Last week, Google Inc. announced its new privacy policy, which will take effect March 1.
The Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation decided Tuesday to stop providing grants for breast cancer screenings to Planned Parenthood, some say due to pressure from anti-abortion groups.
It's no secret that the politicians who have the most money invested in their campaign seem to be everywhere during election season. This is certainly true when it comes to Florida and Mitt Romney's win in the Florida presidential primaries Tuesday night.
Talking to an insurance company regarding a sinkhole under a home doesn't seem as pleasant as biting into a perfectly grown Florida strawberry, but for residents of eastern Hillsborough County the two are interconnected.
Staggering amounts of recent off-campus crimes surrounding Tulane and Loyola universities in New Orleans have left many students concerned about their safety.
Occupy USF joined hundreds of protesters outside last week's NBC Republican Presidential Candidates Debate, and while the success of the presidential primary candidates won't be decided before Tuesday's primary, it's not too soon to pick a winner — the Occupy protesters.
President Barack Obama repeated many of the ideas presented in his State of the Union Address Friday at the University of Michigan; emphasizing that "higher education is not a luxury — it's an economic imperative."
This month has thrown academia and the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) into an uproar.
A Wisconsin high school newspaper drew national attention this month when it ran two opposing opinion columns discussing adoption by same-sex couples.
On Friday, President Barack Obama ruled that religious hospitals and businesses could not restrict employee insurance coverage for birth control and Sunday marked the 39th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision. But in Florida, abortion is conversely being restricted in new laws that, ultimately, will not stop the procedure from
happening.
While the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect IP Act (PIPA) dominated last week's headlines, another damaging intellectual property decision actually passed with relatively little outcry.
The NBC Republican Presidential Candidates Debate, hosted Monday at USF, provided a great opportunity for the Tampa area to get a firsthand look at the political issues in this year's election.
On Friday, congressional leaders postponed voting on two antipiracy bills after an overwhelming number of protesters spoke out against the proposed legislation.
The NBC Republican Presidential Candidates Debate descends onto campus today, bringing a national spotlight to USF. With all four remaining candidates confirmed and the Florida primary only a week away, the debate is an incredibly important political event.
The Supreme Court announced Tuesday that it will not intervene in three cases of First Amendment controversies over students on the Internet — a move that could have dangerous repercussions.
In tough economic times, many students wonder if their college education is costing them more than it's worth, an issue The Chronicle of Higher Education is calling "The Value Gap."
In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, The Daily Beast set out to determine the top 20 most tolerant cities in America.
As the race for the presidential nominee narrows, Florida has positioned itself to be a driving force — hosting the Republican National Convention in August and even sacrificing delegate votes to push up the Florida primaries for better exposure.
Keep trying, Republican candidates, and maybe your voracious Twitter blasts will attract a couple of young voters. #JKLOL
In an attempt to gain more influence over the Republican nomination for the presidential race, Florida may have inadvertently ousted itself from the conversation.
Steinbrenner High School teacher Kelly Miliziano received more than a mere parent complaint when she invited a Muslim speaker to visit her class.
State budget shortfalls seem to be a reoccurring theme across the U.S. However, though governors are forced to think of increasingly creative ways to plug ever-widening holes, they must also stay grounded in reality to avoid dreaming up ridiculous proposals like Missouri Gov.
Two months ago, East Carolina University and its independent student newspaper, The East Carolinian, made headlines when they ran full-frontal photos of a football-game streaker on their front page.
President Barack Obama isn't happy.
The president seems to have lost his spark, as media have buzzed with speculation over the root of his gloomy demeanor between coverage of those vying for his job.
The University is playing around with a new name: "University of South Florida Tampa Bay."
The Kansas governor's office recently made a laughingstock of itself after trying to get back at a teenager who tweeted disparaging remarks about Gov. Sam Brownback.
St. Petersburg is the saddest city in America, with Tampa right behind at No. 4, according to a study by Men's Health magazine, which used such data as unemployment and suicide rates, antidepressant usage and numbers of people who admit depression.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott has borrowed many of his misguided education ideas from Texas, but he may have a new role model: China.
Texas Congressman Republican Ron Paul is not your usual presidential candidate.
USF played a football game this weekend, but many students probably missed it. That's because USF played at 11 a.m. Friday, when students were either recovering from a post-Thanksgiving food coma or fighting the crowds looking for Black Friday deals.
Leadership worldwide is under scrutiny. From the uprisings in the Middle East, to "Occupy" protests in Europe and America, leaders everywhere are truly beginning to understand the hardships and responsibilities of democracy.
In the aftermath of the Penn State sex abuse scandal, where a failure in communications may have allowed child abuse to continue unchecked, U.S. universities are considering policy changes to prevent such incidences from reoccurring.
In remembrance of the JFK assassination:
A proposed policy at the University of Missouri would require students to obtain written permission from their professors and classmates to record class lectures or discussions.
Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain is not the only one having to answer to sexual harassment claims. According to a study from the American Association of University Women, nearly half of secondary school students have experienced sexual harassment, defined as "unwelcome sexual behavior that takes place in person or electronically."
Student loan debt is a growing concern within the Occupy movement, and a group of New York protesters have a solution: absolve all student debt.
East Carolina University students were in for a surprise when they picked up the Nov. 8 issue of the school's student newspaper, The East Carolinian, which featured full-frontal nude photos of a male football-game streaker.
In response to the Nov. 14 editorial "Occupy USF is flawed, misguided":
Last week's Board of Governors (BOG) meeting was intended to resolve the USF Polytechnic issue, but its decision only complicated the matter.
Cheating on the SATs, ACTs and the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) has been rampant, according to several articles in the New York Times. Numerous examples of cheating on the college admissions exams have been uncovered over the past semester.
‘Occupy' may become the word of the year, as the movement that started with Occupy Wall Street has swept across the U.S. and overseas in the last few months.
In response to higher education priorities:
Listening to the leaders of our country's most innovative companies, one of their biggest concerns about investing in America is whether our workforce has the education necessary to power their growth
Not long ago, at a regional campus not so far away, USF Polytechnic decided to boldly go where no public university had gone before and spend $10,000 on four life-size, "museum quality"
In the age of social media, students are constantly warned about what they post on their Facebook page or Twitter account, as prospective employers may be reading. For those who have jobs, it is considered bad form to trash talk one's employer online, even on private pages bosses can't see.
Plagiarism has always been a problem for colleges, and it shows no sign of going away. About 62 percent of undergraduates admit to having cheated on writing assignments, according to data from Clemson University's International Center for Academic Integrity.
Hosting an event such as the Republican National Convention (RNC) is supposed to bring myriad benefits to cities, including an economic boost. Considering the state of the economy, next year's RNC may be just what Tampa needs.
Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow has been in the national spotlight since his days at the University of Florida, where his on-the-field accomplishments made him one of the greatest college football players of all time.
After President Barack Obama presented his plan to step up federal student loan reform last week, Republican presidential candidate and businessman Herman Cain suggested a plan of his own: shifting the burden of student lending from the federal level to the states.
Even in the U.S., the fight for freedom is not over.
A Christian student organization at USF, Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship, lost its Activity and Service (A&S) funding last week after the organization removed a student from a leadership position in response to her coming out as bisexual.
Boys ages 11 through 21 should start getting vaccinated for human papillomavirus (HPV), according to a suggestion released last week by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board voted last week to eliminate 64 degree programs at public universities. Another 145 programs were voluntarily cut.
A proposed constitutional amendment will ask voters in Mississippi next week, "Should the term ‘person' be defined to include every human being from the moment of fertilization, cloning or the equivalent thereof?"
President Barack Obama announced his plan to provide relief to student loan debt during a speech in Denver last week.
In response to the Oct. 19 article "Firearms trigger campus debate."
Given the political unrest that permeates the country, economic shortcomings that affect every social class and daily frustrations stemming from both, I consider myself and every other student on the USF campus to be in danger.
Voter apathy has always been a problem among young people, despite vigorous voter registration drives every election year. Florida's new election laws will do nothing to help the issue, as third-party registration groups may face the threat of fines.
Both the Occupy Wall Street and the tea party movements are a symbol of the times. The American people are growing tired of the wealth disparity that has grown in recent years. Wall Street executives are receiving record bonuses in the post-bailout era while millions of Americans have lost their jobs, homes and a piece of the American Dream.
Gov. Rick Scott is not making any friends in higher education this month.
There is a growing trend among states to test welfare recipients for drug use. According to the New York Times, three dozen states, such as Arizona, Missouri and Indiana, have passed policies that drug test those who receive government assistance, such as food stamps, unemployment assistance and public housing.
Recent changes in state regulations have reignited the debate over whether students with concealed weapon permits should be allowed to bring firearms onto campus.
Last week, California passed the first legislation in the country banning indoor tanning devices for all minors in the state.
The Florida State Board of Education and the Board of Governors face a federal class-action lawsuit that claims the state has discriminated against U.S.-born students whose parents may be illegal immigrants.
Twenty years after Naomi Wolf's "The Beauty Myth" was published, girls and women are still under assault by media images depicting narrow beauty ideals and stereotypes, leading to low self-esteem and body image disorders. The National Organization for Women (NOW) wants to change that with today's National Love Your Body Day.
Earlier this month, sexual battery charges were dropped against former Upward Bound (UB) mentor Herron Gaston, who was accused of having sex with a minor.
The Occupy Wall Street movement has extended far past New York City's Zuccotti Park over the past few weeks. Even the White House has picked up the cause.
Law schools train students to be well versed in every aspect of the law, and many recent graduates, facing a tough job market, have used that education to turn on their alma maters by filing lawsuits.
Liberal arts majors and anthropologists across the country are up in arms after Florida Gov. Rick Scott remarked that state universities should shift funding to science, technology, math and engineering (STEM) fields because those are the majors that create jobs.
On top of pursuing its already dubious decision to separate from the USF System, the USF Polytechnic campus is also going ahead with its plans to build a new multimillion dollar new campus.
The Great Recession must not claim the judicial branch as another one of its victims.
Many American reforms have made their mark on history through protests — women's suffrage, the civil rights movement and the ongoing gay rights movement, to name a few.
Recent technological advances in biology, chemistry and computer sciences are making the dream of living a longer and healthier life a reality.
When visitors reach apple.com, they are now greeted by a quizzical yet mischievous portrait of Steve Jobs, the charismatic Apple CEO who has been lauded by media outlets as one of the foremost visionaries of our time.
Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) proposed a bill last week that would allow federal prosecutors to bring conspiracy charges against U.S. citizens for planning activities abroad that would violate U.S. drug laws. "Under this bill, if a young couple plans a wedding in Amsterdam, and as part of the wedding, they plan to buy the bridal party some marijuana, they would be subject to prosecution," Bill Piper, director of national affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance, told the Huffington Post.
Last week, Apple CEO Steve Jobs died after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. Jobs certainly accomplished much during his tenure with Apple, but what will be his legacy?
Pinellas County voted to discontinue fluoridating its water supply last week. The addition of fluoride to public water systems was adopted by the U.S. Public Health Service as an official policy in 1950 to reduce cavities and promote oral health.
Criminal trials that receive widespread media coverage can be a great platform for discussing the shortcomings of American society, but the media's coverage routinely has shortcomings itself — particularly when it comes to race.
Cyberbullying has become a real problem in the last decade. Internet users, particularly teens and children, are routinely victimized under the veil of anonymity provided by the web.
U.S. foreign aid has a significant impact on people around the world, funding countries directly and indirectly through agencies such as the Department of State and Non-Government Organizations such as the World Food Programme. However, aid has been drawn back severely this year.
In response to the Sept. 28 article "Ducklings at risk on campus":
I was deeply moved by the tragic story of the helpless little ducks chronicled in The Oracle. This has inspired me to propose another necessary reform: squirrel crosswalks.
Florida's Sunshine Laws are intended to keep the state's government transparent and accountable. Whenever public records information is requested, the price is no more than the lowest paid employee's labor capable of the job plus the cost to make the copies, according to Florida Statutes.
Fewer women than men hold careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and his past have been placed under a microscope since his election in 2010. The Spanish-language media broadcasting company Univision, in particular, has had an extensive history with the senator.
Australia began a five-year process of opening the ranks of all its combat units to women Tuesday, according to the Associated Press, a reform that the U.S. has considered before, but has not yet decided on.
Gov. Rick Scott has expressed interest in reforming higher education in Florida by imitating a plan proposed by Gov. Rick Perry of Texas, even asking Florida college presidents their opinions on the proposal, according to Jacksonville's News4Jax.
Nearly two years after a disastrous earthquake hit Haiti, reconstruction of the Western Hemisphere's poorest country is far from completion.
In New York City, at least 80 protesters were arrested Saturday outside the New York Stock Exchange. The protesters, part of a movement called Occupy Wall Street, have been there continuously since Sept. 17, according to their website.
The French government banned praying in the streets of Paris last week. While the law is targeted toward Muslims, it will apply to people of all faiths.
The Big East remains — for now. Big East university presidents and athletic directors discussed the fate of USF's athletics conference during a meeting Tuesday night.
President Barack Obama has characterized himself as the father figure in the continuing argument between bickering sides of Congress. He has made concessions and attempted to compromise with the House of Representatives and Senate Republicans, but his diplomatic efforts have borne little fruit.
On Aug. 9, the Internet terrorist group Anonymous sent out a press release describing plans to take down Facebook on Nov. 5.
For decades, Americans have been consuming large quantities of refined carbohydrates that have led to increases in obesity, heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes and other diseases that have sparked a serious health crisis in the
Though their views ignite controversy on multiple fronts, the tea party is right about one thing: America's entitlement programs need to be reformed.
Last week, the U.S. observed the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, a moment marked by reflection on the lives lost in the initial attacks, as well as the innumerable ways the world has changed in the past decade.One event in post-9/11 history that may have been overlooked still holds ramifications for higher education in general, but USF in particular.
The Tampa City Council has been debating the merits of sending an official letter to the government of Cuba according to the St. Petersburg Times, offering greetings to an island nation that has been under a U.S. trade embargo for the past five decades.
With the excessive changes in the Middle East, the heat is on for Israel. With rising discontent in the region, shaken foundations between Israel and Turkey and the Palestinians' potential declaration of statehood later this month, there must be significant changes in the worldwide Middle Eastern policy.
The idea of "pre-crime" technology may seem straight out of the 2002 film "Minority Report." However, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, common software used by economists, seismologists and financial analysts are already being used to try to predict crimes before they happen.
The Tea Party Express rolled into Tampa last night for a televised debate on CNN, with jobs and economic reform as the prevailing themes. Of the eight candidates who attended, two distinguished themselves as front-runners: Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. The pair stood out as the two strongest and most confident candidates.
In response to the Sept. 7 article "Higher education reform proposals raise concerns at USF" Thank you for running the Sept. 7 article on faculty and administration concerns about some of Gov. Rick Scott's proposals. Since some of them involve tenure, we should be clear about what tenure is — and what it is not.
With the passing of the 10-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks came a surge of heightened emotion throughout the U.S. Sunday. Yet, not all of that emotion funneled into pride, remembrance and the forward movement of the nation — some of it was channeled into pure disgust.
If motorists flash their headlights to warn of a hazard, is it illegal? What if that hazard is a speed trap?
Controversy has recently been raised in the Tampa Bay area concerning the legal use of light signals.
Israel's recent foreign relations are fraught with uncertainty.
Longtime ally Turkey has distanced itself from Israel ever since the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) stormed a Turkish ship during the Gaza flotilla incident in 2010. Neighboring Syria is rioting under a general crackdown, and on top of that, Egyptian citizens mobbed the Israeli embassy in Cairo last week. The ambassador was forced to flee to Israel, according to Reuters.
In response to Lee Roy Selmon's passing:
Most people saw Lee Roy Selmon as an iconic football player and a Tampa Bay star. For others, he was a friend, a colleague, a husband, a father, a grandfather, an uncle, a brother, a son and a role model. Just last Tuesday, my co-workers and I were trying to convince Lee Roy to get a Twitter.
For our generation, this decade will be remembered by the terrorism that marked its birth. The Sept. 11 decade saw a titanic shift in U.S. domestic policies toward terrorism and the Bill of Rights. When President Barack Obama was elected in 2008, it was viewed as a rebuke of the policies of former President George W. Bush's administration.
The U.S. has the largest defense budget in the world, at a sum of $680 billion for the year of 2010, according to thehill.com.
Gender identity is an important part of anyone's personality. Yet, gender identity and expression has yet to be included within USF's anti-discrimination policies..
In response to the Sept. 1 article "No discrimination protection for gender identity at USF"
I am a biological female, and I happen to feel that my body matches the rest of me. Not everyone is so fortunate, and I understand that.
USF doesn't seem to care that its students are broke.
The first week of school, students are expected to have all required materials for their classes, as well as a parking permit to attend their first classes or else risk getting dropped. Many would want to buy these items with help from their financial aid. However, that is not available until the second week of school.
When Tommy Frane and William Kilgore began filming an arrest earlier this year, they probably did not anticipate being arrested as well.
As the race for the U.S. presidency gains momentum, headlines applauding and lampooning candidates have berated the public. The merits of presidential hopefuls are questioned on every platform; however, religion has proved to be the scarlet letter for GOP candidates.
Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) has spent the last weekend campaigning in Florida for her GOP presidential primary, but she may be doing more harm to her cause than good.
College graduates entering the work force today are facing unprecedented challenges when seeking employment, leaving many wondering about the merits of graduate education.
According to a poll conducted by consulting firm Twentysomething Inc., 85 percent of college graduates plan to move back in with their parents this year. Likewise, unemployment among adult men and women over the age of 20 for July was 9 percent and 7.9 percent, respectively.
The six-month Libyan civil war is seemingly coming to a close. The rebels have pushed Colonel Moammar Gadhafi loyalists into the city of Sirte and even Gadhafi's family has fled Libya, according to Reuters.
Last week, "The Daily Show" host Jon Stewart called 2012 presidential candidate and Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) the "13th floor in a hotel," regarding how the politician has been ignored in the media.
Smokers across America are cashing in on new Roll Your Own (RYO) cigarette machines that offer cheaper cigarettes.
As the GOP presidential primary draws near, the media has set its sights on two conservative women — confirmed candidate Michele Bachmann and possible runner former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. These news outlets have analyzed both political figures from seemingly every angle, with such wildly contrasting classifications as strong, crazy, outsider and opportunist.
Businesses and shops that deal in gold have become commonplace across America. Pawn shops as well as new
companies that buy and sell gold in mall shops have made gold speculation easily accessible to Americans On Sept. 16, 2008 — the same day global investment bank Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.
When news broke last month that USF planned to change its housing policy, much of the attention was focused on changes meant to help transgender students. However another issue that was eclipsed by the gender neutrality controversy could make just as many waves in the near future.
Months have passed since the eventual fall of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, but little has progressed in the Arab world's most populous country.
By now, many students have noticed the Bulls flags branding USF's campus and the ongoing Leroy Collins Boulevard construction, but may be unaware that they represent part of a larger goal.
The final space shuttle launch at the Kennedy Space Center earlier this month signified the end of an era, and for many Americans, that last flight carried the same bitter disappointment of a child giving up dreams of becoming an astronaut.
The News of the World, Britain's best-selling Sunday tabloid according to the Guardian, printed its final copy July 10 after reports of corruption, bad business and illegal activity forever smeared the paper with a reputation for unethical and criminal reporting.
On Tuesday, online video streaming website Netflix announced that it will change the current plans offered to subscriber by Sept. 1, inciting backlash from consumers.
On July 7, USF became the first college in the state to allow students to identify themselves as male, female or "transitioning" when applying for on-campus housing.
When it comes to planning one's future, many will go to any extent to achieve their goals. For students, post-graduation aspirations such as law school or medical school come with high expectations on the LSAT (Law School Admission Test) or MCAT (Medical College Admission Test).
News broke last weekend that President Barack Obama plans to cut foreign aid to Pakistan by $800 million — money that would be used to reimburse the country for military operations at the Afghan border, as well as help provide training and supplies for its military.
Keith McHenry, co-founder of the charity organization Food Not Bombs, was arrested last week with two other accomplices for what has been described as "food terrorism" by Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. Their crime? Feeding the homeless in Lake Eola Park.
President Barack Obama took the unusual step of holding a Twitter "town hall" Wednesday afternoon in an effort to answer questions straight from the minds of ordinary citizens that use the popular media service.
When Casey Anthony was acquitted of first-degree murder charges relating to the death of her infant daughter, Caylee Anthony, in an Orlando courthouse Tuesday, jaws dropped.
Gov. Rick Scott, in a purely political move, rejected federal funding in February for a high-speed rail project connecting Tampa to Orlando.
Summer camp is in some ways a staple of the American psyche and pop culture. One need look no further than Nickelodeon's television series "Salute Your Shorts" or "American Pie Presents: Band Camp" for wide-ranging examples.
A battle is raging in Washington, D.C. over raising the debt ceiling, which the U.S. hit May 16.
The fight for gay marriage reached a significant milestone Friday, when a bill legalizing gay marriage passed through the New York Senate.
The man who jumped from balconies, cycled into a field of cactuses and traversed an Iceland waterfall in a barrel died Monday morning in a tragic car crash.
On Sept. 11, 2001, the U.S. was brutally attacked by the terrorist organization al-Qaida, resulting in the deaths of nearly 3,000 Americans. In retaliation, then-President George W. Bush directed the American military to wage war on the terrorist group and the Taliban regime that harbored it in Afghanistan in retaliation.
In response to the June 16 editorial "Don't fund the smoking ban." I am puzzled by the stance The Oracle has taken on the partial smoking ban in the last few months. While the majority of students, faculty and other interested parties have shown support through surveys and Student Government elections, The Oracle is grasping at straws by claiming the ban is not a proper use of funds.
Three years ago, a 2-year-old girl disappeared near Orlando. Her body was found five months later. In the ensuing years, much has been made of the death of Caylee Anthony, generating a huge amount of media coverage. While the public certainly has a right to know about the case, the media should exercise good taste in dealing with the tragedy.
It's been nearly three weeks since the "Weinergate" scandal broke onto the news scene. First, a non-nude crotch shot of Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) emerged on Twitter. Later, a fully nude picture was released. Now, there are strong calls from members of both parties for the representative to resign.
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