The
Kent Stater 3/9 – 3/12
CAMPUS CRITTERS Black squirrels aren’t the only animals that call Kent State home.
Features Edition
THE WEEKEND GUIDE TO ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND STUDENT LIFE
Izzy, senior political science major Matthew Chernesky’s Boxer Mix, poses for a portrait on Tuesday. Nate Manley / The Kent Stater
Four-legged companions Assistance animals ease students’ stress, anxiety Jenna Kuczkowski General Assignment Resting just above the door handle of Madison Radke’s door in Wright Hall is a small sticker with “Animal in Residence” posted in bright red. “I feel like when I say therapy animal or assistance animal, people get this idea of a seeing eye dog with a big harness, but really it's not that at all,” Radke, a freshman human development and family studies major, said. “It could just be a cat in a dorm room.” In her case, it is a 3-month-old cat named Norma. Each door bearing the sticker holds a different story of a student with an assistance animal on campus. As defined by Student Accessibility Services (SAS), an assistance animal is any animal that works, provides assistance, performs tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability or provides emotional support that alleviates one or more identified symptoms or effects of a person’s disability. Radke is one of eight students on campus who has assistance animals in a residence hall. Assistance animals have only been allowed in Kent State dorms since January
2016, after the result of a 2014 lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice against the university, when a student claimed to be wrongfully denied the accommodation of an untrained therapy dog. In January 2016, Kent State employees involved in the case signed a consent decree, or a settlement where someone agrees to take specific actions without admitting fault for the situation that led to the lawsuit. The document stated Kent State would implement the “Policy on Reasonable Accommodations and Assistance Animals in University Housing” on campus and agreed to begin offering accommodations for students struggling with mental health issues, such as anxiety or depression. “Pretend anxiety is a volume knob. Usually when people get stressed out about a situation, they can turn it down or control the situation if they get anxious,” said Brittany Ring, a junior chemistry major. “When you have severe anxiety, the knob is cranked up and broken off and you can't control anything — there's no calming down from that.” Ring has had a long history of struggling with depression and anxiety since eighth grade. Over the years, she has tried several different medications and gone through years of therapy, but during the summer of 2016, she
accepted that medications just weren’t cutting it anymore and wanted to try something else. “Medications don’t work the same for everybody, and I feel like it's not the only option,” Ring said. “I like to be more in control of my life, and I feel like a lot of the medications I've been on are trying to dull my emotions or take over who I am as a person.” That was when Ring decided she was going to try getting an assistance animal. Once she was approved, she got her assistance dog Odie. “I much prefer to have Odie over any sort of medication,” Ring said. “He’s my medication.” Alissa Woodward, a junior advertising major, also took advantage of the new accommodations offered by the university. Woodward said she had social anxiety all through high school and when she came to Kent State, it was even harder to transition. “I have an anxiety disorder where it makes it hard to go into public and talk to people I don't really know,” Woodward said. “I just get this tight ball of anxiety in my chest, like I have to assess a whole classroom before I know where I can sit and it's just this constant overanalytical thing.”
SEE ANIMALS / PAGE 4
Biology Club gains hands-on experience Madeline Crandall Entertainment Reporter A love for animals has become a science in Kent State’s student-run Biology Club. “We are passionate about all things
biology, including animals, sustainability and conservation efforts,” Ruthann Antolik said, a senior biology major and president of the club. The club's animal room, located in Cunningham Hall, holds reptiles like a
Senior biology major Ruthann Antolik looks into the eyes of a ball python in the animal room in Cunningham Hall on Wednesday. Alexander Wadley / The Kent Stater
29-year-old red-tailed boa constrictor, a leopard gecko, a tiger salamander and a Pac-Man frog. “The animal room is a huge job for a lot of our members," Antolik said. "We have a lot of people in the club that get experience working with the animals hands on." The room is more than 10 years old, and it’s growing with each passing semester. Certain lab classes take trips to the room to observe the animals. Jessica Roberts, a sophomore zoology major and co-chair on the executive board for the club, said her responsibilities for the animal room are deciding when each creature gets fed, cleaning roles and scheduling. “We allow all of the students who come into the room to learn how to feed, take care of and handle the animals,” Roberts said. “A lot of the animals that we handle in here are snakes, geckos and lizards.”
SEE BIOLOGY / PAGE 4
Junior advertising major Alissa Woodward holds her assistance cat, Gunner, in Olson Hall on Monday, Feb. 13, 2017. Gunner aids Woodward in coping with her anxiety while in college. Christina Kenney / The Kent Stater
Barkitecture members design 'Kitty City' for local shelter Nicholas Hunter General Assignment Reporter Kent State students with a love for both animals and environmental design have a new home: Barkitecture. Barkitecture is a new student organization that intends to work with local animal shelters and humane societies to create safe, well-designed structures to both house and entertain shelter animals. Joshua Myers, the organization’s president, said he was inspired by other local volunteer organizations to create Barkitecture. “ We s a w a n e e d f o r building for (local shelters) because a lot of them are in positions where they are not in good shape both financially ... as well as their buildings,” Myers said.
Initially the group spent time networking with local shelters. Shannon Waller, chief operations officer of the Humane Society of Summit County, contacted the organization for help with a design project, eventually dubbed “Kitty City.” “At least in my experience, we haven’t had a similar organization come out and say ‘Hey, we want to do something special,’” Waller said. “As far as designing a whole ‘catatorium,’ this is the first time we’ve had something like this, especially with this level of professionalism.” The Humane Society of Summit County currently houses about 90 cats — a number that Waller expects to double or triple by the summer.
SEE SHELTER / PAGE 4
Page 2 | Thursday, March 9, 2017
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Former Kent State student Martins Krebs walks with participants of the International Women’s Day march in Cleveland, Ohio, on Wednesday. Christina Kenney / The Kent Stater
Barrie Sandman, a Kent State alum, holds a sign created by her daughter among the crowd gathered in Cleveland, Ohio, on Wednesday to rally and march in response to International Women’s Day. Carly Bronikowski / The Kent Stater
Women’s march encourages equality McKenna Corson Diversity Reporter In celebration of International Women’s Day, hundreds of people participated in Cleveland’s “A Day Without a Woman” march, protesting and raising awareness to a range of issues. The march’s initial purpose was to have women step away from work for a day so that the overlooked importance of women in the work field could be noticed. The march began at Willard Park in Cleveland, where a diverse list of speakers spoke about problems plaguing society, such as President Donald Trump’s Muslim ban, treatment of the LGBT community, undocumented immigrants and police brutality. Chants such as “This is what feminism looks like,” “This is what a democracy looks like,” “Women have a voice and women have a choice” and “Women united will never be divided” echoed through the crowd. One of the speakers, 17-year-old Sarah Williams, spoke for the younger generation of feminists. She encouraged change. “I’m sick of waiting for change,” Williams said. “My generation — I don’t want them to screw this up. I want to make a change, and I want it now. I am a feminist, and I’m tired of men telling me that I hate men because I’m a feminist. I don’t hate men. Wind grabbed at people’s pink and red garments, as red was selected to represent women’s marches to signify energy and the will and survive, according to the organizers of January’s Women’s March. Marchers ignored the wind and fought for what they believed in. Emily Griffin, an engineer at ZIN Technologies Inc. from Shaker Heights,
came to the march with Kate Hart, an engineer at Echogen Power Systems, also from Shaker Heights, to push for equality. “We still have a long way to go,” Hart said. “We’ve made a lot of progress but we’re not there yet.” “Everyone should step back and really assess how much impact women have on their day-to-day life, as well as try to do a little more to acknowledge what women do,” Griffin said. “A lot of the problems that we’ve been seeing in our workplaces is that people take women for granted. Today is a good day to step back and think about the things that are taken for granted.” Both engineers, Griffin and Hart know the difficulties of working in a male-dominated occupation; Only 14 percent of engineers are women, according to the United States Joint Economic Committee. “We still deal with a lot of bullshit and low-level misogyny,” Hart said. Griffin and Hart took off work as part of the Cleveland march. Both women hoped their absences were noted. “My workplace is pretty small, but everyone knows me,” Hart said. “I’m the only one who is on strike today. We had a big company meeting, and I hope that people are discussing that I’m not there and why.” “My workplace is a little bit bigger, but I have a couple of meetings that are project-wide,” Griffin said. “I hope it starts discussions.” The actual march was brief, as participants walked a few blocks chanting and showing off signs. Alan Ingral, an internet web content major at Lakeland Community College, attended the march to protest Planned Parenthood cuts.
Kent State’s Undergraduate Student Government (USG) passed its controversial resolution to condemn antiSemitism on main campus Wednesday. The resolution passed with a 18-0-3 vote in a meeting attended by Students for Justice for Palestine (SJP), Students Supporting Israel at Kent State (SSI) and The Student Power Coalition. “This is a very rare resolution,” Ariella Yager, resolution’s sponsor, said. “We’re usually passing things like dining, tampons being sold on campus and stuff like that.” The legislation became controversial for its ties to the Israel-Palestine conflict after it was introduced at USG’s Feb. 22 meeting. Although USG’s resolution worked out those issues, Yager said the conflict plays a small part in the new resolution, as it was created at the request of SSl President Sophia Witt.
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Members of Kent State’s Undergraduate Student Government meet with representatives of the Jewish Agency for Israel on Wednesday, March 30, 2016. Aaron Self / The Kent Stater
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Julia Shearson and Pam Salay attend the International Women’s Day March in Cleveland, Ohio, on Wednesday. Men and women gathered in solidarity outside of the Free Stamp sculpture to voice their support for gender equality. Alyssa Keown/ The Kent Stater
“Republicans say that they will do a lot of things, but they have yet to do anything,” Ingral said. “Trump, he’s doing everything that he had said he’ll do, such as the Muslim ban.” Ingral said he believes that women deserve their own voice and should be able to make their own choices for themselves. “Republicans shouldn’t have control over women’s bodies,” he said. “Women should make their own decisions.” Women weren’t the only group in attendance, as people of all age, background and gender attended the march. Colleen Traud brought her two children, 5-year-old Kaya and 8-yearold Isaac. The Cleveland-based family
donned red and came with a sign covered in different languages. “We are here to stand up for the need of equality for not just women, but for other marginalized minorities,” Traud said.“Hopefully, when Kaya is older, she’ll have more rights available to her than right now.” Both Kaya and Isaac believe that women deserve more rights, and the siblings enjoyed marching for a good cause. Isaac, however, also liked the march because he “was able to stretch his legs.” mcorson2@kent.edu
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(Yager and I) really wanted it to be inclusive to everyone — not only Jewish people, but all minorities.”
“I worked very hard on this,” Witt said after the resolution was passed. “A lot of writing, reforming and trying to get everything together to best represent the Jewish people.” Yager said that if any other minority student comes to SSI with a desire to create a resolution, they shouldn’t be afraid to do so. “It’s not like we found them and said, ‘We really want to support you,’” she said. The resolution had a rocky start, with the main controversies com-
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USG passes anti-Semitism resolution after BDS dispute Mitch Felan Senior Reporter
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President of Students Supporting Israel ing from the legislation’s definition of anti-Semitism — which was borrowed from the U.S. Department of State — and its explicit mentions of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Movement in connection with anti-Semitism. Palestinian groups created the international BDS Movement in an effort to economically pressure Israel. This included boycotting Israeli-made products and campaigning for sanctions against Israel. Yousof Mousa, president of SJP, said he was dismayed after hearing the proposed resolution would include a definition that conflates antiSemitism with criticism of the state of Israel’s policies and actions, as well as the ideology of Zionism. “My concern stemmed from the fact it would sanction debate and curb my speech to advocate for Palestinian rights,” Mousa said. The new resolution omits all mentions of the movement. Mousa later said he is grateful USG walked back on the connection and used a “traditional understanding of anti-Semitism.” The other issue, as Yager pointed out, was the definition of the term “anti-Semitism” in the originally-proposed legislation that was taken from the U.S. Department of State’s definition for the term. Sitting down with professors and professionals “with knowledge in the Israel-Palestine conflict” helped resolve the issue, she said.
“The biggest take-away was that the Department of State’s definition wasn’t okay. How were we supposed to know which definition was true or not?” Yager said. The original resolution also reference several other occurrences of anti-Semitic speech at the Kent State campus, including an incident where a student called his waitress a (Jewish slur) on a receipt at a local bar and the painting of Nazi imagery on the Kent State Rock last semester. Those references were taken out of the revised copy. But even with the changes, controversy arose in the USG governance chambers over the definition, which some students argued needed to go further. Amanda Michalak, a senior political science major who wrote a letter to the editor for The Kent Stater on the original resolution, argued USG needed to acknowledge that criticism of the state of Israel did not equate anti-Semitism. Mousa and Rachel Mason, president of the Spanish and Latino Student Association (SALSA), who was at the meeting, agreed with the change. A Jewish student in the audience — who did not reveal his name and wished to remain anonymous — had issues with the proposal. “What I’m hearing, whether it’s anti-Zionism or anti-Semitism, it’s hate speech,” he said. “And Zionism is the right to self-determination.” The conversation lasted several minutes before USG President Samuel
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Graska offered to listen to both sides at a separate time to discuss the definitions of anti-Semitism versus that of anti-Zionism. Graska said the resolution debated should be voted on as is. “We learned the history behind it, and we created our own definition of anti-Semitism. It suits the students on our campus and our campus climate. It’s not political and it’s not part of the Israel-Palestine conflict at all,” Yager said in defense of the new definition. “(Yager and I) really wanted it to be inclusive to everyone — not only Jewish people, but all minorities,” Witt said. The definition worked, as students from SSI, SALSA, the Muslim Students’ Association (MSA) and several USG senators publicly supported the resolution after stating their issues with the original draft. Mousa also threw his support behind the modified legislation. “What anti-racist wouldn’t support a condemnation of (anti-Semitism)?” he said. “It was easy to support as part of this larger struggle against bigotry.” mfelan@kent.edu
Thursday, March 9, 2017 | Page 3
The Kent Stater
Opinion
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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 (email them to jmill231@kent.edu) and guest columns. Submissions become property of the Stater and are subject to editing without notice.
Opinion Editor: Lucas Misera Senior Editor: Karl Schneider Sports Editor: Henry Palattella Assigning Editor: Jack Kopanski
THE OPINION PAGE IS AN OUTLET FOR OUR COMMUNITY’S VARIED VIEWS.
JOSEPH MCGRELLIS’ VIEW // To see all the cartoons this semester, visit KentWired.com
On KSU Scientistas host research symposium, empower women Lyric Aquino Humanitites Reporter The Kent State Graduate Scientistas hosted its second annual research symposium Wednesday, giving women in science an opportunity to share their research with mentors and peers.
laquino@kent.edu
Cheers&Jeers Cheers to ... a University of Central Arkansas student who — when pulled over under suspicion of drunk driving — showed off his juggling skills to prove his sobriety.
Jeers to ... an unlucky mistake. St. Patrick’s Day-themed “Make America Great Again” hats were printed with a fourleaf clover on the back. The problem? An actual shamrock has three leaves.
President Trump’s Republican VIEW best speech When President Donald Trump delivered his joint address to Congress last month, it proved to be a speech that compares to none of his previous ones. This was a different Trump than we have seen before. He delivered a calm, yet powerful speech that resonated with many. Ratings afterward skyrocketed. This speech let him become the president of the United States. Trump started with thanking his colleagues, including Vice President Mike Pence, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan and, of course, first lady Melania Trump, who received a standing ovation right from the start. Trump then laid out his plan to help make America great again. He introduced his ideas to make our military bigger and stronger, asking Congress for a $54 billion increase in militaryspending. He claimed that our military is depleted — which it is — and emphasized our need for more funding in order to take on our enemies, rebuilding necessary ships and aircrafts. He also put forth his plan to help revamp our highways and interstates. “Another Republican president, Dwight D. Eisenhower, initiated the last truly great national infrastructure program: the building of the Interstate Highway System. The time has come for a new program of national rebuilding,” Trump said. I believe that this will undoubtedly help the American people; It will create many jobs and put the population back to work. On the other hand, many of the Democratic Congress members did not feel the same way, as they mostly stayed seated and hardly applauded him until the end. Another major part of the speech was repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, commonly referred to as Obamacare. He laid out his plan to replace it and give us something much better and more appealing to the American people. Throughout this great speech, Trump made sure to recognize his guests that he and the first lady invited — guests who were of actual matter to this address. The list included a wide array of guests, ranging from Denisha Merriweather, a beneficiary of school choice, to Jessica Davis and Susan Oliver, who both lost husbands to crimes allegedly committed by illegal immigrants. One of the most notable guests, Carryn Owens, received a very long standing ovation for her husband’s service. Her husband was killed in the line of duty in a raid. This was one of the most notable parts of the speech. Many who did not agree with Trump from the beginning felt that this was the part of the speech that brought everyone together. Many will say that Trump used Owens as a way to make himself look good. This is truly terrible to say, as she is a widow of a man who laid down his life for our country, for each one of us to live free. This is despicable and terrible to say about her and of the president. No matter who you are or what your beliefs entail, we have to agree that this was one of his best speeches. He came across to all Americans, not just a select few. He gave a clear agenda on what he plans to do to improve our country. It was one of his best speeches that he has given, and I look forward to seeing more of this side of Trump and all that he brings. Together, with all Americans, we will make America great again. jking93@kent.edu
Wow. This, quite frankly, is shocking. Just give me one more minute to wrap my head around this monumental news. OK, I think I’m ready now (puts on safety helmet). Sources close to sources with knowledge of the subject have informed me that they have found evidence that former President Barack
As Poe puts it:
Obama admits to wiretapping White House, Trump Matt Poe Columnist Editor's Note: The following column contains satire. Events mentioned in the piece are fictitious. Wow. This, quite frankly, is shocking. Just give me one more minute to wrap my head around this monumental news. OK, I think I’m ready now (puts on safety helmet). Sources close to sources with knowledge of the subject have informed me that they have found evidence that former President Barack Obama wiretapped President Donald Trump, or President Cheese Whiz, along with the entire White House. As you may recall, President Dingus recently accused Obama of wiretapping and leaking information to the public in an attempt to smear the good Donald’s name. It quickly was dismissed by many former members of the Obama administration as false information meant to mislead and distract the public from the alleged Russian connections to President Mermaid Man Look-Alike. But after speaking to my sources, they informed me that Obama has indeed revealed that he was behind the wiretapping and leaks that seem to be pouring from the White House faster than water flooding Noah’s Ark if I had built it. “Alright, fine, I’ll admit it: I tapped the whole damn place,” Obama said as he sank a 15-foot putt for a birdie. “Joe and I were bored one day in late November and we were like, 'Hey, wouldn’t it be hilarious if we just did this?’ Good times,” the former president added as he picked up his tee. The alleged Joe that Obama is presumably alluding to is former Vice President Joe Biden, whom I had difficulty contacting for comment. But after a few phone calls and the deliverance of a $25 Applebee’s gift card, Biden decided to come forward with the information. “Yeah, I did it, me and Barry love doing this crap for kicks,” Biden said as he flicked the butt of his cigarette. “What the hell you gonna do about it?” After learning that Trump had become the president-elect, Biden said he and Obama just started doing whatever the hell they wanted. “Look, me and Barry are like brothers,” Biden said as he gave a noogie and atomic
wedgie to Vice President Mike Pence. “You know the movie 'Step Brothers?' Yeah, that was based off of us.” The shocking revelations come at an interesting time for the Trump administration, mostly because this was, like, the first time they were right about anything. I contacted several of my White House sources to get a comment to see if Trump was basking in the glory of finally being right about something. Luckily, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer was available for a brief comment, so I paid a visit to the D.C. version of Mar-a-Lago. “The president is absolutely stoked about this news,” Spicer said. “In fact, he’s so excited that he’s taking the next month off, but you wouldn’t know it, because nothing would get done even if he was here.” That was all the information I could get from Spicer before he heard his favorite type of Purina dog food clink into the bottom of his bowl. Upon hearing the clinking noise, Spicer scampered down the hardwood floor on all fours like a rapid wolf ready to seize its prey. I followed him to the kitchen, where Trump himself was scratching Spicer behind his ear (that’s his favorite spot), standing in nothing but his white robe made of poached white tiger fur. The president was also holding a bucket of the Colonel’s famous extra-crispy recipe, licking the ends of those abnormally small fingers. My goodness, they’re tiny! Anyway, I confronted the president about the matter at hand. (See what I did there?) “Mr. President, any comment on Mr. Obama’s admittance to the wiretapping?” I asked. “Look, it’s terrific that we finally got a win,” His Orangeness said. “And believe me, this is just the start of the winning because we’re gonna keep winning, but then again, we never stopped winning in the first place.” After trying to wrap my head around that comment, I left and called it a day. I’m not sure if you feel the same way, but I’m just glad these accusations have finally fostered into some real evidence. President Obama was behind all this. Who knew? At the end of the day, I’m just glad it was proven true instead of a figment of the president’s imagination or a cheap ploy to distract us from Russia, WikiLeaks or North Korea. That would have been a real shame to learn. Thankfully, we have a president willing to recognize where the true enemies sleep. Rest assured, I can sleep much more soundly tonight. mpoe3@kent.edu
Impeaching Donald Trump Stephen D’Abreau Columnist First off, anyone who says that they actually can impeach Donald Trump at this stage is flat out lying to you or woefully ignorant of the process. Yet, Trump opponents seem keen on pretending like this is a doable option, that somehow they can wave a magic wand and remove the president from office. Instead of working with the new elected leader, many clueless members of Congress and the media continue to churn out nonsense about removing the president from office. Impeachment itself is not actually what removes a person from public office. It is simply leveling charges of misconduct or criminal activity to a holder of public office, and unless the charges are substantiated, impeachment alone does not result in removal from office. Impeachment is a power of the legislature, and impeachment is initiated by votes in Congress. Conviction is determined by a two-thirds majority Senate trial. Republicans control all of these right now, which should stop this idea there. In the context of the president of the United States, impeachment has usually been the avenue for Congress to attempt to remove a sitting president. Only two presidents have been impeached: Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton. Nixon was technically never impeached, as he resigned from office before the congressional vote was complete. In fact, no president has actually ever been removed by impeachment and subsequent conviction, though Johnson was very close to a conviction and Nixon resigned out of fear of the impeachment. So, what does this all have to do with Trump? Well, our new president has many political enemies. There have been calls to remove Trump on grounds of his business ties, alleged connections to the Kremlin, accusations of mental instability and — most recently — his Twitter comments concerning the Obama administration wiretapping. Each of these things is either unworkable or bogus. Trump’s business ties are worrying, yet there exists no concrete evidence that he is deliberately using the executive office to further his business interests. The ongoing Russian conspiracy is unsubstantiated as well, and is a product of media frenzy, not facts. Mental instability would most likely need to be established by a doctor and hasn’t been done — no, unpopular opinions are not evidence of mental insanity. His Twitter comments would necessitate an investigation into the intelligence agencies to see if Trump’s accusations are true, making it also unworkable. However, let’s say for sake of argument, Trump is an insane Russian corporate spy guilty of Twitter crimes. Opponents of Trump would just be putting traditional, hard-line conservative Mike Pence into power. So, anyone telling you that impeaching Trump at this point is either possible or even preferable, is lying or woefully ignorant of what a vice president is. The impeachment conspiracies are an absurd waste of time right now, and I will not be wasting a second further on it. I encourage anyone reading this to do the same. sdabrea1@kent.edu
Page 4 | Thursday, March 9, 2017
The Kent Stater
The price of a pooch: Footing the bill for college pets Mikala Lugen Student Finance Reporter After a long day of attending classes and working her part-time job, Bridget Looney walks into her apartment and is greeted with slobbery kisses from her newest puppy, Bennie. Looney, a junior exercise science major, got her puppy in November and is loving the responsibility. Looney budgets to buy her mutt puppy chow every four to five weeks, and she searches Amazon for cheap dog toys. “It’s great having my dog around. She’s such a stress reliever. After a long day of work and classes, I get to come home to kisses,” Looney said. Being a full-time college student is stressful, and students often seek pet ownership to subside stress and loneliness. Having a pet in college can be very beneficial to a student’s health, but what is the real cost of having one? Having an animal with endless love toward you may seem beneficial, but there are a lot of expenses and responsibilities busy college students can overlook. “It’s more time-consuming than anything,” Looney said. “You have to consider them in every decision you make. How much money you spend and the time you spend out of the house. It’s kind of like having a child.” In 2015, the United States spent $60.28 billion on pets. This includes total expenses of food, supplies, medicine, veterinary care and services, such as grooming, according to the American Pet Products Association. “There are things you have to do and then depending on your budget, there are things that are optional,” Emily Smith, a senior nursing major, said. “Flea protection, veterinary trips and food are all necessary expenses you have to fit in your budget.” Su Lindsey, veterinary assistant at Brimfield Veterinarian, said she believes that people should read about different breeds of dogs or cats when considering getting one. “Pets are costly," Lindsey said. "Students should stay educated about the commitments owning an animal takes.” Lindsey said it's important to get the best affordable food for a pet. She noted that cheap brands with added fillers don't provide nutrients
From Page 1
ANIMAL Four-legged companions ... During the Spring 2016 semester, she was approved for an assistance animal and adopted her cat, Gunner. “After a long, stressful day of class, it's comforting just to know that I get to come back and have something that's always here and doesn't waiver,” Woodward said. “Gunner has definitely made the transition a lot easier for me.” Radke said a lot of her stress and anxiety issues developed during her first semester at Kent State because of her rough transition and learning how to balance school. “A lot of my stress and anxiety comes from not being able to sleep,” Radke said. “I get in this really bad cycle of not being able to fall asleep because
and are bad for a pet's health. Buying a brand that is affordable, has no fillers and is agreeable with the pet's system is the best way to go. “My old dog was gluten intolerant and I had to buy a special brand of dog food that was healthy for her to eat. It was twice as much money as a regular brand, but it was a necessary expense,” Smith said. When thinking about saving money and owning a pet, Debbie Aikens, manager of Stow Kent Animal Hospital, said she believes students should not cut corners when dealing with their animal’s health. “There are low-cost clinics that provide basic vaccines and also offer spays and neuters services," Aikens said. "These clinics are usually not equipped to handle illnesses or offer necessary lab testing to diagnose them." Aikens said pet owners go to low-cost clinics trying to save money, but end up spending more in the future because they didn't get the full amount of help and care the pet needed in the first place. “Owning a pet is like having a child," Aikens said. "$200 a year is a good estimate to keep up on vaccines, monitor the aging process of a pet and control parasites.” The United States spent $5.41 billion on pet grooming, according to the American Pet Products Association. Grooming your pet is very important to maintain the animal’s health. To save money, students can buy pet shampoo and groom their pet at home instead of paying extra money for a groomer. Full-time college students have a busy schedule and are often out of the house for hours at a time. When considering adding a furry friend to your life, take into account how many hours a day you are out of the house. “When I got my first dog in November, I had to buy a $150 crate to keep him in during the day,” Kyle O’Donnell, a junior computer information systems major, said. “I take him outside immediately when I get home from classes. He’s great, but I spend a decent amount of money on him each month.” Depending on where you live, some apartments have rules and even forbid pets. You may be required to pay a onetime pet down payment and an additional monthly expense when keeping an animal in your apartment. “When I moved into University I'm worried about what's going on the next day. Then I’m tired the next day because I got no sleep so I’m drained, exhausted and I get even more stressed because I have no energy.” Having her assistance cat Norma for the first time this semester to cuddle with every night breaks that cycle, Radke said. “I feel like Gunner knows when I’m upset because he’ll get extra cuddly,” Woodward said. “I’ve actually had some physical health problems this past year too, and he's been extremely helpful with that. I’ve always been an animal person, so I feel like their presence just calms me.” Ring said her assistance dog Odie not only comforts her when she’s stressed, but he has also helped her keep a schedule and stay motivated. “There were days when I was so busy and stressed that I would forget to eat sometimes, but now it's like, ‘OK, Odie’s eating, time to eat,’”
Illustration by Nick Labate
Oaks, they required a $300 down payment for my dog, and a $30 monthly charge for keeping him in my apartment,” Jamie Davis, a junior human development and family studies major, said. About 6,000 Kent State students live in an on-campus dorm, according to the college’s facts and figures. These students do not have the option to keep a pet in their dorm, besides fish. Kimberly Morgan, a freshman
Ring said. “If I'm feeling unmotivated that day, he helps me get out of bed because he has to go out or wants to play. He gets me through the day. I always tell my residents he’s my “Odivation,” instead of motivation.” Ring, Woodward and Radke all said they discovered the university’s ability to accommodate assistance animals through word of mouth and running into the few students with assistance animals on campus. In Woodward’s case, she found out when one of her professors briefly mentioned it in class. “I definitely think it's important that students on campus know this is an option,” Woodward said. “I feel like there are so many people on campus with these problems (anxiety and depression) that I think would really benefit from this service and they don’t even know it’s available to them.” Ring said she feels like assistance animals aren’t something people talk about openly, so she herself
exploratory major, said she is affected by this policy. “I have two cocker spaniels at home that I grew up (with) since I could remember. I miss them every day,” Morgan said. “I live a couple hours away, so since I don’t visit home often, I always make sure to spend time with my pups when I do go home.” With all the additional responsibilities and expenses, having a pet while in college can be very beneficial. College stu-
was hesitant to reach out for more information because she was almost embarrassed. After she found out more information, she wished she’d known about the service sooner. "If we find there's a greater interest and need, we will make adjustments as needed so we can let students know about these services," Eric Mansfield said, Kent State executive director of media relations. Mansfield said SAS has a lot of information online that students can access to learn more about assistance animals. “As much as you might have a support system of friends or family, they don't really know exactly what you're going through, and sometimes that's the most stressful part: trying to explain to someone what's going on,” Ring said. “Assistance animals like Odie don’t need things explained to him and will be here for me no matter what.” jkuczkow@kent.edu
Senior psychology major Elexis Blake takes a break from school work to play with her assistance cat, Norma, who helps her de-stress and remind her to take breaks to relax. Jenna Kuczkowski/ The Kent Stater
From Page 1
SHELTER
Barkitecture members ... The designated space for "Kitty City" is a 10-foot by 10-foot cage with a collection of cat beds and towers. It was originally created to put shy cats under one roof to make them more social. Instead, they found their own corners and stayed there. The "Kitty City" project aims to build a unique feline living space within that cage that can house eight cats, shy and social, with enough room for up to four human visitors. Waller and Myers both said they hope that a more interactive and connected space will help the shy cats slowly become more comfortable
around people and other cats. Barkitecture Secretary Hallie Schuld said that the organization, which had nearly 70 people attend their first meeting, came together largely by word of mouth. At the meeting, Barkitecture members were broken up into teams to come up with different designs for "Kitty City." Each team was given a focus for their design, which included interactivity, functionality and for Schuld’s team — materiality, or what materials are best for this project. Nathaniel Williams, a sophomore architecture major, said he had both professional and personal reasons for joining Barkitecture: In addition to being an architecture student, Williams has a passion for helping animals in need.
“We have 12 animals at our house right now — none of them are purebred. My family is super into shelter animals and helping animals who don’t have a home,” Williams said. “This includes horses, a cow, some cats, some dogs and a lizard. I think this is a great opportunity to use one of the passions that my family has instilled in me to give back to the animal community of Ohio.” Myers said he hoped students outside of the College of Architecture and Environmental Design would contribute to Barkitecture, which is why he reached out to Megan Kraus, a longtime friend with a major in human development and family studies, as well as a minor in nonprofit studies. “(Myers) approached me with the
initial idea of being more like a liaison between the architecture community and the rest of Kent State,” said Kraus, who is now the vice president of the group. “He asked if I would be interested in partaking in a service organization and ... if I like dogs and I said ‘Sure!’” “From there, he asked kind of more of my nonprofit side ... I could bring that to the table, in addition to an outside perspective of architecture and design,” Kraus said. The final designs the group will pursue include benches with holes and shelves underneath for cats to crawl through; a large, curved wall with tunnels and holes for cats to play on; and a suspended “catwalk” to allow the cats alone time. Myers said they intend to have the
dents who own a pet can see an increase in their emotional and psychological health, according to USA Today College. “Dogs are seen as less judgmental than humans," Kathryn Kerns, a psychology professor, said. "Studies have shown that when faced with a stressful situation, people have a better mood and are less physiologically aroused in the situation when they do a task with a dog present." mlugen@kent.edu From Page 1
BIOLOGY Biology Club gains ... The animal room is consistently worked on and maintained to adhere to standards. “We just did a whole revamp on our tank systems. We cleaned all the algae from the rocks and the sides of the tank and measured all of the levels,” Roberts said. “We spent a lot of time and effort late at night with people to try to get that figured out. It’s a lot of work.” The cleaning schedule caters to each animal’s specific needs while providing a stable, healthy environment. Students are taught to properly clean tanks and keep chemical levels balanced. Day leaders and co-chairs are always present in the room. They are familiar with every animal in the room, providing a great source of knowledge and specific training to students for each of the animals. Safety precautions are also taken to make sure the animals are properly secured and locked. “I never had any pets growing up, so a lot of my volunteering was at the Humane Society with mammals like cats, dogs and rabbits,” Sarah Boyer, a junior zoology major and treasurer of the club, said. “I came here not knowing a lot about reptiles and invertebrates and having all of those here gave me a lot of experience with those animals.” In the past, the club has taken trips to museums and local zoos, where they get a closer look at their future work environment. The club also features guest speakers, including doctoral students with zoo and natural environment experiences, members of the Peace Corps and the Cleveland Metroparks workers. The club meets Wednesday at 6 p.m. in Cunningham Hall, but its members are easily found in the animal room around the clock, taking care of and studying the non-human residents. “It’s a really fun time being able to interact with the same people who share the love for animals with you,” Boyer said. “Learning together and discovering a lot makes it really cool.” mcranda4@kent.edu official design for "Kitty City" finalized soon and will begin material construction March 18. They hope to have the final project installed at the Humane Society by the end of spring semester. To fund their projects, Barkitecture will utilize membership fees from student members. They will also be holding fundraisers for extra funding, which will be announced in the coming weeks. In the future, Myers said he hopes to expand Barkitecture’s volunteer efforts by potentially starting dog walking sessions and staff help days to assist local shelters. This semester, however, they intend to focus on completing their first design project. nhunter6@kent.edu
Thursday, March 9, 2017 | Page 5
The Kent Stater
THE
WEEKEND BUZZ Saturday
Friday Knit-a-Thon
Kentchella
Pet Walk
Global JAM Basketball Tournament
Join members of Knitting for Those in Need (KTN) on the fourth floor of the University Library for 12 hours of charitable knitting and crochet. People of any skill level are welcome to contribute; supplies will be provided. The event starts at 9 a.m.
Forget the treadmill — burn some calories at the Student Recreation and Wellness Center by dancing during this Coachella-inspired music festival. The first-time event will showcase talented students through musical performances, fashion shows, galleries and games, starting at 9:30 p.m.
The 13th annual “St. Pet’s Day Kent Pet Walk” begins at 10 a.m. at the Hometown Bank Plaza, weather permitting. Dress your animals up in St. Patrick’s Day gear and bring a donation to benefit the Portage Animal Protective League.
March Madness is here and there’s no better way to celebrate than with a day-long basketball tournament at the Student Recreation and Wellness Center. Sponsored by the Office of Global Education, international teams will face off from 1-7 p.m. for a winner-takes-all finish.
Further Reading
“EXPEDITION TO THE EXOTIC” by Aaron Self
This photo story follows a team of Kent State biology students on a trip to Costa Rica, where they studied plants and animals. Photographers came across exotic frogs, dragonflies and monkeys.
“SERVICE DOGS PROVIDE ‘PAWS’ABILITIES” by Samantha Ickes
Find more content focused on animals of all kinds online at
Students enlist as puppy raisers through 4 Paws for Ability, taking the dogs with them everywhere in public to train them to be service animals.
“BLESSING THE FOUR-LEGGED FRIENDS OF KENT” by Emily Wilbur
“LOCAL AUTHORS PEN CHILDREN’S BOOK ABOUT BLACK SQUIRREL’S ORIGIN IN KENT” by Benjamin VanHoose
One local church held a “Blessing of the Animals” service where guests brought pets — including dogs, cats, snakes and hamsters — to strengthen the bond between humans and animals.
Two Kent residents worked together to write a cartoon picture book that accurately retells how the little critters became so prevalent in the area.
REVIEW
Final Wolverine film ‘Logan’ is bloody yet heartfelt Michael Nied Entertainment Reviewer After 17 years, Hugh Jackman is ready to declaw himself and move on from his portrayal of one of Marvel Comics’ most beloved X-Men: the Wolverine. Jackman played the quick-healing, metal-clawed Marvel hero since 20th Century Fox launched its “X-Men” film franchise in 2000, and his characterization of the rough but goodhearted Logan (known to most by his superhero alias, Wolverine) is one of the most celebrated portrayals of a comic book character in years. But before he can hang up his uniform and officially remove himself from the mutant roster of heroes, he teamed up with Fox to deliver a thrilling conclusion to his character in “Logan.” In the timeline of the “X-Men” franchise, “Logan” is the first release since 2016’s “X-Men: Apocalypse.” However,
it takes place multiple decades later in 2029. Logan and Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart) are two of the last remaining mutants on the planet, and they’re not in great shape themselves. Both members of the original team are ravaged by time and loss. Their incredible mutations are no longer functioning at optimum levels; Logan’s prodigious healing abilities are drastically slower. Hiding out from their past just over the Mexican border, these are not the proud heroes we’ve come to love. Even Logan, who’s frequently battled the ghosts of a violent past but always overcame his demons, has been broken. That all changes when Logan is propositioned by a nurse who offers a large reward for the former X-Men to shepherd her and Laura (Dafne Keen) to a safe house in Canada. At the urging of Xavier, he reluctantly agrees. It’s revealed that Laura was created in a lab and possesses the exceedingly
rare mutant X-gene. Even more, she was created using DNA from Logan, and she has the same healing ability and some unbreakable adamantium claws of her own. Logan is now kind of a father, and his “daughter” inherited many of his distinctive characteristics, along with his mutant abilities. If Deadpool, the ultimate foulmouthed anti-hero, was the ideal character to pull off an R-rating, then Wolverine follows at a close second. Because of the rating, fight scenes are dramatically bloodier and Logan swears so frequently that almost every other word could be censored. In fact, the film is almost so grotesquely violent that it takes away from the story. The hero’s adventure becomes less about saving a young mutant from a life of captivity and more about how many times characters can be shot, stabbed, beaten, beheaded or impaled by various items.
Classifieds
The fight scenes clearly appeal to a more mature audience and push the boundaries of acceptable violence in a film about good versus evil, but they also convolute the plot so that viewers are left waiting for the next bloodbath instead of truly rooting for a fitting conclusion. Beyond the overwhelming violence, the film’s greatest downfall is its confusing placement within the overall series. “Logan” delivers a compelling, slightly muddied conclusion to the Wolverine’s saga. Jackman’s performance in the film is potentially his strongest to date, and he plays the downtrodden, determined Wolverine with ease. Keen delivers an equally laudable performance as Laura, and the 11-year-old actress provides an obvious storyline to follow in future releases. Jackman may have turned his in, but hopefully Keen is just beginning to sharpen her own set of claws.
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Build your resume! Young Explorers Aurora and Twinsburg are looking for part-time and full-time teachers. 330-562-5588 Send resume to lissette@youngexplorerschildcare.com A&W Restaurants Opening soon! Now taking applications for: -Car Hops -Fountain Help -Assistant Fry Cooks Apply in person only, 1-5 p.m. MonFri. 1124 West Main St. Kent, Ohio 769 E. Main St. Ravenna, Ohio Blue Men Moving LLC in Akron is looking to add positive individuals to our team. No experience required, just a positive attitude, good work ethic, and physically fit. Flexible work schedule. Starting pay is $13 -$14 per hour plus tips. Call 330-241-7572 to apply! Delanie’s Grille in Tallmadge has IMMEDIATE openings in our kitchen. Competitive pay, flexible hours, and only ten minutes through campus. Come apply at 67 W. Avenue in Tallmadge today. 330-630-2888. Lawn maintenance company seeks FT/PT employee. Must have valid drivers license 4 points or less and reliable transportation, please call 330-688-3389 or email lawnpride1978@gmail.com. Immediate Openings: Nuevo Sol Tanning is now hiring. Looking for highly motivated and friendly individuals. Flexible part time positions. Minutes from KSU. Apply in person 1632 Norton Road, Stow or email your resume to jobopeningnst@ gmail.com Interviewing now.
All real estate advertised herein 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. Now Leasing for Fall REMODELED houses for rent 5 and 6 bedrooms Beautiful and close to KSU Starting at $385/mo (330) 552-7032 Luxury 4 Bedroom large rooms and yard Deck, Patio, Fire Pit FREE washer/dryer and parking 330-714-0819
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 Single rooms available NOW. Prices range from $345 to $395 pr month. Call for addresses 330678-3047 3 & 4 bdrm townhomes available for August 2017. On bus line, EXTRA LARGE BEDROOMS, W&D hookups. $474.00 pr room includes gas & trash. Call 330-678-3047 Available Now! Studio Apartments $495-525 1 bedroom units $625 Fully equipped kitchens, laundry facilities, very close to KSU, quiet community, 330-678-3785
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HOUSE AVAILABLE. 129 Sherman St. AWESOME 5bd 2bth. Available August 1st. Gas+electric not included. $1700 per month. No more than 2 unrelated. Fall 2017. 330-554-6600 Available fall, four rooms available in house, 1 block from campus. Featuring washer and dryer in basement, off street parking. Rooms are $400 per month per bedroom. Contact Tyler at 330328-1084.
Courtesy of 20th Century Fox
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REBUS PUZZLES
Page 6 | Thursday, March 9, 2017
The Kent Stater
Sports
SPORTS EDITOR: HENRY PALATTELLA // HPALATTE@KENT.EDU
Flashes fall short in MAC quarterfinal Henry Palattella Sports Editor After Kent State’s 67-63 Mid-American Conference Tournament loss to Toledo, Kent State Coach Todd Starkey took a moment to pause before starting his post-game press conference. Starkey — who was named MAC Coach of the Year Tuesday — then talked about how the loss hurt not only because it ended their run at the MAC championship, but because the Flashes were favored to win. The affair was a back and forth one that featured eight lead changes, 56 points in the paint, and 32 bench points. The No. 3 Flashes (19-12, 13-5 MAC) came up just short of No. 6 Toledo (23-8, 12-6 MAC) on Tuesday night. “I give Toledo a lot of credit,” Starkey said after the game. “I’ve known (Toledo coach) Tricia Cullop a long time and she does a fantastic job coaching her team. They really amped up the pressure on us late in the game.” The first quarter of the game served as a microcosm of the season for the Flashes, as they only managed to make six field goals in the first quarter, but four of them were three-pointers, which allowed the Flashes to stay in the game and hold the Rockets to a 22-16 lead. Senior Larissa Lurken led the Flashes with five points at that point, while Jay-Ann Bravo-Harriott led the Rockets with nine points. Bravo-Harriott — who scored her 1,000thcareer point in the victory — didn’t play in the first matchup between the two teams, which was a win for the Flashes. Lurken etched her name
into another facet of Kent State lore in the victory, as she scored her 733rd point on the season, a new school record. The Rockets started the second quarter on a 4-0 run before Starkey called a timeout that seemed to do the Flashes some good as they came out on a 16-2 run that ended when Lurken made two free throws to give the Flashes a slim 32-30 lead. The Rockets fought through the Kent State run and went into the halftime locker room with a 39-35 lead. The third quarter, however, belonged to Kent State as they outscored Toledo 21-11 in the quarter to take a 56-50 lead. Lurken once again left her mark on the quarter, scoring five points, while junior Jordan Korinek added five herself. The Flashes pushed their lead up to seven in the fourth quarter, but Toledo began to slowly chip away at the lead, and soon found themselves down only by one with six minutes left after a Mikaela Boyd layup. The Rockets took the lead back two minutes later when Mariella Santucci knocked down a three-pointer. Lurken responded with a layup, but two Santucci free throws increased the Rockets' lead back up to two. Kent State had a chance to hold Toledo scoreless on their next possession, but Janice Monakana nailed a three right as the shot clock expired that not only increased the Rocket’s lead to 66-61, but also sucked all the momentum away from the Flashes. “If I’m being honest, I was lucky that I heard … people counting down the shot clock,” Monakana said of the shot. The Flashes cut the lead to
Kent State senior guard Larissa Lurken drives on University of Toledo freshman guard Mariella Santucci during the quarterfinals of the MAC Tournament at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio on Wednesday. Nate Manley / The Kent Stater
66-63 with one minute left and had a chance to win the game at the buzzer, but a Megan Carter three went long. Carter — who played point guard most of the second half over starting guard Naddiyah Cross — recorded a career-high 15 points in the loss.
One of the reasons for the Flashes' offensive problems in the fourth quarter was that they didn’t get a chance to attempt a single free throw, something that had been their bread and butter all year long. “I think we were expecting contact and expecting
calls from the refs that we weren’t getting,” Lurken said of the free throw drought. “We just weren’t going up strong enough.” Despite the loss, Starkey still feels as if his team has deserved a chance to play in the Women's National Invitation Tour-
nament (WNIT). "Yeah, we're very hopeful that we're going to get a WNIT bid,” he said. “These girls deserve it. They've earned that opportunity to represent this conference and to represent Kent State in post‑season play.” hpalatte@kent.edu