9-28-17

The Oracle USF alumnus seeks the seat for state representative

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2017 I VOL. 55 NO. 10

By Jesse Stokes N e w s

E d i t o r

After Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico is in the midst of “a humanitarian disaster involving 3.4 million U.S. citizens,” Gov. of Puerto Rico, Ricardo Rosello said.

Puerto Rico’s slow progress is riddled with obstacles. The island is in desperate need of power, water, fuel and food, leaving students with ties to the island both worried and optimistic.

Dahiany Zayas, a sophomore majoring in health sciences, has family living in Puerto Rico.

“I was shocked because everyone I know is more affected than I thought,” Zayas said. “My friend’s grandmother has no bed to sleep on because of the flooding that got into her house. My friend depends on the water that flows down the mountains when it rains for fresh water. Another family member is not able to receive treatment because of the medication shortages on the island.”

Maria was the most powerful hurricane to hit Puerto Rico in almost

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

80 years, but Puerto Rico’s electrical grid has gradually been improving.

At least 5 percent of electricity has been restored, however officials say it could be months before power if fully restored.

According to the Department of Defense, 58 out of 69 hospitals are without fuel or power. The U.S. government has sent more than 300 medical staff to support the devastated islands.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is aiding Puerto Rico with the same $15.3 billion it used to help Texas, Florida, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

FEMA also sent 10,000 people to Puerto Rico to deliver food, water and other essentials. They have provided over 11 million meals, over 10 million liters of water and 70 thousand tarps to those impacted by the destruction of Hurricane Maria.

Still, some USF students say more effort is needed, including Miranda Crowen, a first-year English major.

“I think it’s atrocious

n See VOTE on PAGE 3

Fundraising efforts for Puerto Rico Page 4

www.usforacle.com

Feminist fight far from over

Tice and Johnson to lead against ECU

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Page 8

n See ULS on PAGE 3

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

Editor in Chief Miki Shine oracleeditor@gmail.com @MichaelAZShine News Editor Jesse Stokes oraclenewsteam@gmail.com @JesseLS03 Opinion Editor Renee Perez oracleopinion@gmail.com Sports Editor Josh Fiallo oraclesportseditor@gmail.com @byjoshfiallo Multimedia Editor Chaveli Guzman oraclemultimediaeditor@gmail.com

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Copy Editor Angela Mossgrove

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CORRECTIONS The Oracle will correct or clarify factual errors.

Contact Editor in Chief Miki Shine at 974-5190.

CORRECTIONS

The School of Theatre & Dance’s final production of Machinal will be performed Sunday, Oct. 1 in TAR 120. An events calendar in The Oracle Entertainment Issue, which was published Monday, listed an incorrect day for the performance

NEWS

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T H U R S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 2 8 , 2 0 1 7

T H E O R AC L E

Busch Gardens Students have concerns about their loved ones in Puerto Rico offers student tickets ●

By Miki Shine E D I T O R

I N

C H I E F

Student Government (SG) announced a new deal with Busch Gardens for a student ticket.

This includes three options, one of which expires Oct. 30.

Previously, Busch Gardens offered students a $50 ticket for access to the park during fall and spring semester. This included black out dates and did not include parking. The park stopped offering this ticket in fall 2016 and cited lack of interest as the reason.

Shortly after the announcement, students voiced their opinion through a petition that received over 2,700 signatures and SG started negotiations with the park to create a new pass. This resulted in three new pass options available at a lower price for students.

One of the new tickets is $70 for access to Busch Gardens for the remainder of the school year — which means it expires at the end of April. This deal only includes access to the park and not special events, such as HowlO-Scream. This ticket offer expires Oct. 30.

“When working with Busch Gardens, we decided mutually that we wanted the deal to have some weight to it,” Student Body President Moneer Kheireddine said. “We didn’t want to have students debating all year whether or not to buy it and we wanted the pass to feel special.”

Another is a full annual pass that is good for 12 months for $130. It doesn’t have black out dates and includes perks such as free parking, 10 percent off dining and shopping, and discounts to special events. The Busch Gardens Annual Pass usually costs $168.

The final ticket now available is $160 for both Busch Gardens and Adventure Island for 12 months — although Adventure Island is open seasonally. This doesn’t include black out dates and includes the same perks as the annual pass.

The Busch Gardens and Adventure Island Annual Pass usually costs $192.

Puerto Rico is recovering from the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE of Puerto Rico, Ricardo Rosello

By Amanda Lopez C O R R E S P O N D E N T said. Puerto Rico’s slow progress is riddled with obstacles. The After Hurricane Maria, Puerto island is in desperate need of Rico is in the midst of “a power, water, fuel and food, humanitarian disaster involving leaving students with ties to 3.4 million U.S. citizens,” Gov. the island both worried and

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that Puerto Rico isn’t getting the relief it needs after Hurricane Maria,” Crowen said. “Not many people understand that Puerto Rico is part of the United States territories.”

Even so, Puerto Rico is facing a dire situation. Some cities have yet to receive any aid yet because of blocked roads, poor cellphone service and barely functioning seaports.

Many residents had no access to water, so local officers were forced to open a fire hydrant.

The FEMA team members are experiencing struggles with transmitting information because of the language differences, not knowing their way around the area and losing contact with the mayor.

Students with friends and family members in the affected areas are concerned over the loss of communication.

Juliette Rodriguez, a sophomore majoring in integrative animal biology, is from Puerto Rico where a number of his family members still live.

“I was born in Puerto Rico and most of my family currently resides there,” Rodriguez said.

“I haven’t been able to speak to anyone. I’ve received text messages from my dad and my best friend, but when I replied, the messages wouldn’t go through.

“I was able to communicate with my cousin through Facebook messaging and she sent me pictures of how destroyed her grandmother’s house is now. She told me our grandparents (on my dad’s side) are safe. My mom was able to call my grandmother the other day, but I haven’t been able to hear anyone’s voice.”

Ivan Ayala, a junior majoring in political science, echoed the concerns of Rodriguez.

“I was desperate already. I finally heard from my parents and they told me that they were all fine; my mother told me that my backyard was destroyed because our neighbors tree fell in it,” Ayala said. “Knowing the fact that the place where I used to play when I was little is destroyed was pretty painful, and then watching the pictures of my municipality; streets where I used to go to school every day for fourteen years they were flooded, so these

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optimistic.

Dahiany Zayas, a sophomore majoring in health sciences, has family living in Puerto Rico.

“I was shocked because everyone I know is more affected than I thought,” Zayas said. “My friend’s grandmother has no bed to sleep on because of the flooding that got into her house. My friend depends on the water that flows down the mountains when it rains for fresh water. Another family member is not able to receive treatment because of the medication shortages on the island.”

Maria was the most powerful hurricane to hit Puerto Rico in almost 80 years, but Puerto Rico’s electrical grid has gradually been improving. At least 5 percent of electricity has been restored, however officials

3

say it could be months before power if fully restored.

According to the Department of Defense, 58 out of 69 hospitals are without fuel or power. The U.S. government has sent more than 300 medical staff to support the devastated islands. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is aiding Puerto Rico with the same $15.3 billion it used to help Texas, Florida, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

FEMA also sent 10,000 people to Puerto Rico to deliver food, water and other essentials.

They have provided over 11 million meals, over 10 million liters of water and 70 thousand tarps to those impacted by the destruction of Hurricane Maria.

Still, some USF students say

n See RECOVERY on PAGE 5

District 58 State Representative candidate, Ahmad Saadaldin speaks with audience members after participating in a town-hall debate on Tuesday night. ORACLE PHOTO/JESSE STOKES assistance. According to Trump, pictures didn’t help.

To temporarily alleviate basic supplies are sent every communication problems, FEMA hour. Even so, students remain will send 350 satellite telephones. hopeful that Puerto Rico will be “Despite these hardships, the rebuilt soon.

“I am a firm believer that Puerto strongest thing we have is always our constant sense of unity and Rico will get back up stronger endurance,” Zayas said. “By than before,” Rodriguez said. “My coming together to help, we can message to any students over rise and bring more awareness to here trying to get a hold of their loved ones is to be patient, strong Puerto Rico.”

President Donald Trump has and try to help them as much as said he will travel next week to you can.”

Puerto Rico and may also visit the U.S. Virgin Islands to provide

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LIFESTYLE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

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The Office of Orientation launches a hurricane relief drive for Puerto Rico

By Isabelle Eugene C O R R E S P O N D E N T

In order to provide support for the 3.5 million in Puerto Rico affected by the aftermath of Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria, USF’s Office of Orientation has launched a Hurricane Relief Drive.

While organizations such as USF World, International Services, Multicultural Affairs and the Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement have been working together to start a supply drive, USF students like Carmen Concepcion have taken it into their own hands to help their family and friends.

“The very first time I heard my mother’s voice, in over a week, was on Sunday,”

The Office of Orientation is collecting supplies for Puerto Rico.

SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE

Concepcion said. “It was inevitable for me to feel helpless so I wanted to do something to alleviate the situation that’s currently happening in any way that I could. I felt that at least something still needed to be done.”

As one of the four Puerto Rican students working at the Office of Orientation, Concepcion said she felt the need to help her island and decided to start the hurricane relief drive.

“Knowing that there was aid that was sent to Texas and

Florida in such a quickly manner and knowing that we have an even higher need in Puerto Rico did kind of affect my morale a little bit,” Conception said. “But we have decided that it’s better to do something rather than nothing, especially since there are so many faculty members and student that have yet to hear from their families.”

Priscilla Santiago, another student working at the Office of Orientation, hadn’t heard from her family until recently. But like Conception, Santiago has decided to be involved in efforts to help the island.

“I’m also in Greek life and ROTC so I’ll be trying to spread the word and get support to send help to other families like mine,” Santiago said.

According to the Puerto Rico Electric Company, full power may not be restored to the island for up to six months.

“There’s a humanitarian crisis happening currently in Puerto Rico and we all need to unite to help our fellow Americans. They are in dire needs of supplies and medical attention,” Conception said. “I know what it’s like to feel helpless, but the best that we can do is to talk about it and send our resources and really unite.”

To get involved in the relief effort, donations can be delivered to the Office of Orientation where members of the office will be working with the charitable initiative called “Puerto Rico Hurricane Relief.”

T H U R S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 8 , 2 0 1 7

RECOVERY

Continued from PAGE 5

more effort is needed, including Miranda Crowen, a first-year English major.

“I think it’s atrocious that Puerto Rico isn’t getting the relief it needs after Hurricane Maria,” Crowen said. “Not many people understand that Puerto Rico is part of the United States territories.”

Even so, Puerto Rico is facing a dire situation. Some cities have yet to receive any aid yet because of blocked roads, poor cellphone service and barely functioning seaports.

Many residents had no access to water, so local officers were forced to open a fire hydrant.

The FEMA team members are experiencing struggles with transmitting information because of the language differences, not knowing their way around the area and losing contact with the mayor.

Students with friends and family members in the affected areas are concerned over the loss of communication.

Juliette Rodriguez, a sophomore majoring in

●

5

T H E O R AC L E

integrative animal biology, is from Puerto Rico where a number of his family members still live.

“I was born in Puerto Rico and most of my family currently resides there,” Rodriguez said.

“I haven’t been able to speak to anyone. I’ve received text messages from my dad and my best friend, but when I replied, the messages wouldn’t go through.

“I was able to communicate with my cousin through Facebook messaging and she sent me pictures of how destroyed her grandmother’s house is now. She told me our grandparents (on my dad’s side) are safe. My mom was able to call my grandmother the other day, but I haven’t been able to hear anyone’s voice.”

Ivan Ayala, a junior majoring in political science, echoed the concerns of Rodriguez.

“I was desperate already. I finally heard from my parents and they told me that they were all fine; my mother told me that my backyard was destroyed because our neighbors tree fell in it,” Ayala said. “Knowing the fact that the place where I used to play when I was little is destroyed was pretty painful,

and then watching the pictures of my municipality; streets where I used to go to school every day for fourteen years they were flooded, so these pictures didn’t help.

To temporarily alleviate communication problems, FEMA will send 350 satellite telephones.

“Despite these hardships, the strongest thing we have is always our constant sense of unity and endurance,” Zayas said. “By coming together to help, we can rise and bring more awareness to Puerto Rico.”

President Donald Trump has said he will travel next week to Puerto Rico and may also visit the U.S. Virgin Islands to provide assistance. According to Trump, basic supplies are sent every hour. Even so, students remain hopeful that Puerto Rico will be rebuilt soon.

“I am a firm believer that Puerto Rico will get back up stronger than before,” Rodriguez said. “My message to any students over here trying to get a hold of their loved ones is to be patient, strong and try to help them as much as you can.”

OPINION

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T H U R S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 2 8 , 2 0 1 7

Saudi women driving is not feminism’s final frontier

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What you said Multimedia editor Chaveli Guzman asked students if they think candidates running for office should have past experience.

“I feel like they should. Compared to someone who doesn’t have experience, they may know what they are doing a little more.”

— Guillermo Rodriguez, a freshman majoring in psychology

“It comes down to competence and what they can offer. Someone without experience may have a different perspective in life and everyone should have equal opportunities.”

— Nicholas Stewart, a sophomore majoring in integrative animal biology

Saudi women have finally been granted the right to drive, but the fight for gender equality must continue around the globe. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE

By Allaa Tayeb S T A F F

W R I T E R

Champions of the women’s rights movement have a new reason to celebrate. Tuesday the Saudi Arabian government announced women can now legally drive. This means every country in the world now allows women the right to drive. But do not be mistaken: The world still has significant boundaries to push before true gender equality can be achieved.

Indeed, after years of fervent internal activism, Saudi women can finally obtain a vehicular license — all without the permission of a legal guardian or parent and without a male guardian in the car with them.

Previously, women in the Gulf nation could be arrested for driving.

However, this historic leap for the kingdom is only the start of a much larger transformation Saudi politicians must undertake in order to fully empower women within their borders.

Women in Saudi Arabia are still legally required to have a male

guardian inform their decisions on marriage, travel and divorce, among other personal issues.

Additionally, Saudi women continue to be subjected to harsh dress code guidelines.

Saudi Arabia is not the only Middle Eastern country in need of gender parity reforms. Countries under the harsh restrictions of the Taliban, such as Afghanistan, have severely institutionalized genderbased oppression. For example, under the Taliban, women are forbidden from attending regular schools or going out in public without a male escort.

But the oppression of women is not limited to the Middle East: It is a global reality.

Even in western countries where women are granted significantly greater legal, social and economic power, it cannot be said that full gender equality has been achieved.

The American Association of University Women, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of women’s’ rights, reports that right here in the U.S. women only make 80 cents to a man’s dollar, a 20 percent wage

gap that must be closed.

According to United Nations Women, “only 22.8 percent of all national parliamentarians were women as of June 2016.” This means less than one-third of the world’s lawmakers are women.

Women’s reproductive rights also need to be promoted around the world, as only 39.5 percent of the world’s population lives in countries where there are no reason-based restrictions on abortion, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights.

In contrast, over one-fourth of the world’s population lives in countries where abortion is either prohibited altogether or permitted only if it will save a woman’s life.

While Saudi Arabia is moving in the right direction with this progressive reform, the fight for women’s rights is far from over — not just in Saudi Arabia or the Middle East, but also across the globe.

Allaa Tayeb is a sophomore majoring in English and film studies.

“Not necessarily. You should have people to refer to who have those experiences, but you don’t necessarily need the experience. We need a fresher look, first of all. We need other perspectives, not just people running politics because it gets kind of dirty.

We need a new outlook on things.” ­— Travy Parker, a sophomore majoring in psychology

“It depends. Because you need to at least know what you are doing.”

— Saindy Lafontant, a junior majoring in social work

“It depends what position it is. If it’s a high position, like president or governor, then yeah because you want the person leading you to know what they are doing.”

— Lovelyne Legerme, a senior majoring in studio art

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Football

Bulls can’t look past ECU

CROSSWORD

USF’s defense is ranked in the top 25 of nine NCAA defensive categories. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE/ CHAVELI GUZMAN

By Josh Fiallo S P O R T S

E D I T O R

Saturday’s matinee matchup between East Carolina and USF will feature two teams, which are polar opposites on paper so far in 2017. However, the Pirates are far from a pushover for the Bulls, especially at home.

Just ask N.C. State, who fell to ECU at Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium last year, or Virginia Tech, who lost in front of 50,000 Pirate fans draped in purple in 2015. The season before that, it was North Carolina who fell inside of Dowdy-Ficklen.

When top programs, such as No. 18 USF, come to Greenville, the Pirates show up to play.

And if USF plays down to their opponent like they did against Stony Brook, the Pirates have the weapons to make them pay.

“Every game is a trap game,” USF Defensive Coordinator Brian Jean-Mary said. “You have to go out and play your best every week because everybody has a skilled player, whether it’s a receiver, running back or quarterback.

“If you’re not careful and they get going, they’re good enough to beat you.”

Despite a porous defense that’s given up more yards per game than any other school in the nation, ECU’s quarterback Thomas Sirk leads the AAC with an average of 275.7 passing yards a game.

His favorite target, Davon Grayson, recorded over 200 yards receiving in last week’s game alone.

Two of East Carolinas losses in 2017 were against teams ranked in the AP-Top 25. The other loss was against twotime reigning FCS champion James Madison.

Meanwhile, USF hasn’t played a single team with a RPI ranking below 53.

The Pirates have won seven of their last eight home conference openers, and if the Bulls don’t come with their A-game, that number could easily become eight.

A season full of aspirations as high as making the college football playoff could quickly come crashing down against a team who finished 3-9 in 2016.

“The only time you should feel good after your last game is if that’s your retirement game,” Jean-Marry said. “If you still plan on playing next week all you did was put the bull’s-eye squarely on your back. Now those guys at ECU saw a pretty good defensive performance so I know that’s going to get their blood flowing a little bit.”

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Sports

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Football

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Tice and Johnson to lead ground game ahead of ECU

By Sam Newlon C o r r e s p o n d e n t

Following a season where USF’s rushing attack was fronted by former running back Marlon Mack, the Bulls’ offense has found success with two running backs, Darius Tice and D’Ernest Johnson, in 2017.

Quarterback Quinton Flowers and Mack led the offense last year with 1,530 and 1,187 rushing yards respectively, while Tice and D’Ernest are on their way to matching those numbers with a combined 691 rushing yards in four games.

“You see two guys competing,” coach Charlie Strong said Tuesday. “If one guy gets a big run, the next time, the next guy wants to get a big run. Those two guys have such a great relationship with one another.”

Operating as a running back by committee, the two aren’t competing for a job, but are pushing each other toward success. In USF’s 43-7 win over Temple on Sept. 21, both Tice and Johnson ran for 100-plus yards for the second consecutive game.

Listed as the No. 1 running back on the depth chart and as the preseason favorite to be the feature running back in offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert’s new offense, Johnson has been efficient with an average of 4.2 yards per carry, but not as much as Tice who averages 5.9.

Ranked 3rd in the AAC in rushing yards, Tice is almost a full year removed from an

Both Darius Tice and D’Ernest Johnson are coming off back-to-back 100 yard games. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE/CHAVELI GUZMAN ankle fracture he suffered in a game against FSU last season and is playing at his highest level in his five-year career as a Bull.

Helping fuel his comeback campaign is the memory of what it was like to watch helplessly from the sideline the entire second half of last season with an ankle injury.

“I wasn’t there (when we lost to Temple) last year,” said Tice, who ran for 117 yards and two touchdowns against Temple. “To see my team lose, that built some fire up in all of us.”

Tice was granted an extra year of NCAA eligibility through a medical redshirt and has since stepped into a leadership role and taken a new approach to this season.

“The last play (you play)

can always be your last,” Tice said. “That’s a reason I look at things kinda different than everybody else. We can’t ever get complacent.

“Our team, we’re getting better and better each week.

We’ve got to go out and show that we deserve to be here.”

Johnson, who has run for 321 yards in 76 attempts, ranks 6th in the AAC in rushing yards and has also opened up as a passing option the past two games for the Bulls, catching his first TD two weeks ago against Illinois.

“We’ve just got to get better each week,” Johnson said, echoing Tice. “Everybody is hungry just to make a play.

Tice and Johnson will look to continue their dominance running the football when

the Bulls take on ECU in Greenville, North Carolina on Saturday at noon.

The Pirates, who won their first game of the season Sunday against UConn, have given up 274.5 rushing yards per game this season and allow more yards of total offense than any other D1 school in the country.

Despite their futile defensive numbers, the Pirates are coming off of their first win of the season last week and their quarterback, Thomas Sirk, leads the AAC with an average of 275.7 passing yards per game.

“They changed defensive coordinators after the second game, so you’re just going in and trying to catch what he’s doing with a keen eye and make sure you’re seeing what

he’s trying to accomplish,” USF Offensive Coordinator Sterlin Gilbert said. “Like anytime, we just focus on us and make sure we execute where we need to execute.”

In USF’s most recent victory, Johnson ran for 106 yards and tacked on two completions for 29 yards.

“We push each other,” Johnson said Wednesday. “If one does good, then hey, it’s the other one’s turn.”

Despite being the highlight of the offense last week, both of the Bulls’ rushers are quick to give credit to other parts of the team for their success.

“Best in the nation,” Tice said about the defense.

“Those guys are playing lights out. That kind of effort is contagious is spread throughout the team.”