August 2021
From the Editor:
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“Coming Home” acts as a guide to Ohio U and the community of Athens for both new and returning students. Our staff takes a “watchdog” look at the important issues Ohio U students need to know, from the top decision-makers at Ohio U to the discrepancies of women’s representation in Ohio government. And for each piece of content, we have hidden the silhouette of a “watchdog” for readers to find. A special thank you to: Emily Zeiler who put in just as much work, stress and love into this magazine as I have; Zach Zimmerman and our content editors Aya Cathey, Audri Wilde, Maddie Harden and Izzy Keller for making these pieces so well written and designed; our designers who have stepped outside of their comfort zones and into the world of Adobe design; our writers who crafted informative pieces and our copy editors for ensuring we did not miss anything. Lastly, thank you, reader, for picking up this magazine. I hope you learn more about the Athens and Ohio U community – the place we call home.
have yet to have a full, normal year of college. My freshman year was abruptly cut short after spring break, and the school transitioned to online learning. I can still recall how unreal the experience felt. It seemed even more unreal that I would have a full year of college split between my childhood bedroom and my dorm room, working in a remote newsroom without being able to form in-person connections with my staff. How could I, as a news editor, foster the same camaraderie among the staff and nurture the excitement for journalism I found at The New Political my freshman year? Despite the challenges we faced, our staff continued to serve the Athens community, and I could not be more proud of the work they accomplished. The annual summer magazine is our way of ringing in the new school year, Emily Crebs, Editor-in-chief even if it is a less-than normal one, and I am so excited to share what we Cover designed by Emily Crebs have produced. 1
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The Team Emily Crebs Zach Zimmerman Emily Zeiler Madeline Harden Audri Wilde Aya Cathey Izzy Keller Evan Gallagher Kate Marijolovic Eric Boll Bryce Hoehn Charlotte Caldwell Sarah Donaldson
Editor-in-chief Managing editor Digital managing editor News editor News editor Opinion editor Assistant digital editor Director of PR/social media Staff writer Staff writer Opinion writer Copy editor and designer Copy editor
The Content
CAThens Happens ...........................................................................3 The Fight to Achieve Representation ............................................5 Explainer: Qualified Immunity and its Effect on Politics ...........7 A Village of New Growth Fighting Gentrification .......................9 Shining Light on Public Records Compliance ............................11 Who’s Hugh? ...................................................................................13 A Look into Ohio U’s Top Decision-makers: The Board of Trustees.............................................................................................15 From Asylum to University Hub: The Ridges...............................17 The Pandemic’s Effect on SAC Funding .....................................19 OPINION: Students Don’t Get a Say in Ohio Primaries ............21
Find the watchdog! On 10 of the pages in this magazine, there is a hidden watchdog. Find all 10!
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CAThens Happens Written and Photographed by Eric Boll Staff Writer Spread designed by Emily Zeiler ithout a doubt, one of Athens’ most famous residents is Pumpkin, an orange tomcat who has amassed thousands of likes, retweets, favorites and shares across social media platforms. Residing at the Athens County Board of Elections, Pumpkin has won the “Best Window Display” and “Best Public Figure” award from the Athens NEWS “Best of Athens” competition. However, he has recently gained competition, as other local businesses have adopted their own cats. Clowes Auto Repair, located on East State Street, recently adopted a cat named Casper. According to Brandy Felts, Casper’s owner, Casper was found at a junkyard this past spring while they were looking to buy a car trailer. Casper was very sick when Felts first found him, with severe infections in both of his eyes and his respiratory system. Initially, Felts planned to put Casper up for adoption when he was healthy, but that quickly changed. “He’s stolen the heart of my 10-yearold and myself,” Felts said. Felts said at first, Casper wanted to be held nonstop. But as his health improved as he grew older, Casper became more energetic and mischievous. It’s not uncommon to find Athens cats living in odd places, such as beneath buildings. Heather McDowell, a board member of the Athens County Humane Society, recalled that when Athens
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Casper and his owner Brandy Felts
County had a cat shelter, it quickly became overwhelmed. This was especially due in part to litters of kittens being dumped there. “The euthenesia rate was so high,” McDowell said. “We couldn’t manage it.” In response, the Humane Society pivoted and began to focus their attention on a spay and neuter program. Making stops throughout local communities in the county in their mobile clinic, the program offers cost effective sterilization. The Humane Society hasn’t completely abandoned cats, however, as they still run a small adoption program. Another reason for the pivot to spay and neuter is cost constraints. According to McDowell, the local government helps to fund the dog control program but does not offer the same amount for feline control. The Humane Society does receive funding and donations from the community as well as businesses, which has helped to fund their feline control programs. “A lot of the businesses are involved in the Humane Society. We have such a great community of pet lovers,” McDowell said. Like many Athens residents and Twitter users, McDowell loves the business cats and wishes more businesses would hire a furry friend. “I love (the business cats),” McDowell said. “It’s something we would encourage more of.”
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A unique gathering place of students and community members Social JustICE s Fair TradE s Local Art & Music s Spoken Word Musicians Open Stage Ranked 3rd Best Coffee House In America by The Reader’s Choice Friendly Service Great American Coffee House Tour
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The Fight to Achieve Representation By Kate Marijolovic Staff writer
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n the over 200 years since Ohio became a state, a woman has never represented the state in the U.S. Senate. Ohio’s only female governor, Nancy Hollister, was not elected, and she only held office for 11 days in 1998 between the gubernatorial terms of George Voinovich and Bob Taft. According to research conducted in 2018 by The Matriots, a non-partisan political action committee supporting women candidates in Ohio, women made up 29% of elected officials in the state. In Athens County in 2018, 27% of
elected officials were women. Of the 161 candidates endorsed by the PAC in the past three years, 99 have been elected. Director of Finance and Development for The Matriots Shiloh Todorov said The Matriots hope to endorse 200 candidates for state and local offices in 2021. The Matriots’ mission is to support female candidates as they run for office. Todorov said the PAC’s goal is achieving equity. “Our whole focus is helping women, from village and township roles to the statehouse and state Supreme Court, get elected to office at the rate at which we are residents of the state, so 51%,” Todorov said. Only 30% of the current Ohio Legislature is made up of women, a far cry from the 51% female representation The Matriots PAC is hoping to reach. Todorov said many factors play a role in why women choose not to run for office. “Some of it is direct forces working against women, some of it is our own perception of what we’re capable of, and some of it is just not a lot of people are encouraging women to run,” Todorov said. Fundraising is more difficult for women candidates than their counterparts,
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and the gender pay gap can have an impact on women candidates’ fundraising efforts, Todorov said. “If all of your network is only making $0.76 compared to the $1 that your male opponent is making, they don’t have as much money to give you. So, the PAC is trying to alleviate some of the tension around fundraising for women who have decided to run for office,” Todorov said. Athens City Council President Chris Knisely, who initially had doubts about running for City Council, said friends and numerous role models ultimately played a large role in her decision to run. Many of her role models were women who served in local government in the Athens region, including former Athens County Commissioner Helen Baker, former City Councilmember Michele Papai and current Athens County Auditor Jill Thompson. “When people first started asking me about serving on Council, I did not have a level of confidence about it, which I think is typical of everybody,” Knisley said. Knisely credited working with organizations, such as the League of Women Voters and local neighborhood associations, for giving her the confidence to run for office. Todorov believes that having a strong network is vital to a successful campaign. “It is just your network. Calling on everyone you know, shoring up that base of support and then deploying them to speak on your behalf,” she said. State Rep. Cindy Abrams (R-Hamilton County), who serves as assistant majority whip, agreed that women considering running for office should get involved with their communities. “I encourage women to get involved with their local community (school district, chamber of commerce, etc.). I am
proud to be involved with my local community and have learned so much from my experience,” Abrams wrote in a statement. Abrams, the only woman on the House majority leadership, believes the respect of her colleagues has been more important to her career than her gender. “I believe they respect me and value my opinion because I have worked hard for the team to earn that respect,” Abrams said. “I am proud to serve on this leadership team and believe I bring something positive to the table based on my upbringing and background experience in the public and private sectors.” Abrams said she would like to see more women serve in public office. She thinks women’s perspectives and communication skills are good for government. “I’ve served in male dominated professions for most of my life and I’ve always worked hard to prove myself,” she said. “I believe women bring something different to the table.” State Rep. Marilyn John (R-Richland County) said while her career has not always been easy for her family, she believes it has had a very positive impact on her children. She said being a working mother has allowed her to be a role model for her kids. “I would say to a mom that is considering, while there are going to be sacrifices that your family makes for running for office, there are also many blessings that they receive from it, and you just have to weigh that out,” John said. Knisely encourages women who are considering running for office to try it. “Realize that women are absolutely as capable as men are in serving, and doing a good job in serving, at the local level,” Knisely said.
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Explainer: Qualified immunity and its effect on politics
“Where an official could be expected to know that certain conduct would violate statutory or constitutional rights, he should be made to hesitate; and a person who suffers injury caused by such conduct may have a cause of action.” Written and Designed by Emily Zeiler 7
Digital Managing Editor
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ualified immunity, first granted in 1871, is a legal doctrine in the United States protecting government officials, including police officers, from “frivolous litigation.” A legal doctrine is an important rule or set of rules with a long history in court cases, setting a precedent that has become widely followed. This particular legal doctrine helps protect those it applies to from individual liability unless the official had violated a clearly established constitutional right. In the Ohio Revised Code, immunity is granted to public officials when they do not commit the act outside of their employment or responsibilities, the act was not reckless or without malicious purpose and when specific liability is imposed in sections of the Ohio Revised Code. The United States Supreme Court used judicial policymaking to officially create qualified immunity in 1982. The modern test to determine if qualified immunity can be granted to a government official was created in the case Harlow v. Fitzgerald. In the case of qualified immunity, the only ones present in the discussion to create the policy were the judges in the U.S. Supreme Court in 1982. Policymaking typically occurs in state and federal legislatures after long periods of time when discussions and testimonies of relevant parties occur. Harlow v. Fitzgerald instituted a test to determine if qualified immunity applies: “where an official could be expected to know that certain conduct would violate statutory or constitutional rights, he should be made to hesitate; and a person who suffers injury caused by such conduct may have a cause of action.” When granting qualified immunity to a police officer or government official, judges look for two things: the presence of a civil rights violation and if there is an established precedent.
There are still cases where, if one of the tests show a violation occurred as a result of an action undertaken by a public official, the public official is still granted qualified immunity to shield them. Qualified immunity holds public officials to a lower standard when committing violations, whether it be constitutional or explicitly written in law. This allows there to be more leniency in determining if a public official can be found guilty of these violations. When a case involving the defense of qualified immunity arises, the victim must provide evidence that the action of the official in question has violated a “clearly established” law by exhibiting another case where the same situation arose and qualified immunity was not granted to the public official. These cases open up the option for a judge to not review a case, to just say there is insufficient evidence from a similar case in the past and to grant qualified immunity. This creates the potential for fewer instances where courts resolve constitutional issues to create precedent for future cases and in turn, not grant qualified immunity to other officials who may violate explicit laws in the future. In recent years, there has been increased support for reforming qualified immunity when it concerns the blanket protection police officers may receive. An example of this is when a police officer uses excessive force while arresting an individual. The argument in support of qualified immunity is for government officials, specifically police officers, to be able to conduct actions within their jobs without fear of lawsuits being brought against them. Justification for this argument is the concern that public officials could be bankrupted by the results of civil lawsuits. Qualified immunity may protect public officials in cases where mistakes were made, but it has allowed officials across the country to act before thinking.
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A Village of New Growth Fighting Gentrification By Madeline Harden News Editor
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he village of Chauncey has seen a recent uptick of economic activity, thanks to the expansion of the Baileys Trail System, the opening of several lodging companies and a number of events associated with the trails. But with all the activity occurring in the up and coming village, the concern of gentrification looms in the air. The Oxford Dictionary defines gentrification as “the process whereby the character of a poor urban area is changed by wealthier people moving in, improving housing, and attracting new businesses, typically displacing current inhabitants in the process.” This process typically occurs through an increase in rent and property values that eventually drive out original residents. Historic conditions can play a huge role in gentrification. Chauncey’s history has deep ties to coal, an industry that has largely disappeared from the area. Given Chauncey’s past, there is a more apprehensive outlook on the quick economic growth. “I do believe that there is a general cautiousness of any type of economic development given a history of boom and bust industries (salt, coal, clay), inadequate assistance programs, and broken promises over the years,” Julia Paxton, an Ohio University professor who carried out research in her economics of altruism class centered around Chauncey’s gentrification, wrote in a statement.
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But despite its past, Paxton believes there is a sense of optimism among residents and locals due to the village’s recent boom of local business owners and increased tourism brought on by the Baileys Trail System. “The people I have spoken with are hopeful about the opportunities associated with the Baileys and are particularly keen on making sure the opportunities accrue to the local residents,” Paxton wrote in an email interview. “Some tangible benefits to the Chauncey residents include improvements to the local park, new sidewalks, a connector to the bike path, and of course, access to a premier trail system.” Local empowerment is one of the main goals of the organizations and entrepreneurships spearheading the development of the Baileys Trail System. Many of the opening businesses are owned and run by locals, avoiding uncontrolled economic growth. The research project executed by Paxton’s class laid out a breakdown of Chauncey’s housing data and potential gentrification prevention strategies. From the class’s research on property exchange in Chauncey from 2018 to 2019, right around the time the trail system opened, 72% of purchases were made by Chauncey locals after a 109% increase of property sales in 2018. These are promising numbers that could ensure local economic success if the trend continues. “I am tracking the local ownership and it is too early to tell [if the trend will continue]. I would anticipate outside investment in the Chauncey region,” Paxton wrote.
“The village council can choose to create housing and zoning restrictions if they want to have greater control in the purchase of property.” A major development coinciding with the construction of the trails are Airbnb and lodging options popping up along the trailheads. While these are opportunities for local business owners, potential risks also arise for the village, such as current tenants potentially being pushed out to make way for short-term renters. Paxton’s class presentation suggested that zoning bans for specific areas and density could be the solution to the potential risks of Airbnbs. Zoning laws can be used to regulate residential and commercial properties along with affordable housing to keep power within the hands of the community. On Nov. 7, 2020 the Council of the Village of Chauncey passed an ordinance to create a planning commission with the purpose of serving as an emergency measure to deal with the potential detrimental impact on the village that Airbnbs near residences and businesses could have. Amy Renner, the mayor of Chauncey, did not respond to requests for comment at this point regarding Chauncey’s zoning laws. Although not a resident of Chauncey, Paxton shares many hopes for the village’s future. “Based on my conversations with residents, however, it seems like most are interested in improving the quality of life of Chauncey,” Paxton said. “They want Chauncey to be affordable, with excellent services, a sense of community, and economic opportunities.”
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Shedding Light on public records compliance By Kate Marijolovic Staff Writer
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or many, the word “sunshine” probably doesn’t bring thoughts of paperwork, data and public records requests to mind. However, Sunshine Laws, also known as Ohio Public Records and Open Meeting Laws, allow the public access to proceedings of government agencies in Ohio – shedding light on government activity. Sunshine Laws make it easier for the public to exercise the rights afforded to them through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Taken into effect in 1967, FOIA gives the public the right to request records from public agencies. While there are some exceptions to FOIA, most records from public entities, ranging from school boards and city governments to public universities and Congress, can be at least partially obtained through a request. In November 2019, Ohio Auditor of State Keith Faber founded the StaRS public records system to encourage greater records request compliance among public agencies in the state. StaRS
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monitors and rates Sunshine Law compliance in government entities across Ohio. The initial StaRS report, released in March 2021, included 2,812 reviews of public records compliance across the state, according to a press release from Faber’s office. Ohio University received the Highest Achievement in the Open and Transparent Government Award from the StaRS rating program. Carly Leatherwood, the executive director of communications at Ohio U, attributes the university’s high StaRS rating to having a designated member of the university’s legal staff handle public records requests. “We have a staff person who is dedicated to that. It’s something we take very seriously,” Leatherwood said. For some smaller government entities, the COVID-19 pandemic has made filling public records requests more challenging. Jack Pepper, administrator of the Athens City-County Health Department (ACCHD), said the pandemic has made filling public records requests in a timely manner more difficult.
“We are a very small health department, and we’re starting to wind down in terms of some of our efforts that are focused on the COVID pandemic, but during the throes of the pandemic it was every staff person that I had was working all day, every day on COVID related items, so it made it very difficult, particularly larger requests, to get those filled in a timely manner,” Pepper said. Pepper added that the health department has not seen an increase in the number of records requests being made during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We typically only field probably six to eight requests a year,” Pepper said. At Ohio U, however, requests increased. According to data from Ohio U’s legal team obtained by Leatherwood, the university processed 334 public records requests in 2020, an increase from 249 requests in 2019. “While the pandemic did not slow down our process in any way, I think it’s safe to say that it did have an impact on an increased number of requests for public information here,” Leatherwood said in a statement accompanying the data.
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Walkthroughs
Who’s Hugh? Written and designed by Izzy Keller Assistant Digital Editor
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n his first message to the Ohio University community after being appointed the university’s next president, Hugh Sherman spoke about his previous positions at Ohio U, his time spent there and the accomplishments of Ohio U – the institution, its alumni, its faculty and its students. “I look forward to working with you, making every effort to do so in partnership and with transparency,” Sherman said in his video message to students and faculty. “To ensure that we continue to deliver a truly outstanding educational experience that impacts our students for life.” If not acquainted with Ohio U’s College of Business, the name “Hugh Sherman” may be an unfamiliar one. Sherman has spent over two decades at Ohio U after a switch from the private sector to academics in 1995 when he joined Ohio U’s staff as an assistant professor of management. From there, Sherman went up in the ranks within the College of Business, serving in several high profile roles before becoming the College of Business’ dean, as well as the Corlett Chair of Strategy and Senior Economic Policy fellow at the Voinovich School in 2007. Sherman stayed in those roles until stepping down January 2021 with the intent to return as a faculty member within the College of Business. His staff biography on Ohio U’s website credits Sherman with leading the College of Business successfully in his 13 years serving as dean. Under Sherman’s
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leadership, the college was in the top 50 of undergraduate business colleges across the United States, added three more academic centers and doubled the number of enrolled students, according to an OHIO News release. Cary Cooper, Ohio U Board of Trustees chairman, shared his thoughts on why the Board of Trustees selected Sherman during this transitional period. “Hugh Sherman is a respected leader who accomplished a great deal during his time as dean of the College of Business and will make an excellent President during this time of transition,” Cooper said in an Ohio U news release regarding Sherman’s appointment in May. “My fellow Trustees and I have every confidence that Dr. Sherman will not only provide continuity, but also be an inspiring and strategic leader for the institution for the next two years. We are
To Do:
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Sherman speaks to media at an event July 9. Photo by Emily Crebs.
thankful for his continued commitment to Ohio University.” Sherman has lived in Athens for 25 years, raising his family there. Prior to moving to Athens, Sherman lived in Lancaster, Pennsylvania where he worked for Swatch Watch and founded International Footwear, according to his LinkedIn profile. After stepping down, Sherman and his wife Cynthia established a scholarship for students living in Appalachia. Sherman holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Guelph University, a master’s from Northeastern University and a doctorate in international business strategy from the Fox School of Business at Temple University. In 2019, Sherman received an honorary doctorate from the University of Pecs in Hungary. Sherman’s view of higher education includes looking toward the future and adapting to the ever-changing world. Sherman has spoken about his passion for education in interviews and speeches throughout his career in academia. He referred to Ohio U as being great at creating an all-around learning experience in a Q&A video with a student. In his 2019 honorary doctorate
acceptance speech, Sherman shared that he believes higher education should focus more on technology-based learning and out-of-classroom experiential learning experiences rather than exclusively concentrating on content-based learning. “If higher education wants to remain the focal point of knowledge, its application and a major contributor to economic growth, we must adapt our approaches to teaching and learning,” Sherman said in his speech. At a media roundtable event held on July 9, 2021, Sherman spoke about his plans for Ohio U. According to reports by The New Political, Sherman’s plans include a university-wide change in the advising system that would model the College of Business’s, adding professional academic advisors and career counselors. This would reduce the advising responsibilities on faculty. Sherman also spoke of his wish to create lasting financial stability at Ohio U, although did not offer a plan to do so. He, also, does not plan on replacing the existing members of the university’s leadership. Notably, Sherman only wishes to serve as president for the two years of his current contract. As the new freshmen flood the streets of Athens come August, they will not be walking alone. Sherman will be walking among them, as the new leader of Ohio U. The freshmen and Sherman have a lot in common: optimism, excitement and the hope that when they walk through Alumni Gateway for the final time, they left the university better than how they found it. Ohio University Communications and Marketing did not respond to requests to interview Sherman.
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A Look into OHIO’s Top Decision-makers: the Board of Trustees Written and designed by Izzy Keller Assistant Digital Editor
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t major institutions like Ohio University, each decision can lead to thousands of potential outcomes. The responsibility of running the oldest public university in Ohio lies largely in the hands of a group of 14 people: Ohio U’s Board of Trustees.
What is a Board of Trustees? In the simplest terms, a board of trustees is the top governing body of an organization whose duty is to make the best decisions possible for its shareholders. In public universities and community colleges around Ohio, boards of trustees are the primary governing body. In the state of Ohio, all 14 public universities and 23 community colleges are required to have a board of trustees, according to the Ohio Department of Higher Education’s website. In Ohio, members of a university’s board are entrusted with their responsibilities by the Ohio Legislature. A board of trustees must include 9-15 trustees, according to the Ohio Ohio University Board of Trustees
‒ Cary Cooper, chair ‒ Peggy Viehweger, vice chair ‒ Lorrie Platt, Scott Borgemenke, Dave Scholl, Janelle Coleman, Steve Casciani, Diane Smullen and Matthew Evans, trustees ‒ Jeff Laturell, Alumni Association Representative ‒ Ellen Gill-Franks and Sarah Ladipo, student trustees 15
Department of Higher Education’s website. Trustees are appointed by the governor with the guidance of the Ohio Senate and typically serve nine-year terms. To be re-appointed, a trustee must wait four years between terms.
Who is on Ohio U’s Board of Trustees? As of June 2021, Ohio U’s Board of Trustees consists of 14 members. Out of the 14, only nine are voting members. Voting members include Cary Cooper, the board’s chair, and Peggy Viehweger, the board’s vice chair. According to the bylaws of the Ohio U Board of Trustees, positions like chair and vice chair are elected annually. In the event of a vacancy, the trustees are able to select another member to serve as chair or vice chair during the remainder of the term. The responsibilities of the chair and vice chair are stated in the board’s bylaws. As the chair, Cooper presides over all board meetings. Cooper also has the authority to appoint members and fill vacancies on the special committees. Viehweger acts as the presiding officer in Cooper’s absence. Non-voting members include an alumni association representative, student trustees and national trustees. The job of these members is to give input, however, they do not have the power to vote because the purpose of their job is to represent Ohio U-related bodies to the board’s voting members. For example, national trustees give bobcats from around the country a seat at the table, and the alumni association representative brings issues important to the Ohio U alumni. The student trustee positions play an important role for Ohio U students
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within the Board of Trustees. These members are chosen from the student body and undergo a similar selection process as the others. First, a group of student leaders builds a list of candidates to fill a student trustee spot to hand to the Office of the President. Ohio U’s president takes this list and selects five candidates to send to the Ohio Governor’s Office. From there, the governor will choose who will fill the vacancy. Currently, Sarah Ladipo and Ellen Gill-Franks are serving as student trustees until 2023. Ladipo, a philosophy major, was appointed in May 2021, and Gill-Franks, an English pre-law and criminology sociology major, was appointed in July 2020. The Board of Trustees has four standing committees: academics and student success; audit and risk management; governance and compensation and resources, finances and affordability. Each committee has its own chair, members and purpose, allowing for bigger issues to get more attention than they would in a regular meeting.
What powers do they have? As the primary governing body at Ohio U, the Board of Trustees has more power than any other person, body or organization at the university. According to the Ohio Department of Higher Education’s website, some of the powers
and responsibilities delegated to the trustees include: approving personnel appointments and contracts, approving changes involving academic curriculum and programs, setting budgets, setting student tuition costs and appointing the university president. Trustees take many of these actions regularly. One of the least common actions taken is choosing a president to lead the university. This action, however, will be frequently used over the next two years, as Ohio U is in a “transitional period” between presidential leadership. On May 27, the Trustees announced that Hugh Sherman would be the 22nd president of Ohio U. The appointment came swiftly without a search committee or consultation from the Ohio U Faculty Senate after the resignation of former President Duane Nellis, according to the Athens NEWS. The trustees made the decision to have Sherman be the president, rather than an interim president. Another example of the trustees’ power is the termination of, now former, Ohio U journalism professor Yusuf Kalyango’s tenure as reported by the Athens NEWS. In 2018, Kalyango was found guilty of sexually harassing graduate students, violating Title IX. Ohio University Communications and Marketing (UCM) was consulted for this article with the consent of the trustees. UCM did not respond to questions sent via email.
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From Insane Asylum to University Hub: The Ridges
Written and Photographed by Eric Boll
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he story of the complex now known as “The Ridges” began in 1874 when the Athens Lunatic Asylum, a mental hospital, was opened. The asylum operated for over 100 years before the property was given to Ohio University in 1993 by the state of Ohio. “The state gave (The Ridges) to Ohio University believing that we could be utilizing and helping care for it given its adjacency to university properties,” Shawna Wolfe, the associate vice president for university planning and “Queen of The Ridges,” said. Wolfe has worked at The Ridges for nearly her whole career. Her first job out of high school involved cleaning out the
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buildings that make up The Ridges. The buildings weren’t the only thing that needed upkeep, as the property came with 700 acres of land that required maintenance. Stephen Wolfe, the senior associate vice president of facilities management and safety, said The Ridges property is essentially divided into five zones. The first zone is the formal Ridges green, an area that houses the Kennedy Art Museum, the Voinovich school and the Ohio U Police Department. “The Ridges green we maintain to the same level of standards as the main campus,” Wolfe said. “We do maintain some of the trails … usually for access to key parts of The Ridges.
We have some antennas and the water tower which we need to be able to get to.” The second zone is known as the “Land Lab,” which is used for research on the flora and fauna native to The Ridges. The third zone is used for Ohio U’s compost facility, and the fourth zone is referred to as “Tier Two Development Land” and reserved for future development. The final zone is referred to as “Dairyland Corridor” and is land reserved for development by Athens city government and private owners. On this land sits the Dairy Barn Arts Center, the Richland Avenue Park and Dairy Lane Park. Spread designed by Evan Gallagher
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The current and future use of The Ridges One of The Ridges’s major achievements was the relocation of administrators after the Russ College of Engineering and Technology and the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine moved to new buildings. The two colleges moved into spaces previously used by administrators at the West Union Street Office Center and the Human Resources Training Center, leaving these administrators without an office. It was decided these administrators would move into renovated spaces at The Ridges and Grosvenor Hall. This move and renovation of buildings is credited with saving the university around $60 million dollars in maintenance and construction costs. Like all facets of life
in the past two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has altered the history of The Ridges. The rise in working remotely and concern over returning to in-person learning has led to the creation of “Flexible Workspace” at The Ridges. While the goal of this space is to provide alternative office spaces for university officials, the university is trying to keep an open mind about other uses for the offices. “We have a vision that this will serve those that decide to work remotely. We are constantly evaluating requests like, ‘Could students book spaces up there?’ It’s definitely a consideration we are looking at,” Wolfe said. The university has met its needs in terms of expansion, and is now opening up doors for the community to develop space at The Ridges. “We have designated
in The Ridges framework plan that buildings beyond our programmatic use are compatible for things like senior housing and affordable housing,” Wolfe said. Housing isn’t the only thing Wolfe hopes to see at The Ridges. The university aims to develop The Ridges into its own community hub with a variety of experiences offered at the property. “Our vision is to continue to tie (the experience of The Ridges to) important research, the museum complex, the Voinovich school, the child development center and outdoor activities,” Wolfe said. “And then to enhance that experience with 24/7 activities like living, we’d love to have developers think about restaurants or retail shops to really create this vibrant community that’s integrated with the university.”
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The Pandemic’s Effect on SAC Funding By Audri Wilde News Editor
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hio University saw significantly fewer events during the 20202021 academic year due to restrictions set in place to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Consequently, the Student Senate’s Senate Appropriations Commission (SAC), responsible for allocating funds to student organizations, distributed about $40,000 in the spring of 2021 compared to the $270,000 given out in the fall of 2019. According to Brogan Speraw, vice commissioner of SAC operations, there had previously been a limit on how much money student organizations could request from SAC within one bi-weekly funding decision. But since there were so few events held during the fall semester, SAC removed this limit for the spring 2021 semester. Despite the limit being removed, SAC only gave out an additional $2,900 in the spring of 2021 compared to the fall of 2020. Based on SAC funding
decision records, during the fall semester of 2019, the last semester before COVID-19 hit, organizations on average requested $1,387 from SAC. In spring 2021, after the cap was removed, the average request was $1,861, about $500 more. In contrast with the fall of 2019, however, SAC gave out nearly two times the amount of funds per request during the spring of 2021. “We (SAC) got less events with higher price tags,” Speraw said in a Zoom interview. While unused SAC funds are able to roll over into the next year, the cap was removed in an attempt to get more money back into the hands of the student body during the trying times of the pandemic. According to Speraw, student organizations took full advantage of SAC’s changes. Since the monetary cap was lifted, larger requests were made, detailed in the SAC funding decision records. “Effectively, you could ask for however much money you could possibly
use,” Speraw said. The normal application process requires the student organization president and treasurer to attend a SAC training workshop, then apply for funding via Orgsync. Due to COVID-19, organizations seeking funding only had to receive approval from the university and devise a COVID-safe plan for their event. Speraw said these additional requirements rarely hindered student organizations from receiving funding. Generally, organizations took care of the necessary precautions before requesting funding for on-campus events. According to SAC funding decision reports, student organizations were typically denied funding when the price of the event was improperly documented in their request, the event was not open to the public or the request was not essential to the success of the event or organization. The main reasons for denying funding during the 2020-2021 academic year were almost identical to those from the previous year. During the 20192020 academic year, however, many requests were
also denied for sustainability reasons, which can be attributed to the fact that all events were held in person. During the spring semester, SAC saw a larger push for organizations to host virtual events featuring speakers, Q&A panels and other interactive presentations in order to meet safety requirements while still getting large groups of people and university outsiders together. Organizations such as the Ohio University Trombone Society (OUTS) had to move events that were typically in-person to online formats while having to find ways to keep attendees excited and engaged. Each year, OUTS hosts their annual Ohio University Trombone Day, which they use to showcase the musical talent of the students and guest artists as well as to recruit high school students across Ohio. According to Emily Justice, the former president of OUTS, OUTS did not request funding from SAC for past events and instead found funding through donations and fundraising. In 2021, however, OUTS requested $700 to
fully fund Ohio University Trombone Day. “Because of COVID, we were completely reliant on that (SAC funding) for this event,” Justice said in a Zoom interview, “It was not only convenient, but the university has it, so why not take advantage of it.” According to Lucas Borges, an associate professor of trombone at Ohio U and the faculty advisor for OUTS, the online nature of the event made hosting it cheaper and easier. In previous years, OUTS had to spend money and time on paper fliers and posters, welcome packages and getting rooms ready the day before the event. There were also fewer variables to worry about, such as performers getting sick or keeping track of instruments. Additionally, because the event was online and the cost to hold the event was reduced, more people were able to attend. Borges said when the event was in person, attendees had to pay $5 for early registration and $10 for on-site registration. Holding the event over Zoom not only made the event free, but it was ac-
cessible to anyone from anywhere. People from Central America, Brazil, Indonesia, Japan and Norway participated in Trombone Day. “Usually we have about 40 to 45 people, which is a very large number. We had over 100 (this year),” Borges said in a phone interview, “And the cool thing was that there were people literally from all over the world.” Borges added, however, that while the online format opened up new possibilities, he missed the physical aspect of the event. “As successful as it was, it was not nearly as fun,” Borges said. While future OUTS events may be held in person, Borges said the organization will be including a virtual aspect to continue making their events accessible to all. Leading into the next school year, SAC may see more organizations including a virtual aspect in their funding requests, allowing events to have increased and widespread involvement. Spread designed by Charlotte Caldwell
OPINION: Students Don’t Get a Say in Ohio Primaries e! I have a vo ic
Our election too!
Stu dents matter! By Bryce Hoehn Opinion Writer
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n this year’s primary election there was only one item on the ballot: the Democratic Primary for Athens City Council between incumbent Councilmember Chris Fahl and challenger Alan Swank. Of the 721 registered voters in Ward 4, only 282 votes were cast. Swank won by an overwhelming majority of 184 votes. Meanwhile, Fahl seemingly did not know it was Election Day. When Athens NEWS journalist Ben Peters asked for her contact information to comment on the results, she responded saying “[Is] there a primary?” For many students, the first week of May is arguably the busiest week of their entire year, if not their entire lives. With finals week in the last week of April and graduation approaching, it is no wonder election turn-
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out is so low. Under the current primary election system, it is extremely difficult for students to find time to both research candidates and turn out to vote. Being that Athens is a one party city, most Ohio University students miss the chance to vote on a range of candidates. Since the primary elections fall so close to the end of the year, voting has become largely inaccessible to those preoccupied with finals and end of year activities. While smaller local elections may not seem as important, they play a crucial role in determining who runs the city government in one party cities such as Athens. This trend can push out progressive candidates who may be more in touch with younger people in favor of those who can appeal toward older demographics, creating a practical gerontocracy in the city. This trend was most
apparent in the 2019 mayoral race where self-described Democratic Socialist Damon Krane challenged incumbent Mayor Steve Patterson. Krane’s campaign focused heavily on issues that affect students and those in poverty such as affordable housing. However, due to student inaccessibility in the primary, he was forced to run as an independent in the general instead, where he only received 25% of the vote. Had Krane been able to run in a competitive primary election, who knows how the race could have gone. I suspect there are many voters who voted for Patterson in the general due to the (D) next to his name on the ballot who may have otherwise voted for Krane had he ran as a Democrat. It is unclear whether this would have caused a significant enough of a difference to change the
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outcome, but it almost certainly would have been a closer race. Unfortunately the city does not have the authority to change this election date. According to Section 3501.01(e)(1) of the Ohio Revised Code, “[p]rimary elections shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May of each year except in years in which a presidential primary election is held.“ Even if we could change the date for local elections, it would introduce further complications when it comes to statewide elections which are currently on the same day. While there is not much Athens can do to move the election day, Ohio U could do more to get student voters to the ballot box. Last year, several emails were sent to every student’s inbox from Vice President of Student Affairs Jenny Hall-Jones with election date reminders and instructions on how to vote in both the primary and general presidential elections, but none were sent this year. Those emails from HallJones are informative for students, and I suspect have a strong correlation with student turnout in the election years they are sent. Sending similar email reminders for local
elections would be a great way to keep bobcats informed about local issues and to remind them how they can vote as a student. In addition, Ohioans benefit from generous early voting laws, which allow students to vote in person at the board of elections up to 28 days before the election. This could be emphasised in said emails so students can get their ballots in before finals week stress. This issue of student disenfranchisement must also affect other college towns throughout the state. The Ohio Legislature could fix this by simply changing the law to move the primary date. As I mentioned above, the May primary date only applies in years without a presidential primary election, whereas all presidential “primary elections shall be held on the third Tuesday after the first Monday in March except as otherwise authorized by a municipal or county charter (ORC Section 3501.01(2)).” This March election date could easily just be applied to every primary election in the state rather than only on presidential elections. This would not only fix the issue of student disenfranchisement, but it would also just be eas-
ier for Ohio residents to track. However, this does run the risk of putting the election a bit close to midterms and spring break at Ohio U, but this is still a better date overall as students aren’t moving and graduating at the same time. Ohio U could also work around the election date – or better yet, the Ohio Legislature could coordinate with universities to find a date that works best for students. Either way, the March date seems like the most practical and immediate solution as it is already established as a decent date for elections according to the legislature. Students should have the same rights as any other constituent when it comes to voting for local representatives. We live, work and study in Athens just like anyone else during our time here. While that time may be shorter than other residents in town, it should not restrict our right to representation in city government. By drawing more attention to the issue of voting in off year elections, I hope to see an increase in accurate representation of students’ voices and the needs of younger residents in Athens. Spread designed by Evan Gallagher
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