Sep. 14, 2010 | The Miami Student

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

VOLUME 138 NO. 7

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

MIAMI UNIVERSITY OXFORD, OHIO

In 1965, The Miami Student reported a university committee requested several fraternities and sororities review their constitutions and submit proof they did not restrict their membership on the basis of race, color or creed after the University Senate approved a statement requiring it.

CAMPUS

MU hopes to raise graduation rate

By Catherine Couretas Editor in Chief

MICHAEL GRIGGS The Miami Student

Senior Thomas Merriweather flips into the end zone for the game winning touchdown in Miami University’s game against Eastern Michigan University Sept. 11.

’Hawks snatch home victory

By JM Rieger Staff Writer

Coming off a tough defeat against Florida, the Miami University football team bounced back Sept. 11 and won their first

conference opener since 2007, defeating Eastern Michigan University (EMU) 28-21.

Senior running back Thomas Merriweather had over 100 yards rushing for only the second time in his career to go with three

touchdowns, tying his career high and helping the RedHawks get their first win of the season.

Merriweather, who was not supposed to start the game and was supposed to be out until the 8:51 mark in the second

quarter due to his ejection the previous week in the Florida game, ended up starting the game at tailback for Miami. During the week, the RedHawks received a

Both the Student and Academic Affairs divisions at Miami University have named one of their priorities as increasing retention and raising the graduation rate to 85 percent, up from the current 83 percent rate.

John Skillings, interim provost, said the retention of students from their first year to second year is close to 90 percent, an area where Miami can still do better, but the major worry is retaining students from sophomore to junior year.

The University Retention Committee was established and initiatives have been created as part of a three-year plan for retention.

Skillings said as students come to Miami, they may be defined as “at risk.” Among the initiatives are plans to analyze intervention plans already in place for “at risk” students in their first year and beyond, as well as develop more interventions for second-year academically “at risk” students.

wSee FOOTBALL, page 7 wSee GRADUATION, page 7

CAMPUS

Marcum to undergo renovations, Miami Inn to become residence hall for auxiliaries.

“They’re our oldest halls, they’re not going to be removed from campus, but they need to be renovated,” Miller said.

Bob Keller, university architect, said the buildings will also receive new windows.

“As soon as students move out, the team will attack that,” Miller said of the halls’ renovations next summer. “Right before (students) move in, (the workers) will get done.”

The second renovation to take place is at

Editor in Chief

Over the next two years, two steps of the long-range housing and dining master plan are scheduled to be completed.

The first, to take place summer 2011, will be the renovation of Stoddard and Elliott halls. The renovations will include updating the plumbing and electric in addition to making the buildings air conditioned, according to Pete Miller, associated vice president

THE

INSIDESCOOP

DIGITIZE IT

Miami students begin to put Tibet’s archives online.

KEEP ON RUNNIN’

show.

Men’s cross country took the title at the Miami Invitational Saturday.

COMMUNITY, page 5

NOT YOUR AVERAGE LOG HOME

Though their name is strictly lowercase (and with a period), fun. will hit the stage at Brick Street Bar next month.

Peek inside Oxford’s oldest building.

FEATURES, page 6

COMMUNITY, page 4

Wed

83 q 59 p

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WWW.MIAMISTUDENT.NET

CAMPUS, page 9

One local clothing store

SPORTS, page 14

SUBMIT YOUR THUMBS ONLINE! We like to print our favorites, so look out for yours in an upcoming issue of TMS! www.miamistudent.net/thumbs

Thu

85 q 52 p

Fri

wSee RENOVATIONS, page 7

ONLY

A self-defense class is now being offered at the RSC.

DOGS ’N DRESSES

efficiently. With one hotel facility, the annual operating cost becomes much less because there won’t be need to move food, people and linen between the two locations, Miller said.

In addition, some of the smaller guest rooms at Marcum will be combined to create more suite-style rooms. Miller said there are some rooms at the center that are so small, visitors rarely want to stay in them.

u

HITTIN’ HARD

CAMPUS, page 2 will host a dog fashion

fun.

the Marcum Conference Center.

Miller said the number of rooms at Marcum will increase slightly as the building is renovated. Once complete, the Miami Inn will cease to be a hotel and be transformed into a residence hall.

“It’s an inexpensive way of adding very modern student rooms to campus,” Miller said. “We see it as upperclass, great location, lots of parking, things like that.”

Miller said this would add 100 student beds, and in turn make Marcum run more

77 q 50 p

SPORTS: COLUMNS Hear how USA basketball won the gold, and get an outlook on the college football season.

BLOG: OFFBEAT SPORTS Garrett Smith talks about all major sports that are off the beaten path.

COMMUNITY: MUSIC VIDEO Check out “Walking the Dog,” the latest music video release by fun.

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                                                            

     

By Catherine Couretas

2

Campus

Tuesday

September 14, 2010

Editors Courtney Day Amanda Seitz campus@miamistudent.net

NEWS Senate reviews regional ties BRIEFS

By Adam Giffi Senior Staff Writer

EVENT Habitat for Humanity to host Shanty City Habitat for Humanity is planning for this year’s Shanty City to be the largest Shanty Town event they have had at Miami University. Students will camp out in cardboard shanty houses beginning at 8 p.m. Sept. 17 on Central Quad to raise awareness for poverty and homelessness.

Prizes will be given for categories including most people fit into the smallest shanty, highest attendance in a shanty at the end of the night, tallest shanty and most accessorized shanty.

Groups and individuals can register by sending an e-mail with group member names to Sam Murakami at murakast@muohio.edu.

College rivalries and the tensions caused by them are famous — Ohio State v. Michigan or USC v. Notre Dame — the list goes on and on. But there’s one rivalry closer to home that may exist: Miami University v. its own regional campuses.

The university senate met Monday, Sept. 13 to further discuss the recommendations presented by the Strategic Priorities Task Force (SPT).

The primary conversation of the hearing was

on the $40 million structural deficit the university at large must overcome.

Chris Makaroff and Steve Wyatt, committee chairs of SPT, discussed with the senate their findings that would eliminate competition for students between the Oxford campus and the regional branches and help save the university money.

In their report, the SPT recommended that distinctions between the campuses be heightened rather than blurred.

“Either unique programs need to be developed for the regional campuses or they need to change administratively how they’re operated,” Makaroff

said. “Right now, we’re competing with them just like we are with UC (University of Cincinnati) or anyone else.” Many members of the senate felt it is unfair to the regional campuses to assert they are in direct competition with the Oxford campus.

Alana Van Gundy-Yoder, an assistant professor at Hamilton, said she feels the exact opposite is true.

“I think that they (the campuses) should work together and I think that they do work together well,” Van Gundy-Youder said. “I think that it’s

wSee USENATE, page 9

Family Member of the Year nominations due Applications for Family Member of the Year are due Sept. 24.

Students may submit a short profile on their outstanding family member as well as a short explanation featuring why they believe the family member deserves the award.

Students may submit the application via e-mail.

Winners will receive free lodging and $100 for an uptown restaurant during Family Weekend from Oct. 1 to 2.

The winners will be recognized during the Miami University v. Kent State game at the halftime ceremony.

To enter a family member or for any questions contact Beth Ann Gaier at gaier@muohio.edu.

Chairman of Fifth Third to speak at Miami Chairman of Fifth Third Bancorp William M. Isaac will come to Miami later this month to discuss the current U.S. fiscal climate. A former chairman for the Federal Deposit Insurance Agency, Isaac has worked in the banking industry for over 25 years. He recently authored Senseless Panic: How Washington Failed America, a book detailing the events leading up to the 2008 economic downturn. Graduating from Miami in 1966, Isaac has contributed to publications such as The American Banker, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and The Washington Post. In addition to his work as a writer, Isaac is chairman of The Secura Group, a global financial institution and consulting firm.

The banking expert will speak at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 21 at Taylor Auditorium in the Farmer School of Business. The event is free and open to the public.

ERIC HODGSON | MIAMI UNIVERSITY

A screenshot of the virtual reality mandala created by AIMS students working on projects to help preserve Tibetan culture.

MU helps Tibet reach technological goals

By Amanda Seitz Campus Editor

Google and Miami University are teaming up to help digitally preserve the identity of Tibet.

Miami is working with Tibet to help complete three technological goals they have identified would help carry on their culture, despite the lack of an actual country and land to call home.

Armstrong Interactive Media Studies (AIMS) has three projects they have been working on for nearly a year, according to Glenn Platt, co-director of AIMS. After visiting Tibet last year, Platt said he was touched by the lack of resources the Tibetans had to save the history, values and language, he knew that Miami could help fix the problem that had plagued their people.

“When you go there, you can’t help but be moved by their plight,” Platt said. “The history of the Tibetan people, the struggles that they’re wrestling with to preserve their culture are heartbreaking.”

Platt said with the help of students Miami has scanned in national archives and texts that will eventually be accessible on Google.com.

Miami’s main purpose in the project was to get Tibet set up with ways to scan in the documents and substantiate a relationship with Google.

“Our students came up with the brilliant idea

of seeing if Google could get involved with the pro ect,” Platt said. “We have essentially brokered this relationship with Google and the Tibetan government to make this go faster and better.”

Student project manager Noah Bornstein said eventually the Tibetan records would be recorded as Google Books.

“I’m acting as a liaison between the Library of Tibetan Works and Google,” Bornstein said. “All of these documents they’re currently scanning will be online for World Wide Web access.”

But don’t expect to see Tibetan archives popping up on Google. com anytime soon — the project is expected to take decades.

The Tibetans are working with one scanner and their thousands of ancient archived texts are unusually shaped, which makes it difficult to scan, Platt said.

“It’s going to take them literally 30 years to scan this all in — it’s page by page,” Platt said.

The second project Platt and his team of students are working on will be more shortterm. It will help project the Tibetan language across the world with the help of the Internet.

“They’re really the same project,” Platt

said. “The theme in all of these projects is how can the Tibetan culture language and philosophy be transmitted throughout the world now that Tibetans are sort of spreading out across the world.”

To help maintain the language of Tibetans across the world, students are working on an online learning tool.

The online language guides will hold the context of a book and will be done in approximately a year, according to Platt.

While the Dalai Lama will be updated on all of these projects, there is one thing he will physically test out during his stay here — a virtual mandala.

The mandala is used in both the Hindu and Buddhist religions. For those who meditate in these religions, it is used as a “map,” which during meditation people are guided through and navigate.

Through the use of a brain scanner, AIMS has developed a way in which the user can virtually navigate through a mandala.

“Instead of asking people to imagine

wSee TIBET, page 9

Committee recommends fees for more than 18 credit hours

By Noëlle Bernard Senior Staff Writer

A recommendation of the Strategic Priorities Task Force (SPT) presents the possibility for students to be charged for registering for courses that exceed the 18-hour credit limit in the future.

Since summer 2010, the SPT has been meeting to develop recommendations that will potentially contribute to Miami University’s pending budget cuts.

According to Steve Wyatt, co-chair of the SPT, the committee’s purpose is to design recommendations that have the smallest impact on students but will affect the university in the long run by regenerating lost revenue.

Thirty-four recommendations have been outlined in the SPT’s discussion draft that the task force believes will “provide the necessary resources to allow the university to attract and retain high-quality faculty, staff and students; offer programs of excellence in strategically chosen areas; and reinvest in the university to allow continued innovation and growth.”

Recommendation three stated the intention to “implement fees for course schedules in excess of 18 credit hours and possibly for expensive academic programming.”

Wyatt said in the past the university charged students for registering for courses exceeding 18 hours. In recent years, Miami stopped charging the fee and is now reaping negative results.

“I think it makes fiscal sense to the university to charge students for extra classes,” junior Grace Brown said. “I think that instead of holding over students’ heads now, they should have always enforced it.”

According to Student Body President Heath Ingram, this recommendation follows the directing of the majority of public universities in Ohio and it has the potential of generating about $2.3 million in revenue that was lost in the previous year.

“This is really a no-brainer recommendation that I see going through,” Ingram said. “In the end, while it is unfortunate that we have to charge students more money to take extra classes, it helps preserve the overall student experience.”

According to Wyatt, most students who register for more than 18 credit hours register with the intention of dropping a few courses.

“When a student signs up for more classes than they intend on taking, it has two effects on all of the students,” Wyatt said. “It takes up a seat that may be what some other student needed and it also may lead us to offer more courses than we may need to. Either way that drives up the cost of education for every student.”

According to Wyatt, the purpose is to keep all costs for the university down and insist that students become more contentious about the courses they need verses want to take.

“What happens is that students will be more thoughtful in terms of, ‘Do I really want this course or am I just taking it so I

can have a free option to take two or three courses and drop the one I don’t want?’” Wyatt said.

The second part of the recommendation relates to how certain major programs are more expensive to offer than others and the money needed is taken directly from the university. The proposal is that programs charge students a necessary fee to take the more expensive courses.

The SPT recommends that charges for specific classes “should not be used for university-wide needs but should be retained by the program, school or college to help offset the higher costs and preserve the quality and competiveness of the program(s).”

“We already do this for labs,” Wyatt said. “It’s just a way to keep the overall cost (for the university) down.”

However, the SPT is still in the preliminary stage of their recommendations and has the ability to change these recommendations, as they are continually taking questions and suggestions.

The final report is due Oct. 15 and the decision will be passed over to President David Hodge and his executive council. If passed, they’ll be implemented by December.

“These recommendations are all in the draft phase,” Ingram said. “We don’t exactly know what the final report will look like yet, much less, we don’t really know what the board of trustees will ultimately approve.”

Ingram said student should become actively involved in the

wSee SPT, page 9

Campus

THE MIAMI STUDENT

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2010 ♦ 3

Western Program reopens doors for interdisciplinary study

By Amelia Carpenter Features Editor

An individualized studies major and interdisciplinary studies minor have been added to Miami University’s academic roster this semester.

The two areas of study are a result of the revamped Western Program approved by university senate in April 2010 that is now fully embedded within the College of Arts and Science.

“Western is the bright light on

Miami University Oxford campus,” said director of the program Nicholas P. Money.

Money was a faculty member within the department of botany at Miami for the last 14 years and now also serves as the program’s director.

A month underway, the Western Program has more than 20 majors and students, according to Money.

Students take the core Western courses and the Miami Plan courses, but the majority of credits are

in other areas of study that match their diverse interests, according to Money. “(There is) lots of flexibility,” Money said. “That’s what I love about this.”

The interdisciplinary studies minor is 18 hours, while the major is 26 hours with an additional 24 hours outside the major.

“It’s an exciting path, but it’s not an easy path for the students,” Money said. “They’re going to have to work very hard to meet the requirements of the major or

Remembering 9/11

Thomas Caldwell The Miami Student

A military parachuter jumps from a plane on Saturday for the Miami RedHawks football game to pay tribute to Sept. 11.

the minor.”

Money said those students who are considering majoring in more than one field or those who don’t find a major at Miami that totally suits them are ideal candidates for the program.

“The beauty of this is they can complete their bachelor of arts in four years and need not meet all the requirements (of each major),” Money said of students with multiple interests.

Junior Brittany Dove transferred to Miami in fall 2009. A graduate student who helped with her advising suggested she look into the Western Program because Dove wanted to study how fashion shapes different cultures.

“There’s really nothing else I’m that interested in that I wanted to focus my time on,” Dove said.

“You basically pick and choose the subject areas that are most relevant to what you’re trying to study.”

Most Western classes are taught in Peabody Hall, which is home to the Western Program living learning community. All but two Western service-learning classes are taught in Peabody this semester, according to Money. “(Western gives) a small college experience on a larger campus,” Money said. “I think the Western students have an added sense of community by being a part of the activities here in Peabody.”

The Western Program is reaching out to as many students as possible, according to Money.

“We’re continuing to develop our website and first-year advisers (are speaking with first-year students),” Money said.

The Western Program is hosting a number of events through the Inquiry Center (located in 22 Peabody) to recruit students, including a canoe trip planned for Sept. 26 in Indiana.

But the program isn’t just recruiting first-year students.

Assistant director Kim Ernsting is finding ways for sophomores, and some juniors, to join the program, according to Money.

Money hopes to see about 25 incoming students each year for the Western Program.

“I’d love to see Western Program within the next few years grow so that we had perhaps as many as 100 or more majors,” Money said.

With more students, Money knows there will need to be a larger number of faculty.

“We’re going to have to (have more staff) because of the interest,” Money said.

Money said employers are looking for someone that can work as part of a team and bring knowledge from different areas.

“Western reflects a new trend in education moving away from some of the traditional,” he said. “Students that graduated have gone on and done all kinds of things.”

Emily Orians, a 2008 Western graduate, works as a research associate at MarketVision, a marketing research firm in Cincinnati.

“Western seemed like the best fit for me to do the most I could with my major,” Orians said. “It also allowed me to change my mind a million times and graduate in three years and a summer.”

Being a Western graduate made Orians attractive to her prospective employers.

“I was told that because I had the same qualities in my degree (as other candidates) and a little more (with the Western Program), I had a leg up over the competition when it came to getting the job,” Orians said.

Orians said it takes a certain type of student to choose the Western Program.

“It’s not for everybody, but if you’re the right fit for it, it can take you places that other majors can’t,” Orians said.

4

Tuesday

September 14, 2010

Community

Editors Stephen Bell Kelsey Bishop community@miamistudent.net

Auditor refunds county schools

By Lauren Ceronie For The Miami Student

Female knocks herself unconscious at OPD At around 1:30 a.m. Saturday, officers observed a female crossing High Street against the cross signal using her cell phone who appeared unaware of traffic.

The female was reportedly stopped outside Brick Street Bar, where she tried to give officers an Ohio driver’s license and Kent State University ID belonging to someone else. She was eventually identified by her Miami University student ID as Miami junior Kristen Heck, 20. Heck was reportedly swaying, not wearing shoes and had an odor of an alcoholic beverage about her person. When officers asked about the fake IDs, Heck reportedly became upset.

She reportedly had difficulty walking to the patrol car and was taken to Oxford Police Department (OPD).

At the station, Heck reportedly continually yelled that she was “f*cked” and told police they should put her in jail because she was just going to drop out of college. She also reportedly threw her phone at the wall, causing a hole to be left behind. Because she was reportedly unable to care for herself or provide information of someone who could pick her up, Heck was placed in a holding cell. While in the cell, Heck reportedly banged her head against the wall multiple times, knocking herself unconscious.

She was taken to McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital where she was reportedly belligerent and refused treatment. Heck was then reportedly taken back to OPD until her father arrived to pick her up. Heck received a civil citation for pedestrian violations and was also cited for possession of a fake ID, underage intoxication and criminal damaging.

Butler County Schools will receive a $502,186 refund from the Butler County Auditor’s Office, after cutting office spending to a 10-year low, according to Auditor Roger Reynolds.

Reduced-spending has enabled the county auditor’s office to return used monies to public entities, Reynolds said.

Reynolds has cut the office’s budget by $2.1 million, or 35 percent, since taking office in 2008. The auditor’s office will reduce spending in the future by continuing to aggressively look at uses of technology that have helped reduce expenses and by ensuring staff is fully utilized in taxpayer services, according to Reynolds.

Reynolds said the money being returned comes from tax levies. State law permits the auditor’s office to return all unused tax levy money to schools and other public entities and prohibits this money from being refunded to taxpayers.

“If I could give money directly back to the taxpayers, I would, but state law says I

have to give the money to schools and public departments. It’s the best way to keep students safe.” entities,” Reynolds said.

Dick said she hopes some of the money Schools with higher tax levies will be rewill go toward ambulance funded more money, Reynservices in Oxford. “One of olds said. Lakota School “If I could give the my friends got sick last year, District will receive the most money, totaling more money directly back but there was no ambulance available to take her to the than $120,600. Talawanda to the taxpayers, I hospital,” she said. “She had School District will rewould, but state law to be taken to the hospital by ceive $22,774 and Butler says I have to give the the police. I hope the refund County Public Schools will receive $344,171. money to schools and money can go toward solving that problem.”

Miami University public entities.”

Miami sophomore Tom sophomore Logan Dick Milewski agreed. was happy to learn about ROGER REYNOLDS “Money going to pubthe refunds.

BUTLER COUNTY AUDITOR lic safety departments will “It’s very responsible and proactive of the auditor’s be great for students on office to allocate sources in and off campus, especially this way,” Dick said. “Good public education if the money goes to fire or EMT servicis the foundation of any community.” es,” Milewski said. “Keeping the students Dick was also pleased money would be go- safe is important.” ing to public safety departments.

According to Reynolds, public safety de“I’m glad the auditor’s office is having partments will be refunded $50,922 and such a positive impact on the community,” special services will receive $64,978. The she said. “As a student at Miami, I appre- remaining $42,115 will be split among other ciate that money is going to public safety public entities.

Treasurer’s office limits ways to pay property taxes

By Kelle Moracz For The Miami Student

Butler County property owners now have one less method to choose from when paying their property taxes.

The automatic withdrawal option for paying is being cut by the treasurer’s office, according to Butler County Treasurer Nancy Nix. Nix said around 1,300 property owners currently use this option, which is slightly less than 2 percent of property owners in Butler County.

Nix cited reasons such as staff cuts (more than 35 percent) in the treasurer’s office and said this method of payment “requires an inordinate amount of oversight.”

Nix said since the treasurer’s office is a government enterprise rather than a business, they have a process for when people do not pay their taxes.

“We are a government enterprise rather than a business, so when people don’t pay their taxes we have alternative recourses,” Nix said.

According to Nix, although the treasurer’s office tries to run

the department as a business model as much as possible, there are differences.

For example, she said it is more financially conservative for the taxpayers to initiate payment, such as by sending a check instead of the office initiating payment by making the withdrawal. Nix said their systems are not set up to support this system.

Nix said the automatic withdrawal was not required by the state of Ohio, but the state tried to provide as many services as possible to their taxpayers.

According to Nix, now there is

a need to “get back to the basics,” and unfortunately this service was an extra that they cannot sustain, especially with staff cuts.

Taxpayers can still choose from options such as mailing a check, paying online or paying through their mortgage company. Taxpayers who own multiple properties will not have to use separate payments, but can send their payments together.

“It might be an inconvenience and make it harder for those people using it to make their payments,” Miami University sophomore Emily Glaser said.

Police find Jimmy John’s patron passed out At 2:05 a.m. Saturday, officers responded to Jimmy John’s regarding a male passed out in the dining area.

The male had reportedly vomited all over the dining room, forcing staff to close half of it down.

When police arrived, they reportedly found Miami University student William McDonnell, 20, laying on a booth seat. According to police reports, McDonnell was heavily intoxicated and reeked of alcoholic beverages. McDonnell was taken to McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital and cited for underage intoxication and public intoxication.

Male threatens student with knives at bar At around 1 a.m. Sunday, officers on patrol in the alley spoke with a Miami University student who said he had been threatened with two knives by a male in Mac and Joe’s Bar. Two nearby suspects reportedly pointed out a male in a hoodie walking toward High Street. As police followed, the male reportedly threw a Smith & Wesson folding knife and a Five-Hour Energy bottle near a trashcan. The male was reportedly stopped on High Street and identified as Toby Deaton, 24. Deaton reportedly admitted he had possessed two knives, and that he threw one of them in the trash.

He reportedly said he did not know where the other knife was. He reportedly had an odor of an alcoholic beverage about his person and bloodshot, glassy eyes.

The student who had reported Deaton reportedly told police that Deaton was falling asleep in the bar and was given two warnings to stay awake. Deaton reportedly attempted to enter the women’s restroom before the student employee attempted to escort him out of the bar. At the exit, Deaton reportedly pulled a knife from his hoodie and another from his pocket. When the student threatened to call police, Deaton reportedly left the scene.

Deaton was charged with aggravated menacing and carrying concealed weapons.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Lead singer of fun., Nate Ruess (right), formed the band in 2008. fun. has a wide variety of musical influences, ranging from show tunes to 1960s pop.

Pop bands Steel Train, fun. to play at Brick Street

By Catherine Couretas and Anna Turner For The Miami Student

Tearing up Brick Street Bar Oct. 6 will be two high-energy pop punk bands, Steel Train and fun. These two bands have more than just their sound and a two-and-a-half month tour in common. Guitarist Jack Antonoff is strumming chords and ripping riffs for both of them.

But that doesn’t mean these acts are identical.

Steel Train is a pop punk band that plants its roots in the New Jersey underground punk scene in the 1990s. Today, Steel Train has moved past its underground beginnings thanks to their addictive melodies and relatable lyrics, not to mention their adrenaline-pumped live performances. Opening for fun. at Brick Street will be one such performance.

Antonoff said they enjoy college town shows more than a traditional club show because the people involved, the students, are truly excited to have the band there.

“There’s an excitement at college shows that is just not always present at a regular show and it rubs off on the band,” Antonoff said.

Steel Train takes that excitement and tries to create an atmosphere at their shows reminiscent of their New Jersey punk scene background,

something Brick Street patrons can expect.

“We’ve been trying to create something really unique, like a traveling circus, where we’re different than everything else,” Antonoff said.

In an industry that defines success or failure by how much you sound like what’s hot and what’s not, setting yourself apart is a difficult mission, but that isn’t slowing down Steel Train. The band successfully juxtaposes dark subject matter with upbeat rhythms and music, something other artists do not usually attempt.

For Antonoff, pop music is emotional and uplifting.

“If a song has really dark subject matter and is very morbid, I use the music to put a more optimistic sound to it,” Antonoff said.

He also aims to combine a larger-than-life sound with an intimate music connection, two opposite approaches to music that rarely go hand-in-hand.

Steel Train is not shy about their subject matter and what they’re trying to communicate. According to Antonoff, they don’t have much of a filter, and he describes their music as unhinged.

It is this unhinged sound that makes fun. a perfect match for Steel Train, seeing as fun.’s music has an erratic hodge-podge of musical influences ranging from show tunes

to 1960s pop. fun. was formed in 2008 when lead singer Nate Ruess’ former band, The Format, dissolved.

“It felt like a pretty seamless transition,” Ruess said. “As soon as I found out The Format was breaking up, I think I just hung up the phone and called Jack (Antonoff) and Andrew (Dost) and I think by the end of the week I was out in New Jersey from Arizona recording and starting this whole thing.”

As far as influences go, Ruess said the band is all over the place.

“We’re all pretty different people and we’re all just huge fans of music, so it’s really diverse,” Ruess said. “I’m not sure how to describe either guy’s influences because they’re just so unique and they’re just kind of all over the place and I think that’s kind of how I am too.”

Though only the three members go into the studio to record, there are six on stage live. Ruess said that knowledge combined with the band’s music video for “Walking the Dog” gives listeners insight into what shows will be like.

“I think that video kind of helps translate how we are live because we like to be all over the place and having a good time,” Ruess said.

Community

THE MIAMI STUDENT

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2010 ♦ 5

Maurices hosts animal fashion show

By Grace Lerner For The Miami Student

The clothing chain Maurices is partnering with the Animal Adoption Foundation to put on a unique fashion show.

The show, titled Rescues and Runaways, will be held Sunday, Sept.

19 with proceeds benefiting abandoned and abused dogs homes.

According to store manager Joyce Crank, the show will be held at 2 p.m. in the Knolls of Oxford Auditorium and will feature 12 models “These animals haven’t and four or five dogs. done anything wrong, but The dogs paraded down there are shelters that can’t the runway will be available for adoption in hopes afford to have a whole bunch of animals without of matching them with prospective owners. euthanizing them. This “We get into a lot keeps good animals from of community specific having to be put to sleep.” needs,” Crank said. “We like to get involved.”

The show is in its secSALLY PLICHTA ond year and was started MIAMI UNIVERSITY SENIOR by the Maurices vice president after he rescued a pet from a shelter near his home.

Sponsored by Maurices, chain stores across the country with means to hold an adoption runway show will do so this month.

Miami University senior Sally Plichta has volunteered at the Animal Adoption Foundation and praised the Hamilton adoption foundation for being a no-kill shelter.

“These animals haven’t done anything wrong, but there are shelters that can’t afford to have a whole bunch of animals without euthanizing them,” she said. “This keeps good animals from having to be put to sleep.”

Throughout the month of September, Maurices is collecting both monetary and supply donations to benefit the Animal Adoption Foundation, as well as the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).

Drop boxes are located at the Oxford branch of Somerville National Bank, Buffalo Wild Wings, Salon Signature and KDS gas station, as well as the Knolls of Oxford and Maurices. A list of what the shelter needs can be found on Maurices’ website.

Miami senior Aleece Hayes has a rescue dog living with her in her off-campus home and advocated adoption of rescue animals.

“She was just so cute and I couldn’t resist,” Hayes said. “She had been abused so she is pretty timid, but the sweetest thing.”

The partnership between Maurices and Animal Adoption Foundation will do its part to raise money for the ASPCA. According to the staff at Maurices, a minimum of $50,000 will be donated to the ASPCA nationwide when all is said and done.

Apple Demo Days Select Tuesdays All Semester 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM Haines Food Court Stage Do you have questions about how to use your new Mac? Come watch the presentation, stay and ask questions.

EMILY ESPOSITO The Miami Student

Damage threatens the natural beauty of the Silvoor Biological Sanctuary, better known to students as “the bluffs.”

Nature preserve shows signs of damage

By Chelsea Naughton Staff Writer

One of Oxford’s few natural areas recently fell victim to human impact.

Located just south of campus off Oxford-Millville Road, Peffer Park is a natural area that includes Four Mile Creek, an area owned by Miami University and home to the Outdoor Pursuit Center.

The eroding hillside along Four Mile Creek, commonly referred to as “the bluffs,” once relatively undisturbed, now shows several signs of negative ecological impact.

The environmental damage done on the property could potentially affect the Peffer Park natural area due to its shared creek ecosystem.

The bluffs, which are directly west of Peffer Park, are not part of the Miami-owned natural area.

According to Jim Reid, field manager for Miami’s natural areas, the bluffs are privately owned; therefore, the university has no control over what goes on inside it. Because of its close proximity and well-preserved landscape, the bluffs have provided a quick getaway for some Miami students.

The most visible damage at the bluffs are swaths of forest that have been removed for reasons unknown at this time, along with tire tracks through the creek bed from what appears to be four-wheelers.

The damage upstream will impact the Peffer Park natural areas, junior zoology major Peter Kleinhenz said.

“Peffer Park is one of the nicest and biodiverse areas at Miami,” Kleinhen said. “In terms of natural areas, the creek itself was denuded to the

point where I couldn’t find snakes near the bluffs.”

Kleinhenz also described the ripple effect human action can have on natural areas. When the creek is destroyed, the rest will be damaged, Kleinhenz said.

The areas of forest that were cut leveled what used to be semi-mature deciduous forest, taking away forest canopy.

No longer shady and cool, the water flow, wildlife and vegetation have all been impacted negatively because of the damage.

The bluffs are a delicate natural formation that is at risk as well, Reid said.

“They are constantly eroding, which is why we encourage students not to walk on top of them,” he said.

Reid said Miami strives to maintain the natural integrity in its natural areas, altering the landscape only when necessary to add trails or cut fallen logs.

Many students were unaware that Peffer Park or the bluffs existed when interviewed and expressed little concern about the damage to the area.

“Since this park is so disconnected from the everyday student’s life, I don’t think most people really care what happens to the area,” Miami junior Angela Bainter said.

To those who do visit Peffer Park and the bluffs regularly, the issue is more serious.

Kleinhenz is one of many students who no longer view the bluffs with the same scenic admiration.

Students can prevent further damage to Peffer Park and the bluffs by having a simple “leave no trace” mindset, Kleinhenz said.

KROGER HOLDS WINE TASTING EVENT What: Since re-opening in February after months of renovation, Kroger has hosted a wine-tasting event every Friday. The tasting allows customers to experience a wide selection of domestic and imported wines. Kroger Wine Stewart David Lester hosts the weekly wine tasting, which takes place in front of the store’s bistro next to the deli section. The wine tasting is available to Oxford residents and Miami students who are 21 or older.

When: Fridays from 6 to 8 p.m.

Where: Oxford Kroger Cost: For $5 customers can try four different wines and enjoy a variety of appetizers.

September 14th – Mac 101: Switching (iCal, iChat, iTunes, Contacts, Mail) September 28th – iPhoto (Introduction Photo Book Competition)

Piano men

October 12th – iWork (Pages, Numbers & Keynote) October 26th – App Store & iTunes U

Come meet the new student Apple Campus Representatives and learn about upcoming promotions and contests from Apple and the University Bookstore.

November 9th – iPod Touch/iPhone (Syncing with iTunes) November 23rd – iWeb (Themes, Media, Publishing) November 30th –Introducing iPad (Wifi versus 3G - 200,000 apps)

CAROLINE BUCK The Miami Student

Local father and son pair, Oscar and Rihot Menezes, sing “Sixteen Tons” Sunday afternoon outside of the Oxford Community Arts Center.

6

Features

Tuesday

September 14, 2010

Editor Amelia Carpenter features@miamistudent.net

By Thomasina Johnson Editorial Editor

Tucked away from the bustle of Miami University’s main campus is the DeWitt log home, a peaceful building with over 205 years of history. The homestead, built

by Zachariah and Elizabeth DeWitt in 1805, is the oldest remaining building in Oxford Township.

The DeWitt log house stands about 500 yards north of Route 73 and is located on

Miami property.

The Oxford Museum Association has taken care of its preservation since 1973, according to Bill King, director of programs and properties at the Oxford Museum Association.

Legends describing the rewards and trials of early Ohio pioneer life surround the DeWitt home.

“There’s a story that says some university trustees came to the cabin,” King said.

“Zachariah pointed to a place in the distance and said it would be a nice spot for a university.”

Horror Stories One of the most popular stories about the cabin chronicles the alleged scalping of Elizabeth DeWitt by a Shawnee Native American, King said.

There are several versions of the local legend. One version is detailed in the DeWitt Log Home brochure published by The Oxford Museum Association.

Scalping is the act of removing a person’s scalp and hair. It was a common practice during times of conflict, as the scalps were used as war trophies. According to the earlyamerica.com, both Native Americans and European colonists practiced scalping in early America.

“Elizabeth was scalped by a Native American who was trying to kidnap her near this home,” King said. “As she fled, he grabbed her long hair, circled (her) roots with a knife and ran off with the scalp lock.”

Although Zachariah tended her wound with bear grease and arnica, Elizabeth never fully recovered from her permanently lost hair and wore a black bonnet for the rest of her life to cover the scar.

“We don’t know how true this is, but it’s cited in several sources,” King said.

Another legend tells of a DeWitt baby being thrown down a nearby well by another Native American.

“The baby wore a long dress, so enough air was trapped under the cloth to keep the baby afloat,” said Lindy Cummings, a Miami alumnus and DeWitt Log Home guide.

History Although the homestead is often called the Dewitt Cabin, this name is incorrect.

According to a Dec. 7, 1972 article in The Oxford Press, “Cabins generally are one room temporary structures, while houses are two or more rooms and more permanent in nature.”

The DeWitt house is certainly permanent.

Zachariah DeWitt was an experienced builder. He owned and operated a sawmill near the cabin and built several area structures with local wood, King said. Zachariah also built the original parts of the Beta Theta Pi house and the Phi Delta Theta headquarters in the 1830s, according to a Dec. 15, 1938 article in The Oxford Press.

“He did a fantastic job on the (DeWitt) house,” King said. “It’s the only house still standing in Oxford Township that age. It originally had siding, which helped protect the wood.”

1769 Zachariah DeWitt is born in New Jersey, moves to Kentucky 1774 Elizabeth Teets (DeWitt) is born in Pennsylvania 1790 Zachariah and Elizabeth are married 1802 located to previously-purchased land in Ohio March 1, 1803 Ohio becomes a state 1805 log house built Feb. 17, 1809 Ohio General Assembly approves charter for Miami University PHOTOS: SCOTT ALLISON The Miami Student

The DeWitt house was a residence until 1938, according to a June 1, 1985 article in The Middletown Journal.

A first-hand account of the cabin, published in the Dec. 15, 1938 edition of The Oxford Press, describes the cabin as dirty and rat-infested and destined to become a corncrib.

Restoration and Education As the building fell deeper into disrepair, the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, which works to preserve American history, and local historian William E. Smith tried to garner interest in the renovation of the home, according to a Dec. 12, 1972 article in The Oxford Press.

It wasn’t until 1972, that the Oxford Museum Association started working to preserve the home due to monetary issues. Thus began the decades-long restoration process of the cabin. Due to lack of funding from mostly private sources, the cabin was remodeled in several stages, King said.

“In the 70s, we were in the process of restoring it,” King said. “We put a roof on it, but ran out of funds.”

After the restoration project was halted, the home stood vacant and locked up. It remained “isolated and fenced in for security ... until funding is available for its opening to the public on a regular basis,” said George Clout, the Middletown historian in the June 1, 1985 edition of The Middletown Journal.

With funds from both the Oxford community and a grant of $50,000 from the John W. Altman Charitable Foundation received in the year 2000, the Oxford Museum Association had enough money to start restoring the house again, King said. The DeWitt log home was fully restored in 2003, in time for Ohio’s bicentennial.

Preservation For Miami alumnus and Oxford native Gwyneth Conaway Bennison, Oxford’s historical landmarks are an important part of the community.

“When you walk onto certain parts of campus, especially when the students are gone, you feel transported,” Bennison said. “No matter how far away I travel from Oxford, I always come back feeling transported by its historical sites.”

Miami junior Natalie Otrembiak visited the cabin several times and said she enjoys learning how other people lived by looking at their homes.

“The fact that the cabin is still in existence shows the permanence and deliberation,” Otrembiak said. “In today’s society we focus much more on just developing something new, or moving onto something new instead of making something last.”

Cummings, who works as both a DeWitt and Dody homestead guide, said she enjoys meeting visitors to the home and sharing the local history with them.

“People absolutely love coming and are very enthusiastic because of the Oxford history,” Cummings said.

Cummings said the DeWitt log home attracts both Oxford and non-Oxford residents, including international visitors. However, DeWitt gets less traffic than the neighboring Dody pioneer homestead.

“We get about six visitors every Sunday we’re open, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.,” Cummings said.

Although the house is adequately restored, King said he would like access to run- is born 1769 Zachariah DeWitt ning water, which would enable the DeWitt home to hold community programs like the Apple Butter Festival, which is held at Hueston Woods.Jersey, moves to Kentucky 1774 Teets (DeWitt) For King, the bottom line comes down to the home’s abilityElizabeth to educate others about the history of Oxford.

Pennsylvania “I’m so glad we were able to save it,” King said. “If we hadn’t, we would’ve lost it.”

1843 Elizabeth dies 1851 Zachariah dies 1938 used as a residence, then converted to a farm storage building 1970s restoration program begant 1973 house added to National Register of Historic Places for architecture and engineering significance 1985 home stands empty, but locked up 2003 present DeWitt home is restored and holds tours in the summer

in is

1790 Zachariah and Elizabeth are 1802 located to previously-purcha in Ohio March 1, 1803 Ohio becomes a st 1805 log house built Feb. 17, 1809 Ohio General Assem approves charter for Miami Univ

HANNAH MILLER The Miami Student

THE MIAMI STUDENT

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2010 ♦ 7

FOOTBALL continued from page 1

phone call from the head of the Big Ten officials (who also are in charge of the MidAmerican Conference officials) stating Merriweather was cleared to play the entire game against EMU. “I was really excited (when I heard the news),” Merriweather said. “I didn’t think that I was going to play, but I am always trying to prove something to the coaches and this was a great opportunity for me to do that.”

Meanwhile, Miami’s defense dominated the game once again, limiting the Eagles to 66 total rushing yards after this same EMU team racked up 285 yards on the ground the previous week. This forced the Eagles to revert to their passing game, and although they threw for 256 yards in the game, they also had three interceptions, allowing the RedHawks to win the turnover battle.

“We ran a lot of different schemes and blitz plays on them,” redshirt junior

GRADUATION continued from page 1

“We try to track those students very carefully and we want to look at the support programs we have in place for those students and make sure that they’re meeting the needs of those individuals,” Skillings said.

Barb Jones, vice president for student affairs, said one new policy put in place this year is an intervention during the fall of a student’s second year if they had been placed on academic warning at the end of their first year.

Aside from that, Skillings said

linebacker Jerrell Wedge said. “The (defensive) line did a good job of getting pressure in the pocket. We are very confident (after this game) and we feel like we can stop the run with any team.”

Miami got off to a quick 7-0 lead, driving down the field quickly and methodically to start off the game, while only throwing one pass. EMU responded toward the end of the first quarter with a touchdown of their own on a lateral pass from senior tight end Josh LeDuc to sophomore wide receiver Kinsman Thomas, who was wide open after a blown coverage in the RedHawk secondary.

After tying 14-14 at the half, EMU once again capitalized on a blown coverage midway through the third quarter to take the lead 21-14. However, Miami scored in the third and fourth quarter on two Merriweather touchdowns to take a 28-21 lead with just over nine minutes left in the fourth.

EMU had one final opportunity to tie the game up, but senior safety Jordan Gafford batted down a pass in the endzone on 4th and 11 to seal the victory for the RedHawks.

“Jordan Gafford knocking down the ball rather than intercepting the pass (on the goal

he didn’t believe there were as many intervention strategies for second-year students and the university should try to get a sense of why they’re losing students at the end of their second year as well as come up with new intervention strategies to reduce the number of students lost.

“We’re not losing lots of students at the end of the second year, but we are losing some,” Skillings said. “If we’re going to increase our graduation rate, not only do we have to increase the first-year retention rate, we also have to increase that second-year retention rate.”

Jones said retention is part of the reason the second-year residency requirement was put in place.

“Some of the students we were

line) was one of the smartest plays I have ever seen,” Head Coach Michael Haywood said. “That was the most important play of the game. Our defense did a really good job today and Coach (Carl) Reese put a lot of pressure on their quarterback.”

Redshirt sophomore quarterback Zac Dysert had another good game for the RedHawks.

Although he only threw for 164 yards to go with one touchdown and one pick, he kept EMU off balance on defense with his legs, as he ran nine times for 58 yards on Saturday.

Ultimately though, this win against EMU is just another game in the eyes of the RedHawks.

“It is one of 12 games, and that is what we keep telling our guys,” Haywood said.

“We need to change the culture here and I think we are making those changes. We tell our players that the scoreboard doesn’t matter; it is the one-on-one match ups that matter. I saw a lot of progress today, especially in the third and fourth quarter, and I think we are becoming better football players.”

Miami’s next game will be against the Colorado State Rams Sept. 18 at Yager Stadium.

losing were leaving because they simply got to that second year and still had not really connected to the campus,” Jones said.

Jones also mentioned the use of AdvisorTrac, a program advisers have started using recently. Within that lies a component called MapWorks, a program that is used during a student’s first three weeks in school to give indicators students might not be transitioning as well as they should be.

“The idea is that we can look at the interactions we’ve had with students and see patterns that would enable us to detect that this is a student that might be at risk and then develop intervention strategies,” Skillings said. “We’ve got that software now that we did not have

RENOVATIONS continued from page 1

Miller said the changes will result in 55 rooms, down from the approximately 94 that currently exist in both the Marcum Center and Miami Inn. However, he said this would still be an appropriate number for what the university typically handles.

“We’re not trying to compete with the hotels in Oxford,” Miller said. “It’s a conference center and its main purpose is to handle guests of this university and groups that are affiliated with programs going on at the university.”

If the plan stays on track, Miller said the Miami Inn would be available as a residence hall in fall 2012. He said the renovations at Marcum would hopefully be complete before that in order to avoid drastically reducing the number of rooms for visitors.

The start date for the Marcum work is still unknown, but Miller said the hope is to start “very soon.”

years ago.”

Jones said, however, the university has learned through MapWorks that a lot of first-year students leave the university for non-academic reasons.

A final recommendation presented by Skillings was for the university to look at its retake policy for what happens to grades when a student retakes a class.

Right now, when a student retakes a class, both grades count.

However, Skillings said Miami may want to consider a different policy.

“We don’t want to lessen our academic quality, but if there are things we could do that would make our students have a better shot if they stubbed their toe their first year,

that’s something that we could take a look at,” Skillings said.

Michael Dantley, associate provost, presented other strategies different areas of the university already use to intervene, such as advising students on changing majors if they’re on probation or consistent communication between advisers and students.

He said the strategies hinge upon the immediate focus of helping the student get through a troubled period as well as the long-range focus of helping the student make wise choices to ensure their persistence at Miami. He said most of these steps are headed by advisers and taken prior to recommending students to the Rinella Learning Center.

The MiamiStudent: There’s an app for that! Well, not yet. But we’d like one!

If you’re interested in designing an iPhone app for The Miami Student, please email online@miamistudent.net for more information.

8 ♦ TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2010

THE MIAMI STUDENT

LOOKING TO GET INVOLVED? Join Campus Activities Council!

Come learn more about us at our Info Nights: Tuesday September 14 and Wednesday September 15, 7:30 p.m. in Harrison 204 Concert Board | Family Weekend FYO | Global Fusion | Homecoming | Kidsfest Lecture Board | Spirit Board | Springfest

MAKE THINGS

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT ARYN O’DONNELL- ODONNEKA@muohio.edu

Campus

THE MIAMI STUDENT

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2010 ♦ 9

Avatar botanical adviser to speak

By Matt Levy Staff Writer

SAMANTHA LUDINGTON The Miami Student

First-years Hannah Shiekh and Mckenzie Swarts learn self-defense techniques at a workshop Thursday.

Miami alumnus returns to teach self-defense

By Lee Jones Staff Writer

Recent Miami University graduate Tyler French is on a mission to show people how to defend themselves against an attacker, not to show them how to fight like Bruce Lee. French said receiving crime update e-mails as a student inspired him to teach a self-defense workshop at the Recreational Sports Center (RSC).

“I was astonished about the issues with violence and I thought, ‘Someone needs to be teaching selfdefense,’” he said.

In just a few years, he would be doing that very thing.

The son of a Tai Kwon Do instructor, French grew up learning and training in martial arts and boxing, but he was interested in learning more styles, especially “something more full contact, not dance,” he said.

French studied abroad in China during fall 2008.

He joined an intensive language and martial arts program that included 8-hour martial arts training sessions. He was trained in the art of San Shou, a style not commonly practiced in the United States.

French picked up on the style after much practice and work and wanted to bring it to the United States.

He e-mailed Mindy Stephens, associate director of fitness at the RSC, while he was in China to ask if there was a way he could start a self-defense program even though he’d never taught one before.

“Mindy jumped right on it,” he said. “I got out a camera and filmed some sample lesson plans. I actually got one large Canadian to be the assailant.”

Stephens liked his lessons.

French said his first workshop at Miami only had two or three students. Over 20 people came to his first class this fall, an open house held Sept. 9.

“In this class I’m not going to show you how to be a kickboxing champion,” French said. “It’s about building confidence. I told the class that if you walk out of here on the last day more self-aware, we’ve done our job. I show you how to throw a punch so you can block a punch.”

He is teaching students to focus on attacking their assailant’s sight, breath, and mobility, which means kicking kneecaps. French said he teaches students a kick from the San Shou style.

“The focus of workshops are building on skills week by week,” Stephens said.

This ensures that students walk away from the workshop with a deep knowledge of the skills they learned, Stephens said.

Sarah Peterson, a second-year grad student, said she would be interested in a workshop like this.

“I was an RA in Dorsey two years ago and I did a self-defense program there,” Peterson said. “I think it is really important to know.”

French’s self-defense workshop is held at 6:45 p.m.

Thursday nights from Sept. 16 to Nov. 18 in Room B of the RSC.

tibet

continued from page 2 themselves between these maps, what if we built this mandala that people can move through physically?”

Platt said of his initial thoughts for the project.

Platt said those who wish to virtually meditate can do so by placing a system controller that measures electric activity on their head.

The controller is able to read electric activity after calibration and picks up on certain thoughts that a user may have, Platt said.

The project is still in the working stages, but will be over halfway finished during the Dalai Lama’s stay, according to Platt.

Although the project may sound like something out of a science fiction film, Platt said it is an integral part of a Miami education.

“This fits perfectly in with the mission of AIMS and Miami, we’re all about how technology can help and enable the everyday things in the world,” Platt said. “It really speaks to the sweet spot of what Miami is about.”

Jodie Holt, the real-life botanist behind the Oscar-winning imagery in the science-fiction/ fantasy film Avatar, will be making an appearance at Miami’s campus Thursday.

Holt, the on-set botanical adviser to Sigourney Weaver and consultant to James Cameron for Avatar, will be speaking about her involvement in the film and the role of botany in society. Holt’s lecture, Taking Science from the Lab to the Public — Plant Life on Avatar’s Pandora, will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 16 in Psychology Building 125.

Richard Moore, the coordinator of the Belk Lecture Series, responsible for bringing lecturers like Holt to Miami, is very excited for the upcoming lecture.

“Dr. Holt made sure that there was some sort of biological accountability for the plant life found in Avatar,” Moore said.

“So a lot of things in the movie — like the interaction between organisms — are borrowed from real life.”

According to Holt, there is a definite basis in reality for the plants featured in the movie.

“I was given images of plants that had been designed for the movie,” Holt said via e-mail.

“For each one I created a Latin name, developed botanical descriptions and described their ecology and ethnobotanical uses by the Na’vi.”

Holt helped design the world of the Na’vi , the alien civilization in Avatar, who are characterized by their respectful relationship with nature.

Holt, a professor of plant physiology at University of California-Riverside, said she was surprised to find herself so involved in the creative process behind Avatar.

Holt said her involvement in the film was more than she had originally anticipated.

“After the first phone call I thought my involvement would probably consist of just

answering a few questions, so I thought it would be an easy job,” Holt said.

Holt said the work was much more involved than she had anticipated and she ended up becoming an invaluable member of the Avatar team.

“I naturally thought it might be outside my comfort zone because I had never worked on a film,” Holt said. “I hadn’t met anyone involved in it.”

Holt was pleasantly surprised by her Hollywood colleagues.

“I realized that they (James Cameron and Jon Landau (producer)) are all very down-toearth, hardworking people who had a very exciting job to do,” Holt said. “They greatly appreciated and respected the expertise I brought to the job and I felt, and still do feel, like a member of Team Avatar.”

According to Moore, an important aspect of Holt’s lecture is to engage the undergraduate and Oxford communities.

“We like to bring in someone as part of the Belk Lecture Series who we feel will promote interest in plant biology in general,” Moore said. “We look for people who have exciting, stunning research in the realm of plant biology and can convey that to an audience.”

Moore said it was a pair of

graduate students who originally came up with the idea of inviting Holt to Miami.

Hans Waldenmaier, one of the students who initially asked Holt to come speak at Miami, is interested in the possibilities the lecture could offer.

“I invited her because I saw Avatar and liked that it was focused on plant biologists,” Waldenmaier said. “(Holt) coming to Miami would bring botany into the larger sphere of society as Avatar did.”

According to Waldenmaier,

Holt is also going to speak on “plant blindness,” or the general tendency to see plants but not be aware of their true value.

“I figured she would be a great person to come and help expand the role of botany,” Waldenmaier said.

According to Moore, the Belk Lecture Series honors Ethel Belk, the university’s sole botany professor from 1929 to 1968.

“The goal of the lecture series is to raise awareness of plant biology and engage students, and that’s what her role was for the university,” Moore said. “She was a great educator at Miami.”

According to Moore, the lecture will be followed by a small reception afterward.

“It’s our way of forming an outreach to Miami students and the community as well,” Moore said.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Botanist Jodie Holt, who helped to design the Oscar-winning imagery in James Cameron’s Avatar, will speak at Miami University Sept. 16 as part of the Belk Lecture Series.

Center for Social Entrepreneurship receives scholarship endowment gift

By Kaila Frisone For The Miami Student

Alumnus Arthur D. Collins, Jr. (1969) has donated $250,000 to the Farmer School of Business’s Center for Social Entrepreneurship.

This gift will provide financial assistance to Miami students who wish to gain experience in Miami’s international social entrepreneurship programs.

The financial assistance will work as a half-loan, half-scholarship process. Students will receive 50 percent of their aid as a scholarship and the other 50 percent will be paid back.

“The main reason it is set up that way is for sustainability,” said Brett Smith, director of the Center for Social Entrepreneurship.

Smith said this method is also consistent with other social entrepreneurship programs.

Miami students can participate in several different international programs with the Center for Social Entrepreneurship.

Smith said most students choose the Social Entrepreneur Corps program that began in 2009. Students complete their coursework online and study in developing countries for four to eight weeks.

Students earn academic credit and gain hands-on experience in social entrepreneurship. They work side-by-side with distinguished international and local social entrepreneurs in Latin American countries.

In summer 2009, students went to Nicaragua.

Miami University junior Brooke Prouty went to Guatemala in summer 2010.

“I learned more in two months than I’ve learned in my entire college career,” Prouty said.

In summer 2011, the center hopes to expand the program to Eucuador.

Collins hopes his gift to the center will provide more opportunities to Miami students to study abroad and learn from these experiences.

“The reason it is so important is that it allows more students to participate in the program,” Smith said.

Students who wish to apply for financial assistance for an international social entrepreneurship program should contact the Center for Social Entrepreneurship.

Smith said it is premature to know how the application process for the financial assistance will work, but there will be an application.

SPT

usenate

decision-making process by attending forums, reading the proposals and asking questions.

“I really want students to have a part in the process,” Ingram said. “In the end, if students have a voice in this task force and in this process, the end product will be of much higher quality than if students did not have a strong part in developing the final report.”

The task force will be hosting an open forum at 5 p.m.

Sept. 22 in Hall Auditorium.

The forum will present all recommendations and offers a chance for students to make their opinions known.

important that each campus supports the other.”

During the senate hearing, John Krafft, an associate professor of English at the Hamilton campus, said he was concerned for the future of the regional campuses.

After the meeting, he elaborated on these concerns and the overall outlook of the regional campus faculty.

“We’re a little bit worried that Oxford might narrow to freeze us out and that we will be discouraged or prevented from offering majors or courses that are offered at Oxford,” Krafft said.

“I don’t want to seem too parochial about it, but I wonder if it’s possible that we will be, gradually or otherwise, moved into a position where the regional campuses can offer only things that Oxford doesn’t or only things that Oxford

continued from page 2

continued from page 2

doesn’t want to offer.”

According to findings presented during the senate hearing, 9.3 percent of Miami students circulate between the Oxford, Hamilton and Middletown campuses in some way. The SPT believes this is largely because students find it cheaper to study on a regional campus than on the main campus. Krafft does not feel this is the case.

“I’ve often had students in my classes at Hamilton who tell me not that it was cheaper to take classes, because I believe after some point it’s not cheaper, but that they couldn’t get into some of the courses they wanted at Oxford so they went to Hamilton,” Krafft said.

Like Van Gundy-Youder, Krafft said there should be no competition between the campuses.

“I don’t want to be seen as anti-Oxford,” Krafft said. “I was a student at Oxford. I loved the Oxford campus. I just don’t want the regionals to get crushed in a possibly long-headed attempt to save Oxford. I think in the long run it would be a loss to Oxford.”

10

Tuesday September 14, 2010

Opinion

➤ EDITORIAL

The following pieces, written by the editorial editors, reflect the majority opinion of the editorial board.

Marcum, Miami Inn renovations beneficial T

he renovations of Marcum Conference Center and the Miami Inn are only two of the changes to be made to the living arrangements on campus, but they are going to alter the landscape of upperclass living significantly. The Miami Inn will be renovated into a residence hall most likely for upperclass students and Marcum Conference Center will add more beds to accommodate visitors to the campus. After the renovations, 100 beds will be available to upperclass students at the Miami Inn. The combined total number of rooms supplied by both locations will have been reduced from approximately 94 to 55 due to the combining of small spaces into suites.

According to officials, only operating one hotel facility will lower annual operating costs because there will be less transportation of products between the two locations. Plans to complete the Marcum Conference Center and Miami Inn refurbishments are set for fall 2012.

The editorial board of The Miami Student believes these renovations are going to benefit students. By updating student living and preparing for future housing needs, the university is keeping the focus on undergraduates. Housing is a major concern for prospective students, and by showing a commitment to ensuring student comfort Miami is increasing its competitiveness.

The board considers the changes beneficial, but feels there must continue to be planning involved in the renovation process of both Marcum and the Miami Inn. The number of beds in both locations must reflect class trends and the number of requests for lodging from visitors. Officials must take demand for rooms into account when undertaking a project such as this one. Preparation and forward thinking is necessary to make certain the university remains viable and able to accommodate students for future years.

Retention must not be “intervention” The Student and Academic Affairs divisions have named raising the retention rate as their main goal for the next three years. The university plans to intervene if students, especially those between their sophomore and junior years, are struggling with their schoolwork or are planning to leave Miami.

The editorial board of The Miami Student supports the university’s desire to help “at risk” students graduate successfully. The high retention rate of 83 percent is an achievement worth being proud of, and is a deciding factor for many prospective first-years. However, the board urges the newly-formed University Retention Committee to be very careful and sensitive with semiotic choices for the retention program. The word “intervention,” which was often used during the Student and Academic Affairs subcommittee meeting, has negative connotations. The committee must not treat a student’s poor academic achievement or an expressed desire to transfer as an unnecessary problem which demands administrative intervention. Often, students who transfer from Miami leave for non-academic reasons, and no amount of advising

will help them stay.

The board recommends several steps the committee should implement to help raise the retention rate. First, the committee must look closely at who is leaving Miami. If there are similarities between these students, the university may want to be more selective with admissions. Second, the committee must consider the recently-proposed cut of some majors. Most students choose to attend Miami because of the wide variety of academic majors and minors offered. Students may choose to transfer if majors or minors are cut. Third, the committee must keep pushing first and second year extracurricular involvement. Miami offers many choices for students to get involved, from orientation to Mega Fair, but the committee must not forget the importance of resident assistants and upperclass involvement in the first few years of a student’s time at Miami.

The committee must remember it is difficult to pinpoint why students choose to transfer, and not focus too much time and money that could be spent on other needy programs on campus.

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

EDITORIAL BOARD Catherine Couretas Editor in Chief Erin Fischesser News Editor Erin Maher Managing Editor Scott Allison Online Editor Thomasina Johnson Editorial Editor Jessica Sink Editorial Editor Courtney Day Campus Editor Amanda Seitz Campus Editor

Stephen Bell Community Editor Kelsey Bishop Community Editor Katie Giovinale Sports Editor Amelia Carpenter Features Editor Anna Turner Amusement Editor Samantha Ludington Photo Editor Hannah Miller Art Director

➤ LETTERS

Qur’an embodies American values We wish to assert our firm belief in the sanctity of all expressions of faith and spiritual yearning. To embrace religious diversity, not merely tolerate it, is to honor a most cherished tradition that so animated the founders of America that they enshrined it in our Constitution.

The moral truths in the Qur’an strikingly resemble those to be found in Jewish and Christian scripture. Moreover, the power and beauty of the Qur’an’s language offer a richness that complements all spiritual traditions.

Therefore, reading and honoring the Qur’an is to affirm one of America’s most sacred values.

Prue and Steve Dana sdana@woh.rr.com

Study abroad article offensive Normally, I think getting offended by a joke is flat-out stupid, and it may be hypocritical of me to say this, but I was offended by the Columbia section of the article “Broaden your study abroad experience.” Specifically, the part where students “learn how to be a successful drug dealer, drug addict or family member affected by a drug addiction.” Since this apparently is what Miamians find facetious, I’ve got a story that should inundate all who read it with laughter. Every word of this story is true.

Let’s start with my father. He at one time held down a decent job as a construction worker, until an unfortunate accident resulted in the severance of his Achilles tendon and put him out of a job. My mother was working as a nurse and my family was happy. Since my dad had nothing better to do, he discovered the world of the Internet. He became involved with eBay and ran a semi-successful business buying and re-selling pottery. That too went south, and my family started on an economic decline.

Of course, as any reasonable man would, my father resorted to stealing groceries and, at his low point, Yu-Gi-Oh trading cards (to later be resold on eBay). He was caught multiple times and has spent time in prison ... but I digress. To get to the interesting part, I’ll summarize. My dad ended up spending massive amounts of time on the Internet, primarily porn-related, and became mean, bitter and lazy. This essentially left my mother to raise me, a fresh teenager, and my brother, a young and impressionable emotional wreck. Her doctor prescribed her Xanax to help her cope, and that transformed my mom ever so subtlety into a drug addict.

My mom, over the years since my dad was first caught shoplifting, had kicked my dad out three times, but each time felt enough compassion and had a need for someone to at least be at the house while my brother and I were there. I hated my father to the point of getting in multiple fistfights with him, but I was more concerned for my mother than anything.

Things started to become clear to me about the summer after my sophomore year. I stumbled across my mom, the one person I looked up in my life, and found her crying, shaking uncontrollably and muttering incoherently. I stayed with her, and I deciphered enough of her babble to conclude that she was out of her medicine and that she was at a point where she couldn’t function without it.

To avoid long-windedness, I will skip ahead roughly six or seven months to Feb. 28, 2009.

My mom’s new boyfriend, who had been a godsend for my family, had helped her on the path to a new life. She had quit smoking and was ready to admit herself into rehab. She was

Editors Thomasina Johnson Jessica Sink editorial@miamistudent.net

likely to lose her job, a burden that she carries today, but knew what needed to be done.

About a week into rehab, my brother, her boyfriend and I went to visit her.

The men and women were separated, so the people I saw were primarily women. It shocked me at how many young, pretty women had fallen prey to drugs — be it alcohol, cocaine or prescriptions to name a few. I had never been happier to see my mom, but as the emotional rock I am and have to be, I held it in when I first saw her. We went to some classes where I learned about what addiction really is: a disease. There’s a reason some people can go out and drink the nights away and have no desire to do it all the time, and yet some people stay sober for years and have it all taken back by just one dose of sleeping medication (a personal account a family member of one of the patients told at a group session). It’s ingrained in your genes — some people are lucky enough to not bear that burden, but, as my mother does and why I likely do, her family had a history, mainly of alcoholism. Alcoholism = drug addiction.

Later in the day, we had a group session with the family members and patients. I don’t remember specifics, but I remember that the patient and each individual family member or visitor had to get in the middle of the circle, hold hands and the visitor had to tell the patient how their addiction had affected them and some other things. I saw grown, badasslooking men brought to tears, and the raw emotion in the room was something I hadn’t experienced before in my life. I saw how this disease tore families apart, and yet I saw how willing these people were to help their loved ones change. It opened my eyes, it made a change in me and it’s something I’ll never forget. And then, suddenly, it was my turn.

My mom was already sitting in the middle of the circle, box of tissues at her side. I slowly walked over, sat in the chair opposite hers and held her hands. I then looked her in the eyes, began to speak, but nothing but an ocean of tears came out. I was overwhelmed by how much this had affected me. I love(d) my mom more than words can describe, and I couldn’t have been prouder of her for molding me into the person I am today, for staying as strong as she could despite my father’s tyranny and for making the effort to change her life, accept the consequences and try to start new. I have never ever cried nearly as much or as hard as I did that day.

My mother has been drug-free for over a year. She goes to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and resists the temptations that so many choose to indulge in. She and her boyfriend have also been together roughly a year and a half, and I couldn’t be more thankful for him (although I will admit, we often don’t see eye to eye.) I just figured it must be tough coming up with the comedic genius on page seven, so I wanted to lighten the mood by giving you a deeper meaning to one of your jokes.

Marshall Dalgleish dalgleml@muohio.edu

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Opinion

THE MIAMI STUDENT

➤ A GRAIN OF SALT

Hatred is real enemy Sept. 10, a group of students sat in front of King Library and shared stories about their own experience of Sept. 11, 2001. Many of the stories had common themes — the confusion, the uncertainty and the unfamiliar notion of large scale tragedy. Playing in the background was a recording of radio John coverage from 2001, Luckoski giving an eerie window into the past. All of the muddled information that slowly trickled to the people in the recording was long-confirmed facts to us. Hearing the uncertainty and hesitation in their voices brought back a very real sense of how 9/11 had felt to my grade school self. I realized how much has changed in these last nine years, both in our lives as well as in our country.

In crisis, we tend look to the past to try and understand what we are supposed to feel. Many people related the attacks to Pearl Harbor. Both tragedies pushed the U.S. into a war, both resulted in anti-outsider sentiment, not to mention the liberal use of fearbased propaganda. Many of the resulting cultural shifts have mirrored one another, but from a historical perspective, we have certainly come a long way from the internment camps the United States government ordered Japanese-Americans into.

Regardless of this progress, it has become clear in the last few months that anti-Islamic sentiment exists and the actions of an extremist minority have been conflated with the entire religion. Between the planned (and thankfully cancelled) Qur’an burnings, or the protests against the Islamic community center to be built where a former Burlington Coat Factory stood two blocks away from the Twin Towers site, there is an obvious push toward alienating Islamic Americans. The anger and fear displayed by Americans, though it may have honest intentions of justice, is largely misplaced. An implicit distrust and uninformed suspicion of a group of people is never a justifiable reason to condemn anyone.

There is a non-denominational chapel that holds services in the Pentagon, something no person seems to object.

The “mosque” planned also is meant to be open to the public in a similar manner as this chapel. There was an Islamic prayer room on the 17th floor of the south tower. Referring to Ground Zero as “sacred” may be appropriate, but it must be understood that its sacred quality is something all Americans have a right to, regardless of religious belief or political motivation.

There are thousands of Muslim Americans fighting in our military, as well as the thousands of Muslims who we have been working alongside to stabilize the area. We have lost over 5,000 troops in Iraq, over 2,000 in Afghanistan and over 3,000 in the attacks nine years ago. Each of those lives lost mean a family left without a loved one.

Politicians are quick to mention these numbers and praise those who died for their sacrifice, but they rarely ever mention the greater losses of human life, the roughly estimated civilian casualties in the Middle East. Reports put them between 100,000 and 500,000.

They have lost nearly 100 times what we have lost, yet we still are sold an environment of suspicion and fear rather than one of solidarity and mourning of mutual loss.

Comparing all of Islam to Al Qaeda is no different than conflating all of Christianity to the Ku Klux Klan.

Both groups use the guise of religion to justify their hate and their ignorance.

Neither group speaks for any person beyond its own members. It is easy to hate. It is easy to condemn others as evil and corrupt. We are fed images of burning American flags on a regular basis, and it’s almost inevitable that someone will want to act out against those images. But we have to understand that what makes America great is the ability to rise above the impulse of hate and suspicion. The group protesting the community center has a right to do so. Even the cancelled Qur’an burning would be considered protected speech. Americans must understand that it shouldn’t be about prohibiting or banning actions, but rather about standing as with one voice against hate and intolerance.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2010 ♦ 11

➤ ESSAY

Website visits leave trail on computer

When thinking about writing on your friend’s Facebook wall, looking at ESPN highlights or even checking the weather, no one really thinks they’re being followed on the Internet. But the harsh truth is that every time you visit a website, your computer saves a digital code to your hard drive of where you’ve been and what you’ve been looking at. And yes, this tactic is legal.

In early August, The Wall Street Journal reported one of the fastest growing businesses on the Internet is the business of spying on Internet users.

How often are you followed? Every time you click a new website. According to The Week magazine, data miners track everything you do. What happens next is a numerous amount of companies join in and begin to trail what you visit, building a profile of you based on the websites you follow. And naturally, it gets worse.

The profile these companies build could be extremely detailed, including information about your age, shopping habits, income, demographics on where you live and even your sexual preferences.

Based on what they sift through, they can find a person without even knowing his or her name.

The electronic codes saved to your hard drive called “cookies” were initially intended for websites to remember things users liked to visit on the Web. Now these cookies allow for marketers, advertisers and sellers to locate someone’s computer and follow the user’s trail.

If it’s illegal to trespass on someone’s property, let alone stalk them, then why is it legal for an unidentifiable data miner to spy on your every move?

“Big Brother” is no longer a reality TV series — it’s just reality.

Here’s a scarier thought. Depending on who’s allowed to follow what you look at on the Internet, when you sit down for your next job interview, will they already know who you are before you are even given the chance to speak?

So what can Internet users do without cutting themselves off from cyberspace? Well, for one, avoiding distasteful websites would probably help. But then there are other solutions too: 1) Clear your cookies folder in your Web browser preferences every so often. This won’t delete anything you have saved, it just clears the trail.

2) Delete your browser’s cache.

3) Check the “Block Pop-Up Windows” option on your browser.

4) If you have a “Private Browsing” option, check that too.

Unfortunately, there’s no way to permanently run away from these so-called Internet spies. But if you regulate your Internet browsing time wisely, you might avoid having that extensive profile about you that’s out there somewhere.

It’s a little shocking to know that we aren’t always safe in the privacy of our own homes. I personally find this discomforting because I now know that the word freedom has a different meaning in the context of the World Wide Web. Next time you open up your laptop to surf the Internet, look on the right hand side of a website’s page where ads usually go. They will probably cater to what you like to look at. It will be like a set of eyes watching you that you cannot find or even see.

Oriana Pawlyk

pawlykok@muohio.edu

➤ ESSAY

Differences must be accepted Radical religious groups are putting people at war with each other and setting the larger, nonradical religions at odds with each other and against their true teachings. The most recent of these events occurred as Terry Jones, a pastor of a radical religious group in Florida, had planned a burning of the Qur’an, the holy book for the Islamic religion. The pastor planned the burning for the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

Despite the fact that he called off the burning of the book, protests are still going on in Afghanistan where American troops are still in harm’s way. The Islamic protestors are calling for the death of Americans and have been storming government headquarters, resulting in two deaths when security troops opened fire on the rushing crowd.

This is exactly the opposite of what religions should be doing.

Religions are supposed to bring their followers closer to their god and closer to their fellow men.

However, these radical groups

are causing people to forget their religion and fuel hatred for people they do not know or understand.

Each side is wrong. Americans need to realize the vast majority of Muslims are not the radical groups that committed the attacks in 2001. Muslims need to realize that Americans are not an enemy to them.

The big problem is no one can see these facts when radicals are the only people who make it into the news. The idea that one pastor in Florida could cause thousands of protesters in Afghanistan to call for the death of Americans completely ruins all the progress the greater populations are trying for.

Radicals make the news. Radicals’ messages get out all across the world because of how absurd their messages are and how violent their intentions are. This tears down fundamental teachings of so many churches to love your neighbor as yourself.

What I cannot understand is how these radical groups think they are going to help their own

religions or their own people by causing more violence. Have we not seen enough pain and suffering to know that it would just be much easier to spend our time focusing on our families and how to use religion to have a positive impact on those around us?

In order for there to be peace in the world on any level, people need to start realizing how similar all people really are. We may identify ourselves or align ourselves with certain specific teachings and beliefs, but when it all comes down to it we are still people who are just trying to have a happy life, to love and to be loved. We cannot and must not allow ourselves to be blinded by hatred. We must not listen to the radicals who are calling for the death of each others’ groups. This war has gone on long enough. It’s time to remember what our true religions are calling us to do and love our neighbors as we love ourselves.

Chris DeNicola

denicocj@MUOHIO.EDU

➤ ESSAY

Decision process must be extensive Our community, Miami University, is undoubtedly a growing institution. This year we had a 10.7 percent increase in the number of first-year students. Not only that, we have a growing population of different ethnic groups from different backgrounds. According to admission statistics, the percentage of the undergraduate population that was ethnically diverse in 2007 was 9.1 percent and in 2009 it was 9.8 percent.

The difference may seem small, but if you consider that Miami had 1,680 ethnically diverse students just seven years ago, it’s a big change. Moreover, there are more out-of-state students than there were several years ago.

That means there is a lot more cash coming into the school. And what does the university choose to do with it? It decides to spend funds on installing swipe access in all of the residence halls on campus and it recently built a very luxurious business school.

The school is also suffering from high administrative costs. Our red brick buildings are not exactly ecofriendly in terms of maintenance costs and spatial efficiency. Studies done by the Texas Energy Partnership in 2007 say that the average annual energy use of educational buildings in Ohio is approximately 88 kBtu per square foot (thermal units). The Psychology Building uses 113.6 kBtu/sq. ft. and King Library uses 125 kBtu/sq. ft.

There are additional things that need to be considered. There are not nearly enough parking spaces for students and the parking spaces left over are several

minutes away from class. This institution is going through major changes since its bicentennial. Only the future can tell whether these developments will be positive for the overall growth of the school. However, the process by which these decisions are made is somewhat problematic.

It is true the administrators are professionals in educating and guiding us. But that does not mean each individual student does not have the freedom of will to choose what kind of environment they want to be in and pass on to future incoming students.

So with all this in mind, school authorities and administrators should heed to the needs of students.

Instead of making internal decisions, there should be consultations with student representatives or the student body. Incorporating student ideas into new buildings and researching statistics about the student population through surveys could be a start. This might be a long process, but the end result could be much better in terms of efficient use of resources and value to the students.

Miami is a liberal arts school and the school values and promises a quality educational environment to all students. The school should remember students could exist without the school, but the school will cease to exist without the support of the student population.

Charles Lee

leec2@muohio.edu

➤ PERCEIVING REALITY

Normal entirely overrated To the casual observer, my friends and I are entirely insane. Getting ready for our customary Saturday nights out, our house is cacophony of bizarre voices, poorly-done accents, obscure movie quotes and generally inappropriate dialogue. It is a dance of the Karli crazies, and one Kloss we have been doing since our first year here at Miami.

It’s happy moments like these that often make me reflect my worst times here at school. Everyone can agree college is one of the best experiences in your life, but it’s really a two-sided coin sometimes. Rarely in your life will you go from laughing euphoria to clinical depression to utter contentment so quickly, or so frequently, as you do in a weekend in college. You don’t expect the emotional upheaval that college will be, and frankly I kind of wish someone had given me some of the advice I’ve decided to pass on to any first-year who decided to pick up the paper today.

One in four young adults suffer from depression before the age of 24. It’s only the fourth week of classes, so all you freshies are probably still riding the liberating wave of ecstasy that is your first time away from home. Not to scare any of you, but that bubble will burst before midterms. Classes will get more difficult, your workload will increase and you’ll have to adjust to being entirely responsible for your own well-being. What will make all of this suck less? Finding the right group of friends.

It’s terrifying coming to school at first and knowing no one. You will talk to absolutely anyone just to not feel so alone, regardless of who those people are. But, those initial friends you make more for survival than anything else don’t have to be the people you stay with for the next four years. My advice is to keep meeting as many other students as possible because once you’ve met those clichéd friends for life, you just know. I won’t reveal the crude contents of the first conversation I had with my best friend, but rest assured we knew we would be friends for life about six minutes in.

Allow me to offer some friendly counsel in this quest for college friends: you do not have to be Greek in order to fit in at this school. You don’t have to be super involved in campus activities. You don’t have to like every person you meet. You should try to talk to people in your classes. If you’re not happy with the friends you’ve made thus far, keep meeting people — this school has a lot of personalities to offer. Don’t compromise who you want to be based on Miami stereotypes. Most importantly, find people that make you happy, not people who make you feel “cool.” Because cool is just a matter of perspective.

A 2009 Campus Calm survey revealed 85 percent of college students feel stressed on a daily basis. From moderate class-related worries to ripping-out-your-hair-stress, these things can and will take a toll on your emotional and psychological health.

That same survey also reported 62 percent of those polled said they would talk to a friend first before talking to a parent or a counselor. Depression in college is a serious thing, and making the right friends will make all the difference. The people I’ve stayed close with since freshman year are the ones who kept me from turning tail and rushing right back out of this isolated little college town, and I’m eternally grateful to every one of them for putting up with me as long as they have. We’re all a little off-kilter, but it works for us, and I can only hope that any firstyear who is starting to feel the strain is lucky enough to have that support system. And if you haven’t yet, don’t worry, your crazy soulmates are out there somewhere, waiting to go halfsies on a case of Natty before taking the blue bus uptown. I promise.

12

FYI Page

Tuesday

September 14, 2010

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

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Houses

BRAND NEW 4BD APTS FOR RENT Live uptown next to Miami Co-op Bookstore at 15 N Poplar in 4 BD Apts for 2011-2012. Apts to be complete summer 2011 for fall occupancy. 4 students needed for each Apt. 513-293-2570.

House for Rent 2011-1226 Woodruff Court Great location on a quiet dead end street close to uptown; 4 bedrooms, 2 baths; central air, washer and dryer. Call (937)548-0249 after 4:00PM.

NEWER CONDO TRENDY 4 BEDROOM 2 FULL BATH EQUIPPED KITCHEN LAUNDRY OFF STREET PARKING GARAGE CAN HELP WITH FURNISHING Call Mike 513 266-1685 m2deuce21@hotmail.com.

A Four Bedroom House Great 4 bedroom house with off street parking. All appliances including washer dryer. Live with a yard and a place to park your car. Short walk to uptown.

We are already booking 2011-2012 school year. mustudentrentals.com or 513-756-1800.

Roommate Needed

Apartments Studio apartments near campus, available for immediate occupancy, starting at $399/mo. 523-2440 or manager@oxfordrents.com THE COURTYARDS OF MIAMI Located on Central and Main, our residents enjoy living so close to the REC and the bus stop. Only students live at the courtyards. Most utilities are included in the rent as well as off street parking, yard space and laundry. 2 bedrooms $2300, one bedrooms $3300. Also see the coupon in the campus special. To see an apartment, contact Carolyn at 513-659-5671 or thecourtyardsofmiami@yahoo.com Roberts Apartments 2011/12.

Great Location! Close to Uptown and Campus. Laundry Facilities.

Off-Street Parking. Well-Maintained.

1- and 2-Bedrooms Apartments. www.roberts-apts.com 513-839-1426

One bedroom left Looking for fun, nice, female housemate; individual bedroom. TWO BATHROOM, four bedroom, laundry, recently built, house. SUPER CLOSE to campus, three other females, cheap utilities.

2010-11 school year. Call Margaret 616.283.1621.

Room Available Spring SemesterLooking for male housemate for the 2011 Spring semester. Would have own bedroom and live with three other males. House has four spacious bedrooms with two bathrooms, laundry, large backyard, and off street parking. Close to Uptown and Sushi Nara. Call 901-359-4366 for more information.

Housemate Needed Nice house near High & College. Own bedroom. This semester or next. Call for more info.

419-707-2934.

House for Rent 2011/12 4 Bedrooms, 1 bath. Permit for 4. Laundry room includes W/D. Next to Ace Hardware. $10,000 per semester. 513-255-4100.

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Sports

THE MIAMI STUDENT

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2010 ♦ 13

Merry weather for a football game

MICHAEL GRIGGS The Miami Student

Left: Senior Thomas Merriweather, the MAC East Offensive Player of the Week, dominates the Eastern Michigan defense Sept. 11 with three touchdowns, including the game winner.

Right: Freshman running back Tracy Woods snatches the pigskin from Eastern Michigan’s Trey Hunter.

VOLLEYBALL continued from page 14

all-tournament team. “This is something we’re always looking to do, but we were able to do this especially well in Youngstown State and really be pacesetters.”

The toughest test for the RedHawks came on Saturday night against nationally-ranked tournament hosts Michigan. Miami put

up a fight against the Wolverines in all three sets, but were defeated 16-25, 19-25 and 20-25.

The loss put the RedHawks at 4-6 on the season, heading into their home invitational this upcoming weekend.

“We can carry over this momentum by focusing on the things we did well and continue to learn from the things we struggled on,” Raseman said. “We know that we are capable of putting together a complete game, and are striving for that this week.”

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SOCCER

goals and we did let up a goal but we still played very well.”

Senior Rachelle Boff conceded just one goal to the Owls and enabled the RedHawks to come continued from page 14 away victorious.

“The goal is to get better,” Kramig said. “To al“It’s a good indication that our kids are excited ways get better. That’s what these games are for, to play and ready to play and are to improve and to learn and prefocused on the game to come out pare for conference play. I don’t “It was good to see our think we are ready for conferstrong like that,” Kramig said.

Kodiak and Dolesh struck team step up and rise to ence play yet, but I think we are again Sept. 12 when both added getting closer. It’s nice to win in the occasion here. scores against Temple. Kodiak’s a tournament and it was nice to kick proved to be insurance be in the championship game BOBBY KRAMIG as it came in the 64th minute with a team that had won both HEAD COACH to give the Red and White a of their games as well. Temple 2-0 advantage. was also undefeated and we “I came out really hard and were playing each other for the we were a little tight in our game Friday and prac- championship. It was good to see our team step up tice Saturday, but we still came out really tough,” and rise to the occasion here.”

Dolesh said. “You could tell they were a little flat at The Red and White hopes to rise to the occasion first, but we were able to pull through and score two at the home nest at 4 p.m. Sept. 17.

Schedule

cross country

soccer

FRIDAY

FRIDAY

Spartan Invitational 1 p.m. (W), 3 p.m. (M) East Lansing, Mich.

Eastern Illinois 4 p.m.

Oxford, Ohio

field hockey

volleyball

FRIDAY

FRIDAY

Indiana 5 p.m.

Oxford, Ohio

DePaul 7 p.m.

Oxford, Ohio

When you’re finished reading

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14

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Programs need more control JM Rieger

The Rieger Report

L

ast week, Yahoo! Sports reported former University of Southern California (USC) star running back Reggie Bush could be stripped of his Heisman Trophy he won in 2005.

Although the Heisman Trust has not confirmed the report, many believe the trust will indeed strip Bush of his award.

This story is one of many this summer that rocked the college football world in terms of violations surrounding some of the major athletic programs in some of the biggest universities in the country.

Schools such as University of Alabama, University of Georgia, University of Florida, University of Tennessee, University of South Carolina and, most recently, University of North Carolina have all come under investigation for alleged violations of NCAA rules. Although none of the investigations, minus USC, have been completed yet, these investigations suggest universities are allowing their athletic programs to do whatever it takes to make their school the most competitive program, regardless of the method used.

Many players throughout the NCAA have received benefits from agents and other sources, and many more have had contact with agents prior to entering the NFL or NBA draft. Some coaches, including Florida Head Coach Urban Meyer and Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban have stated the agents making contact with these players should be punished rather than the players, and although this may be true, players must also be responsible and be held accountable for actions they know violate NCAA conduct. Recently, North Carolina was without 15 players for its Sept.

4 season opener against Louisiana State University. The allegations included possibly receiving benefits from agents and academic misconduct regarding a tutor.

The North Carolina investigation is eerily similar to the investigation that surrounded USC during the past year, which resulted in the loss of scholarships for USC and a two year bowl ban. In addition, USC distanced itself from Bush by removing his name from its media guide along with his Heisman Trophy.

This behavior by players and coaches is unacceptable and not only gives the individuals involved a bad reputation, but it also sheds a bad light on the university. Many times universities have overlooked actions taken by various coaches and players in order to bring more publicity to the school and to bring in more money, and the NCAA must continue to investigate and strongly punish those involved.

Regardless of whether or not Bush is ultimately stripped of his Heisman, his collegiate reputation has been tarnished by these allegations and investigations. Investigations such as those mentioned previously in this article make one think of the issue of whether or not athletes should be paid, and if so how much.

However, one must also consider the fact that if athletes cannot handle the simple responsibility of playing football and not accepting outside benefits, how could they possibly handle the added responsibility of a major paycheck while they are in college and trying to get an education? Not to mention the fact that one could already argue they are being paid since they are receiving a full academic scholarship to attend said university.

Hence, universities and athletic departments must reevaluate not only the rules and how they regulate them, but also what their ultimate goal is for their individual program.

Sports

Schedule, page 13 Editor Katie Giovinale sports@miamistudent.net

CROSS COUNTRY

Red and White keep Miami Invitational title alive

By Melissa Maykut

next Friday.

The men’s cross country team took a different approach Saturday morning, running their starters and using the meet as that day’s team With the firing of the starting gun — once at 10 a.m. workout. Just like in the Dayton Invitational last weekand again at 10:30 a.m. — the Miami Univerend, the men’s team ran as a pack throughout sity men’s and women’s cross country their 8K race and had five runners finish teams ran in their first home meet in the top six positions. Sophomore since 2006.

Jarrod Eick, who had finished While the women’s team first for Miami at the Dayton did not run their starters in 5K, placed first for Miami order to prepare for the and took home the invitaSpartan Invitational tional title. Senior MiSept. 17, the men’s chael Perry finished cross country team only a second beplaced first, conhind Eick, freshtinuing their home man Matt Marol meet winning placed fourth and streak from five sophomore Dayears ago. vid EichenburgFor the er and senior women’s cross Robbie Fisher country team, placed fifth the Miami Inand sixth. vitational was “It was exa chance for the citing to have girls who had a home meet,” not raced at Dayfreshman David ton Sept. 4 to show Wing said. “Our what they were made goal was to stick toof. Head Coach Kelly gether for the first 5K Phillips had recruited and use this as more of girls from the track team a workout.” to run the invitational as well.

Wing finished eighth for the The purpose was to see how RedHawks, but he is optimistic girls who normally run half miles in about the rest of the season. track meets would do racing in a 5K cross “I wasn’t real happy about the race, but country race.

I have to start somewhere,” Wing said. “When MICHAEL GRIGGS The Miami Student “This was the first race for a lot you get closer to our pack, you feel of girls,” said junior Tory Paez, who Five members of the Miami University men’s cross country team run closer to the team, and that is my goal placed first for Miami at the invitathis season.” to top five finishes in the Miami Invitational Sept. 11. tional. “It was a solid race. It wasn’t The RedHawks ran against Evansthe best, but it wasn’t terrible either. We went out well as a group, but the ville, Cedarville and Urbana in the Miami Invitational, earning the viclast part of the race is what we need to work on.” tory with a total of 18 points. The Miami Invitational is the team’s secAlthough the women’s team did not place first at their home invi- ond consecutive win this season, and they hope to keep the momentum tational against Dayton, Cedarville and Evansville, the team’s main going Sept. 17 when they travel to East Lansing, Mich. to race in the focus is to rest up and bring home the title at the Spartan Invitational Spartan Invitational.

Staff Writer

VOLLEYBALL

SOCCER

’Hawks go 2-1 on weekend RedHawks sweep visit to Michigan

By Michael Solomon Staff Writer

The Miami University volleyball team played three matches in Ann Arbor, Mich., looking to build off a midweek win against Wright State Sept. 8.

They did just that, winning two of three matches at the Michigan Invitational to improve their record on the young season to 4-6.

“We are still evolving,” Head Coach Carolyn Condit said. “We are still looking for people to emerge into roles on the court, especially at the outside hitter position. This is the youngest team I have even coached, but I can only see us getting better as the year goes on.”

Sept. 10 in Ann Arbor, Miami met Chicago State.

After falling behind in the first set 10-14, the RedHawks made their run. Redshirt freshman Jackie Lang and junior Cassie Farrell got the run started for Miami with backMICHAEL GRIGGS The Miami Student to-back Sophomore Amy Kendall sets the ball in Miami’s game against Wright State Sept. 8.

kills before redshirt junior Amy Raseman earned two service aces to tie the score at 16. Two Michele Metzler kills gave the ’Hawks a lead, and they wouldn’t give it up, going on to win the first set against the Cougars 25-21.

With the score 7-5 in favor of Miami in set two, the RedHawks scored the next eight points off of junior Colleen Loftus’ serve to break open the set and take it 25-12. Another large Miami run was the story of the third set, as the RedHawks went on an 11-2 run midway through to open up an 18-9 lead over the Cougars to take the set 25-14 and the match 3-0.

In-state foe Youngstown State was the Red and White’s first opponent Sept. 11. After a slow start early in the first set, the ’Hawks were able to come back to tie it at 17 late. Then, Miami forced Youngstown State into several attacking errors en route to an 8-4 run that gave them the first set 25-21. Set two was all Miami, as a couple of service aces from Lang gave the RedHawks an early 7-1 lead. Raseman added four kills in the middle of the set as the Red and White opened up a 16-8 lead before taking the second set 25-16 over the Penguins. The mid-game runs continued for the ’Hawks in set three, when a 9-1 run gave them a 15-6 lead that was too much for the Penguins to overcome. The set win gave Miami back-to-back match sweeps and their third win in a row.

“What went well for us was our effort to strive for consistency and play our game,” said Raseman, who was named to the

wSee VOLLEYBALL, page 13

tournament

By Alex Butler Senior Staff Writer

Head Coach Bobby Kramig is ready to come home.

The Miami University soccer team (5-2) swept the Eastern Tennessee State tournament with a pair of wins over Winthrop University (0-3-1) and Temple University (3-4) this weekend and will come back to Oxford for a six-game home stand following a seven-game road hiatus.

BY THE NUMBERS Miami University soccer team record:

5-2

Sept. 12, the Red and White ousted the Owls of Temple with a 2-1 victory after whipping Winthrop 2-0 Sept. 10.

“It was a perfect weekend for us,” Kramig said. “To go 2-0 and win the tournament is a very positive step forward for our team. We scored early in both games, which is almost becoming a little bit of a trademark.”

It took just seven minutes for freshman Katy Dolesh to find net against the Eagles Sept. 10. Dolesh put a head on a cross from sophomore Jess Kodiak for the RedHawks’ first score before Kodiak added one of her own 30 minutes in. Both teams were scoreless in the second half, and the clean sheet went to redshirt freshman Kris Gasparovic for a RedHawk victory.

wSee SOCCER, page 13