The Miami Student Oldest university newspaper in the United States, established 1826
TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013
VOLUME 140 NO. 50
MIAMI UNIVERSITY OXFORD, OHIO
TODAY IN MIAMI HISTORY In 1960, The Miami Student reported the activation of Sigma Nu’s newest member, an 80-pound female dog named Floyd, the fourth canine to continue fraternity tradition. “Dog Master” Clagett Boehner’s job was to keep Floyd from acquiring the undesirable traits of the previous doggie-members, a task that proved to be difficult, Boehner said, “It usually takes two small pledges to take her on a walk. We’ve already broken one leash.”
MU discusses gender divide BY KATIE TAYLOR NEWS EDITOR
Sex-segregated housing is the norm at Miami University despite its inability to accommodate all students, according to Matt Metzler, co-president of Spectrum, Miami’s LGBTQ-straight alliance. Gender-neutral housing is the alternative; its expansion at Miami is currently being discussed. Gender-neutral housing, as opposed to sex-segregated, allows students of a different legal sex to live together in on-campus housing. According to Metzler, this option is a logical one to those in the LGBT community. “Within the LGBT community there’s a lot of acknowledgement that gender and sexuality and concepts like that are on a spectrum; there’s not just one or the other,” Metzler said. “I think that really shows that having only men live with men and women live with women just isn’t really necessarily logical, and it’s not the right fit for everybody.” According to him, gender-neutral housing would be beneficial to the entire student body, not just GLBTQ students. “I think that’s true for students beyond the LGBT community as well, for any sort of student,” Metzler said. “You don’t have to be a gender or sexual minority to feel comfortable living with someone of a different sex.” Miami’s Office of Residence Life sent out a survey last fall asking students opinions of gender-neutral housing. According to the survey’s Executive Summary, of the 1,069 responses, 51.2 percent agreed that mixed-sex housing should be available in traditional residence halls, 66.9 percent agreed it should be available in suite-style halls and 80.2 percent agreed it should be available in Heritage Commons, Miami’s oncampus apartment complex. Of the individuals surveyed, including both GLBTQ and nonGLBTQ students, 63.5 percent indicated that they would choose a mixed-sex housing option if given the choice in Heritage Commons. GLBTQ Services Coordinator Demere Woolway said the discussion of gender-neutral housing is not limited to Miami. “Gender-neutral housing, it’s something that my colleagues all across the country are trying to figure out…” Woolway said. “Genderneutral housing is really all about how we accommodate people for who [sex-segregated] housing is not the best option.” Woolway provided an example of
a situation in which the mixed-sex housing option may suit students in the GLBTQ community. “I know several transgender students who are living in the residence halls right now and they’re living with people who are the same legal sex, and that’s really awkward because they’re walking around identifying as a guy and there are all these women around,” Woolway said. “It puts them in a weird place.” Metzler shared similar sentiments, and said it is every student’s right to be allowed an optimal living environment. “When you’re at a school like Miami, or any school for that matter, in order to be the best student that you can, you need to be in the most comfortable environment that you can,” Metzler said. “So genderneutral housing is an attempt to make sure that everyone is living in a comfortable space.” Miami currently offers a limited number of openings for those who request gender-neutral housing, according to Woolway. Admittance follows an application process limited to sophomore students and up she said; first-years are not eligible because of a structural issue in which only certain residence halls are designated for incoming students. Those admitted are assigned a suite-style, four-person living arrangement in which members of the opposite sex live together, sharing rooms and a gender-neutral bathroom, according to Woolway. Transgender junior Kaeden Kass, head of activism and outreach for Spectrum, said though the current option is better than having none at all, it is limiting. “The ‘substitute’ that we’ve put in place to ‘deal’ with trans students is inadequate and virtually unknown,” Kass said. “The fact [that] it’s so underground is stigmatizing. It’s shoved in the corner of the university and is only available to second-year students and up.” According to Woolway, she would like to see more options become available at Miami in the future. “My hope is that, when we get these newer [residence] halls online, we’re going to have a little bit more flexibility because some of those are more suite-style or there’s different options in terms of private bathrooms and things like that,” Woolway said. According to Matt Frericks, senior director for auxiliary
GLBTQ,
SEE PAGE 8
TYLER GRAVES THE MIAMI STUDENT
BUILD ME UP BUTTERCUP
Cassie Wilson, Melanie Lipps and Shawn Britton of Miami University’s Employee Health & Well-Being department participated in the 2013 Oxford Kinetics Festival with their “Fender Blender.”
Schreiber/Bernard ticket looks to implement ‘women’s hour’ at REC BY KAITLYN FOYE
FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT
With the student body presidential election over and 2013-2014 Vice President junior Courtney Bernard now representing the university’s female population, the possibility of implementing a new “Women’s Hour” at the Recreational Sports Center (REC) is being looked into. “It is our plan to create a women’s only hour at the REC Center so that females across campus can have a safe and comfortable environment to work out in,” Vice President Bernard and President Charlie Schreiber campaigned on their website. During the time dedicated to women at the REC, female trainers would be present to teach women of the Miami University and Oxford communities how to properly use equipment so they feel more comfortable working out with it. The women’s hour would also feature special programming directed toward women, focusing on a broad range of topics including nutrition, beauty products and women empowerment in general, according to Bernard. According to Bernard, the aim is for there to be the women’s hour once a week. She said the women-only time would not be at a peak REC
attendance hour, but would still ideally work for people’s schedules. Surveys would be conducted to determine the best time, but it would probably be late evening or early afternoon, according to Bernard. She suggested it could even be a rotating time. The women-only time would likely exclude men from the weight room or half of the weight room, but they would not be excluded from the whole REC, Bernard said. Closing off any portion of the
I can see how it could be a good thing for women who don’t feel comfortable using the equipment.” KELLYN CZAJKOWSKI MIAMI UNIVERSITY SOPHOMORE
facility to males could be legally controversial, but other universities, including Harvard University and the University of Oregon, have succeeded in implementing women-only time at their recreational centers. According to Chantelle Russell, fitness director at the University of Oregon, it has been verified that the womenonly hour does not violate Title
IX, the legislation that addresses educational discrimination. Also according to Russell, student response to the women’s hour at the University of Oregon’s recreational center has been positive. “We actually didn’t get any kickback,” Russell said. “The male students supported it.” Some men at Miami’s REC appear to offer the same support. “I wouldn’t be opposed to [a women’s hour],” Hay said. Biggs agreed, showing no opposition to the idea. Women, such as sophomore Sam del Prado, at Miami also support the idea for a women’s hour. “I would really like [a women’s hour] just because I think there’s a lot of pressure going into the weight room as a woman and feeling like I’m being judged by the guys around me,” she said. Sophomore Kellyn Czajkowski is one student who originally did not support a women’s only hour at the REC. “At first I was opposed to it because I felt it was unnecessary because I personally don’t have any problem making my way into the weight room, but I can see how it could be a good thing for women who don’t feel as comfortable using the equipment if they don’t
WOMEN’S HOUR, SEE PAGE 8
Business school denies two dean applicants and continues search BY CATHERINE MONCEAUX CAMPUS EDITOR
Miami University will be resuming the search for a new dean of the Farmer School of Business (FSB) in early fall of this year after neither of the two final candidates were selected by Provost Bobby Gempesaw and President David Hodge. According to Gempesaw, searches are typically done during the academic year. “We will conduct and start the search earlier, at the start of the fall semester sometime in August, since the previous search we conducted a little bit late,” Gempesaw said. Both of the final candidates
were highly qualified and, according to Gempesaw, each had job offers from other business schools in addition to Miami’s. According to Gempesaw, the search will be open to all qualified candidates and will not exclude candidates who have previously applied and been eliminated by the search committee that was created fall 2012. “It’s a nationwide, open search and any qualified candidate may apply,” he said. Junior Sam Korach attended both sessions in which students were able to speak with the two final candidates, he said both seemed to be very good candidates, but not for Miami’s FSB. According to Korach, a lot of the initiatives the candidates have
achieved were things Miami has already accomplished, such as improving the study abroad program. Korach said it is good that
apply when the search resumes in the fall. When the next dean of FSB is selected, Korach said he hopes
The biggest goal of the dean is obviously just being the face of the school...being able to sell us requires knowing us.” SAM KORACH
MIAMI UNIVERSITY JUNIOR
neither candidate was selected if neither was the most qualified individual for the position and there is potential for more candidates to
they will maintain qualities of past deans such as a continued involvement with students, an understanding of Miami’s culture and
being a mentor for students. “The biggest goal of the dean is obviously just being the face of the school, being able to raise funds, having an established network and being the person that you want touring around a big time potential trustee or potential donor,” Korach said. “…Being able to sell us requires knowing us.” According to Gempesaw, while Miami continues the search for the new dean of FSB, Raymond Gorman, previous associate provost, associate vice president for academic affairs and professor of finance, will continue in the position. “Dr. Gorman will remain as the interim dean until such time that we appoint a permanent dean,” Gempesaw said.
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CAMPUS
EDITORS VICTORIA SLATER CATHERINE MONCEAUX
TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013
CAMPUS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET
Miami tradition retains non-traditional students BY KENDALL Z. HUTCHISON
FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT
Non-traditional students who are older than the typical 20-year-old who make up the average student population have been choosing to attend Miami University to pursue or continue their education. Since 1998, around two to three percent of students have been above the age of 25. Often considered nontraditional students, these older individuals are returning to school for a variety of reasons. Whether they previously took a few years off from school or postponed starting college, these students are here for the same reason as anyone else: to get a good education. According to Andrea Bakker, assistant director of the Office of Institutional Research (OIR), age is not a factor when it comes to admission of students, meaning students who are older have an equal chance to succeed once they are admitted. However, according to Miami’s Office of Admission, transfer admission is limited and competitive. Different factors such as number of enrolled students who are retained between first-year and sophomore year, strong academic history,
transcript records and any institutions previously enrolled in affect the student’s chance of being admitted. With such complex requirements, one could wonder what continues to attract non-traditional students to Miami versus another institution with a possibly easier admission processes. Senior Felichia Lenzy, a non-traditional student, takes care of family at home while simultaneously attending Miami, which she said she chose because it worked with her schedule. “It was closer to home than other schools and offered specific courses that I was interested in,” Lenzy said. Miami’s impressive academic environment is a factor in some people’s decision making as they choose to attend school here. Academic excellence played a role during the process of applying to college, according to sophomore Lauren D’Errico, who wanted to attend a university that would later reflect well as she went into a career. While many people face a variety of difficulties as new students, non-traditional students face even harder ones as they work to assimilate into college life, which is not typically aimed towards them. “It is often a little challenging as I try
to understand younger generations,” Lenzy said. The average college student deals with pressures from parents, getting along with peers, maintaining good grades and working on developing into responsible adults. While this may seem like a lot to a younger student, non-traditional students must deal with life as an adult, which means taking care of individuals who rely on them such as their families, holding a job on top of schoolwork and being responsible for other duties that most students will not have to face for many years to come. According to another non-traditional student, sophomore Rian Combs, it is difficult being older because she faces struggles that younger students may not encounter. Some of these challenges specific to non-traditional students include juggling children, work and class, Combs said. Although Lenzy and Combs said they decided to continue their education for different reasons, they agreed it is important to further their knowledge in order to succeed in life. Despite the tough admission process and stresses from home and work life, non-traditional students are thriving at Miami and will continue to do so.
Student Health Services looks to shift management BY LIBBY MUELLER SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Miami University Student Health Services (SHS) began an assessment Monday to look at how to provide more and better services for students in the most efficient way, according to Barb Jones, vice president for student affairs. The assessment will help determine if SHS will operate more efficiently under different management, according to Claire Wagner, associate director of university news and communications. “It’s costly to upgrade equipment and stay on top of things, so it’s worth [seeing] if Student Health Services might be better managed by McCullough-Hyde [Memorial Hospital], which has the resources,” Wagner said. Jones said there are many possible outcomes of the assessment. She said the process will help determine what kinds of services students are looking for that SHS might be able to offer. “A lot of it is just taking a look at what opportunities we have,” Jones said. “We hear a lot from students and parents that they’d like to see expanded hours. We just need to see if that’s feasible for our health service, adding those kinds of things.” Jones also said one challenge is the low number of specialty doctors
in Oxford, such as dermatologists. She said the assessment will look into what services students need and how it might be possible to provide them through SHS. Miami hired an outside consulting agency to perform the assessment, the Healthcare Strategy Group. The results will then go to the Office of Student Affairs to analyze, according to Wagner. Jones said part of the impetus for the assessment was the departure of Gail Walenga, the assistant vice president for student affairs who oversaw Student Counseling Services, SHS, the Women’s Center and the Office of Student Wellness. “With Dr. Walenga leaving, we had the opportunity to look at what kind of management we wanted to do and where we want to take the health services as we move forward,” Jones said. “We want to look at management, add services…We want to make sure we’re being as efficient and proactive as we can be.” Jones said all current SHS employees will remain university employees even if management changes. “If we enter into a management agreement with McCullough-Hyde, or someone else, they would be managing the service but all the
HEALTH, SEE PAGE 9
University IT employee draws to donate BY DOUG MILLER
FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT
CAKE BOSS
KIM PARENT THE MIAMI STUDENT
Sophomore Alex Rice decorates a cake, like a boss, during a Redhawk Hunt challenge this past weekend.
Customer Services Assistant David Hampton not only helps students with their computers in the IT Department, but also does caricatures for charity. Hampton has worked at Miami University for over 27 years and is very active in the Cincinnati community, especially with the Ronald McDonald House Charities and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. According to Hampton, he has been drawing since he was a little kid and has worked with several different performing groups doing live drawings. “I’ve done live caricatures with the Kamans Art Shoppes at the Kings Island amusement park,” Hampton said. Hampton said he began working with the Ronald McDonald House Charities after his sister-in-law encouraged him to help prepare meals there. He started doing caricatures
for the kids about a year ago. “It’s the third largest House in the nation, so it’s cool to be able to do this,” Hampton said. Along with the Ronald McDonald House Charities, Hampton is also a member of Breathe Respite in Cincinnati. According to Hampton, children with special needs are given a buddy for the night and get to have fun in rooms designed just for them. At Miami, Hampton said he draws caricatures of graduating seniors who have worked with the IT department as well. Hampton does caricatures of other students too, but he does not do it for free. “I don’t do the drawings for free,” Hampton said. “Everything is donation based and goes to charity.” Len Ewen, support desk operations manager at IT Services, said he was the one who urged Hampton to start doing caricatures for graduating seniors. “We needed to liven up the office for the seniors,” Ewen said. “Now there are probably 15 to 20
drawings in different departments.” Ewen said he has been Hampton’s manager for almost four years and he sees him as a role model for other students. “He’s probably one of the easiest going guys,” Ewen said. “He’s been here for the good and the bad and still has a positive attitude.” Many Miami students have seen his drawings, yet not many knew about Hampton’s work within the Cincinnati community. One of these students is junior Jeff Feiwell. “His drawings are really good, but I didn’t realize he did this at the [Ronald] McDonald House,” Feiwell said. “The kids probably love it.” According to Hampton, of all the things he does for different organizations, the most rewarding aspect for him is the feeling of helping a kid get through difficult times. “When you know a kid is having a hard time and you can make them smile and laugh, take their mind off it, that is the best part for me,” Hampton said.
Professor brings ‘sex’ to the city of Oxford Senate approves merger BY SAMANTHA WARGOLET
FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT
A “Sex & the City” producer will be walking onto campus next Fall, giving students the opportunity to learn directly from her. The Miami University department of communications is expecting a great deal of change, the addition of a nationally known producer is just one of them. According to Richard Campbell, interim chair director of the department of communications, the many branches of communications are all combining into a brand new department. “It’s probably going to be called department of media, journalism and film journalism, and the majors will be mass communication, strategic communication, comparative media studies and a film minor,” Campbell said. Assistant chair for the department of communications, Howard Kleiman, said the changes will bring new talents to the school. “There are going to be at least more than two new professors,” Kleiman said. He said alumna Antonia Ellis, a successful television producer, is going to be one of these additions. Ellis is currently a full-time
producer for the popular USA Network series, “Royal Pains.” She was also previously the producer on the award-winning HBO series, “Sex & The City,” according to Kleiman. According to Ellis, she graduated from Miami in 1985. While she was initially a music major, her extracurricular experience led her to switch to mass communications, TV and radio production. “I became interested because of my music background,” Ellis said. “I became involved on concert board, and on the weekends I would work part time for Belcan Productions out of Cleveland.” Ellis spoke at Miami earlier last semester, and after listening to her speak, Campbell said he was interested in hearing more. “[I said] ‘wow, if we could get her to come here for a semester or even teach a spring course that would be great’,” Campbell said. After Campbell and Kleiman asked Ellis to teach, she agreed. “I just felt like it was a time to give back to my alma mater,” Ellis said. “Miami gave me a lot of the tools to get into what I’m doing now, and I couldn’t do it without the help I received here.” The decision to teach at Miami made sense for Ellis in multiple ways, she said. She was
previously a professor at the University of Arizona, she loves to teach and her family lives in Columbus. “I ended up thinking it was a good thing to do,” Ellis said. Ellis said she is looking forward to reconnecting with Kleiman, who was her professor when she attended Miami. “I respected him a lot as a student,” Ellis said. According to Campbell, Ellis is on hiatus beginning September through February, and this gives her some time to come and work. “Most of our alumni are off doing great things professionally, but Antonia did have the time and was willing to make the time to come back,” Kleiman said. While Ellis’ full-time life revolves around the production “Royal Pains,” she will be a part-time professor, teaching two classes every Monday, according to Kleiman. One of the classes she will teach, COM 142, is cross-listed as a communications and English class called Advanced Creative Writing: Screenwriting Workshop, and it is open to any major. The other class is COM 450, Developing and Pitching a Television Series. Course entry will require
SEX AND CITY, SEE PAGE 9
BY JORDYN GRZELEWSKI
SENIOR STAFF WRITER
The Miami University Senate approved the merger of the department of communication and the journalism and film programs at its meeting Monday. Phyllis Callahan, dean of the College of Arts of Science, and Richard Campbell, interim chair of the department of communication and director of the journalism and film programs, gave a report about the proposed consolidation of these departments and the specific changes to majors and curriculum that would be implemented in conjunction with this merger. According to Callahan, the new department would be called the department of media, journalism and film. Under this department, journalism and communications students would no longer have to complete pre-major requirements, Callahan said. “There was some initial, and maybe some lingering, objection, but it has been resolved,” Callahan said in response to questions about faculty opposition to the consolidation. “We’ve put everyone under an umbrella that I think will work and I think our focus has been on
what’s best for the student...and I think by far and away the vast majority of faculty has full support for this and are really looking forward to moving forward.” The Senate also voted on a proposed measure for a stricter university smoking policy. Carol Hauser, senior director of human resources, proposed a resolution that would ban all tobacco use on campus, ban people from smoking in cars parked on university property and ban smoking on all sidewalks on campus. “The emphasis here is, we want to help people quit smoking,” Hauser said. Senate members raised a number of objections to this measure, namely how fair it would be to prohibit smoking in someone’s private property — a car. The Senate passed this measure, but with an amendment that would still allow smoking in vehicles on campus. Carolyn Haynes, interim associate provost, reported to the Senate about the Oxford Pathways Program. This program would help applicants from the Oxford area get into Miami. Under this plan, these students would enroll
USENATE, SEE PAGE 9
EDITORS JANE BLAZER CHRIS CURME
COMMUNITY
TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013
COMMUNITY@MIAMISTUDENT.NET
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POLICE Geocaching catches on in Oxford
BEAT
BY KATIE MARK
FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT
As spring springs to life, geocaching in Oxford and surrounding areas allows people to explore nature and the community at their leisure. Geocaching turns exploration of natural areas into a game, using a smart phone’s GPS, according to Jim Reid, field manager of Miami University’s natural areas. “The people who are doing the geocaching take their GPS units and work to navigate to where that cache is to try to figure out where and what it is,” Reid said. “A cache can be anything, such as a physical place itself that you want someone to visit or it can be a box that has goodies in it.” Robbyn Abbitt, geographic information systems coordinator of Miami’s geography department, likened geocaching to a high-tech treasure hunt. When someone places a cache, they use a GPS to record its latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates. That location is then broadcasted to global, online forums, where people may seek caches to hunt. Abbitt said caches can be hidden anywhere in urban or rural areas. “The key is to hide it somewhere everyone can get to, but not just an everyday passerby who could see
it and take it,” Abbitt said. “Some people get really tricky and bury them or put them up in trees.” Currently, there’s a cache hidden at Miami’s art museum, which is registered online, according to Abbitt. Reid said the natural areas surrounding Miami’s campus are prime geocaching locations “If you go to Miami University Natural Areas on Google, you will see a map under trails,” Reid said. “These are all lands owned by the university and are reserved for research, education and casual enjoyment of nature.” Reid said he has hidden 20 caches along the 17 miles of trail located in the 1,000-acre natural areas that Miami owns. There are over one million caches worldwide. Reid said he hides caches in an attempt to encourage young people to explore the woods in a fun way and take advantage of Miami’s splendid natural areas. “When you find a cache, you’re in a place of great beauty or interest within the natural area,” Reid said. “They can be hidden in a crevice of a tree, a hollow log or under a walking bridge close to the trail.” Geocaching.com hosts the database of caches that people have uploaded across the United States, according to Abbitt.
The website allows geocachers to search for caches based on degree of difficulty or to report a vandalized or missing cache if necessary, according to Reid, based on his firsthand experience. “When people go out to geocache, if they don’t find a cache, they report it on the Internet and a copy automatically goes to me to replace it,” Reid said. “[Geocaching.com] is the ‘unofficial official’ geocaching organization for the United States, so they have some rules they’d like geocachers to play by,” Abbitt said. It’s generally understood that caches should be stashed in a reasonable place where injury would not befall someone trying to access it, according to Abbitt. Abbitt said the unwritten rules of geocaching are simple: remember where you parked your car, do not go solo and, if the cache contains a prize, replace it with another prize for the next person who comes along. The team-on-a-mission mentality and opportunity to stumble across a prize have popularized geocaching in recent years, especially in the last ten, as GPS technology has become less prohibitively expensive, according to Abbitt. “Geocaching is seen by so many
different organizations now as kind of a fun thing to do,” Abbitt said. “It’s kind of like a 5K everyone does to raise money or to get people to participate.” Junior Amy Pritchard said she enjoys hiking Miami’s natural areas, but said she had never heard of geocaching. “I would definitely be interested in searching for caches,” Pritchard said. “I think searching for caches in the nature trails connects Miami to a larger network of people who are also interested in exploration and adventure.” Abbitt has managed a geocaching tournament on campus for the past three years, recently hosting 20 participants. “In the fall of 2013, the geography department is pairing with the art museum and we’re going to do a geocaching tournament of art instillations and significant historical artistic sites across campus,” Abbitt said. “Instead of finding a trinket, you’ll be finding a location that is physically or historically significant.” Reid said geocaching is appealing to young people, adding that his caches’ degree of difficulty is relatively low. “Some people collect caches like other people collect stamps,” Reid said. “And it’s a great way to explore your community.”
Fraternity deals Special Olympics a winning hand BY CHRISTINA LUNDIN FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT
Miami University’s newest business and economics fraternity Phi Chi Theta, founded in January, hosted its first large fundraiser, a casino night held at The Woods Bar March 27. The 100 chapter members raised around $3,000 by the end of the night, all of which will be donated to the Hamilton County Special Olympics. Outgoing president, senior Rebecca Spiewak, said they decided to donate to Hamilton County Special Olympics because it was a relevant, local and relatable cause. “The tickets sold for entry and to raise money for the charity,” Spiewak said. “All games were non-profiting meaning participants are just playing for fun and not
with any actual money or gain/ loss. I think it was fun for participants to bring alive this town’s nickname ‘OxVegas’ for a night here, especially while supporting a great cause.” Junior Chelsea Raleigh, codirector of philanthropy, said the casino night fostered a fun atmosphere for all. “As college students, you always hear about the ‘boys poker nights’…we wanted something for everybody,” Raleigh said. “That’s where the idea for a casino-themed event came from.” Tickets were sold in a presale and could also be purchased at the door, according to the other co-director of philanthropy sophomore Emily Due. With the purchase of a ticket came five raffle tickets and 1,000 chips with which to gamble.
Raffle prizes included a flatscreen TV and spirit wear. The grand prize consisted of a two-day, three-night trip for two to Las Vegas, airfare and lodging included. The prize was valued up to $1,100, according to Due. According to Raleigh and Due, the night featured typical casino table games like poker, blackjack, roulette and craps, as well as a photo booth where attendees could have their picture taken in front of the Las Vegas cityscape background. “The photo booth was cool because we had the ‘Welcome to Las Vegas’ background, but we replaced Las Vegas with ‘OxVegas,’” Raleigh said. Raleigh and Due said they are happy with the outcome and especially grateful for the
generosity of the fundraiser’s six sponsors: The Woods’s owner Ted Woods, Doughby’s, Ernst & Young, The Jorling’s, The Duhamel’s and The Spiewak’s. According to Raleigh, around 200 attended the fundraiser. “Profits from past events that our fraternity has put on have also gone to this cause, and we plan on continuing supporting the Hamilton Special Olympics through future endeavors,” Due said. According to Raleigh, the fraternity wants to turn “OxVegas” into an annual event. “It went really well, so we definitely want to try to improve it and raise even more money,” Raleigh said. “Next time, we hope to have a wider variety of prizes to produce an even higher turnout,” Due added.
Student on the Street Where do you stand on gender-neutral housing? “I honestly would probably room with all girls. That’s just what I’m used to… We have neighbors that are guys… and whether they choose to live with the opposite sex is up to them; their opinion. Whatever they want to do, they can do it.”
Megan Mattera
“I think it’s fine… I think guys and girls should be mixed together in college, not segregated. We’re adults; we make our own decisions. I don’t think it’s that big a deal.”
Michael Gosky First-year
Sophomore
“Men and women should be able to live together because we’ve become adults by now and we can make our own decisions... You’re [now] going to live with a girl or a guy; you know your boundaries and where the other stands. I think it’d be comfortable.”
Rob Alston
“I’m an international student; I’m from China. Sometimes I think it’s not good that [men and women] live together before they are married. It’s an interesting idea, but not for me.”
Qiao Qixin Sophomore
Sophomore
“I think it will be better considering there are transgender individuals and those who don’t want to identify as any sex [at Miami]. I think this is a good change for the university and will create a sense of acceptance for those students.”
Karin Goitman Sophomore
“I think that providing an alternative housing option on campus matches how one might live in the real world. It teaches students responsibility by living in that situation correctly; to be cleaner and more considerate.”
Jeff Brock Junior
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
EDITOR BILLY RAFAEL
ARTS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET
TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013
BEN TAYLOR THE MIAMI STUDENT
MEN (AND WOMEN) OF STEEL
The Steel Band performed Saturday night in Hall Auditorium in its second concert of the weekend. Its Friday performance, “The Art of Pan,” featured steel band twists on classical pieces while Saturday’s “The Soul of Steel” was a mix of tradition Caribbean and Latin American pieces.
The Browns are coming to town BY CHARLES BLADES FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT
When a person thinks about classical music a few names come to mind: Bach, Beethoven and Mozart, the basics. But ask them about a contemporary classical pianist and more than likely they’ll draw a blank. Luckily, the 5 Browns are here to bridge the gap. Performing this week in Hall Auditorium, concertgoers will get a taste of what classical music is all about in the 21st century. Like any ordinary family, the Browns children began training in piano from an early age.
...We like to talk to our audience about how we’re feeling and about some of the history of what we’re playing.” RYAN BROWN
CLASSICAL PIANIST
According to Melody Brown, their mother played piano and passed the skill down to her children. Each child after the next was given lessons from as early as the age of three. Although, unlike any ordinary family, according to the youngest sibling Ryan Brown, all five
children ended up going to the famed Julliard School in New York City before forming the classical piano group the 5 Browns. In 2006 they released their album No Boundaries, which would top the classical charts for eight consecutive weeks. “We try to do things a little differently,” Ryan said. “We dress a little less stuffy and we like to talk to our audience about how we’re feeling and about some of the history of what we’re playing.” The group consists of Desirae, Deondra, Gregory, Melody and Ryan Brown, all who grew up together in Alpine, Utah. After nine years together and five studio albums, they are currently touring music halls around the country. Fittingly labeled as an orchestra of pianos, the group has appeared on Oprah, Good Morning America and 60 Minutes. The siblings are heading into the studio in May to record their sixth album featuring “The Rite of Spring” composed by Igor Stravinsky, which is celebrating the centennial of its first performance. “We’re really excited about this album,” Melody said. “It was very easy to agree on because this is a piece which we’ve wanted to do ever since we formed as a group.” The 5 Browns are performing 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in Hall Auditorium. Tickets are $8 for students and youth, $16 for seniors and $17 for adults and are available through the Shriver Box Office.
TV REVIEW
Archer catches on by crossing the line BY JOE GIERINGER SENIOR STAFF WRITER
As the season finale to season four approaches, the FX animated series Archer maintains its spot as one of the funniest shows on television. It centers on Sterling Archer (H. Jon Benjamin), a self-centered master spy whose skills are matched only by his ego. Though he is the top field agent at ISIS, his problems on the job pail in comparison to his problems with his controller, Mallory (Jessica Walters), his mother. If you’re a college student looking for a new show to casually skim, or are just in need of some comic relief, then Archer is a must-see. Honestly, I’d be surprised if many Miami University students aren’t at least a little bit familiar with this sleeper hit. It’s a favorite at frat houses and often quoted around dorms. But the reason it works so well isn’t its toilet humor – in fact, it’s the exact opposite. Well, that’s only half true. The gratuitous sexual, racial and sexist references are as frequent as they are funny, without offending. In the manner of South Park, no one is spared and that’s what gives Archer and company the freedom to maneuver from these rocky, comedic waters. On the flip side, however, Archer’s creator/writer Adam Reed infuses his project’s witty banter with constant pop culture and literary references, some of which I was forced to research to truly
understand their hilarity. By balancing crude remarks with refined comedy, his series comes original and highly entertaining with a replay value that few shows have ever possessed. Another reason Archer is
explores his relationships with ex-girlfriend Lana Kane or accountant Cyril Figgis gets better as the series progresses. The best of these relationships is with his long-suffering British valet, Woodhouse, who has been
The gratuitous sexual, racial and sexist references are as frequent as they are funny without offending. In the manner of South Park, no one is spared and that’s what gives Archer and company the freedom to maneuver from these rocky, comedic waters.”
decidedly a winner is because of the wide range of voice acting chops that are brought in. In addition to the aforementioned Benjamin and Walters, Aisha Tyler, Chris Parnell, Judy Greer, Amber Nash and George Coe lend their talent to the main cast of misfits that comprise ISIS. Even more of a treat are the guest stars who are brought on board, including but not limited to Coby Bell, George Takei, Kari Whalgren, Bryan Cranston and Burt Reynolds. Reynolds plays himself as a super-suave secret agent, who, in addition to being Archer’s hero, is also dating his mom. Though season four was a bit of a letdown, the first three seasons have been pure gold. From the pilot to the third season finale, the way the titular character
verbally and emotionally abused by Sterling on a consistent basis for a long time. Woodhouse is a WWI veteran and is fiercely loyal to the Archer family, but also serves as arguably the funniest character with the most limited screen time. If you haven’t seen Archer, you need to make it a priority. The first three seasons are on Netflix instant watch and it delivers non-stop laughs every episode. Alcoholism, sex issues and hostile work environments abound in this James Bond-esque parody. Microwave a bag of popcorn, sit down on the couch and enjoy what is easily the funniest show on television.
Rebelution singer digs diversity, free music and coming to Oxford BY BILLY RAFAEL
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
The band’s story is fairly simple: formed in Santa Barbara out of a college music department, the members of Rebelution came together through their love for reggae-rock music, progressing from covering songs at house parties to recording and touring nationwide. This month Rebelution will be rolling through Oxford for the first time ever to play at Brick Street Bar and Grill. “The foundation of the music is reggae but we really like to infuse other genres of music like rock and hip-hop,” Eric Rachmany said, lead singer for the band. “We started off just jamming and playing a couple parties, but we had so much fun doing it that we just kept going. We started writing original tunes, recording demos and CDs and touring which got us where we are today.” Crucial to any band’s success is the songwriting process.
Rachmany emphasized Rebelution is all about the music before the lyrics. While Rachmany serves as the band’s primary songwriter, he attests that the band is crucial in the arranging of the music. “I’m always hearing melodies in my head, but it wasn’t until college that I really started composing,” Rachmany said. “A lot of times you can set a mood with just the music alone. I like to make the music, look at it and try to understand how it’s making me feel.” Rachmany cites everyday life and different culturs and beliefs as the inspiration for his lyrics. “We’re fortunate that we’re able to tour and see so much of the country and world,” Rachmany said. “I’m constantly meeting new people and being exposed to different cultures. Diversity is something I’ve always found to be beautiful, especially in the arts. It’s always inspiring to be surrounded by different things.” Rebelution is known for
being generous with their music; giving out tracks for free. They gave away over half of their last album for free through their website before it was even released. Rachmany explained how he feels putting a price on creativity is
buy T-shirts. You can make up that lost income from CD sales in other ways.” The band’s last album, Peace of Mind, also was unique because it was released with a companion acoustic version and
We’re fortunate that we’re able to tour and see so much of the country and world. I’m constantly meeting new people and being exposed to different cultures. Diversity is something I’ve always found to be beautiful, especially in the arts.” ERIC RACHMANY
REBELUTION LEAD SINGER
weird in the first place. “Giving away free music has always been a big part to Rebelution’s success,” Rachmany said. “The more people that hear our music, the more people that come out to the concerts, that
dub remix version. “We finished our album and had some time before it was set to release, so when our manager called and asked if I’d be interested in doing an acoustic version I was definitely on board,”
Rachmany said. “I didn’t really have anything planned, I just sort of went into the studio and recorded the whole thing over three or four days with our drummer, Wesley [Finley]. I haven’t gotten a lot of opportunities to play acoustic guitar on stage or on past albums so that was cool.” Having just wrapped up their Winter Greens tour there was little turnaround before taking off on the follow-up Spring Greens tour. “We’re really looking forward to this next tour,” Rachmany said. “We’re going to a few places we’ve never been before and Oxford’s one of them. I know we have a lot of big fans out there. We’ve really been expanding and evolving our live sound so that every concert is a truly unique experience.” Rebelution will be performing with J Boog and Hot Rain Thursday April 25 at Brick Street. Tickets are $20 and available online or at Brick Street.
www.miamistudent.net
TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013
The Kate Welling Disability Awareness Lecture Series 2013
“Re-drawing the lines on Neurodiversity: A Compass to a Changing World”
UNDERGRADUATES
Get your cap, gown, and tassel for only $24.95!
Jonathan Mooney Wednesday, April 10, 2013 7:00 pm Farmer School of Business 1000 Miami University Oxford, Ohio Jonathan Mooney is a writer and learning activist who did not learn to read until he was 12 years old. He is a graduate of Brown University’s class of 2000 and holds an honors degree in English Literature. With the publication of Learning Outside The Lines when he was 23, Jonathan has established himself as one of the foremost leaders in the neurodiversity and learning revolution. His second book, The Short Bus: A Journey Beyond Normal (2007) was published to outstanding reviews. Both books are considered foundational texts in the disability rights movement, the inclusive education movement, and the learning revolution. http://www.jonathanmooney.com/ Co-sponsorship provided by the Departments of Psychology and Educational Psychology; Office of Equity and Equal Opportunity; Office of Disability Resources; Bernard B. Rinella, Jr. Learning Center. For more information, contact Office of Student Wellness (513) 529- 3438.
DON’T FORGET ANNOUNCEMENTS! Get personalized announcements at DuBois Book Store in as quick as ONE day! Packages start as low as $15.95. Serving Miami students, alumni, and fans since 1945!
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OPINION
EDITORS EMILY ELDRIDGE NICOLE THEODORE
TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013
EDITORIAL@MIAMISTUDENT.NET
EDITORIAL
The following piece, written by the editorial editors, reflects the majority opinion of the editorial board.
REC women’s hour requiresVP to think outside of the usual box With the new student body president and vice president recently selected last week, everyone is on their toes to see what Charlie Schreiber and Courtney Bernard have up their sleeves with their platform for the remainder of the school year at Miami University. An interesting and huge element of their platform was empowering the women of the Miami community by opening up the weight room at the REC Center and closing it off to men for one hour a week. Schools such as Harvard University and the University of Oregon have been doing this for quite some time now with great responses from women. The question is if there is enough research behind this plan for it to actually work and benefit the women at Miami? The editorial board understands how women feel about trying to use the weight room at the REC. It is unarguably maledominated and can often be intimidating for women when they are trying to use the equipment. There is often pressure to complete a workout fast so other people can use it, and that may be tough for some women who have never used some of the machines before. The board agreed with Bernard that there should be an open space for women on this campus to workout and to learn the machines. However, the Miami Student Editorial board questions whether this plan has enough research behind it in order for it to really empower women. Pushing people out of the REC who pay for it may cause a problem, and shutting guys out of one of the only close weight rooms could pose a challenge for another group. Also, what happens if this hour devoted to women really hits home and takes off, and maybe a thousand, even one hundred women show up? There is no direct space to accommodate all of these people; simply our facilities are low. The overflow of the REC already goes to Withrow Courts to workout, which is already mainly dominated by intramural sports and Miami sports’ teams. If this program were feasible, it would be a great idea. In order for it to really work, this team needs to think out of the box and get
creative. The board believes this initiative caught a large portion of votes for them and was a huge part of their platform. It would be disheartening for the rest of their presidency if it failed and then was abandoned because it didn’t have enough research behind it. The women of Miami may also be disheartened as well if this initiative doesn’t go through. It would be beneficial to open up a spot for women to work out and not just drive out the men who enjoy using the weight room every week. If this initiative was set to truly empower women, trainers should be offered as well to teach them how to use the equipment confidently so that eventually women don’t need their own hour to work out. The end point goal of this program should be to make women confident enough to walk into the weight room full of men and workout with no issues. Having classes outside when it is weather-appropriate is another option the vice president could look into. Yoga classes, trail running and even palates are all forms of exercise that could take place outdoors and on many of Miami’s trails. For weight room experience, having a trainer that helps a set number of girls a week at the REC is also another option. What the board worries about is that this open invitation to Miami women not only includes students, but professors, teacher assistants, graduate students and then women who also pay for the REC. How will all these women get the individualized experience needed to feel confident enough to use the weight room whenever they want if three-hundred women are in one space? There needs to be enough staff members there to make sure they get the help they deserve. The board also feels that most women saw this initiative at first and really felt that this was a great step for women empowerment. We agree that this is a great step, but when it comes down to it, this initiative has a lot of “what ifs,” and that leaves a little too much uncertainty for some. We encourage the president and vice president to really think outside the box and look at the alternatives that could also still be great ideas in order to see this initiative through.
Rule of Thumb David Hampton
PATRICK GEYSER THE MIAMI STUDENT
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Striving collectively to truly “Empower Miami” Every year, engagement and involvement in the Associated Student Government (ASG) election is profound on this campus. Banners are hung, fliers are passed out to students, promotional videos are created, television and radio debates are aired, all of which contribute to the intense atmosphere during election season. The campaigns serve both as a source of division and unity. Some may see the election as a popularity contest, simply the utilization of connections as a way to conjure votes. Others may see the election as being heavily focused on the issues outlined through each platform. Yet, others may even see the election as a waste of time, money and effort altogether. However, one may view it there is one important aspect of election season that should be emphasized, which is the way so many students rally behind each ticket. This effort put forth collectively by students on campus during the election should serve as a model for reaching the goals that we are striving to attain as a student body. Many on this campus, I believe, agree with the issues detailed in the Schreiber/ Bernard platform, regardless of the vote they cast in the election. One issue is the push for medical amnesty, an issue that has been on the forefront of Miami University politics
for a long time. Another involves improving the relationship between on-campus organizations and the student government in an effort to promote unity and enhance student involvement. Another is improving campus safety through the installation of a blue light system, as well as attempting to improve the student advising system on campus. These and others are all goals that we have the ability to achieve as a student body if we so choose. However, in order to achieve these goals, there is an ever-pressing issue that was not discussed in the election that we need to overcome first, which is the issue of division in our community. With the negative media Miami has received over the past year in regards to issues whichhave occurred primarily involving members of the Greek population, it seems that a change of face is in order. As a member of the Greek community myself, I find it troubling that our campus can seem so divided and unwilling to afford any sort of collective drive to do much of anything. We need to move away from rivalry and isolation among organizations and reach toward campus unification. As cliché as this may sound, we have to realize that we cannot seriously achieve anything as a community if we are
unwilling to support each other because of our organizational affiliations. At the end of the day, we are here, first and foremost, as students of Miami, a place we all call home. After witnessing the effort put forth by so many over the past few weeks for this election, it seems perfectly feasible that we can, as a collective body, push toward the goals we all know can help change our campus for the better. It is this effort that can help us change our face and bridge the gaps that have existed in this community for far too long. With the newly elected student body president and vice president, Charlie Schreiber and Courtney Bernard, it seems we can achieve the aforementioned goals only if we can supply the drive to do so by collectively rallying behind them. By electing these candidates, we have taken the first step out of the starting blocks. However, the issues we face as a community still stand far down the road. Looking forward, I can only wonder what we are going to do to meet and overcome them. It is my hope that we will all work as one body to truly ‘Empower Miami’ over this next year and many more to come.
BENJAMIN MEACHAM
MEACHABP@MIAMIOH.EDU
When you’re finished reading
The Miami Student,
Drawing characatures for kids at the Ronald McDonald House is a true act of kindness.
Inappropriate spring attire Ladies and gentlemen, it is not THAT warm yet.
please recycle!
Non-traditional students Miami has done a great job accommodating older peers. p. 2
Geocaching An interactive, high-tech treasure hunt during this nice weather is a good way to reward yourself! p. 3
Throwing the pig skin Guys, we love the enthusiasm. Just please don’t hit our cars, or us in the process.
HANNAH STEIN EDITOR IN CHIEF KATIE TAYLOR NEWS EDITOR EMILY ELDRIDGE EDITORIAL EDITOR NICOLE THEODORE EDITORIAL EDITOR BILLY RAFAEL ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
CHRIS CURME COMMUNITY EDITOR JANE BLAZER COMMUNITY EDITOR VICTORIA SLATER CAMPUS EDITOR CATHERINE MONCEAUX CAMPUS EDITOR TOM DOWNEY SPORTS EDITOR
www.miamistudent.net
TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013 OP ED
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ESSAY
Dormant Grand Old Party leadership has the opportunity to wake up, make moves To a rising conservative, the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) can be considered a highlight of the formative years of a young Republican’s life. It is a conference filled with any and all stars of the Republican Party, and strewn with only the strongest rhetoric on what the future of the Republican Party will be when the next election cycle begins. This view is only one of the idealistic Republican that believes our morning in America is just on the horizon. A hard fact to swallow is how divided the party is when looking at the lineup of the key speakers of this year’s CPAC convention. The truth of the matter is that CPAC has unleashed its broadest of spectrums when it comes to speakers at the CPAC. From Wayne LaPierre, Sarah Palin, Mitch McConnell, Paul Ryan, Marco Rubio and many others, CPAC only has headlined the fact that the Republicans have turned in the political psychiatry
ward of the twenty-first century. A party that wishes to reshape its image has chosen to showcase those who are imploding the party. To feature those who steer the party further to the right, and further from the rational, is nothing short of insanity itself. The organizers of CPAC truly are repeating the same cycle of partisan rhetoric and expecting a different result. This can be best seen in the snub of Gov. Christie from the conference itself. While it would be smarter for Christie to reject the offer to speak, the fact that the conference discarded the current hero of the party is just proof that leaders of the party are not in touch with reality. What true leaders in the party want to see from CPAC is the unveiling of those who can lead the party to the pathway that can win elections. The message of Republicans such as Marco Rubio, Paul Ryan, John Boehner and Jeb Bush will probably be silenced by screams
of partisanship coming from Sarah Palin, Donald Trump and Rand Paul. Speeches by the Trumps, the Palins and the Bachmans are only the siren songs that will lead the party closer to the rocks of failure when the midterms and presidential elections come around again. What can be learned from CPAC is that this party has those who are capable of stopping this collision course. There are those who can lead conservatives to where they needs to be and bring their faithful home. The cause is not lost. While social issues do set the conservatives apart from those on the other side of the aisle, the path to change does not have to be difficult. As Marco Rubio remarked, the party needs to change, but the infighting is so tumultuous that no compromise on the issues can be found. A true test of this willingness to change is how the party faithful will respond to Ohio Senator Rob Portman’s change in position on gay marriage.
Such action by Senator Portman and others who have followed has shown the party has the chance to move to the right direction. There has not been a call by party leadership to have the senator removed from the party, or recant his belief. The party still existed and the sun still rose after Senator Portman made his announcement. Many Republicans can take pride that a leader took the opportunity to share his opinion, and was not met with a cold shoulder by his party. The party does not have to throw out the rock, one that Rand Paul called stale and mossy, its church was built on in order to be the dominant party in this country. Jeb Bush has released solutions to immigration that are consistent with past conservative plans for success in this arena. This year’s CPAC was the party’s time to come together and to lick their wounds. Mitt Romney’s swan song was his time to say
farewell to the party and let them relish in the fact that they could not build a coalition to elect a conservative president. The swan song that should have actually been sung at CPAC is the party of partisanship and truly shaping a party that can be taken seriously in national elections. For a person who is proud to call him or herself a member of the Republican Party, and wants to see the party go forward in thinking, showcases such as those found at CPAC make one want to shake their head. The RNC Chairman, Speaker Boehner, Gov. Christie and Senators Rubio and Portman show that leadership is still present within the party. The problem is that such leadership has lain dormant due to the contentious infighting of those only found at end of the spectrum.
MICHAEL WOESTE
WOESTE.MF@GMAIL.COM
ESSAY
The world’s eyes will soon be on Sochi, Russia for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games The small Russian resort town of Sochi will host the 2014 XXII Olympic Winter Games. In many ways the post-Soviet Russian government views the 2014 games with an opportunistic eye. Sochi will not only be a referendum on Russia’s evolution since the devastating 1990’s following the collapse of the Soviet Union, but also a showcase – for better or worse – of the regime President Vladimir Putin has built. After hearing of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) selection of Sochi in 2007, Mr. Putin said the decision was “…beyond any doubt, a judgment of our country.” Although the IOC may have deemed Russia worthy of hosting the Olympics, the rest of the world is still withholding its judgment. In this light, Sochi was somewhat of an interesting, and even peculiar choice for such an important and visible event. Sochi, nestled in the North Caucasus, will be the first subtropical host of the
winter games. Temperatures this February reached 66 degrees Fahrenheit and fears are ripe that warm weather will cause difficulty for the games. However, climate anxieties distract from the more pressing concerns facing the Russian authorities as the February kick-off fast approaches. The Caucasus are home to a number of political hotspots; one particularly familiar to newssavvy Westerners – Chechnya. Since the collapse of the USSR in 1991, Chechen separatist aspirations have been the cause of two vicious wars in which the Kremlin has only been able to gain the upper hand through widespread use of torture, forced population displacement and the rounding up and routine disappearance of military-age Chechen men. In more recent years, the Kremlin has been able to suppress the Chechen opposition by appointing warlord Ramzan Kadyrov, whose brutal policies have pushed the violence to neighboring Dagestan.
Also in the vicinity, Georgia’s breakaway region of Abkhazia remains a point of sharp contention between Russia and Georgia. A dispute between the two countries over another piece of the North Caucasus escalated into a full scale war in 2008. The threat of spillover from any number of these conflicts to the Krasnodar region leading up to or during the Sochi Olympics is real. Although a difficult area to govern, Moscow’s past and present policies towards the North Caucasus have without question exacerbated problems there. Providing security in the region, as well as creating the infrastructure necessary to host an Olympic Games has already cost the Russian government over $51 billion. This places the current tab well over the original cost projections – five times, to be exact – making Sochi the most expensive Olympics ever. Although there have been no documented cases of corruption directly linked to Olympic construction, rumors of corruption have been rampant
ESSAY
in Russian opposition circles. A dozen Sochi government officials were found guilty on corruption charges in the past year. Even Mr. Putin, who many consider the prime facilitator of corruption in Russia, lashed out publicly against a senior member of the Russian Olympic Committee, scolding him for long construction delays and massive cost overruns. However speculative, it is apparent that corruption plagues the country; Russia placed 133rd out of 176 in last year’s Transparency International Corruption Perception Index. That said, Russian xenophobia, racism, homophobia and general anti-Western sentiments will potentially be given an airing at the Sochi Games. Nearly 70 percent of Russians have negative feelings towards people of other ethnicities. This trend is expressed in racially and ethnically motivated violence. In 2010 alone there were officially 38 deaths and 377 injuries from racially motivated attacks throughout the country. In January, the
Duma took up a bill which would make the “propagandizing of homosexuality” a fineable offense. Shockingly, laws such as this already exist in 10 Russian regions. At the moment, anti-Westernism is also at a fever pitch in Russia. In the past year, Russian legislators have banned the adoption of Russian orphans by Americans, required that foreign-funded NGOs operating in Russia label themselves “foreign agents,” and proposed a bill in the Duma to ban foreign words from the Russian language. The Kremlin has unscrupulously manipulated racist, xenophobic, homophobic and anti-Western sentiment amongst the population to bolster the regime’s policies domestically. Will this tactic blow back in Mr. Putin’s face when the curtain is lifted in Sochi?
MATTHEW BODNER
BODNERMM@MIAMIOH.EDU
KEARY IARUSSI
IARUSSKP@MIAMIOH.EDU
ESSAY
As the credits roll, take the time to appreciate and The pressure to merge: Four express gratitiude to those not seen in the spotlight years to find our soulmates? Perhaps it is due to my tendency to work behind the scenes, out of sight, that I feel as though I understand the true gravity of gratitude. As I sit back in the shadows of the Stage Left lighting booth, waiting on our stage manager to cue scene changes, I can truly reflect on the amount of work that goes into a theater production, far beyond what any audience member can see. We seem to take most aspects of a show for granted: the glossy program we grasp in our hand, the clear, crisp volume of an actor’s voice rising from the speakers and the curtain opening and closing in time with each cue. However, I see the time and effort put into a musical. I’ve watched our lighting designer toiling with color changes, mixing cyan, magenta and yellow to find each scene’s appropriate hue. I’ve witnessed our music director practicing song after song, attempting to coordinate the members of the pit orchestra to fall in time with the actors’ movements. I’ve been amazed at the commitment of our stage manager, coordinating rehearsal space, straightening rows of chairs and checking prop locations, all while keeping her head on straight. There is no doubt in my mind that these individuals work hard and are dedicated. Yet when the time comes at the end of a show, as the actors grasp hands and take a dramatically deep bow,
the praise goes to them. Parents and friends file out of the theatre, awaiting the sight of their favorite show character, as the production staff is left to shut things down, clean up candy wrappers and crinkled programs and reset the theater for the next show. Maybe it is my own position, working backstage, that makes me so surly about the lack of attention. However, all things considered, many people in life go without a ‘thank you,’ a problem that could be rectified so simply. Truly, we, myself included, go through life expecting so much and expressing gratitude for only the obvious gestures of kindness. We greet our friends in the morning, but occasionally forget to greet the members of the dorm cleaning staff. We smile and say thank you for morning breakfast to those that swipe our Miami University IDs and those who hand us piping hot coffee and scrambled eggs, but we don’t thank those who wipe off our tables or actually cook our food within the enclosed kitchen. Thank you cards become less common as emails and text messages become acceptable and while I don’t doubt that people are busy and schedules are hectic, a lack of gratitude is never excusable. In fact, it’s even unhealthy. “Several studies have shown depression to be inversely correlated to gratitude. It seems that the more grateful a person is, the
less depressed they are. Philip Watkins, a clinical psychologist at Eastern Washington University, found that clinically depressed individuals showed significantly lower gratitude, nearly 50 percent less, than non-depressed controls,” writes Ocean Robbins of the Huffington Post. I’d like to hope that as a society we are kind, respectful individuals. We have so much to appreciate in our lives, whether each day goes according to our ideal plans or not. And our endeavors are vast and are made possible by so many individuals. We should give our gratitude with ease and enthusiasm, for we have so many opportunities to give thanks. As we sit through a movie, we must take into account the volume of names scrolling past us, as each had a role in the film’s production. As we eat our lunch, we must realize the hands involved in the food industry, from farming to packaging to actual assembly. Obviously, it is highly unrealistic to think that we can thank everyone involved with our life’s every aspect, but it is something to consider. For when the situation arises, gratitude is something that should be readily expressed, to all those involved, even if they aren’t standing directly in the spotlight.
HAILEY GILMAN
GILMAMN@MIAMIOH.EDU
We all know the stories. We’ve all seen the weddings on campus and the couples on the sidewalk holding hands, usually blocking foot traffic, but that’s a whole different issue. We all know the reasons people give when they tell you that you need to find the love of your life in college: “Miami sends Valentine’s day cards to the Merger’s!’’ and “Miami is so beautiful, you just have to fall in love!” I think that it’s true for most colleges, not just Miami, that there is this definite feeling that you need to fall in love while you’re there. After all, where else are you going to find someone? Work? Office romances rarely work out and when real life begins, how will you even find the time to date? And then of course you have the people who seem to be in college solely to find a Merger. These are your folks looking to get their MRS degree or their diamond diploma. They somehow make it seem like that’s the only worthwhile part of college. Why is it that there is so much pressure to meet your soul mate in college, in a country whose average age of marriage according the United States Census Bureau is 26 for a woman and 28 for a man? The average age of a college graduate is 21, so it seems hard to imagine that everyone is really getting married right after college, even though it can feel that way. Once one friend gets engaged it’s like dominos and soon you might feel like you are the only one not
booking a venue and shopping for dresses. It is tempting to feel like you as a person are the reason for this. However, this is likely not the case. It is actually statistically unlikely to marry immediately after getting your undergraduate degree. In fact, you might be surprised at to hear that one possible reason you aren’t off cake testing could be your degree aspiration. According to a study by the Journal of Marriage and Family, academic aspiration is actually closely related to marriage during or closely following college, particularly among women. Women who aspire only to an associate’s degree and men who don’t plan to get more than a baccalaureate are more likely to marry than their peers who want to attend graduate school or professional school. The single most reliable factor for predicting if a woman was single at the end of her years as an undergraduate was whether or not she stated she wanted a master’s degree or professional degree as a freshman. So what does this mean for Miami University students? Mostly it just means they need to stop beating themselves up if they aren’t walking around with an engagement ring. Don’t let yourself be convinced that the few who are getting married are representative of the whole, because that just isn’t true.
HEATHER HARPER
HARPHA2@MIAMIOH.EDU
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TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013
The Miami Student Oldest university paper in the United States, established in 1826
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TENNIS,
FROM PAGE 10
TRACK & FIELD, FROM PAGE 10
every day and the other [competitors] don’t,” Stefanski said. “It’s nice to see a lot of Miami people at the meet.” Joining Stefanski as a first place finisher was senior Jarrod Eick, who posted a 3:53.61 in the 1500 meter run. Junior Rob Stein finished 2nd in the hammer throw for the Red and White with a throw of 55.4 meters.
SOFTBALL, FROM PAGE 10
playing around so quickly. The RedHawks then faced Northern Illinois University and their old assistant coach Christina Sutcliffe Saturday. They swept the Huskies in another double header, winning 5-2 in the first game and 5-4 extra innings in the second. “I think there are going to be some battles between us and Northern in the future, but it was a great game and I am proud of our team,” Crowell said. McChesney was able to put the final game of the weekend away with a walk-off home run in the bottom of the eighth on the first pitch of the inning. McChesney felt she earned that run since early in the game she took a hard hit ball to the face. “I don’t think there is anything more exciting than the feeling of a ball off the bat, when you hit a homerun in a long game like that, I think it was revenge for getting a black eye,” McChesney said. Junior pitcher Paige Myers earned the victory, giving up one run on five hits in 5.1
Stefanski said that the closeness of the team has led to their success early this season. “We’re really supportive of each other and we mesh together well,” Stefanski said. “Track is a very individual sport but it’s great when a team comes together. Overall, Mandrell was satisfied with the way the RedHawks used their home field advantage. “It’s always fun to win,” Mandrell said. “You can never say that everyone did well, but we had a lot more good than bad.” innings, striking out seven batters. Meyers had come in as a relief pitcher in the bottom of the third after Northern Illinois hit a three-run homerun. “[Meyers] stuck with it and I think mentally she is getting a lot tougher, and for a pitcher that is huge,” Crowell said. McChesney said she feels this weekend has helped improve Miami’s confidence and said she feels the team can go far this season. Crowell said she agrees and feels that the team as a whole is becoming mentally tougher as well. “I don’t expect them to play perfect, but now we are starting to play good enough in all facets to where if we make an error or if we don’t score with runners on bases, we are still going to stay together and play hard, and we are finding ways to win,” Crowell said. Miami resumes play 3 p.m. Tuesday, when it hosts a makeup doubleheader against Morehead State University. The previous games had been snowed out earlier this season. “If we continue playing the way we have been then we can shock the world,” Crowell said.
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Rajkovic triumphed in a threeset decision over Biro 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. Against Toledo (7-11, 1-4 MAC) in doubles action, the Rockets struck first as sophomore Pia Rygh and freshman Mackenzie Bowman defeated Guerrazzi and Rajkovic. Miami rebounded with Raymond and Costea earning an 8-5 win over senior Silvia Carvajal and freshman Katelyn Nguyen. The RedHawks took the doubles point as the team of Mohan and Thurman overcame a 5-1 deficit to down sophomore Lexy Pitt and freshman Emily Mazzola 9-7. “We started off slow,” Thurman said. “After [Mohan and I] found ourselves down, we made an effort to run for every ball. We believed that we could come back and we did.” The Red and White had their way in singles as they won the next five matches in two sets, clinching the match. Raymond and
GLBTQ,
FROM PAGE 1 planning and facilities, one of the new residence halls, Maple Street Station, will still be sex-segregated. However, he said, one aspect of the residence hall will be built with transgender students in mind—it will hold a few single-occupancy, gender-neutral bathrooms. According to Metzler, he is currently working with senior Associated Student Government (ASG) Senator Max Swartz to expand gender-neutral housing options on campus. He said he hopes to prepare and present a bill to ASG within the next two weeks to push the issue that was dropped by the university months back. “It was stopped in the
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Mohan both got 6-1, 6-0 wins over Rygh and Nguyen, respectively, while Guerrazzi earned her fourth consecutive win in singles as she downed Pitt 6-1, 6-1. Costea extended her winning streak to five with a 7-5, 6-1 decision over Bowman as Rajkovic got the last point of the match for the ’Hawks with a 6-2, 6-3 win against Mazzola. Thurman was in a good position to finish the sweep for Miami as she was up 3-0 in the second set after winning the first, but she could not hold off junior Chrissy Coffman and fell 6-3, 4-6, 0-1 (7-10). “We’re happy with our consistency in singles and how we improved in doubles today,” Head Coach Anca Dumitrescu said. “For the rest of the season, we have to focus on working hard, working on discipline, and just getting better every day.” The RedHawks will hit the road this weekend as they will go to take on WMU 1 p.m. Friday, and will then head back to Ohio to face Bowling Green State University 1 p.m. Saturday. administration,” Metzler said. “Somewhere along the line in the administration it was decided that [gender-neutral housing] isn’t necessarily one of Miami’s priorities right now, but I think a good way to counteract that and show that it should be a priority is a good showing from the student body.” Metzler asked students to voice their opinions. He said the choice should be theirs, not the university’s. “I don’t think it’s right for any one person or any one institution to determine whether or not your request to live with someone is appropriate,” Metzler said. “Once you get to college, you’re an adult, you should be able to make your own living choices, and if Miami really wants to be a community of grown-ups, then they should let people make those decisions for themselves.”
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WOMEN’S HOUR,
FROM PAGE 1
know how to,” she said. Despite positive feedback to the program, Ron Siliko, director of customer and facility services at the REC, said he does not see a women’s hour being feasible in the near future. “It could potentially be very challenging,” Siliko said. Women-only time at the REC would mean displacing paying members and male students. “We want students to feel like they can come in any time,” Siliko said. Bernard addressed this issue as a common misconception. “By no means is it an hour where only women can be there,” Bernard said. In addition to displacing men, Siliko noted another problem with creating a women-only hour in the weight room. “We hear from males that are intimidated being in there [because of] bigger-looking males that are lifting weights,” he added. “I think it opens up the discussion to including all these other groups that might say they want special arrangements too.” In their quest to implement the women’s hour, Bernard and Schreiber said they are determined to satisfy both genders as well as community members who pay to use the REC. “By no means are we trying to create a controversy,” Bernard said. “It’s more about women’s empowerment and making women on this campus feel more secure and safe in the REC Center.”
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TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013 CAMPUS
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HEALTH, Bowling green StAte UniVerSit y
Get Ahead of the Game BGSU’s Summer Session
> Short. Six- and eight-week sessions > Focused. Small class sizes > Convenient. On campus. Online. Abroad. On the beach. > Undergraduate and graduate courses available > More than 2,500 classes including 400+ online First 6-week session 8-week session Second 6-week session
FROM PAGE 2
current employees would remain university employees with all of the benefits and rights of being a university employee,” Jones said. SHS staff will also be involved in the assessment process. Jones said they are invited to share ideas and concerns with the consultants. McCullough-Hyde already provides some services through SHS. Miami contracted with McCulloughHyde less than a year ago to implement a health service for staff members, located at the SHS facility, for full-time benefit eligible staff and family members who are also on the university health plan, according to Wagner. The staff clinic offers services such as checkups or treatments for minor conditions, Wagner said. Jones said once the report from the assessment is received, the university will begin moving forward with recommendations. She said Miami administration anticipates making decisions based on the recommendations by the end of this fiscal year. First-year Dina Gegprifti said she has taken advantage of the services offered at SHS. “The professionals were good, but the wait was very long,” Gegprifti said. First-year Perry Howell also said she had to wait to get an appointment at SHS. “The problem I ran into, and my roommate too, was she couldn’t get an appointment for two to three days and she had to go to the hospital [instead],” Howell said. “I had the same; I couldn’t get in when I was really sick, but once I got there they
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were really efficient, really quick.” Howell said one of the services she wishes SHS would offer is the option to have a doctor come to a sick student’s residence hall. Sophomore Dan Moses said he has had good overall impressions of SHS. “They’re fairly quick in terms of waiting as long as you schedule an appointment beforehand, getting you in, getting you out,” Moses said. “The pharmacy there is super fast. What’s kind of annoying is their hours. Being at the campus, it makes sense that they’re only open five days a week, but it’d be nice to have someone on call [on weekends].” Junior Katie Grote said SHS is good for minor health problems, but she would not go there for a moderate or severe problem or condition. “For something that’s minor, cold or allergies, I would totally go there, but for other things, like with migraines or anything more, my preference is always to go home,” Grote said. Grote also said she thinks SHS should offer optometry services. According to Wagner, all the medical services offered by SHS will not change during the period of assessment. The goal of the assessment is to ultimately enhance the services to students, Wagner said. “The main idea is to enhance the services to students, but at the same time making sure we’re running as efficiently as we can,” Wagner said.
USENATE, FROM PAGE 2
at one of the regional campuses as part of a cohort and then matriculate to the Oxford campus during their second semester, according to Haynes. It would start next semester. “It would help us to develop a better partnership among the Oxford campus and the regional campuses,” Haynes said. “It would also help to advance our public mission, to be able to serve a greater diversity of students, and it would also enable us to fill the slots that are vacated by first-year students...with new students...that genuinely want to be on this campus.” The Senate also debated at length some proposed changes to the composition of senate committees, heard an update from the Task Force for the Prevention of Sexual Assault and heard about an agreement between Miami and Columbus State Community College that would facilitate the transfer of community college students to Miami.
SEX AND CITY, FROM PAGE 2
an application with a resume and short note on why students are interested, according to Campbell. “We want to make sure students have enough kinds of writing background and maybe even production background,” Campbell said, “There would normally be a high demand for a class like this.” “[We want students] to take the course for the right reasons; to take advantage of Antonia’s expertise,” Kleiman said. Both the courses are very similar to the courses Ellis taught in Arizona, according to her. Kaitie Espeleta, a sophomore majoring in mass communications and journalism, said she can understand why an application is necessary. “I could see some students signing up just to ask about Sarah Jessica Parker,” Espeleta said. Amy Keighley, a junior majoring in speech communication and journalism, said she is excited for what Ellis can bring to the Communications department. She said she is unsure if she would have the opportunity to take the class because of her tight schedule, but the course was of interest to her. “I definitely would consider taking one…it will give students the opportunity to experience a different type of media than is usually offered,” Keighley said. With professionals such as Ellis, communication students will receive realistic exposure to their fields of study. Campbell said he puts a great deal of importance on the value of professionals working as professors. “I think whenever in our field, in any course, whether it’s journalism courses or production courses, when you can bring in working professional who are actual working to teach for a while, it’s a great thing,” Campbell said. Keighley agreed that these professionals will be a positive addition. “I think a lot of the times COM students feel that the business students get a lot of opportunities with famous alumni or things like that,” Keighley said. “It’s exciting for the COM students to have this opportunity.” Although, as Ellis takes on these two courses next fall, her other professional commitments will always take precedence, according to Kleiman. “I would love [for her] to do this on a regular basis, although I do not know what will happen after next fall,” Kleiman said.
2013-2014
FIRST YEAR
ROOM SELECTION 2013-2014 Online Room Selection for
Residence Halls Room Selection: April 10 Choose your room according to your selected time and invite your roommate on room selection day.
Learn more about room selection and the Second Year Residency Requirement at www.miamioh.edu/housing
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SPORTS
EDITOR TOM DOWNEY
TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013
SPORTS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET
JM RIEGER
BASEBALL
PROTECTING INTEGRITY AND FUTURE OF MIAMI UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
MU takes Toledo series
THE RIEGER REPORT
BY JOE GIERINGER SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Miami University athletics is at a crossroads. As institutional athletic spending nationally has grown, Miami’s athletic spending has increased marginally while the Mid-American Conference’s (MAC) spending has remained in the bottom tier of all Division I conferences. Coupled with the most lucrative television contracts in history for top programs and conferences, including the Pac-12 Conference’s complete content control, Miami is at a competitive disadvantage. Given the cuts the Athletic Department faces over the next two years, as outlined by the Strategic Priorities Task Force, Miami athletics need significant investment to accomplish the facility and program goals outlined by new Athletic Director David Sayler. Sayler’s strong fundraising past bodes well for Miami, but history is not on his side. Not only are significant donations still needed for the Athletic Department’s proposed Indoor Practice Facility, but there are also no public plans to renovate Millett Hall, arguably the Department’s biggest Achilles heel. Meanwhile, donations have largely funded the significant facility improvements university-wide. The return on investment from athletic facility improvements is at best, questionable. While improved facilities will no doubt benefit athletes and attract top recruits to Miami, the university is in no position to expand its athletic programs. It cannot compete within its own conference in many sports, much less nationally, and the student culture does not support winning programs. Student apathy remains one of the biggest thorns in the Athletic Department’s side, driven in part by the lack of success in the most popular sports; football and men’s basketball. This culture speaks to a larger issue; students do not want a winning athletic program. While some enroll because of Miami’s Division I status, athletic attendance numbers do not reflect this sentiment. Furthermore, the athletic program does not significantly impact Miami’s brand. The Office of Admission is not reliant on successful programs to sell Miami, and the university is stronger as a result. While tailgating and other improvements to the university’s game day culture could boost attendance numbers, the reality is Miami is
in no position to compete at the Division I level. It is losing the battle on every front: investment, television contracts, facilities, recruitment, attendance, campus culture and most importantly, on-the-field success. Rapid changes to the college athletic machine leave schools like Miami in the dust, and attempts to keep up destroy the university’s integrity. The firing of former women’s basketball Head Coach Maria Fantanarosa last week speaks to a larger issue: Miami is willing to do whatever it takes to put winning teams on the field, but at what cost? The longest-tenured and winningest coach in Miami women’s basketball history not only recruited seven of the program’s top 10 leading scorers, but also stood for what is right in college athletics. Forbes’ Jason Belzer has documented the hit smaller schools have taken from the changing economics of college athletics, and potential changes to “guaranteed games”, recruiting rules and content control will hurt Miami. Central Michigan Life reported last year how Central Michigan University’s Athletic Department bought back football tickets simply to meet NCAA attendance requirements. And as the Knight Commission’s Co-Director William E. Kirwan told The New York Times in January, “We’ve reached a point where big-time intercollegiate athletics is undermining the integrity of our institutions, diverting presidents and institutions from their main purpose.” Last year I advocated for increased athletic investment and for Miami to leave the MAC to ensure athletic success. Given the changing national landscape though, these solutions are not the answer and are not practical. Current budget trends mean increasing Miami’s athletic investment is only possible through student fees or through significant, long-term donations. Miami faces a choice: undermine its core principles to compete with the college athletic machine, or deemphasize athletics, in turn upholding its core mission as an institution of higher learning. When the Ivy League was founded in 1954, member institutions prohibited athletic scholarships and admitted athletes based on academic merit, opposing the increased commercialism in college athletics. The question is will the “Public Ivy” hold itself to the same standard?
For the second straight weekend of Mid-American Conference play, the Miami University baseball team took two out of three games to win the series, this time against the University of Akron. The RedHawks (14-13, 7-2 MAC) got off to a hot start Friday night as the offense came alive, starting with freshman outfielder Chad Sedio, who registered a career high three hits on five at-bats, and registered two runs and two RBIs as well. Junior designated hitter John Crummy and senior infielder Kevin Bower both contributed two hits a piece, and Miami cruised to a 7-2 win behind the arm of senior pitcher Brooks Fiala (4-3), who struck out seven Zips through seven innings. Akron (6-23, 3-6 MAC) battled back the following afternoon and held Miami to six hits on the day, but senior pitcher Mac Thoreson (3-3) was on his game, allowing just five hits and one earned run in a tight defensive battle. The ace found his third win of the year as his RedHawks emerged victorious in a 2-1 contest. “Mac’s an intense competitor,”
head coach Dan Simonds said. “You could just see that he was very determined. As the game went on, Mac got better, and really did a nice job of keeping them off-balance. I felt like when he hit the seventh or eighth inning that he looked as fresh or as good as he did in the second or third inning.” Thoreson acknowledged his noteworthy play Saturday, but was quick to credit solid defensive play as a factor in the win, something that the RedHawks had been seeing a lot of as of late. “I had a pretty good day, but a lot of it – most of it – was because of the guys behind me,” the senior pitcher said. “They made some unbelievable defensive plays to allow me to keep going, especially in the ninth. Ryan Elble had one of the most amazing college baseball plays I had ever seen … it was a whole team effort, and it’s important for us to keep winning some of these close ball games.” Unfortunately for Thoreson and company, the RedHawks dropped the third and final game in the series in walk-off fashion, courtesy of an Akron single in the bottom of the 14th inning. Miami battled back from 6-0 and 7-6 deficits to force
extra play, but ultimately lost 10-9. Six of the nine RedHawk batters recorded a hit, and Crummy alone recorded three singles, two runs and an RBI. It was a game that Simonds admitted was a tough one to swallow, but one that could be learned from. “It’s not sitting well,” the ball coach said. “Quite frankly, we didn’t play very well. But that’s something you want to see from your team, that they’re willing to battle and fight through even when they’re not playing their best baseball. And we did that, so I’m encouraged over that. Moving forward now, we don’t want to be put in a lot of those situations, but that being said, I think these guys realize now that they’re never out of a baseball game.” With the season at its halfway mark, that’s a lesson that will come in handy for the RedHawks, who are about to enter into some heavy MAC play, starting with Kent State this coming weekend. But first, Miami will partake in the fifth annual Joe Nuxhall Classic, hosted by the University of Cincinnati April 9-10. The Red and White face Wright State 3 p.m. Tuesday, and either UC or Xavier the following evening at a yet-to-be determined time.
TRACK & FIELD
Red and white dominate home meet BY JUSTIN MASKULINSKI
FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT
A home-field advantage was in full effect as Miami University’s Track and Field teams hosted the 28th annual Miami Invitational Friday and Saturday. The women’s team won by 120 points, scoring 245.5 points, more than the second and third place teams combined and the men’s team won by a comfortable margin of 24.5 points as they scored 186.5 points. “I think that the atmosphere in a home meet is better because that’s where you are used to training,” sophomore Anna Lamb said. Lamb, and sophomores Melissa Girgis and Amanda Hancock, finished first, second and third respectively in the 10,000 meter race. Lamb finished over a minute and a half in front of Girgis with a time of 35:05.76. The ’Hawks earned 24 points in the 10,000 meter race. Lamb was recently named the Mid-American Conference
SOFTBALL
Scholar Athlete of the Week. Lamb has also won the 3000 meter and 5000 meter races this season for the RedHawks. “[The team] has been training this season and in the winter and that has led to our success,” Lamb said. Women’s head coach Kelly Phillips had great praise for Lamb. “She works really hard and she was preparing all week to succeed in the 10, 000,” Phillips said. “It was her first time running that event and she killed it.” Sophomore Adaora Anunike finished first in discus with a throw of 45.86 meters. Also competing in the field was senior Samantha Gable, who finished 2nd in the hammer throw with a 52.4 meter throw. “Our best groups was the throwers, they all performed really well and most of them [had their personal bests],” Phillips said. The 4x400 relay team of freshmen Aryelle Player, Kathy Wollney, Sarah Rosenblum, and senior Katie Scannell saw some
excitement as Scannell, the anchor, won the race on the last lap. “[Scannell] is still coming back from her hamstring injury; you can’t help but root for her.” Phillips said. Performing well for the men’s team once again was freshman Peter Stefanski, who won the high jump again for the ’Hawks, and is undefeated in the event in the outdoor season. “Good coaching and hard work has led to my success,” Stefanski said. “I’ve been putting in extra work and moving up in the weights for training.” Head coach Warren Mandrell has been impressed with the freshman. “So far nobody has beaten him in the high jump,” Mandrell said. “It’s been nice for him to step in as a freshman and stay focused.” Stefanski also believed the ’Hawks had a home field advantage. “[Competing at home] is definitely an advantage, I jump here
TRACK & FIELD, SEE PAGE 8
TENNIS
RedHawks take three weekend games ’Hawks move into tie for first with pair of victories BY ALYSSA ZEDIKER FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT
RYAN HOLTZ THE MIAMI STUDENT
Miami University sophomore third baseman Remy Edwards fires a throws to first base in a recent game.
The Miami University softball team played four games over weekend and walked away with three wins, improving their record to 12-20 overall and 6-2 in Mid-American Conference (MAC) play. “Winning the weekend is always the goal, going 3-1 is a great weekend, especially with what people expected from us and all the adversity we faced,” sophomore shortstop Kylie McChesney said. “We showed that we are a team to be reckoned with this weekend.” The ’Hawks faced Western Michigan University Friday for a double header. They fell 15-2 in the first game, but were able to bounce back in the second game of the series to take the victory 5-1. Head Coach Clarisa Crowell told the players after the first loss to have a short term memory and she considers it an accomplishment being able to turn their
SOFTBALL, SEE PAGE 8
BY JORDAN RINARD STAFF WRITER
The Miami University women’s tennis team downed Eastern Michigan University 5-2 and the University of Toledo 6-1 to wrap up the home portion of the regular season and push its winning streak in MidAmerican Conference (MAC) play to four. The RedHawks (8-12, 4-1 MAC) are now tied for first place in the MAC standings with Western Michigan University (WMU) and have a match looming with the Broncos Friday. “We really came out strong and stuck to the gameplan this weekend,” sophomore Alix Thurman said. “The MAC is a conference you can’t take for granted. They’ll come out to compete but we’ll be ready to play.” The ’Hawks started doubles play against the Eagles (7-12, 2-3 MAC) with the team of sophomore Christine Guerrazzi and freshman Ana Rajkovic falling in an 8-2 decision to junior Nino Mebuke and freshman Klara Supejova. In response, Thurman and junior
Nimisha Mohan jumped out to a 7-2 lead against junior Mariya Toncheva and sophomore Ankita Bhatia and took the match 8-4. Junior Zsofia Biro and sophomore Daphne Friedrichs took the doubles point for Eastern Michigan with an 8-3 victory over juniors Christiana Raymond and Ramona Costea. The ’Hawks got retribution in singles play, as Guerrazzi won her third straight match in singles as she downed Friedrichs 6-0, 6-1. The Miami lead was stretched to 2-1 as Thurman got a 6-4, 6-1 win against Mebuke, also her third consecutive. The Eagles drew even at 2-2 after Supejova defeated Mohan 6-4, 6-4, overcoming a deficit of 3-1 in the second set. The Red and White struck back with Raymond winning 6-3, 6-1 over Bhatia and clinched the match with Costea earning her fourth straight victory as she got a 6-3, 6-4 win against Toncheva. To close out the match,
TENNIS,
SEE PAGE 8