May 6, 2016 | The Miami Student

ESTABLISHED 1826 — OLDEST COLLEGE NEWSPAPER WEST OF THE ALLEGHENIES

FRIDAY, MAY 6, 2016

Volume 144 №53

Miami University — Oxford, Ohio

Miami denies gender discrimination allegations

CHANGING PAY-TO-PLAY MODEL

University files motion to dismiss 3 of 4 counts

“ZERO CREDIT,” ZERO COST FOR INTERNSHIPS

LAWSUIT

REIS THEBAULT EMILY TATE

ACADEMICS

EDITORS AT LARGE

SOPHIE WHORF

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Miami students’ gripes about the costs associated with internships for college credit are being addressed by a zero-credit policy offered by the university.

Before this policy, students needed to apply for academic credit in order for an internship to appear on their official Degree Audit Report (DARS) — which did not come without a hefty price.

During the summer semester, Miami charges Ohio residents $535.60 per credit hour, and out-ofstate residents $1,243.06 per credit hour, according to the One Stop for Student Success Services website.

Many students are unaware that they have the option to complete an internship for “zero credit,” which effectively eliminates the cost associated with earning credit hours and still displays the experience on students’ DARS. According to Miami’s 2015-2016 General Bulletin, “340” is the course number associated with internships across the university, and a student can earn up to 20 hours of academic credit depending upon the internship.

The zero-credit policy differs across Miami’s INTERNSHIPS » PAGE 3

BETH PFHOL THE MIAMI STUDENT

Miami and Oxford community members had the opportunity to interact with camels and donkeys during Hillel’s annual Israel Fest at Oxford’s Uptown Park on Tuesday.

Miami University has responded to the gender discrimination lawsuit filed by two female finance professors in the Farmer School of Business, denying all allegations and moving to dismiss several of the counts brought against it.

In the most recent development, the professors’ attorney and the university’s attorney have agreed to a meeting May 27.

Robert Croskery, who is representing plaintiffs Kelly

Brunarski and Yvette Harman in the lawsuit, said he and Miami’s counsel will confer with the court at the end of the month before setting a trial date and beginning the discovery process. The discovery process includes obtaining written documents, conducting interviews and identifying witnesses related to the case.

In the lawsuit filed Feb. 15 in the Southern District Court of Ohio, Brunarski and Harman accused the university of gender discrimination, sexual harassment and violation of the Equal Pay Act. The university denies LAWSUIT » PAGE 3

Why don’t students attend Miami football games?

A survey by The Student tries to find the answer FOOTBALL

GRACE REMINGTON

FORMER SPORTS EDITOR

IAN MARKER THE MIAMI STUDENT

The smell of shwarama falafel wafted through Oxford’s Uptown Park on Tuesday. Hillel hosted it’s annuel Israel Fest, In honor of the 68th anniversary of Israel’s founding (Yom Ha’atmaut),

It’s no secret that Miami University students favor other activities over attending a RedHawk football game on a fall Saturday.

Yager Stadium’s average of 15,707 total fans per game last season ranked 115th of 128 NCAA Division I football programs.

In an anecdotal survey of current Miami students by The Miami Student, 56.4 percent of respondents said they did not attend a home

game during the 2015 season, and 19.2 percent said they attended one game.

Students were asked to choose their reasons for not attending games. Respondents could choose as many reasons as applicable. “Miami is not a winning team” was the top reason, garnering 179 of 250 responses.

“My friends don’t go to games” was the second highest reason with 171 votes, and “alcohol is not served at the stadium or allowed at tailgates” was third with 125 votes.

FOOTBALL » PAGE 10

MJF faces Miami community reflects Board of study abroad on Yearwood’s retirement Trustees overload meets today GLOBAL

ADMINISTRATION

BONNIE MEIBERS

JAMES STEINBAUER

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Miami offers over 350 study abroad and study away programs. Of those, nine are through the Media, Journalism and Film department (MJF).

According to the Miami University study abroad website, 38 percent of Miami students study abroad during their time as an undergraduate. The university ranks second in a nationwide list for students studying abroad.

With the addition of a winter term in 2014, faculty had a new outlet to create classes to teach and study abroad trips to lead.

Whereas many students look for jobs or internships over the summer break, students rarely seek those opportunities in the three-week break that winter term offers.

This is why journalism professor Patricia Gallagher ABROAD » PAGE 3

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

MEGAN ZAHNEIS NEWS EDITOR

DOUGLAS CHAN THE MIAMI STUDENT

PEOPLE

ANGELA HATCHER NEWS EDITOR

This past fall, Ifeolu Claytor was in his political science class, Supreme Court Decisions, waiting for his favorite professor to show up. He received a text from one of his friends saying Mr. Yearwood, the director of the Office of Diversity Affairs, wanted to see him. He asked why. His friend told him that his

professor, Augustus Jones, had passed away.

Claytor went to a meeting that he had with Yearwood, everyone saying a couple words about Professor Jones. After the meeting, the shock of his passing started to settle in over Claytor.

Around five o’clock on Friday, the last of the semester, Claytor broke down in Mr. YEARWOOD » PAGE 3

Miami University’s Board of Trustees is expected to approve several resolutions in its end-of-year meeting today, including a rise in tuition costs for graduate and regional campus students, a discount on online winter and summer courses for instate students and increased parking costs for faculty.

Starting in the fall, outof-state students at Miami’s regional campuses and graduate students at all campuses will be assessed a 2 percent increase in tuition.

For full-time regional campus students, this represents a $147 upcharge (from $7,350.72 to $7,497.72), and graduate TRUSTEES » PAGE 3

CONTRIBUTED BY MAGDA ORLANDER

Anonymously produced banners calling on the Board of Trustees to fund sexual assault prevention appeared yesterday.

NEWS p. 2

CULTURE p. 4

SPECIAL p. 5

OPINION p. 6

SPORTS p. 10

STUDENTS COLLABORATE FOR CINCINNATI SCHOOLS

HUMANS OF OXFORD: MIAMI’S COMRADE

NEWSPAPER, MIAMI SAY GOODBYE TO HODGE

MILAM’S LAST MUSINGS

TRACK AND FIELD PREPARES FOR FINAL MEET

Collab-Donation works toward literacy for innter-city students.

A spectre is haunting Miami University — the spectre of Jacob Bryant

Senior staff writer joins President Hodge on one of his last runs

Long-time Student columnist, Brett Milam, writes about his time with newspaper editors

RedHawks will compete in the Kentucky relays, hoping to sharpen their skills for MAC

2 NEWS

NEWS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

FRIDAY, MAY 6, 2016

DARSHINI PARTHASARATHY THE MIAMI STUDENT

The flowers coming into bloom signify the start of spring as we transition from April to May.

Student service collaborative donates to inner-city school SERVICE

EMILY WILLIAMS NEWS EDITOR

Junior Glenn Trepeta was brainstorming fundraising ideas for the Multicultural Business Association when he had an idea — what kind of difference could student organizations make if they combined their philanthropic efforts?

From that idea, Trepeta founded Collab-Donation this past fall, a fundraising organization composed of preexisting student groups.

“I realized our donation capacity as one organization could be maximized,” Trepeta said.

Collab-Donation is made up of representatives from participating student organizations, who serve as communication points with the larger group. Each semester’s proceeds benefit a different organization that the Collab-Donation members choose together.

By combining the fundraising efforts of nine student organizations over the course of this semester, Collab-Donation was able to donate $1,612 to the Cincinnati Tutoring Program at Roll Hill Elementary.

The semester’s efforts culminated in a literacy event held last Thursday, April 28, at the Roll Hill Elementary School. There, the Miami students not only presented the school with their donation but also had the chance to interact with students in the Roll Hill after-school program.

Dara Jenkins, district-wide resource coordinator for tutoring at Cincinnati public schools, communicated with Trepeta every week leading up to the event.

Jenkins said she was impressed by the organization and dedication of Trepeta and the other Miami students.

“It seemed like they were very passionate about working with inner-city youth,” Jenkins said.

At the event, the children were divided into groups by grade level.

These groups were led by Miami students, each of whom had their own book with a corresponding

enrichment activity and set of vocabulary words.

Jenkins said the children loved working with the Collab-Donation members.

“The Miami students felt like celebrities,” Jenkins said. “Some of the kids were even asking for their autographs.”

After the reading activity, the event moved to the gymnasium, where the Miami students played games like kickball and dodgeball with the kids. The children were all invited to take their books home, with a bookmark explaining the event, to share with their families.

Some of the Miami students who participated have already reached out to Jenkins about finding other opportunities to work with the inner-city students in Cincinnati. It’s often easier for the children to relate to college students than older adults, Jenkins said, making events like this one so successful.

“You would be amazed how much a little gesture means to these kids,” said Jenkins.

Trepeta said it was rewarding to see so much enthusiasm from the Roll Hill students.

“The kids were very appreciative of our contribution and every engaged,” said Trepeta. “It was a very rewarding experience to see our semester-long efforts come to fruition.”

The money donated by CollabDonation was used to purchase the books and bookmarks for the event, and the remainder of the funds will be put toward the EPS Backpack Buddies program, a four-week program that helps children improve their reading and comprehension skills. At the end of the program, each student gets to take home a backpack, books and reading activities.

“We’re not just trying to expand their literacy,” said Jenkins.

“We’re also trying to develop their home library.”

Trepeta said he and the Collab-Donation members felt that funding literacy efforts for underprivileged children DONATION » PAGE 8

CONTRIBUTED BY CINCINNATI CITY SCHOOLS

Miami students travel to Roll Hill elementary to interact with the intercity students.

Course evaluations, professors offer incentives for student feedback ACADEMICS

MARY SCHROTT NEWS EDITOR

In the 2015 fall semester, the response rate for course evaluations hit just over 55 percent for the 4,792 courses taught and 1,940 instructors evaluated on Oxford’s campus.

Course evaluations are online and offered to students in the final days of the semester.

To counter the low response rate, many instructors offer incentives, like extra credit, for filling out the evaluations. Though some students like this approach, many still find course evaluations troubling because of their format and the time they take to complete.

Sacha DeVroomen Bellman, a journalism instructor who has been at Miami for 12 years, said making students fill out course evaluations during the last week of classes increases stress levels.

“This is just something they don’t want added to the list of things to do on the final week of classes when they are very busy,” Bellman said.

Junior Taylor Fortner said she makes the effort to complete evaluations if extra credit is offered, but filling them out at the end of the year can be problematic.

“I think more negatively about classes during finals than any other time,” Fortner said.

Junior Alyza Madson agrees that the end of the year is a stressful time and evaluations can get lost in the

shuffle. However, she said extra credit incentives are appropriate.

“Extra credit seems fair because you’re helping out the teacher,” Madson said. “We’re taking time out of [our] schedules.”

Madson thinks that providing students with class time to fill out the evaluations is the most effective method.

Before class evaluations went online in 2011, instructors used paper evaluations and gave students time in class to complete them.

“We used to do it on the final day of class,” said Bellman. “We’d leave class when [the students] [filled out the evaluations] and it was almost like something you did.”

Now that evaluations are electronic, Bellman said fewer people are taking them, which is why instructors have to offer incentives to complete them.

Bellman began offering extra credit for evaluations last fall and has seen completion rates go up.

She tells students that if 90 percent of the class fills out the evaluation, then she will add three extra credit points to the one assignment the class collectively did the worst on that semester.

Before she offered extra credit, Bellman said only 25 to 40 percent of the class filled out the evaluation, and those who filled them out had extreme views on the course.

“The people who fill out the evaluations are people who either really like you or didn’t like you,” Bellman

said. “It would be really skewed results, which is why we are trying to get more people to fill it out who are saying, ‘Oh, this class was okay.’”

Madson agrees that incentives help, but will fill out evaluations for teachers she felt strongly about regardless of the rewards.

“If a teacher puts in a good effort, then I’ll give her a good evaluation,” Madson said, “but in classes that I really don’t like I put a lot of effort into them.”

Senior Courtney Katzmeyer said she tries to fill out her evaluations each semester in the interest of fairness.

“I try to do it every semester, but it’s really hard because it’s always the same questions,” said Katzmeyer, who is in ten classes this semester and has 11 evaluations to fill out because one class has two instructors.

“I also don’t put any thought into doing them, you know? I know I don’t have to [fill them out] but I feel bad when I don’t,” Katzmeyer said.

Katzmeyer and Madson agree that evaluations don’t differ much from course to course in the questions they ask, which makes completing them monotonous.

“I wish [the questions were] catered more to the course,” Katzmeyer said.

Though a large percent of students don’t fill out course EVALUATIONS » PAGE 8

Lav Grad celebrates GLBTQ+ seniors DIVERSITY

ANGELA HATCHER NEWS EDITOR

Miami University is hosting its 15th annual Lavender Graduation Saturday, May 7 at noon in the Sesquicentennial Chapel followed by a reception in MacMillan Hall 212 at 1 p.m. The theme this year is “15 Years of Celebrating You.” “This year’s theme … is really hitting back on the fact that Lav Grad is about honoring the wholeness and complexities and the beauty of our students,” said Shevonne Nelson, assistant director and coordinator of GLBTQ+ Services.

Lavender Graduation is an annual ceremony conducted on college campuses to honor lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and ally students and to acknowledge their achievements and contributions to the school.

Created by Dr. Ronni Sanlo, a Jewish lesbian, after she was denied the opportunity to attend the graduations of her biological children because of her sexual orientation, Sanlo encouraged the dean of students at the University of Michigan to start the program.

Sanlo designed the first Lavender Graduation ceremony in 1995.

By 2001, there were over 45 Lavender Graduation ceremonies

at colleges and universities nationwide, including Miami University.

The 1809 LGBT alumni association started Lavender Graduation at Miami in 2001 to celebrate, acknowledge and give a voice to GLBTQ+ students. “ … We’re able to acknowledge students for exactly who they are in the way that they want to be acknowledged,” said Nelson.

“Which is not always the case in the traditional university ceremony.”

For example, Nelson said, if a student wants to be referred to by a different name, if someone’s participation in the GLBTQ+ community wasn’t public, or if a graduate wants to wear something unconventional, they get to celebrate exactly who they are at the Lavender Graduation ceremony.

Unlike regular graduation ceremonies, students who participate in Lavender Graduation have someone provide words about them, roughly three to five minutes about who they are and what they’ve done at Miami.

“We really get to know them as individuals and celebrate them as individuals which is a little bit different than when you have 2,000 to 3,000 people graduate,” said Nelson.

For the Lavender Graduation ceremony, students do not have

to identify within the LGBTQ+ community in order to participate.

“If you’re willing to be here, we’re willing to have you. As long as we can be us simultaneously,” said Nelson.

Allies, or people who actively support members of the GLBTQ+ community, have graduated from Lavender Graduation in previous years.

For Nelson, it comes down to the institution celebrating and acknowledging the GLBTQ+ students for who they are, rather than using their identities and orientations as an educational platform.

“If you’re not there to really celebrate these folks, it’s not the right space for you. It’s not meant to be an educational space,” said Nelson.

Nelson said that participating in the ceremony can be a healing experience for students.

“I would say Miami has been hurtful for folks, so if the only thing you get is three hours on one Saturday a week before to heal the hurt and provide an apology to the campus, it is incredibly important to do that on this campus,” said Nelson. “It was necessary, the only place where people could completely show up and feel safe in LAVENDER »PAGE 8

NEWS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET FROM LAWSUIT » PAGE 1

each of these allegations.

In Miami’s response, the university’s lawyer, Christina L. Corl of Plunkett Cooney law firm, wrote that any discrepancy in pay is unrelated to sex.

“Any alleged pay disparity is justified by a seniority system, a merit system, a pay system based on quantity or quality of output or is based on factors other than sex,” Corl wrote in response.

Croskery, however, says that nothing other than sex could explain it.

“There isn’t anything that jumps off the page as to why the plaintiffs are paid less, other than the fact that they are female,” he said in an April interview.

Brunarski and Harman’s initial complaint compared them to two males in the finance department. Each professor was hired and tenured around the same time, but, the complaint noted, the male professors had published fewer articles in academic journals. The male professors, however, were paid significantly more. Both have salaries of nearly $200,000 a year, an average of 9 percent more than Brunarski and Harman.

Croskery said that they used

FROM ABROAD » PAGE 1

Newberry said there has been an “explosion” of new programs in the department.

“It was a new opportunity to create something out of nothing,” Newberry said.

This “explosion” of new study abroad programs and workshops raises the question: how many trips is too many in just one department?

“We are struggling to fill some trips, I’ll be honest,” Newberry said. “It does feel to me as though we are competing against each other.”

Newberry and fellow journalism professor Joe Sampson are offering a new study abroad trip in Cuba this upcoming summer. The three-week program struggled to get its goal of 12 to 14 students, ending up with only 11.

“Getting the roster filled for Cuba was hard. It’s a new program, and there’s two other Cuba courses [offered at Miami],” Newberry said.

FROM TRUSTEES » PAGE 1

students will pay $290.28 more than they did this year (a price increase from $14,829.52 to $15,119.80).

According to Miami’s Office of Institutional Research, as of October 15, 2015, there were 63 out-of-state regional students enrolled at Miami.

If these numbers remain constant in fall 2016, the university would gain $12,411 from the tuition increase.

Miami’s graduate student enrollment totaled 2,689, which would net the university an additional $780,562.92 in tuition fees.

Senior Vice President of Finance and Business Services David Creamer said that the tuition increase was necessitated by a rise in salary and wage costs.

“The State of Ohio appropriated more funds for next year to cover these costs for Ohio residents, but an increase will occur for nonresident students,” Creamer wrote in an email.

Oxford undergraduates will not be affected by the change, as Miami approved its Tuition Promise in December.

The university is implementing a 20 percent discount on online courses for summer and winter

FROM AFSCME » PAGE 1

individual schools, departments and majors.

Some of the departments with the policy include Accountancy, Architecture and Interior Design, Kinesiology and Health and Electrical and Computer Engineering — to name a few.

Howard Kleiman, the assistant chair of the Department of Media, Journalism and Film, said students should not be surprised that there is a cost associated with completing an internship for academic credit.

“The big misperception with students is…‘Why do I have to pay?’”

Kleiman said. “Well, now the answer is that you don’t.” “‘And if I want more credit hours, why do I have to pay?’ Because there’s no such thing as actual

NEWS 3

FRIDAY, MAY 6, 2016 publications as a comparator because it is a widely agreed upon benchmark for judging the success of an academic.

“I think publications are important for university professors,” he said.

“Publications reflect upon the school.

When you have significant citations and significant publications, it tends to give more respect to an institution of higher learning and thus justifies higher pay.”

Beyond the pay discrepancies, Dan Herron, a professor of business legal studies in the finance department, noticed a pervasive culture of gender discrimination by his male colleagues.

Herron, who also chaired the promotion and tenure committee last year, went so far as to report incidents of discrimination to his superiors and, ultimately, the Office of Equity and Equal Opportunity.

“It’s an atmosphere that denigrates and does not take women seriously,” Herron said. “So, however that manifests itself, it all shows that women are not valued.”

Herron said this discriminatory atmosphere has existed in the department for all of his 24 years teaching at Miami.

“It has been, and to me it still

remains, a good old boys’ club.”

From the beginning, Miami University has denied any such allegations. The recent legal response is only the latest example.

“Defendant Miami University exercised reasonable care to prevent and correct promptly any alleged sex harassment, which it specifically denies ever occurred,” Corl wrote.

“Any actions taken by defendant Miami University with respect to plaintiffs were taken for legitimate, non-discriminatory and non-retaliatory reasons.”

Brunarski and Harman are seeking compensation in excess of $250,000 and demanding that a jury hear their case in a trial.

“In this case, most of the allegations of significance center around an equal pay claim, specifically that the professors who are male are being paid more than the females that are doing essentially the same job,” Croskery said. “The Equal Pay Act is an attempt to carry out a bedrock principle of the Constitution, which is simply that people should be treated fairly and that their treatment should not be based on their gender or their race, but rather their intrinsic worth.”

However, the Cuba program is different because most study abroad and away programs in the MJF department go places where there is a strong alumni network and receive support from that network of people once there.

The oldest MJF study away program is the Inside Washington Program which began as a field trip for students in a television news capstone course and has since expanded to welcome all majors. The program relies heavily on Miami’s alumni network in Washington D.C. “Our alumni loyalty is kind of creepy, in a good way,” said head of the MJF department, Richard Campbell.

“They have an enormous interest in helping students.”

Some study abroad programs partner with other departments, like the Kosovo program run by professor Edward Arnone.

Arnone also said that he struggles in recruiting students for a number of reasons, like the cost of the program

and the large commitment and workload that come with it. As far as the competition between study abroad programs within the department goes, Arnone said there is no data as to whether or not programs are drawing numbers away from one another.

“The main thing to look at is if [the programs] are different enough,” Arnone said.

All three professors made the point that the type of student to go on one study abroad is not typically the type of student who would want to go on another study abroad with a completely different focus.

“Students will self-select,” Arnone said.

Arnone said he believes everyone in the MJF department tries to direct students toward a program that fits in with their interests and goals.

“We’re pretty happy with what we’re offering,” Campbell said. “So far we’re able to maintain quality. We haven’t hit the threshold yet.”

terms. Undergraduate in-state students on all campuses will be eligible for the reduction, effective this summer.

The Board of Trustees is also slated to approve an ordinance raising parking costs for faculty and staff. Currently, annual parking permits for red parking spots set faculty and staff back $75. Under the new ordinance, that cost will rise to $125, a 66% increase. Annual garage and dedicated parking space passes will be $425, up from $375.

“The parking increase actually was approved last year,” Creamer said. “It is intended to cover the cost of adding spaces to campus and making improvements in the lots.”

Creamer added that permit prices for ride-sharing faculty and staff will be lowered to cut down on demand for parking spots.

According to a presentation by Tom Herbert, vice president of University Advancement and executive director of the Miami University Foundation, in the Board of Trustees’ agenda, $42.5 million has been raised in 2020 Plan fundraising efforts — 94 percent of the $45 million goal the Advancement office set for the 201516 fiscal year.

“Increased fundraising has been identified as a critical priority for

Miami and our Advancement operation is doing a great work on these goals,” Creamer said.

How those funds are used, Creamer said, is informed by the donors. Few donations are made without any usage restrictions. When such specifications aren’t made, the funds are typically designated as student scholarship monies.

The meeting will start with a Public Study Session hosted by Daryl Baldwin, director of the Myaamia Center, and Doug Lankford, chief of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma.

Lankford will start the session by offering what he calls a 10,000 foot view of the Tribe.

“I’m going to talk about our government and our sovereignty — things that are important to the Tribe. I’ll also talk about the Tribe and Miami’s partnership with each other, what we’ve learned from this partnership and how important it is to the Tribe,” Lankford said. “I think the more [the Miami community] knows about [the Tribe] the more interested they are to provide more, whether they’re providing another trip or allowing another talk.”

The Miami University Board of Trustees will meet from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at the Marcum Conference Center.

Yearwood’s office. Yearwood handed him tissues and hugged him. He comforted him. He consoled him.

“He was there for me,” said Claytor. “And it was such a comfort to be in the presence of someone like him who told me I would get through it.”

Gerald Yearwood was born and raised in Harlem, New York. He attended St. Augustine’s College, now University, in Raleigh, North Carolina where he majored in sociology and social welfare and minored in political science.

His mother, Joyceline, a nurse by trade but also a den mother and community activist, set an example of humble service for Yearwood.

“A lot of her characteristics and the things that she did in terms of helping other people kinda fell on me in a lot of ways,” Yearwood said.

“And so as time went on, I learned how to understand that it is better to give than to receive and so that’s always been something I’ve done.

I’ve always believed in helping others because so many others have helped me.”

Yearwood has since dedicated his life to helping and serving others.

Eventually, through the work of fate and the help of a childhood friend, Linda Dixon, Yearwood ended up at Miami University.

Dixon worked at Miami for many years as the director and associate dean in the Rinella Learning Center. She has since retired.

“She was very instrumental in getting me to come to Miami University … she and I met at a conference and she was ranting and raving about Miami,” Yearwood said.

When the position for assistant director of career services became available in July 1999, Yearwood jumped at the opportunity.

He has been in Office of Diversity Affairs (ODA) since 2009 where he serves as the senior administrative director.

“It’s been a very interesting time, no question about that,” he said.

A time that many students have been grateful for, Claytor, specifically.

When Claytor was a senior in high school, his sister, a 2008 Miami alumnus, was excited to have Claytor visit and more importantly, to meet Mr. Yearwood.

When Claytor and Yearwood finally met, he told Claytor how successful he would be at Miami how he could get involved in student organizations like Associated Student Government (ASG).

“Seeing that connection he made to students affected me and my decision to attend Miami,” said Claytor. “He left that big of an impression on my sister and her sorority sisters, he made an impression on all of us.”

Yearwood’s goal has been to remind students, administration, faculty and staff of the importance of making diversity a priority at Miami.

“I think that, in more ways than one, we are a very fragmented community,” Yearwood said. “And I would like to see that changed.”

Yearwood said.

Although Yearwood said he recognizes it won’t be easy work, it can be done if the Miami community believes in and fully supports the effort.

Yearwood believes he has been

free credit hours for any course.

[Earning] academic credit is never free … [whether] you’re [doing] an internship over the summer or taking English 111.”

Kleiman says that one reason why academic credit is not free is due to the faculty supervision it requires.

“Once we sign off on [the internship], even at zero credit, we now are a player — if something goes wrong, we have to get involved, we have to read student papers every week … faculty members have to be on duty and pay attention,” said Kleiman.

Regardless, Kleiman is glad that Miami can relieve a financial burden faced by many students.

“I think Miami did a great thing by saying to students, ‘We understand the hardship of doing an internship — where on one hand, you’re not

getting paid, and on the other hand, you’re actually paying to do it, [so] we’re gonna give you this [zero credit] option,” said Kleiman.

While zero credit comes at zero cost, it does not count toward a student’s overall credit count, which may be a concern for students who are concerned about graduating on time or want to use a summer internship to reduce the number of classes they take during the fall/ spring semesters.

Shivani Bhatt, a junior accounting major, expects to have an eight-week internship this summer, which she opted to receive one credit hour for — even though the accounting major does offer the zero credit option.

Bhatt says that she needs the academic credit in order to take the Certified Public Accountant Examination (CPA) the summer

after she graduates. The test requires 150 completed credit hours, 30 of which are hours to be completed within the accountancy department specifically.

Bhatt, an Ohio resident, says that although the price of the academic credit is steep, it is worth it.

“I really want to get [the internship] because it’s one less class I’d have to take during the school year,” Bhatt said. “For accounting students, this [option] is really popular.”

Clare Howard, a junior nutrition and dietetics major, has an internship this summer as well, but chose the zero-credit option, which will appear on her DARS as volunteer experience. Unlike Bhatt, Howard is not dependent on her internship for academic credit.

Howard, an out-of-state resident, says that the price of credit hours

FROM YEARWOOD » PAGE 1

able to get students, faculty and staff that he engages with often to understand his passion and commitment for diversity and inclusion. Yearwood referred to his progress as making “inroads.”

Yearwood said he is hopeful that whomever takes his place can take this effort to promote diversity and inclusion to the next level. However, even he has experienced doubts and challenges along the way. “ … There were mornings when I would wake up and get prepared for work when I would ask myself: ‘Is this a worthwhile endeavor?’ ‘Am I really going to make any change?’ so there was a lot of speculation on my part, but I think that in order to win you have to have a certain attitude and you gotta feel that you can only lose if you don’t compete,” said Mr. Yearwood. “And so therefore I had to be competitive not only with myself, but with the goals that I set for my staff and for this office.”

His co-workers in the ODA, Yvania Garcia-Pusateri, assistant director and coordinator of diverse student development and Shevonne Nelson, assistant director and coordinator of GLBTQ Services, describe him as the type of person who gets up at 5 a.m. every day to be an advocate and be present for students.

“I try to not overwhelm myself, but I also try to make sure that the goals that I set for myself for that particular day, that I complete them,” said Yearwood. “ … and just trying to be a surrogate in more ways than one to whatever it is that [students] experiencing on a daily basis and how that affects them as students here at Miami University.”

While Yearwood’s retirement will be a bittersweet affair, both GarciaPusateri and Nelson recognize that it is time for him to move on.

“He needs his freedom, he needs his time to enjoy his life. It’s the right time,” said Garcia-Pusateri.

“He’s the best boss, best ‘work dad’ ever, such a ‘work dad,’” said Nelson.

Yearwood is going to miss a lot of people here at Miami--his coworkers, his peers, his students and everyone else who has helped him succeed.

“I mean, even people that worked as support staff who I’ve established relationships with, the people who put the screws in the door or exchange a lightbulb, I know them as well,” said Yearwood. “They’re very important to me. And all those people will impact me in some way as I depart from this institution.”

Yearwood prides himself on the fact that he’s been able to see students transition from undergraduates to graduates to developing professionals. To graduating seniors, he wants to remind them that although it’s not going to be easy, they should still stay hopeful.

“But as my mother used to always tell me, ‘Sell to your peaks and not to your valleys.’ Be strong, stay focused. And always remember that there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel,” said Yearwood.

Serving as director of the ODA has given him a better understand of the human condition, he said.

Yearwood had a clear mission for his time at Miami: “To be an advocate, to be a mentor and to be as sincere as you possibly can in order for your constituency that you serve to become successful at whatever they chose to achieve academically and professionally.”

played a large part in her decision.

“I would not [pay for academic credit]. That was the reason I did [zero-credit]. I asked the professor, ‘Are my parents gonna have to pay for this?’, because that would be really expensive.”

For most majors, internships are not an academic requirement.

However, Kleiman says that internships are strongly recommended due to the professional experience they provide.

“You got experience [that] you can put on your resume; You learned something [that] you can talk about, [which] you [can] leverage into a job,” said Kleiman. “There’s no magical thing about [the number of credit hours on] your DARS… that doesn’t mean anything in terms of the quality of the experience.”

4 CULTURE

FRIDAY, MAY 6, 2016

SHUMANDB@MIAMIOH.EDU

Humans oƒ Oxford

Valerie Hodge: Ten years as Miami’s first lady

Comrade of Oxford: Jacob Bryant

PEOPLE PEOPLE

ALISON PERELMAN

ELIZABETH HANSEN

ASSISTANT CULTURE EDITOR

ASSISTANT CULTURE EDITOR

A spectre is haunting Miami University — the spectre of Jacob Bryant.

His alarm sounds at 3 a.m. He wakes up and heads to Laws Hall where he works as a janitor.

After he clocks out at noon, he heads to class.

Jacob Bryant, a sophomore employee and student, is a worker and a Communist.

“If I’m going to brand myself with anything, I’m going to brand myself with something I believe is productive and what will at least forward the interest of the working class,” Jacob said.

Jacob grew up in Eaton, Ohio and has been working since he turned 15. At one point, he was working 80 hours a week as a manager at KFC and Walmart so he could afford school.

After enduring intense work conditions and borderline abuse, Jacob found Communism.

“Lenin teaches us that you don’t come to communism through theory. You come to communism through being inside the struggle.”

In high school, Jacob saw his struggle as teen angst. As he grew older, he realized his struggle could be represented through Communist ideals.

“Authority all throughout high

RENEE FARRELL PHOTO EDITOR

school was just not my thing … I kind of put it into a more mature theory, kind of like a parameter which I consider Marxism,” he said.

Today, his shirts are covered with pins of Communist leaders and the many unions he is involved with.

“I mean, maybe I’m a walking billboard, but at least I’m not a billboard for capitalist interests. This is Mao Zedong, the

great chairman,” he said, pointing to the historical 1968 pin his comrade brought him back from China.

China, Jacob believes, is the perfect communal society.

“I have never felt as a part of a family as I have when I’m with the Chinese people,” he said. “They are actually like the best friends I could ever imagine.”

He plans on spending the rest of his life in Guangzhou, China

after graduation, teaching English and enjoying a country that accepts his opinions.

But for now, as a member of a minority political party, Jacob loves the challenge.

“That’s why I wear ridiculous things. That’s why I have a big sticker of Stalin on my computer,” Jacob said. “These sorts of things, I find them to be cynical, but at the same time, [they] shock people into a conversation.”

Culture staff pop culture picks ENTERTAINMENT

STAFF WRITERS

THE MIAMI STUDENT

To celebrate the conclusion of another year at Miami, we asked the members of the Culture staff to pick their favorite piece of pop culture from the past nine months. Here’s what they chose.

Devon Shuman, Culture Editor It’s been a wonderful year, so it was certainly hard to make a decision. I was tempted to go for “Ultralight Beam,” the beautiful and ethereal opening track of “The Life of Pablo” with Kanye West, Kelly Price and Chance the Rapper. However, being the television enthusiast I am, I ultimately settled on the second season of FXX’s brilliant “You’re the Worst,” which aired this past fall. Following the tumultuous relationship between Jimmy Shive-Overly (Chris Geere) and Gretchen Cutler (Aya Cash), Stephen Falk’s clever take on the

traditional romantic comedy has always been filled with superb writing and intriguing character development. But it truly hit its stride this year when it introduced Gretchen’s struggle with clinical depression. Making you laugh hysterically and sob your heart out, often all in the course of just a couple minutes, “You’re the Worst” is the best sitcom, and maybe the best show, on TV right now.

Kelly Burns, Staff Writer My favorite pop culture event was when Bindi Irwin won Dancing with the Stars in November.

From the very beginning, she was my favorite because of her bubbly personality. She started strong and ended stronger. She dedicated her performances to her late father, Steve Irwin, and every performance was worthy of that dedication. In addition to the fact that she wasn’t a traditional celebrity, she was paired with my favorite dancer, Derek Hough.

How could I not want her to win?

I always knew she would win, but there’s something great about watching it be cemented into reality.

Kaitlin Peffer, Staff Writer Let’s be honest, I was just as crushed as the next girl when One Direction’s Zayn Malik announced his leaving 1D to start a solo career. But I’ve got to hand it to Malik, my obsession with “PILLOWTALK” intensifies everyday. That being said, Malik’s newest album release, “Mind of Mine,” features more than simple “fan girl,” cookie-cutter pop songs. Combining reggae, R&B and alternative, Malik’s album goes through a roller coaster of emotions — from cuddly one minute to rejected the next and finally back to empowering. The jabs at 1D are a little too close for comfort, (see “BeFoUr,” “tRuTh” and “lUcOzAdE”) as Malik burns bridges between him and his former band mates. However,

the unique use of capitalization and variation in genre makes these tracks stand out against other artists. With references to sex, drugs and alcohol, I applaud Malik for emerging from the boy band scene and staying true to his musical roots.

Hannah Fierle, Staff Writer My favorite piece of entertainment this year was David O. Russell’s “Joy.” This biographical drama centers on Joy Mangano, a self-made millionaire on QVC and Home Shopping Network due to her patent on the Miracle Mop in the 1990s. The highlight of this film for me was Jennifer Lawrence’s phenomenal performance as the title character, Joy. She was so well suited to this strong female character and perfectly exemplified this real life “rags to riches” tale.

Valerie and David Hodge both grew up in the west. They both studied geography. They both went to the University of Washington, where they met. They’ve been married for 35 years.

David started out as an associate professor at Washington, but he eventually worked his way up to the position of Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. Valerie was the Director of Institutional Research at Bellevue Community College.

In 2006, David was offered the position of president of Miami University. So, after reading books about its history to prepare, they packed up their things from big, urban University of Washington and moved to middle-of-nowhere Oxford, Ohio.

“It was a little bit weird at first because people were so crazy for Miami and we were like, ‘Wow, I mean, is this just because we’re new and they want us to understand?’ But it’s the real deal,” Valerie said.

People’s pride and passion for the school soon became her favorite part of the experience. Valerie loves meeting students, alumni, faculty, staff — anyone associated with Miami who loves it here.

But that’s not to say there aren’t parts of Washington that they’ve missed over the years.

“We miss the mountains and the rivers and the lakes and the pine trees,” Valerie said.

After about six months — to compensate for their homesickness — they bought a house on Grand Lake St. Mary’s, just an hour and a half up the road.

On breaks, Valerie and David would drive up there to sit out on the dock and watch the water.

Paintings of landscapes also fill Lewis Place, where the President and his wife live.

And to dispel one of the many rumors surrounding the Hodges, yes, they actually live there.

They never spend time uptown because they’re always hosting or attending an event, going out with other people.

“If we have a night off and don’t have an event, we’ll probably just open a can of soup or something and put our feet up,” Valerie said.

They watch “NCIS” together and have favorite movies that they watch over and over — anything with Tom Hanks or Julia Roberts.

While Valerie loves traveling around the country to meet with alumni, her favorite aspects of Miami are on campus — the large

PICKS »PAGE 9

HODGE »PAGE 9

Hillel celebrates Yom Ha’atmaut at annual Israel Fest STUDENT LIFE

HANNAH FIERLE

THE MIAMI STUDENT

Imagine a normal evening in Oxford’s Uptown Park being suddenly transformed into an entirely new cultural experience. Petting a camel, grabbing some delicious Shawarma and immersing oneself into the traditions of another world.

In honor of Israel’s 68th Independence Day (Yom Ha’atmaut), Hillel put on Israel Fest for the Oxford community on Tuesday. The event took place in Uptown Park with over 400 people attending.

Within Miami’s population is a large community of Jewish American students. Hillel is Miami’s association for Jewish American students, offering a forum for celebrating heritage and engaging the campus in their traditions.

This is the third year of Hillel’s Israel Fest, a now annual event.

“Our goal was to bring a taste of Israel to Oxford for people who have never experienced it or might not know a lot about it,” said Nikolai Levinsohn, president of Hillel.

“I think we were successful in cre-

ating a sense of that land and cultivating aspects of Israel’s culture in Oxford.”

Levinsohn expressed that many people attending the festival were not just students, but also members of the community, bringing their families and children.

‘It was really nice to see so many students, both Jewish and non-Jewish, as well as community members and faculty celebrating this holiday together.’

“The program gets bigger and better every year. It’s pretty amazing to see students take initiative and feel empowered to work on this event,” said Megan RENEE FARRELL PHOTO EDITOR

HILLEL »PAGE 9

Live camels could be found at Uptown Park on Tuesday for Hillel’s annual Israel Fest.

WWW.MIAMISTUDENT.NET

FRIDAY, MAY 6, 2016

5

One last run with President Hodge

One last run with President Hodge It’s 5:45 a.m. on a cool April morning. The birds are beginning to chirp, dew still covers the grass and the sun has yet to rise. But a group of Miami University students have risen out of bed to lace up their sneakers and go on a run.

They congregate in the front yard of Lewis Place on High street. Standing in a circle, the group speaks softly, asking each other about their majors and joking about why they woke up this early.

Then a man appears from the front door and walks towards the group. Immediately the students open their circle for him. He is dressed in a Redhawk pullover and and he welcomes them with a

smile and “hello!”

He goes around the circle asking each student where they are from, their academic year and what their major is. He makes a connection with each student’s story.

After a couple minutes of conversation, he explains the 30 minute route they will go on. Before they begin, each student looks down at their sneakers, ties them one more time and then, leading the pack, the man starts to jog off the yard.

“The best part is every time students say ‘I don’t remember the last time I saw the sunrise,’” said Miami University President David Hodge.

Miami students have been joining Hodge for 6 a.m. one and half mile runs since his

first year as president in 2006.

Now, 10 years later and in his final semester as president, runs with students have become more sentimental for President Hodge.

“Running with students is a great joy,” said Hodge. “I get the chance to talk to them on a more personal level.”

Hodge explains that during the second semester of his first year as president, students started asking to go on runs with him after they discovered that he was an avid runner. A tradition was born.

“They are there because they want to do something,” said Hodge. “There is a spirit within the students that says ‘let’s try it, let’s do it’.”

It is this spirit that Hodge will miss the most.

RYAN TERHUNE THE MIAMI STUDENT

“If I’m really discouraged, my favorite thing to do is to go to one of King’s study rooms and talk to students,” said Hodge. “I feel reenergized and it puts everything into perspective.”

During an interview with MQ magazine in 2006, his first year of president under his belt, Hodge explained that his goal was to make Miami “more Miami.” Hodge said he has always tried to further the goals set in the mission statement which states that “it is deeply committed to student success, builds great student and alumni loyalty, and empowers its students, faculty, and staff to become engaged citizens who use their knowledge and skills with integrity and compassion to improve the future of our global society”.

“I would hope that in totality we have advanced academically in every area, undergraduate, graduate and in student and faculty research” said Hodge Hodge believes that during his time as president, Miami has taken some great step forward to bettering the institution.

He credits the commitment and wisdom of not just the students, but colleagues, faculty and alumni to his own success as president.

“It hasn’t been me moving forward, it has been the university,” said Hodge.”And we end up in the right place because we have smart and committed people working together to solve our problems and advance our success.”

As Hodge explains, he is by nature one that always look at the glass half full. He even has two glasses in his office to remind him to always see the best in things. But when looking back on his time as president, he only has one regret.

“I wish I could have the wisdom I have now 10 years ago when I started,” said Hodge.

Towards the end of the run, the group stops at the seal. Hodge points to Upham hall and notes that this is one of his favorite spots. The sun is finally poking through, sending a gleam of light underneath the famous arch. He then asks the seniors what they was their favorite memory as a student at Miami. When you ask President Hodge, he has many memories but one sticks out.

“This will be my 10th time at commencement and my opportunity to wish them well after graduation,” said Hodge.

“That is what it is all about.”

After his final commencement congratulation to the seniors, President Hodge and his wife, Valerie, will move to northern Idaho where they look forward to spending more time with family, volunteering for organizations such as Habitat for Humanities and Trout Unlimited and of course fishing. President Hodge will also be teaching an online course during Miami’s winter term on creativity and leadership.

“If there was one class I could make every student take, it would be entrepreneurship/ creativity/innovation,” said Hodge.

Hodge hopes that a focus on creativity and innovation continues after he is gone.

In conversation with the next president, Gregory Crawford, Hodge has encouraged him to embrace Miami in its fullness and to use his own instinct when making decisions.

The sun has fully risen over the brick building and the running group has made it back to Lewis Place. Before everyone departs, a picture is taken and each student personally thanks Hodge. As the students walk away, they all talk about how happy they were in their decision to come. It is those moments that impact a student’s experience, and for Hodge, his experience at Miami has been life changing.

Have an Active and Healthy Retirement from the Department of Kinesiology and Health

JALEN WALKER THE MIAMI STUDENT

Student and Faculty Research Presentations

Thanks, President Hodge, for your support of student inquiry!

Department of Psychology

6 OPINION

FRIDAY, MAY 6, 2016

Despite varied groups, diverse interactions are lacking at Miami The following piece, written by the editorial editors, reflects the majority opinion of the editorial board.

A

ccording to Miami’s Office of Institutional Research, the undergraduate population reached 16,387 students during the Fall 2015 semester. Broken down by race and origin, there are 12,503 white students, 1,875 international, 628 Latino/Hispanic, 519 multiracial, 483 black, and 344 Asian.

Each of the 50 states is represented at Miami — even Washington D.C. Additionally, the 1875 international students come from 87 different countries. That’s the domestic picture, but, according tothe university’s webite, “approximately 42 percent of Miami students study abroad before they graduate” — a number that earns Miami the 19th rank in universities nationwide for studying abroad.

From a social standpoint, there are over 400 student organizations registered. Organizations like SPECTRUM and the Asian American Association, Stage Left and F-Word, College Republicans and College Democrats, African Student Union and Black Women Empowered, Korean American Student Association, Association of Latin American Students and so on.

Measuring the above data, Miami checks out as a relatively diverse campus with students that bring global and unique perspectives to our supposedly humdrum Midwest town. So if the question at hand were: Are we diverse? Well,

sure. But a much more complex question to be considered is: What do we do with that diversity? Is our campus an integrated diverse mix?

Or does a prospective student come to campus and immediately pick up on the racial isolation in Armstrong Student Center? On the swarms of the backwards hat, Vineyard Vines shirt and boat shoes outfits moving about campus? On the seperated groups of Chinese students? Is that a diversity to be proud of?

If it were, President Hodge wouldn’t have sent an email to the student body addressing our lack of an inclusive community. The representatives from EducationCounsel, he wrote, will have a report ready by the summer. It is then the hope that incoming President Crawford will act on the findings of this study.

We await these actions with alacrity for a better Miami in the future.

As for our part, we can only look inwards and suggest some adjustments within the university. On an individual level, it is understood that comfort zones are yearned for on a daily basis, especially now with another dose of the mentally numbing finals underway. It’s easy to see why, according to JS Bragg of the Office of Student Activities, each year sees the founding of 4060 student organizations. Students wish to stick to what they know and agree with friends with the same opinions.

But this everlasting growth of organizations lends itself to further-

ing an already segregated student body. To stymie any additional branching off, students must begin to realize that all organizations, regardless of their majority members, are open to each and every student. A white male can join Black Women Empowered and a lesbian female can join both SPECTRUM and the Colege Republicans. What better way to integrate within our Miami community than interacting within unique groups with diverse ideas and members?

Well, perhaps one way — not necessarily better, just easier — would be to enroll in a course that is offered only to a small group.

IDS 151, titled Diversity Seminar, is “designed to enable students to take part in discussions involving difference.” However, the 6-week sprint course is limited to those in the Global Connections LLC, which is made up approximately of 50 percent international students and 50 percent domestic students.

Similar to a public speaking course, a seminar concerning diversity is necessary to a student’s growth and understanding in that they will, at some point, need it.

Moreover, if Miami wants to stick with its liberal arts agenda — one that encourages immersion in myriad subjects — enrolling in this course would fit quite well. It’s a step towards slowly but surely exiting our comfort zones and begin the much-needed process of integration in the Miami community.

An old couch, an unfinished novel and a few editors: Integral pieces of an ongoing journey JOURNALISM

MILAM’S MUSINGS BRETT MILAM COLUMNIST

In the fall of 2009, I wrote my dad a letter saying I wasn’t going straight to college after high school.

Instead, I needed time to “find myself” and write a novel. I had grandiose plans to be on the New York Times bestseller list before I was 18.

But I underestimated how infantile my writing was then and how much growing up I needed.

The book never materialized and so, just as Barack Obama was getting sworn in as the 44th president of the United States, I started at Miami on the Hamilton campus.

My first first three years at Miami are hazy and difficult to remember, — like that bit of brain fog I get before coffee sweeps it aside, but there are moments that penetrate the fog.

That time I debated my political science professor in my first semester of college about Social Security, — I was a fresh libertarian. And that time shortly after where she told me to be quiet in front of the class.

I never did take a political science class again.

That time the nursing department used one of my columns from the now-defunct Hamilton campus student newspaper, The Hamilton Harrier, as a final exam. I wrote a column comparing voters to schizophrenics.

That time I wrote a story in my fiction class about a school shooting, which, in hindsight, seems like poor judgment.

In March 2012, I started taking classes on the Oxford campus and working for The Miami Student as the Online Editor, under the stipulation that I didn’t need to know how to code.

These last four years with The Student are when I believe I shed my shy teenage skin for my still-shy adult skin.

Back when I first started, The

Student was in the basement of MacMillan.

The small room, despite the long table in the middle, had a grungy vibe to it.

Past editions of the paper were strewn everywhere, and there was an old couch in the left corner that looked like it had seen some stuff that would make the most grizzled reporter’s neck hair fray.

On the back wall, we kept notes of all the crazy things editors would say in our closed-off dungeon.

It didn’t take long for me to pine to have my words christened on that wall.

However, the most beautiful sight to me, but also the most intimidating, was the scores of computers curling around the long table with students — journalists — clickclacking away, excitedly writing up a story or discussing it.

I was hooked immediately by the journalism-y bug permeating the room and by these fellow students who just seemed so adult to me.

They were running a newspaper, after all.

Lauren Ceronie was the first editor I worked under and the one who hired me.

She had a trait I would come to see in the editors who followed her: the ability to command the newsroom and the people within it.

Lauren also set the trend for giving me great latitude, which I was somehow fortunate to receive under every editor after her.

You see, even though I loved the newsroom vibe and the chatter, I was also competing with the social anxiety part of my brain. And that part of my brain was terrified of large groups. As such, I often came into the newsroom at 11 p.m. or later to do my online duties.

This meant I tended to be closer with the higher-ranking editors who stayed in the office until the early hours of the morning. It also meant I would awkwardly not recognize other reporters, the designers and so forth.

What I miss about Lauren is what I dubbed the “vagina monologues.”

She and the other female editors would often talk about such things in these early hours without any

thought to my presence. Often this would then allow me the opportunity to chime in with a zinger and an attempt to get on the wall.

After Lauren was Katie Taylor.

Katie has said that she started the position of editor unsure of herself.

Even so, it didn’t take her long to appear confident in the role and assume the ability to command the newsroom.

And in time, she, as all new editors do, shifted the Student to reflect her image of it and her direction for it, vying for a better online presence and going after more hard-hitting stories.

When I think of Katie, I think of someone with the ability to apply nuanced, unconventional thinking to journalism and who isn’t afraid to go against the crowd, meaning sometimes her fellow journalists.

I also fondly remember her passion and interest in craft beers. Her campus apartment had a beautiful mosaic of craft beer cases.

Continuing in Katie’s tradition, but somehow taking the Student to even gutsier places, Reis Thebault came in as editor next. Although, I must include Emily Tate within that dynamic, as I always viewed them as a badass duo.

Reis and Tate pushed more out of scouring records and taking on the Greek system — something perpetually unpopular.

With Reis, I mostly think of how unassuming he is when you talk to him. In other words, he has that perfect journalist trait of getting people to talk to him.

Oh, and his man bun. It’s hard to think of Reis without picturing it.

Emily is fearless and subtly fierce in her reporting and writing. When I did newswriting, I’d still get a little nervous about her editing my articles and thinking they were crap.

Now the Student is under James Steinbaurer’s leadership and, as with the previous editors I’ve had the privilege of working under, I’m excited to see the new direction he takes The Student.

From what I know of him, as one of the most earnest and genuine people I’ve met, he’s going to conMUSING »PAGE 7

EDITORIAL@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

Because of this place: Looking back at four years in Oxford LIFE

BRITTON PERELMAN MANAGING EDITOR

Graduation is in less than two weeks.

If you’re anything like me, that sentence sends your insides scrambling.

I don’t know about you, but I feel like I’m constantly stuck in panic mode.

I panic that there’s not enough time left, that I still have too much to do, that I haven’t done enough already. I panic about the “last” time for things and the fact that I never figured out how to get to the roof of Alumni Hall or swam in the fountains behind Shriver. I panic about saying goodbye. And then, on top of that, I worry that I’m panicking too much.

A wave of nostalgia and longing hits me every time I walk across campus. I remember everything and I don’t want it to end.

This place, these people … there will never be a time that this exact group of people will be together again.

For four years, we’ve called Oxford “home.”

We’ve done the icebreakers and group projects. We wrote the papers, pretended to read the books and procrastinated on everything for as long as possible. We discovered Google Drive and then immediately wondered how we ever survived without it before.

We lived in the dorms and complained about the bathrooms and the dining halls. The food was never good enough, but that never stopped “family dinners” on weekday nights.

We moved off campus and into houses with names that are too clever for us to have come up with ourselves. Some of us left the country, others never left Oxford.

There were too many nights in King and not enough Uptown — or maybe it was the other way around. There were nights we knew we wouldn’t remember and nights we never wanted to forget.

We made friends who will be in our weddings, and others we’ll probably never see again. We fell in and out of love with people and things and ideas. At some point, we each figured out what we’re most passionate about.

And whether we acknowledged it or not, we did it all together. We did it all here.

This town, this little, red-brickfilled, middle-of-nowhere Ohio town brought us all together. It’s because of this place.

That’s what gives me comfort when I see the bright red graduation gown hanging in my closet and think about that day in the too-near future when I’ll throw my cap into the air.

Even though we might be leaving, Class of 2016, we’ll always have Oxford.

No matter where we go after this, there is something that will always keep us together.

My last year was also my sister Alison’s first. And through some amount of coincidence and irony I’ll never fully understand, she was randomly assigned to live in the same room I did during my freshman year. Tappan Hall, 205.

When Alison and her roommate moved in nine months ago, my former Tappan roommate, Kara, and I tagged along to help.

We hovered like overprotective parents as Alison checked in downstairs and then went up the stairs to the second floor. Suddenly, all I could think of was the hug Kara gave me in that very hallway on the first day we met.

She hadn’t even known me then.

We were both tearing up when we turned the corner, walked down our hallway, and stood in front of our old room.

Neither of us ended up being much help to Alison — we were too busy reminiscing. About Friday afternoons watching “Scandal” and that time the coffee exploded. About stuffed animals and Zoo Tycoon and Gilman the Fish. About vacuums and Mama Odie and refrigerators that sounded like jet engines.

We talked about the day we knew was inevitable, but weren’t ready to accept yet, and how each member of our group would act once the caps and gowns were on and we were all about to walk across the stage. We both agreed that we’d be the only two crying.

“I wish I could go back and do it over again knowing what I do now,” she said.

I agreed. I still do.

Sitting there, watching Alison unpack and organize, all I could see was Kara, laying in bed, eating, and watching TV. And there I was, sitting at my desk at the end of her bed, typing away until all hours of the night.

So much had changed already, but that room was exactly the way

These red brick buildings haven’t changed in the last four years — I have.

Kara and I left it three years ago.

From the second we walked in the door of Tappan, an instant, too familiar feeling washed over me. The one you get when you’re somewhere that clearly hasn’t changed, and you have.

I realize now that it’s the same feeling I have when I walk across campus every day. These red brick buildings haven’t changed in the last four years — I have.

It’s because of this place — this beautiful, constantly changing but always-the-same place — that we can see how far we’ve come.

I take comfort in knowing that, when I leave Oxford in a few weeks, it’s not going anywhere — I am.

No matter where we go after graduation, Oxford, Ohio, will always be here. Because of this place, we’ll always have somewhere to call “home.”

PERELMBK@MIAMIOH.EDU

THANKS FOR READING THE MIAMI STUDENT SEE YOU IN THE FALL

EDITORIAL@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

OPINION 7

FRIDAY, MAY 6, 2016

Expansion of religious perspective With help from a bike, college essential in personal college development experience comes full circle RELIGION

HALEY DONOVAN GUEST COLUMNIST

In his work on ideology and ideological state apparatuses, social theorist Louis Althusser explains that religion serves as a vessel from which citizens obtain an ideology that they ultimately latch on to. From this, certain ideologies go on to become dominant, or the societal “norm,” through various modes of reproduction.

When asking about diversity on Miami University’s campus, responses are often dismal. It may appear, upon first glance, that Christianity is the dominant ideology, especially if you’re looking at data from the Office of Institutional Research.

According to the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) Freshman Survey information, Roman Catholicism was the favored religion of 34.9 percent of the 2013 freshman class.

“None” came in second with 19.4 percent in the most recent set of data about incoming Miami students’ religious identities.

So if a third of that class identified as Catholic, and another fifth declared no affiliation, that doesn’t make Miami very religiously diverse … or does it? Diversity also includes a difference in attitudes and ideology, and the ways in which we come to believe the things we do. At Miami, it is encouraged to engage in healthy and constructive conversations with peers and professors about differing ideologies.

One place where this can happen lies on the outskirts of Miami’s campus, directly across from the Phi Delt Gates. The Interfaith Center is a place where students and Oxford community members can come together and engage in important conversa-

tions about various topics from religion to social justice issues.

Previously, the historic building on the edge of campus was known as the Campus Ministry Center. But, according to Lea Wilczynski, a sophomore intern at the Center, the name was changed in 2014 in order to accommodate and represent more students.

The Center hosts a variety of events throughout the year that are open to anyone. An example of one of these events is Food for Thought, a small dinner with a guest speaker, who often introduces new ideas to attendees.

Lea says that the Center has active relationships with most of the faith-based or culture-based student organizations on Miami’s

students, specifically Chinese international students who have shown interest in events,” Lea reports.

It is important to engage in conversations with individuals who may be engrained in an ideology that is different from your own. It’s the whole point of college: to open your mind to new, albeit sometimes uncomfortable ideas, especially before the real world throws them in your face.

Just because someone may identify with a certain religious denomination, it does not mean that they hold all of the ideology that is typically associated with it. In today’s ever-changing, progressive society, it is sometimes difficult to cling to orthodox ideas

It is important to engage in conversations with individuals who may be engrained in an ideology that is different from your own. It’s the whole point of college.

campus, such as the Secular Students of Miami, Hillel, AAA, ISA, Muslim Student Association, Kappa Phi, Cru and Navigators.

These connections attract a variety of people to the Center, all equipped with differing ideology and behaviors.

At events, Lea says, attendees have chances to engage in conversations about difference and diversity. “There are typically a range of faiths, non-faiths and philosophical identities present, but I think the majority is some form of Christianity, from my observations. I have also noticed from my own observations a large majority of international

within certain religious sects.

Similarly, one student who identifies as Catholic may hold entirely different beliefs than another student who attends the same masses.

So, keep an eye peeled for Interfaith events, or stop in to the Interfaith Center in your free time. You never know what kind of conversation you’ll have, or what you’ll learn from the experience about yourself, your fellow classmates or someone within the greater Oxford community.

DONOVAHE@MIAMIOH.EDU

LIFE

GRETTA HALLBERG COLUMNIST

When I finally finished the four years of hell known as high school, my parents got me the best graduation present: a brand new bicycle. I fell in love. It was sleek black with white tires. It had a metal basket in front, perfect for hauling my backpack around campus. The brown leather seat matched the wide set handlebars. It was the kind of bike you would take to the farmer’s market in Paris and pedal home past the Eiffel Tower with a baguette and a wheel of brie in the basket.

You can imagine my surprise when, early into my freshman year, I was teased for my bike. Nothing

people on it. Not to the “Public Ivey” side of Miami, but to the side the university isn’t proud of — our ranking as a top party school.

Junior year was busy — so many things got lost in the shuffle, including my beloved bicycle. I was a TA and taking too many credit hours. I dated a guy who turned out to be a real asshole, leaving my personal life in relative shambles. I started taking on leadership positions in my sorority and with Up magazine. College began to feel like a constant to-do list that I couldn’t keep up with. My grades started slipping — or slipping for my standard — to more B’s than A’s. I stopped writing for fun.

One day, I came home drained from exams, and I forgot to lock my bike to my front porch. I went out

I came into school as a bright-eyed freshman, ready for change, eager to learn and make new friends.

Slowly, the toxic culture of binge drinking and Greek life consumed my life.

mean or malicious, but my “friends” would roll their eyes or giggle when I rode around campus.

Slowly, I entered the world of everybody else, making the horrible walk from Western Campus to my classes, to restaurants uptown, to King library.

By my sophomore year, I moved into sorority quad and hardly used it at all. I usually had classes with friends, so I would walk with them, and my bike became a little bit less necessary. But then again, so did everything else I loved. I swapped my penny loafers for sky-high heels, late night ice cream for late night shots, reading for fun for partying but dreading it.

I came into school as a brighteyed freshman, ready for a change, eager to learn and make new friends.

Slowly, the toxic culture of binge drinking and Greek life consumed my life. I traded the world of my innocence and my bicycle for a world where a pair of letters define you, a world of random make outs on the Brickstreet dancefloor and fake IDs. These things weren’t really of interest to me, but I bought into it anyway. I cared what other people thought of me. I let my bike sit idly in the rack outside of Hamilton Hall while consuming myself with the thoughts of the people who were “cool.”

It’s not a time in my life I am proud of. While I was “fitting in” with the rest of the clique, it didn’t feel genuine. I was impressionable, desperate to connect with this campus and the

that night, and when I got home, my bike had been stolen. I had let go of myself and that thing that I loved so much — not on purpose, but through a series of mistakes and chronic overcommitments.

When I moved back in senior year, my dad and I went to BikeWise to check out their used bikes.

I was secretly hoping my adorable, fashion-blogger-esque bicycle would magically appear. It didn’t, but I dropped a paycheck on a new bike nonetheless.

It was sturdy and practical, if not as cute, but it could get from point A to point B. Now, hardly a day goes by that I don’t ride my bicycle to class.

I take it to Kroger or Walmart when I just have a few things to pick up, enough that I can carry in a backpack. I take it to the post office when I send packages to my family for birthdays or boxes of my stuff home over breaks. I take it to see my friends on the other side of high street, or to meetings in the evenings. Most days, it’s the way I get around.

I still get teased by my friends sometimes, but I like to think it’s because they’d rather be rolling to class in style than making the trek from our house to FSB. The comments, instead of hurting or embarrassing me, garner an eye roll. While I’m not perfect at not caring what anybody else thinks, I’m getting a lot better at wearing my mom jeans, rocking the Tevas instead of wedges to the bar and, yes, proudly riding my bike.

HALLBEGMS@MIAMIOH.EDU

A.J. NEWBERRY NEWBERAJ@MIAMIOH.EDU

FROM MUSING »PAGE 6

hitting journalism established by his predecessors.

While I enjoyed my role as Online Editor and as the occasional reporter, I love this right here: opinion writing.

I’m going to miss having a weekly or twice-weekly space and platform to say whatever I want. As with the Online Editor position, my opinion editors over the years have given me great latitude.

This is especially the case when it comes to my inability for brevity. I remember when 750 words was the ceiling.

But when I first started as a columnist four years ago, I had little self-awareness.

My thought process in writing this column was that I lay down the ink and the ink somehow gets transmitted to readers’ eyeballs. It was a one-way relationship and I was the facilitator.

It took former Opinion Editor Amanda Hancock to help me to realize this was the wrong path to take.

That, as it turns out, I should care what my readers think and are interested in reading, and one way of

doing that was to get more personal.

Instead of being the isolated, unreachable Cormac McCarthy-type of writer, I could open up my writing, like a vein, to the world.

Which ultimately made sense to me, as I’ve always viewed writing as Hemingway did: coming to the typewriter to bleed.

In fact, if you look back at my ink trail, you can see at the precise moment Hancock’s influence entered (a September, 2014 column about my fear of public speaking).

Hancock’s influence made me more self-aware, which I believe made my column-writing better.

I’m grateful to her for that.

Granted, it could be the case that people are just as disinterested in my fear of public speaking, as they are that President Obama droned 16-year-old Abdulrahman al-Awlaki in 2011.

But at least the writing would be more honest and real and at times, hopefully reflect the experiences fellow students were going through.

There are always going to be detractors of what the Student does.

To be certain, some of the constructive criticism I’ve heard over the years I understand.

I also understand that it’s difficult

to write a piece from inside The Student praising the work of The Student, as it seems like sanctimonious back-patting and like I’m delivering the perspective from my journalism perch.

But what I don’t understand is the people that tell us in comment sections they regret having written for The Student or that they are taking The Student off of their resumes.

I’m thankful for the Student.

Without The Student, I’m not sure what my Miami experience — that elusive, vague yearning for meaning beyond learning — would have been like.

In my time as Online Editor under Lauren, Katie, Reis, Emily and James’ leadership, and the other section editors, I looked up to them, even though — because I’ve been at Miami since the Harding administration — I was typically a few years older than them.

Through them and The Student, I think I also “found myself.”

And that is someone who aspires to be the journalists they are, as I move on from Miami and set my musings down somewhere else.

MILAMBC@MIAMIOH.EDU

PLEASE READ MORE STORIES ONLINE AT MIAMISTUDENT.NET

8 FYI

FRIDAY, MAY 6, 2016

FOR RENT

COURTYARDS OF MIAMI

James Steinbauer Editor-in-Chief

Britton Perelman Managing Editor

Ben Blanchard Sports Editor

Kyle Hayden Design Editor

Renee Farrell Photo Editor

Emily Tate, Reis Thebault Editors at Large Carleigh Turner Web Designer

Thomas Briggs Business Manager

Audrey Davis, Jack Evans, Angela Hatcher, Mary Schrott, Emily Williams, Megan Zahneis News Editors

Ali Hackman Assisstant Business Manager Charles Cucco, Mike Coutre Advertising Representatives

Devon Shuman Culture Editor

James Tobin Adviser

Elizabeth Hansen, Alison Perelman Assistant Culture Editors

Drew Davis Business Adviser WDJ Inc. - Bill Dedden Distributor

Marissa Stipek, Graham von Carlowitz, Opinion Editors Joey Hart Assistant Opinion Editor Cartoonist

A.J. Newberry

Crime Beat Writer Brett Milam

Designers

Will Fagan Julie Norehad Katie Hinh Mackenzie Rossero

Opinion Columnists

Brett Milam Greta Hallberg Madeleine LaPlante-Dube Graham von Carlowitz

Senior Staff Writers Maggie Callaghan Laura Fitzgerald Angela Hatcher Hailey Mallendick Bonnie Meibers Morgan Nguyen Mary Schrott Tess Sohngen

Website: For advertising information: Send us a letter?

Sports Columnists Jack Reyering Ryan McSheffery

Photography Staff Jalen Walker Angelo Gelfuso Ian Marker Jing Long Amanda Wang Jennifer Mills Tyler Pistor Beth Pfohl Connor Moriarty Brianna Nixon

www.miamistudent.net miamistudent@gmail.com eic@miamistudent.net

The Courtyards of Miami, located across from Miami’s Rec, on the corner of East Central Ave. and South Main St. offers two bedroom $2500. per person Heat and water included. 1 bedroom $3700. Free summer available, parking included.

Great location, excellent upgrades, make the Courtyards worth looking at. Visit web thecourtyardsofmiami.com or call 513-659-5671 Thank You

STUDIOS AVAILABLE NEXT YR

109 W SYCAMORE - Single for 16-17 - $2,850 per semester: all utilities included, plus internet and cable, and comes furnished.

Call 524-9340 to schedule a tour.

FROM EVALUATIONS » PAGE 2

evaluations, Madson said they can be constructive in the classroom.

“I had a teacher last semester and he had us fill out three different evaluations throughout the semester because he wanted to know how he was doing,” Madson said. “I thought that was a good idea and as the year went on he actually improved.”

WWW.MIAMISTUDENT.NET

FOR RENT NEXT YEAR! 501 N CAMPUS – 4 bedroom/ 1 bath - $2,100 per person per semester @ 4 People.

Call 524-9340. www. plumtreemiami.com __________________ 813 S BEECH ST. – 4 bedrooms/1 bath - $2,500 per person per semester @ 4 People. Call 524-9340

LIVE UPTOWN FOR 17-18!! ONLY 3

LOFTS REMAINING! 10 N. BEECH ST.: 4 BEDROOM/ 2 FULL BATHROOM. $4,750 PP/ PER SEM. @ 4 PEOPLE. CONTACT 524-9340. www.redbrickmiami. com

LIVE UPTOWN THIS SUMMER! LOFTS AVAILABLE FOR 1 - 4 PEOPLE. 1 Person: $1500 ($1500 per person) 2 Person: $2500 ($1250 per person) 3 Person: $3000 ($1000 per person) 4 Person: $3300 ($825 per person) Call 524-9340 for more info. www.redbrickmiami.co

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Pianist/Organist Needed

needed at Faith Lutheran Church in Oxford, OH. The Pianist/Organist will provide yearround support of liturgical worship services; accompany the Chancel Choir; play at weddings and funerals held in the church. You will work with the Music Director and Pastor of the church. Begin immediately. Email cover letter, resume, and three references attention: Dave Jennings – faithlcm@woh.rr.com FROM TRACK»PAGE 10

Eastern Kentucky, Emory, Kentucky, Kentucky Wesleyan, Lipscomb, Limestone, Lindsey Wilson, Marshall, Northern Kentucky, Rhodes College, Tennessee Tech, Tennessee, Wesleyan, Transylvania, Union, Western Ontario and Xavier.

The Kentucky Relays begin 9 a.m.

Saturday at the UK Outdoor Track and Field Complex in Lexington, Kentucky.

The Miami Student (Tuesday/Friday) is published during the school year by the students of Miami University, Oxford, Ohio.

The content of The Miami Student is the sole responsibility of The Miami Student staff. Opinions expressed in The Miami Student are not necessarily those of Miami University, its students or staff.

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.

FROM DONATION » PAGE 2

would be a cause that all of the participants would want to support.

“I wanted to choose a cause that everybody would be able to get behind, so this merged children and education — two causes that almost everyone is willing to support,” said Trepeta.

In total, nine organizations contributed to the effort — Alpha Phi Alpha, Black Student Action Association, Black Women Empowered, Love You Like a Sister, Miami University Gospel Singers, Multicultural Business Association, National Association of Black Accountants, National Society of Black Engineers and Sigma Lambda Gamma.

Each organization hosted their own fundraising events throughout the semester, some

FROM LAVENDER» PAGE 2

ways that didn’t exist on campus.”

While the GLBTQ+ community on campus has made significant progress on campus with gender neutral housing, the relabeling of bathrooms and the implementation of preferred pronoun education, Nelson emphasized how essential

of which included a nacho sale at the Phi Delt gates, a Valentine’s Day candy-gram fundraiser and a flag football tournament. Every Collab-Donation fundraising event used the hashtag #Students4Students to support their semester-long cause.

Carolyn Craig, faculty advisor for Collab-Donation, said she has been impressed with the level of dedication she has seen from Trepeta and the other students involved in the organization.

“It is great to see Miami students so committed to giving back to the community and making a difference,” said Craig.

Trepeta said he and other members are looking forward to welcoming new organizations to Collab-Donation’s efforts next semester. Collab-Donation will announce next semester’s cause early in the fall.

it is to give the individuals in this community the space they need to feel comfortable and celebrated, especially on their graduation.

First year French and French education major Lauren Racela described the essence and purpose of Lavender Graduation.

“This is a place where no one has to explain themselves,” Racela said.

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @MIAMISTUDENT

Textbook rentals are due back to the store by Sunday, May 15th.

WWW.MIAMISTUDENT.NET

9

FRIDAY, MAY 6, 2016

FROM HILLEL »PAGE 4

Harkavy, one of the off-campus advisors for Hillel. “It was really nice to see so many students, both Jewish and non-Jewish, as well as community members and faculty celebrating this holiday together.”

Israel Fest featured many authentic features of the nation’s culture. A DJ played the unique, traditional music, while attendants were able to “tour” Israel’s five big cities and learn more about the culture. The event featured live camels and

FROM PICKS »PAGE 4

Kirby Davis, Staff Writer Marrying the cynical hilarity of “The Big Lebowski” and widescale grandeur of “Singin’ in the Rain,” “Hail, Caesar!” is an enchanting, raucous spectacle of old-Hollywood glory. Josh Brolin stars as real-life “fixer,” Eddie Mannix, who is struggling to keep his 1950s studio and its unruly stars under control.

There’s a lot for him to contend with — Communist kidnapping plots, Channing Tatum musical numbers, Tilda Swinton playing two squabbling Hedda Hopperstyle tabloid reporters — but at its heart this is a film that celebrates all of this, rather than condemning it. “Hail, Caesar!” is a powerful reminder of why I love not just the Coen Brothers, or dogs upstaging Academy Award-winning actors, but

donkeys, and activities included a bouncy house for children, games and prizes and making one’s own Dead Sea salt scrub.

“We wanted to showcase authentic aspects of Israel’s culture, a country with such diverse food, music, animals and traditions,” said Levinsohn.

The event offered an impressive spread of authentic Israeli cuisine, including smoothies, hummus, falafel and Shawarma.

In sharing this customary fare with the community, Hillel was able to give attendants a better

taste and understanding of Israel.

With the event’s great participation and enthusiasm from the community, Levinsohn and Hillel look to the future to continue to build their organization.

“We’ve reached a lot more people and created more ways to get involved,” said Levinsohn.

“The next executive board is vigorous with lots of energy. I believe in their ability to continue the comfortable community we’ve established at Miami.”

In just the last year, Hillel has

seen growth in participation by 40 percent. The organization’s many events help to engage the community in Jewish American culture in a fun and educational way.

In addition to Israel Fest, Hillel puts on events to celebrate other Jewish holidays like Hanukkah, Rash Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot. Members also enjoy a weekly Shabbat dinner on Friday nights at Miami’s Hillel Foundation, located Uptown on Walnut Street.

Additionally, in an effort to

grow and continue high levels of participation, Hillel has formed a friendship with the Muslim Students Association.

This partnership between the two organizations has resulted in cohosted events like “Fest of the Mideast.”

“I’m thankful that Hillel constantly gives me and my peers opportunities to grow as members of the Jewish community, as leaders, and helps us feel connected to Miami’s campus as a whole,” said Sam Adler, incoming president of Hillel.

movies in general.

a movie or TV show, but there were too many good ones this year to choose from. Instead, the thing that stuck out in my mind was the Ed Sheeran concert I went to back in September. It was probably one of the best concerts I have ever been to. Ed’s music is already incredibly versatile, but seeing him perform live is even better. Not only does he sound exactly the same live as he does in recording, but his personality adds humor and energy to the songs — both his own and other remixes. He doesn’t use any prerecorded tracks, but performs everything live with the loop pedal. And the atmosphere is exhilarating. I don’t know when he’s touring again in the U.S., but I recommend attedning a concert if you can. Or in the mean time, just watch his entire performance from Dublin on YouTube.

FROM HODGE »PAGE 4

happy. It was fantastic, it was just fantastic,” Valerie said.

The performances are just one thing Valerie is going to miss when they leave.

In June, she and her daughter will take the car and David will be right along with them in a U-Haul and pulling his fishing boat as they make their way back home to Idaho.

“I’m looking forward to relaxing and not having a schedule and not getting up to an alarm clock. Just getting up and saying, ‘This is what I want to do today.’ Nobody else gets to tell me what to do,” Valerie said with a big laugh.

They’re going to hang out by the dock and read books. David will fish, play piano and learn Spanish.

Then, after they’ve settled in, they’ll get involved in volunteer activities.

Valerie loved her time spent at Miami, but knows that ten years is a long time to do the same thing and it’s a good time to leave.

“It’s like Miami’s a river going by and you step in at one point, and we stepped in 2006. And we’ve gone along and along and along. And now we’re gonna step out in 2016 and you’re always a part of Miami’s history. Forever, you’re a part of this place,” she said. “And that’s pretty amazing to think about that.

Leaving that kind of a legacy and having had this kind of experience is pretty amazing.”

Elizabeth Hansen, Assistant Culture Editor When a notification popped up on my Spotify account saying that The Lumineers were releasing a new album on April 8, I sprinted to my room and told my roommate. I had been waiting for a new album since I got hooked on their first album four years ago. The Lumineers’ new album, “Cleopatra,” did not dissappoint. It’s filled with the same folky vibe as the previous, but also contains songs like “Ophelia” and “Cleopatra” that contain more rock influences.

Whether I’m studying or going for a run, “Cleopatra” has become my go-to album.

Alison Perelman, Assistant Culture Editor I thought I would write about

MIAMISTUDENT.NET

amount of Miami mergers and proud legacies, watching students side step the seal — even the new one in Armstrong.

Valerie and her husband have never kissed under the Upham Arch, but they take advantage of every opportunity possible on campus.

While David was competing in beginner’s level broomball, Valerie took an ice skating lesson.

“That was neat to take the lessons and realize how truly difficult that skill is and understand how good [the synchronized skating teams] are to be doing it they way they do it,” she said.

Valerie’s favorite memory from her ten years here was a moment during the bicentennial closing extravaganza.

The marching band, glee club, glee club alumni, other choral groups and the orchestra were all there. Millett was packed with people. The fight song and alma mater were saved for last and the Hodges were asked to come up on stage. The glee club started snapping.

“And we’re standing up there and then all this red and white confetti starts coming down while we sing the alma mater. And I mean there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. We were all crying and laughing and

SEE YOU IN THE FALL! THANKS FOR READING!

Miami University and Community Federal Credit Union

Annual Bill Consolidation Loan Special!

TO A P Lower Your Monthly Payments contact uPsLaY, (513) 523-8 t & Save Money 888 by consolidating your credit card and personal or muccvuis.oitrg loan debt with Rates as Low as 7.99%

K SELL YOUR BOOKS BAC AND GET CASH!

5120 College Corner Pike | Oxford, OH 45056 Membership is open to anyone who lives, works, worships or attends school in Butler County.

improving lives everyday

(1) Rate applies to approved loans with a repayment terms of 60 months or less. Rates/APR, terms and conditions are subject to individual credit worthiness and must satisfy MUCFCU’s standard loan underwriting criteria. Rate are subject to daily change without notice. All loans are subject to a minimum $40 loan processing fee which will increase the APR. APR=Annual Percentage Rate. Call, email or make an appointment to learn the complete details for this promotional offering. MUCFCU is not a legal entity of the University.

FOLLETT’S MIAMI CO-OP BOOKSTORE Find us at our new temporary location 16 S. Poplar Street Don't forget! Rental Check-in by May 15th /MiamiCoopBookstore miamicoopshop.com

2016

2016

10 SPORTS

FRIDAY, MAY 6, 2016

SPORTS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

Why Miami students don’t attend football games FROM FOOTBALL »PAGE 1

Students want a winning team The RedHawks haven’t provided much entertainment for students, having won five games in the last three seasons. They’ve had one winning season in the last decade.

Seniors Cory Pisano and Dan Perssons, junior Courtney Berry and first-year Abigail Murray said they would rather drive two hours to Columbus for an Ohio State game than walk down the road to a Miami game.

“You want to be on the winning team,” Murray said. “OSU is huge.

Everybody else is a fan, so you want to be a fan.”

Pisano and Perssons agreed.

“It’s not fun to watch your team lose,” Perssons said. “That’s why everyone goes to hockey games, I feel like. Because they’ve been good for a long time.”

In the Mid-American Conference, it’s not often that one program enjoys consistent dominance. The conference leader fluctuates each season.

Miami Deputy Athletic Director Jude Killy said one reason for this could be coaching and administration switches. Frequently, after a school wins the MAC championship, the head coach will leave for a bigger and better job.

“Transition at the top makes it really really tough to sustain [success],” he said. “You hire a successor, then you hire another successor

and another successor. I mean, how many runs in a row can you make?”

But, Killy believes MU has the right staff in place to bring a winning team back to Oxford. Miami’s investment in new facilities helps with recruitment, and Miami’s last two recruiting classes under head coach Chuck Martin have landed in the top three of the MAC. The Miami culture doesn’t include football A quick drive down High Street on a Saturday is enough to prove Miami students view football in Oxford as an afterthought.

“Over time, it’s just developed into everyone coming Uptown on Saturdays rather than going to the football game,” Pisano said. “That’s

just what you adapt to when you come in here as a freshman.”

In the TMS survey, several respondents mentioned in a write-in section that Miami doesn’t provide a “game-day experience.”

“If you go to a hockey game here, everybody knows the chants, and if you don’t know the chants, you feel left out,” Berry said. “I doubt there would be any chants being taught at a [Miami] football game … there’s always so much fun stuff going on in Oxford that a day game or night game doesn’t matter.”

In 2010, Ohio University created the Bobcat Student Park, which includes music, games and free food for students. In the Park’s first three years, OU saw its student attendance at football games rise from

about 3,500 per game to 6,000, according to the Columbus Dispatch.

Miami has tried something similar with the “Endzone” near the West Millet parking lot and is in the process of evaluating its effectiveness with students.

University of Cincinnati, Miami’s local and biggest non-conference rival, has a contrasting scene.

“Everybody looks forward to Saturdays,” UC junior Ryan Anthony said. “In the student section, everyone is standing and they pack people in there like sardines.”

UC President Santa Ono attends games in a red suit and once crowdsurfed the student section.

READ THE REST ONLINE AT MIAMISTUDENT.NET

Stewart looks to end outstanding career on a high note PEOPLE

BEN BLANCHARD SPORTS EDITOR

When senior Joe Stewart committed to Miami University his senior year of high school, he hoped to be a competitive runner in the Mid-American Conference.

However, as Stewart grew over his time at Miami, his performance forced him to reevaluate.

“When I committed, I just wanted to come and put in my four years, make some conference line-ups, maybe medal at conference,” Stewart said. “As I developed over the four years and it became more of a realistic possibility to compete at the national level, I definitely upped my goals and my focus.”

Following struggles with mono his freshman track season and sciatica in his back his sophomore cross-country season, Stewart entered his junior year unknown to most national running observers.

“Coming into my junior cross-country year, I wasn’t on anyone’s radar. But after I finished eighth at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional, I started to feel like I could compete on more of a national level,” Stewart said.

After this eighth place finish

at Regionals, Stewart went on to finish 103rd at the NCAA Championships.

Stewart carried this momentum from cross-country into his junior track season, winning the MAC 10,000m title in 29:38.30 and taking second in the 5,000m with a time of 14:19.19. Stewart also won the 5,000m at both the Wake Forest Open and All-Ohio Championships.

This past cross-country season, Stewart took fourth in the NCAA Great Lakes Regional in 30:27.4.

This made him the first RedHawk to qualify for the National Championship in back-to-back years since 2007-08. Stewart took 66th overall in 30:42.2.

“I’m really proud of both of my Regional races at Wisconsin,” Stewart said. “There are 20-30 big schools with deep talent in that meet, so those finishes mean a lot to me.”

This track season, Stewart has proven to be one of the nation’s best. At the Stanford Twilight meet, a fiercely competitive meet that attracts the best collegiate and professional runners in the country, Stewart took eighth in the 5,000m in 14:04.4.

Earlier in the season, also at Stanford, Stewart took third among collegiate runners in the

10,000m in 29:03.79. This was the fifth best 10k in the NCAA at the time, and is now the 22nd fastest in the nation. This was the second-fastest 10k ever ran by a Miami athlete, and ranks him fourth in the Midwest regional.

Stewart will not compete in the Kentucky Relays this weekend, as he and the coaching staff look to rest his legs before beginning postseason competition.

“At conference, my goals are to defend my 10k title, and hopefully take the 5k,” Stewart said. “Second place stung last year. When I get to Regionals, all I care about is finishing above 12th to get to Nationals. If I make it to Nationals, I hope to be FirstTeam All-American in the 10k.”

Stewart plans to run both the 5,000m and 10,000m at Regionals so that he qualifies for Nationals in at least one of the two, but will only run the 10,000 if he qualifies for both races.

Stewart, a finance major, has a 3.85 GPA. He will begin work at as a marketing effectiveness analyst at Nielsen Holdings in Cincinnati after this track season ends. Stewart plans to continue running in his free time, possibly under sponsorship from a running shoe supplier, to prepare for a marathon.

SPORTS BRIEFS MIAMI VS. WESTERN MICHIGAN BRIEF

SOFTBALL DROPS DOUBLEHEADER TO EKU

Miami University baseball will play host to Western Michigan University this weekend. The RedHawks enter the match-up having lost six of their last seven contests. Of those losses, four were to non-conference opponents. However, snapping this skid will be no cakewalk, as WMU enters the three-game series with a 4-3 record in its last seven games. Miami will look to senior designated hitter Gary Russo and redshirt sophomore infielder Ross Haffey for big performances this weekend. If those two impact players perform well, Miami has a chance in this series. An important matchup to watch will be between MU’s Ross Haffey and Western Michigan’s junior infielder Grant Miller, who currently leads the Broncos in RBI’s with 24. As the MAC tournament gets steadily closer, each conference game becomes more crucial. The series kicks off 6 p.m. Friday and will wrap up Sunday, which is senior day for the eldest Miami players.

The Miami University softball team travels to Buffalo to conclude its regular season this weekend with a three-game series against the Bulls. The RedHawks enter the series in second-place in the MAC with a 12-7 conference record, and are 27-21 overall. Miami has already clinched a spot in next week’s MAC Tournament. Senior outfielder Taylor Shuey leads Miami with 8 home runs, 41 RBIs, and a .409 batting average.

Buffalo is 17-34 overall and 9-11 in the MAC. This will be a critical series for the Bulls, as they are currently in a three-way tie for the eighth and final spot in the MAC Tournament. First-year catcher Katie Weimer leads Buffalo with 12 home runs, 49 RBIs, and a .329 batting average.

The teams play 3 p.m. Friday and begin their Saturday doubleheader at 1 p.m.

STAT OF THE DAY

25

The record number of 3-pointers made by the Cleveland Cavaliers during their Wednesday night playoff game against the Atlanta Hawks. This set the NBA record for number of 3-point shots made in a single game, both postseason and otherwise. The Cavs won 123-98.

IAN MARKER THE MIAMI STUDENT

The Miami University track and field program travels to the Kentucky Relays for its final regular season meet this weekend.

Miami track travels to Kentucky for final tune-up TRACK

BEN BLANCHARD SPORTS EDITOR

The Miami University track and field program will compete in its final regular season meet, the Kentucky Relays, this weekend. The RedHawks hope to utilize this final opportunity to sharpen their skills before qualifying athletes head to the Mid-American Conference Championships next weekend.

Miami will also look to continue its recent team success, as it hosted and dominated the RedHawk Invite last weekend, winning 15 events.

Sophomore Kenny Glenn contributed three of these victories, winning the 100m dash and long jump individually before anchoring the victorious 4x100m relay team.

“I feel confident and strong going into Kentucky after last weekend, hopefully I can pick up a few more wins to carry some momentum into the postseason,” Glenn said.

Senior Kathie Wollney has been another consistent standout for Miami this season, as she won the 400m hurdles and was a part of the winning 4x400m relay last weekend.

“I think the team feels great right now, I know that I personally do. We just need to trust all of the training that we’ve put in and go out there and compete,” Wollney said.

Last weekend, Junior Vinnie Minosky won the 400m hurdles

in 53.74, then ran on the winning 4x400m men’s relay team for Miami. The rest of the relay included senior Adam Bodrick and first-years Jake Owens and Aaron Mursean.

Owens and Bodrick each took individual titles of their own, with Owens winning the 400m in 49.15 and Bodrick the 200m dash in 22.80.

Junior throwers Arionna Darling and Ashley Frahm will also look to continue their recent success, as they went 1-2 in the shot put at the RedHawk Invite. Darling took title in 487.5, while Frahm was second in 44-2.

First-year Matt Owens has been another asset for Miami, as he won the RedHawk Invite pole vault title in 15-9.

Several of Miami’s top distance runners, including senior standout Joe Stewart, will not be competing this weekend. These athletes look forward to a weekend of rest and recovery after their last intensive week of training.

“It would be great to race at Kentucky, but resting the legs right now is really important,” Stewart said.

“We don’t want to put our postseason goals at risk by racing too much this late in the year, even though it would be nice to have another race that isn’t do-or-die.”

Miami will be joined in Kentucky by the following universities; Berea, Birmingham Southern, Cincinnati, TRACK » PAGE 8

Headlines beyond Oxford: Former Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel appeared Thursday in Dallas County Criminal Court to face charges of domestic violence. The charges stem from a Jan. 30 incident in which Colleen Crowley, Manziel’s ex-girlfriend, claims she was hit and dragged into a car by Manziel. “Johnny Football” has said he will work to return to the NFL in 2016, but no team has shown interest in signing him.

Extended Finals Week Hours

Make early mornings and late nights better with caffeine and snacks!

All Buffet Breakfasts | Open 7am Starbucks | Saturday - Sunday 7am-11pm | Monday - Wednesday 7am-1am | Thursday 7am-11pm Pacific Rim | Available for additional seating and for a study space during Starbucks operating hours King Cafe | Saturday 9am-10pm | Sunday 9am-1am | Monday-Wednesday 6:30am-1am | Thursday 6:30am-8pm Tea Hive and Greystone | Open until midnight | Seating and study space in Western Dining Commons until midnight For details, visit MiamiOH.edu/Dining

/Miami Dining

@Miami UDining

@Miami UDining