VOL. CXXXVIII ISSUE XVVVXVI • FREE-ADDITIONAL COPIES $1
THE NEWS RECORD THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI’S INDEPENDENT, STUDENT-RUN NEWS ORGANIZATION / THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 2014
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Ordinance would restrict future use for old IGA MELANIE TITANIC-SCHEFFT STAFF REPORTER
The City of Cincinnati is considering an ordinance that would help ensure the former Keller’s IGA on Ludlow Avenue remain a grocery store in the future. Interim Development Control, proposed by Cincinnati Vice-Mayor David Mann and backed by Mayor John Cranley, would protect the property for the next 60 days from any current owner beginning construction. The Cincinnati Neighborhood and Planning Committee unanimously passed a joint resolution Monday supported by Clifton Town Meeting — the governing Clifton neighborhood body — and the Clifton & Business Professionals Association. The resolution now heads to the city’s planning commission to be evaluated for feasibility, said John Juech, chief of staff for the vice mayor. There is no timeline for when an actual ordinance could head to full council because of uncertainties in the proposal. For example, Clifton neighborhood has to update its business plan — something it hasn’t done since 1982 — before the IDC could happen. “It remains a priority, but it’s not going to happen immediately,” Juech said. “It’s not that we’re not committed to it, there’s just a lot of potential hoops for us to jump through.” Members of city council and CTM said IDCs have proven to work well in preserving historic atmospheres in Cincinnati’s communities. “IDCs are the most powerful tools the citizens have to leverage the community’s will on the development of private property,” said Ben Pantoja, Clifton Town Meeting president. “Although this is private property, it is still in our neighborhood, so therefore, it affects our way of life and our property values.” By supporting the IDC, supporters said the community is proving to potential developers that the city favors the idea of a grocery store at this location, and the community’s approval is needed before any developments take place, said Adam Hyland, CTM Trustee. Hyland is involved with the Clifton Cooperative Group — a corporation hoping to turn the former grocery store into a cooperative-style, full-service market. Mary Rita Dominic, Clifton resident and founding board member of Clifton Cooperative Group, said she’s seen strong support for a cooperatively owned grocery store in place of the old Keller’s IGA. The group is currently selling $200 SEE IGA PG 2
HEATHER OBRINGER DESIGNER Enrollment at the University of Cincinnati has increased by more than 10,000 students since 2000. As of now, total enrollment in the future is capped at 47,000 students.
New acceptance process getting more selective in response to steady growth NATALIE COLEMAN STAFF REPORTER
With the deadline for student applications past, the University of Cincinnati is once again on track to see record number enrollment in the Fall semester. Although that growth is netting the university more tuition dollars, it’s also leading to implementing methods to slow enrollment numbers that have increased by 10,000 students since 2000. “If we continue to have a robust and growing applicant pool, what will likely happen is that the university will become even more selective and the quality of students will become even stronger,” said UC President Santa Ono. Applications to the university have increased to 16,427— 5 percent greater than in 2013 — and offers from the university to prospective students has increased 8 percent, said Caroline Miller, associate vice president for enrollment management at UC. Student confirmations have increased 2 percent. “We’re very fortunate as an institution that we are a hot destination right now,” Ono said.“The University of Cincinnati brand is very strong. This is not the case for other institutions. They’re still seeing significant drops in applications.” Although growth is a good thing, the
university can only grow so much, Ono said. Around 43,000 students are currently enrolled at UC. If the university surpasses 47,000 students, more facilities would need to be built so that the quality of the student experience is maintained, Ono said. “There’s space to grow a little bit but not enormously unless we invest significantly in the campus and expand the facilities,” Ono said.“We are not aiming to grow significantly past that number.” UC has used block-leased apartments in complexes around campus for the past few years to handle a lack of on-campus housing, but that is just a short-term solution. “If we have around 5,000 students in residence halls, we probably have the right capacity,” Miller said.“If the pattern changes, with students choosing to live on-campus longer, we probably have some challenges.” For the 2014-15 academic year, UC will block-lease 400 beds from University Park Apartments — nearly 200 more than what was leased in 2013 — and adding 32 new beds to the student housing Stratford Heights, said Todd Duncan, director of housing and food services. “That’s been a good arrangement and it’s been good for students because they really are right on campus,” Miller said.“If we have to go further from campus, it brings in other challenges: making sure that students feel a part of the community and making sure that they’re in places that are safe.”
Though finding housing is the biggest space issue for the university, some colleges on campus may be running out of seats for students in classrooms, which could mean bigger class sizes. The Lindner College of Business has nearly outgrown their building, Miller said, and that the next step for the COB is to look at unconventional ways to teach the curriculum, such as online courses, to help manage space constraints. Along with space issues, some have raised concerns about the number of fulltime faculty members teaching a growing number of students. “If you put together what’s been going on with record enrollments and a lower number of full-time faculty, its a recipe for a large class and a lot less personal attention from professors to students,” said Greg Loving, president of the UC chapter of the American Association of University Professors. The university’s full-time staff of professors has been decreasing. “There are things the university can’t skimp on to keep up the quality of the education. And hiring professors is something they cant skimp on,” Loving said. “It would take really aggressive hiring on UC’s part to get to the number of professors we had 10 years ago.” Aside from bigger classes, an overflow of students could also mean more classes SEE ENROLLMENT PG 2
Student group uses class project to evaluate transportation Group evaluating feedback from diverse group of students; will present results to administration KATIE COBURN STAFF REPORTER
A class project analyzing University of Cincinnati student transportation choices could directly impact policy at the university. The group of engineering students, known as the Student Transportation Analysis Team, plans to compile the results of a survey evaluating different modes of transportation on and around campus. Other than the report for their technical writing class, members of the group hope to publicize a report and meet with administrators by the end of the academic year with
a series of suggestions for improvement and integration of services. “STAT wants to make an impactful change to the student experience,” said Aaron Sykes, a fourth-year mechanical engineering student and former at-large senator. “We are a simple group of students working for other students.” Possible initiatives include better shuttle stops, lower cost for parking passes and making campus more accessible. While hoping to make an impact outside of the classroom, STAT chose to focus on transportation because it is one aspect that UC could improve but hasn’t been previously focused on by other student groups, said Lillian Heyob, a third-year biomedical engineering student and member of the group.
Some students noted that there is a lot of room for improving transportation. Student transportation at UC is rarely looked at as a unified system because different administrators regulate its various parts, said Hannah Kenny, a thirdyear biomedical engineering student and current College of Engineering and Applied Science tribunal senator. STAT will address this issue by looking at UC student transportation comprehensively. The group is currently analyzing the effectiveness of each form of transportation and areas for improvement with a student survey. “I think that having a diverse transportation network allows UC to accommodate students with different interests, which allows UC to appeal to more prospective SEE TRANSPORTATION PG 2
P&G executives talk about doing business in Russia Group wants input on renovations to Burnet Woods
Leaders do not foresee negative impact on business in Russia BECKY BUTTS ONLINE EDITOR
Although tension between Ukraine and Russia continues to escalate, the heightened sense of political upheaval hasn’t affected Procter & Gamble’s business in the former Soviet Union motherland. “Our business has operated outside of these political environments pretty much by and large,” said John Pepper, former P&G CEO and chairman. “We’ve been in Russia many years and we’ve had a lot of ups and downs.” Pepper was one of three former or current P&G executives who spoke at the University of Cincinnati Tuesday. The event “Doing Business in Russia: Past, Present and Future” allowed those in attendance in the Lindner College of Business to hear first-hand about doing business in Russia. Pepper, who travelled to Russia in 1990 with the company to begin business after the collapse of the Soviet Union, recalled people making shampoo out of beer, and using toothpaste made of grit. “I grew up in an era where the Soviet
MELANIE TITANIC-SCHEFFT STAFF REPORTER
LAUREN MORETTO CONTRIBUTOR P&G executive Lisa Popyk spoke about her experiences in Russia at the University of Cincinnati Tuesday.
Union was our arch enemy,” Pepper said. “I think a number of us were like missionaries. If we could make the slightest contribution by building a business here that would somehow bring societies together, it would be a really good thing.”
LAUREN KREMER STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Greg Loving, AAUP UC board approval.
By building a P&G presence in Russia, the company created more jobs and eased access to everyday consumer goods such as shampoo, soap and food for citizens. Despite losses of $200 million in 1998 and other difficulties brought on by confusion SEE RUSSIA PG 2
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A development group in the uptown area is getting an earful from the public about renovations to Burnet Woods after stating Monday that it planned on forming a committee to gather input. The Uptown Consortium announced its plans at the Clifton Town Meeting, where community members immediately shared their opinions about the park. Plans include forming an independent committee to gather input and possibly implement improvements the 90-acre park just north of the University of Cincinnati main campus, said Joyce Rich, CTM board member. Renovations could include a water or splash park, shelters, a dog park and improved hiking trails. Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley and UC President Santa Ono endorsed renovating the park after speaking with each other in February. Cranley said he wants Burnet Woods to be the next Washington Park. SEE BURNET PG 2