The Miami Student Oldest university newspaper in the United States, established 1826
VOLUME 140 NO. 03
TUESday, AUGUST 28, 2012
MIAMI UNIVERSITY OXFORD, OHIO
TODAY IN MIAMI HISTORY In 1950, The Miami Student reported that WMUB, Miami’s student-run FM radio station had received its license from the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC). The station, frequency 88.1, was one of the first collegiate FM stations in the area. It broadcast 7 to 10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 7 to 8 p.m. on Fridays.
After shootings, voters assess firearm issues By Brett Milam Online Editor
Gun rights and gun control are sure to be factored into the debate between Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama as the November election nears, especially in the wake of the Colorado theater, Wisconsin Sikh temple and most recent New York City shootings. College Democrats President Laura Kretz said the shootings might have been preventable if there were stricter background checks for gun owners. “These aren’t accidents,” Kretz said. “These are preventable. The issue is about enforcement.” Kretz said she would like to see President Obama do more on this issue, if he is re-elected. However, both candidates have shied away from making any demonstrative declarations on the issue. In contrast, President of College Republicans Baylor Myers said gun control laws would restrict self-protection. “As outlined in the second amendment of our Constitution, we have the right to bear arms and the College Republicans believe that right is a necessity for selfprotection,” Myers said. To College Republicans, gun laws are ineffective. “Time and experience has shown that gun laws are obsolete — criminals will always have access, but our society must empower good citizens in their efforts for self-protection,” Myers said. Communications Chair of College Democrats Eden Thompson said there should be gun control laws that focus on the gun purchaser. “The focus should be on who guns are given to,” Thompson said. However, Kretz said she believes gun control is far from the most important issue in the
election for college students. “Jobs are the number one issue because the large majority of us will be looking for jobs right after graduating from Miami University,” Kretz said. “I would say to my fellow Miamians that if now is not the ‘right time’ to discuss this issue, then when?” According to the Institute for Policy Research at the University of Cincinnati, over 51 percent of Ohio voters still regard economic considerations as the most important issue in the 2012 election. Notwithstanding, the gun control debate is certainly relevant to the parents of incoming Miami University first years, according to Miami University Police Department (MUPD) Police Chief John McCandless. At Miami University’s orientation, McCandless was asked by parents about the preparedness of the MUPD in the event of an active shooter on campus. According to McCandless, parents ask about active shooters in only one or two of the 14 or 15 orientation sessions each year. McCandless said questions about active shooters become more popular after highly publicized shootings such as the Virginia Tech shooting. “We’re as prepared as you can be in those situations,” McCandless said. The MUPD Web site has a link under Campus Safety about what to do, as a student or member of the faculty or staff, in the event of an active shooter. That link can be found here: http:// www.units.muohio.edu/psf/police/Campus_Safety/ActiveShooter.shtml “If someone specifically asks about an active shooter then we tell them they can go [to the website],” McCandless said.
Student on the Street Should the United States reassess gun policies? “Gun control is a very tricky topic because statistically, areas which have higher rate of gun ownership have a statistically lower rate of crime. However, all illegal guns must at one point start as legally owned guns so the more guns on the street, the more illegal guns you will have.”
Evan Crowell Senior “I think it should [be reassessed] because there is no point to having an assault rifle or weapon inside of a major city. It makes sense when you are outside hunting or in the wilderness or something, but if I’m living in a city block why do I need to have a gun? What purpose does it serve?”
Peter Dougherty Senior “There are areas that are not safe I feel like you should be able to carry a gun if you go through the means to get yourself certified, then you are going to use it appropriately.”
Julia Prus First year “Gun laws should be stricter because obviously guns are getting into the hands of the wrong people. Even if the gun laws were stricter, people can still get things that obviously are illegal so I don’t how much a difference it will make because if somebody wants a gun they can probably get it, but anything that can keep us safer.”
Brian Oddo First year “I think they’re alright where they’re at even with the shooting in the movie theater, it’s just those certain people need to be watched and other than that it’s not that big of a problem.”
Riley Brehm
GUN CONTROL, SEE PAGE 8
First year
University, Oxford police force team up Lecture Series begins with Jerry Springer visit Kaler Hazen
For The Miami Student
LISA GEHRING PHOTOGRAPHER
The Miami University Police Department and Oxford Police Department have formed a partnership to allow both police forces wider jurisdiction.
BY Andrew Yde
For The Miami Student
In an effort to improve both the speed and strength of police responses in the Mile Square area of Oxord, the Oxford Police Department (OPD) and Miami University Police Department (MUPD), have implemented a new mutual jurisdiction agreement. According to Lt. Ben Spilman spokesman for the MUPD, this new agreement will allow MUPD officers to assist with off-campus issues, no matter their severity, both uptown and elsewhere in the Mile Square region of Oxford bounded by Patterson Avenue, Locust Street, Chestnut Street and High Street.
“This is an effort between the city and the university to provide the best possible service to the community,” Spilman said. Before the new jurisdiction agreement, which took nine months to formulate, MUPD personnel were only allowed to assist off campus with explicit request from OPD personnel. Such requests were usually inspired by threat of serious injury or property damage off campus, according to Spilman. “This is innovative as far as cooperation between separate police departments,” Spilman said. According to Sgt. Jon Varley, a 17-year veteran for the OPD, this mutual jurisdiction agreement is
not the first time the separate departments have come together. Before the pact, it was not unusual for MUPD and OPD personnel to share patrol cars on any given day. Nonetheless, OPD maintained sole jurisdiction in the Mile Square region. “They no longer have to call,” Sgt. Varley said. “Anything they see, they can act upon, as if each one of them is just another Oxford officer.” Student body president John Stefanski said he was intrigued by the conjunction of administrative efforts composing the new jurisdiction agreement. Stefanski and Associated
POLICE,
SEE PAGE 8
The Miami University annual Lecture Series kicks off on September 24 with a lecture from ex-Cincinnati mayor and television talk show personality Jerry Springer. The lecture series will ultimately bring five speakers to campus, each of them with a unique perspective on topics ranging from social media and voting to international travel. Other speakers include NPR radio host and guidebook author Rick Steves, business leader and political consultants Becki Donatelli and Sam Graham-Felsen, Peabody Award winner Krista Tippett, and distinguished NASA scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson. According to Howard Kleiman, professor of mass communication, Lecture Series speakers are chosen by the University Lecture Series Committee, which consists of both students and faculty. “Oxford, being as isolated as it is, needs to bring in a variety of things that students can engage with and a strong lecture series is one of those things,” Kleiman said. According to Patricia Newberry, senior lecturer and coordinator of special events and internships, the Lecture Series Committee takes most of the preceding academic year to thoroughly consider all of the possible lecture candidates and come up with a final list of speakers. Possible
candidates are considered based on a number of factors including current events, the diversity of both the speakers and their topics and University lectures from previous years. Other factors are also given consideration, according to Newberry. “We’re also looking at the gender mix and the racial mix,” Newberry said. “We want to make sure we’re reflecting the diversity goals of the university and exposing students to people of all cultures, genders, and political views.” Newberry said audience interaction is intended during the presentations, and a Q&A session is anticipated at the end of each lecture. Newberry said student input is valuable not only in terms of those sitting on the selection committee, but also in gauging the number of tickets that need to be sold. “It’s not all that often we have to turn away hordes of people”, said Newberry. The series opener, featuring Jerry Springer, promises to be of particular interest to the communication department. According to Kleiman, students on the selection committee admired Springer’s breadth of experience and diversity of past occupations, and expect an interesting presentation on human manipulation. According to Newberry, when negotiating with speakers, the Lec-
LECTURE, SEE PAGE 8
2
CAMPUS
Editors JENN SMOLA ALLISON MCGILLIVRAY
TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2012
campus@miamistudent.net
University Senate hears update on new calendar By Jenn Smola Campus Editor
The Miami University Senate held its first meeting of the new school year Monday, during which the body heard about new systems management tools and the new 2013-2014 academic calendar. The Senate began the meeting with announcements from Provost Bobby Gempesaw regarding Miami’s large first year class and record international enrollment. The Senate also heard from Michael Kabbaz, associate vice president of enrollment management, and David Sauter, university registrar, regarding the new academic calendar set to take effect next school year. The new calendar will include 14-week semesters, plus a week of final assessment, whereas the current calendar has 15-week semesters, plus a week of final assessment, according to Kabbaz. The new calendar will also include a proposed three-week winter term, which is currently pending approval from Miami’s Board of Trustees, according to Sauter. “The Board of Trustees is reviewing and hopefully voting and approving the winter
session [at its September meeting],” Sauter said. According to Sauter, students could utilize the proposed winter term for taking classes, study abroad opportunities, internships, and work experience. Sauter said there are still many aspects that need to be taken into consideration as the university moves towards the new calendar. “We’re now into this deep dive, looking at a lot of ‘what does this mean for the ebb and flow of the university?’” Sauter said. One of the uncertainties the university is working through is settling on a revised time block grid, or set class times, that adhere to the new calendar, according to Sauter. According to Sauter, there are problems with the current time block model. “When we run data now…every Monday-Wednesday class overlaps another time block,” Sauter said. “We’ve gotten out of kilter with the evenness of how we’re distributing classes,” According to Sauter, an ad hoc committee has been formed to gather input for new time block possibilities. With the implementation of the
new calendar, Sauter said the university can develop an improved time block. “If we have even a better time block model with no overlap, and spread it out, we’ll have greater success for the students,” Sauter said. The senate also heard from Information Security Officer Joe Bazeley, regarding changes to systems management tools for computer workstations across campus. According to Bazely, Altiris, a software currently on Miami workstations is being replaced by new software—System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) and Casper. Altiris, as well as SCCM and Casper, are necessary to deploy software and as well as perform software inventory to determine the best option for licensure, according to Bazeley. “It will tell us what software is installed on your computer,” Bazeley said. “It’s very much from an inventory perspective.” According to Bazely, the old and new software perform similar functions, but the new software will save the university a “substantial amount of money.”
Miami Metro implements new purple, orange routes By Allison McGillivray
an option,” Spilman said. “We hope that well help ease some of the congestion on campus by making it easy to get the remote parking lots.” The orange route now connects the residence halls to popular off-campus student housing. It runs from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Thursdays and on the weekends it runs from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m., according to Spilman. The orange route also runs out to Walmart on Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings. “The idea behind this route is that it connects the residence halls on campus with the high density off-campus residences and also run out to Walmart to provide an additional shopping option,” Spilman said. The blue, red, green, and yellow routes remain the same as they were last year, with an exception of a brief detour by the blue route around Western Drive. Western Drive will be closed until 2014 due to construction. The blue bus must enter and exit by the Art Museum.
Campus Editor
The 2012-2013 Miami Metro map looks a little different than last year’s map with major changes being made to the orange and both of the purple express routes. Miami University saw an increase in Miami Metro ridership last year. However, there was a substantial decline in ridership on the purple express routes, according to Lt. Ben Spilman of the Miami University Police Department (MUPD). “Being that they were underperforming routes we wanted to use those in a way that they would be more useful for the people who ride the bus,” Spilman said. The purple express routes connect the West Millet and Ditmer parking lots to the center of campus, according to Spilman. They arrive every ten minutes from 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. “The one thing that we really hope to happen out of this is that parking in a remote location will become more of
Miami hires new VP of university advancement Jenn Smola Campus Editor
Miami University has announced Tom Herbert as its new vice president of university advancement. According to Claire Wagner, associate director of university communications, Herbert was selected following an extensive search for the position. “A national search was done,” Wagner said. “Tom Herbert was the favorite candidate coming out of that.”
Working in university advancement, Herbert’s job deals largely with alumni relations, fundraising for the university, donor relations, and maintaining alumni data, Wagner said. According to Wagner, Herbert’s qualifications encouraged the university he was right for the position. “He’s got good experience in higher education,” Wagner said. Herbert will replace interim vice president of university advancement Brad Bundy and will start his position Oct. 1.
DAMIEN WATSON THE MIAMI STUDENT
Aimee Venott, Dominic Competti and Katie Knipfing display their Miami spirit in front of the Sundial.
IT Services reorganization Students go ‘all-in’ for school spirit saves more than $500,000 By Libby Mueller Senior Staff Writer
By Allison McGillivray Campus Editor
Miami University Information Technology (IT) Services announced in July it adopted a new organizational structure that would save the university $509,000 annually. IT Services achieved this savings by cutting 17 positions, 13 of which were already empty, according to Cathy McVey, senior director of IT communications and relationship management. The reorganization was part of a list of recommendations made by the consulting firm
Accenture. In fall 2011 Miami brought in Accenture to help IT Services reduce expenditures as part of a university-wide effort to save money. Since IT Services knew in advance it would have to cut positions, it planned to cut as many vacant positions as possible to avoid eliminating filled positions, according to McVey. “We knew this Accenture work was coming and so as somebody would retire or move on to somewhere else, we held a number of positions open knowing that
IT,
SEE PAGE 8
If you stroll through the Miami University campus on a Friday this fall semester, don’t be surprised to see a sea of red as spirited students don Miami gear in support of the athletic department’s new campaign: All-In Fridays. According to Mike Pearson, assistant athletic director of communication and technology, All-In Fridays is a campaign born out of football Coach Don Treadwell’s motto for the team, “All in at all times.” The initiative encourages students and staff to wear all red on Fridays. Brad Bates, director of athletics at Miami University, said he is enthusiastic about All-In Fridays.
“The campaign was really designed to generate campus-wide spirit,” Bates said. “Wearing red is a very visual symbol of people’s commitment to this university.” According to Bates, All-In Fridays began Aug. 17, where a portion of red could even be seen at Convocation as the incoming firstyear class took up the rallying call of the campaign. Bates said he hopes the concept will catch on with all students and staff alike. “How fun would it be for offcampus and high school students to see waves of red walking across campus to show students’ commitment to this great university,” Bates said. Anthony Azama, assistant athletic director of marketing, said that the campaign is not confined
to the athletics department. “The athletics department wanted to find something that goes beyond,” Azama said. “I want people to know it’s bigger than athletics. It’s all about the campus and the community showing this great spirit.” According to Azama and Pearson, Miami President David Hodge and the university’s executive council as well as the Oxford Chamber of Commerce are on board with All-In Fridays. Azama said there are many ways that the word is being spread. “We’re working with Red Alert to get the word out in residence halls,” Azama said. “We also
FRIDAYS, SEE PAGE 8
Inside Washington program creates opportunities for students By Jenn Smola Campus Editor
JENN SMOLA THE MIAMI STUDENT
Inside Washington students visited the White House press room during their summer experience.
For many, summer is a time for relaxing by the pool and barbecue hopping, but 21 Miami University students had a very different summer, interning in Washington, D.C. Participants in Miami University’s summer Inside Washington program lived in the nation’s capital for a 10-week session. While the program has existed since the late 1990s, students this year experienced a Washington summer that was especially politically charged with the tension of the upcoming presidential election and the Supreme Court’s ruling
on the controversial Affordable Care Act. Senior Rob Harrelson interned in Congressman Dennis Rehberg’s office. “It was really exciting working in the nation’s capital during such an important year for politics,” Harrelson said. “There was so much attention towards each issue to determine how it could play a role in the election.” During the first three weeks of the program, students met with prominent professionals in the political, communications and journalism fields. This year students
Washington, SEE PAGE 8
Editors olivia hnat hannah Stein
COMMUNITY
TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2012
COMMUNITY@miamistudent.net
3
POLICE Drought impacts local produce
BEAT
Morgan Schaffer SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Water. It is such a simple luxury, something that is taken for granted. The sunshine has been great, but without rain, Butler County is suffering and in the midst of a drought. “[The year] 2012 has been one of the hottest years on record,” said Mike Dreisbach, director of public services for the city of Oxford. The lack of water affects day-today life, especially the growing of food. According to Dreisbach, the rainfall has been six inches below what it should be for the year. Butterfield Farms, a few hundred acres of farm located on state route 73, however, has been damagingly affected by the drought, according to employee Andrea Bryant. The outcome of this drought is not looking positive, said Bryant. “The prices [of produce] are going to go through the roof,” Bryant said. “It’s going to be negative because we’re not going to have enough [produce].” Bryant gave an example of this year’s produce compared to a normal, good year’s produce. “Generally, on a good year, [referring to] beans and corn, we create almost 60 bushels of beans, and corn is almost 56 bushels,” Bryant said. “[This year], we’ll be lucky if
ANNE GARDNER THE MIAMI STUDENT
Dying Butterfield Farm corn stalks line Route 73 as Oxford suffers its worst drought since the 1980s.
we get 20 bushels of beans and 20 to 30 of corn. It’s really bad.” Butterfield Farms has a produce market situated within the farm with an address on Oxford Trenton Road that sells produce grown on Butterfield Farms along with cheeses, bacon, jellies, honey and other assorted goods. It also sends produce out of the farm, according to Bryant. “We grow mainly for customers because we’re a produce market. A lot of farmers ship down to the river on barges, and
[produce is] usually taken overseas,” Bryant said. Junior Emily Holifield said she noticed the effects of the drought in her daily life. “I noticed less produce this past summer, and there is an obvious difference in the way my front lawn looked last year and how it looks now,” Holifield said. According to Bryant, compared to the drought in 1980, this year’s drought has not been so bad. “I wouldn’t say it’s as bad because the difference between this drought
and the 1980 drought is [the 1980 drought] started a lot earlier, and we didn’t get any rain period. For this one we got rain early on and haven’t had any since,” Bryant said. While farms are suffering, water used for daily use is not in harm. Dreisbach said the city has prepared for droughts and is capable of providing the same amount of water that has consistently been provided. As far as water used for daily living, there is no need for alarm.
Local presidential campaign offices open their doors by Kaitie Espeleta For the Miami Student
ANNE GARDNER THE MIAMI STUDENT
THINK GLOBAL, ACT LOCAL
Local residents sample apples from local farms at the Oxford Farmer’s Market that is held uptown every Saturday morning until Thanksgiving.
Butler County has highest number of swine flu cases By Lauren C. Williams For the Miami Student
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Ten human cases of Influenza A H3N2v, also known as Swine Flu, were documented a week after the Butler County Fair closed it grounds. As of Aug. 24, 98 cases of swine flu have been confirmed in the state of Ohio. The most cases are in Butler County, with 17. Tess Pollock, a spokesperson for the Ohio Department of Health, said that the virus was transmitted from direct exposure to the hogs shown at the fair. Given the amount of swine flu cases, Pollock said it will be difficult to estimate when the virus will spread from person to person. “So far, all cases have been generally mild. However, the one thing we always can predict about swine flu is that it will be unpredictable,” Pollock said. It’s still unclear as to why more hogs in Butler County spread the virus than in other parts of the state. Miami University medical director Dr. Greg Calkins said the demographical factors of Butler County may have led to the higher number of cases. “[The virus] was first seen during this warm season in La Porte County, Indiana,” Calkins said. “The counties and states that have had it have basically been agricultural states with livestock raising.” Dr. Calkins also commented that one of the difficult aspects of identifying cases of swine flu is the standard
flu testing. “Most of the flu tests in clinical practices like ours just pick up Influenza A, which is a broader classification. Even with the H1N1 swine flu of three years ago, only samples sent to the state labs were able to tell,” Calkins said. With record enrollment this year and crowded residence halls, students are concerned about whether their peers will take hygiene seriously. Senior Katie Lindauer was a student at Miami during the winter 2009 outbreak of swine flu. “It was a much bigger problem in the dorms than anywhere else,” Lindauer said. “So that’s a source of concern because we have a gigantic freshman class this year. Now that most of the buildings have air conditioning, it seems like there’s not going to be a lot of windows opened and an awful lot of recirculated air going around,” Lindauer said. Butler County hospitals and the Miami University Student Health Center are equipped for the increase in swine flu cases as the weather changes. “The symptoms haven’t been significantly different from the normal flu. So far, it’s responsive to all the anti-flu medicines,” said Calkins. For both Miami students and the Butler County community, the best preventive effort against contracting swine flu this season is for people to wash their hands thoroughly. “That’s the single most effective thing a person can do,” said Calkins.
The political campaigns for President Obama and GOP candidate Mitt Romney rely heavily on the efforts of volunteers. In Oxford, Ohio, these citizen activists can get involved in the election at local field offices. These field offices are made up of community volunteers that help spread the word to their neighborhoods about their preferred candidate. “It gives a place to gather and organize around, but it also helps with appearance, so people can actually see the campaign,” said Junior Dan Otto, a student volunteer at the Obama field office. The offices funnel their volunteers toward either going door-to-door in neighborhoods, using phone banks to reach out and inform voters, or piecing together literature regarding their campaign. The level of importance of these offices and volunteers does not go unnoticed by the officers assembling their duties at the State level. “One of the most important things we can do is have local volunteers talking to their neighbors about why they support Mitt Romney and the Republican ticket,” said Scott Jennings, the senior advisor to the Romney campaign in Ohio. “It adds aw level of credibility to the campaign that you don’t necessarily get out of just paid advertising.” The Romney office opened July 7 in Liberty Township, with Speaker John Boehner (OH-08) on hand at the grand opening. The Ohio Republican party has its headquarters in Columbus, Ohio, and is in charge of 35 field offices in the state, according to Jennings. The Obama field office opened roughly two weeks ago in Oxford on W. Walnut Street, and is mainly made up of student volunteers from Miami, according to Otto. As of August 17, there have been 57 Democratic field offices opened in Ohio, as well as their
state headquarters in Columbus, Ohio as well. Despite Oxford having a reputation of having a conservative majority, Otto said that they expect positive results coming from the Democratic office. “We had an office here in 2008,” Otto said. “In turn we had a huge College Democrats organization that outnumbered the College Republicans that year. There are a lot of Democrats here, and having this office here brings them out of the woodwork and gets them involved.” Not all students agree that an Obama office in such a conservative area is beneficial to his campaign. “I understand that Obama’s campaign is focused on the middle class, so choosing a smaller town could be beneficial, but Oxford is extremely conservative,” junior Cameron Egbert said. “He should have picked another small town.” These field offices serve as a hub of information that is available for anyone who is interested. The offices are open every day, filled with pamphlets and flyers on how to get involved with the campaign. Both Otto and Jennings said that when volunteers walk through the doors to become informed, most volunteers are working that same day. “This neighbor-to-neighbor campaign that we’re doing really does matter, particularly to the swing voters,” Jennings said. “There’s a universe of independent swing voters out there, where it really makes a difference when someone from their community comes and knocks on their door.” Jennings expressed his gratitude for all of the volunteers that come into the office daily to help spread the word for the Republican ticket. “We take great pride in building our volunteers and getting them out there to talk to those voters that decide the outcome of the election nationally, and essentially decide the next president of the United States,” Jennings said.
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Editor BILLY RAFAEL
ARTS@miamistudent.net
TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2012
Student brings Taiwanese training to MU By Christina Casano Senior Staff Writer
The summer is often a time for theater students to work on internships and gain experience in the field. This summer, junior theater major Shelby Becker had an opportunity to expand her experience not only as an actor, but also as a global citizen. Traveling to Taiwan in the weeks before school began, Becker met with a director and two professional actors who will be at Miami University to rehearse and perform a short show. Titled The King and the Deer, the show was written by Howard Blanning, an assistant theatre professor at Miami, blending folk and fairytale stories from Southeast Asia. According to Blanning, it is about a deer who gives birth to a child that is half human and half nature, and a king who falls in love with that woman after she
grows up. The show is appropriate for all ages and will be about half an hour long. This professional show will be directed by Mingxe, who has worked at Miami before. “I was hoping he could come over and work with a student… Shelby was willing to travel [to Taiwan], she’s dependable,” Blanning said. “She gets to work with two professional actors and a really good director.” While in Taiwan, Becker got the chance to work with students from the National Taiwan College of Performing Arts, seven of which will be coming to campus to perform this semester as well. According to Becker, the students at the NTC begin training in the Jingxu opera style and started performing at about age six, perfecting their performance techniques as they go through school. “I saw some of the work they do there. I had never seen anything so precise, yet not me-
CONTRIBUTED BY SHELBY BECKER
Shelby Becker works with a student at the National Taiwan College of Performing Arts. Becker plays to implement aspects of her studies into the upcoming performance of The King and the Deer. chanical,” Becker said. “I plan to apply a lot of what I learned in Taiwan to The King and the Deer.”
The King and the Deer will take place 4 p.m. Sept. 7 in the Art Museum. Other performances are being planned with
Stage Left prepares to audition for Spring Awakening By Billy Rafael
Arts and Entertainment Editor
Stage Left, Miami University’s student-run theater organization, is preparing for auditions for their first musical of the year, Spring Awakening. According to senior Shane Davis, director of the show, Spring Awakening is a rock musical adaptation of a German play by Frank Wedekind. It is known for dealing with controversial topics such as abortion, suicide, homosexuality, rape and child abuse. “The show is about these kids growing up in Germany in a time when their parents kept the facts of life from them,” Davis said. “They’re forced to deal with growing up and raging hormones on their own because no one tells them what is
going on.” Davis said he is excited to bring the show to life, and feels it will be one of the most difficult productions Stage Left has ever tackled. Stage Left normally performs at least one show a semester, yet due to issues securing a venue, Spring Awakening
attempted. Getting the whole semester to prepare will play in our favor.” Students interested in auditioning should prepare roughly 32 bars or 1 minute of a piece that showcases their voice. Audition pieces need not be musical theater. There will
We put on great shows, and it’s pretty incredible that it is entirely studen run.” SHELDON WHITE
MIAMI UNIVERSITY SENIOR
will not be put on until January. “It is one of my favorite shows, and I’ve been obsessing over it for a while,” Davis said. “However, it’s definitely one of the more challenging shows we’ve
also be a cold reading. An audition workshop will also take place 6 p.m. Sept. 3 in the Center for the Performing Arts 101 for anyone wishing to get feedback on his or her selection.
Show members do not have to be theater majors, and anyone with an interest in musical theater is encouraged to audition. Senior Sheldon White has been a part of Stage Left since the beginning of his college experience, and said he would recommend it to anyone. “I enjoy the mix of people that we have and the family that gets created through performing together,” White said. “We put on great shows, and it’s pretty incredible that it is entirely student run.” Stage Left will be hosting its first organizational meeting 7 p.m. Wednesday in Benton 102, where anyone interested in auditioning for Spring Awakening can get more information and sign up for time slot. Auditions will take place 6 p.m. Sept. 4 and 5 in the Center for the Performing Arts 101.
Art museum’s new exhibit features Eurasian artifacts By Lauren Kiggins Staff Writer
LAUREN OLSON PHOTO EDITOR
The Miami University Art Museum’s newest exhibit is now open to the public.The display features artifacts from several galleries around the world.
For the entirety of this semester, the Miami University Art Museum will be hosting an exhibit dedicated to the exploration of the Eurasian Grasslands. Ancient Bronzes of the Eurasian Grasslands examines the ancient steppe people of Mongolia and Central Asia during the late second and first millennia BCE. The exhibit focuses on their use of bronzes to denote tribe, social rank, and spirituality. While the bronzes were designed for nomadic functionality, each piece, from knives to embellishments, is a piece of art. “We relied on the archeological finds to repatriate and understand the culture of the steppe people,” Trudy Kawami, Director of Research at The Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, said. “It is the most accurate evidence out there.” The interactive exhibit contains evidence to prove the steppe peoples advanced society. “There is often a skewed
understanding of the steppe people because they did not have a writing system,” Kawami said. “We originally thought the steppe people to be barbarians based on information from the Greeks. Naturally, we trusted the Greeks because they created such things as polis.” According to Robert Wicks, Miami Professor of Art History, two of the three galleries are unique to Miami University. The third is a traveling exhibit from New York City’s The Arthur M. Sackler Foundation. “The list of acknowledgements is longer than any previous exhibit at the Museum. This represents collaboration at and outside of Miami University,” Wicks said. “Sometimes people forget that the Art Museum is an educational resource.” Grass Routes: Pathways to Eurasian Cultures runs until December 8. The Miami University Art Museum is free and open to the public 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, and 12 p.m.-5p.m. Saturday.
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possibilities for the Ernst Nature Theatre. The visiting artists will also be teaching classes at the Oxford Community Center.
‘Bourne Legacy’ has style but lacks substance By Joe Gieringer
For the Miami Student
The Bourne series is back, but sans-Matt Damon. Though that is not to say Jeremy Renner doesn’t hold his own as he takes on the role of Aaron Cross, a black ops agent not unlike Jason Bourne, in The Bourne Legacy. As he trains in the wilderness of Alaska, we are introduced to a calculating, cunning operative that uses chemical compounds to enhance his physical and mental abilities in the field. Events from The Bourne Ulitimatum lead CIA clandestine operations leader Eric Byer (Edward Norton) to shut down Operation Outcome and eliminate all of its agents, including Cross. As he narrowly avoids an attempt on his life, he begins a search for the chemicals he needs that leads him to Dr. Marta Shearing (Rachel Weisz). Bourne trilogy writer Tony Gilroy returns again, but this time as director as well. Unlike some of his other directorial outings (Michael Clayton, State of Play), action supersedes plot and character development in The Bourne Legacy, and the film is worse off because of it. The introduction of dependent chemicals completely muddies the series plot, though the addition of another top agent in Cross is a nice treat. Luckily, the cast is up to the task as Renner and Weisz are believable, and Norton delivers as the government agent hellbent on cleaning up the mess that has been made. Unfortunately, Gilroy’s love of the “shaky action camera” makes the fight scenes throughout rather nauseating to watch (sadly, Ultimatum suffered the same fate). Though the film is largely your typical summer blockbuster, there are definitely some bright spots. Even with the questionable camera angles and cuts, the heart-racing action throughout was top notch, including a predator chase in Alaska, a terrifying shooting scene in a laboratory and a motorcycle chase in Manila. The exploration of the Aaron Cross story adds a new layer to the series, and opens up new possibilities for subsequent movies. As the movie abruptly ended and the credits rolled, I found myself wanting Jason Bourne back. Cross was a worthy character, but a Bourne film just isn’t the same without Bourne in it. Though The Bourne Legacy is only worthy of 2 1/2 out of 5 stars, the open ending left me hopeful for what the next installment has to offer. And I’m really hoping it involves Matt Damon.
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FROM PAGE 12
The Red and White faced off against 23rd-ranked University of Louisville Sunday in the consolation game. Junior goalkeeper Sarah Mueller had a career-high 14 saves, including nine in the first half, but it was not enough to hold off the Cardinals as Miami fell 3-1. Louisville had 10 shots and four penalty corners in the first half, but Mueller only allowed one goal in the 10th minute to junior forward Erin Schneidtmiller. Just over a minute into the second half, Louisville extended its lead to 2-0 on a goal from sophomore forward Becca Maddock. The RedHawks scored their first goal of the season
off of a penalty corner in the 60th minute. Junior forward Emily Gruesser scored off an assist from junior midfielder Jordan Long. The Cardinals answered a minute later with a goal from senior forward Haley Jurich to make it 3-1. Miami was outshot again, this time by a 20-6 margin. “This season has not started as we would have hoped,” Miller said. “[The team is] striving to be better every day, whether it is practice or a game.” The RedHawks will take the field next weekend in East Lansing, Mich. for a pair of contests. They team will play 11th-ranked Stanford University 4 p.m. Sept. 1 and will follow that with a game against host Michigan State University 4 p.m. Sept. 2.
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PHILLIPS, FROM PAGE 12
In 2009 Phillips was named the head coach at Miami and she wasted no time leading the RedHawks to their second straight MAC Championship. “I had my work cut out for me; we were MAC champs my first year,” Phillips said. But the Miami athletes are not the only draw for Phillips and her family. “[My sons] love it here, but what’s not to love about Oxford?” Phillips said. “[Miami] is awesome; I love it. I now know the pride that is associated with Miami.” In addition to the women’s cross-country team, Phillips also coaches the women’s track and field team at Miami and said she feels good about the upcoming season. “The track team is stronger,” Phillips said. “We had great summer workouts and we are working to build a deeper team.” The women’s crosscountry team opens its season Saturday at the Dayton Flyer 5k Challenge and Phillips has high hopes. “[This season] lends itself to be an awesome year,” Phillips said. “The culture and atmosphere is great. We are ready to win a championship. Everyone wants to win, how could I not love coming to work?” And overall, Phillips has enjoyed her time at Miami. “[The past three years] have been the fastest three years of my life, but time flies when you are having fun.”
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OPINION
Editors RACHEL SACKS SARAH SHEW
TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2012
editorial@miamistudent.net
ESSAY Olivia brough
broughol@muohio.edu
Romney’s elusive nature won’t help him win the presidency
PATRICK GEYSER THE MIAMI STUDENT
EDITORIAL The following piece, written by the editorial editors, reflects the majority opinion of the editorial board.
Americans must insist gun control becomes part of current election discussions, debates In the wake of the Colorado theater, Wisconsin Sikh temple, and most recent, New York City shootings, gun rights and gun control are sure to be factored into the debate between Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama as the November election nears. However, many politicians have been saying this is not the time to discuss gun control legislation. While The Miami Student editorial board believes that hasty legislation should not be made in the midst of a crisis, the board believes this is an issue the government needs to address. The Miami Student editorial board found the topic of gun control and policy a difficult one to discuss and write about, so we understand that this is a difficult issue for many Americans to tackle. Although we were all in agreement that American citizens have the second amendment right to own a gun, the board believes gun legislation needs to be reassessed. These are policies that have several stipulations and need time to be carefully thought about and
discussed by both citizens and elected officials alike. Gun control has been a longstanding issue in our country, and with events such as the most recent shootings, we must take a close, examined look at gun culture in today’s society. Gun laws need to be reassessed, more specifically laws concerning who should be allowed to own and carry a weapon. There should also be a longer waiting period in order to obtain a gun and permit, and a law regarding suspicion of intent when assessing how much ammunition and what types of guns someone purchases. The state of Ohio’s concealed carry laws state that the person must have 12 hours of weapons training and submit a CCW form that includes a background check, after which the permit is valid for five years. We also feel gun control is an issue Miami University students need to be aware of. It is easy for students in the “Oxford bubble” to feel that gun violence is not a problem, but we must remember that none of us are immune to gun violence.
Miami University Police Department (MUPD) officers train every summer with the State Highway Patrol and have a mutual aid agreement with the police departments of the surrounding counties if gun violence were to occur on campus. However, we feel that Miami students are not prepared if an on-campus shooting were to occur. While every member of the editorial board remembers receiving training on fire and alcohol safety, none of us know what we would do in the event of gun violence on campus. Our lack of information and preparedness plus the “Miami/Oxford bubble” leads to a dangerous false sense of security. Even the most highly trained police force would be overwhelmed by 16,000 panicking students if a shooting on campus were to occur. We believe it is essential for students to know emergency procedures for this situation. It is easy to forget about the rest of the world while on Miami’s campus. But, we need to remember that today, gun violence is a reality and take steps to mitigate it.
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So you want to meet Mitt Romney? That’s too bad. The political class is waiting expectantly on Mitt Romney to reveal himself to the country in a way he has been unwilling to due thus far this campaign season in his convention speech. “Give us your vision for the future!” they say. “Rattle off your illustrious Olympic saving, consulting genius, dedicated to your church biography!” they plead. “Tell us something, anything about yourself, we’re begging you!” Well chances are, aside from some poll-tested snippets of the biography that he’s said a million times before, the American people will get none of that from Romney during convention week. And though we deserve more, why should we expect it? You see, what the chattering class has yet to accept, and the masses are about to understand about W. Mitt Romney, is that he’s the most closed-off man ever to seek the presidency. A knock on President George H. W. Bush has always been that he was unwilling to discuss his heroism. He was modest to the end, even if it cost him a second term. Mr. Romney is making a similar mistake with his lack of transparency. We live in a world that values transparency above almost all else. And though you may not like President Obama’s policy prescriptions and what he’s done with his first term, at least he’s willing to reveal himself to us. The man wrote a highly personal, moving memoir. It’s basically how he became famous. And though some details of this narrative are under attack, at least the President is willing to level with the American people. He’s a highly transparent public official. I’m not a big Obama fan, but I can respect this characteristic. In fact, I’ve come to respect it more and more as Mr. Romney has been willing to reveal less and less. Take, for example, the tax return issue. Yes, harping on tax returns is an attempt to distract the American people from Obama’s handling of the economy. But it is also important because it’s a transparency issue.
Mr. Romney probably won’t release any more of his tax returns, at least partially, because it reveals how much he gives to the Mormon Church. This is a private matter; I understand this, but when you’re running for president, especially in a world seeking hyper transparency, you give up the ability to make such an argument. Plus, most people would probably find these donations admirable, even if they did go to a church most Americans don’t understand. The American people deserve to know Mr. Romney. He’s asking to hold the most important position in the world. We deserve to at least know what kind of a guy he is. Throughout the race, Mr. Romney has polled with higher negative than favorable personal ratings. This isn’t only because President Obama’s attacks have been working. It’s also because people don’t know him. People rarely like the rich guy down the street who drives out in his Ferrari, plays tennis on his personal tennis court, and never speaks to the neighbors. This is, in essence, Mr. Romney. He cannot win as this type of a figure, but take heart. The reintroduction can come at the convention. Most people were tuned out thus far anyway, so this is his chance, the big reveal. But I see almost no way we’ll actually see real Romney, probably ever. If he couldn’t bring himself to tell us who he really is before, why would he now? He thinks he’s given us enough already. He has the hubris to think that we’ll elect him just because he’s competent. Any observer of a fifth grade student council election is aware of the fact that this is a fool’s errand. We never elect the nerdy kid with good ideas. That kid works at a think tank, or as a highly successful management consultant, not as class President, and certainly later not as President of the United States. Instead we select the leader who we admire, and will level with us. And we might admire Mr. Romney, but we just don’t know him, and that’s the kiss of death in politics.
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2012-2013 lecture series We are particularily excited for Neil deGrasse Tyson!
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LETTER TO the editor
Defending Dean Jenkins: university should stand by member of community Leaders of the Miami Community, It has come to my attention that there has been public scrutiny of Roger Jenkins and an agreement between him and Miami alum, parent, and benefactor of time and treasurer, Tom Petters. Prior to being convicted of turning his firm, Petters Group Worldwide, into a $3.65 billion Ponzi scheme, Petters visited campus, gave speeches and presentations, and served on several advisory boards. Now it has become public that Dean Jenkins had been contracted by Petters to perform consulting services in strategy, marketing / branding, transaction-related activities, executive development / human resources, and recruitment. The contracting of these services is not unusual for someone with the level of expertise possessed by Dean Jenkins, having served as President of two companies and holding a PhD in Business Administration, and neither was the compensation he earned for these services. He did not do anything illegal and, in fact, knew of no illegal activity going on behind the scenes, much like the rest of the directors, consultants, and executives associated with Petters. But Miami should never settle for what is legally right. Miami should hold the members of its community to a higher standard if we hope to achieve true greatness as a community. Miami should instead hold its members to a standard of ethical behavior. So the question we should now ask is whether or not the Dean
behaved in a way that reflects the values of our university. Let’s examine the facts. The Dean performed services appropriate for his expertise at a reasonable level of expected payment relative to similar services performed by professionals of his expertise. The Dean did not participate in or observe any illegal or unethical activity at the hand of Tom Petters, any other party affiliated with Petters Group Worldwide or the firms that comprise its portfolio. The Dean has been working for the past four years to avoid any legal action being taken towards him by settling out of court for the return of the compensation he received from Petters. This legal action would come
That was my reaction when I first encountered an article published that covered the “story.” After further investigation of the details it is my firm stance. However, Miami also needs to think about its reputation. The world is always watching us — prospective students, potential employers, alumni both critical and supportive, and competing universities. We have an alumnus running to be the Vice President of the United States and we have a national reputation in the arts, athletics, and — of course — academics. What does this news mean for our reputation, and what are the implications of the impact of this news on our reputation on our association with Roger Jenkins?
The Dean performed services appropriate for his expertise at a reasonable level of expected payment relative to similar services performed by professionals of his expertise. The Dean did not participate in or observe any illegal or unethical activity at the hand of Tom Petters, any other party affiliated with Petters Group Worldwide or the firms that comprise its portfolio.” about as a result of Petters’ illegal and unethical means of sourcing the money to pay those who he had contracted at a fair value for services, not as a result of anything illegal the Dean had done to receive the arranged compensation. In my view, Dean Jenkins did not do anything that stands counter to ethical standard we should strive to hold the members of our community to.
Certainly having the words “Tom Petters” and “Miami” together in the same headline will be an impairment to the “Miami brand.” That, we know, is inevitable. However, that is also unavoidable. I would argue that it cannot be avoided and can only be exacerbated — exacerbated if the university takes action against the Dean
or asks him to resign, which would be interpreted as an indication of guilt or unethical activity. This would not only be a misrepresentation, but it would be far worse for Miami’s reputation than waiting for the media to grow tired of trying to create a story out of something that really does not make that great of news. A resignation or dismissal, on the other hand, makes for great press. In the United States we are all susceptible to sensationalism in the media, but that does not mean we have to live in fear of it and certainly does not mean we should feed it. Beyond the short term reputation, let’s examine the reputation of the university over the long term. During his tenure as Dean of the Farmer School of Business, Roger Jenkins has worked tirelessly to enhance the quality of our programs and the prestige of our university. Though many students, faculty, alumni, family, and friends have played an integral role in the rise of FSB in national rankings, Dean Jenkins is the one who deserves the lion’s share of credit. He is the person who is the most individually responsible for developing such a nationally-renowned program. Every player has been crucial, but without Dean Jenkins, very many of them would not have been gathered and galvanized as we have seen over the past decade. How about the impact of Miami’s association with Roger Jenkins to the health of the Miami community? If you were at the
commencement ceremonies this spring you would have seen a crowd of students erupt with applause and cheering when the Dean was introduced as a member of the platform party. Students love him because he invests himself so heavily in our education, in our success, and in our growth as individuals. He is qualified to be President and CEO of a major corporation, a University Provost, and even a University President with all that he has achieved in his career, yet he continues to instead spend his time developing students and enhancing the Miami Experience. Personally, I can say that my Miami Experience would not have been nearly as enriching without his friendship, advice, and wisdom. But I will conclude my remarks where I began them — with ethics. In this situation, the members of the Board of Trustees and the University Administration are the ethical actors and have a very important decision to make. Will they rally behind a friend, servant of the school, and leader among their ranks? Or will they take action due to sensationalist media and break the career, honor, legacy, and heart of an innocent man — legally and ethically? The world is watching. I am, too. Love and Honor,
Nicholas S. Huber Miami University, 2012
MUSINGS WITH MILAM brett Milam
If you really love everyone, you should treat women with respect, rather than judge their dress or ‘serving hearts’ Normally, when I conjure the cliché image “rocking the boat” in my mind, I envision someone deviating from the norm. I envision someone saying or doing something opposed to the established way of thinking. In other words, thought or action that in “rocking the boat” aims to appeal to a different perspective and way of conceiving the world. Certainly then, by any competent understanding of such a sentiment, Ian Joyce failed to achieve this in his article, “I love everyone: reasons why maintaining hope in others is the only way to live.” If by “rocking the boat” he meant reinforcing age-old stereotypes about gender roles and a man’s sense of entitlement to women, then mission accomplished. He mentioned in his article that women seek men that see beyond their breasts and behinds, that they should instead see a confident, humble and serving heart. The role of women in a relationship is not to serve the man. Men should value a woman that is beautiful, intelligent and has career and life ambitions of her own. I’m not regurgitating Betty Friedan-inspired ‘60s feminism here, but simply stating that
respect in a relationship entails recognizing the individual autonomy of each other. Even so, many within our society hearken back to a time when the roles of men and women were more clearly outlined and defined. They romanticize that period, the 1950s, as the paradigm of traditional family values. However, even a rudimentary understanding of history demonstrates that period to be an outlier. The social and political trend had a trajectory geared towards female empowerment, which came to be fully realized in the 1960s and proceeding decades. I do not intend to be derisive of housewives. That’s a noble role, if one so chooses it. What I do deride is the expectation that women should be housewives. My mother, for instance, is more handy with a wrench and has the know-how to fix a vehicle more than my father. It is not incumbent upon women to serve men in relationships because they seek true love. True love between two people ought to manifest itself in respect for each other. Not in predefined traditional gender roles that relegate men and women to certain duties. Maybe Ian Joyce meant some-
thing different by that statement of women having a “serving heart.” Defining individuals with varying capabilities and aptitudes to socially and culturally constructed parameters is unwise and detrimental to the flourishing of that individual. The other point of contention with regards to Ian Joyce’s article is when he argues that men should
Otherwise, she would have worn something less revealing, right? Wrong. If a woman feels confident in her body to wear something that reflects that, it should not, then, be the justification for men to think they can have their way with her. Moreover, if men should not be hated for gyrating on women at bars, the further implication is
I believe that men are not simply physical mechanisms that react to impulses. Men think and reason too. Value should be placed on being a gentleman and respecting a woman, not believing she’s fair game because of her choice of apparel.”
not be hated for gyrating on women who wear revealing clothing at bars. For him, respectable love begins with respectable dress. This belief insinuates a sense of entitlement from men to women. It is thought that men are entitled to women because of the clothes they wear. If she’s dressing like that, surely she wants guys fawning all over her and gyrating on her body.
ESSAYISTS WANTE D.
troubling. This forwards the idea that male personal responsibility is negated by “natural” animalistic instincts. I believe that men are not simply physical mechanisms that react to impulses. Men think and reason too. Value should be placed on being a gentleman and respecting a woman, not believing she’s fair game because of her choice of apparel. Such thinking leads to objectifying women, and then
you’re merely viewing her as something to play with to satisfy your needs. To follow the logical progression of such a thought – that men should not be hated for gyrating – leads one to a consequence that becomes hard to justify. It’s the often-said belief that women of rape asked for it. They asked for it because they were dressed a certain way or acted a certain way, which made the rapist feel entitled to her body. And you can’t blame the rapist, he was only acting out his desires. She brought them out. Not that Ian Joyce potentially thought-out such a conclusion, but one only has to peruse the rhetoric surrounding Congressman Todd Akin’s remarks to see that it’s out there. In the interest of actually rocking the boat, then, traditional family values are archaic and I would never beckon the return of the 1950s relationship dynamic. Furthermore, as a man, if you feel threatened by a beautiful, intelligent and ambitious woman, you are insecure. To those men that feel entitled to gyrate on women because of their choice of attire, you’re a jerk with no class. Finally, yes, you can get pregnant from rape, Mr. Akin.
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LECTURE,
GUN CONTROL,
ture Series Committee agrees with the speakers on a topic of discussion, and from there the speaker can take their own liberties on where they want to steer their material, and from what angle the topic will be addressed. The cost related to bringing in speakers is negotiated between the University Lecture Series Committee and the presenter’s booking agent, and often varies based on the demand for a particular speaker, and the timing of their visit. Costs paid to the speaker include travel expenses and lodging, according to Newberry. Sophomore Ian Free said he looks forward to Jerry Springer as an exciting guest. “I think Springer would be an interesting speaker to see based on his career diversity,” Free said. “He probably has a good perspective on certain issues because of his background.”
“Minimally if you read that you begin to formulate ideas that you might use should that situation happen.” McCandless also mentioned that his officers train every summer with area law enforcement such as the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the Oxford Police Department (OPD) and have a mutual aid agreement with the police departments of the surrounding counties, which means they would assist the MUPD in such a scenario. Miami University also has the Miami Emergency Text Messaging Service, which is used in the event of imminent danger to students, faculty and staff on all Miami University campuses. For information on the service and how to sign up, go to: http:// www.units.muohio.edu/psf/police/emergencytextmessaging/. To date, Police Chief McCandless is not aware of any gun
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violence on Miami’s campus in the last year or in the past, since becoming Police Chief in June of 2004. If there are gun-related incidents, according to McCandless, they usually involve someone passing through campus with a gun in their vehicle and being stopped. The process of acquiring a firearm for a new owner with a background check and going through a registered Federal Firearm Licensee (FFL) usually takes upwards of an hour, according to Sean Crumley, President of the Pistol Club. “Even though it is quick, the background check required to purchase a firearm is fairly extensive,” Crumley said.
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POLICE, FROM PAGE 1
Student Government (ASG) informed students about the new mutual jurisdiction agreement during a walk-around to off-campus houses. “ASG has been trying to get the word out because students will be experiencing a larger police presence uptown, and throughout the Mile Square region,” Stefanski said. “We want to make sure that students know that this is not an attack by police, but rather an attempt to make students and citizens of Oxford safer.” Not surprisingly, some students are skeptical of the plan. Junior Elliott Brose said he believes the effectiveness of the previous jurisdiction evidenced no need for the new agreement. “I think as Miami University police, they need to stay in the campus bounds,” Brose said. “If they go off campus to parties and other miscellaneous activities, that could leave the campus less protected.” Still, Spilman said this mutual jurisdiction agreement will do nothing more than optimize the promptness of police response to off-campus issues, and on-campus issues will be dealt with just as they have been in the past.
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WASHINGTON,
IT,
met with individuals including Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, Congressman and vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan and Brian Lamb, the founder of C-SPAN. During the remaining seven weeks, students were placed in individualized internships throughout the city. Senior political science major Logan Dick said the combination of the speaker portions and internship portions gave students a specialized but well-rounded idea of Washington. “Everyone gets to do what they’re passionate about, but also see what else there is in Washington and kind of how the place works,” Dick said. Howard Kleiman, professor of communications and Inside Washington program coordinator, said having a course in Washington is completely different than in Oxford. “Most of what we do is experiential,” he said. “Traditionally a lot of higher education is theory-based. What is wonderful in DC is the chance to talk to people who are implementing those theories.” Kleiman also said being in Washington for the Supreme Court’s healthcare decision was a unique experience for students. “It was neat [for the students] to be a part of history,” Kleiman said. Senior Michael Woeste interned at the Administrative Offices of the U.S. Courts. He was assisting in the press office of the Supreme Court when the court issued its healthcare decision. “That was very cool,” Woeste said of his experience that day. “It was actually being in the middle of the news.” Despite a big buildup for the court’s decision, Woeste said the press offices were ready when the day of the decision rolled around. “They were prepared for the storm that was about to come,” Woeste said. While the total cost of the summer program is roughly $7,000 for in-state students and $9,700 for out-of-state students, Dick said the cost was worth it. “An unpaid internship plus the cost of this program is a lot, but in the end it’s worth it because it’ll help put you in a good place for your career.” Kleiman said he urges students to consider the semester version of the program in the spring to avoid the additional cost of a course in the summer. But regardless of when students participate, Kleiman said he has never gotten any complaints that the cost was not worth it. Costs aside, students say they have had many memorable moments throughout the summer. Dick said she especially enjoyed the group’s visit to the White House pressroom. “My favorite speaker was the assistant press secretary at the White House, just because she made me feel like that could be me someday, kind of feel like all of this is attainable,” Dick said. “DC is cool like that; it’s run by young people so it’s fun to be part of that.”
we would have to be cutting positions,” McVey said. “And it’s so much easier to cut a position that doesn’t have a person in it.” In addition, IT Services added seven new positions, some to be filled internally and some to be filled through an external search. Several IT Services employees were appointed to new positions during the reorganization such as Associate Vice President and Deputy Chief Information Officer (CIO) Alan Ferrenberg. Formerly the Associate Vice President for Business and Infrastructure Services, Ferrenberg now heads up the IT Planning and Strategy unit, which sets up technology projects determined by the university’s needs and desires, determines what services IT Services can offer and what those services entail, as well as handling the business functions of IT Services. McVey said while restructuring IT Services is a difficult process, the reorganization will allow IT Services to better meet the needs of the university. There will be a committee made up of the vice presidents of the university (Vice President of Finance and Business Services, Vice President of Student Affairs, etc.) who will make decisions about which of the more costly and time-consuming projects the university should undertake, McVey said. Ferrenberg said the reorganization will also allow students, faculty, and staff who are not familiar with IT Services’ structure to take better advantage of the department. “People come to us and they want us to do something and they shouldn’t have to know how our organization works to get something done,” Ferrenberg said. “You don’t need to know the rulebook to interact with IT Services, that’s the goal.” IT Services reduced its number of sub-units from five to three: IT Planning and Strategy, Academic and Administrative Solutions and Infrastructure and Operations. According to Ferrenberg, these three units connect groups within IT Services who complete similar functions. The Infrastructure and Operations unit includes the Support Desk, networking and the data center. The Academic and Administrative Solutions unit maintains existing services and applications, such as BannerWeb and Kronos and also develop new services and applications. Formerly, the developers within IT Services would have to both maintain existing services and applications and develop new ones at the same time, but as a result of the reorganization, one group of developers can focus on maintaining features and one group can focus on developing new ones. “The people who are working on new and strategic projects will be able to focus on that more,” McVey said. “That’s not to say that if there’s a big crash of something that it’s not going to be all hands on deck, but on a day to day basis they will be focused on their projects.” A few of the goals of the reorganization were to identify redundant positions and to reduce the number of managers, according to McVey. “As people have been here and performed well and get promotions frequently, to give them a path to be promoted means they end up being a manager or supervisor, not because they have good management or supervisory skills, but because that’s the only place we have to go,” McVey said. As a result of the reorganization there is now an average of six employees reporting to one manager instead of five employees reporting to one manager.
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went to RA training. The numbers are growing as far as people who have “liked” our Facebook page and [we plan to] randomly surprise people who wear red on Fridays with coupons and giveaways.” Junior Robert Huey said he supports the new campaign as a way to unify the university. “All-In Fridays is an easy way for students to show their school spirit,” Huey said. Azama said that All-In Fridays embraces a commitment to Miami spirit across all aspects of campus and community life in Oxford. “Our goal is just to have everyone embrace the Miami spirit and everything it offers, from the arts to intramurals to AfterDark,” Azama said. “We’re excited about the teamwork. Who knows? We might even paint this town red!”
FROM PAGE 2
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Intramural Sports sign-up periods
August 20 - 30
Flag Football* Outdoor Soccer League* 4v4 Sand Volleyball League Tennis League Quidditch League Tennis Tournament Softball Tournament Baseball Tournament Golf Tournament Ultimate Frisbee Tournament RedHawk 5k Run/Walk
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Individual & team registrations accepted. League Fees $100 Tournament Fees $10 - $100 *Separate fraternity/sorority leagues offered
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The Miami Student Oldest university paper in the United States, established in 1826
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SOUTHEAST ASIA Winter break—December 27, 2012—January 10, 2013
Information Sessions: September 5th & 11th, 5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m., 0020FSB More info: www.fsb.muohio.edu/international Apply at: www.studyabroad.muohio.edu, search by FSB Southeast Asia. Applications open at 6:30 p.m. on September 5th. SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE • ALL MAJORS WELCOME!
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SPORTS
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TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2012 TOM DOWNEY WHAT’S GOING DOWNEY
HOCKEY REBOOTS FOR 2012 season
No one can deny that the Miami University hockey team lost a lot of talent and production after last season. It lost one of the best players in college hockey in Reilly Smith, who joined the NHL’s Dallas Stars. He accounted for nearly a fourth of the ’Hawks goals last season. It lost two of the best goalies in Miami history in Connor Knapp and Cody Reichard. The Red and White lost their top two defensemen in Will Weber and Chris Wideman. The RedHawks also lost senior leaders. Guys like Alden Hirschfeld, Reichard, Weber and the rest of the seniors that made up one of the greatest hockey classes in Miami history will be missed on the ice as well as in the locker room. The team lost players like Matt Tomassoni, Patrick Tiesling and Cameron Schilling; they were never needed to put up huge stats, but did the little things right. Despite all the personnel losses, the cupboard is by no means dry. Head Coach Enrico Blasi has been able to get top-tier talent to come to Oxford year in and year out. This year’s team will likely rely on an incredibly talented sophomore class as it plays its final season in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. The class is strong as it is, but would have been even stronger had Tyler Biggs not left to begin his NHL career with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Forwards Austin Czarnik, Jimmy Mullin and Alex Wideman are not the biggest guys on the ice, but all three of them have shown a rare talent for making big plays happen. Blake Coleman returns as the team’s leading goal scorer, with 12
goals. Cody Murphy returned from a nasty leg injury early in the season and showed flashes of his talent. Junior forward Byron Paulazzo will also be counted on to provide some offense. The team also brought in more offensive talent, most notably freshman forward Riley Barber. Barber was selected in the sixth round of the NHL Entry Draft, adding to the list of current RedHawks who have been drafted. For the first time in four years, the Red and White will be breaking in a new goalie. Highly touted freshman Ryan McKay will be counted on to fill some rather larger shoes in his first year as a RedHawk. Miami hockey faithfuls should expect some growing pains this season, as this is a young team with 17 underclassmen and only eight upperclassmen. The Red and White only have five seniors that played last year and four of them are defensemen. Forward Curtis McKenzie and defensemen Joe Hartmann, Garrett Kennedy, Steve Mason and Steven Spinell will have to set up as senior leaders if the ’Hawks want to get back to the NCAA Tournament. This team certainly won’t be ranked No. 1 entering the year like it was last year, but that won’t change its goals. As long as Coach Blasi mans the bench for this team, it will continue to shoot for an NCAA title. RedHawk faithful are still waiting for that first NCAA title, and it will come under Blasi’s leadership. The RedHawks have too much young talent to consider this a rebuilding year, but they are reloading. By the end of this season, expect them to be firing on all cylinders and being a team that no one wants to face in the post-season.
Field hockey drops 2 in Sherrill Brakmeier Classic By Kennan Belau For The Miami Student
Miami University’s field hockey team fell short against two nationally ranked teams this past weekend in the Sherrill Brakmeier Classic in Louisville, Ky. Saturday, the RedHawks opened their season against 20th-ranked Northwestern University. Despite a strong defensive effort, Miami lost to the Wildcats, 3-0. After keeping Northwestern scoreless for the first 31 minutes, Northwestern got a goal from senior forward Chelsea Armstrong giving them a 1-0 lead that the
Wildcats took into halftime. Miami had two penalty corner attempts in the second half, giving the ’Hawks a good opportunity to even up the score. However, the RedHawks could not capitalize and Northwestern added goals in the 50th and 53rd minutes from junior midfielders Tara Puffenberger and Nikki Parsley, respectively. The Wildcats outshot Miami 18-5, with senior midfielder Olivia Miller leading the RedHawks with three shots, two of which were on goal.
Field Hockey, SEE PAGE 5
Condit captures 500th career win in 3-0 victory Becomes first Miami coach to reach milestone By Jordan Rinard For The Miami Student
Miami University Head Volleyball Coach Carolyn Condit made history over the weekend, winning her 500th game for the Red and White as they swept Wright State University (WSU) 3-0 (25-17, 25-14, 25-18). Condit is only one win away from 600 career wins on her already impressive resume with the RedHawks and the Musketeers of Xavier University, which features a winning percentage of over 77 percent. Sophomore setter/outside hitter Meg Riley continued to assert herself against Wright State Saturday morning as she put together the first tripledouble of her Miami career, racking up 13 kills, 12 assists and 10 digs. She also had a hitting percentage of .588. Junior libero Madison Hardy and senior setter Amy Kendall led the team in digs and assists in this match, with 16 digs and 18 assists respectively. Also, senior outside hitter Lisa Treadway recorded her 1,000th dig of her career for the RedHawks, becoming the tenth non-libero in program history to do so. “Reaching 1,000 digs is already an impressive feat, but to do at the
rate she has done it is all the more remarkable,” Condit said. The ’Hawks defense was phenomenal against WSU, holding the Raiders to a .023 hitting percentage. Friday night the RedHawks dropped the first game of the Thunder Invitational against Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) 1-3 (21-25, 19-25, 25-21, 17-25). In the opening match of the season Riley scored 13 kills for Miami, a career high for her. Hardy also put together a solid performance with 26 digs and Kendall pitched in with 30 assists. However, the Jaguar attack was too much, as IUPUI’s junior outside hitter Moriah Fair and senior outside hitter Kelsey Hoefer accounted for 24 kills combined. The Red and White lost its last match of the Thunder Invitational Saturday night against tournament hosts Marshall University 2-3 (30-28, 25-22, 20-25, 22-25, 10-15). Riley put together her second consecutive triple-double with 20 kills, 20 assists and 12 digs. Treadway also recorded 10 kills and 14 digs in the match, while Hardy led the team with 22 digs. Kendall earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team with 79 assists and 23 digs over the weekend. Marshall’s senior outside hitter Katy
Schad earned tournament MVP honors with 50 kills, 44 digs and three double-doubles, along with her 11 kills and 16 digs against the RedHawks. “The Invitational was a good experience for us,” Condit said. “We’ve shown some promise this weekend. I would have liked to have seen us close out games a little bit better, but we’re very confident heading into Minnesota next weekend.” Kendall agreed. “This weekend’s tournament was really important for us to figure out exactly what we need to work on to take on bigger teams next weekend,” Kendall said. “We wanted to have a better turnout but we definitely have a couple things to be proud of like Coach Condit’s 500th Miami win and Lisa Treadway’s 1,000th dig. We fought as a team and we know that if we work hard together this week and the weeks to come it will be a great season for us.” Miami continues its road trip as they head to Minneapolis, Minn. for the Diet Coke Classic, which starts Friday, Aug. 31 against the University of Albany, No. 16-ranked University of Minnesota and Long Island University-Brooklyn. The RedHawks will then come home to Oxford for their home opener against Xavier Tuesday, Sept. 4.
Phillips’ experience leads ’Hawks into 2012 By Justin Maskulinski For The Miami Student
Miami University women’s cross-country Head Coach Kelly Phillips boasts a decorated career and a plethora of experience, and as she enters her fourth season at Miami, Phillips is once again looking to take home a MidAmerican Conference (MAC) championship. Sophomore runner Jess Hoover had great things to say about her coach. “[Phillips] is one of the best coaches out there,” Hoover said.
head coach Kelly Phillips
“She is a great motivator and she is easy to talk to. She is always yelling and motivating us and she is a great recruiter.” Phillips started her running career at Auburn University, where she racked up All-American honors twice in four years on the cross-country team. “[Being named an All-American] was my most memorable time in college; it helped me run post-collegiately,” Phillips said. “I was excited and proud because I knew I worked hard for it.” Phillips competed in NCAA meets and qualified for the Olympics in 1992 and 1996, but was unable to compete at the games due to foot injuries. “[The injuries] were disappointing, but that’s part of running,” Phillips said. Phillips served as an assistant and eventual head coach at the University of South Florida (USF) from 1997-2001. She coached the Bulls to a Conference USA title in 1998 and 1999. During her time at USF, Phillips held road races in Tampa Bay, Fla. to fundraise for
the men’s track and field team. “The Tampa road races helped fund the men’s team scholarships, and we wanted to get them outside of Florida [for meets],” Phillips said. After having two children in one year, Phillips needed a break from coaching. She did not take a break from running though; Phillips began the Claremont Trails Running Camp in Claremont, N.H. The camp has one week for junior high school students, three weeks for high school students and one week for a senior camp. The camp still exists today. Before Phillips began coaching at Miami University, she was an assistant coach at Purdue University where she also had success. “[Purdue] did not win a championship, but we had distance runners in the NCAA meet and one indoor track runner qualify for nationals,” Phillips said.
Phillips, SEE PAGE 5
Returning starters, defense hope to improve in upcoming season By Tom Downey Senior Staff Writer
The Miami University football team will try to improve defensively after finishing 48th in the nation last year in total defense. The Red and White also have a new Defensive Coordinator in Jay Peterson who coached the linebacking corps last season. “I expect us to play hard [this year],” Peterson said. “[I’m] not a big stat guy, I just expect a great effort, great attitude and playing with toughness.” Seven defensive starters return for the Red and White, including three seniors on the defensive line. Senior defensive lineman Jason Semmes led the team in sacks last year with 4.5. Seniors Mike Johns and team captain Austin Brown will also play huge roles on the defensive line. “They have a chance to be [the strength of the defense],” Peterson said. “But, they have to go out on the field and do it. On paper, yes it is [the strength]. We’ll see; we’re planning on them to be.”
The passing defense was rock solid last season, ranking 24th in the nation. Junior cornerback Dayonne Nunley was huge part of the secondary last season and will make his presence felt again this year. Nunley has nine career interceptions and ranks fourth among active NCAA players in interceptions. “We’re looking real good,” Nunley said of the defense. “We’re real conditioned and running around everywhere. It is tiring, but we’re getting the job done and it’s going to be a great year.” The ’Hawks have moved senior Pat Hinkel from safety to linebacker to help improve team speed and to compensate for the loss of all three starting linebackers from last year. Despite the personnel losses, Linebackers Coach and Special Teams Coordinator Matt Edwards likes what he sees from the players. “I’m excited about the linebackers,” Edwards said. “They are hardworking guys. Everyday they show up to work and I couldn’t ask anything more from the
effort. And everyday they amaze me because they keep getting better and better.” The kicking game returns both starters in junior punter Zac Murphy and junior kicker Mason Krysinski. Murphy was eighth in the
Mid-American Conference (MAC) last season in punting average with 39.1 yards per punt. Krysinski struggled last season as he missed four of his six field goal attempts and also missed four point after attempts. True freshman Kaleb Patterson might get a chance to
MIAMI ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
Redshirt senior defensive lineman Jason Semmes fights off a block during a recent RedHawk practice. Semmes led the team with 4.5 sacks last season.
see some playing time after strong fall practices. “Those guys have continued to work hard,” Edwards said. “Just like any other position player, the goal is to get better everyday. If we continue to improve, we’ll end up where we need to be.” The RedHawks return game has the potential to be special this season. Nunley averaged 23 yards per kick return last season and sophomore running back Dawan Scott averaged nearly 20 yards per return last year and has the gamebreaking ability teams look for from their returners. Junior wide receiver Nick Harwell can also return punts and kicks if needed. “We are really excited about our return guys,” Edwards said. “Our number one job as a staff is to put those guys in position to make plays. The rest of the team is working hard so we can have that dynamic return team.” The RedHawks will kick off the season Saturday, Sept. 1 against the Ohio State Buckeyes, who are ranked No. 18 in the Preseason Associated Press Top 25 Poll.