UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA January www.unfspinnaker.com 21 Volume 32, Issue 18 2009 Wednesday OUCH! Making Players’ pain is history university’s gain, Inauguration page 17 draws hundreds to UNF Library BY JOSH SALMAN & JAMES CANNON II THE SPINNAKER Growing up in Kenya, Libran Jirmo never thought he would see a black president of the U.S. in his lifetime. Facing stereotypes, racism and a lack of freedom every day through- out the majority of his childhood, the senior chemistry major said he dreamed of days similar to this. For Jirmo, coming to America was always a goal, and with the in- auguration of the first black presi- dent, he said he now knows it was a decision he will never regret. NNAKER I P S HARRIS ZELIFF | | ZELIFF HARRIS “This opens the door to every minority,” he said. “I’m praying for [President Barack Obama] to suc- ceed in this bad economy. It shows how capable we are.” ONLINE Jirmo joined more than 200 Log onto UNF students, staff and facul- ty Jan. 20 to watch the historic unfspinnaker.com inauguration in the Library, for a photo while another 100 watched the ceremony with the African gallery and American Student Union in the Robinson Center. post-game video Many students were emotion- interviews. al, some even crying, as the new See INAUGURATION, page 5 � Special legislative session leads to 4 percent budget cut BY JAMES CANNON II ASSISTANT NEWS EDitoR A PATTERN OF BUDGET CUTS Florida lawmakers approved a $2.8 billion package of budget cuts, reserve runs and fee increases, ending their 10-day special session Jan. 14. Educational spending will feel the brunt of the measure with a $466 million cut and a 4 percent decrease to the state university sys- October 2008 – March 2009 – 10 percent tem – reducing spending by $140 per-student. November 2007 – 4 percent cut projected cut, according The state decided to cut non-recurring 4 percent cut to USF officials dollars, which gave universities more time June 2008 – January 2009 – to evaluate the 2009-2010 budget, said Shari 3.3 percent cut 4 percent cut Shuman, vice president of Administration and Finance. “The state’s economy is affecting all ar- But unlike other areas, the state universi- “The university has been well aware and revenue – $3 million – and the Lottery Trust eas of industry,” said Janet Owen, director ties provide a way out of economic troubles has been following the movement of the leg- Fund – $1.7 million, Shuman said. of Governmental Affairs. “I was competing because schools prepare people for better islation,” Shuman said. “We have been plan- But Gov. Charlie Crist still has the final for money against other lobbyists from other jobs and conduct research, which leads to in- ning scenarios since summer to compensate say over the severity of each department’s sectors of the economy, like health care and novations, Owen said. for the budget cut.” spending cuts. the environment. No one is immune to get- UNF has made significant efforts to pre- In the interim, the budget will be funded ting cut.” pare for the financial drought, Shuman said. by previously unallocated funds from general See BUDGET, page 5 � SPRING BASH, page 11 River City Keep your Rumble, bike safe, page 19 page 7 PAGE 2 WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2009 NEWS QUESTION OF THE WEEK What does this inauguration mean to you? w JESSICA ATHENA MARIA ANTHONY LAUREN LIGHTFOOT PORTWOOD ATI L ANO BOYO HICK M AN SENIOR , SO P HOMORE , GRADUATE , SENIOR , FRE S HMAN , POLITICAL ANTHRO P OLOGY ENGLI S H BU S INE ss BU S INE ss SCIENCE LITERATURE MANAGEMENT “It means there’s hope “It’s a continuation of “Everything. It will “It’s the start of a new “This year it’s history for America and a rituals and tradition. have an impact beginning and will in the making. It has chance for equality.” No matter what worldwide and affect help us be integrated brought together so happens [President the way other as a whole.” many people.” Barack Obama] will countries view us.” still be our president.” Compiled by James Cannon II. 7-DAY POLICE BEAT FORECAST THURSDAY JAN. 22 Jan. 11 – Jan. 19 3 Sunny 2 1 Jan. 11 – Information 59/43 (Building 14) – UPD was Rain: 10% dispatched to Osprey Productions7 in reference to removed ceiling tiles just out- side the office door and inside the office. FRIDAY JAN. 23 Nothing has been reported missing from the office. Partly 2 Cloudy Jan. 11 – Theft (Lot 18) – 68/51 4 A student left her vehicle parked in the lot without RAIN: 10% locking the back door. When she returned to her vehicle a day8 later, she found her park- SATURDAY JAN. 24 ing decal was stolen. Partly 3 Jan. 16 – Theft (Lot 18) – A Cloudy 7 student parked his vehicle in 1 Lot 18. He also left his door 72/52 unlocked. RAIN: 10% 9Upon returning to the vehicle Monday morning, his parking decal was missing. 10 SUNDAY JAN. 25 4 Jan. 17 – Information Few (Building 34) – A UNF Showers 9 10 basketball player began 65/51 having difficulty breathing 1 during basketball practice. RAIN: 30% Rescue 28 transported the student to St. Luke’s Hospital. 5 5 11Jan. 19 – Drug violation MONDAY JAN. 26 11 (UNF Drive) – A speeding vehicle was stopped at 2:30 Mostly 3 12 a.m. Upon approaching the 19 Sunny vehicle, the officer noticed a 68/52 strong odor of RAIN: 10% marijuana coming from the car. The driver admitted to 12 6 smoking a joint. A search of 5 TUESDAY JAN. 27 8 the vehicle revealed a little 9 more than 2 grams of Mostly marijuana hidden in the Sunny center console. 73/53 RAIN: 10% Compiled by Andrea Farah. WEDNESDAY JAN. 28 Sunny 69/52 Million dollar cut from Students RAIN: 10% Last week by Florida’s 2008-2009 attended the budget, lawmakers River City the numbers 466 announced Jan. 15. 2,830 Rumble game Jan. 15. Each week the Spinnaker staff For updated reports what’s going on around campus: the good and the bad. th birthday of Rev. Martin International rugby weather, visit In this little space, we want to teams competed summarize the life of the Osprey Luther King Jr. was UNFSpinnaker.com. during the past week. celebrated Jan. 19 with a at Hodges Stadium downtown parade. 2 Jan. 17. Source: NOAA 80 WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2009 PAGE 3 NEWS Around the State Former state lawmaker fired for violating handbook State officials released the violations of the state’s employee termination letter of Rep. Gus handbook. Barriero, a former state lawmaker, Barreiro cleaned out his desk from his job at the Department of Jan. 15 after receiving the termi- Juvenile Justice. nation letter. The letter, made public Jan. He was appointed to this posi- 20, stated Barreiro was fired for tion last March. C HA Around the Nation D S M I T H | SP Stocks fall 4 percent during Obama’s inauguration INNAKER Widespread optimism Capitol and deepened their losses about President Barack Obama’s during the last hour of trading. UNF administration extended the early-morning hours for the Osprey Connector during finals week for the inauguration celebration in This inauguration’s stock spring semester. It will begin running at 6:30 a.m. Routes are also color coded: red for north and blue for south. Washington negatively correlated market trading was the worst to Wall Street. since 1900, according to J.P. The major indexes plunged Morgan Chase. more than 4 percent Jan. 20, In the last minutes of trading, while the Dow slipped below the Dow Jones industrial average 8,000, as new fears about the was down 300 points or 3.7 per- stability of America’s biggest cent, while the broader Standard Shuttle system expands banks roiled the markets. & Poor’s 500-stock index and the Stocks fell more than 60 points technology-heavy Nasdaq compos- during Obama’s address from the ite were down close to 5 percent. to accommodate growth Around the World BY JONATHAN MORALES on either route needing additional support at peak Gaza fighting ceases Jan. 18 after 1,313 deaths NEWS EDitoR times, he said. North route stops can expect a shuttle about ev- More than 1,300 Palestinians of the fighting to stop Jan. 18. After a year in service, the Osprey Connector shut- ery six minutes, while stops on the south route can died and another 5,400 were Israel released a statement that tle has made some adjustments in service to improve expect a shuttle about every 15 minutes, according to injured during Israel’s three-week 13 of its citizens – including 10 the overall quality offered to UNF students, officials the UNF Parking and Transportation Web site. offensive in Gaza, aimed at stopping soldiers – were killed during the said. Throughout the state, larger universities like Hamas militants from firing rockets offensive, which started Dec. 27. To increase visibility, the route signs on the shut- the University of Central Florida, Florida State into southern Israel. About 80 percent of Gaza’s tles have been color-coded: the north route is red and University and University of Florida have met the de- The fighting caused more than crops were destroyed during the 22 the south route is blue. Early-morning hours have mands of their populations by implementing trans- $1.9 billion in damages, according days of war. It could take a year for also been extended to 6:30 a.m. during final exam portation systems tailored for each school.