4-3-17

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April 3, 2017

Vol. 54 No. 50

WERE) MULTIPLE TIMES THAT I DIDN’T KNOW IF “ (THERE I’D BE ABLE TO RECOVER TO THE WAY I WAS BEFORE. ” Page 8 FRESHMAN PITCHER SHANE MCCLANAHAN

Effects of excess Netflix shouldn’t credit hour surcharge change rating system Page 3

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Offense struggles in scrimmage Page 8

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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 Sports Editor Vinnie Portell oraclesportseditor@gmail.com Asst. Sports Editor Josh Fiallo

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NEWS

Excess credit hour surcharge has effected Divestment video graduation rates, university programs doesn’t tell UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

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whole story

By Abby Rinaldi S T A F F

W R I T E R

When the Florida Legislature put an excess credit hour surcharge into effect in 2009, Eric Shepherd, associate professor of Chinese at USF, saw the Chinese program he worked to build drop to one-third its original size.

“I had an entire class who immediately had to drop because when this rule was created, they were immediately put over the limit for credit hours,” Shepherd said.

The Chinese program wasn’t the only program that took a hit after the excess credit hour surcharge took effect. According to the Legislation, the excess credit hour surcharge was designed to provide financial incentive to improve Florida University System graduation rates.

Students who started at Florida public universities since fall 2012 are paying double for classes after they exceed the credit hour limit.

Shepherd said the general feeling at the university is a sense of helplessness in the face of the Legislature.

“Basically, the idea is that nothing can be done,” Shepherd said.

Adam Freeman, media and public affairs manager for University Communications and Marketing, stressed that the surcharge was a product of the Legislature and out of USF’s hands.

“The excess hours surcharge was established by Florida law several years ago, and is therefore required at all state universities,” Freeman said. “The university follows the law.”

Shepherd feels that the excess

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By Miki Shine M A N A G I N G

percent more for each class taken past 120 percent of the hours needed to complete their degree.

Students who entered in fall 2011 and on would pay 100 percent extra for each excess course taken over 115 percent of necessary hours. Now, for those who entered after fall 2012, the charge is 100 percent for 110 percent over credit hours needed to complete their chosen degree program.

When the surcharge was put in place in 2009, the USF Fact Sheet showed the university’s six-year graduation rate for the 2008-09 academic year at 49.3 percent.

USF’s six-year graduation rate for the 2016-17 academic year is 68 percent, according to the Fact Sheet.

USF Divest released a video last week on its Facebook page that shows one of its leaders and recent USF graduate Ahmad Hassam approaching USF System President Judy Genshaft about a referendum recently presented to the student body.

The referendum called for the university’s foundation to divest from companies that contribute to fossil fuels, fund private prisons and are complicit in human rights violations.

The video dictates the group’s unrest with the university, but while doing so, it also presents some inaccuracies.

Near the beginning of the video, it states that tuition money is used in these investments, but according to USF spokesman Adam Freeman, The Foundation does not invest tuition dollars.

“USF prudently invests in highly-diversified mutual funds in accordance with its investment policy and state law,” Freeman said in an email. “The university does not invest tuition dollars in individual companies.”

The video also states that the referendum passed with 89 percent. The caption to the video states 89 percent of the student body voted for the university to divest. While the vote count is not inaccurately stated, it can be misleading.

About 14 percent of the student body voted in the election, according to the unverified results,

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The Florida Legislature put a surcharge on excess credit hours to work on improving graduation rates.

SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE

credit hour surcharge was not well thought out, criticizing provision of an economic incentive for students to diversify their skillsets less and focus on graduating faster.

“When the institution has an economic incentive to push the students out of the institution as rapidly as possible, then you have the situation where the institution is cannibalizing itself,” Shepherd said. “You have advisers telling students not to waste their time taking USF classes and these advisers are USF employees. It doesn’t make sense.

“There’s no class at the University of South Florida that we should ever say, ‘Don’t waste your time taking, even if it’s not in your major’ because that student could be developing a set of skills that sets them apart in the workplace.”

Since the surcharge took effect, the Chinese program has had to restructure itself. Shepherd said with restructuring comes a shift in teaching goals, from building the highest proficiency possible to getting students out quickly.

Classes were decreased in credit hours and, consequently, the hours spent in the classroom.

“So, what we were able to accomplish in two years before takes four years,” Shepherd said.

“What we could accomplish in four years will take eight years by reducing the number of hours we have to work together.”

The excess credit hour surcharge was put in place in 2009, but changed in increments over time. The legislation dictated students entering a school in the State University System in fall 2009 or after would pay 50

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running the right routes and the ball was sailing on them.

Once he talked to me in the red zone, I came back and made a couple plays.”

One of the receivers who Flowers found for multiple scores on Saturday afternoon was sophomore Deangelo Antoine.

With a void created in the slot receiver position from the departure of Rodney Adams, the 5-foot-10, 185-pound Antoine could be a candidate to earn some of the available playing time.

“Deangelo had a really good day today,” Strong said. “To see him go and catch the football the way he caught it was really

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Tommy John surgery on his left elbow, sending him through a trying nine-months of rehab that tested his resiliency.

“It was really tough,” McClanahan said. “(There were) multiple times that I didn’t know if I’d be able to recover to the way I was before.”

Returning to his pre-surgery form wasn’t a given either.

According to a study on Hardballtimes.com, one in five major league pitchers who undergo Tommy John surgery never return to play in the majors.

Despite the physical hardships that accompanied the injury, it wasn’t the physical pain that was the hardest thing for McClanahan.

“The hardest thing during recovery was the first game of last season,” McClanahan said.

“It stunk to be on the sideline, not able to help guys out, or the team, knowing I wouldn’t be able to for an entire season.

Especially having the type of season we had last year, it was sort of a double-whammy.”

Being on the bench wasn’t something McClanahan was used to either.

A star at Cape Coral High School, McClanahan earned numerous awards his senior year, including First-Team All-

good. You want to see that because we need to find us a slot receiver, a guy who can make some plays.”

Though Strong kept the players going up-tempo for most of the afternoon, he was sure to take time to address mistakes when they were made.

A celebratory end-zone spike from tight end Mitchell Wilcox on a successful two-point conversion earned the sophomore a series of up-downs while he sat out plays.

Running backs Trevon Sands and Elijah Mack found themselves running laps around the practice fields as a result of their fumbles that ended drives.

The Bulls will have a chance to unveil their sped-up play style when they play in the Spring Game at Corbett Stadium on April 15.

Safety Tajee Fullwood was a standout player on defense during Saturday’s scrimmage, as he intercepted Quinton Flowers in the end zone. ORACLE FILE PHOTO/JACKIE BENITEZ

Florida, All-Conference, AllArea, and Honorable Mention All-American.

Along with his dominance on the mound, McClanahan was also stellar at the plate batting .351 his senior season - and playing in every game, not just the on the nights he pitched, making the 2016 season at USF even tougher.

Despite the adversity, McClanahan persevered.

When it came to his rehab, McClanahan leaned on those closest to him, turning to his parents, and best friend — USF quarterback Brett Kean — to push him to recover as quick as possible in ways outside of the direct rehab on his elbow.

“Brett’s my boy,” McClanahan said with a laugh.

“We’re pretty much always together, and he’s my biggest fan outside of my parents.”

While McClanahan was going through intensive rehab with athletic trainer Josh Herron, Kean kept McClanahan sane, giving the pitcher a muchneeded mental break from the constant recovery process.

“We’re always cracking jokes together and having fun,” Kean said. “There’d be times I’d go and say to him, ‘Let’s just go and grab something to eat, just get your mind off of it.’”

Even when they were off the field, McClanahan’s desire to return to the mound stood out to Kean over all else.

“He was always itching to get back,” Kean said. “I remember

how excited he was to throw again for the first time, and then the same for his first bullpen. He was the one that was so determined to get back, and I was just there along the way.”

Nine months after surgery, McClanahan was finally back.

Throwing his first full postsurgery bullpen in the summer of 2016, McClanahan had officially made a full recovery and was ready to do what made him one of the most highly sought-out pitching recruits in the nation – overpower hitters, and win games.

Starting 2017 with 53 strikeouts in 40 innings pitched, McClanahan has done just that.

“He’s very talented, you just don’t see many left-handed pitchers with his build, and his arm speed at this young of an age,” USF coach Mark Kingston said.

McClanahan was a member of coach Kingston’s first recruiting class as head coach of USF. Ranked the seventh best recruiting class in the nation by D1baseball.com, McClanahan was one of the class’s top recruits.

“A lot of different schools wanted him, so we recruited him hard,” Kingston said. “We sold him on the vision of what we thought we could do here together, how we could help him improve his game, and he bought into it. He’s very happy with it, and we’re very happy with it as well.”

USF was far from the only school that was after McClanahan, with Florida Gulf Coast, and Miami fighting hard, but unsuccessfully to snatch him away from the Bulls.

“The atmosphere, and upbeat energy (USF) had just really attracted me to the program, and I made the best decision of my life,” McClanahan said.

“Something’s good here, I really like the energy and culture.

Plus, the coaches here are phenomenal.”

McClanahan’s teammates also had praise for his character on and off the field.

“He’s in every game and he’s cheering guys on,” said fellow pitcher Phoenix Sanders.

“He’s another guy we can rely on day-in, and day-out, works hard, and is a great teammate.

Plus, the 96-mile-per-hour fastball certainly helps.”

With three years of playing eligibility left after this season, McClanahan looks to continue his current success throughout his college career, and eventually into the big leagues, which is his ultimate goal.

Regardless of where McClanahan ends up after his time at USF is up, his fight to be able to play the game he loves will always stick with him.

“Being able to play baseball again,” he said. “I think that’s my favorite moment throughout my entire career.”

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In 2014, the Florida Board of Governors started evaluating universities in the State University System based on performance metrics, one of which is six-year graduation rates. This means that the better a university’s six-year graduation rate, the better they rank in performance metrics, which can lead to more funding from the Legislature.

The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA), The James Madison Institute and the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education came together in 2013 to review Florida’s university system in the ACTA Florida Rising Report. The review praised the excess credit hour surcharge as an effort to raise low graduation rates.

“The System four-year graduation rate average is 42 (percent), and five universities have rates of 25 (percent) or lower,” the report stated. “It is

promising, however, that Florida is taking clear aim at improving the four-year graduation rate. With the encouragement of Florida’s ‘Excess Credit Hour Surcharge’ legislation, students have a strong financial incentive to complete their baccalaureate degrees efficiently.”

Four years after this report, in USF’s engineering department, Mary Goodwin, director of Engineering Student Services, said the engineering advisers try to get ahead of the surcharge in planning out the courses for their students.

The rigor of programs such as engineering fairly limit the amount of classes students can take outside of their degree curriculum. However, this rigor can put students in danger of going over the limit if they are forced to drop courses or have to retake more difficult courses.

“Ideally, we hope it doesn’t affect our students, but unfortunately it does impact them,” Goodwin said.

In the meantime, Freeman said in an email that the university has been educating students on the surcharge.

“USF has made significant efforts to educate students about the state-mandated surcharge throughout their time at the university, with the goal of seeing more students complete degrees without paying the additional charges,” Freeman said.

The same sentiment can be found in Engineering Student Services. Goodwin said she tries to provide students resources to help them avoid having to pay extra for classes. She said the surcharge might be good for graduation rates if it helps students focus more, but it has its drawbacks.

“I mean obviously I’m not a fan of students having to pay more money, because for many students it’s a hardship anyway,” Goodwin said. “But we have to follow what the Legislature puts out there, so we’re trying to do the best we can.”

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with 89 percent of the votes in favor of divestment.

“In spring 2017’s student election, more than 80 percent of students did not voice their support for the divestment referendum, either by voting against it or by choosing not to vote on the issue at all,” Freeman said.

Hassam did not respond to follow-up questions about these inaccuracies.

Initially, he told The Oracle via Facebook Messanger that members of USF Divest were waiting for Genshaft outside of a meeting.

“We respectfully introduced ourselves and asked for a moment of her time,” he said. “She ignored us and walked right past us. We asked again and she said she didn’t want to talk, so we offered to walk with her and just make our points.”

He claimed that Genshaft attempted to get away from them by engaging in another conversation and continually

ignoring them.

“If Judy Genshaft and the administration really think that their investments are not an issue, I challenge them to host us for a public debate for all the community to see,” Hassam said. “Let us have the conversation publicly.”

Despite the group’s adamant displeasure with The Foundation, USF stands by it, citing the positives that come out its investments, including 3,400 scholarships in the previous fiscal year.

“The USF Foundation plays an essential role in supporting students and helping the university achieve its strategic goals through raising, managing and investing money from private donors,” Freeman said. “These gifts provide the university with additional funds we would not otherwise have that allow us to offer life-changing scholarships and experiences for students, attract world-class faculty and significantly enhance our facilities.”

Editor in Chief Jacob Hoag contributed to this report.

OPINION

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Netflix should not abandon current rating system

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What you said Associate Editor Breanne Williams asked students how they decide what to watch on Netflix if they aren’t familiar with the film or show.

“I think the Netflix rating system is trash. Films are a form of art and it’s so subjective. Personally, I use third-party sites like Rotten Tomatoes, but honestly if you’re interested, watch it.”

- Nick Pidgeon, a sophomore majoring in animal biology

Netflix is ditching the five-star-rating system in favor of a thumbs-up, thumbs-down process. ORACLE PHOTO/ JACKIE BENITEZ

By Breanne Williams C O L U M N I S T

Netflix has decided the five-star rating system is too complicated for its users and announced at a recent conference it would be switching to a thumbs-up, thumbs-down system.

Apparently, the company believes the new method will be “easier” for users to tell the streaming site what type of films and shows they like.

However, easy does not always equal better.

Yes, it takes the user a few moments more to determine how many stars they will rate a film, but the extra step helps the company analyze exactly what type of entertainment each user prefers, ensuring the recommended sections on the site are as accurate as possible.

More importantly, it helps viewers see exactly how the public feels about a film or show.

When a user chooses a star rating, they have to reflect on the plot, the acting, the cinematography, the writing and the overall feel of the piece.

Some films are good, but don’t warrant four or five stars.

If it were a simple thumbsup or thumbs-down system, it

would undoubtedly earn many thumbs-up, however it is by no means a masterpiece. But the viewer wouldn’t know that on first glance because they would just see that a lot of people liked it.

Netflix analyzes what the user actually watches more so than which movies they rate favorably or unfavorably, so the recommended section may not drastically change with the new program. So, it will still be simple to find a show nearly identical to the many other shows you watch.

But when it comes to new or unfamiliar territory, the viewer will be going in blind.

Most people are savvy enough to know what mainstream media pieces they will prefer. Their friends make recommendations; they’ve seen commercials and social media trends have provided the general feel of the show.

However, lesser-known pieces — foreign films, documentaries, independent films, standup comedy, LGBT films and cult classics — are not obsessively watched by the general public.

Thus, the rating is important for someone who stumbles upon the section.

A film with an average of

three stars versus five stars is a big difference. Both would likely earn thumbs-up, but one is obviously superior to the other.

Netflix should not assume its users are so simpleminded they can’t handle clicking on a star versus a thumb. It may be easier for the company, but it is hurtful to consumers.

Yes, all major sites use a like or dislike system. YouTube, Spotify, Pandora, Tinder and all social media websites use the basic review system to generalize what content users prefer.

But when it comes to entertainment, whether it is a 20-minute show or a threehour movie, we deserve to be picky. Sometimes it’s better not to copy what everyone else is doing, but to remain unique.

IMDB, Rotten Tomatoes, Meta Critic and review sites like Roger Ebert all use the rating system to properly analyze the worth of a film or show. Unlike songs or Facebook posts, there are far more aspects to take into consideration.

It’s a tried and true system, and abandoning it for a simpler process is an asinine decision.

Breanne Williams is a senior majoring in mass communications.

“By the stars. It normally lines up with what I think will be interesting.”

- Niarobi Bermudez, a sophomore majoring in mass communications

“I go to the trending section.

I figure if a lot of people like it, it must have something in it.”

- Gladys Elias, a junior majoring in communications

“It depends on my mood and what I want to watch.

I rely on reviews, but if it’s a genre I like, I just go there.”

- Carla Salazar, a junior majoring in public health

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Sports

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The Rundown

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Baseball

Football

Offense stumbles in Saturday’s scrimmage

Outside USF

Peterson to visit Patriots today Free agent running back Adrian Peterson will visit the New England Patriots today, according to an ESPN report.

Peterson, 32, sat out all but three games last season due to a torn meniscus and an adductor Peterson strain he suffered in his first game back from his meniscus injury. LeGarrette Blount scored 18 touchdowns for the Patriots in 2016 as the team’s starting running back, but the Patriots have yet to show interest in re-signing him. Prior to today, the Seattle Seahawks are the only other team Peterson has visited this offseason. According to a Tweet by Peterson last month, the most important thing to him is to be an impact player on a championship team.

USF weekend scoreboard Baseball

USF Tulane

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Men’s Tennis

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By Vinnie Portell S P O R T S

gling on the diamond, the recovering McClanahan was forced to watch helplessly from the dugout, dealing with his own struggles off the field.

Before ever stepping on the mound in a Bulls uniform, McClanahan underwent

USF football had one of the highest-scoring offenses in the nation last season, scoring at least 35 points in all but one of its 13 games in 2016.

With a new coaching staff in place for 2017, coach Charlie Strong is looking to build on the Bulls’ strengths as he tries to speed up the offense even more than it was last season.

“Offensively, we want to snap the ball fairly quickly and our whole goal is just to try and wear defenses down,” Strong said. “But you have to have a playmaker, and we have a playmaker at quarterback.”

Saturday, USF had its most extensive scrimmage of the spring at the Frank Morsani Football Complex, and quarterback Quinton Flowers and the offense had trouble adjusting to the new speed and finding a rhythm.

“I would say we came out sluggish today,” Flowers said.

“We’ve got to pick it up. It’s a new offense, guys are still getting used to it. We had a couple of (missed assignments), but that’s what you practice for, to get better.”

The offense turned the ball over six times in the 90-minute scrimmage, with Flowers throwing four interceptions.

“I have to get my feet set,” Flowers said. “I feel like a lot of the things that I did, I didn’t have my feet set. Coach Gilbert has talked about it, and that’s where I got lost. Guys were

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Rebuilt and recharged Shane McClanahan

SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE

“

McClanahan back to old form after Tommy John surgery

By Josh Fiallo A S S T .

S P O R T S

E D I T O R

Picking up a baseball as early as he could walk, Shane McClanahan refused to let anything keep him away from the game he loves.

It took nearly two years for McClanahan to finally take the mound at the USF Baseball Stadium after signing with USF in 2015, but now that he’s available, the hard-throwing lefty is making his presence felt.

In his second season as a Bull, the 19-year old Cape Coral native has made a full recovery from Tommy John surgery, and has emerged as the USF’s Saturday night start-

He was always itching to get back.

I remember how excited he was to throw again for the first time.

Brett Kean, USF quarterback

er in 2017, contributing to the Bulls’ best start in school history.

USF’s 23-5 record to start its 2017 campaign comes a year after an abysmal 2016 season where the Bulls won 24 games in total, their worst record in 10 years.

While the Bulls were strug-

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