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Kent State's College of Education, Health and Human Services announced the new dean on Monday. James Hannon, a current professor and assistant dean of Academic Affairs and Research for the College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences at West Virginia University, was chosen after a national search. “We are pleased that Dr. Hannon has agreed to serve as the next dean of the College of Education, Health and Human Services,” said Kent State Provost Todd Diacon in a university news release on Monday. “His impressive scholarship, his experiences and successes at the University of Utah and at West Virginia University, as well as his experience as a school teacher, will serve him well as he leads the Kent State (EHHS) to even greater successes.” Mark Kretovics, interim dean for EHHS, said he is excited to work with Hannon and aid him in his transition to become the new dean. “I’m excited to have him on board. He brings with him an incredible recognition of scholarship,” Kretovics said. “He seems like an individual who understands both grad and undergrad, (and) who will be an excellent fit academically, professionally and personally.” Hannon will succeed former EHHS Dean Daniel Mahony, who left the university in 2015. His new role takes effect July 1.
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Faculty work to finalize universal restroom policy, ensure comfort for all McKenna Corson Diversity Reporter After years of effort made by Kent State faculty, staff and students, a policy guaranteeing the construction of universal restrooms in all new campus buildings is in the works. Despite the increase in universal restrooms across the main campus over the years, there is currently no written policy enforcing construction. The university's faculty members are working to change that.
Getting the ball rolling
Michael Bruder, Kent State’s executive director of facilities, planning and design, said there was an increase in universal restroom construction five to eight years ago. Bruder has been part of universal restroom construction from the beginning. The first universal restroom Bruder knew of was built in the Student Center around 2008 or 2009. “We saw a pattern of this need for universal restrooms coming forward from different people like the Division
of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) —who are really aware of transgender people — and then I think through the Student Accessibility Services (SAS),” he said. Bruder said the department thought of combining different needs to one initiative that serves multiple people. “It wasn’t really a singular person who started the drive for universal restrooms, but it was certainly encouraged to make our campus more inclusive and welcoming," he said. Bruder has only been able to build universal restrooms during major renovations of buildings or bathrooms. Jacqueline Gee, a lecturer in the modern and classical language department, was the first start interest in the accessibility of universal restrooms in 2013. Gee said her boss, Student Ombuds Amy Quillin, was asked by the Office of the University Architect to have Gee take a look at a shower being built for transgender students. Quillin then gave her a file contain-
ing notations of locations on campus that were determined Safe Spaces by the LGBTQ Student Center. Gee – then an employee of SAS – saw the information and was inspired to work on a bigger concept. “I started looking at the file, and I thought, ‘Wow, you are asking people to travel long distances to find a safe place to go,'” Gee said. She said she wanted to create a safe and private space for everyone. "There are a lot of reasons that people want to be alone," Gee said. "There are survivors of sexual assault who feel uncomfortable in public restrooms and we tend to forget the people who have irritable bowel syndrome or those that have a feeding tube." "Thinking about those unrepresented voices and looking at the map, it seemed like we needed a different strategy," she said. When Gee first became involved, the bathrooms were referred to as “family restrooms.” Her first action was to change the word from “family” to “universal.”
“I started looking at all the family restrooms and realized that it doesn’t really match our current population,” Gee said. “How many families do we really have walking around campus? If we were to rename them, what would still work for families?” Gee worked with the university and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Committee. She also reached out to the Women’s Center and Alfreda Brown, vice president for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Brown authorized Gee’s name change suggestion. “If we call them universal, then everyone will look at that and go, ‘That meets my needs,’” Gee said. The name change became effective in 2014. Gee then devised a map of the universal restrooms on campus. She brought in Ken Ditlevson, LGBTQ Student Center director, and Dianne Kerr, health sciences professor and provost's faculty associate for DEI, into the project.
SEE RESTROOM / PAGE 2
Safe Spaces addresses immigration travel ban Alec Slovenec University Diversity Reporter In light of the recent developments and policy changes enacted by President Donald Trump’s administration, members of the Kent State community came together Tuesday night to discuss immigration issues in the United States. The event — ”Safe Spaces: Immigration in Trump’s America” — took place in Kent Hall. The Student Power Coalition and Progressive Faculty Network hosted the event, with immigration lawyer Madhu Sharma as the primary speaker.
The event began with an introduction from Rachel Mason, president of the Spanish and Latino Student Association (S.A.L.S.A.) and member of the Student Power Coalition (SPC). Mason has been active in efforts to make Kent State a sanctuary campus. “This event is a brainchild of (SPC) — specifically the sanctuary campus initiative section — and the safe spaces faculty,” Mason said. “We feel that it’s necessary to have a dialogue about this topic on our campus, and this is a way to continue education and conversation among students, faculty and staff.” Following her statement, Joshua Stacher, asso-
Assistant professor of Spanish Maria Zaldivar recounts the discrimination and struggles she and her family have faced since the installment of the Trump administration during a Safe Spaces event in Kent Hall on Tuesday. Alexander Wadley / The Kent Stater
ciate professor of political science, took the floor and introduced Sharma. Sharma was born in India and came to the United States at a young age. She has been working with immigrants since the ‘80s and practiced law in California for 18 years. She is currently practicing in Ohio at the International Institute of Akron, an organization that aids in the resettlement of refugees and immigrants. Sharma discussed practical points in regards to declaring Kent State a sanctuary campus. “This is not the time to react quickly,” she said. “We have to have a plan of action. It is the time to start planning, educating and trying to get the information we need to get and share it with each other.” Walter Gershon, associate professor in the Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies department at Kent State, cited instances of other campuses protecting their students from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and deportation. While sanctuary status would not allow Kent State to completely protect undocumented immigrant students, Gershon said it would help. “One of the things it does do is provide a series of slowing mechanisms so that human beings in certain places can be not only represented by the institutions in which they’re in, but also have a tiny bit of breathing room,” he said. Aside from the subject of sanctuary campuses, personal stories were shared by those in attendance, particularly experiences of living as an immigrant in the current political climate. Maria Zaldivar, associate professor in the Modern and Classical Language Studies department at Kent State, identifies as Latino. She discussed how members of her family — specifically her son — have been unfairly treated by law enforcement due to their ethnicity.
SEE TRUMP / PAGE 2
James Hannon. Photo courtesy of wvu.edu
Off-campus student residents share safety precautions Sarah Heber Safety Reporter Recent incidents, such as the hostage situation at The Villages at Franklin Crossings and the shooting at Ryan Place Apartments that resulted in the death of Nicholas Massa, have Kent State students more conscious of their surroundings. Students like Briggs Van Sickle, a sophomore dance studies major, said they feel safer in a residence hall than in an apartment. “I feel like there is a little more security in dorms like with (resident assistants) and the card swipe to get into the building — not that anything can’t happen in dorms or anywhere, though,” Van Sickle said. “Horrible things happen in the world.” While living off campus might allow students more freedom than in residence halls, with no quiet hours and fewer community rules, students lose on-campus security services. These services include security aides, resident assistants and blue light emergency phones. Because of the lack of resources, off-campus students are more responsible for their own safety. Mason Nicol, a sophomore digital sciences major, currently lives off campus at the Ryan Place Apartments, but stayed in a residence hall last year. Now that he lives in an apartment, he said he always makes sure to think of all of the access points into the apartment and secures them before leaving. “Living in a dorm, you don’t have to worry about someone climbing up three stories to sneak into your window,” Nicol said. “Since we’re on the first floor of the apartment (complex), we always have to make sure our windows are locked.” Amelia Dewey, a sophomore interior design major, said she felt differently about her safety on campus versus in her apartment.
SEE SAFETY / PAGE 2
Page 2 | Wednesday, March 1, 2017 From Page 1
RESTROOM Restroom policy applied across ... In 2015, Gee, Ditlevson and Kerr went on a tour of every building on campus to scout for potential universal restroom locations. “You wouldn’t believe how many bathrooms there are at Kent State,” Ditlevson said. “It was really time intensive and not something that you would ever think of as a job, but it’s important to know the layout of the campus.” “We found some crazy things,” Kerr said. “Like bathrooms that just had curtains for privacy.” Ditlevson said there were roughly 30 universal restrooms before the tour. Now, there are 48, not including residence halls.
Policy process
Kerr is in charge of writing the policy that will be added to the policy registrar after it is approved. She has been working on it for a few years. “I’m working on the policy so that it states that every new building that is put in and every major renovation includes a universal restroom as well,” Kerr said. Ditlevson, Bruder and Heather Adams, executive director of the Women and Gender Center, have been working with Kerr on the policy. DEI has also aided Kerr. “I’m working with a lot of different people, which presents itself as a challenge when you send out a draft to everybody, and they all want to make little changes,” Kerr said. “But we want it to be right. It’s not like you write a policy and it immediately goes in.” Kerr’s policy must be approved by Brown before moving on to be approved by the president’s cabinet. Brown was contacted for comment, but said she was not yet ready for an interview on the subject. She said she first wanted to meet with those involved in order to finalize the next steps of the process.
Student involvement
Kent PRIDE! and the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) have also contributed to the fight for universal restrooms. The organizations worked together to create a gender-friendly initiative, which included the FlashLine name change and gender inclusive housing. According to Ditlevson, PRIDE! and USG joined forces two years ago and met with administration to propose their initiative. Gabrielle Cooper, president of PRIDE!, said she is happy with the efforts made to assist the LGBT community.
The Kent Stater “We talked with the administration about how it’d be helpful to trans students and to make people more comfortable while using the bathroom,” Cooper said. “A lot of times, trans people fear going to the bathroom that they want to go to in, in fear of being bullied or assaulted. That’s a privilege that cisgender people have — we don’t have to think about that.”
A personal perspective
This increase of universal restrooms and policy affects a wide range of people — transgender or disabled — as well as anyone who wants a place of privacy. Riley Braun, a sophomore anthropology major, identifies as a non-binary transgender male. He said he has issues with finding a restroom he feels comfortable using. “It’s hard when you walk up to a bathroom and see the guys and girls bathroom, and you freak out about which one you should go in,” Braun said. “And then you finally see a universal restroom and you’re like, ‘This one I know I’ll be fine going in. I know that I will be accepted in here. I know that it’s completely open to people who are transgender or of any gender identity.’” Braun is an intern at the LGBTQ Student Center. The only universal restroom in the building is on the third floor. “I don’t want to go all the way up to the third floor, especially from the basement, so I don’t go to the bathroom," he said. "I know a lot of people who don’t go. They wait until they go back to their dorms or to a universal restroom, or they have someone go with them." Braun expressed the difficulty of how something as simple as going to the bathroom can be a dangerous and threatening environment for a transgender person. “As a transgender person, you don’t know what bathroom to go in because you either get yelled at or possibly beaten up," Braun said. "You never know what you’re going to get." “Personally, trying to find a restroom is just really hard. When in doubt for me, I go into the female restroom. I get a lot of stares from people — and sometimes glares and side looks — but it’s better than going to the men’s restroom and not knowing what’s going to happen. It’s better for me to be uncomfortable and go to the bathroom quickly, and then run out, than be very uncomfortable and afraid for my physical wellbeing.” Braun said he is hopeful for the policy and happy that Kent State is making an effort to be more LGBTfriendly. “I’m hopeful that Kent State will try their best with it. They’ve already switched over some bathrooms and made others more accommodating," he said. "I love that
Kent State is trying to take the steps forward towards making life more comfortable for transgender people."
Trump’s announcement
Last Wednesday, President Donald Trump rescinded the Obama administration’s guidelines holding up protections of transgender people, as well as the ability for them to use any bathroom they choose in schools. By removing the federal protections, individual states and schools are able to decide how much to protect transgender students. Trump’s announcement caused fear for some transgender students, including Braun. “I was immediately more afraid than I had been previously,” he said. “I knew that this was going to happen, but I wasn’t thinking so soon.” Ditlevson also commented on Trump’s announcement and its potential effect on Kent State's campus. “It won’t affect the policy of us having universal restrooms,” Ditlevson said. “It would just be a matter of whether in the general public, there’d be that layer of protection. But no one wants to go into a bathroom and be called out or humiliated, and so this guidance was really to protect students and to protect individuals." An article published by Kent State on Feb. 13 reinforces the university's stance of support for inclusive restrooms, citing information given by Bruder: "To date, there are 48 universal restrooms on the Kent Campus. Bruder also said whenever the university is building a new building or doing a major restroom renovation, Kent State now includes at least one universal restroom in the building. Recent building projects in White Hall, University Library, the Center for Undergraduate Excellence and the Center for Architecture and Environmental Design included universal restrooms as part of the renovation or new construction." While Trump’s removal of the Obama administration’s guideline won’t affect the universal restroom policy, it could affect how transgender people are protected on campus. “I’m so disappointed that this came. We should all be standing up for each other when our rights are taken away and violated. For the LGBTQ community, it makes us really fearful of everything that might be coming next. This is so early on, and he’s shaken so many things up. It’s very unsettling," Ditlevson said. As for the policy’s status, Kerr is still perfecting it. “I’m just happy that (the university) has identified places and for a matter of the health of our trans population here,” Kerr said. “It’s just another step in making Kent (State) a more welcoming place for everybody.” mcorson2@kent.edu From Page 1
TRUMP Safe Spaces addresses ... “The first thing the policeman asked was ‘What are you doing in this neighborhood?’” said Zaldivar, referring to when her husband was pulled over for a minor traffic violation. “He was required to go to court. He did hire an attorney, and the attorney could not understand (why he had to).” Abdussamad Feyzullayev, a sophomore business management major born and raised in Cleveland, has been the victim of racial and ethnic profiling due to his Uzbek ethnicity. “Two months ago, coming into the country, I got detained for four hours and asked what (my) ties to ISIS (were),” Feyzullayev said. “Dude, I’m from Cleveland. The biggest tie is we probably both eat falafel and hummus!” Sharma emphasized that, above all, safety for her clients — the immigrants of the U.S. — is what is most important. “We are, as a nation, fighting an ideological battle,” Sharma said. aslovene@kent.edu
Immigration lawyer Madhu Sharma speaks at a Safe Spaces event in Kent Hall on Tuesday. “It’s kind of amazing that I have been doing this for 18 years and now suddenly, everybody cares about what we do and has an opinion about it and is protesting and is joining us in our fight,” Sharma said. Christina Kenney / The Kent Stater
Six Kent State residence halls will receive faster and more stable internet connections this summer as part of a larger plan to eventually update Wi-Fi in all the campus residence halls. Prentice, Verder, Wright, Koonce, Stopher and Johnson halls will receive updated wireless receivers this summer. The university is using the Cisco 3502 access point model for the $311,500 project. More access points are being added, replaced and rearranged in the residence halls. An access point is a small box that serves as a wireless receiver, enabling a user to connect wirelessly to a network or
the internet. The devices are important for providing better wireless security and for extending the range of service. “We are putting more of them in the rooms instead of the hallways, giving the students better access for their applications and their devices to it,” said Philip Thomas, network design architect for Network and Telecommunication Services on campus. Each year, students bring the latest technology to campus, requiring strong Wi-Fi to best handle them. “We track what students are bringing on campus so we can reflect that in our wireless access points,” said Gary Perdue, director of Network and Telecommunication Services. “We have to keep up-to-date
with what you the students are bringing so we can create a quality experience for you.” Among the many improvements being made to the wireless, one stands out. “The best improvement we’ve done is expanded the numbers of options so their older laptops can connect, but a newer laptop can take advantage of updated features," Thomas said. “We can now get more users on per access point now without their signal dropping down.” The access points must be placed strategically in order for students to get the most efficient wireless connection. “We make sure that where we’re putting them at has the least amount of interference,” Thomas said. “Microwaves and
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As a freshman, Dewey lived in a residence hall. After a year, though, she moved into an off-campus apartment. “I don’t think I felt safer on campus,” Dewey said. “I think I was more scared on campus than off campus, but I was also a new freshman, so that could have been a factor.” When students live outside of campus, they have more safety precautions to consider. Brooke Dorsey, a junior criminology and justice studies major, said she takes safety into her own hands. “I carry around pepper spray and always keep my lookout,” Dorsey said. “Also, as soon as I get into my car, I lock it before I even start it.” Dewey takes her safety seriously by channeling a superhero. “When I’m coming home late, I’ll take my keys in between my fingers — kind of like Wolverine,” Dewey said. “I always try to be aware of who’s in front of me or behind me.” Van Sickle said she and her roommates use the buddy system when walking around their apartment complex. When a roommate is not around to accompany the other, Van Sickle recommends calling a friend. “Always be aware ... if you feel unsafe or uncomfortable, just call somebody,” Van Sickle said. “Even if you’re on campus, I still say call a friend, so they could hear if something goes on.” Van Sickle said phones are “amazing” because if a situation arises, her friends can track her phone's location via an app they all use called Find My Friends. The app lets them share their locations at all times with each other. While it is important to take precautions regarding safety, Van Sickle noted that there is a fine line between fear and freedom. “You can’t live your life in fear," she said. "You have to figure out ways to be safe, but still experience life."
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University receiving widespread wireless update Rick Pongonis Univeristy Tech Reporter
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SAFETY
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fluorescent lights are things that interfere and they can affect a student’s performance or connection to the network.” Working on a project like this spans to multiple buildings. Being that the campus is busy during the school year, the project is reserved for the summer. “It had to do with construction schedules on buildings and renovations that were being done,” Thomas said. “They also do a lot of summer programs, so we had to work around those schedules and not do those buildings during those different times.” The department also needed to work around Destination Kent State, Thomas said. Additionally, the summer is the least volume time, and many dorms
are closed down. Thomas said the reason for organizing the dorms into groups and choosing older dorms first was to control cost and the time that it takes to accomplish the task. Dorms that have already been completed include Dunbar, Van Campen and Leebrick halls, among many others. Vania Opoku, a sophomore biology major, lives in Leebrick Hall. She said the updated WiFi is much better. “I think it works faster and throughout the whole building you can get the same speed of Wi-Fi,” Opoku said. “I think before, it was slower, and in some parts of the building you couldn’t really access the WiFi.” Some students haven’t
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noticed any issues with the Wi-Fi. Antoine Taylor, a sophomore exploratory major living in Beall Hall –which will be updated next year – said he did not have any problems with the wireless connection. "The speed, surfing the web – everything – is great," Taylor said. This project is a continuation of work from the past two summers, 2015 and 2016. It is expected to be completed in 2020. Once finished, the cycle will start again in approximately five years, in order to stay up-to-date with the constant evolution of technology. rpongoni@kent.edu
Wednesday, March 1, 2017 | Page 3
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JOSEPH MCGRELLIS’ VIEW // To see all the cartoons this semester, visit KentWired.com
On Upcoming Colloquium Speaker Series to analyze social media Molly Spillman CCI Reporter Kent State’s School of Communication Studies is continuing its 2017 Spring Colloquium Speaker Series Friday at 4 p.m. with a focus on broadcast journalism’s use of social media. The event is being held in room 109 of the Art Building. See the full article on KentWired.com.
Cheers&Jeers Cheers to ... a big breakfast. Russian company JSC MAFKA made over 12,000 pancakes to claim the world record for the largest serving of the floury treat.
Jeers to ... drunk driving. An Australian man was charged with drunk driving after a Facebook video emerged of him behind the wheel – of a motorized cooler.
We gotta talk about the Oscars’ ending Matt Poe Columnist I can’t believe it. I can’t believe those smug you-know-what’s over at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences coaxed this easily impressionable columnist into writing about that befuddling ending to the Oscars. Nevertheless, they did and I’m taking the bait without regret — well, a few. But they don’t apply to this scenario. First, some background context: This past Sunday’s Oscars ceremony ended in one of the most bizarre fashions to any live program most of us have ever witnessed. Longtime director Warren Beatty and actress Faye Dunaway both took the stage to announce the coveted final award for Best Picture. Beatty opened the envelope and, upon doing so, went silent. To most viewers, myself included, I thought the old man was doing it to build suspense or to just prolong the inevitable. Beatty then let Dunaway read the name on the card, where she announced “La La Land” had won Best Picture, wrapping up a pretty dull awards show in terms of suspense. All seemed academic: The producers got up and began to accept the award when a murmur appeared to rift through those on stage. Host Jimmy Kimmel eventually came out and said “Moonlight” had actually won the Best Picture award and that a mistake was made, in the most dunce-like fashion. My initial reaction was presumably similar to the other millions of people watching: What? Huh? Wait? Que? It was only then that Twitter and the rest of social media began to launch its massive investigation into what happened, spawning the most notorious investigation since the Warren Commission. Emma Stone claims the card with her name on it bearing her Best Actress win never left her hand. Photos also indicate that the envelope Beatty was holding was etched with the words “Best Actress in a Leading Role” on the outside of it. Naturally, they both agreed it was “La La Land” that had won because it bore Stone’s name on it. As I found out, the academy keeps two copies of the envelopes in case something happens to them, which likely means some poor production assistant handed Beatty the wrong envelope. But you know what? I’m not buying that. In fact, I think this whole thing goes to the top, maybe even to the presidency. In reality, I think this whole thing was a ratings grab from the Academy to get marble-brained nimrods like myself to talk about the Oscars. After all, Oscars ratings have been trending down by and large for the past decade or so. They have also been losing the key 18 to 34 age demographic that all television producers salivate over like a lion over a dead antelope. Or myself over a meatball sub (both are equally frightening). So, what better way to grab the aforementioned demographic and ensure they talk, text, tweet or share any news surrounding that bizarre ending? Why, they could do this very thing! It also sets up some talking points and drama for next year’s Oscars. I’m not buying this as some blunder by Greg the production assistant — this was calculated. You mean to tell me that Hollywood wouldn’t produce one of the most Hollywood-like endings to a show intended to celebrate Hollywood? You sit on a throne of lies! I just hope poor Beatty was in on it; he looked confused, as we all were. See the extended article on KentWired.com. mpoe3@kent.edu
2018 crucial for Ohio Democrats Tenure promotes Democrat VIEW
Brian DiPaolo Guest Columnist
Ohio Democrats are in great danger of becoming a political minority until the year 2030 if swift grassroots changes do not occur within the party and community. I say this not to hyperbolize nor exaggerate, but the fate of the Democratic and progressive movement in Ohio hinges largely on the success of Democrats on the state ballot in 2018. The Ohio Democratic movement is in a state of dismal affairs. Since 1991, a Democrat has served as governor for only four years. As it stands, Republicans hold all six of the statewide elected positions in the executive branch. The last Democratic electoral victory in this branch of government was in 2008. Democrats hold super minorities in both chambers of the state legislature — 10 seats in the 33-seat Ohio Senate and 34 seats in the 99-seat Ohio House. Things are not much better on the Ohio Supreme Court, as only one of the seven justices is a sort of rogue Democrat. Of the 16 congressmen appropriated to Ohio, only four are Democrats. Democrat Sherrod Brown serves as U.S. senator alongside Republican Rob Portman, although Portman’s towing of the party line often negates Brown’s progressive votes (as seen in the deciding vote for the confirmation of Betsy DeVos — a thoroughly unqualified nominee — for Department of Education). Ohio went for Barack Obama in both 2008 and 2012, yet Ohio Democrats cannot afford the luxury to stay home until we try to vote Trump out of office in 2020. When an entire party stays home and does not actively support its candidates in the midterm and local elections, electoral disasters for Democrats like 2010 and 2014 culminate into the Trump surge in Ohio that occurred in 2016. In addition to rebuilding our grassroots in a true progressive manner and taking back our city halls and school boards, the linchpin to a Democratic future — and conversely the nail in its coffin — lies in the 2018 midterm elections. In 2018, Sen. Brown will be up for reelection. Ohio Democrats need to protect him from the money of the Koch brothers and the opportunism of potential candidate Josh Mandel at all costs. Gov. John Kasich’s term will also be expiring at this time, and the Democratic Party will once again have a shot at taking back the governor’s mansion. In addition to the gubernatorial election, the remaining four statewide executive branch offices — secretary of state, attorney general, state treasurer and state auditor — will be up for election as the incumbents who now hold them will be term-limited. It is essential that Democratic Ohioans draft strong candidates for all of these positions in contested primaries. To understand why 2018 is so crucial to the future of Ohio Democrats, let’s take a journey back to 2015: In an obscure off-year election, Ohio voters overwhelmingly passed the Ohio Bipartisan Redistricting Commission Amendment (also known as Issue 1). Issue 1 effectively changed the process by which Ohio’s statewide legislative districts are drawn. As it stands now, the districts for the Ohio House and Senate are incredibly gerrymandered in favor of the Republican Party. Typically Democratic areas have been broken apart by GOP strongholds or packed into as few districts as possible — thus, creating the super minorities democrats currently held in both houses of our state legislature. Issue 1 created the Ohio Redistricting
Commission. Before Issue 1, the governor, secretary of state, state auditor and one member selected by the leaders of each of the two major parties drew the legislative districts. With the passing of Issue 1, this group has been expanded by one member from each party. The next time statewide district lines will be drawn is in 2021. In order to ensure a majority on the Ohio Redistricting Commission, Democrats must secure at least two (preferably three) of the following positions: governor, secretary of state and state auditor. These three positions are all up for election in 2018 and wide open. If Democrats are elected to these positions, they will serve during the important time when the districts are redrawn in 2021. Now to bring it all home. Some ask, “Why is it so important to take back the state legislature for Democrats? What does that change?” The importance of this is twofold. Democrats must hold a majority on the Redistricting Commission in order to level the playing field for Democrats in the State Assembly. They will be hard-pressed to redraw district lines to ensure an overwhelming Democratic majority as Republicans have been able to — nor do I want them to, as that would be unethical. If Democrats can redraw district lines to undo the “packing and cracking” that Republicans have committed, that will be enough. Democrats will at least gain an edge. We deserve fair districts. The statehouse also is important as it is a sort of “farm” for Democratic candidates in the future. Many congressmen, governors and statewide executive positions get their political start in the Ohio House and Senate. With a sheer lack of Democrats in both of these chambers, the potential to draft strong, young candidates is choked and has disastrous effects up the ticket. 2014 Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ed FitzGerald held no experience in Columbus — he lost 86 of Ohio’s 88 counties. Ohio’s 12 Republican congressmen were re-elected easily in 2016 — had more of their opponents come from the State House, perhaps Democrats would have won a few of these seats. The senate seat of Rob Portman was up for re-election in 2016. Unable to find a sound candidate from the Ohio House or Senate and unable to run a congressman against him, Democrats were forced to nominate 75-yearold former Gov. Ted Strickland. Strickland soundly lost this election, much like he lost the governorship in 2010. If Ohio Democrats want to win big, they have to start small. In order to take down Republican candidates who do not vote in our best interest (such as Rob Portman, who is not putting our public schools first and Congressman Pat Tiberi, who wants to take away his constituents’ health care), Democrats need to draft strong, competent candidates who have track records in public service and electoral victory. A vibrant farm of Democratic candidates can be drawn from the Ohio House and Senate if legislative district lines are better constructed in 2021. In order for fair districts to be drawn, Democrats must win back the governorship, secretary of state or state auditor in 2018. A grassroots movement will need to occur for such a win to happen. If Democrats lose the executive branch in 2018, Ohio will be a Republican state until 2030. Progress cannot afford for this to happen.
Brian DiPaolo is the historian for the College Democrats, contact him at bdipaolo@kent.edu.
discourse among university students Michael Tompkins Letter to the Editor For years, the debate on granting tenure to teachers has gone back and forth and is still unresolved. Opponents of tenure often suggest that tenure protects teachers with poor performance, and that alone seems to be their argument. That may be true in some instances, but for the most part, teachers still have a job to do and are held to some performance standard that they must regularly meet. Granting tenure to teachers – especially the new and young ones – is truly important – now more than ever. Often overlooked is the fact that tenure protects a teacher’s ability to teach and say things that may be unpopular or controversial in the hope of advancing a conversation among their students and peers; tenure allows this to happen in an environment without the threat of unnecessary consequence. This freedom gives teachers and their students the opportunity to learn from multiple perspectives, not just a single point of popular view. Removing tenure would negatively impact students and truly do them a disservice. Students who learn from teachers with tenure learn how to appropriately deal with individuals and viewpoints they disagree with. This helps to prepare students for what lies ahead in the “real world” and is ultimately the goal of education. As many of us know all too well, the “real world” is a harsh one, full of adversity and differences of opinion, that if not handled effectively, can cause real problems. The ability to deal with those of differing opinions is a skill that teachers with tenure can teach in the safety and security of the classroom. Perhaps most importantly, taking tenure away from teachers would threaten the very institution of education as we know it. We would potentially be left with "cookie-cutter" individuals teaching our students and only teaching those ideas which a committee has decided must be taught, a curriculum based solely on overall popularity or political correctness. Clearly this is not ideal, but it could very well become a reality. If we take away the protection that tenure provides and remove the freedom to discuss or teach unpopular ideas, would it be a surprise to anyone if there are then no more individuals willing to take on the risk of becoming a teacher? It wouldn’t surprise me one bit. mtompki3@kent.edu
Page 4 | Wednesday, March 1, 2017
Perspectives
The Kent Stater
Photos and multimedia through the lenses of Kent State students
Winter takes a pause
Clouds reflect off of the Cuyahoga River as a man casts his line into the waters at Franklin Mills Riverside Park on Friday. The temperature reached into the seventies — unusually warm for February in Ohio. Alyssa Keown/The Kent Stater
Clint Datchuk Photo Director Let's face the reality of our circumstances as residents of planet Earth: The concept of seasons is dead. There's only weather now, and it is decided on a day-by-day, need-to-know basis. The average high temperature in Kent, Ohio, last week was 62.5 degrees, according to AccuWeather. Compare this to the former historic average high temperature of 37 degrees. With this as proof, it's safe to say that global warming is real — despite the dramatic protestations of certain members of our federal and state governments. How else would we have springtime in February — a month known to be firmly situated in winter? We are currently living in the golden age of global warming. It's a time where we can be surprised with a week of plentiful sunshine and warm breezes sandwiched between two weeks of frigid cold and frequent unforgiving snowfall. It's getting harder to doubt the science behind climate change as unseasonable weather becomes more and more the norm. But hey — let's enjoy it while it lasts, right? cdatchu1@kent.edu
People in T-shirts and sunglasses fill the streets of downtown Kent as temperatures reach a high of 74 degrees Fahrenheit on Friday. Clint Datchuk / The Kent Stater
A man walks on the corner of South Water and West Erie Street in downtown Kent on Friday. Clint Datchuk / The Kent Stater
A newlywed couple takes pictures with friends and family at the Franklin Mills Riverside Park in downtown Kent on Friday. Clint Datchuk / The Kent Stater
Keith Watts of Cuyahoga Falls fishes at the Franklin Mills Riverside Park in Kent with his two children, 5-year-old Keith and 4-year-old Jazlyn, on Friday. Clint Datchuk / The Kent Stater
Students Caitlyn Seebach, Cole Shupe, Payton Daves and Alexa Weimer sit with their dogs outside of Starbucks in Kent on an unusually warm Friday afternoon. Alyssa Keown / The Kent Stater
Wednesday, March 1, 2017 | Page 5
The Kent Stater
Sports
SPORTS EDITOR: HENRY PALATTELLA // HPALATTE@KENT.EDU
Flashes add experience to coaching staff
Scott Lendak Sports Reporter
Within days of spring practice, the Kent State football team has hired Joe Tresey as its cornerbacks coach. Tresey provides over 30 years of coaching experience to the Flashes’ staff. "We're very pleased to have ... Tresey with us," coach Paul Haynes said to Kent State Athletics. "I've known him for a long time from working camps together. He brings a wealth of knowledge and a ton of experience. He has the same vision that we have in building men and he's nurtured a lot of young men over the years." Tresey has been a defensive coordinator at the collegiate level for 15 years, including stops at Youngstown State, South Florida, UCLA and Cincinnati. He was also a defensive coordinator in the Mid-American Conference at Central Michigan and Akron. He coordinated the Cincinnati defense in 2007 that led the country in turnovers and interceptions. Tresey also has experience at the high school level and recently served as athletic director at Clear Fork. His high school resume consists of nine seasons as a head coach, including three years at Fredericktown, where he earned UPI Ohio Division IV Coach of the Year honors. He was later inducted into the Fredericktown High School Athletics Hall of Fame in 1999. Tresey spent the 2010 season as defensive backs coach for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League. Tresey earned a bachelor's degree from The Ohio State University in 1982. He then earned his Master's of Education in Sports Science from Ashland University in 1997. He is also a native of Warren, Ohio. The Flashes will begin the first of 15 spring practices on Wednesday. slendak@kent.edu
Joe Tresey. Photo courtesy of Youngstown State Athletics
Kent State senior guard Deon Edwin rushes up court against Ohio University sophomore guard Jordan Dartis at the M.A.C. Center on Saturday. Nate Manley / The Kent Stater
Flashes hold on for fifth straight win Nick Buzzelli Sports Reporter
Before he went on air to discuss Kent State’s road win over Bowling Green State University with Ty Linder on WHLO, Kent State assistant coach Bobby Steinburg jokingly told the coaching staff that this team is made for television. Because, just like a TV program which has to be filled with suspense to keep viewers on the edge of their seats, the Kent State men's basketball team has a recent habit of taking its games down to the wire. In their previous four wins, the Flashes trailed at the half, but built up a lead in the final frame before allowing the other team to play catchup. And Tuesday’s rematch with the Falcons was no different. Sophomore Jaylin Walker, senior Jimmy Hall and senior Deon Edwin combined for 50 points, and the Flashes (18-12, 10-7) used an 8-0 run early in the second half to pull away from BG (13-17, 7-10 MAC), 74-67, at the Stroh Center to extend their winning streak to five games, the
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Spacious 3 bedroom, 2 bath duplex. Living Room and Family Room, Washer/Dryer, A/C, $960/ mo. Available July (330)7604013(call/text). www.kent2rent.com Newer 4 & 5 bdrm duplex. W/D, DW, A/C, deck, firepit. $1480/mo. & up. (216) 5363958 Nice Rooms for Fall 1 block from campus. $500/mo includes ALL utilities and wireless internet. No pets, 12 mo lease, non-smoking house. Chris Myers (330) 6786984 Large Efficiency available for August 2017. Lots of storage, All utilities included except phone & cable. Call 330-678-3047 2 bdrm house available August 2017. $510.00 pr rm. W&D hookups, very cute. Call 330-678-3047 2 bdrm apt available for August 2017. $325 pr rm on our 10 pay plan, Includes ALL utilities except phone & cable. Call 330-678-3047 Single rooms available August 2017. Prices range from $385 to $415 on our 10 pay plan. Includes ALL utilities except phone & cable. Call 330-678-3047
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longest of the season. “We like to keep it exciting, we like to keep the ratings high,” Steinburg told Linder in the postgame radio interview. “Any win is a good win. Any road win is a great win.” Kent State was paced by Walker’s 18 points on a 4-11 mark from beyond the arc while Hall, who didn’t start the game, recorded 18 points and 15 rebounds. Edwin chipped in 15. Four BG players scored in double figures, led by guard Ismail Ali’s 14 points on 5-8 shooting. Tied at 44 at the 16:06 mark of the second half, the Flashes scored 10 of the game’s next 12 points to take their first lead since it was 16-14. Hall picked up his fifth foul with 2:02 remaining, and BG managed to cut the deficit to one, 68-67, on a Matt Fox layup off of a turnover on the inbounds play. However, Edwin and sophomore Jalen Avery went a combined 4-4 from the charity stripe during the game’s final 26 seconds, and freshman Mitch Peterson put an exclamation point on the win with a coast-to-coast dunk off of a defensive rebound as time expired.
“We’re finding ways to win these close games now and earlier in the year we were finding ways to lose," Coach Rob Senderoff told ESPN3 after the win. "The way that we’ve competed over the past month and a half has been really good to see. We made a couple toughness plays when we needed to. There was a stretch there where we got stop, stop, stop and were able to score.” Though part of Kent State’s recent success can be attributed to coaching, Steinburg said he believes it’s mostly the result of strong point guard play by Avery. “Jalen Avery has really stepped it up recently and done a great job of controlling the offense, and not turning the ball over and doing that in more minutes,” he said. “It (his minutes) have certainly increased and he’s still keeping those turnovers down.” The Flashes conclude the regular season Friday by hosting Akron for the final game of the Wagon Wheel Challenge, which ESPN2 will broadcast. Tipoff is slated for 9 p.m.
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Page 6 | Wednesday, March 1, 2017
The Kent Stater
KSU students to make a difference this spring break Megan Ferguson Religion Reporter
Kent State President Beverly Warren reads Dr. Suess’s “The Cat in the Hat” to local school children for Read Across America at the University Bookstore on Tuesday. Alyssa Keown / The Kent Stater
Warren reads 'Cat in the Hat' to young fans during Dr. Seuss event Quaylyn Hairston Entertainment Reporter The legacy of children's author Dr. Seuss took over the University Bookstore on Kent State’s campus Tuesday morning for a Read Across America event. Large paw-shaped footprints around the store led to different activities and the area where President Beverly Warren would read Seuss' picture book "The Cat in the Hat" to young fans. Warren sat down with kids from the Kent area to share a story from Seuss in celebration of his books that have inspired children to read. Recognizable Seuss characters like Thing One and Two posed for photos, along with the classic Cat in the Hat. The life-sized characters also sat with the kids during the reading. "I liked the stories," said Willow Boyle, a young guest at the event accompanied by her Kent State alumna grandmother Lynn Keil. "This is the first time we have (gone to this)," Keil said. "It was fun and I'm glad I was able to find the flyer." As Warren read aloud to the kids, they
pointed out the pictures and made special remarks to interact with Warren. After Warren finished the story, she was given a Cat in the Hat-themed certificate by Nikki Dech, general book manager for the bookstore and coordinator of the event. "Now I have my own Cat in the Hat," Warren said. "It's important to come together as a community, especially at an educational institute," Dech said. Since it's her third time organizing the event, Dech said she enjoys putting together the event for not just little kids, but older fans as well. "We will do this again next year," said Robin Spano, general merchandise bookseller at the bookstore and co-coordinator of the event. "We love it ... it expands each year." Since the on-campus bookstore is the only Barnes and Noble retailer in Portage County, Spano said she "wants the campus to participate as much as possible in the Greater Kent community." qhairsto@kent.edu
Kindergarten students Finley Stoll and Liam Ward pet therapy dogs in the Kent State bookstore on Tuesday after listening to President Beverly Warren read Dr. Suess’s “The Cat in the Hat.” Alyssa Keown / The Kent Stater
Kent State students from H2O Church and the University Parish Newman Center are participating in alternative spring break trips this semester to benefit the lives of others. Students from the Catholic Student Association at the Newman Center are returning to the Rio Grande Valley of Texas with an organization called A Resource In Serving Equality (ARISE). “The ARISE program astounded me because it was started by one person who wanted to make a difference," said Amy Rietschlin, a senior integrated mathematics major. "It builds community and helps the people to help themselves." The program, which first opened in 1987 on the border of Mexico, works with families to strengthen their communities. Many of these families are lacking basic necessities, such as clean water, said Mary Lynn Delfino, pastoral associate at the Newman Center. Rietschlin said it is important to put a face to refugees during mission trips so that students understand who they are benefiting. Glen Wernke, a senior public health major, said he went on the trip to better understand diversity and why the Catholic Church stands with immigrants. It helped him better understand the problems refugees face on a day-to-day basis, he said. “Everyone has a story. All we need to do is take the time to listen,” Wernke said. H2O Church is also sending four groups of people to four different locations this spring break for various service projects: Hyderabad, India; Gatlinburg, Tennessee; Orlando, Florida; and Buffalo, New York. Lauren Woolum, a staff member at H2O Church, said these trips are valuable experiences for anyone of spirituality to attend. Woolum said the trip to India will be with a ministry called Back2Back, which will have students caring for orphans in the area. Students going to Florida will serve the newest H2O Church at the University of Central Florida. Students in New York will be working with the Jericho Road Community Health Center to learn more about health in the local community, and students attending the trip to Tennessee will spend time reflecting on the Bible and God. mfergu15@kent.edu