4.22.19

THE ORACLE

M O N DAY, A P R I L 2 2 , 2 0 1 9 I VO L . 5 6 N O . 4 8

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U N I V E R S I T Y O F S O U T H F L O R I DA

Administration says USF is already in compliance with governor’s free-speech policy

By Alyssa Stewart N E W S

E D I T O R

USF President Judy Genshaft, along with 12 other Florida university presidents, signed the “state university system free expression statement” on April 15.

This policy states that full and open discourse will be made accessible for all 12 public postsecondary institutions in the state.

The statement was issued after Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) delivered a speech at FSU about the importance of upholding all forms of speech on campus, specifically conservative viewpoints.

“We are showing that we welcome debate and the exchange of ideas,” DeSantis said in his speech last Monday.

“Our state’s higher learning institutions can lead the way in promoting open discussion

and civil discourse.”

DeSantis’ resolution was prompted after President Donald Trump signed an executive order about free speech last month.

Trump also stated that universities that do not comply with the policy could be at risk of losing federal grants.

However, USF should not be at risk because Dean of Students Danielle McDonald said USF is already in compliance with these regulations.

“Any speaker could be controversial,” McDonald said.

“USF student organizations have brought speakers to campus with very diverse viewpoints.”

The USF system created an “events, signage and space

n See SPEECH on PAGE 3

President Judy Genshaft signed a free-speech expression statement along with 12 other state university presidents last week. ORACLE FILE PHOTO

Student body president reflects on two-year term

By Maria Ranoni M A N A G I N G

E D I T O R

For graduating seniors, the end of the semester can serve as a time to reflect on their time in college.

One such senior is Moneer Kheireddine, USF’s student body president (SBP) who is wrapping up his second term.

Given his unique position of being a two-term president, he was able to have double the time to implement his campaign initiatives as some of his predecessors.

In that time, there have been successes and failures, but he said he is most proud of the National Panhellenic Council (NPHC) Commemorative Plaza that opened

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in February.

Nestled between the USF Federal Credit Union and the USF Post Office, the plaza took about 16 months to complete in terms of designing, funding and construction.

According to Kheireddine, it took a lot of work from him and Vice President Shaquille Kent.

“I’m really proud to have been

OPINION 6

one of the people, one of the founders, that was able to kind of help push the initial funding and to start building the space and I think it’s only going to grow and grow in the years to come,” Kheireddine said. “I hope I get to be successful in the future and hopefully give back.”

Like Kheireddine, the last twoterm SBP left behind something

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he hoped would grow to be a cornerstone of campus life: the current Marshall Student Center (MSC).

Mike Griffin served as SBP from 2001-03 and was an instrumental figure in getting funding for the MSC as students know it today.

Most recently, he served as the chair

n See MONEER on PAGE 3

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The Oracle THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1966

Editor in Chief Jesse Stokes @JesseStokes813

Managing Editor Maria Ranoni @ByMariaRanoni

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Alyssa Stewart

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Aida Vazquez-Soto

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The Oracle is published Monday and Thursday during the fall and spring semesters, and once weekly, Wednesday, during the summer.

The Oracle allocates one free issue to each student. Additional copies are $.50 each and available at the Oracle office (SVC 0002).

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NEWS

U N I V E RS I T Y O F S OU T H F L O R I DA

SPEECH

Continued from PAGE 1

management” policy in 2017 — which was amended last year — to determine its open space regulations.

“USF has consistently adopted and upheld policies that ensure free speech on campus,” McDonald said.

The policy allows open space on campus to be available to the public as long as it is not connected to a specific use.

Outdoor areas may be used for “informal, unscheduled and unamplified expression of opinion … ” The speaker must still abide by the university policies and regulations when on USF property. If the speaker fails to adhere, consequences may include being issued a

“no-trespass warning,” banned from the property or given a fine.

If a situation arises where a “controversial” speaker was causing a disturbance on campus, McDonald said it would be “handled on an individual basis to ensure the safety of the campus.”

Given the state policy, McDonald said she believes USF students should be exposed to an assortment of opinions and ideas.

“I do think that it is important for students to have the opportunity to hear different ideas and to have the ability to challenge those ideas and decide for themselves what they believe about those ideas,” McDonald said.

Dean of Students Danielle McDonald said the university already prioritizes having diverse guest speakers. ORACLE PHOTO/LEDA ALVIM

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T H E O R AC L E

Student Body President Moneer Kheireddine (right) reflects on his time in his role and said that his future beyond USF is still unknown. ORACLE FILE PHOTO

MONEER

Continued from PAGE 1

of the USF Consolidation Task Force.

“Certainly, I’m proud of that building and what it represents and what it does by bringing the students together,” Griffin said. “Walking into that building, even today, has a very special meaning to me and I think students for many, many years will feel the same way.”

As many SBP’s, both Griffin and Kheireddine also experienced setbacks that prevented certain initiatives from being achieved and others needing to take priority.

“I felt like I failed more than I succeeded, and I think a part of that is being a harsh critic on myself, but I was able to try a lot of different things out,” Griffin said. “Working with a diverse team prepared me for growing a business after college.”

Kheireddine said that USF being in a transition state due to the looming consolidation, which requires USF’s three campuses to operate under a single accreditation, and the recently ended presidential search, his second term proved to have its own unique challenges.

“We had a lot of things we had to deal with this year that were

external to our rules that other presidents never had to deal with like, for example, consolidation,” Kheireddine said. “That was a big thing that played a heavy role ... We were trying our best to manage that alongside our regular duties you know and on top of that you know it’s our senior year.”

Among his self-reported successes like the NPHC Plaza, and securing funding for an on-campus emergency transport vehicle and esports, some of Kheireddine’s campaign promises were not fully realized.

These include installing parking trackers in the busiest parking garages and lots, creating a campuswide syllabus bank and ridding the minus of USF’s plus/minus grading scale, among others.

While none of these initiatives have been completed, Kheireddine said the parking trackers are fully funded and are merely waiting on construction plans. The syllabus bank and change in the grading scale are lost in the wind and still in the midst of negotiations, respectively.

Nevertheless, Kheireddine said he did his best to serve and connect with his fellow students.

He also said he didn’t mind

wearing a suit to school on most days.

“I think in a lot of realities, this role really did teach me the value of not just being humble but of understanding that at the end of the day everything you do is in service to others,” Kheireddine said. “I think in any role that I take on after this that’s always going to be my main goal.”

In terms of future plans, Kheireddine said he doesn’t have it all figured out yet. What he’s sure of is that he wants to work in a creative field due to his love of writing.

When he graduates on May 3 alongside some of the students he served for two years, Kheireddine will still be expected to give his customary speech at his own graduation ceremony, in addition to the other ceremonies.

His last message to students?

“I encourage them to be authentic to themselves,” he said.

Griffin has his own advice for Kheireddine.

“I would say to Moneer, you want to run through the finish line,” Griffin said. “I know his time is winding down very quickly but I would hope that he leaves the university leaving it all on the field if you will and doesn’t go too far.”

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T H E O R AC L E

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OPINION

U N I V E RS I T Y O F S OU T H F L O R I DA

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Hypocrisy shines through Sanders’ tax returns

in regards to election meddling

By Jared Sellick

E D I T O R

C O L U M N I S T

C H I E F

The Mueller report has been released and no definitive signs of collusion between President Donald Trump and the Russian government were found.

Now, many Democrats — especially those vying for the Oval Office in 2020 — are redirecting their attention to attack the president. Among them is Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT).

“Hey, President Trump, my wife and I just released 10 years.

Please do the same. Let the American people know,” Sanders said during a Fox News Town Hall last week.

But Sanders’ tax returns are where the issues begin for the presidential hopeful.

As it turns out, Sanders is riding a thin line of hypocrisy as he is now a part of the one percent that he has vehemently spoken out against over the last five years, according to the Internal Revenue Service.

Sanders and his wife earned over $1 million in both 2016 and 2017.

This is hardly relatable to the average American, who earns roughly $56,000 a year, according to a 2015 report from the U.S. Census. Sanders earned roughly ten times that amount with a personal adjusted gross income of $561,293.

Sanders is hardly the only Democratic candidate with a high adjusted gross income.

In fact, he is not even the

Bernie Sanders’ tax returns show that he and his wife collectively earned over $1 million last year, placing him as part of the one percent he continually speaks out against. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE richest in the field.

At the top of that list is Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA), who has an adjusted gross income of $1,889,156, followed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren who earned $846,394, according to the New York Times.

“These tax returns show that our family has been fortunate,” Sanders said in a statement after they were released. “I am very grateful for that. As I grew up in a family that lived paycheck to paycheck and I know the stress of economic insecurity.”

But Sanders, 77, did not grow up in the time that many young Americans that fill a majority of

his base grew up in.

With his age and now economic wealth after his book deals, is Sanders truly as relatable as he was in 2016?

Sure, Sanders’s wealth is minuscule compared to Trump’s.

But as House Democrats continue to demand Trump’s tax returns — which may be a valid request — they should first ensure that their own party’s returns do not negate a large issue that they are campaigning on.

Jesse Stokes is a junior majoring in political science.

T H E O R AC L E

Communication is key

By Jesse Stokes I N

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The release of the Mueller report resulted in predictable partisan backlash, but the findings made in regard to election meddling in Florida should concern all voters regardless of party affiliation.

The Special Council’s report on Russian interference released by the Department of Justice on Thursday claimed, “We understand the FBI believes that this operation enabled [Russian military intelligence] to gain access to the network of at least one Florida county government.”

The Mueller report raised a lot of questions in regards to the way President Donald Trump has conducted himself.

The report highlights how Trump repeatedly attempted to interfere or stop the Russia investigation.

The question of what the next steps should be after the release of this report is a subject of debate, but one thing shouldn’t be up for discussion.

We must protect our local information from foreign actors.

What is so astonishing about the claims made in the Mueller report is the fact that the information breach seemed to go unnoticed by the Florida state government.

A number of Floridian departments and officials have expressed their surprise

at this news.

This includes the Florida Department of State which released a statement Thursday that claimed, “Upon learning of the new information released in the Mueller report, the Department immediately reached out to the FBI to inquire which county may have been accessed, and they declined to share this information with us,” according to NPR. President of the Florida State Association of Supervisor of Elections Paul Lux said he “hadn’t heard even a whisper,” from federal investigators, according to an interview with NPR. There appears to be a level of disconnect between federal investigators and the local governments in charge of protecting our elections.

There may not be a lot of agreement in the country on what we should take away from the Mueller report but the report seems to highlight the lack of communication between federal investigators and local government.

If we are to properly protect our elections, we need to be equipped with the knowledge of where our protection is weakest.

Jared Sellick is a junior majoring in political science.

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FINALS

Continued from PAGE 8

and even look to work ahead depending on what we have planned in the future.”

Santos prefers to study immediately after he’s finished with his practice for the day.

He’ll often seek help outside of the classroom through tutors or study groups.

“I usually start studying right after practice until whenever I feel good,” Santos said. “I try to get with a tutor at the library and go through study guides and study whenever I can.”

While it may seem hard to play for a Division I sports program and devote time to anything else, Bruni and Santos — both health science majors — see it as two aspects of their lives that mesh together.

Not only is studying

throughout the semester important for aiding in preparation for finals week, but it helps improve time management skills and take advantage of busy schedules.

“Being part of the USF softball program has greatly impacted my education in a positive way,” Bruni said. “I have really learned how to manage my time and stay on track with all my assignments.”

Santos has also gained valuable time management skills in his experience as a student-athlete. “[USF baseball] has impacted me greatly because it taught me time management and to study at every possible moment I can — whether it was on a bus or on a plane,” Santos said. “It has taught me how to use my time wisely.”

SOFTBALL Athlete or not, finals week is stressful for a majority of students at USF. Even with her jam-packed schedule of practices, games and finals assignments, Bruni is still able to take a step back and put everything into perspective with her final exams around the corner while USF softball continues its run atop the AAC standings.

“The biggest thing I have learned throughout my past three years as a student-athlete is that the exams, the studying, the work, is all inevitable,” Bruni said. “So why stress about it? You will either fail or succeed, and neither of those are the end of the world.”

Continued from PAGE 8

strikeouts this season in Friday’s game at UConn. She currently has 209 strikeouts this season and an 0.87 ERA. Her 13-inning game against UCF matched the record for most innings pitched for a single pitcher in program history.

To top it off, Corrick writes off her impressive stats with her go-to answer along the lines of “I just do what I have to do.”

Needless to say, Corrick is able to control a game while in the circle. Did I mention she’s only a sophomore?

At the plate, junior outfielder AnaMarie Bruni continues to put up impressive stats. She has a batting average of .383 in the AAC and leads the conference with 59 hits. She’s also third overall in individual AAC stats.

Batting? Solid. At least five

USF players are currently hitting above .250.

To top it all off, USF softball is currently No. 24 in the NCAA according to RPI. With numbers as impressive as the ones USF softball is putting up, it’s looking to be an almost dominant season for the Bulls. We may even see USF exact revenge on Tulsa in the postseason, the team that defeated the Bulls in the AAC Tournament final last season.

It’s an exciting time for USF softball and, as long as the team maintains its success, it’ll definitely be a season to remember. The regular season and the tournament could both be in the bag for the Bulls, which would be an impressive feat from an impressive team.

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SPORTS

U N I V E RS I T Y O F S OU T H F L O R I DA

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T H E O R AC L E

Athletes find balance as finals approach

By Julia Stein C O R R E S P O N D E N T

There are only a few weeks left in the spring semester and that means there is one thing standing in most students way before summer: finals.

Students often find themselves lost in their own stress and cramming right before an exam as if these tests are the only thing on their mind. But some students also have to focus on another demanding task — playing a sport at USF. Despite being in the middle of their seasons, USF softball infielder AnaMarie Bruni and baseball infielder Jordan Santos have figured out ways to balance their busy schedules with studying for finals.

“I try to keep [academics and baseball] separated,” Santos said. “I make sure I give both things in my life the certain time they need for me to be

successful because I really care about both of those things.”

For students who are in USF’s athletic programs, it is very important to give both studying and practicing the proper attention in order to excel at both.

“You really need to find a balance between school and your sport,” Bruni said. “My education is very important to me so I make sure that I am handling all of my class work which, in turn, allows me to have fun and not worry when I am playing softball.”

Many students find it hard to balance school work with a social life, while athletes like Bruni and Santos have to balance even more.

Bruni organizes her schedule a month at a time so she can manage her time between softball and her class assignments.

“At the beginning of each

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Jordan Santos (5) and other USF athletes find a balance between athletics and academics as finals week approaches. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE/GOUSFBULLS month I write down my assignment due dates and

practice/game schedule,” Bruni said. “This helps me to stay

on top of all my assignments,

n See FINALS on PAGE 7

Commentary

Softball is the most promising team at USF

By Nolan Brown

C O R R E S P O N D E N T

USF’s athletics and on-field success aren’t necessarily synonymous.

Football has yet to capture an AAC title and has a 3-2 record in bowl games since 2010.

Baseball has just two NCAA Tournament appearances since 2002 and the men’s basketball

CBI championship is the result of one successful season.

Granted, there are some programs that stand out like women’s basketball making appearances in 15 postseason tournaments in coach Jose Fernandez’s 19 years at the helm. There is also men’s golf, which has won the last four AAC titles and made six

consecutive trips to the NCAA Regional Tournament.

Under the 22-year tenure of coach Ken Eriksen, however, USF softball is an outlier.

Eriksen has led the Bulls to 12 NCAA Tournament appearances and is yet again alone at the top of the AAC standings.

Given the current state of

sports, USF softball is the most promising sport on campus.

Now I know what most people are thinking: USF men’s basketball is in position to be insanely good next season, which is probably true, but when you consider the numbers that USF softball is putting up, you might reconsider.

Softball just completed

its fourth consecutive sweep Friday with two shutout wins over UConn this weekend.

Softball currently sits at 12-2 atop of the AAC standings and is in prime position to take the regular-season title.

Pitcher Georgina Corrick continues to be a force in the circle after she reached 200

n See SOFTBALL on PAGE 7