December 7, 2012 | The Miami Student

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

friday, DECEMBER 7, 2012

VOLUME 140 NO. 28 TODAY IN MIAMI HISTORY

In 1947, The Miami Student reported that geology professor F. Alton Wade had been designated a special honor: an icecap in Antarctica had been named after him. Wade glacier, a 14-mile wide icecap in Antarctica which flows through the gap in the Queen Maud range into the Ross sea, was discovered by Adm. Richard E. Byrd on his flight “beyond the pole.” Wade accompanied Admiral Byrd on two of his Antarctic expeditions, The Student reported.

Family, faith and fight fuel student’s recovery

By Sarah Shew Editorial Editor

For Hunter Heck, every day is a fight. For the last two months, his days have been filled with trips to critical care units, rigorous occupational and physical therapy schedules, and prayer.

After several serious injuries, two major surgeries and a T12/L1 spinal cord injury resulting in paraplegia, recovery is an arduous, continuous process for the junior engineering major. But according to his cousin Nick Mara, the word “can’t” isn’t in Heck’s vocabulary.

At 12:53 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, an Oxford Police Department (OPD) SUV struck Heck while he and Mara walked across the intersection of West Spring Street and College Avenue, according to OPD Sgt. Varley.

The streets were wet with the night’s heavy rain, and the light the SUV passed through was green. The Ohio State Highway Patrol is conducting an investigation of the accident and the final report will be returned to OPD in the upcoming weeks.

Because the investigation is ongoing, Oxford police declined to comment on the details of the accident.

“Obviously our thoughts and prayers go to Hunter and his family,” OPD chief Bob Holzworth said.

The action taken in response to this accident depends on the findings, according to Oxford police.

“The night of the accident was the worst night of my life,” Mara said. “I could honestly just leave it at that and it would be enough… it haunts my mind all the time. If it was my choice I would be the one in the hospital.”

For Mara, seeing the pain of someone he compares to a brother has been particularly difficult, but Heck’s continued improvements give him hope.

“The first time I saw him he didn’t look like he was alive...” he said. “He didn’t resemble himself in the least; he looked like a science project with tubes in his skin and in his mouth and his entire body was swelled up. Every time I’ve seen him he’s looked better and better and now he looks like himself, a bit thinner, but now I actually see Hunter instead of a body.”

Heck is currently recovering at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC), where he has daily therapy sessions to improve his speech, vision and mobility due to his spinal cord and brain injuries.

He was able to do an interview via

MIAMI UNIVERSITY OXFORD, OHIO

PHOTO CURTESY OF HUNTER HECK

Between therapy sessions, Heck and his mother Hayley find time to smile at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.

Facebook chat messages.

“I came to the RIC because it is the best in the world for spinal cord rehab and we pray and are hopeful I will someday recover,” Heck said.

“However, we have been told if I do recover from this it could take up to two years.”

Faith keeps Hunter and the Heck family going, with friends and relatives posting on the Facebook group, Pray for Hunter. Hunter’s mom, Hayley, posts frequent updates of his progress sprinkled with expressions of gratitude toward God and the more than 3,000 group members.

Prayer and trust in God underscore each status, post and comment, with Hunter’s favorite verse, Philippians 4: 13, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, listed in the group’s description section.

Many of the posts have more than five hundred “Likes,” and numerous comments of support and prayer.

“Hunter needs prayer for strength, endurance and progress,” wrote Mrs. Heck on Dec. 4. “He has trouble keeping food down and has lost so much weight... He had a great session in OT today and worked very, very hard but it takes so much out of him, he is exhausted!” After over two months filled with constant struggles, the most recent of which being serious blood infections, Mrs. Heck feels like her son is starting recovery all over again, but she writes that even though each day is a new challenge, she and her son are ready.

Mara said Heck’s character allows him to be strong for these daily challenges.

“If he really wants to do something, he is going to push himself and fight on as long as it takes until he

can actually do it,” Mara said. “Most people would get down, most would hate the world, but Hunter is ready to take on anything and he won’t slow down. I haven’t once heard anything close to a complaint.”

Tabby Waxler met Heck three years a go through her boyfriend Zach Fischer, who lives with Heck this year. She agreed that Heck is highly ambitious.

“He is always the one motivating everyone else,” she said.

Waxler said she most admires Heck for his openness.

“He is an extremely open person and doesn’t see a need to hide anything about himself, which is something I really admire about him,” she said.

Both Waxler and Mara said Heck has a big personality, and is definitely a free spirit. Mara called him “incredibly athletic,” saying, “he could watch a YouTube video of how to do a flip, then seconds later he would try it and most times he would succeed the first time.”

Waxler called him the “wild one — he is the flirt, the extremist, the most energetic, and the most outgoing” out of his four roommates.

Even with this spontaneous nature, she said Heck is incredibly caring.

“If you’re having a bad day, Hunter would genuinely be willing to listen to your problems, even if he doesn’t necessarily care about the issues, he cares about you as a person,” she said.

Waxler remembered finding out about the accident the next morning at Heck’s house, after spending

hunter heck, SEE PAGE 12

Grad school self-evaluates to meet $1.7m savings goal

By Libby Mueller Senior Staff Writer

The Strategic Priorities Task Force (SPTF), created in 2010, made recommendations focused on cutting costs and increasing revenues at Miami University, including overall savings or revenue offset of $1.7 million by fiscal year 2015 within Miami’s graduate school, according to Jim Oris, associate provost for research and scholarship and the dean of the graduate school.

Ray Gorman, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, said part of the savings goal has been met through cuts to assistantships in the full time MBA program in the Farmer School of Business.

“The one program where we have reduced the number of assistantships is the full time MBA program in the business school,” Gorman said. “We had something like 30 assistantships in the MBA program and those assistantships have been suspended and eliminated.”

Oris said the cuts to assistantships within the business school met approximately 50 percent of the total savings goal of $1.7 million.

Although the SPTF estimated a net loss of approximately 43 assistantships and tuition waivers, Oris said the graduate school does not foresee additional decreases in assistantships allocated to divisions by the graduate school.

“If a program demonstrates high quality and a strategic vision for its future, the deans may recommend that assistantship support for a graduate program be enhanced,” Oris said.

Oris said that all academic programs, including graduate programs, undergo a continuous review process.

“Academic reviews were already in place,” Oris said. “Programs were being evaluated and assistantships were being reallocated before the Strategic Priorities report. In a nutshell, the Strategic Priorities report set a savings goal and we were to use existing processes to [achieve the goal]. Because the Farmer School released [their eliminations of assistantships], that helped us meet a lot of the cuts.”

Oris said the graduate school will focus on revenue-generating opportunities to meet the rest of the savings goal.

“The graduate school is working with the academic deans to meet the rest of the savings goal by increasing revenues through program offerings that are intended to attract fee-paying graduate students,” Oris said.

Alexa Sanders is in the master

of accountancy program at Miami.

She said without the scholarships offered to the students in her Farmer School of Business program, she is not sure those students would have been attracted to the graduate program at Miami. “[There are] 22 students in my program and I like to think it’s a high quality program but without those scholarships I’m not sure these people would have been attracted,” Sanders said.

Sanders has full scholarship for her master’s program.

“I know that I am on full scholarship to be here for my grad program and I know that was a huge reason why I came to Miami,” Sanders said. “I’m not sure what the strategic plan is long-term, but if you’re trying to attract and recruit high talent individuals I don’t understand why you would get rid of these assistantships.”

Oris said the university is committed to maintaining assistantship programs throughout the term of study for current students and the graduate school’s main efforts for the next several years will be to find new sources of revenue.

Oris said there are other ways the graduate school is increasing revenues. He said more programs, especially at the master’s level, will be coming soon. The newly revised master’s in the department of social work and the anticipated revisions in the Master of Environmental Science, for example, are advanced degrees intended for career development and are tuition-paying programs.

Gorman also said the graduate school will focus on looking for tuition-paying students rather than reducing the number of assistantships to meet the savings figure laid out by the SPTF. “We will be trying to minimize the effects on graduate students,” Gorman said. “The other thing that we’re likely to see is that some students will be partially funded on graduate assistantships, students getting half of the assistantship and paying half of the tuition.”

David Creamer, vice president for finance and business services, said there are two groups of graduate education enrollment, one that requires no financial payments from the graduate student but other contributions like teaching or being a research assistant. The other students pay full tuition. Creamer said the SPTF’s focus is on the

GRADUATE, SEE PAGE 12

City Council, community weigh options to rescue The Princess

By Olivia Hnat Community Editor

Tuesday Dec. 3, Oxford City Council unanimously approved the resolution to accept the donation of The Princess Theater to the City by Aliance Entertainment. However, the vote was symbolic because the offer by Aliance Entertainment to donate the theater to Oxford changed on Dec. 1 after the meeting agenda was made, according to Douglas Elliott, Oxford City Manager. Aliance Entertainment is now asking for $200,000 from the city for furniture, fixtures and equipment in addition to their donation of the land and building.

“Unless [Aliance Entertainment] changes their offer, it is not really a donation,” Elliot said. “But if they were to change their offer, I am prepared to accept that donation.”

Many citizens of Oxford

addressed the Council and explained their desire to keep The Princess in Uptown Oxford, resulting in the longest city council meeting this year.

Maddy Abowitz, 13, Eva FischerRech, 12, Devra Levy, 15 and Noah Levy, 13, of the Talawanda school district presented their petition to Council to keep The Princess in Oxford. The city council members applauded the students after they read their petition.

“We made this petition because we think that a movie theater is an important part of a diverse community and it is something that is important to us in Oxford,” Devra Levy said. “So we circulated [our petition] through the middle school and high school. Everyone we talked to was upset about the closing of the movie theater and really excited to sign this. We ended with 301 signatures.”

Other community members

shared their concern for The Princess and urged council to vote in favor of the original resolution as a symbolic gesture for their support. David Prytherch, chair of the Oxford Planning Commission and creator of the “Save The Princess Theater” Facebook page said that obtaining The Princess by Jan. 1 is a crucial deadline.

“It is not just about movies,” Prytherch said. “You have to imagine that whoever is looking to buy this building is not looking to get into the movie business.”

Kevin McKeehan, Councilor Steve Snyder and Mayor Richard Keebler expressed concerns about the city’s potential ownership of The Princess and its unprofitable record.

“The vote tonight is simply to accept the theater if it is given to us,” Keebler said. “I think that we all have to realize that running theaters and running private businesses is not

something that the City of Oxford should really be involved in.”

The $200,000 amount that Aliance Entertainment is asking for is not the only concern on the minds of City Council. A new theater is being built in Miami University’s new student center.

McKeehan said he supports keeping a movie theater in Oxford but has some pragmatic concerns.

“I have to remind everyone that Regal Cinemas agreed to buy all but one cinema from Aliance Entertainment and there is a reason, it was not profitable,” McKeehan said.

Kathleen Veslany, who created the “Save The Princess Theater” Facebook page with her husband Prytherch, said she hopes to see someone with a close relationship with Oxford manage the theater.

“I can understand [council’s] concern that they wouldn’t want to start taking on town businesses that

weren’t staying afloat.” Veslany said. “If the theater was kept in better shape if they thought more about catering to the community and what they brought in it definitely has the potential to be profitable at its own.”

Elliott said he was encouraged by City Council’s support and will continue to communicate with Aliance Entertainment to reach a solution.

Miami University junior Alexander Thomas said he agrees with the city manager’s plan to take ownership of the Princess and lease it to a private company. He also said he is open to seeing The Princess being turned into another business.

“I don’t know if the city would want that, but there are probably other options beside a movie theater they could look into,” Thomas said. “If they owned the building, it would give them options to lease it to a company to do something productive with it.”

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CAMPUS

Editors JENN SMOLA ALLISON MCGILLIVRAY Katie M. taylor

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2012

campus@miamistudent.net

Higher ed leaders propose funding reforms

By Jenn Smola Campus Editor

Gov. John Kasich and a group of Ohio university presidents proposed new funding reforms last week that increase the emphasis put on graduation rates and other outcomes.

The new funding formula was negotiated among Ohio higher education leaders after Kasich charged them in September with developing a new outcome-based formula for how Ohio public higher education is funded. And an outcome-based funding formula is what they came up with, according to David Creamer, vice president of finance and business services. “[The proposed funding formula] will be more responsive to actual performance by the institutions,” Creamer said.

The previous funding formula accounted for graduation success, but the proposed formula will focus on it even more, Creamer said.

“Under the previous formula only 20 percent of the funding was

directed towards graduation, and that percentage will increase to 50 percent in the new biennium,” he said.

While Miami’s rate for graduating in five years is 80 percent, and graduating in four years is 70 percent, graduating at-risk students is also taken into account with the proposed formula, Creamer said.

“A student who might be graduating from a Central State, or a Cleveland State, a Youngstown

Another proposed change to the funding formula would amend the support for out-of-state undergraduate students to only support outof-state students that still remain in Ohio a year after graduation, according to Miami University President David Hodge, who was part of the commission appointed by Kasich to develop a new funding formula.

“That was a change that affected us negatively,” he said.

All of our institutions obviously work to ensure student success, but this will make it even more important going forward.”

David Creamer VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE AND BUSINESS SERVICES

State, where they’re far more likely to be first-generation [college students] and have not [been] as academically prepared, that gets factored into the graduation part of this formula as well,” Creamer said.

While Hodge said he was not critical of the goal of the outcome—to keep graduates in Ohio—he said Miami graduates who go to other states develop connections and links to Ohio during their time at Miami that

can still benefit the state.

Another change with the proposed funding formula developed by university leaders is how regional campuses are funded. In the past, regional campuses have been treated differently than community colleges or universities in the funding process, but with the proposed formula they will be treated similarly to those institutions, according to Creamer.

Creamer said Miami will do well with the proposed formula initially, should it be approved, but said there would be room for improvement down the road.

“If you ask where we have work to do, I think it’s in the graduation performance of our regional campuses,” Creamer said. “That’s one of the places that we’ll need to pay even more attention to going forward.”

A certain level of compromise was important in developing the new formula, Hodge said.

“I’m really proud of my colleagues,” Hodge said. “This was very difficult, but clearly we

do believe it’s in the long-term best interest.”

The governor will introduce the formula proposed by the university presidents as part of a budget package, likely in early February, Creamer said. Then it would be deliberated by the Ohio General Assembly in the spring and would likely be passed as part of a budget bill in early June, he said.

Creamer said the proposed formula serves as further incentive for Ohio higher education institutions to strive for achievement.

“All of our institutions obviously work to ensure student success, but this will make it even more important going forward,” Creamer said.

Hodge also emphasized the importance of higher education institutions focusing on outcomes.

“I think that’s one of the challenges that all of higher education faces, is that we need to make sure that we are really focused on outcomes, and not just the process,” Hodge said. “That was the most important thing to the governor and I think it was the right thing.”

Orchestra director risked uncertainty for passion

By Katie M. Taylor Campus Editor

Members of the Miami University Symphony Orchestra wait as their conductor Ricardo Averbach walks to the center of the Hall Auditorium stage. As his hands rise, the strings begin to sing, and music floats into the audience.

The Miami University Symphony Orchestra (MUSO) performed its last concert of the year Wednesday, Dec. 5 under the instruction of Averbach, a man who has dedicated himself to music.

Born in Brazil, Averbach spent the first part of his life there working as an engineer, though he knew his passion lay elsewhere.

“I think [the passion for music] was there, but it was sleeping inside me,” Averbach said. “In Brazil, people with a background similar to mine tend to go to sciences and study engineering, business administration, medicine and careers like that.”

According to Averbach, it wasn’t until he was faced with a huge decision at around the age of 23 that he chose to instead follow his love

for music, despite discouragement from his friends and family.

“In Brazil I received a full scholarship to get an MBA in Harvard,” Averbach said. “That was the moment that I had to make a decision; I left everything,” Averbach said.

“People thought that it was crazy on my part to leave a career that was sure.”

Averbach traveled to Bulgaria to study music in a prestigious school, which required him playing piano in front of a committee to be accepted. He said this was one of the biggest challenges—having to compete with ‘little geniuses’ who had played piano all their lives.

“After working like crazy I went through that committee and they were very reluctant to accept me,” Averbach said. “But there was one professor in that group who said ‘no, we are going to take him and I’m going to give him private lessons and he’s going to be fine’.”

This man, Bentsion Eliezer, gave Averbach free lessons for years.

According to Averbach, Eliezer’s

AVERBACH, SEE PAGE 13

WAIT, IT’S CUMULATIVE?!

DAMIEN WATSON THE MIAMI STUDENT

Sophomores Taylor Fieroh and Katie Knipfing prepare for finals together in King Cafe, stocked with snacks for late night studying.

University reports $120,000 in lobbying Blizzard of ’78 brought costs, higher than other local institutions chilly attitudes to campus

By Amanda Hancock Senior Staff Writer

In an effort to advocate for the school’s needs, Miami University spends thousands of dollars on lobbyists each year.

Miami has paid a professional lobbying firm $42,000 for the past three years, according to associate director of university communications Claire Wagner.

“Miami and any other organization, whether it’s a school, a nonprofit agency or a company, may need someone to advocate on their behalf because it’s another way to share information,” Wagner said.

Wagner said many additional activities can fall under the lobbying umbrella.

“When you communicate with any official, and give information about a program or region, someone may consider that activity lobbying,” she said. “It’s not just lobbyists who lobby.”

With this expanded definition, Miami reports lobbyingassociated costs that add up to $120,000 each year, according to Wagner. A federal law mandates reporting of expenditures for universities. Miami’s number is more than other universities in the area, Wagner said; for example, Wright State University

spends $60,000 each year.

“We may report more [money] than other universities, but we are not necessarily spending more than other universities,” Wagner said, because of the broad activities that Miami defines as lobbying.

Many events and informational visits do not seek funding, but Wagner said Miami chooses to include them when reporting in order to cover all the bases within the intricacies of the reporting law.

“In that way, we likely overreport our spending,” she said.

Randi Thomas, Esq., Miami’s director of institutional relations is also Miami’s official on-campus lobbyist. He represents Miami to Ohio governmental agencies and legislators; as well as to federal officials.

In addition to the $42,000 spent on the firm, other lobbying expenses include a percentage of Thomas’ salary, dues to educational associations and travel costs for Miamians who visit with federal officials.

The majority of Thomas’ work is done between Oxford and Columbus. He works with faculty and staff on campus to learn of the programs that are enhancing public life, student retention and graduation. He then communicates

that information to the Governor’s office, the Ohio Board of Regents and other representatives.

“Sometimes it is pro-active, and sometimes it is in response to queries; other times it’s just providing mandatory data to help legislators make decisions,” Wagner said of Thomas’ initiatives.

Thomas frequently has students participate in Congressional visits to describe their Miami experiences.

“The students focus on the direct exposure that they had to tenured faculty, their hands on use of cutting edge research equipment and their publishing the findings of the research in scientific and related journals,” Thomas said.

The students that help him with his lobbying activities have been excited about engaging with their government on issues of importance to them, Thomas said.

Greg Dick, a sophomore political science major interned in Thomas’s office and assisted with lobbying efforts.

“They have generally found the experience worthwhile and satisfying,” he said.

These activities seek to provide information showing that

lobbyist, SEE PAGE 13

By Emily Glaser Senior Staff Writer

This article 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.

With the holidays just around the corner, Oxford residents have been lucky—or unlucky, depending on whom you ask—to have avoided any snowfall and the accompanying icy conditions that make present-shopping and holiday traveling unpleasant. But if history is any indication, the worst is yet to come; the worst snowstorm on record at Miami University occurred after the holidays.

The Blizzard of 1978 blew through the Midwest Jan. 26, leaving behind a thick layer of ice underneath seven inches of snow in Oxford, and 60-70 mile per hour winds that caused a wind chill of nearly negative 40 degrees. The result: Miami students received their first day off of school in 14 years—the first since the assassination of President John. F. Kennedy.

The National Weather Service

deemed the storm, which was formed by two converging lowpressure systems, a “severe blizzard.” Highways across Ohio became impassable, and cars and homes were buried under snowdrifts. More than 50 people in Ohio died as a result of the storm.

The storm was part of one of the snowiest winters on record, as the

Pranksters at Miami posted a sign outside then-Miami President Phillip Shriver’s house that read, “Welcome to Siberia,” in protest.

Cincinnati area reported 53 inches of snow the winter of 1977-1978.

The year prior, 47 inches were recorded, as well as a record low temperature of -25 degrees with a -65 degree wind chill. The closest amount of snow recorded in recent years was 38 inches in the winter of 2009-2010.

Pranksters at Miami posted a sign outside then-Miami President Phillip Shriver’s house that

Blizzard, SEE PAGE 13

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2012

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Editors OLIVIA HNAT HANNAH STEIN

COMMUNITY FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2012

COMMUNITY@miamistudent.net

POLICE Chamber holds iPad, apps forum

BEAT

Oxford businesses learn how to use changing technology

By Freeland Oliverio Senior Staff Writer

Wednesday, Dec. 5, members of Oxford’s Chamber of Commerce attended a presentation on the use of smartphones and iPads (or tablets) in small businesses. Brian Fey, who graduated in Miami University’s class of 2000, is both a member of the Oxford Chamber of Commerce and Vice President at Fey Insurance uptown. “[This presentation is] about making yourself a mobile workforce by using your iPhone/iPad with applications that will help you conduct business on the go,” Fey said.

According to Fey, the workshop allows business owners to utilize technology and manage their businesses from anywhere, any place, any time.

“I have been using my iPad and iPhone in my business for the last few years and have really enjoyed studying and learning new ways to implement them into my daily business life,” Fey said.

Fey displayed some apps such as

Dropbox, Notability, Evernote and Cardmunch to the business owners.

Dropbox is an application that allows business owners to save documents and most other data in one basic program. By using a Dropbox account on both a smartphone and tablet, businesses can constantly save and maintain documents at any location. Other applications such as Keynote and Numbers allow iPad users to create documents and Powerpoint presentations on their phones.

According to Fey, smartphone and tablet apps are often regarded as ways by which people can seek entertainment and games.

“The apps on my phone that I use the most are Facebook, Twitter, Pandora and Netflix,” Lauren Delk, undergraduate creative writing major, said.

The role of apps is headed in a more business-applicable direction.

“More and more business specific software programs that used to be used only on a PC are now creating smartphone and iPad applications,” Fey said. “Because these

are now available, the smartphone and iPad are a lot more relevant in the business world. ” Fey also gave attendees a rundown on smartphone, tablet security and add-ons. These include phone cases, styluses, varied display cords and connectors, as well as attachable credit-card swiping systems that attached to smartphones and iPads.

Fey’s seminar is part of a series of workshops organized by the Chamber of Commerce to assist with growing and expanding local businesses according to Carol Dockum, President of the Oxford Chamber of Commerce.

“With the constant new technology every year, it’s hard for small businesses to keep up,” Dockum said. “This is a new initiative that the camber has taken on to give new tools to Oxford’s businesses.”

After Fey’s presentation, members who attended said they found it helpful.

“I found Evernote to be the most impressive app,” Kelly Umbstead, broker for Coldwell Banker said.

“I’ve had my iPad for a year now,

and I came here to learn to fully utilize my iPad. [Learning about] the ability to organize your information with your iPad was impressive.”

“I found the presentation very informative.” Scott Webb, CEO of Scott Webb Architect, said. “I feel like the different ways to share information with people is useful.”

According to Fey, there is still a lot of room for expansion in the future of smartphones and tablets.

“Desktop-only software will continue to disappear,” Fey said. “These programs will continue to develop so that they can be used on mobile devices which will allow the business man of tomorrow always be plugged in to their office.”

Although smartphones and iPads are effective business tools, they don’t come without drawbacks, according to Fey. “This can be a good thing in that you can work at any moment you need but a bad thing because it may become more difficult to unplug.

People will need to learn to balance life more… but I am sure they will create an app for that!” Fey said.

Order reimburses hospitals State budget cuts impact for uninsured health costs local police departments

By Lauren Williams Senior Staff Writer

Got the

inside

Ohio Gov. Kasich signed an executive order Nov. 27 that will distribute $555.1 million to Ohio hospitals for reimbursement of uncompensated costs from legally required services provided to uninsured individuals.

“These reimbursements help to offset the costs that hospitals incur for providing the uncompensated care,” Sam Rossi, public information officer for Ohio Office of Medical Assistance (OMA), said.

The funds will be distributed through the Ohio Hospital Care Assurance Program (HCAP) which ensures indigent and uninsured individuals receive hospital care. This Ohio program fulfills the federal law requirement that each state have a Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) program to curb the costs of uncompensated hospital care, according to Eric Poklar, communications director for the Governor’s Office of Health Transformation.

This is a technical action to quickly get the HCAP funds out the door and into hospitals, Poklar said.

An estimated 206 hospitals receive HCAP funding, according to the final assessment of the 2012 HCAP program year provided by the Ohio Hospital Association (OHA). The OHA reported in its annual meeting last June that Ohio hospitals will receive an estimated 53 cents for every dollar of uncompensated care delivered to patients with incomes below the federal poverty level. For patients above the federal poverty level, hospitals will

receive approximately 4.8 cents for every dollar.

The HCAP is administrated by the OMA, which is under the jurisdiction of the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services. John McCarthy, director of Medicaid at the OMA, is also a member of Gov. Kasich’s cabinet.

Poklar said there is currently not an immediate connection between the executive order Kasich signed and the progress of the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act (PPACA), the federal health care law passed in 2010.

The issue of the executive order reimburses hospitals under the existing law prior to the PPACA, according to Poklar.

“There is language in the federal healthcare law that will ratchet back these payments to hospitals,” Poklar said. “That will not happen for a couple of years, so what’s being done in this executive order around the HCAP payments for hospitals is the extension of the current program.”

The Ohio Office of Medical Assistance could not provide a comment on how the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act will lower or add to healthcare costs. ACA does not go into effect until 2014.

“As of right now, those numbers are still being crunched in regards to the future of healthcare,” Rossi said.

The Governor’s office said Kasich declined the healthcare exchange provision in the PPACA, which allows individuals and businesses to choose between public and private healthcare plans according to their own cost-efficiencies.

By Jessica Barga Senior Staff Writer

State budget cuts are affecting nearly every police department in Ohio this year. Some local townships are searching for ways to keep costs down and still provide service to citizens.

One of these police departments is in Butler Township, located to the northeast of Oxford in Montgomery County. The township includes areas north of Dayton. According to Butler Township Trustee Mike Lang, there were two levies on the ballot in the township this year, but neither of them passed. The levies would have provided tax dollars to help fund the police department.

“Our township police department has never been solely funded by police levies for the past 20 years,” Lang said.

But with budget cuts from the state, the levies were needed to provide some of the $300,000 to $500,000 a year that funds the department, according to Lang.

Lang said the township is looking at several different ways to keep its police department running properly.

“We have three options,” Lang said. “[The first is] we can keep going as-is – and we’re currently not staffing enough officers anyway. We only have two on duty right now. The second is to form a joint district with another community. And the third is to contract out police services.”

Forming a joint district with another police department would mean the two departments would share jurisdiction and costs, according to Lang.

“Do I think that’s necessarily the right option [for us]? No,” Lang

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said. “No community around here has shown an interest in merging departments at the moment.”

The option to contract services from another police department could also pose problems, according to Lang.

In this situation, the township would need to hire another police department to provide services in that area, meaning that things like response time and availability could be compromised, Lang said.

According to Lang, no matter what option is chosen, a solution needs to be found soon.

“In Montgomery County, I don’t think anyone is in as dire straits as we are,” added Lang.

Even though police departments all across Ohio are facing potential cutbacks, it can be difficult to find solutions that benefit all parties.

Police Chief R. Steven Bailey of the Miami Township Police Department said a consolidation with Butler Township would not be likely.

“They’re on the north side [of Dayton] and we’re located toward the south side, so that wouldn’t make any sense…some other departments in the Dayton area were still thinking about merging departments though,” Bailey said.

If a similar situation were to strike Oxford, sophomore Isaiah Fleetwood said the city would likely face the same problems that places like Butler Township are currently having.

“Budget cuts would definitely have a negative impact,” Fleetwood said. “Crime rates are relatively low in Oxford, but they might go up, and then there would be lots of people who would become unemployed.”

LAUREN OLSON THE MIAMI STUDENT

NO INTERRUPTION

Hoodie Allen entertains fans Nov. 29 at Brick Street Bar & Grill.

Over winter break there will be a few parking guidelines for Miami University students and Oxford residents.

Students can purchase a temporary permit to park in a university parking lot for up to four weeks for $10 a week and students with valid permits (blue or yellow) may park in the Ditmer or West Millet parking lots for all of break.

The City of Oxford will prohibit parking on city streets (including Oak Street, Maple Street, Patterson Avenue and Tallawanda Road) for more than 72 consecutive hours.

Parking permits for the spring semester went on sale Dec. 5 and may be purchased by visiting www.MiamiOH.edu/parking.

www.miamistudent.net

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2012

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OPINION

Editors RACHEL SACKS SARAH SHEW

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2012

editorial@miamistudent.net

EDITORIAL

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

End of semester reflection brings attention to good, bad As the fall semester comes to a close, the editorial board of The Miami Student decided to take this chance to look back at what has been a tumultuous and noteworthy time for Miami University.

One notable event on campus has been the ongoing construction. We may always complain about the cranes blocking our vision and or needing to find new routes due to closed sidewalks, and while inconveniences are never fun, it’s a sign of the campus growing and improving. The administration hit the nail on the head when they poked fun at the situation by saying it was ironic that the path to the future was blocking our path to class.

This semester has seen Miami garnering national attention for both excellent and unpleasant things.

With a Miami alumnus running for vice president in one of the most important elections our nation has witnessed, we were able to open up many conversations and look at different views of different people. Miami was once again ranked highly for study abroad experiences, undergraduate teaching and alumni success. The women’s soccer team had a stellar season and made it to the second round of

the NCAA tournament. Miami choral groups performed at Carnegie Hall, one of the most famous concert halls in the world. The CSpan bus made a stop at Miami as well as former New York Times executive editor Bill Keller who wrote about Miami in The Times.

Events like God in the Box and Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week allowed us to open our minds up to new ideas and learn about ourselves.

But we cannot fail to acknowledge that we have had a rocky semester as well. The year began with news of a fireworks incident in the Greek community that resulted in the suspension of two fraternities. A few weeks later, Farmer School of Business Dean Jenkins announced he would retire at the end of the semester.

Athletic Director Brad Bates also decided to leave Miami. Then an anonymous flier was posted in a dormitory bathroom, suggesting ways to get away with rape. Then just a few days ago the Miami community learned one of our students passed away.

It has been a semester where we truly learned about community and how we can grow, both as individuals and as a group. The Miami Student editorial board wishes you luck on exams and a safe break.

Rule of Thumb Oxford Fire Department Thanks for saving our EIC from burning down her kitchen!

University funding Ohio university leaders created a new funding formula. 2

Retiring professors Dean of Libraries Judith Session and other professors will be missed.

Random acts of kindness Go do something nice for someone.

Leaving Miami Student staff Thanks for all your hard work.

We’ll be expecting on-location reporting.

Overcaffeination It’s one thing to stay awake, and another to look like you’re having a seizure over your study guide.

PATRICK GEYSER THE MIAMI STUDENT

LETTER TO the editor

Palestinians deserve to have their own state Last week the U.N. (United Nations for the politically illiterate) voted to allow Palestine (currently the West Bank and the Gaza Strip) non-member observer state status within the U.N. This means that Palestine may now act within the United Nations fully, with the exception of having the ability to vote. It isn’t as clear cut as allowing Palestine to become it’s own state, but it is pretty close to it.

Palestine is currently being occupied by Israel. In other words, the lands that belonged to Palestine (West Bank and Gaza Strip) have been taken control of militarily and the Israeli Defense Force has placed checkpoints all over the Palestinian territory.

But this has been going on for many years.

Slowly the Israeli government has allowed settlements to be placed into the West Bank in order to slowly chip away at Palestinian-owned land.

And with the recent vote to allow Palestine the powers of what could be considered an ‘almoststate,’ the President of Israel angrily fought back by saying he will build another 3,000 homes on Palestinian land.

Who was against this vote?

Canada, Czech Republic, United States, Israel, and three other small islands in the Pacific (mostly tourist places for US citizens).

Out of 193 countries, only seven voted against Palestinian statehood. And that angers Israel.

But Israel is going to have to face a harsh truth sooner or later; they aren’t going to survive if they continue to oppress the Palestinians and mistreat them.

Currently the Palestinian

Liberation Organization (PLO) is the recognized head of Palestine. It has gained some support for this vote, but with the recent attacks on the Gaza Strip and the constant attacks on West Bank soil by the Israeli Defense Force the PLO is losing support as the one to deal with this matter.

Instead, it is turning to Hamas.

Hamas is the government that those within the Gaza Strip have set up. They are a radical Islamic organization.

They deal in terrorism, but they also provide social programs and welfare programs to those within the Gaza Strip (about 85 percent of Hamas’ yearly budget is spent on welfare and social programs, while the rest usually goes to military matters). However, they are still a terrorist organization.

But Hamas is gaining more support because the Palestinians are slowly getting fed up with how they have been treated.

And the Palestinians have been mistreated by Israel. Before Israel was a state, the land was both set upon by Britain and France, and before that the Ottoman Empire.

The tribes in the area were both “Palestinian” and Jewish tribes.

It never really belonged to the Palestinian people, but that’s because they never really had the reason to build a massive state in small tribes, just like the Jews didn’t really have a reason to until after World War II. Slowly, the line between the Palestinian territory and the Israeli territory faded, and the Israeli portion became bigger and bigger. Israel now controls the majority of the land even within the West Bank.

And now what is happening?

Palestine is gaining traction and is close to becoming a full member state. The Jewish population has a rich culture and history all throughout the entirety of the world and they have a state of their own to call home. Now the Palestinians want that same chance to develop a state of their own.

They would rather do it through peace, but peace usually gets them into being more violently overtaken than before. And that is the reason Hamas is gaining traction. Israel wants to protect itself from Hamas, yet Hamas is being fueled by the “protections” Israel is implementing in the Gaza Strip and West Bank.

Many children have been killed in this conflict, as well as adults, but most of the casualties seem to come from the Palestinian sides of the borders.

That is why Israel must allow Palestine to gain statehood.

Hamas, an anti-Israel terrorist organization, only gains traction when Israel continues to oppress Palestine. So the obvious solution would be to stop with the oppression and the unwarranted violence.

The only legitimate ally Israel can hide behind is the U.S., but against the world the U.S. is nothing in comparison. The cards are in the hands of the Israeli government.

The choices they can make are to continue raising the pot and pressure more violent reactions, or fold and let the Palestinians have a peaceful win for once.

Dan Volkman

volkmadk@muohio.edu

www.miamistudent.net

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2012 OP ED

ESSAY

When asking the question “why?” goes too far, the unknown may be a beneficial concept Why? It is a question that has been with human kind since the first thoughts of consciousness pulsated through our veins. It has elevated out of the primal depths of nature and propelled thought and imagination — always a quest to obtain what seems almost unobtainable.

In the search for the ultimate answers to the cosmological everything, it is this simple word that has seemed to come to embody the spirit of humanity. Yet, it is in this spirit that there seems

contained in the ozone that reflect a certain spectrum of sunlight.

The grass is green because photosynthesis is taking place within the chlorophyll of the blades of grass that absorb carbon dioxide and expel oxygen.

In these two simple cases, cases that are often one of the most basic questions asked, the answer is of a distinct measurable, calculated, and scientific response. Science then is an extension of the question; it provides the method for answering and the generator

In the ultimate application of “why” we seem to lose a portion of ourselves every time. Slowly and gradually we wear away the levels of wonderment until all that remains is pure rational thought.This seems like a reasonable trade off. something lacking, an inescapable feeling that seems distant, almost contradictory, to the idea of “why?”

From birth we use “why” as a tool and as a means of gathering knowledge to unravel what seems beyond our grasp. We are taught to question and taught to utilize this word to maximize our own abilities. Even as adults that same mentality is perpetuated throughout our daily lives.

We make decisions every moment of every day that are based upon the question that is always seeking a definable answer. It is a question that questions everything. Yet we have never applied that same principle to the question itself — to question “why” with why.

When we begin to examine this word and the power it has, we begin with the nature of the word itself. “Why” is always seeking a definable answer. If we were to look at its application in any instance, whether our own lives or at the great moment of history, we see that the answers that are generated are always definable and measured.

For instance the sky is blue because of oxygen molecules

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of solutions. Within this science rationality and reason define the parameters of the problem or element in question. Instruments measure its actions and then provide outlets for answers that ultimately become grounded in the same parameters used to establish the element in question. What happens becomes a systematic grounding of the natural world.

However in the grounding of the natural world there is an element that becomes lost amid the subjugation of mystery and unknowing. In the ultimate application of “why” we seem to lose a portion of ourselves every time. Slowly and gradually we wear away the levels of wonderment until all that remains is pure rational thought.

This seems like a reasonable trade off. Through discovering, learning and evolving, rationale is a great asset; it clears the muddiness of that which is indefinable and allows us to maintain a set direction, giving order to thought.

However, humanity is not a purely rational being, meaning that a lot of comprised consciousness deals with elements that are not physical and are often immeasurable. We exist as more than

0 ,0

. .

0.

physical creations, but as combinations of physical embodiments of metaphysical distinctions.

For instance the notions of love generated from deep within our core can hardly be explained with pure reason or deduced from scientific study. Even within pychology, which takes a rationale approach to understanding the human mind and to a greater extent consciousness, there are noticeable limits to the depth that understanding is afforded.

We can say that attractiveness plays a portion of a role, so that measurable features of height, eye color, etc. begin to define the parameters of falling in love. This however is not a comprehensive answer and in fact is only applicable to the extent of physical attraction and can only be applied to that physical instance.

Here the use of the question “why” ultimately falls short in distinctly portraying the essence of the human spirit. Such a single sided attempt at order and ultimately the acquisition of the unknown qualities’ of the cosmos blind us to the natural wonderment that is indefinable and ultimately unobtainable.

As is part of our nature, curiosity is always with us and cannot be removed. If we attempted to remove it we would grind to a halt the natural evolutionary progress of human culture and society, and “why” is an invaluable asset to that evolution.

We need to blend the question of “why” with one that is not so idiosyncratic. In doing so we may be able to open up new and often unconventional means of thinking to interpret he world around us.

Out of this new interpretation and thinking we will be able to greatly enhance our own place and ultimately better understand the nature of the cosmological everything that haunts our dreams.

In searching for the answers it takes more than a single word to fully understand where we are, where we were, and where we are going.

Anthony Santora

SANTORAJ@MUOHIO.EDU

The number of Miami Student readers who will see

YOUR AD HERE! To advertise in The Miami Student , please contact Sean Crowe at crowesp2@muohio.edu.

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ANDREW’S ASSESSMENTS ANDREW GEISLER

Republicans try to regroup with new 2016 message Tuesday night, Paul Ryan and Marco Rubio both took a break from the fiscal cliff. They both gave speeches at the Jack Kemp Foundation Leadership Award Dinner, laying out their views on where conservatives should focus their efforts for the future.

Rubio was this year’s recipient and Ryan received the inaugural edition of the award named after one of his mentors last year. Both men are a sure bet to seek the Republican nomination for the presidency in 2016, and their speeches were a serious launching pad.

Both young pols took this opportunity to lay the groundwork for their campaigns with their words.

Ryan focused like a laser on poverty — talking about the tragedy of government dependency and what we can do to make sure more people are lifted out of poverty and into the middle class, while Rubio discussed keeping America’s middle class vibrant and laying out a laundry list of lower middle class reforms.

Rubio and Ryan made it clear — the 2016 fight for the Republican Party’s nomination will be one waged largely on the grounds of social mobility. Finally something conservatives are happy to cheer about.

Both speeches will make the populist wing of the Republican Party quite happy. They also both did much to distance the party from the destructive nature of Mitt Romney’s rich-centric campaign.

Most importantly, they both gave us a coherent vision for the future of our country using baseline conservative principles.

The Republican Party’s soulsearching session after the election clearly has not been particularly difficult. We sit here one month later and it’s clear the party is willing to move on immigration and adjust their overall messaging. This message brings the party back to the days of conservatism as a way to make sure everyone has the chance to rise and away from the 47 percent, pro business, and the pathetically divisive, drivel Mitt Romney tried to pass off as conservatism.

It’s also clear the party is still not willing to budge on social issues like abortion and gay rights. While that’s mostly fine by me, these two issues could continue to haunt us at the ballot box, as our generation slowly becomes the older generation and consequently the largest voting block. Republicans, however, have shown mostly that they

learned the key lessons of 2012, and that’s a serious positive.

Though he didn’t speak at the Kemp dinner, another important figure in the rebranding has been Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal — a reform governor who served in the House before his gubernatorial tenure. Jindal was a Rhodes Scholar, and turned down Harvard Medical and Yale Law School to complete that program.

Jindal will chair the Republican Governor’s Association and was Romney’s harshest critic right after the election during the RGA’s meeting in Vegas. He’s been a strong advocate of a conservative rebrand that doesn’t sell out conservatism principles, and a party that’s not in the pocket of big anything.

Most importantly, they both gave us a coherent vision for the future of our country using baseline conservative principles.

With liberals in the pocket of the inherently harmful big government, and some plutocratic Republicans kissing up only to the richest and most powerful folks in our society, it’s great to hear the next generation of Republican leaders talking about the right to rise.

Talking about education reform, welfare reform, and becoming a party focused on work and protecting the little guy from the big institutions that all too often stack the deck against them.

Messaging like this might not win a lot of hearts on Wall Street, Michigan Avenue, or with private equity executives, but it does with a broad section of Americans.

People are longing for political populism. One consistent observation about the last election was that, while the electorate clearly desired populism, neither side could really deliver it.

President Barack Obama came the closest to Populism, and middle class Americans felt he understood their values by a 53-43 margin according to NBC’s exit polls.

If the Republican Party can seize on this potent force in 2016, look out Secretary Hillary Clinton; you could be in for a tough race.

ESSAY

Remove the blinders: exceptionalism should not be limited to American elite All men are created equal. The meaning of those words haven’t changed. When they were originally penned they really meant that “all men are created equal, except for those who aren’t white, or male or landowners.”

We need to stop pretending that this country was founded on anything but inequality. The idea of American exceptionalism has always been limited to the privileged few who can afford to be “exceptional.”

Let’s look at history: women were given the right to vote less than a century ago. African Americans still have to fight for equality more than a century after they were “given” it. The LGBTQ community is being more and more marginalized.

Native Americans were forced onto reservations in order to “preserve their culture.” Equality for all is a myth in this country.

In last Monday’s issue of The Miami Student, an essay titled “Continuous pursuit of liberty, equality creates an exceptional, prosperous America” was published arguing the opposite of everything above.

The essay attributed economic

liberty with equality of worth, arguing that your socioeconomic status is your own fault; it argued that if you are poor, then you made yourself poor. We would rather attribute equality of opportunity with equality of worth, if everyone is of equal worth, does that not mean that everyone should have the same opportunities to use that worth?

Homelessness is something generally looked down upon in society. The dominant narrative leads us to believe that people are homeless because they are lazy or addicted to drugs.

Then, according to the narrative of privilege, these people do not deserve any type of government assistance because they had their chance and they blew it. This totally ignores the reality of homelessness, and distorts the debate.

In reality, the main cause of homelessness is a lack of employment and affordable housing. When viewed through its true lens, homelessness becomes a problem of societal oppression, not a problem of one person messing up his or her life.

The idea that everyone starts

off in life on equal footing is an idea born out of privilege. We are told a narrative of America that is rarely critical of the actions of our society. We are led to believe that the ideal idea of equality laid down by our forefathers has been achieved, that the struggle for equality is over.

We tell the story of Thanksgiving, but not of all the Native Americans we displaced and killed. We talk about people migrating to the suburbs after World War II, yet we fail to mention the red lining that made the American dream of a house in the suburbs an impossibility for anyone who was not themselves white.

If we do learn about these things we like to think that they are issues of the past; that in today’s America we are evolved beyond that kind of systemic oppression. This is simply not true, and to suggest that it is dishonors those who live the reality of that oppression.

It can be an uncomfortable experience to realize one’s privilege in a society that says we all have the same opportunities.

Growing up in a place of societal power (white, male, able

bodied, heterosexual, etc...), it is easy to not see the inequality in the world.

But to suggest that no one is favored in our country is to deny the current and historical facts.

This worst part about this system is that the blame is placed on those who are marginalized and oppressed. Those of us who grew up in privilege have blinders on to these issues because it is easier to claim ignorance than to accept criticism. This is, we believe, why last week’s essay was written. We all suffer from the blinders of privilege.

The very title of that essay makes a statement about the pursuit of liberty and equality. These are the things that democracy is built on: providing liberty and equity for all through programs that help to lift people out of poverty, programs that provide shelter and nutrition for the homeless and destitute, programs that show that this country is still committed to providing for the needs of every last one of its citizens.

When we speak about an exceptional America, we need to be speaking about every last American and the government that we

elect and that is meant to serve us and every person who lives on American soil.

In “You Can’t be Neutral on a Moving Train,” Howard Zinn says, “to believe in democracy was to believe in the principles of the Declaration of Independence – that government is an artificial creation, established by the people to defend the equal rights of everyone to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

The above quote sums up perfectly what our government is supposed to be, a government by the people, for the people.

Let’s take off the blinders and realize how far we have to go as a nation and as a people, let’s stop pretending that equality is a given and start to make equality a reality, let’s start making the words of the Declaration a reality, that all men and women regardless of creed, race, income or sexual orientation are created equal.

Robert Cron and Stephen Caruso-Taylor

cronre@muohio.edu carusosc@muohio.edu

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2012

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2012

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2012

Sell your books for top dollar @ DuBois buys books at FOUR locations in Oxford: IN the store on High Street Johnny’s Deli trailer on Sycamore Street Paesano’s trailer on Campus Avenue Stewart Square near CVS on College Avenue

Fall Semester Rentals are due back to the store at 118 East High Street by Sunday December 16th

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2012

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News 513-529-2256 Editorial 513-529-2257 Advertising 513-529-2210

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2012

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

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Sloane Fuller Madeline Haigh Amanda Harr Alexa Hawley Annie Wood

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HUNTER HECK, FROM PAGE 1

the night with Fischer.

“I was the first one up in the morning and noticed that Hunter’s door was open and his desk light was still on,” she said. “Ever since we came to college I don’t think there has ever been a night that Hunter hasn’t come home at some point, so the first thing I said to Zach was ‘Hmm, I wonder who Hunter hooked up

with last night! He didn’t even come home!’ Then about five minutes later Jake, one of Hunter’s best friends, walked in the door and told Zach and I what happened.”

Mara has visited his cousin numerous times since the accident.

“I actually got to spend the night just me and him in his hospital bed not too long ago,” Mara said. “That was the first time we’ve had, just me and him, since the accident, we just talked about everything as well as

FROM PAGE 1

second group of students.

“The focus here was how tuitionpaying programs can be developed in the future to focus more on the second group of students who are paying tuition,” Creamer said. “The other group is not being removed but there should be more focus on this other category going forward.” nothing at all for the whole night and I’ve never been so thankful to just talk to someone.”

Mrs. Heck reiterated this gratitude for Heck’s survival and improving health.

“Our family is so extremely thankful we have our Hunter here with us after such a terrible ordeal,” she wrote in a post. “People suffer, get sick or hurt, life doesn’t make sense sometimes; but our heavenly Father assures us. He hears our cries

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Submit a Vacant House Check Form at www.cityofoxford.org/check. The Oxford Police will make vacant house checks over break.

The last person out should check to make sure all windows and doors are locked.

Do not turn off the heat. Set the thermostat to 60 degrees or warmer to prevent the pipes from freezing and bursting. Check with your property manager for specific instructions.

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and is right there with us.”

Heck, and his family continue to lean on faith for strength and healing in the coming months. “I want students to know that even though the doctors told us that he probably should have died at three different times during that night, he can still make jokes with me and he keeps his faith and strength in God and has not once stopped fighting…” Mara said.

“He might not be the biggest guy in the world as far as the world sees

him, but I consider him to be one of the biggest people I know, biggest heart, biggest inspiration and biggest character,” he added.

After his most recent trip to critical care, Heck said Sunday, “I’m finally starting to feel better now… Recovery has been very hard and extremely painful and will last a long time.”

When asked what students can do to support him, Heck simply replied, “Just keep the prayers coming.

They’re greatly appreciated!”

Avoid the

of long lines!

Important tips.

•

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Your Spring Semester textbooks at

Make your house look lived in.

• • • • •

Stop mail and newspaper delivery.

Discourage intruders. Leave outside porch lights on and use timers on lights inside.

Take valuables with you or store them in a locked area out of sight.

Don’t announce on Facebook or your voicemail greeting when you are leaving.

Don’t leave trash cans at the curb. Make arrangements with the property manager about who will remove the cans from the curb if you leave town on trash pick-up day.

Parking.

•

•

Do not park vehicles on Oxford streets while away.

The 72-hour street parking restriction will be heavily enforced and may result in citations and/or costly towing.

Students with valid Miami University parking permits can park in the Ditmer Lot over break.

A temporary permit can be purchased from the Office of Parking and Transportation Services.

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FRIDAY, december 7, 2012 CAMPUS A PSYCHOLOGICAL, HORROR-THRILLER

BY MIAMI GRAD RICK LEY In the deepest recesses of everyone’s mind lurks an irrepressible force just biding time, waiting for the opportune moment to unleash the full measure of its fury. Such would happen one sunny day in July 1988, when a young man’s madness—years in the making—boiled over into a blind rage that irrevocably altered the fate of many within the labyrinthine depths of an abandoned Colorado gold mine. So prepare yourself for an emotion-filled, cataclysmic adventure about four Huron College students whose friendship is betrayed by the physical and emotional terror inflicted by one of their own, as 450 years of history is about to resurrect itself along the banks of a picturesque rivulet the settlers aptly named Ghost Creek.

About the author: Rick Ley is an independent environmental consultant who works from his home office in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. Rick has a Master of Environmental Science degree from Miami University '90 and an undergraduate degree in geology from Waynesburg College (Waynesburg, PA) '86.

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AVERBACH, FROM PAGE 2

guidance made it possible for him to get into the conducting school of his dreams, and the man asked for nothing in return.

According to Averbach, his teacher passed away of cancer years ago, but it was running into his wife in Bulgaria two weeks ago that prompted him to dedicate Wednesday’s concert to her husband. Averbach said that though he had to remove his original words from the program, in his heart he still dedicated the performance to his teacher, whom he thanks for much of his success.

After years of studying music and conducting in Bulgaria, Averbach graduated on to work around the world with famous musicians and orchestras including the Sao Paulo Symphony Orchestra in Brazil.

At the age of 34 he came to America and earned a DMA at the University of Michigan, worked with the Pennsylvania Symphony Orchestra and Wind Ensemble, and came to Miami.

Averbach said this is his 11th year here, and he is currently Director of Orchestral Studies, which involves him conducting MUSO as well as the Oxford Chamber Orchestra (OCO), which plays in Miami’s annual opera productions.

According to Averbach, the orchestra at Miami has continuously grown over the 11 years he has been here.

“I am proud that this year we have I believe the largest orchestra that Miami has ever had, and we have a very talented group of players,” Averbach said.

This year MUSO played at Carnegie Hall, and OCO has been invited to play in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Averbach praised his students, and said this is only beginning for them.

“People were very excited about Carnegie Hall,” Averbach said. “I am very proud that we are keeping up with all the excitement and not letting it die after Carnegie Hall, on the contrary, we are carrying this through the future.”

According to Andrea Ridilla,

LOBBYIST, FROM PAGE 2

Miami officials are good stewards of the public trust, promote specific good work of the university and advocate for ways to fund projects.

Miami pays a Washington, D.C. based lobbying firm, The Majority Group, $3,500 per month, which is less than the average base rate of $5,000, according to Wagner.

Twelve lobbyists in that firm meet in person with Miami faculty and staff to continually be aware of interests and opportunities at the federal level and to ensure that when discussions happen in D.C., local information is passed on.

Wagner said because Miami is a strong partner of Oxford, local townships and Butler County, lobbyists help garner millions of dollars to improve safety at intersections on states roads such as state Routes 73 and 127.

Much of the money spent has been in partnership with municipalities, and some has been for campus and educational improvements.

A unique example of what falls into the spending is ‘Posters on the Hill,’ a program in which

BLIZZARD, FROM PAGE 2

read, “Welcome to Siberia,” in protest of not receiving more time off school.

The storm intensified effects of the already-in-process national coal-miners strike. Icy roads made it difficult for coal trucks to reach their destinations. James Rhodes, then the governor of Ohio, decreed that all state agencies reduce their electrical consumption by 25 percent. In addition, Cincinnati Gas & Electric Company asked its 500 largest customers, including Miami, to reduce its electricity use due to lack of coal supply.

At Miami, this meant drastic reductions in electricity. All

13

Averbach’s colleague in the music department, in working on various projects with him she has come to recognize his uncompromising standards, which he holds himself and his students to.

“He demands professional perfectionism,” Ridilla said. “He demands this of the students, and sometimes I think they’re not quite experienced enough to realize how lucky they are that somebody is bringing them to such a high level.”

However, according to first-year Luke Bryson who plays the Oboe in MUSO, he recognizes Averbach as an outstanding maestro. Starting with him inviting members of the orchestra to his home at the beginning of the year, Averbach continues to impress, Bryson said.

“He’s so far been a fantastic orchestra director,” Bryson said. “He shows not only great leadership with us, but also such a strong passion for the music we play, and he programs such wonderful music too.”

Averbach expressed his excitement for the music MUSO and OCO play, and thanked past teachers and musicians for opening his eyes and showing him what music could be.

“They were able to teach students how to achieve certain things that, in principle, cannot be achieved with a piano as an instrument … to achieve something in the performance that transcends the possibilities of an instrument,” Averbach said. “They made me believe that it was possible to do that, and I know now that it is.”

Averbach said that one of his biggest goals in life—possibly the biggest—is to write something that conveys to his students and others the beauty in music he has come to see through the people who have influenced him.

“We are in a university, you know, and we think that things should be able to be explained through logic, but [music] transcends logic,” Averbach said. “You are able to manipulate time; you are able to see music through space.

This was something so influential—it really took me years to understand.”

Miami undergrads visit several Capitol Hill offices and present research posters at a reception in D.C. which regional alumni, Ohio legislators and aides are invited to view.

Both Thomas and Dick acknowledged that students may view lobbying with a negative connotation.

“It’s easy to find fault with the process but it’s also important realize that lobbying also helps to fund some really great things like hospitals and universities,” Dick said.

Thomas said he suspected that many students are unaware of what lobbying actually entails.

For Dick though, he says lobbying is a valuable asset for Miami and provides a way for him and other students to see the government in an up close and personal way.

“Lobbying impacts each and every student on this campus whether they know it or not, from keeping tuition rate increases in check by securing government funding to allowing science students the opportunity to conduct lab experiments and research in modern labs with the latest and greatest technology,” he said. academic buildings except Laws Hall and McGuffey Hall were to be closed from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m., turning off all lights and heat during that time period. Libraries reduced their hours. Evening classes were consolidated into the buildings that would remain open.

Streetlights were turned off, and the use of electric heaters, hotplates, coffeemakers, hair dryers and refrigerators was prohibited in residence halls and offices.

Despite these measures, the university remained open except for the two days following the blizzard. President Shriver said calling school off in unpleasant weather was a “new habit.” He was right, as Miami would not be called off again until Jan. 19, 1994.

14

SPORTS

Editor TOM DOWNEY

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2012

sports@miamistudent.net

JOE Gieringer

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

nhl Lockout affects Miami alumni

RedHawks school WSU

Notyouraverage joe

by Kennan Belau For The Miami Student

At this point, the National Hockey League (NHL) season is all but canceled. What does this mean?

First and foremost, it means there’s a 99 percent chance that there will be no NHL season. The NHL has already canceled 422 regular season games, as well as the Winter Classic in Ann Arbor, Mich., and the All-Star Game in Columbus, Ohio. And guess who was going to both of them? As you can imagine, I’m not too happy about that. Though the fans are the real losers of this year’s lockout, imagine how tough it is for the players, many of whom have ties to Miami University.

This past year, the Los Angeles Kings surprised the hockey world by becoming the second team in NHL history to eliminate the No. 1, 2 and 3 seeds en route to a Stanley Cup Final, and won their first championship in franchise history.

Alec Martinez (Miami class of ‘08) notched one goal and two assists for L.A. during its playoff run, and was a solid, two-way forward for the Kings all year. After signing a two-year, $1.475 million contract this summer, it is effectively reduced to a one-year contract that will put his play under a bigger microscope next year, and he’s playing in Finland in the meantime.

Tommy Wingels (Miami class of ‘10) was the RedHawks’ captain and one of their go-to guys during his tenure here. His talent was recognized by the San Jose Sharks, who drafted him 177 overall in 2008. Bouncing between San Jose and their AHL affiliate the Worcester Sharks, Wingels was just starting to prove himself last season, scoring nine points in 33 regular season games and grabbing an assist in five playoff games. Now that the lockout is all but inevitable, he will finish this season out in the Finnish Mestis league with a big question mark hovering over his status as a full-timer on San Jose’s roster for next year.

Ryan Jones (Miami class of ‘08) is a bigger name than most active RedHawks in the NHL, and has scored 76 points for the Edmonton Oilers in the past two seasons.

Known for his physical play and garbage goals, 28 year-old “Junkman” Jones was just hitting his stride as an NHL regular this year before the season was postponed, and I can’t help but wonder if this will affect his production when the league starts back up.

In addition to current NHLers, those trying to break into the league will now have an even tougher time doing so with the season on hold. Many players playing with an AHL affiliate on two-way contracts were hoping to get a shot at the big show this year, and with an impressive draft class from this year and last year, it’s going to be harder than ever for players to prove their worth and earn a spot on an NHL roster.

Will Weber (Miami class of ‘12) was a second round pick by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2007, and is currently rostered on their farm team, the Springfield Falcons. The Jackets, who are in desperate need of physical, offensive defensemen, could have used Weber in certain situations this year, if there were to be a season. Along with Matt Tomassoni (Miami class of ‘12), Reilly Smith (Miami class of ‘12), and others, job security is a little more worrisome than it usually is in the NHL. Those playing for the RedHawks right now will also have a tougher time holding a steady job on the ice as they head to the pros.

Of the Miami players that are currently drafted (Riley Barber, Curtis McKenzie, Sean Kuraly, Blake Coleman, Jimmy Mullin and most likely a few others soon, including Austin Czarnik), they will now join a bigger talent pool looking to make waves at a higher level.

The NHL lockout has been terrible for the game, and I fear it will cause irreparable damage to the image and popularity of the sport, but it is even more of an issue for those looking to make a career out of it. Everyone involved with the game has suffered, and if a deal isn’t reached quickly, RedHawks of the past and present might just have a tougher time finding work than originally thought.

The Miami University women’s basketball team improved to 5-3 on the season, defeating Wright State University (WSU) 72-52 at its fifth annual Class at the Court game Tuesday. Over 1,600 students from the Talawanda School District were in attendance for the game, and got to meet the players and coaches after the game.

“This is my favorite game of the year,” Head Coach Maria Fantanarosa said. “Of course the atmosphere in here is a lot of fun, but the purpose behind this is the best part.”

Senior forward Kirsten Olowinski made Miami history for the second consecutive game, as she became the 21st player in school history, joining senior guard Courtney Osborn, to score 1,000 career points. Olowinski hit the milestone at the 17:01 mark in the second half when she made two free throws, and finished with 12 points and 17 rebounds. The double-double was her third of the season and 33rd of her career, two short of the school record.

“It’s a great accomplishment,” Olowinski said. “It gives you that much more pride in being a Miami athlete.”

Osborn, who missed Saturday’s game due to a head injury, returned to action Tuesday and she did not miss a beat, finishing with a teamhigh 16 points and five rebounds.

“I’m doing good,” Osborn said.

“They wouldn’t let me play if I wasn’t good. It’s good to be back on the court.”

The RedHawks, sparked by the energy provided by the students, started the game on a 13-0 run. Junior guard Hannah Robertson had five points in the run, while junior guard Haley Robertson and Osborn added three pointers as well.

“These kids have so much energy, they bring so much,” Osborn said. “To not have energy [on the court] would be a disservice to them.”

After the Raiders scored seven unanswered points, Miami responded with their second 13-0 run in the first ten minutes to push the lead to 26-7. Osborn had five of

KIM PARENT THE MIAMI STUDENT

Miami University junior guard Hannah Robertson trots through a tunnel formed by students from the Talawanda School Distrcit. Robertson scored 15 points in the 72-54 victory over Wright State University. the points in that run, and four other RedHawks added baskets. WSU trimmed the Miami lead to 29-19 with 3:51 left in the first half, but that would be the closest the Raiders got the rest of the game. Miami closed the first half on a 10-2 run to open up a 39-21 lead at the half.

The RedHawks built their lead to 20 early in the second half, taking a 54-34 lead at the 15:18 mark off of a Hannah Robertson layup.

That would be the largest lead of the game, as the RedHawks cruised to a 72-54 victory.

“I think we took a very big step forward as a team,” Olowinski said. “It was great.”

Hannah Robertson finished with 15 points and junior forward Erica Almady recorded her second double-double of the season with 14 points and 12 rebounds. The RedHawks, who never trailed, shot

44.6 percent from the field (29-for65) and hit eight three pointers.

Miami also outrebounded Wright State 49-35 and held the Raiders to 30.3 percent (20-for-66) shooting.

“Our players are starting to take more pride in [rebounding],” Fantanarosa said. “Erica and Kirsten have made it their mission.”

Tuesday’s game was the last home non-conference game for the RedHawks, as they begin a stretch of seven road games Saturday at 2:00 p.m. against Cleveland State University. The Vikings are 3-4 on the season, but have won their last two games, including a win at Indiana University.

“Our schedule is going to get more competitive,” Fantanarosa said. “We’re not going to focus on home and away so much as taking our next step against better competition.”

HOCKEY

Red and White set for CCHA battle against Lake Superior State

BY Joe Gieringer Staff Writer

The Miami University men’s hockey team is preparing to square off against Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) opponent Lake Superior State University Lakers. The Red and White have not lost a game in over a month.

Miami (9-2-3) moved up one spot to No. 3 in both major college hockey polls this week, jumping the fourth-ranked University of Minnesota after the Gophers split their previous series with the Univerisity of Nebraska at Omaha.

The Red and White are currently first place in the CCHA with a 6-2-2 conference record.

Though the Lakers (7-9-0) nurture a losing record, they have split four of the five CCHA series they have played in thus far, including matchups against Ohio State University and Ferris State University.

The Lakers sit in eighth place in the 11 team CCHA, with a 4-6-0 conference record.

Miami Head Coach Enrico Blasi points to their size and

physicality as reasons for their ability to stay with conference’s best.

“Watching them on video, they’re a big, strong, physical team,” Blasi said. “They’ve got some skill up front that is veteran skill. [Dominic] Monardo … and

throw around in the corners.

“We’re looking at them as a big, tough team, and we’ve got to be ready to play,” said freshman forward Riley Barber, who along with classmate Sean Kuraly was named to the U.S. National Junior Team preliminary roster.

The obvious answer is that it’s really exciting to play in front of a home crowd. They fuel us a lot. I think we take a lot of pride in playing out there, and we don’t want anyone else to come in here and try to push us around.”

COdy Murphy

SOPHOMORE FORWARD

[Kellan] Lain killed us last year.

They’ll get after you, they’re aggressive, and they’re not afraid to play a grinding out style game.”

Indeed, senior forward Dominic Monardo is the Lakers’ leading scorer this season, netting five goals and seven helpers thus far.

And with seven skaters listed at over 6’0” and 200 pounds, Superior has a lot of size to

“We’re playing some good hockey right now, so we’ve got to keep it focused,” Barber said. “We don’t want to let off the pedal.”

Barber, who sits at second place on the CCHA scoring list behind sophomore linemate Austin Czarnik and repeated as CCHA Rookie of the Month, might very well have a chance to add to that

total this weekend. The Lakers have the second-worst penalty kill in the league, successfully killing just 75 percent of their man-down situations. In contrast, Miami has been converting 19 percent of their power play opportunities at home, which should give them an advantage during special teams play in a building where they have yet to be beaten this year.

“The obvious answer is that it’s really exciting to play in front of a home crowd,” sophomore forward Cody Murphy said of the RedHawks’ success on familiar ice. “They fuel us a lot. I think we take a lot of pride in playing out there, and we don’t want anyone else to come in here and try to push us around.”

A pair of RedHawks took home CCHA Player of the Week awards for their performances against the University of Alaska.

Czarnik won the Offensive Player of the Week, while freshman defenseman Michael Caito won Defensive Player of the Week.

The RedHawks will likely go back having their freshman goalies split time, as Ryan McKay returned against the University

of Alaska. He has yet to allow an even strength goal in the four games he has played in. Jay Williams has been impressive as well, posting a .918 save percentage.

This weekend especially, Miami can’t afford a mistake.

Though it remains at the top of the CCHA standings, Notre Dame University trails by a single point.

If they want to stay in first place, that likely means sweeping the series – which Blasi says starts with feeding off of the home crowd’s energy.

“You play anywhere on the road and you get that feeling that you’re the enemy, so for us our crowd has been great,” Blasi said.

“Hopefully we’ll be equal to the task on Friday, match the intensity from our fans, and give ourselves the best chance [to win].”

This weekend’s series against Lake Superior State will be Miami’s last home stand until the weekend of Jan. 26-27. The puck drops 7:35 p.m. Friday and 7:05 Saturday at the Goggin Ice Center.

Fans that are unable to attend can listen to the game at www.redhawkradio.com.