January 29, 2013 | The Miami Student

The Miami Student Oldest university newspaper in the United States, established 1826

tuesDay, JANUARY 29, 2013

VOLUME 140 NO. 33

MIAMI UNIVERSITY OXFORD, OHIO

TODAY IN MIAMI HISTORY In 1934, in a story called “Dieting Coeds Lose on Spuds,” The Miami Student reported that university dietician Alice Happley suggested girls rethink

eating salads. “Most girls, striving for a striking figure, will drink a coke or eat something Uptown so that they will not be hungry at supper and will not regret passing up part of their meal.” Happley said. “However, most of those that I have observed, seem to pass up the wrong part of it and unsuspectingly pick up more calorie units than they figure.”

K YLE HAYDEN THE MIAMI STUDENT

YOUR BIGGEST FANS Members of the Fusion dance team perform Saturday, Jan. 26 in Hall Auditorim. The event was produced by the Asian American Association of Miami University.

Urban recruiter position targets diverse enrollees

By Reis Thebault

For the Miami Student

Over the last six years, Miami University has seen a steady increase in its student body’s racial and ethnic diversity. To ensure a continued upward trend, admissions staff hired an Assistant Director of Urban Outreach, Donnell Wigginsto.

In 2008, racial and ethnic minorities accounted for 9 percent of Miami’s undergraduate class, compared to the state average of 16 percent at university main campuses, according to the Ohio Board of Regents. It is this sort of statistic that fuels Miami’s perception as a school that is out of reach or unaccommodating of diversity.

Michael Kabbaz, associate president for enrollment management said he is dedicated to changing both the perception and the reality of Miami’s demographics.

“We are working really hard across the state to debunk the notion that Miami is not an accessible institution and that Miami is not interested in diversity,” Kabbaz said.

Thus far, diversity recruitment has made a noticeable difference in minority enrollment. According to the Office of Institutional Research at Miami, the percentage of minorities at Miami has increased from 9 percent in 2008

to 11.6 percent in 2012. A number Kabbaz said is not as high as the university would like it to be, but is the highest in its history.

“It is a multi-prong strategy to really start to get at this but there’s no one silver bullet to be able to do it because, if there was, we would have done it,” Kabbaz said.

According to Kabbaz, one of these prongs came in the form of a position dedicated solely to urban recruitment in Ohio.

“The position allows us the ability to highly target efforts in our own backyard,” Kabbaz said.

“The urban outreach position just allows us a focused piece on top of everything else that we are doing.”

It is the urban recruiter’s job to visit high schools in primarily Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Dayton, and increase Miami’s visibility in these hotbeds of diversity. The university hopes to establish a presence in Ohio’s diverse areas and then expand these exceptional efforts across the U.S. and the world.

“There is a lot of diversity in Ohio that we could be missing, so I think that we want to start locally and really cultivate those relationships with high schools before we worry about taking that position and expanding outward,” Kabbaz said.

This is not to say that before

Author, reporter, alum named May commencement speaker

By Sarah Sidlow News Editor

Miami University announced yesterday that author, reporter and alumnus Wil Haygood will speak at the May 2013 commencement ceremony. According to Carole Johnson, assistant director of university news and communication, Haygood has been a journalist for the Washington Post since 2002.

He is the author of five books, a Pulitzer Prize finalist, and has earned a National Headliner Award, Sunday Magazine Editors Award and National Association of Black Journalists Award, among other awards and distinctions for feature writing and

national and foreign reporting.

For the Washington Post, Haygood covered Hurricane Katrina and reported on Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign. His 2008 frontpage story about White House butler Eugene Allen is the inspiration for the film “The Butler,” directed by Lee Daniels due to be released next fall. The film stars Oprah Winfrey, Forest Whitaker, Jane Fonda, Cuba Gooding Jr. Vanessa Redgrave and Robin Williams. Haygood is an associate producer of the movie.

Currently, Haygood is writing a book about Thurgood Marshall, former Supreme Court Justice and Brown v. Board of Education lawyer.

Miami instituted a diversity outreach position no one was attempting to recruit diversity. It is “everyone’s responsibility” to recruit diversity, Kabbaz said.

“As we as recruitment staff go around the country, we are certainly looking to recruit diversity, there’s no separation of that, this just allows us a highly tailored, laser beam focus,” Kabbaz said.

Admission staff is quick to point out that diversity recruitment does not fall squarely on the urban recruiter’s shoulders.

Kathleen Pruckno, senior associate director of strategic recruitment, said she also oversees the staff in charge of diversity.

“I think it is important that it is a university effort, we certainly collaborate with other offices on campus,” Pruckno said. “The office of diversity affairs is very supportive in our efforts, as well as the academic divisions. I want to stress the fact that it’s a university effort and the urban recruiter is just another layer of all of this.”

According to Pruckno, bringing high school juniors and seniors to Miami and showing them what the university has to offer is part of that effort.

“The campus visit is probably one of the greatest things that will

DIVERSITY, SEE PAGE 5

IFC investigates reported ‘underground rushing’

By JM Rieger and Libby Mueller

Multimedia Editor and Senior Staff Writer

Miami University’s Interfraternity Council (IFC) is investigating the Phi Kappa Tau (Phi Tau) and Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) fraternities following reports that both fraternities recruited new members during formal recruitment two weeks ago.

According to sources familiar with the situation, the IFC investigation will look into whether the fraternities engaged in underground rushing where bids are given out to new members, even though the fraternities are serving suspensions issued in December by Miami.

“There’ve been reports of people doing underground things,” Eddy Hribar, IFC vice president of public relations, said. “[The fraternities are] suspended so they can’t be a part of [recruitment]. Obviously they’re under our recognition because they’re suspended but as far as their actions go and things like that, that’s not something we can monitor to a T.” Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Scott Walter said he heard IFC is looking into matters of unofficial recruitment, but said no official reports have reached Student Affairs.

Hribar said IFC and the university are equally involved in looking into the allegations.

“All it takes is an allegation … where there’s smoke, there’s fire,” Hribar said.

Sources said IFC does not have hard facts at this point but has heard through word-of-mouth that both fraternities had their fraternity house doors open during formal recruitment.

Recruiting new members through underground rushing would be in violation of the fraternities’ suspensions.

IFC and fraternity presidents will vote whether to reinstate Phi Tau this April and SAE in April 2014. According to Hribar, these allegations could impact whether the fraternities are reinstated to IFC. “When [these fraternities] become reevaluated it might weigh not in their favor,” Hribar said.

“It’s kind of one of those things where if your name is still being brought up even after you’re suspended, it’s not going to look good when you’re reevaluated; it doesn’t really prove that you’ve learned your lesson.”

Director of University News and Communications Claire Wagner said she is not familiar with reports of unofficial recruitment conducted

by Phi Tau or SAE during formal recruitment.

Associate Director of Ethics and Student Conflict Resolution Chris Taylor also said he was not

fraternity, SEE PAGE 5

Lecture Series speaker Tippett addresses spirituality, science in the modern world Staff report In the third part of the Miami University Lecture Series, journalist Krista Tippett spoke about spirituality in the modern world yesterday.

Tippett wrote for The New York Times, TIME Magazine, Newsweek and the BBC, among other news outlets, and worked as a special assistant to the U.S. ambassador to West Germany in the 1980s. She has also written two books: Speaking of Faith (2007) and Einstein’s God: Conversations About Science and the Human Spirit (2010). The books address the broad themes of science, religion and spirituality. Tippett’s weekly radio program, ‘On Being,’ covers similar topics and has won

a Peabody and two Webby Awards.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Brown University and a master’s degree in divinity from Yale University.

Tippett spoke about the challenges the media faces when covering religious topics.

“What religious people have often done in order to be heard is skew their message and squeeze what they have to say into these political boxes,” Tippett said. “I think what’s very dangerous about that is both the spiritual and intellectual content of these ideas can be lost.”

Tippett said while current news coverage of religious topics has improved in the last decade, the media still has room for improvement in the

way it approaches religious topics.

“There’s a bias that goes a long way back among a lot of really smart good people in journalism that this just doesn’t belong in news and it’s not as rational or as easy to be objective about as other things,” Tippett said. “I think they’re right that it’s tricky, but I think there’s a problem with saying our economic lives or our political lives are more rational … it is hard to cover it and to know how to cover it but it’s important enough … that we have to innovate ways to cover it and we have to be innovative about that.”

Tippett lived in Germany for five

TIPPETT,

SEE PAGE 5

2

CAMPUS

Editors KATIE TAYLOR ALLISON MCGILLIVRAY

TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2013

campus@miamistudent.net

Miami financial aid on par with Ohio schools

By Amanda Hancock Senior Staff Writer

While financial aid helps lessen the burden of tuition payments, some colleges seem to be better than others at providing students help.

According to Brent Shock, Miami University’s director of student financial assistance, Miami awarded nearly $15.2 million in institutionally need-based scholarship and grants last school year.

Of those students awarded grants and scholarships, Shock said Miami met 59 percent of students’ calculated need on average.

College Board, a not-for-profit membership association for higher education, reported similar numbers. According to College Board, Miami’s average financial aid package is $11,532 and 58 percent of financial need is met on average.

In comparison, Bowling Green State University met 59 percent, Kent State met 49 percent and Ohio State University met 55 percent of students’ calculated need, according to both Shock and College Board.

Several higher-price colleges such as Yale University and Vanderbilt University report that they have met, on average, 100 percent of their admitted full-time undergraduate students’ financial need. Another example, University of Notre Dame, meets 99 percent.

The main difference between those universities is endowment

sizes, Shock said.

“It’s based on what alumni and friends of the university and funds that spin off the endowment,” Shock said.

He added that universities that have been around longer tend to have more funding.

Need is determined when students complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year. The information provided by students is then pushed through a formula established by Congress and the result is a number called the Expected Family Contribution, or EFC, Shock said.

“After determining the costs, we take the costs, subtract from that number the EFC and the resulting difference is called need,” Shock said.

So the gap between Miami’s total cost of attendance and the average student’s EFC was 59 percent paid for with some combination of aid.

Senior Erica Howes from Washington said she is faced with daunting out-of-state tuition costs.

“It’s really hard to qualify for some financial aid options even though I could really use the help,” Howes said.

The process of determining how much aid students are awarded can be complicated and is up to the school and higher education.

Determining need is formulaic, with little room for adjustment.

“After a student completes the

FAFSA and the U.S. Department of Education calculates the EFC, Miami receives the data and we construct an estimated cost of attendance for the school year,” Shock said.

This cost of attendance includes costs for tuition, fees, room, board, transportation, books, etc.

All colleges use this formula and then each college determines how to fill their students’ need.

The majority of Miami students are receiving some type of financial assistance, whether it be scholarships, grants or loans. Right now, about 76 percent of students at the Oxford campus are receiving aid, Shock said.

The percentages fluctuate from year to year based on the relative need of the student body, the profile of the incoming class and available scholarships, according to Shock.

While the current percentage of needs met ranks well next to other Ohio colleges, Shock said the advancement office on campus is working hard to increase the number of scholarships available, including those based on a combination of merit and need. The goal is to raise $50 million in additional funds for scholarships, he said.

The quicker that number is raised, the better for many Miami students, including Howes.

“Everyone knows college is expensive, but the expense seems to be more real for some students than others,” Howes said.

VP Jones among finalists for IU chancellor job

By Katie Taylor Campus Editor

Indiana University (IU) has named current Miami University Vice President of Student Affairs, Barbara Jones, a finalist for a chancellor position at its branch campuses in Richmond and South Bend.

According to a resume released

by IU, Jones has served at Miami since Aug. 2008. Among other positions, she was the assistant chancellor of student affairs at the University of Wisconsin from 2000 to 2008.

In an article posted by The Cincinnati Enquirer, the chancellor position is equivalent to CEO of each campus. Jones is among three described as the finalists at IU’s

Richmond branch, and three more at IU’s South Bend campus.

Jones said, at this point in time, nothing is set in stone.

“They will probably know in the next two to four weeks what they’re going to do, and at this point it’s kind of like sorority rush, it’s a mutual selection process,” Jones said.

“It’s an opportunity for me to look at them, and them to look at me.”

State crowns MU senior ‘Miss Ohio USA’ 2013

By Kathleen L. Sullivan

For the Miami Student

Senior Kristin Smith beams a catching smile as she plays with a diamond tiara on her ring finger.

In the red brick jungle of Miami University, she is one of hundreds of girls who make the campus ‘beautiful,’ including one rather royal distinction.

On Nov. 10, Smith was crowned Miss Ohio USA 2013 in Portsmouth, Ohio.

“It’s unreal,” Smith said.

A total of 52 women competed in the pageant from across the state. In June, Smith will represent Ohio in the nationally televised Miss USA pageant. Smith is also scheduled to complete a media tour in New York City with pageant owner Donald Trump.

“I’m very excited to represent the great state of Ohio and to meet the other girls,” Smith said. “It was unexpected, which made it even more special.”

In the first competition of her life, Smith won the title pageant girls across the state had spent years training for.

“I had never done a pageant in my life, so it was a whole new ballgame,” Smith said.

In the two-day competition, Smith watched her fellow contestants rehearse with poise that only experience brings. All 52 girls competed in areas including interview, swimsuit and evening gown. Smith remained confident, but admitted the experience to be nerve racking.

“It’s a tough thing,” Smith said.

Everyone is beautiful and intelligent. It’s still a competition, but I wanted to learn everything.”

Smith was stunned when she made it to the top 15 the next day and thrilled when she was announced in the top five. Speechless with a bouquet of flowers cradled in her arms and a crown heavy on her head; her name was the last one called.

“The hardest part throughout the whole competition was keeping it a secret from everyone,” Smith said.

Smith said she was nervous and kept the pageant a secret

from even her closest friends and family members.

“I didn’t want anyone to come!”

Smith said.

A few days before competition, Smith let her family in on the big surprise, all of whom were beyond supportive. The day Smith left for Portsmouth, she let her boyfriend know what she was up to. Her roommate, senior Taylor Owens, learned only hours before she was crowned.

“The first thing I said when Kristen won was, ‘I knew she would win it!’” Owens said.

The two had met on their first day of college and had remained close ever since.

“In my opinion, no one deserves it more than she does,” Owens said. “I have met few people in my life who care for others as much as she does.”

For now, Smith is focusing on her education and has set her sights on graduation in May. Her life now includes public appearances, traveling across the country and working with charities. Smith hopes the confidence she has gained from the experience stands out to future employers.

“I’m a very shy and introverted person so [the competition] allowed me to come out of my shell and become more confident in myself,” Smith said.

Before becoming Miss Ohio USA, Smith had plans to move to Los Angeles and work in the public relations field.

Smith said she has always wanted an opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives. She said she believes her new title will help her accomplish this goal.

“I’m enjoying all the new experiences and everything on the way. I can’t wait to perform,” Smith said.

Smith has also become the ambassador for the Pink Ribbon Girls, a breast cancer foundation. She received a number of prizes beyond the sash and crown, including a diamond tiara ring, a scholarship for graduate school at Lindenwood University and partial tuition to the New York Film Academy.

The winner of the 2013 Miss USA pageant will represent the U.S. in the Miss Universe competition.

University Senate discusses Survey gives Miami Plan a makeover new calendar, sustainability

By Catherine Monceaux

By Allison McGillivray Campus Editor

Miami University Senate heard reports on the revised academic calendar, sustainability at Miami and an update on the 2020 plan.

Michael Kabbaz, associate vice president for enrollment management and Dave Sauter, university registrar, presented an update on the implementation of the changes to the university calendar, which were approved by senate in fall 2012.

Starting in fall 2013, each academic year will contain two 14week semesters with one week of final exams, a 12-week summer term and a three-week winter term.

The 2014 winter term will occur from Jan. 2-Jan. 25. Instruction may take place on the weekends.

A survey on winter term received a positive response from Miami students, according to Kabbaz.

Out of 2,509 students on the Oxford and Luxembourg campuses surveyed, 75 percent of students said they were somewhat to very likely to register for the winter term.

“When you start looking across the academic divisions, because we know who these students are, it’s equal interest across the academic institutions,” Kabbaz said.

The university is also working to make sure there is need-based aid available for students who wish to participate in the winter term.

Sprint courses will no longer start the first week of the semester and will be six, eight or

For The Miami Student

12 weeks, according to Sauter.

The new schedule will have no overlapping time blocks for courses, which will allow students to be better able to schedule their classes according to Kabbaz and Sauter. In addition, there will also be more classes scheduled on Fridays.

Senate also heard a report on sustainability at Miami.

All Ohio universities including Miami are required to reduce their energy use by 20 percent from what was used in 2004 by 2014, according to Sustainability Committee members David Prytherch associate professor of geography and Yvette Kline director of sustainability and energy conversation.

Miami is working to meet its sustainability goals by shifting from coal generated steam heat to geothermal heating and cooling, creating a culture of sustainability at Miami and reducing the amount of waste it produces.

There will be a month-long composting effort in King Café starting in February. This effort will serve as a trial to determine whether this composting process will be sustainable in areas across the university.

Jim Kiper, professor of computer science and Phyllis Callahan, dean of the College of Arts and Science presented an update on the 2020 Plan.

Kiper and Callahan presented a revised primary goal of the plan, which is to “promote a learning and discovery environment that produces extraordinary and scholarly outcomes and improves our larger world communities.”

Miami University strives to offer its students a fulfilling liberal education, and the Miami Plan is a key component of that initiative. Since last spring, the Miami Plan Redesign Task Force has met once a week as part of an ongoing process to revamp the current Miami Plan.

The task force is comprised of appointed students, staff and faculty, who sent out a survey Nov. 30 in an attempt to collect opinions and ideas that will be utilized in the redesigning process.

According to John Tassoni, Miami’s director of liberal education, by creating a new Miami Plan, the university wishes to produce curious, critical and creative citizens by emphasizing the importance of a liberal education in regards to personal and professional goals.

“Too often people see the Miami Plan as something to ‘get out of the way’ rather than something that can empower us to transform knowledge and improve communities, locally and globally,” Tassoni said.

In order to inform the Miami community of developing ideas, receive impressions regarding those ideas and acquire recommendations from those outside the task force, the survey was sent out to staff, faculty and the entire student body via email Nov. 30, and closed Wednesday, Dec. 5.

According to Tassoni, over 1,600 people responded to the survey—999 of whom were undergraduates.

In addition to providing the task force with an idea of how the community feels about the developments presented, it also gives them

an idea of the community’s level of understanding. The feedback can therefore enable the task force to get a feel for its audience, and clarify the concepts presented.

“Perhaps most of all, the feedback will also suggest to us different ways of looking at things, indicate issues we might not yet have considered, and generate new ideas,” Tassoni said.

For senior Mark Hildebrand, the Miami Plan is a vital aspect of a Miami education.

“I value the new experiences and knowledge that you probably wouldn’t have if it weren’t for some of the courses you had to take,” Hildebrand said.

Senior Maddie Smith agreed; she said the Miami Plan has served as a foundation for a liberal education and enabled her to broaden her knowledge in areas that she might not have looked into otherwise. Yet, issues remain that could be improved upon.

“I think frustration for students can come out of the inflexibility of some of the departments when it comes to scheduling and the forceadd process, and a redesign of the Miami Plan would help to update it and make it a more positive experience, rather than a source of frustration,” Smith said.

Recent graduate Carl Hayden understands the purpose Miami Plan courses are intended to serve, and thinks that the English classes have been the most useful for him post-graduation.

“I would say the English classes were the most beneficial because they helped me to develop my communication and linguistic skills,” Hayden said.

In any redesigned plan though, he believed a necessary change would

be for students to be able to have a more specialized Miami Plan in which all the requirements would be fulfilled but they would be more relevant to each student’s major.

As of right now, Tassoni said an official analysis of the results has yet to be done, but the responses are being read by the task force and then used to brainstorm possible replacements for the current plan. “[The responses] tend to echo a lot of the same things,” Tassoni said. “The vast majority of them were very insightful, and for a lot of the responses, we’re not seeing necessarily a disappointment in liberal education per say, but in some of the execution.”

According to Tassoni, the results have been enlightening, and have begun to help form a clear understanding of what needs changing.

“With the execution, we want [a plan] that’s more succinct, that we can kind of stay on top of,” Tassoni said. “[A plan] so people can do well rather than asking them to do so much.”

Tassoni hopes that participation will grow as the ongoing process continues and design drafts are presented for discussion.

Tassoni said there’s still a lot more work to be done before the new and improved Miami Plan is released.

Before any changes are made, the task force intends to confirm that the whole community has had an opportunity to contribute. Members hope that in the spring they will be able to draft and present a number of alternatives along with opportunities for the community to respond.

“Even then, there will be much to iron out before any new plan can be approved and implemented,” Tassoni said.

Editors OLIVIA HNAT HANNAH STEIN

COMMUNITY TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2013

COMMUNITY@miamistudent.net

3

POLICE New Kramer under consideration

BEAT

By Chris Curme

FOR The Miami Student

The Talawanda School Board is considering the construction of a new Kramer Elementary School, without any extra tax income. The school board may vote to sell bonds to finance the project.

Talawanda School Board member Mike Crowder points to an overcrowded, outdated Kramer on 400 W. Sycamore St. According to Crowder, the school needs more space to accommodate for the nearly 600 kids that attend Kramer today.

“The number of breakfasts and lunches that are served at Kramer are two to three times greater than at the other schools, yet they have the smallest kitchen, the smallest cafeteria,” Crowder said.

According to Holli Morrish, director of communication and public relations at Talawanda High School, Talawanda developed a master facility plan in 2001 in order to receive funds from the tobacco rebate of the late 1990s. Included in that plan was the construction of a new high school and elementary school.

Since the prospect of a new elementary school has been on the table, improvements to the existing Kramer building have been hesitantly approached, according to Crowder.

“There’s been huge resistance on the board, at least for the last ten years, not to spend money on Kramer,” Crowder said. “It was

a given we were going to tear Kramer down.”

The recent consideration of a new Kramer was kick-started in 2007, when an independent audit was conducted of Talawanda School District (TSD) facilities, according to Crowder.

Crowder said that when considering the 2008 bond issue, the board toyed with bundling a new high school and a new Kramer.

“There seemed to be a lot of support to do just the high school,” Crowder said.

“We knew full well that Kramer actually came up a little bit worse in our facilities audit,” Crowder said, “[After Kramer was left off the bond issue], we passed a resolution that said once we get the matching funds back from the state, we would use all of those funds to build a new Kramer.”

According to Morrish, because of other school districts’ inability to pass bond issues and front cash to later be rebated, the Ohio School Facilities Commission adopted a policy of “segmenting,” which provided rebates along the way.

As a result, Morrish said the funds once promised in 2013 may not be seen until after 2025. Now these funds have become obsolete in current discussion.

“No one on the board wants to ask the taxpayers for the money [for a new Kramer] right now,” Crowder said, “It’s just too tough of economic times.”

Crowder met with investment banker Scott Stubbins, who pitched the idea of the district selling Certificates of Participation (COPS) to raise funds.

According to Crowder, investors who purchase COPS would be buying the district’s debt. Much like a savings bond, a COP is a promise of repayment as the district pays its mortgage over 30 to 36 years.

While the system works like mortgage, Morrish said it is actually a lease-to-own option. According to Morrish, the district would lease the new building from COPS holders until the debt is paid. An advantage, according to Morrish, is that a lease does not go against the TSD’s debt and will not harm the district’s credit.

Both Morrish and Crowder cite historically low interest rates as reason to act fast.

“Every time that rate increases by .25 percent, that’s going to cost us a million dollars,” Crowder said.

Morrish delineates Talawanda School District’s budget into operational capital and permanent improvement funds. The latter is used to buy textbooks, maintain and repair facilities.

“The amount of money we’re bringing into the permanent improvement fund right now could absorb any mortgage payments,” Crowder said, “And, we would still have money left over to… keep the schools running.”

Crowder said that a 450-student

Kramer would cost around $13 million, and a 600-student school around $15 million.

According to Morrish, some board members have expressed unwillingness to approve the construction of a Kramer that couldn’t accommodate 600 kids.

“If we built a 450-student Kramer, you would have to redistrict some of the kids at Kramer to Bogan and Marshall, so you could have the three schools at roughly the same population,” Crowder said.

Morrish acknowledges some unease at the idea of 30 years of little accessible improvement money.

“Our treasurer [Mike Davis] is a pretty conservative accountant,” Crowder said. “There is risk. But he says the risk is slight.”

“We have to be very careful that we don’t see anything in the next 30 years that would absolutely destroy us financially: that we would need these PI funds for,” Crowder said.

“We’re a public entity that will pay our mortgage off. We’re not going to default on our loans.”

While other options may exist, Crowder said renovations would be a nightmare and border on 80 percent of the cost of constructing a new building.

Both Morrish and Crowder point to the old Talawanda High School as a possible site. However, Crowder mentioned the existence of four parties actively seeking to purchase the property. If it were sold, the money would be put toward a new Kramer.

UC fire reminds students to take safety seriously

By Hannah Stein Community Editor

Trying that new recipe, buying that space heater for your freezing old Oxford house or lighting that pleasantly smelling candle may seem like a good idea, but it could lead to disaster if taken lightly.

Two students from the University of Cincinnati (UC) were killed after a house fire Jan. 1 and in 2005, four of six students perished in a house fire in Oxford, according to Sgt. Jon Varley of the Oxford Police Department (OPD).

The last reported Oxford house fire was in 2005, when a lit cigarette caught a sofa on fire, Varley said. He said the fire could have easily been prevented and the house should have had more smoke detectors.

“It’s something people don’t think about,” he said. “We try to encourage people if they’re going to smoke don’t go to sleep if they’re tired…it was a careless fire.”

Oxford Fire Department (OFD) applied for the federal Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program in 2010 and received the $70,000 grant in 2011, although it was not until 2012 when it finally used it to pass out free smoke detectors.

OFD no longer has smoke detectors, but John Detherage, fire chief, said if someone cannot afford a smoke detector OFD has a way to obtain one for them. He said the typical price range for a smoke detector is between $6 and $15.

The fire in Cincinnati has reminded UC students of the importance of fire safety.

Some UC students have been making an effort to prevent another incident like it. UC junior Kathleen Hurley said she did not personally know either of the two students who were killed after the fire, but she still feels the impact.

“When anything happens in the Greek community it’s a reminder like this is your family,” she said.

Since the incident, she said she has made changes in her daily life to reduce the risk of a house fire.

“I live in a house similar to [the one in the Cincinnati fire]…and two of my roommates have space heaters, so we said ‘let’s be really careful with these, don’t put anything near them, unplug them during the day,’” she said. “We also checked all the smoke detectors.”

Hurley said in a situation like this, planning is as good a strategy as any, even simple things like checking to make sure your flat

BEN TAYLOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

People should never take the batteries out of smoke detector because it is the biggest fire hazard, according to John Detherage, fire chief. iron is off when you leave.

When it comes to preventing fires, Detherage said the biggest fire hazard is a smoke detector that is not working properly.

“We see it over and over, people take the batteries out of their smoke detectors or they take them down for either smoke when they

cook or because of some other illegal activities that may possibly be going on that produces a lot of smoke,” Detherage said. “It may cause the alarms to go off and so they take them down and

FIRE SAFETY, SEE PAGE 4

Local shelters reach capacity during frigid winter months

By Jessica Barga Senior Staff Writer

When you’re finished reading

The Miami Student,

please recycle!

With temperatures dropping and snow on the ground, many people are choosing to stay in their homes rather than brave the cold. But for those without homes in Butler County, staying indoors is not an option.

Sandra Snyder, community relations director for the Hope House shelter in Middletown, Ohio said it can be difficult to know exactly how many people are homeless in any given area because the statistics are not broken down by county, but she said according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness states, typically 1 percent of the population of any given city is homeless.

The recent cold snap means that shelters such as Hope House are operating at capacity and housing men, women and children. Hope House can provide for 80 to 100 residents at any given time.

“Right now we’re basically full…[and] at any time there’s usually a high percentage of children with the women,” Snyder said.

Snyder said winter is a time when it is important to make sure those without a place to live have a roof over their heads.

Hope House provides the same services throughout the year, but is especially full during the winter months.

“The other times of the year it’s not as crucial because it’s not a matter of life or death to be caught in the cold,” Snyder said.

Snyder said homelessness is not always what people typically think of – someone who is not looking for a job or is sleeping on a park bench, for example.

“Some homeless people are invisible; they may be sleeping on a friend’s couch because they have nowhere else to go,” Snyder said.

Anyone can get a meal at Hope House, but it provides other

services to its residents, such as helping them receive education, counseling and other services they need to get a job.

Snyder said Hope House helps people overcome issues such as mental illnesses, addictions and familial problems that may have led to homelessness in the first place.

“The main point is that when people have the correct programming, not just a roof over their heads, they can get better,” Snyder said.

Another local shelter that caters to those in need is the Serve City Chosen Shelter in Hamilton. Director Karen Waldo said numbers at the shelter have been steadily increasing in the past several years.

“More and more people are being foreclosed on…it’s exhausting to see the number of new people coming in,” said Waldo.

Like the Hope House, Chosen tries to meet residents’ needs

beyond simply giving them a place to stay.

“We’re not just a bed,” said Waldo, adding that Chosen is a Christian-based organization whose main goal is getting people in touch – or back in touch - with their faith.

Waldo said that the people who visit the shelter are often those who have lost their jobs and are simply trying to get back on their feet.

“There are a lot of people in our shelters who had good jobs – successful jobs – and [afterward] they had nowhere else to go,” Waldo said.

Junior Megan Dunagan said that in general, she does not think most students are aware that Butler County has a homeless population.

“I don’t think a lot of Miami students think of this area as having a lot of homeless people because they’re really not exposed to it,” Dunagan said.

4

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Editor BILLY RAFAEL

ARTS@miamistudent.net

TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2013

Professor hopes to mix music and campus life

BY Lauren Kiggins Staff Writer

KIM PARENT THE MIAMI STUDENT

REWARDED FOR HIS TALENTS

Robert Anderson (left) won a $10,000 award Friday for his painting Kitchen at The Young Painters Awards. Anderson was an adjunct professor at Miami from 2008 to 2010.

Pianist, professor and chair of the department of music Bruce Murray, will present his new series, “The Piano In-Depth,” in four parts throughout the semester.

Murray, who holds degrees from Carnegie Mellon University and Yale University, assumed the position of chair of the department of music this past June. Murray was previously the dean and artistic administrator of the Brevard Music Center and served as director of the school of music for the University of Alabama.

“I want music to be a greater and more visible part of life on the

campus and in Oxford,” Murray said. “This series is one of the ways I am trying to accomplish that.”

Each concert of the series focuses solely on one composer: Bach, Mozart, Chopin and Liszt.

“Most recitals are smorgasbords so I like to play programs that aren’t,” Murray said. “The audience will take a different view away programs dedicated to one composer because they provide a completely unique experience.”

The first concert of the series, which focused on Bach, took place Sunday.

“Those of us that play Bach believe his music is universal,” Murray said. “Even though I perform Bach on a piano, instead of the

intended harpsichord, it still retains its integrity and power.”

Students in the music department are excited for the chance to see their faculty perform.

“I think that being able to see Dr. Murray perform is really special,” first-year violinist Erin Bell said.

“As department chair, he has a lot to offer the music department, not only as a teacher but as a musician.”

The series continues with the works of Mozart 3 p.m. Feb. 24, followed by Chopin 8 p.m. March 18 and ending with works by Liszt 8 p.m. April 15. The remaining concerts will be in Souers Recital Hall in the Center for Performing Arts. All performances in the series are free and open to the public.

MOVIE REVIEW

Drive takes on a familiar genre in a new way, and is worth a watch

By Joe Gieringer Senior Staff Writer

With nothing that particularly caught my eye coming out this past week, I decided to dig through the ol’ DVD bin and see what I should re-watch. I eventually settled on Drive, Nicolas Winding Refn’s 2011 moody action/thriller that warranted a standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival in which it premiered.

In a year that saw Ryan Gosling become a bona fide star, Drive was his best outing by a mile. The film opens with one of the most impressive chase scenes in recent movie history – in which our nameless hero evades police in a heart pounding getaway attempt, all the while

listening intently to the exciting conclusion to the Clippers game on his radio.

The Driver has no background, no family and no name. He’s a motion picture stuntman and mechanic by day, and an elite getaway driver by night. He falls in love with his beautiful, innocent neighbor, whose husband is in jail and whose son is in need of a father figure. On paper, this sounds like a train wreck of a movie.

In reality, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Refn saturates his stylistic film with sharp color contrasts and extraordinary cinematography, highlighted by a pulsing, synthladen soundtrack that steeps Drive in an atmospheric, 80’s attitude. The scene when the Driver takes love

interest Irene (Carey Mulligan) and her son Benicio for a sun-soaked afternoon drive as College & Electronic Youth’s “A Real Hero” plays in the background had me hooked.

The narrative is surprisingly fresh, even though Refn lets the camera do most of the talking. Good turns from Ron Perlman and Albert Brooks as the ruthless criminals showcase the cast’s talent, and Bryan Cranston’s likeable Shannon helps keep Drive’s wheels turning, even in the face of the slow, calculated approach that Refn takes to set the story up, which he adapted from the James Sallis novel of the same name.

It is ultimately Gosling who sells it, however, with his earnest looks and collected, unphased exterior. He

Brick Street pulls another country-loving crowd with musician Jerrod Niemann

By Emily Hanhart For the Miami Student

Country star Jerrod Niemann performed at Brick Street Bar Wednesday to a packed house.

While the audience consisted of both die-hard country music fans and people clearly out of their comfort zone, by the end of the night it didn’t matter who they were, the singer had won the crowd.

Niemann’s recent rise to fame in the industry made some of his original songs hard to follow.

However, his unforgettable covers kept the crowd alive all night.

He sang songs made famous by major names in country music like “Ring of Fire” by Johnny Cash and “The Devil Went Down

to Georgia” by the Charlie Daniels Band. Niemann commanded the crowd even more with the ska hit “Santeria” by Sublime.

The variety in his covers catered to every genre of music.

Niemann’s exciting performance may even have converted some into country fans; sophomore Josh Bacon said he was impressed by the country singer.

“I really didn’t know of him before I came tonight and I ended up having a great time,” Bacon said.

The country star also played some of his own chart-topping hits like “Lover, Lover” and “Shinin’ on Me.” Niemann slowed it down when he performed one of his most well known songs, “What Do You Want From Me.” The

LAUREN OLSON THE MIAMI STUDENT

Jerrod Niemann commands the crowd at Brick Street Wednesday with a drink in hand.

brief change of pace was proof of his ability to successfully control the crowd.

Playing against his guitar player is a little nerve wracking because he is insanely talented. I feel it went pretty well. I love opening for Jerrod, he’s a lot of fun.”

BRENT ANDERSON

COUNTRY MUSICIAN

Niemann made an effort to highlight his talented band members during songs featuring Will Elliott on trombone and C. T. Blackmore on saxophone. The jazz instruments brought an unexpected, yet exciting feel to the performance. Niemann also brought out opening act Brent Anderson to the stage during one of his songs to solo on the guitar.

“Playing against his guitar player is a little nerve-wracking because he is insanely talented,” Anderson said. “I feel it went pretty well. I love opening for Jerrod, he’s a lot of fun.”

Niemann’s interaction with the audience was entertaining and kept the crowd’s attention between songs.

“Someone told me before I came out here that it’s hard to beat an Ohio crowd and when you go out there tonight, you’re going to want them to join the band,” Niemann said. “He was right.”

Throughout the night, he shared short stories about his college experiences and expressed his appreciation for being there.

“Ya’ll treat us like family around here,” Niemann said.

“If you would have us, we’d like to come hang out with you guys again.”

was the coolest man on the silver screen all year, and he lets you know it every time he cracks that half smile with the toothpick protruding.

He probably doesn’t say much more than 200 words for the entire hour and forty minutes of run time, which makes his performance all the more powerful, a la the John Wayne, “man of few words” type of action hero.

Whether it is his tender interactions with Irene and Benicio, his commanding presence in the midst of a job, or his go-for-broke desperation as he tries to right all wrongs in the last act of the movie, when the Driver speaks he demands our attention. And when he doesn’t speak, it’s the way he carries himself that does the talking for him.

FIRE SAFETY, FROM PAGE 3

don’t put them back up.”

Junior Melissa Krueger said she thinks making sure that all smoke detectors have batteries and are working properly is important.

“I know my roommates have sometimes taken the batteries out of smoke detectors because they got annoyed if they were cooking something and it went off and they never put them back in,” she said.

“Then I found out and put them back in.”

Senior Erin Reilly said she understands why people might take the batteries out of smoke detectors, even though she personally does not know anyone who does.

“It’s probably not safe but I guess when people are cooking if it gets smoky and you have it under control [and] if you don’t want to hear that thing going off then people would take [the batteries] out.”

There are two types of smoke detectors: battery-powered and electric. Most of the older houses in Oxford have battery-powered smoke detectors, whereas the newer houses and apartment buildings have electric smoke detectors that are connected to central alarm systems, Detherage said.

“Electric are kind of safer,” he said. “But if they want to disable them they’ll find a way. They’ll cover them up with things such as cups or towels.”

Oxford has a program in place that requires realtors to check smoke detectors every two years, Detherage said. There are also regulations for people who receive

Drive very well might be my favorite movie of 2011. It’s criminally under-seen and even more so under-appreciated, as it came away with no major awards of any kind.

Realistic and gritty, heartfelt and touching, Refn’s cinematic darling was one of the biggest surprises of the decade and it merits at least a few viewings. And luckily for you, it’s available on Netflix streaming.

So as February rolls around and you find yourself cold and looking for a good picture to pass the time, look no further than this visceral thriller that will make you want to get out of your seat and drive.

rental permits such as the number and size of exits. According to Varley, all Oxford houses must have at least two ways to evacuate.

Fraternity houses are different and are inspected by OFD as opposed to realtors, Detherage said.

The regulations for each house are different based on the year in which it was built, but some of the newer houses have central alarm systems and sprinklers.

Serious house fires are not a common occurrence in Oxford, Detherage said, but there are about one or two a year that can do a lot of damage to the house.

“We do a lot of cooking fires [like] popcorn in the microwave,” he said.

Another way fires can be caused is by overloading the outlets in a house, Varley said.

“A lot of the houses in the north end are older and aren’t necessarily up to the challenge of handling that much electricity,” he said.

“Only run what you need to run, don’t leave everything running.”

Reilly said she thinks carbon monoxide detectors are also important.

“That was one thing we asked our landlords about and they didn’t have them at the time but because that was addressed they put it in for us,” she said Since the Cincinnati fire, students at Miami and UC have been focusing on fire safety to prevent similar incidents happening to them.

“It’s something I have always thought about and became aware,” Krueger said. “I think it just is another thing that made me realize that it is important.”

The Miami Student is looking for page designers.

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www.miamistudent.net

TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2013

DIVERSITY, FROM PAGE 1

impact their decision to apply so we are really trying to draw those students to campus and be really strategic about what we are doing,” Pruckno said.

The Bridges program is another initiative that the admissions staff employs. Miami’s admissions website describes the program as one for high achieving underrepresented high school seniors who are interested in learning more about Miami’s educational opportunities.

After peaking high school students’ interest and persuading a diverse applicant pool to apply, the question of payment comes into play. According to Miami’s admissions website, the total cost of attending Miami in 2012-2013 is $24,143 for Ohio residents and $39,707 for non-Ohio residents.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, Miami ranks second in the nation for net price of a public university. A Miami education is one of the most expensive that a high school student could seek, which makes urban

outreach and recruitment efforts in underprivileged areas that much more difficult.

Admissions officials are looking for ways to counter these statistics.

“We have looked to increase our support to need-based aid,” Kabbaz said. “A strong belief I have is that the cost of a Miami education should not be a barrier for a student to come here.”

One of the most beneficial programs to underprivileged families, Kabbaz said, is the Miami Access Initiative. This program gives grants and scholarships to students from families that make less than $35,000 a year. In 20112012 the Miami Access Initiative covered tuition and academic fees amounting to $13,156. The only cost that it does not cover is room and board.

“For a family that is in that income bracket, it really starts to build a way for Miami to be an option,” Kabbaz said.

Bringing in diversity is a slow process and students are split on how successful a job Miami is doing.

Tarek Saed, an Arab American first-year, expressed

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his disappointment in his university’s efforts.

“I’ve been to other colleges with large Arab and Muslim populations and we went to nearby mosques everyday,” Saed said. “Unfortunately, at Miami, you can’t find one. The nearest mosque is in Cincinnati and, for a freshman with no car, that is extremely inconvenient.

I feel like they make efforts, but nothing major.”

On the other hand, Himanshu Sachdeva, an Indian and a sophomore, is conscious of what statistics suggest is an increasing rate of diversity.

“I am definitely noticing a growing trend of diversity at Miami, even from last year to this year,” Sachdeva said. “Programs like the Diwali Show, put on by the Indian Student Association, reflect the rates of change.”

Kabbaz and Pruckno said they are certain of what they’re trying to accomplish.

“When schools across Ohio and perspective students across Ohio don’t have the perception that Miami isn’t an option, that’s when we know that we have gotten there,” Kabbaz said.

TIPPETT,

FRATERNITY,

years as a journalist and said she saw a very different view of spirituality and religion in European society. She said there was a fundamental difference in the collective values of Europeans who often pay high taxes for social safety nets.

Tippett said she believes the separation of church and state in the U.S. has actually led to a more vibrant religious society than it might have been otherwise.

“The institutions of religion are experiencing the same kind of implosions that all of our institutions are experiencing,” Tippett said.

“50 years from now I don’t think our workplaces will look like they do now, I don’t think our education systems will look like they do now and I don’t think our churches will look like they do now.”

One of the fundamental places Tippett said she sees change is within American youth. This youth places emphasis on service, but not service with a religious affiliation.

The final speaker in the Lecture Series is Neil deGrasse Tyson who will present, “Science As A Way of Knowing,” April 8.

aware of either fraternity conducting unofficial recruitment.

According to Phi Kappa Tau Chief Executive Officer Steve Hartman, the national chapter did not give Miami’s chapter permission to recruit new members.

“Our goal is to get reinstated with good status with the IFC and the university,” Hartman said.

“There’ve been several men who have come forward with interest in joining. We have communicated to them that we won’t extend bids until we’re back in good graces. That’s been our goal.”

Hartman said the fraternity has allowed meetings between staff, alumni and current students on campus to discuss plans for recruitment upon reinstatement.

“We’ve communicated to the university that we don’t intend to violate our suspension,” Hartman said.

Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s Regional Director Joshua Welch said the fraternity would issue an official statement this week.

Phi Kappa Tau is suspended through August 2013 and Sigma Alpha Epsilon is suspended through August 2014.

Miami issued the suspensions following an investigation into an August incident where fireworks were detonated in the fraternity houses.

The university said the chapters violated sections of Miami’s Code of Student Conduct, including drug possession, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of fireworks and disorderly conduct.

Phi Tau filed a lawsuit against its suspension in fall 2012 and the university filed a motion to dismiss the case, according to Wagner.

The court has yet to issue a decision.

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6

OPINION

Editors RACHEL SACKS NICOLE THEODORE

TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2013

editorial@miamistudent.net

EDITORIAL

The following piece, written by the editorial editors, reflects the majority opinion of the editorial board.

New recruitment position highlights need for diversity Miami University has recently created a new position: an urban recruiter whose job is to visit high schools in primarily Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Dayton, and increase Miami’s visibility in these hotbeds of diversity. The university hopes to establish a presence in Ohio’s diverse areas and then further expand those efforts into a national and international campaign.

Over the last few years, steps toward creating a more diverse campus have been successful, if small. According to the Office of Institutional Research at Miami, the percentage of minorities at Miami increased from 9 percent in 2008 to 11.6 percent in 2012.

While this is not a huge increase, the Miami Student editorial board feels this position will be helpful in making Miami a more diverse setting.

The implementation of this position comes around the same time as a new promotional video for Miami hit the Internet. When we watched the video we saw a beautiful university, a fun university, a university where students could achieve great things. We all know this Miami University.

But we also saw Miami portrayed as a very diverse place and we cannot say we know this Miami University very well. This is the ideal Miami University, but that university does not yet exist.

We wholeheartedly support any effort to create the ideal Miami, including the addition of this urban recruiter position.

We see this as a way to recruit truly diverse students and better the overall student experience at Miami. The effort put in to recruit ethnically, culturally, socioeconomically and religiously

diverse students is a good start for future classes.

But we also face the problem of how these truly diverse students can afford Miami. Often, Miami’s tuition costs can seem daunting, and discourage some students from viewing the university as an option for their higher education.

By advertising programs for high-achieving, underrepresented high school students, such as the Bridges program, and by informing them of the Miami Access Initiative, recruiters for the university are hoping to portray Miami as an option for anyone who wishes to come here.

We see these programs as essential in the path toward a more diverse university.

Setting broad goals for the future is important and will help Miami stay relevant in an everchanging academic world. However, we ask the university to remember the diverse students already at Miami. This is a mission for both the administration and the students. Miami must support diverse students and be aware of unique needs.

Prejudice contributes to creating a non-diverse environment; the Miami community needs to work on creating a true feeling of diversity among current students.

Students are often drawn to those with whom they seem to have the most in common without educating themselves and getting to know the vast and varied ethnicities and cultures that are represented at Miami.

Ideally, Miami will one day be a true microcosm of society, but this will be an uphill battle that involves the entire Miami community.

Rule of Thumb U Senate meeting The first meeting of University Senate occured yesterday.

Using ‘retard’ as an insult Broaden your langauge when you think something is stupid.

Enrico Blasi Congrats on your 300th win! (and your 301st!)

PATRICK GEYSER THE MIAMI STUDENT

DRAKE’S TAKE

Blasi becomes member of the 300 club History was made once again at Goggin.

Friday, the RedHawks played host to Bowling Green (8-13-5) and came out on top thanks to a pair of second period powerplay goals by sophomore Cody Murphy. He talCARSON lied his first DRAKE goal in the first minute of the second period and continued his strong play with another rebound goal eight minutes later.

Murphy also snapped an 11 game long scoring drought in the process and was personally responsible for helping Head Coach Enrico Blasi capture his 300th win in his fourteen year tenure with the program.

Rallying from a one-goal deficit, the RedHawks and Falcons played a tight game throughout. It was a defensive battle from start to finish.

With Saturday’s 3-1 win over Bowling Green, the ’Hawks completed the sweep and maintained their consistent dominance over the Falcons.

Miami has not lost to

Bowling Green in the past sixteen meetings.

Blasi’s career record now stands at 301-190-53.

Already Miami’s all-time winningest coach, he has consistently recruited and developed talented players that regularly contribute to the team’s winning ways. It’s one thing to know how to coach a sport, but it’s an entirely different thing to know what players fit in the system and of course, how to attract them to the program.

It appears Blasi possesses both of these attributes, and they have undoubtedly contributed to his success on the ‘Hawks bench.

He finds special players during the recruiting process, some of whom slip through the NHL radar.

Take for example sophomore forward Austin Czarnik, who is currently tied for first on the team with 26 points. Or senior defenseman Steve Spinell, who is a proven leader and a sound defensive-minded player.

Considering his tremendous understanding of the game, both as a former RedHawk and a coach, it appears the only direction for this year’s team and the program as a whole, is up.

Blasi’s résumé is very impressive, there is no denying that.

In a little over a decade, Blasi has effectively found ways to lead the program into the upper echelon of college hockey.

Year in and year out the ‘Hawks produce quality seasons, remain near the top of the CCHA, and are always in conversation for the NCAA tournament.

There’s a reason why this is the case: it’s Blasi and his coaching staff.

Each of his teams plays with intensity and an edge that can’t be taught.

While the team’s size is average, it is clear that Blasi has instilled a gritty nature in his players. It is noticeable in the battles in the corners, the neutral zone play, and so on.

Some programs attract very skilled players, but it all comes down to how they are coached and whether or not one chooses to “buy into the system.” Based on performance alone, Miami hockey players continue to buy into Blasi’s system, and that is directly correlated to success on the ice.

The players have clearly bought into “The Brotherhood” mantra that Blasi preaches.

Congratulations Rico, here’s to another great season behind the ’Hawks bench.

Miami Student multimedia If you’re interested in working for the multimedia section, contact riegerj3@miamioh.edu

Crazy weather Snow, rain, extreme shifts in temperature and possibility of tornadoes. Welcome to Ohio.

Fire safety Be sure to double check your fire alarms. 3

LAUREN CERONIE EDITOR IN CHIEF SARAH SIDLOW NEWS EDITOR RACHEL SACKS EDITORIAL EDITOR NICOLE THEODORE EDITORIAL EDITOR BILLY RAFAEL ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

OLIVIA HNAT COMMUNITY EDITOR HANNAH STEIN COMMUNITY EDITOR ALLISON MCGILLIVRAY CAMPUS EDITOR KATIE TAYLOR CAMPUS EDITOR TOM DOWNEY SPORTS EDITOR

www.miamistudent.net

TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2013 OP ED

7

ESSAY

NICOLE’S NOTES

The four years we spend at Miami should not be Obamacare needs revisions to taken for granted, every experience is important ensure benefits for the future I think for some of us as seniors in college a lot of talk about youth has been passed around. We laugh at it as we think it will never to go away, but in the back of our heads we think one day, our lives may be complicated.

We may not be running around High Street with Nicole loose poTheodore nytails and hearts anymore, seemingly piecing together our nights over laughter and conversation with the best friends we may ever have.

But then again, who says we ever have to let these moments disappear?

I’d like to think of life this way when I think of the future. This thought comforts me even when I feel a little down about the bigger responsibilities that are on their way.

I like to think of life after graduation as just a continuation: a mixing of passion and coffee, apartment shopping and interviews, and the smell of fall blowing across a table as I sit there and laugh about the night before with a good friend, just as I did at Miami for four years.

These thoughts have lately led me to dive into my love affair with Oxford and Miami.

The deep burnt orange leaves, the academic atmosphere and the workhard-play-hard attitude are only half of the reasons why I think this place is the best university in the entire world, and a place I will think about for the rest of my life.

I would never change a thing about the day when I made the decision to come to Miami back in 2009, even though I wasn’t sure what the future held for me here.

Call this senior year (ish) nostalgia, call it senioritis.

But I took for granted how unique Oxford is. This sudden love hit me

sitting at the bar last week. I was staring at everything going on around me: pitchers of beer flowing endlessly over the bar, girls dancing to a 80’s rock ballad shaking their heads back and forth, while also thinking about the blatant fact that girls here dress up like we’re going to a NYFW event. All of these small things I suddenly appreciated in a strange way.

Most of us come from families of wealth, families of success, families of hard workers or maybe we just want to start a new beginning: a new tradition.

We are unique in our Miami conformity in the sense that we all are leaders, trendsetters, accounting geniuses and maybe even future media personalities. We affect the world, we just don’t take normal jobs and positions and not ask questions.

Maybe the problem in our conformity comes from the fact that we don’t care how others see us because we are too busy having the best times of our lives and too determined to make a mark on this world to even notice.

I almost forgot what it was like to be 21 in college, as my work load increased and the pressure of “the next step” loomed over me. The feelings trickled down my spine like a prolonged breakup as my drink went down my throat.

I couldn’t admit to myself that college is almost over, and that I have no control over stopping it.

It’s so true that even if for a small time, for four years, your life is only defined by you.

Fate brought me to this school.

And it broke me, built me back up and made me question who I was, what my passions were, what true friendship meant, how love could be defined, how intelligent and savvy I was and could be.

I believe in order to better yourself, you have to throw yourself into a situation you almost think you won’t survive.

I unknowingly did that by coming to Miami. Most of us can agree that

there are parts of our lives while being here that were challenging and made us question who we were.

I have so much Miami of Ohio pride, and I have to say, it was more because of the mistakes I made than the successes that came with being here. Being here makes you think outside of the box, and to become the person you maybe wanted to be when you were ten years old.

How often is it to feel that way leaving a place?

You may not have traveled a great distance to be here, but when you leave, you feel as if you may never be the way you were here again.

I would never change a thing about the day when I made the decision to come to Miami back in 2009, even though I wasn’t sure what the future held for me here.

A part of you is left within Oxford, but also a majority of you is changed because of this place. Without this school, I wouldn’t be who I am right now. And I have a good feeling you feel the same way.

The point is, make sure to take every single moment and make the most out of it at Miami. Not just making the most out of the academics or the amazing resources we have, but also the fact that for four years you have the ability to become who ever you want to be.

Whether it was the academic work you achieved, the lessons you learned, or the friends you made, it is undeniable that this place has some sort of magic intertwined in its history and its future.

ESSAY

The broken promise of post-partisanship, questioning potential crisis for future America We were told that there were no red states or blue states: only the United States. We were told that the end of partisan bickering was over.

We believed that a new America was on the horizon. We believed in the reaffirmation that it was morning in America once again.

We were lied to. Our country now stands on the precipice of

The sheer layout of our government was fit to accommodate a republican style of government. Both houses of Congress placed under the same roof, the executive only a mile down a single street, and our judiciary housed across a thin strip of road (once housed in the same building). The trappings of these branches could do nothing but

The White House Social Secretary reports indicate that of the seven state dinners hosted by the Obamas, Speaker Boehner has attended none, and Senate Minority Leader McConnell only one. what can be considered another crisis of confidence. A crisis of not our place in the world, but a crisis of what this country will become.

This crisis does come from the looming danger of another superpower, but from within.

Norm Ornstein published a book several years ago called, It’s Even Worse Than It Looks, detailing how political ideologies have collided with our Constitution’s framework to serve the people.

His book noted that the rise of such partisanship has thrown the Constitution off its ability for the people to be served by those elected to our political branches of the federal government.

Current job approval ratings of Congress and public sentiment on faith in the government only reinforces such an idea that a renaissance of American spirit is not on the horizon.

A republic is designed for the people to be represented at their most basic levels of government, and those on either sides of an issue to be in close proximity of one another to meet at a compromise.

promote the integration of thought and discourse, and it did throughout the history of this nation.

Great tales of government note the days when Jefferson would invite Federalists and Democrats alike to the White House, and when Speaker Sam Rayburn would play cards with President Truman.

Today, these tales no longer exist. The White House Social Secretary reports indicate that of the seven state dinners hosted by the Obamas, Speaker Boehner has attended none, and Senate Minority Leader McConnell only one.

After fiscal cliff negotiations turned sour, Speaker Boehner swore off one-on-one dealings with President Obama. The frustration is felt within the White House as well. During a press conference on January 14, the tone of President Obama could be seen within his frustration with Congress, and their handling of the debt ceiling.

Wall Street Journal Columnist Peggy Noonan devoted an entire article to the rising partisan rancor brought on by the President in the recent months against

the Republican Congress.

Where is this post-partisan America that the American people were promised?

A recent ABC News and Washington Post poll showed that only 35 percent of Americans believe that our country is on the right course for success in the future.

Many Americans cannot remember a time when they saw economic prosperity and peace on the world stage.

They cannot remember a time of when our public servants were producing pieces of legislation that served the American people on both sides of the aisle.

Our Constitution was designed for there to be a healthy discourse and debate on the pressing needs of the republic, but such extremism on both sides has thrown a wrench in the cogs of our democracy.

The institutions of our republic are imploding from within due to the stretching of those who are active in the process. The answer to where has our post-partisan promise gone: it has been taken hostage by every expanding ideology within the institutions that are catalysts of action in this country.

Abraham Lincoln once said, “America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.”

The gangrene of factions shall tear the country asunder if both sides do not see that the extremes are building the barriers on the course of compromise.

Institution implosion through party caucuses and conferences will only halt the dream that oneday the slogan of “happy days are here again” can return to the psyche of the American people.

michael woeste

Woeste.mf@gmail.com

It is finally 2013: nearly four years after the passage of The Affordable Care Act (ACA) better known as Obamacare, and the year that a majority of its provisions take effect. So how will this bill affect our generation?

The ACA requires insurers to have no more than a three times difference between their highest and lowest rates.

The goal of this is to curb the cost of health insurance for older folks as healthcare costs rise.

Currently, it is up to 12 times higher, so the rates are being compressed.

For example, if your average rate for a young person now is $100 and older person is $1200, how will they get to the three times difference?

They will get there by increasing the lower rates that young and healthy persons pay and decreasing the higher rates for the older population.

Let’s say they go to a ratio of $300/$900 as the low and high and I ask you as a young healthy adult who goes to the doctor once a year: would you pay a $750 fine annually, or would you pay the $3,600 in premium?

You may buy the insurance, but simple economics states many more will not.

The penalty for not adhering to the individual mandate is not an incentive at all because the law requires the insurer to take anyone at any time, so there is nothing stopping someone from waiting until they get sick to sign up for health insurance.

You can technically be diagnosed with a serious illness, sign up the next day, and the carrier is stuck with the bill of the treatment.

So the theory of having the largest pool of healthy adults is pure fantasy.

It sounds good and that might be the intention but it is nowhere near reality.

None of the people who crafted this have an ounce of experience in the insurance industry.

Let’s say you are 60 years old and not yet eligible for Medicare and have diabetes and a heart condition.

Just because the carrier has to take you does not mean you can afford the premium, even with the tax credits.

We need to bring more into the pool of covered individuals but in the real world, the ACA will not even come close to doing it.

It is the skyrocketing costs of health care that is the problem, and what may bankrupt our country.

Americans are generally fatter and in poor health.

Over 30 percent of the population is obese and the incidence of diabetes has skyrocketed over the last 20 years.

MD’s will tell you they practice preventative medicine, and all that means is that they run up to 50 percent too many tests to prevent themselves from being sued.

The ACA did nothing to lower the cost of care, which is the real issue.

As cost of care goes up, that’s what drives up insurance rates.

Medicare is one of the largest drivers of private insurance cost. Medicare reimburses at a very low level.

For example, if an office visit is $50, Medicare might reimburse at $30. The physicians make it up in the private sector.

So you and I pay $70 instead of $50 since the physician has to make up his costs somewhere. This is indisputable.

If Congress and the President passed tort reform to drive the lawyers out of the system and had the guts to require some copays or co-insurance on Medicare, this would have solved almost the entire problem.

The states are going to be burdened to put more people on Medicaid, medical care for poor people.

Right now, according to the Ohio OMB, the state of Ohio spends nearly 50 percent of their budget on Medicaid.

However, they are anticipating this to go up to 60 percent when the ACA takes full effect.

At that point, what happens to their other largest expense when Medicaid goes up by 20 percent? Education gets cut or state taxes skyrocket.

There is little doubt about this.

So with all these downsides, what has this bill accomplished?

Not much.

Yes, I’m glad kids up to 26 years old can stay on parents’ plans and lifetime maximums have been removed.

2013 has finally arrived so my assertions may now be put to the test, but I doubt the coming years will have much to offer our generation, unless much of the ACA is revised.

JEFF FEIWELL

FEIWELJM@mIAMIOH.edu

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SPORTS

Editor TOM DOWNEY

TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2013

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tom downey

HOCKEY

the Manti Te’o story: I want to believe

’Hawks ground Falcons

what’s going downey

I want to believe Manti Te’o.

I want to believe that he was simply the naïve victim of a cruel prank.

That he had no idea he was being duped into a relationship with the fictional Lennay Kekua. That he had no idea he was being “catfished.”

But I can’t.

Like everyone else, I completely fell for the Te’o story. It was a heartbreaking story, but to see the way he played all season with a heavy heart was heartwarming. Te’o’s story was yet another example of Notre Dame’s mythology. It seemed to rank up there with “Rudy” and “Win one for the Gipper.”

I was sold on Te’o. Then Deadspin published its jaw-dropping story and the world found out that Lennay Kekua never existed.

Something about this whole situation still seems just off. At some point, I think Te’o knew that his girlfriend never existed. I don’t think he was the mastermind, but at some point he found out. How could he not have?

I want to believe Manti Te’o, but how does he never see his girlfriend, after all she claimed to have gone through. A car crash. A cancer diagnosis. But he never goes to see her?

One would think that would be a priority for him.

I want to believe Manti, but he’s already lied to the public before, so I have trouble believing him. He lied about meeting her, both after a a game against Stanford and on a trip back home to Hawaii. He then said in his interview with Katie Couric that he found out when everyone else did. Except for the fact he said he found out on Dec. 8 and told Notre Dame on Dec. 26 that he

had been the victim of a hoax. He even did two separate interviews in which he spoke of Kekua, after Dec. 8. Of course, Notre Dame and Te’o chose to sit on that information so it didn’t affect his Heisman campaign and Notre Dame’s National Title chances.

As much as I like Notre Dame athletics, it’s not perfect. Its atrocious handlings of the Declan Sullivan tragedy and the alleged sexual assault by a Notre Dame football player show that. Notre Dame may be better than many other programs, but it is like having the highest failing grade in the class.

I want to believe Te’o, but his relationship with the alleged mastermind, Ronaiah Tuiasosopo is strange as well. Te’o and Tuiasosopo definitely knew each other, as Te’o wished Tuiasosopo a happy birthday over Twitter in June.

After everything that has happened in the Te’o saga, nothing will surprise me. It is arguably the craziest story of my young life. The only thing that comes to mind that rivals the Te’o story was when two Yankee pitchers literally swapped lives in the 1970s. If it comes out that Te’o concocted the scheme because he is gay and wanted to make it seem like he had a girlfriend, I won’t be surprised. He did deny that theory when talking with Couric. If it comes out the Lance Armstrong is the true mastermind and he timed this perfectly to take the spotlight away from his confession, I won’t be surprised.

I still think Manti Te’o is a good kid. And I hope that it eventually comes out for certain that Te’o never knew and he was just naïve and foolish. But I can’t believe in Te’o.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

RedHawks extend streak with win over Kent State By justin maskulinski for the miami student

Miami University’s women’s basketball team continued its Mid-American Conference (MAC) win streak on Sunday.

After losing their MAC opener to Ball State University (8-11, 5-1 MAC) the RedHawks (13-6, 5-1 MAC) have won five straight MAC games.

“Ball State was a wakeup call for us,” Senior forward Kirsten Olowinski said. “That game helped us realize our potential as a team.”

The ’Hawks cruised past Kent State University (2-17, 0-6 MAC) 76-48. The RedHawks stayed hot after taking sole possession of first place after a win at Bowling Green State University (13-6, 4-2 MAC) last Thursday.

“It was a big win,” Head Coach Maria Fantanarosa said. “I don’t focus on records or streaks; I try to focus on one game at a time.”

The ’Hawks were able to defeat Kent State without Junior Hannah Robertson, who averages 10 points per game.

Fantanarosa said that Robertson was out with a knee injury and that there was no timeline for her return.

Freshman forward Hannah McCue got the start for the ’Hawks and scored 10 points.

“Hannah played really offensively,” Fantanarosa said. “She is a very smart player.”

Olowinski praised McCue’s effort. “[McCue] stepped up when we needed her to,” Olowinksi said.

“It was nice to see her with confidence in her play as a freshman.”

Olowinski tallied 15 points and eight rebounds for the ’Hawks Sunday.

Also in double figures for the ’Hawks were junior guard Haley Robertson (13 points) and

freshman guard Maddie McCallie (12 points). Senior Courtney Osborn, who averages just under 17 points per game scored nine points and had six assists for the ’Hawks.

The RedHawks’ 28 point win is the largest they have had in the MAC this season. Kent State has dropped its 6 MAC games by an average of 24 points per game.

The leading scorers for Kent State were senior guard Tazmin Barroilhet and sophomore guards Jamie Hutcheson who both scored nine points.

The ’Hawks will return to Millet Hall Thursday for a noon tip off against the University at Buffalo Bulls (6-13, 4-2 MAC).

Despite the Bulls 2-11 start they are 4-2 in conference play.

“Buffalo is playing really well this year,” Fantanarosa said.

“They had a coaching change that might have been the reason for their slow start.”

The Bulls’ leading scorers are redshirt junior forward Cherridy Thorton and freshman guard Rachael Gregory, who both average 10 points per game.

The ’Hawks have been focusing on their season one game at a time and that strategy has proven successful for the MAC East leaders.

Buffalo currently sits in third place in the MAC East behind Miami and Bowling Green, and a win against the Bulls would solidify the ’Hawks first place standing.

Olowinski, who averages a double-double with 11 points per game and 10 rebounds per game, said the RedHawks will look at the Buffalo game the same way they have looked at thier games up to this point.

“It’s about us, just like every other game,” Olowinski said.

“It’s another chance to prove who we are.”

LAUREN OLSON PHOTO EDITOR

Miami University sophomore forward Jimmy Mullin (left) and junior forward Max Cook (right) chase the puck behind the Bowling Green State University net. Mullin recored two goals Saturday night in a 3-1 RedHawk win.

By Joe Gieringer Senior Staff Writer

After returning to play on home ice for the first time in nearly two months, the Miami University men’s hockey team swept Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) rival Bowling Green State University last weekend.

The RedHawks (15-6-5, 10-44-4 CCHA) got off to a slow start Friday night, as the Falcons took a first-period lead orchestrated by the efforts of freshman forward Mark Cooper. Miami came out a different team in the second period, however, as sophomore forward Cody Murphy ignited his team’s offense with a pair of power play goals. That proved to be all the Red and White needed, as freshman goaltender Jay Williams backstopped his team with 21 saves en route to a 2-1 victory.

Murphy sported a metal chest plate to his post-game interview, which he explained was a new tradition in the Miami locker room that the coaching staff introduced after the winter break. For his two-goal effort, the sophomore added his number to the armor, which is handed out to the player who exhibits the most effort and heart in that night’s contest.

“I was a little hesitant to wear it to the press conference,” the sophomore said, laughing. “Every game we win in regulation, there’s a ‘Warrior Award,’ and I

won it for the first time tonight.

I’m awfully proud of it.”

Murphy wasn’t the only RedHawk to receive recognition, though. With the win over the Falcons, head coach Enrico Blasi became the first Miami coach to win 300 games. In his 14 years at the helm of the hockey program, Blasi compiled a 300-190-53 record as of Friday night. He has led his team to two Frozen Fours, been named CCHA Coach of the Year four times, and was named National Coach of the Year for the 2005-06 season. Though he’s not one for personal accolades, Blasi acknowledged that this milestone wasn’t just about him.

“The guys surprised me with the game puck,” Blasi said. “It’s just a number but it represents a lot of what has happened over the last 14 years. Obviously a lot of good people and great coaches.

We’ve had great assistant coaches and great support from not only our fans but our administration, our ADs, our assistant ADs. It really boils down to the players, all the guys leading up to this and obviously this team is a special team.”

Blasi grabbed win number 301 Saturday night, as his RedHawks came out of the gate firing on all cylinders. The charge was led by sophomore forward Jimmy Mullin, who netted two goals on the night, including a glove-side snipe just five minutes into the

contest. Junior forward Bryon Paulazzo joined in on the action with the eventual game-winner at 10:28 of the first period, and Mullin netted his second of the night with a power play goal in the second period, as the RedHawks skated to a 3-1 victory.

Freshman goaltender Ryan McKay finished with 23 saves on the night.

“It feels good to contribute when other lines are putting pucks in [the net],” Mullin said, who doubled his goal total on the year to four from his spot on the fourth line Saturday night. “They need help from the rest of the team, so it feels good when we can put the puck in for them.”

Paulazzo echoed Mullin’s sentiment, saying “it’s been a good three months” since he last had one of his shots cross the goal line. But he also said that now that the BGSU series is through, the Brotherhood has to look forward.

“It’s huge with Notre Dame and Western [Michigan],” the junior said of his team’s sweep, as Western is one point ahead of Miami in the CCHA standings, and ND just two points back. “It’s a big six-point swing for us, but we’re getting ready for Alaska now.”

Miami returns to action at the Goggin Ice Center against conference foe Alaska on Friday and Saturday, February 1-2.

The puck drops at 7:35 p.m. and 7:05 p.m., respectively.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Red and White fall against Ball State

By Win braswell senior staff writer

Poor shooting and inconsistent defense once again doomed the Miami University men’s basketball team in an 82-62 Mid-American Conference (MAC) loss to Ball State University Saturday afternoon.

The loss is the third consecutive defeat for the RedHawks, as they now stand at 7-11 (2-4 MAC).

Redshirt junior forward Will Felder led Miami for a third straight game with 14 points, and junior guard Quinten Rollins scored a career high 12 points. It wasn’t enough to stabilize a 44 percent shooting effort from the ’Hawks, including 28 percent from deep on 6-21 shooting.

This was the 10th game this season the RedHawks shot below 30 percent from three.

“In many ways, I feel like we have hit a wall, just because I don’t see the life,” Head Coach John Cooper said. “I feel like we have more life on the road, which is interesting.”

Miami kept things interesting for most of the game, playing back-andforth basketball with the Cardinals with seven ties and 12 lead changes.

The ’Hawks found balance early, shooting well inside and from long range, staying within four points for the majority of the first half. Ball State was able to take a five-point advantage into the half, 34-29.

The Miami fell into its recent trend of falling apart late. The Cardinals took their 48 percent effort

from the field in the first half and followed it up with a blistering 68 percent. After the RedHawks pulled even at 36, a quick 10-3 Ball State run put them ahead 46-39 with about 14 minutes to play.

Miami closed the deficit to 53-50, but got no closer. After the Cardinals recorded a 17-4 run, Miami’s morale appeared nonexistent, as it committed a slew of turnovers and

I feel like we have hit a wall, just because I don’t see any life. I feel like we have more life on the road, which is interesting.

JOHN COoper

HEAD COACH

cheap fouls to close the contest.

“I think I understand what needs to take place and that it doesn’t happen overnight,” Cooper said.

“Having said that, is it frustrating?

Absolutely. Is it disappointing when a team makes a run on you on your wood and you’re not able to muster up the effort, the competitive desire, to combat that run? Absolutely.”

Ball State finished shooting 57 percent for the game, and out rebounding the RedHawks by 20, 37-17.

Ball State’s junior guard Jesse Berry, junior forward Chris Bond and senior guard Jauwan Scaife were a large part of the win with 20, 16 and 14 points respectively.

However it was 6’9” junior forward Majok Majok who led the way for the Cardinals with 21 points on 7-10 shooting, while grabbing eight boards, five of which we offensive.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever been part of a 17-rebound performance in 20 years of coaching,” Cooper said.

“Their effort was way better, point blank. They were just much better than us in all facets of the game.”

Freshman guard Reggie Johnson was able to break out of his shooting slump, scoring 10.

Another bright spot for the ’Hawks came from the free throw line, hitting all 15 shots.

“It’s been tough, but it’s different in [MAC] play, with a lot of teams knowing as a unit what you’re going to do,” Johnson said. “Everybody’s been telling me to take a deep breath and I tried to do that tonight, but it still wasn’t good enough. As a team, I think it’s just time for everybody to relax. I think everybody’s pretty much going through a frustrating time, and it’s just time to take a deep breath and just play basketball.”

Miami will try again tomorrow to claim its 600th MAC victory, taking on Western Michigan University at 7 p.m. The Broncos are a better team than Ball State, which will present challenges for a struggling Miami squad.

Western Michigan is 12-7 on the season, having beaten Central Michigan by 17 points in its most recent game. Last season’s meeting ended in a nine point defeat for the RedHawks.