November 29, 2011 | The Miami Student

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

VOLUME 139 NO. 26

TUESDAY, November 29, 2011

MIAMI UNIVERSITY OXFORD, OHIO

TODAY IN MIAMI HISTORY In 1980, The Miami Student reported that Miami University had received a license to start genetic engineering and cloning experiments. The first experi-

ment was going to involve E. coli bacteria. The license came from the National Institutes of Health and experiments have to be approved by Miami’s Institutional Biosafety Committee.

Band hits all the right notes in parade

By Hannah Stein Senior Staff Writer

After a long and anticipated wait, Miami University’s 253 marching band members traveled to New York City and introduced Santa in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Thursday morning.

Approximately six returning band members joined the band, band director Stephen Lytle said.

Liz Zoller, one of the returning members, is in her fifth year at Miami and is currently student teaching. She was in the band all four years, but not this year.

“I was really jealous I missed it by just a year and I’m still technically part of the university and I’m so glad I did it because it was so much fun,” Zoller said. “There were several of us and we could all hang out together and talk about our past years in the band. [Lytle] had last year mentioned that he was going to allow graduating seniors to come back and play with us since he felt bad they would miss it by just one year. He pretty much allowed everyone who asked to come.”

Each student paid $200 to participate in the trip, and those who couldn’t afford it were covered, Lytle said.

The band members’ trip began Tuesday morning when they left Miami at 8 a.m. and spent the next 17 hours on the bus. To pass the time, they watched a lot of movies, sophomore McKenzie Compton said.

Arriving in New Jersey around midnight, the students went to bed but woke up again early for a 9 a.m. practice at a local school.

CONTRIBUTED BY GROUPPHOTOS.COM

Miami University’s Marching Band served as the official “Santa” band in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Thursday.The band’s 253 members marched the 2.5 mile parade after 17 hours on a bus and a free day in New York on Wednesday.The parade was watched by about 50 million people.

After the two hour rehearsal, the students went on a bus tour of New York City.

Following rehearsal and the bus tour, the students went on a cruise that went around the Statue of Liberty.

The next morning, students had a wakeup call at 2:30 a.m. to be in the city by 4 a.m. for rehearsal.

“The rehearsal was mainly for the producer,” field commander Mike Scott said.

“They rehearsed camera angles and practiced getting used to what we were doing and then we rehearsed the entrance for Santa. It was a relatively short rehearsal, around 40 minutes.”

Although it was early, the students were so excited the hour didn’t matter.

“It was really fun to be in the city that early because no one is up at 4:30 in the morning and it was really fun,” Zoller said. “The adrenaline kicked in and everybody was hyper and running around super excited.”

Singer Neil Diamond preceded the band in the parade, so he was close at hand for the early-morning rehearsal. The band opted to serenade him with “When A Man Loves a Woman.”

At 5:30 a.m., the band went to breakfast at Hard Rock Café in Times Square and spent the next few hours before the parade exploring.

The parade began at 9 a.m., but the marching band didn’t step on until about 10:30 a.m., Scott said.

“It was pretty amazing,” Scott said. “There were three million people in the parade route.”

The Macy’s Day Parade averages about 50 million viewers, Lytle said.

“It’s almost unbelievable; it’s a lot,” he said.

The parade route was a total of two and a half miles, taking approximately an hour and a half to march, and some students found it hard to march that long and keep up the tone quality as well.

“A lot of people got winded,” sophomore Steven Angles said. “It was hard to keep up the performance level but I don’t think it declined because we always try to make sure it’s as high as possible. What we did was have

[percussion] cadences to ensure that each piece was the best it could be.”

“It was difficult because it’s not just walking two and a half miles and you have to be in parade format and it’s marching so it’s more intense than walking, so it wasn’t really easy but it wasn’t the worst thing ever,” sophomore Olivia Eckler said. “We were going for like an hour and a half so not the worst but not exactly a walk in the park.”

The band rotated between three songs during the parade, Lytle said. They played “Fire” by Jimmy Hendrix, “Ain’t Nothing Wrong With That” by Robert Maynard and the Family Band and Miami’s own Fight Song.

“We also played ‘Santa

Claus is Coming to Town’ for the parade,” Lytle said. “One woman even called me and said her great uncle wrote that tune and he was from Cincinnati and it was totally coincidence that we chose that song to play.”

The chance to play in the parade was a once in a lifetime chance that all the students savored.

“It was amazing, it was surreal and it was so fun,” Zoller said.

“It was amazing,” Angles said. “It was one of the greatest experiences going through Time Square and performing and opening for Santa.

Just the whole experience was amazing.”

Once the parade was over, the students were able to take after-the-parade photos with Santa, Zoller said.

After a quick nap in the hotel, the students went to see The Rockettes that night.

“That was really cool,” Eckler said.

On Wednesday, the students had a free day in the city to do whatever they wanted.

“Our trips are always really packed and we don’t have a lot of free time,” Eckler said. “But it was really nice to have a free day after all the chaos.”

The experience and free time in New York City were moments that each student will take with them for many years following this weekend.

“Honestly, it was a really great experience and I’ve never been in New York and I think over half the people in the band had never been in New York and that was a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Eckler said.

Disciplinary Board gives students responsibility to decide fate of peers

By Lauren Ceronie Campus Editor

Whether it’s for the outfit a friend wore uptown last weekend, for the grade the student sitting next to us got on an exam or a couple for vigorously nuzzling each other in public, we judge our peers. Our judgments are usually fleeting and have no effect on the lives of those around us. But what if they weren’t? What if our judgments were for something much more serious and held much more weight?

For the students on Miami University’s Disciplinary Board, these what-ifs are a reality. These students are responsible for deciding whether students facing suspension from the university will indeed be punished.

“Honestly, you’re dealing with a student’s academic life here,” said Miami senior and Disciplinary Board member Matt Chacey. “I take this as a dual responsibility, you have a responsibility to the students at large, but at the same time, you have a responsibility to the student in question.

Is the student’s interest being served here?”

Miami senior and Disciplinary Board member Alaina Morman said she feels the same way about the job.

“Disciplining my peers is challenging — the decisions

that are made often impact academic careers, and that’s not something I take lightly,” Morman said.

The Disciplinary Board is made up of 10 faculty members, eight undergraduate students and two graduate students. Undergraduate students must be juniors or seniors, are nominated by Associated Student Government and appointed by the president.

There are two other hearing boards at Miami — Student Court and the Appeals Board, according to Susan Vaughn, director of ethics and student conflict resolution. Each board deals with different cases; Student Court hears every case, the Disciplinary Board only hears cases where suspension might occur and the Appeals Board hears appeals only.

While the bodies may look at different cases, they all have one thing in common — they all use peer review.

“Peer review is a wonderful experience,” Vaughn said.

“I’ve been here for almost 25 years and peer review has always been a part of Miami.

It’s common on college campuses and it shows that students are an important part of the community.”

Morman said being a student gives board members a different perspective.

“We can more easily put ourselves in the shoes of the

accused to try and figure out where they’re coming from,” Morman said. “I also think having students on the board helps bring about another level of regret or remorse from the accused because the last thing any student wants is to look like a fool in front of people who are on the same level as them.”

Chacey said he thinks having students involved is important.

“Miami students are involved in almost every major decision at Miami University,” Chacey said. “Whether we’re dealing with the toilet paper in the residence halls or who gets to stay and who has to go, students are involved in every process. My job as a student justice is very important because it’s a student being able to relate to another student. It gives us a chance to give insight to the whole situation.”

In fact, the entire Disciplinary board hearing process is student-driven, according to Chacey.

The hearing will begin with an opening statement by the student in question, followed by questions from the board.

The board will usually ask the student to walk them through the incident, Chacey said.

“We assume everyone is telling the truth up front, we have to,” Chacey said. “This is different from the court of law

where people have to swear in and face the penalty of perjury.

We have to assume you’re telling us the truth.”

Morman said seeing how people act during a hearing is an important part of the process.

“Observing students’ reactions and the way they conduct themselves during a hearing is also very interesting to me because body language can often indicate whether they’re taking the hearing seriously and if

sexual assault training, according to Chacey.

“I will never forget, one of the first things the trainer did when I first joined,” Chacey said. “I was sitting there and she said ‘OK, Matt, I want you to tell me the greatest sexual experience in your life, right now.’ I was like, uh, you’ve got to be crazy, right? She said, ‘remember that awkwardness.

That’s your greatest sexual experience, now think of the worst sexual experience, the

Disciplining my peers is challenging — the decisions that are made often impact academic careers, and that’s not something I take lightly.”

AlAINA MORMAN

STUDENT DISCIPLINARY BOARD MEMBER

they feel regret or remorse for their actions,” Morman said.

While observing the student in question may help members of the board make decisions, students who sit on Disciplinary Board are given specific training.

“The Office of Ethics and Student Conflict Resolution doesn’t place anyone on the Board without making sure that they’re well trained first,” Morman said.

The state requires board members to take special

most painful you could ever have and go in front of six people that are complete and utter strangers.’”

Chacey said that assault cases he’s sat on the board for are the most difficult.

“In general, sexual assault cases are the ones that will just take everything out of you,” Chacey said. “It just drains everyone in there. This is not something that will die with us, it’s something that will always be with that individual.”

Even cases that aren’t as

sensitive as sexual assault cases can be difficult, according to Morman.

“Some might think that most cases are either black or white in terms of the eventual ruling, but that’s often not the case,” Morman said.

“Not only do we review the evidence presented before us, but we also allow the accused a chance to state their defense and argue for their innocence.

Sometimes that leaves me torn between decisions.”

Chacey said, most of the cases he’s dealt with have not been about alcohol.

“Alcohol is more rare (in front of the Disciplinary Board) than you would think,” Chacey said. “Most of the cases I hear have alcohol in them, but we’re not charging them for the alcohol itself. There are a few exceptions, but most of the cases I’ve seen are at least indirectly related to alcohol.”

Chacey has sat in on cases that involve academic dishonesty, physical assault and student misconduct.

“At the beginning of everyone’s term here, they sign a contract saying we’re allowed to [charge for off-campus incidents] and we do,” Chacey said.

While the board sees a variety of cases and incidents, both Chacey and Morman agree on one thing.

“It’s not easy.”

2

CAMPUS

Editors Lauren Ceronie Jenni Wiener

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2011

campus@miamistudent.net

Miami offers cell phone service boosting

By Allison McGillivray Staff Writer

Miami University has partnered with NextG to provide better cell phone coverage and capacity to Miami students at no price to them.

NextG is a vendor that installs Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) at selected locations at large venues such as university campuses. DAS boost cell phone coverage at these venues. NextG then sells that additional coverage to cell phone services such as AT&T Inc., Verizon Wireless and Cincinnati Bell Wireless.

According to Chris Bernard, director of Network Engineering and Telecommunications for IT services, NextG finished installing all 17 DAS units earlier this November at no cost to the university.

“The full cost of the DAS is funded by the cell phone service providers and is based on anticipated increase in revenues due to improved

service, scalability and customer satisfaction,” Bernard said via email at a later date.

Currently, AT&T is the only company that is taking advantage of this opportunity at Miami but Bernard is hopeful that other companies such as Verizon and Cincinnati Bell will also buy additional coverage from NextG “It’s a pretty big expenditure on their part to join in the system,” Bernard said.

“That’s why I think they are somewhat reluctant and want to wait and see how AT&T fares, but NextG has done this lots of times around the country.”

Senior Director of Strategic Communication and Planning for IT services Cathy McVey is also confident that more cell phone service providers will sign on.

“I am really hoping that we can expand,” McVey said. “I think once the system is up and running and it’s active it will be a little easier sell for them to the other carriers.”

Bernard said Miami heard about NextG because it also partners with the University of Notre Dame, one of Miami’s sister schools.

Bernard said NextG provides Miami with an “intriguing opportunity.”

McVey agrees.

“I think it provides us with an opportunity to fulfill a need,” McVey said. “Given the size of Oxford, the major carriers are only going to be putting so many cell towers in this area and so it’s a way to boost the signal, give better service to the students at no cost to us, so I think it’s a win-win situation.”

McVey said Miami has been looking for a way to improve cell phone coverage since it pulled the land line phones out of residence halls.

“It was pretty clear that the students no longer really used the phones in the residence halls much if at all,” McVey said. “Given the age of the buildings and the construction of the buildings, there are

locations in residence halls where cell reception is pretty darn bad.”

Senior Cassie Callan said she has had bad cell phone reception in the residence halls.

“My freshman year I lived in Tappan and both myself and the girl I lived with had AT&T and it was nearly impossible to get a signal in the room we were in,” Callan said. “If I got [a signal] it was one maybe two bars but if I moved my phone even like a foot to the left or right I could risk losing it.”

Callan said she believes that DAS will be useful to Miami students living in the residence halls.

“I definitely think it will be beneficial especially to students living in the dorms because they are going to need to be able to communicate with their cell phones,” Callan said. “They are going to rely heavily on them so I think in that aspect it’s definitely a good thing.”

Callan said she has never

had any signal in the basement of Farmer School of Business.

However, Callan said apart from these two issues she has not had any signal problems specifically related to Miami.

Both Callan and McVey believe that improved cell phone coverage will help make Miami’s campus a safer place.

“Some parents are concerned and worried if their son or daughter doesn’t get cell reception in their room and couldn’t call if something happened,” McVey said. “We are hoping with this Distributed Antenna Systems that we get some more carriers to sign on that that will reduce that need.”

Callan said having service is important, especially in emergency situations.

“If we need to be informed of something that’s happening on campus that relates to our safety or class cancelations or school cancelations or something like that [DAS]

will definitely be beneficial,” Callan said. “In fact, I think it’s a little bit necessary considering the scares that other colleges have had in the past few years. I think it’s really good that Miami has the emergency texting service and if it’s not going to work then there is no point in having it and installing the antennas will hopefully help that situation.”

McVey said NextG was advised by the university architect’s office on where to place the seventeen DAS units without detracting from the beauty of Miami’s campus.

“One of the things that NextG does is they have worked really closely with the university architects office to design places where the antennas could go that’s not like a giant cell tower that’s really ugly,” McVey said.

The antennas vary in size according to how and where they are mounted and the area of a coverage they need to provide.

University has second highest New student media group gives study abroad rates in the nation experience in interactive design

By Adam Giffi

Senior Staff Writer

If it feels like everyone around you is studying abroad, it’s because they are.

According to the 2011 “Open Doors” report from the Institute of International Education, an organization that prides itself on endorsing world-wide learning, Miami University has the second highest rate in the nation, among public universities, of undergraduate students studying abroad.

David Keitges, director of Miami’s office of international education, said this ranking takes into account the size of the institution and is a rate that compares students studying abroad to total graduating class sizes. According to Keitges, in terms of overall students — including graduate students — Miami ranks 23rd with 1,832 students, an equally significant statistic as Miami is smaller than many schools. Both rankings reflect the 2009-2010 academic year.

Keitges said it is no accident that Miami finds itself near the top.

“In the top five academic goals of the university is that 50 percent of our students will study-abroad by the time they graduate,” Keitges said. “We believe study abroad is a very important aspect of a wellrounded education. We know that not everyone can go, but we feel that at least half should because it is so valuable.”

This goal was set by Miami President David Hodge, who said he is thrilled by what the rankings mean for Miami.

Hodge said they represent the intellectually rigorous

way that Miami approaches education and expanding horizons as well as the importance placed here on global experiences necessary in today’s world.

“It’s really become a part of Miami tradition,” Hodge said.

“We’re a nice, tight, residential campus, with a great sense of community, but this reflects how we are not parochial. We can still have our local community and yet be tied to the world in significant ways.”

Currently, 41 percent of undergraduates study abroad before they graduate. According to Keitges, no institution has reached the 50 percent mark.

In the past report, Miami was rated number one, and Keitges said that achieving Hodge’s goal will put Miami firmly in the top spot.

According to Keitges, a lot of work has gone into encouraging students to head overseas. He said as soon as students arrive for orientation, they have opportunities to learn about study abroad and when they get to campus as first-years there are more presentations. Keitges said he also encourages faculty that support and promote their favorite study abroad programs, among other efforts.

Additionally, Kietges said that any student that is interested in studying abroad can attend “Study Abroad 101,” which runs Monday through Thursday from 4 to 4:30 p.m. in 225 MacMillan Hall, and learn all the details and complexities of choosing and planning for the program that fits best. Then, Ketiges said students must apply three to four months ahead of the departure date for their chosen

program and should start researching options at least six months early.

Junior Jennifer Heuerman, a Spanish and journalism double major, began her search for a program early and it paid off: next semester she will be studying abroad in Spain with the potential of doing an internship at a magazine during her stay. She has some advice for those that are looking to study abroad in the future.

“Know what you want.

If you don’t know exactly where you want to go, know what you want to get out of it, if you want to live with a host family, in a big city or a small town,” Huerman said.

“Narrow this down and then find a program that fits what you want, instead of the other way around.”

According to Keitges, especially with the current economic times, the biggest element keeping students from studying abroad is financial worries. He blames the recession for Miami’s drop from first to second. However, Kietges said that there are plenty of opportunities for students on any budget, including ones that Miami offers and also ones that can be taken through other institutions due to partnerships the office of international education has made with other programs.

“Students, if they choose carefully, can study abroad for what it costs to be in Oxford for a semester, for example,” Keitges said. “So frequently when students say ‘I can’t study abroad, I don’t have the money,’ what they really mean is ‘I haven’t actually looked at what is available.’ Because there are programs.”

By Hannah Stein Senior Staff Writer

With all the organizations on campus, there is an outlet for nearly all conceivable interests. Soon there will be another addition to Miami University’s extensive list of organizations, the Interactive Design Association (IxDA).

IxDA is a new media association that brings together a group of students and adults who are in, or interested in, the interactive design profession.

The founder of the Miami chapter, senior Rikki Teeters, said the profession of design “ranges anything from graphic design to psychologists. They design things for people, the iPhone for example,” she said. “It only has one button to use and is all icons.”

The organization is internationally recognized with over 15,000 members and over 80 local chapters. The Miami chapter is nationally recognized, although hasn’t been recognized by Associated Student Government, Teeters said. The organization hopes to receive funding and be official

by January.

“We’re kind of a sitting club right now,” Teeters said. “But there’s another organization similar to ours that got funding quickly, so hopefully we’ll be official

by January.”

Despite other media organizations on campus, IxDA is different than others and will benefit students planning to enter that profession, Teeters said.

‘Marching Machine’ has long, successful history

By LAUREN CEROnie CAMPUS EDITOR

As Miami University students, we know the Miami University Marching Band for their good music, peppy uniforms and off-color cheers. Last week however, the country saw the band during their second appearance in the Macy’s Thanksgiving

Day parade. While we expect the band to perform at nearly every sporting event, how did this marching machine come to be?

Miami had a marching band as early as 1909 and the band started appearing at football games in 1915. Before the band was formed, Shilo Shaffer Meyers, Director of the music

department in 1906, argued that the band was a necessary part of college.

“It is recognized that as literature represents the best poetic and dramatic thought of the past and present, so music represents the highest genius and the best social, moral and religious thoughts in the history of the development of the human race and is,

therefore, an inheritance of value equal to any art or science in our education system,” Meyers said.

The writers for the Recensio yearbook in 1912 had less grandiose words for the band.

“An indescribable combination of instruments producing a variety of noise almost necessary to the rooting at

This is a professional industry that’s going to give us the opportunity to bring in speakers from the field, which will really enhance what we’re trying to teach in the classrooms.”

Jim coylE

IxDA FACULTY ADVISER

“I noticed a need for it,” she said. “Because I’ve been doing a lot of interviews, I’ve realized there’s a lot we don’t learn in our classes here and I hope that this will be able to bridge that gap.”

Teeters said she hopes this will teach students more about the professional world, especially in the interactive design profession.

Some of the benefits members will receive include the opportunity to speak with people who have already excelled in the profession.

The organization’s faculty adviser, Jim Coyle, said he knows the career itself is a fast-growing industry and the Miami chapter will only help the growth of the organization and students.

“This is a professional industry that’s going to give us the opportunity to bring in speakers from the field which will really enhance what we’re trying to teach in the classrooms,” Coyle, said.

One event already in the works for the club is a career fair, Teeters said, that will be geared more towards students in the interactive design profession.

“The actual career fair is mainly for business majors,” she said. “It will be

the same thing, only more towards interactive design.”

Coyle agreed the separate career fair will be beneficial.

“Having a career fair focused on industries that offer students opportunities whether it’s internships or full time positions will be beneficial,” he said.

Another event the club has already organized is a Skype conference with some of the branding people from Family Guy, Teeters said.

There are already several students interested in the club and some students believe it would be a great opportunity for majors related to interactive design to gain practice and information.

“I think that sounds great,” sophomore graphic design major Colleen Griffiths, said. “I would love to learn more about this as it would be a great opportunity to practice design projects.”

Between the networking of both Teeters and Coyle, IxDA will be able to provide opportunities to students who plan on entering the interactive design profession, whether it be networking, finding an internship or conferences with prominent people in the industry.

This is part of a series The Miami Student is running about the University Archives. All information in the following article was obtained from the University Archives with the help of University Archivist Bob Schmidt. a football game,” Recensio proclaimed. “At all other times it is banished from the realm of decent society of the university.”

When the band first began, it had less than 20 men. It grew to around 90 members in the 1950s and added the shakeretts and majorettes to their performances. In the 1960s the band brought out

the “Miami Marching Machine,” a Volkswagen covered in a plywood structure, onto the field with them.

Today, the band has over 250 members and accepts musicians from all majors.

The band’s appearance in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade last week followed their parade debut in 2003.

JUSTIN REASH SARAH SIDLOW

COMMUNITY

COMMUNITY@miamistudent.net

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2011

3

POLICE

BEAT County may require party permits Officers make arrest for marijuana

By morgan schaffer

For The Miami Student

Around 1:30 a.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to 322 S. Main St. in regards to an odor that smelled like marijuana. When the officers arrived at the apartment, they smelled marijuana and saw a male sitting on top of the stairs. The officers asked the male if he had drugs ton him and the male said yes. Officers found a small pill bottle with suspected amounts of marijuana along with a glass pipe with suspected residue. The male was identified as Miami University senior William Heeter. Heeter was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and drug abuse then released.

Females report presciption pill theft Around 3 p.m. Monday, police were dispatched to speak with two female victims in regards to the theft of their prescription pills. The two females claimed that their Amphet (Generic Aderal) had gone missing. One of the females claimed that 50 pills in her possession had been stolen last semester.

There are no suspects at this time.

Male awakens to find car broken into Around 6 a.m. Saturday, police met with a male in reference to his vehicle being broken into. The male said that someone overnight pried the driver’s door window out and unlocked his vehicle. Inside the car were the male’s items from the glove box.

They were scattered in the front of the vehicle. The only thing he thinks might be missing is the driver’s registration, but he is uncertain because he thinks it could be in the possession of his mother.

Thinking of having a party in your house or off-campus apartment? Thinking of inviting a decent amount of people and allowing alcohol? Living on your own, you enjoy this luxury; however, problems with underage and binge drinking are leading officials to discuss new legislation.

The plan would require those planning on hosting a party with alcohol apply for a party permit.

According to Sgt. Jon Varley of the Oxford Police Department the permit is being discussed for the overuse of alcohol, not just underage drinking.

“There is a problem with pre-partying,” Varley said.

If you have a party in your

off-campus house or apartment with at least 10 people, officials say they want to require you to get a party permit, said Varley.

The plan is far from being approved.

“Last I heard, it was very early in the process,” Varley said. “We would have to change state law to give jurisdiction over alcohol to local governments.”

James Holman, a senior at Miami University is opposed to the plan.

“I think the idea of police requiring private property owners/leasers to register parties for the purpose of preventing something that is already illegal is draconian,” he said.

Varley said because it is so early, the penalties and the rest of the ramifications are not set.

According to Varley, the project is being led by former Oxford Police Chief Stephan Schwein and Butler County Prosecutor Michael Gmoser.

“There is no such thing as a party permit on paper,” Gmoser said. “It is nothing more than a talking point.

To that extent, it is a total success. What we’re trying to do is deal with a problem of underage consumption of alcohol.”

Both Varley and Gmoser confirmed the process is in the earliest stages and Gmoser said it may never be implemented.

“As far as it being an actual policy, it has not happened, and I don’t know that it ever will happen,” Gmoser said.

Gmoser also wanted to be clear about what would happen if the party permits idea

was carried out or a different approach was taken.

“It would apply to everyone within the city of Oxford because it is a local ordinance,” Gmoser said.

According to Gmoser, the reason for even coming up with the idea of party permits is to give students a sense of responsibility. He said he feels someone needs to be held accountable for the underage drinking. He also mentioned that local authorities have found underage consumption of alcohol to be a problem and he feels they need to find a solution.

“The whole idea with the legislation is to give authority to local communities who do not have any control over liquor issues. The idea is to allow cities to adopt some type of regulatory system to make certain individuals

responsible. The most important thing for me is that I’ve got everyone talking about it. Eventually we will come up with something lawful and acceptable. We need to find awareness. People will talk about it, and that is the best thing that can happen,” Gmoser said.

Leslie McNeal, assistant director of the Office of Health Education, said she is not fully aware of the ramifications of such legislation because it is so early in the process; however, she did mention that it would take a lot of peoplepower to enable something like this to take effect.

Gmoser said this idea will most likely never work; however, people are talking about it, and new ideas will come up. He urges people to recognize that underage drinking is a problem.

Oxford food pantry sees increase in student customers

By Jessica Barga

For The Miami Student

Miami University is often categorized as having an affluent student body, but with a worsening economy and high unemployment rates in Ohio, some students are turning to outside help to get basic necessities. A growing number of students at Miami visit the Oxford Choice Pantry to get the food that they need, according to Mike Johnson, director of the pantry.

“There have been a number of students, both graduate and undergraduate, who are really trying to make ends meet,” Johnson said. “There has been an increase in the

students coming to the pantry and that’s not unusual. There is no reason that any student or resident in this town needs to go hungry.”

According to Johnson, the pantry saw 39 new customers in October, the highest number of new customers ever in a one month span. Roughly 30 to 40 students regularly visit the choice pantry, Johnson said, which is about 10 to 12 percent of the customer base.

Johnson said that the choice pantry aims to reach people who are unaware of its services but are in need.

“The pantry provides accessibility and a safety net … we are making every effort to have a welcoming,

non-judgmental approach,” Johnson said. “No one should be hungry, but they are.”

Johnson said he thought Miami could do more to ensure the welfare of its students.

“Some universities have an actual pantry on campus … and we could make food available to students in need.

The university could really step up,” Johnson said, adding that the Ohio State University and University of Cincinnati are examples of colleges which provide on-campus pantries.

Johnson said there is a stigma associated with needing help and some students are afraid to ask for it.

“Hunger is an issue of justice,” Johnson said.

Johnson said the pantry makes every effort to respect the confidentiality and privacy of its customers. Anyone who visits the pantry and shows proof of residency, which most graduate and undergraduate students have, can use the services, according to Johnson. Proof of residency entails having an address in Oxford, which can mean showing a rent receipt, utility bill, or anything else that proves someone’s address, Johnson said.

Student organizations on campus regularly contribute to the food pantry through donations and volunteers, John-

ANDREW BRAY THE MIAMI STUDENT

CHESTNUT HOME SUFFERS DAMAGE IN FIRE Firefighters respond to a fire at 12 W. Chestnut St. on Nov. 19. The house was empty at the time of the fire and there were no injuries. Damage was concentrated on the second floor and attic.

MIA focuses on style and entertainment In late September, Oxford was introduced to a new bar: MIA Restaurant and Bar. Located within the Holiday Inn, MIA replaced both Three Trees Bar and DiPaolo’s Restaurant, which had previously occupied what is now the entire MIA bar. Employing more than 35 staff, MIA’s owner Braheam Shteiwi has introduced an

upscale yet approachable venue. According to Shteiwi, the name MIA is a play off of the university name.

“The Holiday Inn wanted a fresh look for the food and beverage side of their operations, and so I came up with MIA,” Shteiwi said. “We feature food and drink, accompanied with entertainment after hours.”

son said. Recently, the Office of Community Engagement and Service was responsible for Pledge a Meal, which allowed students to give the cost of one meal from their meal plan; money collected will be allotted to the Oxford Choice Pantry, as well as other pantries in Butler County.

The Oxford Choice Pantry is unique because it allows customers to pick and choose the food that they need, according to Lisa McNamara, outreach coordinator for Shared Harvest, the food bank that provides supplies to food pantries.

“The choice pantry is a way where students can go and pick the food that they want, which ensures that no food gets wasted. The regular pantry is where they are just given a bag or two of food,” McNamara said. “There is an increased need this time of year … and the unemployment rate is so high right now.”

Based on UFDA requirements, the food pyramid and household size, anyone visiting the food pantry can make their own selections, according to McNamara.

Junior Kayla Schmiedebusch has been volunteering for the Oxford Choice Pantry for a year.

“If students are truly in need, they should be able to use it like everyone else,” said Schmiedebuch. “If their parents financially support them and they get help that way, then that’s different.”

Other students were surprised to learn that their peers visit the choice pantry.

“If there is a significant number of students using it, then Miami should rethink their financial aid to make sure that students are taken care of,” sophomore Kate Schindler said.

John Bickers, another sophomore, said, “College is [already] far too expensive…and if they’re making it ridiculously expensive to where people can’t even eat, they need to re-evaluate.”

Car strikes, kills woman on U.S. Route 27

By Justin Reash Community Editor

Friday, a vehicle fatally struck 75-year old Betty Ann Fryman while she was attempting to cross U.S. Route 27 in a non-crossing area, according to police reports. Margaret Hartman, of College Corner, was driving southbound on College Corner Pike in her

2004 Kia when she hit Fryman on Friday.

Oxford police responded to a traffic accident call at 5:37 p.m. Upon arrival, officers treated Fryman at the scene for her injuries.

A Miami Valley air care helicopter was called and she was flown to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, according to police reports.

Fryman was pronounced dead at the hospital. Hartman has not been charged with any offenses.

Even though the accident did not include any member of Miami University, OPD did request help from the Miami University Police Department with the ongoing investigation.

“They have requested

our help in the past with fatal accidents, and we offered our support in this investigation,” MUPD Lt. Benjamin Spillman said.

“Officer Jay Young of our department has a lot of career experience in investigating fatal accidents, and we have offered his expertise in particular to this investigation.”

4

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Editor MEGAN MCGILL

ARTS@miamistudent.net

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2011

Carnegie Hall to host Miami ensembles

By Lauren Kiggins and Megan McGill

For The Miami Student

CONTRIBUTED BY CATHERINE COURETAS

OF MICE & MEN LIGHTS UP CINCINNATI Austin Carlile from Of Mice & Men rocks out Bogart’s in Cincinnati Sunday night.

Glee Club, Chorale concert to be ‘socially awkward’

By Megan McGill Arts and Entertainment Editor

Miami University’s Men’s Glee Club and Collegiate Chorale’s combined holiday concert is to be socially awkward — or at least that’s how it’s being advertised.

This holiday concert that has remained a favorite of students over the years will be occurring tonight: a Tuesday evening in November. “A holiday concert before December; it’s awkward,�

Bill Brunner, a senior member of Glee Club said when asked about the “Socially Awkward Penguin� on the posters advertising the event.

According to Brunner, the groups usually perform the concert on both a Friday and Saturday in December, but extenuating circumstances made Hall Auditorium unavailable.

Leave it to these two groups to capitalize on a less than optimal situation.

According to Jeremy Jones, conductor of both groups, students can expect an excellent concert despite short rehearsal time and an inopportune performance date. “They [the students] put this concert together in six weeks, which is ridiculous,� Jones said about the groups’ ability to put difficult

music together quick- people are familiar with ly. “Tone and musical- and mess it up a little bit,� ity has greatly improved Wolford said. for both groups throughout Wolford is one of three the semester.� student conductors on According to Rachel Ad- this concert; according to ams, a senior member of Jones, music education maCollegiate Chorale, these jors Charlie Poe and Sean improvements will be dis- O’Neill will both be conplayed through a wide vari- ducting pieces for Glee Club. ety of music.

According to Brunner, the “There’s a lot of different well loved a cappella groups, periods of music that we’re The Remants, The Cheezies representing on this concert. and Mergers, are each to perThere is a lot of variety, but it form. will all get you in the holiday “Students can enjoy the mood,� Adams said. concert before the insanAccording to Jones, Glee ity of exams start,� Adams Club will be kicking off the said. “We’re just kicking concert with a processional off the holiday season a of a 13th century medieval little early!�

So after a microwaved chant carol and continuing with, among other selections, much loved traditional performances They [the students] of Biebel’s “Ave Maria� and Lauridsen’s “O put this concert Magnum Mysterium.� together in six weeks, Chorale will continue which is ridiculous.� the concert with a rousing eight-part piece with JEREMY JONES trumpets. Their repertoire CLUB AND CHORALE includes an arrangement CONDUCTOR of “O Lux Beatissima� by Cincinnati-based composer Howard Helvey. dinner of your favorite leftovers, According to Lara Wolford, Thanksgiving a senior member of Col- head to Hall Auditorium tolegiate Chorale, the group night at 8 p.m. for a concert will also be performing an sure to inspire some holiday arrangement of “Deck the cheer. Tickets are available at the box office and at the Halls� in 7/8 time. “It’s fun to take something door for $5 for students and

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Amidst the honking horns, flashing billboards and mobs of people in Midtown Manhattan lies one of the most prestigious concert venues in the world.

Performing on the stage of this legendary hall is a dream of any musician, and as the saying says is only achieved through â&#x20AC;&#x153;practice, practice, practice!â&#x20AC;?

The School of Fine Arts is proud to announce that several of the Department of Musicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ensembles will be performing in Carnegie Hall in an all-Miami University concert at 2 p.m. Oct. 2, 2012.

According to James Lentini, dean of the School of Fine Arts (SFA), this dream has been in the works for several years. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When I first came in 2007, I mentioned this grand project to the faculty at a meeting, but it was hard to talk about grand projects with the economy in turmoil,â&#x20AC;? Lentini said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I never lost sight of the idea. I looked online for the application process and gave it to Dr. Delzell.â&#x20AC;?

Judith Delzell is the chair of Miamiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s music department.

According to Lentini, the application process is not simple or quick. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The application process

began over the summer. We proposed what kind of concert we would offer and who would perform. We submitted biographies of the conductors of the groups and potential dates that could work,â&#x20AC;? Lentini said.

It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t until later this fall that the School of Fine Arts heard back from Carnegie Hall with an offer of a date.

According to Delzell, this is a huge honor and success for the university.

Orchestra and the Miami University Wind Ensemble.

According to Lentini, this is cause for celebration for the entire university and all alumni. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We want this event to be a weekend-long celebration for all Miamians, and the Department of Music gets to be the star of the show,â&#x20AC;? Lentini said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are currently in the process of planning events for a weekend in New York City that will culminate in the concert at Carnegie Hall. Our intention is to make this an event for all Miami University alumni.â&#x20AC;?

They donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is a thrilling and rare let anyone go to opportunity for any musician, so naturally I am ecstatic,â&#x20AC;?

Carnegie Hall Charlie Poe, junior and memand play.â&#x20AC;? ber of both Symphony OrchesJudith delzell tra and Glee Club, said.

According to Lentini, the MUSIC DEPARTMENT CHAIR performance at Carnegie Hall will bring more attention to â&#x20AC;&#x153;They donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just let anyone the excellent music program go to Carnegie Hall and play,â&#x20AC;? at Miami and add visibilDelzell said. ity to the university as a whole.

According to Lentini, Professors and students are this will be Miami Univer- already preparing for the sityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first appearance at Car- performance next Octonegie Hall in its long history. ber, and anxiously await the It is expected that around 350 thrilling opportunity. student performers will be travâ&#x20AC;&#x153;All of the spirits of the fineling to New York City for the est musicians in the world will event, and nearly every major be surrounding us during that will be represented. Groups wonderful day,â&#x20AC;? Delzell said, to perform include Chamber perfectly summing up the exSingers, Choraliers, Collegiate citement felt by all affiliated Chorale, Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Glee Club, with the groups to perform on Miami University Symphony the exciting October day.

Jazz swings into Cinci Art Museum

By Emily Ketterer

For The Miami StudentÂ

Take a trip down to the Cincinnati Art Museum and be transported back in time to the roaring 20s. This year, the museum kicks off its exciting 2011-2012 exhibition calendar with Art Deco: Fashion and Design in the Jazz Age. After World War I and the opulence of the Art Nouveau period, Art Deco emerged in France as a modern, streamline and exuberant new way to look at the world. It permeated through all aspects of life including architecture, fashion, the arts and much more. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Art Deco is an interesting movement at an interesting time in history as the United States and Western Europe emerge from World War I and people are yearning for modern living. Art Deco is really all about cleaner, faster, more efficient modern living,â&#x20AC;? Museum Curator Cynthia Amneus said.

The 1920s come alive from the moment you enter the exhibit.

Swinging jazz tunes greet your ears, while vibrant colors, patterns and sequins arrest your eyes. Exquisite fashion plates from French magazine Le Gazette du Bon

Ton line the walls, a stunning period dressing table and stool stand as a shrine to American designer Paul T. Frankl and gorgeously detailed sequined dresses grace mannequin after mannequin.

Amneus recreated this period in the museum by combining fashion, textiles and decorative arts from the museumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s permanent collections with recently donated items.

Cincinnati native Betty Colker laid the groundwork for this exhibition by donating 30 pieces of her personal dress collection to the museum in 2009/2010. Amneus handpicked 19 of these day and evening dresses to emphasize the beautiful geometric beadwork and newfound boyish sheath silhouettes of the 20s. Â â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think fashion â&#x20AC;Ś is fascinating. It is sculpture on the body, yet it speaks to the economic, social and political ideas of its time. It is especially revealing in terms of womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s role in society,â&#x20AC;?

Amneus said. Â The strength, spirit and modernity in these gowns attest to the newfound autonomy of women in the 1920s. Scandalous flappers of the 20s abandoned their corsets for sheath dresses, bobbed their hair, shaved their legs, learned to drive and finally gained the right

to vote. They drank copious amounts, were more promiscuous and sensually danced the Charleston, Black Bottom, Shimmy and Tango.

The exhibit also highlights Harlem Renaissance artists, entertainers and writers. In one section of the exhibit, video of Josephine Bakerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s iconic dances play on loop along with pictures of other famous Harlem Renaissance names like Langston Hughes.

Cincinnati Art Museum Director Aaron Betsky spoke of Art Decoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mark on the city of Cincinnati. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This jazzy exhibition is going to remind us all of the great era when Cincinnati built the Carew Tower and Union Terminal, when women gained rights, and when art joined the party,â&#x20AC;?

Betsky said.

The exhibition, Art Deco: Fashion and Design in the Jazz Age, is running until Jan. 2. The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m until 5 p.m. Admission is free everyday and parking is $4.

The museum is located at 953 Eden Park Dr. in Cincinnati.

For more information about the exhibit call (513) 639-2995 or visit the museumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website at www.cincinnatiartmuseum.org.

www.miamistudent.net

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5

6

OPINION

Editors Noëlle Bernard ORIANA PAWLYK

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2011

editorial@miamistudent.net

LETTERS TO The Editor

Education must be valued as an individual choice, not necessity

PATRICK GEYSER THE MIAMI STUDENT

EDITORIAL

Party permit policy has possible unconstitutional ramifications Former Oxford Police Chief Stephan Schwein and current Butler County Prosecutor Mike Gmoser are supporting a new policy that plans to require offcampus houses and apartments to register for a party permit for gatherings of 10 or more.

The proposed permit is still in the preliminary stages of development but the conversation to support the policy is now beginning.

The purpose of the party permits is to help law enforcement manage underage drinking and the overuse of alcohol.

According to officials, the permit’s intent is a way of holding someone responsible when irresponsible alcohol consumption goes awry.

The editorial board of The Miami Student views this potential policy as poor attempt at regulating alcohol consumption made by law officials. Implementing the requirement for party permits is a preposterous infringement of civil liberties and there is no feasible way for such permits to be regulated.

By supporting this policy,

police officials are asking students and members of Butler County to alert authorities watching them to wait for a wrong move to be made.

It is not the police’s busi-

policy is too vague and too overly broad.

This board understands the problem of overdrinking but a permit policy will not solve the problem. But the fact that a party permit

Implementing the requirement for party permits is a preposterous infringement of civil liberties and there is no feasible way for such permits to be regulated. ness to know who is visiting a residence or when. People should not be forced to report how many people are staying at their home for the sake of the police seeking a preemptive strike. What would happen if someone does not request a permit?

How do authorities plan to monitor the regulation and distribution of permits?

What if Grandma wants to host a quilting party and sip mojitos with 13 of her closest friends? Will she be fined for breaking the law by not getting a party permit? Will the definition of a party need a new description?

Moreover, this board does not see this policy going into fruition. The

is coming up in conversation raises red flags. There is a potential that a policy similarly related to a party permit may appear, but who gets the final say? Is it the citizens or the police?

Earlier this semester, this board took a generally positive view of other reforms suggested by Oxford Police Department and Gmoser, such as requiring bars to more thoroughly screen customers.

However, the suggestion for a party permit policy is both absurd and probably also unconstitutional. This board hopes Ohio’s lawmakers have the good sense to laugh it out of the realm of possibility.

When you’re finished reading

The Miami Student, please recycle!

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

EDITORIAL BOARD Sam Kay Editor in Chief

JUSTIN REASH COMMUNITY Editor

Bethany Bruner News Editor

Sarah SIDLOW COMMUNITY Editor

Noëlle Bernard Editorial Editor

Lauren Ceronie Campus Editor

ORIANA PAWLYK Editorial Editor

Jenni Wiener Campus Editor Michael Solomon Sports Editor

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

During one day at work at King Library, I finally got to work alongside one of the other girls that I had seen wandering the rows of books, but that I had never gotten the chance to talk to. We started that awkward first conversation that most people have when they first meet, but don’t know quite what to say or discuss.

We passed back and forth the answers to basic questions: What is your name?

Where are you from? What year are you? I finally asked the question that most students at Miami University are used to asking and answering: What is your major? She looked at me for a second, and then began her work once again as she answered that she is a social work major. I did not understand her reason for not having pride in her response until she told me that she didn’t think she was coming back to Miami next semester for a reason that most people would not understand.

What I learned was that her ultimate goal in life is to help people to the best of her ability, by any means necessary, even if it includes moving to a different state or country. She does not feel the need to get $40,000 in debt to get a degree when a social worker only makes around $30-$40,000 a year.

I asked her why she even entered Miami to begin

We have come to a point where a Bachelor’s degree is the new high school diploma and high school seniors are looked down upon if they are not competing for the highest grades or applying to some sort of college. with two years ago. Her reply was that it is not socially acceptable for someone in this country not go to college. She does not need a degree to do what she wants to do, but people think that it is necessary anyways to get one. We have come to a point where a Bachelor’s degree is the new high school diploma and high school seniors are looked down upon if they are not competing for the highest grades or applying to some sort of college. It seems silly that someone who just wants to help people, a very worthy goal in life, has to get a degree that will only hinder her for years after graduation.

Many of my friends are applying and worrying about graduate schools right now as we come to the middle of our senior year at Miami. There is constant stress about where to apply, when to finish and when to start the applications, and especially, how to pay for these applications. However, one of my friends announced not that long ago that she was not going to go to graduate school, but

was going to wait a year and decide what she actually wanted to do with her life. She decided this instead of her just going to graduate school “just to go,” and because it was expected of her. She was met with some nods of understanding, but also with many looks of shock and disapproval from friends alike.

Charles Darwin once said, “A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life.” What if you think you’re wasting four years, five years, or possibly eight years of your life because you’re trying to do something that will please everyone around you but yourself? You could wake up one day and realize that you are living someone else’s life. I think society needs to take a look around and decide which is worse: a student doing what they want to do with their lives even if that does not include college, or the rest of the problems that surround us both foreign and domestic?

Melissa Hieber hieberms@muohio.edu

Miami’s spending should be questioned, not dismissed In the wake of the revelations at Penn State University, Miami University President David Hodge in a recent email urged the university community to be “absolutely vigilant in our commitment to conducting our personal and professional affairs ethically” and to “report any suspected criminal activity to law enforcement.”

Responding to this call, we report an affair of highly questionable ethics at Miami that involves hundreds of millions of tuition dollars and possible bamboozlement on an epic scale.

We refer to the administration’s claim that it is providing a first-class undergraduate education in small classes with direct engagement between students and faculty when, in fact, this seems not to be the case. Instead, students — especially first and second-year students — are being crammed into large class sections: Last year, Microbiology 111 and 121 courses were taught in class sizes averaging 100 to 125 students, while Chemistry 141 average class size was 165 students. This year History 111 is being taught to an average class size of 288 students; Communications 143 average class size is 219 students; Accounting 221 has an average class size of 245 students (up from 37 a decade ago); Psychology 111 is taught to an average class size of 115; and Finance 301 teaches 61 percent of students in class sizes of 130 or more (up from an average class size of 38 a decade ago).

We refer to the fact that

the administration counts sections of classes with 200 students as including 10 sections of 20 students each, because there is a once-aweek breakout session with a graduate student — an obvious distortion downward of official measures of average class size.

We refer to the university’s claim that undergraduate teaching is the top priority at Miami when research far outweighs undergraduate teaching in faculty promotion and tenure decisions (P&T); some high-powered researchers who are average teachers fly through the P&T process, while outstanding teachers who are less than high-powered researchers are obstructed at every level. A key factor contributing to large class sizes (and rising tuition) is the reduction in teaching loads for tenure-track faculty, encouraging them to produce more research.

We refer to the fact that tens of millions of dollars are being spent, not by hiring faculty to reduce class sizes, but on bureaucracy and new buildings.

We refer to the administration trumpeting the high degree of “student engagement,” when the methodological legerdemain underlying this claim is to tell students constantly how engaged they are, and then ask them if they feel engaged. If they’re so engaged, how come we have to push so many of them so hard to get them to attend class, to complete assignments on time, to use office hours, and to not take days off early before breaks and holidays? If they’re so

engaged in their writing, how come so many seniors about to graduate don’t seem to know the proper use of commas or apostrophes, agreement between subjects and verbs, the difference between adverbs and adjectives, or the importance of proofreading their work — all of which hurt when applying for professional positions?

And we refer to the practice of marketing this “airbrushed” portrait to alumni in seeking their financial support, leading them to believe the quality of undergraduate education at Miami today is as high as it was when they were here.

This ethical issue doesn’t involve athletic shower facilities, but it does seem to represent a hosing of another kind, and so, responding to President Hodge’s directive, we hereby report it to the authorities and join him in encouraging others to do the same.

James Brock

Moeckel Professor Economics Department brockj@muohio.edu

Phillip Cottell Professor of Accountancy

Thomas Hall Professor of Economics

William R. Hart Professor of Economics

Gerald Miller

Professor of Economics, Emeritus

www.miamistudent.net

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2011 OP ED

7

ESSAY

LIBERTY AND JUSTICE

Kiel Hawk

TY GILLIGAN

hawkkw2@muohio.edu

Republican tax plan should not only Beliefs and actions go hand favor the wealthy during economic deficit in hand in college lifestyles With the current unemployment rate hovering short of 10 percent and many major cities in America being “occupied” by individuals calling for income equality, taxes and equality of taxation has come to the forefront of news.

The Republican Presidential nominees are jumping on this renewed interest in tax rates and have all put forth very unique tax plans, which they claim would erase inequality among taxpayers and simplify the tax code system. Rick Perry and Herman Cain have even thrown around the term “flat tax.”

Flat tax seems to be the phoenix of tax schemes: it gains momentum and is touted as the solution by lawmakers.

But then as quickly as it rose to popularity, it disappeared back into obscurity, only to reappear from the ashes a few years later. But are the current Republican candidates truly proposing a “flat tax” and if so, would it actually help America’s current economic woes?

Herman Cain has gained much publicity for his 9-99 plan for taxes: a 9 percent income tax, 9 percent national sales tax and 9 percent corporate income tax. Steve Forbes, one of the original politicians to herald the flat

ESSAY Andrew bowman bowmanaj@muohio.edu

The nation has been wrapped up in economics this year. During the summer, Congress went back and forth about raising the debt ceiling, with nothing accomplished other than infuriating the American public. Then, Occupy Wall Street started with a call for fiscal responsibility being at the forefront. Follow all this up with the failure of the debt ‘anti-Super Committee,’ in the past two weeks.

Again, America is the victim of economic corruption. The commercialization of Christmas, especially Black Friday, is killing the holiday season. There are many other important religious ceremonies from other faiths during winter.

However, I want to focus on America’s most predominant religion, Christianity.

Regardless, the true spirit of the holidays in general is long forgotten.

ESSAY SARAH TITLE TITTLESE@muohio.edu

There are certain things in life that people consider to be desirable. These things may be superficial, such as an iPhone or the newest car, or they can be intangible dreams that we’ve thought about for as long as we can remember, like owning a business.

No matter whether these things are attainable or not, there’s always something out there that we’re daydreaming about.

We often drift into a fantasy world where all of these things we don’t have are present. These thoughts keep us motivated, working hard to get enough money for the next smartphone or

tax, is supporting Cain for President. According to The Tax Policy Center, 84 percent of Americans would see a tax increase under Cain’s plan. Meanwhile families earning between $500,000 and $1 million would see a reduction of taxes by almost $60,000. This means low and middle-income earners would have to make up for the high-income earners.

Rick Perry is proposing a 20 percent “flat tax” on income. Perry also would allow taxpayers to choose whether or not they want to be taxed under the current system or his new system, which frankly, is quite illogical. Low-income people will choose to be taxed under the old plan (where the lowest tax bracket is 15 percent), and the wealthy would choose to be taxed under Perry’s plan (where the 20 percent flat tax is lower than the current system’s highest income tax bracket of 35 percent). The result is less revenue for our already in-debt government.

The Tax Policy Center concluded in a recent report that both Cain and Perry’s plans would lead to a decrease in tax revenue and Perry’s plan particularly would slice government revenue by over 27 percent by 2015. However, that doesn’t mean taxes for

most Americans would go down — it’s quite the opposite. Cain and Perry’s plans would both simply redistribute the tax burden from the wealthy to the middle and lower class, exactly the opposite of what many Americans want.

Both Cain and Perry’s plans are better described as flat “wage” taxes because they exempt many types of “income” from being considered taxable income.

A study by the National Bureau of Economic Research conducted by Boston University economists Laurence Kotlikoff and David Rapson found that when all taxes, federal and states income tax, sales and taxes for benefit programs, are taken into consideration, most Americans pay a similar tax rate around 40 percent. Wealthier Americans in the 35 percent income tax bracket pay most of their taxes in income tax, while low-income families who don’t qualify for income tax still pay a large amount of tax via sales tax and payroll tax as a proportion of their income. Therefore, increasing income taxes on low-income household hurts them much more than Cain and Perry will have you believe.

If the politicians truly wanted to “simplify” the tax

code, they should remove tax breaks and deductions.

Unfortunately, these are the bread and butter of lobbyists and politicians who create tax breaks for certain industries to help their own constituency.

These include a tax credit of 10 percent (up to $500) for making your home more energy-efficient (EnergyStar.gov), or the corporate tax credit of $0.39 to $0.60 per gallon to companies manufacturing corn ethanol, which was created by politicians from corn-producing states such as Iowa and Illinois (Business Insider).

Even if you agree with the social agenda these tax credits push, you can’t deny how complicated they make tax codes.

Additionally, I don’t feel it would be at all unreasonable to tax capital gains at the same rate as an individual’s income is taxed. Capital gains is currently taxed at just 15 percent, a very low rate considering capital gains requires no labor. Both Cain and Perry’s plans would make capital gains and dividends tax-free. If not, their plans would only win votes from the rich, an unfair advantage to those who cannot afford these overbearing, economic “solutions.”

Holiday shopping corrupts Christmas spirit Every year, Christmas keeps growing and growing despite the fact it is on the same date every year.

As soon as Halloween is over, stores fill their shelves with decorations.

Some say the extension of the holiday season and spirit is a welcome event.

Perhaps for more than just a month, volunteering, charity work and the playing of Christmas music will lift everyone’s spirit in this cruel and unforgiving world. While those are admirable hopes, money blinds and corrupts the innocence and joy. Times of peace, family and sacrifice are subjugated to unregulated capitalism.

Thanksgiving, an excuse to totally engorge next to family and friends, seems too perfect for oversized America, but is overlooked.

Tom Turkey doesn’t measure up for the machine of marketing because of

money to be earned on Black Friday.

Black Friday shouldn’t be important, but it seems to trump the day before.

Thanksgiving is no longer a time for rest and reflection while surrounded with family. Instead, it turned into a set of highly coordinated battle plans, focused around what stores to blitz first the following morning for shopping deals.

It seems that every year, people bring up how the holidays aren’t about material items, but it’s also the same people who leave at 3 a.m. to bum rush Best Buy. Camping outside of stores days in advance is not the worst of the Black Friday shenanigans. This year, there was a riot, a man tasered and others pepper sprayed. Near Toledo, a person attempted to steal something out of another’s cart, got caught mid theft and served street justice

via two tubes of wrapping paper. Three years ago, a stampede trampled to death a Long Island Wal-Mart employee. No material good is worth a family having to plan a funeral during the holidays.

The Norman Rockwell version of a quiet snow blanketed town while the kids are off on winter break is gone. Constantly people channel their inner Tim “the Tool Man” Taylor by setting up gaudy Christmas lights just to compete with the house across the street.

Santa looks like he belongs to NASCAR with all the stickers and ads plastered all over him and his sleigh.

The nation needs to get back to the original purpose of the holidays. The bedlam known as Black Friday and the material gifts should not be the primary focus of the holidays. Family is the only gift a person needs in these times.

For most people, life during college is drastically different than it was prior. University life lacks the rigidity of high school, and often students live away from their parents for the first time. Pre-college shelters were comfortable buffers from the harsh climate of the real world. But they are now in the past, and though college is still in some ways sheltered, the burden of fending for oneself is being shifted onto each of our shoulders.

During this process, previous acceptances, beliefs, convictions and habits are tested as the cultural, ethnic and social diversity of college exposes us to new ideas and customs. With all of this novelty comes challenge: challenges about deciding what we believe, what is most important in life and what we want to accomplish. Within this tension lies the battlegrounds upon which progress is made.

During my college tenure, I feel I have found some of the most important topics of discussion to be those concerning who we are and where we’ve come from, because they inevitably affect our feelings about ethics, morality and politics — all of which influence decisionmaking. And decisions, of course, affect everyone and everything else.

The way each of us answers questions about existence or nature depends on beliefs concerning religious and scientific matters. Regardless of background, we have all been indoctrinated.

However, this does not mean we can’t reason.

Reasoning is necessary to form conclusions as to what is accepted as truth in reality, and acceptance of truth is synonymous with belief. Therefore, reason can and should change belief. Especially here in college, my hope is that we all give an honest effort to critically analyze our values and beliefs and to let them be formed from the basis of good reason.

Feelings about abortion, stem cell research, foreign policy, economics and conservation, for example, all depend on belief, the affect on others and should not be taken lightly. Either the earth has been around for billions of years and we have evolved, or we haven’t. Either Jesus is

coming back to save those of us that believe he is God, or he isn’t. Beliefs about topics such as these matter because they are manifested in action.

A major impetus for writing this article was a video shown about a month ago by the Campus Crusade for Christ. The video was part of a series produced to discuss scientific evidence for the existence of God. Whether or not it did so is debatable, but in any case, I was struck by the seemingly intentional, deceptive portrayal of pertinent scientific claims. Dishonesty and intentional bias are unscientific. Science, by its very nature, does not have an agenda. It is simply a tool, a process or, perhaps most of all, a commitment to allowing evidence shape belief.

Picking through evidence, or using bits and pieces to support a preconception, is unacceptable, and it’s no way to filter truth from rubbish. While scientists may be individually biased like everyone else, hypotheses and theories that lack support from evidence will assuredly fade into the past as they are replaced by more parsimonious, sensible explanations. This dynamic nature of science is virtuous because it is humble.

Sometimes we are wrong and failure to admit when we are only impedes intellectual and social progress.

Traditional religious doctrines and scientific explanations are similar in that they both attempt to explain reality. They differ, however, in that there is a process of modification to science that aims to improve the quality of those explanations. If evidence contradicts prior notions, maybe those notions are inaccurate. We have been wrong a lot. The earth isn’t flat, nor is the solar system geocentric. But make no mistake, contrary evidence is what forced us to modify these beliefs. As always, the tension yields resolution.

So, my request is for everyone to form and defend your beliefs for good reasons, not just because they are what your family, church, friends or professors think. What is most important in life and what you want to accomplish will consequently fall into place, and the foundation for these ideals will be much stronger as a result.

Making own success lies within your incentive, not competition landing that internship so we can eventually land our dream job. While everyone’s dreams and desires may differ, one thing’s for sure: someone else is going to have it first and you’ll likely feel envious or jealous.

It’s something that’s been embedded in our heads since we watched The Little Mermaid for the first time as Sebastian the crab sings, “the seaweed is always greener in somebody else’s lake.” Or more commonly known as, “the grass is always greener on the other side.”

If somebody has something you want, or

Someone else may have that extra sparkle on his or her resumé or get that extra thousand at his or her new job. It should not discourage us, but motivate us to do better and work harder. something you didn’t even know you wanted, it’s common to assume that they’ve got it better. They’ve got the better resume, they’ve got the smartphone or they’ve got the parent who’s going to guarantee them a job. You can feel confident about yourself after you’ve landed an internship, feeling great about the improvements you’ve

made to your resume and then have these accomplishments be crushed at the sight of someone else’s.

Why do we do this to ourselves? How come we dismiss our own successes at the sight of someone else’s? Why not rejoice in both fortunes?

This may happen because of the fact that most things at this time in our life feel

like a competition. Who can graduate with the best GPA? Who can land the best job? Who can move to the best city? Although it may not be a literal race to the finish line, it can certainly feel that way as graduation approaches. The pressure and stress to be the best can lead to an incessant need to compare oneself to others, to make sure it’s us crossing the finish line first.

My mother warned me growing up, “Someone is always going to be better than you at whatever you do.” Strange advice from a mother, as many usually always say to do your best and send you on your way.

Surprisingly, this sentiment has resided with me for many years and is something that has given me comfort. Someone else may have that extra sparkle on his or her resume or get that extra thousand at his or her new job. It should not discourage us, but motivate us to do better and work harder. We should not demean our successes when we see others surpass us, but use it as a way to get to the top. If we see the greener grass, we should too try to achieve it instead of admire it from afar. The key to success lies with us, not in the failure of someone else’s dreams.

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10

SPORTS

Editor Michael Solomon

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2011 CHRIS CULLUM CULLUMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CORNER

itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s NOT TOO EARLYTOTHINK BASEBALL Temperatures are falling and winter is just around the corner, yet one thing is just starting to heat up: the MLB offseason.

Aside from the ill-advised Jonathan Papelbon signing by the Phillies, teams have mainly been going after one-year stopgaps and bench bats to fill out their rosters. However, huge names like Prince Fielder and Jose Reyes are sitting pretty on the free agent market, ready to collect their huge contracts. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s take a look at some potential moves teams might make this winter.

like the Dodgers, the Cubs have a gaping hole in the middle of their lineup and at first base. Both moves make sense for both sides.

Papelbon to the Phillies

If you had asked me this a month ago I would have said it was a lock that Reyes would head to the Brewers. The need was there for Milwaukee and they would have some money (not a ton, but some) to spend after the departure of Fielder. The Marlins, however, seem to be very serious contenders to sign the speedy shortstop.

They have a new stadium; new name and a new uniform, so grabbing Reyes would be a big step in building a new identity, and hopefully a new, more passionate fan base.

OK, this one already happened, but the adverse affect this contract caused needs to be addressed. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a reason closers donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get contracts as sizable as Papelbonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s because the position is just so volatile.

Former closers Jonathan Broxton, Francisco Rodriguez and Joe Nathan are all free agents this year, and all three of them are probably looking for incentiveladen, one-year contracts to try and rebuild the value that was lost due to injury or ineffectiveness (or both in Broxtonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s case). Two seasons ago, they were three of the best ninth inning forces in the game. This puts teams in need of a closer in a tough position; Ryan Madson is the â&#x20AC;&#x153;bestâ&#x20AC;? closer available right now, but heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s barely had a seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worth of experience. Madsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s good, no doubt about it, but as the only â&#x20AC;&#x153;top-tierâ&#x20AC;? closer on the market, do you really want to pay him, close to, Papelbon money? We might be looking back at this winter as the last offseason that closers got absurdly large contracts.

Fielder to the Dodgers or Cubs Despite the uncertain ownership situation in Los Angeles, the Dodgers represent an attractive option for Fielder. They just re-signed Matt Kemp to a long-term extension, and he happens to be good friends with Fielder.

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also an opening at first base (James Loney doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t count) and in the middle of the order that is seemingly made for him. In a division lacking a dynamic offense, adding Fielder could really give the Dodgers a divisional advantage. As for the Cubs, the hire of former Milwaukee hitting coach Dale Sveum as their manager could give them a leg up in potential Fielder negotiations. Sveum is highly respected among players and,

MU falls in Battle of the Bricks

C.J. Wilson to the Yankees The Yankees need starting pitching and Wilson is the biggest name out there. Simple as that. Whether or not he will deserve the contract heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll get is another story.

Jose Reyes to the Marlins

B.J. Upton to the Nationals Upton isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a free agent, but his name has been floating around in trade rumors for so long, especially to Washington, that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be shocked if it didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t happen this winter.

The Nationals say they are in search of an impact outfield bat, and if they think Upton is that guy, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll go get him.

Maybe a change of scenery and a move to the National League could revitalize a career that at one time had such promise.

The Phillies will miss the playoffs next season OK, I realize that this isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a winter prediction and that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m picking on the Phillies, but it needs to be said: this team, aside from its pitching, just isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t that good.

Ryan Howard will miss time with his Achillesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; tendon injury and Jimmy Rollins might not be back. Can this offense succeed when built around injury-prone Chase Utley and good-butnot-great Shane Victorino?

I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think so. Since winning the World Series in 2008, Philly has regressed every season: losing in the World Series in 2009, losing in the NLCS in 2010 and losing in the NLDS last season. Chris Carpenterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shutdown Game 5 performance may have put the nail in the coffin of the Philliesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; championship window.

TMS

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SCOTT ALLISON THE MIAMI STUDENT

Junior quarterback Zac Dysert scrambles away from a Western Michigan University defender during Miamiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 24-21 defeat Nov. 16. Dysert and the â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Hawks finished the season 4-8 after a 21-14 loss at the hands of rival Ohio University Tuesday night.

By JM Rieger Staff Writer

The Miami University football team fell to 2-4 in games decided by seven points or less Nov. 22, losing their final game of the season against archrival Ohio University (9-3, 6-2 Mid-American Conference) 21-14.

It was the RedHawksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; third straight loss and their sixth consecutive loss to the Bobcats in a season that was defined by close calls, costly mistakes and injuries.

Following one of the best turnarounds in college football history last year, the RedHawks finished the 2011 campaign with a disappointing 4-8 record, including a 3-5 mark in MAC play, despite being picked to win the MAC East Division in the preseason.

Throughout the year, the play of redshirt junior quarterback Zac Dysert and a very deep receiving corps, led by sophomore wide out Nick Harwell, carried Miamiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s offense. Harwell once again dominated the opposing secondary Tuesday night, catching 14 balls for the second straight week and racking up

163 receiving yards to go with one touchdown.

With Tuesdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performance, Harwell set the singleseason record for receptions with 97, passing Armand Robinsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s record of 94 catches one year ago.

Dysert threw over 50 passes for the second straight week, completing 35 of 53 passes for 372 yards and one touchdown. Dysert also had 57 of Miamiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 61 rushing yards and the only rushing touchdown of the game Tuesday night. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have put a lot on [Dysertâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s] shoulders as our quarterback and certainly he was able to respond,â&#x20AC;? Head Coach Don Treadwell said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But again, you learn as you go forward and there are certainly things heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have to look back on and critique. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what the offseason is for.â&#x20AC;?

For the second straight week, Miami opened the game by failing to put any points on the board after driving the ball down to their opponentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one-yard line. This also marked the third time this season that the RedHawks have advanced the ball to the one, only to come away with zero points.

The Red and White took a 7-0 lead on their next possession though, following a two-yard touchdown run by Dysert.

Miamiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s defense limited the Bobcats to 150 yards of total offense in the first half, and the RedHawks took a 7-0 lead into the locker room.

However, Ohio scored 21 straight points in the second half fueled by three touchdown passes from redshirt sophomore quarterback Tyler Tettleton. Miami managed to cut the lead down to seven with a Dysert touchdown pass to Harwell midway through the fourth quarter, but the RedHawks were shutdown on their final drive of the game, turning the ball over on downs after driving down to Ohioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 14-yard line. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We came out really slow and sloppy in the first half and put in some things at halftime that we thought would get them off guard,â&#x20AC;? Tettleton said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They were blitzing a lot in the first half which was kind of throwing us off, but we made some adjustments and came out to put some points on the board [in the second half].â&#x20AC;?

Defensively, the RedHawks held the Bobcats under their season average for both rushing and total offensive yards.

Offensively, the Red and White gave up five sacks, marking the seventh time that the RedHawks have given up at least five sacks this year. Miami allowed 47 sacks this season, over one sack per ten pass attempts and 12 more than the team gave up last year.

In addition, the RedHawks had the worst rushing offense in college football, which made Dysertâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s job even more difficult.

Miami will now look to develop and grow a very young team that will only lose 13 seniors this year. The RedHawks have already locked up six players from the Cincinnati area, one of the top recruiting areas in the country, including 3-star running back Jamire Westbrook from Kings High School.

Expect the Red and White to continue to target running backs and offensive linemen over the offseason as they look to solidify two areas of their roster that struggled throughout the year.

NEXT HOME GAME: 1:30 p.m.FRIDAY vs. IONA COLLEGE

RedHawks upset Hoosiers, fall to Hatters

By Brian Gallagher

For The Miami Student

A week that, for many, involved football and tryptophan-induced comas was much more rigorous for the Miami University womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basketball team, as they split a pair of games against Indiana University and Stetson University.

On Tuesday evening, the RedHawks played host to the visiting Indiana Hoosiers and sent them back to Bloomington disappointed after Miami won a tough 77-72 contest. The victory brought the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Hawks record to 3-1, and gave Coach Maria Fantanarosa her 200th victory at Miami. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been really fortunate at Miami to be surrounded by great players and coaches, and each victory has been special,â&#x20AC;? Fantanarosa said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve really enjoyed the journey.â&#x20AC;?

Four RedHawks were in double figures led by junior Courtney Osborn and senior

Maggie Boyer, each pouring in 19 points. Senior Rachael Hencke added 13 points including several big shots towards the end of the game that kept the Hoosiers at bay.

Even facing a taller Indiana team, Miami held the advantage on the glass 47-37, thanks in part to sophomore Erica Almadyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 10 rebounds.

Fantanarosa noted the competitiveness that the team showed saying, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Indiana was a great step because we were challenged by bigger bodies inside and outside but the team was still able to go out and win together.â&#x20AC;?

Miami then traveled to sunny DeLand, Fla. on Friday to face the Hatters of Stetson University. This trip was no vacation though as the RedHawks fell 71-62, dropping their record to 3-2.

Stetson, off to its best start in 11 years at 5-1, was able to capitalize on Miami turnovers, turning 24 turnovers in 23 points. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Stetson is a NCAA tournament team, so now we know what it takes to com-

pete against these teams,â&#x20AC;?

Fantanarosa said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It gives us a good blueprint of how we can continue to improve ourselves.â&#x20AC;?

The Red and White hit four of seven three-pointers in the first half and sprinted out to a 38-32 advantage at the break. Junior Kirsten Olowinski pushed the lead to eight with a layup just 30 seconds into the second period but Stetson never let the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Hawks pull away. Miami took its last lead at 49-47 before Stetson hit another gear and went on a 16-5 burst that put the game out of reach. A Rachael Hencke jumper brought the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Hawks to within seven with 1:49 left in the game but that was as close as Miami would get.

The â&#x20AC;&#x153;Madâ&#x20AC;? Hatters hit 17 of 18 free throws in the second half to clip the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Hawks wings and hand Miami its second loss of the season.

Osborn once again led the RedHawks, pouring in 21 points in addition to five rebounds and five assists. Almady just missed a double-

double, finishing with eight points and seven rebounds.

Miami utilized its deep bench, outscoring the Hatters 21-11 and also held the advantage on the glass 44-34. However, tight rims in the second half and 18 Stetson steals were too much for Miami to overcome. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We did a great job rebounding, but offensively we just had too many turnovers,â&#x20AC;?

Fantanarosa said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our defense and rebounding are coming along though, and games like this offer good teaching moments.â&#x20AC;?

The RedHawks take to the court again with a home contest against another strong mid-major, Iona College, on Friday. The early 1:30 p.m. tip-off is for the annual â&#x20AC;&#x153;Class of the Courtâ&#x20AC;? game, which will have over 1,500 Talawanda Elementary School students in attendance.

Miami students should follow the example of their middle school brethren and also head out of class early to support the RedHawks in action.

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