Wednesday, August 30, 2017
99th year • Issue 2
THE INDEPENDENT
Witnessing miracles with my own eyes /6»
COLLEGIAN
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Serving the University of Toledo community since 1919
INSIDE
University of Toledo responds to UT works Chick-fil-A with mixed emotions for handicap
By Jessica Harker Opinion Editor
Family Puppy Boycott objects to puppy mill COMMUNITY / 6 »
Men’s basketball takes on Italy
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SPORTS / 5 »
“Fitting into the staff at the IC was such a breeze; it was like I was always a part of the team.” EMILY SCHNIPKE Giving up a hobby to follow my passion OPINION / 3 »
Rockets picked to win MAC West in coaches’ poll
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SPORTS / 5 »
This phase will, and already has, drastically limited our ability to use one of the major roads that connects to campus, making commuting more difficult.” EDITORIAL Road Rage
OPINION / 3 »
IMPROVEMENT
DINING
On Friday, Aug. 18 a new dining option, Chick-fil-A, opened on the University of Toledo’s campus. The restaurant’s hours during school time are from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. It is currently located in the Student Union, across from Steak ‘n Shake on the first floor. The restaurant offers both Dining and Rocket Dollars as a means to pay. They are not capable of doing online orders or taking orders by way of Tapingo, the app that allows you to preorder food from various locations on campus and then pick it up when it’s ready. The restaurant came as a response, according to Gary Casteel, the resident district manager of dining and hospitality services at UT, to a report done by an independent food services consulting firm that UT hired for the 2015-16 academic year. The firm reported, according to Casteel, that participants expressed interest in chicken dining options, with “70.1 of the
respondents preferring Chickfil-A.” “In response to the 2015 survey, the top two choices, Chick-fil-A and Steak ‘n Shake were rolled out,” Casteel said. “CFA received 63.9 percent and Steak ‘n Shake 42.9 percent of votes from the campus dining 2015 survey.” However, the addition of the restaurant is not without controversy, stemming mainly from a statement made by the chief RACHEL NEARHOOF / IC operating officer Jailia Williams, a Toledo community member, orders of Chick-fil-A in food Aug. 29 from the campus Chick-fil-A. 2012 that pitted the concern is not only to Chick-fil-A, but dinthe company ing options are limited,” against same-sex marriage. the statement made five years ago, but also the Hetzler said. According to AlexanWith the first week dria Hetzler, a fourth-year continued support by the company to fund antiof classes still going on, organizational leadership Student Government has and management student, LGBT organizations. “Myself and other queer been prevented from takas well as the former and ally students have ing a stance on the issue, president of LGBTQIA expressed that we do not organization on campus want to give our money then called Spectrum, See Chicken / 4 »
accessibility
By Bryce Buyakie News Editor
The University of Toledo is starting the new school year by improving the handicap accessibility of 10 buildings on Main Campus and two Health Science Campus buildings. The construction that began in early August is scheduled to be completed in October and will include improvements such as electric doors, easy-access water fountains and handicap accessible restrooms, said Enjie Hall, UT director of accessibility and student disability services. Slated for these improvements are University Hall, Bowman-Oddy Laboratories, Memorial Field House, North Engineering, Nitschke Hall, Wolfe Hall, the Center for Performing Arts, Rocket Hall, the Law Center, McMaster Hall, the Health Education Building and the Collier Building. David Cutri, executive director of internal audit and chief compliance officer, said that the buildings were chosen based on student and faculty use, how “ADA-accessible” a building was, what facilities posed the greatest risk and the recommendations by an Americans with Disabilities Act consultant. “People with disabilities will be able to navigate through doors, use water fountains and use restrooms more independently,” Hall said. “Currently, due to inaccessibility, people may wait for other to help open a door or ask for assistance to fill a water bottle.” Jim Ferris, chair of the disabilities program, said he and his graduate student have trouble See Access / 4 »
DINING
CONSTRUCTION
Revamped dining locations ready to serve
Carlson Library welcomes students with a brand new look
By Emily Lorton Staff Reporter
To kick off the new school year, the Student Union and Ottawa East dining halls have been updated in many ways to introduce a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Gary Casteel, resident district manager of The University of Toledo Dining and Hospitality Services, said the previous setup made it difficult for guests and students to navigate. “The new design makes better use of the space and will help with traffic flow,” Casteel said. “Stations have been redesigned to provide quicker service and an enhanced experience.” Students can also expect to see an additional station in Ottawa East, to provide more options for students with food allergies. “I really appreciate the stations for specific food allergies,” said Taylor Burchfield, second-year communication student. “I have to worry about cross contamination all the time because I am allergic to
tree nuts. It allows me to eat without worry.” The dining halls have also been given a new look. “Both Ottawa East and the Student Union have new seating arrangements and décor that are welcoming and give the guest a restaurant experience,” Casteel said. The meal plans have been updated as well to include a five-day and seven-day All Access Dining Plan, said Casteel. “With either of those plans you may visit the Student Union and Ottawa East as many times as you wish throughout the day,” Casteel said. “The five-day plan is Monday-Friday and the seven-day plan is Sunday-Saturday.” Despite rumors, students who purchase a meal plan can still swipe for guests. Both All Access meal plans come with five “extra” swipes. These swipes can be used for guests, carry out, or a meal exchange at acceptable locations. “I think it’s crazy we can’t use our regular meal swipes for carry out. I’m too busy to sit in the dining hall most days,” Burchfield said. The locations that accept meal swipes are Agave, Croutonz, Freshens Food Studio at the North Engineering building and the convenience stores on campus. Casteel said the Carter Hall Market will be open this year. Also, Phoenicia will be relocating to Rocky’s Attic. “Construction for Phoenicia is near completion, and it should open soon after all inspections are complete,” he said. “We will communicate to the university community when we have the open date.”
RACHEL NEARHOOF / IC
South Dining Hall, picture above, is one of the food locations on campus to be changed.
BRYCE BUYAKIE / IC
Floor-to-ceiling glass windows were installed in Carlson Library. By Emily Schnipke Editor-in-chief
“It was an old, dingy place. And, in the span of three months, it had really transformed.” Renovations in the Carlson Library have completely changed the space, according to Beau Case, the new dean of University Libraries. The recent construction marks the last in a series of stages that completely changed the look of the library, inside and out. The first four floors now match in a modern, architectural style. One of the most notable changes to Carlson is the addition of floorto-ceiling glass windows on the east side of the building. Case called this a “glass curtain.” “It’s more welcoming, and in the morning, it’ll look spectacular. The morning sun comes through and it’s very bright in here,” Case said. “Libraries used to be vaults. ‘Light’s bad for books,’ well, lack of light is bad for humans.” Inside the building, the double-door entrances have been pushed farther
into the building to cut down on the amount of heat lost and cold air brought in, according to Dave Remaklus, director of operations in Carlson Library. Currently, the south entrance to the library is still closed but will be reopened by the end of September. The library’s elevators were redone on the inside to reflect the new look of the library. Also, the firstfloor desks for circulation and reference will stay the same, but with the smaller desk becoming one for IT staff and reference librarians. Case calls it a desk of “expertise.” “The knowledge of IT and the friendliness of library coming together,” Case laughed. “In all seriousness, it’s really true. They’ll be side-by-side with the reference librarians.” According to Case, besides some paint and new signage, the most recognizable change is the atrium that is opened up to the second floor from the first. Case and Remaklus both said that this change allows the “hustle and bustle” of the
first floor to carry up to the second. “The second floor has always been designated as a nosier area,” Case said. “It’s the more collaborative floor.” Remkalus said that after the third and fourth floor renovations were completed last fall, the library conducted surveys of student satisfaction and kept statistics on how many students used the library during the day and evening. He said many times, study rooms and seating were almost at capacity all the time. “We already had data,” Remaklus said. “We had surveys from the students, surveys and such, about what they like about the third and fourth floor, what they want more or less of. Group study rooms are always really important.” The finished second floor increases the amount of study rooms in Carlson. There are 48 group study rooms that seat between four and 12 students. Remaklus said that private study rooms are a top priority that the See Renovation / 4 »
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The Independent Collegian | Wednesday, August 30, 2017 | 3
OPINION Send letters to the editor to Editor@independentcollegian.com
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EDITORIAL BOARD
Bryce Buyakie Emily Schnipke
Jessica Harker Areeba Shah
Emily Jackson Sam Williams
Editorials appearing on this page represent the consensus view of the editorial staff. Columns and letters to the editor reflect the opinions of their authors, not those of The Independent Collegian.
EDITORIAL
Road rage
Why the city of Toledo needs better communcation with the university In case you weren’t aware, Toledo has a lot of construction. It’s truly an orange barrel city. One of the biggest projects the city has undertaken recently is the Bancroft Road project that, in three parts, will completely repave the street and put in a roundabout for easier traffic flow. The project, according to the city of Toledo, will go on until the end of 2018. The first phase, which occurred already, was the reconstruction of the bridge that takes Bancroft Road over the Ottawa River. The second stage, the stage the project is currently in, spans the length of road between Secor Road and Parkside Ave., leaving only one lane open throughout the school year. This section of the project was scheduled to begin in Aug. 2017 and is projected to end in December. According to a UT spokesperson, the university had no say in when the projects were to take place and where construction would occur at what times. The university Board of Trustees did approve an easement which allowed the project to use some of its land to be able to create the roundabout, but that was the extent of the university’s role. However, according to the university spokesperson, UT and the city have a good ongoing relationship. This relationship allowed the university to request that the closing of a certain section of Bancroft be moved up, so it did not interfere with students moving back to campus and into the dorms. But is that enough? According to the presentation from the Bancroft Road public meeting on June 14, 2016, the section of road between the bridge and Parkside Ave., which spans the length of the university, is where “traffic is higher” due to a dense population of students and staff.
We are not arguing with the fact that Bancroft St. needs immense amounts of work, nor that the project is important to the community at large. But where is the consideration for the lives of students and staff? ranking at a 53 out of 100 points; anything below a 60 is considered in crucial need of repair. We are not arguing with the fact that Bancroft St. needs immense amounts of work, nor that the project is important to the community at large. But where is the consideration for the lives of students and staff? The fact that university officials had to request that the road not be closed during the first weeks of school and the scheduled start date for this particular phase is at the same time the semester starts shows how little the city of Toledo considered the lives of students and the betterment of the university when considering its plan. Any board of trustee member could have informed the city that the fall semester, just as it does every year, begins during August. Any student, staff member, administrator or even incoming freshman could have informed the city of this fact if they had simply asked. That’s not to mention the increased traffic, as St. Francis de Sales High School, right down the road from UT, also started around the same time. To us, this is simply poor planning. When it comes to issues with roads, especially those that directly impact the lives of UT students and staff, we think it is imperative that these people are asked to weigh in on how the projects will affect them.
This phase will, and already has, drastically limited our ability to use one of the major roads that connects to campus, making commuting more difficult. The University of Toledo is largely a commuter school, so complicating the lives of one of the largest student populations is never a good thing. The second stage of construction began in August, with city officials knowing this is the busiest section of the road, during the busiest time of the year, when the semester begins and students and staff come streaming back. This phase will, and already has, drastically limited our ability to use one of the major roads that connects to campus, making commuting more difficult. The University of Toledo is largely a commuter school, so complicating the lives of one of the largest student populations is never a good thing. According to the city, the whole point of this project is to bring the streets up to code and to fix major issues, making traffic flow a lot easier for the whole community. The city found that the roads were
If the city had held a meeting, or even done a survey of students, administration and staff, we are sure that the issue of the semester starting simultaneously with construction would have come up. But having not been given this opportunity, we are now forced to work around this major inconvenience and even leave for school 45 minutes earlier than usual, just to spend the whole time stuck bumper-to-bumper on Bancroft. So, the next time the city wants to take on a project to benefit the lives of the community, maybe consider the university community as well. Our lives are just as important, and our concerns need to be considered to avoid another Bancroft disaster, as this year is sure to be.
COMMENTARY
Giving up a hobby to follow my passion When I first started writing for the Independent Collegian in the fall of 2015, I was in my second year of college and my first semester without participating in marching band in seven years. I gave up on my love of playing the trumpet so that I could have time to focus on my new dream. I came to the University of Toledo with one goal in mind, and that was to graduate with a degree that would allow me to pursue a career in journalism. Once I got into the swing of things, I knew that I had made the right choice. Fitting into the staff at the IC was such a breeze; it was like I was always a part of the team. Besides finding new friends, I gained a new perspective on what I wanted to do with my life. Working on staff gives me a learning experience that I could never gain within the classroom. I always thought of myself as a regular learner, because memorizing textbooks and reciting facts
EMILY SCHNIPKE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
comes easily to me. But with journalism, you can’t really learn that from a book. You can’t even really learn it from a professor. Journalism is something you learn by doing. The IC gives me that exact opportunity. I get to interview and talk with university administrators, student leaders, famous musicians and art curators from other countries. I spend my time writing, which I love to do. I spend more time writing for the IC than I do for any of my classes. I have grown as a writer since my first published
I gave up on my love of playing the trumpet so that I could have time to focus on my new dream. I came to the University of Toledo with one goal in mind, and that was to graduate with a degree that would allow me to pursue a career in journalism.
article because of the IC and the feedback I have received. I’ve grown to understand what constitutes good journalism and how to achieve that. Through what I like to think of as luck and a crazy set of coincidences, I was able to move through the ranks of the newspaper staff fairly quickly. I started at the IC in September of 2015, became associate community editor worked as full community editor, and shifted to managing editor before taking on the role of editor-in-chief. When I first started, I couldn’t have even imagined that I would be in charge of the newspaper before I would graduate. It’s like my wildest dreams coming true. The IC quickly became my one true love after joining. I couldn’t even begin to calculate how much time I have spent working for the newspaper. When I mentioned keeping a log of my hours to my friends, they jokingly said I spend 22 hours of the day thinking about the IC, and the other two are spent dreaming about it. Not a moment goes by without me seeing something and thinking: How could we do that at our newspaper? Or thinking: I need to text that cool sports thing to the sports editor and that event should be covered by community.
The IC quickly became my one true love after joining. I couldn’t even begin to calculate how much time I have spent working for the newspaper. My days are spent thinking about the wellbeing of our student newspaper. It’s hard to love the IC so much when I know that other students on campus don’t even know that we exist or can’t be bothered to even pick up the paper. But the work we do isn’t for them, it’s for the students and staff who read the paper on a regular basis and care about the news we provide. To me, the IC is much more than a job or internship, it’s my obsession and my passion. I spent six of the 10 hours I was on campus for the first day of school in the IC office, and it wasn’t even deadline day. I am fully committed to seeing the newspaper succeed and grow. By giving up one hobby, I found my true calling and I can’t wait to see where it takes me.
OPINION
My love for the culture of Japan — the land of the rising sun Ever since my childTo an average Amerihood, I have always can, few may believe, had a strong respect like myself, that refor the Bushido spect is a rare gem to Code, an ancient find in the States. samurai set of guideHowever, Japan lines that governed offers courtesy the who a samurai was moment a foreigner and what a samurai places his foot on stood for. Japanese soil. From It contains persimple gas station emsonal virtues such as ployees to the average politeness, sincerity, blue-collar Japanese loyalty and character. worker, their sense of The main and more common courtesy is popular virtues of the boundless. IC COLUMNIST Bushido Code were The land of the rishonor and self-respect. These values continue to beat ing sun’s résumé violently in the heart of Japanese doesn’t end with culture. dumbfounding The sheer level of respect that obeisance. The most Japanese people have for them- nation boasts selves and other people amazes me. an intriguing culture deeply rooted in Shinto. Unknowingly, Japan boasts a multitude a minority of of customs unique to Japanese people its culture. Its fascinatfollow and perform practices ing festivals and events of the ancient occurring throughout religion Shinto. Japan boasts the year only add to its a multitude of culture. Its grand archicustoms unique tecture, such as Shinto to its culture. shrines, paint an interest- Its fascinating festivals and ing picture of their inevents occurtriguing culture. ring throughout the year only
WILLIAM SANDERS
add to its culture. Its grand architecture, such as Shinto shrines, paint an interesting picture of their intriguing culture. I strive to one day visit the enchanting country of Japan. The University of Toledo boasts an excellent foreign language department, with Japanese being one of the best. Learning the Japanese language, or any language for that matter, can be entertaining experience. I encourage all language learning fanatics from all majors to continue with your language of choice, and explore the origin of their language of choice.
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| The Independent Collegian | Wednesday, August 30, 2017
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Chicken from page 1
according to speaker of the senate Kyle Zapadka. However, Zapadka confirmed that a SG dining survey last year did show interest in more “American food” options and that so far, he, nor the president of SG Jimmy Russell, have heard of any complaints. “All feedback has been positive, with many guests already making return visits,” Casteel said. However, according to the chair of the women and gender studies department, Sharon Barnes, the LGBT advisory board that Hetzler and Barnes sit on together met with Lawrence Kelley, the executive VP for finance and administration and CFO, with their concerns about the restaurant. “There was definitely reaching out after,” Barnes said. “I was very uncomfortable with it because it felt like negotiating after the fact.” Hetzler said she met with Willie McKether, the vice president of diversity and inclusion, about her concerns after the signing of the contract as well.
“It’s a restaurant with a long and ongoing history of hostility to LGBTQIA-plus people, so that’s my objection. It really sends a message to the queer community, and I think there are other good chicken sandwiches to be had,” Barnes said. Both Barnes and Hetzler confirmed that neither the LGBT advisory board, nor the student LGBTQIA organization, then called Spectrum, were asked to weigh in on the decision, or informed of the possibility of Chick-fil-A coming to UT. “The first time any of us heard about Chick-fil-A coming to campus was after the contract had been signed, and we heard it through peers and not from the university,” Hetzler said, “which feels shady and like UT knew there would be some backlash.” Barnes said that she was also concerned about the way the contract was signed over the summer. They felt that the decision was not inclusive or thoughtful of the LGBTQIA community. “It wasn’t any of the things the university claims to be, and I believe wants to be in terms of inclusive and welcoming to diversity,” Barnes said. One possible remedy
Like us at Facebook.com/ICollegian brought up in the first meeting with Kelley, according to Barnes, was the possibility of anti-discrimination signage posted at the restaurant. “I feel like it is more of a band-aid solution. It does not make up for UT quietly signing a contract,” Hetzler said. Both Barnes and Hetzler agreed that they did not believe that posting signs was enough. Currently, no such sign is posted at the location. “Well if they didn’t do their due diligence to see how the Chick-fil-A would be received by my community in this case, I think vetting an organization is always a good idea,” Barnes said. “I think they have a oneyear contract, and I hope they don’t renew it.” According to Casteel, as a response the public scrutinizing the restaurant after the comments made by the COO, the university researched the company’s hiring policies and commitment to equality and decided to go forward with the decision. “Aramark, which will operate the restaurant, also has a strong commitment to diversity, which is in line with UT’s commitment to being an inclusive and welcoming campus,” Casteel said, adding
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that in 2015 Aramark was awarded the Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality, and that they received a 100 percent on the 2016 Corporate Equality Index. Speaking on his personal opinion, and not as a Student Government official, Zapadka said that he feels that the company is not reflective of one’s opinions. “The staggering line outside Chick-fil-A speaks for itself: Students want this company on campus,” Zapadka said. “This idea that Chick-fil-A in its entirety is anti-LGBTQIA is ridiculous, considering they serve anybody no matter their sexual orientation.” Barnes said that, in her opinion, while specific franchise owners may not represent that belief, profits from the organization still fund anti-LGBTQIA organizations. “I think that people can make that case that it’s food; it’s not politics. You can make that case, but that is not a case that is convincing to me,” Barnes said.
Access
from page 1
using mobility scooters and wheelchairs around their office on the fourth floor of University Hall due to tight door frames. “A problem we run into on this campus, and this is not unique to UT’s campuses, is that the architects and the administrators were not thinking about accessibility when building this campus,” Ferris said. “So, ever since, we have been adding these improvements onto existing buildings.” An article by UT News stated that the university was granted $500,000 in state funding from the state’s capital appropriation for the
Renovation
from page 1
library wanted to provide for students. “I’m sure they will always be full. Students love them,” Case said. “On the second floor, we have active learning spaces. It’s kind of like the little group study rooms that are actually on the main floor. Those are really popular too. I don’t think students really care, for the most part, if they are in a private room. They just want a place where they can get together.” These spaces are complete with whiteboard “walls” on three sides for
“We do live in a society that prioritizes accessibility, but we still have many vestiges from that time...” JIM FERRIS Chair of Disabilities Program
2017-18 fiscal year. However, according to the bid tabulation on UT’s website for the improvements, the combined cost for the contractor and equipment in Rocket Hall, the Health Education Building, North Engineering and McMaster Hall is $527,000. “There’s tons of things that still need to be improved,” Ferris said. “We do live in a society that prioritizes accessibility, but we still have many vestiges from
students to use. Much of the seating available is also movable, which helps students who like to be active while they learn. A completely new addition to the library is the LTC Thomas J. Orlowski, ‘65 Veterans Lounge, on the second floor. University’s Veterans Lounge will relocate from its current location in Rocket Hall. According to UT News, a $20,000 donation from the Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes supported the creation of the new lounge. The coalition’s gift was made in recognition of Lt. Col. Thomas J. Orlowski, a UT alumnus and Army
that time… when people were still operating on the mentality that disabled people should stay in the back rooms and be quiet.” Ferris also said that the university should look at how each campus can make accessibility improvements for the mentally handicapped. “We have a lot of work to do, no question,” Ferris said. “It would be great if we could get it all done now, but it takes time and we will always have more to do.”
veteran who is the immediate past chairman of the organization’s board. The lounge will be opened on Sept. 15 with a ribboncutting ceremony. It is a study space provided for military students, complete with desk space and comfortable seating. “The library is happy to offer these spaces for a variety of groups on campus,” Case said. The library construction cost around $3 million for this construction, which Remaklus said they kept to. The project was funded through state appropriation dollars that were awarded to UT.
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MEN’S BASKETBALL
Toledo men’s basketball spends summer in Italy By Justice Sunderland Staff Reporter
The Rocket men’s basketball team wrapped up its four-game exhibition tour of Italy with a 99-45 victory over a Vicenza all-star team on a U.S. military base. UT went 4-0 after defeating a Spanish all-star team in Florence and KK Kolubara, a Serbian club team, twice while they were in Rome. “Our program has so much respect for the U.S. military and to spend some time on the base was a really neat thing,” head coach Tod Kowalczyk said. “It was great to see how the soldiers live over here and protect our freedom.” Toledo was led by a trio of first-year players in their trip finale. James Gordon IV scored 13 points to pace the Rockets, while Logan Hill and Dwayne Rose Jr. added twelve and eleven, respectively. It was a very balanced scoring effort by UT. “This was a special night for us,” Hill said. “To be able to play on a U.S. military base in front of people who serve our country was a great experience. Our entire trip has really helped us come together as team and given us a chance to get to know each other on and off the court.” The Rockets took control of the
game midway through the first half and left no doubts after that. Some other standouts for the Rockets on their Italian adventure included a couple of transfers: fifth-year guard Tre’Shaun Fletcher and second-year forward Willie Jackson. “I thought we had two guys who really carried us tonight with Tre’Shaun Fletcher and Willie Jackson stepping up for us,” Kowalczyk said after the team’s 72-66 victory over a Spanish all-star team in their third game. Fletcher recorded 21 points and eight rebounds, and Jackson added 16 points and 10 rebounds in the game. Fletcher transferred to UT two years ago after playing three years at Colorado University. He is a big guard who has excellent range and shooting touch. He shot 40 percent on threes during conference games in his last season with Colorado, where he started 31 games in his career. Jackson came to UT after just eleven games in his first season at Missouri University. Jackson is a 6-foot-6-inch physical forward. He is from Garfield Heights High School in Cleveland, so he isn’t too far from home. “A game like this shows us we still have a lot of work to do, but it’s
“To be able to play on a U.S. military base in front of people who serve our country was a great experience. Our entire trip has really helped us come together as team and given us a chance to get to know each other on and off the court.” LOGAN HILL First-year Forward
good that we played well down the stretch and got the win,” Jackson said after the game. The Rockets will need all of these players to make a difference this year, as they lost their top two scorers from a season ago, Jonathan Williams and Steve Taylor Jr., as well as team leader Zach Garber. They will also need big contributions from their top returning players, guard Jaelan Sanford and forward Nate Navigato. Big men Taylor Adway and Luke Knapke will also be looking to take a step forward to try and replace almost 35 points per game from Taylor Jr. and Williams. This is nothing new for Coach Kowalczyk, however. He has some experience replacing quality players. He has lost two of his three top scorers each of the past three seasons, losing the likes of J.D. Weatherspoon, Julius Brown and Nathan Boothe. He will return his point guard Sanford for a third consecutive season. Sanford will be the leader of the Rocket offense this season. Last season, he raised his scoring average from eight up to 13.6. Kowalczyk should be looking for him to take another step this year. It appeared the entire Rocket team got some valuable experience on their journey through Italy. They had large margins of victory in every game except one, which is always good for confidence. It wasn’t all business, however, as the team enjoyed activities like zip lining and a trip to the world famous Vatican. The team returned to the United States on Aug. 19 to prepare for the fall semester at UT, which began Aug. 28.
RACHEL NEARHOOF / IC
Third-year forward Nate Navigato puts up a shot over fourth-year Eastern Michigan guard Ty Toney.
FOOTBALL
Rockets picked to win MAC West in coaches’ poll
RACHEL NEARHOOF / IC
Second-year cornerback Keelen Roberts and second-year safety DeDarallo Blue greet fans in the Glass Bowl after a 31-17 victory over Central Michigan University. By Sam Williams Sports Editor
In a preseason coaches’ poll, the Toledo Rockets were picked to win the MAC West in the upcoming 2017 season. The ballot polled the head coaches of all MAC teams and was released by the league Monday morning. The midnight blue and gold received seven first place votes out of the 12 MAC teams and a total of 66 points total. This put them within eight points of defending MAC West champion Western Michigan, who finished second in the MAC West polling. In the east, Ohio University was picked to win the division, with Miami of Ohio finishing close behind them in the poll. Toledo finished last season with a record of 9-4, with head coach Jason Candle making his season debut. The team finished second in the MAC West, losing out on a chance to make the MAC championship game after a loss to Western Michigan. Toledo did earn a berth in the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl last season, where they lost to Appalachian State by a score of 31-28. Toledo is led by fourth-year quarterback Logan Woodside, who led the nation with 45 touchdown passes last season and was named a Heisman contender by the
Heisman Trophy Trust. Returning to help Woodside on offense are Cody Thompson and Jon’Vea Johnson, a wide receiver duo that combined for 104 receptions and 21 touchdowns in the 2016 season. Looking to fill the gap left by former Rocket and current Kansas City Chief Kareem Hunt is Terry Swanson. The fourth-year running back was a 2015 second team All-MAC choice, and he posted 538 yards rushing in the 2016 season. The Rockets will start their 2017 season this Thursday when they take on Elon University in the Glass Bowl. UT will look to win this game the in same way they were successful last season: an explosive and high-scoring offense. Toledo averaged 38 points per game last season and led the MAC in total offense with a universityrecord 517.8 yards per game in 2016. Elon is an FCS program from the Colonial Athletic Association, and is led by first-year head coach Curt Cignetti. Cignetti previously coached at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he led a winning program in six seasons at the school. Elon finished last season 2-9 but is returning 15 starters from last year’s team. The two teams will face off at 7 p.m. on Thursday in the Glass Bowl. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN3.
6 | The Independent Collegian | Wednesday, August 30, 2017
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PROTEST
Family Puppy Boycott protests against puppy mills By Areeba Shah Community Editor
According to Susan Robinson, head of Family Puppy Boycott, 99 percent of dogs in pet stores come from puppy mills that are commercial establishments, whose only purpose is to breed dogs for profit. By purchasing a puppy from a store or internet website, you are ensuring that those dogs are kept in confinement, living a life that no dog should ever have to live, Robinson said. Robinson started this organization four years ago, with the help of her friend Pam Sordyl, in response to a puppy store opening in Toledo. The owner of this
“He can literally be born in that cage and stay in that cage until he either dies or is no longer a breeder.” MARY STUPLIN Member of Family Puppy Boycott
store has a chain with four locations, including three in Michigan and one in Toledo. “Our purpose all along has been education,” Robinson said. Initially, the group started off with 70 people protesting and educating people on puppy mills, but, in recent years, the size has reduced, Robinson said. However, their purpose to
educate has continued. “We get a lot of positive reactions from people. You’ll know when we’re on the corner every Saturday; we get honks and waves and thumbs up,” Robinson said. She added that hearing people change their mind about buying a dog from the store is what makes a difference to the organization. Her inspiration behind this organization were her three dogs who came from Amish Puppy Mills. Robinson adopted her first dog, who was discarded from a puppy mill, from the company “Petfinder.” Understanding what her puppy had gone through encouraged her to get involved, Robinson said. The group’s efforts almost stopped the puppy store from opening in Toledo, Robinson said. By connecting with the Toledo City Council and adopting an ordinance that banned the sales of puppies in Toledo, Robinson was optimistic about the change the group would bring about. However, by the time the ordinance passed, the store had already opened. She added that it was difficult to get the ordinance passed, as some of the council members felt they would appear anti-business. “They did put a lot of restrictions on the store and sales of the puppies,” Robinson said. “Unfortunately, that was overturned just about a year ago by the
Ohio legislature.” Mary Stuplin has also been involved in educating people for the last four years. Since all four of her dogs are puppy mill survivors, Robinson’s efforts to bring attention to how they’re treated interested Stuplin to join. Stuplin rescued her little poodle, Sally, when the dog was six years old. Sally was a breeder on an Amish puppy mill and, due to how many times she was bred, her uterus fell apart. “People see that cute little doggie in the store and it’s the conditions that the cute little doggie’s parents are kept in,” Stuplin said. COURTESY OF SUSAN ROBINSON She added that the Family Puppy Boycott protests each week on Talmadge Rd. against the sale of puppies man who owns the pupfrom Amish puppy mills in Indiana. pies will tell you that these dogs all come from licensed breeders and or is no longer a breeder,” doesn’t know if what he find outlets in Michigan,” he can get access to these Stuplin said. said is true, since he has Sordyl said. records where the puppies When Robinson went lied before. The group has been come from. down to the Ohio legislaTo educate people, she involved in 19 pet store clo“They are licensed breedture to testify, the owner of does research on the store’s sures and prioritizes new ers, but license means the the store told the legissupplier inspection reports stores. However, their goal dog has to have shelter, food lature, if he changed the with the founder of Puppy is to not put store owners and water,” Stuplin said. rules of selling dogs, it Mill Awareness of SE out of business, but rather This means that the would cost him too much. Michigan, Pam Sordyl. to end puppy sales and shelter can be an unheated Robinson added that she Sordyl shared that she first prevent new stores from barn that doesn’t have starting campaigning outopening, Sordyl said. windows or a cage with side a mall when The Family To educate the public on “They did put a no heat during the winter Puppy opened a new store in puppy mills, Sordyl posts lot of restrictions nor air during the summer. Flint, Michigan. Her organiza- information on a message Stuplin said that there isn’t on the store tion protested for three years, board, including shipping a law saying the dogs have educating shoppers about the records through the Michigan and sales of the to be outside at any time, store’s puppy suppliers. Department of Agriculture, puppies.” meaning anything can be “My organization is inspection reports and photos classified as shelter. SUSAN ROBINSO focused on puppy retail through the USDA or local Head of Family Puppy “He can literally be born sales, and our goal is not zoning departments. Boycott in that cage and stay in that to allow any new stores to cage until he either dies
TRAVEL
FOOD
Witnessing miracles with my own eyes By Emily Jackson Managiing Editor
El Milagro. Spanish for The Miracle. It’s Trujillo, Peru’s landfill. You have to drive out past the city prison down a dusty dirt road just to get to it. Tucked away, out of sight and out of mind, hundreds of people dig through bags upon bags of garbage with their bare hands just to make a living. They spend hours, months and years sifting through the mountains of trash that spread out for miles in search of recyclables to sell in the city. For some, trash mining is all they have ever known. They have spent their entire lives living and working in a place filled with the constant hum of swarming flies, the stench of rotting food and human excrement and the brown smoke of burning rubbish. The garbage dump is their normal.
Luis’ humility and selflessness put me to shame. This summer, I had the chance to step into their world and witness, first-hand, the physical poverty that these people and so many others live in every day. For two and a half months, I served as an intern in Trujillo, Peru with a non-profit Christian organization called Inca Link. My main job as an intern was to lead short-term teams of high schoolers from the U.S. and Canada that came down to serve for 7-10 days. Each day, I would lead them through working on construction projects, organizing Bible school programs for the kids and being part of the ministries that Inca Link already had in place there. One of these ministries was Elim, a site located just outside El Milagro that helps to educate families that work and live in and around the dump. During the summer, one of their outreach strategies is to send teams into the dump with fruit and supplies to pray for the workers and invite them to the program. I visited El Milagro two times this summer, and it was an experience I know I will never forget. The first time I stepped inside the gate, the
smell and the flies were obviously the first things that hit me. But the most overwhelming part by far, was seeing at least 100 people digging through the garbage with rakes and bare hands. A team of 60 high schoolers from Canada and myself had come with bags of fruit to hand out. I led a group of about five students through the dump. As the only Spanish speaker in the group, my job was to translate and pray for the PHOTO COURTESY OF EMILY JACKSON people to whom we gave Emily Jackson gives a piggyback ride to the bags of fruit as well Andrea, a child attending Elim, the garbage as invite them to Elim. dump ministry in Trujillo, Peru. The first time approaching someone, I was so the U.S. makes me thankful, but also nervous and shocked that I tried to ashamed. I am blessed with so much, speak and no words came out. I’d never yet have shared so very little. I let seen such poverty and filth in my life. myself get so caught up in life and Finally, in very broken Spanish, I was success and work that I lose focus able to pray for the man we had given of what really matters – sharing the the fruit to and invite him to Elim. love of Christ. One by one, we prayed with the That day Luis reminded me of workers and gave them fruit. Each Christ’s love and for the rest of the time, I was able to communicate more summer, I watched the effects of that clearly, even though it was becoming love unfold in so many ways. harder to choke back the tears. More and more children are comJust before we were to start walking to Elim and getting an education. ing back through the dump to leave, Mothers are leading Bible studies and I noticed an old man sitting alone learning practical skills to become in a pile of trash bags. I walked up self-sufficient. Families are becoming to him, shook his hand, kissed his stronger and marriages healthier. The dirt-smudged cheek (as is the typinext generation is learning to love cal greeting in South America) and and to lead. handed him some fruit. In this dirty, dusty place, hope is risHe told me his name was Luis. ing. From the outside, it doesn’t look I asked him if there was anything like anything beautiful or miraculous. specific he would like us to pray for. But I think “The Miracle” is the most I was expecting a prayer request for fitting name. Because it’s there, right in safety or health or better working the middle of those heaps of trash, that conditions. But instead, Luis’ prayer God is working miracles. was “that the whole world might come to know Christ.” In that moment, God broke my heart. This summer, I had the Luis’ humility and selflessness put me to chance to step into their shame. No one would have blamed him world and witness, first-hand, if he had wanted prayer for his family or health or the poverty that surrounded the physical poverty that him. But Luis was more concerned about these people and so many reaching people for Christ than any other others live in every day. physical or material thing. Can I say the same thing about myself ? Looking at my life here in
A Mediterranean marinade
By Anna Glore Staff Reporter
University of Toledo alumna and local artist Lisa Abdoo has used her skills to create something unique and very special to her. Abdoo, a 2014 graduate of the University of Toledo’s Judith Herb College of Education, curated a Mediterranean marinade using her own knowledge of cooking, art and business. “I’ve been working on it for about 24 years. It was something I started a long time ago when my kids were growing up,” Abdoo said. In order to create her marinade, Abdoo said that many of her artistic skills were used, including hours of dedication to her dream and hard work to make it happen.
“My advice to young artists is to focus on what their talents are, experimenting with each of the medias of art.”
LISA ABDOO University of Toledo Alumna
“In the event of brainstorming to create such a product, I utilized my abilities and knowledge of graphic arts, specifically the screen printing process, incorporating the elements of art and the principles of design, meaning and judgment,” Abdoo said. “For example, the use of color, the Greek key, as well as the name of my product, all of which substantiate the Mediterranean aspects of my heritage.” The name of the marinade is “Alonzo,” named after Abdoo’s grandfather. She added that growing up in the 1960s and being exposed to the culture influenced her marinade recipe,
as well as the graphics and design of the label. “It truly inspired me in the event of creating my product label as an authentic brand, with the impact of its classic lines, contributing to its sales and marketing,” Abdoo said. It is a work of art, the consumer being the open critic.” Although “Alonzo” has taken much of Abdoo’s time and effort, she also has other accomplishments under her belt. In 1990, Abdoo was featured in “Good Housekeeping” as the third-place winner of the National Christmas Decorating Contest. She is also the owner of Mariposa Artistas, a professional photography studio. Abdoo said that from a young age she knew she was interested in art and uses her experiences to influence young people. She is skilled in different forms of art, including screen printing, ceramics and painting. “My childhood prepared me for wanting the same for my children. My family is everything to me; it is evident to anyone that knows me...incorporating every aspect of my teaching and artistic abilities, vastly weighing upon my love of being a mother genuinely for the welfare of each one of their lives that I may inspire.” Abdoo currently works as an art teacher for grades kindergarten through sixth grade at Bishop Hoffman Catholic School in Fremont, Ohio, and is also an art coordinator at Sunshine Studios in Maumee, Ohio. “My advice to young artists is to focus on what their talents are, experimenting with each of the medias of art,” Abdoo said. “Regardless of whether or not you are good at it, you will force yourself to become aware of hidden talents that are lying within your abilities. Believe in oneself, setting realistic and achievable goals. Life happens while doing so, and there lies your legacy.”