Sports, B1
Arts & Life, B4
First place Ball State holds off Toledo; Rockets roll past Buffalo.
Turning a dorm room into a sanctuary.
Independent Collegian IC The
www.IndependentCollegian.com 91st year Issue 32
Monday, January 24, 2011
Serving the University of Toledo since 1919
Error in Teetering on a services tower of debt stalls Students can expect $20K in debt after attending college student payments By Sura Khuder IC Staff Writer
The following is a two-part IC Series on student finances. The final part of the series will look at student investments and whether students should invest money.
By Oreanna Carthorn IC Staff Writer
Students, faculty and staff who made any purchase on the University of Toledo’s campuses in the past four months may experience a sudden change in their bank statements. Computer problems at UT prevented credit cards from being charged for purchases on the Main Campus and Health Science Campus from September to Jan. 18. During the four-month period, it appeared all transactions were being processed, but they were not. According to Jon Strunk, Media Relations Manager at UT, there was a computer error that prevented the system from connecting to the server, resulting in information on purchases being stored rather than processed. In a letter sent to the community on Thursday, Director of Auxiliary Services Joy Gramling explained the computer glitch. — Payments, Page A2
When Adrienne Reyes graduated from the University of Toledo two years ago, she was more than $23,000 in debt. Her degree may be in pharmaceutical sciences, an otherwise lucrative degree, but Reyes found she needed to attend graduate school in order to achieve her career goals. Like many students, the hole made by her undergraduate debt has become deeper as she now needs to pay for her graduate studies in public health. Today, she estimates she owes over $50,000 in government loans. “I have a plan to pay all of this back, but it definitely hasn’t escaped my mind,” Reyes said. The amount of student borrowing and debt accumulation after graduating is on the rise. Today, two-thirds of college students borrow for college with the national average of post-graduate debt amounting to $23,186 according to the government’s National Postsecondary Student Aid Study, compared to $13,172 in 1991. The average student debt at UT is below the national average at
$19,351. Assistant Director of Loans and Financial Aid at UT, Sherri Jiannuzzi, has seen an increase in the amount of money students have been borrowing, similar to the national trend. Experts such as Deputy Undersecretary of the U.S Education Department Robert Shireman blame the economy for the increase in student borrowing and subsequent debt. “The sharp growth is definitely above expectations,” he told the Wall Street Journal. “The eye-opening increase in borrowing is largely due to the dire economic environment, which is causing more people to seek federal loans.” UT Debt Management Advisor Amy Burns notes that while student borrowing is increasing, students are generally more alert of the rise in student debt. “The more it’s in the news, the more students are aware of it,” Burns said. “People are aware that ‘this is a loan, I’m going to have to pay it back.’” Jiannuzzi points to the current — Debt, Page A6 Photo illustration by Nick Kneer / IC
UT students to compete for ‘app’ New voluntary University selected to develop application over furlough policy other schools due to strong technology programs By Jennifer Ison IC Staff Writer
Nick Kneer / IC
University of Toledo students could play a vital role in making roads safer by the end of the semester — they just have to win a competition first. OnStar is offering a $10,000 reward for the best application design through the first OnStar Student Developer Challenge that will continue helping drivers stay safe. The University of Toledo was one of five colleges selected to enter. Other institutions include the University of Michigan, the University of Texas, Carnegie Mellon University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “The University of Toledo is a school with a strong reputation in the
Students at the University of Toledo will have the chance to compete in developing the next OnStar application for smartphone devices.
“ Taylor Mattson Soph., accounting
— App, Page A2
By Oreanna Carthorn IC Staff Writer
Staff in the departments of Campus Police, Safety and Health and Human Resources have all volunteered to participate in a furlough program. “Here are the options,” said Vice President for Human Resources and Campus Safety Bill Logie. “We either have to reduce staff, which in turn reduces resources and impacts customer service and all of the things that normally [having] less staff does, or we could have cut services but that still would have meant cutting back on people.” The voluntary furlough program was the solution for the departments to a campuswide 1.5 percent budget cut. “The only way that we can really meet budgetary targets because of the requirements is to look at either reducing expenses, which translates into
people for us, or to find other ways of further reducing our expenses,” Logie said. The department is preparing for a possible 20 percent reduction, which UT President Lloyd Jacobs has said may affect all university budgets in the upcoming fiscal year that starts in July. Kathie George, coordinator of human resource information systems, said as a group the department discussed options for saving money and decided, as a group, to take furlough days. George said the original idea was for everyone to take four furlough days before the end of the fiscal year 2011. But Logie did not want to put that burden on lower-income workers. “I was very insistent that the burden not be unfair to everyone, because I have people — Furlough, Page A6
How do you finance your college expenses?
I manage them by having a job and I look at my statements everyday because I have a shopping problem.
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“
“
I finance my college expenses by working.
Darren McCadney
Junior, art and history
”
Nate Austin
Senior., art education
I use my financial aid to pay for my books and classes and I take care of living expenses with my job.
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Loans and summer work for books.
Colin Rich
Fresh., hist. edu.
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Be sure to read our feature series on college finances that begins this issue.
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My parents finance my expenses for college. Hopefully I’ll be able to pay them back in the near future. Fahad Sadouni Grad., law
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A2
The
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Want to be included in the next campus briefly? Send events for consideration to News@IndependentCollegian .com.
area of application development, specifically voice,” Markeisha McCall of OnStar Communications said. Students may enter as an individual or as a team to design a voice-enabled application using OnStar’s data model and the QuickFuse Voice Application building platform. This new application should provide a hands-free connection to original information and support. OnStar, the in-vehicle
Women’s Program Initiative
The WPI will host a brown bag seminar tomorrow from noon to 1 p.m. in the Mulford Library Garden Café on the Health Science Campus. Ronald McGinnis, medical director and associate dean for clinical affairs, will be presenting on depression and heart disease. For more information, contact Rebecca Diaz at 419-383-6133.
From Page A1
communication system designed to keep drivers safe, secure and connected, is owned by General Motors. College students were chosen to design the new technology because OnStar believes that no one could have bigger and more interesting ideas for staying connected in the vehicle than the college demographic, according to the company’s website. Student participation is not limited to any specific majors, although schools were mainly chosen based upon the reputation of technology and
engineering programs. Any student currently enrolled in one of the selected universities who is at least 18 years of age and a legal resident of the United States is eligible to participate in the challenge. There are several reasons as to why students should enter the contest. The individual winner or team will be awarded a prize package valued at $10,000. There are two prize options available to choose from, one including a MacBook, an iPad, a Canon 7D digital Camera, an Xbox/Kinect, a pair of Shure SE535 headphones and a
The UT Learning Collaborative will host an open house Thursday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the basement of Carlson Library. Meet the staff and tutors, learn about our academic workshops, hear how supplemental instruction can improve grades, experience eTutoring demonstration and discover online study resources.
Catherine S. Eberly Center for Women
The ECW will host a brown bag seminar Thursday from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Libbey Hall. Celia Williamson, professor from the department of social work, will give a presentation looking at hip-hop and other media forms that define manhood sexism, violence and homophobia. For more information, contact Cheryl Skolmowski at 419-530-8570.
UT Department of Film
The film department will show “Mr. Death” Friday at 7:30 p.m. in the Center for Performing Arts Lab Theatre. The admission cost is free, but a $3 donation is welcome. For more information, contact Angela Riddel at 419-530-2452.
Toledo EXCEL
Toledo Excel will host their 27th annual Conference for Aspiring Minority Youth Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Student Union Building Auditorium. This year’s keynote speaker is Wes Moore. For more information, contact David Young at 419-530-3820.
Don’t just Read the
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Get Involved
We’re looking for an editorial cartoonist and writers for all sections. Visit our office, call us at 419-534-2438 or e-mail us at Forum@IndependentCollegian.com for more information.
Panasonic HDTV. The other purpose of the workshop package consists of five will be to help students get started on their projects and MacBook Pros. In addition to the prizes, learn what to expect while six semi-finalists will re- designing their application. ceive an all-expenses paid Following the workshop, trip to the O’Reilly Where 2.0 students will have until Conference in Santa Cruz, March 11 to submit their finCalif. At the conference, stu- ished creation and the six dents will present their cre- semi-finalists will be anation in front of a panel of nounced on or about April judges who will choose the 19. winning voice enabled apMcCall said the challenge is plication, which may be- also a great opportunity for come the newest OnStar students to test their hands at feature. working with The judging The University of an actual busipanel will before Toledo is a school ness consist of four graduation. technology with a strong “There is an and engineerawesome poreputation in the area ing experts of application tential to seewho work for ing the work some of todevelopment, come to life,” day’s most specifically voice. she said. recognized O n S t a r c o m p a n i e s , Markeisha McCall wanted to give such as NetF- Representative, this chance to lix and the OnStar students beNew York Communications cause the comTimes. pany believes The criteria the judges will be looking that today’s college students for are safety and minimal are becoming technology exdistraction. Judges are also perts while gaining knowllooking for originality, inte- edge about what new techgration, user experience and nology people want to be reach. Judges are interested able to use. “This is a great opportunity in knowing how people will enjoy the application, to see what else is out there whether it will make good and a chance to build Onuse of OnStar vehicle data, Star’s strong reputation of beand how exciting and useful ing innovative,” McCall said. the technology is. UT students interested in — To register for the 2011 joining the challenge should OnStar Student Developer attend a workshop today on Challenge, or for more inMain Campus; however, the formation, visit www.onlocation and time have yet starstudentdeveloperchalto be determined. The lenge.com.
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UT Learning Collaborative
The UT Learning Collaborative will host an undergraduate research proposal writing workshop this week at Sullivan Hall. Plan to attend a grant proposal writing workshop if you are interested in participating in summer research programs. For those in arts, humanities, business, education and related disciplines, a workshop will be tomorrow from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. For those in science, engineering, math, medical, pharmacy and related disciplines, the workshop will be Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Mandi Wright/Detroit Free Press/MCT
Kerry Barbato, voice product manager of OnStar, demonstrates the Facebook audio updates feature in a 2010 Cadillac SRX, Wednesday September 8, 2010.
Payments From Page A1 “As UT recorded these transactions, they would be stored in a queue for a time while trying to connect to the corresponding financial institution,” Gramling wrote in the e-mail. “As a result of the error, payments would be dropped from the connection queue after a given time and new charges would populate the queue, making it seem like connections were being made properly. Clearly they were not.” The error went unnoticed throughout the fall semester because credit card charges would appear on the screen when a card was used and then disappear as if the transaction were successful. Strunk said officials in the finance area discovered the error while performing maintenance work on the system. Cashiers at on-campus venues were given no indications an error had occurred. Strunk compared the situation to trying to send an email when the Internet cord is not connected to a computer. A user can hit send on the screen and the message will disappear, but if there is no connection to the Internet then the e-mail will not send, Strunk said. “Instead, it will stay stored on the computer until the cord is plugged back in and the Internet connection is reestablished,” Strunk said. “What actually happened is that it was timing out.” The system repeatedly tried to process the requests
over and over again until they eventually went through. While it appeared the transactions were being processed, the system needed to be reconnected and was holding an inventory of all unsent purchases until the connection was reestablished, according to Strunk. The problem was corrected and all transactions went through to the various financial institutions on Tuesday, Jan. 18. “As soon as it was connected, it immediately processed all these transactions,” Strunk said. All credit card transactions were processed and charges were deducted from individual bank accounts at once. UT is still investigating to find out the cause of the system error. “Once they are able to determine what the root cause was, they will work to ensure that it doesn’t happen again,” Strunk said. Larry Burns, vice president for external affairs and interim vice president for equity and diversity, said UT will have a way to deal with the issue figured out by the end of this week. “In today’s world, in big organizations, you are going to have computer problems,” Burns said. He said UT is working to ensure students do not encounter overdraft fees or other financial fees as a result of the system error. “We’ll make sure that our students are not harmed by this,” Burns said. But Cornelius Winters, a
sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering technology, said he has already been charged four overdraft fees from transactions he made on campus as a result of the computer glitch. “They charged 16 transactions to my account from Aramark,” Winters said. “They totaled $60.13 and then I was charged four overdraft fees of $37.50 a piece totaling $150. Everything summed up to $210.13.” Winters said his initial response was anger and a “loss of trust” for UT. Winters said he was told by university staff to send an e-mail listing his complaints and a solution would be “determined by the proper offices.” Some students have posted complaints about the computer glitch on UT’s official Facebook page. On the Facebook page, UT student Rene Couret said she had $130 taken out of her account after the error was discovered. Taurean Young, a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering, said he does not plan to make any credit card purchases on campus in the future. “I haven’t used my card on campus before and there is probably a slim chance to none of me using it on campus now,” he said. All venues accepting credit cards for transactions on campus are now working and processing charges correctly.
Nation
2 people killed in shootings outside Wash. state Walmart By Jennifer Sullivan, Michael Berens and Jonathan Martin The Seattle Times (MCT)
SEATTLE — Four people were shot, two fatally, after shootings outside a Walmart in Port Orchard, Wash., Sunday afternoon, according to the Kitsap County Sheriff's Office. Kitsap County sheriff's spokesman Scott Wilson said that two deputies exchanged fire with two people in the parking lot. A man was killed outside the store and two male deputies were wounded; a third deputy who was present when gunfire broke out was not hurt, Wilson said. A fourth person, a female possibly in her teens, died after being transported to Tacoma General Hospital, Wilson said. It's unclear if the woman had any connection to the man killed. Wilson declined to name
the deputies, only saying that they've each been with the agency more than five years. He said the deputies were called to the store because of a 911 call; when the suspect saw the deputies, he ran, and shots were fired. "This situation is all very, very fluid and somewhat chaotic," Wilson said during a news conference. An official at Tacoma General Hospital said the two deputies have non-lifethreatening injuries. The Washington State Patrol will investigate the shooting, said State Patrol spokesperson Krista Hedstrom. Patrol investigators are on the scene and are currently being briefed, she said. An unidentified Walmart employee said she was instructed not to discuss the incident. Port Orchard is about an hour away from Seattle.
A3
The
Independent Collegian
Monday, January 24, 2011
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2921 Barrington: $154,900 – Orchard. Next to UT!
Part-time nanny/babysitter needed. Must drive and be available Wednesday, Thursday and some Friday at various times. Please call 419-2502504.
For Rent For Rent 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, & 7 Bedroom Homes, 2&3 Baths, all appliances including washer & dryer, security systems, free lawn care, plenty of parking, less than 1/2 mile from campus, some within walking distance. Call Rick at 419283-8507! www.universityproperties.net
One, Two, Three, and Four Bedroom houses for rent very close to campus. All appliances; Furnished. Call Chris 419-867-1100. 1-Bed apartment with-in walking distance to campus. Off-street parking. Stove and refrigerator included. Laundry facilities on-site. Very clean. Available immediately. $325 plus utilities. Call Chris 419-867-1100.
For Sale West Toledo Homes for Sale: 3417 Downing: $49,900 – 2 blocks from UT!
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Forum
A4
Monday, January 24, 2011
Elizabeth Majoy Business Manager
Hasan Dudar Editor in Chief Jason Mack Managing Editor
Ethan Keating Forum Editor
- in our opinion -
Credit card catastrophe have to meet rising expenses with diminished financial aid, professors must compete for smaller pools of research funds and administrators must share a steady workload with a diminished staff. The mandated furlough system is an effective compromise between layoffs or a hiring freeze, and we hope the university continues to seek solutions that maintain the expected level of quality. How can the university possibly make reparations for the damages caused on a case-by-case basis, as has been stated? In each and every instance, the blame rests upon the university for the extended delay of the charges and any overdraft fees assessed on students as a result. There is no way that students could be expected to prepare for such an event — the use of non-cash payment is accompanied by the tacit understanding that the funds will be transferred to the seller’s account in a timely fashion. Instead of trying to settle this complicated problem internally, the university should open a dialogue with students’ credit card companies and establish that the blame rests entirely on UT’s financial administrators. Kaye-Patten Wallace or another administrator could write a letter explaining the situation and asking the companies to show leniency, saving students from potentially permanent damage to their credit. Perhaps this is a warning that should be given serious consideration in future budgetary decisions. Clearly, the available funds and the necessary costs of running the university are limiting factors, but a minimum acceptable level of service quality must be set.
The recent debacle involving University of Toledo campus locations’ credit card charges has left many students suddenly penniless — or worse, buried under multiple overdraft fees. Besides the financial crisis caused by the sudden and unexpected emptying of one’s bank account, overdraft fees leave a lasting blemish upon a person’s credit report. The university has a responsibility to enhance students’ reputations, and overdraft fees are especially damaging during the college years, when students are just beginning to form their professional reputations. It was reported that the error was found while finance officials performed maintenance on the system. This begs the question, how did four months pass in which not a single finance official examined any revenue or tax documents that would indicate such a massive error? Even without any great insight into the financial processes of UT’s various campus businesses, it seems reasonable to state that the overlooking of several months’ worth of revenue is more than a simple error — it is evidence of systemic flaws or neglect. The understaffing of many of UT’s service departments is likely a major factor contributing to such preventable mistakes as these. Enrollment is rising, and a “student-centered” university such as ours must hold itself to certain standards of student satisfaction, convenience and success. While we understand the need to reduce employment costs, the university cannot allow the quality of services provided to drop. Everyone in the UT community must share the burden of tough economic times — students
American legal lunacy indicates the need for questioning and change The workings of the United States legal system have sometimes been so twisted and illogical that the term “frivolous lawsuit” almost can’t be applied to a legal proceeding taking place anymore. In legal terms, “frivolous” refers to a case that is known to be unwinnable, but is pursued anyway; this is more commonly used to refer to a legal claim that is absurd or illogical. Most in the United States are probably familiar with the famous example of the McDonald’s coffee case in which a woman successfully sued McDonald’s after being burned by the hot coffee she bought from them and spilled on herself. Other examples include a woman who brought suit against a store in which she was injured by her own child and a man who sued a family whose garage he was trapped within after breaking in. We take so many things for granted, as if the “American way” is indisputably correct, but these and other examples demonstrate glaring flaws in our legal system and therefore, our basic ideas about justice and punishment.
Some of our basic mores, translated through time and trial as legal code, rest upon assumptions that are both morally and practically flawed. These shaky logical foundations are not to be ashamed of nor regretted, but need to be understood and changed. As a culture, we must learn to acknowledge our many flaws and the aged falsehoods to which we cling so desperately. We must be willing to consider the possibility that our dearest traditions and beliefs are nothing more than the unrecognized mistakes of past generations. This is not something that can simply be decided and implemented — it is the responsibility of each member of society to challenge the norm and break traditions when they do not fit. It requires great personal strength to challenge accepted beliefs and set new standards of behavior. Our evolution as a culture depends on individual courage and change, and our survival, as always, is only a measure of that evolution’s success.
The
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The Independent Collegian encourages your letters and welcomes the chance to publish as many as possible. Letters must be typed and include the author’s full name, rank, college and telephone number. E-mailed letters must include the same information, and can be sent to Forum@ IndependentColle gian.com. Letters may be no longer than 500 words.
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- Letter from the editor -
Thank you, all
Dear Readers, This is my last issue as editor-in-chief of the Independent Collegian. As much as I love this organization, I have accepted a 12-week position as a legislative reporter with the Associated Press in Indianapolis. The position is a full-time gig that Hasan starts in Dudar e a r l y February. My responsibilities will include covering legislative affairs and general news in and around Indianapolis. Our managing editor for the past semester, Jason Mack, will be taking over as editor, and I am positive he will do a fine job in leading the paper. He has served in several capacities during his tenure here, and I can attest that he is capable of carrying out nearly any task in the newsroom. I am excited to work with the AP, but that excitement is tempered by the reality of leaving an organization that has meant so much to me over the past three years. I owe a whole lot to this place for all the unique opportunities I’ve had here. That is why, while many may expect my farewell column to describe my experience with tales of coffee-induced late nights, I would like to take the time to thank everyone who has helped me along the way. After all, when I think of the IC, the first thing that comes to mind isn’t the newsprint but rather all the thoughtful people I have come to know over the years. So here goes my long list of thanks. Thank you to the readers of the Independent Collegian. Without you, we would serve no purpose. You are why the IC exists, and why any news organization should exist. I have always believed that those in the news industry are as much public servants as those in elected office, and it has been most rewarding serving you over the past few years. We might not have gotten things right every time, but believe me, we try our best to ensure you have the most engaging, meaningful content that helps you make better sense of your community. Please, continue to read and continue to hold us accountable. Thank you to my family. They have always been so supportive of me, and are undoubtedly my biggest fans — not that I have fans. My father, Tarik, reads the paper front-to-back every day. And most of the time, he knows what’s in it better than I do. And my mother, Samia, always knows how to bring me back down to earth when I get too far ahead of myself. I’d also like to apologize to
them for any time I’ve bored them with stories about university politics or IC drama. You guys have been great in putting up with me all these years. Thank you for the all the advice and for listening to me.
encountered. Just chatting with them about the IC has allowed me to learn more about what exactly my role is as both an editor and journalist. I mean it when I say I have looked up to all of you throughout my time here.
Thank you to the Collegian Media Foundation Board of Directors. For our readers, this is the nonprofit organization, made up of community members from academia, media and the business sector, that oversees the IC. Without our board of directors, we would be starved for guidance and criticism. Their mission of bringing in young, motivated students and helping them navigate the media and business worlds is truly commendable. Your dedication to us has not gone unnoticed, and you are a valuable resource to us all. Thank you for your meaningful advice, but most of all, thank you for our editorial independence. That attribute is something unique to our paper. Not having even one advisor in the newsroom on deadlines speaks volumes to the amount of trust you invest in us. Allowing us to make our own decisions and be held responsible for our mistakes helps us grow as professionals, and moreover, it enables us to learn more about ourselves as leaders.
Thank you to Business Manager Beth Majoy and the IC Business Side. I have to give you all a ton of credit: selling ads in this economy is not easy, but you all don’t let that get to you. You are the kind of business leaders we need, because you know it’s not all about the money and you put the product first. Prime example: your openness to make the editorial side’s idea for a downtown special section a reality. But that’s only one of many areas where we owe you thanks. And Beth, it has been a pleasure working alongside you to run the newspaper. Your passion for this place matched mine, and there’s not much more I could ask for in that regard. I look to you not only as a colleague but also as a close friend.
Thank you to Dr. Paulette Kilmer. Working with you as our Society of Professional Journalists advisor and ethical mentor has been delightful. Your counsel is always logical, respectful and challenging. Thank you for pushing me to think critically and equipping me with the confidence to navigate the grey area that is journalistic ethics. Knowing we can call on you whenever to bounce ideas around has been a priceless comfort. I hope future IC staffs continue to recognize your wisdom and your genuine care for budding journalists. Thank you to the University of Toledo. I have truly been honored to serve as editor at such an exciting time in our university’s history. There is so much going on right now, and I know that, despite differing opinions on campus, something very good will come of the changes. My wonderful professors, such as David Wilson, Mike Dowd and Mark Denham, to name a few, have made my academic journey all the more memorable. College can be an intimidating place, but there was not one professor I came across who didn’t go out of their way to welcome me and help me expand my skill set. The faculty and staff here are what enrich the academic experience, and I hope all students take advantage of the resources they offer. Thank you to past IC editors. Joe Griffith, Josh Martin and Dave Hochanadel have all helped me figure out tough problems I’ve
Thank you to the wonderful editorial staff of the Independent Collegian. Individually, you all are terrific. Collectively, you make up a team whose dedication to inform the public and keep improving by the deadline is relentless. Every issue, I had more to be thankful for. If it wasn’t for you, I don’t know how I would make it through deadlines. Sometimes we would get carried away cracking jokes with each other, but that is something worth looking back on despite it pushing us late into the night. I will miss all those slap-happy moments when you can’t help but laugh. I hope those joyful moments remain a fixture in the office, but please continue to join that enthusiasm with a serious approach in objectively serving the community. The staff is privileged to have the IC as a valuable resource, and I am confident you will ensure it remains a resource for the community first and foremost. I am excited to see all the great things you will accomplish in the semesters to come. Space permits only so much in my column’s length, so please, if I happened to miss anyone or any group, leave me a comment online, and I will be sure to respond to you. I wish the best of luck to everyone, and I hope you all keep reading and contributing. Sincerely, Hasan Dudar __________ Hasan Dudar is the exiting Editor-in-Chief of the Independent Collegian. He graduated in December with a Bachelors in Art in political science. He can be reached at hdudar@independentcollegian.com.
A5
The
Independent Collegian
Monday, January 24, 2011
Delayed charges
A few days ago I checked my bank account to find about 11 dollars of charges that originated back in September but were only charged to my account just recently. I was a little confused and thought someone had found a way to rip me off until I checked my email. I understand that mistakes happen and I’m not necessarily upset about the university attempting to recoup the funds they had clearly lost, but I thought that their decision to send out an e-mail and process charges on a Friday without proactive notification or consideration for individuals that may not have additional funding in their account was a bit unprofessional, to say the very least. The phone calls and text messages began pouring into my phone, my friends asking me whether or not my account had been “hit up” by the Student Union food court for charges from September, October or November, as theirs had been. One of my friends was unfortunate enough to find that more than one hundred dollars had been taken from her account — she has since vowed to never patronize the food court again.
Again, while I do understand the university’s need to streamline their financial process by batch processing credit card charges and to recoup funds they should have taken months ago, I believe it is deplorable to process these orders on a Friday without any form of recourse for students that may not have had any additional funding
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One of my friends was unfortunate enough to find that more than $100 had been taken from her account — she has since vowed to never patronize the food court again.
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in their accounts at the time. I am sure that there will be many complaints filed this coming week and it seems like it’s just another grievance students will have to discuss. If there is an issue with the food court’s credit card processing system, I suggest the university fixes it. I also suggest that they figure out a fair and diplomatic
Tell What Think Us You
way to rectify the public relations and customer service issues they have created because there will be many individuals on campus now wary of purchasing anything from the food court. In an economy where students and parents are already struggling, when tuition and general fees are steadily rising and where there are mostly menial jobs in the area surrounding the campus, perhaps those in charge should give people fair warning before processing payments for services rendered several months ago. People shouldn’t have to suffer unnecessary hardships because of someone else’s accounting error. Most of the problems could have been easily avoided by notifying students of the mistake earlier in the week or at the beginning of the next week, giving them time to place the needed funds into the proper account and obviate the fees and credit score damage suffered. —Nicole Doan is an IC columnist and a senior majoring in individualized studies.
Send your letter to the editor to forum@independentcollegian.com and let the campus and community know what’s on your mind.
Letters must be under 500 words and are subject to editing for content and length. All letters must be signed.
The GOP alternative This week, President Barack Obama will give his second State of the Union address. After a year that included a long string of accomplishments from the passage of health care reform to the repeal of the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy, the political landscape is much different this time around. Just last week, Obama’s approval rating regained the 50 percent mark after dipping to its lowest level in June. Though the momentum seems to be moving in the White House’s direction lately, Obama will for the first time address a legislature in which Republicans are a majority. With their calls for the repeal of health care reform and drastic spending cuts, Obama’s message Tuesday night is likely to highlight a sharp divide between the two parties. In an online video released to supporters over the weekend, Obama previewed the focus of the State of the Union address, one that makes job creation and America’s long-term competitiveness a high priority in the second half of Obama’s first term as president. While Obama also mentioned targeted spending cuts, it’s likely that maintaining America’s competitiveness will mean new spending in areas like education, research and infrastructure. In a political climate that is decidedly hostile to growing deficits, a call for new spending is likely to spur a new round of debate. It’s unlikely that anything new will be said, since the case against higher spending rarely changes and the threat imposed by higher spending rarely materializes. For that reason, I think the
most interesting development to watch after the State of the Union will be the Republican Party’s response. The GOP has managed to rail against rising spending for two years now without party leaders identifying specific, meaningful cuts they’d like to see. This will change when Congressman Paul Ryan gives the GOP response Tuesday night. Responding to the State of the Union is difficult to begin with. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, once the GOP’s rising star, is still recovering from his enthusiastic faceplant two years ago. Paul Ryan’s
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The GOP’s position over the past two years has been one in which they would rather be known as the party of “No” than be known as the party of ideas.
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task is complicated further by President Obama’s recent legislative wins and growing popularity with the public. But the truly consequential aspect of Ryan’s role is that he is the author of the Roadmap, which is, to date, the only alternative to President Obama’s economic agenda that has been offered by a Republican congressman. The GOP has been hesitant to stand behind Ryan’s agenda, even without a substantive alternative. The GOP’s position over the past two years has been one in which they would rather be known as the party of “No” than be known as the party of ideas. In other words, for
the entirety of Obama’s presidency thus far, the Republicans would rather do nothing if their only option is Ryan’s plan. With their selection of Ryan to give the GOP’s response, they have implicitly endorsed the Roadmap and committed to a plan of their own instead of simply rejecting Democrats’ ideas. So what is included in the Roadmap? I’ll give a quick rundown of its key points make it clear why elected officials have been slow to show enthusiasm. It would privatize most of Social Security and Medicare, give seniors medication subsidies that do not rise with costs and have the middle class pay higher taxes than the wealthy. Since party leaders such as Speaker of the House John Boehner and House majority leader Eric Cantor are either unwilling or incapable of coming up with policy alternatives, Tuesday night will mark the point at which they must begin attempting to justify the draconian measures outlined by the Roadmap. They will also likely face tough questions regarding the stark contrast between messages. If Obama’s State of the Union address is a call for a stronger investment in an educated workforce and a commitment to using research and technology to maintain our status as a world leader in the 21st century, Ryan’s platform of doing the exact opposite is going to be hard to sell. —Jason Copsey is an IC columnist and a junior majoring in political science and public relations.
African examples of change and independence The “self-liberation” of a nation is often seen in two ways: the toppling of its government or the secession of one region from the state. In the first month of the new year, the world has witnessed both these forms in action. The ever-evolving continent of Africa has played host to these extraordinary examples of global development. In Sudan, the continent’s largest constituent, the southern region of the country has conducted a referendum for secession. In Tunisia, a small, semi-peninsular country on the Mediterranean, escalating protests toppled the president and his government. So, what mobilizes people to the streets and the voting booths? What inspires such a strongly unified, mass conviction in a population? The answer reflects the point at which oppression surpasses the threshold of people’s tolerance. While this may seem like a simplistic or obvious answer, the fact is that when human rights have been trampled upon or forced into submission, there comes a time when people can take no more. Just as every individual has
a point at which “something snaps,” whatever stressor may induce it, that point can be reached in terms of a population and the result is always the same: a widespread and powerful reaction, fueled by emotion. In Sudan, that point has been reached after decades of chaotic build-up. Defective borders laid by colonial powers in 1956 created a region that would painfully separate into respective diasporas. Civil war has ravaged the country over the years, continually dividing its citizens and resulting in the deaths of some 2 million people. In 2005, the Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed, providing a glimpse of peace in the region. Yet despite being implemented by the United Nations, the treaty could not prevent vicious attempts by northern Sudan to squash the south’s ambitions for independence. The northern-based government provided aid to rebel groups, including the notorious “Lord’s Resistance Army” from Uganda, attempting to destabilize south Sudan. This yielded even more bloodshed in the country, including the deaths of thou-
sands in 2009. But after all that suffering, the South may finally have achieved its long-sought goal. As a referendum resulted in a 99 percent vote for secession, South Sudan is on the cusp of its long-desired achievement of recognition and national identity. In the same continent as the cultural bloodbath seen in Sudan, a different form of the same resentment is dis-
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allow, for example, the use of torture, arbitrary arrests and extremely stringent censorship in every form of media. Copious levels of corruption were also displayed, as the ruling family embezzled their way to a lavish life. But even as bullets and tear gas poured on to protestors in the streets of Tunis, the organized mayhem that was engineered over the years by the Ben Ali’s regime
So, what mobilizes people to the streets and the voting booths? What inspires such a strongly unified, mass conviction in a population?
played. The economic turmoil experienced worldwide served as a catalyst against something much more detrimental — an oppressive, autocratic government. For the past 23 years, Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali has held the citizens of Tunisia in a vice grip. Human rights violations have been rampant, as the executive branch of government has continually brushed aside the law to
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was finally overcome by the will of the people. The effects of the events in Sudan and Tunisia transcend international boundaries. Even the opportunity to vote for independence is a victory for several regions striving for the same goal. In the ever-volatile state of Somalia, notoriously famous for its pirates, the western region called the Somaliland has conducted four national
elections, each with a peaceful transition of power - a rare occurrence among the many nations of the African continent. But as an unrecognized country, it remains in international purgatory. Several other regions around the world share this fate, including the well-known examples of Kurdistan in Iraq, Taiwan and Tibet in China. The toppling of an oppressive ruler may seem like a story told time and time again over the course of history, but the new chapter in Tunisia still provides both an inspiration to the citizens and fear to the governments of nearby countries. Algerians expressed widespread support for the protests. In the West Bank, rallies were planned to celebrate the ousting, before being prevented by the Palestinian Authority. Muammar Qaddafi, the leader of Libya for the past 41 years and ally of Ben Ali, condemned the uprising. In Egypt and Jordan, national demonstrations have been staged or are being planned. In the end, it is impossible to determine the results of these movements. South Sudan’s bid for independence may not come to fruition,
instead reverting back into civil war, while Tunisia hosts yet another dictator. The numerous other struggling nations in the world may remain unacknowledged. The dominoes may stay upright, as rulers continue to retain power. Either way, the effects may seem trivial for us, residing in the world’s standard-bearer of freedom and equality. But these events continue to demand our attention. While the repercussions of political volatility may be translated into economic or military issues that eventually involve us, something much more important is represented by dissidence. As people across the globe vote or march, they are a testament to the human desire for liberation - and whether one agrees or disagrees with the cause, it is something that at the very least deserves our recognition. —Rahul Prasad is an IC columnist and a sophomore majoring in biology and philosophy.
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debt, according to Jiannuzzi, debt into one payment. Acbecause of good job potential, cording to Jiannuzzi, this is so higher income and forgiveness students are not making payments to multiple servicers economic situation for making programs. and have a longer time to pay An income-based repayment students “smarter” about taking back their loans. option began in July in order to out loans. Forgiveness options are availgive those with low salaries and “We are findable to students in teaching, larger houseing more stuholds more time medicine, and law careers that dents are really It concerns me how to pay back require them to enter public asking ‘do I service occupations for up to 10 much debt I have their loans. need to borrow A student us- years. A student is required to and will have by the all of this,’” she ing pay- make 120 loan payments, and said. time I graduate, but it’s ment this plan is ex- the remaining balance will be Sean Battista, a necessary evil, I pected to pay “forgiven,” or paid off. a fourth year Burns works to prepare stustudent in the couldn’t have gone back their loans dents when they graduate and PharmD pro- through college without within 20 to 25 enter repayment by sending gram, estimates years after gradexit counseling his total debt by taking all of these loans. uating, in con- them consultation. the time he trast to stanShe said the most important graduates to dard repayment thing for students to rememSean Battista reach $150,000. Fourth-year student, plans that take ber is the classic warning of “It concerns Pharm-D program an average of 10 only borrow what you need. me how much years. “If you don’t need it, don’t take debt I have, and Loan consol- the loan money that is offered to will have, by the idation programs are also of- you and look at other options to time I graduate, but it’s a neces- fered that give students the cover it through scholarships or sary evil, I couldn’t have gone ability to consolidate all their through working,” Burns said. through college without taking all of these loans,” he said. Battista has two years left to complete his degree and isn’t worried about finding a job as As the amount of tuition loans rises, students deciding on colleges are a pharmacist and eventually increasingly weighing finances as a major factor. paying back his loans. Degrees in health care such Choosing a school Total college loans as pharmacy, medicine, engiAttended Òfirst choiceÓ In billions of 2007 dollars neering and technical work are college or university $100 expected to give students an Offer of financial aid Òvery 2007-08 $85 billion easier time to pay off their importantÓ to decision
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Expensive choices
Credit reform
60 40
Too young for a card
2008 43%
40
1980 Õ85
Õ90
Õ95 2000 Õ05
Percentage of students with credit cards, 2008
67% 76% 90% 88%
Average credit card debt
2008
$2,000 $2,400 $2,900 $4,100
Other restrictions
• Customers must receive 45 days notice of higher rates • Accounts must be at least 60 days late before raising rates on existing balances © 2009 MCT Graphic: Melina Yingling
1997-98 2000-01 Õ03-04 Õ06-07
Net college costs as a percent of median family income* Income category
Upper Upper-middle Middle Lower-middle Lowest
2007-Õ08 costs
Public four-year
Public two-year
7%
6%
9%
7% 10%
12%
13%
16%
15%
18%
20%
25%
29%
33% 39%
*Costs include tuition, room and board without financial aid; figures donÕt total 100 due to rounding
22%
23%
55%
who are fairly low-income people and I have people who make fairly high salaries,” Logie said. The decision was then made that everyone — Campus Police, Safety and Health and Human Resources — would take at least one furlough day before June 30 and the management team including Logie were required to take two or three days. George said she would rather take a furlough day than to have someone laid off. Laying someone off, George said, would just mean extra work for her and her colleagues. “I really don’t want someone to lose their job,” George, who has already taken two furlough days, said. “Why make someone lose a job that they worked and applied for?” The days were staggered, so someone was still working
40%
49%
Source: 2008 Freshman Study, Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA (school choice data); College Board, National Center for Education Statistics, National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education Graphic: Chicago Tribune © 2009 MCT
Chicago Tribune/MCT
Charts showing the amount of loans available to students is rising.
while someone else was taking the day off, Logie said, ensuring there was no decrease in work being done. Over half of the staff in the three departments already participated by taking at least one of their furlough days, according to Logie. This system will allow the department to save approximately $150,000 and meet the 1.5 percent budget reduction. “I’m not a big fan of impacting peoples’ paychecks negatively,” Logie said. Logie said his staff reassures him they are fine and willing to make the sacrifice. Because workers will not be getting paid for the days they take off, their pension will decrease, Logie said. “It’s really a double whammy for them and most people don’t realize that,” Logie said. “They are really losing twice.” Logie said everyone on staff was informed of this impact. The program was able to be successful, Logie said,
because everyone was not required to take a furlough day all at the same time; they were given a six-month window in which they could plan to take a day off. “While some people said ‘oh yeah, you’re right, I’ve got to think about this payment or that payment,’ nobody said ‘gosh, I’m not going to eat today,’” Logie said.“The goal is to avoid any layoffs. Assuming that nothing changes between now and June 30th, we’ll meet our goal and we’ll be okay.” Logie said he is proud of his staff. “I have not had anybody even give me a hint that they are unhappy or upset,” he said. George said volunteering to take a furlough day is the right thing to do. “I soul searched and thought that it was the right thing to do,” she said. George said it would help “a great deal if everybody would just tighten their belt a little and help out.”
New IC editor selected By IC Staff
20
1999-2000 costs
Card ownership
*Includes 5th years Source: Sallie Mae
60
20
• People under the age of 21 will have to get an adult's signature or prove they can pay off debt
Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior*
2008 61%
80%
New legislation that awaits President Barack Obama’s signature will make it harder for college-aged students to get credit cards.
Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior*
80
Percentage of respondents
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Monday, January 24, 2011
The Collegian Media Foundation Board of Directors has selected a new editor-inchief for the remainder of the Spring Semester at their January 17 meeting. Jason Mack, a senior in communications, will take over as editor-in-chief of the Independent Collegian beginning today. Hasan Dudar, who served as editor beginning in April, tendered his resignation to the Collegian Media Foundation earlier in the month when he accepted a temporary position as a legislative reporter with the Associated Press in Indianapolis, IN. Mack, who served as managing editor throughout the academic year, is excited to lead the newspaper starting on Thursday’s issue. “I’m excited about the opportunity. It’s a shame to see Hasan leave, but at the same time it’s a great opportunity for him and a great connection to make for the paper,”
he said. Mack said he plans on staying the course the staff has taken this year, but his goal is expanding the IC’s online presence. “We’re going to continue progressing in online media like we have been,” he said.
Mack
“We’re going to put a lot of emphasis on developing the Facebook page and adding more to the website.” The Temperance, Mich. native has worked at the IC for
four years and considers his experience at the newspaper on par with his educational experience at the University of Toledo. “As much as I value my education at UT, you really learn so much more here than anywhere else,” he said. Mack has held several positions at the IC, including staff writer and sports editor. He also has added photography as a skill during his tenure at the newspaper. Mack believes his ability to work with others and his versatility in developing diverse content will serve as his greatest strength as editor. “Most of all, I think just my overall experience here, I’ve kind of had my hand in every section of the paper at some point,” He said. “Just kind of knowing where they’ve all been and being able to relate to what they’re doing and help them out with their sections [is my greatest strength as editor].”
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Sports
I thought we had an opportunity to win this game and we let one slip away tonight. Tod Kowalczyk UT Men’s Basketball Coach
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Monday, January 24, 2011
First place Ball State escapes from Toledo By Zach Davis Sports Editor
Toledo let a halftime lead slip away against first place Ball State on Saturday as the Rockets fell 70-60 at Savage Arena. “Maybe I shouldn’t be as disappointed as I am,” Toledo head coach Tod Kowalczyk said. “It’s got nothing to do with winning or losing. It’s about how we approach the game and I think this team is just having a real hard time with handling any type of success. “[You just have to] keep your thumb on the guys at all times. That’s a hard way to coach and a hard way to play. It takes an unbelievable amount of energy from their end and my end. We are going to do whatever we have to do to build this program and win. We just can’t accept guys that don’t play with grit or a sense of purpose. Maybe I’m asking too much of certain guys. A walk-on in the starting lineup—maybe I’m asking too much of them. I don’t think I am, but maybe I am.” Toledo (4-15, 1-4 Mid-American Conference) committed over 20 turnovers for the third time this season after league unbeaten Ball State (13-4, 5-0 MAC) forced 21 UT giveaways. “I thought we had an opportunity to win this game and we let one slip away tonight,” Kowalczyk said. “We are up one at halftime against supposedly the best team in our league and we had 13 turnovers and probably as many mental breakdowns as we’ve had in any half this year. We can’t afford to do that. We should have been up 14 like we were on Wednesday night at halftime [against WMU]. We didn’t give ourselves a cushion—it’s disappointing.”
Jason Mack / IC
— Escapes, Page B2
Toledo head coach Tod Kowalczyk speaks with a referee as the Rockets fell to 4-15 on the season.
Fisher sets MAC record for mile
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Zach Davis – Editor
Rockets run away from Buffalo 67-53 By Zach Davis Sports Editor
Shafir had a team-high 12 points and seven assists for After squandering a late the Rockets. Senior guard Jeslead in a loss on Wednesday at sica Williams scored 11 points Central Michigan, the Rockets while Goodall had 10 points reclaimed first place in the and four rebounds. Mid-American Conference Toledo shot 44 percent (27 West Division with a com- of 61) from the field and made manding 67-53 victory over 8-of-16 three-pointers while Buffalo on Saturday at Savage holding the Bulls to just 32 Arena. The Chippewas lost percent (16 of 49) shooting. their share of the division af“We were just able to set the ter a 28-point loss at Bowling tone,” Goodall said. “We were Green this weekend. able to get stops and turn “I don’t think that anyone those stops into transition ofslept well after that game,” UT fense. We set the tone and head coach Tricia Cullop said. didn’t let their defense fluster “We all really worked hard to us.” prepare for this game knowLecretia Smith returned to ing that because we have had the lineup for the Rockets afsuccess the last few years we ter missing the last two games are facing a lot of team’s best with a concussion. The sopheffort when they come in omore forward did not return here. They want to knock us to her starting spot but played off. We have got to prepare for 21 minutes off the bench, that momentum every night grabbing a team-high six and not come out with a sub- rebounds. par effort.” “It was tough to play a couThe Rockets held ple games without a nine point lead in her,” Cullop said. the second half “Tonight it was good against the Chippeto give her a chance was, including a five to play and give her point advantage in Toledo 67 her lungs back bethe final 90 seconds Buffalo 53 cause she’s been siton Wednesday, but ting out not allowed lost in Mount Pleasto have a lot of conant 78-74. Toledo took out tact because of the their frustration against the concussion.” Bulls, jumping out to an early Toledo’s bench outscored 15-6 lead and coasting to a 40- the Bulls 22-10. Of the 13 16 advantage at halftime. Rockets who played against “Central was a very tough Buffalo, a season-best 12 playgame to swallow,” Cullop ers scored. said. “It was great today to get “It was great today to get a back to what we are good at. I large enough lead to get the do think that how you re- rest of our bench in because spond from that shows a lot they don’t always get the opabout your character and I re- portunity to play,” Cullop said. ally am proud of our players “They need those opportunito come out and play hard and ties too because we are buildhave a great first half. That’s ing for the future, not just what we needed. today.” “We wanted to come out The Rockets renew their riand make a statement,” senior valry against defending MAC center Melissa Goodall said. Champion Bowling Green “We needed to get our feet when they travel to face the back under us and improve on Falcons on Wednesday at 7 some of the things we messed p.m. Toledo topped BGSU 66up on Wednesday and prove 63 in their only regular season that when we make mistakes meeting at home last season we can turn it around before before losing to the Falcons in the next game.” the MAC Championship game Junior point guard Naama 62-53.
Courtesy of the UT Athletic Department
Ari Fisher led Toledo to a fifth place finish, setting a MAC record for the mile at 4:48.93. By Tony Bibler IC Staff Writer
Junior Ari Fisher set a new Mid-American Conference record for the mile, with a time of 4:48.93 and led the Rockets track and field team to a fifth place finish at the All-Ohio Championships Saturday at Kent State. “I was really impressed
with Ari’s performance today, especially since the mile is not her strongest event,” said head coach Kevin Hadsell. “To run like that really shows a huge jump in her abilities, and I’m extremely excited to see her run the 5K for the first time this season.” Fisher’s time not only eclipsed the old record of
4:49.10 held by Everlyne Lagat but is the fifth-fastest time in MAC history and ranks as the 19th fastest time in the nation this year. Other highlights over the weekend for Toledo included sophomore Emma Kertesz, who placed fourth on Saturday in the 3000 — Record, Page B2
Jason Mack / IC
Lecretia Smith returned against Buffalo from a concussion that sidelined her for two games.
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Escapes From Page B1 Malcolm Griffin scored a game-high 25 points on 10-of18 shooting with five rebounds and three assists. The sophomore guard has scored over 20 points three times in his career, all of which occurred in the last three games. “My shots are more on balance now,” Griffin said. “I look to penetrate and pass and that frees me up. I’m just trying to help my team as much as I can so we can keep moving forward.” Freshman forward Reese Holliday had his fourth double-double of the season with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Senior forward Anthony
Wright hit three triples and Ball State scored 10 of the finished with 10 points and first 14 points in the second six rebounds. half after they began pressing Although Ball State trailed the Rockets inbound passes. at halftime, the Cardinals “As a Division I player you outscored UT 44-33 in the have to be able to pass, catch second half as leading scorer and dribble,” Kowalczyk said. Jarrod Jones scored 10 of his “We have got to make better 12 points after the plays against the break. press than we did.” “[Jones] is a 100 Junior guard Ranpercent left shouldy Davis led the der post scorer and Cardinals with 24 we let him turn over Ball State 70 points and made all his left shoulder,” Toledo 60 14 of his free throw Kowalczyk said. attempts. Sopho“Guys saw it on the more guard Jauwan scouting report and on tape Scaife also scored in double and a couple of our guys let figures with 13. him turn over his left shoulThe Rockets will host rival der and he can score that Bowling Green (8-11, 3-2) on way. He can’t score over his Tuesday at Savage Arena at right shoulder. We have to do 7:30 p.m. and will be telebetter on our scouting.” vised on SportsTime Ohio.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Dyer sets MAC record
Courtesy of UT Athletic Department
Senior captain Jacy Dyer broke her old MAC record in the 1650 free time trial posting a a time of 16:12.58, nearly nine seconds faster than her old mark. By IC Staff
The University of Toledo women’s swimming and diving team finished the Rutgers Invitational Saturday night with a fourth place finish. Senior captain Jacy Dyer broke her own Mid-American Conference record in the 1650 free time trial with a time of 16:12.58. Dyer’s time Saturday bested her previous record of 16:21.74, by nearly nine seconds and qualified her for an NCAA “B” time.
Junior Laura Lindsay took second in the 100 Breasstroke in a season-best 1:01.99 which also qualifies as an NCAA “B” time. Senior Kelsey Atchison finished third, behind Lindsay, in a time of 1:05.05. “Overall we had a much better session today,”UT head coach Liz Hinklemansaid. “We had some lifetime and season-best times. Dyer had a great mile to break both the school and MAC record, which should put her in
a great position to make NCAAs. Lindsay also posted a season-best time with her excellent swim in the 100 Breast.” The Rockets return to action this Saturday at 5 p.m. for their final home dual meet of the season as they host Bowling Green at the Student Rec Center. UT will recognize their six seniors: Kelsey Atchison, Jacy Dyer, Megan Friedli, Laura Heckroth, Katie Jackson and Amanda Thompson.
Elezovic beats top-40 opponent
Jason Mack / IC
Courtesy of UT Athletic Department
Sophomore guard Malcolm Griffin has scored over 20 points for the first time in his career in each of the last three games.
Senior Aleksandar Elezovic defeated No. 39 ranked singles player Alex Musialek of Kentucky.
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From Page B1 meter run with a time of 9:58.93. Three Rockets also placed in the top eight in the 5000 meter run with sophomore Devyn Ramsay finishing fifth (17:34.95), Audra Brown placing sixth (17:39.93) and sophomore Lei Bornhorst taking eighth (17:44.43). “Our distance runners had an amazing weekend,” Hadsell said. “Where we are in our training is way ahead of what I had predicted. I’m very excited to see how our distance program continues to show that it is one of the
top programs in the country.” UT took first and second in the triple jump after senior Alexandra Afloari cleared 39-02.25 for first while sophomore Yuhong Fu took second after a jump of 38-05.5. “I think we really established ourselves today as a legitimate contender with EMU to win the Indoor MAC Championship,” Hadsell said. “We didn’t get greedy for points by doubling up our distance runners, so in five weeks I think we’ll be a big surprise at the Indoor Championships.”
Courtesy of UT Athletics
In their second-straight road match to start the 2011 season, the Rockets’ men’s tennis team dropped a tough 6-1 decision to ITA No. 12-ranked Kentucky on Sunday. Toledo was unable to overcome the Wildcats, who swept doubles action while winning five of six singles points. The lone Rocket win came from senior Aleksandar Elezovic in the No. 1 slot, who pulled out an incredible win over one of the topranked singles players in the country. Elezovic battled back after dropping the first set to defeat Kentucky’s Alex Musialek, currently ranked No. 39 in the ITA singles rankings. After losing the
first set, 2-6, Elezovic came back to win the second set in the tiebreak, 7-6(3), then prevailed in set three, 6-4, to pick up the win. Elezovic also teamed with fellow senior Sven Burus in No. 1 doubles, dropping a close 8-6 decision to Musialek/Rossi. “Great start to the dual match season with a signature victory for Aleks,” said Head Coach Al Wermer. “He sent a clear message today to upcoming opponents and we are very proud of him, but not surprised.” Kentucky picked up wins in the remaining two doubles bouts as well as the five remaining singles matchups to secure the 6-1 win. The Rockets didn’t make it easy, however, for the highly-ranked Kentucky squad. Senior
Nutthavit Likitkumchorn was locked in an intense matchup at No. 3 with Kentucky’s Brad Cox. Likitkumchorn pushed both sets the the tiebreak, but was unable to pull out the win, falling 7-6(2), 7-6(2). Also putting up a tough fight was senior Gursher Harika, who kept it close at No. 6, but lost 7-5, 6-4 to Ryuji Hirooka. “After a slow start in doubles, we fought back hard to the point of finding ourselves locked in a pretty good match,” said Wermer. “I really liked how our players turned the match into a battle.” Next on the slate for the 1-1 Rockets is a home-opening doubleheader, as they host Case Western and Kenyon on Friday, Jan. 28.
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Dorm Rooms From Page B3 ice,” particularly during the first few weeks of school. He also added that “blankets and extra seating are probably the biggest thing” when it comes to creating a place to relax. His roommate Tyler Koelliker, a freshman majoring in pharmacy, agreed. Moved in a week before the rest of his roommates, Koelliker described the lonely room as “horrendous.” He suggested placing “anything [in a room] that would make it more homey” to avoid typical impersonality. Not having fully bonded with his new roomies before move-in, he jokingly said that
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Monday, January 24, 2011
“it takes a large projector screen to bring four strangers together.” While much of the décor in this upscale bro pad was cheaply salvaged, Koelliker believes that it’s a good idea to have “one big aspect in the room that’s out of the ordinary.” In addition, a quirky skeleton hangs from one wall, as well as a life-sized cardboard cutout standing ominously near the shower and a humorously daunting hazard sign posted on the bathroom door. “Little touches like that make the difference between having a normal dorm room and one that everyone wants to hang out in,” Koludrovich said. Tift Merritt performs at the Tampa Theatre in Tampa, Florida.
Award shows face hard times By Mary McNamara
Los Angeles Times (MCT)
There is nothing more democratic in this country than network television. Regardless of taste, artistic merit or critical response, the shows that no one likes enough to watch vanish, while popular shows return. On cable, the size of a show’s audience is often inversely related to the number of Emmys it wins, but on the networks it’s the people’s choice. With awards season upon us, I bring this up because much of the response to Ricky Gervais’ acerbic performance as host of last week’s Golden Globes, which like most award shows appeared on network television, struck a single chord. Some reviews, many blogs and my e-mail box (I reviewed it negatively) rang with variations of: “These celebrities with their long, boring and ridiculous self-congratulatory awards shows are so rich and self-satisfied that they deserve whatever they get. Thank you, Ricky.” The irony, of course, being that all these celebrity and award-show haters spent three hours of
their inarguably finite lives watching the Golden Globes. Instead of, say, figuring out a way to cheaply mass-produce an electric car or shooting some hoops. Here’s an insider’s tip on how to put an end to these long, boring and ridiculous self-congratulatory award shows: Stop watching them. Also stop talking about them, even in a negative way; Hollywood lives on buzz, especially when it’s negative. Just look at Gervais’ pal Charlie Sheen. Celebrities are not, in fact, royalty; they are not born to positions of great wealth and power _ we put them there. Without a seemingly insatiable demand for pictures and stories about her, Angelina Jolie would be just a working actor who broke up a marriage and now has a bunch of kids. I cannot be the only person who counts at least one woman, or man, of similar description among my personal and nonfamous friends. It happens. Film actor or even movie star is a job description _ celebrity is a status that we, the people, bestow. We do so with our eyeballs, with our dollars and lately with our tippity-tap
Show From Page B4 it off so quickly they closed the Gramophone Q&A by saying they hoped to collaborate. A few months later, Dinnerstein gave a recital in Durham and noticed that Aaron Greenwald, the director of Duke Performances, booked genredefying artists. She told him she and Merritt had an idea. “He made it happen,” Dinnerstein said. Word of the collaboration got out, and three venues in Florida and California have booked the duo to perform this month. In Durham, Merritt will try typing on the Internet. Certainly, we have been a bit more profligate, or democratic, with the term. There are times when I console myself with the thought that the emergence of Snooki et al. is part of a highly orchestrated and secret campaign to end celebrity culture by rendering it patently absurd, that the rise of the Kardashians is the work of a creative anarchist underground. But that seems overly optimistic if for no other reason than so many people are watching the Golden Globes. Every year, my colleague Patrick Goldstein, bless his
out a few new songs; Dinnerstein will play new arrangements of classical works and premiere variations on the Cohen song “Suzanne.” Then there are the duets, commissioned songs by Patty Griffin, Philip Lasser and Brad Mehldau, plus four complete reimaginings of opera arias and classical art songs. Their re-imagining of Schubert’s “Nacht und Traume” began with Dinnerstein translating the 1825 German text into English. Then Merritt “changed the words into something contemporary, like a song she would sing, and then I changed the rhythm to support what heart, dutifully points out to whoever is listening that the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. is a small group of foreign journalists with varying degrees of professional integrity who have managed to leverage their little ceremony into national importance. This year, Patrick gave Gervais a pat on the back for ridiculing the Golden Globes, but as he also pointed out, Gervais took the gig (twice) and cashed the check (also twice). Just as he took the Globe he won for “The Office” in 2004 and the nomination for “Extras” in 2008. I didn’t find Gervais’ opener
John Davisson / MCT
she was singing,” Dinnerstein said. During one verse, the piano picks up the melody and Merritt picks up the harmonica. “The song is like country blues meets Schubert, and it’s totally gorgeous,” Dinnerstein said. To commit the music to memory _ and compensate for her difficulty reading scores _ Merritt would record and take copious notes during their rehearsals in Brooklyn, where both women live. “The next day she’d come in and have totally absorbed everything from the day before,”
Dinnerstein said. Learning folk-rock and reworking classics didn’t come easily to the pianist. “I’ve been reading a chord chart and trying to improvise, and that’s something that I’ve never done before,” she said. Merritt would ask, “How do you feel this should go?” and Dinnerstein would riff on a theme she had been playing for years. “It was really exciting to see her say, ‘I don’t like how that goes’ and cross something out, or even throw the music out,” Merritt said, laughing.
funny; not because it was mean but because it was lazy. A Charlie Sheen joke, a Mel Gibson joke, a Cher joke, a Scientology joke _ the only original swipe was at Jolie and Johnny Depp for their inexplicably nominated film “The Tourist.” That was just nasty. Here’s another Hollywood “secret”: No one hates award shows more than celebrities. But what are nominated stars supposed to do? Not show up? Woody Allen got away with dissing the Oscars for years, but these days a star boycotting even the Globes
would be labeled a snob, like Jonathan Franzen dissing Oprah. If everyone is sick of the Golden Globes, let’s stop investing them with so much importance. If everyone is tired of big-salary stars, then for heaven’s sake start going to smaller movies. If you actually saw Gervais raising a banner for revolution, then revolt. Talk about politics, science, literature and theater, follow the lives of humanitarians and great thinkers, of real social provocateurs and artists. It’s your culture; take it back.
“...said baby boy you’re only funky as your last cut,” — Andre 3000, Rosa Parks
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www.IndependentCollegian.com
Arts and Life Monday, January 24, 2011
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DC Guastella - Editor
Turning a dorm room into a sanctuary
Morrison Wilson / IC
Above: Kathryn Lambert sits atop her lofted bed in her newspaper-adorned dorm room. Below: (Left) Alex Josway keeps an antique record player in his room. (Center) Lambert glued pieces from a broken mirror to her dorm wall. (Right) Roommates Michael Koludrovich and Tyler Koelliker use a projector and a number of unsheathed records to make their room unique. By Weslie Detwiler IC Staff Writer
Dorm life is notoriously depicted as being drab, gray and sometimes even a bit moldy. However, when given the right amount of tender loving care, residence hall rooms can easily be transformed into creative hangout sanctuaries. For Kathryn Lambert, a freshman whose major is undeclared, a place to call her own is of the utmost importance.
“I don’t function in a boring place very well,” she said. “I need somewhere to come back to that’s my place.” Lambert’s creativity comes in the form of newspapers lining every white concrete block wall of her home away from home. An artisticallyplaced broken mirror adorns one wall, as well as a pink floral piece of wrapping paper that gracefully connects each corner of the room. She describes her space as “spontaneous, chill, and
relaxed,” which stems from nothing more than the wish to be original while still saving some cash. Lambert’s surefire way to get a dorm room looking spiffy is simply to “pick things off the ground and tape them to the wall.” This solution to monotonous décor should be more than reasonable for the average college student, regardless of financial situation. She looks at a dorm room “like a new canvas,”
exemplifying the notion that bland walls are to be embraced rather than feared. For Lambert, pristine isn’t necessarily equivalent to perfection. Rather, her advice is short and sweet. “Make beauty out of mess,” she said. Alex Josway, a freshman majoring in jazz guitar, also finds importance in personalizing a new space, but with a more condensed approach. While Josway does believe that a room “represents who you are,” his personal decora-
tion focuses on just one attention-grabbing piece. His faux antique record player displays his love of music and adds a musician’s touch to his desktop. “I enjoy music in pure forms… and it totally looks cool,” said Josway. Although an extensive record collection may not fall into the hands of many students, for a passionate music major the idea of a wooden, antique player is perfect. “I like things old school,” he said.
Similarly, Michael Koludrovich, a freshman majoring in mechanical engineering, has an affinity for records. He and his suitemates covered one wall with black vinyl, rummaged from garage sales, and another with a plain white sheet, ideal for film projecting. Koludrovich said that the projector, accompanied by a vast amount of extra seating, was a “good way to break the — Dorm Rooms, Page B3
Musicians combine folk-rock and classical piano for interesting show By Rebecca J. Ritzel McClatchy Newspapers (MCT)
RALEIGH, N.C. _ To even the playing field between a folk guitarist and a classical pianist, ask the guitarist to read music and the pianist to improvise. That’s what happened last month when singer-songwriter Tift Merritt and concert pianist Simone Dinnerstein began preparing for two concerts they will present
this weekend at Duke University. You could say that they fell back on the common language they know: music. But that would be sentimentalizing and over simplifying a rehearsal process that both artists describe as a challenge unlike any they have encountered in their separately successful careers.
That’s because Merritt, a North Carolina native, learned to sing and play guitar by ear, while Dinnerstein, a classical musician, has been sight-reading notes on a page since the age of 7. Together after much compromise and a little consternation they have prepared an 80-minute set list called “Night,” which includes variations on a Leonard Cohen classic, a Schubert art song
with a harmonica interlude and more. “It’s been a huge learning process for both of us,” Dinnerstein said. “It was very scary. At first,” Merritt said. The guitarist claims she came into the project unable to read scores, especially rhythms. Dinnerstein says she protests too much. Merritt “can read music,
she’s just not used to learning to sing a song from reading the notes,” the pianist said. “It’s not how she processes music. It was actually really interesting, because we spent a very intense week rehearsing over the Christmas holidays ... at the end of the week, we had both really grown as musicians. We put on a runthrough at my parents’ house for our friends, and it went
really well.” They met about two years ago when Gramophone, the British magazine, was looking for someone outside of classical music to interview Dinnerstein before the release of her second album. (Her third, “Bach: A Strange Beauty,” debuted last week at No. 6 on Amazon.com.) Merritt and Dinnerstein hit — Show, Page B3