11-28-16

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November 28, 2016 Vol. 54 No. 28

“ To be able to stay here to go from 2-10 to 10-2, it’s amazing. It’s unbelievable.”

INSIDE

SENIOR SAFETY, NATE GODWIN

USF could see decrease in international students following election Page 3

Page 8

Where to eat: National French Toast Day Page 4

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the Oracle the University of South Florida’s student newspaper since 1966

Editor in Chief Jacob Hoag oracleeditor@gmail.com Managing Editor Miki Shine oraclemeditor@gmail.com Assistant News Editor Chelsea Grosbeck Sports Editor Vinnie Portell oraclesportseditor@gmail.com

Multimedia Editor Jackie Benitez oraclemultimediaeditor@gmail.com

Graphic Artists Destiny Moore Mark Soree Advertising Sales Alyssa Alexander Jess DiLiello Destiny Moore Dylan Ritchey

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).

BY PHONE

Opinion Editor Breanne Williams oracleopinion@gmail.com Lifestyle Editor Nicole Cate oraclelifestyleeditor@gmail.com Staff Writer Abby Rinaldi

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NEWS

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

News Briefs Quote of the day “His death is a historical milestone and, I imagine, a psychological one for a lot of people. But from a practical stand, Cuba today is governed exactly the same as it was 48 hours ago.”

— Florida Sen. (R) Marco Rubio said on Meet the Press on Sunday, regarding the state of politics in Cuba after former president Fidel Castro’s death Friday.

Marco Rubio

Holiday weekend shopping by the numbers

108.5 million people shopped online.

99.1 million people shopped in stores.

$289.19 average dollars spent per consumer. *According to the Los Angeles Times

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USF staff sees potential decrease in rate of international students after election

By Miki Shine M A N A G I N G

E D I T O R

Of the over one million international students studying at U.S. universities, 4,726 are USF students, according to enrollment data gathered by the provost office for Fall 2016.

With President-elect Donald Trump set to take his seat in the White House in January, some experts are concerned about changes he could make once in office that would discourage students coming to the U.S. to study.

A New York Times article reported that college admissions officials, while unable to draw a conclusion about overseas applications until the deadlines pass, are concerned that Trump’s presidency could cause a drop in the amount of students coming to the U.S. to study after reporters attended college fairs in several countries.

Jessica Brightman, Marketing and Communications Officer with USF World, said the department has had students come in with concerns over possible changes to immigration regulations, special registration for groups of people and general concern based on news reports.

“There have been no changes to immigration regulations,” she said. “These types of changes would take time since changes require complex legislative processes.

“Our office continually monitors immigration regulations that affect our students and scholars.

If there are changes or proposed changes, we will inform students immediately and be available to answer any questions.”

On Nov. 14, System Vice President for USF World Roger Brindley sent out a letter to all international students

USF currently hosts 4,726 international students and pushes for a global curriculum, but concerns over immigration laws may make the university’s global community smaller. ORACLE PHOTO/BREANNE WILLIAMS encouraging those who are concerned about current affairs to go to administrators with USF World, International Services or INTO USF for guidance.

Glen Besterfield, International Admissions Director with INTO USF, said to properly look at the possibility of seeing fewer international students coming to the U.S., it’s important to understand why they’re coming in the first place.

Typically, students study abroad to receive what is perceived to be a better education than they could get in their home country, for the experience of studying in another country, or to get some work experience, Besterfield said. And each country is different.

“Honestly, most of the Chinese students I meet have no intention of staying in America,” he said.

“They come to America to get the

best education in the world and to get a different education than they might have gotten in China … get a different perspective on life so they can take that back to China … because that American degree is worth so much money to them.”

Looking at the political climate over the past eight months, Besterfield said the U.S. is more likely to see a decrease in students from some regions than from others.

“Whether it be in the rhetoric over the past eight months or what happens in the future with immigration law, I don’t think it’ll affect China,” Besterfield said. “I do think it’ll affect other countries of the world. Specifically, I think it’ll affect the Middle Eastern countries.”

Besterfield said the rhetoric about Muslims over the past

months likely frightened people in the Middle East, but there were already signs that fewer students from the Middle East were likely to travel to the U.S. to study. He said some signs include the drop in the price of oil and government sponsorships coming out of the Middle East.

“Although that rhetoric was toned down in October and toned down more since the election, it really doesn’t matter that it was toned down. It’s already going to have an impact on potential students coming from the Middle East to study in America,” he said.

“With that said, even before the last eight months we knew less and less Middle Eastern students were going to come study in America.”

Besterfield said he’s not concerned about students coming

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LIFESTYLE

Where to eat: National French Toast Day UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

By Nicole Cate L I F E S T Y L E

E D I T O R

On this day, people all across the U.S. will be expressing their love for the classic morning meal that is typically made from bread, milk and eggs. It’s National French Toast Day. Fortunately for USF students, Tampa was rated the fourth best foodie city in the U.S. by wallethub.com. This means that students not only have many options for places to eat the beloved breakfast dish today, but they also have plenty of options for what kind of French toast to get.

First Watch One of the closest breakfast and brunch places to the USF campus, First Watch’s University Collection Fowler location offers two variations of French toast: the classic and a Floridian French toast. The Floridian version, like the basic, is a custard dipped slice of brioche bread topped with powdered cinnamon sugar, but what makes it different

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is the blend of bananas, kiwis and seasonal berries that accompany it.

Keke’s Keke’s Breakfast Cafe in Carrollwood is another chain restaurant that provides two options for French toast. The regular option can be had with just powdered sugar and cinnamon; a warm apple cinnamon topping; bananas, pecans, and caramel; or strawberries, bananas and blueberries.

The second option is a stuffed French toast with several types of cream cheese stuffing including, blueberry; pecans, caramel and chocolate; and pineapple and coconut.

Brunchie’s Brunchie’s of Tampa, also located in Carrollwood, has two French toast selections on their menu: a maple French toast and a guava-stuffed version. They both use challah bread, but the former has maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla added to

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the traditional egg and milk custard that the slice is soaked in, and the latter has a guava cream cheese filling, is coated with crushed corn flakes and topped with strawberries and slivered almonds.

Datz Datz, a reputable Tampa eatery Datz has its own spin on French toast on both their breakfast and brunch menus: creme brulee French toast. This pick adds a Grand Marnier pastry cream to the griddled French toast, and the slices are also caramelized to give a crunchy creme brulee effect.

Daily Eats SoHo-based Daily Eats has a Chef’s Famous Crunchy French toast as an alternative to its classic one. The crunchy option takes a traditional French toast and coats it in Cap’n Crunch cereal for a unique texture and flavor combination.

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Notebook

USF football nationally ranked for first time in five years

USF lifted the “War on I-4” trophy to the sky in triumph following the Bulls’ 17-point win over UCF at Raymond James Stadium on Saturday. ORACLE PHOTO/JACKIE BENITEZ

By Vinnie Portell S P O R T S

E D I T O R

Following a wild week of college football in which 11 of the Top 25 teams lost, USF is now nationally ranked for the first time since 2011.

After spending several weeks on the cusp of cracking the top 25, the Bulls’ 48-31 win over UCF on Saturday in the “War on I-4” rivalry propelled the team to No. 24 in the Associated Press Poll and No. 23 in the Amway Coaches Poll.

“We’re 10-2 and we’re still not ranked,” coach Willie Taggart said postgame on Saturday. “I think Marquez Valdes-Scantling said it best: to all the writers out there that are watching, USF is still winning. We’re still winning over here. Hopefully somebody sees that.”

Though the Bulls narrowly missed the AAC Championship game after Temple — which held the tiebreaker despite USF having the same record — defeated East Carolina on

Saturday night, USF (10-2, 7-1) will play once more in a bowl game. The time and bowl has yet to be determined.

With the regular season now over for the Bulls, quarterback Quinton Flowers finishes the season holding several offensive records including most total touchdowns (37), rushing touchdowns (15), total offense (3,976 yards), and rushing yards (1,425 yards).

Women’s Basketball wins Junkanoo Jam Led by two 34-point performances from sophomore forward Kitija Laksa, USF remained undefeated in 2016 as it defeated both North Carolina and Georgia on its way to winning the Junkanoo Jam in the Bahamas.

Laksa, who tied her program-record of eight 3-pointers in a game, was the tournament’s leading scorer and named tournament MVP. Once the Bulls defeated North Carolina 83-55 on Thursday, they moved on to easily dispatch Georgia 81-65

on Saturday for the tournament win.

USF (4-0) entered the week receiving votes in the national Top 25 poll and will likely see a boost this week with its two wins, including the victory over the Bulldogs, who ended the 2015-16 season ranked 35th in the NCAA. Volleyball ends season with win Down two sets to one to Tulane and on the verge of losing, USF volleyball rallied for a three-to-two victory in New Orleans.

USF (19-13, 10-10) won the first set 26-24, but found itself a set away from defeat as it dropped the next two sets (21-25, 23-25). However, the Bulls bounced back to take the next two sets 25-17 and 15-11 behind a team-high 15 kills from senior outside hitter Dakota Hampton.

Though the 19 victories were the most for USF since 2007, the Bulls will not continue on to postseason play.

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here at this program.’”

That 53-21 loss to an FCS school was only one of several marks on a dismal first year for Taggart and these seniors, as they finished the year with a 2-10 record.

That’s when the Bulls would get to work.

Incremental improvements were made in Taggart’s second year, as USF finished 4-8 in 2014.

Showing some marginal improvement, Taggart’s initial class, now in their junior year, began to make their impact felt on a growing program looking for a spark.

One of those leaders, senior wide receiver Rodney Adams, used his second year at USF to cement his place in Bulls’ lore, as the St. Petersburg native broke the single season touchdown reception record with nine in his junior campaign.

“We had the low times, but we all bought in to the program,” Adams said.

“We all stuck by Coach T,

and we stayed the course and everything’s playing out like we wanted it to.”

Adams and the Bulls would finish the year 8-5 and bowl eligible for the first time since 2010.

Although the Bulls fell short of their first conference championship this season, the seniors still led USF to the best record of any team in the AAC and the best in the 20-year history of USF football.

For Godwin, much like rest of this class of seniors, getting the program back on track to being a contender still seems implausible.

“When I first got recruited, I wanted to be somebody that came here and set the foundation for this program,” Godwin said. “(Taggart) didn’t have a lot to sell, but I believed in his plan and I wanted to put on for my city. I wanted to be one of those recruits that didn’t leave and go on to another school when I could have. So, to be able to stay here to go from 2-10 to 10-2, it’s amazing. It’s unbelievable.”

OPINION

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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

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USF’s new partnership good for older students

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Condemn Castro, don’t praise him

By Jackie Benitez C O L U M N I S T

USF is partnering with Complete Florida to offer online degrees for working adults. ORACLE PHOTO/JACKIE BENITEZ

By Breanne Williams C O L U M N I S T

USF is partnering with Complete Florida, a legislatively funded initiative that assists working adults to transition back to school, expanding its outreach to a demographic that is often ignored.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the percentage of 18 to 24-year-olds enrolled in college was 40 percent in 2014. This accounted for 12 million students between 18 and 24 years of age. Similarly, 8.2 million students 25 years old and over had enrolled in higher education in 2014 and that number is only growing.

Yet for many older students, obtaining a college degree is nearly impossible. Most adults work full-time and have a family, making attending classes unfeasible. While some classes are offered online, entire degrees that can be acquired solely through online work are rare.

Even students working part time have difficulty juggling classes and their jobs. Many schedule all their classes on one or two days a week in order to be able to provide their employers with enough hours.

Complete Florida is attempting to answer that time crunch.

Founded in 2013 by the Florida

Legislature, the program will assist the 2.8 million Floridians who had started a college career and never finished.

Students can sign up for the program and virtually attend one of 14 colleges in the state.

Florida International University, Miami Dade College, UCF, USF and 10 other colleges are now part of the program.

USF has agreed to offer five online Bachelor of General Studies degrees. The concentrations are in criminal justice, information architecture, information studies, information technology, public administration and public health.

The university has offered the Bachelor’s of General Studies degrees since 2008, however it is just now joining the Complete Florida program.

Many of those utilizing the program are doing so in order to advance in the workforce or to switch careers to one with a more dependable demand.

The concentrations chosen will allow them to find a job with ease. “(The degrees) are sort of the most workforce-relevant in terms of skills and area,” said William Cummings, the associate dean for strategic initiatives at USF. “We also picked those five because they are fully online, so that also gives students maximum flexibility to complete their degree.”

Complete Florida also offers

coaches for its students, allowing them to receive guidance throughout their education, much like advisors assist oncampus students. The program also assists with registration, working on transferring old credits over and using work experience to earn non-traditional credits.

Online degrees also allow adults seeking a degree to separate themselves from the college atmosphere. Most 30-yearolds are no longer interested in living with roommates a decade younger than them in student housing. They don’t want to be the outlier in classes, they aren’t interested in studying in the library and in no way want to “relive” their early twenties.

By obtaining an online degree, they can continue on with their lives without regressing, all while taking a few credits in the comfort of their home.

USF will begin its partnership in the spring and estimates 50 to 100 students will enroll in the program. The university plans on increasing enrollment each year, which will further its goal of providing accessible education for all interested students.

Breanne Williams is a senior majoring in mass communications.

As nine days of mourning began in Cuba in the wake of Fidel Castro’s death on Nov. 25, Cuban-Americans began to celebrate in the streets of Miami’s Little Havana.

They celebrate the death of a dictator who tore apart a nation, a tyrant who separated families and exiled millions of people from their homes. He is not a man who should be praised as a leader, but one who should be condemned for his dictatorial regime.

Growing up as the granddaughter of Cuban refugees, I was told stories of the hardships they faced when Castro began his rule. They talked fondly of the home they loved and the Cuba they had to leave behind. They often said it would never be the same.

Unfortunately, they did not live long enough to see the death of a man who exiled them from the country they called their home. He outlived them, but their stories live on.

Cuban-Americans are celebrating in the streets of their new home for their family, their friends, the ones they had to leave behind and the ones who did not live long enough to see this day. A day where “Cuba Libre”— Free Cuba — has a chance to be a reality.

However, it is difficult to see leaders like former Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein and Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau praising Castro as a dedicated leader.

A leader does not oppress a nation, he does not rip apart the country he loves and he does not strip them of their humanity.

Cuba’s 99.8 percent literacy rate and 5.8 percent infant mortality rate does not matter when its people are deprived of their basic human rights.

In the United States, if you disagree with the government’s actions you can freely speak against them.

In Cuba, you are imprisoned. Or worse, you are killed.

Castro was not the inspirational leader many are now making him out to be.

The symbol of the Cuban Revolution has died and with it, a renewal of hope for the new generation of Cuban people.

Jackie Benitez is a senior majoring in mass communications.

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CLCE collects toys for foster kids

By Miki Shine M A N A G I N G

E D I T O R

Small trees adorned with angel-shaped paper ornaments are scattered around campus as a way to support foster kids. Each angel ornament includes a list of toys a specific foster child wants for the holidays.

The Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement (CLCE) is collecting new toys to donate to local foster kids for its annual drive.

“I think bringing hope to young people is something that’s really important for the development of society in general,” said Jaelin Lespier, head of the CLCE Board for Youth and Education. “When young people are inspired and feel like they’re cared about and feel like they can achieve great things, they go on to achieve those great things. It starts with small things.”

Gifts donated to the toy drive go to the Foster Angels of Hillsborough County program, which works toward providing presents to kids who have been “placed in a foster home due to abuse, neglect or abandonment.”

“I think one thing that’s important to know is that each list has multiple toys or options on it for whoever’s hosting the foster angel to purchase, but you don’t have to purchase all of the items on the list,” Lespier said.

“One or two items will still be donated to the child. So people don’t feel like, ‘Hey I can’t afford everything this kid is asking for, so I shouldn’t take a tag.’ Just one or two donations is welcome.”

Trees can be found at the Marshall Student Center, Campus

WORLD

Continued from PAGE 3

from Europe or Latin American — although comments about building a wall could have a slight impact — being deterred from coming to the U.S. However, he thinks students from India are likely to be affected.

“Many Indian students want not only the great education, they come typically as a graduate student. They’re coming for that two-year master’s degree in

As part of the holiday season, the Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement set up Angel Trees to collect presents for foster kids.

SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE/JAELIN LESPIER

Recreation, the CLCE, the athletic department, english department and the office of the registrar.

“We have two that are big outlets for students, which is the CLCE and Campus Rec,” Lespier said. “We’ve worked with them

in the past, so they’re always really open to helping us out and hosting the trees.”

The CLCE is collecting toys as part of the drive until Thursday and they can be delivered to any of the trees on campus.

engineering,” he said. “They’re hoping to get to optional practical training for two or three years in America and work with an engineering or Microsoft firm depending on their degree. I think that is a region of the world that could be impacted.”

According to Besterfield, about 18 percent of USF’s international students come from China and about 20 percent from India, which is below the national average.

“You’re always worried about what if immigration laws change,

what about changes in world events, what if the world economy crashes and students don’t have the money to study abroad?” he said. “But what you’re trying to do is you’re trying to minimize your risk, so you’re trying to diversify your student body as much as possible. I think we’ve done that phenomenally well at USF. “I’m trying to paint a rosy picture because I’m trying to look at it that way,” Besterfield said.

“With that said, I think there’s going to be a lot of uncertainty until things calm down.”

CROSSWORD

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Sports

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

The Rundown

Football

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USF seniors help make history after tough first years

Outside USF

Ravens win on intentional safety Faced with a fourth down, leading the Cincinnati Bengals by seven points with 11 seconds remaining, the Baltimore Ravens took a safety to wind down the clock to zero. Punting from their own end zone, the Ravens’ offensive Ravens line all committed holding penalties against the Bengals’ defense while Baltimore’s punter ran around in the end zone until time expired. Despite the penalty on the play, the game ended with the safety and a five-point win for the Ravens.

AP Top 25 Poll

1. Alabama 2. Ohio State 3. Clemson 4. Washington 5. Michigan 6. Wisconsin 7. Oklahoma 8. Penn State 9. Colorado 10. USC 11. Oklahoma State 12. Florida State 13. Western Michigan 14. West Virginia 15. Florida 16. Louisville 17. Stanford 18. Auburn 19. Virginia Tech.

20. Navy 21. LSU 22. Iowa 23. Nebraska 24. South Florida 24. Pittsburgh

USF senior receiver Rodney Adams leads all USF receivers in catches (60) and yards (755) this season in one of the best offenses in school history. ORACLE PHOTO/JACOB HOAG be and they wanted to turn through the fourth quarter, playing in the upcoming AAC

By Chuck Muller S T A F F W R I T E R this program around and they interceptions by linebacker Championship game over the said that was what they were Auggie Sanchez and safety Bulls.

Finishing with the most going to do.

Nate Godwin in the fourth Missing out on playing wins in a single season in “For them to go struggle to quarter sealed the win for USF. for a conference championprogram history, USF football’s get us where we are at now, I When Godwin first commit- ship certainly stings, but for 2016 senior class will go down only think it would be right for ted to being a Bull, he wasn’t seniors like Nigel Harris, liftas the catalysts of change that them to go out on top.” really sure what had convinced ing the “War on I-4” trophy coach Willie Taggart hoped for With Saturday’s 48-31 win him to play for Taggart in the on Saturday helps to put in as he recruited his first class of over in-state rival UCF in the first place. perspective how far USF has Bulls in 2013.

“War on I-4,” staying the “I don’t know, maybe it was come in four seasons.

Going 16-20 in three years course finally paid off as the the look in his eyes,” Godwin “We played McNeese State at his alma mater Western Bulls logged a record 10th win. said. “I remember sitting in (in the first game of 2013) Kentucky, Taggart admittedLed by a relentless rushing his office and he told me, ‘Let’s and they whooped up on ly didn’t have much to offer attack headed by quarterback bring it home.’ You know, why us,” Harris said. “I thought to when he took over a USF pro- Quinton Flowers and running not do it when it’s right here? myself, ‘I really came here for gram that had just finished 3-9 back Marlon Mack, USF ran Why leave when you can do this?’ You don’t expect that in 2012 with Skip Holtz. for 351 yards and five touch- right in your own city?” coming to a D-I school playing “These young men decided downs as it pulled away from Despite the record-break- I-AA and them doing that to us to come here … they chose UCF early. ing season for USF, the Bulls’ it was like, ‘Wow, OK we defiUSF off of faith,” Taggart said.

Though the Knights pulled 46-30 loss at Temple was the nitely have some work to do “This is where they wanted to within seven points midway deciding factor in the Owls n See HISTORY on PAGE 5