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June 14, 2017 Vol. 54 No. 62
Budget vetoes Gov. Rick Scott’s financial plan causes USF to re-examine spending Page 3
Cosplayers prepare Medical marijuana for Comic Con research needed Page 4
Page 6
Bulls get drafted into MLB Page 8
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the Oracle
News........................................................3 Lifestyle................................................4 Opinion.................................................6 Classifieds...........................................7 Crossword..........................................7 Sports.....................................................8
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NEWS
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
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USF responds to budget vetoes by Gov. Rick Scott By Miki Shine M A N A G I N G
E D I T O R
With the flick of his pen, Gov. Rick Scott vetoed portions of the 2017-18 budget, part of which would have gone to public universities. While the legislature met for a special session last week, the meeting did not change much in regard to higher education. In previous years, according to the Vice President for Government Relations Mark Walsh, all funding for the university appeared as a single budget item. University funding was either approved or vetoed in its totality. This year’s budget was broken down into different categories. By doing so, Scott can do a line item veto for certain requests. “The majority of the vetoes As part of the budget USF will receive about $60 million more than last year. ORACLE FILE PHOTO were things that were in our projects, specific projects, that lost approximately $9.4 million scientific research, provide and marine education across the had been in our base operating as well. The reduction includes education, disseminate research entire state of Florida,” Philip line, and this year the legislature funding for the H. Lee Moffitt and to guide policy for the Kramer, FIO director, said. “That made the decision to unpack Cancer Center cannabis research adoption of a statewide policy on program was supporting the those base budgets and lift them and for the oceanography institute ordering and dosing practices for subsidized ship program and that all out,” Walsh said. housed at USF. the medicinal use of marijuana,” is a program that’s been one of “Most of them were existing Galvano said. the hallmarks of FIO for the last projects … mainly they were Moffitt Cannabis Research According to WCTV, the push 30 years.” projects funded by individual by lawmakers for research The program allows FIO to give legislative sponsors in prior In total, the H. Lee Moffitt funding was focused on better its members access to expensive years that had been funded with Cancer Center was denied over understanding how marijuana research vessels at a reduced recurring dollars and are now $1.1 million for a cannabis should be classified. Scott said price. Participating institutions are vetoed.” research board and a coalition for both Moffitt and the University permitted to use the vessels each As part of the budget USF will medical cannabis research. of Florida — which would have year for educational exploration receive about $60 million more Back in November 71 percent received about $2 million for and research. than last year, according to Walsh. of Florida voters favored legalizing marijuana research — have This reoccurring fund was Portions go toward construction medical marijuana for patients plenty of money to fund their approved by and received costs while others are for standard with debilitating diseases or own studies. financing from the legislature operating. conditions such as HIV/AIDS, Members at USF Health could approximately five years ago. It The downtown health center PTSD and cancer. Florida was the not be reached for comment. also allowed FIO to expand the will cost $152.6 million and will 26th state to legalize a form of program from virtually nothing, be housed in the heart of Tampa. marijuana. Florida Institute of according to Kramer. It will be funded largely by the In March Sen. Bill Galvano Oceanography “We are looking at all of our state and private donations. The (R) and Jackie Toledo (R) began programs right now,” Kramer said. Florida government is providing pushing for Moffitt to become While the Florida Institute “We have to follow the Florida all but $41 million for the project, a hub of marijuana research. At of Oceanography (FIO) is not statute that says we can’t just and this budget allocated $12 the time Moffitt director Thomas specifically part of our university, continue to fund programs that million. Sellers supported the idea of it’s housed at USF. It supports all were specifically vetoed by the The new building has been studying the health impact on 12 public universities in addition governor. We are looking at our attributed to USF Health’s record users. The bill passed unanimously to 10 other higher education options right now, but we are likely number of applicants the past by the education committee. institutions. The program saw a to have to reduce significantly the two years. The purpose of the coalition loss of nearly $1.2 million. number of subsidized days we However, the university system would be to “conduct rigorous “We work to support marine can offer.”
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Researcher explores extreme environments with NASA By Miki Shine M A N A G I N G
E D I T O R
A USF researcher is participating in an underwater expedition simulating Mars’ environment. The NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations 22 missions will conduct simulated spacewalks on the ocean floor, test time delays in communication and evaluate procedures for future space missions. Dominic D’Agostino, associate professor in USF’s Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, is a member of the four-person team. The team will be spending 10 days in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary located off the coast of Key Largo. D’Agostino has researched how extreme environments impact the human body and plans to continue his research on the expedition. One of the USF-patented methods of nutrition in extreme environments involves triggering the body to burn fat rather than glucose as its primary source of fuel. The hope is this method will help protect astronauts from neurological risks associated with space travel. D’Agostino is the only one using this method to allow for comparison. Other crewmembers are from NASA and the European Space Agency.
LIFESTYLE
Bulls suit up for Tampa Bay Comic Con
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By Jennifer Rughoonundan C O R R E S P O N D E N T
Right around the corner is the Tampa Bay Comic Con and participants are excitedly gearing up to display their best cosplay costumes. Solange Gorleku, an MBA graduate student, has been a regular attendee of the comic con for the past three years. During this year’s cosplay, she plans on enacting the character X-23, also known as Laura Kinney, from the X-Men pantheon. “I’ve only been reading X-23’s comics recently,” Gorleku said. “She’s my favorite character to portray and learn about right now from the Marvel Universe.” As a super hero, X-23 puts forth a sense of female empowerment that Gorleku personally connects with. Depicted as a young girl in X-Men, the character is often underestimated because of her age and gender. “We have this mutual feeling of being misunderstood and I resonated with that because she’s a girl,” Gorleku said. “Like, that doesn’t mean she’s not strong because she will prove you wrong. X-23 packs a feisty punch and is designed to kill.” Gorleku expects to keep within a $60 budget. Since X-23 is dressed very simply, Gorleku will improvise her attire to include items from her own closet along with purchasing cosplay clothing. Gorleku will be wearing her own everyday black tights and calf-length brown boots, as well as a black pleather top with the X-Men insignia and matching X-Men-themed black belt. Leo Nunez, a senior majoring in computer science, has been a veteran cosplayer in different comic con contests since first
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
attending in 2013. “I loved the performance aspect, and I also loved anime,” Nunez said. “So my first comic con really inspired my love for cosplay. It’s things you never thought you’d have fun doing but end up having a blast with.” Nunez said he has a passion for crafting a new outfit every year. In accordance with contest requirements, each component of his cosplay is typically homemade. He only considers his art to be complete once the cosplay does justice to his chosen character. The process usually takes months. “It’s 100 percent worth all of the late nights, running out to stores five times a day. It’s always a challenging and changing hobby, which is why I like it,” Nunez said. At this year’s con, Nunez will showcase his cosplay Bell Cranel, from the anime DanMachi. “It gave me the opportunity to learn new skills,” Nunez said. “I originally tried 3-D printing with certain parts of the costume. I learned about wiring electronics in class, which gave me the idea for the knife.” Nunez’s costume will include small armor pieces with shoulder pads, chest pieces and a neck guard. There’s a knife he constructed from resin, thermoplastic and an LED light. The costume also includes a white wig, makeup and a little bag that Nunez will sew himself. He has already put $500 into the costume and expects to spend more by the time comic con arrives. “It’s all about the detail and getting things just right. But, at the end of the day, it’s all about having fun,” Nunez said.
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Solange Gorleku cosplays as X-23 from the X-Men universe because of the sense of female empowerment she feels the character expresses. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE/SOLANGE GORLEKU
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OPINION
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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
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The state needs to fund medical marijuana research
By Renee Perez C O L U M N I S T
Last week Gov. Rick Scott — back to his old, merciless self — vetoed the legislature’s effort to grant $750,000 to the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center. The funds would have been allocated for the purpose of researching medicinal marijuana. It’s a developing form of treatment that could greatly reduce the suffering of millions of people. Conversations about marijuana, medicinal or otherwise, tend to drift back and forth between extremes. One camp proclaims the herb is a cure-all for everything from headaches to global warfare, and the other camp insists the widespread use of marijuana is a symptom of our society’s decaying moral fiber. Despite cannabis being a divisive and mystified topic in the Western world, credible scientific literature suggests that cannabinoids, the chemical compounds found in marijuana, could have unprecedented applications in medicine. This sentiment is shared by the nation’s leading medical institutions. According to a scientific
review published by the National Institute of Health (NIH), marijuana shows significant therapeutic promise across a vast array of conditions, many of which lack cures or adequate treatment. These conditions range from psychological disorders to “Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease, neuropathic pain, multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury, to cancer, ... stroke, hypertension, glaucoma, obesity/metabolic syndrome, and osteoporosis, to name just a few,” according to the National Institute of Health (NIH). The American Cancer Society (ACS) also confirms the lifeimproving outcomes of cannabis therapy. The institution attests the efficacy of marijuana in treating vomiting from chemotherapy, diminishing pain from damaged nerves and “[slowing] growth and/or [causing] death in certain types of cancer cells,” according to the ACS, among other palliative effects. NIH, ACS and the US Department of Health and Human Services all recognize the potential of medicinal marijuana treatment. They’re in unanimous agreement about the urgent need to study the drug more inten-
sively to make it more accessible to patients. Clearly, the Moffitt Cancer Center — and the 15 million Americans living with cancer — would gain quite a bit from the $750,000 Scott so generously denied them. Not to mention, now that medical marijuana is legal in the state of Florida, it’s in the best interest of Scott’s constituents to expand the scientific literature on the drug. Research would grant doctors and patients a clear understanding of what the controversial herb can and cannot do. In the end, it should surprise no one Scott has once again exhibited a lack of regard for the health of Floridians by restricting much-needed scientific cannabis research. After all, this is a man whose career is riddled with scandals in the pharmaceutical industry — remember that time he oversaw one of the largest Medicare frauds in the United States’ history? Perhaps next year Florida will actually elect a governor with some compassion for the sick.
Renee Perez is a junior majoring in political science.
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We are Rhyno Glass. One of the fastest growing successful glass companies in the Tampa Bay area. We Specialize in mid-sized commercial projects, within the state of Florida and up and down the east coast. We are currently looking for students who needs hands on experience to complement and reinforce what they are learning in the classroom. This special individual must be self-motivated creative and solution driven. Be prepared to work on high profile projects that impact the landscape of the Tampa bay area in a positive way. Some of our landmark projects include... Top Golf Car Dealerships Health Care Facilities Educational Facilities And many more Learn more about Rhyno Glass @ www.rhynoglass.com The responsibilities of this position include however are not limited to:
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CROSSWORD
Sports
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The Rundown
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Baseball
USF’s McClanahan named freshman All-American
Merrell gets the early call In his final year, junior Kevin Merrell batted a conference high .384. ORACLE FILE PHOTO/JACKIE BENITEZ
USF Left-handed pitcher Shane McClanahan was selected as a First-Team Freshman All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) on Monday. McClanahan went 4-2 with a 3.20 ERA en route USF’s NCAA tournament berth. The redshirt-freshman made 15 starts on the season, striking out 104 batters in 76.0 innings. His 12.32 strikeouts per nine innings ranked eighth in the country. McClanahan became the second All-American selection for USF with Junior Kevin Merrell earning second-team honors.
Junior shortstop drafted 33rd overall by A’s
By Josh Fiallo S P O R T S
E D I T O R
There wasn’t much doubt that former Bulls shortstop Kevin Merrell would be a high selection in this year’s MLB draft, which began Monday night. Merrell was chosen 33rd overall by Oakland Athletics on the first day of the MLB draft, nearly twenty picks higher than his ranking of 51 on Baseball America’s list of the top 500 prospects. With family and friends by his side, Merrell watched from his Quote of the day Odessa home as Oakland selected him in Competitive Balance “I can’t believe we’re getting Round A — a five-player round this question already. But in between the first and second honestly, that’s something rounds reserved for the bottom 10 teams in the league in terms of we’ll worry about at the time. That’s a long time from revenue and market size. Along with Merrell, senior now.” — Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob told ESPN’s First pitcher Phoenix Sanders was drafted in the 10th round (289th Take regarding if the team will overall pick) Tuesday evening by visit the White House following the Tampa Bay Rays. the franchise’s championship. Since transferring from Daytona Since President Trump became State College to USF for the 2016 president, multiple players have elected not to make the visit that season, Sanders has been the has been a tradition of teams fol- Bulls’ frontline starter. In 31 starts at USF, Sanders went 11-7 with a lowing a championship victory. 3.46 ERA and 204 strikeouts in 192 1/3 innings.
Though Merrell and Sanders were the only two Bulls to be selected in the first two days of the draft, USF signee Jackson Tetreault was drafted in the seventh round by the Washington Nationals, and will have a tough decision to make. Tetreault pitched for State College of Florida for the past two seasons, and signed to play with USF next season, but could choose to turn pro instead. In 2017, he went 4-6 with a 2.58 ERA and 105 strikeouts in 80 1/3 innings. Through his first round selection, Merrell became the third highest player drafted in program history and the first Bull to be picked in the first three rounds since 1997. Merrell’s estimated pick value is $2 million, according to MLB.com. Throughout his three-year career at USF, Merrell is the only player to lead the Bulls in hitting for three straight seasons. In his final year, Merrell batted a conference high of .384 and led the Bulls in slugging percentage, on-base percentage, runs scored, total hits and stolen bases. He swiped 19 bags in 23 attempts. “I like wherever I can get in the lineup, whether that’s shortstop, second or left,” Merrell told the
Oracle in April. “But I’ve played shortstop my whole life, so that’s where I’m most comfortable. I can play pretty much anywhere else, but I can’t play catcher.” Scouts project him as a topof-the-lineup player who can be rotated around the field. Oakland A’s scouting director Eric Kubota told the San Jose Mercury News that Merrell has a “unique ability” with speed that matches any player in this year’s draft. However, Kubota adds he’s more than just wheels. “He’s a very good contact hitter and his power is developing, although it’s not going to be a big part of his game,” Kubota said. “It’s the style of hitter he is.” With explosive speed and versatility, Merrell’s position at the pro level may not necessarily be shortstop. “I think he’s a guy who can do a lot of things,” Mark Kingston, head coach of the Bulls’ baseball team, told The Oracle. “The pros will look at him as a guy who can really impact both the offense and defense in a positive way, and I still think he has a lot of improving he can do.” “I think teams look at him as someone who is a very nice asset
for their system.” Merrell’s versatility caught the eyes of national experts as well. “Merrell might have been the fastest player in college baseball this spring,” MLB.com expert Jim Callis said. “He’s a table setter with some gap power who has played shortstop and second base. He could wind up in center field in the long run.” Potentially joining Merrell later in the draft are fellow juniors Joe Cavallaro (reliever) and Duke Stunkel (outfielder), as well as senior starting pitcher Phoenix Sanders. Stunkel led the team in triples and was second in batting average. Should USF lose Stunkel to the draft, it would be without its top three hitters from 2017 as Luke Borders, who had the team’s third best batting average, graduated this spring. Though USF will miss his bat next season, Kingston said Merrell’s ability to adapt and play any position will serve him well in his time with Athletics and future franchises alike. Additional reporting by Vinnie Portell