University of Central Florida STARS Central Florida Future University Archives 3-19-2008 Central Florida Future, Vol. 40 No. 28, March 19, 2008 Part of the Mass Communication Commons, Organizational Communication Commons, Publishing Commons, and the Social Influence and oliticalP Communication Commons Find similar works at: https://stars.library.ucf.edu/centralfloridafuture University of Central Florida Libraries http://library.ucf.edu This Newspaper is brought to you for free and open access by the University Archives at STARS. It has been accepted for inclusion in Central Florida Future by an authorized administrator of STARS. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Recommended Citation "Central Florida Future, Vol. 40 No. 28, March 19, 2008" (2008). Central Florida Future. 2093. https://stars.library.ucf.edu/centralfloridafuture/2093 FREE • Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays www.CentralFloridaFuture.com • Wednesday, March 19, 2008 Whoa,gravi UCF students experien the weightlessness of Zero J G flights -SEE NEWS,A2 J• CRIME AUDIT FALLOUT: SECOND IN A SERIES Football .-, player ,'.) dies at wmkout Coaches suspend spring practice PADRICK BREWER Sports Editor A UCF football player died Tuesday . morning after a spring strength and condi­ tioning drill. Ereck Plancher died at Florida Hospital in East Orlando after rescue per­ sonnel trans­ ) ported him from the Nicholson Fieldhouse following the practice. UCF Plancher Director of Athletics Keith Tribble said SHANNA FORTIER / CENTRAL FLORIDA FUTURE According to a recent audit, UCF loaned $7.4 million to the UCF Athletics Association, a direct­ Tuesday that they did not support organization. The auditor said UCF did not have the authority to give the loans and know what caused Plancher's no schedule for repayment is in place. More than $966,000 should have already been repaid. death but that all athletes were required to pass physi­ cals to practice. ·"we are still in the fact­ gathering process," Tribble UCF loans an unaccounted for $7.4 million said. "Following the comple­ tion of today's offseason con­ to Athletics without a repayment schedule ditioning program, Ereck apparently took to one knee NADA TAHA for business and finance. revenue wasn't sufV.cient to as the team departed the Staff Writer "It's just a cash flow thing for meet the start-up expenses." fieldhouse. The UCF training us." At the time the money staff was onsite and attended Over the course of sever­ Stricklin said that was being given to and to him immediately, includ­ al years, UCF has loaned $7.4 because revenue for the loaned to the association, the ing administering CPR "We send bills to million. of university rev­ association wasn't sufficient UCF football program was "Emergency personnel enue to the UCF Athletics at the time, the university in the midst of being were called-and subsequently them, and they Association Inc. and has yet would hold the athletic fee revamped and the Bright transported Ereck to Florida AROUND CAMPUS,A2 to begin repayment, despite money, the association · House Networks Stadium, Hospital. We were then noti­ pay the bills. We missed deadlines. The loan, would invoice the university which cost $55 million, was fied of his passing at 11:51 STUDENT OPEN FORUM according to the Office of and the money would be · in its conception phase. a.m." TO BE HELD THURSDAY just use the the Auditor General, violates wired into the association's None of the money used to UCF Police Department Florida Statutes and cannot account. build the stadium was tax­ officers were the first to BEGINNING AT 11 :30 university as a be accounted for. The problem, audit man­ payer money, university offi­ arrive and performed CPR '> President John Hitt, Provost Terry Since 2003, the university ager for colleges and univer­ cials have said. 'We received a call at 10:49 Hickey and others will be hosting a 'bank. It's just a also transferred $49 million sities Ted Sauerbeck said, is Requests for budget doc­ this morning from the med­ student open forum Thursday from of student athletic fees to the that the university never had uments were denied by the ical staff, from the trainers," 11:30a.m.to 1 p.m.in Room218COof cash flow thing association from money the authority to make such Athletics Association and UCF Police Chief Richard the Student Union. All students are charged to students' tuition transactions to a direct-sup­ deferred to UCF News and Beary said. ·~t 10:52, we had encouraged to attend the event. for us." at $11.72 per credit hour. port organization (DSO ). Information. ·Those docu­ officers on scene. When they "We send bills to them "We wanted to have a ments weren't available arrived on scene, the medical - BRAD STRICKLIN and they pay the bills. We ) more nationally competitive before deadline. staff was performing CPR ASSISTANT ATHLETICS DIRECTOR FOR just use the university as a LOCAL & STATE, A2 BUSINESS AND FINANCE football program, so it was "In a nutshell, the univer- and had him attached to an bank," said Brad Stricklin, going to cost more money," OFFICE DEPOT URGES assistant athletics director Stricklin said. "However, the PLEASE SEE LOAN ON A6 fl'LEASE SEE PLANCHER ON A6 INVESTORS TO REJECT BID FOR NEW DIRECTORS Office Depot Inc. urged investors Tuesday to reject the efforts of a dissident Some colleges try shareholder to elect two directors to the office-supply retailer's board at its annual meeting April 23. The funds believe change is needed to revitalize to match genders the struggling company's sales. JENNY FEDOR er education, we have not Contributing Writer moved in that direction to skew our admissions process NATION& WORLD,A4 In an effort to maintain a toward men to make up gen­ balance between male and der balance," said Gordon DELTA TO OFFER female students, universities Chavis Jr., associate vice VOLUNTARY SEVERANCE may be relaxing · presiqent of UCF admissions stan­ Undergraduate PAYOUTS TO EMPLOYEES dards for male Admissions. 'We Delta Air Lines said Tuesday it will offer applicants, accord­ have not done that." voluntary severance payouts to roughly ing to an NBC . The Office of 30,000 employees and cut domestic report. Institutional eapacity by an extra 5 percent this year Fifty-seven per­ S7 Research Web site as part of an overhaul of its business cent ofthe nation's percent of the shows that UCF has plan to deal with soaring fuel prices. college students nation's college a student body of are female, accord­ students are female 48,989 students as • ing to the recent of spring 2008. according to a About 45 percent of INDEX TODAY'S NBC report. In an recent NBC report • Around Campus WEATHER effort to promote those students are 2 men and 55 percent •;(\ Weather gender balance, 2 are women. Local &State some schools are lowering • 2 their standards for male "Colleges are admitting Nation &World 4 applications and admitting boys with lower grades and Sports 7 men even when there are lower scores relative to the Opinions 11 more-qualified women girls they're admitting, and Classifieds 12 applying. in essence, that's rewarding Sudoku 13 "l think in our environ­ boys for underperformance," Crossword 13 ment, and particularly in a HIGH IJJN public environment for high- PLEASE SEE GENDER ON A6 Al www.CentralFloridaFuture.com March 19, 2008 • (entta( :Jlorlba 1utuu AROUND CAMPUS <!Central News and rwtices for the UCF community ,1oriba Student open forum to be held President John Hitt, Provost Terry Hickey and others will ,Uture . be hosting a student open forum Thursday from 11:30 a.m. The Student Newspaper at I/CF since 1968 to 1 p.m. in Room 218CD of the March 19, 2008 Student Union. All students are Vol 40, Issue 28 • 14 Pages ' invited to the event to discuss their ideas and concerns. The Centro/ Florida Future is the independent, student­ written newspaper at the University of Central Aorida. Opinions in the Future are those of the individual Indian students celebrate festival columnist and not necessarily those of the editorial staff or the University admini,traUon. All content is property of The Indian Awareness the Centra/RoridaFuwreand may not be reprinted In part Council will be holding a or in whole without permission from the publisher. • Spring Festival of Colors on Friday at 7:30 p.m. in the Stu­ NEWSROOM !, dent Union's Pegasus Ball­ 407-447-4558 l room. Editor-in-Chief The celebration will include Melissa Heyboer x213 traditional Bollywood music, editor@(entraJFforidaFuture.com folk dances and a regional fash­ ion show. News Editors Indian foods will also be Matt Morrison and served. The event is free for Natalie Morera x213 news@(entralFloridaFuture.com UCF students and $5 for others. • • PHOTOS COURTESY BEN CORBIN For more information, contact Stephen H11st, Ben Corbin and other members of Students for the Exploration and Development of Space experience weightlessness during a Zero Gflight. Opinions Editors [email protected]£edu. Jeffrey Riley and Tara Young x213 MSA holds Islam Awareness Week opinioru@CentrolF/oridaFuture.com The Muslim Student Asso­ Sports Editor ciation is holding Islam Aware­ Padrick Brewer x215 ness Week through Friday. Var­ sports@(entralf/oridaFuture.com ious events will take place •· throughout the week in honor Variety Editor FIGHTING Jamie Salmasian x214 of the weeklong event. For more information and a variety@Centra/Floridafutu,ecom list of the events taking place, Photo Editor visit www.msaknights.com or Andy Jacobsohn contact [email protected]. photo@(entralRoridaFuture.com Staff Writers William Goss, Jennifer Larino, Lauren Paulauskas, Shahdai Richardson, Zaileen Roach, Kelda Senior, Amanda K. Shapiro, LOCAL Robyn Sidersky, Keith Spencer, Kari Wilberg &STATE Copy Editors Billie Hartl, Brian Murphy, Keep local with headlines Megan Speer you may have missed Staff Photographers Office Depot urges shareholders Uana Cole, Vanessa Ezeta, to reject bid for new directors Shanna Fortier, Rayma Jenkins, DELRAY BEACH - Office Ashley Koehler, Matt Kuka, Depot Inc.