Nov. 18, 2015

97th year • Issue 14

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

An A-OK superhero spreads smiles at UT COMMUNITY / 7 »

Serving the University of Toledo community since 1919

INSIDE

FOOTBALL

44-28

www.IndependentCollegian.com

Rockets reign again

UT brings home the trophy for the sixth year

By Marcus Dodson Sports Editor

‘The Laramie Project’ will take center stage A play created in memory of a small-town boy who was murdered will be performed starting Nov. 20.

COMMUNITY / 7 »

BOWLING GREEN — The University of Toledo’s football team rolled to their sixth straight win over Bowling Green in a 44-28 road victory to return the Battle of I-75 trophy back to the Glass City.

The Falcons’ 28-point game marks a tie for their lowest-scoring game of the season. The last time BG scored only 28 points was in a game against Buffalo in a 28-22 road victory on Oct. 3.

The Rockets (9-1, 6-1 MAC) were led on the ground by junior running back Kareem Hunt who rushed for 153 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carriers.

Senior quarterback Phillip Ely helped the Rocket offense with 208 passing yards and two

See Victory / 6 »

Veterans honored Local veterans were honored at a breakfast and ceremony on the University of Toledo’s campus.

“

NEWS / 3 »

“If a piece about Beirut gets a million hits, and the one on Paris gets ten million, the message is clear: more people are interested in reading about Paris.”

EDITORIAL Don’t be quick to place blame OPINION / 4 »

Men’s team dominates the Golden Bears The UT men’s basketball team beat West Virginia Tech 96-65.

“

SPORTS / 6 »

SAVANNAH JOSLIN / IC

DeJuan Rogers kisses the Battle of I-75 trophy as the UT Rockets football team celebrates their victory over the BG Falcons for the sixth year in a row.

OPEN FORUM

ADMINISTRATION

Gaber engages community in an open dialogue about UT

New position among new initiatives to focus on UT’s diversity

By Trevor Stearns News Editor

University of Toledo President Sharon Gaber held an open forum on Nov. 12 to discuss the challenges UT is facing and the progress it is making to overcome them.

After a brief opening monologue, Gaber opened the floor to questions from her audience members, ranging from budget numbers to CPR training and parking prices.

Enrollment

The largest amount of questions in the forum were pointed toward the enrollment rates. Some were interested in what Gaber has planned for the future to increase these rates while others wanted to know more about how to increase the amount of returning students and how to better brand ourselves.

Gaber said she brought in consultant group called Ruffalo, Noel, Levitz to assess what the university’s strengths and weaknesses are when it comes to enrollment because she was disappointed when this year’s numbers came out.

“I was thinking [the numbers] were going to be up, or thought that that was what the general perception was,” Gaber said. “… Five years of declining enrollment is not good.

That doesn’t help us maintain stability financially or for our

students or our faculty or staff.”

She also believes the university will be “up” in enrollment in the following year. Gaber used other universities such as Bowling Green State University and Oakland University in Michigan as examples of other universities who have had increasing enrollment for the past couple of years as well, saying it is not impossible to “turn this tide around.”

Someone said having a See Gaber / 8 »

Students donate blood Nov. 17

“But with what’s going on at the University of Missouri, we should be having similar discussions about preventing that from happening on our campus.”

KEITH BOGGS Missouri: a catalyst for change OPINION / 4 »

ABIGAIL SULLIVAN / IC

Lukas Hohman, a first-year nursing major, donates blood at a blood drive in the University of Toledo’s Health Education Center. The blood drive — which took place Nov. 16-18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. — was part of a challenge between UT and their rival, Bowling Green State University to see who donated more blood.

By Colleen Anderson and Jessica Harker

Managing Editor and Associate News Editor

Diversity is front and center in Gaber’s plans for the University of Toledo, which she highlighted by appointing a new special assistant to the president for diversity and by announcing several changes in existing offices.

The position, created specifically to focus on university-wide diversity initiatives, will be filled by current associate dean of the College of Language, Literature, and Social Sciences Willie McKether.

McKether said he was asked to take the position on Monday, Nov. 9.

In his new position, McKether said he will be using his background in business administration and anthropology to analyze UT’s culture, both through talking to students and examining data to formulate a strategic diversity plan. He WILLIE feels the Gaber adminisMCKETHER tration’s decision shows a dedication to diversity Special Assistant to the President at UT. for Diversity “I can say that from her initial interviews on campus, she talked about the importance and value of diversity,” McKether said. “I know that her door’s open when it comes to meeting with various groups, with students as well, and I think that having this diversity plan is just a major step in ensuring that the university, moving forward under her administration, has a focus on diversity and inclusion.

One of the main things McKether wants to focus on is retention among not only minority students, but also faculty and staff belonging to minority groups. Right now, his priority is gathering information from various people and focus groups on campus to incorporate into his strategic plan for the university.

“I think any institution is stronger when it has a value of inclusiveness and of diversity, because you bring diversity of thought, of talent, of skillsets, whether that’s inside or outside See Diversity / 9 »

2

| The Independent Collegian | Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Follow us on Twitter @TheICToledo

CAMPUS DIGEST

www.IndependentCollegian.com

Facebook.com/ICollegian

www.IndependentCollegian.com

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

What are you thankful this Thanksgiving season?

“I’m thankful for family looking out for me, the ability to go to college, and my fraternity brothers.”

Ben Huner

Second-year Finance and sales

“I’m thankful for the life I’ve been given, for the path I am on and all the good and bad events that have shaped where I am.”

“I’m thankful for mac and cheese from my mom, and my family since I wouldn’t be able to go to college without them.”

First-year Athletic training

Fourth-year Human resource management

Taylor Winslow

The Independent Collegian staff

Alexander Harrison

BUSINESS

Visit us at Carlson Library, Suite 1057 Write to us at 2801 W. Bancroft St., Mail Stop 530 Toledo, OH 43606 Contact the editor at editor@independentcollegian.com Advertise by emailing sales@independentcollegian.com Phone: 419-530-7788 Fax: 419-530-7770

Advertising Aaron DeGuilio, sales manager Kyle Turner, director Cassandra Mitchell and William Woodson, sales representatives

EDITORIAL

Distribution Megan Gaysunas, manager

Editor-in-Chief Amanda Pitrof Managing Editor Colleen Anderson News Trevor Stearns, editor Jessica Harker, assoc. editor Sports Marcus Dodson, editor Jenna Nance, assoc. editor Community Joe Heidenescher, editor Emily Schnipke, assoc. editor

Opinion Morgan Rinckey, editor Copy desk Lauren Gilbert, editor Jared Hightower, editor Photography Abigail Sullivan, director Savannah Joslin, assoc. director

Operations Andrew Rassel, manager Production Nick Wells, manager COLLEGIAN MEDIA FOUNDATION General Manager Danielle Gamble The Independent Collegian is published by the Collegian Media Foundation, a private, not-for-profit corporation. © 2015

NEWS Follow us on Twitter @TheICToledo

IN BRIEF

Survivorship Gala

The Colleges against cancer presents their first-annual survivorship gala Nov. 20 7-9 pm at the Blarney event center on Monroe Street. Tickets are $25 per person or two student tickets for $45 and you can RSVP for the event by cash or check made out to Nicole Ochs. Payments can be mailed to the American Cancer Society on Commerce Street in Perrysburg and you can contact them for more information at 419-297-4427.

Relay for Life

This year’s Relay for Life event called “The world awaits a cure: fighting cancer around the globe” will be held on Dec. 5 in the University of Toledo Recreaion Center until Sunday, Dec 6.

Different events will be held through out the night including dodgeball, a bakesale, a photobooth and more.

For more information or to sign up for the event visit OSIL website.

Sounds of the Stadium

The Rocket Marching Band will play this year’s favorite music from the football season at the Valentine Theater, downtown on Saturday Nov. 21 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $5 and group discounts are available. Call the Center for Performing Arts box office at 419530-ARTS for tickets and questions.

Wednesday, November 18, 2015 | The Independent Collegian |

Happy Thanksgiving from the IC We’ll be taking a break for the holiday next week but don’t forget to check out our next issue when we return.

Like us at Facebook.com/ICollegian

www.IndependentCollegian.com

SERVICE

Veterans honored

UT hosts annual appreciation breakfast

By Ashley King Staff Reporter

The University of Toledo hosted the 11th-annual Veterans Appreciation Breakfast and Resource Fair at the Savage Arena to honor those who have served this country.

Peggy Holewinski, major gifts officer at the American Red Cross, said the Red Cross has collaborated with UT for this event for the past 11 years.

“We needed partners to support it [the fair] and the University of Toledo was fantastic because they were very, very supportive of the project,” Holewinski said.

Samuel McCrimmin, vice president of advancement at UT, announced the opening remarks at this year’s fair.

“It’s vitally important to honor those who have served our country. We’re very grateful for their service,” McCrimmin said. “Second, UT has a veterans program and is certainly very active in military students.”

Also present at the event were some local companies, including the Lucas County Veteran’s Service Commission, American Red Cross and Fifth Third Bank. According to Holewinski, their goal is to be there for those veterans who need them, whether it be for emergency messaging, helping them after they return from

3

deployment or helping with home and family situations.

Holewinski said having multiple agencies under one roof is an opportunity for the vets because they will not have to go to multiple locations.

“I think veterans come because … they’re [the agencies] all right here, and so it’s easily accessible for them,” Holewinski said.The attendance rating each year is strong, with about 400450 people including family members of military.

One of the attendees was Wesley Jones, a veteran who served from 1961-1963. He said that after dropping out of school at UT, drafting services were able to pick him up quickly.

Jones was drafted into Laos, which started the Vietnam War. “I was in no war,” Jones said. “Before Vietnam started up, I was drafted into the service.”

This is Jones’ third year at the breakfast and fair; he returns each year to visit with friends and so he can thank those who were able to accomplish what he was unable to during his time.

Richard Grant, a friend of Jones, served from 19651967 in the Vietnam War as a launch recruitment and hawk missile outfit in Schoenberg, Germany.

SAVANNAH JOSLIN / IC

George Snyder (left), a World War II veteran and father of Debra Davis (right), being introduced to Master Sergeant Steven Kosinski at this year’s 11th-annual Veterans Appreciation Breakfast and Resource Fair at the Savage Arena.

“I was in Schoenberg, Germany for 18 months …

Our job was to shoot down low flying, medium-range aircrafts,” Grant said.

While the veterans reminisced about their service, they also voiced their frustration with the treatment received when returning home.

“It’s insane the way they’re treating the vets. The vets are the ones that kept us here — keep us alive and in the states,” Jones said. “Then they come back here and they don’t even know who we are.”

This year’s keynote speaker, Col. Craig Baker, commander of the 180 fighter wing, agreed stating

the selfless acts veterans do for their country.

“Understanding the commitment and the service before self, and the essence of the commitment that we make as veterans serving the nation is something that preserves the freedom,” Baker said.

Baker said that for him, servicing veterans came with its own rewards.

“It’s really humbling for me to stand up… and honor men and women not only for the service that they have made, and the sacrifices they have made for this country,” Baker said. “But for the service they continually do in the future.”

MERGER

Possible changes in store for CoCA

By Jenna Nance Staff Reporter

After moving to the College of Visual and Performing Arts, the Department of Communication has found its success in CoCA, or the College of Communication and the Arts.

Recently, rumors surfaced surrounding another move for the department, though nothing has been confirmed at this time.

“I have yet to hear a concrete plan from the administrative level and so only God knows what will happen,” said John Eidemiller, media producer and director for CoCA. Lisa Bollman, academic advisor of CoCA, said a new merger would be unnecessary because it has been a positive thing and students and faculty are happy with it.

“I don’t see that there has been a negative to students at all,” Bollman said, “It is a tribute to the faculty and staff that made sure the students had a seamless transition from one college to another.”

Eidemiller said the college of communication’s enrollment has increased due to the change.

“That was a really good change, because just based on the fact that students are able

See Merger / 9 »

4

| The Independent Collegian | Wednesday, November 18, 2015

OPINION Send letters to the editor to Editor@independentcollegian.com

www.IndependentCollegian.com

EDITORIAL BOARD

Colleen Anderson Amanda Pitrof

Jessica Harker Morgan Rinckey

Joe Heidenescher Trevor Stearns

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

Don’t be quick to place blame

Global tragedies receive varied attention, but it’s not the media’s fault Finger pointing always seems to happen in the wake of a tragedy.

After the Paris terror attacks on Friday, accusations have been flying thick and fast from all sides, assigning blame to one party or another. The horror and sorrow of tragedy has always been a catalyst for discussion, for better or for worse, and the debates over the Paris attacks have been covered by nearly every outlet and on every media platform out there.

The public turned one of their many-pointed fingers on the media this weekend, not for their coverage of Paris itself, but for the lack of coverage in other places. Beirut saw bombings of its own on Thursday, with 43 left dead and over 200 wounded. In the wake of the attacks in Paris, critical tweets and Facebook statuses arose, asking why the media covered one tragedy and not the other.

In truth, the perception that the Beirut bombing went unseen by the media is a false one. Many major media outlets, including CNN, the New York Times and the Associated Press covered the bombings, writing extensive articles on the event and the significance for the Middle East.

In today’s environment, media outlets are forced to be conscious of the attention paid to each piece. If a piece about Beirut gets a million hits, and the one on Paris gets ten million, the message is clear: more people are interested in reading about Paris.

So, that poses the question. Do readers care more about Paris than Beirut?

After all, media coverage aside, there’s no denying that the outcry of support for Paris far surpassed that of Beirut. There was no Lebanese Facebook filter offered, no #prayforBeirut trending on Twitter. There was no room for Lebanese colors amid the blue, white and red of the French flag lighting up government buildings across the world over the weekend.

If this was the case, if people truly were showing more compassion toward one country than another, then why bring it up at all? Why bring the media into it, pinning a poorly researched accusation onto the very media outlets trying to cover things that no one wants to read?

In our opinion, the problem is all about perception. The Middle East is generalized as one uniform country, instead of a collection of countries that all have different atmospheres and ideas. Because of this misconception, no regard is given to each individual country and what tragedy means to them.

People expect violence from the Middle East, and never take the time to examine each event individually.

However, once people are reminded that tragedy is tragedy whether it happens to a country under a French or a Lebanese flag, there is an automatic shying away from responsibility.

Rather than people examining the possibility that they might have been ignoring events like this every day, they blame the media for providing poor coverage.

As a media outlet ourselves, we can attest to the rule that what gains more attention is more likely to gain more coverage. While we do take the responsibility to cover things that may not be as popular, out of a duty to report the truth, there’s no denying the consideration we give hits on Facebook and pickup rates for the paper.

This is one way in which the public can have a direct influence on what they are seeing. If people are clamoring for coverage and information on attacks in other countries, for focus and attention to be given to every tragedy equally, then any newspaper or online outlet would be happy to comply. If we as the media fail, then confront us with proof and ask for change. Demand accountability not only from your media, but also from yourselves.

REVIEW

‘The Producers’ came to Toledo Mel Brooks’s “The Producers” is shocking, outrageous, insulting — and I love every minute of it. Filled with racial satire, sexual stereotypes and above all, Nazi parody, “The Producers” is the story of two unlikely New York schmucks who try to produce the worst play of all time. The trouble is, it turns out to be a hit. This Mel “Elizabeth” Brooks story has been a 1968 film with Gene Wilder and Zero Mostel, a 2001 Broadway musical staring Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick, and then a film again in 2005 with the Broadway cast. It is the kind of story that can be told over and over, with endless casts speaking the same words, but offering an entire new spin on this truly classic comedy. Last Thursday, the masterpiece

COMMENTARY

Missouri: a catalyst for change I like the University of Toledo. I want including many here at UT, has helped to make that clear before anything I say the cause of the African American stucan be misconstrued. dents, but that shouldn't be necessary I appreciate the fact that certain in the first place. things that happen on Could something other campuses don't like that happen here happen here. at Toledo? What can But with what's we do to prevent it? going on at the UniThese are all questions versity of Missouri, that need to be asked. we should be having Fortunately for similar discussions us, it's something I about preventing that couldn't see happenfrom happening on ing here. our campus.

For one, multiculFor those who don't tural organizations know, many racist and like the Black Student hate-filled incidents Union and the Latino Student Union are have taken place on their professional and run campus, leading to a SPORTS REPORTER well. They should have large uprising by a group a great amount of respect from the of students. There have been cotton general population, which should be balls left outside of the black culture reflected upon the rest of the students center that represented slavery and of those cultures. white suppression of other cultures, Another reason it's unlikely is swastikas painted in human feces on a because of new president Dr. Shabathroom and other similar incidents.

The outpouring of support from others, ron Gaber, who has a reputation for increasing retention rates and success among multicultural students at Many racist and hateother universities. She's already taken filled incidents have steps to reach out to the diverse pool of students of UT, especially by hiring taken place at the Dr. Willie McKether to come up with a University of Missouri, new diversity plan for the university.

McKether, who's an adviser for the leading to a large Black Student Union, the National uprising by a group Association for Black Journalists and of students. the Brothers on the Rise organization, is obviously well-immersed with

KEITH BOGGS

COMMENTARY

It’s time to ban the box We all know a person or two who been incarcerated. Through the Equal has had some kind of criminal past.

Employment Opportunity CommisFor the majority, their criminal record sion, the Reentry Council and using has been an albatross hindering the presidency as a bully pulpit, his true integration into society and to commitment to creating a level-playenjoying the benefits of citizenship — ing field for ex-convicts in the hiring sometimes after years and decades of processes is exemplary. demonstrating genuThe problem is that ine rehabilitation and this group of people responsible living. is not adequately I know someone provided for under with a criminal Title VII of the Civil record; let’s call him Rights Act. For the Joe. He was my roompresidential actions mate. But he is also a to be sustainable social work graduate, and wide-reaching, a father, commuit is important that nity volunteer and Congress and state so much more. As a governments enact father he has responlegislations that sibilities and student provide clear protecloan obligations. But tions and support for he also has a criminal this group of people. I record. He bought stolen believe it should be the IC COLUMNIST property about a decade government’s concern ago and did time for to advocate policies and it. And because of his record, not his programs that improve the lives of qualification or work ethic, Joe cannot society’s disadvantaged. Isn’t that why find a decent job. Yet, he is only one we make social policies, to bridge gaps case of about 70 million Americans in social processes? It’s hard to argue with a criminal record. that this deviates from what “governIt’s always fascinating to me that we ment of the people, by the people, and call them “correctional institutions” for the people” means. even though we don’t really believe It is hard to see real talent wasted there’s any rehabilitation going on in because we choose to judge a person those facilities. The truth is, as a society based on a naïve mistake he or she we’re often unwilling to extend true made. Of course, corporate employforgiveness to these folks. ment isn’t the only path to income, I’m probably living in a self-imposed but how many of these people do we utopia thinking that a person’s ability expect to take up self-employment? to work and earn his living shouldn’t How many more can be barbers, be a privilege. In a recent address at lawn mowers, restaurant workers Rutgers University, President Obama or even factory workers and other put the national focus on this issue. minimum-wage jobs? People deserve The president agreed that now is the second and maybe third chances, but time to take action. the truth is there are not many jobs He said, “I’m taking action to ban out there for ex-cons. Some people the box.” He meant he was going to argue that using government policy request all federal agencies to delay to help ex-cons get jobs implies givasking applicants to declare their ing them legal advantages over othcriminal history until later in the ers. Yet, they’re not opposed to using hiring process. I should mention that government policy like the ADA or the president has been consistent in workers’ compensation to ensure promoting affirmative action to help their own jobs don’t get passed on society’s disadvantaged including to others simply because them have promoting easy access to employment some emergencies. That argument, opportunities for those who have for me, is selfish.

PHILEMON ABAYATEYE

EVAN SENNETT IC COLUMNIST

goose-stepped all the way to Toledo’s Valentine Theatre.

Of course the comical timing of the great Nathan Lane or Zero Mostel is nearly impossible to beat.

However, I am always intrigued to see what a new cast brings to the play.

Not unlike Shakespeare comedies, the humor has changed over the years, depending on how the actors perform. The actor has the power to emphasize whatever words or actions they like...

Finish reading this piece online at www.IndependentCollegian.com

a large portion of the multicultural general body.

All this is to say, we likely won't have a lame duck president, which was maybe the biggest issue in Missouri. When their issues occurred, the president refused to react and at least try to stop what was going on. I'd be surprised to see the same from ours.

But UT isn't perfect either.

For some time now, there's been a recognizable yet invisible divide between cultures here on campus. It's something I've noticed, something many students I talk to notice, and it's likely something you've noticed. It's not exactly harmful, but it is there.

I have no problem with people being around whom they know. The more you have in common with someone, the more likely you are to spend time with and be comfortable around them.

I look at it as natural segregation.

Segregation is a powerful word, but one that fits the situation appropriately.

While I don't believe UT is on its way to having a problem anything like Missouri, I do believe we should make an attempt to counteract that possibility.

Whether it's leaders of organizations coming together to do a crosscultural event, or one organization going out of the way to bridge the gap and get students with different backgrounds to interact with each other, it should be done.

It's not the job of the teachers or the administrators. It's our job.

Keith Boggs is a second-year majoring in communication.

The premise of the president’s action should be applauded rather than rejected because it makes both economic and social justice sense and sets good precedence for businesses.

Given employers’ liabilities for employees’ actions it’s not bad that they require information of applicants’ backgrounds. However, the focus should not be about disqualifying people who checked a “yes” to having a criminal past. What about asking about the circumstances of those events and finding out the promise in what these people are currently doing with their lives?

Unfortunately, businesses are not taking advantage of available incentives to hire more ex-cons. For instance, they’re not using the Work Opportunity Tax Credit which provides tax credits for businesses that hire ex-cons within a year of their release.

There’s the federal program for fidelity bonding that provides a six-month insurance for businesses hiring these folks. And the Workforce Investment Act pays for the job training of the businesses hiring ex-cons. For this sad reality, we should applaud the president’s announcement.

There’s no denying the relationship between employment and crime rate.

By making it easier for ex-cons to find jobs, we’re helping to end the cycle of crime and making our society safer. Besides, we’d have fewer people in prison to spend our tax dollars on.

So I agree with the president that, “there are people who have gone through tough times. They’ve made mistakes but with a little bit of help, they can get on the right path.” All the Joes in our lives can use some help.

The situation has gone beyond one person helping another to one that requires a national action. People’s academic credentials, their work ethic and record of a period of responsible living should be equally important considerations for employment. Decisions shouldn’t be made based on a person committing a crime some years ago. Let’s all give our support to banning the box.

Philemon Abayateye is a doctoral student in geography and planning.

Wednesday, November 18, 2016 | The Independent Collegian |

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Let’s raise the smoking age to 21 The fact that the percent of adult smokers who begin smoking around age 18 is close to 90 percent should raise some policymakers’ eyebrows.

Also taken into consideration is the average cessation age for those who start smoking at a young age is 33 years for males and 37 years for females. That means these kids grow up to become addicted to nicotine because of their youthful curiosity and experimentation. The most effective policy efforts to reduce cigarette consumption in this target population should be those that target adolescents.

It is noted that the effort put into preventing adolescents from smoking in the first place, primary prevention, is seven times greater than trying to get adults to stop smoking once they are already addicted. This makes perfect sense because if the youth can be stopped from engaging in cigarette smoking from the start then it wouldn’t be as huge of a problem to deal with

down the road. I imagine it would reduce healthcare costs used for people who have medical issues related to longterm smoking.

Evidence for the success of laws restricting youth access to tobacco in reducing teen smoking has been mixed and even with a minimum smoking age, many minors are still able to buy cigarettes for themselves. While the proportion of underage smokers that usually buy their own cigarettes from stores has dropped from 38.7 to 18.8 percent between 1995 and 2003, the percentage of underage smokers who usually get cigarettes by giving money to other people to buy for them increased from 16 to 30 percent.

One important solution that can be used to address these loop holes in decreasing youth access is raising the minimum legal purchase age (MLPA) for tobacco to 21. Increasing the age for young adults to purchase tobacco products may decrease the likelihood of minors buying their own cigarettes by reducing the uncertainty of cashiers when determining whether or not a minor should be allowed to

purchase cigarettes. For example, many 16-year olds can pass for 18; however, they may not be able to pass for 21.

Since the majority of underage smokers rely on social sources to have cigarettes purchased for them, if the MLPA increased teens will have less access to legal buyers. For example, a typical high school student can have access to an 18-year-old at their school or elsewhere, but it may be more difficult for them to come across a 21-year-old within their social circle. This could hopefully decrease the opportunity for high school students to ask for help in receiving cigarettes from adults 21 and over compared to those younger than 21.

These tendencies are shown as a result of a survey done by T. Radeki cited by Difranza and Coleman which they found that 90 percent of adults were asked by minors to purchase cigarettes were under 21 years old. Raising the minimum sales age for tobacco will save lives, while failure to do so endangers our youth if we just sit back and no nothing about it.

— Brittney Thames, public health masters student

PUZZLES THEME: MYTHICAL CREATURES

ACROSS 1. Gang 6. “Back To The Future” actress 9. Femme fatale 13. Bader Ginsberg and Babe 14. Like Mother Hubbard 15. Small, olive-gray bird 16. Abraham’s sacrifice 17. E.T. transporter 18. It happens at a given place and time 19. *Mythic oceanic temptress 21. *Flying stallion 23. Heat unit 24. Doe’s mate 25. *Number of heads on Ravana in Hindu mythology 28. Dripping faucet sound 30. Worn by train station porter 35. Done after you sow?

37. Curved molding 39. Voice of Lamb Chop 40. Face-to-face exam 41. Shamu and such 43. Highest point 44. Flax flower genus 46. Republic of Ireland 47. Laughing on the inside via text 48. Class action 50. ____ a coin 52. *A Cyclops does it out of only one eye 53. Like a gossipmonger 55. Last letter 57. *Much-hunted ungulate 61. *Only half man 65. Green side 66. Hole puncher 68. *Witch’s condemnation 69. Serpentine 70. Civilian aviation agency 71. Utopia, e.g.

72. One of three Rs 73. Funerary vase 74. Like kale and spinach greens DOWN 1. “____ and proper” 2. British river 3. Night shooter 4. Emotional punishment 5. Protective embankment 6. *Like the voice of mythic Greek Stentor 7. *Pointy-eared creature 8. Choose and follow 9. ____ la Vida 10. *God of war, son of Zeus 11. Carte du jour 12. Chef’s vessel 15. Chills on the couch 20. Inuit shelter 22. *A Hobbit’s is slightly pointed 24. Point out 25. *Big-haired Scandinavian 26. Like Halloween night 27. Indian breads 29. *Manlike man-eater 31. Lentil soup 32. Head of crime syndicate, pl.

33. Mountain ridge 34. *Dust-sprinkler

Last week’s solution

36. Positive sign 38. ____ of Sandwich 42. Carpe in “Carpe diem” 45. Poet’s death lament 49. And not 51. Writing implement 54. Mix-up 56. Chopin’s composition 57. Brezhnev’s domain 58. Back of the neck 59. Pelvic bones 60. Joker, e.g.

61. Reunion group 62. A in A = b x h 63. Sky defender 64. Count on 67. *The son of Hera was the god of ___

CLASSIFIEDS

5

To place a classified ad call 419-530-7788 or email classifieds@independentcollegian.com.

Ads must be received by 5 p.m. Monday. Please read your ad on the first day of publication and call immediately if there are any errors; we accept responsibility only for the first day of publication. All classified ads must be prepaid with a check or credit card.

FOR SALE HOUSE FOR SALE 4 bed, 2 bath home with basement, 2 car garage 10 minutes away from Campus Monthly payment as low as 150.00/month! $28,900 (419) 244-2757

FOR RENT 3-4 BEDROOM FOR RENT www.utrentals.net 3-4 bedroom house available with 2 bathrooms and 2 living rooms. All appliances included and central air. $900/ month call Shawn 4192904098

ONE AND TWO BEDROOM HOMES One and two bedroom homes starting at $485 includes your heat! A pet friendly boutique community in a fantastic West Toledo location. Visit (http:// picahomes.weebly.com/ central-colony.html) for pictures or call Steve at 419708-6463 to schedule a showing.

HELP WANTED

part-time at $10-12 per hour.

Email resume to Bob Kneisley at wealth@indicatorAdvisory.com.

SERVICES UNIVERSITY MISCONDUCT DEFENSE Defense of student sexual misconduct cases Defense of faculty misconduct cases NachtLaw.com (734)663-7550

COMPUTER GRAPHICS AND WEB DESIGN Flex-time, computer graphics and web design opportunity. Local firm seeks interns

NOW LEASING

You don’t have to pack! Just call, we’ll tell you how!

1 Bedroom starting at

UTMC Bus Line 24-Hour Emergency Maintenance Affordable prices Short Term Leases (min. 3 months)

$335

2 Bedrooms starting at

$375

Last Week’s Puzzle Solved

We’re looking for REPORTERS who have Critical thinking Good writing Curiosity Integrity Guts

Students of any major can apply.

Email editor@independentcollegian.com for momation.

Applications available in Carlson Library Suite 1057 (419) 530-7788 IndependentCollegian.com

6

| The Independent Collegian | Wednesday, November 18, 2015

SPORTS Follow us on Twitter @IC_Sports

BASKETBALL

Standings

School

Football

www.IndependentCollegian.com

Like us at Facebook.com/ICollegian

MAC Overall

EAST DIVISION

UT’s ups and downs Men’s team dominate Women’s team falls in the Golden Bears loss to the Wildcats

Bowling Green 6-1 8-3 Ohio 4-3 7-4 Buffalo 3-3 5-5 Akron 3-3 5-5 Kent State 2-4 3-7 UMass 1-5 2-8 Miami 1-6 2-9

WEST DIVISION Toledo

Northern Illinois Western Michigan Central Michigan Ball State Eastern Michigan

6-1 5-1 5-1 4-2 2-5 0-7

9-1 7-3 6-4 5-5 3-8 1-10

Women’s Basketball

School

MAC Overall

EAST DIVISION Miami 1-0 1-1 Bowling Green 0-0 2-0 Buffalo 0-0 1-0 Kent State 0-0 1-1 Akron 0-0 0-1 Ohio 0-0 0-1

IC FILE PHOTO

Sophomore Jay-Ann Bravo-Harriott drives to the basket in a game against Akron that the Rockets lost 102-101. BravoHarriott averaged 10.4 points per game last season.

By Marcus Dodson

By Keith Boggs

Sports Editor

The University of Toledo men’s basketball team cruised to a 96-65 shellacking over Central Michigan 0-0 2-0 NAIA foe West Virginia Tech Western Michigan 0-0 1-1 in the season opener in Savage Arena on Saturday.

Eastern Michigan 0-0 0-0 Four Rockets (1-0) scored in Ball State 0-0 0-1 double-digits and nine of the Northern Illinois 0-0 0-1 eleven players who played recorded a point in a game that Eastern Michigan 0-0 0-1 Toledo never trailed.

“It was really important for our young guys to play Men’s Basketball in a game like this and get some quality minutes,” said School

MAC Overall Head Coach Todd Kowalczyk.

EAST DIVISION “There are some areas we need Akron 0-0 2-0 to improve on but I do like the unselfishness of this team and Bowling Green 0-0 1-0 our ball movement.”

Buffalo 0-0 1-1 UT was led by sharp shooter freshman Jaalan Sanford with Kent State 0-0 1-0 22 points in his first collegiate Ohio 0-0 2-0 game. The first-year guard was Miami(Oh) 0-0 0-1 six of eight from three-point land with his first miss occurWEST DIVISION ring until the 15:33 mark in the second half on a shot that Northern Illinois 0-0 3-0 rimed out.

Central Michigan 0-0 1-0 “I just wanted to go out there and do my thing to help Eastern Michigan 0-0 1-0 the team win,” Sanford said.

Toledo 0-0 1-0 Senior center Nathan Boothe Ball State 0-0 1-1 also had an ideal start in his last campaign with UT, scoring 15 Western Michigan 0-0 0-1 points and grabbing 8 rebounds.

WEST DIVISION

Victory from page 1

one rushing, one passing.

Bowling Green (8-3, 6-1 MAC) was led by senior Matt Johnson, who passed for 274 yards and three touchdowns. Johnson was also responsible for two interceptions both picked off by Toledo’s senior Cheatham Norrils.

The UT defense was stifling, causing five turnovers on the night and holding the Falcon running attack to just 94 yards on 30 attempts.

The Rockets jumped on the board first after an interception by Norrils on the first play of the game. Toledo would need just four plays to travel 27 yards for the opening touchdown of the game with a fiveyard run from Hunt.

Toledo would force the Falcons to a threeand-out on their next possession. Toledo needed just 50 seconds to drive 67 yards behind the legs of Hunt and sophomore Terry Swanson.

Swanson would punch it in for the Rockets on a 23-yard scamper to extend UT’s lead to 14-0.

The Rocket’s defense continued to hold strong, giving up just two yards and forcing the Falcons to another three-and-out.

UT’s offense drove down to the Bowling Green one-yard line, but was unable to punch it in. Freshman Jameson Vest knocked in the 20-yard field goal, giving UT an early 17-0 lead with 3:10 left in the first quarter.

On the ensuing Falcon possession, senior linebacker Chase Murdock stripped BG’s Fred Coppet at the 49 yard line and Trent Voss recovered the ball for the Rockets at the UT 46.

The Rockets would have another drive stall out inside the five-yard line yet again.

Vest would come in to knock in the 22-yard

IC FILE PHOTO

Senior center Nathan Boothe looks to the basket in a game against Kent State that the Rockets lost in overtime 76-75.

Boothe averaged 10.0 points per game last season.

Sophomore guard Stuckey Mosley had a career night, recording career highs in points with 17 and rebounds with 8.

“I had teams in the past when our point guard has led our team in defensive rebounds,” Kowalczyk said. “I expect that from him [Mosley] this year.”

After starting the first half 0-4 from the field and with two points junior guard Jonathan ‘Jon Jon’ Williams finished with 15 points, shooting five of eight from the field.

“Good players make bad first halves into average games,” Kowalczyk said. “He would’ve never been able to do that last year. Out of all the things that happened tonight, I’m proud of him for that.”

The Golden Bears (2-4) was led by Paul Stone and Ryan Atkins with 20 and 17 points respectfully. Atkins also managed to pull in 11 rebounds and dished out five assist.

The Toledo stifling defense held WV Tech to 35.9 percent shooting from the field and 15 turnovers.

The Rockets received a hot start from Boothe, scoring the first nine points of the game.

field goal to give UT a 20-0 lead with 14:14 left in the second quarter.

Bowling Green answered the field goal with a score of their own with a nine-play, 65-yard drive capped off with a five-yard touchdown run by Coppet.

The UT offense responded nicely on a 10-play, 47-yard drive, but the drive would stall out once again and Vest would come on to nail the 35-yard field goal pushing the Rockets lead to 23-7.

The Rockets defense came up big on BG’s ensuing possession. UT’s John Stepec came up with a huge sack on third-and-18 to get the Falcons off the field.

On BG’s punt, junior Corey Jones returned it down to the 46-yard line but was hit late out of bounce by BG’s Spencer Cairo, giving UT great field position at the BG 39.

Toledo would need just three plays to punch it with Hunt for his second rushing touchdown of the night with 5:58 remaining in the half to give UT a 30-7 lead.

If you go What: Toledo vs Western Michigan Where: The Glass Bowl When: Friday, Nov. 27 at noon Sponsored by: CBS Sport Network

The Falcons answered the Rockets’ touchdown with one of their own to end the half.

Johnson found Gehrig Dieter for a five-yard touchdown pass to cut the Rocket lead to 30-14.

On the first possession of the second half, on a third-and-12, Ely’s pass was intercepted

by BG’s Austin Valdez at the UT 39.

Bowling Green needed just four plays to find the end zone. Johnson would find Dieter on another fade route, this one from three yards out to cut the Toledo

See Dominate /8 »

Sports Reporter

The University of Toledo women’s basketball team lost 62-59 in the season opener against the Arizona Wildcats at Savage Arena on Saturday.

UT (0-1) was led by senior point guard Brenae Harris with 12 points and four assists. Junior forward Sophie Reecher and sophomore guard Jada Woody both had 11 points each to round out the double-digit scores for the Rockets.

The Wildcats (1-0) were led

by Taryn Griffey with 18 points.

The daughter of Cincinnati legend, Ken Griffey Jr., scored all her points from three-point range, shooting six of nine from beyond the arch.

The Rockets struggled from the court shooting just 41 percent and 42 percent from three.

UT did however control the paint, outscoring the Wildcats 26 to 18 in that category.

Saturday’s game consisted of eight ties and six lead changes with ether team able to hold a lead larger than eight points.

In what felt like a postseason game, the Rockets got off to a slow start, getting their first bucket after three minutes into the contest. Jay-Ann BravoHarriet’s free throw with 6:51 left

lead to 30-21.

On the ensuing Rocket possession, the Falcons forced UT into a three-and-out and made them punt for the first time in the contest.

On the first play after the punt, senior defensive tackle Allen Covington sacked Johnson and forced him to fumble. Senior defensive lineman Orion Jones recovered the loose ball and returned it 22 yards down to the BG 8.

Toledo would need two plays to score after Ely kept it on the read option for his first collegiate rushing touchdown and to give Toledo a 37-21 advantage with just over 11 minutes left in the third quarter.

But they weren’t finished. On a play that looked like it would be a sack, Johnson was able to elude the UT pressure and find an open Dieter from 11 yards out.

Up 37-28 in the fourth quarter, Johnson found Dieter for a gain of 14 before being stripped at the Toledo 28 by senior free safety Rolan Milligan. Junior Dejuan Rogers recovered the fumbled and returned it 23 yards to the BG 49 but an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty would bring the Rockets back to the UT 36-yard line.

Toledo would respond with a nine-play, 64-yard drive and milk over five minutes off the clock in the process. On third-andnine, Ely found Russell for a 15-yard passing touchdown to give the Rockets a 44-28 lead with 8:38 remaining in the game.

In BGSU’s last hope to get back in the fight, senior cornerback Cheatham Norrils picked off Johnson for Toledo’s fourth takeaway to ice the game.

With the win, the Rockets keep their Mid-American Conference Championship dream alive. If Western Michigan beats Northern Illinois tonight, and we beat Western Michigan in our last game of the regular season on Friday, Nov. 27, we’ll see the Falcons again in December for the MAC Championship game.

allowed them to sit.

The Rockets would gradually work their way back into the game after the quick 4-0 deficit. After missing a handful of open looks, solid defense and free throws got Toledo back in the game.

While the Rockets were heating up, the Wildcats were busy struggling with turnovers.

By the end of the first quarter, Arizona had accumulated five turnovers and sent the Rockets to the line nine times.

The second quarter began with more of the same, as Toledo jumped out to a 21-17 lead about halfway through the quarter.

The Wildcats then proceeded to go on a run, scoring six in a row during a 12-2 run. By the end of the quarter, Arizona held a 29-23 lead.

The Wildcats started to knock shots down as their defense completely dominated.

Arizona, who averaged three blocks per game last year, had five in the first half.

In the third quarter, both teams came out firing, shooting threes and playing up tempo.

Both teams went on short runs, but the Rockets started to See Loss / 8 »

CROSS COUNTRY

UT teams disappoint with weak finish

By Justice Sunderland Sports Reporter

Toledo’s women’s and men’s cross country teams ended their 2015 season Nov. 13 in the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championships. The races were held at the Thomas Zimmer championship course in Wisconsin and hosted by the University of Wisconsin.

UT’s women were led by sophomore Stephanie Barlow who finished 76th with a time of 22:09.2. Right behind her was senior Theresa Warsecke in 86th with a time of 22:20.1.

Also scoring for the Rockets was freshman Jennifer Lichter finishing with a time of 22:35.8 in ninety-seventh place. Senior Julia Pusateri finished in 109th place in her final collegiate race and freshman Nina Bendixen placed 116th.

As a team Toledo finished in a disappointing eighteenth place. They had a total team score of 484 with an average time of 22:36.6.

Molly Siedel of Notre Dame was the regional championship with a time of 20:04.0 and will advance to the NCAA championships in Louisville, Kentucky.

Michigan won the team championship with a score of 69 to automatically qualify See Weak Finish / 8 »

Wednesday, November 18, 2015 | The Independent Collegian |

COMMUNITY

Spreading smiles:

By Joe Heidenescher Community Editor

Despite her diminutive stature, she’s impossible to miss. When I met her outside of the bookstore, she was decked in a flowing red cape, a blue turtle neck, bright floral leggings and vibrant red rain boots. But what I first noticed was her tremendous smile and overflowing jubilee.

“You must be Joe,” she yelled as she spotted me with my coffee, recorder and my yellow legal pad.

“Can I give you a hug?” she asked.

I was taken aback. She was the first person I had ever interviewed in the past three years to offer me a hug. I obliged, because after all, she is the self-proclaimed goodwill ambassador of kindness in the state of Ohio.

She is Suzann Castore, otherwise known as the A-OK Lady.

It is her personal mission to travel across Ohio “to promote kindness, hope and compassion in our state with the ultimate goal that Ohio be a model to America.”

In the past few years, she traveled over 7,000 miles spreading smiles to Ohioans.

Not only does she bring a smile to thousands of faces, she also hands out physical smiley faces to share. It’s all part of what she calls the “mile of smiles.” She encourages people she meets to take her around to homeless shelters, assisted living centers, college campuses and coffee shops or anywhere there are people that could use a smile.

Castore met me on campus to participate in one of her mile of smiles, so we left from the bookstore together.

In addition to her outfit, she was geared up with a sack of smiley face pillows and a utility belt, with six pockets of surprise and wonder.

When we ran into students

CALENDAR Thursday, Nov. 19 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. — Taste of Toledo You can sign up with the Center for International Studies and Programs to eat a group meal at a local restaurant. Students will eat Brazilian food, and that is the only thing they have to pay for. The cost of transportation will be taken care of. You can sign up in Snyder Memorial 1000 or by emailing cisp@ utoledo.edu. Contact Peter Thomas at cisp@utoledo. edu with any questions.

7 p.m. — Percussion Ensemble Concert Admission is free to the Percussion Ensemble Concert in the Center for Performing Arts Recital Hall. If you like percussionbased music, you might want to go to the event led by Dr. Olman Piedra.

Contact Angela Riddel at TheArts@utoledo.edu with any questions.

Saturday, Nov. 21 All day — UT College of Law Lights at the Zoo Discount tickets to the Toledo Zoo are available to all UT law students, faculty, staff and alumni and their family members. Contact Lindsey.Cavese@rockets. utoledo.edu or coleen. wening@rockets.utoledo. edu with questions.

7

Suzann Castore, The A-OK Lady

JOE HEIDENESCHER / IC

Suzann Castore holds up a map of Ohio where she has highlighted every city she has visited during her travels.

she would greet them with a bright smile and a question.

“Can I offer you an A-OK?” she would ask.

Many looked at her confused; some would say “sure.”

She would then give them a riddle. “It’s something you’ve given and something you’ve received.”

“It’s a cute riddle,” she told me. “I kind of made that up; I don’t know where it came from. I guess my brain.”

When the students finally gave in, she would tell them. “Can I offer you an act of kindness?” she would say as she traced the letters A-O-K in the air.

Then she would introduce herself. “I’m Suzanne, the goodwill ambassador for kindness in Ohio. The A-OK Lady.”

She told me that she adopted her moniker after several events in her past.

Castore revealed to me that she has bipolar disorder. In

her past, she was hospitalized because of her condition.

She stayed in bed for weeks because she had no motivation to get better.

“My family began drifting away because I was in and out like a bouncing ball,” she said.

Eventually, she was able to spend time out of bed, but she still only sat around. One time she sat next to a schizophrenic man.

“At first we didn’t talk at all; he was catatonic,” she said.

“In a sense, I was catatonic. I was shocked, I didn’t have a sense of what was going on.”

But after some time, the two began to warm up to one another.

“We just sat together for a while, and then one day he kind of looked and said ‘What’s your name?’” she said.

And they began to connect.

“He no longer sat catatonically; we talked for hours sometimes,” she said. “At the

very end, he said to me, as it turns out we both left the same day, no one could get him out of that catatonic state, he said, ‘If it weren’t for your acts of kindness, I would not be able to walk out this door. Thank you.’ We healed each other through that connection.”

This is when Castore began spreading acts of kindness.

She also said she had a moment of darkness. During a time when she felt spread too thin and overwhelmed, Castore said she “just swerved to drive off the road, I just couldn’t take it.”

She attempted to take her own life.

But a car stopped her. “This car, had that car not stopped, I would not be here,” she said.

While she was recovering, her husband asked her if she was “OK.” Which she said she wasn’t, but over time it became her mission to help others be OK. “As I progressed, I got better and better; I found the right medication,” she said.

“I was really good, I had no episodes in years. Then I had this idea, why not have a campaign? I’m very much an advocate for mental health.”

With her experiences in her back pockets, the A-OK Lady adopted a superhero mission. “For the campaign, I woke up one day and decided,” she said.

Her campaign led her to start here, in Toledo.

“I came to Toledo because I like to play with words. To lead Ohio. That’s the connection,” she said. “And Toledo is north. And when we are lost, we look to the North Star.

And we are a lost society, we aren’t totally lost. But we are disconnected.”

These are the types of

JOE HEIDENESCHER / IC

connections and word play me, she asked for a story. She is she has a unique knack for. It a story collector — they are for seemed as if she could spin a book she is composing. any word into a positive vesShe would pull out a small sel of kindness. recorder, another surprise She said she visited Walfrom her belt of wonder. The greens, which she sees as a device had over 75 different combination of walls and recordings on it. the color green. “I like the She would say, “Pick a numword wall, because we hit ber between 1 and 75.” Every walls in relationships and the recording she played for the color green represents students was a different growth,” she said. story, but each story She even she remembered transforms with perfect swear clarity. words into And she positivity. would ask if there “I love shit, were any I really do,” SUZANN CASTORE stories they she said.

The A-OK Lady wanted share.

The word Through her “shit” to her time listening, is a way of she has met all sorts saying “shush” of people. and “it.” In her way the “There’s all kinds of differword has a calming effect. ent people,” she said. “Like The A-OK Lady was full of ice cream, there are different these surprising gems of joy, flavors. I like to think there but watching her in action is are different flavors of people.” when I saw her effect.

The A-OK Lady has her I sat in Trimble Lounge as very own flavor too, a flavor she captivated a group of six. that is unique to her, but Within the 25 minutes she sat extremely contagious. with them, they all smiled at After taking her around least once. By the end of their campus for three hours, I conversation she pulled large was getting physically and smiley face pillows out of her mentally drained, but her sack and a camera out of her energy levels never dropped. red utility belt. She had them pose in all sorts of silly manners She was ready to speak to any and every passerby. for pictures for her website.

In almost every other inWhen she left groups like this, she always asked them if terview situation, I would be exhausted after three hours, they wanted hug. The usual but her compassion and answer was yes. kindness wore off on me.

“I call myself an empowShe handed me a package erer,” she said. “I’m empowof small yellow smiley faces ering them to look at things in a different way in relation- and told me to share them.

Under normal circumstances, ship to how they connect I wouldn’t follow through, with people and motivate but for her beautiful smiling them. Just listening.”

And listen she did. Each per- face and her compassionate son she encountered, including mission, I promised I would.

“Can I offer you an act of kindness?”

HOLIDAY CULTURE

Local Toledo families host international students for Thanksgiving festivities

By Lauren Gilbert Copy Editor

Your family can invite international students to Thanksgiving dinner next week as part of the fifth consecutive year of a hosting program sponsored by the University of Toledo Center for International Studies and Programs.

Anyone in the Toledo community can volunteer to become a host family, according to Xinren Yu, coordinator of the program and graduate assistant at CISP. He said host families usually accommodate two international students, but that number varies depending on how many people they’re willing to have.

Yu said the purpose of the program is to provide new experiences for both the host families and the international students.

“Usually this is an American festival, 100 percent traditional,” Yu said. “You usually spend this time with your family. But if you have an international student joining the Thanksgiving dinner, it will bring some diversity, bring something that

COURTESY OF NAVINDI SANDALI WEERASINGHE

Last year, Navindi Sandali Weerasinghe, a Sri Lankan native, celebrated Thanksgiving with a Toledo family.

This was her first time trying a taste of turkey.

you wouldn’t have before.”

This program can also serve as a learning opportunity for the host families, according to Yu. Guests can share their own personal traditions and cultural celebrations from their home countries.

“The program opens up a new perspective for the domestic people who get involved,” Yu said. “But on the international students’ side … it’s a pretty unique experience for them. It’s really American, so for them it’s a great learning opportunity as well and to get involved in the domestic culture.”

Yu said he’s been able to see the program grow over the years because each year more and more students and families participate. Yu said there were around 7 or 8 families signed up last year with about 15 students.

This year there are around 10-15 families signed up and over 30 students.

Yu thinks international students will really appreciate the inclusive environment of a family. He said it can be pretty lonely during the holidays if they don’t have

any family in the area.

Cheryl Thomas, executive assistant for CISP, has been participating as a host for the program for several years. She said including international students gives her a renewed excitement for the holiday.

“It will bring some diversity, bring something that you wouldn’t have before.”

XINREN YU Program coordinator and graduate assistant for CISP

“We just take things for granted here, so it’s like Thanksgiving comes and goes every year and this is something they have maybe never experienced before so they’re really excited, so it gives us and our families a renewed excitement for the holiday ... and just kind of pull them into our family and make them feel a part of it,” Thomas said.

See Thanksgiving / 8 »

8

| The Independent Collegian | Wednesday, November 18, 2015

THEATRE PERFORMANCE

‘The Laramie Project’ will take the Center Theatre stage with real life stories from Laramie, Wyoming Emily Schnipke

Associate Community Editor

An act of hate inspires a project of hope.

When tragedy strikes, a town becomes split by their reactions.

Most responded with compassion, but many turned to hate. The path to healing is not easy for the community of Laramie, Wyoming.

The University of Toledo’s upcoming production of “The Laramie Project” is co-directed

by Pete Cross and Mark Leasor, two alumni of the UT Theatre Department.

The play is based on emotional interviews with the residents of Laramie after the death of a student at the University of Wyoming.

According to a press release, in October 1998, a 21-year-old gay college student named Matthew Shepard was found tied to a fence, severely beaten, robbed and left to die. The cyclist who discovered him called for help, but it was no use. Shepard never regained consciousness and died just days later because of head injuries.

In response to the incident, members of the Tectonic Theatre Project and their director Moisés Kaufman traveled to Laramie from New York. They interviewed more than 100 residents in an attempt to recreate and reenact the events that occurred on that fateful night. “‘The Laramie Project’ is about

a community faced with trauma revolving around the tragic death of a young gay man,” Leasor wrote in an email interview. “Murdered (most believe) because he was gay, Matthew’s beating and subsequent death in a small town in Wyoming, an incident that received worldwide attention, brought anti-gay hate-crimes and the need for legislation to the forefront of consciousness.”

Leasor mentioned that it was because of this incident and ones similar to this — including the death of James Byrd who was killed only months before Shepard — that the government began to step in. Over a decade later and five different bill introductions by Rep. John Conyers, Congress was able to pass the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. According to Leasor, many members of the LGBTQ community didn’t feel safe in their own homes during this time and suicide rates rose.

“Things have certainly changed. There has been progress,” Leasor said. “But there are still mountains to topple.”

Resonating with people of all ages, genders and races has made “The Laramie Project” a worldwide phenomenon and has opened discussion of prejudice against sexual orientation, race, gender and everything between.

“It’s also incredibly relevant in

“It’s also incredibly relevant in relation to anywhere manmade tragedy erupts. Think of Ferguson. Think of Paris. No matter where you stand on the issues, how do we, as a community, react? How do we move forward? What is the dialogue? Or are we silent?”

MARK LEASOR UT Alumni and co-director of ‘The Laramie Project’

Thanksgiving

from page 7

Sara Clark, director of the Global Engagement and American Language Institute, has also participated in the program as a host. She feels strongly about not letting international students feel lonely during the holidays.

“It’s great for the students because they need to be connected. That’s a lonely day on campus; none of us are here and they’re still here. They’re in their residence halls or in their apartments and they’re alone. So it’s a great time for us to open up our homes,” Clark said.

The excitement factor and the opportunity to learn also plays a major role for Clark and her family.

“It’s exciting. I have young children and they know that every Thanksgiving there’s going to be some international people at the table that they get to learn from, so it’s great for our little people too,” Clark said.

Clark said the international students love to cook with the families since a traditional Thanksgiving meal is so different from what they cook at home.

“So that has been really fun; there’s been a lot of laughs in the kitchen about, ‘you’re doing what with this vegetable?

You don’t eat it like that!’”

Thomas has a full house each Thanksgiving, with 12 students sitting around the table every year.

Hosting students has become as important to her Thanksgiving as any other tradition.

“It touches your heart and my family loves it and we’re excited to do it every year,” Thomas said.

Navindi Sandali Weerasinghe, a second-year majoring in biology and president of the International Student Association, participated

Dominate from page 6

The 6-foot 9-inch senior knocked down his first three-point shot attempt of the season to give the Rockets an early five-point lead.

Stone would tie things up for the Golden Bears at nine points each with 14:44 left in the first half but that would be the closest WV Tech would get to the lead.

After the media timeout the Rockets received instant production off the bench from Sanford.

in the program last year.

“I think CISP and both ISA are working together to knit the international students into a more closer circle and I can definitely see improvement and development on that,” Weerasinghe said. “I think it’s a great opportunity for the international students to learn about American culture and actually adopt it. I think it definitely opens doors to a lot of opportunities.”

“So that has been really fun; there’s been a lot of laughs in the kitchen about, ‘you’re doing what with this vegetable? You don’t eat it like that!’”

SARA CLARK Director of the Global Engagement and American Language Institute

Last Thanksgiving was Weerasinghe’s first time trying turkey.

Before that, she was a self-professed “chickentarian.”

“Coming from Sri Lanka, it definitely is something new for me, this whole concept of Thanksgiving and sharing food on a big table on one day.

At home we don’t do it and I thank UT for opening doors for this opportunity for me,” Weerasinghe said.

For international students or American families interested in participating in the Thanksgiving dinner program, the deadline to register is Thursday, Nov. 19.

For more information, visit utoledo.edu/cisp/thanksgiving or contact Yu via email at Xinren.Yu@utoledo.edu or by phone at 419-530-4438.

The six foot four Indiana native knocked down four first-half three pointers.

The Golden Bears however did not shy away from the Rocket’s playing a very physical brand of basketball committing 16 first-half fouls.

WV Tech physical brand cost them as UT was in the double bonus before the 10-minute mark in the first half.

After a pair of Mosley free throws at the 5:56 mark the Rockets jumped out to a 38-22 lead, the largest of the half.

As the first half continued, UT’s lights out shooting

COURTESY OF UT DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE & FILM

The cast of “The Laramie Project” interview people from the town of Laramie, Wyoming. The citizens from Laramie were present during the murder of gay college student, Matthew Shepard. This background information gives the cast inspiration on how to portray characters during their performance.

relation to anywhere manmade tragedy erupts,” Leasor wrote.

“Think of Ferguson. Think of Paris. No matter where you stand on the issues, how do we, as a community, react? How do we move forward? What is the dialogue? Or are we silent?”

Leasor wrote that the main reason behind the play is to encourage discussion about the crime and its aftermath. It aims to stimulate conversation on all viewpoints of the event.

“Without open discussion I don’t think there’s any way to move forward,” Leasor wrote. “If we stay silent we risk bottling those feelings up, and we risk complacency and apathy.”

In the staging of the play, the directors say they decided to keep the entire ensemble part of the

Gaber

from page 1

smoking ban on campus may deter those students who do smoke from coming to UT. Gaber was quick to bring up her previous work at the University of Arkansas, which is also a smoke-free campus, where enrollment increased by nearly 40 percent over six years.

“The reality is that most state agencies are saying for you to get state funding, you can’t smoke in state facilities or on state property,” Gaber said.

One associate professor in the department of English said the largest issue in recruitment for them is in graduate student stipends. She said multiple graduate students declined offers she extended, saying inadequate funds were their biggest issue.

Gaber agreed that the largest decline in enrollment was of graduate students, but the resources to encourage them to attend are lacking.

“It’s a vicious cycle, right? At a time where we don’t have resources, I can’t put more resources into it,” Gaber said. “We’ve got to figure out how we turn it around.”

Gaber also said it will be a step-bystep process over a couple of years to generate the revenue needed to bring more attention to programs like this and make progress.

Health and Safety

Multiple questions were asked about campus-wide health and safety, including Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate training, CPR training and drug and suicide prevention.

Gaber addressed the topic of ALICE training, saying she first had the police come to give the training to the senior leadership team at UT. She plans to ask the provost to ensure the deans of each of the colleges have completed ALICE training. She also said she encourages students and groups to undergo ALICE training so they are also prepared.

One attendee was concerned for the well-being of event attendees and asked

simply went out. After a three-minute Toledo scoring drought until the 1:33 mark of the half, WV tech was able to cut the 16 point lead to just 10.

Mosley ended the last minute and a half with six quick points to extend the lead back to 16.

The Rockets took a 46-32 halftime lead into the locker room.

After the break Williams came out the locker room with a vengeance scoring twice on his first two attempts of the half.

“I told him walking back,”

action, whether directly listening and participating or on the perimeter. They say the challenge is to make the highly narrative play more active by finding the reason behind a character’s story.

According to Leasor, the group spent rehearsal time discussing the murder and the effects that it had on the town. The cast also had the opportunity to meet and talk with a guest speaker, Scott Boberg, who was in Laramie at the time of the murder, which gave the cast an inside look into the town.

“Lucky for us it has turned out to be one of the most strongly connected ensembles we’ve worked with,” Leasor wrote. “The cast is doing a wonderful job breathing life and nuance into the language” “The Laramie Project” will be

performed Nov. 20-22 and Dec. 4-6. Friday and Saturday performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday performances will begin at 2 p.m. Admission is $8 for students, $10 for staff and faculty and $15 for general public.

If you go What: “The Laramie Project” Where: Center Theatre in the Center for Performing Arts When: Nov. 20-22, Dec. 4-6 Friday and Saturday performances begin at 7:30p.m.

Sunday performances begin at 2 p.m.

Admission: Tickets cost $8 for students, $10 for staff and faculty and $15 for the general public

about having a CPR program available on campus. They said there have been events at UT where some attendees fainted or had other health issues. Another audience member answered this by mentioning the training program offered by the Recreation Center.

Parking

There was also a discussion about potential changes to parking, including changes to the cost of permits and the possibility of switching to fees based on proximity to popular locations instead of the current flat rate.

Gaber said this is one of the changes that could help to cover the $13 million deficit the university holds. She also said UT’s permits are under the average price in the region.

UT worked with advisory group Walker Parking Consultants last year, which provided a report saying the university does not run parking in the most efficient way, Gaber said. She also said she was surprised to see students pay more for their parking than faculty and staff.

“I’ve not been on very many campuses where students pay more than faculty and staff,” Gaber said. “Students are already paying tuition and fees and we’ve talked about those. And then they’re paying in some cases twice as much as faculty and staff or in some cases, five times as much.”

She also said most schools differentiate their prices based on how close you would like to park to your buildings, where a “closer” permit would have a higher price.

After being here for five months, Gaber said she hopes to continue making progress and move forward. Although the fixes will not come overnight and she appreciates the interest shown by others in sharing information and getting to know each other.

“This isn’t my university, this is ours,” Gaber said. “… It is not that any individual will change how things are working and how we succeed, we do have to do that collectively.”

Kowalczyk said. “The fact that he played as poorly he did was a good thing for him and our program this year.”

Williams and Sanford led the 8-0 run within the first two minutes of the half to extend their lead to 54-32 with over 18 minutes remaining in the half.

UT never let the Golden Bears back into the game from that point cruising to a 96-65 victory.

The Rockets will be on the road for their next five games and will return to Savage Arena on Dec. 2 when they host Cleveland State at 7 p.m.

Weak finish from page 6

for the NCAA championships.

UT’s men competed in the 10k race at the same course.

Sophomore Stalline Kurgat led the Rocket charge with a time of 33:01.8 — good enough for 109th place.

Seniors Adam Bess and Hillary Serem finished 113th and 137th in their final collegiate cross country race.

Also finishing for Toledo was sophomore Louis Guardiola in 150th place and freshman Andrew Ciaccia

Loss

from page 6

runs, but the Rockets started to take control, with a 7-0 run tying the game back up at 34-34.

After a bucket by Arizona, Toledo continued to fire away, this time going on an 8-0 run to take a 42-36 lead. The run was engineered by two Jada Woody threes. Woody would finish the game with 11 points, her first career game in double figures.

In a game of runs, Arizona responded with one of their own, eventually tying the game at 46 by the end of the third.

The Wildcats continued their hot shooting, starting the fourth quarter on an 8-2 run.

Griffey hit a couple threes to begin the quarter.

After a see-saw of missed shots, five consecutive points

by Mikaela Boyd Toledo got back within one.

The terms traded baskets for several more possessions, with Arizona maintaining a narrow two point lead.

With the Rockets down three and six seconds left, Toledo placed the ball in the hands of Bravo-Harriet, their best shooter.

Harriet, who struggled during the game, finishing 2-13 from the field, missed off the back iron as the buzzer sounded.

It was a tough loss for Toledo, but one Tricia Cullop believes the team will learn from.

“We faced a great team; they’re going to finish better than they were picked,” Cullop said. “We picked this schedule for a reason.

“We got better today.”

The Rockets return to action Wednesday, Nov. 18, when they travel to South Bend to play Notre Dame. in 160th place. Michigan’s Mason Ferlic would win the men’s regional crown with a 30:18.3 time.

Michigan would also take the men’s title sending both their men and women to the NCAA championship.

Toledo finished in 24th place with a 669 total team score and a total time of 2:47.40 with an average time of 33:32.1 per runner.

The women’s team will return in December when they start their indoor track season with the Eastern Michigan Holiday Meet on Dec. 5.

Wednesday, November 18, 2015 | The Independent Collegian |

Diversity from page 1

the classrooms,” McKether said. “Throughout the university, having diversity and a climate of inclusion is critically important, because again, I think it brings about differences of opinions out in the same environment.”

McKether’s appointment is one of many diversity initiatives Gaber announced Friday, Nov. 13. In a universitywide email, Gaber wrote that the Office of Student Affairs will be focusing on diversity in the months to come.

The Office of Excellence and Multicultural Student Services will be looking for graduate students to assist with programming and mentorship to student groups. Their leadership will be receiving a change as well with the hiring of an associate dean for the office.

“The University of Toledo’s commitment to diversity must be infused into every action we take,” Gaber wrote.

Merger from page 3

to find communication as a major,” he said. “It’s helped our students I think, and it has certainly helped our enrollment numbers. “ Eidemiller stated that since leaving the College of Language Literature and Social Sciences, the communication department as a whole has seen more students interested in the program.

Both departments’ concerns were for the students, but they also wanted to make sure the transition was beneficial for the departments as well.

“The overarching idea is that you can make connections with new departments and create opportunities between both that weren’t as easily facilitated when they were in their own separate colleges,” Bollman said.

“It is represented in our words as well as our actions and decisions at all levels of the university.”

“I think this new position has shown minority students that Dr. Gaber is aware of diversity issues ... and she is taking proactive steps to improving the culture at UT.” MELANIE GOOSBY Vice President of BSU

David Young, director of OEMSS, said Gaber’s leadership and action has been crucial in maintaining a positive atmosphere for minorities on campus.

“I think that it’s important that the University of Toledo’s been proactive,”

Gina Gass, a fourth-year communication and theatre major, prefers CoCA to LLSS. “It’s a lot better,” she said. “They work a lot closer and bridge the gap between communication and the arts, while overlapping the skills students must be able to have.”

Katie Cepero, a communication graduate, thinks it was a smart move to leave LLSS. “There are a lot of students who double major in film and broadcasting,” Cepero said. “When communication was in LLSS, we as students, felt a little excluded or out of place but now that communication is a part of the arts, it’s easier to collaborate and create some really cool projects.”

Cepero also said that COCA is helping adapt students to the new society we live in today.

“Communication is a social science but it’s also

Young said. “This president moved without a student demonstration; this president moved without student unrest on the campus, and I think that’s important.”

According to Young, students have become increasingly more active and engaged in student movements. Young said McKether’s appointment was something he thinks students will respond well to, and will help give student voices a platform.

“The student voice is extremely important in this whole area. Students need to have a voice, students need voice their opinions and be heard,” Young said.

Melanie Goosby, vice president of the Black Student Union, said she is in favor of the new measures, and hopes they will improve dialogue between student groups as well as retention rates of minority students.

“I think this new position has shown minority students that Dr. Gaber is aware of

an art, and in this day and age even more so,” she said. “Our culture communicates in very different ways now than ten or so years ago, and this I think is adapting to that cultural change.”

The main goal, according to Bollman, is to make sure the students receive a quality education and make good connections during their time here.

“Our culture communicates in very different ways now than ten or so years ago, and this I think is adapting to that cultural change.”

KATIE CEPERO UT alumna

diversity issues that have arisen at other universities, and she is taking proactive steps to improving the culture at UT,” Goosby said.

Jack Alferio, president of UT Spectrum, wrote in an email interview that Spectrum is excited for the hiring of a new associate dean for OEMSS, which they feel will help the office immensely.

“Having someone in this role shows Gaber’s commitment to diversity in all its forms,” Alferio wrote. “I feel the campus has been seeing some great change on the terms of diversity since Gaber has been in office.”

McKether said the student voice is going to be an important part of formulating the strategic plan and gathering information going forward.

“I think it says also that we’re listening to students, we value students’ opinions and their views, we want them to know that we hear them, and that we want to develop a strategic plan that includes their voices.”

9

10

| The Independent Collegian | Wednesday, November 18, 2015