UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA WORLD CLASS JAZZ January photo gallery online at www.unfspinnaker.com 28 Volume 32, Issue 19 2009 Wednesday Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder has affected more people each year in the COPING WITH U.S. military since the war began in 2003. THE STRESS OF WAR BY NICOLE HERNANDEZ CONTRIBUTING WRITER The wildflowers in the median of Interstate 95 through Georgia and South Carolina remind one former Marine of his days in Kosovo, but his sentiments rarely reflect the beauty. On a mid-July day in 1999, Marine Pfc. Robinson Rodriguez, then 19, was assigned work detail. He assumed he would be cleaning up road kill, like on previous work details. But when his work party arrived at a field, Rodriguez realized the group was to collect the remains of a corpse into a body bag. “That was the hardest thing for me to let go of,” Rodriguez said. The corpse might have been exposed to the heat for days or even weeks; all that was left was a torso, half of a head, one arm and the legs above the knees, Rodriguez said. The work party couldn’t even tell the corpse’s gender. He recovered from the incident, but after five years, Rodriguez, a junior international business major at UNF, started having nightmares. He was officially diagnosed in 2006 as one of nearly 5 million adults in the U.S. with post-traumatic stress disorder. PTSD is an anxiety disorder that can occur with anyone who has PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBINSON RODRIGUEZ PHOTO COURTESY been exposed to a traumatic event – many of whom are soldiers who return from duty. In 2007, 2,014 Marines were diagnosed with PTSD, along with 10,049 soldiers in the Army. Symptoms include substance abuse, depression, sleeping problems, irrational fears, nightmares and exaggerated startled response. Some people exposed to trauma might not realize they are suffer- ing from the disorder. Others refuse to go to therapy because of the stigma associated with coming to counseling, said Richmond Wynn, community outreach coordinator for the UNF Counseling Center. See PTSD, PAGE 3 � Marine Pfc. Robinson Rodriguez (right) digs for lost supplies with a soldier in Kuwait. Rodriguez, a UNF junior, was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder in 2006. He is one of 5 million Americans with the disorder. Medical school acceptance rises Professors’ pay withers BY JAMES CANNON II by 2020, makes for one of the most optimal ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR times to apply to medical school in recent memory.” in economic hardship Admission officers at 85 of the country’s With the increase in seats, the growing top medical schools said 44 percent of the concern is the decrease in quality of stu- schools are expected to increase the number dents. But out of the 42,000 students who ap- BY REBECCA MCKINNON Salary Survey. In 2006- of available seats, some for as early as the ply to medical school every year, 18,000 are STAFF WRITER 2007, the average sal- incoming fall 2009 class, according to a new accepted. ary was $98,974. survey conducted by Kaplan Test Prep and The average GPA for students who apply In the wake of budget cuts and the fal- While a lot of the Admissions. is a 3.6, well above the average for most other tering economy, many students feel their market problems oc- But, gaining admittance into top medical post graduate programs, Mustafa said. wallets are being targeted, but there are cur at all universities, schools are becoming increasingly dependent However, the dynamics for being accepted also others struggling financially at UNF, UNF has its own para- on standardized testing rather than GPA or to medical schools are shifting. even in the same classroom – professors. doxical salary issues. relevant experience. Of the 85 schools surveyed, 44 percent said “We’re at the low end in a state that The frugality of “The likelihood that more medical school they relied most heavily on Medical College pays low salaries,” said Henry Thomas, Thomas UNF becomes a curse seats will become imminently available is Admission Test scores, while 29 percent re- United Faculty of Florida’s UNF Chapter and a blessing dur- good news for students considering applying lied on undergraduate GPA, 17 percent relied president. ing budget-crunch to medical school,” said Amjed Mustafa, di- on the interview and 9 percent relied on rel- UNF professors earn just above the state times, said Joann Campbell, associate vice rector of pre-health programs at Kaplan Test evant work experience. average at $96,700 compared to $90,600, ac- president of academic affairs. Prep and Admissions. “This news, combined cording to the Association of American with a projected deficit of 200,000 doctors See MEDICAL SCHOOL, page 4� University Professors’ 2007-2008 Faculty See SALARY, PAGE 4 � BATTLE OF THE Guide to the BANDS, Super Bowl, page 11 page 19 PagE 2 WEDNESDay, JANUARY 28, 2009 NEWS QUESTION OF THE WEEK What are your plans for the Super Bowl? w ALYSS A JOHN JA MES JESSE ARIELLE SPIR A TO CH A LHOUB MUSS A LLEM GOMES WID G EON SOPHOMORE , JUNIOR , SOPHOMORE , FRE S HMAN , SOPHOMORE , COMMUNI C ATION ENGINEERING FINAN C E COMPUTER NUR S ING SC IEN C E “I’m going to “Wherever the wind “Grilling out at my “Just hanging out “Going to a big party Tallahassee for the takes me that day.” house hopefully.” with my friends. The in Oakleaf that my weekend with my boy- Cardinals are going to friends have every friend and friends.” crush the Steelers.” year.” Compiled by Sarah Gojekian. 7-DAY POLICE BEAT FORECAST THURSDAY JAN. 29 Jan. 20 – Jan. 25 Showers 1 Jan. 20 – Possession suspects admitted to smok- 58/48 of a Controlled Substance ing a joint. A self-made Rain: 60% (Building 38) – UPD re- pipe was also found in the sponded to the parking 7lot room. All four students behind Building 38 in refer- were referred to student ence to two men placing conduct. fliers on vehicles. 5 When the officer Jan. 23 – Criminal Mis- FRIDAY JAN. 30 looked up their identity, chief (Alumni Hall) – UPD one of the men had a war- was dispatched to Alumni Few rant out for his arrest for Hall to investigate a male possession of a controlled sleeping on the 2nd floor. Showers substance. He was arrested Upon arriving, UPD 56/34 and searched. noticed the same door that The subject had nine Physical Facilities pad- RAIN: 30% Ecstasy pills on him and the locked earlier that other person was issued a evening was forcibly notice of Trespass Warning broken into. After entering and told not to return to8 the room, UPD observed SATURDAY JAN. 31 1 campus. the suspect drunk and asleep in a chair. The man 2 Sunny Jan. 21 – Petty Theft was not a UNF student and (Housing Office) – UPD was did not have a local ID. 7 59/37 1 dispatched to the housing RAIN: 10% area, due to an apparent 6 Jan. 24 – Burglary (Lot theft of a wallet. Once the 15) – UPD responded to a victim noticed the miss- 9 stolen property complaint ing wallet, he alerted his in Lot 15, where a mother. skateboard, Ipod and a His mother called him10 prescription pill bottle SUNDAY FEB. 1 later and informed him were missing from a car. that his bank called her Due to the unknown point Scattered and that his credit card was of entry, the vehicle was 10 declined at a nearby store not processed for finger- Showers 9 for uncharacteristic behav- prints. 65/47 ior. The case was referred 7 RAIN: 30% to a detective. Jan. 25 – Injury (Building Q) – A UPD 3 Jan. 21 – Property officer responded to a Found (Building S) – UPD woman lying on the responded to a bong found11 floor with scrapes and red MONDAY FEB. 2 11 in a dorm room during a marks on her. She was Health and Safety Inspec- complaining of a hurt Mostly 3 tion. 12 back. Upon questioning After interviewing the the woman, the officer Cloudy 19 subjects and inspecting the realized the woman had 66/48 bong, UPD determined the been drinking Parrot Bay 2 bong had not been used Rum. The officer also RAIN: 10% recently and did not have witnessed several bed sufficient resin to test for sheets hanging from a marijuana. Both room- window, and upon further 12 6 mates were referred to investigation, the officer TUESDAY FEB. 3 5 student conduct. determined the end of 8 the sheets were tied to 9 4 Mostly Jan. 22 – Possession her bed. The woman’s of Drug Paraphernalia purse contained a clear 7 Sunny 5 (Building Q) – UPD was dis- water bottle with liquid 65/45 4 patched to a dorm room in that smelled like alcohol. 6 reference to a strong odor She was transported to St. RAIN: 10% 3 of marijuana. After UPD Luke’s Hospital. and the Resident Assis- tant gained entrance into Compiled by the dorm room, the four James Cannon II. WEDNESDAY FEB. 4 Sunny 63/45 Billion dollar economic People sick RAIN: 10% Last week by stimulus plan proposed nationally from and voted on Jan. 28, the peanut butter the numbers 825 including infrastructure 480 products recall. spending and tax cuts. Each week the Spinnaker staff For updated reports what’s going on around campus: the good and the bad. Students participated in the Point victory for the weather, visit In this little space, we want to men’s basketball team summarize the life of the Osprey annual homeless count Jan.