The Miami Student Oldest university newspaper in the United States, established 1826
VOLUME 138 NO. 51
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
MIAMI UNIVERSITY OXFORD, OHIO
In 1973, The Miami Student reported Miami University’s Board of Trustees had approved the distribution of gynecological services through the Student Health Center. The bill said the services of a gynecologist could be used but contraceptives could not be distributed.
Miami weighs partial privatization By Jenni Wiener Campus Editor
All the talk about “charter universities” has raised a ruckus around the campus of Miami University. A group of faculty, staff, students, community members and representatives from other public universities, including the University of Cincinnati, gathered at a “teachin” April 7 to discuss the ramifications of Miami’s potential to be a “charter university.” Becoming a “charter university” entails less state funding of the public university in exchange for less regulation by the state. This is basically a form of privatization of public universities, according to Kathleen Knight- Abowitz, professor of education at Miami.
With less money from the state, the university has two options: finding funds somewhere else or operating the university with less money, said Professor Richard Quantz. “Every year the state informs the university of the maximum amount they are allowed to raise tuition,” Quantz said. “If that regulation were to be taken away, then the university would be permitted to raise its tuition as much as it thought it could get away with in the marketplace.” He went on to say there is also a rule regulating the number of students on the Oxford campus. Without this cap, there could potentially be bigger class sizes and more students. Another way to make up for the lack of funding would be to pay the labor less, reduce benefits or
eliminate jobs, Quantz said. learning process. “We regulate for one of two reaToday, 8 percent of students in the sons either to protect the public’s United States attend charter schools. interest or to protect However, according the vulnerable,” to Johnson, the moQuantz said. “A public university tive has changed. Teaching Associ“It used to be a means shared collaborative efate Brent Johnson problems and fort but now is a said the idea of interests. It should competitive effort “charter schools,” meaning elemen- serve the public and between the public tary schools, midschool and the charbe affordable.” dle schools and ter,” Johnson said. high schools, is “Based on data, reKATHLEEN KNIGHT25 to 30 years old. ports and informaABOWITZ It was originally tion that compares PROFESSOR proposed, “to best the two types of experiment with schools and stuteaching techniques and increase dents, there is little to no difference. students’ scores,” Johnson said. The Outcomes seem to favor the tradifounder wanted to do away with bu- tional school. We haven’t seen the reaucracy that would hold back the results we have been promised.”
The state of Virginia has a chartertype system now, instituted six years ago, said Knight-Abowitz. Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) is one of the few “charter universities” in the United States and experienced a 24 percent tuition increase this past year. “A public university means shared problems and interests,” KnightAbowitz said. “It should serve the public and be affordable.” Professor Dennis Carlson and Associate Professor Denise Baszile agreed action needs to be taken against “charter universities.” “We are in difficult times right now,” Baszile said. “I encourage students and faculty to think of what it means to be
wSee CHARTER, page 5
Off to see the wizard
ANDREW BRAY The Miami Student
The cast of The Wiz performs this weekend. The play will also be performed April 14 through April 17. Go to miamistudent.net to read a review of the performance.
SPECIAL REPORTS
Editor Amanda Seitz specialreports@miamistudent.net
PART 1 OF 2
Athletic department depends on student fee money By Noëlle Bernard Editorial Editor
This year, Miami University raked in nearly $29 million to benefit athletics, facilities, health services and student organizations through general fee charges listed obscurely in every student’s tuition bill. Inside the roughly $12,189 instate students paid for the 20102011 tuition charge or the $26,988 for out-of-state lies a $1,774 general fee. Since the state does not allow a university to allocate tuition toward non-educational services or buildings, the general fee serves as a way to raise money for areas the university believes enhances education. “The biggest portion is what we call tuition which is broken up into two pieces,” said Vice President of Finance and Business Services David Creamer. “The biggest would be what we call the instructional fee and that’s the part that relates most closely to your academic programs. The second part of that tuition is the general fee.” The general fee has steadily risen over the last four years averaging an increase of about $37 each year. Ultimately, in-state students put forth about 15 percent of their tuition to pay for general fees, while out-of-state students pay about
6.5 percent of their tuition. The fee specifically accounts for the expenditures of Intercollegiate Athletics, the Recreational Sports Center, Millett Assembly Hall, the Shriver Center, the Goggin Ice Center, parking, student facilities, Student Health Services, student organizations, Student Affairs Council, lecture and artists and musical organizations. These expenses are found within each student’s tuition, therefore meaning that each student is paying to benefits of the allocated services. “It’s really the other things that broaden the kind of experience you have here but it’s not as closely tied to the educational experience,” Creamer said. “The belief is that it is enhancing your educational experience but its not directly connected to that degree you pursue.” Students have been paying roughly the same amount on the Goggin Ice Arena since 2003, according to Associate Athletic Director Steve Cady. The fee, which accounts for $156 of each student’s payment, pays for the upkeep of the building. While donations helped to build Goggin, the building still derives some of its funding from students. “Where some of the money is coming from fundraising, some of the money was determined that it would come from (the general fee),” Creamer said. “The same thing will be eventually
Go to miamistudent.net to check out your estimated student fees for the 2011-2012 year using our student fee calculator. true for the Armstrong Student Center but not until it opens. Unfortunately, these decisions get made by students back in a point of time but they obligate students for years because the cost will go on for 25 or 30 years.” On the same token, John D. Millett Hall was built in 1968 and students are still paying virtually the same amount of fees for this building, 43 years later. Creamer also attributes this steady cost to the upkeep of Millett. Within the general fee, the largest expenditures come from intercollegiate athletics, the Recreational Sports Center and Goggin Ice Arena. These services and facilities require the most money from the general fee because of their large size and direct connection to majority of students, Creamer said. “The law requires anything that’s a dedicated student facility, not instructional or research in nature, that it must be separated out and treated under the general
fee,” Creamer said. “The state actually doesn’t provide any support for those particular facilities.” Intercollegiate athletics sucks up over half of the general fee with each student paying $909 this year. According to Jason Lener, deputy director for intercollegiate athletics, the money from the general fee is used to fuel the department in almost all areas. “The general fee goes to helping us run our athletic department,” Lener said. “Now we generate a little more than $5 million of our own revenue through ticket sales, fundraising,
corporate sponsorships and grants that we get from the NCAA for just having division one athletics and parking. The rest of our department is funded through the general fee.” Yet, Miami’s high numbers stand out in comparison to other NCAA Division I schools that use general fees to support athletics. “The reason why our number is so high if you compare us to some of the other schools in our conference is because we have one of the lower enrollments,” Lener said.
wSee FEES, page 5
2
Campus
Tuesday
April 12, 2011
Editors Lauren Ceronie Jenni Wiener campus@miamistudent.net
NEWS Search for CAS dean begins BRIEFS By Ursula Cauffiel Staff Writer
FYI Political science professor receives award Political Science Professor Philip Russo has been named Miami University’s Outstanding Professor for 2011 by Associated Student Government (ASG) and Campus Activities Council (CAC). Russo was one of 44 faculty members nominated for the award by graduating seniors. He is currently the Director of the Center for Public Management and Regional Affairs and is chair of the Public Administration and Policy Analysis committee. Russo also teaches courses in public administration, public personnel management, public policy analysis, research methods and local government politics and administration. Five finalists were named for this award including Karen Montgomery, clinical faculty in teacher education; Richard Moore, assistant professor of botany; David Rosenthal, marketing professor and Siok Lian Tan, associate professor of music.
Phyllis Callahan currently serves as the interim dean for the College of Arts and Science. Her position as interim dean will end as soon as a permanent one is found. Callahan was asked in fall 2010 to serve as interim dean for this semester and has not specified whether she will be applying to be the permanent dean for the college. Provost Bobby Gempesaw announced there will be a national search for the permanent dean in fall 2011. “A search committee, with the assistance of a professional search firm, will evaluate candidates for
the position,” Gempesaw said. “Eventually, three or four finalists will be invited to campus to meet with students, staff, faculty and other administrators.” The job involves many tasks, according to Callahan. “I provide educational leadership to the liberal arts and sciences, develop and promote academic programs, review curricular programs, do faculty review and development, oversee tenure and promotion processes,” Callahan said. When the last permanent dean stepped down last semester, Callahan was appointed interim dean. Interim Provost John Skillings offered her the job after calling a meeting with the chairs and
program directors of the College of Arts and Science. She was highly recommended by the chairpersons and accepted the responsibility of Interim Dean. “The chairs and program directors were supportive of me serving as Interim Dean,” Callahan said. “Dr. Skillings asked me to serve and I accepted.” The search for the next permanent dean is expected to last less than a year. “The university has established a search procedure in the appointment of a permanent dean so we have to follow that policy,” Gempesaw said. “The Interim Dean and other faculty may apply to be considered if they are interested in
the position.” This job is very important to the university and the selection of the permanent Dean of the College of Arts and Science will have major ramifications for Miami students, especially those with concentrations in the arts and sciences. Knowing this, Provost Gempesaw said, “We will be looking for candidates who have leadership experience and are outstanding scholars in the disciplines belonging to the College of Arts and Science.” When asking Callahan why she wasn’t in the running to be a permanent dean, she said that the national search for the dean of the college is an open one, not specifying whether or not she was in the running.
Celebrating good times
Percussion ensemble performs spring concert Spring has come to Miami University’s campus and along with it music inspired by the Polynesian Islands. The Miami University Percussion Ensemble, directed by William Albin, will hold its spring concert at 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 13 in Hall Auditorium. The concert, put on and performed by Miami students will feature guest performer Chris Tanner. Miami’s Percussion Ensemble has performed since 1974 and has played in played at both the Kennedy Center and Carnegie Recital Hall during that time. Admission to the spring concert is free and open to the public.
ALLISON BACKOVSKI The Miami Student
Ladies of the Xi Rho chapter of Zeta Phi Beta celebrated 10 years on campus Saturday at Marcum Conference Center.
Conservative speakers to lecture at Miami
Internationally known poet to recite works
By Tom Dever
Jerome Rothenberg, an internationally known American poet is coming to Miami University April 12 to read from his work. Miami’s Creative Writing Program and the department of English will be hosting Rothenberg. The poet was first published in the late 1950s and has continued his work since then. Rothenberg is known for his work in ethnopoetics. Some of his works are included in his two-volume anthology-assemblage, Poems for the Millennium: The University of California Book of Modern and Postmodern Poetry. The event will take place at 7:30 p.m. April 12 at Leonard Theater in Peabody Hall. It is free and open to the public.
As the spring semester winds down at Miami University, students are usually focused in on their final papers and exams. This year may be an exception to that, as upcoming speaking events sponsored by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute and College Republicans have garnered attention from students and faculty alike. The two speakers scheduled are well-known conservative activists Sarah Elizabeth (S.E.) Cupp and recent sensation James O’Keefe. Cupp is a political commentator who has appeared on FOXNews, MSNBC and CNN, as well as an author, with her next book, Losing Our Religion: The Liberal Media’s Attack on Christianity scheduled for an April 27 release. O’Keefe is a self-described conservative “citizen journalist” who is best known for his undercover videos that eventually led the federal government to cut funding to the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN). The Intercollegiate Studies Institute is a non-profit conservative educational organization that was founded in 1953, according to their website. Junior John Howting, president of the Miami chapter, said the speakers are scheduled for separate events with Cupp speaking on
For The Miami Student
Thursday, April 14 and O’Keefe speaking on Monday, April 18. Howting and the organization is aware that the speakers have evoked some negative connotations from certain opponents. “I believe that both of the speakers are very current, both are relevant and both of them have interesting things to say,” Howting said. The speeches will offer two different messages. According to Cupp, her speech will focus on “the liberal hack media’s anti-Christian bias.” Howting has acknowledged that a topic like this will obviously fuel some politically charged feelings, but Cupp is adamant in her stance that the collective group referred to a the Christian Right is actually beneficial and is commonly misrepresented and discriminated against by the media according to information on her website. The O’Keefe speech, on the other hand, will be less political in nature, according to Howting. In general, the O’Keefe speech has drawn more criticism from students than the Cupp event. Junior Pat Miller, a self-described liberal, is one such example. “I don’t have a problem with a conservative speaker, but I refuse to acknowledge him as a ‘journalist’ in any sense of the word,” Miller said. Howting disagrees with such assertions.
wSee SPEAKER, page 5
The New York Times offers college students online discount By Lauren Ceronie Campus Editor
The New York Times has a storied history; the Pulitzer Prizes, the investigative reporting and, of course, the price. The paper that gives us “All the news that’s fit to print” is one of the more expensive in the business with a yearly home delivery subscription costing around $385. The Times also introduced digital subscriptions March 28 that can cost from $180 to $420 for a year subscription. Miami University students and The New York Times lovers need not worry, however. The Times announced April 4 it will be giving students attending about 350 universities that participate in its Newspaper Readership Program a discount on digital subscriptions,
according to The New York Times spokesperson, Eileen Murphy. “We have a long tradition at the Times of usage for educational purposes,” Murphy said. “This discount is consistent with policies we’ve always had.” As attendees of a university that participates in the Readership Program, Miami students are eligible for a 25 percent discount on digital subscriptions to The Times, Murphy said. Students will pay $11.25 per month for a basic package that includes access to The Times on computers and smartphones instead of the non-discounted $15 per month for the same package, according to Murphy. More advanced packages that include access to The Times on tablets are not discounted, Murphy said. The Times discount for college
students is simply an addition to the other educational programs the company supports, according to Murphy. These programs include workshops for aspiring journalists and sponsoring speakers at universities, Murphy said. “This comes from the very top of the company where there’s a deep commitment to education,” Murphy said. Through the Readership Program, Miami brings free print copies of The New York Times, USA Today, and Cox Media Group Papers to dining halls and academic buildings around campus, according to Richard Campbell, journalism department director and professor. The university is able to get the newspapers at a discount and subsidize them with student fee money, Campbell said.
Through the program, Miami r up a newspaper you stumble across eceives 300 copies of the The New things you might not have stumYork Times daily at 50 cents per bled across online,” Campbell said. paper, according to Kristen Mason, “Newspapers can cultivate that communications kind of learning manager at The experience.” New York Times. Junior Brian “We have a long The university, Stone said he reads radition at the which started the The New York Times of usage program in SepTimes multiple for educational tember 1999, felt times a week and, this program was although he may purposes.” beneficial to stunot use the disdents after a survey count, said he is EILEEN MURPHY revealed 90 percent glad it’s available. NEW YORK TIMES of students said “I wouldn’t SPOKESPERSON they liked having buy the disthe papers available count because I to them, according can read the pato Campbell. per for free already, but I “Unlike a website or a Facebook think it’s good they give stupage where you can customize dents a chance to get a discount,” what you can see, when you open Stone said.
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Community
Tuesday
April 12, 2011
Editor Melissa Tacchi community@miamistudent.net
Public follows festival indoors By Sarah Sidlow Senior Staff Writer
Male with case of munchies steals sweets One Miami University senior may have had a case of the munchies around 2:30 a.m. Friday morning. Twenty-two-yearold Aaron Bindi was seen running from United Dairy Farmers, arms full of chips, a dozen Krispy Kreme doughnuts, a box of ice cream and six packs of cookies, laughing and dropping items as he ran towards an alley, police reports said. Bindi was taken to the Oxford Police Department and cited for theft, a misdemeanor citation, police reports said.
First-year female vomits on sidewalk Eighteen-year-old Miami University first-year Katharine Mintz was found vomiting on the sidewalk while sitting on a park bench at High and Main St. around 11 p.m. Friday. Mintz was sitting with two males and one female who told police they were “taking her home on the Red bus.” The female couldn’t stand, her speech was slurred and she said she took a couple of shots of vodka in her residence hall, police reports said. Mintz was cited for underage drinking and disorderly conduct.
CORRECTIONS It is the policy of The Miami Student to publish corrections for factual errors found in the newspaper. In the April 8 article “Council discusses pay bands,” it was reported that discrepancies in pay bands did not comply with the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System’s regulations. This information is inaccurate. The pay bands have nothing to do with the OPERS. The article also said a resolution for conversion plans for Oxford employees turning leave time into cash was passed all the way through. The plan was only passed on a first reading and will be heard for a second reading at the next City Council meeting.
The Oxford Community Arts Center was filled with buzzing and whirring as contraptions, toys, demonstrations and Rube Goldberg machines stood on its floors for the Oxford Kinetics festival April 9. Although the festival was originally scheduled to be held on High Street around the uptown parks, uncooperative weather forced Miami University students, faculty, volunteers and area families inside. Dynamic displays and activities were set up to teach and entertain children in the community and families of Miami faculty, according to Miami sophomore and event volunteer Liz Conese. There was a room for K’nex toys, a toy lab run by a performance art group and student-made moving sculptures and Rube Goldberg contraptions, which are intricately designed cause-andeffect models, similar to those found in the board game Mousetrap. Music was also supplied at the event. Three of Cincinnati’s surf rock bands, Fronkensteen, Skeletone and the AmpFibians played live performances throughout the event. Miami junior Carl Hayden had a moving sculpture on display in the arts center. His project was for his sculpture class. The assignment was to create a moving sculpture to mimic the movement of an animal like a butterfly or a skunk; or in Hayden’s case, a cliff swallow. “The project was adding power to non-mechanical parts,” Hayden said. “We started out thinking about the animal’s movement, and then how to make a moving sculpture, and finally how to
PHOTO COURTESY OF OXFORD KINETICS FESTIVAL
The Oxford Kinetics festival was held April 9 at the Oxford Community Arts Center. make it entertaining for kids.” Miami graduate student Alicia Overmeyer displayed art of a different kind. Covered in Styrofoam Polar Pop cups, she proudly showed off her wearable sculpture for her “Motion as Metaphor” class. This was her first time at the Kinetics Festival. “I didn’t know what to expect, but it’s pretty awesome,” she said. “There are a lot of kids here and everyone’s playing around, so I think the goals were met.” The festival seemed to meet every goal except one. There was a “scramble” race scheduled for 1 p.m., but the event was rescheduled due to lightning. Participants in the event brought their homemade contraptions, mostly modified bicycles,
prepared to compete in the scramble. Miami senior Vitus Vrynn explained what the race typically entails. “It’s not just about speed,” Miami senior Vitus Vrynn said. “There are also five stations. At each station, you and your contraption have to do something ridiculous, whatever they tell you to do.” Vrynn said the scramble event was something worth seeing. “It’s definitely worth checking out,” Vrynn said. “In a small college town, sometimes you don’t get a lot of interaction with the community. Events like this bring out the greater community.” Volunteers are unsure when the scramble will be rescheduled.
Stream Team monitors Butler County waters By Melissa Maykut For The Miami Student
The Butler County Stream Team, a volunteer organization that monitors Butler County’s water quality, opened its lab doors to the public during its open house Saturday, April 9 in Boyd Hall. The Stream Team, a joint project between the Butler County Storm Water District, the Butler Soil and Water Conservation District and the Institute of Environmental Sciences at Miami University, was created to educate residents about water quality issues like storm runoff and to provide data that meets Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards. Between 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday, residents were permitted to browse the lab, ask questions, view power point slides and test water samples with the stream team volunteers, according to lab
manager Chad Toussant. “We really want people to come in as we are testing and sampling,” Toussant said. “It is a day to come in and really interact with the volunteers.” The Stream Team is a core group of 20 volunteers who come to the lab the second Saturday of every month to test water samples brought in by residents from creeks and streams throughout Butler County, according to Toussant. The team uses probes and meters to test samples for nitrates, total phosphorous, bacteria, conductivity, total dissolved solids (TSS), pH and turbidity, according to Dr. Donna McCollum, coordinator of the Butler County Stream Team. Jon Wallace, a Miami first-year who volunteers with the Stream Team, said if a water sample contained a high amount of phosphates, this would mean that sewage, animal manure or some other form of
Changes coming to OxFest By Genna Carbone For The Miami Student
New faces were introduced into the planning of this year’s OxFest in hopes of creating some positive change for the student centered outdoor event, starting at 10 a.m. April 16 at Camp America. Scott Singerman, the founder of OhioStandUp.com, which advertises for the event, is looking forward to the changes. “The biggest difference in OxFest this year is the structure,” Singerman said. Contrary to previous years in which a concert was the main focus of attraction, this year the festival will be surrounded by music and art. “We decided to have multiple headliners with two stages performing simultaneously,” Singerman said. “The two stages will offer differing music styles at all times so everyone will have the opportunity to listen to something of their choice,” Singerman said. “Participants can expect all types of music from a variety of artists ranging from local bands like The Truants to more well-known artists like Chip the Rip and MartyParty.” “We tried to have more local acts matched up with bigger acts,”Andrew Stankus, founder of OxFest said. Singerman said those who wish to attend the event should look up the artist’s lineup prior to arrival. “With two stages and multiple acts, a basic game plan helps you get the most out of your day,” Singerman said. Stankus said that he is looking forward to the artistic aspects of the event as well which has
never been done before. “Throughout the festival there will be live art taking place,” Stankus said. A great deal of local art vendors will be selling and creating art throughout the day. “I’m looking forward to the live graffiti wall,” Singerman said. “The artists are going to be adding to it as the day goes on so it will be cool to watch the progress and see the final project.” Graffiti artists, break dancing and LED-light dancers are just some of the live art acts that will be participating in the event, Singerman said. According to Stankus, OxFest is starting a tradition of having an “OxFest BBoy Dance Battle” presented by PimpMyKicks.com. The battle that will be taking place will be between the Circle Nerdz and the Shoalin Knights. “It’s going to be a tough but fun battle to watch,” said Josh Sebo, bassist for The Truants. The band member also said they will be playing regardless of unfortunate weather conditions. “Come prepared for multiple types of weather,” Sebo said. “Also be prepared to forget about Miami for a day.” Singerman said he is hoping the festival will open up student’s minds to variety. “People should step out of their comfort zone and experience something different on a Saturday,” Singerman said. Another expected major improvement this year is involving the bus system, according to Singerman. “We have buses arranged to pick up and dropoff at The Wood’s uptown,” Singerman said. “Five to 10 buses will start running at 10 a.m. and keep students moving all day long.”
pollution or run off was getting into the water. As a result, an algae bloom would develop, which would decrease the amount of oxygen in the water. Without oxygen, all other life would die off and the water would become uninhabitable, Wallace said. McCollum said high levels of these five parameters are found in streams all over the country. “It’s not that Butler County is so unusual, it’s just that most of the streams in the United States are in bad shape,” McCollum said. According to a Wadeable Streams Assessment done by the United States EPA in 2004, 42 percent of the nation’s streams are in poor condition. Of the 276,362 miles of stream tested in Ohio and other eastern states, 51.8 percent, or 143,155 miles of stream are in poor condition. Although the Stream Team
cannot reach out to residents across the entire nation to improve water conditions, it is reaching out to residents of Butler County. Through booklets, outreach programs and its annual open house, the Stream Team is educating citizens about non point source pollution such as fertilizers and salts, and how to keep these pollutants from running into the county’s streams, according to Dr. McCollum. “Sometimes it’s as simple as pulling your car into your yard so the soap can run into the dirt rather than the storm drain,” McCollum said. To improve its outreach program, the Stream Team is putting together a new website which will post all the water sample results for the public to see. To learn more about the Butler County Stream Team or to find out how to become a volunteer, visit butlercountystreamteam.org.
Oxford hospital discusses plans to renovate or expand By Samantha Wheeler For The Miami Student
McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital is currently in the process of looking at how it might renovate or expand its main facility. Faculty and staff on the project committee are looking at the functionality of many of its patient care service areas to improve the efficiency in those departments deemed to be of highest priority, according to Bryan D. Hehemann, president & chief executive officer. The committee also said they want to improve patient satisfaction through “care flow” changes in certain areas. The hospital completed its last major building expansion in 2003, impacting the front entrance of the building, the present oncology center, patient registration, same day surgery, allergy and immunotherapy services as well as its main medical-surgical unit on the second level, according to Hehemann. Currently, facility improvements are being considered for the following: emergency department, laboratory medicine, specialty physician clinics, surgery suites, intensive care unit and accompanying areas like the cafeteria, education and conference rooms, cardiac rehab and the data center according
to Hehemann. “The Facilities Planning committee is still reviewing alternative ideas with an architect who knows the facilities extremely well because of his involvement with various projects over the last fifteen-twenty years,” Hehemann said. Hehemann also said he would like to improve parking, cardiac rehab, kitchen and meal preparation areas and create more efficient office space for multiple administrative staff currently occupying old inpatient rooms. “I am looking forward to completing the process and telling the public about our finished product,” Hehemann said. According to Hehemann, the finalization of the improvement plans is still several weeks away. Miami junior Aimee Cummins said she is excited to see the hospitals renovations and appreciates what they have done for the community. “I visited McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital when I was very sick last semester,” Cummins said. “The staff was so accommodating and really made me feel comfortable. I would highly recommend their facilities to others.” Because the hospital is still finalizing details on their plan, they are currently unsure of how much the renovations will cost.
THE MIAMI STUDENT
TUESDAY, APRIL 12, 2011 ♦ 5
IT Services improves Miami’s WMUB Radio faces registration efficiency further government cutbacks By Alexandra Tirrell For The Miami Student
Information Technology (IT) Services recently made slight changes to class registration for students in hopes of making it more efficient, faster and that much closer to being glitch-free. “Changes were made in the servers and the hardware that supports the application that it (course registration) runs on,” said Cathy McVey, senior director of communication and planning for IT Services. “It’s more robust so it will be more secure and faster.” McVey said this “beefed” up hardware won’t affect students registering in the coming weeks, except that they may notice the system moving faster. “There’s going to be nothing different in what they do.” McVey said. “It will move a little faster, but that’s about it.” To test these changes, IT services invited a group of students to bring their laptops to the Shriver Center to register for classes. Both IT Services and the Office of the Registrar observed the process to
see if the new system is working the way it is expected to. “This is the first time we’ve done this,” McVey said. “Before when we’ve made changes we’ve relied more on if we get anyone reporting problems. This way, we really want to see first hand what the experience is like.” First-year Alex McNulty doesn’t seem to think it’s the systems’ technical hardwire that needs changed, as much as the set up of the course registration itself. “I’ve been pretty fine with registering, it went pretty speedy for me,” McNulty said. “It’d be better if they had announcements listing what classes are not going to be offered that semester though. I circled a lot of classes that I anticipated taking and when I go to search for them nothing comes up.” The efficiency of the registration system is crucial to the process and is something IT will be focusing on now and in the future. “I think we’re going to always be looking for ways to be making the system easier and faster,” McVey said.
FEES
In fall 2010, Miami had an enrollment of 16,359 students whereas, the highest enrolled MAC member, Central Michigan University, had 28,389 continued from page 1 student enrolled for the 2010-2011 academic year. “If we had double the enrollment As enrollment determines the inthat number would be half. So that’s tercollegiate athletics high numbers, part of the reason why the general fee increased tuition is the main culprit. is so high for athletics per student be- In 2009-2010, the board of trustees cause we have less enrollment than voted to raise tuition by 3.3 percent; our competitors.” however, they delayed the increase Miami is a member of the Mid- until the 2010-2011 academic year. American Conference (MAC) This increase directly affects the risand has the 6x10 loweste_Layout enrollment ing cost athletics CS-0411-Summer 1 4/8/11 3:31 for PMintercollegiate Page 1 numbers compared to fellow because of athletic scholarships. university competitors. “We pay for scholarships, so
By Stephanie Pola For The Miami Student
While Americans have gained access to a variety of media outlets over the years, funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) has grown significantly. As Congress considers ways to close the $1.6 trillion deficit, the CPB is in threat of defunding. CPB distributes more than 70 percent of its federal funding directly to stations throughout the country. In 2001, the federal government funded $340 million for CPB. According to CPB’s 2011 operating budget, they reported $430 million in revenue from the federal budget. Oxford’s WMUB Radio has been a part of Cincinnati Public Radio for less than a year. According to Richard Eiswerth, President of Cincinnati Public Radio, since Miami University still controls the WMUB license that carries WVXU’s public radio signal, attempts to completely defund CPB would result in the defunding of many local public radio and television stations including WMUB. imagine that tuition goes up 6 percent, well now the cost of our giving a scholarship went up 6 percent,” Lener said. “So what the university has done is anytime that they increase tuition they have given us that increase in general fees to cover that increase in tuition. So that’s why you see the radical change in the general fee.” Tuition directly impacts the athletic department because one of the expenses is paying for scholarships for athletes. The department pays for the entire tuition including room and board for some athletes. But, if tuition rises they face a challenge to
According to Eiswerth, federal stations set budgets, their annual funding accounts for 8 percent of income is very minor, they have the Cincinnati Public Radio budget to rely on fundraisers, that’s where and the station would suffer without the vast majority of their money comes from,” this funding. CinMiami broadcinnati Public Racast journalism dio uses the money “Public media professor Joseph it receives from the federal governcould continue to Sampson said. CPB accounts ment as leverage operate without for about .001 to raise money lothis money but percent of the fedcally. Every dollar they rely on it to a eral budget, which it receives from translates to $1.34 the federal govcertain degree.” from every person. ernment translates The next highest to eight dollars loJOE SAMPSON country beyond cally. If they lose JOURNALISM PROFESSOR that 8 percent there the United States would be serious spends $60 per consequences. person and it goes “Immediately we would have to up from there. The U.S. spends reduce our expenses by $500,000,” proportionally the least amount on Eiswerth said. “Specifically, we its broadcasting infrastructure. would have a reduction in staffing “Public media could continue and eliminate programming of lo- to operate without this money but they rely on it to a certain degree,” cally produced programs.” For decades, Congress has Sampson said. As the U.S. encounters severe threatened to pull funding from CPB. It gets attention now because budget cuts, Cincinnati Public of the budget situation the country Radio, WMUB and public media across the country could be in danfinds itself in. “When public radio and TV ger of losing their federal funding. support their scholarship giving and their need for support for the general fee must increase. “Imagine this, let’s just say that our enrollment was 10,000 people and then the next year enrollment drops down to 9,000,” Lener said. “But the general fee to athletics has to go up because we increased tuition to make up for that loss of enrollment. Well now the per student general fee amount will automatically go up. The amount per student goes way up because there is so many less students.” But while tuition hasn’t gone down over the last few years at Miami, last year Miami gained over 200 students. According to Lener, the intercollegiate athletics department wants to lower the costs needed from the general fee but the demands
of NCAA requirements and the size of the department relies on the fee to generate the necessary revenues. “It’s our goal for it to level out,” Lener said. “If we had our way we would generate more money internally, that we wouldn’t have to have so much support. I think that we do a very good job with managing the resources that we’re given and we’re very cognizant of the fact that we get a lot of support from the university and the student fee.” As tuition continues to increase and enrollment numbers remain unpredictable, current students are confronted with the facts of the university’s faltering economic state. If the past is any indication, as costs for athletics continue to rise, the university will again turn to students for financial support.
CHARTER
charter university, we will continue to press for the greater ability to do what we need to do,” Hodge said. “For example, we are currently working on renovating residence halls. Without state regulations, 15 to 30 percent could be saved in building costs.” Hodge said Miami gets less money from the state each year anyway. Chartering could allow Miami to do better with what it gets. “We are not trading less funding for more freedom,” Hodge said. “We already have less money, we want to use it effectively. Charter universities may be a way to make Miami more agile to fulfill our mission better.” The option of becoming a charter university may be more attractive if the funding from Ohio eventually bottoms out, Creamer said. “We feel the quality and management of the university is at a high level,” Creamer said. “There is nothing to indicate how much funding will be lost if we partake in chartering. The loss of funding is unattractive unless there is a lot of freedom. The funding helps us make education affordable and valuable for our students.” The teach-in resulted in a plan for action against Miami becoming a charter university, which includes provisions for confronting the administration and urging them to look at Miami’s problems and the budget, ensuring that tuition is affordable and developing labor sustainability, among others. The group’s mission statement is: “We want public universities to be more for the public.”
continued from page 1
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activist and part of a university. ‘Charter universities’ puts a public institution’s obligation to students at stake.” As of now, the “charter universities” is a part of the budget bill presented by Ohio Governor John Kasich. David Creamer, vice president of finance and business services, said he doesn’t expect the bill to pass before late June. “This idea of ‘charter universities’ is still very poorly defined,” Creamer said. “The plan within the bill doesn’t describe how it will work.” Depending on the details, Miami will evaluate and assess the plan to see what changes will be needed to accomplish it, Creamer said. President David Hodge said he is keen on regulatory reform and becoming a charter university could help to make Miami more autonomous with less red tape. “We would like to explore the possibilities,” Hodge said. “We will look at it very carefully. It will be debated. I encourage participation in a study to see where we are.” According to Hodge, construction reform regulations by the state are outdated and cost the university tens of millions of dollars. By becoming a charter university, Miami could save money by not having to follow these expensive regulations. “Whether or not we become a
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“I think when you look at O’Keefe’s journalistic techniques, it’s not much different than what you would commonly see on 60 Minutes,” Howting said. “You’ve seen this type of approach used by people like Hunter S. Thompson or even
Abbey Hoffman.” The speakers are being paid for their visit, with the funding coming from “student government,” according to Howting. The Cupp speaking event will be held at 8 p.m. in Bachelor 101. It is free and open to the public. The O’Keefe event will also be held at 8 p.m. in room 1000 at the Farmer School of Business and will also be free and open to the public.
6
Opinion
Tuesday April 12, 2011
Editors Noëlle Bernard Thomasina Johnson editorial@miamistudent.net
➤ EDITORIAL
The following pieces, written by the editorial editors, reflect the majority opinion of the editorial board.
Athletic scholarships, fees must be reassessed M
iami University’s tuition costs are rising as enrollment numbers remain, for the most part, level. Intercollegiate athletics is the most expensive department for student general fee costs, and general fees also pay for athletic scholarships. Miami stands out amongst NCAA Division I schools because it uses a large amount of its general fees, collected from students, to pay for athletics. The editorial board of The Miami Student supports the athletic program at Miami because it is an important part of campus life. The athletic scholarships attract many talented, deserving athletes who otherwise would go to university programs that are often more successful and built-up. In a perfect world, Miami athletics would be able to build strong programs that train athletes to compete on-par with larger schools. However, Miami athletics have been struggling for years to bring in revenue and fans, and the failing university budget simply cannot support multiple world-class athletic programs. Although Miami athletics bring in more revenue than many people think, Miami must look into other
methods to raising funds. A modest $2 ticket fee for popular events might be a start. The inclusion of this small fee, which should be payable with Mulaa, would help raise much-needed funds. Athletic scholarship appropriation also concerns us. Football has a very high number of full-ride scholarships; much higher than any other program. This board believes the valuable general fees, generated from student costs, should not fuel such a high percentage of athletic scholarships. The scholarships should be spread around more evenly, and should go to those athletes most indispensible for their respective programs and the athletics department at large. This board would like to see more academic scholarships given to deserving athletes. If the general fees fund athletic scholarships, they should support athletes who are not only talented on the field, but hardworking in the classroom. General fees are meant to support activities that enhance your college experience and by supporting more athletes that are athletically and intellectually gifted, Miami will continue to attract some of the best and brightest students.
Charter proposal offers inadequate solutions G
overnor John Kasich’s proposed offset funding that was previously budget bill presents public uni- received from the state. Increasing tuversities with the option of becoming ition would turn away many students “charter universities.” Miami Uni- who can’t afford raised costs. versity is currently a public univerFurthermore, Miami shares the sity, but if it becomes public university a charter university, it classification with would see a decrease other Ohio Transforming into 13 in Ohio state funding universities. By in exchange for less a charter university remaining in the is a decision government regulation. public sector, MiThere has already been ami would be prowith long-term opposition to Miami its legacy ramifications that tecting becoming a charter unias being a wellversity from members should not be based ranked school that on short-term of the community. attracts students The editorial board of budget contraints. from a wide demoThe Miami Student sees graphic spectrum. both sides of the arguHowever, if ment for and against the University of Miami becoming a charter school, Cincinnati becomes a charter school, but believes in the long run being a Miami would be the dominant pubcharter school would negatively im- lic university in the Cincinnati area. pact many aspects of the university. This would be beneficial for Miami Although, Miami is notably described because with fewer schools under the as a “Public Ivy,” this would change. public university name, Ohio may In addition, the board is afraid have more money to give out to the standards would be lowered if state university. Miami becoming a charter regulations are taken away. Miami is university would be a shortsighted currently ranked No. 2 for undergrad- solution to the current budget crisis. uate teaching and this statistic is very Transforming in to a charter univerfragile, it can easily slip. Miami needs sity is a decision with long-term ramito make sure it continues to attract fications that should not be based on the best and brightest students and short-term budget constraints. Once also retains the best faculty. If Miami the money that Ohio gives to Miami becomes a charter school, the admin- is taken away, it will be difficult to istration may raise tuition in order to have it given back.
The Miami Student Oldest university newspaper in the United States, established 1826
EDITORIAL BOARD Sam Kay Editor in Chief Bethany Bruner News Editor Colleen Yates Managing Editor Hunter Stenback Online Editor Noëlle Bernard Editorial Editor Thomasina Johnson Editorial Editor
Lauren Ceronie Campus Editor Jenni Wiener Campus Editor Melissa Tacchi Community Editor Michael Solomon Sports Editor Amanda Seitz Special Reports Editor Julia Engelbrecht Photo Editor
CHAD STEBBINS The Miami Student
➤ LETTERS
Western Campus trash creates eyesore, embarrassment On one of these beautiful spring days, take a walk on the Western Campus, descend into the valley below the stone bridges, and feast your eyes on one of the worst trash sites in all of Butler County. This disgraceful disrespect for our environment is unparalleled. It speaks of a cavalier attitude on the part of a few who do not value the beautiful natural environment of our community. Hopefully, the Student Council will review this problem (since apparently students are responsible) and organize a volunteer cleanup group. This cleaning task should not be viewed as belonging solely to the grounds crew personnel, who do an excellent job in keeping our community beautified. Let it not be said of Miami University, known for its recycling program, that among its student body are those who sweep the dirt under the rug into places thought to be out of view. Surely, college students of today went through kindergarten learning how to dispose of trash properly. And yet, it is a sad commentary that such early stages of education can be lacking at the university level.
Jerome Stanley Professor Emeritus stanlej@muohio.edu
Miami coal plant workers must keep jobs be re-educated As I read my copy of The Miami Student this past week about the president’s sustainability plan in regards to phasing out the use of coal, I thought, “Great for MU, great for the environment, but what about my husband’s job?” My husband, Jason has worked at the Miami University steam plant for the past four years. It’s a dirty, hard job to work around coal. It also provides money we desperately need to take care of our four children. I don’t think students always see both sides to issues like the burning of coal. Yes, I agree it’s not the best on the environment, but here are some facts: Miami just spent $20 million on new construction and systems within the last two years making the coal burn cleaner and meeting the EPA’s standards. That’s a LOT of money!!! Here’s another fact — 20 men work down at the steam plant ... what will the president do about their jobs? They’ve been burning coal almost from day number one here on this campus. Will these men lose their jobs? Will they have a chance to be re-educated in the phasing out of coal? Some of these men have been very welleducated on the computer systems attached to
the boilers running the plant; they’ve taken hours of courses learning about steam, water pressure and safety procedures. My husband is one of them that has gone out of his way to learn more to better himself by education of steam plant operations only to find out now that will mean nothing in the years to come. I worry about my husband’s job, about meeting our family’s needs and I worry about the other men and their families if the president decides coal isn’t the way to go ... what is his plan as far as these men are concerned? Does anyone care what happens to their jobs? Amanda Rose
mehlam@muohio.edu
Farmer School of Business professors deserve respect I would like to express my displeasure that the editors of The Miami Student published a ‘thumbs down’ in the Your Rule of Thumb section in the April 8 issue stating, “increasing cost per credit hour for Farmer School of Business (FSB) courses for ‘better professors’ when the FSB professors are actually worse.” The Miami Student website states, “we will not publish anything offensive or demeaning.” Not only is this offensive to the entire faculty and staff of the Farmer School, it is offensive to every current business student and alumni. In the latest Businessweek rankings, released in March 2011, the Farmer School of Business ranks 22nd in the country and seventh among public universities. With a 16.7 student to faculty ratio, the faculty was awarded an ‘A+’ in the Teacher Quality Grade category. The Farmer School did not receive these ratings by accident. It received them because of the hard work, expertise and dedication to students that the 177 faculty members display. As a senior business student who will be graduating in May, I credit the faculty of the Farmer School for the outstanding education that I received. Without the challenges given to me by the faculty and the knowledge that they were able to pass on, I would probably not be graduating having secured a full-time position in my field nor with the confidence that my education has prepared me for my career. We are all lucky to have the faculty that we do. I hope that editors of The Miami Student are more careful the next time they are considering printing something that is offensive to any member of the Miami community.
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Opinion
THE MIAMI STUDENT
TUESDAY, APRIL 12, 2011 ♦ 7
➤ PERCIEVING REALITY
➤ THE BITTER AND THE SWEET
Going the extra mile benefits all
Absentee voting must be easier Sunshine adds hope to students’ lives
This week ahead I have an undergraduate research presentation, a French presentation, a security simulation, 60 pages of reading for economics, eight cantos of the Faerie Queen and two articles for English; not excluding an editorial column due three days ago. This is my list, in brief, of Karli crap I have to do over Kloss the next six days. I should be freaking out. I should probably be downing Adderall-infused lattes from Kofenya, taking few breaks only to second-hand smoke some nicotine from the people outside. Instead, I had a leisurely late lunch at Patterson’s Café after managing to snag some playtime in the sun. As a fastidious first-year and a studious second-year, I would not have seen the light of day in preparation for a week like this. But as this year comes to a close, I realize I’ve become more of an energythrifty third-year. Partly so I have more time to string together mildly clever alliterations, but mostly because some work just doesn’t need to be done. The University of Washington produced a study last year that focused on the academic standards of our college generation, and how core curriculum and development has evolved to meet the demands of the world in which we live. The emphasis here was placed heavily upon information, media and technical skills — skills that are 21st century specific. The study found a heavy need for technological ability, in addition to a strengthening trend across colleges in implementing liberal arts curriculums. What I took away from the research I read was a fairly simple message: as children of the tech age, our access to information has increased exponentially and we are expected to know how to get it quickly and apply it appropriately. However, academic standards have yet to adjust to how easily we can get answers to questions. While catching up with a classmate last week, I mentioned how much work I had to do for the next two days — and how much of it I actually planned on doing. I found a fairly decent translation of a novel for French. SparkNotes has canto-by-canto plot summaries of the Faerie Queen, because frankly life is just too short. And I say this with the heavy risk of my professor reading this, but I haven’t done more than skim my economics readings since about the middle of February. And I’m averaging A’s or A-’s in each of those classes. Bringing this idiosyncrasy to the attention of my friend, he said something absolutely perfect. “That’s because you don’t work hard, you work smart.” Sure, when it’s an exam week and I have projects and papers, I bust my can to get the work done and done well. But the Internet has more or less rendered pure academic pursuit an obsolete practice in the modern college world. Google can answer my basic questions and the fine art of rhetoric (i.e. totally BS-ing) means even if I haven’t done the work, it always looks like I have. I have to wonder if college students knew more about what they were studying when they went to school prior to Internet access? When we graduate, we’ll all be somewhat experts in our field of study. But the sad truth is that piece of paper called a diploma doesn’t quite mean what it used to. We put in the hours when it counts, but all the extras that go into the true scholastic experience doesn’t happen anymore. We do what we need in order to get by. But there are a few who go out of their way to learn just for the sake of learning. I know people that will Google questions in class on their Androids before even thinking about skimming the textbook for the answer. This is part of our generation’s identity, but it makes me a little sad for the world of learning. I suppose my point today is that sometimes we should go that extra mile, read that optional reading or article or attend a guest lecture, because we’re paying money to learn and not as much of that happens here as it should.
How many license plates from states other than Ohio have you seen around campus? If you’re like me, you’ve seen one from almost every state in the U.S. According to Miami University statisThomasina tics from the Johnson class of 2014, one-third of these students are from out-ofstate and 41 states are represented on campus. That’s about 1,000 students from out-of-state and this is just the class of 2014. Okay, so Miami has a lot of out-of-state students. What’s my point? No, I’m not talking about how wonderful this is for Miami’s dreadful budget. And I’m not talking about diversity. I’m talking about absentee-voting and how this out-dated system needs to be modernized. As a student from Wisconsin, the recent State Supreme Court race was very important to both myself and my wonderful family, who have encouraged me to vote in every election whether I was at home or in Oxford. Because my parents knew I was so busy with school work, my dad contacted our village clerk and asked her to help us out with absentee voting. The process is pretty basic; however, it can pose a certain challenge to those who are preoccupied with the mounting pile of homework. In Wisconsin, a form must be printed off and sent to the clerk in charge of your district. After the clerk receives this signed form, he or she can email the ballot to
➤ ESSAY
ERIN KILLINGER The Miami Student
you, but this ballot must be printed off, filled out and placed in a sealed envelope. A witness must sign a separate document, and this must be placed in a larger envelope. Both documents must be sent back to the clerk. Sounds pretty simple, right? Of course, I forgot until the very last minute, and by then, I had no witness and no way of making sure the envelope would get to Wisconsin in time for the elections. I had failed and was disappointed in myself. I may have flaked out on the election, but, according to a recent Northwestern University study, a heartening fact was revealed. According to the study, “Students can be diligent voters with high turnout, both by absentee ballot and in local voting.” I know I am not alone in being a disgruntled absentee voter. “For those of us who can vote by absentee ballot, just figuring out how to get one can be a challenge. The request process varies state to state, and often
even county to county,” wrote Sam Oliker-Friedland, a Brown University student and cofounder of www.govabsentee. org. “The challenge is assembling that information in a way that is easily accessible to voters, especially new voters who may be less familiar with the process,” Oliker-Friedland said in the same recent publication at www.commondreams.org. Oliker-Friedland is on the right track, but technology should be used to further encourage absentee voting. What if I didn’t have to print off ballots and send them, multiple times? What if I could simply use the Internet to cast my ballot in a safe, easy-to-use system? Or what if I could just go down to my Oxford voting location and vote for Wisconsin candidates? These questions are crucial to encouraging more student absentee-voters. We must transfer the reliance of snail-mail to the dependence of the web to get our student voice heard, hundreds of miles away from home.
Have you ever had a tough period when you screwed up everything? Have you ever had a sorrowful feeling that you were not popular everywhere you went? Have you ever had a time that you thought you were the unluckiest person in the world? Have you ever had a thought that life is so meaningless? I know I have been experiencing these hard periods, but I just have no idea when I can get through this dark time and step into the spring of my life. Walking around the campus, I can hear the sound of green weak buds on the dry branches desperately breathe fresh air; I can see the grass hopefully turn their heads towards the sun. Oxford has been occupied by winter for such a long time that nature couldn’t stand times without sunshine. Spring has been joking around, keeping coming and going all the time and bothering people to take off and put on warm clothes. When finally Sunday brought the smell of summer to the campus, when the big sun happily smiled in the sky, Miami University’s professors pushed students into the crowded libraries to work on coming finals. This is the real Miami life; suffering, struggling and fighting.
Life has been rainy and cloudy; it needs sun to widely shine in every corner and to chase the darkness far away. It needs sun to wake up people’s vigor and hope.
➤ ESSAY
Journalists must regain credibility What is journalism and reporting? It’s a question needing answering in today’s global society of social networking and leaning news organizations. Most people have their own set opinions on the question. A more urging question to ask is; why do Americans have an unfavorable opinion of new organizations now? A 2009 Pew Research study said Americans think the press gets the facts right less than a third of the time. A lack of education, misrepresentation and confusion has led to these jaw dropping facts and animosity against the press. Is journalism a strictly unbiased, objective fact-giving report? Or is it merely a story about something happening yesterday? Is Cosmopolitan magazine just as much journalism as The Washington Post? After all, both have quotes, tell a story and can directly affect you. Well, if The Post started talking about your sex life that would be a “helluva” story. The public demands articles to be unbiased, but that will never happen. No two people, of the six billion people on this planet, have had all the same experiences. Not even identical twins have shared the exact same life on Earth. Journalists are no exception. Their past shapes their present and future, including what stories they cover and how. More people would know that, if education on journalism weren’t deteriorating. While it isn’t practical in this economy for every high school to have a journalism class, the subject is poorly covered in most schools. English teachers who have never even read a journalism textbook are asked to teach the writing style. Always, throughout the lecture, teachers discourage students by muttering, “It’s a
dying field.” Higher-level journalism professors are behind as well. Tenured professors are more concerned with writing textbooks and trying to keep a job than helping instruct the new wave of journalism. The old ways of doing things are regurgitated onto the new few trying this ever-changing endeavor. People aren’t even informed who journalists and reporters are anymore. There are different types who appear on news networks. There are reporters, anchors, experts and pundits. Normally, viewers get pundits confused with journalists and reporters. According to the Merriam-Webster Website, a pundit is “a person who gives opinions in an authoritative manner usually through mass media.” A pundit, unlike a journalist, does not adhere to any journalistic code. Pundits are encouraged to be opinionated, biased, argumentative and polarizing figures. Constantly, they pour out faulty reasoning and false stats. How can you debate a point, based in wrongness from the start? Besides, even if a person tries to defend a side, pundits meet them with a shouting match swamped with derogatory terms. After all, in the States, the loudest obscenity wins. Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, same as the pundits, are not journalists. The two have never admitted to being journalists and Stewart is quite adamant against being called one. Social networking, such as Facebook and Twitter, also fail to qualify. Yes, social networking does obtain elements of journalistic and newsworthy qualities, such as timeliness. Still, it is raw information, which makes it closer to a source. ESPN talking head JA Adande, said recently on the
TV show, Around the Horn, “The qualifications to be a journalist are going down.” He’s wrong. If anything, people expect more out of journalists lately. For everyone’s opinion on what a journalist is, is a new set of guidelines emerges. Yes, there will always be a debate on what journalism is. Yet, there is one concrete piece which all journalists should be: a citizen. Journalists are nothing more than citizens who have an urge and proper training on presenting on what they consider newsworthy events. What will the history books say about this period of journalism, absent of Edward R. Murrow and Walter Cronkite? Well, it certainly depends, since most elementary textbooks actually have to be certified by the Texas Board of Education first. Consider the implications of a conservative state leaning getting first crack at deciding what the next generation reads in class. No matter who approves it, this period of journalistic history will be littered with words such as “watchdog” and “anonymous.” Those words are thrown around loosely, uncontrollably and unchecked in today’s era of reporting. Hopefully, history will say it’s a transition period in journalism. Undoubtedly, it will mention the massive layoffs, changing formats, polarization of organizations and the revenue stream turning into a cesspool. Nonetheless, the definition of journalism will always be the same. Trained persons committed to informing the public of newsworthy events, including persons places, things and ideas through formal mediums. Andrew Bowman
bowmanaj@muohio.edu
Life is easy to get lost when you just live under others’ controls. When I am just working on reviewing textbooks for exams, when I set raising GPA scores as the only goal for a whole school year, I know my life is incomplete. When I give all of my free time to schoolwork, I know I am not truly living in this world. I should do something that could make an even small difference in my life. When the university gradually makes me feel more and more frustrated, I know I will stop here to deeply ponder on my education and my future. I know it’s normal that every person has a down mood and a rainy night. I also know that the darkest hour is that before the dawn. It’s understandable that life is composed of all difficulties and hazards. Maybe all we need is time, a span of time for adjusting ourselves to a new life, a span of time for recovering from the hurtful feelings, a span of time to get rid of disappointments and figure out a bright way to move on. Miami is a large investment in terms of four years or more of your life and thousands of dollars. It’s not just a matter of chasing a bachelor’s degree or master’s degree, but it’s a serious matter of pursuing your passion. It’s not just for you to earn more money in the future, but is helping you leading a enriched life. “Education has become a prisoner of contemporaneity. It is the past, not the dizzy present, that is the best door to the future,” Camille Paglia said. I am looking forward to summer’s coming. Life has been rainy and cloudy; it needs sun to widely shine every corner and to chase the darkness far away. Life has also been boring and dull; it needs sun to wake up people’s vigor and hope. “O, wind, if winter comes, can spring be far behind?” Shelley asked. I know, summer is close at hand. Qiao Song
songq@muohio.edu
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Tuesday
8
April 12, 2011
The Miami Student Oldest university paper in the United States, established in 1826
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Notice For rent 2011/2012 School Year6 bdrm house with 2 full baths, offstreet parking and washer/dryer CORSO REALTY 513-520-1111 OR 513-868-9700 Wanted dead or alive. Cars, trucks, etc. 513-330-0263
Employment Opportunities Summer Internships Available with the Oxford Museum Association. Undergraduate and graduate interns and high school seniors with exceptional skills and references will be considered. Three areas of direct experience in museum work are available. Requirements include weekday and weekend flexibility, ability to complete approx 150 hours of work, and engage effectively with the public. Stipends range from $1000-$1500 depending upon experience. Submit resume, cover and three references to or request full description from oxfordmuseumassociation@gmail.com. Deadline April 30.
For Rent HOUSE FOR RENT 3 Bedroom House, 2 full Baths, 2 car garage, washer/dryer, full kitchen, cable and hi speed internet in every room, large closets, all electric utilities, landlord pays water, sewer, and trash. Less than 5 years old. Call Lou @ (513) 658-2590 2 BR TOWNHOUSE NOW RENTING for fall ‘11-’12. Great Location one block from campus: 22 E Central. Well maintained. Large spacious rooms. Off-street parking. Call First Financial Bank (513) 867-5576. PRICE JUST REDUCED!!! 4 BR Fully Furnished Flat Condo for 4 people or less - discount for 11-12 school year. ONLY $985/pp/sem (based on 4 people). Summer rental FREE w/ 2 semester lease. Call 614-746-2582 or watros@aol.com TODAY! Summer rental Rooms for rent $650, $750 and $900 for the summer. occ. Groups of 1 to 5. May to Aug 2010, 1027 Arrowhead. Like New, remodeled, 5 bedrooms. 2 baths, Washer/ dryer, dish washer, central air, on-site parking. COMPLETELY FURNISHED WITH 40” LCD TV, Free hi speedinternet and hi def.cable TV; very low utility cost, wooded yard with access to hiking trails, and lots more. Contact me and I will send pictures.Email barone.alan@gmail. comAlan Barone 740-862-2043, 740-407-4114 cell, 614-692-0510 work.
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Prime location.. Price reduced! Quaint house on E. Withrow, 4 bdrm, 2 bath, basement with washer /dryer. Permit for 4 $2900/person/semster.
NEED SOMEONE TO ASSUME LEASE Looking for someone to assume my lease in the Spring of 2012.Two bedroom apartment at Campus Courts, right across the street from the rec. $3300 forthe semester (if living on own, cheaper if you have a roommate). All utilities included except electricand cable/internet plus a free parking spot. WILLING TO PAY THE $400 SECURITY DEPOSIT FOR THE ASSUMER OF THE LEASE!If interested please call Stephanie at (440) 376-4601.
‘11-’12 School year Bishop and Withrow, upstairs apt. Permit for 4, 2 large bdrms, 1 bath, great front porch!$2895/person/semester 812-350-4357 RENT REDUCED!!$1750/pp/ps. Free Summer Rental! Available June 1 for 2011/12. 49 Indian Cove Circle, across from Hawkís Landing. Will have new carpet, new flooring, new paint, will be spotless!! 4 bdrm/2 bath, garage, all appliances including washer and dryer. Will also consider monthly rental. Call Barry at 864-680-7913 or email barrykeith1@gmail.com. For Rent 2011-2012Great Properties available for the 2011-2012 school year. Contact OXRE at 513-523-4532 www. OXRE.com Love Where you Live! Oxford Real Estate, Inc.19 S. Beech St.Oxford, OH 45056www.oxre. com513.523.4532 HOUSE FOR RENT15 W. Vine St.Close to Campus, Close to Uptown.3 Br.1850. per student per sem. Free Summer Ren 513-518-7461
Houses NEWER CONDO TRENDY 4 BEDRM~2 FULL BATH~EQUIPPED KITCHEN~LAUNDRY~OFF STREET PARKING~GARAGE~CAN HELP WITH FURNISHING Mike 513 266-1685m2deuce21@ hotmail.com HOUSE FOR RENT 4 Bedroom House, 2 full Baths, 2 car garage, washer/dryer, full kitchen, cable and hi speed internet in every room, large closets, all electric utilities, landlord pays water, sewer, and trash. Less than 4 years old. Call Lou @ (513) 658-2590
Apartments
House for rent 418 Lincoln Ave. Available 2011-12AFFORDABLE4 bedroom/2 bathhardwood floorsback porch & off st. parking 513-532-7565 513-523-0655
SOUTH CAMPUS QUARTER OPENED August 2010 Modern Living ~ Contemporary Design -Located across from the REC Center. For more information call (513) 523-1647 or visit southcampusquarter.com
For rent Newly remodled student housing for 2011-2012. Accommodates groups from 3-5. Close to rec center with laundry room, dishwasher, and central air. Great rates for quality housing. Call Tosh at 907-4472
Roberts Apartments2011/12. One-Bedroom Apartments. Great Location! Close to Campus. 2 Blocks from Uptown. Laundry Facilities. Off-Street Parking. Spacious and Well-Maintained. www.roberts-apts. com 513-839-1426 COURTYARDS OF MIAMITIRED OF TOO MANY ROOMMATES?THE COURTYARDS OF MIAMI has your solution! We are located on E. Central Ave, between Campus and Main St. We offer neat, clean, and colorful housing at affordable prices. The Courtyards has 2 bedroom apartments, shared by just 2 students for $2300/per person-includes heat and water & 1 bedroom + a study for 1 person for $3300. All residents enjoy off street parking, on site laundry, yard space with a shelter that has tables and grills! The MU bus stops at our front door, and all apartments have been recently renovated with several upgrades! We are just down the street from the REC and within walking distance to campus. On site office with flexible hours and payment schedules. Stop by, contact Carolyn at (513) 659-5671 or www. thecourtyardsofmiami.com for more information Thank you.
Roommate Needed 2 Female Housemates NeededNeeds 2 neat & fun females to share a 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom house. $2500 per semester, utilities not included. Close to campus, near mtpl MU Bus Stops. Contact Julia at 860-575-7897 ROOMMATE NEEDED Roommate needed for 2011/2012 school year at 22 East Collins. 3 bedroom 1.5 bath, $3300 per semester. Two blocks away from campus.
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Study nature. In nature. Think Loyola University Chicago is all city? Think again. Introducing the perfect summertime classroom—Loyola’s Retreat and Ecology Campus—spanning more than 100 acres of prairies, savannas, woodlands, wetlands, and ponds.
Plant Biology Ecology Laboratory Nature in Literature Sustainable Agriculture Drawing I
To learn more and apply, visit LUC.edu/summer/lurec.
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Sports
THE MIAMI STUDENT
TUESDAY, APRIL 12, 2010 ♦ 9
TRACK
Check out
www.MURedHawks.com
continued from page 10
for more schedule and ticket information
in the 200-meter dash with a personal best time of 24.54. Despite feeling that her 16-person heat in the 1500-meter run was a bit nerve racking, Patterson finished with a personal-best time of 4:27.56, earn-
2011-2012
SOFTBALL continued from page 10
Ball State did not strike until the sixth inning when the Cardinals used a walk, a double and a groundout to earn their first run. Things remained in Ball State’s favor for the remainder of the game as two errors and a grand slam brought the Cardinals into the lead 5-3 during the seventh. Miami was unable to recover from the damage.
ing her a third place finish. Although this was only her third time running the event, Patterson’s time ranks fourth in Miami history. The men’s track team will return to action April 15 and 16 at the All-Ohio Championships in Cincinnati. The women’s team will split up again next weekend. The majority of the team will travel to the All-Ohio Championships, while a group of RedHawks will travel to Walnut, Calif. for the Mt. SAC Relays.
The Red and White faced defeat again on day two against the Cardinals in a game that turned into a pitcher’s battle. Simpson held strong against Ball State for the first five innings until the Cardinals hit a solo home run, scoring the only run of the game. After Ball State’s Amanda Montalto hit the solo shot, neither team was able to put up any more runs up on the board, bringing the final score to 1-0 and giving the Cardinals the win. The team plans to learn from their games from Ball State in
order to move forward. “We’ve been working on taking one game at a time and playing our game,” Larrabee said. “Every game is important because we can learn something about ourselves from every team we play.” The ’Hawks fell to 16-15 overall and 2-4 in the Mid-AmericanConference. The Cardinals improve to 24-14 overall and 5-1 in the MAC. Miami will continue their season 5 p.m. Wednesday April 13 as they head to Dayton, Ohio, to take on Wright State University.
Lighten your load! Take a class this summer at Stark State College and lighten your fall semester load! Classes are transferrable to Miami University in the fall. • Affordable, low tuition of $135.75 per credit hour. • Education your way … days, evenings and online. • Three convenient summer sessions to fit your schedule! Summer I (8 weeks) June 6 – July 31 Summer II (First 5 weeks) June 6 – July 10 Summer III (Second 5 weeks) July 11 – August 14
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1-330-494-6170 • starkstate.edu 2011
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The Intercollegiate Studies Institute and Young America s foundation proudly present The Liberal Media’s Attack on Christianity
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• Get ahead – Catch up • Credits transfer to your school* • Earn up to 12 semester hours (18 quarter hours) at any of Kent State’s eight campuses. • Classes run May - August. Four sessions. *For a list of courses accepted at any Ohio public college or university, visit the Ohio Board of Regents website to view Transfer Assurance Guides (TAG) or Ohio Transfer Module.
Check out course offerings, class schedules and more at www.kent.edu/ad2.cfm. Kent State University, Kent State and KSU are registered trademarks and may not be used without permission. Kent State University, an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, is committed to attaining excellence through the retention of a diverse workforce. 11-0956
Excellence in Action www.kent.edu/ad2.cfm
A speech by SE Cupp on her new controversial book.
10
Sports
Tuesday April 12, 2011
A coveted green piece of clothing Brian Gallagher
Gallagher’s Going For Two “A tradition unlike any other.” This phrase is uttered countless times in commercials with soft piano music and pictures of luscious greens in the background leading up to and during the Masters Tournament. With those images dancing in one’s head, it’s hard to fight the urge to grab the clubs, head out for a round and “finish that paper later” on these beautiful spring days. Procrastination aside, the Masters is often regarded as the most venerable of all the major championships. It is the only one that does not change location each year and has the smallest field of competitors, making it extremely exclusive. However, it is not the oldest championship, the easiest or the most loved by players. It did not even let women into the club until recently. So what makes The Master’s so special? That’s easy. One simple article of clothing: the green jacket. The green jacket was first given out by the Masters tournament in 1949 to the great Sam Snead. Since then, the jacket has been synonymous with golfing greatness. Players with nicknames so cool they had to be good have won it, including “The Golden Bear” (Jack Nicklaus), “The Black Knight” (Gary Player) and of course “Tiger,” among many others. Thousands more have aspired to win the coveted jacket. Carl Spackler, as played by Bill Murray in Caddyshack, had dreams of rising from a greenskeeper to the Masters champion to be a “Cinderella story, with tears in his eyes.”
So what makes The Master’s so special? That’s easy. One simple article of clothing: the green jacket. However, the one downside of the green jacket is that it can only be worn when the former champions return to Augusta. The reigning champion is allowed to keep it for a year and wear it whenever he likes. Personally I would wear the jacket at any occasion during that time period. Like a tuxedo t-shirt, the green jacket shows you’re serious, but you like to party. This year’s Masters tournament was not finished in time for publication and the green jacket was still up for grabs. While it remains to be seen if Tiger Woods will channel his inner Shooter McGavin and steal the jacket if he does not win, someone will be walking away not only as a major tournament champion, but also dressed very stylishly. Rory McIlroy, the leader going into the final day, was poised to win his first major championship and would walk home as a proud Irishmen sporting the unofficial colors of his country. McIlroy would be the second youngest player to win the Masters, the first being the aformentioned Tiger Woods, and in doing so would begin to start his own legacy. Tiger, along with Phil Mickelson, who have a combined seven green jackets hanging in their closets at Augusta, are quietly being removed from their perch atop the golfing world by the young guns. But Tiger was still in contention heading into the last round and even after all he’s been through, nobody wants to be stalked by Tiger when he’s wearing red. So by the time you read this, Tiger might have added to his collection of championships, McIlroy might be crowned the “next Tiger,” or a former greenskeeper may now be the Masters champion. Either way, keep your eyes on that green jacket, because it is truly a tradition that is unlike any other.
TRACK AND FIELD
Editor Michael Solomon sports@miamistudent.net
NEXT MEET: Friday at All-Ohio Championships in Cincinnati
MU wins home invitational By Melissa Maykut Staff Writer
Both Miami University men’s and women’s track and field teams ran away with their home meet title at George Rider track April 8 and 9. The RedHawks won the meet despite rain delays and the largest field of athletes seen at a Miami meet. The Miami Invitational started off with the hammer throw Friday afternoon with sun and 70 degree conditions. The meet resumed Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m. with the first sections of the 5000-meter run, but before any other events could begin, the weather took a turn for the worst. The rain started to pour and lightning could be seen streaking across the sky, resulting in an almost four hour rain delay. “It’s always hard to get ready for a meet like this, then not go for a while,” junior Rachel Patterson said. When the meet’s events resumed at 3:00 p.m., both teams kicked it into gear. The men’s team won the invitational with 116 points, just one point more than Mid-American Conference rival Kent State University, who earned 115 points. The men’s team’s only individual victory came from sophomore John Cantwell who won the triple jump with a leap of 13.79 meters/45-3. The Red and White dominated the long jump, winning second through sixth place. Senior Josh Rees placed second, Michael McCarty third, Cantwell fourth, Reggie Mitchell fifth and Sam Spellinger sixth. In the javelin throw, junior Matt Rudin finished second. Rudin also placed third in the pole vault competition. In running events, sophomore Jarrod Eick placed
SOFTBALL
third in the 800-meter run. Eick also finished third in the 1500-meter run in a personal best time of 3:48.56. Eick’s time now ranks eighth in Miami history. “The goal was just to hang on with the two runners from Butler and go off what they were doing,” Eick said. “I’m happy with my run. My goal was to reach 3:50 and I did.” Despite running in the dark, senior Robbie Fisher and sophomore Matt Marol finished off the running events for their team in the second section of the 5000-meter race. Fisher finished in fourth while Marol finished right behind in fifth. The women’s track and field team finished the home meet with 111 points, six more than second place University of Cincinnati. The women’s team won two event titles. The first came from junior Alexandra Roberts, who had a school-record throw of 15.20 meters/49-10.5 in the shot put. Roberts’ throw beats the 2003 record set by Lauren Collins by over 10 inches. The second title came from freshman Tori Pattera who had a heave of 48.61 meters/159-6 in the javelin throw. In the long jump, redshirt freshman Ashley Zaper placed second with a personal best jump of 5.57 meters/18-3.25. Senior Magda Wikar finished behind Zaper in third. In running events, sophomore Katie Scannell placed second in the 400-meter hurdles, while sophomore Layne Bagget ran for third in the 100-meter hurdles. Diona Graves finished third in the 100-meter dash and placed second
wSee TRACK, page 9
CONTRIBUTED BY SCOTT KISSELL
Junior Jillian Dickman leads the pack Saturday April 9 in the Miami Invitational.
NEXT GAME: 5 p.m. Wednesday vs. Wright State in Dayton
’Hawks suffer tough weekend in MAC By Drew McDonnell Staff Writer
The Miami University softball team faced a rough weekend at home after losing its double header against Mid-American Conference (MAC) opponent Ball State University. The conference games added to the intensity of the match-up.
“They’re definitely a little more stressful,” junior Jessica Simpson said. “There is more riding on them.” Things were looking up for the RedHawks during their first game on Saturday as they held a 3-1 lead at the top of the seventh inning. Junior Jordan McElroy struck first during the first inning with a hit to right center
followed by a walk by senior Meghan Mawn. Freshman Kayla Ledbetter sent McElroy home with a ground out and freshman Allie Larrabee hit a single to send home Mawn. Still leading 1-0 in the bottom of the third, McElroy led off the frame with a walk. Mawn singled and Ledbetter walked to load the bases with
no outs. A fielder’s choice on Larrabee retired Mawn at home plate. The next pitch advanced all the runners and scored Mawn. After senior Jenna McGivney walked, Simpson hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Ledbetter and make it 3-0.
wSee SOFTBALL, page 9
‘Double ‘Em Up’
Results & Schedule
baseball FRIDAY
Miami Northern Illinois
8 0
SATURDAY
Northern Illinois Miami
7 4
SUNDAY
SCOTT ALLISON The Miami Student
Senior infielder Ryan Kaup completes a double play April 5. The RedHawks lost two of three games this weekend at Northern Illinois University.
Northern Illinois 2 Miami 0