December 1, 2015 | The Miami Student

ESTABLISHED 1826 – OLDEST COLLEGE NEWSPAPER WEST OF THE ALLEGHENIES

The Miami Student TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2015 Volume 144 №25

Miami University — Oxford, Ohio

MIAMISTUDENT.NET

Sexual assault allegation leads to lawsuit SEXUAL ASSAULT

EMILY TATE

MANAGING EDITOR

The events that played out on Miami University’s campus in the early morning hours of Sept. 14, 2014 have since led to a sexual assault allegation, several disciplin-

ary meetings, a medical leave of absence that morphed into a suspension and, most recently, a lawsuit against the university and five of its employees.

With increased attention to sexual assault on college campuses across the country, this case shows the tangled

and tortuous path that often lies ahead when an assault case enters a university’s disciplinary process.

On that Saturday night last September, John and his roommate went to a party and, later, a bar. John had a lot to drink — at least eight beers and four shots of liquor,

from what he can recall. He doesn’t remember what happened after he left the bar.

But Jane does. She had also been out drinking that night, and on her way home, she met up with John and his roommate. They were all good friends. Jane had dated the roommate at one point

and “made out” with John a few different times. She decided to stay at their dorm for the night.

When they thought the roommate had fallen asleep, Jane and John, whose names have been changed to protect their identities, began to kiss in John’s bed.

“That was okay and what I expected and fine,” Jane wrote in a statement to the Office of Ethics and Student Conflict Resolution (OESCR), which adjudicates student accusations of sexual assault, among other ASSAULT »PAGE 5

John Doe vs. Miami University, Jane Doe,Vaughn, Brownell, Ward, Elliot, Van Gundy-Yoder Sept. 24 John takes a leave of absence from Miami

Sept. 14 John allegedly sexually assaults Jane

Jan. 23 John may return to Miami, but does not

Nov. 17 Miami moves to dismiss lawsuit, Jane asks for extension

Oct. 7 OESCR suspends John from Miami

Sept. 17 John files lawsuit against Miami, Jane

Dec. 8 Jane expected to reach settlement with John KATIE HINH PAGE DESIGNER

Senate votes on regional campus restructuring REGIONALS

MEGAN ZAHNEIS THE MIAMI STUDENT

Miami’s regional campuses are set to be reorganized into six new academic departments, as per a University Senate vote Monday afternoon.

Starting next fall, an umbrella “regional system” will consist of the follow-

ing departments: Social and Behavioral Sciences, Education and Society, Biological Sciences, Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Humanities and Creative Arts, and Languages, Literature and Writing.

Administrators say the restructuring plan will facilitate the development of new bachelor’s degrees on Miami’s regional campuses.

The long-term goal of offering between 18 and 21 regional degrees is a response to a 2008 mandate by the Ohio Board of Regents and to declining regional enrollment rates.

Senate voted in favor of the new departmental structure, with 43 senators voting yes, one dissenter and one REGIONALS »PAGE 8

Paris attacks prompt study abroad changes ABROAD

PARIS FRANZ

THE MIAMI STUDENT

On the night of the terrorist attacks in Paris, 10 Miami students were in the City of Light.

Three of the students were studying abroad through Miami’s Luxembourg program and visiting Paris for the weekend. The other seven

MU moves toward gender neutrality EQUALITY

LAURA FITZGERALD SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Miami University’s private restrooms are being relabeled as all-gender restrooms to give students of all genders, and especially transgender students, a safe place to use the restroom.

Four private restrooms were relabeled as all-gender in Armstrong and one in the Rec on Nov. 4 and 5. Allgender restrooms are singlestall, or “private,” restrooms that are available to all genders, and are specifically labeled as “all-gender” or “gender-inclusive”.

Assistant Director and Coordinator of GLBTQ Services Shevonne Nelson said she hopes to have all singlestall restrooms relabeled as all-gender restrooms by fall of 2016.

Single-stall restrooms are being relabeled in phases.

The current phase is Armstrong and the Rec Center.

Large public spaces, like the Health Services Center and the Hanna House are the next phase, followed by academic buildings and, finally, the residence halls.

JING LONG THE MIAMI STUDENT

Miami is moving toward gender-neutral bathrooms by renaming the family bathroom signs to say “all-gender.”

Creating all-gender restrooms in these and all future locations does not actually require the construction of any new restrooms. It requires the installment of new signs on pre-existing singlestall restrooms, Nelson said.

Colleen Bunn, assistant director of the Office of Resident Life, said this is part of a larger initiative that includes gender-inclusive housing to make Miami more accessible to students of all genders and gender identities.

“As a university that is dedicated to diversity inclusion, finding and creating spaces for our students that honor all of their identities is really important,” Bunn said.

There are various additional costs with some gender-inclusive housing options.

There are currently single-stall restrooms in all the new and newly renovated residence halls on campus, but these are still yet to be labeled as all-gender restrooms, Bunn said.

NEWS p. 2

NEWS p. 3

HOUSE BILL TO ALLOW GUNS ON CAMPUS, IF PASSED

STUDENTS START FOOD SHOW ON YOUTUBE

H.B. 48 could allow concealed carry licenses on college campuses

YouTube cooking show features foods domestic and international

TODAY in MIAMI HISTORY

Nelson said this especially benefits transgender students and students of differing gender identities because it creates a safe space for students to use the restroom.

“It is incredibly important for trans bodies to have a place where they can safely and affirmatively use the restroom,” Nelson said.

Students who have different gender identities often feel unwelcome in gendered bathrooms because they do not look like their biological sex, Nelson said.

Nelson said this sometimes escalates to verbal abuse, and in extreme cases, physical abuse, although Nelson said she has not heard of any cases reported at Miami this year.

First-year Alexx Apicella is a transgender student who identifies as male. Apicella said he has had uncomfortable experiences in male restrooms.

“You walk in and it doesn’t look like you belong there, so everybody stares,” Apicella said. “Or they confront you directly, [and] will ask you what you’re doing here and RESTROOMS »PAGE 5

CULTURE p. 4

students were there through outside study abroad programs.

According to Assistant Provost Cheryl Young, three Luxembourg students chose to return home 11 academic days early. There are still 114 Miami study abroad students in Luxembourg.

Junior Carly McCain is currently studying at Miami’s Luxembourg campus.

On Nov. 13, she and two other Luxembourg students arrived in Paris for the weekend.

“I went to Paris that weekend because I have always dreamt of going,” said McCain.

McCain and the other two students were not caught up in the violence. They only PARIS »PAGE 3

Students say recycling bin placement is key to waste disposal SUSTAINABILITY

TESS SOHNGEN

THE MIAMI STUDENT

The lack of recycling continues to plague visitors of the Armstrong Student Center (ASC) — despite student interest in recycling and the environment. But KYLE HAYDEN DESIGN EDITOR administrators see the tray A survey of Miami students return, hidden behind Ser- found bin locations to be a rano, as the optimal solution. barrier to recycling.

In a survey of almost 130 students conducted by an dish room behind the tray IES 511 class, 58 percent return are trained to identify reported that not being able what is recyclable and what to find a recycling bin was a ought to be disposed. barrier to recycling, despite Miami University’s trash 91 percent saying that recy- and recycling collector cling is available to them on Rumpke weighs the total campus. trash and recycling it picks The survey indicated that up from campus four times the environment is important a year. The company weighs to most students (the average the total amount of trash and was 4.3 on a scale of 1-5, 5 recycling, not the individual being very important and weights of each building.

1 being not important), but Yvette Kline, director of many students are unsure sustainability and energy of what items are recyclable conservation from the Deor not, such as plastic bottle partment of Physical Facilicaps, paper coffee cups and ties, shared the most recent the to-go containers at Arm- weighs: Aug. 13 weighed strong. in at 12.54 tons of recycling The dining services employees who work in the RECYCLING »PAGE 8

OPINION p. 6

SPORTS ONLINE

SANTA CLAUS: WHEN AND HOW WE FOUND OUT

BOARD OPTS FOR BLACK FRIDAY ALTERNATIVES

VIDEO: A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A FOOTBALL PLAYER

WARNING: This article may not be suitable for children of all ages

Editorial board discusses the downsides of Black Friday shopping in America

Miami players devote 20-30 hours per week to football.

Watch road to game day

On this day in 1989, The Miami Student reported that several students studying abroad on the Luxembourg campus witnessed history being made a few weeks earlier when the Berlin Wall came down. The students described the celebration that followed, filled with champagne, news networks and wall-jumpers.

2 NEWS

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2015

NEWS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

Spanish, Portuguese professor receives innovation award FACULTY

HAILEY MALLENDICK THE MIAMI STUDENT

A.J. NEWBERRY THE MIAMI STUDENT

If H.B. 48 becomes law, concealed carry could come to college campuses LEGISLATION

ABIGAIL KELLY

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Guns could soon be allowed on some college campuses if House Bill 48, which passed in the Ohio House of Representatives this month, is written into law.

House Bill 48 gives universities the option to allow the concealed carry of handguns on college campuses.

The bill is meant to simplify various disparate gun laws in the state.

“What the bill did was cleaned up a lot of that law and basically made it easier for legal firearm owners to stay in compliance with the code,” said Ohio State Representative Wes Retherford.

The bill states that universities

can make policies that work best for them regarding the concealed possession of firearms on campus, and the universities who create policies will have legal immunity if accidents occur.

Miami University Police Department (MUPD) Lt. James Bechtolt explained that Miami’s current policy prohibits all firearms, dangerous weapons and explosives.

Retherford said allowing concealed carry on campuses was a major debate because of the number of campus shootings that have occurred in recent years. However, Ohio’s representatives looked at statistics and legislation of other states such as Colorado and Idaho, and decided that the best way to handle it would be for each university to look at their

own situation as opposed to mandating one policy.

“If we mandated it to allow it and things were working out at like say at Miami, Miami wouldn’t have any recourse to change it,” said Retherford.

Director of University Communications Claire Wagner said if the legislation is written into law, the Board of Trustees will decide if the current policy will change to allow guns.

However, Wagner expects concerns if concealed carry weapons are allowed on campus.

“I think people would feel more afraid just to be on campus and know weapons may be around,” Wagner said. “That doesn’t mean they don’t know someone is carrying a weapon GUNS »PAGE 9

Spanish and Portuguese professor Nohelia Rojas-Miesse was awarded the first-ever John E. Dolibois Faculty Award for Innovation in Global Programming.

Along with the award, RojasMiesse also received a $1,500 scholarship to aid in improving her study abroad programs.

“It’s nice to be recognized,” said Rojas-Miesse. “I wasn’t expecting to be recognized. It is a validation for all of the work that I have done.”

Professor Julie Szucs has worked with RojasMiesse in the Spanish and Portuguese department.

“This award was well-deserved,” said Szucs. “She’s always innovating, both in study abroad and in her classes, thinking of ways to improve or to offer something different to meet the needs of Miami students.”

Rojas-Miesse earned the award due to her work with her two study abroad programs in Nicaragua. She has taken more than 180 students to Nicaragua since she started her programs in 2009.

Her week-long medical study abroad program is going on its fifth year and the summer immersion study abroad program is going on its eighth year.

“I think that they provide unique opportunities for students,” said Szucs. “Because they combine language immersion through homestays, cultural excursions that allow students to see the beauty and cultural richness of Nicaragua, and most importantly, in my opinion, volunteer service that really allows students to become a part of the community.”

Senior August Conner, who participated in Rojas-Miesse’s summer immersion Spanish program, said the trip had big impact on her academic career.

“It was the best decision I’ve ever made and I have nothing but good things to say about it,” said Conner. “I decided that I enjoyed Spanish and wanted to minor in

Spanish, so because of her trip I am still taking Spanish and will be going to Spain next summer.”

Senior Maren Peter also participated in Rojas-Miesse’s summer abroad in Nicaragua program and has taken several of her Spanish classes.

“I am able to incorporate what I learned in Nicaragua and apply it in the classroom,” said Peter.

She’ll use the award money for travel, looking for new study abroad destinations.

“I want to explore the possibilities of collaborating with different departments in the university and possibly reach out to other disciplines that would want to do a program abroad,” said Rojas-Miesse.

“I think it would be really interesting to combine Spanish and something else, like engineering.”

While Rojas-Miesse does enjoy putting on her programs in Nicaragua, it takes a lot of work to plan them.

“Study abroad would not exist if it were not for the faculty that are willing to leave the comforts of home to give students these experiences,” said Rojas-Miesse.

“All of the faculty that do these programs should be recognized because it takes a lot of work that often goes unnoticed.”

Rojas-Miesse spends a lot time during the normal fall and spring semesters planning and organizing her trips for winter and summer breaks. Between her job as a professor and organizing her trips, she said she sometimes finds herself working 24/7.

“Nohelia sacrifices a lot of time and energy coordinating trips to Nicaragua and ways Nicaragua can be incorporated into her teaching,” said Peter. “Nohelia is an incredible professor and she is very passionate about what she does.”

The John E. Dolibois Faculty Award for Innovation in Global Programming will now be given each year to a faculty member who continues to demonstrate innovative ideas in the field of international education, much like Rojas-Miesse has. It will be presented during International Education Week every year.

MU dishes out generous serving sizes, students react

JACKLYN HAYES THE MIAMI STUDENT

The Armstrong Student Center’s stir fry station is a popular choice among students. According to sophomore Sophie Marcum, the food at most of the a la carte dining options on campus are reasonable in terms of serving size.

HEALTH

MORGAN NGUYEN THE MIAMI STUDENT

Maybe a bag of pretzels from the Armstrong Student Center’s Emporium sounds like a good mid-day munchie. It’s 150 calories — the recommended portion for a snack.

It’s a small bag, containing about two dozen mini pretzels, but in reality, the palm-sized bag actually holds two servings.

A similar oversight also occurs at a la carte dining locations across campus. Oversized portions, however harmless they seem, may be sabotaging what otherwise appears to be a healthy meal.

The general consensus is that portions are appropriately sized, with a few exceptions.

“I think food is generally well-portioned,” said sophomore Sophie Marcum. “The [amount of] stir fry at Bell [Tower] is a little overboard, but you

always have the easy option of bringing the food home.”

Marcum said, when compared to portions provided at the average American restaurant, the servings sizes at Miami’s a la carte dining options are reasonable.

Many students believe that portion control is also the responsibility of the individual ordering the food, not only the server.

“Since most places you can order how much of what you want, it’s up

WHEN YOU’RE FINISHED READING THE MIAMI STUDENT, PLEASE RECYCLE

to you to make those portions match up,” said sophomore nutrition major Sarah Becker. “Generally, we’re given more meat than a 3-ounce serving size, which is the size of a deck of cards.”

The portions dining employees serve students are usually on par with the suggested serving size, although the exact amount can vary.

“The serving size often depends on the preference of the worker,” said sophomore Danny Knettel, a student manager at Maplestreet Station.

“Certain employees I work with insist upon only offering present portions, while others are willing to give more food if a student asks for a little extra.”

Knettel said bacon is a primary example: the suggested serving size is three thin slices, which many employees, Knettel said, think looks meager on a plate, so extra is usually served.

Student managers are not responsible for monitoring serving sizes; most kitchenware, such as ladles, are fit specifically for the portion size of the meal.

Students value the quality of food offerings as well as quantity. Becker said she would like to see more fresh vegetable and fruit option.

“It’s hard to get a lot of tasty vegetables in, unless you’re eating salads and stir fry every day,” said Becker.

“Whole-wheat bread is also the way to go, since there aren’t a lot of whole-

grain options on campus either.”

She said cost and the presence of preservatives are other considerations.

“There’s no reason fruit should be so expensive, when I can go to Kroger and spend so much less,” said Becker.

The answer, for now, is for students and other folks dining on campus to make best use of available options.

An online tool called MyTray is available for students hoping to maintain a healthy diet while dining on campus.

MyTray is updated daily with the nutrition facts of food served; students can check the calories in anything from a smoothie from Miami Ice to two tablespoons of stir fry sauce at Bell Tower.

“Anyone can look up the nutritional info for the food we serve here,” Knettel said. “If students need ways to keep a healthy and balanced diet, they should take advantage of the variety of options available as well as doing some research on MyTray and seeing how many calories are in the foods they are eating.”

Students agree that while it takes a bit more effort than they’d like, finding and planning healthy, wellportioned meals on campus is doable.

“Eating healthy can feel challenging, but trying to get vegetables in at every meal in some way, and avoiding the unhealthy pastries is a good place to start,” Becker said.

NEWS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

NEWS 3

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2015

Students create cooking show ‘World’s Table’ ENTERTAINMENT

LIAM MAZEIKA

THE MIAMI STUDENT

The minds and stomachs of both local and international students alike are about to be filled with a new student-created YouTube show, “World’s Table.” The show is focused on cooking and encouraging a dialogue between students of all origins.

The show will feature a different cuisine and a different chef every episode. The students who created “World’s Table,” juniors Annie Aldrich, Jing Long, Garth Herbert and senior Maxwell Shin, plan to quickly cover many different cultures as possible through their unique dishes.

Although the show just started, they plan to make it a regular feature next semester. The first episode, centered on Sichuan cooking, will act as a pilot to see if they will get funding for the rest of the season, which will be released next semester.

“World’s Table” began in a media production class, and it quickly gained popularity as a side project or student club, gathering students of many majors and cultures to work on it.

It was filmed in a set on campus, with a segment about professional cooking filmed at Sichuan Chili Restaurant in Cincinnati.

The chef at Sichuan Chili, Chef Chow, is originally from Sichuan, China, and came to Ohio to spread his cooking to more people.

The student chef on the show, senior Jing Tang, is an international student also from Sichuan.

On the show, she prepared boiled beef in spicy sauce.

“World’s Table” is viewable on both YouTube and Facebook.

Aldrich, the co-president and costar, said “World’s Table” will help people learn about other cultures and to get a glimpse at their daily lives through their kitchens.

“Obviously there’s not a show being produced at Miami that does that,” she said.

She said it will help to give a chance for students of all cultural backgrounds to discuss their differences and similarities and to bond over one common denominator — food.

Herbert, a media and culture and interactive media studies double major, is the “jack of all trades” for the show. As he has experience with the film studio, many people went to him for

JING LONG THE MIAMI STUDENT

Chef Jing Tang with the host Annie Aldrich on a recent episode of ‘World’s Table.‘ The food show was created by two Miami students and features a different cuisine and chef every episode. advice and help.

For the first episode, he was the primary cameraman.

Herbert hopes that “World’s Table” will help to heal any divide between the students.

“It feels like there’s a disconnect between the local and the international students,” he said.

He said he believes that food is something everyone can bond over, and that he wants to use it to bring students together.

Shin, another producer, was approached by one of the founders for help as they’re classmates.

At first, he was hesitant, as he

really didn’t know how it would all turn out, but he was very satisfied with the results. All the producers are.

The first episode, available now on “World’s Table’s” Facebook and YouTube pages, will be followed next semester by four to six more.

Greek organizations decorate houses for ‘Light Miami ranks among lowest Fight,’ raise money for local food pantry in ‘value of education’ GREEK LIFE

ALUMNI

MAGGIE THOMAS

SARAH EMERY

THE MIAMI STUDENT

THE MIAMI STUDENT

With the holidays quickly approaching, Christmas lights will soon cover the city of Oxford. Miami University’s Greek community will begin a competition today, to celebrate the holidays and raise money for a local food pantry.

In an effort to reach out to those less fortunate, the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity and the Alpha Phi sorority will host a house lighting competition, “Light Fight” between fraternities and sororities. The best-decorated house will be awarded and all money raised will go toward Oxford’s local food pantry, Oxford Community Choice Pantry.

Tau Kappa Epsilon and Alpha Phi invited the entire Greek community to participate in this event to raise money for the Oxford Community Choice Pantry. Each fraternity will partner with a sorority and work as a team to decorate the fraternity’s house in holiday lights.

“As we got closer to the holiday season, we thought, ‘Why not encourage something people do normally, add a philanthropy element with it, and with this we are raising money for the pantry,’” said Matthew Rigali, Tau Kappa Epsilon’s philanthropy chair. “The money will go to families right here in Oxford who aren’t regularly able to afford groceries.”

According to Rigali, participants will have three days to decorate their houses. The competition begins today, as participants will begin decorating. On Dec. 3, a panel of judges, including Greek organizations’ ad-

From the Princeton Review to the U.S. News and World Report, Miami University is often at the top of college rankings. However, a recent report from The Economist, a business and economics newspaper and journal ranked Miami 1,224 out of 1,275 schools for value of education.

This ranking puts Miami in the fourth percentile of schools. The Economist’s study used a multiple-regression analysis with the Department of Education’s college scorecard to track 1,275 fouryear universities to see if college graduates make as much as they could have if they had attended a different college.

According to the ranking, Miami graduates should be making $51,752 on average. However, it states that alumni are actually earning only $45,800 on average.

This stands in contrast to a university report on Miami alumni from 2013 and 2014, which stated 47 percent of alumni earn from $50,000 to $69,999 per year.

The Economist’s study included variables such as average SAT scores, sex ratio, race breakdown and subjects available.

“One of the things I found really interesting in the article was that they had a good discussion on opportunity and privilege,” said Miami statistics professor Lynette Hudiburgh.

She said the survey treated the data ethically and even used their formula to test other years with similar results.

FROM PARIS »PAGE 1

found out about the shootings when McCain’s friend texted her, checking in.

McCain said the attacks shocked her and her friends.

“It felt so unreal because it was a normal start of a weekend for us. We went out to dinner, we were walking around just trying to get our weekend started just as the victims were,” said McCain. “[It] was so crazy for us because people who fell victim to the attacks were people just like us who were just trying to go out on Friday after a week of school or work and do something fun.”

Their shock was increased by their proximity to the attacks. The students had eaten dinner in the 10th arrondisse-

JENNIFER MILLS THE MIAMI STUDENT

Miami’s Greek community will gather together today to start a house decorating competition, Light Fight. visers and university officials will decide who moves forward in the competition. Tau Kappa Epsilon and Alpha Phi are responsible for organizing the event, and will not compete in the house decorating.

To participate, each organization must pay a $100 fee. Local venues that have donated for the cause include Brick Street, The Wood’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, Insomnia Cookies, Apple Tree and CJ’s. Their goal is $5,000.

“I think that the event will be a huge success. We already have so many people sponsoring it and everyone is getting very excited,” said Maria Hoge, Alpha Phi’s philanthropy chair. “It’s a great way for everyone to come together for a good cause.”

ment where attacks occurred later that night, and their hostel room was only 10 minutes away from the Bataclan concert hall.

“We couldn’t believe what was happening — we were really relieved we weren’t in those spots at those exact times,” said McCain.

After the attacks, McCain and her fellow students were offered an option to return home early and still complete their Luxembourg courses for credit. As 11 academic days were left in the semester, the students would responsible for maintaining direct contact with Luxembourg faculty in order to complete their classes’ assignments and final exams.

McCain said she declined the option to return early.

Christy Flaherty, member of Pi Beta Phi, said she is thrilled to hear about this event.

“Tau Kappa Epsilon and Alpha Phi came up with an awesome idea, with great timing. It’s nice to think of those who are less fortunate than us, especially during the holiday season,” said Flaherty. “Decorating the fraternity houses with holiday lights will not only make the houses look pretty, but raise money to those who are less fortunate. This event makes me proud to say I am a part of Miami’s Greek community.”

Within the next few weeks, fraternity houses will be shining with holiday lights. This year the holiday lights will serve as more than just a decoration, but an act of service and generosity.

“I have to be on high alert, but what happened in Paris won’t stop me from living my life,” McCain said.

Assistant Provost Cheryl Young leads Global Initiatives, the campus center responsible for globally focused efforts and programming, including International Student & Scholar Services and Study Abroad.

According to Young, she, Provost Phyllis Callahan and other Global Initiatives members are currently discussing whether any winter term or spring term studying abroad programs through the university will be canceled.

“Our focus the past two weeks has been on our students in Paris and in Europe and in Luxembourg — the students who are there right

now, and we’re only now getting to the ‘what ifs’ for winter term,” said Young.

While currently the university has not canceled any winter term study abroad programs, this is subject to change as the Global Initiatives team examines and reviews each of the 38 winter term programs.

One of the criteria being considered in the review is the Worldwide Travel Alert issued by the U.S. Department of State on Nov. 23. Young said the alert warned about possible risk due to terrorist threats worldwide, not just in Europe.

“A lot of people are saying the need is specific to Europe; it is not — this is a worldwide alert,” said Young. “So we’re looking at all of our programs, not just the ones in

The Economist reports that the data used only includes people who applied for federal financial aid and only tracks salaries for 10 years after starting college. This can eliminate data for people with welloff parents or students who attend graduate school after graduation.

The most recent data for Miami shows that over 20 percent of students have parents who make over $250,000 per year. This is four percent higher than similar public universities. According to the 2013 CIRP Freshman Survey, incoming Miami students are less likely than students at similar universities to report concerns about paying for college.

The 2012 Miami University Alumni Survey stated that 26.1 percent of recent alumni and 14.5 percent of established alumni were enrolled in some form of university to earn a master’s or doctoral degree.

This could factor into the projected incomes for students 10 years after they started college. If they were still in school, they would not have reached their expected income.

Of recent alumni, including those were not currently employed, who took Miami’s 2012 Alumni Survey, most agreed their experiences at Miami helped them to develop problem solving skills, critical thinking skills and research skills.

Similarly, the study stated that almost 94 percent of alumni rated their entire experience at Miami as excellent or good.

Sophomore Kayla Carson has found her experience at Miami to be both rewarding and challenging,

Europe. We’re looking at programs in Washington D.C., New York City, Florida, San Francisco — this is a worldwide caution and it does include the United States.”

The team is also reviewing each program and assessing the risks each presents.

Junior Olivia Vandervoort was in Paris last winter term during the Charlie Hebdo shooting on Jan. 7. Vandervoort said that although the shooting scared her, she felt safe to stay in Paris after the attack.

“It was initially scary when there were still fugitives and we were locked down, but we were very certain that we were in good hands, and I sort of looked at it like it was something that could have happened anywhere,” said Vandervoort.

ALUMNI »PAGE 5

“I was in a very safe city, and I was going to be smart about what I was doing and not do anything unsafe; I just felt very safe and felt like the program was looking out for us.”

Young said she does not want students to study abroad if they feel unsafe. However, she hopes that students will not forfeit their goals due to fear.

“I think that what should guide your study abroad decision are your professional, personal and academic goals,” said Young. “You can’t predict what is going to happen on any given day, you can’t let fear guide where you go and what you do. In my opinion, you shouldn’t let fear guide where you choose to study abroad, it should be goals that decide where you study.”

4 CULTURE

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2015

Humans oƒ Oxford Erin Umek: Captain of concessions

PERELMBK@MIAMIOH.EDU

Santa Claus: When we learned the truth HOLIDAYS

PEOPLE

MEGAN BOWERS THE MIAMI STUDENT

KEVIN VESTAL

THE MIAMI STUDENT

It’s game day and Erin Umek is ready for battle. Two hours before the football team takes the field, Erin walks down the hill to Yager Stadium, flashes her lanyard at the gate and signs in at production.

While Erin was in high school marching band, her mother worked concession stands to pay for uniforms and fees. Now, in her senior year at Miami, it’s Erin’s turn to take charge.

Donning a stylish red apron, Erin divides money between four cash registers. Meanwhile, the rest of the concession staff trickles in, reporting for duty. Popcorn must be boxed and the soft pretzels aren’t going to salt themselves.

Erin’s ragtag army consists of Men’s Glee Club and Collegiate Chorale members. As Chorale’s president, it is Erin’s job to recruit enough members before games.

The faces may change each week, but Erin always makes sure things run smoothly.

She adopts a Russian accent as she greets some of the late arrivals. With setup complete, Erin assigns her crew to their battle stations as the concession stand’s metal doors roll open and a small line begins to form.

“Hi, what can I get for you?”

CONNOR MORIARTY PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

Erin asks.

“I’ll take a hot dog and … a Gatorade.”

“Red or blue?” Erin replies as the girl behind her reaches into the freezer.

Once the customer makes up their mind, Erin hands over their food and change before pointing them in the direction of the red condiment table. Seconds later, another hungry customer asks for nachos and candy.

Between orders, Erin and her crew sing and dance along to Beyoncé and the Backstreet Boys, not so subtly advertising for their upcoming winter concert.

While morale remains high, Erin’s supplies are dwindling. Nevertheless, the orders keep coming.

Just before the halftime rush, re-

inforcements arrive in the form of hot chocolate and several aluminum trays filled to the brim with hot dogs and pretzels.

At last, the third quarter is over and the concession stand closes its metal windows. The crew takes a break to chow down on leftover food before Erin gives the order to start cleaning up so they can go home.

The football team may not have been victorious today, but Erin earned a solid commission that will come in handy when her choir goes on tour in May. In the meantime, Erin returns to her apartment to lay down on the floor and enjoy a cup of tea, a relaxing contrast from the craziness at Yager Stadium.

Sharon Edwards — Nature lover

Warning: This article contains explicit information about Santa Claus and may or may not be appropriate for young children.

There comes a time in each of our lives when we realize Santa Claus is not a jolly man in a red suit with a white beard, but is, in fact, our own parents.

Some children make the discovery gradually. They recognize that the handwriting on their gifts from ‘Santa’ is the same on their other gifts, or they discover it is impossible for reindeer to fly.

However, there are others who need a trigger to finally accept the sad truth, leaving them with traumatizing stories about how their childhood came to an end.

October 2005 Sam Schultheis peers into the closet, pulling out a light blue sweater with silvery snowflakes scattered around it. Her older sister, Abbie, immediately reaches for it and declares it a keep, sticking it in the left pile behind them.

They take turns pulling out each sweater and debating whether it should go in the keep or donate pile.

Eventually, Abbie takes out a big red sweater with a Santa Claus face at the bottom.

Sam automatically says they have to keep this one for sure.

Santa is one of the biggest parts of Christmas, so they obviously need to hold onto it.

Abbie tells Sam she is ridiculous and quickly turns to their mom to ask why they’ve kept it for so long.

Sam’s thoughts begin to race.

“What do you mean why do we keep it?” she asks.

Abbie replies, saying, “Sam, he’s not even real.”

Sam’s eyes instantly grow huge and she looks up at her sister and mom, who are both frozen in place.

Once the realization sets in, she turns and runs to her room, hid-

ing under her blanket as the tears begin to form.

As her family comforts her, she vows to never buy anything Santa related again.

Early December 2006 Nick Romeo stands in the snow, waiting for the bus with a few of his friends.

Conversations about what people are doing over break and what they want for Christmas are all around them, but, as usual, Nick’s thoughts return to the topic of Santa Claus.

He runs through the usual debate, weighing the idea that traveling all around the world in one night has to be impossible with the fact that his family has actually tracked Santa’s journey online before.

He tunes back in just as one of his friends says, “I have Santa’s phone number.”

Another chimes in saying, “Oh yeah, me too. It’s my mom’s phone number.”

Nick asks, “What?” before he can stop himself.

“Yeah, Santa isn’t real,” his friend responds.

“What are you talking about?”

“You know it’s your mom and dad right?”

All of Nick’s thoughts rush together as he lets the realization settle in.

“Well, I do now,” he says.

Everyone around him continues to joke, listing random 330 numbers that obviously belong to their parents.

As Nick laughs along, he realizes he really did know already. Everything about Santa seemed impossible. He realizes he was just trying to hold onto the last sliver of hope and keep the Christmas spirit alive.

Late December 2007 Casey Fawcett sits at the kitchen table playing on the computer — signs of Christmas all around her.

Their tree still stands in the living room. The lights still hang outside. Piles of new toys and clothes still sit on the table waiting to be SANTA »PAGE 9

‘Spotlight’ shines bright on church scandal FILM CONNOR MORIARTY PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

PEOPLE

PHOEBE MYERS

THE MIAMI STUDENT

Sharon Edwards can be a hard woman to reach. She doesn’t own a cell phone, can only hear the landline from two spots in her house, and only checks her e-mail twice a day. Her email address ends in @Roadrunner.com.

You might have a better chance finding her outdoors.

“Where we lived, as a kid, was woods and farm fields so I mean we played outside,” she says. “It’s not like today when you go home and you put yourself into some kind of computer thing, you know we were outside a lot.”

Sharon, an Oxford native, fell in love with nature early on. She was fascinated with the rocks in her grandparents’ gravel driveway and made the most of her rural

home.

“There weren’t many kids in my neighborhood so I had more animal friends than people friends,” says Sharon.

She followed her love of nature through schooling, and was further inspired when she met naturalist Larry Henry at Hueston Woods and decided to volunteer there.

“At that point in time they didn’t care if you were only 12 years old,” Sharon says. “You could volunteer without a whole bunch of legal stuff. Now you have to be 21, and sign your life away for it.”

She worked as a naturalist and camp counselor at Glen Helen, a nature preserve in Yellow Springs, Ohio. In 1994, she wanted to reach even more kids than she already was, and created the nonprofit, Environmental Mobile Unit (EMU).

EMU has a wide set of programs for kindergarteners through sixth graders. Essentially, Edwards gets into her car and drives to a school nearby, and has a hands-on lesson prepared for lucky students in a certain classroom. First graders might investigate feathers, and fifth graders might conduct pollution tests on local water samples.

Edwards is the sole naturalist working for EMU at this time, getting in her car and leading up to 400 programs a year. Some kids are afraid to sit on the grass, and ask for hand sanitizer when they touch something muddy. Sometimes the hours can seem long.

A little boy came up to her once and said, disgusted, “I don’t like nature.” Then he smiled, and followed it with, “I LOVE nature!”

Other times, the hours aren’t so bad.

The selfie study abroad experience MARY SCHROTT

THE MIAMI STUDENT

I’ve been to several countries now, (attempted to) communicate in different languages, made one or two hostel beds, spent more money than expected because of currency exchange, tried and loved new foods, cozied up on train station/airport floors, brushed my teeth in a public bathroom, written a Yelp review and shamelessly taken touristy selfies.

If you know me, you know that

I’m not the biggest selfie supporter. A silly picture here or there, sure, but cropping out the top of the Eiffel Tower in order to get your head in the frame seems a little counterintuitive.

With all the travel I’ve been doing this fall I’ve seen a lot of selfies taken, mostly on sticks too. And I’ve watched people arrive at tourist monuments only to immediately turn their back to take a picture of their own face.

Though this makes me slightly

uncomfortable, I’m not saying I don’t take pictures when traveling.

In fact, I’m all for it, go nuts! Pictures are wonderful to capture the beauty of a place you’ve never seen before, the smile of a friend laughing at an inside joke, the food that may be overpriced but definitely worth it, the street performer you have spent a minute too long looking at, the thing that you think your sister would like to see, the beach TRAVEL »PAGE 9

JACK RYAN

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

“Spotlight,” the story of the eponymous Boston Globe investigative team and their 2001 uncovering of the Catholic Church’s infamous sexual abuse scandal, is a brilliant film that tackles a sensitive topic with the empathy, sincerity and humanity it deserves.

“Spotlight” follows the Spotlight team — consisting of Walter “Robby” Robinson (Michael Keaton), Mike Rezendes (Mark Ruffalo), Sacha Pfeiffer (Rachel McAdams), and Matt Carroll (Brian d’Arcy James). They are originally assigned to follow up on sexual abuse allegations toward a priest in the Boston area, at the behest of new editor, Marty Baron (Liev Schreiber).

At first, this seems like a purely anecdotal discovery, but, before long, Spotlight begins to discover more cases of molestation by priests. The team wants to publish their limited findings immediately, but Marty insists they wait — they have to aim for the system, not the man, he says, lest their investigation get swept under the rug.

Slowly but gradually, Spotlight discovers evidence that not only implicates the church, but also various others in conspiracy of these acts. While priests physically, mentally and spiritually scar these innocent children, there are also lawyers who protect the priests for their own profit and churches that lie about the incidents and ‘rehabilitation.’

The scope of corruption is without comparison — there is an entire archdiocese of crime and deception that the Spotlight team

aims to unveil.

Director Tom McCarthy manages to elicit a multitude of intense performances, most notably that of Mark Ruffalo, who depicts Rezendes as both a comfortably anxious and unbeatably passionate man in restless search of justice.

Michael Keaton continues his modern renaissance by creating an understated, but nonetheless impactful, performance as Robby.

Both Brian d’Arcy James and Rachel McAdams add strong acts to their respective résumés, as well.

The surprise among the bunch, however, is Liev Schreiber of “Ray Donovan” fame, who plays entirely off-type as the quiet, reticent Marty Baron.

What ultimately makes “Spotlight” a captivating powerhouse is the wide array of convincing minor characters — be they litigators, cardinals or victims — that sit across from the “Spotlight” team. As a whole, they create a cinematic Bostonian experience unlike that of recent film, trading hyper-violence and overdone accents for a feeling of widespread community and emotion.

Set on the precipice of the infinite Internet archives and periodicals we now take for granted, “Spotlight” also offers itself as a grittily romantic swan-song to the toils of archivists and print journalists. The Spotlight team spends countless hours searching, hand checking and cross-examining the documents and texts that litter the frame.

The filmmaking in “Spotlight” is deceivingly simple, with director Tom McCarthy relying heavily on conventional shot-reverse-shots SPOTLIGHT »PAGE 9

WWW.MIAMISTUDENT.NET

5

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2015

FROM ASSAULT »PAGE 1

offenses.

But beyond the kissing, Jane didn’t want anything else to happen.

“He had asked me to do things before, and I had said no,” she wrote, “and he had kept pressuring me to do things, and I had said no, no, no.”

In his bed on this particular night, he asked her again. She relented, because she “was tired of him asking.”

But when he asked to perform oral sex, she said, “No, you are not doing that.” He did it anyway. She pushed him away, and he fell asleep.

John does not have a different version of this story because he can’t remember any of it — only Jane “joining him in bed” at some point, according to his 55-page lawsuit.

John says he was “blacked out.”

The next day, he apologized “a ton” about what happened. Jane, in her statement for OESCR, said she forgave him and wanted to be friends. Her texts to John around 11 p.m. reflect that.

Jane: “You know I’m not mad at you right” John: “I know Everyone else is mad at me.”

John: “Im sorry about everything [Jane] I truly am.”

Jane: “I know, I’m not mad. I’m just upset about it” John: “So am I That’s not me Im disgusted with myself.”

John had asked her not to tell anyone what happened, but it was too late. Jane had already told two friends.

One of those friends told their Resident Assistant (RA) in Stonebridge Hall. And when the RA contacted her supervisors, and expressed concern that the allegations might cause John to harm himself, the university took over.

None of the principals in this story FROM RESTROOMS »PAGE 1

request that you leave the room immediately.”

Nelson said there are approximately 70 single-stall restrooms on campus. These

would agree to be interviewed. Factual details and quotations are drawn entirely from court records and testimony.

In the following days, things moved quickly. John was called to a meeting with Mike Curme, dean of students. Curme, who declined to comment for this story, told John he was not to contact Jane or come within 150 feet of her. The same day, John began to see a psychologist.

Over the next week, John “experienced depression, anxiety and isolation” as other students began to gossip. The same friend who talked to the RA had also told “myriad others” that John had sexually assaulted Jane, according to John’s lawsuit.

John’s psychologist recommended he take a medical leave of absence from Miami and return home to Connecticut. Curme approved the leave on Sept. 24, the day after OESCR staff notified John that they were aware of the sexual assault allegation.

In the weeks that followed, John had several meetings with OESCR. After an Oct. 7 hearing, where John was found responsible for violating Section 103 (Sexual Misconduct) of the Student Code of Conduct, he was suspended through May 2015.

John appealed the suspension first to the director of the University Appeals Board, Rose Marie Ward. She rejected his request on Nov. 11. Ward declined to comment.

John appealed a second and final time to Jayne Brownell, the vice president for student affairs.

Brownell rejected his appeal, but reduced his suspension to Jan. 23, 2015. Brownell did not respond to requests for comment.

Although John has been allowed to return to Miami since the start of the Spring 2015 semester, he has chosen to remain at home in Connecticut, where, according to his lawsuit, he

however may be difficult to find, such as single-stall restrooms attached to an office, or they may not have a sign specifically labeling it as allgender.

With limited access to

“continues to receive treatment for psychological and emotional trauma” caused by the defendants.

John’s attorney, Eric Rosenberg, filed John’s suit in U.S. District Court in Cincinnati on Sept. 17, 2015 — almost a year to the day since John’s troubles began — claiming that Miami discriminated against John on the basis of his gender and violated his right to due process.

The suit names Miami University and six individual defendants, including Jane; Ward; Brownell; Susan Vaughn, the director of OESCR; and Alana Van Gundy-Yoder and Steven Elliot, two Miami professors who heard John’s case on the administrative hearing panel. It identifies the two key players as John and Jane Doe, seeking to protect their privacy.

Miami hired Doreen Canton of Taft, Stettinius & Hollister, a major Cincinnati-based law firm, to represent the university in the lawsuit.

Robin Parker, Miami’s general counsel, provided an email statement on behalf of Miami.

“We deny the claims in this lawsuit and will vigorously defend the university and the faculty and staff named in the lawsuit,” Parker said.

“Miami University’s student disciplinary process is designed to hold individuals accountable for their behavior in a manner that assures a fair and impartial process and respects the integrity of all involved.”

“In [this] case … the accused had legal counsel, had the opportunity to object to any member of the hearing panel, and received a full and fair hearing,” she said. With these measures in place, and after two appeals, John was repeatedly found responsible for his actions.

On Nov. 17, Miami asked the District Court to dismiss the suit. The court has yet to rule on that request, John’s legal complaints are multi-

all-gender bathrooms, transgender students and students with non-conforming gender identities face health concerns because they may not go to the bathroom for the majority of the day, leading

faceted and many, but his main argument is that Miami violated his Title IX and due process rights.

Title IX is a federal law that prohibits gender discrimination in education. John says Miami broke the law by conducting a gender-biased disciplinary process and sexual assault investigation.

“In my case … the university has gone far beyond the original intent of Title IX and has ignored the evidence in order to bolster its Title IX record . . . to my great detriment,” John wrote in his appeal to Brownell. He suggested the university had cracked down on sexual assault cases to protect its federal funding.

John argues that Van Gundy-Yoder’s presence on the OESCR hearing panel biased the proceedings against him because she has published works on feminist theory. Miami rebutted the claim by saying John was given the names of the panelists, including Van Gundy-Yoder, two days before the hearing, with the option of objecting to their involvement in his case.

John also argues that, because he was intoxicated on Sept. 14, he “lacked the capacity to consent [to sexual activity] because he was incapacitated by alcohol.” Miami, in response, cited several prior court decisions that rejected such arguments.

“Plaintiff never complained that he was sexually assaulted by Jane Doe,” Miami’s attorney wrote in its motion to dismiss. “Rather, he attempted to use his own intoxication as a defense to his actions.”

Further, Miami says John’s version of what happened between him and Jane is “one-sided.” For example, the complaint dramatically downplays Jane’s persistence in saying “no” to John’s sexual advances on Sept. 14.

John also believes he was denied his due process rights. He says that early in the disciplinary process, he

to increased risk of kidney infections and urinary tract infections, Nelson said.

Nelson said some students may also stop eating and drinking so they do not have to use the restroom.

The unavailability of a restroom may also hinder students’ focus in class, as they may focus instead on the need to relieve themselves, Nelson said.

Apicella said while he FROM HARPER »PAGE 10

Maggie Grady, Unfinished Narratives, 2015

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ers uncomfortably glanced at me.

I worked three more Nationals games, and none of my interactions with Harper were any less intimidating.

But my last day covering the team, July 20, is the memory that sticks with me.

The boy handed Harper a crinkled piece of printer paper. Sprawling handwriting covered more than half the page.

“Oh man, this guy’s got a whole list here,” Harper said with a chuckle.

He lifted the paper for the small group of families and children. “Do you guys see this?”

Harper ran through every question.

FROM BASKETBALL »PAGE 10

2-point victory in front of a crowd of 209 people.

MU finished the game 23-of-60 from the field, while Morehead State went 24-of-64. Aside from RichFROM ALUMNI »PAGE 3

something she thinks she wasn’t totally prepared for as a high school senior.

“I would tell myself as a high school senior to not be afraid to cast a wide net and look at schools you’ve never heard of,” said Carson. “I really only applied to four universities, two of which I knew for a fact I wouldn’t go to … I would’ve told myself to be more open about different possibilities.”

Carson pointed out that there are some aspects of Miami that are unique and that she values, while

was not informed he could have an attorney, and that Jane was allowed more time to prepare witnesses, supporting evidence and written statements for the hearing than he was given.

To these, Miami says he was advised about the attorney, and that the university is required to provide special accommodations to alleged victims of sexual assault.

In its 33-page motion to dismiss the case, Miami disputes John’s arguments, one by one, “for failure to set forth facts or legal claims … sufficient to state a claim against these defendants upon which relief may be granted.”

Additionally, John says Jane maliciously defamed him by telling others he had sexually assaulted her, which intentionally caused him emotional distress.

Jane hired a separate attorney, Danny Caudill, who requested extra time to respond to John’s complaint.

He said the 21-day extension, which ends next Tuesday, Dec. 8, is justified because Jane and John “are currently discussing settlement options and the extension will permit [them] to complete that discussion.”

The nature of these settlement options, and the reason Jane sought her own counsel, are unknown. At the time of publication, Caudill could not be reached for comment.

If U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett does not dismiss the lawsuit, John has several desired outcomes.

He requests that a jury hear his case, that his disciplinary record be expunged and that the university award him $75,000 in damages.

Elliot and Rosenberg were among those who declined to comment for this story. John’s roommate, Brownell, Van Gundy-Yoder and Vaughn did not respond to requests for comment.

does not think he is not being deliberately discriminated against, a lack of allgender restrooms damages the transgender community as he feels there is not a safe space for him to meet a basic human need.

“When you have the ability to make a change for the better and yet you do not do so, it’s damaging to the community,” Apicella said. “It makes you feel like, ‘I don’t

belong here because I can’t find a restroom, I can’t find representation.’”

Apicella said many people don’t realize the broader implications of something as basic as using the restroom.

“If it is such a small thing that people think it is, then just change it,” Apicella said.

“You’re not doing any harm by changing it and it will do a lot more good.”

“Favorite TV show?

That’s a tough one. Right now, it’s gotta be Orange is the New Black.”

His crowd laughed. He continued giving genuine answers to each star-struck kid.

Harper looked each child in the eyes and engaged in conversations, regardless of how trivial the topic. He signed their countless hats, balls, jerseys, shirts, tickets, you name it — without a single sigh or roll of the eye. He obliged to individual pictures and group pictures.

Eventually, the public relations director alerted the group it was time for Harper to leave. Some children heaved an audible groan of disappointment.

Harper waved goodbye, thanked the families for

coming and headed for the door. Before he could exit, a mother grabbed his arm.

“Just a picture please?” she pleaded.

Harper immediately jumped toward the woman’s young son and put his muscled arm around the boy’s shoulders. Both smiled for the camera.

It was as if Harper didn’t want to leave.

The baseball star’s selfappointed task — to bring back the popularity of MLB — is a big one. It fuels his desire to display his fiery confidence and punk attitude in order to achieve that.

But the real Harper, the one who exudes empathy and modesty when the cameras are turned away, is the Harper I’ll remember.

ter, another RedHawk who stood out was McDonagh, who finished with 10 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three steals.

Levering totaled nine points, seven rebounds and three blocks, while Ford

finished with eight points and four rebounds.

The ’Hawks tip off against Valparaiso University at 8 p.m. Wednesday in Oxford, Ohio.

there are also some issues on campus that she finds frustrating. She believes that her college decision would have been tougher if she knew then what she knew now.

While Carson’s decision might have changed, sophomore Gabriela DiCristoforo believes she still would have chosen Miami if she made her decision again today.

“I chose Miami because it had a lot of options for majors and for food. It was close to home and it was a good size — not too big and not too small,” said DiCristoforo. “It would take a lot

for me to have gone to a different school. All the stuff I came here for is still true. I didn’t look out of state, so I guess that could’ve changed things if I had.”

Hudiburgh wants students to remember that rankings do not necessarily show for someone’s true college experience.

“You have to remember that correlation does not necessarily imply causation,” said Hudiburgh.

“There are lots of wonderful things about Miami that you can’t get elsewhere and that can’t be factored into an algorithm.”

6 OPINION

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2015

EDITORIAL@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

On Black Friday, less money spent in stores means more time with families EDITORIAL

Can we not be content with what we have for one moment? Toss a football around outside with your siblings or cousins. Sit and have a cup of coffee with your grandpa.

Start a card game with your relatives. Spend the day doing real, human activities.

Or is the shopping craze of Black Friday the most accurate reflection of our values as a society? The day after giving thanks for what we have — the only day of the year we designate to do so — we go right back to thinking about ourselves, and how much more we want and need, how much more we can buy.

Sometimes we don’t even wait until the next morning, as more and more stores are opening their doors in the early evening hours of Thanksgiving day. This phenomenon is forcing employees away from dining room tables at their relatives’ homes, and into work,

The following piece, written by the editorial editors, reflects the majority opinion of the editorial board. where they will spend their holiday faking smiles and asking, “Would you like your receipt with you or in the bag?”

However, this year marked a change, as Black Friday in-store sales nationwide decreased. RetailNext, an analytics firm, reported that the overall number of customers shopping dropped 1.5 percent, and the average spending per customer fell 1.4 percent. There were fewer shoppers, and those who showed up spent less.

It may not be that Black Friday is becoming less popular. It may just be that stores or companies have made it easer to avoid the physical act of shopping. A lot of Black Friday deals start earlier in the week, and a lot of the hassle can be avoided by shopping online.

This is supported by a survey released by the National Retail Federation, which re-

ported more people shopped online than in brick-and-mortar stores this weekend.

In-store shopping is decreasing in popularity, not only because of the ease of online purchasing, but also because consumers can find good deals year-round at outlet stores and online sites like Sierra Trading Post, Overstock.com and The Clymb.

Or maybe people are getting tired of being bombarded by a steady stream of emails, starting weeks out from Thanksgiving and advertising “SHOP NOW!” They don’t want to interrupt their holiday gathering to trek out to the nearest superstore to dig through piles of DVDs searching for the last copy of “The Fault in Our Stars.” They are forgoing waiting in a three-hour line just so they can triumphantly exit a store with the newest high-definition

television or a $5 toaster.

Instead, maybe they want to be present and enjoy one holiday before moving on to the next. Many people complain that commercial businesses “rush the season,” putting Halloween items out in late August, and Christmas decorations out the day after Halloween.

Why are we always looking to the future? Can’t we be content with what is happening right now?

This morning, The New York Times reported MasterCard estimated shoppers bought more on Dec. 23 last year than on Black Friday, likely in a late scramble for Christmas gifts.

We would like to believe this decrease in Black Friday in-store purchases is a signal of a cultural shift, a societal rejection of the consumer circus that is Black Friday.

Shoppers are getting smarter.

They are researching first, to make an informed decision about what they need and why they need it. They are venturing out only for the most important items, which can benefit everyone. Less in-store traffic means shoppers can get in and out faster. Fewer people means less stress for employees and a more enjoyable experience for everyone.

Black Friday can be a good thing — who doesn’t like to get a head start on their holiday shopping, and save a few bucks doing so? It’s when we let the chaos of buying more goods overshadows the true reason for the holiday that it becomes problematic.

Our singular humanistic holiday should go beyond the money people spend, the goods they consume and the blind fury in which they do it.

Structural problems are behind bad cops in U.S. iHate: Tech obsession leads to a dehumanized U.S. population ACTIVISM

MILAM’S MUSINGS

BRETT MILAM COLUMNIST

Policing in America doesn’t have a “bad apple” problem, but rather a rotten apple tree problem.

No case better represents that than the Laquan McDonald shooting in Chicago on Oct. 2014, which only recently came to light.

Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke was charged Nov. 24, 2015 with firstdegree murder for shooting McDonald 16 times within 15 seconds.

McDonald reportedly had PCP in his system and used a knife with a 4-inch blade to slash the tires of a squad car when he encountered officers, and then he walked away. Van Dyke was on the scene for 30 seconds when he opened fire, emptying his clip. In the released dashcam video, bullets can be seen going into McDonald’s prone body when he’s on the ground.

Without the video and with only the officer’s assertion that McDonald had lunged at him with the knife, the shooting narrative was self-defense. Even more perverse, the official story said McDonald only suffered a single gunshot wound to the chest.

This is not uncommon. The Independent Police Review Authority in Chicago has found only one police shooting in the last five years to be unjustified. Or put another way, that’s almost 400 shootings considered justified.

In April of this year, the Chicago City Council approved a $5 million settlement to McDonald’s relatives, but who pays for that?

Not Chicago’s Fraternal Order of Police. Not Van Dyke. Chicago taxpayers pay the pleasego-away-and-shut-up-aboutthis money.

That’s quite the perverse system to deter wrongdoing.

In a conference call with the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel echoed the inane sentiments behind “one bad apple.”

“One individual needs to be held accountable. They need to be held accountable for what they’ve done,” Emanuel said.

But what about the other five police officers also on the scene with Van Dyke that knew McDonald didn’t lunge and that it wasn’t one gunshot? What about the higher-ups in the department that surely saw the dashcam video? What about Emanuel himself? What about the individuals that reportedly deleted a Burger King surveillance video of the shooting?

The question remains: with the existence of that abhorrent dash-

cam video, why did it take 13 months to charge Van Dyke?

Within two weeks of Sam DuBose being shot, officer Raymond Tensing was charged with murder and the body camera video was released. In Chicago, it took a city whistleblower, two freelance journalists, a Freedom of Information Act request, and a court order to arrive at a semblance of justice.

As the Chicago Tribune pointed out in a searing editorial board piece, there’s also inexplicably no audio in the dashcam video.

Four more dashcam videos released also had no audio.

At every level of this incident, from the officers on the scene all the way to Mayor Emanuel, nobody seemed interested in getting to the truth of the matter.

Van Dyke had 15 complaints against him and the city already shelled out $500,000 to settle one such complaint.

Complaints involved hurling racial epithets to manhandling suspects and pointing his gun at an arrestee without justification. None of those resulted in any disciplinary action against Van Dyke.

Why does an officer like that remain on the police force with a gun?

Unfortunately, there has to be a side conversation about McDonald, as there always is in these police killings.

McDonald at the time of his death was a ward of the state.

On that night, he was allegedly trying to break into vehicles in a trucking yard.

If you’re looking for the perfect victim, you’re doing it wrong.

Why, when an officer with a history of complaints, having been charged with firstdegree murder for shooting someone 16 times and then the city of Chicago having tried to cover it up, is the onus on what McDonald was doing?

Why is his bullet-riddled body on trial instead of all the aforementioned? According to a Chicago Sun-Times report, McDonald was allegedly sexually molested in two different foster homes, which was after being removed twice from his mother’s care over abuse allegations from her boyfriend.

But his actions on that night erase any prior context of his life and make him less worthy of justice since he wasn’t a perfect victim.

Walter Scott ran away; Sam Dubose had a broken taillight and tried to drive away; John Crawford had a Walmart gun inside a Walmart within an open-carry state; Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old kid, played with a toy gun; Eric Garner sold loose cigarettes and resisted arrest; none of these ought to be death sentences, nor extinguish our empathy and need for justice.

There are mechanisms in place to protect rogue cops until they

finally do something too outlandish to ignore, even though Chicago tried its damndest to ignore this one for as long as they could.

Unfortunately, the narratives that swirl around police violence make it harder to solve that problem.

Narratives like that of the bad apple or that of the perfect victim.

That of, “What about black-onblack crime?” That of, “Whites are shot more by the police.” That of, “Black Lives Matter didn’t care about 6-year-old Jeremy David Mardis’ death in Louisiana by two black police officers.”

Here’s a quick rundown of why these narratives are ridiculous: Blacks tend to live with other blacks and whites tend to live with other whites; ergo, the perpetrator and the victim in homicide cases tend to be of the same race.

Of course more white people are killed by the police because there are far more white people in the United States than there are black people. The point has always been the disproportionality, i.e., as a rate of their population, black people are disproportionately killed by the police and specifically in instances where the victim was unarmed.

Police killings of black people make up a small number compared to the likelihood of a black person being killed by another black person, but I offer two important points: 1.) At the height of lynchings in the United States, a black person was still more likely to be killed by a fellow black person, but does this change the abhorrence of lynchings? 2.)

State-sanctioned killing is different than regular homicide, especially when there are clearly mechanisms in place to protect that state-sanctioned killing.

Black Lives Matter individuals, like Deray McKesson used their influential reach on social media to talk about the Mardis killing.

But there’s one important difference in his case, which explains why there weren’t protests over his death by BLM: the officers involved were charged almost instantly. Swift justice has not been the case of Rice, for example.

But remove race from the McDonald shooting. Conservative types and others still don’t appear to have an interest in addressing the abundant systemic failures that a.) allowed Van Dyke to remain as a police officer and b.) covered up a 17-year-old being shot 16 times.

It’s not just that too many people want to overlook the race component, but that too many people also want to overlook the structures in place that protect bad cops.

Just like Mayor Emanuel, they’re all too quick to want to pass this off as an isolated incident.

MILAMBC@MIAMIOH.EDU

TECHNOLOGY

REIS’ PIECES

REIS THEBAULT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Another hit, another drag, another drink. Yeah, that all sounds familiar. But, what about another “yak,” another text, another tweet?

Technology addiction is real.

And, at Miami University, we have a lot of junkies.

They don’t keep their problem in the dark, either.

They aren’t holed up in an iDen, sleeping on a stained mattress and obsessively checking news feeds and timelines, keyboards and styluses strewn about.

They’re just walking around campus. They’re texting, they’re sharing, they’re “liking,” but, no matter what they’re doing, it just can’t wait. So, they do it while they walk, ignoring their surroundings and immersing themselves in a digitized, online world.

This obsession is everywhere. On Spring Street and Slant Walk, technology has students dodging cars, bikers and other pedestrians.

Please, humor me. For one cross campus traverse, keep your phone in your pocket and your headphones out of your ears.

Then, look up. Observe how unique you are in this regard.

This isn’t just anecdotal, either. There is actual evidence of addictive tendencies associated with technology use.

In a University of Maryland study, 200 college kids gave up all media for 24 hours (that in itself is worthy of headlines). After their time spent unplugged, these students expressed feelings similar to those present in cases of drug and alcohol withdrawal.

Researchers noted signs of anxiety, craving and an inability to function well.

In the past several years, smartphones, MP3 players and tablets have been infiltrating college campuses, from sidewalks to classrooms, diverting attention and providing a quick dump of dopamine.

And, as if all that weren’t enough to keep us stimulated, there is now something else.

Brought to you by Apple, the harbinger of technological or-

gasm: The Apple Watch.

And ‘tis the season, right? The Apple Watch isn’t new, but Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the whirlwind of holiday sales and ploys have reinvigorated Apple Watch sales.

At a price tag as steep as $17,000, it’s coming to the wrists of the moneyed addicts near you.

And why? Why chip away at the last vestiges of attention spans that are shrinking faster than the polar ice caps?

Why does everything have to be smart? Phones, TVs, cars, and now jewelry? Is society so hooked that every household item must be able to notify? Will we soon be able to retweet from our toasters? It is a futile battle against red badge notifications, and the Apple Watch is leveling the latest attack.

The worst part is people are totally complicit in this. They’re letting themselves become strung out and they don’t even know it.

In a review of the Apple Watch, tech site The Verge wrote, “It is designed to participate in nearly every moment of your day” and “It knows when you’re wearing it. You can talk to it. You can poke it — and it can poke back.”

What the hell?

In praise even more frightening, a New York Times reviewer wrote, “The Watch became something like a natural extension of my body — a direct link, in a way that I’ve never felt before, from the digital world to my brain.”

Yeah, that’s exactly the problem. There is hardly any room left to be utilitarian. And sure, no one is being forced to outfit themselves in Apple’s spring line of technological opiates, but the fact that people do it anyway is a problem. It’s providing another outlet for addiction.

My biggest fear is someone approaching me on the sidewalk, phone in one hand, watch on the other wrist, two eyes on their devices, and no regard for our imminent collision.

If you’re not going to tear your eyes away to observe our campus in all its Frostian wonder, then at least put your phones in your pocket for the sake of your fellow students. And, look up, because you’re about to run into me.

THEBAURG@MIAMIOH.EDU

TMS ONLINE M I A M I S T U D E N T. N E T

EDITORIAL@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

OPINION 7

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2015

The art of putting things off: Finding adventure through procrastination LIFE

GRAHAM VON CARLOWITZ GUEST WRITER

The other night I found myself on the Wikipedia page of a small village in Illinois — Ridgeway was its name. Don’t feel bad if you haven’t heard of it. Ridgeway needs only 72 more residents to achieve the mark of a whopping 1000 citizens (they’re so close).

My trek to this seemingly invisible town in southeast Illinois, though, can be explained with one word: procrastination (or, in five words, a well-timed curiosity of popcorn).

Ridgeway was once the self-proclaimed popcorn capital of the world, a fact I rejoice over knowing. While my motif analysis should have been my priority, sometimes I just can’t help myself.

In some cases, procrastinating is simply me living in the moment, a carpe diem attitude that can culminate in obscure population statistics from time to time. In other cases, it has left me searching frantically for a ride home.

Halloween this year took a back seat to my brother’s wedding (the second of its kind this

fall), and seeing as though I got to the first one in upstate New York with relative ease, I thought it only natural to be lazy about finding a ride to Cleveland. Like my papers of the past, I figured the task would complete itself.

That is, until I was reminded that the papers completed themselves only after a five-hour craze with alternating intervals of incredible progress and unrelenting meltdowns, when I would think to myself “I’ll never procrastinate again!” Nonsense. It always works out.

In the case of the wedding, my ticket home was punched by the grace of a freshman-year friend, merely hours before my promised arrival time, and was well worth the wait.

We drove for two hours straight without incident, unless counting cornfields can be conceived as something more than torture.

Then the excitement in our drive piled up like heavy snow does overnight.

First, the tire blew out; it failed to exist, in other words. Next, we waited for a few hours, contemplating far-fetched game show names (like “Would a Bunny Eat That?”) and the tow-truck man’s appearance, among other things. Not only was the wait fast-forwarded thanks to the hilarious diets of bunnies, but

also our tower (that is, he who tows) blew away our expectations.

His head gleaming in the freeway lights, our tower stood tall like a tower and sported a waterfall of facial hair reaching his belt

In some cases, procrastination is simply me living in the moment.

buckle. I wouldn’t go so far as to say he conjured the image of a bald Jesus. However, he did come to save us bearing a haloed head, provided us with milk and honey … and McDonald’s, and concluded by saying he would come again (though that may have been a polite way of offering his help if future troubles arise).

I do concede that procrastination is not always appropriate. Spoiled milk and successful bear attacks, now those come from a senseless application of the waiting tactic. The dubbing of the hamstring?

Come on, the person who was assigned to name that muscle waited until the last second and came up with one of the more perplexing muscular terms.

Or take, for example, Jack Torrance, the main character of Stephen King’s ‘The Shining.’ While some argue that bearing the mental anvil of isolation led to Jack’s “demise” (or psychotic, murderous rampage), to me it’s quite obvious that the strain of misused procrastination maneuvers made Jack a dull boy.

There’s a certain art in putting things off, and talking to ghosts doesn’t seem to fit the mold, Jack.

To those who already qualify as experts in feeding the furnace of their active minds, high five, chest bump, whatever makes your boat float. Woe betides those who haven’t quite found the way, the correct path of procrastination.

May you learn to wean off your predictable paths and practice a form of patience. Temporize, tarry, take your time, and you, too, may discover the towns Wikipedia cares about.

VONCARGH@MIAMIOH.EDU

Trump, Myanmar’s 969 Movement and Islamophobia GLOBAL

A RELUCTANT ROYAL

GRETCHEN SHELBY COLUMNIST

“They’re bringing crime, they’re rapists.”

“They would like to occupy our country, but I won’t let them.”

“If I win, they’re going back.”

“President Barack Obama has been tainted by black Muslim blood.”

What do the above remarks have in common?

Xenophobia, Islamophobia and the questioning of President Obama’s religious affiliation are certainly obvious. One might even assume that the same person said them.

The above quotes could easily be mistaken for presidential candidate Donald Trump and his outlandish, xenophobic attitudes.

Of the four quotes: one statement was made by Trump alone, another is a shared sentiment, and two are actually quotes taken from the leader of Myanmar’s ‘969 Movement,’ Ashin Wirathu, who has also been called the ‘Buddhist Osama bin Laden.’

There exists a fine line between what is said and what is acted upon, and while each man is afforded freedom of speech, the plight facing Myanmar’s Muslim Rohingya people is inexcusable and the actions of Wirathu should not be taken lightly.

Perhaps a symptom of the post-9/11 era, the discrimination and violence against Muslims across the globe has gone widely unaddressed by the international community.

From Palestine to Syria to Myanmar, these human beings are faced with the prospect of being sold into modern-day slavery, living in poverty as a refugee or dying at home.

Following an outburst of violent riots between June and October 2012, the Rakhine State of western Myanmar experienced significant increases in ethnic tensions between the Muslim Rohingya and the Buddhist Rakhine.

According to Genocide Watch, the resulting destruction of communities and villages resulted in the internal displacement of over 140,000 and 200 deaths.

Over the past three years, news of this type of violence has become commonplace. Both Rohingya and Rakhine have been placed into internally displaced people (IDP) camps, but there are significant differences between the quality of life experienced in each.

Rakhine are allowed access to basic education and health care while enjoying both freedom of religion and freedom of move-

ment throughout the territory. In contrast, Rohingya are frequently denied these most basic rights on the basis that they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

Despite linguistic evidence dating back to 1799 by British-colonial scientist Francis Hamilton-Buchanan, and more recent anthropological evidence from Australian National University, the Burmese government chooses to deny the Rohingya recognition as an ethnic minority of the state. As a result, they have been barred from obtaining citizenship of any kind and are rendered stateless.

With no jobs and no money, these refugees are limited to those states nearest them. Like the Syrians to Europe, many are choosing to flee Myanmar via dangerous human trafficking routes through the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. Following WWII, the U.N. created the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol, effectively defining the term ‘refugee’ and the rights of those deemed stateless.

There are only two signatories in this part of the world: Cambodia and China.

Non-refoulement is a basic tenet of the 1967 Protocol, but those states that have not adopted the treaty are not obligated to recognize this. Throughout the late ’80s and early ’90s, Bangladesh forced thousands of Rohingya to return to Myanmar. As such, refugees infrequently attempt to travel there, for fear that their efforts will be proven futile.

Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia are some of the most popular destinations for refugees.

Up until May 2015, they were known to drag boats of malnourished and sick refugees back to sea to prevent them from entering their respective territories.

Succumbing to international pressures, these states have since opted to provide one year of asylum to Rohingya refugees. At the end of that year, they must be resettled elsewhere. The United States and Gambia have pledged to assist in this process.

Considering this information and that the United States is a signatory of the 1967 Protocol, it is both appalling and laughable that conservatives here at home have been threatening to reject, or worse, return refugees to Syria.

This isn’t a ‘Muslim problem,’ and it won’t resolve itself. As Americans and, more importantly, as global citizens, we should strive to set an example by providing refugees from across the globe with aid and asylum, while also encouraging those countries who have yet to sign the 1967 Protocol to do so.

SHELBYGE@MIAMIOH.EDU

A.J. NEWBERRY NEWBERAJ@MIAMIOH.EDU

Contraceptives should be kept out of politics POLITICS

GRETA HALLBERG COLUMNIST

Turkey. Stuffing. Mashed potatoes. Pie. Political debates?

While all things get heated over the Thanksgiving holiday, one of these things is not like the others.

They’re shared together at the dinner table, but some are less pleasant than the rest. The worst political debate of all, at least in my family, is abortion.

Should abortion be legal?

Should Roe v. Wade be overturned? What about rape and incest? Is it okay for the government to make this decision?

Where do we draw the line?

There are so many complications to the debate and what I’ve found is that it’s entirely circumstantial.

There is no good solution to the unwanted pregnancy problem.

Other than, you know, preventing the pregnancy in the first place. While health classes, our parents and our churches tell us to just abstain from sex, this is not practical for the world we live in.

The reality is that people have sex. People like to have sex. They do it before marriage. Sometimes, they do it for other reasons than making babies. Sex is one of the most basic physiological needs on Maslow’s hierarchy. It is a natural and necessary part of the human experience.

As any Cosmo reader knows, sex can be fun. But it can also have negative consequences.

Look at any college campus and see that sexually transmitted diseases run rampant.

According to the CDC, about 20 million STDs are diagnosed each year. While 15- to 24-yearolds make up about a quarter of the sexually active population,

they represent half of the STD diagnoses. That’s 10 million college-aged students diagnosed with an STD each year. With those stats, it’s no wonder that one in four college students has an STD. Sex can also lead to babies. It’s how we procreate. While having a child, I’m told, is a beautiful part of life, it’s one that I’m not

are simply caught in the past if they think abstinence is the way to fix society’s problems.

America tried to ban alcohol, but people drank anyway. Actually, they drank in excess with far more consequences under Prohibition. Sex just might be the same way. Tell people not to do something and they’re bound to do it.

Teach them how to do it safely?

Religious institutions and the political far right are simply caught in the past if they think abstinence is the way to fix society’s problems.

ready for while I’m trying to pass my econ class.

STDs and pregnancy are both entirely preventable. Abstinence is taught in health classes, but it is not practical.

Confine a bunch of hormonal men and women on a small campus, and there’s bound to be sexual tension, especially when alcohol is involved. We’re young, we’re curious and we’re bound to want to explore sexually.

While sex is inevitable, the consequences are not. Condoms are offered for free on campus, and that is a beautiful thing. Birth control, while it’s supposed to be covered by Obamacare, has seen considerable backlash from religious employers who do not feel they should have to cover it with their insurance plans.

This, to me, is totally nuts. If you are going to be anti-abortion, which is a legitimate stance, you have to provide options other than abstinence. Religious institutions and the political far right

People still get to do what they inevitably will without the risk of an unplanned baby or an STD. Is abstaining until marriage a noble goal? Absolutely. Is it practical? Not at all. People do not get married at 18 anymore.

People are going to have sex. Instead of doing everything in their power to fight it, both the right and the left need to work together to make sure people are protected from the negative consequences.

Better education and dissemination of contraceptives leads to fewer unwanted pregnancies, and therefore fewer abortions. Contraceptives should not be up for political debate. They are a smart and preventative measure, kind of like a flu shot. While the moral dilemma associated with abortion is complicated, I don’t think the one for free birth control is.

HALLBEGM@MIAMIOH.EDU

8 FYI

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2015

The Miami Student

Reis Thebault Editor-in-Chief

Victoria Slater, Emily Tate Managing Editors

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CORRECTIONS POLICY

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

CORRECTION: The headline of an article in the Nov. 17 edition of The Miami Student, stated that the Lane Library had violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). While complaints have been voiced, to The Student’s knowledge, no official ADA violation has been filed against the university.

FROM REGIONALS »PAGE 1

abstention.

The overwhelmingly positive vote came on the heels of weeks of controversy surrounding the move. Many regional faculty expressed concern about not being given ample opportunity to express their opinions on the matter. Senate considered delaying its vote until Nov. 30 in order to solicit additional faculty feedback.

Cathy Wagner, an Oxfordbased English professor and vice president of the Miami advocacy chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), circulated an informal survey among regionals faculty.

The survey, which asked whether faculty would like to see Monday’s vote move forward without delay and offered a text field for further comment, garnered 16 responses in a two-day span. Three faculty members voted in favor of the vote moving forward, and eight dissented.

John Krafft, an associate professor of English who has worked on the Hamilton campus for 25 years, identified himself in his survey response.

“I would like for everyone to

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consider that the issue of names may look innocent enough, but a yes vote for the names would be the entering wedge, and the game may be lost before we know all the stakes if we vote yes,” Krafft wrote. “We should see the entire finished regionalization plan before we vote on anything, not let ourselves be nickeled and dimed.”

Some anonymous respondents espoused the need for more time to draft a plan.

“I strongly believe this vote is premature and that the new regional department structure, which is a MAJOR change not only to governance but to MUPIM, needs more deliberation and public discussion,” one faculty member wrote. “Especially because the proposed model concerns radical changes to regional faculty’s appointment and tenure home, I believe we have the right to discuss it at length and to vote on it as well. I don’t believe the regional ‘upgrade’, as they are now calling it, has fully taken the views and public comments of faculty, staff, and students into account.”

Others said they were unsure of how beneficial the new departmental structure would be.

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Contact 524-9340 for more info. www.plumtreemiami.com “The idea that all of these new departments can be formed so easily, just by making a few modifications, is foolishness.

There needed to be a serious discussion of how the new departments would have to operate differently from the [existing structure of] coordinatorships.

That hasn’t happened,” another faculty member said. “It’s quite worrisome that we’ll now stagger into a new era so ill-prepared.”

The same faculty member said the vote represents a missed opportunity for Miami administration.

“A moment was missed here.

There was a chance to take up the huge issue of how to use new department structures to advance the regionals as four-year institutions,” the faculty member wrote. “Instead, the very limited time available was spent on hurrying reports that serve only to support unrealistic timetables.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, except at Miami U.” One faculty voiced concern that the regional restructuring was part of a larger problem.

“This vote is another example of compartmentalizing issues, nibbling at the edges, obfuscat-

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ROOMATE NEEDED

FROM RECYCLING »PAGE 5

and 19.83 tons of garbage. The values increased to 17.18 tons of recycling and 57.16 tons of garRoommate needed next bage on Nov. 2. semester: 12 N COLLEGE, Where Miamians recycled apunit b: $3,000 - will have proximately three items to every your own bedroom in a 5 five they threw away in August, bedroom/ 2 bath unit. 524- Miamians only recycled one third 9340. Www. Plumtreemiami. of how much they threw away in November. These values show Com that Miamians recycled more efficiently in the summer than during 333 N LOCUST: $1,800 - will the semester. have your own bedroom and The Department of Physical Fashare a full bathroom with 1 cilities, Miami University Dining Services and ASC are collaboratother female. 4 bed /2 bath ing on a recycling initiative that house. 524-9340. began this summer.

Www. Redbrickmiami. Com “We called it ‘Landfill Diversion Committee and Brainstorming Session,’” said Katie Wilson, 16 W SYCAMORE, unit the Director of ASC. 3: $2,200 - will have your Kline and Wilson see the tray own bedroom and share a return by Serrano, which is Armfull bathroom with 1 other strong’s main recycling area, as person. 4 bed /2 bath flat. All the main solution.

“If things get to the tray return, utilities included.524-9340. you get maximum recovery,” said Www. Plumtreemiami. Com Wilson. “If we get more things to the tray return, I think our recov100 W. SYCAMORE: $1,900 ery would go up.”

- will have your own bedroom But the tray return is often unused or overlooked by students and share a full bathroom who instead look for bins to throw with 1 other person. 4 bed /2 out their trash and recycling. Its bath house.524-9340. Www. hidden location appears to be the Plumtreemiami. Com biggest problem with the tray return.

Students have said to Wilson ROOMMATE NEEDED FOR that in Bell Tower, another campus 2016-2017 16 W SYCAMORE, dining location, they don’t notice UNIT B - $2,450.00 per semester. that there are no trash cans because Includes all utilities, cable & the tray return is on their way out.

“In Armstrong you have to internet. 3 females looking for a backtrack and then go out, and 4th female roommate. spacious there’s nothing of its equivalent on flat with 4 bedrooms/ 2 full the second floor for Pulley Diner,” bathrooms, large kitchen and said Wilson.

Junior Anthony Young said that living room. off street parking. he does use the tray return but Contact 524-9340 for more info. thinks more people would recycle www.plumtreemiami.com if recycling bins were more visible.

“I think that most people are too busy walking in and out to put it in the recycling bin,” said Young.

The committee working to increase the level of recycling in Armstrong is in the process of making the tray return and recycling bins more apparent and encouraging students to use them.

“We’ve talked about collaborating with orientations and new student programs to educate students on the tray return,” said Wilson.

“Especially since these orientations spend so much time in Armstrong.” ing real issues,” another faculty The committee also posted blue member wrote. “It’s like voting arrows to point students toward on which shade of green sounds recycling, left cards in the napkin most like a piano. I would much holders encouraging students to prefer we speak to issues much use the tray return and sought to more in the core: Faculty recruitadd containers that are more aesment and retention, Miami prithetically pleasing and more obviorities and decision-making, and ous to students. They also added improved education and opporlimericks inside study rooms with tunities for our students.” jingles like, “If you take it in, carry A few faculty members were it out.” resigned to the seeming inevitaAcross campus, the committee bility of the changes, discarding posted signs over trash and recythe notion of taking more time. cling cans indicating what is (or “If you accept the premise that is not) recyclable, and issue that all regional campus faculty must has plagued some of the commitbecome members of regional tee’s efforts to increase recycling. campus departments, I think it If the recycling bin has too many is extremely doubtful that more items that are not recyclable, the time would produce a better conentire bag is put in the garbage. figuration,” another regional facWilson stands by the initiative ulty member wrote. “I do think to minimize the number of garthere are plenty of reasons to bage bins in Armstrong as part question the premise, however, of a campus-wide initiative to and I believe the whole initiative reduce trash. She explained that is unnecessary and will be unthis is why no garbage bins are productive. We are told it’s not a located in study rooms in the Stuquestion IF we do this but HOW. dent Center, and she doesn’t keep Given that, I don’t think more a trash bin in her office—only a time will improve the result.” recycling one.

A final comment seemingly “It’s part of how we try to keep summed up faculty sentiment on costs down and use the student the issue. fee money wisely,” said Wilson.

“I am ok with the structure if it “If everyone pitches in a little is given that there has to be one,” and puts their trash in the hallway a faculty member wrote. trash, it makes a big difference.”

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2015

FROM SANTA »PAGE 4

FROM SPOTLIGHT »PAGE 4

brought to their rooms.

And, a brand new gymnastics bar and balance beam from Santa are set up in the room down the hall.

Casey switches tabs to the internet on her computer and right away instructions about how to construct a balance beam fill the page.

“Mom,” she called. “Why was Santa borrowing our computer?”

“Oh honey, he must not have brought his computer with him.”

Her mom replied. “He just had to look it up.”

Casey thinks of the doubt she has felt in the last couple years.

Her friends weren’t as excited about Christmas anymore and the whole ‘coming down the chimney’ thing just seemed unrealistic.

In that moment, Casey realized there was no way Santa could be real.

November 2009 Elise Vasko sits at a cafeteria table with her 10 closest friends.

Now that they are back from Thanksgiving break, Christmas is all anyone can talk about.

Elise starts talking about how she hopes her mom gets her clothes and Santa brings her some new games.

All at once, everyone stops talking and her friend Angie says, “Wait, you still believe in Santa Claus?”

Elise responds with a hesitant, “Yes.” Angie looks at her incredulously and says, “You know he’s not real, right?”

Elise looks around at the table as everyone starts laughing at her.

She shrugs it off, pretending she really did know, then spends the rest of the day reliving every Christmas she can remember, trying to convince herself that Santa has to be real.

and walk-and-talk tracking shots to facilitate the dialogue and advance the film’s smart, engaging script.

This lack of visual stress doesn’t hinder “Spotlight” at all, instead becoming one of its strongest attributes. Not only does the lack of an all-revealing, stylistic camera allow us to focus on the vital details that move the narrative along, it also forces us to imagine the disgusting implications of the plot.

Images of a seemingly regular man salting the sidewalk outside his home or of children nonchalantly playing in a waiting room transform entirely after we discover their disturbing pedophilic contexts.

The protagonists of “Spotlight” are similarly refused solace from these inescapable what-ifs. Each character is poised with traits that force the investigation to the front

of their minds — Pfeiffer attends church with her grandmother, Marty has kids, etc. — and this constant preoccupation has a very subtle, but noticeable effect on their lives away from the office.

“Spotlight” ends with neither a whimper nor a bang, but rather a harrowing moment of absolute silence, as slides filled entirely with locations that discovered similar sexual abuse scandals fade in and out of the screen. This is the single most powerful moment of “Spotlight,” thematically compressing the stylistic and empathetic core of the film into a speechless sequence that speaks volumes.

“Spotlight” is among the year’s best films, a visceral and intelligent experience that will undoubtedly be one of the most nominated come the Academy Awards in February.

The airport had just put up some Christmas decorations and there was a life-sized Santa Claus you could sit next to on a bench. As I stood there, taking this middleaged and balding man’s picture next to a giant Santa, I couldn’t help but smile.

I didn’t know anything about him, except that he was traveling alone and obviously loved Christmas. I started to wonder who he would share this picture with, what he would say about it and who else would get to see it and smile.

Touristy areas are full of people, so why not interact with one another and make your new experiences shared ones? Ask someone to take your picture, talk to a stranger, share a smile. If you travel without interacting with the environment around you, don’t you think you’re missing out on one of the best parts of traveling?

FROM TRAVEL »PAGE 4

where you found a perfectly circular stone, or the joy on your face as you blissfully carpe that diem.

I fully encourage taking your picture in new places, not only to remember the place, but the time in your life that you experienced it. However, I do think there is something to be said of scraping the selfie and asking someone else to take your picture. With technology today we don’t ever have to talk to anyone in person. There’s no need to ask for directions, restaurant recommendations or someone even to take your picture.

The other day in the Dublin airport as I was waiting for my friends to finish getting through security, a man came up to me and asked if I would take his picture.

The Elie Wiesel Foundation

Prize in Ethics Essay Contest 2016

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

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

Full-time Juniors & Seniors at accredited four-year colleges and universities in the U.S. are invited to enter.

FIRST PRIZE: $5,000 SECOND PRIZE: $2,500 THIRD PRIZE: $1,500 TWO HONORABLE MENTIONS: $500 EACH

ONLINE ENTRY & GUIDELINES:

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PLEASE RECYCLE THIS NEWSPAPER WHEN FINISHED.

DEADLINE: ONLINE BY DEC. 14TH, 2015, 5PM PST

www.eliewieselfoundation.org

Take down date 12/02/15

World AIDS Day Tuesday, December 1st 7 PM ­ 8 PM McGuffey 322 FROM GUNS »PAGE 2

Getting To Zero An annual opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV. Free HIV testing will be provided from 2­6 PM December 1st, in 127 McGuffey.

without a permit right now, but I perceive people would be uncomfortable.”

Wagner’s reasoning comes from an instance in April 2008 when students participated in an Empty Holster Protest. For a week, student gun owners wore their hol-

sters to show that there were gun owners on campus and that they could be used safely.

Wagner said she remembers concerns.

“There [were] scared people on campus just seeing an empty gun holster,” Wagner said.

Junior Maddie Jordan said she thinks Miami is already a

safe place, and does not think guns need to be carried on campus.

“I think it would make people feel more unsafe if they knew people could have guns, especially in a college setting,” Jordan said.

“I wouldn’t want to know that my peers had a gun [on them].”

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10 SPORTS

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2015

SPORTS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

Cancer patients show a hidden side of Bryce Harper COLUMN

GRACE REMINGTON SPORTS EDITOR

I’m still intrigued four months later.

A star athlete, not just in Major League Baseball but in all of sports, was squatting near the floor, trying to reach the eye level of a boy around 10 years old.

Bryce Harper — the prodigy Sports Illustrated dubbed the “Chosen One” when he was 16 years old; the 2012 National League Rookie of the Year, 2015 NL MVP and three-time All Star; the idol of young aspiring athletes and the heartthrob of high-school girls — was listening to the ramblings of a child at the front of the Washington Nationals press conference room.

During the season, Harper frequently connected with children through Harper’s Heroes, a Leuke-

mia and Lymphoma Society program that invites children suffering from cancer to Washington Nationals games.

This gathering was July 20. Media members aren’t supposed to be around during Harper’s Heroes meetings, but my production crew had to feed some content back to the TV station, and the media room was the only place available.

I quietly stood in the back and observed.

Harper wasn’t like this in the clubhouse. He didn’t go out of his way to be nice.

Max Scherzer laughed and smiled with the media members.

Dan Uggla thanked me and my photographer for an interview before he left the clubhouse one night.

If Clint Robinson, Drew Storen or Jordan Zimmerman didn’t like a reporter’s question, they’d politely find a way around it.

But Harper didn’t care what anyone thought. Sure, he was a master in coach-speak, but he wasn’t afraid to be blunt.

To avoid reporters, he’d sit on the far end of the clubhouse – the section where media members are forbidden – and play video games with Jayson Werth and Ian Desmond.

The first time I talked to Harper was after the Nationals’ 2-0 win against the Toronto Blue Jays on June 2.

Two days before, Washington suffered a three-game sweep to the Cincinnati Reds. It halted the Nats’ momentum after winning nine of their last 11 games, but they still topped the NL East.

“Bryce, after the setback with the Reds, what was the difference in today’s game?” I said. “What did you and your teammates change from last week to this week in order to bounce back?”

He stared straight ahead over the sea of reporters swarming his locker.

“We’re over that,” he said. “We don’t think about the past.”

Shut down. A few of the report-

CONNOR MORIARTY THE MIAMI STUDENT

Senior guard Geovonie McKnight drives the lane against Kenyon College sophomore guard Bennett Grigull. McKnight averages 11.4 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.The Miami men’s basketball team stands at 4-3.

HARPER »PAGE 5

Headlines beyond Oxford: Barry Bonds, who leads the MLB all-time in home runs (762), is finalizing a deal to become the hitting coach for the Miami Marlins, according to an ESPN report. Bonds has worked as a special instructor for the San Francisco Giants the past two seasons.

A follow up to the NCAA basketball rule changes COLUMN

ALL JACKED UP With the first three weeks of the regular season in the books and enough games played under the new NCAA rules, it’s time to reflect.

From the first tip of the season, it has been abundantly clear that the game is different. But it’s not different necessarily because of the rules that were changed.

Rather, stricter enforcement of the preexisting rules is what has college basketball fans throwing living room debris at their TV sets in frustration.

A major point of emphasis relayed to the officials by the rules committee is the “cleaning up of the game.”

Officials have been told to blow the whistle more often on hand checks and any type of defensive activity that impedes movement of offensive players.

One way to understand the endless onslaught of whistle blowing is to think of any contact by a defensive player that draws some sort of reaction to an offensive player as a foul. Any time a defender extends his arm into an offensive player, the whistle will sound.

At this early point in the season, it’s painful to watch. Players haven’t adjusted to this type of officiating because they’ve never played this type of no-contact basketball.

The hope of the rules committee is that officiating will increase the flow of the game and make it cleaner.

Thus far, it has failed to meet that goal.

In any game you watch, you hear commentators say that once players adjust, the game goes smoother. This is not a certainty.

Defenders, especially big men in the post, are not getting enough time on the court to learn how to adjust.

Many of them are picking up their second foul on some incidental contact before the first media time-out.

Playing in the post has always demanded tough, physical play. The object is to keep the offensive players as far away from the basket as possible. But doing so has become virtually impossible.

Seemingly every time two players fight for post-position under the basket, a foul is called on the defender.

He then has to take a seat on the

bench.

The rule changes were supposed to make the games quicker and more fast-paced, but the incessant whistle blowing by the refs hasn’t allowed the actual rule changes to fulfill these goals.

As far as the new rules this year go, they have largely changed the game for the better.

The change in the shot clock hasn’t had a drastic impact on scoring in the games. What it has done, though, is open up the floor and created diversity in playing style.

Many teams are now utilizing full court pressure on inbounds. Other teams have mixed in new defensive schemes to slow down offenses.

So far, the reduction of the shot clock has not changed much in the scoring column, but with time, adjustments by either the officials or the players could result in higher scoring games.

The rule change yielding the greatest benefit is the reduction in number of time-outs from five to four.

It changes the ends of close games. Fewer stoppages in play during the final minutes has brought the games to a close more quickly than in years past.

If officiating does eventually “clean up the game,” and a foul isn’t called every 45 seconds, these close games could conclude even quicker.

It’s still early in the year, and it is fair to say that teams will have to adjust to the officiating and rule changes.

It can be frustrating to watch now, but eventually something will give.

It might be the players becoming less physical, or the officials letting more contact go.

It’s also important to remember that the game is being called both ways.

Every team is suffering from foul trouble and benefitting from free throw opportunities. In then end, the better, harder working team is going to win the game.

As much as the fans love to blame the refs, it’s the players and coaches who ultimately win or lose the games.

’Hawks down Eagles 59-57 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

COBURN GILLIES THE MIAMI STUDENT

Sophomore guard Ana Richter led the RedHawks with 20 points as the Miami women’s basketball team downed Morehead State 59-57 Sunday afternoon.

MU improves to 3-2, while Morehead falls to 3-4.

“We controlled the tempo like we wanted to, for the most part, and held them to less shots than they normally take,” head coach Cleve Wright said.

“That’s a good team. They have talent and they are young.”

Miami was stingy on defense, as the Eagles had averaged almost 90 points per game heading into the matchup.

“I think for our defense – that was definitely part of our game plan – to focus on defense,” Richter said. “We knew the offense was gonna come and we did a good job of just doing what Coach Wright told us and ex-

ecuting what we needed to do.”

Senior forward Tamira Ford agreed.

“Team defense, it is a big part of our game plan,” Ford said. “So just making sure we are there for our teammates and having our help side. That was really big because we know that Morehead State has some pretty good drivers on their team. So help side was gonna be big and that’s where team defense comes in.”

While the RedHawks led the way for the majority of the first half, the third quarter score went back-andforth and ended at a 45-45 tie.

The fourth quarter was just as close. With 4:20 left on the clock, the teams were tied at 53.

Contributions from freshman guard Leah Purvis, freshman forward Kristen Levering, sophomore forward Molly McDonagh and sophomore guard Baleigh Reid helped push Miami to the slim

TODAY IN HISTORY

1991

In the first-ever FIFA Women’s World Cup Final, USA defeats Norway 2-1. USA has won three total championships and has placed seven times. Both are more than any other country.

SIDELINE NFL RAVENS

33

BASKETBALL »PAGE 5

BROWNS

27

A DAY IN THE LIFE: MIAMI FOOTBALL WATCH THE VIDEO AT MIAMISTUDENT.NET

ANGELO GELFUSO THE MIAMI STUDENT

JACK REYERING REYERIJW@MIAMIOH.EDU

Sophomore Ana Richter tries to fake Northern Kentucky freshman Molly Glick. Richter averages 12.2 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.

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