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poli–sci
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Regionally relevant campus NEWS : straight from students
FSU Baseball blows another ring Steve Gordon, student Florida State University
underage crackdown in Gainesville Allison Banko, student University of Florida
ALLEGED DRUNKEN DEBAUCHERY Gets UCF student impeached from sga Kerri Finazzo, student University of Central Florida
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Noles’ arms are rising, but its not in efforts to whip out the war chant. Instead, FSU Seminole fans – and donating alumni – have found themselves in a frustrated state of déjà vu with the school’s athletic program. This summer, the Noles baseball team made its 20th trip to Omaha, Nebraska for the College World Series, only to return to Tallahassee – yet again – without the title. For 14 of the 20 years, the team has been under the direction of coach Mike Martin who alumni and fans are beginning to compare to the likes of former football coach Bobby Bowden. In late 2009, Bowden was fired as FSU’s football coach for reasons left unexplained by FSU presi-
dent T.K. Wetherell. A Sports Illustrated Article claimed “Wetherell, a former Florida State player and Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, had little choice once prominent boosters began calling for Bowden's resignation.” This year, the FSU football team will be under the new direction of Bowden’s successor, coach Jimbo Fisher. And now, not unlike what went down on the football field, powerful alumni boosters of the FSU athletic program have raised speculation among many that the boosters will soon force out Martin, just like they did Bowden, due to the Noles continuation of coming up short on the baseball field.
The lyrics of the Beastie Boys’ old school hit, “You’ve got to fight, for your right to party,” has found itself outside of the speakers of fraternity houses and into the reality of Gainesville’s underclassmen. On July 1, 2010 the city issued an ordinance banning entry to those under the age of 21, from 9pm to close, at two of Gainesville’s most popular night time hang outs. Swamp and 101 Cantina, both restaurants and bars, received the penalty as a result of exceeding the legal amount of infractions of underage drinking incidents. UF students are fired up about the ordeal, claiming that the ordinance is discriminatory and unjustifiable because Swamp
and Cantina also serve food – and obviously there is no legal age cut off to enjoy sweet potato fries and mouth-watering burritos. Ironically, in the Princeton Review’s 2010– 2011 Top Party School List, University of Florida actually fell from its previous ranking of number two to number seven. The University of Georgia nabbed the list’s top spot, which bases its rankings on factors including responses to drug and alcohol use on campus. However, because this is the first offense for both of the venues next UF, the ordinance is only in effect for 90 days, and if they don’t have any further infractions, will be lifted in late September.
The “f” in UCF seems to be standing more for “fiasco” than it does “Florida.” It’s not surprising that all things political have a scandal or two behind them, and UCF’s Student Government Association is no exception. Deputy Pro Tempore of Legislative Affairs, Jereme Pozin, was accused by a fellow SGA Senator of being intoxicated in the SGA office after returning from a bar after watching a USA World Cup game, driving a Student Government golf cart under the influence and performing actions that were “unbecoming of a student senator and UCF employee.” Apparently, other members of student government agreed, and Pozin was impeached from his position. SGA Conference Registration and Travel Committee Chair Fernando Gonzales– Portillo says, “I filed the impeachment affidavit because in my opinion I feel all SGA officials should behave in a professional matter, comply with all rules and statues and must be held accountable for the decisions they make.”
However, Pozin claims the situation was “blown out of proportion” and that the accusing Student Senator had a “personal vendetta” against him. Pozin used the SGA golf cart he has access to, to drive friends to their cars in a far away parking lot – of which he claims he was completely competent enough to do. “I consumed one beer and did a shot of whiskey when [USA] won the game. The game ended around noon and my roommate and I went to lunch, went back and relaxed a little bit, and I got into the SG office at about 4pm to complete some work I had to do. Not only am I twentythree, but there was a four hour window before I went into my office,” Pozin says. “This gentlemen had a personal vendetta against me. I voted against him on two separate occasions and he almost didn’t get his position.” Pozin later told KnightNews.com that half of senate should already be impeached if a precedent stating that no SGA members should be intoxicated while on the job is formally instated.
\\ september - october \\ volume 3 issue 1