March 18, 2011 | The Miami Student

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

VOLUME 138 NO. 45

Friday, March 18, 2011

MIAMI UNIVERSITY OXFORD, OHIO

In 1961, The Miami Student reported the Board of Trustees had approved a $12.50 fee increase for in-state students and $25 fee increase for out-of-state students to take effect in Sept. 1962. With the increase, fees and room and board costs amounted to $1,125 a year for in-state students and $1,475 a year for out-of-state students.

Kasich proposes $9.7 million cut for MU

By Sam Kay Editor in Chief

Governor John Kasich unveiled his budget proposal Tuesday, including a 14.5 percent cut to the funding Miami University receives from the state of Ohio in fiscal year 2011-12.

The cut, not yet approved by the Ohio General Assembly, represents about 3 percent of Miami’s overall budget, or $9.7 million, according to David Creamer, Miami’s vice president for finance and business services.

This is the kind of cut Miami had been expecting and planning for through the Strategic Priorities Taskforce (SPT), Creamer said.

“When we did the planning, we said ‘use 15 percent,’ and it’s 14.5,” Creamer said. “That’s a big part of

what the SPT identified, decreasing state support, that over time there would be more financial issues for us to address.”

This is the largest cut in state funding Miami has faced since the early 1990s, according to Creamer. At that time, Miami made up the budget gap primarily by raising tuition, but that is unlikely to happen this time around, Creamer said. Kasich’s proposal caps any in-state tuition increase at 3.5 percent and Creamer said Miami students might see a smaller increase.

Creamer said SPT’s recommendations, which the university recently hired consulting firm Accenture to implement, will make it possible to weather the budget shortfall without a drastic tuition increase.

The tuition increase “will likely

be somewhere between 2.5-3.5 perMiami director of institutional cent,” Creamer said. “What we’ve relations Randi Thomas said he been in for the last few years is a understands the need for a cut at slower rate of (tusome level. ition) increase, “Pretty much “Everyone, not just and we want to everyone took higher education, is cuts,” Thomas continue that.”

Creamer said sharing the sacrifice ... said. “Everyone, it is possible the that’s not easy to take, not just higher education, is General Assembut we understand the sharing the sacribly will increase circumstances the the cut in the next fice … that’s not few months. easy to take, but state is in.”

“The odds of we understand it getting smaller the circumstances Randi Thomas are not very good. DIRECTOR OF INSTITUTIONAL RELATIONS the state is in and The odds of it inwe understand creasing are a little the shared sacribit greater, and that’s because a lot of fice has to go on.” difficult decisions were made in the Student Body Vice President governor’s budget,” Creamer said.

Tim Hogan, whose duties include

lobbying for state funding in consultation with other state universities, said it is important for Miami to adjust to the cuts without significant negative impacts on the student experience.

“When money doesn’t come in, we have to completely reevaluate what we need and how we function as a university,” Hogan said. “We should put budget cuts where they affect students least.”

The governor’s office did not provide comment on specifics of the cuts, but Kasich spokesperson Connie Wehrkamp said the governor is concerned about Ohio’s brain drain.

“If we want Ohio to be an economic leader, we have to retain our best-educated by providing good job opportunities,” Wehrkamp said via e-mail.

FSB ranks in ‘Businessweek’ Senior gift campaign launches top 25 business schools competition with Ohio University

By Garrett Smith For The Miami Student

Bloomberg Businessweek released their 2011 Undergraduate Business School rankings March 3 and Miami University’s Farmer School of Business (FSB) landed in the top 25 for the fourth consecutive year with a ranking of 22nd.

Since ranking 35th in 2007, FSB has finished in the top 25 each year with fluctuating rankings of 24th in 2008, 18th in 2009 and 16th in 2010.

“I wouldn’t necessarily say [Miami] dropped off,” said Farmer School of Business Assistant Dean, Ted Pickerill.

“In any ranking system like this there’s some volatility between 16 and 22. Although Businessweek does not share the specific score of every category or final cumulative point total, I don’t believe one will find a very significant difference between 16 and 22. We’re proud that we moved into and are now consistently in the top 25.”

First-year honors business student Ryan McHenry, who considered attending other highly ranked schools such as the University of Washington and Georgetown University, said undergraduate rankings like the Businessweek ranking impacted his college selection.

“It factored into my decision and I’m sure it’s factored into many other peoples’ decisions,” McHenry said. “I think it will continue to attract more talent than what it would if it wasn’t ranked as high.”

According to an explanatory piece on the rankings written by Louis Lavelle, Bloomberg Businessweek uses a plethora of data to establish their rankings including a survey of senior business students, with a weighting system that compiles surveys from this year and two previous years as well. Corporate recruiters are also polled and universities are asked for data such as average ACT/SAT scores, faculty to student ratio, and the median starting salary of graduates.

“I like the Businessweek ratings because most of the metrics that they use are consistent with the things that we’re trying to do,” FSB Senior Associate Dean Tim Krehbiel said. “We’re trying to attract good students that study a lot, get internships, are in small classes with good faculty to student ratios and get good starting salaries. A lot of the metrics of Businessweek align with the initiatives that the Farmer School are interested in.”

Miami ranked 7th among public schools, down one slot from 6th place in 2010, giving ground to Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business. FSB was also ranked highest among all Ohio schools, with Case Western Reserve University’s 40th ranking standing as the only other Ohio school in the top 50.

“I’m proud that my school is nationally recognized as one of the top in what it does,” McHenry said. “With it fluctuating so much, I don’t place much value in that it dropped from 16 to 22.”

ASG to host ‘Meet the Candidate Nights’

By Clare Kiernan For The Miami Student

With student body elections just around the corner, Miami University’s Associated Student Government (ASG) is going to great lengths to increase student involvement. In an effort to reach the most frequently underrepresented segment of campus, ASG is turning their attention to underclassmen.

Teaming up with the Residence Hall Association (RHA), ASG is planning “meet the candidate” events in campus quads to give students a better idea of who they will be voting for in the upcoming March 24 primary elections and March 31 general elections.

According to ASG Secretary for Public Relations, David Hall, the candidates are eager to speak to residents, explain their campaign platforms, and listen to the concerns of fellow students.

“We are adding these ‘meet the candidate nights’ to involve more of the student body in the elections process

in the hopes of electing candidates who have a broad appeal and are aware of more Miami University issues,” Hall said.

First-year students and sophomores are some of the most important voters, said Heath Ingram, student body president. Although the current electorate is making decisions, the underclassmen will be the ones feeling the results long after present student leaders have graduated, Ingram said.

Tim Hogan, student body vice president, agrees.

“If they (students) are engaged with what ASG is doing as underclassmen, they will be more aware of how to utilize it as a student voice throughout the remainder of their college career,” Hogan said.

Although underclassmen participation is vital, one issue ASG faces is the struggle to efficiently communicate with this sector of the student population, said Hall.

wSee ASG, page 3

SAMANTHA LUDINGTON The Miami Student

Seniors Emily Wehmeier and Ryan Amos donate to the senior class gift Thursday at GradFest.

By Lauren Ceronie Campus Editor

With graduation just around the corner, many seniors are preoccupied with finding jobs, internships and grad schools. In this hectic time, the Office of Annual Giving and the Senior Class Gift Campaign ask seniors to keep Miami University in mind by giving to the senior class gift.

This year, the senior class gift campaign is asking seniors to donate $20.11 to the fund to commemorate their year of graduation, according to Beth Ann Gaier, senior class gift chair.

The donations will go toward the Armstrong Student Center, although students can ask for their donation to go elsewhere in the university, Gaier said.

“The donations are going to the Armstrong Student Center so future students will have the same great experience as students so far,” Gaier said.

Donations from students can also go toward the senior class scholarship or any department within the university, according to Gaier.

For the first time, Miami is competing with Ohio University to see which school can raise the most money and have the most

participation in the senior class students that will last even after gift, according to Gaier. Miami graduation, Bixel said. Donaand Ohio University set up the tions given to the Office of Ancompetition to encourage stu- nual Giving are used to support dents to participate in the gift, the daily needs of the university, Gaier said. such as scholarships and Seniors are not required to dotechnological upgrades. nate the $20.11, “The idea is but can donate to give back to as much or as Miami,” Bixel little as they “The donations are said.

“Miami want, Gaier said. going to the (ASC) University has However, stuso future students given you a dents who give education will have the same great $200 or more so it’s about givwill have their great experience as ing back to the students so far.” name placed in school you love the Armstrong and about giving Student Cenback to future BETH ANN GAIER SENIOR CLASS GIFT CHAIR ter, according Miamians.” to Gaier. The Senior Stephsenior class gift anie Walters said campaign does not have a spe- she plans to donate to the senior cific monetary goal, but aims to class gift and have the money go get seniors to participate and give toward the Armstrong Student back, Gaier said.

Center. A new student center “We just want to encourage would be beneficial to students at and inform students about how Miami and to attract students to beneficial this gift is to the uni- Miami, Walters said. versity,” Gaier said.

“I love Shriver but it’s not very Andrew Bixel, assistant direc- current, people go to Farmer tor of the office of annual giving, or King to do things instead,” agreed that giving back to Miami Walters said. is imperative to the school. The Seniors can donate to the seOffice of Annual Giving works nior class gift at the campaign with the Senior Class Gift Cam- website, www.muohio.edu/sepaign to build a relationship with niorclassgift.

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Campus

Friday

March 18, 2011

Editors Lauren Ceronie Jenni Wiener campus@miamistudent.net

Staff Writer

EVENT Career Services holds fine arts internship fair Career Services is holding the first Fine Arts Internship Fair Tuesday, March 22. Employers are visiting Miami University’s campus to promote internship opportunities to students.

Students can also interview or talk about possibilities for full time positions.

The fair will be held in the Art Building from 4 to 6 p.m. A list of employers can be found on the fine arts website, but is still growing.

The Miami Student will be one of the employers in attendance. The paper is searching for an editor and writers for a new arts section. To prepare for the fair or for interviews in general, students can participate in the Interviewing Basics Program March 17 from 5 to 6 p.m. in Hoyt Hall.

Dressing professionally, having a “30 second elevator speech” prepared and listening to the Career Services CareerChat podcast episode Job Fair Success are encouraged for the fair.

Honors to host ‘Geek Week’ Want to test your brains and your brawn? Get ready, because the Honors and Scholars Advisory Board (HSAB) is sponsoring its first ever “Geek Week” Geek Week 2011 will be a week of mental and physical valor in which teams of six to 10 students sign up to participate. Events of the week range from quiz bowl to a food-eating relay.

To sign up, download the registration form from the Forms & Apps tab. Forms are due by Monday, March 28 at 5 p.m.

Send them in via e-mail to kozlovce@ muohio.edu or hand in a hard copy to the HSAB mailbox in the Honors Program Office.

CORRECTIONS In the March 15 article “Roadrunner to discontinue services,” IT services employee Andrew Hehe was partially misquoted.

Roadrunner high-speed Internet is a service offered by Time Warner Cable, it was not bought out by Time Warner Cable as the article states. The decision to discontinue Roadrunner services at a discounted price through Miami was made by Miami.

Roadrunner will still be available through Time Warner Cable. Declining numbers of subscribers through Miami was the reason for this decision. IT services attributes this to cheaper bundled services of telephone, cable and Internet offered by Time Warner Cable. Current subscribers will receive a personal e-mail from IT services with suggestions for alternate Internet providers.

A number of campus organizations are hoping to send a message about beauty to Miami’s community and they plan to use the popular reality TV show, America’s Next Top Model (ANTM), as an integral part of this message.

“The events are about women’s beauty,” said Alexa Conkey, president of the Miami Club of Fashion and Design. “It is to promote the idea that women’s beauty is not just one thing or one look or one race.”

Two ANTM-related events will happen on campus during diversity week, which begins Monday, March 21.

On Tuesday, March 22, students will be given an opportunity to turn in casting applications for the next season of the show, Conkey said.

The fashion club, as well as Associated Student Government, the Residence Hall Association, the Asian American Association, the Diversity Affairs Council, the Association for Women Students, Individuals for Disordered Eating Awareness, the National Pan-Hellenic Council and the Pan-Hellenic Association have teamed up to put on this event, said Eloiza Domingo-Snyder, director of diverse student development and adviser for the Diversity Affairs Council.

From 4 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, the Shriver Heritage Room will serve as a collection site for students to turn in applications, videos and photographs in hopes of being cast for the next season of ANTM said Lidija Gnjatic, the Secretary of Diversity Affairs and President of the Diversity Affairs Council. Domingo-Snyder also said the organizations in charge will be surrounding the event with educational tools centered around women’s health.

All of the student applications will be handed personally to ANTM producer Michael Carandang after he gives a talk to

Miami students 6 p.m. Monday, March 28 in Farmer School of Business room 1000, said Domingo-Snyder.

Carandang, a Filipino man who identifies as gay, will talk about the notions of identity inside the film and broadcast industry, according to Domingo-Snyder.

The event is free and ticketed. Tickets will be available at the Shriver Box Office March 21, Domingo-Snyder said.

Carandang’s talk is presented by all of the organizations that will be instrumental in organizing the ANTM applicationcollecting event, in addition to Spectrum, the Office of Diversity Affairs and the Communication Department.

“The entire theme for Diversity Week is ‘My Miami Beautiful: Perceptions of Beauty,” Domingo-Snyder said. “The objective is to talk openly, and challenge openly, perceptions of beauty at Miami University. Miami gets a certain rep about their perception of beauty – whether it’s having a certain bag, sporting a certain jacket, things like that.

Within Diversity Week, we’re leveraging this very big media piece, ANTM, to ask ‘what is beauty? Who determines beauty?

Who standardizes beauty and what is beauty to you?”

Marketing for these events will take place over Facebook and Twitter, as well as through listserv emails and flyers, Domingo-Snyder said.

ERIN KILLIN

By Sarah Sidlow

GER The M iami Student

NEWS ‘Top Model’ coming to Miami BRIEFS

Online program garners award for Dollár

By Lauren Ceronie Campus Editor

Dr. Anna Dollár, an assistant professor of mechanical and manufacturing engineering at Miami University, has been awarded the University System of Ohio’s Faculty Innovator Award for creating a web-based engineering statics course.

The Faculty Innovator Award is given to 10 groups or individual university faculty members who work to reduce the costs of higher education, according to Rob Evans, Ohio Board of Regents press secretary. A board of 10 people working in higher education decide which of the nominated faculty will receive the award, Evans said. Recipients of the award receive $1,000 and are honored in the Ohio Senate, according to Evans.

“This award raises the profile of a group of faculty that make education more affordable while keeping the quality of education,” Evans said.

Dollár said the interactive web-based engineering statics course she created helps make higher education more affordable for students by supplementing a textbook with a free computer program. The online course is comprehensive enough to replace the textbook, Dollár said. Dollár co-authored the program with P.S. Steif, professor of mechanical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. The program was developed as

part of the Carnegie Mellon Open Learning Initiative, (OLI) Dollár said.

The goal of OLI is to use the web to transform instruction and improve learning outcomes, according to Dollár.

Dollár “This course is not replacing instructors, but is a tool for students and instructors to achieve higher learning outcomes,” Dollár said.

In the course, students learn from 18 “modules” that consist of interactive exercises, text, and images devoted to a specific learning concept, according to Dollár. The 18 modules contain about 300 interactive exercises, said Dollár. Students can work on the interactive exercises independently or get hints and feedback from the program that act as a personal tutor, Dollár said. Results of the on-line exercises are immediately sent to the instructor of the course for review, according to Dollár.

“Instructors can utilize this to identify student needs,” Dollár said. “The idea of an inverted classroom is that students are assigned before class so instructors can review the results and plan the lecture accordingly.”

Research on the correlation between usage of the course and student performance has been positive, Dollár said. Student performance on standardized tests such as the

Statics Concept inventory has improved significantly since the implementation of the program, according to Dollár.

According to Dollár, this is the first webbased interactive engineering course being developed in the United States.

Caleb Piccou, an electrical engineering and engineering management double major at Miami, said he believes Dollár’s webbased program is beneficial for engineering students like him who could spend $500 to $600 on textbooks at Miami every semester.

The program’s ability to send students’ results to professors before class would also be beneficial, Piccou said.

“In my classes most students have questions on the same things,” Piccou said. “If professors could see homework results we wouldn’t spend time going over things we already understand, we would be able to spend time on the things we don’t.”

Piccou said he also liked the program’s personal tutor.

“I’ve used other web-based programs where there isn’t a tutor and it’s really discouraging to sit there and not be able to do a problem,” Piccou said.

Dollár has also been named Outstanding Teacher of the Year by the North Central Section of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE). Dollár is currently the Chair of the mechanics division of ASEE.

Taking a short spring break

First-years Monica Corbett, Lara Colussi and Brandy Borders relaxed reading in Central Quad on Thursday.

SAMANTHA LUDINGTON The Miami Student

THE MIAMI STUDENT

FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2011 ♦ 3

ASG

continued from page 1 “The candidates, typically upperclassmen, have few avenues to reach out to on-campus students,” he said.

The most effective mode of informing on-campus students is through Resident Assistants (RAs), Ingram said. RAs have been posting flyers and sending emails, spreading the word about these ASG “meet the

B O W L I N G

candidate nights” to their residents, said Hall.

“Ideally, each residence hall would encourage residents, especially community council members, to attend,” he said.

Sophomore Julia Barrow, a resident of Minnich Hall, is looking forward to the March 22 South Quad event, which will be held in Tappan Hall.

“I have never really thought about voting in the student elections before,” Barrow said. “I have never known enough about the candidates to have an opinion.

I am excited to see what they have

G R E E N

S T A T E

to say.”

Candidates will address topics ranging from Greek life and Miami budgetary concerns to student involvement. After candidates give presentations, there will be time for student questions and discussion, Hall said.

Dates and locations for meeting the candidates are: 8 p.m. March 22 in Stanton Hall: South Quad Forum 8 p.m. March 23 in Tappan Hall: MET Quad Forum 11 a.m.-2 p.m. March 29 outside Stoddard and Elliot Halls: Academic Quad Forum and cookout.

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Registration begins February 14, 2011

The Miami Student is looking for designers.

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

2011-2012

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Friday

March 18, 2011

Community

Editor Melissa Tacchi community@miamistudent.net

Project will widen intersection

City Council approves contract for improvements on State Route 73

Male threatens group, receives OVI citation At 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, officers were dispatched to Brick Street Bar and Grill to escort patrons who were reportedly scared due to threats made by suspects outside the bar as they were leaving.

When police arrived, they reportedly found a group of males and females who said the suspects who had assaulted two of their friends had gotten into a gray Jeep parked further down High Street.

Officers then reportedly saw the Jeep speed south on Main Street before it circled back and accelerated down High Street.

Officers on the scene reportedly called other officers in the area about the vehicle, and Miami University Police Department officers stopped the vehicle on Patterson Avenue.

When the vehicle was stopped, police reportedly witnessed passengers attempting to switch seats and a female vomiting in the back seat.

Officers at Brick Street reportedly transported the victims to Patterson, where they positively identified the people in the car. One of the victims reportedly identified the driver, Brady Brewer, 20, as the male who had assaulted him.

The victim reportedly had a swollen right eye and an abrasion on his lip.

Brewer reportedly admitted he had been involved in a fight a Brick Street, but he said it was out of self-defense. He reportedly told police he was punched in the head three times, but officers reportedly found no visible injuries.

As Brewer was talking, officers reportedly detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath accompanied by slow, slurred speech.

Brewer reportedly initially denied that he had been driving, but the other passengers in the car said he was. Brewer then reportedly admitted he was driving but said his friend was going to drive the rest of the way home. He reportedly told police he had consumed one water tower earlier in the night.

Brewer reportedly performed poorly on field sobriety tests and was taken to Oxford Police Department, where he was found to have a 0.13 blood-alcohol content.

Brewer reportedly told police he must have blown over the legal limit because of the Four Lokos he had drank earlier in the night.

Brewer was cited for operating a vehicle while intoxicated and assault.

Officer notices missing stop sign At 2:39 p.m. Wednesday, an Oxford Police Department officer reportedly observed the stop sign and post from the northwest corner of North Campus Avenue and East Sycamore Street was missing.

The officer reportedly remained at the intersection until the sign was replaced.

Junior reports laptop stolen from living room At around 10:20 a.m. Tuesday, a Miami University junior reported her Apple laptop had been taken from her residence on East Withrow Street sometime during the night between March 3 and 4.

The victim reportedly told police her laptop was sitting on the table in the living room and nothing else was taken.

The front door of the residence was reportedly left unlocked.

By Bethany Bruner News Editor

Oxford City Council approved a resolution at the regular Tuesday meeting that would move the improvement project at the State Route 73 and State Route 177 intersection forward.

The resolution, which passed unanimously, would allow the city to sign a contract through the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT).

The contract would allow the project to begin this summer.

Mike Dreisbach, Oxford service director, said the project is the first one to come to fruition from the Northwest Butler County Transportation Study. The project will be funded from $20 million in federal earmarks designated for these projects.

Dreisbach told council the City of Oxford will be the local sponsor for the project despite the intersection in question being outside city limits.

Dreisbach also told council there is some risk involved in the city being the sponsor for the project. Because the project is located near the large water mane that transfers water from the Seven Mile Aquifer to Oxford, the water main may need to be moved.

Dreisbach explained that it is believed the

construction can be done without moving the main, which would cost approximately $100,000.

Dreisbach did say the possibility of moving the water main still exists and told council to anticipate a potential move of a section of the main.

Another risk the project has deals with the monetary aspect, according to Dreisbach. If the cost of the project goes over the estimates, the city will have to pay a percentage of the overages. Dreisbach said this could be paid for with additional earmark funding, not cash, but that this would limit the amount of earmark money available for future projects.

Several council members expressed concern that Milford and Oxford Townships had not solidly committed to helping pay overages.

Council also passed a resolution putting a sixmonth moratorium on Internet or sweepstakes cafes. The resolution is aimed at gaming machines that are legal in Ohio through a loophole in existing law. Councilman Ken Bogard had requested the moratorium at the Feb. 15 meeting so the city could wait and see what the Ohio Attorney General does with the issue.

Bogard said other cities in the area have passed similar moratoriums.

In other action, council passed an ordinance

allowing the city to annex about a half-acre of roadway near the new Talawanda High School construction. The ordinance is necessary to add a temporary traffic signal this summer, in accordance with an agreement with the Talawanda school district.

In a work session prior to the meeting, council discussed ideas about energy rates with Glenwood Energy. No action was taken at the work session and legislation will be presented on the issue at the April 5 meeting.

City Manager Doug Elliott also mentioned the city will be monitoring the progression of Governor John Kasich’s budget through the Ohio General Assembly. Kasich’s budget calls for cuts to local governments over the next two fiscal years.

Tuesday’s meeting also featured a presentation of photos from the filming of The Ides of March from the Oxford Visitor’s and Convention Bureau. Talawanda Middle School student Jacob Schlichter put together the presentation.

City Council will meet again in a work session 7:30 p.m. March 22 to discuss ideas for the use of the current Talawanda High School once construction is finished on the new building. The work session is scheduled to last one hour.

The next regular meeting of the Oxford City Council will be 7:30 p.m. April 5.

Gas prices hit local two-year high Oxford residents have been feeling the spike in gas prices that has been occurring for approximately one month.

According to Senior Petroleum Analyst of Gasbuddy. com Patrick Dehaan, the anxiety over the unrest in the Middle East can be credited with the steep increase.

Oxford Economic Development Director Alan Kyger said residents are going to be skeptical about the change.

“Residents are questioning, ‘Is this the way it’s going to be or is it a bump in the road?’,” Kyger said. “I think it has to stay above $ 3.00 a gallon, $4.00 a gallon for an extended period of time before people react to it and plan accordingly.”

Lecturer Patricia Newberry said she will take the change into account when car shopping in the future.

“There have been rumors that gas could get to $5 a gallon,” Newberry said. “That could be a killer for anybody that has to go any amount of distance.”

However, Deehan said the recent tragedy in Japan will likely result in a decreased demand for oil and possibly a decrease in gas prices.

Reporting by Adam Giffi and Melissa Tacchi

By JD Prewitt Staff Writer

SAMANTHA LUDINGTON The Miami Student

Oxford Tea Party born from Hamilton branch

By Alexandra Tirrell For the Miami Student

With nothing more than three main values in common, 20 people gathered at Bob Evans restaurant in Hamilton, Thursday, March 10. Their topic: the creation of a Tea Party branch in Oxford. The three pillars that brought them together: limited government, a free market and fiscal responsibility.

“All Tea Parties adhere to those three pillars,” said Linda Keller of the Hamilton Tea Party, who is helping aid in the creation of the Oxford branch.

“How each town applies these pillars to their community is specific for their issues and needs.”

Such principles inspired the 20 members who attended the initiation meeting to start an Oxford branch of the Tea Party.

While Oxford residents were attending Hamilton Tea Party meetings, they realized that many of the issues discussed did not relate to their own local issues.

“Every community has its own particular challenges, so what Hamilton discusses and what our focus is in our city doesn’t particularly equate to what Oxfords needs are,” Keller said. “They had asked how many people in our Hamilton group would be interested in forming an Oxford group.”

And so the creation of the

Bill gives workers more options

Oxford Tea Party began.

The first meeting was meant solely to establish the Oxford Tea Party and not to discuss ideals or issues.

“We’re very much in the formation stage right now,” Miami University alumnus Mike Schnipper of the Oxford Tea Party branch said. “I don’t really think we’re at a point that we can say we’re addressing single issues just yet.”

Additionally, Schnipper said reaching out to Miami students will be a significant part of their group’s mission.

“We want Miami students involved in this,” Schnipper said.

“We recognize the importance of the Miami community as a voting base. We want to show our side of the situation.”

Despite their dedication to fiscal responsibility, Schnipper said that the party is not in favor of any and all budget cuts, but “reasonable budget cuts.”

Schnipper wanted to inform the public that although the Tea Party is nationally known it is not an official political party.

Keller added that the Tea Party movement is more focused on community and local issues than any sort of national or political grab for power.

“The Republicans are a political party, and we’re not,” Keller said. “We’re just people who go to work and we’re a community group. We are like-minded individuals who live in the

same area.”

The three conservative pillars of limited government, free market and fiscal responsibility drive each Party, but how they apply them to each town can be extremely different, according to Keller.

“It is a national movement in that every state has their own Tea Party within their towns and counties and common wealth,” Keller said. “But I can’t take my group and go to North Dakota and compare us. We’re not going to be the same.”

Whether or not she agrees with the ideals of the Tea Party, first-year Shannon Kennedy said is hard to argue with their enthusiasm and commitment to enhancing the community.

“I think the Tea Party movement is more symbolic of the country needing a change,” Kennedy said. “I do not think the Tea Party values are the correct change, but I do think that they’re right in showing the country we need reforms.”

The effects the Oxford Tea Party will have on Miami have yet to be decided, since the Party is still so early in its formation stages.

However, Schnipper has announced the group will be meeting within a month and have the intention of creating a web site soon to post announcements and meeting times.

The Ohio House of Representatives is trying to pass a bill that will give small business employees the option of choosing between overtime pay and compensatory time for work done over the regular 40-hour work week.

House Bill 61, aimed at “mom and pop” businesses which gross less than $500,000 a year, states only an employee can decide whether to choose the compensatory time option. The bill will require a written agreement between employer and employee stating that negotiations regarding the use of compensatory time instead of overtime pay were started by the worker.

According to Cory Fleming, legislative aide for Representative Jarod Martin, if employees choose the option of compensatory time, they are not locked into that decision for the duration of employment. If need be, one can change their stance from week to week.

Fleming said the bill will “allow small business owners to do what they do best,” by hiring employees and providing excellent services.

According to Fleming, the bill is an attempt to offer small businesses some flexibility in relation to employees and worrisome payroll costs, ideally leading to expansion and job growth.

Andrew Schmidt, manager of Xtend Technologies in Oxford, sees the benefits and drawbacks to the bill.

“It’s a good idea, gives (employees) a chance to have a day to themselves,” Schmidt said. “It could also hinder by employees taking time off at the same time.”

The bill also states that if an employee chooses the option of compensatory time, it is at the sole discretion of the employer as to whether or not an employee can have any given day off.

Junior Alex Krusinski finds the bill to be beneficial for employers and employees. “(It) gives the employee the sense of choice but they have no right to take off that day without their employer’s consent,” Krusinski said.

HB 61 also gives employers the right to cut off compensatory time as they see fit, given that they notify the employee 30 days ahead of time.

While HB 61 has been passed out of committee, the waiting game is on to see whether or not it makes it out of the house.

THE MIAMI STUDENT

FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2011 ♦ 3

Tours offer real look Communication strategies will at residence hall rooms continue following Tron departure

By Chelsea Davis

Over the 11 event days, a For The Miami Student different residence hall shown each time.

Miami University, just like “The residence hall is different many other universities, offers every time,” said Ann Bader, sea program for accepted students nior admission counselor for the who haven’t made their final de- Office of Admission. “The Resicision where to attend school. dence Life people don’t want to However, Miami presents ac- be a burden.” cepted students with a unique opRooms being shown were volportunity: the chance to see what unteered by Miami students. In an actual college residence hall order to ensure the safety and room looks like. comfort of all participants, the Students volunteer their rooms, Miami students are told ahead as part of the campus tours pro- of time when the room will be vided by the “Make it Miami” shown. Students have to be there program. This program, created to allow the tour groups to see the by the Office of room, according Admission, is to Abowitz. designed to give “We want to “They’re doing it accepted students respect the stubecause they want to dents who live all of the informahelp Miami recruit in the halls,” tion they need to good students. It’s Smith choose Miami. said.

“This is a crititheir opportunity to “They’re excited cal time in the to show off their give back to college decision living space.” the school.” process,” said According to Meredith Smith, Bader, there has ROBERT ABOWITZ assistant director only been one ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR and international instance where a RESIDENTIAL LIFE student adviser for problem arose. A the Office of Adstudent wasn’t in mission. “Since the residence hall the residence hall to show his or experience is a huge part of the her room. However, it was quickMiami experience, we want to ly resolved when a student, sitting highlight that during these special in the common area, volunteered visit days for students.” his room for viewing.

The campus tours don’t vary The students are not paid for much from the regular campus allowing tours of their rooms. tours. Students are still given all They get to live with the satisfacthe same information about club tion of knowing they’ve helped life, Living Learning Communi- their school. ties, academic advising and more.

When asked why students readOne great advantage to seeing an ily volunteer without any comactual room is that “the students pensation, Abowitz said, “They’re are usually there, so the accepted doing it because they want to help students get to ask them ques- Miami recruit good students. It’s tions,” Associate Director of Res- their opportunity to give back to idence Life Robert Abowitz said. the school.”

By Alex Rogers For The Miami Student

Preparing to depart Miami University June 30, Associate Vice President of Communications Dionn Tron described the changes she has implemented throughout the school regarding public relations, including the necessity of creating a cohesive, respectable brand.

“Everybody has a brand,” Tron said. “Your brand is what other people think of you, not what you think of yourself.”

Tron said that upon arriving four years ago, she had a clear agenda: to implement branding and to build a strategic communications organization.

According to Tron, Miami thrived on a strong reputation for years, diminishing the need for advertising, as typified by its declared status as a “Public Ivy” in 1985. However, with an increase in competition among universities for students, Miami staff “realized that we were a little bit behind,” Tron said. “We were a little lost in the shuffle and we wanted to rightfully claim our place.”

She further explained how branding within a university requires a proactive approach as opposed

to the previously utilized reactive approach. Tron said she wanted to begin marketing a key external audience, as well as enhance the direct marketing to prospective students and not rely on reputation alone.

The Miami brand centers on “academic excellence, very intensified personal experience and the success of our students,” Tron said.

Utilizing this model, Tron and her team hired 160over90 Agency to aid the university with marketing. The agency has a “structured approach,” Tron said, allowing for a thorough execution of the university marketing goals. Those goals were to increase the number of applications of high quality students, to increase the general reputation of the university, and to engage the school’s alumni, according to Tron.

“We’ve begun the work for admissions to bring students in,” Tron said. “And we will continue to work.”

Regarding national reputation, Miami has invested in 17 billboards in areas such as Chicago, along with advertisements in the Chronicle of Higher Education, each with a unique and simple message to represent Miami’s values, including “Remember What’s Important,”

and “We Love Teaching.”

Tron proudly presented this progress and pointed to the Miami “viewbook,” which is sent to prospective students. Instead of a glossy, immaculate appearance, it now displays blurbs of information and snapshot photos. Essentially, Tron said she and her team hope to achieve “consistency of brand in what we’re sending out to prospective students and do it in a way that appeals to them.”

She further expressed her hopes that this approach will attract more students while establishing a consistent brand that truthfully depicts the advantages of a Miami degree.

Claire Wagner, Associate Director of Communications, elaborated on Tron’s achievements.

“She let us revamp the university’s website,” Wagner said. “Our goal was to have a more cohesive look and make it easier for web editors to update and we’re still working on it. It took a strong vision to have that happen.”

Tron said the communications department is in the process of a national search for Tron’s replacement.

They hope to hire a new Associate Vice President of Communications

by June.

Nice weather brings all the boys to the yard

Armstrong center holds spot for Credit Union

By Kaler Hazen

like the Miami Student and Alumni Federal Credit Union is typically run and owned by its members, the majority of which reside on Miami’s campus.

One of the advantages the credit union has over their major competitors in the area is the fact that they are the only financial institution on campus, Hartle said.

The credit union also promotes financial literacy, working to augment and advance students’ knowledge of finances.

“We offer 75 internships a year, and we also host basic finance seminars,” Hartle said. According to Hartle, the credit union maintains a customer base of around 1,700 members, and faces competition from a few major banks located uptown including PNC, Chase, and Fifth Third Bank.

While the credit union’s status as an occupant of the Armstrong Student Center is not yet finalized, they do have a spot in the current draft of the building.

The new student center and credit union look forward to cooperating with one another, Sadler said.

“The beauty of having the service is that it’s a high demand item, and the whole idea behind the student center is that it’s student-focused,” Sadler said.

The center will be constructed in two phases, with construction beginning this spring.

For The Miami Student

Staff members in charge of the new Armstrong Student Center (ASC) at Miami University are currently in the process of deciding which organizations and business entities it will accommodate once construction is complete.

According to Susie Sadler, director of the ASC, the building’s intended focus is on student initiative and should be a showcase for student-run organizations.

One such enterprise already slotted to take up residence within the new center is the First Miami University Student and Alumni Federal Credit Union.

“There have been plans since day one for them to be in the student center,” Sadler said, emphasizing that the organization was a standout in the kind of entrepreneurial effort the center hopes to put on display.

The credit union already operates out of a location in the Shriver center, but saw a great opportunity for expansion with the addition of a new student center.

“We want to make sure we have a good location in order to make us appealing to students,” said Shawn Hartle, Director of the Credit Division at the credit union.

“We are basically an entirely student-run financial institution.”

Hartle also said a credit union

TMS

ONLINE www.miamistudent.net

SAMANTHA LUDINGTON The Miami Student

Sophomores Michael Derian and Juan Davalos play a pick up game of soccer in Central Quad on Thursday.

Japan crisis affects students abroad

By Sylvie Turner

the quake hit … getting in touch with friends in Japan took much longer,” Mego said. She said the phone systems across the country are On March 11, a brutal 9.0 magnitude earth- generally unreliable and the quake made them quake struck off the east coast of Japan, fol- even worse. lowed by an even fiercer and devastating tsu“When the quake hit, due to the number of nami that slammed the Touhoku region, killing people making calls … you could not reach hundreds of people instantly as it swept away your friends or family in the affected parts of all that was in its path. In the days after the Japan,” she said. disaster, the world will wait for a final death Due to the dire situation in Japan, the Unittoll that, according to Channel News Asia, is ed States is looking for any ways to aid the expected to exceed 10,000 people. country. Time Warner Cable has found a way Miami University currently has eight stu- to help by offering free phone calls to Japan dents studying in Japan at a total of three through the end of April to its digital cable subuniversities, according to scribers, explained a spokesDavid Keitges, Director of person for the company. AcInternational Education for “It’s important in a cording to the spokesperson, the school. with free calls, Time time like this where along “Most of the students are Warner is dedicating an entire a very serious fluid channel to news directly from in the Osaka area which is several hundred miles away Japan at no cost to customers. situation is from the affected regions,” occuring that people As important as it is the keep Keitges said. updated on the news in the are connected to Michelle Mego, a sophoUnited States, those living in their friends more studying at RitsumeiJapan need it even more. kan University in Kyoto, Ja“One of the biggest differand families.” pan, explained that although ences here (in Japan) is that the Kansai region where she we tend to keep the news on MICHAEL PEDELTY is living was not directly afall the time now,” Mego said.

REPRESENTATIVE TIME WARNER CABLE fected, life in Japan is and NHK, the leading broadcastwill continue to be differing agency in Japan, streams ent until the situation is live broadcasts both on TV completely stabilized. and online, Mego said.

“We’re asked to conserve power, especially “Everyday there is some sort of documenat peak times like 6 to 8 p.m.,” Mego said. tary on what has happened since the quake,” “Another region is experiencing planned she said. rolling blackouts.”

“It’s important in a time like this where a These power outages, along with incredibly very serious fluid situation is occurring, that jammed phone lines, have led to difficulty people are connected to their friends and famcommunicating with people in and outside ilies,” said Michael Pedelty, a representative of Japan. for Time Warner Cable. The live coverage will “I was able to get in contact with my family run until the end of April and can be found on back in the States within an hour of the time channel 859 for digital cable subscribers.

For The Miami Student

6

Opinion

Friday March 18, 2011

Editors Noëlle Bernard Thomasina Johnson editorial@miamistudent.net

➤ EDITORIAL

The following pieces, written by the editorial editors, reflect the majority opinion of the editorial board.

ASG event improves election involvement T

he Associated Student Govern- that justifiable decisions for voting ment (ASG) of Miami Univer- can be made. These newly-instated sity is working towards increasing events will actually force candistudent involvement for the upcom- dates to get their message out to ing student body elections. With the on-campus students rather then rely assistance of the Resident Hall As- on support from the student and sosociation (RHA), ASG is aiming to cial organizations with which they reach underclassmen by planning are affiliated. “meet the candidate night” events Ultimately, the “meet the canin quads across campus. The intent didates nights” will benefit underis to give students classmen because exposure to canthey will have the opStudents need to didates’ platforms portunity to engage and to deliberwith candidates on learn about the ately get students a relatable level. In issues facing the involved in the addition, increasing university and gain underclassmen parelection process. insight on Candidates will be ticipation will help meeting first-year to establish a widerthe platforms and sophomore known reputation of candidates. students the three for ASG. Quads — South, ASG needs to MET and Academic — to secure continue to improve campus outstudent votes and hear the concerns reach because it is important of the Miami community. that all students know where to The editorial board of The Miami voice their opinions and concerns Student supports the efforts ASG regarding Miami. is making towards creating conveThe role of ASG is to reflect the nient opportunities for students to needs of students and advocate change learn about the elections. Students on the behalf of students. Success need to learn about the issues fac- will only come if both the student ing the university and gain insight body and its representatives work on the platforms of candidates so cohesively together.

HB 61 allows for flexibility, fairness O

hio House Bill 61, if passed, certain times. will give small business emHowever, the board foresees a ployees the ability to choose be- possibility of mounting piles of patween overtime pay and vacation perwork for payroll for small busicompensatory time for more than 40 nesses if many of the employees hours of work per week. switch constantly between overtime The choice between overtime pay pay and vacation compensation. Aland extra vacation time is decided by though businesses that gross less than the individual employee and must be $500,000 usually do not have many validated in a writfull-time employees ten agreement bethat work overtime House Bill 61 ... tween the employer shifts, the possibilallows for and employee. Emity of extra contract ployees may change relatively fluid and work for the busitheir overtime payness may exist, esfair choices for ment choice from pecially if employees both employees week to week. change choices on a and small If the employee week-to-week basis. chooses overtime Although each business owners. pay, the employer small business is difdecides if and when ferent, if employees employees can have choose overtime pay, time off. not much may change in the case of The editorial board of The Mi- scheduling and off-days. Employees ami Student supports House Bill may feel like they may lose some 61 and especially agrees with the freedom in choosing free days, but flexibility of choice between extra in the experience of the board, emvacation time and overtime pay the ployers are not fond of just handbill provides. ing out off-days to employees. Not Having a choice between the two much would change if employees options and the ability to change would choose overtime pay. between them ensures employees While House Bill 61 does not limof mom-and-pop stores will not it any laws that are currently in place feel locked in to a choice that may in Ohio law, it allows for relatively or may not necessarily be the most fluid and fair choices for both embeneficial and logical choice at ployees and small business owners.

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

EDITORIAL BOARD Sam Kay Editor in Chief Bethany Bruner News Editor Colleen Yates Managing Editor Scott Allison Online Editor Hunter Stenback Asst. Online Editor Noëlle Bernard Editorial Editor Thomasina Johnson Editorial Editor

Lauren Ceronie Campus Editor Jenni Wiener Campus Editor Melissa Tacchi Community Editor Michael Solomon Sports Editor Samantha Ludington Photo Editor Amanda Seitz Special Reports Editor

The Miami Student is looking for essayists.

Email editorial@miaistudent.net for more information.

JINGHANG HUANG The Miami Student

➤ LETTERS

Laptops distract students I read “Professors compete with laptops for students’ attention” (Student, March 15) and remembered how I used to face the backsides of open laptops and wonder what my students were actually looking at on their screens.

A year ago I found out. And I realized I’d been an idiot to think that any student with an open laptop was paying much attention to me.

This happened when I went to a lecture given by a colleague — not a dull droner but a wise and popular professor who weaves video clips into his remarks. I sat in the back behind 60 students, nearly all with open laptops. I could see every move that six students made — the four right in front of me and one to either side.

Class started with a quiz. The questions were projected on the big screen at the front of the room, and you recorded your answer with a clicker. When one of the guys in front of me cheated on the quiz by Googling each question, I got curious and started taking notes. This is what I saw: Guy 1: After cheating on the quiz, he went on Facebook for 10 minutes. I don’t mean he had Facebook open while he took notes on the lecture. I mean he was scrolling and reading, not looking up. Then he opened a Word document and started a paper for Political Science 101 entitled “Culture Wars.” He worked pretty hard on it, revising as he went along. He paused to watch a video clip that the professor was projecting on the big screen at the front of the room. At mid-video, he went back to the poli sci paper and Facebook, toggling between the two. When the professor resumed his lecture, he stuck with Facebook for the rest of the period.

Girl 1: During the first part of the lecture, she wrote a series of emails. Then, she opened up a MyMiami page on class schedules and studied it at length. That done, she went on Facebook for the rest of the class.

Guy 2: For a while he surfed sports websites.

(I couldn’t see which ones.) Then he shifted to the Verizon website and scrolled through phones for a while. Next, he went to Google News and looked around, landing on a CBS story entitled “Thousands Gather to Promote Marijuana; Many More Just Smoke It.” From there he linked to the “60 Minutes” website and spent a long time clicking through the site’s photo collections.

Girl 2: At first she had Facebook open but took handwritten notes on the lecture in a spiral notebook. During the big-screen video clip her attention shifted to Facebook. Then she went over to the popular blog “My Life Is Average”— read and scrolled, read and scrolled. When the lecture resumed she went back to taking notes for a few minutes, then gave up and went back to the screen, alternating between Facebook and “Average.” When the professor put up a transparency for the last few minutes of the lecture, she closed her laptop and her notebook and spent a few minutes packing up.

Guy 3: During the entire first segment of the lecture, he watched skiing videos on YouTube.

During the video clip, he pretty much stuck to Facebook, looking up at the video now and then.

Next he opened a long PowerPoint on “energy use” and read that. Then he went back to Facebook for the rest of the period.

Of course, a laptop ban can’t make a student pay attention, as Girl 3 proved. She didn’t have a laptop. During the first part of the lecture she read and took notes on a chapter in an education textbook. During the video clip on the big screen, she alternated between watching the clip and sending a few texts on her phone. After the clip, she worked on her personal calendar and

straightened up the contents of her backpack.

By the end of class she was totally ready for the rest of her day.

James Tobin

Associate professor of Journalism

Staying financially wise during tough economic times One of the challenges that the current General Assembly faces is overcoming the $8 billion deficit that we have been racking up over the past four years. We are spending too much, not saving our money and not being efficient.

It is essential that we watch what we spend and remain frugal. According to the Office of Budget Management ‘s (OBM) chart of expenditures from FY ’68 — FY’ 11, state spending consistently grows at around twice the rate of inflation every year. When things turn bad, we barely cut back. But when things are good, we tend to go on a spending spree of growth. Because of our state’s current financial situation, my colleagues and I are taking the necessary steps to get us on the right track, revitalize this state and ensure that it is a great place to do business and raise your children. Just recently, the Ohio House passed House Bill 114, which is our state’s transportation budget.

The transportation budget is separate from our state operating budget. This budget outlines appropriations totaling $7 billion, including more than $2 billion per year for the construction and maintenance of the roadways that are so important to our economy and everyday life. I’m happy to report that this budget will spend $274.4 million less than what we are currently paying. Though it increases slightly the following year, it will remain $121.4 million less than our current year’s budget. In other words, we have taken steps to save Ohio money.

The House made a spending cut of almost $15 million to the budgets of the Ohio Department of Public Safety and the Department of Transportation (ODOT) and made changes to reduce the total fee burden on our citizens by more than $5 million per year. Additionally, an amendment I introduced to include a performance audit of ODOT in House Bill 2 aims to make those savings and efficiencies even deeper and more resilient to unnecessary spending increases in the future.

With the passage of House Bill 114, we are also opting to take the important step of consolidating the services of the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. The Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) will be spending less while promoting efficiency and customer service. As an example, counties with populations greater than 40,000 residents will be able to have their county clerks of courts serve as deputy registrars.Also in House Bill 114, we provided spending authority to the Public Works Commission to continue to assist local governments in road and infrastructure projects. This $150 million — a $30 million increase over previous years, has already been approved by Ohio voters and will help local governments to save as many as 30,000 jobs in our state.

For all of these reasons, I’m very proud of what the House has accomplished in this budget.

We saw a need to cut down on spending and we took action As your family’s voice in the People’s House, I will continue to look for opportunities such as this, and I hope that you will contact me with any questions or concerns you have regarding the future of Ohio.

State Representative Courtney Combs

Bevan.Schneck@ohr.state.oh.us

Opinion

THE MIAMI STUDENT

➤ STRATEGICALLY SPEAKING

FRIDAY, MARCH 18 2011 ♦ 7

➤ ESSAY

Face challenge Dogs encourage creative workouts of innovation head-on On March 9, 2011 at approximately 1:08 p.m., my sister was involved in a head-on car accident.

Home for spring break at the time, I received a call from my mother telling me Stephanie had been involved in a car accident and was on her way to the hospital. The hours that Jessica followed were filled Sink with shock, panic, worry and fear as I waited for news from my parents of whether she was okay.

Stephanie had been driving on a four-lane highway when a full size truck came pummeling towards her on the wrong side of the road.

She pulled off to the side, doing everything right to avoid the driver, but the truck hit her head-on, and sent her 2004 Buick Rainier flying backwards across the median and two lanes of traffic before hitting a guardrail and coming to a stop.

Reportedly, the driver of the truck had a medical condition and did not heed the sirens of the police cars trying to stop him. He caused a serious accident by colliding with my 18-yearold sister.

Thankfully, Stephanie is alive and on the mend. It is a miracle that she was able to walk away from such a serious accident. The car is totaled, with the front smashed, but amazingly, the driver’s compartment remained intact.

One has to wonder, how is it possible to walk away from being hit headon by a full size truck barreling down the highway? It is because engineers throughout the life of the automobile have developed designs specifically intended to save passengers involved in collisions.

If Stephanie had been driving any other vehicle, she might have been killed. Her life was saved because the car worked perfectly in its design and sacrificed itself for her.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were approximately 2 million people injured or killed in car accidents in 2009.

While this is a huge number, it would be much higher if it wasn’t for the work scientists, engineers and manufacturers do to develop safe vehicles.

Those individuals have made a commitment to study, test and develop ways to make highway driving as safe as possible, and it is due to their work that my sister survived her accident.

This commitment to safety is the same commitment that today’s students at Miami University and universities across the country must make.

Whether studying to be a teacher, doctor, engineer, scientist or businessperson, we are here to learn, research and study to find ways to make the world a better place.

My hat is off to the individuals who worked to develop the automobiles of today.

Their dedication and hard work has saved many lives and prevented many tragedies. The challenge for this generation of Miami students is to keep moving forward to make new strides and improvements in technology. Design, innovate, and dream for a better, safer world for future generations.

I can only imagine what it must be like to sit in the driver’s seat and watch as another vehicle heads straight for you. In the instant before the collision, my sister said she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She stayed brave in a very frightening situation.

My faith in God was strengthened on that day, for I believe Stephanie was wrapped in the arms of an angel, and my gratitude soared for those working for safer cars.

My challenge to all Miami students: make it count. Be the generation that moves forward to improve and advance the world. Whether big or small, regardless of career field, your contribution can make a difference. It is your turn, our turn, to create change. And just like Stephanie, we can certainly face that challenge head-on.

Spring has finally returned to Oxford. No more ice storms, snow or bitter temperatures.

It is time to bust out your favorite running shorts and spend afternoons outside exercising instead of being stuck on a random machine at the Recreational Center.

In a recent New York Times article titled Forget the Treadmill.

Get a Dog, Tara Parker-Hope discusses how workout machines fail to offer motivation for people to workout, but dogs can. A dog might be known as a man’s best friend, but now it can be a woman’s as well. There was a study done that said people were more likely to go for walks on a regular basis if they had a canine to walk. Dogs, unlike many other household pets, have to be walked on almost a daily basis to remain healthy and happy. So if you have a dog at home or up in Oxford, it is now your new piece of workout equipment for this spring and

But, you cannot wait for sumsummer. Just like if you forget mer to start working out. You to feed or let them out, dogs will need to want to start working bother you till you get the hint. out now.

A study also found that those Dogs and other workouts will who exercise by walking their give you motivation and a dedogs are also likely to do other sire to work out moderate or for a while. The vigorous acquestion is, does a tivities such as There was a study treadmill provide sports or even done that said the same satisgardening. By people were more walking your faction? For most dog, this can likely to go for walks people the answer be the start on a regular basis if is, “no.” of a whole If you choose they had a canine new work to go to the Recto walk. out regimen. reational Center, It is said to try taking a class. take around Kickboxing is a 26 days for a new habit to oc- great class to unleash any pent cur. If you walk your dog for 30 up anger you have stored from a minutes a day, five days a week, test, teacher or significant other. then by the end of the month a Pummeling a punching bag is new workout regimen is born. exhilarating and rejuvenating.

Obviously, not everyone on If kickboxing does not sound this campus is capable of own- appealing, then try a yoga class. ing a dog, but if you establish It is a perfect opposite to the this workout during the summer heart pumping and mind numbing art of punching and kicking. then you are set for the fall.

Instead, yoga is calm and peaceful as it helps relax your whole body in all areas. It is another way to de-stress and relieve any tension from a stressful week.

There are numerous classes offered at the Recreational Center, but if you do not want to spend money, classic sports like basketball or running are other options. Grab a friend or a group and go play outside volleyball or kick around a soccer ball in your backyard or quad.

Outdoor sports are simple and fun. However you choose to work out you just need to be active. Do not stare on the sidewalks outside the Recreational Center watching people walk or run past. The next time you decide you need to burn calories, find a creative way to get your workout accomplished. You never know, you might be the next owner of a precious, little Golden Retriever.

Michelle Ludwin

ludwinma@muohio.edu

➤ ESSAY

Piracy vicitimizes Somali nation

Piracy is a practice that we refer to that navy and claim they have taken up arms to occurred several decades ago before mod- protect their own seas from foreign ships. ern industrialization. We imagine those This is partly true because the lack of sovruthless, cutthroat and lawless individu- ereignty and control of the Somali governals that set sail in the high seas capturing ment. As a result, surrounding countries defenseless commercial vessels, as seen in have led to several violations of its ecopirate movies. However, these are not old nomic zone. Another issue is that foreign ideas anymore. Pirates still exist, at least in ships frequently devastate the local fishing the Gulf of Aden. industry by exploiting rich marine resourcThe Gulf of Aden is a narrow body of wa- es or by polluting the water from dumping ter near Somalia and Ethiopia where many industrial wastes. commercial ships pass The rising piracy in the through to reach the Suez open seas has increased costs Countries must help for many major logistics Canal. These commercial institute a strong ships have become tarcompanies and other marigets for piracy. The pirates national government time-based industries. Morecapture passing ships and in Somalia that can over, the threat of piracy demand large sums of ranimpedes trades between Afeffectively control som in return for the cargo, rican countries themselves. and penalize its ship and even the crew. AcCommercial ships now recording to the International cruit security personnel and own people.

Maritime Bureau, there are arm ships with equipment to reported attacks from as prevent pirates from easily early as 2003, but attacks decreased sud- boarding decks. denly in 2004. In 2004, the international Since the alarming increase in reported community dispatched special taskforces to pirate attacks, the international society has eradicate pirate and escort vessels. Unfortu- continually acted upon military operations nately, despite the international cooperation, in an effort to eradicate and stop further adpirates still sail the narrow strait and attacks vancements. However, international laws have continually increased since 2004. and agreements from military engagements Regardless of their illegal actions, these frequently prevent warships from further pirates regard themselves as the Somali pursuing pirates to the shores. This would

be an infringement on Somali sovereignty.

These costly military expeditions fail at exhibiting long-term results because pirates are still capturing ships to this day. It is time for policy change.

We need to understand that the key to solving piracy issues is not encouraging military action. Countries must help institute a strong national government in Somalia that can effectively control and penalize its own people. Piracy in the Gulf of Aden, in limited terms, is a form of guerilla warfare that utilizes civilian vessels as methods of concealment. Therefore, cooperation with the local population is instrumental. In addition, countries must try to provide Somalia with capital funds to help develop economic sustainability so that the Somali economy may provide minimal income to its people and prevent individuals from becoming victims of piracy.

The increasing number of reported attacks may be a significant indication that the number of pirate organizations is increasing. These steadily rising numbers may act to incite people in other poverty stricken countries in Africa to imitate their actions.

Therefore, it is crucial that countries take action now.

Charles Lee

leec2@muohio.edu

➤ ESSAY

Japan disaster teaches heavy lesson to world

When the turmoil in the Middle East grasped most of the world’s attention, the tragic catastrophe that happened in East Asia forced every person into extreme anxiety. I was playing a word game named “banana grams” with several of my friends in St. Louis on spring break when I was told this piece of news. I carelessly took it for granted because at that time all of my concentration was focused on the letters of the game.

When the next day came, I found out more information about Japan dominating websites, people’s mouths and finally the news spread to my own eyes. I was utterly shocked by the severe state of Japan.

March 11, 2011 is an unforgettable and miserable day for the Japanese. A massive 9.0 magnitude earthquake that landed on the Northeast coast changed Japan’s sky devastatingly and thoroughly. What followed was a tsunami that destroyed the city of Kesennuma. The explosion of nuclear plants exposed harmful radiation. People’s lives were taken and threatened by the continuing earthquakes and aftershocks that happened every day over durations of a few hours.

The factor of it being winter in Japan made for more difficult circumstances the Japanese people as the suffered in the cold. According to the latest updates, at least 3,570 people have died and

approximately 10,000 people are still missing.

As a result of Japan’s crisis, the entire world was affected to different degrees. The quake that rocked Japan shifted the balance of the planet. It shifted Eastern Japan towards North America by about 13 feet and also shifted the earth’s axis by 6.5 inches, which means our day was shortened by 1.6 microseconds. As for the economy, because of the unexpected triple disasters — earthquake, tsunami and nuclear reactor crisis — being one of the world’s leading developed country, Japan has shut down most of its industry. This has interrupted the availability of global supplies for individual’s daily necessities or the production and distribution of high technological products.

At this point, it’s unavoidable for the world to voice concerns about global economy recovery efforts.

Bad news continues everyday on the front pages of global newspapers, as the worse effects are said to continue for a while. However, instead of thoughts consumed by these tragedies, we need to reflect upon them and learn something educational and valuable.

When South Korea was still angry at North Korea for the bomb attack in November, it is important to heed a lesson from Japan. From these events, Japan is losing control of its nuclear reactor explosions spread in the

country. Is this profound enough to stop illegal nuclear programs taking place secretly in countries like North Korea? When some developed countries are still competing with each other in an arms race, why not take the lifethreatened nuclear radiation of Japan into consideration? Japan’s crisis just sounded the horn that there is a need for taking stricter precautionary measures in any nuclear programs before a tragedy happens again.

The painful and miserable memory left on China by Japan in World War II will never be forgotten, and many political and economical tensions between these two countries have also occurred often over the past few years. However, China generously and quickly stretched out a helping hand to aid Japan after the earthquake. In the midst of disasters, sympathy overshadows hateful feelings exposing briefly relief and recovery as the only goals and interests of the country. Neighboring countries suddenly become siblings and the world joins together to support each other to go through a tragedy. This is a good chance for not only China, but also other countries to improve their relationship with Japan. Our life is so uncertain, fragile and delicate in the face of natural catastrophes. Why don’t we become a family while the natural monsters attacks the

world? As the earthquake leaves behind a fragmented Japan nation, saving life becomes the first priority, ignoring the platforms for securing the country’s interests, political rights in the world and economic power competition. You never know what will happen tomorrow, why not just save time to live a peaceful and friendly life?

The lessons of Japan’s crisis are beyond these explained. The disaster seemed to force people to believe that the end of the world in 2012 is true. At this time we are feeling sorry for Japan, but we need to ponder deeply about our own lives. Live every day as the last day of your life, do not be silly about wasting time on meaningless sorrows, complaints or what makes you unhappy. Stop being hateful, discriminatory and mean toward people. Try to open your heart, by welcoming people into the best part of your life. When we are praying for the families who lost loved ones people in Japan, never forget to pray for yourself and a better life tomorrow. Even if the end of the world is coming, we need to be brave and strong enough to work together to fight against it. Even if we will lose at the end, we will not have many regrets left in our life.

Qiao Song

songq@muohio.edu

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March 18, 2011

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Sports

THE MIAMI STUDENT

FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2011 ♦ 9

RedHawks fall short in Hawaii championship

By Drew McDonnell Staff Writer

The Miami University softball team finished as the runner-up in the Pepsi Malihini Kipa Aloha Tournament this past weekend in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Junior Jordan McElroy saw the tournament as a great test for the team.

“The biggest accomplishment during this tournament was seeing how different girls on the team can step up when they are needed to,” McElroy said. “Especially dealing with injuries from a few starters, we were able to see different girls take roles that they have not been asked to take yet.”

The team opened the tournament up with a 4-0 win against South Dakota State University on the first day. Miami began to dominate with two runs in the bottom of the third inning. After

McElroy reached base on an error, freshman Kristy Arbour bunted for a base hit to put two on the bases.

Senior Meghan Mawn came to the plate and doubled to right center, sending McElroy home. Arbour scored soon after on a wild pitch.

At the bottom of the fourth, senior Jenna McGivney led off with a single to centerfield and was replaced by freshman pinch-runner Brandi Hernandez. McElroy followed with an infield single to put two on base.

A bunt by Arbour moved both into scoring position, while another bunt from Mawn brought home Hernandez and made it 3-0. Freshman Kayla Ledbetter completed the scoring with a double to left field that sent McElroy home.

On day two of the tournament, the RedHawks defeated Longwood University 1-0 in the opener but fell to the University of Hawaii 5-0 in the nightcap.

The ’Hawks got the only run of

the game against Longwood right five innings of work. at the start in the top of the first in“We noticed that we need to get ning. McElroy led off the game with more hits in clutch situations.” Mca single to shortstop. Mawn singled Givney said. “We are a good hitting to right field to team and we get move McElroy a lot of hits just over to second. not always in the “The biggest Ledbetter folopportune moaccomplishment lowed with a ments that we single to right during this tournament need them.” was seeing how field that sent On the final McElroy home. different girls on the day of the tourThe Univer- team can step up when nament, the Redsity of Hawaii Hawks won their they are needed to.” first game 1-0 dominated the Red and White over Longwood Jordan McElroy with four runs in the morning Junior Outfielder in the bottom of and held a 2-0 the first inning. lead against HaThree of them waii in the fourth came off a home run to right center. inning before the high-powered After the Hawaii scored again, ju- Rainbow Wahine offense gained nior Katie Osburn came in relief of eight runs to win 8-2. freshman starter Paige Myers. OsMiami scored its run in the first burn was able to stall the Hawaii at- game against Longwood in the top tack, giving up no runs on six hits in of the first inning. McElroy led off

Red and White place ninth in Florida

Miami drops CBI opener to Rhode Island

By Hannah R. Miller Staff Writer

MICHAEL GRIGGS The Miami Student

Sophomore guard Allen Roberts soars to the rim for two against Kent State University Feb. 16. Roberts and the RedHawks were defeated by the University of Rhode Island 76-59 Wednesday night in the first round of the CBI.

COLUMN

continued from page 10 for his dislike of holding practices indoors no matter the weather, has yet to face any discipline, as has anyone else with the team. To Notre Dame, $77,500 is a slap on the wrist.

To Kelly, it’s completely ignorable, but to Sullivan’s parents, the death of their 20-year old son can never be fixed.

Barry and Alison Sullivan issued a statement saying that, while they appreciate the thorough investigation, nothing can undo what has happened to their family.

“This report is an important step in preventing future accidents, but its findings do not change the fact that Declan is not with us,” they wrote.

I can’t say that Sullivan’s death, and the subsequent lack of results from Notre Dame to punish those responsible, hasn’t angered me. In my mind, Notre Dame has yet to act because they want to avoid a bigger scandal than they already are dealing with. Additionally, people are reluctant to call-out people in a program as big as Notre Dame’s. However, if this accident happened here, at Miami, someone would have been held responsible by now.

The fine handed down by the IOHSA is important, because at the

very least it shows someone, somewhere in South Bend is responsible for Sullivan’s death. However, a fine of $77,500 is chump change when you consider that tuition for Notre Dame is $39,91 and the average cost of room and board is $10,866.

Essentially, two first-year students cover the fine and then some.

What is the worth of a human life? Not to get philosophical here but isn’t that what the IOHSA just said to Notre Dame? “You are responsible for a death that could have been avoided. That’ll be $77,500.”

I’d like to think Notre Dame would have done something for the Sullivan’s before now. After all, Declan Sullivan went to work for them.

Taping their team. Helping them try to win a championship which would bring Notre Dame money that Sullivan would likely never see.

According to Forbes.com, Notre Dame stands to lose up to $80 million for Sullivan’s death and any punitive damages that it brought, provided that it is determined Sullivan’s death was caused by negligence or misconduct by Notre Dame officials such as Kelly or Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick. The IOHSA’s findings could be enough to prove that.

But it doesn’t matter really. For Barry and Alison Sullivan, no amount of money will bring their son back to life. And sadly, their last memory of him will be his final words. A tweet he sent out at 4:06 p.m. the day he died.

the game with an infield single to the shortstop. A single from Mawn to right field would move her over to second base. Ledbetter sent a single to bring McElroy home.

The RedHawks scored in the top of the first against Hawaii.

McElroy started the game with a single to left field. Mawn moved her over to third base with a single to right field which soon led her to home.

Miami made it 2-0 in the top of the third. McElroy led off the frame with another single. Ledbetter brought her home with a triple to deep right field. Hawaii tied it at two in the bottom of the fourth and a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth would give the Rainbow Wahine the lead. With the score 5-2 in the bottom of the sixth, Hawaii scored three runs on another home run to account for the 8-2 final score.

Miami is now 11-8 on the season.

With senior golfers Nathan Sutherland and Michael Drobnick leading the way, the Miami University golf team teed off in the Rio Pinar Invitational in Orlando, Fla. Monday, March 14 and Tuesday, March 15.

The Red and White finished 9th out of 18 teams, with the University of Central Florida taking the victory.

Sutherland finished tied for 10th individually, with Drobnick close behind him, tied for 14th. Sutherland shot a 73 in the first round, a 69 in the second round and a 72 in the third for a final score of 2-under par. Drobnick shot a 71 and a pair of 72s for a finish of 1-under par.

Head Coach Casey Lubahn was encouraged by Drobnick’s performance.

“We’re happy to see Michael perform like we know Michael can, and like he knows he can,” Lubahn said. “He was committed to his shots, and he built some good momentum for the rest of the season.”

Lubahn was glad to see Sutherland in contention throughout the rounds as well.

“Nathan’s great week in and week out,” Lubahn said. “We never take it for granted, but I’m not surprised by his continued good play.”

Even with good scores from his seniors, Lubahn needed more from his other three golfers. Ben Peacock, Austin Kelly and Brett Tomfohrde finished at 9-over

HOCKEY

par, 20-over par and 23-over par, respectively.

“It’s important that the other guys dig in a little and understand that we don’t get this done without them finding a way,” Lubahn said.

“They’re good kids and they’re working hard, but they need to gut it out a little bit more when they’re in competition and they need to stay more positive.”

Sutherland believes his teammates are on the brink of contributing to the team score each round.

“They’re playing 14 or 15 really good holes, but we need them to put in 18 solid holes every round so that we finish the round,” Sutherland said. “They’re playing well, I think they’re close.”

With a week before their next tournament, Lubahn is ready to get his team competing against each other and working on their mental game.

“We didn’t manage our mental game very well,” Lubahn said.

“Our strategy wasn’t on the level we need it to be and our determination was not as good as it has been.

This week should be good because we’ll have guys battle at home before we leave.”

Sutherland sees the longer holes as the main area for improvement.

“We’ve got to play the par fives better. I don’t think we did as well this week on them as some teams that were in contention did.”

The RedHawks head back to Florida for the FAU Spring Break Classic March 25, 26 and 27 in Delray Beach.

SKATING

continued from page 10

continued from page 10

weekend’s winner.

Seniors Andy Miele and Carter Camper have been recognized for individual accomplishments throughout the season, but both players express that victories as a team are a different experience.

“As an individual you can win awards, but you’re going to share that with yourself,” Miele said. “But when you can win a Mason Cup … it’s something you can share with 24 other guys.”

“That’s said perfectly,” Camper said. “When you win a regular season championship or playoff championship, you can celebrate with the people you’re with every day and that lasts a little bit longer.”

Thursday night in Detroit, prior to the weekend games, the CCHA Awards ceremony was held. Miami had three players selected to the All-CCHA First Team, including Camper, Miele and sophomore Reilly Smith.

Junior Chris Wideman was selected to the Second Team.

In regards to the awards, Camper noted the depth of the Miami roster and described the sentiment of the recognition.

“It was definitely special,” Camper said.

“We were fortunate enough to play on a line together at the beginning of the year and we were able to put up some pretty good numbers.”

The puck drops at 4:30 p.m. Friday. Saturday’s game-time will be determined by Friday’s outcome.

score of 32.64 and a program component score of 32.11. Overall, they earned a season high score of 64.75.

The senior team kept their energy and momentum going when they skated a perfect free- skate performance to “Hypnotized in a Dream.” They received an element score of 62.84, a program component score of 67.91 and a 130.75 score overall.

With a total score of 195.50, the RedHawks placed second behind the Haydenettes, who had finished with 217.41 points.

“They went out and skated the best two performances they could,” Head Coach Carla DeGirolamo said. “They went in and did their job.”

The junior synchronized skating team kicked off the U.S. National Championships for Miami with its short program Friday, March 4.

The ’Hawks skated a clean short program to “Heartbreaker” and “Hit Me With Your Best Shot”

by Pat Benetar on Friday. They received an element score of 24.72 and a component score of 24.73.

This put the Red and White in sixth out of 11 teams with an overall short program score 49.45.

Besides one deduction, the junior team skated a solid free skate program Saturday. They earned a free skate score of 89.09, which earned them an overall score of 138.54, earning them a sixth place finish at nationals.

With Nationals behind them, the senior and collegiate teams will continue to work on their performances and focus on improving the technical parts of their skating before competing in the World Synchronized Skating Championships April 8 and 9 in Helsinki, Finland.

10

Friday March 18, 2011

Just another slap on the wrist

HOCKEY

Sports

Editor Michael Solomon sports@miamistudent.net

NEXT GAME: 4:35 p.m. Friday vs. the University of Notre Dame

’Hawks aim for CCHA title

Adam Hainsfurther

Hainsfurther’s Holler

O

ctober 27, 2010 4:06 PM, @ DecSullivan: “Holy (blank).

Holy (blank). This is terrifying.”

On Tuesday, March 15, the day that March Madness officially kicked off, the University of Notre Dame, a twoseed in the men’s basketball tournament, was no longer feeling the high that comes with being awarded a high seed. Instead, the pain felt in October following the accidental death of Declan Sullivan was being brought back to life following the decision by the Indiana Occupational Health and Safety Administration (IOHSA) to fine the university $77,500 for ignoring industry standards that could have helped avoid Sullivan’s death.

Sullivan, a videographer for the Fighting Irish football team, died last year after the hydraulic lift he was using to tape a team practice toppled over amid strong winds. The IOHSA found the Notre Dame had six violations and fined the university for each one. The biggest fine was $55,000 for “knowingly exposing its employees to unsafe conditions by directing its untrained student videographers to use the scissor lift during a period of time when the National Weather Service issued an active wind advisory with sustained winds and guests in excess of the manufactured specifications and warnings.”

For Notre Dame, Sullivan’s death was a tragedy, but no one was held accountable. Head coach Brian Kelly, who is now preparing for his second season with the Irish and is notorious

wSee COLUMN, page 9

MICHAEL GRIGGS The Miami Student

Junior Chris Wideman fires a shot from the blue line against the University of Alaska Fairbanks March 11.

By Hannah R. Miller Staff Writer

Unbeaten in their last 11 games and coming off a sweep of the University of Alaska Fairbanks in the second round of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) Tournament, the Miami University ice hockey team heads to Detroit, Mich. for CCHA Championship Weekend at Joe Louis Arena. The semifinal games will be held Friday, March 18, with the championship and consolation games on Saturday, March 19.

The ’Hawks will face-off against second-seeded University of Notre Dame in their semifinal battle. The teams split their first series of the year in

Oxford, with the Irish taking Friday’s game by a score of 5-4 and the RedHawks rallying for a 5-2 victory on Saturday. When the Red and White traveled to South Bend, Ind. in January, both games ended in ties (5-5 Friday, 2-2 Saturday), with the ’Hawks notching a shootout win Friday and the Irish winning the shootout Saturday.

Head Coach Enrico Blasi is excited for his team to be headed to Detroit and looks forward to a challenging game against Notre Dame.

“We have had some real good battles this year,” Blasi said.

“I think both teams are real evenly matched. They have a tremendous amount of skill up front. The games we have

played against each other have gone down to the wire, all four of them.”

Notre Dame Head Coach Jeff Jackson shared similar expectations for Friday’s game, noting the intensity of the previous contests between the two teams.

He said the deciding factors will be the same as they have been all season.

“It’s probably going to boil down to special teams and goaltending,” Jackson said. “I always think when you get into onegame situations in this environment, goaltending always seems to be the difference, especially when the game is on the line.”

Blasi is confident in his team’s goaltending and overall defensive play after allowing only

one goal in each of their last five contests.

“I think it starts with our goaltenders,” Blasi said. “Both Connor Knapp and Cody Reichard have been playing extremely well. With our team defense, there’s been a little more of a purpose to what we do.”

On the other side of the bracket, top-seeded University of Michigan takes on Western Michigan University. The winners of both Friday games will play Saturday for the CCHA Championship.

Even though the Red and White won the regular-season championship in the 2009-2010 CCHA season, the team has never won a Mason Cup, awarded to this

wSee HOCKEY, page 9

SYNCHRONIZED SKATING

Collegiate Skating Team wins seventh straight National Title

By Melissa Maykut Staff Writer

The Miami University Collegiate Synchronized Skating Team made history Saturday, March 5 when they won their seventh straight national title and 12th title in school history at the United States Synchronized Skating Championships in Ontario, Calif.

Hearts were racing as the RedHawks stepped onto the cold, slick ice at Citizens Business Bank Arena. Just a year ago, the collegiate team had been in this same position in Minneapolis going for their sixth straight national title. As the ’Hawks glided out onto the ice and began to skate to

the rhythm of their music, bringing their Brazilian Carnival theme to life, they had one goal and one goal only: to come home with another national title.

“It went amazing,” senior Emily Sullivan, a co-captain of the team, said. “It was the best performance of the season. We skated with as much energy and excitement as ever. It’s what we have been working for all season.”

With only one shot to perfect their program, the Red and White skated a high-energy performance, making the crowd and judges feel the excitement of the Brazilian party that was occurring down on the ice.

The RedHawks received an

element score of 47.13 and a program component score of 49.13, resulting in an overall score of 96.16. The “Golden Girls” of Miami University beat second place Michigan State University by 11 points, clinching a seventh consecutive national title, something no synchronized skating team has ever done before.

The same weekend, the senior team skated its best performance of its season, coming in second place behind the Haydenettes.

The Red and White skated a flawless short program to “Bridge Over Troubled Water” Saturday.

The team received an element

wSee SKATING, page 9