Jan. 23, 2019 - The News Record at University of Cincinnati by The News Record

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pg. 2 | Branch campuses pg. 6 | Winter festivities adopt green energy in the Queen City Wednesday, January 23, 2019

Next-level Bearcats SPENCER SCHULTZ | STAFF REPORTER

With half of the regularseason complete, it’s time to point out how former University of Cincinnati men’s basketball players are faring at the professional level. Here are this month’s updates on four former Bearcats:

Sean Kilpatrick (2010-2014) – Panathinaikos B.C.

OPERS has a 50 percent chance of failing to repay its obligations by 2037, according to Mercatus Center research.

Inside UC’s growing pension crisis SENJA TOIVONEN | CONTRIBUTOR University of Cincinnati faculty and staff who are signed on with university-offered retirement plans are at risk of not seeing their pensions fully funded. At the UC Board of Trustees meeting in October 2018, Patrick Kowalski, UC’s vice president of finance, reported that the university has $538.7 million in unfunded pension liabilities, per the 2018 financial audit.

Unfunded pension liabilities describe a company’s pension obligations that are paid to staff out of current income, rather than from a separate fund to which the company has contributed over time, according to Financial Times. The university can match a portion of employees’ annual contributions to either the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) or the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS). Annual contributions are determined based on the amount Pension Continued on Page 4

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The former Cincinnati standout signed to play for the Euro-league team Panathinaikos B.C. of Athens, Greece Jan. 9. Kilpatrick joins former University of Louisville and University of Kentucky head coach Rick Pitino, who was recently named to the same position of Panathinaikos. The 29-year-old guard made his debut appearance for Panathinaikos Friday, Jan. 22, scoring 11 points and three assists in 24 minutes.

Gary Clark (2014-2018) – Houston Rockets

month. Clark has played 20-plus minutes in three-of-eight appearances in January, including his first career NBA start last week against the Brooklyn Nets. Despite shooting 0-of-5 on field goal attempts in his first start (all three-point attempts), the Smithfield, North Carolina, native is averaging 3.2 points and 2.8 rebounds per game in 33 appearances. Clark has expanded his range since his days at Cincinnati, having three games with at least two three-point field goals, bringing his average to 35

Pro Bearcats Continued on Page 7

The undrafted power forward has seen his minutes per game Houston’s Gary Clark (6) shoots against increase from 8.4 in the Indiana Pacers earlier this season. @ December to 14.8 this GARY11_CLARK | TWITTER

UC branch campuses to adopt green energy GABRIELLA MULISANO | CHIEF REPORTER The University of Cincinnati’s branch campuses are transitioning to 100 percent wind energy after finalizing a deal with American Electric Power (AEP). The Department of Utilities came forward with the proposal that put the plan into motion. After signing the deal in October 2018, the college is now officially locked in to a three-year plan with AEP. Once the changes go into effect and the plants are constructed, the college hopes to reduce energy spending by up to 30 percent and energy usage by up to 40 percent. UC’s focus on reducing its environmental footprint isn’t new. The university has already been implementing similar ideas on main

campus. “As a component of utility operations and the supply of energy to campus buildings, our team is continually striving to find ways to reduce our environmental footprint,” said Michael Hofmann, director of utilities. The proposal is designed to encourage prospective suppliers to identify and include other potential renewable energy resources. “In selecting the supply of wind power from AEP Energy, UC was able to achieve a significant impact to our carbon footprint and provide a large reduction to carbon emissions related to our electric usage,” he said. Before the proposal and the subsequent contract with AEP, no UC campuses were wind powered. Now, all branch campuses — excluding main campus —

will be affected. According to Hofmann, all UC regional campuses and satellite buildings are now being supplied by 100 percent renewable wind energy. “UC is continually investigating new and innovative ways to reduce its carbon footprint,” Hofmann said. “This includes solar energy, biodiverse fuel sources, electric vehicles and a variety of other ways to reduce annual carbon emissions including, most importantly, reductions in energy consumed.” The switch is not only greener, but also saves the college a good chunk of change for the long haul. Gabrielle Kirker, a senior business student at Clermont College said she is excited about the changes. “I think it’s cool how they are using wind power, as that is not as commonly used in Cincinnati,” Kirker said. “It’s especially cool how they are using it to not only go green, but to save the college $25,000 annually to use on other things that the school needs.” UC is making several updates to its Clermont campus across the board, including replacing outdated chillers and boilers and switching out old lights in favor of energy-efficient LEDs.

University of Cincinnati’s branch campuses have plans to transition to renewable energy sources within three years. TOP: WIKIMEDIA, BOTTOM: TNR FILE ART

The Global Game Jam invites participants to create a game in just two days. WIKIMEDIA

UC to host 48-hour game creation event ALEX MARTIN | STAFF REPORTER Global Game Jam, a worldwide gamecreation event, will hold a program in Cincinnati hosted by the local chapter of the International Game Developer Association. The event, which is hosted in over 800 locations with more than 40,000 participants, gives teams 48 hours to develop a video game. The game must be based off a randomly selected theme that is not disclosed to participants until the day of the event. The University of Cincinnati will host the game jam in room 128 of the Teachers-Dyer complex. The event runs from 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 26, until 5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 28. Despite the high number of participants, organizers say the event isn’t about being the best. “We are a collaborative event, not a competition,” said Seven Siegel, executive director of Global Game Jam. “Global Game Jam is about bringing people together … We don’t need to compete to showcase global culture, and that is truly what GGJ is about — showing how every culture around the world makes games.” From a cultural standpoint, Siegel views the event as an opportunity for participants to showcase their unique experiences on a global stage. “People all over the world are making games,” he said. “It’s really easy to get caught up in ideas and stereotypes of people from other states or countries, and we often lose the fact that everyone is three-dimensional, just like us. Global Game Jam gives the world an opportunity to see

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people’s experiences expressed through the medium of game development.” UC instructor Clayton Belcher, who organized the local event, said the Global Game Jam is designed to provide a creative outlet for developers. “The purpose of most game jams is to get people away from being stuck in bigger projects, and to let them take a break to get creative juices flowing and bounce ideas off each other,” he said. “It’s a nice change of pace to just put everything else — all your responsibilities — away for a while, and just make something together for the weekend.” During last year’s game jam, Belcher’s team developed a title called “Unstoppable Pigeon Shipment Service” — a game in which a pigeon must run through several streets and collect letters while dodging obstacles, like traffic cones, along the way. This game jam is free to join. Interested participants can sign up for the local event by visiting the Global Game Jam website and typing “IGDA Cincinnati” into the search bar. The event is also a great starting point for those who want to get involved with game development but have no prior experience, Belcher said. “You don’t have to know how to makes games — none of us did at one point,” he said. “So, you kind of just have to jump in. The team I was on last year, we probably had three or four people who had never made a game before.” Last year, the local chapter saw roughly 40 members in seven teams participate. The event continues to grow in Cincinnati and around the globe.

Grace Thome: The power of language GABRIELLA MULISANO | CHIEF REPORTER Grace Thome, an associate professor of Arabic at the University of Cincinnati, has a unique connection with language that she shares with UC students almost every day. Language has played a natural and constant role in Thome’s life since she was a child, she said. “In Lebanon, it’s mandatory to learn languages — you don’t have a choice,” Thome said. “You go to school and you start learning three languages at the same time.” She credits Lebanon’s trilingual standard to the culture and history of the Middle East, which has endured comingling of cultures for thousands of years. Thome graduated from Nazareth High School in Beirut — the denselypopulated capital of Lebanon that

borders the eastern Mediterranean Sea. After high school, Thome went on to receive her undergraduate degree in business at Saint Joseph University in Lebanon. She moved to the U.S. when she was 25 — a decision she made after visiting her brother and her aunt, both of whom already lived in the U.S. In 1988, she began her graduate studies at the University of Cincinnati. There, she received dual degrees in French literacy and second language studies. As a mother, Thome strives to empower her children through language. Even though Thome’s children have grown up in the U.S., she has taught them French, Arabic and English — the same languages she learned as a child in Lebanon. Practicing several languages with her children from an early age, she

said, made it easier for them to learn. Thome also applies her trilingual skills to the classroom and encourages her peers to practice languages together, much like she and her friends did as children. “If it was up to me, I would probably implement [Spanish and English in all schools … in kindergarten,”Thome said. “Have all the students grow up learning them, and then you can choose a different language when you are in high school.” Understanding language is critical in understanding culture, Thome said. A rich respect for the culture and history of a civilization is afforded to those who learn the language of its people. “You are learning the culture, and that’s more important than the language,”Thome said.

Grace Thome, Arabic professor at UC. PROVIDED BY GRACE THOME

UC hosts VR experience to celebrate bicentennial

ALEX MARTIN | STAFF REPORTER

A virtual reality (VR) experience is happening on campus to celebrate both the history of the school and what’s happening now. Booths located in Tangeman University Center (TUC), University Pavilion and the CARECrawley Building were designed by the University

of Cincinnati’s Center for Simulations and Virtual Environments Research (UCSIM) — a collaborative group consisting of both students and staff. The experience, which consists of five different interactive vignettes, brings together different groups from the university to show what the school has accomplished in the past

200 years. Richard Harknett, head of the political science department, began on the original bicentennial planning committee nine years ago. Six years later, when Harknett was asked to chair the legacy committee, he proposed that the university create a modernized tribute instead of something more

The University of Cincinnati shows off its new virtual reality experience to attendees at their bicentennial event Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2018. ABBY SHOYAT | PHOTO EDITOR

traditional. “I hoped people would experience the history,” he said. “Once the executive committee approved the idea, we formed a great team of people, including our UC Sim Center, and agreed that we would build the entire virtual reality experience in-house, putting the modern creativity and expertise of UC to work to capture our history.” In the first simulation, “The Cutting Edge: Research,” users find themselves in Albert Sabin’s laboratory on April 9, 1959. This vignette has the user help Sabin create the oral polio vaccine — one of the university’s crowning scientific achievements. “You can tinker around in Sabin’s lab and help put drops of the oral polio vaccine on sugar cubes in preparation for the ‘Sabin Sundays,’” said Tracy Herrmann, a cofaculty chair of the UC Foundation’s Bicentennial Planning Committee. In another vignette, “Living Learning Leading: Pedagogy,” users are transported into the student bodies of 1819, 1919 and 2019. This vignette celebrates technological progress throughout the years and recognizes the

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The first virtual reality headset came out in the 1960’s and many years and modification later, the University of Cincinnati debuts their own VR experience to celebrate their bicentennial. WIKIMEDIA

growth of campus diversity. The “Bearcat Spirit: Boldly Bearcat” vignette is about the school community. In this simulation, the user becomes the Bearcat mascot and leads school chants in the fall of 1924, when the football stadium received its current name, Nippert Stadium, after James Gamble “Jimmy” Nippert. Then, in “Diversity and Inclusion: An Ecosystem of Inclusion,” the user joins Marian Spencer in 1939. There, the user interacts with the civil rights activist to curate an exhibit about the civil rights history of the university. The last simulation is “Campus on the Move: Architecture.”This VR experience puts the user in an almost model-like version of the university. The simulation features

a time-lapse of the university’s architecture through the present day. Early reactions to the VR booths have been positive, said Harknett. “Our goal is not only for people to have fun, but to walk away from each experience learning something new and wanting to learn more about our 200 years,” he said. The VR experience is free to try and will be in the following locations until Nov. 9: • TUC — 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday • CARE-Crawley Building — 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday • University Pavilion —8 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday

Why UC’s pension fund could fail in 18 years Pension Continued from Cover that is expected to fund the cost of benefits, as well as any unfunded pension liability that accumulates during the year, said Bob Ambach, UC’s senior vice president for administration and finance. Beyond those contributions, the remaining responsibility falls upon the State of Ohio pension plans, Ambach said.

UC is not the party that provides benefits once retirement has commenced. Therefore, the $538.7 million reported in the financial audit is the state’s obligation to repay. UC offers three different state retirement plans to employees hired after 1977, including the STRS for academic faculty, OPERS for non-teaching staff and the Alternative Retirement Plan (ARP) — an alternative, fixed plan for UC employees who work full time. OPERS and STRS are at the heart of what several news outlets have called the “pension time bomb.” State retirement plans like these have financial obligations specially customized to individuals based on careers, and they aim to provide benefits to people in retirement. But due to the amount of unfunded pension liabilities in Ohio, OPERS has only a 50 percent chance of being able to meet these obligations by 2037, according to research published in 2017 by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. STRS faces an even greater risk of not meeting obligations in the future, according to the Mercatus Center. Those counting on their pensions, including many UC employees, may be forced to endure benefit cuts if these plans fail to meet their obligations. UC employees are not alone in the pension crisis stemming from unfunded liabilities. In 2015, Ohio’s unfunded pension liability was an estimated $312 billion, according to Mercatus Center research. Estimated pension liabilities are calculated based on several variables, including discount rates, investment rates of return, bond rates, wage inflation rates, projected salary increases, estimated health care cost rates and cost-of-living adjustments, said Ambach. Once the estimated liability is calculated, the total contributions from the employee and employer are subtracted from this total, and the difference is deemed unfunded. “It is important to note that this calculation is at a moment in time and a derivative of many future-looking assumptions,” Ambach said. OPERS and STRS seem acutely aware of the unfunded pension crisis they face. In a 2017 statement, STRS found that longer lifespans among active and retired members, lower-than-expected investment returns and lower-than-expected payroll growth continue to have a negative effect on the pension fund. The statement also announced that STRS opted to reduce cost-of-living benefits,

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which usually increase over time. All cost-of-living increases granted on or after July 1, 2017, were reduced to 0 percent to “preserve the fiscal integrity of the retirement system.” Despite rising living expenses, the reduction of benefits was deemed necessary, as STRS’s pension liabilities were not expected to be fully funded within the next 50 years. This was an issue, as the state of Ohio requires organizations to adopt retirement plans that reach fullyfunded status within 30 years. To meet this requirement, STRS elected to change cost-of-living adjustment benefits. OPERS has implemented similar changes to its benefit plans. The newly recommended changes, which are now collectively one bill in the Ohio Legislature, include freezing cost-of-living adjustment benefits if funding is not expected within 30 years and delaying implementation for certain retirees. While these changes have already been implemented, the Mercatus Center believes that modifying assumed rates of return or tweaking benefits will not adequately mitigate pension obligation issues within the state of Ohio.

Although it isn’t the school’s financial responsibility, UC financial administrators are reportedly making efforts to see that employee pensions are delivered. Pama Mitchell, a communications and journalism professor at UC, plans to retire in 2019. While Mitchell does not have a pension plan through STRS or OPERS, she said the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) at UC recently asked faculty to complete a survey that included questions pertaining to health insurance costs, faculty development funding, faculty salaries and faculty hiring. These inquiries were made to help the AAUP in its negotiations with Executive Council. The areas of interest in the survey also affect retirement plans and benefits. UC was among the first universities to ask leaders of the pension fund to talk to UC’s finance department, Kowalski said in October. He described a need for the university to hold the state of Ohio accountable for the unfunded pension liabilities and ensure the financial safety of UC’s retired employees. “From an accountability perspective, it is the plan’s responsibility to ensure funding—and the representatives we met with take this responsibility very seriously,” Ambach said. “From a university perspective, we are working to identify the appropriate tools to keep the retirement plans accountable — but establishing these relationships and meeting with them on a consistent basis is a good start.”

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Get out and do something: Jan. 25 to Jan. 27 ERIN COUCH | SENIOR REPORTER

Friday, Jan. 25

Emo Night at Mixwells: Let’s be honest: We all went through that guylinerapplying, Hot Topic-buying, colored skinny jean-wearing phase at some point in junior high. Relive those emo glory days Friday at Mixwells with an evening of your favorite alt-rock bops circa late-2000s, like Fall Out Boy, Panic! At The Disco, Blink 182 and more. So, dig up your slim-fit My Chemical Romance T-shirt, throw on copious amounts of black eye makeup and come out to Northside this Friday for a night of selfdeprecating nostalgia. 8 p.m.-2:30 a.m. Friday. Mixwells, 3935 Spring Grove Ave., Northside. $7 under 21; over 21 free. Art After Dark: Ice Ice Baby: OK, you may remember your emo days,

but if you’re in that current college-age demographic, chances are you don’t remember the ’90s too well. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t appreciate the glorious decade of grunge, lo-fi hip-hop and boy bands. Cincinnati Art Museum hosts a silent disco where attendees can jam to ’90s tunes on headphones at the museum. There will be dance performances, food for purchase, specialty cocktails, art tours and more. (Flannels, mom jeans and other ’90s garb encouraged.) 5-9 p.m. Friday. Cincinnati Art Museum, 953 Eden Park Drive, Mount Adams. Free.

Saturday, Jan. 26

Up For Grabs at NorthChurch: According to Marie Kondo from “Tidying Up” — the new Netflix show about finally getting rid of your old stuff — you

should only keep items that “spark joy.” But who’s to say your old high school volleyball jersey wouldn’t bring someone else joy? NorthChurch hosts an event Saturday where you can bring in your unwanted stuff and find a new owner for it. To enter, bring at least two clean, reusable items; and from there, you simply pick out whatever you want from other tables for free. Unclaimed items will be donated. Noon-4 p.m. Saturday. NorthChurch, 4222 Hamilton Ave., Northside. Free. Holiday in Hogsmeade in Pleasant Ridge: At this Harry Potter-themed pub crawl in scenic Pleasant Ridge, muggles can pretend they’re walking through a snow-covered Hogsmeade as they participate in a costume contest, drink butterbeer and more. Your

CHLOE ROSENBERGER | CONTRIBUTOR

Eden Escapes

Eden Park is an exciting destination for Cincinnatians this winter, as the Krohn Conservatory is exhibiting its “Fabulous Foliage” show now through March 10. This seasonal event provides a warm, vibrant sample of spring as snow continues to accumulate outside the enclosed botanical

Sunday, Jan. 27

Chili Cook-Off at Findlay Market: Is Cincinnati the chili capital of the U.S.? Texans may argue otherwise, but here in the Queen City, chili runs through our veins. Findlay Market hosts a cook-off for local chili-makers this Sunday, complete with free samples for spectators. There will also be food for purchase from more than a dozen local eateries, beer from MadTree and more. Disclaimer: The competition is not limited to Cincinnati-

style chili. Tickets available at the event’s Facebook page. Noon-4 p.m. Sunday. Findlay Market, 1801 Race St., Over-the-Rhine. $2-$20. Raiders of the Lost Laughs Stand-Up Open Mic: Need a laugh or two now that syllabus week is officially over and you’re realizing that your college classes

are, well, actually hard? Urban Artifact hosts its semimonthly open mic this weekend. Kick back with a brewski, laugh at some comedians and try to forget about that fast-approaching 11:59 p.m. deadline. 7 p.m. Sunday. Urban Artifact, 1660 Blue Rock St., Northside. Free.

Visitors enjoy Findlay Market’s wide array of storefronts in the fall of 2018. Findlay Market also hosts many events including the Chili Cook Off on January 27th. ABBY SHOYAT | PHOTO EDITOR

essentials for cold days. The café provides a gorgeous overlook of the Alice Bimel Courtyard. Terrace customers can also enjoy the art museum’s free exhibits before or after grabbing a bite. An upbeat evening in Eden is provided by the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park company, which is bringing “In the Heights” to the Marx Theatre this winter. This spectacular show transports audiences from the chilly Midwest to warm summer days in Washington Heights, a Hispanic-American neighborhood in New York City. “Heights,” a story of community and culture, is the first Broadway play from “Hamilton” star LinManuel Miranda, and it won a Tony Award for Best Musical. Cincy Playhouse will run its production of “Heights” now through Feb. 17.

Winter festivities The weather outside remains frightful this time of year. Folks who are counting down the days until spring might search for indoor refuge from the frigid temperatures, while the bold and brave might wish to enjoy the freshly-fallen snow. Spending a day in Cincinnati is great for people on both ends of the spectrum and those in between, with Eden Park and Downtown Cincy promising artsy afternoons and energetic evening fun.

ticket also comes with several magical perks, like Marauders Map of the area (in case you’re not familiar with the historic neighborhood). Click here for tickets. 4 p.m.-midnight. Saturday. Revolution Pleasant Ridge, 6093 Montgomery Road, Pleasant Ridge. $10.

impressive architecture while gliding across the ice. Those who wish to experience ice from afar will want to check out the Cincinnati Cyclones. The local hockey team, housed at U.S. Bank Arena, plays at home frequently this February. The first of the month marks a special bobblehead giveaway for fans, and $1 Beer Nights are listed for Feb. 13, 15, 20 and 21. Cyclones games are some of the most affordable sporting events in the city, with advance single-game tickets available for just $15 per person — great for college students looking for excitement that won’t interfere with start-of-semester bills.

Frozen Fun

On your way to the conservatory, take your time in Eden Park to explore the miles of trails or the Cincinnati Art Museum. ABBY SHOYAT | PHOTO EDITOR

garden. For just a few dollars, visitors are treated to unique “moss graffiti” and “living walls” during this limited showcase of colorful flora. In conjunction with “Fabulous Foliage,”“Krohn Grown/Grown-Ups!” groups on Jan. 25 and 27 present opportunities for patrons to learn more about the featured botany, and attendees can even take home their own potted plants. Pick up brunch across the street from Krohn Conservatory at the Cincinnati Art Museum’s Terrace Café, which serves sandwiches and vegetarian fare as well as coffee and other warm beverages —

Downtown Cincy is the place to go for a more traditional taste of wintertime. For an outdoor activity, look no further than Fountain Square, home of the O’Keefe’s Ice Rink. This downtown staple is open seven days a week now through President’s Day. Offering food, hot cocoa, safe locker spaces and skate rentals, Fountain Square is the perfect location for date night or girls’ night out. Nestled in the heart of the city, nothing beats the view of colorful In the spring, Krohn Conservatory features a room of butterflies in Cincinnati lighting and

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addition to their botanical gardens. ABBY SHOYAT | PHOTO EDITOR

Takeaways from Bearcats’ win over Shockers MATT HUFFMON | SPORTS EDITOR

The University of Cincinnati men’s basketball team used a strong secondhalf to defeat the Wichita State University Shockers 66-55 Saturday afternoon in Wichita, Kansas. The Bearcats (16-3, 5-1 American Athletic Conference) led 24-23 at halftime before erupting for 42 points in the second half. Junior guard Jarron Cumberland led UC with 18 points and seven rebounds in 38 minutes. “A great win for our team,” UC head coach Mick Cronin said. “I thought we matched their energy. We’ve got a lot of guys that are going through this for the first time. They were on our bench last year, but they weren’t relied upon. So, we continue to show growth.” The Shockers, in the midst of a rebuilding year after losing six seniors and

first-round NBA draft pick Landry Shamet, fell to 8-9, 1-4 AAC. The team finished 25-8, 14-4 last season.

Below are a few takeaways from the win:

Hostile environment

The city of Wichita takes great pride in its university’s athletic program, and understandably so. The nearest major league sports hub is Kansas City — nearly 200 miles away. “They don’t have the Reds or the Bengals,” Cronin said Thursday before the matchup. “Wichita has Wichita. They’ve got the Shockers. They have great support … [the fans] don’t just come out when the team’s great.” The Bearcats won 62-61 in Charles Koch Arena March 4, 2018, to clinch the regular-season AAC championship. Aside from Cumberland (11 points),

the next-highest scorer on UC’s roster is guard Cane Broome, who had six points that day. More than 10,000 fans filled Charles Koch Arena Saturday in the hopes that their .500 team could upset the reigning champions. “As a team, it’s not an easy place to play for a lot of reasons,” Cronin said. “Great fans. Tough venue. More importantly, as long as Gregg [Marshall] is over there coaching, they’re going to be a tough out. I don’t care how many guys they lost from last year. [Marshall’s] going to find a way to make them competitive, and he has.”

Back to outrebounding opponents After being outrebounded in its three previous conference games, UC won the battle on the boards 36-24. “Really pleased with [the

rebounding],” Cronin said. “Tre Scott was extremely active on the offensive glass, which is something I’ve challenged him to do. Defensively, we did a really good job.” Scott finished with five points to go along with 10 rebounds.

Getting to the line

The Bearcats were 25-of-35 from the free-throw line, compared to the Shockers 5-of-7. “You can’t get fouled if you don’t play with strength,” Cronin said. “A team that is an aggressive, tough defensive team, you’ve got two choices: either be strong enough with the ball and beat them to loose balls, beat them to rebounds and play with unbelievable intensity, or they’re just going to not let you run a play, and [they’ll] take you out of everything you do.” The Bearcats return to

Wichita State senior Markis McDuffie reaches out for the ball, guarded by Cincinnati’s Tre Scott during their game against Cincinnati on Jan. 19, 2019. JOSEPH BARRINGHAUS | THE SUNFLOWER

Fifth Third Arena Thursday, Jan. 24, to face the University of Tulsa Golden Hurricanes. UC defeated Tulsa 70-65 in overtime in

the two teams previous meeting Jan. 10. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. on ESPN2.

Bearcats in the pros: January update Pro Bearcats Continued from Cover percent on those attempts on the season. The Rockets have been without injured guards Chris Paul, Brandon Knight and center Clint Capela, which has led to Clark’s increase in minutes. When the team returns to full health, Clark will more than likely see a decrease in minutes, assuming he doesn’t completely fall out of rotation.

Troy Caupain (2013-2017) – Orlando Magic

On a two-way contract, Caupain scored his first career NBA points Dec. 31 against the Charlotte Hornets. The 6-foot-4 point guard scored five points and converted two-of-three field goal attempts, including a three-pointer. Since scoring in back-to-back NBA games over the new year, Caupain has

since returned to Orlando’s G-league affiliate, the Lakeland Magic, where he is averaging 16.1 points per game accompanying 6.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists. Caupain has appeared in the starting lineup in all 26 appearances for Lakeland.

Jacob Evans III (2015-2018) – Golden State Warriors

Sean Kilpatrick arrives in Athens, Greece after signing with Panathinaikos B.C. @SEANKILPATRICK | TWITTER

The three-year UC standout continues spending time with Former UC guard Jacob Evans III has split time between the NBA and the both the Warriors G-League. @JACOBEVANS_1 | TWITTER Santa Cruz, averaging 10 points on 42.7 and its G-League percent from the field accompanying 3.3 affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors. rebounds and 1.8 assists. Evans has appeared in 23 games for The 28th overall pick in June’s NBA Draft Golden State, compared to 10 games for serves as all-star Klay Thompson’s backup Santa Cruz. on the depth chart and veteran Shaun The 6-foot-6 forward has played only two Livingston has taken over the majority of games for Warriors this month, averaging the back-up point guard and shooting guard 1.0 points, 1.0 rebounds and 0.5 assists in 13 minutes. total minutes. However, Evans has found success with

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Women’s basketball looks to extend home winning streak

UC’s Iimar’i Thomas drives to the basket against Temple University Wednesday, Jan. 16 at Fifth Third Arena. PROVIDED BY UC ATHLETICS COMMUNICATION

MATT HUFFMON | SPORTS EDITOR The University of Cincinnati’s women’s basketball team is 11-7 overall, but 9-1 at Fifth Third Arena this season. The lone home loss occurred on Monday, Nov. 12, to Old Dominion University in a tightlycontested 76-72 game that went into overtime. Since then, the team has pulled off seven consecutive home wins. The Bearcats look to extend the streak Wednesday evening, as the 9-8 University of Houston Cougars visit for the two teams’ only matchup of the season. Looking to gain any momentum after two road losses, UC responded last week with a 72-52 win over Temple University Wednesday at Fifth Third Arena and a 70-50 win over the University of Tulsa on the road Saturday. “The mood is great,” first year head coach Michelle Clark-Heard said. “I think our biggest thing right now is that we’re just trying to get better every day and focus on the things that we

Grading men’s basketball conference games to date ZACH FRIES | STAFF REPORTER SPENCER SCHULTZ | STAFF REPORTER

93-61 Victory vs. Tulane (Grade: A) The first conference game was never in doubt. Tulane came into conference with a 4-9 record. The Bearcats jumped out to a 50-23 lead in the first half and never looked back. Junior guard Jarron Cumberland scored 22 points on 6-of-10 shooting. Senior guard Justin Jenifer added 18 points. UC shot 47 percent from the field and 10-for-21 (47 percent) from three-point range. The Bearcats held the Green Wave to 36 percent from the field, blocking eight shots. 73-71 Loss at East Carolina (Grade: D+) In its first conference road game of the season, UC struggled to find its

rhythm. The Bearcats found themselves trailing 36-27 at halftime — the team’s largest halftime deficit this season. One of the only positive aspects is that UC had four starters in double-digit figures, combining for 58 of the 71 points. But the Bearcats couldn’t buy a basket from three-point range, shooting just 3-19 (15 percent). The team couldn’t find the bottom of the net on free throws down the stretch either, converting just eight on 18 attempts (44 percent). UC was led by Cumberland with 18 points. 70-65 (OT) Victory at Tulsa (Grade: B+) Despite dealing with illness throughout the week, the Bearcats pulled out a nail-biter in their first overtime game of 2018. Broome was the story in this one, knocking down

a long two-point field goal with seconds left in regulation to send the game into overtime, bringing his second-half point total to 16. Cronin’s defensive mindset paid off, as the Bearcats came up with 15 steals off 21 forced turnovers. UC outscored Tulsa 12-7 in OT to come out on top. 74-72 (OT) Victory vs. Connecticut (Grade: C+) UC struggled to defend the three-point line, as UConn converted on 11-of-27 attempts from beyond the arc. Jenifer was the hero for Cincinnati, draining a threepointer to put the Bearcats up 70-65 with barely more than a minute left in overtime. He also drew a charge with one second left in overtime to seal the win. Jarron Cumberland led UC with 22 points. Despite the victory, UC head coach Mick Cronin

wasn’t pleased with how his team played. “The lack of discipline defensively, getting outrebounded by eight in your own gym … It’s embarrassing,” Cronin said. UConn outrebounded the Bearcats 38-30. 82-74 Victory vs. South Florida (Grade: B) It was a hot start for the Bearcats, as the team led 43-31 at halftime. A much-improved USF team made things interesting in the second half after Cronin was ejected with 18 minutes remaining. The Bulls cut the deficit to one with just five minutes left. Cumberland scored a career-high 34 points as the Bearcats held off USF down the stretch. Junior forward Trevon Scott added 12 points and four rebounds. UC was terrific at the foul line, going 29-for-32.

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need to focus on in order to improve. We’ve always talked about since day one that you should be playing your best basketball in February. So, we’re working to get to that point.” Much of UC’s success can be credited to the play of sophomore Iimar’I Thomas. The 5-foot-10 forward was named the American Athletic Conference (AAC)’s Freshman of the Year last season and is currently averaging 13.1 points and 7.4 rebounds in 26 minutes per game this season. The AAC named Thomas its Player of the Week on Monday after she posted double-doubles in both wins while averaging 20 points, 10 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, two assists and 1.5 steals. The achievement marked the fourth time that Thomas has received weekly recognition from the conference this season. “She’s very talented,” Clark-Heard said. “Her IQ is very high and she’s still young. She’s only a sophomore. We have to continue to challenge her every day. The staff and I really work to make sure

that we can push her. I always say, ‘practice should be harder than the games.’” Conference play has proven to be a struggle to maintain momentum for UC, which sits at 3-2. Clark-Heard attributed any success in conference play to understanding opponents’ strategies and meticulously preparing. “We have to make sure we’re doing all the little things that helped us get the 20-point win on the road [at Tulsa] and focus on the things that helped us find a way to win the last two games,” Clark-Heard said. “Everyone now, when you get into conference play, is prepping the same way. They’re understanding and knowing what different teams do. We have to be locked in and ready to follow a scouting report … everyone knows, in the league and in the country, you’ve got to protect your home court.” Tip-off with the Cougars is scheduled for 7 p.m., and ESPN3 will televise the action. Follow Sports_TNR on Twitter for live updates.

66-55 Victory at Wichita State (Grade: A-) Playing in arguably its most hostile environment thus far, Cincinnati used a late run to defeat the Shockers. Cumberland and Jenifer led the way for the Bearcats combining for 35 points.

After a defensive battle in the first half, UC outscored Wichita State 42-32 in the second half to come out on top. The Bearcats converted on 25-of-35 free throw attempts and outrebounded the Shockers 36-24 to earn their 16th win of the season.

University of Cincinnati basketball player Justin Jenifer joins his teammates celebrating their victory over South Florida on Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2019 at Fifth Third Arena. JUSTIN HILES | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Teachers deserve higher pay, but at what cost? SAMUEL SCHELL-OLSEN | STAFF REPORTER Los Angeles teachers have found themselves in the national spotlight while striking for better pay. Between 1992 and 2014, teachers’ pay declined nationwide by 2 percent, according to Forbes. Last year, teacher strikes swept through Oklahoma, West Virginia, Arizona and Kentucky. The National Education Association (NEA) found that teachers in those states were paid between $45,292 and $52,338 annually. Non-educational employment — administration, janitorial, culinary and office staff — has hampered teachers’ wages. In Kentucky, during the same timeframe, non-educational employment grew by 41 percent, which could be the culprit intercepting teachers’ well-deserved raises. As a result of being trapped in low tax brackets, teachers in the Los Angeles area responded with a good old-fashioned strike — one which lasted nearly two weeks, in some cases. Some of these strikes were successful. Arizona teachers will receive a 20 percent increase in salary by 2020, and West Virginia will give its teachers a 5 percent pay bump. But what did it cost? Some students paid for their teachers’ salary hike by losing time in the classroom. Many students joined their teachers in protest. Students argued that their textbooks were dilapidated and missing pages. In Muskogee, Oklahoma, a school’s volleyball games were rained out due to a leaky roof. Conditions like this are despicable and preventable, and they should be illegal. But what’s worse: having an underfunded education, or giving up time in school to propose better conditions at school? Teachers in Oklahoma received a $6,000 raise by the end of the strike, but it cost

their students more than a week of inclass learning time. The Los Angeles strike disrupted classes for 500,000 students, according to The New York Times. If your job is to educate students and you instead disrupt their learning, maybe you should consider another career path. Teachers are vital to our country’s youth. They work tirelessly to educate our future citizens, and leaders should be compensated fairly for their role. But unions, in attempt to gain leverage in negotiations with state governments, will dangle students as a bargaining chip by shutting them out of schools. These unions are dragging students into a mess they shouldn’t be involved with. Sleazy acts like these damage communities by pitting parents, teachers, government officials and students against one another. Students need to worry about homework — not their teachers’ pay. Both students and educators are entitled to the First Amendment and have the right to express their opinion; however, it’s possible to express an opinion without disrupting the education system. Teachers and students should speak out, but they should do so while still ensuring outstanding academic performance. A community with great schools will attract businesses and thus attract public funding. Massachusetts, for example, ranks first in pre-K–12 education, according to U.S. News and World Report. It’s the prime destination outside of California and Florida for businesses, primarily thanks to its great education system. Responsible staffing priorities — giving administration staff more roles, for example — could lead to higher pay for teachers, improve school infrastructure and give families even more quality schools to choose from. Teachers deserve higher pay, but students deserve their teachers as well.

Los Angeles teachers have been on strike for six days and counting, resulting in a $125 million loss in revenue according to CNN. MARCO VERCH | FLICKR

Netflix launched a new boy meets girl TV series that quickly spirals into a deadly obsession. A second season was announced on Dec. 3, 2018. ABBY SHOYAT | PHOTO EDITOR

Why everyone is watching ‘You’ NOELLE ZIELINSKI | MANAGING EDITOR Lifetime’s original series “You” had high expectations when it first aired in September. However, its viewership was much lower than expected, garnering roughly 650,000 views per episode. By early December, Lifetime announced “You” would no longer be aired on the channel. Right after Christmas, the show started to resurface in headlines and media outlets after Netflix decided to start streaming the show. Since then, Netflix projected “You” would reach more than 40 million views in its first four weeks of streaming. The show stars Penn Badgley as Joe Goldberg, Elizabeth Lail as Beck and Shay Mitchell as Peach Salinger. The show has an eerie feel from the start as Badgley narrates his character’s thought processes throughout the entire series, including an attempted rationalization of stalking a woman he spotted at the bookstore he works at, which frames the plot of the show. It’s kind of hard to ignore the direct

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parallel between Badgley’s character in “You” and his role as Dan Humphrey in “Gossip Girl.” An introverted outcast falls for a charming blonde upon first sight and goes to extreme measures to keep track of her at all times? It’s a little too obvious. Joe Goldberg, a lonely worker desperate to find love, sets his sights on Guinevere Beck, an aspiring writer and grad student who has a habit of falling for the wrong guy. But Beck believes she’s found the perfect guy when she meets Joe, because everything seems to keep falling into place. The inattentive guy she previously dated magically disappears, her overprotective and overbearing best friend suddenly isn’t a problem anymore and Joe keeps showing up just as everything begins to spiral. It isn’t surprising that the show didn’t immediately take off when it first aired on Lifetime. The pace is a bit slow for a “thriller” series, but it’s also not surprising that the show was an instant success on Netflix due to the ability to binge-watch

the series. The show has proven so successful, Netflix has already renewed it for a second season. “You” gives viewers an inside look into the mind of a master manipulator. Joe gives outlandish and borderline psychotic justifications for what he does, but he also makes them sound somewhat acceptable and reasonable — at least until you snap back into reality and realize it’s most definitely not justified. And it’s kind of genius if you think about it, because that’s how so many relationships work. You start to rationalize with your partner’s actions just before realizing how screwed up the whole scenario is. He presents himself as nothing less than the perfect match and goes as far as eliminating obstacles — and people — who obstruct his path to happily ever after. The show is clever and almost impossible not to binge. Each episode leaves you wanting to know what crazy thing Joe will do next on his personal journey to claim Beck as his own.

Trapped in purgatory SAMI STEWART | OPINION EDITOR Being a 20-something feels a lot, I imagine, like being stuck indefinitely in purgatory. As I’m nearing the end of my college career at a steady clip, I’m becoming more disillusioned with the promises of post-grad success. For years, I’ve been groomed to take on each assignment as a tool of professional development so that somebody will give me a job. Keep up the GPA, minimize outside distractions, stay involved on campus, never stop networking, polish that portfolio — I’m starting to feel the constriction of

these guidelines that have been my horse blinders for years, forcing my eyes to look ever toward the future. Soon, there will be no guiding light at the end of this four-year tunnel, no cap and gown celebration with confetti — just a recent grad at the mercy of their perspective employers. I’m struggling to stay positive while staring down the rest of my life, grasping tightly to the comfort that academia has afforded me since I was very young. As a new student to this school, with fire in my eyes and a newfound love for journalism, there was little that could dampen my outlook on the future.

“Everyone gets jobs after college! That’s why we’re all here,” I thought. Now, these tales of students getting hired before securing their diplomas feel like bedtime stories that will hush my existential dread to a dull roar so I can fall asleep and have beautiful, vivid dreams of my future big-girl job. But my days left as a student are limited, and I feel a bit old for bedtime stories. I’ve waited so long to graduate and become a real professional, and now that the opportunity is within reach, I’m feeling more unsettled than ever. There will be no more falling back on extra credit, no more cushy learning

environment to smooth out the mistakes; I’m relishing these training wheels while I can. I remember learning to ride a bike as a child and how much I wanted to take off those damned training wheels and ride without the guiding hand of my dad ready to catch me when I fall. But if I’ve learned anything in this life, it’s that positive change comes at the cost of comfort and an ounce of curiosity goes a long way. It’s the curiosity that encourages you to take those training wheels off and you can’t learn to ride a bike without falling and skinning your knees. By now, my knees are calloused from my many tumbles and falls and getting back on the bike to try one more time. I always thought that growing up meant acting less and less like a child, but I’m still as brave as I was as a six-yearold with bloodied knees and elbows, determined to keep my balance on that bike.

Spring of 2018 was the University of Cincinnati’s largest graduating class thus far awarding a total of 6,578 degrees to 6,496 students. TNR FILE ART

Now that the challenge has shifted from bike riding to getting hired, that strongwilled childlike confidence

is resurfacing — I trust that my weathered knees can handle the fall.

Bad boys and good men: Another mixed week in America for masculinity KARLY WILLIAMS | SENIOR REPORTER With an internet connection and just a couple of clicks on your web browser of choice, you too can discover just how butthurt some men have become over a razor advertisement this past week. “MEN!!! Your wallet is your greatest weapon against left wing thought police. Don’t fund these leftist idealogues buy continuing to purchase their products.” “I accuse Gillette of misandry.” These are just some of the YouTube comments posted on “We Believe: The Best Men Can Be,” Gillette’s recently released advertisement — or as they call it, a “short film.” In the video, Proctor and Gamble’s iconic razor brand tackles classic examples of toxic male behavior — especially toward women—like bullying, sexual harassment, objectification and workplace discrimination. Gillette challenges viewers by simply asking, “Is this the best a man can be?” Critics of the ad — shockingly, mostly men — have swarmed to stand up for masculinity, claiming that the male

population has been vilified by Gillette and their parent company. Others have compared the ad with Nike’s hugely successful Colin Kaepernick ad, which used the outspoken football player to urge customers to “believe in something, even if it means losing everything.”This was a nod to the blowback Kaepernick received for protesting the national anthem due to America’s treatment of black citizens and other minorities. So, what exactly does this tell us? Men in America can embrace political advertising that calls for action against racism and unfair treatment of minorities as long as it is offered through a male lens. These men are not ready or willing to confront the realities of the social problems they create under systems that benefit their sex. As long as there is even the slightest implication that some men could simply do better — in their

workplace and home behavior, in their attitudes toward their sons and daughters and their actions and ideas toward women — American men will never accept ads like Gillette’s. Political advertising should not be

feel how might social Just seemed form of catapulted headlines. group of boys from

romanticized. It’s an aspect of emotional marketing that plays into the tenants of sales growth and publicity, but the bigger negative here is the sheer fact that men can show up for certain movements but too cornered to examine they and their brothers negatively impact the world. as the Gillette drama to sizzle down, another maleness gone bad into the country’s A

Ohio River Washington, “Make America hats for an antimarch. In front of Memorial, the surrounded and Nathan Phillips, a protester, veteran, American and activist, approached them.

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Covington Catholic High School — just a stone’s throw across the — took to D.C., wearing Great Again” abortion the Lincoln teenagers shouted at peaceful Native after he

In videos published since the incident, the students laugh at and mock Phillips continuously. Cincinnati councilwoman Tamaya Dennard expressed her disappointment in the boys in a Facebook post, which included a screenshot from a video of the boys surrounding Phillips juxtaposed by a civil rights-era photo of a group of white men surrounding a black male diner at a lunch counter. “The smug face represents what I’ve seen EVERY single day of my life,” Dennard wrote. “Looking at me as if I don’t belong.” Not only have the Covington Catholic boys reinforced a culture of male control by their original mission during their trip — targeting women’s reproductive rights — but they have spiraled into a multifaceted image of hate and blatant racism. Nathan Phillips should be applauded for his work and activism as a good man. He’s a respectable man — one who fights for those whose voices might otherwise not be heard. Phillips is a picture of what it means to be a positive male figure. If you have a problem with a razor brand asking men to be better, or the story out of D.C., take a step back, read the news, digest the conflict, try on some different lenses, and ask yourself again why people keep asking men to do better.

Across 1 Far from homogeneous 8 Fight back 14 Threatening 15 Red hot chili pepper 16 Bed buyer’s concern 17 Still on the plate 18 Suffix for Gator 19 Like cactus-friendly climates 20 “__ making a list ... “ 21 Family guy 23 “Oliver Twist” criminal 25 “Sommersby” star Richard 26 Deeply absorbed 27 Clickable pic 28 Skippy rival 29 Roadie’s load 30 San Antonio Spurs coach Popovich 31 Worth having 34 With 36-Across, mass-produced ... and what each of four black squares in this puzzle is? 36 See 34-Across 37 “Spun” tales 38 Arm bone-related 41 News letters 42 Trike rider 43 Having no slack 44 Soft French wheel 45 Bump up against 47 Coastal flock 48 Blues-rocker Chris 49 Somerhalder of “The Vampire Diaries” 50 Two in a row? 51 Prompt on stage 53 Massage technique meaning “finger pressure” in

Japanese 55 Stocking attachments 59 Rodeo ropes 60 Massachusetts site of Phillips Academy 61 This one or that one 62 Dangerous wave Down 1 Bashful pal 2 Texter’s “If you ask me” 3 Vigor’s partner 4 “Terrible” French kid 5 Crucifix 6 Foolproof 7 Guinness suffix 8 Carted off to jail 9 Looked at closely 10 “The __ is calm tonight”: “Dover Beach” opening 11 Coming up 12 Show contempt 13 Present perfect, for one 15 Saving one’s bacon? 19 Really excited 21 Polynesian nation 22 One who strikes while the iron is hot 24 Top pitcher 25 Birthday present 26 Risqué 28 Soup du __ 30 Essence 32 Vintage hue on a photo app 33 Scary-sound-

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