11-26-14

The Oracle WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2014 I VOL. 52 NO. 53

Inside this Issue

N E W S

E D I T O R

LI F E STYLE

Montage

S PORTS Bulls finish season with war on I-4.

BACK

Verna Glenn went to the doctor in April 2008 for what should have been a routine procedure. Instead, Glenn, an administrative specialist in the USF Registrar’s Office, was put on dialysis and told her kidneys were shutting down.

Glenn left work on sick leave after test results found she had a form of cancer known as multiple myeloma. She used all of her accrued and pooled sick leave while undergoing dialysis three days a week and chemotherapy two days a week.

Employees from across the university lined up to donate some of their accrued sick leave to Glenn, which she used until she was able to return to work in April 2009.

“All I could say was ‘thank you,’” Glenn said. “That kept my lights on, that kept my mortgage paid, that kept my water going and it allowed me to maintain my insurance that covered my visits to Moffitt and the medications I had to get.”

Last week, the university informed staff that the sick leave donation program that Glenn credits for saving her livelihood will soon be terminated.

While there is a sick leave pool where employees may contribute accrued hours to a central pool that members can draw from, donated sick leave is given to those who have already used the 340 hours provided by the central pool.

Susie Shannon, president of the staff union, said dissolution of this policy was unexpected and unexamined during negotiations for the 201415 staff contract.

“None of us on the staff side of the table had any idea that this was being planned,” she said. “The university seems to have lost all of its integrity.”

The staff union is claim-

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Activists seek justice for Michael Brown

Students from the USF chapter of Students for a Democratic Society joined a number of Tampa activists outside the Hillsborough County Courthouse in downtown Tampa on Tuesday morning to protest the grand jury decision in Ferguson, Missouri. A grand jury decided not to indict officer Darren Wilson in the shooting of Michael Brown. The decision sparked rioting in Ferguson, which resulted in the burning and looting of several stores Monday night.

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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

Donated sick leave terminated for staff

By Wesley Higgins

How to get the most out of Thanksgiving leftovers.

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The Index

News.................................................................1 Lifestyle......................................................4 Opinion.......................................................6

Bulls ready for UCF rivals

By Amar Rele C O R R E S P O N D E N T

Throughout the week leading up to Friday’s game against UCF, the televisions in the USF locker room have been flickering continuously with images of past games the Bulls have played against the Knights.

Because the two teams began to play each other again just last year after taking a five-year break, many players don’t have much experience with the rivalry. Coach Willie Taggart said he decided to show the players these games to help them realize the magnitude of this week’s game.

“We have a lot of young guys here who don’t understand the rivalry and the young tradition that we have here and we think it is important for learning about the history and tradition at USF,” Taggart said.

With a loss to Memphis on Saturday, USF (4-7, 2-5) is no longer bowl eligible, but still has an important game remaining on the schedule.

This week marks only the second conference matchup between USF and UCF in what has been nicknamed the “war on I-4.”

Before the tough loss against now-NFL quarterback Blake Bortles and the Knights in 2013, the Bulls owned the alltime series against UCF, 4-0, including a 64-12 beatdown in 2007 when the Bulls were ranked fifth in the nation.

The Bulls hope to salvage their season and earn their victory against a team with a winning record.

Although the Bulls lead the

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Strangulation’s hidden role in domestic abuse

By Jessica Prakke C O R R E S P O N D E N T

It takes a few pounds of pressure on the throat before a person is rendered unconscious. Once the pressure is remove, the victim wakes up with a raspy voice and possible brain damage, but no physical marks to show an officer.

After years of research and studies on reported cases of strangulation in romantic relationships, Manisha Joshi, an assistant professor in the USF College of Behavioral and Community Sciences, wrote a paper on the role of strangulation in intimate partner violence (IPV) that was published in October’s issue of American Journal of Public Health.

In the paper, Joshi and colleagues discuss strangulation, reduced blood flow to and from the brain via the external compression of blood vessels in the neck and as a human rights and health concern with the main victims being women.

“A person could have been strangled and you would never know,” she said.

Joshi said she was first intrigued by the idea of strangulation in IPV as a doctoral student of Susan Sorenson at the University of Pennsylvania.

After a lecture by a medical examiner about the effects of strangulation and the lack of evidence in IPV cases, Joshi could not get the thought out of her mind that external evidence such as bruises were undetectable for a few days after the event.

Manual strangulation, gripping the throat with one’s hands, appears to be the most common method of strangulation in IPV, according to the publication, although ligatures, belts and scarves, are

also used.

“It is a very unique type of violence in that it doesn’t immediately leave marks,” said Sorenson, the paper’s co-author.

Victims of strangulation can suffer minor brain damage, affecting things like memory and cognition, along with other physical and psychological implications, Sorenson said.

About one of every 100 women in the general population, in the studied areas, reported their intimate partner had strangled them, Sorenson said.

“A person might be walking in front of you, you might be talking to that person and you may never know that this person was strangled,” Joshi said.

To help prevent intimate partner violence, Joshi uses her research in teaching her USF students in School of Social Work.

Joshi also uses her knowledge to train 911 dispatchers, hotline operators, police officers and others on how to better collect evidence from a victim.

The training ranges from assessing how a person’s voice sounds to asking about their symptoms and how to correctly ask a question so that the victim fully understands what the interviewer is asking.

“I am committed to making the world a safer place for women,” Sorenson said.

Sorenson has been an advocate fighting violence against women for about 25 years, working with community-based organizations and teaching classes on violence prevention.

For victims of this or similar violence, Joshi said the National Domestic Violence Hotline is a 24/7 confidential hotline with trained advocates to help victims, available at 1-800-799-SAFE.

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STAFF

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ing the university flipped the tables at the eleventh hour by threatening to withhold the staff contract’s ratification.

However, USF spokeswoman Lara Wade said the change in sick leave was fully presented, discussed and agreed upon during contract negotiations.

“This should really be a surprise to no one,” she said.“…

I’m not quite sure how anyone didn’t understand what was happening when they agreed upon this mutually at the table.”

If the staff union had decided to renegotiate, Shannon said the university threatened to start bargaining from scratch. This would delay and possibly risk the 3 percent raise for staff the university had agreed to.

“There’s no guarantee that we would get the same things we got, and the things that we got were so important,” Shannon said.

As to why the university no longer wishes to stop donations, Shannon said she met with Vice President of Human Resources Trudie Frecker, who said the program was mismanaged from the start because its fund wasn’t properly set up and the costs ended up coming from department budgets.

The university’s legal basis for discontinuing sick leave is a document from March of 2014. Both chief negotiators of the university and the staff union initialed striking the chief accounting officer’s control over donated sick leave on this document.

On the page prior, however, the initials of the staff union chief negotiator are absent while the initials of the university’s chief negotiator are next to the striking out of the paragraph allowing sick leave to be donated.

The 2014-15 contract that the staff union signed included changes to the donated sick leave program, but Shannon said the union was not made verbally aware during negotiations.

Notes of the bargaining meetings were taken by hand for both sides.

The Oracle did not receive the requested transcripts from

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the university by the time of print.

Shannon said she could not provide her copies because the union agreed not to share their notes as part of the ground rules set by the university.

In an email to the staff union, Shannon stated the only related discussion was ending the sick leave donations to new hires.

She said a worker discussed the possibility of termination for the entire program with her before the contract was voted on, however.

After bargaining concluded and Shannon said she became aware of the termination, the staff union negotiator sent a cease-and-desist email to university officials.

“We got emails … going ‘Don’t you remember agreeing to this last year?’” Shannon said. “Well, heck no, we didn’t remember having agreed to that last year.”

Wade said it’s improbable the policy change was overlooked, as the union displays all the staff contract changes before voting internally.

“I would imagine that’s what happened here,” she said.

The staff union collected votes and agreed to the contract Friday.

Shannon said staff employees are nonetheless “overwhelmingly” excited about the rest of the contract.

“We got some things we can really use to defend people against some of the work management practices,” she said.

“The raise was, of course, very important.”

This year’s negotiations were for a three-year contract.

Aside from the raise, the staff union will receive protection against public reprimanding from supervisors and a more affordable grievance procedure.

For the next three years, the staff union may only request two articles and a wage increase each year. Shannon said brining the donated sick leave program back to the table would cost the union a chance for another demand.

“I hope that we can do something to change the situation. I don’t know that we can,” she said. “I certainly want to reach out to the university for some more conversation, but there’s no telling.”

The Oracle is looking for photographers Email oracleeditor@gmail.com for more information.

Lifestyle

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What to do with Thanksgiving leftovers

By Allison Buckner C O R R E S P O N D E N T

Thanksgiving is about showing our gratitude for all of the things that we are thankful for in our lives.

One of those things is probably the multitude of decadent dishes shared with family. After a long day of stuffing yourself, eating more may not be the first thing on your mind.

However, odds are good that you’ll be stuck with a refrigerator full of enough food for a second Thanksgiving.

Turkey sandwich A leftover staple is the classic turkey sandwich. While it’s hard to beat the classic, plain turkey with mayonnaise on white bread, there are lots of ways to dress it up with a few of your favorite sides.

One favorite combination is the turkey and cranberry sauce sandwich. This sandwich tastes delectable hot or cold. Popular additions to compliment the cranberry sauce include Brie or goat cheese.

Make your own unique combinations by adding items such as avocado, bacon, dried cranberries or caramelized onions. Pressed or straight out of the refrigerator, this is a Thanksgiving leftover masterpiece that will keep the holiday spirit going for days, or even weeks.

Soup and casserole There are many ways to get creative with leftovers beside

the turkey and cranberry sauce sandwich. A quick search online will provide many interesting dishes that are less common but just as delicious.

Soup dishes are an easy ways to use many leftover items. Turkey noodle soup makes for a great day-afterThanksgiving dinner that’s not as heavy but just as delicious.

Turkey, roasted sweet potatoes, butternut squash and even mashed potatoes can be combined for a great soup.

Get creative Plan for leftovers by keeping the turkey bones soaked to make broth. Add any veggies and meat you desire to make an assortment of dishes.

Turkey, stuffing and veggies can also be used to make a pot pie or a casserole.

Part of the fun in toying with new dishes is creating some crazy combinations. Turn up the heat and try making turkey enchiladas, burritos or tacos. Add hot sauce, beans and Mexican cheese for a new combination of a holiday classic.

For a post-Black-Fridayshopping breakfast, try a turkey and avocado omelet. For those looking for something a bit lighter after gorging Thursday, toss some cold turkey onto a mixed green salad and add your favorite dressing.

Leftovers are just one more thing to be thankful for. Seeing family and friends, welcoming the holiday season, football and parades wouldn’t be the same without the gluttonous amount of food consumed.

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Bulls Blitz to Raymond James canceled for UCF football game USF will not have the Bulls Blitz buses for students to ride to Raymond James Stadium for Friday’s football game against UCF, according to an announcement by Student Government’s via Facebook on Tuesday.

SG Chief of Staff Greg Berkowitz said the decision to cancel the transporta-

tion was made after SG conducted a survey on social media and found a majority of those polled were going to be away from the stadium for Thanksgiving or were going to the UCF game but would not take the Bulls Blitz.

Berkowitz said over 100 students took the survey.

Based on the survey

results, Berkowitz said SG did not want to waste student money to operate the shuttles.

For those wishing to view the game from campus, the game will be broadcast on ESPN2 with a noon kickoff.

— Staff report

LAYUP

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sophomore.

“Finally, I looked at him and he gave me the look like he was ready so I said, ‘All right Chris, let’s go. You’re going to make this play,’” Antigua said.

USF (4-1) was able to come back in the final minutes due to the shooting of senior guard Corey Allen Jr. Allen had 11 of his teamleading 18 points in the final four minutes, including three 3-pointers, which ignited the otherwise quiet crowd.

“I was trying to be locked and loaded every time the ball came to me and just shoot it with confidence any time I touched it,” Allen said.

USF struggled with fouls in the second half, just as it did against NC State on Sunday.

The Bulls’ fouls resulted in 28 free throw attempts for Hofstra, compared to only eight from the Bulls.

Corey Allen Jr. led the Bulls with 18 points and made three 3-pointers in the final minutes Tuesday. ORACLE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU Antigua said the foul trou- to get to the line as much as ble is an issue the team is we can. It just isn’t happening struggling with, but it’s a top right now, so we’ll go to the drawing board.” priority to fix going forward.

USF will host Jacksonville “We’re a team that’s not taking a lot of threes and in the Sun Dome on Saturday we’re being aggressive,” at 2 p.m. The game will be Antigua said. “We want to try broadcast on ESPN3.

Opinion

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Editor applications for the Spring 2015 semester are now available.

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What you said Multimedia editor Adam Mathieu asked students what UCF jokes they’ve heard in anticipation of Friday’s football game.

“One post on Yik Yak that has a lot of likes is that UCF is the kid singing ‘cha cha cha’ at a birthday party.”

For more information, contact the editor at oracleeditor@gmail.com

— Cody Garcia, a sophomore majoring in business “People have said that they are not a good school or they’ll make fun of the area, but that they have a good football team, which might cream us.” ­ Jessica Scott, a senior — majoring in integrative animal biology

the Oracle

“I’ve been seeing people online are trash talking UCF. One of the posts said, ‘My relatives asked me if I go to UCF, I’ve never been so insulted in my life.’”

the University of South Florida’s student newspaper since 1966

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“I saw a post that said ‘I don’t know who I feel worse for, the people begging on Fowler or the UCF grads that will be joining them.’”

— Malika Blackwood, a junior majoring in computer science

Classifieds UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

To place a classified ad go to HELP WANTED Math tutor needed for grades K-12.

Starts at $8.50/hr. Email resume, name of last completed math class, and schedule to newtampa@mathnasium.com (813) 644-7282

ANNOUNCEMENTS Part-time : clubhouse welcome desk position.

Check-in members/answer phones.

Morning, evening/weekend shifts, 4-10 hrs per week.

30 min. from USF Tampa Campus.

SW Pasco.Send resume to frank.oliveto1@verizon.net

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The Rundown Outside USF The Boston Red Sox made the biggest splash thus far in free agency Monday, signing Hanley Ramirez for five years and $88 million and Pablo Sandoval for five years and $95 million.

Quick Facts •

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USF men’s basketball made 14 fewer free throws than Hofstra on Tuesday night, but won 71-70 behind efficient shooting down the stretch.

In five meetings, USF football has outscored UCF 170-90 and has won four of the matchups.

What to watch for A win over UConn (2-8, 1-5) for Memphis (8-3, 6-1) on Saturday would secure the Tigers with the AAC Championship for 2014. UConn has yet to be a conference opponent outside of SMU. Cincinnati (7-3, 5-1) will play at Temple (5-5, 3-3) on Saturday, only trailing Memphis by one win in the conference.

FOOTBALL

UCF (7-4, 5-1) at USF (4-7, 3-5)

When: Friday, noon Where: Raymond James Stadium TV/Radio: ESPN2, IMG/USF

Radio Network

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Men’s Basketball

RIVALS

Perry layup secures Bulls’ comeback

Continued from FRONT

all-time series, UCF won in their first conference matchup last year, 23-20. The two-win Bulls almost upset No. 19 UCF and forced three turnovers from Bortles.

The Bulls who played in last year’s game against UCF, such as sophomore safety Nate Godwin, remember the pain of losing.

“I was upset – everybody was upset – people were crying and it was a hard loss to take,” Godwin said.

The players haven’t been shy about expressing their feelings toward UCF, and seniors such as Todd Chandler are trying to make it clear to the younger players in the clubhouse.

“You inherit that hate when you sign that letter at South Florida and coach Taggart has been playing the old-school games against UCF to let the younger guys know what we are fighting for,” Chandler said. “It’ll be nothing better to leave as a senior to know that my last chance in playing (UCF) was a loss for them.”

UCF hasn’t been as successful as they were last year, but the Knights are having another winning season. Quarterback Justin Holman has thrown for over 2,000 yards and 18 touchdowns while running-

By Vinnie Portell S P O R T S

Nate Godwin caught his first interception as a Bull last season against UCF. ORACLE FILE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU “They’re a veteran football back William Stanback has rushed for eight touchdowns. team and a senior-dominant The Knights also rank 12th in football team that knows how the FBS in points allowed per to win,” Taggart said. “We don’t have the luxury of expegame, with 18.5.

Despite his success, Holman rience with our team right is prone to turnovers, with now, but we played this year 12 interceptions this season, together so we are prepared including four in a loss to for a good and sound game.”

USF will play UCF (7-3, 5-1) Connecticut. Coincidentally, the Bulls forced five turnovers at Raymond James Stadium at against the Knights in last sea- noon Friday. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2. son’s game and nearly won.

Women’s Basketball

Bulls look to regain top-25 ranking

By Zach Lowie C O R R E S P O N D E N T

While most students will be enjoying a Thanksgiving meal Thursday, the women’s basketball team (3-1) will be in the U.S. Virgin Islands playing in the Paradise Jam Basketball Tournament.

Coming off a dominant win at home against UNC-Asheville, USF will now take on three undefeated teams in a threeday span.

“There’s an opportunity for us to play some great basketball down there and con-

tinue to get better,” coach Jose Fernandez said.

The Bulls will face No. 9 Kentucky (4-0), Oklahoma (4-0) and Illinois (4-0) in the tournament, hoping to show skeptics that this team is the real deal.

With the loss to No. 8 Maryland last week, the Bulls dropped out of the USA Today Coaches Poll that they had recently been added to for the first time in program history.

Coming away from this tournament without a loss would almost guarantee them a spot back in the rankings.

“That’s just a credit to the schedule that we play,” Fernandez said. “For us to stay in the poll, we’ve got to go to the Virgin Islands and prove we’re a top-25 team.”

No. 9 Kentucky already beat a top-10 opponent this year when it defeated Baylor last week, 74-64. A win against the Wildcats would give Fernandez and the Bulls what they lacked last season: a victory over a top-ranked team.

Following the tournament, the Bulls will be back in action at the Sun Dome on Dec. 3 to take on Stetson at 7 p.m.

E D I T O R

After coming back from an 11-point deficit against Hofstra (3-2), USF called a timeout Tuesday night, trailing 70-69 with 22 seconds remaining.

Afterward, junior guard Anthony Collins dribbled near half court before driving toward the middle of the floor where he was set up with a screen.

The screen caused the Hofstra defenders to switch who they were guarding, setting up an easy layup for sophomore forward Chris Perry to give the Bulls a 71-70 win in front of 3,228 fans at the Sun Dome.

“It’s their bread and butter just to set that ball screen in the middle of the floor with (Collins) and the idea was to go under the screen and we just got caught up and we had to switch, which we didn’t want to do, and then it was a complete mismatch,” Hofstra coach Joe Mihalich said.

USF coach Orlando Antigua said the game-winning play is what the team practices, but Perry wouldn’t have been the player set up for the final shot if not for the expression on his face before the play.

“I have to give coach (Sergio) Rouco credit because he kept in my ear: ‘Get Chris back in, get Chris back in,’” Antigua said.

But Antigua had to see that Perry wanted to take the game into his own hands rather than thrusting it upon him.

“And I’m looking at him, ‘No, he hasn’t given me that look that I need. I need to have that look,’” Antigua said.

But as the team called its final timeout, Antigua said he saw what he needed from the

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