ESTABLISHED 1826 — OLDEST COLLEGE NEWSPAPER WEST OF THE ALLEGHENIES
TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2018
Volume 146 No. 28
Miami University — Oxford, Ohio
PHI MU PUT ON PROBATION GREEK LIFE
JACK EVANS
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Miami’s chapter of Phi Mu was placed under social probation by the university last month on April 20. The punishment follows an investigation into an annual semi-secret party hosted by the sorority on the night of Preference Round during recruitment. The Office of Ethics and Student Conflict Resolution (OESCR) charged Phi Mu with violating sections of the student code of conduct concerning underage drinking as well as “retaliation,” according to an OESCR final outcomes report. Phi Mu will remain under probation until “80% of the active members and 100% of the new members” complete a two-hour alcohol education program, according to the document. The sorority will also be required to create a 30-minute presentation “discussing how the chapter has learned from this event and what steps are in place to prevent a similar incident from occurring in the future.” Both the alcohol education requirement and the presentation must be completed by Sept. 30, 2018. The final outcomes report does not specify the circumstances that resulted in the punishments for Phi Mu. A second document, a report submitted to OESCR, describes a party that flies in the face of Panhellenic (PA) no-alcohol-during recruitment rule. The event is thrown every year on the night of the Preference Round during sorority recruitment. This year, Preference Round fell on Saturday, Feb. 10. CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
OUTGOING DEAN OF STUDENTS MIKE CURME LISTENS AT THE BLACK STATE OF THE UNION. JUGAL JAIN PHOTO EDITOR
Behind the scenes with MU’s favorite dean PROFILE
CEILI DOYLE NEWS EDITOR
Mike Curme never imagined he would be the dean of students of a university when he was in college, but at the end of this semester, he will step down from that very role at Miami University after six and a half years in the position. In fact, Curme didn’t really envision him-
self in a role outside of the Farmer School of Business (FSB). Curme had been the associate dean of FSB for five years and even after he was initially offered an interim job as the dean of students back in 2012, he was still planning on returning to teaching economics. “Then they asked, ‘Could you serve as the dean of students and the associate dean of the business school?’” Curme said. “They said, ‘You could do associate dean 75 percent and the dean of students would be 25 percent just for the spring.’
DEVON SHUMAN
MANAGING EDITOR-AT-LARGE
If you’ve been keeping up with us from the beginning, you know that Lilly and I have been through our fair share of trials and tribulations over the past four months. For 14 weeks, I’ve used this column to cover topics such as depression, anxiety, alcoholism, fear of adulthood, assuming responsibility and, in our most harrowing ordeal, Lilly running into the woods and remaining missing for five hours. If you’d never actually met us in person, I couldn’t fault you for thinking we lead somewhat of a gloomy or cheerless life. But of course, these are just the moments I’ve chosen to write about, and because fear and sadness often strike stronger emotional chords than happiness, I’ve relied somewhat too heavily on the less optimistic memories. I think that, consequently, I haven’t provided a completely accurate picture of our daily life together. Last Saturday, I received the news that my cat back home, Marshfellow, had passed away peacefully at the age of 12. I took Marsh home as a foster cat my sophomore year of high school, and within a day, I knew that I was going to keep him, that returning him to the shelter was simply not an option. For the next six-and-a-half years, I grew closer to him than any other pet my family had adopted. He was a big boy (at his heaviest, he clocked in
at just over 24 pounds) with smooth white fur, and countless nights in high school saw him falling asleep nuzzled into my lap. I was looking forward to going home in two weeks and hearing him meow curtly when I walked in the door, as if to say and where have you been, Mister?
LILLY SPORTS HER BRUINS LOVE. CONTRIBUTED BY DEVON SHUMAN
The point is, while Marsh helped me through my fair share of tough times, I would hate for people to only remember the sadder moments when
recalling his legacy — they were greatly overshadowed by the instances of joy he brought into my life, the little quirks and behaviors that defined his character, that made us go, well, that’s Marsh for ya. So, in that spirit, I want to use this last column to ignore the strife and hardship of the semester and look back on all the beautiful things I’ve come to adore about Lilly. My mom is the master of remembrances — a lifelong Girl Scout and avid Pinterest board creator, she has been known to fashion intricately designed scrapbooks to commemorate the trips our family has taken together. Most of my attempts at crafting similar projects have resulted in hot-glue burns and scattered mounds of glitter. I can’t do arts and crafts. What I can do is write. So, what follows — in not only my final column, but my final piece ever written for The Miami Student — is my personal version of a scrapbook for Lilly: a transcribed collection of the moments, images and memories with her that have made the last four months so filled with joy. I hope that, as you hunker down at King and prepare for finals week, they bring a smile to your face as well. *** Lilly’s army crawl. Despite her tiny frame, she sports the muscles of a Marine drill sergeant, and those who take her on a walk for the first time are often caught off guard by the gargantuan force with which she can yank on the leash. A couple months ago, Lilly CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
NEWS P.3
Semester in photos page 6
PSE WINS NATIONAL COMPETITION Members of the business fraternity take top honors in San Diego.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
First-years revel in second-to-last weekend
Lilly and Me: A Farewell Scrapbook LILLY & ME
“Everybody kind of joked, ‘25 percent as dean of students, yeah?’ And my first week, my first leadership meeting, the assistant vice president for health reported that she was leaving for another job...and then before the end of the semester the vice president announced she was leaving.” Suddenly, after only being appointed months before, Curme was not only the most senior ranking administrator in the
DORM LIFE
KIRBY DAVIS
OPINION EDITOR
*names have been changed to protect the identities of students* On a chilly Friday night two weeks before the end of the semester, and one hour before they plan to hike Uptown, first-years Ava and Lily clean out their room and take a statistics quiz, respectively. Ava, a curly-haired blonde who speaks softly but deliberately, dangles her broomball shoes over her trash can. “Should I throw these out?” she wonders. Lily, a serious, straighthaired blonde who already has plans for grad school, glances up from her laptop. “Just keep them,” she says. Ava tosses the dirt-caked shoes aside, into the pile of other things she’s keeping. She had apologized for the mess upon letting me in, explaining that she’s packing up to leave in two weeks. Both sides are decked out in swirling Vera Bradley prints — blue for Lily, pink for Ava. Both sides are crammed with black plastic storage boxes, and the walls
CULTURE P.4
EDITORIAL P. 12
‘I’M A STUDENT OF LIFE’
ACADEMICS OVER AESTHETICS
John Darlin proffers experiences, jewelry in Oxford Farmers Market.
Miami University must reconsider its spending priorities.
are adorned with Polaroids, painted canvases and string lights. And both sides display notes from the girls’ mothers, pinned to their bulletin boards, encouraging them to “have a great day” and to “study hard.” Now, the beds are unmade. The boxes are overflowing with textbooks and makeup. Most available surfaces are crowded with clothes, binders, Malibu rum and Gatorade bottles. Lily’s side is populated with books (“Closer to God”), DVDs (“Mean Girls,” seasons three and four of “Friends”) and glossy prom photos grinning down at her bed. Ava’s walls are mostly bare. Her mom and sister are coming tomorrow, to collect most of her clothes and leave her a car for when she herself returns to Northwest Ohio for the summer. Ava is ready to go home. Lily isn’t. A little after 7 p.m., Lily’s boyfriend of two weeks — though they’ve been unofficially together much longer — breezes into the room. “Hi,” Chris says. “I’m drunk.” Visit miamistudent.net to read the rest of the story.
SPORTS P.14
REDHAWKS ROLL BEARCATS Baseball Coach Hayden nurtures discipline, healthy monotony in team.
FALL ICE INTRAMURALS BROOMBALL, ICE HOCKEY & CURLING LEAGUES AVAILABLE FOR ALL LEVELS OF PLAY REGISTRATION THURSDAY, AUGUST 23–FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 7 2018 MIAMIOH.EDU/ICE
BROOMBALL, HOCKEY & CURLING 2018–2019
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NEWS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET
TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2018
Climate survey reveals exclusion issues at Miami SERVICE
RACHEL BERRY STAFF WRITER
Miami University welcomed the staff of Rankin and Associates Consulting to campus on Thursday, May 4 and Friday, May 5 to analyze the results of the campus climate survey, a project designed to evaluate the experience of the current climate from all members of Miami’s community. This was the first time the results of the survey, administered last semester, were released to the Miami community. President Gregory Crawford said his office was not given the data until Thursday. This release was on schedule with the original timeline, which announced results would be available in early May. However, the university previously stated that because only 17 percent of undergraduate students responded to the survey, data analysis would be impossible. Sue Rankin, founder of
Rankin and Associates and an associate professor of higher education at Penn State University, said this was not the case. “The number of students who responded is less than 30 percent, so we can’t generalize for all students,” Rankin said. “But the majority of the sample was still students, so we can do analysis. We just can’t generalize.” Rankin said the goal was 30 percent participation for all students, faculty and staff — a figure echoed by administrators when the survey closed. Miami had an overall response rate of 24 percent, including students, faculty and staff. In total, 6,702 surveys were filled out. At the results forum, Crawford spoke first, claiming these findings will lead to action. Specifically, steps will be made to address issues highlighted from the data. “It’s been a long process, but now we have some high-level results to share with you, and then subsequently over the summer,
we’ll do much more analyzation of the data and so forth,” Crawford said. “So it’s a big project, and it took some time, but we’re all happy we’re wrapping it up, and we can move on to the action step.” Rankin stated it is ultimately Miami’s job to look at the data and decide what issues need to be addressed. Over the last 20 years, Rankin & Associates have conducted more than 170 similar campus climate assessments. Rankin went on to highlight overall challenges Miami could make and opportunities for improvement. The survey results revealed that within the last year, 20 percent of all respondents personally experienced exclusionary conduct at Miami and 31 percent observed exclusionary conduct. Of those who had experienced exclusionary conduct themselves, the most frequent basis for exclusion was gender and gender identity, which Rankin stated was unusual. At most schools,
Rankin said, an individual’s position in the academic system — i.e. student, faculty or staff — is the largest basis for exclusionary conduct. Fifty-eight percent of the staff who responded had seriously considered leaving Miami, with the highest-ranking reasons being low salary, limited opportunities for advancement and increased workload. Rankin said problems with this survey include the failure to represent smaller minority groups and the fact that answers receiving five or fewer responses were combined in order to protect the identity of respondents. Also, since it was self-reported, some individuals may have failed to answer truthfully. The full results of this survey will be available on the One Miami website and at King, BEST and regional campus libraries as well as at the Miller Center for Student Disability Services. berryrd@miamioh.edu
Behind the scenes with MU’s favorite dean FROM FRONT
student affairs office by title but also by experience. So, he stuck around and stepped down as associate dean of FSB (25 percent-ing it across campus just wasn’t cutting it). He helped pick Jayne Brownell as the new vice president of student affairs and got her situated into her new position in Miami’s student affairs office as the two of them worked together to restructure the leadership roles of the division. “Now it’s two and a half years in, and I’m neck deep in work,” Curme said with a laugh. After reorganizing the positions inside student affairs, Curme focused on fostering a relationship with the city of Oxford and creating a more welcoming environment with respect to alcohol and sexual and interpersonal violence. “All of these pieces are finally coming to a place where I can feel good about them,” he said. “Now I can have someone come into the dean of students office and say, ‘here’s where we are,’ so it just makes sense. It makes sense to leave.”
Although he will be the first to defer praise from his accomplishments as dean to the student body, the reason Curme came to Miami in the first place was for a love of teaching and interacting with students. “I guess it’ll be like going from a beat cop to a desk cop, but I think it’s really just time,” he said. “It’s a demanding position, and I do think it’s possible to stay in a position too long, so I feel really good about this being the end.” It’s been a rewarding role in spite of the daily challenges of serving the president, fostering a relationship with Oxford and, most consequentially, working with students, Curme added. “We work with students who find themselves derailed from their goals, and they’re wondering whether they’re going to end being successful, not just at Miami, but in life,” Curme said. “When I think about what I did as a faculty member, the decisions my students struggled with were, ‘oh, am I gonna go to law school at Michigan, or…?’ But these decisions that we see [in student affairs] are much more at a core existential level, and to be able to assist people in that way is truly a remarkable
blessing.” Every day Curme thinks about what he would have or should have done differently. “That’s how I end every single day, with a reflection on that.” In the fall he plans on returning to the economics department, until 2021 when he will retire and leave the university. As far as the future beyond Miami goes, Curme has “just a few things” in the back of his brain —from going back to his roots to work with Chicago Public Schools (CPS), to being more involved in the credit union movement and even restructuring organ donation. “As an economist, why would we ever have anybody in the United States that had any trouble finding a donor is mystifying to me,” Curme said. “What can we do to impact and improve the organ donation process?” Looking back on the past two years, Curme has taken great pride in how much students have come together to change and improve the Miami community. “Students should continue to challenge authority and continue to question when they think things are amiss,” he said. “But, the only
times I ever feel I want to redirect that energy is to just assure them that we have 95 percent overlapping goals, and that if we ever have any hopes of accomplishing our common goals, we cannot think of this as an ‘us versus them.’” Curme has seen a little piece of himself as a college student in some of the student leaders on Miami’s campus during his time as dean, but it’s been frustrating to watch the administration and student body be at odds. “The people who end up in higher education are like the people who are involved in the thick of it now,” he said. “They want to stay in academia because they believe in the potential of education as the way to improve the world. By working together — and most definitely we are — we will build a better community.” Even after the semester ends and his time as dean is over, Curme will always have students’ backs. “I’ll be around,” he said. “I’ll block, you run; you’ve got the ball and I’ll do the dirty work.” doyleca3@miamioh.edu
First-year creates political platform for young people ACTIVISM
ERIN GLYNN
STAFF WRITER
In his first year at Miami, political science and economics double major Christian Beal has founded an organization he hopes to see go national. Beal’s group, which he created with his best friend and future Cornell University student Alec Dinwiddie, is called Young People Have a Voice Too (YPHAVT) and is intended to provide a platform for high school students to discuss political issues and formulate solutions to their communities’ specific socioeconomic problems. YPHAVT’s first project is a conference that will be held this July in downtown Chicago. The event will bring together high school students from both the suburbs and inside the city to hear from influential company CEOs and other inspirational speakers. Zion Kelly, a Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School student who lost his brother in the Parkland shooting, will be among them. Beal, along with fellow Miami student and YPHAVT board member Peyton Bondoc, was inspired by the March for Our Lives protest held after the Parkland shooting. “The March for Our Lives really inspired me to say now is
FIRST YEAR CHRISTIAN BEAL FOUNDED YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE A VOICE TOO. PHOTO BY ERIK CRAIGO
the time to have this conference because so many young people are involved, so many young people have ideas, so many young people are at the table to have these conversations with,” Beal said. “We don’t need to wait any longer. We need to put this program out here now.” Both passionate students who knew they wanted to make a difference from their first day at Miami, roommates Beal and Bondoc have no shortage of opinions on the current political climate. “We had nights in our dorm room until 3 or 4 in the morning just talking about political issues,” said Bondoc. Beal decided to bring those conversations to a more constructive setting. “Throughout our first year we talked about politics in our
room so much, but I want to talk about it in an environment where there are other kids in a professional setting with people who actually provide political influence,” Beal said. “That’s what Young People Have a Voice is all about. It’s bringing the conversations that young people have behind closed doors into the limelight.” Through conversations with political science professor Matthew Arbuckle and economics professor Gregory Niemesh, Beal got the idea to channel his zeal into formulating YPHAVT. “On a weekly basis, almost, I go into [Arbuckle’s] office, and we talk about current problems in the nation and specific problems in Chicago,” said Beal. “I think the coolest part is that they care about the problems in Chicago as much as I do. That really
means a lot to me because coming to Miami, I had no idea professors or students would care about it. Meeting Peyton, who’s from Wisconsin and seeing him caring about the problems in Chicago impacted me too.” Though the organization is starting with a Chicago conference, Beal is adamant about expanding across state lines. He purposefully selected board members from different states for his organization. “After we do the conference in Chicago, I want to sit down with everybody and decide how to make the jump from state to state,” he said. “We want to stay with bridging the inner-city and suburban kids so I think that people from Cincinnati who go to Miami would be a great help with that.” Beal is grateful to his fellow students and Miami faculty for their support as he assembled his group over this school year. “When you have an idea like mine to make this big change and big organization, you need support and confidence,” he said. “Miami students and faculty gave me the confidence to do this.” To become a part of YPHAVT or find out further information about the organization, email the board at youngpeopleavoicetoo@gmail.com. glynnee@miamioh.edu
Senate votes on nontenure cap increase FACULTY
MEGAN ZAHNEIS
MAGAZINE EDITOR
University Senate voted Monday to endorse an increase in the number of non-tenure-track faculty members the university can hire, from 20 percent of the total number of full-time tenured and tenure-track faculty to 25 percent. The move, which would apply to teaching and clinical professors, lecturers and clinical lecturers, will be presented to the Board of Trustees for approval as a resolution to university policy. A cap increase for this class of faculty members — formerly known as lecturers, clinical and professionally licensed, or LCPL — has been discussed for months. Several senators expressed consternation that it had been held for a vote until the end of the semester, calling the issue one of the most important facing the body this term. Senate Executive Chair Shelly Jarrett Bromberg said the delay was due to a holdup as the Council of Academic Deans considered the issue. In Monday’s meeting — which was called specially to vote on the cap increase — Senate Resolution 18-15 was passed by voice vote, with 43 senators in favor, nine opposing and five abstentions. But senators took over an hour to reach a vote, with several friendly amendments being raised and struck down. Five faculty members gave short speeches in support of the resolution at the start of the meeting, and included in the Senate meeting agenda were several statements of support. Each department chair in the Farmer School of Business and in the College of Education, Health and Society signed their school’s statement. A petition circulated by leaders in the College of Arts and Science (CAS) gathered 97 faculty signatures over the weekend, while John Weigand, associate dean of the College of Creative Arts (CCA), and Christopher Tanner, interim chair of the music department, submitted their own memos. Seven of the twelve department chairs in the regional campuses’ College of Liberal Arts and Applied Science (CLAAS) joined the CLAAS interim and associate deans in signing their own endorsement. If passed by the Board of Trustees, the increase will take effect for the 2018-19 academic year. zahneime@miamioh.edu
your neighbors can hear you and they’re appalled miami student.net
NEWS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET
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TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2018
Miami PSE wins national Top Chapter award for 13th time
MEMBERS OF PSE MIAMI POSE AFTER RECIEVING THE LEWIS F. GORDON TOP CHAPTER AWARD. CONTRIBUTED BY MICHAEL MURRAY
AWARDS
CÉILÍ DOYLE NEWS EDITOR
The atmosphere at the 2018 Pi Sigma Epsilon (PSE) National Convention in San Diego, CA was electric. The members of Miami University’s Gamma Gamma chapter of the business fraternity huddled around one another. They were awaiting the results of which school would win the Lewis F. Gor-
don Top Chapter award that Friday afternoon, April 13. After losing to Ohio State University (OSU) at nationals last year, tensions were running high when, all of a sudden, in a combination of nerves and good-natured stress relief, the chapter started a dance circle in the middle of the 10-minute bathroom break during the awards ceremony. “It’s hard to put into words, but it was one of those rare moments of, ‘This is what you do this type of thing for,’” said Brian McDonald,
sophomore and PSE’s director of recruitment. PSE president and junior Michael Murray recalled taking a step back with other senior members of the executive board during the height of the dancing. “We stood there and just thought, ‘This is incredible,’” Murray said. “There’s something really special here.” Upon re-taking their seats, Miami’s PSE chapter was announced as the winners of the 2018 Top Chapter award for the 13th time,
Phi Mu put on probation for alcohol violations during recruitment FROM FRONT
“The event itself is never organized in writing (i.e. groupme, text message, email, etc.) to maintain its secrecy and minimize evidence. Event details are communicated during recruitment workshops, as it is a convenient time when all members are present,” reads the document. “Chapter members’ cellphones are placed in boxes labeled ‘sophomores,’ ‘juniors,’ and ‘seniors’ … again to minimize evidence of the event occurring.” The document claims the event “is widely known within the Fraternity and Sorority community.” It goes on to describe the events of the night of Feb. 10. According to the report, PA executive board was informed of the time and location of the unsanctioned event shortly before it was supposed to start. Three members of the board took it upon themselves to confirm the party was, in fact, going on. The PA execs arrived and were welcomed to the party by a sorority member: “Oh, you can definitely just go on in.” The board members entered the party and saw sophomores, juniors and seniors drinking boxed wine. The exec members began photographing wine, solo cups and the women in attendance — photographs (in redacted form) attached to the report. The attendees did not immediately recognize the board members, though they were wearing Panhellenic shirts, according to the report. The board members proceeded to close down the event and report it to PA. The sorority was
brought to PA mediation and placed on indefinite social probation, which has now ended (this Panhellenic-imposed probation is separate from and precedes the punishment handed down by the university in April). The sorority was also given a temporary curfew and dry period, according to the document. The report also mentions the sorority’s national organization responded to the incident. “Through our Panhellenic mediation process we worked together with Phi Mu chapter leadership to come to a mutually agreed upon resolution that would both hold the chapter accountable for their actions as well as educate members in order to prevent future incidents,” wrote Emily Wolfzorn, the current PA president in an email to The Miami Student about PA’s process. “Our Phi Mu chapter has completed all of the agreed upon sanctions as well as their own chapter imposed sanctions and I am confident in Phi Mu chapter leadership’s ability to continue to hold themselves and their members to our high standards.” When asked for comment, the Miami chapter of Phi Mu, declined, referring The Miami Student to their national organization. Phi Mu’s nationals were not able to respond to comment in time for publication. The publicly available version of the report — the one acquired by The Miami Student — is partially redacted. The names of individuals, the name of the sorority responsible for the party and a smattering of other words are blacked out. Nowhere is Phi Mu CONTINUED ON 9
as well as the recipient of eight individual and smaller team awards. These additional awards included first place for Top Management Team, first place for Top PSE Salesperson to senior Shannon O’Connor, second place for Top Project Manager to senior Amy Auble and first place wins for the Top Market Research project and Top Sales/ Marketing Project. PSE Miami also secured first place in the Case Competition Study and second for Chapter Recruitment Team, respectively. Sophomore Sara Foley was recognized as a finalist in the National Speakers Competition while O’Connor and seniors Mitali Kulkarni and Lauren Boyd were named finalists in the Pro-Am Competition. “After losing to OSU last year, just knowing all the hard work that came to fruition for everyone individually and as teams and to win top chapter for the 13th time on Friday the 13th was amazing,” Murray said. It was especially rewarding for Pravali Kothakota to experience a team win as a senior after spending her four years in PSE. “Every single accomplishment that I have achieved at Miami has been through PSE,” Kothakota said. “That experience and sense of professionalism is not something that can be replicated in class, and
Bias incident reporting made easier ACTIVISM
JULIA ARWINE STAFF WRITER
One of activist group Black Action Movement 2.0’s (BAM 2.0) initial demands has been met with a new tool on the myMiami homepage that allows students to easily report bias and discrimination incidents. “We demand Incident Reporting Forms to be more accessible and visible to students, faculty and staff,” read the seventh demand on BAM 2.0’s April 3 list. The list of demands went into greater detail relating to this demand, including setting an April 13 deadline for its implementation and specifying the link on the myMiami page to the Office of Equity and Equal Opportunity be spelled out rather than simply listed by its acronym, OEEO. Outgoing Dean of Students Mike Curme coordinated with Miami’s IT services to get OEEO spelled out within 24 hours of the statement’s release. He then continued to work with IT, BAM 2.0 and other offices to make the incident reporting forms easier to access. The resulting button, which went live on the myMiami page on April 27, can be found in the Quick Tools section of the homepage with the links to Canvas, BannerWeb and other important sites for students. Curme considered putting the link on the page for the Office of Diversity Affairs, the Women’s Center or the Dean of Students but ultimately decided
the myMiami page was most accessible and visible to all Miami students and faculty. “We want to give students the opportunity to speak up,” Curme said. “And if it’s possible to respond, we will.” Clicking the tool leads the user to a page on the Miami Diversity and Inclusion website with a link to the bias incident reporting form. The page also contains links to EthicsPoint and a place for faculty to report concerns about students, and has resources for reporting sexual assault, harassment and discrimination and hate crimes. “There is a lot of overlap between tools,” Curme said. “We want to give students options.” The bias incident reporting form, which requires a Miami UniqueID to access, allows a person to describe in detail an incident pertaining to him- or herself or to another group or person. The form asks for the date, time, location, type — such as verbal or written comment — and basis — such as race, gender or disability — of the incident.
EVENTS THIS WEEK
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it was so exciting to be on the forefront of things as a senior.” McDonald said the bond he has experienced with the people in PSE during college is unforgettable. “At the end of the day, if we don’t win, that doesn’t change the relationships we built or the work we’ve done,” McDonald said. “But then we did win, and that was awesome,” he added with a laugh. The members of Miami’s PSE chapter have been working toward this win since last year’s loss to OSU and have been preparing for the presentations at nationals since January. “It was really amazing as a new member to see so much growth that happened over the course of the year,” McDonald said. “Everyone worked toward this constantly with an aggressive and committed approach after last year’s much more lackadaisical attitude.” Murray is looking forward to repeating April’s success at nationals next year and is honored by how much his organization’s members care about one another. “The hard work they put into this is what really matters,” Murray said. “They care about this organization, but more importantly they also care about people and each other.” doyleca3@miamioh.edu
The person making the report can then indicate how he or she would like the university to follow up on the incident, and choose from a variety of agencies and offices to be notified. “The university would like to be aware of these incidents,” Curme said. “We want to make it so everyone feels comfortable here.” Because BAM 2.0 spurred these changes, Curme and other administrators updated them throughout the process while working together on other matters pertaining to the movement. This resulted in a finished product both BAM 2.0 and Curme are satisfied with. “I would say we are pleased with the changes we have seen,” said Josiah Collins, spokesperson for BAM 2.0. “Having that link easily accessible on the myMiami page is the kind of transparency we’re looking for. BAM really played a role in giving administration an expectation for what we were looking for and they did a great job meeting the demand and getting the job done.” Vice President of Student Affairs Jayne Brownell is also heading the development of a website to post running updates on the university’s progress with BAM 2.0. Although the site is still in its early stages, once completed, it will help keep the public informed as the administration continues to work with BAM 2.0 towards satisfying their other demands. arwinejk@miamioh.edu
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Events to catch this week on Miami’s campus and in Oxford
PiYo in Uptown Park Uptown Park, 4 N. Main St. Today, 6 p.m. Get your PiYo on with a free class Uptown! Certified instructor Melanie McDaniel will be leading a class every Tuesday evening this summer. PiYo is a combination of pilates and yoga, suitable for people of all ages. Grab your yoga mat and stop on by!
Miami University Symphony Orchestra
A Cappella 2018: A Final Note
“The Suicide Man” Film Premiere
Hall Auditorium Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Hall Auditorium Saturday, 7-9 p.m.
Wilks Theater Sunday, 7 p.m.
The final concert of the season includes audience favorites such as Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries,” Dvorak’s “Slavonic Dance Op. 46 No. 8” and Ravel’s “Bolero.” The permonance features the three winners of the 2018 Concerto Competition, Alexandra Rose Hotz, Jacob Hill and Charles Gately. The concert is free and open to the public.
Come one, come all to the last a cappella concert of the school year! It’s your last chance this semester to hear the Treblemakers, Misfitz, Open Fifth, Soul2Soul and Just Duet do what they do best. Tickets are $5 presale online or at the H.O.M.E. office and $8 at the door. Doors open at 6 p.m.
Join Capstone Pictures in celebrating the culmination of an entire semester’s worth of work at the premiere of their film, “The Suicide Man.” The film tells the story of David, former leader of a depression support group, whose intense inward struggles with depression and suicide reveal his supernatural gift: the ability to defy death.
4 CULTURE
TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2018
RIGAZIKM@MIAMIOH.EDU
Drenched at the Derby: Fourteen years for more than two minutes
EMILY (SECOND FROM RIGHT) AND FRIENDS TRY TO STAY DRY AT CHURCHILL DOWNS. CONTRIBUTED BY EMILY SIMANSKIS SPORTS EDITOR
DERBY
EMILY SIMANSKIS SPORTS EDITOR
The Kentucky Derby has forever been dubbed “the most exciting two minutes in sports,” and Churchill Downs is easily one of the most historic sporting venues in North America. But the nickname and common knowledge forgets the 10 hours before those exciting two minutes and the people who fill the venue. It was something more than the
124.5 seconds it took for Justify to win the Derby, more than the Twin Spires watching over the saddling paddock where I stood for five hours in the rain. It was something intangible – something I still can’t put my finger on – that made Derby Day as magical as it was. Let’s be clear – I’ve been obsessed with horses since I was seven, so I know racehorses should run one-eighth of a mile in 12 seconds. When I was nine, I cried because I had grown too tall to be a jockey, so I know the average height of the riders this year was around five feet. And, sometime in elementary
school, my mom and I turned on the TV on the first Saturday of May and watched the “Run for the Roses” for the first time, so the excitement of the Kentucky Derby was not lost on me. But there’s only so much you can read, watch and hear about the Derby. Those shots of fans in colorful dresses, suit-jackets and atrocious hats in the grandstand forget the masses who paid for general admission tickets. They forget those who have just as much, if not more, fun trekking through the wet grass of the infield nursing their fifth $14
mint julep. The online analysis of Kentucky Derby horses and the racing programs that bettors pore over can’t adequately detail the rippling muscles of the two- and three-year-old fillies and colts as they walk from the barns to the paddock. They can’t describe the sheer athleticism of the horses quite literally thundering past you on the turf field when you stand watching at the infield fence. Those books detailing the history and architecture of Churchill Downs will never be able to capture the feeling of standing at that infield fence, looking over your shoulder at the Twin Spires. It’s impossible to write how it feels to walk with the ghosts of horse racing greats, through a venue built 144 years ago. The six-hour NBC Sports prerace coverage can’t prepare you for the audible desperation of owners, riders and horses as races are run throughout the day. They don’t show the crumpled betting tickets on the ground and they don’t play the amateur cries of, “Come on number four!” or the more experienced suggestions of, “Let him out now, Mike” directed toward the live-feed screens that are always in your field of vision. The after-race close-ups of winning horse, rider and trainer can’t convey the excitement of more than 157,000 people becoming part of history. The close ups of wealthy owners don’t show the older gentleman who offered me a dry rain poncho as I was standing in my white outfit under a fan drying out between races. They don’t show
you the drunk woman good-heartedly calling to me and my three friends, “You look like condoms!” as we marched back into the rain with our poncho hoods up. And, those close ups certainly can’t show you the overwhelming feeling of happiness and contentedness filling nearly everyone, even on the wettest Kentucky Derby in 100 years. I can count on one hand the number of people who were not thoroughly enjoying themselves amidst the relentless rain. And, if you envision those little girls holding their mom’s or dad’s hands as they walk through Churchill Downs and experience the Kentucky Derby for the first time, you probably don’t think of all the little horse-obsessed girls in 21-year-old bodies. You don’t think of the three college juniors who had been dreaming of going to the Derby for 10 years and who had been planning the trip for three. You don’t think about those girls marching through Churchill Downs for eight hours in the rain, trying to make sure their inner seven-year-olds are satisfied with their experience. There’s something intangible about watching the “Run for the Roses” for the first time at Churchill Downs, something I still can’t explain. But, that’s what magic is — something you can’t see, hear or read about, but something you have to experience to fully understand. simansec@miamioh.edu
Square Dancing: A cornerstone of the Oxford community DANCE
MAYA FENTER STAFF WRITER
“Hey y’all, let’s square it up,” Kevin Blakely said over the mi1crophone. The people sitting in the chairs lining the edge of the Oxford Community Arts Center Ballroom stood up and gathered toward the center of the room forming a square with two people making up each side. Hence, square dancing. “We got beginners?” Kevin asked the group of eight standing on the floor. There were a few stray people still seated, either because they just wanted to watch or because there weren’t enough people to make another whole square. Turnout was lower this time for one reason or another. Usually, they have enough people for at least two squares, and sometimes as many as four. A middle-aged woman in a lime green polo raised her hand. “It’s been a long time,” she explained. “So you’re not a beginner,” Kevin corrected with a smile. Kevin stood at the front of the ballroom on a red carpet alongside Judy and Warren Waldron — Judy with an acoustic guitar hanging across her body and Warren cradling his violin. Together, they are the root of the Jericho Old Time Band. This is only one of three bands that the married couple is a part of, and the key component of the Oxford Community Square Dance, which takes place on the first Friday of every month.
Warren and Judy first met at Miami. Warren was a theatre major in the class of 1978 and Judy was getting her masters degree in educational psychology. Judy and Warren also both worked for the university — Judy as the Director of the Western College Alumnae Association and Warren in the General Accounting Office. “You’re not going to get rich playing the banjo unless you’re really good or committed to starvation,” Warren said. One summer night in 1974, the pair saw a square dance uptown. They met Jim Hackworth, the caller and Kevin’s grandfather, and offered to play for him whenever he had a gig in the area. They played for fraternities, churches, schools and county fairs until Jim retired and Judy took over calling. Warren and Judy got married in 1983, the same year that they held their first square dance in the Ballroom. The event then moved to the Shriver Center, which was the student center back then, and brought community members and students together. In 2011, just after they had formed the Jericho Old Time Band, the Oxford Community Square Dance secured its spot at the Oxford Community Arts Center. “All the rest of it, you just kinda have to listen to me and you’ll kind of catch on,” Kevin said. “It doesn’t matter if you mess up or we go slow or you have to catch up, it just doesn’t matter.” Kevin called along to the music, sometimes singing songs that incorporated the various calls, other times just speaking them to the rhythm.
COMMUNITY MEMBERS LAUGH AND DANCE AT THE OXFORD COMMUNITY SQUARE DANCE. BO BRUECK THE MIAMI STUDENT
Swing your partner. Allemande left with your left hand. Promenade, go two by two. Warren believes that dancing is one of the best ways to experience music. “With dancing, you not only get to learn the music, but you get to apply it,” he said. The square dance is open to all ages and ability levels, though it is most popular among community members. The crowd was mostly older men and women, with one girl who looked like she was about high school age. One man was wearing jeans, a dark red button down shirt, brown boots, a black cow-
boy hat and a belt complete with an oversized oval-shaped buckle in the front and a holster on one side. It was clumsy at times — people would try to turn in the wrong direction or fall a few beats behind and leave someone without a hand to hold — but in an endearing way. It was all part of the fun. By the end of the second song, everyone stood in the square laughing. “I look at dance as community building,” Warren said. “It’s neutral turf. Everything else goes out the window.” fentermc@miamioh.edu
Lilly and Me: A Farewell Scrapbook FROM FRONT
spotted a groundhog in our backyard, and ever since, her first order of business when I take her out back to use the bathroom is to make a beeline for the hole it had disappeared into to check if it’s back. When she inevitably senses resistance on the leash, rather than pull up, she decides to double down on her pursuit. With her nose to the ground, she slinks methodically across the lawn, legs forcefully bent, her stomach grazing the tips of the grass, as she pulls me to the spot with all of her might. If only she could display the same sort of determination when getting into the bathtub... *** Lilly’s ears. In addition to her goofy waddle, long snout and relatively small size for a shepherd, Lilly’s floppy ears make me convinced that she has dachshund in her. Additionally, like her short-haired coat, her ears are incredibly smooth. I don’t know what it is about smooth fur on animals that makes
me so happy, but every time I pet her, I feel like a raver on ecstasy suddenly discovering how amazing their silk shirt feels. Whenever anyone stops to pet her on our walks (read: often), they’ll always exclaim, “Oh, she’s so soft,” and I’ll routinely reply, “Feel her ears. They’re even softer.” Furthermore, the happiest moment of my day is when I return from class, open up my front door, peer back through the hallway and into my bedroom and see her sitting in her crate, her once-floppy ears perked straight up in excitement at my arrival. *** Lilly’s nighttime routine. Throughout the day, Lilly’s enthusiasm level resembles that of a puppy (she’s three-and-a-half. One of the reasons I opted against a puppy was not wanting to put up with that much energy. Alas, here I am…). Luckily, come nightfall, she can turn it off, and she’s actually a pretty heavy sleeper. What this means is that every night, right around 10 p.m., she starts giving CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
LILLY PROUDLY SHOWS OFF HER SOFTER-THAN-SILK EARS. BO BRUECK THE MIAMI STUDENT
MITCHE49@MIAMIOH.EDU
CULTURE 5
TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2018
MIAMI UNIVERSITY MEN’S GLEE CLUB HOLDS 111TH HOME CONCERT SERIES MUSIC
MAIA ANDERSON STAFF WRITER
Miami University Men’s Glee Club held their 111th annual Home Concert series over the weekend in Hall Auditorium. The concert, named because the Glee Club was the first group to perform in Hall Auditorium when it was built in 1908, is the culmination of a year’s worth of work for the club. Friday night’s concert featured the Men’s Chorus from nearby Lebanon High School under direction of Miami alumni Kristi Ross, while Saturday night showcased just the Glee Club, the only concert of the year to do so. According to Jeremy Jones, conductor of the club since 2010, they have worked with the John C. “Doc” Wabrick Men’s Glee Club Commission Series every year since 2012 to premiere 14 new works of male choral music. “We collaborate with recognized composers to bring new male choral repertoire to the world of choral music,” said Jones. This concert featured seven of the pieces written for the Glee Club since then. Seniors are traditionally recognized at the Home Concert since it is their last performance with the club. During the concert Jones calls the seniors’ names and shakes each of their hands as they line the stage, their families and friends cheering them on. According to graduating senior and current club president Alex Wortman, the event stirs up a lot of emotion. “It’s very sentimental to the seniors because this chapter of our life is coming to an end,” said Wortman. “We’re crying because this group means a lot to us, but seeing the young guys so eager to be part of the group is really
great.” Wortman, a finance major with double minors in geography and urban planning, joined the group as a first year thanks to the advice of his older sister, a 2011 Miami alumna. He says the club has been a transformative experience. “I’ve developed lifelong friends that I never knew coming into Miami,” said Wortman. “We’re so different with our backgrounds, ethnicities, sexualities and academic interests, but we’re all able to come together as one and celebrate our differences and share our music with everyone.” As Wortman prepares to graduate and take the next step in his life, junior American studies major Andrew McKnight is ready to fill his shoes as Glee Club president. McKnight joined the glee club his sophomore year when he was a piano performance major looking to fill a class requirement. Now completing his fourth semester with the group, he says the club “turned into the happiest accident ever.” “Club has helped me grow up and learn who I am as a man,” said McKnight. “Coming into college freshman year I was very lost. I didn’t have a solid friend group for a while, and Glee Club gave me that.” Each year the Home Concerts also feature Glee Club alumni. Visiting alumni are invited to the stage at the end of the concert, wearing signifying ribbons, for five traditional Glee Club pieces. According to junior economics major and incoming club vice president Brandon Klein, there tends to be around 40 alumni at the concerts each year. Klein has been involved in the Glee Club since his first semester at Miami and has travelled with the group several times. Last summer he travelled around Europe with the club,
‘TARTUFFE’ IS MORE POLITICAL THAN EVER
A SOLOIST PERFORMS AT MEN’S GLEE CLUB CONCERT. DANIELLE NEHRING THE MIAMI STUDENT
performing 11 concerts over 17 days in Germany, Luxembourg, France, Czech Republic and Austria. He’s also done several domestic trips with the group, travelling to Chicago, Florida and Michigan. “Glee Club has really given me a home,” said Klein. “It’s given me a place to go to hang out with all my really close friends. I can’t imagine college without being in this group.” Senior math and statistics major and current club treasurer Jimmy Dudley says he also feels the Glee Club has given him unique opportunities during his time at Miami. Dudley joined the group his freshman year and has been involved every semester except a semester he spent studying abroad. For him, Glee Club was a whole new world. “I’d never sang in a choir before, but I liked music a lot and wanted to continue it in a new and different way,” said Dudley. “I met a guy at a
MADELINE MITCHELL CULTURE EDITOR
REVIEW
ERIN GLYNN
THE MIAMI STUDENT
Featuring a man insistent on his own intelligence, dismissive of women and easily controlled by someone even more arrogant, the Department of Theatre’s production of “Tartuffe” proved the necessity of art in challenging those in power. The play centers on Orgon, a nobleman who has welcomed Tartuffe, a man feigning piety, into his home. This spurs reactions from his family as they assess Tartuffe and try to warn Orgon of his hypocrisy. The play was written by 17th century French actor and playwright Molière to point out hypocrisy in the Catholic Church, but as director Lewis Magruder emphasizes in the program, “there are implications for a nation [when] we allow our capacity for critical thinking to erode.” The show also resonates in an era of #MeToo, as its female characters try desperately to convince their patriarch, Orgon, of Tartuffe’s treachery. A well-known piece of classical theatre, “Tartuffe” was an excellent choice to round out the Department of Theatre’s season and display its actors’ ranges. Though the material can seem dense, this production made the play accessible and incredibly relevant in our current political climate, without being too heavy-handed. Sophomore theatre major Samuel Adams’s performance as the title character who wields his charisma as a weapon throughout the show was utterly charming. Orgon was the great comedic figure of the production, attempting to assert his power as it grew more and more obvious that his family was entirely out of his control, and junior theatre major Benjamin Cobb was engaging in the role. First-year theatre major Elizabeth Bode was also unflag-
gingly entertaining as Dorine, endeavoring to keep the household together. Another first-year, Eleanor Alger, as Madame Pernelle, Orgon’s mother, was hilarious as she strutted across the stage, punctuating her lines with bangs of her cane, at one point making the audience laugh just by walking into the scene. The entire cast expertly handled the show’s dialogue, which consisted entirely of rhyming couplets, and were always captivating as they directed saucy comments in asides to the audience. The set and costume design were both ingenious and complemented each other marvelously. The cold marble of the set was disrupted by flat pieces painted with bright colors that highlighted the off-kilter energy of the play. Scenic designer Gion DeFrancesco was inspired by the work of artist John Baldessari and wrote in the show’s program that “the fake, two-dimensional cutouts seem out of place, yet they create a playful dynamic between reality and perception, flatness and dimension, stillness and energy.” This theme was echoed in the costumes which also featured two-dimensional elements. One character wore a dress with a bow printed on the skirt, rather than actually attached. Another had a flat handkerchief sticking out of a breast pocket. This attention to detail was commendable. Costume designer Meggan Peters wrote in the program that through these details she “tried to capture this feeling of deceptive appearances [and] inject a bit of clownlike fun into the absurd and somewhat dire situations in which the characters find themselves.” The play ended with Tartuffe’s exposure and arrest which was a reassuring bit of hope for those who worry that we are living in a post-truth society, but nevertheless served as a warning to all to think critically. glynnee@miamioh.edu
CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
John Darlin: Seeing the World Through Rose-Colored Glasses PEOPLE
ACTORS FILL THE STAGE FOR THE OPENING SCENE OF ‘TARTUFFE.’ GION DEFRANCESCO DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE
fraternity get together and he told me to email Dr. Jones. I got an audition and I’ve been here ever since.” Dudley says the group has given him more than he could’ve imagined. “To me Glee Club means brotherhood, life long friends and countless memories,” said Dudley. The concert featured several guest artists including Nicole Holman on cello, Doug Lindsay on trumpet and percussion by David Rim, Jordan Bicknell, Patrick Schoeppner, RJ Schaefer and Thomas Stanley. Solos were performed by several members of the glee club. The Cheezies, an a cappella group formed by club members, performed “Falling Slowly” from the musical “Once.” The group, accompanied by pianist Jon
Uptown Oxford’s Farmers Market is full of more than just fresh produce and colorful flowers. Students and locals alike may at first come for the shopping, but it is hard to leave without collecting a story or two from jewelry artist John Darlin, who has had a life full of adventure. “I just explore everything that comes along,” John, 82, said. “People ask me, ‘Well, what do you do?’ and I say, ‘I’m a student of life.’ And that’s been my philosophy. If it’s there, and you’ve got the time, do it. Just do it. I’ve had so much fun in life.” It would be unfair to classify John Darlin as strictly a jeweler or businessman. John has acted as a lifeguard, photographer, toastmaster, teacher, owner of a boat marina, French interpreter, rescue diver, pilot, parachutist, restaurant owner and auctioneer, among other things. For the past 29 years, John has made jewelry out of gold and silver wire. His work is displayed at Gallery 708 in Cincinnati, and he sells his designs at various markets and festivals, as well as online. Larry Slocum, the manager of the Oxford Farmers Market, remembers the moment that John first came to set up on a Saturday morning Uptown. “He made an inquiry through an email, and wanted to know if he could attend the market and what were the rules and regulations,” Slocum said. “I sent him an application, and he came on a Saturday and he’s been there ever since. He enjoys the people.” John has had great success as a jewelry artist. He was asked by the Governor of Kentucky to make a design for his special guests at the 131st Kentucky Derby. The governor’s wife was so impressed with the bracelets that the next year she asked John to make another bracelet design for her own guests. This bracelet is now John’s bestseller, and is called “The First Lady’s Choice.” For John, his success comes from a lifetime of good work ethic and a desire to try new things. “I’ve had 18 businesses in 70 years,” John said. “And I started out as a paperboy in Cleveland at age 10.” John was born in inner-city Cleveland on the day of the leap year in 1936. He was the youngest of four boys. When he was 6 years old, in 1942, his mother passed away. A few years later his father remarried. John’s childhood was a blur of moving from city to city. By the time he graduated high school, he had gone to 13 schools in 12 years. He ran away from home his senior year. After three weeks on the road, John was found and brought back home. “Running away really put me behind in everything, my classes,” he said. “But there was a chemistry teacher, Mr. Keefer, and he was the only one out of all of my teachers that took me aside.” With Mr. Keefer’s guidance, John caught up
with his studies and graduated at 17 on a Friday. Two days later, he was on a train to a Navy base in Cambridge, Maryland. John proved to be an an excellent sailor. He tested into an electronics school while in the Navy, and when he came back home in 1957 he started working at the International Development and Research Company in Columbus. “I found out I didn’t like electronics as much as I thought I did,” John said. “I had to work in a lab with a bunch of scientists. And they were boring as hell! I was adventurous.” John found many ways to satisfy his thirst for adventure. For 30 years, John traveled the world snow skiing and meeting new people. He then decided to buy a boat and go sailing. This is when John’s wife, Val Darlin, came into the picture. Val met John at the Wild Duck Cafe in Aurora, Indiana. Val was working at a children’s hospital. “It was karaoke night, and my daughter wanted to go to karaoke,” Val said. “And my friends will never let me go out by myself again.” After a few months of dating, John gave his wifeto-be an ultimatum: he told her that he was going to go on his boat down to the Gulf of Mexico, and that she was invited to go with him, but that she had to marry him first. Val quit her job at the hospital and boarded ‘Hello Darlin’ for the adventure of a lifetime. They spent four years on a 60 foot boat together. “Not much living space, but a heck of a backyard,” Val said. Now, a typical day in the life of John Darlin starts with a 60-pound husky/schnauzer mix and a 25-pound miniature Doberman pincher jumping onto his bed to wake him up. This is usually at about 6:30 a.m., and then John shares coffee with his wife as they discuss what they would like to do with their day. “Our day has no structure,” he said. “We take things as they come along.” John has done about 600 shows to date, and this is his last year that he’ll be selling his jewelry before he decides to hang it up. Once Darlin does quit his jewelry business for good, the Oxford Farmers Market will not be the same. “He loves to wander out from his booth and just engage with people,” Slocum said. “On the other side of him is the children’s area, and he’ll always come engage with the kids. I just enjoy that he loves to interact with people and is always there offering his sense of humor and help.” With his 29 years in the business, John sold over 2.5 million dollars worth of jewelry, and made more than 30,000 bracelets. “It’s not that I dislike it,” he said. “My hands dislike it. They’ve got a lot of arthritis in them.” What John likes the most about having his own business is meeting and getting to know new people. “I get a lot of joy out of just talking to people,” he said. “I took the Myers-Briggs, you know what that is? Well, it came through and it said, ‘You look at the world through rose-colored glasses.’ I think the world is a great place. And I think the people in it are great.” mitche49@miamioh.edu
6
Semester in Photos
7
TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2018
TMSPHOTOEDITOR@GMAIL.COM
M
y first entire semester as a photo editor has been a truly amazing experience. It has made me look at Miami with a perspective I have not been able to put into words. I don’t trust words, I trust photos. It takes more than a camera to be a good photographer, and for me, it was always the people. I really love my photo and news staff which is the best part of this job. My photographers, not their cameras, are the instruments which have made the newspaper colorful and visually pleasing. They have always been willing to help me out in a bind. While the moments with my fellow staffers in the newsroom during production have passed by so quickly this semester, they are always safe in my camera. Jugal Jain Photo Editor
Kip Alishio, Miami’s Student Counselling Services Director retires after 33 years Erik Craigo The Miami Student
Ella Cope organized a student walkout in response to the Parkland shooting. Jugal Jain Photo Editor
Tammy Kernodle was awarded the Benjamin Harrison Medallion. Colleen Grimm The Miami Student
Dennis Lieberman reflects on retirement from the Board of Trustees. Erik Craigo The Miami Student
(Above) Community members talk alcohol and hazing at ‘City Matters’ Forum . Jugal Jain Photo Editor (Left) BAM 2.0 met with administration, addressing their demands. Jack Evans Editor-in-Chief
(Left) Miamians ‘Take Back the Night’ against Miami’s climate related to sexual and genderbased violence. Jugal Jain Photo Editor (Below) Anthropology students dig for artifacts outside McGuffey Museum. Sebastian Neufuss The Miami Student (Right) Hannah Abigail Clarke begins the Pride Parade with a speech. Sabik Akand The Miami Student (Bottom Right) Third graders from Kramer Elementary School fight racism. Jugal Jain Photo Editor
Former senior defenseman Louie Belpedio celebrates a goal at home. Belpedio currently plays in the NHL for the Minnesota Wild. Angelo Gelfuso The Miami Student
Freshman guard Nike Sibande dunks on Eastern Michigan at Millett Hall. Jugal Jain Photo Editor
8 FYI
TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2018
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MIAMI UNIVERSITY MEN’S GLEE CLUB HOLDS 111TH HOME CONCERT SERIES FROM PAGE 5
Sanford, kept the audience entertained throughout the duration of their two-hour concert as they danced and clapped along to most songs. McKnight says he feels the concert was a big success. “You can always do better with performing,” he said. “But when you sink your heart and soul into it and it brings you to tears and you can see the audience react the same way, it means you’re doing something right.” This year’s Home Concerts were increasingly special as they
served as a preview for live performances of the club’s upcoming CD. According to McKnight, the club recorded a CD with Albany Records three years ago and were almost immediately asked to do another. Beginning the week after finals, the club will be in Hall Auditorium for eight hours a day, four days a week. The process of recording is rigorous and involves turning off all air conditioning and lights in the auditorium to avoid unnecessary background noise. The CD is set to be released in August, but a specific date is not yet known. ander198@miamioh.edu
Track and Field travels to Buffalo for MAC Championships FROM PAGE 14
petitors to earn more points for their team. The women finished fifth last season in team scoring, easily above the cutoff for this year’s changed rules. After a third place finish at the Mid-American Cross Country Championships earlier this school year, Coach Chorny is excited to see what the team can do. Highly seeded RedHawks for the women include senior Maria Scavuzzo who holds the No. 2 spot in the five kilometers race, as well as the 10 kilometers race. Senior Alesha Vovk will attempt to medal – she currently holds the No. 3 spot in the 3,000 meters steeplechase. Vovk will also compete in the 1,500 meters. Sophomore Carly Davis holds the No. 6 spot in the 5,000 meters. She finished eighth in the event last year for the ’Hawks. In the sprints, the Red and White turn to sophomore Olivia
Lilly and Me: A Farewell Scrapbook FROM PAGE 4
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Audrey Davis Kirby Davis Alison Perelman Managing Editors
NEWS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET
Bechtel. Bechtel holds the No. 3 spot in the 400 meters dash and the No. 5 spot in the 200 meters dash. She will also be competing in the 4x100 meters and 4x400 meters relays for the Redhawks. Junior Kalliopi Kountouri holds the No. 6 spot in the 400, followed closely by junior Emily Hooker in the No. 7 position. To round out the women to watch in the field events, senior Aaryn Gray is seeded fourth in the javelin throw and finished fourth in the conference last year. Sophomore Hannah Falcione hopes to crack a podium position as she is currently seeded 10th in the women’s triple jump. Junior Emily Fletchall currently sits 13th in the conference in the women’s pole vault. All in all, expect a strong showing from the RedHawks. The MACtion will begin around 10 a.m. on Thursday and will continue through Saturday afternoon. hartwejm@miamioh.edu
me “the look,” as in what are we still doing awake? Often, in an effort to nudge me toward bed, she’ll stand up and trot into my room. She’ll then pause. When I don’t follow her, she’ll trot back out and give me “the look” again before turning around and heading back. Rinse. Repeat. My roommates have even turned this into a little game, watching her as she walks back to the bedroom, staring her down when she turns around and laughing when she inevitably skips right back out to the living room. *** Lilly’s various noises. Lilly being my first dog, I’ve been blessed with a furry companion who doesn’t bark. Ever. I’ve had her for over four months, and in that time, at least, she hasn’t uttered a single woof. That doesn’t mean she’s silent, however. Among her cadre of doggie noises, we have the growl, which she exhibits forcefully whenever a male dog tries to get some; the whimper, a rare audible expression of her anxiety; the snore (remember, I said she was a heavy sleeper); and the sigh, which is never split into smaller exhalations but rather reserved for one big harrrrumph, to which I always reply, “Me too, sweetie.” Of course none of these is as common or as adorable as the grumble, Lilly’s favorite noise. Its versatile translation ranges from “You are taking too long to get ready for the walk” to “That biscuit was delicious. I could use another.” *** Lilly’s acrobatic abilities. Because Lilly’s only bathroom incidents have occurred when she’s loose in the house and I’m not home, I always put her in her crate before leaving. But, if I’m just running out for a moment, maybe to take the garbage out or grab something from my car, I won’t bother. Watching me leave without her (is he going to the park with another dog?), Lilly begins to panic, and in an effort to see where I’m going, she’ll leap up and place her paws on the sill of our front window so she can stand like a person and keep an eye on me. Every time I exit the house, I wait to hear the little click of her nails hitting the window. *** Lilly’s poop. I’ll keep this brief for the more squeamish among us, but Lilly’s bowel movements are
something to behold. I even considered writing a column titled “On Feces” at one point, but in one of my better moments of editorial judgment, I decided against it. What blows me away is that Lilly is not a big eater — it’s usually a process to get her interested in her dinner. Yet, every day at the park, she’ll produce something I would be impressed to see from a human being. It defies the Law of the Conservation of Feces, which states that poop cannot be created nor destroyed; in other words, what comes out must have first gone in. Yes, it’s gross, but I can’t help but feel overwhelmed with fatherly pride whenever I see her jog to the far corner of the park and squat. *** Lilly’s twitches. Every evening before bed, Lilly will sit and let me remove her collar for the night. Then, when I settle back into bed, she’ll hop up onto the mattress, make herself comfortable, clean herself and fall asleep. Once she’s really out, she’ll occasionally start twitching slightly, her nostrils flaring back and forth and her leg kicking out to the side, I’m assuming in pursuit of the squirrels of her dreams. When she does that, I’ll look up from my book or phone, watch her and smile. For a dog with this level of anxiety to feel comfortable enough to fall into such a deep slumber right next to me, well, it tells me that she’s happy in her new home. And I’m happy she’s here. *** Of course I could go on, but for the sake of my editor’s blood pressure, I’m going to cut the word count here. That’s all for me and Lilly for now. When I hit send on this document, my career at the Student will officially be over. While I’m ready for Lilly and me to move on to bigger things, the thought of parting ways with this publication that’s been my home for the past four years — through my many ups and downs — leaves me with a bittersweet taste in my mouth. But I know the paper’s in good hands. And though the thought of the unknown once filled me with crippling dread, I know now that wherever the next chapter takes me, someday I’ll find myself among a similar community, an equal group of friends I won’t want to leave behind. And when that day comes, I know I’ll have countless more moments to add to Lilly’s scrapbook. Thank you, and farewell. shumandb@miamioh.edu
Miami Baseball “pushes the rock” FROM PAGE 14
and focused. “If we didn’t love Miami so much, then I think we’d be a bunch of clowns out there running around because we do have some big personalities and we do have some funny guys,” Hayden said. “And if we didn’t love baseball so much, it probably wouldn’t look like all that much fun. I think because of those two things, that’s why we play the game the way we do.” Hayden credits his assistant coaches for helping him create the loose, yet focused culture. He and his staff lead by example through their work ethic -- one that is easy for players to buy into. The players have bought into that attitude and it’s working. Miami currently ranks second in the Mid-American Conference standings and holds a 26-15 record (11-7 in MAC). The team has already surpassed its win total from last season. By staying level-headed, the RedHawks have won ten games in extra innings or walk-off
fashion. But on May 2, the RedHawks aren’t thinking about that. They aren’t dwelling on the recent win over Cincinnati or past games. Coach Hayden is singing a country song while operating the Iron Mike automatic pitching machine. The machine spits balls towards Dauch, who is practicing his bunting. Dauch fouls a ball back into the netting behind home plate and yells at himself. Junior catcher Hayden Senger joins in, telling Dauch he’s going through a “bunting slump.” Dauch wants another chance. Hayden gives it to him. He puts the ball in the machine and Dauch lays down a perfect bunt. The team revels in the little things -- the things many players would view as chores, like bunting practice during a bunting slump. The guys are simply having fun, playing baseball and pushing the rock. vinelca@miamioh.edu
phew, he’s still there. miamistudent.net/amuse-u-finale 10 SIGNS YOUR DRINKING OR DRUG USE IS GETTING OUT OF CONTROL
1. Your grades are seriously slipping. 2. Your friends are seriously worried. 3. Your reputation needs damage control. 4. You’re drinking & using to deal with the blow-back from drinking & using. 5. You can’t handle social situations without a full red cup. 6. You’re burning through your relationships. 7. You have no idea what happened last night. Again. 8. Your Cabo fund just went to pay DUI fines. 9. You’ve tried to stop drinking and using but … 10. Deep down, you know you need help. Seriously, you really need help. Sound familiar? It’s your call.
The Haven at Miami University is an Independently Owned and Operated Outpatient Center
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NEWS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET
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TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2018
Phi Mu put on probation for alcohol violations during recruitment FROM PAGE 3
PHOTOS ATTACHED TO REDACTED REPORT ABOUT THE FEBRUARY 10 PHI MU EVENT.
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explicitly mentioned. Though OESCR director Susan Vaughn declined to confirm whether or not the redacted report was related to the Phi Mu sanctions, Phi Mu was confirmed as the host of the Feb. 10 event by comments from Wolfzorn and from previous members of PA’s executive board. While all names within the February report were redacted, titles were not. The three PA executive members who discovered, documented and then reported the Phi Mu event were referred to as “Outgoing Panhellenic President, [redacted], Outgoing VP of Standards, [redacted], and Outgoing VP of Recruitment [redacted].” Outgoing PA President Annie Weidner and VP of Recruitment Tatiana Pavloff confirmed they were two of the redacted figures referenced in the document, and the report was about a boxed wine event held by Phi Mu.
“It is the respect and privilege of Panhellenic to serve as a trusted supporter of all our organizations,” said Weidner. “But it is also the role of Panhellenic to hold chapters accountable to their own values and our community’s values. “My term was founded on empowering chapters to be the best version of themselves, and I believe in each and every chapter to successfully do that.” Additionally, 13 greek organizations were reported to OESCR during and after Greek recruitment season earlier this semester. Redacted versions of these reports were obtained by The Miami Student. Twelve sets of documents focus on fraternities, but only one report — the one describing the party on the night of Feb. 10 — is about a sorority. Phi Mu was the only sorority punished by the university following the slew of recruitment reports. evansjm4@miamioh.edu
HAVE YOU HAD 1 TOO MANY 1 TOO MANY TIMES?
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Entertainment
10
KEELINST@MIAMIOH.EDU
TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2018
Kanye aims for open-mindedness, misses the mark CULTURE
SAM KEELING ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
It’s tradition by now: right before the release of a new record, Kanye West makes waves in the news. This manifests itself in his rageful tirades in interviews promoting 2013’s “Yeezus” and in the incoherent, shambly rollout of 2016’s “The Life of Pablo.” Those social media campaigns encapsulated their respective albums quite fittingly. So it seemed that when Kanye returned to Twitter after numerous reports of breakdowns and hospitalizations last month, he would give us a look at his mindset going into the new record. At first, this new Kanye was surprising in a pleasant way. The infamously self-serious artist acted more frivolous than ever, cracking jokes and spreading an uncharacteristically optimistic message of universal love. The “love everyone” message was baked in with fake-deep platitudes, but respectable nonetheless. But Kanye’s surprises quickly took a turn for the unpleasant. In the past week or so, Kanye has proclaimed his support of Trump, flaunting a signed Make America Great Again cap. He randomly posted private conversations with the likes of John Legend. He suggested that he would make his album cover a picture of the surgeon who operated on his mother days before her death. And, while suggesting that slaves were kept mentally subservient to their masters, he sloppily implied that slavery was a “choice.” As expected, the backlash against these remarks has been swift and extreme. There was a period where Kanye lost a flood of followers. His collaborators and friends such as Chance the Rapper attempted to defend or explain Kanye’s statements for him, then
ILLUSTRATION: NINA WILLIS
quickly retreated in self-defense as the angered crowds turned against them. Even more alarming was the other support Kanye was receiving: the “MAGA” legion, far-right and alt-right media personalities and Trump himself have rushed to claim Kanye as their token celebrity. Kanye’s statements don’t really line up with those in his past discography or public history. As someone who’s followed him for many years, I don’t believe that Kanye is politically aligned with Trump. It’s far more likely that he relates to Trump on a personal level — undeniable egotism, extreme ambition and drive. Indeed, there’s almost some-
thing respectable in Kanye’s intentions. After years of being a contentious public figure, it seems like he wants to be someone willing to forgive the past, find the basic humanity in everyone and open his mind to ideas that are new to him. While I can respect the intent, it’s the execution that is deeply problematic. Open-mindedness has taken a whole new meaning in the era of “fake news” and “alternative facts.” Now, some people are building their platforms on manipulated truths and flat-out lies designed to garner support over fabricated or nonexistent issues. If you decide to soul-search for your
political and social identity in this climate — which is, I think, what Kanye is doing — you must be exceedingly diligent about where and from whom you obtain your information. Unfortunately, Kanye is doing exactly the opposite. Here’s an example — Kanye was convinced by someone named “Steve” that Republicans were on the side of black Americans because that was Abraham Lincoln’s party during the Civil War. Quickly, musicians like Charlamagne tha God and John Legend messaged Kanye, informing him that there was a major shift in party ideologies last century, leading to our current party system. Clearly, Kanye wasn’t very informed about this party shift, which is not in itself terrible. Someone tried to misinform him and others stepped in. It is Kanye’s publicization of the factually incorrect statement, and his framing of this as a “new” or “different” idea, where the problems arise. His promotion of these harmful ideas on Twitter allows for people to spread them to their own followers, pushing their own corrupted agenda using Kanye’s celebrity as a false support. And the internet exists with its own rules of time and influence, so even if he later discredits that false statement on his own feed, it may not reach the same people as his earlier promotion of it. John Legend — often the voice of reason in this entire debacle — said it best when he texted Kanye, “Think freely. Think with empathy and context too.” We should encourage everyone to examine history and ideology to craft their own worldview. However, you should always be discerning with your sources. You can “love” every single person, but sometimes their thoughts are not “new;” they are simply wrong. And there is an extra burden upon celebrities to watch what “facts” they highlight for the world. That kind of careless promotion is what put our latest president in office. We should try not to make a mistake like that again. keelinst@miamioh.edu
‘Avengers: Infinity War’ takes Marvel to a new level FILM
BEN DEETER
THE MIAMI STUDENT
It’s finally here. This is what everything’s been leading to. Ten years, 18 movies and over $14 billion later, the Marvel Cinematic Universe reached its first major climax with “Avengers: Infinity War.” And on almost every level — action, effects, characters, acting and more — it surpasses the expectations the previous films have set. In particular, the way this movie juggles so many characters that we’ve known for years is impressive. Rather than trying hard to give every character a “moment,” the heroes are separated into small groups, which are cleverly grouped to let the best qualities of each character shine through and bounce off the others. Thor and the Guardians of the Galaxy, more specifically Rocket
and Groot, were easily the best combo, lending to hilarious interactions. The plot in “Infinity War” centers around the Mad Titan Thanos and his quest for the six Infinity Stones, which have been MCU macguffins since the first “Captain America” movie. Thanos believes that the universe is overpopulated, and he wants to use the combined power of the Stones to cut the population in half to better preserve resources. His motivation stems from his experience on his home planet, Titan: a utopia-turned-wasteland because of an imbalance between people and resources. As a kid who grew up with these characters in comic books and cartoons, this movie was everything I hoped it would be and more. It’s funny, powerful, dark and puts the heroes in places we’ve never seen them. The end of this movie had me crushed into my seat cushion, shocked and awed in expectation of what’s coming next. The quality comes with a few caveats,
though. These aren’t necessarily “bad” things about the movies, but rather things to be aware of and to keep an eye on moving forward. The movie relies on the audience having seen most of the prior MCU films. There’s not a great degree of new character development for the heroes. Iron Man, Captain America, the Guardians and everyone else are all the same characters given to us in prior “Avengers” movies and standalones. This wasn’t a problem for an MCU veteran like me, but I can easily see where other audience members might be confused. The new character development that does occur is relegated to Thanos. The Mad Titan’s arc is surprisingly robust since we’ve only seen brief glimpses of him until now. Like many of comic book cinema’s finest villains like Killmonger in “Black Panther,” Thanos believes he’s doing the right thing. This lets the audience empathize with him on a level seen with few villains before “Infinity War.”
The stakes are another aspect to keep an eye on. Without delving into spoilers, the MCU finally has stakes now. Characters’ actions have consequences in a big way for the first time. Many, including myself, have criticized the MCU in the past for lacking consequence. But now that the drama’s finally here, the question is how long it’ll stick around. Given the end of the movie, I’m not so sure how far the consequences will reach. Knowing Marvel, I’d predict it won’t last much longer. Despite that, the emotion put on display in this movie is real, and it hits hard. One small slice of this involves Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man and Tom Holland as Spider-Man. I won’t say anything more, but just know that the moment is among the most emotional in the entire MCU.
deeterbj@miamioh.edu
Post Malone’s Album ‘Beerbongs and Bentleys’ Gets Real MUSIC
EMMA BLIVEN
THE MIAMI STUDENT
“Beerbongs and Bentleys” follows Post’s debut album “Stoney,” which was released in 2016. This new album has already been certified platinum by the RIAA, within four days of being released. Many artists take pride in their album receiving platinum after months or even years, but Post didn’t even need a week. Credited to the many collaborations on
this album, it was bound to do well. Critics have scrutinized Post for being a white male in a traditionally black genre of music. With this new album, more scrutiny has erupted for Post. Earlier in his career, he had been asked questions about organizations like Black Lives Matter where he seemingly answered the questions ineffectively, further hurting his reputation. In this new album, Post shows no game plan. He just sings about who he is: young, rich and sad. The undertones of heartbreak run throughout many of the songs. In “Rich
and Sad,” Post says “I keep wishing that the money made you stay,” realizing that life is not all about fame and fortune. Post is talking about a failed relationship where he tried to “buy love,” but then realizes that using wealth to gain affection is not a healthy way to live. The entire album centers around themes of lies, heartbreak and money. He says in “Over Now” that he will replace a lover with “A Bentley... and a fucking hundred thousand.” “Over Now” has a chorus where he states “I don’t give a fuck if you don’t like it,” further demonstrating that Post no longer cares what
KEELINST@MIAMIOH.EDU
11
TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2018
The Shape of Disagreement FILM
JACOB BRUGGEMAN THE MIAMI STUDENT
“Beauty and the Beast” fables are good at breaking hearts and haunting viewers. Beloved by many and berated by others, Guillermo del Toro’s “The Shape of Water” is the latest installment of film’s foray into this common fable. In The New York Times, A.O. Scott gleefully greeted the “genre geek” del Toro’s latest film: “He draws on old movies, comic books, mythic archetypes and his own restless visual imagination to create movies that seem less made than discovered.” One reviewer in The Guardian glorified Guillermo del Toro’s Oscar-snagging tour de force as a “boundary-crossing hybrid that is as adventurously personal as it is universal.” This film is “boundary-crossing” in more than one way. Beneath the fantastic plot and beyond the shimmer of one protagonist’s blue-green scales, we find a formula for approaching, befriending and eventually building productive and meaningful relationships across ideological and partisan lines. In the film, the plot develops alongside an odd relationship, flowing as follows: Eliza (the main character, a mute maid in a laboratory) encounters the “asset” (an amphibious, male creature captured in South America) and initially approaches him with an apprehensive and ceaseless curiosity that, for the viewer, is amplified by her muteness, quickly transforming the two from acquaintances into wonder-filled friends reveling in unexpected and inexplicable connection, the culmination of which is romantic love. Animated by the plot arc in which Eliza and the amphibious man quickly catch “the feels” for one another, “The Shape of Water” presents us with an absurd — yet identifiable — kind of romantic passion that, time and time again, persists through trial and
tribulation, triumphantly towering above the bad guys. In my (probably absurd) reading of this plot arc, Eliza and the amphibious man also offer us a blueprint for disagreement. Mirroring the devilment of the romantic relationship, my roadmap for disagreement manifests in five steps: first, an introduction; second, engagement with apprehensive curiosity (here, it’s helpful to think in extremes: consider how
“Debate ought to do much more than satisfy the ego.” you approach a Trump-supporting uncle or a socialist salivating at the thought of violent revolution); third, general acquaintance; fourth, friendship; fifth, appreciative, deep (perhaps romantic) connection. The film, NPR Arts Editor Will Gompertz wrote, is “not really a fantasy at all,” but an “intelligent, tender, beautifully shot, meticulously crafted work of art” that has much more to offer us than a healthy dose of magical realism and fish-man love. I think this formula is one such offering, one that, as Gompertz writes of the film, “speaks directly, and critically, to our own times.”
Building relationships across political divides is no doubt challenging. I could rehash older arguments that building such relationships is necessary for sustaining civil society, for rehabilitating the public square and for recovering our common humanity, but we should also push ourselves to transcend political divides for personal reasons. If we meet this challenge, we will be better for it: we will become better debaters, we will be better able to empathize with and understand the views of our fellow Americans, we will build relationships with people we otherwise might not have known and we just might come to accomplish things in our communities. Mahatma Gandhi once said that “honest disagreement is often a good sign of progress.” In this way, progress can be an aim or welcome symptom of endeavoring to build relationships across divides and in the face of disagreement. Debate ought to do much more for us than satisfy the ego and raise blood pressure. A.O. Scott wrote of “The Shape of Water” that “bigotry and meanness flow through every moment like an underground stream, but kindness is always possible, and so is beauty.” This statement might also characterize cross-political discussion and interaction: sure, ‘bigotry and meanness’ are common, but ‘kindness’ and ‘beauty’ are perennial possibilities. If it can be cultivated by meeting the challenge of disagreement, beauty and value in newfound insights and newformed friendships are not mere possibilities, but unsung truths inherent in difficult human interactions. Grafting onto our interaction with other “The Shape of Water’s” five-step formula for political disagreement will help us to find beauty through biting polarization and value in our unique engagements across the proverbial political aisle. bruggej2@miamioh.edu
Don’t give Charlie Rose a talk show COLUMN
HALEY MILLER
THE MIAMI STUDENT
Two weeks ago, Page Six reported that Charlie Rose has been pitching a “Where are they now?”style show, with him hosting and other serial sexual predators as guests. Because isn’t the #MeToo movement an opportunity to give dangerous men a larger platform than any of their victims? In the words of the ONLY man I want to hear speak for the next 50 years, Jonathan Van Ness: let’s unpack that. Contrary to popular belief, the victims of sexual harassment and/or abuse are the people who are touched, spoken to or taken advantage of by others in their workplace. In the case of Charlie Rose, the victims are the 27 women who had to endure his lecherous and predatory behavior for years on end. Amplifying Rose’s voice sends a powerful message to all those who are brave enough to tell their stories. It tells these women, and those inspired by them, that even if you speak up and risk your career, in an era that is supposedly more responsive to sexual misconduct claims, your abuser may still be accepted in society. He may even make money off of your story because people would still rather hear what he has to say. One of the myths perpetuated by critics of the #MeToo movement is that the accused men suffer considerably, alongside their careers. Rose has been out of the public eye for six months, and yet his net worth is a cool $23 million. Louis C.K. performed comedy this March and is currently valued at $25 million, while Matt Lauer is supposedly “planning his comeback” and worth $60 million. While I’m a millennial, and thus famously bad at budgeting, I think I could live quite comfortably on more than $20 million. But what do I know? I’ll probably never own a home, thanks to my crippling addiction to avocado toast. For argument’s sake, let’s say that Charlie Rose does have a talk show exclusively with men who have been #MeToo’d. Are women going to be working on that set? If they adopt the inclusion riders that Frances McDormand famously shouted out in her Oscars acceptance speech, half of the crew should be wom-
others say about his credibility in the genre. Singing “Please just leave me alone” in “Zack and Codeine,” Post is saying that he does not want to be bothered by these critics and “haters” anymore. Post addresses his critics directly in many of his songs, stating that they can critique all they want, and he will continue on and keep making millions. While these criticisms have some merit, “Beerbongs and Bentleys” is highly infectious. He has captured the minds of many white young adults. His 18-track album features many A-list guest stars, like Swae Lee in “Spoil
ILLUSTRATION: KAT HOLLERAN
en. If so, are they willing to put women in a situation in which they’re literally surrounded by known workplace sexual harassers? Or would they rather have only men working, because they fear what could happen to the women on that set? Hopefully, these questions remain hypotheticals posed in a column and not actual terms of employment. It seems almost too perfect that, after six months, the world has grown tired of listening to women’s stories. It’s too hard. Many lament the times before #MeToo and #TimesUp when they could enjoy their favorite movies, TV shows, art exhibits, novels, poems and songs without thinking about the wake of victims that artists left behind. They’re eager to skip to the next part, where a powerful man’s #MeToo moment is nothing but a funny anecdote during a late night interview. I re-
My Night,” Nicki Minaj in “Ball For Me,” G-Eazy and YG in “Same Bitches,” 21 Savage in “Rockstar” and Ty Dolla $ign in “Psycho.” An album full of collaborations, it was destined for the top of the charts before it was released. Post continually talks about who he is throughout the album, singing “Multi-millionaire by the time I’m 23” in “Zack And Codeine.” Post says “Every time we make up, the truth is fading” in his song “Stay.” He is addressing his many failed relationships that resulted in lies being told to try and save a fading connection.
fuse to let that happen. I suggest you do the same. I would, however, like to watch a TV show about #MeToo. I’d like to watch a female journalist or comedian interview those survivors who spoke out against Charlie Rose, Louis C.K., Matt Lauer, Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, Brett Ratner, James Toback, Bill Cosby, Donald Trump, Mark Halperin, Larry Nassar, Casey Affleck, Al Franken and the countless others who have been named in the last year. Let’s stop listening to predators. Let’s continue naming them, firing them, suing them, arresting them, convicting them, impeaching them and imprisoning them. Next up, R. Kelly! millerhh@miamioh.edu
Although Post only seems to know how to sing about his life, he has learned how to sculpt his songs with proper phrasings and memorable choruses. He has been called a “pop savant” because of how infectious his songs are; from the beat to the vocals, he is earning that title. blivenee@miamioh.edu
12 OPINION
TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2018
DAVISKN3@MIAMIOH.EDU
Miami should stop prioritizing aesthetic improvements over academic ones The following reflects the majority opinion of the editorial board. Our editorial board recently discussed a New York Times op-ed from January that criticized a trend in public four-year schools — using students’ tuition money for aesthetic upgrades, such as adding lazy rivers to their rec centers. We thought it was ridiculous. We then realized, halfway through that discussion, that Miami is one of those schools. Our editor-in-chief, as we discovered at our last meeting, was the only Student staff member aware that Miami’s rec center houses a river of its own that, while not “lazy,” per se, is certainly quite lethargic. Everyone was aware, however, of other things that Miami has decided to spend money on recently that many of us don’t (or can’t) use — a new $25 million athletic facility, a senate chamber that’s been closed for four months due to water damage and plans to move the Maple Street Starbucks to
Shriver, to name just a few. Even construction on facilities that we do use, like Shriver or the East Wing of Armstrong (renovations that, altogether, cost tens of millions of dollars) are inefficient uses of money and space. Armstrong’s new wing is often a cavernous, empty area. While its restaurant additions were probably well-intended, Café Lux stripped the much more convenient Miami Ice of coffee, and Red Zone is just a shinier, slightly less greasy cousin of Pulley Diner. And how many of us have actually stepped foot in Shriver since its sweeping renovations, aside from when we need to use the package center? These new construction projects are all probably enticing for prospective students and their parents, who swarm the school every spring for Make It Miami events. But we should not be spending money on aesthetic improvements when we’re aware of so many other potential upgrades that could fundamentally affect students’
Depression sucks, but (apparently) doesn’t last forever KIRBY DAVIS
OPINION EDITOR
Two weeks ago, I woke up in a good mood and stayed that way all day — something that hadn’t happened since maybe last October. I waited for it to subside, and it didn’t. By 10 p.m., I’d borderline worked myself into a panic over not feeling panicked in any way. The next day, I was still in a suspiciously good mood. I knocked on my roommate’s door. “Hey!” I said. “I’m in a good mood!” “Oh my god!” she said. Her boyfriend just stared, confused. I told all my other friends I encountered that day the same thing. Then I called my parents twice (each) to inform them I was still, somehow, in a good mood. They were, like my roommate, equally thrilled and surprised. By Wednesday, I was wary. A week prior, I’d been struggling to function, and I’d changed nothing about my daily habits except starting a Prozac prescription. That was only three days before I’d woken up with any desire to get out of bed, and there was no way that three days’ worth of taking an antidepressant — not even a full dose yet! — had fixed me. My therapist assured me that they’d seen medicine take effect right away before, when it was “the right one” — as if Prozac had super-liked me on Tinder and we’d hit it off. I was unconvinced. After months of near-untouchable depression, feeling okay is almost as unsettling as feeling not okay, because it feels like a precarious kind of happiness that can be ripped from you — by you — at any moment. So, when my mood started slipping a week later, I felt a little vindicated. Then I just felt awful again. Everything about depression sucks. I can’t think of a way to put it more eloquently, and I don’t want to. Since I was 11 years old, I’ve watched movies and TV shows and read Young Adult books that romanticize it. I was, therefore, grossly unprepared when a psychiatrist told me I was not merely PMSing. Where was the gorgeous but understanding guy to swoop in and absolve me of my mental illness? Why was I so bad at hiding how I felt from my friends? Why couldn’t I snap out of it when it was inconvenient to be
sad? ABC Family and John Green lied. There’s nothing pretty or romantic about depression. It’s scary. For me, it is exhausting every possible healthy coping mechanism I have (therapy, medication, re-watching “Gilmore Girls,” etc.), then the unhealthy ones (which I won’t list), and still feeling miserable. It’s being guilty for keeping things from my friends and family, but feeling worse when I tell them because then they want to help but can’t. And, at times, it’s made me feel like I’m losing my mind — all of which is, for lack of a better word, depressing. After a brief few days of feeling like myself again, my good mood evaporated and I returned to thinking I would never feel any better. I was ready to accept “depressed” as part of my personality, like “sarcastic” or “brown-haired” or “East Cleveland Jew.” I couldn’t imagine ever feeling any differently, and I was positive that everyone who told me things would get better was full of shit. Don’t take this as blind optimism. I maintain that I’m a realist (that way I’m always either right or pleasantly surprised), but I have, very slowly, started to feel better. I have, very slowly, started to feel like the version of myself I completely lost touch with over the last few months — the one who loves watching movies and being with my friends and who cares about school and things in general. We don’t talk about mental health a lot. We talk about the stage between feeling super depressed and then mostly okay again even less. So I would like to acknowledge that it sucks, but not as much as depression does, and apparently, it takes time. A few weeks ago, I was so depressed I couldn’t fathom ever feeling any differently. Now, though, it’s hard for me to remember being in such a bad place. While I know there will probably be another time in my life — next week, a few years from now, whenever — that I’ll be in that place again, at least now I know that it’s not inescapable. So the next time I cancel weekend plans to lie in bed, eat peanut butter with a spoon and watch “Heartburn,” hopefully it will be because I’m lazy, not because I’m depressed. But if it is because I’m depressed, my therapist will hear about it the following Wednesday, and we will deal with it. daviskn3@miamioh.edu
day-to-day lives. If our school were to spend a fraction of what it has on unneeded improvements over the last few years on things we ask for, we could have better counseling services, more research opportunities and improved dining hours. To be sure, recruiting new students is important. But assuming that prospective RedHawks value lazy rivers and other aesthetic additions over things like varied course options and high-quality professors is underestimating them. Miami maintains that it’s one of the best public universities in the country for undergraduate education, and it ranks among seven other “Public Ivies.” But, more and more over the last few years, it’s felt like our school values hypothetical new students over the ones already here. If we continue to put aesthetic values over academic ones, we’re going to attract more and more students
To the Editor, from AAUP: Dear colleagues and friends, I don’t usually use the words “Senate meeting” and “exciting” in the same sentence, but Monday’s meeting was nothing short of electrifying. The strategy laid out by American Association of University Professors (AAUP) president Cathy Wagner went off without a hitch. AAUP vice president and senator Don Ucci made a motion to change the agenda to consider our resolutions, which passed without difficulty. He then read the two AAUP resolutions (which should have been on the agenda). Each of the resolutions (with friendly amendments) passed overwhelmingly. Another meeting to consider the Lecturers, Clinical and Professionally Licensed (LCPL) faculty cap was scheduled for next Monday. While we are very pleased at this outcome, this should not be taken as a sign of opposition to raising the LCPL cap. AAUP members are aware of the complicated nature of the issue and wanted to insure that there was ample time for discussion. Now that our concerns about tenure, academic freedom and due process have been aired and potentially enshrined in the Miami University Policy and Information Manual (MUPIM), many AAUP senators will no doubt support the increase in LCPL faculty, although given the complex nature of the issue, we have not taken a position as a chapter. Since the Senate by itself does not have the power to amend MUPIM, the resolutions are subject to review by the Board of Trustees. We of course hope that they will be adopted, but even if they are not, the administration and the Board are now aware that the faculty, students and staff of Miami University are concerned with the preservation of tenure and with guarantees of academic freedom and due process for non-tenure track fac-
ulty. And we have made it clear that the practice of leaving important issues until the last Senate meeting of the year should be avoided, whenever possible, to enable community feedback and debate. There are several important takeaways from this event. The first is that a well-organized group of faculty has the power to transform Senate into a true deliberative body. The second is that the AAUP has proved itself to be that group. If you believe that Miami benefits from the active participation of the faculty in shared governance, please become an AAUP member. If you are tired of the endless unfunded mandates that come from Columbus and negatively affect our working conditions, know that John McNay, president of the Ohio Conference of the AAUP, testifies tirelessly before the legislature and successfully quashes many of the worst of these. If you are concerned about attacks on the academic freedom of university professors across the country in these politically contentious times, know that the national AAUP is the one major group standing up for academic freedom. Go to https://www.aaup.org/ membership/join. If you are already a member, make sure that your dues are current. You can set up automatic monthly payments, which put the cost of membership in perspective (I, for one, spend more on coffee in a week). We would love to have you participate, but even if you don’t have time for a single meeting, support our work by becoming an AAUP member. Our strength at Miami has so far been in our resourcefulness, but we can become even stronger with greater numbers. Sincerely, Deborah Lyons Secretary etc.
To the Editor, from Dean Curme: The thoughts I offer below are based upon short remarks I gave at Miami’s beautiful Lavender graduation ceremony on Saturday, May 5. As the semester comes to a close, I’ve once again been reflecting on the “ideal” Miami community, and on our shared values as articulated in Miami’s Code of Love and Honor. It’s been a challenging semester. As I express this, I realize that the same thought occurred to me at the end of the fall semester, and the spring semester before that. So, perhaps it has been a tough year and a half, but really the challenge — to build a better Miami community — is ongoing and not new. Still, there were times this semester when I was frustrated, and times when I felt angry. My frustration, I think, reflects the belief that we can truly achieve the type of community described in our Code. My anger, I hope, is grounded in a sincere desire to achieve it. I suspect some students have felt similarly, and
perhaps even more intensely. This is understandable, for students are typically in this community for only four or five years, and cultural change happens very slowly. Among my many privileges, I enjoy the benefit of a much longer perspective, observing now about 7.5 rounds of four-year cycles at Miami. Realistically, adversity is inevitable, and challenges are a part of life. But on the flip side of adversity and challenge is hope. At Miami, we must aspire to be a community where everyone feels a sense of belonging, because ultimately it is from belonging that happiness — love and honor — derive. And falling short of this aspiration for anyone in our community is enormously consequential, as it (i) deprives the individual; (ii) diminishes our community; and (iii) denies the world of its full potential. Consider the simple analogy between the legend of the Seal and the aspiration represented by our Code of Love and Honor: the same way every member of our community knows the legend of the Seal, why should we not expect every-
one in our community to (i) know our values; (ii) live by our values; and (iii) support and expect others to love by our values? Know the story of the Seal. Don’t step on the Seal. Divert others if they are about to step on the Seal. But there is an additional critical element to this analogy that has come into sharp focus this year. And it is this development that gives me great hope. When someone steps on the Seal, they flunk their next test — but what is the equivalent when someone acts in ways inconsistent with our values? On several occasions this year a most profound and impressive thing happened: individual students, student leaders and student groups, from all across campus, stood up in response to affronts to our values and said “not in our community.” Students — the core of the Miami University community — responded very visibly by saying: “to those who violate our values, you flunk our civility test — and it is you who don’t belong.” This most impressive, organic response makes me think that our
community may now be at an inflection point, and it gives me great hope that this cultural shift will continue and our community will grow increasingly more welcoming every year. To those who are returning in the fall, we look forward to working together to build upon the impressive progress that has been made this year. To those who are graduating, we offer our sincere congratulations, and thanks. As a labor economist, I can confidently predict for you great success. You are smart (you got into Miami), you are industrious (you did the work and graduated) and many of you are tenacious (you succeeded in spite of many obstacles). But while these characteristics are critical to career success, I wish for our graduates much more. I wish you entry into welcoming communities that will allow you to derive a true sense of belonging, as this is where the most important elements of success — love and honor and happiness — grow most abundantly. curmema@miamioh.edu
OPINION 13 TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2018
ARTHUR NEWBERRY NEWBERAJ@MIAMIOH.EDU
A huge thank you to the custodians, cooks, cashiers and student workers of Armstrong Student Center. If you are interested in designing pages or drawing cartoons for The Miami Student, contact evansjm4@miamioh.edu
Sports
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SIMANSEC@MIAMIOH.EDU
TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2018
Miami Baseball “pushes the rock”
JUNIOR CATCHER HAYDEN SENGER SLIDES INTO HOME PLATE AS SENIOR SHORTSTOP ADRIAN TEXIDOR LOOKS ON. THE BASEBALL TEAM FINDS JOY IN THE MONOTONY OF THE LONG BASEBALL SEASON. ANGELO GELFUSO THE MIAMI STUDENT
BASEBALL
CHRIS VINEL STAFF WRITER
It’s May 2 and the RedHawks are starting practice just 18 hours after defeating the rival Cincinnati Bearcats for the second time this season. The players begin stretching in the outfield at exactly 3 p.m. The coaches are setting up drills by home plate, so players are going through the stretches unsupervised. Sophomore outfielder Tom Kelley dances, while two other players high-five next to him. The players are loose, but focused on the task at hand. They’re just “pushing the rock.” They’re pushing through the
TRACK AND FIELD TRAVELS TO BUFFALO FOR MAC CHAMPIONSHIPS
basic day-to-day activities of a Miami baseball player – classes, school work, team meetings, practices and games. “Push the rock” has become the motto for this team. “Anything can seem monotonous or anything can seem exciting based on your perspective to it,” MU head coach Danny Hayden said. “If you’re talking to a high school kid and you’re telling him that, ‘Hey man, in college, you’re going to wake up and work out, then you’re going to go to some classes, then you’re going to go hit, then you’re going to go to practice,’ for some kids, that seems like a dream come true and for others it seems like a chore.” Hayden tries to recruit kids who see the monotony of “push-
ing the rock” as a dream come true. He wants his players to see the everyday grind of college baseball as an opportunity. Part of pushing the rock is also staying even-keel, no matter the result. “I think that’s why we’ve been able to have a better season [in 2018 compared to 2017],” Hayden said. “We’ve never gotten too high after a win and we’ve never gotten too low after a loss. We’ve just been staying in this consistent, prepared, trusting-the-process, ready to get after it one pitch at a time mode.” If the RedHawks weren’t able to remain even-keel this year, they would’ve been in trouble. Two key players got hurt in the season’s first 11 games. In only his second start of the sea-
son, junior pitcher Nick Ernst, Miami’s expected ace in the starting rotation, tore a ligament in his elbow. Senior outfielder Brooks Urich also went down with an arm injury two weeks later. In spite of early adversity, the players have stayed upbeat and remained true to themselves. “We play with our own personalities, but still at the same time, stay focused,” junior pitcher Zach Spears said. “I think when you change your personality out on the field, you’re not being yourself and that’s when you try to do too much.” This attitude is pervasive on the team and something Hayden uses to build good relationships with his players. “I think it’s about letting them be genuine and letting them be who they are a little bit,” Hayden said. “I can’t pretend to have a good relationship with a guy if I’m forcing him to act a certain way all the time.” And letting a close-knit group of guys like this year’s RedHawks be themselves results in a lot of jokes and a lot of fun. “There’s never a dull moment in the locker room,” Spears said. Hayden said this comes from big personalities on the team. He listed senior outfielder Charlie Dauch, senior shortstop Adrian Texidor, junior outfielder Dallas Hall, junior pitcher Cole Gnetz and sophomore infielder Will Vogelgesang as the team’s biggest characters. According to his teammates, Texidor is the happiest guy on the team. The Puerto Rican native loves baseball so much, he is often seen fielding ground balls with a smile on his face during games.
JJ HARTWELL
THE MIAMI STUDENT
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Baseball finishes road schedule with series win at WMU
TRACK AND FIELD
This week the RedHawks are headed to the University of Buffalo for this year’s Mid-American Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The competition will last from Thursday May 10 through Saturday May 12. “I think we are going to surprise a lot of people this year,” head coach Tom Chorny said. Last year, the men finished fifth at the MAC meet. This year, they hope to move up the ranks. Top-seeded men’s ‘Hawks include sophomore Sean Torpy currently seeded first in the 800 meters, as well as second in the 1,500 meters. Sean’s twin brother Chris is currently seeded first in the 1,500, second in the 800 and third in the 3,000 meters steeplechase. Another RedHawk hoping to make an impact is senior Jake Brumfield who is seeded first overall in the 3,000 steeplechase, as well as fourth in the five-kilometers race. In the sprints, sophomore Jeremiah Hunter is seeded seventh in the 100 meters dash. Sophomore Ivan Dye holds the No. 9 spot in the 400 meters dash. Junior Aaron Mursean hopes to win his first MAC title in the 400 meters intermediate hurdles, as well as the 110 meters high hurdles. Watch freshman Ben Cambria and senior Carsen Cash in the field events, as they head into the weekend seeded sixth and seventh in the javelin throw, respectively. In the long jump, junior Kenny Glenn currently holds the seventh spot as he hopes to see final improvement during his season. In the men’s hammer, freshman Seth Hoffman holds the No. 9 spot headed into this weekend. Notably, the MAC has decided to score the top-8 this year instead of previous years when the top-6 have scored – allowing more com-
Spears and Redshirt senior first baseman Ross Haffey both agreed that Gnetz is a great guy, but might also be the quirkiest player on the team. “I mean Cole Gnetz is a pretty weird dude,” Spears said. “He just says weird stuff.” Gnetz’s favorite line is yelling “hot soup” whenever there is a foul line-drive hit towards a dugout. “No one really knows what that means,” Haffey said. But it’s not just the players who get made fun of. Coach Hayden is often on the receiving end of his team’s jokes. “With Coach Hayden, it really is that personable relationship,” Haffey said. “You feel comfortable cracking a joke at him if he messes up. He’s pretty good at taking it too.” There’s only one prank Hayden doesn’t like. He has a reusable water bottle he takes everywhere. Once Brooks Urich and Charlie Dauch found this out, they began hiding the bottle whenever Hayden steps away from it for a minute. Hayden was quick to catch on. Now, he turns to Urich and Dauch whenever it goes missing. “They know I don’t go anywhere without it,” Hayden said. “If they can get their hands on it, they try to hide it from me. It’s not funny to me. It actually pisses me off ’cause then I can’t find it and I immediately am thirsty, so I don’t like that.” But this team isn’t just a bunch of jokers. They’ve found a successful balance between fun and focused.
SENIOR SHORTSTOP ADRIAN TEXIDOR PREPARES TO MAKE A CATCH AGAINST WESTERN MICHIGAN THIS WEEKEND. CONTRIBUTED BY GARY SHOOK WESTERN MICHIGAN ATHLETICS
BASEBALL
CHRIS VINEL STAFF WRITER
The Miami RedHawks (28-16, 13-8 Mid-American) ended their 2018 road schedule with a series victory as they took two of three from the Western Michigan Broncos this weekend in their final set away from Hayden Park. Miami won the series-opener 10-6 on Friday, before falling 6-1 on Saturday. The ‘Hawks rebounded with a 3-1 win on Sunday to claim the series. The RedHawks didn’t waste any time in Game One, jumping ahead 1-0 on a two-out RBI single by sophomore third baseman Landon Stephens. Western Michigan (20-21, 9-10 MAC) took its first lead of the game an inning and a half later when a two-run single put the Broncos up 2-1. Miami tied the game at two in the top of the fourth. Sophomore second baseman Will Vogelgesang doubled to lead off the inning and moved to third on a groundout by freshman center fielder Parker Massman. Vogelgesang scored after tagging up and coming home on a sacrifice fly by Redshirt sophomore left fielder Kyle Winkler. Not wanting to be outdone, the Broncos retook the lead a half-inning later on a sac fly of their own. After junior catcher Hayden
Senger hit an RBI single in the top of the fifth, junior outfielder Nate Grys gave WMU another lead with a two-run dinger. Both teams were held scoreless in the sixth. Down 5-3, MU went into the seventh looking for a spark. Senior shortstop Adrian Texidor provided that jolt as he drew a walk and then stole second base to start the inning. After junior right fielder Dallas Hall struck out, Redshirt senior first baseman Ross Haffey also walked, giving Miami runners on first and second with Hayden Senger coming to the plate. Ever the clutch hitter, Senger crushed a home run to left field to give the RedHawks a 6-5 lead -- a lead they’d never lose. MU extended its advantage to two on an RBI single from Texidor in the eighth. After Western Michigan tallied one to keep in close in the eighth, Miami tacked on three more in the ninth to put the contest out of reach. The RedHawks won 10-6 after keeping the WMU offense at bay in the ninth. Senger and Texidor were the offensive stars for Miami as they combined to go 4-for-5 with five RBIs, four runs scored and five walks. After a dominant first half of the season, sophomore starter
Spencer Mraz struggled for the fourth straight start, pitching 5.1 innings and giving up five runs on seven hits. He walked three and struck out five. Junior Shane Smith (W, 2-2) was awarded the win for his two innings of one-run work out of the bullpen. Game Two was a pitcher’s duel for all but two half-innings. Junior Zach Spears started for Miami, and like Mraz the day before, struggled mightily, allowing six runs in just 1.1 innings pitched. Western Michigan loaded the bases and took a 1-0 lead when Spears walked in a run. After an RBI single drove in a run and preserved the loaded bases, junior third baseman Jimmy Roche crushed a grand slam to cap off the six-run frame. MU head coach Danny Hayden removed Spears in favor of his bullpen after Roche’s grand slam. Redshirt senior Jacob Banks and junior Bailey Martin pitched the final 6.2 innings and only gave up two hits. Neither gave up a run. Miami got its lone run in the top of the fifth on an RBI double by Hall. Spears (L, 3-4) was tagged with the loss after giving up the six WMU runs. He uncharacteristically walked four and struck out just one in his 12 batters faced. Coming off two straight complete games, senior Gus Graham
got the start for Hayden’s RedHawks in the series-finale on Sunday and turned in another great outing. Graham pitched seven innings and gave up only one run. He handed out four hits and four walks, while striking out two. He got some support from his teammates along the way, as Haffey jacked a solo home run to deep center field to give Miami a 1-0 lead in the sixth. The Broncos threatened with runners in scoring position in both the sixth and seventh innings, but Graham stranded the runners both times. After playing long ball in sixth, Haffey proved he could play small ball in the eighth when he sacrifice bunted Massman in from third to push MU’s advantage to 2-0. Graham was pulled from the game after giving up a leadoff hit in the bottom of the eighth. Junior Jack Corbell came in and loaded the bases, before he was relieved of his duties by junior Andy Almquist. Almquist allowed an RBI single that scored the runner Graham was responsible for and gave WMU its only run of the game. After that, Almquist combined with Shane Smith to get out of the inning unscathed. Leading by a narrow 2-1 margin, the RedHawks tried to start another rally in the ninth. Vogelgesang drew a one-out walk and advanced to third on a Winkler single to right. Redshirt senior Spencer Dull was called on to pinch-hit for Hall, and laid down a successful safety squeeze bunt to score Vogelgesang from third. Smith pitched a scoreless bottom of the ninth to earn the save and clinch a 3-1 MU victory. Graham (W, 5-0) stayed perfect on the year by picking up a win. The RedHawks have now won six of their seven MAC series this season. Miami returns to Oxford to take on Ball State in a non-conference matchup today. The first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. vinelca@miamioh.edu