UP17_6

BLOWING SMOKE

Almost a year since FAU became 100 percent tobacco free on paper, students and professors are still sneaking their fix.

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Emily Bloch MANAGING EDITOR Gregory Cox CREATIVE DIRECTOR Ivan Benavides ASSISTANT CREATIVE DIRECTOR Mohammed F. Emran WEB EDITOR Alexis Hayward ASSISTANT WEB EDITOR Richard Finkel COPY DESK CHIEF Carissa Noelle Giard ASSISTANT COPY DESK CHIEF Rafael Baez NEWS EDITOR Patrick Martin FEATURES EDITOR Emily Creighton SPORTS EDITOR Ryan Lynch SCIENCE EDITOR Andrew Fraieli COPY EDITOR Kerri Covington PHOTO EDITOR Brandon Harrington STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Max Jackson BUSINESS MANAGER Wesley Wright CONTRIBUTORS Joseph Kennedy, Zak Sadik, Joe Pye, Alexandra Vanerven, Ryan Murphy ADVISERS Michael Koretzky, Neil Santaniello, Ilene Prusher DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Bill Good COVER BY Ivan Benavides WANT TO JOIN THE UP? Email upressonline@gmail.com Staff meetings every Friday, 2 p.m. in the Student Union, Room 214 WANT TO PLACE AN AD? Contact Jacquelyn Christie 888-897-7711 x 124 jchristie@mymediamate.com PUBLISHER FAU Student Government The opinions expressed by the UP are not necessarily those of the student body, Student Government or FAU. ADDRESS 777 Glades Road Student Union, Room 214 Boca Raton, FL 33431 561.297.2960

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10.27.15 | Volume 17 | Number 6 table

of contents

smoke and mirrors 4

FAU became Florida’s 24th tobacco-free campus this year — so how are students still smoking and what happens when they get caught?

Story by Emily Bloch

locked out 6

See why a student government member thinks student body president Kathryn Edmunds overstepped her bounds.

Story by Gregory Cox

Rising tide 9

After weathering a storm that nearly stopped its club team, Owls surfing is back together on the waves.

Story by Joseph Kennedy

photo brief 12

Photo by Brandon Harrington

Ramping up 14

Read how the Office for Students with Disabilities is accommodating more students.

Story by Emily Creighton & Alexandra Vanerven

tailgaters flagged for being offsides 18

Pre-gamers collapse tortoise burrows before FAU’s home game forcing environmentalist to go head to head with administration.

Story by Joseph Kennedy

thundering through campus 20

The university has a warning for its students, who deal with the constant threat of lightning.

Story by Joe Pye

deez nets 22

It’s up... and it’s in the stands. A lack of nets at the football stadium leads to marching band members and fans getting hit.

Story by Zak Sadik Melanie Gannon, pictured in New Smyrna Beach at a recent surfing competition. Her team placed fifth out of twelve groups. Photo by Max Jackson

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Smoke & Mirrors Story by Emily Bloch Illustration by Ivan Benavides

Almost a year after FAU became 100 percent tobacco free on paper, students and professors are still sneaking their fix.

A

large navy blue banner hangs from the second floor of the Breezeway railing. “Tobacco Free University,” is written on it in bold letters. “No tobacco or e-cigarettes are allowed anywhere on campus.”

About 30 feet away from the banner, a professor sits on a bench alone. He takes a drag of his cigarette and then lowers his arms back toward his lap, discretely cusping his hands over the evidence.

“It’s bullshit,” the professor — who opted to stay anonymous — says. “I think it has something to do with higher education’s imposition on personal choices. Teachable moments are about choice. Not some kind of mandate.”

But on Jan. 1 of this year, a mandate is exactly what happened. FAU became the 24th smoke-free campus in Florida. The tobacco-free policy encompasses cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, pipes and all types of smokeless tobacco, and restricts anyone from smoking anywhere on campus, including their cars.

Nine months since the implementation, not everyone is on board.

The professor puts his lighter back into the front pocket of his jeans and prepares to get rid of the evidence — throwing the cigarette butt away in a nearby trash bin. He started smoking six years ago while attending graduate school.

The tobacco-free policy is part of a five-year plan that is slowly phasing out on-campus smoking. Don Torok, the associate dean of the college of education and co-chair of FAU’s Substance Abuse Committee, says that now that the policy has been in effect for two complete semesters, the school is starting to take names.

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“Smoking and tobacco use is not a protected right,” Torok says. “Because when individuals say that, one of the things that they fail to recognize is that secondhand and thirdhand smoke affect other individuals.”

“Up until this point we’ve just been issuing notices of violation,” Torok says.

The policy enforcers are FAU’s Tobacco Free Ambassador program, comprised of students, faculty and staff members who interact with individuals that are violating the policy, according to the program’s web page. Torok says that well over 50 individuals have signed up for the program.

On first offense, the individual will be issued a warning and their name will be recorded, according to the policy. If caught a second time, they’ll have to attend a smoking cessation class.

The third strike will involve appearing before the dean of students—or, if a faculty or staff member, before their supervisors—which could result in disciplinary action not limited to termination or expulsion, according to University Policy 4.1.7.

“I’d say we’re making progress,” Torok notes. “The compliance for the most part has been very good, but to say we have excellent compliance would not be accurate because we still have individuals who are smoking on campus.”

In 2010, the school implemented designated smoking areas. Just outside the back entrance to the Student Union, right in front of the window facing the ping pong tables, is a former “smoking area.” The sign may be gone but as of publication time, 11 cigarette butts were found littered beneath the concrete tables and benches.

“It’s still a little alarming when students say ‘I didn’t know,’” Torok says. “Especially when you see that they try to cover [their cigarette] or if you look at where individuals are smoking, they’re doing it where they’re trying to hide.”

Kendyl Andrews, a sophomore marketing major, hates cigarette smoke because of her asthma. “Every time I see someone smoking, I remind them we’re a tobacco free campus,” she says. “And while most people just roll their eyes, a few have put their [cigarettes] out. Mostly out of shock that someone actually called them out I think.” She says she stops someone at least once a week.

According to Torok, “approximately 10 percent of the population has a respiratory condition. Tobacco usage is a trigger for those who have asthma and other respiratory conditions. Their behavior definitely puts other individuals in harm’s way.”

Andrews says that when people smoke around her, she can’t stop coughing. “I don’t think it’s fair to put someone else’s health at risk.”

Torok, however, doesn’t expect everyone to go cold turkey. “We’re not telling people that they have to stop smoking,” Torok says. We’re just saying while they’re on campus, they can’t do it. If they want to do it when they’re at home, that’s their choice. But it increases health care cost, reduces lifespan and there’s no healthy benefits to the behavior.”

Manager of Health Promotions for the American Lung Association Matt Competiello told the UP in an

Florida Tobacco Free Schools Collin Paul-Hus, freshmen, undeclared major, smoking a cigar.

Photo by Brandon Harrington

email, “there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. Regardless if the person is breathing in heaps of tobacco odor inside a classroom or is mildly exposed to it while walking along a breezeway.”

Noah White, a sophomore business major and admitted smoker, isn’t worried about the policy’s upcoming enforcement since he lives off campus. “It’s not really an issue for me,” he says. White admits to having smoked cigarettes at FAU since the ban and supports designated smoking areas on campus.

Twitter user @jerrymadnick tweeted “FAU is tobacco free!!! It’s about time they start enforcing it!” White replied “nark” three minutes later.

“If FAU as an organization feels the prevention of cancer and other harmful diseases is more important than giving their students the same liberties that they will have in the real world, then there’s nothing to really be done,” White says. “We choose to be a part of their community.”

Other colleges in Florida that are 100 percent tobacco free include FIU, FSU, UCF, USF and more.

Torok says: “For the large number of individuals just starting at the university, removing the exposure to tobacco greatly decreases the number of students who engage in the use of tobacco product and they don’t become addicted.”

The following Florida Colleges are both tobacco and e-cigarette free.

Source: http://no-smoke.org/pdf/smokefreecollegesuniversities.pdf

Florida Adventist University of Health Sciences (formerly Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences) Florida Atlantic University Broward College (12 campuses) Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach Florida Southwestern State College (3 campuses) Florida State College at Jacksonville (5 campuses) Florida Gulf Coast State College Hillsborough Community College (8 campuses) Florida International University Miami Dade College (8 campuses) Nova Southeastern University Florida Seminole State College (4 campuses) South Florida Community College Stetson University, DeLand and Gulfport (2 campuses) University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee University of South Florida St. Petersburg 10.27.2015 University Press 5

LOCKED OUT

Student Government doesn’t know their own rules, and Carter Lewis is paying for it with his job.

Story by Gregory Cox

O

The office of Carter Lewis remains vacant.

Photo by Gregory Cox

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n a Thursday morning, Carter Lewis walked into the Student Union and headed up the stairs toward his office like any other day.

This time, something was different. He put his key in the door and turned, but he couldn’t get in. “That’s when I realized the locks were changed,” said Lewis, who worked as the elections chair since the fall of 2014.

He, and other members of the Elections Board, run the Student Government elections. Their job is simple: to make sure there is a fair election, that everyone’s voice is heard and that students have the opportunity to vote, according to Lewis.

Student Body President Kathryn Edmunds fired Lewis via email on Oct. 8, the same day he realized the locks had been changed. Her reasoning: He couldn’t perform.

She explained that “certain things had not been followed or done properly and we want to have someone with the leadership who has the ability to fulfill the job.”

But those who work closely with Lewis don’t agree with Edmunds.

“He puts forth a lot of effort to expanding the Elections Board,” said Ryan Klimar, marketing director for the Elections Board. “Without him, elections don’t work.”

Lewis reached out to SG advisers Allison Rodgers and Shontae White for guidance, who recommended he appeal the decision to the Student Government court.

The following day, Oct. 9, Lewis filed a complaint to the court.

Executive Director of Campus Life Brett Klein told Lewis, “whether the process was right, or whether the process was wrong, the court is handling it,” in a conversation within the halls of the Student Union, just outside of Lewis’ office.

Lewis’ problem: The court dismissed his petition on Oct. 20.

“I wasn’t invited to the court hearing. I couldn’t explain myself,” said Lewis. “I never had the chance in person to talk to the justices.”

The court’s written statement explained that Lewis

Carter Lewis is still unsure if he is able to keep his job.

Photo by Gregory Cox

was failing to fulfill his job description, but did not reference specific duties that Lewis did not do.

Lewis’ petition shows the constitution differentiates between members of the President’s Executive Cabinet (or PEC) — who work directly with the president — from all other university-wide committees, councils and boards.

Although Lewis is appointed by the president, the statutes do not explicitly state he is a member of the PEC. The Elections Board works separately from the president because they run the elections the president runs in.

“I’m not supposed to work closely with the president.

It would be a conflict of interest,” Lewis explained.

Members of the PEC can be fired by Edmunds for reasons outlined in the 500 statutes. The removal process for an elections board member is highlighted in the 300 statutes.

To remove an Elections Board member, the court must first determine if the board member violated elections policies. Then, the president, with agreement from the student senate, may remove any member of the elections board.

Edmunds followed the process to remove Lewis as though he was a PEC appointee.

Vice President Casey Martin made note of the differences in the statutes.

“The executive statutes gives the president the power to fire appointed positions, whereas in the elections statutes, it clearly outlines the specific statute for removing an elections chair,” said Martin.

Edmunds does not think she deterred from the rules.

Timeline of Events

September 25 Edmunds asks for Lewis to resign.

October 7 Lewis meets with Edmunds and is told that she was pursuing his removal.

October 8 Lewis receives an email from Edmunds email saying he was fired. He went to his office to find out he couldn’t get in.

October 9 The SG Court recieves a petiton from Lewis.

October 15 Edmunds hosts the Elections Board meeting, in place of Lewis.

October 16 The SG court meets without providing public notice meeting, which violates Sunshine State Law. October 20 SG court dismisses Lewis’ case.

October 22 Adviser to SG emails out saying the courts results are invalid.

“I think that myself and my teammates showed that through the entire process, we followed every rule and made sure we were going about it the right way,” Edmunds said.

She refrained from sharing any specific statutes that Lewis broke, explaining “those were all things that we

“It’s baffling how many of their own rules are broken, and then not saying how I’ve broken the rules?”

- Carter Lewis, Elections Chair

submitted through the court, and I’ll leave it on those records.”

“It’s baffling how many of their own rules are broken, and then not saying how I’ve broken the rules?” said Lewis. “It’s ironic.”

The court — as outlined by Sunshine State Law

Student body president Kathryn Edmunds fired Carter Lewis on Oct. 8.

Photo by Max Jackson

— is required to provide 24 hour public notice for meetings, and they did not.

This means all rulings are now considered null and void. Chief Justice Kahlil Ricketts — responsible for running all court meetings — declined to comment.

The delays affect more than just Lewis. They also hinder the Elections Board from doing its job.

“We don’t even know what to do. I’m not even sure if I can keep my job. A new chair can clean house,” Klimar said. “It’s such a mess, and we’ve been working cleanly since the [fall] elections.”

Former chair of the Elections Board Michael Brown doesn’t think this position is something that just anyone can do.

“It’s my belief that nobody comes into the FAU SG elections position and does the job well the first time,” said Brown. “It’s one of those things that you’ve really got to find your footing for, and learn from experience.”

As Lewis waited for the court’s decision, Edmunds ran an Elections Board meeting that would have been held by Lewis on Oct. 15.

“With the current state of elections, I will be stepping in and assisting in making sure that elections is functioning successfully,” Edmunds’ email read. “I will be chairing the meeting.”

This presents some red flags. Edmunds, a junior, is eligible to run for president again.

“This is someone who can run for re-election, chairing the body that facilitates and bodies the election. It doesn’t sit right with me,” said Boca Raton SG Governor Chris Ferreira.

A new court date is set for Oct. 30, when Lewis and Edmunds will both submit their cases.

10.27.2015 University Press 7

Don’t Wait.

Communicate.

Make your emergency plan today.

Visit Ready.gov/communicate

8 10.27.2015 University Press

Rising Tide After losing its club license in 2012, FAU Surf Club is taking its second chance.

Story by Joseph Kennedy

(L to R) Chris Rubsaman, Ian Henderson, Melanie Gannon, Austin Chachko, Anthony Cox walk up New Smyrna Inlet, Florida after competing at the Southeast National Scholastic Surfing Association surfing competition on Oct. 18. Photo by Mohammed F. Emran.

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I

Chris Rubsaman rides a wave during the Oct. 18 Southeast National Scholastic Surfing Association surfing competition. Photo by Max Jackson

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t’s early Sunday morning and a set of double red flags ruffle on the beach at Fort Pierce Inlet. The light offshore winds being produced by hurricane Joaquin can’t even begin to dull the powerful swells spreading across the eastern seaboard.

As members of the Florida Atlantic Surf Club team pull their boards out in the parking lot on the north side of the inlet, you can see a variety of local sponsors’ stickers peppered across their fiberglass exteriors.

They have taken the chance to travel a couple of hours north of Boca in search for the perfect wave along the east coast. With forecasts predicting clean 4-to-6 foot waves, the team doesn’t want to waste what could be one of the best swells all year.

They work together on the shore, coordinating with phone calls and video messages to sort out where the best spot is before getting together.

This scene probably wouldn’t have happened for the club members a few years ago, as the team was taken off FAU’s official club register in 2012 after failing to provide the official documents to be an organization.

Without that license, they wouldn’t be able to compete in scholastic surf competitions for at least a year.

“We didn’t have anyone to do the work that it takes to keep the club together and stay registered with the athletics department,” said Melanie Gannon, a marine biology major and the club’s current president. “Then Mila [Wyman], the former president, stepped up and it was game on.”

In order to get the club back, the group had to file paperwork with the Campus Recreation department and set up a club website.

They also did volunteer work, which included cleaning up local beaches as well as helping with the group Surfers for Autism.

The organization throws events at the beach so people with developmental disorders can go surf and have a good time around the water.

“It’s just nice to be able to give back to the community, especially working with Surfers for Autism,” explained Gannon. “Those kids seem to get so much from going out in the water. It’s really cool sharing something we all love.”

Building a sense of community within their own ranks, the club’s meetings are now held at members’ houses instead of a random room on campus. They get together to cook for each other and talk about the expeditions they have taken to different surf locations, while planning out future trips.

Members aren’t just interested in taco nights and remembering their favorite waves though. The club also has a competitive side.

When the team takes the water, it becomes apparent why they regularly do well at the intercollegiate competitions. Powerful turns and smooth lines seem to come effortlessly to the riders.

The regional competitions are held monthly up at New Smyrna Inlet, just south of Jacksonville, Florida. While positions on the competitive team are performance based, anyone is welcome to come up to surf, relax and cheer on the competitors.

“We just want to get together surfers of all experience levels and have a good time,” Gannon said.

(L to R) Austin Chachko, Anthony Cox, Ian Henderson, Melanie Gannon, Chris Rubsaman relax after placing 5th overall at the 3rd National Scholastic Surfing Association contest of the year. Photo by Max Jackson

In 2014, the team placed sixth in the National Scholastic Surf Association East Coast Championships in a nine-team field. The University of North CarolinaWilmington took the title for the sixth straight year.

“The best part about competing is traveling and getting to know each other. You get to meet so many people and the contests are really laid back,” Gannon said.

The consistent competing does allow them to travel out to California in the summers for the NSSA Nationals to surf against the top teams in the country.

Last year, the Owls finished 13th out of the 15 teams that qualified.

Off the water, members are breaking typical surfer stereotypes while seeing things as more than just pulling up to your local beach in a smokey van. You are more likely to see graduate textbooks and lab reports falling out of their car doors.

“We just want to get together surfers of all experience levels and have a good time.”

- Melanie Gannon, marine biology major

Several members are working on their master’s degree, including former President Mila Wyman, who chose to step down from the position when starting graduate school for special education.

“It is a lot of work setting up for the contests, and I had to make sure that I could focus on school,” Wymen said. “I still compete and do everything else with the club.”

Working to make the most of their second chance, the club hopes that its sense of closeness leads them to more time out on the waves and less time without the chance to compete.

You can find the FAU Surf Club website at: fau.collegiatelink.net/organization/surfclub.

10.27.2015 University Press 11

Photo Brief

Lea DeLaria from “Orange is the New Black” came to the university’s Carole and Barry Kaye auditorium in Boca Raton on Thursday, Oct. 22. She earned laughs from a crowd of approximately 400 students and spoke at length on gender issues. “We are winning the hearts and minds of people. That’s the gateway drug into having queer rights,” said DeLaria.

Photo by Brandon Harrington

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Ramping Up As more students register with the Office for Students with Disabilities, the staff is learning how to cope with the influx.

Story by Emily Creighton and Alexandra Vanerven

Junior communication major Nick Williams receives accommodations for his physical and mental disability.

Photo by Mohammed F. Emran

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W

ith a growing community of students in need of accommodations, the Office for Students with Disabilities is looking to enlarge its staff because of a 12 percent increase in registered students.

The OSD provided services for 1,097 students in the 2014-2015 academic year, making up 3.6 percent of the student body, according to the annual report.

With overall increases in students who fall on the autism spectrum, alongside those with learning disabilities and physical impairments (see sidebar), the OSD is working to make sure all students registered are getting the proper accommodations.

“I think that students with disabilities on campus would be at a loss without the OSD,” said recent graduate Danielle Agrillo.

“We’re really way out there when it comes to the different technologies and resources that we have for students.”

- Michelle Shaw, Boca OSD director

Agrillo was a recipient of the OSD’s services on the basis of her physical disability,“ she said. Without the programs, disabled students wouldn’t have the opportunities that they have and wouldn’t be able to graduate and become productive members in society.”

Other schools, like Florida International University, are also serving a large number of students with disabilities; however, not all are seeing the increase in numbers like FAU. There are currently 1,688 students registered with FIU’s Disability Resource Center, according to Martha Betancourt Wong, the assistant director of administrative services at the DRC. FIU’s 2013-2014 Student Affairs report shows that the DRC “served more than 1,800 undergraduate, graduate, law and medical students.” That means the center was serving approximately 3.4 percent of students enrolled at the time.

They had a total enrollment of 52,980 in the fall of 2014, according to 2013-2014 annual accountability report.

Attributing the spike to an increase in available knowledge, Florida Atlantic’s Boca Raton OSD Director Michelle Shaw said, “I think right now more and more students know [about available services]; they’re getting educated in high school that they do have the opportunity to go to college, whereas maybe before, they may not have been given that information.”

Students registered with the OSD have access to services including extended time on exams, assistive technology and counseling services.

“We’re really way out there when it comes to the different technologies and resources that we have for

students,” said Shaw. “We do go above and beyond where others are right now, we want to keep going that way, we want to keep moving forward and seeing what’s the best next thing to come.”

The OSD also has several forms of technology to assist an array of handicaps. Kurzweil 1000 and Read and Write Gold are programs that help students with learning disabilities like dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. JAWs, a text-to-speech program, reads text for visually impaired students, and a Tiger Embosser prints schoolwork out in braille.

There are also one-handed keyboards and TrackerPro Mice that track the head movements of a student with limited hand mobility.

Junior communication major Nick Williams is one of many students that is currently registered with the OSD. Involved in a car accident during his junior year of high school, Williams suffered a traumatic brain injury and was paralyzed from the chest down.

After taking time to rehabilitate and graduate high school, Williams decided that he wanted to go to college.

“FAU has been a great place to transition. I knew they would have wheelchair access, but I didn’t know they were going to be so knowledgeable as far as brain injuries go,” said Williams. “There are so many accommodations they have made, as far as the note taker, double time on my testing, seating in the front row at a special desk and all these things.”

He has noticed an influx of students, but says that it hasn’t affected the responsiveness of the OSD. “It’s a little more crowded at the OSD, but the counselors themselves, they handle everybody,” he said. “Nobody ever gets left behind. ”The office is finding new employees, including counselors.

Shaw said, “We did get one additional staff member [at the Boca Raton campus]. We’re hoping to have another one coming in shortly, a second position. It’s out there in the books, but we haven’t gotten there yet.”

The goal is to keep the student-to-counselor ratio at around 150 to one. There are currently six counselors university-wide four at Boca Raton, and one at Davie and Jupiter each.

The OSD is also utilizing resources available across campus, including using different buildings in order to house the services.

“It becomes one of those things where we have to find alternate space around campus, other departments have been very accommodating to us, such as Housing and the Center for Psychological Services and Student Health,” said Shaw. “That’s been really helpful during our peak times.”

With the rise in numbers, the question of whether or not accommodations are being abused arises; however, there is a strict process for deciding which accommodations are necessary for each case (see sidebar).

Williams said, “I do feel that there are people who might possibly be taking advantage of the system and of the accommodations, and it’s a shame … It’s gonna make it more difficult for people who need these accommodations to get them.”

10.27.2015 University Press 15

Shaw assures that the process prevents this from happening. “We haven’t had an issue with it since I’ve been here, because our standards for documentation have been pretty strict,” said Shaw. “We do that on purpose because we don’t want people taking advantage, we’re here to help those who do need it, we don’t want to give someone an unfair advantage.”

However, with the increase in workload as numbers rise, a community is being built as number rise.

Williams feels that this is a positive effect. He said, “It’s nice in a sense because it makes the community a little larger. And, when there are more people, there is more awareness.”

Alexandra Vanerven is registered with the Of�ice for Students with Disabilities.

The Numbers

See the increase of students registered with the Office for Students with Disabilities through 2013-2015.

The Office for Students with Disabilities display awards they have won over the years. Photo by Andrew Fraieli

Overall Increase

12%

by category

Medical, psychological & autism spectrum

19%

9% Learning disabilities

The Office for Students with Disabilities is located in the Student Services building, Room 133. Photo by Andrew Fraieli

10% Physical impairments

16 10.27.2015 University Press

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TAILGATERS FLAGGED FOR BEING OFFSIDES

Burrowing Owl Photo by Ryan Murphy

FAU’s “Rat’s Mouth” is having trouble settling into its new environment.

Story by Joseph Kennedy

T

he Florida Atlantic football team was pulverized in a 44-20 loss to the University of Miami Hurricanes, but not all of the destruction took place in the stadium.

After full bladdered pre-gamers trampled on the homes of gopher tortoises and burrowing owls that live next to the stadium, environmentalists are fearful for what will happen if partying continues so close to their home.

“I was only there for a few hours and I saw several people walking into the conservation area,” said Melody Schmaltz, a junior who attended the game. “If I were an animal I wouldn’t have wanted to be living there.”

The controversy began five months ago, when the decision was made to move the “Rat’s Mouth” tailgating area to Lot 5, which runs parallel to the ecological preservation site.

The “Rat’s Mouth” is an open parking area near the stadium where students can come in several hours before the game to grill and hang out for pregame activities.

The conservation area that’s adjacent to the parking lot is separated by a small post and a rail, wooden fence with signs notifying individuals about the protected area.

The area is home to many native animals, including the protected gopher tortoise and the burrowing owl.

While many students spent their afternoon in the “Rat’s Mouth” getting excited for the game, some were also there to help protect the area.

Mission Green, an FAU student organization that is dedicated to promoting environmental sustainability, was at the game to assist in cleanup efforts and protect the preserve.

“We have done a lot of cleanups at the games. This was the worst that we have ever seen though. We filled a big bag with litter just from the preserve alone,” said Kelly Mclaughlin, a member of Mission Green.

This intrusion into the preserve is what has the conservationist concerned.

18 10.27.2015 University Press

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the gopher tortoise is important to protect not only because its declining population classifies it as threatened, but because many other species rely on the reptile.

The FWC describes them as “a keystone species, serving as the backbone for the plant and animal community in which it lives.”

Jon Moore, a biologist at the Jupiter campus who studies gopher tortoises said, “Gopher tortoises change their environment with their burrowing activity. They help many other species live in the same habitat and increase species diversity.”

Gopher tortoises create tunnels that can be 15 feet below the surface and twist as far as 45 feet past the entrance.

“This unique architecture is what makes them so valuable,” he said.

Moore explained that several hundred species create homes by tunneling off of the main burrows.

To protect these areas, Florida state legislators have passed laws that penalize anyone who harms gopher tortoise burrows. There are Florida statutes that make it illegal to disrupt or damage their homes.

Gopher Tortoise Photo by Ryan Murphy

Ecological Preservation Site Home to the burrowing owl and gopher tortoise

Penalties for harming a gopher tortoise burrow can be as high as $500 and a maximum of six months jail time.

This puts any irresponsible tailgaters that cross into the conservation area in possible criminal trouble.

Florida Fish and Wildlife officer Rachel King said, “There was evidence that some of the burrows had been trampled on. They had to be dug back out by either the animals or biologists.”

On Sept. 18, a week after the Miami game, representatives from FAU, FWC and local biologists met to discuss the damage to the conservation area.

Biologist and FAU professor Evelyn Frazier told the committee that she opposed tailgating so close to the preserve.

She expressed to the UP in an email that “there should not be any tailgating so close to these animals [gopher tortoises and burrowing owls]. The university should rethink their location for tailgating.”

Executive Director of Campus Life Brett Klein said, “FAU has no plans though for moving the ‘Rat’s Mouth’ out of Lot 5. There is now a temporary fence around the conservation area with a gate that will be locked during all home games.”

When asked what other measures were being made to prevent tailgaters from entering the protected area, he said, “We will have an increased security presence, not for safety but to ensure that individuals stay out of the protected area. We will also be bringing in more port-o-johns.”

However, even with the new fence being built, some students are still concerned with the tailgating being so close to Florida’s threatened wildlife.

A “cease and desist” petition was started on Sept.

30, at Change.org, demanding that FAU President Kelly stop the tailgaiting from continuing and work to “promote the awareness of the purpose of the conservation area.”

As of Oct. 17, the petition had over 800 supporters.

In the interview that came before the petition was started, Klein did express “that they would work to establish a more permanent fence for next year.”

Tailgating area partygoers before a Sept. 11 football game between FAU and Miami.

Photo by Max Jackson

Parking Lot 5 Rat’s Mouth Tailgating Area

Overhead shot of the tailgating area at parking lot 5 behind the FAU Stadium.

Photo by Mohammed F. Emran 10.27.2015 University Press 19

Thundering

Through Campus FAU warns students of lightning, but what’s the danger?

Story by Joe Pye Photo illustration by Max Jackson

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lorida Atlantic and University of Miami fans alike sat on the edge of their seats as UM led the football game on Sept. 11, when suddenly the sound of sirens from the lightning warning system went off. A collective sigh could be heard as the horns faded, and a delay was announced because of an oncoming å.

Lightning warning systems are all across campus in areas like the football field, soccer fields and pools, because of lightning’s attraction to human bodies.

“Because the human body is basically a bag full of nicely conductive salt water, from the perspective of lightning, it makes a good conduit for the electrical discharge to pass through on its way between the cloud and ground,” says Howard Hanson, an FAU professor of geosciences.

Lightning is very dangerous and can happen suddenly. “Its effects can vary from being a minor injury – perhaps a burned spot or getting knocked out – to a fatality,” says Hanson.

This system of horns and strobes on campus, called the Thor Guard Lightning Prediction System, was put in place as a precaution to warn athletes and spectators of outdoor activities, to take cover during a storm. It was set up by FAU Environmental Health and Safety, the department on campus in charge of ensuring a safe and healthy environment for students, according to their website.

EHS is responsible for maintaining the Thor system and making sure it’s working properly. According to EHS policy, “The Thor Guard system is able to predict

so-called ‘bolts out of the blue,’ which are strikes that seem to come from nowhere and cause a high percentage of lightning fatalities.”

Lightning strikes are not the most common way for someone to die accidentally, but no other part of the world has more lightning deaths per year than Florida at 13, according to the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences at the University of Florida.

Hanson explains that “lightning is an electrical discharge, not unlike a static electricity shock you might get after shuffling your feet (in leather shoes) on a wool rug and then touching, say, a door knob – but lightning, of course, is way, way more electricity.”

Tropical climates, moisture, hot temperatures and high winds all contribute to thunderstorms and are all readily available in Florida along with places lightning strikes commonly, such as calm water. This has led to Florida’s common attribution of being the lightning capital of the country.

Lightning is unpredictable and with Florida having so much of it, the Thor system goes off frequently, much to the displeasure of athletes from the rock climbing club to football players.

FAU has taken precautions though, and at least there’s no golf course on campus, “where you, after all, are holding metal lightning rods in your hands,” says Hanson.

Lightning strikes above Innovation Village Apartments

10.27.2015 University Press 21

Deez Nets Lack of ball stoppers at FAU Stadium create an added risk to attending a football game.

Story by Zak Sadik Illustration by Ivan Benavides

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eing part of the Marching Owls requires talent, dedication and an awareness of flying objects from the playing field at football games.

Members of the band have found themselves ducking and diving out of the way of incoming footballs while in their section in the south end zone at FAU Stadium, mostly coming from field goal and extra point attempts that come during practice and games.

“It’s always been a problem,” junior music education major Jacquelyn Kent said. “I’ve been hit once or twice with a football; it always happens.”

Neither upright at Florida Atlantic is equipped with safety nets – or ball stoppers – used at many professional and collegiate stadiums to keep the ball from hitting people in the crowd and prevent fans from stealing the ball after the play is over.

Kent, a two-year member of the band’s drumline, said that without the nets, the band members have had to take measures on kick attempts to avoid getting hurt.

“We’ve started to look out for each other,” she said.

We warn people by yelling ‘Heads up! Heads up!’ if we see a ball coming.”

Even with the added awareness, there still have been injuries. One member of the color guard injured her wrist after being hit this season and was unable to perform in the band’s halftime show.

“It’s ridiculous that someone got hurt and couldn’t do their job,” Kent said.

Florida Atlantic Athletics said in a statement that the use of nets isn’t governed or required by the NCAA or Conference USA. “There are always inherent risks in attending sporting events,” the department said in a statement.

“The athletic department takes all reasonable steps to minimize those risks, while at the same time working hard to preserve the experience for our fans.”

Kent said band members sign a contract that implies FAU and its athletic department assume no responsibility for damage resulting from being hit with a football. Fans who sit in sections behind the upright are also not allowed to sue, due to the waiver of responsibility statement printed on tickets (see sidebar).

Previously, the Marching Owls sat in the west end of Lockhart Stadium (FAU football’s previous home), where there was also no net.

A possible solution could be moving the band to another location of the stands, but at the expense of ticket holders in another section.

“I don’t know where they would put us,” Kent said.

“The red seats are designed so that we can move around easily. The location also has easy access to the field, so that we don’t disrupt fans watching the game.

I think moving us would cause more problems than if we just had nets there.”

According to the athletic equipment site myAAEworld, football nets cost between $6,000 and $11,000 per net, depending on size and materials.

“I think having the nets there is kind of a no-brainer,” said senior Saudia Ali, a communication major. “I don’t really see a downside to it.”

Until a solution is found, both band members and fans will continue to be in the line of fire.

“Athletes get some perks from athletics, they get meals and things; I think it would just be one thing to make the band experience better,” Kent said. “It would be fantastic if they put up a net.”

“One of the girls got hit in the hand and couldn’t perform. It’s ridiculous that someone got hurt and couldn’t do their job.”

- Jacquelyn Kent, junior music education major and drumline member of Marching Owls

Students attempt to catch a ball that went through the upright earlier this season.

Photo by Max Jackson 10.27.2015 University Press 23