The Miami Student | April 10, 2018

ESTABLISHED 1826 — OLDEST COLLEGE NEWSPAPER WEST OF THE ALLEGHENIES

TUESDAY, APRIL 10, 2018

Volume 146 No. 24

Miami University — Oxford, Ohio

‘THIS IS MIAMI’

MEMBERS OF THE BLACK ACTION MOVEMENT 2.0 STAND IN SOLIDARITY BY THE SEAL IN ARMSTRONG. JACK EVANS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

University administrators met with leaders of BAM 2.0 last Friday

ACTIVISM

JACK EVANS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Miami University President Gregory Crawford and other top administrators met with student leaders from the Black Action Movement (BAM) 2.0 in a closeddoor session Friday morning.

Both groups felt that progress was made in addressing several of the deadlined demands put out by BAM 2.0 on Tuesday, April 3. The

publication of the demands followed a week of protests organized by the group after a student used a racial slur in a GroupMe message last semester and then boasted about the incident in Tinder exchange this past spring break. The Friday meeting was, itself, one of the ten demands.

“The meeting on Friday was very, very productive,” Crawford said in a phone interview. “I’m so thankful we have such wonderful and passionate students.”

Dean of Students Mike Curme, VP of Institutional Diversity Ron Scott, VP of Student Affairs Jayne Brownell and Office of Diversity

Affairs (ODA) director Kelly Kimple accompanied Crawford to the meeting.

Administrators said they would work with student activists on some of the demands: updating the student code of conduct, making the avenues for reporting racist and other types harmful incidents

‘Tell the story’: Refusing to repeat the past at Oxford’s NAACP Freedom Fund banquet

more accessible, looking at the numbers for a new ODA building and developing some kind of racism-specific adjudication process to handle racist incidents in the future.

The fastest changes might come to incident reporting. The BAM 2.0 leaders said administrators agreed to add a button on the Quick Tools section of MyMiami (where the Canvas and BannerWeb buttons are located) that CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

DZ MEMBERS KICKED OUT AFTER USING RACIAL SLUR RACISM

STAFF REPORT

NAACP

meaning and we’re all just floating hopelessly through the void, but hey, at least you can breathe in the fresh air, right? It sounds silly, but you’d be amazed how far you can get with some basic appreciation of everyday comforts.

I’ll get back to that.

Regular readers of the column know that Lilly’s had her fair share of off-leash escapades. There was her first morning in Oxford, of course, when she led me on a chase through the neighborhood in my sweatpants and moccasins. And there was that time on the trails when she left me in hysterics after taking off into the woods for 20

Four students were kicked out of Miami’s Alpha chapter of Delta Zeta (DZ) sorority Monday after a video of them repeatedly singing the N-word in the song “Freaky Friday” by Lil Dicky and Chris Brown circulated on social media.

In the verse the girls were singing, Lil Dicky, a white rapper, switched bodies with Chris Brown and says, “Wonder if I can say the N-word? Wait, can I really say the N-word? What up, my n***a?”

In an email to The Miami Student, DZ chapter president Allison Hess said she was “incredibly appalled” by the students’ actions.

An official statement from DZ’s national organization called the sorority a “values-based organization that unites our women around a common purpose: to walk truly in the light of the flame.”

According to the statement, the individuals are no longer members, as the organization does not tolerate any form of discrimination.

“We condemn the discriminatory and hateful language used in a video posted by

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

CEILI DOYLE NEWS EDITOR

Miami University’s Shriver Center Heritage Room was warmly lit and packed with lively community members on Sunday evening, including local law enforcement officials, members of Oxford city council, Miami professors, Talawanda school district teachers, Oxford residents and Miami students.

Mayor Kate Rousmaniere opened the annual NAACP Annual Freedom Fund Banquet with her proclamation, recognizing this year’s event with the theme of “Steadfast and Immovable. ” “Attendees of the banquet represent all walks of life in the greater Oxford community,” she said, reading from one of the bright yellow packets placed at each table setting.

“And I urge all citizens of all ethnic groups to support this event.”

Fran Jackson, NAACP president, then led those gathered in a rendition of, “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”

Every year the banquet raises money to CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

EDITOR DEVON SHUMAN HANGS WITH HIS DOG LILLY. JUGAL JAIN PHOTO EDITOR

The Worst Five Hours of My Life LILLY & ME

DEVON SHUMAN EDITOR-AT-LARGE

One of the most helpful quick-tips I’ve run across for dealing with bouts of depression is to imagine yourself with a stuffy nose.

You know when your nostrils are all blocked up and you’d give just about anything for the relief of a clear airway, that thing you suddenly realize you always took for granted? Well, when you’re feeling hopeless, when it feels like there’s no joy to be ascertained from the world, it helps to recall the agony of a stuffy nose — maybe nothing has

NEWS P.3

CULTURE P.4

EDITORIAL P. 12

HAYGOOD ANNOUNCES NEW BOOK

LET’S TALK ABOUT DEATH

ENGAGE WITH ACTIVISM ON CAMPUS

COACH GIVES EVERYTHING TO THE GAME

If you’re uncomfortable around demonstrators, ask yourself why.

Megan Duffy wears her heart on her sleeve when it comes to her team.

‘TIGERLAND’ follows a black high school basketball team in the 60s.

Death Cafes offer a chance to discuss your mortality — with cupcakes.

SPORTS P.14

APPLE TAX FREE DAY DISCOUNTS ON ALL APPLE PRODUCTS VALID FOR STUDENTS, FACULTY, STAFF, & ALUMNI

APRIL 17 PRE-ORDER NOW

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MiamiOH.edu/Campus-Store SHRIVER CENTER

2 NEWS

NEWS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

TUESDAY, APRIL 10, 2018

Keynote address emphasizes storytelling

PROFESSOR OF MUSICOLOGY TAMMY KERNODLE ADDRESSES OXFORD’S NAACP BANQUET. BO BRUECK THE MIAMI STUDENT

FROM PAGE 1

fund Talawanda High School seniors’ college scholarships.

Barbara Cox, NAACP’s vice president and co-chair of the banquet, said, “We have modified the language [of the scholarship criteria] to be more inclusive of all students of color.”

In May, the NAACP will be awarding full scholarships to one Asian-American, one Hispanic and one African-American student.

Several community members were also recognized at the banquet for their support of the NAACP’s mission.

Linda Musmeci-Kimball, the other co-chair of the banquet, presented the Special Service Award to Talawanda superintendent Kelly Spivey, who has worked in the district for over 30 years.

Two Talawanda teachers, Stephanie Pearson and Ryan Steffan, were honored with the Outstanding Educator Award by the NAACP’s education committee chair, Ann Wengler.

Following the awards, The David Palmer Trio performed Herbie Hancock’s piece “I Have a Dream.”

The trio was comprised of Ralph Jones on guitar, Ian Borg on the drums and David Palmer on the keyboard.

“I love the ambiance here tonight,” Palmer said. “This piece was inspired by Dr. King and is a social statement written in music.”

And while the banquet’s keynote speaker, Tammy Kernodle, is a professor of musicology at Miami, she emphasized her speech on what we can do to affect change, rather than by lecturing about the historical implications of jazz.

“You’ve already had your musical experience tonight from the David Palmer Trio,” Kernodle said.

“I’m humbled to be here,” she added. “But I’m here tonight to remind you that there is still work to be done.

Calling upon the spirits of the

brave black American women before her time, such as Harriet Tubman and Ida B. Wells, Kernodle made note of 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination and how his words and works have been sanitized since his death.

Kernodle stressed how it important it was to make sure King’s dedication to civil rights will not continue to soften with the passage of time.

“I know the chicken and the chocolate and the wine are going to start kicking in at any moment,” she said to a chorus of laughter. “And, soon I will sound like the ‘Peanuts,’ but I ask you as a room full of multi-generations and multi-experiences, which represents the beauty of Americans, to tell the story.”

Kernodle said when people don’t tell stories, history is doomed to repeat itself.

“If we had told the history — the good and the bad — it means that when we first heard the words ‘America First’ over 365 days ago, we would have remembered those words were first spoken as propaganda from the KKK,” she said.

“If we had told the story then we would’ve learned from the narratives.”

Kernodle spoke highly of the stories passed down to her as a girl by her maternal grandmother, who was the 12th child of former slaves, born to a woman who valued education as a result of learning how to read and write from the white daughter of farmer next door.

“My grandmother continued to learn and develop from the lessons her mama taught her,” she said.

“She went to night school and got her degree in nursing while working in the textile mill in her 50’s.

“All we have are our collective stories. And we need to tell these stories to empower the young people that look up to us.”

Before closing with a quote from Saint Paul, Kernodle assured the audience that, while religion can often be problematic, the lessons that Paul learned about the culture of discrimination remain as true today as they were thousands of years ago.

“Paul wrote a letter to the Galatians, greatly dismissed because people within the church were too busy fighting over among themselves over who had the power they forgot about the community they were supposed to be serving,” Kernodle said. “He wrote to them, ‘do not grow weary in your well doing.

For in due season it will come to pass.’”

When Kernodle took her seat, everyone in the Heritage Room rose to their feet — all clapping, some teary-eyed.

Everyone clasped hands as Paula Smith led the room in a performance of “We Shall Overcome.”

Black and white hands held tightly to one another, singing the lyrics of the Gospel hymn first written over 100 years ago.

And, Kernodle’s words echoed throughout the room.

“Be immovable. Be steadfast. Be loving. Just be.” doyleca3@miamioh.edu @cadoyle_18

Haygood’s new book to premiere at Miami Convocation SERVICE

EMILY WILLIAMS EDITOR-AT-LARGE

Miami’s Class of 2022 will be the first to read alumn Wil Haygood’s new book, “TIGERLAND: The Miracle on East Broad Street,” as part of an exclusive debut.

The incoming class will receive advance copies of “TIGERLAND,” which follows two teams at the all-black East High School in Haygood’s native Columbus, OH. During the racially turbulent 1968-69 school year, the teams beat bigger, richer and whiter teams to become unexpected state champions in basketball and baseball.

“It is a book about history and race and politics,” Haygood said.

“Most wonderfully, it is a book about triumph during a very heart wrenching, heartbreaking time in American history.”

Haygood, who graduated from Miami in 1976, will also address the students at convocation on Aug. 24, where the class will receive copies of his book almost two months before its official release in mid-October.

The details of the announce-

ment were kept under wraps until early Monday afternoon when Miami president Greg Crawford revealed the news to a crowded Kumler Chapel.

Crawford noted the chapel’s location on Western Campus where, during the summer of 1964, college students from around the country gathered before traveling south to register black voters and set up freedom schools.

It was a fitting place, Crawford said, to recognize a Miamian who has devoted his life to “bringing American history to life,” particularly the history of African Americans.

“We are grateful for Wil’s work and his words,” Crawford said.

Haygood gained national acclaim in 2008 after telling the story of Eugene Allen, “a black man unknown to the headlines” who worked as a butler in the White House for over three decades.

Haygood first told Allen’s story in a 2008 piece for The Washington Post, “A Butler Well Served

by This Election,” which he later developed into a New York Times bestselling book, “The Butler.”

As a Distinguished Scholar-in-Residence for Miami’s Department of Media, Journalism

MIAMI ALUMN ‘76 WIL HAYGOOD TALKS ABOUT HIS NEW BOOK “TIGERLAND: THE MIRACLE ON EAST BROAD STREET” JUGAL JAIN PHOTO EDITOR

and Film, Haygood has taught courses in memoir writing and film studies since joining the faculty in 2014.

Last summer, he was named the 2016-17 Patrick Henry Writing Fellow at Washington College in Chestertown, MD. He’s spent the last year traveling around the country interviewing former East High athletes, combing through

EVENTS

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THIS

artifacts from the 1968-69 sports seasons and, of course, writing.

“This is wonderful,” Haygood said at Monday’s announcement, “after being in a room, alone at a desk for so long. You’ve made me feel so welcome.”

Haygood recalled some of his undergraduate memories to the students, faculty and administrators gathered in Kumler.

“The seeds of my writing life were planted here at this university,” he said.

He remembered wandering around Western Campus (“I was smitten with a Western College student”), and he recalled two professors — a black woman and a white man — who served as an CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

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Events to catch this week on Miami’s campus and around Oxford

Blinded Armstrong Student Center 1066 Tonight, 6 p.m.

Discussing religion and sexuality with strangers may seem daunting. But what if you could do it while blindfolded? Sigma Lambda Gamma National Sorority, Inc. invites all students and community members to an open forum of discussion on the topics of sexuality, race, religion and socioeconomic class. “Open your mind, by closing your eyes.”

Bagel & Deli Competition

“We Want You 2018 Tour”

Fritz Pavilion in Armstrong Friday, 10 p.m.

Hall Auditorium Friday, 8-10 p.m.

What better way to mark your spot in history than your very own bagel at Bagel & Deli? If you think you have what it takes, sign up for the 3rd annual competition.

Teams of 4 (or less) can register on The Hub anytime before the event.

Two of the biggest stars in Korean pop music are headed to Oxford, OH. Mad Clown and San E have numerous hit songs in Korea and are joining forces to tour every corner of America and Canada. The event, sponsored by the Korean American Student Association, is free for everyone, but a meet and greet at 6 p.m. costs $80. Tickets can be found on their eventbrite site.

Beyond the Bricks Cincinnati Zoo Sunday, 12-5 p.m.

Venture into the wild, all without leaving Ohio. Beyond the Bricks gives students the opportunity to go offcampus and experience the area they are living in. Plus, you’ll get to see the famed Fiona the hippo! A bus will be located on Maple Street by Shriver Center and will leave at 12 pm. The student-only event costs $7. Tickets must be purchased by April 10 at MAP’s eventbrite site.

Read some newz, catch some zzz’s miamistudent.net

NEWS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

3 NEWS

TUESDAY, APRIL 10, 2018

Resolutions, ordinances and requests passed unanimously CITY COUNCIL

SAMANTHA BRUNN

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Oxford City Council unanimously approved every resolution, ordinance and request that was put to a vote on April 3.

Among the things council approved were McCullough Hyde Memorial Hospital’s proposed donation of a playground to the city, funding for renovations to the municipal building, the renewal of “Yoga in the Park” for this summer, ratifying property and casualty insurance coverage for the city in 2018, adopting internet and long-distance calling packages for the city’s remote sites and administrative buildings and supplemental appropriations for FY18.

The playground donation, which amounts to $23,000, will be built in Leonard Howell Park.

“There are no Scrooges here — or absten-

tions,” Mayor Kate Rousmaniere said after the resolution passed.

Council passed a $4,600 supplemental appropriations ordinance for FY18, which will be added to the playground donation from McCullough Hyde, ensuring the structure is well maintained and built out of sturdier materials than the donation afforded.

The municipal building renovations are $3,743,500 and will not exceed the budgeted amount plus a ten percent contingency for a total of $4,117,850. The improvements include making the facility accessible for those with disabilities by installing an elevator that will reach all three floors of the building.

Michael Dreisbach, the city’s service director, said the building will maintain as much of its historical appearance as possible while remaining within budget.

“It’s great to see Oxford is so committed to keeping this facility Uptown,” said councilmember David Prytherch. “This is an 80year investment in our facilities, and our city

staff will be more productive because our facilities will serve them better.”

The Coalition for a Healthy Community received approval for their requested use of Oxford Memorial Park for the “Yoga in the Park” series for this summer. This year, the series will be extended to Sept. 29, due to requests from community members.

The property and casualty insurance bid for the city increased less than one percent from last year. The renewal will cost $169,500 for 2018.

Doug Elliott, Oxford’s city manager, said a mixed package of internet and long-distance telephone coverage from Spectrum Internet and Cincinnati Bell was the best and lowest proposal available to the city.

“We didn’t get exactly what we wanted,” Elliot said.

But, he implied the coverage would be suitable for the city’s needs.

Parks and Recreation director Casey Wooddell notified council that a group of

Miami University architecture students will construct an obstacle course in the city’s dog park on April 8 and 15 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

These are volunteer work days, and the project will not incur any cost to the city.

In the final comments of the meeting, councilmember Chantel Raghu called attention to the protest against sexual assault held in Oxford Memorial Park last Monday, April 2, asking that OPD treat victims of sexual assault seriously.

OPD Chief John Jones defended the department’s actions, saying victims can talk to Women Helping Women or to himself directly if they feel they have been mistreated by the justice system.

“We have to ask hard questions, but we let the victims drive the discussions,” Jones said. “The criminal justice system can’t make someone feel whole.” brunnsj@miamioh.edu @samantha_brunn

Difference in budgets reflects culture of College Democrats, Republicans SERVICE

LAURA FITZGERALD THE MIAMI STUDENT

College Democrats and College Republicans at Miami have different operating budgets based on disparities in revenue, reflecting different philosophies around how to handle money.

Bobby Adler, treasurer for the democrats, said the club tries to keep their costs as low as possible.

“We really try to keep things low budget because we don’t really have a need for a lot of money,” Adler said. “What I imagine we would use the money for would be to get marketing materials or advertising but we kind of rely on using work of mouth, having an attractive brand.”

The only consistent outside funding the democrats receive is a

Haygood (cont.) “introduction to diversity” for Haygood.

Marian Musgrave, a professor of English, introduced him to the work of black authors like Langston Hughes, Paul Laurence Dunbar and James Baldwin. Milton White allowed Haygood to take his advanced course in creative writing even though Haygood, as an urban studies major, didn’t have the prerequisites.

“I don’t know if I soared, but I did well,” he said of the class.

Haygood also recognized Miami provost Phyllis Callahan, who is one of two people who will appear on the dedication page for “TIGERLAND.” She was the first person who suggested Haygood join Miami’s faculty.

President Crawford was thrilled to make the announcement about Haygood’s book, he said. He has read the “TIGERLAND” manuscript — complete with Haygood’s notes in the margins — but doesn’t know how the book ends.

“I’ve seen everything but the last chapter,” he said.

Typically, incoming Miami students receive a book during summer orientation as part of the university’s Summer Reading Program. Students are asked to read the book and be prepared to discuss it in small breakout sessions after convocation.

This year, since students will not receive their copies of “TIGERLAND” until August, incoming first-years will be asked to prepare for the school year by consuming media over the summer — including speeches, songs, poetry and art — which will contextualize Haygood’s narrative and give them a better understanding of the racial issues of the late sixties.

Those months following the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Bobby Kennedy were a tumultuous time, Haygood said, but students are facing another period of challenging race relations now.

“I’m not naive enough to think one book will change that,” Haygood said. “But I am of the mind that this book can help us understand why we are stronger together.”

monthly $5 donation from a lawyer in Hamilton, President Charles Kennick said.

The democrats also don’t receive any funding from the College Democrats of Ohio or the Ohio Democratic Party (ODP). Adler said the club has never received any money because the democratic party doesn’t usually allocate funds to any college chapters.

“It’s been a grievance among college democrats for a while,” Adler said.

Their relationship with ODP has been strained for a while, but it became more so when they endorsed Sen. Joe Schiavoni for the Ohio gubernatorial race, not the candidate ODP unofficially endorsed. OPD can’t officially endorse a candidate, so as an extension College Democrats can’t either. However, Kennick said the rule is unfair and stands by their

decision to endorse Schiavoni.

Caleb Stidham, chairman of College Republicans, said the club has received about $2,000 in donations from politicians, campaign funds, personal donations and other outside donations since last April. Just this month, the Ohio Republican Party donated $300 to College Republicans to fund a conference in Columbus.

While both clubs receives money from Associated Student Government (ASG), Stidham said the amount they request and receive varies each year. This year, the republicans received $600 in funding from ASG while the democrats, who applied for $140 for buttons and stickers, only received $60.

The republicans also require $40 a year in dues for those who want to be an official member of the club, though anyone is welcome to attend a meeting or event without

having to pay dues. The club currently has about 135 due-paying members, Stidham said.

“We are an organization that prioritizes providing members professional opportunities across the state, and what we spend money on reflects that,” Stidham said. “Taking members to CPAC [in Washington, D.C.] every year, driving people to volunteer events and making [College Republicans] an organization that people can be proud of being a part of.”

The democrats don’t collect dues at all because Adler said they don’t want to put up financial barriers for people who want to join.

“We’re trying to bring people into the democratic party and get democrats elected,” Adler said.

“I think the most effective way to do that is to be as all-inclusive as possible. I think that it’s kind of attractive, like ‘Hey, you can come

be a part of our group without necessarily needing to make that contribution.’”

Kennick said club members would rather pay for supplies, food and transportation themselves than to go through the hassle of applying for ASG funding when their costs are already so low.

Adler added a low budget also reflects how a grassroots political movement should operate. College Democrats relies on word of mouth and the dedication of its members without expensive campaigns or marketing materials.

“Inherently, democrats have less money, and democrats have to make up for that with their willingness to work harder than the opposition and I think that’s inherent to our values as a club and our party in general,” Kennick said. fitzgelm@miamioh.edu

Outreach programs may be key to Miami’s small graduation gap FUNDING

KIERRA SONDEREKER THE MIAMI STUDENT

At Miami University, the number of Pell Grants awarded to low-income students has been decreasing steadily over the years, yet its graduation gap between students of different socioeconomic backgrounds is below the national average.

The Basic Education Opportunity Grant, now called the Pell Grant, was created in 1972. The six-year grant serves as federal support for low-income undergraduates whose expected family contribution is below $6,000.

A 2015 report by The Education Trust revealed the national average graduation gap per institution was six and a half percent. Over the last six years, around 80 percent of Miami students graduated on time, said Brent Shock, assistant vice president for enrollment and management at Miami. However, Pell Grant students graduated at a rate of a little less than 75 percent, meaning Miami’s graduation gap falls near four percent.

Shock, a first-generation Pell Grant recipient when he was a student at Miami, keeps in mind the challenges he faced in reaching his 1992 graduation when helping current students with their financial aid.

“I understand something about paying for college, specifically paying for Miami,” Shock said. “I remember feeling stunned about

what I saw at Miami in terms of wealth. So, part of our mission as a public university is to be as affordable as possible to Ohio’s lowest income families.”

Yet the amount of money allocated for Pell Grants at Miami has been steadily decreasing. In 2016, over $15 million went to Pell Grant awards. However, this represents a 32 percent drop in funds over a five-year span from 2011 to 2016.

As a result, the number of Miami students receiving Pell Grants is also dropping. Miami provides around 14 percent of its current low-income students with Pell Grants, a low amount compared to other four-year Ohio public universities with similar student population sizes. Schools such as Wright State, Cleveland State and Bowling Green all provide upwards of 30 percent of their students with Pell Grants, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

So, how can Miami’s graduation gap be below the national average when financial resources are depleting each year? Kim Ernsting, director of student success at Miami, credits this accomplishment to Miami’s new Student Success Center.

The Student Success Center was created three years ago to help students better navigate the financial, social, and academic challenges of college. The center primarily focuses on outreach programs that help students meet basic living needs so their finances can go towards tuition.

“Sometimes students’ survival

needs are really marginal, and it takes so much time and energy to focus on,” Ernsting said. “Sometimes low-income students have so many other things to worry about that other students may not.

We’re wanting to see what can do to alleviate some of that. It tries to make at least a dent.”

One program touches on lack of housing, which Ernsting says is more common than people think.

In the past, there have been circumstances of students couchsurfing when housing finances fall through.

The Success Center partners with both the Oxford Community Needs Committee and the Oxford Homeless Coalition. These relationships allow faculty and staff to connect with students in need of a place to live, often finding them temporary housing in on-campus dorms or with an off-campus host family until a more permanent solution can be reached.

Other programs address students facing food insecurity and those who do not have access to available technology. Ernsting says these programs are the key to helping low-income students reach graduation when financial aid is lacking.

However, circumstances contributing to graduation gaps often begin long before college. Alan Mabe, chief academic officer and vice president for academic affairs for the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU), says that many low-income students enter college at a disadvantage due to a previous lack of edu-

cational opportunities.

APLU is an advocacy organization for over 200 top public research universities in the country. Mabe works to represent and advocate for higher education policies that benefit students, including an increase in Pell Grant funding. But there is only so much that can be done at the college level.

“I’m not one to place the blame on some other entity of things, but certainly high schools vary in their quality, resources and ability to prepare people for college,” Mabe said. “If you can’t afford tutoring, you’re stuck with what you’re getting in the classroom, and that’s it. So there’s a huge differential in terms of students coming to college.”

Mabe believes campuses have promising programs for low-income students who did not have as many educational opportunities in high school. However, many programs, like those at Miami, are not mandatory, meaning students have to seek out help on their own.

In the wake of reduced federal funds and poor high school education, college programs providing resources for low-income students are necessary. However, only as time goes on and more data is collected will it become apparent if these new Student Success programs are truly responsible for Miami’s lower-than-average graduation gap. sonderk@miamioh.edu

Murtagh and Smith win student body president election ANDREW TILBE STAFF WRITER

Junior Meaghan Murtagh has been elected as the student body president for Miami University Associated Student Government (ASG) for the 2018-2019 school year. She will be joined by her vice president, junior Vincent Smith.

Voting was open to all Miami students on the Hub from 7 a.m. on Monday to 7 p.m. on Tuesday. The results were announced on Tuesday around 7:30 p.m.

Murtagh has previously served as a District 1 Senator in ASG and is a marketing major in

the Farmer School of Business. Currently, she serves as the Secretary for Advancement and Alumni Affairs in ASG. While serving in this position, she has worked to connect Miami students to alumni by hosting networking events.

“I’m really excited, thank you so much for all of the support,” said Murtagh on a Facebook livestream after the results were announced. “I look forward to a good year.”

Smith is a kinesiology major, and although he does not have any experience serving in ASG, Smith has administrative experience while serving as the Vice President of Academics and Parent Coordinator in his fraternity, Delta Sigma Phi.

“We have so many cool supporters around campus. It really helped us realize how many people on campus care and really want to see us do well,” Murtagh said to ASG after the election results were released. “We’re looking forward to working with all of you guys.”

Murtagh beat junior, James Gale in the runoff election. Gale’s running mate during the race was current Secretary for Diversity Affairs and junior Courtney Rose.

Murtagh and Smith will serve in the executive cabinet of ASG next year. tilbear@miamioh.edu

4 CULTURE

TUESDAY, APRIL 10, 2018

RIGAZIKM@MIAMIOH.EDU

The Worst Five Hours of My Life

EDITOR DEVON SHUMAN HANGS WITH HIS FAVORITE GIRL, LILLY. SABIK AKAND THE MIAMI STUDENT

FROM PAGE 1

minutes.

But that’s just what I’ve written about. All told, there have been close to 10 instances in just the last three months in which I’ve lost sight of her for more time than I’m comfortable with. Most of these have occurred out on the trails when she bounds into the woods to chase a deer or a squirrel, or just to expel some of her endless energy. But there was also the open door she took advantage of on Green Beer Day, and the other night when she broke free out the back door without her collar on (both of those resulted in searchand-rescue missions that ended with me finding her at the dog park, a shit-eating grin splayed across her snout).

It’s not that she’s trying to run away — whenever she sees me again, she runs right up to me. Rather, she gets so thrilled about being outside that her excitement often exceeds her understanding of her own limits.

Before she knows it, she’s gotten herself lost.

Every time it happens, I vow that I’m not going to let her off the leash again, but I always eventually talk myself back into it.

Not wanting to be labelled overprotective, I somehow think that it would reflect poorly on me to restrict Lilly to a leash. I imagine the judgment from other dog owners: What, just because you can’t control her, she doesn’t get to run free?

I think it’s safe to say, however, that I learned my lesson this past weekend when I lost Lilly in the foothills of rural West Virginia. Having introduced her to the basics of backpacking over Spring Break, I brought Lilly on her first trip with the Outdoor Adventure Club, a weekend loop through the

state’s Dolly Sods Wilderness. Following a cramped, seven-hour car ride to the trailhead, I let her out to loosen up when we arrived — and watched in vain as she took off up the mountain and out of sight.

I’m not going to go into too much detail about the five-hour search that followed — partly because I’m restricted by word count that I’m already on track to exceed, partly because the memory is still fresh and too painful to delve into — but I will provide you with some moments that highlight the anguish of

to get to meet her dog-niece.

Plagued by the intensifying nausea of my worst nightmare becoming a reality, I wondered if I didn’t deserve to throw myself from the trail’s steep edge. I talked myself out of it, but I still felt stung by a searing guilt, and for the first time in nine months, I seriously thought about drinking again.

As the sun descended and the frosted mountaintops around me started falling under a shadowy glow, my mind raced through all the things I knew I would never see again

Eventually hope ran out, and I submitted completely to desperation. I looked to the sky with eyes ruined by tears and prayed to whoever would listen to let Lilly find her way back to me. that Saturday afternoon.

The search involved hours and hours of trekking through dense wilderness, whistling, calling Lilly’s name and listening in vain for the sound of her collar clinking. It involved two river-crossings, one of which saw me slipping and falling into the icy current as snow began to fall around me. It involved trespassing on private property and knocking on doors throughout the Appalachian mountain town near the trailhead, accompanied by a local kid who described the community’s residents as “gun-happy.”

It involved two hours of sobbing as I came to terms with the fact that my best friend was gone. I wondered how I would break the news to all of Lilly’s friends back home, how I would explain to my sister, who is visiting next weekend, that she actually wasn’t going

— Lilly’s ears perking up when she hears me get home from class, the little rocking-backto-front stretch she does first thing every morning after hopping down from my bed, the toothy grin she sports whenever she runs up to me at the park and hops up to place her paws on my chest. Those would all be memories now — memories accompanied by the guilt of knowing that, because I was overconfident in her abilities off the leash, she was out there on her own in the woods, shivering, scared and wondering why I’d abandoned her. I honestly hoped that I would come across her body in the woods, mauled at the hands of a bear or something. Somehow seeing her just once more, even if she was dead, would give me the closure I craved.

Eventually hope ran out, and I submitted completely to desperation. I looked to

the sky with eyes ruined by tears and prayed to whoever would listen to let Lilly find her way back to me. I called in every favor I felt the universe might owe me, drew on every ounce of karma I had stored up and begged to be allowed to see her again, to have another chance. I promised to never take her for granted again, to never let her off the leash.

She could run free at the dog park — other than that, there was no shame in keeping her tethered, if it would keep me from this agony.

In essence, I was pleading, once more, for a clear airway to breathe through.

Lilly did come back. Roughly five-and-ahalf hours after I watched her disappear into the woods, I caught sight of her on a gravel service road on the other side of the mountain — and, as expected, she ran right up to me, as if nothing was the matter. I half-expected her to turn to me and say, “Okay, now it’s your turn to hide.”

It’s funny how much an experience like that puts things into perspective. Things that a few days ago would have filled me with dread and anxiety — that paper due Wednesday, for instance, or that job application I need to get turned in — now seem so… inconsequential. Why worry about a homework assignment when I know I’m lucky enough to have the most beautiful girl in the world snuggled next to me as I work on it, that familiar toothy grin spread across her face?

I’m still mad at her, to be sure, and I’m not positive she’s going to have the privilege of going for a walk later today. But if she does, I’m sure she’s going to love and appreciate every second of her time outside — and she’s going to do that from the safety of her leash. shumandb@miamioh.edu

Coffee, cupcakes and mortality at the Death Café COLUMN

DEVON SHUMAN EDITOR-AT-LARGE

The flyer had been irresistible.

Its design was minimal, a black-andyellow color scheme interrupted only by the faint image of a coffee cup beneath the stark words: “Death Café.” Hung on the Slant Walk cork board, tucked in among roommate requests, promotional signs for on-campus events and brochures advertising tutoring services, the flyer offered scant information — just a time and place, an invitation to “join us for refreshments and an engaging conversation about the end of life” and a disclaimer that the event was not recommended for those who have suffered a recent loss.

I was sold.

I wouldn’t say that I’m fascinated by death, at least not any more than the average person. But I’d be lying if I said that I don’t think about it on a daily basis.

There’s something so intriguing about the unifying unknown — the one thing we’re all headed toward even if nobody knows what it entails until they get there. Even more intriguing is the fact that the vast majority of us don’t get to choose when it happens, that there’s often no rhyme or reason to it. Many murderers live to see 90, and some of the most kindred souls in the world get cut down in the primes of their lives. Death picks and chooses with reckless abandon, and there’s nothing we can do about it. Eventually, we have to submit to that unknown.

So no, I’m not fascinated, per se, more just curious. It’s, quite literally, a morbid curiosity.

I arrived at the café promptly at 6 p.m.

and was greeted with smiles and provided with a “Hello, my name is...” nametag.

Members of Sigma Phi Omega, the gerontology honors society, were stationed around the room, directing me to the corner where a refreshment table offered fresh coffee, sprinkle-laden cupcakes and a bowl of leftover Easter candy. I poured a steaming cup of joe, grabbed a cupcake (normally I prefer vanilla, but the darkness of the chocolate somehow seemed more appropriate) and took a seat.

The death café is an act of normalization, an effort to encourage people to talk openly about a subject often seen as taboo.

Roughly 30 people were in attendance, spread out among five circular tables.

The ambiance was quiet and comfortable. Silky soft rock slinked out of the speaker in the back, coating the room with the sounds of Mumford and Sons, the Head and the Heart and Bon Iver.

Casually dressed attendees sipped their coffee and made small talk as we waited to get started. A kid at the table next to mine had brought a styrofoam carry-out box from Skyline and began picking at his unfinished coneys.

When it was time to begin, the organizers welcomed us all and gave a brief introduction to the global death café movement. Started in 2011 by a British

man named Jon Underwood, the meetings offer a space for people to eat cake, drink tea and discuss the finality of life.

There is little direction and no judgment; rather, the death café is an act of normalization, an effort to encourage people to talk openly about a subject often seen as taboo. As Underwood saw it, death is, understandably, something that can be uncomfortable to discuss. But like anything, the more you talk and openly express your feelings about it, the healthier your attitude toward it becomes.

And if you can enjoy some sweets while you’re at it, it just makes it that much more comforting.

The organizers gave us a prompt to break the ice, but to be completely honest I don’t remember what it was — once the conversation was opened, there were few lulls over the 90 minutes that followed.

It was like a purge. All of these thoughts and ideas and anxieties we’d all harbored internally for years came cascading out of us.

At my table sat three students, one Miami administrator and two older citizens, and our discussion touched on a wide range of topics — from the fear of flying, to the decision of what to do with our bodies after we die, to suicide, to the end-of-life preparations we all have to make, to depression, to grief, to what we would do if diagnosed with a terminal illness.

One woman expressed her terrible fear of an absurd death — it would make sense to perish in a car crash, she said, but who thinks about dying when they go to get a snack out of a vending machine (more common than shark-attack fatalities), or when they’re at an ATM in Anchorage, Alaska, and get mauled by a moose? (I figured that one had to have been inspired

by a true story.)

Another woman shocked me with the candor with which she explained her readiness to die. She wasn’t suicidal; but she had no current spouse, her children had both grown up and she simply was ready to move on to whatever was next.

She wasn’t going to seek death out, but she would welcome it when it came.

The conversations were heavy, to be sure. But they never felt heavy. No tears were shed, and we actually spent the majority of the time laughing, feeling free to let loose and crack morbid jokes throughout the evening.

As its website notes, the Death Café movement aims to raise “end-of-life awareness.” At first I had found that silly — aren’t we all aware? But as the evening wore on, I started to understand it more.

We were talking about death, but the conversation allowed us to think more critically and creatively about life.

I walked out of the café at 7:30, feeling refreshed, relaxed and a little more appreciative of the world around me. When I got home, I looked up the founder Jon Underwood to learn a little more about him, and I found that he passed away last June at the age of 44. His death was sudden and unexpected, caused by a brain hemorrhage from undiagnosed leukemia.

I was disappointed, but not sad. I’m sure he, of all people, had made peace with the inevitability of death before it took him into the great beyond, whatever that may be.

For more info on the movement, or to find a meeting near you, go to the Death Café website at http://deathcafe.com. shumandb@miamioh.edu

MITCHE49@MIAMIOH.EDU

CULTURE 5

TUESDAY, APRIL 10, 2018

From unicycles to ukuleles: Miami students show off their schticks EVENT

EMILY DATTILO

THE MIAMI STUDENT

Darkness settled over the Wilks Theater stage while soft light illuminated a single microphone. Students filled out tickets for various door raffles before taking their seats. Performers wandered upstage for micchecks, reading bits of poetry and strumming a song’s first verse.

On Friday April 6, students gathered to showcase their skills at “Miami’s Got Talent,” an event organized by National Residence Honorary Hall (NRHH).

The evening consisted of singing, dancing, unicycling, poetry and even the yodeling Walmart kid internet sensation. Prizes included a 55-inch TV, a Nintendo Switch, Beats Powerbeats and a Roku Ultra. The blend of performances and competition kept the audience both engaged and entertained throughout the evening.

One later act, however, was not received quite so warmly.

Nathaniel Hieber went a bit overboard with a comedic skit, discussing volatile subjects like social issues and politics in an insensitive and unamusing manner. The audience didn’t seem to know quite how to react, his act ended up being cut short and the show continued.

“I came tonight because my RA told me about it,” said freshman Lilyana Brian. “I saw a picture of it on the Miami Snapchat and it looks fun. They were giving prizes.”

To open the show, Gaby Preciado, an education graduate student, sang a song entirely in Spanish. Her voice intertwined with melodic guitar chords and, despite not understanding most of the lyrics, her passion and rhythm captured the room’s attention.

Freshman philosophy major Henry Roach’s stand-up routine covered about twenty topics in five minutes, including the rampant prevalence of Midwestern politeness across campus. (Sorry). Though difficult to follow, his comedic timing caught some laughs.

Sophomore Clayton Musick, sophomore marketing major Jeremiah Hunter, and sophomore journalism major Massillon

Myers each performed songs from multiple genres with and without instruments. These guys had talent.

“This sounds like something I’d listen to on the coffee-station on Spotify,” first year Annika Nelson said while listening to Musick perform.

Sophomore zoology major Nan Kanjanakullawat is an international student from Thailand and a member of Miami’s only mixed a capella group, Just Duet. She walked onstage dressed in black jeans, a purple shirt and converse — a casual outfit that contrasted her powerful performance of “Almost is Never Enough” by Ariana Grande.

“I’ve been singing since I was 7-years old,” Kanjanakullawat said. “My dad taught me because he loved singing. The melody [of this song] is beautiful and it suits my voice.

This was so last minute, so I didn’t practice or anything. I just saw the email and was like, ‘why not?’”

For the next act, the projector screen suddenly rose, revealing an empty stage. A moment later, Will Geers rolled into view riding a unicycle and juggling with ease.

Geers, a sophomore mathematics major, joined a circus group in first grade and learned all sorts of tricks from unicycling to tight-wire to aerial silks to trapeze.

“Our circus group does a lot of performances so I’m kind of used to it,” Geers said.

“I was trying to juggle and the lights were shining directly into my eyes, so I couldn’t really see any of my props; I was just relying on muscle memory.”

The audience gifted him with claps, cheers and a few gave a standing ovation.

“I’d say the kid with the unicycle [was my favorite act],” said freshman Jesse Beinkampen. “It made me laugh really hard.”

Beinkampen then referenced a friend sitting next to her, “She can verify that for me.”

Jermaine Carew finished the evening with a powerful poem about ‘an icon, a commoner and a stranger.’ Complete with dramatic movements and voice characterization, Carew’s performance moved his listeners and was truly unique. He said he’d written the piece “about two hours ago and to bear with him,” but it was hardly noticeable.

After the final act, audience members were invited to vote electronically for first

LAURA DE OLIVEIRA AND WILL GEERS PERFORM THEIR SPECIAL TALENTS THIS PAST FRIDAY. COLLEEN GRIMM THE MIAMI STUDENT

through fourth place. Roach came in fourth, followed by Myers in third and Geers in second.

It was nearly 11 p.m. after prizes were awarded and students began to file out of Wilks. Laura De Oliveira walked away with the 55-inch TV first prize for her rendition of “Gasoline” by Houndmouth. She’s been singing since elementary school, but didn’t sing in public until seventh grade. For Christmas

Miles in Michael’s memory

a few years ago, she received a ukulele, has loved it ever since and soon became comfortable performing with it.

“It felt really great,” De Oliveira said. “I honestly wasn’t expecting it, I didn’t know how many people would be here. I also have a big a friend group here, and I knew they would pull through for me.”

They got the beat DANCE

MAYA FENTER

THE MIAMI STUDENT

MEMBERS OF DELTA SIGMA PI, OTHER STUDENTS AND PARENTS RUN IN MICHAEL HAYES’ HONOR. BO BRUECK THE MIAMI STUDENT

COMMUNITY

BO BRUECK

THE MIAMI STUDENT

On Sunday morning, students, staff and parents gathered in Uptown Park to commemorate the life of former Miami student and Delta Sigma Pi president, Michael Hayes. The mass of purple shirts huddled together and created an atmosphere of camaraderie along High Street. The sun radiated, combating the brisk wind, while the warm feelings of the Delta Sigma Pi family flooded the air.

Since Hayes’ passing 14 years ago, Delta Sigma Pi (Delta Sig) has held a 5k run/walk in his honor every spring. Funds raised by the event go towards the Hayes Foundation, which provides scholarships for students at Miami who are battling life threatening illnesses. This year alone, over $6,000 will be added to the fund. The tradition is beloved amongst the Delta Sig brothers, and the greater community.

Vice President of Service for Delta Sig, Ali Stall, organized the entire event this year, gathering support from sponsors and forming a committee to help fundraise. Stall has put in close to

100 hours of work since October to ensure that the Michael Hayes 5k would be a success.

“I think that the Oxford community really likes to rally around student organizations, especially when it’s for such an amazing cause that can help a Miami student,” Stall said.

Current president of Delta Sig, Brayden Bennell, said he was grateful for the ample support that the Hayes Race received within the Oxford community.

High Street businesses, including Jimmy John’s, The Apple Tree, SoHi and many others, sponsored the event by donating money for t-shirts, raffle prizes and Insomnia cookies.

“This is a very important cause to sponsor due to the nature of where our donor’s gifts go,” Bennell said. “The Miami community and the companies that work closely with us are some of the most giving individuals I’ve ever worked with.”

And while many attend the event to remember Michael Hayes and his positive impact on Miami, the event does much more than just honor this one student.

“Many of us don’t know what each other are going through on a day to day basis,” Bennell said.

“There are students on this campus that suffer from threatening illnesses, diseases and debilitations that make it more difficult to just continue their studies and enjoy their time here on Miami’s campus.”

The winner of the 5k, Michael Stemler, echoed this sentiment.

He was thrilled to be a part of such a special event for his fraternity and community, even if it left his lungs screaming afterward.

“It’s really great to be able to come out support this cause, and do something that’s greater than our chapter alone for the whole Miami community,” Stemler said. “This was a very painful race, but it was a good time for a good cause.”

Delta Sig honors Hayes’ memory through the annual 5k, yet they strive to honor his legacy everyday by fulfilling his aspirations to make an impact on everything associated with Miami.

“We want to help students and families in need here at Miami,” Bennell said. “And we feel that this event, in honor of one of our brothers that passed on, can simply help address that in small but mighty ways.” brueckro@miamioh.edu

dattilec@miamioh.edu

There was not one moment of silence in Wilks Theatre on Saturday, April 7.

People sat shoulder to shoulder, drawing their knees toward themselves when someone had to squeeze by. There were open seats here and there, maybe three or four in a row if you were lucky, but the 500-seat theater was packed with students and families alike. Chatter, laughter and eager greetings filled the theater.

Step Show is hosted by the Miami University NPHC, which serves as the governing body for Miami’s traditionally African American fraternities and sororities. Miami’s NPHC is comprised of six Greek Letter Organizations: Alpha Phi Alpha, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, Kappa Alpha Psi, Phi Beta Sigma and Zeta Phi Beta.

The event is both a showcase and a competition. This year includes two exhibition performances and four competitive teams who each represented a different chapter.

Four judges critiqued the teams onon originality, precision, showmanship and adherence to the theme, “What’s on T.V.?”

“When it comes to stepping, there is a shared sense of pride and history for black Greek letter orgs,” said Rhonda Baldwin, emcee and member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. “We want to take this time to share a little bit with you.”

The first competition team was a group of girls from Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. The lights in Wilks were dimmed and a video shot on an iPhone was projected onto the screen. It was a fictional skit to set up their performance and starred one of their sorority sisters going through her busy day and ultimately suffering a heart attack.

At the side of the stage, the girl from the video lay on a table, “unconscious,” while another girl in a white doctor’s coat stood over her. Five girls strutted onto to the stage in bright pink scrubs.

This was Ethel’s Anatomy.

Their sister’s heart rate was terribly slow, the doctor told them.

They had to step to bring her back to life.

The five girls began stepping.

They moved in unison.

Stepping is not performed to music. Instead, their bodies serve as the instruments, creating various rhythmic patterns.

They clapped with their hands in front of them, then to either side, then with their hands below one lifted leg. They stomped their Converse on the wooden stage with crisp thuds.

Each routine also involved spoken word that they recited to the rhythm of their movements.

“Rest if you must, but don’t you quit!” the five girls shouted together.

Teams performed spoken word about their specific chapter, including information such as their motto, the year they were founded and their values.

“Deltas are all that!” the group of girls from Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. called out, wearing loose jeans, red crop tops, Converse and plaid shirts.

“PBs got soul!” the three guys of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. shouted. The theme of their prefilmed video was a Sports Center Countdown.

“We are so sweet!” chanted the girls of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. as they performed various routines to try and escape the T.V. that they were trapped in.

The audience cheered at the more complex rhythmic patterns.

Someone in the crowd would shout “Hold it!” when a performer froze standing on one foot.

After the performances, fellow chapter members in the audience would call out their organization’s chants.

“Skee weee!” the sisters of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. squealed.

Ultimately it was the team representing Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., the girls who had to step their way out of being trapped inside a T.V., who took home first place. fentermc@miamioh.edu

ENTERTAINMENT

6

KEELINST@MIAMIOH.EDU

TUESDAY, APRIL 10, 2018

TUESDAY, APRIL 10, 2018

ENTERTAINMENT 7

‘A Quiet Place’ is a tense, taut thriller

ILLUSTRATION: CONNOR WELLS

BEN DEETER

THE MIAMI STUDENT

ILLUSTRATION: CONNOR WELLS

“Ready Player One” is pop culture nostalgia at its most extreme SAM KEELING

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

There’s a scene about halfway through “Ready Player One” in which the story’s hero, Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan), is approached by the villain, corporate CEO Nolan Sorrento (Ben Mendelsohn). Both parties are after the same thing: total control of the virtual reality technology Oasis, which has become the most important economic resource in their dystopic future, as well as an amount of shares which equates to nearly half a trillion dollars. Wade wants to preserve the Oasis as a fun playground for geeks and everyday people alike, while Sorrento and his company, IOI, want to litter the platform with advertisements and monetization.

To sway Wade to join his side, Sorrento makes a lucrative offer alongside hollow promises that he, like Wade, is a nerd who enjoys the Oasis because it’s a pop culture gold mine.

He vows that the first thing he’ll do in the Oasis is make models of high schools from John Hughes films. The irony is that these references are being fed to him through a headphone by a culture-savvy employee. Wade sees through Sorrento’s facade, declaring in one of the film’s cringeworthy moments, “a fanboy knows a hater!”

“Ready Player One” would like us to view it as we do Wade — a huge fan of pop culture artifacts from decades past, dedicated to giving these characters and settings a place in its world. Unfortunately, the film often feels more like Sorrento — a money-making entity only in-

“In its movement to the big screen, something is lost in translation.”

terested in these icons for their potential value with consumers. Listen carefully, and you can almost hear young crew members whispering references in director Steven Spielberg’s ear, like when modern video game characters pop up with no context or when Wade (once again, cringingly) exclaims, “I’ve seen all her Twitch streams; she’s the real deal!”

The film made waves upon its announcement with its copious amount of Easter eggs, but that’s not all it’s about, right? It does have a story, but even that is a nostalgia trip. See, in order to get that half-trillion reward and control over the Oasis, players must solve three riddles and the subsequent challenges placed by the platform’s creator, Halliday (Mark Rylance), who implemented this treasure hunt upon his death. He was also a total nerd, and

his challenges are all based around references to film and video games, and only the most well-versed players — in Halliday’s personal life as well as his favorite flicks — can solve them. The story makes way for even more references, though there is also some philosophical ponderance on the pull between the virtual world and reality (although the decision the screenplay comes to on this topic won’t really surprise you).

This all sounds very negative toward a reference-centric story, but the 2011 book upon which the film is based is even more filled to the brim with nostalgia. However, it feels more organic on the page, perhaps because the specific references feel much more personal to the writer, Ernest Cline. The book serves as a love letter to the movies, music and games that made him want to create and helped define his life.

There are certain moments of the film, largely the ones that don’t stray too far from the source material, that capture this sense of passion and sentimentality.

But in its movement to the big screen, something is lost in translation. Many of the culture references — the Iron Giant, King Kong, Mecha Godzilla, “The Shining” and many, many more — feel tailored to garner appeal from as many audience members as possible, but in the process strip the icons of their original sentimental value. I love “The Iron Giant” because it’s a touching, emotional tale of friendship and understanding. I don’t care to see him beating up a bunch of other characters in a giant battle.

Of course, there are other elements to “Ready Player One”: plot, characters, world-building.

Even then, the film is a mixed bag. Some of the performances are quite compelling. The most interesting character is Sorrento, a rather humorous antagonist whose worst (and funniest) qualities are defined by a highly fragile masculinity (his login password for the Oasis is B055man69). Also, Rylance does a stellar job as Halliday, who still features prominently in flashbacks and as his character’s Oasis avatar.

However, the main band of protagonists, the High Five, is unfortunately one-dimensional.

Even the main character Wade leaves a lot to be desired in terms of characterization.

The plot hits all the beats of a typical Spielberg adventure. Since he’s a master of the genre, there are some very good moments, especially in the third act. However, the beginning is bogged down by some exposition-heavy voice-overs that feel wooden and make you feel as if you need every little detail explained to you. And, while a lot of the film’s humor is surprisingly effective, the love story between Wade and a mysterious fellow player named Art3mis (Olivia Cooke) is rushed and, as a result, wholly unbelievable.

In a time when a lot of companies are trying to capitalize on consumers’ desire for nostalgia, “Ready Player One” feels like a natural progression. Where its source material mainly felt like a genuine love letter to the artifacts of classic nerdom, at its worst, the adaptation feels like a zeitgeist cash grab in the most extreme sense.

“A Quiet Place” starts in the silence of an abandoned and looted supermarket. The near-inaudible patter of bare feet finally breaks the silence.

We’re introduced to the Abbott Family — parents Lee and Evelyn (played by real-life couple John Krasinski and Emily Blunt), their deaf daughter Regan (Millicent Simmonds) and sons Marcus and Beau (Noah Jupe and Cade Woodward, respectively).

Earth has been invaded by alien creatures that hunt by sound. Even the slightest whisper attracts them. The family communicates through sign language, walks with bare feet on sand paths and moves slowly so as not to make any noise.

Their lives depend on it.

This opening scene, and the movie that follows, absolutely floored me. “A Quiet Place” establishes the stakes right away, treats us like we’re smart with that hands-off exposition, allowing us to deduce what’s happening on our own.

The movie shows and never tells. We see news clippings and smaller details about the world around the Abbotts, but never get lost in world-building. “A Quiet Place” knows it’s not about a new sci-fi dystopia; it’s about a family.

The award-worthy performances play an important part in this. The actors’ eyes and faces do all the work normally reserved for dialogue.

Krasinski, in particular, delivers a crushing performance. His eyes convey strength and compas-

sion, but with a clear sadness and fatigue behind them.

What’s even more remarkable are the differences between each character’s signing style.

Krasinski uses short, pointed signage, conveying his survivalist mindset. Blunt’s style is more expressive, relying on slower and more fluid signage. She even throws in an eye roll to add some personality to an unfeeling world. Simmonds, who’s actually deaf, uses a powerful style, illustrating her angst and anxiety, especially in scenes with Krasinski.

Outside the characters, the movie also succeeds from a technical standpoint. This is the third movie Krasinski has directed, and easily his best. He builds tension and releases it with scares that have one major difference from average horror films — they make sense.

I’m not big on horror. The majority of modern horror relies on cheap jump scares without any tension. “A Quiet Place” is much more in the vein of “It Follows” or “Get Out,” in that scares burn slowly and intensely. I was on edge for nearly the entire movie, fidgeting in my seat as I tried to anticipate the next scare.

A prime example of this is a scene that has partially appeared in the trailers. Evelyn goes into labor while Lee and Marcus are out fishing.

Not only are we anticipating her screaming from the pain, but in an earlier scene, a nail on the basement stairs had been bent upward. She steps on it, of course, and ends up dropping a family picture in the process.

ROSS TAGUE

Ladies and gentlemen, we are officially in April, and you know what that means — it’s “Avengers” month.

Think what you will about the epic, ever-expanding behemoth that is the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), but you’ve got to admit, “Infinity War” is an impressive feat. When else have we seen a movie with twenty-three main characters? I might be partial to the entire thing, but I think this film just might end up being the single greatest achievement in cinematic history.

Of course, I haven’t seen the film yet (unfortunately), but I’m going to use some context clues to take a wild guess that it’s going to be a larger-thanlife phenomenon.

With “Iron Man’s” release 10 years ago, I don’t think anyone could have guessed the MCU would expand into what it is today. At the time, we’d just finished the classic Tobey Maguire “Spider-Man”

trilogy and we were in the middle of Christopher Nolan’s incredible “Dark Knight” trilogy. These are undeniably great superhero movies that began making a name for the genre (yes, even “Spider-Man 3”), but here’s the thing: they were great on their own. Had someone even brought up the notion of a superhero universe in which these heroes would be interacting with one another, they would’ve gotten a door slammed in their face. Nobody knew what the hell a “cinematic universe” was.

Everyone who wasn’t already a fan of the comics, that is. These shared universes had existed for decades in comic form, in which quite literally anything could and did happen. But, with superhero movies, reaching that same level of intertextuality would require a huge slate of big-name actors signing onto one film, meaning an out-of-this-world budget. It was, seemingly, impossible.

But a beautiful thing happened, folks. Marvel Studios was born, and Kevin Feige was in charge.

Feige sought to recreate that same shared universe from the Stan Lee and Jack Kirby comics in film form and took to creating individual films for each of

the main characters that we never imagined would one day come together.

Yet here we are, friends. 10 years later and only weeks away from the most ambitious superhero movie to ever be created. In just a short few years, “Infinity War” is seemingly defying all odds and blowing fanboys’ minds everywhere.

Think back to your first time seeing the first “Avengers” in theaters. I don’t know about you, but I saw that movie three times because of the sheer wow factor of these already-well-developed characters coming together. I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that it was actually happening. We’d never seen anything like it before.

I won’t lie, I wasn’t all that impressed with “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” or any of the MCU’s Phase Two films, for that matter. The period was a necessary evil to bridge the individual films of Phase One with the crossover films of the next phase, however, and to get us used to seeing our favorite heroes sharing one screen. “Captain America: Civil War” rescued the MCU from its slump, though, and it’s been on an upward climb ever since, building up excitement

keelinst@miamioh.edu

and introducing us to the ever-present threat of the mysterious Thanos.

This is the first villain, really, that we’ve known about for a long time before he ends up becoming a threat. We’ve known what he’s after (the titular infinity stones), and we already know where he stands in the universe. Marvel movies do have a tendency toward lacking in the villain development department, but I have a feeling that will take a sharp turn when Thanos finally makes it to Earth in “Infinity War.” I could go on and on about how excited I am for this film. I could write an entire article on how the crossover of “Black Panther” and “Guardians of the Galaxy” has the potential to make for the most incredible soundtrack in film history, or how I think Rocket the raccoon and Peter Parker are going to become best friends.

Honestly, anything can happen in the spectacle that will be “Infinity War,” and I’m certain it won’t disappoint. We’ll just have to impatiently wait and see for ourselves when it hits theaters April 27. taguera@miamioh.edu

deeterbj@miamioh.edu

‘Love’ ends on an optimistic note

An ode to the Marvel Cinematic Universe THE MIAMI STUDENT

The sound attracts one of the creatures. The next five to 10 minutes cut between Evelyn trying to stay quiet and Lee racing back to help his wife. Close call after close call leads to the creature being drawn away by a firework that Marcus sets off. We don’t get a reprieve, though, as Lee searches the house for Evelyn and finds the tub where she’d been hiding empty.

In addition to the horrifying tension, the creatures hunting the family are frightening.

The closest physical comparison I can come up with is a four-legged spider-human hybrid with no eyes. Their heads are basically armored ears.

Several plates of armor open and close, exposing soft, pink membranes where the ear holes are.

The way Krasinski utilizes these creatures reminds me of how Steven Spielberg used the shark in “Jaws,” and how Ridley Scott used the Xenomorph in “Alien.” The creatures are rarely seen, and that makes them scarier. You never know when someone might accidentally make a sound and cause them to appear.

“A Quiet Place” is easily the best film at this point in the year. Krasinski’s direction, the character-driven story, powerful performances and palpable tension come together to make one of the best thrillers in a long time.

ILLUSTRATION: ARTHUR NEWBERRY

HALEY MILLER

THE MIAMI STUDENT

“Love’s” third and final season was dynamic, surprising and generally optimistic. But the best part was the Bertie bottle episode!

I personally like to think executive producer Judd Apatow and series co-creators Paul Rust and Lesley Arfin read my tweets and responded accordingly.

Bertie (Claudia O’Doherty) is one of my favorite characters on TV. She is sunny and hardworking, funny and logical, all while being tolerant and forgiving of her roommate Mickey (Gillian Jacobs). It would be easy to

dedicate this entire review to Bertie’s lovely growth over the course of the season, but there are other characters and plotlines to discuss.

Instead, I will just highlight a ballet barre class montage in episode five, where Bertie nails the hapless and hopeless performance of a girl who is not quite in shape but not exactly out of shape either — a moment so real, I grabbed my head and yelled, “THANK YOU!” Getting back to Mickey and Gus (Rust), we catch up with them in what seems to be relative bliss. They are very much a couple: healthy and happy. The first half of the season focuses on how Gus is faring as the on-set tu-

tor of “Witchita,” and how Mickey is adjusting to her newfound success at the radio station.

Basically, Gus is flailing and Mickey is thriving. Furthermore, Gus is hiding just how badly he’s handling his professional shortcomings, and Mickey can’t help but wonder how she’ll sabotage herself and her achievements.

Jacobs softens her performance and injects it with a little more warmth this season. Whether she’s being empathetic toward her nightmarish boss or happily cheering on Gus’s band at their first gig, it was nice to see Mickey get comfortable in her relationship and be unafraid of intimacy. On the other hand, it’s equally satisfying to watch their dynamic flip later in the season.

The supporting casts at Mickey and Gus’s respective workplaces bring an added layer of tragicomedy to this season. Brett Gelman, as the Napoleonic Dr. Greg Colter, does such a good “Misogynistic Baby Boomer with a Bald Spot” impression that I couldn’t help but be reminded of certain sexist talk-radio hosts (I’m looking at you, Joe Rogan). Tracie Thoms, as the showrunner of “Witchita,” spews venom so deliciously I half-expected her to reprise her verse in “Take Me or Leave Me” from Rent to the entire cast and crew.

Equally charming is Gus’ merry band of misfits, including Bertie’s boyfriend, Randy, Chris the aspiring stuntman, Ruby and Kevin, another “Witchita” employee. The most frustrating part of this season was watching Randy be an objectively awful live-in boyfriend. He and “Broad City’s” Bevers must be on similar Reddit threads. Luckily, Randy’s redemption arc involves special effects makeup and a free craft services lunch, one of “Love’s” few sequences that is straight-up comedy, not dramedy. It’s more compelling than Sam Rockwell’s redemptive arc in Three Billboards (still bitter).

Overall, Love’s final season gave fans a lot to enjoy — an Ed Begley Jr. cameo, David Spade playing a douchebag, a satisfying series finale and a supporting couple we can all root for. Now I’m going to try and manifest a Bertie spinoff, so spec scripts may be sent to my email. millerhh@miamioh.edu

8 FYI

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JACK EVANS

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DZ members kicked out after using racial slur FROM FRONT

former members of Delta Zeta, as these actions are inconsistent with our founding values that we strive to uphold every day,” DZ’s nationals said in the statement.

Black Action Movement (BAM) 2.0 posted in a statement Monday night on Facebook, ap-

plauding DZ’s prompt response.

“We expect similar responses from other fraternities, sororities, and organizations when these type of incidents occur,” BAM 2.0 said in the statement. “We have noticed that Miami University hasn’t issued a statement. We urge that they respond in a timely manner.”

MIAMI UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT GREG CRAWFORD, ALONG WITH OTHER TOP ADMINISTRATORS, LEAVES ODA AFTER A CLOSED-DOOR SESSION WITH BAM 2.0 LEADERS. JACK EVANS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

FROM FRONT

would take students to a page that would point them toward different processes for reporting harmful incidents.

But some of the demands, particularly the quotas for minority faculty and students, the administrators said, weren’t feasible requests.

“Personally I just liked the fact that the administration was open with us. They were transparent and they told us what can be done and what is going to be done to replace what wasn’t necessarily possible,” said Jermaine Thomas, a sophomore and one of the BAM 2.0 leaders at the meeting.

Thomas was joined by other BAM 2.0 student leaders Kyra Germany, Jaylen Perkins, Miranda Woods, Aleah Holley, Imani Steele and Clara Guerra.

Though the activists appreciated the administration’s promises to work together, they want to make it clear to the administration that BAM 2.0 will still continue to push on these issues.

“President Crawford, you have a great heart and you want to do great things for the university, but also, we’re serious. These demands are not suggestions, they’re

demands,” said Holley. “They’re what we see as gaps, and so I think for me the biggest thought was an understanding that even though we’re students we’re very serious.”

While the mood within the closed session was collaborative, the feelings of the activists outside the room were more pointed.

The meeting was held in ODA, a space sometimes criticized by the students that spend time there for the fishbowl effect of its floorto-ceiling glass walls and visible location on the first floor of Armstrong — right along the path of tour groups.

But on Friday, BAM 2.0 turned those aspects of the office to their advantage.

BAM 2.0 “field organizers,” as junior Aleah Holley described them, papered the glass walls with handmade posters and signs as the meeting drew on inside.

But rather than pointing out toward the rest of Armstrong, most of the messages were taped up with their messages aimed at the administrators sitting inside.

Directly across from where Crawford and Scott sat, one student hung a sign that read “We’re not paying you $400,000 a year to do this bad of a job, DO BETTER GREG & RON SCOTT!”

Other signs decried institutional racism and called for action over talk. A few copies of the front page of the Cincinnati Enquirer were also taped up. The headline of the centerpiece story read “Racist acts fuel MU student movement.”

The roughly two-dozen students who were involved in making and posting signs also turned their attention to the throngs of Make It Miami attendees that flowed down the staircase near the seal. Most of the prospective students and Miami parents ignored the activists, who stood silently in a row with signs, but some lingered.

The biggest poster displayed a repeated theme of last two weeks of activism: “This is Miami.”

This two-pronged approach of collaborative discussion backed up by continued demonstrations represents the path forward for BAM 2.0, said the group’s leaders. Junior Miranda Woods summed it up as “constant applied pressure.”

“This is just the beginning,” she said. evansjm4@miamioh.edu For the full list of BAM 2.0’s demands and recent coverage on activism at Miami, visit miamistudent.net

want to cartoon? if you can hold a pencil, email newberaj@miamioh.edu

no memes or manga

Congratulations to Managing Editor Alison Perelman for winning the TMS March MadnessBracket Challenge — through sheer, dumb luck.

this is okay. newberaj@miamioh.edu

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10 SIGNS YOUR DRINKING OR DRUG USE IS GETTING OUT OF CONTROL

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11

TUESDAY, APRIL 10, 2018

Megan Duffy – all basketball, all the time FROM PAGE 14

playing career would end just three years after she was drafted 31st in the third round of the 2006 WNBA Draft, the jerseys show Duffy competed in a league among some of the best women in the world -- a peak so few athletes reach.

Of the players who make it to the professional level, even fewer have the ability to effectively coach the generations which follow them.

As a WNBA player, Duffy fell in love with a process that happens almost entirely behind the scenes. Seeing her coaches spend late nights in their offices studying film and preparing for each game, Duffy was further motivated to master the game of basketball.

She shared a special bond with Notre Dame’s Muffet McGraw – playing under one of the most prolific women’s basketball coaches of all time, who has compiled a record of 800-229 during her 31 years as head coach.

“I always loved the challenge of trying to figure out the opponent and putting a game plan together,” Duffy said. “I got to have a lot of conversations with [McGraw] just about, ‘How are we going to beat Connecticut? How are we going to beat Diana Taurasi?’”

As the point guard of a team that

reached the NCAA Tournament all four years between 2002 and 2006, as well as two Sweet 16 appearances, the team relied on Duffy to be a leader. Even before she was drafted into the WNBA, Duffy knew she wanted to have a career as a coach one day.

“It was a natural progression to me,” Duffy said. “Knowing that this college thing might be the best option for me to get into coaching right away.”

Having McGraw as a role model served Duffy well, as she carried the importance of mentorship with her into her coaching career.

One of the most impactful relationships Duffy has made has been with the ’Hawks star point guard Lauren Dickerson. Duffy was a talented point guard and received the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award in 2006, which is given to the most outstanding senior shorter than 5’8”. Dickerson, who stands at 5’3”, has learned valuable lessons from Duffy this past year.

“She tells me some little tricks and different things I need to think about when I shoot,” Dickerson said.

“Basically putting confidence in me, and telling me that I don’t need to be scared.”

The relationships, like the one with Dickerson, has been built not on basketball alone, but from memories

ESPN3 REPORTER EMILY SIMANSKIS INTERVIEWS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL HEAD COACH MEGAN DUFFY, POSTGAME. MACY WHITAKER THE MIAMI STUDENT

made playing “Guess the Lyrics” on seven-hour bus rides to Buffalo. And, it’s paying off. The team finished the year 21-11 and she reached this mark with virtually the same roster that finished 11-21 last year.

Despite her seemingly instant success, which she owes to hours of work on and off the court, Duffy understands her job won’t be any less strenuous.

“I went to a lot of seminars and clin-

Miami scores 24 in three-game set to down BG FROM PAGE 14

After Mraz retired the side in order during the top of the seventh, Miami pounced, scoring three more runs to push its lead to seven.

Miami’s bullpen held strong the rest of the way, maintaining the shutout and preserving a 7-0 series-opening win for the RedHawks.

“Our guys came out ready to go today,” Hayden said on Friday. “I thought that, even from BP, our guys were locked in.”

The Falcons’ offense woke up in time for Game Two on Saturday, rallying for 10 runs -- including three in the top of the ninth inning -- to take a series-tying 10-9 win.

Bowling Green scored first, when a ground-ball double-play allowed for a runner to cross home plate in the top of the third inning.

Falling behind 1-0 seemed to strike a chord with Miami, as the RedHawks responded with four runs in the bottom half of the inning to take their first lead of the contest.

Haffey provided the first MU run, when he drove in Redshirt sophomore left fielder Kyle Winkler with an RBI single up the middle. After an RBI single from sophomore third baseman Landon Stephens drove in a run and sent Haffey to third, Senger plated Haffey with a sacrifice fly. Massman ripped a double down the left-field line to score Stephens and give the RedHawks a 4-1 advantage.

Just an inning later, Stephens drove in two more runs with a two-out single into left field to make it 6-1.

Bowling Green stayed within striking distance by adding two runs in the top of the fifth to cut its deficit to 6-3.

The teams continued to trade blows, as Miami eked out another run in the bottom half

of the fifth. With two outs and Massman on third, Texidor legged out an infield single allowing Massman to score.

BG tied the game at seven in the top of the sixth, scoring four runs on an RBI double, an RBI single, a bases-loaded walk and a sacrifice fly.

After two scoreless innings, Miami retook the lead in the bottom of the eighth. The ‘Hawks started the inning by drawing two quick walks. Bowling Green almost battled out of the jam, gaining two consecutive outs, but Senger drew a walk to load the bases.

Then, Massman delivered again, lacing a two-run single into right field to put MU up 9-7.

Leading by two in the top of the ninth, the wheels fell off for the Miami bullpen. RedHawk pitchers combined for three walks in five batters with the bases loaded to gift the Falcons a 10-9 lead.

Bowling Green held Miami in check in the bottom half of the ninth to escape with a 10-9 victory.

Junior reliever Michael Hendricks (L, 1-2) was tagged with the loss after giving up three earned runs -- the final three BG scored.

After Saturday’s heartbreaking loss, the RedHawks rebounded on Sunday, utilizing eight runs of offense and solid pitching to earn an 8-5 series-clinching win.

It was a pitchers’ duel early, as neither side could break through in the first two and a half innings.

Senior Gus Graham (W, 2-0) made just his second start of the season for the RedHawks, but hurled 5.2 innings of three-run baseball to pick up the win.

“Gus was awesome today,” Hayden said. “I bet he was frustrated when he came out of the game because he had some re-

ally good stuff going today. He never really lost it. They had a couple cheap hits -- infield hits -- that forced our hand a little bit, but Gus was really good today.”

The RedHawks grabbed the first lead of the ballgame in the bottom of the third inning on an RBI single by Stephens.

Miami had a huge frame just one inning later, plating five runs to take a 6-0 advantage. It was a lack of control from Bowling Green’s pitching staff, rather than a string of hits, that allowed Miami to score five runs – four of those runs came by way of a walk or a hit-by-pitch.

Junior reliever Daniel Buratto came in and calmed the storm for the Falcons, pitching 2.2 innings while not allowing a run. Miami hitters had trouble adjusting to Buratto’s breaking ball -- a pitch that routinely appeared in the mid-to-high 60s on the radar gun.

With Buratto taking care of the Red and White offense, Bowling Green jumped back into the game, scoring two runs in the fifth, one in the sixth and two more in the seventh to trim its deficit to 6-5.

“Kind of reminded me a little bit of yesterday,” Haffey said.

“Maybe a little complacency, but I think we kind of dialed it in a couple innings after and put two more on the board. I think we, as a team, were like, ‘we’re not letting this happen again’ and found a way to get back to what we were doing earlier.”

Miami added two runs of insurance with two down in the bottom of the eighth. The first run was the result of an RBI double by junior right fielder Dallas Hall, while the second was driven in on a single by Stephens to make it 8-5. vinelca@miamioh.edu @ChrisAVinel

ics preparing you for that head coaching spot,” Duffy said. “The big thing they don’t tell you about is emotion that goes with all of this, the pressure you feel with winning and losing, taking care of your staff, anything that goes right or wrong is on your shoulders, in a lot of ways. It’s very difficult to ‘turn off’ the job.”

Megan Duffy is all basketball, all the time. @panzecbj@miamioh.edu @benpanzeca

Miami tennis checking in at 4-1 in MAC play FROM PAGE 14

became Rosas’ assistant after a prolific career with the Texas Longhorns.

“Our team is totally new,” senior captain Nelli Ponomareva said. “So, it’s kind of tough because you have to teach [freshmen] stuff, especially because it’s the first time they’ve ever played college tennis, but I think they’re doing great.”

And, Miami tennis is doing great. The ’Hawks have compiled an 8-8 overall record, after facing numerous challenging, non-conference opponents. The team’s competitive spirit and will to win, which Rosas has acknowledged is something he can’t teach, has allowed the team to overcome the adversity it faced earlier this spring.

“Sometimes it can get difficult if you start seeing numbers and records, but I do know that even if we take a few tough losses, my players are getting better because we’re playing better teams,” Rosas said.

“It’ll definitely help us going through the conference.”

Since MAC play began, the RedHawks have been tearing through the conference – going 4-1 with the team’s only loss coming to the reigning MAC champions in the Buffalo Bulls. The RedHawks only need one more conference win this season to match their 5-3 MAC record from last year.

To win a MAC tournament championship, however, the ’Hawks will need to find a way to beat Buffalo, the team they’ll likely face again in the championship match at the end of April.

“I think in my experience at Miami and being part of many championships, one of the things I’m always big on, and what I talk to them about is – individuals win matches, but teams win championships,” Rosas said.

Just like Rosas, Miami tennis is no stranger to winning championships. The RedHawks have recorded 22 conference championships and boast a 233-39 alltime MAC record, backed by a 615-352 all-time overall record. The program has made five NCAA Tournament appearances, most recently in 2015.

Amidst this year’s youth, Ponomareva captains her team to work hard on and off the court. She sites her team’s friendship, Rosas’ attitude and the coaching staff’s intensity as the reason for the team’s potential for success in the post-season.

Ponomareva and Rosas agree it will ultimately be attitude and mindset, not the team’s obvious talent, that will lead to a strong finish in its three remaining MAC matches and will lead to competitive play into the tournament.

“At times, I just need to remind them that they’re a good team and good players and once they understand and believe that, they can just go out there and compete,” Rosas said. “I will say, they do want to win.”

The RedHawks next play on Saturday in Oxford, weather permitting, as they take on Bowling Green at 1 p.m. simansec@miamioh.edu @emilysimanskis

BEES IMPENDING. miamistudent.net/bee-arrival BZZZZ.

12 OPINION

TUESDAY, APRIL 10, 2018

DAVISKN3@MIAMIOH.EDU

Miami must continue to work with BAM The following reflects the majority opinion of the editorial board.

The Black Action Movement 2.0 (BAM), a coalition of students fighting for a Miami that does not tolerate racism or discrimination, organized four protests in four days last week. These protests, and BAM’s formation, came after screenshots of a first-year’s use of the N-word in a GroupMe message (then subsequent defense of his behavior) began publicly circulating.

BAM then issued a list of demands with varying deadlines to the university, including a “considerable uptick” in the amount of racially diverse students and staff, a new building to house the Office of Diversity Affairs (ODA) and a meeting with five top university administrators.

Last Friday, they held that meeting in the current ODA office, which is situated in Armstrong Student Center and surrounded by glass walls. During the meeting, students plastered the ODA’s walls with signs — mostly condemning Miami’s attitude toward minority students up to this point and urging them to enact “actual change.”

The administrators who met with BAM included: • Greg Crawford, university president • Ron Scott, associate vice president for institutional diversity • Jayne Brownell, vice president of student affairs • Mike Curme, dean of students • Kelly Kimple, director of the office of diversity affairs It’s important that these administrators did meet with the students of BAM, but it’s even more important that they continue to listen to and support them going forward.

While administrators said they could not meet all of BAM’s demands, they do seem willing to work with them to achieve what they feel is feasible in the time frame BAM has in mind, students said.

For instance, while they could not promise to initiate the adjudication process for Wright, as requested, due to questions over freedom of speech, administrators agreed to alter the school’s Code of Conduct to change the definition of harassment and discrimination. And, while they could make no promises regarding specific diversity quotas for incoming classes, administrators did say they could restructure the Bridges program to be more inclusive.

Some of the responsibility for changing Miami’s culture has to come from us, too. Thomas Wright’s behavior is not

Thanks for the Freshman 15, Miami TERESA ANIEV

THE MIAMI STUDENT

Before arriving at Miami, I was nervous. I started watching “College Tips” videos by the thousands.

Some talked about the right mattress topper to buy; others talked about different ways to meet new people. They all talked about the Freshman Fifteen.

Believe it or not, I had no idea what that was. After hearing hundreds of YouTubers telling me it was real and warning me to watch my figure, I Googled it. My eyes bugged out of my skull. I was going to gain fifteen pounds?

It couldn’t be real. I wouldn’t believe it. I had visited Miami over summer break and the food had been terrible. I didn’t know how I was going to finish three meals a day, much less gain 15 pounds.

Once I actually moved onto campus, it was a different story. At first, I lost weight — five pounds, to be exact. And if you don’t think that’s a lot, just know that a pair of jeans that used to cling to my legs was now falling off my waist.

I attributed it to stress and hating the dining hall food. At home, everything is either handmade or from a specialty Russian store near us. There were no burgers, no fries and definitely no chicken nuggets. Most of the food I ate growing up can’t be spelled in English.

I started looking for places to eat besides the dining hall and, lo and behold, there were so many options — Chipotle, Buffalo Wild Wings, McDonald’s. The possibilities were endless! I started skipping runs to the dining hall; there was no point if I had so much other food to eat.

The next time I FaceTimed my parents, they asked if I had gained weight. They didn’t even need to see my body, just my face.

The Freshman 15 is real. And it’s all Miami’s fault.

Ever walk into a dining hall and notice how the fish looks like it’s been sitting there for a couple days? Or the vegetables? Or anything else not saturated in fat?

Now, walk over to the fried foods line. Or the pasta and garlic bread line. Notice how that food always looks fresh? Like it’s just been made? That’s because Miami has more of it to make.

The fact is, processed foods (pizza, burgers, chicken nuggets, fries, etc.) cost way less to buy and preserve than any vegetable or fish. StraightHealth.com agrees with me and says, “...Big Macs or sodas cost ‘much less’ than fruits and vegetables. Comparing the cost of food using the price-calorie ratio ignores healthier food options [that] are generally lower in calories and higher in nutrients.”

The mere act of having a “Healthy Food Day” at specific dining halls is a testament to the fact that everyday food being served at Miami is not, in fact, healthy.

While a burger from McDonald’s generally costs about $4.80, a sandwich from any deli in Ohio costs two dollars more, on average. Similarly, an apple can cost anywhere from one to two dollars while a soda costs 50 to 75 cents.

representative of all Miami students’, but pretending that this is an isolated incident would be naive and detrimental to BAM’s efforts.

While we, as students, don’t have the power to enact university policy change, that doesn’t mean there’s nothing we can do. We can actively try to engage and empathize with students calling for social change, rather than meeting them with apathy because we, personally, may not have experienced the same issues.

If you’re a non-minority student and happened to witness one of the protests last week (or even if you just read about them), and they made you uncomfortable, stop to ask yourself why that is. If you haven’t already, try to consider that even if you’ve never felt discriminated against or underrepresented on this campus, not everyone is that lucky.

“There were lots of students who were uncomfortable because they wanted to study, and we were disrupting them,” said Miranda Woods, a junior and BAM 2.0 member who participated in the protest at the Farmer School of Business last week. “To that I say, we’re disrupted every day by your comments, by not feeling welcome here . . . If I have to feel uncomfortable every day, 24/7, at Miami University to get my education, you’ll be okay for 20 minutes.”

Local woman agonizes over which leggings to wear to Netflix and Chill KIRBY DAVIS

OPINION EDITOR

ILLUSTRATION: NINA WILLIS

Miami University is a college that enables higher learning, yes, but it is first and foremost an institution.

Education doesn’t occupy the top slot on its priority list. That spot is reserved for budgeting.

Before you send in your transfer papers, just know it’s no different at any other college. Every school you may go to knows that its financial pillars come from tuition. Well, that, and buying mass-processed foods instead of fresh produce.

The thing is, many people don’t like grease-flavored food, which leads to another phenomenon of college life: Miami is chasing its students right into the clutches of fast food enterprises.

Seriously. I bet, if the whole school gathered on the football field, we could get them to chant “B-Dubs” within a matter of seconds. And JoyRun, an app that allows you to order fast food from a number of restaurants at virtually any time, is a great way for students running the orders to make money. But it’s also a great way for the students ordering to get diabetes.

I respect my college for being fiscally responsible, but when they start messing with the food that’s supposed to go into my body, that’s when I have a problem. We could cut budgeting for any number of things on campus — halting construction on one of the many new housing developments being built (today, a medium hall costs about $26 million to build, per the 2012 College Housing Annual Report) or holding off on re-paving the sidewalks for another year.

Personally, I think the health of my body and thousands of other young adults is more important than a crack in the sidewalk. But that’s just me. anievtm@miamioh.edu

Sadie Albright, 21, spent most of last Friday afternoon deliberating which pair of leggings she should wear to Netflix and Chill that night.

Her friend and roommate, Casey Stevens, confirmed that Albright spent at least part of the afternoon on April 6 in her room after class, staring down at each of the nine pairs of leggings she owns, which were laid out across her bed.

Stevens reported that, while Albright “definitely spent the most time” debating after class, she’d also casually mentioned her dilemma the night before at least twice.

“I’m glad she did,” Stevens said. “If she had decided to wash one of them, that would’ve thrown off our house laundry schedule for the entire week.”

While each pair of leggings she owns is black and made of cotton, with some spandex, Albright insists no pair is exactly alike.

“The Nike ones definitely make my butt look the best,” she said. “But this pair I got from Target, like, four years ago is way more comfortable.

And I have those other Nike ones, but they kind of have a hole in the crotch, so I only wear those to bed.”

She paused. “Usually.”

Her ex-boyfriend, Danny Contreras, confirmed that the Nike ones “make her ass look real good,” but acknowledged that the old Target-brand ones are probably more comfortable.

Albright said agonizing over which leggings to wear is a problem she and her friends face every day, not just before dates.

“I haven’t touched a pair of jeans since 2012,” Stevens said.

Albright pointed out that was totally not true, because Stevens definitely wore those ripped-up black jeans to that Delta Sig party last Saturday.

Stevens conceded that the pants “could maybe be considered jeggings.”

At press time, Albright had decided upon a pair of Lululemon leggings that “definitely fit better in high school,” but made her butt look almost as good as the Nike ones (those, unfortunately, were not clean).

“I’ve worn them twice without washing them, so I feel like wearing them a third time would be gross,” Albright said.

“I mean, if I was just going to class, sure, but this is a date.”

According to Albright, the Lululemon leggings were the perfect match for her meticulously chosen top — a maroon sweater that revealed part of her stomach if she moved her arms in a certain manner, “but not, like, in a slutty way.”

Albright became defensive when Stevens suggested it didn’t really matter which leggings she wore to watch a movie in a boy’s bedroom because “they’ll probably end up on the floor pretty quickly.”

“That was so rude,” Albright said. “It’s not like I wore those leggings with the calf cutouts, you know?”

Plus, Albright added, while she’s not, like, a prude or anything, she was considering taking things slower with this guy than she normally does.

When asked to comment, via Facebook message, the boy she was set to Netflix and Chill with asked, “What are leggings?

Does that mean pants?” daviskn3@miamioh.edu

From an introvert: There’s no ‘right way’ to do college KATE RIGAZIO

THE MIAMI STUDENT

It’s 8 p.m. on a Friday, my freshman year of college, and a text lights up my phone.

“Are you going out tonight?”

For most students, this is a normal text.

However, most students don’t get this weekly text from their mother who lives 800 miles away.

What’s stranger were the texts that followed. More often than not, I told my mom I was planning on just watching a movie by myself and going to bed, and she would beg me to go out. (I should clarify that my mom was not some helicopter parent trying to live vicariously through her daughter; she was just an extrovert mother concerned with the hermit-esqe tendencies of her introvert daughter).

People try to challenge me when I tell them I’m an introvert. They point out that

I perform in an improv group, have an eccentric personality (to put it delicately) and that if it weren’t for people interrupting me, I could probably talk for hours. All of this is true.

I am wicked shy in unfamiliar social settings, though, take a long time to get comfortable around new people (we’re talking months) and love nothing more than spending time by myself.

It’s kind of like Jekyll and Hyde, if Jekyll and Hyde were an insecure 18-year-old girl.

During my freshman year, it was hard not to log onto social media and see all the fun my friends from home were having at their schools. Everyone seemed to have no trouble making friends, and had the time of their lives going out every weekend — everyone except me.

It wasn’t that I didn’t want to go out and have all the experiences my friends were

having; I wanted that very badly. I just didn’t know anyone at school well enough to feel comfortable going out. When I did go out, I was afraid of going too crazy and was always back in bed by midnight.

I agonized over getting that text from my mom, because I knew she’d worry when I told her I didn’t have plans, and that just made me feel worse.

On my first night back at campus after winter break of freshman year, I watched a documentary about Big Bird and bawled my eyes out. My little emotional episode was caused by the familiar pang of homesickness, plus the fear that this would be what my second semester looked like. Sitting alone, missing my family, watching some movie that made me cry harder than it should and wishing I was more comfortable than I was.

I’m writing this for all the introverts who feel like they’re doing college wrong. It’s

okay to not hit the ground running, socially. There’s nothing wrong with taking time to familiarize yourself with your new environment, getting to know the people around you a little better and becoming comfortable with this whole new life you’re living.

I took my time getting to know myself and what I was like in college before I jumped into getting to know everyone else. It was a slow process, and it sucked, but now I couldn’t be happier. I have friends that I love. I go out and feel comfortable while I do. Sometimes I stay in by myself to watch movies, and I no longer receive anxious texts from my mom.

There is no “right way” to do college, so you might as well do it at your own pace. rigazikm@miamioh.edu

TUESDAY, APRIL 10, 2018

OPINION 13

A.J. NEWBERRY NEWBERAJ@MIAMIOH.EDU

I’M PASSIONATE, NOT JUST ANGRY ANNA MINTON

THE MIAMI STUDENT

This past semester, I screamed at someone so loudly for so long that I lost my voice for a week.

Since arriving on campus last fall, I have tried to fight at least 50 people. I’ve gotten so worked up over the lack of pie in the dining hall that I have actually burst into tears, leaving my friends clueless, uncomfortable and slightly amused — a mix of emotions that they would soon come to easily recognize.

From that small description alone, it’s easy to see why so many people have the same idea of me: angry. But I’m here today to set the record straight — I’m not angry, just passionate.

I know what you’re thinking: “Passionate” is just a word angry people use to feel better about themselves. I might not always be a joy, especially if I don’t have my daily afternoon snack. But solely defining a person to just one range of emotions, especially someone like myself who has so many of them, isn’t really doing that person any justice.

Allow me to broaden the image I created above. Yes, I am just as snappy as a Chihuahua that hasn’t been let out to pee in over an hour, but there is more to me than just negative emotions. An entire drawer in my too-small dorm room is dedicated to birthday party supplies for my friends, filled to the brim with balloons, streamers and enough glitter to make a kindergartner on a sugar high jump

for joy. I have created support groups for friends who I know are going through a hard time.

At first glance, it’s easy to think these two descriptions have nothing to do with each other when, in reality, they are exactly the same.

Instead of just accepting things with a blank face or not really caring about the world around you, I tend to get so excited about things that I go all out — whether it’s playing party planner for my friends’ birthdays, protesting for causes I believe in or trying to fight anyone who hurts those I care about.

It’s not rage; it’s intense passion for life.

That’s why I get so angry when people call me “angry.”

The idea that people can go through their daily lives without getting riled up just a little bit is completely beyond me. There is so much going on in the world, so much to get involved with, and being completely neutral or unexcited about anything is simply wasting the gift we have been given.

When you can’t get passionate about anything, it means you haven’t truly experienced it. I have never heard of anything more lonely than a life without any experiences or emotion at all.

So, yes, I am going to continue to overreact and scream at the top of my lungs, and I suggest that you do the same. Does that mean you are angry? No. Passionate? Excited? Of course. Crazy? Well, that’s up to you to decide. mintona2@miamioh.edu

Love, honor and holding yourself responsible for racist behavior EMILY DATTILO

THE MIAMI STUDENT

When you do something wrong, admit it. If you’re sorry, act like it. There seems to be a discrepancy here, so to clarify, here’s a dose of realism: If you mess up and apologize, only to turn around and gloat over your mistake, your apology is void. In fact, don’t even bother.

Racial tension has long been present at Miami, but recently it’s gained intensity, resulting in division and frustration across our campus. Diverse students don’t feel welcome due to other students’ behavior, and something needs to be done. Anyone making derogatory and offensive remarks should be punished, and our administration needs to verbalize its concerns more clearly and directly.

The psychology department sent out an email on Monday, April 9, that read: “We, faculty and staff of the psychology department, denounce racism in any form, and we echo President Crawford’s statement: We stand against hate, against intolerance, and against bigotry of any kind.

We support our African American and Black students and we support efforts to address the recent and ongoing racist incidents on and off campus.”

When the administration addresses everybody instead of the problem-causer, it only creates feelings of resentment and division amongst those who weren’t involved.

This approach reminds me of elementary school. I remember

nearly every week, a few kids would yell and throw food in the lunchroom and the entire room was punished. It never worked, and even as an eight-year-old, I knew why.

We’re in college now, yet it feels like a replay of elementary school lunchtime. Students throw offensive terms around on social media, but there are no repercussions. Instead, vague schoolwide emails from the administration are sent out and various departments are dispersed and no concrete changes are made.

It’s the responsibility of our administration to facilitate feelings of safety and inclusion to each and every student on campus.

Their silence worries me. Feelings of entitlement and invincibility run rampant when leaders choose to look the other way.

Our federal government often adopts an apathetic attitude regarding social and political issues but Miami, we cannot.

During Make It Miami last Friday, signs proclaiming our school a “white supremacist institution” hung in Armstrong. Generalizations like this will not endear diverse students to join the Miami community, and only stir anger among those who disagree.

I also have to ask, if some students are voicing frustration due to being classified, why are they turning around and classifying others into a single category? I, among many others, take great offense to being told I attend a “white supremacist institution.”

There are certainly members of our student body exhibiting careless and disrespectful behavior.

But though my opinion may be jaded as I’ve only been at Miami since last fall, I don’t believe the majority of students share the same ideals as the kid who posted racist comments on GroupMe last semester (and then proceeded to brag about them on Tinder a few weeks ago).

An ironic instance occurred when my friend rode the bus Uptown this weekend. An intoxicated fellow passenger was having difficulty swiping her card and resorted to swearing to express her frustration. The bus driver immediately told the girl to watch her mouth because her words might make other people uncomfortable. I can’t help wondering why our administration isn’t mirroring the same stance about social issues.

I ask the administration to stop lecturing the entire student problem and go directly to the source.

Don’t put all of us into one category. The vast majority of us both display and take great pride in Love and Honor. It’s disappointing and unfortunate to watch the behavior of some effect the whole university. We’re lucky to have students from diverse backgrounds, and there’s no excuse for the language tainting our campus. Treat people with the respect they deserve.

For those who find themselves incapable of doing so, perhaps a nice chat with our university president will encourage them to change their mind. dattilec@miamioh.edu

Sports

14

SIMANSEC@MIAMIOH.EDU

TUESDAY, APRIL 10, 2018

Megan Duffy – all basketball, all the time WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

BEN PANZECA

THE MIAMI STUDENT

WOMEN’S HEAD BASKETBALL COACH MEGAN DUFFY COACHES HER TEAM WITH THE SAME PASSION SHE HAS FOR THE GAME OF BASKETBALL. MACY WHITAKER THE MIAMI STUDENT

BELPEDIO MAKES HISTORY IN NHL DEBUT

Megan Duffy is all business, all the time. She’s rigourous in her game-day preparation, fiery courtside and systematic in her postgame comments.

But, Duffy’s first thought after losing in the first round of the Women’s National Invitational Tournament was more emotional than analytical.

“It’s hard to put into words that you’re not going to be practicing tomorrow,” she said at her post-game press conference. She was not herself.

Some coaches may have reflected on the season that had just ended, especially because Duffy led the largest turnaround in the nation as a first-year head coach. Instead, the realization of losing four seniors, ending her first season and being unable to practice for a few months had set in.

Without knowing the score of any given game, it isn’t hard to decipher whether the RedHawks won or lost.

When it comes to basketball, Duffy wears her heart on her sleeve.

And, she has all the intangibles – intensity, ambition, passion. As a long-time student of the game, Duffy thrives at practice. Each day, the RedHawks break for drills, counting up, “One. Two. Three. Execute.”

For Duffy, anything less than 100 percent is unacceptable. She gives herself entirely to the game and works meticulously to prepare her team for its next opponent.

You can tell Duffy’s mind is always active. She may be telling you about her weekend but, at the same

Miami scores 24 in three-game set to down BG

time, she could very well be thinking of how to best exploit a 2-3 zone.

Though, the 33-year-old coach realizes the importance of relationships. She knows in order to build a winning program everyone from the point guard to the 13th player on the roster to the trainer must buy in. Duffy’s desire to see her athletes succeed on all levels spills onto the court as she coaches.

“She rebuilt the camaraderie, the foundation that I think we lacked a little bit,” senior forward Molly McDonagh said.

In her four years with the program, McDonagh became the RedHawks’ vocal leader on the court.

She complimented Duffy’s ability to turn around the environment of the Miami women’s basketball locker room.

Despite her success as a program-changing coach, those close to her during childhood may not have picked her to be a basketball star.

“My parents probably thought I was going to be a golfer growing up,” Duffy said, smiling. “That’s something that we still play a lot of now – it’s a good break from the craziness of basketball.”

Duffy’s parents can often be seen sitting courtside at Millett Hall, cheering on their daughter’s team.

Her parents have always been active in supporting their daughter’s career, from AAU and high school, all the way to the WNBA. Two framed jerseys hang in Duffy’s office as a reminder of her days as a WNBA player. Between 2006 and 2008, Duffy played for the Minnesota Lynx and New York Liberty. Though her professional CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

Miami tennis checking in at 4-1 in MAC play

HOCKEY

EMILY SIMANSKIS SPORTS EDITOR

Former Miami hockey captain Louie Belpedio gives the same thoughtful interview as he did a month ago, and plays the same offensive-defenseman style of hockey as he did at the Steve ‘Coach’ Cady arena. Now, however, he’s played himself into the Minnesota Wild’s record books.

Twenty-one-year-old Belpedio assisted on a pair of goals on Saturday night to become the first Wild player in history to record a multi-point game in his NHL debut.

“It was fun. I was pretty nervous going into it, but once I got settled I felt comfortable,” Belpedio said to me on Monday. “I didn’t think it would play out like that, to be honest. It was more than I could have expected and more than I could have imagined.”

Belpedio was drafted 80th overall by the Wild in the 2014 NHL entry draft, but played for four years at Miami, captaining the RedHawks for his final two seasons in Oxford. He signed an Amateur Tryout Agreement with the Minnesota Wild’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Iowa Wild, on March 16.

Last Thursday and after 10 games with the AHL team, Minnesota signed Belpedio to a two-year, entry-level contract. Two days later, Belpedio took to the ice in San Jose for his NHL debut.

Belpedio would log a secondary assist on Matt Cullen’s goal at 14:52 of the first period, and another secondary assist on Jason Zucker’s second goal of the game at 15:25 of the second. The Wild would go on to beat the San Jose Sharks 6-3.

“It was definitely a good start, and I’m glad I got off on the right foot,” Belpedio said.

The Minnesota Wild visit the Winnipeg Jets for Game One of the Stanley Cup playoffs tomorrow at 7 p.m. EST.

FIRST-YEAR MILANA LYSOVA FACES OFF AGAINST EASTERN MICHIGAN ON FRIDAY. CONTRIBUTED BY MIAMI ATHLETICS

TENNIS

EMILY SIMANSKIS SPORTS EDITOR

a run with an RBI single to make it 1-0 MU in the first inning.

Massman hit another RBI single in his next at-bat to give the RedHawks a 2-0 third-inning lead.

“I’m happy [Massman] is with us,” MU head coach Danny Hayden said. “I’m happy every time he comes to the plate because he gives us a good at-bat about 100 percent of the time, right now.”

Both teams were held scoreless until the bottom of the sixth inning. A pair of RBI singles -- the first from senior shortstop Adrian Texidor and the second from Redshirt senior first baseman Ross Haffey -- doubled the RedHawks’ advantage to 4-0.

Miami tennis’ competitive spirit and positivity led the team to a 5-2 win last Friday against Eastern Michigan and a 4-1 confernce record just past the halfway mark of Mid-American Conference play.

“It’s been a development year, putting everything together,” head coach Ricardo Rosas said. “But, I’m happy with where we’re at right now in the MAC and how the team has been working together and getting along.”

The RedHawks (8-8, 4-1) welcomed six freshmen at the start of the season and welcomed back two seniors and a junior to chase a MAC tournament championship.

Rosas leads the young team in his first season as head coach, after being the RedHawks’ assistant coach for 15 years and associate for the past five. The young Breaunna Addison be-

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CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

JUNIOR CATCHER HAYDEN SENGER (LEFT), SENIOR SHORTSTOP ADRIAN TEXIDOR (TOP) AND REDSHIRT SENIOR FIRST BASEMAN ROSS HAFFEY (BOTTOM) COMBINE TO BEAT BOWLING GREEN. ANGELO GELFUSO THE MIAMI STUDENT

BASEBALL

CHRIS VINEL STAFF WRITER

Miami’s bats ran wild over Bowling Green this weekend, leading the RedHawks to a series win at home and allowing them to stay undefeated in Mid-American Conference series.

The ‘Hawks (17-10, 6-3 MAC) won a 7-0 shutout in the series opener on Friday.

Bowling Green responded with a 10-9 Game Two victory, before Miami took Sunday’s rubber match 8-5.

“It’s always good to get a series win in the MAC,” junior catcher Hayden Senger said. “It’s huge in getting into the MAC Tournament.”

Miami made quick work of the Falcons (9-21, 4-5

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MAC) in the series opener Friday, picking up a 7-0 win in just over two and a half hours.

Sophomore Spencer Mraz (W, 3-0) got the start for Danny Hayden’s RedHawks and delivered a career-high seven shutout innings, while allowing only four hits. He displayed excellent command by striking out four hitters and not handing out any walks. The effort allowed Mraz to pick up his third win of the season.

“I felt great,” Mraz said.

“My main focus was just to go out there with the intent to throw strikes and not think about mechanics -just go out there and throw the ball. That’s about it.”

Mraz was helped out early, as freshman center fielder Parker Massman drove in