April 10, 2015 | The Miami Student

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FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2015 VOLUME 142 NO. 47

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MIAMI UNIVERSITY OXFORD, OHIO

MU students withdraw over Wells Hall incident CRIME

JAMES STEINBAUER UNIVERSITY EDITOR

The two first-years charged with writing offensive graffiti on a bulletin board in Wells Hall have withdrawn from Miami University as of Wednesday evening, according to Miami University Director of News and Communications Claire Wagner.

Because student records are protected under FERPA, Wagner was unable to specify whether the university dismissed William Armour and Samir Lal, or if the students withdrew on their own accord.

Armour and Lal still face misdemeanor charges of criminal mischief and are due to appear before Ohio Area 1 Court at 10 a.m.

Thursday, April 16.

In an email to students and faculty, Miami University president David Hodge described the graffiti as being “profane, racist, sexist, anti-Semitic and homophobic.”

Diversity Affairs Council (DAC) member Ifeolu Claytor is worried that an extreme occurrence like this will only normalize the smaller instances that happen on campus and across the country every day.

“It’s not necessarily that students on campus endorse this behavior,” Orlander said. “It’s that we permit it to happen in the first place.”

faculty, for a bunch of really bad decisions that I made on Saturday night. Please know that these actions are not a reflection of my true character, and that I am profoundly sorry for each and every one.

I wrote one, and only one, statement on a public bulletin board in Wells dorm. I wrote: “Midgets on May 2nd Paquio fight. 1. Hold my beer. 2. Blow jobs.” I don’t know exactly why I wrote that — it was stupid — I saw something similar written on a flier in my dorm and I CONTRIBUTED BY MIAMI UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS chose to write it. I am truly sorry I The bulletin board in Wells Hall that was vandalized by Will Armour wrote it — it was offensive, lewd and Samir Lal. and disrespectful. This was my mistake. I wish I didn’t write it, but The incident highlights a growI did. I own it, and I apologize. ing need for cultural sensitivity on I stood by and did nothing when someone else wrote repugnant, Miami’s campus. hateful words, phrases, and graffiti “We as students don’t deeply on the bulletin board. I did nothacknowledge the effect our words ing to stop this behavior. I was and actions have on those who wrong. Let me be clear: I am not already feel disadvantaged or stuEffective Wednesday morning, a racist or a bigot. Each of us has a dents who feel like they already April 8, 2015, I have officially responsibility to stand up to bigotry don’t belong,” he said. withdrawn as a student from Miand discrimination, be it gender, At 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, ami University.

I believe that my sexual, religious or racial. I didn’t March 4, the Miami University presence on campus is a distracdo anything, but I should have. For Police Department (MUPD) retion and brings unwanted media this I am truly sorry. I clumsily tried sponded to a graffiti vandalism attention to Miami University. to take responsibility and make it complaint at Wells Hall.

Most importantly, I did not live right after the fact with the police According to the MUPD report, up to Miami’s Ethics Code of and with the Wells’ resident assisthe resident who lives directly Love and Honor. tants on Saturday night, but I failed. across from the vandalized board I was always taught that when By sharing my mistakes, I hope heard Armour and Lal while they you make a mistake, you need to that it may help others make the were in the middle of drawing on own it, apologize and try to make right decisions. it. The resident looked through the it right. I apologize to the entire WILL ARMOUR Miami campus, its students and VANDALISM »PAGE 4

Letter from student reveals acts; apologizes to community

FORMER MIAMI STUDENT

Suicide awareness campaign affects campus perception ALCOHOL

KRISTA SAVAGE THE MIAMI STUDENT

CONTRIBUTED BY TUSHAR BATIA

LIGHTING UP Storms swirled into Oxford this week., leaving campus drenched. Don’t fear though, sunshine and mild temperatures are forecasted for the weekend.

M

TODAY IN MIAMI HISTORY UNIVERSITY

GLBTQ COMMUNITY VOICE CONCERNS »PAGE 2

Among the many reasons behind attempted suicide, feeling alone is the most powerful.

That’s how first-year Amanda Bryant, whose name has been changed to protect her identity, felt when, halfway through second semester, the hardships of depression became prevalent in her everyday life. She began cutting herself.

“The pressure to be perfect academically and physically is so overwhelming at this school,” Bryant said. “I just got to the point where I couldn’t take it. The pressure of the semester got to me, and I didn’t know what else to do.”

Bryant began secluding herself, never leaving the dorm room.

Eventually, she lacked the strength

to go to class or do her homework.

When her grades began dropping and her lack of energy was obvious to everyone in the hall, the RA approached her. Together, they went to the student counseling center.

We all feel alone sometimes, but it is important to know that you never are, and there is always someone who you can talk to.

KIP ALISHIO DIRECTOR OF SCS

But the issues didn’t go away.

“College is scary,” Bryant said.

“Sometimes I feel like I don’t SUICIDE »PAGE 4

RUNOFF VOTE TO DETERMINE STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT Presidential candidates Joey Parizek and Kevin Krumpak, the top two vote-getters, will face each other in a runoff election to be held next Wednesday at noon until Thursday at 7 p.m. The second vote comes after no team of candidates received more than 50 percent of the 3,797 votes cast Wednesday and Thursday.

Parizek’s running mate is Matthew Kovesdy. Krumpak’s running mate is Amy Berg.

For more information on the candidates’ platforms, visit miamistudent.net.

Marijuana in Tipton’s system during murder ALCOHOL

EMILY WILLIAMS SENIOR STAFF WRITER

An autopsy report has revealed that when Larry Tipton II shot ex-girlfriend and Miami student Rebecca Eldemire, there was marijuana in his system.

The report, issued by the Butler County Coroner’s Office, indicates that Tipton’s urine tested positive for the drug. It does not indicate how much of the substance was present, or when he had last used it.

On Sunday morning, Feb 1, the Oxford Police Department responded to a 911 call from Eldemire’s roommates reporting loud bangs coming from her room in their Level 27 Apartment. Eldemire and Tipton’s bodies were found in her room, dead from gunshot wounds in an apparent murder-suicide.

The autopsy reports indicate that Eldemire suffered two gunshot wounds of the head, one at her forehead and one at her left lower face. No drugs were found present in her system.

Tipton’s autopsy concludes that the 27-year-old shot himself TASK FORCE »PAGE 4

In 2007,The Miami Student published a piece on the anniversary of a 2005 house fire that took the lives of three students—Stephen Smith, Julie Turnbull and Kate Welling.Today marks the 10th anniversary of the accident. A plaque still sits outside King Library in the students’ memory. “What we all of us took from this situation is to appreciate life,” said Kate’s friend, Lauren Centra. “You get so caught up in college life, you feel invincible.”

COMMUNITY

DRUG ABUSE LEADS TO SPIKE IN HIV »PAGE 3

CULTURE

GETTING LOST IN VENICE »ONLINE

OPINION

RESPONSE TO VANDALISM UNACCEPTABLE »PAGE 6

SPORTS

GOLF »PAGE 10

2 UNIVERSITY

FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2015

CAMPUS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

Study: Few GLBTQ students feel welcome at Miami, in Greek life GLBTQ

BONNIE MIEBERS

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

GLBTQ students feel less like they belong on campus than their fellow students in Greek life, according to a study by Miami University’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Services.

Sixty-six percent of straight Greeks feel they always fit in at Miami, while just 33 percent of GLBTQ students feel equally comfortable on campus.

GLBTQ students in the study said they had fewer friends in sororities and fraternities and more GLBTQ friends compared to straight students. Students in sororities and fraternities reported the opposite, having more friends who were also involved in Greek life and fewer GLBTQ friends than straight students who are not involved in fraternities or sororities.

The study shows that the exclusivity and selectiveness of fraternities and sororities can make

even straight students feel left out.

Greek life is the reason many students feel at home at Miami, but the way sororities and fraternities are gendered can attribute to the alienation of people who do not fit into those categories.

“I don’t feel comfortable walking around campus holding my boyfriend’s hand,” openly gay first-year Colin McDonough said.

“I think if I was in a frat I would feel ostracized because I would be the ‘gay’ brother.”

Paul McCreary, awareness chair of SPECTRUM and openly gay brother of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, said he sees things differently.

“I never thought I would be in Greek life,” McCreary said.

When he first came to Miami, McCreary said that he believed Greek life was for straight, white people. But, after accepting a bid from Lambda Chi, he said he feels Greek life is inclusive. McCreary said the Interfraternity Conference (IFC) is very accepting and does not tolerate any type of discrimination.

“Greek life, from what I’ve seen at Miami, isn’t homophobic,” he said.

The study urges sororities and fraternities that believe their organizations are inclusive to be more open about that inclusiveness. It calls for positive images of GLBTQ

“We need a climate change and we must all be a part of that change.”

SHEVONNE NELSON OFFICE OF DIVERSITY AFFAIRS ASST. DIRECTOR

identities and discussions of transgender individuals.

Shevonne Nelson, assistant director for the Office of Diversity Affairs agrees that, looking at the study as a reference point, the campus has room for growth.

“Our GLBTQ students, faculty and staff consistently report only having moderately positive experiences on campus,” Nelson said.

“Moderately positive” may not sound bad to the average person, she said, but to the person who is made to feel only moderately okay, it is a big deal.

Nelson, however, believes pinning the problem on a single group, like Greek life, is a part of the problem.

“Singling any one group out is part of the larger problem of why many groups feel moderately or less comfortable on campus,” Nelson says. “We need a climate change and we must all be a part of that change.”

Students can be a part of and start this climate change by becoming more aware of how they contribute to making GLBTQ students feel like they belong on campus, Nelson said. Showing students they matter and their identities are valued is an important part of making students feel at home at Miami, she said.

“We need to move beyond tolerance and fundamentally challenge the ways we talk about, support, and affirm the GLBTQ community,” Nelson said.

PHIL ARNDT THE MIAMI STUDENT

I WANT TO RIDE MY BICYCLE, I WANT TO RIDE MY BIKE Ruowang Yao, a fine arts sophomore, spray paints for the first time while modifying a bicycle for the Oxford Kinetics Festival. He and other students and community members will participate to celebrate people-powered vehicles.

All aboard the R5: BCRTA introduces new bus route TRANSPORTATION

INMA SUMAITA

THE MIAMI STUDENT

To celebrate National Transportation Infrastructure Day yesterday, the Butler County Regional Transit Authority (BCRTA) provided a free demonstration of a new proposed route, R5, to run from Oxford to Colerain as an express commuter bus route.

The “R5 – Oxford & Colerain” was chosen for demonstration because BCRTA and Miami University data suggests there would be sufficient interest and ridership on a route of this kind. The BCRTA R5 bus departed at 7 a.m. from the Colerain Meijer for Oxford.

The on campus stops included the Farmer School of Business, Benton Hall, Campus Avenue/Walnut Street, South Campus Garage and the Shriver Center.

A significant portion of Miami faculty, staff and some commuter students travel to Oxford via US-27 daily. Possible connections with Cincinnati Metro

also make the potential for this route sustainable.

Metro connections could possibly include transfers to the Metro 17, 19 or 74X. Operating a route like this on an hourly schedule during weekdays could also have the potential to connect Miami and Oxford to the greater Cincin-

Many students are disgruntled with the current BCRTA bus system, complaining of the lack of buses and the inconvenient bus schedule.

“It gets me where I need to go, but I always have to keep an extra half an hour in hand for these trips,” said Leslie Okpadile, a se-

“All the changes that have been made since BCRTA began operating service in Oxford have been at the request of riders.”

MATTHEW DUTKEVICZ BCRTA CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER

nati job market.

The BCRTA bus services are currently drastically underused and hence, underfunded. This demonstration was intended to encourage utility and funding by showing prospects that better funding would provide more flexibility and participation in the bus use.

nior who lives off campus. “Given that I go from home to classes multiple times a day and back, these start to add up and are quite time consuming.”

Most people who live on campus prefer to walk and, thus, don’t consider the bus schedules when they plan out their classes.

First-year Elizabeth Ruffley

said she never rides the bus.

“I tried to catch a ride to one of my afternoon classes, quite convinced that I had the time to spare, but the bus ended up being so late that I missed half my class,” she said. “It’s just not reliable to get you where you need to go. It’s almost granted that you have to walk Uptown because buses on the weekend are difficult to spot and usually not on time.”

For many students, these buses are their only way for getting groceries and other amenities.

“I’ve had an especially bad experience where I was trying to catch a bus to Walmart while it was raining,” said sophomore Andrea Quintanilla said. “I ran out in the rain to go stand at the stop and the bus didn’t stop for me. I ended up walking home, completely drenched.”

Regarding inefficiency, Matthew Dutkevicz, the chief operating officer of BCRTA, said they have not received many comBCRTA »PAGE 4

Pro-life cross display at MU Hamilton creates controversy REGIONAL

REBECCA HUFF

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

The pro-life display on Miami University’s Hamilton campus has led to confusion and controversy among students over the few weeks.

The pro-life organization, Students for Life, placed 400 white crosses outside of Scwarm Commons, a central location on the campus. Each cross represents 10 fetuses removed during abortions each day (approximately 4,000).

Representatives of Students

for Life reached out to the Hamilton administration in early March, requesting permission for the display. Despite reservations, the dean and assistant dean of students justified it by emphasizing the importance of free expression.

“I knew that the display would be controversial,” said Robert Rosbusin, associate dean of students, in an email to Hamilton students, “but I also knew that our campuses have a long history of permitting student organizations to express themselves and their opinions freely.”

It didn’t take long for someone

to disturb the display. On March 30, the day it was set up, a group of students took down the crosses, blaming a religious student organization, Cru, for the project.

“I’ve been criticized with text messages for it because people assume that it is me,” said Cru President, Ashley Mayanja.

The crosses, typically associated with Christianity, confused many students, who also assumed Cru was responsible for the display. President of Students for Life, Sara Bischel, explained crosses are also used to represent the protection of human rights, which ties into abortion.

Bischel, a staunch pro-life activist, believes there are no situations that warrant abortion.

“Although there may be many challenging circumstances, I believe that in no circumstances should abortion be legal,” Bischel said. “All humans were created with equal rights, and regardless [of] the circumstance, they should all be treated with equal protection.”

Following the first interference with the display, Rosbusin emailed the Hamilton students to explain what it meant and why it PRO-LIFE »PAGE 4

‘Amazing Race’ for charity CHARITY

ABBEY GINGRAS OPINION EDITOR

Business fraternity Alpha Kappa Psi (AKPsi) and nationwide retailer Kohl’s are partnering to put on The Amazing Race, a charity event, at noon on Saturday, April 12 at the Hub. Teams of four who sign up and participate will travel to various locations around campus and in Oxford to compete in challenges in order to determine a winner.

This year, the money raised will go to Charity: Water, which helps build wells in developing countries that need better access to drinking water. Junior Conor O’Bryan, Director of Member Education for AKPsi, is excited for the new philanthropic cause.

“In the past, the money we raised in these events went to Winton Hills, a local grade school in the Cincinnati area, so over the years we have created a very close relationship with them as we visit them multiple times every semester,” O’Bryan said. “Charity: Water is a great organization that provides funding for wells and sources of clean water in areas that do not have those resources, so while it is not as local as our cause in the past, we think that it is still a meaningful and important cause to give to.”

This is only the second year that AKPsi has held The Amazing Race. Last year, they raised over $5,500 for their philanthropy.

First-year student and new member Josephine NachemsonEkwall commented on the issues associated with promoting this event.

“We planned to pass out flyers

“While it is not as local as our cause in the past, we think that it is still a meaningful and important cause to give to.”

CONOR O’BRYAN JUNIOR, DIRECTOR OF AKPSI MEMBER EDUCATION

outside but have not been able to do that because it has been raining a lot this past week,” Nachemson-Ekwall said. “It’s been the most challenging part so far.”

Another notable factor for The Amazing Race is the corporate sponsorship of Kohl’s. This partnership allows Alpha Kappa Psi members to interact with Kohl’s employees and for Kohls to experience Miami’s campus and student body. Kohl’s will also have teams participating in the event.

In addition to bringing together students from all over campus and benefiting charity, The Amazing Race allows new members of Alpha Kappa Psi to try a hand at running an event and practicing leadership skills.

Sophomore Mickey Whitford, vice president of Philanthropy for Alpha Kappa Psi, spoke to the importance of this responsibility.

“Every semester there’s a pledge project, and it’s kind of simultaneously a way for them to prove that they can work together in a team and work individually, while providing for a good cause,” Whitford said.

“It’s one of the most important things that our chapter does.”

Leading up to the event, Alpha Kappa Psi is holding various fundraisers to help raise even more money for their philanthropy. This includes a “takeover” at Skippers from April 6 to 11, where any customers who present an Amazing Race flier will have 20 percent of their order, including drinks, donated to AKPsi’s philanthropy.

COMMUNITY@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

COMMUNITY 3

FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2015

HIV outbreak threatens nearby counties

POLICE BEAT

Indiana governor lifts needle exchange program ban to prevent spread by intravenous drug use HEALTH

EMILY WILLIAMS

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Eighty-nine people in Austin, Indiana, have been diagnosed with HIV over the past few months, prompting concern in other areas with high rates of intravenous drug usage.

The cases have been traced to the illegal use of the prescription opiate Opana. Abuse of the drug was first seen in rural areas in 2012 after the opiate OxyContin was reformulated. In comparison, Opana is now more potent and easier to inject than OxyContin.

Some of the first deaths from

overdose occurred in the same Indiana county experiencing the HIV outbreak. From January through March of 2012, nine people in Scott County died from overdoses of Opana.

Indiana’s governor, Mike Pence, has temporarily lifted the statewide ban on needle exchange programs, which provide citizens with sterilized needles, in order to help quell the outbreak. The program has gotten off to a slow start, however, with only four visitors reported by the Indiana State Department of Health since it opened Monday.

In Ohio, however, needle exchange programs are legal. The Cincinnati Exchange Project, launched

in February of last year, provides participants with a clean syringe for every used one they bring, with the goal of preventing the spread of diseases like HIV among intravenous drug users.

Clients do not need to bring an ID to receive needles, and are required only to provide the name of their county and their zip code. According to the director of the project, Libby Harrison, many of their clients come from Butler County.

“It’s a confidential service,” said Harrison. “We create a code to know them by, and we try to makes things as easy as possible.”

Although some critics of these programs argue they enable drugs

users, Harrison said the program has been successful in providing participants not just with clean needles, but with access to free HIV and Hepatitis C testing and referrals to drug treatment and mental health services.

In its first year, 10 percent of the program’s clients have received treatment for drug addiction and 5 percent for Hepatitis C infections, said Harrison.

According to Harrison, needle exchange programs that also provide access to testing, health care and education are essential to keeping a similar outbreak from occurring in other areas with high injection drug use.

HIV »PAGE 9

CONNOR MORIARTY PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

Quarter Barrel Brewery and Pub and the Oxford Coffee Company came together to create a one of a kind beer recipe using the local roastery’s beans.

Coffee bean brew: Oxford businesses unite with beer creation BUSINESS

REBECCA HUFF

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

With the help of Oxford’s first and only roastery, Oxford Coffee Company, Quarter Barrel Brewery and Pub combines late night drinks with early morning caffeine to create the Oxford Coffee IPA beer.

“The coffee flavor in it was way better than any other coffee flavored beer I’ve had before,” said Quarter Barrel bartender Ethan Bartlett.

Both Quarter Barrel and Oxford Coffee make their products by hand. Quarter Barrel brews its own beer and Oxford Coffee roasts its own coffee.

“Quarter Barrel Brewery & Pub

The coffee flavor in it was way better than any other coffee flavored beer I’ve had before.

ETHAN BARTLETT QUARTER BARREL BARTENDER

produces the best beer possible, and presents it alongside the best that North American craft brewers have to offer,” said founder of Quarter Barrel Brandon Ney. Quarter Barrel has been in business for four and a half years, and Oxford Coffee since 2012.

“We are proud to offer [Oxford Coffee] and solely offer their

coffee,” said Ney. Robert Thurston, owner of Oxford Coffee, was senior editor of the book, “Coffee: A Comprehensive Guide to the Bean, the Beverage and the Industry,” and a history professor at Miami.

Thurston was able to spend two different academic years in the Soviet Union, where he visited coffee farms and talked to coffee farmers in a number of places.

“I wanted to try to interact with people in a different way by running a business,” Thurston said.

The Oxford Coffee Company practices green methods by using compostable cups and filters, as well as saving the coffee grounds, which Shademakers Nursery and Landscaping Company use

for their business.

“The roaster is highly energyefficient because it uses natural gas to heat up ceramic blocks, which give off infrared heat,” said Thurston. “It’s a more efficient system than just using gas burners and is far more efficient than any electric apparatus for roasting coffee would be.”

Quarter Barrel practices a localfirst philosophy; it tries to use as many local ingredients and services as possible.

The beer, on the other hand, is not as locally centered as their entrees. The ingredients are imported from all over North America, but brewed at Quarter Barrel — simiCOFFEE »PAGE 5

Get technical: Talawanda High School students get laptops CONSTRUCTION

MADDIE WOOD

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Talawanda High School (THS) initiated the 1:1 program for the 2014-2015 school year, making it the first school in Butler County to provide students with personal electronic devices.

The 1:1 program gives all students grades 9-12 their own Chromebook laptop to use during all four years of high school. Students must return the laptops over their summer break for routine maintenance.

The program was introduced to THS as a trial run to test how the students and faculty would react.

The district found that students were

M

responsible with their devices.

“Out of 1,100 devices, only two were reported missing/stolen, and one of them was recovered,” said Holli Morrish, Talawanda’s Director of Communications and Public Engagement.

All students and parents were required to sign The Student Technology Acceptable Use Policy before they received their devices.

The only charge families have to pay for the Chromebooks is a $40 insurance fee each year the student is in school, but even that doesn’t affect students, as the overall student fees have been lowered accordingly. The laptops are being funded by the Talawanda School District.

“We didn’t receive a grant we applied for through the state,” Morrish

said. “But the [school] board believed in the idea that technology is the wave of the future and Talawanda should be on the forefront.”

And Talawanda School District has proven to be a leader of technology. They operate as a Google school district, meaning Google technology is worked into their curriculum.

Before the 1:1 program was implemented, the IT and curriculum departments heavily researched devices to use and determined that Google’s Chromebooks fulfilled all the requirements they had set. Once the devices were selected, the two departments worked to incorporate the Chromebooks into lesson plans.

Brooke Yeager, sophomore at THS, said that the teachers allow students to use the Chromebooks in

class to work on online assignments.

“Before the program, I heard a lot of teachers say they would’ve utilized technology more if all the devices in the building weren’t shared,” said Jim Vajda, Talawanda’s Information Technology Coordinator. “Now that every student has a device, it’s much easier for teachers to plan online lessons and work technology into their classrooms.”

Although the Chromebooks have proved useful in the classroom, they can also serve as a distraction.

“The online work makes things easier,” said THS sophomore Sarah Green, “but the Chromebooks can download games, so it makes focusing in school harder.”

OPD deems deceitful driver drunk At 11:41 p.m. Tuesday, an OPD cruiser approached from behind a blue Pontiac Grand Prix on Patterson Avenue approaching West Chestnut Street.

The officer clocked the vehicle at 40 mph, 15 mph above the speed limit of 25, and proceeded to follow the car as it hurdled past construction barrels and turned right onto West Chestnut.

According to OPD, after noticing the police cruiser on his tail, the driver slowed to 20 mph.

However, the officer watched the sedan slowly pinball in the lane: alternatingly skirting the curb and center lines. At one point, the driver veered dangerously near a stretch of parked cars and jerked away hard to avoid a collision. The officer promptly executed a traffic stop on Arrowhead Drive.

The driver handed the officer his Ohio driver’s license and proceeded to blankly stare ahead out the windshield, according to OPD. When asked for his vehicle registration, the driver yanked an envelope from the glove box and proceeded to fruitlessly rummage through a multitude of papers therein. As the man searched the envelope, the officer asked whence he came. The passenger spoke up, intimating they had come from Trenton and were looking for Acorn Circle. The driver then looked up from his envelope and asked the officer if he needed any additional information. He was reminded he still needed to present his vehicle registration.

The driver then extracted from the envelope and incorrectly handed to the officer the car title.

As the officer peered into the vehicle, he observed an open box of Budweiser behind the passenger seat and an open box of Bud Lite behind the driver’s, OPD said. Smelling alcohol on the driver’s breath, the officer asked the suspect if he had been drinking that evening.

“I’m not going to lie, I had one beer a few hours ago,” the driver said.

Upon request, the driver attempted to exit his vehicle but found the door locked. He then mistakenly pressed the lock button and tried again. A second time he pressed the lock button and impotently pulled at the door handle. When he finally exited the vehicle, Mr. One Beer rested his hand on the side of the car to maintain his balance as he slunk around to the back.

While spectacularly failing the field sobriety tests, the suspect said only the box of Budweiser was his, from which OPD found four cans missing.

After beginning his heeltoe walk in the center of the sidewalk, the suspect finished in the grass. Indeed, after a particularly confusing “six inches off the ground or count to six?” one legged stand, the suspect said “Man, I couldn’t even do this sobe-normally,” according to OPD. Refusing to submit to a breath test, the man was cited for OVI, Weaving and Speed. He was released on his own recognizance at Acorn Circle.

TALAWANDA »PAGE 8

WHEN YOU’RE FINISHED READING

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The storm carried penny to quarter-sized hail and caused damage to vehicles and buildings. It passed just south of Oxford.

— Journal-News

The Director of White House Office of National Drug Control spoke on ending stigmas against and saving lives of drug addicts.

— The Enquirer

Officer Michael Slager was charged with murder after the cruiser dash cam recorded Slager shooting Walter Scott in the back.

— The Associated Press

The Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared that all sanctions would have to be lifted on the day any final agreement is signed.

— The New York Times

NATIONAL

INTERNATIONAL

PLEASE RECYCLE

4

FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2015

FROM VANDALISM »PAGE 1

door’s peephole and saw two males wearing a yellow and plaid shirt.

Upon arrival, the responding officer found Armour and Lal, clad in yellow and plaid shirts, sitting on the ground, where they confessed to defaming the bulletin board.

“We wrote stupid shit on the board,” they said, according to MUPD’s report. “We’re not racist. We will accept responsibility. We wrote with sharpie on the board. We were assholes. We wrote racist stuff.

We regret it. We admit to everything. We were being dicks and dumbasses.”

Lal said that he regrets his actions and that his intent was not to inflict harm on others.

“I sincerely apologize to all

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who were offended and hope that they will understand that what was written on the board in no way reflects my true feelings both as a minority and as a human being,” Lal said. “My withdrawal from the university is due to my desire to move on with my life in a different setting.”

Though both Samir and Lal have apologized for their actions and withdrawn from the university, Claytor stressed that this isn’t an isolated occurrence exclusive to two students.

“We have this ‘Code of Love and Honor’ that can be too vague and does not identify the real problems that people see on this campus,” Claytor said. “We do too much in response to incidents like this and there aren’t enough students who take a proactive stance against them in the first place.”

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FROM SUICIDE »PAGE 1

have a single person I can talk to. The counseling center isn’t my family. It’s not my friends. It’s not going to substitute for something that I can trust and get better with.

I’m alone.”

But Bryant isn’t alone. Every day students mask their pain on the surface, but are enduring the same struggles underneath.

Last year, sophomore Andrew Salsman was found dead with a shotgun at his side. Prolonged effects of anxiety and obsession-compulsive disorder drove him to suicide.

The death of Salsman was shocking. A devoted physics major, he loved his studies and was extremely intelligent. It shocked his mother, Lynn Anderson, most of all.

Shortly after the death of her son, Anderson became a strong advocate for raising suicide awareness. The distressing news of her son’s death set her on a path of problem-solving. She was grateful for the sources available at Miami, but she knew something was missing, because if everything he needed was available, her son would still be alive.

“Suicide prevention programs and hotlines serve a useful purBCRTA »PAGE 2

plaints this semester.

“Those complaints we do receive, we always evaluate and act on when possible,” he said. “All the changes that have been made since BCRTA began operating service in Oxford have been at the request of riders.”

Despite these complaints, the responses from Thursday morning’s demo day were positive.

Many people responded enthusiastically to the demonstration, hopeful that it would become a solidified bus route.

In terms of changes to other existing bus routes, Dutkevicz said, for the most part, few changes are expected. However, BCRTA and Miami University are implementing changes into the way their system operates.

For instance, the partnership between Miami and BCRTA

pose and save lives. But something is missing. We need a community of eyes and ears to look out for people who are masking,” Anderson said in a previous Miami Student article on March 18, 2014.

Since Salsman’s death, Miami has not seen any other suicides.

However, that doesn’t mean the problems have been solved.

College students have demanding responsibilities, and reasons for depression can range from stressful course-loads to feeling like Bryant, unwanted and alone.

This week, Miami’s Suicide Prevention Team and the student counseling services (SCS) joined efforts to create “Stress Less” week, a campaign dedicated to stress management and raising suicide awareness.

Kip Alishio, Director of SCS, wants students to become more aware of the resources available through the counseling center for anyone who is seeking help or attention.

“There is a stigma in our society that asking for help or admitting that you need help is a bad thing,” Alishio said. “We all feel alone sometimes, but it is important to know that you never are, and there is always someone who you can talk to.”

Many students on campus already utilize SCS, and the number is growing each year. Right now, the number of Miami students who use counseling services is around 1,700 per year. One out of every three Miami students uses the services at least once during his or her time at Miami.

Diversity also plays a large role at Miami.

Research shows that LGBT students are at a much higher risk of depression or suicide. A Miami poll conducted in 2012 revealed 65 percent of students who identify as heterosexual and are involved with Greek life continuously feel like they belong here.

As opposed to only 22 percent of LGBT students.

LGBT students report being exposed to more negative LGBT content, speak out much more often about transgender rights and have far fewer friends in sororities or fraternities.

Alishio stresses the importance of discussion to any student who is struggling with depression or suicide.

“We can’t seek students out, but we can raise awareness,” he said. “It is important to know that there is always someone to talk to, whether that be a crisis hotline, friends, family or us [SCS].”

has enabled many developments in the bus system, including acquisition of $5 million in new buses this year, funded by BCRTA grants.

Another modification funded

by BCRTA grants is the installation of a card validation system to read and validate Miami IDs. Come fall, students will have to swipe their IDs when they get on a bus. This new mechanism will protect students’ investment in the system by forcing non-students to pay the $2.00 fare, which is, by contract, credited back to the university.

In addition, BCRTA is developing real-time passenger info system. BCRTA is working with the mobile App Center at Miami to develop a bus-tracking app for IOS and Android. BCRTA has invested several thousand dollars in this project, which is also expected to be introduced in the fall.

PRO-LIFE »PAGE 2

WHEN YOU’RE FINISHED READING

was there. His main suggestion to the student body, though, was to handle the display with maturity and respect for others’ beliefs.

“I encourage you to engage in civil and respectful discourse about this display and other initiatives that have recently been proposed and will be approved expeditiously,” Rosbusin said.

Today, one month since it was set up, is the last day for the prolife cross display.

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FROM AUTOPSY »PAGE 1

her forehead and one at her left lower face. No drugs were found present in her system.

Tipton’s autopsy concludes that the t27-year-old shot himself once, through the mouth.

The reports state that their bodies were found side-by-side lying supine and fully clothed on Eldemire’s bed, Tipton’s .357 Smith and Wesson revolver propped against his side. Five of the seven rounds in the weapon were spent.

A two-page note written by Tipton was also found on a desk within the room. Another suicide note was found at his apartment in Blacklick, Ohio, just outside Columbus.

Three Oxford police officers had responded to a call from Eldmire the night before her murder. She had informed the 911 operator that Tipton, whom she had broken up with that morning, was driving to her apartment from his home. She mentioned that Tipton owned guns.

When the officers arrived, Tipton allowed himself to be searched for weapons. None were found, but no search was made of his vehicle. After police questioned Tipton, Eldemire told the officers that they could leave.

The Oxford Police Department is still continuing its investigation on the case.

WRITERS WANTED The Miami Student is looking for writers.

For more info, e-mail EIC@miamistudent. net

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5

FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2015

FROM COFFEE »PAGE 3

lar to Oxford Coffee, which makes their own coffee by hand, but gets the coffee beans imported from all around the world.

“The goal I have is to buy good quality coffee so that we can make good quality coffee and so that the farmers get decent money back in their pockets,” said Thurston.

Expanding a business takes a lot of money that local businesses like Oxford Coffee and Quarter Barrel don’t have easily accessible. In order for them to expand they would need bigger tanks for brewing and a bigger roaster for the coffee beans.

Although expanding the res-

taurant is not in Quarter Barrel’s five-year plan, expanding the brewery is.

“We would love to have a production facility that could make more beer, not for here, but for bottling can sales across Southwest Ohio,” said Ney. Oxford Coffee has also had Miami chemistry, anthropology and business classes visit the shop since its opening. The coffee shop offers tastings and live music, too.

“The Oxford Coffee Company is a wonderful option to have,” Ney said. “They provide a great service for us because they work with us to get us the kind of roast that we desire and then they’ll grind it and deliver it. We can’t ask

for more.”

Miami gets 10 percent of each sale made at Oxford Coffee, because the university licenses it.

That money goes toward a scholarship fund.

“We are the only place that produces Miami-branded coffee,” said Thurston.

Oxford Coffee can now also be bought at the Oxford Kroger, and although the Oxford Coffee IPA is not currently available at Quarter Barrel, it will eventually return to the restaurant.

“We rotate our beers, so they usually last anywhere from two weeks to a month,” said Bartlett. “We like to try different varieties here.”

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6 OPINION

FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2015

EDITORIAL@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

Recent vandalism calls for a change to campus culture and student attitude EDITORIAL

Last weekend, separate instances of vulgar vandalism occurred at Wells Hall and two different fraternity houses. The graffiti in Wells Hall, which we’ll be focusing on, can be seen in a photo on the front page.

Of course, we asked ourselves first and foremost, why would someone do this? Drunk or sober, joking or serious, this seems to be an action that warrants a certain mindset or previous way of thinking. After all, this isn’t a typical occurrence on this campus, at least not to this degree.

The last time this kind of offense was brought to our attention was the “how to get away with rape” fliers that were posted in dorms a few years ago.

This isn’t something that we can just push off as a misguided joke or drunken mistake. Because of two students, Miami is once again

The following piece, written by the editorial editors, reflects the majority opinion of the editorial board. made to look like an ignorant and painfully insensitive campus.

The vandalism calls us, The Miami Student Editorial Board, to point out the underlying problem

Rather than tolerating insensitive remarks and actions, we need to hold each other accountable. this incident reflects — a flawed culture that seems to be growing despite student and administration efforts to bring change. Ignorant jokes, snide comments, rude stares, anonymous posts on social media, the list goes on and on.

The Editorial Board has to ask, once again, where are we going wrong as a student body?

We continue to perpetuate a stereotype of being privileged and misbehaving young adults, thinking not of the consequences of our actions but of the few laughs we can gain by doing or saying something offensive.

Instead of returning images of a beautiful campus and intelligent students, Internet searches of our university — our home — include party school rankings, news stories about arrested students and, now, these instances of vandalism.

We know these flaws don’t paint a complete picture of our community, yet they’re a highly publicized facet of our community. But, should this facet exist at all? Ideally, no. Although we’ll never be rid of every drunken arrest or Green Beer Day video, it seems feasible that we should be able to exist as a respectful and open-minded university.

Housing around: should we think twice about those inappropriate house names?

CAMPUS CULTURE

Menace to Sobriety, The Panty Dropper, Octapussy and Study A Broad are just a few off campus house names that come to mind as a part of the Miami ‘culture.’

Although they were intended to provide a chuckle to students, visitors, prospective students and parents that wander around Oxford, this derogatory naming ‘culture’ has infiltrated other aspects, including the WiFi connection/networks off campus as well.

I was recently at a friends house off campus and when I went to change the WFi connection, I came across networks such as ‘Luv N On Her,’ ‘Yell Penis For Password’ and ‘Track Team Stalkers.’

Have you ever thought about how these derogatory house names and WiFi networks may contribute to a culture that normalizes sexual assault and binge drinking, making this behavior seem acceptable?

Putting these names on houses for ourselves and everyone else in the community to see, makes us a part of a culture that is supportive of this type of behavior. Though it may be a way to easily identify a house or draw unique attention to it, why do the names have to be sexual or offensive in nature?

And, although this may be a result of the deep rooted traditions on campus and how this may be difficult to change, is this the type of environment we want to be a

part of or want to be portraying to the outside community?

For those outside of traditional western culture, house names may further isolate them from feeling a part of the Miami community if they are unaware of the meaning behind these signs and their significance.

“It’s college” should not be an excuse anymore for inappropriate, degrading and verbal banter. In 2015, we should hold ourselves to a higher human standard.

As Miami students, we should want to promote better standards in our daily lives and allow those that come to visit Miami, to leave with positive thoughts and not a feeling of uneasiness.

I am all for free speech and freedom of expression.

Trust me, I am a journalism major. But, are the house names and WiWi networks necessary if it is potentially affecting our community in a negative way? I say no.

Instead of me simply complaining and bickering about this issue, you are probably wondering if I have a solution. As a matter of fact, I do. If it involves a Miami University student, why is Miami not involved in the naming of these houses? Being respectful and mindful of others seems to be expressed in the residence halls and is emphasized by President Hodge, along with other student organizations.

These messages need to be carried over to off-campus housing as well. Although we may move off-

campus, we are still Miami University students and should be following the MU Code of Ethics.

Recently, our university adopted the ‘Its On Us’ initiative, emphasizing the importance of stopping sexual assault and violence within our community.

You may have changed your profile picture on Facebook, but what are you really doing about it?

Each and everyone of us should take a small step in creating an environment for those who have been sexually assaulted or for those who have battled with alcohol addiction.

Dare to question the Miami social norm of naming houses that will stand out and be humorous, and think of how it may affect your peers. Also, this is not to offend any individual that currently lives in the previously named houses, but to create awareness for the aspects that may be negatively influencing the culture of our community.

As humans, unless a social issue affects us or a family member personally, we do not think of how our seemingly playful words and behavior can be insensitive or offensive.

Tackling and minimizing the culture that normalizes sexual assault and binge drinking will not be easy.

But, I am ready for this challenge.

Are you?

KELSEY MALONEY MALONEKA@MIAMIOH.EDU

Sharing secrets has a way of bringing people together LIFE

Ever since I was in high school, I have had a slight obsession with PostSecret books. I loved checking them out at the library and pouring through them with my friends. Some of the secrets were funny, some were sad, and some were just so absurd they made us wonder who on Earth had submitted them. For those of you who don’t know, PostSecret is an organization started by Frank Warren in 2005 as a community art project. He began by walking around his neighborhood handing out blank postcards and encouraging strangers to write a secret and send it back to his home address. He has since received over a million secrets from people around the world and published six books.

On Tuesday night, Warren came to speak at Miami. I had high expectations for the person behind an idea that I admire so much, and let me say he surpassed them. His presentation was the perfect mix of thoughtfulness and humor. He acknowledged the heaviness of many of the secrets he received, while also recognizing that many of the secrets are simply those innermost thoughts we all have, those quirks that make us say, “I thought I was the only one!” In fact, Warren said that one of the most amazing things is that on any given day he will receive postcards from people in different countries, written

in different languages, yet they express the same basic thought. Despite what people might see as their differences, collecting secrets has proven to him how much we are all alike.

He said: “ Kept secrets are walls.

Shared secrets are bridges.” That really struck me and I think it’s an idea everyone can relate to. How many times have you kept a secret and it actually feels like a physical barrier between you and someone else? You must remain guarded and keep your defenses up in order to protect your secret. How many times have you finally decided to confess a secret to someone because despite how scary it seemed you knew you would feel better later? Finally, how many times have you gone ahead and shared your secret only to have someone completely accept you, agree with you or help you? Another common result of sharing secrets is that the recipient of the secret will often say “Me too!” or they will share something different.

Because once you share your secret, you create an environment of trust between you and this other individual.

When you knocked down your wall, you created a bridge to someone else and strengthened that relationship.

Near the end of his presentation, Warren invited members of the audience to take the microphone and share their confessions. It was incredible to witness their bravery as they admitted their secrets. As each indi-

vidual took the microphone, I had no idea what they were about to say.

You couldn’t tell by looking at them what kind of stories they were hiding, just as you can’t tell when you look around a classroom or around your group of friends. Warren mentioned that once on a visit to Stanford University, a girl in the audience came up and stated that she had “duck syndrome.” When he asked what that meant, she explained: she said that although appearing calm, cool, and collected like a duck floating on a pond, underneath she was struggling with issues nobody knew about.

I think we are all a little bit like ducks. We all want to put our best foot forward and convince others that we are doing well. We want the perfect clothes, perfect grades, perfect life — and we want it to look effortless. But what if we were more willing to embrace our flaws and admit our weaknesses? What if it wasn’t so scary to reach out to others and say we are having a tough time or that we need some advice? I know that’s an intimidating concept, but its something I am going to try. Warren said, “Secrets are the currency of intimacy.” You have to give them in order to receive them. And doing both of those things can strengthen our relationships with others overall.

MARISSA STIPEK STIPEKML@MIAMIOH.EDU

Perhaps even more troubling than the vandalism itself was the student response to it. While President Hodge informed us of his deep disappointment, students joked.

Yik Yak blew up with remarks, including “Man those kids hit every kind of insult!” and “Hodge isn’t mad, he’s just disappointed.”

Worse still, “Shout out to whoever vandalized Pike. Beat me to it.”

Is this where our vandals found validation for their actions? Reading comments like this makes it seem as if the whole university finds serious situations like this a laughing matter. We reported previously on racist remarks on social media apps like Yik Yak, and this reflects the point.

So, where do we go from here?

Undoubtedly, prospective students and their parents are curious about the university’s response, waiting to see how it’s handled, wanting

to see something more than a rehearsed response from a university president, more than a prepared answer from a regretful student.

We need outrage. We need passion. We need action. And we need it most from students.

Treating this situation lightly won’t suffice. Joking about it will only lead more students to think that acting this way is acceptable and even encouraged by their peers. Rather than tolerating insensitive remarks and actions, we need to hold each other accountable. We need to expect more from ourselves.

We came to college, and Miami in particular, to grow up, to expand our way of thinking and to mature as individuals. Incidents like this have us taking steps backward rather than forward, and unless we change our attitude, we’re not going anywhere.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Sweeping incident at Wells Hall under the rug is unacceptable I am deeply troubled by lack of coverage over the incident that transpired over Easter weekend. President Hodge’s email to the student body was not enough. His inaction to give sufficient details on the incident left me with an impression of someone trying to sweep a hateful act under the rug. Who is he trying to protect? Racists, homophobes and anti-semites?

Why not protect the people who were deeply affected by those terrible comments posted in Wells Hall and the unnamed fraternities. I believe that Hodge’s vagueness in his email to the student body could be seen as an attempt to try to cover the fact that we have a very serious issue with racism, sexism, religious intolerance and homophobia here at Miami University. This wasn’t a one time incident. Throughout the school year I’ve read about instances in this very paper about racist acts brought against students who attend this institution.

I was also very disappointed to see that The Miami Student failed to give this incident sufficient coverage. I was shocked when I picked up the Tuesday edition and saw absolutely no mention of the event at all. Was this incident a black mark on

Miami University’s reputation?

Without a doubt. However, I do not believe we should value our reputation over the safety and respect of others. By sweeping this incident under the rug, minorities are getting the message that we as a university are uninterested in protecting their rights; and those who are perpetrating the hateful crimes against those minorities are receiving the message that it is acceptable for them to be hateful toward others.

I only hope that within the near future genuine discussions on race, sex, gender and religion will come to surface. I also hope that The Miami Student does what I’ve always known it to do and right this wrong.

I hope that the Friday edition thoroughly reports on the hate graffiti that was found around campus. Though the graffiti was a terrible act to have occurred, I think a purposeful, important discussion on race, sexual orientation, religious tolerance and gender equality can come from it. However, it is up to us to be willing to lift the rug and deal with what is underneath.

HALEY YOUNG

YOUNGHA@MIAMIOH.EDU

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Gun control is important to protect our campus Jonathan Masters stated, “The debate over gun control in the United States has waxed and waned over the years, stirred by a series of incidents involving mass killings by gunmen in civilian settings.”

I am sure this has been on the minds of our parents and maybe a majority of the student body here at Miami University. Unfortunately, this is a real threat; the university is filled with people at all times of the day, and as we have seen on the news mass killings by a person using a gun at a college campus is a very real threat.

This is why we must do something to prevent this from happening at our beloved campus. I am not suggesting a total ban on guns, but merely a few baby steps in the right order of gun regulation. We already know that guns are not permitted on the majority of college campuses, which is good, because let us be honest, alcohol and guns do not make a safe combination. Unfortunately,

this doesn’t prevent guns from making it on campus. Just recently we lost two students here at Miami University due to a murder-suicide. This is a very sad incident that could have been avoided if steps in the right direction were taken.

I propose that Miami take action and protect their students and staff by limiting the amount of entrances into all buildings, and have metal detectors at these doors with a security officer at the doors to protect the premises. Or, since Miami University of Oxford has its own police force, why not have them post security.

This seems more important than being a university that is more worried about giving parking citations at every instance possible. Our safety is more important than citing a person for being over on a parking meter.

MATTHEW NILES

NILESMR@MIAMIOH.EDU

EDITORIAL@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

OPINION 7

FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2015

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Readers weigh in: When it comes to sexual assault, are we getting anywhere?

Are you there administration? Recent coverage of sexual assault is a one-way conversation In the last month, The Miami Student has featured numerous Letters to the Editor, column pieces (mine included), editorials and a front page story, all covering sexual assault at Miami.

As of this writing, not one Letter to the Editor has come in from the Miami administration, whether from the top with President Hodge or those likely to be more in-the-

know since they’re directly dealing with sexual assault, Rebecca Getson or Susan Vaughn.

I bring this to attention not for personal reasons. If I wanted, I’m sure I could get a meeting with one of them and I’d be thankful for the opportunity. Rather, the seriousness of the sexual assault issue demands honest, public dialogue and there’s no better university platform than

The Miami Student.

Right now, the dialogue is a oneway street with members of the student body and those affiliated doing all of the talking. Yes, Hodge and Vaughn offered quotes, respectively, in The Student’s front page story, but that’s not sufficient.

Hodge’s one quote amounted to, “Gee golly, this sure is a hard issue!” and the student body de-

Universities help sexual assault victims in ways criminal courts are unable to The staff of The Miami Student offered a majority opinion editorial in which they suggested wistfully that maybe these tough sexual assault issues should be punted to law enforcement. While I understand why this may seem the most logical solution to a complex problem, it reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of university processes and why they are needed.

done correctly, the Department of Education’s mandated identical due process for both accuser and accused provides ample procedural safeguards under rulings by the Supreme Court and numerous federal appellate courts. If, as Mr. Milam suggests, Miami University wants to provide equal access to attorneys by both accused and accuser, and works to provide more highly

college gates, administrators would at last have the incentive to implement every good procedure and program that can help to reduce the quantity of sexualized violence on campus.

The Campus Accountability and Safety Act, a bipartisan bill introduced in the Senate, is pushing for such transparency.

If passed, this legislation would require a biannual, standardized survey at every college or university campus in the U.S. Most importantly, it would mandate that the results of this survey be published online.

Miami has already taken the important step of administrating their own survey this spring, and for that they should be applauded. However, it is important to note that this survey is voluntary and internally produced. For a “best practice” measure, advocates recommend implementing a scientifically sound, neutral survey that was created by 22 experts from campuses around the country. The survey is being piloted at several schools this spring, and being offered for free in the fall. Given that impending legislation on campus sexual assault will most likely mandate transparency regardless, why doesn’t Miami take proactive measures to be a leader on this issue and adopt the recommended best practices?

The “It’s On Us” campaign demonstrated Miami’s strong commitment to its students and community, a commitment that must continue past the one week of events. It is on us to do what we can to help student victims of gendered violence, not wring our hands helplessly and send them off to the less-than-tender-mercies of law enforcement.

But rather than strip sexual violence victims of theprotections offered by Title IX, why don’t we do more to provide administrators with incentives to deal with the problem with transparency and good intentions?

The criminal justice “solution” to sexual violence on college campuses completely ignores the fact that the purpose of Title IX is to protect an individual’s right to equal educational opportunity, free from gendered violence, harassment and oppression. The criminal justice system does not and cannot do this job.

The criminal justice system does not offer help to the victim, which Title IX requires. In criminal adjudications the victim is really just another piece of evidence.

The criminal justice system (because it threatens the severe sanction of loss of liberty) must utilize a standard of proof and an array of due process protections that greatly favors the alleged perpetrator. The college adjudication is required to treat accused and accuser equally and alike, in recognition of the fact that both parties are fighting for the same property right — the continued ability to attend the college of his or her choice.

Contrary to Brett Milam’s assertion that there is “no due process” in campus adjudications, if

trained personnel to handle these cases, we can all only applaud.

College administrations already have long histories of dealing with criminal acts by one student against another — theft, assault, harassment and property damage, among others. Why is it that we want to take this single type of offense and remove it from university honor courts?

The Miami staff suggests that college administrations will never do a good job of handling these issues because there are so many reasons for administrators to want to hide sexual assault numbers. But rather than strip sexual violence victims of the protections offered by Title IX, why don’t we do more to provide administrators with incentives to deal with the problem with transparency and good intentions?

Anonymous campus surveys administered yearly via computer can give us a very accurate assessment of the number of assaults occurring on every campus, a number that administrators would not be able to hide, disguise or dodge. With that concrete number affixed to their

NADIA DAWISHA

DAWISHNK@MIAMIOH.EDU

serves more. Not one quote. Not a 140-character Tweet. Not a vague email. And please, don’t announce another task force.

Moreover, where is ASG on this? Their second mission statement is, “We’re here to serve as the student voice to university administration.” A recently published article detailed ASG candidates’ platform, which actually involved

some interesting ideas, but there was nothing on sexual assault.

It’s dubious at best how much influence ASG could really have in being a voice to the administration, especially on this issue, but at least make an effort.

BRETT MILAM

MILAMBC@MIAMIOH.EDU

Violence against women happens everywhere around the world Miami was one of nearly 200 colleges to join President Obama’s “It’s On Us” campaign, which raises awareness to stop sexual violence and interpersonal violence on college campuses. This initiative encourages students across the country to speak out and take action against these crimes. Miami developed a weeklong program in March to promote this cause.

As students, I don’t think we fully grasp how blessed we are to live in a country that values and upholds our rights and liberties. “It’s On Us” is a chance for our country to have an open dialogue about the prevalent issue of sexual violence.

Conversely, there are countries still resistant to this open dialogue.

Although on the same planet, some nations seem worlds away. Take India, for example: 93 women are victims of rape every day. That statistic doesn’t mention all the women who are forced to protect their honor by marrying their rapist, are disregarded by law enforcers and are told the rape was their fault because of their clothing or behavior.

I’m not convinced the “It’s On Us” campaign would work at a university in India; I question when and if it would ever come to be.

Nonetheless, the issue of sexual violence against women in India exploded in the media after the 2012 gang rape on a moving bus of a 23-year old student in New Delhi. Since then, India’s treatment of women has caught the attention and criticism of the world.

It was certainly on my mind before I traveled over 8,000 miles to work there. When I lived in a small city in Southern India, these statistics and numbers turned into faces and names.

Last summer I spent six weeks in India as an intern for a Christian ministry. Every day I spent time with the girls at the local community college; we played badminton, taught each other our languages and laughed when we

screwed them up. I spent hours upon hours with girls who were shocked to see pictures of me in shorts and would adjust my shirt if my bra strap showed. Their conservative, male-dominated culture has told them for centuries to submit to authority and conform to cultural norms despite changing times.

From what I could see, there was no equality. There was no guarantee of a woman’s safety: I couldn’t even walk beyond the compound gates without a watchman to escort me. “We can’t take that risk,” the ministry staff told me.

“We have to think of

I believe in women’s security and empowerment; I believe a woman shouldn’t have to fear simply because she’s a woman. your parents.”

Does any of this piss you off?

Because it does for me. Once I left the Miami bubble, I realized women face issues I can’t even fathom.

I believe in women’s security and empowerment; I believe a woman shouldn’t have to fear simply because she’s a woman. At Miami, the biggest concern I’ve had is creepers at Brick Street, but what if I was harassed on my walk to class every day?

Think outside the Ox Box. Think about what pisses you off, and do something about it. If you don’t think outside yourself and the great American freedoms you enjoy, then you’re ignorant of 95 percent of the world. I know that’s harsh, but it’s true. Beyond the United States lies the rest of the world, which we should seek to learn about and understand.

ADRIENNE MONCRIEF

MONCRIAE@MIAMIOH.EDU

RULE OF THUMB GROUP PROJECTS As the semester winds down, our patience is dwindling when it comes to working in groups.

We’re over trying to coordinate schedules and sharing Google Docs and dealing with that slacker. We’d rather ride solo.

BURGER KING WEDDING By random chance or fate, a gal named Ashley King and a guy named Joel Burger are getting hitched. The well-known fast food chain picked up the tab for wedding. Who doesn’t want fries with their big day?

A. J. NEWBERRY NEWBERAJ@MIAMIOH.EDU

WHEN YOU’RE FINISHED READING

BOSTON BOMBER FOUND GUILTY Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, one of two suspects in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, was found guilty this week on 30 charges.

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POOL CONCESSION/PARK CONCESSION CASHIER SALARY: $8.25 Pool concession; Pool gate and Park concession SUMMER CAMP LEADERS SALARY: $8.25 CERTIFICATIONS: Current American Red Cross CPR and first aid, or willing to be trained. Experience working with children is required.

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Keeping students’ attention can be an issue in a society with so much technology.

“Teachers have spoken about the issue of engagement, and they believe the Chromebooks have helped them engage students in the classroom,” Morrish said.

Yeager agreed.

“The online experience we gain from using the Chromebooks will help prepare us for college. I think the laptops are a great idea to give students different ways to study for classes,” she said.

Responses to the 1:1 program have been so positive that the

Talawanda School District has decided to expand the program to grades K-8 next year. Kindergarten, first and second grade students will receive iPads, while third through eighth graders will receive Chromebooks.

The younger children will only have access to their devices in the classroom, and midway through fifth grade they will be allowed to take their devices home.

The 1:1 program’s successful first year can be attributed to the changing landscape of education.

“Technology is driving everything in the world,” Morrish said.

“The days of writing a paper with a pen and paper are going away.

It’s important for Talawanda to stay current.”

CONTACT STEVEN VOLCHECK AT VOLCHESA@MIAMIOH.EDU

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FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2015

FROM HIV »PAGE 3

diana community], but we’re also glad that in our community we have a tool to deal with it,” she said.

Injection drug use has been on the rise in Butler County, particularly the use of heroin. The Butler County Coroner’s Report for last year determined that deaths from drug overdose were greater than those from natural causes. Of the 137 deaths from overdose in the county, 75 percent were caused by heroin.

As of now, the Ohio Department of Health’s statistics on HIV do not show any significant link between injection drug use and HIV in the Butler County area.

Twenty-seven of the 1,180 HIV cases reported as of June 2014 from Ohio’s 88 counties, or roughly 2 percent, were Butler County residents.

Butler County’s population accounts for about 3 percent of the state population, according to the United States Census Bureau.

Of those 27 cases in Butler County, none were reported to have been transmitted from injection drug use only and just one from both sexual

contact or injection drug use.

Nineteen of the 1,180 cases in the state were reportedly transmitted by injection drug use only and 40 by both injection drug use or sexual contact.

Champaign, Franklin, Hamilton and Montgomery Counties — four of the five counties with the highest rate of reported cases of HIV in 2013, are also within the region of Ohio that the Mental Health and Addiction Services has dubbed a heroin hot spot.

Erin Harris, the director of the Emergency Department for the McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital in Oxford, said she has seen an increase in the amount of people admitted for heroin overdose over the past year.

However, she said, the recent outbreak in Indiana will not change the precautions that are taken at the hospital. According to Harris, universal precautions have always been used at the hospital to prevent the transmission of diseases such as HIV. “It’s not something to get scared about,” said Harris. “It’s something to be aware about.”

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10 SPORTS

FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2015

Golf travels for Hoosier Invitational GOLF THE MIAMI STUDENT

Miami takes on winless BGSU ANDREW BRAY CONTRIBUTOR

Senior Brantley Kushner escapes the sand trap in a golf tournament last season. situation. So, it’s good for guys to go out and play and get some reps in.”

This weekend, Miami competes in the midst of one of the most important golf tournaments in the world: the Masters. Zedrick uses teachable moments he sees from the PGA golfers to coach his own team.

“It’s something that we’ve been doing a little bit more of, where if it makes sense to talk about something specific then, yeah, we do that,” Zedrick said. “Especially with our guys that are looking at moving on and playing at the next level. We have those conversations about what guys at this level are doing with how they spend their

time at practice and how they go about their business.”

The Hoosier Invitational beings Saturday and runs through Sunday.

With several high finishes this season already under their belt, the RedHawks look to finish the regular season strong before the Mid-American Conference Championship May 1. In order to do so, Zedrick says they will have to worry about themselves and play their own brand of golf.

“It’s all about worrying about how we play and what we can control,” Zedrick said. “If we get distracted by how other teams are performing, we won’t play our best golf.”

RedHawks host All-Ohio Championship TRACK AND FIELD

HARRISON SCHWARZ THE MIAMI STUDENT

The Miami University track and field team is hosting its second home meet in as many weeks at the All-Ohio Championship Saturday.

Almost 700 competitors from universities in Ohio, including Ohio State University and the University of Cincinnati will travel to Miami this weekend.

The men’s squad hopes to build momentum after finishing third overall in the Miami Invitational last weekend.

Head coach Warren Mandrell said he is preparing the team like he would for any other competition.

“We just try to get out there

and compete hard,” said Mandrell. “Every weekend is just another adventure.”

Senior javelin thrower Tyler Yee looks to continue his recent success after placing first at the Miami Invitational. Freshman Grant Cole, who is usually a long jumper, will compete in the decathlon, which consists of 10 events over two days.

After a break from competition, junior runner Joe Stewart returns to action this week as the top seed in the 5k.

On the women’s side, head coach Kelly Phillips expects her team to rebound strongly after a disappointing finish in the Miami Invitational.

“I expect the team to perform much better,” said Phillips. “I think last weekend was a wakeup call.

I think the athletes will respond well because they know they’re much better than what they showed at the Invitational.”

For the first time this season, senior runner Anna Lamb returns to the track in the 10k run.

Junior shot putter Amelia Strickler looks to extend her winning streak after winning her events in last two meets. Sophomore runner Briah Owens and freshman runner Kylie Goldsmith are set to compete in the 100-meter dash after finishing first and third, respectively, in the Miami Invitational.

The All-Ohio Championship begins 2 p.m. Friday with the decathlon at Ryder Track. Competition resumes at 10 a.m. Saturday.

Masters may prove it’s time to drop Tiger COLUMN

GOING LONG WITH GEISLER There is trepidation and excitement over Tiger Woods’ return to Augusta National after missing last year’s Masters due to surgery. The golf world still believes it needs Tiger, but this weekend, it will become crystal clear whether or not we will ever really get him back.

Woods, 39, hasn’t played in public since early February when he withdrew at Torrey Pines. The week before, he missed the cut at the TPC Scottsdale after posting a 75 and an 82.

As if the Masters didn’t provide enough storylines about our greatest golfers already, 75-year-old Jack Nicklaus aced the fourth hole at Augusta during the par-3 shootout.

When his career appeared inert,

Nicklaus, who won 18 majors for the most all-time, shocked the golf world at 46 years old when he won his final major at the US Open.

Before his career and personal life fell apart in 2008, Tiger looked like a shoe-in to break the Nicklaus record.

Seven years later, he’s never quite looked the same on a major Sunday.

He still sits at 14 major titles.

Tiger’s career looks dead now, but I’m using this weekend to give him one last shot. If he can still bring the magic, this weekend is the right time for him to show it. This could be his late resurrection moment.

Unfortunately, between his soap opera-like private life and lack of production on the big stage, it’s more likely that Tiger misses the cut.

That doesn’t mean golf is left as bad off as many think though.

American sports, other than the NFL, which has its own set of issues, are increasingly becoming a niche affair.

NBA and MLB ratings, though not in hockey territory, are not too far off that mark.

Golf can compete in that world

Bridal & TEA

Synchronized Skating competes in World Championship After finishing second in the U.S. National Championships February 28, the Miami University synchronized skating team appears in its 11th ISU World Championships Saturday.The team’s last appearance was in 2013.

The RedHawks’ silver medal in 2007 is their best finish and the first medal claimed by a U.S. team in U.S. figure skating history.Twenty-five teams from various world countries travel to Hamilton, Ontario for the competition.

JACK REYERING

After a two and a half week layoff from their last tournament, the Miami University golf team looks to build on their early season successes. The RedHawks return to action this weekend at the Hoosier Invitational in Bloomington, Indiana.

The team last competed at the Middleburg Bank Intercollegiate tournament in Williamsburg, Virginia. The ’Hawks finished seventh out of 30 teams in the tournament.

MU previously placed sixth at the Talis Park Challenge and second in the Colleton River Classic.

Despite the two week hiatus, head coach Zak Zedrick is confident his team is ready to compete.

“Last week was the first week that we have been able to be consistently outside all spring,” Zedrick said. “We played a lot of golf, which I think is good.”

Zedrick said he believes it is important to prepare for competition with a consistent mix of playing golf outdoors and individual indoor training to work on specific areas that need attention.

“When you’re inside, you’re spending a lot more time focused on your fundamentals,” Zedrick said. “At times it can be difficult to just jump out and compete and get that to translate in a competitive

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with young talents like Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler and Patrick Reed.

Rory McIlroy emerged as a real star last year.

But the yearning for Tiger in the sports media is going to end up as nothing more than disappointment.

This weekend, some will waste their time dreaming of the days when Tiger truly dominated. I’ll take the other route and enjoy guys like Bubba Watson, winner of two green jackets, and Jason Day, maybe the best player on tour without one. This Masters could be Tiger’s last day in the sun, but don’t expect it.

Sports can survive without their stars. Golf is no different. Watching a guy stay on top is fun, but so is watching the next set battle to become the best in the next generation.

So maybe we shouldn’t hope for Tiger’s rebirth this weekend.

Maybe we should just accept that it’s over and enjoy the next contest for supremacy.

ANDREW GEISLER

GEISLEAJ@MIAMIOH.EDU

TENNIS

JORDAN RINARD

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

After winning its 11th straight Mid-American Conference match and its seventh consecutive match overall, the Miami University women’s tennis team hits the road this weekend to take on Bowling Green State University. This season, Miami pursues its seventh straight conference title.

The RedHawks (12-6, 6-0 MAC) top the conference standings, while the Falcons (0-14, 0-5 MAC) ride a 17-match losing streak that dates back to last season.

“In practice, we’re keeping it simple, taking it day-by-day,” head coach Yana Carollo said.

“We’re trying to keep our players happy and keep them fighting. We’ve been doing a lot with our team spirit.”

Miami’s doubles record is 13-3 in conference play. Senior Ramona Costea and sophomore Andreea Badileanu paired up to win their 12th straight match last weekend in a 6-2 decision against University of Toledo.

The tandem has also earned MAC Doubles Team of the Week twice this season.

Seniors Alix Thurman and Hannah Shteyn have compiled an impressive winning streak of their own, taking eight consecutive matches, including a 6-2 victory over Toledo last week.

Senior Christine Guerrazzi and freshman Nelli Ponomareva is an equally successful pair. The duo took MAC Doubles Team of the Week honors March 27 after downing the 52nd-ranked doubles team in the country from Western Michigan University.

“In doubles, we’ve been working on being aggressive coming to the net,” assistant coach Ricardo Rosas said. “We have

great teams in the No. 1-3 spots for us. We need to keep finishing at the net and put the pressure on the other team, and we have three solid teams. It’s always nice to win the doubles point and only have to win three matches in singles.”

Miami dominates singles MAC play with a 31-5 record.

Guerrazzi, Ponomareva and Shteyn each have won six straight matches in during the stretch.

Badileanu has won MAC Women’s Tennis Player of the Week twice this season and is 5-1 in MAC singles. Guerrazzi ranks first place in Miami tennis history in career singles wins (81).

Last weekend against the third-

Miami ranks first in the Mid-American Conference after a sevengame win streak. ranked Rockets, no MU player was forced to play a third set.

“We need to finish strong, especially since it’s almost the end of the MAC season,” Thurman said. “We’ve been on a roll as a team and we need to keep this momentum going. We need to treat this weekend like every other game we play.”

The RedHawks head north to take on Bowling Green 1 p.m. Saturday.

The doubles teams for the Falcons have yet to win a match this season. Freshman Megan Miller leads the team with two MAC singles wins, while sophomore Harley Hutchison, sophomore Brittany Plaszewski and freshman Emily Witt each have one conference win. Despite the team’s struggles, it almost knocked off fourth place Northern Illinois University in a 4-3 loss March 20.

BEN TAYLOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

Members of the Miami University women’s tennis team celebrate after a victory. The RedHawks are first place in the conference and play Bowling Green’s winless team Saturday.

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