January 31, 2012 | The Miami Student

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

VOLUME 139 NO. 36

TUESDAY, January 31, 2012

MIAMI UNIVERSITY OXFORD, OHIO

TODAY IN MIAMI HISTORY In 2001, The Miami Student reported that a federal judge had dismissed the final claim of a lawsuit against Miami University regarding Title IX. The suit,

filed by former athletes on the men’s soccer, tennis and wrestling teams, had said the athletes’ 14th Amendment rights had been violated when their teams were cut by the university. The judge in the case said Miami acted “justifiably.”

CNN’s Gupta speaks at Hall

By Jenn Smola Campus Editor

Dr. Sanjay Gupta spoke to a packed Hall Auditorium Monday as part of Miami University’s Lecture Series.

Gupta is the chief medical correspondent for CNN and has won several Emmy Awards for his coverage. Though he continues to actively practice neurosurgery while reporting for CNN, he has covered many events such as the 9/11 attacks, the recent tsunami in Japan, the earthquake in Haiti and flooding in Pakistan.

Gupta answered questions from a small group of students in Bishop Hall Monday afternoon, followed by a short interview with Miami’s weekly television program, Oxford Week in Review, as well as dinner before his speech at Hall Auditorium at 8 p.m.

Gupta’s busy day at Miami mirrors his busy life as a doctor, medical journalist and a father of three children.

“I love what I do,” Gupta told students. “If you love what you do, you never have to work another day in your life, and that’s how I feel.”

Gupta spoke about how health care and medicine are practiced around the world, the healthcare system in the United States, and gave a behind-the-scenes look at the medical stories covered on television.

When asked how he deals with the conflict of being both a doctor and a journalist, Gupta said the decision isn’t that difficult for him.

“If the call ever came, it was an easy one,” he said. “I’m a doctor first.” He also told students that CNN respects that he is in surgery one or two days each week and understands he has big commitments as a doctor.

Faculty members and students alike were in attendance for Gupta’s lecture.

“This is the second time in two years we’ve had a major CNN correspondent here on campus,” David Keitges, director of international education, said.

Soledad O’Brien, a correspondent for CNN’s special investigations unit, spoke at Hall Auditorium in April 2011.

“I hope that lots of students have the chance to meet him while he’s here,” Keitges said, adding that Gupta does not accept all invitations to speak at universities.

First-year Kelsey Wagner and sophomore Jasmine Sandhu said they were interested to hear Gupta speak.

“I think [Gupta’s lecture] is a really good opportunity for students,” Wagner said. “It’s cool to see where we could be years down the road,” she said.

“I’ve always watched him on CNN,” Sandhu said. “I thought it would be a cool experience to see him live.”

JULIA ENGELBRECHT THE MIAMI STUDENT

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, chief medical correspondent for CNN, speaks to a full Hall Auditorium Monday night. Gupta is a neurosurgeon who still practices medicine and performs surgery despite his duties at CNN. Gupta’s lecture focused on health care and medicine and how they are practiced around the world. He also talked about how medical stories are reported on television.

As for his future plans, Gupta said he has a novel being released in March called Monday Mornings. The book, which Gupta said is not autobiographical, is about doctors openly discussing their mistakes, a topic that Gupta said involve “tough issues, tough stories to give.”

Cook Field to become half turf, half grass as Western prepares for new hall

By Rebecca Peets

For The Miami Student

On Friday, the Miami University Board of Trustees will consider a proposal to make major improvements to Cook Field, including installing artificial turf on half of the field, according to David Creamer, vice president for finance and business services and treasurer.

According to Creamer, one of the reasons for putting artificial turf on Cook Field is because of plans for new housing on Western Campus. The new plans will displace two of the three fields used for intramural sports behind Bachelor Hall. Because of this, Cook Field will host most of Miami’s intramural activities.

“We hope by installing artificial turf on Cook Field losing the fields on Western won’t disrupt intramural activities,” Creamer said.

The improvements would cost $3.4 million, according to Creamer.

Installing artificial turf on Cook Field will allow for more activity to take place on it without destroying the fields, which is currently a problem for recreational facilities.

“Cook Field takes such a beating from all the use it gets in the fall,” Creamer said. “It is very intense on the wear of the field and the constant use produces a negative impact. It also takes a lot of care to make sure the fields are restored for fall after use in the spring.”

The university plans to start work after commencement in May. According to Creamer, the

north half that is receiving artificial turf and the other improvements being made to Cook Field will be completed prior to Aug. 15, the beginning of fall semester 2012, while the south half of the field will be kept closed until September 2013 to allow one full year for the grass to grow in and be established for play.

The Recreational Facilities

Gupta, who worked with the Bill Clinton administration in 1997 and 1998, was also considered for surgeon general when President Barack Obama took office. He said he hopes to revisit that kind of work.

“Getting back into public service would be on the check list,”

Gupta said about his future plans.

When asked by a student how to make a difference in the world, Gupta offered this advice: “You can make a huge impact in the world in a lot of different ways. Do what you’re good at and what you love to do.”

Flower Hall bids farewell to a column over the weekend

intramural sports.

“Being able to walk through Cook instead of around when the field is torn up or muddy will save me 10 minutes walking to class,” first-year Dane Weeks said.

“Coming from someone who lives on East Quad and uses the field to get to classes every day it is definitely a hassle walking through mud in the mornings.

If we had the funding to install turf on the entire field we would, but we’re also setting aside money for maintenance and future replacement of the turf.”

DAVID CREAMER

VICE PRESIDENT FOR FINANCE AND BUSINESS SERVICES

department will be working to find alternatives while the south half of Cook Field is closed. They are planning to use park spaces in Oxford. Also, the fields on Western will also be usable until Cook Field is fully back in operation, according to Creamer.

The $3.4 million to make the improvements comes from a portion of student fees set aside for recreational facilities that have been saved for construction such as this.

“Financial resources do come into play in these decisions,” Creamer said. “If we had the funding to install turf on the entire field we would, but we’re also setting aside money for maintenance and future replacement of the turf.”

The improvements to Cook Field will be experienced by all students, not just those who play

Turf would be helpful for intramural sports as well being able to play more games, because games often get cancelled due to muddy conditions,” first-year Steven Pickel said.

Other improvements to Cook Field will include new backstops, an improved walking track, irrigation for the newly seeded grass field, bathrooms and a storage building. Some improvements will be made in the walks and drives as well. The new retention pond on the other side of State Route 73 will provide water for the irrigation of Cook Field, Creamer said. The new restroom and storage facility, installation of the irrigation and seeding of the south half of the field will occur in the latter part of fall 2012.

“If approved, operations will commence after spring graduation,” Creamer said.

JULIA ENGELBRECHT THE MIAMI STUDENT

A pillar on the porch of the southeast entrance to Flower Hall is still absent Monday afternoon.The pillar, which was previously damaged, was reported to have fallen down Saturday night.

By Jenn Smola Campus Editor

A wooden porch pillar at Flower Hall was completely torn down Saturday evening, according to the Miami University Police Department (MUPD).

According to Lt. Ben Spillman of MUPD, the resident director of Flower Hall called MUPD after a resident reported seeing three males near the southeast entrance to the building. The three males were reportedly

taking pictures with the damaged pillar, but ran away when they were seen, Spillman said.

The pillar had been damaged at an earlier time, but was still standing until about 8:45 p.m.

Saturday, Spillman said.

The physical facilities department was at Flower Hall earlier that day, but was planning to return at a later date to finish the repairs, Spillman said.

The pillar was not structural, Spillman said, but simply for decoration.

2

CAMPUS

Editors Lauren Ceronie JENN SMOLA

TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2012

campus@miamistudent.net

Dining halls crack down on food portions

By Mary Allison Geibel

For The Miami Student

Changes to food portion sizes at dining halls on Miami University’s campus have not gone unnoticed by the students that frequent them. Several dining halls, including Bell Tower Place, have recently been making efforts to control portion size.

One noticable practice, in which cooks weigh meat to ensure the right amount is doled out per serving, was officially implemented right before Christmas, according to Bell Tower student manager Randy Chabot.

Nancy Heidtman, director of

dining and culinary support services, said portion control has always existed on Miami’s campus in all dining areas. The idea is not new, but the execution of portion control has recently been more enforced in all dining halls around campus, Heidtman said.

Bell Tower managers realized reducing the amount of food given to students would help the dining hall be more profitable, Chabot said.

The immediate response to this alteration has been simply curiosity on why the new guidelines have been implemented and where they are applied.

“We’re trying to incorporate

portion control everywhere in the dining hall, but it is mainly for the meat in the stir fry line and for the Mexican station to limit the portion by scoop sizes,” Chabot said.

The cooks are often seen weighing out students’ choice of meat or tofu to make sure it falls within the recommended limits of two-ounce portions, according to Chabot. Students have noticed a significant decrease in the amount of meat, especially within the stir-fry station.

“I think the new portions are awesome. I am able to get enough of what I need without it being too much,” said first-year Jess Walpole. “Before the content of meat in all the foods

was a little too high and I would always find myself throwing away so much of my meal.”

Students and workers alike have openly voiced their opinions on the newest mandate in their jobs.

“I am alright with it because what needs to be done needs to be done,” Chabot said. “I will constantly see people walking through the checkout line with three times the meat they should in their stir fry. It just helps make the process more uniform for the workers and has already reduced the cost for the dining hall.”

Though many workers and students are thrilled with the requirement to weigh meat, there are those

who feel slighted with the smaller quantity of meat in their food.

“It was kind of a shock to come back from winter break and see such a smaller proportion of meat in the food. It seemed unfair with the cost of the meal compared to the quantity I received,” first-year Holly Klepek said.

Student senator Ari Frum brought attention to the issue at a recent Associated Student Government meeting.

“It was all about looking into the value of a meal compared to how much food students are receiving. It was implemented to trained student workers for incorrect portion sizes,” Frum said.

Students line up for late night snacks, specials

By Taylor Hosey

For The Miami Student

Standing in line at Haines Food Court located inside the Shriver Center, first-year Jake Basile bears the line of students waiting anxiously for their latenight dinners. His mouth begins to water as he watches those in front of him walking away from the Grille within Haines Food Court with hamburgers, French fries, grilled cheese sandwiches and even breakfast bagels. Only a couple more minutes of waiting and he gets what he went there at 1 a.m. on a Saturday night for — the Clinton.

The Clinton, which he describes as his favorite sandwich because it is “the best of both worlds,” combines a grilled cheese with a slice of pizza and makes it into a sandwich.

First-year and Shriver employee Marie Hickman said the Clinton is one of the most popular sandwiches that sells at Shriver because it’s filling and a good late night treat. As a cashier, Hickman has assisted many people in paying for their purchases and has a sense for what most students like to eat late at night.

She also said late-night dining is popular on campus because it gives students the extra option of going somewhere to eat if they’re hungry.

“Plus if they’re studying for a big exam, food is one way to keep [themselves] awake,” Hickman said According to Tina Rotundo, executive manager for Haines Food Court, Tuffy’s and Spring

Street Market, the Shriver Center serves around 700 students during late-night weekend hours compared to around 200 during the weekdays.

Rotundo said Shriver does not employ security on the weekend and many of the customers that come into the food court are inebriated.

While the prices do not increase or decrease at any certain hour of the day, there are certain late night specials that students can take advantage of such as ordering a combination of certain foods and getting discounts at the register.

Perhaps this is a reason why lines are seen at both Bell Tower To-Go and Haines more and more often into the wee hours of the morning.

“Not only is it more convenient to use my meal plan to get food since I always have my card, but it’s also cheaper than going Uptown,” Basile says.

Serving a wide range of foods from cinnamon covered pretzels, to King James’ sandwiches, to salads and pasta, late-night dining gives students the option of having just about whatever they want to eat- without the hassle of cooking and cleaning.

Being open at abnormal latenight hours could be considered a benefit for dining facilities on campus because it helps them obtain a wider range of students who come to eat, at a wider time span.

“At the end of the day, food is food. It is nice to actually be able to get that food at the very end of my day too, though,” Basile said.

CORRECTION It is the policy of The Miami Student to publish corrections. The Jan. 27 issue of The Miami Student incorrectly published in the article “RedHawks fall to Rockets, lose third straight” that the Miami University women’s basketball team had lost three straight games when they had actually lost two of their last three games. The Jan. 20 issue of The Miami Student incorrectly published in the article “RedHawks could play outdoor hockey game” that the commissioner of the CCHA was Tom Anastos. Mr. Anastos was the former commissioner, while the current commissioner is Fred Pletsch.

PHOTO GRAPHERS PUT YOUR SKILLS TO USE AT THE MIAMI STUDENT! E-mail JULIA at photo@miamistudent.net for more information.

BUMPING AND THUMPING

ANDREW BRAY THE MIAMI STUDENT

Miami University sororities played volleyball to raise money for Kappa Alpha Order’s philanthrophy the Muscular Dystrophy Association Saturday afternoon.

Students still raise questions over ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ a year after repeal

By Stephanie Harris For The Miami Student

Dec. 18, 2010, Katherine Miller was riding home for that long winter break that all college students look forward to, text message alerts constantly going off on her cell phone as she was just waiting, waiting for the messages to end and to receive that phone call that said it was done.

A few minutes later, her eyes lit up as her friends yelled through the phone that victory had finally come and that it had really happened. All of her hard work had not been in vain, her decision to speak out had been a good one and her vision to influence change was now a clear picture positioned right in front of her.

On that day, in a 65-31 U.S. Senate vote, the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy, preventing openly gay and or lesbian persons from serving in the military, had finally been put to rest.

Miller, a 22-year-old sociology major at Yale University began her journey with the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy in June 2008 with her arrival at West Point Military Academy.

According to Miller, she had known she was gay since the age of 16 but “didn’t think being gay had anything to do with me going into the army,” she said.

“I knew that Don’t Ask Don’t Tell existed but I thought it was literally people wouldn’t ask and I wouldn’t have to talk,” Miller said. “Little did I know that this policy would be much more invasive than I ever thought it would be.”

Her training unit was much more than just that, they were her classmates who grew to be “much more than my friends, they were my only friends.”

Upon her arrival at West Point, Miller was constantly presented with questions in regards to her personal life back at home, which is how her transformation began.

“I would always get asked if I had a boyfriend back home, and I had a girlfriend named Kristen, but I just said ‘no’ and that I was single,” Miller said.

With this policy in effect, there was no revealing anything to anyone, so her only option was to lie about who she really was and those lies are

what led her to lead a double life.

According to Erica Gordon, a firstyear microbiology major in Miami University’s ROTC program, service members would be able to more effectively serve if they didn’t have to conceal their sexual orientation, something Miller was forced to do each day at West Point Academy.

“Being Christian, I don’t feel that anybody should be gay but they shouldn’t be treated differently for it,” Gordon said.

Keeping up appearances wasn’t easy for Miller.

“I still had long hair and looked straight which invited a lot of men to express interest which made me realize that expressing that I was single probably wasn’t the best idea either,” Miller said.

So from there, Miller changed to telling people that she had a boyfriend named Kris, “creating a reality that didn’t exist.”

However, in the midst of all these lies, Miller was always thinking about how she seemed to have violated the honor code at West Point every time she opened her mouth.

The honor code states that, “A cadet will not lie, cheat or steal and will not honor those who do.”

Along with this came the consequence that any cadet who has been charged with breaking the honor code two times will undoubtedly be asked to leave. This was a passion to Miller so she found it inside of her to create a very convincing image to those around her.

However, Miller expressed, “I started to resent who I was … I didn’t feel like I was becoming the person that I wanted to be or the person the army wanted me to be.”

In April 2009, Miller was sitting in class when the topic of gays in the military came up with a group of students who were in her company, otherwise known as a group of students in which a cadet trained, and in Miller’s case, considered to be close friends. Miller was most disturbed by one particular student who she knew very well whose stance was a very strong one.

It was his belief that, “gays were disgusting, against his religious beliefs and he was glad that he didn’t have to serve alongside gays.”

Miller was shocked by the moment.

“I felt surrounded by people who hated my presence and all I wanted to do in that moment was stand up and tell them that they were talking about me but there was this law prohibiting me from doing so,” Millers said.

It was in that moment, that Miller knew that if the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy wasn’t repealed by the time that she was presented with a binding contract, that she would have to leave West Point.

“We as Americans have made homosexuality have a bad connotation and because of that everyone looks at them differently,” Miami first-year Ryan Brogan said.

It is these same connotations that Brogan expressed, that drove Miller to have to make a decision between what she loved and the person who she wanted to be.

In August 2010, Miller released her letter of resignation to the media while she still held her position as a cadet at West Point. From there, she told her story on the Rachel Maddow show, an MSNBC primetime hit tackling the biggest stories of the day, and things took off from there.

Miller began to network with a variety of organizations and made it her business to work towards the repeal of this policy that was affecting thousands of other men and women just as it had affected her. She became a spokesperson for OutServe, which is a board of gay and or lesbian service members who spread stories such as Miller’s.

In the midst of all of this, Miller enrolled as a student at Yale University.

All this is what brings us back to Dec. 18, 2010 when Miller’s goal was realized through the 65-31 Senate vote to repeal the 17-yearold “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy.

This act granted openly gay and or lesbian service member the right to serve in the US armed forces.

Miller plans to rejoin the military as an officer.

Katherine Miller along with numerous others has made it possible for thousands of men and women to be exactly who they are. From Yale University to Miami University, no service member has to be quiet about who they are to serve their country.

“It was a huge victory,” Miller said.

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4

COMMUNITY

JUSTIN REASH LISA REYMANN

COMMUNITY@miamistudent.net

TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2012

POLICE Jobless rate falls, jobs still scarce

BEAT Male stuffs purse in pants, receives citation

Around 1:15 a.m. Saturday, an Oxford police officer parked in the alleyway next to The Wood’s Food and Spirits noticed a male stuffing a woman’s purse in the front of his pants. The male then hurried to the door of The Wood’s and received a 21 and up wristband at the door. The officer stopped the male, identified as Miami University first-year Alexander Meek, 18, and asked about the purse in his pants. Meek did not have an answer for the officer and when asked for his ID, fished around in his wallet and found his Illinois ID. Meek then said he was holding the purse for a friend because she didn’t have money to pay the cover charge and if she didn’t have a purse, she would have been able to enter the bar. Officers then found a Montana ID on Meek that had a different name and age on it. Meek said he got the ID from someone in Chicago.

Meek told officers at the Oxford Police Station that he had been drinking but “was not intoxicated.” The friend verified Meek’s story about the purse and Meek was cited with underage drinking and released.

By Morgan Schaffer Staff Writer

Are unemployment rates really down in Butler County or is the economy still on a slow decline?

According to Angela Terez of the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services, the numbers show a decrease in the unemployment rate with it being the lowest it has been since 2008.

“The preliminary 2011 annual unemployment rate for Butler County was 9 percent, down from 9.6 percent in 2010,” Terez said.

“The preliminary 2011 annual unemployment rate for Hamilton city was 10.2 percent, down from 11.1 percent in 2010.”

While that is what the numbers say, business representative for Work Force One, a career center connecting employers with their future employees, Stewart Leonard said he has not noticed any kind of

decrease in the unemployment rate.

“At the end of last year, we were at the highest unemployment,” Leonard said.

He also said that from what he has perceived, the unemployment rate is not decreasing at all. Based on the statistics of unemployment, he said he was not in agreement.

“We have heard just the contrary,” Leonard said. “We do a rapid response to go into businesses to tell employees what will happen when they get laid off. We have already done two of those [this year], a total of 375 people. The layoffs have not occurred yet but they are supposed to occur next month.”

Leonard said the two companies that went through the rapid response program were Smart Paper and Diversapack. Smart Paper is laying off 200 people and Diversapack is laying off 175. Pella, Jim Beam and Mohawk Paper were a few other companies who went through rapid

response before laying off employees in 2011.

“Over the past five years, we have seen a steady decline,” Leonard said. “At the third quarter of last year, we were almost at 9 percent unemployment.”

At the end of last year, we were at the highest [level of] unemployment.”

Stewart leonard

BUSINESS REPRESENTATIVE FOR WORK FORCE ONE

Perception and experiences vary. Statistically, based on the information supplied by Terez, the unemployment rate is down.

Looking at individual businesses, however, may cause a different perception. Oxford has seen new businesses open up and expand,

Sexual threats abound as man is arrested Around 11:30 p.m. Saturday, Oxford officers responded to Brick Street Bar and Grill for an intoxicated male who refused to leave after being asked by staff. The male was identified as Aaron Willis Mace who had four active warrants through the Oxford Police Department. Mace was taken to the Oxford Police Department and searched. In the right hip pocket of his undershorts, police officers found a small baggy with a white rock substance that appeared to be crack cocaine. A field test on the substance tested positive for cocaine. The sample is being sent to a crime lab for further analysis.

While in custody, Mace made volatile comments to officers, saying that once he got free he would have sex with the officers’ wives and mothers.

After being moved to a police cruiser for transport to the Butler County Jail, Mace told officers that after he got out in three years, he would have sex with the officers’ wives, mothers and daughters. Mace also said the Butler County Jail “was his home” and he does what he wants there.

with the city [to open up] so we really don’t know how many employees they have.”

Kyger also said the city does not require individual business figures to be released, so most people really do not have access specific statistics.

Ohio loses billions due to smoking

Driver blows .180 after damaging car Around 2:30 a.m. Sunday, an Oxford police officer responded to a hit-skip crash near the intersection of Spring and Main streets. Upon arrival, the officer was told that a tan SUV had driven away and turned into an alley or driveway. The car on the scene had significant damage and debris was in the road from both that car and a tan vehicle. There was fluid leaking and a trail going in the direction the SUV was believed to have traveled. The officer followed the trail to a parking lot where he found a tan and gold SUV with damage. A wheel of the SUV was off the axel and turned sideways, according to police reports.

The officer observed several open containers of beer in the vehicle. A male, identified as 19-year-old Brandon Greene, said he had been driving the SUV and didn’t know where he was, but had come to an apartment building to keep warm. Greene had slurred speech and bloodshot eyes.

When officers asked him to perform field sobriety tests, Greene told them “I’ll admit it, I’m intoxicated.”

Greene then failed multiple field sobriety tests. After being taken to the Oxford Police Department, Greene consented to a breath test and blew a .180, more than twice the legal limit.

Greene was cited for operating a vehicle without reasonable control, failure to stop, underage possession of alcohol and OVI.

according to Alan Kyger, which helps the economy.

“We have been fortunate in Oxford in 2010 and 2011, we have had far more businesses open up and expand then close,” Kyger said.

“Businesses don’t have to register

By Kevin Blank

For The Miami Student

CATHERINE COURETAS THE MIAMI STUDENT

A MANNEQUIN CAN SING? Andrew McMahon, lead singer of “Jack’s Mannequin” performs Saturday night at Bogart’s in Cincinnati.

McMahon was also the lead singer for “System of a Down”.

Board of Education picks new president

By Catherine Ubry Staff Writer

The Talawanda Board of Education has elected a new president to office. Mark Butterfield, eight-year member of the board, took office starting Jan. 9.

Butterfield, a graduate of Talawanda High School and Miami University, has been a long-time citizen of Oxford as well as a member of he Board of Education.

Butterfield graduated from Talawanda High School and went to Miami University. He lives in Oxford and was first elected to the board is 2003. He previously served as vicepresident of the board.

As for large changes possibly occurring in the district this year, Butterfield said the district’s main goal will be to continue the high academic performance of the schools.

“We will be bringing in the new high school, which will be an obvious agenda item on the list making sure it closes out appropriately and on budget,” Butterfield said.

“There is a lot of activity with legislation that we must keep our eye on how it will effect financial structure as well.”

Holli Morrish, director of

communications and public relations for the Talawanda Board of Education, said via email that Butterfield is highly respected in the community.

“I have been told by community members that they ‘appreciate him very much’ because they feel ‘he understands what they want and because he is one of them’,” Morrish said.

Butterfield will be responsible for managing board meetings, along

“We are elected by citizens of the school district and our main objective is to oversee the operations of the school to monitor the fiscal status and make sure it’s performing correctly,” Butterfield said. “We have to make sure things like required bonds and levies are taken care of.”

Morrish added via email, “It is important to have leadership from the community at large, but also from the business community. It is important to have multiple perspec-

It is important to have multiple perspectives in public education that help represent the many different families and students.” holli morrish

TALAWANDA SPOKESPERSON

with other executive duties, such as signing contracts and developing and planning monthly business.

The President will meet with the Superintendent and Treasurer, serve as the primary spokesperson for the Board, and will also work with the schools’ administration to determine what is best for the students, staff, and community, according to Morrish.

tives in public education that help represent the many different families and students.”

Miami University sophomore Courtney Bowers said, “I know there’s a new high school opening up in Talawanda soon so I definitely think this will be good for the district with it being such a big year and all. It will be good to start off the year fresh.”

Ohio received an “F” on the American Lung Association report card for 2011. The state was lacking on the amount of money spent on tobacco prevention and cessation for the year.

The state of Ohio spent just 2.1 percent of what the Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends states spend on tobacco prevention.

Ohio spent less on tobacco prevention than any other state except for New Jersey, according to the report.

The American Lung Association estimated that Ohio lost around $9 billion on issues caused by the use of tobacco, according to their annual “State of Tobacco Control” report. Furthermore, the state has a 22.5% adult smoking rate and 18,590 deaths in 2011 attributed to smoking. The report claims that the state spent little of their $3 million total funding by the state and federal government given for preventing and controlling smoking “The state has spent no money on tobacco prevention and cessation, this is what really drives smoking rates up,” Shelly Kiser, spokesperson for the American Lung Association in Ohio said.

Kiser believes the cigarette tax that went into effect in 2009 could be a way to clean up the mess and get Ohio back above a passing grade.

“Five percent of the current ciga-

The state has spent no money on tobacco prevention.”

Shelly kiser

SPOKESPERSON, AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION

rette tax would be enough to fund tobacco prevention and cessation in the state,” Kiser said.

Kiser also thought it would be wise to tax other forms of tobacco the same as cigarettes. Young adults from the ages of 18-24 are being targeted to use other forms of tobacco such as hookah, cigarillos, cigars, chew and dip.

“If the state were to raise the tax on these forms of tobacco, it would be highly beneficial and motivate at least some of the users to quit,” Kisey said.

Students seem to be taken aback by the poor grade given to Ohio.

“I was surprised since Ohio is such a big state,” Miami University senior Emma Mestler said.

“I would have assumed it would have been more capable of spending a decent amount of money on smoking prevention.”

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Editor MEGAN MCGILL

ARTS@miamistudent.net

TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2012

Award-winning author visits Miami

Wordless actor enlightens and entertains theater department

By Lorraine Boissoneault

Senior Staff Writer

For The Miami Student

“The fiction writer is usually the kid who grew up with 10 million questions and had a parent or relative who would end up finally answering their questions with, ‘Because I said so, that’s why,’” said Amina Gautier, author and professor of English at DePaul University.

If her lifelong affinity for writing and her success in the upper echelons of literary society are any indication, Gautier herself probably had at least one relative who would offer this response after her hundredth question of the day.

The 2011 winner of the prestigious Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction, Gautier will be visiting Miami University at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 2 inArt Building 100 to read from her short story collection At-Risk.

At-Risk vividly renders the lives of teens who, for one reason or another, fall into the category that the book takes its name from.

“The stories are set when I was a child, the 1980s and early 1990s, with Ronald Reagan and George Bush and the Cold War, Gulf War, the war on drugs,” Gautier said.

Although she does not

think it necessary for writers to always write with the goal of exposing society’s flaws, Gautier did choose to confront some of the social issues she noticed as a child in this particular collection.

A native of Brooklyn, New York, Gautier began writing when she was in elementary school, winning awards throughout her time in primary education.

“I started out as a poet, and when I started at Stanford [University] I knew I wanted to be a writer and thought I wanted to stay a poet,” Gautier said. “Then I took a fiction course and realized that was where my true love lies, that I was far more interested in characterization and dialogue and plot than in images.”

Another decision Gautier had to make was the form to pursue in her writing: short story or the novel. While the former is much more commonly imitated and analyzed in undergraduate and graduate writing programs, the novel is typically more marketable and reaches a wider audience.

“I thought from looking at peers and colleagues that it was formulaic to expect someone who’d been reading and studying short stories to all of a sudden turn out a novel,” Gautier said. “A novel isn’t a longer short story, it’s a completely different form.

I’d have to study that just as intensely to be able to do it well.”

That’s not to say that Gautier hasn’t been prolific in her chosen form. At this point in her career, she’s published over 70 stories and won numerous grants and awards.

The secret to her success is twofold: never cater to the whims of the market and always produce at least ten polished stories before submitting any for publication. Both are tricks she has learned from experience and writing mentors.

“I published my first story during my first year as a Ph.D student at Kent. It was awesome, you think, ‘Wow, I just entered a business negotiation,’” Gautier said. “And you see a hundred more just like that one. Then it took another year before I’d been accepted again.”

Her dedication to the craft was heartily rewarded when she received the Flannery O’Connor award.

“I was on a plane and flying back from a conference, and when I landed I had all these phone calls from the same person telling me that I’d won, and at my apartment I had two or three emails as well,” Gautier said. “Tears came to my eyes, I called my mom, and yes, I was a writer before, but now I’m an author.”

By Christina Casano

Last week, the Department of Theater and School of the Fine Arts welcomed Avner Eisenberg for three days of workshops, class visits and a public show.

Known as Avner the Eccentric, Eisenberg is a movement specialist who has studied and performed worldwide in television, film and on stage. He’s best known for playing the Jewel in The Jewel of the Night.

Eisenberg’s work is done through wordless expression and manipulation of the body, including facial expressions and subtle hand and foot movements.

Russ Blain, an assistant professor in the Department of Theater, worked with Eisenberg briefly a number of years ago.

“He’s an actor, a magician or an illusionist, and he is a clown … to put it all together: he’s a master of physical comedy,” Blain said.

According to Blain, Eisenberg visited classes of both theater majors and non-majors.

“I asked him to speak briefly about his career and do a presentation about characterization and movement choices,” Blain said.

Abbey Bussy, a sophomore journalism major said, “He did half-lecture and halfdemonstration and showed us some videos of his other performances. It was pretty amazing what he could do.”

In a two-hour workshop, Eisenberg taught theater students how to apply

movement to their work.

About 25 theater students were able to work with Eisenberg on action, posture and movement techniques, first watching his demonstration and then practicing with a partner.

“We started with breathing and posture, and how to own the space in relation to acting. It was all about how to

It’s amazing what you can do without words.

He did the whole thing without speaking, and I was okay with that.”

ERIN MISZER THEATER MAJOR

use breathing to connect with the audience,” Steph Niro, a second-year theater major, said. “As people we’re all really defensive. If you walk up really close to someone, they twitch … we have this self-preservation bubble, and we learned that you need to break it down to connect with the audience. And it all stems from breathing.”

According to Niro, the workshop was a great experience that helped her discover what she needs to work on as an actor.

Friday night’s show, Avner the Eccentric: Exceptions to Gravity was enjoyed by all ages, ranging from theatre students and staff to local Oxford families. Eisenberg used props and his clothing as characters in the show.

Eisenberg moved objects around the stage, focused on rhythm and tempo with

5

a short soundtrack and expressed the ability to use everything around him to create the show, including the audience itself.

Eisenberg came into the house to interact with the specific members of the audience. He made the entire audience into a choir, which he conducted towards the end of the show.

For theater students, the show was a way to explore options in theatre.

Erin Mizer, a theater major, discussed her interest in the word-less show: “It’s amazing what you can do without words. He did the whole thing without speaking, and I was okay with that.”

Robert Stimmel, another theater major, expressed his interest as an actor.

“It really opened my eyes to classic physical comedy.

I used to watch The Three Stooges when I was younger, and [the show] reminded me of it. It’s something I want to explore.”

According to Blain, Eisenberg’s visit was a great opportunity for students. “[Eisenberg]’s very effective in what he knows, a great teacher. It’s a rare opportunity for students to learn these skills from someone who knows what they’re doing,” Blain said.

Eisenberg’s visit to Miami was made possible by the Cromer-Flory Artist-in-Residence Fund, an endowment given in honor of two alumni who studied the arts while at Miami. The fund brings in artists every year alternating between the music and theatre departments.

Fan support leads to online success for student musician CONTRIBUTED BY CORBIN MATHIAS

A CAPPELLA FILLS HALL AUDITORIUM

A cappella groups from neighboring schools such as Bowling Green State University and Wittenberg University performed at Hall Auditorium Saturday night. The Cheezies teamed up with James Madison’s Exit 245 for a rendition of John Legend’s “This Time”.

Art helps to heal local patients

By Emily Ketterer

For The Miami Student

“Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life,” Picasso said. McCulloughHyde Memorial Hospital is doing just that and more with its second annual Healing Art project. For the past year, it has been displaying artwork by local artists throughout its halls in order to promote healing and wellness.

Walk through the halls of McCullough-Hyde and you notice little glimpses everywhere of pure local talent.

Immediately at the nurses’ desk, a lively, vibrant jazz scene greets visitors. Wander down the hall and warm sunny watercolors intertwine with hauntingly beautiful photography. What is so exciting about the exhibit is its mingling with daily life and the function it serves as a healing conduit.

Looking around, paintings, watercolors and photographs from local artists begin to catch the eye and add depth to a space that could easily be sparse and cold. It’s hard to imagine what the hospital would look like a little over a year ago, without these artworks brightening and enlivening its halls.

Julie Nickell, the director of development at McCulloughHyde, has been thrilled with the response. Despite not having hard statistics on how much it has helped patients, Nickell is confident in the change it has made in the hospital.

“It has been a huge success,” Nickell said. “We can tell just by how many people have commented on the artworks.”

Nickell also cited The Society for the Arts in Healthcare as their main resource for literature on how the arts can help in the healing process.

Despite not being able to be reached for comment on the topic, The Society for the Arts in Healthcare’s website said, “Arts in healthcare is a diverse, multidisciplinary field dedicated to transforming the healthcare experience by connecting people with the power of the arts at key moments in their lives.”

McCullough-Hyde’s project currently includes 60 pieces, all from local artists.

However, they are looking to change out the collection and are calling on artists within a 50-mile radius to submit new entries for this year’s exhibit.

The submission deadline is March 12.

Artist Nancy Nordloch

Neville will be judging the artworks and several pieces will be for sale for $5,000 in Purchase Awards. The Purchase Awards are given to up to seven pieces that will be purchased for the hospital’s permanent collection.

“Not only will area artists be able to display and sell their work to a large new audience, they’ll have the opportunity to compete for the Purchase Awards,” Jean Vance, who is helping to manage the exhibit, said.

Sydney Fiedler, a recent visitor to McCullough-Hyde, was impressed by the quality of the artwork.

“I was really surprised to see how beautiful, interesting and unique every image was,” Fiedler said. “ They really make the hospital more homey and comfortable.”

Artists interested in submitting their work may contact Jean Vance at jeanvanceartist@msn.com. Those interested in sponsoring a Purchase Award to enhance the hospital’s permanent collection should contact Julie Nickell at 513-664-3850, or jnickell@mhmh.org.

A Healing Art Exhibit Opening Reception for the public and to introduce the artists and their work is scheduled for April 27.

By Claire Krieger

Senior Staff Writer

Miami University senior Adam Saxe recently had the opportunity of a lifetime.

He competed for a chance to be one of the opening acts for pop artist Andy Grammer in his upcoming concert in Chicago.

Saxe is double majoring in psychology and music. He is a member of the Miami University Men’s Glee Club and the Cheezies. Saxe cites both of these groups and their members as being creative influences, an awesome support system and fan base, and really helpful in promoting him and the various gigs he plays around Miami’s campus and in Oxford.

This fall, Saxe, along with a few other Miami students, played a gig in Uptown Park over Parents’ Weekend. He has also played shows in the past at places like Brick Street Bar and Grill and Stadium Bar and Grille and has also been hired by some fraternities and sororities to play private parties.

The competition in which Saxe was recently involved was held by topblip.com. The winner of the competition is to perform a two or three song set on stage before Grammer’s opening act.

Saxe heard about the contest and was unsure whether or not he wanted to enter at first.

He decided to, and the video that he submitted garnered so many votes that after the preliminary round, it was seeded No. 1 in a 64-slot tournament

bracket. From this point on, voting was decided by the fans, topblip.com and Andy Grammer himself.

Each round, the competitors would face a different opponent head-to-head and would be eliminated if they did not win at least two out of the three votes. Each group had one vote to cast. So, if a contestant got the fan’s vote, he/she would still need to win

staggering, which just shows that I had a lot of support. It had to do with four people’s opinions, not the opinions of the entire Miami campus,” Saxe said.

The publicity that his video submissions are getting him is another reason for Saxe to stay positive. He is not in contact with a record producer in Indiana, his video was the site’s top viewed video for the

I think that the competition was really a great opportunity for Adam to get his name out there, as well as a chance to promote some of his music to a larger audience.”

COLIN PETRELLO

MIAMI STUDENT

either topblip.com’s vote or Grammer’s vote in order to move on to the next round.

Saxe had a bye during the first round and automatically moved on to the second round. He moved through the next two rounds without much trouble at all. In the third round, however, Saxe hit a speed bump.

With 16 competitors left, things were looking good for Saxe. He was winning the fan vote against his competitors and said he was “cautiously optimistic” about his chances.

Unfortunately, even though Saxe did win the fans’ vote, Grammer and topblip.com both cast their votes in favor of Saxe’s opponent for that round, which left him out of the running in the competition.

Saxe said winning the fan vote was definitely encouraging.

“The point differential was

week, and the website is giving him $50 to treat himself to some new headphones.

Miami sophomore Colin Petrello said, “I think that the competition was really a great opportunity for Adam to get his name out there, as well as a chance to promote some of his music to a larger audience. It was also cool to see the amazing support from the fan base he already has.”

“I definitely don’t regret [entering the competition].

Everything that came out of it was positive,” said Saxe, “I never thought that my video would get 10,000 views in four days.”

Saxe is very thankful to everyone who supported him and voted for him. Look for his name in the future because it seems like he may be destined for stardom.

6

OPINION

Editors Noëlle Bernard ORIANA PAWLYK

TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2012

editorial@miamistudent.net

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Farmer School of Business could pioneer change

PATRICK GEYSER THE MIAMI STUDENT

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

Miami dining halls should make amount of food proportional to price Penny-pinching is not the only concern Miami University students face in the various dining halls around campus — now, cost-cutting measures are impacting food portion sizes.

Various dining halls are trying to cut down on portion size, specifically those with entrees that have meat as part of the recipe. These include the stir-fry and Mexican food stations, and students are noticing a difference.

It would be remiss of this board to complain about serving sizes at dining halls without acknowledging the very real food shortages across Butler County, let alone in the United States and in various parts of the world. These deserve more attention and effort than this issue.

As a group, students are relatively nourished, sometimes over nourished. The issue here is that dining services is just being miserly.

Students are already paying

The dining hall food is expensive and meal plans should not be a way for the university to take advantage of students. Unfortunately, students living on campus are required to get a meal plan, and if they wish to opt out, they have to pay a fee regardless.

enough to attend this university, and should not be nickel and dimed when just trying to eat a meal.

The editorial board of The Miami Student believes students have the ability and choice to control what and how much they eat, but the dining halls shouldn’t pick a lowest common denominator for what will fill students up. What and how much we order should be proportional to what we pay for. The dining hall food is expensive and meal plans should not be a way for the university to take advantage of

the students.

Unfortunately, students living on campus are required to get a meal plan, and if they wish to opt out, they have to pay a fee regardless.

Therefore, the university should care about the outcomes and welfare of the students, and meal plans and dining services should also cater to these needs.

Even if the case is that dining halls are losing money, the approach should still be oriented toward the people who are utilizing their dining service.

When you’re finished reading

The Miami Student,

Sixty years ago, I was likely either stumbling into, or out of Mac & Joes, also surviving digs — Miami University’s long gone “green mansions” and Sunday night’s raisin and carrot sandwiches, no jest — not like any student residence currently present on this graceful campus.

Nevertheless, I persevered, and thanks to some of Miami’s then benevolent faculty, not only survived to see Miami become my alma mater, but scored both the MBA and the chance to initiate at Miami a university teaching career that subsequently spanned 25 years in major research universities, plus another dozen years as a corporate division president, entrepreneur and CEO. Intro only, the point of the letter is to transparently acknowledge reference to Miami, its Farmer School of Business, and the latter’s Dean Roger Jenkins in my most recent education blog: www.edunationredux.blogspot. com. Dialogues with the accomplished Dr. Jenkins have been interesting to delightful; Miami is lucky to have this asset.

To cut to the chase, the most

recent dialogue was about leveraging Miami’s solid undergraduate platforms by asserting national leadership in focusing even more fully, and with innovation, on its classroom learning protocols and performance measurement. Once viewed almost with contempt — it still persists — by university faculty, understanding how learning occurs in the classroom and in blended learning is not only applicable to K-12 but to higher education as well.

Outside our bubbles, higher education is starting to feel the hot breath of ideologues that see in higher education costs and learning performance deficits, and the next quarry beyond K-12’s alleged reform. A way to deflect what can be observed happening to US K-12, is to execute the need for self-reform that public K-12 education refused to recognize decades ago.

The Farmer School of Business, with some 4,000 plus undergraduates, seems a viable place to elevate the learning game.

Ronald Willett

rwillett@nktelco.net

More education needed on sexual assault I would like to take a moment to commend and recognize the bravery of an overlooked group of individuals. This is a collection of men and women from all walks of life from every ethnicity and every city. This is a group of people that are often ignored and taken for granted. In Jan. 17, The Miami Student ran a political cartoon that made light of this group’s experience. The group I am referring to includes survivors of rape and sexual assault.

The cartoon depicts two policemen, one from Oxford, one from New York City, at a bar comparing their daily troubles. The NYC policeman mentions a rape, while the Oxford policeman addresses underage drinking. The comic of this nature not only devalues a substantial portion of our population, but it also misleads the audience. Rape is a serious problem on every college campus, includ-

ing Miami University. In the most recent edition of The Miami Student, multiple instances of sexual assault were reported. Moreover, the report only occupied a small corner of the newspaper.

This is the beginning of a very important dialogue.

MARS, an on campus men’s group, would like to recognize the incredible strength exhibited by every survivor. The statistics may surprise you: roughly 25 percent of college-aged women will experience sexual assault, attempted or successful. These crimes do not occur only in the alleys of New York City, they happen here in Oxford, Ohio. This is a salient topic that deserves our attention. Groups, like MARS, advocate beginning the conversation: one person at a time.

Kit Hinders

hinderka@muohio.edu

Rule of Thumb Wildcats are sore losers They took cheap shots and tried to incite violence during Saturday’s hockey game. At least the RedHawks know how to win with dignity.

Sanjay Gupta’s visit

please recycle!

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

EDITORIAL BOARD Sam Kay Editor in Chief

JUSTIN REASH COMMUNITY Editor

Bethany Bruner News Editor

Lauren Ceronie Campus Editor

Noëlle Bernard Editorial Editor

Jenn Smola Campus Editor

ORIANA PAWLYK Editorial Editor

JM RIEGER Sports Editor

It was great having an acclaimed CNN anchor speak at the university about his experiences covering medical issues.

Flower Hall missing a column Some students need to enroll in anger management courses. Or maybe The Incredible Hulk is running loose on campus.

Parent’s night for hockey team We are so happy so many parents came to support their players. Too bad they had to witness Northern Michigan’s immature fighting tactics.

MEGAN MCGILL Arts and entertainment

Gavin DeGraw concert All letters must be signed in order to be printed. Please send letters via e-mail to: editorial@miamistudent.net We reserve the right to edit for length, content and clarity.

We are excited to have such a high profile artist sing in Oxford, but tickets sold out way too fast.

www.miamistudent.net

ESSAY

TUESDAY, january 31, 2012 OP ED

7

NOëlle’s Notions

IAN JOYCE JOYCEIH@muohio.edu

NOëlle BERNARD

Valentine’s Day more than Hallmark event

Miami needs to look beyond race so students can live above stigma of affirmative action

I realize it is two weeks away, but it is my only chance to speak out on that date which usually haunts our thoughts: Feb. 14. “Oh gosh,” you think, “here it is. The annual date in my culture when I realize my bankruptcy of having no true love in my life.”

Teddy bears, rose pedals, “sweetheart” and chocolate candies — paid for dinners under candlelit ambience and red fluffy hearts. These are the images which permeate our vision when that word is uttered: Valentine’s Day. The ideal is that it is a day when boys temporarily ask girls to be their valentine. Yet, it often happens that girls who are deprived of such notice ask their best friend to be their valentine in subsequent loneliness.

It is asserted on Valentine’s Day that we want love; a certain kind of love. The teddy bears and heartshaped containers filled with sweet chocolates we exchange certainly symbolize the softness we desire to have in love; the fluffy emotions and pleasures which we have associated with the word love — the “feel good happiness” we desire, deep down, to experience and have.

It seems this is the love boys dish out in words and action and, subsequently, the love girls look for. In our culture’s form of Valentine’s Day, it seems love could be increasingly described by the word “infatuation” rather than love.

Where are the men who will boldly give women true love, and who will seek to know what true love is so they can give it? And where are the women who will humbly receive true love and not settle for anything less? It is so much more than just a passing “I love you” statement on a Valentine’s Day card. Real love is much deeper than the “butterflies” in our stomach, and is much more passionate than any kiss. Love does not refuse to wait; love is patient.

Love is filled with honor and respect for its recipient, a respect that is deeply sacred and kind; it is not a selfish seeking of romantic desires but a willing, self-sacrifice to impart the highest joy within the life of another.

True Love is far removed from Valentine’s Day ideals of light, indulgent, sentimental softness which is divorced from moral standards and concerns. Love is laced with discipline similar to a father disciplining a son to make him more loveable.

And love is made complete in justice by rebuking that which is ever wicked and unlovely. It is in these moments of True Love’s complexity in which we scamper and object, because we do not feel happy in this concept of True Love.

And we never will unless we understand True Love. For True Love will never be made complete in us and we can never impart true, selfless joy in another if we do not receive it in its full complexity.

There was, however, a day which has long past from today, in which True Love was not bound to the superficial, fluffy hugging of teddy bears but to the deep splintered wood of a cross. There was a day when True Love made a compassionate, willing self-sacrifice to impart forever the highest joy to a people who made themselves uncompassionate, willing enemies of everything that encompasses True Love.

And I suppose that a great feat of mankind is convincing ourselves with pride that we have somehow advanced above that level of superficiality today. Our greatest feat is in saying we somehow understand True Love Himself, and need receive none of it personally, because surely we are not enemies to it but are indeed “loveable enough.”

Rather, it is in receiving the gift of True Love and humbly allowing it to change us, when we finally turn to being the sons and daughters of True Love and graciously giving it back to a world around us which desperately, desperately needs it.

As I reluctantly embrace my last semester at Miami University, I find myself reflecting on the past three years. When I arrived to the cobbled roads and red bricks, I was bitter and resentful. My first college choice was Lehigh University, but they were stingy with their scholarship money. I was so ready to climb the hills of Bethlehem, Pa. in a crowd of people whom I believed shared my academic drive and stake in diversity. But things never go as planned and in the fall of 2008, my parents dropped me off in front of Clawson Hall promising that this was my best fit. It’s not often that I admit to my parents’ wisdom but now I can bear their incessant “I told you so.”

They were right; Miami opened so many doors for me and has given me my most cherished memories.

At the same time, Miami has failed me. As a woman of color, everyday I’m reminded that my race brought me here.

I will admit that I checked “African American” on all of my college applications because it is a known fact that American universities seek racial diversity. My heritage is an instant win for any university to acquire my application. On paper, all I am is a black girl with a high GPA, and I accepted this because it guaranteed my spot. But I was naïve when I made those senseless decisions. I had no idea that I would forever face the draining task of explaining my worth beyond the color of my skin. You see, colleges are eager for black women like me, who were extremely vocal and active in all high school activities. College admissions directors praised my achievements and I

embraced each accolade without any hesitation. But now, I wish that I never checked that race box. Perhaps, I wouldn’t be here today? If I didn’t check that box, I would have to defend my right to be studying at Miami. I wouldn’t receive the nickname “Token” from ignorant peers. Moreover, I wouldn’t have to argue with friends about the “injustice” of the college admission process. Instead, I could honestly say that I arrived to Miami based on merit not my skin color.

I recently read a riveting piece, “I’m Just A Person,” by 16-yearold Charissa Newkirk posted in the high school section of The Huffington Post. Newkirk is a junior embarking on the tedious task of applying to colleges. What she found is what I wish I realized when I was her age. In her blog post, she expresses her disgruntlement about colleges looking at her as an asset because of her race. She says, “Why can’t I be judged as a person? I want to be known for my hard work and dedication, not being smart ‘for a black person.’ Being a certain race is a coincidence; it is chance (I would know, I just studied genetics in [Advanced Placement] Biology). We don’t choose our color … Does being white mean that you get the short end of the stick when it comes to college?”

I agree with Newkirk but I want to make the point that diversity is extremely important. Since being at Miami, I’ve witnessed a huge amount of racial ignorance.

For many of my classmates, I am the first student of color they have encountered in a classroom. To them, I am the “token”

minority and the chosen one to be the voice from my race. In my opinion, it is important for students to be exposed to a vast number of ethnicities because eventually they will be working in the world shaping policies. Exposure to diversity needs to be celebrated but not at the expense of a racial group feeling isolated because they

ERIN KILLINGER

appease a university’s diversity quota.

Why should the color of my skin determine my acceptance into a university? Moreover, why should I feel like my academic accomplishments are better because I happen to have more melanin in my skin than the student next to me? This is a case of academic racism, where the color of one’s skin determines the acceptance into the academic world. When I leave Miami, I wish that I had the confidence to say that my race is secondary to my

intellect. But I know this is cyclic. Now that I’m applying to jobs, I know that in an interview my race will be a determining factor. I understand the claim that universities and the

workplace need to resemble a nonhomogenous world, but I am more than just a “black person” to be added to the university’s diversity statistics.

Although I offer a unique outlook on THE MIAMI STUDENT life because of my heritage, I don’t want to be forced into that “African American” box with all of its stigmas that follow. I am forcibly separated, no wonder I view the world differently than my Caucasian classmates. While Miami tries to recruit more multicultural students, I want to challenge them to remember that even though multiple races enhance pamphlets, newsletters and statistical data, a valuable education is only achieved when each student feels comfortable in his or her own skin.

PERCEIVING REALITY KARLI KLOSS

OU vs. Miami could be compared to today’s ignorant discussion of Republican vs. Democrat Some of you probably watched the Ohio University, “haters-behatin’” video posted last week on The Miami Student’s website.

While many students may have been surprised about this fiercely channeled controversy, I have had the pleasure of being verbally assaulted in Athens during every visit over the past four years. Like an American claiming Canadian citizenship while traveling abroad, it is not safe to pledge “Love and Honor” around these full-time partiers, part-time students unless you’re looking for a smack down.

My best friends from high school are all Bobcats, and they never miss a chance to make a crack about our Greek city-state.

When I’ve visited Athens, I’ve literally been booed at for claiming allegiance to our school. They consider this normal, though few know any Miamians. When my friends visit Miami, they clutch their plastic Solo cups for dear life thinking someone must have a well-hidden shiv. They are always surprised when not one person here gives them flak for going to OU. Taking aside the fact that a “Miami bro” is virtually indistinguishable from an “OU bro,” and I have yet to meet a college kid of the 21st century that doesn’t own a North Face, their one-sided rivalry

is emblematic of something more important regarding today’s topic.

There are so many instances in which people choose to act without fully understanding a situation or giving background research its due diligence. As a poorly disguised segue, I’m talking about things bigger than the fact that green and red apparently only work together on Christmas.

This year, we face another presidential election. While calling it historic would be a bit of a stretch, the importance of it should not be lost on anyone. The ad campaigns and mud slinging are starting to trickle out of the PAC faucet, but soon enough, the deluge will be upon us. These advertisements have little do with issues or even facts: they are psychologically tailored, emotionally charged and produced from the top marketing firms.

Primary elections are one of the more irritating processes in modern American government. The candidates put on a circus — yet the country watches in fascination as they try to out-do each other.

You should absolutely vote in the primaries, but a more important issue than casting your vote is to actually research those people you are voting for.

I don’t care if you are a Greenpeace-supporting, pot-smoking

WRITERS WANTED.

Truth be told, I don’t care if you support Obama or have one of those phone apps that count down to the day his term in office ends, so long as you know why you should or should not support him. You cannot make an intelligent decision about how you think Obama is handling Middle East foreign policy if you can’t point out Iraq or Afghanistan on a map. hippie or a Bible-thumping, Federal Reserve-hating Libertarian — every one of you can benefit from learning more about the issues, the problems and the potential policy changes that will affect our country given one candidate over another.

I’ve been making this plea for three years, and I’ll do so again today: actively learn more. Always strive to know more about anything and everything you come into contact with. Our college is more conservative than most, and anti-Obamaism is rampant. Truth be told, I don’t care if you support Obama or have one of those phone apps that count down to the day his term in office ends, so long as you know why you should or should not support him. You cannot make an intelligent decision about how you think Obama is handling Middle East foreign policy if you can’t point out Iraq or

Afghanistan on a map. Likewise, you cannot support a Republican trying to cut taxes on the wealthiest Americans unless you understand all the short and long term ramifications of such an action.

Small ideas and opinions can give way to big ideas and potential problems. There are so many students I know who hate our president with the same disgust OU-ians hate us. But is that fair?

If you have legitimate reasons for supporting a change in office (and even a dyed in the wool liberal like myself can see that perspective) then I support every vote cast in the hopes of fixing this country’s myriad problems. But to those of you who are content with making choices without understanding the extent of their effects, you need to put this liberal education to good use and start applying research and insight in every place you can.

The MiamiStudent is looking for beat reporters and staff writers.

E-mail news@miamistudent.net for more information.

8

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SPORTS

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2012 brian gallagher

GALLAGHER’S GOING FOR TWO

coach creates blueprint for program success Miami University prides itself on the moniker “Cradle of Coaches.” This of course refers to the many coaches such as Paul Brown, Ara Parseghian and Bo Schembechler who got their start here before going on to bigger and better things at other universities.

However, there is one coach (a recent inductee into the Cradle of Coaches) whose success has been defined by his time at Miami, not elsewhere.

Dave Jennings doesn’t have a statue, there isn’t a picture of him outside Yager Stadium and most students might not even know who he is. But as the women’s swim coach at Miami, to say he has been successful would be a massive understatement.

Since Jennings has been at the helm, the Miami women have won 15 Mid-American Conference (MAC) championships (‘83-’88, ‘96-’99, ‘02-’05, ‘09), and have only finished lower than second in five of his 30 seasons.

Under his tutelage, Miami has produced 32 NCAA qualifiers, eight Olympic Trials qualifiers, three Miami Female Athletes of the Year, as well as three NCAA All-Americans.

This does not even account for his 197 MAC individual/relay champions as well as his 237 (not a typo) dual-meet victories.

However, this column has a space limit, so it is hard to fit in all of the accomplishments that have occurred since Jennings took over in 1982.

One of his best moments in coaching has not come with a medal, trophy, or certificate.

“Certainly the ability to win a championship is important, but a lot of it is about the people,” Jennings said. “I’ve been very proud of what a lot of these women have gone on to do once they’ve left the university and to be a part of that development is special.”

Jennings came to Miami after coaching at Upper Arlington High

School from 1979-1982 following his graduation from Ashland University in 1978. Although he may have started from humble beginnings, he took no time in establishing Miami as the premier swimming program in the MAC. “At the end of the day, this has been a great position,” Jennings said. “Although it may not have the name recognition of some other, bigger schools, I’ve been able to achieve a lot of my goals as a coach here.”

Miami recognized Jennings’ accomplishments and elected him to the Hall of Fame in 1996 yet he continues to roam the pool deck. What could bring him back, coaching two practices a day (the first at 5 a.m.) after achieving so much already?

“I like the challenge of trying to get young people to do something they haven’t done before,” Jennings said. “I like the interaction and working with great kids makes it more tolerable waking up that early.”

In a day and age when coaches always seem to be searching for the bigger salary and using their success as a stepping-stone to something “better,” Jennings is the rare case who has established himself at a university and who continues what he has started.

Throughout his tenure, he has seen great athletes come and go, but the mentality that he tries to bestow in them remains the same.

“I try to instill on them that the process is more important than the outcome,” Jennings said. “It’s great to win, obviously, but it’s the things that you learn on a dayto-day basis that are essential.”

Coach Jennings’ legacy continues as he has fielded another strong team this year that is in action all winter long at the Corwin M. Nixon Aquatic Center.

In the meantime, I think someone should start working on that statue.

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MU picks up series split

BLAKE WILSON THE MIAMI STUDENT

Freshman forwardTyler Biggs celebrates Miami University’s sixth goal during their shutout win Saturday night against Northern Michigan University.The win keeps the ’Hawks tied for second place in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association.

By Tom Downey

For The Miami Student

The No.17 Miami University (MU) RedHawks split their series with No. 19 Northern Michigan University (NMU) over the weekend.

The Red and White lost the first game 2-1, despite outshooting the Wildcats 41-13 and committing zero penalties for the first time since 1997.

The team rebounded Saturday with a 6-0 victory in the second game, fueled in part by a four-goal third period.

The RedHawks allowed a season low 13 shots in the first game but were unable to capitalize as only freshman forward Blake Coleman managed to score.

Senior goalie Cody Reichard started the second game and earned his first victory since Nov. 26 when Miami defeated the University of Denver 4-2.

Reichard stopped all 16 shots he faced and earned his 12th career shutout, which ties Miami’s record for the shutouts in a career.

“It’s a pretty big honor with a lot of the guys that have played here before me, and I wouldn’t have gotten any of [the shutouts] without the guys in front of me,” Reichard said. “Every one of [the shutouts] that I have gotten has been part of the team, so credit to those guys.”

Junior forward Reilly Smith had an assist and a goal in the second game, his eighth and 19th of the year, respectively. The assist also marked Smith’s 100th career point, making him the 47th player in school history to reach the mark. He also accomplished this feat in only 107 games.

After not scoring since the first game of the year, freshman forward Alex Wideman scored not once but twice in the second game. It is his first career multi-goal game and also the first time he has recorded a game winner. Senior defensemen Chris Wideman assisted on his brother Alex’s second goal.

“It has been a while,” Alex Wideman said. “I’m just glad I was able to chip in and help the team.”

The RedHawks have struggled for most of the year on the power play, as they were 14-for-107 entering the second game.

However, the team scored twice on the power play as both Alex Wideman and Smith scored. It is the first time since Nov. 25 against Providence College that the team has scored twice on power plays in the same game. MU also killed all five NMU power play chances.

The second period of the final game ended with a skirmish, which saw freshman forward Tyler Biggs and junior forward Curtis McKenzie receive two minute minor penalties, while Northern Michigan would be

assessed three penalties.

The Red and White came out hot in the third period, as they scored four times, two of which came against NMU’s senior backup goalie Reid Ellingson. In addition to Smith and Wideman’s goals in the period, Biggs and senior forward Patrick Tiesling also scored.

The six goals ties a season high for most goals in a game while the six goal margin of victory is the highest the ’Hawks have had all year.

Coleman now has a career high three-game point streak. His two assists in the second game were also a career high.

Senior forward Matt Tomassoni also set a career high with two assists, while tying a career high for points in a game with two. Sophomore forward Bryon Paulazzo tied a career high with two points as well.

“I thought it was process-wise a pretty good weekend for us,” Head Coach Enrico Blasi said. “I thought all four lines contributed. I thought our defense played well; goaltending was pretty good all weekend. I like where our team is right now. Our team is ready for some kind of run here, so we’ll see what happens.”

The RedHawks will return to the ice next weekend as they travel to Ann Arbor, Mich. to take on the University of Michigan Wolverines in their final road series of the season.

’Hawks down Cardinals, pick up 16th win

By Brian Gallagher For The Miami Student

Staring at a rare deficit as they headed into the locker room following the first half, the Miami University women’s basketball team needed answers. But they found them quickly in their energy on both ends of the floor as the RedHawks (16-5, 6-2 Mid-American Conference (MAC)) rolled to a 72-61 victory over Ball State University in front of a home crowd at Millett Hall.

“I’m really proud of the way the team responded in the second half,” Head Coach Maria Fantanarosa said. “After playing an inconsistent first half, it was good that the players stepped up in the second half and played with confidence.”

Junior guard Courtney Osborn led all scorers with 27 points and was the difference for the team in the second half. Not only did she score 16 points in that half alone, but her presence was felt everywhere, from taking a charge on the defensive end to sealing the win with two free throws at the end of the game.

Senior guard Maggie Boyer also

added 15 points and senior forward Kirsten Olowinski dropped in 13 as the ’Hawks finished their first half of MAC play with a win.

While Miami was able to shoot 52.4 percent from the floor in the first half, they found themselves down 36-34 at the break. Ball State was able to capitalize on second chance points and the play of their bench, which outscored the ’Hawks 25-7 in the first half.

The RedHawks took their biggest lead of the half on a 6-0 run out of the gates after a three-pointer by Osborn but soon found themselves in a physical battle with a team that would not go away. At the 6:23 mark of the first half, the Cardinals had their biggest lead of the night at 30-22. However, the ’Hawks were able to hold Ball State to just one point in the last four minutes and clawed their way back to a twopoint deficit.

“We let them do what they wanted on offense a little bit in the first half,” Osborn said. “But towards the end of the half, we started playing better defense and started to dictate the game as opposed to the other way around.”

In the second half, the RedHawks

took the lead early on an Olowinski jumper to make it 38-36 at 18:44, and they never looked back. The lead ballooned to 59-49 with just over eight minutes remaining as the Miami defense began to take its toll on Ball State.

The Cardinals were able to cut the lead to five at 64-59 with 2:49 remaining, but Boyer and Osborn slammed the door and led the team — as they have done all season — down the stretch to a hard-earned victory.

“The team continued to compete throughout the game and that’s going to separate a lot of teams in the MAC,” Fantanarosa said. “But our focus will continue to be to stress the importance of fundamentals for all 40 minutes.”

Miami next heads to Central Michigan University Wednesday to face the Chippewas. But do not expect the mentality of the ’Hawks to change based simply on a change of venue.

“Defense and rebounding are our biggest focuses this year and we’re going to continue that,” Osborn said. “We are taking pride on defense and that’s what has been winning games for us.”