97th year • Issue 6
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
The 18th banned books vigil begins Oct. 1 COMMUNITY / 6 » www.IndependentCollegian.com
Serving the University of Toledo community since 1919
INSIDE
UT COMMUNITY
UT grieves loss of professor By Jessica Harker Associate News Editor
Head Coach Campbell writes to the fans Campbell thanks fans for their support. SPORTS / 5 »
UT races against time Help the Hogar, a philanthropic race, will occur Sept. 27.
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COMMUNITY / 6 »
“We believe that student pride matters because it is the essential motivator to change and progress.”
Don Reiber, director of media and associate professor of communications at the University of Toledo, died unexpectedly in his house Sunday night. Reiber was 68 and had been working with UT for 38 years at the time of his death. His wife, Pat Reiber, told The Blade he likely had a heart attack. Though it was very recent, the effects of his death have already been felt throughout campus, especially by John Eidemiller, media producer for the University of Toledo’s communications department. Less than 24 hours after receiving the news, Eidemiller found himself driving hastily between Rocket Hall and the Glass Bowl stadium, talking frantically into a cell phone trying to find three missing cameras the department lost track of after Don’s death. “We’re hanging on,” Eidemiller said heavily into the phone. Without any labels on the equipment dispersed on campus, keeping tabs on the many projects and events held here at UT seemed an
impossible task, Eidemiller said. An impossible task for anyone but Don Reiber. Reiber was one of the key people who organized video coverage of events on campus and was so busy with both teaching and media coverage that he rarely wrote anything down or labeled any equipment, Eidemiller said.
“He knew what everything was in his department without writing it down. He’d never ask for help, but he was always willing to help.” TYLER MATTSON Seventh-year communication major
“That’s why me and Don got along,” said Tyler Mattson, a seventh-year communication major with a bachelor’s degree in pharmaceutical science who worked and had class with Reiber. “He knew
what everything was in his department without writing it down. He’d never ask for help, but he was always willing to help.” Standing in the Glass Bowl and hoping the object of their search was behind the door in front of them, Eidemiller and Mattson tried unlabeled key after unlabeled key. They had good humor despite their grief. “Don literally kept it from hitting the fan,” Mattson said. “And the only place the records exist was in his head, he was too busy to write it all down.” Mattson wasn’t the only person Reiber had an immense impact on during his life. After having Reiber as a professor in 1997, Eidemiller said Reiber’s dedication to the job was so immense that he would drop anything for his students. “When I am having dinner with my family I don’t answer my phone. Don would have answered his phone and dropped anything to come over here,” Eidemiller said while holding back See Reiber / 2 »
FOOTBALL
STUDENT INVOLVEMENT
Back-to-back win for UT OrgSync
Rockets are the second MAC team to defeat two ‘Power 5’ foes in two weeks
EDITORIAL Got spirit? OPINION / 4 »
COURTESY OF UT ATHLETICS
(Left to right) Senior Alonzo Russell and junior Corey Jones celebrate after the 16-12 upset over Arkansas on Sept. 12. By Marcus Dodson Sports Editor
Fighting for his life Cheatham Norrils recovered from a life-threatening illness and is back in the game. SPORTS / 5 »
SAVANNAH JOSLIN / IC
Katie Cepero, a Toledo athletics video intern, was one of about 75 students, staff and community members who attended a vigil for Don Reiber.
The University of Toledo football team defeated Iowa State 30-23 in a double-overtime thriller on Saturday. With the win, the Rockets (2-0) became just the third MidAmerican Conference school to defeat two Power 5 conference opponents in the same year and just the second MAC school to do it in consecutive weeks. Iowa State (0-2) had a chance to win the game with a 32-yard field goal at the end of regulation but the kick was missed wide left. In overtime, UT won the
OT coin toss and selected defense first, holding the Cyclones to a three-andout. ISU would convert the 44–yard field goal attempt to take a 23-20 advantage. On Toledo’s first play on offense, senior QB Phillip Ely found sophomore wideout Cody Thompson streaking in the end zone, but the second-year player was unable to hold on to what would’ve been the game-deciding touchdown. Toledo also went threeand-out and freshman kicker Jameson Vest nailed his career-long 42-yard field attempt. In the second overtime, Toledo started off
with the ball and put the pressure on Iowa State by scoring in just four plays. Junior running back Damion Jones-Moore was called on after star junior RB Kareem Hunt came up limp after a six-yard rush on second down. Two plays later JonesMoore scampered to the left for a 10-yard TD run. ISU got as far as the 10yard line but was stopped in four consecutive plays by the Rockets’ defense. UT held a 20-10 lead going into the fourth quarter but only managed all but five total yards in the fourth quarter. The Rockets were
out-gained in Saturday’s contest 481 yards to just 309 yards. Toledo was led on the ground by Hunt who rushed for 133 yards on 24 carries coming off his twogame suspension. Ely was 11-for-28 in the air for 138 yards with a TD and INT. Toledo’s defense played fired up with the return of senior defensive lineman Allen Convington. Junior linebacker Jaylen Coleman led the defense with 16 tackles. Junior DB DeJuan Rogers came up with his second game of the season with at least 10 tackles. The Rockets hope to get the issues worked out in the receiving core heading into Saturday’s GoDaddy Bowl rematch with Arkansas State in which the Rockets won 63-44. Toledo’s wideouts dropped eight passes which all would’ve resulted in a first down. Saturday’s game against the Red Wolves will kick off at 7 p.m. in the Glass Bowl for the Rockets’ last non-conference game of the 2015 season.
If you go What: Football game against the Red Wolves Where: Glass Bowl When: Saturday, Sept. 26, at 7 p.m.
provides student life with a new platform By Colleen Anderson Managing Editor
The Office of Student Involvement and Leadership hopes to eliminate the need for stacks of paper forms and countless Facebook groups with the launch of the organizational program OrgSync. Donovan Nichols, associate dean of student involvement and leadership, wrote in an email interview that the system forms an online community through the system. “The platform helps users connect and engage with the populations they serve, improve information sharing, minimize paper usage, track cocurricular involvement and generate DONOVAN NICHOLS reports on all Associate dean of data collected for student involvement annual reports and leadership and accreditation,” Nichols wrote. Melissa LaRosa, OrgSync regional manager, wrote in an email interview that OrgSync is being used at over 450 college campuses worldwide and that the system has a retention rate of 95 percent. The high retention rate may be due to its versatility, as LaRosa said that OrgSync has a number of different customizable features depending on the needs of the purchaser. Nichols wrote that the numerous functions of OrgSync is the reason UT decided See OrgSync / 3 »
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| The Independent Collegian | Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Reiber
from page 1
tears. “It’s just the type of person he was.” He was a true expert in his field, said Meagan Dietz, a third-year communication and film major who worked alongside Reiber. “He loved when you asked questions and he was so excited to tell you about everything, even if you couldn’t remember it,” Dietz said. Damaris Sims, a third-year communication major, said Reiber truly was an inspiration and an encouraging force to anyone who took the time to utilize his skills. “He really couldn’t be compared to any other professor on campus,” Sims said, “He had so much experience and he was always helpful. Any questions you had he was willing to
answer. He was just really committed to all of his students.” Not only did Reiber have an immense effect on UT, but also just the people he encountered in everyday life, said Eidemiller. One of these people was a grocery store worker who remembered Don from his regular visits to the store. “A couple times a week Don would come over and buy a steak from her for his wife. She had one set aside, and yesterday Don never came, and she came to the vigil,” Eidemiller said, referring to the informal candlelit ceremony which several students, faculty, staff and community members held Sunday night on the front steps of the Student Union. “She only knew Don from that interaction that she had a couple times a week but the fact that here’s somebody that he just saw in a store and they were
so moved by his kindness and drawn to his personality that he had that much of an effect on them. It’s just who he was.” Reiber’s family requested not to have a public visitation. UT said a “celebration of his life and legacy will be held at a later date.” The family told UT they will use memorial donations sent to the University of Toledo Foundation to start a scholarship fund for broadcast communication students.
“He really couldn’t be compared to any other professor on campus.” MEAGAN DIETZ Third-year communication and film major
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QUESTION OF THE WEEK
What is your favorite banned book?
“‘The Great Gatsby.’ I’m more of an action reader, and it had a little bit of action in it.”
Somer Nocella
First-year Pre-nursing
“‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,’ because of the moral of the story.”
Makenna Ruiz
Second-year Biology
“‘The Great Gatsby’ because I generally enjoy the 20s era and that book appealed to me the most.” Tristen Pocode
Second-year Chemistry and English
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 BUSINESS
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EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief Amanda Pitrof Managing Editor Colleen Anderson News Trevor Stearns, editor Jessica Harker, assoc. editor Sports Marcus Dodson, editor Opinion Morgan Rinckey, editor Community Alexandria Saba, editor Anna Glore, assoc. editor Features Joe Heidenescher, editor Copy desk Lauren Gilbert, editor Jared Hightower, editor Photography Abigail Sullivan, director Savannah Joslin, assoc. director
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IN BRIEF
Water quality lecture
Ohio State University professor Brent Sohngen will give a lecture at UT about water quality and the cause of recent problems. The lecture is part of UT’s Esteemed Speaker series and is titled “Do Agricultural Conservation Programs Reduce Nutrients in Watersheds?” The lecture, which is free and open to the public, will be held Sept. 23 at 4 p.m. in Bowman-Oddy Laboratories Room 10. For more information, contact Scott Heckathorn at scott. heckathorn@utoledo.edu.
Master plan in discussion Starter conversations regarding the University of Toledo’s first facilities “master plan” since its merger with the Medical University of Ohio in 2006 are underway. These initial discussions will lead to a survey to be distributed to students this month According to Jason Toth, associate vice president for facilities and construction, UT will be working on the plan with the planning consultant Smithgroup JJR. Smithgroup will return to campus in October to discuss broader campus topics. Check The Independent Collegian in coming weeks for more information on UT’s master plan.
Wednesday, September 23, 2015 | The Independent Collegian |
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Hands-on experience
Sim center brings together different disciplines By Ashley King Staff Reporter
Since its opening in 2014, the Lloyd Jacobs Interprofessional Immersive Simulation Center has provided learners with opportunities to improve their skills in the field. According to Brandi Barhite, media relations specialist for UTMC, the simulation center has trained an average of 2,000 learners per month since its opening. Users of the center include pharmacy, medical, nursing, physician assistant students and hospital staff from UTMC. Roy Schneider, manager of Medical & Biological Illustration at the center, said one of the benefits it gives the learners is a chance to work with others of a different medical background. “The information that they’re learning and sharing
“Nurses aren’t only going to work with nurses. They’re going to work with doctors and pharmacists.” BRANDI BARHITE Media relations specialist for UTMC
OrgSync
from page 1
to purchase the program. It allows students to create external websites for their organizations and easily pass along control of the organization’s website and information when leadership changes. Anna Crisp, a student trustee and president of International Service Learning, compared the platform to a Facebook for student organizations. “This could be your homepage, your little UT Facebook,” Crisp said. “I think it’s a great resource; I’m excited that we got it. You know, there’s been talk about it for a while so I’m really excited that we went ahead and did it.” Nichols wrote that the program costs $17,000 a year, but may cost more or less depending on the amount of features UT uses and how many ‘umbrellas’ or organization pages are on the system. The paper forms that are currently mandatory for student organizations will all be online in the future, which Nichols said could potentially save hundreds of dollars for the university. According to LaRosa, “our campus partners moved over 28,000 forms to OrgSync, which saved more than 6.7 million sheets of paper and represents a cost savings of approximately $749,600.” However, Nichols said the purchase is not meant to save money, but to benefit the students. “It’s more we see it as enhanced features that we have to pay for, not necessarily saving money in other areas except for printing costs, really,” Nichols wrote. “This is more an additional feature that brings about things like the
is not just with an isolated silo group,” Schneider said. “They put teams of students together of different disciplines and they share their experiences.” Barhite said she agreed with having learners of all different backgrounds working together, and that this will aid in the preparation of working in an actual medical environment. “That’s the way it is in the real world. Nurses aren’t only going to work with nurses. They’re going to work with doctors and pharmacists,” Barhite said. Kelsey Wolschlager, a fourthyear nursing major at Bowling Green State University, wrote in an email interview that nursing majors from BGSU are allowed to use the simulation center through the agreement made by BGSU and UT. “BGSU does not have the facilities that UT has for the nursing program, so they teamed up and they accept applications into the program from both universities and once accepted into the program all of my classes were held at the UT medical campus,” Wolschlager wrote. “So both UT and BG students have to commute to classes. I still pay tuition and register for classes through BG and will get a diploma from BG as well.” Carol Hasbrouck, director of Interprofessional Education at UTMC, said
event calendaring that we didn’t have in the system before, that just streamlines processes and makes it easier for student organizations.” LaRosa wrote that OrgSync is more than just a tool for organization; it also helps student involvement offices gather data about the level of involvement on campus. “Campuses may leverage the data collected in OrgSync to assess the impact of student involvement and co-curricular programming on overall student success and retention,” LaRosa wrote. The complete switch from physical paper forms will take place on Sept. 24, and all student organizations should have registered with OrgSync by then. Any organization that has not registered by Sept. 24 will be marked as inactive until they complete the process. While the transition to using OrgSync is quickly approaching, the full process is far from completed. The next phase involves teaching student organizations how to best utilize OrgSync. By orientation for 2016’s incoming class, Nichols wrote that OSIL plans to introduce an OrgSync that has all students regularly interacting and connecting with on-campus events and organizations. Right now, the plan is still in a relatively preliminary phase. “We want new users to have a great experience and find what they are looking for the first time they visit, which is why we are being strategic about how we roll out the marketing for OrgSync,” Nichols wrote. The university purchased OrgSync last fall, with Student Government
ASHLEY KING / IC
The center provides its learners with realistic mannequins that are able to talk and also have bodily functions. The sim center is used by hospital staff members from UTMC and pharmacy, medical, nursing and physician assistant students from UT and BGSU.
UTMC’s simulation center is set apart from others by the three levels dedicated to different studies. “Most medical schools have a clinical simulation center,” Hashbrouck said. “What’s unique about this one is when they built it, they wanted to have three floors that were very diverse.” According to Hashbrouck, having the simulation center is not only beneficial for aca-
members participating in discussions about the program. The former SG student affairs chair, who worked on the project, declined to comment. Nichols wrote that the launch took longer than anticipated because of external circumstances. “As with all major projects with multiple moving parts, there are always unforeseen situations which can slow down an implementation,” Nichols wrote. “We have run into a few of those situations, but have successfully navigated the issues with the support of UT’s IT department and the OrgSync staff.”
“I think it’s really student-friendly, and obviously the focus here is for the students, so I think that’s what’s most important. We want to encourage involvement, and I think this is a great way to do it.” ANNA CRISP Student trustee and president of International Service Learning
Crisp said while she expects the transition to take time, it will ultimately be beneficial for students to join. “I think it’s really student-friendly, and obviously the focus here is for the students, so I think that’s what’s most important,” Crisp said. “We want to encourage involvement, and I think this is a great way to do it.”
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demic purposes, but for the patients that will one day be treated by the learners as well. “When you end up in a hospital you’ve got a team of people helping you. If they don’t know how to … communicate with each other and or respect one another, your care goes down,” Hashbrouck said. Wolschlager has used the simulation center and said the benefits of using the center has helped her with
patient care in her clinicals. “It gives you the chance to work with patients and become comfortable around them and talking to them and giving them care without being judged or facing a real patient,” Wolschlager wrote. “The more Sim Labs I attended, I noticed my clinical skills increasing, both with my ability to provide care and my ability to relate and communicate with the patients.”
Presidential Inauguration Info Classes: • All classes beginning at or after 1 p.m. are cancelled. Processional: • Scheduled to meet at the Student Union at 1:30 p.m. • Robing and Procession will go from the Student Union to Savage Arena, as long as the weather permits and will begin at 2:30 p.m. Inauguration: • Friday, September 25 located in Savage Arena at 3 p.m. and estimated length is about an hour to an hour and a half. Reception: • Will take place immediately after the ceremony in the West Lobby of Savage Arena. To find more information on the Inauguration Day events, go to our website to read more.
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| The Independent Collegian | Wednesday, September 23, 2015
OPINION Send letters to the editor to Editor@independentcollegian.com
www.IndependentCollegian.com
EDITORIAL BOARD
Colleen Anderson Amanda Pitrof
Anna Glore Morgan Rinckey
Joe Heidenescher Trevor Stearns
Editorials appearing on this page represent the consensus view of the editorial staff. Columns and letters to the editor reflect the opinions of their authors, not those of The Independent Collegian.
EDITORIAL
Got spirit?
Students should take pride in UT in order to make a change Last Thursday, Centennial Mall was spilling over with nearly 2,000 people. Students on tiptoes snagged colorful selfies to add to their Snapchat stories. The sounds of brass blared and the beats of drums percussed across the beautiful, sunny mall. Everyone buzzed with excitement and anticipation for the triumphant University of Toledo Rockets to arrive — when they finally did, the crowd broke into an ecstatic frenzy driven by echoing chants “T-O-L-E-D-O!” But, how many of those people showed up to class Monday morning? The pep rally was held to support the football team after their upset over the Arkansas Razorbacks and to get hyped up for the game against Iowa State, and it was an electric, powerful moment. The problem is that once we come down from the buzz of school spirit, students fall back into the same patterns of keeping their heads down and anonymously complaining on Yik Yak without getting out of bed to change anything. Simply put, students need to start giving a shit. Hold on to the feelings of pride and joy swelling in your chest. Hold onto that feeling of bursting excitement and enthusiasm, but don’t expect it to carry you through your time at school. Short term enthusiasm isn’t a substitute for a deeper sense of concern and awareness of what’s happening at UT. It’s important to be an active participant on campus, not only for you as an individual, but for the community. We have the ability to make a difference, yet it’s rare that students are recognized for their grassroots efforts to make changes at the university. Change is only impossible when no one cares enough to make it happen. Students are capable of enacting change, and have instituted huge changes in the past. The UT Feminist Alliance helped prevent the movement of the counseling center to a less-thanideal location, a group of protestors at a lecture motivated the university to update the free speech policy and the UT Student Government persuaded administration to keep the library open for extended hours during exam week. School spirit comes from participation and excitement, but real pride in your school comes from knowing your university has been made better by the informed choices and efforts of those who are a part of it. Real participation involves a deepseated care and respect for the school. The IC editorial board is not the be-all and end-all authority on defining “the college experience,” but we think taking an active role in shaping the environment you chose is definitely a step in the right direction. We’re not saying you have to be at every football game and have “Rocket pride,” but it does mean actively caring about what happens at your school. And since you are reading this paper, you must care at least a little. We too have a mission to serve the students and this community; we are proud. We believe that student pride matters because it is the essential motivator to change and progress. If you have no pride, you have no improvement. As we said in last week’s editorial, this school is only as good as you make it. You — yes, you — are the key to change. Challenge the administration, push for, or against a referendum, start a purposedriven organization or publish a column with us. Care enough to not settle for a second-rate university, because if students are satisfied being mediocre, then that’s what UT will become.
COMMENTARY
The death sentence on the street I felt terrified seeing the blue, flashing officers face on the streets. This year, police lights in my rearview mirror as I 26 on-duty cops were killed by gunwas pulled over last Saturday night. I was fire including Dwight Maness, Joseph pulled over after the victory over Iowa Ponder and Charles Gliniewicz in recent State for driving without my lights on. months. There’s a real threat out there on It’s ironic how much fear we have of the the street but we expect great discretion same institution that should make us safe. from officers as they make these life and We expect the police to protect lives death decisions. Too bad we can’t revive and property but today, lost lives. As a world “killer cops” have leader, America should become judges on the not imply that it’s fine street. They decide to kill an unarmed who deserves to live or citizen just because an die by dispensing “the officer feels threatened death sentence on the for his life. street,” as a UniverLately, I’ve been sity of Toledo’s law trying to underprofessor, Jelani Exum, stand why our cops described it. Killer cops are prone to using know that by simply deadly force when saying, “I was afraid that should be the last for my life,” they have resort. Could it be the almost certainly secured thrill of pulling a trigtheir freedom from the ger? Or has our socicrime of killing unarmed ety’s general apathy to IC COLUMNIST civilians. This is sad — the issue encouraged and it’s why we fear the this growing trend? police for even random traffic stops. There could be other factors as well. We’re not sure if the officer is a “killer There’s no denying that academic cop” or one that knows that all Ameriqualifications tend to correlate with job cans have rights under the Constitution. performance. This is still true for police It’s natural to be concerned these days. officers. Professor William Terrill of For all kinds of police brutality, Michigan State found that cops with only including deaths, Canada recorded 127 a GED tend to use force more than those incidences between 1932 and 2015; the with higher credentials. Also the public is UK had 70 cases from 1920-2015, while not happy when bush-league cops don’t Germany recorded 19 cases since 1967. receive just punishment for their crimes. According to The Economist in August It’s common for police departments to use 2014, “it is hardly surprising that cops victim-blaming and shaming strategies to resort to the weapons more frequently” cover up unjust activities. The most comin America. Forget about the publicized mon punishments are paid administrative deaths of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, leaves or suspensions which do little to Freddie Gray, Walter Scott or 12-year stem gross indiscretion. At other times old Tamir Rice, and focus on the 814 ungrand juries also fail to indict “killer cops.” armed civilians who became unfortunate This encourages police impunity and victims of these “killer cops,” according to faux pas which fuels public distrust. For Killed By Police 2015. These killings have instance, how does Ohio’s Beaver Creek become common among the American or Cleveland police departments expect public and seriously diminished public the families of either John Crawford III or trust in American law enforcement. Tamir Rice to trust them or believe they I don’t downplay the daily threats our won’t suffer similar fates?
PHILEMON ABAYATEYE
The streets of Ferguson and Baltimore provided glimpses into the unnecessary but growing militarization of America’s police forces. The general feeling was as if these police departments wanted to put up public reenactments of Iraq and Afghanistan. There is also a lack of a national database to catalogue incidences of police brutality. Information is power and awareness of the actual magnitude of the situation is important for change. Racial characterization of the situation by referring to the race of victims only divides public sentiment and collaboration needed for changing policing policy. There’s no doubt race relations is a big problem in America but the victims of police brutality transcend races. It’s not a black or white or Hispanic issue; it’s an American problem that needs an American solution. If we can clean our police departments and streets of “killer cops,” we would improve public trust and our relationship with cops. A civilian shouldn’t feel he is about to have his last conversation when he encounters the police. We should have more training and professional development opportunities for police officers in addition to regular psychological evaluations. Killer cops should receive just punishment for their crimes. As a deterrent, it would perhaps be helpful to society if families of victims ask for huge financial settlements for these crimes. It should be very expensive for cops to kill unarmed civilians. The police should also improve their public outreach, especially with populations that feel unnecessarily discriminated against by the police. The real change however starts with police officers’ decision to be very thoughtful in their actions. Lethal force shouldn’t be the first option because our streets are not war zones. Imagine the possibilities of American law enforcement truly protecting lives rather than taking it. Philemon Abayateye is a doctoral student in geography and planning.
COMMENTARY
The words I don’t say enough to my best friend There are few things in life better After joining a few of the same orgathan the comfort of a best friend. nizations, we became fast friends by They are there for proximity. Throughus when we need out high school, she them, always up was always someone for a good time I could go to about and no matter anything, someone the distance, they who greeted anyone always show they with open arms. care. I can guarShe never judged, antee someone’s was always quick to face just popped show compassion, into your mind as and certainly knew you read that. For how to have a good me, that person is time. Alexis Willoughby. As time went Many of us are so on, our friendship used to constantly got stronger, and by seeing our best graduation, we were IC COLUMNIST friends, sending deeply upset to leave them that daily text each other for coland covering our rooms with their lege. Unlike false promises made by photos, we often take them for many friends, the message of, “stay granted. This is not to say that we in touch, I love you, and I’m here ‘use’ them or forget about them, but for you,” had the utmost validity. that we forget to say thank you for Ohio State is a few hours away; close all that they do for us. enough to make a visit over a break, Alexis and I met in high school. but far enough away to make
ALEXIS NIESZCZUR
weekend visits less than easy. Along with keeping up by texting and using Facetime, we write letters and cards of encouragement to each other in the mail. These letters are invaluable to me: on tough days, I reread them to remind me that I am loved and have a support system. It is much more meaningful to have a palpable note hanging in my room rather than a transient text message. But it wasn’t until I was asked by her family to write a letter for her for a retreat, that I realized I hadn’t stopped to thank her in our five years of friendship for all she has done for me. It’s strange: when someone is close to you, you often see them as a constant part of your life, an unmoving force. Until you are apart, you never really stop to look back on all that they had done in your life. Writing that letter was a turning point for me. It showed me I had to work on gratitude, because I had so much to be thankful for, and she needed to know it too. Sitting down to write the letter was
easy: I could go on and on about all the late night phone calls, ‘emergency’ text messages, last minute hangouts and everlasting support. The words seemed to flow effortlessly: I realized just how many good things I could think of about her and how many good times and memories we had shared together. While I was writing, a memory of Alexis at a high school retreat kept flowing into my mind as a thought of our friendship. All students in my class were given candles and lined up in a circle. One student had a lit candle, while the rest of the candles were unlit. The student with the flame had to take their candle and light the wick of someone else in the class’s candle who had been a true friend to them. As we continued around the circle, I remembered feeling shocked and so full of love as Alexis crossed the circle to light my candle. It was in that moment that I realized not only had she been a true friend to me, but she saw me as one to her too. In my letter, I told her how much
I appreciated all that she did for me. I told her how she motivated me in ways she would never know to be my best and do my best, because she was always rooting for me. I told her how she knew me better than I knew myself, and always worked to settle my fears and help me make the best decisions because of her knowledge of me. I told her how I could see us in the future planning weddings, baby showers, and watching our kids grow up together. Finally, I told her how I knew she was a true blessing in my life. When so many others had walked out, she stayed, and that meant the world to me. I know not everyone finds a friend as special as she is, and I will never take her for granted. I challenge you: If you have had a friend like Alexis in your life, take time to tell them a simple ‘thank you.’ When we are so used to having them around all the time, those simple two words can go unsaid. Alexis Nieszczur is a second-year majoring in pharmacy.
SPORTS Follow us on Twitter @IC_Sports
Standings
School
Football
MAC Overall
EAST DIVISION
Wednesday, September 23, 2015 | The Independent Collegian |
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FOOTBALL
Fighting for his life
Ohio 0-0 3-0 Buffalo 0-0 2-1 Akron 0-0 1-2 Bowling Green 0-0 1-2 Kent State 0-0 1-2 Miami 0-0 1-2 UMass 0-0 0-2
Soccer MAC Overall
EAST DIVISION Kent State 0-0 4-2-2 PHOTO COURTSEY OF UT ATHLETICS Miami 0-0 4-3 Senior defensive captain Cheatham Norrils looks in for the play call in the Sept. 12 game against Arkansas. The Rockets won the turnover battle forcing an interception and fumble. Bowling Green 0-0 4-3-1 Buffalo 0-0 4-3-1 Akron 0-0 3-4-1 Ohio 0-0 2-5 Ball State 0-0 4-2-2 Western Michigan 0-0 3-2-2 Toledo 0-0 4-5 Eastern Michigan 0-0 3-4-1 Central Michigan 0-0 1-5-1 Northern Illinois 0-0 1-6
Senior corner Cheatham Norrils overcomes life-threatening illness By Keith Boggs Sports Reporter
After a year off from his impressive tackle record, senior cornerback Cheatham Norrils has returned to the field as co-number one in the 2015 preseason. Norrils was redshirted last season as a result of a Volleyball life-threatening, unknown viral illness. School MAC Overall “It was a life or death EAST DIVISION situation,” Norrils said. “For the first ten days I was Ohio 0-0 10-3 in the hospital, I was more Miami 0-0 8-5 worried about surviving than football.” Kent State 0-0 6-6 Until that moment, Norrils Akron 0-0 6-7 played football for three years and started for two. In high Bowling Green 0-0 4-9 school he was named NorthBuffalo 0-0 1-11 west Ohio’s “Player of the Year” by The Blade. WEST DIVISION Norrils’ illness was sudden Eastern Michigan 0-0 8-5 and put a huge pause on his football career. Ball State 0-0 6-8 “The first four or five Central Michigan 0-0 5-8 days, he was critically sick,” Northern Illinois 0-0 4-8 said Head Coach Matt Campbell. “It was really Western Michigan 0-0 4-11 scary for him and his family, Toledo 0-0 3-10 as well as us coaches.” For more than ten days Norrils was stuck in a hospital bed, and his doctors were unable to diagnose what was IN BRIEF plaguing him. “They narrowed it down to a viral infection,” Norrils said. Rockets take 10th “But there were no specifics on place at the Inverness what it was, or where it actually Intercollegiate came from.” As one can imagine, spendThe University of Toledo Men’s Golf ing more than a week in the team finished 10th at the 11th-annual Inverness Intercollegiate on Tueshospital diminished a lot of day. The tournament was played at Norrils’ strength. the historic Inverness Club (Par 71, The illness caused him 7,323 Yards). to lose nearly 40 pounds, UT posted a team score of 55-over which put him at a weight par 907 which was 30 shots behind that would prevent him the champion California who shot 25 from playing football. over par 877. After things began to get The Rockets finished second among better for Norrils, he had to five Mid-American Conference teams go through a long, grueling that participated in the tournament. The Golden Bears held a three-shot cushion over last year’s champion East Tennessee State who posted a scorecard of 28-over par 586. Senior Otto Black paced UT at 13over par 226 and tied for 31st place. Sophomore Colin Joseph finished just one shot behind Black and finished tied for 35th. Sophomore Stephen Watts finished at 16-over par 229 and freshman Spencer Shoemaker just one shot more at 17-over par 230 to tie for the 40th and 46th spots, respectively. Individually, Michigan State’s Mitch Rutledge captured medalist honors at two-under par 211. Rutledge fired a tourney best five-under par 66 in Tuesday’s final round to post a threeshot victory over runner-up Michigan’s Kyle Mueller at one-over par 214. Rutledge just missed the lowest single round score in tourney history by a mere one shot. The Rockets will get back to the course when they compete in the Firestone Invitational on Oct. 5 in Akron, Ohio.
Rockets wrap up nonconference play with win Sports Reporter
Ball State 1-0 2-1 Toledo 0-0 2-0 Northern Illinois 0-0 2-1 Central Michigan 0-0 1-2 Western Michigan 0-0 1-2 Eastern Michigan 0-1 1-2
WEST DIVISION
SOCCER
By Jackson Rogers
WEST DIVISION
School
5
process of rehab. “I had to take care of my health,” Norrils said. “The way I was eating, even sleeping. Everything had to change just to stay healthy.” Norrils was at a battle with his body to recondition himself to football standards — which meant regaining lost muscle mass and lost weight. “I had to be more careful about what I did,” Norrils said. “I didn’t really workout much, and when I did, it was more body weight and resistance-type things.”
“I was more worried about surviving than football.” CHEATHAM NORRILS Senior defensive back
After nearly half a year of recovery and rehab, Norrils was able to get back on the field for the Rockets’ spring game this past April. “He has a new appreciation for the game, after being told by some people he might not play again,” said Defensive Backs coach DK McDonald. “He had a newfound joy to be back on the football field; it was contagious and infectious throughout our secondary.” In his first true game action since his illness, he made a remarkable comeback and picked off a deflected pass in the second quarter in Toledo’s Spring Game. “He’s played really well for us this year and it
started in spring practice,” Campbell said. “How quick he was able to bounce back was impressive.” His notable performance in spring carried over into fall camp and Norrils was able to secure a starting cornerback spot. “He has god-given ability,” Campbell said. “He’s a really special athlete.” Norrils’ peers agree that he was hardworking before the illness, and has only worked harder after. “Last year at this point I was really worried about living,” he said. Now, with his mysterious illness behind him, Norrils can focus on football again. “Cheatham is a heck of a player and even better competitor,” McDonald said. “I knew that once he stepped back on the field, he would be a better version of what he was. “He’s one of the best competitors I’ve ever coached.” The improvement is already beginning to be seen throughout the defense since his return. While Toledo has given up their fair amount of yardage so far this season, they’re only allowing 17.5 points per game, compared to 30 last season. The improvement shouldn’t solely be attributed to Norrils, but if the Rockets want to continue making noise at a national level, they’re going to need him around. “When he steps on to the field, he doesn’t want anyone to catch a ball over him; he wants to make every tackle,” McDonald said. “That’s what makes him who he is.”
The University of Toledo women’s soccer team finished up their non-conference slate of games with with a 2-0 win over Northern Kentucky on Sunday. After dropping five straight games, the Rockets (4-5) won their last three games heading into Mid-American Conference play on Friday. “It’s a long season full of ups and downs,” said Head Coach T.J. Buchholz. “We struggled early but we’ve been playing great the past couple of weeks so we’re feeling confident now.” The Rockets applied heavy pressure all game recording 23 shots with 11 on goal. Freshman forward Italia Biondi made her first goal of her collegiate career for Toledo in the 33rd minute. NKU goalkeeper Brooke Schocker caught the shot but fell over the goal line to give the Rockets a 1-0 lead. Junior forward Kiersten Johnson gave UT some insurance with a goal in the 73rd minute. Senior mid-fielder Geri Siudzinski placed a cross into the box where Johnson headed it into the back of the net for her team-high third goal of the season. The defense was strong again for Toledo, allowing only two shots on goal for the whole match. Senior goalie Sam Tiongson recorded her second shutout of the season. “Sam’s been a great leader for us in net,” Buchholz said. “She’s come up with big saves when we needed her to.” Toledo will kick off conference play against Northern Illinois on Friday, Sept. 25 at 7 p.m. at the NIU Soccer and Track & Field Complex. They will travel to Western Michigan to resume play on Sunday at 1 p.m. Heading into MAC play, the Rockets were projected to finish sixth in the west division by the league’s coaches. As of now, the Rockets hold the third-best record in the west division. “The MAC is balanced,” Buchholz said, “Every team could win the conference. The margin of error is low for each team.” The non-conference schedule helped the Rockets to prepare for conference play. Of the nine games the team faced in the past month, three were nationally-ranked teams in the AP Top 25. “We had a tough non-conference schedule,” Buchholz said. “It makes us play our best but it also sees where you need work. The nonconference schedule has prepared us well.” The MAC women’s post-season soccer tournament will be held Nov. 2, 7 and 9 at the University of Buffalo.
ABIGAIL SULLIVAN / IC
(Left to right) sophomores Regan Price (UT) and Bryce Hueber (WSU) fight for a free ball on the Sept. 13 for a 1-0 win.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Letter to all UT students
MATT CAMPBELL
HEAD FOOTBALL COACH
To all University of Toledo students, faculty, staff, alumni and all fans in Rocket Nation: On behalf of the coaches, staff and players of the University of Toledo’s football team, I would like to personally thank all of you who came out and supported us in our 30-23 double overtime victory over Iowa State on Saturday night. As I told the media right after the game, that was your win! You are the ones who made the Glass Bowl electric. You stayed with us and drove us to victory
when the odds seemed to be against us. You showed the nation what great fans we have and also what a special place the University of Toledo is. Our football team is always striving to make you proud, whether it is on the football field, in the classroom or in the community. You make us proud by your support and enthusiasm. You make us stronger by making the Glass Bowl such a great environment for us and such a difficult place to play for our opponents.
We need that great support again this Saturday night at 7 p.m. when we play Arkansas State, our opponent in last year’s GoDaddy Bowl. Let’s pack the Glass Bowl and keep the excitement of this great season rolling. Rocket fans are one of the things that make playing football at the University of Toledo truly special. We can’t thank you enough for your continued support. Go Rockets! — Matt Campbell, head coach
6
| The Independent Collegian | Wednesday, September 23, 2015
COMMUNITY Follow us on Twitter @TheICToledo
CALENDAR
Wednesday, Sept. 23 6:30 p.m. -- Film Screening of “Teach,” in Health and Human Services Building Room 1600. The film screening will be followed by a discussion beginning at 8 p.m. 6:30 p.m. -- Poetry Speaks: Beat Poetry and Jazz Scene, The event will feature local poets reading the work of Allen Ginsberg, Lawrence Ferlinghetti etc. alongside local jazz musicians. This program will be held in the Huntington Room at Main Library (325 Michigan St., Toledo, Ohio). The Poetry Speaks series is FREE and open to all ages. For more information, please call 419-259-5218. Thursday, Sept. 24 11:30 a.m. -- President’s Backyard BBQ, for students, faculty, and staff at Centennial Mall on Main Campus. Friday, Sept. 25 1 p.m. -- All classes starting at 1 p.m. or later, are canceled in order to give everyone the opportunity to attend Dr. Gaber’s Inauguration. 3 p.m. -- Inauguration of President Gaber, will be held in Savage Arena. Saturday, Sept. 26 10 a.m. -- Pianist Frances Renzi, to play at the first recital of the Dorothy Price Piano Series Master Class. Located at the Center for Performing Arts Recital Hall. Sunday, Sept. 27 9:30 a.m. -- 22nd-Annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, Join team captains Sharon Gaber and UT Board of Trustees Chair Sharon Speyer. Located in Downtown Toledo. Tuesday, Sept. 29
2 p.m. -- 2015 Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration, Live music, Free Moon cakes and Chinese Food, Cultural activities, poem recital available to all students. Located in the Student Union. 7:30 p.m. -- UT’s Jazz Night at Crystal’s Lounge, UTJazz student combos and faculty perform every Tuesday night at Crystal’s Lounge in the Ramada Hotel.
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SERVICE ORGANIZATION
Race against time Help the Hogar has students running and competing in obstacle courses on campus By Alexandria Saba
Zastrow said he experienced first-hand acceptance Running with two legs is and love from a group of chileasy, running with three — not dren that have been through so much. Grab a friend, tie your tragedies he can’t even begin legs together and get ready to to imagine. bring out your inner child. “I went to the orphanage “Help The Hogar is a philready to serve these children, anthropic event created to and they ended up serving raise awareness and funds for me. Despite their humble the Hogar De Niños Emanliving conditions, they treated uel,” said Lucas Zastrow, a me with extreme generosity fourth-year pre-physical and kindness,” Zastrow said. therapy major. “The event “These children have touched itself is a three-legged race my heart, and I want to do around campus, with some whatever I can to improve obstacles to complete along their lives in any way I can.” the way.” Now the Catholic Student The Hogar De Niños Association wants to give Emanuel is an orphanage in back to them. Honduras and all proceeds “Luke Zastrow and I started will be given directly to the this event last year after orphanage to help support returning from Honduras for the children, Zastrow said. the first time,” said Lauren “We are trying to keep it fun Banks, a third-year recreand kid-themed for the chilational therapy major. “It was dren,” said Katelyn Rottinger, a a life-changing experience fourth-year nursing major. and we really felt called to give Twelve students from the back in some way. This event Catholic Student Associagave us the opportunity to tion were given the privilege make a difference for a cause to go on a mission trip to that was so special to us. After Honduras returning to over winter Honduras a “These children break last year, second time, have touched my we hope that according to Rottinger. heart, and I want the event can “There be even bigger to do whatever I we got the and better this can to improve privilege to year.” stay at an Zastrow their lives in any orphanage for said he thinks way I can.” a week which people should LUCAS ZASTROW housed around get involved Fourth-year pre-physical 90 children because they therapy major all aging from have an op6 months portunity to to 18 years give to a group old,” Rottinger said. “During of children that never got to this week we got to learn a experience all of the things lot about these children and we take for granted here in their backgrounds. Most of the United States. these kids were in gangs, have “The orphanage home is had to beg for food and have located in San Pedro Sula in seen their parents or other Honduras. Honduras is the siblings be killed right in front number one country for crime of them. After all of these and murder per capita. These horrible things, the kids were children are not safe in this still the happiest they could orphanage,” Rottinger said. be. They treated us like royalty “Gangs walk outside the orand offered us so much.” phanage and the children are Community Editor
COURTESY OF LUCAS ZASTROW
Sam Daney (left) is a member of CSA and a part of the Help the Hogar team. She is with a group of children inside the Hogar De Niños Emanuel orphanage in Honduras.
only protected by a high fence. We are trying to raise funds to be able to build the children a wall so they are protected while living at the orphanage.” According to Banks, some of these children have already had harder lives than any of us could ever imagine. “The least we can do is run this race for them and show them that we are thinking about them,” she said. Zastrow said students should attend this event for multiple reasons. “This event is a great opportunity for individuals to broaden their horizons and have their eyes opened to the reality of life in other countries,” Zastrow said. “I also think people should get involved because it is going
to be an extremely fun event. We are going to provide food and prizes and ensure people have a blast trying to complete the course.” At last year’s event, the CSA raised over $1,400; they hope to top that number this year. “At this year’s event, we will be making a few positive changes,” said Zastrow. “The first is that we will be providing food for this year’s participants. We have Chipotle, Jimmy John’s and Chick-fil-A catering and we are grateful for their support. We will also be adding a new obstacle to the race this year. In addition, we will be explaining more about the orphanage and ensuring that participants understand where their sup-
port is going.” According to Zastrow, they are extremely excited to put on this event and they hope to see a large amount of students supporting it. “This is something I am extremely passionate about,” Rottinger said. “These kids have a lot of love, but need more in their life. Even with being broke college kids, we have so much to offer. I want to hold an event to show them that they are cared and loved for. Little things like this helps them become a better person and will help the country of Honduras as a whole.” The event will take place in Centennial Mall at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 27. To sign up for the event, go to www. helpthehogar.eventbrite.com.
LIBRARY WEEK
Banned Books Week begins Oct. 1 in Carlson Library By Marla Gootee Staff Reporter
While drugs, sex, offensive language and violence usually have no place in a library, the 18th-annual Banned Books Week welcomes books with all those topics and more in a celebration of reader’s rights. The vigil will be held Oct. 1 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the fifth floor of Carlson Library. Arjun Sabharwal, Digital Initiatives Librarian and UT Banned Books Coalition member, describes the event as a “celebration of our right to read, speak and create in general.” “As students go through college and are exposed to books through these events, they have better information of what they may have missed while they were growing up,” Sabharwal said. “And at the same time, they have the opportunity to evaluate, and that’s the idea of reading, is that you evaluate your sources, just like when you research, you have to say, ‘OK, well is this really a good book, or a reliable book?’” According to Sabharwal, this year’s theme centers around young adult books and he said he understands where the concern is coming from in regards to the impressionable young minds that young readers possess. At the same time, he also said that with libraries cutting off access to books deemed as inappropriate, young readers are being deprived of great opportunities thus causing their field of vision to be narrowed. A Banned Books coalition member and former staff reporter at The Independent Collegian, Josephine Schreiber, wrote in an email interview that she sees it as a violation of her rights whenever
she hears of a library or school challenging or banning a book. She views UT’s Banned Books Week and Banned Books Day as a way to give students the ability to defend their rights as citizens.
“As students go through college and are exposed to books through these events, they have better information of what they may have missed while they were growing up.” ARJUN SABHARWAL Digital Initiatives Librarian and UT Banned Books Coalition member
“While I think it’s okay for parents to oversee what their child reads, I don’t think it’s okay for a public group or administrator to dictate what can and can’t be read by a group of people,” Schreiber wrote. Not only does UT’s Banned Books Week and Banned Books Day celebrate the books that have been banned, it also helps students and staff learn more about their rights as readers. Danielle Pigula, fourth-year communication major and Banned Books Coalition member, said that the event covers aspects of the First Amendment including freedom of speech and freedom to protest. Pigula stressed how important the event is in correlation to ending the banning of books in schools. “I guess I feel that it affects you in ways that you don’t even know. When I went
to this banned books vigil I was thinking, ‘Oh, they don’t do that anymore, that was just the past that they banned books,’ but it’s still an issue today,” Pigula said. “Especially in high schools, like what kind of books they’re allowed to read and what books libraries will offer. So I definitely think that it’s important for us to keep making strides to not have any books banned. Freedom to read, freedom to get any information that we can.” Pigula said she encourages all of the students and staff to attend at least one session of the Banned Books event because it will be covering a wide range of topics and will appeal to many of their interests. The public is also invited to Banned Books Day; it’s a free event that will feature twenty-minute presentations and speakers. Light snacks will be provided throughout the day. Door prizes and banned books will also be given away every half hour.
If you go What: Banned Books Vigil. Where: Fifth floor of the Carlson Library. When: Oct. 1. Time: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.