December 5, 2014 | The Miami Student

The Miami Student Established 1826

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2014

VOLUME 142 NO. 26

MIAMI UNIVERSITY OXFORD, OHIO

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Catering contract corners students Campus catering limited to Carillon DINING LIBBY MUELLER

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

For student organizations catering an event at Armstrong Student Center (ASC), Shriver Center, Marcum Center or Goggin Ice Arena, there is only one permitted option for catering services: Carillon Catering.

Senior Allie Engelhart, who oversaw an event hosted soon after the completion of construction on ASC, said she learned this the hard way.

The team who planned the event was surprised to discover after they had catered the event using Jimmy John’s that using a caterer other than Carillon was strictly prohibited.

“We brought food in Jimmy John’s because it was right in our budget,” Engelhart said. “[ASC staff] saw the Jimmy John’s and said, ‘You can’t bring this in.’ They handed us a bill at the end of the event and [another PSE member] and I went in to have a meeting to find out they were charging us for the microphones, most of which didn’t work, and the projector. We

had a fine for our food too.”

According to Eric Yung, director of Catering and Special Events at Carillon, the reason Carillon is the exclusive caterer for four buildings on campus is a foodservice license they have obtained through Butler County. The process for licensing Carillon included extensive health inspections and liability insurance.

If an outside caterer were to provide food at one of the four locations on campus where Carillon is the exclusive caterer, Carillon would in effect be held liable if something were to go wrong.

“That’s part of the licensing,” Yung said. “Even if we sat back and let somebody else set up and serve food out of those locations, then Carillon would technically be responsible for the product that they’re serving. From a control and liability standpoint, that’s something that can’t happen. I can’t say we would relinquish control of the health permit.”

According to Engelhart, the most frustrating part of the experience was the fact the catering charges were not communicated prior to the event.

DINING »PAGE 4

REIS THEBAULT, KATIE TAYLOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

DYING FOR CHANGE Students gather in the ASC for a die-in to protest police brutality. To get involved, email sophomore Alexis Thompson at thomp135@miamioh.edu. See video online at miamistudent.net.

The Snappening: Snapchat introduces new payment feature TECH EMILY WILLIAMS

FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

Snapchat, the highly popular smartphone app, has introduced a new feature, a peer-to-peer instant payment service they’ve dubbed “Snapcash.”

Thanks to Snapchat, it has become normal for people to stop mid-walk to snap a selfie, whip out their phones to record snippets of their favorite song at a concert or to surreptitiously make funny faces at their front camera while studying in the library. Despite the app’s ability to change the way smartphone users communicate, many devoted Snapchatters remain skeptical about the new payment feature.

The company announced the launch of Snapcash Nov. 17 in the form of an elaborate song-anddance commercial promoting the convenience of the new payment service. Clad in dollar signs and shades of green and gold, performers wave fake coins and sing about how easy it is to use.

“Swipe three fingers and make it rain,” they sing.

A jolly old man with an ample white beard and a golden cane assures viewers that any financial information shared with Snapchat will be saved securely for future transactions.

TODAY IN MIAMI HISTORY

“A wise investment at any age,” he says.

However, only those 18 or older can only use the payment feature, a factor that could be a concern for the success of the service since more than half of Snapchat’s over 100 million active users are minors.

The transactions will be handled by Square, a financial company headed by Twitter cofounder Jack Dorsey. To use Snapcash, users must make an account through Square and submit their MasterCard or Visa debit card information. According to the newly partnered companies, all of the financial exchanges will be handled exclusively by Square, and no personal financial information will be stored on Snapchat’s servers.

Despite this fact, some people are still concerned about disclosing their information for Snapcash because of security issues Snapchat has experienced in the past.

After having her Snapchat account hacked, senior Chloe Hazen became wary about the app’s security. A Snapchat was sent out to her friends saying that her private images could be viewed online, citing the name of a website. To her relief, her pictures were not in fact on the Internet, but the incident still changed her perspective of the service’s ability to protect its users.

“I just haven’t had a really good situation with Snapchat,” she said.

“I wouldn’t want to give them any of my debit card information based on that.”

Just this October, thousands of private images were leaked from Snapsaved, a site that illegally copied Snapchat’s application programming interface (API), in a security breach that has been referred to as “The Snappening.” Although this third party service and not Snapchat itself was hacked, some users argue that Snapchat’s software should

Somebody could easily take your phone, sign into it and send themselves money through Snapcash.”

MITCH ZAWODNY

MIAMI UNIVERSITY FIRST-YEAR

not have been so easily duplicated. Aware of possible distrust after this recent controversy, Snapchat addressed the issue of privacy in a blog post about the launch of Snapcash.

“We set out to make payments faster and more fun, but we also know that security is essential when you’re dealing with money,” the post reads. “Square has a ton of experience in this area and our teams have been hard at work to make Snapcash a great experi-

The amount that a user can send through Snapcash is initially limited to $250 a week but can be raised to up to $2,500 after verifying the Square account with a social security number and date of birth. Users can initially only receive up to $1,000 a month, but that amount can also be raised.

Once money has been sent through Snapcash, the transaction cannot be cancelled, and recipients, if they do not have a Square account, have 24 hours to sign up

with their debit card information before the money is refunded.

Despite Snapchat’s insistence on the security of Snapcash, users still have other worries. Many people have expressed concern for how the new service will be used since the app has been known for its use in sending and receiving explicit images. In addition, some worry that, even if Square securely stores their financial information, money can be stolen directly from the app on their phones.

First-year Mitch Zawodny, who claims to use Snapchat just as much as he texts, will not being using the payment service for that reason.

“Somebody could easily take your phone, sign into it, and send themselves money through Snapcash,” he said.

Although Snapchat, a company currently valued at a whopping $10 billion, has changed the world of digital correspondence, it is still struggling to turn a profit. Hoping Snapcash will keep them on top of the ever-growing app industry, the company will especially be looking to college students for their support. Time will tell if students will be behind them, but in the meantime they’ll keep trying to entice young adults with the commercial’s flashy jingle that promises to make payment painless.

“Just type that dollar sign, and you’ll be feeling fine.”

In 2003, The Miami Student reported junior Nick Routh struck gold when he won $3,400 in a second-round, online poker tournament at truepoker.com. Routh then advanced to the final round. Five hours later, he walked away from his computer with an additional $11,000. It was his first time playing the game.

UNIVERSITY

COMMUNITY

CULTURE

HOLIDAY PLANE HOPPING

AMTRAK CONSIDERS OXFORD STOP

GYRO JOINT REMAINS CLOSED

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ence for everyone.”

After starting an account, there are two ways money can be sent through Snapcash. Using the texting feature, the user types the desired amount and the app, recognizing the dollar sign, will replace the regular yellow send button with a green Snapcash icon. To use the second method, “swipe to send,” the user types three dollar signs into the chat window.

The screen becomes a dollar image that the user then swipes repeatedly until reaching the correct amount.

»PAGE 3

»ONLINE

OPINION

SPORTS

FINAL FLAWS

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

»PAGE 6

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2 UNIVERSITY

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2014

CAMPUS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

Home (and broke) for the holidays Students weigh in on holday travel — despite cost and distance, getting home is a priority to most TRAVEL VICTORIA SLATER ASSOCIATE EDITOR

When junior Caitlin Hittner heads home for winter break, she will be packing light — taking nothing but a small suitcase and a carry-on to last her for six weeks. Unlike the majority of Miami students, she does not have the luxury of a short car ride home with half her school belongings in the trunk. For the second time in three weeks, she will be boarding a plane for the 2,000 mile journey back to her home of San Marino, California.

“You learn that you don’t need a lot,” Hittner said, regarding her packing limitations. “I’m lucky because where I’m from is not very cold. I don’t have to bring home a bunch of heavy layers or jackets. Most of the clothes I would wear at home I

don’t even bother bringing to school, which makes packing a lot easier.”

Hittner is one of the 30 percent of Miami students who are venturing out of state to get home for the holidays. However, because of the significant distance between Oxford and California, and the steep cost of traveling it, winter break is usually the only time during the school year Hittner can head home.

This year, though, she was lucky.

She was able to travel back for Thanksgiving, and will see her family again for Christmas. Together, it will cost her more than a $1,000.

“Going home can be pricey. I try to book my flights as far in advance as I can to get better rates,” Hittner said. “In terms of distance and travel time, I love going home, so I don’t mind a long flight or the time spent traveling.”

Senior Matt Watt will also be flying home this holiday, his journey

to Hartford, Connecticut about 770 miles. He agreed that expensive airfare is a challenge he must work around to ensure he sees his family as much as he can during the school year.

“I feel fortunate to be able to go home because the airfare can be quite steep at times,” Watt said. “I spend around $700 for flights alone per year. That’s not including ground transportation to and from the airport and the 16-hour car ride at the beginning and end of school. A flight for a Thanksgiving ticket can cost more then that if your not careful.”

As an architecture major, Watt often has to lug pounds of bulky supplies to and from Oxford. This also makes traveling long distances especially difficult, he said.

“The architecture supplies is a major problem moving in and out at the beginning of school,” Watt said. “My architecture stuff alone could fill up

half a car, not to mention somehow figuring out a way to include all the other college essentials.”

Hittner echoed his sentiment, emphasizing that the end of the year move-out poses the biggest challenges to her travel.

“Going home for the summer is a different story because I have to bring whatever I don’t store,” Hittner said.

“I’m usually lugging four or five bags around the airport. It’s a good arm workout.”

She added that weather adds its own obstacles, especially during flights home for winter break.

“This is the time of year where weather plays a bigger factor and can cause further delays,” Hittner said.

“It’s funny because a snow storm in Chicago can keep a plane from taking off or landing on time in L.A. on a bright and sunny day. The polar vortex affects everyone.”

First-year Serena Li has to travel

one of the longest distances of all: around 7,300 miles to her home in the Anhui Province of China, near Shang Hai. This will be the first time she will be seeing her family since she moved into Miami three months ago. The familiarity of home, and the love she has for her family, she said, is well worth the 24-hour travel time, and the $1,000 expense.

“I am so excited to see my family,” she said. “And I can’t wait to finally eat good Chinese food.”

Despite the inherent challenges that come with traveling, Hittner, Watt and Li agree that it is worth being home for the holidays. And their love for Miami helps to lessen the burden, too.

“There can be challenges and hurdles while traveling the long distance, but its worth the hassle,” Watt said.

“The friendships and experiences I’ve gained at Miami are well worth the expenses.”

Rec center bids farewell to favorite grandmother Long-time Miami employee retires PROFILE EMILY TATE

UNIVERSITY EDITOR

TYLER RIGG THE MIAMI STUDENT

THE WINTER PALACE President Hodge’s house on East High Street is a postcard-perfect picture of holiday cheer.

Crunch time: University, professors respond to exam scheduling stress ACADEMICS JAKE STANLEY

FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

With the majority of academic courses conducting final examinations all in the same week, the daunting scheduling process falls in the lap of the Office of the Registrar and its class scheduling department.

“Final exams are a derivative of the class schedule,” University Registrar David Sauter said. “It’s a pretty set format.”

Exams are scheduled based on the university’s Standard Timeblock Model, and an alternating scheduling model is used each semester.

If a course offers three or four sections with a total minimum enrollment of 200 students, or five or more sections, it is scheduled for a group examination.

Twenty percent of all courses at Miami will utilize this method during next week’s schedule.

This format has encouraged professors who teach multiple sections of the same course to create a uniform exam for all sections.

“I don’t have any say on when my exams are scheduled,” statistics professor Lynette Hudiburgh said.

“But, it is nice for collaboration among different instructors who teach large sections.”

However, the final for a course with lower student enrollment is determined by the course’s traditional class meeting time. For example, a class offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11:30 a.m. will have its final on Thursday, Dec. 11, at the regularly scheduled class time.

Prior to the start of the fall

semester, Sauter’s office organized data based on student schedules to determine which courses had the most conflicts. With this information, a fall exam schedule was released in July that allotted nine time blocks for group exams.

These blocks include mixtures of majors and courses that would not conflict with each other, with many involving multiple courses within a single major. The size of the courses and sections was later used to place each exam in an appropriately-sized room.

Sauter said a main objective of his department is to continually make improvements to the scheduling process.

“We want to eliminate back-toback exams,” Sauter said, “We also want to spread [the exams] out through the week and make it an ‘exam week.’”

Despite the initiative to make exams a truly weeklong process, some students still feel as though their finals schedules are imbalanced.

“I have three exams on Wednesday,” sophomore Kendall Donahue said. “They all seem to be put together.”

In recent years, the university has made an effort to limit the amount of scheduling conflicts for students.

Currently, students can adjust their schedules if they have four or more exams on one day, but a recent decision by Associated Student Government will decrease that number to three, beginning in fall 2015.

Students can also make adjustments if multiple non-group exams are being held at the same time.

For these measures, courses with abbreviations nearest the beginning of the alphabet are moved to a later

time. For example, a microbiology exam (MBI) would be moved to accommodate the schedule of a zoology (ZOO) exam. To move an exam, the divisional dean and instructor must give their approval.

Recently, professors have foregone the traditional final exam and begun to institute methods that lighten the load on students during finals week. Sauter said 40 percent of courses this fall are following this trend.

A change to this fall’s schedule was the addition of a ninth group exam time block at 12:45 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 12. Students in Hudiburgh’s STA 261 class will be taking their final in this block, which concerned her.

“I have many seniors in my classes and this final ends 15 minutes before commencement,” Hudiburgh said. “I don’t think that is necessarily right.”

Sauter said interference from faculty is uncommon, but did confirm that some seniors will be taking exams close to the time of their commencement, which begins at 3 p.m. Friday.

However, he said this is an improvement from previous years, when some finals were scheduled during commencement, in which a graduating senior could miss the ceremony entirely.

Despite criticism of the process, Sauter said Miami’s scheduling method decreases the likelihood of conflict, unlike other peer institutions.

“At other schools, if a professor teaches three sections of a math course, then he can schedule it whenever he wants,” Sauter said.

“Being policy-driven, we plan when all exams are and that they are two hours long.”

Angela Meinhardt, 73, sat on the stairs of the Miami Rec Center’s swimming pool, dreading what she was about to say. Her close friend and coworker Tara Britton sat next to her.

“I’ve got something I want to tell you, Tara,” Meinhardt said.

“What’s going on, Ang?” Meinhardt burst into tears, and Britton began to cry with her.

“I already know,” Britton said.

That was in June.

Several months earlier, in February, Meinhardt’s husband Jim walked into their home in Camden and found Angela unconscious. She had passed out at her kitchen table, fallen backward in the chair and split her head.

She spent two days in the hospital, dizzy and sick. When she was released, Jim told Angela it was time for her to retire.

She didn’t want to do it, but at 73, Angela had already worked years longer than most U.S. retirees.

Still, she didn’t want to leave her work — the people with whom she’d spent almost 20 years — or the dozens of students she had taken in like her grandchildren.

“I’m so close to all the kids,” she said. “I mean, you work with 52 students throughout the whole year, they’re just … they’re like my grandkids. I just always did so much for them. I treat them like my own.”

Until last Wednesday, her final day as an employee, Angela was the customer service coordinator, though she thought that might be overstating it.

“I was what they more or less call the manager in the [pro] shop,” she said.

However, Ron Siliko, the senior director of customer services and facility management at the rec, said one of Angela’s biggest contributions was to the customers.

“We probably have between 500 to 800 non-student customers who have been here as members as long as she’s been working,” Siliko said. “She’s developed wonderful relationships with those people over time.”

And, after more than 18 years with the same job, Angela built a home within the rec center.

She witnessed the rec transform through fitness classes, new workout machines and facility renovations. She watched coworkers like Britton and Siliko graduate from Miami, then work

their way up the rec’s administrative ranks. She followed dozens of student-employees throughout all four years of college, feeding them, caring for them and listening to what they had to say.

“Ever since she started, the student staff have regarded her as kind of their ‘grandmother’ at Miami,” Siliko said. “That’s a wonderful thing to have. She’s always been an advocate of students, supporter of students and supervisor of students. They love her.”

Senior Katie Bodenstedt has known Angela since she began working at the rec as a first-year.

“She was always the first person to give a big hug, the person who took care of us,” Bodenstedt said. “She used to make me tea when I was sick. For the people who open at 5:30 a.m., she would bring them McDonalds for breakfast.”

During the week, the rec sees about 3,000 customers each day, 80 percent of whom are students, Siliko said. With Angela

Ever since she started, the student staff have regarded her as kind of their ‘grandmother’ at Miami.”

RON SILIKO

SENIOR DIRECTOR MIAMI REC CENTER

situated front and center, greeting customers as they enter the facility, she sees a lot of different faces and encounters a lot of different people.

So, when word began to spread of her retirement, Siliko said customers suggested they throw a party for her. They wanted a chance to thank her and wish her well.

But, Angela insisted she’d be back to visit.

“I’ll miss it, but I can come over and work out,” she said.

“I’ll come back and forth.”

The staff won’t soon forget Angela, either. Siliko said they would fill her position, but they could never replace her. And, for Britton, one of the most important things Angela taught her was to be happy where you are.

“She’s been here at the rec for over 18 years, in basically the same position,” Britton said.

“She shows you can be happy by just being in one place and setting down your roots. You don’t have to move around, you don’t have to move up. You can just be happy and you can work hard, wherever you are.”

COMMUNITY@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

COMMUNITY 3

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2014

Amtrak stop a possibility for Oxford DEVELOPMENT SAMMIE MILLER

COMMUNITY EDITOR

University and city representatives held a private meeting Nov. 24 to discuss the possibility of creating a local Amtrak stop.

According to Economic Development Director Alan Kyger, the meeting was both informational and exciting.

“While no plans are immediate, the meeting was concluded with some of the attendees discussing next plans of action to keep the initiative going,” Kyger said.

Some members of the community were skeptical after efforts a few years ago were shut down by Amtrak, but new leadership in the company may signal new willingness to listen to a local pitch.

Derrick Bauman, Southwest Regional Director of All Aboard Ohio, an organization that

POLICE BEAT Drunken difficulties

promotes rail travel, said his goal is a two-part effort — getting an Oxford stop on the existing Cardinal line which goes through Oxford, and then having Amtrak expand its existing Hoosier State line to include Oxford and other Southwestern Ohio stops which would provide more service here and better times.

The Cardinal route currently goes through Oxford at 3 a.m. three times a week, but there is no stop. While the 3 a.m. stop would be inconvenient, it would provide access to the railway for students and residents, if nothing else.

“I think people are more excited about the idea of expanding the Hoosier line, rather than just the Cardinal,” Kyger said.

“That would be the first priority for most of the community members involved.”

According to Kyger, All Aboard is seeking to extend the Hoosier line that currently runs from

Chicago to Indiana to also connect in Cincinnati. This line would also pass through and stop in Oxford.

This is not the first time the city has reached out to Amtrak for a stop. According to Kyger, a student group reached out to Amtrak about building an Oxford stop in 2009.

At the time the idea was denied for several reasons.

“The main argument against having a stop in a small town is that it lengthens what could have been a very short train trip,” Kyger said.

“Each additional stop adds length to the trip. For Oxford to get approved, Amtrak will have to decide that the revenue brought in from this area will compensate for a longer travel time for passengers.”

Kyger said, while this is a valid argument, Amtrak has a very efficient stop time. Each stop takes no longer than three to four minutes, so the city has a very good shot of getting a location.

“For us, it is not a matter of if

we will get a train stop, but when,” said Deb Clark, founder of Precious Hearts Oxford, a local nonprofit organization.

Clark said that her motivation to get an Amtrak location in Oxford is one that holds a great deal of personal significance to her.

“I have been riding trains for 50 years now,” Clark said. “Since I was four years old. The stop would be great for the area and would benefit so many people.”

Precious Hearts has shown its support for the Amtrak stop by gathering signatures in an online petition. The link to the petition can be found on the organization’s Facebook page and has already generated around 90 signatures.

“It’s a great option for seniors who are disabled and can’t fly, as well as students looking to get home for breaks,” Clark said.

“There is so much potential in Oxford, it is only a matter of gaining enough support.”

Oxford holiday events EVENT JACKIE MOONEY

FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

At 1:19 am Thursday, officers were dispatched to an apartment in response to a call from the residents that there was an unknown male attempting to pick the lock.

Upon arrival, the officers found a male student asleep on the apartment’s third-floor landing. The officers woke him up, though he was very confused by his surroundings and had sluggish movements and slurred speech.

When asked where he lived, the male pointed to apartment number 12 and stated, “Right there, number 36.” The male was unable to comprehend that the number 12 was not, in fact, 36.

The officers observed that he had black X’s on his hands, and upon obtaining his license, found he was only 19 years old. He was escorted to the police car while an officer took his keys to apartment 36 of the complex. The keys fit the door, so the officer returned them to the male. He was cited with Offenses Involving Underage Persons and released. The officers watched the male walk to his apartment, where he began pounding on the door. The officers again approached the male, who stated he did not have his keys. The officers reminded him he had clipped them to his belt, at which point the male was finally able to gain access to his apartment.

Sticky situation

HOLIDAY »PAGE 9

LAUREN OLSEN FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

CHILLIN’ IT On Wednesday night, country singer and songwriter Cole Swindell performed for a packed crowd at Brick Street Bar and Grill.

Alcohol policy keeps students safe SAFETY CALLIE FURNAS

FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

In the fall of 2013, Miami University implemented a joint policy with the Oxford and Miami Police Department to protect the health and wellness of students.

The Good Samaritan Policy, also known as the Medical Amnesty Policy, offers students an opportunity to seek the emergency help they may need for themselves or a friend when under the influence of alcohol or drugs without legal consequence.

According to Students for Sensible Drug Policy, there are now more than 240 colleges and universities with some form of a Good Samaritan Policy.

“Every year, you read about students who have died from drinking too much,” Sgt. Jon Varley of the Oxford Police Department said. “The biggest reason they are afraid to call is because someone could get in trouble.”

Each year, an estimated 1,825 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die from

alcohol-related unintentional injuries, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

“The purpose is to save lives, that’s the bottom line,” said Susan Vaughn, director of Ethics and Student Conflict Resolution

helped her call emergency personnel that assessed the situation and transported the intoxicated student to McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital.

Miami’s policy differs from other universities in the way that they implement it. Under the

Every year you read about students who have died from drinking too much. The biggest reason they are afraid to call is because someone could get in trouble.”

JON VARLEY OPD SERGEANT

at Miami.

The Good Samaritan Policy is meant to provide help to students before they reach the point of serious injury or death.

“I believe that the policy probably saved my friends life,” junior Montanna Card said. “It was comforting knowing that I was able to get her help without getting her in trouble.”

Card found her friend extremely intoxicated at a residence hall her sophomore year. She reached out to her RA who then

policy, a student may receive one exemption in a year from a violation of code of conduct if found at a residence hall and Miami University Police are present, according to Vaughn.

“People don’t always learn from that one mistake,” Vaughn said. “We have the obligation to educate you and help you make better decisions.”

According to the Miami University Good Samaritan Policy, SAMARITAN »PAGE 9

IN OTHER NEWS CINCINNATI

NATIONAL

INTERNATIONAL

Local hospital honored for women’s care

Man arrested for raping ten-year-old boy on Wednesday

Pastor and a church employee were among three killed in Florida

American hostage pleads for life in video released by al Qaeda

A Bond Hill man was arrested and charged with two counts of felony rape.

–The Enquirer

Andres Avalos is currently missing after shooting three dead on Thursday.

–ABC News

Photojournalist Luke Somers begged for his life in the video released yesterday.

–CNN

news@miamistudent.net

OXFORD

For the second year in a row, McCullough-Hyde was recognized for exceptional women’s care.

–Journal-News

At 2:44 p.m. Thursday, a male student reported that the previous Saturday he had gone to his car and found it had been tampered with. When police arrived, he reported that he had observed shredded cheddar cheese scattered around his backseat. He then noticed that there was a 3-way from Skyline Chili on the ground, in addition to various items from his trunk of his car, prompting him to check his trunk, which had been filled with items from a recent camping trip. He noticed that matches and packages of graham crackers, Hershey’s chocolate and marshmallows were all missing.

He also noticed that the floor mat of the trunk had been removed and stated he believed the suspect had lit a fire in the trunk of his car to make s’mores. The officer agreed upon observing the melted plastic molding inside the trunk. Photographs of the damage were taken by the officers.

STORY IDEA?

Tonight marks the beginning of one of Oxford’s most anticipated holiday celebrations — the annual Oxford Holiday Festival. The two-day event will be held tonight in Oxford Memorial Park and tomorrow at the Oxford Community Arts Center.

The event is hosted by the Oxford Visitors’ Bureau and Oxford Parks and Rec. Friday’s portion will be held from 6 to 8:30 p.m. and Saturday will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

It is one of many holiday traditions in the area.

“This year, the event will feature free horse drawn carriage rides and visits with Santa’s live reindeer,” Kathy Crowley, president of the Oxford Visitors’ Bureau said.

In addition, Oxford’s mayor, Kevin McKeehan will be leading “Light Up Oxford” — the highlight of the night. It is a special evening celebration where over 15,000 LED lights will be simultaneously lit in the park to mark the beginning of the holiday season.

Saturday’s portion of the festival will offer a holiday craft market.

According to Jennifer Marston, a community member involved with event planning, admission to the market is free, but concessions and handmade holiday items from local vendors will be for sale all day long.

The event is open to visitors of all ages. Children can enjoy visits with Santa from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. For the older crowd, a gingerbread house competition from 10 a.m. to noon is open to anyone 16 years old and above. Cash prizes are available.

The festival is just one of several community holiday events.

“Through the month of December, there is an Christmas tree sale in Uptown Park,” Crowley said. “Students and community members can stop by and purchase a tree of their liking in the park.”

Local business owner Ralph Barker is also involved with a unique Oxford holiday tradition.

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2014

WWW.MIAMISTUDENT.NET

CHRIS CURME

DINING »PAGE 1

“We weren’t invoiced before the event happened and we didn’t receive any sort of notice that we would be paying for these resources,” Engelhart said. “We were able to lower the fine for the microphones since some of them didn’t work, but for food they said that’s a strict fine. They said it was clearly stated. When I looked back at the many emails that were sent, there was an email with size eight font that said student organizations can’t bring in outside food.”

Project manager for the speech competition Franklin Popek said when his team was in the process

of planning the event, they did look at Carillon Catering, but the prices were too high compared to Uptown options.

“I did call Carillon Catering when I was planning,” Popek said. “The cost was over $1,000 and Jimmy John’s was $300. We had a $2,000 operating budget and were looking for ways to save. It’s sad that we’re not allowed to do what’s best for our organization.”

Yung said Carillon recognized student organizations are often on a budget and developed a special menu designed specifically for them.

“I understand money is always an issue and a concern,” Yung said.

“We’re very conscious of how much money student organizations have to spend and we work with them. We put together a few years ago a completely separate menu for student organizations. It’s a very budget-conscious sort of menu.”

In addition to the student-friendly menu, Yung said Carillon offers other options to reduce the cost of catering a student event.

“One of the things we do is offer up products through our ‘Direct To You’ delivery service so that if students are willing to provide a little bit of labor on their own, for instance pulling food out of the hot carts and serving it up at buffets, that cuts down their cost on

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labor,” Yung said. “What others do is call one of our planners and tell them the amount of people and the budget and ask if they can put together a menu for them. Our planners are able to get creative and do that for them.”

At other locations on campus, outside caterers can be brought in if they obtain a temporary license to cook and serve food on site. If they are a delivery service like Jimmy John’s that serves pre-made food, they are able to deliver their product without a license.

Engelhart said although she does not know enough to know whether Carillon’s exclusivity with ASC, Goggin, Marcum and Shriver is

beneficial in the long run to the university and students, she does wish communication would improve between ASC and student organizations planning events there.

“I’m sure the administration chose to make Carillon the sole caterer for a reason and I don’t have enough information to judge whether that’s an effective policy or not,” Engelhart said. “But I think ASC needs to be extremely explicit up front with what they need from student organizations prior to the event. I also hope Carillon develops a menu that’s conducive to students and allows them to be able to cater what they need for an event but not at an astronomical price.”

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6 OPINION

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2014

EDITORIAL@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

In one ear and out the other: Why finals don’t work and aren’t worth the stress EDITORIAL

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

The clock on the wall seems to be ticking louder than normal. The person next to you has been tapping their foot for the last twelve minutes. That girl two rows in front of you has been flipping through the pages of the exam much faster than you. Your head is cloudy as you struggle to remember just what you’ve been learning all semester.

This is the common mentality of a student during finals week. We are suffering from a lack of sleep, an overloaded brain and probably a bad case of grade anxiety. But, at the end of the week, what have we accomplished? The Editorial Board believes, sadly, that finals are failing us.

Think back to the classes you took last semester. If you were asked a question about the material you learned in a particular course, would you be able to provide the correct response? Probably not.

This is because, just as we have done all our lives in school, we learned the material to take the test, not to absorb the information.

We at The Miami Student feel finals are not the best way to end a semester. The system has become so flawed that we dread learning material for classes that we should love and be excited about.

the courses that involved a small final or no final at all.

A number of Miami University courses offer semester-long projects or papers that are due during finals week instead of a final

The editorial board hopes that professors who read this will consider offering projects rather than finals, which allow students to absorb information and truly involve themselves in the course material rather than simply remembering the details for the final.”

Professors and faculty members reading this might be thinking that we are just some students who are trying to avoid tests and studying, but hear — or rather, read — us out.

The material we remember best from our classes over the years is not the subject where we had a cumulitive final that forced us to memorize months worth of information. In fact, the classes that had the largest impact on us and that we remember the most clearly are

exam. For some students, these projects or papers might be put off until Thanksgiving break and still result in a lot of cramming of information.

However, the idea of semesterlong finals is that, rather than focusing on the material just days before a final exam, students are actively engaged in the subject matter throughout the entire semester, and are therefore dedicating time to the course on a regular basis.

We at The Miami Student believe these courses challenge students to think critically throughout the entire semester rather than just the week before finals. In doing this, students are actively learning and are more likely to absorb the material for the long term.

Students can only handle so much, and at a time where we feel compelled to take extra credit hours while balancing an internship, an on-campus job and club involvement, we think that students have reached their breaking point.

We all want to be the perfect student with the perfect resume: a great GPA, several notable internships and leadership positions in a variety of organizations. But we have come to a pivotal point where we must decide what is most important to us, and we might need to accept that we are not capable of doing all these things perfectly.

The editorial board hopes that professors who read this will consider offering projects rather than finals, which allow students to absorb information and truly involve

themselves in the course material rather than simply remembering the details for the final. We truly feel that these projects and papers are a better indicator of student ability and dedication than a multiple choice test.

And for students, who hopefully took a break from studying for their finals to read this editorial, we ask that you take a step back and think about how much you are able to handle and still be a healthy individual. We all want to be able to successfully handle a million different obligations, but at a certain point we are putting ourselves in a position where we are no longer mentally, emotionally or physically healthy.

So, even if you’re still taking six finals next week, don’t forget your top priority is yourself — not your 4.0 GPA or your 8 a.m. calculus final. Remember to get enough sleep, eat regularly and take a break when you need to. Getting that extra hour of sleep will be more helpful to your grade than another hour of studying while half asleep.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Call and response: discussing the decision to run an anonymous letter As a journalist for 15 years and as a teacher of journalism at Southern Illinois University and Miami University for more than 25 years, I believe I have the expertise to comment on The Miami Student’s decision to publish an anonymous letter that, to me, seemed a blanket condemnation of international students, particularly those from China.

I congratulate The Student for finally admitting the staff does not know who wrote the anonymous

the staff who knows who authored it. You need to publish a front-page editorial apologizing for this breach of journalistic integrity.

Your letter should also apologize to all international students, especially those from China and other Asian countries for allowing a letter to appear that included racial stereotyping.

You should have only used it as a tip that could not reach the public without extensive research and interviews.

The publication of the anonymous letter without knowing its authorship is a major violation of journalistic ethics.”

letter, although it does seem written from the perspective of a faculty member. Now — the rub.

The publication of the anonymous letter without knowing its authorship is a major violation of journalistic ethics.

The Miami Student is not a cable news channel that can get away with innuendo and unsupported facts.

Check with newspapers around the country and you will discover what I have written is correct. You cannot publish a controversial letter without at least having someone on

Did the author, if a faculty member, ever reach out to the Chinese students and get to know them as human beings? Have the international students been consulted, especially those in the particular classroom?

Please, please understand that your publication without the proper reporting seemed to suggest racial insensitivity.

As a journalist I covered the civil rights revolution in the United States in such places as Texas, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Detroit and Lansing, Michigan.

RULE OF THUMB JURASSIC WORLD TRAILER We feel like we’ve been waiting ages to visit Isla Nublar again, and we finally get to go back to our favorite computergenerated dinosaurs. Throw in Chris Pratt and some genetic engineering and we’ve got ourselves a summer blockbuster.

CHRISTMAS MOVIES We can watch Elf an infinite number of times and still laugh at everything Will Ferrell does, but the number of Christmas movies available on TV and Netflix are making studying for finals a challenge. We just want to spread Christmas cheer by singing loud for all to hear.

GLOBAL WARMING 2014 is currently tied to be the hottest year on a since data started being collected in the 19th century, according to the World Meteorological Organization.

14 of the 15 hottest years have occured in the 21st century.

HOLIDAY SPIRIT LAST WISH Strangers and kind souls from all over have been making 6-year-old Addie Fausett smile by sending hundreds of Christmas cards her way in her last few months to live — caring at its finest.

Please understand the civil rights struggle occurred all over the United States.

Now, I see in Oxford and nearby areas the intensification of racism in American society. To say it does not exist would be like the white Mississippi farmer telling me in an interview that segregation was a good system for white and black.

We all have a role in making this a free society where the rights of all are not only protected, but honored. We love the concept that it takes a village to raise a child.

Well, it also takes a community to educate a child.

Faculty, staff and all students must realize there are obligations outside the classroom and to overlook them is a form of racial insensitivity.

And faculty members must be contributing members of our academic village more than two days a week. Some are. But not enough.

One more thing for you to consider. There will be repercussions for the university’s lack of sufficient outreach programs that we are all responsible for. Please understand this. We are a global society and what happens in Oxford echoes throughout the planet.

HUGH MORGAN

MORGANH@MIAMIOH.EDU

Dear Mr. Morgan, First, we appreciate your input.

We recognize the importance of identifying our mistakes.

While we agree there were flaws in our execution, and that it was unethical to publish an anonymous letter without noting that we could not confirm the identity of the author, we do not regret publishing the piece altogether.

We will admit we did not fully consider the negative impact of the author’s anonymity.

Our biggest concern after the fact is international students may now feel uncomfortable on this campus. We fear there are international students sitting in class wondering, “Is that what my professor thinks? Did they write those things?”

On top of that, the letter raised more questions than answers, and we, The Miami Student, have failed to provide answers to those questions thus far.

However, we are currently working on a extensive article to correct that mistake.

In retrospect, there were a number of alternatives we should have considered. At the very least, we should have run a disclaimer clarifying that we could not confirm the identity of the source.

It was not our intent to slight our audience. Transparency has

always been our priority.

All that being said, we stand by our decision to publish the letter because it served a formidable purpose for this university.

Yes, it was highly critical.

We’ve received response letters from President Hodge, academic deans, international students, American students and one signed by hundreds of faculty members.

But, notice, the responses varied in opinion. Not all were in disagreement with the original letter.

In addition, the online comments that followed in the letter’s wake drew attention to another issue: the existence of racially heated resentment on this campus.

So, what does this tell us? The letter served the purpose every opinion piece should. It ignited an honest check of our community, what we’re doing right and where we need to improve.

The Miami Student is a studentrun paper that holds itself to the standards of any other reputable news sources.

We readily admit our mistakes, but we also feel the need to point out the positives and ask the university community to use this as an opportunity to spark change.

THE MIAMI STUDENT EDITORIAL BOARD

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EDITORIAL@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

OPINION 7

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2014

Holiday Crossword Puzzle 1

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2. Bright light leads the way. (4)

1. Stand underneath to get a kiss. (8)

3. Flakes that fall from the sky. (4)

4. Wrap with paper, ribbon and a ---. (3)

6. He comes down the chimney on Christmas eve. (5,5)

5. If you send some, you will receive some. (5)

8. Desire. (4) 9. A short word for Christmas. (4)

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11. They twinkle and glow.(6)

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12. Traditional meat for Christmas dinner. (6)

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15. What you do before giving a present. (4)

17

The value of higher education isn’t about practicality My freshman year of high school was the first time that the concept of “college” became less of a concept and more of an eventual reality. It was a time of slacking on Geometry homework in order to make room for dizzying amounts of Google searches, taking random online quizzes to try and pinpoint the ideal campus for myself based on questions like “What’s your favorite color?” or “What is your household’s average annual income?” However, perhaps the most troubling discovery of all was learning about the dreaded undergraduate major.

As time passed, and the idea of college turned into actually applying to college, I became more and more obsessed with choosing the perfect major to dive into, falling victim to all of the “Top 10 Highest Paying Undergraduate Degree” articles that started popping up all over Facebook and Yahoo News and my email inbox. Pretty soon, I was fully convinced I wanted to juggle two careers: one as an anesthesiologist, and another as an accountant.

Sometime in between applying to college and actually going to

that’s problematic.

Why would you choose to study something and potentially even make a life with, a field of study you aren’t passionate about? People congratulate other people for sticking to their passion because we live in a society where the work force and higher education system don’t value passion over practicality, which leads people to pursue paths that fit the mold of practicality, not passion.

There is also a stigma surrounding less conventionally practical majors, which suggests that only engineers have a job in their future. Is it harder for an aspiring writer to get a job than a chemical engineer to get a job?

Absolutely. Is it impossible for an aspiring writer to get a job?

Absolutely not.

Is it possible for a chemical engineer to not get a job? Absolutely.

Having a job is an unarguably important part of life, but the socially constructed idea that some jobs are inherently more valuable than others greatly contributes to the “practicality over passion” culture our society has developed.

As someone who has been on

Why would you choose to study, and potentially make a life with, a field of study you aren’t passionate about?

college, I gave up the idea of budding anesthesiologist/accountant and declared creative writing as my major. Despite all of the warnings that come along with pursuing a future that doesn’t involve Stoichiometry, I decided to do something crazy: pursue a future (for at least four years) in something I actually love.

When I tell people I’m a creative writing major, I get one of two reactions. People either congratulate me for actually studying what I want to study; or they pause, look at the floor, and ask, “What do you plan on doing with that?”

Though there are some obvious issues with these reactions, they also point out a much bigger issue in regards to how people value education -- even if it’s just the label tied to it.

People often feel the need to congratulate others when they pursue a course of study that actually interests them; and, to me,

10. Wishes written on paper make this. (4) 12. Santa delivers these to good children. (4) 14. First word of a famous Christmas poem. (4) 16. Keeper of the flocks. (8) 17. Freedom from war. (5) 19. The Christmas Season. (8)

18. --- to the World. (3)

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7. Santa’s favourite animals. (9)

the receiving end of socially constructed stereotypes about jobs and education, I know the impact this culture can have.

I’ve tried to trick myself into being interested in other fields in order to follow practicality standards. I’ve questioned whether or not it’s worth trying to do what I’m passionate about.

Value is not a black and white condition.

It works on a sliding scale and is relative to a person’s desires, strengths and weaknesses.

When societal norms tell people what is valuable, the purpose and meaning behind value is violated. And with regards to education and the work force, when society tells people what is valuable, it’s actually telling people what is easy — and that’s selling everybody short.

CARLY BERNDT

BERNDTCN@MIAMIOH.EDU

As people from poor minorites are compromised, it’s time to admit our police system is flawed NATION MILAM’S MUSINGS Eric Garner, a 43-year-old father of six, was killed by New York City police officer Daniel Pantaleo, after Pantaleo performed a banned chokehold move to which Eric Garner repeatedly gasped in a video of the encounter, “I can’t breathe.”

“I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe,” has haunted me since I watched Eric Garner gasp for his life. All over the suspicion that he was illegally selling cigarettes.

The grand jury has decided to not indict Officer Pantaleo. Such is another in a long line of confirmations to African Americans everywhere that “black lives don’t matter.” More on that point in a moment.

There was clear video of the incident, which can be found on YouTube, the chokehold was banned under NYPD policy in 1993, and the medical examiner for the case ruled Garner’s death a homicide.

Consider, if Daniel Pantaleo had choked a man to death instead of Officer Pantaleo, most of us would assuredly agree that he would have been indicted. However, an unfortunate reality in the United States is that the government, as Radley Balko, a Washington Post reporter pointed out, can kill us with impunity — and “that should terrify you.”

If that seems hyperbolic, consider this fact from Vox: Over one third of police officers who are charged with a crime never get convicted and of those, nearly two-thirds are never incarcerated. That’s also presuming the officers get to the stage of being “charged.”

The system is heavily in favor of shielding police officers from facing accountability for their actions.

First, there’s the two-pronged inherent conflict of interest in prosecutors presiding over cases involving officers since those same prosecutors rely on the police in their other cases. Then the conflict of interest in the police investigating themselves

(internal affairs).

Second, juries are all too willing to give the police the benefit of the doubt and much leniency versus the word of a “criminal.” Despite clear evidence that police lie.

For instance, take the Tamir Rice case in Cleveland. Rice was a 12-year-old playing with a toy gun (with its orange indicator off) in a park.

The officers wrote in their report that Rice was “sitting under a pavilion in the park with a few people.”

In the video, Rice was alone.

Then, they said Rice was ordered to put his hands up three times.

In the video, Officer Timothy Loehmann shoots Rice within two seconds of pulling up to the scene without even letting the cruiser come to a full stop.

Also, as an interesting point, Officer Loehmann was “deemed unfit for duty while serving on another police force due to dismal handgun performance and emotional instability,” according to Reason magazine.

The obvious question then is what that officer was doing with a gun and a badge on the day he killed a 12-year-old.

With the Garner and Rice cases, unlike the Michael Brown case in Ferguson, there is clear video evidence of what transpired. But it’s still not enough, clearly.

Alarmingly, we do not have any idea how often the government kills its citizens. The comprehensive data just isn’t there.

Yes, the FBI does have some record-keeping, but it’s based on police agencies self-reporting and on the elasticity of “justifiable,” so it’s woefully inadequate. In other words, the number — 400 “justifiable homicides” each year since 2008 — is likely much higher.

Going on the data we do have, there were 1,217 police shootings between 2010 and 2012. Blacks between the age of 15 to 19 were killed at a rate of 31.17 per million compared to 1.47 per million for whites, according to a ProPublica report.

In other words, blacks are 21 times more likely to be killed by a police officer given the data we have than their white counterparts.

“Blacks are being killed at disturbing rates when set against the rest of the American population,” according to ProPublica.

However, let me be clear: race

is only one factor in this equation. Policing has gone terribly wrong in the United States to which a great deal of innocent, unarmed white, black and Latino citizens are being killed. It just so happens that the system leans more heavily, predictably, on poor minorities.

To top all of this off, Police One, a web site and forum for police officers to which only certified police officers can post, gives us some insight into police attitudes after the grand jury didn’t bring an indictment to Officer Pantaleo.

One, going by the name, SAPDMAS, said, “People are sick and tired of thugs. Certain people better wake the hell up and stop supporting thugs. Two years, one month before the head thug gets thrown out and hopefully a real POTUS gets elected.”

Protect and serve has become protect and serve themselves.

Police traditionally commanded respect in the same manner that firefighters did (and still do) because just as firefighters are willing to do something most of us aren’t — run toward a fire rather than away from it — police officers were willing to accrue some risk in the defense of civilians, hence “protect and serve.”

Going by the unaccountability of the police and their attitudes therein, that seems a quaint notion.

Finally, if you’ll come at me with, “You are painting all cops as bad based on a few bad apples,” I’m highly skeptical of that claim.

Aside from the point that I’m discussing a systemic problem, consider, the U.S. Department of Justice’s study, “Police Attitudes Toward Abuse of Authority: Findings from a National Study,” found that 84 percent of police officers report that they’ve seen colleagues use excessive force on civilians, and 61 percent admit that they don’t always report “even serious criminal violations that involve abuse of authority by fellow officers.”

The problem is that we have a rotten apple tree; the roots of which disproportionately ensnare people of color, and to which most (white) people continue to ignore.

BRETT MILAM

MILAMBC@MIAMIOH.EDU

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FROM COLUMN »PAGE 12

His speed and quickness allow him to penetrate defenses, drive inside and get easy layups.

From passing to scoring, Eric Washington does it all. And, that scoring ability is the most recent weapon Washington has added to his arsenal. Washington knew the game had changed and being a pass-only guard would not work at the college level.

His newfound scoring ability pairs nicely with his passing prowess. Together, they’ve created a nearly unstoppable player.

It’s one thing to be a great player. To be the change this program needs, you need to be a leader as well.

Washington is that leader.

“You can’t break,” Washington said. “Because if you break, the team is going to break.”

Combine the talent Washington has with his leadership abilities and what you get is a player to

FROM BASKETBALL »PAGE 12

of their production comes from sophomore guard Sara Dickey and senior forward Mallory Ladd.

Dickey is averaging 21 points per game and Ladd is averaging 17.8.

Evansville enters this game after breaking a four-game losing streak with a 93-83 overtime win over Murray State Wednesday.

Dickey set a school record with 37 points.

FROM SAMARITAN »PAGE 3

following medical assistance, students are required to meet with the Office of Ethics and Student Conflict Resolution, take an educational course, and then meet with a substance abuse specialist for an assessment.

Students are expected to pay all associated costs.

After a year to the date of the violation, the record of the exemption is erased, the only information kept by the university is numbers and they are kept for statistics, according to Vaughn.

According to Varley, if the Oxford Police Department is called to a situation off-campus, they do not have the obligation to report it to the university and no further action is taken.

“The only documentation is a medical run,” Varley said. “We don’t write up a police report naming names or anything like that.”

9

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2014 build around.

The RedHawks basketball program has not been relevant since 2007. That season, they won the Mid-American Conference tournament and nearly defeated the Oregon Ducks in the opening round of the NCAA tournament.

Since then, Miami has struggled to get to .500.

That changes next season. The team is rough around the edges, but watch how the team progresses with the season.

Next year, Washington will be a senior. He will also have a full season to grow with his team.

Developing chemistry is something that comes with live-game action. The bumps and bruises now will only build a resistant team next season.

It may be tough to say the team will take a giant leap forward now, but I am doing it. I am jumping into the deep end with both feet.

Washington is the change the program needs.

“We’re excited about it,” Wright said. “We have two days of preparation, and I felt like [in] our last two days of preparation before Valpo, our team really responded well after a tough weekend. We’re looking forward to these two days of preparation and us getting the chance to go play on the road.”

Tipoff is 5 p.m. Saturday at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana.

Both circumstances, on-campus and off-campus, though dealt with differently, have the same common goal — student safety and well being. According to Varley, when someone is intoxicated and calling for help the police are not worried about arresting anyone, the police are there to make sure they get the help they need.

When students are aware that a medical amnesty policy is in effect, they are two and a half times more likely than students who expect to face disciplinary actions to call for help when witnessing the signs of alcohol poisoning, according to the Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice.

“I’m happy I had actually just heard about the policy like a week before the incident,” Card said. “It was really scary when I realized how drunk she was and I couldn’t help her myself, the policy is something that actually helps.”

FROM W. HOCKEY »PAGE 12

season respectively. Booth leads the team with 20 assists and Williams leads with 18 goals.

The ’Hawks have had tremendous depth this season, as nine players in addition to Booth and Williams have registered doubledigit points on the season. Sophomore right wing Kaley Mooney, sophomore center Katie Augustine and sophomore right wing Cassidy Guthrie have recorded 21 or more.

The team has been excellent in special teams, as it has found the back of the net on the power play 14 ties. The RedhHawks also have a strong penalty kill unit with a 95 penalty kill percentage.

Sophomore goaltender Emalee Wills has been playing well

FROM MEN’S HOCKEY »PAGE 12

edges out Massa in GAA by .12 and has four more wins with one more game played. Williams is 10-1 on the year and has a .928 save percentage.

Sophomore forward and recent World Junior invitee Anthony Louis said shots on goal is key for the weekend’s matchup.

FROM HOLIDAY »PAGE 3

Barker and his wife, Cindy, are second-generation owners of Barker Ornaments — a business that has prided itself for 61 years on its quality wooden ornaments.

The business is still operated out of the family’s historic farm, the Brown Homestead, built in 1848. The ornament workshop is located on the property in a

for the RedHawks, posting a 8-0-1 record on the season with two shutouts, eight goals against and 115 saves.

“We’re trying to be more aggressive and be stronger because that’s what we need to do against Robert Morris,” Wills said.

“We’ve been coming together, and it’s shown with our lines and the improvement in communication. We’ve been working hard in practice and it’s paying off. It’ll be a challenge; it was a fight last year when we swept them and they won’t take it easy on us.”

Robert Morris has won six games in a row following a sweep at the hands of Liberty earlier in the season. Leading the charge for the Eagles is freshman center Makaila Anderson, with 16 goals and six assists. No other player on

the team has tallied double-digit goals on the season. The team has been able to convert on the power play this season, as it has 11 goals spread out among six players, including three by senior center Rebecca Geerts.

RMU has had strong goalie play from senior Laura Noble and senior Anna Salvaggio, as they have accounted for eight wins, three shutouts and 242 saves.

“We’re expecting a challenge this weekend,” Hicks said. “After playing in big series a couple weekends in a row, we have to be able to sustain a high level of play.

It’ll be more of a mental challenge for us, and we have to push through it.”

The RedHawks host the Eagles 10:30 p.m. Friday and 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

“Just shoot a lot,” Louis said.

“We get a ton of shots a game so we’re just going to keep him on his toes. We have to use each other, two-on-ones all over the ice. Just keep them honest.”

These are the last two games before the RedHawks’ break, but Blasi doesn’t think staying focused will be a challenge.

“This is what we do right?”

Blasi said. “I don’t think we’ll have a problem getting focused for one of the best teams in the country. After that, we have exams and we’ll start to get ready for our next opponent.

The guys don’t get to go home like everybody else.”

Puck drop is set for 7:35 p.m.

Friday and 7:05 p.m. Saturday.

The games can be heard live on redhawkradio.com.

renovated 100-year-old dairy barn.

“The farmhouse is opened for thousands of shoppers who enjoy the country Christmas atmosphere,” Barker said. “One of a kind, hand-crafted gifts are available to purchase including newly designed and old favorite Barker ornaments, pottery, watercolors, old world Santas and snow babies.”

Community members are not the only ones excited for the holidays in Oxford. Students look forward to many of the Oxford holiday traditions as well.

“I would love to check out some of the local holiday events,” Senior Emily Daniels said. “I love the holidays in Oxford when all the trees Uptown are lit up. It makes me feel a little less bad about having to take finals.”

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McCue’s 26 guides RedHawks past Valpo WOMEN’S BBALL GRACE REMINGTON STAFF WRITER

CONNOR MORIARTY THE MIAMI STUDENT

Junior forward Kalif Wright tries to get an off-balance shot to fall during Miami’s 66-62 loss to the University of Dayton Wednesday night. Wright is averaging 3.7 points and 1.6 rebounds per game.

Red and White rally comes up short against Flyers MEN’S BASKETBALL JACK BREWER

FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

The Miami University men’s basketball team trimmed a 16-point second half deficit down to three late, but lost to the University of Dayton 66-62 in a thriller at Millett Hall.

The RedHawks (2-5) came out aggressive in the first half by pushing the tempo and working the ball into the paint for good looks at the basket. The team scored all of its first 10 points in the paint. Junior guard Willie Moore led the RedHawks in scoring with 14 points, including four 3-pointers. Junior point guard Eric Washington scored 12 points on 4 of 7 from the field and junior forward Chris Bryant finished with 10 points, shooting 3 for 5 from the field. Washington, who committed five turnovers in the first half, bounced back in the second half to contribute to the team’s effort.

“The turnovers were just unfortunate,” Washington said.

“Coach always tells me just to

slow down and stay in control of the basketball.”

Pacing the way offensively for the Flyers (5-1) were Kendall Pollard, Devon Scott and Jordan Sibert.

Pollard led all scorers with 15 points, shooting 6 for 7 from the field. Scott turned in a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, while Sibert scored 11 points on 4 of 11 shooting from the field.

At halftime, the RedHawks trailed the Flyers 31-23. The RedHawks were plagued by turnovers in the first half, giving the ball up 11 times.

“The first half really hindered us,” head coach John Cooper said.

“Eleven turnovers in the first half and I think they had 26 points off of our turnovers.”

In the second half, the Flyers led by as many as 16 points when Ryan Bass converted a lay-up while he was fouled, hitting following free throw to extend the score to 45-29.

Over the next five minutes of the game, Willie Moore scored eight of the next 10 points for the RedHawks as part of a 10-1 run that cut

the Dayton lead to just seven with 7:52 remaining.

“I was just moving without the ball, taking and hitting the open shots that I saw,” Moore said.

Moore had struggled in recent games with frequent turnovers and minimal production.

“It’s important to always be confident in your shot,” Moore said. “I’m always confident in my shot no matter how I’m playing.”

With a minute to go, the Flyers led 61-52, sporting a comfortable ninepoint lead. Will Sullivan, who had been quiet all night, hit a 3-pointer on the next possession to trim the lead to six. After the Flyers missed the front end of a one-and-one opportunity at the free-throw line, Washington hit a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to just three.

Despite the late surge, the RedHawks came up short thanks to clutch free throw shooting late by the Flyers.

The RedHawks are back on the court Saturday when they travel to IPFW, with the opening tip set for 7 p.m.

RedHawks host Nebraska Omaha MEN’S HOCKEY STEVEN PERKINS

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

The Miami University men’s hockey team looks to continue its winning streak and stay on top of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference as it hosts the University of Nebraska Omaha this weekend.

The No. 4/5 RedHawks are 10-4 and lead the NCHC by two points. No. 12/13 UNO is fourth in the conference, trailing Miami by seven points.

The RedHawks are coming off a one week break for Thanksgiving,

but head coach Enrico Blasi said it shouldn’t slow the squad down.

“It’s always difficult to try to figure out what to do with the guys, because you’re not playing, but I thought our guys did a good job last week,” Blasi said. “The energy has been good, the mindset has been good.”

The Mavericks are 7-3-2 this season, but boast an impressive 4-0-1 record against Miami in their last five contests.

“They have a lot of weapons up front and their four lines are pretty good,” Blasi said. “[They] may be the deepest team we’ve seen. Their D core is pretty good, their goaltending is really good.”

’Hawks host RMU WOMEN’S HOCKEY JORDAN RINARD

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

After sweeping the No. 2 team in the country in Liberty University prior to Thanksgiving break, the No. 1 Miami University women’s hockey team returns to the Goggin Ice Center for a conference clash with No. 12 Robert Morris University (IL) in CCWHA play. The RedHawks (14-0-1) are first in the league with 29 points, while the Eagles (10-4-0) are in second place with 20 points.

“We’re working to stay sharp this week. After our break, we

need to get back into our groove,” head coach Scott Hicks said.

“Robert Morris is a gritty team and we’re going to have to earn it. They’re ranked No. 12 and getting a statement win over us would be big for their resume, so we’re going to need to fight back.”

Miami has faced some stiff competition over the past couple of weeks with one game of the last four being decided by more than a goal. Junior right wing Rachael Booth and junior center Hayley Williams have been huge offensively for the Red and White, as they have 35 and 34 points on the WOMEN’S HOCKEY »PAGE 9

UNO senior goaltender Ryan Massa stacks up as one of the best netminders in the country.

He boasts the sixth best save percentage and the seventh best goals against average. Senior captain and forward Austin Czarnik said rebounds will be a big part of the weekend.

“He’s a good first shot goalie,” Czarnik said. “So we have to get the net, crash hard and look for rebounds.”

Massa’s goals against average is good enough for second in the NCHC behind Miami’s own Jay Williams. The junior goalie MEN’S HOCKEY »PAGE 9

The Miami University women’s basketball team ended its three-game losing skid with a dominant 82-59 win over Valparaiso University Wednesday afternoon in Millett Hall.

Junior forward Hannah McCue led the RedHawks (2-3) with 26 points, which included seven of Miami’s season-high 14 threepointers. She also grabbed 15 rebounds for her second doubledouble of the season.

“I definitely had to work to get some open shots, but it feels good to make a few in a row,” McCue said. “You get some confidence. With rebounding comes team box-outs, and, honestly, I think a lot of my rebounds came from my teammates clearing out their players.”

Miami scored a quick five points in the early minutes of the game, but Valpo countered with a 16-5 run that gave them a 1610 lead almost six minutes into play. Valpo maintained a steady lead until the 7:44 mark, when it became a back-and-forth contest.

Though the ’Hawks regained the lead twice, they went into the half trailing 40-39.

The RedHawks dominated the second half. Miami never gave up its lead, making 51.6 percent

of its shots, up from 28.6 percent in the first half. The Crusaders couldn’t counter Miami’s hot shooting and only hit 25 percent of their shots, compared to 40 percent in the first half.

The RedHawks had nine turnovers and recorded 19 assists.

Nine players each had at least one assist.

“That’s how you score 82 points; you only have nine turnovers,” head coach Cleve Wright said. “It’s a team effort, so that 19 assists feels good. And when you’re playing on a team like that, that shares the ball, it’s more fun to play.”

Junior forward Jessica Rupright and freshman guard Ana Richter also had large contributions, scoring 12 points and 11 points, respectively. Valpo was led by junior guard Jessi Weidemann with nine points and three assists. Not one of the Crusaders reached double-digits in any statistic.

The Red and White continue their season at Evansville University (2-4) Saturday. This is the first meeting between both teams and the first time Miami has played a Missouri Valley Conference school since 2007.

Through the first six games, the Purple Aces are shooting 39.7 percent and are holding opponents to 44.8 percent. Most BASKETBALL »PAGE 9

Eric Washington shaping up to be a leader for MU COLUMN TAYLOR MADE Every program needs a face, a leader. Someone that will start the turnaround and be the change the program needs. The Miami University basketball program desperately needs that.

They’ve found it. It comes in the form of a 5-foot-10 point guard.

Eric Washington.

“He’s a work horse,” head coach John Cooper. “Shows up early, stays late. He’s become a leader.”

Eric Washington came to Miami two seasons ago from the Presbyterian Blue Hose. NCAA guidelines required he sit out one season after transferring.

As a sophomore at Presbyterian he averaged 6.5 assists per game, good enough for 15th in the nation.

All you have to do is watch him one time to be captivated with how effortless passing has became to him.

How did he get so great? Washington credits hours of watching YouTube videos of Chris Paul’s and Steve Nash’s mind-blowing passes. He did not watch them for

STAT OF THE DAY

16

fun; he watched them to study. He would go to his backyard, and as many of us have once did, practice until he mimicked his heroes.

Against Southern Utah on Nov. 16, Washington’s first real game in over a year, he stole the ball and flew down the court.

A two-on-one opened up for Washington and Geovonie Mcknight. Washington took flight towards the basket, but where was the ball?

Gone.

McKnight easily laid the ball in the basket and Millett Hall jumped as one after the disappearing ball trick performed

by No. 33.

No look passing is an art that made ‘Pistol’ Pete Maravich famous. Washington has learned that art and has senior guard Will Sullivan ecstatic to play alongside him.

“He’s the first point-guard that I’ve played with that you really have to be ready for the ball at anytime,” Sullivan said.

He’s a headache for defenses.

If you attack Washington too hard he will find the open man and get the ball to him one way or another.

But, just as soon as you leave Washington a few inches of space to guard the pass, you get beat.

COLUMN »PAGE 9

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE MEN’S HOCKEY

UNO SERIES GAME NOTES WHEN YOU’RE FINISHED READING

The number of 3-pointers junior forward Hannah McCue took during Miami’s 82-59 win over Valparasio. McCue made seven of them. The ’Hawks as a team shot 32, making 14 of them.

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