The Miami Student Oldest university newspaper in the United States, established 1826
TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014
VOLUME 141 NO. 46
MIAMI UNIVERSITY OXFORD, OHIO
TODAY IN MIAMI HISTORY In 1991, The Miami Student reported University Senate approved the installation of condom machines into residence hall bathrooms by a vote of 32-15. Zoology professor Gary Barrett was one of many in support, saying, “This should have been done 10 years ago.” The machines no longer exist and the only place on campus condoms can be found is at Student Health Services.
AMANDA PALISWAT THE MIAMI STUDENT
SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW
Students strut in the Annual Spectrum Pride Parade Friday, April 11. The event occurs every spring in honor of Spectrum Awareness Week.
Students shoot movie, bad guys BY CHRIS CURME COMMUNITY EDITOR
Miami University senior Robert Horn steps out of a stunningly white 2013 Porsche 911 Carrera S and picks up a matte black assault rifle. There is blood on his hands. He begins pulling countless firearms from the back of a BMW and passing them out to his crew. This is First Punch Productions, and the COM 414 students have just called a wrap on the filming of “Aqua.” First Punch Productions operates in conjunction with Capstone Pictures, a separate entity loosely tied to Miami’s department of media, journalism & film, according to publicity director, junior Jessica Ball. “Aqua,” a modern-day film noir, is Horn’s brainchild. The action film follows rival drug-running mobs and the chaos left in their colliding wakes. “I wanted [to follow] a dark character who would come back for revenge,” Horn said. “The film ‘Payback’ was a big inspiration, which also inspired me to read the book, ‘The Hunter,’ which inspired the film.” Miami alumnus A.J. RickertEpstein plays a dark character, appropriately named Hunter. In 2005, Rickert-Epstein moved at age 20 to Los Angeles, where he now works as a cinematographer, director of photography and actor. While acting a lead, he also coaches the ‘Aqua’s director of photography, senior Francesco Filice. “I’ve been coming back [to Oxford] from L.A. pretty regularly to do supplemental instruction with COM 414 as well as a new J-term class this past January,” RickertEpstein said. “[“Aqua’s” script] had a flavor of ‘Payback’ and other ‘80s action movies I grew up with; I love that stuff.” Rickert-Epstein, like all other actors involved, is unpaid save a small stipend to cover travel costs. Michiel Schuitemaker plays Carter Fairfax, “Aqua’s” silver-haired, silver-tongued bad guy. “I turn around businesses for a living,” Schuitemaker said. “So, I guess I’m an actor by profession, but to make money, I do other things.” Indeed, Schuitemaker is a remarkably successful businessperson. It was in one of Schuitemaker’s Porsches that Horn took his joyride. “I think Rob [Horn] did a great
job, as well as everybody else in the crew,” Schuitemaker said. “I think it was really well done, the script is great. Everybody was so professional, right on the money, getting things done.” First Punch Productions hired Rickert-Epstein and Schuitemaker after a casting held in Cincinnati. According to Ball, professors organized these casting calls with Horn. With the exception of one Miami student, all actors in “Aqua,” as with most Capstone Pictures, are professionals. The majority of scenes in “Aqua” were filmed in Eaton, Ohio, according to Ball. “We partnered with the city,” Ball said. “They have an amazing carriage house and let us close off entire streets.” According to Media, Journalism & Film Associate Professor and Capstone Pictures executive producer David Sholle, the City of Eaton was very receptive to their project. “We shot at the 230 bar in town and they just let us use it: they let us break glasses, Sholle said. “I walked down the street to go get some coffee and they said, ‘Oh, you’re on that film? It’s free!’” The bloody final scenes were shot outside of town in the great room of Gina Melling’s beautiful home. Melling, an Eaton High School math teacher, had Horn in class several years ago. She and her husband are Miami alumni and their son is a first-year student. “It’s neat to see everything that goes into it behind the scenes: the prep work, how long it takes to shoot a scene,” Melling said. “It’s been very interesting.” Sholle said Horn is the first in his memory to both write and direct a film. “The script was written by Rob, but several of the other students worked on revising it, contributing to scenes,” Sholle said. “This is about education. It’s about putting students in a situation where they have to be really self-motivated and learn how to work together as a team.” Since 2005, Miami has offered the capstone class once a year. “This year, we did it in the fall and the spring as an experiment,” Sholle said. “I think we’re going to go back to once a year. There are time, weather and scheduling issues
AQUA,
SEE PAGE 3
Drunken antics disturb late-night ASC BY KAILA FRISONE SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Several students are taking advantage of the 24-hour availability of the Armstrong Student Center. Whether they use the building to study, grab a late-night meal at Pulley Diner or Emporium, warm up on a cold or rainy night, or spend time with friends, students are giving the center plenty of late-night traffic— at times, under the influence. The building staff is well-aware students may enter the building intoxicated, but Director Katie Wilson said they are prepared to handle the situation. A Miami University Police Department (MUPD) officer is on duty from midnight until 4 a.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. “The MUPD officer is there to help support the staff in monitoring the building and ensure student safety,” Wilson said. “Students said that having an officer there would increase their sense that the Armstrong Student Center is a safe place to go late at night.” Despite safety precautions, junior Nathan Lutz witnessed a crime at the Armstrong Student Center late February 28. He was working in a study room that overlooks the circulation desk on the first floor when an intoxicated student pretended to be working the desk. A police officer came to his study room to ask if he noticed anything suspicious at the desk because somebody had unplugged the computer and attempted to steal it. Lutz provided the officer with characteristics of the suspect. “The only thing that even attracted my attention (to the front desk) was his two friends on the other side of the desk, who were both clearly
POLL MIAMISTUDENT.NET Do you frequent the Armstrong Student Center after a long night at the bars?
N/A 21% —
YES 25% — NO 54% —
intoxicated and had their hands all over each other,” Lutz said. He later saw the student laughing while overlooking the desk from the second floor. Lutz contacted the police and told an employee standing nearby that this was the man they were looking for. Lutz was later told that the student was arrested for attempted theft, underage intoxication and possession of a fake ID. Wilson said there have been instances of vomiting and vandalism but so far, the late nights at Armstrong have been more or less problem-free. Sophomore Sam Sloane said she frequently studies in Armstrong late at night and notices many intoxicated students heading to Pulley Diner. Executive Manager Tina Rotundo said Pulley Diner’s sales are picking up as the semester progresses. Meanwhile, Emporium, which is now open 24 hours as well, is slower than they anticipated.
“We knew we wouldn’t make any money having it open third shift, but it’s more of a service to take care of our students,” Rotundo said. Wilson said the budget was designed with 24 hour operation in mind. They also prepared for occurrences by having custodial staff available to clean up. Rotundo said they are not encountering many issues with intoxicated students. Wilson recalled a vomit situation near the seal, but the perpetrator was never identified. Wilson said security cameras are located in all of the major areas of the Armstrong Student Center, but she did not use them to attempt identifying the culprit. She said in the case that a student is cited for vomiting, he or she would also be charged for the cleanup costs. She said the center is not experiencing too many cases of disturbances overall, and that the building is meeting a need that students have.
PHILL ARNDT THE MIAMI STUDENT
STEPPING IT UP Kappa Alpha Psi announced the winner of the Panhellenic Step Show in Harry Wilks Theater.
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CAMPUS
EDITORS REIS THEBAULT VICTORIA SLATER
TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014
CAMPUS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET
KIM PARENT THE MIAMI STUDENT
SUPER PACKS
Students celebrate as they finish packing a box of meals on Wednesday at the Feed My Starving Chilren MobilPack. The student-led event brought 500 volunteers together to pack 108,648 meals to send to malnourished children around the globe.
MU humanities opens doors, fills wallets BY JAMES STEINBAUER SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Everywhere on campus, Miami University students see signs advertising Miami’s No. 1 ranking in Ohio among public schools for best return on tuition investment with 98 percent of business graduates either hired or earning a higher degree. However, business and engineering majors, look out—that stereotypical anthropology major joke might no longer be as funny as it used to be.
According to the 2014 Payscale. com College Return on Investment (ROI) Report, Miami University ranked second nationally among both public and private universities for return on investment of graduates with a major in the humanities. But what exactly does this mean? “One of the biggest misconceptions that has flourished, especially at Miami, is that there is a strict relationship between a students major and their career,” Director of the Humanities Tim Melley said. The pathways for degrees
within the humanities center are really diverse.” There are a lot of humanities majors who don’t go on to careers that seem like the “traditional humanities job” such as teaching English or anthropology. A recent study by the Association of American Colleges and Universities found the overwhelming majority of employers are desperate to hire graduates who have “a demonstrated capacity to think critically, communicate clearly, and solve complex problems.” Exactly the types of skills that are
associated with the humanities said Melley. Damon Horowitz, the Director of Engineering at Google, recently explained, “You go into the humanities to pursue your intellectual passion; and it just so happens, as a by-product, that you emerge as a desired commodity for industry.” Companies like Google are actively pursuing Humanities majors and Google’s Marissa Meyers recently stated that Google “will be hiring about 6,000 people this year — and probably 4,000-5,000 from the humanities or liberal arts.”
Some notable humanities graduates who went on to be leaders in the business world include Sam Palmisano, Former CEO of IBM and History major, Carly Fiorina, Former CEO of Hewlett-Packard and Philosophy major and A.G. Lafley, CEO of P&G and French major. Conversely, Frank Bruni, an OpEd columnist for The New York Times took a different view on Payscale’s report.
HUMANITIES, SEE PAGE 8
Students act their shoe size for Creativity Week BY SHANNON BARNELL AND VICTORIA SLATER FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT
Students itching to bring out their inner child will find Oxford transformed into a virtual playground this week. Beginning April 15, Miami University will be hosting its first World Creativity and Innovation Week (WCIW), an event celebrated annually in more than 60 countries. Miami will be holding the first WCIW in Ohio with various events scattered throughout Oxford designed to bring out the inner child in all students. Events range from a game of truth or dare on Slant Walk Thursday at 2 p.m., to “Balloon Bonanza Extravaganza,” which will occur from 11 to 2 p.m. in the Armstrong Student Center also on Thursday.
It’s all about silencing the voice of judgment that prevents creativity.” JIM FRIEDMAN CLINICAL PROFESSOR OF CREATIVITY
Senior Entrepreneurship & Marketing major Scott Grotjan, who has helped organize the event in partnership with his company, Igoodea Creative Solutions that is funding the event, said the purpose of the week is to foster creativity during a part of life where its importance is often overlooked or forgotten. “The purpose of World Creativity and Innovation Week is for people to be acknowledged, informed, inspired and encouraged to use their creativity; to be open to and generate new ideas, to be open to and make new decisions and to be open to and take new actions that make the world
a better place and to make their place in the world better too,” Grotjan said. He said the idea in part originated from the emphasis many top CEOs put on creativity in the workplaces. “Part of this comes from a comment made by CEOs all over the world who listed creativity as the most important skill graduates need to be successful in business in the future,” Grotjan said. “So how does Miami celebrate and teach creativity? They really don’t. So we are going to make a dent.” Clinical Professor of Creativity Jim Friedman, who along with 80 other students is assisting Grotjan with the events, said he thinks people often suppress their creative side as they become older. “It’s all about silencing the voice of judgment that prevents creativity,” he said. “Creativity is remembering what it’s like to laugh, and we want to bring back all the fun we had when we were younger.” One or more events each day will be offered this week, starting with henna tattoos on Tuesday that will be offered throughout the week as well. The week will end Monday with an activity in Uptown Memorial Park that encourages creative expression. A total of 12 events will be held. “All involve making creativity a part of your life in one way or another,” Freidman said. Senior entrepreneurship minor and Mass Communications major Jeremy Oseas is planning on attending some of the events this week. “Miami has a fantastic entrepreneurship department and this is a great chance to get recognized in the Oxford community,” he said. Events will be free to students and will be held at various times throughout the day for the entire week. All majors and all types of people are welcome to participate and encouraged to stop by.
COURTESY KAITLIN LAPEUS
JUST CHILLIN OUT
Club ice skating participated in nationals this past weekend.The team is now ranked ninth in the nation out of 57 teams.
Dean of creative arts drops the ‘interim’ BY SCOTT ANDERSON FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT
After sorting through 50 applications for the Dean of the College of Creative Arts, Miami University has selected one of their own, Elizabeth Mullenix. Mullenix joined Miami’s faculty as chair of the Department of Theatre in 2006 and was promoted to interim dean of the College of Creative Arts after James Lentini’s departure. Ironically, after accepting her position as interim dean, she commented on how she had no intention to take over the position of dean. Since then, she had a change of heart. “I didn’t count on the fact it was a job that I really loved,” Mullenix said. “Because I loved the job so much, it would be a missed opportunity. I knew I would regret it if I did not apply.” Nevertheless, one short year later she has been accepted as the dean of the College of Creative Arts. As dean, she is responsible for developing, articulating and meeting the challenges and goals both from the
ELIZABETH MULLENIX university and college of creative arts. The selection process is long and can be pretty complicated. First, the search committee invited seven individuals for confidential interviews. Next, after having conducted the interviews, three finalists were selected for on-campus interviews. After the on-campus interviews of the three finalists, based on the input from all constituents involved in the process, and in
consultation with President David Hodge, former-Provost Bobby Gempesaw extended an offer to Mullenix. In her new position, Mullenix has to get out of her comfort zone of theater and learn about all other creative arts. “Learning about all these art forms expanded me, it was so exciting and I realized, wow this is a job I love to do,” Mullenix said. Mullenix said she has high hopes for the future of the College of Creative Arts. Her first objective is to add an external advisory board because, she said, Miami has influential and successful alumni. “The thought of getting those people around a table for advice and ideas is really exciting,” Mullenix said. Additionally, Mullenix is introducing more minors and interdisciplinary minors to support existing programs. She wants to introduce more students to the creative arts offered here. All in all, the College of Creative Arts division has received more stability and visibility in recent years.
Memory of lost sister lives on through sorority scholarship foundation BY GRETA MORRIS
FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT
The Ohio Zeta chapter of Pi Beta Phi (Pi Phi) sorority recently made a donation to the Julie Turnbull Scholarship Foundation to commemorate their sister’s memory. This year, more than $8,000 was donated. Turnbull was one of three Miami students to pass away in an off-campus housing fire on April 10, 2005. Turnbull was a senior at the time
of the fire and an active member of the Pi Phi sorority, chapter president Alex Filotsos said. The Julie Turnbull Scholarship Foundation was created to help Turnbull’s memory live on in the Miami community. The money donated to the foundation goes toward funding scholarships for Miami students in her honor. “Julie Turnbull was a Pi Phi here at Miami, so this foundation is obviously close to our hearts,” Filotsos said. “We have made an effort year
after year to stay in contact with her family and friends with hopes of Julie’s legacy living on through each one of us.” Pi Phi uses events during their Mom’s and Dad’s weekends to raise money to donate to the foundation. This year, a raffle was held during Dad’s weekend in the fall and a silent auction and brunch occurred during Mom’s Weekend in the spring, with the proceeds going to the foundation. A balloon release is also held
annually in Turnbull’s honor near a bench dedicated to Turnbull in central quad. Notes to describe the purpose of the balloons and who to contact if the balloons are found are also attached. This year, people hundreds of miles away found balloons. “We got a note from Mr. Turnbull the day after the balloon release saying that a couple found a balloon all the way in Pennsylvania the morning after the release,” Filotsos said. Philanthropy events and activities
are frequently held in the Greek community play a large role in Greek life, according to Panhellenic Association President, Caitlin Duckworth. “A lot of our chapters are really passionate about their philanthropy work,” Duckworth said. “I think that when chapters start doing these events and they’re very successful it brings a sense of value to our campus and the chapters know that the work they are putting in is making a difference in other people’s lives.”
EDITORS JANE BLAZER CHRIS CURME
COMMUNITY TUESDAY APRIL 15, 2014
COMMUNITY@MIAMISTUDENT.NET
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POLICE Bagel bliss: Few earn deli fame
BEAT
Intoxicated female naps in police station lobby At 1:30 p.m. Friday, an OPD officer walked into the OPD lobby and noticed a female sitting in one of the plastic chairs hunched over, cradling her head between her knees. The officer asked the female if she was OK. Eerily, she remained silent and her head hung lower. Eventually, the officer was able to rouse female and identify her. After speaking with the suspect, the officer surmised the female was lost and did not mean to enter into the police station lobby. The female was barely responsive and reeked of booze, according to OPD. She was cited for sales to and use by underage persons and released to her boyfriend who had come to meet her in the lobby.
Leaning drunkard of ‘piza’ takes a tumble At 2:15 a.m. Friday, OPD officers responded to Bruno’s Pizza, 31 E. High St., in response to a report of a male who refused to leave the establishment. While en route, officers received an urgent communiqué from dispatch indicating the male had left Bruno’s and was now engaged in an argument on the sidewalk with another individual. Upon arrival, officers found the male lying unconscious on the sidewalk. It was revealed that before the officers’ arrival, the male had stumbled, fallen and hit his head on the concrete sidewalk. Officers called Life Squad since the male was completely unresponsive. The Oxford Life Squad took over care of the male while OPD officers spoke with witnesses who said the male had not been assaulted but rather looked up, fell back and hit his head on the ground. The suspect was shockingly found to be highly intoxicated. He later admitted to consuming alcohol that night. He was then taken to McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital, where he was cited with sales to and use by underage persons.
And for my next trick, I will be taken to jail! Around 3 p.m. Sunday, OPD officers were dispatched to 35 E. High St., in reference to a disorderly female. The young-looking female was identified as being 20 years old. As the officer attempted to handcuff her, the female continued to pull away and kick the officer in his kneecaps. Once finally handcuffed, the female was taken to OPD. Throughout the booking process, the petite Houdini attempted to slip from her handcuffs. She was ferocious and combative. Officers also discovered a fictitious Maryland driver’s license on her person during booking. The female was cited for assault, resisting arrest, obstructing official business, offenses involving underage persons and prohibitions.
BY DANA HUMEN
FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT
To most Miami University students, the name Reilly Thimons probably does not ring a bell. The Miami alumna graduated several years ago, but her legacy in Oxford lives on through the popular Bagel and Deli Shop sandwich, the Crunch n’ Munch—a favorite late-night snack among students. The Crunch n’ Munch, which consists of turkey, smoked cheddar cheese, honey mustard, parmesan peppercorn ranch dressing, lettuce and a bag of Doritos on an everything bagel, was created by Thimons when she was employed at Bagel and Deli from 2004 to 2006. Co-owner of Bagel and Deli, Gary Franks, said while there have been plenty of other sandwiches with chips on them that did not catch on, the Crunch n’ Munch became popular because of Thimons’s own marketing of the sandwich. “She worked here one summer during orientation,” Franks said. “I think to everybody that came in she was like, ‘Oh you have to try this bagel, it’s really good,’ and pressed it on people.” Along with the Crunch n’ Munch, there are 88 other bagel sandwiches listed on the official menu, but customer submissions put the total count
to just under 100 sandwich options. Although Bagel and Deli’s menu is extensive today, the shop did not offer any specialty sandwiches when it first opened in 1975. It was not until the mid-1980s that a marketing fraternity came up with the idea to name customized sandwiches.
“If it’s been up there for a couple weeks and we’re still having to turn around and look at it because nobody knows what it is, then it’s not getting ordered enough,” Franks said. “If people bring something in and they’ve worked hard on it, we’ll humor them because they put a lot of ef-
We had a bagel once that ... had peanut butter, banana and eggs. They swore it was good, but it wasn’t.” GARY FRANKS
BAGEL AND DELI OWNER
“The mid-‘90s were the glory days of naming sandwiches,” Franks said. “People still bring them in, but it’s kind of hard to make something different enough that it actually gets ordered.” Like the Crunch n’ Munch, several of the bagels featured have been created and named by employees, although customers have submitted many sandwiches, as well. Franks said the process of submitting a new bagel sandwich is fairly informal— all a customer has to do is create a sign with a new sandwich recipe, and if it gets ordered enough it will stay on the menu. Once framed and on the wall, a bagel recipe will remain there permanently, unless the shop gets rid of an ingredient involved.
fort in it and want to see it up there.” Franks said a former Miami student wanted a bagel sandwich on the wall as his legacy before graduating. After failing multiple times, he finally got the Get Swanked bagel on the menu after having all his pledge brothers order it. While Franks said the Get Swanked bagel is a good sandwich combination, he has also had his fair share of strange sandwich submissions. “We had a bagel once that had bananas and eggs on it,” Franks said. “It had peanut butter, banana and eggs. They swore it was good, but it wasn’t.” While the staff created some sandwiches on the breakfast menu because it needed more options,
Franks said he prefers to have customers submit recipes because it is a part of the shop’s tradition. For customers looking to submit their own sandwich recipe, Franks suggests creating a good combination that isn’t too similar to anything else on the menu. Franks also said timing is important, as submitting a bagel right before graduation doesn’t normally allow enough time for the sandwich to be ordered. “You’re better off doing it at the beginning of the year when you can pressure all your friends into ordering your bagel. Because the more it gets ordered, the more likely it is that it will stay up,” Franks said. Today, the Crunch n’ Munch, the Messy Katie, and the Tanya Harding Club are some of the most popular bagels according to Franks. But with Bagel and Deli nearing it’s 40-year anniversary of being in business, crowd favorites have changed over time. “When I was in school the Kool Jules was the Messy Katie of the day, there’s always been a few bagels that are always ordered, they just kind of shift over the years,” Franks said. Although the Crunch n’ Munch is the bagel sandwich of choice for most customers today, in a few years there could be a new favorite at Bagel and Deli—possibly a bagel sandwich that has yet to be submitted.
City Council in the zone: Land’s future up for debate BY ANNA HOFFMAN FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT
Oxford City Council is in the midst of a debate over the use of 39 acres near Level 27 apartments. The land is currently dedicated to an office park, however, the council is considering rezoning it for residential purposes. An office park, or Office and Light Industry (OI) as it is sometimes referred to in city council meetings, includes doctors and lawyers’ offices, license bureaus and light industry. The previous plans for this land included building a road from U.S. 27 to Four Mile Creek. This plan was never actualized and the owner of the land Scott Webb suggested the land be used for residential purposes as opposed to industrial or commercial purposes. The Oxford City Council is still debating on what to do with the land.
On the one hand, some believe there is no demand in Oxford for an office park because of the remote location. On the other, other council members believe opening such a park will create more job opportunities. “I am a little worried about suburban sprawl by having housing down by that area,” city council member Edna Southard said. “We don’t want to have uncontrolled building, we want development to be handled in a controlled kind of way and I think that you could have a lot of sprawl down there.” Southard said she believes the city is in need of something other than housing. “And there are issues related to traffic patters, there are issues regarding economic development and what the city really needs,” Southard said. “The city really seems to need more office space and not housing.
And I have been thinking pretty hard about it.” One of Southard’s concerns was the economy, and she hoped commercial space would bring more jobs. However, Mayor Kevin Mckeehan argued if the land is sitting empty, it will not bring in any economic benefits. “There is a better shot of having something happen on that land if it changes to residential,” city council member Steve Snyder said. “Part of why this tech park idea didn’t go is because there was supposed to be a road that goes through the entire complex that would hook Route 27 and Route 73 the road is not going to built now because there was a lot of opposite in the outlying communities and disturbing the rural nature of the township,” Snyder said. Another reason the road was not built was due to financial issues.
“The other issues is money,” Mckeehan said. “Miami University and other legislators had successfully lobbied and got some earmarks. I think around 15 million, would have never completed it. We would have built a road to nowhere.” The city council will vote on this issue April 15. If the vote passes and the area becomes residential, the process will take a couple of months to complete. “After that, it is up to the land owners,” Snyder said. Current mood surrounding the upcoming vote is that the city council members attitudes are equally split at this point. According to one council member, there have been very few issues amongst the council and almost all votes in the last two and a half years have been unanimous. “I think its going to be very, very close,” Mckeehan said.
AQUA,
FROM PAGE 1
with the fall term.” Sholle said Miami’s program is unique, and has found success at independent film festivals past. “We’ll enter [“Aqua”], for sure, into the Rochester International Festival, which one of our films won several years ago,” Sholle said. “There are no ‘awards,’ just getting in is an award.” Filming an action movie does not come cheap, according to Ball, who said “Aqua” employed an arsenal of firearms worth roughly $30,000. “Our department has money that comes in from a grant a long time ago and we raise money through indiegogo,” Sholle said. “This year, we only got about $1,000, but we raised an additional $2,000 or more just from individual donors who cut checks.” Indiegogo is, simplistically, Kickstarter for independent films: a website on which filmmakers can solicit donations for projects. Sholle added the Parents’ Fund has given money in the past and students try to raise half the money they spend. Sholle and Ball also emphasized the generosity of Midwest Grip and Lighting, who provided
WRITERS WANTED.
CHRIS CURME COMMUNITY EDITOR
Director of Photography, senior Francesco Filice, looks through the viewfinder at baddie Carter Fairfax, played by Michiel Schuitemaker, who bleeds to death after having been shot on the set of “Aqua.” A jug of corn syrup blood is just out of frame. booms, cameras, lighting and other equipment. “They’re almost like a charity to us,” Sholle said. “They probably give us $50,000 worth of equipment and charge us $2,000.”
Midwest also lent the team a gaffer, Sholle said, who acts as a teacher, guiding students through the nuances of professional equipment. While the blood was mostly corn
syrup and the gun was a prop, the Porsche was very authentic. “It was … awesome,” Horn said. “Aqua” premiers May, 11 at the Wilks Theater in the Armstrong Student Center.
The MiamiStudent is looking for beat reporters and staff writers.
E-mail news@miamistudent.net for more information.
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ARTS & EVENTS
EDITOR LAUREN KIGGINS
ARTS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET
TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014
SHOW REVIEW
‘Albert Herring’ hits all the right notes
The Miami University Opera cast of “Albert Herring” pose after the final curtain falls Saturday.
BY ALISON BLOCK
FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT
Would you like to laugh until your sides hurt? Or go home singing at the top of your lungs? If so, you must go see “Albert Herring,” an opera being run this weekend by the Miami Opera group. “Albert Herring” tells the hilarious tale of a virtuous young man who is, much to his dismay, held up as an example of strict morals in his small English town in the spring of 1900. Mayhem and
misunderstandings ensue, resulting in three hours (with two intermissions) of pure entertainment and a grand plot twist. President David Hodge called the opera terrific. “I have a special fondness for music,” he said. “This was great. I thought the sets were beautiful. The orchestra, I thought, was exceptional, and I loved the last act especially. The thing that impressed me was the maturity of the singers tonight. It just struck me. They projected themselves much older — or younger,
depending on which one. I thought that was very impressive.” Hodge was spot-on in his review. The movable sets were extremely striking — staircases, dinner party, and a whole shop were convincingly brought to life on the stage of the Gates-Abegglen Theatre in the Center for the Performing Arts. The singing was nearly perfect and the characters were all portrayed wonderfully (my personal favorite was Lady Billows, brought to life by Kristen Whalen). And if you’re worried about being able to understand
TAYLOR WOOD THE MIAMI STUDENT
opera — don’t be. The singing was surprisingly clear and subtitles were conveniently provided on a screen above the stage. My favorite part, though, was the music. The pit orchestra was absolutely phenomenal — as a flutist myself, I greatly appreciated all the work the musicians put into the performance. Director of Miami Opera and Conductor Benjamin Smolder was very pleased with the night’s performance, a night that has been in the works since last October.
“I’m proud of the students,” he said. “For them to master this score is really extraordinary, especially being so young. It’s really a score that should be left to professionals, and I’m really proud of the job they gave.” “Albert Herring’s” music was written by Benjamin Britten and the libretto (or story) by Eric Crozier. Benjamin Smolder conducted and Leland Kimball directed.
EXHIBIT REVIEW
H.A. Sigg’s symmetry deems success BY KYLE HAYDEN
FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT
ALL OF THE LIGHTS
TYLER RIGG THE MIAMI STUDENT
Anthem Lights performs at Hall Auditorium Friday to raise money to provide clean drinkng water to the people of El Salvador.
BEN’S BOOMBOX
The art of cover musicians A bassist unlatches his Ibenez guitar case and puts his pride back into storage. The show just ended and the crowd applauds with love and support. They have just heard four hours of the past 25 years in music. Songs writBEN ten by various MEINKING artists were performed by musicians who don’t own any of the rights. The audience was reminded of all the glory days they once had when they heard the original mix for the first time. The song itself becomes more powerful than the artist and the individual who wrote it. How many times must a song play on repeat to be considered great? Cover artists make a living by giving an audience a repeat button for live music. Never playing the same song twice in a row, these musicians bring smiles to those listening by adding a personal touch to the fan favorite original that they are playing. A cover artist’s audience gets introduced to the style of the artist. Each musician has his own identity, or voice, and it can be heard through covers by cueing in on the differences to the original. Maybe a solo is played or more instruments accompany the piece. If you like seeing musicians play live but the band is miles and miles away, cover artists can offer you great skill alongside listening to your favorite tunes. As cover artists begin to learn songs from various artists and genres, tribute bands learn everything they can about the original band that played the song. If a band claims it is a Journey tribute band, the singer better sound just like Steve Perry when he belts out “Don’t Stop Believing.” If a band claims it is a Journey cover
band, then I hope they know every song and play them with some artistic flair. It is not easy being in a tribute band. When the audience shows up to hear and see the musicians, they want to act like they are seeing the originals, like Steve Perry. This can be a confusing time for some audience members because the music will sound just like the band; voice, instruments and stage presence. Another repeat button getting its wear and tear. Originals are harder to find when other artists have their music so accessible. It’s easy to cover “Wagon Wheel” and get a crowd reaction, but getting people dancing by playing something unique and one-ofa-kind is a battle. The battle can be very fun and there is a technique to winning the crowd over and showing them what you have been working on. Both cover and tribute artists slip their original work in the set list when performing. The crowd learns the new voice and becomes comfortable with it, by recognizing the songs being sung. The musician sneaks in an original song and heads begin to turn. The audience becomes taken by the song. They can’t explain what is going on; what they are hearing sounds great while phones come out with Shazam, or some other song title listener, on the screen. Without a confirmation of credit for the song, the audience will ponder over who wrote that new song until they talk to the artist and learn that it is purely an original. Writing an original song and finding an audience for it is very hard. Artists, from painting to music to writing, wrestle with this. It is important to embrace what artists make themselves. It is a release for some, passion for others and a matter of being progressive for some. Bring out the originals and support the starving artist. We are all unique and it is important to notice that.
Since January the work of H. A. Sigg has hung precariously on the walls of the Miami University Art Museum. The university calls the show, “Meditations, the Abstract Nature of H. A. Sigg.” Sigg’s work has been called “cerebral and intuitive in its fusion of visual art and language, use of series and sets, and involvement with non-Western art and culture,” by essayist Amy H. Winter, in her essay for the university’s show. Likened to other post-war painters seeking alternative intellectual grounds for their work, like the work of “color-field” painter Mark Rothko, or Barrett Newman, the suggestive yet delicate lines of Sigg’s brushwork recall the human hand more readily than the departure of the hand from the work of Newman. The mid-late period energetic work of Rothko is mirrored in Sigg’s works. The treatment of color recalls Richard Diebenkorn.
Diebenkorn was born just two years before Sigg, and through Diebenkorn practiced in the San Francisco Bay Area, they are like-minded in their departure from formal representation. In that, they share the study of the landscape in their new optical approach. In Sigg’s “Night Blue” and “Echo I,” there is a certain sense of color treatment, a lightness of the eye that mirrors his contemporaries. Restrained, yet intimate compositions seem to dominate Sigg’s works in their whole, as well as a sense of attraction to symmetry. Aside from his paintings, Sigg’s sculpture is in an entirely different state. When viewed in photographs, the dark, industrial sculptures, which mainly stand below four feet in height, appear to be monolithic when scale is departed from them. When the matte black surfaces and rigid, confrontational structures are viewed straight on, their symmetry is apparent. It seems as though some thought in Sigg repressed from meditating on nature
emerges in the form of ostensible mock-satire of the manufactured object and prefabrication in his three dimensional work. The title the museum applies to the works: that the paintings are somehow “abstract” seems to border on false. Abstraction would imply the detachment from certain realities. Sigg’s work appears to be factual information, derived in the eye and recreated on the canvas. His paintings are faceted in consciousness and distilled into definite, representative images. He attempts to recall the essence of moving water and refractions of light, as seen in “The Course of Rivers III.” Sigg succeeds in that regard, and has certainly added another button in the expansive fabric of his time. Sigg’s “legacy” — as the university and essayist Amy H. Winter regard it — reaches across two centuries, and we can only hope that he continues to work in his true, quiet way.
ARTS & EVENTS CALENDAR TUESDAY APRIL 15 Jim Tobin, associate professor of journalism at Miami University, will present, “Asking the Past to Talk: FDR, Polio and Narrative History” at 4 p.m. in Armstrong Student Center Pavilion A. Tobin will discuss how he weaved historical evidence into scenes and passages in his latest book, “The Man He Became: How FDR Defied Polo to Win the Presidency.”
WEDNESDAY APRIL 16 The Brown Bag Recital Series will feature solo and group performances by faculty and students at noon in the Armstrong Student Center’s Shade Family Room.
SATURDAY APRIL 19 Miami University’s Black Women Empowered will host the PEACE.LOVE.FRO.EXPO, a day-long event at MacMillian Hall 114. The event celebrates natural beauty and identity.
THURSDAY APRIL 17 Catch a free concert Uptown by local artists Daniel in Stereo, One Day Steady, Northbound and Colton Jackson at 7:30 p.m. at Oxford Memorial Park Pavilion.
SUNDAY APRIL 20 Meet at the Hueston Woods Nature Center at 11 a.m. for an expedition to fossil collection sites around the park.
FRIDAY APRIL 18 The Vision Dance Company will host its spring recital at 7:30 p.m. in Hall Auditorium. Tickets are free for students, $8 for adults.
MONDAY APRIL 21 Kick off your week at The Art of Yoga, focusing on relaxation and deep release through the mind and body awareness. The $10 class begins at 10:30 a.m. at the Oxford Community Arts Center’s North Parlor.
www.miamistudent.net
GOLF,
FROM PAGE 10 would have liked to play better than we did, but when you look at performance in relation to the field, it was kind of a mix of just about everyone, except for Georgia Tech, who played fantastic today. Rebounding [on Sunday] was definitely a step forward.” Senior Mark MacDonald led the ’Hawks, finishing tied for 42nd in the 81-man field. MacDonald shot 14-over-par for the tournament. He shot 76 in the
TUESDAY APRIL 15, 2014 first and third rounds, and a 75 in the second round. MacDonald said the tournament was a measuring stick as well and thinks it will help the ’Hawks moving forward. “The course was tough, the conditions were tough, the field was by far the best field we’ve played in all year,” MacDonald said. “It lets us know where we’re at, and where we can get going.” The ’Hawks will be back at it this weekend, as they compete in the Boilermaker Invitational in West Lafayette, Ind.
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OPINION
EDITORS EMILY ELDRIDGE NICOLE THEODORE
FRIDAY, APRIL 15, 2014
EDITORIAL@MIAMISTUDENT.NET
EDITORIAL The following piece, written by the editorial editors, reflects the majority opinion of the editorial board.
Rule of Thumb Crunch ‘n’ Munch
Make a good first impression, ace email etiquette Ever wonder why, as a student, you have had times when you haven’t gotten an email back from a professor or from a potential employer? Instead of wondering what you did wrong in your resume or cover letter, maybe it was just the poor email etiquette in your email. Email etiquette has become increasingly one of the most important things to know and understand in our digital world. It is the main way you contact a professor, contact other students and send off job applications. Because of that, writing a proper, well-formulated email introducing yourself and what you need and ending it politely is so important. The Miami Student Editorial board encourages students to read emails twice, even three times, for errors in grammar and proper sentence structure, because it does matter how you sound in an email no matter how trivial the question is. If you are unsure of how to address a professor, always resort to professor or Dr., if you know they have their PhD. It’s a safer and more acceptable route then calling them by their first name, or addressing them incorrectly. If a professor then signs his or her first name at the bottom of the reply, that is their way of allowing you to call them by his or her first name in the future. But a good way to
have a professor not respond or say “no” to your questions is to address them is to address them correctly. It’s also a good idea to be polite, to the point and nice in your email. No one wants to read a seven-paragraph email about why you have to miss class or why you want to turn in an assignment early. Professors and employers appreciate a quick read that gets right to the point. Because, let’s be honest, they are real people just like us too, who don’t have time to reply to a six-page email. It’s also appropriate to be well -mannered and be careful not to come across as demanding. It is easy to come off in emails accidentally as being pushy, demanding and rude because the person you are asking can’t see your body language or hear your tone of voice. Spend the extra time wording questions and statements so they sound polite. Just remember that first impressions really do matter — and an email counts as a first impression. Some other important tips to remember — avoid using caps if at all possible when sending emails to professors and employers. To you, it may off as you showing them how excited you are to apply for a job or ask to be a undergraduate assistant, but to those receiving the emails out of context, it may come off as you basically yelling at them.
We’ve all indulged in this Miami staple. Now, learn its history. p. 3
Also avoid using texting acronyms in emails. Yes, this includes “btw,” “probs” and “K.” It doesn’t look professional at all and even if you are really close with a teacher or your boss, still try to keep it classy. Emoticons are not okay either, especially the winky face. So keep the caps, emoticons and text acronyms just between you and your friends and out of emails. A good rule of thumb to remember: be informal, but not sloppy. Don’t always use emailing as a crutch either just to avoid meeting with someone in person. If at all possible, try to meet with teachers and employers face to face. This shows them that you are confident and is a great time to let your personality show through. Even though emails may seem like the preferred method of contact in today’s world, there are still people who really appreciate meeting for coffee and getting to know you in person. Sending chain mails and junk mail to people who aren’t your immediate friends is something else to avoid. A “do” though: make sure your signature includes proper contact information. Keep some of these tips in mind from the editorial board next time you send an email and we promise you won’t ever fail on email etiquette again.
Give us your thumbs Not literally. But send your likes and dislikes to editorial@miamistudent. net
Carpooling With ridiculously high gas prices this time of year, sharing a ride home is highly recommended.
Pulitzer Prize winners The Washington Post and The Guardian won this coveted award for their coverage of the NSA.
On-campus Sunday meters It’s Sunday, go home.
April snow
The commentaries and letters to the editor featured on this page do not reflect the majority opinion of The Miami Student. Questions, comments or concerns can be submitted in essay or letter form to editorial@miamistudent.net or eic@miamistudent.net. Anonymous submissions will not be published.
The simple fact snow was in the forecast today is concerning.
ANDREW’S ASSESSMENTS
Democratic Party must harness ‘that vision thing’ in order to compete in 2016 race President George H. W. Bush was famously dismissive of that “vision thing” in an anecdote reANDREW told in a New York Times GEISLER article during his campaign for the presidency in 1987. He was panned for it at the time but still won in a soulless and visionless campaign for president with Michael Dukakis in 1988. The campaign was highly negative; many commentators attribute Bush’s victory to race baiting. It’s widely seen as a low point in American presidential campaigns. Bush’s single term as president is making a historical comeback, but he never showed the fire in the belly it takes to make it clear you’re fighting for the American public. He never understood that vision thing. He knew foreign policy and his actions abroad were successful. Unlike FDR, he never became Dr. Win the War and Dr. New Deal. He could cut budget deals — an essential skill for a president — but couldn’t bring the people along, which is of equal import. He lost his second term to a guy who couldn’t stop thinking about tomorrow.
Presidential politics is about looking ahead, not back. A positive vision for the future is the key to a successful tenure as president. Foreign policy successes, which often come during a president’s second term after they’ve lost any good will they once had on Capitol Hill, are well and good for legacy — something every president obsesses over — but a successful domestic agenda, the tangible vision thing, wins presidents plaudits with the American people. Successful presidential terms in the modern era tend to come after a campaign where the winner was heavy on vision, and the loser usually lacked it. The importance of the vision thing is why I’m skeptical any time I read a piece about the inevitability of Hillary Clinton as the Democratic nominee for president. It’s the same reason Jeb Bush is far from the strongest candidate for establishment Republicans in 2016. Both politicians come from American political dynasties. Both see the presidency as a feather in the cap of their political career. Bush makes it clear any time he’s talking on the record he’s taking a hard look at the 2016 race. He also makes it clear he would be running without the fire. His policy accomplishments on education and entitlement
reform in Florida make him an appealing candidate. But he even admits he’ll only run if he can do it joyfully. This presupposes finding the joy will be difficult. A review of numerous 2012 election post-mortems makes it clear Mitt Romney saw his candidacy for president as a great service to the country. He felt he had a special set of skills and a background conducive to turning around our country’s economic woes. His campaign was almost solely based on complaints about how horrendous President Obama’s economic record was. Only late did he make the turn toward domestic vision. By then, it was too late. The race was defined. Governor Romney was looking back and performing a service, not campaigning with joy. The president, to his credit, knew he had to look forward, though he too lacked the joy. As a result, the president’s domestic agenda looked relatively promising for a second term president for some time. It’s fizzled now, but there was sincere and warranted excitement after the election for a time of domestic action. Bush, despite his serious policy reputation, would be a Romney, or even Bob Dole, type candidate. One who has broken with the base so often in the past that
winning the presidency would require him to eat crow far too often. Common-core and immigration reform might look good to the Aspen Ideas Conference set, of which Bush is a card carrying member, but the Republican Party is fundamentally uncomfortable with these types of candidates.
Bill Clinton won the presidency with a message sharply focused on three issues: change vs. more of the same, don’t forget about healthcare and it’s the economy, stupid. Hillary’s problem is that Republicans could use a similar formula to defeat her and seize the future.
His policy accomplishments on education and entitlement reform in Florida make him an appealing candidate. But he even admits he’ll only run if he can do it joyfully.
Getting hugs in an MSNBC green room is the best way to lose Republican base support, just ask Jon Huntsman and 2000 John McCain, who had to pull a Romney/Dole to get the nomination in 2008. Clinton shares Bush’s problem. If Republicans nominate a younger reform governor type with a serious domestic agenda — something looking more likely by the day — it becomes even harder for the old guard Clinton to seize on the all-important domestic vision piece of the campaign. Try as she might to change it, Hillary Clinton was long ago defined politically. Her high favorability ratings flip to unfavorable when she enters the political arena.
8,000 YOU R AD HERE !
But the party cannot seize on the vision if they nominate their own version of the old guard. Jeb Bush, by his name alone, as much as it pains me to say it, represents a passé version of Republicanism. His moment was in 2012 when donors would have loved to have him swoop in and beat Romney. Hillary’s moment was in 2008, and President Obama took it away. When your moment has passed, and you’re the definition of the old guard, it’s hard to seize on that vision thing, which is the only way to secure a lasting domestic legacy. SENIOR, POL. SCIENCE GEISLEAJ@MIAMIOH.EDU
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FRIDAY, APRIL 15, 2014 OP ED
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MILAM’S MUSINGS
Growing police militarization is increasingly a concern in U.S.
PATRICK GEYSER THE MIAMI STUDENT
COMMENTARY
Studying is more expensive: A fresh look at the economic side to building an impressive resume College students today spend, on average, less time on homework and studying than students of generations before them, according to recent research: 15 hours weekly versus 24 hours, respectively. This 40 percent decrease is often attributed to the belief that college has become “too easy,” but there is a more important issue behind the matter: the concept of opportunity cost. In economics, opportunity cost is defined as the cost foregone by not choosing the next best option. Therefore, the opportunity cost of studying for one hour is not only an hour of burden and anguish, for some, but also an hour of utility, or satisfaction, given up by not doing something seemingly more productive. The decrease in time spent studying by college students can be explained by economic cost, which over time, has increased relative to other activities. One important statistic to look at when considering time allocation of college students is the number of full-time students who are also employed. Since 1970, the proportion of “traditional,” ages 16-24, full-time college students who are employed has steadily risen from less than 35 percent to about 50 percent. In the case of paid work, the economic, or opportunity cost, of studying is not only time spent being bored but also the wage given up by not working. Essentially, at least in an economic way of thinking, one actually loses money when he or she studies – something many might consider a
lose-lose situation. A more important factor to note is students’ involvement in extracurricular and co-curricular organizations. With over 40 percent of people ages 18-24, attending college today versus the roughly 25 percent nearly 50 years ago, college attendance has become much more of a societal norm today than it has been in the past.
out of college. Over the years, the productivity of each input has shifted; involvement in extracurriculars has become more productive relative to studying, therefore making studying relatively more costly. And since the two are substitutes, as the cost of studying goes up, students, who are assumed to react rationally, will shift their time
The decrease in time spent studying by college students can be explained by economic cost, which over time, has increased relative to other activities.
This overall increase in attendance has also increased the number of distractions on campus with more organizations to accommodate the growing student body. As the number of student organizations has grown, so has student involvement. There is no doubt that the job market in recent years has been subpar, and because of the state of the economy, undergraduates find it increasingly important to stand out in ways other than grades, which are no longer enough. Rather, students today are told they must be involved and well rounded. From an economic standpoint, this matter can be viewed by looking at study time and involvement time as substitutes for the “production” of building a resume and ultimately landing a successful job
allocation from studying to involvement. By looking at the various ways students allocate their time, it becomes evident that, although students spend less time studying, they are spending time on things they view as equally, if not more, productive. Ultimately, if students act rationally, a basic assumption of economics, they will be acting in their best interests no matter how they choose to spend their limited time. The significance? Maybe mom was wrong when she said you have to study hard to get a good job after college, but you didn’t hear that from me.
KAITLYN FOYE
JUNIOR, PROF. WRITING, MARKETING & ADVERTISING FOYEKE@MIAMIOH.EDU
As a follow up to last week’s editorial on Miami University faculty, we invite you to “thumb up” a professor or faculty member you would like to recognize. Please email editorial@miamistudent.net with a name and description of why the individual deserves recognition. Nominations will be accepted until April 30.
KATIE TAYLOR EDITOR IN CHIEF EMILY CRANE NEWS EDITOR EMILY ELDRIDGE EDITORIAL EDITOR NICOLE THEODORE EDITORIAL EDITOR LAUREN KIGGINS ARTS AND EVENTS
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P o l i c e forces in the United States have grown increasingly militarized and that growth has BRETT caused gross violations in MILAM civil liberties and the unnecessary loss of life. This thesis put forth by Washington Post journalist, Radley Balko, is supported by evidence over the past two decades of a 1,500 percent increase in SWAT team use. SWAT team deployment in the ‘70s only numbered in the hundreds, but now every year they’re deployed 50,000 times or about 100 to 150 times a day. The Department of Homeland Security helped bolster this militarization by giving local police departments’ military-grade weaponry, armor and tanks. Since 9/11, over $35 billion has been spent in grants to these localities. At their inception, SWAT teams were mostly deployed for emergencies, like a hostage situation or rioting. Now, they are mostly the force fighting the War on Drugs and small-time crimes like credit card fraud, poker games and cracking down on under-age drinkers. In other words, as is usually the case with any facet of government, the mission for SWAT teams gradually grew over time to entail a plethora of other activities. For one example of how ridiculous it has gotten, The Economist mentioned Keene, a small town in New Hampshire, which only saw three homicides between 1999 and 2012, now has something called a BearCat. It’s a mere $286,000 armored personnel-carrier. Better known as a tank. More importantly, the real problem in the overuse of SWAT team deployments and the reliance upon military-grade weaponry and armor, is that it creates an “us vs. them” mentality in police culture. “So when you arm a cop like a soldier, when you dress ‘em like a soldier, when you tell ‘em to fight in a war and then send ‘em out into a neighborhood that he has no stake in and doesn’t consider himself a part of, you get a very antagonistic, us-versus-them relationship between the officer and that community,” Balko said. In this space, I’ve talked often about rape culture. Erin Whiting postulated this analogy to police culture and I find it apt. “Just as rape culture normalizes sexual violence, cop culture normalizes police violence and reinforces the notion — to police and those judging their behavior — that a badge is a license to kill,” she said. It should come as no surprise, then, when we see case after case of police misconduct. In Albuquerque, New Mexico, the allegations of misconduct had gotten so bad, the Department of Justice had to investigate the APD. Their findings — just released — should be disturbing to anyone that cares about civil liberties and holding accountable those in a position of authority. “Based on our investigation, we have reasonable cause to believe that APD engages in a pattern or practice of use of excessive force, including deadly force, in violation of the Fourth Amendment. We have determined that structural and systemic deficiencies — including insufficient oversight, inadequate training, and ineffective policies — contribute to the use of unreasonable force,” the report stated. From 2009 to 2012 (the time span of the DOJ’s investigation), 20 officer-involved shootings occurred, resulting in fatalities in Albuquerque. The DOJ report stated “a majority of these shootings were unconstitutional” and that “officers often use deadly force in
circumstances where there is no imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm to officers or others.” Even more damning than that is their finding that it was the officers involved that escalated the situation, which necessitated the use of deadly force, not the victims. Moreover a “significant amount” of these incidents involved those with mental illnesses. Officers and department policies have long been inadequate and insufficient in safely handling those with a mental illness. The data on officer-involved shootings, especially of mentally ill individuals is terribly inadequate, but the Treatment Advocacy Center and the National Sherif’s Association estimate that half the number of people shot and killed by police have mental health problems, according to the New York Times.
More importantly, the real problem in the overuse of SWAT team deployment and the reliance upon military-grade weaponry and armor is that it crates an “us vs. them” mentality in police culture. The idea that police misconduct is only the result of so-called “bad apples” should be blown apart by these findings regarding the APD. Not only do the findings show a pattern of abuse, but that abuse involved Fourth Amendment violations, unnecessary use of deadly force and a particular problem in dealings with mentally ill individuals. If the DOJ opened similar investigations into other big city police departments, I’m willing to wager they’d find a similar pattern of abuse and inefficient accountability. It goes without saying that officers often face high-pressure situations and have to make splitsecond decisions, but we should not let that blind us to systematic problems that are evident. In particular, Balko pointed out that the threat to officers is grossly exaggerated. For instance, 2012 was the safest year for police officers since the 1960s. Assaults on officers are down as well. Such an exaggerated threat only exacerbates the previously mentioned police culture of “us vs. them.” Being a police officer means being a public servant, but serving the public – sacrificing for the public safety – has been lost in the quest to militarize. “But cops assume a risk when they sign up for the job. That risk involves putting the safety of others above their own,” Balko said. Instead, officer safety seems to trump all else. Perhaps the most frustrating component to all of this is the lack of criminal accountability. The city of Albuquerque paid out $24 million in legal settlements to victims’ families since 2010. Put another way, taxpayers covered the tab for police misconduct that resulted in the needless death of numerous individuals. Officers are no different than the rest of us. Given a little power, a big gun and no oversight, abuses are going to be predictably rampant. It is time politicians, courts and the American people stopped giving them the benefit of the doubt and instituted real reforms aimed at quelling violent police culture. SENIOR, PHILOSOPHY MILAMBC@MIAMIOH.EDU
8
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FOR RENT LARGE 1 BEDROOM APTS. 610 South Main. Water, sewer, trash included. Available May and August 2014. $455.00 per month. Semester leases available (2) required 513-896-7358 COURTYARDS OF MIAMI Too many roommates? The COURTYARDS of MIAMI might be just what you are looking for. Located at the corner of S. Main Street and E. Central Ave, the MU red, green, and blue bus stops right in the front yard. We offer neat, clean, and colorful housing to students only, at affordable prices. A 2 bedroom apartment shared by 2 students is $2500. and includes HEAT, water and trash. A 1 bedroom with a study is $3700. for those wanting to live alone, (just a few of those open) All residents enjoy free off street parking, on site laundry, and yard space with a shelter. Always upgrading, we are just down the street from the REC, and inside one block from Campus. On site office, flexible hours, and excellent upkeep, make the COURTYARDS a place worth looking at. Ask about free summers and the referal plan. Stop by, contact Carolyn at 513-659-5671, or thecourtyardsofmiami@yahoo.com for more info. www.thecourtyardsofmiami. com SCHMATES HOME RENTALS. We are now renting for 2015/16. Secure a home for your group. A Miami Tradition. Visit us today at www.schmatesrentals.com **APARTMENT FOR RENT** UPTOWN APARTMENT FOR RENT FOR 2014-2015 SCHOOL YEAR, 2 BEDROOM, KITCHEN, 1 BATH, LARGE LIVING AREA, UTILITIES INCLUDED. 22 S. BEECH ST.->CONTACT MIKE MESLER 513-523-3735
COURTYARDS OF MIAMI 1 short block from campus, at the corner of Central and Main St., bus stop, AND off street parking keep our students glad they live here. 2 bedrooms include HEAT, water and trash, open for the 14-15 school year $2500. per seme / person. 1 bedrooms open for the 15-16 school year $3700. Laundry and office is on site. Free summers with 2 semester lease 513-659-5671 thecourtyardsofmiami.com Stop by or contact Carolyn for a tour NICE HOUSE FOR STUDENTS excellent upgrades to keep utilities low, make this house student friendly. 2 living rooms,4 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath, and eat in kit. and dining room. deck, patio, and garage. free summer with 2 semester signing. call 513-6595671 for a tour of this home SUMMER RENTAL 1027 ARROWHEAD 1 or more students to share house, private rooms, 1 private attached apt. individual contract for $650. for the summer. Completely furnished. 46 inch TV with Free cable & internet barone.alan@gmail.com; 740407-4114
EMPLOYMENT LIFEGUARDS AND CAMP COUNSELORS Camp JB Mac is located north of Cincinnati. Since 1990, Camp JB Mac has been in operation from M-F from June to August. We care for children ages 6-12 years. (Excluding lifeguards) all trainings will be provided by Camp JB Mac. Excellent pay and awesome end of summer bonus! Application available online @ www.campjbmac.com or call Lucy at 513-772-5888. 513-772-5888
DOOR-TO-DOOR, CANVASSING JOB Butler and Preble County Region Job Requirements: * Good communication skills* Experience in door-to-door canvassing or willing to learn* Ability to walk long distances* Valid Driver’s License and access to a vehicle* Willing to travel throughout the Butler and Preble County areas * Familiar with iPad/iPhone devises or willing to learn * Able to work with a team member Training provided Competitive pay References required Minimum 10 hrs/week, Maximum 32 hrs/week Project ends early May Email walkandtalk937@gmail.com or call 513-341-6757 to schedule an interview SUMMER & FULL TIME POSITIONS BEAUTIFUL LAKEFRONT YACHTING CLUB SEEKS OUTGOING, MOTIVATED INDIVIDUALS. WILL TRAIN QUALIFIED CANDIDATES AS: SERVERS BUSSERS HOST/HOSTESS BARTENDERS DOCK ATTENDANTS LIFEGUARDS LINE COOKS/BANQUET PREP SAILCAMP COUNSELORS SNACK BAR ATTENDANTS INCENTIVE PROGRAMS/FLEXIBLE HRS EXCELLENT PAY CALL TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WEDNESDAY THRU SUNDAY 200 YACHT CLUB DR. ROCKY RIVER, OH 44116 (440)333-1155 SUMMER JOBS AT THE DRIVEIN! Join the fun! We are accepting applications for summer employment at the Holiday Auto Theatre, 1816 Old Oxford Road (SR 130) near Hamilton. We are looking for friendly, outgoing, motivated individuals to fill roles in Guest Service, Concessions, Ticket Sales, and Landscaping. Please call us at 513-868-3456 for more information.
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Miami University HUMANITIES,
and analyzed.” Another Miami graduate, Jennifer 2/11 Sandel, said her major in the Run dates: 1/28, 1/31, 1/24, 2/7, “What a ludicrous list…” Bruni humanities has been the key to said. “What does it tell you? That her success. the colleges at the top have the “I’ve been asked many times to most clout and impart the best define American Studies,” Sandel skills? Or that these colleges ad- said. “For me, the more important mit the most young people whose thing to focus on is how Ameriparents and previously estab- can Studies has defined me. The lished networks guarantee them a program touts the slogan “Create leg up?” Your Own Future.” Nothing could However, Jonathan Wheeler, a be more appropriately descriptive Miami graduate and first-year law of the experience I’ve had.” student at Penn State, expressed Sandel has worked at Nestlé that it was his literature major for three years as part of the sales which has given him a leg up. development program. Nestlé’s “The humanities enabled me selective recruiting process conto approach what I do in law tained over a thousand candischool, such as assessing cases, dates, one-third of whom were from multiple angles,” Wheeler humanities majors said Sandel. said. “Cases that you read in law “I think that great communicaschool are a lot like what you’d tions skills and the ability to conread in a literature class; stories nect the dots is what really set me that need to be effectively read apart.” Sandel said.
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TUESDAY APRIL 15, 2014
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SPORTS
EDITOR TOM DOWNEY
TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014 ANDREW GEISLER GOING LONG WITH GEISLER
THE TRUE PROFESSIONAL GIVES A HUMBLE INTERVIEW
A humble athlete interview is like an on-message politician. Both are widely panned by a media who wish their lives could get more interesting, however, both are actually doing something admirable: they’re acting like professionals. Keeping a post-game or match or tournament interview humble, thanking those who got you there more than loving yourself, are the marks of true professionalism. Pride does come before the fall. And though the media would love for humble post-game interviews that thank God, family, teammates and coaches to go away because it makes their lives seem formulaic, those who see great success in athletics are often the ones who understand how central these outside forces of support are to their successes. Jack Nicklaus, the greatest golfer of all time, is widely seen by golf writers as the best interview in the history of the game. In his book “Jenkins at the Majors,” the legendary Dan Jenkins puts it best, “Jack Nicklaus remains the most interesting, cooperative and informative athlete I’ve ever interviewed in any sport, ever.” The latest conventional wisdom piece of analysis on why Jack will probably always sit ahead of Tiger on the all-time majors list focuses in on the time Jack spent with his family after tournaments, and the basic humanity he holds onto. Nicklaus, by the most important metric of golf success, major championship wins, is the greatest to ever stroll the fairways. He did it by focusing on what he could control, not by making his life more difficult with self-loving quotes. This brings us to the case of 23-year old PGA pro Patrick Reed. Reed won a tough tournament at Doral against the strongest field of the season to that point. Afterward he basked in the glory of the magnitude of his accomplishments with a cringeinducing interview featuring this self-worshipping quote: “I’ve worked so hard. I’ve won a lot in my junior career. I did great in my amateur career. I went 6-0 in match play in NCAAs. We won NCAAs two years in a row
(at Augusta State). I got third individually one year at NCAAs. Now, I have three wins on the PGA Tour. I just don’t see a lot of guys who’ve done that, besides Tiger and the other legends of the game. I believe in myself. I feel like I’m one of the top five players in the world. I feel like I’ve proven myself.” Afterward, Jason Sobel of the Golf Channel wrote in reaction to Reed’s self love: “I love that the kid’s got brass ones bigger than The Donald’s oversized cufflinks. I love that he isn’t afraid to wear a red shirt and black pants with Woods playing in front of him on a Sunday afternoon. I love that when asked about his chances at next month’s Masters, the first major he’ll ever play, he said, ‘I know that any event I tee it up at, I have a chance to win.’” Sobel also took to Twitter right after the interview writing “Hmm. Fans complain pro golfers give boring, cookie-cutter responses from pro golfers. Patrick Reed speaks his mind and fans still complain.” Sobel should love the swagger. He covers a sport full of rich guys playing the ultimate country club sport, which probably gets boring at times. That doesn’t mean being obnoxious should be welcomed. Oh and Reed proved himself this week at Augusta, the place where real champions have always performed, by firing a one-over-par 73 Thursday, followed by a sevenover-par 79 Friday. Good enough for a 72nd place finish and a plane ticket back home Friday night. Maybe this is just a blip in the arc of a long successful career. But until Reed realizes he owes his young success to forces outside of his own hard work, something every professional does, he’ll likely falter on the biggest stages in golf. The culture, through a complicit media, may be trying hard to teach young athletes that self-promotion and a single-minded focus on how great you are because of all you’ve done yourself is the key to success. However, those with a healthy sense of perspective are the pros among the crowd of wannabes in pro sports, especially in golf, where they’re often the ones slipping on a green jacket at the end of the second weekend in April.
SPORTS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET
BASEBALL
Miami drops series to MAC East leading Kent
RACHAEL LE GOUBIN DAILY KENT STATER
Miami sophomore outfielder Jake Romano attempts to lay down a bunt against Kent State University. Romano went 2 for 13 with 2 runs scored in the series. He is hitting .246 for the season with a team-high 13 stolen bases.
BY STEVEN PERKINS FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT
The Miami University baseball team dropped two of three games against the Mid-American Conference leading Kent State University Golden Flashes this weekend. The RedHawks lost 4-2 in the opener and 14-3 Saturday before bouncing back with a 6-4 win Sunday. The win Sunday snapped a three-game losing streak for the RedHawks. Head coach Danny Hayden said he was less than pleased, especially with Friday’s game. “We would have liked to come out with more than just a win,” said Hayden, “We let that one [Friday’s game] slip through the cracks.” Miami junior Seth Varner was tagged with loss, despite a quality start. Varner went 7 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits while striking out eight. The RedHawks (14-20, 5-7 MAC) fell to the Flashes (22-12, 9-3 MAC) Friday 4-2. Miami mustered only five hits in the game.
Miami made a late run to tie the game at 2-2 in the top of the 7th, but gave up an additional two runs in the bottom of the 8th. Senior third baseman Dan Walsh was the only RedHawk to record more than one hit, going 2 for 3. Miami returned Saturday and lost again, this time 14-3. The RedHawks gave up 19 hits, with 15 of those allowed by junior Nathan Williams. He went 3 1-3 innings, giving up 10 earned runs with only one strikeout. Walsh was again the only RedHawk to record multiple hits, going 2 for 3. The ’Hawks finished the series on a high note, edging out the Golden Flashes 6-4. Junior catcher Max Andresen was 3 for 5 with an RBI. “It’s easy to hit when you’ve got good hitters surrounding you,” said Andresen, “Pitchers have to pitch you balls you can hit because they can’t afford to walk you.” Hayden said a big part of Sunday’s win was hitting well. “Our team is built to score a lot of runs,” said Hayden, “We got to their
guy early. It makes our lives easier on the mound and in the bullpen.” Junior starter Ryan Powers agreed. “[Having good hitters] helps tremendously,” said Powers, “it’s easier to pitch with the lead than tied or down a couple runs.” The right-handed Powers threw 7 2-3 innings, allowing four runs on 10 hits. He finished the day with one walk and seven strikeouts. Hayden said the team is trying to build off the win moving forward. “We’d love to get on a roll,” said Hayden, “We really haven’t been that consistent lately.” Powers said the win was a momentum builder. “This is a great morale victory,” said Powers, “We lost three in a row and didn’t want to lose the weekend. This is a huge momentum builder.” The RedHawks head to Eastern Kentucky University Wednesday to face the 17-19 Colonels. The game was originally scheduled for Tuesday, but was pushed back a day. Fans can listen to the game on redhawkradio.com/sports.
GOLF
SOFTBALL
Red and White lose three of four to RedHawks finish 14th in Western Michigan and Northern Illinois Robert Kepler Invitational BY JORDAN RINARD SENIOR STAFF WRITER
The Miami University softball team lost some steam this weekend after falling 9-4 and 4-0 to Mid-American Conference foe Western Michigan University and lost to Northern Illinois University 6-1, but ended on a strong note as it dispatched the Huskies 8-5 in eight innings. The RedHawks (1720, 5-5 MAC) now have some ground to make up in the MAC East Division standings as they are in fifth place. “We’re disappointed with what happened this weekend, but there are things we can learn from this,” head coach Clarisa Crowell said. “It’s been a long two days, but we played great in the last game, coming back and having what it takes. It was a great team win. We’re feeling good about ourselves. Everybody contributed, which was good to see. It would have been easy for us to lay down. Now, we’ll look forward to this weekend and getting 1 percent better.” In the first game against Western Michigan (13-25, 4-5 MAC), the Broncos got a grand slam in the second and never looked back en route to a 9-4 win. Miami tried to battle back as junior shortstop
Kylie McChesney scored on an error in the third and senior second baseman Kristy Arbour, senior catcher Kayla Ledbetter and junior outfielder Bree Lipscomb had RBIs in the sixth. The second game was dominated by pitching until the fifth inning, where WMU reeled off four runs on its way to sweeping the ’Hawks. The Red and White struck first in the opening game against Northern Illinois (17-20, 5-5 MAC) with a RBI from Arbour in the top of the third before the Huskies took the lead in the bottom of the inning with a two-run home run. NIU tacked on another four runs in the fifth. The RedHawks’ offense put up a meager four hits in the game and the pitching staff allowed five earned runs on nine hits. McChesney went 2 for 3 with a run scored while Lipscomb and sophomore designated player Hailey Reed accounted for the other hits for the team. The ’Hawks drew first blood in the second game when junior third baseman Remy Edwards stole home in the second inning. The RedHawks extended their lead in the fifth with a RBI-double from Lipscomb and a two-run homer from sophomore designated hitter Jenna Modic. Northern Illinois
responded in the bottom of the inning with three runs of its own to narrow the lead down to one run and took the lead with two runs in the sixth. Edwards knotted things up in the seventh by reaching on an error and senior first baseman Allie Larrabee put the RedHawks back in front with a two-RBI double in the eighth. Modic added on to the lead in the inning with an RBIdouble of her own and closed the game out on the mound without allowing a hit in the final frame. “It was a tough weekend, but we ended it how we wanted it to,” McChesney said. “Some things that we need to work on for next weekend would be our pitching and being more consistent on offense. We can get hits but we need to be able to string them together. It was great to pull out the win, and we’re excited for this weekend against Ohio and Akron. The rivalry [against the Bobcats] always makes it fun.” Miami was supposed to take on Butler University in a doubleheader Tuesday, but the game was postponed until April 29. The ’Hawks return to action for games against Ohio University Friday and Akron Saturday and Sunday in Oxford.
BY JUSTIN MASKULINSKI SENIOR STAFF WRITER
The Miami University golf team competed in the Robert Kepler Invitational over the weekend in Columbus and placed 14th in the 15th team field. The field of competition was loaded with competitiveness, as five of the teams were nationally ranked heading into the tournament. No. 5 Georgia Tech and No. 18 University of Alabama at Birmingham held spots in the top 20, while No. 31 Kent State University, No. 34 University of Nevada-Las Vegas, No. 36 Liberty University and No. 47 Northwestern University also entered the tournament ranked. Miami head coach Zac Zedrick said the ’Hawks were able to see where they stand amongst those teams. “Anytime you can play a course that has hosted regional and national championships and play against that kind of field it’s a great measuring stick,” Zedrick said. “Anytime you can play against teams that are ranked in the top 5, 25, 50; a lot of those teams are going to be playing full season golf.”
The ’Hawks began the tournament Saturday with a first round of 24-over-par. The RedHawks shot one stroke higher in the second round, to put them at 49-over-par as a team after two. Sunday, the ’Hawks shot six strokes better, a 19-over-par round as a team. Zedrick said the team continuously builds up to the Mid-American Conference championship every tournament, and he does not think this low finish altered the ’Hawks flying pattern. “I think it was definitely a step forward, especially [Sunday],” Zedrick said. “[Saturday] was probably a little bit of a wakeup call. It’s hard to replicate a golf course and conditions as difficult as the Scarlet [course]. We probably haven’t seen a course that hard since Rich Harvest farms in September. No other way to put it really, other than that it just kind of caught our attention.” Zedrick said despite the low finish, the ’Hawks were able to hang tough in competitive field. “We came out and played much better [on Sunday],” Zedrick said. “I think the guys still
GOLF,
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