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ACTORS THINK FAST Know Theatre hosts improv festival
Baseball players adjust to new field PG 6
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THE NEWS RECORD NEWSRECORD.ORG
UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2014
Cincinnati expands transportation options with bike share Red Bike promotes new, healthier means of commuting around city
in the city,” said Jake Holden, a fifthyear aerospace engineering student and co-director of sustainability for student government. Barron compared Red Bike to public transportation or walking as opposed to personal biking. “It’s how you get from point A to point B,” he said. “The Cincy bike share would be something similar to supplementing bus routes,” Holden said. Red Bikes are available as $8 day passes or $80 annual memberships, both of which can be purchased online or at the B-stations where the bikes, or B-cycles, are found. Both passes have 60-minute rental limits because they are meant to be used as a transportation method from one point to another. Each additional 30 minutes is $4. The three-speed bikes are fitted with a basket and flashing lights on the front and back. They are capable of tracking your distance cycled and calories burned, which can be checked on the website or the B-cycle app. You can also check how
COURTNEY STANLEY | ONLINE EDITOR
Cincinnati’s first citywide bike sharing program, Red Bike, officially opened Monday, providing 260 bikes at 30 different locations around University of Cincinnati’s campus and throughout Over-the-Rhine and downtown. According to Jason Barron, the executive director of Red Bike, as of 5 p.m. Wednesday, 384 bikes had been checked out since the racks, or B-stations, opened Monday morning. “It’s a no hassle bike share,” Barron said. Red Bike eliminates the stresses that might cause some to choose not to ride their bike around the city: finding a safe location to lock the bike up, worrying about it being stolen, carrying it into work or storing it at home. “It takes the work and investment out of having a bike and being able to ride
BAILEY DOWLIN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER The bikes have popped up all over Cincinnati, just as the freshly placed bike lane on Central Parkway has dried.
many bikes are at a given station through the app. Red Bike differs from UC students’ other option for bike rental: Bearcat Bike Share. According to Holden, students can check out bikes from the Bearcat Bike
Share at the recreation center for free with their Bearcat Card. Each bike comes with a bike lock and can be renewed. “You essentially rent and get the bike for three days, whereas with the Cincy SEE BIKES PG 3
ADVOCATES AID SURVIVORS RECLAIM peer leaders aim to create safe environment for sexual assault survivors KATIE COBURN | NEWS EDITOR
One in four women are sexually assaulted during their time in college, according to Know Your IX, showing that sexual assault is prevalent on college campuses — including the University of Cincinnati — and its presence demands attention, acknowledgment and action. Founded in 2013, Know Your IX is a national survivor-run, student-driven campaign that aims to end campus sexual violence and educate college students in the U.S. about their rights under Title IX — a federal civil right that prohibits sex discrimination in education As defined by the Ohio Revised Code 2907.01-2907.09, sexual assault is sexual conduct, contact or any other activity of sexual nature without the consent of the other person or when knowing the other person is unable to consent because of age or impaired mental or physical condition. Sexual assault can include rape, attempted rape, sexual harassment, public indecency, voyeurism and stalking. Maria Kothman, a fourth-year social work student who serves as a RECLAIM Peer Advocate at UC’s Women’s Center, said sexual assault affects everyone. According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, one of every six American women fall victim to an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime and one in 33 American men have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime. RAINN is the nation’s largest antisexual assault organization. Every two minutes, another American is sexually assaulted, according to information from RAINN’s website. “One in four college women is too many. One more person is too many,” Kothman said.“This is a problem and a crime affecting our community. It’s happening right now.” Housed in the Women’s Center and comprised of trained peer advocates, RECLAIM is a program designed to provide direct support to sexual assault and genderbased violence survivors. Peer advocates engage in campus-based activism by raising awareness and hosting educational programming on sexual assault and consent. “I believe in advocacy, in the power of our voices, and I believe in survivors,” Kothman said.“I want to make UC a safer place, and I want to contribute to the cultural shift that will make that happen.” Peer advocates work to promote a culture of consent on campus and in the community, Kothman said. “Any time we define sexual assault or rape, we should also be defining consent,”
HANNAH SELLERS | LEAD DESIGNER
Source: World Health Organization. 2002
Kothman said.“Consent is a sober, verbal, and ongoing ‘yes’ to sex, and it cannot be given when there is any element of force, threat of force, or coercion.” Amy Howton, interim director of UC’s Women’s Center, said after a person is sexually assaulted the focus is typically on the survivor’s behavior rather than the perpetrator. “Our culture creates a lot of victim blaming,” Howton said.“So, I think for a lot of survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, there’s a lot of that blaming that happens and shame that is accompanied by that kind of victimization, mostly because those forms of victimization are perpetrated
HANNAH SELLERS | LEAD DESIGNER
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Statistics. 1997 Sex Offenses and Offenders Study.
by people that we know and trust, so there’s some self-doubt that can accompany those forms of violence and shame because you feel that it’s your fault.” According to RAINN, approximately twothirds of sexual assaults are committed by someone known to the victim. Furthermore, 38 percent of rapists are a friend or acquaintance of the victim, and 28 percent of rapists are an intimate friend. Sexual assault can cause lingering effects on survivors’ mental health, including: post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, flashbacks and difficulty focusing and trusting others, according to Kothman. The UC Health Center, located in the Stetson Building near the UC medical campus on Martin Luther King Drive and Highland Avenue, treats patients with PTSD. The center offers free evaluations to new patients to help determine if they have PTSD. ¬To learn more about the center or to schedule an assessment, call 513-558-5872. “It’s important to seek help because it’s the first step in recognizing that it was not your fault and that you’re not alone,” Howton said.“Help can come in many ways and that looks different for each person. I think it’s important to understand that there’s so many different ways of working through that to a place of healing. There’s no one right way.” Kothman said it is important to understand that not only does everyone survive trauma and crisis differently, but also that trauma is not limited to the time directly following an assault. “Survivors can carry that trauma with them, and any number of things can cause a survivor to enter crisis again,” Kothman said. “It’s possible to be in crisis months or years after an assault, and those feelings are still valid. For this very reason, RECLAIM is here for survivors at any point in their journey.” Recently, The News Record named a sexual assault survivor involved in an armed robbery turned home invasion that occurred on Sept. 5. The newspaper obtained the
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survivor’s permission to use her name, and to tell of her assault — which was described in graphic detail. Some readers expressed concern for naming the survivor and for the graphic details that were included. Kothman said a trigger warning — a note for readers warning of graphic content — is important for such stories. “For survivors of sexual assault, reading a piece where there might be a graphic description of an assault, a trigger warning can mean that they are in control of the content they read and can make an informed decision about whether, in that moment, they’re in a place emotionally where they’re able to cope with the content,” Kothman said. The News Record added an editor’s note to the online story and plans to include a trigger warning for graphic content in future stories. Counseling & Psychological Services is another campus resource that provides support and coping methods to sexual assault survivors. Located at 225 Calhoun St., Suite 200, CAPS is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the 24hour phone consultation is 513-556-0648. An off-campus resource for sexual assault survivors is Women Helping Women, which provides crisis intervention and support for men and women who are survivors of sexual assault. This agency is located at 215 East Ninth St., 7th floor and can be reached at 513-381-5610. “It’s important to empower survivors with resources,” Kothman said.“Their next steps are theirs to make, and whatever decision they make is the right one for them. If you’re supporting someone surviving sexual or gender-based violence, you may want to let them know that it is not their fault and that help is available.” Out of the approximate 237,868 victims of sexual assault each year, only 60 percent of sexual assaults are reported to the police, SEE ASSAULT PG 3
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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2014 / NEWSRECORD.ORG
Celebratory event gives Hispanic Heritage Month running start Music, food, games take over McMicken Commons during Fall Fiesta, coincides with Homecoming Week EMILY BEGLEY & FERNANDA CRESCENTE | THE NEWS RECORD
Hispanic and Latino music pounded across McMicken Commons as booths offering food lined the sidewalks
COULTER LOEB | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Students Laura Medez and Andrew Zacharis battle it out in a bungee run inflated for Tuesday’s Fall Fiesta.
during the Fall Fiesta, a celebration of Hispanic heritage that coincides with Homecoming week. The annual event kicks off the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month, which began Monday and continues through Oct. 15. The fiesta was established last year because the academic calendar change made it impossible to celebrate Cinco de Mayo on campus, according to Ciara Black, ethnic programs and services program coordinator. The office, which co-sponsors the event with the Programs and Activities Council, decided to hold a party in fall to start off the heritage month. Students Andrew Zacharias and Laura Medez climbed atop a blue and red inflatable bungee run that was only up for Tuesday’s event. On top of the obstacle, Zacharias, a second-year environmental studies student, donned a blue, cushioned vest attached to the inflatable by elastic bands. Medez, a first-year environmental studies and political science student, put on a matching one in red. Both held small flags that, when dropped, would indicate who ran the farthest distance. The event is important because it promotes diversity on campus and brings awareness to Hispanic and Latino culture, Black said. “We just want to bring more awareness to the campus
about different cultures that are not necessarily always seen around campus, but are definitely relevant and important to our diversity and the UC community,” Black said, adding that between two and seven percent of UC students are of Hispanic and/or Latino descent. During the fiesta, students feasted on a taco bar from El Toro and two different Caribbean stews with rice from Caribe on Short Vine. Participants also tried their hands at paper flower making, which is prevalent in Mexican culture as a means of celebration. Libby Nawalaniec, director of alumni affairs for student government, set up shop on the Commons to support the office of ethnic programs and services, as well as Latino-based organizations Latinos En Acción and Club Hispano. Nate Budde, IT and social media chair for PAC and second-year political science student, also attended the evening’s activities. “I think it is great. It helps promote diversity, to include all ethnic groups, all backgrounds, and we could always use more of that,” Budde said. “It’s never a bad thing.” UC’s Hispanic Heritage Month events continue through Oct. 31. The next installment takes place Thursday, with a lecture by Michel Cassir on the voice of poetry. Cassir will speak at 2 p.m. at the Taft Research Center.
Event gives keys to networking, career success CASSIE LIPP | STAFF REPORTER
Tonie Davis Britton kicked off her keynote speech Tuesday evening by offering $50 to anyone who could correctly guess her job. Although some guesses were close, no one was able to identify the American Express employee, who was featured during the 2014 Annual Diversity Networking Reception in University Pavillion. The reception was part of the University of Cincinnati’s Homecoming Zinzinnati Week and was organized by the ADVANCE organization, a minority professional development group aimed at preparing students for successful careers. The goal of the reception was to emphasize the importance of networking, a process that involves making contact with others in a professional setting in order to develop mutually beneficial relationships. The event was an opportunity for minority students to meet potential employers and broaden their professional experiences while improving their communication skills and confidence. It can help students find co-op jobs or internships or just meet potential employers. Representatives from 77 companies and organizations were there to connect with students. Debra Merchant, vice president of student affairs, emphasized the importance of networking to the more than 100 students, alumni and company representatives that attended the reception. “You’ll come here and you’ll shake hands and you might get a business card or two,” Merchant told students. “That’s just breaking the surface. You have really networked when you have a ‘call-on’ — someone you can call on to leverage the opportunity of friendship and to support each other when you need it.” Merchant then introduced keynote speaker Britton, who taught students four quick lessons: knowing goals and doing research, utilizing all available information to achieve those goals, utilizing alumni networks, and finally, “never underestimate a conversation you have with someone.” “These skill sets are an integral part of your professional — as well as personal — development and will carry you forward,” Britton said. Networking is also about how you present yourself to others, said Earnest Veasley, a second-year biomedical engineering student. “You never know — if you network with one person, you might motivate them to do something spectacular,”Veasley said. Veasley said he attended the reception because he may not have another opportunity to meet with some companies there, and it is difficult to find a co-op job in biomedical engineering. The reception was almost like an informal interview, Veasley added, and gave him an opportunity to “meet companies and find out what they’re looking for, and if I’m already what they’re looking for, how to move forward to a position that will benefit their company.” Chase Laveer, a first-year exploratory studies student, said he came to the reception to talk to employers and see what qualities they look for. He said he is considering majoring in marketing, and he said talking to the companies may give him a better idea of what he wants to do. “I’m still learning a lot, as far as interacting with [potential employers] and learning what they want to see out of students,” Laveer said. Teach For America recruitment manager Marc Palomo said companies love coming to networking events and meeting students. He said he looks for students with strong leadership experiences, and that students who network gain those experiences on their own. “A know-how mindset is already engrained in a lot of students,” Palomo said. Coca-Cola merchandising manager and UC alum Craig Anderson said networking helps students through improving their communication skills and confidence — which is something that stands out to companies more than a résumé “We are looking for students that have transferrable skills, don’t mind working across the country or across the world, and can assume a larger role and bigger responsibilities,” Anderson said.
ASHELY STUART | CONTRIBUTOR
Author Claire Messud signs a copy of her latest novel, “The Woman Upstairs,” after reading selections of the book Wednesday as part of the Creative Writing Program’s Visiting Writers Series.
Author digs into psychological novel Claire Messud discusses ‘The Woman Upstairs’ during Visiting Writers Series EMILY BEGLEY | COLLEGE LIFE EDITOR
Nora Eldridge is angry. The protagonist’s fury is evident from the very first page of “The Woman Upstairs,” the newest of five novels by award-winning author Claire Messud. The writer was featured Wednesday as part of the Visiting Writers Series, established by the Creative Writing Program to bring distinguished authors to the University of Cincinnati. Nora makes no attempt to mask her emotions, peeling back the layers of her psyche from the opening paragraph. “How angry am I?” she asks. “You don’t want to know. Nobody wants to know about that.” The chapter continues with an outpouring of raw emotion, flourished by colorful language that reinforces that, yes, Nora is angry. The question that drives the story forward is therefore, why is she angry? At its core, Messud’s newest novel is a fascinating analysis of Nora’s internal struggles. As a middle-aged schoolteacher who dabbles in art, Nora is a different person in her head than who she is on the outside. She is the woman upstairs, a shadow of the person who she really wants to be. “We’re not the madwomen in the attic — they gets lots of play, one way or another,” Nora explains in the book’s first chapter. “We’re the quiet woman at the end of the third-floor hallway, whose trash is always tidy, who smiles brightly in the stairwell with a cheerful greeting, and who, from behind closed doors, never makes a sound.” Enter the Shahids: an exotic family from Paris who changes Nora’s life. Nora becomes hopelessly entangled in the web this family weaves. She is obsessed, she is confused and, above all, she is enamored. She is in love with the members of the family: Skandar, the scholar, Sirena, the artist and Reza, their son, and also Nora’s student. Her true passion for art is reignited alongside Sirena, whom she rents a studio with in a questionable area of town. Nora comes to resemble the image of herself she holds within her mind as her feelings for the Shahids continue to intensify. Artwork and iconic allusions play a significant role throughout the plot. Sirena, a popular and growing artist in Paris, focuses her energy on creating Wonderland, an exhibit based on Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.” At the other end of the studio, Nora creates miniature dioramas of rooms dedicated to women like Emily Dickinson and Edie Sedgwick. “She wouldn’t be angry if you met her,” Messud assured her audience in MainStreet Cinema. “This is a novel about the interior.” The author read three sections of “The Woman Upstairs” during the series installment, kicking the night off
with the book’s first chapter. Tucking her short, gray hair behind her ears and perching her glasses on her nose, Messud took on the persona of Nora and channeled her rage as she read. “It was supposed to say ‘Great Artist’ on my tombstone, but if I died right now it would say ‘such a good teacher/daughter/ friend’ instead; and what I really want to shout, and want in big letters on that grave, too, is F*** YOU ALL.” “Don’t all women feel the same?” Messud continued, from the book. “The only difference is how much we know we feel it, how in touch we are with our fury. We’re all furies, except the ones who are too damned foolish, and my worry now is that we’re brainwashing them from the cradle, and in the end even the ones who are smart will be too damn foolish.” At the end of her selection, Messud set down her glasses and addressed the audience: “So she’s a little crabby.” Nora is at a point in her life that is often muddled with doubt. The story is told in retrospect — Nora is 42, looking back at a moment in her life that began when she was 37. “It’s very much about the middle of
ASHELY STUART | CONTRIBUTOR
Jazmine Lane and Cathy Herren from the UC Bookstore sell books by Messud.
life — when you realize not everything you thought would happen will happen, necessarily,” Messud explained. Messud’s reading was followed by questions from audience members. The author’s five novels were available for purchase outside the theater, and Messud stayed at the event for book signings. Nora Eldridge may be angry, but “The Woman Upstairs” makes readers anything but, captivating them with Messud’s vivid characters and unexpected plot.
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Fall career fair hopes to expand student attendees Companies call for more student interest from arts, sciences majors CASSIE MERINO | CHIEF REPORTER
Students tried to give their best first impressions to local companies Wednesday in the hopes of landing a job during the first day of the Professional Career Fair. About 140 employers, including Progressive, Abercrombie & Fitch, Kellogg, Limited Brands and the Cleveland Indians, attended the event. These companies were looking for students from all majors to join their team. “Not only is it trying to make a good impression and network with future employers, it is also important to do some research about the companies,” said Marissa Schoonover, program coordinator and recruiter for the University of Cincinnati Career Development Center. “It is also a way to get in front of the actual faces at the company rather than just fill out an application where you are never going to get a specific contact number or meet the person. You are not able to be charismatic or have an elevator speech that’s convincing.” Limited Brands Inc., a women’s clothing and accessory store based out of Columbus, had a representative at the fair. “We are mainly looking for interior design and architecture students,” said Shannon Lang, university relation’s recruiter for Limited Brands Inc. “We have store design and construction co-ops every semester. We have not seen as many students as we would like with those focuses but we have seen a lot of great business students.”
Lang said Limited Brands Inc. is looking for rising third and fourth-year students because of the course work they have already completed. They want students who know what they want. “If they are a marketing major they should be marketing-specific or finance should be finance-specific,” Lang said. “What is a little more ambiguous is a marketing major wanting to go into finance. We most likely wouldn’t be able to take them in. We also look for campus involvement, and community involvement is very important to us along with leadership opportunities.” The Career Center, Lindner Student Action Team and the engineering tribunal helped develop and plan the event. Last year the center had 2,000 students come to the event and they are expecting the same outcome this year. The center is trying to grow the number of students from the College of McMicken Arts and Sciences who attend the event, along with DAAP students. For the past few years the center has been producing destination surveys. The destination survey is where the career center follows up with graduates to see where they are employed and their starting salaries or if they are going to graduate school. “This career fair has traditionally been for business majors but the CDC’s biggest initiative is to reach out to arts and sciences students because there are students we want to help serve and we haven’t connected within the past and we want to develop a deeper connection,” said Schoonover. Abercrombie and Fitch and Kohl’s are just two big companies that were disappointed by the low number of
FROM BIKES PG 1
bike share is more of a commuter transit option,” Holden said. Students can ride the bike wherever they choose for the three days, giving them the freedom to take trips and use the bikes in their personal lives in addition to using them as a commuting option. The Bearcat bike share has about 50 bikes—a combination of basic mountain bikes and crossover bikes, which are more suited to road biking, according to Holden. Two or three bikes are located at UC Clermont, and this year, UC Sustainability is working to provide bikes to UC Blue Ash. Barron believes Red Bike and the Bearcat Bike Share provide similar but complementary services and will not be in competition for students’ interest. Makenzie Vail, a fourth-year studying environmental studies and biology and a co-director of sustainability for student government, agreed that Red Bike and the Bearcat Bike Share balance each other. “They can be more appealing,”Vail said about Red Bike. Vail imagines using Red Bikes for a fun Sunday in the city, while riding down to Findlay Market or a game downtown where it would be ideal to pick up and drop off a bike. Through the Bearcat Bike Share, however, Vail has rented a bike for a race where she needed the bike for eight to 10 hours, which could not be done with Red Bike. “They’re just tailored to different things,”Vail said. “I do think they have their differences so that you can utilize both of them.” Holden agreed. “I think they do cater to a lot of different situations,” Holden said.
FROM ASSAULT PG 1
according to RAINN. “Students need to understand that campuses have a requirement to respond to these kinds of crime and that, in fact, these are crimes,” Howton said.“A lot of times I
MADISON SCHMIDT | PHOTO EDITOR
Connor Weir, right, introduces himself to Kara Harman, corporate recruiter for Big Ass Fans.
students in the major they are wanting. “We are having a hard time finding fashion designers, everyone is marketing or IT. We are also looking for a summer intern,” said Emily Treola, associate designer for juniors, sleep and intimates from Kohl’s. “We have collected five resumes and we were really hopping to find lots of candidates here.” James Allsup, second-year finance student, went to two career fairs his freshman year and came back hoping to
find an internship. “I’m trying to find internships for spring semester and maybe summer semester,” said Allsup. “I have talked to a few insurance companies and they had a lot of finance and accounting positions. I am really looking for an internship with a bank and there are a lot here. It’s been good.” The career fair will continue Thursday and Friday.
“The Red Bikes are a little better suited for city biking. You could easily ride it in a suit.” Red Bike has inspired a new surge of interest in street biking and could lead to better biking conditions throughout the city, according to Holden. “I think this has added a city investment in biking,” Holden said. “If there were any issues with safety I think they’re held a little more accountable because they’ve already invested in providing bikes for these people. Now it’s a matter of insuring that it’s safe.” The city recently installed a thermal traffic sensor as part of a pilot program at the Central Parkway and Ludlow Avenue intersection, which detects the heat, emitted from bicycles and can trigger the traffic light to turn green. The city’s first protected bike lane has been installed on Central Parkway. “It served as a nice complement to the bike share,” Holden said. The visibility created by a rack full of bright red bikes raises awareness in itself, according to Vail. “It makes community members and drivers more conscious,”Vail said. Holden said Cincinnati needs to go beyond creating safety measures to improve biking. “You also just need to build a community of people riding, which I think this new Cincy bike share program does really well,” Holden said. “It makes bikes accessible to any type of person — no matter if you’re wearing your suit to work or just trying to go down to Findlay for the morning.”
think that there’s not an acknowledgment or an understanding of what sexual or genderbased violence even is, so I think that we owe it to ourselves and our community to get educated on these forms of violence, Title IX and what our rights and responsibilities are related to that.”
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Source: 1. Justice Department, National Crime Victimization Survey: 2008–2012; 2. FBI, Uniform Crime Reports: 2006–2010; 3. National Center for Policy Analysis, Crime and Punishment in America, 1999; 4. Department of Justice, Felony Defendents in Large Urban Counties: average of 2002–2006; 5. Department of Justice, Felony Defendents in Large Urban Counties: average of 2002–2006
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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2014 / NEWSRECORD.ORG
Women’s soccer improves season, defeats local rival Bearcats defeat Cincinnati rival in familiar shut-out fashion for fourth time this season CLAUDE THOMPSON | STAFF REPORTER
Field players are not supposed to use their hands in soccer, but that is just what a Xavier University women’s soccer player did inside the box in the second minute of the Crosstown Classic rivalry match Sunday at Gettler Stadium. This penalty allowed University of Cincinnati senior defender Jae Atkinson to drive home the ensuing penalty kick, beating Musketeer goalie Katie Markesbery and putting UC on the board early in a match that would end in a 2-0 Bearcats win. Atkinson’s goal was her second of the year in what has been a productive season for the team as they draw nearer to
NFL sees heavy criticism in wake of violence
American Athletic Conference play. In front of a feisty crowd, the UC women’s soccer team evened the weekend’s Crosstown Classic soccer series at 1-1, with the men’s team dropping the first match Saturday, 3-0. The women’s team put forth an impressive defensive showcase, which continued to complement head coach Neil Stafford’s philosophies on press-heavy offense and whole-team defense. UC kept the ball away from the Xavier players’ feet — allowing only one shot all match from their opponents — yet continued to test the limits of what an opposing goalie was capable of. UC forced Markesbery to make eight saves from 31 total shots. Those saves weren’t enough to deny the Bearcats a second goal as sophomore forward Taylor Jackson sent a goal into
the back of the net late in the second half for her second goal of the season. Captain Katy Couperus and freshman forward Natalie Coury offered the assist. The tough defensive pressure led to 10 fouls against UC, including one offside call. This allowed the team to neutralize any scoring opportunities for the Musketeers, as Xavier did not have a single corner kick in the match — as opposed to 11 corner kicks for UC. “Any time you’ve got an intercity rival it is always going to be physical,” Stafford said. “We just kept doing what we were doing. I [was] looking forward to this because it’ll present some elements that will prepare us for conference — one of those being the physicality.” The referees allowed a lot of hard challenges and close plays on the ball in the match, which can often disrupt
a team’s focus and performance. The Bearcats, however, maintained their composure throughout the full 90 minutes of play to earn their fifth win of the season. “It’s just discipline,” Stafford said. “You can’t get caught up and let your emotions take over. We’re in a position now where we’re having some success and we’re having that success because we’re disciplined in what we’re doing.” This latest victory adds to UC’s lead in the overall series against Xavier to make it a record of 23-6-0 and erases the loss against Xavier last year, when UC lost to their bitter rivals, 3-0. The stakes are even higher this week as the Bearcats pit their five-match undefeated streak against the eight-match streak belonging to DePaul University (ranked No. 21 in the nation) in Chicago Thursday at 5 p.m.
Sheakley, Gettler open after hours is all about: having fun. “Who needs practice? I mean we just show up and have fun,” said Cole Hester, a health science student. That was the common theme throughout the team, until Austin Cox, a business student, claimed that he is the best player in the intramural league. “I’m like the Calvin Johnson of this league. I run everything here man, and I’m telling you no one can stop me,” said Cox. Stepping out to Gettler Stadium every Thursday and Sunday evening to check out some Ultimate Frisbee or other pastime is a great way to blow steam and justify some procrastination. There were two soccer games Thursday on Sheakley, as well as an all girls Ultimate Frisbee team practicing and a couple of coeds tossing football. The students tossing football were actually the Ultimate Frisbee club teams — who had gotten there early to just mess around and have some fun before practice. “Right now we are just messing around, throwing the football, throwing the Frisbee a little bit, just having some fun. We normally have practice from 9:30 p.m.midnight on Monday, Wednesday, and every other Thursday night,” said Austin Latz, the treasure of the Ultimate Frisbee club. One of the perks of attending a public university is that students and community members alike are allowed to use sports complexes like Nippert Stadium (when it’s not under construction), Gettler Stadium, and Sheakley Lawn when varsity teams are not scheduled for training, games or other arranged events.
PATRICK LAAKE | STAFF REPORTER
The National Football League is amidst its most embarrassing week in its recorded history and the end is nowhere in sight. Recently, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice and Carolina Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy were all involved in abuse scandals. First, Hardy and Rice were accused of abusing the women in their lives. Then it came out that Peterson hit his 4-year-old son to the point of drawing blood and was indicted by a grand jury. The news of Peterson’s indictment is a complete stunner to any NFL fan. Peterson is one of the prominent faces of the NFL, he even donned the cover of the Madden NFL video game last year. Rice was a huge star and was a major piece in the Ravens’ offense. After striking his then fiancée (now wife), Janay Rice, in an Atlantic City hotel, the running back was given just a two-game suspension. Video showing him punching her in the elevator aside, the fact was he knocked her out cold. There are players who have gotten longer suspensions for illegal hits on the field; this was beyond any hit the notoriously hard-hitting former Pittsburgh Steeler and Cincinnati Bengal James Harrison ever dished out. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has experienced his fair share of criticism throughout the years — mostly for being too strict and turning the NFL into the “No Fun League” — but now the biggest uproar against him is because he was too lenient toward these three men in their punishments. As if the situation wasn’t bad enough, now add in that the NFL had access to the video of Rice’s abuse the entire time, according to the Associate Press and local police reports. So if hearing about it didn’t move fans, seeing it set them over the edge. Now Rice’s release and indefinite suspension isn’t enough. Fans want more punishments, including Goodell’s resignation. There really is no reason Goodell should leave. The man has built the NFL into an empire. Preseason football games are attracting more fan support than baseball team’s push for the postseason. Is Goodell perfect? No, but can anyone name one commissioner, in any sport, that didn’t receive fan backlash about something? Goodell is by far the most hated commissioner in any of the four major sports leagues. Sometimes he brings it on himself, but he has been dealt a rough hand during his time. If Goodell could handle the concussion and player safety lawsuit, he can handle anything. Goodell needs to do one thing: He should think to himself, “What would Adam Silver do?” Silver has become the most loved NBA commissioner in sports after his decision on Donald Sterling and the drafting of Isaiah Austin, after Austin’s career was cut short due to a rare condition — Marfan syndrome, a disorder affecting the body’s connective tissue. If Silver can get the NBA through the Sterling scandal and make the league look good, Goodell should follow his lead and lay down the law now. For years, the NFL has had troublemakers breaking laws, ranging from drug possession to dog fighting to even shooting oneself in the leg. The Bengals alone have a rap sheet the length of the Bible. These players think that it is OK to break the law and never serve time because they are prominent public figures. That thinking needs to end now. Goodell needs to set an example of these three guys. Rice is already serving an indefinite suspension and is no longer on a team but Peterson and Hardy are expected to play this week. From now on no player should be able to play while they are going through a legal process. Then, if they are found guilty, Peterson and Hardy should be suspended for at least one season — maybe two. This shouldn’t just apply to abuse cases either, it should be applied to any felony committed by a player. These players need to know that they are not only representing themselves, but the league as a whole and three instances like this in a week makes the league look weak and careless. Goodell can save face by pulling out the big guns or he can stay with the same rules and risk being forced out. If he can’t set an example then maybe it is time for a new commissioner.
MADISON SCHMIDT | PHOTO EDITOR
Drew Wexler, a first-year student, practices for club flag football Thursday night on Sheakley Lawn.
University of Cincinnati fields, stadiums open to play after hours for community SPENCER HOLLAND | CONTIBUTOR
Anyone who has been to the University of Cincinnati knows how unpredictable the weather is, so it is important to take advantage of the beautiful climate Mother Nature is providing. Go to either Sheakley Lawn or Gettler Stadium and enjoy it while it lasts. The campus recreation center is amazing, offering numerous options but there is nothing like the great outdoors. An assortment of activities was under-
way Thursday on Sheakley Lawn and Gettler Stadium. People were playing soccer and Ultimate Frisbee, throwing the ol’ pigskin, and tossing baseball. Everyone looked like they were having a great time playing and being outside. As the sun started to set and the lights came on over Gettler Stadium, it was time for intramural Ultimate Frisbee. Among the teams warming up was “Pete Bet On Us.” Timmy Jones, the captain of the team and a chemical engineering student said, “We don’t practice at all.” By the looks of the team, they need some practice, but that’s what intramural sports
Local tradition expected to draw thousands OKTOBERFEST ZINZINNATI 1,700+ barrels of beer are consumed (3.3
600,000+ number of people expected to
20,000+ number of cream puffs devoured
70 number of beer brats eaten in 10 minutes
million fluid ounces or the capacity of a small microwave) (equal to the length of eight Boeing 747s)
attend this year’s Oktoberfest Zincinnati
during last year’s World Bratwurst Eating Contest
80,000+ Bratwursts are eaten (equal to the 48,000+ length of 29 Empire State Buildings)
3,000+ pounds of saeurkraut enjoyed at Oktoberfest Zinzinnati
9 number of stages showing live German music
number of people who took part in the 1994 Chicken Dance, which set a Guiness Book world record
100 number of wiener dogs (dachshunds) that will participate in the Running of the Wieners
throughout the three day festival
Wiener-eating contest, dachsund race, more to be featured during Oktoberfest ZACK HATFIELD | ART EDITOR
For a short time every year, Germany — and lederhosen, lots and lots of lederhosen —invades Cincinnati. As fall finally commences, Cincinnati is preparing itself once again for its annual Oktoberfest, which is expected to draw over 600,000 people from all over the world this year on Sept. 19-21. Based off of Germany’s renowned Oktoberfest, which began in 1810, Cincinnati’s own tradition started in 1976. A city with significant German roots, Cincinnati’s version is the largest in the country, held within six blocks on Fifth Street downtown. In addition to traditional Bavarian food and dance, you can expect to find thousands of Bearcats this year at the festival. For the first time this year, the University of Cincinnati will hold its Homecoming Pep Rally with the UC marching band at Oktoberfest, on Sept. 19 at 5-8 p.m. The Homecoming will take place on Fountain Square, the second day of Oktoberfest. “One of the biggest reasons it has grown over the years to be the second-largest in the world is our commitment to the authenticity that the festival has,” said Lance Barry, the public relations director for the event. The celebration is well known for its fondness for ales and lagers. Last year, over 1,700 barrels of beer were consumed. Other than the big name brands like Sam Adams and Heineken, the festival will also have tents from local breweries like Christian Moerlein, a Cincinnati favorite with roots that trace back to Bavaria. Expect a sea of people participating
in a chicken dance coordinated by Cincinnatians Nick and Drew Lachey (of 98 Degrees fame), the Grand Marshals of this year’s Oktoberfest. The dance is a Cincinnati custom that started in 1994, when it broke a record for being the world’s largest chicken dance. “Oktoberfest has become distinctly Cincinnati,” Barry said. “People are extremely passionate about it. We have some who attend that have never missed a year, that’s how important it is to them.
There’s nothing like doing the World’s Largest Chicken Dance with tens of thousands of new friends to foster a sense of community.” Oktoberfest will also include a wiener eating contest and a dachshund race. The festival showcases traditional German music, housing nine stages for live performers to play. “In a region with a significant German population, it has to be right,” Barry said. “And we do that.”
Quaker? Maybe! Come Find Out! Public Information Sessions held in our Worship Room: 10/7: “Action with Local Impact” 10/14: “Worship, Straight Up” 10/21: ”Accept and Nurture” Sessions begin at 7:00 p.m. Refreshments served at 6:30.
www.cincinnatifriends.org
ARTS / 5 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2014 / NEWSRECORD.ORG
Think fast: Cincinnati’s first improv comedy festival proves success CHANDLER BONN | STAFF REPORTER
The lighting, brick walls, lounge seats and bar made the Know Theatre’s basement feel like a seedy New York venue from a noir movie. But in reality it was Cincinnati’s first improv comedy festival, IF Cincy, held Sept. 12 and 13 at the theatre on Jackson Street. IF Cincy was run by local improv troupe OTR Improv, and featured performers from around the country. Theatrical improv, short for improvisation, is a type of performance in which a person or group of people act based on instinct and wit rather than a pre-existing script or directions. The festival began as an initiative to make the improv scene known in Cincinnati, according to Kat Smith, who co-directs OTR Improv along with Dave Powell. “We started talking about producing a festival with Eric Vosmeier, who is the former artistic director [at Know Theatre], probably about two years ago,” Smith said. “We just wanted to do it to build community. We wanted to do it to build a different culture in Cincinnati.” Tara Pettit, executive producer of IF Cincy and member of OTR Improv, explained that getting IF Cincy started was difficult. “As executive producer, the role is that of a project manager,” Pettit said. “We had about six people from the troupe and then myself on a committee, and as a producer it was my job to say ‘these are all the things we need to do, we need to map out a plan.’ ” After receiving guidance from managers of successful festivals in other cities, Pettit began putting IF Cincy in place by: securing a spot at Know Theatre, finding the right performers and hiring a graphic designer to create a logo and advertisements, along with many other tasks. The festival was funded through an Indiegogo campaign, an Artswave grant and private donations. The sold-out show was attended by an audience diverse in age and appearance. Equally diverse were the performances, showcasing a variety of improvisational styles, techniques, tones and subjects. “There are all different kinds of improv. We wanted a variety of performers,” Pettit said. Hinky, a troupe made of several 20-somethings from New York City, opened the night with monologues divulging personal college shenanigans and skits about dead body parts hidden in sock drawers — all interspersed between recurring scenes depicting a miserable plane ride. Following Hinky was Damaged Goods — a trio of big, loud men from Louisville, Kentucky. Damaged Goods’ set was comprised of games that engaged the audience and spurred on feats such as on-the-spot lip syncing and singing improvisational songs. Human Amusements, a larger group from Detroit, based their entire 30-minute performance on a single word yelled from an audience member, “anomaly.” One member portrayed a character which embodied the word, existing but unsure as to why or what he is. Meanwhile the other members created and became a supporting cast of characters on the spot. What followed was the unfolding of a disjointed, illogical and hilarious narrative simultaneously made up and performed immediately. After a short break, the crowd migrated upstairs where cushioned folding chairs on risers overlooked Know Theatre’s main stage. Three young men from the next act, Switch Committee, danced onto the stage while music played. They began a casual conversation that turned into a series of scenes seamlessly transitioning into each other, filled with physical comedy. The headliners of the evening and organizers of the event, OTR Improv, performed last. The troupe is an ensemble of men and women of various ages and styles. Jen Dalton, a reporter for Local 12, told a story on stage of a Mexican escapade gone wrong that she had experienced in her 20s. OTR Improv then based their act on her story, pulling various details and elevating them to create over the top scenes. The performers all seemed to have different styles and approaches, which resulted in an eclectic set of jokes. Playing along with the actors was a keyboardist who matched music to the tone of each scene. When asked about the importance of improv, Pettit, who has a professional background in business and advertising, expressed the craft’s use in everyday life. “In advertising they paid for us to go to improv and the reason is because improv is about listening. It’s about taking risks,” Pettit said. “It’s about jumping and trusting that you’re going to land on your feet. You’re going to figure something out and those are skills that businesses want. “Nothing is worse than going into a meeting and having an idea only for someone to say, ‘no, that’ll never work.’ Wouldn’t it be great if they were like, ‘let’s talk about that and explore that?’ ” With the success of this year’s festival, OTR Improv hopes to continue IF Cincy next year, possibly expanding it into multiple venues. OTR Improv also hosts free open improv jams the first Monday of every month at 8 p.m. at the Know Theatre.
Q&A Ghost Beach makes waves with ‘Blonde’
PROVIDED
The band combines a multitude of elements, including pop, electronica, reggae, and New Wave in their debut album.
Brooklyn ‘tropical grit-pop’ band talks key albums, technology’s role in music ZACK HATFIELD | ARTS EDITOR
Ghost Beach’s sound is a sharp contrast from most bands. Like their name, the band is a bit of a paradox; at once a throwback to the upbeat side of the ’80s, their savvy editing also introduces a more cutting-edge style. The band utilizes techno effects and and vocals reminiscent of Peter Gabriel’s aggression and passion. After their debut album,“Blonde,” the Brooklyn-based duo, consisting of Josh Ocean and Eric “Doc” Mendelsohn, have commenced a lengthy tour of the United States and Canada, which includes a show at 20th Century Theatre on Oct. 8 as an opener for electro-pop band Cherub. Ghost Beach talked to TNR in a recent interview about fun islands, tropical grit-pop and big sounds. TNR: Where did you guys get the band name Ghost Beach? GB: Have you ever read the Goosebumps book? We didn’t have a name for six months when we started, so we were just like holding back on releasing music because we didn’t even have a name. So the producer said I’m going to play music for my six-year-old daughter, and immediately she said ‘Oh, call
it Ghost Beach!’”
helps or hinders making music?
TNR: What’s the writing and recording process like? Do you write on tour or prefer to write in Brooklyn?
GB: We’re a band built on the use of laptops and programs like [music software]Ableton, manipulating something. Even the drums and guitars are programmed into Ableton. We use the computer as an instrument.
GB: Well, all these songs are written in the rehearsal space, but you never know when a song idea is going to come. In Utah, we were just kind of like working on beats and basslines just came together at a studio in Venice. I definitely think traveling and touring influences the writing process. TNR: How would you categorize your sound? I’ve heard the term“tropical gritpop,”which I had never heard of before. Can you kind of define this? GB: Yeah, I mean, it’s basically just like a genre we made up to describe the music. There are a lot of worldly influences and tropical influences, and it’s gritty because it’s a little rough around the edges. And it’s pop because, well, it is. TNR: For a duo your sound is generally pretty big. GB: For this album we were responding to really big sounds, we like the thought of adding big-sounding stuff. TNR: What do you guys think about advancements in technology and how it
TNR: If you were stranded on a desert Ghost Beach, what album would you bring? GB: Oh man, one album? Can I pick three? I think one would have to be Bob Marley’s “Legend,” you know, on an island. But it might drive you crazy. A Police album, probably.“Reggatta de Blanc.” No,“Ghost in the Machine.” I can’t pick a third. TNR: So far it’s a really upbeat soundtrack. GB: It’s a really fun island. TNR: What’s your favorite venue so far that you’ve performed at? GB: Oh man, so many places. And even right now we’re a week into this Cherub tour. We had a smash in Wisconsin and Iowa City. But we’re definitely looking forward to Cincinnati. TNR: What do you have to say to aspiring musicians? GB: Keep making music.
Listen closely: The scoop on new album releases in September ZACK HATFIELD | ARTS EDITOR
From ambient soundworlds and lo-fi gems to Bono’s latest, September’s been full of surprises. Here are the albums you should know about.
Grateful Dead: Wake up to Find Out 3/29/90’ The new/old live album from the Dead is another solid effort, the music a smog of folk jams and, on the second act, interwoven with legend Brandford Marsalis’ saxophone on “Dark Star.”
Leonard Cohen: Popular Problems
U2: Songs of Innocence
Although Cohen’s newest release is concise—its entire running time clocks in at 36 minutes—its wit and severity lingers in the listener’s mind. Cohen’s words, which seem more akin to poetry than lyrics, are sung in his guttural snarl over low-paced bluesy rhythms and sparse piano chords. “And we who cried for mercy from the bottom of the pit,” he rasps. “Was our prayer so damn unworthy the sun rejected it?” Gritty piano riffs, minimal horns, and sweet violin nuances within the sparse production create an atmosphere reminiscent of an American wasteland.
You probably already own this album, as Apple and U2 disbursed it for free to half a billion people, as, yes, another surprise album. The album is mediocre because it’s exactly what you’d expect to find in a 21st century U2 album; inspirational anthems, generic/vague lyrics. The reflection and poignancy of ’80s U2 might flicker for a second in The Edge’s fluttering guitar style or the occaisional reference to the band’s upbringing in Ireland, but the music’s sentimentality overshadows the finer details of the LP. “And this is a song for someone/This is a song, song for someone,” Bono tells us. But the album feels strikingly unpersonal, trying instead to cater to all 500 million people with an iTunes account.
Anjou: Anjou
Karen O: Crush Songs “Crush Songs” is a collection of lo-fi recordings the Yeah Yeah Yeahs singer made in 2006-07. O’s first solo effort, the album is scarce, each song sounding like a rough draft or a run-through. But therein lies the album’s beauty. Recorded with little more than an acoustic guitar and a whisper, the songs are seemingly-unpracticed and unprocessed, the lyrics organic and confessional. “Time away/Tearing me apart,/I wear it on my heart, I do/Can’t sleep, I’m wasted, wasted,” O sings on “Day Go By.” Each song averages less than two minutes, but they stitch together in “Crush Songs” to form a musical collage of O’s life, an intimate portrait at its most primal.
You’ll need decent headphones to delve into Virginia-based Anjou’s self-titled debut. Using synths, programs, and chaotic rhythmless tones, each instrumental is concerned with creating and destroying the velveteen soundscapes its analog synthesizers have built. The sounds on the ambient album are erratic but never impulsive, the entire work functioning like a synaptic organ carefully attuned to its body. The album seems to be a universe of its own, exploring an electronic cosmos where percussionist Steven Hess’ occasional drums are the only gravity holding the tracks together. The other two members of the trio are Mark Nelson and Robert Donne, former members of now-dissolved Labradford. Standout tracks are the haunting “Backsight” and the seven-minute nebula of “Readings,” where sounds crash like sonic waves against each other.
Manchester Orchestra: HOPE Released digitally as a surprise, “HOPE” reimagines the band’s earlier album “COPE” through frontman Andy Hull’s vulnerable vocals and stripped-down instrumentation, which often makes use of strings and piano. It’s everything you want in a Manchester Orchestra album: quietly explosive, tense, its lyrics starkly personal. Even if the album has the word-for-word lyrics as the more guitar-driven “COPE,” the light arrangements make them even more meaningful. Standout tracks include the elegiac “Every Stone” and “Choose You,” where Hull sets the reflective tone of the album, singing “The intention of your trip/Was to intentionally wreck/I tried to talk you off the ledge/Pushed you off the deck.”
6 / SPORTS
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2014 / NEWSRECORD.ORG
Women’s golf takes on fall schedule UC finishes in bottom five at Louisville Cardinal Classic JOSEPH LAURE | CONTRIBUTOR
The University of Cincinnati’s women’s golf team placed 13 out of 17 teams in this week’s Cardinal Classic hosted by the University of Louisville Cardinals. The overall winner of the tournament went to U of L’s A Team with a total score of 888 through the three sessions, 24 strokes over par. Tara Liebert, a sophomore, led the way for the Bearcats with a final score of 230 for three rounds, putting her at 14 over par. Liebert was the only Bearcat in the top 30. The team’s combined score was 938. Next for the Bearcats was sophomore Ashley Cassidy who carded an overall score of 16 over par. The team faired well on the par fours for the tournament, finishing sixth overall with a par four scoring average of 4.35 strokes. The Bearcats also finished in seventh with 154 total pars in three rounds. “We are seeing some improvement with the team and I think we will continue to play better,” said head coach Janet Carl. “We have to continue to learn how to play competition golf and we need to build more confidence on the course.” This comes after a last-place finish during the team’s first tournament of the year at the Cardinal Kickoff, also hosted by the U of L. “The focus for us in practice is going to be working on the par fives and also knowing how to get yourself out of trouble,” Carl said after the Cardinal Cup. “When you put yourself in bad spots it’s about knowing how to get out of them.” With cooler weather than expected during the Cardinal Classic tournament, the team tried to stay strong and had some good performances. With three players in the top 60 for the team scoring, and with solid play on the par fours, the Bearcats had some bright spots that stood out for the squad. “With the cooler air, the winds tended to hurt us a little bit,” Carl said. “The course had a spring season feel to it. The course was just renovated and the rough was like it would be in the spring, not fall.” The Bearcats have some time to figure things out; they are just beginning the fall portion of their schedule. With four more tournaments to go in fall play — one of those being the Bearcat Classic — the team hopes to continue to improve with every outing. The Bearcats next tournament is the Forest Oak Fall Classic in Greensboro, North Carolina, Sept. 29 and 30. With the American Athletic Conference Championship hosted in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the North Carolina tournament will be a good test for the team as they play on the high-traffic tolerant and drought resistant Bermuda grass instead of the usual Bent grass. “This will be an early opportunity for us to see how the Bermuda grass behaves,” Carl said. The next tournament will be a good test for the team as they try and show their opponents how they do on the different grass, and the team looks to gain momentum before the Conference Championship in April.
MADISON SCHMIDT | PHOTO EDITOR
UC’s baseball team practiced for the first time on their newly turfed field this week after the first renovation in the stadium’s history.
Baseball welcomes change to stadium
Bearcats prepare for new season, take field Sunday after first renovation to 10-year-old stadium EMILY WITT | STAFF REPORTER
Cincinnati baseball had their first fall practice on the team’s new turf field in preparation for the 2015 season Sept. 7 at Marge Schott Stadium. On the former dirt and grass field, the team spent a solid half of an hour after every practice and game cleaning the field. The team divided up tasks such as moving the infield and outfield dirt and warning-up track, and shaping and reshaping the mound. On the Sunday evening on the new surface, once everything was completed and practice was over, all that was required was the putting away of the bases and the batting practice cages. The boys quickly scuffled inside – without having to clean up the already spotless field. The lights shined bright on the “Cincinnati Bearcats” painted onto the turf. The air was brisk as the team practiced everything from base running to hitting to situational sliding at the plate. As fall progresses and the weather becomes colder, head coach Ty Neal and his team will not have to worry about the “freeze and thaw” that a regular field entails. “Our guys are going to have more access to the field,” said Neal. “No more muddy mound or muddy infield. Even in the odd months of November through February. There’s no more freeze and thaw. It’s going to be much more accessible for our guys.” Neal and his staff, including recent hire Director of Operations Ted Tom, have been spending most of last spring and summer building a new recruiting class. There are 25 freshmen on the team, compared to the
five sophomores, one redshirt sophomore, seven juniors, one redshirt junior, and one senior. That is a 5-3 ratio of freshmen to upperclassmen. One of Neal’s coaching philosophies is to heavily recruit. He has high hopes for his first official — and large — recruiting class. “We’ve got a lot of new guys and we want to do as much as we can philosophy wise to get everybody on the same page that way we can get the ball rolling,” Neal said. “We’ve got some bigger lads running around here. We needed more physical bodies that were capable of a little bit more down the stretch as far as development. “We’ve got guys that can play the game. We’ve got guys with physical tools that are also good baseball players. I think you’ll see an immediate change within our roster come February.” First Team All-American Junior Ian Happ says the dominating number of freshmen brings a new and different vibe into the clubhouse atmosphere. “We’re young, and there are a lot of new faces,” said Happ. “It’s a little bit of a new locker room but it’s good. There’s a lot of youth and a lot of energy now. It’s been a lot of fun so far.” Neal believes the sheer number of freshmen will lead the upperclassmen to fall naturally into leadership positions that will drive the team further into the regular season. “We’ve got a lot of new guys and we want to do as much as we can philosophy wise to get everybody on the same page that way we can get the ball rolling and have everybody be on the same page,” Neal said. “I think we’ve got a couple of older guys that are going to assume a leadership role for us, which is important with a bunch of young guys.” The boys will fit 33 practices into a period of 45 days in preparation for the regular season in the spring. The 2015 season schedule has yet to be released.
UC coaches, athletic department set rules of conduct Student-athletes abide by different rules than their peers, agree to year-round random drug testing ELLEN HADLEY | SPORTS EDITOR
When is comes to alcohol consumption, each varsity sports team at the University of Cincinnati establishes their own standards and policies in addition to those established by the university and NCAA, but that does not mean the coaches are here to be their athletes’ “mothers.” UC’s swimming head coach Mandy Commons-DiSalle begins her first year holding the position by allowing the team to set its own standards related to alcohol and illegal substances. “We do not have a set policy like, ‘No, you cannot drink at this time in the season,’ ” Commons-DiSalle said. “That’s something that is left up to the team to decide. So the team kind of sets goals. We call it ‘dry season.’ ” Dry season for the swimming and diving team usually spans three weeks from the team’s meeting in December and from January 1 through the season, according to Commons-DiSalle. At the swimming team’s retreat in a couple of weeks the team will go over goals, leadership and expectations. There is a zero-tolerance policy concerning drinking during recruiting weekends. “When it comes to their performance, we give them all of the tools, as far as, ‘This is what you need to do in order to perform well,’ and alcohol usually contradicts most of this,” Commons-DiSalle said. “We like to leave it up to them to kind of regulate their behavior.” Commons-DiSalle’s philosophy is if there is a visible pattern that begins to affect the team’s performance, she will step in. The women’s soccer team relies more on the captains and upperclassmen to keep the team focused and away from distractions. The team utilizes a 48-hour rule, meaning the athletes are prohibited from drinking 48 hours before a game. “Our priorities right now during the fall season are academics and athletics and I don’t even think that’s a secondary thought in our minds right now,” said women’s soccer senior captain Megan Cravenor. “Our social life is pretty much with the team and with the girls — we’re with them 24/7 and our thoughts are basically on winning a championship.” The rule is not new to the team and is just another effort by the team to focus on nutrition and health to get better on the field. “The whole team knows the consequences but we haven’t had any problems,” said women’s soccer senior
Emily Elsbrock. “Everyone is on board with what our policy is and what we want to get out of this season and the program. There are no warnings.” Cravenor added, “Basically, the warning is the rules being set in place, so, them reading that for the first time — that’s their warning. And, we can all agree that if you’re going to do it then your priority is clearly not soccer and that’s not what we want right now.” The captains and upperclassmen remind their teammates to be smart in making their own decisions and they should be getting better for the team. UC women’s soccer head coach Neil Stafford uses distraction more than rules to prevent his players from drinking and doing drugs. “At the end of the day these players need to be managed as adults, and for those that are over 21, they have to take responsibility,” Stafford said. “I think we have a good culture and environment here that they understand they have to make good decisions.” Stafford believes that the way the policy and schedule are set up, it almost becomes a dry season with gameday preparations and responsibilities constantly looming with games often twice a week. “At the end of the day I want these ladies to have a good experience in college,” Stafford said. “I’m not their mother, I’m not their father but hopefully I’m someone that’s providing them a good mentorship or being a good role model and they understand the impacts of their decisions.” The minimum standard for Stafford’s program is a 3.5 GPA. “They know that when they have social time that it has to be geared toward soccer or their academics,” Stafford said. “Their social life while in season is a far distant third. Academics is first and foremost for me and then it’s soccer.” Division I athletic programs take the use of drugs, alcohol and tobacco very seriously, as the UC studentathlete handbook shows. The handbook lays out detailed descriptions of the measures taken when an athlete fails a universityadministered drug test, as well as the repercussions for NCAA-failed drug tests. UC Compliance Senior Associate Director of Athletics and department Senior Woman Administrator ¬¬Maggie McKinley recognizes that the university’s punishments for failed random drug tests are much more lenient than the NCAA’s. “The NCAA has a pretty much zero-tolerance policy,” McKinley said. According to the handbook given to and gone over by each respective team’s trainer at the beginning of the
year for every varsity student-athlete, an athlete’s first offense results in an “evaluation by team physician for addiction and treatment as necessary” and an “alcohol education program.” On second offense the athlete receives an “immediate five-day suspension from all team-related activities” in addition to the evaluation and the education program. For third time offenders, the suspension bumps up to 14 days. If the offense is a felony — either related to alcohol or not — it “will result in immediate suspension from all athletic-related activities pending resolution of the criminal justice process. If convicted, the [studentathlete] may be dismissed from the team and/or University.” McKinley said that most cases are just misdemeanor offenses such as an open container, underage possession or consumption. The sports medicine team first verifies in the training room any supplement or non-food that a student-athlete ingests prior to its consumption to ensure no ingredients violate NCAA policy. If someone brings to a coach or staff member’s attention that a student-athlete has violated the rules, the coach then goes to the compliance office which takes over from there. Compliance then looks to the handbook to determine how many prior offenses exist for the student-athlete. “We’re not look for first offenses to be punitive,” McKinley said. “We’re really looking for, ‘Is there an issue that we identified?’ Well, if not, let’s move directly into the educational component. If an issue is identified, then we would put them into counseling.” The point of the policy instilled by the compliance office and in the student-athlete handbook is to educate the student-athletes on the affects of alcohol and how it impacts them in competition and in life. The university offers a “safe harbor” policy, which allows a student-athlete to voluntarily report to having consumed alcohol, performance-enhancing drugs or street drugs and, if tested by the university, the results are void in an effort to push student-athletes who are dependent on substances to seek help, rather than hide the problem and hope to not get caught. The compliance office leaves it to the coaching staff to instill individual team rules and regulations regarding drug and alcohol use to prevent it from becoming an issue requiring involvement by compliance. “I’ve learned that the more you say you can’t do something, the more that they might want to do it,” McKinley said. Spoken like a true mother.
Volleyball vs. Charleston Southern, Fifth Third Arena
11:30 a.m. Volleyball vs. Central Michigan, Fifth Third Arena 7:00 p.m. Volleyball vs. Tennessee State, Fifth Third Arena 7:00 p.m. Football vs. Miami (Ohio), Paul Brown Stadium
SUNDAY, SEPT. 21
7:00 p.m.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 20
FRIDAY, SEPT. 19
SPORTING EVENTS THIS WEEKEND 12:00 p.m. Women’s Soccer vs. Syracuse, Gettler Stadium 3:00 p.m. Men’s Soccer vs. Easten Illinois, Gettler Stadium