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Hookup Culture
Is hookup culture healthy for our generation?
Mick Cronin
Coach says seed placement doesn’t matter
THE NEWS RECORD / UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI THURSDAY, MAR. 2, 2017
NEWSRECORD.ORG
Ohio sees a higher number of drug overdoses
Upcoming SG election JUSTIN REUTTER | NEWS EDITOR
JEAN PLEITEZ | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Kevin Leuger and Nicole Price speak on how their platform can improve UC, Tuesday, February 28, 2017 in The News Record newsroom.
IAN LEBLANC | CONTRIBUTOR
Lakshmi Sammarco asked, “Ever play Russian roulette?” It’s the morning of Feb. 27 at Dr. Sammarco’s office, and she has a full day of work ahead of her as the Hamilton County coroner; Nine people died in Hamilton County last weekend due to drug overdoses. With sincerity, she likens the nature of the past weekend’s drug overdoses to the lethal game of chance. “We’ve seen a gamut of mixtures,” said Sammarco. Drugs like fentanyl, ketamine, heroin and cocaine comprise the cocktail Sammarco, police, addiction service groups and health officials have to deal with. Drug mixtures add to the risk of overdose and harm – a truth that was realized last weekend. The beginning of the year has been as equally troubling as last weekend. The period from Jan. 15, 2016, to Feb. 26, 2016, yielded 49 overdose deaths. According to Sammarco, there have been 94 this year. UC student and member of Students for Sensible Drug Policy Kaelynn Rearick believes that the fight against harmful drugs must be a team effort. “I don’t know what could be causing the spike, but in order to get the numbers down, I believe that public education is imperative,” said Rearick, adding that implementing less strict medical amnesty policies and working to treat addiction as a public issue rather than a criminal issue would help. One way would be through use of needle exchange programs, according to Rearick. The stain caused by an overdose reaches beyond the individual. “The most dire consequence of overdose is the strife it causes families. It leads to children becoming orphans,” Rearick said. The surviving family members of two individuals who overdosed over the weekend include three children who are now orphans, according to Sammarco. Work is still being done to evaluate the specific drugs, ratios and other factors that contributed to last weekend’s scourge. For now, health and public safety officials’ goal is to continue to educate and mitigate drug use and overdose. The Addiction Services Council is Hamilton County’s biggest player in the anti-drug game. They held a news conference on Monday in recognition of the weekend’s event, and many public officials came to speak and offer insight. The overwhelming consensus of the meeting was that the state of Ohio must legislate to attack drug use as a medical issue – rather than criminal – and increase funding for abuse prevention programs. Ohio currently has three of the top 10 cities for drug overdose. Toledo is at number 10, Cincinnati is at number six and Dayton is number one.
JEAN PLEITEZ | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Bashir Emlemdi and Dana Drage talk about their platform, Tuesday, February 28, 2017 in The News Record newsroom.
JEAN PLEITEZ | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Mike Arnold and Jack Thorson visit The News Record newsroom to elaborate how their platform will help UC students out, Tuesday, February 28, 2017.
Who is most valuable to UC men’s bball? DAVID WYSONG | SPORTS EDITOR ETHAN RUDD | STAFF REPORTER JASON SZELEST | STAFF REPORTER CLAUDE THOMPSON | STAFF REPORTER OPINION
The Cincinnati Bearcats have a lot of scoring options. The men’s basketball team rosters four guys averaging 9.9 points per game or more – Jacob Evans, Kyle Washington, Gary Clark and Troy Caupain. But which one of them is more valuable? As the team gears up for the NCAA tournament, sports experts Ethan, Claude, Jason and David say who they think is most important for the success of UC. Ethan: Jacob Evans When the Bearcats run their spread offense well, the offense looks great. However, the Bearcats were unable to spread the court against the University of Central Florida and Southern Methodist University because Cincinnati went cold from the outside. Here’s the thing – someone must help spread the floor by moving the ball and hitting perimeter shots. That someone must be Evans. He’s UC’s best outside shooter and a real X-factor when it comes to running the offense. If Clark and Washington get double-teamed, Evans must be there for the outlet pass and the score. When Evans heats up, Clark and Washington should follow suit. When you make the defense respect perimeter scorers, the inside opens up. Sure, Washington’s offensive production has been great this season, but he won’t be getting more double-doubles without Evans. Claude: Troy Caupain Over the last few games the Bearcats have played, starting with the loss against SMU, a concerning trend for UC has appeared and that is as Caupain goes, so does the team. During the losses to SMU and UCF, Caupain went zero-for-seven and onefor-nine from the field. The loss to UCF saw the team score its lowest total of the season at 49 points. The Bearcats need Caupain to shoot well to be successful in the coming weeks and to garner any respect come national tournament time. In his senior year, the pressure on Caupain is heavier than it’s ever been with his final games in a UC uniform coming faster
than he may have expected, but he won’t get another chance next year. The time to perform is now. Jason: Troy Caupain This answer is easy. Caupain is by far the most important player in terms of guiding the UC men’s basketball team on a tournament run. Despite a couple of other players possessing more offensive talent, such as Washington and Evans, it is still Caupain who head coach Mick Cronin trusts with the game on the line. He is the leader and captain of this team, and he has started every game for the Bearcats for the past three seasons. How he goes, the Bearcats go, and when he struggles, especially as of recently, UC has produced poor results. In their last two losses against SMU and UCF, Caupain has scored a combined five points on 1-of-16 shooting. Caupain needs to realize that this is his final shot as a collegiate basketball player, and he has the capability to lead this team farther than they have ever gone in the Mick Cronin era. David: Kyle Washington The guys above me make great points – but they’re wrong. The most important player to this year’s UC team is clearly Washington. Cincinnati was ousted in the second round in 2015 and in the first round in 2016. Caupain was on both of those teams, and Evans played in 2016. You know who did not play? Washington didn’t play, and his addition to the team has, arguably, jumped them from an eight- or nine-seed to a four or five. Washington is tied for the team’s leading scorer, while also averaging just over seven rebounds a game, and leads the team in blocks. He has been a major upgrade from Octavius Ellis, and his value to the team will show this month.
JUSTIN HILES | CONTRIBUTOR
Troy Caupain (10) and Kyle Washington (24) regroup after an early foul on Tulsa. February 18, 2017.
Student Government election season is upon us. This year, there are three slates for president and vice president: Kevin Leugers and Nicole Price, Bashir Emlemdi and Dana Drage and Mike Arnold and Jack Thorson. The main points of Leugers and Price’s campaign include textbook affordability, providing adequate resources for sexual assault survivors and updating mental health resources, as well as supporting diversity, inclusion and transparency. Creating diversity and transparency includes providing seats for identitybased senators, said Leugers. For the most part, the Student Government is currently largely white and a part of Greek life on campus, according to an external assessment conducted last year. “Right now [Senate meetings are] not an open table,” said Price. “It is a room with the door barred shut.” The Leugers and Price campaign also emphasizes providing protection for international students, ensuring that a safe learning experience is provided regardless of immigration status. “It is not even so much about the title ‘sanctuary campus’ as the effect,” said Price. Emlemdi and Drage’s platform is called “For the Bearcats.”The idea of the platform is to create a campus that is inclusive for all Bearcats, and it is divided into six categories to address points from
academics to mental wellbeing. “Everybody is a Bearcat, no matter how you identify – be it theologies, religions, ethnicities…It doesn’t matter,” said Emlemdi. One of the specific points of their platform is a 21-credit hour forgiveness policy, in which students attempting to graduate could take three extra credit hours without an additional fee in order to jump-start their careers rather than stay an extra semester to finish a class. “I can’t imagine the stress of being forced to stay another year,” said Drage. Another point discussed was to provide bussing between UC and NKU for UC home games while Nippert Stadium is renovated. “UC home games are a big part of the first-year experience,” said Drage. “We want to make sure we enhance that experience while our permanent home is being built.” The Emlemdi and Drage platform also pledges to centralize resources for sexual assault survivors to provide clarity and ease of access. “The issue is complex,” reads their platform page. “Getting help should not be.” Drage said her biggest accomplishment was working on gender-based violence programs, and she would continue to advocate for survivors while in office. Both the Leugers-Price and Emlemdi-Drage platforms include medical amnesty for alcohol, in which first-time offenders who are dangerously inebriated and in need of medical help can receive
aid without fear of legal discipline. “A girl at the University of Miami died of alcohol poisoning, and her friends didn’t call 911,” said Leugers. “We are focused on making sure that every Bearcat makes it to the next weekend, the next night.” The Arnold and Thorson platform emphasizes giving a voice to students outside of what Arnold describes as the “Student Government bubble.” Both of them are founding members of the Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity. “I’ve learned how to manage my team and improved leadership through Greek life,” said Thorson. “It’s set me up for a great future ahead.” But neither of them currently participates in SG, and they believe this gives them an outside perspective. “Being outside of Student Government, you actually are not inside the bubble of Student Government,” said Arnold. The platform wishes to represent the interests of students who are not heavily involved in campus politics or student organizations. “There seems to be such a disconnect between SG and the 80 percent of students who don’t vote, their ideas and their issues,” said Arnold. The platform emphasizes transparency, both in the SG senate room and upper administration. “The university needs to wait for student input and then make decisions, not the other way around,” said Arnold.
OLIVIER DOULIERY | ABACA PRESS | TNS
GOP Presidential candidate John Kasich speaks during CPAC 2016 on March 4, 2016 in National Harbor, Md. The American Conservative Union hosted its annual Conservative Political Action Conference to discuss conservative issues.
Kasich proposes higher taxes PARKER MALATESTA | NEWS EDITOR
Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s fiscal budget proposal imposes higher taxation for Cincinnatians at a time when the city’s budget shortfall is estimated to be the worst since the recession, according to the University of Cincinnati Economic Center. The estimated expenses for the city for 2018 are $414.1 million, while the estimated revenues total at $389 million, creating a $25.1 million margin. Kasich is preparing to increase taxation in Cincinnati by about $1.2 million in total. That is the amount the city would lose over two years with his new budget. “The assault on local government has got to stop,” Mayor John Cranley told the Cincinnati Enquirer. Kasich, with the help of Republican lawmakers, cut the Local Government Fund in half between 2011 and 2013. The margin was used to balance the state’s total budget, lowering income taxes and restructuring emergency funds. The key feature in the proposal is that the new formula implements a “capacity-driven” structure. The deficit in Cincinnati is roughly 10 percent of the Local Government Fund that the state of Ohio shares with the city. Eight of the region’s 28 cities, including Sharonville and Blue Ash, would also suffer losses under the new bill. Moraine, a suburb of Dayton, has the largest proposed budget cut at 40 percent. “I agree with Mayor Cranley’s concerns,” said fourth-year finance and business economics student Nikith Reddy. “My parents live in one of the areas that would be affected, and this could be [a] major problem.”
Inversely, with some cities being forced to cut budgets, others would receive more aid from the state. Across Ohio, funding to local governments would increase by 3.5 percent over two years. Hamilton County would be given a supplementary $307,000 under the governor’s proposition. The proposed funding infrastructure focuses on a town’s tax capacity. The governor’s argument is simple – cities struggling to raise money from local taxation should receive more funding from the state. At the moment, money is allocated mostly based on population. In regards to counties, taxation will be analyzed based on capability to garner sales and property taxes. At the Ohio House Finance Committee, Budget Director Tim Keen elaborated on the state’s key objective with the bill. “We want to ensure that Ohio maintains the momentum and continues to experience success. This new executive budget sustains that by building for Ohio’s next generation. This is a budget that maintains strong and stable state finances, is structurally balanced, prioritizes education and higher education and focuses on workforce development,” he told lawmakers. One conflict with the proposal that politicians are identifying is that citizens with low incomes and work in highly populated cities would be forced to spend more of their money on taxes. The bill would be dispersed in fluctuations. In 2018, 5 percent of funding from local governances would be based solely on taxation capacity. By 2020, it would reach 20 percent.
FREE
2 / NEWS THURSDAY, MAR. 2, 2017
UC Cancer Institute’s new funding LAUREN STYCZYNSKI| CONTRIBUTOR
PHOTO COURTESY OF CARIS LIFE SCIENCES
Thomas Herzog.
This month, the Clinical Trials Office at the University of Cincinnati Cancer Institute received a one-time payment of $73,600 for infrastructure support from the National Cancer Institute’s National Clinical Trials Network. The award is given as an indication of the contribution that UC Health is currently providing to the overall national clinical trial participation, specifically for the contribution in cancer clinical trials. “This award is symbolic of the progress that we have seen with the cancer clinical trial office. We are also in an upward trajectory for enrollments and number and sophistication of available clinical trials,” said Deputy Director of the UC Cancer Institute Dr. Thomas Herzog, MD. Herzog is
also a professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Cincinnati’s College of Medicine. This is the second year in a row that UC has received funding from the National Clinical Trials Network. Currently, the money will be used for many projects and will be “used to defer the costs of operations across all trials,” said Herzog. Herzog has been the clinical director since Aug. 2014. He is a 1986 graduate of the UC College of Medicine, and he completed his residency at the Cincinnati Good Samaritan Hospital. The Clinical Trials Office here at UC oversees and controls oncology clinical trials at UCCOM’s clinical departments. The office ranges from many different diseasespecific cancers, which currently vary from breast
to brain to lung cancers. The Clinical Trials Office was established in 2010 to coordinate the operation of industry-sponsored clinical research throughout UC physicians and UC Health, according to a press release from the opening of the Clinical Trials Office. The UC Cancer Institute brings all of the cancerrelated research, patient care and other research under one main umbrella. The UC Health Clinical Trial Office is also considered a member site of the National Clinical Trials Network. Clinical trials are an important part of the scientific process. As the last stage in the scientific process, they consist of students with human subjects. This stage is highly regulated and carefully overseen, as these trials are the first time these treatments are occurring in
human subjects. Before clinical trials can even occur, years and years of wet lab bench work research and development precedes the discovery and the development of cancer treatment. Often the preceding research occurs in cell models, tissue cultures and models and animal models. The clinical trials happening here at UC are going to become much more innovative, according to Herzog. “This dynamic means that UC is uniquely positioned in the region to offer some of the most innovative potential solutions to patients who are suffering from cancer,” said Herzog. “With the support of UC Health, I envision continued growth of this enterprise over the next three to five years.”
Health Department on funding exchange program JUSTIN REUTTER | NEWS EDITOR
A proposal put forth by the Cincinnati Health Department (CHD) would modify the existing Cincinnati Exchange Project (CEP) in light of an uptick in Hepatitis C that is associated with needle use. The CHD proposed a multiagency approach to modifying and funding the program. Ideally, this approach would include CHD, Hamilton County Public Health (HCPH), additional jurisdictions, the existing Cincinnati Exchange Project with potential revisions to structure and a nonprofit entity to allow for fundraising, according to a report from the CHD. The proposal asks for $102,329 per year for the health department and another $73,700 in additional funding for the CEP per year, making a grand total of
just over $176,000 per year. The expenses include the cost of a mental health professional, a social media campaign and direct and ancillary services like syringe exchanges, confidential testing, counseling, referrals to further treatment and naloxone distribution. While the current exchange project sometimes distributes naloxone, a drug that can reverse the effects of a heroin overdose, the program cannot access a constant supply of it and, therefore, relies entirely on donations of the lifesaving drug, according to the report. “For peer navigators and other outreach workers who serve on the mobile vans, having naloxone on site is imperative,” reads the report. Alan Smulian, program leader and UC professor in Infectious Diseases, also emphasized the
importance of providing Narcan – a brand of naloxone – to users. “About a third of our doses are
PHOTO COURTESY OF UC COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
GEORGE SMULIAN.
used for successful saves,” said Smulian. Despite the presence of the current CEP, confirmed or probable cases of Hepatitis C reported to the CHD have skyrocketed over the last five years from 117.5 cases per 100,000 residents to 271.3 cases per 100,000 residents, according to the report. The number has risen particularly sharply over the last two years, nearly doubling from 137.5 cases of Hepatitis C to 271.3 cases between 2014 and 2016. Currently, the project is functioning across four sites. Annual costs are estimated to be $168,500 to operate these four sites, according to the proposal. Other sites have expressed interest in the project, but have not been added as of yet. Expanding to additional sites will reduce the overall cost per client,
driving annual overall costs from about $42,000 per site to an estimated $33,750 per site. Councilman Chris Seelbach said he is in full support of funding the program, even in spite of the city’s looming $25 million deficit. Seelbach cited the sharp increase of infections over the last two years as proof that the program is absolutely necessary. “If we are serious about fighting heroin in this city, this has to be a priority,” said Seelbach. “It is an investment to prevent people from getting lifelong STDs that no amount of sobriety can fix.” Currently, 5-10 percent of users, or about 160 people, who utilize the program are connected to other programs to help them get clean, said Smulian. “If the city can get 160 people clean, that it would be worth it,” said Seelbach.
Three democratic candidates in Cincy’s 2017 mayoral race EMILY STOLTZ | CHIEF REPORTER
Three Democratic candidates are vying for the position of mayor of Cincinnati this November, including current Mayor John Cranley, Councilwoman Yvette Thompson and former University of Cincinnati Board of Trustees Chairman Rob Richardson Jr. Mayor Cranley, the incumbent, boasts his previous successes as mayor, citing the creation of jobs and the reduction of crime. Councilwoman Thomspson, however, believes Cincinnati needs a new and improved approach to reducing crime that will reach neighborhoods that have not seen much progress in recent years, according to WLWT. Former UC trustee Rob Richardson hopes to bring more innovation to the city, according to WCPO. Richardson referenced his successes at the University of Cincinnati, including his help on improving Fifth Third Arena and Nippert Stadium. Cincinnati native and University of Cincinnati professor of communication Steve Fuller agrees that the city is in need of more
development. “We have a history of getting stuck in the mud and developing much slower than other cities our size,” said Fuller. “We need a mayor who understands our potential and is willing to risk pursuing that potential.” However, some are concerned that the election lacks a conservative influence. Brad Johnson, a fourth-year political science student, is mostly concerned about the economy. “We need a fiscally-minded mayor. The city’s in poor shape, financially,” said Johnson. According to Johnson, all three candidates lean heavily to the left. In terms of fiscal responsibility, “Cranley is as good as we’ll get with a Democrat, but he falls short,” said Johnson. Johnson mentioned Cranley’s push for the Streetcar, which he claims has “largely been a disaster.” According to The Hill, voting for mayor is more influential in citizen’s daily lives than voting for the president. “People overlook local elections because they’re caught up in the drama and flare of national politics,” said Johnson. According to Johnson, most Americans need to be reminded that local governments make
decisions that affect us the most. “A change in priority is necessary,” he said. Having spent the majority of his life in Cincinnati, Fuller agreed, saying, “Local politics usually has a much more direct impact on our day-to-day lives.” Fuller cited developments like the Banks downtown and the addition of the Streetcar. “Our state representatives make a lot of the choices that affect the local economy,” he said. Although students have become more politically aware in recent years, they often separate themselves from politics, according to Fuller. “I think students generally get frustrated with politics because they see the bickering at the national level and prefer to disengage,” he said. According to Fuller, students who want to be leaders of social movements need to expand their efforts, including taking part in local elections. “If there is a march on campus, students will show up, but unless they also show up at the voting booth, they won’t always see their values enacted by our elected politicians,” he said. Cincinnati will hold a primary election on May 2, and the final election will take place on Nov. 7.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CITY OF CINCINNATI
Mayor Cranley and Cheif Isaac shake hands.
LIFE & ARTS / 3 THURSDAY, MAR. 2, 2017
Feminist Art from Sara M., Michelle Vance Waddell JOEY MORAND | STAFF REPORTER
As Women’s History Month kicks off, the University of Cincinnati will host numerous events focusing on women’s rights and their impact on history. One of the events offered to students this month is the “THE PERSONAL IS POLITICAL: Feminist Art from the Sara M. and Michelle Vance Waddell Collection,” which is located in the Reed Gallery and the Wave Pool Gallery in Camp Washington. The exhibit shows work from the feminist-heavy collection of local art philanthropist Sara Vance Waddell and is set to empower women to come together to look out for women of all races and to protect their rights. The exhibit includes works as far back as the
1990s, as well as works that are as recent as the 2016 presidential election. Women artists, many of who are of different races and ethnicities, created every piece included in the exhibit. Erin Schaefer, a secondyear fine arts student, liked how the exhibit included artists of different races. “I appreciated the inclusion of female artists from different backgrounds in this exhibit,” said Schaefer. Schaefer also talked about the exhibit’s refusal to shy away from the difficult topics in our society. The name “THE PERSONAL IS POLITICAL” is a reference alluding to the student-led feminist moments of the 1960s that focused on what was happening in women’s personal lives. The exhibit takes it a
step further by focusing on the feminist movement on a political level. Many of the artists in the exhibit were active members in the feminist movement and have a political motive behind their work. The exhibit shows work from artists such as Anita Steckel, who creates provocative paintings and collages containing political and erotically charged messages, and Deborah Kass, who creates multi-media works that explore the intersection of pop culture and history. Deborah Kass’s piece “Vote Hillary” shows Donald Trump yelling with his face blue and colors splattered everywhere. Many of the pieces in this exhibit, though drastically different, follow Kass’s model of making a politic statement without coming
out and saying it. Instead, the artists allow their work to speak for itself. Every piece in the exhibit tries to give a voice to the feminist movement in its own unique way. Whether the artists are making a political statement about their own personal opinions of this year’s presidential election or a sculpture about women’s reproductive rights, each piece was created to empower women and the feminist movement. Apart from it being Women’s History Month, this art exhibit could not have been more appropriate for the current feminist movements that are taking place in our society right now. This art exhibit is empowering to women of every color and demographic, and students – male or female – should
take the time to check it out. The exhibit will be on
display until April 2.
SHAE COMBS | PHOTO EDITOR
“The Personal is Political” in the DAAP Reed Gallery features feminist art from a collection of artists. March 1, 2017.
CCM wind ensemble’s
‘Hot Off the Press’ NOELLE ZIELINSKI | STAFF REPORTER
JEAN PLEITEZ | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
UC student, Kyler Davis performs at Bearcast Media’s first open mic of the semester, Monday, February 27, 2017 at Catskellar.
Bearcast Media hosts Open Mic Night NOELLE ZIELINSKI | STAFF REPORTER
Bearcast Media invited students to show their talent at its monthly Open Mic Night held at Catskellar Monday night. Though this was the first open mic of the semester, Bearcast Media drew in a large crowd that had Catskellar nearly packed. Students were encouraged to sign up and share their unique talents, such as singing, dancing, stand-up comedy and even magic acts. All were welcomed, and everyone showed their true talents as they took the stage. Singers sang a variety of songs that ranged from classics like “Skinny Love” and “Hallelujah” to new and original pieces. More popular and well-known songs like “Shape of You” by Ed Sheeran and “Ivy” by Frank Ocean were performed by Joe Ross, a first-year astrophysics student. Ross said he started playing the piano and singing two years ago and was pushed by his dad to start performing live. “I did a couple of open mics in high school, and I wanted to get involved in college as well,” said Ross. “This is the third one I’ve been to this
school year, but only the second I’ve participated in.” Ross also sang “Karma Police” by Radio Head. Brothers Drew and Dean Lowry took the stage with acoustic and original pieces. Drew Lowry, a second-year electronic media student, and Dean Lowry, a fourth-year electronic media student, said that they love seeing all of the other acts perform as well. The brothers also said that they actually started in two separate bands before joining together. “We were actually playing in different bands in high school, and then we finally realized that we should probably start playing together,” said Dean Lowry. Their innovative music kept the audience engaged, and their use of different elements added to the performance as well. Along with singing acts, there were stand-up comedians who filled the area with laughter. This open mic event was incredibly lively and popular with a diverse group of participants as well as audience members.
Due to the popularity of this event, however, some who did not sign up in advance could not perform because of the time crunch. Luckily, they, as well as anyone else looking to participate, will be able to next month at Bearcast Media’s upcoming open mic event. This event will take place on March 27 at Mio’s Pizzeria Pub located on Vine Street. All students are invited to attend to watch the acts or to show off their hidden abilities. All students who performed showed great talent and skill. The content of the stand-up acts was clever and witty, leaving the audience laughing uncontrollably throughout each of the stand-ups. The array of music sang and played was very unique since some pieces were original works by the artists themselves – not to mention the timely tunes that everyone could enjoy and sing along to. The entire night was filled with immense amounts of talent and skill across all spectrums of entertainment, as well as pure fun that was nearly impossible not to enjoy.
UC’s College Conservatory of Music’s wind ensemble presented its third annual “Hot Off the Press” showcase this past Tuesday. The concert, held in the Patricia Corbett Theatre, featured “hot off the press” compositions, some of which were played for the first time at this concert. Three of the pieces performed were composed by winners of the 201617 CCM Wind Ensemble Composer Competition. Each of these composers spoke briefly about the background of their pieces in order to provide insight to the audience before hearing their work. Each composer seemed to have a story behind his or her work, which was clearly expressed through the music. A piece entitled “Cryptids,” composed by Alyssa Morris, has three movements. Each movement is representative of a famous cryptid, which is a creature or plant whose existence has been suggested but not discovered or documented by the scientific community. The three cryptids that Morris chose to represent in her piece were Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster and the Abominable Snow Monster. This piece was truly innovative and captivating as it moved the audience through the story of each cryptid. Another interesting aspect to this show was that three student conductors were each assigned one of the pieces to conduct alongside Associate Director of Wind Studies Angela Holt. Prior to the performance, the conductors were able to collaborate and converse with the composers in order to truly portray their vision for the piece on stage. “It was interesting to work with the composer,” first-year doctoral student Sebastian Serrano said
in regards to working with composer Hasmik Tovmasyan. “She felt like she was exploring these mediums for the first time, but she was also exploring different dynamics.” The relationship established between composer and conductor was important for this concert because it allowed the conductor to understand the composer and his or her inner thoughts on a new level. It also benefitted the composer. “Going to the rehearsal was great for her because the players were able to ask her specific questions pertaining to the piece,” said Serrano. Though each piece was intriguing in its own way, Holt said that the first and last piece have elements to them that she really loves. “The first one is interesting because it is rather short, but there is so much in a short period of time,” said Holt. Grammy winner Augusta Read Thomas composed the piece entitled “Magneticfireflies” in 2001. “This is our second time performing it, and there are new discoveries to the piece in each rehearsal process. It is also neat to perform something by a reputable composer in our field,” said Holt. Friedrich Gulda composed the last piece, “Concerto for Cello and Wind Orchestra,” in 1980. This piece was so captivating because it featured cellist Yijia Fang. Fang brought a new element to this piece that was both compelling and refreshing to the wind ensemble. It overlaps different genres of music, including jazz, traditional wind band and orchestra. “Hot Off the Press” presented new and fascinating music that guided listeners through several different emotions, textures and sounds that ultimately left the theatre in awe.
UC honors Women’s History Month with many events ISABELLA JANSEN | ARTS & LIFE EDITOR
In, 1980, when thenPresident Jimmy Carter set aside March 2-8 as National Women’s History Week, he said “too often the women were unsung and sometimes their contributions went unnoticed. But the achievements, leadership, courage, strength and love of the women who built America was as vital as that of the men whose names we know so well.” Since this statement, National Women’s History Week has evolved into an entire month dedicated to recognizing women and their achievements. This year’s theme is “Honoring Trailblazing Women in Labor and Business,” which honors the women who have challenged the role of women in business and the paid labor force.
While the University of Cincinnati is always recognizing the achievements of female students on campus and empowering them to demand their rights, they provide an abundance of events within the month of March. “I always feel supported as a woman at UC. I know there are so many places I can go on campus, such as the Women’s Center, if ever needed,” said Ally Kampel, a second-year early childhood education student. Throughout this month, the UC Women’s Center, in particular, will be hosting many events in honor of Women’s History Month. Already this past week alone, they have hosted events that included a film screening of “It Was Rape,” and “No I’m not Bisexual, You’re Just Confused.” Students could have
lunch while listening to Jennifer Baumgardner, a writer, activist, filmmaker and lecturer whose work
explores abortion, sex, bisexuality, rape and women’s power. On Thursday the UC
FILE ART
Women’s Center is hosting multiple events, such as the Grassroots Activism Workshop that will take place at noon in 571 Steger Student Life Center. Students will be shown the guidelines and models for activism by Baumgardner. On March 4 the annual Women of the World Conference, titled “Celebrating Women’s Strength,” will be held. This year will include sessions on financial management, leadership development and a dance session. For more information, you can contact Corrine Witherspoon at witherce@ uc.edu. Every Wednesday in March students will also have the opportunity to join Sisters in Spirit in participating in Crossroads Church’s “I AM Journey.” This event encourages women to come together to focus on a different topic
each Wednesday to kickstart spiritual growth. For second-year art student Jessica Birkhimer, UC has always been a place where equality between genders has been practiced and promoted. Women’s History Month represents all of the trials women have had to overcome in order to stand where they are today, according to Birkhimer. “It represents how far we have come and how strong and determined we can be in order to achieve great things,” said Birkhimer. “I do believe that society has come a long way.” While this week was packed with events that set out to recognize and empower all women, it is just the tip of the Iceberg. Students can expect events occurring daily throughout the month of March and can stay updated through UC’s website.
4 / OPINION THURSDAY, MAR. 2, 2017
Democrats must support new chair, Thomas Perez MOUNIR LYNCH | STAFF REPORTER
PAT VASQUEZ-CUNNINGHAM | ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL | ZUMA PRESS | MCT
Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, speaks at a news conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, November 27, 2012. President Barack Obama today will nominate Perez to lead the Department of Labor.
Currently facing a period of insecurity, instability and division, the Democratic Party has elected a new party chair. Former Secretary of Labor Tom Perez, the son of two Dominican immigrants, has been appointed as the first Hispanic chair of the Democratic Party. The race has been eerily similar to the Hillary Clinton vs. Bernie Sanders clash in the primary, associating each candidate with either a revolution or the status quo. Immediately following the appointment of Perez, American news headlines like “Tom Perez and the DNC plan to stop the progressive movement,” “The establishment wins yet again in a blow to the progressive movement,” and “Tom Perez’s appointment is the DNC’s death wish” blew up everywhere. Massive groups from the left wing of the party claimed Perez’s election is the deal breaker for them, essentially kissing the Democratic Party goodbye. They expected to see
some relief through the election of Keith Ellison as the new DNC chair, which was supported by Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT), but they did not get it. Where do these views of Perez come from? To place this kind of backlash on the election of Tom Perez only weakens the Democrats more, and it shows a lack of knowledge about the new chair. Perez and Ellison were essentially the same candidates. Ethnic minorities from the progressive side of the party called for funding to focus more on small campaign contributions and not super PACs or special interests, favorites of “the establishment.” Both men seek the trust of lower-income Trump voters who would be best supported by the Democrats, and they will fight to stand up to the top one percent. The appointment of Tom Perez as the chairman of the DNC is not a death wish for the DNC, and Democrats need to give Tom Perez a chance. If we don’t, the Dems will continue to lose. Following his win, Perez
said, “They’re going to ask the question of all of us: ‘Where were you in 2017 when we had the worst president in the history of the United States?’ We will be able to say that the Democratic Party led the resistance and made sure this was a one-term president. It is a crucial time for the party to lead the resistance against Trump and the Republican-controlled federal government that has downgraded the United States into a “flawed democracy.” If democrats do not unite, they will fail again. If the Democratic Party desires to stand a chance in the future, if they want to regain control, they must give Perez a shot. He’s qualified, charismatic, experienced, relatable and a great leader. Democrats should be excited to see how the party will change. We’ve got a lot of work to do, so let’s stop arguing and start working harder to clean the absolute mess that will accompany the Trump legacy.
Hookup culture can turn out to be a mixed bag ALISON BAXTER | STAFF REPORTER
From the awkward sex talk in health class to the newfound spirit of online dating through the form of apps like Tinder, Bumble, Grindr and many more, the millennial generation has been the first to talk about hooking up so loosely – and no, that was not a pun. So, what is hooking up? Is it kissing, making out or playing with each other’s fun areas – or is it the home run? Either way, hookup culture has started a huge discussion on college campuses and in society. Hooking up with someone should involve (it’s sad this still has to be said) consent. For those people out there who still don’t understand this simple concept, consent is when a sexual partner responds with an enthusiastic “yes” when beginning an encounter. Consent is not an “okay,” but a “Yes, I am willing!” From that point on, hooking up becomes a casual event where both parties agree to a noncommitted engagement and have a grand ol’ time. So, why do people make such a huge deal about hooking up? On college campuses, most students live near each other, creating a pathway of people to watch on the “walk of shame” walk home. The term walk of shame is disgusting in and of itself, for obvious reasons, but the point still stands – is it really a walk of shame? If all parties agree to use each other as human dildos, what is really shameful about it? Fun fact: When “walk of shame” is typed into Google, it pulls up several hundreds of females, but no males. Chew on that one. Let’s get back to the point. As long as the two people
are safe about it, then take pride, walk your happy self home and then carry on with your day like a normal human being should. Although the idea of casual sex can worry parents, as it is understandable, people should take the acceptable precautions to make sure the activity is safe.
As stated previously, apps like Tinder, Bumble, and Grindr are out there for one main purpose – to facilitate hookups. Not to say people do not find love through apps, but the degrading “swipe right” and appearance-based interactions on apps like these speak for themselves. Since these apps made a
rise in late 2000s, “dates” have become foreign to most college students. Do people even go on dates anymore? Think about later on when people ask how two people met, and they say, “Well, I slid into her DMs, and then we had a thing for a while.” Have people lost all sense
of chivalry? Unfortunately, John Hughes did not direct the movie that kids now call college, and people today think chivalry is sending “you’re cute” through a message on a dating app. If people want romance, they need to find it somewhere other than staring at their phones.
If people want a random hookup, then it should be perfectly acceptable. It’s pretty safe to say that society’s ideas about dating have changed since the age of holding a boombox outside a window, but, nowadays, there is no universally accepted norm — we just think there is.
AARON LAVINSKY | MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE | TNS
Star Tribune reporter Danielle Fox, right, talks to Akshay Bindra, her first date found on Tinder Social, while grabbing a drink at Sneaky Pete’s late Saturday night, Aug. 6, 2016 in downtown Minneapolis.
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SPORTS / 5 Coach Jamelle Elliott previews AAC Tournament THURSDAY, MAR. 2, 2017
JASON SZELEST | STAFF REPORTER
For the University of Cincinnati women’s basketball team, the regular season has come to an end, which brings the start of the American Athletic Conference tournament. After a 14-5 start to the regular season, the Bearcats managed to win only two of their final 10 games to finish with a record of 16-13. Head coach Jamelle Elliott believes that her team needs to forget about their recent struggles to get the ship back on course in time for the postseason. “Two and eight to end the season, that is not what we wanted,” Elliott said. “I have to get them to the point where we are in a brand new season. I need to remind them of the capabilities of this team, and we just have to fight through. We have to fill our gas tank up one more time to be able to compete because, at this point, it is a one-game season.” A large part of their success this season has
been due to junior point guard Ana Owens, who exited their season finale loss to Tulsa after logging only 10 minutes. Elliott addressed how the team will replace Owens’ production if she is unable to play. Owens is currently listed as day to day. “There are 13 [people] on our team,” Elliott said. “We have some options, it is just a matter of who we match up with. Depending on who we match up with, I am going to insert somebody in the lineup that best matches up with the team that we are facing moving forward.” After earning a No.7 seed in the conference tournament, the Bearcats face tenth-seeded University of Houston. Despite defeating the Cougars in both regular season matchups, Elliott does not want her team to dismiss the threat that their opponent poses. “They are athletic, they have guards that can break down the defense with the dribble,” Elliott said. “They have some post players inside. Jackie Blake has
really been playing well as of late. At this point, it is a new season, and we are not going to expect that we are going to beat them just because we had success against them the first time.” Should the Bearcats defeat the Cougars and go on a run in the conference tournament, it would appear that all roads to a conference championship must go through the University of Connecticut, which has won 104-straight games – an NCAA record. Elliott, who both played and coached under current head coach Geno Auriemma at UConn, is attempting to establish the same culture at UC that was instilled in her at Connecticut. “They are as complete of a team as you can see from top to bottom in how they start games, end games and everything in between,” Elliott said. “They have a culture of winning, and that is what they do. I have been a part of it, and now I am trying to incorporate some of the things that they have done into our team while making our team our own.”
While Elliott does not believe an NCAA tournament is possible at this point, she is still keeping her hopes alive for a smaller postseason
tournament bid. “I think we do have a potential possibility to make the NIT, which I think is a goal of ours,” Elliott said.
Cincinnati will begin their AAC tournament play against Houston Friday at 6 p.m. in Uncasville, Connecticut.
DAVID GIFREDA | CONTRIBUTOR
Brandey Tarver (13) takes a jump shot against East Carolina on Saturday January 21, 2017.
Cronin: tournament seeds are based around ticket sales DAVID WYSONG | SPORTS EDITOR
FILE ART
File art of Troy Caupain (10) and Mick Cronin as time winds down in the fourth overtime of the quarterfinal match-up against UConn in the American Athletic Conference Championship at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida Friday March 11, 2016.
Projected NCAA tournament brackets are everywhere. It is officially March, meaning college basketball experts are trying to give their best guess on what teams will be seeded where in the tournament’s field of 68. However, University of Cincinnati head coach Mick Cronin said seed placement does not matter. “My first year at Murray State, we were a 12 [seed]. We played Illinois as a five. In the same pod, Cincinnati was a four and played East Tennessee State – probably coach [Bob] Huggins’ worst NCAA Tournament team. We played Illinois in a very tough game, and they blew Cincinnati out – they were down 24 in the first half. They were clearly the better team, talent wise, it wasn’t even close,” Cronin said. Cronin said that it is all a luck of the draw, but he believes the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee has extra motivation than to just place teams where they belong. “I’m a firm believer in that the NCAA Tournament Committee and everything is so financially driven that no matter what is said on that [Selection] Sunday, they’re trying to sell tickets,” Cronin said. The tournament is split up into four regions, and Cronin said he thinks teams are moved up and down from specific seeds to enable that region to sell more tickets. “Nobody will admit that because it’s all about the student-athletes, supposedly, but it’s a business,” Cronin said. Cronin explained that the motivation
Bearcat seniors prepare for their very last home game DAVID WYSONG | SPORTS EDITOR
The last home game for the Cincinnati Bearcats will be played Thursday night. In a matchup against the University of Houston, UC will play in their final game at Fifth Third Arena this season. It is the final home game in the careers of their three seniors who will be honored before the game – forward Zack Tobler and guards Troy Caupain and Kevin Johnson. “Troy and Kevin, I think obviously the fans identify with them because they’ve watched them grow up,” said head coach Mick Cronin. “They’ve done so much for the program, they’ve done a lot in the community that hasn’t been talked about.” Caupain and Johnson have played for the team since the 2013-14 season and have combined for a total of 259 games played. Johnson said there will be a lot of emotions when they are honored on the court. “There will be a lot of excitement, a little bit of sadness, but, all in all, we still got a game, and I want to go out and perform and get a win,” Johnson said. Caupain has scored over 1,200 points as a Bearcat in
his career. “My career from freshman year to now has been everything I have wanted it to be,” Caupain said. “Knowing that it’s coming to an end, you know it’s going to be tough, but It’s going to be happy because I’ve loved every moment, I’ve enjoyed everything. If I could do it again, I’d do it.” Due to Tobler being a walk-on, he has not played as much as the other two. He has scored a total of 25 points since 2013-14 and has played in 65 minutes. “I never say anything negative towards Zack because I know he owns multiple firearms,” Cronin said. “When I ask a guy what he got for Christmas and he starts talking about a shotgun, you know if he takes a bad shot you don’t say a word. But he’s a great kid.” Cronin praised all three for their ability to play while being under pressure to perform at the highest level. “In this day of age, it’s hard to be young with Spacebook and all [sic],” Cronin said. “Whatever you want to call it all, Twitter, Spacebook, Myspace, but they get ridiculed on that stuff and it’s not easy.”
In addition to senior night, Thursday will be the final game at Fifth Third Arena before it is renovated next season. When thinking about the renovations, Cronin is reminded of the first game ever played in the venue. On Nov. 25, 1989, Steve Sanders hit a buzzerbeating shot to win against the University of Minnesota. “For me, it all goes back to Bob Huggins and the Steve Sanders’ shot,” Cronin said. “I’m excited about the arena project, it’s much needed. And the guys that have sweated for the program and have done so much to get our program where it’s at should be proud that we’re getting a new arena.” Caupain is wanting to leave the final game with a bang and is playing for the people who played in Fifth Third before he did. “We want to come out and leave it all out on the floor – blood, sweat and tears. Have the crowd into it, keep the crowd into and, knock on wood, come out victorious,” Caupain said. The game will be played 7 p.m. Thursday. It will be aired on ESPN2.
to make money and sell tickets is not limited to the tournament – or even college basketball. “If it wasn’t a business, we would be able to have a bus trip in the conference we play in. From all the way to soccer to [men’s basketball], we don’t have a bus trip,” Cronin said. Tickets are a key reason the Bearcats have not been invited back into the Maui Invitational – an early season tournament in Hawaii that Cincinnati was a part of in 2009 – according to Cronin. “I don’t know if you’ve ever been [to Maui], it’s a great place,” Cronin said. “We got subbed into Maui late, so we didn’t get a chance to package it for our fans, but we can’t get the invite back because we didn’t bring any fans. Now we played in the finals in a great game, probably one of the best final games they’ve ever had – an overtime game against Gonzaga – but anybody who thinks this isn’t a business is wrong, living in a fantasy land.” Cincinnati has two regular season games remaining before traveling to Connecticut for the American Athletic Conference Tournament. Cronin does not want his team worrying about where they will be in the NCAA tournament. “We got no time to worry about bids and seeding and all that. If we worry about that stuff, we’re going to be in deep trouble,” Cronin said. The Bearcats play the University of Houston 7 p.m. Thursday at Fifth Third Arena for their last home game of the season. The game will be aired on ESPN2.
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Together, Bearcats and Gators can do a world of good
Like you, we know the challenges facing our planet are greater than any one person or university. That’s why we admire what you’re doing and invite you to check out what we’re up to in our like-minded quest for the Gator Good. Together, our breakthroughs will help to move the future of autonomous vehicles forward. As Bearcats and Gators, we’re showing what happens when the brightest minds come together in the pursuit of something that’s bigger than all of us.
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