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pg. 4 | Adjuncts hold pg. 9 | UC volleyball team equality demonstration wins tournament at NKU What it’s like to volunteer abroad in Tanzania DAVID REES | FEATURES EDITOR While many college students consider studying abroad, few consider volunteering abroad. Fourth-year animal biology and environmental studies student, Tess Palluzzi, traveled all the way to Africa to volunteer in Tanzania this past May. Palluzzi went to Tanzania through Growth International
Volunteer Excursions (GIVE) Volunteers — an organization offering volunteer opportunities in Southeast Asia, Africa and Central America that focuses on global citizenship, sustainable development and immersing students in new cultures. Palluzzi heard of other college students who had traveled with GIVE, such This Story Continued on Page 5
UNIVERSITY PARK APARTMENTS VIA GOOGLE
Student dead for days before discovery KEELY BROWN | NEWS EDITOR Jackson Durham, a 20-year-old second-year DAAP student studying Industrial Design at the University of Cincinnati, died in University Park Apartments (UPA)—a university-managed housing property—and was discovered Aug. 30, according to UC Police Department (UCPD) and Cincinnati Police Department (CPD) reports. Two other students, Leah Miller and Jacob Wocks, were named as witnesses on both reports. Miller is a fifth-year communications student and was a close friend of Durham. Wocks is a fourth-year mechanical engineering student, the resident advisor (RA) on the third floor of UPA’s south building and was Durham’s roommate. On Aug. 28, Durham and Miller “hung out” for 1.5-2 hours at her off-campus apartment, she said. Miller dropped Durham off at UPA and received a text message from him around 6:30 p.m. The next day, Aug. 29, Miller called Durham after her class around 4:30 p.m. He didn’t pick up. Miller said she didn’t think anything of it until a mutual friend reached out to her and asked if she had heard from Durham.
“Apparently he skipped class that day and had dinner plans with a friend and he didn’t show up,” Miller said.“Then I began to worry. I just had a really bad feeling.” After work, Miller went to Durham’s room at UPA. She knocked on the door multiple times and, after no one answered, she contacted UPA. “I called the RA that was on call in UPA and told them that I was worried about my friend and that they should go check on him,” Miller said.“I was concerned about my friend and they sort of just said, ‘Okay.’ I have no idea who I was even talking to; I was shaken up at that point.” UPA representatives elected not to check on Durham after Miller voiced her concerns. Resident Education and Development (RED)—the office responsible for student service and support, daily operations and student education in residence hall communities—did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Miller said she called Durham multiple times Thursday night and was not able to get in contact with him. On Friday morning, Miller still had not heard from Durham. This Story Continued on Page 2
Tess Palluzzi (right), a fourth-year student in animal biology and environmental studies, traveled to Tanzania in May through the GIVE program. PROVIDED BY TESS PALLUZZI
September 18, 2019
Rush week draws crowd KEELY BROWN | NEWS EDITOR
The University of Cincinnati Greek life community held its annual fraternity rush week and sorority recruitment this past weekend. There are 26 active fraternities and 16 sororities with more than 3,000 students involved in Greek life from UC’s Uptown, Clermont, Blue Ash and medical campuses. Hundreds of students participated in this year’s fraternity recruitment and formal recruitment, according to John Keith, director of fraternity and sorority life. “Fraternity and Sorority Recruitment has been happening in some form or fashion at UC since our first fraternity came to the community 179 years ago,” Keith said.“As more and more organizations began joining campus, there became a need to coordinate recruitment events and large-scale ‘recruitment weeks’ have been traditionally coordinated by the two councils that coordinate recruitment: Interfraternity Council (IFC) and Panhellenic.” More than 600 women registered to participate in the formal recruitment process, which began Sept. 13 and will conclude Sept. 22. More than 1,000 men were contacted throughout the summer. Each fraternity chapter collected the contact information of those students and then held events Sept. 6-13 to get to know interested students. Fraternity chapters hosted a “Meet the Greeks” program where fraternity members set up tables and passed out their recruitment schedules for the next week, Keith said. Interested students stopped by each table to receive a copy of the events and were encouraged to attend as many as they were interested in. Chapters extended membership offers to the students who attended events Sept. 13. Students interested in Panhellenic sororities had to register for the event and were then broken into groups and given schedules to see each chapter, beginning the
evening of Sept. 13 until 10:30 p.m., Saturday from 8 a.m.1:30 p.m. and all-day Sunday, Keith explained. Following each round of recruitment, potential new members are able to rank the organizations that they would like to continue visiting and using a mutual selection process they are invited back to a certain number of chapters. This process repeats the following weekend — with the exception of Saturday — with rounds beginning in the afternoon and lasting until 9:30 p.m. in which fraternities and sororities narrow down selections until the potential new member is down to her final two chapters. On Sept. 22, sorority hopefuls will find out which of her final two choices she was placed in by receiving a “bid,” or an invitation for membership. Students participating in either of the recruitment processes should expect to get meet a lot of people in what seems like a short span of time, Keith said. “The process is designed to help students narrow down what organizations they think are a good fit for them, so talking plays a huge role in both processes,” Keith said. “People will ask questions about interests [and] majors,
but it’s important for the students to know that they are evaluating where they can see themselves, so it’s important to ask questions and to try to have meaningful conversations.” Keith encourages students to step outside their comfort zone and try something new and said Greek life positively impacts UC in a number of ways. “Many of our Greek students hold leadership positions in other student organizations, [and] our community has completed over 67,000 hours of community service and has raised over $263,000 for Philanthropies,” Keith said. “Further, this community provides a sense of belonging and connectedness to over 3,000 students and is constantly looking for ways to contribute to the campus and Clifton communities.” There are other ways to join Greek life at UC without participating in the whirlwind of rush week. There are four councils — IFC, College Panhellenic Council (CPC), National PanHellenic Council (NPHC), Multicultural Greek Council (MGC) — all of which have very different recruitment processes, Keith said.
Fraternities and sororities recruited more than 1,600 students during rush week. INSTAGRAM VIA @UC_FSLLE
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‘I just had a really bad feeling:’ Student dies in University Park Apartments This Story Continued from Page 1
She later found out he had skipped class again that day and became even more concerned. He never skipped class—he loved what he did as a DAAP student, she said. After getting a phone call from her mother that morning, Miller began to panic. As soon as I heard her voice, I just kind of broke down and I was like, ‘Mom, I’m really worried—I haven’t heard from one of my friends in about 40 hours,’” Miller said. “She kind of was the one that got the ball rolling and contacted UC police, [who] said they would be able to meet me there to do a wellness check.” UCPD officers were dispatched to UPA for an attempt to locate at 11:03 a.m. Aug. 30. UC police officers Jamie Leon and Kennerly Newlin responded to the call. Miller and the officers arrived outside room 3237, knocked and heard no answer. They went down to the lobby and contacted Durham’s roommate, Wocks, who met the trio in the lobby. “I asked him, ‘Have you seen Jackson?’” Miller said.“He said no, that he knew that Jackson was going to go take a nap Wednesday night. He assumed that [Durham] had been out with friends on Thursday and then hadn’t seen him Friday.” According to CPD’s police report, Wocks said he had last seen Durham Wednesday at 5 p.m. Wocks declined to comment to The News Record. Wocks took the officers and Miller up to the dorm room and unlocked the door. Officers Leon and Newlin remained in the hallway as to not alarm Durham and make him feel like he was in trouble, Miller said. Miller knocked on Durham’s door, entered the room and said she saw him lying on the bed. “My first thought was, ‘Oh, thank God, he’s safe in his room and not out somewhere random,’” Miller said.“But then I got closer. I realized that he was deceased. The police and everybody took over from there.” CPD is handling the investigation. In its report, Reporting Officer Savard and Responding Supervisor Sgt. Antwine wrote, “Found at scene plastic baggies of unknown drug. [Possible] overdose. Heroin Task Force responded to investigate also.” Two prescription medications—Zoloft, a drug used to treat depression, panic attacks, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, social anxiety disorder and premenstrual dysphoric disorder and Methylphenidate, a drug used to treat ADHD and narcolepsy—were also found at the scene, according to the CPD report. Miller said she was not aware of any drugs or prescription medicine found at the scene. She also said she has had no further contact with police since the incident. UCPD sends mass notifications when there is an immediate threat to campus health and safety. No notification was sent out to the
student body. However, Juan R. Guardia, assistant vice president for student affairs and dean of students, sent an email to UC student residents at 1:33 p.m. Aug. 31, which said: “Yesterday, we experienced the death of one of our Bearcats in University Park Apartments. This has been a very difficult time and it has impacted us all differently. Immediately following an event like this, there are a wide variety of reactions you may experience that are understandable and expected. I encourage you to talk to others for support, try to follow your normal routine, and take care of yourself.” The UC Department of Public Safety, UC Police and CPD did not respond to multiple requests for comment. A cause of death has not been determined, as autopsies generally take 12 to 14 weeks, said Lt. Tom Fallon, investigative commander of the Hamilton County Heroin Task Force. The identity of the substance found at the scene has not been confirmed and will not be released until after the investigation is complete, he said. The Heroin Task Force investigates opioid overdoses and works to track overdose deaths back to the supplier of the drugs. Generally, the task force takes three to four months to complete its investigation. They have investigated 148 deaths in Hamilton County so far this year, Fallon said. “In the last couple years, we’ve only had two or three incidents relating to UC students,” he said.“[UC] is not a hotspot area for overdose deaths.” Miller said Durham was a good, accepting and kind person. He treasured his car—a BMW 2002 from the 1980s—loved metal music (he listened to Black Sabbath), was a dedicated student, an extremely hard worker and even built his own guitar. “He never discriminated against anybody [and] was always open minded and willing to try new things,” she said.“He enjoyed life.” Students in need of support are encouraged to reach out to the UC Counseling and Psychological Services at (513) 556-0648
Jackson Durham treasured his BMW 2002 from the 80s, said friend Leah Miller. INSTAGRAM VIA @JACKSONWDURHAM
September 18, 2019
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CAPS promotes app to provide self-care resources QUINLAN BENTLEY | CONTRIBUTOR The University of Cincinnati Department of Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) is providing students with an innovative, online approach to help students tackle
mental and emotional health issues. The department is providing self-care apps as part of a larger initiative to make information on mental health more readily available to UC students. CAPS founded Reach Out, which provides tips on dealing with emotional distress,
inspirational videos, emergency contacts and a 24/7 text support hotline, in February. This semester, CAPS partnered with Therapist Assistance Online (TAO) — an online, cross-platform, self-help program that offers public universities different modules that tackle issues such as stress, depression, anxiety and substance abuse. “The idea is that a student has easy access [to mental health services],” said Dr. Jennifer Wright-Berryman, professor of social work and chair of Reach Out. After doing some research into UC’s policies on suicide prevention, WrightBerryman found that the university’s resources were spread out and difficult to find. “I realized that we really needed to do some streamlining,” she said. According to the most recent data from the American College Health Association (ACHA), college students listed stress, anxiety and depression as the most prevalent factors affecting academic performance. Of the study’s 67,972 respondents, 10% reported being recently treated for psychiatric conditions, with mental health issues being more commonly reported by female students. Overall, 13% of students reported having recent
suicidal ideation and 2% of students having attempted suicide within the past year. “One of the major barriers between a student having a mental health or suicide crisis and getting help is the fact that they may not know how,” WrightBerryman said. Wright-Berryman is hopeful that putting all the available resources in one place may help eliminate this barrier. TAO currently has eight available selfhelp modules available, including: • Calming Your Worry • Let Go and Be Well • Interpersonal Relationships and Communication • Leave Your Blues Behind • Improving your Mood • Evaluating Alcohol and Drug Use • Recovery Skills • Pain Management The program is accessible through computers, smart phones and tablets. However, some features may only be available on a computer. TAO is based on well researched and highly effective strategies. To sign up for TAO, you can visit https:// thepath.taoconnect.org to get started.
Dewey’s Pizza sets reopening date for improved Clifton restaurant MITCHELL PARTON| MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR After several months of renovation, the Dewey’s Pizza location just north of campus will reopen next week. The restaurant at 265 Hosea Ave., which has been closed since May 28, has set a reopening date of Sept. 27. Throughout the summer, the chain maintained its local
presence with a pizza truck across the street. Improvements to the Clifton location include a larger, upgraded kitchen, additional windows, leveled floors and an updated dining room. “We are thankful that renovations had been moving rapidly and successfully over the summer so that we could meet our deadline to reopen,” said Chuck Lipp,
The Dewey’s Pizza location in Clifton will reopen Sept. 27 after summer renovations. DEWEY’S PIZZA VIA FACEBOOK
president of Dewey’s Pizza, in a news release. “We know our community has been anxious to see the changes and dine at the place they know and love.” The company worked with construction partner Heath Trossel and interior designer Katie Dobbs to accomplish the remodel. Dobbs, a UC interior design alumna, has an international design portfolio with work for companies such as Taco Bell, Olio Italian and FC Cincinnati. Dewey’s has been in Clifton for 16 of the company’s 18 years in business. Based in Cincinnati, the upscale-casual chain is known for a menu of specialty and seasonal pizzas and salads with unique ingredient combinations.
DEWEY’S PIZZA VIA GOOGLE
September 18, 2019
Living Openly: Life as a
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Adjuncts demonstrate on campus
black, transgender student DAVID REES | FEATURES EDITOR Beginning her fourth year as a Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) student at the University of Cincinnati, Ariel Shaw, has become a strong advocate for the arts and LGBTQ activism as a black trans woman on campus. Transitioning as a freshman, Shaw came out as nonbinary in October 2016 and then came out as transgender a month later. Adopted at age four and raised in Cincinnati, Shaw had always known she was not a boy. Growing up without a sense of gender identity, Shaw had also lacked a creative outlet. She loved musical theater and Disney movies, but had no access to the arts. After her mother died from cancer when she was in the sixth grade, Shaw faced a lot of changes and moved in with another family member. It was then that Shaw discovered the television show “Glee.” “I have always been a creative and artistic kid,” Shaw said. “Glee was a safe place as a queer black kid. Glee allowed me to find my voice and it allowed me to embrace who I was.” Through “Glee,” Shaw began discovering musicals and developed a strong love for storytelling. However, it was not until
high school that Shaw was able to act on the stage. Through her English class, she found out about Project 38 through the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company in which Shaw learned basic acting training. Toward the end of the school year, Shaw got to perform in front of an audience. The following week, she found out she received an anonymous donation to go to a weeklong acting camp. “It was one of the best things I ever did,” Shaw said. “It was so much fun. Once I got to UC, I told my family I’m seeing a show come hell or high water. The first show I saw was “A Chorus Line” at CCM. In that moment, I felt I found this space where I could belong. I’ m not in the program, but it felt like I wasn’t alone.” Furthering her passion for theater and storytelling, Shaw has also written plays. As a black transgender girl who never had season tickets, never took dance lessons and never went to New York as a child, theater and the arts allowed for Ariel to find herself and her voice. Shaw was a senior in high school when she became interested in gender and sexuality. She found herself learning different sexualities, gender identities and how sex is portrayed in other cultures. When she came to UC, Shaw knew she wanted to major in WGSS. “Four years later, it’s different than I thought it was, but in a good way,” Shaw said. “I picked WGSS because I care about people. I want to know how I can use my privilege to uplift voices of marginalized communities.” Wanting to voice the issues she faced in society and the LGBTQ community, Shaw created a blog in September 2017. Originally sharing her thoughts on Facebook, her posts would garner a lot of comments and attention. Shaw knew she wanted to create a platform to share her writing. “It’s allowed me to use my voice and feel heard,” Shaw said. “The reality is, a white person isn’t going to stop and listen to a black transgender girl out on the street. If I create a platform where I write out my thoughts and send it out to everyone, that’s when you garner attention.” Titled “Diary Of A Mad Black Trans Girl,” Shaw This Story Continued on Page 5
PROVIDED BY ARIEL SHAW
The University of Cincinnati Adjunct Advocacy Association (UCAAA) was created to advocate for better treatment of adjunct faculty. ALEX MARTIN | PHOTO EDITOR
DAVID REES | FEATURES EDITOR The University of Cincinnati Adjunct Advocacy Association will hold a demonstration next week to spread positive awareness of the organization’s goals after the faculty senate passed a bill pledging to help adjunct concerns. The demonstration will occur Wednesday, Sept. 25, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on MainStreet, in front of Tangeman University Center (TUC). “It’s not a protest, it’s to raise awareness on campus for our association and to draw attention to adjuncts and students,” said cofounder of the UCAAA, Mark Kissling. “It is the culmination of part-time and full-time faculty along with the students recognizing the value and contribution of adjuncts.” Adjunct faculty, along with the UC chapter of the American Association of University Professors and the student chapter of Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) will help in the demonstration. The UCAAA was created last fall in response to adjunct faculty not receiving salary increases since 2003 and to advocate for the better overall treatment of adjuncts at UC.
The faculty senate resolution bill passed Sept. 12 by the university’s faculty senate centered around a pledge “to study the needs of and best means to support the continued contribution of part-time faculty at University of Cincinnati.” The resolution called for a committee to be formed to research the following goals: • Practices for onboarding of part-time faculty across colleges • Information and communication through a centralized university unit and through each college concerning rights, benefits, and opportunities of, and responsibilities to, part-time faculty • Communication with and inclusion of part-time faculty in units regarding plans, practices and events relevant to part-time faculty • Working conditions of part-time faculty, including, but not limited to, benefits, salary and professional development An interim report will be presented to the administration in December, with a final report due in April 2020. “’Next Lives Here’ calls to establish UC as the premiere urban university,” Kissling said. “Adjuncts play an important role as we come
in contact with almost half of the student population every fall and spring semester. In order to deliver the quality education that will be worthy of the mantle ‘premiere urban university,’ adjuncts have to be a part of that. We’re hoping the university recognizes that and can do more to address the needs that this resolution calls for.” Along with the demonstration, the association will be putting concentrated efforts into two other events. The group will hold a part-time faculty meeting Monday, Sept. 23, from 11 a.m. to noon in the Faculty Enrichment Center (FEC) in Langsam Library, which opened this month. The association will present the resolution to and introduce the features of the FEC. The association with participate in a “Teach in/ Town Hall” sponsored by the YDSA, a panel discussing adjunct faculty issues in TUC 417 Tuesday, Sept. 24, from 6-8 p.m. “We have become an information space for adjuncts who are unaware,” Kissling said. “Not every college and department does a good job communicating with their part-time faculty. We want to continue to do that.”
September 18, 2019
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Traveling to Tanzania:
A volunteer trip to remember This Story Continued from Page 1
Tess Palluzzi (right), a fourth-year student in animal biology and environmental studies, traveled to Tanzania in May through the GIVE program. PROVIDED BY TESS PALLUZZI
as her classmate, and saw a flyer on UC’s campus about its Tanzania trip. “The cool thing about this organization is that you go with a group of strangers from all around the country and from Europe,” Palluzzi said. “You don’t meet anyone until you get there. You book your flight through GIVE and then you all meet.” After landing, the two-week trip began. Palluzzi stayed in the city of Arusha in the region of Zanzibar in a bungalow area with the 30 people in her group. Five or six students shared a room with bunkbeds, similar to a hostel. Palluzzi was involved in two projects — building a school and teaching English. “I was building an office for teachers and I also helped begin their sustainability project,” Palluzzi said. “We helped clear out trees they were cutting down where they were planning to make a playground and a garden. In the afternoon, I taught English to local people.” Working in small groups, Palluzzi assisted in teaching the intermediate men’s class who was learning English
to talk to tourists that came into their shops. “We weren’t just going to those local areas and being their lifesavers or giving them everything,” Palluzzi said. “We were working with them and teaching them to do better. We are the root from which they can grow and sprout from.” The program was set up so volunteers would work for two days then explore for one. Palluzzi got to do a variety of excursions like swimming with dolphins, visiting local villages, snorkeling, boating around the Indian Ocean, a two-day safari and a coffee plant tour. “I think traveling abroad and volunteering are both super important, and I think people are often too afraid to actually do it,” Palluzzi said. “When I told people I was going on this trip they looked at me like I was crazy. Take that leap of faith if you want to do something beneficial for yourself and help others. Trust yourself and be open with what you are getting yourself into. Don’t let the fear of life stop you from having an experience you’ll never forget.”
Black, transgender student blogs to push change This Story Continued from Page 4
writes monthly and shares her experiences as a transgender woman on-and-off campus, about mental health, social media and her modeling career. “[The blog] has also allowed me to embrace my sexuality as a trans woman,” Shaw said. “The narrative usually goes that trans people hate our bodies, which is true in some cases. But there are also trans people who don’t believe that. Like ‘No, this is my body. I just happened to have been assigned a gender that I don’t identify with.’” Shaw has also ran for a student government senator position on campus, presented for the Black Feminist Symposium through the UC’s Women’s
Center, spoken on various panels for classes and participated in UC’s Racial Awareness Program for two years, which focuses on building bridges through conversation on race, gender, class, sexuality and learning how to uplift the voices of marginalized communities. Moving forward, Shaw said it’s crucial that oncampus organizations who wish to support the LGBTQ community need to de-center whiteness. Shaw created the oncampus group “Shades of the Rainbow” last year in response to how white LGBTQ spaces are on campus. “This is me fighting back,” Shaw said. “I’m so sick of being the only black person in the room. White people don’t like to be
uncomfortable, but I have to be uncomfortable all the time. UC is very white. Being diverse does not mean having one black person on your board. Make an effort to make your groups inclusive to everyone, not just white people.” Through her journey of transitioning and being involved in many facets through her time at UC, Shaw has learned to embrace her sexuality and her body. Shaw encourages the younger LGBTQ community on campus to “live your truth.” “You only get one life,” said Shaw. “You are black enough, you are trans enough, you are queer enough, you are enough.” Check out Shaw’s work at her blog, “Diary Of A Mad Black Trans Girl.”
Ariel Shaw, a fourth-year women’s gender and sexuality studies student, blogs monthly about her experience as a transgender black woman. ARIEL SHAW VIA WORDPRESS
September 18, 2019
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DoorDash to doorstep: Five unique restaurants that deliver right to you on campus these crispy fried cubes of potato are full of tasty herbs and served with a spicy kimchi ketchup.
SOPHIA JUDGE | CONTRIBUTOR Whether you’re dying for something fried, craving late-night Mexican or trying to fake your way through a home cooked meal, delivery is the way to go. Apps such as PostMates, UberEats and DoorDash have campus covered. Best Health Food: Conscious Kitchen (UberEats) A health food hot spot up on Short Vine, Conscious Kitchen features a menu full of delicious salads and sandwiches. With a fusion of culinary styles, Conscious Kitchen has a mission to bring good food and education to the Cincinnati community. Order from them to feel good about your food choices and where your money is going. Try the Bella Burger, made of portabella mushrooms and mozzarella cheese, and don’t forget to splurge on a slice of carrot pie — it’s worth it. Best Burgers: Sacred Beast Diner (DoorDash) Craving a classic cheeseburger? Try Sacred Beast Diner, a delicious burger spot that offers all-day breakfast and creative sides on top of their classic burger menu. DoorDash currently delivers Sacred Beast for free, so be sure to order up a tasty double cheeseburger on a homebaked bun before this offer times out. Don’t forget to add an order of tater tots to your order. Far from your usual tots,
Best Mexican: Los Potrillos (DoorDash) A favorite located just a few blocks from campus, this mom and pop Mexican joint is a delicious addition to your delivery choices. Order up some hot enchiladas when it’s too cold and snowy to walk to the place yourself. This place is a classic Mexican joint with delicious food and, of course, free chips and salsa. Try the Pollo Toluca, a tasty chicken dish topped with chorizo, pineapple and smooth queso.
Foods wanting to gobble up the entire store, you’ll be sure to find your fix at Rooted Juicery and Kitchen. Its menu is filled with tasty vegetarian options that will please even the most dedicated meat lovers. Hop on PostMates and tap your way to a tasty vitality shot, such as the Flu Shot, when you’re feeling under the weather. The Buddha bowl comes highly recommended, full of hearty ingredients like sweet potato, chickpeas, avocado and quinoa to fill you up all day long.
Best Asian: Dragon City (PostMates) Looking to get your money’s worth? Try Dragon City, a classic city Chinese restaurant with a massive and affordable menu. Try their fried shrimp toast, which is significantly more appetizing than it sounds. This is the place to order from if you’re trying to serve a crowd on a budget. They offer party platters of Crab Rangoon at $11.95 for 24 pieces. Egg drop soup comes in at only $1.25, and classic chicken fried rice will only run you $3.25 — this place is perfect for students on a budget. Best Vegetarian: Rooted Juicery and Kitchen (PostMates) If you often find yourself browsing the aisles at Whole
INSTAGRAM VIA @SACREDBEASTDINER
Review: Pop ghostwriter Charlie XCX ushers new era of sound
Charli XCX performing at Slottsfjell Music Festival in 2015. FLICKER | NRK P3
BRANDON SINGLETON | CONTRIBUTOR Charli XCX, born Charlotte Aitchison, released her eponymous third studio album “Charli” Sept. 13, her first proper
album in five years following “Sucker” in 2014. However, she has been ghost-dominating the music industry for the better part of this decade. It’s no exaggeration to
say Aitchison has lent a hand in shaping modern pop music. Beyond her solo career, Aitchison has found success in writing songs for other artists. Some honorable mentions
of Aitchison’s penmanship include “Same Old Love” by Selena Gomez, “Beg for It” by Iggy Azalea, and more recently, “Señortia” by Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello. Aitchison also infamously sang the hook on Icona Pop’s “I Love It” and Iggy Azalea’s 2014 hit “Fancy.” “Sucker” saw Aitchison toying with punk influences, a departure from her EDM-infused debut “True Romance.” Following “Sucker,” Aitchison began honing in on what she wanted her signature sound to be. She began collaborating with more experimental producers like SOPHIE and A.G. Cook, the former helping shape her 2016 EP “Vroom Vroom” and the latter producing much of her 2017 mixtapes “Number 1 Angel” and “Pop 2.” “Charli” is an encapsulation of all these sounds. The record opens with “Next Level Charli,” an ode to Aitchison’s fans, the Angels, who are said to
embrace the party lifestyle with no restraints. Many of the tracks on “Charli” bear earworm hooks that detail heartbreak where Aitchison is both the heartbreaker and the heartbroken. “Hope you can forgive all of my crimes, I just need your reply,” Aitchison’s auto-tuned voice ached on “February 2017.” Aitchison has made a point to collaborate with up-and-coming LGBTQ artists throughout her career and “Charli” sees no shortage. Kim Petras features on the feel-good “Click.”The catchy but nearly inaccessible “Shake It” features Big Freedia, CupcakKe, Brooke Candy and Pabllo Vittar — each delivering their own unique, immersive verses. Standout track and closer “2099” featuring Troye Sivan finds the duo flaunting their futuristic superiority. “Fast like a Nascar, never touch us. Got visions, levels, they don’t get me. Quiet, no discussions, please hush,”
they sing over a thumping beat and spacey synths. Aitchison delves into her anxieties, some of which perhaps regard her place in the music industry. For being a world-renowned pop star, of the stature to open for the likes of Taylor Swift her 2018 Reputation stadium tour, Aitchison is a relatively underground artist. “I try real hard, but I’m caught up in my insecurities,” she sings on “Gone,” a duet with Christine and the Queens. “Charli” is wrapped in heavy, robotic, avantgarde pop music. Based on Aitchison’s past, this offering feels like the most authentic Charli XCX project to date. Beautiful electronic soundscapes are painted which juxtapose the vulnerability in Aitchison’s lyrics. “Charli” is warm and inviting but biting and challenging, the forward-thinking album we need to cap off this decade and move into a new era of pop music.
September 18, 2019
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Get out and do something: Sept. 20 to Sept. 22
ANNE SIMENDINGER | LIFE AND ARTS EDITOR The weather is still hot, so rather than dwell in the sadness of the humidity, take advantage of one more weekend to do things outside and have some fun in the downtown Cincy sun, or hide out and take in some beautiful art in the relaxing, air-conditioned air. Friday, Sept. 20 Oktoberfest-Zinzinnati Celebrate your German heritage by attending the second-largest Oktoberfest celebration in the world in downtown Cincinnati. The celebration kicks off Thursday with the Running of the Weiners at 1 p.m.The party continues Friday
through Sunday on Second and Third streets between Walnut and Elm Street. There will be more than 30 food vendors, seven stages showcasing German music and more lederhosen and steins of beer than you could dream of. Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Downtown Cincinnati, Second & Race, Second & Third Streets between Elm and Walnut Street Displaced Exhibit Get a new perspective on the refugee crisis with a new photo exhibit opening Friday at the Contemporary Arts Center. German visual artist Jens Schwarz photographed displaced
Left: Contemporary Arts Center. ROB AMEND VIA FLICKR Right: Oktoberfest Zinzinnati. CTOMASETTI VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
migrants in Germany between September 2015 and April 2016 as they entered Germany and their emotional journey throughout this crisis. The exhibit will feature prints, newspaper publications and video aspects. Sept. 20-Oct. 27, Contemporary Arts Center, 44 E. Sixth St. Saturday, Sept. 21 Goat Yoga Have you ever dreamed of having goats help with your yoga poses? This dream can come true Saturday at the Rhinegeist taproom. Rhinegeist is partnering with Yogoat to bring Pygamy goats that will help yogis with their poses and
guide the meditation during the 45 minute sessions. Two sessions are available at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Saturday. 10-10:45 a.m. and 11-11:45 a.m., Rhinegeist Brewery, 1910 Elm St. Kaplan New Works Series Cincinnati Ballet kicks off its new season with the annual Kaplan New Works featuring brilliant female powerhouse choreographers: Heather Britt, Andrea Schermoly and Sarah Van Patten. If you have been wanting to catch one of Cincinnati Ballet’s productions but aren’t sure if traditional ballet is your style, this could be the show for you. The New Works series is a showcase of innovative and
contemporary dance styles and includes three world premieres from Cincinnati Ballet dancers Taylor Carrasco, Melissa Gelfin and David Morse. Sept. 18-22, Jarson Kaplan Theater, 650 Walnuts St. Sunday, Sept. 22 Riverfront Market There’s always a farmers market going on around Cincinnati this time of year, but if you are looking to try a new one head down to Small Riverfront Park and pick up some tasty treats and artisan goods. Sunday from 9-2 p.m. there will be a variety of vendors as well as food trucks dishing out some delicious food options. 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Smale
Riverfront Park, Mehring Way & Main Street Monarch Festival Join in the celebration of these beautiful pollinators at the Cincinnati Zoo. The Monarch Festival will feature displays, activities, a parade and a Monarch tag and release. If you have a younger sibling or child that has an affinity for butterflies, they can let out their inner butterfly and dress up as the pollinators to walk in the parade. The festival will also bring awareness to the zoo’s leadership and commitment to pollinator conservation in the region. 10-2 p.m., Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, 3400 Vine St.
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Amlung set to lead golf team after successful summer
the course record … Austin paved the path for these guys and showed them if you work hard and listen, then the sky is the limit for you as a player. The kids that want to get better are the kids that are going to observe what an Austin Squires does and feed off that and Clay was one of those kids. One of our deals was when he came here that he would walk-on and have the opportunity to play into a scholarship and that’s what he’s done.” Martin put Amlung on scholarship earlier this year and told him at an individual meeting at the end of last season. “A couple things [led to the decision],” Martin said. “Number one is that his work ethic was exemplary. His desire to get better. Those few things stood out to me and his continued desire to not be satisfied with where he was.” Since first stepping on campus in 2017, Amlung says he’s improved his mechanics and physique a lot, but his mentality the most. “I think it’s how I handle myself on the course [with] mentality and course discipline,” Amlung said. “Just being really focused out there and not letting bad shots get to me. That’s really increased these past couple years and not getting down on myself and just sticking to my next shot.” Men’s golf finished 11th of 13 schools in the Rod Myers Invitational at Duke University Golf Club last weekend. The team will travel back to North Carolina to take part in the Old Town Club Collegiate hosted by Wake Forest University, Sept. 23-24.
Clay Amlung, UC golfer, tees off during a tournament last spring. PROVIDED BY CLAY AMLUNG
SPENCER SCHULTZ | SPORTS EDITOR While growing up in Louisville, Kentucky, University of Cincinnati golfer Clay Amlung was just an ordinary seventh grader having fun and playing sports such as football, basketball and soccer. It wasn’t until one afternoon in the summer of 2012 when Amlung joined a couple of friends for a nine-hole round of golf at Crescent Hill Golf Course across the street from his house. “One day, two of my friends were going out and just said, ‘Hey do you want to go?’” Amlung said. “I had this old Powerbilt junior set that was way too small for me and it had no business being in my hands.” After this, Amlung found himself practicing at the range and started getting lessons in eighth grade. Amlung elected to attend St. Xavier High School in Louisville, Kentucky, where he decided to pursue golf his freshman year. “Right after grade school, I started playing golf by itself and really focusing on that,” Amlung said. “My sophomore year in high school I really decided to try and play collegiate golf.” Not many sophomores get the chance to experience a state championship, but Amlung played a part in St. Xavier’s title in 2014. Amlung was the team’s sixthman and didn’t post scores in the state tournament, but contributed during the regular-season of the 19th championship in school history. Despite being overlooked due to the success of his teammates, whom he considered “the best five players in the state all on one team,” Amlung started to receive interest at the collegiate level. “It was mainly [former UC assistant coach] Jonathan Ehlen that started to look at me at the beginning of my junior year,” Amlung said. “[Ehlen] was watching me that whole year and then I started talking to head coach Doug Martin the summer going into my senior year.” An opportune time for Amlung to get recruited, the team made it back-to-back state titles in 2015. Still, he remained
in his sixth-man roll for the second-straight year. Amlung took full advantage of his opportunity after the top five players graduated, being named the 2016 Louisville Courier-Journal Golfer of the Year and a Metro Louisville All-Arena First-Team selection. As a senior, he tied for second place at the 2016 KHSAA State Golf Tournament to lead St. Xavier to its third consecutive title. “A big part of [my improvement] was gaining distance on shots,” Amlung said. “My short game got way better and started taking me to that next level, and I started seeing lower and lower scores after that.” After three state titles and a stand out senior year as an individual, Amlung accepted a walk-on position at UC over the University of Dayton, Xavier University and Ball State University. Amlung saw similar results in his first two years at UC, averaging 75.56 strokes per round in three tournaments (nine rounds) his freshman year and 75.29 strokes per round in five tournaments (14 rounds) his sophomore year. Former Bearcat Austin Squires graduated in May after four decorative years and was a mentor for Amlung during his first two years. “He was just so good and knew all the right stuff to do on the course,” Amlung said. “I think watching him play and watching him get better and better helped me out because I paid attention to what he was doing. I tried to figure out how I could practice like him and learn from him and take my game to that next level. He’s just so smart with course management and never puts himself in a terrible spot.” Amlung finished third in both the Kentucky Amateur (17-under-par) and Ohio Amateur (1-under) over the summer. He also qualified with Squires for the United States Amateur at Pinehurst No. 2, but missed match play after shooting 15-over-par in the stroke play rounds. Martin could see Amlung’s desire to improve from watching Squires. “I think one of the things that has helped Clay develop as a player was him getting comfortable with himself and believing in his own abilities,” Martin said. “He shot a 63 at Coldstream [Country Club] last September, which tied
Clay Amlung, UC golfer. @GOBEARCATSGOLF VIA TWITTER
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September 18, 2019
UC volleyball wins Northern Kentucky Invitational, second consecutive tournament SPENCER SCHULTZ | SPORTS EDITOR
The University of Cincinnati volleyball team made back-toback weekend tournament victories, winning the Northern Kentucky University (NKU) Invitational Saturday night. UC finished the two-day tournament with a 2-1 record after losing its final match in five sets to the Norse. NKU led most of the first set and the battle up front, blocking UC’s attack five times, including two late to take the opening set 25-19. The Bearcats struggled to find a rhythm throughout the night, as the Norse ended the match with 16 blocks. “It is frustrating as an attacker when you can’t find creativity on offense,” UC Head Coach Molly Alvey said post-match. “I think where we struggled is that we couldn’t reciprocate that action. We didn’t block as well as we certainly can. When we go back and watch this film, we’ll probably be a little bit frustrated at some things we can change. The good part is those things can be changed and fixed.” Redshirt senior Jordan Thompson found holes through NKU’s block attempts and helped UC force a fifth set after totaling 24 kills in sets two, three and four. Thompson had three straight kills late in the third set, but NKU came out on top 29-27. UC won set two 25-22 and set four 25-23. The fifth set was all NKU, as Anna Brinckmann propelled the Norse to a 10-5 advantage, causing Alvey to take a timeout. Brinckmann finished with four kills in the set, and 23 total in the match, to give NKU a 15-9 set and match victory. NKU entered losing both previous matches to the University of Notre Dame and Ball State University, while UC previously defeated the Irish and Cardinals. “We’re in week three and mentally have to overcome being tired in these long weekends because they do get long,” Alvey said. “This is our third week of playing three matches in two days. I think when your body doesn’t always do what
The UC volleyball team won the NKU invitational Sunday, Sept. 15. PROVIDED BY UC ATHLETICS
you want it to do and match three or match nine of three weeks, there’s a level of experience that you have to learn to be able to push through those kind of matches.” Thompson was named tournament Most Valuable Player for the second time this season and finished the match with 35 kills — her most in a match this season — and 80 total kills in the tournament. Below are short summaries of UC’s first two tournament matches: Bearcats defeat Notre Dame 3-1 UC opened the tournament with a strong win against
the Irish. The Bearcats lost set two, but bounced back as Thompson and sophomore Maria Mallon combined for 34 kills and 24 digs. Sophomore Armania Heckenmueller added 44 assists and 12 digs. UC comes back to beat Ball State 3-2 The Bearcats fell behind two sets to none. Sophomore Adria Oliver led the comeback, finishing with a career-high 22 kills. Oliver ended the tournament with 38 kills and was named to the all-tournament team. Women’s volleyball continues play against Xavier University Sept. 19. First serve is set for 6 p.m.
The state of UC football: Heading into a bye week after Victory Bell win
UC beat Miami University of Ohio 35-13 to win their 14th consecutive Victory Bell on Sept. 14, 2019 at Nippert, Stadium. PHOTO EDITOR | ALEX MARTIN
SPENCER SCHULTZ | SPORTS EDITOR The University of Cincinnati football team heads into its first bye week of the season this weekend with wins against UCLA and Miami (Ohio)
University and a blow-out loss at then-No. 5 Ohio State University. It’s been an up and down affair thus far filled with offensive line changes, injuries and missed opportunities. The Aug. 29
win against the Bruins in front of more than 38,000 at Nippert Stadium and a 73-yard touchdown by running back Michael Warren II Saturday against the RedHawks are the main highlights.
Below is a rundown of how the Bearcats stand heading into the break: As a team Despite losing multiple players to injury, UC has fared well — averaging 370 yards of offense and surrendering 311 yards on defense per game. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Desmond Ridder and Warren have combined for 898 of UC’s 1,110 total yards on offense (80.9%) and been a part of all eight touchdowns. UC has given up 69 total points in three games and cost themselves multiple touchdowns from penalties — something they’ve struggled with so far. “I think we’re still trying to find the best combination [on the offensive line],” Fickell said during a teleconference Monday. “…We have to do a good job evaluating
ourselves and putting our guys in situations that they can be more successful. We have to play a little different at that spot that’s so critical for us.” The Bearcats have committed 31 penalties for 256 yards thus far, an average of 10.3 penalties for 85.3 yards per game. Within the American Athletic Conference UC has scored 59 points through three games — second worst in the AAC to the University of Connecticut (47). Six AAC schools have faced an Associated Press (AP) Top 25 school this season, with the University of Temple being the only team to win — defeating No. 21 University of Maryland. The Bearcats suffered losses in 2018 to Temple and the University of Central Florida (UCF).
The two schools remain arguably the toughest opponents, and the Bearcats play both schools at home later this season. UCF was projected to win the conference, while UC was second. All of college football The Bearcats received 16 votes (No. 34) in the preseason AP Top 25. After the win over the Bruins, UC jumped to No. 29 with 48 votes, but fell completely out of the picture following the 42-point loss to the Buckeyes. UC remains in striking distance of being ranked, as No. 15 UCF comes to Nippert Stadium Oct. 4. The Bearcats next travel to Huntington, West Virginia, for a matchup with Marshall University (2-1) Sept. 28. Kickoff is 5 p.m.
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Opinion: Why you should vote for the Equality Act SAMUEL SCHELL-OLSEN | OPINION EDITOR Last May, the House of Representatives passed The Equality Act, a bill that would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to “prohibit discrimination on the basis of the sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition of an individual, as well as because of sex-based stereotypes.”This is a massive leap toward establishing equal rights to the LGBTQ community. However, it has yet to reach a vote. Largely because the Senate Republicans led by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, have decided to not vote on bills passed by the House of Representatives. McConnell himself has pledged to be the “Grim Reaper” killing the progressive bills passed by the House. A lot of proposed bills are indeed radical. Bills that
have been denied a Senate vote include the Climate Action Now Act, which would keep the United States in the Paris climate agreement, the Raise the Wage Act, which would force employers to pay their employees $15 an hour by 2025, and the For the People Act, which was such a government power grab that the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) was against it. One bill which has been ignored is the Equality Act, which I believe deserves a vote. It is time for the country to progress to the point where discrimation against someone for their sexual orientation is illegal. As of this writing, 15 states have no laws that prohibit discrimination against someone’s sexual orientation according to the Human Rights Campaign. Most of the opposition for the act comes from concerns of possible infringement into religious institutions. Groups such
as the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Church of Latter-day Saints are the most noteworthy opponents. Here is where I believe the Equality Act can be tweaked. The Equality Act does make it that religious institutions cannot site the Religious Freedom Act of 1993 for not providing services based on sexual orientation. ‘‘The Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (423 U.S.C. 2000bb et seq.) shall not provide a claim concerning, or a defense to a claim under, a covered title, or provide a basis for challenging the application or enforcement of a covered title.” I believe that going out of your way to overrule religion is a dangerous route, which the bill does. I understand that you want equality in all forms, but the Supreme Court has ruled in favor for religious beliefs, so a compromise would probably be best to achieve progress.
However, this is where I believe a vote for the Senate matters. Our country providing equality for the LGBTQ community should and needs to happen. That’s why I believe McConnell should bring up the bill for a vote.
Right now, both sides are not progressing on this issue, having a vote would force our Senators to come together and talk about the bill. Creating unity needs to be a priority, and not having this bill for a vote will leave us at a standstill.
I believe this country is ready for progress on this issue, the LGBTQ community deserves it, and this is why the Equality Act should be brought up for a vote.
Protesters marching in support of the Equality Act on June 4, 2019 in Washington DC. FLICKR | TED EYTAN
Opinion: Steve Chabot should resign. Here’s why. HANNAH NABERHAUS | CONTRIBUTOR
Ohio Congressman Steve Chabot. PUBLIC DOMAIN
Last month, the Federal Elections Commission (FEC) inquired into a missing $123,000 from Steve Chabot’s campaign. It has also been discovered that James Schwartz, father of Jamie Schwartz, who is Chabot’s campaign manager, had been listed as the campaign’s treasurer without him knowing. Chabot represents Ohio’s 1st Congressional District, which includes the University of Cincinnati. A statement from Chabot’s lawyer described the situation as Chabot being a “victim” of a financial crime. I wouldn’t quite agree with that characterization. A better word would be “enabler.” Chabot himself may not have directly committed fraud, but his negligence and failure to run a transparent campaign shows he does not take his job seriously. This is not the first time the FEC has looked into Chabot’s finances,
but missing over $100,000 is a whole new level of corruption. When running a political campaign, identifying a treasurer is one of the very first steps a candidate takes and finances are well tracked and recorded. All of these steps are taken to ensure transparency. Jamie Schwartz, Chabot’s longtime campaign manager and political operative, has fallen off the map. This is a sign of a couple things. One, it is obvious Steve Chabot is checked out. He has been in congress for over 20 years, with a short hiatus from 2009-2011, and has been failing to be accessible to his constituents. It was only recently that he started hosting town halls again after he received heat last election cycle for not holding one in person for several years. It seems he is now so far removed from his occupation, he can’t keep track of his own campaign. Secondly, this situation displays a complete lack of self-reflection and extreme hypocrisy. Chabot’s
campaign accused their democratic opponent, Aftab Pureval, of financial malfeasance during the last campaign cycle. While this accusation amounted to nothing more than a $100 fine for Pureval’s campaign, Chabot is now dealing with an incident that has caused his campaign manager, a conservative consulting firm, and over $123,000 to disappear. Chabot doesn’t seem to realize the same standards of integrity apply to him as well, and he has blatantly violated those standards. Taking all of this into consideration, it is clear that Chabot must resign. He has shown himself incapable of being able to perform the abilities of his office in a transparent manner. If he does not, he will be voted out next year. The people of Ohio’s 1st Congressional District will not accept the premise that Chabot was merely a “victim,” as his spokesperson has said. They will see through his corruption.
Sudoku
September 18, 2019
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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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