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Spring commencement making major changes due to Coronavirus

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Due to concerns regarding the coronavirus, guests and family members will not be welcome to attend the spring 2020 graduation commencement at Florida Tech.

According to an email President T. Dwayne McCay sent out to expected spring graduates, the university is “carefully monitoring the coronavirus situation and taking steps to preserve the health and safety of students, faculty, staff and their families.” As a result, the university has decided to “reconfigure spring commencement exercises.”

The email also said that ticketed ceremonies in Clemente will be canceled and that graduate only ceremonies would occur at the Gleason Performing Arts Center to be webcast live, video recorded and photographed. 

This guest ticket cancellation comes in the wake of many universities including Harvard, Ohio State, Standford and many others canceling in-person classes and moving to online instruction only.

Due to the fact that Florida Tech has a  diverse student body with over 100 countries represented at the university, McCay stated that “we felt it prudent to make this announcement as soon as possible so that families of graduates could adjust their travel plans accordingly—particularly those who would have traveled internationally to join us on campus.” 

As an alternative, Spring 2020 graduates are invited to walk at the 2020 fall commencement exercise on Dec. 12.

The university stated that details about the spring 2020 graduation ceremony are still being finalized and further updates will be released shortly.

This is a breaking news story. Please follow along on our website for further updates.

Taken for granted

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To have the ability to speak our minds, state our opinions — whether people want to hear them or not — and to exhibit a right that has been granted to us for more than two centuries is a right many of us take for granted. 

As stated in the United States Constitution, under the First Amendment, “we the people” are guaranteed freedom of expression by prohibiting Congress from restricting the press or the rights of individuals to speak freely.

Without free speech, we lose more than just our voices. We lose the ability to challenge the government, take political stances or prevent the ability to simply begin a discussion. 

When the founding fathers wrote the Bill of Rights, the First Amendment was prided on the fact that the American people shall operate under a system that is “for the people.”  

Decades and decades later, we see historical landmarks that have sparked change within our country thanks to free speech. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech called for civil and economic rights and an end to racism in the United States. By the 1920s, women across the nation rioted for the foundation of their voices, the right to vote. More recently, we have seen environmental activists such as Greta Thunberg using her voice to raise awareness of the detrimental effects that climate change is creating on our planet. Without freedom of speech, these people wouldn’t have been able to create a platform for change. Without their voices, where would we be?

We are lucky. There are other nations that don’t allow the same luxury that we have under the First Amendment in the United States.  

According to Freedom House, an independent watchdog organization dedicated to the expansion of freedom and democracy around the world, 45 percent of the world’s population lives in countries where the media environment is not free. In 2017, the world’s 10 worst-rated countries and territories for free speech were Azerbaijan, Crimea, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. We are blessed compared to citizens of these nations where opinions are often suppressed. 

This is the ninth year The Crimson has been celebrating free speech week. We have a very diverse population of students on campus as many of them come from all different parts of the world. Some of them may not know what free speech is, or what the First Amendment even guarantees. This is why we educate. We inform those who don’t know what free speech is and we remind those that have forgotten. 

Often overlooked is the fact that we live in a country where we can speak freely without fear. Despite what America’s political arena at the moment says, the press is not your enemy. In recent years under the current administration, freedom of speech — and particularly the press — has been attacked. The label “fake news” has become sensationalized and its meaning has been misinterpreted on some occasions. There are left and right-wing news organizations and those that strive to be centrists, but all become united when the president of the United States of America comes for not just your industry, but your career. To go after what reporters often view as a civic duty to the public is far from promoting First Amendment rights. This is why journalism matters now more than ever before, and this is why voices matter. Voices allow you to speak your mind, and speaking your mind might just provoke change for the better.

As Benjamin Franklin once said, “Without freedom of thought, there can be no such thing as wisdom — and no such thing as public liberty without freedom of speech.”

Florida Tech athletic director Bill Jurgens has changed positions after 44 years

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By Elena Ciulli

44 years later — Bill Jurgens, long time Florida Tech athletic director,  has been promoted to vice president of international relations. 

Jurgens became Florida Tech’s athletic director in 1976, helping Florida Tech build 18 different sports and recruiting over 500 student-athletes. In his time as athletic director, Florida Tech won five NCAA titles: two in men’s soccer, two in women’s golf and one in swimming, as well as 35 conference team championships.

Bill Jurgens supports the women’s soccer team at their 2019 senior night match. Photo// Florida Tech Athletics Flickr

In May, Jurgens will begin his position as Vice President for University Relations. 

“It is something that I really want to do because I want to have a greater impact on the University,” Jurgens said. 

After 44 years as an athletic director, Jurgens will assist President T. Dwayne McCay with community responsibilities and developing awareness for  Florida Tech. Jurgen’s experience in the athletic department will allow him to promote the university through different areas such as sustaining optimum performances and what it takes to be a team player.  

Student-athletes seem to be sad that Jurgens is leaving the athletic department, but wish him the best of luck in his new position. Tania Kottke, a volleyball player majoring in business, is one particular athlete that will miss Jurgens as an athletic director. 

“It’s sad that Bill will not be in the athletic department anymore,” Kottke said. 

“But the legacy and the connections he built during his time will help him succeed in his new position.” 

According to Jurgens, getting more exposure and showing excitement for the university will be crucial. “I love Florida Tech for a variety of reasons,” Jurgens said. “FIT is a great academic institution and the people who work here are great.”

During his career, Jurgens had the chance to build strong relationships, which allowed him to meet numerous people, who became colleagues and eventually friends. 

One of those relationships started over 30 years ago, with the man that will act as interim athletic director until the position is filled, Pete Mazzone.

Arriving at Florida Tech in 1985, Mazzone has been involved with the university in a variety of roles: assistant athletic director, intramural director, game manager, teacher and head coach of the cross country team.

Years of experience brought Mazzone to be the candidate for the athletic director role, after being Florida Tech’s associate athletic director for years prior. “ It’s a new challenge and I am excited to implement my plans,” Mazzone said.  

Students like Pauline Cosson and Malte Stockhausen, both part of the cross country team, have welcomed the news regarding Mazzone’s upcoming position. The two seniors have full trust in their coach, relying on his organization and leadership skills. “ I am sure coach Mazzone will do a fantastic job,” said Stockhausen, a senior majoring in marine biology.  “He has always been very organized and fair to everyone, being a great example to all the student-athletes.”

Jurgens and Mazzone will work together in a transition period until Jurgens assumes his new role on May 1. 

As for now, any relevant changes have been communicated to all the Florida Tech athletic teams.

“Coach Mazzone deserved the role, and I am happy that all his hard work has paid off. I know he will be successful, ” Cosson said.

Crime log activism for free speech week

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In January, Florida Tech security restricted access to crime logs, interpreting the federal law in the narrowest possible way. Instead of emailing crime logs, or even posting them online like Rollins College, you can now only access the crime logs in the security office, under supervision. The records will not be emailed, and you are not allowed to take photos. 

What can you do to remind the security department that these are YOUR records? What can you do to make it easier for the Crimson to report on campus crime? 

Step 1: Visit the security office (located on the south side of Shaw Hall – Building 114) between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. and ask to view the Clery Act crime logs.

  • You don’t need to tell them who you are or why you want to see the crime logs. You can if you want. 
  • If they don’t allow you to visit or ask you to return, tell us.

Step 2 (optional): Ask if you can take a photo of the crime logs. 

  • If they say no, ask why. 

Step 3 (optional): Ask if they will email you a copy of the crime logs. 

  • If they say no, ask why. 

Step 4 (optional): Ask why they don’t make these more available online, like many other schools do. 

Remember, these are YOUR records and you have a right to view them. Tell us how it goes via email (crimson@fit.edu) or DM us on our Instagram page @ftcrimson 

New findings and changes as a result of Clery investigation

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In light of the recent reporting on Clery Act violations at Florida Tech, updates have been made campuswide, and requests regarding local law enforcement records have been received. 

Records requests

Records obtained from Brevard County Sheriff’s Office show that Florida Tech has not requested Clery crime statistics from this law agency since at least September 2018. 

The Clery Act requires federally funded campuses to gather information from local law enforcement when compiling data for the annual security report.

According to Florida Tech’s 2019 Annual Security and Fire Safety reports, the university works “directly with various departments at Florida Tech as well as the Melbourne and Palm Bay Police Departments and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office to collect all of this information.”

BCSO stated that their information requests only include one fiscal year; hence, records could not be obtained to see if Florida Tech made requests for Clery crime statistics to BCSO in 2016 and 2017.

“Moving forward, all of the local agencies, county agencies, state agencies and federal agencies that might have any jurisdiction or fall within any of our Clery geography will be contacted appropriately,” said Frank Iannone, director of security at Florida Tech. 

External consultant

Another update regarding the on-going Clery Act investigation is the selection of an external consultant. According to Patrick Healy, general counsel at Florida Tech, the law firm Husch Blackwell has been appointed as the external consultant. It is expected that their review will be completed within no more than 90 days, according to Michael Grieves, Florida Tech’s executive director.

President T. Dwayne McCay told The Crimson in December that the purpose for the external consultant will be to provide expertise and clarity. 

Husch Blackwell will also be responsible for re-examining the internal review of crime statistics conducted by Iannone. McCay emphasized that the external consultant will also add external validity to the process.

Title IX
Fanak Baarmand was announced as the new title IX coordinator on Jan. 13. 

Baarmand was appointed when the previous Title IX coordinator, Linda Jancheson, was removed from the position.

“The Crimson Clery articles raised our awareness of the fact that the university may not have demonstrated the appropriate empathy for some of the students who sought assistance with Title IX issues,” Healy said.

Healy, whom Baarmand reports to, said that someone in the position of Title IX coordinator should be capable of managing conflict and have a working knowledge of Title IX as well as some familiarity with Clery, the Violence Against Women Act and other areas of discrimination law.

“I am confident that Fanak has the requisite knowledge and demeanor to be an excellent Title IX coordinator,” Healy said. 

According to Healy, over the past 30 days, Baarmand has completed the online Title IX coordinator training course offered through the National Association of College and University Attorneys. He said she has also completed the Title IX coordinator and administrator level one training and certification course offered through the Association of Title IX Administrators.

“We anticipate that in the coming months, Florida Tech’s Title IX training and procedures will be significantly strengthened under Fanak’s leadership,” Healy said. 

Since starting her position as Title IX coordinator, Baarmand has aided at least one student who said she was sexually assaulted in 2017.

The sexual assault victim stated that she had a class with her assailant this semester and “was panicked” when she saw him on the first day of classes.

“I went to my professor and asked what to do, and they told me to go to the Title IX coordinator,” she said.

Shortly after going to Baarmand, her assailant was removed from the class, and a no-contact order was put into place.

“She was super helpful and made sure I got what I needed,” the sexual assault victim said. 

Crime logs

Another change that has been implemented since the Clery investigation is the process of obtaining crime logs from the department of security. 

Previously, crime logs were sent daily to The Crimson via email and were accessible if requested. As of January, Security has implemented a new process that requires students to come into the security office to view the crime logs. Authorized security staff supervises the viewings of the crime logs. Students are also not allowed to take videos or pictures of the logs, although they may take notes.

Grieves said that he was the one responsible for the change in the crime log policy.

“Could I basically say to you that in the past, we had 60-day crime logs that were up-to-date and viewable? I can’t say that,” Grieves said.

Grieves added that he can now confidently say that with the new policy that Iannone has implemented, crime logs are up-to-date and available for inspection to comply with the Clery Act. 

Football sees a rise in traumatic brain injuries nationwide

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By Johnny O’Brien

During Super Bowl LIV, a moment of silence was taken by NFL officials and fans to commemorate players who have suffered from brain-related injuries such as concussions and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy during the 100-year anniversary of the NFL.

CTE is a degenerative brain disease that can lead to memory loss, depression and dementia; and has become more prevalent in recent years in sports with numerous cases surfacing in football since the 1970s according to the Netflix documentary “A Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez.”

The first case studied was that of center Mike Webster, a part of the Pittsburgh Steelers dynasty in the 1970s. After dying of a heart attack in 2002, Dr. Bennet Omalu studied Webster’s brain for what would be the first case of CTE in a continuous observation for medical doctors for years to come.

Florida Tech red-shirt freshman, Mike Diliello as Panthers QB Photo//Haydlee Slutzky

A study from the medical press published in 2017 cites as many as 202 deceased former football players showed evidence of brain disease linked to repeated blows to the head across the NFL, collegiate teams  and even high school teams. One hundred seventy-seven of those players had confirmed cases of CTE. One hundred ten of the 111 NFL players that have donated their brains to research have confirmed cases of CTE, a trend upwards of 99 percent. 

According to psychologists, CTE occurs in players with repeated hits to the head, no matter the impact of the hit, big or small. Based on information from the Centers for Disease Control, the effects of these hits have been linked to specific changes in brain chemistry, with signs of personality change, short term memory and aggression being exhibited by players with the disease.

Linebacker Junior Seau of the San Diego Chargers was one player who suffered from CTE. In May of 2012, he committed suicide after showing symptoms of mood swings, irrationality, forgetfulness, insomnia and depression according to the San Diego Chargers team doctor David Chao.

According to “Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez,” in the summer of 2013, Hernandez was convicted for the murder of family friend Odin Lloyd. 

Hernandez later hanged himself in his cell in 2017 and his family donated his brain to CTE research. Boston University’s Alzheimer specialist Dr. Ann McKee has studied more brains of former contact athletes than anyone in the world. By her diagnosis, Hernandez’s disease at the age of 27 was highly advanced.

“I can say that this is substantial damage that undoubtedly took years to develop,” McKee said. “This did not develop acutely, as the changes in his brain have been evolving maybe even as long as a decade.”

With recent players like Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck and Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly retiring due to injuries related to concussions, Florida Tech football players haven’t wavered in being skeptical in continuing to play a game they love.

“I have no fear when it comes to CTE and the sport of football, and I’ll allow my children to play whatever sport they want, including football,” said sophomore Payton Cleveland, a Florida Tech offensive tackle.

Cleveland recognizes that all hits to the head are different, with a lot of emphasis being put on taking the head out of the game. Never being diagnosed with a concussion himself, Cleveland admits that he has taken a hit to the head but never felt any serious pain lasting longer than a few seconds.

Florida Tech psychology professor Frank Webbe has directed the Concussion Management Program at Florida Tech since its inception 10 years ago. Webbe currently serves as treasurer of the Sports Neuropsychology Society, which includes members who work with the NFL, NHL and MLB.

Photo// Haydlee Slutzky


Webbe says that while CTE articles have been greatly promoted in national media, there is still little relative information about who might fall prey to the disorder. “It seems likely that an accumulation of insults to the brain may be the major environmental factor that brings on the disorder,” Webbe said.

Webbe believes with good concussion management programs, concussed players can be removed from play until their cognitive, emotional, sleep and physical symptoms have resolved, and cognitive and balance testing has confirmed that they have recovered.

“We prefer, in fact, to be conservative, so that every student who has suffered a concussion is not returned to sports activity until all vestiges of the injury have resolved,” Webbe said. Upon when and if team doctors find that a student-athlete is taking a long time to recover—usually after a history of multiple concussions—team doctors recommend that they retire from play.

Alike to Cleveland, Florida Tech red-shirt freshman quarterback Michael DiLiello isn’t exactly discouraged by players retiring early.

“With younger players retiring early, I get that it might shake some people up who don’t play, but it’s just a sad side effect of the game for certain players.”

Sexual assault victims identify issues beyond reporting errors

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By: Olivia McKelvey and Emily Walker

Five female undergraduate students said they were sexually assaulted between 2017 and 2018 and all reported their sexual assaults through various departments at Florida Tech. While their statistics have now been corrected in the 2019 Annual Security and Fire Safety reports, they expressed concerns relating to the process of reporting sexual assault on campus and how survivors are treated.

“To think that all three of us are standing here with the commonality that we were all raped,” one Florida Tech rape survivor said. Photo//Quang Dinh

“I feel better now that my rape is a recognized statistic,” said Nicole Farnsworth, a former Florida Tech student who reported her rape in 2018.

Farnsworth said that as a rape survivor, she felt Florida Tech did not provide her the adequate resources in areas such as counseling and Title IX services.

Other survivors also cited issues within Security, the Student Life Office and Greek Life. 

CAPS
Four out of the five rape survivors sought help at Florida Tech’s Counseling and Psychological Services. The four survivors all said they felt as though CAPS was not properly trained to help victims of sexual assault. 

Dr. Robyn Tapley, director of CAPS, noted that there are three licensed psychologists on staff and five students in doctoral practices that also see patients. 

When these victims of sexual assault sought help at CAPS, they said they felt as though the discussions they had with their counselors—who are confidential reporters and not mandated to report rape unless there are signs of child or elder abuse—were irrelevant and not helpful.

“We ended up talking about my family,” said one rape survivor. “I just wanted to understand what was happening,” she said.

Farnsworth said that she experienced something similar.

“After a few sessions at CAPS, it just got so repetitive and redundant to the point where I felt like it wasn’t helping,” Farnsworth said. 

Tapley explained that victims of sexual assault are treated the same as other patients in terms of gathering information. 

“That first appointment is helpful for establishing goals and providing coping mechanisms on a very individualized patient-by-patient basis,” Tapley said. 

Another issue that the survivors spoke of referred to a generalized treatment plan of “blanket coping mechanisms.”  

“It should not be one shoe fits all,” said one rape survivor.

Another survivor of rape stated that she went to CAPS multiple times, but later stopped going. 

“I don’t put blame on the therapist, I just think there are things at CAPS that can and should be improved,” she said. 

Security

One student who said she was raped in 2017 initially reported to Title IX in 2018 and had a disciplinary hearing seven months later. 

When she reported her rape to two security officers, she said she was asked questions about what she was wearing and if she was drinking alcohol the night that her rape occurred.

“Especially during my hearing, the fact that I was drinking was constantly brought up,” she said. “It was degrading to my character to hear that over and over again.”

“The process of reporting my rape was nearly as bad as the rape itself,” said one Florida Tech rape survivor. Photo// Quang Dinh

Erin Robinson, the press secretary for RAINN—the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network—explained that depending on how the victim interprets them, questions regarding what the victim was wearing and whether or not they were under the influence of alcohol or drugs is potentially re-traumatizing.

“That type of language does not suggest that the survivor will have a greater level of comfort talking about what happened to them, or make the reporting process any easier,” Robinson said. 

Frank Iannone, director of security at Florida Tech, said it is not typical for these questions to be asked during an investigation of a rape.

“To my knowledge, no security officers have asked those types of questions,” Iannone said. 

Iannone has been director of security at Florida Tech since the spring of 2019. He was not working at the university during the time in which all reported rapes mentioned by the above students took place.

Title IX

Two women who reported their rapes in 2017 stated that they had positive interactions with the Title IX coordinator at the time, Joni Oglesby.

“She made me feel comfortable and made me aware of all my options,” said one rape survivor.

Oglesby left the university in 2018, and Linda Jancheson took her place that February. As of January 2020, Jancheson has been removed from the position of Title IX coordinator. 

“I won’t believe for a second that Linda Jancheson received proper training,” said one student who reported being raped in her dorm in 2018. “I was handed some generic papers and told to be on my way.”

In August of 2019, Jancheson told The Crimson that she specifically had a Title IX certificate, but was unsure if it was mandatory, deeming it “helpful.”

“The most important thing is that I’m up-to-date on any federal regulations or laws in compliance with Title IX,” Jancheson said.

Another rape survivor said she had a positive experience with Jancheson.

“She even helped me avoid running into my rapist by giving me security clearance to the back door of the building I had classes in and where my rapist also worked as a student employee,” she said.

In the time since Jancheson was removed from the position of Title IX coordinator, she has not commented despite multiple efforts made by The Crimson.

Office of Student Life

One student who said she was sexually assaulted in 2017 went to Cat Nanney, director of student involvement, and Dean of Students Rodney Bowers for help. 

“The guy that sexually assaulted me was a brother from PIKE [Pi Kappa Alpha],” she said.

She added that she went to Nanney and Bowers to see if there was anything they could do, whether it be kicking him out of the fraternity or providing other consequences. 

“Both of them told me there was nothing they could do,” she said. “I was told that they have no control over chapter membership and that was it.”

According to Nanney, if a student comes to her with a report of sexual assault in Greek Life, it is dealt with on a student basis, not a fraternity basis. 

“I can’t hold the entire chapter accountable for one particular member,” Nanney said. 

Nanney also added that in the past she has gone directly to the fraternity national headquarters to notify them of the particular sexual assault report. 

Bowers also stated that he cannot remove members from Greek Life. As a mandated reporter, he must report cases of sexual assault to campus security and let them carry out their investigation. 

“Temporary measures” are an option that Bowers also mentioned. Referred to as interim measures in Florida Tech’s Title IX policy, such actions include access to counseling or mental health services, an order of no contact, residence hall relocation, adjustment of course schedules or work-study employment, a leave of absence, transportation arrangements or reassignment to a different supervisor or position.

Bowers said he “could not recall” if any “temporary measures” had been taken in the past three years.

Nanney said that she has not had to take any “temporary measures” within the past three years because those types of sexual assault reports have been passed onto the fraternity’s national organization for further review.

The student who said she was sexually assaulted by a member of Pi Kappa Alpha later was black-listed from the fraternity house and was told it was because she “was a liability.”

Two of the five students who have come forward said they were sexually assaulted by two different members of Florida Tech’s Pi Kappa Alpha chapter in 2017. 

President of Florida Tech’s Pi Kappa Alpha chapter, Robbie Fraser-Caris, sent The Crimson the following statement:

“If any allegations of sexual misconduct arise, the chapter leadership places the accused member on administrative suspension pending the outcome of an investigation by the university or related authorities. The chapter supports any person who may have experienced sexual misconduct in reporting it to the appropriate authorities and/or to seek counseling and other forms of support services provided by the university and local organizations. For Zeta Sigma Chapter, the care, safety and well-being of our members and guests remain our top priority.”

Fraser-Caris also emphasized that all members of Florida Tech’s Pi Kappa Alpha chapter have completed sexual assault prevention and intervention training and stated that “treating all persons with dignity and respect is critical” to the chapter. 

Response from President McCay

Changes have been made at Florida Tech in light of the university under-reporting certain crimes such as sexual assault from 2016 through 2018. Women’s self-defense classes on campus have begun, student athletes have recently received their annual Title IX training and programs such as writing love letters to rape survivors have been organized by Florida’s Tech student life office.

In the faculty senate meeting held on Jan. 14, President T. Dwayne McCay discussed the Clery Act. 

The faculty senate meeting minutes read: “McCay explained that there are lots of nuances when it comes to reporting.” He also said that there were six rapes within three years. He then “reiterated that all six cases involved alcohol, and all were between people that knew each other.” 

In a phone call to The Crimson, McCay said he felt it was necessary at the senate meeting to discuss the risk of drinking.

“When you drink too heavily and become inebriated, it can lead to problems,” McCay said.

According to a 2007 campus sexual assault study published by the U.S. Department of Justice, alcohol consumption by the victim is a major risk factor for sexual assault.

“One’s decision to drink or not to drink does not give someone the right to rape,” Farnsworth said. 

“My sexual assault continues to be minimized,” Farnsworth said. Photo//Quang Dinh

According to statistics published in the 2017 National Crime Victimization Survey conducted by the Department of Justice, eight out of 10 rapes are committed by someone known to the victim. 

“You know rape to be violent and aggressive from what we were taught or what was shown on TV, when in reality that is not always the case,” one Florida Tech rape survivor said.

“I wanted to dismiss any fears that some may think we have rapists running around on campus,” McCay told The Crimson. 

He said he wanted to emphasize in the faculty senate meeting that Florida Tech is a safe campus and students’ safety is a top priority to him.

With the topic of sexual assault being dicussed at the faculty senate meeting and on the agenda for the upcoming town hall, McCay spoke of the nature of rape itself.

“Rape is horrifying, but murder is worse,” he said over the phone.

McCay then emphasized that this situation is being addressed and necessary measures are being taken to ensure campus safety. 

Daily Crime Log Procedure changes in wake of Clery Act violations

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By: Olivia McKelvey, Emily Walker and Kevin Boodoosingh

Florida Tech has changed their policy regarding the availability of daily crime logs held in the security office. In the past, crime logs were available via email upon request. According to the updated policy, the crime log is available to anyone upon request during the department of security’s business hours. This change now requires individuals to request and to view the crime logs in person at the security office. According to Florida Tech’s security website, hours of operation are 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

The crime log contains details such as what type of crime occurred, when and where it happened, the time and date the report was made and the disposition of the report. 

As stated on Florida Tech’s website, “Any person may have supervised access to the crime log, whether or not they are associated with Florida Tech.”

This policy change comes in the wake of the recent Clery reporting, in which the crime logs were essential to discovering under-reported crimes between 2016 through 2018 that were cited incorrectly in the 2019 Annual Security and Fire Safety Reports. 

Crimson reporters went into the security office to request to see the crime logs on Friday, Jan. 17 and Tuesday, Jan 21. A security administrative assistant informed both reporters that all supervisors of the crime log were not available due to the fact that they were either at lunch or in meetings. 

At this time, it is unclear who all the supervisors of the daily crime log are. Frank Iannone, director of security and Amy Meyer, the business manager for Florida Tech’s department of security, have been confirmed as two supervisors that have the authority to supervise a viewing of the crime log.  

In an email sent to The Crimson, Iannone stated, “With the new records management process in place we no longer send crime logs.”

The new policy states that Florida Tech may temporarily withhold inspection or copying of any crime log containing confidential information, or in cases where there is clear and convincing evidence that the release of the information would jeopardize an ongoing investigation, jeopardize the safety of an individual, cause a suspect to flee or evade detection, or result in the destruction of evidence.

The daily crime log can now be viewed at the department of security’s office during normal business hours with supervision; handwritten notes are allowed, photographs of the log are not permitted. 

“We are following the policy that was enacted by Florida Tech in January 2017,” Iannone said. 

Clery Act Rules for institutions

The crime log for the most recent 60 day period must be open for public inspection, free of charge, upon request and during normal business hours. 

Security cannot require a written request.

The daily crime log must be accessible on-site.

Compared with other universities who must also provide a daily crime log under the Clery Act, such as University of Central Florida and Rollins College, they continue to make their Daily Crime Logs available online.

Currently, Florida Tech’s daily crime logs are not available online. It is not federally required for the logs to be posted online.

While Florida Tech is abiding by Clery Act regulations, not being able to photograph the crime log is concerning to S. Daniel Carter, president at Safety Advisors for Educational Campuses, LLC who also worked with the Department of Education as a key individual in writing federal regulations for the Clery Act.

Carter stated that it is generally regarded that public inspection does not allow limits to be placed on the inspection of the daily crime log. 

Iannone explained that the reason they are not allowing the daily crime log to be photographed is to prevent the release of confidential information that may jeopardize an ongoing investigation or jeopardize the safety of an individual. 

“That makes no sense,” Carter said. “If there is any material that they are electing to keep confidential, which there are provisions in the statute and regulations for them to do that, then they shouldn’t be letting you view it at all.”

Carter also stated that Florida Tech’s discretion is very limited. “There are very limited circumstances where they can withhold information from you and that is to be disclosed in the log,” Carter said

Iannone stated that the university is looking into the policy and updating it and the technology as they go along. 

Inequalities Found Among Head Coaching Salaries

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Florida Tech displayed instances of inequalities, particularly among head coach salaries for men’s and women’s athletic teams in 2018, according to data reported within the Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act.

The Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act is an annual report released from the Department of Education that examines gender equity amongst collegiate athletic programs. 

 The most recent data from the Department of Education, dating from June of 2017 through May of 2018, cited the average pay for a head coach for men’s varsity sports programs at Florida Tech was $60,131. The average pay for a head coach for women’s varsity sports programs at Florida Tech was $40,700; resulting in nearly a $20,000 gap.

“We’re always looking at salaries,” said Bill Jurgens, Florida Tech’s athletic director.  

Jurgens also stated that there are numerous factors that play into a coach’s salary at Florida Tech. For example, contributing factors include age and experience, time spent at Florida Tech, success of the team, particularly raises for NCAA appearances and SSC championship wins. Florida Tech sports camps and youth programs also provide opportunities for coaches to obtain additional pay.

“I will say, there is much more money generated from the camps for men’s sports than women’s sports,” Jurgens said. “It often has a lot to do with the receptiveness of certain camps.  Some camps just draw a lot of people and a lot of youth and others don’t draw as much, and some of it has to do with your success and reputation.”

Coaches’ Voices

·According to Val Silvestrini, head coach of the Panthers softball team, the issue with the salary gap goes beyond gender.

“To me, the issue is not male versus female,” Silvestrini said. “My issue is that our salaries are not comparable to the other salaries in the conference.”

Florida Tech is one of 11 schools that competes within the NCAA Division II Sunshine State Conference. In comparison to other salary gaps between schools within the SSC, Florida Tech had the second largest pay gap among head coach’s salary for men’s and women’s varsity sports. Embry Riddle Aeronautical University had the largest gap of $54,166. 

Florida Tech’s gap of exactly $19,431 was almost double that of all other schools in the SSC, which include Barry University, Eckerd College, Florida Southern College, Lynn University, Nova Southeastern University, Palm Beach Atlantic University, Rollins College, Saint Leo University and the University of Tampa.

Pete Mazzone, Florida Tech’s associate athletic director as well as the head coach for the Panther’s men’s and women’s cross country team, alike to Jurgens emphasized that there are many factors as to why there are discrepancies between the salaries. 

“Certain factors need to be taken into consideration when looking at that stand alone number,” Mazzone said.  “Longevity as well as experience is not something that that gap examines.”

Mazzone went on to say that he thinks “there should be room for improvement.” 

“If you have one coach that has been here for eight years and that person happens to be coaching a female sport, there’s no difference in coaching men and they should be compensated for that properly,” Mazzone said.

 Recruiting Budget Gap within the 2018 EADA Report 

Another gap that stood out within the Department of Education’s EADA report for Florida Tech was the recruiting budget for men’s and women’s sports. In the 2018 athletic year, the recruiting budget for men’s sports was $87,841, and the recruiting budget for women’s sports at Florida Tech was $29,502—a $58,339 gap. According to David Fassino, Florida Tech athletics business manager, it is crucial to compare the recruiting budgets to the percentage of male and female athletes at Florida Tech.

“Once you look at that comparison you should see that the percentage of male and female athletes should be nearly equal to or very close to the allocation of the recruiting budgets being spent on men’s and women’s sports,” Fassino said.

Sixty-five percent of Florida Tech athletes were male and the remaining 34 percent of athletes were women. Yet, 75 percent of the entire recruiting budget was spent on men’s varsity sports, and 25 percent was spent on women’s sports.

According to Alexander Vamosi—an associate professor in the Nathan M. Bisk College of Business who teaches sports economy— the gap within the recruiting budget at Florida Tech “is not a fair comparison.”

“Football is a huge outlier in terms of operating expenses as well, but also the amount of revenue they bring in,” Vamosi said.

“No sport of such size or portion is at all equivalent to football in women’s athletics.”

Florida Tech is the only school within the SSC that has a football program. The Panther’s football program does not compete within the SSC, rather they compete in the Gulf South Conference, playing against many teams located outside of Florida.

Vamosi also stated that a huge factor that plays into the recruiting budgets at any athletic program is revenue.

“Primarily speaking, football and men’s basketball generate the most revenue and that’s simply because there is a higher consumer demand for those sports than others, making them profitable,” Vamosi said.

Backing Vamosi’s claims, the 2018 EADA report for Florida Tech showed that revenue generated from football was $3150,032, and the total revenue for all men’s sports combined not including football and basketball was $3,625,096. All eight other men’s varsity athletics programs brought in only about $475,000 more combined than football and men’s basketball alone. 

“The bottom line is that football is the main reason why there is a gap within the recruiting budget,” Vamosi said.  

Student-Athlete Voices

Kailee O’brien, a sophomore who was recruited out of Ohio to play as a midfielder for the Panther’s lacrosse program, was surprised to hear of the gap, but could see why there is such a discrepancy, saying that “football is a massive program in comparison to other sports teams on campus.”

“It makes sense why there’s a gap, but it’s crazy to see that $58,000 number at first,” O’Brien said. “It’s also scary that we’re not really aware of it.”

Evan Thompson, a  junior from Orlando on the football team as well as the men’s golf team, was not surprised of that gap because of his experiences on the football team and the general understanding that football  brings in large amounts of revenue between gameday tickets, revenues, special events, fundraising and more.

“I still feel as though the girls are not treated as fairly and are not given the same amount of opportunities as males at this tech school,” Thompson said. “I feel as though our school should do more research into closing this gap, and creating a more engaging culture for particularly women student-athletes at our school.”

Jurgens said that one of his main priorities in 2020 will be to perform a yearly analysis of data within the EADA report, specifically the gap among coaching salaries. 

“We will look at comparisons not just within the conference, but nationally,” Jurgens said. “The salaries are very important. I think it’s critical that we provide equitable support for the men and the women’s teams.”

As of now, the analysis is still underway as data is being collected for the 2019 athletic year. According to Jurgens, this criteria will be examined shortly into 2020. 

Florida Tech at risk of being fined millions of dollars for under-reporting crimes

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By Olivia McKelvey, Emily Walker and Kevin Boodoosingh

This story was written as a collaboration between FLORIDA TODAY and The Crimson. FLORIDA TODAY investigative reporter, Alessandro Marazzi Sassoon, worked alongside Crimson reporters: Emily Walker, outgoing editor-in-chief of The Crimson and 2019 graduate, Olivia McKelvey, incoming editor-in-chief of The Crimson (class of 2020) and Kevin Boodoosingh, managing editor of The Crimson (class of 2020). They collaborated to make records requests, consult experts and interview students who had reported crimes.

In collaboration with FLORIDA TODAY, the daily newspaper serving Brevard County, reporters uncovered at least 41 reported crimes that were not included within Florida Tech’s 2019 Annual Security and Fire Safety Reports, an error that could cost the university millions of dollars.

The Department of Education is able to fine universities $57,317 per incident of under-reporting, and with at least 41 incidents of under-reporting at Florida Tech—and the potential for there to be more—the university could be fined roughly $2.3 million depending on whether or not the Department of Education conducts an investigation and determines an outcome. 

Data Analysis

An investigation conducted by FLORIDA TODAY working alongside Crimson reporters led to the discovery of additional under-reporting of crimes other than just rape and hate crimes. Reporters cross referenced reports of crime from Melbourne police records, Palm Bay police records and Florida Tech’s campus security crime logs from 2016 through 2018 and compared them to what statistics were published in the 2019 Annual Security and Fire Safety Reports.

***Editor’s Note: FLORIDA TODAY and The Crimson incorrectly reported that the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office had not responded to a record request from a Florida Tech Crimson reporter. The initial records request was sent Dec. 5 with follow up emails and telephone calls on Dec. 7, Dec. 12, Dec. 17 and Jan. 9. The BCSO response to the initial request went to the reporter’s SPAM folder on Dec. 26 and was missed until this week. The response showed that BCSO received no Clery Act requests from Florida Tech in 2019. FLORIDA TODAY and The Crimson regrets the mistake.

 Data revealed that there were at least 41 cases of reported crimes not included in the 2019 Annual Security and Fire Safety Reports in multiple categories, including rape, stalking, dating violence, aggravated assault, arson, robbery, burglaries and motor vehicle theft. Since data could not be obtained from the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, the number of underreported crimes could be higher. 

There were zero reports of incidents falling under the categories counted as hate crimes, despite at least one incident of vandalism that was investigated by Melbourne police as a hate crime. 

Drug and liquor law violations, as well as weapons violations, were not examined for this data analysis.

In emails sent by Florida Tech security officers to local law enforcement agencies such as Melbourne Police Department and Palm Bay Police Department, reports of rape, sex crimes, domestic violence and stalking were not requested—all of which are categories that must be requested under Clery law. Although these categories were not requested, both law agencies provided Florida Tech with those particular statistics from 2016 through 2018. The majority of these statistics were not included within Florida Tech’s 2019 Annual Security and Fire Safety Reports. 

“The problem looks like one of a very sloppy process,” said S. Daniel Carter, the president of Safety Advisors for Educational Campuses, LLC and who worked with the Department of Education as a key player in writing federal regulations for the Clery Act.

Carter also mentioned that the under-reporting of crimes and unorganized method of obtaining data is a common theme nationwide at universities. He also said that the university could still be held liable by the Department of Education for “lack of administrative capacity.” 

Florida Tech Clery Act Violations

The Clery Act is a federal law that requires federally funded colleges and universities in the United States to publish statistics regarding reports of crime on and around campuses annually. Clery law requires that all reports of crime must be published within the annual report, regardless of whether or not charges were pressed.

Due to the fact that Florida Tech receives federal funding, it is required to publish an annual security report for both students and employees every Oct. 1. This report covers the past three years of data. The most recent report included data from 2016 through 2018. 

Florida Tech gathers data from campus security, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, Melbourne Police Department and Palm Bay Police Department.

Since the annual report was released, three students have come forward with reports of rape on campus that were not counted in the annual report. Additionally, another student has come forward with a report of a hate crime that was not cited within the annual report.

Each incident of a failure to include a reported crime in the annual Clery report can result in the U.S. Department of Education imposing a fine of $57,317. 

The Voices

Four students have come forward to share three reports of rape and one of vandalism. Two have chosen to remain anonymous while two have gone on record with their names. 

Those with reports of rape all shared similar feelings of invalidation when seeing that their reports of rape, all of which occured between 2016 and 2018, were not included within the 2019 Annual Security and Fire Safety Reports.

“The fact that it wasn’t reported—it’s sad,” one rape survivor said. “Like I say, it just goes to show that they only really care about the money they’re getting from us.”

In addition to issues with under-reporting within the annual report, the students brought up concerns regarding the lack of assistance they felt they were given from the then Florida Tech’s Title IX coordinator, Linda Jancheson, as well as accounts of what they described as “victim shaming” during initial investigations from campus security.

“Even if you didn’t sign off on [the report] or you didn’t know that the underreporitng was happening, you are the head of the Title IX office,” said Nicole Farnsworth, a 19-year-old forensic psychology student who reported her statutory rape to Melbourne police in 2018. “You have a job to do and you haven’t been doing that job.” 

Another student, who was raped on campus in 2017, said campus security asked her questions regarding what she was wearing. 

“I felt victim shamed,” she said. “I lost complete respect for the school.”

Evangeline Archer, a transgender aerospace engineering student, said her car was parked on campus in November 2018 when she found it spray-painted with slurs. Both campus security and Melbourne police took pictures and made reports of the incident. Melbourne police investigated the incident as a hate crime, yet it was not listed in Florida Tech’s 2019 Annual Security and Fire Safety Reports.

“I feel like [Florida Tech], they’re very supportive of the LGBT community until there’s something they have to actually do,” Archer said in an interview with FLORIDA TODAY.

University Response

Florida Tech President T. Dwayne McCay told FLORIDA TODAY that it was “difficult to justify incompetence and gross negligence.”

McCay also said that an internal investigation is currently underway.

Frank Iannone, Florida Tech’s director of security, said that he first became aware of discrepancies in the data in August of 2019 and all available crime data is being reexamined.

“I’m telling you right now, this won’t occur again,” Iannone told FLORIDA TODAY.

McCay said the university will implement changes such as retraining and employee turnover. Additionally, after the internal review is complete, an external reviewer will be contracted this year.

While McCay said that the university has no indication that anyone intentionally altered the data, he added in the FLORIDA TODAY interview, “Some people just didn’t do their job. And those people’s jobs are in jeopardy.”

Since FLORIDA TODAY’s publication on Jan. 10, an email was sent to the student body from Patrick Healy, Florida Tech’s general council, alerting them that Fanak Baarmand, Florida Tech’s risk and compliance manager, had been assigned as the new Title IX coordinator. 

Florida Tech’s online staff directory shows Jancheson is currently employee relations manager in Human Resources.

Jancheson did not respond to requests for interviews from FLORIDA TODAY and The Crimson.

Implications

Moving forward, one student whose rape went unreported in Florida Tech’s 2019 Annual Security and Fire Safety Reports said, “All I can do now is hope that the university will truly recognize how wrong this is and people will be aware.”

According to McCay and Iannone, administration plans to request to re-open Florida Tech’s crime statistics on the Department of Education website to enter the corrected data while providing a disclaimer as to why corrections were made. A new 2019 Annual Security and Fire Safety Reports will then be issued out to all students, staff and faculty. 

McCay told FLORIDA TODAY that he was “ashamed” of what has happened and went on to state, “I don’t know what to do about it, except repair it, fix it. And, and I apologize.”

If you have made a report to Security or Title IX and feel it has not been handled correctly, visit endrapeoncampus.org/the-clery-act to file a complaint.

As a student-run newspaper, your voices are extremely important to us.

If you feel you have experienced something similar as described in this piece and would like to speak with us, please contact us at crimson@fit.edu.

National Sexual Assault Hotline 1-800-656-4673

Women’s Center Counseling 321-242-1526

National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-7233