THE NEW POLITICAL
SUMMER MAGAZINE IV AUGUST 2020
NEW NORMALL NORMA The
r o t i d E e h t From
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n the sweltering summer heat, covering a story right now feels different — the imminent threat of exposure to an unfamiliar virus or a cocktail of tear gas and pepper spray to the eyes hang in the back of the minds of reporters and photographers. Our newsroom has had to adjust. Since March, we’ve been spread to the four winds, still working to serve you as an independent voice for Athens. As college students, we’ve lamented the loss of spring afternoons on College Green, morning walks on the bike trail as the cherry blossoms bloom, and late, laughter-filled nights in residence halls or off-campus apartments with close friends. As journalists, we know bigger,
more important headlines penetrate the front page day after day. COVID-19 has caused us to rethink what it means to meet in the newsroom when the doors to Scripps Hall are locked and miles away. And in the throes of widespread Black Lives Matter protests, we’ve had important discussions about how to better cover issues pertaining to minority groups on campus and in the Athens community while also working to amplify their voices. In between all of that, our team has put in countless hours to produce our annual summer magazine. I want to thank my managing editor and digital managing editor, William Meyer and Bo Kuhn, for keeping me sane when the world seems to be falling apart, as well as my director of projects, Maggie Prosser, for her tireless work on the designed pages you are about to flip through. Cheers, as well, to all of my editors, reporters, columnists and photographers. I couldn’t do this, either, without the unwavering support of my family and friends. From the intersection of politics and a global pandemic, to budgets in crisis, to a snapshot of the upcoming election, The New Political brings you the fourth iteration of our summer magazine. Thank you for reading.
Sarah Donaldson, Editor-In-Chief 1
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CONTENTS 3 . S T UD ENT S ENAT E 5 . Q& A W ITH PR ESIDENT NELLIS 9 . P HOTOS : B L A C K LIV E S M AT T ER 1 1 . S T A T E & C O V I D -1 9 1 3 . C I T Y & C O V I D -1 9 1 7 . HUM A NS OF AT HENS 1 9 . ENROLLM ENT CRISIS 2 1 . B UDGET CRISIS 2 3 . TITLE IX 2 5 . VOTE B Y M AIL 2 7 . HOUSE DISTRICT 9 4 2 9 . OPINION
M A STHEAD Editor-In-Chief Managing Editor Digital Managing Editor News Editors Opinion Editor Design Editor Digital Editor Director of Special Projects Social Media Director Director of Public Relations Director of Staff Development Staff Writers
Opinion Writer Staff Photographer
Sarah Donaldson William Meyer Bo Kuhn Emily Crebs Zach Zimmerman Charlotte Caldwell Alejandro Figueroa Eric Boll Maggie Prosser Zoe Stitzer Emily Zeiler Cole Behrens Nolan Cramer Kirsten Thomas Maddie Kramer Anthony Warner
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OHIO U STUDENT SENATE & JUDICIAL PANEL CLASH AMID INTERIM ELECTIONS By Emily Zeiler Director of Public Relations
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he Ohio University Student Senate Judicial Panel received backlash from some student senators in response to the plan for interim executive elections. The original election date for the 20202021 Senate at-large positions, March 31, was postponed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Panel, which exists to uphold the Senate constitution, decided elections for the interim president, vice president and treasurer would be based on how the Senate elects commissioners during the academic year. Senate Rules and Procedures outline how the body selects commissioners, or members of commissions who address specific student concerns. To select comissioners, the Panel holds interviews to choose one candidate. Then, at a general body meeting, the Senate can approve or reject the selection with a vote. The Panel agreed that the interim executives election process would be modeled after this process. The plan was then presented to the Senate body and senators were given three weeks to voice concerns with the process to the Panel or to senate executives. Twenty-six hours before the vote on the interim nominees was scheduled to take place, acting Chief Justice Casey Hall-Jones received an email expressing 3
concerns about the selection process. “It is of our opinion that any process involving a single candidate is not an election, and it is impossible for the voting members to accurately represent the needs and values of its constituents when there is only one candidate for each role,” the senators wrote in the email. The Panel replied, “It is still possible in all these situations that if you do not believe that a candidate is suitable for a position, you have the ability to vote against the nominee’s appointment.” Senators also voiced in the email that they believed the Panel was overstepping its authority, which could affect how the body shapes its future. The Rules and Procedures do not explicitly state how the Panel and Senate should handle the unique situations brought on by the pandemic, and according to Section 4.02, the purpose of the Panel is to interpret the rules to best uphold the Senate’s functions. The Panel found that the expressed grievances did not show errors in the interpretation of the Rules and Procedures. The voting process continued as planned. The interim president and treasurer were voted into office decisively. The vote for the vice president, however, was split, so former Student Senate President Lydia Ramlo voted to break the tie. Janie Peterson was elected interim president, Danielle Klein was elected interim vice president and Richard Danylo was elected interim treasurer.
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The Senate and Judicial Panel were at odds again, however, when numerous sexual assault allegations were raised against the sole candidate running for the position of 2020-2021 Senate president, Carlo DeNiro. DeNiro, who has since rescinded his campaign for president, was initially allowed to continue his run for president as decided by the Judicial Panel. “As Mr. DeNiro is also still held in good standing with the university, the Panel has no authority within the Rules and Procedures or Student Senate Constitution to remove
him from candidacy,” the Panel wrote in a press release. The Senate interim executives condemned the Judicial Panel’s decision in a press statement and announced their desire for the Panel to reopen applications and remove DeNiro from the ballot. DeNiro informed the Judicial Panel the next day, July 2, that he would be taking his name off of the ballot. Elections for the next academic year’s Student Senate body will be held in the fall when university operations resume.
Independent. Award-winning. Nonpartisan. Work for us. The New Political is an award-winning, independent, nonpartisan publication run entirely by Ohio University students. A digital-first outlet, we are solely dedicated to covering politics and government on campus, in the city of Athens and in the state of Ohio. We seek to educate and empower the public as an independent voice for Athens.
VIRTUAL INTEREST MEETING SUNDAY, SEPT. 6 @ 6 P.m. Email execedit@thenewpolitical.com for more information
@thenewpolitical
In Conversation with President Duane Nellis By Kirsten Thomas Staff Writer
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ollowing an unprecedented spring semester, it seemed appropriate to engage with Ohio University President Duane Nellis, who will continue to lead Ohio U through issues happening on campus and in the world. This reporter conducted an email interview with Nellis through university spokesperson Carly Leatherwood to learn more about the president and actions that have been taken in response to various issues.
Who is someone you highly respect or look up to and why? My mother — she is now deceased — cared about other people and was a strong person who modeled respecting everyone in the community. My wife Ruthie, she has been my best friend, confidant and partner through the many challenges and celebrations in life. What can students expect from you as president? Students can expect me to prioritize their health and safety and to support academic quality, scholarly excellence and overall student success. They can also expect to see me supporting them at university events on our campuses, and they can expect me to support them when I am meeting with state and national leaders. I love Ohio U and I am honored to work with our outstanding students, faculty, staff and alumni. Like other colleges and universities, Ohio U transitioned to remote learning for part of the spring semester because of
COVID-19. Was this a difficult decision to make, and how did it impact Ohio U financially? It wasn’t a difficult decision because it was the right decision; the logistics, however, were quite difficult. We knew transitioning to all online courses could be challenging and confusing, by both students and faculty. So, we immediately created an informational website to house communications and to capture some of the most common questions, with answers organized by audience and topic. Ohio U refunded prorated housing, dining and parking fees to students who were unable to return to our Athens campus after spring break, which represents slightly more than $18 million. The institution will receive $9.7 million in federal relief funding to help offset some of this lost revenue, and an additional $9.7 million in emergency grant support that will be distributed directly to students in need across all of our campuses with COVID-related impacts. As the pandemic continues, how
does Ohio U plan to support current and incoming students? As we make necessary changes in response to financial challenges, we can and we will protect the student experience, evolving in ways that are responsive to students’ interests and needs. Ohio U will not increase tuition to balance the budget. In fact, our Board of Trustees recently approved a proposal to hold tuition flat for students entering the 2020-21 academic year. We will continue to invest in in-demand programs that current and future generations of Bobcats are seeking through our strategic reserve funds. We remain committed to affordability, predictability and cost transparency through our OHIO Guarantee+ program – providing level-rate housing, dining and fees, locked in for 12 consecutive semesters. An interdisciplinary team of faculty members and deans recently participated in a summer rapid response group to look at summer course offerings to help current students catch up or stay on track to graduate. This rapid response
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team also developed a proposal for a second summer session course to engage our incoming first-year students as they transition to Ohio U. During the 20192020 academic year, a number of protests and meetings were held regarding Ohio U’s budget crisis. What actions are being taken to help get through, and eventually out of, the crisis? The university implemented a series of measures to reduce costs in the 2019-2020 academic year, including offering voluntary separation agreements, early retirement incentives and enacting spending controls on external costs. These decisions were made after receiving input from all across our university community. Unfortunately, the unprecedented impact that the COVID-19 crisis will have on our university has increased the need for budget reductions at a heightened urgency. In response to the budget situation and in order to ensure a strong future 7
for Ohio U, we have had to make painful and difficult decisions. These decisions, as outlined in a letter to Ohio U students, have involved the elimination of positions across the university. Other actions we have taken: • Instituted a furlough plan for all administrative, faculty and classified non-bargaining employees • Hiring freeze: Only critical positions that result in cost-savings being approved • Suspension of promotional reviews for staff • In-progress Capital Projects are in review and new Capital Projects are suspended • All operational spending limited to essential purchases or services for the remainder of FY20 • Provost Sayrs and I are taking a 15% pay reduction, and both of our senior-level staffs have been asked to take a voluntary pay reduction of at least 10%. • We have
communicated about our budget situation over the last year, and we will continue to do so. Some students and faculty have noted their concern regarding the layoffs of university employees. How do you respond to these concerns? I have heard and understand their concerns. These were painful and difficult decisions. It is our responsibility, though, to make the decisions needed to meet our significant budget challenges and to ensure that we continue to best meet the needs of our students today and into the future. These decisions were made based on a number of factors and should in no way minimize or erode the positive contributions that the employees whose positions were eliminated made to our university. We will do all we can to support our employees who are impacted by these difficult decisions, and we have partnered with an external organization that will provide
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transitional support to faculty and staff members affected by these changes. Ohio U is seeing lower enrollment. Does Ohio U plan to take steps to increase enrollment, and if so, what steps will be taken? In the fall, we introduced our Fearlessly First Strategic Themes and Initiatives. One of our 11 initiatives is to catalyze strategic enrollment strategy for lifelong learning. We have already begun to take several steps forward in this area. Our greatest opportunities for growth come from adult learners, part-time students and more diverse populations. We will prepare our campuses for the needs of a diverse student body, and we will maintain awareness of the competitive landscape and be prepared to shift accordingly. We will continue to grow the OHIO Honors Program and refocus our scholarship strategy to support retention and graduation goals. We will also focus on regional campuses and online in response to workforce needs.
Finally, we will deploy a comprehensive marketing strategy to reflect the needs and expectations of target audiences. Part of your presidential initiatives is the Challenging Dialogues series. Will this series continue, and if so, who do you encourage to attend these sessions? The purpose of The OHIO Challenging Dialogues for Contemporary Issues Lecture Series is to have a constructive conversation surrounding issues that are leading the news cycle and overwhelming the public psyche. It is higher education’s responsibility to serve the greater good by expanding and improving humankind’s understanding of the world around us. The lecture series has proven to be very successful, and we have had excellent discussions at each event. I look forward to the university hosting more of these Challenging Dialogue lectures in the future. However, at this time, no future lectures have been scheduled for the OHIO Challenging Dialogues for Contemporary Issues
Lecture Series. Typically, lectures are held once in the fall semester and once in the spring semester. No contracts will be entered into until a final decision has been made by the university as to the status of the fall semester. Is there anything else you would like to add or communicate to the community? In these uncertain times, Ohio U will continue to build a sustainable future for our students and to help them and future generations grow in knowledge, wisdom and lifelong learning. Despite the challenges recently amplified by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, our academic quality will not be diminished, and the student experience will not suffer. I am incredibly proud of the work achieved by our students, faculty and staff during a very challenging spring semester. We will remain dedicated to protecting the unique Ohio U student experience and ensuring the best possible student outcomes. That commitment will drive all of our decisions.
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BLACK LIVES MATTER MATTER
During May and June, protesters occupied spaces on campus and Uptown, marching alongside demonstrations across the country held in memory of George Floyd, a Black man killed by Minneapolis police officers.
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Photo Credits: Page 9: Top, Anthony Warner; Bottom Left, Anthony Warner; Bottom Right, Sarah Donaldson Page 10: Top Left, Anthony Warner; Top Right, Bo Kuhn; Center, Anthony Warner; Bottom Left, Sarah Donaldson
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C o n s ti t u t io n a l Crisis& COVID-19 By Emily Crebs News Editor
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irst, mass gatherings were prohibited. Then K-12 schools closed. Food and beverage sales became limited to carry-out. In-person voting for the primary election was canceled. Ohioans were asked to stay at home as all nonessential businesses were closed. As an unprecedented virus created a global emergency, Ohio’s economy and social institutions ground to a halt with orders from the former director of the Ohio Department of Health (ODH), Amy Acton. Acton ordered limitations on the typical life of Ohioans in an effort to stem the spread of COVID-19. While each order came with specific reference to Ohio law citing the source of Acton’s power, she was challenged in the state legislature and in court rooms over the constitutionality of her actions. Many closures issued through March and April began with Acton invoking her powers found in the Ohio Revised Code. Within the Ohio Revised Code, the ODH is given broad powers in protecting the health and safety of citizens. The section begins, “The department of health shall have supervision of all matters relating to the preservation of the life and health of the people and have ultimate authority in matters of quarantine and isolation, which it may declare and
enforce, when neither exists, and modify, relax or abolish, when either has been established.” Ohio’s stay-at-home order, enacted March 23, was extended until May 1 on April 20, with modifications to the order to allow gradual reopening throughout May. On May 6, the Ohio House passed legislation to limit the length of Acton’s stay-at-home orders to 14 days, with longer periods of time needing approval from the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review. The bill was unanimously rejected by the Ohio Senate on May 20. State Rep. David Leland (D-Columbus), did not feel the attempt to limit her power was appropriate in the current time. Leland said he believes DeWine and Acton handled the unprecedented situation the best they could, potentially saving many lives in the process. “They weren’t perfect — nobody said they were — but they were very decisive, and very strong, and I think they should be commended,” he said. Leland said the governor and the Ohio legislature check the power of the ODH. The director is appointed by the governor and their powers come from laws passed by the legislature. “We gave the power to the health depart-
ment. We can always change it, as far as the legislature is concerned,” he said. Leland viewed the “Amy Acton” bill as a reflection of partisanship impacting public health decision making. “Unfortunately, politics has creeped into this whole debate about public health, and I don’t know why it has, but for some reason our partisan divide seems to be in everything,” he said. Eastman and Smith, a law firm in Toledo, created an “Overview of Public Health Law and Local Health Districts” presentation for local health administrators and lawyers to understand their local and state health powers. Attorney Joseph Durham has been advising the Franklin County Health Department during the pandemic. He said ODH orders need to be reasonably related to addressing the pandemic and within the constitutional powers. “It’s remarkable to me how far they’ve gone,” he said. Durham explained that social distancing includes measures such as restricting travel, increasing distance between workers, dismissing schools, restricting public gatherings, isolation and quarantine. The Ohio Revised Code states violating orders by the ODH or the local board of health can result in a misdemeanor of the second degree, which carries a punishment of up to 90 days in jail and/or a $750 fine. While Durham said that Acton’s orders were within her power, albeit unprecedented, an Ohio court challenged the definitions of “isolation” and “quarantine” to argue the duration of Acton’s orders were unlawfully long.
On May 20, Judge Eugene Lucci of the Lake County Court of Common Pleas ordered a suspension of ODH stay-at-home orders in the case of gyms and fitness centers. The plaintiffs in the case, the fitness centers, said Acton’s powers were “impermissibly vague” and argue that the director exceeds her authority by legislating, rather than leaving that to the Ohio legislature, according to the case document. Lucci explained the plaintiffs implied the ODH orders were in violation of the Ohio Constitution. The plaintiffs implied Acton violated separation of powers, due process and exceeded the vague rights granted to her in the Ohio Revised Code. Lucci wrote that Acton’s orders exceeded the definition of the period of communicability for the disease — experts say COVID-19 may be able to spread from one person to another for up to 14 days — and she has isolated Ohioans for longer than is necessary. “The director has quarantined the entire people of the state of Ohio, for much more than 14 days,” Lucci wrote. The preliminary injunction would have allowed fitness centers in Lake County to open prior to May 26, the date when personal fitness centers were permitted to reopen by the ODH order without penalty if they followed safety guidelines. On May 21, Gov. DeWine addressed the decision in a press conference. “It’s one decision. It’s a decision, again, that basically said our protocols are fine (and) disputed about when we open,” DeWine said.
Photos by Sarah Donaldson
Budget Under the Weather Pandemic causes Athens to reevaluate city budget By William Meyer Managing Editor
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n March 9, 2020, Ohio confirmed its first three cases of COVID-19. Later that day, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine declared a state of emergency. Within days, Ohio University transitioned to a virtual format for the re13
mainder of the semester. Students were asked not to return to residence halls and to schedule a time to move out. Days later, Ohio went on lockdown. Most businesses were ordered to close, and a stay-at-home order asking Ohioans to leave their homes only for essential activities went into effect March 23. Under the lockdown, Athens became a ghost town. Residence halls were almost entirely vacant and students that stayed in town, with little actually open for business, were stuck inside completing online coursework. Ohio U’s local campus reported 22,706 students enrolled for the fall
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2019 semester. In a regular year, most students vacate Athens for summer break. As a result, businesses in town operate with reduced hours or temporarily close due to a dip in revenue. With Ohio U students vacating campus in March, however, this dip in revenue occurred months sooner than what the city and local businesses were prepared for. Workers were laid off and businesses temporarily shuttered. According to statistics from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Athens County’s unemployment rate reached 11.3% in April 2020. In April 2019, Athens County’s unemployment was estimated at 3.8%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which was near the national average of 3.87% and below Ohio’s average of 4.1%. Ohio U is the largest employer in
Athens County, accounting for 17.6% of the county’s total employment, according to the county’s 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports. The sudden drop in population forced the city to reevaluate its 2020 budget due to reduced revenue. The Athens city budget is put together by the mayor and local department heads in conjunction with Kathy Hecht, the city auditor, who calculates the city’s payroll and monitors its revenue. Department heads make recommendations to the city based on what each department needs, from more personnel to new computers. After everything has been finalized, the budget is voted on by Athens City Council. Throughout the year, Council can amend the budget should something unexpected arise, like an equip-
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ment malfunction or the need for an extra employee. Or a pandemic. Besides state and federal grants, the city’s two largest sources of revenue are income tax and property tax. Withholding tax, or tax taken directly from one’s paycheck, is the city’s largest source of income tax. This money is then distributed to several funds, such
has been taking measures to reallocate funding. During the June 1 Athens City Council meeting, the Council authorized the movement of $100,000 from the transportation fund to the city’s general fund. This amount, Councilmember Sam Crowl said, is not needed for transportation and was moved to help with the city’s “budget crunch.”
“People are not working... We will not ever recoup the income tax money that we lost.” as the general fund. The majority of income tax revenues goes into the general fund, which supports departments and services that don’t make money, like the fire department or the police department. Additionally, while the court or code enforcement charge for court fees and parking tickets, the money received is not enough to support these services without the general fund. With Ohio U and local businesses closing unexpectedly this spring, and with many people out of work, the city’s income tax revenue took a hit that Hecht said they won’t make back. “People are not working. Even if they come back and everything opens up in the fall, we’ll just be where we would have been anyway. We will not ever recoup the income tax money that we lost,” she said. As of June 1, Athens has made $221,000 less in income tax than it had at this point last year. Hecht said that she expects the city to lose several hundred thousand dollars in revenue total. Because of this new strain, the city 15
At the meeting, the Council also gave Hecht permission to make over $1.2 million in budget cuts between personnel and capital outlay, such as infrastructure and road improvements, through August 2020. She reassured the Council that she would not make cuts without first notifying affected departments and receiving the administration’s approval, despite the leeway that the ordinance gave her in making those decisions. Hecht also addressed concerns that personnel cuts would result in layoffs. She explained overtime expenses have been low due to a mild winter and the cancellation of events like fests. “We’re taking that out of the budget so that money can be freed up and used somewhere else right now,” she said. Mayor Steve Patterson said that some emergency overtime would still exist. “That, you can’t anticipate — clearly its name — and therefore we have to have things like that continue to move forward. But trimming down overtime — that’s what you’re seeing from personnel (cuts),” he said.
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He also said the reduced population has lessened the load on sewer and water systems and the mild winter combined with less vehicular traffic has had a positive effect on road surfaces. Still, he said the city will be tracking its revenue closely through 2021 to be as frugal as possible with its income tax. “Making these changes now — the ones that we’ve made — nobody has been furloughed, nobody has been laid off, but we are certainly watching these revenues,” he said. Council also approved a change in the distribution of income tax funds, taking 1% of those funds away from the transportation assistance fund to increase the general fund’s share of income tax distribution from 73% to 74%, effective July 1. “One of the reasons our transportation fund lines are solid is because HAPCAP has done such a nice job on getting grants for some of the pieces of the Athens city transit that City Council supports, so we’re able to move this 1% from the transportation systems fund into the general fund,” Crowl said. Council also requested that Patterson implement a hiring freeze on future city employees until a review of the position in question has taken place to further help control the budget. Councilmember Arian Smedley said it’s best to look at vacancies as opportunities. “To evaluate what you can do with that position — keep it, change it, eliminate it and that sort of thing — and I’m sure that’s something that we do already,” she said. It’s unclear what effect the year’s lower revenue will have on the 2021 budget, but in the short term, the city’s goal is to not have to furlough or layoff its
employees, according to Hecht. “One problem for me that’s been harder is that everybody wants to know ‘where are we going,’” she said. “It’s been an unprecedented time for me to predict revenue. “As summer goes on and other businesses close, or other entities layoff and furlough and cut salaries, it will continue to get worse, and there’s just no good way for me to predict that, or anyone, in my mind,” she continued. Many local businesses, like Casa Nueva, have taken precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including requiring employees to wear masks and undergo temperature checks. Grace Corbin, Casa Nueva’s marketing coordinator, said that the restaurant is fortunate to have a loyal customer base. She said that although revenue is down, they still have been able to bring in some revenue. The cancellation of Ohio U spring events, like Mom’s Weekend, which Corbin said is one of the biggest weekends for many Athens businesses, caused a large dip. Casa adjusted its staff and reduced its hours of operation to accommodate the decrease in business, she added. Casa’s bar was closed as of June 1, but the restaurant pivoted to selling its cocktails for carryout, a move Corbin said made a big difference. “While we didn’t have that huge bump in revenue when we wanted it and when we expected it, we hope that by the end of the year we’ll know that we scaled things properly to adjust for the lack of that,” she said. But despite the challenges, Corbin added that the community’s support has made it easier and more tolerable.
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Humans of Athens A
thens, like any other community in America, has felt the looming presence of coronavirus. The pandemic’s disruptions to the usual way of life resulted in a “new normal” that is complicated, frustrating and even confusing at times, according to some Athens residents. For others, life has stayed mostly the same, with a few added bumps in the road. These are the stories of ordinary people in Athens and how they’re navigating a new normal.
By Alejandro Figueroa Design Editor 17
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“I was recently maid of honor at my cousin's wedding, which was in Florida. I know a lot of weddings have been impacted and hers was one of them. It was originally supposed to be on May 1 and then they decided to move the ceremony date to May 20. They're having the reception still, but it will be in September. She just wanted to have the ceremony so that they could just get married, and because I was the maid of honor, I needed to be there. I just got back from Florida, and that was just really interesting because obviously different states have had different reactions to this. I had to fly down and that was frustrating. You can’t fault people for their opinions and take on things, (but) in my opinion, it doesn’t hurt to wear a mask.” - Amy Achenbach “Unsure is a better word to describe all of this. Unsure if I’m putting my loved ones at risk, unsure if I’ve been putting my customers at risk. Unsure what the future is going to look like for everyone. Unsure if local businesses that I love are going to open back up. ”
- Kelsey Prater
“I work at a nursing home, so honestly, having to wear a mask at work for 16 hours (a day) kind of sucks. So far, we don’t have any cases there, so it’s been good. I’m just overwhelmed with everything so far. I have a feeling this is going to keep getting worse, but if I get it, then I get it. If I don’t, then I don’t. It’s what's going to happen. I’m not afraid to get sick; I fear passing it on to my kids when I get home since I still have to work.” - Jenny Noland
“Initially, my first reaction, and for the majority of us [in the hospital] was that we were scared. Since then, we’ve gone through a spectrum of emotions. I think we have now eased into a reluctant acceptance of ‘this is what it is,’ and we just have to be as prepared as possible to deal with it. My fear has been that we are going to get into that desensitized, collective thinking that we do when all those other emotions go away, and I didn’t want to get there too soon because I knew that we hadn’t seen the worst yet and that there was a possibility that we could see more cases in Athens, but that didn’t happen. What we thought we had known about how airborne viruses are spread, and the CDC giving constant updates and recommendations, it’s frustrating because it’s sometimes hard to keep up with because things just change so often.” - Nurse Stacy Stout OhioHealth O'Bleness Hospital
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The Enrollment Effect How a decrease in enrollment & COVID-19 will affect Ohio U By Eric Boll Digital Editor
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ith fewer students enrolled at Ohio University for the fall 2020 semester, the university has temporarily closed one dining hall and plans to make changes to student housing as well. Although the impact of enrollment decline is not always visible in day-today operations, the university’s closure of Shively Court for the 2020-2021 academic year will be felt by most students. According to Ohio U spokesperson Jim Sabin, the decision to close Shively was due, in part, to the dining hall’s close proximity to Nelson Court. Nelson’s larger seating capacity and its access to a market and espresso bar were additional reasons for the closure of Shively. He also explained that Nelson plans to expand its hours to better accommodate students, which includes the addition of a morning breakfast time. Shively’s closure is estimated to save Ohio U around $1 million, Sabin said. In an email sent to students June 19, Ohio U President Duane Nellis announced several measures the universi19
ty would be taking to ensure the safety of students during fall semester as a result of COVID-19, including changing the move-in process for students living in residence halls, reducing the population density of residence halls and including carry-out options at the dining halls on campus. Housing and Residence Life then announced that they would be reassigning students living in quads or triples into other housing accommodations. Ohio U’s enrollment has been declining since 2017, with 5,000 fewer students enrolled in the spring 2020 semester than the fall 2017 semester. This decline resulted in a large loss of income for the university and is a potential factor in its recent financial woes. The university’s decreasing enrollment is partially attributed to fewer Total new enrollments in Athens campus, undergrad and projections 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
4,425 4,050 4,094 4,180 4,278 4,457 4,629
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Total university enrollment 36,410 35,877
36,317
35,877
34,484
35,617
32,637
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2014
2015
students graduating from high school in Ohio according to university officials. Across the state, fewer students are graduating from high school. Ohio’s high school graduation numbers declined from 137,100 graduates in 2011 to 122,500 graduates in 2019, according to the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE). An enrollment decline is further emphasized at Ohio U due to the university’s record-breaking enrollment in the mid-2010s. These large classes have since graduated and are being replaced by significantly smaller classes. Ohio U has seen a decline of 1,000 incoming first-year students since 2016, going from 5,746 in 2016 down to 4,750 in 2019. The school has also seen a drop in transfer student enrollment since 2016. According to university projections, however, there could be a small amount of growth at Ohio U in the near future. These projections were created using a mix of data from WICHE, trends in the amount of students going to college in
2016
2017
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Ohio, Ohio U’s admission trends and upcoming recruitment opportunities. The projections indicate that the Athens campus, which saw its new undergraduate enrollments shrink as low as 4,050 students in 2019, is expected to see growth in the 2020s. The Athens campus is projected to have 4,600 new undergraduates enrolled in the year 2024. But these projections were created prior to COVID-19, and it is not yet known how the pandemic will impact enrollment. Candace Boeninger, the interim vice provost for enrollment management, is keeping a close eye on how COVID-19 may impact the university. “It’s still too soon to tell what impact COVID-19 might have on enrollment, though we are discussing a variety of scenarios and paying close attention to national surveys that indicate potential disruption in typical enrollment behaviors across all student types,” Boeninger said.
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By Zach Zimmerman News Editor
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hio University cut hundreds of employees, dozens of administrative positions, individual courses and entire programs as a result of an alleged budget crisis. The food studies program, led by recently laid-off professor Theresa Moran, was among these cuts. Moran created the food studies program in 2013 with the goal of offering courses that “expose students to thinking about a big issue in the 21st century.” “Food studies is an exploration of production of food, consumption of food, meaning of food and representation of food,” Moran said. The program included several main “theme courses,” as well as study abroad opportunities and local internships. Guest speakers, or “food activists” — in Moran’s words — were also invited to speak. The impact of the food studies pro21
gram extended beyond the classroom, most noticeably with the student farm, which helped educate the community on how to appreciate food more. “It was a site for experiential learning for all students, to develop lifelong skills and a lifelong appreciation of where their food comes from, so that wherever students end up, they will seek food from their local food systems,” Moran said. Moran said she feels that the overall experience of the farm is important, too. “Students grow food, and then students can use that food for their own consumption,” Moran said. “They can donate to the food pantry. They can donate it to the student run market. It’s a way that you can get hands-on experience with food production.” Many students enjoyed the student farm. Sophia Lingrell, a nutrition student, helped on the farm and has a deep admiration for it. “Anyone that has visited the farm has
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Photos by Anthony Warner a deep love and respect for the work done there and it is amazing to see,” Lingrell wrote in an email. She believed growing food there paid off in the end. “There is nothing more rewarding than spending time and energy on a product and watching it grow into a beautiful vegetable that someone will get,” Lingrell said. Lingrell is upset by the university cutting food studies, not only because of the experiences offered to students, but because of the importance of food in Southeastern Ohio, a region that deals with high levels of food scarcity. She said professors also worked with insurance companies to create programs where purchasing from locally-sourced programs led to lower bills. This helped promote a healthy and sustainable diet. Produce was also sold to students in Grover Center, giving them access to fresh and sustainable produce at a low price. “I can only imagine that losing this program will cause many people to lose access to low cost, sustainable produce,” Lingrell said. Many questions surround what will happen to students currently enrolled
in the program. Moran does not have an answer at the moment. “I read that the university is going to find a way for those students who have already enrolled in the certificate to complete the certificate,” Moran said, although she added she doesn’t know anything for sure. Without concrete answers, Lingrell is left with little hope. “In the end, I can only assume that they will get rid of the farm, which breaks my heart,” she said. “We would be losing one of the most unique and interesting places at Ohio University.” Moran believes the food studies program could educate students on current issues, so she said the timing of this cut is unfortunate given the economic turbulence brought on by the pandemic. “Especially now, when COVID-19 has really ripped the veil off of the failures of our industrial food system and shown us the critical importance of local food systems,” she said. “Surely we can learn from this to understand that we have to be strengthening our local food access.” Moran said Ohio U President Duane Nellis showed a great deal of interest in the program when he first started working at the university and that he came to visit the farm soon after arriving. Moran is very critical of the university’s decision. When asked if the university was short-sighted in cutting the program, she went a step further. “They are ignoring the value that they say they hold, which is experiential, interdisciplinary learning and the focus of community engagement,” Moran said. “My program, I did all of that.”
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Title IX: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.� By Bo Kuhn Digital Managing Editor
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itle IX, a part of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, was created to guarantee equity in education for students regardless of sex and has been used to protect students and employees from sexual misconduct that would impact their access to education. Recent changes to Title IX by the U.S. Department of Education, however, designed a new approach to protect the due process rights of those accused of sexual harassment or assault, according to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. The new regulations, which go into effect Aug. 14, force institutions of higher education to choose between two standards of evidence: “preponderance of evidence” or “clear and convincing evidence.” After the school states which standard they intend to use, it must be followed for all complaints. The preponderance of evidence standard “requires the jury to return a judgment in favor of the plaintiff if the plaintiff is able to show that a particular fact or event was more likely than not to have occurred,” according to Justia. com. The other standard, “clear and convincing evidence,” requires the plaintiff to prove the claims are “substantially more likely than not to be true,” thus more difficult to prove than the former. Ohio University has not confirmed which standard of evidence it intends to use as of July 11. Ohio is a “home rule” state, which means that institutions have “significant leeway in how they interpret and implement Title IX,” according to Jennifer Seifret, executive director of the Survivor Advocacy Outreach Program of Southeast Ohio. “Home rule” allows Ohio U to decide how it interprets Title IX and how the processes are handled.
The reporting process has also been extended with two new 10-day waiting periods. In the first, the school must provide evidence to both parties allowing parties to respond to the evidence. For the second, the school is to provide an investigation report before the hearing for both parties, according to Kerri Griffin, director of Equity and Civil Rights Compliance and Title IX coordinator at Ohio U. “This new regulation requires schools to act in meaningful ways to support survivors of sexual misconduct, without sacrificing important safeguards to ensure a fair and transparent process,” DeVos told CNN. Schools will also hold live cross examinations of accusers and the accused, which was already commonplace in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, according to Griffin. The definition of sexual harassment has also been changed to “unwelcome conduct that a reasonable person would determine is so severe, pervasive and objectively offensive that it effectively denies a person equal access to the school’s education program or activity.” Before the changes, the definition was “unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature,” according to the 2011 Obamaera standards known as the “Dear Colleague Letter”. The claims must be pervasive and objectively offensive, in order to protect the First Amendment rights of those accused, according to the Department of Education. Title IX does not apply to incidents between students in off-campus apartments, nor does it apply to study abroad programs, according to Barbara Nalazek, the deputy general counsel for Ohio U’s Office of Legal Affairs.
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Stay Home, e m o H m o r f e t o V By Nolan Cramer Staff Writer
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hio’s presidential primary was held largely by mail because of COVID-19. Voter turnout in Athens County was just over 21%, down more than 20% from the 2016 primary. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced the move to mail-in absentee voting late on March 16, the day before the scheduled primary. Debbie Quivey, director of the Athens County Board of Elections (BOE), said local voter turnout surprised her. “In my personal opinion, the voter turnout was lower. I thought it would have been higher,” Quivey said. “Is it because of us going to mail-in absentee voting? I don’t know. I truly don’t know why it was lower.” On April 28, the Ohio Secretary of State offered limited in-person voting for those who, based on the guidelines, could not vote by mail. Quivey said every voter who arrived at the BOE that day was informed of the restrictions to in-person voting. Only individuals without a permanent mailing address or with a disability could vote in-person. At the Athens BOE, however, 19 individuals still cast provisional ballots in person without meeting the guidelines, making their votes invalid. “We let them vote, having the knowledge that there is a very good chance that their ballot wouldn’t count,” Quivey said. “All of the people decided to vote knowing this ahead of time. The majority were 25
just like, ‘Well, I just want to make sure I vote.’ And they voted to reject all 19 ballots because the directives we had were clear.” With the November general election approaching, she said that she didn’t know what voting will look like. The BOE is preparing for both optional in-person voting and exclusively mail-in voting. Quivey said they have received many questions about the possibility of voter fraud with voting by mail. In recent months, multiple politicians, including President Donald Trump, have made statements discrediting the security of mail-in voting. Quivey and various other Ohio election officials, however, have said there is no evidence to suggest that mail-in voting is less secure than casting a ballot in person. She said Ohio has one of the best mailin voting systems. The BOE has an electronic system to ensure that each voter can only return one ballot, so it would be nearly impossible to return a second absentee ballot to double vote. “There’s just no way. I just don’t see any way that it can be frauded,” she said. Maggie Sheehan, spokesperson for Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose also said that Ohio has banned certain practices that are susceptible to fraud. “While other states allow potential practices for fraud like ballot harvesting, Ohio has long outlawed it, and has developed practices over that time that have ensured a secure, efficient absentee voting system,” Sheehan said.
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UNION SUPPORT a HURDLE for district Democratic challenger By Cole Behrens Director of Staff Development *Editor’s Note: Portions of this story were originally published in The Columbus Dispatch*
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he Democratic challenger for the 94th Ohio House District finds herself in an interesting predicament — she may need to try and wrest control of the local and state labor support from a Republican. Katie O’Neill, daughter of former Ohio Supreme Court Justice William O’Neill, is running against incumbent Republican Rep. Jay Edwards, R-Nelsonville, for the House district that covers most of Meigs and Athens Counties and parts of Washington County. O’Neill won an Ohio Supreme Court case in April to remain on the November ballot after the Athens County Board of Elections unanimously determined she had not been a resident of Nelsonville for at least a year. But she may have to do it without the financial support, or even endorsements, from one of the most staunch Democratic allies: labor unions. Edwards has soundly secured the support of many of 27
the local unions in his district and has caught the attention of state and regional unions as well. In 2018, Edwards squared off against Democrat Taylor Sappington, the current Nelsonville Auditor, in a heated race for the 94th House District that received national media attention. Despite being described by The New York Times as “the perfect red-state Democrat,” Sappington, who considers himself “extremely pro-labor,” failed to net more than a pair of contributions from organized labor. The lion’s share went to Edwards. While this outcome may have baffled The New York Times, Edwards — who beat out Sappington by a margin of over 10% — was not surprised. Edwards credited securing most trade unions to his unwavering opposition to right-to-work legislation. He said being pro-labor is a cultural value of the region. “Being a true hard-headed Appalachian, you’ll never find me change my stance on these things,” Edwards said. “Whether that’s today, tomorrow or ten years from now.” For many trade and private sector unions, opposition to right-to-work legislation is a major plus for potential union support Right-to-work legislation, which neighboring states Michigan and Indiana have implemented, guarantees that no person can be compelled, as a condition of employment, to join, not join, or pay dues to a union. Many unions described it as a rank and obvious attempt to destroy organized labor. “Right-to-work is simply a race to the bottom that puts workers and their families squarely in harm’s way,” said Matt Szollosi, executive director of Affiliated
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Construction Trades Ohio and a former Democratic lawmaker. The Affiliated Construction Trades gave Edwards $12,700 in 2018, the maximum donation amount, according to campaign finances. In Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin, the introduction of right-to-work laws has, on average, reduced the unionization rate by 2.1% and lowered real hourly wages by a total of 2.6%, according to a paper published by The Labor Education Program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Edwards added that he has phone conversations with union leaders almost every day. “I think they know now they can always come to me when they have issues and we can talk,” Edwards said. “I don’t think you build all those relationships because someone tells you to have good relations with labor.” Trade union representatives spoke highly of Edwards in his role as House majority whip, saying he is attentive to the needs of individual industries. “Rep. Edwards has been really proactive in fostering relationships with building trade members in his district. Jay has demonstrated a strong understanding of issues impacting the construction industry,” Szollosi said. Even John Haseley, the chair of the Athens County Democratic Party, acknowledges that Edwards has been largely pro-labor “I think it is because after his election, the action he took and what he said, he was very clear and vocal about his support for the unions,” Haseley said. In 2019, unions spent about the same amount of money on Ohio Republicans as they did on Ohio Democrats, a Cincinnati Enquirer analysis of Ohio Secretary
of State’s office reports found. Nationally, 90% of union campaign spending is donated to Democrats. In 2018, Edwards received $133,664 from unions, public and private, averaging out to $5,569 across 24 unions, including the AFL-CIO, and the local chapter of The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), which represents many of the employees at Ohio University, according to his campaign reports. Edwards said he believes the central Ohio and Appalachian areas are seeing a shift from labor, public and private, historically backing the Democrats, to a new coalition of Republicans and organized labor working more collaboratively. “I think that is slowly changing and we’re seeing that change right in front of your eyes in the mid-Ohio valley and Appalachia,” Edwards said. O’Neill is optimistic about her chance to appeal to the unions, public and private — she said she hopes even if they don’t back her, they’ll stay neutral during the race. “Of course if the unions back my opponent, it will have an adverse affect on my campaign, but it is going to be a tight race and so if I don’t get the endorsement, I hope they don’t endorse anyone,” O’Neill said. If the trade and public sector unions do continue to back Edwards, however, O’Neill said she is not worried. She said she never put much emphasis on campaign financing. Edwards has already received contributions totalling $32,042.35 from nine unions according to preliminary filings. O’Neill has received $3,790 total, and no union has yet to contribute to her campaign.
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• OPINION •
NAVIGATING A CRISIS, PANDEMIC & POLITICS By Charlotte Caldwell Opinion Editor
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y now, people must be getting sick of hearing phrases like “six feet apart” and “social distancing.” For many, COVID-19 is like these phrases – nothing more than a nuisance or a minor inconvenience to everyday life. For others, the guidelines put in place are not feasible and threaten quality of life. The “stay at home” order enacted in many regions may seem like an easy enough task. But for homeless people and prisoners, “staying at home” is impossible. In response to this issue, many states have temporarily put homeless people in motels, like California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan, “Project Roomkey,” or released inmates from prison. Initiatives like Project Roomkey may seem generous, but this is only being done to slow the spread of the virus. After the threat has passed, these people will likely be back on the streets. Since a prison in Marion, Ohio, where over 1,800 inmates tested positive for the virus, shows how quickly a prison can become infected, releasing inmates seems to be the only option. There’s a chance, however, that some inmates could be more dangerous to the public than the virus itself, so there should be a limit on who is released. Victims of domestic abuse may have a home, but being stuck in quarantine 29
with their abusers is the worst option. Recent estimates from the United Nations Population Fund show that after three months of quarantine, intimate partner violence (IPV) will have increased by 20% globally and there will be 15 million additional cases of IPV. Stay-at-home orders are not the only stressors. Many people chose not to voluntarily wear masks because they are hard to breathe through and become a nuisance. Since then, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine issued a statewide mask mandate for Ohio on Jul. 22. While the goal is to make mask-wearing the norm, being fined for not wearing one cannot possibly be the only way to solve the problem. Masks have become political. In a Gallup poll, 75% of Democrats will use a face mask outside of the home compared to just 48% of Republicans. Democrats are also more likely to admit that they are using masks in public. People should have a right to decide whether wearing a mask is the best choice for them and should not be forced to do so, like some businesses are requiring of their customers, but mask wearing should not turn into a political agenda. However, the virus has affected everyone. When it has you down, think of who it affects most and remember the overused sayings, “We’re all in this together” and “this too shall pass.”
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• OPINION •
VOTE DOWN THE BALLOT THIS FALL, TOO By Maddie Kramer Opinion Writer
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t’s already been a whirlwind of a year. Between a pandemic, the U.S. killing an Iranian major general and the revival of the Black Lives Matter movement across the country following the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, it seems that 2020 has no room for elections. Be it by mail or in person, however, elections must go on. After what seemed like an eternity of a crowded field of Democratic candidates, former Vice President Joe Biden rose to be the presumptive nominee following Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’ withdrawal from the race. It came without much fanfare as the Democratic Party postponed its national convention due to COVID-19 and evaluated possibilities of a virtual convention. While the presidential election will affect every American’s life, candidates elected at the state and local level directly influence and change lives. Whether it be relief funds, access to abortions or minimum wage regulations, state officials primarily have the position to help or hinder an individual’s cause. The federal government can set basic policies regarding these issues, but it is state and local governments that can build or restrict these policies as much as necessary. COVID-19 has brought increased
attention to state officials. Many governors and state officials decided their respective state’s pandemic response. While Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s term isn’t up until 2022, Athens residents can vote for their state representative and member of Congress this fall. Both seats are currently held by Republicans. Athens is commonly referred to as “the blue in the sea of red,” or the usually Democratic county surrounded by largely Republican areas. Athens has its own fair share of issues, however, that Democrats seem to campaign on. Joel Newby, the Democratic candidate for Ohio’s 15th Congressional District, campaigns on points such as expanding reproductive healthcare in the district and creating job programs to cut down on homelessness and unemployment. These platform points will bring positive change to the Athens community. Being politically active is tough. There’s a lot to keep straight and it can be hard to stay informed. Still, these people are elected to work on behalf of their constituents. Elected state officials are often overlooked in presidential election years. Some may say asking a voter to do research on their ballot ahead of time is asking too much. Some may say it is enough if a person votes at all. Ultimately, it is up to you to vote and speak your mind to keep communities like Athens progressive.
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Tell your story through the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism’s minor programs! More online at: ScrippsJSchool.org
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The Journalism minor offers students an overview of the role of media in society and an understanding of basic theories and practices of newsgathering. The minor helps students to communicate information about their major disciplines to a wide audience across multiple media platforms. The Journalism minor requires a minimum of 18 hours. Complete the following required courses: • JOUR 1050 – Introduction to Mass Communication • JOUR 2050 – News and Information Literacy • JOUR 2150 – Mass Media Writing Principles • JOUR 3200 – Ethics, Mass Media & Society • JOUR 4130 – Gender, Race & Class in Journalism & Mass Media Complete one of the following electives: • JOUR 1330 – Precision Language • JOUR 2210 – Graphics of Communication • JOUR 3110 – History of American Journalism • JOUR 3140 – Fundamentals of Online Journalism • JOUR 3500 – Radio & TV Reporting and Writing • JOUR 3620 – Community Journalism • JOUR 4190 – Legal Issues of Online Journalism • JOUR 4320 – Specialized Business Media • JOUR 4510 – Corporate Social Responsibility • JOUR 4630 – Media and Conflicts • JOUR 4650 – Opinion Writing • JOUR 4660 – International Mass Media • JOUR 4810 – News Media Management
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The Advertising and Public Relations minor offers students introductory knowledge and skills needed to create purposeful communication for an profit or nonprofit organization. This minor focuses on developing an understanding from consumer insights holistic ideas to give students detailed training in the writing and creation of brand messaging. The Advertising and Public Relations minor requires a minimum of 18 hours. Complete the following required courses: • JOUR 2150 – Mass Media Writing Principles • JOUR 2500 – Introduction to Advertising and Public Relations • JOUR 4130 – Gender, Race and Class in Journalism and Mass Media
Complete three of the following courses: • JOUR 3400 – Advertising and Public Relations Research and Theory • JOUR 3750 – Media Planning and Buying • JOUR 4230 – International and Cross- Cultural Advertising • JOUR 4450 – Creative Concepts • JOUR 4530 – Strategic Social Media • JOUR 4710 – Public Relations Planning • JOUR 4820 – Management for Advertising and Public Relations