The Miami Student Oldest university newspaper in the United States, established 1826
VOLUME 138 NO. 29
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
MIAMI UNIVERSITY OXFORD, OHIO
In 1935, The Miami Student reported many students decided they would prefer the quarter system over the semester system. According to the some students, quarters are the best choice because classes aren’t as monotonous and are more intense.
Redskins logo to vanish by summer By Noëlle Bernard Senior Staff Writer
Miami University students looking to purchase Redskins memorabilia might have trouble finding any. Miami has officially ended all licensing productions of the Redskins logo. The decision was finalized Dec. 21 and is applicable for bookstores on and off campus. The logo, which depicts a Native American and a block M, was created during the transition from Redskins to RedHawks in 1997, said Paul Allen, director of business services. “The decision has been made that we will no longer allow companies to produce merchandise bearing that mark,” Allen said. “We’ve told the licensees, the companies who have our permission to use our marks for merchandising. We’ve told them they cannot use the mark anymore.” Gail Paveza, the store director of Follett’s Miami Co-op Bookstore, said Miami has restricted the use of the Redskins logo since the new RedHawks mascot was created. “The university determines what they would like their word marks and logos to be on,” Paveza said. “That is what retailers work within.” Bookstores must adhere to licensing decisions. The new mandate tells merchandising companies the logo will no longer be available for reproduction, Allen said. “If it’s not licensed for a type of merchandise, then of course we’re not able to carry that merchandise because that would be a violation of the license, and you’re not able to sell products that are not properly licensed,” Paveza said.
Jim Simpson, interim director of the Miami University Bookstore in the Shriver Center, said Miami’s decision to discontinue the historic logo would affect alumni who visit the university. “It’s so limited that it doesn’t have a lot of an appeal for most folks, just for those that when they were here were Redskins,” Simpson said. “Alumni Week is probably our largest selling period for that logo.” The bookstores are not surprised by the university’s decision because the logo has always been restricted and buyers are used to the limited stock. “This really is not something new,” Paveza said. “When they changed mascots, that’s when the university began to determine what logos they would like on what type of product. We used to be able to get that logo on T-shirts and sweatshirts. We are not able to do that any longer.” Paveza said the logo is currently authorized for some hats and polo shirts. The scarcity of Redskins apparel will continue until bookstores sell all remaining merchandise. Junior Carter Dodeci, whose mother is an alumna, views the discontinuation of the logo as a disappointment to alumni who want to remember their past as a Redskin. “I think alumni will identify as a Redskin for the rest of their lives,” Dodeci said. “They don’t see it as offensive. It will be hard for alumni to come back and not be able to buy Redskin apparel.” Remaining Redskin apparel is estimated to be gone by summer 2011, Simpson said.
SAMANTHA LUDINGTON The Miami Student
Apparel depicting the Redskin logo with the block M will soon disappear from store shelves. Miami is pulling the licensure of the logo and will no longer allow it to be used on merchandise.
CAMPUS
While you were out... Even when students are out of town, things happen in Oxford. As a new year begins, The Miami Student wanted to fill everyone in on what happened while we were away. Congressman John Boehner was sworn in as Speaker of the House. Boehner represents Ohio’s 8th Congressional District, which includes Oxford. A home invasion and shooting in Fairfield led to Butler County’s largest drug bust, according to the Butler County Sheriff’s Office. There were 850 pounds of marijuana found in the residence after gunmen took an unknown amount of the drug before police arrived. An earthquake centered near Kokomo, Ind. rattled the Oxford area Dec. 30. Ohio’s minimum wage increased by 10 cents Jan. 1. The increase brings minimum wage to $7.40 per hour. Talawanda School District Superintendent Phil Cagwin announced his retirement. Assistant Superintendent Kelly Spivey will take his place in the next year. Butler County Board of Elections (BOE) Director Betty McGary announced her resignation, which she is taking to spend more time with her family. McGary has worked at the BOE since March 1978. Reporting by Erin Fischesser
Employees receive cell phones from MU By Mandi Cardosi Staff Writer
When it comes to offering employees the benefit of having a cell phone strictly for work purposes, Miami University takes the criteria seriously. According to Vice President of Finance and Business Services David Creamer, Miami spent approximately $300,000 on employee cell phones last year. Creamer said this number is not tracked in detail, but there are plans to reduce costs in years to come. The cell phones are supplied from tuition and state appropriations. The policy on university phones, which can be found in the Miami University Policy and Information Manual, states telephone services and calling cards provided by the university are intended solely for university business. According to the handbook, personal long distance calls may not be charged to university accounts but can be made if the user has
THE
INSIDESCOOP
A PRESTIGIOUS VISITOR BUSINESS CYCLES Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will speak at MU in March.
CAMPUS, page 2
SAVING CENTS
Miami finds ways to reduce utility costs across campus.
CAMPUS, page 2
Oxford prepares for moves, expansions and new establishments.
COMMUNITY, page 4
TICKETING TOTALS
The number of OVI arrests in Ohio has decreased due to changes in patrols.
COMMUNITY, page 4
FEARLESS LEADER
Miami University basketball player Sean Mock leads the team in spirit.
FEATURES, page 6
established a personally-funded account through the IT Services Office of Telecommunications. Employees issued telephone credit cards by the university are required to limit their usage. Creamer said the demand for employees to be reached on a 24/7 basis has risen with the rise of technology, which spiked the need for cellular devices, but the university is looking to reduce cell phone costs. “We’re trying to target whether we believe if the amount of spending can be reduced,” Creamer said. “There are a high proportion of people with personal phones, and we want to know how to ensure we’re getting the best possible price when we make those purchases.” Cathy McVey, senior director of strategic communications and planning, said there are 432 regular phones given to employees and paid for by the university and 1,329 phones given through a university contract, 85 of which are smartphones. Senior Andrew Garlock said he
MAKING HISTORY
MU football brings home a bowl win, completing a season for the record books.
SPORTS, page 12
doesn’t see anything wrong with responsible employees being given a university-funded phone. “If the purpose of using the phone is for a good reason and the professor (or staff) is responsible enough to use it for business purposes, I don’t see anything wrong with it,” Garlock said. “Our tuition pays for schooling, and with technology advancing we have to think of things like this being included.” McVey said the university contract allows anyone affiliated with Miami to purchase a phone through the university with a slight discount. “Generally people who have department-provided cell phones need to be reached at all times,” McVey said. She said it is popular for staff to have a work phone if their positions require a lot of travel and every department carefully looks at who has a phone. Creamer said the contracts are annually renewed or declined when final decisions are made.
ONLY
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WWW.MIAMISTUDENT.NET TECH TIP: MAC ATTACK Learn how to put Windows on your Mac computer with IT Services.
SPORTS: SPLASHES AND BOUNCES Catch up on swimming and diving and women’s basketball updates.
BLOG: HEALTH TIPS Find tips for reading a nutrition facts label on Emily Sheriff’s blog.
2
Campus
Tuesday
January 11, 2010
NEWS BRIEFS FYI
Admissions renovations to conclude by month’s end By Natalie McKerjee
Courses begin pilot for Blackboard replacement Fifty Miami University courses began using Niihka Jan. 10 to pilot Blackboard’s replacement and new collaboration and learning environment. Volunteers from multiple disciplines, majors and campuses were chosen to pilot the program. Faculty and students will give feedback on the system and the training that will support Niihka. Since the November kickoff, faculty members using the system have showed a mostly positive response. This spring, training courses, one-on-one support and migration assistance will be provided for all Miami faculty. For more information about Niihka and an introduction video, visit www.muohio.edu/sip.
March, program to honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day Miami University will host the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Program Monday, Jan. 17. A peace march will begin at Uptown Park, where students and community members should gather at 10 a.m. The march will end at Hall Auditorium. A program will follow at 11a.m., with a presentation by the Oxford Gourd and Drum Ensemble and the Miami University Gospel Chorus. The event is free and open to the public. Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and the Office of Diversity Affairs will co-host the program. For more information, contact Janine Todd at toddjc@muohio.edu.
Green jobs pioneer to speak about book Miami will welcome globally recognized environmentalist and author Van Jones at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 20 at Hall Auditorium. Jones, who is a pioneer of green jobs and civil rights, will present Environmental Justice and the GreenCollar Economy as part of the annual Robert E. Strippel Memorial Continuing Dialogue on Justice and Human Rights. Author of The Green-Collar Economy: How One Solution Can Solve Our Two Biggest Problems, Jones served the White House Council on Environmental Quality and founded three nonprofit organizations, including Green for All, a national organization working to get green jobs to disadvantaged communities. Tickets are required and are available at the box office in Shriver Center or at www.tickets.muohio.edu.
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Editors Stephen Bell Amelia Carpenter Amanda Seitz campus@miamistudent.net
Senior Staff Writer
While Miami University students were enjoying their winter break, the Office of Admission began renovations. The renovations include interior painting, carpeting, accent lighting, public restroom tile and fixtures, new furniture, additional lobby seating and new auditorium chairs, according to Ted Christian, the project’s architect and manager. Christian said the renovations are on schedule and will contribute to Miami’s continued efforts to attract quality students. “Making a good impression on a potential student and their family is an important first step in attracting the best and brightest to Miami,” Christian said. According to Christian, the internal improvements cost approximately $130,000, which is funded by a pool of money budgeted for contingency repairs and replacement projects for education and general buildings. Meredith Smith, assistant director to the Office of Admission, said the initial experience for a prospective Miami student is influential and the new look will give the admission office a needed makeover.
“Many times, admission is the first place a student will see on a college campus, and we want the office to have an updated, welcoming and friendly look and feel,” Smith said. “The renovations will provide a fresher look to the Office of Admission.”
According to Smith, additional lobby seating and new auditorium chairs will contribute to the comfort for prospective students. “We want to invest in the experience that students and their families will have on campus,”
she said. “We believe these renovations are moving us forward in providing a positive and welcoming atmosphere for our visitors.” Tours will continue throughout the renovation process, which is expected to be completed by Jan. 28, Christian said.
SAMANTHA LUDINGTON The Miami Student
Renovations for the Office of Admission continue through the new year in the Campus Avenue Building.
Condoleezza Rice to make spring visit to MU By Amanda Seitz Campus Editor
One more world leader will join this year’s speaker line-up at Miami University. Condoleezza Rice, former national security adviser and secretary of state for George W. Bush’s administration, will visit Millet Hall Thursday, March 31. Rice will give a lecture entitled Unremarkable: Remarks from Dr. Rice. Admission for the event is free of charge and tickets are not necessary to attend. Her visit will be part of the Anderson Distinguished Lecture Series, a series endowed by 1941 alumni Jack and Rose Marie Anderson. The Andersons have presented this endowed series for several years, according to Alan Oak, assistant
director of external relations for the Farmer School of Business. “They established the endowment and they have added to the endowment in order to enable us to have people such as Dr. Rice,” Oak said. Oak would not disclose the cost of bringing Rice to campus. Rice will be on campus prior to the lecture, according to Oak. Following her lecture, there will be a question and answer session. Media response to the event has been instantaneous, according to Claire Wagner, associate director for university communications. Wagner said security stipulations for the event have not been decided upon, but
attendees should be prepared for a busy day. “Her position now is not in government service, so I just don’t know yet (about security),” Wagner said. “Arrive in good time, I anticipate there will be a good crowd.” College Republicans Chairwoman Rachel Schwegman said Rice’s visit provides a unique learning opportunity for Miami students. “She knows a lot of stuff about our (government) system,” Schwegman said. “I think that anyone, not necessarily someone who gets along with her personal views, will learn a lot from her and get a lot of insight. It will be beneficial for anyone to get more insight of how the president does things.”
University cuts costs with utility changes By Chelsea Naughton Senior Staff Writer
In a time of economic hostility, Miami University has found a successful way to cut spending by reducing utility costs. According to Cody Powell, senior director of utilities and building maintenance, Miami has significantly reduced utility costs on campus since the last fiscal quarter. In March, Miami became a retail customer in electricity as opposed to paying a standard electric tariff, Powell. said. This allows Miami to sell back its electricity in an energy market system, a change which saved the university nearly $1.9 million in the first half of this fiscal year. Miami has the ability to generate electricity on its own, a process which requires a great deal of natural gas, according to Powell. “As a retail customer, it does not make sense to produce electricity,” Powell said. “This means we use less natural gas, saving us $1.9 million since July 1, a 76 percent reduction in gas consumption.” According to Powell, reductions were also recommended in October by the Strategic Priorities Task Force, a group composed of faculty and administra-
tors who made suggestions to we’ve seen a 5 percent reduccorrect the university budget. tion from last fiscal year, which Miami has the ability to gen- translates to about 2.3 million erate electricity on its own, a kilowatt hours in savings,” process which requires a great Powell said. deal of natural gas, according Powell also said steam, which to Powell. is produced for heat and showers Powell said on campus, is the univeranother area sity has seen which the “I think it’s great that in other financial university is Miami is cutting costs looking to cut benefits from this switch. and trying to be more spending. “We have “We’ve efficient, I think it’s avoided a cost made a 6 persomething that has been cent decrease of about $1.8 an issue for a while. It from last year, million,” he said. “That’s which is 636 seems like action basically if we tons of coal should have been had a standard less burned taken sooner.” tariff rate what … by being we would able to modGREG JONES have paid verify systems MIAMI UNIVERSITY SENIOR sus what we to reduce endid pay.” ergy,” Powell M i a m i said. “We’ve saved approximately $4 mil- adjusted the use of heatlion in utility costs over the ing and cooling, and it’s past six months, mostly in elec- also a matter of being tricity and natural gas, Pow- smart about when domesell said. Other changes made tic water systems are on.” on campus have also reduced Energy reduction has been consumption of utilities, ac- a long-standing effort at Miami cording to Powell, including that will continue beyond the the modification of building current changes being made, controls, when lights are turned Powell said. “About four or six years ago, on and off, run schedules for utilities and how efficiently we switched to higher efficiency lighting, which made significant they operate. “For the first six months reductions,” Powell said. “We
also did a partial renovation in Upham Hall, which included our first geothermal installation on campus.” Miami senior Greg Jones is happy about the reductions, but said the university was slow to act. “I think it’s great that Miami is cutting costs and trying to be more efficient, I think it’s something that has been an issue for a while,” Jones said. “It seems like action should have been taken sooner.” Powell said these efforts are being made to meet the standards of House Bill 251, a mandate that requires all state institutions to reduce energy usage. The bill, passed in 2006, is known as the Advanced Energy Law and encourages the use of clean energy by providing grants and energy production incentives to state institutions using sustainable energy, according to the 2007 Green Energy Ohio Bi-Monthly Report. Powell said there are multiple benefits and goals with respect to the plans to reduce utility spending. “First and foremost, we want to be good citizens and reduce our carbon footprint,” Powell said. “An obvious side benefit of doing that is saving money.”
THE MIAMI STUDENT
TUESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2011 ♦ 3
NATIONWIDE SAVINGS OVER
$60 MILLION
AND COUNTING
www.miamicoop.bkstr.com
4
Tuesday
January 11, 2010
Community
Editor Bethany Bruner community@miamistudent.net
Local business scene booms
By Bethany Bruner Community Editor
First-year asks to be taken to county jail At around 2 a.m.Wednesday, Oxford Police Department officers responded to 5262 Brown Rd. in response to a disturbance. Upon arrival, officers reportedly witnessed a male staggering near a Toyota vehicle in the parking lot. The male reportedly stumbled to the sidewalk before leaning against a railing. According to police reports, the male told police “I’m not going to run.” The male, later identified as Miami University first-year Ryan Kuzner, 18, reportedly told officers he had been fighting with friends. Kuzner was reportedly unsteady on his feet, had the odor of alcohol on his breath and slurred speech. According to police reports, Kuzner was placed in a police cruiser when he started acting belligerent. An officer reportedly told Kuzner one option was for him to be taken to the Butler County Jail. Kuzner reportedly replied, “Take me to the f*cking county jail.” Officers reportedly found an Ohio driver’s license in Kuzner’s wallet, which Kuzner admitted to stealing from the owner. Officers reportedly also noticed a shattered back window on the Toyota vehicle in the parking lot. A resident of the apartment complex reportedly witnessed Kuzner punching out the window. Kuzner was cited for underage intoxication, criminal damaging and possession of a fake ID and was taken to Butler County Jail.
OPD finds pills, drugs, candy bar on suspect At around 3:45 a.m. Wednesday, a neighbor called police regarding a suspicious male in the yard of 406 S. Main St. The neighbor reportedly saw the male in the front yard, heard a banging noise and then the male disappeared before the lights in the house turned on. Upon arrival, Oxford Police Department (OPD) officers reportedly found the front door open and heard rummaging upstairs. Officers reportedly confronted the intruder, later identified as Miami Univeristy junior Stephen Rowe, and took him into custody. According to police reports, officers found a plastic baggy of a substance believed to be marijuana and a pill bottle of what appeared to be Vicodin. When asked what the pills were, Rowe reportedly said he did not know and they were not his. Officers also reportedly found Rowe to be in possession of an iPod and a Snickers bar, which he admitted did not belong to him. According to police reports, Rowe said he was in the house because he was looking for a friend. Rowe was arrested and taken to OPD. At OPD, officers reportedly asked where he had gotten the iPod, and Rowe said he got it out of the house. He reportedly said he did not remember where he got the candy bar and he did not know how he got the pills or marijuana. Rowe was cited for burglary, theft and two counts of drug possession before being transported to Butler County Jail.
If the beginning of 2011 growth is any indication, the Oxford business scene is about to explode. Several new businesses in the city are in the works and current businesses are looking to expand. According to Economic Development Director Alan Kyger, this is a sign of the appeal uptown Oxford has for businesses. “The uptown district is a place where businesses want to relocate,” Kyger said. The Oxford Diner recently saw the benefit of relocation when it moved to High Street and renamed itself Double D’s Diner. The Morning Sun Café has also begun to take more advantage of its uptown location, according to
Kyger. Morning Sun Café is now open until 9 p.m. daily and has added dinner to its menu. Managers at Morning Sun could not be reached for comment. Kyger said several other changes will be happening in the near future. Arabian Nights, a restaurant specializing in Middle Eastern cuisine, will be opening in the next few weeks, he said. Arabian Nights originally had planned to open in the fall, but the owners could not come to an agreement on the terms of the lease, according to Kyger. The restaurant will now be located in the old MaidRite location at 36 W. High St. Also coming soon to uptown will be Bardar India. Kyger said the Indian restaurant will be in Bella Place. Construction on the property is underway.
Ohio OVI arrests decrease in 2010 By Lauren Ceronie Staff Writer
If it seems like there are not as many drunk driving arrests in the news, it is because there aren’t. Arrests for operating a vehicle while intoxicated (OVI) in Ohio decreased 9 percent from 2009 to 2010, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol Spokesperson Gary Lewis. OVI arrests in Butler County decreased 20.6 percent over the same time period, Lewis said. The decrease in arrests is due to limited resources after a state-mandated hiring freeze, Lewis said. The hiring freeze reduced the number of patrol officers because of inability to replace retiring officers, according to Lewis. The number of officers dropped from 1,600 to 1,490, he said. The hiring freeze has caused the patrol to shift its focus to felony arrests and warrants, misdemeanor arrests, drug violations and identity theft, Lewis said. “Having less resources makes it difficult when looking at operational areas,” he said. “However, we have seen great increases in arrests in the other areas.” Even with reduced resources, the Highway Patrol will continue its mission to prevent drunk driving, Lewis said. “We will continue to educate the public, we have partnered up with other law enforcement agencies to remove impaired drivers from the road and we follow up with strict enforcement by removing impaired drivers through arrest,” he said. OVI arrests in Oxford Township decreased from 2009 to 2010 for different reasons, according to
Sgt. Jim Squance of the Oxford Police Department. Oxford OVI arrests have decreased 24.3 percent over the past year due to public education and awareness of strict penalties, Squance said. Squance said Oxford also benefits from an OVI Task Force that includes officers from the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Butler County, the Oxford Police Department and the Miami University Police Department. “We have extra patrols out every weekend to combat OVI and underage drinking,” Squance said. The OVI Task Force is also responsible for public education, according to Squance. The task force puts out press releases to raise awareness and travels to high schools before prom and graduation to educate students about drunk driving, Squance said. Despite the OVI Task Force’s efforts to combat OVI, Miami University senior Joe Carlin said the issue of drunk drivers in Oxford concerns him. “I think the police put more emphasis on catching underage drinking than drunk drivers, and drunk driving definitely happens in Oxford,” Carlin said. Rules prohibiting overnight parking uptown may be part of the problem, according to Carlin. “A lot of people drive uptown planning to have one drink and end up having more, but they don’t want their car to get towed, so they drive home,” he said. Carlin said he believes changing the parking rules uptown could prevent drunk drivers. “I know there are drunk drivers out there, so I’m always on the defense when I’m driving,” he said.
Another new development will be the opening of the MOON (Miami Oxford Organic Network) Market in the Tollgate Shopping Center. The co-op market will have organic and whole foods available for purchase. Kyger said the anticipated opening for the market is late spring 2011. Kyger said the business boom is a sign of the slow economic recovery. “People are willing to roll the dice on starting a business, especially small businesses,” Kyger said. “To see small businesses is a good sign.” While the growth is a sign of the economy bouncing back, Kyger said there is still work to be done. “We need to better market to the outside what we have here,” Kyger said. “I would hope that a positive that comes out of this is that we do
a better job of marketing Oxford as a destination for restaurants in Butler County.” Food-related businesses are not the only area where growth is possible. Kyger said a women’s clothing store has started the process of acquiring space in Stewart Square. Kyger said women’s apparel stores are one of the top requests he gets from citizens to bring to Oxford. Those requests may increase even more in the near future. Maurices, located at 5650 College Corner Pike, will be closing. An employee at the store confirmed the closing, but declined further comment. Maurices corporate officials also declined to comment. Kyger said he had heard rumors about the closing, but had not received documentation to support the rumors.
Uptown ups the eateries
SAMANTHA LUDINGTON The Miami Student
Arabian Nights will open soon uptown (top). Patrons take advantage of Morning Sun Café’s expansion and new dinner menu Monday (bottom).
Housing RevU.com provides option for house hunting By Leslie Scott Senior Staff Writer
Finding a house to live in is tough. Finding a house to live in off campus is tougher. Because the process starts so early, many students are beginning to look now for where they will be living in 2012. Because of this crazy process, Miami University senior Ben Philabaum launched a website for students to share information about off-campus housing in late August. Philabaum said he got his inspiration from other websites like yelp.com and ratemyprofessors.com. Students can add the property they live in and include commentary on the house, the utilities, the landlords and other aspects of the property. “I heard stories about students who lived in houses and hated them,” Philabaum said. “I felt there was a need for a site like
HousingRevU.com. It allows students to share details about their houses for future tenants.” According to Philabaum, any student across the nation can go on the site, list his or her house or apartment and express opinions for future tenants. “Getting an honest opinion from someone allows students to get full knowledge on such a big investment,” Philabaum said. “Renting a house is around an $8,000 investment, which is a lot of money. It is important for students to do plenty of research, and this site allows people to do that.” Although the site can be used by anyone in the nation, the majority of the approximately 40 properties currently on the site are in Oxford, Philabaum said. He said he hopes the site continues to grow and reaches more students at many different schools. “I strongly encourage students to add their comments,”
Philabaum said. “It only takes about three minutes to add a property, and it really benefits future students.” Philabaum said his main goal is to expand. He is pleased with the amount of hits the site has gotten, but would love to see students from all over the country using it the way students use sites such as ratemyprofessors.com. “It really seems to benefit students when they have a space to share information,” Philabaum said. “I just can’t believe no one else has thought of this idea.” In order to advertise the site, Philabaum has used word of mouth, Facebook and writing on white boards in classrooms. Miami junior Erica Norman said the site can be very beneficial. “I think this is a great idea,” Norman said. “Students are expected to sign leases so quick that the process becomes very stressful. It would definitely help to
have other people’s opinions.” Miami senior Kaitlyn Rowsey also likes the idea of the site. “I think this would have been a great tool to use when searching for housing,” Rowsey said. “This would provide people looking into renting a house with a more definitive idea of the positive and negatives.” Rowsey said pictures are extremely important. She said every posting should include pictures and room size dimensions in order for students to get a clear picture in their head of the property. According to Philabaum, he is the only person running the site. He said there are many sites in which one can find a computer programmer to help create websites. Philabaum used one of these sites and found a man in Bulgaria who helped create the webpage. “I tweeked a few things once it was complete, but the programmer did a pretty good job,” Philabaum said.
Campus
THE MIAMI STUDENT
TUESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2010 ♦ 5
Sammy is back in town
Fitness frenzy
Inactive fraternity to begin recolonization process after three-year hiatus By Brooke Perellis For The Miami Student
Miami University senior Rob Brooks does not like to be a part of something that fails. Brooks hopes to leave a legacy on Miami’s campus by bringing back the once-active fraternity Sigma Alpha Mu. “It’s a shame to see a fraternity go,” Brooks said. Sigma Alpha Mu, nicknamed “Sammy,” is in the process of recolonizing at Miami. According to Brooks, the group of founding fathers consists of 15 men. The group will become a colony during spring semester and then an official fraternity at the start of the 2011 school year. The historically Jewish fraternity was founded at the university Nov. 19, 1959. Conditions within the fraternity began to deteriorate eight years ago due to lack of leadership, leaning on their heels, lack of commitment to the ideals of the fraternity and lack of respect for the fraternity house, according to chapter adviser Jerry Miller, who advised the fraternity
for 21 years before the group became inactive. “When you get a bad combination of members who are not committed and a rushed program, there’s only one outcome,” Miller said. The fraternity was active at Miami until fall 2008, when members requested to have their charter pulled. “They couldn’t fill the house,” Miller said. “It was the members’ choice to have the charter pulled. We were never suspended.” Although the men could not fill the required number of spots in the fraternity house, they decided to remain a houseless fraternity. With 45 members, they could not pay their liability insurance and wrote to nationals to be in a suspended state, Miller said. As a member of Sammy before it became inactive, Brooks approached Miller about bringing the fraternity back to campus. He has worked closely with Miller and underclassmen to ensure the ideals of the fraternity will be kept. “Rob is beyond determined,” Miller said. “His motivation and desire to succeed has made him a
pleasure to work with.” Miami University first-year and founding father of the new Sammy chapter, Adam Piccus has enjoyed working with Brooks and Miller. “I like working with Jerry (because) he knows exactly what he is doing and has a lot of passion and experience,” Piccus said. “I also enjoy working aside Rob (because) he guides us on a peer level.” While the fraternity is historically Jewish, Sammy extends bids to nonJewish men as well. “We admit anyone as long as they have good moral character,” Brooks said. Although there is no religious requirement, the fraternity looks forward to working with Hillel in the future, a Jewish campus organization. Hillel Rabbi Rachel Gartner has offered to come and speak to the fraternity about Jewish values. “Many people are interested in the cultural side of being Jewish but don’t really know what this means,” Gartner said. “I want to give everyone in the fraternity — Jews and non-Jews — a better sense of the Jewish culture by coming and talking about Jewish values.” According to Brooks, Sammy’s main advantage in the recruitment process is going to be the ability to generate excitement about being a founding father, as this only happens once. “People enjoy the thrill of starting something,” Brooks said. “I can see it being harder to recruit members in the future.” So long as the founding fathers put forward hard work and determination, Sammy will soon be an official Greek organization at Miami once again. “This group of men will be a powerful force who will respect the fraternity house,” Miller said. Miller looks forward to the men becoming an official fraternity at the start of the 2011-12 academic school year with a commitment to the Sigma Alpha Mu creed. “Everything is in place for Sammy to return and to return strong,” Miller said. When Sammy returns, there would be a total of 29 fraternities assuming existing fraternities remain active.
SUDOKU, page 10. SAMANTHA LUDINGTON The Miami Student
Miami students are known to flock to the Recreational Sports Center after the month-long winter break.
When you’re finished reading The Miami Student,
please recycle!
6
Tuesday
January 11, 2011
Features
Editor Hunter Stenback features@miamistudent.net
LEADING from the
lumber By Alex Butler Staff Writer
Basketball coaches typically have a wide vocabulary when it comes to referees. On that day, Head Coach Charlie Coles just had one word: no. That day, the refs called over to Coles for a sixth time. His bench was too rowdy and needed to sit down. “I told (the ref), see that guy over there? He didn’t know what I was talking about,” Coles said. “His name is name is Sean Mock. I’ll never tell him to sit down. You can do whatever you want to me. If that kid wants to be as true blue as he wants to be, I’ll never tell him to stop. That’s the way I feel about him. I ain’t telling that guy nothing. I love him. He’s valuable.” To the average fan, Mock’s value is easily overlooked. In four seasons he has accumulated just 34 minutes, three points and one rebound, but his presence at practice, ruthless cheering and steady leadership make the RedHawks rise. “Obviously I don’t play much, so why would they respect me?” Mock asked. “There has to be a reason they respect me.”
To play or not to play Mock grew up in Oxford and played high school ball just a mile from Millett Hall at Talawanda High School. After a strong freshman year for the Braves, Mock transferred to Badin High School for his sophomore and junior seasons before returning to Talawanda for a stellar senior year in which he averaged 15 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. As a senior, Mock helped lead Talawanda to a league title and was selected all-league, all-city and all-district. The accolades brought scholarship offers from the University of Findlay, the 2009 Division II national champions, among others, but Mock was willing to sacrifice minutes to live his dream of playing for Coles. “He could have played at smaller schools, but he always wanted to play at Miami,” former Talawanda Coach Mike DeCello said. “He chose to walk on and he made it through hard work. If he went to a smaller school, he would have played more, but with the experience he’s had he’ll never second guess his decision to go to Miami and play for Coach Charlie Coles.” Mock has been a Coles family favorite since he started playing for Charlie’s son Chris at Talawanda Middle School in eighth grade. After talking to his son, Charlie Coles watched Mock develop, but Miami refrained from recruiting him. Undeterred, Mock decided to walk on knowing he might not get minutes. Still, today Mock’s mission is clear. “I want to make sure that when I’m done here that I’ve done something,” Mock said. “I don’t want to just say that I played Division I. I want to say that I contributed to this team.”
Token Mock Mock’s inspirational story has not come without adversity. His father, Ray Mock, is Miami’s alumni director. Because of the institutional bond, Sean’s place on the team is often criticized. “People can think what they want,” Sean said. “Deep down I know why I’m here. It’s my job to guard Nick Winbush and Julian Mavunga at the four and five, and I have to stop them in practice.” Swoop the RedHawk has no need to check the classifieds. According to Coles, a soldier in Charlie’s army is no different than his comrade. “He’s not a token and he’s not a mascot,” Coles said. “He’s a full-fledged member of our team. His dad works at the university, but that has nothing to do with it. Let’s separate the token thing so that no one thinks I’m doing this or saying good things about him because he’s a token, no sir. Sean has worked his way into this mix.”
PHOTOS: MICHAEL GRIGGS
Infection of character Mock has never asked for more playing time. He is now comfortable in his sneakers. Once a lanky freshman trying to prove himself, Mock has changed his mantra to being a team-first guy who slaps palms with every teammate during a given practice. Coles also said Mock will hit that open look and grab gritty rebounds when his number is called. “My mentality is to practice hard everyday,” Mock said. “I have to play hard, otherwise I’m going to get backed down and get dunked on everyday because I weigh 200 pounds.” Senior forward Nick Winbush said Mock is the hardest working player on the team. “Most people wonder why Sean just keeps coming back because he doesn’t play that much,” Winbush said. “He’s probably the hardest working player on the team. He always comes to practice with 100 percent effort because he knows that’s how to make our team better.” The effort has been a staple of Mock’s character, one that Coles admires. “Yesterday I was sitting in the office watching tapes,” Coles said. “I see Sean at the door ... he said, ‘What are we going to do coach?’ Great move. Who else thought of that? Some of these other clowns I got? Don’t make me laugh. They were probably eating ice cream, going back for seconds in the dining hall. Not my man Mock.” According to redshirt senior Antonio Ballard, No. 11 is always on his feet during games, and the first one to run over during the TV timeouts. “He’s on the court before the whistle blows,” Ballard said. “Any televised games, he’ll be on the TV just as much as the guys playing just because he’ll be up so much.”
Little Charlie Although there is a 46 year age gap between Coles and his bench leader, the coach often thinks he is looking in the mirror. “I think that’s why I like him,” Coles said. “If someone asked me to tell them all the good coaching I’ve done, I couldn’t say, but you know what I could say? I try hard.” Watching film is usually something coaches do to pick up the intricacies of the game and improve on offense and defense. For Coles, the little things have always mattered. He reclines back in his office chair and stoically squints at the flat screen, sometimes panning around a huddle or fixing his eye on the bench. Coles always notices one thing: Mock’s never keeping that bench warm. He’s always standing when something good happens. In his 45 years of coaching, Coles said he’s never seen anything like it. Still, Mock deflects all of the praise. “I try to be vocal during games and get guys going, but all that stuff is built up,” Mock said. “I’ve been here five years, and all that stuff has built up. There has been a foundation set. The ability to lead doesn’t just happen. You’ve got to sacrifice and be willing to do the things that other people don’t want to do. The little things become big things.” Already the recipient of the Marshall North Award, given to the player who best exemplifies the virtue of loyalty, Coles said his best leader should expect something greater after his time at Miami. “I don’t know how, where or when, but he’s going to get his rewards,” Coles said. “I don’t know whether he’s going to end up being the best coach in the history of the game or a CEO of a Fortune 500 company. I would wager to say that I would love to be around when he reaches wherever he’s going and just smile at him a little bit and thank the Lord.”
HANNAH MILLER The Miami Student
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Opinion
Tuesday January 11, 2010
Editors Sam Kay Jessica Sink editorial@miamistudent.net
➤ EDITORIAL
The following piece, written by the editorial editors, reflects the majority opinion of the editorial board.
Employee cell phone costs raise monetary concerns
I
n light of the recent cuts suggested by the Strategic Priorities Task Force, Miami University finances are being analyzed more than ever before. Reviews of last year’s spending budgets reveal Miami spent approximately $300,000 on employee cell phones, according to the Vice President of Finance and Business Services David Creamer. Although the cost has not been tracked in detail, plans to decrease costs are being examined. According to Creamer, funding for the phones is supplied by tuition and state appropriations, and departments make requests based on employee eligibility. The editorial board of The Miami Student hopes the university works to become more fiscally conservative by reducing costs as much as possible. While cell phones may be
a necessity for many members of Miami’s staff, they should be appropriated based primarily on need and eligibility. Cell phones are a very personal item and should only be funded by the university when absolutely necessary. In difficult financial times, supplying faculty members with expensive cell phones must be closely monitored and the board questions why cost-saving reviews were not done sooner. The board is encouraged that officials are examining ways to cut costs and hopes university-funded supplies are being distributed responsibly and only to those who need them. Before drastic measures like eliminating positions and removing necessary services are put in place to reduce university costs smaller, less dramatic changes must be examined.
Rule of thumb New football coach Miami University welcomes Head Coach Don Treadwell and wishes him success as he returns to his alma mater.
End of winter break Is it time to get back to work already?
Great football season! Congratulations on a fantastic season of Miami University football. The team has so much to be proud of.
Busy Recreational Sports Center The start of a new semester and those New Year resolutions make for a crowded rec. Is the struggle for cardio really worth it?
Condoleezza Rice As a high profile public figure, her visit will be very exciting for Miami.
Early spring break Unless you travel to the equator, be ready for a chilly vacation.
Your Rule of thumb To a new semester!
To not being able to find anything to do when I have all this freeeee time.
To karma. I’m lookin’ at you, Haywood.
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NOAH CARL The Miami Student
➤ LETTER
Athletic coaches must remain loyal Dear Mr. Bates and Mr. Lener: Please let me express my congratulations on engineering a successful football season this year. What is more remarkable is such a dramatic turnaround. It is very nice for me as an alumnus to have people come up to me and congratulate me and my school for national recognition and a bowl game this year. I understand you two run Miami athletics, and it’s more than just football. When I learned the news of your hiring of Head Coach Michael Haywood, I was excited and extremely happy with your selection, and even more so this year. I was also very excited for the future of Miami football and Haywood. That was until I heard the news. Please let me pass along my extreme disappointment with Haywood’s departure. While it might be a good step for him as a provider for his family, it’s obvious to me that loyalty was not a factor, nor is it a part of his personality. As directors of Miami’s athletic program, I’m seeing a troubling trend. The school has always prided itself on being the Cradle of Coaches. I fear that the organization is trading that away to become “the Stepping-Stone of Coaches.” This certainly fits for Miami’s recent past coaches: Terry Hoeppner, Herb Sendek and George Gwozdecky. I certainly hope that Miami’s next football coach will be another fine choice of yours, just like basketball Head Coach Charlie Coles and hockey Head Coach Enrico Blasi. Those two gentlemen are great and very loyal coaches. Please hang onto them. I do sincerely hope that loyalty and a longer contract are taken into account for the next permanent football coach. Jeff Peters 1996 Alumnus
petersjk_2914@verizon.net
Delayed return for sorority disappointing Right now, hundreds of girls are going through sorority recruitment hoping to find the perfect fit. Recruitment this year, though, is a bit different than it was in 2008 when I went through. Days were longer, rounds were longer and there were three more sororities to choose from. It just so happens that I chose one of those sororities that isn’t on campus anymore. After being a Tri Delta for just more than a year, our chapter was suspended from campus for hazing for two years. Details aside, part of the lives of 150 girls vanished just like that. There were no more socials, no more formals and no more chapter meetings. Leadership positions were no longer an option for girls who had invested a great deal of time in our sisterhood. What sickens me the most about this entire situation was our national organization’s reluctance to return to campus. Though I’ve heard mixed stories from different people as to how everything happened, I know the bottom line is true: Delta Delta Delta is not attempting to return to campus right now although we have the option to do so due to the climate of the university’s Greek system. OK, I get it. Miami University’s national reputation has been tarnished due to the actions of fraternities and sororities over the last couple of years, but our nationals are chickening out. We have the chance to be the chapter that proves the stereotype wrong. We have the chance to come back new and re-energized. We have the chance to give another 50 to 60 girls another option in the Greek system. We have the chance to stand out and be great. But this year, we won’t. Will we next year? I’m guessing it will still be “too soon.” The saddest part is how well we behaved ourselves during the two-year suspension. Yes, we got together a couple of times as a group, but we didn’t
have formal and mom’s weekend and recruit underground like other groups have. We were excited to return and didn’t want anything to get in the way of that, but it turns out that was all for nothing. Thank you, Tri Delta nationals, for taking away so much of our college experience. Thanks for not making the effort to return and recruit, and especially for not even giving the chapter a formal response as to why. It’s not appreciated. Catherine Couretas
catherinecouretas@me.com
Innocent deaths prove death penalty faulty It may have been more than six years ago, but in 2004 our legal system failed us. Cameron Todd Willingham’s execution took place on that day in Texas, one of many states with institutionalized capital punishment. In the hours leading up to his execution, his lawyers rushed in a frenzy to show the state’s governor scientific evidence proving Willingham’s innocence, but it was to no avail. Throughout the whole trial, Willingham repeatedly declared his innocence in the killing of his two children by arson, and even when offered life in prison, he proclaimed innocence. Despite mounting evidence defending him, the death penalty was his sentence. As though he had already not suffered enough in knowing his two children had died, he was the one accused of it. Feb. 17, 2004, Willingham was executed an innocent man. This in no way should be reminiscent of the United States of America. It is in the countries of Somalia, North Korea and Iran that people are executed. The United States does not belong in the same list as any of these three countries, and yet we do just as those countries do. The United States is one of five developed countries in the entire world that still implements the death penalty as a deterrent to crime. Each year, according to The Ohio State University, 10,000 people are wrongfully convicted of a crime in the United States. If our legal system remains so inaccurate, why should this country have the right to execute those who are convicted, especially when there is always a possibility that the man about to be put to death may be innocent? When someone is given a life term in prison, a wrongful conviction could lead to restitution and release. When someone is put to death, a wrongful conviction only creates a government against the people, not for the people. 2004 was not the first nor the last time an innocent human being has been or will be executed by our own government. There are 35 states in our country that still retain capital punishment, one of which is Ohio. We have sent troops to Iraq and Afghanistan to fight wars against barbaric regimes, and yet the one issue that Islamic fascist regimes and our country agree upon is that of the right of the government to kill its own citizens. Before we claim to be the model of political freedom throughout the world, maybe we should act as a model. As 2011 arrives, executions continue throughout our country. It is time that Ohio is brought into the 21st century and abolishes the death penalty. Cameron Todd Willingham died an innocent man. How many more innocent men and women must suffer the same irreversible consequences?
Timothy Model
modelta@muohio.edu
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Opinion
THE MIAMI STUDENT
➤ LIBERTY AND JUSTICE
TUESDAY, JANUARY, 11 2010 ♦ 9
➤ ESSAY
Split won’t Arizona should not eliminate ethnic studies end Sudan’s troubles Sudan has just begun a weeklong referendum to determine whether the north and south will split. The outcome will have massive ramifications for an already unstable country. If southern Sudan votes to secede, it faces many major obstacles which have not yet been addressed. Sudan has endured Ty two bloody civil wars Gilligan since receiving independence in 1956. These wars were a result of the Christian-dominated south fighting the Muslim-dominated north for regional autonomy and independence. Between 1983 and 2005, two million people have died and four million have been displaced as a result of the warfare in southern Sudan, according to the U.S. Department of State. This week’s referendum was part of 2005 United Nations-brokered peace agreement between the Sudanese government in Khartoum and the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army/Movement (SPLAM). In the meantime, southern Sudan has been set up as an autonomous region within the Republic of Sudan. Many political analysts and international organizations have predicted a legitimate vote would result in passage of the resolution. There would then be a mandatory six-month negotiation period before the south would receive full independence in July. While I feel separation of southern Sudan is necessary for peace, the following six months may be a chaotic and possibly violent period. Questions over oil resources, underdevelopment and the complications of partitionwillmaketheroadtostatehooddifficult for the south. Chief among the problems for the south is the division of oil resources with the north. Approximately 80 percent of Sudan’s oil lies in the south, but all of the refining facilities and ports lie in the north. The north isn’t going to allow 80 percent of its oil reserves to slip through its fingers and will likely pursue some sort of agreement with the south regarding division of oil profits. The southern Sudanese government reported oil accounted for 98 percent of its budget last year, so it too is dependent on oil revenue. The north and south will need to cooperate in order for either of them to profit from Sudan’s oil wealth. Furthermore, they must effectively manage the oil by reinvesting the profits in developing other economic sectors and social services. Incorrectly managed oil is more of a curse than a blessing. A second problem is the current lack of development in southern Sudan, which has little to show for its vast oil wealth. Statistics for the region are abysmal, 90 percent of the population lives below the poverty line, only 24 percent of adults are literate, 48 percent have access to safe drinking water and 48 percent of children under five years of age are malnourished, according to the United Nations. If the south gains independence, it will have much work to do. The northern government has built hardly any schools, universities or hospitals in southern Sudan. Poverty and lack of social services are typically a catalyst for political and social unrest, and the southern Sudanese government needs to work quickly to improve quality of life to prevent further violence in the already unstable region. A third problem is the partition itself. Partitioning has historically led to violence, as seen in the Balkans and South Asia. If the resolution passes, the central government would likely tell the 116,860 southern Sudanese residents currently living in the north to return to the south immediately. Furthermore, many Muslims living in the south will likely head north to avoid prosecution by the southern Christian government. Either way, more violence could erupt as the north and the south define the border. I wish the southern Sudanese luck in the upcoming week of this election. However, I hope that while they await the outcome they start working on their plan to provide effective and long-awaited leadership and safety.
Louisiana is to hurricane as Arizona is to science and reading tests increased by a meapolitical backwardness. ger one percent during the same time period. Recently, Arizona has been in the news a On the same thread of education, a new lot, crazy immigration laws, schools restrict- law was enacted with the coming of the new ed from teaching “ethnic studies” and now year, a ban on the teaching of ethnic studthe shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and ies or Mexican-American studies in Tucson several others. public schools. Arizona first struck me this past sumThese classes look at history from a more mer when I visited a cousin who lives specific point of view than a regular Amerithere. I went with her can history class would. to her summer English The superintendent of If a state has a rich class, and quite frankly, I public instruction in Arihistory, there is no was appalled. zona, Tom Horne, alleges reason students in that teaching these classes My cousin, who in state should be kept many respects would be divides students up by considered quite intellifrom learning about it. race (so only Mexicangent and always had stelAmericans are enrolled in lar grades, still confused Mexican-American stud“their,” “there” and “they’re.” One student ies classes) and the classes teach students in the class was having trouble understand- they’re living in occupied Mexico and that ing the difference between a comma and white imperialists run the U.S. government. a semicolon. “Horne has never visited an ethnic studies I knew funding for education was on a class in eight years,” said Lucky Severson, a statewide basis and that education is not cre- reporter for PBS News Hour. ated equal across the 50 states. According to If schools fail to abide by the law, the the Goldwater Institute, Arizona has actually state can withhold 10 percent of monthly upped its spending on education by 20 per- education aid. cent in the first decade of the 2000s. “Eleven educators in Tucson’s MexicanThis increase in state spending and result- American Studies Department have filed suit ing increase in taxes thrust upon the residents against the superintendent and the state board of Arizona came without an increase in per- of education,” PBS News Hour anchor Ray formance, however. Suarez reported. Understanding the real hisFor example, Arizona’s performance on tory of a place is important, and both negative the nationwide fourth and eighth grade math, and positive events need to be discussed.
If a state has a rich history, there is no reason students in that state should be kept from learning about it. Horne and other supporters of the law allege the classes teach students to resist the white power structure that is the U.S. government, which is ridiculous. Those teachers would essentially be teaching treason. If that was actually the case, then the law would be necessary. Merely teaching a richer, more specific version of Arizona and U.S. history, however, is not harmful. The newest piece of news from the Grand Canyon State is the shooting rampage that wounded Giffords, an Arizona democrat and a critic of the new immigration laws, wounded 13 others and killed six. Police have a suspect but do not know the motive or if it had any political motivation except that the congresswoman was the specific target. Actions taken by members of both political parties will be extremely telling. Interestingly, this tragedy could pave a new bipartisan road. “It’s a moment for both parties in Congress together,” Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) told The New York Times. “We absolutely have to realize that we’re all in this for the same reason, to make America a better place.” Mary Halling
hallinml@muohio.edu
➤ ESSAY
Bridalplasty: a step in the wrong direction It is a truth universally acknowledged that all women want to look small percentage of the American population, that most people are beautiful on their wedding day. However, for some women this de- less concerned with appearance and more concerned with their mensire is more extreme than for others. tal, emotional and physical health. Honestly, some women don’t even want to get married, although However, I do not find myself able to convince even myself that I’m sure those who want marriage more than anything believe ev- is the case. When I look at other reality shows that are popular, most eryone secretly does, even if they say otherwise. of which feature all or predominantly female casts, I see different The fact is, as the show Bridalplasty (on E!) so disturbingly shows, variations on the same theme. there are many people who are willing to do anything in their power The Bravo network has a huge number of shows like this, namely in order to make themselves beautiful in the photos taken on one day the Real Housewives of… programs, which currently feature six difof their lives as well as more attractive to their future spouses. ferent series with a seventh to be added this year. The show has been featured on lists such as “15 Each iteration of the show features generally Things That Made Me Die Inside” (PopWatch) ridiculous women who are all filthy rich and Botand written about in articles with titles like “The oxed within an inch of their lives. I find it greatly New Reality Show That Proves We’re Doomed” The majority of the women do not work, do not disturbing that the (Cracked.com) and “The Final TV Show Ever take care of their children without help and do not desire to have your Made Before Mankind Slips Quietly Into The do much but go out to lunch, gossip about each body mutilated by Dust” (Videogum). other and shop. For those of you who have not seen the show, While this is amusing to watch in the sense that surgery and to be the basic premise is that 12 women live in a house the women are hilarious caricatures of people, it wealthy in excess are together and compete in wedding-themed chalis scary to think that not everyone watching the being so highly lenges in order to win cosmetic surgeries. Each show thinks of them in that sense. glorified not only week, the “top bride” wins a surgery, and one of the Many people who watch these types of “reality” “bottom brides” gets voted off when not enough shows emulate the people featured and covet not by the media, but by of the other contestants “RSVP” to her wedding. young women as well. only their lifestyle, but also their fame. Naturally, the usual reality show drama occurs, The emulation of reality shows has begun to the women fight, form alliances, plot against each yield disturbing results, such as the reports of other and talk about who is “most deserving” of teenage girls getting pregnant in order to audition the coveted surgeries. for the MTV show 16 and Pregnant. This, as a whole, is terrifying to me as a woman not only due to the I find it greatly disturbing that the desire to have your body mufact that these women are so desperate to change their appearance tated by surgery and to be wealthy in excess are being so highly as to appear on a show like this, but also because of the network’s glorified not only by the media, but by young women as well. exploitation of the women’s insecurities to gain viewers. As someone who watches these shows and finds them fascinatBridalplasty sends the message that if there is something you ingly terrible, I think there is something definitively wrong with the don’t like about yourself, if you are not physically perfect, not only incredible amount of importance being placed on appearance and will your wedding day be a failure, but so will your marriage. wealth in a time when our country’s economy is in a decline. Dr. Susan Albers suggests in a Huffington Post article about the If anything, this is a time for realism, and the fact is that not show “These worries (that the show promotes disordered eating as everyone is perfectly beautiful and not everyone is going to be well as lowered self-esteem), as you can imagine, are just the tip of a millionaire, and also that neither of those things are requisite the iceberg.” The show suggests that physical beauty on a single day for happiness. of your life is more important than acceptance of yourself, not to Alice Ladrick mention your health. ladricae@muohio.edu I would like to be able to make the argument that this is just a
➤ ESSAY
Is my new year’s resolution worth it? The new year is always an exciting time. People are ready to kiss the old year goodbye and say hello to the next one. Every year people across the United States set new year’s resolutions to improve themselves and their lives. How many people do you think actually meet these goals? According to Proactivechange.com, 40 to 45 percent of American adults make one or more resolutions. As time goes on, 75 percent maintain their resolutions past the first week, 64 percent after one month and 46 percent after six months. According to USA.gov, drinking less alcohol, getting a better education or job, getting fit or losing weight, managing stress, quitting smoking, saving money, volunteering and planning a trip are among the popular resolutions year after year. If one of your resolutions this year is to volunteer, you’ll be surrounded by great company, according to the website. Last year, 63.4 million Americans age 16 and up volunteered. Americans who volunteered in their communities jumped by 1.6 million, the largest
increase since 2003. Not only will this resolution improve your life by giving back, it will also enhance the lives of others. It can be a very rewarding experience. Many people also set resolutions to lose weight or get into shape, according to USA. gov. How does one find the motivation and drive to do so? It’s easier to stick to and have long-term success when you focus your effort on one or two resolutions. If you focus your energy, you’ll be able to come up with an action plan and be able to make modifications if you notice yourself falling behind. The transtheoretical model, which I’ve learned about in psychology classes and some kinesiology and health classes, is one way to form an action plan to change a behavior. The model has five stages. According to ChangingMinds.org, the stages are precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action and maintenance. According to ChangingMinds.org, the model can be used to fight addiction or behaviors where the person is not likely to be willing
to change. This model could be helpful in setting and maintaining new year’s resolutions for the long term. It’s important to focus your efforts and be motivated to make whatever change you’re trying to make. Yes, I know it can be hard to stay motivated, especially when you start to struggle, but finding ways and strategies to fight those tough times will be the key to success. Many of us have set the same resolution several years in a row or given up on it all together because it can never be met. Why do you think that happens? Don’t let 2011 be your year to fail. Make it everything you want it to be. Think about what hasn’t worked for you in the past and what has. Think about something that has been bugging you lately or setting you back and start to make a change. By the time 2012 rolls around, you might just feel like you’ve conquered your new year’s resolutions, and what a feeling that would be. Samantha Friedman
friedms3@muohio.edu
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Roberts Apartments 2011/12. Great Location! Close to Campus. 2 Blocks from Uptown. Laundry Facilities. Off-Street Parking. Well-Maintained, Spacious, 1-and 2-Bedroom Apartments. www.roberts-apts.com 513-839-1426 Village Green Apartments 2 bedroom 2 bath apt. FREE HEAT. $2350 per person per semester. Water, sewer and trash included. 513-523-4532
Houses NEWER CONDO TRENDY 4 BEDRM~2 FULL BATH~EQUIPPED KITCHEN~LAUNDRY~OFF STREET PARKING~GARAGE~CAN HELP WITH FURNISHING! Mike 513 266-1685 m2deuce21@hotmail.com HOUSE FOR RENT 4 Bedroom House, 2 full Baths, 2 car garage, washer/dryer, full kitchen, cable and hi speed internet in every room, large closets, all electric utilities, landlord pays water, sewer, and trash. Less than 4 years old. Call Lou @ 513-658-2590
Roommate Needed Housemate Needed Spring 2011 (Next Semseter) Housing available for 2 males. 4 bedroom, 1 bath, Washer&Dryer. $2100/semester. 25 E. Rose, close to Rec. Contact Kenny James at jameskn@muohio. edu or 513-324-3676 HOUSEMATE NEEDED Looking for girl needing housing for Fall 2011. 104 Ardmore St. (by the rec). Will have 3 great housemates! CHEAP RENT! Contact halleak@muohio.edu 330-268-8711 Female needed for SPRING 2012 semester to share townhome with 2 awesome girls!! Located uptown near the Princess; SUPER CHEAP RENT!! Contact Erin at 614-746-5926 for details.
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THE MIAMI STUDENT
TUESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2011 ♦ 11
12
Tuesday January 11, 2011
Treadwell takes over for Haywood Adam Hainsfurther
Hainsfurther’s Holler In 2009, I covered the hiring of former RedHawks Head Football Coach Michael Haywood. “Mike Haywood’s arrival in Oxford wasn’t highlighted with a grand entrance.” Those were the first words of the first article ever written about Haywood in The Miami Student. Sadly, no one at this school will forget his exit. After understandably taking a better paying, higher profile job to be the head coach at the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt), Haywood has seemingly lost control. In the final hours of 2010, Haywood allegedly put the mother of his 21-monthold son in a chokehold and pushed her in an apparent custody dispute. Haywood was arrested for domestic battery in the presence of a minor, which is a felony charge. After being released from St. Joseph County (Ind.) Jail on $1,000 cash bond New Year’s Day, Haywood was informed he had lost the job he had taken less than three weeks earlier. Before the decision was announced, Haywood told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, “It isn’t fair. The truth will eventually come out.” It’s sad, really. Here is a guy who in a matter of weeks went from being on top of the world to shoved off of it. Whether or not Haywood is truly guilty of the charges brought against him, it certainly does damage to the image of a man who, at his introduction as Pittsburgh’s new leading man, was described as “a man of character and integrity” by his now-former boss Pitt Athletic Director Steve Pederson. Integrity was an interesting word choice. After all, Haywood said he planned to stay until his job at Miami University was done. A man who had promised to return Miami to the level of prestige we once knew apparently decided 10 wins in two seasons was “getting the job done.” Oddly enough, as Haywood’s star was fading, a familiar face was seeing his star begin to rise. On the same day Haywood was arrested, the RedHawks announced former team captain Don Treadwell would be the next head coach for Miami football. Treadwell, who most recently served as offensive coordinator and interim head coach of Michigan State University (MSU) is exactly the kind of guy we need at Miami. First and foremost, he’s an alumnus. When it comes to program loyalty, there is nothing you’d like to have more than a head coach who wore his employer’s colors as a student. Second, he’s a relatively big name. Treadwell’s Spartans were one of two Big Ten programs to be in the top five in the conference for rushing (168.8 ypg.), passing (237.8 ypg.), scoring (30.1 ppg.) and total offense (406.7 ypg.). In 2009, the Spartans were the second-best scoring offense in the Big Ten. Additionally, he was a nominee for the Broyles Award, which is given to the nation’s top assistant coach. Finally, he has some experience in his newfound role. Earlier in the season, MSU Head Coach Mark Dantonio suffered a heart attack and took a temporary leave of absence to get back to full strength. In his absence, Treadwell took the reins, leading Sparty to wins over Northern Colorado University and eventual Big Ten co-champion University of Wisconsin. Buddha once said, “No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.” If anything that the parallel stories of Haywood and Treadwell teach us, it is this. While Haywood’s past successes and quick ascent to the top of the coaching world was not enough to save him, his mistakes now provide a valuable lesson for those like Treadwell, who now must follow the path he set while avoiding the pitfalls that have brought Haywood back down the coaching mountain.
BASKETBALL
Sports
Editor Michael Solomon sports@miamistudent.net
NEXT GAME: 7 p.m. Thursday vs. University at Buffalo
Tough non-conference slate hits ’Hawks hard
By Alex Butler Staff Writer
Facing undefeated teams has become second nature for the Miami University basketball team this season. The 6-9 RedHawks have faced five unblemished squads and a gluttony of All-American talent, resulting in a poor start to the season as it headed into Mid-American Conference (MAC) play Sunday at Ohio University. “We wanted them to know that to be honest, I thought we would play a little bit better in some of those games,” Head Coach Charlie Coles said. “Ohio State was a good effort and Xavier was a
MICHAEL GRIGGS The Miami Student
Senior forward Nick Winbush takes a shot Dec. 21 against the University of Cincinnati.
FOOTBALL
good effort for us. That was a pretty big win and we are happy with what happened.” None of this was on the mind of players when they used the fuel of an old rivalry as a remedy to the woeful illness. “It was one of the toughest schedules I have ever played, we might have come up short, but it got us ready for our conference games,” sophomore guard Orlando Williams said. As of Sunday evening, coach Coles’ team is undefeated in conference play. The RedHawks needed three overtimes to do it, but Jan. 9 they beat the Bobcats 92-88 with a last second three from Williams. The victory snapped a four-game sour streak and makes the Red and White 1-0 in the MAC. “It meant a lot to them,” Coles said. “Wasn’t much coaching going on in a game like that. We knew as the game went on what was going on. It became a game of making plays and effort. We came up with a big effort when we had to and make baskets when we could have been out of it.” Five minutes into the Convocation Center contest, the Red and White held a 14-8 lead. Our players really came through and did a very good job. The Bobcats clawed back and used a game-high 27 points from guard D.J. Cooper to do it. Trailing 33-30 with 13 seconds left before the half, junior guard Chris McHenry hit from downtown to knot up the game at 33-33. “We were really hyped for this game and it was do or die,” Williams said. “We just came in prepared and said we are just going to keep fighting.” Five minutes into the second stanza, the ’Hawks topped the Bobcats again 54-49. A 9-0 Bobcat run earned the home team a 58-54 advantage. With 49 seconds remaining, Cooper hit a pair of free throws to tie the game at 65-65, and the Red and White misfired on the final possession to send the game to overtime. “Hopefully they can draw from this because they had a good game,” Coles said. “It was a good deal.” Cooper was a thorn in the RedHawks’ armor again in the first overtime, as he sank a three-pointer as time ticked away in the first overtime. With 39 seconds left, he tied the game and sent it to another bonus period. In the bridge overtime, neither team functioned offensively, with both teams exchanging three-point plays. Finally, the Red and White stepped up and took command in the final period. Although the ’Hawks never trailed in the third overtime, the Bobcats (7-8) were able to tie the game at 85 with 53 ticks remaining. Williams then silenced the jubilant crowd with a clutch three for the MAC win. Senior forward Antonio Ballard led the way for the RedHawks with a 26 point, 12 rebound double-double. Senior forward Nick Winbush added 19 points and nine boards. “We got to take the day off tomorrow and get a lot of rest and we have to come back Thursday and grow from this,” Coles said. “We are 1-0 in the league now and got a big win but after tomorrow we have to release it.”
MIAMI 35, MIDDLE TENNESSEE 21
RedHawks take down Blue Raiders By Michael Solomon Sports Editor
The “underdog” tag has been familiar throughout the season for the Miami University football team. It was no different Jan. 6 when the RedHawks took on the Middle Tennessee State University Blue Raiders (MTSU) in the GoDaddy.com Bowl. Like they have all season, the Red and White showed they were no underdog as they earned their first bowl victory since 2003 with a 35-21 win over the Sun Belt Conference Champions. Interim Head Coach Lance Guidry led the ’Hawks to the win after taking over duties for Michael Haywood, who signed with the University of Pittsburgh after the Mid-American Conference (MAC) championship game. “I thought that we played hard,” Guidry said. “I thought that we played really hard for four quarters. We didn’t play perfect by any means. We’ve played better before, but the kids were just so tough. They’ve been on a rollercoaster ride and it’s a blessing that we were able to come out on top.” Miami was led on offense by freshman quarterback Austin Boucher, who has led the RedHawks to four straight wins after taking over for the injured Zac Dysert. Boucher threw for 289 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and his backfield mate, senior running back Thomas Merriweather, rushed for 100 yards and three scores to propel Miami to the win. “It’s been fun,” Boucher said. “I think, as a team, we’ve been in this position before playing in a MAC championship game. Coming into this game, we were very well prepared. At the beginning, we had a lot of penalties, a lot of mistakes, some blown assignments and you could tell we were a little rusty, but we shook off the dust and we just got back to playing our game.” The defense for the RedHawks had a tough task throughout the night in stopping the talented duo of Blue Raider quarterback Dwight Dasher and his running back Phillip Tanner.
The MTSU duo had a productive first half, as Tanner’s 18-yard touchdown run and Dasher’s 49-yard scamper for a score kept the game close throughout the first half. The ’Hawks defense picked up the intensity in the second half, forcing Dasher to throw four
The offense followed the defense’s footsteps in the second half, scoring three touchdowns. With the score tied 21-21 late in the third, Boucher found wide receiver Chris Givens in the endzone for a touchdown to give the RedHawks the lead for good. With the RedHawks
MICHAEL GRIGGS The Miami Student
Freshman quarterback Austin Boucher looks for a receiver Dec. 3 against Northern Illinois University. interceptions highlighted by freshman defensive back Dayonne Nunley’s 52-yard interception return for a score that gave Miami a 21-14 edge. “We kind of settled in to what we were going to do on defense (in the second half),” Guidry said. “We sampled a lot of different things in the first half. We really didn’t know what they were going to do because they were a little different, but (Dasher) is so athletic and the film didn’t really give him as much credit as what we saw tonight … We played a lot more base coverage in the second half and the kids kind of settled in and got some confidence.”
up 35-21 late in the fourth, safety Pat Hinkel intercepted Dasher in the endzone to seal the win for Miami. The win marks the first time in Football Bowl Subdivision history a team has gone from doubledigit losses to double-digit wins in one season. “We’ve been very blessed,” Boucher said. “Even being in the MAC championship game, we had some other things go our way for any records to even be a possibility. That was just bonus for us persevering through the adversity and putting ourselves in position for that.”