Establish 1826 — Oldest college newspaper west of the alleghenies
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
Volume 146 No. 4
Miami University — Oxford, ohio
BOARD TALKS BONDS Creamer cleared to issue $22 million TRUSTEES
Céilí doyle
asst. news editor
head coach chuck martin protests a delay of game call late in the fourth quarter before UC’s game-winning touchdown. photo by angelo Gelfuso
Bearcats Stun Redhawks late FOOTBALL
BRADY PFISTER staff writer
For nearly 59 minutes Saturday night, it appeared the Miami RedHawks (1-2, MAC 0-0) were going to defeat the Cincinnati Bearcats (2-1, 0-0 AAC) for the first time since 2005. With 1:07 remaining, the more than 20,000 fans inside Yager Stadium saw an interception for a touchdown to give Cincinnati the lead for good. “We should have won 17-14,” head
coach Chuck Martin said. “It should have been a hard-fought victory. It should have been exactly what we wanted, and unfortunately twice in three weeks, we’ve self-inflicted and not won football games.” For the majority of the matchup, Martin’s squad was doing what it took to get the victory, led once again by their defense. Senior defensive back Tony Reid played a huge role, collecting 11 tackles. Fellow defensive backs junior Josh Allen and Redshirt senior Heath Harding consistently shut down Bearcat attempts to set up bubble and tunnel
“We should have won ... It should have been a hard-fought victory.” Head Coach, Chuck Martin
screens in the flats. “We were ready for pretty much everything they gave us,” said cornerback Harding. “Hats off to our coaches for that because I think we were well
Last Friday, Sept. 15, Miami University’s Board of Trustees (BoT) passed a resolution granting David Creamer, senior vice president for finance and business services, the ability to issue $22 million worth of refunding bonds to manage the university’s debt. Creamer explained that this debt — and all long-term debt accrued by a state university — has to be financed through the issuance of tax-exempt bonds. “Tax-exempt bonds are things that corporations, banks and individuals buy that are then issued to the university,” Creamer said. “There is an annual interest payment that follows that, we use it only for capital construction. The law is very limiting on how we can use these mechanisms.” The debt in question accumulated from the university’s construction projects during 2012, in which several residence halls on East Quad were renovated. While Creamer will have the power to issue these refunding bonds between now and when the next payment is due in March 2018, it is unlikely he will.
continued on page 3
continued on page 7
International students asked to share their stories
A STUDENT DESCENDS INTO THE NEW ARMSTRONG ADDITION photo by ERIK CRAIGO
The first-year ‘shock’
GRAD STUDENT leno davis photo by Jugal Jain INTERNATIONAL
Devon Shuman managing editor
Last Thursday, roughly 30 students, faculty members and university employees dotted the seats of Kreger 319, a spacious lecture hall. They’d gathered for a Graduate Students of All Nations event, a Mindfulness Week session led
by Miami grad student Ancilleno Davis in which international students and faculty were invited to share stories of their experiences at Miami. Apart from Leno himself, very few international students were in the crowd. Notably absent were the authors of the stories, the very individuals Leno organized the continued on page 10
FOOD page 8
The first semester away at college is tough. Whether your parents washed your dirty laundry your whole life or you were the most self-sufficient, I-know-my-social-security-number-and-how-to-use-jumper-cables kid in your high school class, there’s some adjusting to do after arriving in Oxford. Among the things our first-year writers found
nEWS p.2
‘one miami’ climate survey Miami wants to know how you feel about life here on campus.
out:A box full of bright-pink tools isn’t the worst way to make friends. It can hurt to watch your parents drive away. No, Brick is not a movie theatre. Store-bought tortillas do not taste as good as your grandmother’s. It’s easy to feel lonely on campus — but there are always reasons not to. Read stories of first-year ‘shock’ from some of our new writers on Page 11.
CULTURE p.5
OPINION P. 12
dog on the job: oxford’s new k-9
GIVING THE SPACE TO SPEAK OUT
Meet Roscoe, the latest (and furriest) addition to the OPD.
We can do more to make international students’ voices heard.
SPORTS P.14
reid fights adversity for team Senior Tony Reid doesn’t let Crohn’s Disease stop him on the field.
WHY WAIT IN LINE?
Online & mobile ordering now available at Visit MiamiOH.edu/GET for more info or to download the CBORD GET app today!
2 NEWS
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
NEWS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET
Campus climate survey to be released this month SURVEY
JACK EVANS
MANAGING EDITOR
Miami University will soon be conducting its first comprehensive campus climate survey in 15 years. The One Miami Campus Climate Survey, which opens Sept. 26 and closes Oct. 27, will ask respondents about their personal experiences on campus and cover topics including diversity, sexual harassment and assault. Students, faculty and staff at the Oxford, Hamilton and Middletown campuses — regardless of full or part-time status — can all participate in the survey. The university held its very first campus climate survey in 1996, and then created a sec-
ond in 2002 — both focused primarily on student experiences related to diversity and inclusion. “Faculty and staff had been asking for one and there had been some student interest in one,” said Ron Scott, Miami’s vice president for institutional diversity and co-chair of the campus survey work group. “More importantly, when president Crawford came in, he said ‘Let’s find out what we are doing right and what we are doing wrong and what we need to improve.’” The original campus climate survey, commissioned by Miami more than two decades ago, posed 12 questions to students, staff and faculty. The resulting 1996 survey report revealed a campus that struggled with making minority
populations feel welcome. “Looking at the results for undergraduates, it’s striking to note almost three quarters (71 percent) have heard insensitive or disparaging comments about gays or lesbians from their fellow students,” reads the report. It goes onto say that “hearing such comments about [racial] minorities or women is much less common, yet surprisingly frequent.” About one-half of students heard disparaging comments directed towards racial minorities and 38 percent reported similar comments about women. The following survey 2002 was nearly identical in structure to the effort six years prior, and attempts to generate a third survey report in 2008 failed after the survey was improperly conducted, said De-
nise Krallman, Miami’s director of institutional research and the other co-chair of Miami’s campus survey work group. In creating the new campus climate survey, the work group aimed to avoid the problems of surveys past. They opted to hire Rankin and Associates, an outside consulting firm to help develop, administer and analyze Miami’s new survey. Rankin and Associates has conducted climate surveys for more than 170 organizations. One reason for using an outside firm is to help maintain anonymity for students’ responses. “It’s completely anonymous,” said Krallman. “Nobody at the university will know anything that people will say, and I think it’s really important I say that. When the data comes back to us, there is no way we will be
Craig Morgan plays Brick for charity
able to identify [individual students.]” Student Affairs and Student Health Services will still conduct their annual sexual assault campus climate in the spring, said Krallman. To encourage participation in the survey, respondents will be able to opt-in to a random drawing for one of 110 $45 Amazon gift cards after filling out the survey. “They are going to make recommendations on the results of this survey. If something stands out and needs being addressed, as we progress forward as a university, we would obviously want to go back to the population and do a follow-up,” said Krallman. “We want your voice. Miami wants to know about your experience.” evansjm4@miamioh.edu
Burger King comes to Oxford CITY COUNCIL
joe gurnig
the miami student
REECE PHILLIPS, A COUNTRY SINGER FROM WHITEHALL, IN, SINGS THE NATIONAL ANTHEM BESIDE FLAG-BEARING MIAMI NROTC MEMBERS. photo: Ryan terhune
CONCERT
julia plant
the miami student
Brick Street hosted country singer Craig Morgan for a concert Sunday evening to support the Special Operations Warrior Foundation (SOWF). Morgan, best known for his hits “International Harvester” and “That’s What I Love About Sunday” attracted Miami students, Oxford residents and fans from afar to gather Uptown and give back to a good cause. All proceeds from the concert went to SOWF, which provides college scholarships to surviving children of fallen Special Operations Forces. Mark Weisman, owner of Brick Street, was inspired by a colleague of his to choose SOWF. “John Saputo, who owns Ohio Eagle Distribution, where we purchase our Budweiser products, is a retired colonel in the Marines,” Weisman said. “After learning about John’s experiences in the Marines…we decided that we wanted to contribute to a military cause.” Weisman believed the concert would
raise awareness of the sacrifices made by the military and hoped it would give Miami students a greater appreciation of the opportunities they have. Reece Phillips, another country singer, sang the national anthem and went on to open for Morgan. His performance was followed by brief speeches from retired Navy Seal commander Dan O’Shea and Ohio congressman Warren Davidson. Afterward, Aaron Conner, a past recipient of SOWF aid, spoke about his personal experience with the foundation and the impact it left on families of fallen soldiers. “My entire life did a 180 after the loss of my father, and I needed the community that SOWF provided me during that time,” Conner said. “They are so selfless in seeing us succeed despite the loss that we’ve had.” When Conner was only 14, his father, a sergeant major, was killed in action in Iraq. SOWF assisted Conner throughout the college application process and helped to finance his education. Conner went on to receive degrees in elementary and special education from Samford University in Alabama.
“Kids in my situation have to deal with a lot of trauma at a young age,” Conner said. “The SOWF takes the huge burden of finance off of families, which allows the student to go ahead and do what perhaps they wouldn’t have been able to do after the loss of their father.” Pre-event sales numbered 600 on Sunday, and many more purchased walk-up tickets. Kathy Long, a resident of Liberty, IN, said she frequently makes the quick trip to Ohio to come to concerts in Oxford. “My cousin is in the military, so when we heard that Craig Morgan was performing and 100 percent of proceeds were going to this charity, I just had to come,” Long said. Sophomore Luke Schroeder and his friends came out to see the concert mainly because they knew all funds were going to charity. “We knew our money would be going to a good cause,” Schroeder said. “It was nice to be able to give back.” plantjq@miamoh.edu @julia_plant
Miami University and Community Federal Credit Union
Auto Loan Rebate Bring us your auto loan and we will give you a Cash Rebate of up to $200 For More Info. Contact our loan officers Pam Gramman or Kristine Dengler at (513)523-8888
Want The Student in your inbox?
Tab! subscribe to our newsletter at miamistudent.net/tab
Offer Expires 12/31/17 • Rebate check is payable to you upon the closing of your loan. N
D
E
RA
IO
E • F
M I AM I U A ND C O M N
S ITY ER I V UN I T Y M
U L C REDIT
N
improving lives everyday
Call for complete details on the above product offering. APY, Rates, Terms and Conditions are subject to change without notice and individual credit worthiness. MUCFCU is not a legal entity of the University.
After deliberating for nearly an hour, Oxford’s city council unanimously agreed to allow a Burger King to be built in town. Drive-thru establishments require an extra permit, so that was the main topic of debate at the meeting. The building, which will be located at 5093 College Corner Pike, will be approximately 2,800 square feet and will take the place of two residential buildings between an auto parts store and an insurance office. The council’s main concerns were if the new building would fit certain environmental standards, parking limits and sign limits. The council decided to have the restaurant remove three parking spots in front of the dumpster since they wouldn’t be needed. They also decided the restaurant needed to go from five proposed signs to two. The conern behind the number of signs was due to light pollution and tree coverage. Planned hours of operation will be 6 am to midnight everyday. No open date has been set for the location. gurnigjn@miamioh.edu
Fake facts fought at forum Media
Amanda Parel
the miami student
Fake news. Over the past several months, the buzzword phrase has been scrutinized by politicians, scholars, journalists, television commentators and media consumers alike. Today, from 5 to 6 p.m., King Library and the Rinella Learning Center will be hosting a “Know Your News” workshop designed to provide students with resources and strategies for evaluating news sources in order to distinguish “fake news” from reliable reporting. The session will be held in King Library room 134 (the Advanced Inquiry Space). Participants will discuss journalism, learn how to recognize authentic journalism and practice identifying fake news articles with provided examples. Facilitating the workshop is Nate Floyd, a librarian for Miami’s Media, Journalism and Film department. “Fake news is certainly a problem, but I think what’s even more alarming is the way fake news has been mobilized as this political weapon,” said Floyd. “It seems to me the problem isn’t really fake news. The problem is people just calling any news they disagree with ‘fake.’” Floyd also wants students to recognize the difference between fake news and biased news. “Breitbart is biased, but it’s not fake,” Floyd said. Fake news articles are often posted just for clicks, Floyd explained, which can bring in revenue for the people posting them. “The story doesn’t matter. You click on it, the ads load and that’s the magic moment,” Floyd said. “The ads load, money changes hands.” Floyd hopes to help students navigate this messy problem with an introduction to journalism studies. Discussing what media scholars are saying continued on page 10
news@miamistudent.net
3 NEWS
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
Pearson’s secret garden is out of season CONSTRUCTION
samantha brunn Senior staff writer
“Have you seen the secret garden yet?” First-year botany student Jess Lyons had not yet seen the fabled garden, but she was intrigued. She walked to Pearson Hall, and, with the unfamiliarity of a firstyear student in their first week of classes, tried to find her way to the basement. She walked through the newly narrow and winding hallways, stopping each time she came upon a staircase only to discover it was blocked off just before reaching the basement. Finally, she found the one staircase that remained open. But, instead of finding the garden she had imagined, Jess came upon a padlocked door with a sign: Construction zone. Do not enter. The secret garden was gone. $32.6 million renovations to Pearson Hall have begun, and the garden has been excavated to make way for an atrium. The teaching and research labs will be modernized, along with improvements to offices and common areas, as well as updated circula-
Pearson hall’s garden once held A VARIETY OF plants.
tion, mechanical, electric and fire systems, according to the Board of Trustees documents from Feb. 2017. In the meantime, temporary labs reside in Hughes Hall while the renovations take place. Susan Hoffman, associate pro-
fessor of biology, had been caring for the garden up until a few years ago, when she was notified it would be removed in the planned renovations. “After that, it basically fell into disrepair,” Hoffman said. “Very few students would hang out
photo COURTESY OF SUSAN HOFFMAN
there anyway.” The departments housed in Pearson agreed a common space for students, one that was not a well-kept secret, was needed in the renovations. “Whenever I walk through Pearson Hall, I’m always amazed
at the number of students gathered in the narrow corridors waiting on class change,” Cody Powell, associate vice president of facilities planning and operations, said. “When you look at the other buildings we have renovated, we see a lot of open gathering space where students and faculty are encouraged to spend time together and collaborate.” But in the past, the garden in Pearson was a place for students and faculty to come together and experiment with warm-weather plants. “There was bamboo, magnolia and a bunch of other plants there,” Hoffman said. “Once I became in charge of its care, I added some flowering plants.” While the garden is gone, though, mementos from it remain. The stone benches were removed and placed on campus; one is near MacMillan Hall. “The plants were dug up and given to new homes as well,” Hoffman said. “So at least parts of it are still around.” While first-year students like Jess will never see the garden in its prime, they will witness the completed Phase I renovations to Pearson by August 2019. brunnsj@miamioh.edu
STUDENTS GATHERED FOR A MASSIVE TAILGATE BEFORE THE HOMECOMING GAME AGAINST UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI RYAN TERHUNE PHOTO EDITOR
Bearcats Stun Redhawks late continued from page 1
fense came up with timely turnovers deep inside their own territory. The first of such plays came early in the 2nd quarter, in which junior defensive back De’Andre Montgomery picked off UC quarterback junior Hayden Moore at the Miami 8-yard line -- denying the Bearcats the chance to take the lead. The second interception of the night came from Redshirt sophomore defensive back Cedric Asseh in his own end zone, followed by a 46-yard return, once again rejecting Moore a touchdown pass. However, UC’s defense led by head coach Luke Fickell and defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman also came to play. In the first half alone, the Bearcats only surrendered four yards off 11 carries on the ground and allowed a mere 70 total rushing yards overall.
The exception to Miami’s ground game struggles came in their opening drive of the second half -- Cincinnati tried a quarterback sneak on fourth and short at their own 34-yard line and came up short. The RedHawks, led by Redshirt junior running back Kenny Young, ran the ball on four of their five plays on the drive, ending with a one yard touchdown run by Young to put the Red and White up 14-3. From that point on, the RedHawks defense looked in control, only allowing a field goal up until late in the fourth quarter. Following a sophomore Sam Sloman field goal to put the ‘Hawks up 17-6 with 4:45 to go, Moore marched the Bearcats 75 yards down the field in 1:56 and connected with junior wide receiver Kahlil Lewis on a 2-point conversion to slim the ‘Hawks lead to 17-14 with 2:49 remaining.
Following a kickoff Miami freshman wide receiver Jaylon Bester bobbled and only returned to the 5-yard line, Miami began to drain the clock. After small gains on first and second down, the RedHawks faced third and two from their own 13-yard line. Martin, planning to let the play clock tick down, failed to call timeout, leading a delay of game penalty. “A miscommunication with the official with a minute left cost us the game and that’s on me,” Martin said post-game. “I’m not blaming the officials in any way shape or form. We had a miscommunication. I thought he knew that we were calling timeout and he did not know it, obviously, and threw a flag on me instead of calling a timeout.” On the ensuing play, Miami elected to give Redshirt junior quarterback Gus Ragland the green light to pick up the first in the air. However, Cincinnati
E V E N T S
junior safety Malik Clements undercut his throw, picked it off, and took it 14 yards to the endzone, giving Cincinnati a 2117 lead with 1:02 to go. “They doubled him,” Martin said of the intended receiver on the interception. “Obviously he [Ragland] didn’t see it. The ball should have went outside.” Despite the sudden shift in momentum, Ragland put together an impressive drive -- putting the RedHawks at the Cincinnati 20-yard line with just under 20 seconds remaining. On third and five from this spot, Ragland lobbed the ball into the corner of the end zone intended for Redshirt sophomore wide receiver Luke Mayock. A flag came out late for pass interference, but after discussion was waved off, making it fourth and five for the ‘Hawks. Ragland was flushed from the pocket on that fourth down and was hit as he threw an incom-
T H I S
plete pass, securing the Cincinnati victory. “The kids played their hearts out,” Martin said. “Very, very difficult defeat, the most difficult defeat I’ve had in 25 years probably by a wide margin. The reason it’s so difficult is because how hard our kids played.” Harding reiterated the frustration felt throughout Miami’s locker room. “You use it [defeat] as fuel for not ever feeling like this ever again,” Harding said. “I think we’re going to have a good practice tomorrow, we’re going to have a good week, and we’re going to come back next week stronger.” The RedHawks will look to get back in the win column on the road next week against Central Michigan as their quest for a MAC championship begins. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. pfistejb@miamioh.edu
W E E K
Who Owns the City?
Chinese Festival
UniDiversity Festival
Hike-A-Thon
Armstrong Pavilion C Tuesday, 5 p.m.
Cook Field and Uptown Park Friday, 2 - 8:30 p.m.
Uptown Park Saturday, 4 - 8 p.m.
4824 Oxford Road Saturday, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Come hear renowned author Saskia Sassen speak at the Armstrong Student Center tonight! Co-chair of Columbia’s Committee on Global Thought, Sassen is wellknown for her work and writings on globalization and transnational human migration.
This Friday, Miami’s Confucius Institute will host the fourth annual Chinese Festival. The celebration will begin at Cook Field with martial arts and kite-flying, before shifting Uptown at 5 for cultural activities and performances. Come learn about Chinese culture at this free and open event!
Sponsored by the Center for American and World Cultures, the UniDiversity Festival will celebrate Latin American and Caribbean cultures. Expect food, music, dancing, arts and crafts, children’s activities and informational booths as part of the 15th annual festival.
Looking to get out there and enjoy the crisp autumn weather? Take a hike and explore Miami’s Natural Areas at Hike-A-Thon Plus. Opt for the 1-, 3- or 5-mile course and discover the natural beauty of this 1,000-acre region filled with beautiful woodlands and streams. No registration required!
4 CULTURE
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
perelmak@mIamioh.edu
The cure for loneliness is in the lines: Miami Theatre Department prepares for ‘The Flick’ theatre
madeline mitchell the miami student
A new movie theater has been installed in the basement of Miami’s Center for Performing Arts. But they aren’t showing movies here. Instead, they are rehearsing for “The Flick,” the Theatre Department’s first play this season, which opens next week in Studio 88. The play follows the lives of Rose, Sam and Avery, three individuals who are all facing their own demons and insecurities. Through their interactions with one another, a snapshot unfolds for the audience of their journey to discover themselves and their relationships. Annie Baker, the playwright, plays with concepts of love, friendship and the act of moving on. Less than five weeks of rehearsal were allotted to the cast and crew before their opening night. “It’s been really intense,” said
sophomore Kate Herman, who plays Rose, the only female character in the play. “We blocked the entire show in like eight rehearsals.” Although the rehearsal period has been short, Sophomore Shelby Scaffidi, the stage manager, believes that it has served the team well. “I just came off of ‘Wild Party’ which is like the opposite of this, in which we had Spring Break in the middle of it and there was like eight weeks,” she said. “It’s been sort of stressful, but also kind of nice because we know exactly how much time we have and it’s very easy to visualize. It’s short, but it’s good.” Within these three short weeks, the cast has delved into the depths of the play’s characters. Under the guidance of their director, Saffron Henke, each actor has discovered ways in which they relate to the characters they are portraying. Junior Ben Cobb finds himself especially similar to his character,
Sam. “My character is too much like my past version of me,” Cobb said. “It’s really, really strange.” Sam’s personality in the play is lonely and reserved, with many emotions waiting to bubble over. When Cobb reflects on his high school self, he can see similarities. Junior Joshua George has also found a deep connection to his character, Avery, who in the show is a quiet young man with a passion for film. “It’s been really interesting because Avery is- I’m very similar to him,” George said. “And if I were shy and awkward all the time, and I’m only partly all the time, I would be Avery.” Herman notices this in George too, and can relate in the same way to her own character. “I found it to be a lot easier to relate to the characters versus other shows just because of how the play is written,” she said. “This show reaches out to a lot of people and
can grab you by the gut if you really get involved in it. I think it’s a really beautiful show.” Cobb also notes that just because there are many similarities between himself and the character of Sam, that doesn’t change his process as an actor. “I’m just one of those people that when I start to play the character, just do it, do what the director tells you, and eventually the character kind of gets molded out of that,” he said. “[Sam] is a really fun guy to play — super energetic, and he has a lot of great little moments.” The cast and crew agree that one of the beauties of this play is that there is no clear cathartic ending. Instead of catharsis, the audience will be getting an in-depth look at the lives of these three characters. They want to warn audience members that it can get pretty personal. “It’s not catharsis. Do not come here for catharsis,” George said. “It’s not a plot-based show. It’s very surrounded by these three charac-
ters and their failure to be normal. And they all have this notion that they can’t do anything right.” George and Herman tried to encourage each other to figure out a definite way to describe the meaning of the play and after a few minutes of brainstorming, they reached a conclusion: “This show does a really good job of portraying real life,” Herman said. “I think that this show is all about realizing that you’re not alone.” While there still isn’t an operating movie theater in Oxford’s city limits, “The Flick” will serve as an intriguing and reflective entertainment choice for students and locals alike. Performances are on Wednesday, September 27 through Saturday, September 30 at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday, October 1 at 2 p.m. in Studio 88 Theatre. Tickets can be purchased online or at the door. mitche49@miamioh.edu
Homecoming Huddle
Miami alumni and x factor veterans The Bundy’s headlined homecoming weekend kat Holleran Assistant Photo EDITOR
Alt-country trio The Bundys return to Miami to perform in Uptown Park Community
Erin Glynn
the miami student
Uptown Park bustled with students, alumni and Oxford families as the Homecoming Huddle began. This new evolution of the traditional Homecoming Parade appeared to be a success among Miami fans. The Homecoming court took the stage first, sharing favorite Miami memories and advice for freshmen. Many thanked the city of Oxford for partnering seamlessly with the university for not only this event, but many others they had enjoyed during their time at Miami. The Bundys would be taking the stage next. The scene Uptown was like something out of an admissions brochure. Groups of students sat on the lawn talking and laughing as they ate Skipper’s fries and Insomnia cookies, waiting for the concert to begin. Children danced and played tag, families and alumni greeted each other as they set up lawn chairs on the border of the park. When the Bundys took the stage and began to play, their cheerful and laid-back style perfectly complemented the atmosphere of the Homecoming
celebration. The Bundys are musical siblings from Wyoming, Ohio, all three of whom graduated from Miami (Megan in 2009, Katy in 2012 and Ryan in 2015). The siblings started out recording music individually before competing together on “The X Factor” in 2013. Eventually, they moved down to Nashville where they experimented with country before finding their own sound. Their sound has been described as alternative country, or occasionally Americana, and is akin to the music of The Civil Wars or Kacey Musgraves. The Bundys’ music has a twangy, almost eerie quality to it, but is ultimately homey and down-to-earth. The siblings each have a strong voice that fits their chosen genre beautifully, and they harmonize well together. The majority of the songs they played were from their debut album, Louisiana Avenue, released in 2015, but they also performed some covers, including Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire” and The Civil Wars’ “From This Valley.” The Bundys previewed some songs from their new EP as well, which will be released in the next few weeks. One such song was “King,” a charming play on the “love story” between King Henry VIII
and Anne Boleyn. Ryan described it as “one of our favorite songs to play live,” most likely because its upbeat tempo is a subtle diversion from the rest of the siblings’ songs. The trio shared their own Miami memories between songs and frequently professed how glad they were to be back in Oxford. “Oxford is a magical place, as you all know,” Ryan remarked. Katey, a Miami merger, told the crowd that she wished her husband could have joined them for the trip back to campus. “Tell them where you met,” Ryan interjected. “I wish I could say we met at the library, like at King, but we met at The Woods,” Katey said, laughing. The siblings’ playful attitudes and obvious common ground with current students and alumni alike gave them a fun rapport with the crowd. The Bundys finished their performance with a song called “Home.” “Because we are home,” Ryan concluded. glynnee@miamioh.edu
An evening aboard the Mystery Bus student life
Duard Headley
the miami student
There was an air of uncertainty hanging over the bus stop as I arrived outside of Shriver. This was the site from which the Miami Mystery Tour Bus would depart, but the amassed people, myself included, didn’t seem to know which of the various buses at the stop was ours. After asking around, I learned that the
general consensus was that ours was the large charter bus at the back of the row. This was confirmed when a woman disembarked, waved us all over and checked our names off of a list one by one. The relief that we were in the right place was palpable, and after boarding the vehicle, people quickly sat with their friends and began discussing what the evening was going to hold. The so-called mystery bus left campus at 4:30 and set off toward its destination. Where it was heading was anybody’s
guess. Except for the fact that most of the students aboard seemed to know exactly where we were heading. Whether they pieced it together from the obvious photo of the Great American Ball Park on the event’s advertisement as I had, or figured it out from the various hats and shirts that were worn that bore the distinctive Cincinnati C, it was obvious that this tour was taking us out to the ball game to watch the Cincinnati Reds take on the Pittsburgh Pirates. Despite the fact that most everyone
knew our destination, upon arrival, we were greeted by an unexpected surprise. The booths and trucks of Oktoberfest lined the Cincinnati streets, and with over an hour before the game started, we were free to wander the beer-soaked lanes, grab a pretzel or two, and listen to the bands that were scattered throughout the festival. The students that accompanied me seemed genuinely excited to be here. Continued on next page
perelmak@mIamioh.edu
CULTURE 5
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
Humans of Oxford Selena Pickett: Self-taught pianist
bo brueck The Miami Student
people
colleen grimm
the miami student
It’s 5:30 a.m. and Selena Pickett’s alarm has just gone off. She rolls out of bed. Drowsily, she gets ready for the day — making her bed, getting dressed and fixing breakfast in her chilly dorm room. But she has one morning routine that many others don’t: she practices piano. As a psychology major and criminology minor, Selena plans on heading to law school after graduation. But that isn’t her sole focus. If she had a choice, there is another dream job she’d rather have: musician. Selena entered her first singing competition at age 10. Then, when she was 13, she set her sights on the piano.
Selena has been surrounded by music her whole life. Most of the people in her family play instruments, so singing and picking up an instrument wasn’t new to her. But that doesn’t mean she had help. She taught herself how to play the piano. She went to the library and checked out books and spent a lot of time on Google to learn how to play. Although she has come far since she started, being self-taught comes with its own challenges. “I get self-conscious when I see others who have been taking lessons for years and years,” Selena said. She also looked into minoring in music, but found out that no one in the program is selftaught. But music is still a big part of Selena’s life. She listens to it while studying, and, if she’s feeling stressed, she does anything music-related to calm
herself down. Music is Selena’s escape. “I’ve always been a quiet person. It’s the best way to express my emotions,” Selena said. “When I’m performing — it’s when I’m most open.” Even though the music industry isn’t easy, if given the opportunity, she would love to pursue music in the future. “If I didn’t have to worry at all, I would be a musician.” On campus, Selena is a member of the Miami University Gospel Singers, but she doesn’t play piano for anyone but herself. For now, Selena will continue to spend her mornings practicing piano while her roommate, and most of campus, continues to sleep. grimmcl@miamoh.edu
Dog on the job: Oxford’s new K-9 police officer Police
hannah williams the miami student
Officer Matt Hardin instructs me to wait in the building while he gets Roscoe out of his police cruiser. It’s easy to spot which one is his because the license plate reads “K-9.” The 90-pound German Shepard bounds out of the car and leaps at the door in excitement, looking happy as can be. Roscoe, whose jet black coat is interrupted only by the light brown of his paws and legs, is still a puppy at heart, despite being an adult dog at 20 months old and having a professional job. Roscoe is Oxford’s new K-9 officer. Like most police dogs, he’s responsible for a number of duties, including drug searches, locating missing people, finding evidence and patrol work. Imported from Holland, Roscoe started his initial training as a puppy at Shallow Creek Kennels. He was then prepared for a 12-week handler course where Hardin worked with him for the last half of that time. The training process was strenuous. Hardin and Roscoe spent over 40 hours a week working together during their time at Shallow Creek. The two had to learn how to interact with each other. Part of the challenge was Roscoe’s heritage because he only takes commands in Dutch. “It’s very frustrating at times, but it’s
From previous page
Most of them had never been on a tour like this before, and they all seemed pretty satisfied with the two-for-one festival/ball game experience. I wholeheartedly agreed, and after securing a dinner of bratwurst and lemonade, I threaded through the throngs of fair-goers to take in the sights. My favorite band was one at the very back of the festival. The three-man group, dressed in lederhosen and feathered hats, sang traditional German songs that I couldn’t understand, but could certainly tap my foot along to. As 7:30 approached, I found my way to my seat, four levels above the field, and settled in to watch the game with my fellow Miamians. The Reds started the game off with an explosive home run from Joey Votto, getting the crowd suitably excited. Shortly after that, the Jumbotron cut to our section,
rewarding,” said Hardin. “The emotions kind of travel up and down the leash.” Despite some of the initial frustration, Hardin and Roscoe live and work together full-time and have built a good rapport. Hardin says Roscoe is good with his wife and two children, and gets along well with the family’s other dog. He’s very much become a part of the family, even begging for extra treats. Even though he’s settling in well at home, Roscoe still knows he has an important job to do. “When I get dressed for work and we get in the car, then he knows it’s time for work,” said Hardin. Roscoe has been on the job for only a little over a month — he officially started on August 8 — but in that time he has already gone on 10 drug searches, an area search and has aided in four narcotics charges. Roscoe, like Oxford’s previous police dogs, is a dual purpose K-9, meaning he does both drug work and patrol work. Hardin says that many larger agencies, like NYPD, have dogs that only respond for dog calls, but smaller cities like Oxford are more limited in their numbers. So when Hardin responds to regular calls, Roscoe does too. Roscoe’s most important duty is to sniff out drugs. Hardin believes this makes him a valuable asset to the Oxford Police and community. While Roscoe does not regularly work
with other police officers, he still lights up the office with his sweet personality. It’s clear he’s charmed the entire department. During my visit to the office, Roscoe bounded around looking for attention from anyone who would give it to him. “He’s a puppy, you know? He’s playful,” said Chief John Jones. “He seems great around people, or at least he has been around us.” Jones also says that in contrast to the K-9s Oxford has had in the past, OPD’s Latest addition to the force contributed by claire williams Roscoe seems a bit calmer, at least in the sation starter. sense that he doesn’t bark “They’ll see the dog in the car and ask, as frequently. Jones believes this is because of the way he was trained as puppy. ‘what kind of dog do you have?’” Hardin hopes that Roscoe can help For Hardin, one of the most rewarding things working with Roscoe is the people have a more positive image of the connection with the community. He says police. After all, it is pretty hard to resist that while many people wouldn’t nor- those puppy dog eyes. mally want to approach a police officer, seeing Roscoe in the car can be a conver- williahe@miamioh.edu
giving us some time on the big screen to flail about and act goofy. I’ve always been a sucker for the spotlight, so this exposé was especially fun. The Reds slammed in three more home runs, bringing the score to 4-1 and putting them comfortably in the lead over Pittsburgh. By this point, I was reasonably convinced that the home team would achieve a victory, but that didn’t make me root, root, root for them any less. All around me, my fellow Miamians sat in groups and chatted about the game. It seemed that there were some real baseball fans in the house, as much of the discussion centered around which player was the best, and how the Reds would fare against various other teams. The scent of popcorn and hot dogs, mixed with the ball park jingles and hum of the crowd, created a warm and inviting atmosphere. To me, there’s something unique about the baseball experience, something nostalgic and familiar that
brought up memories of family outings and special occasions. It’s a pleasant feeling, and I found myself wondering why it’d been so long since I’d been to a baseball game. In the bottom of the seventh inning, the spokesman announced that they would be putting up groups on the Jumbotron for special thanks and, lo and behold, “Miami Mystery Bus Tours” adorned the screen. Between our camera appearance and the shout out, it seemed that Miami was getting ample time on the big screen. As the eighth inning arrived, the Reds achieved their 11th strikeout of the game, and per stadium rules, everyone in the stands got free pizza. After the game ended in a 4-2 Reds victory, the stadium put on a fireworks show to celebrate. In recognition of the festival from earlier, the show’s music was Oktoberfest themed, and the fireworks exploded to the tunes of the Chicken Dance and Rock Me Amadeus.
Over the Ohio River, the luminous fireworks cast glittering reflections across the water’s surface. The impressive spectacle was the cherry on top of a successful game and an entertaining evening. As fans filed out of the ball park, the sense of satisfaction that accompanies victory was in the air. Following the surging river of people, we exited the stadium and made our way back to the bus, settling in once more as it sped back toward Oxford. Although it hadn’t been a very mysterious evening, it had certainly been fun and an experience I can definitely recommend to anyone with a sense of adventure and a free Friday night. Next month’s tour will be Halloween-themed, so maybe I’ll be back for another, more haunting adventure. headledd@miamioh.edu
78297
6
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
News@mIamistudent.net
THE NEW SUCCESS STORY STARTS WITH SOUND ADVICE FOR ALL.
BUILT TO PERFORM. CREATED TO SERVE.
For nearly 100 years, we’ve been helping people like you plan for retirement, whether you have $500 or $5 million. Let’s plan for your success at TIAA.org/advice
INVESTING
ADVICE
BANKING
RETIREMENT
Investment, insurance and annuity products are not FDIC insured, are not bank guaranteed, are not bank deposits, are not insured by any federal government agency, are not a condition to any banking service or activity, and may lose value. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC, Member FINRA and SIPC. 182798
willi501@mIamioh.edu
7
Tuesday, september 19, 2017
BOARD TALKS BONDS continued from FRONT
The university would likely only issue refunding bonds is if the interest rate of the refunding bonds is lower than the interest rate of the tax exempt bonds, said Creamer. Currently, issuing the refunding bonds would not save the university any money. John Altman, committee chair of the
BoT’s finance and audit subcommittee, introduced the resolution at the meeting on Friday to the rest of the board. It passed unanimously. “We asked for the authority for me [to issue the bonds] because interest rates can move significantly at times and if we for some reason saw a dramatic drop in rates between now and March then I would move to execute the
refunding bonds,” Creamer said. “But as I explained to the board the odds of that are not great, but I don’t want to be in a position that I couldn’t do that should that exception occur.” Additionally, Altman presented the 2017-2018 fiscal budget that allocated funds toward general expenditures including: salaries, staff benefits, scholarships, fellowships and student fee
waivers as well as graduate assistant fee waivers and utilities. The budget was enacted following the presentation at the meeting, and ended up totaling $801,805,978. doyleca3@miamioh.edu @cadoyle_18
Made-up mailbag continued from p. 14
Allen led the backfield in snaps, carries, and targets as well, so expect him to continue to be the guy in Baltimore. His work in the passing game was most encouraging, for the Ravens will not always be playing with a commanding lead over a young Browns or struggling Bengals squad. Today’s NFL teams are entirely willing to abandon the run if they get behind, so receiving backs are most likely to salvage a bad week and have a respectable weekly floor. Running back Chris Carson also became the leader in Seattle’s backfield. After an excellent pre-season and pedestrian outings from his competition, Carson took the starting job and now looks to run with it. He got 80 percent of the Seahawks’ running back carries, and head coach Pete Carroll entrusted him with icing the game late. I am concerned with his limited involvement in the passing game, fellow running back (and converted wide receiver) C.J. Prosise handles those duties, but Carson is the only one who has shown any ability to run behind Seattle’s poor offensive line. Wide receiver Marqise Lee garnered 12 targets in the Jacksonville Jaguars’ first game after losing wide receiver Allen Robinson for the season to injury. Quarterback Blake Bortles was back slingin’ it in garbage time, so the number one wide receiver role in Jacksonville will be a fantasy commodity on a week-by-week basis. Around the league, running backs Derrick Henry, D’Onta Foreman, and Tarik Cohen may also have changing workloads. The Tennessee Titans’ Henry saw 14 carries to fellow running back Demarco Murray’s nine while doing significantly better with the carries he got. It is unclear how much the Titans’ lead or Murray’s possibly lingering hamstring injury had to do with Henry’s big game, but the possibility of Henry unseating Murray full-time needs monitoring. Houston Texans’ rookie Foreman also saw more carries than expected -- garnering 12 carries to supposed full time starter Lamar Miller’s 18. Foreman has looked good thus far, so he has upside moving forward. Chicago Bears’ Cohen, who showed up in the mailbag last week, had eight catches to salvage a respectable outing on an abysmal day running the ball for the Bears. It appears backfield mate Jordan Howard is injured and that the Bears will continue to play from behind. Cohen will continue to have a safe weekly floor in PPR leagues. Q: Was the firing of Bengal’s OC Ken Zampese the most shocking result of week 2 in the NFL? I know other stuff happened, but come on, look how long they let Mike Nugent kick for.
A: The Bengals are indeed an organization that is glacial to respond to change. This is the first time in their 50 years firing a coordinator midseason. Loyal to a fault, it was only surprising because it was the Bengals. For most other teams, it would have been a no-brainer after such anemic performances back-to-back at home. For the Bengals, who still think the 2014 version of running back Jeremy Hill is coming back, it was, like you said, shocking. It came down to the Bengal’s inability or unwillingness to get their playmakers the ball -- as all-world wide receiver A.J. Green lamented after the game. Elsewhere around the league, I was surprised by Seattle, Arizona, Carolina and both participants in the Broncos vs Cowboys game. Seattle’s offensive struggles thus far are a major concern. The Packers and 49ers both stymied the Seahawks despite being easily handled by other offenses. Russell Wilson has not gotten in a rhythm at all. A road trip to Tennessee next week means we may have to wait until October for a home game against the Colts to see the Seattle offense come to life. Arizona and Carolina also put up stinkers on offense against defenses that were not expected to pose much of a challenge. Arizona should be on high alert after a second straight week of disappointment, but they get a battered secondary that was suspect to begin with at home against Dallas next week on Monday Night Football. The Dallas secondary, and the entire defense, was seemingly exposed against Denzver. Many were puzzled last week that the Cowboys were able to contain the Giants despite losing nearly their entire secondary to free agency, but it looks like a mirage after Trevor Siemian and company moved the ball at will to open the game. On at least three separate occasions, Cowboys defenders were juked out of their shoes on a route. Meanwhile, the vaunted Cowboys running game managed a misleadingly high 40 yards. Star running back Ezekiel Elliott had nine carries for eight yards against what was formerly the best line in football. The off-season retirement of right tackle Doug Free caught up to the Cowboys in the game, as new right tackle La’el Collins was abused by the Broncos’ Von Miller, surrendering 11 pressures. Most talking heads picked the Cowboys to win, so Denver’s dominance and Dallas’ dud was unexpected. Thanks for making it through another MadeUp Mailbag, and see you next time. Also, if you’d like to make the mailbag slightly less made-up, send me questions at schletna@miamioh.edu or @Nschlete on Twitter, and I’ll (probably) ascribe the question to whoever you’d like.
Reid fights adversity continued from p. 14
has been something he’s dealing with since 2010, but is not something he is going to let stand in his way. “Going into my freshman year, trying to make the JV football team my stomach just started hurting really bad,” Reid said of the time he first discovered he had Crohn’s. “I was in the hospital for two weeks and I couldn’t finish trying out for the JV football team my freshman year.” Devastated not to be on the field, Reid continued to take precautions, especially considering his family history of colon cancer. From 2010 on, Reid has had to go to the doctor to get Remicade infusions,
a treatment used to reduce the symptoms of Crohn’s. Another way Crohn’s affects Reid’s life is his diet -- because certain foods cause bleeding, the senior safety has to be particular about what he puts into his body. “Crohn’s players have to be very good about their diet,” said Eversole. “There are things that an 18- to 22-year-old kid usually likes to eat like the spicy food, fried foods, alcohol. Those are all things that unfortunately, for an 18- to 22-yearold kid, are pretty much out if they’re going to try to control their Crohn’s naturally.” Reid also mentioned diet as one of the
CAMPUS WAS VISITED TWICE THIS WEEK BY RELIGOUS ACTIVISTS JUGAL JAIN ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
obstacles that Crohn’s brings, citing the difficulty of avoiding some of his favorite food. However, one thing is certain -Reid is not going to let this disease get in the way of playing the game he loves with the people he loves. “I don’t let little things get to me,” Reid said. “I just love this game. I love my teammates.” Eversole reiterated the resolve of Reid, citing the sacrifices he makes to keep himself on the football field. “He’s disciplined enough, he’s tough enough that he doesn’t let that [Crohn’s] stand in his way,” Eversole said. Reid’s love for football and the men he plays with is infectious and shines in the
way the 2017 ‘Hawks play. When the offense started to struggle, there was Reid and his teammates to give the ball right back to their offense, no matter what he went through leading up to the game. “I love Miami. Miami has done so much for me,” Reid said. “I’m going to give my all for Miami and my teammates. I love this university, like I said. It’s done so much for me so why not give back to it.” Reid embodies an outstanding player and a selfless teammate, making his multi-turnover performance against Austin Peay much more than just an incredible athletic feat. pfister@miamioh.edu
FOOD
8
willi501@mIamioh.edu
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
On a crescent roll:
Story and recipes by Emily Williams Photos by A.J. Newberry
They’re good for more than pigs in a blanket
O
ne of the first cooking duties entrusted to me was preparing crescent rolls. It’s a simple task, but a satisfying one — hearing that punctuated “pop!” as the cardboard tube opens, methodically rolling each triangle of dough from base to point and, in less time than it takes to set the table, opening the oven to find a baking sheet full of fluffy, golden half-moons. It’s likely you’ve passed them around the table at Thanksgiving dinner or scarfed them down at elementary school birthday parties as pigs in a blanket, the American hors d’oeuvres classic. They’re quick, familiar, comforting. The crescent’s potential, though, goes far beyond being topped with butter or wrapped around a hot dog. And at less than $2 a tube, they’re an ideal staple for a college cook’s fridge.
‘Homemade’ Chicken Pot Pie • 1 tube of crescent rolls • 3 chicken breasts • ½ cup butter (1 stick) • ⅔ cup flour The beauty of this chicken pot pie is that it really is made from scratch — except the crust, of course. Many recipes that utilize this crescent roll shortcut also cut corners by using cream of chicken soup for the filling. Put down the soup can, friends. This version is only marginally more difficult and much tastier. Get your chicken cooking first. In a small baking pan, drizzle olive oil over three chicken breasts and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder on both sides. Bake in the oven at 450 degrees until fully cooked, about 20 minutes. Cut the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces.
• 2 cups milk • 2 cups chicken broth • ½ yellow onion • 2 cups carrots (about 4, sliced) In a large saucepan, melt a stick of butter over medium heat. Once the butter is completely melted, stir in ⅔ cup flour. The flour and butter will clump together to form a doughy consistency. Slowly, pour in the 2 cups of milk, continuing to stir the mixture. Increase the heat to bring the mixture to a slight boil, then lower the heat back down to medium. Never stop stirring! If you do, the bottom of the sauce will stick and burn. Peel and chop about 4 large carrots. Place carrots a saucepan, add water and cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook, covered, for about 10 minutes or
Cinnamon Cheesecake Bars
• • • • • •
2 tubes crescent rolls 16 oz cream cheese 1 ½ cups sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla ½ melted butter 2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1 tube crescent rolls • 4 jalapeño chiles
• 8 oz cream cheese • 2 scallions, sliced
Chop two scallions, and mix them into the cream cheese. Cut the tops off the jalapeño chiles, then cut lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds. Fill the hollowed chile halves with the cream cheese mixture.
Roll each chile into the dough, rolling as you would a regular crescent roll, but tucking in the sides. Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees until gold-
You can eat these cheesecake bars when they’re warm and still gooey from the oven or enjoy them chilled. In the bottom of a non-stick cake pan, roll out the first tube of crescent rolls. Fill the bottom of the pan, and smooth out the perforations in the dough. With an electric mixer, mix cream cheese, vanilla and one cup of the sugar. Spread the cream cheese mix evenly over the dough. Place the second roll of crescent dough over the cream
trying to salvage perfect crescent shapes from the scraps. Form leftover dough into small balls and roll in cinnamon and sugar (have any extra from your cheesecake bars?). Place
until crisp-tender, then drain. Finely dice a little more than half of a yellow onion. Stir in cooked carrots, chicken, frozen peas and diced onion. Season generously with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Don’t be shy! Taste that filling. It’s the only way you’ll know if it’s ready. Pour filling into a large baking sheet. Unroll one tube of crescent rolls, and place the full sheet of dough as one piece over the filling. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees until the crescent crust is golden brown.
Poppin’ ‘Peños
en brown.
cheese mix. Mix the remaining ½ cup of sugar and at least 2 tablespoons of cinnamon together. I’m usually extra generous on the cinnamon. Pour the melted butter evenly over the top, then sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar mixture evenly over the top. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Let it cool for about 20 minutes before serving.
Got some leftover dough? Sometimes when you’re baking with crescent roll dough, you may have some left over and, even worse, some leftovers that are no longer dividing well into their intended triangles. Don’t worry about
• 2 cups frozen peas • 0live oil • garlic powder • salt & pepper
on a baking sheet and drizzle with melted butter. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes. Eat hot from the oven or, even better, dip in icing.
willi501@mIamioh.edu
Food 9
Tuesday, september 19, 2017
Battle of the Bagels Armstrong’s spot goes up against Oxford favorite, Bagel and Deli DEVON SHUMAN Managing editor
Something about the new restaurant in Armstrong seemed uncomfortably familiar. It serves sandwiches — bagel sandwiches, to be exact. Bagels sliced in half and filled with an assortment of meats, eggs, veggies, cheese and sauces. The Toasted Bagel, in effect, was a new version of Bagel and Deli, the popular late-night Uptown establishment home to such famed dishes as the Get Swanked and the meatball-heavy Squid. I’m no stranger to B&D. If it weren’t for my tendency to opt for the same two or three bagels every time I go, by this point in my Miami career I probably could have earned one of the t-shirts announcing that I’d tried everything on the menu. I knew that The Toasted Bagel was most likely a cheap knockoff, an assembly-line style, meal-plan-accepting, low-quality attempt by Miami to compete with the
divine glory tucked in between Skippers and the Den. But my curiosity got the best of me. What if, somehow, The Toasted Bagel offered a sandwich that could compete with the heavenly quality of the Dank ‘n’ Eggs or the MILF Bagel? I had to know for sure. Monday afternoon, I sat in the newsroom with two sandwich-
es before me. From The Toasted Bagel, I’d swiped my Miami ID for a Turkey Club — turkey, lettuce, cheese, tomato, onion, honey mustard and avocado on an everything bagel. From Bagel and Deli, I’d used real money to purchase the great one, B&D’s crowning glory, the holy grail of bagel sandwiches: the Doritos-adorned Crunch and
Munch. Turkey, cheese, lettuce, honey mustard and nacho cheese Doritos on an everything. A perfect counterpart? No. But close enough for the purpose of my research. From looks alone, I could tell that the original Bagel would prevail. It sat, steaming hot, wrapped in tin foil and cocooned in an unassuming,
grease-spotted paper bag. When unsheathed, it oozed a pungent concoction of cheese, sauce and moist turkey. The turkey club, on the other hand, was organized neatly within a plastic container, stacked with the faux imperfection of an advertisement-quality Big Mac. Next to the Crunch and Munch, it felt cold and rubbery, too glossy for its own good. Its taste, however, caught me pleasantly off guard, like an Adam Sandler movie that’s actually slightly watchable. Its consistency matched its stale appearance, but it bursted with flavor, accented nicely by the creamy avocado. In contrast to B&D’s grease monster, it went down quite refreshingly. But despite its surprising taste, The Toasted Bagel still finished a not-so-close second to the classic Crunch and Munch. After taking an obligatory couple bites of each, I shifted gradually back to the Dorito-infused behemoth, eventually finishing it and packing the turkey club away for later. It might offer an unexpectedly tasty alternative, but Armstrong’s newest addition will never replace the Uptown staple. You simply can’t beat a classic. shumandb@miamioh.edu @DevonShuman
Keto on Kampus Jake Gold
Asst. news editor
I wonder if any employees at Bell Tower recognize me yet. My daily order: between four and eight hamburger patties (no buns), several cups of spinach, a quarter cup of shredded cheese and some broccoli. I -- inelegantly, I should add -- cut the hamburgers into small-ish pieces and dump them into the “salad,” but not before heavily salting them. God, I hate the optics. But dining halls are by nature non-keto friendly. Keto (short for “ketogenic”) is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that puts you into a nutritional state called “ketosis,” as long as you eat fewer than 20 grams of carbs per day. It sounds like pseudoscience, sure, but people swear by it. Your body processes fat instead of carbs, you lose weight, you think smarter, you look better, rainbows fly out of your butt. It’s a whole production. My girlfriend and I have been doing
keto for a few weeks (she, uh...goes to a different school). During that time, my meals have stayed about the same (bacon, sausage and eggs for breakfast, hamburger, spinach, broccoli and cheese for lunch and dinner). I don’t mind the consistency, but I can’t recommend it for anyone who craves change -- or anyone who craves Bell Tower stir fry, or Pulley’s chicken nuggets. Neither are in-bounds, as far as I can tell. Any meal or snack that varies from the norm gets the “extreme vetting” procedure. In some cases, Miami’s MyTray website has all of the nutrition info I need; in others, I have to ask the manager for the details. Though they always assure me that it’s their job, I can’t shake the feeling that I’m acting like a high-strung upper-middle class mom demanding to see a manager because the barista only put a sprinkle of cinnamon in their coffee, when they clearly asked for a dash. Once I have the details, the food gets logged into my MyFitnessPal app, which tracks all my nutrients. Mostly,
it looks at carbs, fat, protein, and fiber (keto has you track “net carbs,” or carbs minus fiber). My MyFitnessPal has a lot of weird shit in it. For snacks, I have a lot of cheese -- seriously, my shopping trips are 80 percent cheese -- and pepperoni. Recently, I’ve taken to a tablespoon of peanut butter and an ounce of cream cheese. It doesn’t sound good, and that’s because it’s not. But this is the cross I bear. And, for those college students who crave the sweet sweet taste of a mixed -- nonalcoholic, of course -- drink (remember elementary school when we got to mix all of the sodas from the fountain into one cup? I’d be envious of college-me, with access to a soda fountain every meal, and upset with college-me, because I never use it) most diet soda is zero carbs. The trade-offs are weird. For instance, I’m hungry less, but I don’t get to eat muffins. My headaches cleared up, but no cookies. The baby fat on my cheeks is fading away, but cake is off limits.
So that part hurts. The other part that hurts is the “keto flu” that the internet talks about. My girlfriend didn’t get it, but it hit me hard -- my body ached, I was super sneezy and my head felt ridiculously heavy. Though I got mocked for it, drinking straight chicken broth helped. What’s really helped is potassium and magnesium supplements (NOW Magnesium Citrate and Morton’s Lite Salt, specifically) helped. Be careful with both -- overdosing is bad news. Anyways, you should try keto. Maybe I haven’t sold it well, but it’s a cool diet. Plus, then the Bell Tower people won’t judge me when I order my salty hamburger salad. If anyone has keto tips, I’m not an expert. Email me, and I can publish them (both here, on miamistudent.net, and on my Twitter). And if the Miami nutritionist is reading, because I’m too scared to reach out to ask for help: Let’s talk. goldjb@miamioh.edu @jake_gold
Margherita Pizza Pockets It’s like a Hot Pocket, but infinitely better. Make multiple and share, or store them in your fridge or freezer and pop in the microwave to reheat. • 1 tube of crescent rolls • ¼ cup tomato sauce • ¾ cup fresh mozzarella Unroll one sheet of crescent roll dough. Separate the dough into four rectangles along the perforated lines. One tube will make two pizza pockets. One rectangle is the bottom crust, where you’ll layer your ingredients. The second rectangle will go on top. Spread two generous spoonfuls of tomato sauce on one rectangle of dough. Place about three or four thinly-sliced pieces of mozzarella on top of the sauce. Tear 4 to 5 basil leaves
• 4 to 5 fresh basil leaves, torn • 2 teaspoons grated parmesan into pieces and place on top of the cheese. Put second rectangle of dough on top, and seal the pizza pocket by making indents in the dough with a fork along each side of the pocket. Sprinkle the top with parmesan cheese. Repeat for the second pizza pocket — or as many as you’d like to make! Bake in the oven at 350 degrees until the dough is golden brown.
10 FYI
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
Named the Best College Newspaper (Non-daily) in Ohio by the Society of Professional Journalists.
Emily Williams Editor-in-Chief Jack Evans Devon Shuman Managing Editors
Kirby Davis Entertainment Editors Alyssa Melendez Web Designer
A.J. Newberry Design Editor
Emma Kinghorn Kate Rigazio Social Media Coordinators
Audrey Davis Bonnie Meibers News Editors Ryan Terhune Photo Editor Emily Simanskis Sports Editor
Natalie Utt Business Manager
Ceili Doyle Jake Gold Asst. News Editors
Ali Hackman Asst. Business Manager
Megan Zahneis Special Projects Editor
James Tobin Faculty Adviser
Joey Hart Angela Hatcher Opinion Editors
Fred Reeder Business Adviser WDJ Inc. - Bill Dedden Distributor
Alison Perelman Culture Editor Cartoonist A.J. Newberry
Senior Staff Writers Samantha Brunn Sarah Camino
Designers Will Fagan Katie Hinh Emma Kinghorn
Asst. Sports Editor Ben Panzeca
Opinion Columnists Darcy Keenan Paolo Federico O’Murchu Luke Schroeder
Sports Columnists Mitch Hausfeld Nick Schleter Asst. Photo Editor Jugal Jain
Website: For advertising information: Send us a letter?
News@mIamistudent.net
READY TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR WORLD? DO THE UNEXPECTED. Apply by October 1: peacecorps.gov/apply
Photography Staff Angelo Gelfuso Brianna Nixon Beth Pfohl Bo Brueck Daniela Munoz Perales Darshini Parthasarathy Erik Craigo G M Akand Sabik Heather McCowan Justin Maschmeyer Kat Holleran Macy Whitaker
www.miamistudent.net miamistudent@gmail.com eic@miamistudent.net
The Miami Student is published on Tuesdays during the school year by the students of Miami University, Oxford, Ohio. The content of The Miami Student is the sole responsibility of The Miami Student staff. Opinions expressed in The Miami Student are not necessarily those of Miami University, its students or staff.
Apollo Astronaut Charles Duke, Jr. Lands At
CORRECTIONS POLICY The Miami Student is committed to providing the Miami University community with the most accurate information possible. Corrections may be submitted up to seven calendar days after publication.
Fake facts fought at forum continued from page 2
about the issue and connecting students with those conversations will hopefully help participants conceptualize how to think about and talk about what’s happening in the world of journalism today. The workshop is open to anyone, and Floyd is looking forward to hearing participants’ views on the problem. Understanding what
and how other generations think can influence the fake news discussion not only at a workshop level, but a national level as well. Students can register for the “Know Your News” workshop through the Rinella Learning Center or University Library websites, but registrations are not required to attend. parelar@miamioh.edu
The tenth man to walk on The Moon, Duke shares his experiences as a module pilot on the Apollo 16 Mission Join us for a FREE PUBLIC TALK about Duke’s time with NASA, followed by a presentation of the Astronaut Scholarships to Miami students Avnika Bali and Jana Cable
Thursday, September 28 7:30 - 8:30pm Hall Auditorium For more information 513.529.3399 Sponsored by University Honors Program
miamistudent.net
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS ASKED TO SHARE STORIES continued from FRONT
event to feature. Though they were eager to write and share their stories, they ultimately didn’t feel comfortable enough on Miami’s campus to attend the event, stand up in front of a crowd and read what they’d written. Leno was disappointed, but he ultimately couldn’t fault the authors for their reluctance. “I understood,” he said. “Being an international student and being in the position to have experienced some of what was shared, it allowed me to more easily accept their position.” Born in the Bahamas, Leno has spent much of his life in the position of an international student, having studied and taught at three different universities. At each school, he felt a disconnect in which people couldn’t see the differences or the similarities between international and domestic students. The universities and their faculty failed to understand the experiences and challenges international students faced at their institutions. It was from this disconnect that Leno drew inspiration for the reading, a safe space in which international students at Miami could describe their genuine, and often visceral, experiences, stories that would be sure to produce an emotional reaction.
“A lot of the social work we do in academia, you have specific vocabulary, you have terminology that not everyone understands. It’s just not real,” he said. “Allowing students to put it in their own words, and for students to hear those words, read those words live would be a new way to bring that connection. Bringing it to students was very important.” Leno opted to sponsor the event through the Mindfulness Center as part of Miami’s Mindfulness Week. Mindfulness involves being present in the moment, forgetting about what you might have going on later in the day or the week and choosing to fully experience the moment. One component of mindfulness involves listening without judgment. Leno saw this as an optimum environment in which these stories could be shared. Additionally, however, Leno saw the Mindfulness Center as a more effective alternative to sponsoring an event through the university as a whole. In his past experiences, when approaching university departments, he was often met with defensiveness. The departments would present lots of explanations of why they operate a certain way, or what the limitations prevent them from doing anything differently. This event wouldn’t be about changing anything other than the minds and hearts of those in the audience. “I’m not at the point anymore where
I feel like we can change any of Miami University’s policies or procedures,” Leno said. “But for the 30 students that came, if you could change the way they interact with international students on a daily basis or the level of understanding they have, that was something that was more important at this time.” Additionally, Leno didn’t want the reading to be an open forum. At previous events in which students and faculty gathered to discuss how to engage with international students, Leno found that the open nature of the discussion led to contentious debates that failed to result in any effective solutions. “A lot of times the conversation will just devolve into pointing fingers at different infrastructure at the university, the difficulties of addressing international student issues,” he said. “We never really get to speaking about the humanity of the individuals, and the diverse stories they are carrying with them.” However, despite all of Leno’s efforts to foster a safe environment for the students to read their stories, none showed up. As students filed into the lecture hall, Leno solemnly asked if anyone wanted to volunteer to read some of the stories. “It made it a lot harder,” he said. “But I had already made the commitment, so professionally I thought it would behoove me to follow through with it.” Leno and several other attendees took
turns reading the short stories aloud. In one, advisers repeatedly encouraged a student to visit the Confucius Institute, failing to understand the student was Korean, not Chinese. In another, a student had to leave McCullough-Hyde with an untreated concussion after the language barrier prevented the workers there from explaining to them how health insurance in America works. Between each story, Leno paused for a moment of silence, allowing the attendees to process what they had heard, to step out for a moment if they needed to. Leno hopes that these sorts of events will inspire Miami students and faculty to become more supportive of the international student community, to come together and address the underlying issues with the way we speak about, support and impact these individuals. “The first thing students can do is acknowledge international students as being different in some ways but the same as all the domestic students,” he said. “Each individual can talk to an international student and ask what the challenges are and what you can do to help. Sometimes we don’t want help. We just want someone who can listen.” shumandb@miamioh.edu
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
News@mIamistudent.net
First-years navigate first days Move-in day blues by Ben Finfrock On the drive from Columbus to Oxford, the morning sun peeked through the trees along Route 127. I looked over to my mom in the driver’s seat. This was not a typical first day of school. Yes, my parents would be dropping me off, but at the end of the day they would not be there to take me home. “You know, I don’t know what I’ll do without you this year,” I said. “You’ll be ok,” she said. “Remember, I’m only a call away.” There had been months of touring schools and filling out applications. There had been heartbreak over denials and financial-aid offers that came up short and celebration over the letters that read, “Congratulations, you’re in!” Now it was move-in day. At 10:30 am, we arrived at Havighurst Hall and began unpacking my belongings. When everything was unpacked — my sweatshirts placed in drawers, my Keurig plugged into the outlet and my poster of The Beatles mounted on the wall — I started making up things to do to delay my parents’ departure. My mom caught on and played along. Finally, at 1:00 pm, we decided there was nothing left to do and agreed it was time for lunch.
My dad drove us to uptown Oxford. We sat at Kona Bistro, ate fish tacos and told stories about my childhood. After lunch we walked around campus so I could get my bearings. My mom and I kept making up things we needed to see. Finally, at 2:30 my dad said, “Alright, it’s time to get rolling or we’re going to hit rush hour traffic.” He pulled the car up to Havighurst Hall for the second time and we all got out. My dad shook my hand and wished me good luck. Then I looked over at my mom. Her face was reddening as she struggled to hold back tears. I reached over and gave her a big hug. As I watched them drive away I wanted to scream, “What are you doing? Come back!” I thought about running after them and getting in the car to return home. Instead, I turned my back on the car and walked into Havighurst.
Missing home and hot tortillas by Chloe Murdock “No, I should wait to visit. I’ve only been at school for a few days,” I say over the phone. My family only lives two hours away, but it’s my first weekend away at Miami and they already want me to come visit. I love my family, but maybe I should have chosen an out-ofstate school. That said, I start calling Miami my home the day I move in. I love my new friends, I love the campus and I love being disappointed every time I see Brick Street’s entrance and think it’s a movie theater. I can’t wrap my head around being homesick in such a place because I’m ready to live such a life, just like that moving (and propaganda-tinged) poem said I would. I’m not ready for the feeling when it hits. I’m fighting pro-
crastination in my dorm alone, when my stomach outright scoffs at my growing to-do list. I open my fridge for the Mission brand tortillas graciously given to freshman students without anything to put inside, and can’t push away the memory of my grandma’s homemade tortillas. Mission tortillas taste fine when microwaved, but they don’t taste like home. I spit out the limp bite of flour, remembering how hot a fresh tortilla is when you snatch it off the pan with just your fingers. Homemade tortillas taste good even when you don’t have anything to stuff them with, even when they grow cold. My name sounds white, I look white and I am mostly white. But my great grandma Rodriguez greets the men in our family with an ecstatic “Papasito!” and kisses their cheek, and
tells tales of the teachers in San Antonio who scorned her for her accent and her appearance. And my grandma wistfully recalls when she could speak fluent Spanish just as well as she remembers the recipes from her late Mexican restaurant, which closed before I was born. My heritage is part of my identity, even though I feel strange sharing it. I want to, but I also don’t want to lay claim to the experiences I don’t have. It gets awkward when a basically-white girl reminisces about her grandma making mexican food for Thanksgiving, especially to someone who actually looks the part. I don’t know how to fight this kind of homesickness here. Instead, I call home. “Grandma, can we make tortillas this weekend?”
‘It’s a Small World’ on campus by Duard Headley As I step out of my dorm, a sharp gust of wind slaps me across the face. September has certainly set in, as it’s bitterly cold. I glance at my phone, pulling up the weather app, and the screen informs me that it’s an abysmal 51 degrees in Oxford. Sighing, I get on my bike, scrunch down into my jacket and head off to class. After sitting through an absolutely riveting session of statistics, I’m back out in the crisp fall air. It’s warmed a little and I no longer shiver relentlessly as I pedal my bike back towards Collins hall. But despite the pleasant temperature change, I feel indescribably worse than I did on my way to class. I realize that I haven’t spoken to anyone all day. My hand subconsciously reaches for my phone, searching for validation in texts and snapchats that aren’t there, then return the device to my pocket. I trudge past groups of my fellow Miamians, talking like old friends, and a sharp pang of loneliness twists itself in my gut. Stopping at the edge of Cook Field, I scan the vast campus before me. In this one panorama, I can count more students than the entirety of my high school. Amidst this sea of strangers, I can’t help but feel isolated. Sure, I’ve gotten people’s phone numbers and made a few introductions over the past week, but none that really felt genuine. Nothing seems like it will ever come close to the friendships and bonds I formed back home.
MEMBERS OF THE CLASS OF 2021 CONVENE AT CONVOCATION THIS FALL, WHERE THEY WERE WELCOMED TO MIAMI UNIVERSITY JUGAL JAIN ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
Suddenly, the bell tower belts out an eerie rendition of “It’s a Small World.” A humorless smile spreads across my face as the irony of the situation hits me. Here, at a university five times the size of my home town, surrounded by people whose names I’ll never know, I’m being told that “it’s a small world after all.” I shake my head to clear it, driving out the hollow feeling resting in my stomach. I remind myself of the club meeting I’m looking forward to, the lunch date I have with dorm mates and even some of the classes I’m starting to like. Sighing once more, I settle into the strange half-sadness, half-optimism that has become the norm over the past week, and head off for
The tools for finding friends by Julia Arwine Before I left for college, my dad bought me a toolbox. Every tool contained within it was bright pink, including a hammer, a screwdriver, and a tape measure. I laughed, doubting that I would ever use it, but I appreciated the gesture. And, as my dad wisely pointed out, one never knew when one might need a toolbox. About a week later, I was alone in my dorm room, FaceTiming my little sister, when a girl paused in my open doorway and asked: “Hey, do you have a tape measure?” We were both delighted and surprised at the fact that I did. I handed it over to her, happy
to have helped, and settled back on my bed as she disappeared down the hall. My sister, still on FaceTime, asked the questions I had forgotten to pose: who was that girl, and why did she need my tape measure? After a time with those questions brewing in my mind, my curiosity came to a peak and I decided to go track her- and my tape measure- down. The problem was, of course, that I didn’t know her name or where she lived. I began knocking on doors at random, introducing myself and explaining my plight. The girls I met- although not the ones I was looking for- were eager to help. After interrogating hall-mates and RA’s alike, my
small posse and I finally found the tape measure in the room at the end of the hall. The girl there was using it to figure out if she could fit her dresser in her closet. The answer was yes, but she would have to remove the closet doors. For that, we used my pink screwdriver. In the midst of this adventure, precariously balanced on a desk and a tiny step-stool, struggling to unscrew the doors from their moorings and trading jokes, names, and cupcakes, I realized something. Despite my summer-long worries and my late-night anxieties, I had actually made some friends. Huh. I guess that wasn’t so hard.
follow us on twitter flip your pillow
@miamistudent
miamistudent.net
12 opinion
Tuesday, september 19, 2017
hartjt@mIamioh.edu
campus dissuades international student talk The following reflects the majority opinion of the editorial board. Last Thursday, as a part of Mindfulness Week, a session was led by Miami grad student Ancilleno Davis in which international students and faculty were invited to share stories of their experiences at Miami. Davis, the event organizer, made considerable efforts to create a safe environment, opting against designing the event as an open forum and instead creating a space in which people could share their stories and while others listened. While the intent behind this event was admirable and necessary, every student who wrote stories of their experiences did not come to read them aloud at the event. The problem: The international students didn’t feel comfortable sharing their stories. The stories that were shared at the forum, though few, reveal major issues with the interaction between
domestic students and international students. The stories painted a picture of what life is like as an international student here at Miami; facing constant language barriers, judgement and blatant racism. One of the most harrowing stories told of a student who suffered a concussion and went to McCullough-Hyde, only to have to leave untreated when the medical workers could not communicate to them how American health insurance works. While some offered experiences of love or hope, as a whole, the stories painted a picture of a campus in which international students often struggle to feel at home. It is the lack of attendance by those who were supposed to speak at the event that speaks volumes to the level of discomfort that international students feel on this campus. Let’s not forget that our international students face a completely different set of challenges when they come to
school here from India, China, various countries in Africa and South America. And it is all too often that this different set of challenges gets swept under the rug, and the issue of mental health within the international community subsequently becomes one we need to talk about, but seldom do. We need to be doing a better job of creating an inclusive environment. Our university claims to be an inclusive place for all. But the stories shared at the event are real stories from people we pass every day. It is pivotal for us, as domestic students, to reach out to them, listen to them, share a cup of coffee or a conversation. These are tangible things that we as the student body can do to ensure that international students feel welcome. In short, this event highlights that we need international students to speak out — to share their stories and experiences with us. As a media organization, we have a platform that can give those students a voice despite the
fact that they otherwise may not have one on campus. And don’t just speak to us. Talk to other student organizations. Talk to Redhawk Radio, Up! Fashion Magazine. Talk to our Associated Student Government and various campus leaders, whether that’s professors, resident assistants or just friends. Start talking. Because in order to truly claim the title of an inclusive university, it is imperative that we create a dialogue surrounding the challenges international students face by speaking and interacting with them fully. Leno Davis specifically designed the mindfulness session to facilitate comfort and inclusivity. Despite his efforts, the culture on our campus held our fellow classmates back from sharing their stories. The most important message we should be sending is making sure international students feel comfortable speaking out.
STUDENTS LISTEN TO TESTIMONIES WRITTEN BY INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS ON CAMPUS LIFE Jugal Jain ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
The right to die: How issues divide us Maxwell Matson columnist
While this column is nowhere near thorough enough to do justice to the long and complex history of the right to die in the United States, it is meant to serve as a brief introduction to the issue and is therefore intentionally concise. Amongst the political right and left there is constant debate over the rights that U.S. citizens, usually women, have to their bodies. While such issues are certainly of extreme relevance given the current political climate, one issue that tends to ebb and flow in political relevance is the right to die. Right to die has been both controversial and completely ignored here in the United States, and while it is one of only a few issues that could potentially affect the lives of every and anyone, it has somehow managed to gain only limited notoriety amidst a sea of general ambivalence. Right to die is defined as a conscious decision, usually on the part of a medical professional, to either forgo medical intervention necessary to extend the life expectancy of a patient who is terminally ill or, more controversially, to take deliberate action to end the life of the patient (upon the patient’s request in either case). While this is usually what is referred to when the term “right to die” is used, it has various meanings to different people/groups across the U.S. and essentially boils down to the right to choose suicide of one form or another at one’s own discre-
tion given the presence of physical or mental anguish which cannot foreseeably be alleviated in one’s own natural lifetime. So why doesn’t right to die receive the same attention in the political arena as other hot-button issues regarding the rights of citizens to their bodies? The simple answer is that the issue is too complex to take a stand on. By the nature of our bipartisan political system, an issue like right to die, while certainly controversial, crosses partisan lines in a manner which does not allow for it to be neatly packaged and sold as a two-sided issue. Unlike the issue of abortion, where the members of one group brand themselves “prochoice,” and the other use the equally divisive “prolife,” there is no convenient rhetoric that can be used to sway the massive majority of people who are still on the fence about the issue without oversimplifying it beyond recognition. The closest that we got to a straight answer regarding right to die from the major political parties in the 2016 election was Hillary Clinton’s statement on new “Death with Dignity” laws in Oregon. These laws allow for a patient to receive a physician-assisted death with the caveat that they are of sound mind and are terminally ill with less than six months to live. While certainly not the first state to implement such laws, which only satisfy the least controversial definition of right to die, the new legislature was still repackaged as a dilemma of state’s rights by Hillary Clinton: “I believe it’s within the province of the states to make that decision. I commend Oregon on this count, as well, because whether I agree with it or not or think
it’s a good idea or not, the fact that Oregon is breaking new ground and providing valuable information as to what does and doesn’t work when it comes to end-of-life questions, I think, is very beneficial…” In possibly the most divisive and contentious election in recent American history, such a wishy-washy answer on any topic is almost unheard of. What’s even more unheard of? Silence from the Trump camp on almost any issue. But that’s exactly what we got. A weak “yes” (if one can call it that) from the Democrats, and total silence from the Republicans. While I am aware that it is atypical of an “opinion” piece not to contain a stated opinion regarding the issue of concern, I like most other Americans simply can’t decide how I feel about right to die. In today’s world it has become all too easy to let other people speak for you, to allow “him” to dictate your stance on every issue because you don’t like “her” stance on just one of them. As a country we’re so absorbed in our red and blue bubbles that we fail to see the shades of purple all around us. Right to die serves as a reminder that when the people we elect to office can’t manufacture two sides to every argument, they simply disregard the issue entirely. Although it is difficult to distance ourselves from political issues which we feel personally connected to, it is imperative to realize that somewhere beyond all the rhetoric is a complex problem which requires more than partisan loyalty to be solved. matsonrm@miamioh.edu
Miami plan should let students take classes that interest them micheal Stemmler the Miami student
As the clock nears 2:50, I hurry across Cook Field. With my backpack on and phone in hand, I hustle into a crowded lecture hall full of students that are thoroughly disappointed class hasn’t been cancelled – even more disappointed that we have an in-class assignment due for points that day. I take my seat toward the back, right next to my friend who does his other homework in class and the girl who shops for what dress she will wear to her next date party. Our professor hurries in just before class officially begins and pulls up her black and white PowerPoint. She begins, discussing the components of the cell and the differences between prokaryotes and eukaryotes. The students don’t pound away at their keyboards when she changes topics, but only when they receive an iMessage notification. The few times they look up are when she turns off the lights without warning to show us a closeup picture. Among the group there are students who ask questions and participate, but the majority simply do not care. They are taking the class pass/fail and have better
things to do than care about how the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell. Yet, it’s not just this science class that is like this; last semester during my English 111 class, I was one of these students. Actually, I finished playing the entirety of Pokémon Emerald while we learned about what a research paper was and how to correctly cite sources. We came here for a liberal education – to be students who were not just proficient in our major, but well-rounded in all areas of academia. However, the result of that is that we often must take classes that we don’t care about. There is a specific list of classes available, and after countless searches on Rate My Professor and looking at the grade distribution, the easiest classes are always in high demand. While learning new things and branching out sounds like a great idea, its execution results in the learning of an entirely different skill – how to do the bare minimum and still get by. The hours spent in required Miami plan classes could be spent in classes that interest us. I don’t know about others, but the classes I do the best in are the ones I am curious about. Curiosity is one of the greatest motivators, and if we are forced to take courses that don’t speak to our passions, what is the point? Yes, there will probably always be classes that help
boost the good ole GPA so we can get better internships or better jobs, but what if the idea of a liberal education was redefined? Instead of taking two science courses, two global perspective, one fine arts and so on, we just took classes outside of our majors that sparked our interest. Instead of double-dipping to get done with Miami Plan as soon as possible, students would be excited to go to as many different classes as possible and learn about whatever they are truly passionate about. We shouldn’t just be crossing required classes off a finite list, but trying to gain infinite knowledge about the topics most important to us. Just how we chase jobs we truly want after college, we should be chasing the classes we truly want as well. So, instead of being packed in a lecture hall with online shoppers, texters and game players, we should strive to be in classes where each and every student is engaged and passionate about the topic at hand. While yes, the mitochondria will always be the powerhouse of the cell, curiosity will always the powerhouse of success.
stemmlmf@miamioh.edu
hatcheam@mIamioh.edu
Tuesday, september 19, 2017
opinion 13
U.s. and Israel Must stand together luke schroeder columnist
The Church of the Holy Sepulcher is a simply breathtaking building. Located in the Christian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem, the church contains what many believe are the sites of Jesus’ crucifixion and burial – it is a deeply holy site for millions of Christians all over the world. When I travelled through Israel last summer, this was one of the places I visited. As I walked out of the church into its courtyard, my ears were met by the Islamic call to prayer, broadcast from the minaret of a nearby mosque. On an adjacent rooftop, a flag bearing the star of David waved in the wind. In the course of only a few seconds, I had walked out of a Christian holy site and heard the Muslim call to prayer, all while standing in the Jewish state. Incredible. For me, this moment is a perfect microcosm for the complexity that engulfs domestic Israeli politics. Three major religions trace their roots back to this holy land and each, to some degree, feel that it is their rightful home. This simple fact produces great conflict, and makes Israel’s situation one of the most complicated in the world. In addition to struggles faced at home, Israel must also face external actors that aspire to bring about their destruction.
Iran, for example, has long threatened to wipe Israel off of the map. Terrorist organizations such as ISIL, Al-Qaeda, Hezbollah, Hamas and others share Iran’s goal. Despite what Israel faces, despite the repeated instances of persecution and genocide the Jewish people have suffered throughout history, some in America still do not support the state of Israel. This is wrong. For anyone reading these words that holds a negative opinion on Israel, or for anyone who has not yet formed their opinion, you must know this: Israel is a moral nation, a nation fully deserving of your support. When I stood atop a mountain in the Golan Heights, I looked across the border into Syria. To my right, UN observers kept watch of the border – they are meant to serve as a first warning system in the event of attack. The conflict I had read about back home was suddenly just a few miles away. Since 2011, Syria has been ravaged by civil war. The human suffering caused by this war is immeasurable, and heartbreaking – combatants and innocent civilians alike are being killed and wounded in alarming numbers. As the war has dragged on, doctors, medical facilities, medical supplies and food have become harder to access – this has led to a humanitarian crisis. Luckily, Israel is doing something about it.
Through a recently declassified program called Operation Good Neighbor, The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have provided much needed food and medical aid to suffering Syrians. In 2016 alone, Israel sent over 350 tons of food into Syria. They have also brought more than 4,000 Syrians, including hundreds of children, into Israel to receive top-notch medical treatment. This is only one example of the many ways Israel and its military are helping those in need in the Middle East – Israel has a long history of acting on its moral conscience. Clearly, those who paint Israel as evil are misguided. Israel is also a critical American ally – they deserve the United States’ full economic and military support. It is no secret that the Middle East is a violent and often unstable region. The United States largely relies on Israeli military strength and intelligence gathering capabilities to aid in our own efforts there. Without Israel, the United States would be forced into a higher level of direct involvement in the Middle East – something that very few Americans want. I spent one of my last evenings in Jerusalem with a Jewish family in their home, where we shared a traditional Shabbat dinner. The family was wonderfully kind and welcoming, and spoke with me on what it was like to call Israel home. Many facets of their everyday lives are the same as ours: school, work, sports,
spending time with friends and family. However, the news of shootings, stabbings and other terrorist attacks are far too common – constant reminders of the danger they and their nation face. The oldest child in the house, just 16, shared with me his goal of becoming a pilot in the Israeli Air Force. Here lies one big difference between the U.S. and Israel – at the age when many American children start thinking about college, Israeli children start choosing which military unit they would like to serve in. For this young man, and for every other Jew in Israel, mandatory years of military service follow high school. Israelis know what is necessary to ensure their national security, and for every member of the IDF I spoke with, they were proud of their service and fully supportive of their nation’s conscription policy. Israel and its people are doing their part in international efforts to secure the Middle East – America must continue to support them in this endeavor. Israel is a nation every American should support. They are the freest democracy in the Middle East – if we wish for the region to someday stabilize, we must continue to stand resolutely on their side. schroelm@miamioh.edu
What does it mean to be an american? Darcy Keenan columnist
Last week I wrote about DACA, explaining what it is and why it is important to this country. I ended it with a simple statement “They [dreamers] are just trying to better themselves, along with the American economy and society because they consider themselves, as do I, Americans.” This brings up another important topic for discussion, though: what does it mean to be an American? There seems to be the idea that you need citizenship to be an American, and that having citizenship makes someone an American. They are one and the same.
However, this has never made sense to me. If an undocumented immigrant comes to America and has a child, that child is a citizen even if they spend the rest of their life in their mother country. Following this logic, they would be “more American” than a child who was born in another country but came to America and grew up here. Being a citizen does make you an American, but there are other ways to be American. Having a green card or a visa for work or school also makes you an American because you are working to help better America, even if that is not your intention. You can also be undocu-
mented and American. They are not mutually exclusive. Undocumented immigrants can help better America as a country as well as their local communities. They better America by working and spending money, which helps the economy. They teach their children certain values and morals that typically include determination, hard work, being open minded and being adaptable. Lots of times, the children of immigrants (undocumented or not) are taught about both the cultures of their mother country and the culture of the community that directly surrounds them. This is
beneficial for America because we pride ourselves on being a melting pot, on the diversity that exists in our country. America is often called a melting pot, which is a term that many Americans take pride in. Being a melting pot, there is no culture that can be called more or less American than another. There is no one culture than all Americans can identify with. There is also no official language or religion on the country. This all means that culture, language, and religion cannot be a part of anyone’s definition of American. keenandn@miamioh.edu
Sports
14
simansec@mIamioh.edu
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
Made-Up Mailbag
Reid fights adversity for the love of his sport, team and school.
Answering sports questions you didn’t ask COLUMN
Nick Schleter Columnist
Welcome to the second-ever installment of the Made-Up Mailbag. In case you missed last week’s, this is where I take madeup questions and spin them into the real answers you’re looking for. We start with the elephant in the room for Miami sports this past weekend and sift through the mail to get to an interesting slate of NFL games. Senior tony reid handles opponent’s offense on the field and manages crohn’s disease off the field. Ryan Terhune Photo editor
Q: What exactly did Miami lose to UC in the game on Saturday? A: Objectively, the Victory Bell for the dozenth year and an early season, non-conference football game. Mid-American Conference play hasn’t even begun, the team showed it could get hot late last year, and a MAC championship is still within reach. But for anyone who was at the game, it doesn’t feel like any of that matters. What good would a MAC championship won in Detroit do for the students who will tune out Miami football for the next three and a half years after Saturday? The whole program had a palpable momentum. Tailgates? Check. Night game? Check. Rivalry game with a trophy on the line? Check. Miami felt like a football school. Redshirt senior Heath Harding said he’d “never had that experience here” in his life. A page was about to turn, until the book slammed shut. After a completely, totally, inexplicably, asinine delay of game penalty was followed by a pick-six, a rowdy Yager was left stunned. The only sound remaining was all the too familiar din of the away bench sending dejected students shuffling out. The team can definitely recover from a mid-September loss, as for the program, that remains to be seen.
Football
BRADY PFISTER Staff Writer
When the Miami RedHawks returned to Yager Stadium Sept. 9 against Austin Peay, the ‘Hawks defense was clicking on all cylinders, led by senior safety Tony Reid. When the RedHawk offense began to struggle in the third quarter, Reid began to heat up. In the second half alone, Reid was a part of three turnovers, two coming on fumbles, while miraculously intercepting a ball down the seam deep in Miami territory. Such an impactful game on its own is noteworthy. Howev-
er, when taking a look into the preparation that went into Reid’s performance, he goes from impressive athlete to honorable teammate. Reid has Crohn’s Disease, a stomach condition that leads to digestive bleeding. Reid describes this disease in which stress or eating certain foods can lead to intestinal flare ups, causing bleeding. In this particular instance, the Charlotte, NC native attributed the pain he felt leading up to game day to stress over a lingering hamstring issue from the summer. “I was constantly bleeding going into Marshall week,” Reid said. “I was stressed because
over the summer I pulled my hamstring. I was kind of nervous so I’m thinking that’s what caused the flair up.” After missing a few days of practice to consult with his G.I. doctor, Reid had to go in for a procedure. “The doctor ordered a colonoscopy, which in itself entails him [Reid] to not eat any solid food for 24 hours up to the colonoscopy,” associate athletic trainer Paul Eversole said last Tuesday, Sept. 11. “In cleaning out his system, he was pretty hungry coming out of it.” Tony Reid cleared out his system and ate nothing on Thursday, had a procedure done Friday and then proceeded to
wreak havoc on Austin Peay’s offense on Saturday -- a pretty incredible three day stretch. “The first half of the game, I started slow,” Reid said. “But I just continued to carry on.” “We weren’t even sure if he was going to play,” head football coach Chuck Martin said at his weekly press conference on Sept. 11. “And then he goes out there and plays out of his mind. From not knowing what’s going on Friday to how he played on Saturday is pretty amazing.” Fighting through such adversity, however, is nothing new to Reid. According to Reid, Crohn’s continued on page 7
Q: Who were this week’s fantasy football breakout stars? A: I think ‘breakout’ and ‘star’ may be a stretch for anyone I could name. However, this week we had a few new starters who should sustain their role moving forward. Running back Javorius Allen was the Baltimore Ravens’ leading rusher and second leading receiver in the first week the Ravens were playing without injured running back Danny Woodhead. continued on page 7
Men’s basketball will hold walk-on tryouts basketball
emily simanskis sports editor
Miami men’s basketball will hold walkon tryouts on Tuesday, Sept. 26 from 6-7 a.m. at Millett Hall. RedHawk basketball will begin their season at home on Nov. 5 with an exhibition game against Maryville University. The team looks to top their last season record of 11-21 overall, 4-14 in the Mid-American Conference, 10-8 at home and 1-13 away. Head coach Jack Owens joins the RedHawks this season after spending the last six years as the associate head coach at Purdue University. Owens coached the Boilermakers to 209 wins and helped Purdue win a Big Ten Regular Season Championship during the 2016-17 season. Owens brings an entirely new coaching staff to Miami. Miami alumnus Damon Frierson (‘99) is the new assistant to the head coach and Ryne Smith, Director of Basketball Operation, and Kenneth Lowe, Assistant Coach, come from Purdue. Miami welcomes the return of senior forward Logan McLane who leads the returning ‘Hawks with 353 points last season, averaging 11.8 a game. Redshirt junior Jake Wright and senior forward Rod Mills Jr. had 291 and 227 points, respectively. Five freshmen join the RedHawks this season, as well as three transfer student-athletes. simansec@miamoh.edu
Miami tragically fell to UC in the final minute at yager stadium, losing the Battle for the victory bell for the 12th year in a row. PHOTO by Brianna Nixon
Field Hockey starts MAC play with two wins Field HOckey
christopher berry the miami student
Miami field hockey came up big this weekend with two much-needed conference wins against Appalachian State University 6-2 and cross-state rival Ohio University 3-0. MU is now 4-4 overall (2-0 Mid American Conference) after the successful weekend. The RedHawks traveled to Athens, OH to dominate the Bobcats 3-0. MU out shot OU overall 14-3, shots on goal 7-1 and 6-5 penalty corners. “It is always difficult to come to Athens and leave with a victory,” head coach Iñako Puzo said. “I am proud for the hard work of our players. They played with intensity and discipline.” Miami’s first goal came in the 23rd minute by junior midfielder/forward Paula Portugal. This was Portugal’s fifth goal of the season and she would go on to assist on the RedHawks other two goals as well. As time wound down in the first half, freshman forward/midfielder Lexie Nugent scored her third goal of the season, putting MU up 2-0 entering
halftime. Freshman midfielder Neely Lochmoeller notched her first goal at the collegiate level in the 55th minute, giving the RedHawks a commanding 3-0 lead with fifteen minutes remaining. They would go on to maintain their lead the rest of the game, securing Miami’s first win in MAC play (1-0). “Today was a typical MAC contest between two teams that were going to fight for a win,” junior back/midfielder Avery Sturm said. “We were focused on keeping up the intensity for 70 minutes, fight for every ball and do the simple things well.” MU then traveled from Athens, OH to Boone, NC in a quick turnaround for the RedHawks. The team showed no sign of fatigue as they scored quickly in the 4th minute of play from a goal by sophomore back Kirsten McNeil. Sophomore midfielder Lexi Silver added to Miami’s lead in the 15th minute of play which put MU up 2-0. This was Silver’s third goal of the season. The Mountaineers got on the board ten minutes later in the 26th minute to make the score 2-1 in favor of MU. The RedHawks responded immediately with a goal three minutes later
by Portugal. The first three goals for Miami were all assisted by freshman midfielder Leonor Berlie. ASU cut the lead to 3-2 early on in the second half, but that goal would be the last of the day for the Mountaineers. Sophomore forward Kenzie Peterson scored her first goal of the season in the 56th minute of play putting MU up 4-2 with fifteen minutes to go in the game. Nugent scored her second goal of the weekend in the 67th minute on an assist from Portugal who also assisted on Peterson’s goal ten minutes earlier. Portugal scored her second goal of the game and third of the weekend with a breakaway goal in the 68th minute which secured the RedHawks’ commanding victory. The RedHawks hope to build on this past weekend when they welcome Michigan State University to Oxford on Friday at 3:00 p.m. They then travel to a neutral-site game against Wake Forest University at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday afternoon. MSU is 4-5 on the season and Wake Forest is 4-3. berrycm2@miamioh.edu
Hello, I see you’ve finished reading this paper. Hope you were enlightened. Please dispose of it in the proper recycling bin.