The Miami Student | February 2, 2021

ESTABLISHED 1826 — OLDEST COLLEGE NEWSPAPER WEST OF THE ALLEGHENIES

Volume 149 No. 11

Miami university — Oxford, Ohio

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021

Arrival testing participant cards given to all students, rarely used HANNAH HORSINGTON ASST. MAGAZINE EDITOR new approach to COVID-19 arrival testing by implementing the use of participant cards for all students in addition to the pre-existing method of giving wristbands to on-campus students.

But beyond ensuring that all students returning for the spring semester are given a COVID-19 test, the participation cards are largely useless.

“We needed a method that could help students understand when they could go to class or not go to class,” said Dana Cox, special assistant to Last fall, arrival testing was limited to only on-campus students.

After being tested, students were given a red wristband to show their RA that an arrival test had been completed before moving into their dorms. This same practice was implemented this semester, and students only had to wear them until Jan. 25.

This spring, both on- and

One year later

to complete an arrival test before being allowed to attend any in-person classes. Upon completion of arrival testing, all students were given an arrival testing card.

The card includes a student’s

SEAN SCOTT

students to carry it at all times while

ASST. CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR

DESIGN EDITOR OWEN BERG

versities in the country to have a COVID-19 scare, on Jan. 28 of last year. At the time, there were only 4,500 cases worldwide. The New

When two Miami University students were rumored to have COVID-19 last January, junior Amer-

“We wanted something that you wallet and forget about until some-

month.

Before the two Miami students could be cleared, their tests had to be sent to the CDC lab in Atlanta. Amy Acton, then the director of Ohio’s Department of Health, held a press conference in Oxford to calm the community.

Lichtenstein didn’t panic.

said.

Despite the university’s good in-

going to be because of this,” he told The Miami Student last year.

Unfortunately, the pandemic had

the card’s value.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

— negative.

that we’d have gone home [the spring -

results within a half-hour. And as the world enters 2021, the U.S. sits at more than 25 million COVID-19 cases and 436,000 deaths with a new strain of the virus being found throughout the country despite the creation and distribution of a vaccine. demic would be bad but had no idea of the scale.

fall],” Lichtenstein said, “that by the time the next semester rolled around I just didn’t expect a total failure of Forty-six days before President Trump declared COVID-19 a nationuniversity in the country to cancel athletic events due to the virus. The CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Winter Break 2020:

hitting the slopes, hitting the books and hitting the hay

STUDENT LIFE

-

LUCY GREANEY

ramping up for ESP 461 students.

Usually held in San Francisco during J-term, the entrepreneurship capstone is a client consulting

STAFF WRITER COVID-19 in Oxford, Miami Univer-

class is to be on “the list.” Senior interactive media studies and entrepreneurship major Gianmarco Petrelli

leaving students with almost two full Traveling is still a hazard when it comes to the pandemic, but for junior

won the capstone project this J-term.

Petrelli joined the entrepreneurship program because of its rigorous reputation. He started as a student in ESP 101 and now has been through the creative challenge of ESP 252. He

from Cleveland, but her older sister has relocated to Denver. After spending an extended amount of time separated because of COVID-19, Gray

as a teaching assistant (TA) for program director Jim Friedman. ions about Dr. Friedman, but he truly dent,” Petrelli said.

Petrelli spent his January in the Farmer School of Business. Every day press the client. In the end, Petrelli’s team gave the winning pitch.

with her sister.

The plan was a heavily-curated one. Gray had already recovered from coronavirus while at Miami, so she was less concerned about contracting it again. Her parents, however, did not want to be in contact with Gray after her trip.

Gray planned to leave her home in from Cincinnati to Denver. At the end of the trip, she would return to Cin“It was easier this way, and the cinnati,” Gray said.

MANAGING EDITOR EMILY DATTILO

were no lines. The Denver airport was busy, but Gray still felt safe.

airplane since the beginning of the pandemic, but she wasn’t worried. cinnati airport was dead, and there

clean,” Gray said.

There was one moment of her

there was an issue with the lift. The line began growing, and at one point,

percussions.

“There is no way there were all of those people in line and no one had it,” Gray said.

CAMPUS & COMMUNITY

page 5

pain throughout her entire life as a result from built-up pressure in her CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

This Issue How did uptown restaurants fare during a COVID-19 winter break?

of sleep and food.

“I had a craniectomy, which ba-

OPINION

Increasing visibility: what JoJo Siwa's coming out means for LGBTQ+ youth page 7

#MACtion in the Big Bowl

page 9

So what's up with these cards, anyway?

page 10

This Week

2 FYI

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021

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Arrival testing participant cards given to all students, rarely used CONTINUED FROM FRONT Sophomore public health major Grace Connors panicked after almost losing her participant card during her first few hours on campus.

After 15 hours of stress, she eventually found the card in her friend’s car, where she had dropped it the day before.

“Then I found out that you really don’t even need the card, because I’ve had two in-person classes this week, and no one’s asked,” Connors said. “At this point, I just feel like it’s a waste of paper.”

Cox said the cards are different from the wristbands because they are intended to let students know where they can go on campus. Students are not supposed to attend in-person class or on-campus activities without the card until Feb. 3. “[With] off-campus students, it’s a little more difficult,” Cox said.

“There’s no one there to check for wristbands … if we were going to have everyone get tested, we decided that we needed another tool that we could use on campus to

kind of help students understand what they could and could not do once they were tested.”

Although students have to carry this card, it does not guarantee that they haven’t been exposed to or contracted COVID-19 after their initial test. “[The card] doesn’t indicate the results because if you had tested positive during arrival testing, we would have made sure that you made your way into isolation and you wouldn’t be in the classroom anyway,” Cox said.

Cox wrote in an email to The Miami Student that the arrival testing cards were “intended to offer a consistent form of verification of participation in the arrival testing program. It is a contract with classmates, instructors, and staff that indicates you’re doing what you need to be doing and getting tested when asked.”

Although the Healthy Together pledge does indicate a contract between students and administration to comply with testing protocols, the card itself does not indicate or act as such a contract. The

DESIGNER ALESSANDRA MANUKIAN

card only indicates that students were tested at least once.

Cox said there are no places on campus where showing the participant card is required, but that on-campus employers and professors have the ability to ask students for the card showing proof of their COVID-19 test.

Sophomore strategic communication and interactive media studies double major Adrianna Parker was surprised to find that she was

not asked to show her wristband or participant card at all after leaving the testing center on move-in day.

Neither the RA at check in or her supervisor at her job asked for any proof of a COVID-19 test, which she found strange. She still provided her testing card both times, wanting to make a point that she had completed the test and was still following the rules.

“Before I moved in, I thought it was a really good idea to keep

track of people … [but] it felt kind of unnecessary,” Parker said. “The test was definitely necessary, but I think that all the extra components … they weren’t used, they were ignored. I think it was a good idea, but the execution was very poor.” @hannahorsington horsinhp@miamioh.edu

buildings to remain open later ABBY BAMMERLIN ASST. CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR After Ohio’s COVID-19 hospitalizations remained less than 3,500 per day for seven days straight, Governor Mike DeWine shortened the statewide curfew by one hour. Ohio’s curfew will now restrict travel from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. and will last until at least Feb. 11.

DeWine announced the change on Wednesday, Jan. 27, as a part of a phasing-out plan for the state-

wide curfew as a whole.

DeWine announced, starting Jan. 26, Ohio will be basing its curfew on the amount of hospitalizations reported during a seven-day period. If hospitalizations stay below 3,000, the curfew will be modified to 12 a.m. through 5 a.m. If hospitalizations dip below 2,500, DeWine will lift the curfew.

In a campus-wide email, Miami University’s Division of Student Life made students aware of the new curfew and advised students to follow the curfew by being in their residences by 11 p.m.

Katie Wilson, director of the Armstrong Student Center, said Armstrong changed the current 9

p.m. closing time beginning Jan. 30.

“We will stay open until 10 p.m. starting on Saturday night,” Wilson wrote in an email to The Miami Student. “Fortunately, our student staff scheduled for those closing shifts were available on short notice to stay the extra hour!

So, we got everything lined up to make the change as soon as we could.”

King Library will not be affected by the curfew change. In an email to The Student, Nick Kneer, strategic communication coordinator for university libraries, said King will still close at 9 p.m.

“Since we can’t predict how or

when the curfew will change, we’d rather keep hours as consistent and dependable as we can,” Kneer wrote. “Also, since staff may remain in the building to clean or perform other tasks after closing, we want to make sure everyone can get home without incident before the curfew takes effect.”

Cody Powell, associate vice president of facilities planning and operations, wrote in an email to The Student the Rec Center’s closing time will remain at 10 p.m. until Miami officials are sure the new curfew will last long-term.

The Goggin Ice Center has extended its hours until 10:30 p.m.

Exceptions to the curfew in-

clude religious affiliated events, First Amendment protected speech and essential activities such as travel for health and safety, obtaining necessary supplies, social services, work and government services.

Miami University has reported 104 active student COVID-19 cases as of Jan. 28.

As of Feb. 1, Ohio reported just over 899,000 positive COVID-19 cases. The state has also reported 11,000 deaths and 46,000 hospitalizations due to COVID-19. @abby_bammerlin bammeraj@miamioh.edu

CAMPUS & COMMUNITY 3

LUMPKIBM@MIAMIOH.EDU

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021

one year later the day Miami reported two potential positive cases.

David Sayler, Miami’s athletic director, said the opposing team was already at Miami when the decision was made to postpone the game.

“The other athletic director and I had a discussion over the phone,” Sayler said. “I informed him of the potential cases and what we were doing about it. We agreed to have a discussion with our administrators about whether we felt we should move forward or not, and by the time I had talked to ours here, and left.”

The next day, the women’s basketball team postponed a game against Western Michigan. With no results from the CDC yet, Sayler said the other teams were unwilling to play against Miami.

University administrators worked closely with the Ohio Department of

across the nation, the response had to become more localized, and the university now relies on guidance from the Butler County Health Department.

For Dean of Students Kimberly established partnership as the focus of the Oxford community’s response over the next year. helpful with was establishing relationships and lines of communication,” Moore said. “We learned a lot about what we didn’t know and what we needed to know quickly. At that time, it was like, ‘We need to really focus and get things under control for a couple months.’ Nobody at that time ever imagined we would still be in this a year later.”

This partnership proved its imporof January to March resulting in Ohio State University announcing on March

the rest of the semester. The following day, Miami followed suit.

Lichtenstein and his classmates weren’t too concerned.

“I was in a documentary class … when we found out we were getting sent home,” Lichtenstein said. “We all got super excited. No one was wearing masks at the time; we weren’t even thinking of it. Everyone was out that was a line to get in. It was insane. Evthe bar.”

By the fall semester, Lichtenstein’s outlook had changed. He opted to remain online rather than come back to campus and is doing so again this semester.

Things aren’t yet back to normal for Sayler, either, though he said not every change brought on by the pandemic has been for the worse. He now has weekly meetings with other athletic directors in the Mid-American Conference and gets to see more student athletes over Zoom

than he would normally interact with.

“I think the more constant commu- week to week, but I am really proud nication among schools is a good thing,” of the work, and the cross-divisional Sayler said, “and we’d like to be able to partnerships and collaborations have continue some of those conversations. been incredible … I didn’t sign up to be I think the more face-to-face time with in public health. I’m an educator. But more student athletes is a positive that given that these have been the circumI’d like to continue ... We’ve been able to stances, I am proud of where we are.” improve our communication and have it be more accessible to more people in scottsr2@miamioh.edu a better way, and that’s the kind of thing I hope will continue even after this is in our rearview mirror.”

Looking back, Moore said she is get better and learn proud of the work the community has done, from week to week, but even though the panI am really proud of the demic has been a longer struggle than anywork.” one anticipated.

“We didn’t get it - Kimberly Moore perfect — certainly not,” Moore said. “We wouldn’t claim to. We

Miami faculty experts discuss state of American democracy EVENT MEGAN MCCONNELL THE MIAMI STUDENT During a virtual town hall featuring six Miami University faculty members, panelists election and recent social unrest on American democracy.

“Democracy Under Pressure: A Discussion of Recent Events” was attended by more than Each panelist prepared presentations on topics including presidential impeachment, political parties and polarization and multiple presidents’ (including Trump’s) relationship in topic, they were all discussed through the lens of America’s contentious political climate.

Ryan Barilleaux, professor of political science, opened the event by explaining impeachment and clarifying two main questions: What is the charge against former president Donald standards for impeachment, and is the impeachment trial of a former president constitutional?

“The charges against President Trump fall misdemeanors, and the House and the Senate are well within their rights, under the Constitution, to conduct the trial,” Barilleaux said.

Constitution doesn’t prohibit the conviction of the Senate could disqualify him from running ic penalty, but then there’s an optional penalof prophet or trust or honor under the United States,” Barilleaux said. “The Senate decided a long time ago that it would take a separate vote would be required.”

Another recent event that was covered by the panelists was the insurrection at the Capitol on Jan. 6. Rodney Coates, professor of global and international studies, talked about domestic terrorism and explored how race has been uniquely intertwined with American politics.

For his presentation, Coates read an excerpt from a forthcoming article titled “Law, Race, Privilege, Power and Resistance,” which provides insight into the origin of slavery and its “Race, originating in the three colonial proand English imperialism, essentially declared who was protected by the state and its various laws and those who were not,” Coates said.

“What emerged were essentially two separate realities with separate sets of rules, bureaucracies and legal systems — one for Europeans and one for others.”

Coates believed these two separate realities

MIAMI FACULTY DISCUSS THE STATE OF AMERICA’S DEMOCRACY. STAFF WRITER MEGAN MCCONNELL

could be seen through the insurrection on the Capitol by “white domestic terrorists,” as they were being escorted and celebrated by police as opposed to arrested.

“At the core, this is what white privilege looks like,” Coates said. “At the core, this is what race looks like and it’s ugly history in our country. I explore this history of how the law serves to reward, shield, reify and prioritize one group while punishing, marking, vilifying and denigrating others.”

Overall, the event aimed to remind people that democracy is a multi-faceted concept. The remaining panelists presented on other aspects of democracy, such as history, sociology These panelists included Monica Schneider, professor of political science, Susan Spellman, associate professor of history and of humanities and creative arts, Patricia Newberry, Whitesell, assistant professor of political science.

Amid the current political climate, the discussion panelists emphasized the importance of critical thinking, historical knowledge and personal responsibility in order to incite change. By investing in programs, teaching and taking action, faculty experts like Coates believe the American people can change the narrative of democracy.

“I know that some feel we really need unity in this country, and some are very disheartened by how disrespectful a lot of the debate has become,” Whitesell said. “I think people resent their interests, and it becomes easy to disengage from politics altogether, but things can change. Change does happen.” @meggy_nicole mcconnmn@miamioh.edu

Winter Break 2020:

hitting the slopes, hitting the books and hitting the hay CONTINUED FROM FRONT

was supposed to get a correctional surgery this past summer, but the pandemic put it on pause.

“They said the hospital was unsafe for such an invasive surgery at the time,” Lanum said.

Lanum went in for surgery a week before Christmas, and doctors told her it would be a lengthy recovery process. Lanum quickly found that recovery meant sleeping, but time passed even more slowly when she was awake because she was not allowed any visitors.

“I was allowed one visitor on the day of the surgery, but no one else

until I went home,” Lanum said.

After six days Lanum finally did go home, and her days consisted of sleeping and eating, which is an unfamiliar form of forced relaxation for her.

“I am a workaholic, so it was hard to feel like I could not work on anything,” Lanum said.

Lanum is still on the road to recovery, but she is happy to be returning to campus for the spring.

“I’m glad to be back in Oxford to finish out my senior year,” Lanum said. greanelj@miamioh.edu

ASG passes resolution calling for credit/no credit extension STUDENT GOVERNMENT MADELINE PHABY ASST. CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR Associated Student Government (ASG) passed a resolution calling for Provost Jason Osborne to extend the deadline for students to change classes to credit/no credit. The resolution was inspired by the large number of signatures an ASG-created petition received last week.

The resolution, authored by on-campus tor Omar Elghazawi, states that ASG “formally

spring semester.

“Sometimes, there are things that we what gives us our legitimacy and what allows us to get work done,” Elghazawi said. “I think that makes sense.”

The resolution also states if the administration doesn’t take any action to extend the credit/no credit deadline by Feb. 4, ASG will begin working with University Senate to create its own resolution challenging Osborne’s decision.

Ruku Pal, ASG’s secretary for academic affairs, said they likely will need to bring the resolution to senate because Osborne already said he can’t see himself changing his mind on this issue

at this time. faculty to vote in favor of continuing this discussion and revisiting this policy,” Pal said. “Because of shared governance, they do have a say, even though Provost Osborne has already made his decision.”

During discussion of the resolution, some members of ASG expressed confusion about Pal’s role in retracting the deadline. The email students received announcing the new policy was signed by both Pal and Ben Maldonado, chair of ASG’s Pal said though she and Maldonado helped write the email, they didn’t consent to having their names on it and didn’t endorse the policy. impression that we had helped create that policy, but we did not have a hand in it,” Pal said.

Members of ASG overwhelmingly expressed support for the resolution and re-extending the credit/no credit deadline in general. vored the resolution because he took issue with Osborne’s assertion that students are not experiencing as much disruption as last spring and therefore don’t need a credit/no credit extension.

“I would like to emphasize the importance would call that a disruption.” and one abstention. @madphabes phabymr@miamioh.edu

4 CAMPUS & COMMUNITY

CARLINTM@MIAMIOH.EDU

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021

performing arts in a pandemic this past fall, so that really helped my deci-

THE MIAMI STUDENT As students return to on-campus housing remote students who chose to return for the spring. Despite the pandemic reaching the decided to take the risk.

Currently, around 5,000 students are expected to live in the residence halls this semester, a 500-person increase from last semester.

Though the increase in on-campus residents sity continues to remain adamant on social distancing guidelines and frequent testing for on-campus students.

Patrick Carroll, a sophomore pre-medical chose to remain remote during the fall semeswell as to pursue Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) training.

“I had a fully asynchronous class schedule for last semester, so there was no real reason

mained remote last semester, the decision to who remained remote last semester, decided to come to campus out of fear of her entire I was really disappointed with the way Miami Oyer said. “And at that point, we were a month into classes, so I felt like uprooting my routine tion she felt while remote led her to regret her decision.

“You go on Snapchat and it’s like, every“Everyone’s out making friends, and then

I had the opportunity to pursue additional ed-

Oyer knew her chances of catching turning to campus. But ultimately, she decided the risk was one worth taking.

-

-

experience as an opportunity to further pursue his career goals.

“I was glad to have the asynchronous this semester thinking I would have in-person

-

As for anticipating a spike in cases, Oyer remains optimistic this semester will follow a similar pattern as last fall.

factor in my decision. But my schedule was

-

of other students who have also complained

returning students, that things will stay man-

classes suddenly switching to online following registration, students have questioned the

lordance@miamioh.edu

MAGGIE PEÑA MULTIMEDIA EDITOR If 2020 taught college students anything, it’s that, somehow, we can survive remotely. Classes, Greek life and even social gatherings can take place online.

But how do you rehearse songs over Zoom?

How do you practice improv comedy when you’re miles apart?

How do you put together an entire musical production through a computer screen?

Performing arts organizations have had to navigate this new virtual world due to COVID-19.

Because many of the performances rely on audience participation, these orgs have changed the way they approach their art forms to engage with audiences and get the most out of their remote experiences.

The Cheezies, Miami’s oldest a cappella group, for example, the group performed at the Oxford Farmer’s Market last semester.

pretty successful in making people feel welcomed Gladieux said this semester the org is trying to do more in-person rehearsals, with masks and ner work in person and other activities via Zoom, “I think it’s important, especially as actors and for people working together to create a perforthat in-person time, even if it is masked and disLast semester, the improv comedy group Sketched Out successfully ran small, socially-distanced auditions that saw no more than 10 people in the room at a time. This semester, the team has

org. is a component of maintaining distance and not

comply with COVID-19 restrictions.

“And there’s so much, that’s what people don’t understand. There’s so much planning [going] into a cappella groups right now: hours of work spent sanitizing, distancing, making seating charts. Everything, even as far as music … we don’t want paFord said the group hopes to have an outdoor concert and potentially some type of recording, Stage Left, a musical theater org on campus, has had to work around restrictions to make the show go on. When COVID-19 hit last March, the

next year when things are a little more normal streamed performance. Sperry said the experience work harder to create the energy among themenergy. riences on the team.

willing to adapt to the new situation … so even ginning of the fall semester.

Despite the rocky start in adapting to COVID-19, the org has successfully put on “Amer-

New year, New you:

penaml@miamioh.edu

est potential.

Crotty acknowledges that she is the type of

-

January 2021 put her discipline and drive to the test.

Not only is the act of creating a goal more

Instead, she gives herself an opportunity to comes relevant.

“You can make changes any day that you -

tive. your dreams. However, for multiple reasons,

keeping myself motivated to actually run the full distance when I don’t have the actual race

down early.

THE MIAMI STUDENT

made than in any other year.

nightmare? One ends in the morning and the other feels like a never-ending cycle.

Throughout the past year, the nation enyear that felt like the same day kept happening Even as 2020 came to an end, the outlook of 2021 was still unclear. So what does this mean for 2021 New Year’s resolutions? Where does time to set goals for yourself and work toward

• • • •

put running on her New Year’s resolution list. amount each month.

This idea came from her cousins. A few years ago, they had a goal to run in a 5K race every

to the gym and work out.

He decided on this goal after advice from Also, implementing smaller steps to achieve remain disciplined, Adelman does things like putting a reminder in his phone.

execute given the pandemic.

“With 5Ks not going on in person, I am trySo far, she has not yet completed a 5K. However, she has stayed disciplined to her running. said. “Even if it’s not the full distance, I can work

with the fresh start of a new year, Walsh said that it isn’t her source of motivation.

“Not having a New Year’s resolution makes

Despite all the extra stress entering the new year, some students are still coming up with New Year’s resolution plans, setting daily goals

for people to start working toward their goals.

Even after the year that was 2020, Miami students are still committed to making 2021 the year of change.

-

knoreme@miamioh.edu

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Student dining options remain limited DINING MADELINE PHABY ASST. CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR Eight dining locations at Miami University will be closed for the spring semester, according to the university’s dining website.

Cafe Lux, Haines’, Garden Market, Mabucks, The Greystone and Dorsey Market will all be closed for the duration of the semester.

Bell Tower Commons closed toward the end of last semester, as it was used to feed Remain-

“Svec said he anticipates the closed dining locations will re-open for the fall 2021 semester.”

in-Room (RIR) students. This practice will continue this semester, Geno Svec, executive director of campus services, wrote in an email to The Miami Student.

All other locations closed this semester were also closed for all of last semester, with the exception of Cafe Lux, which was open in the fall.

Svec said the decision of what locations to close and keep open was based on “the throughput of the locations as well as the location of the businesses.”

All dining halls will also all be closed between 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. — as well as beMaplestreet Commons — for cleaning. These cleaning breaks were also in place in the fall.

Junior social justice studies and public health major Jazz Bennett worked at Maplestreet Commons from fall 2019 until a few weeks into the fall 2020 semester, when she left to become a contact tracer.

Despite the many changes to student life caused by COVID, Bennett said the changes to her work at Maplestreet were not all that drastic. All employees had to wear masks, and they had a lot more interaction with customers than before since the workers served in the past. it was the same work,” Bennett said. “Just serving food.”

Bennett also said Maplestreet experisemester, which were largely caused by full-

THE MIAMI STUDENT HERSCHEL ALBERT

time employees being exposed to COVID and a lack of student employees. dents knew you could work at a dining hall,”

Svec said he anticipates the closed dining locations will re-open for the fall 2021 semester, though this could easily change if the pandemic

said ‘Oh, you work there? I didn’t know students could work there.’”

@madphabes phabymr@miamioh.edu

J-term RAs make best of winter term experience Hall, he also oversaw Stoddard Hall.

“Every day, I was checking for maintenance minutes out of my day, every day. So it was really easy,” Tinsely said.

Hawkins said that during the winter term, like the regular school year, the job of RAs is to do rounds to make sure there aren’t any maintenance or facility issues in the building they are assigned. But in addition to this, they are there to support students on campus.

“A lot of the winter term RAs are there to make sure that residents have access to somebody if they need them,” Hawkings said.

Senior Kloey Murphey said she enjoyed her time as a winter term RA but missed being able to build a community with those around her.

“I’m a big people person, and I love, like, being around people, getting to talk to people.

And somehow, there really wasn’t many people around in the building that I live in,” Murphey said.

Murphey said she didn’t have many friends on campus during the break and spent a lot of her free time in her room watching TV or trying

OVER J-TERM, A SMALL GROUP OF RESIDENT ASSISTANTS STAYED ON CAMPUS, MAKING FOR A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE. THE MIAMI STUDENT ZACH REICHMAN

ON CAMPUS BRIAH LUMPKINS CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR Before the majority of the students came back to campus for the start of the spring semester, there were a few who returned to Miami early. Although COVID-19 provided record-low resident attendance during the winter term, resident assistants (RAs) made the best of the experience.

During a usual winter term, Assistant Director of Residence Life Joe Hawkins said Miami has 100-300 students on campus, but this year there were less than 100. He said students who stay in Oxford usually do so because they are participating in some sort of winter term experience like classes, internships and jobs.

“If you think about it, it makes sense, right?

Like, there are so many folks who couldn’t do internships, there’s so many things you can’t do because they’re just not accessible to them because of the restrictions that are happening in the world,” Hawkins said.

Sophomore political science and strategic communications major Ethan Tinsley said one of the reasons he decided to return to Miami for winter term was because of the connections he had in Oxford.

“I have a lot of friends that live here. My girlfriend lives here,” Tinsely said. “Plus, I also have some harder classes this semester. So I wanted to start reading, studying and kind of prepping for that.”

Tinsley, who began his term as an RA last September in Porter Hall, said having less students on campus made the traditional RA ex-

people because, like, during a normal semester, as an RA, my job was kind of, just to, like, say hi to people, and talk to people [and] kind of just build a community that way, but it’s a little bit harder to build community and connect with people when you never see them, right?” she added.

Tinsley said although the winter term producting his duties as an RA on a smaller scale.

“You get to have that experience of, like, going on rounds without the pressure of residents [needing] you, or, like, when everybody’s on campus, people are coming back from parties with COVID,” he said. “You kind of just get that experience without all that unnecessary pressure.” @briah_lumpkins lumpkibm@miamioh.edu

Uptown restaurants adapt to J-Term in pandemic Even though some aspects of his business are still operating as usual, Hiner said COVID-19

LOCAL BUSINESS HENRI ROBBINS STAFF WRITER Many Oxford businesses are used to a slow spell during winter break. But with the impact of this school year, some were unsure if they could between semesters.

Skipper’s Pub made the decision to close until the end of Miami’s January term (J-term).

Ben Siefke, a Miami senior and employee at Skippers, said staying open through the break just wasn’t realistic. nobody coming in,” Siefke said. “So I think it was just that there’d be no business besides the regulars, and the regulars aren’t enough to justify opening up.”

As he returned home for the long break, work at during J-term, but many of his co-workers at Skipper’s didn’t have those opportunities.

“It was more or less just me getting lucky,” Siefke said. “I know my roommate was really affected, because he lives up in Cleveland. He was kind of hoping that, working at Skipp’s, he’d have a reliable source of income, but unfortunately, he didn’t … and he couldn’t go back to his job in Cleveland, so it was a lose-lose situation for him.”

Bagel and Deli, an uptown staple, chose to stay open through winter break and J-term.

Co-owner Gary Franks said the bagel shop has always stayed open over break since its employees could use the hours, and they don’t need many employees to work at any given time.

“Some of the bigger places, to stay open, you

harder to keep the place open if you’re not doing place with one or two people over break, so the labor costs aren’t as high.”

Skipper’s, a much larger sit-down restaurant, would normally have 10 to 12 employees working during a shift, Siefke said.

Typically over break, Bagel and Deli only sees business from tourists and travelers, Franks said, but it’s still enough that he sees reason to keep the business open. He also said that anyone passing through greatly appreciates it.

“It’s not like it’s a booming business,” Franks said.

“But it’s worth being open and keeping my employees paid.”

Doughby’s owner Beau Hiner said he has always closed the calzone shop over winter break, even before COVID-19.

engaging with traditional campus life, there are less opportunities for students to stop by.

ing open late we’re still busy, but we don’t get that huge punch in the throat like when the bars would let out on Thursday, Friday, Saturday.” robbinha@miamioh.edu

J-term, or else it’d kind of our mostly student-based restaurant,” Hiner said.

“All my employees are students, so I don’t have enough students to keep the restaurant open once school is out.”

DESIGNER MACEY CHAMBERLIN

Entertainment

6

KWIATKDM@MIAMIOH.EDU

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021

Binging “Bridgerton”: LEXI WHITEHEAD

ASST. CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY EDITOR After I finished my painful rewatch of “Glee” in December, I went looking for something to fill the binge-watching void,

My friends recommended it to me. Everyone was saying the show was really good — just don’t watch it with your parents.

I watched the trailer and, intrigued, decided to give it a shot. My first impression was that it’s “Gossip Girl” meets “Pride and Prejudice,” and I still stand by that.

“Bridgerton” is a Netflix original series produced by Shonda Rhimes. Set in Regency-era England, it follows the families of the Bridgertons and the Featheringtons as they navigate the social season, a time where young ladies come out to society to try to find a husband.

The main drama starts when a scandal sheet by the anonymous Lady Whistledown is distributed throughout town.

Lady Whistledown is a seemingly all-knowing gossip queen whose identity is a secret until the season finale.

Bridgerton is chock-full of teen drama tropes that just work so well when put into

“I felt the same way I felt when I was 10 years old and I just had to read one more chapter of my book before bed.” and all I kept hearing people talk about was the new Netflix original, “Bridgerton.”

My For You page on TikTok was filled with “Bridgerton”-inspired outfit videos.

the Regency era. Lady Whistledown’s gossip adds drama, but it also helps move the story along. Her newsletter allows information to get around the town much faster than it would through word-of-mouth in 1813. She also serves as the narrator of the story, voiced beautifully by Julie Andrews.

When I watched “Bridgerton,” I felt the same way I felt when I was 10 years old and I just had to read one more chapter of my book before bed. In an eight-episode show where each episode is about an hour, you would expect some lull around the middle. But along with the overarching story throughout the season, each episode has its own compelling narrative with a beginning, middle and end.

Another trope “Bridgerton” employs is one of my personal favorites: fake dating to lovers. Daphne and Simon decide at the end of episode one that Simon will pretend to court Daphne. Simon needs to appear unavailable to all the mothers who want to play matchmaker, and Daphne needs to appear desirable after she’d been upstaged by another girl’s beauty.

As the two spend more time together, it becomes clear that they make a true connection and begin to fall in love, despite their reservations against it. The beauty of fake dating is that it forces the two parties

to become friends from spending so much time together, and it eventually turns into something more.

“Bridgerton” is completely disconnected from the current time period in every way possible, and to me, that’s a part of why it’s been so successful. Filming wrapped up in February 2020, a time when gatherings of over 10 people were normal. The elaborate ball scenes are pure fantasy-fueling content.

This past year has been a difficult one for us all, and sometimes reality is so stressful that you just want to take a break from it. We read books and watch movies and television shows not only because they’re entertaining, but also to escape to another world, even for just a little bit.

“Bridgerton” is the perfect piece of media for the times, providing a way to travel back in time and experience love, lust and drama with the characters we grow to love (or hate).

And just in case no one has warned you yet, don’t watch this show with your parents.

Review: 9/10 @nwlexi whitehan@miamioh.edu

The future of movie theaters is grim

WHILE THERE HAS BEEN NO SHORTAGE OF GOOD MUSIC, THE INDUSTRY IS LOSING REVENUE EVERYWHERE ELSE. DESIGN EDITOR OWEN BERG

EMMA BLIVEN THE MIAMI STUDENT TikTok has made a huge impact on the music industry. Songs like, “Say So” by Doja Cat, “drivers license” by Olivia Rodrigo and “Dirty Laundry” by blackbear have all become famous because of users using the song as a sound on a video.

TikTok is an application that people download onto their mobile devices. The application is based on 15-second videos where creators can dance, sing, cook, etc. It’s owned by a Chinese company, ByteDance, and its popularity has increased immensely, starting in 2019.

In 2019, the app saw a shift in trends from memes and trends to music discovery. There post them for other users. “Old Town Road to go viral on the app. The track holds the longest No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100.

Last month, Olivia Rodrigo released her song “drivers license,” about teenage heartbreak. This song became a sensation on TikTok and became the No. 1 song on iTunes, Spotify and Global Charts. TikTok users have used her song to make memes, collaborations, covers and discuss its lyricism.

Although music has found a way to survive during the COVID-19 pandemic, other parts of the industry haven’t been as lucky.

Concert venues have not been open, live performances are not common and some artists have had to cancel worldwide tours because of the nearly year-long COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Billboard, artists such as Marshmello, Lady Gaga, Imagine Dragons, The Weeknd and many more have canceled tours and performances due to the pandemic.

These cancellations are impacting concert venues because, without audiences and performers, the venues have no other use.

Tweedy, an American songwriter,

spoke about the impact COVID-19 has had on live music and small venues.

“The pandemic has utterly decimated the live-music industry,” Tweedy said. “There’s been almost an entire year now of absolutely zero revenue. Live music is going to come back, and people are going to go to concerts again. There will be places to play. But the landscape won’t ever look the same. I imagine that a lot of the more intimate music venues will be gone, just like a lot of small businesses and restaurants. Hopefully those voids will be Tweedy said there will be concerts again, but the timeline of when concerts will be able to be held again is unknown. Many small venues require multiple shows a month to keep up with expenses and leases. The pandemic may demolish small business venues.

According to Pollstar, the live-music industry could possibly lose close to $8.9 billion dollars in revenue if concerts continue to be canceled into the upcoming year.

A group of more than 3,000 independent concert venues have come together to create Save our Stages. This group of venues is asking for anyone who can donate, and if you are unable to donate, they encourage you to tell your legislators you appreciate their support and for including independent venues in the latest COVID-19 Relief Bill. blivenee@miamioh.edu

“There’s been almost an entire year of absolutely zero revenue.”

PANDEMICS AND STREAMING SERVICES LEAVE THE FUTURE OF MOVIE THEATERS AND BOX OFFICE NUMBERS UP IN THE AIR. DESIGN EDITOR OWEN BERG

SEAN SCOTT ASST. CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR Last winter, I saw “Cats,” “Frozen II,” “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” “Emma” and “1917” in theaters. My goal for the year was to see a movie every other weekend in 2020, and After seeing “1917” for the second time in February, I slowed down. My friends were apparently not as enthusiastic about wasting money on overpriced popcorn and slushies as I was.

Then the theater industry slowed down with me.

Then they stopped releasing movies in theaters entirely.

I admit when COVID-19 appeared to be on tentpole release since March, the movie that headlines were to be believed. The theater was practically empty, the sound much louder than I remembered.

The movie earned just $20.2 million domesto produce before marketing.

Every major studio balked at the results of “Tenet.” What had been a full roster of releases through the fourth quarter soon resembled the summer as movies jumped ship to spring 2021.

Now, studios are wavering again in the face of the pandemic. MGM’s “No Time To Die” led releases promptly followed suit, opting to premiere on streaming services or push back once more to summer and fall. Less than half of all theaters in the U.S. are open for business, and revenue is down 90% from this time last year with no movies to screen.

I’ll be shocked if the theater industry survives another year of COVID-19. Warner Bros is releasing every movie in theaters and on HBO Max concurrently for at least the next year. Universal Studios has strong-armed theater chains to shorten the exhibition window to only four weeks in theaters before they can stream their movies.

Check out this month’s editors’ picks playlist!

Disney can’t seem to pick its go-to strategy.

The company released “Mulan” on Disney+ with a $30 access charge in September, while promising a theatrical release for Pixar’s “Soul” in November. But after the lukewarm opening of “Tenet,” “Soul” moved to Disney+ as well, minus the fee.

Now, “Raya and the Last Dragon” is also set to release on Disney+, and the $30 price tag has returned. “Black Widow” is still set to debut in theaters May 7, but whether it sticks the landing is up in the air.

For many, the death of the theater industry may not seem like a big deal. It’s been years in the making with the rise of streaming services -— the pandemic just sped the process along.

Mentally, I accept the change. Streaming is cheaper, more convenient and more accessible for everyone (for real, why don’t theaters have subtitles yet?). After years of spending every ing what the highest grossing movie each month and year would be, though, I can’t help but view the end of theaters as a terrible loss.

Sure, the popcorn is overpriced, and you run the risk of a little kid kicking the back of your seat and screaming every time you go. If the theater in my hometown closes, though, there won’t be anything left to do but shop at Target “Avengers: Endgame” grossed $357 million in America during its opening weekend in 2019.

That’s nearly 39 million tickets sold. Other than election days and Super Bowls, what other events get people together on that scale?

Obviously it isn’t safe right now to go to theDecember, the domestic market made less than $400 million, a total “Endgame” passed on its There’s going to be a time after the pandemic, though. I just hope, when that time comes, we’ll remember how the moviegoing experience brought people together. When we get to phase 17 of the MCU or Star Wars Episode XLIV, I hope it’s on the big screen. scottsr2@miamioh.edu

KWIATKDM@MIAMIOH.EDU

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021

ENTERTAINMENT 7

‘Baby, I was born this way’:

JoJo Siwa comes out as LGBTQ+

MAGGIE PEÑA MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Flashing rainbow lights.

Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way.” A giant rainbow bow pinned against a tight ponytail of beach-blonde hair.

In true Gen-Z fashion, “Dance Moms” alum and international superstar JoJo Siwa came out to the public on Jan. 20 via TikTok. Later on Twitter, she sealed the deal when she posted herself in a shirt that said, “Best.

Gay. Cousin. Ever.”

Coming out stories aren’t anything new.

As someone who grew up in the time of Troye Sivan, Connor Franta and Hannah Hart, changed the world of coming out. Seeing those 20-somethings and young adults be their true selves on YouTube brought a wall down for many teens in my generation — coming out was no longer the nerve-wracking, impossible task it used to be.

But YouTube in itself has always been questioned for its legitimacy in the entertainment world. The celebrities who found fame on the platform are often thought of as inferior to “real” celebrities in Hollywood or New York.

YouTube stars are not the only ones who have broken down the barriers of LGBTQ+ representation in the media. Even before my time, Ellen Degeneres was both a successful TV host and openly gay woman. She paved the way for a whole generation of LGBTQ+ individuals.

That generation, though, came out in the time of “The L-Word.” A queer show largely not appropriate for children.

That’s why Siwa’s coming out story is so Siwa is 17 years old, and her fanbase is almost exclusively younger than her. She signed a contract with Nickelodeon back in 2017 and has been a brand ambassador for the company ever since. As much as the world has expanded to accept a more diverse population, I convinced myself her career was over. Too many parents don’t want their

being queer.

Siwa did what Disney Channel was never able to do.

Not too long ago, multi-billion dollar beheple on TV — the show was “Good Luck Charlie,” and it was a big step in the direction of inclusivity for the brand (although it wasn’t even gay children who were presented, they were adults). But the episode, “Down a Tree,” was the penultimate episode of the entire series.

Representation matters when you have a seat at the table, but it doesn’t mean much when you’re just thrown in the room.

Some attribute Disney’s 65-episode rule as to why the show ended. But Disney aired the episode with essentially no stakes. The show was ending regardless, so the backlash didn’t matter.

Siwa could have lost a lot. She has a huge fanbase, but with the audience being mostly children, groups such as One Million Moms could have destroyed her. Instead, Siwa took the plunge, living her authentic life and giving LGBTQ+ youth a place on screen.

In an Instagram Live, Siwa encouraged her fans with a simple message.

“It’s OK to not be normal, it’s OK to be a

BRIAH LUMPKINS

“Siwa did what Disney Channel was never able to do.”

OK to be a little strange…” Siwa said. “And I think a lot of people are afraid of being different, and that’s something we should never ever ever be afraid of; it’s something we should be proud of and that we should celand it’s so cool and so awesome!”

Her story also goes to show how much the world has changed. In the past, a public their sexuality. Celebrities like Miley Cyrus, Bella Thorne and Hayley Kiyoko were partic-

‘Heaux Tales’ takes down stereotypes around sex and promotes female autonomy

ularly stuck in their Disney Channel lives.

Coming out is still not easy or safe for everyone, but Siwa said the general atmosphere around it has improved.

“I think coming out has this stigma around it that it’s a really, really, really scary thing, but it’s not anymore,” Siwa said.

“There’s so many accepting and loving people out there that it’s OK.” Everything hasn’t been calm for Siwa following her announcements, though. Shortly after she came out, Siwa’s house was swatted; to get her outside, the press called in a fake police report to Siwa’s house to force her outside for paparazzi pictures. Not only is this action illegal, but it proves the work is not yet over.

A 17-year-old girl should not have to face Despite the disturbance, Siwa has expressed nothing but happiness across all her social media platforms.

“Everyone that I’m close to is commenting right now that they’ve never seen me so happy, which is so true,” Siwa said in her Instagram live. “I’ve just never been so happy.

Thank you guys.” penaml@miamioh.edu

The Twilight Saga, as told by a newcomer

CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR Let’s talk about sex!

Now, before you cringe, allow me to explain myself.

After six years of radio silence, one of the most soulful voices in R&B, Jazmine Sullivan, released her latest EP, “Heaux Tales.”

Through its eight songs and six ‘tales,’ interludes from Sullivan’s friends and family, she delivers a strong project about love, heartache and, yes, sex. ing a new project, I was so excited. If there’s anyone who’s made a staple on the genre of R&B, it’s her. Since her breakthrough single “Bust Your Windows” from her album “Fearless” in 2008, it’s fair to say the girls aren’t touching her.

But she’s come a long way from “Fearless,” an album equally about deep, long-lasting love as much as heartache. “Heaux Tales,” which is seemingly aimed at a more mature audience, is less about love shared between two partners and more about women having autonomy over their bodies and having good, enjoyable sex — sometimes Sullivans sings in the song “Pricetags” about sex as a power mechanism. In the song, she describes having sex with a man as

“All the haters can mind their business because she’s gonna do what she wants to do, period.” long he arrives with that cash in his pocket (cha-ching!).

The song is preceded by a ‘tale’ from Donna. Donna, who seems to be middle-aged, marriage. Although having sex with someone you love is precious and meaningful, she says it also provides opportunities to get the things you want — married or not.

The project also has songs like “Put It Down” that describes the girl who is simply infatuated with the sex she’s having despite to give up and really doesn’t care about what anybody has to say about it. All the haters can mind their business because she’s gonna do what she wants to do, period.

I listened to the project with my mom one Saturday afternoon over break while we were running errands, and we had an interesting conversation. Sullivan, whose music is usually directed toward women like my mom (Black, mid- 30s-40s) has taken a new and brave approach.

My mother was raised under old-school

EIGHT YEARS AFTER THE LAST FILM IN THE SERIES, ONE OF OUR STAFF WRITERS FINALLLY SUNK THEIR TEETH INTO TWILIGHT. ILLUSTRATOR ALESSANDRA MANUKIAN

JENNA CALDERÓN STAFF WRITER First and foremost, I want to get a few things out in the open: I understand that Bella is annoying. Get over it.

Charlie is the blueprint for fathers everywhere.

Rosalie still gives me bad vibes.

And yes, I am Team Edward.

I sat on the couch between my friends as they watched me watch “Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2” — the last of the “Twilight” movforth between each other and me, and they kept mentioning that “the scene” was coming up.

For those of you who have invested your

“I am just as obsessed with Twilight as everyone else was in 2008.”

time into the series, you probably know what scene I’m talking about.

“You only get the true experience of this said.

“So pay attention,” said the other.

I watched intently as the good vampires fought the bad ones, trying to protect an immorand then Alice’s vision came to an end.

As the credits rolled shortly after, our movie marathon concluded, and I was left feeling a range of emotions that I hadn’t felt since reading “The Hunger Games” series in middle school. to bed, but I was glued to the couch, wondering why it had taken a pandemic for me to watch these movies more than a decade Below are some of my hottest takes on “Twilight” that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about.

Throughout the movies, I found, like most people, that Bella Swan was extremely annoying.

That scene in “New Moon” where she’s staring out her bedroom window for three months because Edward left? Little dramatic, don’t you think?

But if we cut out all of her depression and angst, we would also be cutting out everything that makes “Twilight” good. And I stand by that.

Bella’s drama fuels the series.

No normal person isn’t going to fall that madly in love with a blood-sucking vampire after, like, a month. That’s completely Bella Swan territory.

Accept the fact that she’s a little crazy and move on. OK? Charlie Swan is arguably the most sane person in the “Twilight” universe.

He was the only person to question his daughter’s convoluted life choices and clearly fabricated stories. Meanwhile, Bella’s mom isn’t bothered one bit by the fact that she’s recovering from a “rare disease” in “Switzerland?”

Come on, people.

Between actually caring for Bella and bringing the typical dad-style sense of humor, Charlie I adore the Cullen family.

Carlisle and Esme are like second parents to Bella, Jasper and Alice are like the siblings she never had and Emmett would do anything for her. They would stop at nothing to protect Bella.

Except you, Rosalie.

I get that Rosalie has a troubled past and might be a little messed up because of it. But is that really an excuse? Work through it, girl.

I mean, Bella was basically on her deathbed after giving birth to Renesmee, and all Rosalie can think about is stealing her baby.

I just can’t get past that, no matter how badass everyone tries to tell me she is.

A critical part of being a “Twilight” fan is choosing a side: are you Team Edward or Team Jacob?

For someone watching the movies 10 years later, it may not be as big of a deal.

Nonetheless, I’m prepared to defend my po-

and reserving sex with that one person. The notion that sex is supposed to be sacred and shared between only two people has been an ideology that’s existed for centuries.

Now, for my generation, the idea of casual and frequent sex with more than one partner is more common. But more importantly, sex doesn’t have to be solely about the man.

Women deserve fun and good sex, too.

Neither of these are bad! And I think that’s the message Sullivan is trying to send through this project.

Whether you are reserving sex for the person you’ve married or want to just have fun, make sure that you enjoy it. The notion of sex only being for the man is stupid. It’s an activity between two people (or more if you’re into that, lol), and you BOTH should be enjoying yourselves. someone who will make sure you do.

Review: 9/10 lumpkibm@miamioh.edu sition.

I am Team Edward. Is he technically super old and predatory toward Bella? Absolutely, and I’m not OK with that. But the best argument I can give is this: I think that Jacob and Edward are almost equally terrible.

At least Edward seems to have genuine concern for Bella, whereas it feels like Jacob is straight. Grow up, buddy.

While I was left with a million questions and quite a few qualms at the end of the saga, I’m not with “Twilight” as everyone else was in 2008. calderjm@miamioh.edu

Sports

8

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021

NELSO156@MIAMIOH.EDU

RedHawks hope to overcome losing streak vs.

Western Michigan J’NAI KNOX THE MIAMI STUDENT Win streak? How ’bout the opposite?

The Miami women’s basketball team has not won a game since its 67-49 home win over Valparaiso on Dec. 8. Since then, the RedHawks have lost 13 straight, with the Valpo contest being their only win of the season.

Miami has scored an average of 62.9 points per game, while giving up 75.6 points per game, worst in the Mid-American Conference.

So what’s been the issue?

A thin roster.

Miami has been dealing with roster struggles, playing against Bowling Green with only nine players and most of the season with up to 10 players. This ordeal has left the RedHawks sitting with an overall record of 1-14 and 0-11 in conference play.

Despite team challenges, sophomore guard Peyton Scott has been electrifying on the court in recent games. Against Ball State, she almost had a triple-double with 19 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds, which would have been Miami’s second triple-double in history.

SCOUTING The Game Millett Hall

MIAMI REDHAWKS

Not to mention her dominant game against Northern Illinois on Jan 30, leading the team in rebounds, assists, and steals, ending the game with 10 points, although it was not enough for a RedHawk win.

The team is looking to turn things around starting with its next game, a home game against Western Michigan on Feb. 3.

In their last matchup on Jan. 20, the RedHawks were defeated by the Broncos, 70-54. Scott played the whole 40 minutes, leading the team with 21 points and 11 rebounds. She has scored double digits in every game this season.

The 2-10 Broncos are on a threegame losing streak, with their last win being against the RedHawks.

Players to Watch Freshman guard Katie Davidson has started all 15 games along with Scott and has been a key player for

Player (position, height, key stat) Peyton Scott (guard, 5’8”, 18.6 ppg) Katie Davidson (guard, 5’10”, 12.0 ppg) Tihanna Fulton (forward, 6’0”, 3.5 ppg) Kelly McLaughlin (forward, 6’3”, 11.5 ppg)

WESTERN MICHIGAN

the season Scott is having, she is expected to bring the heat against the Broncos this coming Wednesday. Redshirt senior guard Abbey game against Northern Illinois and has back-to-back 11-point games, one point away from her season high. knoxj@miamioh.edu

REDSHIRT SENIOR ABBEY HOFF HAS SCORED 11 POINTS IN EACH OF THE LAST TWO GAMES. THE MIAMI STUDENT MACY WHITAKER

Player (position, height, key stat) Reilly Jacobson (forward, 6’2”, 13.6 ppg) Taylor Williams (forward, 6’2”, 10.9 ppg) Hannah Spitzley (guard, 6’0”, 5.0 ppg) Sydney Shafer (guard, 5’8”, 12.6 ppg) Megan Wagner (guard, 5’7”, 5.9 ppg)

Miami volleyball is still hungry for success their skill sets by practicing with family, friends and whoever else was around. The coaches sent home a list of drills to keep players’ hands and feet ready.

“They had to come back keeping their feet fast, because volleyball is such a split second fast game,” Condit said.

Coaches also encouraged players to do strength workouts, like using a backpack full of bricks to do squats. ing First-Team All-MAC middle hitter Margaret Payne, the RedHawks are loaded with talent.

Seniors like setter Morgan Seaman, right side Sarah Wojick and Abigail Huser have set the tone for the team this season. Huser, who wears

VOLLEYBALL RETURNS KEY PLAYERS FROM LAST YEAR’S TEAM, INCLUDING JUNIOR OUTSIDE HITTER GABY HARPER (PICTURED, LEFT) AND SENIOR LIBERO ABIGAIL HUSER (PICTURED, IN RED). THE MIAMI STUDENT ZACH REICHMAN

LUKAS NELSON SPORTS EDITOR “Culture” has become a catch-all ments a team needs to succeed. Every single new coaching hire, from the high school level to the pros, cites the need to improve their new team’s culhave been around good teams know a winning culture when they see it.

That being said, anyone who’s been around the Miami volleyball team knows head coach Carolyn Con-

dit’s program is the quintessential example of a winning culture.

The RedHawks have now won four straight regular season titles in the Mid-American Conference, appearing in the NCAA Tournament twice over that span. Simply put, winning is all this team knows.

“We have a culture that we insist on, you know, that it’s ‘team before me.’ If you have a question about why you’re not playing, come to the coach, but you’re cheering for your teammate that’s in that position, and she’s cheering for you,” Condit said.

by the COVID-19 pandemic, as spring workouts were cut short. The team had little to no organized practice as a team from March to October, which is normally when the season would be in full swing.

For some teams, that might mean lack of practice leads to rust. However, Condit couldn’t stop raving about the improvements her players made from last season, despite the circumstances.

During the break from organized team activities, players improved

libero, leads the team with 38 digs so far this season.

Sophomore outside hitter Allyson Severance currently leads the team with six service aces. Severance was one player who, per Condit, has improved her game since returning to Oxford for her sophomore year. The veteran coach praised Severance’s versatility, being able to play in all six rotation positions.

“Allyson came back after her freshman year and really, in every way, has improved her game and her game intelligence,” Condit said.

Even though the team is loaded with talented veterans, it’s been the freshmen who’ve had to step up in the middle. So far, freshmen middle hitters Abby Stratford and Maggie McCrary have been the starters, a rarity for Condit’s team. McCrary, who was an early enrollee last spring, currently leads the team in blocks with 11, while Stratford is tied for second with nine. coach, really works hard with the middles, and she’s brought them

along quickly, which we needed,” Condit said.

So far, it’s clear who the best player on the team has been. Junior outside hitter Gaby Harper, who’s already been named First-Team AllMAC and MAC Freshman of the Year in her career, has continued her brilliance this season. Harper leads the team with 37 kills and also has 32 digs and six blocks.

Harper has been Miami’s best player despite playing through a nagging injury. Condit said Harper has a slightly torn labrum in her shoulder.

However, the junior outside hitter has been able to adjust her game to play through pain.

“I’m telling you, she’s really tough,” Condit said. “She’s just a steady player that grinds away, always takes the blame, never blames anyone else for mistakes.” season is showing, as the RedHawks are currently 3-1. The team swept Buffalo at home, then split a series with Akron. The two games were mirror images of each other, as Miami was up two sets to one before ultimately losing. The next night, the RedHawks were down 2-0 before completing the 3-2 comeback.

The team is attempting to win another regular season conference championship and hoping it won’t nament defeat. straight regular season title will be anything but easy. several strings of four (MAC titles) in a row,” she said. “It’s hard to do know these kids will strive for it.” @LukasTheDream nelso156@miamioh.edu

’Hawks Talk “Some people will consider that an ugly win, but I don’t know if you can ever say a win is ugly.” a 65-56 win over Western Michigan last Saturday

SPORTS 9

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021

NELSO156@MIAMIOH.EDU

Miami drops weekend series to sixth-ranked Minnesota Duluth

SCOREBOARD TUESDAY MEN’S BASKETBALL Toledo …….....…..….….......... 90 Miami ……........................…. 81

TENNIS Miami …………….........…. 0 Kentucky ........……..…..…. 7

WEDNESDAY WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Miami …………………....... 82 Ball State …....….…...…..…. 85

THURSDAY VOLLEYBALL Miami…….……………….... 2 Akron……………………… 3

FRIDAY MIAMI WILL TRAVEL TO PLAY MINNESOTA DULUTH NEXT WEEKEND AFTER DROPPING BOTH GAMES TO THE BULLODGS AT HOME. THE MIAMI STUDENT ZACH REICHMAN

JACK SCHMELZINGER THE MIAMI STUDENT The Miami RedHawks fell in both games to the sixth-ranked University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs last weekend in a series at Steve “Coach” Cady Arena.

Miami lost 2-1 on Friday night and 6-3 on Saturday to a talented Duluth squad that boasts eight National Hockey League (NHL) draft picks in its starting lineup.

The RedHawks leaned on freshman goaltender Ludvig Persson on Friday to keep them in the game. Miami was outshot 27-15 and night. nightmare, coming with only 11 seconds left in the period after a turnover by Rourke Russell. minute has not been our friend this year, and yet we have a senior turn the puck over with 15 seconds left,” Miami head coach Chris Bergeron said.

The Bulldogs struck again midway through the second period when junior forward — and Philadelphia Flyers draft pick — Noah Cates found his linemate, sophomore Quinn Olson, backdoor for an easy tap-in past a sprawling Persson.

Late in the second period, Cates made contact with the head of a Miami player and was given a major penalty and ejected from the game.

The RedHawks failed to capitalize on the when freshman winger Michael Holland bur-

ing the score 2-1 in favor of Duluth with just under four minutes left.

That is where the game would stay, as the net again, and the Bulldogs took Game One of the two-game series.

“Duluth plays the game the right way,” Bergeron said. “They have some of the best players in the league, if not the country . . . and our guys went in there and fought.”

Saturday night’s game started badly, as the shots on net. In goal, the RedHawks decided to start Ben Kraws, a sophomore who hadn’t seen game action in more than a month.

Rust was apparent early (along with penalties and poor team defensive play while short-handed), as Kraws struggled to keep the puck in front of him to start the game.

The Bulldogs struck again early in the second period after Duluth’s Olson grabbed his and found the back of the net. second period, when sophomore forward John Sladic tipped a shot from junior Derek Daschke past Duluth netminder Ryan Fanti.

The teams traded punches for the rest of into the third period, when Duluth sophomore Luke Loheit buried the rebound from a Matt Miami struck back just 36 seconds later, as senior forward Casey Gilling scored from the slot with assists from junior Jack Olmstead and Swedish freshman Hampus Rydqvist.

After another Duluth Goal to make the score 5-2, Miami brought the score back within two with less than four minutes remaining in the game when freshman forward Matthew

three RedHawks power play.

With about a minute left, the RedHawks luth’s Cole Koepke beat all six Miami skaters to the empty net goal to seal the Bulldog victory.

Despite the score, it was an impressive effort from the RedHawks. Miami outshot the sixth-best team in the country, 35-32, and played with intensity throughout the series, managing to give a team with much more NHL talent on its roster a pair of good games. best back-to-back games we’ve had all year long,” Bergeron said. “Our guys hung in there.

They fought, they scratched, they clawed.”

He also lamented the fact that so many regulars were missing in such close games. The team had to move a defenseman — 6’6” junior Bray Crowder — to forward for the second sive players were unavailable due to injuries.

Due to a scheduling quirk caused by COVID-19, Miami travels to Duluth, Minn. next weekend to play another series against the Bulldogs.

Regarding the unusual schedule, Bergeron preached mental toughness.

“We’re playing the same team, they’re really good,” Bergeron said. “We know that. But we also know that we can dig in . . . and give ourselves a chance.” next Friday, Feb. 5, at 7 p.m., then the next night at 5 p.m. schmelj2@miamioh.edu

HOCKEY Minnesota Duluth ..…...…. 2 Miami ……………..…........ 5 VOLLEYBALL Miami ….……….....…....... 3 Akron …………….……..... 2

SATURDAY MEN’S BASKETBALL Western Michigan ...….…. 56 Miami ……………………... 65 HOCKEY Minnesota Duluth ...…...…. 6 Miami ……………...…........ 3 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Miami ……………........…. 52 Northern Illinois .....…....... 66 TENNIS Miami ……………........…. 0 Louisville …..……..…..…. 7

Not even the Super Bowl can avoid #MACtion Men’s basketball MICHAEL VESTEY STAFF WRITER With six rostered players on the two squads playing in this year’s Super Bowl, the Mid-American Conference (MAC) returns the same number of players as in last year’s game. I looked at the recent history of MAC alumni playing in the biggest game in American sports.

The change of decades I looked at Super Bowls from 2001 to the present, and my immediate attention was drawn to the ends of the last two decades – the four Super Bowls with the greatest number of players were in 2010, 2011, 2020 and 2021.

This can in part be explained by the teams that participated – 2011 featured the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers, both teams with a strong MAC core, leading to a game with rosters featuring 13 players from that conference, while the recent growth in part mirrors the success of the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Cradle of Coaches pops up again The only MAC schools to have any connection to Super Bowl-appearing head coaches, whether alumni or coaching experience, are Miami (alma mater of Sean McVay and former home of Sean Payton as an offensive coordinator) and Western Michigan – and Western Michigan’s only claim is briefly having John Harbaugh, a Miami grad, as a running back and outside linebackers coach.

State concentrations Central Michigan leads all MAC schools for individual alumni on Super Bowl rosters, with seven players making nine total appearances. The three MAC schools in Michigan have an outsized influence in certain years – more than half of MAC players in three out of the four decade-capping years previously mentioned came from those schools, with the exception of 2010.

In contrast (and rather unsurprisingly, given the makeup of the MAC), Ohio schools have a monopoly on MAC appear-

“This leads me to believe that, on Sunday, the Chiefs will win their second straight Super Bowl.”

ances in eight of the 19 Super Bowls for which a MAC player was rostered. ters While Central Michigan has the most individual players to appear in these games, Kent State leads the conference in total appearances, with their six players making 13 total appearances – bucked by James Harrison and Julian Edelman both appearing in four Super Bowls, the most among players in the data set from the conference.

At the other end of the spectrum, Ball State saw only one player rostered for those 20 Super Bowls – Brad Maynard, a generally average Chicago Bears punter in 2006.

Recent success While the period of the data shows no real trend as to whether MAC players give an advantage to teams, a recent pattern does seem to emerge. Since 2012, there has been only one instance of the team with more regular season games started by MAC players losing – the only exception being last year, where Joe Staley and Jimmie Ward’s combined 20 games started couldn’t defeat Eric Fisher and Andrew Wylie’s combined 19.

This leads me to my boldest and arguably least qualified statement.

Fisher and Wylie combined for 29 starts for the Chiefs this season, while Antonio Brown, Scotty Miller and Sean Murphy-Bunting only combined for 22 in reply for the Buccaneers.

This leads me to believe that, on Sunday, the Chiefs will win their second straight Super Bowl, and I can start emailing Brandon Staley, my Los Angeles Chargers’ new head coach, with a concrete reason to draft lots of players from a certain conference. @VesteyTMS vesteymj@miamioh.edu

Feb. 12 game moved to ESPNU LUKAS NELSON SPORTS EDITOR

The Miami men’s basketball team will get to play a nationally televised game in Millett Hall this season.

The RedHawks, who were originally supposed to play Akron on Saturday, Feb. 13, will now play the Zips on Friday, Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. The game will appear on ESPNU. The last time Miami’s men’s basketball team appeared on national TV was last month, when the ’Hawks lost to Ohio, 78-61, on CBS Sports Network.

The Mid-American Conference (MAC) chose the matchup as its sole nationally televised game on Friday, signaling the rise of Miami’s status within the conference. The RedHawks have been on a tear recently, winhas been scoring the ball at will, averaging Miami’s win over Western Michigan last Saturday improved the team’s record to 8-5.

The squad’s 5-3 MAC record is good for third place in the conference.

One of the teams ahead of the RedHawks in the standings is Akron, who is currently 10-3 (8-2 MAC). The Zips are led by 5’8” senior guard Loren Cristian Jackson, who is currently averaging 20.5 points per game.

If you want to be one of the best teams in the conference, you have to beat one of the best teams in the conference. Next Friday, the Miami RedHawks will have their shot in front of a national audience. @LukasTheDream nelso156@miamioh.edu

Opinion

10

WOLFFRG@MIAMIOH.EDU

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021

STAFF EDITORIAL

We gotta say, the cards are weird Miami University implemented mandatory arrival COVID-19 testing for all students either attending in-person classes or living on campus. All students who participated in testing, plus those who tested positive recently enough to have the virus antibodies, were given a card that acted as proof of getting tested.

Unfortunately, that’s all the cards prove.

They don’t mean that a student, now, in the month of February, does not have COVID. They don’t protect students or faculty in any way. And students were given the cards right after getting tested, which means they didn’t even know their results yet. They could’ve walked out of the testing center infected with COVID but wielding a crisp, new COVID card anyway.

Any student on campus can be asked to show their card

But this whole situation feels like it’s aimed more toward fostering a positive narrative around the university’s handling of the virus than it is to increase anyone’s safety.

And we know Miami loves a good PR stunt.

Not to mention, these cards mean nothing after Wednesday, unlike the virus which will continue to plague our community. So, why not come up with a better plan?

We have an entire semester stretching ahead of us, and the pandemic isn’t over yet. As such, we need action steps that We suggest testing everyone weekly rather than the random and sporadic selecting of certain students, which might not catch everyone even with the use of contact tracing.

The idea to arrival test all students attending in-person classes, whether they live on campus or not, was a great one that allowed thorough data collection and safety. We applaud the university for organizing and implementing this.

But as we mentioned, the cards basically mean nothing

The duality of masks AMES RADWAN THE MIAMI STUDENT It all started late last October.

I’m still not quite sure why, but on the morning of Oct. 26, 2020, I woke up with both of my eyes swollen shut. When I managed to get them open, I could see that my whole face was much of the same — red, patchy, swelling and altogether pretty disgusting. The doctor at the clinic thought it might be an allergic reaction, and my doctor back home was sure it was just my eczema (a skin condition with which I’ve struggled my whole life).

No one knew for certain, though. And no medicines seemed to be helping.

For the past three months, through the end of the semester and all throughout J-term, I woke up to my own swollen, painful face in the mirror every day. Some days, I couldn’t even open my eyes or move my mouth without it hurting or worse — bleeding. People would wince looking at my face, but I was unable to

amongst the people within my “COVID bubble.”

Not only were the masks comfortable on my painful face, like a Band-Aid over a cut on made me feel better mentally. Like I didn’t have to worry about people staring at me, because they wouldn’t.

All they would see, if they looked, was the mask.

Even better, my mother had worked tirelessly all throughout the quarantine summer and our winter break to create vibrant masks with fun patterns and colors. For someone like me, who particularly enjoys expressing myself through makeup and accessories, they were perfect when I could no longer wear eyeliner There is nothing like a bright red-and-yellow-striped mask to cheer you up on a miserably painful day.

often during a pandemic, especially for a non-pandemic-related issue, was absolutely terrifying. But for someone as self-conscious as myself, the masks in particular have been nothing short of a blessing during this time for me.

Though most people have been wearing masks for the sole objective of protecting themselves from catching the COVID-19 virus, for me, these homemade contraptions of cloth Whereas my friends and family removed their masks when we were outside and walking by ourselves or as soon as we got into the safety of our own car after a masked-up and socially distanced event, I always kept mine on. And not to protect myself from the virus

ideal way to move forward would be to stop with the cards, continue with consistent testing and come up with a better way to keep professors and students feeling safe. There’s also an app, Campus Clear, that provides contact-tracing and testing data that the school could mandate students to download.

This app doesn’t seem to be on the forefront of students’ minds, but it ought to be. Though some of us might forget to carry a paper card around, our phones — and by extension, our apps — are usually within reach.

By implementing weekly testing and mandating students to keep track of their tests and results on the app, we can attempt to move through the semester in an educated fashion, prioritizing individual accountability.

The vaccine isn’t coming within the near-future, but let’s do our best to handle this with responsible grace until we can truly have a safe campus.

Let’s be real, Joe – it’ll take a lot more than “unity” to MADELINE PHABY ASST. CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR During his inauguration speech, Joe Biden made extensive use of a concept that’s been a major buzzword throughout his entire campaign: unity.

“Without unity, there is no peace, only bitterness and fury,” he stated.

On the surface, this seems like a lovely sentithe past four years, so perhaps it’s time to come together as one America and put all that discord behind us.

Or, perhaps it’s time to get to the root of why Let’s be honest – most of the people calling for unity come from a place of privilege and would

better after three months of this pain. My

“Masks are not just something to keep COVID-19 away, for me.

They are also something I will forever love for helping me when I was struggling.”

even wince at myself.

To put it mildly, it was a rough time for me.

I, however, was lucky — lucky that this happened when it did, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.

That might not sound like fun, and it cer-

and seem to only contribute to an uncomfortable social dynamic between students and university employees.

out the problem, and at long last, I’m being treated for it.

My skin is already healing, my face is no longer so swollen or so red, and I was able to wear mascara this past week for the But I will still forever be grateful for the mask. After all,

horribly again? What would I do without the patterned cloth to distract from my face?

In a non-COVID world, I would just have to deal with it and walk out in public with all of my facial skin problems on full display. I would have to answer pestering questions and explain that, no, it’s not contagious. I would have to look away from people who stare, because let’s be honest, some people can’t help but stare at For today, at least, I have my masks. I can express myself through them just as though they were my brightly-colored lipsticks and eyeliners.

This is not to say that masks aren’t important as health equipment — in fact, that should be their main purpose. (Please wear your masks.) But to me, they are also a help to my self-esteem and something that I personally enjoy wearing.

Masks are not just something to keep COVID-19 away, for me. They are also something I will forever love for helping me when I was struggling. And while I hope that someday we are able to walk around maskless, without the worry of COVID-19, I am also glad to have had them now.

sions in this country is impossible, but I don’t think it’s feasible — or even preferable — at the present time.

Now, I’m not sure about this next point, as I’ve never lived in a country like this, but I’d imagine that unity would be far easier to come by in an equitable society.

In our country’s current state, saying we need to come together as Americans is merely a cute way to gaslight marginalized groups — nonwhites, LGBTQ+ folks, poor people and more — and, ultimately, portray them as problematic and ungrateful when they refuse to comply with their oppressors.

If these groups weren’t constantly being pushed underwater, perhaps unity would be a ical agenda.

Biden largely owes his victory to progressives who weren’t all that fond of him but settled for him to avoid another four years of the candidate endorsed by the KKK. Honestly, if he wants another term after this

with certain groups. And, for the record, this is coming from someone who’s about as privileged as it gets.

Despite my own privilege, I engage in a few spaces in which Black and nonBlack people of color help white folks rid themselves “Honestly, if he wants another term of their implicit biases. And let me tell you — those folks after this one, he better recognize this aren’t calling for unity. fact, cut ‘unity’ out of his vocabulary They’re calling for justice. and replace it with ‘justice.’”

Two weeks before Biden’s inauguration, a group of rioters – who may or may not have been incited by then-president Donthe United States Capitol building. More than 600,000 people died in the Civil War to prevent this exact scene from playing out.

In 2020, 999 Americans were fatally shot by Black. Given that Black people make up just prised a higher proportion of shootings than any other ethnic group.

As crazy as it may seem, many Black folks aren’t too keen on the idea of unifying with the people and systems that perpetuate their continual oppression.

I appreciate Biden’s optimism, and I understand the desire to calm some of the turmoil we’ve experienced over the past four years — really, I do.

But people don’t riot in the streets or loot the Capitol building for shits and giggles. Whether you agree with them or not, people on both sides of the political spectrum are clearly disillusioned with the state of the country, and forcing them to hold hands and sing Kumbaya with each other isn’t going to solve that disillusionment.

The point is, unity is worthless when it’s forced. I don’t think reducing the political ten-

Next episode coming this week!

one, he better recognize this fact, cut “unity” out of his vocabulary and replace it with “justice.”

Biden has taken steps toward elevating voices of color by assembling a historically diverse cabinet, but he better really listen to them and prove that his choices weren’t just for show. to repeal Trump’s ban on transgender troops, but he better continue taking concrete steps toward making the country safer for queer communities.

And, Biden is pushing for a $15 federal minimum wage, but he better recognize that this still isn’t a living wage for most Americans and keep raising that bar.

Perhaps we progressives are asking too much of the 78-year-old moderate in the White House, but if he’s going to make unity a centerpiece of his presidency, he better start making some serious changes to this clusterfuck of a country.

Buckle up, Joe. The honeymoon phase is over, and it’s about time we start holding you accountable.