The Miami Student | February 12, 2019

ESTABLISHED 1826 — OLDEST COLLEGE NEWSPAPER WEST OF THE ALLEGHENIES

Volume 147 No. 16

Miami University — Oxford, Ohio

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2019

She has options on Valentine’s Day

CHLOE MURDOCK THE MIAMI STUDENT

THE FIRST GOAL SOPHOMORE FORWARD PHIL KNIES SCORED WAS WAVED OFF, BUT THE SECOND COUNTED EN ROUTE TO A 4-2 WIN. VIDEO EDITOR EMILY BRUSTOWSKI

What snapped the streak EMILY SIMANSKIS SPORTS EDITOR Four goals, one perfect penalty kill and stellar goaltending was all it took for Miami hockey to win a game – at least on paper.

But it is impossible to quantify the energy from a populated student section or the desperation the players felt during the stretch of 15 winless games and nine straight losses.

There was a tangible feeling of relief on Saturday night when the RedHawks surrounded their goaltender to celebrate a 4-2 win over the University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO).

Senior co-captains Josh Melnick and Grant Hutton hugged to commemorate snapping the winless streak that had plagued them for 85 days and the losing streak that had lasted for 38.

“It feels really good,” Melnick said. “I think you could see it in our reaction after the final buzzer there. It feels awesome.”

The last time Miami felt that close to awesome was Nov. 17, 2018, after a 3-2 win over Colorado College in Colorado Springs.

That day, the ’Hawks scored two goals in the opening 20 minutes, the penalty kill went 5-for-6 and junior goaltender Ryan Larkin made 34 saves.

Saturday’s win looked much the same.

For the first time in 13 games, the RedHawks scored the first goal, and they added another before the first period horn sounded. The ’Hawks are now 9-2 when they score first, and 1-14-4 when they don’t.

“Scoring the first goal is a big part of any game, but in our conference it’s a big deal because you’re playing on your toes and you’re playing confident,” head coach Enrico

Blasi said. “For us, it was a big first period — a big boost for us.”

A boost that led to a four-goal performance from Miami. The offensive explosion came after the RedHawks were outscored 56-25 during their 15-game winless streak and 36-10 during the nine-game losing streak.

One-third (19-of-56, 33.9 percent) of the ’Hawks’ goals against came on the penalty kill during the winless stretch. The man-disadvantage was only 67.2 percent successful through the 15 winless games, and it was 73.7 percent successful through the nine losses.

Miami was no better on the power play, going 8-for-54 (14.8 percent) during the winless streak and 3-for-31 (9.7 percent) CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

Here is what you should know before you swipe right on Athena Scalzi: she’s a creative writing major, a Capricorn, left-handed, thicker “than a bowl of oatmeal” and a “bit of a nihilist,” according to her Tinder profile.

She might add you to her network if you’re cute and you’ve recently tested negative for STDs, but she’s busy this Thursday.

Athena is a single sophomore, but she has three friends-with-benefits to choose from.

All three “spicy boys” allegedly are out of her league.

“I’m a four at most,” Athena said. “Or a 4.5. I’ll be nice to myself.”

One mile away is a first-year she won’t name. All she will admit and all we need to know is that he is tall, dark, handsome and private about his sex life, and Athena won’t abuse his trust.

After a few months of small talk, Athena was bored and sent him the classic Snapchat message, “hey, DTF?” and a mutual agreement was born. The only condition: no strings attached. They haven’t had sex in a while, but they still make small talk sometimes.

Over 58 miles away is Zach, a 33-year-old who flips houses in her hometown. In terms of sexual range, ability or whatever you want to call it, Zach is her favorite. He is the only person Athena has been with who has facial hair — dark, thick and clipped close to the face.

They matched on Tinder last Christmas, two days after their shared birthday on December 23, when Athena turned 20 and Zach turned 33. After two days of direct-messaging (Athena messaged first) and two extended phone conversations, they finally met in person.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

ARENA

Thirty-one organizations denied ASG funding RACHEL BERRY ASST. NEWS EDITOR Miami University Associated Student Government (ASG) denied money and cancelled funding hearings Monday, Feb. 4 for 31 student organizations just hours before the hearings were scheduled to begin.

This is about one-fourth of the organizations who had scheduled hearings.

Student organization leaders received an email around 2:30 p.m. Feb. 4 from ASG’s Funding and Audit committee that said their hearings were canceled because their orgs did not fit into a tier for Red Brick Rewards.

“The day of, that was really, really awful,” said Alyssa Cassidy, treasurer of the Miami Apiculture Society (Bee Club). “They didn’t tell me for a full day why we weren’t supposedly in a tier, and we couldn’t figure out what was going wrong.”

One of the student senators on the committee had accidentally granted hearings to all the organizations who applied, rather than checking which ones met the requirements, said JS Bragg, assistant director of student activities, who [works with/oversees] the committee.

The mistake has left students fuming.

For many orgs, one unsubmitted document — a “tier request” form required as part of the year-old Red Brick Rewards program — was the reason for a funding denial.

This was the case for Cassidy.

This Issue

Style pages 8 & 9

ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT LOGO

“It just really annoys me that one form was the make or break for whether or not we get funding,” Cassidy said. “I just feel like [Red Brick Rewards is] very disorganized, and there’s so many hoops to jump through that it just makes it very hard for anyone new to really succeed at it.”

Cassidy is not new to being a treasurer and navigating Red Brick Rewards. This is her third semester in this role, and she has attended two treasurer training sessions in addition to completing the required Canvas module.

The Walking Theatre Project went to its funding hearing at 8 p.m on Feb. 4. The club’s treasurer, senior Holly West, said

members were told after the hearing that they would likely get all the requested funds.

Forty minutes later, West got an email saying The Walking Theatre Project would receive no funding at all.

“We regret to inform you after we approved your funds and submitted your funding application we realized that you did not meet the Red Bricks Rewards Tier 1 requirement,” ASG’s Funding and Audit committee wrote in an email to West. “You cannot get the money because you are [not in the] system.”

West was confused, she said, because The Walking Theatre Project’s hearing went well, and the organization should have been in tier 2 of Red Brick Rewards.

“It made me feel like I did something wrong,” West said. “Thirty-one is a huge number of organizations to be denied funding … I think they should have taken a closer look into it.”

West was later notified that she received the email by mistake, and all of The Walking Theatre Project’s money was deposited into its account.

ASG implemented the Red Brick Rewards system last academic year as a way to fairly grant funding. The system requires organizations to complete certain actions to be placed in a tier — higher tiers offer greater rewards — and fill out a tier request form each semester.

“We understand that the funding process

Fraternities face stricter rules

Pets of Oxford: Kip the Kitten

Fraternity members have split opinions on the new regulations.

This clingy cat overcame illness and found a loving home with our editor.

News » page 3

Culture » page 7

is complex,” Collin O’Sullivan, a member of the Funding and Audit committee, wrote in an email to The Student. “However, Red Brick Rewards was implemented to provide structure and fiscal responsibility to the process. Red Brick Rewards has done a good job of ensuring limited to no cutbacks. It is imperative for organizations to follow the rules and necessary steps to receive funding. Red Brick Rewards does a good job of rewarding organizations that do follow the rules.”

ASG released a letter on Tuesday, Feb. 5 outlining its reasoning for canceling the hearings and affirming that it stands by its decision. The 31 organizations whose hearings were canceled will not be given a chance to reschedule.

“Those who did not complete their tier will not be given an exception because those who were in the same situation last semester were also not given an exception,” Weimer said in a report to ASG last week. “The whole point of Red Brick Rewards is fiscal responsibility, so it would be against our mission to give an exception solely just because there were so many organizations that didn’t do it.”

Weimer refused further comment. The Student submitted a FOIA request (Freedom of Information Act) to Weimer for a list of the 31 organizations who were denied a funding hearing, but Weimer failed to produce the documents at press time. berryrd@miamioh.edu

6’1” Myja White writes

Dear Governor DeWine

An excerpt: “A past that determines future Defines the character of state”

An open letter to our newly-elected governor (and Miami alumnus)

Sports » page 10

Opinion » page 12

This Week

2 FYI

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2019 Named the Best College Newspaper (Non-daily) in Ohio by the Society of Professional Journalists.

JACK EVANS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Kirby Davis Alison Perelman Megan Zahneis Managing Editors Ben Smith Design Editor Samantha Brunn Ceili Doyle News Editors Emily Simanskis Sports Editor Madeline Mitchell Kate Rigazio Culture Editors Kelly Burns Ben Finfrock Opinion Editors Jugal Jain Photo Editor

Emily Brustoski Video Editor Maya Fenter Magazine Editor Alyssa Melendez Web Designer Lindsay Cerio Business Manager

James Tobin Faculty Adviser Fred Reeder Business Adviser WDJ Inc. - Bill Dedden Distributor

Sydney Hill Brianna Porter Copy Editors

Derek Stamberger Nikki Saraniti Video Producers

Emily Dattilo Asst. Opinion Editor

Sam Keeling Entertainment Editor Anna Minton Style Editor

McGuffey Hall 128 Wednesday, 10:30 - 11:00 a.m.

Alumni Hall Architecture Library Wednesday, 2:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Miami’s Mindfulness & Contemplative Inquiry Center will host a guided meditation session to decrease anxiety and increase well-being. The event is open to everyone!

A pop-up event with plenty of Valentine’s Day crafts in 2-D and 3-D. There will be free snacks and ~nonalcoholic~ drinks. Free admission!

New Year Gala

Lyla June

Hall Auditorium Saturday, 7:00 - 10:00 p.m.

McGuffey Hall 322 Monday, 5:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Julia Arwine Rachel Berry Asst. News Editors

The Performing Arts Series and the Confucius Institute will host a Chinese New Year Gala.

Come celebrate the Year of the Pig with student performers and free admission!

Lyla June is a poet, musician, ecologist and public speaker. Come listen to her message on indigenous rights, intercultural healing and more. There is a reception after the lecture. Refreshments will be provided!

Maia Anderson Duard Headley Asst. Culture Editors

miamistudent.net/advertise eic@miamistudent.net

The Miami Student is published on Tuesdays during the school year by the students of Miami University, Oxford, Ohio.

The content of The Miami Student is the sole responsibility of The Miami Student staff. Opinions expressed in The Miami Student are not necessarily those of Miami University, its students or staff.

CORRECTIONS POLICY

I Heart Art

Chris Vinel Asst. Sports Editor

Bo Brueck Asst. Photo Editor Advertising information: Send us a letter?

Mindfulness

Aim Media Midwest Printer

Owen Berg Connor Wells Designers

Michael Serio Humor Editor

Things to do

The Miami Student is committed to providing the Miami University community with the most accurate information possible. Corrections may be submitted up to seven calendar days after publication.

NEWS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

3 NEWS

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2019

Higher GPAs, big expectations Fraternities to begin requiring live-in house directors, new member period shortened

RACHEL BERRY

ASST. NEWS EDITOR

Beginning this semester, fraternity life will implement a number of changes, including higher academic standards and a shorter new member period. Permanent live-in house directors will be required at every fraternity house by fall 2019.

A revisioning committee made up of administrators, advisors and student leaders met throughout the summer and fall of 2018 to improve the fraternity experience at Miami.

The committee made a list of problem areas and decided to focus on three main goals: developing leaders through fraternity participation, bolstering academics and addressing hazing, alcohol and drug use while holding fraternities accountable.

Through in-depth discussions, they developed a plan to address these main areas.

“One of the things we’ve always said at Miami is we want to create a model Greek community,” Scott Walter, assistant vice president for student life, said. “I think for years we’ve just been saying that without really taking steps to do that.”

Director of Student Activities Jenny Levering said it has been 10 years since major changes were made to fraternity life at Miami.

In fall 2019, all fraternity houses will be required to have a live-in house director. The house director will supervise and advise the

students. However, each fraternity’s national organization will hire the house directors, not Miami.

Currently, there are no specific guidelines for who a national organization can hire as a live-in house director. These roles could potentially be filled by graduate students, “house mothers” or other adults.

Fraternity members are divided on their feelings toward the changes.

“It’s just lazy,” a Miami fraternity president said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “It’s really just something they can say that they’re doing so that in case anything goes wrong with the media, it makes it look like they’re covering their asses … That’s just kind of how Miami and IFC deals with any problems.”

Chapters must provide The Cliff Alexander Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life (Cliff Office) a list of annex houses — off-campus houses inhabited largely by upperclassmen where 50 percent or more of the residents belong to the fraternity. They must provide residents’ information for each of these properties.

“I think that’s an invasion of privacy,” junior and fraternity member Noah Newman said. “I don’t think Miami University has any right to recognize me and my house as part of the fraternity because there is no necessary affiliation other than the members [of the annex] being members of the fraternity.”

The revisioning committee also decided

to shorten the new member period — which used to be eight to 14 weeks, depending on the fraternity — to four weeks to prevent hazing.

“We want to keep people safe because the goal of fraternities is to help people grow and become better men,” former Pi Kappa Phi president and current revisioning committee member Sean McKeon said. “[Our goal is] not to put people in harm’s way or humiliate them or torture them or anything like that.”

There will be a minimum five-year suspension for fraternities that commit hazing that “results in a threat to health and safety.” The previous minimum was one semester.

Students planning to pledge a fraternity will be required to have a 2.75 GPA, as opposed to the former 2.5 requirement, beginning in spring 2020. In the summer of 2020 the committee will reevaluate whether the GPA requirement should be raised to a 3.0 for 2021.

Each chapter must keep a 3.0 GPA average to maintain university recognition. Additionally, fraternities could lose their second-year housing exemption, a policy that allows sophomores to live off-campus in their fraternity house, if the collective GPA of the new member class lowers by more than 10 percent after the first semester in the fraternity.

“I’m fine with the new standards,” firstyear Delta Tau Delta pledge Kyle Kufrin said.

“I’m first here as a student, and I think that’s a mindset every other member goes into it with.”

The new guidelines also require that members complete a leadership module. All fraternities will be required to have a member development plan. If they do not already have a plan through their national organization, the Cliff office will help them develop one.

Additionally, the Office of Community Standards (formerly known as OESCR) will release all conduct violation reports after it finishes fraternity-related investigations.

Fraternities will be reviewed on a semesterly basis to ensure they are meeting the policies outlined in the Student Handbook.

“They instituted all these rules...just because it was the easy thing to do,” said the fraternity president. “The majority of the fraternities at Miami operate the right way, but we’re all being punished.”

Six additional fraternity members spoke with The Miami Student. One supported the new rules while five were generally opposed.

“It is meant to rationalize removing Greek life in a totalitarian kind of system,” Newman said.

The revisioning committee also recommended hiring three new support individuals: an associate director of student activities, another associate or assistant director of student activities and another high-level position to work on strategic initiatives.

All of these changes were approved by the university Board of Trustees and university President Gregory Crawford. The committee will reexamine these rules annually, at a minimum, to evaluate their effectiveness going forward.

While the revisioning committee consisted of 16 members, three of which were student fraternity leaders, McKeon said students did not have much say in these new rules.

“As students, we were able to get our input, but our opinions weren’t necessarily valued,” McKeon said. “They’d want to do one thing that was super drastic, and we would tell them why they couldn’t do it because it was too drastic, and we’d kind of meet 70 percent what they wanted, 30 percent what we wanted.”

Former Interfraternity Council (IFC) president Lorenzo Guidi and current IFC president Grant Zehnder could not be reached for comment. berryrd@miamioh.edu

What snapped the streak FROM FRONT

amidst the nine straight losses.

On Saturday, against UNO’s ninth-ranked power play, the RedHawks only took one penalty and successfully killed it off.

“That was another thing we touched on before this weekend series, was just stay out of the [penalty] box,” Melnick said. “They have a good power play, and you have to sacrifice for the guys and know, if you do something stupid, it’s going to be bad for the rest of the team.”

One of the best on the ice on Saturday was Larkin, who stopped 33 of the 35 shots he faced.

Before the losing streak, Larkin’s save percentage checked in at .941 with a 1.67 goals against average (GAA).

During the 15 winless games, Larkin’s save percentage checked in at .875 and his GAA was 4.43. Within the winless stretch, his stats suffered further, and his save percentage was .847 with a 5.13 GAA during the nine-game losing streak. Larkin’s statlines now boast a .915 save percentage and 2.66 GAA. Senior goaltender Jordan Uhelski was called upon to relieve Larkin twice and start four times during the nine-game stretch.

Uhelski fared slightly better than Larkin in his six appearances during the streak, with a .905 save percentage and a 2.81 GAA. Uhelski suffered an undisclosed injury against St. Cloud State on Feb. 1 and wasn’t listed on the roster during the series against UNO, thrusting Larkin back into the starting position.

On Friday, Larkin stopped 18 of the 20 shots he faced and performed even better on Saturday en route to victory.

“Everybody starts playing on their toes because we know, even if they [UNO] make one or two good plays against us, we know Larkin’s going to be there,” Blasi said. “It’s a big deal for our team. Any good team starts with their goaltender, through their defense, up the middle.”

Of course, the game of hockey is more nuanced than scoring the first goal, killing penalties and a goaltender standing on his head. But, on Saturday night, statlines and all the intangibles converged for a much-needed victory for Miami hockey.

“I said this earlier: Our team is the same team we had in the first half,” Blasi said. “We kind of lost our way a little bit. I think we have to build from that now. I think there’s a sense of… I’m trying to find the word to say… but a sense of confidence now that we can do this.” simansec@miamioh.edu

SOPHOMORE DEFENSEMAN ALEC MAHALAK EVADES UNO AS A WIN ESCAPED THE MAVERICKS THIS SATURDAY. THE MIAMI STUDENT MATT HECKERT

Celebrating Miami: Tribe and University Members of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma joined the Brotherhood on the ice over the weekend for the ‘Hawks’ series with the University of Nebraska Omaha. Some of the highlights: • Myaamia students Josh McCoy, Gabe Tippmann and Sean Galligher helped plan the weekend and presented the referee with the puck on Friday night.

• Miami Chief Douglas Lankford and other members of the Tribe’s business committee delivered the puck before Saturday night’s victory.

• Guests at the game were given bingo cards they could fill out by completing myaamia activities around Goggin during the game.

• Haley Strass Shea, a Miami Tribe member, sang the alma mater along with some members of the university Glee Club — one verse in English and one in myaamiaataweenki, the Miami language.

MIAMI TRIBE CHIEF DOUG LANKFORD (RIGHT) SHAKES HANDS WITH DIRECTOR OF HOCKEY OPERATIONS DEAN STORK AT PRACTICE. CONTRIBUTED BY JEFF SABO AND MIAMI UNIVERSITY.

Valentine’s Day Personal Ads: Sports Editor, Emily Simanskis.

If you’ve got a good flow and a U.S. passport, send maple syrup and an “I’m sOHrry.”

Opinion Editor, Kelly Burns.

If you’ve got a heartbeat and a full head of hair, call me, beep me if you wanna reach me.

4 NEWS

NEWS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2019

Miami University wins Camp Kesem chapter expansion Next step is raising $40,000

ASG senate holds elections, speaker resigns

OMAR ELGHAZAWI THE MIAMI STUDENT

ERIN GLYNN

Camp Kesem announced on Wednesday, Feb. 6 that Miami University won one of the top five spots in a nationwide vote for a chapter expansion. The camp is slated to open in Oxford in the summer of 2020. Forty thousand dollars must be raised by students in order for the camp to open on time.

Camp Kesem is a national organization that provides support to children whose parents have been affected by cancer at no required cost.

According to the Camp Kesem website, over 9,000 children participated in Camp Kesem chapters across the country, and 5,000 college students volunteered at over 100 Camp Kesem chapters across the United States this past summer.

“The next step is for the students to both raise the funds to start the camp next summer and train students to be camp counselors,” said Anne Roma, a family science and social work (FSW) professor who headed the campaign to bring Camp Kesem to Miami.

“These funds will be raised through donations and various fundraising activities,” said Makenna Linkey, a first-year student who was also involved in the process to bring Camp Kesem to Miami.

The Camp Kesem Miami University chapter has a page set up on The Hub, and students in the organization will be tasked with raising further awareness about the chapter and raising the needed funds for the camp to open in the summer of 2020.

“Currently we do not have a specific time and place set up for meetings, but that information will be coming soon,” said Linkey.

“Students did the work (of raising awareness) by both using social media and the old way of passing out flyers,” Roma said. “We had a pretty wide network of interested people before starting, but a ton of people helped. Faculty, especially FSW faculty, made announcements in their classes, and people posted the request to vote on their social media. Lots of friends and family helped in the same way too.”

Miami’s Camp Kesem chapter president and sophomore Devin Bussell worked diligently to spread the word.

“Personally, I created a Facebook event and made it public and added 500 people so that they would get notified each day to vote,” Bussell said.

“My family was my biggest support system with voting. Other students reached out to their professors and student organizations which was also extremely helpful.”

“It costs around $1,000 to send one camper to camp, so our huge next step is fundraising,” Bussell added.

Student volunteers at Camp Kesem chapters fundraise and plan year-round for their main week-long program: a summer camp where kids participate in activities and are given support and guidance to deal with their parent’s cancer.

Auburn University, Denison Uni-

THE MIAMI STUDENT

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED BY: CAMP KESEM INSTAGRAM

versity, Mississippi State University and Montana State University-Bozeman also won chapters at their colleges.

Several universities that either did not win or were not included in the original vote gained chapters due to donations made to Camp Kesem, including Bellarmine University, University of California-Riverside, New York University and California State University-Sacramento.

Camp Kesem was founded at Stan-

ford University in 2000 by Iris Rave Wedeking as a project of Stanford’s Hillel organization. It has since expanded to 116 chapters in 42 states, not including the new chapters listed above.

To volunteer as a counselor at Miami University’s Camp Kesem chapter, contact Anne Roma at CampKesemMiamiU@gmail.com.

CHILDCARE & PRESCHOOL

O PEN HOUS E Stop in February 20th for an Open House from 4:30-6:30pm to tour the Miami University Mini University Center, meet teachers, and learn more about our programs!

DID YOU KNOW? We serve families with children from 6 weeks old through Preschool .

Our program is nationally accredited through NAEYC and 5-star rated (the highest possible rating) through Step Up to Quality.

We support many students, faculty, and community members each year.

We shape brain development each day as we support children’s growth and development.

We believe in Conscious Discipline and Creative Curriculum to guide students.

We would love to meet YOU to share more about our programs and how we can help prepare your child for Kindergarten! www.MiniUniversity.net 401 Western College Drive Oxford, OH 45056 513.529.8383

elghazoa@miamioh.edu

Miami University’s Associated Student Government (ASG) filled eight of its 11 open seats, swearing in seven new senators and a new Secretary for On-Campus Affairs, at its meeting Tuesday, Feb. 5.

ASG will hold elections for the remaining three seats during the next meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 12. The senate will elect two senators-at-large, meaning candidates can come from any district, and a on-campus senator for the 8th district. ASG mistakenly advertised the 8th district position as an open 7th district seat prior to the Feb. 5 meeting, so the election was pushed back a week.

Speaker Pro Tempore Tatum Andres officially resigned after Tuesday’s meeting, saying she wished to focus on preparing to take the LSAT. Adrian Radilla, current off-campus senator for the 2nd district, plans to run for the position during tonight’s meeting.

The meeting began with senate approving the minutes from Monday’s funding hearings, along with an update from Secretary of Finance Caroline Weimer.

Weimer reported that there was an issue with 31 student organizations that felt they had been incorrectly placed in a tier of the Red Brick Rewards ASG funding system that was not eligible to have funding hearings.

Because this was discovered late in the afternoon on Monday, Feb. 4, the day of the funding hearings, the funding committee decided to cancel the hearings for those organizations and ask them to provide evidence that they were in the incorrect funding tier. If evidence could be provided, the funding committee planned to schedule an emergency funding hearing.

The committee decided against granting exceptions to the organizations without evidence that they were in the incorrect tier. Weimer explained that ASG felt it would be unfair to the student organizations who were in the same situation last semester and that it would go against the mission of the Red Brick Rewards system, which is to encourage fiscal responsibility.

The funding committee budgeted $197,000 for the February hearing and approved $169,000 worth of student organizations’ requests.

The remaining $27,000 will be left over for the organizations

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in the incorrect tier. Those organizations’ funding requests totaled $58,000, so slightly less than half of the total funding requests can be granted, should ASG approve them.

Junior Effie Fraley, junior Will Ziegert and first-year Trey Petrella all ran for the Secretary for On-Campus Affairs seat. All three candidates mentioned meal plan reform and health issues in their speeches to the body.

Fraley highlighted their plan to institute pharmacy vending machines on campus that would offer aspirin, among other first-aid needs, and also expressed their desire to look into reducing laundry costs for students.

Ziegert pointed out that he held the secretary position before studying abroad last semester and planned to look into changes to the Ingress (one-door) policy.

Petrella planned to focus on preventing sexual assault and increasing inclusivity. He emphasized his passion for the position, declaring that, if elected, he would not accept the salary that accompanies ASG executive cabinet positions.

After questioning and debate, the senate confirmed Fraley.

The remaining elections all featured unopposed candidates.

Junior Claire Keller, senior Bobby Adler, first-year Demetre Carnot and junior Jennifer Brown all ran unopposed and were confirmed as off-campus senators.

Sophomore Izzy Arbetter was confirmed as the on-campus senator representing the 5th district, which includes Hamilton Hall, Richard Hall, MacCracken Hall, Etheridge Hall and Porter Hall.

First-year Omar Elghazawi was confirmed as an academic senator representing the soft sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences.

First-year Kelsey Bittel was confirmed as an academic senator representing the College of Education, Health and Society.

Despite ASG’s diversity marketing plan —which involved flyers and sending election information to “as many listservs as possible” in hopes of increasing the diversity of the senate — only two of the seven senators elected are students of color. Many candidates and senators expressed a desire to see more student involvement in general. glynnee@miamioh.edu

Courtyards of Miami is offering TWO special lease options, only while they last.

A two bedroom to lease, 1st semester ONLY. (Aug to Dec 2019) 2 students needed.

A one bedroom to lease, 2nd semester ONLY. (Jan to May 2020) Possible special rate.

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NEWS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

NEWS 5

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2019

On the origin of the DAR

ILLUSTRATION BY: CONNOR WELLS

ERIN GLYNN

THE MIAMI STUDENT

In 1983, Miami University created DARs, the Degree Audit Reporting System, to help students keep track of the classes they needed to take in order to graduate. The university developed the technology and began licensing software to other colleges two years later.

Now, 30 years later, the DAR system underwent a massive upgrade over J-term.

During January, Miami switched to uAchieve, the upgraded version of the DARs. The switch was necessary for

compatibility with BannerWeb’s software, which was also upgraded from BannerWeb 8 to BannerWeb 9.

BannerWeb is a product of Ellucian, a higher education software company.

This new version eliminates browser compatibility problems and allows for attendance tracking, which saves time for the financial aid office and the office of the registrar. uAchieve is a more current software platform for the degree audit system.

The cost of both upgrades comes from Miami’s current maintenance fees.

“The new web interface allows for a better user experience,” Carol Jones,

senior associate registrar, wrote in an email to The Student.

The uAchieve web client, an application that helps a web browser support specific functions from a site, adds Performance Tracking and Applied Exceptions tabs to the DARs. Performance tracking displays every course a student has received credit for, along with the number of credit hours and the grade achieved for each. Applied Exceptions shows any course exceptions a student has been granted. The system aims to be simpler and easier to read.

Students have reported some diffi-

culties as they adjust to the upgraded system. Some have run into improperly calculated graduation requirements and found third majors tricky to locate.

“I definitely don’t like it as much as the old system,” said senior Delayna Shulak. “It still doesn’t fix the problem of your thematic sequence always showing up incomplete if you choose to complete a minor or additional major instead.”

“I came back from study abroad and checked my DARs a few days ago and was surprised,” senior Myles McNeal. “The system looks better, I wish we had had it since I started, but I had

Crossroads streams faith anywhere, anytime

CROSSROADS OXFORD IS LOCATED AT 406 E. WITHROW PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY: CROSSROADS OXFORD

DAN WOZNIAK

THE MIAMI STUDENT

Over the past 30 years, the number of college students who do not identify with an organized religion has tripled, from 10 to 31 percent.

However, Crossroads Church, a nondenominational Christian-based religious organization, has become the third-largest growing church in the U.S., according to Outside Magazine.

The national organization’s Oxford location, Crossroads Oxford, brings Miami University students and Ohio residents together by modernizing what it means to serve.

Crossroads Oxford’s Community Pastor Lisa Kuhn established the Oxford location in 2015 and has helped attract young people by helping to develop Crossroads Anywhere, a digital platform where Crossroads content can be streamed. Anyone can watch Crossroads Anywhere, regardless of whether they are a part of a Crossroads chapter or have no connection to the group at all.

The original Crossroads Church was founded in 1995 in Cincinnati, Ohio, and now the organization has 20 locations spread throughout Ohio and Kentucky.

Kuhn, a Miami alumna, began the Crossroads Oxford location with her husband, Artie Kuhn, in 2015.

Lisa moved to Oxford in June 2014 when Artie took a job as an interactive media studies professor at Miami. During this time, the couple attended Crossroads events every week in Cincinnati while also run-

ning a branch of Young Life College (YLC) at Miami – another college service group.

“We started to not really be happy with the choice of churches around here, not because they aren’t good choices, it’s just they weren’t what we were looking for,” Lisa said.

“We had been going to Crossroads for 15 years at that point, so we were looking for a church that we could bring our non-Christian friends that didn’t speak in a language that alienated anybody.”

Due to the limitations of YLC’s growth and the distance the Kuhns had to travel every week, they decided to start their own Crossroads location in their Oxford home in August 2015.

Within a year, Crossroads involvement in the Oxford community grew, leading the Kuhns to inquire at Miami about starting an on-campus student organization.

“If we are a little piece of the kingdom of heaven — that is what the church should be like — we should be so different than anything else around,” Kuhn said. “We should totally act and be different than what is expected.”

Alyssa Brooks, a sophomore interactive media studies major, is a Kids Club Creative Intern and volunteer at Crossroads Church. Brooks hopes to reshape what service can look like in the Oxford community.

Brooks interns through Crossroads Church national, creating faith-related episodes for young children. People can watch Crossroads events live through their website,

and can also view past Crossroad’s events via video-sharing websites, such as YouTube and Twitter.

“Something that I love about Crossroads Oxford is that we really, really try to change the culture around what it means to give,” Brooks said.

Crossroads’ Kids Club, the church’s youth group, uses episodes created by Brooks and six other fulltime Crossroads Kids Club workers, who R responsible for producing media content that simplify biblical stories and messages in ways that children can comprehend.

During Super Bowl Sunday, the Crossroads’ Kids Club debuted an

episode with multiple segments that described how Jesus is more powerful than anything – even professional football players.

In the episode, a trainer walks through a packed gym while people work out in the background, Brooks said. The trainer shouts, “Jesus is more powerful than all of this, Jesus is super powerful.”

At press time, the video has 637 views on Youtube.

“A large chunk of our congregation, I guess you could call it — the people who would say Crossroads is their home church — are people who have only streamed,” Brooks said. “While their parents stream [Crossroads’ sermons] from their own home or from a coffee shop [the kids] can also have that same church experience.”

Crossroads did not initially establish itself as an online content producer. However, when the church noticed a large demand for digital content, they hired people like Brooks to create, edit and market content from the pre- to post-production phase.

“On average, churches are probably behind and slower to catch up and be a part of what is going on,” Kuhn said. “Crossroads values [digital technology].”

Kuhn says Crossroads tries to emulate their mission statement by taking the church toward an accessible, online-first path.

‘We will always have the brick and mortar, because you can be around people,” Kuhn said. “Community is important, but we think that digital drives into community.” wozniad2@miamioh.edu

to go into CAS advising and make sure my political science requirements had transferred over properly because they weren’t originally in the system with the right course number.”

“Our office is working through the records of students with more than two majors and getting the majors back on the records,” Jones wrote. “We ask that the students be patient, as there is quite a bit to review.”

“We are working on students closest to graduation first and expect to have everything reviewed within the semester,” she added.

This is far from the first time DARs has undergone changes.

In 2008, DARs became known as redLantern, a nonprofit department of the university. The three components of DARS also underwent name changes.

DARwin, the actual degree audit that lists requirements (and the one that students are probably most familiar with), became u.achieve. CAS (Course Applicability System), the course transfer system, became u.select. DCP (Degree Completion Planner), a tool that allows students to develop a multi-year plan for graduation, became u.direct.

Later that same year, Miami transferred redLantern to the technology company CollegeSource. CollegeSource supports software that aids universities in mapping out students’ academic careers — for example, their major or majors, requirements of each major and how course requirements may overlap between majors, internship credit and any special degree requirements like graduating with honors.

Since then, CollegeSource has supplied the uAchieve software to colleges and universities across the country, Miami included. glynnee@miamioh.edu

OXFORD Local food pantry to move to new location TIM CARLIN

STAFF WRITER

In its meeting last week, Oxford City Council took a step toward bringing expanded food pantry services to the city.

Councilors passed a resolution allowing City Manager Doug Elliot to lease a portion of Merry Day Park, off College Corner Pike, to the Talawanda Oxford Pantry and Social Services (TOPSS).

TOPSS, formerly known as the Oxford Community Choice Pantry (OCCP), aims to use a new 5,600 square foot building to expand its services.

“We have to take into account medical needs that the families have,” Anne Fuehrer, the Secretary of the Board of TOPSS, said. “[There are] needs for education, for demonstrations, for participation [and] for support.”

OCCP is currently located at 400 W. Withrow St. Construction of the new building will begin once the TOPSS site plan is approved by the City Planning Commission. The new facility is projected to open on June 30, 2020.

At the end of the meeting, councilors and city employees made their announcements and communications to the public.

Economic Development Director Alan Kyger announced that a committee is looking into crafting a resolution that would force property owners Uptown to fill empty storefronts with businesses in an allotted time frame, so that fewer buildings will stand empty for long periods of time.

Council next meets at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 19 at the Oxford Courthouse. carlintm@miamioh.edu

6 CULTURE

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2019

MITCHE49@MIAMIOH.EDU

BISS TALKS ‘TRUE LIES’ IN VACCINE DEBATE

AUTHOR EULA BISS TALKED WITH STUDENTS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF TRUTH-TELLING SURROUNDING VACCINATIONS. THE MIAMI STUDENT COLLEEN GRIMM

KEVIN VESTAL STAFF WRITER

While researching her latest book, “On Immunity: An Inoculation,” Eula Biss was struck by how many minds it takes to build a body of knowledge, a body vulnerable to distortion.

“When we separate off information or facts from the body of knowledge and isolate them, look at them out of context, a kind of violence can be done to the body of knowledge,” Biss said. “It’s this dismemberment that results in…true lies, which is information that is technically true, but is nonetheless deeply misleading.”

Using “On Immunity” as a backdrop, Biss spoke on Thursday, Feb. 7 in Benton Hall as part of the Humanities Center’s Altman Lecture Series. The event was co-sponsored by the Department of English Creative Writing Program and the Department of Media, Journalism and Film.

Fittingly, Biss began her lecture, entitled “Truth, Lies, and True Lies,” by coming clean

about her biography. She and her husband did not actually found a conceptual band called STET Everything (a joke on writers who shun suggestions from their editors) as her website’s bio claims.

Having cleared the air, Biss introduced the concept of “lying in the guise of truth.” Coined by philosopher Slavoj Žižek, this phrase describes when prejudices stand in for facts, such as the racist willingness of white America to believe stories of violence in the wake of Hurricane Katrina or the anti-Semitism in Nazi Germany that perpetuated an alternate truth about Jewish people.

Biss then referenced Kevin Young, author of “Bunk: The Rise of Hoaxes, Humbug, Plagiarists, Phonies, Post-Facts, and Fake News.”

“One of the points he makes is that lies work on us because we want to believe them,” Biss said. “Many of the hoaxes he writes about were never very convincing, but they filled a need and the need was that people had a desire to be fooled.”

The genesis of “On Immunity,” Biss said,

came from a similar willingness to believe.

Before she started writing about the issue, Biss began researching vaccines for personal reasons. Eight months pregnant, she had questions about the necessity of the Hepatitis B vaccine given to babies within 12 hours of birth.

Biss met with a pediatrician who told her not to worry about the Hep B vaccine, as it was only meant for prostitutes, people from the inner city and those in other at-risk groups.

Initially, Biss was relieved. It wasn’t until later that she realized that she lived in one of the country’s prominent anti-vaccination pockets — and that the pediatrician was speaking in racist code.

“What he didn’t know is that I was living in a neighborhood in Chicago that was very much what most people mean when they say inner city,” Biss said, adding that a blood transfusion after her son’s birth also placed her in an at-risk group. “Later, when I reflected on that conversation, I thought that should have given me pause.”

Having written about race in America as the focal topic of her second book, “Notes from No Man’s Land: American Essays,” Biss said she was ashamed at herself for ignoring the pediatrician’s red flags. Biss stopped seeing him and opted for her son to receive the Hep. B vaccine after all, albeit after his birthday.

Since then, Biss has read every piece of vaccination literature she can get her hands on, wishing she had taken more science classes as an undergraduate at Hampshire College.

At an afternoon coffee hour, Biss compared her deep dive into vaccination to her work on an unpublished book about alternative marriages that almost inspired her to become a marriage counselor.

“It can feel like this really swirling whirlpool that, if you keep on going, can lead to the sea,” she said.

In her research, Biss noticed one source that was cited across dozens of articles as showing a clear connection between vaccines and autism. Upon reading it, she was surprised that the 1998 study of 12 children was not conclusive and suggested further study.

Andrew Wakefield, one of the now-retracted study’s authors, nevertheless held a press conference that stoked the fears of vaccine skeptics and angered his co-authors. Later, Wakefield lost his medical license after the discovery of ethical violations, including a conflict of interest and the medical mistreatment of children.

“After reading his papers and interviews, I didn’t find this remotely surprising,” Biss said. “You can read a person’s ethics in their language and style of thought.”

The main reason, Biss said, that there is so much uncertainty around vaccines is the rarity of side effects, let alone fatalities. Complications are almost exclusively limited to young children with weak immune systems who ended up contracting the disease the vaccine is designed to prevent.

“That’s why it’s hard to say with any degree of certainty whether a reaction is associated with a vaccine or whether it’s more like someone died of a heart attack on a bed,” Biss said.

“It’s not the bed’s fault, they just happened to be laying on the bed.”

Ultimately, Biss said that while readers can generally trust information from magazines and publications that can afford fact-checkers, it is on the reader to investigate cited sources and recognize leaps in logic.

“In practice,” she said, “truth and lies are often made from the same source material, the same information, the same facts.” vestalkc@miamioh.edu

Theatre Department brings art to Oxford through Solo Series MEGAN BURTIS

THE MIAMI STUDENT

This semester, Miami’s Theatre Department, the Performing Arts Series and the Oxford Community Arts Center are coming together for the third consecutive year to bring artists and their work from around the country to Oxford.

The event, titled the the Solo Series, was established three years ago with three artists both performing and supervising workshops as an original idea from assistant professor of theatre Saffron Henke.

“The first year went very well, but last year we were only able to have one artist,” Henke said.

This year’s program will feature three artists who will each conduct a solo performance and a workshop. There will also be a new addition, as the theatre department has built a sprint course around the series. Henke said the course will allow students to participate in the workshops by

viewing the performances and crafting reflective writing pieces.

“It’s an amazing opportunity to talk with artists who are out in the ‘real world’ creating art and doing what they love,” said Maia Aoibheil, a first-year student enrolled in the course. “I imagine that there is a lot I can learn from their experiences creating solo work as well as any techniques they may have to teach.”

The participating artists this year are William “Bill” Doan, Lisa Strum and Megan Gogerty.

The first workshop and performance, held on Feb. 26 and 27, respectively, will be conducted by Doan, a visual artist. His performance, “Frozen in the Toilet Paper Aisle of Life,” will cover his anxiety and how he has learned to deal with it. The performance will begin at 7:30 p.m.

His workshop, and Gogerty’s, will be about creating autoethnography, a combination of autobiography and ethnography, the study of people and cultures.

The second participating artist is Strum, an artist out of New York who will conduct her workshop on March 20 and perform the play, “She Gon’ Learn” on March 21 at 7:30 p.m. This is an autobiographical play about growing up as a black woman and has been produced at multiple theatre festivals.

Gogerty, a comedian and playwright, has participated in this series since its emergence.

Last year she performed her show “Lady Macbeth and Her Pal, Megan,” which won the Audience Pick of the Fringe at the Cincinnati Fringe Festival. This time she will perform “FEAST,” a reimagining of an old English story that the audience is tasked with figuring out. The department hopes to host the play as dinner theatre on April 7 at 5 p.m. On April 6, Gogerty will teach a workshop on creating a solo show. “[The series] gives students an opportunity to see really high-quality work that would not normally come to Oxford,” Henke said.

Henke said this program would not be pos-

sible without the collaboration between the university and the Oxford community, and stressed “many thanks to the Performing Arts Series for making these performances free and open to the public.”

Aoibheil, the student taking the sprint course, agreed.

“We are the ones that are going to go out to the world and create art, and it is an invaluable experience to make connections and see what kind of work you need to do to get where you want to be,” Aoibheil said.

All performance will be held at the Oxford Community Arts Center. Students can contact Henke at henkesa@miamioh.edu for workshop locations, timing and more information. All events will be free to Miami students with their ID. burtismg@miamioh.edu

MITCHE49@MIAMIOH.EDU

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2019

Pets of Oxford

Winter Mega Fair

Kroger kitty beats FIV

Cold and gray again, but this semester, Mega Fair was on

MAIA ANDERSON

ASST. CULTURE EDITOR

Last April, my sister Tasha went to Kroger to get some groceries and came home with a kitten instead. She said a woman was standing outside the store with a box of kittens and by the time my sister got there only one was left. How could she not take him home?

She took him to the vet where they gave her the second surprise of the day: Not only did she get a new cat, she got a new cat with feline HIV or Feline Immunodeficiency Virus.

According to the ASPCA, FIV is one of the most common diseases found in cats and is more common in males. There isn’t any known cure yet, but symptoms tend to be mild and non-life threatening. Because FIV is an immunodeficiency virus, FIV-positive cats are more susceptible to other types of infections. In severe cases, cats can develop anemia, dental disease and enlarged lymph nodes, among some other symptoms.

My sister already had two cats at the time and decided she couldn’t take a sick cat home to her apartment for fear of this new cat infecting the others. So, she brought him to my apartment instead.

After telling me she already named him Kip, she asked if I could keep him in my apartment for a couple nights until she could take him to a shelter and find him a good home.

Historically, I hate cats. I’m a dog person through and through. But this grey and white little ball of fur was no bigger than my hand and started purring the second I picked him up. How could I not let him stay?

It took approximately 20 minutes for me to decide Kip was going to be mine for good. He won me over with his highpitched “mew” and slept on my neck the whole night, purring contently in his new home.

It also didn’t take long for me to notice Kip’s weird tendencies. For one, he wanted to be attached to me at all times, but holding him in my arms wasn’t good enough. He wanted to cling onto my legs. Or sit on my shoulder. Or even try to climb to the top of

DUARD HEADLEY

ASST. CULTURE EDITOR

She’s got options. Yet over a week before Valentine’s Day, she hadn’t made any plans.

She just knew she didn’t want to be alone.

“I feel like anyone who gets their heart broken and spends Valentine’s Day alone kind of resents happy couples,” Athena said. “Any time they see a happy couple on Valentine’s Day, they’re just like, ‘ugh, like, gross,’ and bitter and upset about it. That’s not who I want to be.”

By Wednesday, Feb. 6, Athena made plans to drive to her hometown to spend the night with Zach this Thursday.

They have no plans to go out that night, and it’s not projected to snow Thursday, so we know they’re definitely not sledding.

Armstrong Student Center was buzzing. In every hallway, around every corner and in nearly every cranny of the building, students milled and bustled about, folding paper, putting up signs and making sure that their assigned areas looked as dazzling as possible.

Despite the fact that Wednesday, Feb. 6 was cold, gray and rainy outside, preparations for Winter Mega Fair were in full swing. At 4:30 in the afternoon, 30 minutes before the event was set to begin, it was already hard to find a quiet section in the building as students scurried to secure their spots and set up their stands.

Because Mega Fair was cancelled last semester, one of the main sources of new members for student organizations simply didn’t happen. This semester, Winter Mega Fair was adjusted to accommodate as many organizations as possible, and various parts of Armstrong were utilized.

Unlike previous years, the extracurricular extravaganza spanned multiple parts of Armstrong; students stood at booths in front of Emporium, advertised their clubs outside of Café Lux and spilled out of Fritz Pavillion onto the landing of the third floor.

As they set up trifolds and straightened their signup sheets, the members of the student organizations chatted amongst themselves, adding to the constant hum that filled the building.

“Hey, do you guys have a marker I could borrow?” one student asked of the group next to him as he realized his organization’s name was missing a letter on his display.

Another group, a few booths down, chuckled about how they’d run out of the cookies they were offering well before the event began if they didn’t stop eating them.

Amidst the slew of student organizations, a handful of students wandered around, both upstairs and down, scouting the selection of clubs that had gathered. But although there were still a few minutes before the event began in earnest, the ratio of organizations to interested attendees was heavily skewed toward the organizations.

An hour and a half later, well into the runtime of the fair, that ratio had changed significantly.

“We can estimate that there were between 1,500 and 2,000 people there,” said JS Bragg, assistant director of student activities for Miami Activities and Programming. “Winter Mega Fair is typically much smaller in attendance than this, but we expected this turnout.”

Bragg said that the decision to expand the fair beyond the confines of the upstairs pavillion was made to allow as many organizations to participate as possible.

Jordan Podojil, event planning director for Miami University Fashion and Design (MUFD), was tucked in the corner of the building with the rest of her organization during the event. Their booth was right outside of Emporium, far away from the main pavillion. And although there were many students in attendance, Podojil said MUFD’s booth didn’t get much traffic.

“I feel like because of how spread out all the tables were, I think it was hard for certain people to find certain sections,” Podojil said. “We were set up by a bunch of musical organizations, and that might have confused some people.”

Rory Sikes, a sophomore attendee, agreed with Podojil.

“It was hard to find where some things were,” Sikes said. “Like, I didn’t even know that there were organizations by Lux until I was heading that way to leave.”

Despite the spread-out nature of the fair, some clubs seemed excited by the increased size. Ally Astles, founder of the Miami Jump Rope club, said that this was her organization’s first time participating in a Mega Fair.

“This is our first time really getting exposure to the student body,” Astles said. “We just want to get into contact with as many people as possible and let them know what we’re about.”

For others, a bigger fair didn’t necessarily mean altered strategies. Theo Mesnick is the recruitment chair for the MU Red Dragons martial arts club and said that thanks to recruitment outside of Mega Fair, the club didn’t have a lot to worry about this semester.

“We got a lot of new members last semester, even though Mega Fair was cancelled,” Mesnick said. “So we didn’t really do anything special for this Mega Fair.”

Whether the larger fair excited or intimidated those involved, Bragg says that MAP, as well as Miami’s SEAL (Student Engagement and Leadership) ambassadors, are already working hard for next semester.

“We’re currently in the process of planning for Fall Mega Fair,” Bragg said. “We’ve looked at every potential solution, we’ve done focus groups with students to find out what they’re interested in and we’re doing everything we can to ensure a successful Fall Mega Fair this year and well into the future.”

murdocc3@miamioh.edu

headledd@miamioh.edu

BESIDES SPLASHING IN THE TOILET, KIP CAN ALSO BE FOUND ON MAIA’S HEAD. CONTRIBUTED BY BRODIE SENNISH

my head.

He insisted on going to the bathroom with me, and I don’t mean like sitting there in the bathroom with me while I took care of my business — every time I had to pee, he had to pee. He’d climb in his litter box and stare at me, awaiting my approval. To this day if I don’t let him in the bathroom with me he sticks his paws under the door and waves them to let me know he’s very upset.

He also had a strange affinity for climbing into my toilet. I discovered this when I came home one day to find him soaking wet. I was confused, considering I left him locked in my bedroom all day, before I realized I also left the door to my bathroom — which was inside my bedroom — open with the toilet seat up.

You’d think he’d learn after the first time, but every time I’d forget to put the lid

KIP IS A SOCIAL CAT, AND LOVES TO CUDDLE. CONTRIBUTED BY BRODIE SENNISH

down, I’d come home to find a wet cat who just couldn’t help but climb up to see what was happening in there.

Later, I learned there was a possibility he didn’t actually have FIV — he may have tested positive because of an antibody from his mother. We had to wait until he was six months old before testing him again to get a final answer.

Because I had already signed a lease for the following year on a house that didn’t allow cats, my best friend, Grace, offered to house Kip at her place, but only on the condition he re-tested negative for FIV since she also had a cat. If he was positive, Kip would have to go live far away with my mom. I was rooting for Kip to stay in Oxford so I could still visit him all the time.

His six month FIV test fell during a trip to visit my boyfriend, who was living in Australia, so my sister took him to the vet for me. The test happened while I was on the plane, and I knew I’d have the answer by the time I landed. I felt like I was waiting for my college acceptance letter all over again — I was so nervous.

When I landed after the 15-hour flight, I ran to the bathroom and stood in the stall to listen to the voicemail from my sister.

She had forwarded the vet’s message to me, who said Kip was indeed FIV-free, and I probably scared some strangers when I yelled with happiness that my cat did not have AIDS. Kip now lives with Grace and her three roommates, who have all become just as attached to him as me. He spends his days roaming from one bedroom to another, soliciting attention from whomever is home at the time. He has an older brother named Jingle Bells, Grace’s 9-year-old orange British shorthair. He’s grown a lot in the last year, but he still likes to play in the toilet. ander198@miamioh.edu

She’s got options on Valentine’s Day FROM FRONT

After meeting face-to-face, Athena spent 3-4 nights per week at Zach’s during the month of January.

Besides the obvious, Athena and Zach also went sledding one time.

She’s met his friends, and he’s met hers.

A few of her friends asked Zach if he was a junior or senior. Zach was pleased. Some of Athena’s friends were shocked, but if they had read a recent study that shows women peak, or get the most matches and messages, at 18-years-old while men peak at 50-years-old on dating apps, they might not have been.

Again, Athena and Zach aren’t dating.

Athena is not interested in a serious rela-

CULTURE 7

tionship right now. But when she had dinner with his parents, Athena still wanted to impress them.

Athena’s third friend-with-benefits, Jack, is 255 miles away at Kent State University. They met while playing Dungeons and Dragons in high school and remained friends in college, though they only recently added the “with-benefits” over winter break. Out of the three, Jack knows her best.

Jack was a swimmer in high school, which explains why Athena describes his body as “lithe,” “smooth” and “not a lot of hair” with “a twink look to him.” In his selfies, he mimics “the smolder,” a look made popular by the character Flynn Rider in Disney’s “Tangled.”

Valentine’s Day Personal Ads: Culture Editor, Maddie Mitchell.

If you wanna ride shotgun with your hair undone in the front seat of my car, write me a song.

Managing Editor, Alison Perelman.

If you’re okay with living in Ireland one day and watching Harry Potter all day, send an owl.

News Editor, Ceili Doyle.

If you’re under six feet tall, don’t bother; otherwise, share a Google Doc with your intentions.

STYLE

8

MINTONA2@MIAMIOH.EDU

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2019

New York Fashion Week for beginners ANNA MINTON STYLE EDITOR

For one week in February, we all decided to act pretentious about our clothes, but have no idea why. New York Fashion Week is kind of like Groundhog day — we know it’s a thing, but we don’t know why or who decided it was important. Maybe the same person who claimed an animal living in the dirt would predict the weather also decided a bunch of designers would pick the same three blocks in Manhattan to debut their new lines all at once. The fact is, though, fashion week is here, and that means a lot more about the clothes you’re wearing than you think.

The first fashion week started in 1943 and was originally called “Press Week.”

Before then, the fashion industry was obsessed with Paris, and always picked the city of love as the place to reveal new lines and projects. However, at the height of World War II, people seemed to realize that Europe was collectively imploding, and it was finally New York’s, and really America’s, chance to show the world what they could do.

So designers came to “Press Week,” and the city set up the iconic tents all around Bryant Park (and later these tents moved to Damrosch Park and Lincoln Center) to create a runway scene that had never been seen before. In 1944, people realized that it was less about press exposure, and more about the styles themselves, so they officially changed the name to Fashion Week.

New York isn’t the only place that has adopted fashion week, however. Once the rest of the world saw how well the fashion industry was adapting to an entire week of nonstop media coverage, and Europe had recovered, they decided they wanted back in the game. After New York’s week is over, London starts up, followed by Milan and ending in Paris. While New York is the biggest and most iconic week that people refer to, you will also hear fashion experts, and super pretentious people who want to be fashion experts, referring to it as “Fashion Month”.

While fashion week is bigger in February, it actually happens twice a year in New York — the second occurring in September.

They are both preview shows, so all the styles you will see in the next few weeks are

MODELS WALK ON THE RUNWAY AT NEW YORK FASHION WEEK. FROM WIKIMEDIA COMMMONS

what will be on the racks for fall 2019 and winter 2020. So the styles you saw in last September’s preview are what we will see in the stores this spring and summer.

While the designers that show up at fashion week aren’t exactly what will show up in your closet, they will influence what you’re wearing at the stores. You might not be wearing Jeremy Scott’s glitter lips and a giant shirt with a 3D label that says “SEX” on it, but you might start seeing bolder, neon lip colors and graphic tees in your local mall. Think of fashion week like the designers crazy acid-induced artistic expression, and what you see available to buy are what they modified it to once they sobered up.

Fashion week does more than just influence what we wear, too — it acts as an

Valentine’s Day in a long distance relationship HANNAH STRAUB

THE MIAMI STUDENT

Yes, I am in a long distance relationship. And yes, it can suck.

My boyfriend and I met each other in high school and have been together ever since. Although we see each other during the summer and breaks, the majority of our relationship exists through phone calls, FaceTime and texts. We only get to see each other when our schedules line up, which unfortunately doesn’t coincide with anniversaries, birthdays or special days like Valentine’s Day. With the day of love upon us, it gets harder and harder to be happy for my friends that are in relationships at Miami and who get to see their significant other every day. But with these ideas on how to stay connected, I hope to help anyone out there who needs encouragement in celebrating this beautiful holiday.

Schedule a call.

Anyone can send flowers, chocolates or a Hallmark card, but nothing will put a smile on their face more than hearing your voice. If possible, set up a time to FaceTime or call. If they sent you a gift or a card, you can even open it up while on the phone. It’ll create a sense of home for both of you knowing that you’re thinking of the other and spending time together despite the distance.

And if you aren’t able to chat during the actual holiday, send a quick text or set up a time for another day. You don’t have to save all your lovey-dovey thoughts for Valentine’s Day, trust me.

Write a letter.

This is something that my boyfriend and I have wanted to do for ages (“The Notebook,” anyone?), and it’s a more heartfelt way to communicate. If it’s harder for both of you to talk often, especially if you have a busy schedule like

anthology to look back on the important issues of the time. Fashion changes with time and is an expression of what is important to us as a society, and Fashion Week is the biggest platform in the world to express the values in their art form. Even just the first location, New York, gives us a clue into what was happening in the world.

The first ever fashion show wanted to give buyers an alternative to the unstable French industry, and the styles shown weren’t just clothes to wear to a fancy dress event — they displayed office attire and work acceptable clothes, alluding to the greater movement of women into the workforce. The shows in both the ’60s and ’90s displayed call to actions with the new styles connecting to the social action movements of the time.

Fashion isn’t just a girl obsessing with her shoes or earrings — it’s a person wanting to express their beliefs and values through the thing most personal and individual to themselves: their image. And fashion week gives them a place to do it.

Now, when you hear someone talking about how Kate Spade’s show might look this year now that the iconic namesake has passed away, you don’t have to roll your eyes. Instead, you can appreciate the movement a little bit more, even if you don’t appreciate the purses. Which is a crying shame really — that brand is super cute. mintona2@miamioh.edu

The broke girls guide to a perfect Valentine’s Day

mine, a letter let your significant other know what’s going on and how you’re really feeling. It also gives them an incentive to continue writing letters, which may encourage a new hobby. It will make them smile and offer a glimpse into your separate lives. This is my favorite option, by far.

Plan a trip.

If you haven’t seen each other in a while, another good idea would be to schedule something to look forward to. Buy concert tickets for the summer, or plan a road trip up to your loved one’s college to spend the weekend with them. By doing this you are instilling hope and joy for a possible new experience for the two of you. It gives you more encouragement and peace while you two are apart.

Again, these are just some simple ideas, and if you are to take anything from this article, make sure it is what is right for your own relationship. My boyfriend and I love celebrating these holidays, but we don’t need them to solidify what we have.

I’ve come to the realization that the point of Valentine’s Day isn’t to celebrate the love in our relationship only one day each year. Love should be celebrated every day, and frankly, it doesn’t have to be with a significant other at all. Call your mom, hug your friends and be with your loved ones.

Take this time to celebrate yourself. The one perk of being in a long-distance relationship is the freedom you have to grow as an individual while still maintaining a relationship. Give your sweetheart a call, send them a letter, plan a trip to see them. But first, make sure that you both develop a mutual understanding about what this holiday means for your relationship. Then you can go pamper yourself this Valentine’s Day. You deserve it. straunhk@miamioh.edu

PRINCESS POLLY IS ONE OF MANY WEBSITES TO LOOK AT FOR VALENTINE’S DAY CLOTHING. PHOTO EDITOR JUGAL JAIN

REBECCA WOLFF

THE MIAMI STUDENT

The whole point of Valentine’s day is to open up your heart, not your wallet. College is all about pinching pennies, but that won’t stop the broke girl tribe that graces every campus from looking like a million bucks.

Online shopping is a class time routine for many students, but there are a few websites that have especially good V-Day deals. Princess Polly has dozens of cute cocktail dresses that sell at around thirty dollars, and Fashion Nova is constantly having discounts and deals going on their already affordable clothing. There are currently 163 dresses for under 50 dollars in the party dress section at Princess Polly, which means a whole lot of bang for not a lot of buck.

Fashion Nova is one of the fastest growing clothing lines in the industry right now. Not only do they have an extensive selection of products that fit a wide range of sizes, but they also sell it for cheap so that broke girls like us can keep ballin’ on a budget. Though their clothing may not always be of high quality, it’s great for wanting to wear something only a few times or for special occasions. This makes it the perfect site to get some bougie lingerie pieces. Their cheapest babydolls, teddies and sets start as low as $14.99.

For that price point, it’s the perfect opportunity to take a risk to step out of your comfort zone and into something wild.

Though your valentine is sure to enjoy your presence alone as the greatest gift, there are

some low-cost options for gifts that are too cute for your bae not to love. Even though that special someone is already under your spell, a cute DIY love potion set is thoughtful, cheap and tasty.

Take a few mason jars (which start at $1.97 at Walmart), fill them with your valentine’s favorite soda and label each one with reasons you love them. Then once they drink up, they’ll fall in love with you all over again.

You can also fill up a mason jar with little color-coded scraps of paper. One color could be for fun memories, another for inside jokes and one for songs that remind you of them. This way, they can reach in and read whatever category they want when they miss you. Not to mention the fact that it would be a cute desk decoration.

The actual date itself can feel like looming romantic expectations are weighing down on you, but there are plenty of intimate date ideas that cost almost nothing. A car picnic, for example.

All you need to pull off this date is a picnic basket, your date’s favorite snacks, any type of fizzy drink you can get your hands on, some mood music to play and a car to drive to a secluded scenic spot. After all, when you’re with that special someone, you don’t need a fancy date to make it feel like a scene from a movie.

Anyone would be lucky to spend time with their significant other on Valentine’s Day, but it can be nice to put in a little extra effort for the person you care about. Just make sure that your heart is skipping beats because of butterflies, not your bank account. wolffrg@miamioh.edu

MINTONA2@MIAMIOH.EDU

STYLE 9

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2019

Fashion gets political Designers creating an image with a purpose BEN FINFROCK OPINION EDITOR

In 2019, our world is changing and hopefully for the better. We are becoming more informed about the issues facing our country and our world. We are aware of how our society needs to become more inclusive in order to support and represent everyone. Messages of change by the news and through social media bombard us every day.

The conversation surrounding political and social issues has infiltrated almost every facet of our society, so it makes sense that it had become a part of our fashion.

In recent years, fashion brands have not shied away from making statements, from world events to body image. One of the best examples of this new era of fashion is Christian Siriano, who has built an entire fashion brand based upon representing different kinds of women and men.

In 2016, Siriano famously made a gown for comedian Leslie Jones after she struggled to find a designer to dress her for the “Ghostbusters” premiere. Since that gown, Siriano’s brand has continued to show the diversity of people through his ads, fashion shows and the celebrities he dresses. His New York Fashion Week (NYFW) show last fall displayed women of color, women with different body types, trans women and even men.

Siriano is not the only designer embracing body positivity. Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty made headlines last fall for creating an inclusive lingerie show that showcased women of all body types. While diversity has become an important issue for designers, it is not the only statement major brands are making these days.

In today’s era of #MeToo and Donald Trump, fashion brands have a lot to say and they are using their platform to say it. Just last

week at the beginning of NYFW, Alessandro Trincone made a powerful statement against toxic masculinity by showing men in feminine clothes, such as dresses and halter tops. Trincone’s work displays the fluidity of fashion by blending fashion’s gender lines. It takes aim at heteronormative ideas that men have to dress a certain way because of societal standards.

While Trincone’s political statement was more artistic and subverted, in recent years most brands have been more overt about their views. Last fall’s NYFW saw plenty of overt political statements from designers. Jeremy Scott’s show featured a model walking down the runway in a body suit which had “Resist” printed on it. Scott himself also walked in a tank top which read, “Tell Your Senator No on Kavanaugh 202-902-7129.”

Even Calvin Klein, one of the biggest fashion brands in the world, has not shied away from politics. At their show in February of 2017, models walked to the tune of David Bowie’s “This is Not America.” One model wore a blue overcoat with an American flag serving as her dress. The statement made by Calvin Klein was clearly directed at President Trump, who had just been inaugurated less than three weeks before.

These statements by designers show us that fashion is an art form, and designers are artists. Like any good artist, designers have a message to share with their art and if it’s well done it will get people talking.

It’s important for brands and fashion houses to use their artistic platform to take a stand for something because they have the attention of our nation’s elites. My hope is that for the remainder of Fashion Month, designers look at the problems of the world and find inspiration.

They may not be able to find solutions, but at least they will draw attention to the problem. finfrobd@miamioh.edu

ILLUSTRATION BY: CONNOR WELLS

WHY ARE PEOPLE SO OBSESSED WITH ‘THE BACHELOR?’ ANNA MINTON STYLE EDITOR

Semantic satiation is a psychological condition that when you repeat or think about a word too often and it loses its meaning. We’ve all done this before: say bowl too many times, and immediately forget what a bowl is or why we even use them in the first place.

I recently had a moment with this condition when I watched last week’s episode of “The Bachelor.”

I have no idea who decided to greenlight the show since the premise — taking 25 desperate women when they are at their most physically attractive and making them compete on camera to win the heart of an ex-athlete or salesman who is undoubtedly socially awkward — sounds like it would break multiple obscenity laws. But even I can admit that it’s one of the most addicting shows on television.

But as I watched the preview for an episode filled with “the most dramatic reveals yet”— I can assure you, Chris Harrison, it’s not — I began to wonder why it was that I loved this show. I didn’t necessarily love the people or wish to be on the show myself at all. Yet I kept coming back for more, and I had no idea why.

It’s clear to see based off of the

DESPITE IT’S POPULARITY, THE BACHELOR ACTUALLY HAS A HORRIBLE SUCCESS RATE. FROM MAXPIXEL.COM

language used during takeaways that the show is very scripted. There is a little drama that can usually be resolved within an hour time slot.

There is always a villain, who causes drama with the poor unsuspecting quiet girls, and then they are promptly sent home.

However, the antagonist manages to hide her true colors for almost the entire season. How convenient

for the producers: a completely “natural” storyline for them to promote. Go ahead and cue the eyerolls.

It’s easy to watch shows like this and forget that it’s not really reality.

You see a bunch of beautiful people, all claiming to be average Joes just looking for love. But for a show whose entire purpose is to create meaningful relationships, it has a shockingly low success rate.

Out of the 23 seasons he Bachelor” has had, only one winning couple is still together. Granted, this isn’t looking at any of the spinoffs, like “The Bachelorette” or “Bachelor in Paradise.” But still, this is the original show, it should be the one that works.

Two other bachelors broke up with the winner to later marry the runner up, resulting in three mar-

riages total. However, when two of the success stories actually happened after the final rose ceremony, it doesn’t seem right for Chris Harrison to take credit for the happy couple.

Don’t worry, he will though.

So why do we love this show? It’s clearly scripted and rarely produces real-life results. Reality TV shows require a basis in reality, and “The Bachelor” misses every qualification.

Why do 10 million viewers tune in on average to watch some awkward, scantily dressed adults discuss “good intentions?”

My guess is that people enjoy this show not because it is a reality show, but because it is the exact opposite. It is equivalent to a soap opera, with its twists and turns and the inconceivable happy ending. And there’s nothing wrong with fiction stories that help us escape reality.

So let us pretend we are in a world where “social media influencer” and “never been kissed” are actually jobs. Just so long as you don’t plan on this dream turning into reality.

So go ahead and watch this show as much as you want — as long as you don’t think about it too hard because then it turns into a mess that even someone with the “best intentions” couldn’t solve. mintona2@miamioh.edu

Sports

10

SIMANSEC@MIAMIOH.EDU

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2019

Myja White finds solace in creativity CHRIS VINEL

ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

Memories is what makes or breaks A past that determines future Defines the character of state Numerous times of epic Adventures Time, the importance of all essences entering into this works of sin you determine what makes inception cry over my shoulder and we can begin -unknown His classmates called him “strange” and “faggot.”

He thought maybe the bullies hated the way he dressed or envied his intelligence.

Either way, Myja White felt like an outsider.

He was 9 years old and in fourth grade. In the last months of 2009, he had already dealt with a lot.

His parents’ divorce. Splitting time between his dad’s home in Terre Haute, Ind., where Myja had spent his entire life, and his mom’s new house, an hour away in Indianapolis. Giving up his family’s two bull mastiffs when they became too much for his mom to handle. Transferring schools.

The name calling only added to it all.

He didn’t know how to deal with the vitriol hurled towards him, so he denied himself and the world his defining trait. His creativity.

He bottled himself up. *** Last summer, Myja White found himself alone in the basement of Millett Hall.

At six-foot-one, the freshman guard stands taller than the average person but looks short compared to many of his RedHawk teammates.

As part of his practice regimen, Myja works out a few times a week, and it shows. He sports a chiseled physique, complete with veins protruding down the length of both arms. He occasionally flashes a toothy grin, but most of the time, his smile appears in only the lips, coming and going without a glimpse of his teeth. His thin black mustache attaches to a well-groomed goatee and makes him look 25, not 18.

His first semester of classes hadn’t started, but he already felt comfortable in Oxford. It reminded him of Terre Haute — the place he called his “comfort zone.”

Most students were weeks away from returning to Miami for the fall semester, but Myja and his teammates moved into their North Quad residence halls nearly two months earlier on June 17.

On this particular midsummer Sunday, Myja finished team-mandated study tables early and wanted some quiet time.

After venturing down the hall and into the men’s basketball locker room, he sat down and started writing a poem.

He’d begun creating his own poetry earlier in the summer after being inspired by one of his other passions, music.

“I was listening to a classical piano song,” Myja said. “I was just really listening to it and felt the words. I felt what I was feeling in this music and just started jotting it down. And I just

thought, ‘Hey, maybe I should try out poetry.’”

The tandem of music and compositions blossomed immediately. Listening to eight hours of tunes a day makes the words come easy, he said.

After discovering his new hobby over the summer, Myja went all in.

He declared an English literature minor to go along with his psychology major.

“I also wanted to add something to the psychology part [of my studies] for people who don’t know how to express themselves verbally, but can do it nonverbally through art, dance, poetry, music, instruments, just any way you can,” Myja said.

Because of the insults he endured as a kid, Myja doesn’t feel comfortable expressing himself in conversation with most people. He dreams of opening up his own psychology practice to help children like his younger self.

“There are also people out there who don’t know how to express themselves face-to-face, but they can through a picture,” Myja said. “I just thought I could add something to that for people in the world like me, who need someone in the world who can understand them or feel like they are wanted.”

In the United States, more than 5,400 seventh-twelfth graders attempt suicide every day, according to the American Society for the Positive Care of Children. Many of those cases originate from kids being bullied by their peers or simply feeling unwanted and unloved.

Many studies have been conducted, saying hobbies can help with this.

The tests concluded frequently engaging in enjoyable activities can lessen stress and risks of depression, according to the Australian Government Department of Health.

Myja considers himself lucky.

While his bullying didn’t cause him to be suicidal, he hid his creativity for a while. Because of loved ones and releases like basketball and poetry, it’s back and out in full force.

“I’ve witnessed Myja write a lot of poetry in the past few weeks,” said Mekhi Lairy, Myja’s roommate and teammate, in early December. “Maybe it’s because of finals coming up …

He’s usually at his desk with his headphones in, playing an instrumental of some sort – usually jazz or something like that. He’s just typing his poem.”

Lairy, who played against Myja in high school, said he likes living with Myja. Myja always keeps the room interesting.

“Original,” Lairy said when asked to describe his roommate in one word.

“Myja’s a cool guy,” Lairy said.

“You never know what to expect from him. One day, he’s chill, relaxed, tired,

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL GOES FOR EIGHT STRAIGHT EMILY SIMANSKIS CHRIS VINEL SPORTS EDITORS

Women’s basketball is fond of late-game heroics.

The RedHawks have won seven straight contests, and have managed big second-half runs to either take the lead or seal the victory in each of their last four.

In its latest win, Miami overcame a 42-33 deficit at halftime to beat Bowling Green 82-75. The 82 points scored was its best offensive effort of the season.

And while dramatic endings aren’t how head coach Megan Duffy draws it up, a win’s a win — something Duffy and her team will gladly accept.

“It was a tale of two halves for us,” Duffy said after beating Eastern

Michigan 63-58 last Wednesday.

“We kind of got shell-shocked a little bit and regrouped at halftime.

I told them, ‘I can’t give you some magical potion. It’s about playing a lot harder than you are and getting your attitudes a little better and more upbeat. Then, you’ll have a chance to come back.”’

That’s been the story for the past several weeks.

Miami has looked sluggish and passive in its first halves, but something changes when the first second ticks off the second-half clock.

The previously-slow RedHawks find their rhythm and turn into a different team — one capable of leaving opponents rubbing their eyes and wondering where their lead went. Over the last four games, the offense and defense have combined to outscore opposing teams 163-107 in the second half.

and the next day, he’s up late-night, 1 o’clock in the morning, yelling. He just yells to be yelling. Whether it’s parts from cartoon shows, TV shows, he’s yelling.”

Regardless of what he says, Lairy can’t claim innocence in this tomfoolery. The pair frequently engages in Fortnite battles, playing Xbox hours past their bedtimes.

Myja’s uniqueness isn’t confined to his residence hall.

Even back in elementary school, he loved stylish clothes and looking good. Back then, his bullies picked on him for it.

“I was being called ‘gay’ for the way I dressed,” Myja said. “I didn’t even dress like someone who’d be called that.”

Now, Myja rocks his outfits with confidence and pride.

“He probably has the most Vans out of any person I know,” Lairy said.

“I thought I liked Vans, but he has a lot

He felt unknown for so long. Now, when given the choice, he prefers it. *** A day before his first collegiate basketball game in early November, Myja positioned himself on the leather couch in Miami coach Jack Owens’ office. He’d been called in for an unscheduled meeting on an unannounced subject — a situation where no athlete feels comfortable.

He faced Owens, who was sitting behind his dark-stained wooden desk, and looked his coach directly in the eyes.

Myja’s always tried to be a respectful person. Other kids labeled him a “teacher’s pet” in elementary school because of how he treated his elders.

“He’s just a great guy,” Owens said.

“He’s what our program is going to be about. Guys with substance, who love basketball and work at it. Good guy, good student.”

Even now, Myja follows orders

MYJA FLASHES A RARE TOOTHY SMILE AT A RECENT PRACTICE. BO BRUECK ASST. PHOTO EDITOR

more than I do.”

Lairy has six pairs of the sneakers.

Myja’s collection includes over 20. His favorite: Low-cut, pink velvet Vans.

‘They’re pretty nice,” Myja said, looking down with a slight grin.

He even owns a pair of Vans flipflops.

When Myja gets dressed, he typically throws on a shirt that matches that day’s shoes, along with skinny jeans and a jean jacket. Maybe a reversible snapback hat, too, depending on how his short, black hair looks.

He’s also started putting his poetry out for the world to see.

Last October, Myja launched “Love of Creation” (@CreationLoveand), a Twitter page dedicated to his writing.

He updates the account daily and has posted 64 tweets since its establishment. It’s attracted 31 followers, several of whom are Miami athletes.

Other than noticing his personal Twitter profile listed in Love of Creation’s description, no one could tell who authored these poems.

“I’m not a person who likes to be acknowledged a lot,” Myja said. “I don’t really tell people about it. So when I write poems, at the end, I write ‘unknown,’ so they don’t know who’s writing it.”

without question.

While being interviewed in early December, Myja spotted assistant coach J.R. Reynolds walking past.

Reynolds messed with Myja for a moment, saying, “Oh, Myja’s getting interviewed? He’s big time now. I want a shout out.”

Myja immediately turned back around and said, “Shout out Coach J.R.” He tried to show Owens the same reverence while meeting with him.

Owens talked with Myja about the freshman’s summer development.

Myja got sick shortly after moving to Oxford in June and fell behind his other teammates on the court. Because of this, Owens told Myja he thought extra preparation time would

be beneficial.

Myja had two options.

First, he could ride the bench for most of his freshman year and receive little playing time.

Or, the coach said, he could redshirt, meaning he would sit out the season and retain a year of collegiate athletic eligibility before joining the team’s regular rotation in the fall of 2019.

Owens gave Myja a night to ponder it. The next day, Myja told his coach he thought it would be best to redshirt.

“I didn’t really take it hard at all,” Myja said. “In fact, I kind of see it as a blessing because I plan to have a [bachelor’s] degree, and I want to get my master’s [degree]. So, I feel like this [extra year of studies] is an advantage for me.”

Secure in his decision, he chose not to write any poetry about it. He felt at peace.

He will stay on scholarship during that fifth year.

The new role transformed Myja into an 18-year-old assistant coach.

“I encourage our players,” Myja said. “I push them. I correct them if they’re wrong. Also, it gives me more of an understanding of what coaches are talking about when they talk to us or get on us. And I feel like now I can understand that. I can’t trip or complain if a coach gets on me for an issue.”

In other words, he’s forced to open up and make his presence known.

Owens noticed this development and wants it to continue.

“I’m pushing him to become a vocal leader because he’s a guy who works hard,” Owens said. “He knows what’s going on. I truly believe he’s going to be a leader of this team in some capacity because of how he works and goes about his business.

“He could be one of the better players in our league (Mid-American Conference) when he’s older,” Owens said. “That’s how I visualize him. He’s got a chance to be a really good player.” *** It’s November 14, four days after Miami’s season-opening loss at Butler University, and Myja is frustrated. He sits quietly in Benton Hall.

In the midst of a conflict with a close friend, he feels misunderstood.

All he asked for was patience, but he wasn’t receiving it.

He’s 18 years old and in his first semester of college. In the last few months, he’s already dealt with a lot.

Moving away from home. Training and competing against the best basketball players he’d ever faced. Starting the rigorous course load of college.

Being redshirted.

The disagreement with his friend only adds to it all.

Myja remains calm. He knows how to handle his rush of emotions.

He opens his laptop and begins writing a poem.

wait for me by the moonlight don’t give up on me I’m trying my hardest to not lose sight I wish you could only see walk in my shoes it’ll help us breathe

-unknown

SCOUTING REPORT While comebacks may be exciting, the RedHawks will hope to control the game and not have to force late-game heroics when they take on Northern Illinois tomorrow.

The last time these two teams met, an early deficit proved costly for the ’Hawks. In its opening game of Mid-American Conference play on Jan. 5, Miami went down 44-31 at half and couldn’t recover, losing 82-71.

The 11-point loss was the team’s largest margin of defeat other than the RedHawks’ 95-73 loss (22 points) to former No. 5 Louisville.

In the loss to the Huskies on Jan. 5, junior forward Savannah Kluesner finished with 27 points and 11 rebounds for her first double-double of the season. Kluesner has since added three other double-doubles to her statline and averages 17.8 points per game in MAC play.

Senior guard Lauren Dickerson, who had 25 points in the January NIU loss, is coming off a season-high 31 points against Bowling Green.

THE GAME

Tipoff....................................................... 7 p.m. tomorrow at Millett Hall TV/Radio........................................ESPN+/Miami IMG Sports Network

MIAMI REDHAWKS

Record............................................................... 17-4 (8-2 Mid-American) Offense ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������68.4 ppg Defense ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 60.1 ppg

PROJECTED LINEUP

Player...................................................... (position, height, key stat) Lauren Dickerson ��������������������������������������������������� (guard, 5’3”, 16.3 ppg) Leah Purvis ���������������������������������������������������������������(guard, 5’6”, 7.9 ppg) Baleigh Reid ������������������������������������������������������������(guard, 5’10”, 3.0 ppg) Kendall McCoy ���������������������������������������������������� (forward, 6’0”, 12.0 ppg) Savannah Kluesner ����������������������������������������������(forward, 6’2”, 14.5 ppg)

NORTHERN ILLINOIS HUSKIES

Record ������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 4-8 (6-4 MAC) Offense ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 78.6 ppg Defense ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 72.2 ppg

PROJECTED LINEUP

Player...................................................... (position, height, key stat) Myia Starks ��������������������������������������������������������������(guard, 5’4”, 11.9 ppg) Mikayla Voigt ���������������������������������������������������������� (guard, 5’9”, 21.4 ppg) Gabby Nikitinaite ��������������������������������������������������(guard, 5’11”, 12.0 ppg) Riley Blackwell ������������������������������������������������������� (forward, 6’1”, 5.8 rpg) Ally May..................................................................(forward, 6’2”, 8.6 rpg) NCAA NET Ranking ���������������������� Miami (62); Northern Illinois (97)

SIMANSEC@MIAMIOH.EDU

SPORTS 11

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2019

Embry and Hedric –

HERE’S WHAT YOU MISSED

phone calls and basketball after 64 years

ATHLETIC DIRECTOR DAVID SAYLER, AND PRESIDENT AND DR. CRAWFORD HONOR WAYNE EMBRY (SECOND FROM LEFT) ON SATURDAY. MACY WHITAKER THE MIAMI STUDENT

CHRIS VINEL

ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

Wayne Embry saved one of Miami’s greatest basketball coaches from getting fired.

Or at least, that’s the joke Darrell Hedric likes to tell.

A legendary figure in Oxford, Hedric was the men’s basketball coach at Miami from 1970-1984. He has the second-highest winning percentage in program history (minimum 100 games), so really, his job didn’t need any saving. He’s five-foot-eight, white and has lived here for the majority of the last seven decades.

Embry, a legendary figure not just in Oxford, but throughout the sport of basketball, was a five-time All-Star player and the first African-American general manager in National Basketball Association (NBA) history. He sat on the Miami University Board of Trustees when Hedric held the head hoops position. Embry is six-foot-eight and has lived all over the country for the majority of the last seven decades.

And he and Hedric are friends.

“Oh, I betcha we talk every week or two [on the phone],” Hedric said. “He’s always interested in what’s going on [in Oxford] and how things are going … We talk about our families. I lost a son a couple years ago, and I had quadruple bypass surgery in July, two years ago. If I want to talk to him, I pick up the phone. If he wants to talk to me, he picks up the phone. We keep in touch.”

But when the 85-year-old Hedric and the 81-year-old Embry chat, they typically avoid talking about basketball. Yet that’s what brought them together.

The two met at Miami in the fall of 1954, when Hedric was a senior and Embry was a freshman. Hedric starred on the varsity basketball team, while Embry was a talented, but raw big man on the freshman team.

As part of their scholarships, both worked as waiters in dining halls. Hedric said Embry’s hands are so large, he could palm the plates he picked up.

After Hedric graduated that next spring, he spent two years away from Miami before returning as a graduate assistant prior to Embry’s senior season. That’s when their relationship blossomed.

“[Hedric] always gave words of wisdom, good advice both for in the classroom and on the basketball court,” Embry said. “He had a great influence in my development.”

Embry became one of the best players in the Mid-American Conference and was drafted into the NBA, beginning his career with the Cincinnati Royals. He made annual returns to his alma mater because the Royals held camps at Miami. He and Hedric always got together during these visits.

Their lives were only starting to grow together.

After retiring and becoming an NBA general manager, Embry joined the Miami Board of Trustees, thus overseeing university employees like Hedric.

No job saving was done.

Shortly after Hedric retired as Miami’s head coach in 1984, Embry was hired as the general manager of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

He offered Hedric a job as a scout, and the former coach accepted.

“Darrell was a basketball junkie,” Embry said. “He has a great passion for the game.”

Because Hedric was a junkie and Embry obviously knew the game better than most, they often argued about players — something other scouts were scared to do.

“I was [at Miami] with him and I coached him, so if he asked me about something, I voiced my opinion,” Hedric said. “Sometimes we didn’t agree, but when the final decision was made, you know who was going to make it. He was.”

“Ohhhhhh yeah,” Embry said when asked if he remembered discussing players. “I had my opinions, he and the scouts had their opinions.”

The duo manned their respective posts for 15 years.

Nowadays, Embry lives in Arizona and is a senior advisor for the Toronto Raptors — “literally,” he said about his title, making light of his age. Hedric resides in Oxford and frequents the stands of Miami sporting events.

Before Embry returned for “Wayne Embry Day” last weekend, they hadn’t seen each other in a couple years. They made sure to catch up as soon as Embry arrived in Southwest Ohio, watching the RedHawks practice on Friday and eating breakfast together on Saturday.

Nothing had changed. It was just like talking on the phone, only better.

“It’s been a great relationship,” Hedric said. vinelca@miamioh.edu

SINCE LAST TUESDAY… FRIDAY Tennis

JMU ........................................... 1

Miami ....................................... 6

Softball

Miami........................................ 3

Towson...................................... 8 Miami......................................... 1

ECU........................................... 9

Hockey

Nebraska Omaha......................... 3

Miami........................................ 0

SATURDAY Men’s basketball

OU........................................... 59 Miami....................................... 79

Women’s basketball

Miami....................................... 82 Bowling Green............................ 75

Hockey

Nebraska Omaha......................... 2

Miami........................................ 4

Softball

Miami........................................ 6

Youngstown State........................ 0

SUNDAY Softball

Miami........................................ 3 ECU............................................ 1

Miami......................................... 1

USC - Upstate.............................. 3

’Hawks Talk “I haven’t cut it since before school. I told myself I wasn’t going to cut it until after the season, and I was like so close to doing it, but then I didn’t. So, now I can’t decide. It’s just chilling.”

– Senior Josh Melnick on his long hair last Tuesday.

“Nope.”

– Melnick said after being asked if he’d cut his hair after his team snapped a nine-game losing streak on Saturday.

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Opinion

12

BURNSKL2@MIAMIOH.EDU

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2019 STAFF EDITORIAL

An Open Letter to Governor Mike DeWine The following reflects the majority opinion of the editorial board* Governor DeWine, With your intention to sign the so-called “heartbeat bill,” we here at The Student thought we’d give you the pulse on how that decision would play to your voters here on your alma mater’s campus.

To catch our readers up to speed: The bill is one of the most extreme proposed abortion laws in the country – so extreme, it was vetoed by former Ohio Governor and former Tea Party member, John Kasich. That’s how you know it’s bad.

During Kasich’s time in office alone, the state passed 20 laws restricting abortion access. Yet he vetoed this specific bill because he felt it could be declared unconstitutional and put the state through a costly court battle.

Now, two senators are set to reintroduce the bill, and it has the full backing of Ohio Right to Life, an anti-abortion nonprofit that is one of the most influential lobbying groups at the Ohio Statehouse. According to OpenSecrets, Ohio Right to Life spent $270,000 lobbying the Statehouse in 2018.

The passage of this will surely mark the beginning to an extended legal saga — one that could ultimately culminate in the conservative majority of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade and Casey V. Planned Parenthood.

After all, in the same interview where you said you would sign the bill, you also said, “Ultimately, this will work its way up to the United States Supreme Court. And they’ll make that decision.”

But with your political experience of nearly 43 years, you are no fool. You must be highly aware of the impact these actions could have on the lives of women across the State of Ohio.

Governor DeWine, you know signing this bill is the kindling to spark an ugly, aggressive attack on Ohio

ILLUSTRATION BY: CONNOR WELLS

women’s right to choose what to do with their own bodies. This bill only serves the monied conservative lobby – and guarantees harm to the real people you were elected to serve.

Currently, there are only seven abortion clinics statewide. Most are located in major cities. The closest clinic for Oxford residents is in Cincinnati which is about an hour away. The ratio of patient to provider is 843,479:1.

People give this bill too much credit when they say it “ignores” the medical fact that most women cannot tell if they are pregnant until around four weeks of pregnancy, and a fetal heartbeat can be detected around six weeks of pregnancy.

No, the truth is this bill was strategically crafted to take advantage of how pregnancy works and, essentially, outlaw abortion in Ohio. By signing this bill, Governor DeWine would effectively strip Ohio Women of their right to control their own bodies.

In a perfect world where a woman knows she’s preg-

GOOD MORNING MIAMI

Finding passion for purpose

EMILY DATTILO

ASST. OPINION EDITOR

Graduating college or discussing the trials and tribulations of senior year aren’t things I figured I’d be thinking about as a sophomore, mostly because I don’t have enough credit hours or life experience completed yet.

But, after one striking conversation, here we are.

One of my friends is graduating in the spring. He’s intelligent, well-versed in multiple subjects and a natural leader. He could probably do whatever he wants with his life. And recently I told him all of those things.

His response surprised me, saying he would trade a lot of his intelligence to find something that he was passionate about.

I sat with that for a moment.

College is considered this ticket to our futures, a yellow brick road of growth as a student, a leader and a person. (Those words, or some version of them, probably grace the website of every college in the country.) For many of us, it’s one of the main reasons we chose to come to Miami in the first place: To live in a place that nurtures current interests and exposes us to new ones.

But what happens when, after four years of classes and experiences, you haven’t found that one particular thing you’re passionate about? Maybe you’ve found multiple areas you enjoy, through a club or a class, but it doesn’t lend itself to a successful six-figure career and therefore it’s deemed impractical.

I can’t imagine it’s only college seniors who feel this way. It’s a common desire to want to know where you’re going and how to get there, particularly in today’s ever-competitive job market and working world.

Think about it. From middle school onward, all of us have been asked at one time or another, “What do you want to do when you grow up?”

That question still freaks me out sometimes. I wish I had enough clarity to give a two-

word answer and move on, but I don’t.

I remember sitting next to a girl in seventh-grade English class and discussing this very topic. Without hesitation, she told me she wanted to be an engineer. She’s now a sophomore at the University of Illinois and she retains the same, though perhaps more informed, passion for engineering as she did as a 12-year-old in braces and glasses.

This isn’t the case for everyone, and that can prove both stressful and anxiety-invoking.

I, unlike my engineer friend, had at least 10 ideas of what I wanted to do, but wasn’t especially thrilled about any of them. In elementary school, I wanted to be a teacher. In high school, an oncologist or pediatrician. That fleeting dream ended quickly when I dissected a frog in biology class and could hardly stand to look at it. I applied to Miami as an education major.

Now, I’m studying psychology and journalism.

But when people ask what my dream job is, I still don’t know.

John Hughes captured this situation, or perhaps a slightly more extreme version of it, in “Ferris Bueller.” It’s right after Ferris channels his inner John Lennon on the parade float and Cameron and Sloane stroll the Chicago streets, discussing college and their futures.

Cameron feels a bit aimless, lacking the passion that every adult promises leads to a fulfilling career.

Of course, that’s just a movie and those kids are in high school, but this internal conflict exists within many college kids. Cameron fears living just like his parents, working jobs where each day mirrors the other, framed beautifully, if endlessly, against a city skyline.

I’d guess the same fear still worries real-life students today, but it doesn’t have to. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, people hold about 12 different jobs between the ages of 18-50, meaning that the days of working for one company for 30 years are largely behind us.

In today’s day and age, particularly at Miami, students sculpt well-rounded resumes with double-majors and minors galore. Department crossovers allow business majors to minor in French and art majors to double-major in strategic communication. The road to a successful career appears to be different for everyone, and with our wide skill sets, I doubt any one of us will find ourselves confined to a single career, or stuck in a job we don’t enjoy.

Finding passion for our purpose in life doesn’t hinge itself upon a time clock or a single interest, so let’s stop telling ourselves it does. dattilec@miamioh.edu

nant exactly at the four week mark, that only leaves two weeks for her to legally get an abortion. Given that aforementioned patient-to-provider-ratio, it seems unlikely there will be available appointments. If that tiny, twoweek window closes, the doctor who performs the procedure could be charged with a fifth-degree felony.

Even if a woman were to be a victim of rape or incest, she would be out of options because the “heartbeat bill” doesn’t seem to have a heart.

But, Governor DeWine, you have the chance to find yours. Do not support this bill. Do not put Ohio on the map as potentially the most repressive state for women in the United States.

There are bigger issues to solve. Your legislative agenda should be filled with plans to legitimately fix Ohio’s opioid epidemic and hold pharmaceutical companies accountable for the havoc they’ve wreaked across our state.

You should increase funding to test the backlog of rape kits throughout Ohio – like the ones collected last week here in Oxford.

If you learned anything during your years at Miami, Governor DeWine, you might have learned we are supposed to love and honor the dignity of our fellow citizens.

We hope you find it in yourself to do so now, and honor the rights of women in the State of Ohio.

Sincerely, The Majority of the Editorial Board of The Miami Student *While the majority of our staff opposed the bill, a few members did not align with the majority. They voiced differing and personal opinions on the topic of abortion. While the majority board elected to go forward with the thoughts presented in this open letter, we aimed to make sure alternative voices were heard and open discussion was fostered.

Trying not to half-ass my last semester

KELLY BURNS

OPINION EDITOR

I don’t want to do anything. Let me repeat that. I. Don’t. Want. To. Do. Anything.

I don’t want to make new friends. I don’t want to entertain guys flirting with me at the bars. I don’t want to do my stats homework for a minor I don’t have any interest in anymore.

I’m leaving this school in 95 days. Nothing I do will have that lasting of consequences. Sure, if I burn a building down or cheat on a final, that will follow me around for a while, but someone gossiping about me isn’t going to affect me as soon as graduation hits. Because, as it turns out, I really don’t care what a junior I had class with for one semester thinks of me.

Shocking, I know.

On one hand, this apathy is one of the most freeing things I’ve ever felt. It has let me become far less wrapped up in what the boy I maybe, kinda, sort of, liked last semester thinks of me. Maybe I still care, but now when he ignores me it bounces off my shoulders because there’s no reason to get involved with him anyway. I won’t see him again in 95 days.

It has let me blatantly scroll through Reddit on my laptop in class and say no to going out simply because I have no interest in being in the human meat press that is the Brick dance floor.

And while I love this quasi-freedom, I acknowledge that it’s a double edged sword.

The C’s get degrees mentality is real.

Part of me is sitting in stats thinking, “Wow, can’t believe Kylie Jenner threw this party for her one year old. Wait what the hell is the empirical rule? Wait, the party had a giant baby gate at it, wow.”

And then the other half of my brain is trapped in a glass cage, screaming to get out because “You’re trying to go to law school, you dumbass! You can’t afford a C!” The tricky thing is that this apathy triggers my anxiety. The sound of the ticking

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clock grows louder and louder like me on my third drink.

I need to do well in classes, and when I think “this won’t affect me in the future” it takes away from the whole point of me being here. I should try to form new relationships because life is only as interesting as the people in it. I want to experience this last semester to the fullest because that’s exactly what it is. The last semester.

If any seniors are reading this and feel some variation of this same amazing yet terrible apathy, I say use it to your advantage. Channel it into the positives, the carefree, no bothers given, chill-vibes-only part.

Ignore the skeevy guys in bars, the petty people in your life and use the apathy to sideline the stress by remembering this is a moment. In ten years, you won’t remember how sucky a class was, and you’re not going to be stressed over an academic assignment.

As absolutely, cheesey, cliche and pasé as it sounds, you’re going to remember the experience. But that experience doesn’t look the same for everyone.

For me, the ideal experience is sitting on my couch, eating dumplings and watching “America’s Next Top Model” as much as possible. A night out here and there, but no one dragging me out every Friday.

My grades would be good, but I wouldn’t stress to a height that I want to curl up under my bed and listen to a Disney playlist.

Basically, I’d get a B in stats. Can you tell I’m nervous about that class?

No one decides what someone’s last semester should be except that person. My mom hassling me about grades balances out the laissez faire attitude I’ve developed, but it doesn’t change what I’m going to do for the next 95 days.

I’m not usually the person to work on a running clock because, in general, time is limitless. But just because time goes on doesn’t mean college does. When I was a freshman, my editor, Britton Perelman, wrote a piece about watching “The Office” finale before graduation and pointed out the line, “I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve left them.”

This last semester: make this time the age you’ll miss the most — whatever that means for you.

When you do what you want and toss all of the unnecessary stress, drama, pressure and external expectations into the flaming trash can they belong in, that apathy is no longer apathy. It’s peace. burnskl2@miamioh.edu