The Oracle
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U N I V E R S I T Y O F S O U T H F LO R I DA
Do the new BOT regulations take power away from Student Government?
By Miki Shine E D I T O R
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Conflict between Student Government (SG) and the Board of Trustees (BOT) have erupted over the past two weeks as the BOT created new regulations regarding SG’s ability to pass legislation. During a meeting on June 8, the BOT passed an update to the SG regulations that lay out a plan for administration to approve new legislation passing through the senate. “I think it does a little bit of good and a little bit of bad,” Moneer Kheireddine, student body president and a member of the BOT, said. “I think there’s a reason behind it. I think there’s a huge factor of accountability that comes in line with this. I view it as an opportunity for accountability to be held. “For example, if a statute is passed that might kind of conflict with state law or issues in the past that USF SG isn’t opening itself up to a lawsuit or something of that nature. I don’t think this is the best, I do think we can make improvements, but I do want to see how things go before judging too quickly.” The new procedure requires all existing governing documents to be reviewed at the beginning of the fall semester and all proposed changes to be submitted at least a month before the start of each new semester. An exception is included for time-sensitive pieces of legislation, such as approval of the executive branch structure. These changes are immediately effective, but
LGBT pride month Castile ruling causes comes to St. Pete outrage Page 4
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the president reserves the right to accept or reject new pieces of legislation. Kheireddine said he views this new set of regulations as a rough outline to be improved as time passes. These regulations were discussed with the prior SG administration and were already being reviewed by the BOT when Kheireddine took office. However, McDonald met with Kheireddine and Senate President Amani Taha to listen to their concerns and draft an agreement with them that’s not officially in the regulations. This agreement introduces a second period during the semester for legislation to be presented for approval. The legislation would be presented 30 days prior to the start of the semester or 30 days before the deadline to drop a class with a W. “Senators are still coming into their roles, they don’t know how to write bills in the summer,” Taha said. “It’s more of a teaching time, so they gave us four deadlines. Again, it leaves the Policy committee useless during the second half of the spring semester. We just didn’t see the point.” While both Kheireddine and Taha are optimistic about continued conversations to improve the process for both parties, other senators have voiced concerns that the regulations will impede SG’s ability to govern. Senator Aladdin Hiba presented a resolution at the last senate meeting that states the regulations “fundamentally impair the ability of our Student Government to fulfill its role.”
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the Oracle
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NEWS
USF Senate to start enforcing SG statutes on recording meetings UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
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While restrictions on recording during senate meetings are starting to be enforced, Senate President Amani Taha plans to start making video recordings of the meetings public to all students.. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE By Miki Shine E D I T O R
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Student Government (SG) senate meetings’ accessibility to students became an issue at last week’s meeting. Namely, senators were interested in live streaming the meeting to Facebook so non-SG students could more easily find out what happens in the senate. When other senators expressed concern with it, senate president Amani Taha offered to do the recording herself. “It is a cool idea and I think that students would like it because everyone’s always on Facebook and watching videos so I’d like to do that,” Taha said. “Just in the moment, if senators were uncomfortable, I really wanted to make some kind of compromise.” Taha said the plan is to be able to live stream the meetings on Facebook, but said the video
may later need to be posted on YouTube or another platform. “I totally get the sentiment that people want to record the senate meetings,” Taha said. “I promise that by the next senate meeting I will get it working.” Based on Sunshine State Laws, open meetings are allowed to be recorded by those in the room. According to Student Government Advising, Training and Operations Director Gary Manka, SG is exempt from this law. “SG may restrict public recordings as student government is not an agency as defined by the open meeting law,” a memo issued by Manka stated. When asked, Manka said he could not define whether SG is an agency of the university or not. Previously, USF General Council has said SG isn’t while the First Amendment Foundation has said the organization is subject to open meeting laws.
According to Manka, based on current SG laws only the senate president can record and in order to take any other recordings the senate would need to give its permission. “Student Government can make their own laws about what is appropriate and what isn’t appropriate within their student government because other parts of state law give student government the right to make their own internal guiding documents,” Manka. The SG Senate has livestreamed meetings in the past along with producing audio recordings, summery minutes and verbatim minutes. Lately these recordings haven’t been available to students outside of SG. Toward the end of last week, Manka sent out a memo to the senate reiterating that senators aren’t allowed to record the meetings themselves and
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explained the ramifications of recording. “Any student who attempts or turns on a recorder at a meeting will re referred to (Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities) and may be removed from their position as a student government officer,” the memo said. “In addition, any student or person may be removed from the meeting with possible legal sanctions including permanent restriction from the university property.” In previous years, the statute hasn’t been enforced by SG officers. Manka said this is because it wasn’t really an issue in the past, but has become a potential issue because the senate now primarily keeps audio minutes. “They’re actually working on clarifying who can record and what methods of recording there are in the statutes. People are writing bills right now,” Taha said.
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While the resolution didn’t pass the senate — and was sent back to committee for further review — it also brought up the concern that these regulations could allow for deletion of “part or all of Student Government,” according to the resolution. During the meeting some senators expressed concern that the language of the resolution — which would get sent to the BOT — was too strong while others were concerned it wasn’t strong enough. In past years USF’s SG has had limited oversight by administration. Hiba expressed that other state universities, while having some oversight of SG, weren’t as stringent as these new regulations. FSU has legislation reviewed by the vice president of student affairs. UCF’s regulations state that “ultimate authority … rests with the BOT and the president.” “I feel like that argument falls short with me,” Hiba said. “Us just having less regulation isn’t a reason for us to have more regulation. If somebody were to propose something that would be terrible, something that would hurt students or something that would have a negative impact on the university, the people to stop that would be us and that’s just how our system works.” McDonald set up a meeting with leaders of the executive and legislative branches in November to discuss the impact of these regulations and whether there are any necessary improvements. Taha is still concerned about the senate’s inability to overturn vetoed legislation. “It’s basically in their hands,” she said. “So if we wanted to change a rule we don’t like and they veto that then we’re stuck following a rule that we don’t like. We should be able to overturn it, there’s always checks and balances.”
LIFESTYLE
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Pride brings the LGBT community together for times of celebration generation did a twerking party in front of Pence’s home,” Skains said. “They have different needs. So, the messages given by the generations have changed.” After 15 years, attendance at St. Pete Pride events and support from St. Pete citizens and businesses for the LGBT community is growing. “Businesses in Grand Central started raising rainbow flags in the month of June as soon as two years after St Pete Pride started, and sometimes they keep them up year around,” Skains said. “Pride has played a big role in evolving the city of St. Pete to where it is today St. Pete Pride Weekend is from June 23- 25, and many
events are scheduled to take place. The weekend will include the main St. Pete Pride Parade on June 24, a TransPride March and the St. Pete Pride Festival. The event has proven to be a key staple to St. Pete culture as one of the largest celebrations of Pride in Florida. “There is nothing else like that pouring out of energy and happiness,” Swiger said. Like previous years, Pride promises to deliver the same open-minded acceptance it has always proudly upheld. “No matter who are, you should feel comfortable going to a Pride event. It just celebrates diversity,” Skains said.
Spirit
long time,” Skains said. “Particularly in the current political climate, it’s important to help change this message and Pride month allows us to have these conversations.” LGBT youth have had a markedly strong influence on awareness of their community. “Especially with social media,” Swiger said. “They have been a lot more involved, with so many great successes, such as marriage equality.” While older activists have tended to stick with picketing, in recent years the youth have become more comfortable directly confronting disfavor toward the Pride community. “For example, the younger
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Harmony
Life
Healing
June is a time for celebrating inclusivity, diversity and heritage. These concepts are best showcased through Pride. “There is nothing else like Pride,” said Montana Swiger, President of the USF P.R.I.D.E Alliance. “It is a chance for us to really celebrate as a community how far we’ve come and as a political statement. There is a rich history and people with so many stories that not many know.” Pride Month originates from the Stonewall Riots of June 1969. As the first true protest for LGBT rights, it birthed the Pride movement and served as a catalyst
for the first Pride parade the following year. Pride has grown from humble beginnings and now includes six million people in 115 parades around the U.S. The emphasis has always been on appealing to the growing community. “Pride is a larger place not only for LGBT people, but also colored LGBT and feminist LGBT to come together and voice issues and opinions,” Swiger said. Eric Skains, Executive Director of St Pete Pride, agrees Pride has had a positive impact and has helped broadcast people’s voices. “It’s important to highlight the LGBT community because it has been in the shadows for a very
Nature
C O R R E S P O N D E N T
Sun
By Jennifer Rughoonundan
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OPINION UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
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Gun rights activists are painfully silent about Philando Castile
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Letter to the Editor
Tampon tax not cut for equality By Dana M. Jones
The verdict of officer Jeronimo Yanez for the murder of Philando Castile has caused protests across the country. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE By Renee Perez C O L U M N I S T
Officer Jeronimo Yanez was found not guilty in the case of manslaughter against Philando Castile on Friday, June 16. Moments later 2,000 protestors flooded I-94 in St. Paul, Minn. to express their outrage at the legal system’s failure to bring justice to black lives once again. However, one usually vocal group has remained uncharacteristically quiet about the demoralizing Castile verdict: gun rights activists. For those of you who have forgotten the details of Castile’s case among the painful flurry of officer-involved shootings that have occurred since he was killed last July, Castile was a licensed gun owner who was legally armed at the time of his 50th — and final — traffic stop. “Sir, I have to tell you, I do have a firearm on me,” Castile calmly told the officer in his final moments, as recorded in Yanez’s dashboard camera.
“Don’t reach for it then,” the officer replied. “I’m not pulling it out,” Castile responded. It was model behavior, the kind that one develops after being stopped by police officers 50 times. Not one second passed before Yanez fired seven shots into Castile — who was not reaching for his gun — and killed him. The dash cam recording and Castile’s clean record attest to his being an exemplary citizen and a perfectly responsible gun owner. And yet, not a single Second Amendment advocate has come forward to decry that Castile was shot for exercising his constitutional right to bear arms. Not a single gun rights activist has expressed even mild concern over the acquittal of Yanez: not the National Association for Gun Rights, not Gun Owners of America, not Ted Cruz, not the President of the United States, not even the National Rifle Association, who spend
millions of dollars every year to ensure guns remain omnipresent in America. What can explain the deafening, sickening silence? Perhaps it is the fact mourning the unjust slaughter of a black life would put firearm advocates at odds with these leaders’ overwhelmingly white, Republican followings. Perhaps it is the fact that Philando Castile’s innocence does not fit neatly into the Second Amendment narrative these activists rely on, one in which white Americans must defend themselves with guns against thugs and thieves who are black and brown. Perhaps it is the fact that the same people who blindly support this outdated constitutional provision also believe that “All men are created equal” only applies to those who are white.
Renee Perez is a junior majoring in political science.
An article caught my attention recently regarding Florida and the “tampon tax”, a.k.a sales tax on menstrual hygiene products. Personally, I’m against the tax. It should’ve been cut a long time ago though not for reasons of perceived discrimination between the sexes. The article, published on June 1st asserted the elimination of this sales tax was, “one small victory for Florida women.” I do not believe this to be the case. This tax cut was not the result of the protests of women. Of course, I wouldn’t deny women were outraged over this tax, but this cut was not influenced by those protests. Not to rain on anyone’s parade, but people are patting themselves on the back for a victory won by chance. The June 1st article writes that, “[the] slashing of the tampon tax is only one part of a $180 million tax cut package that goes into effect January 2018.” This should surprise nobody on either side of the political aisle; Democrats are usually for more taxes for
government spending while Republicans viciously oppose them for anything more than the bare necessities. The tampon tax was not singled out to right some patriarchal wrong, especially not in the state that gave Donald Trump 29 electoral votes last November. One thing is clear; this oppressive, antiXX-chromosome, misogynistic tax was not cut for any other reason than it being a tax. Re p u b l i c a n Florida Governor Rick Scott sought not to stamp out an injustice towards women, but rather to eliminate $180 million that he believed the government did not need nor deserve. No disrespect to any ladies reading this, but aren’t Republicans the enemies of the feminist movement? Why would a straight, white male (read as cis-gendered and heteronormative) have any desire to aid women, the very people Republicans go out of their way to oppress? It makes no logical sense. All satire aside, this “victory for women” does not follow feminist or liberal logic. It’s just economics.
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Classifieds
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CROSSWORD
Sports
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Brother of former men’s golf Summer Stampede to standout wins U.S. Open be held at Ulele
Golf
Football and Men’s Basketball
Football coach Charlie Strong and men’s basketball coach Brian Gregory will highlight Summer Stampede. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE By Josh Fiallo S P O R T S
Chase and Brooks Koepka compete together as a duo at the Zurich Classic in April. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE By Josh Fiallo S P O R T S
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Former USF men’s golf standout Chase Koepka couldn’t take his eyes off the television as his older brother, Brooks Koepka, powered his way up the standings at the U.S. Open. Chase watched from the Tequesta home he shares with his brother as Brooks delivered a 5-under-par performance in his final round. That round at Erin Hills on Sunday would be what catapulted the 27-year-old to victory. “There was tons of excitement,” Chase said in a Facebook message to The Oracle. “I was yelling at the TV like a crazy person every time he holed a putt. All I could think was wow, he’s going to win this thing.” With three consecutive birdie putts on the back nine, Brooks pulled away from the pack with the next lowest scorer finishing four strokes away. He was one of 16 players within six shots of the lead entering the final round. Though Brooks was
brimming with excitement for his brother’s success, there was no time for him to celebrate. He had to catch a plane to Denmark to build his own legacy in the European Challenge Tour. “He called me on the phone while I was boarding the plane for this week’s European Challenge tour event,” Chase said. “We didn’t speak for too long because I had to take off shortly after but we figured we would celebrate when we both got home.” Despite not having any PGA or European Tour wins like his brother, Chase won a program record four collegiate tournaments and two conference championships in his time at USF from 20122016. After graduating with a degree in marketing, Chase elected to start his pro-career in Europe on the European Challenge Tour. It was the same decision Brooks made upon his graduation from Florida State four years prior. “I have always looked up to Brooks,” Chase said. “He has
been a great mentor for me on the course and has helped so much in pushing me to be where I’m at today.” Despite his success on tour being minimal, Chase found success playing with his brother at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in April. Competing as a duo Brooks and Chase both secured clutch shots down the stretch that led them toa top-10 finish and a career-best paycheck of $140,000 for Chase. “We knew we would either kill each other or we would have a blast,” Brooks told the TC Palm after their 5th place finish. “We had a blast.” Though his career to this point has been less decorated than his brother’s, Chase isn’t jealous. He instead plans to use Brook’s success as motivation to better himself. “I don’t have any jealousy when it comes to my brother’s success,” Chase said. “He has worked hard and deserves everything he has done so far in his career. If anything, it’s motivation for me to continue to work harder.”
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First year USF coaches Charlie Strong (football) and Brian Gregory (men’s basketball) are convening at a Tampa restaurant today to rally booster support before their inaugural seasons as Bulls in 2017. This event, known as the Summer Stampede, will be held at Ulele in Downtown Tampa. The event includes food, a cash bar, speeches from both coaches and a photo session for an expected 200 fans. Before selling out, tickets to the event were $10 for current season ticket holders and Bulls Club members, $25 for the general public and were free for “Iron Bulls” – donors who give more than $10,000 to the Bulls Club annually. The Summer Stampede is the only booster-style event currently scheduled for USF this summer and is contrast to booster events from previous summers. Last June’s Kickoff and former USF coach Willie Taggart’s booster tour held four free events around the Tampa Bay area. It also included stops in Bradenton, Brandon, St. Petersburg and a dinner at
Ulele in Tampa. Two seasons ago, Taggart made stops as far away as Miami and Atlanta to raise support. Along with the booster events, the programs are changing. Coming off a record 11-win season in 2016, USF football is the pre-season favorite to win the AAC according to USA Today and Athlon Sports. While USF has gained further attention from national media outlets, its season ticket sales are higher than they were at this time a year ago. There were 15,973 season tickets sold in total last season. As of June 20, 13,193 season tickets have been sold for next season, despite a home schedule that does not include Florida State or UCF, which were USF’s highest attended home games in 2016. While Strong is taking over a Bulls team coming off their winningest season in program history, Gregory is taking over a depleted Bulls squad that won only one conference game out of 18 last season. With the only way to go being up, Gregory will look to grow last season’s 1,593 total season tickets sold starting with today’s booster event.