University of Tampa - Moroccan Yearbook (Tampa, FL)

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Friends to Remember: Elena, Juan, Kate New UT students may have won- dered where Florida got its “Sunshine State” nickname. Hurricane Elena ruined Labor Day weekend by doing a slow dance in the Gulf of Mexico and forcing Pinellas county and most of Hillsborough county to evacuate. Most of the UT students who did not find their own shelters were relocat- ed to King High School in Temple Terrace. For non-residents, it was no kind introduction to Florida. Later, weather was again a topic for discussion. Hurricane Juan had hit land in Louisiana, and was expected to take a turn toward the panhandle. Eventually, Juan broke into scattered, but copious, rainfall over the state and dissipated. The fun didn’t stop there. Hurricane Kate showed herself in late November, and UT was once again facing the possibility of evacuation. True pessimists dragged out their “EVACUATION SUCKS” T-shirts for another go-round. Fortunately, Kate only treated us to several cloudy, windy days and a few inches of rain. Florida’s reputation as “the next great place to make movies,” was solidi- fied by the success of “Cocoon,” a science fiction fantasy film directed by Ron How- ard. “Cocoon” was shot in Pinellas Coun- ty, and some scenes were shot in Plant Hall on the UT cam- pus. Those scenes were later cut from the film. Hillsborough High School, the county’s oldest high school, celebrated its centennial year. The school began in 1885 in an upstairs room in a building on Franklin Street. The cur- rent Gothic-style structure was built in 1927 and renovated in 1977. Over a thousand people attended the day- long celebration held on November 10, 1985. Madman Billy Ferry was put to trial and convicted for the 1983 firebombing of a Winn Dixie grocery store. The bombing caused the death of three innocent bystanders including a mother and her child. The trial had been delayed for over a year to determine whether Ferry was fit to stand trial. St. Pete Shows Off St. Petersburg, still burdened with the delusion that a professional baseball team is on its way real soon, was host to a real sporting event. The St. Petersburg Gran Prix rolled through Tampa’s Little Buddy November 1, 2, and 3. The course incorporated most of downtown St Pete’s brighter spots: The Pier, The Bounty, the St. Pete Yacht Club, A1 Lang Stadium and the Bayfront Center. It was indeed St. Pete at its dreamiest. For Race Director Bill McVey, it was a 10-year-old dream come true. McVey first conceived the race in 1976, while running the Precision Driving School in Tampa. After several years of hobnobbing with city officials, the go- ahead was given, supporters were mus- tered, and over 2,000 concrete barriers that would line the racecourse construct- ed. The city spent more than $1.5 million to construct the two mile circuit and its safety system. Of course, that cost could easily be deferred by the sale of 3 million or so Pepsis. FEATURES 27

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STATE % LOCAL City councilwoman and restaurant owner Helen Chavez (of brick-saving fame) made waves when she became the swing vote on a proposal that would allow liquor to be sold off-prem- ises at her new downtown restaurant. “I’ve never vot- ed for anything I didn’t think was right, and whether it’s a conflict of interest or not, I’m voting for it,” she stated. By taking that posi- tion, Chavez risked possible suspension, impeachment, or fining. Tampa witnessed the gradual and messy owner- ship transfer of the Tampa Bay Bandits. The United States Football League fran- chise had fallen on hard times as had its owner, John Bassett. Bassett’s health problems and the instability of the USFL resulted in his sale of the team to a group of local investors headed by Lee Scarfone. Governor Bob Graham, Grand Marshal at the Gasparilla Parade, greets the public. Governor Bob Graham announced that he would seek election to the United States Senate, hoping to unseat Republican Sena- tor Paula Hawkins. Flor- ida law does not permit Graham to be elected to a third term as governor. Hawkins, active on Capital Hill in her crusade for missing children and in the Parent’s Music Re- source Center, should not prove easy to remove from office. Drinking Age Hiked Being a teenager in Florida became a different kind of experience on July 1, when the legal drinking age jumped to 21 years old. Florida had considered such a move before, but was one of several states to be strongarmed into making the change. Earlier, the federal government had proposed to withhold highway repair funds from any state not instituting a drinking age of 21. The confirmation of the change set off a mild hysteria among the state’s 19- year-olds. It had been only four years since the last increase, when the age was raised from 18 to 19. Many feared that their new privilege would be stripped from them after years of gleeful anticipa- tion. College began to lose its luster, and many thought that if it was to be an out- of-body experience, it would have to be an out-of-state experience as well. Eventually, those 19-year-olds born on or before July 1, 1966 retained their right to drink. This was less than popular on most college campuses, where new care had to be taken with parties and on- campus taverns. Deadly Crud Stalks Florida Citrus Florida fought another losing round with citrus canker. The deadly crud made its grand entrance in November 1983, after being almost completely eradicated in the 1930’s. It has been popping up steadily ever since. The growth ruins citrus plants by destroying their ability to bear fruit. The trees do not actually die, but are useless for agriculture. It can be transmitted by touch, wind motion, or simply over- ground. The outbreak in 1985 came as little surprise to officials in the Florida De- partment of Agriculture and Depart- ment of Plant Industry. The disease has been chased all over the state from several, original, known infected nurser- ies, and can lie dormant in plants for up to 18 months without showing visible lesions. Over 9 million trees (and everything within a 50 yard radius of them) have had to be destroyed in the last three years, and another 2 million will likely be destroyed before the end of 1985. The Florida citrus industry may not be back on its feet for ten years. There was goo news and ba news for the Flor ida Gators. A1 though posting second straight 9 1-1 season, thei late season driv for a nations champion ship (the only hono that their three year NCAA pre bation would al low them) wa ruined by th Georgia Bulldog! 24-3. 26 FEATURES

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CAMPUS NEWS Students Attempt To Impeach Clifford Delo Sardines Student Government meetings came dangerously dose to being a battlefield at the outset of the Fall 1985 semester. The problem? Im- peachment proceedings were initiated against Senior Senator and Class President Bob Clifford who was not in Tampa for the semester. Clifford, a political science major, was one of three students selected to take part in an internship in Washington, D.C. He was accused of not fulfilling the duties of his office. In a Wednesday night impeach- ment hearing, arguments for both sides of the debate were heard. Stu- Rude Awakenings Sixth-floor residents of Delo Hall got six weeks of rude awakenings when a malfunctioning pay phone became Delo’s biggest tourist attraction. Apparently the phone would count the change inserted, then refund it. To hear the sleepless residents of the sixth floor tell it, about three-quarters of the University have relatives, friends, parents, kept wom- en, kept men, little nephews (usually named Timmy or Bobby), tax consultants, or lonesome little pets overseas, over hill, over dale or otherwise very far away. These individuals invariably needed talking to, sometimes until 4:00 a.m. The lines began forming about three weeks into the semester when word of the magnificent mouthpiece spread to the corners of the campus. Naughty little ten- minute calls to mom quickly escalated to full-scale electronic larceny as the callers began talking the international operators to death. By the second week. European calls were passe and the problem showed signs of fading. Eventually, General Telephone of Tampa got wind of the funny business and sent several communication commandoes to investigate. After catching one of the student delinquents in the act (mercifully, they did not give chase) the repairmen fixed the phone and let the sixth floor off the hook. dents supporting the impeachment of Clifford spoke against a blind loyalty to elected officials and called such loyalty “similar to the attitudes that resulted in the charge of the light brigade, the Manson murders, and the Nazi holocaust.” Student Government President Erica Edwards read two letters from the students interning in Washington with Clifford who advo- . cated Clifford’s retention. At the end of the debate, the impeachment effort failed amid the joyous shouts of Clifford’s fraternity brother’s, seated in the independent section. During the 1985-86 school year, the first and second floors of Delo Hall were where the girls were. An overflow of freshmen and freshwomen forced the former Delo guest rooms and a lonesome double to become the cram- ped home of several new females. Despite a lack of privacy, cram- ped, messy rooms, message board mayhem, and epidemic borrowing of clothes, the young ladies insisted that the close quarters did not harm their friendship. Green Monster Rears Head For those wondering what hap- pened to the Tampa City Center building, stop. It’s still there. It’s just been blocked from sight by the Barnett Bank Tower. Tampa’s own version of a green monster has reared its head over downtown, to the delight of some and the ridicule of others. For most of the 1984-85 school year it was a skeletal eyesore, a con- crete box growing out of a pit placed obnoxiously close to Ashley Street. It began to take shape during the sum- mer of ’85, with the additon of the white marble facade and blue-green windows. Some students have taken to the building. “I really like the way the sun catches it at the end of the day,” said one. Other’s think it is too imposing. “The damn thing is huge,” said anoth- er student. “When NCNB builds theirs, you won’t be able to see any- thing but the flanks of the buildings.” Barritt House Up For Grabs Barritt House, the residence of University of Tampa President Rich- ard Cheshire, was put up for sale. The Board of Trustees attached a $1.75 million price tag to the property. The 4800 square foot house, locat- ed at 3108 Prospect Road, was donated to the University in November 1967 by William and Edna Barritt. At that time, the property was valued at $150,000. The 2.5 acre property is not zoned for sub-divided, and a clause in the deed specified that the residence could not be sold for ten years. Barritt House may prove to be a valuable asset in the attempt to elmi- nate the University’s debt of over $1 million. 28 Features