03-16-15

The Oracle MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015 I VOL. 52 NO. 93

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News.................................................................1 Opinion.......................................................6 classifieds..............................................7

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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

USF to host Bill Nye lecture — ­ of science!

O PINIO N

Obama fights loan crisis with Student Aid Bill of Rights.

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Montage

S PORTS Freshman pitcher improves record to team-best 6-0.

BACK

Bill Nye the Science Guy was announced Friday as this semester’s last University Lecture Series guest speaker.

By Wesley Higgins N E W S

E D I T O R

Science will rule the night April 7 when Bill Nye the Science Guy speaks on campus as the last guest speaker of the University Lecture Series this semester.

The former Boeing 747 engineer, who pulls off wearing a bow

tie with a lab coat, gained popularity in the 1990s as the eccentric host of a PBS show that aimed to make science exciting to young viewers.

Though each episode focused on the same concepts that put young students to sleep in their school’s labs, Nye’s quirky enthusiasm inspired awe in millions for the wonders of science.

The show ran for five seasons until its cancellation in 1998. All 100 episodes have been uploaded on YouTube where they are available to nostalgic admirers and a new generation of science fans alike.

Though Nye hasn’t stopped teaching through laughter, he’s recently taken a more serious tone when publically speaking about

SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE

the latest challenges to science.

One of the more recent outspoken moments came during the “DeflateGate” scandal. In an online video, Nye experimented to see whether cold weather could explain the deflation of a football, but then took an unexpected turn to what he felt was a more press-

n See SCIENCE on PAGE 2

Senator elect disqualified over campaign violations

By Alex Rosenthal E D I T O R

Senator elect Saeed Sinan was disqualified after his defense against using a mobile polling station was rejected.

ORACLE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU

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C H I E F

Justices on the Student Government (SG) Supreme Court ruled unanimously Friday to disqualify College of Arts and Sciences senator Saeed Sinan, and found him guilty of a major campaign violation.

According to the court’s official opinion, Sinan sponsored a mobile polling station during February’s general student body election.

The court based its 4-0 opinion on Sinan’s brief to

the court, in which he stated, “I loaned them my phone so they could use it to access the voting website. I don’t know if this is against statutes, but, again, this isn’t what the grievance is about.” Furthermore, the court added that Sinan’s testimony was another important piece of evidence, as he told the court he “directed people” to use his own cell phone to both guide people through the voting website.

The court based its decision on the principle that ignorance of the law is no excuse, as Sinan had “ample time”

to review statutes from the Election Rules Commission (ERC), which was emailed to him by the ERC staff two weeks prior.

The court did not assess violations for charges of slander or casting more than one vote due to insufficient evidence.

An election is expected at the start of next week to fill the empty seat in the SG Senate caused by Sinan’s disqualification. There will also be an election for the College of Business at the same time, due to an input error during the general election.

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SCIENCE

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ing concern.

“While we’re all obsessed with DeflateGate, let’s keep in mind there’s something about which you should give a f---,” he said.

“Yes, like Tom Brady, the world is getting hotter and hotter, and you know why? Because we humans are pumping carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.”

Nye also uses the national spotlight to pronounce religious creationist views as dangerous to U.S. education and rational belief.

The controversy escalated in 2014 when Nye debated Christian fundamentalist Ken Ham on the merits of evolution versus creationism. Tickets to the debate sold out within minutes and 3 million viewed via its online stream.

Much of the debate came down to the legitimacy of the evidence indicating the Earth is more than 10,000 years old by about 4.5 billion years. Nye also criticized the story of Noah’s Ark, arguing that the construction detailed in the Book of Genesis wouldn’t make for a boat that could stay afloat.

The media, viewers and the scientific community had mixed reactions to the debate. Some critics argued that giving a platform to creationism gave it legitimacy,

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while others thought creationism needed to be humiliated in the spotlight so viewers could realize its absurdity.

Similar to his outspokenness against creationism, in recent years Nye has also crusaded against other pseudo-scientific beliefs. He’s used his public platform on NBC and other outlets to let people know about the safety of genetically modified food and vaccines.

Nye’s first attempt at gaining the ears of older audiences started in 2005 with “The Eyes of Nye,” which aired on a PBS affiliate.

The show delved into adult topics, exploring the science behind addiction, sex and race. It also didn’t shy away from examining potential consequences and moral complexity behind cloning, nuclear energy and climate change.

As he continues to wade into the fray of controversy, however, Nye stands by his belief that, through education, the public is capable of scientific thought and can still turn things around, especially when it comes to climate change.

Nye is the third speaker of the University Lecture Series and will be one of the main events for this year’s USF Week. Broadcast journalist Soledad O’Brien spoke in January and “Lost Boy of Sudan” John Bul Dau spoke in February.

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Oil remains after Gulf cleanup

Over 10 million gallons remain on the Gulf floor from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE

By Zach Lowie S T A F F

W R I T E R

During the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, more than 200 million gallons spread across the Gulf of Mexico. Though BP claimed the cleanup was done last year, new research indicates up to 10 million gallons remain on the ocean floor.

Though the oil may not be observed above the surface, researchers say ecosystems may be suffering below.

USF researchers began a collaborative effort in 2010 with Florida State University (FSU) professors to further study the effects of this material and how it affects the benthic, or bottom-dwelling, ecosystem.

FSU professor of oceanography, Jeff Chanton, led the research effort. His team discovered that over 3,000 square miles of the Gulf showed evidence of oil on its floor.

The team observed the top of the mud in some areas had less carbon-14, a compound which oil lacks, than that of the layer underneath. They searched for areas without carbon-14, which would indicate the presence of oil.

Though the oil’s existence is now known, Chanton said the chance of removal is slim to none.

“There isn’t much that we can do about the oil,” Chanton said.

“We don’t know the long-term effects of the oil’s presence as of yet, but that’s what we’re trying to find out.”

With Chanton’s findings released earlier this month, USF will take part in future findings with a $20 million grant approved

for the next five years.

David Hollander and Steve Murawski are leading the cause and working within the Center for Integrated Modeling and Analysis of the Gulf Ecosystem (C-IMAGE), sponsored by USF. Hollander, a USF associate professor of chemical oceanography, conducted his own research in 2012 on deep marine blowouts.

Hollander discovered that oil does not always float. He said oil on the surface eventually mixes with minerals coming from rivers and algae from the ocean, weighing it down until it sinks.

The collaboration aims to study the effects on the ecosystem and food web not only in the short-term but long-term as well.

They will review the effects of the Horizon spill, as well as the 1979 Gulf oil spill, known as Ixtoc, to measure the damage done over the past 35 years.

“There’s a great idiom in geology that says ‘the present is the key to the past, but the past provides a window to see into the future,’” Hollander said. “The work in the Ixtoc system will let us see the similarities between that spill and the Horizon spill as well as the last effects in the contaminated area.”

Early research in the Bay of Campeche has shown high amounts of oil on the sea floor still remain in this region due to Ixtoc spill.

Murawski and Hollander plan to do field work in Mexico at the Ixtoc site this summer to examine aquatic life and the lasting effects of oil on its habitats.

Hollander said a fish’s ear bone records information like a tree ring,

providing data on age and quality of life for as many as seven years into the past.

“Working on fish today gives you a vision for what happened in the past,” Hollander said.

“Examining fisheries from the Ixtoc spill will help us march our way forward in time to today’s window to get a coherent, continuous understanding of how the fish populations were affected and how they returned to today’s levels.”

Hollander said some locations in the Gulf have recovered but others have continued to deteriorate.

Even for those that have recovered, the sea life is not the same as that before the Horizon blowout.

Looking to the future, Hollander said he hopes this research can establish a better response strategy for future spills and how to properly disperse the oil after it enters the ocean.

“You get the impression that people are focusing almost exclusively in the Gulf of Mexico,” Hollander said. “But let it be known that there’s been oil drilling in the Pacific coast, soon the Atlantic seaboard and the Arctic reserves.”

Chanton, Hollander and Murawski said there is a need for better handling of oil spills by the world’s governments. Hollander said the complexity of the ocean comes across as too vast of a system to contain, with countless elements to consider beyond just the water and sea life.

“The ocean’s a very special beast,” Hollander said. “You can understand the science of the ocean best … if you come at it from a basic science discipline to make further advancements.”

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Pastries with the Prez Students ate macarons and carrot cake with USF President Judy Genshaft on Thursday in the Marshall Student Center at SG’s “Pastries with the President.” ORACLE PHOTO/GRACE HOYTE

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Opinion

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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

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EDITORIAL

Obama’s Student Aid Bill of Rights is progress in fight against loan crisis idealistic tenets of Obama’s plan, which will take effect through multiple executive actions is that all students deserve a “quality, affordable education.”

After all, making the investment and commitment to attend college is one that continues to follow borrowers well after graduation.

Because of this, it is a financial life choice as much as it is a life choice to attend college in the first place.

Along with the obvious problem of student loans helping to turn out fresh college grads with a degree and significant debt to their names, the advice surrounding student loan repayment makes some major tracks and career decisions counterintuitive, which is why student loan reform should be a priority in the U.S. For example, another U.S. News article suggested that $27,183, the average undergraduate student loan debt in 2012, isn’t so scary if students don’t borrow more than their starting salary. In 2013, the average debt of a four-year USF graduate was $22, 557.

However, this rule favors students anticipating high-earning starting careers, which can obviously vary depending on the student’s major, especially if that major leads to a particular job,

As many frugal college students know, earning a college degree to improve their prospects and become more attractive to the workforce comes with a heavy price tag.

The U.S. student loan crisis peaked at $1.2 trillion in 2013, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

To again address a problem that burdens college students on such a widespread basis, President Barack Obama unveiled his plan for a “Student Aid Bill of Rights” on Tuesday. It is a series of efforts to protect student loan borrowers and reform student loan repayment, particularly by allowing borrowers to have extra payments for loans with higher interest rates to reduce the amount paid over time, according to U.S. News and World Report.

This isn’t the first time the president has tried to fight the cost of college through loan repayment.

As reported by The Oracle last year, Obama allowed about 5 million borrowers to use the Pay As You Earn repayment plan, which limits payments for federal loans to 10 percent of the borrower’s income.

According to U.S. News, probably one of the most practical yet

the Oracle

such as nursing or accounting.

This is where repayment plans relative to loans’ differing interest rates comes into play, since there are already so many variables behind debt accumulation.

The fact that this is one of the methods students can use to get a handle on their debt shows just how necessary the model for affordable education for anyone really is.

Obama’s plan will also implement a complaint system for borrowers to express grievances to federal loan servicers, collection agencies and even universities, according to U.S. News. As reported by the New York Times, federal agencies would have to improve their consumer protections and the disclosure of information, a rule that would hold these agencies accountable and ensure borrowers receive correct information.

Student loan debt is intimidating, and solutions seem all too abstract to many borrowers, especially when it remains a growing problem despite being in the U.S.’s dialogue for so long. However, student debt remaining in national conversation, along with reforms that are at least being tried, are steps in the right direction.

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T H E O R AC L E

Letter to the Editor In response to the Ohio-based Created Equal organization’s anti-abortion protest on campus last Thursday and Friday.

Anti-abortion protest goes too far I am a Ph.D. student here at USF, and for five years now I have seen the anti-abortion display and witnessed students’ responses to it. As an advocate for women and the rights we have over our bodies, I have never been a fan of the organization’s rhetoric. Until recently, however, I had not thought about the trauma these images inflict upon people who don’t have a choice other than to see them, and I had not understood how damaging their implied judgments regarding abortion can be.

Last year, my husband and I found out after three years of trying to conceive that we were pregnant with our first child. We were so excited. Unfortunately, we found out at 18 weeks that the baby wasn’t developing right, and after extensive testing, we learned that our baby would not live. Our doctors advised us to terminate since the baby was not going to live and my health was a concern.

Both fortunately and sadly, my water broke on its own a few days later, so the choice to lose our son was made for us.

My response to this demonstration is both personal and political. My experience is unique and I know not every abortion is the result of a situation like mine, but I feel the insight I’ve gained from this experience is valuable. I teach courses on rhetoric and I understand the use of pathos

the organization is choosing to employ in their visual aids, and to an extent it is effective — I experienced an overwhelming sense of sadness and grief at the sight of it.

However, I find the organization’s overall argument weak and ineffective because it fails to consider the personal — the reasons why a woman decides to have an abortion and how it could be an advocate for this woman and others instead of rallying against her. Additionally, what anti-abortion campaigns fail to recognize are the very real implications of their rhetoric.

By painting this as a black-andwhite picture, the campaigns judge women as immoral and minimize a woman’s decision as if she had not thought about what it would mean to have an abortion before making such a choice. The demonstrators fail to see or discuss the intricacies of the issue.

I would personally like to not have to see these reminders of a traumatic event in my life; but more importantly, this campaign only illustrates that the organization has a gross misunderstanding of the issue and an unwillingness to see women who are facing the decision of abortion as people in need of human compassion.

Brianna Jerman is a literature doctoral student and graduate assistant.

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Submit letters to oracleopinion@gmail.com

Classifieds UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

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Domino’s Now Hiring Delivery Drivers Domino’s is now hiring delivery drivers.Our drivers average between 12 and 17 dollars per hour including tips and mileage.Must have 2 year driving history, own your own car, and have bodily injury protection on your insurance.USF store contact number is 813-971-7875 and UT contact number is 813-221-1611.

Email michaelhaskins1123@yahoo.com

Professional Collection Specialist Position Summary: Communicate with patients in regards to balance due to uninsured or patient responsibility portions of charges. Customer service focused approach to negotiate payment and establish payment plans within company guidelines.

- No experience necessary; will train - Comfortable, casual environment - Flexible early evening hours Job Requirements: - Must have excellent communication skills - Professional attitude - Excellent attendance, responsible - Team environment; must be able to get along well - Bi-lingual Spanish speaking a plus With a robust employee development program, GCCB is committed to investing in our staff.

Please include your resume and send to mgiddings@gulfcoastcollection.com If your qualifications meet our needs, we will contact you directly. No phone calls please.

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Crossword

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Softball

Stellar pitching helps USF take four of five

By Jacob Hoag A S S T .

S P O R T S

E D I T O R

The USF Softball team won four games in the Michele Smith Spring Break Tournament — all without allowing a run — but a shutout loss to Towson on Saturday night brought its 16-game winning streak to a halt.

USF (25-8) has been red hot since Feb. 27, winning 16 games — three by mercy rule — and scoring an average of 5.5 runs a game.

After losing four of five games in early February, the Bulls have now won 18 of their past 19. The latest win comes from a 5-1 victory over Army (7-13) on Sunday at the USF Softball Complex.

Redshirt freshman Susan Wysocki improved her team-best record to 6-0 by throwing 5 2/3 innings with six strikeouts and one earned run allowed.

Sophomore Juli Weber got the

offense off to an early start with an RBI triple in the bottom of the first, and scored sophomore Kristen Wyckoff from first to give the Bulls a 1-0 lead.

Junior Lee Ann Spivey followed and put down the squeeze bunt to score Weber.

In the third, junior Monica Santos reached on a throwing error by the third baseman and advanced to second on the throw to first base. Santos scored both Weber and Spivey to put USF up 4-0. Army and USF would both score one run to conclude the game. *** The Bulls picked up two shutout wins Friday night with a 2-0 victory over Iowa State (16-9) and an 8-0 win over Boston (6-16).

This was due to dominant pitching by USF. Prior to Saturday’s 3-0 loss to Towson, USF pitchers were 14-0 in March, with a season-low 0.72

staff ERA. Junior Erica Nunn pitched five hitless innings against Iowa State before catcher Sammie Hildreth singled with no outs in the sixth inning.

Nunn picked up her sixth win of the season.

Against Boston, USF exploded for all eight runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Santos, USF’s most consistent hitter over the last dozen games, contributed to the offensive barrage with a three-run home run over the left-field wall — her second of the year.

“This team is showing that they can score in bunches,” coach Ken Eriksen said following the game. “To throw eight up on the board again in one inning — I think we’ve done that a couple times this year, so it’s exciting.”

Senior Sam Greiner earned the win and allowed only two hits in a complete game shutout, which

Redshirt freshman pitcher Susan Wysocki improved her record to a team-best 6-0 after picking up two wins over the weekend.

ORACLE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU

brought her record to 7-1.

USF has three midweek home games starting with Central Connecticut State tonight at 6

and Hartford and Canisius on Tuesday at 5 p.m. before diving into conference play next weekend against Houston.

Baseball

Borders brothers back Bulls in sweep

Levi Borders, who hit two home runs in the series against FAMU, leads USF with four home runs. ORACLE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU

By Tiana Aument C O R R E S P O N D E N T

Brothers Levi and Luke Borders powered the Bulls in their sweep of FAMU this weekend, extending USF’s winning streak to seven.

In the three-game series that began Friday and concluded Sunday, catcher Levi Borders went 5-for-10 with two home runs and seven RBIs, while his younger brother went 6-for-10 with two doubles and six runs.

“Levi and Luke Borders were outstanding all weekend,” coach Mark Kingston said. “They’re two of our better hitters right now.

Levi has solidified our pitching staff (behind the plate). He’s throwing better, he’s blocking balls that should be blocked and Luke, now, is probably our hottest hitter. Those two guys are a major impact for us.”

Levi set the tone early Friday for USF (13-6-1). The junior hit two

three-run home runs to left-center within the first three innings, which put the Bulls up 9-1.

Levi, who hit just one home run last year, currently leads the Bulls with four about four weeks into the regular season.

“I made a few adjustments the past couple days,” Levi said after the Bulls’ 10-5 win Friday. “The past couple weeks, my stride has been really big, and I’ve been striding into the plate a lot. I just try to pick my foot up and set it right back down.”

Luke doubled and scored in his first two at-bats of Saturday’s 4-1 victory against the Rattlers (7-11).

The sophomore, who had seven extra-base hits last season, currently leads the Bulls with seven doubles.

“I was seeing the ball pretty well,” the designated hitter said.

“Sometimes I get ahead of myself and try to speed up the pitch, so I just slowed down the pitch and

let it fly.”

Luke also propelled the Bulls in Sunday’s 5-0 finale, going 2-for-4 with a walk and two runs.

He scored on right fielder Luke Maglich’s RBI single in the Bulls’ two-run fourth, and then again in the Bull’s two-run seventh. Maglich went 2-for-3 with a walk and three stolen bases.

Joe Cavallaro (3-0) earned the win Sunday after tossing seven shutout innings, Casey Mulholland (3-2) took the win Saturday after striking out 12 over 6 2/3 innings and Jimmy Herget collected his fourth win Friday after allowing one run through five innings.

“When you look at a weekend and you go 3-0, I think you have to focus on the positives and say we’re taking good steps,” Kingston said.

The Bulls will look to keep their winning streak alive Tuesday night when USF hosts Stetson (13-9) at 6:30.