September 11, 2012 | The Miami Student by The Miami Student

The Miami Student Oldest university newspaper in the United States, established 1826

VOLUME 140 NO. 07

TUESday, SEPTEMBER 11, 2012

MIAMI UNIVERSITY OXFORD, OHIO

TODAY IN MIAMI HISTORY In 1950, The Miami Student reported that students wishing to have or drive cars in Oxford must apply for a parking permit. The permits were available to students with business purposes, who commuted, were married, were Oxford residents, had physical disailities or were 25 years of age or older.

University covers student veterans during GI bill delay By Libby Mueller Senior Staff Writer

Student veterans at Miami University are under pressure to pay their tuition and fees as the Department of Veterans Affairs was delayed in distributing Government Issue (GI) benefits to student veterans. The delay was caused by a transfer of records within the department. In the meantime, Miami is offering student veterans a nointerest loan until the GI benefits come through. The post-9/11 GI Bill gives financial support for housing and education to students with at least 90 days of service after Sept. 10, 2001, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Director of Student Financial Assistance Brent Shock said for Miami student veterans, this means part of their education is paid by the GI Bill and then depending on individual situations, they may also receive a monthly stipend for housing or student fees. Brendan Gillespie is a student veteran peer advisor and also holds the position of president of the Student Veterans Association. He said an internal error with the Department of Veterans Affairs caused GI benefits to student veterans to be delayed. “The regional Department of Veterans Affairs that handles Miami moved records from Buffalo, N.Y. to St. Louis, Mo. and in that process, they lost some data,” Gillespie said. “The delay in benefits only affected a limited number of Miami veterans: about 70.” Gillespie said student vets will have to wait for paperwork to be redone before they receive their benefits. “All the delay really means for those students, me actually being one of them, is that the paperwork has to be re-processed, so we’ll get our payments later than expected,” Gillespie said. The delay specifically pertained to student vets in Ohio and West Virginia, Shock said. He also said Miami was not required to support student vets while they awaited their benefits, but chose to reach out to affected students and

VICTORY DANCE

come up with a solution. “When we found out about this on Friday (Sept. 7), we quickly met to figure out what we should do,” Shock said. “The Bursar office decided it would make sure that those veterans’ classes were intact and because these students do rely on a stipend from the VA, the university decided to offer a no-interest loan to veterans until they get their stipend.” Shock said the students were notified about the loan. “We then emailed those students who we thought were probably impacted and we let them know about the loan option to help them,” Shock said. The number of students impacted had to be estimated by the university, as the Department of Veterans Affairs did not tell the university which students would be affected, Shock said. Director of University Communication Claire Wagner said Miami has opted to provide for its student veterans while GI payments were en route in the past. “Historically, we have worked in previous years to hold classes for veteran students while the university waited for their VA payments and we also have extended no-interest loans to students while they wait for their VA benefits as well,” Wagner said. Gillespie said Miami’s response to the delay in GI benefits was impressive considering the circumstances. “Miami is offering a zero percent interest short term loan, but it’s a 60-day loan, a pretty sizable length of time, Gillespie said. “Miami said they would offer the loan for up to $1,500 for the veterans to cover their expenses.” Gillespie also said that he was impressed by Miami’s selflessness. “The payments being delayed are not necessarily tuition payments,” Gillespie said. “They’re monthly housing stipends, so the fact that Miami is offering up this loan for a delay in housing as opposed to tuition, which would affect them directly, I think is really amazing. I’m really proud of Miami. It’s awesome that they’re stepping up.”

LAUREN OLSON PHOTO EDITOR

RedHawk players celebrate the first home touchdown of the football season. The ’Hawks won their season opener against Southern Illinois University Saturday.

MU honors 9/11 victims

RICHARD MANDIMIKA THE MIAMI STUDENT

Navy ROTC members lower the American flag to half-mast in reverence of Sept. 11, 2001.

By Jenn Smola Campus Editor

Eleven years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Miami University community is coming together to remember and honor the fallen. The Arnold Air Society, a community service organization within the Air Force ROTC, will host its third annual 9/11 Memorial Run at the flagpole at Millett Hall to remember the events of that day and those who died. According to Cadet Cher Ron McLemore, Arnold Air Society’s director of support, the event began with an area joint project. “We basically had to hit an objective to somehow honor those who were lost in the 9/11 attacks,” McLemore said. The result was the 9/11 Memorial Run. The run consists of students and organizations running or walking laps around the flagpole at Millett, McLemore said. According to McLemore, the event consists of 2,977 laps, and for a special reason.

“We start at the flagpole, and then at 9:18, right when the attacks started, we start running laps and we run a lap for each life lost,” McLemore said. Major Michael Thomas, Air Force ROTC director of operations and unit admissions officer, said the memorial run is completely a studentrun project. “It was their choice, their decision, their project,” Thomas said. Thomas said the memorial run is a good way to remember the events of 9/11. “Absolutely we should remember the loss,” Thomas said. “It’s definitely a good thing.” McLemore said the memorial run is a unique way of remembering 9/11. “People can give monetary donations, materialistic donations, but [the memorial run] is more of a humbling experience of remembering,” McLemore said. “And just the impact from the community, the cohesiveness, the camaraderie, the unity, the patriotism in running the laps together—it has more of an

impact than giving an actual donation of some sort.” Miami first-year Claire Hardwick said she thinks it’s important to remember the events of 9/11 and things the 9/11 Memorial Run is a good way of doing so. “I think that it’s important to respect the people that have died and everything that happened, and it’s good to remember it,” Hardwick said. According to McLemore, Arnold Air Society is striving for a higher goal of laps this year: 4,000. “Last year when we hit 2,977, we actually had runners keep going and we hit about 3,500 laps, so we just wanted to surpass our lap count that we did last year. In addition to the 9/11 Memorial Run, the Miami regional campuses will also be hosting events and projects to honor 9/11. The Miami Hamilton Student Government Association will hold a silent auction and a presentation to the Hamilton mayor, and students at the Middletown campus will be doing a service learning project.

Fraternity suspensions overcrowd housing By JM Rieger Senior Editor

An influx of 34 sophomore Phi Kappa Tau and Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity members into the Miami University housing system, resulting from summary suspensions issued by the university Aug. 23, has further hampered an already overcrowded housing system. Because Miami’s housing is at 103 percent capacity, resident assistants (RAs) have housed 13 fraternity members in their rooms, according to the Director of Housing Options, Meals and Events (HOME), Brian Woodruff. Woodruff said the RAs are receiving a $200 stipend per week for taking on a roommate, which was done on a voluntary basis. Woodruff said HOME communicated the new fraternity member living assignments to hall directors and hall advisors, and they communicated these assignments to their RAs. “[The RAs] had all been prepared and informed that they may be receiving another roommate,” Woodruff said. “That was because a residence life staff [member] spoke with them and shared the information about what would be happening with the fraternity men.” However, according to one junior RA who asked not to be named for this article and who volunteered during the summer to take a roommate due to Miami’s housing shortage, he was “forced” to accept a sophomore fraternity member two weeks ago. “I was told by my supervisor literally the night before my current roommate moved in that I would be getting another roommate,” the junior RA said. “Part of the reason why I was so distraught over the decision of housing to put someone in my room was that I was never, ever contacted.” Neither the “Job Description for Resident Assistant” nor the

“Resident Assistant Position Terms of Employment 2012-2013” documents detail the university policy for contacting RAs about taking on roommates should there be overcrowding in the housing system. A sophomore RA, who also asked to remain anonymous for this article, was one of the 13 who took on a fraternity member as a roommate. “I wouldn’t say it was like [Miami] forced it down our throats, but

teering to take on roommates due to overcrowding in the university housing system. However, Olson said the determination of what was done was not absolutely based on what happened in 2009. “We felt there was a need to compensate the RAs in some way,” Olson said. In addition to the 13 fraternity members who have been placed with RAs in upperclassmen halls,

If I had been told that I would be taking on a second roommate at the university’s will and the office of housing’s will, I would have never accepted the student, never. MIAMI JUNIOR RESIDENCE ASSISTANT just the way they approached [me, they said]: ‘We were told your name is on the list of RAs [to contact]; you’ll find out who is getting placed [in your room] later this week,’” the resident assistant said. He also said he and other RAs felt the way the university phrased the request was unfair and that no next steps nor timeline were given, other than the new roommate would remain in the room until the investigation was complete. Depending on the results of the investigations, fraternity members could remain on campus for two weeks to several months, according to Woodruff. The $200 weekly RA stipend is funded through the office of Housing, Dining, Recreation & Business Services (HDRBS). The stipend was determined at a meeting between the Director of the Office of Residence Life (ORL), Jerry Olson and HDRBS and later approved by the university. Olson said this seemed like reasonable compensation. According to Olson, in 2009 some RAs received a stipend for volun-

seven have been placed in permanent rooms and 14 have been placed in an “extended housing space,” which is a single large space, according to Woodruff. “The extended housing is adapted space that has been used in the past in a lower-level of a residence hall for male students,” Claire Wagner, associate director of University Communications and Marketing, said. Wagner also said the housing is intended to be temporary and said since the fraternity investigations are still underway, the fraternity members’ move to campus is not permanent. The Office of Ethics and Student Conflict Resolution will determine whether each fraternity will receive a permanent suspension. According to Susan Vaughn, the director of Ethics and Student Conflict Resolution, the university investigation is complete, but final university action will not be administered until the appeals process is complete,

RA,

SEE PAGE 8

CAMPUS

Editors JENN SMOLA ALLISON MCGILLIVRAY

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2012

campus@miamistudent.net

ASG introduces new senators By Allison McGillivray

ASG also discussed two bills at the meeting. Campus Editor The first bill called for the Secretary to the Executive Cabinet to Miami University’s Associated be renamed Chief of Staff. This Student Government (ASG) met bill is similar to one discussed at for the first time this semester ASG last semester, which also Sunday following the on-campus included a pay raise for the Chief senator elections Friday, Sept. 7. of Staff. The pay raise is not inAccording to President of Stu- cluded in the new bill. dent Senate Peter Dougherty, The second bill would allow there were a total of 59 on-cam- for the creation of an on-campus pus senator candidates. Every housing and dining commitresidence hall on campus was tee, a parking and transportation represented, with the exception of committee and a libraries and Dodds Hall. technology committee, as well According to Dougherty, both as revamp the Environmental the number of candidates who Sustainability committee. ran and the Each of these number of committees will residence halls be made up of The fact that people feel senators represented and comfortable to voice showed sigchaired by a senatheir dissent will make nificant imtor. They will provement give reports to this year’s senate much from last year, more productive than in the Secretary for which had 50 On-Campus Afthe past.” candidates and fairs, who will three halls not act as a liaison Brittany Murphy to the Executive represented STUDENT SENATOR Cabinet, accordduring the first election. ing to Secretary “I was just for On Campus really happy with the amount Affairs Cole Tyman. of candidates we got this year,” “This is just to give each of Dougherty said. these issues, each of these comOut of the 59 on-campus sena- mittees a voice at Cabinet meettors, 24 were elected. ings, which they might not have A special election will be held had in the past,” Tyman said. this month to fill the outstanding Both of these bills will be disseat from Dodds Hall. cussed again at the ASG meeting Once the Dodds seat is filled, Tuesday, Sept. 11. Student Senate will consist of Dougherty said the senators the 25 on-campus senators, were eager to address student one commuter senator and 24 concerns such as broken shower off-campus senators. heads in residence halls and dinDougherty trained the senators ing hall times changing. during the first part of the meeting Senior Senator Brittany Muron ASG meeting procedures. phy said she thinks senate will be “I thought it went really fantas- more productive because the new tic,” Dougherty said. “The student senators are not afraid to debate. senators seemed to pick up on the “The fact that people feel comparliamentary procedure pretty fortable to voice their dissent will well, which can be really compli- make this year’s senate much cated for people who have never more productive than in the past,” done it before.” Murphy said.

NO FOUL PLAY HERE

KIM PARENT THE MIAMI STUDENT

Miami students completed referee training for intramural sports last Tuesday.

NOTICE: In Friday’s issue of The Miami Student, our printer printed a previous version of Page 8. Many campus and community stories should have been continued on Friday’s Page 8, but due to the mixup they were not continued. We apologize to our writers and readers for the error.You can read the rest of the stories on our website, miamistudent.net.

FATHERS, DAUGHTERS, FOOTBALL

ANDY WAUGH THE MIAMI STUDENT

Phi Mus tailgate with their dads at the football game Saturday.. The Redhawks beat Southern Illinois University 30-14.

Herbarium receives grants to go virutal By Chelsea Liebenthal

For The Miami Student

Home to 675,000 plants, the Miami University herbarium is the largest of its kind in Ohio and the recipient of two esteemed federal grants. Due to its exceptionality, Michael Vincent, curator of the herbarium, said Miami has received funding from the National Science Foundation to create an online virtual herbarium. This will be a database of the university’s plant collection accessible by anyone around the world. The two grants awarded to Miami will be dispersed in Summer of 2013 and 2014 and each have a two-year usage period. The first, valued at $28,672, will be used to capture images of plants and the insects that attack them, whereas the second, a $35,364 value, will be used for work on mushroom fungi. The herbarium is used by students conducting research during their classes but also serves a greater audience, according to Vincent. “It’s studied by people all over the world,” Vincent said. “We lend them specimens in the mail, but with the creation of the virtual herbarium, we won’t have to do that as much anymore.” The virtual herbarium will make sharing specimen with others a much easier and convenient process, according to junior botany major Taylor Cochran.

“This will mean we’re taking our documented plants and uploading them online,” Cochran said. “Anyone anywhere will be able to look at them from the comfort of their own home without actually traveling here.” According to Vincent, the process requires several steps, begin-

insects dating back to the 1790s. According to Vincent, plants have been collected in a variety of ways over the duration of the herbarium’s existence. Vincent described the origins of the collections in three main ways. “We have some funding for research expeditions where we

It’s studied by people all over the world. We lend them specimens in the mail but with the creation of the virtual herbarium, we won’t have do that as much anymore.” Michael Vincent HERBARIUM CURATOR

ning with the digital photography of the specimen. The images are sent to the New York Botanical Garden where computer software analyzes the image and sends the information back to Miami. The specimen data, name of plant, location of origin and more is combined with its image photo and uploaded to the virtual herbarium. Vincent described it as one of the top 20 or 25 in the nation. “A lot of universities don’t have them,” Vincent said. “Some with botany as part of their programs do, but they are usually moderately sized.” Though the project is three years in the making, Vincent said, the herbarium was established in 1906, the same year the botany program was started, and hosts plants and

gather them ourselves,” Vincent said. “More so, though, we trade with other collections and sometimes buy them.” With such a vast collection, Vincent said it is hard to know how quickly the virtual herbarium will progress, but within four years it should grow to at least several thousand plants. Though Cochran said too many students don’t know about the herbarium’s existence, it does have an appreciation on Miami’s campus. Junior Michelle Keil said the herbarium’s national attention is important for Miami. “It’s nice to see Miami being recognized nationally, especially the science department,” junior Michelle Keil said. “I’m excited to see how it develops.”

University Senate approves biology major, delays vote on botany, zoology merger By Jenn Smola Campus Editor

The Miami University Senate voted Monday to approve a new biology major. The decision came after the Senate opted to table a vote on merging the botany and zoology departments until the Senate’s next meeting in two weeks. Regardless of the outcome of the botany-zoology merger, James Hickey, interim chair of the botany department, said approving the biology major is a step in the right direction. “This is something that we all feel we need to move forward on,” Hickey said. “It’s important for recruitment, and we feel that it’s a good synthesis of where we need to be.” According to Doug Meikle,

chair of the zoology department, the creation of the biology major will appeal to prospective high school students looking specifically for “biology” as a course of study. “That’s the word that high school students understand best,” Meikle said. “A lot of this has to do with recruitment.” The decision to merge the botany and zoology departments, which was tabled, has several justifications, according to Phyllis Callahan, dean of the college of arts and sciences. The proposed merger would also enhance recruitment, as well as achieve efficiencies in staffing and course offerings and enhance collaboration among faculty, Callahan said. According to Callahan, there are several benefits to merging

the two departments, including saving staff positions, saving a department chair stipend and supplemental salary, as well as achieving curricular efficiency and reducing redundancies in the departments. The Senate also heard special reports from the benefits committee about the 2012 benefits activities as well as employee benefit changes to expect in 2013. Additionally, the Senate heard a special report from Deedie Dowdle, associate vice president of university communications and marketing, on the Miami logo, branding and domain name. Dowdle updated the Senate on the Miami website redesign, the domain name and logo change, a style guide for identity standards and overarching university branding.

Editors olivia hnat hannah stein

COMMUNITY

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2012

COMMUNITY@miamistudent.net

POLICE Issue 2 changes redistricting laws

BEAT

By Olivia Hnat Community Editor

A majority vote on ballot Issue 2 this election season may change the redistricting process for state and federal legislative districts in Ohio. According to Article XI of the Constitution of the State of Ohio, state legislatures in the General Assembly redraw district lines based on the population statistics in the census. Bevan Schneck, a communications assistant for the Ohio Speaker of the House, William Batchelder (R- 69), said that legislatures draft the redistricting like they draft other bills. Every ten years, after the census is complete, the majority party in the General Assembly redraws the congressional districts in Ohio so that each district has the same population number. However, Stephen Dana, the chair of Government Affairs for the League of Women Voters of Oxford, said the current redistricting process has led to an unfair design of congressional districts in Ohio. “The majority party drew the districts in such a way that they were,

in the case of congressional districts – 70 percent of them – we believe, that is people who looked at the data, that they are safe for one party,” Dana said. “In this case, the republicans.” Issue 2 and the Voters First campaign, led by the League of

but then it will involve the weeding out of people on the commission, based on their qualifications where it will end up being four democrats, four republicans and four independents [on the commission].” According to Dana, this

“Gerrymandering is the redistricting that purposefully advantages a political party or group.” Clyde brown

POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR

Women Voters in Ohio, proposed a citizen commission to take over the redistricting process. “Issue 2 proposes an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Ohio,” Dana said. “If it passes there will be an independent citizens redistricting commission. The commission will be [compromised of] twelve people that are selected by nominations by appellate judges. Appellate judges will begin the process

amendment is not a partisan issue and both parties that have held the majority in the state legislature have practiced gerrymandering. “Gerrymandering is the redistricting that purposefully advantages a political party or group.” Clyde Brown, a Miami University political science professor, said. “The democrats gerrymandered and now the republicans gerrymandered,” said Dana.

Michael Woeste, a senior political science major, said the current redistricting process causes problems at the state and national level. “It seems that we run into this issue not only in Ohio but whenever we redraw district lines, Woeste said. “For Ohio, it is extremely progressive and setting the tone for the rest of the country.” The opposite side of Issue 2 is represented by Protect Your Vote Ohio. “Our group [says vote] no,” Carlo LoParo, spokesperson for Protect Your Vote, said. “We are not defenders of the current system or advocates of other specific reforms… [Protect Your Vote] is united in belief that Issue 2 is not the way to go. There are too many unanswered questions in the amendment that would be less accountable and less transparent.” According to LoParo, Protect Your Vote has issues with the Voters First campaign slogan, “People, Not Politicians.” He said the citizen commission will lack taxpayer and legislative oversight.

Issue 2,

SEE PAGE 9

Exotic pet law takes effect Ohio Supreme Court denies Rumpke expansion By Lauren Williams Staff Writer

P H O T O G R A P H E R S

Sep. 5, The Ohio Department of Agriculture set into motion the Ohio Dangerous Wild Animal Act, requiring all exotic wildlife and restricted snakes to be registered online at the department’s website. This registration makes up a segment of Senate Bill 310, legislation passed on June 5, 2012. It increased the standards of the possession, sales and treatment of dangerous animals. The need for this law was augmented by the tragedy on Oct. 19, 2011 in Zanesville, Ohio, in which Muskingum County Animal farm owner Terry Thompson released 52 exotic animals; 48 were shot by the police. Ashley McDonald, public information officer for the Division of Animal Health for the Ohio Department of Agriculture, said the incident certainly fueled the development of these requirements. “We realized there’s a definite need to protect the public and make sure that we know the animals that are out there meet the proper safety standards and neighbors know there [are] dangerous animals in the area,” McDonald said. The animals must be registered online between now and Nov. 5, 2012. Registration consists of documentation of the name and address of the owner, the location of the animal facility and the veterinarian providing care. After Jan. 1, 2014, the buying and selling of all exotic animals and restricted snakes will be prohibited. Permits for possession after the Nov. 5 deadline will be available in Oct. 2013. Depending on the number of animals, the price of the permit fee will range from $250 to $1,000. The act has also established new consequences for animal owners who choose not to comply with the standards of the law. The first time an animal is allowed to roam will be a misdemeanor, McDonald said,

with the second becoming a felony. The owner will be automatically charged with a felony if the animal was knowingly released. “After January of 2014 the ODA could be authorized by the court to seize the animals,” McDonald said. “We would hold them and if the owner was willing to work to be compliant with the law [the animals] could potentially be released back to the owner. If not, we would find them a more stable and safe place for them to live out the rest of their years.” PETA campaigner Hayden Hamilton said she is glad Ohio is finally making a legislative response to the Zanesville incident. “The best part is just the fact that they banned the sale,” Hamilton said. “Because of the tragedy in Zanesville, it allowed Ohio to really consider the laws that they have in place.” Though this is a big step for Ohio, there still are some venues, such as circuses, that are exempt from the regulations. “It’s really unfortunate that circuses are exempt,” Hamilton said. “But it’s always a great thing when states start making legislative changes. It sets the tone for other states.” Miami University senior and animal rights activist Allison Kemper said these legislative efforts will be most helpful once the buying and selling of exotic animals is banned everywhere. “I think that it’s a good step in the right direction,” Kemper said, “I’m glad something’s actually happening to owners that can’t meet the needs of exotic animals.” Still, the law comes with sadness as it took a tragedy to make it happen, Kemper said. “It took a big event that affected the whole community,” Kemper said, “and people should have figured out before this happened that there shouldn’t be tigers and giraffes and lions in someone’s backyard.”

PUT YOUR SKILLS TO USE AT THE MIAMI STUDENT! E-mail LAUREN at photo@miamistudent.net for more information.

DAMIEN WATSON THE MIAMI STUDENT

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?

A Miami University student sets her fantasy football team roster.

By Morgan Schaffer For the Miami Student

Rumpke Sanitary Landfill, known more commonly as ‘Mount Rumpke’ or ‘Rumpke Mountain’ has been around since 1945. Now, the company is looking to expand the site located on 3800 Struble Rd. in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Rumpke expansion process started in 2006 according to Jeff Ritter, president of the Colerain Township Board of Trustees. Rumpke first submitted a request to double the size of Rumpke Sanitary Landfill Ritter said, and the township ultimately denied its request. The expansion would have taken place on property that Rumpke either owns or on which Rumpke has the consent to develop, according to Amanda Pratt, director of corporate communications at Rumpke. The application process, which lasted until December, presented challenges for the company. “We had to present our plan to the Hamilton County Regional Division,” Pratt said. “The next component was presenting it to Colerain Township for zoning. Throughout the entire process, we tried to reach an agreement but that was not successful so we started pursuing litigation.’ The Rumpke Board of Trustees could not pass its plan; it had to pursue a court case. Ritter said there are two parts to this case: the public utility side and the zoning side. The public utility side involved Rumpke attempting to receive legal status as a public utility, meaning they could perform a public service. For the last six years, this case has been traveling through the court system until it finally reached the Ohio Supreme Court. “[On September 5], the [Ohio] Supreme Court agreed with the township that Rumpke is not a public utility,” Ritter said. “Now the courts are going to look at the zoning point of view.” The Colerain Township Board of Trustees does not want to see the expansion of the landfill for reasons related to the quality of life in the area, but for Rumpke, expanding would mean more service to the community. Rumpke has been in service since 1945 according to Pratt,

but the company initially started in 1932 as a hog farm during the Great Depression. The original owner, Bill Rumpke, collected trash from around the area to feed the pigs and, eventually, people relied on him to pick up their trash every week. In 1945, Bill Rumpke started charging a small amount of money to people for trash pick-up, Pratt said. Since then, Pratt said Rumpke has expanded to all over Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and parts of West Virginia with eight other landfills. The Rumpke landfill in Cincinnati services a 60-mile radius. Rumpke has over 2,300 employees, company wide and including its eleven recycling facilities. Rumpke is the tenth largest waste company in North America and has been rated Ohio’s largest residential recycle Ritter, however, said Colerain Township does not want to see the expansion of Rumpke. “It’s a quality of life issue,” Ritter said. “The odor is very invasive. It hurts property values.” But according to Pratt, the company takes measures to be a positive aspect for the environment. “We try to make the trash a resource,” Pratt said. “We want to reuse. We [also] take the gas that it produces [from trash] and turn it into natural gas and [people] in the Colerain Township use the gas to power their homes.” Pratt said that right now, Rumpke has 15 years left for trash collection at this location, but this expansion would make it thirty years. Senior Libby Macht said that Rumpke’s existence has both pros and cons. “It’s a hard issue to handle because Colerain Township has the right to want to protect property values and the quality of the environment, but all our trash has to go somewhere,” Macht said. Rumpke started the application process early because being granted the ability to expand is not easy, said Pratt. Rumpke will continue to pursue other opportunities for waste disposal, but this issue is far from over. Both Ritter and Pratt are assured in the cases they each have. “I am confident of the township position,” Ritter said. “We are just going to try the case the best we can, and if we have to appeal to the Supreme Court again, we will.”

PAGE DESIGNERS WANTED.

Email Arianne Krekeler at krekelae@muohio.edu

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Editor BILLY RAFAEL

ARTS@miamistudent.net

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2012

Student forms choir to present research By Emily Ketterer Senior Staff Writer

The tiny Baltic country of Latvia, with its rich musical history, has found a soft spot in the heart of senior Music Education major Chris Walsh. Walsh will be giving a lecture recital this Thursday on Latvia called Echoes of the Baltic. Working to become a champion of Latvian music, Walsh has been preparing for months to present a concert that’s part lecture on the history of the music and part choral concert showcasing the music of Latvia. “The whole goal of all of this is to introduce Latvian music to America and American conductors,” said Walsh. “I want to help keep the tradition of Latvian music alive.” Walsh’s passion for Latvian music began when he attended an American Choral Directors Association conference in March of 2011. The conference held performances by choirs

from Canada, Hong Kong, the United States and Latvia. “Chanticleer is commonly

known as the best choir in the United States, but the choir from Latvia outperformed them

CONTRIBUTED BY BILLY RAFAEL

Walsh directs a rehearsal for Thursday’s lecture recital. The choir Walsh compiled contains Miami University students and musicians from the community.

and everyone else,” said Walsh. “From there I started researching it more, got really into it and was able to go there this summer.” Alison Acord, Walsh’s voice teacher for the past four years, encouraged Chris to apply for the Summer Scholars program at Miami to further explore Latvia’s rich choral tradition and composers. Once he got the grant, Chris traveled to Latvia for several weeks, attended choral concerts and met several Latvian composers and conductors, getting to interview them and watch them rehearse their music. “While the Soviet Union had control of Latvia, all of the music was very nationalist as a way of preserving Latvian traditions,” said Walsh. Latvian choral music is often set to traditional poetry called dainas about pre-Christian deities and three important life events: birth, marriage and death. “The music is totally different from anything going on in the United States or anywhere else in

the world,” said Walsh. “It’s simple, to the point and interesting to listen to.” Walsh’s lecture recital will feature four pieces selected to highlight the different facets of the Latvian tradition. It will include two pieces by Eriks Esenvalds, one by Peteris Butans and one by Imants Ramins. Walsh and Acord also applied for a Havighurst Grant to perform works of living composers from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine and Russia. The February concert will showcase art songs of composers. “Chris is highly intelligent, but he is also an approachable, friendly and fun-loving guy,” said Acord. “He works as hard as any student I have ever taught. He is passionate about choral music and about conducting, and this passion drives him to be extremely self-motivated.” Echoes of the Baltic: A Lecture Recital takes place Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in 222 Presser Hall. Admission is free.

Fall TV lineup features Male a cappella group releases first something for everyone studio album to iTunes and Spotify By Joe Gieringer

For The Miami Student

It’s September, which means major networks are gearing up for their fall lineups. If you’re trying to find a new show to call your own this semester, look no further. Here are four shows that are creating quite a bit of buzz. 1. Elementary A new twist on a classic tale of the British sleuth, creator Rob Doherty is taking Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s beloved stories and giving them a twenty-first century update. Lucy Liu shakes up the series as Dr. Watson, and the chemistry between her and Jonny Lee Miller as Sherlock Holmes looks promising. “I’m a fan of these kind of shows,” junior Mike Magyar said. “It definitely has potential, especially the addition of [Lucy Liu] as Watson. It should be fun.” Premiering on CBS on Sept. 27, Elementary is arguably the most creative entry into this century-old series. 2. Nashville Throw in equal parts Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights, American Horror Story), Hayden Panettiere (Heroes), and the center of the country music world, and you get a musical drama that looks to be a breakout hit for ABC. Star power aside, just the previews for it are enough to make this a mustwatch. Panettiere plays an up and coming star Juliette Barnes, who finds herself at odds with Britton’s 40-year-old, fading superstar Rayna James. Junior Lisa Gehring said she doesn’t watch much TV, but that she’s going to check out the premiere of Nashville. “I’m a recent country music fan,” Gehring said. “Since it’s

got Hayden and it’s country, I’ve got to see what it’s about.” Don’t miss the Oct. 10 series premiere. 3. The Walking Dead It may be on its third season, but after receiving 9 million viewers for its season two finale, becoming the most-watched cable drama telecast in history, it is arguably the most anticipated premiere of the fall. Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and the rest of the survivors find themselves with more on their hands than just zombies as they find themselves at odds with The Governor (David Morrissey), a power-hungry leader of a nearby settlement. New characters and locales will keep the series feeling fresh, and there should be no short supply of brutal zombie killing. The new season for The Walking Dead kicks off Oct. 14 on AMC. 4. Revolution A J.J. Abrams production, Revolution explores a post-apocalyptic world not too different from The Walking Dead, though instead of zombies, all advanced technology was permanently disabled 15 years prior and public order has collapsed as a result. The story opens up with the Matheson family, who possess an item that is not only a key to understanding what happened, but also may contain a way to reverse the effects. Sophomore Alex Catanese, a self-described film and TV fan, has had this show on his radar for a while and is anticipating the series premiere, he said. “I’m a fan of all things Abrams. I’m definitely looking forward to watching it,” Catanese said. “If it’s anything like his other productions, it’ll be wild.” The show will air on NBC Sept. 17..

By Lauren Kiggins Staff Writer

The Remnants, one of Miami University’s all male a cappella groups, have achieved a new milestone after releasing their first studio album, From the Attic, Thursday. The week after finals last semester the Remnants, a subset of the Miami Men’s Glee Club, began a four-day “boot camp” to prepare for recording with Matt Caruso, founder of production company A Cappella Psych. “Working with the Remnants has been really easy,” Caruso said. “It doesn’t always go this smoothly and I attribute it not only to the group’s preparation but the fact that musicality is rooted in Miami education and the Glee Club.” During their boot camp and recording, the Remnants lived in

“The Club House,” a house that has been lived in exclusively by Glee Club members for several years. Recording in the attic for four days, the group found their inspiration for their album’s title.

I’m in shock that our music will be on iTunes. It’s a landmark for any musician.” JUSTIN MCKAY

MIAMI UNIVERSITY JUNIOR

“The album is of a higher caliber than anything we’ve done before,” Justin McKay, music director of the Remnants, said. “When you’re performing music live, you can get away with little mistakes here and there- it’s not the end of

the world. Every mistake on an album is not only more audible but it’s there permanently. So, everything has to be extremely perfect for when you perform it for a CD.” The Remnants describe From the Attic as a yearbook album, a compilation of the ensemble’s accomplishments. “It is not the kind of CD that will only appeal to college students, which makes me proud,” McKay said. “Listeners will hear tracks that would be played at Brick Street as well as tracks that my 50-year-old dad would listen to.” In addition to selling physical copies on campus, From the Attic can also be found on iTunes and Spotify. “I’m in shock that our music will be on iTunes,” McKay said. “It’s a landmark for any musician.”

BEN TAYLOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

SHRIVER ROCKS OUT

The Shriver Center Patio Party relocated to the Multi Purpose Room Friday due to weather. The three bands did not let the venue change bring them down, using the intimate space to their advantage

Fashion Week shows off the hottest trends for the new season By Amber Scott

For The Miami Student

The start of New York Fashion Week signifies the official start of fall for the fashion world. Even though the heat is still sweltering, now is the perfect time to figure out how to incorporate the latest fall trends into your daily wardrobe. With a little adaptation and your own personal touch, you can take these trends from the runway to everyday. 1. Military Anorak Jackets The military trend has had a huge presence in fashion over the last four years. The trend is continually reappearing on the

runways and is solidifying itself as a perpetual presence in both fall and spring wardrobes. Use this trend to transition from summer to fall by making the military anorak jacket your go-to piece as the temperature begins to drop. Pair it with black leggings and a pair of riding boots and add a scarf as the weather gets cold. 2. Oxblood Oxblood is the it-color this fall. This rich burgundy shade popped up all over the runways in everything from dresses and jackets to purses and shoes. Pair this color with black or khaki or be adventurous and wear it head-to-toe like the models did on the runways.

3. Daring Prints Designers are showcasing tons of prints this fall, from dresses

4. Baroque This ornate, embroidered pattern is the perfect way to make

Pair [oxblood] with black or khaki or be adventurous and wear it head-to-toe like the models did on the runways.”

in fall floral to jackets and pants in matching patterns. Make this trend more wearable by pairing one printed statement piece, be it a jacket, pants or a dress, with neutral colors.

any outfit elegant and grand. Baroque, an artistic style that emerged in the 17th century, was reinterpreted on the runways and has become an essential addition to anyone’s holiday

wardrobe. Add gold jewelry to make this statement design even more luxurious. 5. Leather The fall runways showed that leather is for more than just jackets. This material was used for everything from pants to dresses in colors like khaki, black and fall’s signature color, oxblood. Incorporate this edgy piece into your wardrobe by pairing leather pants with a silk blouse, cable knit sweater or simple t-shirt to look like a model off duty. Make sure that the fit is impeccable and keep the colors neutral in order to make this look more classic.

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OPINION

Editors RACHEL SACKS SARAH SHEW

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2012

editorial@miamistudent.net

LETTER TO the editor

Miami Student should present issues in unbiased manner

PATRICK GEYSER THE MIAMI STUDENT

EDITORIAL

The following piece, written by the editorial editors, reflects the majority opinion of the editorial board.

University’s failure to plan for sufficient housing negatively impacts students, resident assistants At the beginning of this semester, Miami University’s oncampus housing was at 104 percent capacity, and as of Wednesday this has only dropped to 103 percent. After the suspension of the Phi Kappa Tau and Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternities, 34 fraternity members were moved into oncampus living situations. Thirteen are now roommates of resident assistants (RAs) who had previously agreed to take roommates due to overcrowding. These RAs, who already received a $500 book stipend, and $200 weekly cash stipend, now will receive another $200 per week for taking a new roommate. While the Miami Student editorial board understands that the exact amount of students expected to attend each year cannot be predicted with pinpoint accuracy, we feel that this situation is unacceptable for both the displaced students and RAs affected. Though these RAs agreed to house roommates at the beginning of the year, we feel that the situation hurts everyone involved, and lessens the Miami experience. When RAs take on roommates, they lose the independence that comes with having a single room – one of the major perks of the job. This independence is also necessary for RAs to facilitate good relationships with their residents by being able to conduct one-onone sessions with them. With a roommate, RAs cannot

effectively use their room as an “office” or a safe haven for residents who need to talk. We understand that the university is under immense pressure to find housing for all of its students, and that the situation was exacerbated by the suspension of two fraternities so early in the year. However, it is unfortunate that these fraternity brothers were given priority over the firstyears and transfer students to be moved on campus from other overflow housing solutions like the off-campus apartments in Miami Commons. In general, we find the housing debacle to be a failure of the university to adequately communicate between the Office of Admissions, the Office of Residence Life, and Housing, Dining, Recreation and Business Services. Policies and emergency plans should be in place to avoid this kind of displacement of students. This is not the first year Miami has experienced overcrowding, and we understand the desire of the university to accept more students, but this increase should not be at the expense of the students and their experience at Miami. The larger issue here, we believe, is a lack of planning and an unwillingness of the offices involved to communicate effectively. Miami’s policies are not fair to the majority of the students they affect, particularly in regard to the two-year on-campus

requirement enforced for everyone except for members of fraternities and commuters. In the past year, three fraternities have been suspended. Perhaps it is time for another group of second-year students to be granted the freedom and responsibilities that come with being exempted from the on-campus requirement. Perhaps students who are in their third year by credit hour and have earned a certain GPA should be granted this exemption. This would reward students who are focusing on their studies. We do find it ironic, however, that these fraternity brothers are now living not only in residence halls, but are sharing rooms with the disciplinary forces of these halls. We understand that Miami wants and needs the profits generated by on-campus housing requirements. We understand that on-campus housing benefits us as students. But when students are housed in barrack-style basements, offcampus apartments, or with resident assistants who then cannot adequately perform their duties, the connectedness and advantages of living on campus are ultimately stripped from the student body. The loss of these advantages is the real tragedy in this situation, as it lessens the Miami experience, and doesn’t make students feel valued by their university’s administration.

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EDITORIAL BOARD lauren ceronie Editor in Chief

olivia hnat COMMUNITY Editor

sarah sidlow News Editor

hannah stein COMMUNITY Editor

sarah shew Editorial Editor

allison mcgillivray Campus Editor

rachel sacks Editorial Editor

Jenn Smola Campus Editor

billy rafael Arts and entertainment

jm rieger Sports Editor

All letters must be signed in order to be printed. Please send letters via e-mail to: editorial@miamistudent.net We reserve the right to edit for length, content and clarity.

I am currently in my fourth and final year as a Miami student. I wouldn’t say I’ve been The Miami Student’s most avid reader, but I pick it up a few times a month to feel a connection to the campus and student body which is lost when you move off campus. But here’s the thing: that connection I’m searching for, the story I hope resonates with me, is eclipsed by blindly supported, uninformed political writing. The journalism displayed in past editions of the student newspaper would fall under constant scrutiny if it were published at a university with a more equal composition of liberals and conservatives. Instead it allows for its readers to hear one side of an argument, with maybe a quote or two from the opposition thrown in there to remain “neutral,” and feel informed because we’ve put down our phones long enough to actually read something in print. The most disheartening, for me, was to read that a comparison was made between the housing bubble and federal aid disbursement for higher education. This is laughable in a really, really sad way. How can an analogous relationship even begin to be drawn between the two? The earning gap between a high school graduate and a college graduate is, on average, $20,000. While this may not initially cover all student loan costs, a college-educated person has a better chance of being promoted, inevitably widening this earning gap. Earning-potential aside, buying a house does not create

intellectual capital; it does not provide opportunities for individual and societal advancement; it does not create leaders for the future. Higher education does. Is a student newspaper really circulating the notion that the United States has too many students? The demand for intellect is just too high? The number of freethinking individuals should have a cap and be limited to those of a privileged socioeconomic class? “Government handouts,” as Baylor Myers calls them, implies the government receives nothing in return and only the individual benefits from financial aid. It might have been argued, had the playing field been level, that it’s a reciprocal relationship. When a society is educated, and here I do mean educated, not influenced by propaganda, its citizens are more productive, and the government benefits. We’re here to learn and develop the ideals on which we will build our futures. I urge The Miami Student to take advantage of the great opportunity is has to educate us, not try to sway us to “be on the right side” (yes, pun intended). At the very least it must let both sides be heard. No other publication reaches more corners of campus than The Miami Student. It is our student body’s one opportunity to represent itself as a whole, unified not by political ideology but by our dedication to providing smart people the tools necessary to make their own decisions.

Melissa Vorenberg miami university junior

EDITORIAL The following piece, written by the editorial editors, reflects the majority opinion of the editorial board.

Issue 2 redistricting reform is necessary, though not ideal Issue 2, appearing on ballots in November, would change the process of redistricting in the state of Ohio. Currently, district lines may be redrawn every ten years according to population statistics determined by the census. This process often features gerrymandering, or the manipulating of district borders by either political party to gain or maintain a voting advantage. Galvanized by the League of Women Voters in Ohio, the Voters First campaign aims to replace this current redistricting system with a citizen commission. The commission would include four Democrats, four Republicans and four Independents selected by appellate judges of Ohio. The Miami Student editorial board believes that though the redistricting process requires reform, this appointment method proposed in Issue 2 by the League of Women Voters leaves us with a few questions. Both Democrats and Republicans are guilty of drawing district lines in dishonest ways in the past. It’s obvious that a change in this system is necessary to avoid inappropriate manipulation of districts, and in theory, the

method suggested in Issue 2 would be more neutral. However, we are concerned this may not be the ideal solution. Replacing the current system, which is guided by politicians, with one that is directed by judgeappointed individuals might not solve the issues of bias or unfairness with redistricting. Interest groups or the judges themselves could exercise influence over the appointees, and therefore create a process just as problematic as the current one. We are pleased to see the issue of redistricting in the state of Ohio coming into the minds and debates of voters, as reform should occur. We are just not completely convinced that the current problems would be solved by the passage of Issue 2. We have a lot of questions about the validity of both the current and the proposed system, most importantly; how do you create a system that fights against human nature to be biased? This fall, when voters head to the ballots, they should consider how both systems affect them and their district to determine which of the two seems more transparent.

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2012 OP ED

ESSAY timothy mersch

merschtp@muohio.edu

The tunnel-vision of relativism: reevaluating the concept of individual truth “Quid est veritas?” or “What is truth?” Those are the words of the first relativist, Pontius Pilate, that are recorded in the eighteenth chapter of John’s Gospel. Our society today clings tightly to this belief, as a toddler does its plaything when it’s time to share, of “What’s true for me is true for me, and what’s true for you is true for you.” Nobody wants to offend anyone. Everyone wants to get along, and as long as we each have our own “truth” there will be no disagreements and no one gets their feelings hurt. For many people, they have what they see as true, but it is not THE Truth. This relativism is a contradiction in and of itself. For example: if I believe that everyone has his or her own truth, but my friend Mike believes that there is only one Truth, who is right? Is Mike right? According to my principle, that everyone is right, he is – which would mean that I am wrong. Even the statement itself, “There is no one Truth, and everyone has their own Truth,”

relies on the premise that statement is true. When I speak about the Truth, I’m talking about something that is true for all people at all times, no matter who says it’s not.

committed the unforgivable mortal sin of modern intellectual dialogue: someone found out that they were wrong. This Truth is a different concept than belief. You believe that what

It doesn’t matter if you believe that there is no God, and that we should all try our bests to just get along, if you believe in Jesus Christ, or if you believe in the Giant Spaghetti Monster- your belief will still give you a purpose in life. True acceptance of everyone means that even if they do not agree with you, they are wrong, and that you still love them anyways.” Mathematics for example: if I say that I don’t believe that two plus two equals four, it’s still true. Math doesn’t change. It’s not up to subjective interpretation. It doesn’t matter what I believe or don’t believe- it’s true. If I don’t believe it, that just means I’m objectively wrong. If we all didn’t believe this, there’d be no point in school. We could all just be professors of whatever we thought was right. Whoops! I did it. I

you profess is the Truth. You must therefore believe that if someone else disagrees with you, they do not profess the Truth, at least not in its entirety. Protestants and Catholics may disagree on matters of Church authority, or sola fides, but both members of the conversation are convinced that they are right. Now that we’ve established that there is a Truth, we all need to accept a belief. We all need a belief that we can say with full certainty,

“I believe this to be true, and no matter who says what, I still hold to this. I think it is true even for people who do not believe it.” Let’s start with some basic beliefs engrained in our hearts by natural law, the law human beings have held in common since the beginning of civilization: murder is wrong; rape is wrong; stealing is wrong, etc., etc. I’m tired of this nonsense where at the end of the argument, people say, “Well, I guess that’s true for you, but I have my own truth, so it doesn’t matter.” This atmosphere insults the intelligence of everyone in the room, by establishing that nothing that anyone believes, even science or math, is true. One of the most charitable actions one can do is to show someone the Truth (don’t we all love our elementary school teachers for teaching us addition?). This, many times, requires telling the person that they are wrong, so that they can find the Truth. As the late, great televangelist Archbishop Fulton Sheen said, “Too many people get credit for being good, when they are only being passive. They are too

often praised for being broadminded when they are so broadminded they can never make up their minds about anything.” Let’s stand up for what we believe in. Sure, we’re going to get in a few arguments. We might even hurt someone’s feelings once he or she realizes that we don’t agree with them on everything. But the benefits of having a belief in the Truth outweigh the hardships- believe me. Having a belief gives you a purpose in life. It doesn’t matter if you believe that there is no God, and that we should all try our bests to just get along, if you believe in Jesus Christ, or if you believe in the Giant Spaghetti Monsteryour belief will still give you a purpose in life. True acceptance of everyone means that even if they do not agree with you, they are wrong, and that you still love them anyways. It’s easy to get along with someone if they don’t offend you, but loving someone who not only is wrong, but thinks that you are wrong, is the true test of fellowship.

MUSINGS WITH MILAM

P H O T O G R A P H E R S

BRETT MILAM

America’s War on Terror persists eleven years after 9/11, despite presidental policy differences It has been eleven years since 9/11. Much has happened in those eleven years. A war in Afghanistan, a war in Iraq, the emergence of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Patriot Act, the National Defense Authorization Act, which President Obama signed allowing indefinite military detention, and a plethora of other government activities including wiretapping, prosecuting whistleblowers and rendition of suspected terrorists. There was a noticeable uproar over most of those activities under President George W. Bush. The anti-war movement in particular was quite boisterous in the disapproval of the decision to invade Iraq in 2003, and rightfully so. Maybe there is some weariness because we’ve been engaged in this perpetual “War on Terror” after 9/11. But the American people, since President Obama was elected, haven’t been as noticeably boisterous about our continued war in Afghanistan, among other things. Since President Obama initiated the surge there in December of 2009, nearly a thousand soldiers have been killed, which is about the same amount as the previous eight years. Afghanistan certainly isn’t a campaign issue in this election either. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, his vice presidential candidate, Paul Ryan and other GOP officials failed to mention Afghanistan at the Republican National Convention in Tampa. In fact, Mitt Romney was the

first GOP nominee since 1952 to not mention war in any context during the acceptance speech. Did the anti-war movement die down because President Obama was elected in 2008? It seems so. Outrage over the aforementioned infringements to civil liberties and continued war is a matter of party, not principle.

Guantanamo Bay as the fault of the Republicans. If anything, President Obama has been as much a war hawk as President George W. Bush was and in some cases, even more so. In becoming one, he has, to some extent, caused the abatement of the anti-war movement and turned Democrats into war apologists.

I guess that is the world we live in post-9/11, where having the power to kill American citizens without due process is considered politically strong. Unfortunately too, this election cycle does not appear to be the arena for such discussions about war, civil liberties and the moral foundation the United States wishes to stand on and project from. “ The two-party system breeds this “us vs. them” mentality enabling people to hopscotch around on issues when they are prudent to advancing the party. Loyalty should not arise between American citizens and their elected officials or the party they represent, but rather to principles and ideals. Sure, those principles and ideals can be tempered by pragmatism and compromise, but an R or a D next to someone’s name shouldn’t wholly negate them. I am dismayed when I hear Democratic friends of mine attempt to defend the surge in Afghanistan or the incursion into Libya; the latter was wholly unconstitutional and even went beyond the scope of the War Powers Act of 1973. I am more dismayed when they try to justify President Obama’s policy reversal on

For instance, I would be amazed if most Americans knew or cared about the answer to this question: What do the Pakistanis, Yemenis, Somalis and Afghans all have in common? If you said, “United States drone strikes,” you are correct. What’s the impetus behind such strikes? If you said, “President Obama’s ‘Kill List’,” you are correct again. President Obama’s so-called “Kill List” is essentially a list of suspected terrorists that the president pores over, deciding which to target with drone strikes. American citizens can and have been targeted by these strikes as well. Anwar al-Awlaki, for instance, was born in the United States and was an American citizen-turned-militant killed by the drone strikes, along with his sixteen-year-old son, also

an American. He was born in Denver. It seems irrelevant though in the face of supposed national security and the effort in the “War on Terror.” As it happens, President Obama, in order to minimize civilians counted in the death toll of the strikes, counts all military-age males in a strike zone as combatants. That’s not only legally dubious, but also morally convenient. Of course, one can’t count on the Republicans to care about this. They were more disturbed and outraged that the “Kill List” was leaked by administration officials rather than the actual substance of the leak itself. More disturbing than that is administration officials leaking the contents of the “Kill List” because they believed it would make President Obama appear stronger in regard to national security. I guess that is the world we live in post-9/11, where having the power to kill American citizens without due process is considered politically strong. Unfortunately too, this election cycle does not appear to be the arena for such discussions about war, civil liberties and the moral foundation the United States wishes to stand on and project from. And yet, it needs to be. Even if our economic situation improved over the next four years, it means nothing if our moral foundation was built on the dead bodies of the Pakistanis, Yemenis, Somalis, Afghans and Americans because we were too cynical, too apathetic or too accepting to question the power of the presidency.

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which could take up to one month. At the beginning of the year, the sophomore and junior RA each agreed to take a roommate. The junior RA said he hesitated when HOME and ORL, which oversees all resident assistants, first emailed 177 of Miami’s 217 RAs in July. The remaining 40 RAs were not contacted since their rooms could not accommodate two people, according to Olson. The email offered the RAs a $200 weekly stipend and asked them to take on roommates, due to what was believed to be an impending housing crisis resulting from the largest first-year class in Miami history, the junior RA said. However, after a representative from HOME contacted the junior RA and “pleaded” with him to take on a roommate, the RA agreed to house a student. “After talking with the representative from the HOME office for a period of time over the phone, I had been told several times, partially because I wanted reassurance, that once I took on a roommate it would be one roommate,” the junior RA said. “There was no stipulation that

there would be ‘roommates’; it was ‘roommate.’” According to the sophomore RA, a second email was sent out later in the summer due to the low number of initial responses, this time offering a $500 textbook stipend in addition to the original $200 weekly stipend. And like the junior RA, the sophomore RA soon had a second roommate after his first roommate moved out, but unlike the junior RA, he received a phone call from HOME informing him of this new roommate. Despite this, the sophomore said more communication would have helped the situation. “I understand why the university had to do this, and I’m not really mad at them about that per say, it’s just that it’s not what we were expecting and when we were asked over the summer to take on temporary roommates they just kind of sprang it on us without ever actually sitting us down and being like, ‘Are you ok with this happening?’ or any of that,” the sophomore RA said. “They kind of just assumed that since we were taking temporary roommates it didn’t matter what type of temporary roommate that was.” According to Woodruff, although living spaces continue to open up due to no shows and students

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Houses SCHMATES HOME RENTALS Now renting for the 2013/14 school year. The best homes are the first rent! Visit us today at www. schmatesrentals.com withdrawing from the school, the university would have much less overcapacity if not for the 34 fraternity members now living on campus. Olson said three of the 37 sophomore fraternity members required to move out of fraternity houses and into on-campus housing opted to commute from home, one of the options for on-campus living. The junior RA said the university should have done a better job explaining the situation and outlining a timeline of when the students would move out. “I was very disgruntled with how it was handled,” he said. “If I had been told that I would be taking on a second roommate at the university’s will and the office of housing’s will, I would never have accepted the student, never.” Wagner said housing overcrowding has occurred in the past due to large incoming classes, but also said the university did not face a shortage of rooms when 22 members of Sigma Chi fraternity were required to move onto campus last spring, following the removal of the chapter’s charter. “We have welcomed very large

RA Continued,

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ISSUE 2, FROM PAGE 3

“For Issue 2, it claims that it will take redistricting away from politicians, when in fact it does not,” LoParo said. “It still allows local elected officials to officiate. County commissioners, mayors, prosecutors and city council members can participate in the commission. [‘People, Not Politicians’] is a blatantly false statement.” In response to the groups that are against the amendment, Dana said the independent citizen commission

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2012 will be completely open to the public and anyone can submit redistricting maps to the commission. “If you look at the groups that are supporting Issue 2 and you look at the groups that oppose Issue 2, I think it tells the reader or listener something about why Issue 2 makes sense.” Dana said. “And that is, once again, why would somebody want to engage in politics or vote if their district is heavily slanted toward one party or another?” Issue 2 will require a majority vote in the state of Ohio to amend the current law.

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RA CONTINUED, FROM PAGE 8

classes in the past,” Wagner said. “It is a unique situation that we need to call an additional group of sophomores back to campus at this early point in the semester.” The housing overcrowding has also forced the university to move some students into the Miami Commons apartments off-campus, and one RA was hired for the students living there, according to Olson. Neither the sophomore nor junior RA have had much interaction with their new fraternity roommates, in part because their roommates are “technically moved in,” but are actually “living” at off-campus locations. The sophomore RA’s roommate has not brought any personal belongings into the room. Having a roommate also makes the resident assistant position more difficult due to privacy issues and RA responsibilities, according to the junior RA.