March 19, 2013 | The Miami Student

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

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

VOLUME 140 NO. 44

MIAMI UNIVERSITY OXFORD, OHIO

TODAY IN MIAMI HISTORY In 1990, The Miami Student reported that the director of liberal education, Karen Schilling, said the first courses of the newly developed Miami Plan would be offered in the following semester. Schilling was quoted saying the plan would “require a full university commitment to the program...”

RedHawks advance to CCHA Semifinals

BY JOE GIERINGER SENIOR STAFF WRITER

The No. 3 Miami University hockey team might have been one of nine squads nationwide that needed a third game to clinch its respective league tournament quarterfinal, but for the fourth year in a row it will be headed to the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) Semifinals in Detroit, Mich.

As the top-seeded RedHawks (24-10-5) left the Goggin Ice Arena Friday night, there was a palpable dejection. The 3-0 loss to 11-seed Michigan State University (14-26-3) was fresh and the Brotherhood was suddenly on its heels in this best-of-3 series.

“They outplayed us from the beginning,” Head Coach Enrico Blasi said Friday night. “They won a lot of key battles and they got a couple goals up. They did a good job blocking shots and weren’t giving us second opportunities. [Freshman Jake] Hildebrand played well [in goal].

They did a great job.”

With renewed focus, the Red and White returned to action Saturday, and despite allowing a power play goal just 28 seconds into the contest, rallied with four straight goals to cruise to a 4-1 victory. Sophomore forward Austin Czarnik tallied the game winner and the final strike with his first of the night coming on the penalty kill, propelling him to a NCAA-leading four shorthand goals. Classmates Jimmy Mullin and Cody Murphy added one a piece as well. Freshmen forward Riley Barber and defenseman Matthew Caito picked up two assists each and senior defenseman Joe Hartman tallied a single assist, as did Murphy.

“We did a good job of attacking the net,” Czarnik said Saturday. “We got pucks to the net and won battles in front of the net.

That was our key focus for today and we were successful with it.”

With the series on the line, the RedHawks came out with a purpose in Sunday’s Game Three, in the final CCHA game ever played at Steve Cady Arena.

Miami jumped on the board first when Hildebrand mishandled the puck behind his net, serving up freshman forward Kevin Morris at the 15:03 of the first period,

giving Miami its eighth shorthanded goal on the season, second best in the nation.

“Luckily the goalie kind of served up a pizza for me,” Morris said. “But first goals are huge in games like this, and luckily we were able to pop one.”

Freshman forward Sean Kuraly found his stride as the game continued, recording his first multi-goal game of the season when it mattered most. His first strike came in the closing minutes of the first frame as he edged the defenseman down the righthand boards and used his long reach to beat the goaltender to the far side.

But the Spartans would not go quietly, as Miami accrued four penalties in the span of four minutes in the second period. Going down 5-on-3 two separate times, the RedHawks killed all but one of the infractions to maintain a 2-1 lead heading into the third.

Feeding off of the fervent crowd reaction, Kuraly struck once more, corralling his own rebound and burying his second goal of the night. Czarnik put the icing on the cake with an empty net goal in the final seconds to make the final score 4-1.

“We’ve been in the right mindset all season,” Morris said. “It’s been a process and we’ve stuck to that process.”

The past two contests were ‘win or go home’ for the RedHawks, and Blasi noted it might have pushed to play some of their best hockey.

“I’m a big believer in everything happens for a reason,” Blasi said of his team’s early series loss. “As I said Friday night on my way out of here, ‘this happened for a reason.’ Sometimes you’re not privileged to those reasons. But it turned out that it helped us intensify our commitment to the team, to each other, to the type of game that we want to play and from here on in it’s a one game shot.”

Miami will face the University of Michigan in the CCHA Semifinals 4:35 p.m., March 23. Michigan stands at 17-18-3, but they might very well be the hottest team in the country right now. They’ve gone 7-0-1 in their last eight games, which will prove a mighty test for a young RedHawk squad.

BLAKE WILSON THE MIAMI STUDENT

Miami University sophomore forward Jimmy Mullin celebrates with freshman defenseman Chris Joyaux and senior defenseman Joe Hartmann after a goal.

National student loan debt triples, Miami average fifth highest in Ohio

BY EMILY GLASER

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Miami University students who are worried about loan debt after college are not alone: the national student loan debt has tripled over the last eight years, according to a recent report from the New York Federal Reserve.

Approximately 54 percent of Miami students are borrowing loans, with an average indebtedness of $27,200 per student according to Brent Shock, director of financial assistance at Miami.

The trend is seen throughout the nation, including Ohio. According to Shock, Miami’s average debt owed is fifth in Ohio, behind other four-year public schools like Bowling Green State University, Kent State University, the University of Toledo and the University of Cincinnati. Bowling Green University students owe an average of $32,000 upon graduation, according to Shock.

Junior Taylor Vaughn is among one of many Miami students who takes out loans, and said she expects to owe approximately $27,000 after she completes her undergraduate studies at Miami.

“I’m most worried about how much is going to accumulate after grad school, and since I don’t have a clear career path being a Psych major, I’m not 100 percent certain what I want to do yet,” Vaughn said.

Shock listed some potential reasons for the national loan debt increase.

“The personal wealth of many families has shrunk,” he said.

“Many use equity in home to help finance college cost and the equity is based on the value of the home.

All across the country, home values have declined in the last four or five years, which means that resource has dried up for some families.”

Shock also said the increasing debt could be because more

people are in college.

Thomas Hall, professor of economics at Miami, agreed with Shock.

“More people want to attend college, and the cost of college has gone up enormously,” he said.

Hall said he is concerned about the economic impact of the increasing amounts of loan debt.

“The concern I have with it is how it’s going to impact students who are running up debt now, later,” he said. “It will delay their purchases of homes, they might not buy as expensive of an automobile as they would have otherwise. It’s going to be a burden that they will have wrapped around their neck for the next couple of years.”

Shock said Miami is taking new initiatives next year to help prevent students from accumulating debt.

DEBT,

SEE PAGE 5

‘Monopoly money’ myth affects students’ on-campus spending habits

BY ADRIENNE MONCRIEF FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

Miami University meal plans may cause students to spend more than they would with cash.

According to students, simply tapping or swiping their IDs to pay for food, makes them feel as though they are not spending real money, which impacts their spending habits.

Some referred to meal plans as “Monopoly money.” With this fake money spending mentality, students said they spend more than they would with tangible money, and many said they would spend little to no money on campus if they had to pay with cash rather than their ID. With the Diplomat meal plan, students receive discounts on food items in the dining halls and the markets on campus.

Diplomat meal plans save students 60 percent at buffet-style dining halls, 40 percent at togo windows and 30 percent at a la carte locations.

The discount entices students

to buy more, said first-year Warren Barker.

“Because you’re getting the discount, you feel like you’re getting a great deal,” Barker said. “Even though in reality it’s probably more expensive than some places uptown.”

Prices are higher without the Diplomat discount, which deters people without meal plans from buying food on campus.

For example, certain fine dining locations on campus such as La Mia, Panache and One Eight 09 cost more than the typical dining halls. Without the discount, Sunday brunch at One Eight 09 costs around $15.

“If I had to pull out $15 every time I went to One Eight 09, I would come here a lot less,” said first-year Michael Jackson.

The discount enables students to buy food at locations on campus that they could not afford otherwise, according Jackson.

Senior LaNay Riley, an employee at the register at Ovations, said she rarely sees customers pay with cash or credit cards. If they do, they

mostly consist of older adults and graduate students.

“Credit cards are used for a small amount of spending such as a smoothie or a pretzel,” Riley said. “But if I had to spend money here, I would never spend five bucks on a pretzel.”

Typically, more underclassmen have meal plans because they live on campus. Although buying food from a la carte locations costs more than eating at buffet-style dining halls, many students with meal plans said they do not care about price.

First-year Amanda Cheng said she never checks how much money she has left in her account.

“It doesn’t feel like real money, so I feel like it’s never going to run out,” Cheng said.

Sophomore Nomsa Mzozoyana, register worker at Market Street, noticed this trend.

“One girl came in and spent almost $150 on food,” Mzozoyana said. “People buy steak and things that you wouldn’t buy with cash but you would with a meal plan. They have all this

money on their card, so they’ll spend it on food at the market or buy things for their friends without meal plans.”

Junior Morgan Feeney confirmed this observation; she said she buys food for her friends at Market Street with her Miami Express meal plan, a smaller meal plan for students who live off campus.

“During [sorority] recruitment, I was paying for everyone at the market with my meal plan,” Feeney said. “I’d rather spend Monopoly money at the market with my meal plan than spend real money at the grocery store.”

Although Feeney lives off campus, she has a small amount on her card because of the convenience.

“Just in case you’re ever on campus all day and you don’t have enough time to go back to your house in between classes, it’s more convenient to have a small meal plan,” Feeney said.

“Because of the fake money aspect, it’s so nice. I can grab a Starbucks before class and not

have to pay cash for it.”

According to Cheng, she does not think that her meal plan spending habits will carry over after college.

“My parents are the one paying for my meal plan,” Cheng said.

“When I use my own money, I’m much more cautious with what I spend. I don’t think my spending habits would be the same because I’d actually be paying for my own credit card bill.”

First-year Jill Runser said she pays for her meal plan with her own money. She does not consider the meal plan to be like Monopoly money. She is very cautious of spending and the amounts in her debit card and meal plan accounts.

“With all the money we spend, I always try to choose the lowest amount possible on meal plans and MUULA because I realize it’s real money,” Runser said.

“However, during the school year, it’s sometimes difficult to remind myself of that and I don’t worry about my balance until I get low. Then I watch every dollar.”

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CAMPUS

EDITORS VICTORIA SLATER CATHERINE MONCEAUX

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

CAMPUS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

Sequester may lower university funding

BY AMANDA HANCOCK SENIOR STAFF WRITER

A series of automatic cuts went into effect across the federal budget as of early March and those cuts may trickle down to Miami University.

The sequester, which kicked in March 1 after Congress could not agree on a budget to reduce the federal deficit, may cut federal subsidies to universities including Miami, according to university officials.

Claire Wagner, director of university communications, said it is easy to think that the actions of politicians in Washington have little impact on the lives of students

in southwest Ohio.

“The impact of the sequestration on several areas of university life is a living lesson in political economics,” Wagner said.

Miami was scheduled to receive nearly $2.4 million a year in federal subsidies on its $105 million in Build America Bonds, but the sequester may shrink that by about $180,000 a year. University officials are hoping for a resolution by the time the next bond payment is due in September, Wagner said.

According to Brent Shock, director of student financial assistance, if budget items are not passed to end the sequester, Miami would lose

money allocated for financial aid.

Areas like Pell Grant, Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant, College Work Study Program and loans would be affected.

Although Pell Grant will not be impacted for the current school year or the 2013-2014 year, anything beyond that would likely be impacted.

A fewer number of students will receive Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (SEOG) and College Work Study Program (CWSP) based on the sequester, Shock said.

“Nationwide, about $86 million will have to be cut from these programs and I expect that we will be notified later this spring about the

reductions required for our 2013-14 allocation,” he said.

Shock estimates Miami will lose just over $24,000 from the original amount allocated.

“When you combine this with our required 25 percent match, the effect is that 42 fewer students will receive SEOG for 2013-14 than we originally thought,” he said.

Miami will lose just under $30,000 of the CWSP allocation, Shock estimates, which comes out to approximately 15 fewer students receiving CWSP. Loan origination costs for subsidized and student borrowed will increase anywhere from less than

one percent to approximately 1.05 percent. The average increase in cost to a student for origination fees will amount to about $2.50, according to Shock.

Additionally, PLUS loans, which are loans parents borrow for educational costs for their children, will increase from 4 percent to 4.20 percent.

“I estimate that this will cost the typical borrower about $51.00 in additional origination fees,” Brock said.

Wagner said this all presents another lesson in reverse.

SEQUESTER, SEE PAGE 10

MU continues to revise the Miami Plan Coffee drinkers: reusable cups are always half full

BY ASHLEY LAUGHLIN FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

Along with the many physical changes Miami University is currently undergoing, the Miami Plan is also being redesigned. New models, perspectives and initiatives are being explored to improve the system.

The Miami Plan Redesign Task Force, made up of students, staff and faculty, allows for many perspectives and ideas, according to John Tassoni, director of liberal education. Over 1,000 students responded to an online survey last semester, which gave the task force much to consider when working on the redesign—e-portfolios, cohorts and liberal education seminars, for example.

Nicholas Miller, junior and secretary for academic affairs, was appointed by Student Body President senior John Stefanski to serve with him and student trustee, junior Arianne Wilt, as the student representatives for the task force. According to Miller, one of the biggest issues with the current plan is the lack of understanding it provides students.

Sophomore Alyssa Wilson voiced her confusion about the current Miami Plan.

“I am confused that College of Arts and Science majors are required to take language [courses] and business majors aren’t,” Wilson said.

“This doesn’t make sense to me because it seems that business students would benefit more from learning a foreign language than arts and sciences students would.”

Junior Aaron Shafer also commented on how he believed the Miami Plan could be improved upon.

“I think the new Miami Plan should be similar to the cohort system used by the teacher education department,” Shafer said. “When picking your general education courses, rather than picking individual courses, you pick a cluster. In this cluster the students in each of the classes would be the same, creating more of a community style atmosphere.

This community [atmosphere] is lacking among introductory courses here on campus.”

Miller addressed many similar student concerns.

“Many of my peers are not aware of the liberal education, why we have it or the benefits thereof,” Miller said.

He suggests a cooperative Miami Plan that allows a liberal education and an understanding as

to why it helps students get a job upon graduation.

Though the Miami Plan has not yet been altered, there has been much conversation around campus regarding what components need to be changed. According to Miller, the task force has explored decreasing the credit hours currently demanded of the Global Miami Plan and increasing individual flexibility, among other topics.

“In the plans we’re drafting, you’ll see more opportunities for students, staff and faculty to involve themselves in dialogues that cross disciplines to address real-world challenges,” Tassoni said. “I think all of the new components we’re considering will stimulate teaching and learning at Miami. The hard part will be deciding what parts can work together in the most coherent and effective way.”

According to Tassoni, another survey will be distributed soon, allowing participants to see a more focused and descriptive aspect of features in the drafts.

Tassoni provided some insight

MIAMI PLAN, SEE PAGE 10

New residence halls feature unique design

BY JK LYONS

FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

A reusable cup program, recently implemented at Dividend$ and Bell Tower, gives students, staff and faculty the opportunity to save in a lot of ways.

The Miami University community consumes a lot of coffee, according to Jon Brubacher, manager of purchasing and operation analysis. In 2012, the Miami community consumed 12,735 pounds, which produced a lot of trash.

According to Brubacher, approximately 280,200 coffee cups are used every year.

Bell Tower and Dividend$ implemented a plan Feb. 4 to reduce this coffee byproduct.

Students, staff and faculty can now bring their own thermos to these locations to fill up with coffee or tea instead of the paper cups provided.

According to Yvette Kline, director of sustainability and energy conservation, the system is user-friendly.

“Users only need to pick up a free key fob from the cashiers of these locations first so they can be charged for their coffee,” Kline said.

This pilot program has been a part of the campus-wide effort to make Miami more environmentally friendly.

“This and other ideas stem from the Sustainability Commitment and Goals program,” Kline said. “Developed by Miami’s

Sustainability Committee and signed into action by President David Hodge in April of 2011.”

The reusable cup program offers coffee and tea drinkers the chance to get more bang for their buck, according to Brubacher.

“Users will be charged $2.19, the average price between small, medium and large sizes,” Brubacher said.

Yet, this price is applicable to any size thermos, within reason, noted Kline. Users will pay the average price but can get a lot more coffee.

Even with this revamped system, the response has been slow. As of March 5, only around 100 transactions had taken place, Brubacher said, but the leaders of this program remain optimistic.

“My vision is that this will be permanent,” Kline said. “It has worked successfully in retail and can work here. Coffee retailers like Starbucks use similar programs and have had success.”

According to Brubacher, the reusable coffee program could replace all coffee cups at Miami.

While the leaders of the program are optimistic, they understand the program needs more work.

Kline sees this program as an opportunity to save both the university and Miami’s coffee drinkers money while being

CUPS,

SEE PAGE 10

ASG supports emergency phone box renovations LISA GEHRING THE MIAMI STUDENT

MapleStreet Station is one of the two new residence halls currently under construction on Maple Street. MapleStreet Station and Etheridge Hall will both provide unique housing options for upperclassmen beginning fall semester of 2013.

BY TREY FRAME

FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

When walking past the Shriver Center and down onto Maple Street it is almost impossible not to notice the new residence halls under construction. These new buildings will be unlike anything else seen on campus to date.

The new halls are an example of Miami University’s new initiative that will look towards the future of on campus living.

Senior Director for Auxiliary Planning & Facilities Matt Frericks discussed how when coming up with the process he and other colleagues talked to students for their input on how the school could improve the residence halls.

“We put together focus groups of students about five to six years ago to look at how the school could progress in student housing renovation,” he said.

From the focus groups, Miami’s housing services learned that students would be better fit to live in a residence hall if instead of corridors they had large

rooms, almost like a big house, according to Frericks.

The two new residence halls will be called MapleStreet Station and Etheridge and they will be located near Tappan and Morris halls.

Each floor on the new residence halls will have three “houses” that are filled with 15 rooms where about 30 males and females will live together, but in separate rooms.

Within each house, students will have a large common room with a living room, dining room, kitchen area and a study room.

Junior Sean Gilligan said he thinks this new style of residence halls will be beneficial for upperclassmen.

“I feel as though it’s a good idea for upperclassman who want to have the security of on campus living without the cramped residence hall feel,” he said.

The new residence halls will be for anyone after their first year to live in and will be available starting at the beginning of fall semester. The university will decide who will stay in these new residence halls based on living and

learning communities and student created communities.

Junior Kyle Wilson said that one positive aspect of the new residence halls are they are so close to the amenities the school had to offer.

“As someone who lives in an off campus house, I can only see the benefits of living on campus all four years and feel that this new initiative will spark an interest for students and their living situations,” he said.

An important part of this new process is to get students with the same living learning communities together in the same ‘house.’

According to Frericks, this will allow them to have the opportunity to get to know people with similar interests in an open environment.

Frericks explained how Miami is planning on moving in this new direction of on campus living.

“We are very excited about the process and this is the new trend with residence halls,” he said. “We plan to move in this direction with this specific sort of layout for residence halls in the future.”

BY VICTORIA SLATER CAMPUS EDITOR

The Emergency Phone Kiosks Initiative was revisited and passed by student senate 39-0-0 during the Associated Student Government (ASG) meeting Tuesday, March 5. Additionally, ASG viewed a presentation about the newly instated degree audit system.

According to junior senator Max Smith, the Emergency Phone Kiosks Initiative, which was presented to senate two weeks ago, expresses ASG support for university and police initiatives that will increase safety among the student body.

The resolution said the 12 emergency phone kiosks that are located on campus are in need of replacement. “[The kiosks] are technologically outdated and contain parts that are no longer manufactured,” the legislation states.

Miami and the Miami University Police Department (MUPD) are beginning efforts to install 30 renovated kiosks on campus.

This legislation additionally calls for the efforts to establish these kiosks by next Fall.

“ASG encourages prompt action to be taken to have the

[kiosks] installed over the summer of 2013,” it states.

In addition, a committee will be established so students and ASG can collaborate with Information Technology Services and MUPD throughout the execution of this project.

Junior Senator Max Swartz emphasized that the resolution, as a whole, demonstrates support that will allow for increased student input in future university endeavors.

“We can actually have input on projects that are taking place at this university and help steer these projects in the direction we want to see them go,” he said.

The original legislation was presented as a bill, and a clause existed that described the ad hoc committee that will be created.

Junior Senator Brandon Patterson argued the bill should show general ASG support for the renovated kiosk initiative, which includes the formation of a committee, and that the extra clause was unnecessary.

“I don’t think the [ad hoc] committee is necessary for ASG to get involved with,” he said.

ASG,

SEE PAGE 10

EDITORS JANE BLAZER CHRIS CURME

COMMUNITY TUESDAY MARCH 19, 2013

COMMUNITY@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

3

POLICE Gala imports little slice of Paris

BEAT

BY JESSICA BARGA STAFF WRITER

The Oxford Community Arts Center (OCAC) will soon be the temporary home to a 30-foot representation of the Eiffel Tower.

The tower is an integral part of the theme of OCAC’s upcoming annual fundraising gala.

Each year, OCAC puts on an event to earn money to fund the center through the year. This year’s gala is scheduled to take place March 23.

“We’ve set a goal of raising $60,000 this year,” Martha Slager, co-chair for this year’s gala, said.

“That’s sizable, but it helps us to operate the center. OCAC is non-profit, which means all the money we use must come from grants and donations.”

According to Slager, the yearly event features food, entertainment and an open house located at the

center to help generate funds and provide community awareness about what OCAC does.

“There will be plenty of opportunity to learn more about what’s offered at the center,” Slager said.

“There is such a wide variety of activities that take place here that are unique…it is a learning space, a creative space, an exhibition center and a building with historical significance.”

According to Sue Clover, a member of the entertainment committee for the upcoming gala, the theme is ‘Beyond French Doors.’

To keep with the theme, featured activities at this year’s fundraiser will be French-themed.

“There will be French food, music with a French flavor and a variety of other activities,” Clover said.

Slager said that Middfest, an annual Middletown festival, was also French-themed this past year.

One of the items that appeared at

Middfest was the Eiffel Tower replica originally designed by Middletown resident Tom Pressler. The tower will be loaned to OCAC from Middfest from now through the gala to promote interest and provide a striking centerpiece.

Libby Birch, the art director for Middfest, said Pressler built the tower specifically for the festival this past year. She said the structure was popular at Middfest and will hopefully have a similar appeal in OCAC’s gala.

“It was a crowd-pleaser [at Middfest], and it was really a success,” Birch said.

Likewise, Slager said the tower is already attracting interest for OCAC. “It’s getting people quite interested in the event itself…seeing a 30-foot tower will certainly get people’s attention,” Slager said.

According to Slager, the tower was installed in three pieces in the

front yard of OCAC and is lit up with white lights during the night.

She added the tower is meant to be an interpretation of the real Eiffel Tower rather than an exact copy.

“It’s not built to scale; it’s more of an artistic representation than an exact model,” Slager said.

Junior Bridget Sullivan said she is pleased that the Eiffel Tower will be featured as part of OCAC’s gala this year.

“It’s really a testament to the iconic French architecture and a nod to the increasing globalization of our society,” Sullivan said.

“I can’t wait to check out the finished product.”

Sullivan also said she liked that the tower will help generate interest and funds for OCAC. “I love [OCAC’s] commitment to their theme, and as an admitted Francophile, it’s nice to know that something so decorative is put to a philanthropic purpose,” she said.

McDonald’s removes Chicken Selects from menu

BY EMILY DANGLER FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

Despite their popularity among Oxford residents and Miami University students, McDonald’s Corporation recently announced the removal of the Chicken Selects Strips from its nationwide menu.

Rachel West, manager of the Oxford McDonald’s, 601 S. Locust St., said the corporation’s headquarters ordered all McDonald’s franchises to stop selling Chicken Selects at the end of January.

“We were shocked because we sell them a lot,” West said.

McDonald’s headquarters is urging independent McDonald’s stores to promote their newest products, Fish McBites and the McWrap, which will be available soon, according to Avery Kien, manager of the Hamilton McDonald’s on Millville Avenue.

“McDonald’s wants to offer a larger variety of healthy, seasonal food options for our customers,” Kien said.

However, McDonald’s has also removed the Fruit and Walnut Salad from its menu, which was one of the healthiest, low-calorie options sold, according to nutrition fact sheets provided by McDonald’s.

While some McDonald’s franchises, such as the Hamilton location, still have Fruit and Walnut Salads available for customers, West said they have difficulty selling the product before it expires.

“Just yesterday I had to throw almost a whole case away because we just don’t sell them,” West said.

Both West and Kien said in

JEANNE-MARIE DU TOIT THE MIAMI STUDENT

In the dining room of the Oxford McDonald’s, 601 S. Locust St., Miami junior Tessa Subler and sophomores Katie Thum,Victoria Balgo and Kristi Csatary savor their last ever bites of McDonald’s reitring Chicken Selects Strips before they’re officially gone. recent months there has been a noticeable issue with the quality of the Fruit and Walnut Salads and Chicken Selects that they receive from McDonald’s distributors, which may be why corporate decided to stop offering these items.

“The Chicken Selects pieces are supposed to be 3 to 4 inches long, but we were getting pieces that looked like Chicken McNuggets,” Kien said. “But we still had to charge [customers] regular price for the smaller pieces.”

The inconsistent quality of the Chicken Selects, which are used in other McDonald’s products like the Snack Wrap, is an issue that some

customers have also noticed.

Junior Andrew Copp said the Snack Wraps are suffering from questionable ingredients.

“I don’t know what they are serving now in the Snack Wraps, but it definitely isn’t as good,” Copp said.

The issue of inconsistency may be partly responsible for the company’s first financial downturn in almost a decade last fall, West said, adding that a struggling economy is also to blame.

McDonald’s officials hope that clearing some items from the menu will allow the introduction of new products that will compete with other fast food chains also

launching new additions to the menu.

As for the popular Chicken Select Strips, Kien said if there ends up being an overwhelming outcry by McDonald’s customers to bring them back, the company would probably take that into consideration.

However, since running out of the product in January, West said she has received only one complaint about not serving Chicken Selects.

“It was an elderly gentleman, so we ended up cutting up crispy chicken and charged him for the Chicken Selects,” West said.

City council gives final “OORAH” for retiring lieutenant

BY JANE BLAZER COMMUNITY EDITOR

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

Tears were shed at the Oxford City Council meeting Tuesday, March 4. Many were sad to see Daniel Umbstead, lieutenant of the Oxford Police Department (OPD), retire after 31 years of service.

Umbstead was hired to work as an OPD patrol officer Oct. 12, 1981.

Five years later, he was hired as patrol sergeant and in 1996 was given the position of police lieutenant. He was also the commander of Oxford’s Criminal Investigations Unit.

Robert Holzworth, OPD police chief, stood before the members of City Council and discussed the difficulty of seeing a person like Umbstead leave the staff because of the impact he made on people’s lives and the workforce.

“Not only is he a wonderful, and let me underscore wonderful, mentor for young police officers, because he is truly that, but he is also an inquisitive investigator,” Holzworth said.

Umbstead had a significant impact on creating OPD’s Blue Uniform Support Team (B.U.S.T.). According to Holzworth, B.U.S.T. was then called the Special Response

Team, which merged with the Butler County Swat team to train officers in preparedness for chaotic, dangerous situations.

“I will truly miss him, we all will; the whole division of police will truly miss this man of OPD,” Holzworth said. “He has certainty left an extremely large footprint on our organization, one that will not soon, yet never be forgotten.”

During the meeting, Holzworth gave Umbstead his retired police officer ID card along with a retirement certificate and retired member card.

In addition, he received a retirement pin from Brian Robinson, president of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 38 and personal friend, for exceeding in his position and for his influence on the workforce.

Susan Meyer, who is on the Oxford Police Advisory Board, presented a plaque from the citizens of Oxford to Umbstead for his 31 years of dedicated and selfless service.

“He served the community well, he is known through our schools, he comes and sees the children and they look forward to seeing him,” Myers said. “He is very well respected.”

Not only did Umbstead work for OPD, but he was also head of the Respect for Law Camp for 15 years,

along with partner Tom Horvath, another OPD lieutenant.

Respect for Law Camp, established in 1994, is a three-day weekend trip in Butler County where young adults can learn respect for the law and law enforcement.

Candace Keller, current director of Respect for Law Camp, recognized Umbstead’s work for the organization.

“Dan had a way of making kids and cops believe they were part of something great,” Keller said.

According to Keller, more than 16,000 kids have graduated from Law Camp. Umbstead created Law Camp’s flag, which represents respect, teamwork, leadership, spirit and kindness.

“Law camp didn’t define him, he defined law camp,” Keller said.

“He was our first leader and he set the bar high.”

Every morning, an energetic Umbstead woke up the 150 campers by yelling “law camp,” to which they would reply: “oorah!” It was a tradition he used to get kids pumped up, according to Keller.

“One thing’s for sure, if you were to say to [the campers] ‘oorah,’ they would answer back and say ‘law camp,’ and they would

remember Lieutenant Dan,” Keller said through her tears.

At the end of the speeches, Umbstead rose to say a few final words.

“A long time ago, I wanted to do something worth while with my life,;I wanted to make my mark on my community and serve,” Umbstead said. “I truly wanted to serve, as corny as that sounds, and the Oxford Police Department took me on. I can tell you that’s probably the strangest thing about saying goodbye to people, but leaving life of service, its strange, and I’m not settled with that just yet.”

Umbstead continued to thank Oxford for his time working at OPD. “But I wanted to say thank you to the city of Oxford,” he said, “They allowed me to have my great wish with my life and that was to serve this community, and I thank you so much for that.”

Umbstead is currently the manager of Coldwell Banker Real Estate, located on College Corner Pike.

Staff of OPD, as well as the citizens of Oxford, said they will miss Umbsead. City council wrapped up the recognition of Umbstead by giving one last “oorah,” and standing in applause of his 31 years of service.

4

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

EDITOR BILLY RAFAEL

ARTS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

TV SHOW REVIEW

Theater alum shares success with students

Netflix series succeeds in capturing audiences

BY CHRISTINA CASANO

BY JOE GIERINGER

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Lindsay Hollister, Miami University class of 1999, is among the theater alumni who have made a name for themselves in the film and television industry. Originally from Columbus, Ohio, she graduated from Miami with a BFA. Hollister immediately moved to Los Angeles and began auditioning, landing a guest role on Boston Public. Other notable guest roles have been on Law and Order: SVU, Desperate Housewives, Cold Case and most recently Necessary Roughness.

She has worked both on independent films such as Walk a Mile in My Pradas and major studio movies such as Get Smart. She gained significant recognition for her work on the spoof film Blubberella as the title character.

Hollister discussed her visit to her alma mater, why she thinks alumni should visit their homestead and why Miami was the right choice for her.

This will be Hollister’s second visit to Miami. The first was in the fall of 2010, and she said she hopes to structure her visit in the same way.

“I definitely want to do a workshop again,” Hollister said. “Get out some sides, some current material…

I want to work with actors on the difference between camera and the stage. I was really impressed last time with the students I worked with. They adjusted really well,

because for theater you have to be able to make sure the people in the back row can see you and hear you, but they did such a good job of bringing it down to a more conversational level.”

Hollister plans to do an acting workshop, holding a pizza Q & A lunch and visiting some classes.

She fully advocates alumni returning to their alma maters because their experience in the field can help prepare current students.

“Why I’m coming now rather than the fall is because of the Professional Practices class,” Hollister said. “I think it’s a really great addition because it’s helping to prepare students for the professional world…It’s important to bring in someone who knows what really is the state of the film and TV business.

Since I’ve done it myself, I can help people figure out what steps to take when moving to a film city – and it’s not just LA anymore. Atlanta is now huge in film.”

Hollister is a big believer in getting trained before starting out in the industry.

“It’s the exact same process [for an actor] but in a different medium,” Hollister said. “I think most of the best actors are theatrically trained.

Voice, movement, character work, sense memory—if you don’t have a way to develop character, you can’t produce work on the same level.

It’s really taking the time when I get an audition. I get the sides and I break down the script. With good

STUDENTS STEPPING UP TO THE PODIUM

writers, there are always beats, and if you can’t find them, you don’t get the job.”

One of the things Hollister feels prepared her so much was her education at Miami.

“Miami had a sense of community in the [theater] department but not in the same way as a conservatory,” Hollister said. “Your friends you have [at Miami] will be your friends for the rest of your life. As long as you’re around people who are passionate about their craft you’re going to have a good experience.”

Miami also gave Hollister a preview of how tough the ‘real world’ can be in her profession.

“Getting on stage is very important, but another important thing I learned at Miami was how to handle disappointment,” Hollister said.

“When you look at the callboard and don’t see your name on the cast list, I could tell you how hot those tears were rolling down my face, but it is a really good way to prepare you for the professional world. You’re not always going to get the role you want but you learn to deal.”

Hollister is currently auditioning for TV pilots. She is also supporting an independent film she was recently in at festivals around the country.

“It’s pilot season, we’re all running around and auditioning,” Hollister said. “I’ve also launched a web series. There’s a big thing right now about creating your own work. Casting directors are looking at if you can create your own stuff.”

BEN TAYLOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

Senior Sheridan Monroe conducts a group of her peers at a joint student conducting recital March 6 in Hall Auditorium. The performance featured two ballets, La Création du Monde by Darius Milhaud and Appalachian Spring by Aaron Copland.

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

In an age where lies, sex and money sell television, political dramas are a dime a dozen. You can’t turn on the tube without running into some scandalous TV show about a lawyer who cheats on his wife with her sister, or the jealous employee that murders his boss because of the power he held over him. I’m not saying House of Cards doesn’t exploit these themes; actually, it’s quite the opposite – it relies on them. You won’t watch a show about a guy who punches in a 9 to 5 and comes home to dinner, watches the game and goes to bed, and this Netflix exclusive series realizes that in its first year of existence.

Like a chess piece, every one of the characters is complete with a unique set of benefits and drawbacks, and when played off of each other, they create marvelously disastrous, unique situations.”

The difference is that under “genre,” House of Cards is listed as three things: a drama, a political thriller and a tragedy. That last description is what makes this show one of the more enthralling options available for immediate viewing. This series introduces you to a long list of characters that demand sympathy at one moment, but disdain the next. Each is flawed, but each can have his or her moment in the sun and can gather up support from the audience as the episodes progress.

Like a chess piece, every one of the characters is complete with a unique set of benefits and drawbacks, and when played off of each other, they create marvelously disastrous, unique situations.

If each character is represented by a piece on a chess board, then House Majority Whip Francis “Frank” J. Underwood (Kevin

Spacey) is undoubtedly its king.

After being denied the promised position of Secretary of State by his party ensuring their candidate’s election, Frank begins a vendetta to systematically eliminate those who wronged him. He makes calculated, precision moves as he works his way through each square, playing both sides of board to his advantage.

The series still explores the themes of sex, power and influence, but it simplifies the drama and over excess that similar HBO shows thrive on, and that’s why it is so universally accessible. It defies conventions that many of its contemporaries still adhere to, especially the breaking of the fourth wall by Frank. That’s always a gamble when the writer has the main character speak to the audience directly, but Frank’s soliloquies flow into and further the narrative so naturally that they actually help draw the viewer deeper into the twisted political landscape inhabited by each character.

Journalism and its relationship with politics is also a key component in House of Cards, and Zoe (Kate Mara) is an aspiring, cutthroat reporter that will stop at nothing to be the next big beat writer on Capital Hill. She begins an affair with Frank, and the two create a mutually beneficial relationship that helps define some of the main storylines that House of Cards follows. Just the presence of journalism as a primary narrative is exciting, not only because it is underutilized in the entertainment industry today, but because it is so believable as a tool by which politicians use and get used.

With Kevin Spacey and David Fincher on as just two of the many executive producers, it’s no wonder that House of Cards is a hit with just about everyone who takes the time to check it out. It was definitely worth the two days it took to get through the first season, and though we can’t yet be sure whether Francis J. Underwood is the white or the black king, we can be sure that House of Cards’ second season is being built on a strong foundation.

Grand Night showcases American songbook through Vegas theme

BY ERIC MOENICH

FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

The Miami University music department is unveiling “A Grand Night in Vegas” this Friday and Saturday to showcase its talented student performers as they pay tribute to the glamorous era that brought us entertainers such as Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett.

Currently in its fourth year at Miami, Grand Night is known for its extravagant performances, and will be featuring musicians from outside of the Miami community.

This year’s concert features the 10-piece ensemble Cincy Brass as well as two professional soloists, Michele Gingras on clarinet and Tedrin Lindsay on piano. The concert itself is a tribute to the great American songbook of the pre-1960s music of theater and the composers and lyricists that defined the times with their optimistic music, featuring selections from big names such as Fred Astaire, Doris Day and Ella Fitzgerald.

Miami music professor Ben Smolder is very excited for the

upcoming performance, which students have been preparing for since January.

“This music is quintessentially American, it’s our greatest national export,” Smolder said, who serves as music director and conductor for the show. “This event is meant for a great audience, especially our students. It’s important to support the legacy of the American song.”

Smolder expressed the importance of the education in the arts and how they inspire new ideas through creative thought. He also maintained that understanding art is key to understanding culture.

“I hope students come out to support their colleagues and share in this event,” Smolder said. “It should be a lot of fun.”

In addition to the passion of the staff behind this production, the students are also eager to perform.

Junior Chrissy Migielicz, a threeyear veteran of the show, expressed her excitement for the show.

“Grand Night is so much fun,” Migielicz said. “With all of the singing, dancing and props it’s almost like musical theater. It’s also

fun to perform with the people that also study music. They push all of us to perform at their level.”

In comparison to the Grand Night performances of past years, this show brings even more excitement to the stage. With a focus on Miami students accented by guest performers, the talent of Miami’s music department will truly be

“This show has a variety of jazz, big band standards and even some musical theater pieces,” Migielicz said. “It’s full of large ensemble numbers, soloists, as well as dance and instrumental features. This show brings performers together from all over Miami’s campus through our love for music, performance and

This music is quintessentially American, it’s our greatest national export. This event is meant for a great audience, especially our students. It’s important to support the legacy of the American song.”

BEN SMOLDER

MIAMI UNIVERSITY MUSIC PROFESSOR

on display under the bright Vegas lights. With songs that all ages can recognize and appreciate, the concert holds something special for everyone.

entertaining an audience.”

With this year’s Grand Night being the fourth installment, it has undergone many changes. Senior Branden Baribeau, an original cast

member of the first Grand Night, described the concert’s progression to a “professional-level show.”

“After four years of performing, we’ve figured out what works and created a well-oiled machine,” Baribeau said. “This Grand Night is going to be the best that it’s ever been.”

With a cast of incredibly talented dancers, jazz ensembles and singers, there will moments where the audience laughs and moments where they will be moved to tears, all tied together by the flashy and extravagant performances of an era gone by.

“We don’t usually get to appreciate this great American music, and it’s such an amazing experience,” Baribeau said. “I’ve learned a lot about leadership and teaching, even more than in some of my classes.”

A Grand Night in Vegas will take place 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday in Hall Auditorium. Tickets are $10 for students and $15 for adults and are available through the Shriver Box Office and the Grand Night cast.

The MiamiStudent: There’s an app for that! Well, not yet. But we’d like one!

If you’re interested in designing an iPhone app for The Miami Student, please e-mail online@miamistudent.net for more information.

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TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

DEBT,

FROM PAGE 1

“Beginning next school year, after a certain threshold of debt has been reached, we will be suggesting, probably via email, that students take a look at an online budgeting tool sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education,” Shock said. “It’s called financial awareness counseling and it’s free.”

Shock also said whenever the office of financial assistance speaks to a student, they advise them to look at all other options before borrowing money. In an effort to lower the amount of loans taken out, Miami requires students to accept a loan via BannerWeb, rather than assuming every student wants a loan. Hall has some advice for students

miami summer registration is now open.

who are worried about their loan debt.

“If you’re going to take on this debt, educate yourself with a major that will help you pay off that debt,” he said. “I would urge students to look into which majors have better earning opportunities when they graduate from college. And they should be sure to graduate. It would be a mistake to run up a bunch of debt and not finish college.”

Vaughn, who is expected to graduate in May 2014, said she counteracts debt by working as much as she can.

“I work during school, so I can pay for my expenses at school, and I work a ton during the summer,” Vaughn said. “I make enough during summer so that I can pay half of my tuition and all of my rent.”

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6

OPINION

EDITORS EMILY ELDRIDGE NICOLE THEODORE

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

EDITORIAL@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

EDITORIAL

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

Money management lost using meal plan, ‘monopoly money’ Meal plans make it easier for students to ignore the high price of food on campus and spend more than they need to at markets and dining halls. With all of the added “discounts” linked to having a meal plan, they don’t just seem convenient, but necessary.

Not only are there meal plan options, but MUlaa money can also be added to use at print stations and vending machines, as well as MUBucks, which can be used at participating restaurants and stores off campus. The process of signing up for a meal plan is simple; with a simple click, parents or students can add any amount of money they see fit onto their ID. This can even be done from your phone. The editorial board of The Miami Student understands that a meal plan is almost a no-brainer for first-years and sophomores living on campus, but having an almost endless amount of money on a card to use at any dining hall or market we choose, can have its setbacks.

Referred to as “monopoly money” by some, meal plan money for students may sound like a no-brainer, but it seems to make spending too much money just too easy. The fact that a lot of students can blow $50 at MacCracken Market, or pay $20 for a meal at the Shriver Center may seem outrageous, but we have to admit, we’re even guilty of buying those huge Fiji water bottles and ten dollar Dividend$ salads, and we can’t be the only ones.

It’s hard to decipher between who wins and who loses in this meal plan predicament. Although Miami’s dining services is indeed a business and needs to make a profit, why does it seem like

this Naked orange juice is just a little overpriced?

College is a time for us to dip our toes in the water, so to speak; to learn how to become financially responsible and live on a budget, but when students grocery shop on campus and pay with an ID card, it can be extremely hard to monitor what they spend, leaving many students feeling like they spend much more money than they need to when they have a meal plan versus when they shop off campus.

An item’s price isn’t as noticeable at campus markets as they are at Kroger, and when you aren’t handling cash or getting a receipt, it seems as if you just swipe and go, not worrying about the price of your shopping bag. Even at King Café, you tap your card for a latte, and if you stay an extra ten seconds to check your current balance, you feel like the people behind you are pushing you out of line. And God forbid if you’re that guy who pays with cash.

On top of that, when you go into the market and buy anything and everything you want, you don’t have self-control. Students simply pick things off the shelf and pass their parents the bill.

How is this supposed to teach us money management?

In reality, though, it is our responsibility to be conscious of how we spend our “monopoly money.”

It’s not hard to save money and live on a tighter budget, but we seem to make the conscious decision not to do so. And even in this bubble we call Oxford, we need to limit our desire for designer foods and see our meal plan money as real and limited.

Rule of Thumb

PATRICK GEYSER THE MIAMI STUDENT

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Subject: Lack of RedHawk pride on sidelines I just witnessed the men’s basketball team get blown out by the Eastern Michigan Eagles.

This game was impossible to sit through as John Cooper’s offense could barely even get a shot off, let alone score. As frustrating as this was to me as a Miami Alumnus, it was ten times worse witnessing the band and cheerleaders’ lack of passion.

While Eastern Michigan’s dance

team and band were chanting and cheering their team to victory, Miami’s was barely audible and clearly wished they were anywhere but the game. The band was especially disengaged throughout the entire event. The look on their faces was like they were sitting through the longest and most boring foreign film of all time, and this was before the RedHawks were losing. This

is the first time I have felt legitimately embarrassed to have graduated from Miami. Where is their sense of school pride? The team, despite struggling, gave it its all. I could not ask for a better effort from it, just disappointed to see a lack of passion from the rest of the student body.

BRIAN SULLIVAN

SULLIVBH@HOTMAIL.COM

You want to like this.

Miami ice hockey Great job winning against Michigan State this weekend!

Homework over break We should start assigning homework to professors and see how they feel.

Green Miami Bell Tower and Dividend$ introduced reusable cups. p.2

March Madness If post-season is half as crazy as regular season, we’re in for a treat.

friend us become a fan of The Miami Student on Facebook.com

Spring break too short Is anyone else having withdrawls?

Miami student debt Ranked fifth in student debt in the state of Ohio isn’t something to brag about.

Miami Plan We appreciate it being redesigned to benefit the student body. p. 2

HANNAH STEIN EDITOR IN CHIEF KATIE TAYLOR NEWS EDITOR EMILY ELDRIDGE EDITORIAL EDITOR NICOLE THEODORE EDITORIAL EDITOR BILLY RAFAEL ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

CHRIS CURME COMMUNITY EDITOR JANE BLAZER COMMUNITY EDITOR VICTORIA SLATER CAMPUS EDITOR CATHERINE MONCEAUX CAMPUS EDITOR TOM DOWNEY SPORTS EDITOR

www.miamistudent.net

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013 OP ED

7

ANDREW’S ASSESSMENTS

Presidency shows signs of life, Obama attempts to reach out to both parties Count me among the ranks of the Pollyanna’s on President Obama’s recent “charm offensive” (as the mainstream media, as only they can, oh so artfully dubbed the president’s latest and most robust ANDREW round of GEISLER outreach on the Hill).

It’s a well-known fact that President Barack Obama has a strong distaste for legislating.

This is not to say he dislikes the results—it’s all liberals of his ilk preen about—but the hard work it takes to get a bill through the legislature is a little below our public intellectual president.

That’s why his attempts to reach out to his colleagues on both sides of the aisle in recent weeks have been a shock, and are cause for optimism.

It’s true that one senior White House official told National Journal’s Ron Fournier, “This is a joke. We’re wasting the president’s time and ours. I hope you all [in the media] are happy because we’re doing it for you.”

But this statement is teaming with the cynicism of a tired presidency, and more specifically, the cynicism of an aide who’s pulled a few too many 16-hour days with too few tangible legislative achievements to

justify his devotion.

And it’s also true that some legislators don’t seem to care much about the president’s outreach. Too little too late is a fair reaction to a president who, after five years in the world’s biggest job, continues to constantly disrespect legislators by barnstorming the country instead of getting down to business on the big issues of the day.

But many serious Hill giants seem delighted to have found a possible dance partner on cutting a big deal before the midterms—statesmen in the Senate like Ohio’s own Rob Portman, or Oklahoma’s Tom Coburn or Tennessee’s pragmatic tandem of Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander.

The president’s new chief of staff, Denis McDonough, who POLITCO’s Glenn Thrush seemingly characterized as a bit of an outreacholic in a recent writeup, appears to be the architect of this new strategy. McDonough is serving as a defibrillator for the Obama presidency, and its once again showing signs of life.

It could be true that all the president required was a chief of staff who grasps the political moment we find ourselves in, and isn’t too much of a partisan hack (I’m looking at you Secretary Lew) to help him find his way out.

President Obama can still lead us out of our fiscal mess, he just has to play the politics right. And this is certainly easier said than done, but I, unlike much of the Washington establishment, refuse

to believe it’s impossible.

Now is it possible that the president’s charm offensive is nothing more than a cheap ploy to feign bipartisanship then run back to his comfortable perch on the campaign stump to talk about how ridiculous those silly House Republicans are?

Yes, it’s absolutely possible.

It’s true that the president’s liberal political agenda is dead-onarrival in the House, and his only hope for putting more points on the board for the leviathan is by winning back the House and holding onto the Senate in 2014.

But my read on the situation is different. I think the president and his team are savvy enough to realize that winning back the House and holding the Senate are more than likely mutually exclusive.

Gerrymandered districts mean holding all their own and winning 17 Republican seats is nearly impossible, and the strategy it would take to do so would probably sink the five Democratic Senators running for reelection in states our old friend Willard Mitt Romney carried in November.

Aggressively pushing for an assault weapons ban, or even the less controversial limiting of clips and doing universal background checks may do wonders for your liberal base, but the vote would be poison for red to purple state Democrats like Louisiana’s Mary Landrieu, Montana’s Max Baucus, Arkansas’ Mark Pryor, Alaska’s Mark Begich or North Carolina’s Kay Hagan.

ESSAY

Lawmakers should recognize negative impacts of the sequester on Department of Defense When President Eisenhower was leaving office, he warned of the growth of the military industrial complex. This advice to the American people came from a man who was a master of military strategy and bureaucratic

Perhaps in the grand scheme of things, these $1.2 trillion in cuts are only a small piece of something much larger. management. Eisenhower was correct in his prediction about the expansion of our military, but not to the point where our country finds itself today. He did not predict a military with a budget size that would one day be held ransom by lawmakers.

It is no secret that our nation’s spending problem has put our country in a place that it did not think it could go to. Every American is reminded of this anytime there is another artificial crisis of a government shutdown. The American people are currently experiencing one of these artificial crises, automatic cuts being seen across the board, primarily to the Department of Defense.

The White House saw the sequester as the catalyst for changing other aspects of the fiscal issues within government.

A hard reality is that those changes never happened, the country went over the fiscal cliff, the Obama administration got their tax hikes and we still have reached the sequester. Cuts to smaller programs and entitlement reform were never touched throughout this process. We saw

the greatest consequence from the inability of the White House and Congress to create a grand bargain to the financial crisis was across the board cuts to the largest defense program in the world. While I agree that cuts need to happen, the wrong cuts were made.

While defense makes up roughly 20 percent of the budget, consider what is involved in those $682 billion (2011 projection), and more so what is considered in the $45 billion being cut with the enactment of the sequester.

It is almost baffling that the White House would consider putting issues such as the sequester on the table, when it is our nation’s security that is at risk. It is understandable some cuts should be made to the Department of Defense considering the fact that engagements in Iraq and Afghanistan are dwindling, and it is cyclical for such downsizing to occur when wars end. The sequester has gone far beyond the small downsizing that should happen.

To threaten members of the FAA, TSA, FBP and many others that do have an impact on how this nation remains secure.

If cuts to those programs alone were not enough, the federal government decided to cut benefits to military personnel as part of this plan. To hurt the benefits of those who stand and defend this country everyday should make any lawmaker in Washington stop and give pause to what is actually happening with this deal. It should only make them realize who is really getting hurt by the sequester.

Unlike the other fiscal incidents that this country has seen over the past few years, the sequester was met without the countdown clocks, the constant following of congressional leadership or the late night meetings between the legislative and executive branches. Such an easy transition

from the status quo, the sequester could bring upon two explanations. The first could be that neither Congress nor the White House is willing to work with one another, or that the sequester is not what it has been created to be. Perhaps in the grand scheme of things, these $1.2 trillion in cuts are only a small piece of something much larger. While it is a possibility, the threats to cut programs such as the purchasing of aircraft, FEMA relief and border security are not.

Since the sequester has been put into affect, no meetings have been struck, no acts of Congress have been put on the table and the wheels of the Department of Defense have not stopped. In fact, the government has moved on to the next issue of the House, Senate and White House budgets, and attempts to pass another continuing resolution.

The issue of the sequester has passed to the dark side of the moon in budget politics, and its future is still in question. The sequester has met the demise of so many other issues that were once at the forefront of political discussions.

Issues that have substance and can shape the future of the safety of the American people fall to the backburner of politics and are forgotten. Leadership puts the idea aside, and moves on to its next kabuki theater of Washington politics.

What message is the White House sending when it decides to create a budget solution that cuts into the greatest military and defense apparatus in the world?

How are they fulfilling a constitutional obligation to provide for our common defense through sweeping cuts to a department whose sole task is to keep our country safe?

please recycle!

state Dems up).

The president’s charm offensive and slow playing on guns seem to indicate he’s embraced reality. The days when he could pass cap and trade, or an increased minimum wage may be gone, but there are important things that can be done better in divided government, and the leviathan can have it’s steak dinner later.

Namely dealing with one

That’s why his attempts to reach out to his colleagues on both sides of the aisle in recent weeks have been a shock, and are cause for optimism.

Knowing this, Democrats must understand that the tea party, and the 165 some odd members of Congress they count among their ranks are not long for the political world, even with the gerrymandered maps.

Elite Democrats already can’t wait for Hillary Clinton’s reentry into the political arena, and her eight-year reign as the first woman president. 2016, if the Republicans don’t moderate and modernize, will be the year to make a play for the House. It will be much safer, and it won’t risk the Senate in the same way to run on an unabashedly liberal overarching message (there are no red

E S S A Y I S T S

number, $16.4 trillion.

But also whatever immigration package comes through the Congress will be a balance between the liberal impulse for overreach and the conservative impulse for restraint (same thing with any sort of gun package, though that’s much less likely), and same thing with the all-important grand bargain.

Is the president pulling a Dr. Strangelove and learning to love divided government? Probably not, but his newfound willingness to take the first step toward working within the political constraints it presents must be met with hope, not derision.

W A N T E D

MICHAEL WOESTE

WOESTE.MF@GMAIL.COM

When you’re finished reading

The Miami Student,

So 2014 presents the president with a true Catch 22. Push for the House and lose the Senate, or play it safe and maintain the sound majority in the deliberative body while dealing with those darn House Republicans.

From a more macro perspective the latter is the obvious move. To paraphrase Martin Luther King, Jr., the arc of political history is long, but it bends toward sanity.

The MiamiStudent is looking for essayists.

Email editorial@miamistudent.net for more information.

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TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

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TUESDAY, MARCH 19 2013

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

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SEQUESTER, FROM PAGE 2

“In how a small change for an individual, such as an extra $2.50 in school loan origination fees, when multiplied by all students with loans, can have a significant impact on a national level,” Wagner said.

Professor of Economics, James Brock, said only time will tell how that lesson unfolds. It all depends on if and when budget items are passed to end the sequester.

“There are a lot of decisions to be made and they will filter down a few layers before the effects get to Miami,” Brock said.

Brock said 40 percent of the federal budget was not affected by the cuts and many federal programs

such as social security are excluded.

Cuts are scheduled to take place over the next ten years.

“I don’t think anyone knows how it will play out quite yet,” Brock said.

Although the sequester is a main topic in the headlines, Brock said Miami students should not be worried about the minor changes to financial aid.

“It’s not as catastrophic as you might think for some of the news outlets are saying,” Brock said. “Students should just keep doing what they’re doing.”

Junior Caitlin McCoy is keeping up-to-date on the sequester, but hopes for the best.

“I just expect everything to be resolved before we face any changes and I don’t think they will be that dramatic,” she said.

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HOUSES SCHMATES HOME RENTALS Secure your home for next year.

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MIAMI PLAN, FROM PAGE 2

on the current state of the project, and said the task force will be able to make specific recommendations about new possibilities to university senate in late April. The process of developing a new plan will continue through the summer and they hope to have a rough draft of a new lead model available sometime next fall.

The new rough draft will spark more conversation and will likely undergo more revision, Tassoni said.

He explained the original timeline

COURTYARDS OF MIAMI. Too many roommates? The COURTYARDS of MIAMI might be just what you are looking for. Located at the corner of S. Main Street and E. Central Ave, the MU red, green, and blue bus stops right in the front yard. We offer neat, clean, and colorful housing to students only, at affordable prices. A 2 bedroom apartment shared by 2 students is $2500. and includes HEAT, water and trash. A 1 bedroom with a study is $3700. for those wanting to live alone, (just a few of those open) All residents enjoy free off street parking, on site laundry, and yard space with a shelter. Always upgrading, we are just down the street from the REC, and inside one block from Campus. On site office, flexible hours, and excellent upkeep, make the COURTYARDS a place worth looking at. Ask about free summers and the referal plan. Stop by, contact Carolyn at 513-659-5671, or thecourtyardsofmiami@yahoo. com for more info. www.thecourtyardsofmiami.com ROBERTS APARTMENTS! Great Location! Close to Uptown/Campus. 1 and 2 bedroom apartments available for 2013-14. On-Site Laundry. Off-Street Parking. www. roberts-apts.com 513-839-1426 info@roberts-apts.com CAMPUS COMMONS. Campus Commons & Campus Courts Apts., located on Campus Ave. across from Miami’s Rec., have limited availability for 13-14 yr. Visit web SouthCampusQuarter.com or call 513-523-1647

for the project has been altered. Instead of producing one draft, the task force has been asked to develop four different models to share with the entire Miami community this spring.

“From the response we receive, we’ll make recommendations in our April report to senate about what components might be emphasized, combined or left off the table as a lead model is developed,” Tassoni said.

According to Miller, redesigning the plan is not an easy task, and in order for it to be successful the entire Miami community needs to voice their opinion.

“The Miami Plan is the core of the Miami educational experience,” Miller said. “… It defines who we are as an institution.”

To keep updated on the project’s progress and contribute to it, one can visit the Miami Plan Redesign website,

CUPS,

FROM PAGE 2

environmentally progressive, but admitted the program would need more time and attention.

Even though it has been in place since Feb. 5, many students are still unaware of the program. Junior Josh Harpest is one of those students.

“The program makes sense… It saves in multiple ways,” Harpest said. “But I was unaware of anything like this existing.”

According to Nancy Heidtman, senior director of dining and culinary support services and member of the sustainability committee, the reusable cups are currently only offered at Bell Tower and Dividend$ because they are better fitted for the program.

“They have equipment that lends itself to the program,” Heidtman said, referring to the pump coffee containers at these locations.

Heidtman, Burbacher and Kline all noted this is only a pilot program. They are using it to see what works and what steps will take them in the right direction.

CERTIFIED LIFEGUARDS AND Activity Speciaists Needed for FUN and REWARDING Summer Day Camp in Cincinnati. Swim instructors, basketball, BB Rifle, Archery, naturalist for six week session begins June 17 – July 26, M – F, 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM. Contact Camp Wildbrook at 513-931-2196 or campwildbrook@cinci.rr.com GREAT LOCATION! Close to Uptown/Campus. 1 and 2 bedroom apartments available for 2013-14.

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ASG,

FROM PAGE 2

“That’s out of our jurisdiction.”

However, sophomore Senator Elizabeth Beumel alluded to legislation that was passed last semester, the Resolution Condemning Material Condoning Sexual Assault, and contented that this resolution is a way to continue on with ASG efforts that increase safety.

“I think that this is an amazing piggyback to [the Resolution Condemning Material Condoning Sexual Assault],” she said. “I think that it is great that the student senate is in a favor for the Emergency Phone Kiosks Initiative.”

After amendments were made to the legislation, which changed the title to “A Resolution Supporting the Emergency Phone Kiosks Initiative” and removed the clause that explained the formation of the ad hoc committee, the resolution passed senate unanimously.

Also, during the meeting, Carol Jones, associate registrar of curriculum and student success, presented the new Interactive Degree Audit Reporting System (DARS) and u.Direct planning and advising tool.

According to Jones, Interactive DARS, which will replace the current degree audit system students are utilizing, will be in place after spring break. In addition to the information that presently exists in each degree audit, the new audit will feature a pie chart and bar graph illustrating the amount of credit hours a student has completed and still needs to complete for his or her Miami Plan, as well as divisional requirements, his or her major, minor and elective. The audit will also show the student’s GPA for each of those categories.

Jones explained the u.Direct planning and advising tool, which will be implemented by next fall, provides a four year plan to graduate and a shopping bag for courses a student plans to take in the future. The shopping bag will allow students to reserve classes that they will need to take to graduate.

“This gives students the ability to take what they want to take when they want to take it,” she said. “Administrators can plan for resources, department chairs can plan schedules and students can be on track and graduate in the amount of time they can graduate.”

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TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

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M i a M i a l u M .o r g /g r a d F e s t

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SPORTS

EDITOR TOM DOWNEY

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013 JUSTIN MASKULINKSI LINKSI’S LIST

THE CCHA MAY BE DONE, BUT ITS LEGACY LIVES ON

The Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) is nearing the end of its existence since being founded in 1971.

After the final CCHA Championship is played in Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Mich. March 23 and 24, there will be no more CCHA hockey. The slogan the CCHA has adopted in its final year is “Celebrate the Legacy” and I expect that there will be a tough fight all the way to Detroit to be the team that gets to be remembered as the last CCHA champion.

Miami University already clinched the regular season title and senior forward Curtis McKenzie said, “That trophy’s forever ours now.”

That kind of passion is what makes tournaments so special.

Whoever wins the tournament will likely have the same feeling.

The CCHA regular season has been dominated by four or five teams since 2002. In the eleven seasons since 02-03, including this season’s regular season standings, only four different schools have won CCHA Championships.

The University of Michigan has won four of the last eleven CCHA Championships. Miami has won three (including this year’s regular season title), and the University of Notre Dame and Ferris State University have each won two.

Looking back on the past decade, Miami leads all CCHA schools in top five finishes since the 2002-2003 season with nine.

Michigan has seven while Michigan State University and Notre Dame each have six.

It’s hard to believe schools like Michigan and Michigan State have been CCHA leaders in the

past decade if you take a look at this year’s standings.

Michigan sits at seventh place out of eleven teams while Michigan State sits in the basement of the CCHA. I am not convinced this is the legacy these two schools would want to leave the CCHA with. Michigan certainly proved that, as they managed to advance to Detroit for an incredible 24th straight season.

The CCHA has sent many players to the National Hockey League (NHL) and for that reason the CCHA will have a lasting legacy.

Michigan has had 23 players selected, Michigan State 16, and Miami, Notre Dame and Ohio State have all had nine players selected in the NHL draft.

The University of Alaska is the only team that has never had a player drafted.

Some notable former CCHA players in the NHL include 2010 Stanley Cup Champion and Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith (Michigan State 2001-2003), San Jose Sharks defenseman Dan Boyle (Miami 1994-1998), and Buffalo Sabres goaltender and 2010 Winter Olympics silver medalist and tournament MVP Ryan Miller (Michigan State 1998-2002).

Other notable CCHA players in the NHL include Vancouver Canucks center Ryan Kesler (Ohio State 2002-2003) and Pittsburgh Penguins Head Coach Dan Bylsma (Bowling Green 1988-1992).

With a legacy already in place in the NHL, it is relatively easy for me to argue that although the CCHA will no longer be appearing on my College Hockey News app, I will still be able to see the impact that the CCHA is having on hockey.

SPORTS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

BASEBALL

’Hawks hit hot streak during Florida swing

BY JOE GIERINGER SENIOR STAFF WRITER

While many Miami University students were lounging on sunsoaked beaches this break, the University’s baseball team was taking in the rays in Orlando; albeit, sweating away on the diamond.

The RedHawks recorded a 5-2 record while in the Sunshine State.

Miami won its first four games in the Russ Matt Invitational, which included a 4-2 thriller against Illinois State University, a 12-3 routing of Fairfield University, an 8-1 beating of Long Island University and an 18-1 throttling of North Dakota State University. The combined total score of the first four games was 42-7 in favor of the Red and White.

Miami had two batters above the .300 mark for the first time this year in freshman infielder Adam Yacek and junior catcher John Crummy.

“We put guys in scoring position almost every game and every inning,” junior catcher Nate Bowles said. “We played great baseball over the break.”

The final three games saw the RedHawks struggle a little bit late in games, going 1-2. After a 5-0 lead versus Army, the Knights came back with a vengeance late in the

game, scoring ten runs combined in the seventh and eighth innings off of three separate Miami pitchers.

Miami rebounded the next day with a 6-0 shutout over Navy, but could not quite rally in Saturday’s 9-6 loss against Valparaiso University, in what was the first game an opponent scored before the RedHawks.

“I felt pretty good coming in,” Head Coach Dan Simonds said.

“Coming off a tough weekend at Mercer, the guys were chomping at the bit … and anxious to get back on the field and get things going.”

Though the trip to Orlando was valuable in that the Red and White faced quality teams, it was also an opportunity for players to get some experience, as Miami mixed the lineup up a bit and had a chance to experiment with its still-gelling roster.

“We got a chance to pitch some different guys and to also play some different guys,” Simonds said. “The main purpose of that trip is to just come together as a team, to become a lot more unified, and just grow together.”

Of the Miami players that really shined through on the trip, none were as impressive as senior pitcher Brooks Fiala, who earned

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

RedHawks hopeful for postseason bid

TRACK & FIELD

Red and White tune up in Black and Gold meet

BY JUSTIN MASKULINSKI

FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

Nine members of Miami University’s women’s track and field team travelled to Orlando, Fla. to train and compete before its outdoor season gets underway.

The ’Hawks competed in the University of Central Florida (UCF) Black and Gold meet Saturday.

The ’Hawks were up against two very good teams in UCF and the University of Michigan. UCF placed 5th at the NCAA Indoor Championships and Michigan finished 15th. Also competing in Orlando was St. John’s University, Florida International University and Jacksonville University.

The meet was not scored and if it had been, the RedHawks would have only had nine athletes score for them.

“It was a spring break meet so the athletes chose if they wanted to come,” Head Coach Kelly Phillips said. “It was more fun than high competition.”

Senior Erica Howes agreed the meet was viewed as more of a relaxed tune-up before the outdoor season begins to pick up.

Although the meet was viewed as a training vacation, the ’Hawks still had some top performers.

Howes finished first in the 1500 meter run with a time of 4:37.96.

Senior Monica Fischer finished third with a time of 4:43.53 and junior Jess Hoover finished one half second later.

“Howes was close to a personal record in the 1500 which is surprising this early in the season,” Phillips said.

Howes credits the instruction of Phillips for her winning performance.

“I just did what Coach said and it paid off,” Howes said.

The ’Hawks struggled during their abbreviated indoor season but Phillips said she believes once the RedHawks begin the outdoor season their will score more points because more distance events are added.

Senior Layne Baggett was another top performer for the RedHawks, placing 3rd in the 200 meter race.

Baggett was also part of Miami’s 3rd place 400 meter relay team.

“Baggett ran really well today, especially in the [400 meter relay],” Phillips said.

Other top runners for the Red and White include seniors Diona Graves and Katie Scannell. Scannell finished 5th in the 400 meter run with a time of 57.75. Graves finished 7th less than one second later with a time of 58.19.

Redshirt senior Samantha Gable dominated the field events for the RedHawks as she was the top finisher in the shot put, discus and hammer throw for the ’Hawks. Gable finished second overall in the shot put with a throw of 13.92 meters.

The ’Hawks were hoping to get some valuable outdoor training done while they were in Orlando because the Ohio winter did not allow them to train outside as much as they would have liked to.

Despite the fact that this meet was viewed as more of a tune up or break, the ’Hawks were satisfied with their performance.

“I thought it was a good start, we have been training hard for this season,” Howes said.

Phillips also thought the trip was a success.

“I think we did well, it was a good meet overall,” Phillips said. “It’s also sunny and 70 so that helps.”

wins against Illinois State and Navy. In the Navy game he posted a career-high 13 strikeouts en route to a complete game shutout that saw him surrender just two hits and a walk. On the season, Fiala is 2-2, and has fanned 40 batters through 34 innings.

“He had two great outings, and should probably get national recognition for what he did both games,” Simonds said. “It was a tremendous outing [against Navy] and it was great to see.”

Offensively, two RedHawks are still above the .300 mark in the batting average category, with freshman outfielder Jake Romano sporting a hefty .381, though it is only through 21 at-bats. Sophomore outfielder Matt Honchel sits at .323 through 60 at-bats, and sports the most hits and runs of any RedHawk, with 20 and 18, respectively.

Just shy of .300 is senior first baseman Kevin Bower, who maintains a team-leading five doubles, and at a .298 batting average has 17 hits, including one home run.

The RedHawks will participate in a home and home series against Indiana, playing 4 p.m. Tuesday, in Oxford and 6 p.m. Wednesday, in Bloomington.

RYAN HOLTZ THE MIAMI STUDENT

Miami University senior forward Kirsten Olowinski drives to the lane during a Feb. 28 matchup against Kent State University. Olowinski and the team will find out their post-season fate late Monday night.

BY JUSTIN MASKULINSKI

FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

The Miami University women’s basketball team was likely awake late Monday night as it eagerly waited to see if its name would be called for the Women’s National Invitational Tournament (WNIT).

The bracket was not released by press time.

The ’Hawks (19-12, 10-6) hopes for an NCAA tournament bid ended when they lost their second round Mid-American Conference (MAC) tournament game to the University at Buffalo Bulls (12-19, 8-8).

There are 347 NCAA Division 1 women’s basketball teams, and 64 are invited to the NCAA

Tournament. After the NCAA field is announced 64 more teams are invited to the WNIT and after that 16 more teams are invited to the Women’s Basketball Invitational (WBI).

Head Coach Maria Fantanarosa is confident the ’Hawks will be playing more basketball this season.

“I think our body of work throughout the year has me optimistic for a postseason bid,” Fantanarosa said. “Our whole résumé says that we are a solid team with two dynamic seniors.”

The two dynamic seniors Fantanarosa referred to are guard Courtney Osborn and forward Kirsten Olowinski. Osborn is averaging 19 points per game this season and Olowinski averages a double-double.

Fantanarosa said she believes the injury problems the ’Hawks have faced all year has helped them handle adversity. This season the ’Hawks have had 10 different players start in at least one game.

“This whole season has been full of obstacles and opportunities,” Fantanarosa said. “The players have been eager to learn from their mistakes.”

Before the ’Hawks fell to the Bulls, they faced off against rival Ohio University (6-23, 1-15) twice, one a regular season game and the other in the first round of the MAC tournament. The ’Hawks took both games and completed a season sweep of the Bobcats.

“It’s a great feeling to get three wins over any team in one season,” Olowinski said. “It doesn’t happen very often.”

Olowinski also noted that playing the Bobcats in consecutive games helped the RedHawks identify their own strengths and weaknesses.

Osborn led the Red and White in scoring in both games, with 21 points in the first game and 39 in the tournament win. Osborn said she thinks teamwork was the key in the tournament win.

“We were playing really well as a team, our mindset was that there was no way we would lose,” Osborn said.

The ’Hawks took on the Bulls in their next game, and the third game in one week and fell 82-70. Despite playing three games in one week, Osborn said she does not believe fatigue played a factor.

“In a tournament fatigue is an excuse, and only an excuse,” Osborn said. “It was Buffalo’s third game in one week too. We didn’t play defense and rebound. Every time we have lost this year that has happened.”

Olowinski said she did not think fatigue was the reason for the loss either.

“We weren’t playing our game, we lacked chemistry,” Olowinski said. “That was the most individualistic game we have played all year.”

Fantanarosa agreed with her talented senior forward.

“We were very tight the whole game, on offense and defense,” Fantanarosa said. “There was no help on defense because everyone was too concerned about their own assignment.”