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Inside this Issue
BOT to meet today for final 2015 meeting The USF Board of Trustees will meet today to decide on the termination of two degree programs and creation of another, as well as the presidential evaluation of Judy Genshaft. n
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USF aims to reduce students’ stress during finals week. Page 6
Montage
By Grace Hoyte E D I T O R - I N - C H I E F
S PORTS Breaking down 10 moments that defined USF athletics in 2015. BACK
The full USF Board of Trustees (BOT) will meet today to discuss a number of important issues that are up for approval. In its ongoing effort to maintain a roster of competitive and high-quality degree pro-
grams, USF conducts a review of every program every two years. The requirements for each program include at least 45 bachelor’s, 30 master’s and 15 doctoral degrees in each five-year period. The BOT will decide today whether they believe the linguistic and applied language studies Ph.D program will be able to meet those standards. In addition, the program will have to prove viable in postgraduate employment potential and sustainable from a faculty contribution standpoint. According to the agenda for today’s meeting, the program “supports USF’s strategic plan as it is fully aligned with the Quality Enhancement Plan” and will prepare graduates for academic and private sector positions that require language expertise.
Meanwhile, the BOT will decide whether to terminate both the bachelor’s degrees in American Studies and also foreign language education, as well as the master’s in the former. According to the agenda, both programs have seen declining numbers of graduations, and termination would allow the university to refocus the current curriculum. Additionally, the BOT will have to reach a decision regarding a proposal to extend the Campus Development Agreement, which the university currently holds with the City of Tampa. The agreement — to improve certain facilities and services on campus — was set to expire Dec. 31 of this year. Also on the agenda is the approval of USF President
Judy Genshaft’s Presidential Evaluation. Genshaft, whose contract is up for renewal as it ends next year, has met most of the goals she has set in her 15 years as president. Among those goals have been increasing USF’s research ranking to the top 10th percentile, fundraising millions of dollars for the university and improving USF Health’s relationship with its teaching hospital, Tampa General Hospital. The BOT will also discuss updates to the proposed oncampus Publix, which will go before the Florida Board of Governors in January. The next BOT meeting will be for the Academics and Campus Environment Workgroup on Feb. 9, 2016.
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USF to reform STEM programs with $3 million grant By Miki Shine C O - N E W S
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After receiving a $3 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), USF will endeavor to reform its Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs. Chemistry Professor Gerhard Meisels is leading this change, the goal of which is to improve student success by renovating teaching methods. Together with four other professors, Meisels will initiate a five-year project called Systemic Transformation of EvidenceBased Education Reform (STEER). The STEER project is in collaboration with Hillsborough Community College and will bring together faculty from both schools to discuss curriculum issues and share their experiences. According to a university press release, the STEER program will
help instructors and teaching assistants “in the application of evidence-based teaching strategies” through training programs, support structures and work assignments. Additionally, to aid community college transfer students, the university will create the Transition Implementation Leadership Team, a group consisting of faculty, administrators and staff. “I think they will find the classroom is more directive — that they will get more personalized advising and attention in the STEM areas,” Meisels said. “It will be a better learning experience overall and they will be better prepared for the careers in which they will move to when they graduate.” The majority of STEM graduates don’t end up in a STEM field, according to the 2014 U.S. Census. In fact, 78 percent end up in a different field. An article in the New York Times stated 41 percent of overall graduates
are employed in jobs that don’t require a college degree. This is what Meisels hopes the new program will change. His goal is to make those graduating with a bachelor’s in STEM more appealing to employers and therefore more competitive in the market. The university hopes to address “several aspects of the student experience, from the way STEM classes are taught to the advice students receive as they enter the university,” according to the release. “From a national perspective and from a broader state perspective, the economic future of our country depends, (to) a large extent, on our ability to innovate,” Meisels said. “People innovate technical errors in the STEM field. In order to do that, it takes a well-prepared, sufficient number of graduates in those areas.” He said the first reason for the change is to increase the
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Interim police chief Chris Daniel shares hopes for UP By Chelsea Mulligan S T A F F
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Lt. Christopher Daniel has been the interim chief of university police (UP) for only about a month, but he is not letting that stop him from making changes in the department. “The ‘interim’ piece isn’t bothering me. We need to move forward. We’re continuing to do the good job we always do,” he said. “I’m just taking this opportunity to refine some of the processes that we’re working on that we’ve worked on in the past and continue to work on.” Specific changes coming to UP include an official public information officer, which Daniel said he hopes will better connect the agency to the community as well as to its own goals. “I have a great staff of people here from the captains to the operational personnel both on the street, in records, in communications, everywhere in the agency. These people do a fantastic job. We just never really sell ourselves the way we should have,” he
said. “That’s what I’m hoping to change.” Daniel has been a part of UP since the 1980s, giving him almost 30 years of experience on USF’s campus. He said he began his career with UP as a street officer, later climbing up through management and eventually a position as assistant chief of police. “When I first started, I worked on the street responding to calls, then I moved into a … supervisory position on the street … and from that point, I moved to a management-level position, and have been in just about every section of the agency in that management position,” he said. Daniel became the assistant chief of police in January of last year. The last chief of police, JD Withrow, retired this year after 30 years of service. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy. Daniel said he hopes to keep his current position as interim chief of police for at least several years. Aside from efforts to improve the department’s public and internal image, the agency is working on improving transparency, identifying
strengths and weaknesses and a new annual report separate from the annual safety report. “We already do the annual Safety and Security Report, this will be different. This is going to highlight the agency and speak to the different divisions, what they do and what they’ve done throughout the year,” Daniel said. “(The report will) really get the community an opportunity to see us from the inside out.” Daniel said the change cannot only come from above, as it requires the cooperation by the whole of UP. One way he said he hopes to gain this cooperation is through an advisory group, with which he will meet monthly to discuss UP’s goals and objectives. “I hope we can use (the advisory committee) to develop these goals and objectives. We have to buy in at all levels. It’s not a top-down issue, it is an agency-wide issue — a comprehensive transition,” Daniel said. But Daniel said UP is primarily concerned with making USF a safe place for students. “The mindset here is we’re here to manage the students. That’s not the case,” Daniel
Lt. Christopher Daniel stepped up as interim police chief about a month ago after almost 30 years working at USF campus police. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE said. “We are here to serve and protect this community, and we do that by making sure that our students and our
staff and faculty can work with and study in an environment that’s safe and conducive to academics.”
Raymond James Stadium proposes possible renovations By Abby Rinaldi C O - N E W S
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Raymond James Stadium may be getting an upgrade for the upcoming seasons. The renovations include HD video boards at the end zone, video tower displays in the corners of the stadium’s lower bowl and ribbon boards in the suite level’s second ring, according to a Tampa Sports Authority (TSA) press release. In addition to the screens, the stadium will receive upgrades in its sound system, concessions, suites and lounges, a team store and “other general fan enhancements.” The new end zone boards will each measure 9,600 square feet and the tower displays 2,304 square feet, with the total screen real-estate reaching 28,416 square feet.
According to the Tampa Sports Authority, Raymond James Stadium may be getting renovations, including HD screens totaling 28,416 square feet, in order to improve the fan experience. Special to the Oracle
The renovations are projected to exceed $100 million, with the TSA already
contributing $28.8 million. As $25.8 million of that goes towards stadium maintenance,
its renovation contribution sits at $3 million. The project is the result of an agree-
ment between the TSA and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but must get the approval of Hillsborough County, the City of Tampa and the TSA Board of Directors, according to the press release. The renovations will go before the TSA Board of Directors on Dec. 15, the Hillsborough County Commission on Dec. 16, and the Tampa City Council on Dec. 17, according to the release. If approved, the project will be completed in two phases, with the first stage scheduled for completion by the start of the Buccaneers 2016 season and the second phase by the 2017 season, the press release stated. Aside from the $3 million TSA contribution, public
n See RAYJAY on PAGE 4
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STEM
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students’ competitiveness within the employment market, while the second reason is to genuinely improve the education level of STEM students. According to a report by the NSF, 26 million workers in the U.S. reported their jobs required significant STEM experience. “As the U.S. economy has changed, so too have occupational task and even occupations themselves,” the report stated. Meisels said the university wants to provide students with the best learning experience possible. “If the university wants to be recognized for the quality of what it does, this program will help improve how we teach, what we teach and make sure this is planned well in the areas and coordinated well in the various departments and courses,” he said. “In that sense, we always want to see that our students have the best possible experience they can
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have at this university.” Part of Meisels’ concern is the number of students who switch majors. According to the Times, 61 percent of students change majors by the end of their second year. “We know that, of students who come into the university as freshmen (who) are not required to declare a major and of those who have declared one of the STEM disciplines, only about a third of them end up with a STEM degree,” Meisels said. “In the STEM areas, we have such a statewide and regional need for STEM graduates that that’s a bigger problem.” He said students can expect to start seeing a change as early as the fall of 2016 or the spring of 2017. However, the process will be gradual. “We were really pleased that we got funded,” Meisels said. “I think it speaks to the university’s commitment to improve and strengthen the student experience, especially in the STEM areas.” —Additional reporting by Abby Rinaldi
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Football
REVIEW
Eight earn All-AAC honors
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1. Football makes incredible turnaround
In early October, it was a program seemingly headed in the wrong direction. Two months later, the Bulls are heading to a bowl game for the first time in five seasons. From 1-3 to 8-4, the job Willie Taggart and Co. did to turn around a spiraling season was unlike any other. Not only did it likely save the program from making its third coaching change in four years, it also breathed life into a team that looked otherwise lethargic for three-plus seasons. With most questions answered, it seems more likely now that this success can be sustained moving forward.
2. Baseball breaks 12-year postseason drought When coach Mark Kingston was hired from Illinois State to replace outgoing Lelo Prado before the season, the expectation was that USF was going to improve steadily over time and eventually make its way back into the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2002. After all, Kingston needed time to mold a respectable offense that had struggled mightily. Well, that time period shrank to just four months as the Bulls ripped their way through non-conference play before Kingston earning an at-large bid to the tournament. Though USF fell in the second round to Florida, the successful campaign helped it garner a top-10 recruiting class for 2016.
3. Women’s basketball earns its redemption
After being snubbed out of the Big Dance in 2013-14 and settling for the WNIT, the Bulls returned to the court with a chip on their shoulder and redemption on their minds. It paid off as USF finished with a programrecord 27 victories, making its way back to the NCAA Tournament as the runner-up to Connecticut in the AAC. The Bulls received an at-large bit, where they defeated LSU before falling to Louisville in the second round at the Sun Dome.
4. Watson’s death rocks USF community
Hours after a decisive season-opening victory over Florida A&M, the USF football team was stunned with the news that former player Elkino Watson had been tragically murdered outside an Ybor City nightclub. In the early morning hours of Sept. 6, the former defensive lineman was stabbed after an altercation at The Orpheum and transported to Tampa General Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. Watson’s death sparked a controversial situation within Watson the athletic department after Taggart banned all USF players from entering Ybor City only to have the ban overturned by athletic director Mark Harlan through a public statement hours later. Taggart later apologized, saying he spoke out of emotion in his initial comments.
5. Men’s golf makes title run
In his first season as coach of the USF men’s golf team, Steven Bradley did the unthinkable in leading the squad to a national title bid for the first time in school history. USF was dominant in the spring, winning four of seven tournaments advancing to match play and finishing sixth out of 30 teams. Claudio Correa was the driving force behind the Bulls success, notching an individual win and six top-10 finishes.
6. Women’s soccer rises to occassion
For 10 months, a loss to Connecticut in last November’s AAC final was pinned in the forefront of USF’s minds. After a holding their own through regulation and overtime, the Bulls fell in penalty kicks 3-2. The next season, USF’s September match against the Huskies was the only game that mattered. With the game scoreless heading into the waning minutes of the second half, senior Jackie Simpson netted the equalizer in the 79th minute, avenging their tough loss the year before. The Bulls notched 15 wins for the third time under coach Denise Schilte-Brown, but fell in the first round of the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive year. Nevertheless, it still ranked as one of the best seasons in program history.
Staff report In a season that saw its share of milestones broken, the USF football team added another on Wednesday as a program-record eight players were selected for allconference honors. Sophomore tailback Marlon Mack and junior cornerback Deatrick Nichols were named firstteam All-AAC. Six other Bulls were chosen for second-team honors — punter Mattias Ciabatti, guard Thor Jozwiak, tight end Sean Price, defense end Eric Lee, receiver Rodney Adams and middle lineCoach Willie Taggart orchestrated one of the most memorable backer Auggie Sanchez.
mid-season turnarounds in recent history with USF football. ORACLE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU
7. Jenkins reaches 1,000 boards
Already among the best women’s basketball players to ever come through USF, senior forward Alisia Jenkins etched her name into the record books once more, joining Wanda Guyton as the only other Bulls to reach 1,000 career rebounds. Jenkins, who has been touted as a potential WNBA draft pick, became USF’s single-season rebounding leader last year after recording 397 rebounds. She also posted 23 double-doubles over the course of the season, marking the fifth-most in the NCAA.
8. Men’s soccer makes triumphant return to NCAAs
After having its seven-year postseason streak snapped in 2014, the Bulls returned to the pitch eager to get back. They did just that, upsetting No. 3 Georgetown at home and climbing as high as 11th in the national poll to return to the tournament. The berth was short lived, however, as USF fell to Boston College in the second round after earning a first-round bye.
9. Flowers smashes single-game rushing record
In one of the most memorable performances of the season, sophomore quarterback Quinton Flowers racked up 215 yards rushing on 23 carries against Southern Methodist on Oct. 24. With the performance, he surpassed Matt Grothe for most rushing yards by a quarterback in a single game by a USF quarterback. Flowers is currently 117 yards shy of a 1,000yard season with 10 rushing touchdowns heading in to USF’s bowl game.
10. Antigua reunites with former boss
Orlando Antigua served as an assistant to John Calipari for five seasons at Memphis and Kentucky before departing to take over the USF men’s basketball team in 2014. On Nov. 28, the two met for the first time as collegiate coaches with their respective teams at the HoopHall Miami Invitational — an 84-63 win for the No. 1 Wildcats. This wasn’t their first meeting, however. The duo met in the Bahamas prior to last season when Antigua’s Dominican Republic national team prevailed over Kentucky in a summer exhibition contest.
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funding will be drawn from TSA bond refinancing savings in addition to the Tourist Development Tax, which taxes rentals on accommodations like hotels and apartments. The Buccaneers are expected to cover remaining costs and costs of any further enhancements, already agreeing to a $29 million during phase one and $28.8 million during phase two. Although USF is an active user of the stadium, there have been no announcements of the university contributing any funding to the project. “The proposed agreement will provide the type of muchneeded enhancements that will improve the in-game experience for our loyal Buccaneer fans and will play a key role in our ability to attract the types of large-scale events that we have grown accustomed to hosting over the years,” Buccaneers hief Operating Officer Brian Ford said in the TSA press release. The TSA did not wish to provide any further comment outside of its release.
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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
the Oracle the University of South Florida’s student newspaper since 1966
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Brace yourselves: Finals are coming
Editor in Chief Grace Hoyte oracleeditor@gmail.com News Editors Miki Shine Abby Rinaldi oraclenewsteam@gmail.com Sports Editor Jeff Odom oraclesportseditor@gmail.com Opinion Editor Breanne Williams oracleopinion@gmail.com Multimedia Editor Adam Mathieu Digital Editor Roberto Roldan Copy Editor Safeena Kassoo
Finals week leads to increased stress and unhealthy habits as students attempt to have a successful end to the semester.
ORACLE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU
Assistant Editor Jacob Hoag Graphic Artists Ashley Barzaga Luke Blankenship Advertising Sales Lauren Alford Rachel Carpenter Abby Pereira Destiny Moore
Breanne Williams COLU M N I ST
The Oracle is published Monday through Thursday during the fall and spring semesters, and twice weekly, Monday and Thursday, 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).
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CORRECTIONS The Oracle will correct or clarify factual errors. Contact Editor in Chief Grace Hoyte at 974-5190.
Finals are upon us and students from every year and major are feeling the pressure. As crucial as doing well on exams is, it is also important to minimize stress in order to have a successful end to the semester. According to the 2015 National College Health Assessment, over 30 percent of college students reported stress has negatively affected their academic performance this school year. More than 85 percent of students have felt overwhelmed by their schedules and responsibilities at some point within the past year. Well, duh. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment is
only recently down from 10 percent to just over five. Business Insider reported the cost of living in the U.S. is between $30,000 and almost $50,000 per year. Meanwhile, the average postgraduate salary with Bachelor’s degree is just over $44,000, as reported by TIME. And to top it all off, you need perfect grades, a handwritten recommendation letter from Father Time and the luck of the Irish to get into a decent graduate program. Finals week is an accurate representation of the weight such expectations place on college students. Just go to the library any night this week and you’ll be surrounded by students chugging their fifth cup of Starbucks coffee and fighting the overwhelming urge to sleep — or cry. People are flocking to every quiet corner of campus to try to tackle the last workload of the semester and often give up precious hours of sleep and good eating habits in favor of spending more time studying and completing final projects. Countless studies have shown
the negative effects of finals week stress, but USF has many programs and events to help students survive the end of term. The Marshall Student Center (MSC) has transformed into the Marshall Study Center in order to counteract the many negative consequences associated with this week. Not only does the MSC now have extended hours, it is allowing students to reserve study rooms to have a quiet place for group sessions. USF also seems to have realized the deplorable eating habits adopted during finals and are offering a plethora of discounts, and free food so students can attempt to stay healthy while cramming for the last exams. A variety of professors are hosting final reviews in the MSC to gift students with the last information needed for exams. USF’s wellness center offers free massages, too. When you are completely fed up with being stuck inside the library for 11 hours straight, consider heading over to one of the several study sessions held at serene locations like Castor
Beach or the nearby Riverfront Park. Stress is a serious issue and should not be taken lightly. A variety of groups on campus are hosting meditation sessions and yoga classes to teach students how to relieve some of the stress in their lives. It’s absurd that students are making themselves phsyically ick to complete all of their assignments. Yes, school is important and it is imperative that you succeed on your final exams. But you should do everything in your power to reduce the stress this week. Will you end up pulling an all-nighter in the library? Probably. But making sure you stay hydrated and eat nutritious foods instead of a package of Pop-Tarts will greatly improve your functionality in the final leg of our academic marathon. Take advantage of the many resources available this week and knock these exams out of the park. Breanne Williams is a junior majoring in mass communications.
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CURTAIN CALL Ten moments that shaped USF athletics in 2015 By Jeff Odom and Jacob Hoag |
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s the curtains begin to fall on 2015, the Oracle sports staff has selected the most impactful moments that defined the year in USF athletics. From the football team’s incredible midseason turnaround to men’s golf reaching its first national championship tournament and baseball’s unprecedented rise, it was one to remember. Here are 10 things that stood out above all else. n See REVIEW on PAGE 4