The Miami Student VOLUME 138 NO. 36
Oldest university newspaper in the United States, established 1826
Friday, February 4, 2011
MIAMI UNIVERSITY OXFORD, OHIO
In 1955, The Miami Student reported five new buildings were to be named: Scott Hall, Porter Hall, Dennison Hall, the administration building and the University Center.
City ordinance requires residents to clean sidewalks
EMILY ESPOSITO The Miami Student
Ice storm freezes campus ALLISON BACKOVSKI The Miami Student
Students brave the elements Tuesday and Wednesday. Classes were cancelled for most of Tuesday and all of Wednesday due to icy, windy weather.
By Erin Fischesser Editor in Chief
Students at Miami University enjoyed some unexpected time off Feb. 1 and 2 due to an ice storm, windy conditions and dangerous falling tree limbs and power lines. The people behind the decision to cancel classes at any of the university’s campuses serve on the Institutional Response Team (IRT). According to Claire Wagner, a member of the IRT and associate director of university communications, the committee relies on a number of sources to make decisions about whether or not classes should be canceled or campus should be closed. Wagner said the IRT makes decisions based on information from the National Weather Service, Butler County Emergency Management Agency and local weather forecasts. In addition, Wagner said the focus of the decision for the Oxford campus is based upon sidewalk conditions in the area. Tuesday, predictions for
improving conditions in the afternoon led the IRT to cancel classes until 11 a.m., allowing students to attend regular courses from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. and then canceling classes after 2 p.m. “Forecasts across the board were for warmer temperatures in the afternoon and less wind,” Wagner said. “That forecast seemed to be more for the area south of here.” Wagner said once the IRT heard reports of people slipping on the way to classes and difficulty keeping sidewalks safe, the decision to end classes for the day was made. While she said there was some confusion among students and staff about the cancellations Tuesday, her office received no calls Wednesday. “We use a variety of means of communication, so we hope everyone finds out in time,” Wagner said. Part of the confusion may have arisen from the difference between canceled classes and a closed campus. According to Wagner, when campus is closed, students and the majority of staff members are not ex-
Students play active role in hiring process By Chelsea Naughton Senior Staff Writer
Students in Miami University’s Department of Political Science might not have to check ratemyrofessors.com to find out if they will like the new instructors being hired. Instead, candidates for the job are presenting a mock lecture to their future students, according to Department Chair Steven DeLue. Students enrolled in political science classes have been invited to see a presentation from each candidate for a position in American policy and politics, after which they will be asked to give their opinion on each potential professor, DeLue said. The department followed a similar procedure when hiring a professor for public administration. The three candidates for the position presented a lecture to current public administration classes. DeLue said gathering student opinions has been practiced in other departments, but not in political science. However, DeLue said the political science department intends to use the process in the future. “It’s not really something we’ve done in the past,” DeLue said. “ … candidates primarily had come to give a scholarly talk to the faculty, which we still do.” DeLue stressed the importance of hiring scholarly candidates and hav-
ing students involved in the process. While student input is only one factor in the hiring process, DeLue said what students think will be highly influential in overall decision making. “If the students said it was the most boring person they ever heard, we would weigh that factor very, very heavily,” DeLue said. “We don’t want to bring into the department people that the students think ill of.” First-year Marvin McPherson, a political science major, said including students in the hiring process is beneficial. “I think it’s a really good idea because these are the people we have to learn from in the future, so it makes sense that students have a say in who will be teaching them,” McPherson said. DeLue said students who have not been able to see a presentation still have a chance to voice their opinion when the final candidates for the American politics and policy position lecture at an undecided time in the coming weeks. McPherson said he hopes allowing students to help choose their instructors becomes more common in other departments across campus. “I hope they keep doing it in the future and that it’s something they spread into other departments because students learn so much better from professors they feel they relate to,” McPherson said.
pected to follow their regular schedules. When classes are canceled, staff members are still expected to perform their regular daily duties. For staff members of Student Health Services, however, the distinction is not necessary. “We’re considered part of the essential or emergency staff,” said Assistant Vice President of Student Health Services Gail Walenga. According to Walenga, the student health center is open during campus closures. The health center was open Tuesday and Wednesday beginning at around 8 a.m. depending on staff arrivals. “When there is an emergency like that, we’re open from 8 (a.m.) to 5 (p.m.),” Walenga said. “We did our best to accommodate all of the students who came in.” Walenga said the health center saw 125 students Tuesday, and only one student who suffered a slip-andfall injury due to ice. She said the center was on track to fill all of its appointments again Wednesday. At McCullough-Hyde Memorial
Hospital emergency room staff was not keeping tabs on the number of slip-and-all injuries, but estimates the number of patients they have treated in that area has been lower this year. Walegna said severe winter weather can be dangerous to students in other ways as well, including injuries from sledding and extreme cold. “The one thing I’ve always encouraged students to do is to make sure they are dressed appropriately,” Walenga said. “Make sure you keep your body covered as best as you can.” Walenga said if students do believe they experienced frostbite, they should be very careful and call the emergency room immediately. Still, she said there is an alternative to being exposed to the elements. “The best thing to do is to stay inside and stay warm and get to know your friends and neighbors,” Walenga said. Students who did choose to leave the indoors Tuesday and Wednesday were able to travel without walking.
Miami University students slipping around campus and trudging through snow to get home may have to do more than scrape their car windows during this winter season. According to a City of Oxford ordinance, citizens must shovel their sidewalk or risk citation from the city. This ordinance requires citizens to keep their sidewalk clear and clean of snow and ice. Failure to follow this ordinance could lead to a minor misdemeanor charge. While this ordinance cites consequences for Oxford residents who do not shovel their sidewalks, its real purpose is to let citizens know their responsibilities, Oxford City Manager Doug Elliott said. “We haven’t cited anyone and don’t intend to,” Elliott said. “We just want to inform property owners of their responsibilities.” City officials have often considered changing this ordinance to give it more teeth, according to Elliott. These changes could include imposing a fine on citizens who do not clear their walks or giving residents a set period of time to clean their sidewalks after citation, Elliott said. One of the reasons the ordinance is not enforced is the difficulties that accompany it. It would be a huge task for city officials to cite every property that was not clear and to know who to cite, he said. “The difficulty is if someone is elderly, do you cite them? If someone is away from home, do you cite them?” Elliott said. The main goal of this ordinance is to encourage students and other tenants and property owners to pitch in and clean their sidewalks, Elliott said.
Reporting by Lauren Ceronie
According to Vanessa Cummings, assistant director of parking and transportation services, the Miami Metro typically runs on the Sunday schedule when campus is closed or classes are canceled as long as the roads are passable. “They (the routes) had to run a little bit slower because of the road conditions, but the city kept everything pretty clear for them.” For updates on Miami Metro schedules, routes and parking, follow @muparking on Twitter and check out MU Parking on Facebook.
Miami female reports on-campus rape At around 12 a.m. Tuesday, a 23-year-old female student reportedly told Oxford Police Department officers she was sexually assaulted at Hawks Landing Apartments by people known to her.
MARC provides new services to students By Chris Wrenn
For The Miami Student
On your MARC, get set, go. Miami University’s Advising Resource Center (MARC), formerly known as the Undergraduate Advising Information Office, brought in the new year with a new location, new name and a newly revamped mission statement. Charles Burt, who joined Miami in August as Director, shed some light on how Miami’s new advising center came about. “The university committee proposed a change from the Undergraduate Advising Office to bring Miami’s resources to the frontline in terms of a student-centered building that provides opportunities where students have resources readily available,” Burt said. Now located in 102 Campus Avenue building, MARC provides a slew of services. Miami sophomore Christian Hightower is a student aide at MARC. He said some of the new services offered at the advising center have attracted students. “Miami University’s Advising Resource Center provides students with book loans, 90-day
emergency loans, as well as help directing students in the right way,” Hightower said. While their primary focus is student advising and loans, the resource center also helps navigate students to various departments such as study abroad programs and Inside Washington. “Personally, I have been able to use Miami University’s Advising Resource Center as an outlet and as an office to connect me to different resources and opportunities on campus,” Hightower said, something Burt can strongly attest to. “Our philosophy is we have a no wrong door policy, meaning we really work hard to make sure students have the appropriate resources to be successful,” Burt said. Another newly-added feature is the addition of Brendan Gillespie, a peer veteran student. Prior to his arrival at Miami, Gillespie served eight active years in the United States Navy. “Basically, I act as a resource for student veterans on campus and provide them with anything from advice to transitioning from the military to student life,” Gillespie said. Gillespie said his office hours allow him to see just how fantastic
MARC is doing thus far, adding that the center could expand further. Miami junior Blaine West agreed. “I think it’s great that the university has an outlet for students where they can seek further advice if they feel like they have exhausted some of their options, but I wished they could advertise it better,” West said. While MARC does send out monthly newsletters, the office is still trying to get its feet off the ground. In its limited time it has already received a significant amount of publicity in the daily e-Report from the News and Public Information Office and the parent newsletter. “We really work hard with passing information on to first-year advisers so they can relay it to the students,” Burt said. “We are really starting to gain a lot of momentum.” Burt said the main focus is to connect with students and provide them with resources. “If our office were to be eliminated and students didn’t miss us, then we’re not doing our job,” Burt said. “Our goal is to address some of the gaps in advising as well as connect students with different branches on campus to make their experience a successful one.”