March 26, 2014

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

95th year • Issue 27

In My Skin

Serving the University of Toledo community since 1919

INSIDE

www.IndependentCollegian.com

Jacobs to step down in 2015 ADMINISTRATION

By Samuel Derkin and Samantha Rhodes

News Editor and Features Editor

University of Toledo President Lloyd Jacobs announced March 21 that he will step down on June 30, 2015.

“My time in Toledo has been among the most personally rewarding years of my life, and

Ola and I are looking forward to many more at UT and in the community,” Jacobs, 72, said in a press release. “I’m excited by a new opportunity to help UT and other universities adapt to the financial and resource pressures that will grow only more challenging over time.”

Joseph Zerbey, chair of the UT

David Fluellen is hoping to become the first UT football player drafted by the NFL since 2008.

See Jacobs / 7 »

JACOBS

“

UT’s Pershing Rifles troop aims high

SPORTS / 5 »

“When you’ve got people who want to work, who want the group to succeed more than the individual, you can be unstoppable.”

DANIELLE GAMBLE Former editor questions life and the future OPINION / 6 »

Faculty senate passes core curriculum resolution Faculty Senate unanimously passed a resolution March 25 asking the administration to change core curriculum courses.

NEWS / 3 »

SG proposes changes to help UT student groups Student Government expressed a need to strengthen student organization collaboration by passing several pieces of legislation on March 25 that included the support of a system-wide website consolidation and a student organization leader retreat.

NEWS / 3 »

SG ELECTIONS

Board of Trustees, said Jacobs’ departure is a “mutually agreed decision between Dr. Jacobs and the board of trustees.”

Jacobs’ contract was to run through June 30, 2016, meaning that the president will leave one year before his contract ends.

STUDENT ORGANIZATION

Chasing dreams

Inside this week’s issue The Independent Collegian is publishing a special edition, “In My Skin,” which includes topics like mental health issues, body issues, sexuality, gender identity or cultural differences.

To focus our resources on this important project, we did not include the usual Community section in this week’s paper.

INSIDE »

Student Gov’t debate set for March 31

By Amanda Pitrof Associate News Editor

COURTESY OF MICHAEL GONYEA

The University of Toledo’s Pershing Rifles troop L-1 performs a drill at NATCON, a national convention at which the John J. Pershing Memorial Drill Competition occurs. The student organization won the title of national champions at the competition in both 2013 and 2014.

By Samantha Rhodes Features Editor

Crossed legs, collared shirts and shoes polished to the kind of shine that would make a new car jealous — it was evident in their interview that members of the University of Toledo’s Pershing Rifles troop L-1 take great pride in their organization.

Why wouldn’t they? They’re two-time national drill competition champions, fraternity brothers and members of an elite military organization nearly 120 years old.

And Michael Gonyea, Jason Trujillo and Logan Mains — leaders of the troop — are confident that those highlights only scratch the surface of what it means to be in the Pershing Rifles.

Gonyea, a second-year mechanical engineering technology major who is also The Independent Collegian’s operations manager, serves as the president; Trujillo, a second-year secondary education major, serves as the chaplain; and Mains, a fourthyear history major, serves as the

vice president.

“High school prepared me for nothing and I just saw myself doing nothing,” Trujillo said.

“I sat down one night and said, ‘I want something better for my life. I want to accomplish something.’ And PR [Pershing Rifles] not only gave me a sense of accomplishment, but it said ‘You have the ability to do so much more than what you’ve been told.’”

Founded in 1894, Pershing Rifles is a Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) fraternal organization found on college and university campuses across the nation, according to the group’s Facebook site. Together, these units make up the National Society of Pershing Rifles.

Brotherhood was a recurring theme during their conversations, and each of them said it was ingrained into them.

These ties of brotherhood are so strong that Mains said he “has no doubt” his brothers would remain in his life after graduation.

“When I get married, my best man will definitely be one of my

PR brothers for sure,” Mains said. “Maybe even the whole groom’s party…. Four or five years down the road, if I couldn’t get people that I had personally known, I would come back to this university and come to the actives and say, ‘Hey, I have a wedding — does anyone want to be in the grooms party and does anyone want to do a saber guard?’”

Performing a saber guard in military weddings is just one way in which Pershing Rifles serves their community. Other services include performing color guards for football games and graduations, working with the Wounded Warrior Project and performing official ceremonies for those in the community who need to respectfully retire an American flag.

Every year, the troop looks See Pershing Rifles / 7 »

A debate between the presidential tickets for Student Government will be held March 31 at 6 p.m. in the Student Union’s Trimble Lounge.

The Independent Collegian and election board will co-sponsor the debate, where presidential candidates Clayton Notestine and Austin Serna, and their running mates Ali Eltatawy and Derek Martindale, will discuss their platforms and answer studentsubmitted questions.

Board Chair Kaitlyn Filzer said she is hoping for a good turnout.

“It’s an interesting way to find out more about the people who could be representing you in order to make informed voting decisions,” she said. “It is a major event in the election process.”

Serna is a second-year majoring in political science and public administration.

Martindale, his running mate, is a second-year majoring in accounting.

Notestine is a third-year majoring in political science.

His running mate, Ali Eltatawy, is a fourth-year double majoring in biology and chemistry.

Representatives of referendums and prospective senators will also be at the debate.

Elections will take place April 7 through April 10. Students will be voting not only on SG president but also on SG senators and a referendum that would change the Green Fund from an opt-in fee to an opt-out fee.

ALCOHOL SALES

UT reports about $84,000 in alcohol sales

By Joshuah Hampton Staff Reporter

The University of Toledo has earned about $84,000 this year in alcohol sales at football games, basketball games and Rocky’s Pub and Grill.

UT spokesperson Meghan Cunningham said that during the Fall 2013 football season, about $63,084 was earned in home-game alcohol sales, and about $20,000 has been taken in during basketball games in Savage Arena.

This fall, the Glass Bowl became the fourth football stadium in the Mid-American Conference to sell alcohol. Fans were able to buy 16-ounce beers in plastic bottles and sealed plastic cups of wine, which were available for purchase two at a time and priced at $6 each.

Regardless of age, all customers are required to provide identification.

UT’s football-season total exceeded the typical sales at one nearby school, Bowling Green State University, which pulls in between $20,000 and $25,000 annually in revenue from alcohol sales at football games.

Joy Seifert, director of Auxiliary Services, said

that although athletic-related alcohol sales were high, the same results were not seen at Rocky’s Pub and Grill, something she attributes to the hours Rocky’s is open.

Cunningham said alcohol sales from Rocky’s Pub and Grill, located in the Student Union, totaled about $875.

“The good news is that it is well received at our sports events,” Seifert said. “But it is not so well received by the general student body during academic study periods.”

According to Seifert, overall alcohol sales came

in under the projected goal.

“We would have liked to see around 10 or 15 thousand more than we have totaled right now,” Seifert said.

Seifert said all of the money received from alcohol is used for university-related expenses, such as paying Aramark, the university’s food service contractor.

See Alcohol sales / 8 »

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| The Independent Collegian | Wednesday, March 26, 2014

CAMPUS DIGEST Facebook.com/ICollegian

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NICOLE BADIK / IC

Rocket Recess

Students in Rocket Recess played a game of kickball in the Health Education Center, March 21. Andy Heilman, a fourth-year communication major, throws a kickball at Michael Steen, a first-year pre-pharmacy major to tag him out. The next meeting for Rocket Recess will be a game night on April 16, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the second floor of Carlson Library.

This week in UT history 20 years ago: The “Retro-Rocket Cafe,” also known as the Student Union Building Food Court, made its debut Tuesday, serving record numbers of students at its three fast-food outlets. The new food court features Subway, Taco Bell and Baskin-Robbins outlets in a cafeteria with a 1950s motif, complete with checkered floors, chrome furniture and a restored jukebox.

35 years ago: ”I don’t believe in tenure,” said board of trustees member Harold Oyster as he cast the only “no” vote to grant 30 faculty members tenure at Wednesday’s board meeting. With approximately 79 percent of the university’s faculty tenured, President Glen Driscoll said it bothered him to lose flexibility in replacing faculty, but he said there are policies for dismissing tenured faculty for moral turpitude, gross incompetence, or financial exigency.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

The Big Event was last week; what do you do to volunteer?

STUDENT GROUP OF THE WEEK

Liftoff UT

“PMD, Perceptual Motor Development, where we help mostly autistic kids.”

Chris Moody Fourth-year Exercise science

Purpose: The purpose of Liftoff UT is to foster the growth of all incoming students by helping them get a better understanding and feel for the University of Toledo.

Leaders: President: Taylor Juza; vice president of operations: Morgan Hawley; vice president of recruitment: Hannah O’Neil; vice president of marketing: Judy Brockman; vice president of finance: Kyle Mauter, vice president of communications: Gage Widener.

Upcoming events: We are always encouraging students to apply to be mentors for the incoming students.

Applications are still being accepted by email.

Learn more: Email is the best way to reach us; our email is liftoffut@yahoo.com. Our Twitter page is @LiftoffUT.

The Independent Collegian staff 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 EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief Danielle Gamble News Samuel Derkin, editor Amanda Pitrof, assoc. editor Features Samantha Rhodes, editor Sports Blake Bacho, editor Community Amanda Eggert, editor Alexandria Saba, assoc. editor Opinion Morgan Rinckey, editor Photography Nicole Badik, director Copy desk Lauren Gilbert, copy editor Jared Hightower, copy editor

BUSINESS Advertising Zachary Hartenburg, account executive Haley Musser, graphic designer

“I’m in graduate school, but before that, I liked to work at Columbus Speech and Hearing in the administrative and preschool programs.”

Anna Lichtenstein

First-year graduate student Speech pathology

Distribution Mandi Jung, manager Operations Michael Gonyea, manager COLLEGIAN MEDIA FOUNDATION Adviser Erik Gable The Independent Collegian is published by the Collegian Media Foundation, a private, not-for-profit corporation. © 2014

“I like to visit senior citizens and sit down and talk to them.”

Alexis Grimes Trotter Third-year Pre-pharmacy

NEWS Follow us onTwitter @TheICToledo

IN BRIEF

Award-winning author to speak March 26

Lawrence Coates, author of “The Garden of the World,” will speak at The University of Toledo on March 26, at 6 p.m. in Libbey Hall.

Coates will be discussing the novel writing process as a whole and the challenges of writing historical fiction.

Another subject of discussion will be the history of California’s wine industry, a topic that plays a large role in “The Garden of the World.”

This same book won Coates the 2013 Nancy Dasher Award from the College English Association of Ohio, which recognizes faculty-written outstanding publications.

Coates received his doctorate from the University of Utah and teaches creative writing at Bowling Green State University.

The event is sponsored by the UT Department of English Language and Literature and will be free and open to the public.

Department of Foreign Languages to host Reception April 2 The Department of Foreign Languages will hold a reception for students interested in foreign language study.

The reception will take place on April 2, from 11:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. in Field House Room 2420.

There will be brief presentations about the Department of Foreign Languages and study abroad programs, including special programs being offered, requirements for majors and minors, career opportunities for students in foreign language study and scholarships.

Students will have the opportunity to ask questions and meet informally with advisors as well as socialize with their instructors and other students.

Refreshments will be served.

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UT students take part in Big Event

FACULTY SENATE

Faculty Senate seeks changes in curriculum

By Torrie Jadlocki Staff Reporter

AMANDA PITROF / IC

Students met up in the University of Toledo Recreation Center March 22 before dispersing for the annual Big Event, a one-day community service project.

This year’s annual Big Event, a one-day community service project completely run by students, was held on Saturday, March 22. According to Emily Wallace, a member of the Big Event Executive Board, about 50 students were present on the University of Toledo’s Main Campus and about 100 were present at Ottawa Park.

“I want to say around 1,300 students participated total,” Wallace said.

Hannah Binegar (pictured left), a second-year pharmacy major and member of Delta Delta Delta Sorority, said her sorority puts a lot of effort into serving the community.

“For our sorority, we try to do as much community service as we can and just be involved in campus,” Binegar said.

Binegar, pictured at left, is carrying trash on the ground on Main Campus to a garbage can.

Criminal Justice program now offered online Starting this spring semester, the University of Toledo is offering its Master of Arts in Criminal Justice program online.

The Regents Advisory Committee on Graduate Study of the Ohio Board of Regents approved UT’s request for online delivery of this program.

The program allows parttime students to complete the Master of Arts in Criminal Justice program online in only two years. Full-time students may also be able to complete the degree in one year if a combination of on-campus and online courses are taken together.

Wednesday, March 26, 2014 | The Independent Collegian |

AMANDA PITROF / IC

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Legislation passed to strengthen UT student organization collaboration

By Samuel Derkin News Editor

Student Government expressed a need to strengthen student organization collaboration by passing several pieces of legislation on March 25 that included the support of a system-wide website consolidation and a student organization leader retreat.

OrgSync is an online system that, according to SG Senators Ali Eltatawy and Clayton Notestine, would improve communication and consolidate university-wide information.

“Basically you’re going to be able to communicate well and you’re going to able to streamline data,” Eltatawy said. “You’re going to be able to reduce the inefficiencies that occur when you’re trying to file paperwork for events and you’re going to be able to promote yourself as an organization; you’re going to promote your events as an organization.”

Notestine said the software will impact the way students communicate and stay involved with student organizations.

“The biggest issues that are affecting students today are two things: communication and turnover,” Notestine said. “Communication can best be done through written records, being able to communicate effectively with your members and being able to communicate between each organization. Preventing turnover works best when you can go over and inform and teach the future generations year after year.”

The OrgSync system would cost about $30,000 for the first year and $20,000 for consecutive years.

Notestine said that price would be offset by the fact that this one system would take the place of several similar online systems UT has.

“The good thing about this system is that it’s actually going to take over the responsibilities of several other systems that we are already paying for,” Notestine said. “All these things are modular and cost their own amount.”

Notestine said the UT administration and the Office of Student Involvement is considering the proposed system, but nothing has been finalized.

SG also passed a resolution to promote student involvement through providing a retreat for several top student organization leaders. This retreat, according to Eltatawy, will function as a pilot program for the bigger goal of providing a retreat for incoming freshmen.

The retreat will focus on UT history and creating connections among students.

“I think that something like this, creating and giving education about history of University of Toledo and instilling those lasting relationships, will speak towards retention, will speak towards professionalism later, it will speak towards the admissions and it will speak towards pretty much lasting relationships past college,” Eltatawy said.

Notestine, who authored the resolution along with Eltatawy, said that the end goal of an incoming freshman retreat would be a large undertaking for the university, but he wants to start the program on a smaller scale in order to gauge the program’s success.

“This project is going to bring student org leaders together in order that they might collaborate on projects,” Notestine said.

SG Senator Ronald Tallon said this proposed retreat would differ from UT’s Rocket Launch See Legislation / 8 »

Faculty Senate unanimously passed a resolution March 25 asking the administration to change core curriculum courses.

Senators said the proposed changes would streamline the process of choosing the right classes, and would also bring UT more in line with state standards, making it easier for students to transfer credits from UT to other Ohio schools.

The resolution is an adaptation of one from two years ago which was not put into action under the previous provost.

“The new core curriculum was never implemented,” said Kristen Keith, associate professor of economics. “So, what’s been in place is the old gen-ed [general education requirement], and so, in terms of your degree audit and advising, and the courses you’re required to take, you’re held to the old gen-ed.”

This resolution asks for the enactment of ideas put in place years ago, according to Faculty Senate President Linda Rouillard.

However, Rouillard said the state never approved these courses, nor did the previous provost make them available to students.

“So basically, students were registering and being advised to fulfill gen-ed requirements on the basis of the old gen-ed that we had,” Rouillard said.

Jerry Van Hoy, the department chair of sociology and anthropology, said the core curriculum will coordinate with curricula across the state “so that when students complete the core and then go elsewhere, they don’t have outstanding classes in that university’s general-ed to complete.”

“I think it clarifies things, both for students and advisors.”

LINDA ROUILLARD Faculty Senate President

Rouillard said when Provost Scott Scarborough took office in 2012, he inherited the issue.

Faculty Senate’s resolution must go through the provost’s office, the president’s office, and the board of trustees before being put into action, Rouillard said.

“It’s an example of how university governance has worked, or hasn’t worked, and students should take an interest in what’s going on, especially in terms of curriculum,” Van Hoy said.

Rouillard feels this change will make scheduling classes easier.

“I think it clarifies things, both for students and advisers,” Rouillard said.

“Why should you be wading through this list of courses, and that list of courses, and the state list of courses trying to figure out what it is you need to take to fulfill your graduation requirements?”

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| The Independent Collegian | Wednesday, March 26, 2014

CLASSIFIEDS FOR RENT

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ROOM FOR RENT Room for rent across the street from the University on Bancroft and Meadowwood.

Rent includes free internet, Direct TV, and access to the laundry room. Room goes for $350 with parking, $300 without. No pets, smoking or illicit drug use permitted. Call 419-705-2880.

STUDENT HOUSING 3-4 Bed, 2 Bath House. Appliances Included. 2 min walk to UT. Available May 1, 2014.

Call (989)859-3367

FOR SALE 2641 CHELTENHAM Close to campus, charming 3 bdrm/2 ba vintage brick home for sale. Energy efficient w/ all new windows, furnace/ AC. 2 fireplaces. Lovely

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HELP WANTED LIFE GUARD SUNSHINE HIRING PARTTIME AND RESOURCE LIFEGUARD: Must have current Lifeguard, CPR and First Aid Certification. Varied hours to include evenings and/or weekends. Position will be year round employment. Water Safety Instructor Certification preferred or WSI training will be provided. Sunshine offers excellent benefits, quality on-going training programs, competitive wages and potential for growth. For more information and to learn about additional employment opportunities, please visit www.sunshine.org.

EOE. Drug Free Workplace Email abushman@sunshine.org FREE GOLF, WORK OUTSIDE! Golf course maintenance, Brandywine Country Club.

Full/part-time. 419-865-5090 or csingler@brandywinecc.com.

E-COMMERCE Goodwill has an immediate opening for a Lister for its e-commerce store www.shopgoodwill. com. Ability to list photographed merchandise on the website in a timely fashion, meet and exceed benchmarks and good attendance are necessary. Applications may be obtained and accepted at the Cherry store on 626 N. N Huron, OR mail resume with cover letter, to Goodwill at 626 N. Huron St., Toledo, Ohio 43604, Attn: Sarah Semer.

WEB PROGRAMMING Short-term (12 weeks) web programming project that requires expertise in PHP and WordPress. Located near campus in Bowling Green.

Could lead to full-time employment. Email resumes to christinekohler@electricquilt. com. No phone calls please.

FULL-TIME NANNY Looking for a full-time nanny (schedule negotiable) to help take care of a 5-month-old. In exchange, you will receive free room and board across the street from UT. Students encouraged to apply. Please call 419705-2880 if you are interested.

SPORTS Follow us on Twitter @ IC_Sports

IN BRIEF

UT postpones midweek matchups

The Toledo baseball team’s midweek contests against archrival Bowling Green and Oakland on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 25-26, have been postponed this week, head coach Cory Mee announced on Monday.

No makeup dates for either the home opener against the Falcons or Wednesday’s away contest against the Golden Grizzlies have been scheduled.

UT is slated to be on the field this weekend, Friday-Sunday, March 28-30, as they face Akron in what will be their home opener at Scott Park.

Wednesday, March 26, 2014 | The Independent Collegian |

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FOOTBALL

Chasing dreams

UT women fall 4-3 to Buffalo The University of Toledo women’s tennis team lost for the first time in its past seven matches on Saturday, falling to Buffalo 4-3.

The Rockets now sit at 1-1 in Mid-American Conference play and hold a 10-4 overall record.

Sophomore Katelyn Nguyen and junior Pia Rygh won their seventh straight doubles match, winning by a score of 8-1 in No. 2 doubles.

In singles, UT recorded three of six wins, but it wasn’t enough to complete a comeback against their MAC foes.

Nguyen recorded a 6-4, 6-4 win in No. 3 singles, while junior Lexy Pitt won 6-3, 6-2 in the No. 5 singles spot and sophomore Emily Mazzola went to three sets before pulling out a victory in the No. 4 singles spot.

The match came down to No. 1 singles, as senior Chrissy Coffman won the first set but was unable to sustain the momentum, falling in the next two sets for the clinching point.

Toledo returns home for two MAC matches next weekend, hosting Bowling Green on Friday, March 28, and Western Michigan on Saturday, March 29.

COMMENTARY

BLAKE BACHO

SPORTS EDITOR

There’s always next season

Rocket men defeat No. 58 Buffalo in MAC opener The Toledo men’s tennis team opened MidAmerican Conference play on Sunday, defeating No. 58 Buffalo 5-2.

The Rockets won the doubles point by taking two of three matches.

“Our guys were well prepared and this match showed that all their work and challenges have helped them improve,” head coach Al Wermer said. “Conference matches are special team experiences, and the guys recognize the opportunity.”

Sophomore Garret Cona and freshman Stjepan Sisko took home the win in No. 1 doubles with an 8-5 victory.

Juniors Mark Singnil and Nicky Wong teamed up to post an 8-4 triumph in the No. 2 doubles spot.

In singles, Sisko won the clinching point with a 6-3, 6-2 win in the No. 2 singles spot. He is now 12-8 on the season, and has won eight of his last ten matches with a threematch win streak.

Singnil improved to 14-5 this year with a 7-5, 6-3 victory in the top singles spot. Wong and sophomore Ryan Jorgensen recorded the final two victories in singles play for the Rockets, winning in No. 4 and No. 5 singles, respectively.

Toledo will hold its second MAC match at Ball State on Sunday, March 30. The match is scheduled for 2 p.m.

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JACKIE KELLETT / IC

Former UT running back David Fluellen (shown above) finished his collegiate career ranked fourth all-time in Toledo with 3,336 career rushing yards. Fluellen finished the 2013 season with 1,121 yards despite missing most of four games due to injuries. He hopes to hear his name called when the 2014 NFL draft kicks off next month.

David Fluellen hoping to become first UT player drafted since 2008

By Blake Bacho Sports Editor

Former University of Toledo running back David Fluellen is facing what might be the most difficult challenge of his football career.

No, it’s not another regular season finale matchup with Northern Illinois, or another rivalry faceoff for the Battle of I-75 trophy either.

The battle Fluellen has found himself up against is known simply as the waiting game, and it is a challenge all football players must face in their journey to enter the National Football League.

The former Rocket participated in the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Ind., last month before traveling back to Toledo for UT’s pro day event. He’s now left to sit, wait and hope for his chance to prove he belongs on the professional football stage.

“I feel like this is the hardest part,” Fluellen said in a phone interview. “After all the senior bowls and combines and pro days, you’ve basically proven anything that you can. There is nothing else you can do to help yourself, so right now it is just basically a waiting game.

“The only thing you can do is keep working out, stay in shape, and get ready for when a team does call you.”

One team has already come calling. Fluellen will meet with the New Orleans Saints next month as the team prepares for the 2014 NFL Draft, which kicks off May 8 in New York City.

“You’re there basically to get to know the coaching staff more,” he said of the interview process. “They can go over medical physical history with you, [and] you talk and watch a lot of film with coaches and just visit the city.”

The whirlwind process of traveling and auditioning for the 32 teams in the NFL started with the combine, but it didn’t go as well as Fluellen would have hoped.

According to NFL.com’s Combine Tracker, the two-time first-team All-MAC selection ran a 4.72-second 40-yard dash, good for only 27th out of the 33 running backs who participated.

But the combine wasn’t just about numbers, and Fluellen said he enjoyed the experience even if he wasn’t overjoyed with his performance.

“Watching the combine when you are little and growing up and then finally getting to be there is just really like a shock to you,” he said. “Being there with the best of the best from all around the country and all the different conferences, it just really brings out the competitive edge in you.”

Fluellen was able to improve on his time at Toledo’s pro day, clocking in at 4.68 seconds when he ran for representatives of the at least 18 NFL organizations in attendance.

“I was comfortable with the whole thing because I knew what I [should] expect because of the combine,” he said. “I just felt more comfortable being out on the field with the guys one more time. It was just a lot of fun.”

Several other Rockets worked out at UT’s pro day, including former quarterback Terrance Owens and wide receiver Bernard Reedy, creating a bittersweet reunion for this past season’s senior players.

“It was fun at first but kind of sad,” Fluellen said.

“You realize this is the last time you are going to be playing or be on the same field with the guys.”

The reunion took on an additional sour meaning when Toledo’s poor ending to last season is factored in. With Fluellen sidelined due to injuries, Toledo skidded to a 7-5 record, and the Rockets were left out of the annual bowl season.

“You wish you had one more season to leave on a

“I feel like this is the hardest part. After all the senior bowls and combines and pro days, you’ve basically proven anything that you can. There is nothing else you can do to help yourself, so right now it is just basically a waiting game.”

DAVID FLUELLEN Former UT running back

better note,” he said. “But it is in the past and you are really just looking forward to moving on with the next step in your life.”

With him moving on, the running backs that will

“Honestly, to get drafted would mean the world to me. It’s something that you dream of when you are a little kid.”

DAVID FLUELLEN Former UT running back

replace Fluellen in Toledo next season will have very big shoes to fill. Flu’s 3,336 career rushing yards rank fourth all-time at UT, and he finished the 2013 season with 1,121 yards despite missing most of four games due to injuries.

According to him, those shoes will fit just fine.

“They got a great running back room and a lot of guys that played a lot last year and got a lot of experience,” Fluellen said. “I feel that the team can really rally around those guys and win a lot of football games.”

The former Rocket has one last gift he hopes to give his former school when the

Draft rolls around in May: a new face to add to the list of Toledo players who made it to the NFL. It is a list that hasn’t been added to since 2008, when the Rockets sent two players to professional football teams.

“I want to open that market back up and let people know that UT does have football players that are good enough to be drafted,” Fluellen said.

School loyalty aside, the chance to play pro football is something Fluellen has been dreaming of since the first time he dashed to a touchdown while wearing a Pop Warner jersey.

And if Fluellen’s name is called inside Radio City Music Hall on May 8, it will definitely make the waiting game that he’s been playing worthwhile.

“Honestly to get drafted would mean a lot to me,” he said. “It’s something that you dream of when you are a little kid.

“For you to realize that all your hard work over the years has paid off and you finally get a chance to go after the dream you’ve had since you were little, it just really proves that you can do whatever you want in life as long as you stay positive and continue to chase your dream.”

JACKIE KELLETT / IC

Fluellen, shown here during the Nov. 12 game against Buffalo, participated in the NFL Scouting Combine last month in Indianapolis, Ind. He also worked out during UT’s pro day event, and he is scheduled to meet with the New Orleans Saints during the first week of April.

There’s always next year.

For most, this saying is simply wishful thinking.

For Detroit Lions fans such as myself, it sometimes sounds like flying-pig talk with a dash of pixie dust mixed in.

The saying is a way to ignore the mediocrity that a program has fallen into in favor of simply fantasizing about what could happen the next time stadium lights flicker to life.

The University of Toledo men’s basketball team, however, is far from mediocre.

The rafters at Savage Arena hold all the proof anyone needs of what UT can achieve on a basketball court, and thanks to men’s head coach Tod Kowalczyk’s success over this past year, that space is about to get even more crowded.

But after all the UT records his squad rewrote, Kowalczyk’s men fell flat against the best the Mid-American Conference had to offer.

After all the UT records his squad rewrote, Kowalczyk’s men fell flat against the best the Mid-American Conference had to offer.

In the MAC Championship, Western Michigan exposed the Rockets as a team that needs at least one more year of improvement before they can earn a NCAA Tournament invitation.

And thanks to a 66-59 loss to Southern Mississippi last week, Toledo’s brief stint in the NIT Tournament ended long before they could even sniff another championship game.

But the Rockets will improve.

Four starters from this year’s MAC regular season co-champion squad — guards Justin Drummond and Juice Brown, forward J.D. Weatherspoon and center Nathan Boothe — will return next season.

They now know what it is like to play together for a championship, and they will be hungry for another opportunity.

For Drummond, Juice, and Weatherspoon, who will all be seniors, it will be the last chance they are offered to play for an NCAA invite. Next year will take on even more meaning for them.

Toledo’s freshman trio, which came off the bench to provide crucial momentum so many times this past year, will also be back to help UT’s starters.

Guards Jordan Lauf and Jonathan Williams and center Zach Garber will get another offseason to learn how to play college ball, and that looks likely to See Season / 6 »

6

| The Independent Collegian | Wednesday, March 26, 2014

OPINION

EDITORIAL BOARD Danielle Gamble Editor-in-Chief

Morgan Rinckey Opinion Editor

Send letters to the editor to Editor@independentcollegian.com

Samuel Derkin News Editor

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.

www.IndependentCollegian.com COMMENTARY

COMMENTARY

Former editor questions life and the future

Addressing accusations about Election Board

I’ve spent this year as editor-in-chief solving cape and a hunchbacked servant. These are people problems, answering questions and offering solu— students, faculty and administrators — that so tions. But now I’ve got a lot of questions that I flagrantly abuse the system, they spit in the face of don’t know how to answer. every other constituency in this community.

Like, how do you summarize the best years of your But worst of all, I have seen droves of people life in one column? here who don’t give a damn. Not one little damn.

Short answer: you can’t. UnThey wander through campus, barely less you want a column much coherent of the other people around longer than anyone’s willing them, not giving any more thought to to read. I mean, at that point, the university than it takes for them you’re asking for a novel. to espouse a half-baked opinion about Maybe even a movie deal. why Toledo sucks.

And anyway, if I did try and I feel like for three years, I’ve been summarize the three years watching swarms of stupid, selfish and vilI’ve worked at The Indepenlainous subhumans hack at the body that is dent Collegian, it’d have to be UT, while the apathetic stand around as the in a way that very few people blood pools around all our feet. would understand. The years “Wow, that was a bit much,’”you’re come through to me in flashes: probably thinking. “With all of this red ink, exhaustion, incoherent analysis and fancy writing, you must have yells, heavy food odors, unfigured out a solution. What is the answer funny jokes, salty tears, hugs. to our problems? Actually, what are our Coffee, too, of course. problems again? You didn’t exactly give EDITOR-IN-CHIEF And whiskey. us any specific examples — you’re just But I can’t let my insufficient kind of insulting a bunch of theoretical writing abilities get in the way of this column. After all, people. You’re not being very useful. Man, I wish I it’s a tradition at this paper dating back… well actually, wasn’t still reading this column.”

I don’t know how long. And I’m not exactly sure why.

Yes, I know, it’s hard for me to sort it out, too. The I mean, who cares what one student thinks problems we have swing along a wide spectrum — about working at the school newspaper? Sure, the overly expensive and unsatisfying dining services, experience of working here has meant more to me lack of funding to student life, sinking enrollment, than anything I can fathom. Okay, and the people a shrinking pool of support staff, both overworked I’ve worked with are the most incredible, talented and under-motivated faculty members, both overindividuals I’ve ever come across, and I’m unimag- stressed and overpaid administrators. inably lucky just to have met them.

I could dedicate a column just to listing our But who wants to read about that? Wouldn’t problems. But can I propose a solution to all of you prefer a short video about it, or that movie them — to any of them?

I keep talking about? I mean, are you even still Short answer: I can’t. But I think I know who can. reading this? Wow, you must be bored.

The student leaders who sacrifice a few grades Well, I can’t summarize the past three years. and give up a few hours at their job to host a orBut can I summarize what I’ve learned about the ganization meeting, or to counsel a fellow student University of Toledo? through a difficult time.

First, I think we all know that UT has problems The staff member who does the job of two to — I mean, we have an entire Twitter page dedicated make sure the office runs smoothly, and still wears to them. But I think everyone in this community a huge smile for the students. misunderstands what a lot of those problems are.

The faculty member who stays long after their More often than not, the groups of people in charge office hours should be over to help a struggling of making change are either too busy blaming each student, or goes out of their way to serve on Facother to focus on solutions, or they’re concentrating ulty Senate or a university committee. on the symptoms rather than the sickness.

The administrator who takes a long-shot meetI have met stupid people here. There are stuing with a student just because they asked, or dents, faculty and administrators who can barely sacrifices seeing their family just to catch up with people in the Student Union. comprehend what their duties are, and do them The ones who have the answers are here right so poorly that one can scarcely understand where now. They’re what has kept me going all these incompetence starts and brain damage begins. years, who made working at the IC worth it.

They’re the people that words like “communicaThey’re the people here who care. tion” and “collaboration” are something I doubt After five years at this school, I’ve seen some bad they can even spell, let alone put into practice. things. There are things that will take a very long time I have met selfish people here. There are stuto fix, and things I don’t think will ever be truly healed. dents, faculty and administrators who care only But if the IC has taught me anything, it’s that about how the university can serve their personal desires. They chase after unattainable privileges, or getting the right people in the right place can do bigger paychecks, without stopping for a second to a lot. When you’ve got people who want to work, who want the group to succeed more than the ask how their proposed outcome will affect other individual, you can be unstoppable. groups on campus, or how they can help solve the So, even though I don’t have a solution, I do problem a different way. have one last question: I have met villains here. And when I say villain, Want to help?

I mean, shadowy figure with a metaphorical black

In a democratic system, elections are how great Johns felt the format was for run according to rules. And at the Unithe petitions he had used, he had not versity of Toledo, Student Government complied with the very first rule listed elections are run by the Election Board, regarding petitions. The rule states: of which I am the chair. Recently, the “You must use only the provided Form board and I were criticized by one peti3: 2014 SG Election Petition Forms to tion gatherer for the way collect signatures.” As in which we are enforcing such, there was little election rules. argument to be made in Therefore, Election his favor, since he had Board is comprised used his own petition of nine members forms rather than the who are entrusted to one I sent to him. ensure efficient and Election Board does fair elections. It is our not make decisions job to plan and execute based upon our perevery step of the elecsonal feelings towards tion process as well as candidates or referenda. confirm that all election We make decisions rules are being followed. based on whether or We do not simply not election rules have make up election rules been followed, and they haphazardly; each elecsimply had not. tion season, an Election In fact, Election Board GUEST COLUMNIST Board Manual is read and and SG as a whole are debated by Senate three very concerned with the times. This manual lays out every step of well-being and opinions of the students. the election process, including dates, necThis is why elections are so important to essary paperwork and campaign rules. every student on this campus.

These rules are extremely clear and Some students may not be aware of the detailed for three primary reasons. First, positive changes taking place on campus, it gives candidates an understanding and the hand SG had in creating these of exactly what they need to do to be changes. For instance, over the past year, placed on the ballot. Second, it makes SG has worked on valuable initiatives enforcing the rules in a fair and imparranging from developing a Bike Share tial way far easier for the Election Board program, working to improve dining exas it leaves little room for ambiguity. periences and increase hours for dining Third, it ensures that potential candivenues such as Starbucks and coordinatdates have the capability of reading and ing with faculty on academic issues that comprehending these sorts of docustudents have brought forward. Table ments, a necessary skill for an organizaTuesdays were put into effect in order to tion such as SG that deals with legislaallow SG members to interact directly tive issues extremely often. with students and find out what SG can I must address the accusations made do for them.

by Ron Johns against myself and Election I am quite excited for the upcoming Board as a whole. Before the election election. There are two very qualified process began, he asked me how students and ambitious presidential tickets, could go about placing a referendum on several future senators eager to serve the ballot. I emailed all of the election the UT student body, and one interesting referendum on the 2014 ballot. I documents to him, and encouraged him to contact me with any questions regard- encourage all students to check out the platforms of the individuals in order to ing the documents or procedure. make informed decisions election week.

He did not contact me, but rather I invite you all to attend the presiturned in two referenda to me at the dential debate that will take place mandatory election meeting. He atMonday, March 31, at 6 p.m. in the tempted to go through the referenda Trimble Lounge to find out more inforwith me at that time and asked if they mation about these leaders. Elections were acceptable and would be placed will be held April 7-10, so be sure to on the ballot; I informed him that all log on to your myUT portal and vote. of the documents would be reviewed And although it is too late to run in this and verified by the Election Board and year’s elections, please consider checking the Dean of Students and that I would out SG, and consider getting involved contact him with an answer. with this organization in the future.

Upon review, the Election Board Kaitlyn Filzer is a fourth-year double unanimously determined that his piecmajoring in political science and global es did not meet with the requirements studies, and chair of the 2014 Student laid out in the manual I had personGovernment Election Board. ally emailed to Ron Johns. No matter

DANIELLE GAMBLE

Season from page 5

move one of them from the bench to the starting five next season.

And new blood will enter the Toledo system as well.

Under Kowalczyk, the Rockets’ recruitment program has blossomed, and it will continue to do so in the future.

Whether the next generation of Rockets can fill the basketball shoes left by senior guard Rian Pearson, however, might be the deciding factor at next year’s MAC Tournament.

If Toledo can still be the top offense in the conference without Pearson, then there is no telling what they can do against Western Michigan in another championship match up.

And if UT can learn to

consistently play defense as aggressively as they play offense, then maybe it will be the Broncos that get trampled next year.

During UT’s time in Cleveland for the MAC Tournament, Kowalcyzk pointed out that this past season had been the first that the Rockets had spent on an even playing field with the rest of the conference since before he arrived in Toledo

Last week’s solution

nearly four years ago.

The well-documented penalties levied against the program for past regime’s low academic scores had finally been lifted. In this first year of freedom, Toledo went all the way to the conference’s championship game.

And they broke the school record for most wins in a season along the way. Now, with another year of full practice and scholarship op-

KAITLYN FILZER

portunities, they can go for their own record next year.

The last time Toledo sent a team to the NCAA tournament, there was over a decade to go before I would even be born. It has been too long a wait for the Rockets’ dedicated fan base, and this team is the closest UT has come in a long time to breaking that draught.

Getting over that hump

next season will be the goal on everyone’s mind, regardless of what players and their coach say in press conferences and interview sessions along the way.

In every player’s mind, and in Coach K’s mind will be the same thought, one that started when they piled into busses and drearily headed home from Cleveland two weeks ago.

There is always next year.

Wednesday, March 26, 2014 | The Independent Collegian |

Jacobs from page 1

COURTESY OF MICHAEL GONYEA

The University of Toledo Pershing Rifles troop L-1 poses after winning the John. J. Pershing Memorial Drill Competition at NATCON, an annual national convention which took place March 13-15 in Richmond, Virginia.

Pershing rifles from page 1

forward to NATCON, a national convention at which the John J. Pershing Memorial Drill Competition occurs, a namesake of the famous U.S. general who founded the Pershing Rifles.

Many Army, Navy and Air Force ROTC units were present as well as two units from the National Society of Pershing Angels, the national military drill sorority. Over 20 units were in attendance and the U.S. Coast Guard Silent Drill Team judged the competition and also performed for the audience.

Trujillo said that, in the weeks leading up to the competition, the troop practiced “just about every day of the week” for 3 to 4 hours daily — “until our hands and fingers bled.”

After overcoming vigorous practices, dislocated fingers and bruised body parts, the troop’s hard work paid off when their combined overall score after all five drill events won them the title of national champions for the second year in a row.

Gonyea said the types of armed drill that are seen at NATCON include regulation and exhibition as well as color guard and solo and duet exhibition. He also mentioned a new event called an unarmed exhibition. The teams don’t use weapons in their drill, but will stomp, clap and sometimes sing in rhythm.

“Exhibition is more the fun, the crowdpleasing one,” Gonyea said. “It’s where we actually get to toss rifles, spin rifles, throw them to each other. We have a minimum and maximum time limit to meet, and within that time, we’re allowed to do anything we want as long as it’s appropriate.”

“Sometimes it turns out that Darth Vader is a Pershing Rifleman.”

JASON TRUJILLO Pershing Rifles Chaplain

According to Mains, the annual convention is free and open to the public. Activities include legislative sessions, breakout training sessions, networking time, a formal dinner and a social hour to provide an opportunity for the units to bond and learn about one another.

For Gonyea, being a member of Pershing Rifles links him to people in both the past and future, something he “takes great pride in because you never know who’ll be famous.”

For instance, award-winning actor James Earl Jones was a Pershing Rifles member from Michigan, according to Trujillo.

“Sometimes it turns out that Darth Vader is a Pershing Rifleman,” Trujillo said with a laugh.

Though the group is considered a fraternity and has new-member rituals, Trujillo said it differs from traditional Greek fraternities in that “typical Greek is more for the social factor; we are here to develop leaders.”

Trujillo, who creates and conducts rituals for new members, said their rituals are “meant to give the group sincerity

and make the entire experience genuine,” something that separates them from basic ROTC members. He even shared that one ceremony ends in “a bunch of grown men crying.”

“It’s something deeper that we create,” Trujillo said. “We get to combine the military training with our own ritualistic, almost Greek-like experience. We give you the idea that these people that you’re with right now are not just people that you’re going to know for the next four years, but these are people you’re going to be with for a lifetime, and you’re bound by the name ‘Pershing Rifles’.”

That’s one of the reasons members wear “crossed rifles” pins on collared shirts.

“When I first got the position of regiment commander, I’d wear [the pin] all the time,” Gonyea said. “Then it just got broke one day because I wore it too much and the pin wore out because I kept putting it on different clothes, so I basically just permanently attached it the inside of my wallet.”

Though some universities have strict guidelines for joining Pershing Rifles, the UT troop allows any UT student to apply, including civilians with little or no military background.

All sexes, races and sexual orientations are welcome.

“No, you don’t have to join the military; no, we’re not ROTC,” Mains said. “In fact, you don’t even need a uniform to join.”

Mains said applicants must be enrolled at UT, have at least one earned credit hour, and must “be proficient in military training, movements and knowing the history of the organization.”

Applicants must pass specific tests, complete rituals and pass a three-night evaluation process, which includes the U.S. Army’s physical fitness tests.

According to Mains, the “bare minimums are pretty easy to pass” and include doing 42 pushups in two minutes for men and 19 for women.

There are about 30 active members, 22 of whom are full-time, active members, according to Mains. Six members are currently in the process of joining, and nearly one-third of the troop — nine members — is female.

Despite the effort involved in joining, Gonyea said being a member of Pershing Rifles gives him immeasurable motivation to work hard.

“I feel this is the first, and so far, the only organization that has truly recognized any hard work I’ve done, whether it’s through promotions, awards or just someone telling me,” Gonyea said. “Anything you do that reflects the society positively — someone will recognize it — whether it’s your subordinates, your active superiors, or even alumni.”

Regardless of the strict stereotype that comes along with being part of a “military organization,” Mains said that the members really do have a “soft side.”

“We’re only strict when we have to be,” Mains said. “When it comes to our normal day-to-day business, we’re fun people — we love ‘Game of Thrones’ just like everyone else.”

To learn more about Pershing Rifles, visit their national website at www.theprgroup.org or the UT troop’s Facebook page at tinyurl. com/UTPershing.

“Most of us agreed that it was understandable that he left a year earlier than his contract called for,” Zerbey said. “What his personal reasons were are his. We agreed to accommodate that mutually.”

Zerbey said “it’s pretty much agreed” that after stepping down as president, Jacobs will be leading a new entity called the Institute of University Transformation.

“That was Dr. Jacobs’ idea,” Zerbey said.

“He’s very qualified to develop it. It’s in its early stages and a lot of it has yet to be determined.”

Zerbey said Jacobs is concerned about “the rapidly changing environment in higher education” and how universities like UT will cope with it.

“If he can concentrate and focus his very great deal of expertise that he has in that area, it will benefit not only us, but it should benefit higher education throughout the country,” Zerbey said.

The details of this arrangement are not yet determined, Zerbey said, including whether Jacobs will receive any kind of severance for leaving the presidency early and what he will be paid for his new role. His annual salary as president is $392,700.

“We have yet to see the plan and the makeup of what it will be,” Zerbey said. “I think the idea has been approved, but the content, the actual working parts of it have yet to be determined.”

Zerbey said in the initial announcement of Jacobs’ departure that UT and the surrounding community owe Jacobs “a debt of gratitude for his success in raising UT’s national profile.”

“I know that he’s been a big component with the merger, and he’s been an active president on campus. I’m just interested to see who can fill his shoes.”

LAUREN JENCEN Student Government Vice President

Faculty Senate President Linda Rouillard criticized Jacobs’ time in office, telling the IC on March 22 that “we are in desperate need of new leadership.”

She publicly displayed her dissatisfaction with Jacobs at the March 25 Faculty Senate meeting, saying this “is the lowest point I have seen at UT in terms of morale, enrollment [and] academics.”

“Dr. Jacobs’ leadership has shown a ... lack of integrity, a disregard for academics, a disdain for faculty and a willingness to treat students as cash cows,” Rouillard said. “His leadership adopts fads rather than research.

7

… Regular budget shortfalls have been followed by scour spending.”

Rouillard said Jacobs has “stifled the faculty voice at every turn” and that she feels change is needed.

“Dr. Jacobs’ leadership has shown a lack of integrity, a disregard for academics, a distain for faculty and a willingness to treat students as cash cows. His leadership adopts fads rather than research... Regular budget shortfalls have been followed by scour spending.”

LINDA ROUILLARD Faculty Senate President

“It is time to re-discern the faculty role and responsibilities in program development rather than allow administration to organize academic programs in the shadows in an effort to find the wealthiest students,” Rouillard said. “It’s time to re-assert the faculty role and responsibilities in financial and budgetary issues.”

Rouillard said that it’s “time for full disclosure” and she wants the faculty to have “direct, two-way communication with the board of trustees.”

“We have recently heard some reports that give us hope that we are entering an era in the history of the university that will be more transparent,” Rouillard said.

When it comes to making the decision of whom the next UT president should be, Rouillard told the IC she thinks “faculty, staff and students should be working with the board of trustees.”

Jacobs became the 16th president of UT in July 2006 after being selected to lead the merged institution formed by the joining of UT and the former Medical University of Ohio. He has served UT for eight years and the former Medical University of Ohio for three.

Student Government Vice President Lauren Jencen said Jacobs’ stepping down will impact students because she feels he is “the face of the University of Toledo.”

“I know that he’s been a big component with the merger, and he’s been an active president on campus,” Jencen said. “I’m just interested to see who can fill his shoes.”

According to Zerbey, a national presidential search will be in the works and a formal search process will soon be announced.

Associate News Editor Amanda Pitrof also contributed to this story.

8

| The Independent Collegian | Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Alcohol sales from page 1

“Aramark is a contract that we pay based on KPI [key performance indicators] – it’s a flat rate,” Seifert said. “All the money earned from alcohol everywhere on the university stays on the university. We pay Aramark for the food, and then based on their performance, they can earn a bonus.”

Seifert said the two home football games that brought in the most alcohol sales were the first and last games. She also said she thinks the bad weather this season hindered sales.

“We would have liked to see more money coming in, but unfortunately our football season was very cold and rainy,” Seifert said. “We had a really good first game, and we had an amazing last game. We actually ran out of beer during our last game and had to go out and get more.”

Seifert said new additions such as draft beer are possible.

“We are looking at draft

Legislation from page 3

because it would focus on UT’s history and traditions.

“We really want to get the students within UT and get them to know the history of why they’re here and how special this university is,” Tallon said.

Notestine said this legislation is simply a starting point for these ideas.

“This legislation is just one of the middle steps to what we’re going to do,” he said. “Everything that we say here, whether it is to adopt OrgSync, or what have you, is our recommendation. It is what we as individuals, as the authors, want to do. What’s going to happen in the next steps is we’re going to take this legislation to administration and we’re going to work with them, we’re going to work with the staff, we’re going to work with graduate assistants and we’re going to actually finalize an actual plan for the future.”

beers next year for the football games,” Seifert said. “If the pub stays, it will also have draft beer hopefully.

We chose purposely not to go with draft beer our first year out so that we had a little bit more control. We wanted to see the process flow and see what we needed to fix.”

“All the money earned from alcohol everywhere on the university stays on the university.”

JOY SEIFERT Director of Auxiliary Services

Seifert also said a Huntington ATM could be present in the Glass Bowl for all home football games so that attendees can withdraw money to buy alcohol if desired.

“We definitely know we need to work with our banking institute to get an ATM at the games,” Seifert said. “Some people show up to the games not knowing beer is sold and do not have enough cash to get a drink.”

Robert Delk, a fourth-year mathematics major, is of age to drink alcohol and said he likes the fact that it’s sold at UT home sporting events and at Rocky’s.

“Alcohol being sold on campus makes the games more student-friendly in a way,” Delk said. “It brings control. Since students are not allowed to have alcohol on campus, the school can kind of regulate the students’ alcohol intake.”

Dean Mills, a secondyear business finance major, is not of age to drink, but said he still agrees with the idea of UT selling alcohol.

“I think it’s sweet,” Mills said. “Most professional sporting events sell alcohol, so it’s a good idea as long as the buyers are of age. I think it brings in quite a bit of money if done right in the future years.”

A special issue dedicated to shedding light on difficult, unique topics or giving a voice to those who don’t often speak out.

SPECIAL EDITION

IN MY SKIN

2 | The Independent Collegian | Wednesday, March 26, 2014

About this special edition...

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view — until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”

Atticus Finch,

Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird”

N

ewspapers are here to get information out to the masses, and there are a million and one ways that we share that information. Should we share some bite-sized statistics? Should we cover a fundraiser for a local nonprofit trying to raise awareness about a topic? Should we write an editorial?

Yes. But so much more.

Topics like mental health issues, body issues, sexuality, gender identity or cultural differences are important. But they’re also really hard to quantify, to wrap up in a nice bow and present to the public. Every story is different. Every journey has bumps that someone else couldn’t even fathom. These are issues that are hard to talk about, and even harder to understand.

But we should be talking about them more, and that’s why we developed “In My Skin” — a special issue dedicated to shedding light on difficult, unique topics or giving a voice to those who don’t often speak out.

This isn’t just another issue. These are stories about people from all walks of life.

Hopefully, you’ll read something that will make you think in a way you never have before. Or maybe you’ll read a perspective all too familiar, and it reassures you that you’re not alone.

Either way, we hope you enjoy this celebration of life.

— The Independent Collegian staff

EDITORIAL TEAM Editing and Design Alexandria Saba, Danielle Gamble, Morgan Rinckey, Amanda Eggert Photos and Art Nicole Badik Cover Art Jackie Kellett Copy Editors Lauren Gilbert, Jared Hightower Contributers Paris Black, Lauren Bridgewater, Tiara Green, Joe Heidenescher, Jessica Liner, Sohan Mutha, Amanda Pitrof Adviser Erik Gable “In My Skin” is a special edition published by The Independent Collegian, a student newspaper dedicated to serving the University of Toledo’s community.

The Independent Collegian is published by the Collegian Media Foundation, a private, not-for-profit corporation. © 2014

STUDENT PERSPECTIVES

What is an experience in which you felt odd or different?

“I felt odd when I was in Catholic school and I didn’t believe in a religion. When we would have after-school communion classes, I would always sleep through them. The nuns would always be mad at me.”

JOEY UTTER First-year Business

“When I went to Clay High School my freshman year, I didn’t fit in because I didn’t have anything in common with the people that were there. When I went to TSA [Toledo School for the Arts], it felt more like a family-oriented place because everyone had their own special talent and no one was better than anyone else.”

TIFFANY CURRY First-year Accounting

“In eighth-grade gym when I was one of only two guys that had leg hair. I felt so awkward and misunderstood because I didn’t understand why no one else had hairy legs.”

COLLIN FOLK First-year Computer science and engineering technology

“Freshman year at Central Catholic [High School], before I tried out for cheerleading, everyone had gone to a Catholic elementary school except me. Everyone had their own cliques and I felt left out. When I joined cheerleading though, I made friends.”

BRI WALKER Second-year Early childhood education

Wednesday, March 26, 2014 | The Independent Collegian |

3

COMMENTARY

Fatherless daughter:

How I overcame his absence and started to believe in myself PARIS BLACK IC COLUMNIST

At the age of 5, I asked my mom what I did wrong to make my father not want me. My mom told me, when I was old enough to understand, how much she cried at night because of this.

I used to blame myself, and sometimes even my mom, for his absence when I saw other kids with their fathers. For years I didn’t even know his name. My family wouldn’t even say it; he was referred to as my sperm donor.

I remember coming home one day to him, my little brother Robbie and his mom sitting on the couch. It was the most awkward day of my life. I sat next to him, but stared straight at my mother while he asked me questions about my life. It was like talking to a stranger, which was exactly what he was.

I saw him twice after that, when I was 10 and again when I was 18 at my high school graduation. I accepted the fact that I didn’t have, nor would I ever have, a father in my life; I had an occasional dad.

The typical African-American broken home is what people would say I lived in. Your cliché “little girl growing up without her father,” is how I was labeled and sympathized with.

By the time I got to high school, I made myself realize that my father’s absence wouldn’t affect me. I needed to be able to look at myself in the mirror every day and not blame myself.

It wasn’t until I got to college that I realized how much my father’s nonexistence really damaged me. Growing up, I allowed my first boyfriend to manipulate me into believing that I was stupid, that love included mental and physical abuse and deceit was the new truth. He told me everything I wanted to hear to make me feel special so he could get what he wanted — and made me think it was what I wanted, too.

Never having a father to show me the affection I desired made me assume the way my ex-boyfriend treated me was how I was supposed to be treated. For a year I let him tear me down until I wasn’t what he wanted anymore. But I continued to allow other men to do the same thing in the years to come.

Society justified my actions when songs and there was no turning back for me. like “No Daddy” by Teairra Marí came My mom would tell me that shutting him out. I ran with the idea that having no faout was an OK thing to do, and I didn’t have ther around me was reason to act out. I to let him in. I was hurt, and I believed her. I adapted to promiscuity, commitment isdon’t think she lied to me, but she definitely sues and indestructible emotional walls. didn’t tell me the whole truth.

Research shows that a father’s love is an I think single mothers have a protecimportant factor in predicting the social, tion mechanism to comfort their chilemotional and cognitive development dren; mothers will do what it takes to and functioning of children and young make their children feel better. adults. For me, that is true. I knew I I’m 22 years old, and it’s been 8 years wasn’t the first person to live life fathersince I’ve had a concrete relationship. I less, but it was as if I felt like I was going push people away and shut people out so through it alone. much that it’s become a subconscious About 43 percent of U.S. children live in fatherless homes.

“Once I got older, nobody ever asked Studies indicate a significant rate at which how I felt about my father not being fatherless boys and girls are twice as likearound. I just assumed that maybe ly to drop out of high they felt that I was old enough school or end up in jail. They are four to deal with it on my times more likely to own, but I had need help for emotional or behavioral never dealt problems. with it at I was just what people expected me all.” to be — another statistic.

Once I got older, nobody ever asked how I felt about my father’s not being around. I just assumed that maybe they felt that I was old enough to deal with it on my own, but I had never dealt with it at all.

My brother and sister would use it as an insult when we’d fight with one another as kids — “That’s why your dad left!”

Those words would haunt me in broad daylight. I’d spend so much time and energy making up excuses as to why he left and telling myself that he’d come back for me. I thought everything would be just fine; the crazy thing is that he did come back, but everything wasn’t fine.

I’d catch myself pushing him away or not wanting him around. I wanted to hate him for letting me cry at night. I was aching for him and felt like everything he said was bullcrap because that’s what I was used to hearing from guys. It got to the point when I just shut him out completely

effort. Not having affection from a father figure led me to crave affection from any man who would give it to me. That usually didn’t end positively.

People would consistently tell me that I had to make amends with my father, and that forgiving him would heal my heart.

Saying it aloud sounded stupid, but in reality it was just what I need.

I reached out to my father, expressed how I felt and had both of us in tears. It was a moment that I feel every fatherless child should experience. When you keep contaminating emotions that are harboring inside, it creates a toxic mindset and destroys you as a person. Finding peace in your life will allow you to be able to be truly happy with yourself.

Paris Black is a fourth-year majoring in English.

4 | The Independent Collegian | Wednesday, March 26, 2014 GENDER IDENTITY

Body in transition:

By Amanda Pitrof Associate News Editor

Editor’s note: This story contains language that may be offensive to some readers.

Vivienne Pope woke up earlier than usual on a winter morning about four months ago. She had to get up early — on top of preparing for a final exam that day, she had to do her hair, finish her makeup and pick out just the right pair of high heels.

A jitter of nerves ran through her stomach as she prepared for the day, but it wasn’t the exam that was stressing her. It was that she was preparing to publicly reveal a difficult-to-deal-with secret to a room full of her peers.

The secret: she’s transgender.

Vivienne Pope, which is not her legal name, is still transitioning to who she wants to be. And it has been a long, hard road that began when she was around age 11.

At the time, she did not have the appropriate words to explain how she felt. What

THe journey of a transgender student

she pieced together was from sources that The pair had even made plans to move in cast a bad light on being transgender. together during summer, but on Dec. 23, “I had a very negative image of it,” she 2009, Pope’s fiancée was hit by a drunk said, “so I tried my very best for a very long driver and killed. time to pretend it wasn’t ‘that way.’”

“It’s been a few years; I’ve made peace To try to fix being with it. I’m not happy transgender, Pope particiabout it, of course,” she pated in stereotypically “It’s been a few years; trailed off, looking masculine extracurricuagain. “That put I’ve made peace with down lars, like football, hunting a real halt on me wantit. I’m not happy and weightlifting. ing to do anything at “I did everything I all. I stopped even atabout it, of course,” could think of to go, tempting or thinking she trailed off, look‘Yes, I am totally, defiabout transitioning. I ing down again. nitely not what I think was bitter and angry.”

I am,’” she said.

It wasn’t until the recent “That put a real halt Her perspective did reentry of an old high on me wanting to not change until senior school friend into her life year of high school, that Pope was encouraged do anything at all. when Pope injured herto open up more.

I stopped even atself weightlifting during “She actually dragged tempting or thinking me to my first shopfootball practice. Being bedridden for six ping trip in almost four about transitionmonths gave her more years, because like, ing. I was bitter and than adequate time to ‘Look, you’re too damn angry.” “look at the internet mopey. We’re dragging and surf around and you somewhere.’” find things.”

By the summer of This new knowledge was brought with 2011, Pope became comfortable enough her when she began attending Baker to be open with her gender identity evCollege in Owosso, Mich., and met a erywhere. Except at home — her family new friend. was another story.

“She was really accepting, actually knew “For a long while, they were almost an more about it than I did, and she was the every-Sunday kind of church family,” one who took me into it,” Pope said.

Pope said.

Her first “outing” was on the Hallow“My mom has been outspoken,” she een of 2007. Pope’s friend thought it said, “incredibly disparaging. I’ve heard would be a good idea for her to enter a her say things about people in my situacostume contest. They announced Pope, tion that I wouldn’t repeat in front of sailstanding up on the stage in front of the ors. Terrible things.” crowd, and didn’t explain what her cosHer dad and brother are not much better, tume at the time was.

Pope said.

“There were three or four people you “Apparently, where my dad works there is could hear in the crowd, ‘She’s not somebody who is transitioning, and my wearing one!’” she said, eyes lighting up dad refers to him as ‘that damn fag in a as she recalled the moment. “Okay, dress.’ That’s the polite thing he says.” that’s cool. That is a supportive thing Pope said her brother finds it diffifor me to hear.” cult to deal with even “standard” gay or But after a year at Baker College, Pope lesbian people. had to move back home to care for her “I’ve been — not directly told, but it’s mother, who was having yet another surpretty easy to infer, given my family — that gery. It was around then that Pope met if they were to find out, I probably wouldn’t her ex-fiancée. have a house. At all. Or family,” Pope said “It was almost nine months, [and] we matter-of-factly. were already talking about what hap“When I’m at home, when I’m at a place pens when we get married and all of I can’t be me, there’s almost this sense of this,” she said. foreboding. You’ve seen spy movies. … I’m

totally suspicious about practically everything,” she said.

It’s these struggles that make her transition difficult. There’s a worry her parents will discover something, or that someone from college will make a comment, and it will give her away.

The fear of being found out has led her to keep her clothes in the trunk of her car, which Pope jokes is “a rolling wardrobe.”

Her family, unfortunately, is not the only group she has to hide from. The family’s doctor is good friends with Pope’s mother.

“If I were to say, ‘Oh hey, by the way, what’s this about estrogen and hormone therapy?’ [my mom] would know within five minutes.”

And hormone therapy isn’t cheap; Pope said her research includes a budget of $75 every two or three weeks just for hormones, not including a visit to an endocrinologist every six months. Without help from her parents and a good insurance company, it is not an option for her.

“It’s one of those futures that I look

Wednesday, March 26, 2014 | The Independent Collegian | at, it’s like, ‘If I had a little bit more money coming in, or had a safer place,’ or something like that, it’d be easier, and I would gladly do so. But for the moment I have to pretty much deal with how it stands,” Pope said.

Hormone therapy is only one of the many expenses associated with transitioning, though. Voice lessons are often wanted for those who wish for more feminine voices, because estrogen doesn’t raise the voice like testosterone lowers it.

Sometimes it’s the simple things like voice pitch, or the way of walking, or how to hold one’s hands, that some of her friends — whom she laughingly referred to as “trainers” — try to help her figure out via text messages.

“When we’re out together, I will actually get a text message: ‘You’re doing this

“I know people don’t mean to be mean about it,” she said, “but it’s very hard to, even around campus, not sit there and eat lunch without seeing three, or four, or five people walk by and stare. There’ll be that… ‘[What] the hell is that?’ look as they see me.

And at the moment, you just tilt your head down, try and shrink out of the situation, and pretend like you’re not there.”

wrong. Stop it.’” Pope looked around comically, as if searching the room for answers.

“Okaaaaaay. How am I supposed to do it, then? … Give me a manual and a description and I’ll figure it out.”

It’s not always that easy-going as that, though, especially when it comes to shopping for clothes, or even simply walking around in public. It’s an experience Pope calls “an exercise in how much you can take.”

“I know people don’t mean to be mean about it,” she said, “but it’s very hard to, even around campus, not sit there and eat lunch without seeing three, or four, or five people walk by and stare. There’ll be that… ‘[What] the hell is that?’ look as they see me. And at the moment, you just tilt your head down, try and shrink out of the situation, and pretend like you’re not there.”

5

For as discouraging as it can be at times, there are also things that make it all worthwhile.

Like four months ago, on the winter morning of an exam when she dressed up in high heels. It’s an experience that still makes her glow just talking about it.

“I had decided that I was going to spend that Thursday over at a friend’s place so I had time to prep and get everything done,” she said. “I showed up at 9 a.m., hair, makeup, the full nine yards on, heels clicking down the hallway, and sat down and took my exam.”

Pope said one of the highlights of it was watching everyone’s eyes go wide. And even though she knows not everyone understood why, she said the act made her feel “incredible.”

“It’s those little moments of liberation,” she said, “that I pretty much live for.”

Gaining new perspectives from our differences DIVERSITY

By Jessica Liner Staff Reporter

Students will have the opportunity to explore many different ethnicities, races, religions, sexual orientations and more through programs during Diversity Week April 7-11.

“Regardless of your major or career choice, there’ll be people from different backgrounds and life experiences,” said Fatima Pervaiz, program coordinator for the Office of Excellence and Multicultural Student Success. “It is in our best interest as fellow employees to be sensitive to other people’s cultures and we also deserve for people to be sensitive to our culture.”

Sarah Millimen, a freshman disability studies major, said she thinks understanding other people from different backgrounds is important to understanding oneself.

“I think you need differing opinions, differing abilities, different perspectives to really examine how you do things, and you can really learn a lot from each other,” she said. “Not being so set in your ideology or at least being willing to hear people out and appreciate the differences is a start.

Millimen said she thinks people with disabilities are “a very overlooked population.”

“Disability can touch any race, any gender, any socioeconomic class,” she said. “It doesn’t just touch one population of

people. It touches everyone. I think that disability in itself is diverse and it’s often overlooked in that.”

For instance, she pointed out a lot of things on campus are inaccessible to people who are disabled and that “it’s just not always thought of.”

Leisha Lininger, a senior communication major, said exposure to diversity has been beneficial to her.

“I think it’s important for me to remember I’m not the only type of person out there,” she said. “It’s good for me to see what kind of perspectives people have in life because they might be different than mine.”

The University of Toledo’s diverse population is what attracted Scott Uram, a senior pharmacy major, into picking UT over other schools. He said the diversity of experiences at UT have shaped him into a more “well-rounded” person.

“I think the University of Toledo is very diverse in the experiences it offers and the full student population. I don’t think there’s a typical student,” he said. “Whether it be trying different Mediterranean foods or going to the N-Word Forum, the experiences at UT have definitely shaped me.”

Besides Diversity Week, Lininger said she’d like more opportunities to get to know others in and outside the classroom.

“I love when professors invite guest

speakers from other cultures because it gives students in the classroom an opportunity to talk about it,” she said. “There were multi-faith cafes, and I thought that was a really good way to because there’s coffee and meal times are often synonymous with conversation.”

“I think it’s important for me to remember I’m not the only type of person out there,” she said. “It’s good for me to see what kind of perspectives people have in life because they might be different than mine.”

LEISHA LININGER Senior communication major

Uram said he liked group projects because it gave two people an opportunity “to work towards the same goal.”

“I think it’s a conversation we can never have enough discussions or dialogues of. Racism, classism, homophobia, et cetera — we need to continue to

talk and raise awareness on these subjects,” Pervaiz said.

By promoting inclusion and respect, Lininger thought that the university could create a campus where students would be comfortable talking about diversity.

“I think a lot of the time students may not be comfortable answering those questions because they believe they’ll be judged or ostracized and they want to protect themselves,” she said, “so if we create a campus where that kind of respect is encouraged, then I think diversity would continue to flourish.”

Millimen said she thinks the key to respecting others is “giving up your idea of normality.”

“Just understand that there’s all these differences in people. People themselves are diverse,” she said.

Pervaiz recommended attending keynote speaker Michael Kimmel’s lecture “Mars, Venus, or Planet Earth? Women and Men on Campus in the New Millenium” on Thursday, April 10 at 6:30 p.m. in Savage Arena.

“You never really know what your interaction with someone, how it could affect them, how it could affect their day,” Uram said. “Always keeping that in mind is important to me. You being open and positive and thinking good thoughts, it really pulls positivity to you, and brings you to accept and enjoy success in your relationships.”

6 | The Independent Collegian | Wednesday, March 26, 2014 COMMENTARY

LEARNING TO MYSELF

love

How an eating disorder shaped my life DANIELLE GAMBLE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Editor’s note: this column contains imagery that may be disturbing.

Rice was my favorite thing to vomit.

First, it’s bland, so the taste isn’t jarring the way that really flavorful things like tomato sauces can be. Tomatoes and spicy things burn a lot more coming up, and the smell of acid clings longer to your fingers and your breath.

Second, rice has a granular composition that’s physically easier to throw up. It doesn’t get clumpy the way potatoes and bread get, turning into hunks of starch being shoved the wrong way through a funnel. Pasta is a little easier than rice because it’s softer, but it could never win for me because it’s too dangerous.

“I was only throwing up sporadically, about once every few weeks, so I didn’t really think I could call myself bulimic. That title, in my mind, was reserved for girls far more dedicated than I.” Take for example the first time I binged on Ramen Noodles. I ate three packs in one sitting over the course of about four minutes; I used a fork to shovel heaping mounds into my mouth, swallowing as fast as I could with barely a chew. I finished, quietly soaked up the heavy, salty calm of the moment, then quickly padded barefoot to the bathroom.

After just one heave, I realized my mistake. The long strands of noodles — too long to completely throw up in one gag — were caught between my lips and my stomach, and now they were choking me. Even though I couldn’t breathe, there was no

panic. I grabbed the glob of barely-digested Ramen hanging from my mouth and pulled it slowly from my esophagus. I could feel the wavy strands tickle the sides of my throat.

I was 12, and it was my second year dealing with bulimia.

Bulimia felt like an active choice at first.

Actually, when I first started binging and purging in sixth grade, every session felt like practice, like I was slowly acquiring an important skill. I was only throwing up sporadically, about once every few weeks, so I didn’t really think I could call myself bulimic. That title, in my mind, was reserved for girls far more dedicated than I. Over the years, the pace picked up depending on my weight. When I was heavier, I would vomit about once a week if I had a particularly heavy meal. If I was going through a thin period, I’d do it at least once every two days, more often if I was feeling vulnerable.

Around my senior year of high school, I lost a bunch of weight and reached a number I hadn’t seen since early junior high. I started throwing up every day, and often binging and purging multiple times a day. I stole extra food from the cafeteria so I could eat it in the bathroom and throw up immediately. I made excuses to stay home alone on the weekends so I could cook, eat and vomit back-to-back meals — sometimes for hours.

About four months in, I hit a huge wall of depression. A few thoughts of suicide later, I finally opened up to my mom and begged her to put me in counseling. I was ready to talk, to get off the food merry-goround. Unfortunately, the woman I saw was more concerned with sharing the Lord’s word than listening to any of my words, and I feigned a “full recovery” after just three visits.

At that point, I thought this crazy preoccupation with food was only about control. My brush with psychoanalysis informed me that I was feeling out of control in life — “out of control” being a very subdued way of phrasing it all — and throwing up was my way of fighting back. I was externalizing my anxieties in

a physical way that felt more tangible than my nagging thoughts. Or something like that.

But I wasn’t in control, so I resigned myself to living with an addiction. It was hard to resist the overwhelming high of a stomach about to burst. Even the vomiting felt good; it was so cathartic, so righteously brutal, so painfully sweet. I looked at it much like smoking — it was an unhealthy habit that I had a hard time controlling. I fell off the wagon fairly often, and it was a frustrating and shameful process to get myself back on.

During the fall of my sophomore year at the University of Toledo, I met an older guy through mutual friends. We became close friends almost immediately in the way that

happens rarely, and only between people who are kindred spirits. It wasn’t long before I told him that I had an eating disorder, as I had with a handful of other people through the years.

But then I told him something I’d never told anyone else: I didn’t want to stop. I could deal with the countless sore throats, the raw fingers and the occasional blood vessel bursting in my eyes. I couldn’t deal with the anxiety of living a purge-free life.

He didn’t ask me to stop throwing up.

He didn’t ask me any questions. He listened to everything I wanted to say, and then hugged me afterward for as long as I needed.

But he did ask me to do two things.

Wednesday, March 26, 2014 | The Independent Collegian | He gave me a copy of “Unbearable Lightness”

by Portia de Rossi (the wife of Ellen DeGeneres) and told me to read it as soon as I had the time. Then he gave me the number to UT’s counseling center and asked me to sign up for free sessions as soon as I was ready.

I read “Unbearable Lightness” the next day as fast as I could drag my eyes across the page. It was an in-your-face, agonizingly candid account of de Rossi’s struggle with bulimia and anorexia, and it broke me. I finished the last few pages through a curtain of tears.

As I closed the book, a beam of light streamed through my conscience. I realized that all of this pain, this delirium that I had submerged myself in, had exactly one cause.

Everything came to a single truth so stunningly simple that it felt like it was printed in bold letters on the walls of the cosmos.

I was doing this because I hated myself. And I could only stop if I decided to love myself.

With this epiphany echoing through my rib cage, I got out of bed and went into the bathroom — the scene of so much chaos and pain. I took off all of my clothes, looked in the mirror, and sobbed as I

uttered the words I’d been waiting to hear for eight years: “I’m sorry.”

Those words changed my life. The next week, I began counseling at UT (which was absolutely incredible and incalculably valuable). I started learning how to deal with my low self-esteem and started to unlearn all of the “black and white” thinking that leads to a lot of bad eating and living habits. Instead of just focusing on my disorder, I was working on the causes of it.

I’m now three years into recovery, and honestly — well, sometimes it sucks. I’m heavier than I’ve ever been in my life because I’ve had to unlearn a lifetime of harmful eating quirks. I’m trying to come to terms with what is now an incredible fear of dieting. When I’ve been really low or mentally shaken, I’ve used purging as an emotional crutch. I’m just now learning how to wait for hunger before I eat, and what it means to not be mentally starving every minute of the day.

Recovery is an extremely long process that comes with its own demons, and actually, I’m not sure it ever really ends.

But I wouldn’t trade recovery for

anything in the world. Yeah, it’s hard, but so is anything this amazing.

“Recovery is an extremely long process that comes with its own demons, and actually, I’m not sure it ever really ends. But I wouldn’t trade recovery for anything in the world. Yeah, it’s hard, but so is anything this amazing.”

My heart and my capacity for happiness have grown exponentially — I’m like the Grinch after Christmas, except with less green fur. I truly love myself now, which I’ve learned is actually the only way you can learn to truly love other people. And, just as importantly, I can now trust other people to love me back.

I hope that you’re in a healthy place, too, but it’s equally likely that you’re not. Maybe you have a problem with food. Maybe you’re addicted to a substance. Maybe you can’t let go of a person who’s really bad for you. If that’s you, please understand this: It’s okay. You are a person caught up in a bad circumstance, but that does not mean you are bad. You can get out of where you are, and there are people who can help you.

But at the end of the day, you are the only person who can make the change. And you can only do that when you realize you are worth fighting for.

And you are worth it.

Free counseling is available at the Counseling Center to all students currently enrolled. The center is located in Rocket Hall Room 1810 and is open Monday through Friday from 8:15 a.m. to 5 p.m. To set up an appointment, walk in or call 419-530-2426.

For more information, visit www.utoledo. edu/studentaffairs/counseling/index.html.

Danielle Gamble is a fifth-year double majoring in communication and music, and the editor-in-chief of The Independent Collegian.

What do you do when your friend needs help?

P

icture this: a friend of yours has been having a tough time. They’ve been acting different lately and you’re a little worried.

Then — maybe after weeks of inquiries, maybe out of the blue — your friend opens up to you.

And it’s big.

Eating disorders, depression, sexual assault, thoughts of suicide: these are all serious topics that a friend could reach out to you about for help. And helping someone you care about through these types of situations can be tricky.

It’s not that you don’t want to talk to them; it’s that you don’t want to hurt them. You don’t want to say the wrong thing. Heck, you’re not really sure what to say at all.

As somebody who has had friends open up to her, and someone who has asked friends for help, I can tell you that it’s difficult for both parties.

Here are some pieces of advice for you if you end up in a delicate conversation with a friend who needs help — advice that should help both of you feel good about your heart-to-heart.

Listen more than you talk. Even if the conversation becomes very dark, let your friend vent.

This will help them diffuse a lot of negative energy.

Be non-judgmental. Yes, these kinds of con-

versations can be really hard to hear, and they can even get graphic. But expressing shock or judgment at a person’s feelings or behavior in this context could make them shut down, or try to dial back their honesty.

Don’t argue with a person about why they’re being self-destructive.

This conversation is about supporting them in getting help — not about convincing them that how they feel is wrong. Don’t make your friend feel like they need to justify themselves to you, and definitely don’t ask for details that they don’t want to provide.

Be yourself, and don’t feel like you need to be an expert. If being yourself doesn’t include being certified in crisis counseling, there are plenty of resources you can point a friend to who needs more assistance than you can give.

Don’t blame yourself. How your friend

By Danielle Gamble. Advice courtesy HelpGuide.org.

feels is not something you can control — you can only support them in their recovery.

7

Assume that threats of self-harm or suicide are genuine. If you cannot per-

sonally attend to that person, call emergency services or someone nearby. And never leave a suicidal person alone.

Don’t promise secrecy. Of course, topics like a friend’s depression or sexual assault aren’t something you would tell just anyone. But never promise that you won’t reach out to a mental health expert, especially if someone is having thoughts about suicide.

Questions you can ask: • How do you feel?

• When did you begin feeling like that?

• Did something happen that made you start feeling this way?

• How can I best support you right now?

• Have you thought about getting help?

Things that are nice to hear: • I’m concerned about you, and I want to listen to whatever it is you have to say.

• You are not alone in this. I’m here for you.

• You may not believe it now, but your negative feelings will change.

• I may not be able to understand exactly how you feel, but I care about you and want to help.

8 | The Independent Collegian | Wednesday, March 26, 2014 ETHNICITY AND CULTURE

My culture, my story

Four students talk about their ethnicity and how America has impacted them

NOOR HASSAN Hassan is a first-year pharmacy major and is a second-generation immigrant. She was born and raised in Toledo and her family is culturally Arab and religiously Muslim.

By Joe Heidenescher Staff Reporter

America is a mosaic of ethnicities, cultures, races, religions and backgrounds — and that’s reflected in the student population at the University of Toledo.

So we asked four students from four different backgrounds to share with us how they lve in the United States with heritages from another country.

Arabic

“Not everyone is the same. It is OK to be different. You’ll meet cool people,” said Noor Hassan, a first-year pharmacy major.

Hassan, like many second-generation immigrants, experiences everyday life as an American; however, her culture sets her apart.

“My entire life I went to Sylvania schools.

It wasn’t very diverse, but then I came here and I saw everyone,” Hassan said. “Diversity is a great thing here.”

Hassan was born and raised in Toledo, but her parents are from Palestine and Nicaragua. Her family is culturally Arab and religiously Muslim.

Hassan said she identifies more as a Palestinian Arab because that is her mother’s heritage.

CLAUDIA ROMERO

GRACE TIEKO

Romero is a third-year criminal justice major. She is a second-generation immigrant. Romero was born in Ohio but her parents are originally from Mexico.

Tieko is a second-year biology major and is a first-generation immigrant.

She was born in the U.K. and grew up in Ghana. Tieko classifies with Ghanaian heritage and culture.

“I’m really proud of where I come from,” Hassan said. “So I feel like, I love being Palestinian. I love the culture. It’s a beautiful country and it’s just my roots are from there.”

Though her family now lives in Toledo, many traditions they practice are culturally Arab.

“For instance, my family is really big on education,” Hassan said.

Hassan said many values and expectations are upheld to greater esteem in the Arab culture, but are even greater in her family.

Hassan said her daily choices are affected by being Muslim and these differences come with responsibility.

“Especially wearing a hijab, that’s definitely the face of Arabs and Muslims in general. So the way I act is going to reflect what people are going to think of the religion and the culture also,” Hassan said.

Hassan said her actions and choices represent how others are going to generalize Arabs and Muslims.

“I have to be very careful about what I say sometimes. Even if it’s in a joking way, you still have to be careful. You never know, somebody could misunderstand and that could ruin their perception,” Hassan said.

Hassan said she has been changed by the different types of people she has met at UT.

“Being more diverse is a way to break down more barriers and being more open,” Hassan said.

Mexican

Claudia Romero, a third-year criminal justice major and treasurer of Latino Student Union, said she likes to represent her culture and ethnicity with pride to people she meets at UT. “I’m actually very proud of my culture. I actually like to express to people what my background is,” Romero said. “I love to learn about other people’s cultures because I feel like you can learn from each other something you didn’t know about others.”

Romero is a second-generation immigrant. Her parents are both from Mexico, but Romero was born in Ohio.

“My first language was Spanish,” Romero said. “At home, my primary language is Spanish as well. I actually learned English from watching different cartoons and playing with all the neighborhood kids.”

Romero said growing up Mexican, she practiced many unique traditions and practices in her home that she is very proud of.

“We also have this really cool tradition, a lot of people don’t really know about it,

TIM ESCONDO Escondo is a second-year graduate student studying English as a second language. He was born and raised in Cleveland, after his parents emigrated from the Philippines.

where you sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to the kids.

We actually smash their face into the cake.

It’s to make it more fun,” Romero said.

Romero said the background of an individual is an important part of one’s identity.

“I believe the background of an individual really sets off how you interact with other people,” Romero said.

Romero said that everyone has their own unique characteristics, and these characteristics are partially defined by someone’s heritage.

“I believe anyone has advantages or disadvantages from your culture or your heritage,” Romero said.

Romero said that generalizing is impossible to escape, and oftentimes, minorities have to represent entire cultures and ethnicities to people.

“Be open-minded and accepting of individuals because everyone is different,” Romero said.

Romero said that differences do not matter and she doesn’t see being different as an obstacle.

“People come from different backgrounds, but we are all one as humans,” Romero said.

Ghanaian

Grace Tieko, a second-year biology

Wednesday, March 26, 2014 | The Independent Collegian | major, is a first-generation immigrant, and she said she doesn’t have many troubles fitting in.

“I do fit in for the most part. I don’t think people really judge me; I don’t give them the time to judge me, to be honest. I mean if you’re going to judge me I guess we can’t be friends,” Tieko said.

Tieko was born in the U.K. and grew up in Ghana. She said even though she spent five years in both countries, she claims Ghanaian heritage and culture.

“I feel more Ghanaian because I am in a household where we speak the language and eat the foods,” Tieko said.

They speak Twi, the language of the Ashanti tribe, and common dishes of Ghanaian cuisine which heavily features rice.

Christianity is an important aspect of her culture that is incorporated in her life.

“There’s more Christians than Muslims in my country,” Tieko said. “I practice being a Christian every day.”

Parenting styles are very different in Ghana, Tieko said.

“If I ever once talked back to my parents, I would not see the next day,” she said. “You can’t get away with a lot of things that some American kids get away with. Respect is really highly favored.”

Tieko said that her experiences have added to the person

she is today. She has had contact with a variety of cultures.

She said she is now “more open to try new things.”

“For the most part, we’re really welcoming. If you were to go to Ghana and just travel there, the way their hospitality is is really high. They treat you like you’re one of us.

They don’t treat you any differently. I feel like that shapes who I am now because I am diverse. I like to understand everyone’s culture,” Tieko said.

Tieko said she no longer feels shy when it comes to other cultures. Instead she has learned to treat others with differences respectfully and hospitably.

Filipino

Tim Escondo, a second-year graduate student studying English as a second language, was born and raised in Cleveland after his family emigrated from the Philippines to the U.S. Escondo said he did not encounter much of his cultural identity until he came to Toledo, and since then he has figured out what it means to be diverse.

Escondo said he feels American because he went to public schools and had an American childhood.

Once he arrived at UT, Escondo had contact with many diverse groups and people.

9

“I first fell into the Japanese Student Association. They were the first cultural group I was introduced to. I basically started floating between all the cultural groups,” Escondo said.

He then found and connected with other Filipino students.

“By learning from other kids, who did keep in touch with their culture or their heritage, I was able to catch up,” Escondo said.

With the help of the students that he met, they formed the Filipino American Association.

“Besides exposure to a lot more language, I found our childhoods, like little quirks growing up, were all the same,” Escondo said about other Filipino students.

Escondo said he acts as if he is representing the Filipino culture at all times.

“I could be the only one they see, and if I do something wrong then people are quick to judge. If I do something wrong, they’ll think the rest of that group is the same way,” he said.

Escondo said he fights prejudice by interacting with people from other cultures and get involved on campus.

“I’d say one of the positive things about UT is their cultural awareness program and their different cultural groups. I think that’s one of the unspoken good things about UT,” he said.

COMMENTARY

Why I chose to believe MORGAN RINCKEY OPINION EDITOR

When I was a little kid, I was a very devout Christian. The kind who sang Bible songs and was addicted to VeggieTales.

Even now, I still like VeggieTales.

Looking back at that, it is easy to see how much religion had affected me. My parents would drive us to church every week, and I went to Vacation Bible School in the summer. My parents loved this and encouraged it in me. I read my children’s Bible that was mostly pictures, and I memorized the cards to a Bible trivia game. I memorized the cards so I could annihilate everyone in Old Testament knowledge, which wasn’t very Christian of me.

My religious vigor lasted until I was in seventh grade when I decided I didn’t want to be religious, and I didn’t want to go to church anymore. I felt like I didn’t need to attend because I could be Christian enough at home.

I didn’t like having to wake up early. I didn’t want to do something that my friends weren’t doing — and they weren’t going to church. I didn’t want to believe in God when my parents were getting into arguments and eventually divorced.

It was really easy to eventually stop going. My family had already started to step away from the

Church. We stopped praying before meals, skipped Sunday school and only went to church. I stopped going to church camp.

At first when I didn’t want to go to church, I would pretend to be sick, but later I would say I had too much homework to do. Eventually, I would stay up late watching “Saturday Night Live,” I wouldn’t set my alarm and I just slept through the sermon.

Even though it started off as my not wanting to attend church, it transitioned into my not wanting to be religious at all. It was a time of selfishness for me. I was full of angst over my parents’ divorce. I never helped with chores. I did all I could to avoid going to my mom’s house.

For a long time I was content with not going to church. I was free to do what I wanted with my time. But eventually I did go back.

It started out as more of a convenience when I was a junior in high school. I had to see both of my parents, and I couldn’t drive. The church was equidistant to both. I would spend the weekend with my mom, and on Sunday my dad would pick me up and take me to church.

The revelation I had about God didn’t happen in church. One night I was sleeping in my room I shared with my older sister. I was praying, really praying, for the first time in months. I prayed, “Lord, I know I can’t see you, but I know you’re there.”

Outside my window, a lightning bolt lit up the sky and brought color to the darkness outside. Without realizing it, I was sitting up in my bed completely awake when just moments before I was drifting to sleep. I don’t

know what overcame me but I said, “Yes, Lord,” out loud.

In that moment, I believed.

I know people would have probably said it was just a lightning bolt, and the guy with the crazy hair on the History Channel would probably say it was aliens coming to enslave the human race. But I like to think that it was a message from God. On the following Sundays, instead of looking at the stained-glass windows, picking at my fingers or coloring on a worship wonder board, I listened to the sermons. I don’t remember what they were about, but I knew they didn’t bore me like they did when I was a kid.

Maybe it was because I was old enough to truly grasp what was being said or maybe it was that I genuinely had a change of heart. But that week, and the weeks after, I listened to the sermons. I realized that I did love God and that I wanted to be a Christian. I wasn’t going to church because I was forced to by my parents; I was going because I wanted to.

Everyone has times when they struggle with who they are and what they believe. I struggle with what I believe in all the time. Believe in what you want to believe in. It doesn’t have to be Christianity.

But believe in something because it is what you believe in — not just because your parents believe in it, too.

Morgan Rinckey is a first-year double majoring in English and communication and is the opinion editor at The Independent Collegian.

10 | The Independent Collegian | Wednesday, March 26, 2014 SEXUAL ORIENTATION

Group helps students get more comfortable with their sexuality

By Amanda Eggert Community Editor

Student groups on the University of Toledo campus can sometimes seem unwelcoming, but Spectrum UT aims to provide an atmosphere that is both safe and inviting for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students and members of the community.

Making people feel included is something third-year mechanical engineering major and Spectrum President Celia Otero said she strives for in Spectrum.

“We try to offer a safe, welcoming environment,” said Otero. “One thing I always like to tell the officers or members who are more active is try to give someone, someone to talk to.”

One of Otero’s favorite memories from this year at Spectrum was receiving a note from a new member.

“It had said that Spectrum had changed his life and made him feel like living again,” Otero said. “So I would say that felt pretty good.”

Second-year English and Africana studies major LaVelle Ridley said anyone is welcome to join Spectrum.

“We try to provide support for people and also just try to project this atmosphere of acceptance of being safe if you need to talk,” he said.

“The group is for anyone that’s pro-LGBT and can be conducive in a positive way in the community and diverse in all those ways too.

“It’s an interesting group of people who bring interest to all different issues that we face.”

Ridley said he attended his first Toledo Pride festival in August with Spectrum.

“It was great to be with a group of students inside of the university and with the wider Toledo community and the Ohio community coming together and celebrating with each other and just having fun,” Ridley said.

Ridley said Spectrum aims for being a community of diversity.

“They are fun people. A lot of them are my friends. It’s so easy to be someone’s friend and we aim to do that,” Ridley said.

“We get a lot of friendship, networking and some good events.”

Jack Alferio, a first-year film major and transgender male, said being involved with transgender people is really important. He

COURTESY OF KIERSTEN GAMBY

Members of Spectrum pose on Saturday, March 22 at UT’s annual Big Event. This event is a whole day set aside for UT students to give back to the community. This group helped a community member by cleaning and organizing the inside of their house.

also said he puts himself out there to move past his social anxiety.

Being an involved member of the LGBT community for over a year with Rainbow Area Youth (RAY) and his high school’s Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) has allowed him to get out of his comfort zone.

“It’s helped me grow as a person and have learned in social situations and I’ve learned a lot about the other parts of the community and that’s really cool,” Alferio said.

Alferio said in high school he was out as a lesbian and when he decided to make the transition, he did it in a less-hostile environment.

“I decided to do that on my own terms and not do that publicly through school,” Alferio said.

He dropped out of high school to transition as a male both medically and socially.

At 17, he legally changed his name and as

part of the transition process he started taking testosterone supplements.

After being homeschooled for his last year of high school, Alferio said that moving on to college was an “awkward” experience. He said he didn’t know anyone going to UT prior to college or have a lot of social interaction with others.

Being able to join Spectrum allowed Alferio to make friends who were similar to or accepting of him.

“It’s important to know you’re not alone and it’s the type of support on a personal level that we can talk to [each other] one on one,” Alferio said. “We are all friends there.”

Spectrum tries to make a connection with its members so they don’t feel alone in whom they are.

Ridley said that, growing up as a gay, black male, he didn’t have anyone to look up to because they weren’t featured in the media.

“In my mind, being gay was something only white people could do because they were at the top of the social food chain because they are powerful — they can do that,” Ridley said. “Growing up and being educated and knowing that’s not the truth and even in the ...

LGBT community, race and also gender and other factors come into play and it’s interesting to talk about them in our own community.”

Alferio said it is important for people to come out only when they are ready.

“If you are scared to, then you need to do it on your own terms, don’t do it for someone else,” Alferio said. “Don’t make anyone tell you that if you don’t do this you are living a lie, you’re lying to yourself, you are lying to your loved ones, because that’s not true; you are keeping yourself safe emotionally and maybe even physically. You have to think about your safety first.”

Wednesday, March 26, 2014 | The Independent Collegian |

11

STUDENT DISABILITY SERVICES

Students with disabilities discover how UT can improve their college experience

By Sohan Mutha and Lauren Bridgewater Staff Reporters

A one-stop shop for all academic accommodations, the Student Disability Services is dedicated to helping students with disabilities to get through college.

“We work with students with documented disabilities to determine what the functional limitations are of their disability and if there are academic accommodations that would level the playing field so that they have equal access to the educational experience,” said Toni Howard, director of Student Disability Services.

Howard said that if the accommodations feall under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) qualifiers, the office will work with the students to determine which ones would be helpful.

Debbie Arbogast, accessibility specialist, said the students enrolling after high school are asked about the services they used that were beneficial to them.

“In college, the goal for students with disabilities is that they have equal access to the material,” Howard said.

Howard said that as far as services go, they will make accommodations to help students.

Arbogast said she works with students to find out the functional limitations of their disability or disabilities.

“My job is to review documentation that comes in, see if they meet the criteria, ask the students to come in and walk them through the process of what accommodations they may be able to access if they are eligible,” Arbogast said.

Andrea Engle, academic accommodation specialist, said the accessibility specialists work with students to research the best approach on a case-by-case basis and provide her with the information of the accommodations that will be needed.

Howard said that they offer braille,

“We work with students with documented disabilities to determine what the functional limitations are of their disability and if there are academic accommodations that would level the playing field so that they have equal access to the educational experience.”

TONI HOWARD Director of Student Disability Services

captioning, electronic text, note-taking, readers and scribes, smart pens, some testing in the office, distraction reduced environments and a host of other accommodations.

Engle said that she oversees the electronic text, braille and captioning services.

Students with disabilities are not all alike, even if they share the same disability, Howard said.

“They all have unique, specialized accommodations that they need,” she said.

Engle said students with a variety of physical or learning disabilities are found to be eligible for electronic text.

“I work with professors to identify textbooks and check the bookstore for their availability,” Engle said. “I look into our database to check and see if we already have an electronic version or if we need to request for one.”

Engle said that to comply with copyright rules, the students have to first buy a hard copy of the textbook to be able to receive

the electronic copy.

Eligible students can go to the Student Accessibility Management (SAM) tab on their myUT portal to request the accommodations they need for a semester.

Engle said they fulfilled requests for over 300 electronic textbooks for this semester.

Sandesh Modhe, e-text coordinator, said that depending on the requirements, the electronic textbooks are altered to have a larger font size or a text-to-speech format.

Engle said tagging and explaining pictures and graphics in books for some majors like astronomy becomes challenging and they have faculty or graduate students help them with that.

Engle added that advancements in technology have played a huge role in making accessible course material available.

“Things are improving. It’s getting there, it’s just not there yet,” Engle said. “Slowlybut-surely it will happen.”

Modhe said they are always trying to get their hands on new technology to help provide various accommodations.

Engle said there are applications available for smartphones and computers that can read the textbook out loud for the user.

Terri Stibaner, academic accommodation specialist for note-taking and testing, said faculty and students have been instrumental in helping accommodate testing needs and note-taking.

Stibaner said they typically have a student from the class roster volunteer to take notes and if not, they send a student employee to the classes.

Modhe said he has attended several classes like photography, engineering and Spanish to take notes for eligible students.

The Student Disability Services has many roles and is well-versed in ways to help the students with disabilities.

Engle said they will be conducting “Providing

Equal Access,” an event geared toward faculty to help them make Microsoft Word documents accessible, on Wednesday, April 2 at 9 a.m. in Room 0500 of Carlson Library.

“I’m going to go through and show everyone how to run an accessibility check on a Word document and see if there are any accessibility issues with it,” Engle said. “Accessibility checker is nice because it tells them what’s wrong and how to fix it.”

Free registration can be found at https:// utdl.edu/DL_training.

Argobast said that they will be participating in “Post-Secondary Transition Events” on April 29 at Owens Community College.

Providing Equal Access What: An event geared toward faculty to help them make Microsoft Word documents accessible.

Where: Room 0500 of Carlson Library.

When: Wednesday, April 2 at 9 p.m.

Post-secondary Transition events What: An event for high school students to ask questions of colleges that participate.

Where: Owens Community College.

When: April 29.

“It’s where high school students with disabilities can ask questions of the colleges that participate,” Arbogast said. “It will be questions about college and what they will experience. They have to ask the questions themselves so that they know how to deal with things like this.”

The Student Disability Services is located in Rocket Hall Room 1820 and can be contacted at 419-530-4981.

STUDENT DISABILITY SERVICES

12 | The Independent Collegian | Wednesday, March 26, 2014 COMMENTARY

Do I sit quietly, or do I sing?

Learning to express my individuality and my African-American culture TIARA GREEN IC COLUMNIST

There is a need for certain people in our society to characterize the black body as something that should invoke fear and nervousness. Maybe it gives them a sense of superiority.

But the black body is a beautiful thing of richness that has been bestowed upon us, does not limit our evolution or interrupt our moral process.

I have struggled with this process — a process in which I ask myself how I am to present myself to people not of the same skin color. Do I show them my likeliness? Do I show them that I have no hatred toward the color of my skin? Do I sit quietly and hope no one notices me?

I went to a predominantly white high school, and when students looked at me when these topics came up, I tended to stay silent. I didn’t want people to place me in a category based on my skin. I tended to remain silent when the topic of racism or slavery came up. I didn’t want to talk about it — I didn’t feel as though it was relevant to my current situation. I felt it was something that I did not want to revisit.

I would sit in English class while we talked about racial barriers and the process that people go through when they try to assimilate into different cultures.

There were times in my classes that I cringed at the topics of slavery or racism because I always felt like I was being looked at, like people expected me to have a speech prepared. I wasn’t ready to set myself apart from my peers by discussing my differences.

But then, I had an African-American teacher — which was rare in my high school — and she was unapologetic about her skin. She addressed topics that I didn’t even know how to mentally approach, and that coming from a woman who looked like me made me feel less alone.

I began to feel more comfortable addressing topics like racism and not living in fear that I would be placed in a box for doing so. I was more apt to addressing what we as African-Americans went through, are going through and what we have to still go through.

I wanted to be able to be me, be Tiara — without people forgetting that yes, I am black, and yes, I have a different ethnic background. But I am not singularly defined by it.

There have been so many stories of women assimilating in order to make others feel comfortable. They dilute who they are in order to be what others want them to be. I realized that people are either going to open their minds or not, but there is no way of knowing who will and who won’t unless I open my mouth.

I began to ask, do I sit quietly? Or do I sing?

I sang. It took time for me to realize that my black skin shouldn’t be worn as an apology, but as a masterpiece that has been worn by women and men of hard work, movement, peace and love. It’s imperative that no outside influences make you love yourself any less or fear for your safety any more than the next.

It’s important that you don’t lose yourself in trying to be liked by others. You will begin to pick apart the things that make you who you are, and this will leave nothing left for you to know yourself by. You will then become a mirror of whomever you surround yourself with, instead of surrounding yourself with positive people who uplift and mirror parts of you.

So, in embracing my skin tone, I looked to women like Oprah Winfrey, India Arie, Halle Berry, my mother and so many other inspiring black women. I began to speak with more confidence, and I wasn’t so hesitant in approaching new situations.

I applied lotion to my skin every morning while taking time to love the colors within my skin tone. I began to

“It took time for me to realize that my black skin shouldn’t be worn as an apology, but as a masterpiece that has been worn by women and men of hard work, movement, peace and love. It’s imperative that no outside influences make you love yourself any less or fear for your safety any more than the next.” release all negative preconceived notions, and I faced problems head on. I shared with my Caucasian friends things that were different about me instead of hiding them. I allowed myself to learn new things from people without fear that I would lose who I was in the process.

I am still working on these things today. I am growing, learning and loving myself more. I see the black body as beautiful. I appreciate people from different backgrounds, cultures, ideologies and ways of thinking. I wouldn’t be able to do so if I weren’t able to love and appreciate myself first.

In appreciating me, I have been able to love not only the dark of my skin, but the over-thinker that I am, the outspoken leader and the woman that my mom raised me to be.

In standing by that, I try new things, I meet different people and I continue to share myself so that people see that, yes, we are different in a multitude of ways, but we have similar passions, ideas and ways of living life that unite everyone.

Tiara Green is a fifth-year majoring in English Literature.