The Miami Student Oldest university newspaper in the United States, established 1826
FRIDAY, APRIL 11, 2014
VOLUME 141 NO. 45
MIAMI UNIVERSITY OXFORD, OHIO
TODAY IN MIAMI HISTORY In 1972, The Miami Student reported an ordinance was proposed to the Oxford City Council in response to discriminatory practices discovered in the city’s public accommodations, housing and employment. The ordinance denied the legitimacy of any discriminatory practices because of “race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin or sexual status.”
Equestrian teams ride to upcoming Nationals BY AMANDA HANCOCK FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT
When your teammate is a 1,000 pound animal, only one fool-proof motto applies: come out of the ring with no regrets. At least that is the goal for the Miami University Equestrian Team as they prepare for Nationals in the upcoming weeks.
Winning is not the main concern, according to Lori Cramer, who serves as the senior director of the Equestrian Center and assists the team. “It’s all about making sure you give it your all and do your best,” she said. “It’s a partnership with the horse and you’re never quite sure what might happen, but you want to go in there ready for anything.” This sentiment got the team through roughly 10 horse shows over the past season and “sweet 16” type rounds of competition. Now, Miami’s Equestrian team is making moves to a national stage. Under the umbrella of the equestrian team are three sub-teams. Hunt seat is known as “English riding” where riders jump fences, western involves reining with a cowboy-style saddle and dressage, which is often
labeled as “horse ballet,” and focuses on riding patterns. Team president senior Danielle Paulson said she is proud that one has moved through the ranks this season. “I hope that we can win, but I am just excited that [the team] is ranked nationally,” she said. After a strong showing last month at regionals and last week at zones, with competitors spanning from Canada to Kentucky, each group will prepare to take on more than 12 collegiate programs from around the country. The hunt seat team qualified for the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) Nationals, the dressage team qualified for Intercollegiate Dressage Association Nationals and Western was named Reserve Champion in their zone and qualified one individual for IHSA Nationals. A total of 15 riders will be going to represent Miami. “Competing is a great opportunity for our riders to gain experience riding talented horses and for Miami to get national recognition in the equestrian world,” Paulson said. Head coach Heather Pinnick has taken the hunt seat team to Nationals three of the past four years. She takes pride in the many skilllevels displayed on the team. “We need someone who is just learning how to ride as well as someone who has kind of been around the block,” she said. Pinnick’s coaching philosophy revolves around student growth; she offers weekly lessons and opportunities for everyone to compete each season. “It’s great to win and to go on, but we also look at it from the other perspective of how each person changes
over the four years, not only as a rider but as a person – I really like that, it’s cool to see,” Pinnick said. With roughly 100 members each contributing to team points and accumulating individual points, Pinnick said the whole team works together for the common cause. Between weekly practices, frequent team dinners and traveling together, the team remains closeknit despite their size, according to Paulson. “We are unique because of our large number, but what makes us stand out is our dedication to one another and to the team,” Paulson said. The team was faced with lessthan-ideal weather conditions this past season, leaving the team to train off-site in nearby Millville or Hamilton and often with canceled practices. “The commitment the students have to program is huge especially when sometimes it seems like an uphill battle just to practice,” Pinnick said. “Across the board, they are just very hard working and committed people which is unique for such a large group.” For Paulson, along with many of her teammates, it all comes back to the joy of riding horses. “I’ve ridden anywhere from 5070 horses while at Miami, and in the equestrian world this is an invaluable experience,” Paulson said. “I love the sense of belonging I have at Miami because of my teammates. We are dedicated to one another and to our team.” The Dressage team will compete at Nationals this weekend in Virginia at Everette University. The Hunt Seat team and Western team will compete at Nationals in early May in Harrodsburg, Pa. ILLUSTRATION BY KYLE HAYDEN THE MIAMI STUDENT
Tyman & Bata win election
59% TYMAN
21% HEES
20%
KOHAN
We are so honored to have the support of the student body.”
KYLE HAYDEN THE MIAMI STUDENT
Academic affairsVP Bobby Gempesaw to leave MU BY EMILY CRANE NEWS EDITOR
Provost and Executive Vice President for academic affairs Bobby Gempesaw announced yesterday that he will be resigning July 1 to accept the position of president at St. John’s University in New York City. “While I am deeply honored to be appointed as the first lay president of one of the nation’s largest Catholic universities, I feel intense sadness about leaving Miami and those with whom I have had the privilege of working during my term as provost,” Gempesaw wrote in an email to all faculty yesterday morning. Since arriving at Miami in May
2011, Gempesaw has been involved in a number of different initiatives including the development of the Miami 2020 strategic plan, the establishment of the new winter term and the Miami Plan redesign, among others. President David Hodge lauded his leadership through this time of transition. “Bobby has provided extraordinary forward-looking leadership through a time of great change in higher education and certainly at Miami. We are grateful for the momentum he has created. We will miss him greatly, but wish him every success as he takes on this historic appointment,” Hodge said in a university press release.
Cancer claims Courtney Short : Miami community grieves, remembers BY KATIE TAYLOR EDITOR IN CHIEF
They sit side-by-side on the piano bench. Hannah watches Courtney’s hands dance over the keys, small but strong, determined to find each note. Courtney opens her mouth and the words echo through the empty house. “Think of me, think of me fondly when we’ve said goodbye. Remember me once in a while, please promise me you’ll try.” — Senior Hannah Harp relived the memory of her friend Courtney Short, a Miami student who died March 28, less than a year after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. “We were both infatuated with ‘Phantom of the Opera,’” Harp said. “She would play ‘Think of Me’ and we would take turns singing the different parts.” The 22-year-old from Zanesville, Ohio was survived by parents Philip and Kathryn, and siblings Trevor, Kelsey and Lindsey Short. It was during spring break her junior year in 2013 she noticed her
abdomen bloating. “We never really got a clear diagnosis,” her sister, Miami firstyear Lindsey Short, said. “The official diagnosis at the time in April was stage four adenocarcinoma of unknown primary origin, but it was likely to be stemming from ovarian cancer.”
She has seriously taught so many people ... how to stare fear in the face.” HANNAH HARP MIAMI SENIOR
Lindsey said in the end her sister’s diagnosis is not what is important, the only thing that matters is that people saw her for who she was. Courtney Short was quirky. “Courtney was very obsessed with her makeup and it always had to be perfect at that point in her life,” said Melissa Baker, Courtney’s
childhood friend from youth group. “She had like five different kinds of mascara that she would apply all to make her eyelashes look perfect. And they always did.” Courtney was not afraid to be different, Baker explained. She loved shopping like most girls her age, but she stood out among her friends as the gamer girl, spending hours playing Zelda and Skyrim. “Courtney was easy to poke fun at because she was such an original girl,” Baker said with a chuckle. “Anyone who knew her knew that.” It was not until Courtney became sick that she and Baker reconnected. “That’s when I really got to know Courtney the best,” she said. “I would not trade these past six months for anything. I learned how deep of a person Courtney was and how passionate she was about anything and everything she did.” Courtney Short was passionate. She went out of her way to educate herself about anything and everything. Her passion showed itself early on in the form of an obsession with real estate. “Ever since she was little she had
CONTRIBUTED BY HANNAH HARP
been looking at house floor plans and building mansions in The Sims. It had been a lifelong thing.” Lindsey said. “She would just constantly send me pictures of these mansions she would find… she really loved Mediterranean-style.” It was Courtney’s love for real estate that led her to meet professor Kimberly Hamlin to discuss the
possibility of declaring her major in American studies. “I was really kind of impressed with her evolution as a student,” Hamlin said. “A lot of students start off being able to summarize but not really analyze and think deep
COURTNEY, SEE PAGE 4
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CAMPUS
EDITORS REIS THEBAULT VICTORIA SLATER
FRIDAY, APRIL 11, 2014
CAMPUS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET
LAUREN OLSON PHOTO EDITOR
HANG IN THERE, SPRING IS HERE
Sophomores from Ogden Hall enjoy the 70 degree weather outside their residence hall near High Street.This weekend’s forecast predicts 75 and sunny. Hallelujah.
Marriage equality: fighting for equal rights BY EMILY C.TATE
SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Flash back to 1919 as the fight for gender equality propels forward with the passage of the 19th amendment, granting women the right to vote. Flash forward a half-century later, when the fight for racial equality advances under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, outlawing discrimination against race and color. Skip ahead another 50 years and it’s 2014, when the ongoing fight for marriage equality is on the brink of making history. Since Massachusetts became the first U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage over a decade ago, 16 others plus the District of Columbia have followed. And now, all signs point to Ohio joining their ranks in the coming years. Much has changed since a 2004 amendment to the Ohio Constitution banned same sex-marriage throughout the state, not the least of which is public opinion.
According to the Public Religion Research Institute’s 2013 Ohio Values Survey, Ohioans are split equally. “Forty-seven percent of voters favor allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry legally, compared to an equal number (47%) who are opposed,” PRRI reported. While these results are good news for those in support of the movement, Campaign Manager for Why Marriage Matters Ohio Michael Premo said it is not yet ballot-ready. “We know that 50 percent of the poll does not equal 50 percent on Election Day,” Premo said. “We need at least mid-50s to feel confident to go to ballot.” Due to the marginal numbers, advocate groups for Ohio marriage equality will likely hold the issue until the 2016 election, when it has had more time to gain favor. “All the facts show 2014 is not the year,” Premo told the New York Times in a separate interview. “If this amendment goes forward and fails
… it will be a boost in momentum for opponents of marriage equality.” However, Ohio is still managing to chisel away at the ban, regardless of an election.
states,” Premo said. “It doesn’t completely strike down the ban on samesex couples, but we think it’s a huge step in the right direction.” A ruling of that significance could
Gay and lesbian couples want [marriage] for the same reason as anyone else, for the same reason I married my wife.” MICHAEL PREMO WMMOH CAMPAIGN MANAGER
Four gay couples (all legally married in other states) filed a lawsuit in Ohio in February, requesting to have both partners’ names listed on their children’s birth certificates. The families went to court in Cincinnati last Friday, April 4, to review the case. The court decision is currently still pending. “[Judge Timothy Black] has not ruled but he said he would issue a ruling on or before April 14 [saying] that the state of Ohio has to recognize same sex couples married in other
have a major impression on support for marriage equality, he said. Many Miami students have been keeping up with the status of samesex marriage rights in Ohio as well as cases such as this one, including sophomore David Malone. Malone said he is hopeful samesex marriage will pass when it finally does make it to the ballot, but he also maintained a realistic outlook on the matter. “As much as many of us would love immediate results here, this
movement toward equal marriage rights is going to take time to come full circle,” he said. “It’s not an instantaneous process, and I’m confident that eventually equality will win out over the cynics.” Malone acknowledged there are many opponents to this issue, just like any other controversial issue, but he also respects their opinions. “Everyone is entitled to their [own] opinion,” he said. “If someone doesn’t want to vote for marriage equality, then they are more than welcome to vote against it. Ultimately, equality is going to win, so unless someone is being outright hateful … I have no issue with them.” Premo had more of a go-getter attitude toward the marriage equality challengers. “We look at those who don’t agree with us as future supporters,” he said. “What you see all across Ohio
EQUALITY, SEE PAGE 5
Ben & Jerry’s scoops out smiles for students, support for good causes BY ABBEY GINGRAS FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT
As many students filter in and out of the markets on campus, they pause at the ice cream sections and select the perfect flavor to assist with studying for midterms and finals. Ice cream is a comfort food, and with the launch of Ben & Jerry’s new Core Flavors, it is more comforting than ever. The Core Flavors line features pints of ice cream that are half one flavor, half another, with a core of something delicious in the middle. One of these flavors is Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge. This pint is half chocolate ice cream and half peanut butter ice cream, with both sides containing chunks of peanut butter cups. The center is creamy peanut butter fudge that is sure to satisfy any sweet tooth.
We get three free pints of ice cream a day working here.” AMY WELLER
BEN & JERRY’S REP
The concept of the Core Flavors seems like an ingenious idea to many—Huffington Post said Ben & Jerry’s “nails it” with the new line. However, this is hardly the first time this company has pushed the envelope on creativity. Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream has radically changed the world of ice cream and business since
its founding in 1978. Two best friends, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, took a $5 course on how to make ice cream. Then with a small investment, they opened their first shop in an old converted gas station in Burlington, Vermont. They have been mixing weird and wonderful ice creams ever since. “I’m a big fan of Americone Dream. Number one, it’s endorsed by Stephen Colbert,” sophomore Rachel Staudt said. “But mainly, it’s the combination of the caramel and the chocolate covered ice cream cone pieces.” Flavors like Americone Dream offer customers unique flavor combinations they can’t get from other brands. Because of this, Ben & Jerry’s has remained a popular source for ice cream across the country and around the world. Amy Weller, who is in charge of tour logistics and marketing at the factory in Waterbury, Vermont, has worked at Ben & Jerry’s for 22 years. “We get three free pints of ice cream a day working here, in addition to pay,” Weller said. “You can trade it for all kinds of stuff. I still bring it home pretty regularly, but people will trade with the guy who plows the driveway, when you go get your car inspected, when you buy a Christmas tree, anything. It’s basically like cash.” If that were not incentive enough to work there, Weller said the atmosphere is what makes it great for her. “I love all my co-workers, the people are definitely the best part of working here,” Weller said. “You have to be pretty fun to work for an ice cream company.” Although they are beloved
for their classic flavors, from the first Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream ever invented, to Cherry Garcia, to the coffee addicts dream of Coffee Coffee Buzz Buzz Buzz, Ben & Jerry’s is more than just a comfort food. The company has taken a stand more than once on various controversial issues. During the Occupy Wall Street movement in 2011, Ben & Jerry’s handed out free ice cream to those participating in the protest as a sign of support. Additionally, the company is a strong advocate of safe and sustainable farming practices. Ben & Jerry’s has received the Compassion in World Farming Good Dairy Award for quality treatment of its dairy cows. As of now, the company’s products are 100 percent free of genetically modified organisms, or GMOs. This means all the ice creams they make, and all the various chunks and mix-ins, are completely natural and devoid of chemicals. This move was made to coincide with their decision to advocate safe farming practices. In addition to these movements, Ben & Jerry’s often makes flavors that, in name and message, support different social or political issues. For instance, a now-retired flavor called Fossil Fuel called to attention the U.S.’ reliance on oil and the need to find new energy sources. Recently, Ben & Jerry’s in the UK created a flavor called Apple-y Ever After that shows support for same sex marriage. Maybe now when students open a new pint of Ben & Jerry’s before their next big exam, they can feel as comforted by the source and motives of their ice cream choice as they are by its simple deliciousness.
BEN TAYLOR THE MIAMI STUDENT
WADDLE BABY, WADDLE
Reps from the Columbus Zoo brought a Humboldt penguin to Pearson Hall Monday.
Bellhops business moves in to MU, moves students out BY KELLY HIGGINSON FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT
They do not wear bell-boy hats or uniforms adorned in golden buttons, but the students from Miami Bellhops will show up at apartments, residence halls and houses across Oxford this spring prepared to move student belongings and furniture. Bellhops Campus Director Travis Peraza, a junior, is going around residence halls, fraternity houses and classes in hopes of recruiting roughly 100 workers for the busy spring moving season. It is an opportunity, Peraza said, to not only provide moving assistance but to also provide students with a well-paying job. “This is the second year Bellhops has been at Miami, and we are looking for hard working, strong, motivated students that know what commitment is,” Peraza said. “It’s a very easy and fun way to make money.” The company started three years ago at Auburn University and now employs college students in more than 121 cities across the country. Cofounder of Bellhops Cameron
Doody said he believes their company is so successful based on the college students that work for them. “We employ college students because we believe they are built for the industry,” Doody said. “Moving is usually dominated by the blue collared man, but it’s all about customer service and providing these students with some good money.” When working for Bellhops, students have the ability to do everything via smartphone, including seeing what jobs are available in the area, taking the job, communicating with the customer and getting paid. “It’s really cool how it works because you can see what jobs are available in your area, and press whether you want to take the job or not,’ Peraza said. “You decide what hours you want to work, which is convenient.” According to Doody, allowing students to do part of their job through their smartphone has made their company stronger. “We record all of it— the bellhop reaching out to the customer,
BELLHOPS, SEE PAGE 5
EDITORS JANE BLAZER CHRIS CURME
COMMUNITY FRIDAY, APRIL 11, 2014
COMMUNITY@MIAMISTUDENT.NET
3
POLICE Locals put creativity into motion
BEAT
No snooze button on the law: Man hospitalized At 3:30 a.m. Thursday, a passerby called OPD to report an unconscious male sprawled on the lawn of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity house. Upon arrival, officers found the man in a bush, curled into the fetal position. After repeated, unsuccessful attempts to rouse the male, officers called the life squad. The sirens of the approaching ambulance woke the male and he struggled to his unsteady feet. According to OPD, extreme mumbling and a thick slur made the suspect’s speech unintelligible. An officer arrested the male, and found a wallet on his person. The wallet contained the male’s valid Ohio driver’s license, which confirmed his age of 19. It also contained a fictitious, over21 New York license. The first-year male was cited at the hospital for offenses involving underage persons, disorderly conduct and certain acts prohibited.
Six or eight beers are “possibly” too many At 10:06 p.m. Tuesday, an Oxford resident called OPD to report a southbound vehicle driving suspiciously on US Route 27. Officers found the car in a parking off Southpointe Parkway. Upon arrival, they surmised the car had been driving for some time, and had struck several dumpsters. After stopping the car, officers noticed an empty 12-pack of empty beer bottles on the passenger-side floor. When asked, the driver said he was going to the Butler Inn, where he lived. The officer asked the suspect if he had been drinking, and he said he had consumed six or eight beers at home, and that he possibly had too much to drive. When asked to take field sobriety tests, the driver said yes, but that he would most likely fail. He was correct, and quickly failed all tests. He was taken to OPD where he was charged with OVI and an open container violation. His car was impounded and he was dumped off at the Butler Inn. Visit us on the web for more stories, photo slideshows, polls, video, blogs, and more! www.miamistudent.net
JALEN WALKER THE MIAMI STUDENT
An Oxford Kinetics Festival visitor takes a step of faith onto a pair of stilts to grab a cold root beer at the stilts bar.
BY LIBBY MUELLER SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Have you ever, amidst the humdrum of the everyday, wanted to do something a little bit weird? Perhaps you have felt like walking to class on stilts or casually floating down the hall of your dorm on a hovercraft. Perhaps you get bored with uniformity and want to throw some crazy into the mix. The Oxford Kinetics Festival, which occurred last Sunday, is a yearly event that aims to bring out the crazy and creative ideas of the surrounding community. Miami University Professor of Sculpture Rod Northcutt co-directs the Oxford Kinetics Festival alongside sculptor Kate Currie. Their nonprofit corporation MAKETANK Inc. administers the festival as well as arts-based year-round programming. MAKETANK’s leadership also includes two other artists:
artist Dr. Alysia Fischer (lecturer for the Center for American and World Cultures at Miami) and Christina Miller, artist and executive director of Ethical Metalsmiths. “The Oxford Kinetics Festival is a community event that marshals the creativity and innovation of the Southwest Ohio area,” Northcutt said. “It’s a one-day event; however, the preparation for it extends throughout the year. It is produced by MAKETANK Inc., which has a three-part mission: one, to connect people who don’t normally interact; two, to create opportunities for the sharing of skills; and three, to develop individuals’ confidence in their own creativity.” The festival featured booths put together by students and professional art organizations in the region, Northcutt said. Among the exhibitions were a kinetic shadow puppet show by Miami’s theaterand education majors, a battle in cardboard armor
Prohibited acts Open container prohibited Obstructing official business Stop sign violation Aggravated menacing Failure to appear Open container Warrant Theft
TOTAL CRIMES: 31
BY KYLE HAYDEN
FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT
Offenses involving underage persons Resisting arrest OVI Certain acts prohibited Disorderly conduct Sales to and use by underage persons Total Miami Students Cited
0
2
STUDENTS STEEL THE SHOW
4
6
8
10
approached the capstone professors to propose collaboration between Miami students and the Talawanda High School ninth grade science teachers. They accepted, and the senior design team from the capstone created teaching modules for science teachers as well as the hovercrafts exhibited at the festival. “The high school just got new physical science textbooks and certain required topics were missing,” one of the design team members Peter Siegfried said. “We were filling in the curriculum for that, which included information you would find in a textbook, assignments, example worksheets, lesson plans, demonstrations teachers could perform and laboratories kids could do themselves.” The hovercrafts were a product of a brainstorming session, according to Kate Bruns, another member of the team. “We pretty much just got together as a group and brainstormed different projects we thought we would be able to do that would demonstrate dynamics in some way and came up with a hovercraft design,” Bruns said. The hovercrafts worked using leaf blowers which hovered a fraction of an inch above the ground. The team declared the project a success. A long line of kids waited to test out the hovercraft. Some of them rode the craft eight or nine times, according to Siegfried, and many of them were interested in how the craft worked. “That was one of our main focuses from the beginning, getting kids interested in science,” team member Elyssa Nguyen said. Northcutt said his personal motivation for MAKETANK Inc. and the annual Oxford Kinetics Festival comes from wanting to bring some vibrancy and eccentricity to the homogeneous Miami community. “We want to create something that’s more in line with the variety you find in big cities, but we want to focus on our local environment and make it as rich and robust as it can be,” Northcutt said. “Essentially, we want to make Oxford a little weird.”
High court refuses to hear ex-prof’s discrimination
CRIME STATISTICS: April 4– 11 Burglary
fought by Talawanda High School students, a toy lab where kids could repurpose old toys hosted by Happen Inc. from Cincinnati, a duct tape replica of the Apollo lander showcased by students and faculty from the University of Cincinnati and a stilt bar built by Miami students. The stilt bar consisted of a bar serving root beer mounted on a high platform next to a tent. If you wanted to reach the bar, you had to solicit the help of someone who taught you to build and walk upon a set of stilts. Workshops were offered prior to the event to community members who had fun ideas but were unsure how to execute them. “We know that a lot of people have ideas for wacky contraptions, but not many people know how to make them happen, so we offer free workshops that happen in the month leading up to the festival,” Northcutt said. “If you have an awesome idea and want design consultation or help with the mechanics, we have professionals on hand who will work with you to bring your idea to fruition.” The main event at the festival was “the scramble.” “The scramble is a kinetics sculpture race,” Northcutt said. “People create Frankenstein-like vehicles that are human-powered, usually by pedals. For 45 minutes, they compete by driving to different stations, where they get off their contraptions and perform different tests of strength and agility. Then, they get back on their contraptions and ride to the next station. It’s kind of like an obstacle course.” Graduate student Nathan Foley, who is working on his Master of Fine Arts in Sculpture, helped construct a teeter totter on wheels for the event. “It was totally interactive,” Foley said. “Kids got on and off and since it’s on wheels, they were also able to rotate 360 degrees. It’s not stuck to the ground; it’s mobile.” A senior design team from the Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering (MME) capstone course designed hovercrafts for the festival. MAKETANK Inc. had previously
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LAUREN HUTCHINSON THE MIAMI STUDENT
Senior Kayla Parsh performs with the Miami University Steel Band Wednesday night in Hall Auditorium.
A three-judge panel of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals refused to hear a former Miami University professor’s case claiming racial discrimination involving promotion and tenure, according to court documents filed March 24. Marvin Thrash was hired as an associate professor in Miami’s Department of Paper Science and Engineering in 2004 as a part of an initiative to increase minority representation in the engineering department, according to his deposition given in October 2012. In the 2010-11 academic year, Thrash applied for tenure track, encouraged by Marek Dollár, the dean of the School of Engineering. At the time, Thrash was “ready and able” to apply for tenure, according to court documents. Miami’s promotion and tenure committee said Thrash performed well enough to be granted tenure. However, depositions in case records refer to a member of the committee who said, “[Thrash] did not create a robust research program.” Chair of the paper science department Shashi Lalvani cited this rationale when she ignored the committee’s recommendation and denied Thrash tenure. Thrash said he was well prepared, and with the support of Dollár, believed he would be granted tenure. Instead, his contract was allowed to expire in May, 2012. In 2013, Thrash brought a civil rights discrimination lawsuit against both the University and Lalvani. Thrash’s legal counsel claimed, “[Lalvani] denied promotion and tenure at Miami University due to racial animus.” The court found no evidence of
purely racially discriminatory behavior by the promotion and tenure committee or Lalvani, and the case was thrown out. The court found the university, Lalvani and the promotion and tenure committee supplied sufficient and fair evidence to deny Thrash tenure. Last month, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals denied Thrash’s petition to have his case reinstated, or heard en banc, before a panel of judges.
[Marvin Thrash was] denied promotion and tenure at Miami due to racial animus.” MARC MEZIBOV THRASH’S LAWYER
“A rehearing is necessary,” Thrash’s lawyer Marc Mezibov wrote, “because the majority panel’s determination that there was no genuine issue of fact with respect to pretext created a new, unreasonably difficult summary judgment standard that conflicts with precedent from this Court and the Supreme Court.” The sole dissenting judge was Karen Nelson Moore. Citing a precedent set by the Supreme Court and a federal ruling known as F.R.C.P. (Federal Rules Civil Procedure) number 56 that states, “The court should review the material as whole, it must disregard all evidence favorable to the moving party that the jury is not required to believe.” Miami University communications director Claire Wagner declined to comment, citing a university policy against making comments on legal matters, even where the university prevails. Mezibov and Thrash could not be reached for comment.
FRIDAY APRIL 11, 2014
COURTNEY, FROM PAGE 1
thoughts about things, and Courtney I could watch grow and blossom from accepting everything to starting to critically think and come up with her own interpretations and ideas.” Looking back, Hamlin realized Courtney’s passion lay not only in real estate. “I don’t think that her interest in learning was totally career-driven, I think it was truly a love of learning,” Hamlin said. “She definitely had goals and aspirations career-wise, but I think she also just loved being at college and just loved learning.” This love didn’t waver when Courtney became sick. Rather, she began learning as much as possible about her illness. “When she found out what type of surgery she was going to get when she got cancer she looked it up… that kind of thing would scare a lot of people, a lot of people would want to stay ignorant,” Harp said. “But no, Courtney Short looked it up online and watched a 10 minute video of a person open on a table just so she knew what was coming her way.” Courtney Short was brave. In more ways than one, Courtney faced what others feared and
www.miamistudent.net pressed on. Her friends repeatedly mentioned her social fearlessness; Courtney offered the truth when others shied away from it. “She was always a very blunt, straight-forward person; you could always count on her to tell you like it is,” Harp said. “All of her friends could tell you that. No matter who you were she would tell you what she was thinking.” And when it came time for Courtney to face a hard truth of her own, she refused to let it condemn her. For her, it was not a matter of if she was coming back to school, it was a matter of when. Without even realizing it, her bravery left a mark on others. “She has seriously taught so many people, including people twice or three times her age, how to stare fear in the face. Even throughout the past year she really did try to live as much as possible,” Harp said. “Besides having to come home from Miami, she really did not let this get in her way.” Courtney Short loved being here. “She really, really loved Miami,” Lindsey said, mentioning it was her sister’s excitement about the university that encouraged her to apply. “She was just so excited for me to get there… she had even started making grocery shopping lists because she was going to have
me come over every Sunday morning for breakfast.” It was a love of the campus and atmosphere that drew Courtney in. And it was a love for the people she met at Miami that kept her doing everything she could to come back. “I spent a week with her before classes started, and she was just so, so happy to be back in Oxford,” Lindsey said. “I just remember we were sitting in the hallway waiting for one of her friends to come pick her up because it was too far for her to walk, and she just sat out in the hallway and started crying about how happy she was to be back.” Though disappointed when she ultimately had to withdraw from the university, Courtney kept positive with the help of friends and family who came from all over to see her. Even then, her only concern seemed to be for those who were worried about her. — The music drifts down the hall, climbing each stair and wrapping around every corner to fill the space. The only thing in the world at that moment is the two of them, Hannah and Courtney at the piano. The song comes to a close and her final words hang in the air. “Flowers fade, the fruits of summer fade. They have their seasons, so do we. But please, promise me that sometimes you will think of me.”
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FRIDAY APRIL 11, 2014
EQUALITY, FROM PAGE 2
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is people who used to not support it now changing their minds. Democrats, republicans, evangelicals – there are all sorts of people who have changed their minds.” Premo said many people carry the notion that gay and lesbian couples want to get married for benefits, but in fact, that is not the case at all. “Gay and lesbian couples want [marriage] for the same reason as anyone else, for the same reason I married my wife,” he said. “Some gay and lesbian couples have been together for decades and raised children together. We want to share stories of loving and committed couples so [others] see this is not an abstraction or an academic argument.” Miami has a number of student organizations and programs on its campus in support of marriage equality. One example is Spectrum, which is a student-led association on Miami’s campus that promotes
awareness and education regarding LGBTQA (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning and Ally) issues. This week was Spectrum’s LGBTQA “Awareness Week,” during which they hosted distinguished speakers Daniel Trust and Janet Mock and held HIV information and testing sessions. The week will finish with the Pride Parade at 4 p.m. today in Uptown Park. Miami’s advocacy for the gay community extends well beyond the this week’s events. According to the Campus Pride Index, Miami earned 4.5 out of 5 stars on its campus pride score. This score is based on many factors, including LGBT policies, support and commitment, student life and counseling services. Miami students and all marriage equality proponents can easily help promote the cause, Premo said “Talk to your friends and family about it, just start that conversation,” Premo said. “Then keep having the conversations, keeping asking the questions, and keep telling the stories.”
BELLHOPS, FROM PAGE 2
the time they show up to the job, and when the job is complete,” Doody said. The customer also receives a profile of the bellhop before hand with their picture, year, and what they are studying in school. a “It’s the perfect way to connect the college students with the people who need local small moving help and it makes it a little more personal,” Doody said. Each move costs around $80 an hour depending on whether customers ask for their things relocated to a different house or just to a car. As for the bellhop, they get paid $13-15 an hour, plus tips. “I think once we get the word out about the Miami Bellhops and how great the job is, many students will want to join,” Peraza said. According to Peraza, they are hoping to expand it more and more every year by making it more wellknown to students. “The more Bellhops, the merrier,” Peraza said.
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OPINION
EDITORS EMILY ELDRIDGE NICOLE THEODORE
FRIDAY, APRIL 11, 2014
EDITORIAL@MIAMISTUDENT.NET
EDITORIAL The following piece, written by the editorial editors, reflects the majority opinion of the editorial board.
Those who choose Miami know that size matters “The Harvard of the Midwest.” “A Public Ivy.” You’ve seen these banners around campus. They make Miami University seem really prestigious – which it is – but university marketing can get a bit over-the-top when it starts comparing Miami to Harvard or other Ivy League schools. However, one set of statistics to which we can personally attest are the statistics that laud Miami’s professors. Miami University teachers are different from Ivy League teachers; they’re much different than professors you would find at the Ohio State University or Michigan State University, for example. With the majority of courses taught as 500-plus person lectures, we wonder how students can even muster up the courage to ask questions or foster relationships with their professors and classmates. With upwards of 45,000 students, we question whether MSU or OSU teachers could really be that concerned with building relationships and knowing the names of their students. But at Miami, we know they are. Miami was nationally ranked first among public universities for best teaching by U.S. News & World Report and in the top three of all colleges, just after Dartmouth and Princeton. This is something Miami could, perhaps, promote more to prospective students, rather than comparing it to Harvard. Once your professors know you personally, they become an invaluable resource for getting jobs, internships and leadership positions. They are more likely to challenge you and push you to reach your full potential when they realize the kind of student you are. This is something we think Miami students benefit from more than students at other, larger schools. Miami’s graduation rates are first
among Ohio public universities and 19th among national public schools. At OSU, only 42 percent of students graduate in four years; at Michigan State, only 47 percent graduate in four years. At Miami, 68 percent of students graduate within four years. After discussing these statistics with friends of ours at these schools, we came to the conclusion that university faculty at larger schools are generally not that concerned with helping their students graduate on time. If you can’t get into a class when you need to, well, you’re out of luck. Not at Miami. Faculty are typically very helpful when it comes to accommodating students in their classes. And though it is not guaranteed that you will be able to force-add a class, we students aren’t just a number at Miami like we would be at other schools. The Miami Student Editorial Board thinks this can be attributed to the size of the Miami student body. With just under 16,000 full-time students, Miami is a big enough school that there are new opportunities to be had and new people to meet every single day, but it is small enough that a 20-minute walk will get you from Western campus to King Library, that you can have a personal relationship with your professors, that you can pass by your friends and acquaintances on your way to class. It is small enough to feel like home. Great student-faculty relationships are one thing that sets Miami apart from larger schools, but we also think it is easier to find your place at Miami through the countless opportunities to get involved with on campus. With so many out-of-state students, a lot of us come to Miami without knowing too many people. At a very small school, it could be difficult to find an organization or group
of friends that you feel comfortable with. At a large school, it can be easy to get lost in the crowd. In our minds, Miami sits right in the middle – not too big, not too small. The campus is still big enough that there are plenty of new people to meet as well. The seniors on our editorial board say even they are meeting new people, joining new organizations and utilizing new campus resources they have never tried before. These things may sound trivial but it truly does impact someone’s college experience. To ensure that you find your place at Miami, the editorial board recommends finding opportunities to work with professors one on one, whether that’s doing research or working on a project of some sort. Find a professor who is doing work that interests you and convince them to let you join in. When you get a professor on your side, you get access to funding and scholarship opportunities, networking and job opportunities, not to mention a wealth of knowledge in your field-- and even a valuable friend. We are fortunate to be surrounded by professors and other faculty who are, for the most part, approachable and accessible. Our other tip is to attend the lectures and events that Miami University and student organizations put on. They sometimes cost the university thousands of dollars and we pay for them out of our fees so we absolutely should go. They’re often fascinating topics presented by fascinating people. We miss out by choosing not to attend. Between the wealth of lectures and events, faculty who are eager to help and organizations that welcome interested students with open arms, it is easy to realize that size does matter when choosing a college and we are glad we chose Miami.
Rule of Thumb Derek Gordon This UMass player is the first openly gay male in D-1 college basketball.
AIDS benefit The 5K Walk/Run starts at 8 a.m. this Saturday at Wegerzyn Gardens in Dayton.
Facebook chat It will turn off its chat feature in its main mobile app and force people to download Messenger.
Rent the Runway Sorority and fraternity formal season is here; renting dresses is an affordable, yet fashionable option.
Professor TBA If we don’t know who’s teaching the class, how are we supposed to look them up on ratemyprofessor.com?
Tinder identity theft A UNC student finds herself on Tinder, but it isn’t her.
Taxes... Getting money back is great, but if you owe the government, it’s not such a great time of year.
COMMENTARY
Religion can no longer be used to oppress rights: Where do we draw the line? Hobby Lobby is in the middle of a lawsuit against the U.S. government for being forced to provide “abortion-inducing” and emergency contraceptives to its female employees. The company’s CEO, David Green, says his evangelical Christian beliefs conflict with some forms of contraception. Right now, Hobby Lobby agrees to provide 16 federally approved forms of birth control such as diaphragm and condoms. Under the Affordable Healthcare Act, companies refusing to provide contraceptives can be fined $100 a day per employee. Hobby Lobby has said it won’t provide some birth control measures including Plan B and IUDs as Green said he believes they can cause an abortion. This rhetoric of Plan B being an “abortion pill” has been used too often to oppress women’s rights to healthcare and the rights of men to have heterosexual relationships without worrying about their partner getting pregnant. Right-wing Christians such as Michele Bachmann often crusade against birth control. Plan B is often the most targeted contraceptive, usually under the accusations of it being an “abortion pill.”
Right now, women under the age of 17 cannot even buy Plan B without an adult. “It’s a license to do things in a sexual realm that is counter to how things are supposed to be,” Rick Santorum, a Republican politician said. This is coming from the same man who is constantly criticizing the government for overreaching and controlling the lives of citizens. This adds to the controversy of whether or not corporations should be seen as people and have the rights of an individual. Can a for-profit non-religious institution claim a religion? If so, should that company impose beliefs on its employees? Hobby Lobby is fighting for its first amendment rights. But with that mentality, there’s nothing stopping a business owner from refusing service to racial minorities if for-profit corporations had the right to impose religious ideas on their employees. The Book of Mormon says people with dark skin are, “a filthy people, full of idleness and all manner of abominations.” Until 1978, African Americans were not allowed in the Mormon Church. In the Bible, Leviticus has some
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rather harsh words about women on their menstrual cycle. “Anything she lies on during her period will be unclean, and anything she sits on will be unclean,” it says. Does that mean Green wants females to take a week’s vacation every month? I hope that’s paid.
LGBT supporters saying it legitimizes discrimination of race, gender and atheism. According to MSNBC, it isn’t illegal to discriminate against sexual orientation in Mississippi. Religious freedom bills are on the books in 18 other states.
Most of the founding fathers were atheist or agnostic.The bulk of this religion debate is supporting a Christian bias.The problem is that granting religious freedoms to for-profit corporations is a slippery slope. The Bible also states that, “If a man practices homosexuality, having sex with another man as to a woman, both men have committed a detestable act. They must both be put to death, for they are guilty of a capital offense.” Obviously these are all extreme cases that would never realistically happen in our society. But how do you draw a line? How can society cherrypick which words of a god are appropriate to enforce and which religious laws to ignore? Mississippi just passed an Arizona-style religious freedom bill that has received criticism from
The general public doesn’t have the tolerance to be told what to do. People are less religious now more than ever. A lot of the dramatic drop in faith is due to young people being offended by religious views on homosexuality, women’s rights and other top issues today. Most polls find that around 30 percent of millennials do not identify with a religion. Supporters of Hobby Lobby argue the United States was founded on Christianity but most of the founding fathers were atheist or agnostic. The bulk of this religion debate is supporting
a Christian bias. The problem is that granting religious freedoms to for-profit corporations is a slippery slope. Such laws can set the stage for further discrimination against women, homosexuals and atheists. The other side of this argument is that the employees aren’t forced to work at Hobby Lobby. With the high unemployment rate, I’m sure it isn’t as simple as that with the average female Hobby Lobby employee. Hobby Lobby has shown good integrity in the past. The corporation does follow the Christian belief on Sunday being a day of rest. Their minimum wage for a full time employee is $14 an hour. That’s still a small wage, but it’s far better than most comparable jobs. That’s what makes this whole story a shame. The for-profit corporation that employs 13,000 Americans is seeking individuality and religious freedom without considering the personal beliefs or health of the girl ringing up glitter at the cash register.
STEVEN BEYNON
SOPHOMORE, MEDIA AND CULTURE
BEYNONSM@MIAMIOH.EDU
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COMMENTARY
Miami Merger tradition is dying and so is the college dating scene
PATRICK GEYSER THE MIAMI STUDENT
REIS’ PIECES
We must start eating away at Earth’s food problem
KATIE TAYLOR EDITOR IN CHIEF EMILY CRANE NEWS EDITOR EMILY ELDRIDGE EDITORIAL EDITOR NICOLE THEODORE EDITORIAL EDITOR LAUREN KIGGINS ARTS AND EVENTS
adoption of insects as viable sources of protein in many Western countries,” Muller said. “Nevertheless, history has shown that dietary patterns can change quickly, particularly in the globalized world.” In some European countries, notably France, insects have begun to appear on menus in fancy restaurants. Muller compared it to the rise of sushi.
By 2050, it is widely believed the world’s population will reach 9 billion. To accomidate that increase, according to the FAO, the world’s current food production will need to double. “I don’t expect it to be something that happens very quickly, but if we remember that 20 years ago nobody in Europe would think of eating raw fish, and everybody now loves sushi, things can change, so even the cultures that are not used to eating insects may eventually develop a taste for them,” she said. A vast and relatively untapped potential exists in insect consumption. A changing attitude could eventually lead to a more sustainable, nutritious and universally beneficial diet. And, who knows? We might even enjoy it. CAMPUS EDITOR THEBAURG@MIAMIOH.EDU
CHRIS CURME COMMUNITY EDITOR JANE BLAZER COMMUNITY EDITOR VICTORIA SLATER CAMPUS EDITOR REIS THEBAULT CAMPUS EDITOR TOM DOWNEY SPORTS EDITOR
college, with an average of 9.7 hookups for men and 7.1 for women. Is this the kind of romance we were promised in our favorite cheesy movies? When we were children, we saw princes searching kingdoms for the girl they met that changed their life. As we matured, we looked on in awe as Richard Gere popped out of the sunroof of a limousine with roses in hand for Julia Roberts. We wondered why no one had written us 365 letters, every day for a year, out of pure love. Now I don’t want everyone on campus to think that I am a crazy person who thinks that “The Notebook” is going to happen to me. As much as I love Nicholas Sparks’ books and movies, I live in the real world. I have realistic expectations of men that don’t involve kissing in the pouring rain or shopping trips with no limit on spending. But I stand by my belief that our generation needs to stop ridiculous dating habits- both men and women. The biggest issue we have is extremely high or extremely low expectations of others. People tend to fall on one end or the other of the spectrum and both lead you to bad luck in relationships. Those with high expectations seem demanding, ungrateful, needy or high maintenance. Those with low expectations can end up in relationships, or nonrelationships like “talking,” where they aren’t treated with respect. The truth is that I don’t believe the Miami Merger is dead, but I do think it is in danger. Miami University is full of wonderful students who are smart, funny, talented and driven individuals. However, a lot of these individuals have fallen into the habit of expecting too much or too little from dates and relationships. Not every person we date is going to be someone we want to marry, but that doesn’t mean we should give up on dating. It also doesn’t mean that if a date goes well, we should be plotting to kiss them under the Upham Arch as soon as possible. Date whomever you want to date, and if you want a more defined relationship then be upfront about it. As I’m sure many Miami Mergers would tell us, relationships require honesty and communication. So stop carefully constructing text messages to the person you’re “talking to” and try actually talking to them; you might be surprised by what you hear.
ABBEY GINGRAS
FIRST YEAR, STRATEGIC COM GINGRAA@MIAMIOH.EDU
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eating insects. Now, to a large part of the world, this idea is not a new one. Edible insects have always been a part of human diets in Asia, Africa and Latin America. However, in the Western world, the reaction to consuming worms, grasshoppers and cicadas is one of visceral disgust. It is something people with access to an array of fast food burgers would only consider doing in times of near starvation. On the contrary, it is currently estimated that insects supplement the food intake of 2 billion people and are a staple in local diets and—get this—are consumed because of their taste, not out of a lack of any other food. But in order to make any changes on a global scale, the West’s attitude toward insect consumption has to change. If the West begins to value and recognize the benefits of insect consumption, not only could it bring nutritional benefits, but it would be ecologically valuable as well. Populations in the African countries of Malawi, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia highly value the food status of caterpillars. Studies conducted by the University of Wisconsin show a correlation between the value of those insects and better forest management and protection in these countries. This, of course, is logical. A people would want to protect the land from which their food is coming. The idea of insects as food, and not to mention feed for livestock and pets, is an extremely relevant one, but it is going to be a hard sell to Western consumers. However, Director of FAO’s Forest Economics, Policy and Products Division Eva Muller believes it is feasible. “Consumer disgust remains one of the largest barriers to the
Email Sloane Fuller at fullerse@miamioh.edu for more information.
It is greater than the population of India, grearter than China, greater than the entire continent of Africa. TwenREIS ty percent of THEBAULT the world’s people are malnourished. That is approximately 1.4 billion people. That is a lot of people, a lot of humans who are not living with enough food. Several questions immediately arise from this statistic. Most important, perhaps, is asking what can be done? How can Earth, in an act of humanity, fix this? This question becomes all the more important as the world’s population increases and it becomes more difficult to feed its people. The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) suggests a slimy, but nutritious solution: eating insects. By 2050, it is widely believed the world’s population will reach 9 billion. To accommodate that increase, according to the FAO, the world’s current food production will need to double. And we already make so much. On top of this, it is becoming more difficult to procure food in traditional ways. First of all, land is scarce and to devote more of it to farming than already is, the FAO points out, is not a sustainable solution. Offshores, oceans are already overfished and implications of climate change and water shortages will only exacerbate the issue. For these reasons, the world must evaluate how it consumes food. We need to reduce the waste, maximize the nutrition and find new ways of feeding billions of people sustainably. As a culture, we need to start
Our generation grew up in a technology transition. In elementary school, many of us were still doing math problems on chalkboards or in our heads. We would go to the library to check out books and spend our days practicing cursive as teachers reminded us that we would “use this in the future.” Fast forward to today: the calculators in our phones are better than those used in classrooms 15 years ago, books are read on tablet screens and cursive isn’t being taught anymore in most schools. Although all these differences are ones we’ve grown up with and adjusted to, the largest gap between our generation and that of our parents is that of relationships. When you talk to your parents or grandparents, you often hear about how they were high school sweethearts, how they’ve been together for 50 years or how they met and fell in love at 18 and never looked back. This is especially noticeable on Miami’s campus with so many faculty, alumni and parents of students priding themselves on being “Miami Mergers” who met their soulmate in college right here in Oxford. But with conventional relationships falling to the wayside as casual dating becomes standard, will our generation continue that tradition? “Having an exclusive relationship in college is difficult, especially if the other person is at another school,” first year Nick Stallings said. “It comes down to trade-offs. Is the time you spend away from that person worth the short time you might get to see them? Are things that you miss out on, like the casual dating scene, worth what you gain from your partner? Exclusive relationships are hard to maintain, yes, but worth the hardship if it’s someone you care about.” For those who aren’t in relationships, the complicated “hookup culture” that college students find themselves in today makes getting into an exclusive relationship a difficult feat. Hiding behind the screens of phones, groups of friends will spend hours analyzing texts received from a crush and even more hours crafting the perfect response. We have terms that confuse people as few as 10 years older than us, like “we’re just talking” or “we have a thing.” A friend will come to you in tears, saying that she “hooked up” with a guy at a party and never heard from him again. In a study done by sociologist Paula England at Stanford University, 72 percent of both male and female college seniors reported having at least one hookup during
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SOFTBALL, FROM PAGE 10
named MAC East Division Player of the Week after hitting .556, slugging .778 and recording six RBIs along with a home run last weekend. Also playing well is sophomore first baseman/pitcher Jenna Modic, who recorded three of her four home runs this season over the weekend. Junior outfielder Bree Lipscomb is currently third in the conference with eight home runs to go with her .646 slugging percentage. However, the pitching staff needs to improve its consistency as it has a 3.31 ERA while allowing a .271 batting average by its opponents. The defense also had its share of struggles as it has committed the fifth-
FLOW,
FROM PAGE 10 highly of the decision. Junior captain Austin Czarnik, who sports a quality hairstyle in his own right, looks at his teammate’s initiative as a great idea. “I think what Michael is going to do is great,” Czarnik said. “He’s a great kid and he wants to help kids who are in need. It really shows what kind of person he is to grow his hair out and shave it all for a
most errors in the MAC with 42. “We’re looking forward to this weekend,” junior third baseman Remy Edwards said. “Our offense has been hitting hot, so we’re having normal reps in practice so we can keep the momentum going. Defensively, we have to work on keeping our intensity up, limiting our mistakes and just keeping our confidence up. We had some outstanding performances from our pitchers so we just need to stay on the same page and keep our team chemistry and energy high.” The RedHawks hit the road Friday as they square off against Western Michigan in a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. and will head west to take on Northern Illinois at 6:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. cause bigger than him.” Mooney’s flow, which has been favorably compared to that of Blackhawks forward Patrick Sharp, is arguably one of the most enviable styles in the locker room – but he doesn’t have many qualms with getting rid of it, and he hopes he can persuade a few others to join him as well. “It would be nice to have a couple of guys do it,” Mooney said. “Even if it’s not guys on the team, if I can inspire anyone else to help others in some way that would be nice.”
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BASEBALL, FROM PAGE 10
not to be a nine-out guy or eightout guy. He’s usually one of those guys we count on to try to get us three outs, depending on what time of the game it is. He did a good job in his role, we tried to extend it a little bit today and that’s probably why he struggled a little bit late. But he did a pretty good job.” Walker led the way for the Bearcats in the championship game, pitching a complete game. He allowed six hits, walked three, struck out six and allowed four runs, two of which were earned. Russo went 2 for 4 with a run and an RBI, but the bats as a whole were silent after plating three runs in the second and another in the fourth.
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Redshirt junior Charlie Suich got the start for the RedHawks and went 4 innings, giving up six earned runs on eight hits and two walks. Freshman Brad Schwartz was solid in relief, going 4 innings with one earned run on five hits and five strikeouts. The RedHawks return to MidAmerican Conference play this weekend, as they hit the road to face Kent State University in a three-game weekend series. Kent is in first place in the MAC East, with a 7-2 conference record and are 21-10 overall. “It’ll be good competition,” Hayden said. “Kent state is very good, they are good every year now. It’ll be a good measuring stick for us because I think we are starting to click. Our starting pitching has been phenomenal
Region Job Requirements: * Good communication skills* Experience in door-to-door canvassing or willing to learn* Ability to walk long distances* Valid Driver’s License and access to a vehicle* Willing to travel throughout the Butler and Preble County areas * Familiar with iPad/iPhone devises or willing to learn * Able to work with a team member Training provided Competitive pay References required Minimum 10 hrs/week, Maximum 32 hrs/week Project ends early May Email walkandtalk937@gmail. com or call 513-341-6757 to schedule an interview SUMMER & FULL TIME POSITIONS BEAUTIFUL LAKEFRONT YACHTING CLUB SEEKS OUTGOING, MOTIVATED INDIVIDUALS. WILL TRAIN QUALIFIED CANDIDATES AS: SERVERS BUSSERS HOST/HOSTESS BARTENDERS DOCK ATTENDANTS LIFEGUARDS LINE COOKS/BANQUET PREP SAILCAMP COUNSELORS SNACK BAR ATTENDANTS INCENTIVE PROGRAMS/ FLEXIBLE HRS EXCELLENT PAY CALL TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WEDNESDAY THRU SUNDAY 200 YACHT CLUB DR. ROCKY RIVER, OH 44116 (440)333-1155 SUMMER JOBS AT THE DRIVE-IN! Join the fun! We are accepting applications for summer employment at the Holiday Auto Theatre, 1816 Old Oxford Road (SR 130) near Hamilton. We are looking for friendly, outgoing, motivated individuals to fill roles in Guest Service, Concessions, Ticket Sales, and Landscaping. Please call us at 513-868-3456 for more the last four weeks and our offense has carried when our starting pitching hasn’t been great. But our starters have pretty special the last four weeks so I think it’ll be a good opportunity to see where we are against who I believe will probably be the best team in our conference this year and we’ll see if we can’t go beat them a couple of times.” Miami is fifth in the MAC East with a 4-5 conference record, but did take two of three games from the University of Akron, which is second in the MAC East. “I think we’re pretty confident going into this weekend,” Junior infielder Scott Slappey said. “We feel like we can definitely take the series. It’d be a big series for us especially. Kent State, we don’t like those guys.”
... The number of Miami Student readers who will see
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FRIDAY APRIL 11, 2014
MiaMi University Libraries UpcoMing events THREATENED. ATTACKED. JAILED.
FREEDOM RIDERS A Film by Stanley Nelson
Muslim Journeys: Book Discussion
Thursday ~ April 17
4:00 - 5:00 PM King Library - Room 320
Film Screening and Discussion
with Scholar Kathy Conkwright, Clinical Professor of Journalism, and Media and Culture
Tuesday – April 15th – 6:00 – 9:00 PM King Library – 3rd Floor – Room 320
Could YOU get on the bus? Presented on-‐campus in Oxford and at the Garner-‐Harvey Library through a generous grant from the Created Equal program of the NaHonal Endowment for the HumaniHes.
Dreams of Trespass “I was born in a harem in 1940 in Fez, Morocco...” So begins Fatima Mernissi in this exotic and rich narrative of a childhood behind the iron gates of a domestic harem. In Dreams of Trespass, Mernissi weaves her own memories with the dreams and memories of the women who surrounded her in the courtyard of her youth -- women who, deprived of access to the world outside, recreated it from sheer imagination. Dreams of Trespass is the provocative story of a girl confronting the mysteries of time and place, gender and sex in the recent Muslim world. A limited number of free books are available! Sign up for yours here: http://libguides.lib.miamioh.edu/MuslimJourneys
MIAMI UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
King Library - Amos Music Library - B.E.S.T. Library - University Archives - Wertz Art & Architecture Library Find Us Online at MiamiOH.edu/Library
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SPORTS
EDITOR TOM DOWNEY
FRIDAY, APRIL 11, 2014
SPORTS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET
JOE GIERINGER NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOE
DESCEND INTO MADNESS WITH ME: IT’S TIME FOR THE CRAZINESS OF THE CUP I know I’m kind of crazy. No, I don’t mean crazy in the padded white walls and straight jacket sense – although some who have made my acquaintance might contest that statement. My craziness is more readily described as erratic. Eccentric. Any other “E” word that makes me sound smart. Mostly, it’s because I grew up a netminder. I would don my beat up, jet-black pads with John Brown’s company logo and hit the ice like a Canadian kid at sun up. We goalies are a bit of a different breed, you see. And I grew up reveling in that fact. As I matured, so did my love of the game. When I decided to opt out of pursuing hockey as a career through the USHL and into the NCAA, I turned to spectatorship to get me by. When that wasn’t enough, an interest in sports journalism helped to fill the void that leaving competitive play had created. And as a newly anointed NHL writer for GrandstandU, I’m beyond excited for the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Wednesday. The term “Cup Crazy” has been a league favorite for years now, and it’s one of the few instances I can think of in which “crazy” is a compliment. It’s also alliterative, so you know it’s catchy. I’m a bit Cup Crazy myself, but not in the traditional sense. In the wake of a childhood idolizing Patrick Roy and the Colorado Avalanche of the 90’s, my love affair with NHL hockey was put on hold by the 2004-05 Lockout. After that, I was at a bit of an impasse. My favorite players had retired or been traded away. Columbus was still abysmal as a fledgling franchise, so any hope of jumping on the near-hometown bandwagon was naught. After a year or two of hopeless searching, I slowly realized the truth. I no longer had a team. Those were dark times in the Gieringer household. My dad tried to mold me into a Red Wings fan, but come on! I was riding the curtails of childhood filled with Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg posters. It simply wasn’t an option. My brother insisted I get onboard with the Blue Jackets, but judging by my last paragraph, you know where I stood on this issue. From what appeared to be an unsolvable quandary, a renewed sense of purpose would eventually reveal itself in my last two years at Miami. As I took on the responsibility of covering the Miami’s hockey team for the Student, I slowly learned that having no allegiance to a professional team was a blessing in disguise. I was freed from the shackles of a single city, free to look at each matchup in its own entirety, and analyze more accurately what would become of a series. Am I free of all bias? Certainly not, but I’m no longer focused on one team, and I feel as if I enjoy the playoffs in a more wholesome, complete way. For those of you who don’t like hockey, that somehow made it this far through this piece, it’s difficult to capture the essence of this twomonth, emotional roller coaster in a long form essay, let alone a column. I can’t tell you why you should watch it, but I’ll try to explain why I won’t be missing a second. Every sport ramps up its
intensity in the playoffs. But the NHL is a whole different kind of animal. It gets crazy. I refuse to equate sports and heroism, but in no sport is sacrifice as inherent and imperative as it is in hockey. Players not only bleed for their team, but they’ll risk their lives. Look at Rich Peverley of the Dallas Stars. After practically dying on the bench in a cardiac-related episode and being revived, he asked what period it was and if he could get back on the ice. And that wasn’t even in the playoffs. Patrice Bergeron became even more renowned in his home city of Boston as he fought on in the Bruins’ losing effort in Game 6 of the Finals last year, despite suffering the incredible pain of a separated shoulder, cracked rib and punctured lung. You’ve seen the memes online, you’ve heard the soundbite that John Buccigross will utter on a segment of Sportscenter. Hockey players are just plain tough. But more than that, hockey is a culture. It’s something most people are born into, or initiated into at a very young age. Few are able to penetrate the veil that shrouds the sport in mystery to those that don’t, or rather won’t, understand its nuances. It’s a family. It’s a community. It’s a living, breathing creature, and the playoffs bring out the very best, and sometimes worst, in its players, its fans and its organizations. It’s the moments that take your breath away, that make you stand up and cheer, that bring you and your friends or family together to catch a game and reconnect. It’s the storylines of fortitude and courage in the face of insurmountable odds, like that of Wild goaltender Josh Harding battling M.S. It’s two teams that hate each other every second of their time spent occupying the ice - those bitter rivalries that evoke emotions of hatred and anger - embracing each other in mutual respect at the conclusion of the series and the traditional handshake lineup. It’s about the players who give back to their communities, who love nothing more than to play the game they love and help out who they can in the process. It’s about guys who do it the right way, like Ron Francis and Teemu Selanne. It’s the unbearable agony of making that one mistake, of missing out on what could be the only chance at a Cup. But it’s also about the players like Ray Bourque, who finally hoist the finest trophy in all of sports after careers filled with heartbreak. It’s about those thirty pounds feeling like three when the man with the “C” on his chest raises those rings above his head, arms extended to the sky, and the guys who break down crying when simple words fail them. It’s about moments like the ‘98 Finals, when the Red Wings wheeled Vladimir Konstantinov onto the ice to receive the Cup one year after a car crash ended his playing career. It’s about all of these things, sure, but I’ve hardly scratched the surface. I wish I could better articulate what this game has meant to me, and what I hope it will mean to me in the future, but for now this will suffice. So yes, I’m a bit crazy, but I don’t mind. And in five days I invite you to be crazy with me, because it’s the Cup.
TAYLOR WOOD THE MIAMI STUDENT
UP AND OVER
Miami freshman Vincent Moeglin (4) and sophomore Matthew Pelletier (11) compete in the men’s 3000 meter steeplechase Saturday April 4 during the Miami Invitational. Pelletier finished sixth and Moeglin eighth.
BASEBALL
’Hawks come up short in Joe Nuxhall Classic BY TOM DOWNEY SPORTS EDITOR
The Miami University baseball team rounded third but wasn’t able to head home in the Joe Nuxhall Classic. The RedHawks jumped on Xavier University early and often in their opening game, but fell to the University of Cincinnati in the championship game of the classic named after the legendary Cincinnati Reds pitcher and broadcaster. The RedHawks (13-18) defeated Xavier (17-14) 14-9 Tuesday behind the power of their bats, in a game that wasn’t as close as the final score might indicate. After just two innings, Miami held an 11-1 lead over the Musketeers. Every ’Hawk hitter reached base at least twice against Xavier. The ’Hawks then fell to UC (13-18) 7-4 Wednesday thanks to an impressive performance from junior Bearcat pitcher Grant Walker. XU started redshirt sophomore Eric Stiene, who hadn’t allowed a single run in 24 2-3 innings
entering the game. That streak was ended quickly, as Stiene gave up 10 runs (seven earned), seven hits and six walks in just 1 2-3 innings. “He was good,” sophomore designated hitter Gary Russo said. “I think he was a little off today – he was up early and had some control issues. I’ve said it a million times: This is the best lineup I’ve ever been a part of. This is not a surprise at all. I think if we come to the park with the same approach we did today, we can do this all year long. I think we have nine great hitters in our lineup to be honest.” Russo was one of the leaders for the RedHawks from the batting box, going 4 for 5 with three RBIs and three runs scored. Miami freshman Christian Bokich got the start and went 3 1-3 innings, giving up five runs (one earned), six hits, no walks and striking out three. “He was competitive,” head coach Danny Hayden said. “It was good to see that out of him. He got into some trouble almost
every inning, I think besides one, but a lot of that wasn’t his fault. It wasn’t like he was walking guys or anything like that; we kicked it around a ton behind. We weren’t very reliable, especially early in the game defensively. He did a god job of getting out of stuff without giving up a big inning.” Junior Ryan Haynes came on in relief of Bokich, pitching 2 1-3 scoreless innings en route to his first college win. Sophomore Wynston McMartin ran into some trouble in the ninth inning, giving up four runs to bring the Muskies within five, but junior Alex Brown shut the door and recorded the final two outs. “I think we probably left McMartin in a little bit too long,” Hayden said. “We were hoping he could get us through the rest of the game. I just think he kinda ran out of gas there. But he did a pretty good job while he was out there. His role on our team is
BASEBALL, SEE PAGE 8
Luscious lettuce for Locks of Love Miami sophomore defenseman Michael Mooney is growing out his hair (or lettuce) so he can donate it to charity. It will likely go to either Cincinnati Children’s Hospital or Locks of Love.
BY JOE GIERINGER & STEVEN PERKINS FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT
For decades, hair has been a quintessential part of any selfrespecting hockey player’s arsenal. “Flow,” as it is referred to in the business, has and continues to be a hallmark of many a Hall of Famer. Be it Patrick Kane’s shoulder-length curls, Jaromir Jagr’s mullet (circa 1996) or Henrik Lundqvist’s suave, Swedish shine, hockey players have their hairstyles down to a science. That is why it’s a little odd when one of the boys throws caution to the wind and hacks it all off in one fell swoop. Michael Mooney has a good reason, though. The sophomore RedHawk defenseman has decided that, when it reaches the appropriate length, he will donate his hair to a charitable organization. “I’m not sure if I’ll give it to
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital or Locks of Love,” the Eden Prairie, Minn. native said. “I also don’t know exactly how long it has to be. I’m at five [inches] right now, so I’m getting there.”
MICHAEL MOONEY
Ten inches is the minimum length to donate hair to Locks of Love, so he’s halfway there. Locks of Love is a non-profit charity which takes donations of hair as
well as money to make wigs for Canadian and American children suffering from conditions causing them to lose their hair. Despite catching some grief from friends, teammates and coaches, Mooney maintains that he’s received support and praise from everyone that knows of his intentions. The 6-footo1, 200-pound Mooney even points to a former RedHawk as a source of inspiration. “My close friend Ryan Jones did it,” Mooney said, referring to 2008 graduate and three-time AllCentral Collegigate Hockey Association forward who now plays for the Edmonton Oilers. “I saw how he helped, and I just want to try to do something nice for people who have been touched by this truly awful disease of cancer.” Mooney’s peers certainly think
FLOW,
SEE PAGE 8
SOFTBALL
Red and White ready for road stand against Broncos and Huskies BY JORDAN RINARD SENIOR STAFF WRITER
The Miami University softball team, winner of five of its last seven takes on a pair of Mid-American Conference West Division foes Western Michigan University and Northern Illinois University this weekend in road matchups. The RedHawks (16-17, 4-2 MAC) are 2-0 in away conference games this season and are sitting in second
place in the MAC East Division standings behind Ohio University (19-15, 4-2 MAC). “We’re playing some good teams this weekend,” head coach Clarisa Crowell said. “Last season, we split Western here, and we swept Northern Illinois but then lost to them in the MAC Tournament. Against Western Michigan, we’re looking to pick up two wins. Our pitchers have to do their job, our offense has to keep going and our defense needs to step up.
NIU will be a tough game and a big game; it’s our first night game of the season so we’re looking forward to playing under the lights. Our pitchers need to hold down their offense because they’re going to play hard. We just need to play well and play with energy, intensity and passion.” Western Michigan (11-23, 2-4 MAC) has been struggling as of late, dropping four of its last six games and its last three to MAC teams. Sophomore outfielder Melissa
Palmer leads the offense for the Broncos with a .355 batting average and the second-most hits in the conference with 39. Sophomore pitcher Allyson Kus has been effective on the mound with a 3.68 ERA and has accounted for 70 of the team’s 96 strikeouts this season. Northern Illinois (15-16, 3-3 MAC) is rolling as it has won four straight games, beating the University of North Dakota and Western Michigan. The Huskies have been
efficient on offense this season, as they are second in the MAC with a .310 batting average and seven players recording averages of .300 or higher. Junior pitcher Jessica Sturm leads the pitching staff with a 2.79 ERA in 11 starts. Miami has had some strong performances recently with senior catcher Kayla Ledbetter being
SOFTBALL, SEE PAGE 8