The Miami Student | March 17th, 2020

ESTABLISHED 1826 — OLDEST COLLEGE NEWSPAPER WEST OF THE ALLEGHENIES

Volume 148 No. 19

Miami University — Oxford, Ohio

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2020

MIAMI CLASSES MOVE ONLINE; STUDENTS ASKED TO LEAVE CAMPUS

Bars and restaurants close statewide DAVID KWIATKOWSKI BRIAH LUMPKINS THE MIAMI STUDENT

Ohio bars and restaurants have closed their doors indefinitely.

On Sunday, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced all Ohio bars and restaurants, including Miami dining halls, would be forced to shut down by 9 p.m. These closures will impact Miami University students’ annual Green Beer Day festivities, which were scheduled to take place on Thursday, March 19. Restaurants are still allowed to operate through delivery and carry-out only.

The closings come after DeWine’s announcement earlier this week that banned congregations of more than 100 people in auditoriums, stadiums, arenas and large conference rooms. Since DeWine’s original announcement, the limit has been lowered to 50 people. In an effort to reduce the spread of novel coronavirus, DeWine decided to eliminate further risk by closing bars and restaurants.

Can I still eat on campus?

borne at a faculty assembly on Tuesday, March 10.

Osborne said Canvas is currently working to ensure the bandwidth will allow professors to upload large files, like videos of lectures.

“We have to be able to continue the educational operations of the university,” Osborne said.

It’s especially difficult for lab, studio and performance-based classes to move online, but the university is committed to providing a quality education to all students.

“Last week, we conducted several tutorials with faculty to offer resources and creative ideas about best practices for remote instruction for the arts,” Dean of Miami’s College of Creative Arts Elizabeth Mullenix wrote in an email to The Miami Student. “We are also sending out weekly newsletters with resources for faculty,

Dining halls, similar to restaurants, will now only operate through a “to go” service.

Dining halls have lifted up the chairs and some locations, like the Shriver Hall Starbucks location, have a designated employee ensuring that students do not sit.

As of March 16, Garden Commons and Western Dining Commons are the only dining areas open on campus and will remain the only dining halls open until the end of the week according to the Dining Services website. Students still use their swipes to access the buildings but are not allowed to make their own plates. Rather, they have togo boxes that dining employees will fill for them.

Students who remain on campus are adjusting to the new rule and remembering times they were allowed to sit and eat with others in the dining halls.

“It’s kind of weird. I’m so used to sitting with friends,” first-year Michela Anders said.

“It seems very apocalyptic here.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

AS OHIO ATTEMPTS TO CONTAIN A CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK, RULES FOR HOW STUDENTS SHOULD PROCEED ARE RAPIDLY CHANGING. PHOTO EDITOR JUGAL JAIN

TIM CARLIN CÉILÍ DOYLE

THE MIAMI STUDENT Miami University will conduct classes online through the end of spring semester and is asking students to leave campus promptly.

The news came just hours after the University of Cincinnati Health Center confirmed four cases of novel coronavirus in Butler County on Friday and hours before President Donald Trump officially declared a state of national emergency throughout the U.S. As of Monday, March 16, there were six confirmed cases in Butler County, none of which are in Oxford.

How will classes work?

On Tuesday, March 10, Miami opted to move to remote instruction until April 12, after Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine asked state universities

to transfer to “remote learning” due to the coronavirus. In his email on Friday, March 13, Crawford said the virus is expected to hit its peak in April and May and that the university would not be able to return to in-person classes this semester as was originally planned.

“We have decided to complete the remainder of the semester through remote instruction,” Crawford wrote. “We are announcing this decision today, so that faculty will have the maximum amount of time possible to fully prepare to deliver the semester’s remaining course material remotely, and so that students and parents can plan accordingly as students depart campus.”

For the remainder of the semester, all classes will operate through Canvas. Professors may use video conference platforms such as WebEx, but classes will not necessarily meet virtually at their regular class times, said Provost Jason Os-

One year later: Delts hazing survivor tells his story Tyler Perino’s experience in his own words TIM CARLIN

ASST. NEWS EDITOR Laura Perino awoke to a barrage of text messages on Sunday, March 17, 2019 — one year ago today. The messages were from her son Tyler’s girlfriend. As her eyes began to focus on the bright screen, words began jumping out in her mind: hospital, police, he’s okay.

A feeling of panic washed over her.

She would later find out that her son was hospitalized with a blood alcohol concentration of o.231 — three times over the legal limit — after being violently assaulted at his fraternity’s big/little brother reveal event. *** When Tyler Perino told his parents he was thinking of joining a fraternity, they were apprehensive.

Tyler had lost an uncle to alcohol-related issues, and Tyler’s dad, Randy Perino, did not want his son to get too caught up in the drinking and partying that is typically associated with Greek organizations.

Laura said she talked about the situation with her husband and her son, and the trio came to a compromise. As long as Tyler rushed a fraternity that was sanctioned by Miami University, he was allowed to join.

Tyler rushed Delta Tau Delta (Delts) because he always thought Greek life would be the right fit for him. He knew someone in Delts at

This Issue

Miami, and he had a good experience during the organization’s open house.

“It just felt like home,” Tyler said.

“It felt comfortable.”

But Tyler’s experience soon changed.

“It was almost like a mask that they put on for open houses, and then as soon as the pledging process hit, they automatically demoted us,” he said.

“They basically wanted us to earn their respect,” he added.

The Miami Student has reached out to multiple former members of Miami’s chapter of Delta Tau Delta throughout our coverage of the fraternity’s hazing allegation, and none responded to requests for comment.

Before the big/little reveal on March 16, 2019, Tyler said every Thursday night was a “brotherhood bonding night” for the pledges and active members of Delts.

Tyler said the first of these bonding events consisted of him and two other pledges doing wall-sits while answering questions from active members and being forced to shotgun a can of Natural Light if they answered incorrectly.

During his initiation period, Tyler said there were some instances of physical abuse, like getting his legs kicked from underneath him while doing a wall-sit, but nothing to the extent of what he endured during the big/little reveal.

Although the initiation period was supposed to help build a bond be-

TYLER PERINO SAID HE FELT THERE WAS "NO SENSE OF BROTHERHOOD WITH THE ACTIVE MEMBERS" OF DELTA TAU DELTA. ASST. PHOTO EDITOR BO BRUECK

tween the pledges and active members, Tyler didn’t feel it at all.

“Between me and the pledges, there would have been a little feeling of brotherhood because we were going through the same stuff together, but [there was] no sense of brotherhood with the active members because they were the ones doing all the harm to us,” Tyler said. “I didn’t really feel a sense of friendship toward them at all.” *** Tyler had a bad feeling about the big/little reveal even before it started.

He told his girlfriend about the mandatory event and asked her to check on him when he returned home.

After being blindfolded for what felt like over an hour, active members began spitting beer in Tyler’s face, slapping and threatening him.

“People would come up to me and say, ‘You’re fucked,’ ‘The worst is yet to come,’” Tyler said. “That was their big saying through this time: ‘The worst is yet to come.’”

“When they were saying that I was kind of getting scared,” he added. “My heart was racing.”

He was then forced to do “meow ups,” — similar to push ups, but while he was on the upward rep Tyler had to meow like a cat.

“That was just kind of humiliating,” he said. “That’s when I was kind of getting kicked in the ribs.”

Eventually, the pledges were broken into groups and taken to meet their “big brothers.” Still blindfolded, Tyler was told to place his hands against the wall in front of him.

He heard a paddle being brushed in between the legs of the boy next to

CORONAVIRUS

CULTURE

SPORTS

Read our twopage spread of COVID-19 coverage.

Nostalgic for a commencement that may never be?

If this is it ...

page 6

So is our news editor.

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Landon Stephens knew now is the time to cry in baseball. page 10

him, and then a resounding slap filled the air.

The boy began cursing.

Tyler hoped the paddle wasn’t coming for him next, but he then felt the wood brush in between his legs.

“Then they just full-on whack me, and I start screaming [and] cussing because that hurt really bad,” Tyler said. “I had my blindfold still on, [and] I turned around and I said, ‘I don’t want to be a part of this shit anymore. I want to leave,’ and the room went silent.”

But Tyler didn’t leave.

The active members in the room told him that the first hit hurts the worst, and they get easier over time.

He got back on the wall and was hit with the paddle a second time.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

OPINION

It feels like the world's stopped, but the show goes on. page 12

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Father of deceased hazing victim addresses Delta Tau Delta

SAVE MONEY. GRADUATE FASTER. Take summer classes at Columbus State.

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After reading your article about the sentencing of several former members of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity at Miami of Ohio for hazing with respect to Tyler Perino, I was extremely disturbed and frustrated.

First and foremost, I would like to commend Tyler and his family for standing up and calling out his abusers and being present and aggressive in his pursuit of justice in the criminal hazing behavior at Miami. I would also like to thank the Oxford District Attorney for bringing forward these important charges, despite the fact that no one lost their life.

We need other DA’s throughout the country to wake up and follow this lead.

Finally, I would also like to express my deep disappointment in Judge Thomas Hanna and the court system in Oxford, Ohio for this failure to properly do its job and meaningfully sentence all those involved in the criminal behavior. You had a victim and witness who survived, who was able to provide great detail of what went on, and a number of fraternity members who engaged in criminal activity and pled guilty to it. The fact that they plead guilty does not make it okay, and there were several other appropriate charges, such as assault, which were wrongfully dismissed.

I believe the judge wrongfully took into account that this was a first offense for many of the perpetrators. Having been around many universities and fraternities over the past three years, I have learned these are rarely first-time offenses.

It just happens to be the first time they were caught. This behavior was likely engaged in many times before and throughout the pledge process, impacting many pledges, year after year, by these individuals.

It was intentional, planned, premeditated and cruel behavior.

Even the defendants acknowledged that their behavior was inappropriate. If this was not in a frater-

nity situation, and the defendants were not among the privileged, the charges and sentencing would be much harsher. Tyler was lucky in that he survived and was able to talk about it. Hazing is a game of Russian roulette and Tyler was fortunate in that he did not “catch the bullet“ unlike so many other young men and women who lost their lives to hazing, including my son, Tim Piazza.

Instead, Tyler was fortunately a victim of a misfire. Things could have easily turned out dreadfully worse. Nonetheless, he will be scarred by it for the rest of his life, while the perpetrators go on with their lives like nothing ever happened. The judge and court’s decision to pass on jail time and reduce the already-insufficient fines is irresponsible, weak, cowardly and a clear indication that he either does not understand the severity of hazing or endorses it, both of which are extremely disappointing to someone whose son died as a result of irresponsible and reckless hazing.

An improper message was sent to the rest of Greek life at Miami and to others throughout Ohio and the country. The court and judge had an opportunity to make a statement, and they failed. I am optimistic that the lawmakers in Ohio will pass the more-severe felony hazing legislation that is currently before them. This way, judges will not be able to hide behind the weak laws that currently exist.

I, again, would like to commend Tyler Perino and his family for trying to make a difference for others and for trying to prevent this type of criminal behavior from happening at other organizations and universities in the future. They did their part. I implore law enforcement and the justice system to do the same.

Jim Piazza Father of Tim Piazza from Penn State University (deceased February 2017 - Beta Theta Pi)

ARWINEJK@MIAMIOH.EDU

NEWS 3

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2020

MIAMI CLASSES MOVE ONLINE; STUDENTS ASKED TO LEAVE CAMPUS FROM FRONT

and our professional agencies and accreditation bodies are also wonderful resources since students and faculty nationwide are in similar circumstances.”

Denise Taliaferro Baszile, associate dean of student services and diversity for Miami’s College of Education, Health and Society, sent an email to all student teachers outlining their updated requirements for licensure given the pandemic.

“First, all candidates must have completed at least 50 percent of their clinical experience,” Baszile wrote. “Based on our assessment of where our student teachers stand, everyone has completed at least 50 percent of the student teaching experience.

The second requirement indicates that student teachers should, to the best of their ability, support their cooperating teachers in the remote learning environment.”

International students on visas will not be affected due to a workaround offered by the federal government in light of the coronavirus, and nonstandard online courses will not affect their visa status, Osborne said.

Can I stay here?

While the university had previously allowed students to stay in their residence halls, they are now being asked to leave.

Dean of Students Kimberly Moore urged students to leave campus promptly in an email sent out to all students Monday night.

“There may come a time in the coming days or weeks when you are not able to leave campus due to changing state and federal orders,” Moore wrote in the email.

According to the email, if any student cannot leave campus, there is an exemption form that must be filled out by March 18, and university employees will follow up with students on an individual basis beginning Tuesday. Potential reasons for exemptions include financial constraints and the inabilty to complete online coursework at home.

If students have already left campus, they should not return to get their belongings. Building RDs will be in contact with residents in the coming days to share information about retrieving items left in the dorms.

“We don’t want students to return right away because of the health-risk,” Moore told The Student.

Students who live off-campus are free to make their own choices about whether they will stay in their Oxford residences or return home for the rest of the semester, she said.

Senior Vice President for Finance and Business Services David Creamer wrote in an email to The Student that each administrative division is currently determining how to maintain critical services.

What’s still open?

As of right now, the university and campus are still open.

Registration and advising for all students is still open, and students can enroll in fall courses, Moore said. The university is also working to support students academically while they are away from campus. The Rinella Learning Center is working on how to deliver remote tutoring services, and the Miller Center for Student Disability Services will work with professors to ensure courses remain accessible, Moore said at the Tuesday faculty assembly.

The university also canceled all gatherings of more than 50 people and recommends that people stay six feet away from one another to prevent the spread of the virus, which is a practice referred to as social distancing.

The Recreation Center and Goggin Ice Center are closing until further notice starting Monday night. Library hours are being reduced and could potentially close as early as Friday. Armstrong Student Center closed at 8 p.m. Monday night and will be closed indefinitely.

All university-sponsored travel has been canceled, both domestic and internationally, until further notice, according to an email from Crawford on Monday, March 16.

What about my campus job?

As for student employment, most positions will be “deemed nonessential and will be temporarily canceled,” per the university-wide email sent out by Moore.

In his March 16 email, Crawford said he is meeting with university leaders to identify as many university employees as possible who can work remotely, following the guidance of Gov. DeWine and the Ohio Department of Health.

What’s next?

It’s unclear whether Miami will still hold commencement for the Class of 2020 in May. Miami is actively evaluating graduation plans and will inform the community when they have made a decision.

“You make decisions based on the information you have,” Moore said. “We can’t commit to any timelines right now.”

Jenny Bailer, Butler County’s health commissioner, said this all came suddenly, and the university will continue to evaluate how to move forward.

“Today is today, and tomorrow will be different,” she said.

Miami’s coronavirus information page can be accessed on its website. The CDC also has a comprehensive coronavirus page. Anyone who is experiencing symptoms can call the Student Health Service at 513-529-3000.

Students with questions about the coronavirus and the university’s policies can reach out to Associated Student Government. @timcarlin_ carlintm@miamioh.edu @cadoyle_18 doyleca3@miamioh.edu

Bars and restaurants statewide will close until further notice

One year later: Delts hazing survivor tells his story

Tyler Perino’s experience in his own words

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR WILL GORMAN

FROM FRONT

Armstrong Student Center will now only be open for to-go food service and will no longer be a place to congregate, per a university-wide email sent by Dean of Students Kimberly Moore.

Days before the announcement, Oxford’s Assistant City Manager Jessica Greene, with guidance from the Butler County Health Department, wrote a letter to Oxford restaurant and bar owners clarifying the City of Oxford’s interpretation of the mass gathering ban.

“Restaurants/bars that have over 100 people present in their establishment and are not able to maintain a six-foot distance between persons are in violation of the Director’s Order,” she wrote.

“This creates a risk of continued spreading of the virus and is not consistent with social distancing practices being recommended by health professionals. They are asking that businesses voluntarily comply with this order so that their resources are not taken away with the task at hand.”

Bars — including Brick Street — had begun limiting attendance to 100 people over the weekend.

How will Green Beer Day be affected?

Hours before Dewine’s announcement, a few Uptown bars announced the cancellation of their GBD activities.

“We will re-open as soon as practical!” 1868 wrote on its Instagram page. “Our hearts break for the on-campus academic year being cut short.”

“Green Beer Day holds a special spot in the memories of current Miami students and alum-

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ing across the country and that there is a lot to lose when individuals engage in what they “I think it was a part of the whole strategy think is brotherhood [when] it’s really harm,” of those weeks leading up to that event,” Tyler she added.

Tyler moved back home to Toledo that day said. “They drilled into our heads that we had no say, so when it came to that night, we were and finished the rest of the semester online all weak and didn’t say anything and just kind through Miami.

“As a mother, what I see is a kid sitting at of let everything happen.”

Tyler’s “big brother” gave him a six pack the kitchen table every day by himself trying of Smirnoff Ice and a bottle of Crown Royal. to teach himself college,” Laura said.

Tyler now commutes to the University of He was told to drink all of it by the end of the night. Another active member also made him Toledo (UT). During his time with Delts, Typlay “chug until you puke,” a drinking game ler’s grades plummeted because he was consumed by the demands of the fraternity, but with the directions in its name. he now has a 3.5 GPA. Tyler drank, puked and then drank more.

Currently, the Perinos are working with He was paddled multiple times that night — once on the bare buttocks. Tyler blacked their attorney to contact state lawmakers.

They want to raise hazing from a fourth deout toward the end of the night.

He woke up the next morning in Mc- gree misdemeanor to a first degree misdemeanor or even a fourth degree felony in the Cullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital. state of Ohio.

The hospital “We’re trying to workers did not stay goal-focused,” know about Tyler’s Laura said. “We’re bruising because trying to be like, they were focused ‘Okay, what can on lowering his “I thank God that he’s we do with this?’ blood alcohol conalive, but I feel really Because Tyler for centration, and he a little while went was too drunk to sad for him that he had through the, ‘Why tell them what hapto go through that and me?’ … What can pened to him. He you do with this gowent to the Student had to change his life as ing forward? I think Health Center on a result of it.” that’s one thing he Monday to get the can do, is he can bruises checked and be a voice for those photographed.

— Laura Perino that didn’t make it.”

When Tyler’s Tyler doesn’t parents saw the exhave any planned tent of their son’s speaking engageinjuries, they knew ments but said he’s they needed to interested in using come to Oxford. his experience to talk to high school seniors, *** incoming college first-years, parents and oth“You hear horror stories about what hap- er groups to raise awareness about the effects pens to kids in situations like that,” Laura of hazing.

“Most kids don’t survive, and most kids said, choking back tears. “I thank God that he’s alive, but I feel really sad for him that he don’t get to talk about what happened,” Tyhad to go through that and had to change his ler said. “So I’ve kind of switched my mindset from the ‘Why me?’ negatively, to the ‘Why life as a result of it.”

Tyler’s parents came to Oxford the Tues- me?’ positively.”

Although Tyler lives at home, he spends day after the big/little reveal. The family met with Dean of Students Kimberly Moore and a lot of time with his friends at UT and their also filed a report with the Oxford Police De- fraternities. Tyler said he’s not anti-Greek life, but anti-hazing. He offered advice to any stupartment.

“I think a year later we can say it’s still not dent considering joining a greek organization.

“Look and see [the organization’s] past even over yet,” Moore said. “What I know in the short-term is that Tyler’s courage and history at that university, because, yeah, Delbravery, I’m confident, helped prevent future ta Tau Delta at Miami wasn’t the best chapter, but at other universities there are Greek orgaharm.”

“I think that case amplified the dangers nizations that do great things.” of Greek life and communicated to Miami @timcarlin_ that Miami isn’t immune to what’s happencarlintm@miamioh.edu FROM FRONT

What happened Uptown?

M I AM IU AND C O M N

RANDY AND LAURA PERINO PULLED THEIR SON OUT OF PHYSICAL CLASSES AT MIAMI AFTER HE WAS HAZED. ASST. PHOTO EDITOR BO BRUECK

ni,” Brick Street wrote on Instagram. “However, if we can’t create the kind of experience that our great customers have come to expect, then we are not comfortable moving forward.”

The Wood’s and Pachinko’s are also adhering to DeWine’s mandate and will be closing their doors and canceling any planned Green Beer Day celebrations. In an effort to prevent his managers from being unemployed, owner Ted Wood has plans for a delivery service at his restaurant Left Field Tavern.

“My managers are in a panic right now,” Wood said. “They’re counting on their paychecks. I mean, it’s such an uncharted territory.

We’re going to do what we can. If I can keep the managers busy so that they can get paid and we can help the community being a local business and help them by delivering food, we are trying to think of anything we can do to help and to keep the places afloat until classes [resume].”

Students like senior Whitney Reddan think that the closure of Uptown bars is unfortunate but would rather not risk getting sick.

“I think if it has to happen, it has to happen,” Reddan said. “It would be weird to have them close, but that is such an easy place to get sick …

I’d rather not get it if that means I don’t have to go to a bar for my senior year.”

However, some students are not so quick to give up the festivities. “[For seniors,] it’s going to be our last Green Beer Day,” senior Johnae Mills said. “[As for the] restaurants, that’s going too far. People still have to eat. There’s still people right here in Oxford.

Not just students.”

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4 NEWS What now?

Students regroup after U.S. presidential candidates drop out

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2020

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Miami and Oxford partner to create new tech building

HANNAH HORSINGTON STAFF WRITER

Leading up to the presidential primary elections on March 3, known as Super Tuesday, a few Miami University students scrambled to figure out who they would support.

These students had previously worked on campaigns for Democratic candidates that have since dropped out, such as Pete Buttigieg and Senator Elizabeth Warren. Now, they have had to regroup and decide where their support lies.

Sophomore political science major Zach Resatar spent the previous months working for Buttigieg, up until the former mayor dropped out on March 1. After the news broke that he was no longer in the running, Resatar and other Buttigieg supporters at Miami had to rethink their position in the election.

“It hit us all really hard,” Resatar said. “We had a large base of supporters. So we were all, I guess, consoling each other and [thinking] like, ‘Okay, what’s next?’”

Students who had supported other candidates, including Warren, faced the same problem. Warren, the most prominent female candidate, dropped out of the race on March 5, after failing to gain the support she had hoped for in the primaries.

First-year diplomacy and global politics major Jacob Kravitz was extremely passionate about his work for the Warren campaign and said he is disappointed with how things turned out.

“To put all that time and energy into it, and come up short, it sucks,” Kravitz said. “I know you don’t always come up and you win. So that part sucks. It sucks every time. But it’s a part of life. It’s a part of this kind of work.”

After coming to terms with the fact that their candidate of choice was no longer in the running, Resatar and Kravitz, among others, had to decide what their next move was. Although disappointed that they had invested so much time into a campaign that is now over, the students did not want to lessen their involvement in the election.

Senior political science major Trisha Chatterjee found herself heartbroken after Warren dropped out of the race.

“I kind of lost hope right after that because I had spent so much time researching her and reading about what she believed in, and it aligns so closely with mine,” Chatterjee said. “And on top of that, she is a woman and championed women’s rights. And that was really huge for me.”

After evaluating the remaining candidates, she realized that she would be voting for Bernie Sanders for the second primary in a row. His beliefs align more closely with what she believes in, but she is still saddened

by Warren’s decision to end her candidacy.

“I remember that day being really, really tough,” she said.

For both Resatar and Kravitz, the next step was also to switch their efforts to supporting a different candidate.

While Warren has not yet endorsed any of the other Democratic candidates, Kravitz knew almost immediately who he would now support.

He looked at his choices, and chose the candidate who he thought best answered two questions: “Who’s the best candidate to beat Donald Trump?” and “Who will be able to get things done?”

The day that Warren dropped out, he founded Students for Biden.

Kravitz supports Warren’s decision to take her time in deciding her next move, but he wanted to get involved with another candidate as soon as he could.

“The point of politics, and the reason I was in the fight, was for people, and that doesn’t change when the candidate drops out,” Kravitz said.

“And if you need to take time, I totally respect that. For me, I was really concerned that Biden didn’t have a group on campus yet. That was something I wanted to get to.”

Resatar made a similar decision.

While it was hard to say goodbye to working for Buttigieg’s campaign, he knew that the election was far from over.

“When my preferred candidate decided to say, … ‘Okay, this is bigger than me’, and then endorsed Joe Biden himself, it was a lot easier for me to say, ‘Okay, we need to gather our resources, we need to stop, you know, stop our crying and stop being upset because, you know, I guess Pete would want us to do this.’”

Also, like Kravitz, Resatar made the decision to support Biden.

“It wasn’t difficult making the decision to switch over to Team Joe, once we knew that’s what we had to do,” Resatar said. “Because there’s this thing, ‘vote blue no matter who.’” @h_horsington12 horsinhp@miamioh.edu

RENOVATIONS ARE UNDERWAY FOR A SOUTH ELM STREET BUILDING, THAT IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN OXFORD AND THE UNIVERSITY. PHOTO EDITOR JUGAL JAIN

ABBY BAMMERLIN STAFF WRITER

Miami University and the City of Oxford have partnered to renovate a Miami-owned building to create the Technology, Entrepreneurial, Creativity Hub (TECH). The project will be housed in a building currently used for storage on South Elm Street.

Miami’s director of the Office of Institutional Relations, Randi Thomas, said the building will be a space where both Oxford community members and students can bring their business ideas. Consultants will help visitors decide what the next steps are.

Thomas said they call this process “de-risking.”

“The group would help that person move their ideas forward or send them back to the drawing table,” Assistant

City Manager Jessica Greene said. “It kind of just depends on where they are in the process, but almost like a vetting group.”

Thomas explained that the building and its resources would be open to anyone in the community.

“It would be basically a place for anyone to go that has what they believe to be a good idea to see about how they would develop it further, regardless of

their educational attainment,” Thomas said.

TECH is still in the very early stages of development. The renovation on the current building will cost $10 million, and the building won’t be open for three to five years, Thomas said.

Greene accompanied Miami President Greg Crawford to Washington D.C. to lobby for funding. Greene said they spoke to legislators from around the state, sharing their ideas.

“We could be a model in our rural community, and we really want it to be kind of a pilot program,” Greene said.

“We wanted [legislatures] to kind of help us try this and see if it can be used and then replicated across other small towns.”

Greene is working on grant applications for the project. She said they are considering many different funding sources, including the state capital budget and grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“Once we have that, the concept is we, in the city, would be able to recruit, hopefully, some existing businesses or some startups that need space that would be interested and then rent space to those entities as well,” Thomas said.

Greene said Oxford is not currently investing money toward the project but might consider doing so in the future through a match grant, a grant that will match a portion of another grant.

“Having the space for students to engage in the community and share their experience, I think it’s a good twoway benefit,” Greene said. bammeraj@miamioh.edu

First-year student, local hospital CEO appointed to Board of Trustees MADELINE PHABY MEGHNA SANTRA

THE MIAMI STUDENT Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine recently appointed Amitoj Kaur, a first-year student, and Deborah Feldman, president and chief executive officer of Dayton Children’s Hospital, to Miami University’s Board of Trustees (BoT).

Amitoj Kaur First-year Amitoj Kaur already has a long list of involvements on campus.

Kaur, a political science and emerging technologies in business + design major, is a dancer for the Bollywood Fusion Dance Team, the publicity co-chair of the Indian Student Association (ISA), a Student Orientation Undergraduate Leader (SOUL) for the upcoming summer, an Access Fellow and, now, a student member of the BoT. Kaur will join junior marketing and entrepreneurship major Will Kulis as a student trustee and will replace senior political science and social studies education major Megan Cremeans, whose term ended this year.

Student trustees are non-voting members of the BoT that serve two-year terms. Their role is mainly to provide a student perspective on issues the BoT discusses.

To select the next student trustee, Associated Student Government (ASG) formed a committee with Kulis and Cremeans and interviewed all of the potential candidates. The committee then sent the five strongest candidates’ names to DeWine’s office for further interviews.

Two weeks after her interview with the governor’s office, Kaur found out she’d been selected.

As a first-generation American, a first-generation college student and a first-year student at Miami, Kaur said she believes she brings a unique perspective to the BoT. “Being part of the conversation about what our unique struggles are as a university and how we’re overcoming them is really exciting,” Kaur said. “I look forward to being able to advocate for those who don’t usually get a seat at the table.”

Kaur said that, as a student trustee, she hopes to make the student body more aware of the BoT’s actions and discussions. To accomplish this, she is considering starting a blog related to BoT meetings and also plans to meet with ASG frequently.

“What I’m really hoping for is to help close the gap between the Board of Trustees and the student body and to make the knowledge of what’s going on more accessible,” Kaur said.

Kaur acknowledged that this may be difficult to accomplish since most students won’t be on campus for the rest of the semester, but she said she still hopes to convey that information electronically.

“Though shifting to this role has been a bit overwhelming, I am absolutely ecstatic to serve the university, and I’m very thankful to have the opportunity to do so,” Kaur said.

Deborah Feldman Deborah Feldman is the current president and chief executive officer of Dayton Children’s Hospital, where she has worked since 2012.

According to Miami University news and communications, Feldman “joined Dayton Children’s in 2012 and led the creation of a new strategic roadmap called Destina-

DEBORAH FELDMAN AND AMITOJ KAUR WERE APPOINTED TO MIAMI’S BOARD OF TRUSTEES. CONTRIBUTED BY MIAMI UNIVERSITY AND AMITOJ KAUR

tion 2020. It involves a campuswide revitalization, services expansion in key areas, recruitment of highly specialized pediatric experts and the integration of advanced technology.”

Feldman, an alumna of Miami’s Class of 1980, has a lengthy record of public service.

Prior to joining Dayton Children’s Hospital, she served Montgomery County for 30 years in various positions, including Director of Human Resources, Assistant County Administrator and County Administrator, where she focused on a community-wide initiative to end homelessness known as the Homeless Solutions Ten-Year Plan, which focused on producing 750 units of permanent supportive housing and ending chronic homelessness – homelessness for people with disabilities or who are repeatedly homeless. According to the 2015 Annual Report by the Homeless Solutions Policy Board, “549 families (1714 people), 2,610 single adults and 79 unaccompanied minors” stayed at least one night in one of the Montgomery community’s gateway shelters.

Overall, the Ten-Year Plan saw “chronic homelessness decline by 79 percent from 2006 to 2015, and the

number of new permanent supportive housing units [increased] to 80 percent of the 750 unit goal.”

Feldman additionally worked on reconnecting high school dropouts with educational opportunities and overall community economic well-being during her time in Montgomery County.

Alongside her leadership positions, Feldman is a member of the Ohio Hospital Association board of trustees and chair of the Preschool Promise board and Montgomery County Family and Children’s First Council.

Feldman was unavailable for comment because she was out of the office due to the novel coronavirus.

Carole Johnson, interim director of university news and communications, was contacted for comment but did not immediately respond. @madphabes phabymr@miamioh.edu @meghnasantra1 santram@miamioh.edu

Miami Mock Trial pushed out of practice room MACKENZIE THAXTON THE MIAMI STUDENT

Miami University’s Mock Trial national championship team is being displaced from its practice room in order to create additional seating for classes in the Farmer School of Business (FSB).

Miami has three mock trial teams, A, B and C, all under the same program. Historically, only the A-team has gone to nationals, but last year both the A and B teams went.

Mock Trial team members take a class for 2-hours of credit. It used to be a part of the business legal studies minor, but that minor no longer exists.

Now, Mock Trial has been moved to operate under the Pre-Law Department and is no longer a part of FSB. Practices for the Mock Trial team are held in FSB 1035. This room is large enough to accomodate the judge’s bench and witness stands in order for the team to properly prepare for competitions. It also holds room for the two attorney’s benches that are necessary to simulate competitions. These items are a necessity for proper preparation

for competitions, said senior A-team member Madeline Witte.

Near the beginning of the semester, FSB informed the team they will be removing the judge’s bench, witness stands and attorney’s benches in order to place seven more seats in the classroom in an effort to allow for more students and increase the amount of money the school brings in.

Witte said Mock Trial students are upset about the change and don’t feel as though Miami’s team is being valued as much as Mock Trial teams at other universities, especially considering Miami is ranked as the top program in the nation.

“It is disappointing to see how other schools such as Yale and UVA [the University of Virginia] treat their topin-the-nation mock trial programs, versus how we are being treated,” Witte said. “I struggle with them kicking the top team in the country out of that room in order to gain a couple thousand more dollars.”

The bench will remain in the room for the rest of the semester through this year’s National Championships. However, starting next semester, the team is unsure where they will end up. Be-

cause FSB intends to have the benches removed to offer more seats for classes, the College of Arts and Science is now tasked with finding the team a new home. The bench, because of its weight, cannot be easily moved. This has made the search for new placement difficult.

Some members of the team, though, continue to express concern about their new placement and are upset with their treatment in comparison to other teams on campus.

Executive Director of the Mock Trial program and coach, Neal Shuett was contacted but declined to make a

“I don’t know another team on this campus that is number one in the nation. But the football team isn’t being kicked out of their stadium.”

- Madeline Witte

“I’m working with staff in other support offices to explore possible locations for the bench,” Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Science Stephen Wright said. “It’s a large item that can’t be moved easily, so its placement involves trade-offs with how the classroom is used for other courses.”

statement. Coaches Ben Sandlin and Emily Arnzen were also contacted but did not respond.

“I don’t know another team on this campus that is number one in the nation,” Witte said. “But the football team isn’t being kicked out of their stadium.” thaxtomr@miamioh.edu

CULTURE 5

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2020

DATTILEC@MIAMIOH.EDU

Saturdays are for the ... entrepreneurs?

HANNAH MONTGOMERY THE MIAMI STUDENT

Drinks? Check. Music? Check.

Local vendors and student entrepreneurs? Check.

Wait, what?

For those who were looking for a more relaxed way to spend their Saturday in Oxford, stopping by a Saturday Shop and Sip at Bar 1868 might be just what the doctor ordered.

Saturday, March 14 marked Bar 1868’s first-ever Saturday Sip and Shop – an event designed for local vendors and student entrepreneurs to showcase their products and have an opportunity to gain more recognition in Oxford.

It’s uncertain, however, when these weekly events may resume, following Gov. Mike DeWine’s closure of all bars and restaurants in the state the day after.

Bar 1868 posted on their Instagram page they would be temporarily closing shortly before DeWine’s announcement on Sunday.

But on Saturday, even though several students headed home amid fears about the spread of the novel coronavirus, many still attended Sip and Shop.

Two vendors made it to the event, but a pottery vendor who was scheduled to

attend couldn’t make it because Miami University facilities closed, making it impossible for her to finish glazing the pieces.

Despite the fact that Oxford was a bit emptier Saturday afternoon, there was still a constant flow of people enjoying drinks, socializing and browsing the products of new and emerging entrepreneurs.

“I think there’s a lot of student entrepreneurs on campus and ... it is oftentimes difficult to get a venue to really get face-to-face with customers and get that experience,” said Lee Ann Shoker, Saturday’s event organizer.

Sophia Blasi, a first-year fashion and entrepreneurship major and the founder of Urban Luxe, a trendy womens’ clothing and accessories company, had a set up at the Shop and Sip. “It’s just different from any other event, really,” Blasi said. “I’ve never really heard of a sip and shop on campus or in Oxford, so I just think it is a fun concept.”

Events like these allow students like Blasi, whose business is primarily online, to bring products into spaces and provide the customer with the physical shopping experience.

Ian Standbridge was another student entrepreneur at the event. He, too, was glad to get the face-to-face exposure the event provided.

BAR 1868 GOT IN ONE LAST HURRAH BEFORE THEY CLOSED, ALONG WITH EVERY OTHER RESTAURANT AND LATE-NIGHT ESTABLISHMENT IN OXFORD. THE MIAMI STUDENT HANNAH MONTGOMERY

“We were very happy to do it,” Standbridge said. “We got a lot of samples delivered here for people to actually try on because our business is mostly online.”

Standbridge was there representing Offcmps, a relatively-new brand selling Green Beer Day sweatshirts, though they are looking to expand their merchandise in the coming months.

A different kind of commencement ERIN GLYNN

I’ve always loved a ritual.

Proms, bat mitzvahs, confirmations, swearing-in ceremonies, quinceañeras, masses, weddings, funerals. And graduations.

Rituals help us take what is ordinary, what is necessary, and transform it into an event. A moment that helps us step out of our everyday selves to recognize that the momentous has happened.

As much as I dreaded my younger brother’s funeral, I needed it. I needed the “Amazing Grace,” the familiar prayers, the readings and the homily on the afterlife to acknowledge that this happened.

People have died before, even in the most unexpected and horrible ways, and people will die again, and we have a way to recognize that, to take a pause and truly feel it, before we continue on. Now, it looks like the chance to pause and

feel how momentous graduating is might be taken away.

I’ve looked forward to commencement since the first moment I stepped on Miami’s campus. Not because I was eager to leave, but because I was a shy 18-year-old from a small town in Kentucky, worried that everyone else on campus knew more, felt more comfortable and dressed better than I did.

I was eager for that moment four years in the future, putting all my faith in the power college had to transform me into someone confident and worldly. I would walk across the stage with my family sitting proudly in the Millett stands, toward a career that would help me erase the truly inadvisable amount of student loan debt I had taken on.

Now, as we approach an uncertain end to this semester and the Class of 2020’s time at Miami, I’m nostalgic for that daydream: the commencement moment I imagined would tie a neat bow on the most tumultuous years of my life so far.

My fellow seniors, it looks like we won’t get our ritual — at least not in the way we imagined it.

But we don’t need caps and gowns or Millett Hall to mark the changes we’ve grown through over our time here. We can still create our own rituals, imbued with meaning from the unique time we’re living in.

It’s not the giant commencement ceremony that makes graduation from Miami valuable. It’s the little moments we can still participate in, coronavirus be damned.

Step on the seal. Take a long walk alone through campus. Collect all the pictures from the past four years that you can find in group chats and on social media.

We still lived such a life, in such a place. Painful as it is, I think we should all take a moment in whatever ways we can, to remember that. glynnee@miamioh.edu

‘HEAVY METAL WILL NEVER DIE’:

Community for Miami metalheads

LEXI WHITEHEAD

THE MIAMI STUDENT In a classroom on the second floor of Upham Hall, 10 students sit together. They drum their fingers on desks, bob their heads and tap their feet while the song “Heading Out to the Highway” by Judas Priest plays.

Instead of the regular sounds of muted lectures and shuffling students, the raw chords of the song reverberate throughout Upham’s hallways. At the front of the room, the music video dances across the whiteboard.

This is what a meeting looks like for Miami’s heavy metal club known as the Newly Woken Organization Based on Heavy Metal (NWOBHM).

The name is a nod to certain metal subgenres like NWOTHM (New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal).

Matthew Cohen, junior and president of the club, and vice president,

“I’m not really artistically talented enough to create a fanzine,” he said, “which a lot of people do. And I can play the guitar a little bit, but my playing is not as good as I want it to be in a band, so I thought that the only thing that I could at least do was get the metalheads of Oxford together.”

The club has created a mini-community of people who listen to metal at Miami. At their meetings, they hang out and listen to and talk about different subgenres of metal. Sometimes, if a member is especially passionate about a certain subgenre, they’ll make a presentation about it to share with everyone.

Since there are so many subgenres of heavy metal itself, everyone in the club still comes in with vastly different tastes. Some members prefer classic metal while some prefer progressive (“prog”) metal. Some prefer death metal, and some prefer punk.

“It’s constantly challenging my preconceived notion on what I thought was good music.”

-Evan Cole

junior Sarah Staples were part of the group of people that originally formed the heavy metal club in fall 2018, but it never really caught on.

Last fall, though, they started it up again and a lot of people were interested in joining.

Cohen created the club because he wanted to be more involved within the metal community, which he says is very tight-knit.

“It’s a huge mixing pot of tastes bleeding into other tastes and suggestions bleeding into other suggestions,” first-year art and architecture history major Evan Cole said. “And it’s just awesome because when you’re into metal, it all just sounds like fuzzy aggressiveness at first, but at the end of the day, there’s so much there. You just have to dig for it.”

Club meetings are filled with discussions about differing musical

“We have another side where we could set this up and make it a whole Saturday morning thing,” she said.

Entrepreneurs who would like to participate in a Shop and Sip Saturday next semester can reach out to Bar 1868 by emailing info@bar1868. montgohr@miamioh.edu

STORIES IN SECONDS

NOTES OF NOSTALGIA

NEWS EDITOR

“We have some friends who work here at 1868, and I think people found out about our company through social media, and they reached out to us because I think they wanted more male-friendly clothing companies,” he said.

Shoker hopes to host the event once a semester next year, as well as increase the number of businesses present and expand the product type as well.

opinions, such as whether a band, subgenre or song is good or whether a band fits into one subgenre or another. Although everyone already comes to the club with their own opinions, members are always open to new suggestions.

Cole, who describes himself as a stubborn personality, works hard to keep an open mind about subgenres he’s never listened to before.

“It’s constantly challenging my preconceived notion on what I thought was good music,” he said.

The openness to new kinds of music also extends to an open and welcoming space for new members.

“It doesn’t matter who you are,” Cole said. “Whether or not you’re into metal or not, if you come and just have an affinity for music that you haven’t listened to before, we’re gonna welcome you, and we’re just gonna show you the ropes.”

People come into the club with different knowledge bases and reasons for liking metal.

Cohen was drawn to the aggression, vast amounts of emotion and the uncensored lyrics that exist in metal.

Staples, also intrigued by the lyrics, enjoys the intricacy of the music as well. Cole started listening to metal to use it as an outlet for the negativity in his life and was captivated by the community surrounding the genre.

Many members of the club, including Cole, first heard about it through Cohen and his specific style.

Often sporting a leather jacket and a band t-shirt, whenever someone comes up to him to compliment his outfit, he replies with, “If you love metal, come to this [meeting].”

The club currently has about 10 members and is continuing to grow.

And, Cohen said, “Heavy metal will never die.” whitehan@miamioh.edu

Silence on the sidewalk EMILY DATTILO WILL GORMAN DAVID KWIATKOWSKI THE MIAMI STUDENT

al pandemic, so seeing anyone in public almost feels like a communal rule-breaking – we’re both on our way to do what we’ve been told not to: be in public.

Emily: David: I was walking to the parking lot, Growing up, I watched many simultaneously juggling a suitcase, the new reality of online classes movies that took place on a college and a whole lot of confusion, when campus; “Legally Blonde,” “Pitch I passed someone I thought I knew Perfect,” “Scream 2” —just to name a few. walking out of the Verge gym.

These films contributed to my We made eye-contact and he waved his hand. Paying half-atten- heightened expectations of ‘college tion, I didn’t notice and kept walk- life.’ Crowded sidewalks, awkward ing. So did he. Two seconds later, roommate interactions and discovI realized my mistake and turned ering I have the vocal range of Anna around to call his name. AirPods Kendrick so I can woo the acapella rested in his ears, preventing him club with a dishware-heavy performance. from hearing what I was saying.

Most of those have come true.

I called again, but at that point I have had my share of mohe was too far away. I rolled my suitcase to my car, hurriedly toss- ments where I feel like Elle Woods, ing coats and other items into the traipsing around campus, getting things done without letting obstabackseat.

I’d left my phone in my apart- cles stop me on my journey, espement, so my apologetic text was cially this semester.

I can honestly say this is the sent five minutes later, feeling irhardest I’ve relevant yet someworked my enhow necessary at tire life. This is the same time. coming from Now, four days someone who later, I’m back at put extensive home and already work into memmissing those A college campus orizing the choface-to-face inreography from sidewalk at teractions on the Lady Gaga’s sidewalk — mismidday is one of “Bad Romance” interpreted waves the most intense music video. and all — that environments you With intruhave since been will ever see, but sive bicycles replaced by Facemillimeters from Time calls and it’s also the most mowing me WebEx classes. breathtaking.” down and people who seem to Will: walk head-on toWhen I was - David ward me with no younger, I was signs of moving strongly in favor of Kwiatkowski over, the sidesmiling at anyone I walk is a place passed while walkthat usually ing somewhere. causes me great I viewed it as a anxiety. Howevsmall yet effective er, as much as I way of spreading complain about kindness.

Now, I mostly keep to myself it, I actually love it.

A college campus sidewalk at on the sidewalk. However, in the event that I’m absolutely sure I rec- midday is one of the most intense ognize someone, I’ll smile, at the environments you will ever see, but it’s also breathtaking. All sorts very least.

I passed someone in a cross- of people hustling and bustling to walk who I didn’t recognize on the their various destinations, all of way to a meeting last Thursday. It them hoping that these are their was the middle of the day, but she first steps toward their desired cawas the only one I saw around. She reer paths.

The past week has felt like 10 smiled as we passed each other, as did I, which felt bizarrely unnatu- years. Last Monday, I was going ral, yet comforting. It was a smile about my normal, busy routine, born from solidarity as we crossed fighting for room on the packed the street from separate sides of the pavements of Miami University.

This Monday, I walked the sideasphalt. It felt unexpectedly warm to feel just a little humanity in a walks mostly alone. There aren’t people on all sides of me. In fact, I global crisis.

A few minutes later, the next don’t see much of anyone at all.

Turns out, I am more afraid person I passed on the sidewalk kept to himself, looking down at of the empty concrete around me his phone, and I did the same. But than the social interaction that unlike any other sidewalk interac- usually accompanies sidewalks. I tion I’ve had in my four years at Mi- find myself longing for awkward ami, this time, it felt like we were eye contact. For overhearing peoashamed to be outside. We instinc- ple talking too loud through their tively moved away from each other AirPods. For being stuck behind as though we were both somehow someone who walks slower than the rest of the world. going to obstruct the other’s path.

It would force me to slow down.

Life is different now, down to the minutiae. We’re encouraged dattilec@miamioh.edu to keep our social distance from gormanwm@miamioh.edu one another in the wake of a globkwiatkdm@miamioh.edu

CORONAVIRUS

6

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2020

BERRYRD@MIAMIOH.EDU

CLEARING UP C ORONAVIRUS

Here’s how to keep yourself and others safe from COVID-19

ILLUSTRATED BY SADIE VAN WIE

DUARD HEADLEY CULTURE EDITOR

We’ve all heard that, in the face of the novel coronavirus, the best practices are to wash your hands and avoid contact with others. But both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommend several other things to keep yourself and others safe.

First comes identification.

Symptoms of the coronavirus can range from nonexistent to severe fever, cough and shortness of breath.

The disease targets the lungs, with more severe symptoms resembling the flu and pneumonia. More common symptoms include low-grade fever, body aches, coughing, nasal congestion, a runny nose and sore throat.

Coronavirus is similar to the flu and even the common cold in many symptoms, but the main way to distinguish it from those is in the way it affects the lungs. The coronavirus causes shortness of breath, whereas the flu does not.

Additionally, one way to identify whether an illness is the coronavi-

rus or not is to pay attention to an individual’s travel history. It’s more likely to be coronavirus than the flu if someone is showing flu-like symptoms, shortness of breath and has been exposed to areas known to have cases of coronavirus. However, because some cases are asymptomatic, it is important to self-quarantine if you have recently travelled from an area where coronavirus is prevalent.

Dr. Kendall Leser, Miami’s Director of Public Health, spoke to the fear of the unknown this virus has instilled in people.

“What is most concerning is that we don’t yet know about this virus like we know about the flu or other illnesses,” Leser said. “I think the unknown is what is most concerning and anxiety-provoking in this nation as a whole.”

While the coronavirus has taken over nearly every media outlet at the moment, it’s important to understand the true scope of the disease.

At press time, 154,235 individuals have been diagnosed with the virus.

Of those cases, around 4 percent have died. 74,262 people, or around 48 percent, have made full recoveries. The rest are still ill.

While there are no confirmed cases of coronavirus in Oxford yet, taking this virus seriously is still vital.

“We, as the younger generation, have to be good role models,” Leser said. “It’s hard to do that, but it’s important right now. This isn’t a drill. This is real, and we need to treat it as such.”

The best way to prevent cases from cropping up at Miami is to stay away from large gatherings. According to the CDC, both isolation and quarantine are effective in slowing the spread of the virus.

Isolation, or social distancing, is a self-imposed separation from others that works best for those who have yet to catch the disease. It’s different from a quarantine in that both people who are sick and those who are healthy can choose to isolate themselves. A quarantine separates and restricts the movements of those who have been exposed to the disease to see if they’re actually sick and to prevent them from spreading that sickness to others.

The CDC recommends that those who are not yet ill isolate themselves from large group gatherings, and that those who have been exposed to the virus limit human contact to an absolute minimum.

Aside from physical isolation, hygiene and proactivity are two things both the WHO and CDC recommend. The classic 20-second hand wash is always a must, but the soap used is important, too. Soap that contains at least 60 percent alcohol is most effective when fighting the virus. Even after thoroughly

washing your hands, it’s best not to touch your mouth, eyes or face to avoid spreading germs to those areas.

Thorough cleaning of all frequently-touched surfaces with disinfectant wipes can help. These include keyboards, doorknobs, tables, cabinets, counters and more.

Finally, according to the WHO, face masks are not to be used for disease prevention. The masks have proven to be ineffective in halting the inhalation of the virus. However, they are effective for those who are already ill. If sick, wear a facemask around others whenever possible.

Leser emphasized the necessity of taking personal responsibility at every junction.

“This isn’t a drill.

This is real, and we need to treat it as such.”

— Dr. Kendall Leser

As hard as it is to think outside of ourselves, you could be that stop in the chain of infection,” she said.

“Because at the end of the day, it’s not just about you; it’s about the bigger picture.”

For more complete information and instructions, visit the websites of the WHO and the CDC. headledd@miamioh.edu

Students create petition to make classes credit/no credit due to coronavirus

MANY FACTORS MAKE PASS/FAIL CLASSES UNREALISTIC FOR THE REMOTE SEMESTER, AS THE UNIVERSITY PRIORITIZES KEEPING STUDENTS SAFE. CONTRIBUTED BY CHANGE.ORG

RACHEL BERRY NEWS EDITOR

A petition is circulating around Miami University to make classes credit/no credit after university officials announced the university would move to remote learning through the end of the semester due to the novel coronavirus.

The petition elaborates on the downsides of remote learning and the difficulty it places on students.

“We as Miami University students, having already moved to all-online coursework, should not have to endure the stress of getting good grades during this time of great uncertainty,” the petition reads.

It was posted on Change.org and by Monday night it had garnered 5,557 signatures. Senior Peter Fortunato, who started the petition, declined to comment.

Jake Kravitz, a first-year diplomacy and global politics ma-

jor, signed the petition because he agreed that students should be given the option to take all classes pass/fail.

“A lot of people are going to be getting sick — a lot of family members, a lot of people are going to be cramped up in their homes,” Kravitz said. “That just is not an environment conducive to learning, and it’s one that’s entirely stressful for students.”

Provost Jason Osborne said the university has other priorities at the moment.

“Right now we are attempting to get people safe,” he wrote in an email to The Miami Student. “We will make those downstream decisions as we have time to evaluate them.”

Amanda Euen, university registrar, said this change wouldn’t be plausible.

“This type of grade change could have federal financial aid implications for students, including those

using veteran education benefits, as well as GPA ramifications for those students who may, at some point, seek admission to graduate or professional school,” read a statement from Enrollment Management and Student Success. “For those reasons, it is likely not a viable option for the university to make this type of change.”

According to Miami’s website, students can only take 13 credit hours, or 10 percent of the bachelor’s degree requirements, for credit/no credit. Courses that are only offered for credit/no credit are excluded from this total.

“Nationwide studies have shown that credit/no-credit grades on your academic record may be a negative factor in evaluation of your application for admission or employment by most professional schools (law, medicine, etc.), by many graduate schools, and by some employers and undergraduate schools,” the website warns.

“Before enrolling for courses on a credit/no-credit basis, consider what effect it may have upon your career goals.”

Programs in the College of Engineering and Computing (CEC) are accredited through ABET, the national engineering accreditation board. Programs and credits must meet their standards, said Tim Cameron, associate dean of CEC. “To really meet the expectations of employers and society, we really need to avoid anything that would compromise students achieving the learning outcomes, so when they graduate there are certain skills and abilities and qualities and characteristics that students have, so we need to try very hard to make sure that this situation doesn’t compromise those,” Cameron said.

Sarah Siegal, speaker of senate for Associated Student Government (ASG), said ASG’s job is to advocate for students, and they are aware of the petition and the concerns surrounding it.

“I think it does capture a sentiment that we need flexibility, and there needs to be an acknowledgement within the administration that there is only a limited capacity

said ASG is exploring all options and looking for an alternative that wouldn’t negatively affect anyone.

Ted Peters, chief divisional advisor and assistant dean for the College of Arts and Science, asked students to be patient as faculty members adjust to the online systems.

“I understand where students are coming from and that they’re concerned,” he said. “This is a disruption for everyone.”

Peters added that faculty members generally take difficult circumstances into consideration when grading students’ work. While that would happen on a class-by-class basis, he said it would be reasonable to assume faculty members would give the circumstances a large consideration.

Miami’s coronavirus information page can be accessed here.

The CDC also has a comprehensive coronavirus page. Anyone who is experiencing symptoms can call the Student Health Service at 513529-3000.

Students with questions about the coronavirus and the university’s policies can reach out to Associated Student Government.

“I think it does capture a sentiment that we need flexibility, and there needs to be an acknowledgemnt within the administration that there is only a limited capacity of what we are going to be able to do this semester.”

— Sarah Siegal

of what we are going to be able to do this semester,” Siegel said.

While she recognizes the implausibility of expecting all classes to be offered credit/no credit, she

@racheldberry berryrd@miamioh.edu

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2020

GLYNNEE@MIAMIOH.EDU

Local nursing home limits visitors due to coronavirus concerns JENNA CALDERÓN STAFF WRITER

On March 11, the Knolls of Oxford, an assisted and independent living community for elderly community members, began restricted access for outside visitors due to the novel coronavirus.

Older individuals face a higher and potentially life-threatening risk if they are infected with the novel coronavirus, The Washington Post reports. In a time where older individuals are more vulnerable, extra precautions need to be taken.

In a press conference Sunday, March 15, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said that the state will be issuing guidance shortly to close Ohio’s senior centers and adult daycare facilities.

Exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis, such as with those who have family members in end-of-life care. The Knolls has asked families to limit visitors to

other sections of the facilities as well, especially if they are experiencing common symptoms of the coronavirus or have travelled to heavily-affected countries.

One member of Oxford Talk, a Facebook page for the Oxford community, Julie, has a family member under nursing home care.

“Wouldn’t you rather know that your parents will stay healthy because of this lockdown?” she commented on a post. “It’s going to be very hard … But it’s in the best interest.”

Laura Lacy, director of marketing at the Knolls, said a new Skype program has been set up to keep residents in contact with loved ones, and extra activities have been added to the schedule to combat restlessness.

All staff, including medical personnel and vendors, are now required to enter the facilities through a secure location. Each

of them are screened and cleared prior to entry.

The Knolls is following guidelines released by the Ohio Department of Health (ODH), World Health Organization (WHO) and Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The CDC released an extensive checklist as well as additional guidance for facilities like the Knolls so that they may develop a response plan.

Miami’s coronavirus information page can be accessed online. The CDC also has a comprehensive coronavirus page.

Anyone who is experiencing symptoms can call the Student Health Service at 513-529-3000.

Students with questions about the coronavirus and the university’s policies can reach out to Associated Student Government. calderjm@miamioh.edu

‘I hope I can come back’:

How campus closure affects international students

THE DECISION TO MOVE CLASSES ONLINE FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SEMESTER LEFT INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN A PRECARIOUS PREDICAMENT. CONTRIBUTED BY MIAMI UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING

MADELINE PHABY STAFF WRITER

When she learned that Miami University had suspended face-to-face classes for the rest of the semester, junior Zhuoran Bao started looking for flights back to her home in northern China.

It took her awhile to find one, and the one she ended up booking has a layover somewhere in Africa.

“Booking a flight was the hardest part because many airlines canceled all their flights to China,” said Bao, a media and culture and emerging technologies in business + design major. “I had no choice.”

Following Miami University’s decision to move all classes online for the rest of the semester and force students to move off campus by March 21 due to the spread of novel coronavirus, many students are left uncertain of how to proceed.

One group that is especially uncertain is international students.

President Donald Trump’s ban on travel to Europe took effect at 12 a.m. on March 14, so European students who wished to return home had to quickly do so before this time.

Senior finance major Anatole Taillard, an exchange student from France, said he decided to return home even before Miami suspended all face-toface classes. However, Taillard said Miami offered very few answers about his precarious situation.

“I think it was a good decision to go home very quickly, but when I asked [Miami] whether I had the authorization to return to France, they were unable to answer me other than by saying ‘We assure you will get your credit hours,’” Taillard said. “I ended up booking tickets without waiting for an answer and decided to deal with this problem in France.”

Like other Miami students, Taillard will continue taking his classes remotely. But, this may prove especially difficult for him since France is five hours ahead of Ohio. “[Online classes] will be very difficult, especially since I’ve never taken one before,” Taillard said. “In addition, it will be difficult for me to do certain exams that will take place between 7 p.m. and midnight or to carry out my group projects.”

Additionally, some countries, such as China, place restrictions on their citizens’ internet access, which could also complicate online learning for certain students. But, Bao said, China is relaxing some of these restrictions in light of the situation.

For students returning home, a major concern is whether taking classes remotely will violate their visas. But, the U.S. government has taken steps to ensure this doesn’t happen.

Molly Heidemann, director of International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS), said that international students are not in danger of violating their visas due to new guidelines put out by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 9. According to these guidelines, schools that are transitioning to online classes, like Miami, must report their plans for doing so to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP).

“SEVP is focused on ensuring that nonimmigrant students are able to continue to make normal progress in a full course of study as required by federal regulations,” a message sent to students using SEVP’s services reads.

“SEVP intends to be flexible with temporary adaptations.”

These allowances are being made so that students on F visas — for those pursuing bachelor’s, master’s or graduate/professional degrees — and M visas — for those in vocational or technical programs — can maintain their full-time student statuses even while taking classes remotely, which was not previously allowed. Most of Miami’s international students are on F-1 visas, Heidemann said.

“I could go home if I wanted to, but if I have to pay rent until July, I might as well just stay,” Acero García said.

Though many students have successfully returned to their home countries, the issue of returning home in the fall is still up in the air.

Bao said ISSS told her she’d have to obtain a new visa for the next academic year if she remained home for more than five months, but all the places in China where students can renew their F-1 visas are closed for the foreseeable future.

Because of this, she may have to return to Oxford a month early to avoid letting her visa expire, but it may be difficult for her to find somewhere to stay.

“I still have no idea [what will happen] because things are changing every day,” Bao said. “I also don’t know if the situation will be better in July because the virus is terrible everywhere, but I hope that things get better and I can come back.”

Despite the complications this situation has presented for international students, Taillard, Acero García and Bao all said that they thought Miami — and the United States as a whole — was making a good decision by suspending face-to-face classes.

“It’s particularly important for the U.S. to contain the virus because the American [healthcare] system is expensive,” Taillard said. “If the virus spreads, many people will not be able

CORONAVIRUS 7 Ohio’s primary elections canceled in wake of coronavirus concerns SYDNEY HILL BEN DEETER

THE MIAMI STUDENT Ohio’s primary elections today have been called off.

The state’s Health Director Dr. Amy Acton ordered all polling locations closed as a health emergency Monday night, acting in line with a recommendation that Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced at a press conference earlier Monday.

“During this time when we face an unprecedented public health crisis, to conduct an election tomorrow would force poll workers and voters to place themselves at an unacceptable health risk of contracting coronavirus,” DeWine wrote on Twitter.

“As such, Dr. Amy Acton will order the polls closed as a health emergency,” he wrote. “While the polls will be closed tomorrow, Secretary of State Frank LaRose will seek a remedy through the courts to extend voting options so that every voter who wants to vote will be granted that opportunity.”

While the governor cannot change the election date, a power that lies with the Ohio legislature, he said that a private group filed a lawsuit to have the election moved on behalf of voters over 65 years old, those who are immunocompromised and people otherwise at risk of contracting COVID-19.

Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Richard Frye denied the request to postpone the election Monday evening, citing concerns about the precedent such a decision would set.

DeWine and LaRose are now acting in defiance of Frye’s court order denying the delay. The legality of this move is unclear, and DeWine himself acknowledged that Ohio’s executive branch could not move an election date.

LaRose, in an appearance on CNN Monday night, said he directed Ohio’s local boards of elections to prepare for an election on June 2.

LaRose encouraged Ohio’s 88 county boards of elections to continue accepting absentee ballots.

The governor said earlier Monday the delay would conform with the CDC’s new guidelines on limiting mass gatherings to 50 people.

He said the state will change its public health order accordingly.

President Trump separately announced new guidelines Tuesday that recommend avoiding gatherings of 10 or more people.

“We cannot conduct this election tomorrow … and conform to these guidelines,” DeWine said.

On March 11, DeWine issued a public order to limit mass gatherings. However, that order did not include polling places. He referred to polling places as “spaces with 100 or more people in transit,” not mass gatherings.

The prior order defined a mass gathering as “any event or convening that brings together one hundred (100) or more persons

in a single room or single space at the same time.”

Diane Noonan, director of the Butler County Board of Elections, said that as of late Monday afternoon, she had not received any direction from the state as to how to proceed. According to a press release, the Butler County Board of Elections will hold a Special Board meeting on Tuesday.

“You know as much as we do,” she said in a Monday afternoon phone interview with The Miami Student. “We’re continuing business as usual until we receive direction from the Secretary of State.”

After the health order from the state, “business as usual” does not appear possible, and none of the precautions promised by Butler County election officials will be necessary with polling locations closed.

For anyone registered to vote in Butler County, all polling locations were slated to remain open, according to a press release by the Butler County Board of Elections released on March 5.

However, because Miami University has begun remote learning, many students plan to leave or have already left the university to return home.

Two Andrew Goodman Foundation ambassadors, Reena Murphy and Andrew Devedjian, have encouraged students who choose to leave to still find ways to vote before doing so.

“Ultimately, we want students to be aware of the resources they have, such as mail-by-vote [sic.] or voting early,” Murphy said.

“Our fear was that there was going to be, like, this flight out of Oxford, and students were going to wake up on Tuesday morning and be like, ‘Oh, I am registered to vote in Oxford. And I am not in Oxford right now.’”

If students were to vote absentee, they would have needed to request their absentee ballot and then send it back so it would be postmarked by the end of the day on Election Day. The ballot cannot be received more than 10 days after the election, though these rules may change in response to Monday’s announcement.

Devedjian and Murphy encouraged early voting as an option for students to be part of the democratic process in the current political climate.

“We didn’t want the primaries to get lost … in all the other things happening around us,” Murphy said.

Miami’s coronavirus information page can be accessed here.

The CDC also has a comprehensive coronavirus page. Anyone who is experiencing symptoms can call the Student Health Service at 513-529-3000.

Students with questions about the coronavirus and the university’s policies can reach out to Associated Student Government. hillsl3@miamioh.edu deeterbj@miamioh.edu

“It will be difficult for me to do certain exams that will take place between 7 p.m. and midnight or to carry out my group projects.”

— Anatole Taillard

Though international students can return home without violating their visas, some may prefer or need to remain on-campus. These students can apply for a move-out exemption. Additionally, international students living off-campus are free to remain in Oxford if they so choose.

Alvaro Acero García, a senior computer science major from Spain, said that he’s decided to remain in Oxford for two reasons: because he has a lease on his off-campus apartment until July and because the coronavirus outbreak is worse back home than it is in the U.S.

to pay for care, and the consequences could be dramatic.”

Additional reporting by news editor Julia Arwine.

Miami’s coronavirus information page can be accessed here. The CDC also has a comprehensive coronavirus page. Anyone who is experiencing symptoms can call the Student Health Service at 513-529-3000.

Students with questions about the coronavirus and the university’s policies can reach out to Associated Student Government. @madphabes phabymr@miamioh.edu

OHIO’S PRIMARY ELECTIONS ARE CANCELED AFTER DEWINE PUSHED VOTING TO JUNE 2.

THE MIAMI STUDENT ARCHIVE

8 CORONAVIRUS

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2020

ARWINEJK@MIAMIOH.EDU

Coronavirus works hard, but Miami students play harder HANNAH HORSINGTON STAFF WRITER

It’s 10:30 p.m. on a Tuesday night during midterms. Usually, students would be cramming in the library or piling into study rooms in preparation for their exams.

But not tonight.

As soon as Miami University President Greg Crawford’s email was sent out detailing Miami’s plan to switch to remote learning until April 12 (now the rest of the semester), students started to celebrate. Bars opened, house parties began and Uptown liquor stores had lines wrapped around the aisles.

Students flocked Uptown, a few even cheering and applauding as they passed Crawford’s house.

As the long lines began to form outside of Brick Street, a documentary crew stopped students and interviewed them on the sidewalk.

Sophomore media and culture major Patrick Guerreau and other members of his film class were attempting to finish their class project.

“Because of classes being online now, we can no longer do what we were intending to do for the rest of the semester and stuff,” Guerreau said. “And so [our professor] told us that for the rest of the semester, we’re going to document the coronavirus.”

Set up with multiple cameras and a microphone, the film crew attracted a lot of attention and rarely had to search for someone to talk to them. Students waiting in line at Brick, both sober and intoxicated, jumped at the opportunity to be on camera.

JUNIORS DYLAN SANTACRUZ AND KYLE SHUKI WANTED “COME PREPARED” TO UPTOWN BARS. STAFF WRITER HANNAH HORSINGTON

Miami ends study abroad programs early

One student’s long journey home

STAFF WRITER

TIM CARLIN

ASST. NEWS EDITOR It was around 3 a.m. in Luxembourg when Kayla Jones awoke to banging on her bedroom door. It was one of her housemates.

“What in the world?” Jones asked. “Do you know what time it is?”

Jones’ housemate looked her in the eye and said the words Jones least wanted to hear.

“We’re going home.”

After hearing Miami University’s decision to end all spring study abroad trips two months early at 3 a.m. Luxembourg time, Jones spent the rest of her Thursday on a train, a plane and two busses in an attempt to make it back to the U.S. before President Donald Trump’s European travel restrictions go into effect at 12 a.m. EST on Saturday March 14.

As Jones and her housemates tried to book flights back to the U.S., they were repeatedly told all flights were full as the mass exodus of American college students began.

Jones called her family in Ohio — it was around 1 a.m. back home — to inform them of her situation. Her dad took over the flight search, telling Jones to focus on getting to the airport.

Jones said that while she packed for her trip home, professors at the Miami University John E. Dolibois European Center (MUDEC), were still sending reminders about upcoming midterm exams and assignments — seemingly unaware of Miami’s decision to end all study abroad programs.

Jones began her journey to the airport, still without a confirmed flight. She had tentatively planned to fly from Luxembourg to Amsterdam. She would then spend 12 hours in the Amsterdam airport before flying to

Paris. From Paris, she would finally fly home to Cincinnati.

After hauling her luggage from a bus, to a train, to another bus, Jones finally made it to the Luxembourg airport. As she made her way to check in, she received a WhatsApp message from her dad: her flights had been booked.

Jones spoke to The Miami Student shortly after 11 p.m. in Amsterdam. She had eight more hours left until her flight to Paris. Jones said she refused to sleep during her layover.

“I don’t want to take the chance of missing my flight,” she said.

“Also, I want to avoid theft, rape, death, abuduction,” she added with a laugh.

When Jones originally left for her semester at MUDEC, she booked round trip tickets for around $900, a deal she was very proud to have found.

After Miami ended her program, Jones spent nearly $2,500 just for her flight home.

Miami’s Director of Education Abroad and Global Initiatives Ryan Dye said the university will reimburse students participating in university sponsored study abroad programs up to $1,000 for their travel expenses.

Dye also said the university is working on a case-by-case basis to place students into a full course load upon their return.

“Certainly, we would want to do all we can to ensure that students can complete their semesters,” Dye said. “In the case of Miami programs, Miami will do all we can to provide alternative arrangements.”

“These are extremely difficult decisions to make, and we refer to a variety of sources to make them,” Dye added. “We understand that this is an extremely difficult and challenging time for the students who are abroad and asked to return home.” @timcarlin_ carlimtm@miamioh.edu

@h_horsington12 horsinhp@miamioh.edu

Seniors concerned: Will online classes prevent them from graduating?

CAROLINE HAUBENSTRICKER

PER MUDEC TRADITION, EACH VISITING CLASS DESIGNS A T-SHIRT TO BE HUNG IN THE LOCAL COLLEGE BAR, BOOT. THIS YEAR’S DESIGN REFLECTED THE STUDENTS’ REACTION TO LEAVING LUXEMBOURG EARLY DUE TO COVID-19.

CONTRIBUTED BY ALEX KING

Two of these students, juniors Dylan Santacruz and Kyle Shuki, came “dressed in preventative measures,” outfitted in hospital gowns and safety goggles.

The two had “prepared for the possibility of an outbreak at Miami,” ordering the outfits on Amazon weeks before. They decided that Tuesday night was the perfect opportunity to wear their new protective clothing Uptown.

“I came prepared,” Santacruz said. “As soon as I heard [coronavirus] was in the United States, I ordered it.”

Santacruz and Shuki weren’t the only students dressed in celebration of the class cancelation.

One student in line at Brick sported a Green Beer Day (GBD) shirt with “Corona Virus” written in large letters across the back.

Despite the warnings to avoid large gatherings and keep appropriate social distance, many students viewed the move to remote learning as an excuse to continue partying. On Wednesday, Brick opened at 1 p.m. for Beat the Clock, a drink-special event usually reserved for Saturdays.

Guerreau didn’t seem surprised by students’ eagerness to continue going out, despite the ongoing uncertainty.

“It seems like people are not afraid because the coronavirus has not hit Brick Street yet,” he said.

As of 9 p.m. Sunday, March 15, all Ohio bars and restaurants have closed their doors indefinitely as a preventative measure to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Some seniors at Miami University are concerned they won’t fulfill their graduation requirements as classes have gone remote until the end of the semester.

Provost Jason Osborne recommends that students speak with their advisor and professors to complete their capstone and graduation requirements.

“I believe all faculty are committed to doing whatever we can to ensure students can complete their projects,” Osborne wrote in an email to The Miami Student. “However, some may need to be modified to accommodate the current circumstances.”

Osborne hopes that Miami will be able to have the commencement ceremony in May. “We have not made any determination about any events in the future when we do not know the course the virus will take,” Osborne wrote.

“We will keep the campus community updated as we know more, but I cannot emphasize enough that this is almost completely out of our control and almost completely in [everyone’s] hands.”

Benjamin Harding, senior biology chemistry major, is concerned about his capstone course, as it is research-based. Harding said that students are not forced to come into labs to perform research.

For his capstone, Harding had two main things to do: to prepare for an undergraduate research forum where he would present his research and to write a paper as if it would be submitted for a peer-reviewed journal.

“When I first heard this information, I thought that classes were done,” Harding said.

“But I’m concerned about finishing my research and how my professors will grade my work.”

Harding is from Oxford. His father is Paul Harding, the chair and professor at the Department of Biological Sciences at Miami’s regional campuses. Harding knows that his father knows just as much as he does, as they talk about it frequently.

Harding is not concerned about the graduation ceremony, as he knows he will get his diploma as he has completed his labs for his biochemistry major.

“I don’t think the ceremony will happen, though, which is fine.” Harding said. “I just want my diploma.”

Some students majoring in education have concerns about finishing their student teaching requirement with schools in Ohio going remote.

Kathryn Yezierski, a senior chemistry education major in adolescent-young adult education, is concerned about finishing her student teaching requirement. Yezierski is teaching 11th grade chemistry at Sycamore High School for her student teaching requirement at Miami.

She has finished her classes; however, student teaching is the next step for Yezierski to get her teaching license.

“I’m worried about getting my classroom requirements in,” Yezierski said. “I am waiting to hear what the board of education is going to count as ‘classroom time.’ Not being face-toface in the classroom as a teacher may affect my graduation.”

The education board requires 12 weeks of student teaching in order to apply for your license. Yezierski is unsure whether online teaching would count or if filmed lessons would count to fulfill the 12-week requirement.

Students who are taking lab courses for the Miami Plan, like senior Kyle Kolb, are concerned about completing these courses as easily as they can.

Kolb is majoring in Marketing at the Farmer School of Business. He is taking three sprint lab courses: woodshop, ceramics and rock climbing.

“It’s a waste,” Kolb said. “This has had negative consequences. I don’t know how I am supposed to be evaluated in my courses.”

Kolb is not concerned about the commencement ceremony, he just wants his diploma.

“My senior year is ruined,” Kolb said. “I won’t be able to go out with friends and hangout with my senior friends before we graduate. This will be the worst semester.”

Marjorie Trimble, senior theatre and strategic communications major, is worried about getting an acceptable grade in the classes that she is taking and losing the opportunity to partake in senior traditions.

“Walking at graduation and receiving your diploma is something every college student dreams of and works hard for,” Trimble said.

“For there to be a chance that won’t happen for me is terrifying and disappointing.” haubence@miamioh.edu @haubenstrickerc

SENIORS ARE LEFT WONDERING IF THEY WILL HAVE COMMENCEMENT, BUT ALSO IF THEY CAN EVEN GRADUATE. PHOTO EDITO JUGAL JAIN

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2020

BERRYRD@MIAMIOH.EDU

CORONAVIRUS 9

Underclassmen prepare to leave campus SPRING

BROKE: Coronavirus puts a wrench in spring break plans MAYA FENTER

MAGAZINE EDITOR AT-LARGE

major, dreads having to take online classes because she finds it more difficult to stay on top of things.

“I find myself slightly less disciplined when I’m on my own terms than [when I’m] held more accountable by other people or if I have a place to go to,” she said.

Online classes cause additional problems for students who live out-of-state or in different time zones as well as international students. First-year marketing major Dhruv Dhawan will return to India this week, and when it’s day in the U.S., it’s night in India.

“I’ve got to stay up all night for all of my various classes and then sleep in the day,” Dhawan said. “So it’s coming really hard for me until May.” Even though they find the transition upsetting, most students acknowledge that these precautions are necessary.

“I know a lot of people are getting displaced right now and they’re not happy about online classes, but I’d rather them do too much to keep us safe than not enough,” Poe said.

Senior Khoi Hua and first-year Hannah West started planning their spring break trip to Chicago last semester.

The couple set some money aside and called off work for the week. They mapped out what they wanted to do while they were there. They planned to drive instead of flying.

Even after Miami University canceled in-person classes for the rest of the semester, they didn’t decide to cancel their trip.

“I think it’s important to separate fear and panic from being cautious,” Khoi said.

To be extra cautious, they contacted their Airbnb host to ask them to sanitize the place before they got there, thought of activities that didn’t involve large crowds and stocked Hannah’s car with wipes.

But with so many changes in such a short period of time, they knew that they would have to continue to monitor the situation and be flexible.

“We’re not dead set on going,” Khoi said. “It’s not a do-or-die type of thing … we did take every single condition and precaution we could think of to get to the conclusion that it’s still okay to go as of right now. A week from now, things might change.

You never know.”

Things did change. On Sunday, March 15, the Illinois governor called for restaurants and bars to close through March 30, and many attractions in Chicago followed suit. Khoi and Hannah saw the headlines in the Chicago Tribune, and had no choice but to cancel their trip.

Closures in response to coronavirus affected senior Amanda Parel’s spring break plans too, but she hasn’t officially canceled her trip yet. She and her dad planned to go to Disney World and stay with her relatives who live just outside of Orlando.

“I was telling my friends, ‘I will only not go to Disney if they close,’” Amanda said.

And then they did.

Her relatives said they’re still welcome to drive down since the beaches haven’t closed yet and they could spend time together. Amanda’s dad is still willing to go because he wants Amanda to have the spring break she wants.

“This is my last break period before entering the world of full-time job adulthood,” Amanda said. “But also I know it puts a lot of people at risk and in danger.”

One of the people at risk is Amanda’s aunt who lives in Louisville and was also planning on going to Florida. However, she has diabetes, which makes her immunocompromised, so coronavirus is an even bigger threat. She was originally going to fly down, but has since canceled her flight.

Though she still wants to drive down with Amanda and her dad, Amanda isn’t sure if it’s a good idea to go at all.

As the country enforces more precautionary actions such as closing restaurants, Amanda is also worried about what her friends might think about her choice to travel if she goes through with her plans.

“I’m almost kind of afraid that they would judge me if I still decided to go,” Amanda said.

“I’m mostly just afraid that my friends will be like, ‘What the hell are you doing? Why are you still going?’”

For now, Amanda is left weighing the risks of going on the trip.

“If we did go, we could all still be a family,” Amanda said. “But is it worth putting other people in danger?”

Miami’s coronavirus information page can be accessed here. The CDC also has a comprehensive coronavirus page. Anyone who is experiencing symptoms can call the Student Health Service at 513-529-3000.

Students with questions about the coronavirus and the university’s policies can reach out to Associated Student Government.

penaml@miamioh.edu whitehan@miamioh.edu

@maya_with_a_y fentermc@miamioh.edu

MAGGIE PEÑA LEXI WHITEHEAD

THE MIAMI STUDENT Cars crowd the sidewalks and streets in front of dorms. Students carry boxes and push red bins full of belongings to be loaded up. A girl hugs her friend and takes a photo in front of the Clawson Hall sign.

It’s a normal sight to see at the end of the spring semester.

Except, it’s mid-March.

On Friday, March 13, Miami University President Greg Crawford sent an email to the student body informing them that a return to face-to-face instruction would not be possible this semester.

This announcement displaced many students in dorms, who were initially urged to move out by March 27. In an updated email from Dean of Students Kimberly Moore, students were informed that residence halls would close a week sooner, on March 21.

Students may only stay on campus if absolutely necessary.

Many first-year students are upset that they do not get to finish their freshman year.

“Last semester was really hard for me because I just had a really hard time transitioning to college,” said first-year Meta Hoge. “And then this semester I felt like I was finally finding a group of friends and just not feeling as lost. So, to have to leave when things were going really good just made me really sad.”

In addition to leaving her friends, firstyear Allison Lombardi feels distressed that she will miss out on the independence she has in college. She also just joined the sorority Delta Gamma and frets about missing out on the new member experience.

“Everyone says [the first semester] is the best semester in a sorority,” Lombardi said.

“EVERYONE SAYS [THE FIRST YEAR

] IS THE BEST” BUT IT DOESN’T LOOK THAT WAY FOR THE CLASS OF 2023.

THE MIAMI STUDENT LEXI WHITEHEAD

hanging in the balance. Hoge, who hasn’t decided on a major, said that she is striving to get into the Farmer School of Business but doesn’t know how online classes will affect her grades.

“This semester I felt like I was finally finding a group of friends and just not feeling as lost. So, to have to leave when things were going really good just made me really sad.”

— Meta Hoge

Anxieties about online classes are also arising, especially with GPA requirements

First-year Wendy Poe, a speech pathology and interactive media studies double

P R I N T ! ! ! ! ! !

P R I N T ! ! ! ! ! !

P R I N T ! ! ! ! ! !

Sports

10

VINELCA@MIAMIOH.EDU

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2020

When it ends like this, crying is allowed in baseball

LAST THURSDAY AT HAYDEN PARK, EMOTIONS RAN HIGH. THE REDHAWKS FOUND OUT THEIR SEASON WAS OVER AFTER THEY RECORDED THE LAST OUT IN A 5-1 VICTORY OVER PENN STATE. MIAMI ATHLETICS BENNETT WISE

CHRIS VINEL

SPORTS EDITOR When Landon Stephens stepped on home plate after crushing a three-run bomb, he found his dad in the crowd, pointed at him and started tearing up.

He didn’t officially know, but he had a feeling.

This was it.

Stephens, a senior, was playing the last baseball game of the 2019 collegiate baseball season and, perhaps, the last of his Miami career.

Last Thursday afternoon, the NCAA decided to cancel the seasons of all the remaining winter and spring sports. When the news dropped, Miami was battling Penn State at Hayden Park. The Red-

Hawks eventually won, 5-1, and Stephens’s home run in the sixth inning provided crucial support.

“Just the vibe that I got, it’s over almost. I don’t know why I [pointed at my dad and cried],” Stephens said. “I never do that. Never do it … We kind of just knew … It was weird.”

They found out their season was canceled later than most. As soon as they nailed down their win over the Nittany Lions, public address announcer Scott Shriver turned on his mic.

“Before the game, they told us it would be suspended until the end of the month,” Stephens said.

“So, we had news of that. Personally, I just thought that’s what he [Shriver] was going to say.

Rain drizzled from the cloudy, grey sky.

During the statement declaring the season over, Miami head coach Danny Hayden motioned

toward the press box, shaking his hand in front of his throat as to say, “Cut it out.” He wanted to be the one to tell his team.

Stephens untucked his jersey and yanked it up toward his misty eyes.

He dropped to his knees and cried.

“When I heard it, it’s like everything was going in slow motion,” Stephens said. “Like, woah, it’s done. It’s over.

“I was immediately flooded with things I’m not going to be able to do, that I missed out on, that got taken away from me. For me, it was, I don’t get to experience a Senior Day, I don’t get to have that time with my parents, my dad may never watch me play again. All those things kind of flood your head.”

For more than 30 minutes, he and his RedHawk teammates, coaches and fans hung around the field and their dugout.

He hugged everyone in sight before turning his attention to the younger guys on the team. He put on a brave face and talked to the players he thinks are the future of Miami baseball, like Sam Bachman.

“I built relationships with all these guys,” Stephens said. “Yes, I was negative initially, and I was emotional and started crying … I took all that, allowed myself to zoom out, as I call it, and understood what I’m doing and how my words are going to impact Sam Bachman or how they’re going to impact Cole Andrews and Cristian Tejada.

“In that moment, I had to understand what I said to them and how I interacted with them impacted them going forward, even if it’s over for me.

It was kind of having that mentality of them over myself in that moment.”

In the days since, Stephens hasn’t moped around.

Baseball-wise, he’s waiting for more information.

The NCAA will not dock players a year of eligibility, it announced Friday, meaning Stephens could rejoin the RedHawks next season. His status and the logistics of the situation are still up in the air.

If the MLB proves itself as a serious option, Stephens plans to take it. It’s his dream.

“My first priority is to play professional baseball,” he said. “Until someone honestly tells me I can’t, every opportunity that presents itself for me to do so, I’m going to take advantage of and make the most of it.”

He said he’s allowing himself a bit of a break.

He’s focusing on the Miami University-wide shift to the online classes for the rest of the semester.

He’s a finance major who is on track to graduate in May. He won’t rule out grad school.

But what happens when your season is prematurely axed due to a world-wide pandemic? What if that’s the end of your career?

Stephens doesn’t know what’s next.

He doesn’t even have a feeling. @ChrisAVinel vinelca@miamioh.edu

Women’s basketball fails to live up to expectations Season-inreview LUKAS NELSON STAFF WRITER

In her season-opening press conference in November 2019, DeUnna Hendrix praised her new team.

Hendrix, starting her first season as head coach of the Miami RedHawks, said the team was the toughest she’d ever been around in her career.

“Their toughness is almost unseen and unheard of,” Hendrix said.

Although those were strong words for a group Hendrix hadn’t been around very long, its previous season justified the praise. The RedHawks won 23 games in 2019 and were 13-5 in Mid-American Conference contests. Although the team lost to Ohio in the MAC semifinals, it received a berth to the Women’s National Invitational Tournament. It was Miami’s second 20win season in a row, after winning 21 games in 2018.

The RedHawks were replacing three starters, but they brought back seniors Lauren Dickerson and Savannah Kluesner, who were the team’s two leading scorers in 2019. With Dickerson and Kluesner in the lineup, Miami expected to have a fighting chance in the MAC. It didn’t happen.

The RedHawks went 11-20 (4-14 MAC) and lost in the first round of the MAC tournament.

The team’s 4-14 conference record was second-worst in the league only to Bowling Green, who defeated the RedHawks at home on Senior Night. The loss was a part of Miami’s nine-game losing streak to end the season.

Here’s a look at what went right (and wrong) for the RedHawks this season: THE GOOD Dickerson and Kluesner The senior duo had another great season that saw both of them make the All-MAC team. Dickerson, who had 1,670 points coming into the season, scored 538 points this season and became the all-time leading scorer in Miami women’s basketball history. The dynamic point guard averaged a team-high 17.4 points and 4.6 assists per game, and was top-10 in the MAC in both categories.

After this season, Dickerson’s name will be all over Miami’s record books. She leads the RedHawks in career points scored, field goals made, 3-pointers made and 20-point games. The senior guard left Miami just one assist shy of the team’s career record.

Kluesner was a more-than-reliable second option, starting every game for the RedHawks and averaging 16.1 points per contest. The senior forward was also top-five in the MAC with 8.9 rebounds per game and 1.6 blocks per game.

Kluesner was an inside presence, scoring in the post on offense and protecting the rim on de-

MIAMI STRUGGLED IN THE FIRST YEAR OF DEUNNA HENDRIX’S REGIME. NEXT SEASON WON’T BE ANY EASIER, AS THE REDHAWKS ARE TASKED WITH REPLACING THEIR TWO BEST PLAYERS. THE MIAMI STUDENT MACY WHITAKER

fense. She leaves Miami as a top-five rebounder and shot-blocker in program history.

Dickerson and Kluesner were second and third team All-MAC, respectively.

4 Games in 8 Days On Saturday, Feb.1, the Miami RedHawks beat the Bowling Green Falcons, 80-59, snapping a five-game losing streak. It was the first of four games in eight days for the ’Hawks.

Two days later, the team hosted Western Michigan in a rare Monday night game at Millett Hall, which had been rescheduled due to potential coronavirus cases in Oxford the week before.

Dickerson broke the 2,000-point threshold in the second quarter, and Miami won, 70-67.

The RedHawks had only one day of rest before playing their next game against the Toledo Rockets at home. Miami won, 92-83, with Peyton Scott scoring a career-high 28 points. The team’s 92 points were the most it scored this season.

Miami played its third straight home game on Saturday, Feb. 8, its fourth game in eight days. The RedHawks were looking for the fourth straight win of the season against Central Michigan, who came into the game undefeated in the MAC. Miami lost, 99-87, but the RedHawks were competitive. The game was tied at halftime, and it took a 3-point barrage from the Chippewas to put Miami away in the third quarter. Although they lost, the way the RedHawks had played over

the last four games seemed to give the team momentum going forward.

Peyton Scott and Abbey Hoff Scott and Hoff both started more than 20 games this season and were solid contributors to the team. Scott, a freshman from Lynchburg, Ohio, was third on the team in scoring, with 12.5 points per game. The freshman guard also averaged 4.7 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game. Scott was named to the MAC All-Freshman team.

After playing less than 200 minutes the previous season, Hoff had career highs in almost every category, including points, rebounds, minutes played and 3-pointers made. The redshirt junior shot 39 percent from behind the arc, good for first on the team and fourth in the MAC. With Dickerson and Kluesner graduating, Scott and Hoff should be Miami’s most reliable contributors next season.

THE BAD Defense Simply put, the RedHawks were a bad defensive team this season. The team gave up 75.5 points per game, last in the MAC. Miami was also last in opponent’s field goal percentage and 3-point percentage, and gave up 80 points or more in 12 of its 19 conference games.

Despite having one of the conference’s best rebounders in Kluesner, the RedHawks had one of the worst rebounding margins in the MAC, getting outworked on the boards by three rebounds per game. If Miami wants to have a better season next year, it must improve on the defensive end.

Losing streaks The RedHawks had two long losing streaks in conference play that derailed their season. After splitting its first two MAC contests, Miami lost five straight games, starting with a loss at Central Michigan on Jan. 11. During the skid, the team played in close games, losing three games by single digits. The RedHawks broke the losing streak with an 80-59 win against Bowling Green.

The team’s next losing streak also started with a loss against Central Michigan, this time at home to close out the stretch of four games in eight days in February. Despite the loss, the three-game winning streak in the games before showed the team was finally starting to play well in the MAC. Its momentum didn’t last. Miami didn’t win another game, ending the season on a nine-game losing streak. The RedHawks gave up 99 points to Central Michigan, the most they allowed all season. It was a sign of what was to come during the losing streak, as Miami gave up 80 or more points in eight of their last nine games. The RedHawks lost their last game of the season against Buffalo, 87-72.

Going into next season, the RedHawks must avoid turning a bad game into a bad week if they want to compete in the MAC. @LukasTheDream nelso156@miamioh.edu

SPORTS 11

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2020

VINELCA@MIAMIOH.EDU

‘THERE’S JUST NO CLOSURE’: How the Miami hockey team found out its season was over PATRICK GESHAN

THE MIAMI STUDENT It’s 6:45 a.m. on Wednesday, March 11. The Miami University hockey team is at Goggin Ice Center loading a pair of busses for what should be a routine trip to Minnesota-Duluth for the first round of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference playoffs.

If Miami was to win its best-of-three series this weekend at Amsoil Arena, the RedHawks would stay in Minnesota for the next weekend’s NCHC Frozen Faceoff in St. Paul. The trip could last four days or a week and a half.

I’m on the second bus with the freshmen and seniors, planning to announce the games this weekend on Miami’s student station, RedHawk Radio. As we hit I-70 and roll west, players are stretched out, listening to their AirPods, eyes closed, resting.

The plan was to travel Wednesday, practice Thursday and play up to three games on the weekend starting Friday.

I’m sitting near flagship radio announcer Greg Waddell, trainer Drew Ruckelshaus and equipment manager Andy Geshan, my father.

On the drive, between naps, homework and Netflix series, everyone follows the coronavirus developments spreading across the nation.

First, the virus is declared a pandemic. Next, major college sporting events, such as March Madness and the Frozen Four, move to play games without fans.

As Chicagoland and rural Wisconsin pass by the window, everyone is already discussing what it all means for

Miami’s own tournament this weekend.

The night sky settles in as the team approaches Duluth. It’s my first time here, and the famous drawbridge and Lake Superior come into view.

In the background, I hear the President addressing the nation, telling Americans no travel from Europe will be allowed for 30 days.

“This is like 9/11,” Waddell says.

Two minutes later, just as the bus crosses the lake into Minnesota, athletic department personnel inform the coaching staff that all NCHC games this weekend were to be played without fans. Players would be given a certain amount of tickets for their families.

“Only a matter of time,” a player muttered.

There is an anxious vibe as the busses arrive at the hotel. When the RedHawks walk into the lobby, a TV greets them with the news that the NBA had suspended its season.

Thursday at breakfast, phones blow up around 10 a.m. CST, telling everyone the power five conferences are canceling their basketball tournaments.

Nobody had to say it, but with these events, it became a matter of when, not if, the NCHC would call things off.

Players were given free time between breakfast and lunch. Practice was scheduled for late afternoon at the rink. Ruckelshaus, my dad and I head back to the room and monitor ESPN. We watch the live coverage of college basketball players across the nation getting pulled off the floor before their conference tournament games were to tip off.

Ten minutes later, my dad’s phone vibrates.

“Canceled.”

Walking into the meal room, there’s a strong, awkward, unfamiliar feeling.

The team is sitting among three large tables before lunch, silent. By this time, everyone knows.

“It sucked to go all that way and not play,” senior captain Gordie Green said.

“It’s just sad — sad that I don’t get to put the Miami jersey on again and play with my brothers.”

In the meal room, head coach Chris Bergeron addresses the team, calling the event unprecedented, apologizing that this is how the season has to end.

Nobody knows how to react.

Players are staring at the floor.

There are blank, expressionless faces.

An eerie silence.

Senior defenseman Grant Frederic found out on Twitter in his hotel room.

“The only feeling I can describe is that it just felt weird. It’s still weird,” Frederic said. “To think that college hockey’s over for us hasn’t really hit yet.

I’m trying not to think about it, but I just never thought the virus would get this bad.”

Players trickle to the buffet and grab food, as the reality of the moment settles in.

Their season is over.

Team staff go to all the seniors and comfort them. Nobody is overly emotional, just disappointed. Disappointed that it had to end this way. A way that was completely out of their control.

“It’s terrible we couldn’t do whatever was ahead,” Frederic said. “When we walked off the ice the Saturday before

CANCELED! Thursday, March 12: Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, sports news flowed all day.

After a few conferences like the NCHC and the MAC canceled individual sport tournaments, the NCAA dropped the hammer. All remaining winter and spring sports were instructed to shut down immediately. For Miami, here are the teams whose seasons were cut short: • • • • • • • • •

Baseball (regular season) Men’s basketball (MAC Tournament) Football (spring practice) Golf (regular season) Hockey (NCHC Playoffs) Men’s and women’s swimming and diving (CSCAA National Invitational Championship) Men’s and women’s track and field, cross country (regular season) Tennis (regular season) Softball (regular season)

’Hawks Talk

Miami players and coaches react to the NCAA’s coronavirus-induced cancellations.

KARCH BACHMAN, A SENIOR, WAS ROBBED OF HIS FINAL PLAYOFF HOCKEY GAMES BY THE NCAA’S CORONAVIRUS-INDUCED CANCELLATIONS. THE MIAMI STUDENT MACY WHITAKER

at Western Michigan, I just wish we knew it was our last game.”

After the silence comes conversation. Players and staff begin talking about how to spend the rest of the afternoon and evening. It was now the last night this team would ever be together.

When the busses arrive home on Friday night, there are hugs and goodbyes. It ended too soon for these players and staff who worked hard all year.

They don’t deserve this ending.

“What’s going on?” a handful of people ask.

Many hoped this trip would last a week and a half. Instead, it was three days.

“I’m disappointed I can’t live out the last few months of college the way I planned,” Green said. “There’s just really no closure.” @real_PattyG geshanp@miamioh.edu

Good times, bad times 2019-2020 Men’s basketball seasonin-review

MIKE GUISTOLISE STAFF WRITER

Let’s keep this short and simple: there were some pretty high expectations for head coach Jack Owens and his RedHawks team this year, and they were not met.

(Inhale).

In the first round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament last week, the RedHawks pulled out a massive upset of the defending champion Buffalo Bulls, thanks in large part to junior guard Nike Sibande’s career night. Miami then moved onto Cleveland to play another superior opponent it had upset earlier in the season, the Northern Illinois Huskies.

With the big win and another upset potentially lined up, nothing seemed impossible for this team.

Enter the coronavirus pandemic.

Several conferences and eventually the whole NCAA decided to shut ’er down for the foreseeable future and, just like that, the first round win that seemed like a telling of things to come meant next to nothing. The RedHawks’ season was finished — a potential Cinderella story gone by the wayside — and now all we can do is wonder what might have been.

The game against the Bulls suddenly showed fans what they had longed for all year: a team with a winning mentality.

This all came after a bitter loss to close the regular season against the Bobcats of Ohio, when Bam Bowman’s senior night was spoiled by a two-point loss and his missed game-winner.

There is, however, no doubt that the second showing in the Battle of the Bricks was better than the disgusting display the team put on in Athens back in February (if you didn’t catch that game on CBS, count your blessings. Miami scored 11 points and shot 10 percent from the field in the first half). That game was the bottoming-out of the season, and there was nowhere to go but up.

After one of the worst displays put on in the MAC in recent history (an announcer’s words, not mine), there was change, and Miami carried a new confidence. The victories weren’t quite there, but anyone who watched the games noticed the RedHawks looked competent.

Miami ended up 3-5 after that first Ohio game, including a great win over the MAC West-leading Huskies and a back-alley butt-kicking of the second-place Bowling Green Falcons to close out February. The 5-13 conference finish wasn’t sexy, but at least momentum hadn’t left the ’Hawks for dead.

Thank God, because January was tough to get through for reporters and fans alike. The close losses made me want to just put my head in my hands.

Once the 19-point romping by Akron

came before spring classes resumed, I was numb to irritation.

(Exhale).

And that was Miami’s MAC season in a nutshell. The pre-conference play wasn’t very telling, with Miami losing when they were supposed to and winning when they were supposed to. The team finished the year with a 13-19 overall record, 5-13 in the MAC. Let’s hand out some awards.

Most Valuable Player: Nike Sibande Sibande had a bit of an off year, but there is no question that he is this team’s top performer. His athleticism was largely unmatched (48.5-inch vertical), and he picked up his effort in other areas outside of the offense.

Diving for loose balls, getting his hands in passing lanes and picking up his field goal percentage showed a rise in awareness, even if a few of his offensive statistics took a hit. I believe Sibande will come back for his senior season, and I can’t wait to see what he does next.

Most improved: Eli McNamara OK, hear me out here.

While he doesn’t always look like the most talented guy on the court, McNamara’s effort looked better almost every game. Owens also noticed his work ethic outside of practice and even had him starting in front of senior Bam Bowman on several occasions. Weirder still were the times when McNamara, who only averaged 4.5 points per game this year, looked like the offensive firestarter. Nearly every game late in the season, the big man from Pickerington chucked up seven or ten points in the first five minutes like no one could stop him.

If there was some way he (or the rest of his team) could harness that energy for an entire game, watch out. His work in the post took a big leap, as did his defensive awareness. The man looked to block shots on the regular, and I loved it.

Best moment of the season: Sibande leads ’Hawks to Cleveland I was between this entire performance or the second dunk Sibande put down against the Falcons on Feb. 29. This takes the cake because the junior guard put the team on his back and put on his greatest showing in the first round. Big-time players make big-time plays.

What’s next?

Owens has one more year on his current contract, and the Buffalo game just might have saved him from getting the pink slip this year. With Sibande and forward Dalonte Brown becoming seniors in the fall, next season might be do-or-die for Owens to get the RedHawks into contention in the MAC. guistom@miamioh.edu

Opinion

12

RIGAZIKM@MIAMIOH.EDU

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2020

STAFF EDITORIAL

We’ve seen the difference and it’s getting better all the time The following reflects the majority opinion of the editorial board.

It’s been a long, devastating week.

Seven days ago, Miami University President Gregory Crawford announced Miami University would be holding all classes online to try and reduce the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus. Three days later, Miami announced classes would remain online for the rest of the semester, and informed students that they should leave their dorms by March 27. Yesterday, the university told students they had until March 21 to move out of their dorms.

The last eight weeks of our semester were taken with hardly any warning and, with how quickly the situation has escalated, it’s difficult to imagine what is to come.

We at The Miami Student are heartbroken over how everything has developed in the last week, but — as our staff prepares to transition leadership to a new editorial board and reflects on the last year at Miami — we have hope that good will come in the uncertain future.

Throughout the last year, our staff editorials have focused on similar themes. Transparency in university communications, a prioritization of student interests over PR fluff and personal accountability from Miami students, just to name a few.

While our editorials in the last year have been critical, it was not without a purpose. We see the good that people are doing, but we never want to lose sight of how we can be better as a community.

Miami’s administration has done an excellent job at mirroring the Ohio government’s response to coronavirus. They’ve been proactive and transparent in their decision making, ensuring students and their families are well informed despite not having a permanent director of university communications or vice president of marketing and communications.

Miami offered students an opportunity to refund a portion of their room and board, if they leave their dorms, and students who were abroad will receive $1,000 to help cover the cost of travel back to the U.S. We’re pleasantly surprised that, during a time when the university is not doing well fi-

nancially, the administration is attempting to prioritize students. More can certainly be done, especially for students who rely on campus jobs for income, students with work-study programs and everyone who pays thousands of dollars each semester for in-class learning. We hope to see the administration make continued strides to help all of them and university workers in the coming days.

We also hope that students remember to look out for others in the same manner. Remember that you are not only responsible for yourself, but for your community. Look out for neighbors, peers and friends who are at high risk for this virus.

We’ve all crammed the last two months of the semester into a 48-hour period. There’s been a sense of camaraderie in adapting to the worst of circumstances as best we can, and hopefully we will continue to do so moving forward. There is peace in knowing that we’re in this together.

The world feels like it has come to a halt, but that pause may not be a terrible thing. It allows us to take stock of what is really important and reveals, in graphic detail, the larger systems at play in both our community and our country.

Obviously, the economic systems in our country are breaking down. Our nation’s healthcare system is not equipped to handle this outbreak, individuals are struggling financially and our federal government is scrambling to compensate for its lack of preparation.

While the Ohio government has done a better job than most in responding to this crisis thanks to Dr. Amy Acton, Director of Health for the Ohio Department of Health, the bar is exceptionally low, and Gov. Mike DeWine is guilty of gutting the social safety nets that could have protected people and workers in this crisis. Instead, he vaguely promised to “work to mitigate the suffering,” as if his word is going to be enough to save low-income families from destitution, rather than actually funding unemployment services.

There’s nothing quite like a global pandemic to force things into perspective.

Miami, and the rest of the country, have an opportunity to come back from this better than before. We can better identify the cracks in our system and outline ways to improve them in the future, whether that be through administrative

planning or voting for community-minded elected officials.

In some ways, this has served as a reality check for many people to realize what is possible.

Don’t forget that once things get better, and don’t forget how far we’ve come.

Our editorial board’s first issue ran a front page story about the Delta Tau Delta (Delts) hazing case, where a new member was brutally assaulted during a big/little reveal and hospitalized. Our final issue features a profile on Tyler Perino, the former Miami student who reported his assault, which shares his experience and his hope that Miami’s culture will change, just a year after he was hazed.

For us, it feels symbolic. It’s a way to measure how much can change in a year. It hasn’t been an easy year, nor has it been a comfortable one.

But the challenges our community has faced has inspired growth, and paved the way for community improvement.

The seniors on our staff agree that there is more of a Miami community now than when they first came to this campus.

There have been sparks of inspiration from students on-campus over the three and half years, from groups like the Black Action Movement 2.0 and the Student Sustainability Council to individuals like Tyler Perino, who have immeasurably shifted campus culture. There is more social, racial and economic diversity within the student body, broadening the perspective and values we hold as a community.

It’s bittersweet that seniors won’t get to come back to that campus, but it’s important to always leave a place better than you found it.

To those who are coming back to campus in the fall, keep taking those steps toward a better community. Look for ways to raise the voices of your friends and peers. Continually seek to improve yourself and your surroundings.

And take a deep breath.

Don’t obsess. Don’t let fear envelop you.

Don’t lose sight of the possibility for improvement.

Humanity has faced worse. Not knowing what’s going to happen next is not unique. We’ve done it before, and we’ll certainly have to do it again.

Goodbye for now, Miami. And good luck.

MANAGING EDITOR A week ago, I sat in my swivel chair in The Miami Student office, editing articles, cracking jokes with fellow editors and eating sour-flavored gummy worms from Emporium. My biggest concern was how I would manage to find the willpower to attend my 11:40 a.m. class the following morning.

Fast-forward a week and I’m again sitting in my swivel chair, but for what is probably the very last time. American life, along with the rest of the world, has changed dramatically since last week’s issue of The Student was published as our federal government attempts to contain an outbreak of the novel coronavirus in the U.S. As restrictions piled on last week — limiting student organizations from holding events that would exceed a 50-person capacity to permanently moving classes online for the remainder of the semester — it was difficult to find a moment to breathe and understand what this all really meant.

At first, my friends and I cracked jokes. Then we stocked up on groceries. We hosted our housemate’s last college-improv show in our backyard and cried while saying goodbye to our underclassmen friends on The Student.

I rotated between anger, frustration and deep sadness over the fact that my college experience is over.

But then I read more news. About low-income families who will struggle to make ends

meet and feed their children, or the near-dystopian conditions of Northern Italy’s health care system, struggling under the weight of coronavirus patients.

I was ashamed of my selfish pity-party.

As I write this, my younger sister is on one of the last flights out of Dublin, Ireland to Chicago because her study abroad program was cancelled and Irish airlines prepared to ground 80 percent of all air travel. My parents are desperately trying to juggle their own professional obligations while keeping track of their four kids.

It’s easy to lose perspective as a college student. It’s also easy to feel nostalgic — both as a college senior and a writer.

The outbreak of a viral and deadly disease is forcing us all to reflect on what actually matters, and as we head into uncharted waters in the coming weeks and months I found myself doing just that.

Over the past three and a half years I have struggled to find the positivity while reporting on high-risk alcohol consumption, sexual assault and Greek hazing, among a host of issues at Miami University.

I would work myself into a cold sweat, sick to my stomach.

Why didn’t other students care? I would ask myself.

It’s easy to get lost in the doom and gloom.

But for every gut-wrenching story I have reported, written or edited, there has always been a dose of hope waiting on the other end.

After Erica Buschick died from alcohol poisoning my freshman year, the culture at Miami

THE MIAMI STUDENT

“Don’t bat your eyes at me, Brunn,” Kate said with disdain as Samantha tried to convince her to go to New York for spring break.

Turns out, it worked.

We’ve been planning our “big adventure” for awhile now. We bought tickets to see the band Caamp in Louisville, Ky. on what would be the first Saturday of break. From there, we would drive to Nashville, a city neither of us had ever visited. Then we were going to New York City so Samantha could tour law schools and Kate could tour 30 Rockefeller Center.

Kate threatened to sing every Broadway song she’d ever heard on the driving portion of the trip.

Samantha threatened to drive the car over a ledge if she did.

But it turns out, we won’t be going on our spring break extravaganza.

Now, our big adventure involves a lot of social distancing and stocking up on baby wipes (Kroger was out of toilet paper when we went). We’ve assembled a rag-tag team of friends who are planning on riding this thing out in Oxford, and planning for what might happen if shit really hits the fan.

But, if we have to ride out a global pandemic, we wouldn’t want to do it any other way.

We both lived in McBride Hall our first year at Miami, and we were in the same Intro to Media and Culture class in the spring of 2017 (our professor only remembers one of us being in it (she remembers Samantha)).

We worked for the paper together our soph-

omore year. Samantha was a senior news staff writer and Kate was the assistant culture editor despite being wildly unqualified for the position. We shared yet another class together that fall 2018, and Samantha soon left for Washington, D.C. for that spring semester.

We decided to sign a lease together with our mutual friend Ceili. Ceili had to facilitate the entire thing because, despite that less-than-six-degrees of separation, we didn’t *actually* become friends until the fall of our junior year.

We had no idea we were that close our entire freshman year, and hardly spoke to each other sophomore year. Samantha had a tumultuous semester, making it difficult to do anything, let alone make new friends. Kate was just painfully shy. She hardly spoke in her classes freshman year, which is why some professors, and friends, don’t remember her being there.

It’s almost unimaginable to think there was a time in which we didn’t have one another to get through the days together. Samantha doesn’t know what she’d do without Kate’s ability to make everything sing-songy and fun, or her ability to make even the worst things better with her uncanny wisdom in tough situations. Kate has the most patience and the best dance moves of anyone Samantha has ever known.

Kate can’t remember how she got through life without Samantha’s big ole’ brain to guide her through the day. Whether it be a text to a boy, after school plans or problems with the TV, Samantha’s got it covered. She is a grounded voice of reason in any situation. She makes the best cocktails in Oxford. She is Kate’s favorite person to dance with Uptown.

We wrote those paragraphs separately! Aw!

KIRBY DAVIS COLUMNIST

Since nobody asked, for my last Miami Student column, I’ve decided to publish a list of things I’ve learned in my time at Miami University. I did, of course, learn a lot that’s not listed, so if you’d like to know more about Katharine Hepburn’s particular brand of feminism, how Aphrodite was one of the unsung heroes of the Trojan War or how the American media depicts postpartum depression, hit me up at the email listed below.

1.

2.

3.

5.

shifted. The university’s outpatient treatment center, The Haven, started a substance abuse program, and students began being screened for substance abuse problems at the counseling center.

Maria Racadio, a former Miami student, who was raped by another former student (since imprisoned) started a company selling bath products to raise money to fund free self-defense classes for college-aged women, taking her on a journey “from victim to survivor.”

And this week, Tyler Perino, the former Miami student and member of Delta Tau Delta spoke with The Student about his hazing experience and why it is so important not to frame the question, “Why me?” in terms of how rotten his lot is, but instead challenging himself to speak out and demand change.

I’ve already seen this kind of attitude in small doses throughout our own community and beyond — students and able-bodied residents offering to take food and medical supplies to the elderly in Oxford or two young kids in the Columbus-area putting on a concert for their elderly neighbor in self-isolation.

So, as I sit in my swivel chair, struggling not to cry, wondering how I’ll manage to find the willpower to say (a hopefully temporary) goodbye to my best friends this week, I remind myself there will be light at the end of this global pandemic, just as there has always been at Miami University. @cadoyle_18 doyleca3@miamioh.edu

KATE AND SAM’S BIG ADVENTURE SAMANTHA BRUNN KATE RIGAZIO

All the things Miami has taught me.

4.

‘It’s the end of the world as we know it’ … but we will be fine.

CEILI DOYLE

From office hours to antidepressants:

The last night Kate was in Oxford before she went abroad during the spring of 2019, a group of our friends were celebrating in Top Deck.

“If this is how much fun we have in a semester,” Kate said to Samantha, “imagine how much fun we’ll have with a full year together.”

Kinda fucked up now, isn’t it?

Samantha started crying when Kate reminded her of that conversation.

Even though we won’t get a traditional, fulllength senior year, we’ve had a pretty great time so far. We made a Senior Spring bucket list at the beginning of the semester, and we’ve already finished over half of the things on it. The ones that are left weren’t that important, anyway.

We still get to wake up every morning in our little yellow house on West Church Street and make pancakes and crepes and feed our pet fish. We still have the friends we met along the way to make us laugh and hug us tight when we get sad over how crappy things feel right now. We have roughly a year and a half worth of late nights, long talks and an amazing Lumineers concert under our belt.

Kate watched Samantha get into law school. Samantha taught Kate the difference between it’s and its (at least she tried to).

It turns out, we’ve been on our big adventure this whole time, and it’s not ending anytime soon.

Whatever the next few months and years looks like, we know we’ll be able to count on the other to see us through it — regardless of whether it’s across a living room, newsroom or country.

So bring it on, dinks. @samantha_brunn brunnsj@miamioh.edu rigazikm@miamioh.edu

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You need at least one friend in every class. They don’t have to be someone you invite over to watch “The Bachelor,” but you should be able to text them or have the security of knowing you can work with them on a group project if necessary.

At some point, you might get lonely. And one of your friends might also be lonely, and you might decide to start platonically sleeping with them. Don’t do that.

If you find yourself reaching the end of your Instagram or Twitter timelines multiple times a day, just delete the apps off of your phone. You’ll be more productive doing things that actually matter, and you can still check social media on your computer.

Find a way to get out of Oxford occasionally. It’s easy to forget that this is not the whole world.

If a guy is coming over and asks if he should “bring anything,” he definitely means condoms or weed. Not snacks.

You’ll never regret going to class.

But things happen, and there will probably be days when you can’t or feel like you can’t, and that is why we have attendance policies.

Someone told me freshman year that it’s okay (even important, some say) to be selfish in your early 20s, as long as you’re not hurting anyone else. I think that’s true. Even if you have friends and family supporting you, you know yourself better than them and you have to do what’s best for you.

If you’re a woman, try to be conscious of how much you apologize and what you apologize for.

You’re probably apologizing too much for things that aren’t your fault.

It’s okay to regulate your emotions with antidepressants or other medications. Lots of people do, and they can be incredibly helpful.

It’s also okay if your own mental health issues don’t line up with what you see on TV or what you see your friends experiencing. Issues like depression and anxiety manifest themselves in different ways in everyone, and your experiences are just as valid as anyone else’s.

Go to office hours! A lot of your professors are very cool and you will miss the opportunity to learn that if you do not go to office hours.

As I wrote last month, it really is okay to like or to not like things.

Don’t feel bad for consuming whatever type of entertainment you enjoy because it’s not intellectual enough or what your friends are watching. If anyone gives you shit about watching TLC programming or “The Bachelor,” that’s their problem.

In regards to dating, your standards probably aren’t too high, and you probably aren’t high maintenance. The bar is just very, very low.

Wash your face.

Go, and I cannot emphasize this enough, to the Oxford Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings.

The challah, cinnamon rolls and dog sightings are worth it to roll out of bed before noon. There is also fresh lettuce, if you like that kind of thing.

The Mighty Patch does wonders for zits. As I write this, I am wearing three of them.

Your friends are usually right (doesn’t matter about what).

If your college experience doesn’t end up being what you thought it would freshman year, that’s fine.

If you’re not happy with your major, change it; if you feel like you need to take time off school, do it. Everything will be okay. daviskn3@miamioh.edu @kirbdavis