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pg. 3 | Group petitions UC pg. 8 | Here’s who could to reject tuition increase replace Mick Cronin Wednesday, April 10, 2019
PAC: ‘No refunds’ for Uptown West Fest KEELY BROWN | NEWS EDITOR NOELLE ZIELINSKI | MANAGING EDITOR
University of Cincinnati men’s basketball head coach announced his decision to take a position at University of California, Los Angeles on Tuesday, April 10, 2019. JUSTIN HILES | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Mick Cronin leaving UC for UCLA MATT HUFFMON | SPORTS EDITOR Mick Cronin, the head men’s basketball coach at the University of Cincinnati for the past 13 years, announced Tuesday that he will leave his role at UC to become head men’s basketball coach at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). “I love Cincinnati and the University,” Cronin said in a statement. “I love all of our players past and present and I wish everyone the very best. I would like to thank them for giving us everything they had on the court while wearing the C-Paw on their chest.” To read the full statement from Cronin, visit
www.newsrecord.org. Jeff Goodman of Stadium first reported Cronin’s decision. “UCLA closing in on hiring Mick Cronin, sources told Stadium,” Goodman tweeted. Cronin, a Cincinnati native who graduated with a bachelor’s degree from UC in 1996, finishes his tenure with a 296-147 record and nine NCAA Tournament appearances. He was named the 2018 Sporting News Coach of the Year and 2014 American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year. “I am incredibly humbled and honored to become the head coach at UCLA,” Cronin said in a UCLA news release. Cronin Continued on Page 8
The University of Cincinnati’s Programs and Activities Council (PAC) will not issue refunds to students who purchased tickets to the 2019 Uptown West Fest, according to a statement issued Monday on Twitter. “We understand that your experience was not as you had envisioned,” the statement reads. “Please be certain that PAC is committed to hosting safe events for the UC community.” Uptown West Fest, an annual spring concert held at Fifth Third Arena and organized by PAC, featured artists Lost Kings and A$AP Ferg. Students were required to pay $15 for general admission and $20 for floor seats. Upon arrival, students with floor tickets discovered rows of folding chairs ziptied together in the arena. Event representatives
claimed the chairs were “required due to fire code and safety policy.” Early into Lost King’s setlist, PAC representatives instructed the band to tell students on the floor that the show would be canceled if they did not return to their seats. Then, a representative told students with floor tickets to leave the floor immediately. Students were forced to sit at the sides of the arena. PAC did not respond to a request for comment. Lost Kings left the stadium shortly after. After voicing its frustration on Twitter, the band performed at Top Cats, a live-music venue in Clifton. This is not the first time Uptown West Fest hasn’t gone as planned. In 2017, performers Blackbear and Vic Mensa experienced audio issues during their performances. In 2018, artist PnB Rock was arrested the night he was scheduled to perform.
Uptown West Fest attendees who purchased floor seats were moved to the stands due to fire safety hazards at Fifth Third Arena on Friday, April 6, 2019. MARY LEBUS | CONTRIBUTOR
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5/3/19 ARE YOU READY? go.wfu.edu/0503ready Cincinnati-AreYouReady-10x10.indd 1
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Student group launches petition to oppose tuition hike KEELY BROWN | NEWS EDITOR
University of Cincinnati students of Young Democratic Socialists of America,YSDA, table on campus petitioning in opposition of the university tuition hike. PROVIDED BY VINAY TEMBURNIKAR
The University of Cincinnati’s chapter of Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA), an international political advocacy group, is petitioning the university to reject a proposal to raise tuition by 6 percent for the 2019-20 academic year. The petition, “Oppose the proposed 6 percent tuition hike for incoming freshmen at the University of Cincinnati,” was created April 1. At the time of writing, the petition has garnered more than 1,200 signatures online and 150 on paper. The point of the petition is to spread awareness to students about the tuition hike, according to Vinay Temburnikar, an information technology graduate student and the president of UC YDSA. The petition also aims to illustrate the unpopularity of a tuition hike for incoming students. “At a time when wages have been stagnant since decades and the student loan debt is bigger than ever, asking incoming
students to pay $660 a year extra on tuition would only make public college less affordable and accessible,” said Temburnikar. The proposal, submitted by the UC board of trustees’ finance committee, would bring the total cost of tuition and fees to $11,660 per year per student — an extra $330 per semester, according to a recent TNR article. The university’s total revenue amounts to $1.3 billion, and 36 percent of revenues stem from tuition and fees paid by students, according to UC’s 2018 financial statement. In addition, UC registered a $30 million loss on athletics last year, said Temburnikar. UC officials have covered the deficit with student fees and money from the school’s general fund, which is primarily funded by tuition dollars. “There’s no valid reason to increase our tuition,” Temburnikar said. “Our enrollment has increased enough throughout the years to take care of inflation. We have a whopping $1.3 billion in endowment funds,
UC political leaders debate hot-button topics MITCHELL PARTON | MULTIMEDIA EDITOR KEELY BROWN | NEWS EDITOR Four University of Cincinnati student organizations representing an array of political ideologies gathered on campus to debate current topics including big business, climate change and Social Security. The eighth-annual Great Debate was jointly hosted by the UC chapter of Young Americans for Liberty (YAL) and the UC Democrats at Lindner Center Tuesday evening. Event organizers hosted the UC College Republicans and the Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA). Event attendees weighed these three questions: Are the largest businesses and tech companies too large, and should they be broken up? Peter Bandrowsky, a third-year economics and political science student
from UC Democrats, and Ben Lewton, a first-year astrophysics student from the YDSA, advocated for the regulation of large corporations like Google, Amazon and Walmart. “If we are at a system where you have a company like Google manipulate the search results to essentially go and crush its competitors, that is too big of a business,” Bandrowsky said. Charles Heintel, a thirdyear accounting and finance student from YAL, and Dylan Brusel, a third-year marketing student from UC College Republicans, opposed regulation. Heintel argued that the government is holding back Americans’ freedom of choice. “There is a monopoly that we are worried about as Libertarians, and that monopoly is the government,” Heintel said. How should the government assess and respond to climate change?
Jeff Barton, a second-year finance student from UC College Republicans, said most claims of climate change throughout the 20th century have been false and argued that the government should advocate for clean energy regardless. “While I am skeptical of these doomsday predictions, I do recognize what clean energy goals for the environment do and harm the fossil fuels can do,” Barton said. Julius Freeman, a secondyear psychology student from YAL, said that while his organization does not deny climate change, the government should not rely on scientists’ predictions to shape policy. Bandrowsky and Ben Lewton, a first-year astrophysics student from the YDSA, said climate change is scientifically proven and if action isn’t taken, it will lead to devastating consequences. “Climate change is a problem,” Lewton said. “It’s
a problem now, [and] it’s only going to get worse.” Should Social Security exist, and should people be able to opt out? Brusel argued that Social Security should not be required and should
[and] we’re concerned more about vanity projects — like the light show and acquiring new real estate — rather than investing in expanding CAPS, extending shuttle services to function until 11 p.m. and paying our adjunct faculty a fair wage. UC cannot be trusted to make wise investments with our tuition dollars.” The YSDA was officially recognized by the Student Activities Board (SAB) Nov. 8, 2018, and had its first meeting in December of that year. The campus organization plans to present the petition to university officials soon, said Temburnikar. “For UC to ask students to dole out extra money and go into more debt so that they can fund their ‘Next Lives Here’ initiative is plain wrong,” he said. “Our administration should focus on taking care of the needs of students instead of fulfilling their own desires. For the university to ignore voices of its own students, it would only create more distrust for them among the general student body.”
eventually be phased out. “We need to have a plan for when it inevitably falls,” said Brusel. “It’s the downfall of what many socialist economic ideas have — they don’t look to the long-term.” Hannah Naberhaus, a second-year political science student from UC Democrats, argued that an
opt-out system would hurt those who are not fortunate enough to do so. “Social Security revolutionized the quality of life in this country,” Naberhaus said. “Before it, half the population was living in poverty. This program grants peace of mind to live out the rest of their lives with dignity.”
The Great Debate VIII was held in the Richard E. Linder Center on April 9, 2019. The debate featured members of the following parties (from left to right): College Democrats,Young Americans for Liberty, College Republicans, and Young Democratic Socialists of America. ALEX MARTIN | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
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Former student body VP wins women’s leadership award BRENDAN PRENDERGAST | STAFF REPORTER
Erek Hanson, a first-year engineering student, has been working with Blue Jeans Go Green since he was 9 years old to recycle denim. PROVIDED BY EREK HANSON
First-year student launches denim donation drive at UC MOLLY SPITZER | CONTRIBUTOR
The average American throws away 81 pounds of clothing every year — roughly 26 billion pounds annually in the U.S. alone, according to a 2016 survey by retail giant Sears. Erek Hanson, a first-year chemical engineering student at the University of Cincinnati, decided he wanted to do something about it. Since he was 9 years old, Hanson has worked with Blue Jeans Go Green — a program that collects denim to be recycled and used as housing insulation. The recycled denim is donated to Habitat for Humanity, an international nonprofit, and provided to communities in need. The program began in 2006 and has since kept more than 1 million pieces of denim out of landfills, according to the program’s website. Blue Jeans Go Green will accept
any type of denim, including jeans, jackets, shirts, skirts and more. The organization will accept items of any color, and it also accepts most denim scraps. Erek operates his own nonprofit branch at his hometown in Toledo, which he began simply by hosting jean drives and encouraging community members to recycle unwanted denim. By the end of his first year, Hanson collected more than 1,700 pairs of jeans and garnered recognition from National Geographic, which earned him a partnership with Go Green. After he left Toledo to attend UC, Hanson decided to bring the project to Cincinnati and launched a semester-long jean drive. This year is the first time Blue Jeans Go Green has hosted drives on college campuses, and UC is among the first colleges to host one. The university is currently competing with Florida State University to collect the most denim. Hanson is determined to help UC win the competition. He aims to collect 1,000 pairs of jeans by the end of the semester. “If we beat Florida State, that would be a good benchmark for our success,” Hanson said. “[It’s] one step closer to a greener environment.” With less than a month left, Hanson is asking everyone to contribute. If you have any old denim that you’re willing to donate, consider dropping it off at one of the donation boxes in the Siddall and Daniels residence halls, Langsam Library or Tangeman University Center.
Dana Drage, a fifth-year biomedical engineering student and the former student body vice president at the University of Cincinnati, was selected as this year’s recipient of the C-Ring Women’s Leadership Award. The award, presented by the UC Women’s Center, is bestowed annually to a graduating female student who advocates for women and girls, gives back to the community and excels in academics. The first recipient received the award in 1922 from the university’s athletics department, which presented the award to the best “all around gal,” according to UC archives. Since then, the award has expanded to recognize community service and academic achievement. Drage received a 10-karat gold ring with the letter “C” on it, which stands for Cincinnati, community, and commitment to service, according to Rosalyn Collins, vice president of the UC Women’s Center.
“The C-Ring award is an important award on campus, and it is now in its 97th year,” Collins said. “Dana Drage [has] truly left her mark on UC’s campus.” Drage was nominated by Dr. Nicole Mayo, assistant vice president of student affairs; and Ruth Seiple, operation management director for the Carl H. Linder College of Business. “I really didn’t think I was going to win,” Drage said.
“It was honestly a pure surprise, and it was incredibly humbling.” At the banquet, Drage met with several past winners of the award and learned about the impacts they made on campus. Drage’s academic achievement and involvement on campus were critical factors
Dana Drage (right), fifth-year biomedical engineering student, received the C-Ring Women’s Leadership Award in honor of her advocacy for women and girls. PROVIDED BY DANA DRAGE
in her selection as this year’s winner. During her sophomore year, Drage launched Going Grey UC (now called Aruna Ambassadors) — an organization that works to end human trafficking both locally and globally. The organization has grown each year, and its model has helped rehabilitate victims of human trafficking. In her third year at UC, Drage got involved with UC’s undergraduate student government (SG). She was a senator at large during her first year with SG, and the following year, she served as the student body vice president alongside Bashir Emlemdi, who was then the student body president. “I really got the opportunity to advocate for women and girls at a very high level at the university, which is a really great position to be given,” she said. She also co-founded UC’s gender-based violence council, which integrates a variety of perspectives on gender-based violence from sororities, fraternities, athletics and the AfricanAmerican Cultural and Resource Center, among other groups, to find solutions for gender-based violence issues. Even though Drage will graduate this spring, she still plans to continue advocate for women after college. “The emotion I feel the most is certainly a desire and charge to continue to have an impact and continue to advocate for women and girls,” she said. “Just because I am leaving the university doesn’t mean that has to end.”
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National Record Store Day is Saturday, April 13, 2019. WIKIMEDIA
Get out and do something: April 12 to April 14 ERIN COUCH | SENIOR REPORTER
Friday, April 12 CCM Mainstage Opera Series: ‘La Clemenza di Tito’: Wolfgang Mozart’s 1791 opera gets an updated twist this weekend at the College-Conservatory of Music’s Mainstage Opera Series. Follow along as Roman emperor Titus faces tribulations of finding a match, avoiding an assassination plot and fighting his sister for the throne — all taking place in an updated 1959 Cuban Revolution setting. Discounts available for UC students. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. Corbett Auditorium, Mary Emery Hall. Live Band Karaoke at Northside Tavern: Ever wanted to front your own rock outfit? Get a taste of the lead-singer life this Friday at Northside Tavern with an evening of live band karaoke. Pick from a list of songs and sing to your heart’s content. Sign-ups start at 8:30 p.m. 9 p.m. Friday. Northside Tavern, 4163 Hamilton Ave., Northside. Free.
Saturday, April 13 Record Store Day 2019: Everybody’s Records hosts its annual Record Store Day event this Saturday. Starting bright and early at 9 a.m., you can spend the day scoping out limited-release records, jamming to live music, participating in giveaways and trying your hand at winning a direct-drive turntable. 9 a.m. Saturday. Everybody’s Records, 6106
Montgomery Road, Pleasant Ridge. Free. Boozin’ Through the ’90s Bar Crawl: Celebrate the decade in which many of us were born this Saturday at a flannel-fueled, hip-hop-laden pub crawl in Over-the-Rhine and The Banks. Participating bars may offer up to a 40 percent discount on drinks, and there won’t be a cover charge to enter. Check in at Tin Roof, and make stops at Kitty’s Sports Grill, Blind Pig, Galla Park and Jefferson Social. Be sure to dress up, because there will be a costume contest. 2-10 p.m. Saturday. Tin Roof, 160 E. Freedom Way, The Banks. $39.99.
Sunday, April 14 Art on Vine: Hello Spring: We’re well into April, which means it’s high time to crawl out of hibernation and bask in the sunshine. Come to Rhinegeist this Sunday to greet spring with Cincinnati’s favorite local art fair, where more than 70 vendors will be in attendance to sell you their art and handmade goods. Every month, Art on Vine makes a donation to a local nonprofit, so you can feel good while embarking on some springtime shopping. Noon-7 p.m. Sunday. Rhinegeist, 1910 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. Free. Zoo Blooms: If April showers bring May flowers, then the Cincinnati Zoo has a leg up on the competition. Starting this month, visitors can come to the zoo and gaze upon hundreds of thousands of beautiful flowers throughout the park. Participate in the “Tulip Mania” event while you take in the sights of 1 million beautiful plants, including
The Cincinnati Zoo is hosting Zoo Blooms every day until Tuesday, April 30, 2019. FLICKR
daffodils, hyacinths, flowering trees, shrubs and, of course, tulips. The flower show is open during regular zoo hours daily. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. every day through April 30. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, 3400 Vine St., Corryville. $15-$17. Raiders of the Lost Laughs at Urban Artifact: Guys, graduation is just three weeks away — but hey, who’s counting?
Come to Urban Artifact’s semimonthly comedy open mic Sunday for a few laughs before you start thinking about studying for finals and dropping cash on your cap and gown. Sign-ups start at 6:30 p.m., and the show starts at 7 p.m. 7-9 p.m. Sunday. Urban Artifact, 1660 Blue Rock St., Northside. Free.
SUMMER @ SINCLAIR GET AHEAD.
TAKE YOUR GEN ED CLASSES IN THE SUMMER! Make the most of your summer: take classes at Sinclair Community College. Check out available courses and ask your advisor how Sinclair courses can transfer back to the University of Cincinnati. Take 12-week, 8-week or Flex classes at one of our convenient locations or online.
LEARN MORE WWW.SINCLAIR.EDU/SUMMER19
Classes Begins May 13
Dayton | Centerville | Englewood | Huber Heights | Mason | Online
April 10, 2019
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Everything you need to know about ‘Game of Thrones’ season eight OLIVIA TAYLOR | STAFF REPORTER “Game of Thrones” has become a cultural zeitgeist — the pinnacle watercooler topic and a social media phenomenon. Although HBO is keeping the details of its latest season close to the chest, here’s everything you need to know for the end. The last season will see the White Walkers’ army of the dead battle Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen’s army of the living for the fate of Westeros, all the while Cersei Lannister schemes to keep her power in King’s Landing. From the trailer, we can expect Winterfell to be at the crux of the story. Most of the main characters are gathering there, including the White Walkers and their undead dragon, and
this culminates in a battle that will make “Battle of the Bastards” look like a schoolyard rumble. It is “expected to be the longest consecutive battle sequence ever committed to film,” Entertainment Weekly reported from the set. The Night King, leader of the White Walkers, has a target he is chasing and “wants to kill,” according to actor Vladimir Furdik. It’s not yet clear who the target will be, but my money is on Bran Stark. Away from Winterfell, Cersei Lannister is gathering the mercenary army, the Golden Company, at King’s Landing. Last season, Cersej told Jaime that Euron Greyjoy is escorting the Golden Company, with their elephants, to Westeros to help Cersei keep her throne
from Daenerys. The last time we saw Dany, Jon, Tyrion and company, they were sailing north toward Winterfell, with Jon and Dany hooking up on the ship. Meanwhile, Stark kids Sansa, Arya and Bran held down Winterfell with the northern lords and killed Littlefinger. Jaime decided to finally leave his sister/lover Cersei (who may or may not be pregnant) after she broke her oath to send the Lannister army north to fight the White Walkers. Speaking of the White Walkers, the Night King — riding Dany’s resurrected dragon — tore down a section of the wall and brought his army into Westeros. The last season of “Game of Thrones” is just six episodes. Seasons 1-6 had
10 episodes each, and season seven, fittingly, had seven episodes. Stay tuned after the final episode, because there’s a behind-the-scenes documentary with the cast and crew about the creation and production of the show. The documentary centers on “the tears and triumphs involved in the challenge of bringing the fantasy world of Westeros to life,” according to HBO. It will premiere May 26. Our time in Westeros is not done just yet. HBO is producing a prequel set thousands of years before the start of “Game of Thrones,” centering around the White Walkers’ first coming to Westeros during the long night. Season eight of “Game of Thrones” premieres April 14 on HBO.
HBO releases the eighth season of its hit show “Game of Thrones” on Sunday, April 14, 2019. GAME OF THRONES | YOUTUBE
Paramount’s ‘Pet Sematary’ thrills fans of Stephen King’s original novel CHLOE ROSENBERGER | STAFF REPORTER
“Pet Semetary,” an adaptation of the Stephen King novel, premiered in theatres Friday, April 5, 2019 and grossed $42.3 million during the first weekend. PARAMOUNT PICTURES | YOUTUBE
“Pet Sematary,” released April 5, is the latest in a long line of modern horror masterpieces. The film, based on the 1983 novel by Stephen King, follows members of the Creed family, who move to rural Maine to escape fast-paced Boston city life. Moving to a new house always comes with unexpected consequences, but this isn’t a run-of-the mill haunted house story. For starters, the family inherits land they’re initially unaware of. Skeptical mom Rachel (Amy Seimetz) and young daughter Ellie (Jeté Laurence) stumble upon a creepy homemade cemetery in their backyard. This titular graveyard has been used by local children for generations as a place to lay their furry friends to rest. The concept seems almost sweet on the surface, but it turns sinister after the family — primarily father
Louis (Jason Clarke) — begins to learn about the other mysteries hidden in the cemetery’s woods. What follows is a shocking string of deaths that shake the family to its core. Even in its earliest scenes, “Pet Sematary” paints an intimate and challenging portrait of grief that transcends Louis’ professional struggles as a doctor and leads other members of the family to question their relationships with death. How do they view the afterlife? Do they feel survivor’s remorse? This marriage of grief and horror mirrors the 2018 film “Hereditary” in all the right ways, from an unwaveringly bleak tone to jarring plot developments. Like its predecessor, “Pet Sematary” is keyed into the idea that the success of family-based terror does not lie in the supernatural; rather, it lies within poignant interactions between characters. In that same vein,
interpersonal relationships are what tethers “Sematary” to its source material. Fans of King’s book will likely testify that the film adaptation is extremely faithful to the text (aside from one effective role swap), largely due to its devotion to the book’s larger themes. King’s novel is a sharp criticism of society’s inability to accept the finality of death, and it offers a thoughtful exploration of the lengths someone might go to bring back a loved one. “Pet Sematary” drives these messages home, culminating in a final scene that will surely leave jaws glued to theater floors. The movie also screams “King” through its storytelling techniques. The film dutifully represents the author’s tendency to offset complex situations with succinct, nondescript dialogue — a strategy that allows audiences to follow along with
minimal confusion, but also encourages individual interpretations. Those who enjoyed 2017’s “It” — another King adaptation — can draw comparisons there as well. Like “It,”“Pet Sematary” has roots in inexplicable smalltown mythology. “Sematary” also contains familiar touches of heart and humor, mostly from John Lithgow as a good-natured, grandfatherly neighbor to the Creeds. However, “Sematary” is less apt to use comedy as levity from the story’s darkness, but rather to enhance the awfulness of the film’s tragedies. Overall, “Pet Sematary” is essential viewing for anyone caught up in the horror genre’s recent surge of exceptional films. It’s a solid dose of heartfelt, heart-wrenching and heartpounding entertainment, and it’s a testament to the power of literature done right on the silver screen.
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Six questions with Michael Warren II, Gerrid Doaks of UC football MATT HUFFMON | SPORTS EDITOR The University of Cincinnati football team finished spring practice with an inter-squad scrimmage Saturday evening at 6 p.m. The running back position is back to full strength, as junior Gerrid Doaks returns from a groin injury that sidelined him all last season. He rushed for 513 yards as a true freshman in 2017. He joins an already deep position that consists of junior Michael Warren II (1,329 yards, 19 touchdowns in 2018) and sophomores Tavion Thomas (499 yards, six touchdowns) and Charles McClelland (485 yards, four touchdowns). Below is a Q&A with Doaks and Warren. The News Record: How does it feel to be back on the field after missing all of last season? Gerrid Doaks: It feels great to be back out here. Being out for a whole season gets depressing, especially seeing all my teammates doing what they love. I still was a part of it by being right there with my teammates and supporting. You know, you always want to be in the action.
TNR: There’s four guys who could see time at running back this coming year. What has the competition been like during spring practice? GD: It’s great. Every day, you know you’ve got to go out there and you’re going to get better every day by competing against those guys. Me personally, I think we’ve got the best running back room in the country. Having that type of competition every day really pushes you to get yourself better.
ball, so it’s good to see him out there running again like usual. He’s got competitive spirit. Coach [Luke] Fickell always talks about having good competition in the running back room. It’s good to have all the boys in there because it makes me and everybody go harder. There’s only one ball.
TNR: As a junior now, how have you become a role model for the younger guys? GD: Everyone is still learning, but since I have more experience, if they have anything to ask, they know they can come to me. I’ll give them any info and go over the playbook with them, but with me being out, sometimes they know more than me. We all help and feed off of each other.
TNR: What have been Coach Fickell’s expectations during spring practice? MW: Winning championships. At the end of the day, it’s about playing for championships and creating football players who can play at the next level. It’s about the championships and becoming closer as a team, and that’s where Fickell teaches you a lot. He teaches a lot of things that’ll help us later in life that doesn’t have anything to do with football. He got a bowl win. Now, the [American Athletic Conference] championship would be a big statement.
TNR: What’s it like to have Gerrid back and finally have all the running backs healthy again? Michael Warren: It’s great to see Gerrid back out here after fighting that injury. You never want to see a kid injured and not be able to play
TNR: How do you expand after breaking the single-season touchdown record last season? MW: I love breaking records, so I’m just trying to be even better this year. All I can do is get better and perform at a high level.
Top: University of Cincinnati running back Gerrid Doaks breaks a run during the 2017 season. @GDOAKS23 | TWITTER Bottom: Sophomore running back Michael Warren II scored four total touchdowns University of Cincinnati’s football team’s 35-23 win over the University of South Florida Bulls Nov. 10, 2018. JUSTIN HILES | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
April 10, 2019
Cronin leaves Bearcats for Bruins Cronin Continued from Cover
“I’m especially grateful to Chancellor [Gene] Block and to [Director of Athletics] Dan Guerrero for this opportunity to join the Bruin Family. UCLA is a very special place
with a strong tradition of excellence. To be able to join such a worldclass institution is truly a privilege, and I can’t wait to get started in Westwood.” Mike Bohn, UC’s director of athletics, said Cronin informed him of the decision early Tuesday
afternoon. Bohn said he thanked Cronin for his dedication to his hometown. “Coach Cronin informed me at noon ET today (Tuesday) about his decision to leave his position at the University of Cincinnati to take the head coaching job at UCLA,” Bohn said
in a news release. “We are thankful to Mick for his work over the past 13 seasons, elevating his alma mater into one of the elite programs in the nation. We wish him well at UCLA.” Under Cronin, UC met UCLA three times in the past three years. After being knocked out 79-67 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament by the Bruins in 2016-17, the Bearcats won 77-63 in 2017-18 and 93-64 in 2018-19. UCLA fired head coach Steve Alford Dec. 31, 2018, after back-to-back home losses to Belmont University and Liberty University. Assistant Murry Bartow served as interim head coach and finished the season with a 10-10 record. UC president Neville Pinto also thanked Cronin for his time at the university and said he looks forward to working with Bohn on the search for a new head
Three potential candidates to replace Cronin MATT HUFFMON | SPORTS EDITOR Mick Cronin, the head men’s basketball coach at the University of Cincinnati, announced plans Tuesday to leave the university and accept a position as head coach at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), leaving UC with a void to fill. “We will begin moving forward immediately on a national search to find our next head coach,” said Mike Bohn, UC’s director of athletics, in a news release. The Bearcats have appeared in nine consecutive NCAA tournaments and are backto-back American Athletic Conference Tournament champions. So, who will replace Cronin for the 2019-20 season? Here are a few potential candidates who could take over the men’s basketball program:
Nick Van Exel
Van Exel, 47, has served as
an assistant coach for the Memphis Grizzlies since 2016. “Memphis Grizzlies assistant Nick Van Exel has interest in the head coaching job at his alma mater, Cincinnati, sources tell ESPN,” Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweeted Tuesday afternoon. Van Exel began his playing career at Trinity Valley Community College in 1989 before transferring to UC in 1991. As the starting point guard in 1991-92, Van Exel led the Bearcats to the Final Four after averaging 12.3 points and 2.9 assists. After a 13-year NBA career, Van Exel began his coaching career in 2009 and has had stops with Texas Southern University, Atlanta Hawks, Milwaukee Bucks, Texas Legends (NBA G-League) and the Grizzlies. “I need one of these college jobs that’s open,”Van Exel tweeted March 29.
John Brannen
Brannen, 45, has been the
head coach of the Northern Kentucky University Norse since the 2015-16 season. He compiled an 81-51 record in NKU’s transition from Division II to Division I and was named the Horizon League Coach of the Year in 2017. “One name that is certain to be on Cincinnati’s short list is Northern Kentucky’s John Brannen,” Jeff Goodman of Stadium tweeted Tuesday afternoon. “[He] has done a ridiculous job since taking over — transition program and has gone to a pair of NCAA’s in four years.” The Norse were Horizon League Tournament champions in 2017 and 2019, as well regular-season champions in 2018 and 2019. Brannen also has local ties, as he grew up in Newport, Kentucky.
to associate head coach in April 2018 and held the title temporarily during the 2014-15 season, as Cronin missed the final 25 games due to health reasons. After Cronin was ejected
Page 8 coach. “On behalf of our Bearcats family, I want to thank Coach Cronin for his tremendous contributions to our campus and community,” Pinto said in a statement Tuesday. “Under his leadership, our basketball program has consistently ranked among the best in the nation. A Cincinnati native and Bearcat for life, we’ll always cheer for his success on and off the court. Given the proud history and sustained momentum of our program, in addition to our first-class facility and strong fan base, we are perfectly positioned to recruit an outstanding leader to Cincinnati. I look forward to partnering with Mike Bohn to do just that.” Cronin boarded a private jet late Tuesday afternoon to fly to Los Angeles for a formal introduction. Bohn pointed to the current climate of the men’s basketball program in regards to why the job should appeal to potential candidates. “This is a top-tier
basketball job for the right coach,” Bohn said. “With the $87-million investment in Fifth Third Arena, a consensus Top-25 team in the nation returning next season, nine-straight NCAA Tournaments and one of the Associated Press’Top-10 programs of all time coupled with our strategic investments in student-athlete welfare and the incredible academic resources available at UC, we are confident about the upward trajectory of men’s basketball at UC.” Bohn has made significant head coaching hires in during his first five years at UC, including Luke Fickell (football), Michelle Clark-Heard (women’s basketball), Scott Googins (baseball), Mandy Commons-DiSalle (swimming and diving), Maureen Housom (dance), Susan Seaton (track and field) and Eric Toth (tennis). “We will begin moving forward immediately on a national search to find our next head coach,” Bohn said.
in the second-half of the Jan. 15, 2019, win over the University of South Florida, Savino became the acting head coach for the remainder of the game. “Feel like the choice for Cincinnati is an easy one. Promote Darren Savino,” Rotoworld reporter Raphielle Johnson tweeted
Tuesday. Savino has 20-plus years of experience coaching college basketball, and his résumé includes stops at Rutgers University, Murray State University, Quinnipiac University, the University of New Mexico, East Carolina University and St. John’s University.
Darren Savino
Savino, 47, has been on the UC staff since the 2010-11 season. He was promoted
Nick Van Exel is an assistant basketball coach at the Memphis Grizzlies and is a potential candidate for the head coaching position at the University of Cincinnati. Van Exel played for the University of Cincinnati from 1991-1993 then went into the NBA and played until 2006. @VANEXEL31 | TWITTER
April 10, 2019
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Tommy Tuberville was the University of Cincinnati’s football team’s head coach from 2013 to 2016. @TTUBERVILLE | TWITTER
Tuberville has no political experience. That’s the point.
Senate. I invite you to join my team.” The seat is currently held Tommy Tuberville, who by Doug Jones, a Democrat. coached the University If Tuberville makes it of Cincinnati’s Bearcats through the primary, he has football team for three a good chance of winning seasons (2013 – 2016), the Senate election. announced Saturday that Alabama is one of the he would enter the 2020 most Republican-leaning Republican primary for the states in the country. The only reason Jones won the last Senate election is that the previous Republican candidate, Roy Moore, was accused of sexual misconduct, child molestation and pedophilia, among other allegations. He also drew controversy for several of his comments on race, the LGBTQ+ community and Islam. Many people have prematurely laughed off Tuberville’s — myself included. Deadspin titled its piece, “Former Auburn Coach Tommy Tuberville Is Running For U.S. Senate And Sean Spicer Is Going To Be On His Campaign Team Because Everything Is Stupid All The Time.” Objectively speaking, Former college football coach Tommy Tuberville announced his candidacy for it’s wild that we have U.S. Senate. @TTUBERVILLE | TWITTER SAMUEL SCHELL-OLSEN | SENIOR REPORTER
U.S. Senate in Alabama. “After more than a year of listening to Alabama’s citizens, I have heard your concerns and hopes for a better tomorrow,”Tuberville tweeted Saturday. “I am humbled to announce the next step — I will be a @ GOP candidate for US
a former NCAA football coach running for Senate — especially with the most awkward White House press secretary in history. But do you remember what happened the last time we laughed off a celebrity candidate? We ended up with President Donald Trump. Instead of dismissing Tuberville’s presidential bid, consider the positives. What if celebrity candidates bring something to the table that career politicians don’t? Love or hate Trump, it was nice to see him go after lobbyists and special interests during his presidential run. His perspective cast a much-needed light on the shadiness that occurs behind closed doors. Some of our best politicians started out as celebrities. Before he was president, Ronald Reagan was an actor who appeared in an estimated 57 films. By the end of his first term, Reagan was so popular, he won 49 states in his reelection campaign. Reagan is most famous for his
leadership during the Cold War and was instrumental in the fall of the Soviet Union. Not bad for a celebrity-turned-politician. Former wrestler Jesse Ventura was Minnesota’s governor for four years (1999 – 2003). Putting his controversies aside, Ventura ran a campaign on supporting gay rights, legalizing medical marijuana and pursuing property tax reform. Ventura was successful in giving Minnesotans a tax-free check each summer while running on a state surplus. Ventura also generously funded public school education, despite the opposing teachers’ union. Not bad for a wrestlerturned-politician. Other notable examples include Arnold Schwarzenegger (California governor), Fred Thompson (Tennessee senator), John Lodge (Connecticut governor), Bill Bradley (New Jersey senator) and most recently Anthony Gonzalez (Ohio representative). So, while we can sit back and scoff at celebrities
who run for office, we should acknowledge that they can sometimes turn out to be diamonds in the rough. That’s why I support celebrities running for public office, and I wish Tuberville success in running for U.S. Senate.
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How Greek life is destroying itself
MAGGY MCDONEL | OPINION EDITOR For as long as I have been in Greek life, the hypocrisy of the system has been difficult to ignore. I could go on and on about the prevalent groupthink or the excessive formalities, but what stands out to me most is how differently sororities and fraternities are treated. Every other week, it seems, another frat makes the morning news facing hazing investigations, sexual assault allegations or deaths due to alcohol poisoning. Despite these trends, frats are not the ones that must adhere to massively strict rules. Most sororities cannot hold parties in the houses, cannot have men in certain parts of the houses and cannot keep any alcohol in the house. Some are electing to follow in the footsteps of schools like Miami University by eliminating sorority housing altogether.
Yet where are these assaults happening? Where are these hazing incidents happening? Frat houses — practically every time. Despite this, sororities are the ones forced to adhere to strict guidelines. The rules for both sorority and fraternity organizations are relatively similar, but fraternities blatantly disregard these rules and exist in a system that perpetuates their behavior. I have seen sororities lose their minds over minor offenses. Meanwhile, fraternities are allowed to throw massive parties whenever they feel like it. In February 2017 at a Pennsylvania State University fraternity party, Tim Piazza, a 19-year-old sophomore engineering student, died due to injuries sustained during a hazing incident that involved excessive drinking. Those involved in his death were recently sentenced and are
spending between one and six months on house arrest, according to Time magazine. To me, this resolution is a microcosm of how fraternities are treated on the whole. These men let someone die, but the authorities don’t want to ruin their futures. Many fraternities are choosing to go dry, which I very much disagree with. Not allowing drinking at frat houses just moves the drinking to off-campus houses, most of which are even less regulated. The choice to create a dry house is simply a Band-Aid for a pervasive problem, allowing fraternities and universities to avoid taking responsibility for excessive drinking when it doesn’t happen on fraternity property. In that same vein, I believe parties and drinking should be allowed at sorority houses. Let’s cast aside the misguided idea that
college students aren’t going to drink. Restricting women’s ability to do so freely only pushes them to drink outside of their environment, which could put them in incredibly dangerous situations. If and when these college women get too drunk, wouldn’t it be safer to have them in a house full of other women who are there to protect them, rather than a frat house? There current system lacks logic — it operates on the belief that women are “pure” and must be treated as such. The Greek system continues to disappoint me in the way it handles its faults. Rather than disciplining instances of binge drinking, sexual violence, hazing and more, offenders get a slap on the wrist. I love Greek life, but if it fails to address the root of these problems, it will fall apart.
Greek life member and Opinion Editor Maggy McDonel gives her thoughts on Greek life and the controversies that seem to follow. WIKIMEDIA
Weighing the ‘Varsity Blues’ college admissions scandal CHRISTY POWELL | STAFF REPORTER
Felicity Huffman is one of several wealthy parents who are currently under investigation for bribing admissions offices of elite colleges to allow their children to attend the university. FLICKR
In case you missed it, here’s a quick rundown on the college admissions bribery scandal: Dozens of rich parents paid officials to admit their children with average (or less-thanaverage) grades into elite universities. Prosecutors allege that some parents bribed SAT/ ACT test officials to doctor their children’s test scores, bribed coaches to mark their children as sports recruits and used charities to conceal the source of bribery payments, among other allegations. Parents charged include Felicity Huffman, a prominent actress on “Desperate Housewives,” and Lori Loughlin, best known for her role as Aunt Becky on “Full House.”These women were not the only parents charged in the college admissions
bribery scandal, but their Hollywood fame has drawn public awareness to the case. But will their fame also allow them to get off easy for fraud? It might — but it shouldn’t. When the scandal broke, it wasn’t particularly surprising to learn that the rich and famous were paying for their children to be admitted to prestigious schools; rather, it was surprising to learn that legal action was underway. On Monday, federal prosecutors announced that 13 parents involved in the scandal — Huffman included — will plead guilty to bribery and other fraud charges. For Huffman’s plea deal, prosecutors will recommend a paltry “$20,000 fine and 12 months of supervised release,” according to CNN. No jail time is being recommended for
Huffman, but a federal judge will ultimately decide the sentence. The question of whether Loughlin or Huffman should serve time shouldn’t depend on the size of their fanbases. It should depend on the facts: They are being charged with bribery and fraud. If these women weren’t famous, would anyone argue that they shouldn’t be sentenced? Their Hollywood talent has no bearing on the fact that both women bribed colleges to admit their children. It’s perfectly OK to enjoy the shows they were on, of course — you don’t need to avoid watching anything starring Loughlin or Huffman. Still, it’s important to recognize the difference between the characters they play and the people they truly are. Although I fully support Loughlin and Huffman serving jail time, it seems
unlikely that it will happen. Fame should have no bearing on the judicial process, but it would be naïve to think that it won’t have any impact. Let’s be honest: If you’re charged with a serious crime, it helps to be rich. Both of these actresses made bail, and if they can afford to pay thousands of dollars to get their children into elite schools, they can surely afford to hire some quality legal representation. Realities like these are precisely why I’m skeptical that any of the defendants in this scandal will face serious consequences. A slap on the wrist is the most plausible outcome for both Loughlin and Huffman. Still, maybe there’s a glimmer of hope in the fact that everyone in this scandal is likely to face repercussions. After all, it’s not like anyone was expecting Aunt Becky to get arrested.
April 10, 2019
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SUDOKU By The Mepham Group Sudoku is played on a grid of 9 x 9 spaces. Within the rows and columns are 9 “squares” (made up of 3 x 3 spaces). Each row, column and square (9 spaces each) needs to be filled out with the numbers 1-9, without repeating any numbers within the row, column or square. Does it sound complicated? Each Sudoku grid comes with a few spaces already filled in; the more spaces filled in, the easier the game – the more difficult Sudoku puzzles have very few spaces that are already filled in.
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