The Miami Student Oldest university newspaper in the United States, established 1826
VOLUME 138 NO. 2
FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2011
TODAY IN MIAMI HISTORY
In 2001, The Miami Student reported that high-proof liquor would not be available in Oxford. A contract had been granted for a state liquor store, but the owner chose not to fight the city over regulations. High proof liquor was defined as anything over 21 percent alcohol by volume, or 42 proof.
Miami University sees record number of international students
Move-in weekend results in 41 drinking citations By Hannah Stein Staff Writer
The first weekend of the year before classes even begin seems like the perfect time to go to parties, but maybe not. This years move-in weekend resulted in citations for 12 unlucky students alone on-campus who were found in the Millett Hall Parking lot, by McGuffey Hall and walking around campus, said Lt. Ben Spilman of the Miami University Police Department (MUPD). Spilman said the reports seem to show most of the 12 citations took place outside and said it is less common for students to get a citation while in their residence halls. In addition to the on-campus citations, the Oxford Police Department (OPD) gave out 29 citations this weekend. “There was one intoxication citation and 28 underage drinking (citations),” Sgt. John Varley said. While the reports don’t keep a record of the students’ year, OPD Sgt. Jim Squance states that most of the students were 18 or 19 years old. The 41 citations given out in total both on-campus and off-campus this movein weekend may seem high, though Squance and Varley agree that this number of citations is average for movein weekend. Although police may say
MIAMI UNIVERSITY OXFORD, OHIO
this is average, some students believe the number is abnormally high. “It hasn’t been this bad in years past I don’t think,” senior Lauren Brill said. “I think freshmen weekend kind of sets the tone for the rest of the year. I don’t know what (the rest of the year) will look like, but it looks like it’ll be more wild and the cops need to have their presence more known.” In previous years, the only tactic that officers used to tackle move-in weekend was to have more officers on the streets, Varley said.
checks, but we’re focusing heavily on house parties.” Officers can enter a property if they have probable cause, which Squance said can range from anything like excessive littering to noise complaints. Once in the house, the officer can determine if anyone is illegally consuming alcohol. “If we see a large gathering at a house, we’re going to watch it for open containers and people who are underage and consuming alcohol,” Squance said. “If an officer (sees) someone with an alcoholic beverage and the person tried to set it
We’re going to try to deter (underage drinking) at the point ...We’re still going to do bar checks, but we’re focusing heavily on house parties. SGT. JIM SQUANCE
OXFORD POLICE DEPARTMENT
However, this year OPD will try a new strategy. “We found last year and years past a lot of young people were doing what you call fire ops before they’ve come uptown so a good majority are already intoxicated before they came uptown,” Squance said. “We’re going to try to deter that at the point, which is the house parties where people are drinking before they come uptown. We’re still going to be doing bar
down quickly or hide it and seemed underage he would ask for an ID.” With this new strategy, police and students hope that the number of citations received will decrease from this weekend’s total 41 citations. “I think it’s a good idea to keep students safe,” sophomore Emily Justice said. “And (checking house parties) is better than bar checks or (a citation for) open container.”
ANDREW BRAY THE MIAMI STUDENT
Min Kim, a first-year from South Korea (far left), Ikve Nakagana, a junior from Japan, and Shioh Sugisana, a junior from Japan, enjoy dinner at Alexander Dining Hall earlier this week. Miami University will have around 900 international students on campus this year.
By Jenni Wiener Campus Editor
A record number of international students are attending Miami University this year. International students are still arriving, but David Keitges, director of international education, said the university is expecting around 350 new international students with about 180 of them first years. Keitges said Miami has seen a record high number for
the past five years, so this is nothing new. “What is often missed is that we are in a global age not only of economics and business and culture, but also in a global age of educational preparation,” Keitges saud. “These days, more and more students are getting their educational qualifications outside of their home countries, and they are later working outside of their homelands. Americans are doing this, too.”
Miami is currently ranked No. 1 in the United States among public universities for the number of students who study abroad by graduation, Keitges said. International education at Miami is a two-sided coin: Miami sends nearly 2,000 students abroad a year and will have approximately 900 international students on campus for this year.
STUDENTS, SEE PAGE 10
Parking garage permit requires purchase of campus pass, prices increase By Adam Giffi
Senior Staff Writer
Economy down, prices up. At least that’s the issue for students looking to park in garages on Miami’s campus this school year. Vanessa Cummings, assistant director of Parking and Transportation Services, explained the policy. “Any student who is eligible for a parking pass can purchase garage access for the North Campus Garage
or the Campus Avenue Garage as well,” Cummings said. “This fall 2011 semester, in order to do so, you must first purchase a colored surface lot pass to be able to purchase garage access.” Miami University Police Department Lt. Ben Spilman said people used to be able to purchase an access card without a registered vehicle. “We saw a lot of issues that came to our attention through the appeals commit-
tee of people appealing parking citations because they believed their car was registered because of their garage access card,” Spilman said. “This is when we started to realize the policy needed to be tweaked.” According to Spilman, the now required purchase of a surface lot pass will result in the vehicle also being registered and receiving a decal or hang-tag. This registration provides Parking and Transportation Services
the ability to identify vehicle owners and their parking privileges. Students can then choose to purchase garage access cards in addition. Spilman said this policy was adopted rather than creating a new class of colored passes solely for parking garages because Parking and Transportation Services wanted to maintain garage access as a separate addition. “We do not want to create more levels of parking
ANDREW BRAY THE MIAMI STUDENT
On-campus parking garage permit changes now require students to purchase a campus permit before purchasing a garage access pass.The minimum a junior or senior living on campus would pay for a daytime parking permit with the required blue permit is $265 a semester.
privileges,” Spilman said. “The ones that exist currently for students, faculty and staff have proven to be pretty adequate.” According to Cummings, the garage permits cost $150 per semester for daytime access from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. the following morning, up $50 from 2010-11, and $420 per semester for 24-hour access to the garages, an increase of $120 from 2010-11. In the most expensive scenario, an on-campus junior or senior with a blue pass will pay a total of $265 per semester for daytime garage access, up from the $100 it cost last year. Despite the new rules, Cummings said that demand has been as high as ever since passes went on sale Aug. 1. “The North Campus Garage is on a waiting list level and at the Campus Avenue Garage we have just a few more spaces available,” Cummings said. Senior Andy Miller, who is on the waiting list for the North Campus Garage, is unhappy with the way pass disbursement was handled. “Students were unaware of when passes were available,” Miller said. “I got here a week before school started and they were already taken.
I think there should be a set date and everyone should be made aware of it, and juniors and seniors should have first pick.” Cummings explained that those on the waiting list would receive a spot if any students decide that they do not want a pass, such as if they transfer from Miami. While the North Garage has a total of 660 spaces and the Campus Avenue Garage has 600, according to Cummings, not all of these spaces will be used for permit parking. Spaces will be left open in both garages for anyone to be able to park for an hourly rate, from students to visitors. Beginning July 1, the hourly rate rose from a flat rate of 50 cents per hour to a rate of $1.00 for the first hour, plus an additional 50 cents for each subsequent hour. The daily maximum also doubled from $5 to $10. According to Cummings, the semester and annual rates represent a significant deal for students despite the price hikes. “Realistically, our rates are not very high,” Cummings said. “If you took the hourly rate and apply
PARKING, SEE PAGE 10