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‘Sound of Music’ at Aronoff
The Aronoff Center puts on an engrossing production of ‘The Sound of Music’
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UC vs South Florida
The Bearcats look forward to a second chance against South Florida Bulls
THE NEWS RECORD / UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI NEWSRECORD.ORG
THURSDAY, SEPT. 29, 2016
Kaepernick’s kneel brings tense conversation to UC, sports scene AMIR SAMARGHANDI | MANAGING EDITOR DAVID WYSONG | SPORTS EDITOR
Sports talk is usually confined to keeping up with scores, watching athletic excellence and escaping reality. But recently the conversation has gone to our fundamental American rights — and some don’t want to hear that conversation. “We’re not going to do it here on our sideline. There’s other places to do that. I understand
feelings and all that, but we don’t need to bring that to college sports, we really don’t,” said Tommy Tuberville, University of Cincinnati head football coach in a Tuesday press conference. “I don’t think we need it in pro or high school, this is about athletics.” Yet the conversation has gone both to the professional and high school level. NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick began kneeling during the Star Spangled
Banner in a meaningless preseason game Aug. 14, going largely unnoticed. By Aug. 26, the resonance of his message was heard around the nation. “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” Kaepernick told NFL Media in an exclusive interview. Members of Withrow High School football team, located in Cincinnati, made a silent, peaceful protest
during the national anthem Friday night before their game at Anderson High School. Other athletes across many different sports have joined in the protest, and so has UC’s Student Government. Mitchell Phelps, SG President, chose last week’s body meeting to join in and sit during the Pledge of Allegiance — in order to continue the conversation. “I started to research and SEE KAEPERNICK PG 4
SAMANTHA HALL | COLLEGE LIFE EDITOR
Kimberley Mason, Graduate student majoring in Women’s Gender Sexuality Studies (WGSS) and founder of 1 in 3 Campaign at UC.
New group aims to end stigma around abortion SAMANTHA HALL | COLLEGE LIFE EDITOR
The University of Cincinnati’s 1 in 3 chapter, founded by Kimberley Mason, a women’s gender and sexuality studies graduate student, is planning to become an official student organization Thursday. Becoming an official student organization will allow for more growth and expression of the group, further spreading awareness of abortion acceptance across campus. The group began because of a statistic that states 1 in 3 women will get an abortion in their life. The organization put on a play Wednesday night, titled “Out of Silence: Abortion Stories from the 1 in 3 Campaign,” which shed light on the emotional struggles that go into getting an abortion. Taking place in Zimmer Auditorium, “Out of Silence” filled over half the auditorium with students attending the live performance. The play featured nine segments, each exploring a different character and their experience with abortions. Characters within the play showed representation of all women young and old, married and single, along with a variety of ethnicities. The stories featured, told tales of financial struggle, support, the lack of new relationships and the hardships of being public about an abortion. The play allowed for students to perform while being in the shoes of someone going through the struggles of pregnancy and the possibility of termination.
The student actors performing, made up of both undergraduate and grad students, gave an emotional show, putting the utmost energy into their storytelling; properly representing what can be felt during a woman’s experience of pregnancy. One unique aspect was the personal feel brought by putting the stories in perspective of fictional UC students, setting the characters’ lives right here in Cincinnati. The play was put together in just a few short weeks. “Out of Silence” has been highly featured from national media outlets, including The Washington Post, U.S. News, ELLE and many more, and has also been considered “the next ‘Vagina Monologues’,” by ThinkProgress.org. The play became available to students and community productions in 2015 after being apart of the Capital Fringe Festival, according to Mason. Other events to look for from UC’s 1 in 3 chapter includes their co-sponsoring of a reproductive film series for Hispanic Heritage Month, as well as involvement with UC’s spring Queer Cat Pride Week and Women’s History Month, according to Mason. Mason also hopes to bring the “Abortion Diary” exhibit, a travelling multimedia exhibit, to the College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning in the next academic year. The goals expressed for the organization by Mason are to focus on real-life experiences that women have with abortion and to eliminate the stigma that there is shame in having an abortion.
JEFF SINER | CHARLOTTE OBSERVER | TNS
N.C. BROWN | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Mitchell Phelps, student body president, discusses protests going on around the nation in The News Record newsroom on Tuesday, September 27, 2016.
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, front, and safety Eric Reid, back left, kneel during the playing of the national anthem on Sunday, Sept. 18, 2016 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.
Cincinnati receives large grant for more body cams JUSTIN REUTTER | SENIOR REPORTER
On Monday, the city of Cincinnati was notified that the U.S. Department of Justice selected the Cincinnati Police Department (CPD) to receive a $600,000 grant to help fund the body-worn camera (BWC) program, according to City Manager Harry Black. The goal of the BWC program is to be transparent and inclusive, according to the city government’s website. The grant will be used to help purchase up to 350 additional body cameras, in addition to the 700 CPD has already purchased. After almost a year of public outreach and receiving input from community groups, the city released a policy and procedure document for the guidance of the BWC program in July 2016. Cincinnati’s BWC program officially began in August, the month following
North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory’s signing of a new law enforcement recordings bill into law. Effective Saturday, the North Carolina law will deny the public access to law enforcement recordings from body or vehicle dashboard cameras, with limited exceptions. The law provides that if an individual’s image or voice is included in the video, they may request to see it, though their request may be denied and would have to be taken to a superior court for further review. To obtain a copy of the footage, an individual would have to petition the court. If the individual in the video is deceased, incapacitated or a minor, a relative or representative can make the request as well. The American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina called the legislation “shameful,” saying that these laws provide significant limitations on the ability to keep law
NICK BROWN | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Cincinnati’s body worn camera (BWC) program began in August 2016, an attempt to improve accountability and gather evidence. A $600,000 grant will be used to purchase up to 350 additional body cameras to the already 700.
THE STUDENT VOICE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI
enforcement accountable. However, criminal justice associate professor Nicholas Corsaro disagrees that incidents caught on body camera footage needs to be reviewed by the public for it to be useful and warranted. “While public oversight is important, such as cell phone recordings of events, officially recorded body camera imagery from a police department does not have to be reviewed by the public for its content to be useful to police agencies due to internal affairs review, and without body cameras that would be even more difficult,” said Corsaro. In his experience, Corsaro said an internal affairs (IA) investigation using the footage is enough. “IA, based on my experience, does not cover up for officers – they are often more critical of reviews, likely in an effort to address potential lawsuits.” Student views on the issue are conflicting. “Body cams are not completely necessary to be released to the public, but are certainly useful to have in the need of evidence,” said Andre Hakim, a fourth-year communications student. Student Body President Mitchel Phelps is against body cameras being taken off public record. “The importance of body cameras is huge,” said Phelps. “Over recent years we have seen more and more videos of shootings pop up from officers and the need for them has hugely increased.” Body cameras are absolutely necessary for civilians and police, said second-year international affairs student Preston Parish. “Police are public officials in their own right, and are payed in tax money. Body cameras should absolutely be public record,” Parish said.
FREE
2 / NEWS THURSDAY, SEPT. 29, 2016
100% 90% 80% 70%
Full-Time First Year Students Receiving Financial Aid 78.7%
76.6%
60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10%
2015
2016 GRAPHIC BY RUSSELL HAUSFELD
Increased financial aid helps students manage expenses LAUREN MORETTO | NEWS EDITOR
The University of Cincinnati campus is breathing a little easier thanks to an increase in the amount of full-time first-year students receiving financial assistance. According to Fall 2016 enrollment numbers provided by the Provost, 78.7 percent of full-time first-year students received financial assistance, a nearly 3 percent increase from numbers detailed in projected enrollment data from 2015. The drive behind the increase of students in need of financial aid is a “generational thing,” according to Erica Henry, assistant director of enrollment relations in the Student Financial Aid office. Families used to plan for expenses and ways to cover the cost of education, whether through a college savings plan, based on their own savings or a family inheritance, according to Henry. “We’re not seeing that as much, there’s not as much of a focus on that.” Because of this, families may turn to financial assistance through aid, grants and loans to pay for college costs. A reason behind this may
be that families are still feeling the effects of the financial crisis of 2008, according to Henry. “I think in general the job market’s not like it was and so parents are either underemployed, some are unemployed — regardless I think that that has contributed to the reason why student’s are needing, or relying more financially to pay their educational expenses,” said Henry. Additionally, the financial aid office has seen a trend of more students qualifying for need-based aid such as Pell Grants, according to Henry. Students in need of financial aid should mark Oct. 1 on their calendars. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for 2017-2018 will be available Saturday, moved up from the previous date of Jan. 1, according to Henry. “The biggest hurdle that keeps students from getting financial aid is that they don’t fill out a FAFSA,” said Henry. Funds from the Department of Education are awarded to students on a first-come first-serve basis, making how early a student fills out their FAFSA a determining factor
NextGen group rallies about climate change KINSLEY SLIFE | NEWS EDITOR
As Election Day draws near, activist groups of all kinds are coming to college campuses in droves to push awareness amongst millennials about the hot button topics on the ballot. For the University of Cincinnati, a new studentled division of the activist group, NextGen Climate, is rallying straight from MainStreet for a major cause — climate change. Founded in 2013 by Californian philanthropist Tom Steyer, NextGen Climate works to prevent climate disaster by encouraging awareness and continued education of climate change issues amongst millennials. “We want to and are focusing on talking to millennials because they’re the largest voting block in this election,” said David Miller, NextGen Climate’s deputy communications director. “This is the first time millennials can beat the baby boomers.” NextGen Climate uses student fellows and volunteers to creatively engage campuses in the conversation about climate change, going as far as setting up stands to pie volunteers dressed in Donald Trump costumes. Volunteers donned in Donald Trump costumes have been pied in the face in the name of climate change as one of many creative ways that NextGen student volunteers and fellows work to involve campuses in the climate conversation. “We want [millennials] to vote with the climate in mind since they’ll be living with this issue the longest,” said Miller. “An overwhelming number of millennials want to make the transition to clean energy and will support candidates who stand for it.” NextGen Climate operates in eight states and on over
60 college campuses in Ohio alone, with efforts in full swing per the quickly approaching election, making it one of the largest college vote programs in history. With an impending Oct. 11 voter registration deadline, a short term goal for the group is to make sure students are registered and prepared to be an active part of voting day. Todd Greene, a fourthyear international business student and field manager for NextGen Climate UC, spends his days at the MainStreet table canvassing for student volunteers to help make phone calls and encourage others to register to vote or update registration information. “Our mission is to create political action to stop climate change because our window of opportunity to avoid the worst effects of it is closing,” said Greene. Greene previously held an executive board position with UC Democrats but put that role on hold in order to prioritize his passion for climate change activism. “I’m involved in this because this is an important election and this is my way of making a difference,” said Greene. “I’m out there every day talking to voters in person or over the phone to increase their chances of showing up in the polls.” July 2016 was the hottest month ever recorded, and further reluctance to act on climate change could end up costing the millennial generations — as well as generations to come — millions of dollars according to the NextGen Climate website. NextGen Climate believes that millennials have the numbers to elect climate champions this fall, and hopefully for years to come. “We’re excited for what November will bring,” said Miller.
PROVIDED
in how much aid they will receive, according to Henry. In order to continue receiving financial aid over the course of their college career, students must fill out a FAFSA each year they hope to receive aid, according to UC’s student financial aid website. The financial aid office is looking to spread the word so more students are aware of their options. Email blasts to students to let them know when aid is available, keeping information on their website and getting the word out when speaking to groups both on the high school and college level are a number of ways the office is trying to reach more students, according to Henry. Students see a long-term benefit of more students receiving financial aid. “[It’s] a great thing. It will allow people to attend school,” said Fatoumata Kante, a third-year finance student. She agrees with Henry that families are not as prone to preparing funds for college as they have been in the past. “Now there is a lot of students in school, and people aren’t paying attention,” said Kante.
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$14.93 / Hour
GRAPHIC BY RUSSELL HAUSFELD
Graduate assistants now exempt from new overtime guidelines LAUREN MORETTO | NEWS EDITOR
Graduate assistants (GA) at the University of Cincinnati are exempted from being eligible for overtime under Department of Labor Guidelines that will take effect Dec. 1 — and administrators say it’s for good reason. The new guidelines state those earning less than $47,476 a year, of which a GA’s salary would fall under, are eligible to receive overtime for hours worked over 40 a week. Because the Department of Labor defines assistantships as an educational relationship and not a professional relationship, overtime guidelines do not apply to those individuals. Defining an assistantship as an educational relationship is consistent with what the university is trying to accomplish, according to Marshall Montrose, UC Graduate School dean. “I think that gives universities the right attitude that this is part of the student education,” Montrose said. GA salaries are based on funds allocated and monitored by the graduate school and are awarded to students in a stipend. The dean of the Graduate School sets minimum stipends, with the current minimum equivalent to $14.93 per hour, according to the 2016 Graduate Student Handbook. “That just gives everyone guidance on how to structure the requirements — they can offer more than that for a college that feels like they want to invest more in that they are perfectly welcome to, but we do set the floor under which you should not go,” said Montrose. Those entering an assistantship should receive a letter of commitment detailing how much money they’ll receive for a list of service requirements in addition to
hours per week they’ll be asked to work, according to Montrose. GAs may also receive partial or full tuition scholarships. Salaries for GAs are highly variable in part because there are different hourly requirements, with a maximum of 20 hours per week, according to Montrose. A maximum of 20 hours per week is intentional, as it keeps students from nearing overtime and ensures they’re not completely occupied by what is meant to be a part of their educational experience, according to Montrose. Staff is in place to ensure GAs are not working beyond the set maximum by way of graduate program directors. These directors are responsible for approving and overseeing the workload of graduate students within the program, according to Margaret Hanson, associate dean for natural sciences. Alexandra Doyle, a clarinet performance graduate student, is a GA in the College Conservatory of Music’s Public Information Office and is expected to work 15 hours per week. Doyle’s boss is flexible with her schedule and allows her to make up hours if an ensemble she’s performing in falls during work. In addition to a flexible schedule, Doyle is never asked to work outside of her office hours. “I understand everyone wants to make sure that people aren’t getting like screwed over by the overtime regulations, but like, having an assistantship is a pretty sweet deal,” said Doyle. “I did the math once, and it came out, if you count the scholarship money you’re getting and everything like that, I’m getting paid like $40,000 a year for 15 hours a week — that’s like pretty good.”
The News Record is the editorially independent student-run news organization of the University of Cincinnati. It serves UC students, staff, faculty, alumni and the Cincinnati community with award-winning news and information on a variety of media platforms. The free newspaper is published on Mondays and Thursdays and is distributed to more than 80 locations on and near UC campuses. TNR’s website, www.newsrecord. org, is updated as news breaks and offers video, audio and interactive features. TNR’s app and podcasts are available for download on mobile devices. FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook TheNewsRecord Twitter @NewsRecord_UC Instagram TheNewsRecord SoundCloud The-News-Record-1 STAFF Editor-in-chief Jeff O’Rear Managing editor Amir Samarghandi News editors Lauren Moretto Kinsley Slife Chief reporter Ashleigh Pierce Sports editor David Wysong College Life editor Samantha Hall Arts editor Russell Hausfeld Opinion editor Caroline Cory Copy editor Huey Nguyen Photo editor Alexandra Taylor Chief photographer N. C. Brown Online editor Stephanie Smith Designer Gabrielle Stichweh Broadcast Reporter Emily Wilhelm Videographer Michelle Fisk Sales manager Caleb Ward
LIFE & ARTS / 3 THURSDAY, SEPT. 29, 2016
‘Da Vinci - The Genius’ at the CMC
Tom Dustin set to play Go Bananas
SAMANTHA HALL | COLLEGE LIFE EDITOR
comedy club MOHAMMED PATEL | STAFF REPORTER
Fans of comedy, laughter and good times will be filing into the small yet intimate 250 seats of Go Bananas Comedy Club this weekend to see 10-year veteran comedian Tom Dustin. Along with Dustin, the show will feature Jay Whitecotton as the opening act and Josh O’Neill as the host and emcee. “There will be jokes and probably some laughter and booze. I’m working on a new album, and so far, I have two and a half minutes that work OK. So, I’ll likely be doing mostly greatest hits with a light sprinkle of incomplete new stuff,” Dustin said. Dustin is no novice when it comes to comedy, being a veteran of the Boston Comedy Festival and having recorded his debut album “Dangerous Now” at Go Bananas just last year. His album will be available the first week of October on iTunes. He describes his material as “a little dirty with a sprinkle of mean jokes and sexy stories, a little truth and a couple of lies” but it is much more than that. Dustin’s approach to making taboo topics funny highlights what makes comedy great, the ability to laugh at the things that we don’t want to. Dustin’s comedic styling have not gone without notice. In 2010, he won the Yuk Yuk Great Canadian Challenge on Canada’s The Comedy Network. In 2013, he was chosen for the “Up Next” certified club talent search on Comedy Central. He has also been featured on Rooftop Comedy and the Bob and Tom Show. Whitecotton will be the opening act this weekend. According to his website, he “is the product of a clinically diagnosed schizophrenic family of drug addicted Star Trek nerds, who would rage tweak all night while playing Dungeons and Dragons.” Whitecotton has been featured in such festivals as Funny or Die’s Oddball Festival, the Las Vegas Punk Rock and Bowling Festival and the Moontower Comedy Fest. GO: Tom Dustin at Go Bananas Comedy Club, 8410 Market Place Lane, 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., Thursday-Sunday. $8-$14.
PROVIDED BY CMC FACEBOOK.
Da Vinci – The Genius features 17 themed galleries with over 200 pieces at Cincinnati Museum Center until October 9, 2016.
Standing on its last open week, “Da Vinci – The Genius,” an exhibit housed in the Cincinnati Museum Center, currently features 17 themed galleries, containing over 200 pieces throughout. Dozens of artists recreated Leonardo da Vinci’s works, inventions and ideas to honor him in the exhibit. Within the 17-featured galleries featuring more than 70 machine inventions of da Vinci’s, showing the most superb of creations despite him never being able to truly build many of his inventions. Along with these reinventions are works replicated
from journals originally created in the Renaissance period, including project and design drawings of da Vinci’s. The galleries are aimed to be interactive, leaving the museum exhibit to be interesting for all ages and groups, as well as adding “scientific principles” behind them, according to the Cincinnati Museum Center’s website. The exhibit will remain open until Oct. 9, with hours listed online due to timed entry. Entry rates for adult tickets currently cost $19.50 and child tickets cost $12.50, both being non-member rates. The exhibit opened May 20, having left the summer open for visitors until it’s upcoming closing.
The da Vinci exhibit is located in Union Terminal, a section of the museum that will soon undergo restoration in late October, causing a nine-day closure. Full restorations of the museum plans to finish in 2018, which will cost $212.7 million to complete. The Museum’s OMNIMAX Theatre will be closed for repair also. The Cincinnati Museum Center also holds other exhibits to visit during the closing of Union Terminal, including the Cincinnati History Museum, which focuses on periods in history including the years between 1850 and 1900 and a full model of Cincinnati’s industrial period over 40 years. The Museum of Natural
History and Science will be opened as well. Coming soon to the museum is the “Vikings: Beyond the legend” exhibit, beginning in November. The exhibit covers the history of Vikings travelling to North America, as well as the mythical and factual stories that captivates culture, artifacts, tradition and more. Along with this will be the longest Viking ship ever discovered, where visitors are free to walk around and explore. The Cincinnati Museum Center is in for numerous changes of interesting exhibits, connecting the community through a variety of historical perspectives and periods in time.
Mindful Meditation crafts stress, anxiety reduction RENEE GOOCH | SENIOR REPORTER
Zen music, singing bowls and zafu cushions create a tranquil atmosphere in the University of Cincinnati’s office of Counseling and Psychology Services (CAPS) — the home of Mindful Meditation. Mindful Meditation is one of the many free amenities CAPS offers to help students reduce stress and enhance relaxation. The audio-guided meditation sessions are composed of breathing techniques, relaxations tips and self-awareness tests, which together create a serene sense of each student’s mindfulness. Mindfulness aims to shift one’s attention away from thinking to simply observing thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations — touch, sight, sound, smell and taste, according to the Centre for Clinical Interventions (CCI). It helps people get in touch and experience the world that is “here and now.” The core features of mindfulness are observing, describing, participating fully, being nonjudgmental and focusing on one thing at a time, according to the CCI. “It’s very student driven and easy skills to learn,” said Tow Yau, director of CAPS. The meditation room is privately tucked around the corner of the lobby in CAPS. Students can reserve a one-hour time slot for themselves or a group of friends on weekdays, free of charge. “We are aware and committed to our students getting the help they so intensely need from us,” said Debra Merchant, the UC vice president of Student Affairs. “We know that when students receive appropriate mental health care, they are more likely to
be successful and thrive in and out of the classroom.” Students can take a mental health survey to understand their mental health needs and call CAPS for services,Yau said. “The results show that anxiety is the top mental health concern,”Yau added. “Students can learn mindfulness meditation to effectively deal with their anxiety, and it’s free.” In addition to the meditation sessions, CAPS also provides other free services like Let’s Talk, Biofeedback therapy, group therapy sessions, a program for sexual assault survivors and four private therapy sessions per semester with a member of the clinical staff. The first session is an initial assessment; after the student’s third therapy session they will be charged. “CAPS has many free services for students,”Yau said. Let’s Talk is a first-come, first-serve therapy session taking place each week, Monday through Thursday, in a specific location throughout campus. Every session is an open forum for students to stop in and individually talk with a clinical staff member for 15 to 20 minutes. “Let’s Talk offers students confidential consultation and support on a range of issues with professional counselors,”Yau said. “It provides easy access for students to speak with a counselor without an appointment”. Students interested in any of these services can visit the CAPS website, the office on 255 Calhoun St. or call the 24hour crisis hotline at (513) 556-0648. “At CAPS, the emotional well-being of our students is the first priority,” Merchant said.
SAMANTHA HALL | COLLEGE LIFE EDITOR
Students meditate for free at CAPS UC Service in the meditation room, Sept. 28, 2016.
STEPHANIE SMITH | ONLINE EDITOR
Breckenridge celebrates fall with their new seasonal Pumpkin Spice Latte Beer.
Brewcats:
Breckenridge Nitro Pumpkin Spice Latte Stout STEPHANIE L. SMITH | ONLINE EDITOR
Beer lovers can now be basic. Colorado’s Breckenridge Brewery takes on Starbucks’ overrated seasonal favorite with Nitro Pumpkin Spice Latte. While most pumpkin beers taste like either pumpkin pie or boozy canned pumpkin, this is the first brew to focus on the coffee part of the fad. The nitrogen gives this stout a full, cascading effect when poured, where bubbles fall instead of rise topping off its jet black body with a smooth, fluffy khaki-colored head that never dissipates. The pumpkin spice comes into play with cinnamon and allspice dominating the aroma. Whereas carbon dioxide gives a beer a harsh bite, nitrogen tones down the carbonation and adds a creaminess similar to
what milk does in a latte. But the latte is lost in the taste. Instead, it’s straight on cold brew coffee, which would be incredible, if it wasn’t for the nitrogen. It’s a double whammy of disappointment; I’m always on the lookout for a good coffee beer, and I love nitro beers, but with this one, the nitrogen flattens the taste too much. Nothing about this beer stands out. It’s completely basic. Breckenridge’s Pumpkin Spice Latte should be given a try once, but then make it up to your taste buds with either Southern Tier’s Warlock (an imperial stout brewed with pumpkins) or Schafly’s Pumpkin Ale. Part of Breckenridge’s nitro series, the 5.5-percent ABV fall seasonal is available at local stores in four-packs through October and is on tap at The Casual Pint in Oakley.
Cincy is alive with ‘The Sound of Music’ from the Aronoff Center RUSSELL HAUSFELD | ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR
PROVIDED
Tom Dustin performs at Go Bananas Comedy Club, Sept. 29- Oct. 2, 2016.
Do you hear that? The sound coming from the Aronoff Center? Well, that’s — wait for it — “The Sound of Music.”The hills are alive with it, lately. What makes this production a real spectacle is the work of scenic designer Douglas W. Schmidt. Schmidt was a nominee for two Tony Awards for his work on the scenic design of “Into the Woods” (2002) and “42nd Street” (2001) and has received multiple Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Set Designs. The sets in the “The Sound of
Music” — specifically the nun’s abbey and the von Trapp mansion — are fluid, seamlessly-moving cogs. An innate staircase in the mansion is whisked away to make room for a bed from stage right and a ceiling beam descending from above. The dark and intricate tapestries that make up the walls of the abbey move slowly across the stage with a nun to simulate walking down a hallway. The large windows of the von Trapp mansion look out upon a massive, impressionistic image of the Austrian mountain ranges standing from floor to ceiling at the
back of the stage. This backdrop illuminates the stage in subtle purple, yellow and green. These stupendous sets are populated by impressive performances from the entire cast. Kerstin Anderson’s energetic movements about the stage and slightly-aloof vocal inflections make for a perfect Maria. And, Captain Georg von Trapp, played by Ben Davis, has a believable transformative arc from a rigid Navy captain to a loving father. With the exception of Liesl, real children play all of the von Trapp kids — the youngest of whom is six.
There are eight children touring with this show and half are making their national tour debuts. Seeing real children in child-specific roles really helps bring the production that much closer to reality, making it easier for the audience to suspend their disbelief. Not to mention, they all delivered flawless singing and acting performances and were generally adorable. GO: “The Sound of Music,”Aronoff Center, 650 Walnut St. TuesdaySunday, through Oct. 9. See www. cincinnatiarts.org/events/detail/ sound-of-music for specific times and prices.
Fall drinks in Clifton: superior alternatives to the dreaded pumpkin spice latte KARLY WILLIAMS | STAFF REPORTER ERIN COUCH | STAFF REPORTER
Sitwell’s Chaider
Sitwell’s Coffee House’s Chaider, a steaming mix of sweet, crisp apple cider with chai tea, offers a fresh twist on the traditional hot cider that has historically been so essential to autumn. Although available on their extensive and eclectic menu year round, Sitwell’s Chaider is the perfect choice for the coming fall months. The rich and frothy amber-colored drink offers a perfect hit of sugary goodness from locally sourced apples, finishing with a
kick of cardamom from the chai. An unexpected orange slice garnishes the Chaider, complementing the freshness of the cider. Chaider is also the perfect compliment to any of Sitwell’s seasonal treats, like pumpkin cheesecake.
The 86 Club’s Maple Latte
On a brisk fall morning, there’s no better wake up call than pancakes with warm syrup. The 86 Club is adopting this concept and applying it to coffee with their latest seasonal menu item, the maple latte. The baristas spare no expense when they douse the espresso with a healthy portion of
dark amber maple syrup right before patientlywaiting customers’ eyes. The aromatic beverage is as smooth as silk, with the luscious maple complementing the on-site roasted coffee without overpowering the aesthetic of the classic milk and espresso drink. And, because this maple syrup is 100 percent pure, there’s no sharp high-fructose aftertaste that’s often experienced in comparable flavored lattes.
Highland Coffee House’s Rum and Cider
Autumn coffee shop favorites aren’t just for lazy mornings or drawn out afternoon study sessions
anymore. The hot rum and cider at Highland’s is the perfect kick-start to a night out at the bar with old friends you’ve been catching up with this fall. A single shot of Captain Morgan is added to the steamed Indiana cider, with a sprinkle of mull spice capping off the frothy film at the brim of the glass mug. If the physical temperature of the cider isn’t hot enough, that shot of Captain is sure to warm your insides — even if only temporarily.
warmer as the years go on. On the upside, this allows slightly more time to enjoy cool iced treats, like Rohs’ iced chai latte, a refreshing classic. The drink is a perfect alternative when coffee feels too redundant or heavy for a
fall morning or afternoon. By sharing a drink at one of Rohs’ community conversation tables, patrons can leave not only having experienced a great fall beverage, but possibly making a new acquaintance.
Rohs Street Cafe’s Iced Chai Latte
With climate change wreaking havoc, early fall in the Midwest is getting
SHAE COMBS | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Pumpkin Spice season is here, forgotten fall alternatives are chai, peppermint and apple cider.
4 / SPORTS Stafford has quickly become best coach at UC THURSDAY, SEPT. 29, 2016
JASON SZELEST | STAFF REPORTER OPINION
There are 14 Division I varsity sports on the campus of the University of Cincinnati, and 14 head coaches who lead each one of those teams. There are the big names, like football coach Tommy Tuberville and basketball coach Mick Cronin, as they not only lead the biggest money-making programs on our campus but have also experienced a relative degree of success ― brandishing winning seasons for the last three years. However, the best coach on campus is one that you might not have heard of. In the 2012 season, the women’s soccer team went 4-13-1. Following eight straight losses to end that season, they decided to make a coaching change and recruited the head soccer coach at Central Michigan University. Neil Stafford spent two years with the Chippewas prior to coming to Cincinnati, where he led his squad to a combined record of 30-10-4 and a
trip to the 2012 NCAA tournament. Once in Cincinnati, his impact was felt immediately as he doubled the team’s win total in his first year, going 8-11-1. In his second season, Stafford led his team to a 10-8-2 record their first winning season since 2008. As he continued to renovate the program, implementing his style of play and attracting the players he wanted on the field, the team continued to improve. This was best demonstrated last year, as Stafford began to enter the record books in the history of Cincinnati women’s soccer. Most importantly, his team continued to improve record-wise, going 13-6-5. Those 13 wins were the most for the program since 2002, and also contributed to the programs first backto-back double-digit win totals since 2002. On Oct. 2, 2015, Stafford led his squad to their first victory over a ranked team since 2002 defeating the No. 18 University of South Florida.
Stafford continued to impress with his coaching in the conference tournament, leading his team to a victory over No. 10 University of Connecticut and then another victory over South Florida in the American Athletic Conference championship. With the conference championship, Stafford was the first coach since 2002 to lead the Bearcats women’s soccer team to the NCAA tournament. All totaled, the 31 wins Stafford has racked up in his time at Cincinnati are the most by any coach in their first three years in program history. Continuing with his constant improvement, he has his team out to a 7-2-1 start to open up 2016. Fans are beginning to take notice of what Stafford is accomplishing as well. On Aug. 22, his team set a record for attendance in a college soccer game, drawing 4,722 fans for a game against Northern Kentucky University. One journalist for Fox 19 went as far as to call Stafford’s squad “the
best team on campus” in reference to the University of Cincinnati. From what I have seen of Stafford, perhaps the attribute to most contribute to his success is that he is never satisfied. After their droughtshattering win over South
Florida last year, Stafford was disappointed that his team let their opponent hang in the game as long as they did. The 4-13-1 team Stafford inherited in 2013 would have shocked the world with that victory. No other coach on
Cincinnati’s campus has started with less and turned it around so quickly. Winning is now the expectation when it comes to Cincinnati women’s soccer, and it only took Stafford three years to completely change that culture.
N.C. BROWN | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
UC women’s soccer head coach Neil Stafford stands during the National Anthem before their match against Duquesne at Gettler Stadium on Sunday, September 11, 2016. Stafford has been at the helm of UC since the 2013 season gaining improved records each season since being hired as head coach, including a conference championship in 2015.
Bearcats look to beat South Florida after embarrassing outing during last season ETHAN RUDD | STAFF REPORTER
N.C. BROWN | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
FC Cincinnati forward Omar Cummings (14) performs a bicycle kick against Wilmington at Nippert Stadium on Saturday, April 30, 2016.
FC Cincy to begin playoff run Sunday CLAUDE THOMPSON | STAFF REPORTER OPINION
No single team in the Eastern Conference of the United Soccer League has had a better inaugural season than Futbol Club Cincinnati ― who finished the regular season with 16 wins, six losses and only eight draws. That is good for a third overall finish in the conference standings, as well as third in the entire league, considering no team in the Western Conference won more than 14 matches. FC Cincinnati punched their ticket to the playoffs, in addition to securing a home playoff match in front of a Cincinnati crowd that has outdrawn seven Major League Soccer clubs’ 2015 attendance numbers ― including the Columbus Crew ― and set the single game attendance for the USL twice in the same season. They will face stiff competition in the Eastern Conference, including the top-two teams: Louisville City FC and the New York Red Bulls II. Cincinnati was unable to defeat the Red Bulls II in regular season play and went 1-1-1 against rival Louisville City. The young program is on a 5-game unbeaten streak, which Louisville City is also enjoying, but the Red Bulls II appear to be the team to beat as they ride a 10-game unbeaten streak into the playoffs, with nine wins and only one draw. Cincinnati will start the playoffs with the conference quarterfinals at Nippert Stadium Sunday, going against a Charleston Battery club who has lost three of their last five regular season matches
and finished 13-8-9. They should achieve an easy victory in front of the home crowd during the opening round, but when Cincinnati encounters Louisville City or the Red Bulls II, all bets are off. Fans should be confident in Cincinnati’s ability to beat Louisville, depending on where it is played, but Cincinnati will be heavy underdogs to the Red Bulls II, barring an upset of any kind in these playoffs. Cincinnati will be led by foward Sean Okoli, who won the USL 2016 Golden Boot for most goals scored in the season, and goalkeeper Mitch Hildebrandt, who led all USL keepers in minutes played by 150. Forwards Job Hoffman of Louisville City and Brandon Allen of the Red Bulls II both are players who were in the hunt for the Golden Boot, as they were in the top-five of goals scored. This could lead to high scoring matches between any of these three teams, but Louisville City and New York, like Cincinnati, both have solid goalkeepers defending their net. Any match that features Cincinnati against either of those teams could come down to what gives first, either Cincinnati’s ability to score or their opponent’s ability to prevent the scoring. Cincinnati has the firepower, talent and coaching to walk away as the 2016 USL champions, but getting through the Eastern Conference will be the real challenge. Whoever wins the East will undoubtedly defeat the Western Conference champion and claim the trophy.
In 2015, when the University of Cincinnati football team played the University of South Florida Bulls in Tampa, things did not go well. UC committed five turnovers in the first half alone. Starting quarterback Gunner Kiel was pulled after throwing two interceptions and replaced by Hayden Moore, who entered the game and threw a pick six. Ultimately, the Bearcats were routed by the Bulls 65-27. “Last year was a perfect storm. We absolutely did not do anything right on defense and offensively we were even worse,” said Cincinnati head coach Tommy Tuberville. The Bearcats are preparing for USF no differently than any other team they have played in the prior season — by studying game film from last year’s matchup. Slowing down a strong South Florida offense, led by junior quarterback Quentin Flowers, will be no small task. Flowers, a former wide receiver turned quarterback, leads USF in rushing and passing yards. Tuberville drew comparisons
between Flowers and Greg Ward, the University of Houston’s quarterback they saw just two weeks ago. “[Flowers] is like Greg Ward. He throws, he runs, you can’t tackle him,” Tuberville said. With Flowers behind center, USF is averaging just over 500 yards of offense per game in their first four outings. USF’s base offense not only spreads the field, but it also stretches it with speed. “This is a typical Florida team that is going to have a lot of skill guys at each position, a lot of speed,” Tuberville said. UC is likely to be aided by the return of senior safety Zach Edwards, who did not play against Miami University in the team’s most recent game. “He’s not just quarterback of the secondary, he’s quarterback of the whole team. He’s our leader,” Tuberville said. “He’ll grab a lineman and move them over to make sure we’re lined up right.” However, the Bearcats will have to fill a hole at linebacker as sophomore linebacker Bryce Jenkinson underwent season-ending knee surgery.
It remains unclear who will start at quarterback for UC. Redshirt freshman Ross Trail started over Kiel in relief of an injured Moore against Miami. Moore’s condition seems to have improved, but Tuberville did not rule out the possibility that someone else could be leading the offense Saturday. “Hayden is moving around a lot better this week and hopefully we can get him back in the rotation. But if not Ross and Gunner will compete again this week to see who runs the offense better in practice,”Tuberville said. Regardless of who is under center, UC will attempt to establish their running game on the heels of running backs Tion Green and Mike Boone, using them to control the clock and keep the USF offense on the sideline. So far this season, Green is the team’s leading rusher with 249 yards on 58 carries. Boone is right behind him with 227 yards on 61 carries. UC will play USF 7 p.m. on Saturday in Nippert Stadium as the two teams will fight for first place in the American Athletic Conference’s East Division. The game will be televised on ESPNU.
N.C. BROWN | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Bearcats safety Tyrell Gilbert (2) pumps up the crowd during the season opener against UT Martin at Nippert Stadium on Thursday, September 1, 2016.
FROM KAEPERNICK PG 1
figure out what the root of [Kaepernick’s] decision was and then I really respected it,” said Phelps, a fourth-year marketing and international business student. “Oh my gosh, is he really going against our nation right now? I think he really understands that the foundation that was laid for our country was great it’s just not being fulfilled to the largest extent that it could be.” Tuberville’s view that the protest should be kept away from the sidelines is one Phelps disagrees with. “As players I think they’re in a very interesting predicament because as he said, if you go against what [Tuberville] said, you’re going to get a talking to,” Phelps said. “Before you’re a football player, before you’re a student, before you’re a News Record writer, you have your own personal identity and I think you have the right to really
protest and stand up for your own personal identity that you feel strongly about,” he said. Phelps said when he decided to sit for the Sept. 21 SG meeting, he too felt the initial hesitation of standing against a national symbol, knowing backlash would be coming. “Student government sitting during the Pledge of Allegiance is a disgrace. I feel like as a body that is supposed to be representing the UC students, it isn’t at all their place to try and make a political stand,” said Ryan Burch, a third-year construction management student. “I come from a military family — that pledge is more than just words to me because of what I’ve seen both of my parents serving to protect” Burch said. “They should stand and be thankful for the fact that they have this amazing country and the
privileges that they have been granted.” Phelps said he’s encountered ignorant comments since his Sept. 21 decision, but he’s mostly gotten positive reaction from students and staff regarding his decision to sit.
“We get kind of stuck in our bubble here as UC students, we really only think about what’s going on in our community. But let’s look at the larger picture. Let’s look at the world that we’re going to be stepping into,” Phelps said.
N.C. BROWN | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Head coach of the UC football team Tommy Tuberville speaks out on the protests of the National Anthem in all levels of sports. Photo from UC vs Houston at Nippert Stadium on Thursday, September 15, 2016.