Volume 26, Issue 8

The Student-Run Newspaper of Nova Southeastern University

Athletes with disabilities

Combatting campus colds P. 10

P. 7

By: Li Cohen

@Current_Yakira

October 13, 2015 | Vol. 26, Issue 8 | nsucurrent.nova.edu

Make your own Halloween costume

Should guns be regulated?

P. 14

UC policy changes after student reportedly harassed by officers

As of Oct. 5, all common areas in the Don Taft University Center are open for students to use 24/7. Administrators changed the policy in response to an incident where a student who was studying past midnight in the UC on Oct. 3 reported that a Davie police officer became aggressive.

The incident has led to two separate investigations: one to determine if the Davie officer, who is no longer assigned to this campus, displayed inappropriate behavior and one determining if this is a case of discrimination.

The policy previously stated that students were not permitted to be in any area of the UC other than the pit on the first floor past midnight.

Many NSU administrators, including Jessica Brumley, interim vice president for Facilities Management, only knew about the policy in September after students complained about being kicked out of their study locations. She said that Facilities Management needed to be more understanding of students’ needs to socialize and study within the UC. Brumley said that policy changes were in discussion, but after the incident, administrators finalized the decision to allow students in the building at all times. The decision was originally expected to be made in September, but Brumley said she had underestimated how many people would be involved in the process.

“I probably over-committed to the week [as the time frame to change the policy], not realizing all the people who were going to want to weigh in on the overall policy,” she said.

Because the policy change wasn’t made

By: Li Cohen

P. 13

•

until Oct. 5, a confrontation between a Davie police officer and AJ Franklin, senior business administration and legal studies major, occurred.

According to reports, the officer was hostile in trying to remove Franklin from the vicinity, and Franklin believes his approach was discriminatory.

“I just don’t think it’s right for me, being a black student, to have to go through this, especially the night before I take my LSAT,” he said. “I really want to see justice. Not only for me, but for everyone in the university.”

According to the Complaint Initiation Form submitted to the Davie Police Department, Franklin was studying on the second floor of the UC because he needed a quiet place to study for his Law School Admission Test (LSAT), which was scheduled for 8:30 a.m. the next morning.

A Public Safety officer confronted Franklin around midnight to tell him he wasn’t allowed to be in that area. When the Public Safety officer couldn’t inform Franklin of the exact policy in the student handbook, Franklin read through the handbook online and found that there was no information regarding closing hours for the building.

“I planned to stay up all night to study for my LSAT,” he said. “I didn’t know we weren’t supposed to be on the second floor past midnight.”

The officer left the scene and returned at approximately 1:30 a.m., along with two additional officers and two Davie police officers.

Franklin said that while one of the police officers, whose name is unknown, was friendly, Davie

PHOTO PRINTED WITH PERMISSION BY A. FRANKLIN Franklin was reportedly harassed by a Davie police officer after refusing to leave the UC after midnight.

Officer Christopher Costello became aggressive.

“Officer Christopher Costello called me a ‘jackass’ for not complying with Public Safety when he came and told me I had to leave the first time,” Franklin said. “I tried to explain to him that I asked the Public Safety officer about the policy about students being able to study on the second floor and closing time of the UC, but he didn’t care.”

The Davie Police Department did not comment on the incident.

Franklin reported that as he tried to shift stances, Costello dug his fingers into his chest.

When Franklin asked why the officer was putting his hands on him, Costello reportedly

Liquor and drug violations increase on Ft. Lauderdale/Davie Campus

@Current_Yakira

With the influx of traditional students on the Ft. Lauderdale/Davie Campus, Public Safety has also seen an increase in the number of liquor and drug law violations referred for disciplinary action and drug law arrests, as reported in the 2015-2016 Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.

The report, which was emailed to the NSU community on Sept. 30, shows that liquor law violations increased from 19 in 2013 to 26 in 2014, drug law violations increased from five in 2013 to seven in 2014, and drug law arrests increased from one in 2013 to four in 2014.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, private, non-profit, four-year or above institutions with populations between 20,000 and 29,999 had a total of 4,942 liquor law violations and 1,391 drug abuse violations in 2013. These numbers increased from data collected in 2012.

Aarika Camp, assistant dean for student services and director of Residential Life and Housing, attributes the increase in violations at NSU’s Ft. Lauderdale/Davie campus to the large size of incoming traditional classes — first-timein-college undergraduate students enrolled fulltime.

According to Donald Rudawsky, vice

president for institutional effectiveness, NSU’s Ft. Lauderdale/Davie campus had 573 traditional students in fall 2014. As of fall 2015, NSU has identified the preliminary count as 644 students. Rudawsky said the official count won’t be known until Nov. 1.

In comparison to NSU’s regional campuses, the Ft. Lauderdale/Davie campus has significantly higher data of reported incidents.

Jim Ewing, director of public safety, also said this is most likely because the Ft. Lauderdale/ Davie campus houses residential students and, therefore, has more students on campus at a given time.

“There’s not that many people at a given time at the regional campuses,” he said. “The big numbers on the report are from the residence halls, where the majority of the population lives.”

Ewing said that violations are given when students are found to have violated the law, not just NSU policy.

“These are only for violations of law, which would mean underage drinking or giving alcohol to a minor,” he said.

Camp said the majority of alcohol violations include freshman and sophomores and that very few include juniors and seniors.

She also said that said it’s unreasonable to think that college students won’t drink and that the university focuses on providing students with the opportunity to learn from their actions.

“A lot of freshman are exploring their freedoms and trying to see what boundaries they can push,” she said. “Now we’re getting more traditional with our incoming classes, so we expect there to be an increase [of alcohol-related incidents] within that population.”

According to the report, there were two oncampus drug arrests and two on-property arrests.

According to Ewing, the on-campus arrests included one student for marijuana possession in a residence hall, and the other involved a nonstudent who was arrested at the gravel parking lot across from the Sharks Athletics building.

Ewing claimed the two on-property arrests did not include students; they involved unknown individuals who were stopped by Davie police on NSU’s property. In the report, public property includes thoroughfares, streets, sidewalks and parking facilities that are within, immediately adjacent to or accessible from campus.

“The way the Clery Act Law functions, in order for us to define our geography of the SEE LIQUOR AND DRUG VIOLATIONS 3

told Franklin it was ‘because he was trying to walk away.’ Franklin proceeded to provide the officer with his student ID. “I hand him my student ID, which he snatches out of my hand, then he hands it to Public Safety while they took pictures of it with their cell phones,” he reported. “As Officer Costello let me out of the corner after giving me back my student ID, he said, ‘If I ever catch you back up here again I’m going to arrest you.’ The way the police officer handled the situation — I don’t know if he would have handled it the same way if I were another student.”

Brumley said that when local police are involved in a situation, along with Public Safety, the local officers have the authority over a situation; however, if Public Safety feels the situation is getting out of hand, they are trained to call their supervisor for assistance.

The report details that Costello then threatened to handcuff Franklin if he didn’t calm down. Franklin said that the officer wanted to get a reaction out of him by using excessive force and that there was no reason for handcuffs, as he was complying with their questions.

SEE UC POLICY CHANGES 3

AT A GLANCE Liquor Law Violations Reffered for

Disciplinary Action

11 Total in 2013: 19 Total in 2014 26 Total in 2012:

:

Drug Law Violations Reffered for

Disciplinary Action

6 Total in 2013: 5 Total in 2014: 7 Total in 2012:

2

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NEWS

October 13, February 17, 2015| 2015 |nsucurrent.nova.edu nsucurrent.nova.edu

ANCHOR

Stay up to date with international events.

Chile introduces new marine preserves in the Pacific Chile President Michelle Bachelet said the country will open two new marine conservation parks in Pacific waters. One of the sites is Easter Island, which is 2,360 miles off of Chile’s coast; the second will be located near the Juan Fernandez archipelago, located in the South Pacific Ocean, to aid in replenishing the fish population. Within both areas, which when combined will span approximately 386,100 square miles, commercial fishing will be prohibited. Bachelet hopes to protect the Pacific from overfishing and preserve ancient fishing practices.

‘Arch of Triumph’ of Palmyra destroyed by ISIS ISIS bombed the almost-2,000-yearold “Arch of Triumph,” located in the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra, destroying yet another culturally and historically significant structure.

ISIS destroyed the Temple of Bel in Palmyra last August, along with the Temple of Baalshamin.

Palmyra is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site and was seized by ISIS last May. China opens a glass bridge In Hunan Province, cracking almost three weeks later On Oct. 5, China’s Haohan Qiao, or Brave Men’s Bridge, a 980-foot glass walkway that sits 590 feet above the ground in Shiniuzai National Geological Park, cracked after someone reportedly dropped a stainless steel thermos. As only the first of three layer of glass cracked, no one was injured. Once made entirely out of wood, the overpass was renovated and is now composed of 24 millimeter-thick glass that is 25 times stronger than normal glass. Haohan Qiao was opened on Sept. 20. and is China’s first suspension bridge made completely out of glass. Another glass bridge will be completed 186 miles from it in the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon area. At more than 982 feet high and more than 1,410 feet long, it will be the highest and tallest glass suspension bridge in the world.

Nobel Peace Prize awarded to three scientists for their contributions to parasitic disease treatment The Nobel Prize was awarded to William

Campbell from Ireland and Satoshi Omura from Japan for their discovery of a new drug that treats roundworm parasite infections. The Nobel Assembly said that Campbell and Omura’s drug, Avermectin, and its derivative have drastically reduced cases of river blindness (onchocerciasis) and lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis) around the world, particularly in poorer regions. The award also went to Tu Youyou from China for her discovery of a new antimalarial agent after using traditional herbal medicine to find a solution for malaria, a disease carried by mosquitos that kills almost half a million people a year, according to the Nobel Assembly.

Artemisinin, derived from the plant Artemisia annua, quickly kills off malaria parasites as they start to develop, effectively treating the aggressive disease.

Over a dozen dead in flood in southeastern France Officials said severe storms and resulting flooding have killed at least 17 people in southeastern France, and four more are missing. Elderly people are among the deceased, and several others drowned when they were trapped in tunnels and underground parking garages as the floodwaters rose. The river Brauge overflowed, spilling water into the streets of Cannes in the French Riviera, a popular tourist region on the Mediterranean coast of France.

Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal a success The Trans-Pacific Partnership, one of the largest trade deals, includes 12 countries in the Pacific rim, was successfully settled and will cut trade tariffs and impose common trade standards for all parties involved. Japan and the U.S. are among the countries in the TPP, which accounts for 40 percent of the global economy.

Kenyan students return to school after teachers suspend their strike Five weeks after teachers went on strike over their pay, resulting in the closure of all public schools, millions of Kenyan children have returned to their studies. The teacher unions are complying with a court-ordered decision giving both parties 90 days to find a solution to the problem. The conflict arose when teachers demanded that their pay increase by at least 50 percent. The government did not want to acquiesce to this demand, citing the unaffordability of the proposal.

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October 13, 2015 | nsucurrent.nova.edu UC POLICY CHANGES from 1

something with the Davie police, it will be a separate issue than anything we do internally with the Public Safety officer who reported the incident,” she said. “There has to be two separate pieces, depending on what Franklin wants to do.”

Brumley commended Franklin for how he handled the situation. She said that NSU is a minority-majority school and recommends that any student who finds him- or herself in a similar situation report it immediately.

“My highest priority here is students and student safety. To have anyone feel that there was a case of discrimination is very serious, and I take it very seriously,” Brumley said. “The way the situation was handled by the Davie police officer was unacceptable, assuming that the entire report was true.”

Franklin posted about the incident on his Facebook page. Facebook users commented on the post with similar stories at NSU and their concerns that the act was of discrimination.

Franklin said he also feels the actions were based on discrimination, and he wants similar situations to be avoided.

“If I were a different race, [the aggressive behavior of the officer] would not have happened,” he said. im Ewing, director of public safety, met with Franklin on Oct. 6. Franklin said that after telling Ewing he felt this was an act of discrimination, Ewing responded that Public Safety was just doing their job.

Brumley said she will meet with Franklin directly because if discrimination is involved, it divides the case into separate issues — the Public Safety officer who made the original call and the Davie officer involved in the incident.

“If Franklin decides he wants to pursue

Fuego Latin Night Dye It Pink! @Flight DeckBy SISTUHS @Commons Pagoda 7-10 PM 4:30-7 PM CKESZOOM Summit: Voting informational by SISTUHS @in DeSantis Room 1052 7-10 PM

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SEPT 11

OCT 16 15

LIQUOR AND DRUG VIOLATIONS from 1 campus, we have to claim incidents that occur across the street from the campus,” Ewing said.

“We have to go claim on our report all the crimes that occur in that area, in addition to our campus.”

According to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act) website, the act mandates that all colleges and universities, both private and public, have federal student aid programs that release information on campus safety. The act also requires that sexual violence incidents and emergency situations be handled a certain way and that crime statistics and security policies are released in an Annual Security Report.

Camp said that while judiciary action is important when addressing the violations, administrators also focus on education and that students are taught about being responsible

On Shore Calendar OCT 14

with alcohol and their actions, beginning at their orientations.

“Our students are responsible, and once they have an infraction or violation, they learn from it,” she said. “And if they do it again, we’ll respond appropriately. We’re trying to allow students to lead their lives and learn from their lessons.”

Camp said that NSU’s procedures for handling violations will continue as they are because they have proven to be successful in the past.

“The way our staff and the university responds to violations isn’t always punitive; it’s also educational,” she said. “Even though you see there’s an increase in violations, you don’t see those students dropping out.”

To see the full report, visit nova.edu/ publicsafety/forms/campus_safety_handbook.pdf.

Caribbean Student CSA Movie Night Association’s Reggae @DeSantis Room 2057 Gold 2015 Listening 6-6:30 PM Party @Flight Deck 12-2 PM

SEPT 11

20 OCT 16 Caribbean Student Association’s Reggae Gold 2015 Listening Party @Flight Deck 12-2 PM

OCT 20

Kickstart your business career at NSU Business Week By: Nicole Cocuy

@currentNicole

The Office of Career Development will host NSU Business Week — a series of events to help students learn more about business from local employers in the field, in the Carl DeSantis Building from Oct. 19 to Oct. 22.

Emilio Lorenzo, assistant director of career advisement, said, “We have set events like the Career Fair, but we wanted to plan something to offer a different look through the business field. Maybe you’re a business student and you’re like, ‘You know what? I’m thinking about marketing, but I’m also thinking about human resources.’ It’s a way to help you explore.”

Guest speakers include employees from the Orange Bowl Committee, the Miami Dolphins, the Miami Heat, Auto Nation, Cleveland Clinic, Seminole Hard Rock and Casino, Wells Fargo, Walgreens and more will be attending these events. Lorenzo said every employer in attendance is looking to hire interns or employees.

To prepare for the events, Lorenzo suggests having a resume handy and being ready to talk and engage with employers.

“This is your chance to talk

to [employers] in a more oneon-one setting than the career fair.”

Each day will focus on a different area of business.

There will be several speaking panels featuring guest speakers from local companies, who will each focus on a different business field, such as sports management and marketing.

The panels will be followed by networking sessions with the respective speakers.

“All of the panelists will focus on insights they wish they had known when they were in [the students’] shoes,” said Lorenzo. “That’s something that can’t really be measured.

Hearing it from an actual person in your industry hits home more.”

Students can also participate in a creative marketing competition on Oct. 21. Team of three will pitch their marketing ideas for a Huizinga School of Business event to nine different marketing companies.

Participants are expected to present what their hypothetical event would look like, how they would get employers involved, what marketing methods they would use and how they would integrate social media. Teams will also receive feedback from

current marketing companies.

“Instead of you putting on your resume, ‘I can do graphic design,’ or, ‘I can use social media,’ the marketing competition is your chance to go up there and show [employers] how you would use it,” said Lorenzo. “It’s like a visual resume for them.”

Business employers will also moderate a mock interview night on Oct. 20.

Lorenzo said that while the events are geared towards business careers, the events are open to all interested students. “[Business week] is open to everyone. You might not be a business student, but you might want to come listen to people that are working in the sports management field,” said Lorenzo. “You might be exploring changing your major.

What better way to make that decision than hearing from someone in the industry you might be considering going into.”

To see a complete list of employers in attendance, visit nova.edu/business_week.html If you are interested in participating in any of the events or have any additional questions, contact Lorenzo at (954) 2627202 or el541@nova.edu.

Monday, Oct. 19 – Sports Management and Entrepreneurship South Florida Sports Panel @ Carl DeSantis Building Atrium, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Entrepreneur/Start-Up Speaker Panel and Networking @ Carl DeSantis Building Atrium, 4 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 20 – Management and Human Resources HR and Management Speaker Panel and Networking @ Carl DeSantis Building Atrium, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Mock Interview Night @ Sales Institute in the Carl DeSantis Building, 4:30 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 21 – Marketing and Sales Creative Marketing Presentation Competition @ Carl DeSantis Building Atrium, 10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 22 – Finance and Accounting Financial Services Panel and Networking Event @ Sales Institute in the Carl DeSantis Building, 4 p.m. – 5:45 p.m.

3 NEWS BRIEFS NSU college raises cybersecurity awareness The College of Engineering and Computing will host a series of events to raise awareness about cyber security. The events include Cyber Security Day on Oct. 15, a panel discussion on “Building the Next Generation of Cyber Professionals” on Oct. 15 at 6 p.m. and a viewing of the webinar “Your Evolving Digital Life” on Oct. 21 at noon. The events were created in observance of the 12th annual National Cyber Security Awareness Month.

For more information and a complete list of details, visit cec.nova.edu/students/special%20 events.html.

Broward to issue fines for marijuana possession According to NBC 6 South Florida, Broward County commissioners approved a preliminary ordinance for police officers to issue civil citations, rather than file criminal charges, to people who are found carrying 20 grams or less of marijuana. A hearing is scheduled for Nov. 10 for final approval.

According to Florida law, a misdemeanor marijuana offense is punishable by up to one year in jail, along with a $1,000 fine.

Serve wildlife in Jacksonville The first Sharks and Service trip of the semester will be at the Catty Shack Wildlife Ranch in Jacksonville, Florida from Oct. 16 to 18 to help maintain the ranch’s facility and work with animals. The trip is hosted by the Office of Student Leadership and Civic Engagement. Transportation and housing will be provided. To apply for the trip or for more information on upcoming service trips, contact the SLCE office at slce@nova.edu or 954-2627195.

Best-selling author visits campus James O. Born, author of “Scent of Murder,” “Escape Clause,” “Burn Zone,” and more, will visit NSU on Oct. 21 at 6:30 p.m. for a discussion, book sale and book signing.

Reservations are required by Oct. 16. The event will be on the second floor of the Alvin Sherman Library in the Adolfo and Marisela Cotilla Gallery and is free to community members who reserve a seat. Before writing novels, Born was a U.S. Drug Enforcement Agent and Special Agent with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. .

Join NSU for Conversations on Consent The Office of Residential Life and Housing, Student Mediation Services and Social Awareness Student Action (SASA) will come together to host two Conversations on Consent presentations on Oct. 14 and Oct. 15 to discuss consent and sexual assault awareness. Conversation One will be held in Rolling Hills Graduate Apartments in the Second Floor Lounge on Oct. 14 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Conversation Two will take place in the Commons Residence Hall Room 123 on Oct. 15 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Light refreshments will be provided at each discussion. For more information, contact Student Mediation Services at 954-262-7196 or studentmediation@nova.edu.

Celebrate Science Week at Boom Boom Flash’s Star Party On Oct. 15, NSU’s Chemistry Club and Physics Student Society will host a star viewing party as part of Chemistry Club’s Science Week and the White House Astronomy Night at 7:30 p.m. in the Alvin Sherman Library quad.

Attendees will stargaze, watch Saturn, observe neighboring galaxy Andromeda, measure the surface temperature of stars and more, and they are encouraged to bring telescopes and binoculars. Some telescopes will be provided, and the event is subject to change dependent on sky conditions and weather. For more information, contact Isabel Olivera at io65@ nova.edu.

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October 13, 2015 | nsucurrent.nova.edu

October 13, 2015 | nsucurrent.nova.edu

By: Roddia Paul

Features

5

Breaking the stigmas on mental disease

In the month of October, we acknowledge many things, from Breast Cancer to LGBTQ awareness to German American Day and everything in between. The week of Oct. 10, the world acknowledges World Mental Health Day, an international holiday focused on raising awareness of mental diseases. This national holiday also serves to provide the differences between each diagnosis because, unfortunately, many mental diseases are commonly and casually misused.

“People often have misconceptions [about mental diseases] because they have a small amount of information on these diseases and what they really are,” Karl Backman, NSU’s psychiatrist for Student Counseling Services said. “Furthermore, people tend to self-diagnose themselves due to exaggerated influences of the media.”

People often assume that someone with a mental disease will be unintelligent and dangerous, when in reality they are very intelligent people ― Abraham Lincoln and Isaac Newton reportedly suffered mental illnesses and were both intelligent and non-violent. Most of these beliefs stem from pop culture and media portrayal, which tend to overgeneralize symptoms of mental disease for publicity purposes and even sometimes use it in a comical sense. As a result, uninformed people make incorrect assumptions of what a mental disease really is and what is used to classify them.

“When it comes to identifying clinical symptoms, there are certain criteria that have to be met in order to diagnose someone with a particular disease,” Backman said. “These symptoms can be found in the DSM-5.”

The DSM-5 outlines the strict criteria that clinicians and researchers must use to diagnose and classify mental disorders, which is important because it not only makes identifying symptoms easier but also distinguishes a temporary mood from an actual disease.

To further understand the differences between frequently commercialized mental diseases and how they are psychological defined, read below.

OCD What people think it means: People often only associate obsessive-compulsive disorder with the fear of germs, which is actually a phobia. This perception disregards the fact that someone suffering from this mental illness also has a compulsion. It is also commonly thought that because you have a tendency to want to double check something, for example, leaving the stove on, that automatically means that you have OCD. Timothy Razza, assistant professor in the College of Psychology, said,“It is rare that we find a source of media that conveys OCD correctly because it comes down to what is going to attract people to watch.”

What it really is: “Obsessive compulsive disorder is not just someone who likes to have things nice and neat,” Razza said. “What defines it are two core symptoms: obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors.”

OCD is only diagnosed when the compulsion is a repeated obsession that interferes with the normal function of daily life.

So in the case of germs, the obsession is wanting to be clean, and as a result, there is a compulsion to constantly wash hands. Having to stop and wash your hands every five minutes interferes with completing your daily tasks because you are consumed by the thought of being dirty.

Hence, “clean freaks” do not have OCD. ADD/ADHD What people think it means: There is not a clear understanding of the difference between these two mental disorders, and for that reason, they are often described and displayed on television as a child who is extremely active and out of control. References to these diseases on television are usually humorous, and characters habitually refer to any hyper episode as a result of their “ADHD” flaring up.

What it really is: ADD is attention deficit disorder, and ADHD is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, both of which can be found in children and adults. The main difference between these two disorders is that ADD is the appearance of an attention disorder without hyperactivity. A patient can be diagnosed with ADD with or without hyperactivity.

“People tend to use ADD to mean both [forms], but in reality, it is [exhibited by] someone with attention deficit who does not have symptoms of impulsion or hyperactivity,” Razza said.

People can have an inability to pay attention or sit still for numerous reasons, such as lack of sleep, hypoglycemia, head injury and everyday events that can cause someone to feel a sense of irritability. Neither of these factors qualify as reason enough to diagnose someone with ADD or ADHD. Every hyper child is not experiencing ADHD. This mental disease is only diagnosable when their hyperactivity interferes with their everyday functions and ability to learn.

Depression What people think it means: There is a tendency for people to say they are depressed, but they forget that feeling sad is an emotion that many people feel as a result of an event, and a temporary mood change does not satisfy the requirements of a depressive diagnosis.

What it really is: Depression is diagnosed only if the patient displays a severity of several of the following symptoms: a persistent sad and or empty mood, pessimism, feeling guilty and/or worthless, loss of interest in things that previously brought pleasure, fatigue, a change in sleeping patterns, a change in appetite and increased thoughts of suicide over a period of at least two weeks.

“The duration, intensity and interference with major functions are the key components to what define a major depressive episode,” Razza said.

Anxiety What people think it means: The common

misconception about anxiety is that having an anxiety disorder means that you have a phobia, when, in reality, a phobia is only one type of anxiety. The less-common forms of anxiety include generalized anxiety disorder and social anxiety disorder.

What it really is: Feeling anxious in stressful situations is normal, but when the person is in a constant state of fear that persists or increases over time and constricts them from performing daily functions, that makes it a disorder.

“The difference between a disorder and sub-clinical anxiety is the interference of functioning,” Razza said. “So even individuals who [claim to] have phobias, it would not be diagnosed as a phobia if that phobia is not something that he or she experiences on a daily basis.”

If you think back to the earlier years of the human population, we have adapted to learn emotions such as fear, and these emotions are directed towards things that can potentially cause us harm. These fears protect us and, ultimately, like in the past, further our chances of survival. For example, if a person is afraid of the color blue, and the person is afraid to go outside because the sky is bluer than white that day, then that would be a phobia. Not leaving home would exclude this person from social interaction, proper social growth and proper thinking because they are so consumed by the anxiety of their particular fear.

Bipolar disorder What people think it means: People associate bipolar disorder with being crazy and exhibiting two completely opposite and consecutive personalities, when in actuality, bipolar disorder is a disease centered on mood, not personality. Moodiness does not indicate bipolar disorder.

What it really is: Bipolar disorder, also commonly known as manic-depressive disorder, results in discrete shifts in mood, interests and ability to carry out simple day-to-day functions.

“Bipolar disorder is not spilt personality, and we cannot label someone bipolar just because they experience mood changes,” Razza said.

Bipolar disorder is a combination of separate episodes that are manic or major depressive. These episodes do not have to be close together or take place on the same day, but rather have a drastic effect; the individual must be extremely excited and delusional or filled with depressive actions. Mood disorders are misunderstood and confused with anxiety disorders because it’s not understood that mood disorders happen in episodes, while anxiety disorders happen constantly when in the presence of a particular trigger.

Eating Disorders What people think it means: Eating disorders are often bashed because people think that if someone has an eating disorder, then he or she automatically has an obsession with being thinner and, therefore, starves themselves to ensure that outcome. The truth is, an eating

disorder is much more complex than that, and there is more than one type of eating disorder.

What it really is: The two major types of eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, which is the act of constricting food intake, and bulimia nervosa, which is the act of binge eating followed by forced regurgitation.

“The biggest problem is many people do not understand the concept of binging,” Razza said. “When someone forces themselves to vomit, we are talking about compensatory behaviors out of fear.”

People often think that someone with an eating disorder is starving him or herself, but it can be that they are taking other precautions to prevent weight gain or encourage weight loss, such as taking pills, using dietary products and eating low-calorie foods. Although movies make jokey references to women and anorexia, it is no joking matter, and keep in mind that just because someone does not want to gain weight does not mean they have a disorder.

PTSD What people think it means: People often associate PTSD with the effects of serving in a war. Although it is commonly portrayed on television and in novels as a disease common among veterans, veterans are not the only people who can experience symptoms of PTSD, and war is not the only factor that can trigger it.

What it really is: “It is true that a big part of what [scientists] have learned about PTSD stems from combat situations in the military,” Razza said. “But still, someone can experience and be diagnosed with PTSD following any type of traumatic experience.”

PTSD symptoms are a result of individual experience, and for that reason, the definition of a traumatic experience varies from person to person. Some of the most common are war, natural disasters, abuse and rape and/or sexual assault, but that is not to say that everyone who experiences these events will develop PTSD. The biggest misconception about mental disease is that we should examine the disease rather than the individual person. Although the DSM-5 outlines criteria for diagnosis, patients are examined case-by-case, meaning that even if some mental illness symptoms are present, it may not be cause enough for an official diagnosis if the person is deemed healthy otherwise.

Media may be a growing form of communication, but keep in mind that not everything you see on television or read in a blog is true. Use this World Mental Healthy Day to educate yourself about the various mental illnesses.

For more information on mental diseases visit nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/ for an outline of all mental disorders. If you think you might be suffering from one, contact NSU’s Student Services at 954-424-6911 or 954-262-7050.

6

That Time I...

By: Amanda Kaplan

Features

October 13, 2015 | nsucurrent.nova.edu

Transferred

Amanda Kaplan is a senior communication studies major and The Current’s multimedia manager. She transferred to NSU last fall from Monmouth University and intends to use her degree to find a job in the field of communications.

Three suitcases, a computer, a couple of taped-up Lowe’s boxes and my favorite stuffed animal later, I was landing in sunny Fort Lauderdale. The summer of 2014 had come and gone, and I had officially moved from where I had been my entire life to somewhere entirely new.

Last fall, I was going to be a junior in college, and I didn’t know what to do. Unhappy and disappointed at Monmouth University in New Jersey, I wasn’t sure if I should suffer through the next two years of college or make a big move that could possibly change my life.

The academics were great, but I just didn’t feel like I fit in. There was nowhere for me to go that I felt like I was “home.” I was going about my day-to-day activities not enjoying college. I couldn’t wait for it to be over instead of enjoying every moment of it.

In my second semester of sophomore year, I began looking at schools to apply to, just to have another plan. I had applied to two schools in New York and got accepted to both. I was excited, but I wasn’t set on transferring just yet.

Since I was in high school, I’ve always wanted to go to college far away from home, preferably in Florida. I imagined the palm trees and sun, no jackets or snow, and thought it was just perfect. But I was too much of a chicken to apply and never did.

As sophomore year of college came to a close, I said goodbye to MU and knew in my heart I wouldn’t be returning there next fall.

During the first few weeks of summer break, I decided, out of curiosity, to research colleges in Florida. It was hard. I had to see which were in good areas, which were the cheapest ones and which had my majors — I honestly had no idea what I was doing.

And then I came across NSU. It had everything I wanted in a beautiful area and there was not much else I could ask for. I thought this was the time for me to do it; if I wanted to go to college in Florida, this was my chance. I had to apply ASAP because the application deadline was quickly approaching.

I ran around trying to make sure I had everything ready for the application in time for the deadline — I had to get transcripts sent from Monmouth and other transcripts from high school, which was a difficult process in itself.

Then I had to send in immunization forms and financial aid forms and sign paperwork. All of this had to be faxed or emailed because I was running on such a tight deadline. I kept thinking there was no way this is going to happen. There was too much to do and too little time to do it.

The only thing that kept pushing me through was the thought, “If it’s meant for me to go there I will; if not, there is another plan for me.”

After days of listening to the recorded NSU lady talk about how there are sprawling leisure pools on campus, everything I needed was in, and all I could do was wait. Deadlines for housing and signing up for classes were approaching, and I still did not have a definite answer to whether I was accepted, and if they were accepting my transfer credit.

Mid-July I finally got the email. I WAS ACCEPTED. You may think that’s it, it was all easy from there, but that wasn’t the case at

Kaplan picked up her life from New York and moved to sunny South Florida to attend NSU.

all. I could not accept my offer until my credit evaluation was done. I had made at least 20 calls to see why it was taking so long and when I was going to have this information. School was starting in a few weeks, and I needed an answer.

I knew I was calling a lot when people answered the phone and knew who I was. After days of pushing and annoying and asking, my transfer credits were sent, and to my luck, NSU accepted all but three of my credits. I couldn’t believe it.

I was so happy that I didn’t know what do to.

As excited as I was, I still wasn’t done with the process. I had to talk to my advisor and set up my schedule, making sure I could graduate in two years. That was probably the easiest part of the process. Then I had to make sure I was going to be assigned a room. If I remember correctly, school started in about two weeks, and I was not assigned anywhere to live yet. Coming from New York, I had no choice but to live on campus. Days before I was leaving, and after calling the Residential Life and Housing Office multiple times, I had been assigned a room.

Everything was set. I was officially going to be a student at NSU. I had one week to clean, pack, book a flight, ship boxes and say goodbye to friends and family. Honestly, I didn’t tell many people I was leaving. I wanted a new and fresh start, and

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I only told the people I needed to.

On Aug. 20, 2014, I boarded the plane that changed my life. Since the day I landed in Florida, I’ve been happier than I had been in a while. My time at NSU has been a success, and I can’t believe it is almost my last semester already.

When I first got here, it was lonely and intimidating, but it was all worth it. Once I found my way around and learned what NSU was all about, I knew I had made the right decision. I landed a job at The Current as the multimedia manager, and I couldn’t have been happier. Everything really does happen for a reason. I don’t know how I got so lucky with all of my successes here, but I couldn’t be more thankful.

Never be scared to transfer. It may be hard and extremely stressful, but it could change your life. Sometimes you just have to take that leap of faith and step out of your comfort zone. This was one of the first times I followed my own advice and did something I normally wouldn’t. If I could do college all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing because I would not be where I am right now.

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October 13, 2015 | nsucurrent.nova.edu

7

Sick and alone: A college student’s worst nightmare and how to combat it

By: Jazmyn Brown Being sick while you’re at college is completely different than being sick at home.

Your mom isn’t here to bring you breakfast or some soup in bed and a cocktail of medicine to make you feel better. More likely than not, you’ll be all alone in your suffering. But worry not — it’s better to figure out how to take care of yourself now so that in the future, you won’t always have to rely on mom.

The beginning phase of a cold Oneka B. Marriott, assistant professor of pediatrics and public health in the NSU College of Osteopathic Medicine, said each year, millions of adults and children become sick with symptoms related to the common cold, including runny nose, sneezing, coughing, sore throat, headaches, body aches, watery eyes and sometimes fever.

“Winter and spring tend to be the peak times of year for colds, but in Florida, where the weather is tropical for most of the year, colds can occur year round,” Marriott said. “If you do contract a cold, stay home to prevent spreading it to other people; cough away from others and into a sleeve or tissue. Also, rest and drink plenty of fluids.”

Over the counter cough and cold medicines can help to provide symptomatic relief but will not actually treat the infection, said Marriott.

Outtakes is your new mom Outtakes has everything from orange juice to chicken noodle soup, albeit not as good as mom’s, to medicine to fresh fruit to tissues.

In a pinch, you can buy Pepto-Bismol, Advil, Motrin, Emergen-C, Zertec and other medicines to help you feel better. Stock up on basic pain relievers, cold/flu medicine, and of course some soup, before the sickness gets worse so you won’t have to leave your room if you’re feeling ill.

Marriott said the common cold is spread through respiratory droplets that pass in the air or remain on surfaces where other sick people have been.

“The common cold typically lasts seven to 10 days and will resolve on its own in otherwise healthy individuals, but it can be more severe

By: April Coan

Features

even progressing to pneumonia in persons with asthma or immune compromising conditions,” she said. “Colds that linger longer than seven to 10 days can turn into sinus infections, which will prolong the course of the illness.”

According to WebMD, an over-the-counter mucus thinner like Mucinex, some chicken soup and a warm towel (see below) over your nose can treat a sinus infection within 12 hours.

Bonus (cough, cough): if you start to feel yourself getting sick with a cold, Emergen-C can stop it right in its tracks. Take a dose as soon as you feel a cold coming on or if you want to eliminate your chances of getting sick by someone you know who is already ill.

Schedule an appointment with NSU’s Student Medical Center Marriott said sinus infections may require the treatment with antibiotics prescribed by a healthcare provider.

“If an individual is experiencing sinus pressure, congestion, headaches, fatigue, malodorous breath or sore throat beyond the seven to 10-day window typical of a common cold, I would encourage him or her to seek medical attention as soon as possible,” she said.

Located behind the main Health Professions Division building in the Sanford L. Ziff Health Care Center, the clinic provides a wide range of services from women’s health to immunizations to a simple checkup.

There are plenty of walking-distance pharmacies to choose from If your doctor prescribes a medication that needs to be filled at a pharmacy, there are plenty on or near campus. Right next to the Student Medical Center is NSU’s pharmacy.

On University Drive, there is a Walgreens and the Shark Shuttle has routes that go to both Publix and Walmart. If all else fails, near Publix on Davie Road, there is a CVS Pharmacy. So there’s no excuse to do without your medication.

What to have on hand Marriott said acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) are good to have on hand, in general.

“But it is not as important to keep a stock of cold medicines in the cabinet as it is to recognize the early signs of a cold and act accordingly,” she said. “Sometimes medicines can expire in the cabinet if kept too long, so always check the label before taking.”

Fever is the body’s way of fighting an infection, according to Marriott.

“In many instances, it represents a healthy immune system that is actually doing its job,” said Marriott. “However, fevers can make a person feel pretty miserable. Drinking plenty of fluids, resting and taking acetaminophen or ibuprofen as directed to help control the fever may relieve some of the uncomfortable feelings.”

Pro tip: buy a heating pad and an ice pack to relieve pain resulting from inflammation, muscle tenderness, headaches, fever and stomach aches.

A humidifier can help with stubborn sinus pressure and congestion. Alternately, steam from a hot shower or a pot on the stove will suffice in place of a humidifier; use frozen veggies for an ice pack and a rag soaked in hot (be careful) water for a heating pad.

Healthy habits Marriott said the best way to treat a cold is to take measures to prevent it in the first place.

“The number one best practice is to wash your hands thoroughly and often throughout the day with warm soapy water,” she said.

“Keep your hands out of your face, eyes, nose and mouth. Avoid direct, prolonged contact with persons who are actively sick. Last but not least, everyone who is able, is encouraged to get the yearly influenza vaccine to help prevent infection from many of the common strains of influenza circulating that season.”

Marriott said maintaining a healthy lifestyle with proper nutrition and daily exercise is important to fortify your system against infection.

While there is no cure for colds, nor do flu shots work 100 percent of the time, according to WebMD, a 2009 study showed that the more you sleep, the less like you are to succumb to a respiratory bug.

Aerobic exercise increases blood flow and

How to prepare for graduate school

My name is April Coan, and I am an Academic Success Coach and the Assistant Director at the Office of Undergraduate Student Success. Throughout the fall semester, I will be offering tips and suggestions in The Current, which will focus on topics like success in college and taking advantage of the unique opportunities available at NSU. When you’re in undergrad, you might not think that one day you’ll pursue a master’s degree. As a result, you might not prepare yourself as well as you could have before you apply to graduate school. The lesson to be learned is, “You never know.” You never know which path life will lead you on, and someday, you may be headed for graduate school. So if you’re thinking about taking the next step in your academic future, or even if you’re not, it’s a good idea to start preparing early. Here are some ways you can increase your chances of getting into a graduate or professional program of your choice.

Know your admissions requirements.

Knowing what is expected of you from a graduate program can help you prepare yourself for the future. If you’re thinking about going to graduate school, it’s never too early to explore admissions requirements for colleges and programs you would like to attend. With this in mind, some graduate programs have GPA cutoffs, so earning a good GPA in your bachelor’s program is very important. If you’re interested in medical schools, GPA is even more important, since you

will probably need to obtain a GPA well above a 3.5 to even be considered for admission. In addition to GPA, the graduate and professional programs might also have certain prerequisite course requirements you will need to take before you graduate from your undergrad. Most of this information can be found by visiting a graduate school’s website or contacting their admissions office.

Get to know your faculty. Graduate and professional programs typically ask for letters of recommendation from your undergraduate faculty in their admission requirements. In order to write a quality letter of recommendation, a professor will need to know a lot about you.

With that said, it’s a good idea to foster your professional relationships with faculty early on in your undergrad by visiting them during their office hours, participating in independent study programs or working with faculty members in research projects.

Practice your interviewing skills. This may come as a surprise, but some graduate and professional programs will ask to interview you as part of their admissions process. Don’t panic.

If you’re interviewing skills are a little rusty, you can brush up your skills with a Career Adviser at the Office of Career Development.

Nail the entrance exam. Do some research, find out which entrance exams you will need to take for your graduate and professional programs, and start studying early. Whether or not you’re taking the GRE, GMAT, LSAT,

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION BY APRIL COAN April provides students with tips for college success.

MCAT or PCAT, be prepared to spend a pretty penny on these exams and any retests you may need to take. Depending on which exam you take, prices for entrance exams can be close to $300.

Make yourself stand out. If you want to make yourself stand out from other applicants, it’s also a good idea to demonstrate dedication to your field by gaining experience in your area of interest. Not sure how to gain experience? A good place to start is volunteering, shadowing professionals, joining professional clubs and organizations, conducting research with faculty or interning.

If you have any other questions regarding graduate admissions, it’s never too early to contact the graduate admissions department of the college you wish to attend.

the body’s natural virus-killing cells, and eating foods with phytochemicals, like dark green, red, orange and yellow vegetables, contain vitamins that keep you healthy and prevent colds, according to WebMD. “Daily multivitamins, probiotics, balanced diet with fruits, vegetables, proteins and healthy fats are essential in one’s daily routine,” said Marriott. “Regular exercise also helps to keep the immune system strong and can help you to recover quicker once stricken with a cold.”

If you’re prone to getting sick, living on campus and away from home can seem like a real life nightmare. However, practicing good eating habits, getting enough rest, exercising, preparing in advance and acting quickly, among other things, will get you back on your feet in no time at all.

For more information.

Marriott recommended visiting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at cdc.gov.

To schedule an appointment, call 954-262-1262 after 8 a.m. Appointments are scheduled between 8:20 a.m. and 4:20 p.m. Monday through Friday. The clinic accepts both NSU’s student health insurance and private health insurance.

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Features

Senioritis turned success

By: Destinee A. Hughes @DestineeAHughes

Senioritis is real. It lies dormant in the cells of all lowerclassmen waiting for the most important year of college until it fills seniors with lethargy, procrastination and an extreme case of nonchalance. While many presume the only cure to senioritis is a cap and gown, others understand that the only true way to cure senioritis is to be successful. Here are four tips to help motivate seniors to make a smooth transition from being a college student suffering from senioritis to a career-driven adult benefiting from success.

Letters of Recommendation What many fail to realize is that letters of recommendation are actually the true Holy Grail of documents. These letters serve as personal testaments to your work ethic from former professors, coaches and employers. Letters of recommendation are a chance for companies to get a glimpse of their potential employee’s academic achievement and personality from the perspective of a respected professional. It’s rare to find a company that doesn’t request letters

By: Roddia Paul

October 13, 2015 | nsucurrent.nova.edu

of recommendation before the initial interview process, so it’s important to have at least two or three readily available. These letters have endless uses; whether they’re for scholarships, internships, graduate programs or jobs, letters of recommendations play a heavy role in success.

Internships While letters of recommendations may help land you the internship, internships help land the job. Internships are imperative during senior year; they provide real-life experience of the demanding responsibilities of your future career. Learning the ins and outs of the industry allows college students to apply the skills they’ve acquired in school. Work ethic, motivation and responsibility all come into play when you’re forced to do grueling ― yet valuable ― work, likely, for free, which is why it’s important to give the career of your choice a test drive before committing. Internships can either confirm or change your career of choice.

Also, it’s a wonderful chance to work with what could be future co-workers. It’s not rare that

seniors are offered career opportunities upon the completion of their internship.

Connections Making connections is almost the most important key to succeeding post-graduation.

As the saying goes, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” Meeting the right people at the right time can open endless doors of career opportunities. Keeping in contact with former advisers, guidance counselors and professors not only benefits relationships but can also benefit careers. Also, making connections is much easier today than it was in the past, thanks to popular social media sites, such as LinkedIn, a professional network that connects individuals with various companies, organizations and groups. Regardless of how the connection is made, the key point is how it’s utilized.

You The main factor in beating senioritis and turning it into success is you. College is an experience of its own, but the attributes learned

are pivotal in real-life success. Motivation to pass classes, discipline in studying, consistency in academic habits and independence are all things students learn throughout college. Though having all the above mentioned tips may help in success, they are learned in vain if the individual is incapable of using their independence to consistently discipline themselves to become motivated. There are no special dinners for making good grades in real life, there isn’t a hierarchy of organizations, and there certainly aren’t any breaks of relaxation. Hard work most often goes unnoticed because it’s expected. But that is the true mark of success: when the desire to succeed trumps reward-driven behavior.

Walking across the stage as your friends and family proudly applaud and cheer is a mark of success in itself. But the coming years after this monumental event is where the true demonstration and application of what you’ve learned, earned and gained as a successful college student occurs

Secret Life: Dr. Glenn Scheyd

Walking into your first day of a new class, you never know what to expect. You sit down at your desk and observe your fellow classmates, hopeful that your professor has a compassionate heart and a sense of humor because, unfortunately, these two qualities are hard to come by. As your professor enters the room, you stare him or her down from head to toe, acknowledging his or her speech and posture, and in just that instant, you have already made a presumption on what type of person he or she may be.

If you’ve ever met Dr. Glenn Scheyd you might have found yourself in a similar situation.

He walked in, read his syllabus, announced that his course requires two textbooks, and you thought to yourself, “Great, what have I gotten myself into?”

With a doctorate and Master of Science from the University of New Mexico, Scheyd specializes in the areas of evolutionary psychology, human mate selection, individual differences in attractiveness perception and intersexual competition. He teaches several of the psychology courses on campus and is an associate professor in the College of Psychology and chair of the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience. With all that said, one might infer that his courses are quite difficult; however, if you know Scheyd, then you would agree that his sense of humor and real-life applications of the material makes learning both a stimulating and an enjoying experience.

While in his presence, you never know what to expect, he is always an interesting

person to be around. So it was not surprising to learn that from September to January every year for the past nine years, he has taken part in sports handicapping. You probably have no idea what that is, but Scheyd explained that it is actually quite interesting.

“For each major sporting event, the casinos in Las Vegas set a line up, or a point spread, which explains how many points they expect each individual [football] team to win the game by,” said Scheyd. “And so handicapping is basically trying to figure out what side of the line the team will fall on.”

Scheyd explained that his success in choosing the winning team weighs heavily on his understanding of both mathematics and psychology. His background in statistics gives him an understanding of probability, and his psychology background provides him with knowledge of group behavior and risk taking, which are beneficial because he often observes the picks and decisions of others on the board and then decides what to do from there.

It all started back in college, as do many good stories. Scheyd, like most college guys, was very interested in football. So much that he began keeping up with all of the college football teams and kept track of every player and game.

College students are known for trying to make a quick buck, so it should be no surprise that a lightbulb went off in young college Glenn’s head that maybe he should invest his knowledge in activities that would gain him a little profit.

“I knew a guy who knew a guy who accepted bets on football games — now that I

think about, was a little shady — but, hey, this was back in my youth that I participated in that sort of thing,” said Scheyd. “So that year, I made a good amount of money, and I thought to myself, ‘Maybe I should keep doing this.’”

Of course, football season came to an end, and Scheyd began confidently betting on basketball teams. Like all lucky first-time winners, he then lost all of his money and realized the power of overconfidence.

Fast forward to now and Scheyd has said farewell to his days of booking bets; he now participates in an international online football pool on officefootballpool.com, which includes 100 people. Over the last nine years, Scheyd has had many losses that have shaped his technique for picking teams, and as a result, he has won first place consecutively since 2012. He even admitted to beating several of NSU’s own, who shall remain nameless.

“In the beginning, I used to study the teams very hard, but as I grew older, I didn’t have the time for that anymore,” said Scheyd. “But I don’t really need to do that anymore either; I’ve tested my hypotheses and have learned there is certain numbers I have to test, so I’m sticking to that and hoping nobody every cracks the code.”

These days, Scheyd looks forward to a little friendly competition amongst colleagues and, of course, maintaining his reigning title of NSU’s Sports Handicapping King. While it is important for to him to have a hobby that he enjoys, he also believes it is equally as rewarding to have a hobby that is mentally stimulating. He described his hobby as the universe creating a ball

COURTESY OF G. SCHEYD Scheyd spends his free time sports handicapping.

comprised of all the little things he is most good at academically and other things he just enjoys, and then displaying them in the format of a fun football pool.

“I look forward to getting to do something fun with my colleagues and other friends and, even more, frustrating them when they see me moving up in the pool,” said Scheyd. “I think it’s important to find something to do [in your leisure time] that is both intellectually stimulating and fun.”

October 13, 2015 | nsucurrent.nova.edu

By: Alokika Patel

Features

Student guide to understanding and ending domestic violence

October is Domestic Violence Awareness month, and an aspect of raising awareness is discussing how to prevent and cope with domestic violence. Since many people are not fully aware of what constitutes abuse, domestic violence has in cases gone unnoticed, resulting in perpetuated cycle of abuse.

Domestic abuse is defined by the National Network to End Domestic Violence as any sort of emotional or physical aggression within a home and is often associated with spousal abuse.

Aside from physical violence, victims can also be emotionally and psychologically abused.

These forms of abuse don’t leave physical marks, but they are harmful nonetheless. The physical violence itself also causes the victim to undergo emotional trauma.

It must be established that domestic violence can affect anyone. A common misconception is that women are the only victims when men and women are equally subject to domestic violence.

According to the National Coalition against Domestic Violence, one in three women and one in four men have been victims of some sort of physical violence from their partner at some time in their life.

Always remember that abuse is never the victim’s fault; it is the fault of the person who is inflicting mental or physical pain upon others. In order to prevent the perpetrators from inflicting pain upon other individuals, it is essential to raise awareness and put an end to their abusive tendencies.

It is extremely important to know that if you are being abused or know someone who is a victim of domestic violence, there are resources available to get advice and help.

These steps can help you escape the cycle

of violence: Step 1: Admit it to yourself. The first step when in an abusive relationship is to realize and accept that you are a victim of domestic abuse.

Sometimes the signs will not be as apparent as a beating or as verbal insults. Looking for signs of possessiveness and assertiveness are important early signals to catch. In order to resolve this mental strain, it is essential to first realize and accept that you are suffering abuse.

Ron Osborne-Williams, education and prevention manager for Women in Distress, said that people can recognize physical violence but often fail to notice verbal or emotional violence.

“Someone may not be [physically] affecting you, but it can change who you are as a person, and before that happens, it is essential to realize that you are being abused,” he said.

Step 2: Speak up. Talking to a friend or a family member can help alleviate stress temporarily, and they might be able to help you stay away from the abuser and give you a safe place to stay while you seek help. In seeking help, never feel like you are showing weakness, and, instead, feel courageous.

Make sure that you reach out to a professional who can help you mentally collect yourself such as a counselor or a therapist.

“Support groups and counselors are extremely important in the process of recovering from such traumatic experiences,” OsborneWilliams said.

Step 3: Call a hotline. Abusive relationships are extremely difficult especially because the offender is someone who you know and care about. Sometimes, you may not feel comfortable

telling a close friend or relative. Other times, you may not know what to do out of fear that your abuser might retaliate and become more violent.

This is when help hotlines come into play.

There are numerous organizations that have dedicated themselves to helping victims of domestic violence.

“Prevention is the number-one reason why hotlines are available,” Osborne-Williams said.

“When people are in these situations, they often feel hopeless, and getting them information through these hotlines can help change that.”

The National Domestic Violence Hotline is open 24/7, and counselors provide information about shelters, health care centers and counseling to victims. The hotline number is 1-800-799-SAFE. Additionally, the rape and abuse hotline, 1-800-656-HOPE, is the largest anti-sexual assault hotline. Use these hotlines to your advantage, and keep yourself safe.

Step 4: Call the police. If at any time you are being harmed, abused or are in fear for your life, call 911 immediately. Abuse is always an emergency. It is important to understand that domestic violence is a threat to your safety and health.

There are many people who go through the challenges of domestic violence. Knowing that there are resources available to help victims cope is also key to raising awareness. If you need a good place to receive help, the Women in Distress Foundation is a great place to start.

Their website is https://www.womenindistress. org/, and they can be contacted at 954-761-1133.

Or you can contact Thehoteline.org, a 24-hour abuse service, at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).

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Sports

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October 13, 2015 | nsucurrent.nova.edu

SPORTSSHORTS Women’s Golf

Women’s golf finished sixth overall in GolfScrimmages.com National Championship Preview on Sept. 29. The Sharks were led by sophomore Michelle Ruiz, who finished 13th on the leaderboard, shooting 148 (73-75).

Women’s Volleyball The women’s volleyball team fell 0-3 to the Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish. The Sharks were led by senior Dana Holger, who recorded 11 kills.

Women’s Soccer

The women’s soccer team defeated Lynn University 4-2, recording their fourth-straight win on Sept. 30. Senior Sierra Lelii recorded 3 goals for the Sharks, and freshman Kelley Johnson scored her first collegiate goal.

Men’s Soccer

The men’s soccer team lost 3-1 to defending NCCA Champions the Lynn Fighting Knights on Sept. 30. Freshman Jacob Sumaljag scored the only goal for the Sharks.

Famous athletes with disabilities

By: Erin Herbert

@Erin_Herbert

It takes an enormous amount of hard work and dedication to become a legend in sports, but some athletes have to overcome more obstacles than others in their quest for greatness. Some athletes are born with physical disabilities, and others develop them later in life, but each athlete is able to work with their disability and excel at their sport. Here are a few athletes who have risen above their physical disabilities and become sports legends.

Alana Nichols: Olympic skier and wheelchair basketball player At age 17, Alana Nichols was paralyzed from the waist down after hitting her spine on a rock during a snowboarding accident. But Nichols didn’t let the accident or her disability stop her love for sports. Nichols was first introduced to the sport of wheelchair basketball in 2002, two years after her accident. Nichols soon discovered she was incredibly talented at the sport and was offered a scholarship to the University of Arizona, where she played wheelchair basketball and earned a degree in communication.

Over the next few years, Nichols built up her career as a wheelchair basketball player, competing with the U.S. Women’s team in events such as the 2006 Wheelchair Basketball World Championship, in which she won a silver medal.

In 2008, Nichols made her Paralympic debut at the Beijing games, where the United States earned a gold medal in wheelchair basketball.

Immediately after the completion of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, Nichols shifted her focus from wheelchair basketball to learning alpine skiing. Much like wheelchair basketball, Nichols immediately excelled at alpine skiing.

Throughout her alpine skiing career, Nichols has won two gold medals, one silver and one bronze medal at the 2010 Winter Paralympic Games in Vancouver, as well as another silver medal in the 2014 Winter Paralympic Games in Sochi.

Nichols ultimately overcame any obstacles associated with her paralysis and became the first American woman to win medals in both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games.

Baxter Humby: World champion kickboxer Baxter Humby grew up with only one arm

after needing to have the limb amputated below the elbow, which had become wrapped in the umbilical cord during birth. Humby didn’t let his disability stifle his interest in sports; instead, he began running track at the age of 11 and qualified to run with the Canadian National Paralympic Track Team in 1992 and 1994.

After much success in track, Humby began learning martial arts at the age of 17.

In 1996, Humby won the Canadian Super Welterweight Kickboxing Championship and decided to pursue a professional kickboxing career, specializing in Muay Thai. Humby is currently the International Muay Thai Council World Super Welterweight Champion. He also holds a large number of title belts, including IKKC USA Kickboxing Champion, WBC Super Welterweight National Champion and the IKBA International Kickboxing Champion. As of 2015, Humby is the only man in the world to win a world title with only one hand.

Natalie du Toit: International swimming star Natalie du Toit began swimming internationally at age 14 and quickly established

herself as one of South Africa’s finest swimmers.

But at the age of 17, du Toit faced a setback in her career when she was hit by a car on her way to swim practice and had to have her left leg amputated at the knee. Du Toit decided to not let her accident end her swimming career and continued training without the aid of a prosthetic leg.

Du Toit competes against able-bodied athletes, as well as other athletes with physical disabilities. Since 2004, du Toit has earned a total of 29 medals in the Paralympic Games and the International Paralympic Committee Swimming World Championship and a total of seven medals while competing against able-bodied athletes.

She has not only competed in Paralympic events, but also in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. She was the first female amputee swimmer to qualify for the Olympic Games and placed 16th out of 24 athletes in the 10,000-meter swim.

In 2012, du Toit officially retired from swimming during the 2012 Paralympic Games and now serves as a motivational speaker for the youth and other athletes with disabilities.

OUT OF THE SHARKZONE Three female sports reporters initially denied postgame access to Jacksonville Jaguars locker room After the Oct. 4 Jaguars vs.

Colts game, three female sports reporters attending the Indianapolis Associated Press Sports Editors sports media diversity weekend were initially denied locker room access by an usher who wasn’t sure that women were allowed inside. After the usher admitted that he wasn’t sure who was allowed access to the locker rooms, both football teams’ public relations representatives apologized to the women for the mishap.

Yankees pitcher checks into rehab CC Sabathia, starting pitcher for the New York Yankees, voluntarily checked into an alcohol rehabilitation center and will forgo pitching in the postseason. In his statement, Sabathia announced that he is seeking to “receive the professional care and assistance [he needs] to treat [his] disease” and asked that the public respect his family’s privacy.

First female featured on cover of Australian Men’s Fitness magazine, sparking controversy Ronda Rousey, actress, mixed martial artist, judoka and the first UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion, was the first woman to appear on the cover of Australian Men’s Fitness magazine. Responses to Rousey’s appearance on the magazine came from both ends of the spectrum. Some said Rousey, the consensus number-one female MMA fighter, was a fitting choice for the cover, which sends an inspirational message, while others condemned the magazine for sexualizing Rousey by using a female for a male-oriented publication.

Washington Nationals manager Matt Williams fired The team has dismissed Williams and several members of his coaching staff after the season concluded. Because the Nationals will sit out this postseason, posting a meager 83-79 record, General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement that Williams was dismissed and that his coaching staff would not be receiving contract renewals.

Williams was let go one year after he was named National League Manager of the Year.

Daredevil adventurer Johnny Strange dies at age 23 Swiss police reported that Strange passed in a crash while wingsuitflying in the Alps. A police spokesman said that strong winds may have caused the three-time world record holder to crash after jumping from Mount Gitschen, which is 8,245 feet tall. Strange became famous for being the youngest individual, at age 17, to climb the world’s seven tallest mountains in the world.

October 13, 2015 | nsucurrent.nova.edu

Sports

Athlete of the Week: Cydney Niedermeyer By: Erin Herbert @erin_herbert

Cydney Niedermeyer, junior biology major, discovered her love of soccer at a young age, and her talent for the game has grown ever since.

“When I was 3, I started playing, and my dad was actually my coach,” she said. “It was just something that I picked up and stuck with.”

Niedermeyer didn’t come from a family of soccer players like some athletes, but was introduced to the sport when her father first began coaching her team.

“He played every sport growing up but soccer. So it was kind of ironic, but it worked out.”

But Niedermeyer’s talent didn’t end with soccer. The Fort Meyers native played four years of soccer, volleyball and softball at Riverdale High School.

Niedermeyer is not only an exceptional athlete but also an exceptional student. Along with her biology majors, she is pursuing minors in exercise science and theater.

I got the opportunity to sit down with Niedermeyer and ask her a few questions.

What do you plan to do with a biology major?

“I would like to be an orthodontist.”

How do you balance being a student athlete and being a biology major?

“Biology definitely is a difficult major, probably one of the hardest here, but it’s all about time management. I still have a social life sometimes, but soccer and school are the main

priorities. Just the other day I had to miss class for a game, so it’s important to have a good relationship with your professors and know what’s in your schedule — knowing when your assignments are due and doing them before the actual due date. No procrastination can be done when you’re a student athlete.”

Why did you choose to take a theater minor?

“My best friend AK [Amanda Kopale], who is actually the goalie on the team, took some theater classes with me my freshman year and her sophomore year. She kind of convinced me to do it. She was a double major in theater and exercise science, so she peer-pressured me into taking it with her. It’s all just for fun, really.”

When you’re not playing soccer or studying, what are you doing?

“Probably watching Netflix. We hang out with the team a lot, too, in my room or outside.

I really love watching Starz, so something like that. Other than that, we try to go the beach, but that doesn’t happen a lot, it’s pretty rare. I just try to hang out with friends a lot.”

What’s been your best experience playing with NSU so far?

“Probably meeting all of the girls who we have on the team. Every year, it’s a new friendship or a new sisterly bond. And this year is probably the biggest one we’ve had. In the past, we’ve been a team, but we couldn’t find the thing that just clicked, and this year we finally found it, and we’re on a winning streak of six games. The best thing is really coming to this school and having people that support you on and off the field.”

PHOTO PRINTED WITH PERMISSION BY J. FRAYSURE. Niedermeyer has played soccer since she was three-years-old, and continues to play at NSU.

The team has a very strong winning streak going so far. Do you have any rituals you perform to get you ready before a game?

“Our team is very superstitious, actually.

We changed the warm up yesterday; it didn’t affect our play, but everyone was like ‘Oh my gosh, we don’t do that.’ We’re all just really superstitious.”

How do you guys celebrate a good goal or a big win?

“Goal-wise, we usually just hug everybody.”

Is there a specific soccer player you look up to or try to model your playing style after?

“Julie Johnston is probably the one who

ON THE BENCH: What’s in a name?

By: Jazmyn Brown There’s nothing more symbolic in sports than a team’s name and mascot. Team spirit and fanaticism revolve around names and mascots in every league and association.

Players are proud to be a Celtic or a Jaguar. So what sense is there in a team playing under a name and banner that encapsulates racism and disrespect? The Washington Redskins don’t seem to see a problem.

The controversy surrounding the name of the Washington Redskins is decades old.

The history of the terms “red” and “redskins” is said to originate in the pre-colonial and colonial periods of the U.S. “Red” most likely came about because of Native Americans’ complexion or because they painted their faces red, according to Slate online magazine.

The term “redskin” was first used by Native Americans to differentiate between themselves and European settlers, according to an article called “Are You Ready For Some Controversy?

The History Of ‘Redskin’” from the National Public Radio; the term was used by Native American tribes in their negotiations with the French and Americans.

It wasn’t until the term was used in the novel “The Pioneers,” written by James Fenimore Cooper, that Americans started using “redskins” when referring to Native Americans, according to NPR. And as time passed, the word became a pejorative. Lyman Frank Baum, author of “The Wizard of Oz,” wrote, “With [Sitting Bull’s] fall the nobility of the Redskin is extinguished, and what few are left are a pack of whining curs who lick the hand that smites them,” encouraging the

11

wiping out of the remaining Native Americans in the U.S., according to NPR. A Native American writer for Esquire magazine said that among his family, the term “redskins” refers to the bloody scalps of Native Americans who were victims of “institutionalized genocide” in the northeast.

He said his mother called it “the single-most offensive name one could ever call a Native American.”

While it could be argued that the term is not inherently racist because it was first used

by Native Americans themselves, this doesn’t negate that term evolved — which words often do — and became a word used by non-Native Americans to demean and ridicule them. A “Tom and Jerry” cartoon cited by NPR, titled “Redskin Blues,” is just one of many examples of the caricaturing and ridiculing of Native American tribes and depictions of them as barbaric and incompetent.

In 2013, a delegate to Congress from the District of Columbia and several other congressmen sent letters to NFL Commissioner Robert Goodell, Redskins owner Daniel Snyder and the rest of the league’s teams imploring them to change the name “Washington Redskins,” according to ESPN; a Redskins spokesman responded that “85 percent” of the delegate’s constituents disagreed with the call for a name change.

Last August, ESPN reported that Bruce Allen, president of the team, said the team “will not reconsider” a name change. More recently, Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush said there is nothing offensive about

the team’s name, according to Aol.com. “It’s a sport, for crying out loud. It’s a football team.

I’m missing something here, I guess,” he said in an interview.

So why have eight schools, most of which were high schools, stopped using “redskins” in their team names and as a mascot since 2013, according to the Huffington Post? The schools are located in New York, Washington, Texas, Oklahoma and Canada, and their decisions to drop the term reflect a progressive, courteous attitude and cultural awareness that the NFL, and the entire arena of sports, needs to adopt.

No matter how many times we tell ourselves it’s not alright to judge a book by its cover, what’s on the surface often does reveal underlying prejudices. There’s no doubt that the football team’s logo, a side profile of a Native American with a cartoonishly large forehead and nose, is stereotypical. It makes a mockery of Native Americans, their tragic history, their disrespected culture, their lingering pain.

Everything about the team — its mascot, its name, its appearance, its decision to remain stuck in the past — indicates that the feelings of Native American are insignificant. They aren’t worth a simple name change, they don’t deserve respect as human beings and Americans, and they can’t be allowed to heal from the injuries of the past.

Instead of representing the teamwork, sportsmanship and respect that being a part of a team or rooting for a team is supposed to incite, “redskins” is nothing more than a disrespectful, racist mockery of a people loved by few and wronged by many.

inspires me the most. In college, she played for the U.S. National Team, and she still plays with them. She was looked down upon, she didn’t really have the ‘Oh, I’m going to make it mentality,’ and now she’s probably one of the biggest center backs in the entire nation, and everybody knows who she is. So that’s a really cool story for her; I feel that way, too, sometimes.”

What are your expectations for the team as you try to finish out the season?

“We definitely have high expectations now.

Conference Champs is up there. We are going to make it to the National Tournament; we don’t know if we’re going to be National Champions, but we’re going to make it there. Conference Champs is first, and then we’ll see how the rest of it goes.”

12 By: The Current Staff National Pizza Month gives every college student an opportunity to commemorate that special staple of our diet that we will never quite get sick of. Pizza is delicious, inexpensive, versatile and, in many cases, available late at night with delivery for all-nighter study breaks and late-night cravings. Many restaurants claim that they’ve concocted the perfect recipe for these addicting, cheesy Italian pies, but the beauty of pizza is that regardless of if it’s deep dish, thin crust, coal-fired, customized or gluten-free, each slice is still a beautiful slice of heaven. If you’re interested in celebrating this very special month, but you don’t know where to get started, The Current staff curated a list of restaurants that reserve a very special pizza our hearts.

Li Cohen, co-editor-in-chief, said Blaze Pizza Well, it’s no New York slice, but Blaze can have my heart any day. The Chipotle of the pizza world, Blaze can satisfy anyone’s pizza cravings.

They have the option to pick a specialty or buildyour-own pizza, and, honestly, it doesn’t get much better than that, especially with the low cost. My personal favorite is the beautiful Art Lover Creation. With artichokes, mozzarella, ricotta and garlic, it makes my mouth water just thinking about it.

Nicole Cocuy, co-editor-in-chief, said Coley’s Pizza I’ve eaten pizza as I strolled past the Trevi Fountain in Rome, admired the performances of street performances in Florence, watched gondolas paddle through canals in Venice and embraced the hustle and bustle of New York.

Turns out, the best pizza place is right here in South Florida. While Coley’s pizza is certainly a lot more Americanized than other small, lesser known pizza places in the area, where else can you get fried chicken strips, curly fries and scrambled eggs on a pizza? Their signature pizzas are so unhealthy but so delicious and worth every calorie-filled bite. Plus, their head chef Nicole Herzlich is an awesome, tattooed trailblazer in a male-dominated field who made a name for herself as a woman in the pizzamaking industry. The overall ambience of the

By: Destinee A. Hughes @DestineeAHughes

Arts & Entertainment Staff Picks: Pizza paradise restaurant matches her spunky attitude with urban, graffiti-esque wall décor and ceiling art painted by fans and regular customers. Best part? They deliver.

Jazmyn Brown, copy editor, said Pizza Hut My earliest memories of pizza-eating are set in Pizza Hut. In elementary school, I remember being regularly rewarded with coupons for free personal pan pizzas after completing a certain number of reading quizzes. From the gooey and perfectly melted mozzarella cheese, to the mild spice of the Hut’s special tomato sauce, to the buttery, crisp crust (which everyone should eat because if you don’t, you better run; natural selection is coming for you), Pizza Hut owns my pie-loving soul. I recently got a large, extracheese, garlicky crust pizza drizzled in barbeque sauce, and I think I tasted a slice ― eight slices, to be exact ― of heaven.

Carli Lutz, chief of visual design, said Blaze Pizza Blaze Pizza is a gift sent from the high heavens. You can get a personal pizza with the most beautiful, flaky crust topped with as many toppings as you want, and all that is standing between you and your pizza is 180 seconds.

My usual pizza is made with white sauce and topped with chicken, spinach, artichokes, mushrooms, roasted garlic, oregano and ricotta and mozzarella cheeses. I will plan all my future moves around the locations of Blaze Pizza franchises.

Roddia Paul, features editor, said Tony’s Pizza Most people won’t admit that they have an addiction, but I can truthfully say I’m not like most people. I will faithfully drive a 45-minute route to my favorite pizza place in Miami the second I have a craving. I don’t know what’s better, the homemade, true Italian aroma of the pizza, the mouth-watering eggplant parmesan or the welcoming personality of the owner. Either way, I’m hooked like a fish. If you ever catch me eating pizza, there’s no doubt that I got it from Tony’s.

Destinee Hughes, arts and entertainment editor, said Pines Blvd Pizza & Wings Parlor I was literally the first customer at this place, and I will probably be the last. I stumbled upon the pizza shop with my best friend one day, and ever since, it’s been our go-to pizza spot. Whether it’s the pizza, wings, pasta or garlic rolls, Pines Pizza & Wings always has me coming back for more. It’s hard to pick only one item on the menu because everything is so good.

But if I were in a life-or-death situation where someone was forcing me to choose my favorite dish, I would without a doubt go for their wings.

The honey garlic wings are the sole reason I’m their number-one customer. I won’t go into much detail about how appetizing these wings are, but just know that when I say these wings are my favorite dish, I really mean it’s the only dish that would provoke me to cause physical bodily harm to someone if they tried to take a piece.

Faren Rajkumar, opinions editor, said Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza Pizza is best when you can taste the flavor of the brick oven that baked it. That’s why Anthony’s Coal Fired pizza is my favorite ― the bottom of every crust is a thick layer of crispy charcoal goodness, and of course, the top is covered in rich tomato sauce and gooey cheese. Anthony’s best pizza is their eggplant pie because of the thin slices of fried eggplant, fresh mozzarella cheese and basil. It’s hearty and has the perfect balance of crunchy, flaky, rich, savory and delicious.

Erin Herbert, sports editor, said Little Italian Pizza If you love flaky, thin crust pizza with perfectly melted cheese, and hearty toppings, then look no further than Little Italian Pizza.

This traditional Italian pizza joint is one of Pompano Beach’s hidden gems. Whether you try the Chicken Parmigiana pizza or the Philly Cheese Steak pizza, there’s no way you can leave this place dissatisfied or hungry. Pair up your pizza with an order of their famous garlic rolls, and you’ll know why all the locals are skipping out on Pizza Hut or Papa John’s and heading straight to Little Italian Pizza.

How long does it take you to prepare for a role like this?

“We have three weeks of rehearsal before we open the show. Naturally, when you hear you’re being cast in a show, you familiarize yourself with the music, and once the script comes in, you start reading it. Personally, I don’t

Jenna Kopec, contributing writer of the week, said Rocco’s Pizza Every time I am at the beach, this is my favorite place to go. It’s located on Hollywood Beach right by the stage, so you can usually get your pizza and listen to music, too. Not only is it inexpensive, but the food is also quality ― the pizza is the size of the plate. It’s definitely not to be confused with a big-name chain. I always just go with a simple slice of cheese, but, to be honest, I’ve never heard a complaint about anything on the menu.

Blaze Pizza - 954-835-5848 2135 S University Dr, Davie, FL 33324 Open every day from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. *Coley’s Pizza - 954-433-4477 18381 Pines Blvd, Pembroke Pines, FL 33029 Open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. *Pizza Hut - 954-474-8844 2901 S University Dr, Davie, FL 33328 Open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Tony’s Pizza - 305-654-9113 19329 NW 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33169 Open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Pines Blvd Pizza & Wings Parlor – 954-589-0602 6472 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, FL 33024 Open every day from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza - 954-474-3311 512 N Pine Island Rd, Plantation, FL 33324 Open every day from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Little Italian Pizza - 954-941-0550 448 S Cypress Rd, Pompano Beach, FL 33060 Open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Rocco’s Pizza - 954-926-3305 205 Johnson St, Hollywood, FL 33019 Open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. *Indicates delivery is available

Talking with Toxie the Toxic Avenger rehearsal. This is part of the process where the director says we have to bake the cake first, and then we can ice it later.

In what ways, if any, can you relate to your character?

“Even though I know I’m cast as confident people, I’m still very much a nerd at heart ― I’m still afraid to talk to girls. I’m very unsure of myself, and like most actors, I’m also extremely self-conscious. It’s really easy to relate [to my character] in the beginning. Then, once I emerge in this 20-pound rubber muscle suit, covered in mutant boils, it was easy to relate to because I love the Marvel and DC superhero comics. So it was really fun to walk around and be a superhero for a couple hours a day.”

“Toxic Avenger,” the off-Broadway musical, will debut in Coral Gables on Oct. 14 and will run through Nov. 8. Based on Llyod Kaufman’s 1984 popular film, “Toxic Avenger” takes us on a journey from zero to hero. I had the chance to chat with Clay Cartland, who plays Melvin, the scientist-turned-superman, and get an inside scoop on how he prepares for the play and what to expect.

What is the play “Toxic Avenger” about?

“It’s a musical about a scientist named Melvin Curd the Third. He ends up uncovering the mayor’s plot to poison the people of New Jersey. Once he reveals to her [the mayor] that he knows her evil plan, she hires two goons to throw him in a bed of toxic waste, and he emerges as a superhuman-size mutant Toxic Avenger.”

Describe the role you play as the Toxic Avenger.

“I play Melvin, who later becomes the Toxic Avenger. It’s kind of like one character, but it’s really two. The hapless hero falls in love with the town librarian, who only loves him because she’s blind.”

October 13, 2015 | nsucurrent.nova.edu

Makeup artists help Cartland get ready for his role of Melvin Curd the Third.

like to memorize things immediately; I like to be familiar with something. I find that if I memorize all my lines before I hear what anyone else is going to say, I tend to not listen to the person. I just talk at them.”

What other plays have you been in?

“My last play in an Actors Playhouse play was ‘First Date’ last March. Before that, I was Miracle on South Division Street. The most recent show that I was in that was not Actors Playhouse was the concert series of Palm Beach Dramaworks. They did concert versions of some of my music.”

What’s different about the roles you played in the past, compared to your role now as the Toxic Avenger?

COURTESY OF C. CARTLAND.

“The last show that I was in, I was cast as the town jock, the guy who’s sure of himself. Well, this is the exact polar opposite. In the beginning of the show, I’m shy and weak; I’m very selfconscious and unsure of myself. And then I become this superhero and am still, in essence, very unsure of myself. That goes against what I’m cast as normally, which is someone who’s very confident. “

What do you want people to know about your character?

“Just know that he’s relatable. He’s someone who I think we all were at one time in our life. Everyone has that one thing that they’re self-conscious about and wish they could change, and the one thing about Melvin is that he’s in a horrible accident, but with that accident, he can finally fulfill what he wants ― to be the hero he always wanted to be.”

How does an average day of rehearsal go for you?

“It’s like a normal job. Instead of working 9-to-5, we go from 2 to10 p.m. As soon as we get there, we go over some music, and if we have any questions, we address those immediately.

Then we go right into the beginning stages of

Anything else you’d like to add about the show?

“Everyone in the show is from Miami.

We all grew up here, and we all know the area.

All the musicians, tech designers, actors, crew people. Everyone is just home-grown in Miami, FL.”

October 13, 2015 | nsucurrent.nova.edu

SOUNDBITE

Chronovision by Oberhofer By: Marie Ontivero

By: Destinee A. Hughes @DestineeAHughes

Halloween is the one time of year where showcasing alter egos isn’t frowned upon.

Anything from ghoulish ghosts to fantasizing fairies can be seen on this spookily-creative holiday. While dressing up may be something to look forward to, the hefty prices for costumes isn’t always ideal, especially on a college budget. Luckily, with sites such as Pinterest and Etsy, inexpensive inspiration isn’t difficult to find. Here are some of the most resourceful Halloween outfits to make on a student-friendly budget.

Individual: Standing out is easy when you’re clad in a custom-made costume. Here are a few easy DIY costumes that you can find straight out of your closet.

Scarecrow What you’ll need: •Brown or straw hat •Eyeliner •Red lipstick •Plaid shirt •Flowers •Jeans •Brown boots Makeup: Step 1: Using eyeliner, draw stiches around the corners of your mouth towards your ears to emulate a scarecrow-like mouth.

Step 2: Use red lipstick to draw a triangleshaped nose.

Step 3: With the same red lipstick, draw circles on the apples of your cheeks to mirror a blushing scarecrow.

Step 4: Use eyeliner to draw enhanced eyelashes around your eyes.

Step 5: After putting on the outfit (plaid shirt, jeans, boots and hat) try sprucing it up with additional accessories.

Step 6: Sunflowers, birds and random pieces of straw can help add to the costume.

80s workout instructor What you’ll need:

Black Mass a noteworthy Mafioso genre classic By: Scott Black

Interested in independent music, emerging artists and new album releases?

DJ Marie, music director at Radio X, will keep you updated every week in The Current on what’s new in the world of music. You can catch her on Monday nights from 6 to 9 p.m. on 88.5FM, bringing you new music you’re sure to love.

“Chronovision” is easily one of the best albums you’ll hear all year long, hands down. The sophomore album’s 12 tracks flow perfectly with one another, creating one big, sonic masterpiece. The first track starts out as a short orchestral version of its following track, “Nevena.” This style of introduction immediately captures your attention and sinks you into Oberhofer’s storytelling.

The album touches on relationships with oneself, friends, and that person.

Overall, it definitely has a fun and flirty sound to it, with catchy melodies and guitars that fade into vocals. The album exits with the piano and low vocals of “Listen to Everyone,” which then cuts off with a sound much like turning off an old television set.

When looped, the sound coming again from the instrumentals of track one just sets you

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Arts & Entertainment

Director Scott Cooper’s biopic movie, “Black Mass,” staring Johnny Depp as mobster James “Whitey” Bulger, uses gut-wrenching, vividly-portrayed cinematic visuals that keep the two-hour movie fast-paced and the audience captivated.

PHOTO PRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM M. ONTIVERO. Chronovision by Oberhofer will grab your attention and tell you a story.

up for round two. So for fans of Oberhofer’s first album, pick up “Chronovision” now; it’s crystal clear how large of a success this album is.

Perfect if you like: The Killers

Black Mass tells the true story of Irish crime boss Whitey Bulger in South Boston who rose to power in the 1970s and 1980s and was second on the FBI list for 12 years before finally being captured in 2011. Bulger built alliances with the FBI to eliminate his competition, while continually assassinating anyone who doublecrossed him.

Bulger is portrayed as a terrifying and calculating character who is involved in drugs, money laundering and gambling, while extorting and murdering his adversaries on a whim. Whitey strongholds his competition by playing cat and mouse with the FBI, serving as

an informant for the crooked cops who shielded him, and his Winter Hill Boys — all while dismantling his rivals to gain full control of his illegal activities in South Boston.

It is a gripping tale of Bulger’s alliance with the FBI and his rise to becoming the Kingpin of South Boston with enough doses of cinematic visuals and crime-filled sagas to leave the audience gasping at the split-second brutality and bloodshed by Whitey and his Winter Hill Boys.

“Black Mass” is an intense and gritty portrayal of the South Boston Irish crime boss Whitey Bulger and is a compelling thriller that captures the desperado imagination reminiscent of our favorite Mafioso classics.

Favorite tracks: “Someone Take Me Home,” “Nevena” and “Sun Halo”

DIY Halloween costumes •Body suit •Leg warmers •Headband •Sneakers •Neon eyeshadow •A bright blush •Bright pink lipstick •Fake eyelashes (optional) Makeup: Step 1: Starting from the inner corner of your eye, apply a rainbow of florescent eyeshadows. Add false lashes for a more dramatic look.

Step 2: Apply an excessive amount of blush to the apples of your cheeks.

Step 3: Top it off with a bold pink lipstick.

Step 4: Layering is really important for this costume. First, put on the leggings/stockings, then the bodysuit, then the legwarmers.

Step 5: Adding fun accessories such as headbands, wristbands and small weights can also add to the outfit.

Mary Poppins What you’ll need: •Black hat •White button down •Red bowtie •Black pleated skirt •Black tights •Black heels •Umbrella Group: If you’re planning on taking on the night with your crew, here are a few ideas on how to transform your posse into a distinctive clique of famous individuals.

Spice Girls Characters: popular 90s girl group with Sporty Spice, Scary Spice, Baby Spice, Posh Spice and Ginger Spice What you’ll need (by characters): Sporty Spice: •Orange sports bra

•Blue sweat pants •Sneakers •Temporary arm tattoo Scary Spice: •Leopard attire •Curly wig Ginger Spice: •Attire with UK flag •Red wig Baby Spice: •Pink baby doll dress Posh Spice: •Little black dress Ninja Turtles Characters: Ninja Turtle-themed costumes with individual characters including Michelangelo, Leonardo, Donatello and Raphael What you need: •Green sports bra •Green shorts •Large foil turkey pan •Green body paint •Yellow body paint •Green spray paint •High green socks •Red, blue, purple, orange and brown colored fabric •Scissors •Permanent marker •Construction paper •Fake knives (optional) •Green tulle (optional) Mask: Step 1: Cut a moderately-thin strip of fabric.

Step 2: Tie fabric around eyes, like a blindfold.

Step 3: With a permanent marker, trace around eyes (on fabric) to ensure appropriate sized eye slots.

Step 4: Cut eye slits out.

Turtle shell: Step 1: Spray paint the foil turkey pan green. Make sure to go over coating at least two times to ensure an even distribution.

Step 2: Use scissors to poke individual holes in the four corners of the pan.

Step 3: Take two thin strips of brown fabric, and string them each side of the shell.

One piece of fabric will go through two holes.

Step 4: Tie each side with a knot to ensure the shell has a secure strap.

Step 5: The end result should look like a backpack.

Body paint: Step 1: With washable paint, cover your stomach in green paint.

Step 2: Paint six yellow rectangular abs on stomach.

Accessories Step 1: With extra fabric, cut thin strips to make headbands, kneepads, armbands and belt.

Step 2: Cut out circles for belt logos, and draw the first letter of each character’s name and glue to fabric.

Mean Girls: Characters: The original cast from “Mean Girls,” including Cady, Regina, Gretchen and Karen What you’ll need (by characters): Cady Heron: •Oversized pink polo •Blue jeans •Red wig Regina George: •Pink cardigan •Pink mini skirt •White tank top •Red heels •Blonde wig Gretchen Weiners: •Pink sweater •Tan skirt •Black heels •Brunette wig Karen Smith: •Baby pink long sleeve shirt •Hot pink skirt •Pink heels •Blonde wig

Opinions

14 Seriously Kidding a satire column

Latest iPhone model is the latest in technology By: Grace Ducanis The new iPhone, which hit Apple stores across the nation last month, is revolutionizing the smartphone industry.

The latest model is slightly thinner and boasts a slightly larger screen as well as a slightly better camera. There are also a number of internal processing changes that are very difficult to verify, but are no doubt innovative. iPhone users everywhere are completely satisfied with the new model.

“I really love the new iPhone,” said Terrence Greene, a 23-year-old self-proclaimed nonconformist. “I post a lot of anti-capitalist and anti-consumerism rants to YouTube, and I use my iPhone to film them. It’s really great that Apple has developed a reliable tool that I can use to take a stand against a culture driven by arbitrary status symbols and perpetuated by corporate greed.”

Workout enthusiast Wesley Quinn said that the new iPhone has revitalized his Instagram account.

“The latest iPhone is totally worth it,” he said. “All of my girlfriends can now see my abs in slightly higher definition — which is crazy because my abs are already super defined.”

Apple CEO Joe Works expressed enthusiasm over the new design and detailed some of the changes that buyers can expect.

“It’s the last iPhone, just better,” Works said. “It’s definitely the most advanced smartphone in the world and the best we’ve ever created, since the last iPhone, of course. It has a new, crack-resistant screen that resists cracking in 75 percent of our tests in which the iPhone was dropped on soft, malleable surfaces. The new iPhone also uses a different charger than previous iPhones, a change which is completely and unquestionably necessary. We hope this will not cause iPhone buyers any inconvenience.”

The new iPhone has an advanced iOS 17-3 operating system, which will absolutely not need to be updated twice a month, and a 4.7inch HD SD 4D retina 3000 display with SS9 touchscreen technology that’s unlike any other touchscreen ever seen before, although it looks exactly the same.

“It’s obviously better and more advanced than any other smartphone on the market,” said Apple guru Gene Durell. “I haven’t used anything but Apple technology for years, so I definitely know what I’m talking about when it comes to this stuff. All of my friends have iPhones. Apple products are so popular, and the reason for that is simple: they’re the best.”

The phone comes in four stunning colors that completely distinguish it from the previous models, as well as competing smartphones: sea storm gray, moonlight silver, sunset gold and blushing rose. The uneducated consumer often refers to these colors as gray, light gray, yellow and pink.

“Colored iPhones? What will Apple come up with next? It’s genius,” said iPhone user Samantha Yeardley. “I have the last iPhone, and it only came in two different shades of gray. I’m getting the new iPhone this weekend. I can’t wait to express my unique personality by choosing one of four predetermined unpretentiouslynamed colors. I think I’m going to pick blushing rose.”

The new iPhone is available in Apple stores everywhere at an affordable price for highincome individuals and their spoiled 12-year-old children.

By: Jazmyn Brown

October 13, 2015 | nsucurrent.nova.edu

It’s time to bite the bullet and reform gun laws

Another shooting, another speech, another prayer, another call for justice. The cycle runs through and then repeats. We spout words about gun law reform but do nothing to change the obviously broken system. Lacking a scapegoat, we blame mental illness.

Yes, you are crazy if you decide to shoot up a school out of the blue. But it’s another thing entirely for people to jump the gun and assume that school shooters have a mental illness and that it’s the mental illness — and not the lack of proper law enforcement and firearm regulation — that is to blame.

There are plenty of what we call “crazy” people who don’t kill people. In 1988, a Department of Justice study found that out of 2,655 homicides in the 33 largest counties in the U.S., just 4.3 percent of the perpetrators had a history of mental illness. Another study, which was published in the Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, looked at Indiana prisoners from 1990 to 2002 and found that among 518 randomly selected individuals, 10 percent were diagnosed with a psychotic disorders not associated with drug use. These individuals’ illnesses went untreated.

Yet no serious studies have been conducted to further investigate this issue.

So if mental health is to blame for the recent surge in school shootings and massacres, why aren’t people calling for more research to be done to actively stop the problem at its supposed source? But even if 10 percent, or even 5 percent, of homicides are committed by people who are mentally ill — and a smaller percentage of that are those who have access to firearms — to blame the minority doesn’t even make sense.

Dismissing mass shooters as mentally ill functions as a method of victimizing the perpetrator, totally ignoring the lives that were lost and the pain and heartbreak of family and loved ones. Because of the sensationalizing of killers in the media as “psychotic,” “troubled” and “mentally ill,” society associates these extreme acts of violence with mental illness, which is often used as a façade to cover up larger issues like racism and poor gun law enforcement.

The portrayal of sadistic and extremely violent characters in the entertainment industry as individuals who suffer from illnesses like schizophrenia and psychosis, as in movies like “American Psycho” and “The Silence of the Lambs,” franchises like “SAW” and TV series like “American Horror Story,” further reinforce the extremely negative image of mentally ill individuals as unfathomably cruel, ruthless and bloodthirsty. Thus, we are quicker to call mass shooters “mentally ill” than we are to admit that there is a fundamental problem with the way guns are handled in this country.

Having a mental illness and developing homicidal tendencies are not mutually exclusive, but blaming a psychological disorder for the terrible misdeeds of a few individuals disrespects those who suffer from such diseases. Not all mentally ill people have murderous intent; I would say very few have time to think about killing someone. And to say that we have a “mental illness problem” and not a gun problem is to ignore the bigger, more pressing issue: the often unregulated sale and distribution of firearms, which results in ubiquitous access to these deadly weapons.

According to the Institute for Legislative Action of the National Rifle Association, in Florida, there is no requirement of a permit to purchase rifles, shotguns and handguns, there is no requirement to register purchased rifles, shotguns and handguns, owners of rifles, shotguns and handguns are not required to be licensed, and there is no requirement of a permit to carry for rifles and shotguns.

The only restrictions, as per the Institute for Legislative Action, are as follows: an individual must have a permit to carry a handgun, which must be concealed; there is a partial ban on the right to carry firearms in restaurants; the only people who cannot purchase or possess a firearm are convicted felons; and it is unlawful to openly carry any firearm. Antique and replica guns made before 1918 and those with ammunition manufactured prior to 1918 or ammunition that is no longer available in the U.S. do not count.

Quite frankly, I don’t feel safe in public, whether I’m at the beach, the mall, the

supermarket, school or the library, because basically any Tom, Dick or Harry, or Mary, Sue or Louise, can walk into a gun shop and purchase a firearm. Any individual who attends one of Florida’s infamous gun shows can walk out with an arsenal chock-full of military-grade weaponry. And it’s the “crazies” who are the problem.

So, yes, we need gun law reform. For those who oppose reform, you’re misguided if you think “reform” means that everyone’s guns are going to get taken away. It’s quite the opposite, and I encourage law-abiding citizens to carry for self-defense purposes.

What needs to be put into place is a system in which those who wish to purchase a gun go through a series of evaluations like background checks and overall mental stability assessments ― to comfort those who blame mental illness, since only the mentally ill go on rampages ― to weed out those with nefarious intent and those who are unstable.

Lawful citizens should not have a problem going through this process. In a sense, lawfully obtaining a gun should become easier, while unlawfully owning a gun should be more difficult. And if lawful carriers outnumber those who want to do harm to others, there’s less incentive for killers to cock, aim and fire.

To make the argument that you can go down the street and purchase a firearm from a guy who wants to make a quick dollar also overlooks the issue of access. Guns should not be accessible to those who are immoral, which includes those who will sell firearms to anyone with a pulse. In general, lawful people will obtain firearms in a lawful manner, and criminals will continue to get their weapons in a less-than-legal fashion. It’s just a matter of who outnumbers who.

It’s not enough to pin the blame on mental illness, which is already stigmatized to no end in sight. Speeches, prayers, calls for justice and blame are just words. We need action. If school shootings were taken seriously — if lawmakers would just for one second take some sort of accountability and reform gun laws — there wouldn’t be almost one mass shooting for every day in this year so far.

No student should have to pay for an education with his or her life By: President George Hanbury In response to the shooting at Umpqua Community College, NSU President George Hanbury addressed the community to say that only licensed law enforcement professionals should have weapons on campuses. The following statement was issued by Hanbury on Oct. 7.

First of all, I would like to point out that I am neither a registered Republican nor Democrat but registered as “No Party Affiliation” (NPA) or what many call an independent voter. It is, therefore, in that vein that I wish to be heard.

As a concerned university president and grandfather of five school-aged children, I believe weapons should not be allowed on school grounds unless by a licensed law enforcement officer. However, once again our nation is grappling with a horrific incident that occurred on property where individuals were aspiring to achieve their academic dreams through the pursuit of knowledge. And, once again, I am shocked by what I am seeing and hearing about this tragedy.

As the President and Chief Executive Officer of one of the largest private, not-forprofit universities in the United States with nine campuses throughout Florida and Puerto Rico, my staff and I place the highest priority on the safety and security of our students, faculty, staff and visitors on our campuses. We have

established excellent working relationships with law enforcement and other first responder agencies. Furthermore, we’ve put emergency plans in place and we continually update and practice the procedures we have to be ready in the event a crisis situation arises. We are one of the safest campuses in the nation and we take security with the utmost seriousness.

As such, we have a complete security system with one key integral component: we do not allow any weapons on any of our campuses, unless they are in the possession of a licensed law enforcement officer. Thus, we believe our campuses are safe.

That being said, there is only so much we can do – and as we have seen countless times, tragic incidents continue to occur. As a father, grandfather and someone responsible for tens of thousands of young people following their educational dreams, these incidents rattle me to my core. Every time a school shooting occurs I am saddened, as no student should have to pay for an education with his or her life, and no parent should have to grieve the loss of his or her loved one who they expected to be in the safe confines of an educational institution.

Yet, too many innocent people on our K-12, community college, college, and university campuses across the country have paid a terrible price for simply attending class.

In any educational institution, ideas need

to be expressed, and innovation needs to be explored and debated in an atmosphere that encourages free and open expression. It all comes under the heading of academic freedom and the free expression of ideas, theories, and philosophies, espoused by previous generations in order to understand and gain knowledge for the future. Many times, these expressions lead to passionate reasoning and emotional discussion by faculty, staff and students – the essence of any educational institution of higher learning.

Some may argue that if faculty or students were allowed to carry weapons, there could be safety in the classroom through the threat of action by those of greater reasoning.

This too, is an erroneous assumption and could lead to even greater injury and loss of life by confusion and ambiguity of law enforcement officers by not immediately identifying the real perpetrator.

I am calling on all educators and those who love education to join with me and work with all of those in authority to prohibit any weapons on educational grounds unless they are carried by licensed law enforcement officers. While there are many options open to us, the one option that is not viable is to do nothing and remain silent.

Opinions

October 13, 2015 | nsucurrent.nova.edu

15

America’s first fake family

By: Destinee A. Hughes @DestineeAHughes

If you haven’t heard, the Obamas are no longer America’s first family; the KardashianJenners are. The highly controversial Cosmopolitan magazine released the cover of its November issue with six of the KardashianJenner women on the cover next to an exclusive title reading “America’s First Family.”

While the Kardashian-Jenners have easily made themselves a household name by infiltrating the media with their superficial looks, controversial relationships and lamentable parenting skills, they’ve managed to generate such a following that their popularity surpasses that of political figures, or in other words, presidents.

Since the release of the cover for the November issue, social media has been an easy outlet for users to voice their very strong opinions about the controversial cover. The issue with labeling the Kardashian-Jenner clan as “America’s First Family” falls on what they represent — a vapid sense of vanity. They are associated with nothing more than plastic

surgery, designer brands and appropriating black culture.

Coming from such a drama-filled family, one would think that advocating for LBGTQA rights, raising awareness for self-acceptance and working with women’s charities, or even supporting the Black Lives Matter movement would motivate them to make a difference. But it hasn’t; instead they’ve managed to use their fame to benefit themselves. The only thing the Kardashian-Jenner family has successfully managed to do is create a society which accepts superficiality over authenticity. This is no family; this is a clan of females who are benefiting from underserved success.

The title of “America’s First Family” is a title that only applies to the kin residing within the four walls of the White House. And in this case, it’s the Obamas. President Barack Obama and his family represent more than just a country; they represent progress. Being the first black president of the United States shows that our country has learned to overcome its troubled

racist past by building on the legacy of dreams and aspiration of others.

Trivializing the title not only makes a mockery of President Obama’s position, but it also raises concern that this is a race-related issue. Through our many terms of presidency, an issue such as this has never presented itself until we’ve had the first black president. Now this could very well be considered as “reaching,” but looking at the Cosmopolitans questionable past on race, it’s clear how this magazine feels about people of color.

In April, Cosmopolitan was under fire for an article titled “21 Beauty Trends That Need To Die.” Though this article was harmless in context, it was difficult not to notice that all of the trends that “needed to die” were displayed on women of color. This article caused major backlash on social media, even from celebrities.

Runway model Joan Smalls, whose picture was featured in the #RIP section of the article, tweeted to Cosmopolitan magazine questioning them about the origins and their implications.

Cosmopolitan has been on the radar of many for quite some time now. Some stores around the U.S have requested that the magazine be stored and sealed next to other pornographic material due to its extremely vulgar and objectifying articles. Whether they’re teaching “seven ways to please your man men in bed” or “how to become the women of his dreams,” it’s no surprise that people who idolize the Kardashian-Jenners are the suitable audience for such misleading information.

It’s disheartening that in this day in age, society continues to suffer from lack of vision.

We are so blinded by all the glitters that we’re unable to value the true golds we’re presented with. The first family is supposed to be an accurate representation of the American people; hardworking, omnipresent and ever-changing.

While the Kardashian-Jenner family tries incessantly to remain relevant with tasteless tactics, they will never come close in earning the coveted titled of America’s first family.

Quit ovary-acting

By: Nicole Cocuy @currentnicole

Throughout the month of October, people across the country aim to support breast cancer awareness and research by dressing in pink, wearing wristbands that boldly say “Save the boobies” and participating in Susan G. Komen 5Ks. While spreading awareness and funding research are important means to potentially save lives in the future, wearing a pink shirt and running through the streets of Miami can only do so much. These efforts pale in comparison to what women’s health clinics do on a daily basis to help women prevent and detect breast cancer.

Ironically, regardless of how many celebrityendorsed breast cancer campaigns go viral, and regardless of how many breast cancer awareness apparel is sold each year, an organization that significantly contributes to breast cancer prevention by offering affordable breast cancer screenings as well as other significant services is under attack.

Regardless of your stance on abortion or your trust in the questionable credibility of the Planned Parenthood videos released by the anti-abortion organization Center for Medical Progress, defunding Planned Parenthood is not an abortion issue; it’s a women’s health issue.

Planned Parenthood is first and foremost a women’s health clinic. According to Planned

Parenthood’s medical services data, the organization offers various forms of cancer screenings and prevention services, in addition to STD testing and treatments, contraception, pregnancy tests, prenatal services and so much more.

While it’s impossible to determine exactly how many lives Planned Parenthood saves every year with its services, the amount of lives saved is clearly significantly higher than the amount of abortions performed every year. Just look at the numbers listed in their annual report. Planned Parenthood reported that one in five women will seek healthcare at a Planned Parenthood, be it for annual breast exams or a one-time STD testing.

In 2014 alone, Planned Parenthood tested 3,728,111 men and women for STDs and treated 741,197 STDs, treating hundreds of thousands of individuals who were diagnosed with HIV/ AIDS and curing hundreds of thousands more of other STDs. In regards to cancer prevention, in 2014, Planned Parenthood conducted 492,365 pap smears, 549,804 breast exams, 37,683 colposcopies, 38,535 HPV vaccines and over 3,000 other procedures, helping over a million patients prevent developing cancer and, in the case of diagnosis, catch cancer early enough for successful treatment.

Yes, of course, abortions are conducted in Planned Parenthood, but they only make up a small minority of the services conducted. In 2014, only 325,166 abortions were administered nationwide, making up only 3 percent of total services administered. In comparison to the millions of other services conducted that year, which offered necessary and affordable healthcare to individuals and even saved lives, this percentage is hardly a fair representation of the value and mission of the clinic. If you want to make this debate about abortion, focus on the treatments and services Planned Parenthood does to prevent unwanted pregnancies and, in turn, the amount of abortions prevented. Planned Parenthood commits more to preventing unwanted pregnancies than it does to end them.

In 2014, Planned Parenthood reported that it administered 3,724,558 contraceptive services to prevent unwanted pregnancies ― over 10 times as many abortion services performed that same year.

Even then, federal funding does not fund abortion services. In fact, using federal money to fund abortions is illegal. The Hyde Amendment, passed in 1977, outlaws the use of federal taxpayer money to fund abortion services, with the exception of Medicaid, which is only the

case when the abortion is “medically necessary,” including cases of rape, incest or to protect the life of the mother, as reported by NPR. In reality, our taxes only fund the millions of other services Planned Parenthood provides that save lives, not end them. The only people that will be hurt by defunding Planned Parenthood are the millions of patients who rely on Planned Parenthood for affordable access to necessary treatments and screenings that they otherwise would not have access to. This will end life-saving practices, not abortions.

The most impactful and direct way to save lives from breast cancer is to support women’s health clinics. There are other ways to advocate against abortion, but this is not the correct way.

It would negatively impact more lives than the amount of babies saved. How about instead of punishing men and women who rely on access to the services Planned Parenthood offers, we all fight to keep the government’s hands off of access to women’s health like we fight to keep their hands off of our rights to own a gun or to “pick our own doctor.” I don’t think it could possibly be any more “pro-life” than that.

’t have n id d u o y f i t n e e differ b e f i l r u o y ld u How wo a smartphone?

SHARK SPEAK

“It would affect me a lot because

“It would be stressful because “For me, it would be a peaceful life “I wouldn’t die, but I would be sad. “I would survive because grow- “It would force me to interact more

it allows me to be organized

I depend on it a lot, and I would because I wouldn’t have people All of my family is far away, so I ing up in Nigeria, I didn’t have a with people. I have realized that I

and on time. I depend on it for

have to actually find people and texting me all the time.”

time management, and I use the

remember things for myself.”

calendar to remind myself about what I need to get done each day.”

- Altamash Jaward, freshman biology major

- Natalie Guzman, junior environ-

mental science major

wouldn’t have any communication phone. I didn’t get my first phone need to be more social, so I don’t

- Trent Columbia, sophomore with them. It would almost be like until I was 18 and starting college.” think it would be of any detriment marine biology major physical pain.”

- Nika Meluille, junior business administration major

- Rebecca Udo, senior psychol- to me.” ogy major

- Susha Charles, freshman speech pathology major

16

News

October 13, 2015 | nsucurrent.nova.edu

Movie Show Times: October 1-31, 2015 Phone: (954) 262-2602, Email: sharktv@nova.edu, sutv.nova.edu 2015

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Beetle Juice

Girl Interrupted

Hotel Transylvania

Love & Mercy

Amityville Horror

The Soloist

Hot Pursuit

Animals

Pitch Perfect 2

Don’t forget to check out last month’s movies On-Demand through https: //www.nova.edu/portal/sutv/