April 6, 2012 | The Miami Student by The Miami Student

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

VOLUME 139 NO. 52

FRIDAY, APRIL 6, 2012

MIAMI UNIVERSITY OXFORD, OHIO

TODAY IN MIAMI HISTORY In 1994, The Miami Student reported the formation of a campus watch program created by Miami University Associated Student Government. The

Student reported student volunteers would be stationed across campus, identified by bright orange vests and bright yellow identification tags, and would assist those walking alone or those in compromising situations.

Miami, UC communities rally against hate

CATHERINE UBRY THE MIAMI STUDENT

Miami University students and staff and Oxford community members gathered at the Phi Delta Theta Gates Thursday to demonstrate against an assault March 25 against two gay students. Spectrum Co-President Billy Price (left) and Miami President David Hodge (bottom) spoke to attendees about uniting the community.The University of Cincinnati also held a rally Thursday.

Lauren Ceronie EDITOR IN CHIEF

Miami University may be rivals with the University of Cincinnati (UC), but students from the two schools put their differences aside and joined together Thursday to demonstrate against the attack of two gay students. At the event attendees chanted, “two, four, six, eight, no more violence, no more hate” and, “no hate on my campus” and held hands to symbolically support the two men who were assaulted. Miami students held their rally at the Phi Delta Theta Gates while UC students met at the corner of Dr. Martin Luther King Drive and Clifton Avenue in Cincinnati. Miami junior Michael Bustin, one of the students attacked March 25, said he was “humbled” by the show of support from students at the two universities. “I’m really humbled about how the school, the community [and] UC has stepped up and pushed against

what happened,” Bustin said. The rally began with speeches from Miami President David Hodge, Dean of Students Susan Mosley-Howard and Oxford Mayor Richard Keebler. “Violence has no place in our society and no place in our city,” Keebler said in an interview before his speech. “You can disagree with someone, but violence and hatred has no place here.” In his speech Keebler said, “violence is out and acceptance is in.” Speakers and students alike called their reason for gathering unfortunate. “It’s a shame that two men are safer walking alone than together,” Mark Noviski, co-president of Spectrum, Miami’s LGBTQ association said. Mosley-Howard agreed with this sentiment. “It’s unfortunate we have to gather under these circumstances,” MosleyHoward said. “When one of us is assaulted, all of us are assaulted.” In an interview after his speech, Hodge called on the community to

come together against hate. “What’s so incredible about this is how constructive the approach is,” Hodge said. “There is no excuse for violence of any kind and the fact that it’s targeted makes it the worst. But this is an opportunity for the community to be reminded to step up and do the right thing.” Members of the Miami and Oxford community also united in rallies after a student was attacked outside Spectrum’s drag show in April 2010. Bustin said the night of the attack he met a student from UC at Spectrum’s drag show and decided to walk him home to make sure he got there safely. When the two men were walking on East Church Street a few strangers saw them holding hands and called them “fags.” Bustin said he and his friend kept walking but the strangers approached them and began to punch the UC student. Bustin said he stepped between the assailant and his friend to stop the fight but was punched in the face several times. Another attacker began to punch Bustin and his friend when five

or six students came up and broke up the fight, according to Bustin. Oxford Police Department’s (OPD) Sgt. Jon Varley said the attack was marked as criminal with hate bias, meaning if the attackers are caught they could face harsher penalties and longer jail sentences. Billy Price, co-president of Spectrum, said the organization is working with OPD, the Miami University Police Department (MUPD), Miami administrators and UC students to raise awareness about hate bias violence. “Unfortunately we’re still in a place where people think it’s appropriate to attack people based on their sexual orientation,” Price said. “This is unacceptable and shouldn’t happen on Miami’s campus. But, the outpouring of support shows the campus has come a long way.” Bustin echoed Price’s sentiment. “My whole goal was just to tell my story and let people know this wasn’t alright to happen,” Bustin said. “I think it [acceptance on campus] has gotten better though. I didn’t come

out until this past year but people are becoming more understanding.” Bustin said he was especially touched by the support shown from people he does not know well. “I’ve been humbled; people who I haven’t talked to in ages sent me Facebook messages and emails asking me if they could do anything,” he said. Varley said OPD would be happy to provide extra security at the drag shows if their presence was requested. “We’ll respect the wishes of those attending [the show],” Varley said. “Sometimes they don’t want the police around but we’re more than happy to make sure everyone is safe and has a good time.” Bustin said he hopes his attack will raise awareness about this sort of violence. “I hope this serves as a message for the future to stop hate no matter what it is over, whether it’s sexual orientation, gender, religion, race [or] whatever,” he said. “We need to stop it.”

’Hawk swimmers head to Olympic Trials University awaits governor’s student trustee selection By Brian Gallagher Sports Editor

In less than three months, the best swimmers in the United States will converge upon Omaha, Neb. for the fastest swim meet in the world. Fans will surround the two 50-meter pools set up inside the Qwest Center and watch as over 1,500 athletes attempt to realize their Olympic dreams. Among those swimmers will be a contingent of Miami University athelets, including junior Bekka Westrick, junior Maegan O’Connor, junior Leah Thornton and freshman diver Lacey Houser, as well as Megan Brunn, a 2011 Miami graduate. After leading Miami to a thirdplace finish at the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Championships in February, the end of the season was still in the distance for these RedHawks and there was little time for rest as their sights honed in on the week of June 25-July 2. “After MACs it just happened so fast, we were back in the

water after just three days off, we didn’t have time to lose focus,” Thornton said. “But we all knew this was the goal going in, so we didn’t have to adjust that much.” However, only Westrick had a trials standard at the time after qualifying this past summer in the 100-meter butterfly with a time of 1:01.87, which was under the qualifier of 1:01.99. She then added a second qualification to her resume with a swim of 26.26 seconds in the 50-meter freestyle at the Central Zone Speedo Sectional Championships March 22 just sneaking under the standard of 26.39. “The public thinks if you go to the trials you go to the Olympics, and while that’s not the case it’s still exciting to qualify,” Westrick said. “It’s a natural progression though; you go from nationals to the trials, and it’s often something that happens only once in your swimming career.” The sectionals proved to be a harbinger of success for the ’Hawks as Thornton and O’Connor also grabbed

qualification times at the meet. Thornton punched her ticket with a swim of 1:03.17 in the 100-meter backstroke, passing under the standard of 1:03.99, and then came back three days later to qualify in the 200-meter backstroke in 2:17.93 to squeak under the qualifying time of 2:17.99. Not to be outdone, O’Connor swam 1:01.31 to qualify in the 100-meter butterfly and will join Westrick in that event in Omaha. “Four years ago I had this in my vision and really put work into it and tried to go after it, and now that I’ve made it to the trials it’s really exciting,” O’Connor said. “I’m going to have fun and enjoy the experience.” Like O’Connor, many kids dream of making the Olympics, whether it be in swimming or another sport. However, though many get to dream, few get the chance to realize those dreams and even fewer get to enjoy that

OLYMPIC TRIALS, SEE PAGE 3

By Jenn Smola Campus Editor

The finalists for Miami University’s student trustee position have been chosen by Associated Student Government (ASG) and forwarded to Ohio Gov. John Kasich for final selection. Out of 15 applicants, three were chosen by ASG and sent to the governor over winter break, according to Nick Miller, ASG secretary to the executive cabinet. Miller was in charge of the applicant search, developing the application and conducting interviews. The three candidates chosen by ASG include sophomore Molly Rzepka, sophomore Arianne Wilt and first-year Lance Sterle. “I think all three of [the final applicants] are outstanding,” Miller said. “We felt comfortable with either three of them being chosen as the next student trustee.” Now the university must wait until the governor makes his selec-

tion. During the 2010-2011 school year, ASG sent in the finalists to Kasich in December 2010 and no trustee was announced until October 2011. The long wait may have been because it was Kasich’s first year in office and a budget year, Miller said. Former Miami Student Body President and Student Trustee Heath Ingram said he was disappointed to hear Kasich’s office is once again dragging its feet about making a decision. When Ingram applied to be a student trustee in fall 2007, he said he found out he got the position by the beginning of February 2008. “It’s frustrating because the trustees — the whole board — relies very heavily on the student trustee’s opinion,” Ingram said. “It’s frustrating because the trustees will lose valuable insight into how students perceive the decisions that

TRUSTEE, SEE PAGE 3

CAMPUS

Editors JENN SMOLA ALLISON MCGILLIVRAY

FRIDAY, APRIL 6, 2012

campus@miamistudent.net

Cain cancels College Republicans speech By Carsyn Rodriguez For The Miami Student

Former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain’s scheduled trip to Miami University yesterday was canceled due to a scheduling conflict, according to Co-Chair of Miami’s College Republicans Briana Sakach. Cain’s scheduler told College Republicans Cain would not be able to come Thursday night, as originally planned, and wanted to move him up to 2 p.m. However, Sakach said because many College Republicans and Miami students have class during that time, they decided it would be too hard to hold the speech then. The group and Cain’s scheduler decided to cancel and reschedule a more convenient time. “We are going to try to bring Cain back either late spring or probably early next fall,” Sakach said. Cain had been booked to come to Miami since a week after spring break Sakach said, and he was only canceled about a week and a half ago. Fortunately, College Republicans had not yet paid the speaker’s fee because they were not far enough along in the

process to sign an actual contract, so the club lost no money, Sakach said. “We were definitely disappointed but understanding,” Sakach said. “We understand Cain has a very busy schedule being who he is, and with Easter, finals and other events at the end of the semester approaching, Miami students are busy themselves in April.” Miami students had a wide range of opinions regarding Cain’s cancellation and appearance on campus. First-year Jarett Engle said he had not heard of Cain’s upcoming speech. “I had no idea he was coming, but that’s really disappointing that he the decided not to come,” Engle said. Junior Chris Hemmelgarn said he thought Cain would have brought an important message to Miami. “Even though he dropped out of the race for presidency, I think he would have had a lot of good, valid and valuable things to say to Miami students,” Hemmelgarn said. Sakach said College Republicans wanted to bring Cain to campus because of his recent publicity as a

result of his presidential candidacy and his Republican ideals. “Cain, being a former presidential candidate, has a lot of name recognition, is on the lower end of what we could fit in our budget and could really bring in and talk about the core Republican values that we stand for,” Sakach said. Cain was also scheduled to prepare Miami students for next week’s College Republican’s Conservative Week on campus, according to Sakach. Due to the short notice, the group may schedule another speaker in Cain’s place for next week, but it would most likely be a smallerscale speaker, like an Ohio Republican politician, Sakach said. Next week, College Republicans will be handing out promotional materials, highlighting Second Amendment Day, talking about gun rights as well as discussing gas prices and promoting the Keystone Pipeline Project. Sakach said the main goal of College Republicans and Conservative Week is to make others aware of College Republican values and show the importance of student awareness of political issues today, with or without the help of Cain’s influence.

As MU seniors search for jobs, survey projects increase in post-graduate hiring By Libby Mueller

For The Miami Student

College students are familiar with the grueling job search process, from painstakingly compiling résumés to frantically preparing for interviews, but a new survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) may ease some of the stress. The survey found 2012 college graduate hiring is expected to rise 10.2 percent. According to NACE, the 10.2 percent increase is higher than the 9.5 percent increase projected during a poll the association conducted in September. Associate Director of Miami University’s Career Services Cathy Moore said Career Services, as part of NACE, knew about the increase in hiring. “Certainly what we’ve seen in the office reflects the increase in hiring,” Moore said. “We’ve seen an increase in the number of employers at the job fairs. In addition, attendance at Spring ICE (Internship and Career Expo) was the second highest ever.”

I would say that although the job market has improved, students need to understand that it’s still very tough to get a job.” Mimi COllins NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES AND EMPLOYERS REPRESENTATIVE

According to Moore, on-campus interviews conducted by employers have also increased 10 to 12 percent from last year. Perhaps because of this, the number of students taking advantage of the mock interview process offered by Career Services has nearly doubled since last year, Moore said. NACE Representative Mimi Collins said employment is up because of the improvement in the economy. For future graduates, the positive change in the economy bodes well, Collins said. “But I would say that although the job market has improved, students need to understand that it’s still very tough to get a job,” Collins said “What you want to do while you’re in college is make sure to avail yourself of the resources at your college career center.”

Moore said there is a plethora of resources available to Miami students through Career Services. “We’re always striving to help students find jobs,” Moore said. “We have preparation sessions, whether it’s preparation for Spring ICE or the Career Fair, programs in the evening and programs in classes. In addition, the CareerLink database has seen a huge increase in the number of students using it.” One thing Career Services has started doing to better prepare students is tracking which students attend career fairs by having them swipe into events with their student IDs, according to Moore. “We can do more targeted research for those who are coming in,” Moore said.

hiring,

SEE PAGE 5

FELICIA JORDAN THE MIAMI STUDENT

TO WRITE LOVE ON HER ARMS

Miami University’s chapter of To Write Love on Her Arms hosted national founder Jamie Tworkowski Saturday. Tworkowski spoke about founding a national non-profit, and the struggles of battling depression, self-injury and suicide.

First-year confirmation increases by 26 percent By Rebecca Peets

according to Ann Larson, interim director of admissions. If a higher number of students than anticAfter receiving a record num- ipated accept, the impact would ber of applicants, Miami Uni- be in those courses used to flucversity is now experiencing a 26 tuations in enrollment, mainly percent increase from last year in the College of Arts and Science, confirmations of enrollment. Larson said. This is much higher than previ“They’re strong students,” ous years, but the incoming class Larson said. “They have a lot of size will be roughly the same, options available with the best according to Claire Wagner, schools in the country. They’ll associate direchave many tor of university colleges to Miami University is now choose from.” communications. “We’re aim- experiencing a 26 perLarson is coning for a fresh- cent increase from last fident in the man class size of predicted model. year in confirmations 3,600,” she said. The university This is rough- of enrollment. is prepared for ly the same either way enas last year’s rollment goes, goal, according whether too many to Wagner. people accept or “We’re always working within too few, according to Larson. a certain range,” Wagner said. “We wait list a number of stuTo calculate this range, Miami dents to offer a buffer should must accept a higher number of we not meet that number,” students than it knows will actu- Larson said. ally confirm, according to WagThe number of accepted stuner. Miami chose to admit 72 dents is much higher than last percent of the 20,291 students year, when 13,600 were acceptwho applied to Miami. ed, according to Wagner. “We admitted 14,700 because “We had more applicants we know that not all students to choose from this year,” will come,” Wagner said. “We’ve Wagner said. been doing this for so many years First-year Michael Vostatek we can expect a certain number.” Acceptance, The university bases its esSEE PAGE 5 timates on historical data, Staff Writer

Anchors away: Miami hosts first intramural battleship competition By Jenn Smola Campus Editor

Miami University students took to the water last weekend in the university’s first-ever showdown of intramural battleship. Though the game had been piloted with fitness center student staff members, this was the first official game of intramural battleship played by Miami students, Geremy Bardon, associate director of intramural sports said. According to Bardon, 52 students showed up at the pool for the competition Sunday at the Recreational Sports Center (RSC). “The event went very well,” Bardon said. “Everyone that plays it has a great time.” According to Bardon, teams of four are given one paddle, one shield and two buckets. Four or five teams in canoes compete against each other and the last boat to sink or get tipped is the winner. Aside from some games

running long, Bardon said the event ran smoothly. First-years Christian Jaekle and Tyler Simonton competed in the event and although their success in the water was short-lived, the two said they had good time. “We were the first team to lose in

It was a great way to make friends ... and enemies.” Christian jaeklE MIAMI FIRST-YEAR

Miami history,” Jaekle said. But Jaekle and Simonton did not let the loss get them down. “I thought it was a blast,” Simonton said. “It was really cool to ‘go down’ in history. I haven’t had that much fun playing an

intramural sport.” According to Bardon, intramural battleship is something that has been gaining popularity at other universities across the country such as the University of Dayton and the University of Alabama. “It’s something we heard about at conferences that other universities had done,” Bardon said. Bardon said because the pool in the RSC is often in use for events on weekends, it is not easy to find time to host the battleship event. However, Bardon said it is surely an event RSC will put on again. “We are definitely going to offer it again next year,” Bardon said. “If the popularity grows we may try to offer it twice a year.” Jaekle and Simonton are eager to redeem themselves. “Hopefully they do it more often,” Jaekle said. “It was just good to have everyone at the pool. It was a great way to meet friends … and enemies.”

LAUREN OLSON THE MIAMI STUDENT

Miami University hosted its first-ever intramural battleship game Sunday. Over 50 students attended the event.

www.miamistudent.net

FRIDAY, april 6, 2012

OLYMPIC TRIALS, FROM PAGE 1

experience with swimmers from the same team. Having four swimmers from one school marks the exception to the rule. “In all the years I’ve been here we’ve never been in the situation where we have a handful of girls in a major meet like this, so I’m very excited and very proud of them and what they have accomplished,” Head Coach Dave Jennings said. “Some of them have had a lifelong goal of swimming at that meet so for them to have the perseverance and ability to be there is really special.” But at a school with 16 MAC Championships, success is as much a part of the program as chlorinated water and that culture has been an integral part of the swimmers’ achievements. “I didn’t come [to Miami] thinking that I would use this to go to the Olympic Trials,” Westrick said. “But I think this atmosphere, the competition that we have in the pool and just being pushed everyday in the water by your teammates has been a huge help in taking that next step.” Once every four years the

TRUSTEE, FROM PAGE 1

the administration, faculty and ultimately the board are making.” Until the governor’s office selects the next student trustee, the student voice on the board of trustees is being cut in half, Ingram said. “It just doesn’t seem that Gov. Kasich or the people in his administration value the student trustees,” Ingram said. Student Body Vice President Matt Frazier agreed. “He’s a busy man to start with, but it seems it’s not very high up on his priority list,” Frazier said. Frazier also said the longer it takes the governor’s office to make a decision, the less time the trustee has to get acclimated to his or her position. “I think everyone deserves a proper transition,” Frazier said. The new student trustee will be replacing former student trustee Matthew Shroder, who joined the board in 2010 and whose term ended at the end of February. The new member will join sophomore trustee Lot Kwarteng, who will remain on the board until 2013. Trustee Mike Armstrong said the board of trustees values student trustees. “I value their presence,” Armstrong said. “I think their involvement has been positive for the university.” Miller said he hopes this time the new student trustee will be named by the end of the school year, but pointed out sometimes the governor’s office has “bigger fish to fry”

Olympics come around and thrust a sport like swimming into the national spotlight. But the U.S. Olympic Trials for swimming are unlike those for other sports in that it often takes a record-setting performance just to qualify for the Olympics. For instance, there were nine world records and 21 American records set at the most recent Olympic Trial, which means those swimmers had to swim the fastest times of their lives just to advance to the Olympics. The goal of swimming faster than they have before is also shared by each Miami swimmer and echoed by Jennings. And do not expect the RedHawks to rest on their laurels having made it this far. “It might be a long shot but you have to dream a little and we would love to see someone sneak into a semifinal and swim at night,” Jennings said. “I think we’ve got some very talented women and you never know what’s going to happen on any given day. And the focus now is to get them ready for that.” The Olympic Trials start June 25 and run through July 2 and will be televised live on NBC. than selecting a student trustee for a university. “Optimistically, I’m hoping we hear something back soon,” Miller said. While Kasich’s office has confirmed receiving ASG’s candidate recommendations, there is no word when a decision will definitively be made. A representative from Kasich’s office said a decision will be made soon, but offered no definite timetable for the decision. “The governor’s office has received résumés of potential appointees from Miami University’s Associated Student Government, and an appointment decision will be announced sometime after Feb. 28,” Connie Wehrkamp, deputy press secretary for the governor’s office said at the beginning of the semester. “The student trustee position is very unique,” Kwarteng said. According to Kwarteng, student trustees act as a liaison between students and the board of trustees. They are able to answer questions and offer perspectives to administrators based on what is going on in the student body, he said. Student trustees should be able to articulate the wants and needs of students, as well as research and understand in-depth issues going on in the university, Kwarteng said. Since Shroder’s term ended in late February, Kwarteng will be the only student trustee until the governor’s office makes a decision. “I would like to see the next trustee appointed in a timely fashion,” Kwarteng said.

The Miami Student is looking for photographers. E-mail photo@miamistudent.net for more information.

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COMMUNITY

Editors CATHERINE UBRY LISA REYMANN

FRIDAY, APRIL 6, 2012

COMMUNITY@miamistudent.net

POLICE Alterations made to Pell Grant

BEAT

Burglar nabs full set of golf clubs from foyer Around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, an Oxford Police Department (OPD) officer met with a male in response to a burglary. The victim said sometime between 9 and 10 a.m. someone entered the unlocked foyer of his residence and removed his golf bag, which contained an entire set of golf clubs. He also told the officer he contacted his housemates and verified nobody had moved the clubs.

Student finds markings scratched onto his car Around 12:30 p.m. Monday, a victim reported his car was damaged while parked on North Poplar Street. He said between Sunday and Monday someone came and left over a dozen scratches on the car. He also said there were initials that looked like “KA” on the roof of his car. The victim said he does not know anyone with the initials of “KA” or anyone in the Kappa Alpha Order fraternity. The victim said his car is sometimes mistaken for a police car so he does not know if the damage was intended for a policeman.

Male reports 200-pound lion stolen from yard Around 10 a.m. Monday, a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity contacted Oxford Police Department officers (OPD) regarding a stone lion stolen from the front of the fraternity house over the weekend. The lion was 36 inches tall, weighed about 150-200 pounds and was Kelly Green. The victim believed it was taken between midnight Saturday and 2 a.m. Sunday. The fraternity has had the statue for 30 years. The victim told officers there were recent confrontations with the Sigma Chi and Phi Kappa Tau fraternities but was unsure if they had anything to do with it.

Resident discovers signs of forced entry Around 6 p.m. Monday, a victim reported sometime over the weekend someone broke her porch window to unlock her window and then entered her house and exited out the front door. None of her roommates were home so the victim is not sure what was taken. There are no suspects at this time.

By Jasmine Hayes

For The Miami Student

Recent changes to the Federal Pell Grant Program may impact Miami University students’ financial aid. The program is a federal grant for students with a high level of financial need. The amount of money is determined by the student-provided information on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The government decides who is eligible for the grant and Miami awards the grant on behalf of the federal government, according to Brent Shock, director of the office of student financial assistance. “About 18 percent or so students at the Oxford campus receive the Federal Pell Grant,” Shock said. There were two primary changes to the grant that will take effect July

1, he said. The first change eliminated the two grants in one school year provision, a new addition to the grant. Three years ago students could only receive one grant in one year, Shock said. “This change will only impact students who are attending summer school,” Shock said. According to Shock, if a student has used their full Pell Grant Program eligibility in the fall and spring semesters at Miami, they will not be eligible for a grant for the summer. “I don’t receive a lot of money from the Pell Grant but every award I do receive helps me continue my education at Miami,” sophomore Stephanie Reed said. The second change to the program reduced the number of years of full time grant eligibility from

nine to six, Shock said. “I’m never happy when federal aid is cut, but I also understand that in some respects through the eyes of [the U.S.] Congress this is done to preserve the program,” Shock said. There is only so much money available to fund the program, he said. “Miami University tried to proactively identify and notify students who receive the Pell Grant so they can be aware of the changes,” Shock said. Miami informed students who accepted the grant last summer about the changes and advised them to come in and visit the office to go over all available financial aid options, according to Shock. Shock said available options would vary depending on the student. Different types of financial

aid will be considered to assist students with their education. “We try to find any financial aid that we can help the student with, but finding options is really a caseby-case situation because it all will depend on the student’s enrollment and etc.,” Shock said. Some advice Shock gave to students was to continue to complete the FAFSA because it keeps students in the running for the most possible financial aid. If students have specific concerns with financial aid they should visit Miami’s Financial Aid Office and schedule an appointment with a counselor. “It’s depressing that the government is taking money away from students who need assistance to better their education, but I’m glad Miami is taking the time out to help students who might lose some financial aid,” Reed said.

City, Butler County make effort to recycle By Morgan Schaffer Senior Staff Writer

Recycling has become a huge focus in society and on Miami University’s campus. Miami makes it easy to be green with recycling plans and programs, but students living off campus may find recycling a bit more difficult. David Treleaven, environmental specialist with the Oxford Service Department, said Butler County, Oxford and Miami University are making an effort to recycle. “Students are more aware than they used to be,” Treleaven said. He said it is important to recycle and todoitcorrectly,alongwithmakingsure people are aware of where they can recycle. According to Treleaven, Miami and Oxford have completely separate recycling operations. Recycling plans can be divided into two groups: residential and commercial. Residential recycling plans are for people living in individual houses, duplexes and structures with four or less apartments, Treleaven said. Commercial accounts are structures with five or more apartments. “People will be more likely to recycle if they are already paying for it,” Treleaven said. Treleaven said if a person has a residential account and is paying city utilities then that person is also required to pay for the solid waste, or regular trash, utilities and recycling is already included in the solid waste payment. “[The cost is] $17.30 a month for recycling and solid waste,” Treleaven said. “It is included whether you decide to utilize recycling or not. [The included cost for recycling is] $2.90 a month.” Treleaven said Rumpke is in charge

of all residential and commercial accounts in Oxford. There are different types of bins that can be provided to people, either 18 or 23-gallon waste wheeler totes. Commercial accounts are required ANNE GARDNER THE MIAMI STUDENT to have some form of waste removal Dresses from the “Weaving Women into History” exhibit are on display at or trash pick-up, Treleaven said. the Miami University Art Museum until May 12. “They are required by the way our ordinance is written is to have larger containers, either the dumpsters or at least one of the brown 95-gallon waste wheeler totes,” Treleaven said. “To encourage commercial recycling, the cost of recycling is exactly what Rumpke charges the city.” By Jessica Barga at the meeting will facilitate the reRobert Brinkman, leasing manager Senior Staff Writer vamping of the city’s wastewater for Level 27 Apartments, said they After recent accidents involving treatment plant, according to Dreishave their own deal with Rumpke. pedestrians on U.S. Route 27, Ox- bach and Oxford City Manager “We have an agreement with ford City Council passed a resolution Doug Elliott. Rumpke where they supply a large April 3 recommending a reduced “Many of the facilities there are dumpster size recycling bin,” Brinkspeed limit to the Ohio Department over 40 years old and we’ve been man said. “We provide the ability of Transportation (ODOT). having some problems with the [for tenants to recycle]. We encour“We’ve had some unfortunate maintenance,” Dreisbach said. age it, but it is not required. We incidents with vehicles striking peThere are three components to the do not have to pay anything [for destrians,” Oxford Service Director development process: repairs and the recycling].” Mike Dreisbach said. improvements to the sludge disposal Brinkman said Level 27 ApartDreisbach said Miami University building, which provides recycled ments worked out a special deal with had, in light of these events, asked methane that is re-used for energy at Rumpke to not have to pay anythe city to do a study involving po- the plant, improvements to the recirthing. They have a large bin in each culation pumps, which are currently tentially reducing the speed limit. trash bay and they are always full For an area of U.S. Route 27, inadequate, and improvements to on trash day. Apartments that just which would include the area from the non-potable water system, which have dumpsters, but not recycling, Chestnut Street to Campus Avenue, will prevent the wastewater plant have reasons for doing so, according the proposed recommended speed from having to import such water to Treleaven. limit would be lower than 28 mph, from the water treatment plant. “Apartment complexes lose parkaccording to Dreisbach, which The original $3.12 million budget ing spaces because another pod would translate to a 25 mph speed actually came in at $3.11 million, has to be created for the recycling limit in that area. Dreisbach said. container,” Treleaven said. “The project [will be] funded out If the proposal is cleared by Another reason some apartments of the current capital improvement ODOT, the reduced speed limit tend to not focus on recycling is befund for sewers,” Oxford Mayor would likely be in effect by the cause if solid waste is put into recyRichard Keebler said, meaning the beginning of the fall semester, cling bins, it becomes contaminated city will not need to borrow addiDreisbach said. recycling, tional money for the project. Three new resolutions passed

City council aims to lower speed limits after pedestrian accidents

SEE PAGE 9

Oxford-born writer finds success writing, illustrating children’s books By Catherine Ubry Community Editor

Former Oxford resident and Talawanda High School graduate Rebecca Zomchek has published a second book with her illustrations. The children’s book entitled, I Grew Up To Be President, was published by Scholastic Inc. and followed her first children’s book, A Tale of Famous Heroes. Zomchek said I Grew Up To Be President is a book that goes into detail about the childhood of each United States president as well as their family lives, careers, accomplishments and other details kids will find interesting. Zomchek began working in the academic and artistic worlds in Oxford and has expanded since moving to New York City. “I went to Talawanda High School and when I was in Oxford I worked part time doing freelance art for awhile,” Zomchek said. “However the economy wasn’t great and

then I went to Syracuse [University] for undergrad.” However, Zomchek said she did not always know illustrating was what she wanted to do. Her parents read to her all the time as a child and her mother, Kristen Zomchek, who works in the psychology department at Miami University as the assistant to the chair of the department, always encouraged reading and academics. “When I applied to college I actually didn’t know if illustrating was what I wanted to do … I did some painting that was not very career based for a while, though I liked the idea of publishing rather than gallery work,” Zomchek said. “Once I figured out in college a little more and talked to some illustration programs, I got more into it.” Before she began graduate school, Zomchek said she came back and took a full year of classes at Miami while deciding what she wanted to do. “Just having Miami here and

being exposed to other lectures, people coming in and speaking and growing up in a small community that had Miami so close opened up the door to opportunities a great deal for her,” Kristen Zomchek said. Zomchek’s mother said having both the small community and the large city experience was beneficial for her daughter. “When she came home after Syracuse she had the chance to take classes that she couldn’t during her undergrad,” Kristen Zomchek said. “She was taking honors classes and six hourlong studios there so having a chance to come back and take classes at Miami gave her an opportunity to take a broader range of art classes that she only could’ve had at Miami.” Kristen Zomchek said having more mentors at Miami in the art department was also beneficial. “She was able to work very closely with Sara Butler, a professor in Miami’s art department who now teaches history of western dress,”

Kristen Zomchek said. “Through working with her she had the chance to see and do other things that she could never have done at Syracuse. So that was amazing as well.” Zomchek attends graduate school at the School of Visual Arts in New York City and will graduate in five weeks. She lives in midtown New York and said she definitely plans to continue illustrating and would even like to create her own series of books one day. “The reason I went to grad school was because I would like to maybe one day become a professor,” she said. “Growing up in Oxford and with my parents being so involved and working at Miami, I’ve been around academics my whole life.” Zomchek said she still visits Oxford to see her family whenever she is on breaks and will most likely return over the summer as well. “I love Oxford,” Zomchek said. “It is so picturesque. It’s great to go back now that I have left for a while. I love the city but it’s nice to

have both the city and the quiet little town too.” Miami sophomore and integrated English language arts education major Molly Miles said she thinks it is great that an Oxford resident has gone on to help create such appealing literature. She also said she believes reading the book to future students would be a great way to bring a sense of community to education. “As Miami remains a tight-knit community, our graduating education majors should definitely support authors, illustrators and fellow community members in Oxford,” Miles said. “Reading Rebecca’s illustrated book would be doing just that.” Zomchek said she believes the problem solving and creative side of illustrating is what draws her to it the most. “Illustrating is like problem solving and it’s also like writing because you have to approach it in different ways and everyone does it differently,” Zomchek said. “It’s always appealed to me.”

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ACCEPTANCE, FROM PAGE 2

said a larger pool of applicants is good for Miami because it allows the university to choose from the best. “I think the application rate is increasing because of the increased publicity having to do with Miami and the prestige of the business school,” Vostatek said. “Miami is known for having an excellent business school which draws more people to it each year.” Although overall applications

FRIDAY, april 6, 2012 CAMPUS to the Farmer School of Business are up, there is an overall reduction in business admission accepts, according to Larson. “We have reduced that cohort,” Larson said. “It’s supposed to be a much smaller class than last year.” International admission is still underway, according to Michael Kabbaz, associate vice president of enrollment management. The international numbers are still in review, according to Larson, but the numbers are up from last year. “We’re still in the throws of international review right

now,” Larson said. “The process is very different. There is a much broader application, more information, more required. There’s no financial aid or scholarship capacity for them as of now, but we are thrilled with their numbers.” To date, international applications are up 20 percent to 2,200. As of now, the demographics of the new class are unknown. “We usually do a survey of the incoming students in the summer to get a general idea of what the incoming class is like,” Wagner said.

HIRING, FROM PAGE 2

Students can prepare themselves for an increase in hiring by being well-prepared, Collins said. Employers are specifically looking for students with good communication skills, she said. “In particular, students who take part in practice interviews do much better,” Collins said. Moore said Career Services’ mock interview program, which includes mock interviews with members of the community, students and staff, is a great

opportunity for students to practice their communicating skills. Senior business legal studies major Ashley Smith said in the Farmer School of Business alone, the pressure to get a job, even in the first semester of senior year, is very high. “The increase in hiring gives me more hope that I will get a job,” Smith said. Moore said students should begin seeking jobs sooner rather than later. “Start early,” Moore said. “Don’t wait until last minute to really start thinking about what you want to do and how you want to get there.”

ASG passes transcript bill, receives advice on medical amensty bill By Allison McGillivray Campus Editor

Miami University Associated Student Government (ASG) passed six bills Tuesday April 3. ASG unanimously passed a bill supporting green-space wireless coverage, a resolution supporting the collegiate housing and infrastructure act and a resolution to support the restructuring of the Miami regional campuses. ASG also passed a resolution to remind instructors to return academic assessments in an appropriate timeframe, a bill supporting additional information on academic transcripts and a bill recommending the addition of speed bumps on the service drive for King Café. The academic transcript bill, which would require a distinction on a student’s transcript between courses taken at each of Miami’s campuses and honors and non-honors courses, inspired debate among the senators. Senator Ashley Burke opposed the bill because she said the differences between the campuses would not influence potential employers to not hire a student. “I think this is somewhat elitist in thinking that the difference between a regional campus and the Oxford campus should influence your future career,” Burke said. “A Miami education is a Miami education no matter where you get it.” Secretary for Academic Affairs Tyler Sinclair disagreed. “I would say that it is most certainly not elitist for us to be proud of us going to an institution that has strict and rigorous academic standards,” Sinclair said. “I think it is only fair that we be differentiated from those that are held to a lower standard.” Last week ASG introduced a bill supporting a Medical Emergency Assistance Program. This week ASG brought in Gail Walenga, assistant vice president of student affairs, to help clarify what the Medical Emergency Assistance Program will do. Walenga said currently the university and the Miami University Police Department (MUPD) do not cite students if they make it to the emergency room without the notice of their residence assistant (RA) or MUPD. This new policy would allow a student to seek help from their RA, MUPD or to call 911 and not be

cited by the university. Walenga said most parents she has heard from as well as the Oxford Police Department (OPD) support this new policy. According to Walenga, however, the Office of Ethics and Student Conflict Resolution (OESCR) and MUPD Chief of Police John McCandless do not support this program. There are over 70 schools around the country, including Ohio University, with similar policies to the Medical Emergency Assistance Program in place. Walenga urged ASG to support the bill. “I think the advantage of having ASG support this is we can move it forward,” Walenga said. The bill supporting the Medical Emergency Assistance Program will be discussed at the next ASG meeting April 10. ASG This Week Revamping Academic Transcripts: Associated Student Government (ASG) members Secretary Tyler Sinclair and Secretary Nicholas Miller met with the members of the Office of the Registrar to ask them to include either campus name or location and also to better distinguish honor classes on academic transcripts. Medical Amnesty: Over the past weeks off-campus Senator Lizzie Litzow and Student Body President Nick Huber, along with other members of ASG have met with Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs, Gail Walenga, about creating a “Good Samaritan” program, where students will be exempt from a single alcohol violation if they are in dire need of health assistance and their friend/ peer seeks help from an RA. Restructuring Regional Campuses: Members of ASG, including off-campus Senator Elizabeth Burch, have gone to the Regional Campus Committee meetings. On Tuesday, Student Senate passed legislation supporting restructuring of the Miami Regional Campuses.

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OPINION

Editors RACHEL SACKS SARAH SHEW

FRIDAY, APRIL 6, 2012

editorial@miamistudent.net

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

Student trustee position needs to be chosen quickly

PATRICK GEYSER THE MIAMI STUDENT

THE CONTRARIAN DANIEL J. WATKINS

Constitutionality of mandate does not deal with important issue of universal healthcare With the recent hubbub following the Supreme Court of the United States’ (SCOTUS) discussion of the major healthcare legislation passed in 2010, a fissure has risen again in a classic “you’re with us or against us” scenario. The standoff is between those for or against the individual mandate in recent healthcare legislation. Around that, the central question is this: can the government mandate that a private citizen purchase healthcare from a private organization? To be forthright, the discussion has created an illusion that the individual mandate is central to creating universal healthcare. A more profound question is this: why would lawmakers commit to something they know is constitutionally questionable by making the legislation an all or nothing endeavor? At best, my head spins with suspicion. At worst, I wonder how bad it might actually be to be required to purchase healthcare. The power of the United States Congress that’s in question is found in Article I Section 8 of the Constitution. Simply, it allows Congress the power to regulate commerce. Throughout the years, when SCOTUS has handled these cases it has generally ruled in favor of Congress. The question of this individual mandate though, as you’ve likely heard, is very different in nature. As several district judges and attorneys involved, especially with the 2010 hearings of district courts, have said, there is now the question of creating

commerce versus regulating it. Creating commerce is very different than regulating existing commerce. Furthermore, to be punished for not doing something is a rather profound change in relation to existing punitive systems, which currently rely on what you do. This sort of regulation focuses on not doing something. The stakes seem so high because there exists the issue of severability. If the Supreme Court strikes down the individual mandate, how much of the legislation can stand? In their discussion, the justices wondered how much of the 2,400page legislation might make it on its own, and how going through it would be done reasonably. One of the largest issues to root itself in this discussion is something that strikes me as a falsehood. Somehow in defense of the mandate there has come an idea that striking down the mandate means no chance for universal healthcare in the United States. The healthcare mandate is not equal to universal healthcare. This is a false equivalence, and it means if progress is to be had on the healthcare front, it will not be lost to removing a requirement that everyone buy healthcare. To explain that notion, we can recall President Barack Obama’s campaign speeches before he grasped the Democratic Party Ticket. “If a mandate was the solution, we can try that to solve homelessness by mandating everybody to buy a house,” Obama said. I think 2008 Obama was on the right track. Simply making

people spend money does not solve problems. Healthcare, being the beast it is, should not be hinged on such a questionable premise. I’m betting that’s why the legislation was 2,400 pages and not a lonely page which would read “everyone just buy healthcare.” Some might call the mandate a tax, or like requiring the purchase of car insurance, are grounds I’ve heard mentioned for defending the mandate. The difference in both cases though, is there exists an act for an individual to perform, which leads to either of those outcomes. Buying something or having income are definitely activities one can participate in. Similarly, driving a car counts for that. But the individual mandate? That, if one desperately wanted to say it regulated an activity, would be the activity of living. It has become all too common to brush someone off by labeling the position one of “small government.” Some rather adamant and inconsistent folks have ruined it for the rest of us. But who is to say a person can’t think the individual mandate is unconstitutional alongside believing that healthcare regulation should occur? Not all people are good, and I’m ever more skeptical of the people who want to rule over me. Interpreting the Constitution does not make any person some absurd caricature of fascism or communism, but to interpret it in a way that puts more power in the hands of people who have proven they poorly wield it, well that just might provide a little grounds for it.

The Miami Student

Finalists for Miami University’s student trustee position were chosen by Associated Student Government (ASG) and forwarded to Ohio Gov. John Kasich for final selection. Out of 15 applicants, three were chosen by ASG and sent to the governor over winter break. ASG looked for candidates who were confident, comfortable talking in front of people, prepared, with institutional knowledge and eager to make a difference at Miami. Now the finalists must wait until the governor makes his selection of the new student trustee, which will hopefully be named by the end of the school year. While Kasich’s office has confirmed receiving ASG’s candidate recommendations, there is no telling if a decision will be made in the near future. While two student trustees are supposed to sit on the board, it took nearly a year for the governor to select the last student trustee. As such, there has only been one student trustee on the board. The editorial board of The Miami Student thinks the process in choosing a student trustee

should not take as long as it has in the past, and hopes the process of picking a second student trustee will be much more efficient. It is understandable that Kasich has other tasks and jobs he must attend to and take care of, but we must ask how long should this really take? The task is simple: to look over three applications to find a student who is the best possible choice to represent Miami University. The student trustee is the voice of student body and the university needs someone on the board who represents the student body. Student trustees are uniquely able to answer questions and offer perspectives to administrators based on what’s going on within the student body. With the amount of time being taken to choose a student trustee, terms are being cut short and the voices of Miami students are not fully represented. The student trustees give another opinion and another voice, and in order to efficiently speak for the students they represent, a new trustee needs to be chosen as soon as possible.

Rule of Thumb Miami students head to Olympic Trials Good luck to swimmers Bekka Westrick, Leah Thorton, Maegan O’ Connor, and diver Lacey Houser at the trials in June!

Recent graduate hiring Employment of grads has increased over the past year.

UC and Miami rally The rival schools teamed up April 5 to demonstrate against recent anti-gay hate crimes.

Herman Cain The former Republican presidential candidate cancelled his appearance at Miami.

Intramural battleship Thumbs up to a new Miami sport.

Class of 2016 Congrats to the new students, and welcome to Miami University!

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EDITORIAL BOARD lauren ceronie Editor in Chief

catherine ubry COMMUNITY Editor

jm rieger News Editor

Lisa ReymaNn COMMUNITY Editor

sarah shew Editorial Editor

allison mcgillivray Campus Editor

rachel sacks Editorial Editor

Jenn Smola Campus Editor

billy rafael Arts and entertainment

brian gallagher Sports Editor

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

SUDOKU, page 8.

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FRIDAY, APRIL 6, 2012 OP ED

ESSAY

andrew geisler

Olivia brough

geisleaj@muohio.edu

broughol@muohio.edu

The ‘budget game’: a genuine Focus on women’s rights is a distraction from solution to debt crisis needed the damage Obama’s health care plan will cause Rep. Paul Ryan is often praised for displaying political courage, the courage to actually lay out for Americans what he views as the best way forward for our country. The logic of this transparency is as follows: everything may not be easy to stomach, but it’s necessary when you’re staring at a $15 trillion and rising national debt. President Barack Obama offers a competing plan and with it a completely different vision, buut his plan continues to add to our deficit and got zero votes in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Ryan plan is fun for conservatives to praise, and the Obama plan is easy for conservatives to target and vise versa. The unfortunate reality is they both are ridiculous and tell a sad story about the state of our political system. I’ll admit my bias; ideologically I am a conservative and am a fan of Paul Ryan and his plan. I’m glad there are finally some real cuts where they need to be made, namely to Medicare, and we’re finally talking about real tax reform, although the specter of $700 billion worth of unspecified closed tax loopholes raises some eyebrows. But I also am well aware that the Ryan budget really is an extremist document, and extremist documents never become law. And if you disagree that it’s extremist, consider this: the Ryan budget cuts programs that the most vulnerable Americans rely on and then, after a while, massive cuts to Medicare kick in that fundamentally alter it. All of this is used to pay for massive tax cuts for corporations and the richest Americans. I think this is unfair spin from the left, but it’s the reality of the way the plan is portrayed. I also know in the current toxic political environment where an attempt to curb health care costs and make sure people have coverage becomes a political football, any ideologically extreme legislation simply makes things worse. Legislation always ends up in the middle, but nobody on Capitol Hill seems to have any interest in middle ground. Compromise seems to be a dirty word in D.C. these days. This was on display when only 38 representatives voted for a budget that was

modeled after the Simpson-Bowles commission’s proposal. It would cut the deficit by around five trillion dollars over the next 10 years through a perfectly reasonable mix of spending cuts and revenue increases. That is the direction that a country $15 trillion dollars in debt should be moving toward, not away from. So while Ryan’s proposal may look courageous, it really isn’t. Because he knows it will never be law. Everyone, including Ryan knows revenue increases will be a part of any deficit reduction package. All proposals like the Ryan plan do is fire up the “don’t tread on me” base and divide us even further. We don’t need more division; our problems are too great for that. The Republican Conference on Capitol Hill is so extremely against any necessary tax increases, and the Democratic Caucus is so extremely anti-necessary cuts. Based on the debt ceiling fight, both are 100 percent willing to take their ball, go home and take our country off of a cliff. A centrist path is where we will have to end up; there is no other possibility. But it seems our politicians don’t realize this. That’s why movements like No Labels, which is made up of current and past political professionals and concerned citizens who see the problems with the system and want to make some real changes, are so important. They work to bring issues into the public consciousness the general public doesn’t understand, but if they did, would demand be changed, issues like filibuster reform and ending ridiculous pledges. Polarization is here to stay, and deal making seems to be dead, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Ronald Reagan and Tip O’Neill saved social security. Bill Clinton and Newt Gingrich produced balanced budgets. They didn’t cut deals because they agreed on everything. They did it because it was what was good for the country, and, in the end, that’s what politics should be about. The third way is the only way for our country to move forward, we just need more leaders who are willing to admit this truth.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act “Obamacare” is back in the national spotlight. Three recent events have brought “Obamacare” to the forefront: the United States Supreme Court hearings of the law’s constitutionality, the release of new Congressional Budget Office cost estimates and the issuance of a compulsory contraception mandate, highlighted by Sandra Fluke, a Georgetown University Law student and advocate for mandatory insurance coverage of birth control. The controversy surrounding Fluke shows just how politicians and media have used her as a distraction. She is meant to distract attention from the Obama Administration’s failed attempt to force the Catholic Church to go against their faith by providing health insurance plans that include coverage for contraceptives, abortifacients and sterilization. The administration, in essence, changed the conversation from government intrusion in matters of faith to a health issue regarding women’s access to contraceptives. Furthermore, it distracts from Obama’s track record of a stimulus bill that didn’t work, from a healthcare bill that has a high probability of being found unconstitutional and from energy policies that have not helped the price of gasoline. Fluke’s case is being masked in a distracting veneer about “women’s rights” when it’s not really about women’s rights at all. It’s about separation of church and state. It has nothing to do with men trying to control women. To perpetuate this distraction, many refer to Rush Limbaugh’s comment about Fluke, but my response to this is: Where were the women’s rights activists when Laura Ingraham was called a “right wing slut” by Ed Schultz, when Michele Bachmann was called an “evil bitch from hell” by Mike Malloy and when Sarah Palin was called a “c***” and a “t***” by Bill Maher?

It is not a gender issue. It’s not even a birth control issue. But it’s being disguised as those issues in order to create a distraction, so attempts to increase government control will go unnoticed and unchallenged by the general public. It is, however, about separation of church and state. The issue is not so much about access to and cost of birth control, but about mandatory insurance coverage of birth control. Fluke willingly and knowingly attended a private Catholic university. If birth control was so important to her, she could have chosen another university to attend. Furthermore, most health clinics and Planned Parenthood clinics provide low-cost or free

Krauthammer’s last line is very insightful. Who promulgated this definition? Not only is some entity controlling things, but that entity has a ‘subversive’ definition of religion. Is that who you want controlling your healthcare? Is that who you want to be dependent on — the Secretary of Health and Human Services, who perhaps may classify contraception, sterilization and abortion pills as medical prevention and pregnancy as a disease? Do you want a government healthcare system that views contraception as a money saver? And if the government views contraception as medical prevention because it reduces the rate of disease and saves

Religious exemptions to this edict extend only to churches, places where the faithful worship God, and not to church-run hospitals and charities, places where the faithful do God’s work.Who promulgated this definition, so subversive of the whole notion of godliness, so stunningly ignorant of the very idea of religious vocation?” Charles Krauthammer WASHINGTON POST COLUMNIST

birth control to their patients. Fluke’s case is a preview of the coercive nature of increased governmental power. The government is attempting to limit religion. ‘Religious exemptions’ do not apply to church-run charities and hospitals, only to churches. It suggests worshipping God is acceptable, but doing God’s work is not. Charles Krauthammer summarizes this point: “Religious exemptions to this edict extend only to churches, places where the faithful worship God, and not to church-run hospitals and charities, places where the faithful do God’s work. Who promulgated this definition, so subversive of the whole notion of godliness, so stunningly ignorant of the very idea of religious vocation?”

money, couldn’t you then conclude the government might also prefer mass sterilization and even eugenics? The consequence of “Obama care” and allowing the government to interfere with churches and eventually other institutions is you’ll end up getting your rights from the government and begging the government for things a free enterprise system can provide with better quality and lower prices. The fact Fluke had to testify in front of a government committee to beg for free contraceptives illustrates this point. Most Americans believe healthcare needs to be reformed. Recent events, however, show that when it comes to healthcare we need more private sector solutions instead of government ones.

ESSAY KYle hartman

hartmak3@muohio.edu

Standardized testing takes true teaching, accountability out of the classroom Jan. 8, 2002, President George W. Bush signed into law the historic and highly controversial No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). The act signified a new era of education in America via the reformation of a system desperately in need of blunt refinement. While the intent of the bill was clear, both the content and practical implications have been hotly debated — from Capitol Hill to the dinner table — from day one. I find it absolutely wonderful that an initiative has been taken to improve the American public school system. Furthermore, I understand this may require government intervention on some level; however, NCLB carries a few heavily-weighted points of concern, most notably that increasing teacher accountability and standardized testing is regressive and dangerous to the American public school system. Having spent my first two years of college as an Education major, I’ve seen prospective

teachers from math to language arts dedicate countless, passionate hours to their dream of one day changing lives. On a daily basis I interacted with other education majors who were eager to get out of the classroom and well, into the classroom. It became clear that the keen, proactive understanding of a challenge as immense as educating America’s future is a gift few possess and many take for granted. I see teaching as a career that demands passionate educators, but I see standardized tests as tools which, however inadvertently, strip the job of any room for such passion and negate a great deal of the preparation teachers receive from college for an otherwise intrinsically beneficial career. Being from Ohio, I’ll use the Ohio Graduation Test (OGT) as exhibit A. In regard to the OGT, teachers begin “teaching for the test” early on, thus slowly retreating from their

own personal methods of connecting with and educating students. By instituting these tests, the government is essentially quantifying educational adequacy with an equation. In a nutshell, state governments across the nation are conveying a message of, “If you answer a certain amount of these specific questions correctly, you are considered to be a competent prospective member of society.” Teachers begin playing into this game, adhering to the bare minimum for the OGT and, as a result, gradually accepting education as a mere formality. If a school earns an A+ on the state report card based on its students’ performance on the test, it may look good on paper. But this says very little about the personal experience students gain from teachers who have been sucked dry of passion for their job. I believe there is a strong negative correlation between

ESSAYISTS WANTED.

standardization of education and teacher accountability. The government believes teachers should be held more responsible for students’ success yet revokes the privilege of teachers’ autonomy. If the success of the student depends more on the test than the teacher, then perhaps NCLB consultants should hold the state board more accountable than the teachers based on the content on the test. Standardization and formality of education is essentially creating a world of education that implies anybody can be a teacher. This is essentially because it doesn’t take a college degree to be able to stand at the front of a room and hand out vocabulary sheets while the state board holds your hand via explicit, bare minimum requirements. Teachers want to teach. By mandating intellectual standards, No Child Left Behind has discouraged a diverse,

personalized learning environment and stripped the educational experience of virtually all substance. Before we head to the voting polls this November, let’s spend a minute thinking about the well being of those who are not yet old enough to vote. After all, that was you and I no more than a few years ago. The challenge to progress toward a more balanced, sustainable education reform will certainly remain prominent for years to come, but only if we make it so. NCLB’s monumental yet systematically flawed impact on the future of our country cannot be met with complacency, but instead with upward pressure from the American people for a more thorough policy. This policy should be one that protects teacher autonomy, promotes intellectual growth and yields a high return on our investment in the spirit of America.

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RECYCLING, FROM PAGE 1

and the recyclables are no longer of use. According to Treleaven, Rumpke will bill the apartment complexes if their recyclables are contaminated. Miami junior Molly Halligan said recycling is not hard for students. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think it is that hard to recycle, but I think college kids are just too lazy and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easier to just have one trash bin,â&#x20AC;? Halligan said. Oxford has community-recycling dumpsters scattered in different locations, Treleaven said. There is a location behind the Miami University Police Department by Ditmer Parking Lot administered by the Materials Recycling Facility. There are also locations administered by the company AbitibiBowater used by the U.S. Postal Service and the Talawanda School District.

FRIDAY, APRIL 6, 2012 COMMUNITY

Botanists bring spring Wildflower Walk to Oxford By Christina Lundin For The Miami Student

Starting April 15, Miami University botanists Jack Keegan and Mike Vincent will lead a series of nature walks, or Wildflower Walks, through The Silvoor Biological Sanctuary. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been doing these Wildflower Walks for the last 15 years,â&#x20AC;? Keegan, who shares ownership of Miamiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greenhouse with Vincent, said According to Keegan, the sanctuary was previously the site of a landfill until it was bought and restored by former zoology department Chair Robert A. Hefner and his wife, Ilo in 1978. The land was transformed into

a beautiful sanctuary for the public to enjoy for years to come. With a total area of 2.5 acres, Silvoor boasts a network of trails and is home to a plethora of na-

collection of wildflowers in Ohio,â&#x20AC;? Resident and Designated Curator Jason Reynolds said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Not only are the Wildflower Walks are a great

Right now the sanctuary is more alive than ever.â&#x20AC;? Jack Keegan

MIAMI UNIVERSITY BOTANIST

ture and wildlife. Visitors can expect to see deer, birds, mushrooms and a wide assortment of wildflowers such as lilies, violets and poppies. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Silvoor has the largest

way to see the park, but the professors leading the walks are very knowledgeable. They can point out many wildflowers that most people wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t notice on their own.â&#x20AC;?

Reynolds has been caring for the land since moving there in 2006. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Right now the sanctuary is more alive than ever,â&#x20AC;? Keegan said, who described the sanctuary as a wonderful, peaceful place. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think the partnership between the residents of Silvoor and Miami is a great thing for the community,â&#x20AC;? junior Maddie Brennan said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll probably force my friends to come with me on one of the Wildflower Walks â&#x20AC;Ś theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll thank me later though.â&#x20AC;? Those who are interested in attending a guided Wildflower Walk should meet 2 p.m. at Pfeffer Park when the guides will lead the group into Silvoor.

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RICHARD MANDIMIKA THE MIAMI STUDENT

DANCING BAREFOOT

The Indian professional dance company Ragmala Dance discusses their performance Sunday night in Hall Auditorium.

P H O T O G R A P H E R S PUT YOUR SKILLS TO USE AT THE MIAMI STUDENT! E-mail Lauren at photo@miamistudent.net for more information.

SPORTS

Editor BRIAN GALLAGHER

sports@miamistudent.net

FRIDAY, APRIL 6, 2012

NEXT HOME GAME: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday vs. xavier

chris cullum cullum’s corner

More votto means more mlb problems In an age where there are so few certainties in the world of sports, we can now officially add one to that short list: Joey Votto will not be leaving the Cincinnati Reds anytime soon. Votto’s new 10-year, $225 million contract extension, which was tacked on to the two years and $23 million remaining on his current contract, will keep the 2010 NL MVP in Cincinnati through the 2023 season when Votto will turn 40-years-old. The two sides to this deal are pretty concrete. Those who support the deal say that a mediumsized market team like the Reds needed to do whatever it takes to keep a homegrown talent (he was a second-round pick of the Reds in 2002) in Cincinnati for the rest of his career. Those who oppose the deal point to the fact that Votto will be 30 when his extension kicks in, and paying a 30-year-old first baseman over $20 million per year for the next 10 years isn’t the best idea, and a full no-trade clause means getting out of this deal will be nearly impossible. Both sides make valid points and no matter how good Votto is, a deal of this magnitude is a tremendous risk, but one worth taking. However, how does it affect the rest of the baseball world? On a large scale, the biggest winner is the National League. After losing Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder to the American League this offseason and with Ryan Howard far from a sure thing, losing Votto would have been a huge blow to senior circuit. Often viewed as the lesser of the two leagues, keeping Votto around keeps at least one respectable player in the fold for the foreseeable future. In terms of specific teams, the Dodgers come out of this deal as

winners while the Royals look to be the biggest losers. Last November the Dodgers signed superstar centerfielder Matt Kemp to an eight-year, $160 million contract extension. I know he’s only had one year of MVPlevel productivity, but if I were spending $20 million per year on a player, I would rather give it to a 27-year-old centerfielder than a 30-year-old first baseman. The Royals, on the other hand, were served a large dose of reality. Eric Hosmer, Kansas City’s 22-year-old first basemen will be eligible for free agency after the 2017 season. Yes, that’s a long time from now, but with the way salaries are trending and assuming Hosmer reaches his full potential, all signs point to him being in line for an extension just as large, if not larger, than Votto’s. And even if he falls a bit short of expectations, he is still going to be a great player and great players still get paid a lot of money. The largest contaract ever handed out by the Royals was a $55 million deal they’ve given to two different players: Mike Sweeney and Gil Meche. As you can see, this is new territory for Kansas City, so they cannot be happy with what happened with Votto’s deal. And what about other players? The biggest name out there is Red Sox centerfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, who is still under team control through 2013. He’s similar to Kemp in that he’s really only had one excellent year, but after seeing a team with a much smaller payroll than itself double-down on a player, the Red Sox may be forced to extend Ellsbury before he hits the open market. But rest assured Reds fans, you won’t have to worry about Votto hitting the market for a long time.

Buckeyes crack Miami

JEFF SABO MIAMI ATHLETICS

Sophomore pitcher Charles Zubrod (No. 14) and the rest of the Miami University baseball team look on before Wednesday’s game against Ohio State University. The RedHawks fell 9-2 on Military Appreciation Day.

By Tom Downey Staff Writer

The Miami University baseball team fell behind early and was never able to recover, falling to the Ohio State University (OSU) 9-2 Wednesday. It was Military Appreciation Day at McKie Field, as a season high 1,146 fans watched the RedHawk defeat. The RedHawks mustered up only five hits all game compared to OSU’s 13. “I certainly want to look at this as a glass half full, but I was not pleased with our performance,” Head Coach Dan Simonds said. “We didn’t give ourselves a chance to win the game. We didn’t hit well, didn’t pitch well and didn’t coach well.” The ’Hawks used eight different pitchers, giving up nine runs in the first six innings. Sophomore starter Charles Zubrod went just 2.1 innings, giving up four earned runs. “I think we just have to learn that we have to throw strikes and get ahead of hitters,” senior outfielder Bryce Redeker said. “We’re competitive when we do that.” Redeker and junior first

baseman Kevin Bower were the only RedHawks with RBIs. Redeker’s came on a triple, just one of two extra base hits on the night for the RedHawks, and Bower also contributed a double during the game. “I was trying to just have a competitive at-bat,” Redeker said. “Our coaches always preach about that. I just got a good pitch to hit.” One positive on the night was freshman third baseman Ryan Elble, who recorded his first career hit during the game. However, with the loss the RedHawks fall to 15-13 on the year. “We are a lot better than we showed tonight,” Simonds said. “We have to refocus and let this one go and get centered on Friday.” The RedHawks will go on the road over the weekend as they travel to Muncie, Ind. to take on Ball State University. Ball State enters the series 5-19 on the year, the worst overall record in the Mid-American Conference (MAC), and has lost five of their last six games. The Cardinals are 1-5 in MAC play and are last in

the MAC West. “Their record is no indication of how good they are,” Simonds said. The RedHawks are expected to start juniors Mac Thoreson and Brooks Fiala and senior Shawn Marquardt during the Ball State trip. The two teams played three games last year in Oxford when RedHawks took two of three from the Cardinals. Games are scheduled for 3 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The Red and White will return to Oxford next week when they host the Joe Nuxhall Invitational Tuesday and Wednesday at McKie Field. Miami, Xavier University, the University of Cincinnati and Wright State University will face off in the invitational. Wright State and Cincinnati will play 3 p.m. and the RedHawks will take on Xavier 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. The championship and consolation games will be played Wednesday. Fans can listen to the Red and White’s games during the Joe Nuxhall Invitational on www.redhawkradio.com.

’Hawks hope to continue winning ways in first ‘home’ match of year By Jordan Rinard For The Miami Student

Coming off its 29-straight victory in Mid-American Conference (MAC) play in the regular season, the Miami University tennis team is seeking to extend its streak in Oxford this weekend when they face Bowling Green State University (BGSU) and Western Michigan Unviersity (WMU). This is first time Miami has had a “home” match in over a month and the first tennis match in Oxford since Sep. 25, 2011. The ’Hawks (9-9, 4-0 MAC) have plenty of momentum heading into Friday after having dispatched the University of Toledo and Eastern Michigan University 5-2 and 6-1, respectively, last weekend. “It is exciting for us to play at home this weekend against two great competitors in the MAC,” Head Coach Anca Dumitrescu said. “It is a great opportunityfor the girls to play in front of their fans and do what they have been doing all seaon: fight for

every point and embrace whatever challege they may face out there on the court. We want to encourage all Miami fans to come out there and support the team.” Sophomore Christiana Raymond was named Miami’s Female Athlete of the Week after she won both of her singles matches over the weekend, as well as both of her doubles matches while teamed up with fellow sophomore Nimisha Mohan. The doubles team of freshman Christine Guerrazzi and senior Riekie Honiball were also successful over the weekend as they notched 8-4 and 8-2 victories over the Rockets and Eagles, respectively. And freshman Alix Thurman is on a roll of her own as she has won seven-straight singles matches. “It’s awesome that we will be playing both of our matches at home outside this weekend,” Raymond said. “We are staying focused and really looking forward to the competition this weekend and hoping to continue our winning streak in the

MAC conference.” BGSU (6-6, 2-1 MAC) is hoping to rebound after a 7-0 shutout loss at the hands of the Akron Zips. The team of juniors Mary Hill and Jade Johnson put up a valiant effort to get to a one-point margin, but were ultimately defeated. Hill is also a threat in singles play this year and comes in with a 17-10 overall record and 2-1 record in MAC play. WMU (12-9, 1-2 MAC) is also coming into Oxford with consecutive losses, having dropped a 5-2 decision to Buffalo before suffering a defeat at the hands of Akron. Senior Maria Nivia is establishing a prescence in singles play with her second conference win against Buffalo last weekend, and senior April Kerr also has plenty of momentum going into this weekend as she is currently on a four-match winning streak in singles play. The matches against the Falcons and the Broncos will start 1 p.m. Friday and Saturday on the tennis courts behind Hepburn Hall.

JESSI THORNE THE MIAMI STUDENT

FLASHING THE LEATHER

Senior third baseman Daniela Torres snags a line drive March 17.Torres leads the team with a .376 batting average and .600 slugging percentage heading into this weekend’s home games.The RedHawks (19-12, 2-2 Mid-American Conference) play a doubleheader against Akron University 1 p.m. and 3 p.m Friday and play Ohio University 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.

RedHawks come home for annual Miami Invitational track meet By Win Braswell

For The Miami Student

In the third outdoor meet of the season, the Miami University women’s track and field team will host the first of three meets this weekend at the George L. Rider Track. Miami’s fast start has put them back near the top of the Mid-American Conference (MAC), where they finished third last season. “We’re out there to win,” Head

Coach Kelly Phillips said. “Our sprinters and throwers are stronger this year and having [senior distance runner Kelley] Miller back is great for distance.” The ’Hawks know being at home will not necessarily make their jobs any easier. This weekend will feature some stout competition, keeping the team focused on its goals for improvement. “I don’t really feel like the edge is completely off since Kent State [University] and Western

Michigan [University] will be there,” senior sprinter Diona Graves said. “Being at home makes it a little easier, because I know the track really well.” Graves is looking to add another milestone to her already amazing career, as she holds several individual and team records, with two coming this past indoor season in the 200-meter dash and the 4x400-meter relay. “The only thing I really want to do this weekend is break the 200 school record on my home turf,”

Graves said. “That’s all I’m thinking about right now.” Being at home, junior hurdler Layne Baggett can focus more on her race, as she stressed all indoor season. Baggett is still in the top tier of competition in the 100-meter hurdles, in good standing to defend her MAC title. “I’m hoping that being at home this weekend will play to my advantage,” Baggett said. “I think that it will help me stay a little bit more focused since I’m used to running on this track everyday. The

hurdles look to be a tight race and I’m really just hoping to run a new [personal record].” The RedHawks are also looking to have more strong performances from senior thrower Alexandra Roberts as well as Miller in their respective events. Both are off to exceptional starts this season and are early contenders for claiming potential spots in the NCAA qualifying rounds. This weekend’s meet begins 2 p.m. Friday and continues 10 a.m. Saturday.