YOUR AD THE INDEPENDENT BELONGS HERE Wednesday, January 31, 2018
99th year • Issue 18
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INSIDE
INFRASTRUCTURE
Opinion Editor
Hope fuels the search for a cure for cancer COMMUNITY / 6 »
Toledo secures first place in MAC West
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SPORTS / 5 »
“For me, dating around was not about finding a soul mate. That’s like looking for a unicorn: You’re pretty much just seeking disappointment.”
MORGAN KOVACS Dating for yourself, not to find ‘the one’ OPINION / 3 »
Feeding our starving children
Engineering campus awaits renovation By Jessica Harker
For the past eight years, the University of Toledo has been actively constructing and maintaining the College of Engineering campus, according to Jason Toth, associate vice president for facilities and construction. However, in the next five to six years, Toth stated that if funding goes through, the engineering campus can expect an extensive amount of construction. Currently, the state of Palmer Hall is described by Toth as being “rundown.” Students have mentioned issues such as damaged ceiling tiles, water stains and other problems that occur regularly in the building. One such student is Brent Biernacki, a fourth-year mechanical engineering major who is currently on co-op but has previously had classes in Palmer Hall. “It has part of the roof that leaks a lot,” Biernacki said. “It’s not always the most comfortable
Photos by Meagan O’Hara
to sit in because the thermostat isn’t always adjusted. I know people always complain that it’s too hot in the summer.” Biernacki continued that none of the issues impeded his ability to learn, however, including having never experienced issues with technology in any class. Toth said that work order numbers are low for engineering. Only 732 work orders out of the 13,979 total for main campus occurred on the engineering campus for this academic year. “I encourage all of our students, faculty and staff to make us aware,” Toth said. “We aren’t saying that we can immediately fix it, but make us aware and notify us of issues.” He added that without a work order, Plant Operations has no ideas about issues that may be occurring. Toth said that the university launched a new program in August 2017 called SchoolDude to handle maintenance requests. See Palmer / 4 »
ADMINISTRATION
New dean hired for College of Education
The Klar Leadership Academy of the University of Toledo partnered with Feed My Starving Children to host an event of the same name Jan 27-18 in the Health Education Building. (TOP) First-year political science major Alexis Alearadi (center) packs boxes filled with food. (RIGHT) Megan Hanna helps to fill bags of ‘nutritious meal formulas’. (BOTTOM) Sharon Chandler, a community member, scoops food into funnels that fill bags with meal.
By Olivia Rodriguez Staff Reporter
Raymond Witte, current professor and chair of the Department of Education Psychology at Miami University, was announced as the new dean of education at the University of Toledo. He will begin July 1. “Dr. Witte is an experienced administrator, having served as department chair and associate dean,” said Andrew Hsu, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. “He is not only an accomplished scholar as a university professor, he had many years of experience working for public schools before joining academia.” As the new dean, Witte said he wants to be more connected with students to help prepare them for their future careers. He will be coming to UT for meetings once a month starting in February, but he hopes to hold
RAYMOND WITTE Incoming Dean of Education
one-on-one meetings and small informal groups such as coffee with the dean, open Friday gatherings or student organization meetings to make students feel more comfortable in a college environment, he said. “I appreciate that he is experienced in education and that he See Witte / 4 »
IMPROVEMENT
Counting on a good time
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COMMUNITY / 6 »
“To follow the law, if UT was to face the possible deportation of a student, faculty, staff or community member, it would have to step aside.”
EDITORIAL The attack on immigrants
OPINION / 3 »
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SEXUAL ABUSE
Bancroft construction to be completed in 2018 By Bryce Buyakie News Editor
Students at the University of Toledo can expect longer commutes, traffic delays and lane restrictions on Bancroft Street as the city’s construction project goes into its final phase this spring. The roughly $9 million project is part of Toledo’s master plan to repair and
improve the city’s infrastructure, said Karl Huss, senior professional engineer for the City of Toledo. Phase one of the Bancroft project began last fall by replacing a 30-inch by 72-inch storm sewer pipe to improve the area’s drainage system and to prevent the Ottawa River from flooding into Old See Repair / 4 »
NIC ANTAYA / THE STATE NEWS, MSU
Larry Nassar enters the courtroom before being sentenced Jan. 24 to 40-175 years in prison.
UT responds to Nassar sentencing By Ben Morse
Associate News Editor
BRYCE BUYAKIE / IC
Vehicles advance on Bancroft Street in front of the University of Toledo. Repairs that began last fall were halted during the winter, leaving the road in rough condition.
A local gymnast joined more than 150 of her peers in directly confronting Larry Nassar, former USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University sports medicine doctor, who sexually abused them under the guise of medical treatment. At his sentencing hearing, Isabelle Hutchins, a 2016 graduate of Rossford High School and current UT student, looked her abuser in the eye and, like so many others, addressed the perpetrator she had once idolized. According to Hutchins’ testimony, Nassar overlooked her broken leg while he molested her in the basement of his home. “I have sleepless nights, especially recently because of this See Trial / 4 »