February 7, 2017 | The Miami Student

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2017

Volume 145 №28

Miami University — Oxford, Ohio

MUPD RELEASES

Order blocks entry for 7 countries

STUDENT DEATH

27 international students unsure of futures

ALCOHOL LIKELY A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR

INTERNATIONAL

DEATH

SAMANTHA BRUNN

JAMES STEINBAUER and EMILY WILLIAMS

REPORT ON

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

On Jan. 27, 2017, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order temporarily banning travel from seven Muslim-majority nations. As hundreds of people were detained in airports across the country in the first days of the order and thousands more protested the ban, 27 Miami students and a small population of Miami faculty wondered what this means for their futures.

It is important to note that all of the students contacted for this story who are personally affected by the executive order were hesitant to be interviewed, even anonymously, for fear of retribution in the current politically tense environment.

Nate French, assistant professor of Comparative Religion, said in the panel lecture, “Let Them In? Refugees, Executive Orders, and National Security,” held Feb. 2 by the Alexander Hamilton Society, two of the 27 Miami students affected were unable to return to campus for the foreseeable future.

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THE MIAMI STUDENT

RYAN TERHUNE PHOTO EDITOR

A student looks on as progressive groups protest President Trump’s policies after his first two weeks in office.

What they left behind: Life after loss, part 1 LOSS

MACKENZIE ROSSERO THE MIAMI STUDENT

They fought because he started smoking cigarettes again.

On a Thursday afternoon, Ting Zhao’s boyfriend abruptly left their neighboring rooms on the second floor of Miami University’s Hillcrest Hall. He took her student ID card with him, allowing him access to her room when he was ready to return. Ting and her boyfriend swapped cards regularly. They lived in the same building, but, this way, they could be more accessible to one another.

The 19-year-old didn’t think much of her boyfriend’s disappearance. This had hap-

pened before. Usually, he cooked and brought back whatever food he made — like the dumplings they prepared together in their residence hall’s kitchen. The food reminded them of being back home: Ting in Beijing and her boyfriend in Seoul, South Korea.

Ting’s long black hair swung in her thin face as she turned on her favorite Korean drama and waited for him to return.

Hours passed. Eventually, there was a knock on the door of her dorm room. Ting knew it wasn’t her boyfriend. He would have used her ID to get into the room.

When Ting opened the door, a solemn police officer stood before her. The spring

rain had left slick drops on his uniform.

The officer held Ting’s student ID card in his hand. He asked if it belonged to her, and then he asked if she knew where her boyfriend had gone.

Ting didn’t know, but the policeman seemed to. Were they testing her, to see how much she knew? What weren’t they telling her?

It was March 24, 2016.

Ting’s boyfriend was MinGi Kang, and he would not come home. *** Growing up, Annie Rumsey spent every summer at Clear Lake, in Fremont, Indiana, with her family — an hour drive

from her home in Fort Wayne, Ind. In the summers, Annie babysat for the different families around the lake.

On this afternoon, Friday, May 21, 2016, she arrived at the Hughes’ home to watch three toddlers while their parents did some deep cleaning in the garage.

Annie had just finished her freshman year at Miami, and, back in Fort Wayne, her old roommate was sick with pneumonia. But Annie wasn’t worried — she’d visited her just yesterday and brought them both Starbucks: a grande mocha Frappuccino for Annie and a venti Very Berry Hibiscus Refresher for her roommate.

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Miami University President Gregory Crawford emailed the Miami community Thursday morning expressing his devastation with the death of first-year Erica Buschick and suggesting that high-risk alcohol consumption was to blame.

The Butler County Coroner’s office has not released a toxicology report, but a 25-page incident report obtained by The Miami Student from the Miami University Police Department, containing written statements and emails from witnesses, helps to create a timeline of the events that transpired before Buschick’s death.

The records suggest that alcohol most likely contributed to Buschick’s death.

According to the incident report, Buschick returned to Miami at approximately 5 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 19. Buschick and her roommate, first-year student Reilley Graves, started drinking in their dorm room shortly after 9 p.m. that night. Together, they consumed about two bottles BUSCHICK »PAGE 9

Sen. Froehlich pushes for ASG budget change ASG

JAKE GOLD

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

RYAN TERHUNE PHOTO EDITOR

SABIK AKAND THE MIAMI STUDENT

Senior Robert Null exits the Oxford Courthouse after Smiercak pled guilty to multiple charges on Nov. 17, 2016.

Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos discuss their hit Netflix docuseries with journalism professor Patricia Newberry.

Smierciak dismissed from MU, on probation

“Making of Murderer” creators come to Miami

CRIME

JACK EVANS

NEWS EDITOR

Former Miami student and varsity football player Zach Smierciak was recently dismissed from the university after pleading guilty to a charge of reckless assault.

Smierciak’s conviction sprung from an incident on Nov. 8 of last year when he

exited Brick Street while intoxicated and knocked over a ladder that was supporting Robert Null, Miami student and employee of Brick Street Bar. Null crashed headfirst to the ground and required emergency medical transport to McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital before being airlifted to University of Cincinnati Medical Cen-

LECTURE

KIRBY DAVIS

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

line caught their attention: “Freed by DNA, Now Charged in New Crime.” Two photos accompanied the headline, both of its subject, Steven Avery. One featured a freshly exonerated Avery in 2003, after he’d served 18 years for a crime he hadn’t committed. The second presented Avery two years later, now accused of murder.

One of the most controversial aspects of Miami’s Associated Student Government is the compensation of its cabinet. Each cabinet member is paid between $3,000 and $5,000, and $2,080 of the budget is allocated for cabinet meals and gifts.

This year, those budget lines were redirected to the construction of a disabilityfriendly bench near Shriver Center. In an effort to reduce waste in ASG, senator Nick Froehlich has drafted a legislation that would permanently strike these “nonproductive” funds — cabinet meals and gift items — from the official operating budget.

“This is step one of looking at the budget,” Froehlich said. “These are by far the least popular parts of the operating budget within ASG. There are some [senators] that dislike it as well. If a student org ever asked us to add

SMIERCIAK »PAGE 5

Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos can pinpoint the moment that inspired their Netflix docuseries “Making a Murderer.”

It was 2005. They were film students at Columbia University, on a train and a New York Times head-

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EDITORIAL p. 10

OP-ED p. 10

SPORTS p. 12

COLLEGE DEMOCRATS PROTEST TRUMP

MU CELEBRATES WORLD HIJAB DAY

PROTESTING IS NECESSARY TO DEMOCRACY

A PLEA TO STAND UP AND DO WHAT I DIDN’T

MIAMI DEBUTS $12M ATHLETIC FACILITY

Miami students and Butler County Progressives team up.

MU Women’s Center and Global Initiatives promote tolerance.

“The protests occurring nationwide are a healthy part of a free democracy.”

Editor-in-Chief James Steinbauer calls on students to speak up.

New complex is the most modern in the MidAmerican Conference.

MURDERER »PAGE 5

money for meals and gifts for their exec board only, we would say no...and yet we do that.”

Because the Senate is only allowed to approve the budget — not rewrite it — the bill works to circumvent that rule. Instead of directing those budget lines be removed, Froehlich’s bill requires that the senate approves the budget only if it does not include meals and gifts.

“The student senate shall not pass a budget should it include any allotment of funds for the purchase of meals and/or gifts,” the bill reads.

Most legislation that passes through ASG is sponsored by several senators, but Froehlich has a more nontraditional strategy for garnering support for the bill.

“Anybody can sponsor a bill, anyone in the world, not just a senator, so I’m going to be circulating a petition around to students,” Froehlich said. “Just saying, BUDGET »PAGE 5

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2017

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College Democrats spearhead progressive demonstration against President Trump ACTIVISM

SAM IAMMARINO THE MIAMI STUDENT

On Saturday, Feb. 4, members of Miami College Democrats, Oxford Students for Peace and Justice, Butler County Progressives and Miami and Oxford community members gathered near the Phi Delt Gates for a peaceful “Demonstration Against the Trump Agenda.”

The event started around 11:00 a.m. with roughly 30 protestors huddled near the gates. More demonstrators gathered as time went on. By noon, there were more than 100 people voicing their concerns with President Trump’s administration.

Charles Kennick, secretary for College Democrats, hoped the event would “bring together as many liberals in Oxford as possible.” Kennick went on to explain that “liberals and progressives are valued, despite Miami’s conservative stereotype.”

“The first 15 days of President Trump’s administration could not have gone worse,” Kennick said.

The steps taken to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Trump’s order to construct the Mexican border wall and Trump’s executive order banning entry from seven majorityMuslim countries were the main reasons Kennick cited which had led to the organization of the event.

Fliers were handed out at the protest outlining the protester’s grievances. The concerns listed on the flyers included Trump’s pick for secretary of education Betsy DeVos, order to move forward with the construction of the Keystone and Dakota Access pipelines and the refrain of “America first.”

Most of the demonstration took the form of chants, including, “Say it loud, say it clear, immigrants are welcome here,” and, “Ain’t no power like the power of the people ‘cause the power of the people won’t stop.”

In addition to chanting, many protestors brought along signs that read, “Hate has no home here,”

RYAN TERHUNE THE MIAMI STUDENT

and, “Racism doesn’t prevent terror, it creates it.” Signs were held by children, university students and adults alike, with one toddler holding a poster that read, “My first protest with Trump won’t be my last.”

Demonstrators were high in numbers and energy, eager to practice their First Amendment rights.

On multiple occasions, passengers in cars passing by the corner shouted at the protesters. Some shouted Trump’s campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again.”

Keeley Dunham, a junior biology major, cited her concern with Trump’s dismissal of climate change as her main reason for attending the event.

“President Trump is neglecting the environment,” Dunham said.

In an official statement from Miami’s College Democrats about the protest, they outlined 15 specific grievances which had prompted them to organize.

“The actions Donald Trump has taken thus far, as well as his promises for the near future, alarm us,” the statement reads. “They do not place the America we love first, but rather an America that has lost sight of its courage and founding principles.”

RYAN TERHUNE THE MIAMI STUDENT

Top,, activists from a variety of organizations Joined College Democrats at the Phi Delt Gates, including the Butler County Progressives and Students for Peace and Justice .

Middle, Charles Kennick, left, and Nick Froelich, center, helped organize the demonstration

RYAN TERHUNE THE MIAMI STUDENT

Bottom, the event was not met with organized counter demonstration, however some witnesses voiced strong opposition, even disdain for the activists.

March for Science to coordinate with Uptown Earth Fest ACTIVISM

CÉILÍ DOYLE

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

A lack of activism at Miami University has been a sore spot in the school’s recent history. In light of the current rhetoric surrounding the field of science and climate change specifically, educational leadership graduate student Dustin Hornbeck decided something needed to give.

He created a Facebook event entitled “March for Science Oxford, Ohio” which was originally intended to just generate interest. Now the site is officially the page for students, staff and community members to get involved in a sister march to the national March for Science occurring in Washington, D.C. on Earth Day, April 22.

“I noticed there’s not a lot of student activism on campus.

This is my first year in the Ph.D.

program,” Hornbeck said. “So I thought why not? I contacted a couple of friends just to bump the idea around, and they thought this could be a good idea, so I thought what the heck I’ll give it a whirl.”

As a result, Miami’s Environmental Appreciation club is teaming up with Oxford’s annual Earth Fest event on Earth Day. For those interested, the event will begin at a predetermined location on campus. Those assembled will march to the Martin Luther King Jr. Park uptown and listen to a speaker to culminate the event.

Hornbeck reached out to the president of the Miami Environmental Appreciation club, junior Max Leveridge, to ask if he would be willing to help coordinate the march alongside Earth Fest. “[Hornbeck] emailed me and asked if our club would be willing to sponsor the event, and I

RYAN TERHUNE THE MIAMI STUDENT

Dustin Hornbeck, a graduate student at Miami University, organized the March for Science as a way to celebrate of objective fact and promote campus activism. said sure and that I also would be happy to help plan,” Leveridge said. “The event is completely non-partisan. Anyone who ap-

preciates science or the Earth is absolutely welcome to come. It’s really just open to everyone.”

Currently 371 individuals have

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indicated that they will be going to the march via the Facebook event and another 2,300 people are interested in attending.

“I think it’s best to go to this march, to raise awareness that science is a crucial field for everyone, whether or not you enjoy it,” first year and earth and life science education major Michael Seballos said. “There really haven’t been any other sources of activism on this campus so far. Hopefully this will kick some people in the butt to actually make change.”

In a world where “alternative facts” and fake news populate major national headlines, Hornbeck takes solace in the objective facts of the scientific method.

“For anyone concerned about the current state of affairs, I urge you to get involved and make your voice heard and don’t just sit back and let other people rule the government for you,” Hornbeck said. “We are the government.”

NEWS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

New fraternity president holds frats accountable GREEK LIFE

JAKE GOLD SENIOR STAFF WRITER Greek life can get a bad rap. But fortunately for those in Miami’s fraternities, newly-elected Interfraternity Council (IFC) president Cameron Snyders is here to fix that. With a background in service and goals for increased accountability, Snyders is trying to change the reputation of Miami’s Greek population.

Snyders, a junior marketing student, has been in the Greek system for nearly his entire college career.

He served as chair of community service and philanthropy for his fraternity, Delta Chi, and went on to become vice president of community service and philanthropy for IFC. “In high school, I was a member of a couple different service organizations, and so that’s — at least personally for me — always held a special spot in my heart,” Snyders said. “Who doesn’t like that feelgood feeling of when you get to interact with somebody whose life you changed?”

Snyders was democratically elected by the presidents of the 23 fraternities recognized by the IFC. A major part of his platform was increasing responsibility for all members.

“In terms of tolerance for misbehavior and misconduct,” Snyders

said, “we’ve set the expectations with all the chapter presidents, as well as the [IFC] executive board from the beginning that we need to hold ourselves to a higher standard because we can’t have a situa-

parts, he says, is maintaining a fraternity’s image when members act out of line.

“Sometimes we have individuals — two or three guys — who don’t represent the actions of the whole

“It’s definitely a new dynamic. i don’t think I’ve ever seen so many parties holding people accountable...”

CAMERON SNYDERS IFC PRESIDENT

tion like we did last year. Last year, chapters were in and out of the [Office of Ethics and Student Conflict Resolution], and that’s not a sustainable model.”

Since he was elected, Snyders has been focusing on increasing accountability across the board.

“What we’ve really focused on this year is holding ourselves accountable,” Snyders said. “It’s definitely a new dynamic. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many parties holding people accountable but thus far it’s worked out really well.

I don’t anticipate that changing.”

Snyders’ other responsibilities are chiefly advisory. He helps chapter presidents in ensuring successful recruitment, hosting events and other aspects of fraternal life. One of the most difficult

fraternity, and too often they can become the poster child for what the fraternity is,” Snyders said.

“It’s a bummer to see, because it’s not reflective [of the fraternity as a whole].”

Snyders is also concerned with the image of the entire fraternal Greek system at Miami. He recalled a large charitable event last year where, despite reaching out to 37 media outlets, none showed up.

“I understand why [fraternities get primarily negative coverage], but it’s also tough to see,” Snyders said, “because people are putting in the work, and sometimes I wish that we could get recognition than more than just the negativity.

That’s what I would have to say, but hopefully in the future, it will change.”

Student organizations request record cash from ASG ASG

SARAH CAMINO SENIOR STAFF WRITER During this year’s budget hearing cycle, student organizations requested a record $342,000 from Associated Student Government (ASG), but just under 60 percent of that total was approved by ASG. The discrepancy between these two figures, said ASG’s secretary of finance Alex Cary, is the result of a policy implemented to provide student organizations with more opportunities to get funding.

The policy, which was implemented last spring, calls for ASG to conduct multiple funding hearings each semester and for student organizations to include quotes from third parties in their budgets. Together with a stricter set of guidelines for funding requests,

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2017

these measures, Cary said, have been found to make the allocation process more efficient and, ultimately, to cut back on funds being reclaimed by ASG at the end of the cycle.

Prior to this policy, rates of unspent funds “swept back” into ASG accounts or reappropriated were relatively high. But under the new policy, sweepback percentages have steadily declined, and only 21 percent of funds were reallocated this semester.

But the combination of student organizations’ more efficient use of funds and ASG’s decrease in reappropriated funds has caused the aggregate budget allocated to student organizations to decrease.

“We’re not getting back as much money, and as a result of this new system, we’re seeing requests skyrocket,” Cary said.

In order to account for this bud-

get deficit, ASG is allocating 10 percent fewer funds than initially approved during funding hearings.

Cary said this solution emerged from ASG’s policy of approving all funds within its funding guidelines, while remaining within the constraints of its own budget.

“In order to be fair and equal and equitable to all student organizations, we have to cut everybody across the board,” Cary said.

“We’re working to hopefully find a more permanent solution for fiscal year [2018].”

Cary is hopeful that the 10 percent cutback will be a one-time measure.

For Cary, the budget deficit signifies more efficiently allocated funds to more student organizations.

“Our goal as ASG is to get student life as active on campus as possible,” Cary said.

Oxford gets new Mental Health Center MENTAL HEALTH

CARLEIGH TURNER SENIOR STAFF WRITER After a year of planning and searching for a location, Oxford now has a mental health facility for underinsured individuals as of Jan. 9, 2017.

The Oxford Counseling Center, 5223 College Corner Pike, is a comprehensive provider of outpatient therapy, group therapy, addiction treatment and psychopharmacological interventions to Oxford residents, replacing The Community Counseling and Crisis Center of St. Aloysius which closed in Oct. 2015.

The center is fully staffed with three full-time therapy providers and one prescribing provider, as well as a case-management staff.

The center will act as a “safety net” for Oxford residents using medicaid benefits, or those who qualify to use a sliding scale fee, said CEO of Butler Behavioral Health Services Randy Allman.

It is not a residential facility or an inpatient provider, meaning those who are a danger to themselves, to others or those who have severe psychiatric needs will be referred to other facilities.

The center was funded through start-up money, enhanced rates from the Butler County Mental Health and Addiction Services Board, the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, the Oxford United Way and also through a local anonymous donor who worked through the Oxford Community Foundation.

Although Miami students may use this facility, they are not its target population, in part because they have access to on-campus counseling.

Filling the gap In 2013, McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital and TriHealth completed a community health needs assessment, a requirement that must be filled every three years to maintain nonprofit status. The assessment found obesity, drug and alcohol abuse and mental health were problematic for the Oxford.

As a result, three workgroups formed through the Coalition for a Healthy Community to address the issues.

During one of those meetings, members were told the Community Counseling and Crisis Center of St. Aloysius would no longer offer services in Oxford. This meant residents had to travel to Middletown or Hamilton if they did not have insurance.

“We didn’t sit and cry and lament,” said Amy Macechko, health and wellness coordinator for the Talawanda School District, who served as the chair of the mental health work group.

“We said what are we going to do about this team? How are we going to advocate for this community to bring resources back?’’ she said. “And there was no stopping us after we made that conscious decision.”

The mental health workgroup later partnered up with Butler Behavioral Health Services to set up a site in Oxford to replace the former Community Counseling and Crisis Center of St. Aloysius.

Butler Behavioral Health Services agreed.

“I appreciate the collaborative spirit of Butler Behavioral Health

Services from the very beginning,” Macechko said. “I think that’s why we have such a unique partnership that we have.”

Although the work group and Butler Behavioral Health services are thrilled about the new counseling center, there is concern about how long the process has taken, Allman said.

“Unfortunately, I think there are a lot of people who have not sought care who really need care,” Allman said. “I think it would be safe to say that the community does not feel that there are mental health services available…

“People won’t seek [services] out if they can’t get to Hamilton, if they can’t get to Middletown, so they go without them and unfortunate things can happen,” he added.

Countless setbacks The center was to open in April 2016, but hit a snag when it came to finding a site, Allman said.

Finding an affordable space with enough parking in a tight real estate market complicated the search, he said.

But with help from the community, the Oxford Counseling Center was eventually found its new home.

“We said, ‘We are struggling, we can’t find a location: Help us,’” Allman said. “We chose to be collaborative and partner with people and that’s how you make things happen.”

Commitment to Community Keeping with the community aspect of the center, there was a Volunteer Work Day Celebration Dec. 1, where the advisory committee and the school board officials saw the facility and helped prepare for its opening.

Volunteers washed windows, planted bushes and took tours.

Oxford Mayor Kate Rousmaniere attended and expressed the importance of getting a mental health center back in the community.

Oxford Mayor Kate Rousmaniere helps prepare the future Oxford Counseling Center for its opening by washing windows.

--Photo by Carleigh Turner “It’s incredible for the community,” said Rousmaniere, as she washed the windows of the future counseling center. “It’s also an example of how when community members get together they can make change.”

The center is starting off with a small staff because it has recently opened. However, the center is ready to adapt to a growing client-base if need be, said Marianne Marconi, a school counselor in the Talawanda School District, who was also involved in the mental health work group.

“We are so excited that we can hardly stand ourselves,” said Marconi. “The way it all came together, the whole journey has been a real experience and an adventure. The commitment that the mental health work group had, there was no misstep.”

Tomorrow, the center will open its doors for a community open house from 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm where Rousmaniere will share a proclamation.

If anyone, including Miami University students, has a question about services or would like to set up an appointment, they can call the Oxford Counseling Center at 513-273-8064.

tie your shoes KAT HOLLERAN THE MIAMI STUDENT

The ASG senate met on January 31 to discuss budgetary concerns and vacancy-elected senators.

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Culture

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2017

STANDING IN SOLIDARITY ON WORLD HIJAB DAY RELIGION

KELLY BURNS

THE MIAMI STUDENT

A girl sat next to the brightly colored table, her hair being pinned up and covered with one of the cloths. The woman doing the styling twisted the fabric until it looked like the hijab on her own head.

First-year Nikki Sundrup stood up and let her friend take a picture of her in a bright pink hijab before posing for a photo with a sign that read, “I stand with her right to cover.”

“I hate that so many people have so many misconceptions about the Muslim faith,” Sundrup said. “The more I learn about the faith, the more I love it.”

The Women’s Center and Global Initiatives, with the help of Oxford community members, manned this table in Armstrong in observance of World Hijab Day on Feb. 1.

It was the first year of a planned annual event at Miami.

Rhonda Jackson, administrative assistant of the Women’s Center, was one of the people manning the table and helping spread information about hijabs.

“It helps bridge some gaps and take away some unknowns, stereotypes and myths about practicing faith,” Jackson said.

According to a press release for the event, New York resident Nazma Khan started this global event five years ago

Bernardino, study reported that in a survey of 20 states, attacks on Muslims increased by 79 percent in 2015.

World Hijab Day works to normalize hijabs and address the misconceptions about wearing them.

“It’s no different than Christians wearing a cross, nuns wearing a habit or Jews wearing a yamaka,” Jackson said. “It’s just a show of someone’s faith.”

Those at the event stressed the fact that wearing a hijab is a choice. One of the issues that people have with the hijab is that they think it is a symbol of oppression and that women are forced to wear hijabs or other coverings.

“It is a choice,” Jackson said, “Different sects within the faith approach things differently just like different sects within Christianity approach things differently.

HEATHER MCCOWAN THE MIAMI STUDENT It’s not about shame or anything like that.

It’s about a value.”

As part of Miami’s observance of World Hijab Day, students had the opportunity to try on the traditional Muslim head covering. The event aimed to foster tolerance and break down stigmas surrounding the hijab.

By wearing a hijab for a few minutes and interacting with women who wear in order to raise awareness and end the symbol and has been banned in multiple them everyday, Miami students became stigma around hijabs and the abuse that countries including Germany, France and more exposed to this aspect of Muslim culwomen who wear them suffer regularly.

Turkey. Muslim women are often targeted ture.

A hijab is a head covering that is a part and attacked for wearing hijabs.

“I learned a lot of things,” Sundrup said. of the Islamic faith. Women and men wear Jackson is one of the founders of the “One was about how they’re not forced to hijabs in order to show their devotion to international students group that aims to wear a hijab but that they have a lot of diftheir faith and to comply with the faith’s create a supportive environment for for- ferent reasons why they choose to wear teachings about modesty. eigners in the Oxford community. them.”

After the events of 9/11, the hijab beMany of the members of this group are Students also had the opportunity to came an even more obvious sign of the Muslim women.

Islamic faith. It is often seen as a sinister A 2016 California State University, San HIJAB »PAGE 9

Humans oƒ Oxford Justin Heintz: Abroad in America

DARSH PARTHASARATHY THE MIAMI STUDENT

The Traditional Chinese Music Ensemble performed as part of Miami’s Chinese New Year Gala Saturday night.

New Year Gala: Ringing in the Year of the Rooster EVENT

HANNAH WILLIAMS THE MIAMI STUDENT

This past Saturday in Hall Auditorium, Miami hosted a Chinese New Year Gala to celebrate the Year of the Rooster. The event was a collaboration between the Performing Arts Series, the Confucius Institute (CIMU) and the Chinese American Cultural Association (CACA).

The Chinese New Year is considered China’s most important holiday, with workers usually taking seven days off work and students having close to a month off of school.

“It’s like Christmas in America,” said Evian Lei, president of CACA. The Chinese New Year actually occurred on January 28, but because Miami had only been back in session

for a week, students needed time to readjust before putting the finishing touches on an event of this magnitude.

However, the Gala was the culmination of close to 10 months of planning. Because the Gala featured several recognizable acts, negotiations had to start early in order to book the performances.

Perhaps the biggest act of the evening was the China National Peking Opera Company performers, Yu Kuizhi and Li Shengsu. According to Lei, the opera was originally scheduled to come with a group of 22 performers. But at the last minute, the group encountered visa problems, and only the two most famous performers could come.

While the setback was a disappointment, Yu and Li were both still able to give a number of short per-

M. Night Shyamalan disappoints with latest thriller, “Split” FILM

KRISTIN STRATMAN THE MIAMI STUDENT

M. Night Shyamalan is known for his captivating horror movies such as “The Sixth Sense,” “Signs” and “The Visit.” So, I was excited to see how his most recent addition to the world of psychological horror films, “Split,” measured up to his chilling predecessors. However, “Split” ultimately fails to deliver the suspense and thrill promised by this genre, and resorts to using a mental disorder and childhood sexual abuse as plot devices to add shock value.

The film begins when three high school girls are kidnapped by Kevin (James McAvoy), a man with dissociative identity disorder (DID), and kept prisoner in his underground bunker. Kevin lives with 23 distinct per-

RYAN TERHUNE THE MIAMI STUDENT

PEOPLE

ALYSSA MELENDEZ THE MIAMI STUDENT

When people first talk to Justin Heintz, most of them pick up on his accent. But very few know where it came from.

“Luxembourg,” he’ll tell them. “I came from Luxembourg.”

This small, central European country is the home of Miami’s own John E. Dolibois campus, where many students choose to study abroad. Justin, however, being from Luxembourg, chose to study abroad at Miami’s main campus in Oxford.

NEW YEAR »PAGE 9

sonalities, ranging from a 9-year-old boy to a glamorous fashion designer. He switches between these personalities instantaneously, and some are more powerful than others.

Two of these personalities, Dennis and Patricia, conspire together to kidnap the girls as an offering to a mysterious “beast” that they believe is coming. The plot follows the kidnapped girls and their futile attempts to escape, as well as Kevin’s visits with his psychiatrist, Dr. Fletcher (Betty Buckley), which provide insight into his medical history.

One reason that this film fails to deliver suspense is the lack of buildup in the beginning. There are about five minutes of exposition, in which viewers are introduced to the high school-aged kidnap victims, until the action immediately begins when Kevin hijacks the girls’ car and douses them with chloroform.

A number of the characters are also portrayed unbelievably. For instance, two of the kidnapped girls, Claire (Haley Lu Richardson) and Marcia (Jessica Sula), decently play the roles of spoiled and naive adolescent girls. However, their pretend fear as kidnapping victims is not at all persuasive on screen as they show almost none of the emotional response that one would expect from someone who has just been kidnapped by a dangerous, unstable man.

Another aspect of the movie that I took issue with was the fact that Shyamalan used DID, a legitimate, misunderstood mental disorder, thought to develop as a cop-

LUX »PAGE 9

ing mechanism for people living in extremely stressful situations, as a means of making his antagonist frightening to the audience. Although characters with “split” personalities have been appearing on screen for decades (“Shutter Island” and “Fight Club,” for example), these roles often portray these disorders maliciously and can be harmful to the actual population living with the disorder. I felt uncomfortable at times watching McAvoy portray a man, obviously in need of extensive professional help, as a murderous villain.

Another plot device used by Shyamalan that I found cheap and distasteful was the series of flashbacks highlighting the history of sexual abuse of one of the kidnap victims, Casey (Anya Taylor-Joy). On one hand, this backstory explains Casey’s capacity to understand Kevin’s behavior. However, I found some of the flashback scenes depicting Casey and her uncle’s inappropriate relationship to be disturbing and overall a poorly chosen gimmick by Shyamalan to offer shock value to viewers.

This movie was a disappointment as a psychological thriller with its lack of buildup, non-believable acting and use of inappropriate plot devices such as a mental disorder and abuse to drive the story forward. I hope that Shyamalan’s next release is better thought-out and executed.

To read more Entertainment stories online visit miamistudent.net

WWW.MIAMISTUDENT.NET

FROM SMIERCIAK » PAGE 1

ter.

A brief moment on the helicopter is the only fragment of the night Null remembers.

“I woke up in the helicopter for a split second, as they were putting me into the helicopter, and then I passed out again immediately,” said Null in an interview with The Miami Student. “I don’t know if I was slipping in and out of consciousness. I don’t even remember looking down at my body.”

Null, a senior economics major, is back at Miami University after missing the remainder of the fall 2016 semester. Despite some memory fogginess, a doctor’s order to stay away from physical activity and one other ailment, Null is back to his old self.

“My sense of smell is gone,” said Null.

His doctor told him that his olfactory issues are due to the particular spot where his head impacted the concrete. To Null, though, things could be a lot worse. He is still working at Brick Street, but with more student managing responsibilities than the manual labor he did last semester.

In terms of his feelings toward Smierciak, Null wants to put what happened on Nov. 8 behind him.

“I’m not a confrontational kind of person. My opinion about it is kind of neutral. I’m not upset about it, I’m not happy about it. I just wish it had never happened in the first place,”

5

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2017

Null said. “It’s just unfortunate really that both of us got put into a situation like this. But even if it was an accident, there still has to be some kind of consequences. I could have died.”

Smierciak was sentenced on Jan. 10 by Judge Robert H. Lyons of the Butler County Area I court in Oxford.

The sentence carried 180 days of jail time, a year of probation and fines and court costs totalling over $1000.

However, 179 of the days were suspended by Judge Lyons, meaning that Smierciak will not have to serve them as long as he complies with the rest of the court’s orders. The final day of jail time was credited to Smierciak for time already spent in custody.

Separate from the Butler County Area Court’s sentencing, Smierciak went through a Miami University disciplinary process in which he was dismissed from the university through what are known as “1219” proceedings. Under these procedures, which are laid out in Ohio Revised Code Sections 3345.22 and 3345.23, Smierciak may not re-enroll to Miami University or enroll to any other Ohio-tax supported university for one year. Even after that year has elapsed, he will only be able to attend under disciplinary probation.

Though Smierciak is no longer a defensive lineman with the RedHawks football team, assistant athletic director Dave Meyer was able to confirm that the former student travelled with the team to the Dec. 26 St. Petersburg bowl in Florida.

‘ H e y , would you support this?’ or ‘Hey, what do you think about meals and gifts in the budget?’”

“Ideally,” he added, “we’re going to have hundreds of sponsors.”

In the future, Froehlich hopes to continue evaluating misappropriated funds in the ASG operating budget.

“I also want to eventually — not in this FROM BUDGET » PAGE 1

FROM MURDER » PAGE 1

“We thought Steven Avery really was this ideal window into the system,” Ricciardi said to a group of students gathered in Hall Auditorium on Monday.

She and Demos intended to document Avery’s plight as well as his then-17-year-old nephew Brendan Dassey’s, also convicted of murdering 25-year-old photographer Teresa Halbach. They figured they’d make a feature.

But, after the filmmakers delved deeper into Avery and Dassey’s ordeal, they realized that two hours was not nearly enough time for the story they wanted to tell.

10 years later, “Making a Murderer” premiered on Netflix in December 2015 and seized the nation’s collective attention — and sympathy. Memes revering Avery’s defense lawyers flooded social media, fans dreamed up casts for a potential film adaptation and vilified prosecutor Ken Kratz was obliterated on Yelp.

A petition to free Avery earned over 100,000 votes and a response from the White House, though, as they wrote, his particular case falls under state jurisdiction.

Ricciardi and Demos told a crowd of students gathered in Hall Auditorium Monday that they couldn’t have foreseen the success of the show but hope that

bill, in future bills — take a look at salaries. We had to cut 10 percent funding out of the student [organizations],” Froehlich said, “but I think that before we cut funds from student organizations, we cut funds from ourselves. We do everything possible to keep student orgs fully funded.”

Fresh roasted coffee

by Oxford’s one and only roaster available at a location near you: Kroger Market Street at McCracken Moon Co-op DuBois Book Store Or visit our store for a wide selection of coffees from around the world at: 21 Lynn Ave ste102 next to Oxford Spirits

it continues to fuel the nation’s discussion on America’s controversial criminal justice system.

As Demos pointed out, “There’s no such thing as a dialogue if everyone’s saying the same thing.”

To film the series, Ricciardi and Demos moved to Wisconsin and were present for the duration of Avery and Dassey’s trials. They believe that this helped them in gaining the docuseries’ subjects’ trust, though some — most notably the Halbach family and Kratz — refused to speak to them.

“Our goal was to sort of give viewers the experience that we had,” Demos said. “What it would be like to be on the ground and know these people.”

“It wasn’t as though we were swooping in for the big event, then leaving and coming back,” Ricciardi said. “We were in it for the long haul. We wanted to be thorough.”

“Making a Murderer,” which has garnered criticism for its apparent positive bias towards Avery and his family, follows him from his euphoric initial exoneration to the end of his murder trial in 2007. It raises disturbing questions about the Manitowoc County sheriff’s department, who had already imprisoned Avery in 1985 for a crime he didn’t commit. Due to Avery’s current lawsuit against Manitowoc, adjoining Calumet

FROM LOSS »PAGE 1

Annie smiled widely — showing all of her teeth — as she played with the kids on the rug in the living room. She held one of the 2-year-old twins in her lap, and he tugged at her light brown, shoulderlength hair.

The doorbell rang, and the kids’ mom went to answer it. Annie peered toward the front door, but didn’t get up.

Annie’s parents, Todd and Barb Rumsey, stood at the door. Red splotches covered Annie’s mom’s face.

Chris and Tracy Hughes joined them, and the four adults stepped outside.

Annie, suspicious, crept toward the front door with the children in tow. She watched the parents through the wooden door’s window. Finally, after waiting minutes for them to reenter the house, Annie opened the door.

“What’s wrong?” she said, holding out the youngest boy. “Hold Eddie — he makes anyone happy.”

The adults stepped inside.

“It’s Haley.”

“What?” Annie said, mishearing her mother’s words.

In recent years, Annie’s grandfather had a friend named Harriet. Annie thought her mother had said “Harry,” though they had never referred to Harriet with that nickname. Had something happened to her? Had she died?

“No,” her mother said, annunciating more clearly. “Haley. She’s gone.” *** There were 16,387 total, undergraduate students enrolled at Miami’s Oxford campus in the fall of 2015 In the spring of 2016, Miami University suffered at least three* isolated student deaths. MinGi Kang fell from the Williams Hall radio tower in March, Timothy Fresch died in April from drug- and alcohol-related causes, and in May, Haley Wetherill died due to complications from pneumonia.

The way these students died isn’t surprising. In a study conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, pneumonia, homicide and suicide are cited among the top 10 leading causes for death among people ages 15-24. Unintentional injury ranked first, and suicide was second. uicide.org reports that suicide warning signs include giving away belongings, acting recklessly and talking or writing about death or suicide. Frequently, this mention of death is intended to bring about a discussion regarding suicide. According to the FAQs webpage on Suicide.org, there are approximately 75,000 attempted suicides in the U.S. each year.

Emory University reveals that one in 10 college students has a plan for suicide and that there are more than 1,000 suicides on college campuses each year.

Many assume that MinGi’s death is among that 1,000, though the university would not disclose whether his death was officially ruled as a suicide. *** Hours had passed, but Ting didn’t know what to do.

The police wouldn’t tell Ting where MinGi was, if he was okay or how they had come to possess his student ID. They only told her not to leave her dorm, and she wanted to obey them.

But what about MinGi? Ting enlisted her friends to search for him while she waited in her room in Hillcrest Hall.

The officers returned, though they didn’t come to Ting.

County officially investigated the Halbach murder.

However, it was Manitowoc sheriff’s deputies who uncovered arguably the most damning evidence in Avery’s case (Halbach’s car key, found in Avery’s bedroom). This lead his defense lawyers (and impassioned viewers) to believe that Avery was, once again, framed.

“These are public officials,” Ricciardi said, referencing the officers and lawyers who pushed for Avery and Dassey’s imprisonment.

“They work for us. They have to abide by the law and if they don’t, then we’re all fair game and our rights don’t matter.”

Avery and Dassey remain locked up, but experienced attorney Kathleen Zellner has taken on Avery’s case. Dassey’s release was set for last fall by a U.S. District Judge’s order, but blocked by then a Wisconsin judge in November.

Both are currently awaiting results of appeals for new trials.

Season two will likely cover these new developments, plus whatever material Ken Kratz chooses to write about in his tellall book, set for release Feb. 21.

The universal question in the audience on Monday was, when will it premiere?

“As soon as we can get it finished,” Demos said.

From her room, Ting could hear the police next door as they rummaged through MinGi’s things.

Ting considered going to speak with them but didn’t want to interrupt. She began to walk around aimlessly and continued to call MinGi’s cell phone.

There was no answer, and Ting didn’t know how to use voicemail. The police officers left and didn’t come back that evening.

She waited.

Around midnight, MinGi’s parents contacted Ting. They found her information through MinGi’s friends and sent her a voice message through the WeChat international messaging application. They spoke in Chinese.

“Do you know that MinGi fell from the tower?” they asked her.

No, Ting knew nothing. The police could not disclose any information. She sent emails to the university begging for answers, swearing that she could find MinGi if they gave her the opportunity. They didn’t respond. What should she do?

“We are coming to America to deal with MinGi’s things,” they said. “He died.”

MinGi’s parents continued to explain, saying that the South Korean Embassy had contacted them.

Ting tried not to hear them.

Whoever they found, Ting thought, is not MinGi. She was certain. *** Annie wanted to finish the babysitting job. The little kids would serve as a suddenly crucial distraction. She needed this.

“No, Annie,” said her mom. “You can’t stay because, unfortunately, you have to call people.”

Mackenzie. Sarah. Allie. Angela. Jenna, who will have phone numbers for Haley’s friends in the Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity. People to call.

Annie had to reach Haley’s friends from Miami before the death circulated on social media. Haley’s family — the Wetherills — didn’t know how to get in contact with any of Haley’s friends from college.

Annie sat in her parents’ Ford Explorer in front of the Hughes’ house and began. She made phone calls all throughout the drive home — speaking to friends, her pastor and Haley’s mom — and continued long after the car had been parked in the driveway of her lake house. Annie remained in the front seat. Her mom waited with her.

Her dad left the garage door open and, eventually, a friend of the Rumsey’s brought Annie her dog: a black poodle named Shadow to give Annie some solace.

If Annie had been on her phone that afternoon, she would have known about Haley’s death before her parents could have reached her. Hours earlier, as Annie sat in the floor of the Hughes’ living room, her phone lit up with a text message. She hadn’t noticed it at the time.

The text was from a high school classmate, and it read: Is it true? *** MinGi and Haley are dead. That hasn’t changed, and it won’t. Their deaths have broken the hearts of many people. Ting and Annie are only two of them.

Grief and sadness are acceptable — anything is.

Reactions to death can’t be regulated or controlled.

Ting and Annie have been changed by their losses. They’re different, and it’s likely that a part of them always will be.

This story isn’t about the dead. It’s about what they left behind: their friends, their loved ones — the living. This is about moving on, experiencing and being thankful for what was.

This is about life after loss.

Travel

6

WILLI501@MIAMIOH.EDU

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2017

Outside Oxford: Spending a day in ‘everyone’s favorite place,’ the Village of Yellow Springs OUTSIDE OXFORD

EMILY WILLIAMS

MANAGING EDITOR

Many of us call Oxford home, whether it’s where we’ve always lived, where we’ve settled down or the place we miss during the weeks of winter break or months of summer. While most Miami students can wax poetic about the smalltown charms of Oxford, we all have those days when the confines of the Mile Square seem more constricting than comforting — when it’s time to get outside Oxford, even if it’s just for the afternoon. Every month, in Outside Oxford, we’ll give you recommendations on where to go on those days when you need a change of scenery.

An unabashedly liberal haven nestled in the middle of rural Ohio, the Village of Yellow Springs advertises itself as “everyone’s favorite place.”

Its permanent residents range from professors of Antioch College to stand-up comedian Dave Chappelle.

Restaurants and stores are painted in orange, blue and purple. Even the trash cans that line the street are whimsical works of mosaic art.

A musky scent of incense hangs in nearly every store, and it’s not uncommon to see “No DAPL” or “Bernie Forever” posters taped to shop windows. Although a love for Senator Sanders or organic co-ops is in no way a requirement to enjoy the village’s charms, the town is sure to bring out any latent hippie tendencies.

After the hour and 15-minute drive from Oxford, start your day in Yellow Springs with a cup of coffee at The Spirited Goat, a coffee and espresso bar decorated in tie-dye hues and frequent host to open mic nights and free jazz. While you sip your drink, take a seat on the mis-

matched cushions lining the colorfully painted benches and page through the newest issue of The Yellow Springs News. The local publication, which has been named Best Newspaper in its class size for the past six years, has been the village’s source of news since 1880. Don’t forget to turn to Page 4 where you can find “The Yellow Springs Almanack,” complete with the exact times of sunrise and sunset, updates on the placement of the moon and, of course, a nature-themed poem.

Take some time to browse through the village’s best shops. There is no shortage of unique jewelry, accessory or clothing stores, and several locations sell items made by local artisans. One shop, the House of Ravenwood, offers their shoppers psychic tarot card readings.

If you’re in need of some home decor, stop by Atomic Fox, a mid-century modern antique store. The shop is named after the “Atomic Age,” the period in history during which the first nuclear bomb was detonated — and when many of the shop’s minimalist furnishings were made.

Audiophiles will find their niche at Toxic Records, a small record store crammed with boxes of new and used vinyl. The letters “WYSO” are scrawled across many of the album sleeves, marking which records were formerly part of the local National Public Radio station’s collection.

Take some time to browse the shelves at Dark Star Books, an independent bookstore with select new books and thousands of used. Don’t forget to say hello to Mister Eko, the shop’s resident feline. As a special memento, you can even buy a mug printed with a photo of Mister Eko himself, lounging on his favorite green armchair.

YELLOW SPRINGS »PAGE 9

EMILY WILLIAMS THE MIAMI STUDENT

KYLE HAYDEN THE MIAMI STUDENT

This colorful mural is painted underneath the marquee of the Little Art Theater, a local landmark for cinema-goers.

Finding strength and gumption in New Zealand The adventures of a solo female traveler SOUTH PACIFIC

ABBEY GRINGAS

THE MIAMI STUDENT

I saw him look at me out of the corner of my eye before he spoke.

“Excuse me?”

My body tensed as I looked up at him, a man in his 30s who seemed friendly enough.

But I knew from experience to expect the worst.

“Do you need me to show you how to get somewhere?”

I was holding a map, which I tried not to

“I not only handled being alone; I loved it. Eating at restaurants by myself, shopping by myself, driving by myself — everything seemed more vibrant. ”

do for this very reason. I didn’t need help, nor did I want it, especially from male strangers.

“I’m fine, thanks. I was just checking to make sure I was heading in the right direction. I’m good.”

With that, I folded my map and looked straight ahead, waiting for the crosswalk signal to change. I was thankful for my reflective sunglasses, hiding the nervousness I’m sure was written all over my face. Would he follow me? Would he insist on getting me to where I was going? Would he say something creepy? All of these things have happened to me before, and as a female traveling alone I was especially on edge. My voice had given me away. Foreigner! American!

“Okay, well have a nice day! This is a great city!”

With that, the signal changed and he power-walked ahead of me without a backward glance. I breathed a sigh of relief and kept walking, feeling slightly foolish for jumping to conclusions.

I was in Wellington, New Zealand, a capital city with a population of 405,000, give or take a few stray kiwis. I knew how I looked on the outside: a young, blonde, white girl with unfortunately innocent facial features.

As prior evidence would suggest, I looked like an easy target.

The stares in Europe had been blatant and unashamed. The looks and whispers in Asia had been slightly more discreet. The sexual shouts and gestures in South America had been unsettling.

But not here. No one stared, no one catcalled, no one appeared threatening. I had men and women telling me hitchhiking was a fun and safe way to get around and meet people.

Were all the stereotypes of females traveling alone complete bullshit? In New Zealand, it sure seemed like it.

I hadn’t planned to go to the other side of the world alone to have an epiphany about my identity. In fact, the trip began as many poorly planned decisions do — a late night scroll on Pinterest. But this was not a 30-day exercise regimen for rock hard abs or a tutorial on making a rustic headboard from a wooden pallet, and it was not so easily abandoned.

I decided I wanted to travel during the winter term for several reasons. One, seven weeks of break is painfully boring if you aren’t doing something with your time. Two, I didn’t feel like adding a fourth (probably unpaid) internship to my resume for a month of work in an expensive city. And three, I realized that traveling would be nearly impossible after graduation.

So a trip was the answer. No, not through Miami — I didn’t want to pay for credit hours. No, not Europe — too cold in January. But then there was New Zealand — set of “Lord of the Rings” and home to snowcapped mountains, sandy beaches, bustling cities and expansive national parks. The locals speak English. January is summertime in the Southern Hemisphere.

I had found my destination. But soon it became clear that a travel partner was going to be an issue. My friends were working, taking classes or simply didn’t feel that same unquenchable desire to fly off to the other side of the world.

The idea seemed preposterous at first. I couldn’t go alone, could I? Hell yes I could. I’m an empowered female and it’s 2016, damnit.

But what if something went wrong?

I’m an adult. I can handle it.

I’m still basically 12. Adulthood is a sham.

ABBEY GRINGAS THE MIAMI STUDENT

After three weeks of hiking, bus rides and lots of walking, Abbey Gingras reflected on her time in New Zealand. For photos and a video from her trip, visit miamistudent.net.

I’ve traveled before, this isn’t any different.

Before I could lose the battle with myself, I talked to my parents and bought the plane tickets. There was no going back.

Over the next few months, waves of nervousness gave way to bouts of excitement as I prepped for my trip. I made lists, I booked hostels, checked and re-checked my backpack. Then, a few days after Christmas, I hoisted my giant pack onto my shoulders and clutched my passport as my brother drove away from me at the airport.

I was doing this.

A week after boarding that first flight, I sat at an Italian café on Waiheke Island, a short ferry ride from Auckland, the largest city in New Zealand. I took a sip of my wine as I read the daily paper, a story about what had gone wrong in America’s election. People from other parts of the world are even more baffled than us, apparently.

It was one of my last days in New Zealand, and I was enjoying some much-needed downtime after three weeks of hiking, bus rides, tours and lots and lots of walking.

I not only handled being alone; I loved it.

Eating at restaurants by myself, shopping by myself, driving by myself — everything seemed more vibrant. I tasted my food more deeply without the distraction of a phone or conversation, the textures and flavors coming alive as I ate — truly ate. I took in my surroundings with new appreciation, hearing voices and languages mingle with exotic bird calls from the trees overhead. I did only what I wanted to do when I wanted to do it.

It was revolutionary.

There would never be a time in my life where I could have decided to travel alone and been completely ready for it. I could be 18 or 80, and the butterflies I felt getting on the plane would have been fluttering all the same.

As I prepare to graduate into an unknown world full of 401Ks and car insurance premiums, I still feel like I’m 12. But beneath the vulnerability is strength and knowledge and gumption.

I’ll never be ready, but I’m more ready than I know. New Zealand gave me that.

WILLI501@MIAMIOH.EDU

7

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2017

In search of a ‘wow’ moment: Everyday magic in Amsterdam’s square EUROPE

AUDREY DAVIS NEWS EDITOR

I’d been in Europe for two weeks, and I still hadn’t had that “wow” moment. The moment that’s supposed to jump out at you and say, “Hey! You’re in another country! Isn’t this amazing?!”

I’d been all over Luxembourg.

I’d seen castles and mountains and loved every minute of it all, but I was still searching for that one moment.

Maybe my expectations were too high. I’d been to Europe two years ago and had glorified the memories in my head to the point of perfection. Or maybe I was so comfortable in Luxembourg that it just felt like home.

I arrived in Amsterdam on a misty Friday night with my friend, Alison. We headed out to explore the city despite the chance of rain.

It was pitch black by 6:30, and the sidewalks were spotted with big puddles. I didn’t want my first memories of the city to be made in the dark. I was ready to go back to our hostel.

In my head, I had decided that I was sure to have my moment tomorrow. The second I saw the ca-

AUDREY DAVIS THE MIAMI STUDENT

After two weeks in Europe, Audrey Davis was waiting for that ‘wow’ moment. She found it in Amsterdam’s Dam Square, across from the Royal Palace. nals and the bikes in the daylight, I was bound to be amazed.

I’m a dreamer. I romanticize everything in my head. I build up extreme expectations for things and am almost always let down. I know this about myself, but that doesn’t stop me from dreaming and romanticizing.

After dinner, Alison and I decided to head back to our hotel, but we wandered onto Dam

Square by accident. It was beautiful. The whole square was lit up and filled with people. We had no clue where we were, but there was a huge building in front of us that we discovered was the Royal Palace. I told Alison that we had to come back the next day and see what it looks like in the daylight.

I was ready to leave and get out of the cold.

But then, I saw bubbles. Hun-

dreds of bubbles floating through the sky and across the front of the building. They sparkled in the light before disappearing into the night sky.

I followed the trail of bubbles back down to their source — a man with a long, scraggly beard and tan harem pants with two sticks held together by lines of string that formed a net of sorts in his hands. He had big head-

phones on and was rhythmically dipping the net into a vat of soap and swinging it around his head.

Kids were running around, giggling and popping bubbles. Their parents watched with big smiles and cameras in hand.

The kids yelled in different languages — English, Dutch and French — united by the common goal of popping as many bubbles as possible.

The man making the bubbles wasn’t asking for money like most entertainers found on city streets.

He just dipped the net, swung it around and dipped the net again.

Alison and I stood watching and we both couldn’t help but smile.

On the opposite side of the square, a protest was taking place.

The only sign I could read said “Mother Fucker” in crude, poorly painted letters.

The majority of people in the square were too fixated on the bubbles to even notice the protest.

I didn’t want to leave the square. I could have stayed and watched the bubbles and listened to the sound of elated kids all night. It was magical. It was perfect. And yet, it was so simple. It was my moment.

Gondola rides, watercolor sunsets and trying to say ‘sorry’ EUROPE

EMMA SHIBLEY

THE MIAMI STUDENT

It’s our third day in Venice. We are cold and miss Santa Croce square and via dell’Agnolo. We go to a fancy cafe on San Marco square for lunch and order the cheapest items on the menu – penning ourselves in on the “snacks” page – and nothing to drink. An espresso here costs 6.5 euro.

I wear the dark but plain jeans that I have been wearing since Friday because my backpack only had room for one pair of pants, and dark but plain jeans are universal. I also wear old wool socks, dirty brown boots, cheap souvenir stand gloves and a fluffy white kubanka papakha hat (also bought at a tourist stand).

I take up too much space in the corner of the elegant cafe. Brittany, Dallas and Josh inform me later that the adult daughter and her mom sitting at the next table over stared at me off and on the entire time we sat there underdressed and underordering. But later, in the upstairs bathroom, the daughter and I will giggle wordlessly as we try to operate the combined faucet/automated Dyson hand dryer sinks and mostly

fail, patting our hands on our pants instead. The waiter brings us unrequested water in open mouth glass pitchers and does not charge.

We do the gondola thing, and I come up with some melodramatic metaphors for gondolas, which I do not expect to be black on the outside and red on the inside, but they are.

Wide spidery smiles in black lipstick oozing smug across the water.

Wispy dyed-black ponytails holding people instead of… being ponytails.

Half mussel shells floating like charcoal spoons in the canals, the surprising velveteen interior like the orange meat I awkwardly nibbled at lunch near the Accademia bridge the day before.

The floor of the gondola is dry, but my feet, even in two pairs of socks and beat-up but reliable boots, feel frozenly damp from walking Venice end to end before the clock strikes noon. We try to ignore how the boat feels imbalanced, unsteady, with, as Brittany diplomatically put it, “the two larger individuals on the same side of the boat.” We hold the watercolor paintings of sunset canals between our knees.

With my purse, a plastic bottle of water, and a small bag of Murano glass souvenirs, I can’t quite handle

my painting with finesse on the boat bus back across the water to the train station. I sit uneasily in the backmost chair of the lower deck and immediately offer my seat to an older lady who pushes the narrow doors, as grateful to her for making me feel like I did something right today as she is to me for the place to rest.

As I stand for her to squeeze by, my gloves mute the tactile sensation in my fingers, and my painting starts to fall on the shoulder of the person sitting in front of me.

They make an irritated, alarmed sound like “ai ai ai” and I realize my clumsiness with just enough time to awkwardly apologize before the person turns back around in their seat. But I have temporarily forgotten the word for “sorry” in Italian so it comes out in slow, soft-spoken English. I hear what I just said and blush and readjust the painting in my arms to eliminate any chance of dropping it on an unsuspecting bystander for the remaining duration of the ride.

I flip through the mostly blank rolodex of Italian words I know, no more than a dozen lessons on Duolingo crammed into the last week of 2016. “Spiacente,” I say with the hu-

EMMA SHIBLEY THE MIAMI STUDENT

On her third day in Venice, Emma Shibley took a ride in one of the city’s famed gondolas. mility of someone kneeling, waiting to be exiled from the kingdom when the person gets up for their stop.

It’s not even the right word to say “sorry” in this context, a moment of apology. It means something more

like pitiful or retched. They shake their head curtly and look down, saying “no, no” in a way that means I am forgiven. I sigh. I watch the sun set like lava over the water, not minding if my irises catch a burn.

Exploring Rome: Dirty, dreamy and just like the movies EUROPE

KIRBY DAVIS

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Rome has two sides.

There is the romantic, old-world vision as presented by the 1953 classic “Roman Holiday”— the air permeated by the sticky sweet scent of gelato, sweeping monuments that have stood for thousands of years at every street corner, accordionwielding musicians belting “That’s Amore” outside all of its cafés.

But Rome is also the largest city in Italy. It is 12 times larger than Florence. It is dirty and crowded, and aggressive vendors brandishing cheap selfie sticks and rain ponchos are as ubiquitous as impenetrable crowds of tourists.

There are degrees of truth in both of these versions of Rome, and they constantly compete with one another to present a city that is simultaneously ever-changing and a constant in which one knows exactly what to expect from its soaring hills and weathered marble.

As English writer Graham Joyce once observed, “Rome is a place almost worn out by being looked at, a city collapsing under the weight of

KIRBY DAVIS THE MIAMI STUDENT

During her time in Rome, Kirby Davis saw why the ancient Romans had deemed their city “eternal.” reference.”

Rome, at peak summer months, feels a little like Disney World — built to serve as a city-wide tourist attraction. Welcome to Former Roman Empire World, where one can observe a 3,000-year-old city that offers several Wonders of the World, breathtaking churches and museums and plenty of McDonald’s restaurants if you’re feeling homesick.

One can follow in the footsteps of

Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck, of Hillary Duff and Percy Jackson characters as they tour the birthplace of carbonara pasta and what is universally known as the “Eternal City,” due to ancient Romans’ faith that Rome would remain standing forever.

If major tourist attractions aren’t appealing, one can also take a selfguided stroll down one of its cobblestone roads. Just remember that the city was built on seven hills, and if

San Francisco’s infamous peaks are the Alps, then Rome’s sloped streets are all Mount Everest.

Public transportation in Rome is more efficient than most urban areas. For 1.5 euro, you can squeeze your way into a metro car and miss your stop because of apathetic, equally confused other tourists blocking the doors.

Rome is dirty and crowded and overwhelming. But if one can look past all of this, it’s easy to find that it is also, in my father’s words, “magical.”

In most major cities, packed stifling subway platforms spit people out into equally packed streets, walled in by looming skyscrapers.

In Rome, almost any metro stop leads to a new awe-inspiring landmark.

Spagna takes one to the Spanish Steps and surrounding piazza, where Gregory Peck famously declared, “Let’s have ourselves a Roman holiday,” to Audrey Hepburn as she nibbled on gelato in 1953.

The cavernous Pantheon and soaring white marble Trevi Fountain are also a euro-toss away from the station. Colosseo lands one before the Colosseum itself — the world’s larg-

est amphitheater and former site of vicious gladiator battles.

Rome is also home to an entirely different country — Vatican City, home of the Pope and technically its own city-state, is a museum-littered green oasis nestled into the otherwise metropolitan area. Roman landmarks St. Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel also call Vatican City home.

Rome has an energy unparalleled by any other city, and the energy doubles at night. After the sun sets, everything lights up yellow and gold against the electric blue sky. Street vendors push glowing blue toys on tourists, that they can launch into the air above the city’s piazzas to replace the urban lack of stars.

Rome is energized with its waves of visitors and locals, but it is also grounded, standing confidently and proudly on the winding banks of the Tiber River. The ancient Romans weren’t right about everything, but they were right in deeming their city “eternal.”

Davis studied in Florence last summer but was able to take a couple weekend trips to Rome. She wrote this piece for a foreign correspondence class while abroad.

8 FYI

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2017

PATRIOTS »PAGE 12

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HOCKEY »PAGE 12

better players, though this is not always true in college hockey. Head coach, Enrico Blasi, believes that it varies depending on the player. The real difference that Blasi notices, though, is the older freshman’s ability to manage time compared to the true freshman’s.

“We’ve had true freshmen that have been dynamite, and we’ve had some older freshmen that we’ve had to work with,” Blasi said. “Their adjustment to this level is a little bit easier, even though there is an adjustment period.”

“I don’t think it really makes a big difference,” senior forward Anthony Louis said. “Some guys develop more taking a few years in Juniors rather than coming straight here, and some guys it wouldn’t help them to stay back in Juniors. Just coming up to the DI level out of Juniors or high school, or wherever they played, is obviously a big step up.”

Louis came to Miami as a true freshman and does not see a noticeable difference between the older freshmen and the younger ones. He feels that playing juniors is the right

choice for some, but the wrong one for others.

Johnson’s time at Miami has also helped him grow more as a player than he ever has, even during his time in the MJHL and the NAHL. “There’s just so much technology and focus on getting you better everyday that it’s just a huge help,” Johnson said.

Miami’s program is dedicated to making its players better everyday, no matter what age they are. That is the only thing, other than winning a championship, that matters once they get here.

“It was tough playing against older, stronger, faster competition, but I figured it out quick and I think I’m finding my way here in the final stretch,” Knierim said. “I just hope I can help the team to a championship here in the near future.”

With eight games left in the season, the Red and White will look to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament and make a run at the Frozen Four. Miami will play St. Cloud State University away on February 10 at 8:30 p.m., the RedHawks swept St. Cloud in their last meeting in early January.

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ease, they did not allow another score. The transformation was remarkable. One drive, Matt Ryan was hitting Taylor Gabriel on a deep route where he juked Malcolm Butler to the ground and finished with an easy touchdown to Tevin Coleman.

Next, the Falcons were gifted the ball on the Patriot’s 41 but Ryan took a sack, and Atlanta punted. On the next drive, Coleman was injured and on the next play, the Patriots’ linebacker Dont’a Hightower came off the edge for a game changing strip sack.

With Brady and White doing their job on offense, the D needed only to execute their gameplan. It was clear this was to stop Atlanta’s Julio Jones. Jones made a few highlight plays, but in hindsight this has to be considered a success. For him to be targeted only four times is a win, and though he caught all those balls, two or three of them were solely because of his freakish athleticism and footwork -- as in, he was well covered and still managed to make the plays. With Jones’ impact minimized (as much as possible), Coleman hurt and a questionable lack of Devonta Freeman running despite earlier success, the Falcons’ attack lacked many of its dimensions. Combine the relentless pressure of the Patriots’ Chris Long and Trey Flowers, and the Falcons’ high flying attack came to a screeching halt.

Key #3: The greatest head coach and QB of the generation In the third quarter, Dan Quinn’s team had 99.6 percent chance of winning. That 0.4 percent represents a miracle, so it’s no surprise the post-game narrative was all about the intangibles. It’d be difficult to say New England had prepared better with the brutal start they had, but the preparation for a comeback like this did not happen during the last two weeks. It started 16 years ago when Brady and Belichick won their first ring and half of Atlanta’s defense was still on the playground.

The Patriots’ unwavering confidence was impossible to miss. It was the type of confidence that could only be had in men starting and coaching their seventh Super Bowl together. The type that comes with winning the Super Bowl only two years ago. Everything a young Falcons team lacked, the Patriots had in droves. The special stuff. It was the Tom Brady revenge tour and Atlanta played a supporting role. They never trailed in regulation, but by the end of the game you could never tell. The result felt inevitable. That’s the power of Brady and Belichick -the greatest duo I’ve seen.

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FALCONS »PAGE 12

FOOTBALL »PAGE 12

plays after securing their 28-3 lead. In fact, after going up by 25 points with 12:45 remaining in the third quarter, the Falcons only possessed the ball for a total of about seven minutes for the rest of the game. Despite Devonta Freeman averaging nearly seven YPC, the Falcons completely disregarded the most effective way of closing out a team: running out the clock. The Falcons’ unbalanced second-half approach and horrendous time management should bear much of the blame for this epic collapse.

Key #2: The Falcons’ defense bent… and bent… and finally broke As most of the general public has become aware, Tom Brady passed for Super Bowl records of 43 completions and 466 yards. While these astronomical numbers have been lauded by the media, it should be noted that the Falcons’ defense was on the field surrendering this yardage as well.

Although the Falcons contained New England’s receiving threats in the first half, their bend-but-don’tbreak style was undone by their offense’s incompetence in the second half. Over the entire game, the Patriots’ offense ran more than twice the amount of plays than the Falcons.

While this speaks well to Atlanta’s offensive efficiency and ability to quickly score points, this disparity was a deciding factor in the game’s key moments. It was unreasonable to expect Atlanta’s 28th ranked pass defense to hold the Patriots’ fourth ranked pass offense in check all game. The Patriots’ domination of time of possession only made matters worse.

Key #3: Experience… or the lack thereof At the end of the day, once the game was within a couple scores, there was little doubt that the Patriots would have a chance to win the game. Call it the “Tom Brady Effect” or “Swami Belichick Magic,” but the New England Patriots have proven that they should not be counted out during any scenario in any game.

Matt Ryan and the Falcons on the other hand will have to ensure that this gut-punch of a loss turns into a learning experience rather than a defining moment. The Falcons made a legitimate leap this year and were a holding penalty, costly fumble and a coin flip away from being Super Bowl champions.

Looking forward, there is a chance that this game could signify the moment the Falcons became legitimate contenders. Matt Ryan and Julio Jones are in the prime of their careers, and players like Grady Jarrett and Deion Jones showed promise on defense last night. The interesting thing about being an inexperienced team is that time, and games like the one on Sunday, are the only ways to make a transition from a scrappy upstart to a grizzled, veteran franchise. If last night was any indicator, the Patriots are planning on keeping their place on the throne for a few more years. Only time will tell if Matt Ryan and the Falcons are the rightful heirs.

Questions, comments, accusations that I am biased against your favorite team? E-mail me at hausfemj@miamioh.edu!

upgraded facilities are a welcomed addition.

“This place is unbelievable. Having everything in one spot — obviously the way it looks — its untouchable by almost every school in the country, let alone the MAC,” junior tight end Nate Becker said.

Jordan Diamond, who is an offensive guard and an Auburn University transfer who was recently granted his sixth season of eligibility, couldn’t agree more.

“We got some good stuff, here at Miami,” Diamond said. “We got some great stuff. It’s the best stuff I’ve seen.”

Coming off of a strong season, this new facility is indicative of the mood around the program. The players think it will translate to even more on-field success for not just next year, but the foreseeable future.

“This is one of the best places in the country; it can’t be touched.

The players that will be brought in from [the APC] is crazy, and I think we already have a great team now,” Becker said.

With the addition of the APC, it’s clear that Miami football is trying to take the next step in the college football universe.

“I see us being in a New Year’s Day bowl game. That’s our goal.

That’s our plan to be that team like Western Michigan this year when they got into the Cotton Bowl,” Sayler said. “There’s no reason that Miami can’t accomplish that feat.”

miamistudent.net Well, at least you didn’t have to pay for it.

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Please recycle this newspaper when finished.

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FROM NEW YEAR »PAGE 4

formances. Yu also prepared a presentation to explain Chinese opera to the audience and even invited audience members on stage to learn some basic opera movements.

The event was marketed as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the Peking Opera perform.

The Opera is a historically important part of traditional Chinese culture, though it is more revered by older generations than younger ones.

“Peking Opera is a treasure of

FROM LUX »PAGE 4

If he had the time to explain why he chose Miami to every person who asked, these are the reasons he would tell them: Because after his gap year in Ecuador, he realized that Miami was where he wanted to be.

Because the schools he applied to in Scotland just didn’t do it for him.

FROM HIJAB »PAGE 4

take a picture with signs declaring their support for Muslim women’s right to wear hijabs.

Global Initiatives international student advisor, Sarah O’Connell, was one of the people taking the pictures.

O’Connell said that the pictures were tools for showing solidarity with the women around the world who were not allowed to practice their religion as they wished and were attacked for their beliefs.

FROM BUSCHICK »PAGE 1

of champagne, Graves told MUPD. In an email on Jan. 23, Graves told MUPD that she brought two bottles of champagne and a bottle of pink wine from her garage refrigerator at home, and Erica got her alcohol from her parents.

Records show that shortly after 10 p.m. Buschick’s friend Matt Hearty picked her and Graves up to take them to party at 218 N. Poplar Street. Before leaving for the party, Buschick and Graves filled a water bottle just over half full with vodka.

They consumed the bottle of vodka by about 10:45 p.m., Graves told MUPD. She said that when she and Buschick ran out of vodka, the guys brought out a “huge bottle of grey goose.”

“They told us it was not grey goose but cheap vodka,” Graves wrote. “Erica and I were taking

FROM ORDER »PAGE 1

However, since the panel, Washington federal judge James Robart has temporarily blocked the ban, meaning those stranded students could potentially get back to campus within the newly created window.

While the legality of the ban has been called into question by a number of human rights organizations such as the ACLU, the former acting Attorney General of the U.S. Sally Yates refused to support the ban and federal district attorney Ann Donnelly granted stays to those who were held and threatened with deportation.

Many questions regarding the ban remain such as whether or not the order could be extended past the 90 day review period and whether more countries could be added to the list at the end of the review period.

One of the largest uncertainties, however, is what options exist for the people affected who live, work or attend school in our country.

“I have no idea what their options are,” Kelsi Sievering, a junior political science major and Arabic student, said.

“There are departments throughout campus that will surely help them, but I cannot imagine how terrifying that must be.”

For the students that remain stranded outside of the U.S., their options seem even murkier.

Oliver Young, a junior political science major, said his friend and Miami student Rasheek Rayat is currently stuck in Bangladesh, a Muslim-majority country, as his visa was revoked days after the executive order took place.

Although Bangladesh is not on the

9

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2017 China,” said Lei. “The young generation is usually not a fan, but we admire it. When it comes to Miami University it becomes something different.”

Jingxuan He, president of the performing DyzzeeStepperz Dance Crew, agreed.

“We study abroad, and not only us, but a lot of Chinese, forget this culture,” she said.

He thinks it’s an important tradition in Chinese culture, though it isn’t normally something the younger generation is into. It’s an important reminder of home and of traditional culture.

This dichotomy between traditional and modern Chinese culture was chiefly important to the Gala. Joining the Peking Opera in representing the traditional side were performances by several student groups, including the the CIMU Lion Dance Club and the Traditional Chinese Music Ensemble. Additional students displayed traditional dress and calligraphy writing.

The Gala also boasted performances more in line with modern culture. Echo, a pop singer from China, is popular among the millennial generation. Miami’s own

DyzzeeStepperz are a street dance group comprised of Chinese students. The group performed several dances that combined hip-hop with traditional elements and Chinese music with American music.

The event also included a performance by American YouTube star Tiffany Alvord, who covered several songs in English and sang an original composition.

It was also important for the Gala to bring Chinese and American students together.

“We aim to build a bridge between Chinese and American students,” said Lei.

Each act was introduced by four student emcees from CACA, two who spoke in Chinese and two who spoke in English. It was a useful way to engage and include all members of an audience made up of Chinese and American students and faculty.

American student Emily Ward thought the Gala was a success on both accounts.

“I thought it was a nice mix of old and new,” said Ward. “There was a mixture of Chinese and American things, which was pretty nice because it kind of brought everyone together.”

Because Miami has sports teams and intramurals, whereas the universities in Europe are solely focused on academics.

Because he wanted to play indoor soccer and volleyball for fun, yet in a game setting, with his newfound friends.

Because Miami has a first-year research program, and “having that opportunity is really rare.”

Because his first semester at

Miami would allow him to become involved in the Association of Latin and American Students, where he would be able to continue to invest in the South American culture he had lived in for a year.

Because at Miami, he could show other incoming international students the ropes of campus through Miami’s International Peer Orientation Leaders

program.

Because at Miami, he can study abroad in France and learn one of the official languages of his hometown.

Because Miami offered him a full-tuition scholarship.

Because a lot of successful and famous people in Luxembourg went to Miami and that was enough proof of the caliber of the school.

Because Miami is . . . well, Miami.

Even though he had his doubts while driving through half an hour of cornfields on his first trip to campus, and even though people here criticize his use of the words “mate” and “cheers,” Justin has fallen in love with Miami like so many before him.

“It turned out to be a good fit,” he said.

FROM YELLOW SPRINGS »PAGE 6

continued to draw in visitors and keep its faithful base of film-goers.

Finish the day with a hike through the Glen Helen Nature Preserve to the village’s namesake — springs that are, surprisingly, orange and not yellow, whose color comes from the iron in the water. Dip your toes into the water or just listen to the springs trip over the rocks and wonder when you can come back to everyone’s favorite place.

In addition to the info table, the Women’s Center and Global Initiatives also hosted a panel and TED talk to discuss the subject of hijabs.

“It’s a lot about just learning and breaking down the barriers of being afraid to ask,” Jackson said. “No matter how we identify with the color of our race or our culture, we have these common bonds. Even though we might practice our faith differently we have more things in common than not in common.”

For lunch — or on weekends, brunch — there is no match for The Winds Cafe. A self-described “sincere, funky little place,” the Winds serves European-inspired food with an American twist using as many local ingredients as possible. And their commitment to locally sourced food isn’t just a marketing ploy; their seasonal menus will often include names in the descriptions of

dishes so that diners know their Welsh rarebit omelet was made with eggs raised by local farmer Dale Filbrun.

Just a short walk down the street is the Little Art Theater, a landmark of the village known to many locals as “the little theater that could.”

First built in 1929, the theater has persisted through many changes in ownership, but, since the theater’s successful 2012 campaign to fully restore and renovate the theater, it has

shots of that vodka.”

At approximately 11:30 p.m., Buschick, Graves and others from the party started walking toward Brick Street Bar Uptown. In his written statement to MUPD, Hearty wrote that as everyone was leaving to head Uptown, Buschick fell.

“I went to help her and suggested she not go Uptown,” he wrote. “She refused and I continued to hold her hand to prevent her from falling.”

Graves got to Brick Street and stood in the “under 21” line. She had been calling Buschick’s cell for several minutes when Hearty picked up the phone. The incident report shows that Hearty told Graves Buschick was too intoxicated to get into Brick Street and that she needed to be taken home.

Graves found Hearty and Buschick in front of The Woods Bar between 12:05 a.m. and 12:10 a.m. and called Miami Taxi.

After calling the taxi, Graves

stated that the she, Buschick and Hearty started walking back toward the apartment on North Poplar St. The taxi driver, Jason Colwell, picked up Graves and Buschick just north of McCullough Hyde Hospital.

In an interview with MUPD, Colwell said that Buschick and Graves were both conscious when they entered the taxi. When they arrived at Morris Hall, he said, Graves had to wake Buschick. Once Buschick and Graves got out of the taxi, Buschick fell to the ground face first. Graves said that Buschick scraped her knee and face from the fall.

Graves needed help getting Buschick into the dorm, Graves said, so she and Colwell held Buschick’s arms and walked her to their room on the second floor of the building.

Once they entered their room, Colwell said, he propped up Buschick against her bed. Graves paid Colwell the fare for the taxi ride as well

as extra money for helping her.

Colwell told MUPD that he was concerned Buschick would fall and hit her head, so he laid her down on her left side on a bean bag chair on their floor. Colwell told Graves to keep an eye on Buschick.

Before she fell asleep, at around 1 a.m., Graves posted a photo of Buschick, laying on the bean bag chair, to an Instagram account. Graves told MUPD that it was simply a post about being drunk and MUPD removed the image from the Instagram account at 2 p.m. on Feb. 20.

Graves said that she woke up at approximately 3 a.m. and noticed Buschick was still on the bean bag before falling back asleep. When Graves woke up the next morning, she saw that Buschick had not moved and called 911 for help.

MUPD officers were dispatched to Morris Hall at 8:57 a.m. Oxford Life Squad arrived at 9:01 a.m., and the Butler County Coroner was no-

tified of the incident at 9:06 a.m.

Among the items collected from Buschick’s room was an expired Missouri driver’s license of a 23-year-old female.

In his official statement, Crawford said that Buschick’s death has been devastating to the entire Miami community, who “lost a vibrant young woman with hopes and dreams ahead of her.”

While the university’s immediate concern was providing support for Buschick’s friends and family, Crawford will be working with the university’s senior leadership to “undertake a holistic assessment” of their efforts to prevent high-risk alcohol consumption by students.

“High-risk alcohol consumption among college students is of concern to every university president and I am determined and committed to doing all that we can to help ensure the well-being of all of our students,” Crawford wrote.

seven-country list, Young asserts Rayat was not given a reason for his visa revocation by the U.S. embassy. Therefore, they both assume it is in relation to the executive order.

“As much as the Trump administration says this isn’t a ban on Muslims, there doesn’t seem to be any other explanation for it,” Young said. “Last summer when Rasheek went home to Bangladesh, the possibility of this happening would have never occurred to me.”

Since the ban was temporarily blocked, Rayat has applied for a new I-20, a Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status, in order to apply for a new visa. He is hoping to be back on campus for the summer term.

Sandra Glazer, senior psychology major and Bosnian refugee, described the atrocities that prompted her family to seek refuge outside of their home country.

“My parents are from Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia,” Glazer said. “Ethnic tensions led to a civil war in which the former Yugoslav army, made up primarily of Orthodox Serbs, set on a course to ‘ethnically cleanse’ the region of any non-Serbs. This primarily targeted Bosnian Muslims but also included minority groups. The killings were often arbitrary as snipers shot into the streets at anybody they saw. Sarajevo was the hardest hit city.... The first bombs fell in 1992.”

Elizabeth Bergman, associate professor of Arabic, expressed concern regarding whether immigrants from the Middle East will ever want to live in the U.S. and share their talents here in the aftermath of the executive order.

“How can they believe [that they will

be allowed back in]?” Bergman asked.

“How can they say ‘yeah, I’ll get on the airplane to go see my family.’ And this when they may not be able to come back to their home in this country because another executive order may be issued to say they can’t?”

In regards to the talents many of the people affected by the ban have, Glazer wanted to clarify the misconception of refugees needing special treatment economically.

“People from these countries could be of great help to the U.S. – many of them are college-educated professionals that can greatly contribute to our society,” Glazer said. “I think some people may hold a stereotype in mind that these are third-world countries with people that are unskilled who would need a lot of welfare assistance.”

Glazer also expressed her dismay at the effect the ban is having on people who come from situations similar to hers.

“While the order will not specifically affect us, it is still disheartening, however, to see it affect the lives of so many immigrants and refugees who are only seeking a better life just like we did over 20 years ago.” Glazer said. “And for many of these people, it is not a question of simply a better life, but rather to live at all…. These people absolutely need refuge, just like I did.”

Jana Braziel, chair of the Office of Global Intercultural Studies, hopes Oxford may follow Cincinnati’s lead and become a sanctuary town.

“In addition to that, I would urge President Crawford to designate Miami University as a sanctuary campus,” Braziel said. “I’ve already written a letter to him, asking that he follow the

lead and example of the University of Michigan who has stated that under no terms would they release the immigration status of students enrolled.”

Braziel further believes that although becoming a sanctuary campus would potentially only be symbolic, symbolism matters. As of the time of print, Crawford has not responded to her letter.

“Miami has an opportunity to take a stand in this situation, just like they would do if it were white kids from Columbus or Chicago,” Young said.

“There really is no difference. It is a matter of the ideals of ‘Love and Honor’ that we want to instill in students. We can also fight for them.”

Sievering, Young, Bergman and Braziel all independently described judging the entirety of the Muslim faith based on the actions of few as “cowardly” and “unattractive,” among other things.

“We can’t be afraid of one person when we can save hundreds of people,” Sievering said. “We are all humans. If we experienced Syria’s situation here, we would expect help from the international community, not just hope for it.”

Braziel wants those who fear Islam to be aware of who the true victims are.

“Muslims are predominantly the victims of these terrorist groups,” Braziel said. “Trump’s executive order flouts refugee international law. We are out of touch with what the rest of the world holds dear.”

The refugee international law to which Braziel referred is the 1951 Refugee Convention, a legal document that defines what a refugee is, the rights refugees hold and the legal obligation nations have to protect them. According to this document, a refugee is “some-

one who is unable or unwilling to return to their country of origin owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion.”

Glazer further described the importance of the U.S. taking a more humancentric approach to the issue of radical terrorism, when many of the victims of these acts are the civilians from these countries.

“Thousands of people have already been killed in these countries by their own government, and when we deny these people entries to this supposed ‘land of immigrants,’ then the blood is also on our hands,” Glazer said.

Bergman believes the xenophobia and fears of terrorism that are at the root of the ban need to be addressed, if America can only focus on the toll the ban is taking on the lives of all those affected.

“We need to ask people what it is about Islam that is threatening to them,” Bergman said. “This is less about facts and more about emotions.

All of the statistics back up the logical arguments, but they fail to take into account the very human emotion of fear.

There has been too much talking and not enough listening.”

According to The New York Times, the stay granted by the state of Washington in the case State of Washington v. Trump, “is now before the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, in San Francisco….After it rules, an appeal to the Supreme Court seems likely.”

Until then, 27 Miami students will remain unsure of what lies ahead.

Opinion

10

EDITORIAL@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2017

Protesting is a necessary part of democracy The following piece, written by the editorial editors, reflects the majority opinion of the editorial board.

P

rotesting corrupt regimes seems to be all the rage right now, both here and abroad.

After the Romanian government issued a decree to rescind a decree that had decriminalized some corruption offenses on Saturday, mistrust of the corrupt regime led half a million citizens to take to the streets in lively protest.

The New York Times reported that of the half million, about a quarter had gathered in the capital of the former Communist nation, Bucharest, bent on influencing the democratically elected month-old government.

“Many said they would continue at least until they were convinced that the month-old government would refrain from future efforts to weaken the country’s corruption laws,” reported the Times.

The tenacity with which these fervently democratic citizens have taken to protesting is certainly encouraging and, more relevant to our democratically-proud nation, the protesting should show just how powerful our collective voice can be in a country supposedly for the people.

Americans know all too well how

The lifespan of a fact has essentially reached zero.

impactful protesting can be, going all the way back to the Boston Tea Party in 1773. The extensive protesting and rallies held since the fateful date of Jan. 20 show how well we Americans know our history, but complacency is the biggest threat to the political activism as well as democracy. It’s the biggest.

A tremendous threat.

The protests occurring nationwide, as well as the few at Miami, are a healthy part of a free democracy. In a place as isolated as Oxford, holding protests such as the one organized by the Miami College Democrats on Saturday is an important part of stimulating democracy in the places its power was most ignored during the election year.

In almost any democratic coun-

Support and understanding for sexual assualt victims SEXUAL ASSAULT

TO THE EDITOR: Sexual assault is a largely underreported crime with two out of three sexual assaults going unreported, according to the National Crime Victimization Survey, 20102014.

As members of the Trauma and Emotion Regulation Lab at Miami University, we research many topics related to sexual assault including the tremendous emotional impact of these experiences.

Emotions such as shame and guilt, both expressed in Ceili Doyle’s brave column last week, are significant, influential factors often underlying decisions not to report sexual assault crimes.

After reading her column in last week’s Miami Student, we would like to acknowledge that Doyle’s emotional reactions are incredibly common for survivors of sexual assault.

We would like to support Doyle and other survivors in acknowledging that different emotional reactions following sexual assault are completely valid and we encourage survivors to seek support. Reactions following traumatic experiences widely vary from person to person, and that is okay.

That does not make their emotions wrong or bad.

We hope that Doyle and other survivors understand that moving on from a sexual assault is difficult to do, but healing and recovery is very possible. However, this does require some reflection, because shutting down or wanting to forget the event can also backfire and make the situation worse.

The statistic that one in four women on college campuses will be sexually assaulted is both startling and horrifying. However, we want to emphasize that sexual assault does not occur because survivors

decided to drink or go dancing, or even because they invited someone back to their dorm. The blame in sexual assault lies solely with the perpetrator. Internalizing societal messages about victim-blaming can often increase feelings of shame and guilt.

It is not their fault.

We hope that Doyle and other survivors on Miami’s campus engage in self-care and seek support.

We also hope they are able to find safe spaces to process their emotional reactions, whether that is with friends, family or professional resources such as the Student Counseling Center or a personal therapist.

Below, we included a list of resources that Miami University, the Oxford community and the general public offer for survivors of sexual

The blame in sexual assault lies solely with the perpetrator.

assault.

Student Counseling Services: (513) 529-4634 Women Helping Women: (513) 977-5545 Psychology Clinic at Miami University: (513) 529-2423 National Sexual Assault Hotline: (800) 656-4673

CARLEIGH TURNER TURNER59@MIAMIOH.EDU

try, revolutions have manifested from the ground up. They have taken place in spite of oppressive regimes and are inspired by a country’s lack of and need for human empathy. In a statement released by the Miami College Democrats, their reason for rallying was simple: to display solidarity.

“The actions Donald Trump has taken thus far, as well as his promises for the near future, alarm us,” the Democrats issued in their grievance statement against the president. “They do not place the America we love first, but rather an America that has lost sight of its courage and founding principles.

We assemble today to demonstrate in solidarity with other concerned organizations and citizens from the Miami University, Oxford, and

Butler County Community.”

Former president Barack Obama said last week that he was heartened by the swathes of recent protests that targeted President Trump’s executive order on immigration and refugees. Obama has promised to keep up the tradition of not criticizing his successor, but also said he would speak up when he felt it was necessary to do so. He did so 10 days post-inauguration.

A spokesperson for the former president said that “citizens exercising their Constitutional right to assemble, organize and have their voices heard by their elected officials is exactly what we expect to see when American values are at stake.”

And for many, American values are at stake.

All too often the idea and thrill of protesting excites those involved, only to wane and dissipate in short order. In this age, we can’t let this happen. We mustn’t forget to uphold our values in what is shaping up to be a volatile four-year term.

Like the Romanians, we must exercise our rights as democratic citizens or, more simply, as people who fight for what is right.

When will we realize that we’re not invincible?

DRINKING

CEILI DOYLE

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

I’ve spent the last two weeks thinking a lot about death. Ever since Erica Buschick died.

We college students think we’re so invulnerable.

As a collective, we believe, as teenagers and twenty-somethings, that nothing and no one can touch us.

We binge more frequently and with more intensity than any generation before us, and despite our mindover-matter mentality, we also die more frequently than any generation before us.

A student on our campus died.

She was eighteen years old and she is gone. But that fact does not seem to resonate with many people at Miami.

We continue to plan our fraternity and sorority four-ways. At our Thursday night pregames, we never consider the possibility of an alternative event. We wake up, beat, darty, nap and repeat every Saturday.

This is not to say that all college students are at risk of throwing their lives away in the name of getting “fucked up” for one night. But we place so much emphasis on drinking and going out and fitting this image of ~college~ as a time of no caution, no excuses, no reservations — and we forget there is a world outside of drowning our social lives with four, five, six shots on the side.

We laugh at Facebook videos and share tweets that depict strangers downing bottles of Hennessey and entire fifths of José Cuervo. We scoff at the administrators who frown on us reckless renegades. And we update our finstas with posts of the previous weekend filled with blackouts

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and unfamiliar bruises.

I am just as guilty as the next person. I have never given the concept considered the practice of binging on alcohol with the maturity and the respect it deserves. I have definitely drunk for the wrong reasons.

Whether because of a fight with my parents or a sense of overwhelming inadequacy, I too have overindulged, unintentionally or otherwise. But after spending the past several days pondering a tragic and avoidable death, I no longer want to be the kind of person who only cares about having a good time without considering the consequences.

A good friend of mine recently

This scenario is a reality for too many college students throughout the nation and at Miami University. It’s appalling and it is so utterly avoidable.

said that we all have two or three times in our lives to determine what kind of person we want to be. He believes college is one of those times.

I urge all of us to take a moment, think of Erica, and reevaluate our priorities. Do we truly want to subject our loved ones to a phone call from someone saying we never woke up? This scenario is a reality for too many college students throughout the nation and at Miami University. It’s appalling and it is so utterly avoidable.

I’m not writing this to condemn going out or having fun. I’m writing it to say: Let’s quit tempting fate.

DOYLECA3@MIAMIOH.EDU

A plea to stand up and do what I didn’t LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

JAMES STEINBAUER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

It was about 9 p.m. on Saturday when I overheard a guy at the table next to me talking to a few girls. Where I was and what the guy looked like aren’t important.

It could have been anywhere in Oxford and he could have been any student. The conversation he had was similar to ones I hear every weekend. It went like this: “My friend’s 21st birthday was last last weekend and I missed it, so we’re celebrating tonight. I bought him a bottle of whiskey and I’m going to try and get him to drink the whole bottle.”

“I think that could probably kill somebody,” one of the girls he was talking to joked.

“You know, I think I’d kind of like to test that out.”

I’d like to write that I was brave.

That I walked over to him and said something. But I didn’t. Instead, I just sat there, swishing the foam from my latte around in my mouth.

I’m now hoping to rectify that mistake.

Two weeks ago, Miami University first-year Erica Buschick evidently tried to “test that out.” She was killed. She was 18 years old.

Last Tuesday, The Miami Student printed a story that relied heavily on an audio recording of the 911 call that Erica’s roommate, Reilley Graves, made when she woke up and realized that Erica was dead.

While many newspapers, including The Miami Student, have chosen to publish recordings of 911 calls in the past, I made the decision not to do so in this specific case. The recording is haunting to hear. I have listened to it a dozen times. And each time it feels like I’m there, standing in 223 Morris Hall, listening: “So she’s not awake?” the dispatcher asks. “Is she breathing?”

“No. She’s stiff.”

And each night I’ve been jolted awake by the sound of sirens. What if this time the ambulance is heading to somebody I know? Erica Buschick was not the first Miami student to die from high-risk alcohol consumption. And if history gives us any indication, she will certainly not be the last.

The conversation I overheard is just one of many examples of how Miami’s efforts to educate students on the dangers of high-risk alcohol consumption have not worked.

And I am worried that any “holistic assessments” of the university’s past efforts will reveal that such assessments are the only step the university has ever taken. How many alcohol task forces have we had, anyway?

If we want change, it needs to come from the ground up.

And so, after the dismaying steps toward action promised by Miami’s administration, I feel that I have to amend my initial decision.

While The Miami Student will still not be publishing the audio recording on its website, I’m writing to tell our readers that obtaining it, themselves, is relatively easy.

Journalists are not the only people who can submit a records request. Anyone seeking to listen to the audio recording needs only to call the Butler County Sheriff’s Office Central Records Unit (513785-1030) and ask for it.

Many of the people who need to listen to it the most will likely not take the time to, but I believe that hearing this 911 call will do more to make Miami students rethink the way they drink than any AlcoholEdu program ever has.

My hope is that it prompts at least a few students to stand up and do what I did not.

STEINBJT@MIAMIOH.EDU

11 OPINION

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2017

EDITORIAL@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

What if sports have finally peaked?

SPORTS

GRAHAM vonCARLOWITZ EDITORIAL EDITOR

You know that moment when the athlete who has worked his entire life to earn a championship climbs that mountain and stakes claim to a career well spent, only to ride off in to the setting sun and retire? It happened last year, when Peyton Manning limped his way to one final Super Bowl victory with the Denver Broncos (where “Rocky” mountaintops are plentiful) before announcing his retirement.

It happened after Super Bowl XL, when Jerome Bettis and the Pittsburgh Steelers got “one [ring] for the thumb.” John Elway, the president of that Broncos squad, did the same thing in 1997 as the quarterback for Denver.

The archives of football lore can go on, but I’m not trying to beat

any dead horses with a stick today.

I’d just like to ask one thing: Have American sports peaked? Have they reached that plateau atop the proverbial mountain? Just consider the past year that was.

Last April, the Villanova Wildcats spent a Monday night celebrating a 61-59 victory over perennial powerhouse North Carolina, which had nailed a three-pointer just seconds earlier. It was the first buzzer-beater in a championship game since Jim Valvano’s N.C. State squad did it in ‘83.

Just over two months later, in mid-June, the NBA’s best regular season team ever, the shiny Golden State Warriors held a commanding, no-team-has-ever-come-backfrom-this 3-1 series lead against my hometown team, the historydoesn’t-matter-to-us Cleveland Cavaliers. Against every odd you could find, the Cavs led the most unlikely comeback in NBA Final’s history, ultimately toppling the Warriors 93-89 in a rollercoaster Game 7.

Thank God there was a pause in all the excitement — the extensive break between the end of the NBA season and the start of the NFL season is always bemoaned by those who could care less about America’s favorite pastime: good ol’ baseball, the only major American sport active in the sport calendar’s lull.

Which is why it breaks all sports logic that baseball be allowed some excitement — at the expense of the championship-thirsty cities of Chicago and Cleveland, no less. October baseball always promises to remind some people that baseball can boost the heart rate more than your average church ceremony. But for the Chicago Cubs to twist around the Cavs’ fate of days past and come back from a daunting 3-1 series deficit? And to do so in extra innings?

No. No. That just doesn’t happen.

But this year, it does, it has, and as evinced in last night’s Super, Super, really Super Bowl, it continues to happen. As a lifelong sports fan, I know I’ve been spoiled. Only 20some years in and I’ve witnessed

Super Bowl commercials reflect political climate POLITICS

MADDIE LAPLANTE- DUBE EDITORIAL EDITOR

Like 78 percent of my fellow Americans, I mostly watch the Super Bowl for the commercials. I sat down on the couch Sunday night hoping to see what Budweiser had brought to the table this year, or how Ford was going to make their F-450s somehow conjure up emotions in me. Capitalism!

As Mr. Clean danced around some lady’s house to lyrics that said “be your dreamboat, be your fantasy,” it became clear that most of the commercials would be pretty easy to swallow. Lady Gaga’s big jump from the top of the stadium made the Internet explode in memes that will probably circulate for another year or two.

But most companies steered clear of any overtly political statements.

Perhaps one reason for that is that Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are outspoken Trump advocates (unfortunately so for this Bostonian). Perhaps it’s advertising suicide to preach inclusivity during a sports event hosted in Texas. At any rate, as Sapna Maheshwari said for the Times, escapism in the Super Bowl commercials this year was rampant.

The biggest risks came from just a handful of companies, with Airbnb and Audi getting real in their advertisements. Coca Cola did too, resubmitting their “Together is Beautiful” ad from 2014. But the biggest splash was made by the newcomer 84 Lumber, with their Spanish language commercial following a mother and her daughter making their harrowing journey north to the border of Mexico.

The last half of the advertisement was deemed too controversial by FOX; 84 Lumber had to ask their viewers to go to their website to see the grand finale for their campaign.

By the time I tried to get to the site seconds after the ad finished in real time, their site had crashed, likely because of millions of curious viewers like myself.

Spoilers to follow: The commercial starts with a woman and her daughter begin-

84 Lumber...showed on Super Bowl Sunday that, yes, it is possible to reconcile two ideas at once.

ning the trip to the border. After days, after heat, sweat, travel and dust, the pair reach a gigantic, stories-tall cement wall. The scenes of the mother’s devastation at the base of the wall are intercut with scenes of a white guy looking content and driving away in a pickup truck full of lumber. Turns out, the good guys at 84 Lumber built a big wooden door in the middle of the wall, a door that was unlocked, a door that the mother and daughter walked right through. Text overlays the last scene: “The Will to Succeed is Always Welcome Here.”

84 Lumber is kind of doing two things at once. On their website they have example of service projects dedicated to helping veterans and “our troops,” as well as building shelters for homeless people.

Their veteran support is inspired

by their many veteran employees.

And while they did make their general message in their ad specifically pointed – productive members of society only, please – they managed to fit both traditionally conservative ideas and liberal ones in the same advertisement.

84 Lumber probably couldn’t have known when this advertisement was being made how relevant it would actually be. On Monday, the government reached a deadline to prove that the travel ban Trump proposed will actually promote national security, even though all of the terrorist attacks that have happened on American soil since 9/11 came from US citizens or legal residents. (Additionally, none of those attackers came from any of the countries listed in the ban.)

The wall featured both in the advertisement and in real life will be coming from our tax dollars. And on the base of the Statue of Liberty, the Mother of Exiles, it still says, “Give me your tired, your poor / Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free / The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. / Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me / I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” The sweet, sweet irony.

84 Lumber, the great builder of that golden door, showed on Super Bowl Sunday that, yes, it is actually possible to reconcile two ideas at once. In a country as divided as this one, it is time to figure out a way to deal with our dissonance and actually see the human side of things.

I get that escapism is necessary to build viewership, especially right now. But what’s happening in the U.S., a country built by immigrants, is inescapable.

some of the greatest competition — better than recent and ancient history. In terms of Super Bowls, at least five of the greatest (perhaps the top five) have been played in the past ten years. This year’s bout — the unlikeliest of affairs that left everyone incredulous, speechless, drool-filled, beside themselves, profoundly awe-struck, wondering whether Tom Brady was a demigod in another life — made me realize a few things.

I don’t care if people think sports are pointless. They’ve provided me with a lifetime of tangible lifelessons (i.e. Never Give Up, as seen in the Patriots’ decimation of the book on how to properly win a Super Bowl). They have supplied my brain with some childhood memories that can never be stripped from me, even when I’m 97 and struggling to spell the word “I.” And, time and time again, they have left me in awe.

I began by citing some folks who left while they were on top.

They were the sports equivalent of

George Costanza leaving the room after he made people laugh. My sustained awe leads me to ask this odd, yet compelling question: Can it get any better than this? Should we just pack our bags and call it a day? Sports can’t get any better, right?

If sports were a person, would this be their hay-day, only to be followed by some humdrum twilight years? (Note to self: old-people sports might be a million-dollar idea.)

The thing is, sports may never reach the peak of Mt. Everest (save for actual mountain climbers, you guys definitely peaked that high).

But they don’t need to. There are thousands of other random mountaintops to be reached, and sports will probably reach all of them in good time.

But still, it does make you wonder. That may have been the best Super Bowl ever, but how long does ever last for?

VONCARGH@MIAMIOH.EDU

What opinion is: Exploring the path to being wrong LIFE

HANNAH MEIBERS THE MIAMI STUDENT

I have spent a lot of my time this week pondering what opinion piece I should write for the Student. With the stress of the new semester and the always-changing political atmosphere, I knew spitting out my opinion on these topics would be a dud.

Then I began thinking: What is an opinion?

We all have our opinions, and naturally we all believe our opinions are the only right ones. The media is saturated with varying opinions, whether they are about something out of our control, or something more personal. Finding someone without an opinion is very rare. All we have to ask is, “What do you think?”

But how many people do we know that can say without stuttering, “I think ____, but I could be wrong”?

That is, how many of us concede that we might be flawed in our thinking?

With that in mind, how can a more intelligent and thoughtful opinion be formed?

Maturity is key. Developing a more mature perspective allows us to gain an organic view on the situation. If we cannot approach someone with an opinion in an inside voice, it’s best to keep our mouths shut. When we are younger, it is understandable as to why we have filtered opinions.

We have grown up listening to our parents, our friends, etc. give their opinions, so it is no wonder we just blab out whatever comes to mind.

However, it is expected that as we grow, we form a more grounded perspective.

Also, we should avoid biased assimilation. The media has done a

wonderful job at dividing its readers and viewers. Some sites, articles and news channels are more liberal, while others lean more conservatively.

We are accustomed to taking in information if it confirms the opinion we already have. For example, our

All we have to ask is, “What do you think?”

Internet search engines factor in the kind of articles we are reading online, whether they lean left or right. This small weapon the Internet holds can create a bubble around our opinions, narrowing them and cancelling out our credibility.

However, this does not mean we should refrain from being skeptical of others’ opinions. Asking questions is how we get answers. And without answers, we would not have opinions in the first place. Not only does skepticism allow us to question others, but it also allows us to question ourselves.

I know it may seem wild, but it is important to be comfortable with being wrong. The best way to accept being wrong is to be honest with ourselves.

MEIBERHL@MIAMIOH.EDU

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A.J. NEWBERRY NEWBERAJ@MIAMIOH.EDU

Sports

SPORTS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

12

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2017

Miami debuts $25 million athletic facility FOOTBALL

COBURN GILLIES STAFF WRITER

environment is challenging regardless of age.

“It wasn’t super hard, but starting to balance school again and hockey, and then coming [to Miami], obviously, it’s a step up in play and pace and all that,” Johnson said. “It takes a bit of adjustment but once I got adjusted, I really enjoyed it.”

More often than not, the older, more experienced athletes tend to be

Miami University can now claim to have the most modern athletic complex in the Mid-American Conference. The university debuted its newest facility in a ribbon-cutting ceremony inside the Dauch Indoor Sports Center Wednesday evening.

The new Athletic Performance Center, which is now joined to the Dauch Indoor Sports Center, has become the primary center for RedHawks football-related activities. It comes with a $25 million price tag.

MU athletic director, David Sayler, believes that the completion of the new APC sends a message to the rest of the MAC that the ‘Hawks football program isn’t to be taken lightly in the future.

“I think we will be known for our football program,” Sayler said.

“That’s certainly the goal of what we’re doing here and trying to accomplish, and giving Chuck [Martin] and his staff the resources to be successful.”

Head football coach Chuck Martin believes the new home for the football team reflects the administration’s desire to take Miami football to new heights.

“It shows a commitment that we’re serious about winning football games,” Martin said.

A vital part of the process of constructing and opening the building was getting donors to realize the vision that was shared by everyone involved in Miami’s football program.

“It was getting donors to believe that we need the help now. A lot of them said, ‘I want to be the icing on the cake, I want to, in the end, be the one that comes in and helps you.’ I was like, ‘I’m not even ready for icing, we need the batter,’” Sayler said. “The donors stepped up and they believe in that vision. They believe in what we can put together here.”

The momentum surrounding MU football is as high as it has been in recent memory. Following a season that saw them set an NCAA record as the first team to finish 6-6 after starting 0-6, it’s no wonder that there is optimism radiating throughout the program. The ‘Hawks also made their first bowl appearance since 2010 — a contest that saw them fall, 17-16, against Mississippi State University.

This record finish for the ‘Hawks allowed the university to capitalize on the program’s momentum.

“For this year to turn the way it did, that’s just made it even better because the donors have seen where we started — we raised $43 million and won five football games the first two years. So, they want to start seeing progress, and they saw that,” Sayler said.

As of now, the APC has been purposed to support the softball, tennis and field hockey teams, in addition to football. While the center’s capabilities have been maxed out at four teams, all teams on campus have access to the medical rooms.

Once visitors enter the new center, they are faced with an array of amenities that include an auditorium, war room, coach’s offices, a tunnel to the field — as the center is close to Yager Stadium — and a brand-new weight room for athletes.

While the center provides a great place for athletic success, its unnoticed impact on the academics of the student-athletes here at Miami is unparalleled.

“It makes their life easier. We were looking at it: they waste 40 minutes a day with the old setup, going up to academics, the weight room and back to shower. Now every thing’s right here and it saves them that time,” Sayler said.

There is plenty to be excited about in regards to the new APC from an outsider’s perspective, but from an athlete’s point-of-view, the

HOCKEY »PAGE 8

FOOTBALL »PAGE 8

ANGELO GELFUSO THE MIAMI STUDENT

Miami men’s and women’s basketball teams both lost this weekend. Recaps of their matches can be found online at miamistudent.net.

3 Keys: How the Patriots WON Super Bowl LI COLUMN

NICK SCLETER

THE MIAMI STUDENT

The New England Patriots beat the Atlanta Falcons 34-28 on Sunday in the first overtime game in Super Bowl history.

Despite being three-point favorites going into the game, the Patriots’ victory was anything but assured when they were down 25 points midway through the third quarter.

The previous record for the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history was a measly 10 points, but the Patriots lapped that and then some by ripping off 31 unanswered points. In about 25 minutes of play, the score moved from a gloomy 28-3 Falcons to a victorious 34-28 Pats. New England’s strong finish was powered by 3 keys.

Key # 1: James White and the quick passing game Before the game, many looked at the battle in the trenches between NFL sack leader Vic Beasley and Patriots’ right tackle Marcus Cannon as a deciding factor in the game.

While Cannon was the clear winner, his teammates along the offensive line could contain neither ageless wonder Dwight Freeney, nor the young Grady Jarrett who tied a Super Bowl record with 3 sacks. Tom

Brady was hit over a dozen times by a frequently stunting Falcons team which, along with turnovers, was the reason the Pats went to half with just three points.

After halftime, the offense adapted. Brady started passing exclusively out of the shotgun and throwing shorter passes. The pressure on the QB dwindled and allowed Brady to get in a rhythm. Receivers Malcolm Mitchell, Danny Amendola, Chris Hogan, and especially Julian Edelman got open consistently and caught passes they were dropping earlier.

On top of that, James White had a breakout game on the biggest stage.

White hauled in a Super Bowl record 14 receptions (as a running back!) and scored three combined rushing and receiving touchdowns -- including the game winner in OT -- also tying a Super Bowl record. White’s ability to get yards after the catch in the screen game was crucial in slowing the rush and punishing Atlanta’s man coverage.

Key #2: Defense comes up big down the stretch Playing backs against the wall, Matt Patricia’s unit fought for their lives. After allowing the Atlanta offense to score 21 points with relative PATRIOTS »PAGE 8

3 Keys: How the Falcons LOST Super Bowl LI COLUMN

MITCH HAUSFELD THE MIAMI STUDENT

Thank you, Super Bowl LI. In the midst of one of the least competitive NFL Playoffs in recent history, the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons combined to deliver a historic ending to the 2016-17 football season. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Patriots and Falcons set a whopping 24 NFL records in their matchup Sunday night. Twenty-one of these newly minted records belong solely to the New England Patriots.

Whether it was New England’s highly-publicized, record-setting comeback or their more obscure record for the most plays run in a game, the Patriots were able to write their place into the record books all throughout Super Bowl LI. Up until the Patriots’ first touchdown of the night midway through the third quarter, this game appeared to be heading in an entirely different direction. A Patriots’ blowout loss would have dealt an unprecedented blow to the legacies of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, and an emphatic Falcons’ win would have solidified Matt Ryan and Julio Jones among the game’s elite. As we are all well aware by now, the unques-

tioned greatest quarterback of all time led by the greatest coach of all time, instead orchestrated one of the most demoralizing dismantling of an opponent in Super Bowl history.

How did the Falcons fall apart so quickly? What changed in the second half to allow the Patriots to make such a gargantuan leap? We may never know exactly what happened to both teams on Sunday that allowed them to dramatically swap roles. Nonetheless, here are a few key reasons why the Falcons were unable to hold on in this historic showdown.

Key #1: The Falcons’ abandonment of the run game The previous record for the largest deficit overcome in a Super Bowl matchup was a mere 10 points, which only makes the Patriots’ 25 point comeback even more heartbreaking for Atlanta fans. On their way to a 28-3 lead, the Falcons had successfully avoided turnovers, put an extraordinary amount of pressure on Brady in the pocket and created a balanced offensive gameplan that they were executing to perfection.

Then, the entire gameplan was thrown out the window. According to Peter Schrager of FoxSports. com, the Falcons only ran 5 running FALCONS »PAGE 8

Hockey finds value in freshmen, regardless of age HOCKEY

CONNOR MATHENY THE MIAMI STUDENT

The RedHawks currently have 14 players in their freshman class, and only six upperclassmen. With such a young team, inexperience is expected, but the future of Miami Hockey is bright.

“I’m not going to lie, I was pretty intimidated by the age and experience coming in, but I think guys in our leadership group -- guys like our seniors -- took us all under their wings, and it really helps when they’re so accepting,” first-year forward Willie Knierim said.

Knierim, who turned 19 this past January, was nervous prior to arriving in Oxford. Once he got here, though, he felt welcomed by the older members of the team.

The first few weeks at college are hard no matter who you are. The stresses of dorm life, classes and being away from home can make adjusting to the lifestyle a difficult task. For Knierim, adjusting to both college and Division I hockey was not easy.

“I came in, obviously, as the youngest guy. There are seniors who are 23, and actually one of our fresh-

men just turned 22, so there were a lot of older guys coming in,” Knierim said.

Most of the current Miami freshman, athlete or not, were born in 1998, making them 18-years-old when they arrived on campus. However, the majority of freshmen hockey players in the United States were born before 1998. In fact, roughly 92 percent of the freshman playing Division 1 hockey this season were born in or before 1997 (neutralzone. net), the common birth year for current college sophomores.

A “true” freshman is characterized as an athlete who is in their first year of both academics and athletics.

These players followed the typical academic path from senior in high school to freshman in college. This natural academic progression is very rare in college hockey. For the vast majority of freshmen that did not move directly from high school to college, their post-graduation plans almost always involve playing Junior hockey.

Junior hockey, often referred to as “Juniors,” is competitive hockey generally for athletes 16 to 21-yearsold, with leagues in both the United States and Canada. The top levels in the United States and Canada are

BRIANNA NIXON THE MIAMI STUDENT

“True” freshman, Willie Knierim, hits the ice for the RedHawks.

Tier I and major junior, respectively.

Freshman forward Carter Johnson, who turned 21 in October, chose a slightly different path after graduating from high school. Johnson spent three years playing amateur hockey -- two in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League and one in the North American Hockey League.

Johnson, like Knierim, found difficulties in adjusting to the college lifestyle. He proved that coming into a new school and adapting to a new