Mike Tomassoni Art Director John Weidner Assistant Sports Editor Rachel Elsea Copy Editor James Cannon II Assistant News Editor With more budget cuts targeted to affect Florida universities...

The UNF men’s basketball team might have had a bitter taste in its mouth to start the new year Dec. 31 after losing to the University of Miami 94-41. The Hurricanes’ performance began with a 9-0 run, holding the Ospreys scoreless for more than seven minutes. UNF freshman guard Cameron Lovlace put the Ospreys on the scoreboard with a 3-pointer to cut the lead 9-3 early in the game.

J acksonville citizens, including several UNF students, participated in the “End the Fed” rally Nov. 22 downtown at the Jacksonville Federal Reserve Building. Approximately 150 people gathered to protest the Federal Reserve and Treasury Department’s bailout of Wall Street and the planned bailout of the automakers. The rally was part of a 39-city protest. Some cities had thousands of supporters listening and chanting to Republican and emocrat elected officials who opposed thebailout. Police officers (right) were called in to videotape the protest.

After hearing Gov. Charlie Crist’s plan to increase Florida college tuition annually by 15 percent for the next eight years, many college students might have a negative reaction. Most college students struggle financially, and being forced to pay more money is not an encouraging thing. But Florida in-state students currently live as royalty anyway, paying the cheapest tuition rates in the country. The plan would cap the tuition increases at the national average, and it would take seven to 10 years to even skim the surface of that level. This plan, though costly at first, will make the college degree – and the experience – more valuable. There are 15.9 million students currently enrolled in college, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and some of those are only there because someone else – a parent, grandparent, or fiancé – is forcing them.

A combination of partying, the lack of home cooking and the ever-rising prices of textbooks might account for the phrase “broke college student.” And now more than ever, it might be a struggle for college students to keep money in the bank. However, there are ways for college students to combat these worrisome financial times and still have a little fun. One of the most important steps students can take to save money is to know what they are spending money on and how much they are spending, said Bettie Adams, assistant professor of accounting and board member of Community First Credit Union. Adams suggested students keep track of their expenses for a week, including small things like trips to the vending machine.

Approximately 190 dancers showed up for the Children’s Miracle Network-sponsored Dance Marathon which took place at the UNF Arena Nov. 21 and 22. The event benefited patients at the Wolfson’s Children’s Hospital and Shands. After 18 hours of learning dances from various local instructors, playing games and hearing benefiting families speak, the total amount raised: $19,096.35, was revealed to participants. The money came from different outlets such as events on and off campus prior to the marathon, donations from the public and the added amount of what each individual dancer raised, which totaled approximately $15,000.

After losing 33-26 to Florida Atlantic University and winning by forfeit to the University of Miami at the Florida Rugby Union College Championships in Tampa, Fla., the UNF rugby club is proud of the resilience it showed but knows it could have done better, UNF Rugby President Jackson Frenot said. The UNF rugby club entered the championships with high expectations and a lot of confidence, team captain Max Schwartz said. After upsetting FAU earlier in the season, UNF quickly fell behind in the first half of the two teams’ tournament match. UNF executed a surge in the second half but came up short in the final minutes.

Jason Yurgartis Features Editor	Chad Smith Graphic Designer	Rebecca McKinnon Staff Writer	Josh Salman Managing Editor
Question 1: With this year’s BCS stir-up bigger than ever, who deserves to be in the college football championship game?
If it were up to me, I’d put Utah and Boise State in the championship game in hopes of destroying the BCS all together.	Alabama because they have the momentum with John Parker Wilson to propel them to the big game. Plus, if I rooted for anyone else, my girlfriend would kill me.	Me. I’ll stir up all them bowls.	The winner of the ‘Bama, Florida game should play Oklahoma – assuming they win the Big 12 title. Unfortunately, I think it’ll be Florida holding the crystal trophy when it’s all said and done.

The first win of the season for the UNF women’s basketball team came Nov. 30 against Wofford College at the UNF Arena. Teamwork, communication and hard work were the main components contributing to the Ospreys’ 71-60 win, said UNF women’s basketball head coach Mary Tappmeyer. In the first half, the Ospreys trailed 23-26. But after entering the second half and accumulating 20 turnovers, they caught up and took a 48-34 lead. “We challenged the girls at halftime to come out and play to win and to not play scared,” Tappmeyer said. “I thought they really stepped up to that challenge. Our rebounding got a little bit better in the second half. We still have to work on our defensive rotations though.”

A fourth-place finish in the NCAA Division I Provisional Tournament Nov. 22 closed the UNF volleyball team’s 2008 32-match season – its longest season since its transition to Division I. UNF went 2-3 in the tournament with wins against North Carolina Central University and Winston-Salem State University. UNF lost to Presbyterian College, the University of Central Arkansas and the University of South Carolina Upstate. “I was really proud of how they played for the tournament,” UNF head volleyball coach Kevin Campbell said. “I wanted them to play the same level they always do, but in reality, we’re down two outside hitters. They fought and passed well all weekend, not to mention they attacked offensively and served tough. I was really proud of that.”

The UNF men’s basketball team had a game on a platter for them the day after Thanksgiving, but gave it away at the charity stripe. In its 68-60 loss against Charleston Southern University Nov. 28, UNF had the lead throughout the majority of the game including the final minutes of regulation. UNF started the game off quickly by taking a 13-point lead in the first 10 minutes, but Charleston Southern was able to cut the lead down to two points with the score 27-25 at the half.

Recovering from a fifth-place standing after the first day of competition, the UNF swimming and diving team finished in third place out of eight teams at the Davidson Invitational Nov. 23. Davidson...