The Miami Student Oldest university newspaper in the United States, established 1826
VOLUME 139 NO. 22
TUESDAY, November 8, 2011
TODAY IN MIAMI HISTORY
MIAMI UNIVERSITY OXFORD, OHIO
In 1975, The Miami Student reported that the city of Oxford became the first town in Ohio to legalize casual possession of marijuana. The issue obligated City Council to pass an ordinance making possession of four ounces or less of marijuana similar to a parking violation. The issue passed with 62 percent of the vote.
Miami may be ‘occupied’
Report: 89 percent of MU athletes graduate By Samantha Callender Staff Writer
JENNIFER SMOLA THE MIAMI STUDENT
Miami University students and faculty, along with local Oxford residents, gather Sunday afternoon in Uptown Park for an Occupy gathering. The Occupy movement has spread from Wall Street across the country, including college campuses.
By Jenn Smola
Senior Staff Writer
You’ve seen it on the news in cities across the nation, but the Occupy Wall Street movement is beginning to hit closer to home. Miami University students, faculty and local community members came together at Uptown Park for a general assembly Sunday. A group of about 40 discussed the rules and modes of communication the group would use, as well as visions and goals the group shared. The attendees took turns sharing their views, and expressed agreement or disagreement using hand signals, much like other “Occupy” groups. Though most in attendance had varying reasons for attending the general assembly, many expressed dissatisfaction with American politics and the current state of American democracy. “I feel personally like my views have been marginalized,” first-year Brian Sopher said, referring to both
national and local concerns. “I felt this was a good way to express where I’m coming from in a very open and democratic way.” Miami first-year Marjorie Schinner was also in attendance at the general assembly. “I’m trying to sort of
the Occupy Colleges Facebook group, is “a forum for College Students to organize in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street and the 99 percent.” The teach-in last week was a preliminary gathering to gauge interest and discuss goals, said Jenna Saponaro,
I feel personally like my views have been marginalized. I felt this was a good way to express where I’m coming from in a very open and democratic way.”
BRIAN SOPHER
MIAMI UNIVERSITY FIRST-YEAR
throw my weight behind getting change done, and I feel like I can’t do that through general voting and petitioning,” Schinner said. The decision for the meeting developed Wednesday at an Occupy Colleges solidarity teach-in at Pearson Hall. The Occupy Colleges movement has developed in lieu of the recent Occupy Wall Street Movement nationwide, and according to
a senior who attended the teach-in. She said the event, organized by both faculty and students, was very informal, involved collaborative discussion and that like the other “Occupy” movements, there isn’t one set leader. The purpose of the teach-ins was to generate open discussions with faculty and students, with no specific ending time as to
give anyone who wants to speak a chance to do so, according OccupyColleges. org. The teach-in at Miami was one of many Occupy Colleges teach-ins taking place on campuses across the country on Wednesday and Thursday. “I think that there are issues going on that are bigger than us and bigger than this campus,” Saponaro said. Junior Michael Woeste doesn’t back the national Occupy Wall Street movement. “When they occupy for weeks on end, there’s no discussion,” Woeste said. “They’re just protesting for the sake of protesting.” Those involved with the developing movement at Miami, however, seem to be going about the process in a productive and effective way, according to Woeste. “The Miami movement is doing it the right way,” Woeste said. “I’m all for open discourse on what needs to be changed in our government.”
Senior faces sexual battery charge, jail time By Bethany Bruner News Editor
A Miami University senior is facing a sexual battery charge after allegations that he assaulted a woman he knew Oct. 29. Antonio Charles, 21, was arrested Thursday night on one charge of sexual battery, a third degree felony. The Oxford Police Department (OPD) reported that a 19-year-old Miami University student had reported a sexual assault that occurred Oct. 29 in Charles’ residence on Elm Street. The victim named Charles as her assailant. After an investigation by
the OPD’s Criminal Investigation Unit, Charles was arrested and taken to the Butler County Jail. Charles was released Friday after posting $100,000 bond. Charles is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing in Area I Court Thursday afternoon to determine if the case will be heard by a grand jury. Butler County Assistant Prosecutor responsible for Area I Court Jessica Rodkey said the office would not comment on the case at this time out of respect for the victim’s privacy. Under Ohio law, Charles was charged with sexual battery according to section
2907.03A2 of the Ohio RevisedCode.Thisstatesthat“the offender knows that the other person’s ability to appraise the nature of or control the other person’s own conduct is substantially impaired.” Oxford Police Chief Robert Holzworth said the case is still under investigation and allegations against Charles from other women are “definitely a possibility.” If convicted, Charles faces up to one to five years in prison. Associate Director of University Communications Claire Wagner said Charles could face repercussions from the university as well if convicted.
“In general, if a student violated a law or the student code of conduct, which includes violating the law, they go through a judicial process on campus as well,” Wagner said. “For serious crimes, being suspended is often involved.” The Miami University Code of Conduct says students arrested for a 1219 offense, which includes sexual battery, “are subject to immediate suspension from the university” following a hearing held no more than five days after the arrest. The code also says that any student convicted of a 1219 offense is subject to dismissal from the university.
Not only are Miami University athletes achieving victories on the field, but they’re achieving great success in the classroom as well. The National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) recently released the Graduation Success Rate (GSR) report. This report revealed that nearly 90 percent of student athletes at Miami University reach graduation. GSR statistics help to assess the academic success of collegiate level student-athletes, and, according to the GSR calculation, Miami’s student-athletes’ overall GSR is 89 percent, 9 percent higher than the national rate. Female student athletes obtained a GSR of 97 percent, compared to their male counterparts GSR of 83 percent. According to data from Miami’s athletic office, from 2004 to 2009, the graduation rates of athletes increased from 65 percent to 82 percent. The GSR of seven various Miami athletic teams showed impressive graduation percentages of individual teams: women’s swimming, women’s basketball, soccer, softball and volleyball had 100 percent graduation. The men’s swimming and diving team had 96 percent and football 86 percent. The rankings place Miami among the top for best graduate rates among Mid-American Conference institutions, according to the NCAA website. Other graduation rates achieved by Miami were field hockey at 94 percent, women’s cross country and track and field at 92 percent, men’s golf at 89 percent, women’s tennis at 88 percent, men’s cross country and track and field at 84 percent and men’s basketball at 82 percent. For teams that scored slightly below the 100 percent, Brad Bates, director of athletics, said there may be several factors at play. “There isn’t one thing in particular to blame for those sports that may have had a low GSR,” Bates said. “Transfers, individual issues and many other things could be the reason.” According to the GSR report (available for public viewing online), Miami University, on average, has GSR percentages that are well above the national average. Bates said the high rankings are pay-offs for everyone involved. “These rankings are rewarding in regards to, publicity, intellectual development and the degrees [students ultimately receive],” Bates said. “Incentives for coaches are being put into place as well. In the end, it’s a winwin for everyone.” He also accredited athlete’s scholastic success to those who not only coached them on the fields and in the arenas, but in the classrooms as well. “This national data
continues to verify the high level of intellectual engagement by our student-athletes as their scholarly performance is once again among the very best public universities in the nation,” Bates said. “The high achievements of our students are not only a reflection of their scholarship, but of the high quality coaches who recruit them, the faculty who educate them, our staff that supports them, and the prestigious and pragmatic value of a Miami education.” Miami’s elite football team came through with a GSR that was 19 percent higher than the sport’s national average of 67 percent. Miami University’s graduate success rate shows that over a six year period (from 2004 to 2011) the general student body has steadily remained around 91 percent for that period; just two percentage points higher than Miami’s student athletes. Miami’s student body as a whole ranks among the best of the nation’s public institutions of higher learning, according to data on the NCAA website. “I feel like a big part of it (high ratings) is the emphasis Miami puts on education, even for student athletes,” said sophomore club football player Archer Hill. “I feel like athletes who come here know that they aren’t just coming to play sports, but also to get a good education, and so they focus on it more than other athletes may at other schools.” Hill said Miami sets high academic standards for athletes. “Miami does a good job at facilitating the pursuit of athletics along with the pursuit of a good education through things like grade and course requirements for varsity athletes, study tables and emphasizing to athletes before they come here that school is important too,” Hill said. Bates also attributes Miami’s high GSR to the dedication and value of a Miami education. “Miami’s prestigious reputation and esteemed degree is something that I feel draws students athletes who care just as much about their excellence in the classroom as they do about their excellence on the field,” Bates said. Bates said he believes that Miami sees athletics and education as a holistic collegiate experience. He attributes a combination of coaches, faculty and student interest in education and sports as something that fosters academic excellence. The opportunity for taking summer classes, study abroad and study sessions are things Bates said he feels allow for the further success of not only athletes, but students in general. “Coaches invest time not only in the student as an athlete, but as a scholar as well,” Bates said. “Faculty and coaches make themselves easily available and accessible to students. They hold a genuine interest in intellectual development.”