The News Record 04.14.14

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VOL. CXXXVIII ISSUE XVVVXVII • FREE-ADDITIONAL COPIES $1

THE NEWS RECORD THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI’S INDEPENDENT, STUDENT-RUN NEWS ORGANIZATION / MONDAY, APRIL 14, 2014

STRUGGLES SIGMA SIGMA CONTINUE

LOCAL GROUP AGREES TO TERMS WITH OWNER OF FORMER IGA

DEAL REACHED

STUDENTS ON PATROL DURING ANNUAL SPRING FESTIVAL

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AMERICAN IDIOT

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Group fails to educate UC community on firearm rights Gun owners, students walk through campus carrying weapons, fail to engage public RYAN HOFFMAN NEWS EDITOR

DAN SULLIVAN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER A group of 67 people carrying firearms walked through campus Saturday in an attempt to educate the community on Ohio’s firearm laws.

Ono swears in newly elected SG members

Nearly 70 people armed with hunting rifles, handguns and assault weapons strolled through the University of Cincinnati’s main campus Saturday. Their mission: inform the public about Ohio’s firearm laws. The problem: very few of the dozens of students and other bystanders showed the slightest hint of curiosity. “It’s disappointing,” said Jeffry Smith, a firearms activist and instructor who organized the event. “I thought more students would ask questions.” The crowd of 67 people — including 13 UC students — walked from Martin Luther King Boulevard to main campus; stopping for a photo outside of Van Wormer Hall before walking past Tangeman University Center and up around McMicken Hall. Most of the people on the walk openly carried a firearm, which unlike concealed carry, is legal under Ohio law. Bob Ambach, interim director of public safety at UC, alerted students about the event and the legalities surrounding it in an email Thursday.

“The University of Cincinnati strongly believes in freedom of speech and peaceful assembly,” Ambach said in the email. “The University of Cincinnati is fully aware that some forms of expression may be found controversial. It is because some expressions are unpopular that our nation supports these constitutional freedoms.” Most people know little about Ohio’s gun laws, Smith said. By walking through such a densely populated area, Smith hoped participants would strike up curiosity and hopefully lead to a discussion on Ohio’s firearm polices. Most of the bystanders the group passed did not actually engage participants in a discussion. The lack of interaction was a surprise for Cody Spurlock, a fifth-year information technology student. Spurlock obtained his concealed carry license several months after turning 21 — the minimum age to apply for a concealed carry license in Ohio. Spurlock said he didn’t have an answer for why more people did not interact with the group. “I don’t think I’m too surprised by it,” said Paddy MacUidhir, treasurer of the southwest Ohio chapter of Ohio Carry. “Here it’s just OK, it’s part of your environment. We’re not special.” MacUidhir drove all the way from Hillsboro, Ohio for SEE FIREARMS PG 2

COLLECTIVE EFFORTS

BRYAN SHUPE CHIEF REPORTER

As the ninth annual MainStreet Stride parade came to a close Friday, students and faculty gathered in the Campus Recreation Center for the inauguration of the newly elected University of Cincinnati Student Government members. Outgoing student body president Joe Blizzard and vice president Jaclyn Hyde handed the reins to Christina Beer and Shivam Shah as they were sworn in alongside the newly elected student government senators. “It’s going to be tough to leave,” Blizzard said.“But it’s been a fantastic year and I’m really looking forward to see what student government’s going to do next year.” President Santa Ono administered the oath immediately after handing out awards for the MainStreet Stride parade. “We’ve been so fortunate to have Joe and Jaclyn and all of student government this year for the progress that we’ve made,” Ono said.“They’ve made UC a better place for all students and I’m truly proud of what they’ve done.” Beer and Shah defeated challengers Vincent Coleman and Andrew Pfriem by 200 votes — one of the slimmest margins in recent years — in the February election. “We’re starting to meet with people and now its all starting to settle in,” Beer said.“All the transitions are occurring and because of that we feel like we’re now finally apart of that role and it’s just a great feeling.” Beer — the first female student body president in more than 20 years — said her main focuses are still diversity and safety, two platforms that were the backbone of her campaign. “We did have that general idea of increasing diversity at UC, and now there are some ideas that students are bringing forward,” Beer said. Beer cited the recently awarded diversity incentive grants, which provide funding for proposed initiatives designed to increase diversity on campus. There were 11 recipients for the 2014 grant, including the College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning’s one-week architecture and design introduction program to underprivileged and underrepresented students from the Cincinnati metropolitan area. Aside from top-priority items such as safety and diversity, Shah said one of their initiatives for the next academic school year is to provide seamless transportation to Paul Brown Stadium for UC football games. Due to Nippert Stadium’s construction, home games will be hosted downtown, but will return to UC the following season. SEE INAUGURATION PG 2

PHIL DIDION PHOTO EDITOR UC President Santa Ono gave his first State of the University address Thursday in front of a packed house in Tangeman University Center’s Great Hall.

Ono highlights past accomplishments, looks to future in annual address BECKY BUTTS ONLINE EDITOR

During his first State of the University address, University of Cincinnati President Santa Ono praised the accomplishments the university community made in the past year, while iterating the university’s potential as a future powerhouse in all aspects of higher education. Students, faculty and staff listened as Ono addressed the community Thursday in Tangeman University Center Great Hall. “To all of our faculty, staff, students, you are the heart and spirit of what the University of Cincinnati is,” Ono said. “Your collective efforts have resulted in outstanding achievements.” Of the numerous accomplishments made at UC this year, Ono was particularly proud of the community’s generosity. The success of the ArtsWave campaign in February and March from the combined efforts of UC Health and the community raised $100,000. “That places us among 20 of the largest and most successful companies and organizations that believe the arts are an important community asset,” Ono said. UC Health also contributed donations

capping more than $275,000 toward the United Way/Community Shares Campaign. UC reached a 17 percent participation rate, which surpassed its goal and the university moved up to 17 among United Way’s top 25 corporations. Ono spoke of the record-breaking, all-campus winter blood drive. It was the largest mobile blood drive during the Hoxworth Blood Center’s 75-year history. The blood drive registered 1,613 individuals and collected enough donations to save over 3,700 lives. Strides were made this year and will continue to be made next year to move from “plans on paper” to real implementation in addressing key issues concerning the UC community, Ono said. To shepherd diversity efforts, Bleuzette Marshall was named chief diversity officer following the controversial resignation of Ronald Jackson, former dean of the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences in November. Myron Hughes, former executive director of UC’s alumni association, is now serving in a new fundraising position as senior associate vice president for diversity and inclusion. “We have allocated an additional $440,000 annually to support scholarships for underrepresented students and women of color,” Ono said. The university implemented numerous

efforts to improve campus safety in the past year, Ono said. This has been a hot topic all year, especially after fifth-year UC student Trent Amstutz was assaulted by a group of teenagers in February. “Despite perceptions, crime remains down overall,” Ono said. UC has invested $1.2 million in safety this year and plans an additional $2.3 million in 2015. To thwart criminal activity, 93 new streetlights were installed and 155 more will be installed later this year. Increased patrols with the Cincinnati Police Department and UCPD also hope to prevent crime on campus and in surrounding neighborhoods. Safety is a main concern for Christina Beer, student body president. Beer is happy with the initiatives in place and looks forward to seeing more come from the Third Century Initiative. “The university has a great focus on students and you can definitely see that in the initiatives of Third Century,” Beer said. Even with all the accomplishments of the past year, Ono said his sights are set on UC’s future as a leading higher education and research institution. “With our bicentennial approaching in 2019, we’re going forward with ‘Creating Our Third Century,’ to take the milestone ADDRESS PG 2

New General Electric facility could benefit UC graduates in need of jobs GE to bring 1,400 jobs to southwest Ohio, help Cincinnati retain younger workforce RYAN HOFFMAN NEWS EDITOR

MADISON SCHMIDT CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley said landing GE would benefit the city and students graduating from UC Thursday on the front steps of city hall. LAUREN KREMER STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Greg Loving, AAUP UC board approval.

General Electric’s decision to open a new operations center in southwest Ohio could help Cincinnati retain young professionals, especially University of Cincinnati graduates. “This is only going to add to our ability to attract young workers,” said Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley. “That’s a priority of mine.” GE announced Thursday that it would build its new Global Operations Center in one of three possible locations in southwest Ohio: Mason, Oakley or the Banks development in Downtown Cincinnati. The center will create an estimated 1,400 full-time, high-paying jobs in finance and information technology. “The biggest thing is jobs,” Cranley said. “Graduates go to where the jobs are.” UC already has several partnerships with GE; most recently a partnership that will pair UC students with researchers in a new $100 million laboratory at GE CHIEF.NEWSRECORD@GMAIL.COM / 513.556.5908

Aviation’s headquarters in Evendale, Ohio. Ohio is already home to more than 15,000 GE employees. “GE is one of the most innovative, forward-thinking, well-run companies on the planet,” said Ohio Gov. John Kasich, in a statement. “The company knows the Greater Cincinnati area is an excellent place to be because of its long-time, successful GE Aviation operation and we’re thrilled with the confidence this move shows in the people of Ohio.” The local workforce and labor pool made Cincinnati an attractive choice over the multiple other locations GE was considering. “The greater Cincinnati area provides a pool of talent that will help us build a world class Shared Services Center,” said Shane Fitzsimons, GE Global Operations senior vice president, in a statement. “Our long and successful history with the state will be mutually beneficial.” UC offers a large number of young educated professionals that make the city an attractive destination for companies, Cranley said. The College of business currently has an enrollment SEE GE PG 2


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