The Index News.................................................................1 classifieds..............................................7 Montage...................................................4 Crossword.........................................7 The Opinion.......................................................6 sports............................................................8 TUESDAY, JANUARY Oracle 21, 2014 I VOL. 51 NO. 65 www.usforacle.com UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA USF study Graduation rates improve as state moves finds traffic cameras to performance-based funding model By Divya Kumar priated by state Legislature to still be ineligible for a share of season begins, as demonstrat- EDITOR IN CHIEF their base budgets, USF and the $50 million. ed by the 63 percent gradua- ineffective UCF topped the recipient list Florida State University tion rate — a number that has at $2.6 million. This year, the System Chancellor Marshall increased by more than 20 By Roberto Roldan As the Florida Board of BOG approved a new model of Criser said universities percent since USF President CORRESPONDENT Governors’ (BOG) announced funding that would allow even shouldn’t think of it as com- Judy Genshaft was appointed Thursday its latest measure to a university’s base budget to peting against each other for in 2001. move toward a method of per- be performance-based. funds, but rather about provid- Performance, he said, has The number of red light formance-based funding for Based on a 50-point scale, ing more accountability to tax- been carefully monitored at cameras in use at intersec- higher education, USF had an any university that receives payers to justify funding higher USF and “intentional invest- tions across Tampa has more announcement of its own: its below 26 points could lose up education. ments” in student success than doubled since 2011. graduation rate, a metric that to 1 percent in funding and “It’s Florida’s money,” such as funding the SMART On Jan. 1, the Tampa Police had come under great scrutiny would be ineligible for further Criser said. “It’s about how we lab, 24/5 Library hours, under- Department (TPD) added 15 from the BOG during the last funds from the performance- can best and most responsi- graduate research, financial more traffic cameras, bring- legislative season, had reached based pot, which will increase bly invest Florida’s money. … aid and other supplementary ing the number of monitored 63 percent — a number higher from $20 million to $50 mil- What we establish is credibil- facets of an education have intersections to nearly 20. than it has been in the past 15 lion. This amount of money ity for why (legislators) should been at the forefront of plan- On its website, TPD cites years. will also now be based on provide funding. … We have to ning. the Insurance Institute for While state universities 10 metrics, instead of three. fight for our seat at the table.” “Quite frankly, the prog- Highway Safety (IIHS) saying competed for a share of $20 Additionally, if all universities USF Provost Ralph Wilcox ress we’ve made over the past the “intersection safety pro- million in additional perfor- score above 26 points, the bot- said he thinks USF is posi- decade would make most peo- gram will be very important mance-based funding appro- tom three performers would tioned well as the allocation n See PERFORMANCE on PAGE 2 to the safety of our local road ways.” However, an analysis recently published by three Woolard leaves legacy of ups and downs USF researchers found one of By Adam Fenster and But the legacy Woolard is still paying the former coach skepticism from fans as hiring IIHS’s own studies may prove leaves behind is one that is his $2.5 million buyout, which Holtz in the first place Woolard red light cameras ineffective Mike Mallory SPORTS ANALYSIS mixed, particularly because of was recently brought under fired the previous at preventing traffic fatalities. the results of recent years. the scrutiny of a state oper- football coach, Jim The analysis, published in *** ational audit that stated Leavitt, in January “Health Behavior and Policy After a decade of serving as USF’s Athletic Director, Woolard’s contract exten- severance pay could not 2010 after he alleg- Review,” was conducted sion came after a successful equal more than 20 edly struck a play- by USF Health professors Doug Woolard announced his retirement Thursday. In men’s basketball season that weeks of compensation. er at halftime in a Barbara Langland-Orban, featured the Bulls making it as Signing Holtz to a big 2009 game. Leavitt Etienne Pracht and John 2012, Woolard signed a con- tract extension that prolonged far as the third round of the contract extension and was USF’s first foot- Large. NCAA Tournament. firing him a year later ball coach, hired in The group had already his role until June 2015 — a date that will now mark his Likely the biggest success received just 1995, about a decade been examining red light around that time was USF’s as much before Woolard camera studies since 2008 departure from USF, though he could leave his current posi- softball team, which reached arrived. Leavitt when it received a state grant the Women’s College World then built the to look for new sources of tion sooner if a replacement is found. Series, and a string of NCAA program from revenue for Florida’s trauma tournament appearances by the ground system. The national search for a replacement is already under- the men’s soccer team. up and led After analyzing a large But that year also brought them to No. number of comparative stud- way and once someone is found, Woolard will be involved about, what some look at as, ies, the group realized the one of Woolard’s costliest mis- n See LEGACY science behind the traffic in Athletics at an unspecified role until retirement. takes. on PAGE 2 safety program was absent. After a 5-7 football season “What the larger studies at While Woolard said in a pub- lic statement that he made in 2011 under former coach the time showed was quite Skip Holtz, Woolard signed the opposite to what we all the decision after talks with his family during the holidays, Holtz to a five-year contract thought,” Pracht said. “These extension at $2 million annu- red light cameras are actually sources for ESPN have specu- lated the retirement may have ally. The Bulls were ranked in associated with higher risks the top 25 early in the season, of crashes, particularly rear- been forced due to the grum- blings of unsatisfied fans. but Holtz was fired after going ORACLE FILE PHOTO/ APRIL STRATEMEYER n See CAMERA on PAGE 3 3-9 a year later. USF Athletics 2 TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2014 ● THE ORACLE THE ORACLE hood for success in Florida PERFORMANCE based on their high school Continued from PAGE 1 performances,” he said. “That Bulls cornerback hadn’t always been the case Editor in Chief ple at other universities abso- in Florida, where the incentive Divya Kumar until recently was less about (813) 974-5190 lutely giddy because of how arrested for marijuana [email protected] many balls we’ve been jug- how many students exited the gling,” Wilcox said. backdoor with the skills, com- USF redshirt sophomore was charged possession of Managing Editor As Florida continues to fol- petency and degree than about cornerback Kenneth Durden cannabis, a third-degree Alex Rosenthal low the national higher educa- how many students came in was arrested Saturday night felony and put on a $2,000 (813) 974-1888 the front door.” at his on-campus Holly apart- bond. [email protected] tion trend of moving toward performance-based funding, BOG Chairman Mori ment residence after USF Durden started 11 games Assistant News Editor Wilcox said USF will contin- Hosseini said providing perfor- police responded to a com- for the Bulls and collected 32 Wesley Higgins ue to change the culture of mance-based results would be plaint of possible drug use. tackles, a fumble recovery, (813) 974-1888 how education is commonly necessary to show Legislature According to an arrest affi- an interception, and returned [email protected] thought of, starting with the that higher education would davit, Durden allowed entry nine punts for 64 yards. have a return on investment. to police and handed them a Sports Editor enrollment process. Adam Fenster “We are now making sure “If you want new money, clear bag of cannabis which (813) 974-2842 we are enrolling students you have to have skin in the totaled 21.7 grams. Durden — Staff report [email protected] that have demonstrated likeli- game,” he said. Assistant Sports Editor Mike Mallory cer games were played in the Conference (AAC), a startup to the NIT in his third year LEGACY track stadium and the softball conference that will take years and the NCAA Tournament two Montage Editor Continued from PAGE 1 Shaunda Wickham team played on what looked before it comes close to what years ago, compiling an 85-110 (813) 974-2398 like an intramural field. the Big East was to football record at USF prior to this [email protected] 2 national ranking for a brief In addition to a new athletics and basketball. The AAC will season. building, the Carol and Frank also lose a major athletic pro- As a longer tenured coach Scene and Heard moment in 2007. Shaunda Wickham In more than a decade with Morsani Football Complex gram in Louisville, a school than Taggart, the basketball (813) 974-2398 Leavitt, USF saw two sub-.500 was built, and the Pam and that has reached the NCAA program under Heath is sure to seasons, one being in its inau- Les Muma Center was built postseason in many sports of be reviewed closely by a new Photo Editors gural season.