November 6, 2015 | The Miami Student

ESTABLISHED 1826 – OLDEST COLLEGE NEWSPAPER WEST OF THE ALLEGHENIES

The Miami Student FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2015 Volume 144 №20

Miami University — Oxford, Ohio

MIAMISTUDENT.NET

Up in smoke: Ohio votes ‘no’ on Issue 3 State votesResults against marijuana and monopolies, votes for redistricting Election Issue 1

Issue 2

Creates a bipartisan process for drawing legislative districts

Protects initiative process from being used to create monopolies

Result

Result

AGRICULTURE

Grants monopoly for the sale and commercial production of marijuana

Result

SUNDAY

Issues 23, 24 and 27

Result

Issue 3

Grants Sunday liquor licenses to three Uptown establishments: O’Pub, Left Field Tavern and The Wood’s

*According to the Ohio Secretary of State

KATIE HINH PAGE DESIGNER

ELECTIONS

EMILY TATE

MANAGING EDITOR

The Ohio election drew national attention Tuesday when voters in the Buckeye State struck down Issue 3 — the legislation that would have legalized both recreational and medical marijuana.

Ohio would have been the first state to legalize both in the same election, and the fifth state to legalize rec-

reational marijuana in the United States.

All eyes were on Ohio Tuesday night, but despite high expectations, Issue 3 failed by a wide margin — only 35.9 percent voted yes.

While many of that remaining 64.1 percent are morally opposed to the legalization of marijuana, others voted against it for other reasons.

Issue 3 would have allowed just 10 growing facilities in Ohio, all of which

On-campus markets to stock international foods DINING

BONNIE MEIBERS

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

With a large — and still growing — Chinese international student population, Miami Dining is adding international food to its oncampus markets.

Miami’s Oxford campus is home to 1,670 international students, and 1,283 of those students are from China, according to Miami University’s website.

This idea began six or seven years ago, with the influx of Chinese students at Miami, said Tina Rotundo, executive manager of Dorsey Market, Dividends, Garden Commons and regional campus dining.

The international food was originally meant to be sold in the Shriver Center food court, but when that closed, these efforts fizzled out.

Now, Jungle Jim’s will soon be delivering 30 to 50 international items to markets across campus, like Dorsey and MacCracken.

Jim Bonaminio, founder of Jungle Jim’s, is a Miami

would have been owned by a few wealthy investors who contributed millions of dollars to put the issue on the ballot. Those investors include former Miami student and 98 Degrees band member Nick Lachey, as well as members of the Taft family (descendants of President William Howard Taft).

Kevin Armitage, associate professor in the Western Program, voted no on Issue 3 Tuesday. He said he supports the legalization of marijuana,

Keds to partner with Miami startup

ELECTION »PAGE 3

In spring 2014, Miami University alumna Ashley VanBuskirk launched a stationery business with her sister, Victoria. The business sold stationery and journals to raise proceeds that helped a Kosovar woman named Ema attend university.

Now, shoe company Keds has approached the VanBuskirk sisters about partnering with them. Keds learned of Flora Stationery in fall 2014 through a grant proposal Ashley submitted.

The line is set to launch in the spring.

Victoria said she is excited for the shoes to come out this spring.

“It’s just been a really fun process,” Victoria said about partnering with Keds, “working with a company that is definitely for women and definitely for our cause, which we’re really excited about.”

Keds was working on a project that aimed to share

MARKET »PAGE 2

FLORA »PAGE 5

OLIVIA OWENS

STUDENTS GO BANANAS OVER HIGH FRUIT PRICES

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A 37-YEAR-OLD STUDENT

Fruit prices at on-campus markets receive 100 percent mark-up from national rates.

Jared Baker, a non-traditional Miami student, returned after almost a decade hiatus.

JAMES STEINBAUER OPINION EDITOR

In October, Miami granted its new Food Studies Institute seven acres of land north of Yager Stadium to begin the production of an experiential garden, the focal point of the institute’s educational platform.

Alfredo Huerta, a professor of biology and one of the co-starters of the new Food Institute, said the seven acres were not what he’d hoped for.

“It’s not as much as we wanted,” he said. “We would have liked the whole 35 acres, but we had to fight with the administration to give us even this much land.”

Miami University acquired the roughly 35 acres of land north of Yager Stadium, southeast of Somerville Road and adjacent to the Ecology Research Center (ERC), in 2007 as part of a conceptual master plan for future growth.

While seven acres of this was granted to the Food Institute, the remaining 28 acres are set aside for the future expansion of inter-

collegiate athletics, given the land’s close proximity to athletic facilities, like the recently constructed Dauch Indoor Sports Center.

“The land was simply acquired to allow for future expansion if that became necessary,” said David Creamer, vice president of finance and business services. “But there is no specific plan in place today, so that was a large part of the reason the food studies request was honored.”

Huerta said that, based on an analysis of soil types, the land, which is adjacent to Four Mile Creek, is composed of rich bottomland soil that is excellent for farming.

“It’s supposed to be some of the best agricultural land in Butler County,” Huerta said. “So we’d like to use it for what our plan is. You know, sustainable agriculture education.”

Cody Powell, Miami’s associate vice president of facilities, planning and operations, said if the Food Institute continues to grow, more land could be available.

“They’re better off doing a pilot plan between seven and eight acres near the ERC FOOD STUDIES »PAGE 2

Grade distribution website revamped Class project improves user-friendliness of grade distribution ACADEMICS

THE MIAMI STUDENT

NEWS p. 3

TODAY in MIAMI HISTORY

but not when it’s buried in dicey legislation.

“I’m a strong proponent of legalization … [but] frankly I was so concerned with the way it was instilling a monopoly and concerned with the way big capital is injecting itself into the movement for criminal justice reform,” Armitage said. “That’s why it was clear I should vote no.”

He also said he believes Issue 3 failed so dramati-

BUSINESS

alumnus. Jungle Jim’s is an international market that carries over 150,000 products from all over the world.

There are two locations, Fairfield and Eastgate.

Miami already purchases food items from Jungle Jim’s. One example is white rice, because it is less expensive, said Jon Brubacher, director of Procurement and Food Purchasing.

“Many international students already go to Jungle Jim’s on the weekends to buy familiar foods,” Brubacher said.

Bringing the foods to them on campus just seems to make sense to Brubacher and Miami’s dining staff.

Rotundo got the idea from student employees working across various food markets on campus. The employees gave her suggestions for types of food to bring into the markets on campus. Sijie ‘Nickey’ Pu, a student manager at Garden Commons, gave Rotundo some feedback.

One item in particular that international students re-

NEWS p. 2

University grants food institute small plot of land

BONNIE MEIBERS

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

The grade distribution website allows users to see the average GPA in the class from the past 15 years. While many students use it to help schedule their courses, this website may not be the best way to determine one’s fate for the upcoming semester.

A.J. NEWBERRY THE MIAMI STUDENT The grade distribution With the new grade distribution website, students are able to more has been available in PDF conveniently choose professors based on average grades given. format for years, but now the grade distribution web- project the following semes- “Red indicates a grade you site makes it much easier for ter, finishing it in about two don’t want to get.” students to view the grades months in May of 2015.

Zhang also said she bedifferent professors give in There is a meter in the top lieves the website is helpful a given class — all arranged right corner of the site. Class- because it allows students to side by side. es with a “high” grade distri- see what options they have The website allows students bution have a higher, green and what expectations they and faculty to see trends in a bar and classes with a “low” should have for the class. certain course and know what grade distribution have a red She personally uses the expectations to walk into the bar. Classes that fall some- site to see where her final classroom with. where in between have a yel- grade fell among the grades T. M. Rajkumar, an infor- low bar. of her classmates. mation systems and analytThis is something that Many students, however, ics professor, had two of his Carol Zhang, the student proj- do not use it for that purpose. classes create the website as ect manager for the site last Those students that are aware part of their curriculum. The year, said does not necessarily of the website use it, among initial prototype was finished denote how difficult or not a other tools, to determine in about 45 days during the course is. which classes to take in upspring semester last year and “[Green] just represents another class took over the a better grade,” Zhang said.

GRADES »PAGE 2

CULTURE p. 4

OPINION p. 6

SPORTS p. 10

‘SWOOP,’ THERE IT IS: BEHIND THE MASCOT’S MASK

BOARD DISCUSSES PROS AND CONS OF SOCIAL MEDIA

BAD VS. WORSE: MAC BOTTOMFEEDERS FACE OFF

Writer gets up close and personal with Miami’s favorite (and only) mascot.

Editorial Board considers social media in our personal, professional lives.

RedHawks football goes head to head with Eastern Michigan Saturday. Both teams are 1-8.

Today in 1951, The Miami Student reported that men who were involuntarily drafted into the armed services could receive full credit for any classes they were taking by passing a course examination. This policy applied to any students who joined the military after December 1951. At the time of publication, the Korean War had been raging for almost a year and a half.

2 NEWS

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2015

Fruit pricing gone bananas DINING

NEWS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

‘SafeRide’ offers Miami students a way home

JACK EVANS

THE MIAMI STUDENT

After a long run on a Rec Center treadmill, a Miami student towels himself off and heads through the pro shop to leave, picking up a banana on the way out. He stops at the register and swipes his card.

The banana is $1.29, potentially reduced to 90 cents with the Diplomat meal plan discount.

He could buy at least six bananas for the same price at the Kroger down the road.

Even at MacCracken Market, the closest establishment students have to an on-campus grocery store, prices of fresh fruit are well above supermarket pricing. Most of the fresh fruit costs 99 cents a piece. This is over a 100 percent mark up on apples and oranges, which both retail for about 47 cents per fruit, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

The most drastic inflation, however, comes with banana pricing. At 99 cents per unit, bananas at MacCracken Market are about 550 percent more expensive than their supermarket counterparts, which cost, on average, about 18 cents per banana.

Jon Brubacher, director of Food Purchasing for Miami Dining, said the price hikes have to do with purchasing and sales volume.

“Miami’s dining services are self-supporting, which means that we must generate enough income to meet all financial obligations we have,” Brubacher said.

The markets’ intent is not

SAFETY

ABIGAIL KELLY

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

A.J. NEWBERRY THE MIAMI STUDENT

Fruit prices at Miami are much higher than national averages. Bananas, in particular, undergo a startling price hike — ­­ over 550 percent. to compete with local grocery stores, Brubacher said.

“Our markets truly are here as a convenience, and our intent is not to be competitors to a full grocery store,” he said. “By utilizing our current supplier model, we are able to offer a wide variety of products across campus that we can procure in similar volumes.”

A mitigating factor of this increased cost is the Miami student discount. At markets and à la carte eateries on campus, students with a Diplomat meal plan receive a 30 percent discount.

This discount is raised to 50 percent at buffet-style dining halls.

“I know Miami marks up their prices,” said senior Rachel Winters, a student manager at MacCracken Market. “But the student discount helps, so you’re really only paying 60 cents for a banana,

which I think is reasonable.”

According to Winters, bananas are by far the most popular fruit.

“The only time we ever have to throw any out is when they come to us bad,” she said.

Winters usually restocks the banana display two to three times during her three-hour shift.

The Rec Center charges the most per banana, $1.29, out of all the campus dining locations and markets. The Rec keeps its bananas in a metal bowl by the checkout and usually sells between 20 and 25 a day and throws away two or three. Day-old but not yet spoiled bananas get marked down for 50 percent off.

Sophomore Andrew Crawford, a customer service rep at the Rec Center, said the high prices are a BANANAS »PAGE 5

Miami and Butler County offer students a safe way to get home, but the option isn’t available to all students.

Between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. during the week, students can call Butler County Regional Transit Authority’s (BCRTA) SafeRide service if they feel unsafe walking home at night.

However, many who live off campus and outside the bus route do not benefit as much from the service.

SafeRide is a well-utilized service at the university for oncampus students and those who live in a designated area offcampus, said Connor Briggs, operations manager of Fixed Route Services for BCRTA. “SafeRide is a very popular service for students,” he said.

“On standard weeknights, the service is popular for getting to and from King Library and other late-night academic locations in a safe manner.”

Students can call SafeRide’s number and tell the dispatcher their location. When the service is busy, students who are alone and who are not near a bus route are prioritized. Briggs said SafeRide has given 2,000 rides in 2015 — an increase from 1,700 rides in 2014.

However, even though Briggs considers the service popular, and there are students who uti-

lize it, plenty of students do not use it.

For example, junior Guy Holloway, who lives off campus, said he does not feel the need to use SafeRide.

“I like walking and I have my phone with me, so if I feel unsafe, I have that to call for help if need be,” Holloway said.

SafeRide is not available to off-campus students who live north of Church Street and west of Locust Street in order to prevent long wait times. The route was extended from its original boundaries this fall when BCRTA worked with Miami University to extend to off-campus student housing.

Senior Courtney Katzmeyer has considered using SafeRide while on campus late at night, but her house is outside the bus route.

“I don’t think it’s fair,” Katzmeyer said. “Realistically, the students who would be in the most danger from walking home alone, especially at night, are the off-campus students.”

According to Briggs, SafeRide is mainly meant to serve on-campus students’ needs since Miami — not the county or the city ­ — primarily funds the service.

But Katzmeyer said she thinks Miami needs to do more to protect its own.

“Off-campus students pay tuition, too, and we should have access to a safe way home,” she said.

Study shows chemical in cheese makes it as addictive as heroin HEALTH

ries can have over 400 milligrams of sodium — roughly a quarter of what is recommended for daily consumption by the American Heart Association.

The survey also showed that 73 percent of students eat cheese at least one to two times a day, and that 95 percent of that cheese consumption comes from pizza.

Miami offers pizza delivery from its dining location La Mia Cucina. Customer service coordinator Diane Hoeffer said the most popular food items are the three-cheese pizza and the three-cheese panini.

Student manager at La Mia

Cucina Tyler Buckley said the dining location goes through 30 pounds of food a day.

“The delivery service has made it even easier to go through lots of cheese,” he said.

The same survey asked college students to rank how addicted they think they are to cheese. Roughly 50 percent of the participants said they are very addicted and cheese is essential to their diet.

“Food isn’t the same without cheese,” Wong said. “Just imagine a world without pizza, mac n cheese bites, or mozzarella sticks. Yeah, I wouldn’t want to live there either.”

FROM MARKET »PAGE 1

FROM FOOD STUDIES »PAGE 1

quested was Shiseido Tsubaki Camillia Extra Moist shampoo, which Pu said is her favorite.

“They are excited about things they miss from home,” Rotundo said.

Rotundo said she firmly believes in making Miami a home away from home for all students by making dining services as accommodating as possible.

“The mom in you comes out,” she said. “You want to try and take care of everybody.”

Jim Beckett, international purchaser at Jungle Jim’s, hopes to get the first wave of international products into the markets within the next two weeks.

“I am so excited to have some Chinese food on campus,” Pu said. “It can reduce my homesickness a lot.”

Most of the food will be quick snack food like cookies, candy, beverages and noodle bowls. Other items Pu is looking forward to seeing are Pocky cookies, which are biscuit sticks coated in flavored chocolate, and Aloe drinks.

where they can share equipment and yet not be too far for students,” Powell said. “If the pilot goes well and it needs to expand, then I’m sure [the land] would go toward an academic purpose.”

Although not as much as it wanted, the land will still be a necessary resource for the Food Institute to get funding from outside sources, like grants from the Environmental Protection Agency, the United States Department of Agriculture and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

More importantly, the Food Institute can now get started, prepping the land for agricultural use in the spring.

Before it was granted to the institute, Miami rented the seven acres to a local farmer who was growing conventional GMO corn and soybeans.

Next semester, the Food Institute will initiate the three-year progression toward making the land organic.

Although intensive, Huerta said he hopes to capitalize on the process to teach students about the transition from land used for conventional agricultural practices to land suitable for sustainable organic farming.

The Food Institute will partition the land in the four separate agricultural areas, each with its own dedication to different sustainable farming practices.

The majority of the seven

acres will be split between organic permaculture — perennial plants like berries and fruit trees — and vegetable gardens.

Huerta said he wants to establish season-extension greenhouses that would allow the Food Institute to extend the growing and harvesting seasons for students doing research.

Another one to two acres of the Food Institute’s land will be dedicated to the Myaamia Tribe of Miami, Oklahoma. Huerta said the Myaamia Center and the Food Institute have a verbal agreement to work with the tribe to grow the native plants that were useful to its culture.

“I think it’s worth noting that many cultures define themselves by their foods,” said Daryl Baldwin, director of the Myaamia Center and member of the Myaamia Tribe of Oklahoma, in an interview last spring. “We’ve long been interested in what the seasonal and traditional diet of our ancestors was.”

One of the projects Huerta would like the Food Institute to be a part of is the revitalization of these native species. Through a process of selection and breeding, and through controlled manipulation, students can weed out new types of corn to produce the ancestral corn the Myaamia Tribe originally used for its cultural traditions and food.

“And that’s just the beginning,” Huerta said. “There is so much to do. We would like to expand and grow. We would like to take over the whole 35 acres.”

LEAH MCCLOUD

THE MIAMI STUDENT

Cheese is everywhere — from the quesadillas at Serrano to the pizza at Sundial — and, without knowing it, students have become addicted to the familiar dairy product.

A recent study by the University of Michigan showed that cheese addiction is a real phenomenon that happens in the human body through casein releasing casomorphins as the product is eaten.

Casein is a chemical, found in all cheese products, that releases

FROM GRADES »PAGE 1

coming semesters.

“I don’t think you can use [the grade distribution website] to tell how good or bad a professor is,” first year Billy Rohlfs said. “It depends on the nature of the students they are teaching.”

Rohlfs uses the website to determine certain professors’ trends, but does not solely rely on the site to generate his schedule. Rohlfs also cross

opiates called casomorphins during digestion. These opiates trigger addiction, and according to the study, the ones found in cheese are as addictive as opiates in drugs like heroin, codeine and morphine.

Health concerns related to the dairy product are also on the rise. Cheese can hold up to 113 calories in just one slice (one ounce), according to the Dairy Council of California.

But health risks aren’t keeping Miami students away from their cheesy addiction. A survey of 150 Miami students conducted last week suggests that only 43 percent are concerned that cheese may be

unhealthy in their diet.

Sophomore Alyson Wong said she is aware of the health risks associated with having too much cheese in her diet, but thinks it’s still okay to eat.

“I’m not worried about it being healthy or addictive,” she said. “I know it’s not the greatest thing for me, and I know it’s addictive, but it’s good and will always be good.

Everything in moderation.

Besides being addictive, other unhealthy qualities have been associated with cheese. Many cheese varieties are high in sodium, fat and cholesterol. That same slice of cheese that has over 100 calo-

BONNIE MEIBERS SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Due to the growing international student population, MU Dining will now sell international food items in on-campus markets, like Emporium and MacCracken.

“Food is always a comforting thing,” Beckett said. “It’s nice to see a brand you recognize.”

While the original focus group is international students from Asia, Beckett is already taking orders for Indian and Spanish foods.

Rotundo is also working on bringing these international snacks to the Middletown campus. There is also

talk of bringing the international snack-food to the Hamilton campus, Brubacher said.

With an international student population of approximately 140 at the Middletown campus, Rotundo thinks this is something that will make the students here feel more at home.

“I can’t wait to get everything into the store,” Rotundo said.

checks the information he gathers from the grade distribution website with websites like “ratemyprofessors.com.”

However, Tim Kuykendoll, senior assistant registrar for technology, does not advise students to rely on these tools when registering for classes.

“I don’t think this is great information for students to use to make their course decisions,” Kuykendoll said.

Because so many factors play into

a final grade, Kuykendoll said he believes instructor evaluations or talking with peers who have taken the course in the past is a better way to determine which classes to schedule.

Rajkumar echoed Kuykendoll in saying that talking to friends who had taken the class in earlier semesters was another great way to get a feel for whether or not one wanted to enroll in the class.

“This is just another mechanism in the pool,” Rajkumar said.

NEWS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

NEWS 3

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2015

One student’s on-and-off-again education defines his college experience STUDENT LIFE

MAGGIE CALLAGHAN THE MIAMI STUDENT

Jared Baker walks from class to class every day, carrying his books and stressing for exams like any other student at Miami University. However, by just a quick glance, you immediately know that Jared Baker is not your typical college student.

“I was asked if I wanted the professor discount at the bookstore,” Baker said with a chuckle.

Baker, 37, started his education at Miami in 1997, after graduating from Cincinnati’s Elder High School.

After starting his college career at the Hamilton campus, Baker decided to take two years off because he did not feel as though he was ready for college. Baker returned to the Hamilton campus two years later, in 1999, and once he had taken all his Miami

plan classes, Baker transferred to the Oxford campus in 2001.

Baker was a junior and had already completed 90 credit hours when he faced serious health issues that forced him to miss class.

Ultimately, Baker decided to drop out in 2004.

Baker said he just never felt like the timing was right for him to go back to school. Stephanie Beck, an adviser for the Hamilton branch, where many nontraditional students take classes, explained that students like Baker might realize they aren’t ready for school when they are 18 years old ­— but many will come back because they want the degree. However, no student is the same.

“Non-traditional students are a diverse population,” Beck said.

“Some have quit their jobs to attend Miami…some are balancing full time jobs with being parens, spouses, and are part-time students.”

Baker’s journey to get his degree has not been an easy one.

His original major, Physical Education, was no longer offered at Miami when he returned in 2014.

“That was the hard part — helping him find the right fit in a new major,” said Robin Vealey, Baker’s adviser.

Once Baker settled on a major, he had to tackle the problem of completing his credits.

However, when he came back, some of his classes’ credits changed and advisers even had trouble reading his Degree Audit Report (DAR), the form that shows a student’s academic progress.

Not only had DAR changed, but the college experience changed, too.

Besides having to learn to study again after taking 10 years off to work and coach wrestling in Colorado, Baker had to learn about all the new technology in

the classroom. He said how intimidating it was the first couple weeks adjusting to everything and listening to what other students had to say. He said he felt behind.

The classroom was also not the most welcoming setting for Baker.

“College is about sharing ideas and communicating, but I just sit there and wait there [for the professor]. I have to initiate the conversation with other students…”

Baker said.

Although non-traditional students like Baker may think they are at a disadvantage in the classroom, advisers say they bring much more to the table.

“Their level of maturity benefits traditional-aged students when they form student groups … they often provide positive leadership,” Beck said.

Even though the decision to come back to school can seem

difficult, Baker has never doubted his decision.

Baker said the prestige of Miami University is worth getting it. He is even happier he got the experience to work before getting his degree. He said he feels more confident because of it Baker said Miami’s advisers are happy to work with non-traditional students to help them complete their degrees.

“We will work with you,” Vealey said. “I have found various departmental advisers and the Liberal Education office are extremely helpful and flexible in working with students to enable them to complete their degrees.”

Vealey is excited that Baker will graduate in December with 150 credits.

“Working with students like Jared is so rewarding because he has persevered so long and now will finally receive his well-deserved degree,” Vealey said.

Career Services helps graduates find jobs EMPLOYMENT

ANNA SPAGNOLO THE MIAMI STUDENT

HANNAH RUSSELL THE MIAMI STUDENT

Man’s best friend: Abigail the Irish Setter UNIVERSITY

HANNAH RUSSELL THE MIAMI STUDENT

The minute someone meets Abigail, they know why her name means “brings joy” in Gaelic.

Abigail — Abby to her friends — greets everyone with her tail wagging and her ears perked up, looking up with a sweet, docile smile.

Abigail is a 7-year-old Irish red and white setter that has been working as a therapy dog for about two years. Every Monday between 2 and 3 p.m. she can be found at the Miami University Student Counseling Service, along with her colleague Sugar and her trainer Mary O’Leary.

“I have setters because they’re so loving,” O’Leary said. “That’s why they make good therapy dogs.”

O’Leary has been training therapy dogs for 30 years. She began the therapy dog program at Miami back in 2007, with her other Irish red and white, Sugar.

The program was inspired by Sugar’s success as a reading dog at Lane Library, where children read to Sugar as a fun, judgmentfree way to practice their skills.

Senior Christine Ostrosky recently met Abigail at a therapy dog event for midterm stress-relief.

“She is so gosh darn cute!”

Ostrosky said, stroking Abigail’s coat.

Ostrosky is one of the between five and 15 students who visit the Student Counseling Service weekly to see its therapy dogs.

The program was introduced to provide a way to ease stress for students.

Sugar is Miami’s original therapy dog and was Abigail’s mentor during her trial period at the Counseling Services.

Beginning two years ago, Sugar and Abigail became a team, visiting the Counseling Services weekly and making special trips during exam times.

“See, Abby is silky and Sugar is soft,” said O’Leary with a chuckle. “I bring the tactile dogs.”

Abigail is a former international champion show dog and house pet turned certified therapy dog.

When O’Leary found her, she was still a house pet and show dog, but her family had recently had a baby and they were worried about how Abigail and the baby would get along.

The family decided to give Abigail away and O’Leary found her on a rescue site for purebreds.

O’Leary said Abigail loves children and gets along with them very well.

Since completing her training, Abigail has received certification from Therapy Dogs International, which is a volunteer organization dedicated to regulating, testing and registration of therapy dogs and their volunteer handlers, according to a representative of the group.

All dogs registered with TDI must pass the evaluation by the TDI Evaluator, but the organization doesn’t require any other specific training. The primary requirement for therapy dogs is a sweet and calm temperament.

“Any dog can be a therapy dog,” O’Leary said. “It all depends on temperament.”

Abigiail’s happy-go-lucky attitude has made her popular with the students. She and O’Leary have made over 50 trips to campus. Sophomore, Terra Collier, met Abby first-hand.

“Abigail is so sweet. She’s a nice break from all the stress of thinking about my future and college and all of that,” Collier said.

According to a 2015 Economic Policy Institute study, the unemployment rate for young college graduates is currently 7.2 percent, compared to 5.5 percent before the recession in 2007. However, Miami Career Services Director Michael Goldman said things are starting to look up for graduates.

“We are seeing the highest number of advertised positions we’ve seen since the Great Recession,” Goldman said. “We had the largest career fair we have ever had this past fall. The market is very favorable to all of our students, not just business students.”

Senior Catherine Caniglia has not found a job yet, but has been attending career fairs on campus with upper level management from financial firms. She has applied to companies online as well as networked with the firm she worked for this past summer.

She said she believes the competition for jobs can be hard because there are so many seniors looking for the same position.

Caniglia has found that almost all employers are looking for strong leaders for their companies.

Career Services offers career fairs in the fall and spring, the CAREERlink online database with major-specific internship and job search links, networking FROM ELECTION »PAGE 1

cally because other proponents of marijuana legalization shared his concerns.

“I think there were a lot of voters, like me, who were concerned about monopoly in perpetuity and crony capitalism and favoritism, and that’s why they voted against it,” Armitage said.

Of the 7.5 million registered voters in Ohio, 3.2 million made it to the polls Tuesday. Despite historically abysmal voter turnouts in odd-numbered years, Ohio surpassed its turnout from last year’s midterm elections, which included elections for the Ohio governor and U.S. House of Representatives, among others.

The 2014 midterms in Ohio only saw 40.65 percent voter turnout, while 42.2 percent of registered voters showed up Tuesday, according to data from Ohio Secre-

opportunities with alumni and a seminar in the spring for students who have not found jobs yet. The seminar helps students to look for jobs on a more intense level than they have before.

Jack Onulak, a senior finance major who has found a job at Fifth Third Bank, said he believes Miami’s Career Services are helpful, but no one can prepare you for the real thing.

“CAREERlink is helpful and

capital market analyst job. After long hours of testing and interviewing, Onulak heard back from his new employers.

Frequent employers of Miami students, such as J.P. Morgan, Proctor and Gamble, Fifth Third Bank and Key Bank Inc., all have rigorous interviewing processes.

Goldman noted that job recruitment is never personal. Different organizations and industries recruit employees differently. For

What is important is that students are able to articulate the skills they have acquired at Miami because there is a shortage of talent today.

MICHAEL GOLDMAN

CAREER SERVICES DIRECTOR

all, but unless you show up prepared to job fairs and go to the networking lunches and show you know what you’re doing at your interview you aren’t going to find a job,” Onulak said.

“Companies know exactly what they are looking for in employees and unless you demonstrate to them that you have what they are looking for, then they won’t offer you an interview.”

Onulak had to go through multiple networking lunches to be offered interviews. After he passed the first round of interviews, he flew out to Chicago to go up against multiple candidates for a

example, employers recruiting communications majors usually do not come to career fairs and usually recruit in the spring compared to employers for business students who do come to job fairs and recruit in the fall.

“All students have the same core skills — critical thinking, problem solving, ability to process information and leadership — because this is all embedded in the Miami experience,” said Goldman. “What is important is that students are able to articulate the skills they have acquired at Miami because there is a shortage of talent today.”

tary of State Jon Husted’s website.

Other issues on the ballot included Issue 1, which “creates a bipartisan, public process for drawing legislative districts.”

This issue passed with almost 4 to 1 voter approval; nearly 71.5 percent of Ohio voters opted for this issue.

Based on the unofficial election results, Ohio Issue 2 passed — but just barely. Issue 2 proposed an anti-monopoly amendment, which “protects the initiative process from being used for personal economic benefit,” according to data from the Secretary of State’s site.

Less than 100,000 votes determined the outcome of this bill, with 51.58 percent opting for Issue 2 and 48.42 percent against.

Issue 2 was, in part, a response to the monopolistic terms of Issue 3, which may have contributed to the amendment’s approval.

Butler County voted similarly

on two of the three statewide issues, with the exception of Issue 2.

While Issue 2 passed statewide, it did not in Butler County. With slightly more than 89,000 residents voting on this issue, it failed just shy of 48 percent.

Three local issues passed Tuesday, all of which granted Sunday liquor licenses to establishments in Uptown Oxford, according to unofficial results on the Butler County Board of Elections website.

Issues 23, 24 and 27 granted Sunday liquor licenses to O’Pub, Left Field Tavern and The Wood’s, respectively. Business owner Ted Wood owns all three.

Just 102 Oxford voters weighed in on Issues 23 and 24, which passed with 81 and 78 votes each, and even fewer had a say on Issue 27. Only 36 votes were cast for The Wood’s Sunday liquor license, and 22 Oxford residents voted for it.

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4 CULTURE

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2015

Humans oƒ Oxford Samantha Weed — More than a workout

PERELMBK@MIAMIOH.EDU

Becoming Swoop: A day in the life of Miami’s mascot

PEOPLE

KELLY BURNS

THE MIAMI STUDENT

It wasn’t love at first sight, or first session.

Samantha Weed, or Sam, as her friends call her, didn’t have an immediate connection with yoga. It wasn’t a real workout, she thought.

Then, one day, she decided to try a hot vinyasa class with her father.

Hot vinyasa seemed like more of a challenge to her. The extremely high temperatures they practiced in made it feel more like exercise than regular yoga.

Something in that class clicked. At the end she was tired, sweaty and refreshed.

“When you walk out of the class, you feel, physically like a new person,” Sam says, “Like how a snake sheds its skin.”

But, for Sam, it became more than just a workout. It was a way to release her emotions without having to burden other people with her problems.

After her relationship with a longterm boyfriend ended, Sam threw herself into hot vinyasa.

“I would be sweating so much that I could cry and no one would notice,” she says.

The room, the music, the heat,gave her a place to let everything go, even if she was the only one who knew.

During the sessions, the instructors always spoke to Sam and the other participants about bettering themselves and the world around them. Sam took this to heart, using yoga to help her through tough times, all the while trying to become the better person she heard

JACKLYN HAYES PHOTOGRAPHER

Miami University’s mascot, Swoop, is shrouded in secrecy. The students who portray him are unknown to the majority of the student body.

CULTURE

CONNOR MORIARTY PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

about in class.

When she came to Miami, she knew not to get her hopes up. Her hometown had top-notch yoga studios and she reconciled herself with just missing her vinyasa classes.

“When I go home for Thanksgiving, for the first time, I might not go home first,” she says. “I might go straight to yoga class.”

Even so, she couldn’t give up something that had become so important to her and had helped her through so much.

She practices yoga all the time.

In her room, when she takes vinyasa classes at Root Yoga Studio Uptown, the hallways of her dorm — wherever and whenever she gets the chance.

Claire Papamarcos’ cold comforts

CONNOR MORIARTY PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

PEOPLE

KEVIN VESTAL

THE MIAMI STUDENT

Her recipe is simple — two parts water, one part rubbing alcohol, mixed together in a Ziploc bag.

She places the bag inside a freezer.

In a few hours, Claire Papamarcos will have a “ratchet ice pack.”

These gel ice packs are her favorite. Their flexible nature comes in handy when treating her many injuries.

“Ninety-nine percent of the time I am injured,” Claire says

with a smile.

It started in the eighth grade. A nasty fall on stage during play rehearsal left her with a dislocated hip and a world of pain.

For weeks, Claire turned to ice for relief. Rather than waste money on single-use ice packs, she opted for another solution. She began making ice packs at home and stored them in her teacher’s freezer during the school day.

Her hip eventually healed, but the ice packs stuck around.

Now, in her first year at Miami, Claire regularly experiments

with ingredients like corn syrup or dish soap.

A child-care center once inspired her to try freezing wet sponges. Instead of giving them to teething babies, Claire prefers using the cold sponges for various head injuries.

Of course, the classic ice cubes in a bag works, too.

When she sprained her ankle, Claire carried several ice bags around in a popcorn tin in order to combat her latest ailment. The tin, which had been previously used as a makeshift cookie jar, served as her lifeline that day. Her teacher laughed at the absurdity, but it got the job done.

Many of Claire’s injuries come from athletics. After dabbling in kickboxing back home in California, Claire joined Miami’s boxing club to stay in shape. She conditions whenever she can.

“Boxing is not my life’s focus,” she says. “It’s just another source of injuries.”

Bumps and bruises frequently plague her knuckles. Shin splits are no stranger to her.

Then again, neither are ice packs.

alumnus Tylar Rodriguez had plenty of duties. He and the others OLIVIA LEWIS were expected to do prize giveTHE MIAMI STUDENT aways and attend any event where Swoop, the Miami University Swoop was requested. mascot with an oversized head and “Even if the event or game was fuzzy red body, gripped the near- a blowout, it was our responsibility est rail and wrenched himself up to to find ways to engage the crowd pose for a photo. Someone yelled, and keep fans interested in the “Do the ‘jump around!’” event,” Rodriguez said. “In a way, If birds could flash mischievous it was our duty to be the ‘super-fan’ grins, then Swoop would have. He for Miami athletics.” blazed through the frenzied crowd, One of Rodriguez’s favorite leaving a trail of high-fives and self- memories as Swoop was the hockies in his wake. Hooting and holler- ey game against the Ohio State ing followed him.

University on Halloween during The ‘run around’ is a staple his freshman year. in mascot fanfare and mul“People wanted to engage with tiple students perform Swoop’s me and I truly felt like I took on cheeky delivery. the persona of Swoop,” RodriMiami sophomore Jacob Li, guez said. “The best part was alwhose name was changed to pro- ways during ‘jump around,’ where tect his identity, became Swoop two people would go crazy.” months ago after hearing that the Sometimes, fans become too mascot program was searching for crazy. Although each Swoop is new recruits. accompanied by a handler, Li reFor Li, playing Swoop gives him calls being harassed while workan outlet for goofiness, a reprieve ing at the Miami v. Western from his humorless desk job.

Kentucky game this year.

“It’s easier to be myself when I’m “Being there with fans that were Swoop,” Li said. “When I’m in the heckling, booing and throwing suit, no one knows who I am. I can slushies at me was rough,” Li said. be as dumb as I want and people “There was also a really drunk guy will think it’s hilarious. It’s nice to who shoved me and tried to goad have a hidden identity because no me into fighting with him, but I igone can judge you for what you do.” nored him.”

When Li is Swoop, he can’t go According to Casto, Li reacted anywhere without shrieks of, “Oh, appropriately to the situation. there’s Swoop! Let’s take a selfie “We are ambassadors for this with him!” great university,” said Casto. “We “I walk through the stands and ev- take the high road.” eryone wants a picture,” Li said. “I These instances are rare and getwalk outside the gates and I literally ting sweaty while frolicking around have a line forming to get pictures in Swoop’s suit is the only annoytaken with me. Everyone wants to ance Li regularly experiences. get high-fives and little kids are al“It can be 65 degrees out and ways wanting hugs.” you’d still sweat so much,” Li said.

There are four student athletes “I drank two gallons of water before who don the Swoop suit and they the first game and I sweat every sinpractice their routines with the cheer gle bit of it out.” team every Wednesday evening.

Despite the heat and aggressive Matthew Casto, Miami’s head sports fans, Li feels proud to be part cheerleading coach, is in charge of of Swoop’s legacy. The fact that he deciding each Swoop’s schedule also gets free Miami gear doesn’t hurt by setting up rotations, which al- either, and he already has a growlow the four students to take turns ing collection of Miami branded working the home and away games. sweatshirts, shorts and tennis shoes.

It’s his responsibility to choose new “The crazier you act, the better Swoops every year. the crowd responds,” Li said. “You “As far as what we look for in have to try to be obnoxious. Be Swoop, it depends on what that per- goofy, be silly, because people love son brings to the table, whether it’s that. Swoop is able to get the crowd interacting well with others or being going — a wild crowd that cheers funny and creative,” Casto said. players on should be every mascot’s As a former Swoop, Miami goal. Plain and simple.”

Seed to table, part two: The Johnson family farm FOOD

ALISON PERELMAN THE MIAMI STUDENT

Someone told Larry Johnson that beets were popular in Oxford, so he decided to give them a try.

He didn’t plant them like everyone else does. He tilled the soil to make it loose, mixed the seeds with soil in a bucket and tossed everything out by hand. Sometimes he dragged a chain across the soil to help compact and mix the seeds and the soil.

He watered the plants two to three times a week. Once they were ready, he pulled the beets and thinned them as he went.

The beets turned out to be his hottest item of the year.

Regular customer Mel Bussey buys beets all the time — she says

It’s nice to have a place where you can work hard all week in producing a quality product and having a place you know you can go and people appreciate and can consume your product.

LARRY JOHNSON

LOCAL FARM OWNER

she loves beets and convinces others to try them all the time.

“I like to roast them and then you can either serve them warm with feta and a balsamic kind of vinaigrette, or you can serve them cold on top of a regular salad with some blue cheese,” Mel said. “Peeling them is the worst part after you cook them, but I love beets,” Larry himself hadn’t tried a beet until this year, but now he loves

them, and plans to grow even more in the coming years.

Experiments seem to work out well for Larry. He’s tried different ways of growing broccoli, cauliflower and blackberries.

He even grows an experimental berry — the haskap.

The haskap berry, a sort of elongated blueberry, also known as the honeysuckle berry, is new to the Midwest region, but seems to be

increasing in popularity. It’s tart, but good to mix with sweeter berries or put on top of pancakes.

Larry’s wife uses the haskap berry to make jam.

“You basically mush up the berries to the consistency that you want, you put it on the stove and you add the pectin and the sugar content that you want,” said Larry. “Then we jar it up and give it a hot water bath and wipe the jars off, put labels on them and they’re ready to go.”

The jam sells out all the time.

Customers were excited to finally find the mixed berry jam, something no one else sells at the Oxford Farmer’s Market.

Larry’s grandparents grew fruits and vegetables, mainly for the family. Both he and his wife were involved in Future Farmers of America at Talawanda High School. Now,

they own 15.5 acres and love it.

“It’s nice to have a place where you can work hard all week in producing a quality product and having a place you know you can go and people appreciate and can consume your product,” Larry said. “It’s a tremendous experience, with the college students and with the local people.”

Oxford’s is the only market Larry is involved in, but it’s enough for him — he simply enjoys farming and the lifestyle that comes along with it. His favorite part is getting to see his children pick the berries and try to find the biggest one.

“I get on to them all the time as we’re harvesting,” Larry said. “‘You can’t eat all that!’ And I die laughing, and the more I say it the more they eat. And to me that’s what it’s all about.”

WWW.MIAMISTUDENT.NET

5

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2015

FROM FLORA »PAGE 1

stories of young women pursuing ambitious projects. The company wanted to tell the story of Flora Stationery.

But a year and a half ago, Flora Stationery was just an idea Ashley had after her study abroad experience at Miami.

Ashley VanBuskirk met Ema, the girl who helped inspire the business, on a study abroad trip to Kosovo for her international studies major.

Kosovo is located in southFROM BANANAS »PAGE 2

campus norm that have become accepted by students.

“I would feel bad, but compared to everywhere else on campus it feels standard.”

Although it may be standard on campus, the price differences are startling — and not just for fruit.

The Miami Student reported earlier this year that food prices at Miami have been on the rise in recent years.

eastern Europe, and is the poorest country in the region, according to Fund Futures. The people of Kosovo often live off less than a dollar a day. The unemployment rate for Kosovar students between the ages of 15 and 24 is 55.3 percent, the second highest in the world.

Nicollette Staton was Ashley’s classmate and spent two months with her in Kosovo. Staton said VanBuskirk went to Ema’s village and learned that Ema could not continue with her education because she needed to help provide for her family.

The VanBuskirk sisters began planning the business when Ashley returned from her trip. Flora Stationery sold products that displayed artwork designed by Kosovar students. With the proceeds from the sales, the VanBuskirk sisters were able to fund Ema’s education completely.

Soon after, the sisters graduated — Ashley from Miami and Victoria from Grove City College in Pennsylvania. In August 2014, the company became a nonprofit organization registered in Texas.

Staton said she can’t believe how

Sundial Pizza, Mein Street Gourmet and Serrano in Armstrong all raised prices this fall on different entrée options.

But, according to Brubacher, keeping food affordable is a priority for the university.

“Miami works diligently to keep our costs as low as possible, which in turn helps to keep the prices in our markets as low as possible.”

Additional reporting by Grace Moody, news editor.

much the business has grown in such a short amount of time.

“I’m really excited to see how successful it’s been and how far it’s come,” Staton said. “I think a lot of people have ideas and just don’t do it, so it’s great to see someone who just took that extra step.”

Just a few months after they graduated, the sisters were able to help five women attend university in Kosovo.

“From there, it’s just kind of been a snowball effect,” Victoria said.

Currently, the sisters are funding 18 full-time students at the Univer-

sity of Prishtina in Kosovo.

After hearing about the VanBuskirk sisters’ story, junior Shelby Singh was intrigued.

“I think that what they did was a really good idea, especially since it was actually very selfless of them,” Singh said.

The shoes by Flora Stationery and Keds will feature two designs created by Kosovar students, similar to the journals and stationery.

“We’re really excited for the shoes to come out and for us to continue to share the mission of Flora,” Ashley said.

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The Elie Wiesel Foundation

Prize in Ethics

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An introduction to contemplative prayer in the style of

Essay Contest 2016

The Prize in Ethics Essay Contest is an annual competition designed to challenge college students to analyze the urgent ethical issues confronting them in today’s complex world.

Articulate with clarity an ethical issue that you have encountered and describe what it has taught you about ethics and yourself.

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6 OPINION

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2015

EDITORIAL@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

From networking to nuisance: Society’s adaption to social media EDITORIAL

Social media has become an extension of ourselves. No longer just a fun pastime, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have become something we consider necessary — a part of who we are, how we live and how we present that to the world.

It is safe to say most people would cringe at the thought of “unplugging,” or going without technology, for even just one day. Society has not just accepted, but adapted to the need for social media.

College students are no longer just worried about studying hard and excelling in their given field.

Now they have to learn to “create their own brand.” They have to develop an online persona, because someone, somewhere is always watching. We are no longer thought of as people, but brands. And interestingly enough, this seems to be the new norm.

We delete Instagram posts because they don’t match our brands. When we see a feed that’s cohesive, we are impressed. When employers see a Twitter user with a stellar ratio of followers and constant updates, the user instantly becomes more hirable.

But is that aesthetically outstanding Instagram feed an honest representation of who a person is? Or is it simply the culmination

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

But is that aesthetically outstanding Instagram feed an honest representation of who a person is? Or is it simply the culmination of hours spent hunched over our screens, filtering and manipulating images to make ourselves appear a certain way?

of hours spent hunched over our screens, filtering and manipulating images to make ourselves appear a certain way?

Does the ability to find the perfect balance between “highlight” “and “saturate” translate into any reallife skills? Does the amount of accounts we retweet make us smarter?

A more skilled communicator? A better person?

With the rise of social media comes the need to prove that we as college students are constantly consuming news. Every company has an online presence. You’re expected to, and if you don’t, you will fall behind.

Some companies no longer value the qualities of inquiry and investigation. They just value the ability to quickly consume

information and shovel it out to the general public.

With all this focus on social media, the question is — how can we best use it to our advantage?

It’s safe to argue a person’s online presence should never be their downfall. It should be the one place where we hold all the control, where we can make ourselves perfect.

There is a fine line, though — what is okay to post and what is not? There is a definite difference between posting pictures of doing drugs or binge drinking and posting political articles or commentary. Social media should act as a medium for people to express themselves and being afraid that you will harm your career by doing so is the worst form of self-censorship.

In theory, a company will hire

Ohio, justice stumbles with marijuana rejection ELECTIONS

MILAM’S MUSINGS For the foreseeable future, Ohio residents will continue to be locked up for the “crimes” associated with marijuana.

In an almost 2-to-1 pummeling, Ohioans rejected Issue 3, which would have legalized marijuana in the most populous state thus far, with 1.9 million voting “no” and 1.1 million voting “yes.”

It’s not particularly surprising that this didn’t pass. For one, it was the first state to attempt recreational and medical legalization in one piece of legislation. People are more sympathetic to the latter and there’s at least some promise there.

State Rep. Ryan Smith told the Columbus Dispatch there’s tremendous support for medical marijuana and it’s something “we should have a bigger discussion about.”

Yeah, true, but here’s how I look at it: marijuana legalization ought to occur across the board; that it has potential medical benefits is simply an added argument to the obvious.

Nevertheless, it’s astounding in the “land of the free” people seeking reprieve from crippling illnesses and conditions can still be arrested and potentially locked up for smoking marijuana.

Secondly, Ohio is the quintessential middle-of-the-road state. It has a lot of moderates — third most in the country, according to Gallup — and so is not keen to do a sweeping flip on recreational and medical marijuana.

Finally, there’s the obvious point: the legalized cartel part of Issue 3, wherein many of the same people financing Issue 3 stood to gain from its passage. This is how Issue 2 arrived on the ballot, as a way to counteract that potentiality. Issue 2 also passed, albeit at a much closer margin (1.5 million “yes,” 1.4 million “no”).

Many people I know who would otherwise be supportive of legalizing marijuana were hesitant to do so for that aforementioned reason, including this newspaper’s editorial board.

Respectfully, I would say progressives and liberals are a bit myopic on this point. It seems at times that anything that remotely has the taint of corporations and profits is to be disdained and rejected out-of-hand.

But I’m thinking long-term. I detest crony capitalism, too, but the greater evil in this situation is that people will continue be locked up for crimes involving marijuana. Not to say anything, either, of those that were looking forward to passage for

medical purposes.

Those that opposed this particular legislation retorted, “There’s always 2016!” ResponsibleOhio and its backers spent an estimated $25 million and lost in all 88 counties in Ohio, according to the Dispatch.

I would be surprised to see ResponsibleOhio make another go at it, although they seem willing, at least.

I would be surprised if someone else

There is no good argument for maintaining the criminalization of marijuana.

could step in to go through the process of getting it back on the ballot, much less the cost to do so. I would be surprised to see marijuana on the ballot again anytime soon.

Ohioans had an opportunity to really domino the legalization of marijuana movement given its size and middle-of-the-road status, but instead, we fell back to the status quo.

There is not one good argument for maintaining the criminalization of marijuana. I invite any reader to offer one and email it to me.

From the progressive angle, their arguments tend to swirl back to the problem of profit. Michelle Alexander, author of “The New Jim Crow,” said the day before the election that there’s a “gold rush” going on in the marijuana legalization movement.

“The drive for profit is, in many respects, corrupting the drug policy reform movement, and the question for those of us who support marijuana legalization is whether we are going to support all legalization initiatives no matter how unjust the new legal regimes may be,” Alexander said.

To be sure, what the post-criminalization of marijuana legal structure will look like is certainly a concern, and criticisms (of which I would agree with) of the emerging structures are sound, but unfortunately, we also have to be pragmatic. And quite simply, legalized marijuana is better than criminalized marijuana, even if in doing so, it’s not our ideal arrangement.

The likely Democratic presidential nominee, Hillary Clinton, when asked at the last Democratic debate if she was ready to take a position on legalizing recreational marijuana, said, “No.” Clinton will only support legalizing marijuana when it’s politically opportunistic and safe to do so. She’s more sympathetic to medical marijuana, but even then, she makes the

“we need more research argument.”

Research for what? Common sense alone tells you that having marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug is absolute stupidity.

A Schedule 1 drug is defined by the Drug Enforcement Administration as, “Drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Schedule I drugs are the most dangerous drugs of all the drug schedules with potentially severe psychological or physical dependence.”

Look at what marijuana is lumped in with within that classification: heroin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy), methaqualone and peyote.

Now, to be sure, you’re reading the words of someone that would legalize every single one of those, but I’m trying to stick to the (somewhat) easier pitch of legalizing marijuana.

But still, we don’t need research to know that marijuana is not in heroin’s league when it comes to individual and societal harm. Not to say anything, either, of those pesky legal substances not mentioned: alcohol and tobacco.

We live in the “land of the free” where our government considers marijuana more dangerous than meth (meth is a Schedule II drug), where a “liberal” can’t take a strong position on letting people put what they want into their bodies and where individuals are still getting sentenced for marijuana-related offenses.

As for conservatives, there’s no quicker litmus test to contradict their limited government bona fides. They are fully accepting of big government continuing to criminalize marijuana.

Ohio Governor John Kasich was one such conservative against Issue 3 and also a Republican candidate for president.

“At a time when too many families are being torn apart by drug abuse, Ohioans said no to easy access to drugs and instead chose a path that helps strengthen our families and communities,” said Gov. John Kasich in a statement.

Yes, drug abuse is a problem, but it’s not a criminal problem because then you’re compounding an addiction problem with the litany of issues that come with being ensnared in the criminal justice system. Therefore, it’s both the drug addiction and its prohibition that are destroying families and communities.

Ohio had a chance to take an admittedly stumbling step toward freedom, but rejected the chance.

The whole point of freedom is that it’s not tidy and clean and able to be perfectly pre-planned, but nonetheless, it’s a preferable option than continued prohibition and draconian control.

people who hold the same values as they do. Here it becomes a little tricky to determine what’s “appropriate” vs. “inappropriate” in terms of social media posts. If you work for a cigarette company, a photo of you smoking won’t do any damage.

But what if you work for a health care company? While some content might be bad across the board, we shouldn’t let fear stifle our thoughts.

Unfortunately, it isn’t just potential employers that people are afraid of offending. Many college students know the feeling of the Thanksgiving dinner inquisition — the uncle telling you that you need to stop posting “controversial” articles (i.e. articles that he disagrees with).

Why are we judged for every post, like or comment that we

share? Why do we hesitate, or hold back altogether from posting something, just because we are worried what people will think?

When did social media change from a way to keep up with far-away friends, to a platform where one must prove their worth?

What’s more, it has gotten to the point where social media has infiltrated almost every aspect of our lives. And we don’t even realize it.

Companies use social media to extend their marketing platforms. They target potential customers on social media and send messages to persuade people to buy their products.

Say you follow Taco Bell on Twitter. You read their posts, laugh at their jokes. Next time you are thinking about what to get to eat, you remember, “Oh, Taco Bell is my friend. I should go to Taco Bell.”

Social media and its omnipresence can be both a blessing and a curse. It allows us to connect, share ideas and show our true selves (or who we wish to be). However, we shouldn’t turn social media into a stage, where we are simply actors pretending to be what we think the world wants. The key to successful social media use is authenticity.

Excessive election talk makes voters tune out, ignore issues ELECTIONS

GRETA HALBERG THE MIAMI STUDENT

You’d have to live under a rock not to know about the 2016 presidential election. Donald Trump is making a bid for the Oval Office.

Hillary Clinton wants her place in history to be the West Wing, not the East. The campaign for the White House has been under way for what feels like years.

This election is exactly one year away. The candidates have not even been chosen yet and American voters are already bored with the name-calling and petty fighting of the 2016 election.

But what about the 2015 election?

What election, you ask? Exactly. On Tuesday, Nov. 3, states put their school board and city council members up for a vote. The election was uneventful, almost boring, save for a few states with interesting ballot initiatives or major candidates that were put up for a vote.

One of them was Ohio, which had a major ballot initiative to legalize recreational marijuana.

Sorry stoners, you’re going to have to continue to buy your weed illegally. (Based purely on the smell of most house parties, this won’t

win by a popular vote, instead of elected by state legislatures, thanks to the17th Amendment.

Presidential candidates for each party are chosen from a series of primary elections. Before 1968, each party selected a candidate at the party convention during the summer before the ballot. Campaign season was four months long, which culminated on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November.

Hillary Clinton essentially launched her White House bid the day after Obama’s second inauguration. She and the other leading candidates of both parties, has been shaking hands and kissing babies for years before the formal campaign began. Last spring, the candidates publicly announced their intentions to run for the Oval Office, launching intense efforts to fundraise.

In January, they’ll caucus in Iowa and swing voters in New Hampshire, before campaigning in the primaries of other states. These candidates will have campaigned for over a year, and against members of their own party no less, before one representative from each party is officially selected at their national conventions next summer.

While these processes seem

With constant campaigning and discussion about elections, it becomes easier and easier for the average voter to simply tune it out.

be a problem.)

Either way, the media coverage and conversation around the 2015 election was minimal.

State and local governments make futile attempts to bring citizens to the polls every year, with low success rates. Voter turnout, especially in off-year elections, is pathetic. 2014 was a dismal year for American politics, when just 36.4 percent of the eligible public turned out to vote.

Our turnout in the 2012 presidential race was better, at roughly 60 percent. We lag behind other developed democracies that get 70 to 80 percent of their voting population in national elections.

Why is it that American voters don’t make it to the polls?

We have too many elections.

Over time, the American system strived to be increasingly democratic, allowing voters to elect more officials. U.S. Senators now

more democratic — the people have more power to decide — it has ironically made Americans less inclined to vote, thus doing more harm to our democracy than good.

In America, every season is campaign season. Political elites and the media always speculate about the next election, sometimes before the first one is over — Who will run in 2020 (besides Kanye West)? Which party will win a majority in Congress? Who will replace Boehner to represent the eighth district of Ohio?

Americans have grown weary of voting in elections. Heck, they’re sick of hearing about them. With constant campaigning and discussion about elections, it becomes easier and easier for the average voter to simply tune it out.

If we truly want a democracy where more than half our voters make it to the polls, we’ve got to give the election talk a break.

EDITORIAL@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

OPINION 7

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2015

Case studies in micronations could lead to the ideal polity

CONTRIBUTED BY GRETCHEN SHELBY

The Principality of Aigues-Mortes, surrounded by its medieval ramparts.

GLOBAL

A RELUCTANT ROYAL

A.J. NEWBERRY NEWBERAJ@MIAMIOH.EDU

U.S. should not stand for Russia’s support of Syria GLOBAL

JAMES GRANT

THE MIAMI STUDENT

April 20, 2012, President Barack Obama painted a “red line” in the sand, declaring that the use of chemical weapons by Syrian’s president Bashar al-Assad may trigger a US military response. Along with the president’s creation of his imaginary line, he explicitly said, “My answer is simple, I will not put American boots on the ground in Syria.”

After three years of refusing to listen to his top national security advisers to take more decisive action in Syria, President Obama finally gave in. Oct. 30, 2015, the president officially announced he would send troops to Syria, putting American boots on the ground. White House spokesman Josh Earnest saidsss the U.S. would deploy “less than 50” Special Operations forces, who will be sent to Kurdish-controlled territory in northern Syria. The two-term president who has never served in our armed forces just about-faced on one of the biggest international issues facing our country today.

The tensions between the various groups and nations in the Middle East have increased exponentially over the past four or so years. To add to the chaos, Russian military forces entered eastern Syria in early September. While Russian president Vladimir Putin claims his motives are purely to fight the Islamic State, a recent article published in The

New York Times in October would suggest otherwise. The article titled “Untangling the Overlapping Conflicts in the Syrian War” maps out the Russian airstrikes. The visual shows Putin systematically pinpoint the U.S.-backed Syrian rebels, not the territories held by ISIS that they claim to be targeting.

Since Russian military forces entered Syria in September,

The two world powers, U.S. and Russia, are at it once again, but this time, what’s at stake?

The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times have written about the possibility of proxy war tensions between the United States and Putin’s regime.

The United States and Russia had a similarly tense relationship during the Cold War, in which both countries developed advanced weaponry and formed alliances across the world. It was an ideological battle between communism and democracy. The two world powers, U.S. and Russia, are at it once again, but this time what’s at stake?

Instead of viewing the situation through a Cold War lens, it is

important to take into account the ideologies of the al-Assad regime, ISIS and other groups competing for regional dominance. Russia backing a leader who slaughters his citizens with chemical weapons is not a sign of supporting human rights and freedom. It is a step back from modernity. Putin’s motives to keep Middle Eastern countries under vicious rulers are a rejection of modern values and the United States should not stand by and watch.

The Syrian president and radical Islamists, from ISIS and Boko Haram, to Al-Qaeda and the Taliban, set to fight modernity and encourage the elimination of all those who oppose them. They succeed in murdering their opponents through fatwas and funds from terror sponsors like Iran. In pushing their extremist values, they succeed in suppressing western ideals of civil rights and freedom.

Will this ideological war be won by military action, as the direction the president is taking, or can we use symbolic force? We need to do more than just tell the billions of human beings who live in the unfree world that modernity provides freedom and civil rights. We need to show them, not by force, but rather by presenting an overwhelmingly appeal to American values. We need to defeat the extremist propaganda that attracts so many young militant men by creating a stronger appeal to our country’s values of human rights and freedom.

Safe Campus Act strips campuses of authority TO THE EDITOR: Dave Wessel’s faith in the intentions behind the Greeksupported “Safe Campus Act” is, I believe, misplaced.

For the last century, colleges have been expelling students for misconduct, including everything from cheating and plagiarism to destruction of property to physical assaults to racism. In all those years, there was no public outcry about “due process” or the “burden of proof” or the need to let the criminal justice system make these decisions rather than the colleges themselves.

Somehow, all of this only became a priority when female and male rape victims started asking their schools to do more to protect their educations.

College adjudications involve PROPERTY RIGHTS. They are

not criminal adjudications. Property rights issues are the subject of civil law and have always, always been subjected to the “preponderance of the evidence” standard. Title IX guarantees both the sexual assault accuser and accused the SAME due process rights — it requires that both students be treated EQUALLY. To pretend the Greek-supported legislation is intended to promote fairness is disingenuous in the extreme. Rather, the Act is intended to strip colleges of the authority and ability to protect their students unless those students are willing to run the gauntlet of the “second rape” of the criminal justice system.

The Act is intended to continue to protect rapists, who are found disproportionately in larger numbers inside fraternities — studies show that fraternity men are three times

more likely to commit sexual assault than non-fraternity men.

Ironically, however, the Act would also adversely impact Greeks more than any other portion of the student population, since Greeks (both female and male) are 2.5 times more likely to be sexually assaulted than the average college student.

Because of the sacrifices of hundreds of students who have “gone public” with their personal tragedies, legislators and society generally are finally beginning to consider actual solutions to the problem of rape. This effort by the Greek leadership to subvert that forward momentum isn’t just dishonest and creepy and unethical — it is a sin.

KELLY MOORE

KSMOORE777@GMAIL.COM

A NOTE from the

EDITOR To the anonymous author of the letter to the editor concerning Miami’s policies against harassment: The Miami Student is interested in your letter, but before publication we must confirm its authenticity.

Please email the opinion editor directly… editorial@miamistudent.net

Nestled among the salt marshes of southern France, guarded by medieval ramparts more than six centuries old and situated near the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, the present-day Principality of Aigues-Mortes is located about 14 miles from Montpellier. The Princely Couple, Sovereign Prince Jean-Pierre IV and his wineobsessed wife, Princess Olivia, with her bold eyebrows and bright red lipstick, serve as the royalty of the realm with dedication to the happiness of their people.

From a new local currency to elaborate banquets recognizing the achievements of locals, this five and a half year-old micronation is thriving.

In my previous article, I introduced the concept of a micronation.

Many Americans often use the terms “nation” and “state” interchangeably, leading to some confusion regarding the issue. While a state is defined as being, “a politically organized body of people usually occupying a definite territory, especially one that is sovereign,” defining what a nation is proves to be more challenging.

There are many different ways to define a nation, but put simply, a nation is a group of people who share something in common.

Micronations, like fraternities and sororities, appropriate history to act as a foundation for their new identity, organize a structure of government to manage activities and finances, develop meaningful traditions and rituals and create symbols to represent their shared ideals.

Purchased from the Psalmodie Abbey in the 13th century by King Louis IX of France, the town was developed as Louis’ first stronghold on the Mediterranean, and would be used as a port from which Crusade campaigns would be launched in 1248 and 1270. The latter was Louis’ final journey, as he suffered and died from dysentery along the shores of Tunis shortly after his arrival. It is at this point in history that the Principality of Aigues-Mortes claims to be born.

According to a local legend, a devoted squire by the name of Pierrot Pichon tended to Louis in his last days. The young man’s kindness and compassion had a profound effect on the dying king and, as a gesture of genuine gratitude; Pichon was bestowed with the title Prince of Aigues-Mortes and awarded the keys to the city.

When the modern day residents of the medieval city heard this reimagining of their town’s history, they rejoiced, declaring themselves a micronation of antiquated origin.

On June 21, 2010 Pierrot Pitchoun’s descendent, Jean-Pierre IV, was made Sovereign-Prince through a successful majority vote of the General Assembly.

The Principality’s government considers itself a parliamentary monarchy, meaning the governing powers of the monarchy are constricted by the constitution. The Prince serves as the primary symbol of the micronation, and his responsibilities are limited to the following: internal affairs of the Palace and Princely Guard, appointment and/or dismissal of state officials, ennoblement and micronational assembly.

He also serves as the Chairman of the Grand Princely Council, also known as the Cabinet of the Prince,

sharing the executive power with 10 Grand Counsellors and the Princess.

The legislative branch of the Principality’s government is the General Assembly, which consists of all Aigues-Mortes citizens, and each motion is passed by a majority vote.

Within the past year, Jean-Pierre has turned his attention to the economic prosperity of the Principality.

As a banker in his civilian life, the Prince has shown that it is possible to highlight the local talent of the Principality’s artisans and businesses, while also maintaining the realm’s humorous and spirited demeanor.

I had the pleasure of listening to a presentation this summer about Aigue-Mortes’ plan, and it really is amazing.

Working within the framework of the French government, the Principality is seeking to launch a legal local “sub-currency” called the Flamingo in April 2016. The exchange rate will be 1 Euro/1 Flamingo, with the equivalent of 200,000 Euros in circulation. When used to purchase goods and services within the city, consumers will receive a 5 percent discount.

This economic policy helps to support the growing local culture of the Principality by encouraging tourism and involving the community’s businesses to a greater degree.

When it comes to involving and recognizing the citizens of AiguesMortes, Princess Olivia knows best.

Dressed in her most splendid themed finery, she awards one deserving citizen the Prize of Constance. The award, named after the Tower of Constance, is presented to a citizen who has made a significant contribution to the welfare of the Principality.

The award ceremony for the Prize of Constance takes place during the annual Grand Princely Ball of the Golden Bucket, an extravagant event meant to provide the women of the Principality a night to dress up and feel like princesses themselves.

This year, leaders of other micronations were invited to the ball as distinguished guests in a gesture of mutual recognition. During these State Visits, it is customary among “macronational” Royals to bestow visiting dignitaries with a royal order commemorating the occasion.

The Principality participated in this practice by elevating these micronational dignitaries to the rank of Knight of the Royal Order of the Pink Flamingo.

The pink flamingo is native to Aigues-Mortes and it serves not only as the micronation’s official animal, but also as the inspiration for Princess Olivia’s dress at the most recent Grand Princely Ball.

This year, the Princely Couple’s son, 6 year-old Jean-Rosé — named after his father and his mother’s favorite wine — was also in attendance. He participated in the festivities by presenting the visiting female dignitaries with locally crafted bouquets, and, like most royal children, looking insanely adorable in photos.

The humorous culture of the Principality has taken root and is helping to shape the community of AiguesMortes by providing its 270 official citizens with entertainment, new traditions, support for local initiative, and the ability to connect with one another on a meaningful level.

Even as a political simulation and a sort of grassroots movement, this micronation exemplifies the positive effects the development of such an organization can have on individuals and their community.

GRETCHEN SHELBY

SHELBYGE@MIAMIOH.EDU

8 FYI

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2015

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FROM FOOTBALL»PAGE 10

FROM SOCCER»PAGE 10

FROM COLUMN»PAGE 10

run plays. Once we get the running game going, it opens a lot of things for the pass game.”

Bahl is 65-for-158 for 924 yards, four touchdowns and 10 interceptions this season. Sophomore Sam Martin leads wide receivers with 508 yards on 26 catches.

“Defense is doing a lot this week to stop [EMU] and give us good chances,” Bahl said.

“As long as we keep moving and protect the ball and put points on the board, I think we have a good chance to win this game.”

Miami is 17-4 all-time versus Eastern Michigan and has won the last seven meetings. EMU’s last win in the series was a 15-7 victory in 1993.

Kickoff is 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Yager Stadium.

the ’Hawks beat the Zips 3-0.

Akron slipped into the MAC tournament after winning a four-way tie for the 8th seed.

“I think Ball State had a pretty favorable results against Akron in the regular season too, and look what that got them,” said Kramig.

“It’s tournament time and you have to put all that stuff aside. It doesn’t matter who you’re playing. It doesn’t matter where you’re playing. You just have to stay focused on what you do. You have to stand by your effort and your attitude.”

On paper, Miami’s matchup with the Zips is favorable. Akron has been shutout in five of its last seven games and ranks third-to-last in the MAC in goals per game (1.05). The RedHawks rank first in the MAC in goals allowed per game (.63).

The ’Hawks know they can’t get too far ahead of themselves, even when they look like clear favorites. Last season, the No. 7 seed Northern Illinois University pulled off a heartbreaking upset over the second-seeded ’Hawks in the first round of the MAC Championship.

Junior goaltender Vic Maniaci said the team is solely focused on Akron and improving the offense.

“We’re really focusing on our offense right now,” Maniaci said.

“That was today’s goal. We don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves. We’re focusing on what’s in front of us and that’s Akron.”

MU plays Akron at 11 a.m. Friday in Kalamazoo, Michigan. If the ’Hawks win, they will play in the championship game at 1 p.m. Sunday in Kalamazoo.

sat in on press conferences with Royals manager Ned Yost and starter Chris Young and the Mets’ Terry Collins, Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz.

My job was to snatch hold of any interesting story that came up during these conferences and write about it, in addition to livetweeting quotes from the players and coaches.

One of my favorite moments was attending the presentation of the Hank Aaron Award, which is given to the best hitter in each league and voted on by a panel of Hall of Famers.

This year, Josh Donaldson of the Toronto Blue Jays and the Nationals’ Bryce Harper won the honor. Harper couldn’t make it, but Donaldson was presented with his hardware by Commissioner Rob Manfred and Hank Aaron himself.

When the press conferences were over for the afternoon — usually around 5 p.m. — I headed onto the field.

Watching batting practice is always a spectacle, but World Series batting practice is on another level. It’s a who’s who of media types baseball faces — there’s Ken Rosenthal! Is that David Eckstein? Sam Ryan! Erin Andrews! — and it’s packed to the gills.

Along the warning track was — surprise! — another media scrum, with TV anchors, reporters and photographers three or four deep. The players pushed their way through the gaunt-

FROM HOCKEY»PAGE 10

Western offense.

“We have a lot of respect for Western,” Blasi said. “You’ve got to be ready to go. That’s the message we’re sending to our guys. I like our team; I think we’re getting better as we go.”

Miami leads the series all time with a record of 62-57-11. Five of those victories came last year, three during the NCHC playoffs.

MU’s last win was a 4-0 shutout at home on March 15.

Puck drop is 7:35 p.m. Friday in Oxford, Ohio. Saturday’s game begins at 8 p.m.

9

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2015

let of voice recorders and video cameras in order to get onto the field or back into the safety of the dugout, a simultaneously amusing and pathetic sight.

It’s my duty as an American teenager to take a couple of selfies while on the field, which I did – somewhat embarrassedly, as I was the youngest person there by at least ten years. I needed a new Twitter profile picture, so what else was I to do?

I spent the rest of the night watching the game from an auxiliary press box set up near the right-field foul pole and writing live in-game updates.

The normal press box was chock-full — there were seating charts allotting a few spots to each news organization — and this auxiliary box, normally an exclusive fan club area, was no different. We sat at rows of tables draped with tablecloths and power strips running the periphery.

It was a better set-up than other games, though — I’ve been to a few World Series games that were so crowded, media members were relegated to a cordoned-off area to watch the game on a TV. As I monitored the game, my Twitter feed and the MLB.com Gameday app on my laptop, I did feel a little guilty for skipping out on geology class, so I opened Miami Canvas in one browser tab and occasionally pretended to look at it.

As one of my colleagues put it on Twitter, I was enrolled for the weekend not at Miami, but in “World Series U”.

FROM FIELD HOCKEY»PAGE 10

lot of enthusiasm,” freshman midfielder Avery Sturm said. “I think we can take them and pull off the win.”

It’ll be Sturm’s first playoff experience “I think the team is all backing each other up so there is no extra pressure,” Sturm said. “Like Bea Dechant, she’s always here for me. And so are the rest of the captains.”

Dechant has collected 29 points and 11 goals in 18 starts this season.

“I don’t think it’s a pressure, it’s more of an honor to play at a tournament,” Dechant said.

“Especially this one being my last one ever here, it’s all about enjoying the moment.”

The ’Hawks see MSU often, and they believe this is an advantage.

“It helps a lot already seeing them,” Dechant said. “But the team learned from those games, and they’ll probably come out with something new.”

The semifinal game begins 2 p.m. Friday in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. The championship game is 2 p.m. Saturday.

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10 SPORTS

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2015

SPORTS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

Battle of the underdogs

Miami and Eastern Michigan, both 1-8, seek elusive second win FOOTBALL

GRACE REMINGTON SPORTS EDITOR

Two one-win teams each look for their first conference victory of the season when Miami University football takes on Eastern Michigan University this weekend.

EMU (1-8, 0-5 Mid-American Conference) last won Sept. 2 in a 48-29 blowout against University of Wyoming. Miami’s only win is a 26-7 victory against Presbyterian College in Week 1.

“Their record doesn’t show what kind of a team they are,” freshman quarterback Billy Bahl said.

“They’ve played some pretty good teams, I mean, they played LSU, most of the MAC teams and the same teams we’ve played.”

The Eagles gave up 24 points on turnovers in last week’s 58-28 loss to Western Michigan University.

They were guilty of two interceptions and a pair of lost fumbles.

Senior linebacker Kent Kern said Miami’s defense needs to fo-

cus more on turnovers. In MU’s 29-25 loss to State University of New York Buffalo last week, senior safety Brison Burris had a pick-6.

Miami could have notched a couple more interceptions, but the potential picks slipped through secondary members’ hands.

“We have to continue to play fast and hard and focus for an entire game,” senior linebacker Kent Kern said. “Getting a lot of those turnovers is just about finishing plays. Instead of just making the tackle, tackle and strip and try to get a fumble.”

Redshirt sophomore quarterback Brogan Roback leads an Eagles’ offense that averages 27.4 points and 414.8 yards per game. He’s completed 166 of 263 attempts for 1808 yards, 12 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Five of his targets have at least 20 catches.

Senior running back Darius Jackson is one of the best backs in the MAC, ranking first in the conference in rushing yards (894) and second in rushing touchdowns (12).

He averages 99.3 yards per game, which is 21st in the country.

“They’re actually a pretty good football team if you watch them on film,” Kern said. “They have a really potent offense and they go fast.

They struggle a little on defense, I know, but they’ve had a lot of close games where the scores don’t really show how close they are. So they’re a lot better than their record shows.”

Eastern Michigan has the worst defense against the run in the country, allowing opponents 333.6 rushing yards per game and 36 total rushing touchdowns. Miami’s run game is fairly inconsistent, as the RedHawks have rushed for less than 100 yards in three of their last six games.

“It’s not just on the running backs, it’s the whole offense,” Bahl said. “Week by week, we just gotta keep getting better and putting our offense and running backs in situations where we can succeed in the FOOTBALL »PAGE 9

Young journalist’s World Series experience COLUMN

MEGAN ZAHNEIS Megan, a first year student, is a correspondent for Major League Baseball and authors a column on mlb.com. Last weekend, she covered Games 3 and 4 of the World Series, played in New York City between the New York Mets and Kansas City Royals.

I issued an official apology to Miami University on my Twitter account.

It’s poor form to skip class, I know, but even my geology professor got on board with this one (my mom was

a bit harder to convince).

After all, I figured, covering the World Series was a decent excuse.

I booked an early-morning flight to LaGuardia Airport, and by Friday afternoon, I found myself on the 7 train en route to Citi Field, home of the eventual 2015 World Series-losing New York Mets.

After checking into my Manhattan hotel, I shared an elevator with MLB Network personality Kevin Millar, but was too shy to say anything.

Press credential in hand, I headed into the stadium with my boss.

I love walking around in the annals of a baseball stadium. You never know what you’ll see on the way to

the press conference room: the commissioner of Major League Baseball flanked by his security detail, players and coaches ducking out of the clubhouse to make phone calls, 90 feet of paparazzi lined up against the wall and huge camera lenses ready to flash at whatever remotely famous person walks by. (I snapped a blurry photo of Bartolo Colon on my cell.)

My workday started around 3:30 p.m. for an 8 p.m. game.

I attended media sessions, as is the tradition, with the manager of both teams and the next day’s starting pitchers. In my case, that meant I COLUMN »PAGE 9

ANGELO GELFUSO THE MIAMI STUDENT

The Miami University collegiate synchronized skating team performs at an exhibition on Oct. 31.The senior team begins the competitive schedule Nov. 15 at the Anaheim ICE Competition.

MU seeks first league win HOCKEY

STEVE PERKINS STAFF WRITER

The Miami University hockey team looks to bounce back this weekend at home after being swept in its first National Collegiate Hockey Conference series of the year. After falling short twice last weekend to St. Cloud State University, the RedHawks host NCHC rival Western Michigan University.

WMU enters the series with a 4-2-1 (2-0 NCHC) record, which includes a sweep of University of Nebraska Omaha. The Mustangs outscored the Mavericks at home 10-3 in two games, including six goals on 37 shots Saturday.

Head coach Rico Blasi said WMU’s sweep would give the Mustangs confidence heading into this weekend.

“Any time you sweep in our conference, absolutely, you gain confidence,” Blasi said. “After watching the games, Western looked extremely organized and competed hard, buried their chances.”

Last Friday, the RedHawks were shutout for the first time this season

after being outshot 40-15. MU fell 3-0 Friday and 3-1 Saturday.

“We’ll move on. We move on,” Blasi said. “We’ll see them again in the new year, that’s the beauty of conference play. We move on, we get back to work, we grow. Nobody in our locker room is concerned with what happened last week.”

The ’Hawks had not struggled in scoring before last weekend, as they totaled 15 goals in the first six games. Freshman forward Jack Roslovic has scored five of Miami’s 16 total goals and was named NCHC Rookie of the Month on Tuesday.

Senior goaltender Ryan McKay is off to a hot start with a 1.92 goals against average and a .933 save percentage after allowing 12 goals in seven games.

Freshman forward Colt Conrad leads WMU with seven points (one goal, six assists), while junior forward Sheldon Dries has a teamhigh four goals. Five Broncos have at least five points this year.

Coach Blasi said his team will be ready defensively for a strong HOCKEY »PAGE 9

Headlines beyond Oxford: Tight end Tyler Eifert recorded three touchdown catches in the Cincinnati Bengals’ win Thursday night.

Eifert is tied for the league lead in receiving TDs with the Giants’ Odell Beckham Jr. and the Patriots’ Rob Gronkowski.

Miami pursues MAC title

TWO

FIELD HOCKEY

MINUTE D R I L L : KENT KERN

BRYAN WILLS

THE MIAMI STUDENT

ANGELO GELFUSO

POSITION:

Who is your funniest teammate?

Linebacker

Heath Harding, for sure.

Year: Senior

Do you have any pregame rituals?

Hometown:

I have my five or six songs that I listen to before every game. A little Rage Against the Machine, Five Finger Death Punch, nothing that normal people would probably be listening to.

Toledo, Ohio

How long have you been playing?

For as long as I can remember.

Started playing flag football, and then tackle in third grade. I played quarterback my sophomore year of high school, then I moved to running back and played running back and linebacker my junior and senior year.

If you could spend a day with anyone, who would it be?

Probably Brian Urlacher, so I could learn some of his secrets.

Give me some tips on how to play better at linebacker.

If you could have a superpower, which would you choose?

See, I already have super strength, so I’m gonna need super speed because I’m not that fast.

What’s something people don’t know about you?

I’m pretty nerdy. I’m big into Star Wars, Harry Potter and all that.

Who’s your favorite character?

In Star Wars, it’s gotta be Han Solo.

Two wins stand in the way of Miami University field hockey’s third conference title in the last four years.

No. 2 seed Miami (11-7, 5-1 MidAmerican Conference) faces No. 3 Missouri State University (6-11, 3-3 MAC) in the MAC semifinal game Friday. No. 1 Kent State University and No. 4 Ohio University square off Friday morning in the second semifinal game.

The last time the RedHawks faced the Bears was Oct. 2. Freshman Paula Portugal, sophomore Mari-

ona Heras and senior Bea Dechant scored one goal each in MU’s 3-0 shutout.

“We won here at home, now we go to a neutral site,” head coach Inako Puzo said. “They are playing better. They beat Ohio and Kent State. Our job is to be ready for that match.”

After a rough 2-11 start to the season, Missouri State built momentum by knocking off Saint Louis University (1-18), Ohio (8-9, 3-3 MAC) and Kent State (9-8, 5-1 MAC).

“I definitely think they’re going to come out with a lot of energy and a FIELD HOCKEY »PAGE 9

’Hawks ready for semifinals SOCCER

HARRISON SCHWARZ STAFF WRITER

The Miami University women’s soccer team plays the University of Akron (3-8) this weekend in the Mid-American Championship semifinal round.

The RedHawks (10-7-2) opened the tournament as the No. 5 seed and beat No. 4 seed Kent State University in the last round. Akron (3-8) pulled off the upset over the No. 1 seed Ball State University. Both Miami and Akron won their matches in penalty kicks.

Head coach Bobby Kramig was confident in his team’s ability to do well in penalty kicks because of how much preparation MU has done.

“We worked on it a lot over the spring,” Kramig said. “We just worked on our whole approach in taking penalties, both in terms of the shooters and the goalkeeper. I think the net result of that was our kids were very focused and they felt very good about what they were about to do. We felt confident, had a plan, and it paid off well.”

In their last meeting on Oct. 25,

BROWNS

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BENGALS

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TODAY IN HISTORY

1995 Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell announces plan to move the team to Baltimore, MD. The plan was so abhorred that Pittsburgh Steelers fans protested and Browns fans stopped attending games.

The team lost its next five contests.

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