The Miami Student Oldest university newspaper in the United States, established 1826
TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013
VOLUME 140 NO. 46
MIAMI UNIVERSITY OXFORD, OHIO
TODAY IN MIAMI HISTORY In 1982, The Miami Student reported that over 900 students graced the halls of the Shriver Center, admiring the wooden lattice archways, sparkling water
fountains and old-fashioned streetlamps set up for that year’s Charter Day Ball. Though the event resulted in a $200 to $400 monetary loss, Program Board President Steve Mills said the dance’s success was worth it.
Candidates reach out to student body in presidential and vice presidential debate BY REIS THEBAULT STAFF WRITER
The second student body presidential and vice presidential debate aired live on MUTV Thursday, providing candidates with another way to reach out to Miami University students. The event, broadcasted from Williams Hall, was not your typical debate, but rather a series of extended campaign ads. Each candidate had 90 seconds to answer each question asked by senior host Curtis Werner, but were informed they were not to refute and they should only promote their own platform, not argue against their opponents.’ The ten candidates filled the room with nervous energy as the broadcast crew attached their microphones and trained the candidates on which of the four cameras to look in to. The debate’s first question required each candidate to list their numerous qualifications for the job. Junior presidential candidate Forrest McGuire began by citing his student government and leadership experience as qualities that made him the most desirable candidate. Along with becoming pledge class and sophomore president of Chi Psi fraternity, McGuire’s résumé boasted an appointment to chief of staff in Associated Student Government (ASG). Junior presidential candidate Charlie Schreiber followed up McGuire and gently insinuated that McGuire’s experience is too focused on one part of the school. “Our connections with so many
different people of campus is really what makes us most qualified for this position,” Schreiber said. “Experience is great, but being so contained in one group is not what the student body president is all about.” The other three presidential candidates, juniors Calvin Davis and Max Swartz and first-year Anik Chaudhry, followed the same vein, though Chaudry announced March 24, that he and his running mate, first-year Ben Cederoth, were withdrawing from the race. One topic, that the presidential candidates addressed specifically, was the inclusion of next year’s JTerm and how the future president will ensure its success. McGuire emphasized the importance of garnering student feedback for the new term. “Because this is our first time doing the J-Term, we need to ask the students, ‘Where did you go? What did you do? What could be improved? What do you see that you wish you could have had more of?’” McGuire said. “And so with the second J-Term coming in 2015, we really want to engage the students and make sure that we get as many opportunities as possible to them.” Following that, Schreiber expounded on the need for education. “The students need to know what they can get out of their J-Term,” he said. “The administration, along with the student government, needs to educate the students on the abilities of this J-Term.” Davis, agreeing with Schreiber, sees promotion of the J-Term essential to its success. “We have to make sure that the
average Miami student doesn’t just view this as an extended winter break,” Davis said. On a different note, Swartz advocated the need for real conversations with students and professors, as opposed to just surveys. “That’s how we find out what students truly want,” Swartz said. Lastly, Chaudhry, like the candidates before him, said that feedback about the J-Term would be key and that he wants students to know they can contact ASG to give such feedback. After each candidate gave their closing remarks, a summation of prior answers, they stepped down and the vice presidential debate immediately followed, following the same rules. The vice presidental candidates are McGuire’s running mate, junior Lot Kwarteng; Schreiber’s running mate, Courtney Bernard; Davis’ running mate, Brooke Shirley; Swartz’ running mate, Alexander Nixon; and lastly, Chaudhry’s running mate, Cederoth. All vice presidential candidates are juniors, except Cederoth, who is a first-year. Vice presidential candidates addressed similar questions as the presidential candidates and responded in a similar fashion. When asked what they would do to prevent Miami from falling in national scholastic rankings, many cited a need to improve academic advising and foster Miami’s reputation among current students and in the eyes of national rankings. After closing remarks, the vice presidential debate concluded. Students will be able to vote for candidates from noon, March 27 to 7 p.m., March 28.
LAUREN OLSON PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
CELEBRATE THE RAINBOW Students celebrate the Holi Festival Saturday afternoon in Central Quad at Miami University.
Data shows higher retention rates among Greek-affiliated students BY LIBBY MUELLER SENIOR STAFF WRITER
From the flags flown high outside fraternity houses to the myriad of event flyers stamped with Greek letters, Greek life leaves its mark on Miami University’s campus and on retention rates as well, according to data that shows higher rates among Greek-affiliated students than non-Greek students. In 2010, the Cliff Alexander Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life reported 100 percent retention from first-year to sophomore year for sorority women compared to approximately 81 percent of non-affiliated women and 87 percent of non-affiliated women academically eligible for membership in a sorority—those with a GPA greater than 2.49. The Cliff Alexander Office also
reported 99.8 percent retention from first-year to sophomore year for fraternity men compared to approximately 83 percent of non-affiliated men and 90 percent of non-affiliated men academically eligible for membership in a fraternity—also a GPA greater than 2.49. Barbara Jones, vice president for Student Affairs and co-chair of the Retention Steering Committee, said surveys have shown there are three common reasons students transfer: personal or social reasons, academic reasons and financial reasons. She said social reasons include family issues or feelings of not fitting in on campus. According to Jenny Levering, director of the Cliff Alexander Office, fraternities and sororities connect students to campus, which may
account for the higher retention rates. “Once students get involved, it connects them to Miami at a deeper level,” Levering said. “I think they’re more likely to come back to school if they have something they care or are passionate about. That sense of belonging and commitment to an organization is part of the reason people come back their sophomore year.” Senior Trent Gilchrist, president of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, said he thinks the higher retention rates among Greek-affiliated students are attributable to social activities. “I would say that it’s probably directly related to just the social aspect of Greek life, whether it be parties or all those events,” Gilchrist said. “Another smaller portion of it would just be the academics, professional development and
philanthropy [opportunities].” First-year Alex Harris said she thinks the higher retention rates among Greek-affiliated students have to do with the sense of community sororities and fraternities offer. “I think they have higher retention rates because they have a community that they are specifically a part of at school while people who aren’t a part of Greek life don’t necessarily have that community,” Harris said. According to Jones, overall, Miami’s retention rate is among the highest in the country for public institutions. In 2011, the overall retention rate was 88.9 percent, according to the Office of Institutional Research (OIR). The retention rate is defined by the OIR as the percentage of a group of first-time college students in the fall semester, a cohort,
who return to the same institution the following year. However, Miami still tries to improve overall retention. According to the Retention Steering Committee Report, President David Hodge charged the committee in 2011 with the goal of increasing the retention rate for undergraduate students, particularly for first and second years, and achieving a graduation rate of 85 percent. The current graduation rate stands at 81 percent, according to Jones. The graduation rate, in contrast to the retention rate, tracks an initial cohort, composed of full-time students, for six years. It is the percentage of this cohort that graduates within six
GREEK,
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Gunnery Sergeant receives Marine award Two former MU students BY KATIE TAYLOR NEWS EDITOR
Marine Gunnery Sergeant (GySgt) at Miami University, Francisco Corona, recently received the Assistant Marine Corps Officer Instructor (AMOI) of the Year award, naming him No. 1 in his position across the nation. Miami President David Hodge presented the medal to the Iraq war veteran at the March 4 ceremony in Millet Hall. According to Corona, he always knew he wanted to be a Marine, and after joining after high school graduation, his experience as an infantryman reinforced that.
“As an infantry guy, we’re on the ground, we’re patrolling; just the camaraderie we built in our platoon of knowing that you’ll do whatever it takes for the guy to your right and your left,” Corona said. “I got to witness that and see it; it’s an awesome experience I think.” After his experience in combat, Corona began looking for other ways to serve. “I think as Marines you’re always looking, ‘What else can I do to improve myself?’ and I think [becoming AMOI at Miami] was my next challenge with this duty,” Corona said. “This duty up to this point has been outstanding.” Corona said the AMOI position
involves preparing first-year and sophomore midshipmen for military life, which he has done at Miami for nearly three years now. “We do physical training three times a week on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays,” Corona said. “And then on Tuesdays we have what we call our drill period where we cover required training or sometimes we’ll do events that just kind of build teamwork.” In addition to the physical and team building exercises Corona runs, he teaches a land navigation class in the spring, a practical
ROTC,
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charged for changing grades
Two former Miami University students were charged with a first-degree misdemeanor of multiple counts of attempted, unauthorized use of a computer system Monday, according to Miami University Police Lt. Ben Spilman. According to Claire Wagner, Miami director of communications, the students were charged for changing their grades, along with 50 other students’ grades in an attempt to cover their tracks. Spilman said the criminal charge was filed following an investigation and the students could face up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine on each account. According to Spilman, he does not know how long it will take until a trial takes place and the students are prosecuted. Wagner said the students have been dismissed and are no longer enrolled in the university, and now the university is taking a lot of steps for pretecting electronic grading systems, such as Niihka and Bannerweb. “[Now we are] taking several other steps to increase security,” Wagner said.