The News Record 10.03.13

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VOL. CXXXIII ISSUE I • FREE-ADDITIONAL COPIES $1

THE NEWS RECORD THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI’S INDEPENDENT, STUDENT-RUN NEWS ORGANIZATION / THURSDAY, OCT. 3, 2013

BYE BYE ’CATS GEAR UP WALTER

OLD BUT NOT OVER THE HILL, PROVES IT WITH NEW ALBUM

MOBY IS BACK

FOOTBALL TEAM PREPARES FOR FIRST GAME SINCE CRASH

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PIADA ITALIAN

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Former A&S dean in consideration for NKU provost Former dean, current professor one of four candidates for NKU position RYAN HOFFMAN NEWS EDITOR

FILE ART

Valerie Hardcastle could be the next provost at NKU.

UC sells University House, establishes new scholarship for any student

A former dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Cincinnati is one of four finalists for the provost position at Northern Kentucky University. Valerie Hardcastle — who served as A&S dean from 2007 to 2012 and currently works as a professor in the philosophy department — is in the running for the chief academic position at NKU. “It’s a very young institution and so the opportunity to get involved with an organization when it’s still in growth mode and determining its mission and

vision, I think is quite exciting and unique,” Hardcastle said. “It gives you an opportunity to have a much greater impact.” Hardcastle and the other three candidates will spend the next several weeks on NKU’s campus interviewing with university officials, said Christopher Cole, NKU director of marketing and communications. The university hopes to name a candidate by the end of the calendar year to replace current provost Gail Wells, who will return to teaching in the NKU department of mathematics and computer sciences. Hardcastle said leaving UC would be hard, but the opportunity at NKU is too attractive to not pursue. “I love my college, I love Arts and

Sciences. I think UC is an absolutely fantastic university,” Hardcastle said. “I’ve got great friends here, it’s been my home, it’s been my family for a long time. It would be very hard to leave.” This is not the first time Hardcastle has thrown her hat in the ring for a highranking position at another university. While serving as A&S dean, Hardcastle was in the running for dean of A&S at Ohio State University in 2009 and provost at Miami University in 2010. Hardcastle came to UC from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 2007. She decided not to renew her contract as dean in April 2012 and returned to teaching when her term as SEE NKU PG 2

THE COLLEGE VOTE

BRYAN SHUPE STAFF REPORTER

Heeding the advice of University of Cincinnati President Santa Ono, UC sold the presidential residence of Edgecliff Point Condominiums to create a scholarship aimed at increasing college affordability. The university will use the money from selling the University House to create the Niehoff Presidential Scholarship Endowment and to provide about $3 million in grants for student assistance. “College affordability is a top priority for families and students,” Ono said in a statement. “I want us to think in new ways to do whatever we can to help students achieve their dream of a college education.” Former chairman of the UC Board of Trustees, Buck Niehoff, donated the luxury condo to the university for fundraising purposes in 2004. During a board of trustees meeting April 23, Ono suggested selling the estate and also told the board that he would decline any salary increase or bonus payment for two years. He also asked the board not to increase UC’s undergraduate tuition for the 2013-14 academic year. “I think it recognizes our current leadership’s concern and willingness to make a statement that supports our students in a very visible way,” said Caroline Miller, senior associate vice president in the Enrollment Management Office. The Niehoff Presidential Scholarship Endowment does not accept applicants, but students are urged to have their FAFSA completed by March 1, 2014, in order to be considered for selection. The scholarship gives a lot of flexibility to potential recipients. For example, a medical student may receive the endowment one year, and a law student may receive it the next, depending on where financial aid is needed throughout UC’s colleges. “Unlike many endowments, the university will have the flexibility to use it based on needs at the time.” Miller said. “So if we determine this year’s recipients will be based on need that doesn’t lock it in to need forever, so it’s a really good thing to have that flexibility.” Niehoff commended Ono for his generosity in his decision to not stay at the presidential estate and instead, create a scholarship fund in his name. He could not be reached for comment. “We appreciate that it is the will and wisdom of the Niehoff family to recommend that the direction of the awards will vary based on the needs of our students and UC’s strategic enrollment plan over time,” Ono said.

PHIL DIDION PHOTO EDITOR

City council candidate Mike Moroski came to campus about two weeks ago with council candidate Kevin Johnson in hopes of engaging students and registering them to vote.

Cincinnati City Council candidates visit campus, engage ‘disenchanted’ voters BEN GOLDSCHMIDT NEWS EDITOR

A historically poor turnout among college voters isn’t stopping some Cincinnati City Council candidates from extending their reach to University of Cincinnati students. The numbers aren’t deterring council candidates Mike Moroski and Kevin Johnson. Both candidates were on campus in midSeptember sponsored by The OrangeBand Initiative, a program of the Community Mediation Center meant to encourage open conversation about any topic. In 2012, 45 percent of 18 to 29 year olds voted, whereas 51 percent of the same age range voted in the 2008 election, according to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement. “It’s a vicious cycle. Politicians don’t

cater their messages to young people because they don’t vote, and young people don’t vote because they feel ignored by politicians,” said Terry Grundy, a planning professor at UC who teaches a political course geared towards achieving agendas in politics. Ohio’s numbers for young voter turnout are slightly better than the national average. In 2008, about 55.2 percent of 18 to 29 year olds voted, and dipped to 50.2 percent in 2012. While there isn’t much data available about voting habits in local elections, patterns show that voting habits in national elections are amplified as elections get smaller and more local, said Dave Niven, a political science professor at UC. “What you do see is if you’re getting outvoted in a presidential race, which students are, it just gets more dramatic the further down the food chain you go,” Niven said. “The turnout mayoral primary was about five or six percent, so that

means senior citizen turnout was probably about 15 percent and student turnout was probably under one percent.” The grand irony, Niven said, is that students turn out in much higher numbers in presidential elections, but could make a much bigger impact voting in local elections where one vote really could make a difference. In 2007, John Cranley and Roxanne Qualls — who are both running for mayor currently — were separated by three votes, though both won seats. While presidential issues energize students, local issues shouldn’t be ignored. “There are vital issues that affect every student every single day,” Niven said. “What happens to parking in Cincinnati? Students almost more than anybody will care where they can put a car. It doesn’t have a lot of excitement factor. There’s nobody on campus who’s going to scream at you like with marriage equality or abortion.” SEE VOTE PG 2

Faculty, students weigh in on $86 million Nippert Stadium renovations Expansion creates 100,000 square feet, will seat 400,000; architects have final plan underway BRYAN SHUPE STAFF REPORTER

PHIL DIDION PHOTO EDITOR

UC’s architect explains plans to upgrade Nippert Stadium in TUC Cinema.

Concrete ideas for the $86 million renovation of Nippert Stadium are surfacing, but final plans have yet to be drawn up. Faculty and students met in Tangeman University Center to discuss the future of the Bearcat’s football venue. University architect, Mary Beth McGrew, is leading the project that is slated to begin after the Bearcat’s final football game of the season. The expansion will add about 100,000 square feet to Nippert, increasing its capacity to 40,000. By increasing the number of restrooms and concession stands, McGrew hopes to add to the game day experience and provide attendees with more accessible facilities to increase the flow of foot traffic in the stadium. Due to the compactness of UC’s campus, stadium renovations will primarily be built upward rather than outward. CHIEF.NEWSRECORD@GMAIL.COM / 513.556.5908

“The charm of our stadium is also the difficulty of our stadium,” McGrew said. “It’s a charming place to be and can be so much fun, but the downside — if you see it as such — is that there really isn’t anywhere to go but up.” Bearcat Plaza, the common area between TUC and the stadium, will also receive a facelift. It will extend toward the stadium and might house restrooms underneath it. Many of the large stairs would be removed, but it would expand the current seating area. It is still undecided whether or not this portion of the western concourse will be considered part of the stadium, meaning it might not be gated off during games. Nippert Stadium is the second oldest collegiate stadium that is still in use. The lower sections of the stadium, or “the bowl,” will not be affected due to its historical significance. The west pavilion of the stadium will be expanded to approximately three times its current size and will even include a skywalk stretching from TUC and connecting to the upper levels of Nippert. “It’s a difficult project. We’re a built out urban campus, but I couldn’t think of a better campus or a better team SEE NIPPERT PG 2


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