●
13
T H E O R AC L E
FOLDS
Continued from PAGE 14
USF DEFENSIVE BACK JOHNNY WARD
ORACLE FILE PHOTO/JACKIE BENITEZ
of just tackling and putting our guys in position to make the plays. Making sure we’ve got the right guys in there that’s going to make the play. It all goes back on me.” Led by sophomore Ryquell Armstead, who has a partially torn ACL, Temple ran for first downs at will against USF’s paper-thin run defense. Armstead’s career night of 210 yards and two scores on 20 carries was highlighted by touchdown runs of 76 and 42 yards. Running behind the blocking of Temple fullback Nick Sharga, Armstead said the Owls had no trouble getting by USF’s defenders by the second half. “By the end of the 3rd quarter, (Sharga) had USF players falling to their knees out of fear of making contact,”
Armstead said. Following the loss, USF is ranked No. 100 out of 128 FBS teams in rush defense, allowing an average of 206 yards per game, and the schedule doesn’t get any easier from here. USF, which faces the runfirst offense of No. 24 Navy at 7 p.m. this Friday, is in need dire need of a quick fix. Whether that is reassigning play-calling duties from defensive coordinator Raymond Woodie to another defensive coach or simply opening up competition for starting positions, time is not in the Bulls’ favor. “We’ve got to change our mentality around here, especially when it comes to the run,” senior linebacker Nigel Harris said. “We’ve got to find some kind of motivation to stop that run, because that’s what’s hurting us right now.” With the Bulls at such a
critical juncture in the season, progress needs to be seen each and every week. Instead, Friday represented a troubling step back that USF will have to bounce back from on short notice. Now in second place in the AAC East division, USF is facing an all-too familiar feeling to 2015. The Bulls sat out last year’s AAC Championship between Temple and Houston despite defeating each AAC East opponent it faced that season. This year, USF is yet again in need of conference losses from Temple to prevent the Owls from playing in a secondconsecutive conference championship. Fixing the run defense is much easier said than done, but any chance of a first-ever conference championship at USF is slipping by the Bulls with every missed tackle and blown assignment.
14
Sports
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
The Rundown
M O N D AY, O C T O B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 6
●
Outside USF
Cleveland Browns move on to sixth QB Quarterback Kevin Hogan became the sixth player to take snaps under center for the Cleveland Browns on Sunday when starter Cody Kessler exited due to a concussion midway through the second quarter. Kessler After beginning the season with Robert Griffin III as the team’s starter, the Brown have since used Josh McCown, Terrelle Pryor, Charlie Whitehurst and Kessler. Hogan finished the day 12-of-24 with two interceptions in the loss as the Browns moved to 0-7 on the year.
USF weekend scoreboard Women’s Soccer
Cincinnati USF
2 2
Men’s Soccer
Memphis USF
0 1
Volleyball
Tulsa USF
1 3
doing. Leticia learned that massage to a T.” When Leticia first came to USF, the accolades came almost immediately despite the fact that she was asked to move from her long-held position of center defender to an attacking role as a wide forward. The transition process, like most things Leticia takes on in life, came along quickly and relatively smoothly, as she earned a spot on the AAC All-Rookie Team in her freshman season. And, like most of her accomplishments, her family was hardly surprised by what seemed like instant success in Corbett Soccer Stadium. After all, she had stumbled into soccer by mimicking her brother. “We’ve always been competitive with each other, and she was always competitive with me too, and that’s something I liked,” Joseph said. “We’d play fight, we’d race to the dinner table. Anything and everything is a competition (with Leticia).”
Trailing Temple by seven points with five minutes remaining in USF’s eventual 46-30 loss to the Owls on Friday night in Philadelphia, the Bulls appeared poised to complete the comeback. After pulling within one score on a fourplay, 1:34 to u c h d ow n drive earin the Vinnie Portell lier fourth quarCO M M EN TARY ter, the Bulls got the ball back with a shot at leading a game-tying drive. Rather than marching down the field, USF (6-2, 3-1) found itself facing a 3rd-and-13 on its own 11 with the clock winding down. Four straight penalties and a pulled hamstring by quarterback Quinton Flowers on a desperation run essentially ended USF’s chance of a win and its hold on first place in the AAC East. But rather than putting fault with an offense that came into Friday’s game with three nation-leading streaks, coach Willie Taggart and anyone else watching could plainly see the blame lies with the Bulls’ defense. “First, we’ve got to put guys in the position to make the plays,” Taggart said. “And if the guys can’t do it, then put someone else in that can do it. But some of those missed tackles today are by some of the guys that we count on the most. “We’ve got to do a better job
n See LEADERSHIP on PAGE 15
n See FOLDS on PAGE 13
Senior Leticia Skeete is tied for second on the team with four goals this season. ORACLE FILE PHOTO/JACKIE BENITEZ
Senior forward Leticia Skeete’s leadership has been instilled in her from a young age. By Sam Mire C O R R E S P O N D E N T
This phrase “All things are possible with a willing mind” is wellknown in the Skeete household, and over the years, this mantra became more and more indicative of the path Leticia Skeete and older brother Joseph would forge in both soccer and life. The phrase was symbolic in itself, representative of the certainty that the children of Brian and Myrtle Skeete would one day move on to goals beyond baby-steps and youth sports. Leticia will be only 20 years old when she graduates this spring semester with a bachelor’s in Health Sciences. And she will
just as soon wrap up a decorated career as a star on the USF soccer team. Her leadership, penchant for taking care of others and constant encouragement of teammates and peers, began earlier than she could possibly remember. Perhaps it was her inherent leadership qualities that afforded her the ability to speak her mind as a 17-year-old freshman roughly four years ago. Myrtle describes her 3-year-old daughter taking her role as mother to her Cabbage Patch doll so seriously that rarely a night passed without the faux-babies receiving their “feeding” and being tucked in by their surrogate mother. But it was her daughter’s attention to details at such a young age that affirmed Myrtle’s notion that this kid was different. “She wasn’t in pre-kindergarten yet, (and) she used to come with me to the massage therapist,” Myrtle said. “And she would sit there with her doll, and she’s watching what the therapist is
Bulls’ defense folds in loss
T H E O R AC L E
Leadership runs deep
Women’s Soccer
●
15
USF senior day ends in draw with Bearcats
M O N DAY, O C TO B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 6
By Sam Mire
C O R R E S P O N D E N T
The scene could not have been set more perfectly for a senior class of 11 playing for the last time in their home, Corbett Soccer Stadium, in a 2-2 tie with the visiting Cincinnati Bearcats. Flags representing the nations of Norway, Jamaica, Canada and Mexico were draped on posts upon the berm opposite the stands in tribute to the seniors representing their respective countries as USF Bulls. The match was preceded by a ceremony honoring the seniors, with parents or other stand-ins accompanying each graduating player to mid-field to accept a framed jersey commemorating their time spent at USF. “We’re just really close to the senior group; we love them dearly,” coach Denise Schilte-Brown said. “I feel very much a part of this team, not like I coach on the outside looking in … and that only comes from the right group of seniors. “I know that my relationship with them goes beyond the soccer field and that’s far more important than the wins and losses, but in this moment, the win definitely would have felt nice for them and the program. ”
LEADERSHIP
Continued from PAGE 14
This emulation of her big brother meant dashing her early dreams of being a ballerina in favor of the rougher life of a center defender in Canada’s soccer circuit, where she would come to meet a feisty attacker named Jordyn Listro. Unbeknownst to both, even as the recruiting process was winding down in which both independently decided to make the move to USF, they would not only become teammates and great friends, they would be essentially swapping positions, as well. Her evolution as a goal-scorer would soon follow. Despite playing in 17 games as a freshman, the stat sheet would show only five shots and zero goals on the season. Yet, in only her second year with the Bulls, her numbers saw a marked spike, as she took 44 shots on goal, netting eight — including four game winners — while adding two assists.
●
T H E O R AC L E
To make the match with the Cincinnati Bearcats even more meaningful, the game will certainly go a long way to determining whether either team will be eligible for the AAC postseason tournament. With six of the 10 teams in the conference qualifying for the postseason tournament, both USF (fifth) and Cincinnati (sixth) will need a strong final push with the season wrapping up this week. Early on, it appeared that the Bulls’ postseason birth might be in danger, as the Bearcats’ Vanessa Gilles took advantage of a volleyopportunity after a USF defender deflected a Cincinnati shot. The ball lingered in the air, and Gilles connected on her right foot, sending the ball rocketing past Bulls goalkeeper Kat Elliott. However, despair for Bulls players and fans would not last long, as freshman forward Evelyne Viens stepped into her increasingly frequent role as saver of days. She weaved through the Bearcats’ defense, cutting from left to right just outside the box and eventually unleashing a flat, driven shot across the goal face and into the back right netting, sneaking the ball just below the crossbar. Both teams capitalized when they got opportunities to add to the goal count in the first half, with Cincinnati’s Natalie Smith recordHer numbers in the 2015 season mirrored the success she had as a sophomore. Her physical size, ability to box out defenders while possessing the ball and speed in the open field make her impossible to miss, even to a novice spectator. Her coach, USF’s Denise SchilteBrown, went so far as to describe her as an “absolute physical beast,” without the slightest hint of hyperbole. Though her family had long ago noticed the little things that set Leticia apart from her peers, her USF teammates would soon come to understand that she is, quite simply, a natural leader. “She’s such an honest person, and I think that’s something that a team values,” Listro said. “She’s never going to sugar-coat anything, she’s going to tell you how it is, and sometimes that’s exactly what you need to hear.” Schilte-Brown agreed, describing Leticia as “honest to the core.” “She is willing to share that honesty, and because of that, her
Freshman forward Evelyne Viens scored both of USF’s goals Sunday in its 2-2 tie with Cincinnati. ORACLE FILE PHOTO/JACKIE BENITEZ
ing the only save of the half. The second half became a game of back and forth, each team exchanging a series of corner kicks and thwarted shots within close range of the opponent’s goal. With so much riding on the outcome, the teams took on an increasingly aggressive posture as time trickled off of the clock. Late in the second half, the usual suspect quelled the suspense. It was Viens, again, who would add her 2nd goal of the match and teammates really respect her,” Schilte-Brown added. “They know that if they go to her that they’re going to get answers, and she does it because she cares about them, and (I) know that she’s earning their respect. Not always their friendship, but respect.” As she is now able to reflect on the path that has led her to an undisputed leadership role both on her soccer team and to countless young girls, she can now understand how the sport and her role as mentor go hand-in-hand. “My parents always believed that sports were a very important part of growing up,” Leticia said. “They thought it was going to teach me discipline, leadership, and just to help me be assertive and make decisions, … so that’s the main reasons why they put me in soccer.” She acknowledged that she was never forced to play, that she was allowed to quit at any time. But she excelled regardless, using the advantages afforded to Division-I athletes in order to serve as a role model in the time when
team-leading 14th of the season in the 76th minute to break the deadlock, giving the Bulls a onegoal lead with little time left in the match. However, that little time would prove just enough for the Bearcats, as midfielder Jaycie Brown put a parabola-like shot into the net as the USF goalkeeper could only watch it drop just inside the left post and into the net siding, leading to overtime. The goal would prove deflating to a USF squad on she is not at practice, in the weight room, studying, or helping the 2016 Bulls squad to its current 12-2-2 record. Schilte-Brown’s Future 50 program was established in order to strengthen the bond between her athletes and the community, specifically young girls who are likely to see college-level athletes as role models. Taking this relationship a step further, Future 50 works to establish mentorships between the athletes and the young girls. “Leticia is one of the leaders (of Future 50), and the girls love her,” Schilte-Brown said. “She uses reallife stories to connect with the kids and she’s forthright and strong, and she holds them to have a higher standard of themselves, and I think these little girls look up to her. They want to be her.” Four-year Division-I athlete does not even begin to sum up who Leticia is. Since her sophomore year, she has served on the StudentAthlete Advisory Committee for USF, working with the NCAA to help enact reform and changes
the verge of victory. “It was hard to come back on the field and just give everything we had,” Viens said. “I think we need to come out and give more energy even if we’re tired.” The two 10-minute overtime periods would not produce any scoring or serious threats to either goalkeeper, leaving both the Bulls and Bearcats uncertain of their status as it pertains to the AAC conference tournament beginning Nov. 2. that would benefit the lives of athletes throughout her four years at USF. Brian and Myrtle walked arm-inarm with their daughter to accept her bouquet of flowers and framed jersey for senior day. Though she would not score in the 2-2 tie, she got off two shots. And, as usual, her physical play and near-constant movement on the pitch would help to establish the tone of the match. Leticia has a few games and one semester left before she turns the page on the USF chapter of her life. Her proudest moment: scoring the game-winning goal in double overtime against UCF in 2015 to give the Bulls their first victory in the I-4 rivalry since 1998. College, in the southern-most state of a new country, at 17. Student-athlete representative in collaboration with the NCAA less than two years later. USF graduate at 20. Next up: to be determined. But whatever she accomplishes, it will be completed before schedule.
16
M O N DAY, O C TO B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 6
●
T H E O R AC L E