Feb. 4, 2011 Daily Kent Stater by The Kent Stater

DAILY KENT STATER Friday, February 4, 2011 • The independent student newspaper of Kent State University • Weather: Sunny, HI 30, LO 24

LATEST UPDATES AT KENTWIRED.COM

Campus contest motivates students to start recycling First year for Kent State in competition Kate Murphy

kmurph23@kent.edu Daily Kent Stater

MEGANN GALEHOUSE | DAILY KENT STATER

Galia Sabar spoke briefly about her experiences and her award at the Hillel Jewish Student Center Thursday. After the speech, Sabar accepted questions, such as her opinion on the current migrant refugees in Israel.

Israeli activist speaks at Kent State on work, personal life All-day event focused on Israel and its ties with African nations Daniel Moore

dmoore63@kent.edu

Ryan Collins

rcolli12@kent.edu Daily Kent Stater Galia Sabar, the first and only Israeli woman to be a recipient of the Dalai Lama’s Unsung Heroes of Compassion award, was the featured speaker for a series of events at Kent State Thursday. The day, which included two speeches by Sabar, a mocktail hour and an Ethiopian dinner, was co-sponsored by the Jewish Stud-

ies program, the Department of Pan-African Studies and Hillel. Chaya Kessler, Jewish Studies program director, said she brought in her “good friend” Sabar, chair of African Studies at Tel Aviv University in Israel, to share her experiences as both a social scientist and an Israeli Jew. “I’d like to share with you my thoughts of being somebody with so many components,” Sabar said. Kessler said the event was timed with Black History Month. “We (wanted) to highlight that and to highlight our partnership with Pan-African Studies on campus.” In her two lectures, Sabar covered challenges facing Israel, specifically regarding the integration of African Jews into the country. See ACTIVIST, Page 2 MEGANN GALEHOUSE| DAILY KENT SPEAKER

Galia Sabar and Nili Ben-Yeho-Shua mingle over the Ethiopian dinner at the Hillel Jewish Student Center Thursday.

Avoid the winter chill with Spain’s warmth this Saturday Opera program presents “A Night in Seville” fundraiser Brooke Bower

bbower2@kent.edu Daily Kent Stater Kent State Opera will present “A Night in Seville” as their annual gala fundraiser at 8 p.m. in Ludwig Recital Hall on Saturday. “The fundraiser is to support the productions and activities of the opera program,” said Kerry Glann, director of opera. “It will help with the costs of our full pro-

JOHNSON

TROYER

Kent State hopes to beat out the competition in this year’s eight-week long Recyclemania national contest held by the College and University Recycling Council that begins Feb. 6. During the eight-week period, Kent State will be monitoring and publishing the amount of collected recyclable materials from each of the residence halls, as well as the academic buildings, and ranking the collection results with other schools from across the nation. Residence Services is also raising the stakes by hosting a hall vs. hall competition to find out which of the residence halls can recycle the most during these eight weeks. The hall with the most recyclables collected will be awarded $200 for its hall council. Andy Weyand, coordinator of resident operations and facilities, said the challenge is that recycling bins are frequently filled with food, half-full beverage contain-

ers and other non-recyclables which forces these materials to be thrown out as garbage. Recycling correctly by placing only recyclable materials in the blue bins is the only requirement necessary to participate in Recyclemania. To guide students on what is recyclable, Residence Services is currently posting new recycling guides throughout the halls, showing students what items can and cannot be placed in the recycle bins. The recyclable items include glass, aluminum, paper, cardboard and plastic. This is not Kent State’s first time participating in this event, but it is the first year the school is competing. “Kent State enrolled last year for the first time in Recyclemania in the ‘Benchmark Division,’ meaning that we were not competing but simply keeping score to find out where we stand compared to other campuses throughout the country,” Weyand said. “Last year, the Kent State main campus finished 71st with about 18.5 pounds of recyclables per capita. 2011 will be our first year competing in Recyclemania and we hope to top our collected weights from 2010.” Kent State noticed last year’s campus recycling totals increased during the competition period. The weight of the collected recyclable materials increased from approximately 42,000 pounds in January to 62,000 pounds in April. See RECYCLE, Page 2

ing supporters that love the opera duction coming up in April.” Glann said the fundraiser has will come check us out.” He said the production is been a Kent State tradition in the past but disappeared for a while. more like a concert instead of a typical full Glann revived opera producit when he took “We want tion that tells a over as director people to story. Glann said last year. He said come inside F e n l o n L a m b , about 60 people stage director of c a m e t o l a s t out of the cold of the the opera, chose year’s fundraiser and that this year winter and experience t h e t h e m e o f Seville, Spain to they’d like to Spain’s warmth. help them pick see attendance the music. increase to 100. “The theme “ W e h a v e KERRY GLANN was a great no set financial DIRECTOR OF OPERA opportunity to goal,” Glann said. “We just want to spread give us a little warmth from the awareness that we exist and reach winter,” Lamb said. Glann said they’ve picked beyond the university. We’re hop-

LAMB

BERG

CULVER

excerpts from Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” and “The Marriage of Figaro,” Georges Bizet’s “Carmen” and Gioachino Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville” to perform. He said they have a set of Spanish-tinged songs they’ve taken excerpts from, too. “We’ve picked four really well-known operas,” Lamb said. “They’re good for the students and the faculty since most have sung them many times. They’re also excellent for the audience’s entrance in to opera.” Glann said there are 20 students, four faculty members and a guest performer in the opera. He said there are a few students who have feature solos: Alexandra May, Katie Harrison, Audra Casebier and Huiyu Zhang. The faculty performing includes Marla Berg, Lara Troyer, Tim Culver and Lamb. Glann said the guest performer, Brian Johnson, is well known in the area and has done a lot with the Porthouse Theatre and with the School of Music. See OPERA, Page 2

VALERIE BROWN | DAILY KENT STATER

Senior aeronautics majors Joshua Mathis, Curtis Rupeka and Ashley Gordon, along with Isaac Nettey, associate dean of the College of Technology, spent four months developing a proposal to better deice planes, which won each of the students a $500 award.

Aviation students donate $500 awards to KSU Aeronautics Seth Cohen

scohen12@kent.edu Daily Kent Stater Four months of work and one honorable mention later, two Kent State students have donated their prize money to the College of Technology. In April 2010, three students from Kent State’s aviation department submitted a plan to the Federal Aviation Administration Design Competition for Universities. After receiving an honorable mention and $500 each for their proposal to deice planes, two of the students donated their winnings back to the university this semester. “We asked them to focus it on the

aeronautics section of the department for new books,” said Ashley Gordon, senior aeronautics major. Gordon and fellow senior aeronautics majors, Curtis Rupeka and Joshua Mathis, said they heard about the award from Isaac Nettey, associate dean in the College of Technology. While excited, Rupeka said it was stressful to finally reach that point. “We had a lot of ideas, but they were turned down,” Rupeka said. “So for the first few weeks, we were trying to come up with other ideas to submit to the competition, and they really liked (the one we chose).” Their proposal worked to find cheap and alternative ways to deice aircrafts, and it focused on infrared technology. See AVIATION, Page 2

Page 2 | Friday, February 4, 2011

Daily Kent Stater

WEEKEND EVENTS FRIday

n KSC

n Voices

of Testimony meeting When: 4 p.m. Where: Student Center Room 311 n Kent

State Film Society meeting When: 5 p.m. Where: Student Center Room 316

Programming “Monsters, Inc.” When: 11 p.m. Where: Kiva SATURDAY

n Evil

Geniuses meeting When: 10 a.m. Where: Student Center Room 313

DAILY KENT STATER n KSU Ballroom Club meeting When: 2 p.m. Where: Student Center Room 310AB n KSC

Programming “Monsters, Inc.” When: 8 p.m., 11 p.m. Where: Kiva

SUNDAY

n Women’s

n h2o

worship gathering When: 4:30 p.m. Where: Bowman Room 137

Liberation Collective meeting When: 7 p.m. Where: Student Center Room 311

n Chinese Spring Festival celebration When: 5 p.m. Where: Student Center Ballroom

RECYCLE

Avoid the winter chill with Spain’s warmth this Saturday

Campus contest motivates students to recycle

Glann and Lamb started putting the program together in December, over the winter break. Glann said they didn’t start rehearsing until the semester started and that they’ve been practicing for their April opera in addition to “A Night in Seville.” “We want people to come inside out of the cold of the winter and experience Spain’s warmth,” Glann said. Tickets are available at the door for $25 and $5 for students with their Kent State ID. The audience is invited to a reception after the performance.

“Kent State has been recycling materials for many years, but there is always room to grow and improve,” Weyand said. “Recyclemania is aimed at not only doing well in the final rankings but also at promoting awareness of the recycling program at Kent State and hopefully instilling students, faculty and staff with longterm recycling habits.” Anyone interested in following the results of the competition can follow along each week by clicking the “results” tab on the official Recyclemania website or by following the event on Facebook at “Recyclemania at Kent State” and Twitter at “KSURECYCLEMANIA.”

Brooke Bower is the performing arts reporter.

Kate Murphy is the room and board, buildings and grounds reporter.

Freshmen to serve as library’s undergraduate tutors Goal is for peers to help confused peers Cassandra Beck

cbeck6@kent.edu Daily Kent Stater The University Library has chosen four freshmen from the Provost Leadership Academy to become Peer Library Tutors, a new program to get an undergraduate perspective on the library. The four freshmen chosen for this position are education major Ashley Smith; psychology major Lauren Miller; aeronautics major Shane Loper; and architecture major Kimberly Micheller. The students will meet with University Library Dean James Bracken Friday and plan to start Feb. 15. “These students were chosen from a group of 60 to 100 motivated incoming freshmen,” said Jamie Seeholzer, first year experience librarian. “We only hire graduate students at the reference desk. This is a chance to get undergraduate students

involved in the library.” Each student was chosen based on leadership, motivation and grades. The four tutors will work 10 to 12 hours a week and be given an iPad to use throughout the semester. “The iPads will help the Peer Library Tutors with quick updates and reference questions,” Seeholzer said. The four students do not get to keep the iPads at the end of the semester. Peer Library Tutors will be paid and will mostly work during peak library hours from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Seeholzer said the library hopes the four students chosen will stay with the program for their remaining three years at Kent State. Peer Library Tutors will greet and welcome students in the main library entrance and be available for questions or help. “Our Peer Library Tutors will be there to lend an extra hand in the library,” Seeholzer said. “Their job is to help people who look confused, (be) quick reference help and to help make the library a friendly place.” Cassandra Beck is the library reporter.

Everyone can shine at Open Mic Lunches Cassandra Beck

cbeck6@kent.edu Daily Kent Stater The first Open Mic Lunch of the semester will be from 12 to 1 p.m. Friday in the Performing Arts Library in the Roe Green Center. The lunch program allows students, faculty and staff to perform a variety of entertainment ranging from poetry, singing, band performances, monologues and even comedy acts. Joe Clark, head of the Performing Arts Library, said the event is

very casual and includes free food. “Students can hear a variety of entertainment,” Clark said. “There’s something for everyone.” Open Mic Lunches will be the first Friday of the month from February through April. The program was offered once last semester and was so successful that it will continue this semester. Interested performers can sign up by visiting the University Library website or contacting Joe Clark. Cassandra Beck is the library reporter.

Fair to offer resources for graduate students Graduate students are invited to learn about resources and networking at Making Connections, a graduate student resource fair from 3 to 5 p.m. Friday in the Rathskellar. Graduate Student Senate, Graduate Student Orientation and International Student and Scholar Services are sponsoring the resource fair, according to the university. Booths will be set up in the Rathskellar to aid in graduate student development, awareness, connections and support. Free refreshments will be provided. Following the graduate fair, GradFest will be hosted from 5 to 7 p.m. at the same location. Graduate students are given the opportunity to network and socialize while they enjoy pizza, drinks and a raffle. Kent State ID is required for GradFest and the event is for students who are 18 and older. Jessica Costello is the graduate and undergraduate studies reporter.

News

SPORTS

Assigning editors

Sports editor

lcoutre@kent.edu

cerbache@kent.edu Assistant sports editor

einverso@kent.edu

Lance Lysowski

Taylor Rogers

OPINION

llysowsk@kent.edu

trogers@kent.edu

From Page 1

ACTIVIST Isreali activist speaks at Kent State on work, personal life She said she led missions in the 1980s to rescue Ethiopian Jews and bring them to Israel. “Little did I realize the obstacles they would face in Israel,” she said, citing feelings of discrimination and antagonism among the Israelis toward the immigrants. She said she realized the feelings were “results of ignorance,” and she “fought them with knowledge.” “We as women have a lot of power and influence,” Sabar said. In her first lecture, titled, “The Africanization of Israel,” she discussed the challenges of how black Jews from Ethiopia, African migrant workers and African asylum seekers have integrated into Israeli society. “Most Israelis have never seen black people other than tourists — American tourists,” Sabar said. Jennifer Chestnut, executive director of Hillel, said she thought the lecture was “fascinating.”

“Whenever I think there are collaborations on campus, it’s great to see the resources and various departments coming together on common themes,” she said after the lecture. Sabar delivered a final lecture in the Cohn Jewish Student Center chapel, focusing on her own experiences with Jewish and African backgrounds. She said it’s hard to pick a single reason why she chose to focus on Africa and Israel. “I needed to expand my understanding of the region I live in,” she said. In the 1990s, Sabar said she shifted focus to Kenya, researching the “complex relationship between religion and politics.” She said although she witnessed female genital mutilation, child slavery and other atrocities that marginalize them, she thinks, “African women are the most innovative and creative” in the world in the way they develop “new strategies for surviving.” After the speech, she answered questions that centered on Israel’s — and other countries’ — absorption of migrants. She said although there are no countries in the

From Page 1

AVIATION Aviation students donate $500 awards to Kent State “It is like one big heating lamp,” Nettey said, “with big heaters surrounding every end of the building to heat up the whole plane.” Heating would help ensure planes have the lift they need to take off properly, Mathias said, which is why planes don’t take off when there’s snow. Not only are the runways slippery, but the ice and snow affect the structure of the plane. “This technology allows airports to save money,” Gordon said. “It’s also non-toxic, unlike the chemical they use, called ethylene glycol.” About 50 schools were in the national competition, and according to the FAA Competition for Universities records, Kent State remains the only school in Ohio to receive an honorary mention. “Honorary mention does not mean they won,” Nettey said. “But it means the judges recognized their ideas and could not ignore it because it means something.” Rupeka and Gordon chose to donate their winnings to the College of Technology, Nettey said, so they could be put to good use for future students. “They gave the money back, which is such a rare opportunity for students to do,” he said. “I’m very pleased to have worked with them.” Seth Cohen is a College of Technology reporter.

world that have handled migration particularly well, there must be a balance in Israel. She said the government wants to accept all refugees, but is extremely worried about the number of Africans it takes in. Either way, she said, “labor migration is here to stay.” In 2009, her dedication in helping both Israel and Sub-Saharan Africa earned Sabar the Unsung Heroes of Compassion Award from the Dalai Lama. “She’s done a great deal of work in the community in Israel and Tel Aviv,” said Ricky Marcus, director of Jewish student life at Hillel. Beyond her work, Sabar talked about her personal life and how she juggles her various roles. “To be an Israeli, Jew, mother, scientist and social activist woman in 2011 is not an easy life,” she said. “It is not an either/or reality. It is not good or bad… It is both oppressive and liberating.” Daniel Moore is the diversity reporter. Ryan Collins is the ethnic affairs reporter.

First one-clawed dinosaur fossil found in China Bill Smith MCT

BEIJING _ A fossil found in China of a p re v i o u s l y u n k n o w n single-clawed species has shed light on the evolution of dinosaurs, international scientists said Monday. The species of monodactyl theropod was unearthed in China’s Inner Mongolia region, the scientists said. Theropods are a primarily carnivorous g ro u p t h a t i n c l u d e s the well-known tyrannosaurus and velociraptor. Theropods had short forelimbs and ran or walked on their hind legs, eventually giving rise to modern birds. Lead Chinese researcher Xu Xing and colleagues discovered the Linhenykus monodactylus fossil in rocks from the Upper Cret a c e o u s Wu l a n s u h a i formation near Inner

Mongolia’s Linhe city, according to a report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The rock formation dates back 75 million to 84 million years and is one of the world’s richest veins for dinosaur fossils. The researchers found a partial skeleton, including bones from the vertebral column, the forelimbs and hind limbs, the report said. It said the small dinosaur probably grew to a maximum height of about 1 meter and weighed about the same as a large parrot. Its development of a single claw “highlights a complex pattern of evolution in the hand of this dinosaur group,” the report said. Unlike that monodactyl, most theropods had three claws. The report was written by Xu and nine Chinese, U.S. and British scientists.

Cody Erbacher

Kelly Petryszyn

kpetrysz@kent.edu

Go to KentWired.com to see the interactive entertainment calendar. The calendar covers entertainment events on campus and in the city of Kent.

OPERA

Managing editor Josh Johnston jjohns64@kent.edu Managing editor Kelly Byer kbyer@kent.edu

Emily Inverso

K e n t W i r e d . co m

From Page 1

NewSroom 330-672-2584 Editor Regina Garcia Cano rgarcia1@kent.edu

Lydia Coutré

Have an event you want to see here? Send it to lcoutre@kent.edu by Thursday the week before.

From Page 1

240 Franklin Hall Kent State University Kent, Ohio 44242

Opinion editor

Nicole Stempak

Rabab Al-Sharif

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Visuals

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Photo editor

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Features

Kate Penrod

Frank Yonkof

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A.L.L. design editor

Features/A.L.L. editor

Laura Lofgren

kpenrod1@kent.edu Lead page designer

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Nicole Aikens

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AdvertIsing 330-672-2586 Sales Manager Rachel Polchek 330-672-0888 Account executive

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CORRECTIONS The Daily Kent Stater recognizes the responsibility to correct errors that occur in the newspaper. When errors occur in the newspaper, corrections will appear in this space as promptly as possible.

POLICE BLOTTER The blotter is a record of charges filed by the police. The listings do not represent convictions or reflect guilt. It is the Daily Kent Stater’s policy to publish on-campus and off campus arrests, charges and incidents of interest to the public.

CAMPUS MONDAY

Eric S. Way, 19, of Brook Park, was arrested for possession of marijuana at Koonce Hall.

TUESDAY

Andrew M. Levy, 20, of Livingston, N.J., was arrested for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia at Wright Hall. n

CITY WEDNESDAY

n Bernard Watts, 35, of Kent, was arrested for driving under suspension on the 300 block of Silver Meadows Drive.

TUESDAY

n Alexander Stone, 22, of Cleveland, was arrested for driving under suspension on N. Water Street.

Hudson Players’ performance plans to support student’s memorial scholarship Friday’s show supports Alex Stebbins’ fund Brooke Bower

bbower2@kent.edu Daily Kent Stater The family of late Kent State student Alex Stebbins has created a music scholarship in Stebbins’s name and will take part in the Hudson Players’ performance of “Have a Nice Day!” Friday to benefit the scholarship fund. “Alex’s father is the director of the show, and he really wanted to continue to be the director of the show even after the tragedy happened,” said Tim Steiner, president of the Hudson Players and part of the play’s cast. “We thought it’d be a nice tribute to Alex and his family. We really

wanted to do something to help.” Stebbins passed away shortly after Christmas. He was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon. A recent Stater article said Stebbins’s friends described him as a music lover. He was a member of the marching band, jazz band and drum line at Hudson High School. Gary Maher, publicity chair of the Hudson Players, said Stebbins’s father, Dave Stebbins, has been a member of the Hudson Players for at least 20 years. Dave will play piano for the show, in addition to directing. He said the family has been involved with the players for a long time, and Alex worked on a few shows. Half of the proceeds from Friday night’s show will be donated to the Alex Stebbins Music Scholarship fund. “Our hope is that we’ll sell out all 188 seats on opening night,” Maher said. “That would be around $1,100, but we’d be happy with being able to donate anything

over $1,000 to the scholarship.” The play spoofs the ‘70s band Up with People and features a fictional singing group of five people called Have A Nice Day playing their farewell tour. The group is determined to make sure no one has a gloomy day and wants everyone to smile. “The songs are a little mix of everything from the late ‘60s and early ‘70s,” Steiner said. “We’ll be singing ‘Convoy,’ ‘I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing,’ ‘By the Time I Get to Phoenix,’ ‘Bridge over Troubled Water ’ and many more.” Maher said the audience should recognize a lot of the older songs by famous artists such as John Denver, Cher and Simon and Garfunkel. He said the play features a lot of montages and parts of different ‘70s favorites. The play is $14 for regular admission and $12 for students and senior citizens and will be held at the Barlow Community Center in Hudson. The doors open at 7:30

p.m. for the 8 p.m. curtain. The show will run every Friday and Saturday of February. There will be one matinee performance at 2 p.m., Feb. 20. Maher said they would donate half of the proceeds for Friday’s performance, and after that, they will continue to take donations for the Alex Stebbins Music Scholarship before and after each performance. The audience is encouraged to dress up in ‘70s attire to bring the past alive. Audience members are invited to Zeppe’s Bistro in Hudson after Friday’s performance to chat and relax with the cast and crew. Maher said they would have a cash bar and free appetizers. “This is a feel-good play,” Steiner said. “There is no thinking; just come in and listen to the music. I guarantee you’ll leave humming some song you recognized.” Brooke Bower is the performing arts reporter.

Friday, February 4, 2011 | Page 3

OPINION

Daily Kent Stater

The Opinion Page is an outlet for our community’s varied opinions. Submit letters to: Letters to the Editor Daily Kent Stater 240 Franklin Hall/KSU Kent, Ohio 44242 ■ stater@kent.edu Subject: Letters to the Editor ■ Fax: 330-672-5064 ■ Be sure to include your phone number. ■

ABOUT THE OPINION PAGE The Stater hopes to encourage lively debate about the issues of the day on the Opinion Page. Opinions on this page are the authors’ and not necessarily endorsed by the Stater or its editors. Readers are encouraged to participate through letters to the editor and guest columns. Submissions become property of the Stater and may be edited for mechanics, Associated Press style and length without notice. Letters should not exceed 350 words, and guest columns should not exceed 550 words.

DKS EDITORIAL BOARD Regina Garcia Cano Editor Josh Johnston Managing editor Rabab Al-Sharif Opinion editor

Laura Lofgren Features team leader/A.L.L. editor Lydia Coutré Assigning editor Hannah Potes Assistant photo editor

our

SUMMARY: Many students are content living out the typical college stereotype of living in filth. Rather than treating rooms and residence halls like a garbage dump, students should do their part to keep their living community looking (and smelling) presentable.

VIEW

Don’t be a slob, keep residence halls tidy

iving in a college residence hall is a rite of passage for many. It’s most students’ first time living away from home. With this newfound freedom, some college students tend to go a little crazy, leaving cleanliness and consideration by the wayside. When entering a college residence hall, one expects a certain degree of clutter. When you cram two people in a tiny cube, it’s something you can’t avoid. Also, when 30 people are sharing one bathroom, there is going to be some hair in the drain. It’s just expected. Even so, the cleanliness of some residence halls and individual rooms can be alarming. Students should take pride in where they live, not treat it like a trash dump.

If you come back at 4 a.m. on a Friday and are feeling a little queasy, you should probably head to a toilet or wastebasket instead of puking out of the fourth floor window of your room, leaving a cascade of vomit for some unfortunate maintenance worker. It’s one thing if you and your roommate agree to live in filth, but at least be kind enough to quarantine your mess. Don’t allow it to leak into the communal areas of your floor. No one wants to see — or smell — it. For those residents who think they don’t have to clean up after themselves because the university pays workers to do it, you are inconsiderate and disrespectful. Maintenance workers have more than enough to keep them busy

without having to clean your leftover noodles out of the sink. When you are sharing a home with so many other people, it’s important to be considerate of others. You should not only keep the residence halls clean for yourself, but for all the other students living there. It’s as simple as picking up trash when you see it in the hallway or rinsing out the sink after you brush your teeth. Do your part to keep your community clean. You should feel comfortable knowing that you can take pride in where you live. The above editorial is the consensus opinion of the Daily Kent Stater editorial board whose members are listed to the left.

DREW SHEMAN’S VIEW

FAMOUS QUOTE “As we rise higher in the understanding of ourselves, the national and racial dissonances will be forgotten in the universal rhythms of Truth and Love.” — Ruth St. Denis

DID YOU KNOW? On Feb. 4, 1974, Patty Hearst, the 19-yearold daughter of newspaper publisher Randolph Hearst, was kidnapped from her apartment in Berkeley, Calif. — History.com

I am not a role model I reject the idea that I, as a gay man, have to be a role model or some grand representation of the LGBT community. I have been out for the past five years, and I have never attempted to be anything other than who and what I am. I am crass, opinionated, often vulgar, cynical and critical. In some bizarre way, society and other gay people expect me to try to be a role model for gay youth, and that is something I won’t do. If gay youth look up to me for who I am, that is absolutely wonderful, but I am not going to be someone I’m not to appease those who think I need to be something different. I am not an accurate representation of gay people. I am not going to place the burden upon my shoulders to be “nonstereotypical” to make gay people seem “normal” to everyone else. I am not going to try to make myself fit into a nice little straight box with a ribbon of homosexuality because it makes others more comfortable with who I am. I might wear eyeliner if it strikes my fancy. I might have an overabundance of scarves that match specific winter coats that I like to wear. I may even go out with my friends and get drunk at the gay bar. What is the worst that could happen … people will think that I am gay? So many gay people concern themselves with making a good impression on society, but I

Gregory Porter don’t feel that I should have to. If someone is going to make a blanket assumption about all LGBT individuals based on something I do or say, that is not my problem. I do not want to make people who hate LGBT people see the error of their ways by pretending to be the “guy next door” who happens to bang other men. I am not going to desexualize my life for the convenience of others. I may be beating a dead horse at this point, but I am going to do anything I please no matter how uncomfortable it makes you, or how much you think it makes the gay community “look bad.” Are you getting the point yet, general “you” that refers to society as a whole? I am not the problem — you are the problem. Gregory Porter is a junior visual communication design major and a columnist for the Daily Kent Stater. Contact him at gporter8@kent.edu.

Confessions of a shopaholic I was at Target swiftly swiping my card without a second glance at the digits displayed on the cash register, when it occurred to me: Maybe I have a tiny bit of a spending problem. This was after promising my parents, and myself, that it was the end of a shopping run that has been going on since the holidays. Despite this revelation and the twinge of guilt over the Target excursion, my freshly manicured nails (deal of $10, sans tip) found themselves scrolling the Victoria Secret’s site instead of typing a term paper. Glancing over at a closet filled with clothes (some with tags still attached) and shoes, I wondered how many precious dollars had been frivolously spent, and wasted, over the years. I noticed the more this “addiction” got going and began feeding on itself, relative to an uncontrollable monster, the easier it was to keep buying. As the voice of “I want” continued to scream louder, any good sense of reason was quickly drowned out. In a culture at the height of materialism, when is enough, enough? Why can’t we (or maybe I should just speak for myself) be happy and grateful with what we have? When does spending cross over the line to addiction, or act to cover up feelings of loneliness, emptiness, anxiety or boredom? Furthermore, are Americans being treated as consumers instead of thinking citizens?

Cassandra Adams With these questions lingering, I began my research. According to hoffmanbrinker.com, a study done in October 2010 showed that the average credit card debt per household is around $15,700, with the U.S. Census Bureau citing an increase in the number of credit card holders. According to the bureau, U.S. citizens have over $886 billion in debt, which is expected to rise. Concerning college students, 43 percent of college freshmen owned a credit card in comparison with 74 percent of upper division students. Of these numbers, 25 percent of cardholders used it to pay for tuition. Nearly half of consumers ages 18-21 that surfed the web owned a credit card. Maybe Rebecca Bloomwood from the Shopaholic book series wasn’t completely over the top when actively dodging the credit card company representative and became unwilling

to tell her significant other. Interestingly enough, discussing credit card debt is considered highly taboo, being the first on the list of subjects that people are unlikely to openly talk about, according to creditcards.com While the comedic movie based on the books is meant to be entertaining, shopping addiction is a serious problem. According to shopaholicsanonymous.org, a Stanford study said that compulsive overspending or overshopping is a serious disorder affecting around 6 percent of the U.S. population. A shopping addict buys to relieve anxiety and eventually creates a dysfunctional lifestyle. This condition can come from emotional deprivation in childhood, an inability to cope with negative feelings, desire to fill an inner void, gaining control and seeking excitement. This had me thinking that before I let consumerism beat me or my credit score, now may be the time to get a handle on it. So for the next 28 days (this being how long it takes to start a new habit courtesy of Google psychology), I’m challenging myself, and any interested parties, to fight materialistic tendencies by using some simple tricks of recording, limiting and budgeting spending for the next month. Cassandra Adams is a junior English major and a columnist for the Daily Kent Stater. Contact her at cadams35@kent.edu.

To the Freethinkers: Tolerance is key In one of my previous columns, I commented on how the Freethinkers need to stop performing such negative acts because it just makes us atheists less trustworthy. So when I logged onto KentWired.com to see another rant from the Freethinkers, I was very disappointed. I thought my previous column hadn’t inspired anything in them by reading their posts on their Facebook page. It was confirmed when I heard about their PARTA bus signs reading “Imagine No Religion.” I believe conversation needs to happen about religion. Just like conversation needs to happen about politics and any other social principle. But demeaning other religions, like in these passive-aggressive signs, just generates even more distrust in atheists as an entire minority group. A study conducted by the University of Minnesota in 2006 concluded that Americans

Nick Glunt Guest Columnist

Nick Glunt rate atheists as a threat to the American way of life more than Muslims, recent immigrants, gays, lesbians and all other minority groups. Keep in mind that all it takes is a simple Google search of “atheists least trusted” to find tons of articles on the subject. My main problem with the Freethinkers is that they’re constantly complaining that everyone who comments on their behavior is close-minded and intolerant. They never miss

an opportunity to throw in their two cents. And whenever they respond, it’s with negativity. In my opinion, the Freethinkers aren’t as open-minded and victimized as they make themselves seem. They’re just as close-minded and intolerant as their opposition. And frankly, I’m really tired of hearing about all their negativity. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Atheists need to be tolerant just as much as other religions need to be. So please, Freethinkers, keep an open mind. Respect the beliefs of others and hopefully they’ll respect yours. If they don’t, then you’ve got the right to complain. Nick Glunt is a senior magazine journalism major and guest columnist for the Daily Kent Stater. Contact him at nglunt@kent.edu

Page 4 | Friday, February 4, 2011

Daily Kent Stater

For information about placing a Display ad please call our offices at 330-672-2586 or visit us at 205 Franklin Hall, Kent State University. Our office hours are from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

CLASSIFIEDS

Friday, February 4, 2011 | Page 5

Classified ads can be placed by FAX at ( 330) 672-4880, over the phone at (330) 672-2586 or by e-mail at ksuads@yahoo.com. If you fax or e-mail an ad, please be sure to include run dates, payment info and a way for us to contact you.

www.KentWired.com

horoscope CONNECT. ENGAGE. ACHIEVE. UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT GOVERNMENT (USG) 19 elected 6 appointed positions APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE - 226 KSC Info: usg@kent.edu or 330-672-3207 EVENING DELIVERY From FRANKLIN SQUARE DELI 4-8:30PM Sun 2-6:30 DISPATCH! 330-673-2942 www.franklinsquaredeli.com EVENING DELIVERY 4-8:30 330673-2942 Franklin Square Deli - Downtown “Fresh Made” Means Something Here!

An awesome summer job in Maine! If you’re looking to spend this summer outdoors, have fun while you work, and make lifelong friends, then look no further. Camp Mataponi, a children’s summer camp, has positions available in Land Sports (lacrosse, soccer, basketball, softball, volleyball, field hockey), Waterfront (sailing, canoeing, waterskiing, life guarding, WSI, boat drivers), Ropes Course, Tennis, H.B. Riding, Arts & Crafts, Theater, Dance, Gymnastics, Video, Photography, Nurses, Maintenance, Cooking and more. Top salaries plus room/board & travel provided. Call us today, 561748-3684 or apply online at www. campmataponi.com Help with iPhone App Development Needed. Preferred skills: Strong math background including quaternion, experience with Xcode and C++, OpenGL/OpenGLes Pay up to $20.00/per hour Part time, could lead to full time permanent position 330-671-3465 or please send resume to jspeegle@neo.rr.com Riverside Wine Bar 911 N. Mantua St., Kent—Must be available for all positions: food, service, retail and bar. Non-smokers only, must be 21. Apply in person Monday-Friday 12-4pm.

Buyer Beware! We make every effort to screen for fraudulent advertising, however, we cannot guarantee the veracity of the advertisers and their messages in this section. It is important for consumers to respond to any advertisement with the utmost caution.

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By Linda Black

All real estate advertised herin is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” State and local laws forbid discrimination based on factors in addition to those protected under federal law. We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate that is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis. If you feel you have been wrongfully denied housing or discriminated against, call the FHAA at 330-253-2450 for more information.

Today’s Birthday (02/04/11) Your optimism is on the rise during this year. Be patient, as good things are coming your way. Later in the year, your career will take off, providing you with pleasant surprises, as long as you apply yourself and don’t take things for granted.To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

Aries (March 21-April 19) Today is a 9. You feel extremely creative today. Everything seems to be coming together. Naturally generous, you can walk in the shoes of others. Invent solutions.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Today is an 8. Beauty shows up today in the most unexpected places. Sudden changes of emotion abound. When this happens, express your feelings creatively, or listen fully.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Today is a 6. It’s a good day to redecorate your home, your room or your desk. Don’t be afraid to get rid of things that you no longer need. Think thrift store.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Today is an 8. It’s easy for you to see things through other people’s eyes today. You make new friends easily. Be conservatively ambitious, and chase a dream.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Today is a 7. Write that letter or email that you’ve been avoiding. Your wild imagination today actually helps you out, and this helps others. Complete something.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Today is a 7 -- Have you been wanting to write a novel, script, poem or song? Today’s the day. Apply creativity to paper, recording or digital format. It just flows.

Gemini (May 21-June 21) Today is an 8. Be open to changes in your career. If you’re unhappy with your government, consider a job in public office. Question authority.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Today is a 7. After the play reveals hidden emotions, it’s time to get to work. Make sure you get plenty of rest and healthy food. Then use that passion to score.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Today is an 8. Lucky in love and in games, you find yourself at a time of high creativity, optimism and new ideas. Reexamine old habits and invent new ones.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Today is a 6. Despite distractions, take separate single moments in which you just notice hidden beauty. Immerse yourself in childish laughter. Be open to love.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Today is a 7. You’re entering a threeweek, socially active phase. Share recent insights with others. Your hard work pays off. You’ve won admiration and respect.

Cancer (June 22-July 22) Today is a 6. Start planning for a long trip today. It may not even require getting up from the sofa. Your imagination can take you farther than any airplane. Sketch a map.

Efficiency and 1 bdrm apartments available now. Heat included! Call 330-678-0746 Hurry!!! Efficiency apartments still left. Call 330-678-0123 NOW LEASING FOR FALL 5,4,2,1 bedroom Houses. Efficiency. Good Location Near KSU. Call 330-734-8350 Kent- Quiet 1, 2&3 bedroom. $525, $590, $780. 330-677-5577 WHITEHALL EAST TOWNHOMES 4/5 bedrooms, 3 bath CONDO. AFFORDABLE rent options with utilities included starting at $365/ mo. Newly renovated, flooring, all appliances included, lighted parking and entrances, on the Campus bus line, near rec center. Get your group and call 330.689.8888. www.whitehalleast.com For 2011-12: One Month Free Close to Campus 2 huge apartments, licensed, private parking, large yard, large front porch. 4 bedroom $1400/$350 each. 4/5 bedroom $1500, $300-$375 each. (330) 626-3957 KENT RENTALS 3, 4 and 5 bedroom houses. Call Rich 330-730-4004. Spacious 4&5 bedrooms houses with 2 full baths. Great condition, great location, A/C, W/D, dishwasher, deck, garage. Several units available: -Deluxe 4/5 bedroom units. $360 per room. -All inclusive, $350 per room. 330-808-4045 Buckeye Parks Mgmt. Serving Kent for over 30 years 2011-2012 Leases 1,2,3,4 bdrm apts 3&4 bdrm townhomes 5,6 bdrm apts Some include utilities Prices starting at $375 per room 330-678-3047 BuckeyeParksMgmt.com UNIVERSITY TOWN HOMES 4-5 bedrooms 2.5 baths W/D Newly remodeled. ALL utilities included. $340/mo/bdrm. www.university-townhomes.com 440-708-2372 HIDDEN PINES Town homes 4 bedrooms 2 bath. W/D. ALL utilities included. $365/mo/bdrm www.hidden-pines.com 440-708-2372 AVAILABLE FALL: UNIVERSITY TOWNHOUSE. 5 BDS, 2.5 BATHS, STOVE REFRIG, DISHWASHER, WASHER/DRYER, A/C. $250.00 PER PERSON ; WWW.JLCASTO.COM CALL 330-688-7040. $495.00 FIRST 3 MONTHS. 2BD 1BTH TOWNHOME. LAUNDRY, CARPORT. jlcasto.com 330-688-7040

Whitehall East Town Homes AKA “The New Town Homes” Whitehall Blvd. off Summit Now taking apps for Fall 2011 *5b/3ba *All Appliances Included *Dishwasher, Washer, Dryer *Lighted Parking *Many units with all newer flooring Rent plans starting at $290/person/ month Ask about the all-inclusive plans Call or text 330-990-4019 www.whitehall-east.com 3 Bedroom, 2 full bath house for Fall. Great condition, full appliances, $350 bedroom 1, $325 per bedroom 2 and 3. Close to Campus 330-6731225 www.kentstudentrentals.com 3 bedroom, 3 bath, 2 car garage, condo-styled duplex, on two acres, $1100/mo. 330-221-4533 Newer 4/5 Bedroom Duplex, Flat screen TV, WD, Air, Sun deck, Close to Campus, Yard & Firepit, $1300$1500/mo. Website HTTP://web. me.com/allen291 Cell #216-536-3958 Email allen291@ me.com 2BR House $600, 3BR House $650, 732 Stinaff, Call 330-329-8004. Remodeled, University Town Home, 5 BR, W/D, Dishwasher, 2.5 Baths, $275 per room, Will go fast, 330-8084045 Nice 5 bedroom house. Close to campus. $425/bedroom + utilities. 330-554-1491 Now Leasing for June/August, Beautiful newly redecorated 3 Bedroom & 2 Bedroom twinplexes, 1 Block from KSU, 330-687-6122. SAVE $$$ Now Leasing for Fall a Beautiful Newly Redecorated 2 Bedroom Apartment, Free Gas and Water, $275/student, 330-687-6122. Kent Rentals 3, 4 and 5 bedroom houses. Call Rich 330-730-4004

UNIVERSITY TOWNHOMES, 4/5 bedroom, 2.5 bath, A/C, Washer/ Dryer, available Fall 2011. $340 per month per bedroom ALL inclusive except cable/internet. 440-552-5840. djerina@blmrentalproperties.com

Beat the Price Increase! Reserve Apartment by End of February to get Last Year’s Price. 2-3 bdrm spacious apts. in Kent. Call 330-678-0823

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Kent near downtown and campus 2 bedroom apartment, all utilities paid except electric, $350/bedroom + security deposit. (330) 676-9440 1,2,&3 Bedroom Apartments Close to Campus Joe (330)310-1494. Studio Apartment available now. All utilities paid plus cable, half block from campus 375$/month 330-9310434 1 & 2 bed apartments. Newly remodeled, all utilities paid except electric. Call for Valentine’s Day Specials! (330)678-0972 Leasing for fall, newer 5 bedroom 2 bathroom house. Huge private yard, large deck, close to campus $1600/ mo. Call Mike 330-554-3976 Now Leasing for June/August, a beautiful newer condo, 2 large bedroom, 2.5 bath, double car garage, central air, backyard deck. $375/student. 330-687-6122 Must see furnished, large 4 bedroom house for 4-5. 2 bath, Jacuzzi, A/C, D/W, W/D. $335/$280 includes utilities. Close to KSU. Available May 15. 330-388-2201 Leasing for Fall: South Lincoln St. Condo. 2 bedroom 1.5 bath. No pets, heat included. $725/mo. 216524-0745

Page 6 | Friday, February 4, 2011

Daily Kent Stater

SPORTS Sports editor: Cody Erbacher • cerbache@kent.edu

Your mind is always going. We got to settle a little bit, but stay focaused on the big goal. ROD SHERMAN | SENIOR

A break in the action Rachel Jones

rjones62@kent.edu

“Now babe, what position is he? Why did they kick it? Why is it only worth one point? I thought when it goes through the long pole things it was worth 3 points?” The above quotes are why I’m going to love sidelinediva.com almost as much as women sports fans will. Guys, there is now a sports website devoted to your mom, sister, girlfriend, wife, etc. Gone are the days that we roll our eyes, and mumble, “Shut up, I’m trying to watch the game.” Gone are the dreaded explanations to the most obvious questions in our world of sports. Melissa Gentile, founder of sidelinediva.com, has been a sports fan her entire life. She’s a proud owner of more than 1,000 baseball cards, but she is also a self-proclaimed “girly girl.” Although she grew up in Hudson, Ohio, she was raised a Pittsburgh Steelers fan. Gentile’s father grew up in Pittsburgh and was a huge Steelers fan — meaning she was born a black and gold. He taught her the rules, positions, teams, everything the NFL had to offer. Gentile’s father passed away when she was just 9 years old. She is quick to tag him as her motivation to pass on the knowledge of sports to girls of all ages. As for how she started the website, she remembers it like it was yesterday. “Opening day 2009, the Steelers were playing the Tennessee Titans,” she recalls.

Daily Kent Stater Classes were not the only things put on hold because of the ice and snow this week. The Kent State men’s basketball team had to postpone its road game at Western Michigan on Feb. 2 due to the dangerous weather conditions. The teams will now face off on Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. With the Flashes (14-7, 5-2 Mid-American Conference) on a 3-game winning streak, senior guard Rod Sherman said he was upset to find out the game was rescheduled. “We were ready to roll and getting anxious to go,” Sherman said. “I was upset, especially because we were the only other MAC game besides Buffalo (vs. Toledo) to get rescheduled.” A closed campus meant no practice either, but Sherman said the break was nice. He spent the day resting and recovering from a cold. Feeling the effects of midseason play, a few of the other players who were “banged up” also spent the day recharging. In the heat of the MAC schedule, Sherman said the canceled game also provided a mental break. “Your mind is always going,” he said. “We got to settle a little bit but still stay focused on the big goal.” The big goal is a repeat MAC Championship, which the Flashes can improve their chances for on Saturday against Central Michigan at 5 p.m. in the M.A.C. Center. Central Michigan recently ended a 3-game losing streak, defeating Ohio 91-85 on Wednesday, but they still have a road record of 1-9. Trey Zeigler leads the Chippewas (6-15, 3-5 MAC) with 17.3 points per game this season, but Kent State boasts Justin Greene. The junior forward’s five MAC East Player of the Week awards set Kent State school records for the most in one season and the most in a career. Greene is also the only player in the MAC ranked in the top 16 in all four categories: points

Sports talk translates into girl talk Michael Moses

After the overtime victory, she said that it just hit her. “I was wondering how many girls were actually watching and understanding the game,” Gentile said. “I wanted to make something devoted to women sports fans.” At first, Gentile wanted to make a magazine or publication, but after looking into the prices, the Internet became the most affordable and best way to reach out to the public. One of Gentile’s coworkers designs websites and helped her with the new site, www.sidelinediva.com. Sideline Diva was started in 2009 and has been constantly updated throughout its existence. You can find the Diva on Facebook (search Sideline Diva) and Twitter (@sidelinediva). Sideline Diva specializes in football and basketball, both professional and NCAA coverage. There are graphics showing each team’s positions and what they do, in girl terms, so to speak. Here’s an example: “Wide Receiver (WR) - catches passes, often down the field for large yard gains; usually tall, thin and quick.”

FILE PHOTO BY JESS YANESH | DAILY KENT STATER

Senior guard Rod Sherman drives to the basket during the game against Toledo. (13th with 14.4 per game), rebounds (seventh with 7.1 per game), blocked shots (fifth with 1.1 per game) and steals (11th with 1.3 per game). If Greene’s contributions continue Saturday, the Flashes could earn their 500th win in the M.A.C. Center. The game will already be

monumental as Kent State hosts Hall of Fame Day. The Kent State women’s basketball team completes the doubleheader with a battle against Western Michigan at 7:30 p.m. The snowstorm caused this schedule change, too. With a home crowd and ESPNU cameras around them,

Sherman said the Flashes are looking to add to their five wins in the past six games. “We play well on TV,” Sherman said with a laugh. “Hopefully, we can just keep rolling.” Rachel Jones is the men’s basketball reporter.

FILE PHOTO BY VALERIE BROWN | DAILY KENT STATER

Junior Brianna Skiffington performs her balance beam routine in the Flashes first gymnastics meet of the season.

Junior college transfer thrives at Kent State No.12 gymnastics team

Matt Lofgren

mlofgren@kent.edu

Daily Kent Stater

Using an explosive ability to get to the basket, Kent State’s Taisja Jones is more than just one of the most prolific scorers for the women’s basketball team — she’s the sport’s biggest fan. The long-time Lakers fan is never hesitant to spend her time off the court watching the pros. A big time Kobe Bryant fan, Jones loves the Lakers. She even chose her number 32 after Magic Johnson. Jones is a part of a starting five that includes all seniors, making the Flashes a very experienced team. “I just want to do better than I’ve ever done before and have my senior year be the best year I’ve ever had because I’m not sure if I want to play after this year,” Jones said. “Honestly, I love playing with the other seniors. I feel like the more experience on the court the better, and I feel like we have a good connection as a senior class.” Before her time at Kent State, Jones played basketball at Grayson County Junior College in Denison, Texas. There, Jones was named a firstteam All-American for junior college. Along with the honor, Jones recalled her proudest moment at junior college as dropping 40 points on an opponent. Coming close to her 40-point performance, Jones carried Kent State to a crucial overtime victory over MAC West opponent Northern Illinois, in which she scored 36 points. Her points that night ranged from all over the floor, including sinking three big 3-pointers. Jones first started playing basketball when she was in sixth grade and never looked back. In high school, Jones was on the varsity team in her freshman season, and her success in the sport would follow shortly after. “In high school, the summer

confident heading into conference opener

THE GAME KENT STATE vs. (15-6, 6-3 MAC) WESTERN MICHIGAN (6-15, 2-5 MAC) Where: M.A.C. Center When: 7:30 p.m.

Tyler Goddard

tgoddar1@kent.edu

The Flashes (15-6, 6-3) need to bounce back after their first home loss of the season was handed to them by Eastern Michigan on Wednesday. For the second straight game, the Flashes trailed in the first half and just could not overcome the deficit in the second.

Daily Kent Stater

Point leaders Taisja Jones and Jamilah Humes will look to continue their scoring barrage against the struggling Broncos (6-15, 2-6 MAC). Western Michigan will be riding a big momentum wave after their huge win last Saturday over Bowling Green. In order to prevent the two-game losing streak from growing, Kent State will need to control the ball. Against Eastern Michigan, the Flashes had an eyeopening 29 turnovers.

after I started on varsity, my coach worked with me on my first step to the basket,” Jones said. “After that I figured I was good enough to play at the college level.” One thing that has always inspired Jones to play basketball is her music. Before every game, Jones has a ritual of listening to her favorite music. Usually, she listens to Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne or Rick Ross. If the team wins that night, Jones is a little superstitious and listens to the same song before the next game. With the Flashes suffering their first home loss of the season, Jones knows how important it is for the team to buckle down for the rest of the season. “We need to start playing better together as a team,” Jones said. “We need to get more people to score and not be so careless with

MATT HAFLEY | DAILY KENT STATER

Senior forward Taisja Jones, who has started 20 games this season, is averaging 16.2 points per game, while shooting 43 percent from the field. the ball. We really need to value our possessions more and not give the ball away.” Kent State committed 29 turnovers in their last game against Eastern Michigan. Over the last few games, the Flashes have struggled to shoot their season average of 42 percent from the field, which has really affected point totals.

Although Kent State’s offense has struggled, Jones has been able to consistently post solid numbers. Her points-per-game totals have jumped from 14.7 to 16.2 in just 3 games. Matt Lofgren is the women’s basketball reporter.

The Kent State gymnastics team will look to start off strong in Mid-American Conference play when the Flashes travel to face Bowling Green on Sunday at 2 p.m. Kent State coach Brice Biggin said he is happy with the week of practice the team had, and even though the snowstorm set them back a little bit, he only wanted a four-day practice week anyway. Biggin also said the team is aware of its mistakes during the last meet, especially the trouble they experienced on the beam event. “If they want to stay in the top 12 or close to that, they need to score,” Biggin said. “And this weekend is a great opportunity for us to go out to Bowling Green, which is essentially like a home meet because we don’t have to travel very far.” The Flashes have the benefit of starting the meet with its best event, the uneven bars. The team is currently ranked No. 5 in the nation on the uneven bars with a high score of 49.275. Senior Christina Lenny leads the team on the uneven bars, an event that she ranks No. 11 in the nation with a season high score of 9.875. “The expectation is that we can go out there and really focus on all four events,” Biggin said. “No one event is really more important because for us to be a

good team, we need to be solid on all four events.” The team could be without s o p h o m o re c a p t a i n L a u re n Wozniak, who is suffering from a broken toe. Wozniak said her status is uncertain but hopes to get another solid score on the vault if possible. “Right now I could probably go,” she said. “But it’s a matter of pushing it or just giving it a couple more days in order to be ready to go for the rest of the season.” If Wozniak cannot compete, the Flashes could receive a boost from freshman Nikki Moore. Moore had a solid outing in the team’s second place finish at Michigan last weekend. Moore posted a 9.750 on the vault along with scores of 9.625 on beam and 9.675 on the floor exercise. Moore said her mental status will play a major role in how she finishes, as well as trying to repeat the positives from the previous meet. “This week I want to have a good performance as I did last meet,” Moore said. “I want to focus on the details, the little things because changing those things can be the difference in tenths, and every tenth counts for our score.” Tyler Goddard is the gymnastics reporter.