Welcome Back 2017
Welcome Back Edition
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䜀䔀吀 吀䠀䔀 䄀倀倀⸀ Aug. 23, 2017
吀䠀䔀 匀吀唀䐀䔀一吀 嘀伀䤀䌀䔀 伀䘀 吀䠀䔀 唀一䤀嘀䔀刀匀䤀吀夀 伀䘀 䌀䤀一䌀䤀一一䄀吀䤀 newsrecord.org/welcomeback
Aug. 23, 2017
Welcome Back Edition
Letter from the editor
Founded 1880 University of Cincinnati 45221-0135 Newsroom 509 Swift Hall 513-556-5912 Chief.newsrecord@gmail.com Advertising 510 Swift Hall 513-556-5912 newsrecordbiz@gmail.com The News Record is the editorially independent student-run news organization of the University of Cincinnati. It serves UC students, staff,faculty, alumni, and the Cincinnati community with awardwinning news and information on a variety of media platforms. The free newspaper is published on Wednesdays and is distributed to more than 80 locations on and near UC campuses. TNR’s website, www. newsrecord.org, is updated as news breaks and offers video, audio and interactive features. TNR’s app and podcasts are available for downlod on mobile devices. FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook: TheNewsRecord Twitter: @NewsRecord_UC SoundCloud: The-News-Record-1
Editor-In-Chief David Wysong Managing Editor Claude Thompson News Editors Justin Reutter Parker Malatesta To faithful readers of The News Record:
Chief Reporter Gulnaaz Afzal Life & Arts Editor Isabella Jansen Opinion Editor Mounir Lynch Sports Editor Jason Szelest Copy Editor Erin Couch Photo Editor | Videographer Shae Combs Chief Photographer Aaron Dorsten Online Editor Stephanie Smith Designer Alexandra Taylor Broadcast Reporter Emily Wilhelm
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I am David Wysong, Editor-in- Chief for the 2017-18 school year. I hope all of you are excited for campus to be busy with students, staff and faculty again. Over the summer The News Record’s staff members have been busy working on ways to improve themselves individually, and the paper as a whole. With this comes some changes that will make TNR a more effective student voice for the University of Cincinnati. One major change will be in the production of our printed paper. The past couple of years we have printed a broadsheet-style paper two days a week. This year, we will print one day a week, and it will be in tabloid form. However, printing only one day a week does not mean we will have less content. Like most media outlets, we will have more of a digital focus, releasing content daily. When a UC football game is played Saturday, you won’t have to wait until Monday to read our account of the game. Now it will be posted online and pushed out right away. Our content can be found on our website, social media platforms and through multiple e-newsletters (sports, breaking news, things to do, morning report). Please follow us. With our increased focus on digital reporting, TNR will also have podcasts, an improved newscast, more photo galleries and other multimedia elements with many of our stories. This is an exciting new era of The News Record. We consider ourselves a daily news outlet that will provide fresh content on multiple platforms regularly. Best of luck to all in the new school year.
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Welcome Back Edition
Aug. 23, 2017
UC servers crash on first day of classes JUSTIN REUTTER | NEWS EDITOR JACOB FISHER | STAFF REPORTER
PROVIDED.
SG establishes student court GULNAAZ AFZAL | CHIEF REPORTER
AOver the summer, UC created and instituted a new student court, where five student justices have been elected to the SG judiciary. The Student Court is intended to be a judicial platform for student organizations where internal issues will be discussed and resolved. “Although SG is highly fair and just, there have been issues at the organization where it was difficult to come to a unanimous decision,” said Justice Khaled Aboumerhi. “Therefore, we decided to revive the concept of the Student Court. In the past, too, we had a Student Court which was shelved for unknown reasons, but I think its revival is going to be highly beneficial for the Student Government and the UC body at large.” “Currently, we’re getting things around at the Student Court. We are making schedules and building
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the infrastructure for this nascent nest. I am hopeful that we shall have a fixed venue and agenda for the Student Court meetings very soon.” The newly appointed judiciary aims to address several issues with the launch of the Student Court as they speak about their main goals at the establishment. “The main goal is to build a precedence of what a Student Court must function as. That is the most difficult goal for our newly started organization,” said Aboumerhi. “So, we need to establish who we are and what we need to accomplish as a judicial body.” “We aim to establish a judicial nest that is just and fair so that students, when facing problems within student organizations will feel comfortable in approaching us for justice,” said Student Justice Clement Coleman. However, it is important
to understand that Student Government is not a peer mediation, said CCM Senator Nicole Price. “Student Court will resolve issues and determine sanctions. It can be used for all student organizations, but cannot be used for issues involving student code of conduct violations,” she said. “If something goes wrong with students in terms of their own code of conduct, it is not within the Student Court’s jurisdiction.” Student Court is bound to rule on the existing regulations, said Aboumerhi. “Student Court looks at the existing regulations that govern the Senate and the Student Government. The body doesn’t have the right to push agendas or impose their opinions,” Aboumerhi said. “Their primary role is to see whether the Student Government is functioning on the given rules and regulations.
Whenever there is a situation where a rule is found to be broken … the panel will decide whether the rule has really been tampered with or not.” Student Government is going to add two more justices to its judicial panel, says SG communications and media director Sabari Subramaniam. The Student Court is going to have a total of seven Justices, with one of them getting elected as the Chief Justice by vote of the other justices. Each of these elected justices will serve at the Court until the time they graduate, said Student Justice Catherine Reinhart. The rules and regulations of the Student Government are available to the general student body on UC’s Campus Link website.
UC’s online services, including UC Mail, Catalyst, and any other UC related webpage, went down at approximately 10:15 Monday morning, disrupting the first day of classes for students and professors alike. The disruption was caused by a data center emergency shutdown, which was the result of the fire suppression system responding to smoke in the data center cooling system the next morning, according to a campus-wide email from Nelson C. Vincent, Vice President and Chief Information Officer of IT. “We apologize for the impact the data center outage has had on teaching, learning, and research at the University at the opening of Autumn Semester,” read the email. “We understand that Monday’s extended interruption to your access to UC’s core digital services was very frustrating. We apologize for the disruption that all of you experienced on the busiest day of the autumn semester.” Students were unable to view their schedule on Catalyst throughout the day, causing many students to miss classes. Mitch Neu, a third-year Digital Media Collaborative student, was forced to miss his epidemiology class for this reason. “IT should have seen this coming,” said Neu. “At least some form of tech problems arise for both incoming and veteran students, so these problems should be expected. That’s just from my experience, I don’t know how everyone else is doing, but I know it’s total anarchy around here.” Fourth-year accounting student Andrew Limberg had a similar story. “I wasn’t personally affected. But my roommate had no idea where his classes were and could not get on catalyst to check,” Limberg said. IT initially stated that they did not know why the problem happened.
“IT does not know what caused the problem, nor do they have an ETA on fixing it,” said an IT representative in a phone call the day of the crash. “We are working to get the issue resolved.” Along with causing students to miss classes, the outage also affected faculty. Some professors were not able to access files and give presentations, and it also affected advising appointments. “I had an open house and students were not able to access Catalyst to review audits,” said Professor Ivan Ivanov, professor and undergraduate director of political science. “We switched to advising without degree audits.” The campus online services were back up and running late Monday night, although IT initially estimated that the services would not be restored until Tuesday morning.
PROVIDED.
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Aug. 23, 2017
Welcome Back Edition
Campus reacts to UC going tobacco free JUSTIN REUTTER | NEWS EDITOR
As of May 1, 2017, the University of Cincinnati is a tobacco-free campus. The consequences of the ban, however, are still unclear. Students caught smoking on campus will be punished “under the student code of conduct” according to a statement from the University. When asked about more specific consequences, Dean of Students Juan Guardia said that it was unclear to him how it would be enforced. The two main methods of punishment discussed have been fines and suspensions. However, there are “no plans to fine or suspend students” at this time, according to an email obtained by The News Record from Tobacco Free UC to a former student. “At this point, our goal is to educate and inform the university about the new policy and direct them to tobacco cessation resources, if interested,” reads the email. “We will continue to evaluate over time and adjust as necessary.” While only 2 percent of the student population smokes on a daily basis, according to statistics provided by the Health and Wellness Center, the University had 44,338 students enrolled in 2016-2017. Therefore, the ban still
affects approximately 887 students who smoke cigarettes on a daily basis. In addition, 0.4 percent daily use E-cigarettes, 0.4 percent use hookah, 0.1 percent smoke cigars, cigarillos, or clove cigarettes, and 1.5 percent use smokeless tobacco (dip), making up an additional 2.4 percent (1,064 students) for a grand total of 1951 students, or 4.4 percent of the student body, who use tobacco products daily. Currently, the university has limited cessation programs. The university has a “Win by Quitting” program hosted by the UC Barret Cancer Center. The program has been featured in a previous article in TNR. However, most students interviewed had never heard of the program, and the center is on the medical campus. Not all students agree with the ban. “It’s a right that people have that you shouldn’t take away from them,” said first-year astrophysics student Maurice Reed. “I don’t smoke personally, so it doesn’t affect me, but I don’t agree with it.” Some students are fine with the restriction, however. “It feels like a step towards creating a healthier campus,” said third-year diatetics student Elora Keaffler. “I’m an ex-smoker myself. Sure, it limits our
freedoms, but I’m okay with it.” Making campus tobacco-free might have unintended consequences for service staff, said professor-educator of English Michael Hennessey. “That’s a decision for individuals to make, and I’m worried about some criticisms I’ve heard expressed about how the program will affect community members outside of faculty and the student body,” said Hennessey. “[This includes] maintenance staff, food service workers, etc. who get timed breaks, and who’d need to, if I understand correctly, get all the way off of campus to have a smoke, then get all the way back. I’ve also heard that they’re not allowed to smoke in their cars either. So, while I think it’s a smart idea to offer resources to encourage UC community members to quit smoking, and agree that it has wide benefits for all of us on campus, I do worry about it being somewhat classist in its enforcement and implications.”
TNR FILE
UC eliminates Metro card program JACOB FISHER | STAFF REPORTER
Affordable pay-inadvance public transit is now a distant memory for University of Cincinnati students following the university’s decision to eliminate the Metro card program. Throughout the past decade, UC’s partnership with the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA) was a boon to the university. Since its introduction in 2007, the UC*Metro program discounted bus fares for countless students and faculty members. For a flat rate of $53 per semester (versus the
standard $70/month rate), the Metro card provided students unlimited bus access at no additional cost to Zone 1, which covers all areas within Cincinnati city limits. The university also offered the EZ Ride card — a free to obtain, pay-as-you-ride card for UC students and faculty which covered all Metro zones for $1 per trip. A detailed zone map can be viewed on Cincinnati Metro’s official website. The program was funded through an annual $100,000 subsidy furnished by UC — a budget that has since been reallocated toward the Bearcat Transportation System (BTS). Redirecting
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the subsidy should give the university more flexibility regarding student fee utilization, according to UC Spokesman Greg Vehr. “Putting this subsidy toward our own BTS system means that we don’t have to raise student fees to support the BTS,” said Vehr. The program’s termination was first hinted at during an April student government meeting when UC Student Body President Bashir Emlemdi mentioned a proposal to cut student Metro discounts. SG and UC administration has since remained silent on the matter. According to the Better Bus Coalition — a grassroots organization
which advocates investment in the county’s bus system — the decision to ditch the program was unanticipated by UC students and staff. “Until very recently, UC students, employees, and stakeholders did not know that this change was on the table,” the organization said in a statement. “It seems that the decision was made from the top down without input from stakeholders and the people who actually use the program.” Though the program’s recent elimination is the outcome of negotiations between the university and Metro, it remains unclear who approved the final decision.
Vehr says the rationale behind UC*Metro’s abandonment is simple: saving students money. “Based on ridership, we found that students are averaging 31 rides per semester on the Metro,” said Vehr. “Metro card users were paying $53 per semester for that; however … the EZ Card program would have only cost them $31 per semester.” According to the Better Bus Coalition, however, students who rely heavily on Metro for routine commutes now face the possibility of increased transportation costs. “Student cost to use the Metro will triple at a minimum,” the organization
said. The decision may impact SORTA’s “20 Million by 2021” initiative — a plan adopted in 2016 to increase ridership and improve bus traffic and efficiency. Envisioning 20 million rides in a five-year span, the initiative intends to correct public transit issues through strategic partnering and technological innovation, according to SORTA. Though the Metro website still lists the UC*Metro pass in their fare options, online applications for the student Metro card are currently suspended on UC’s Facilities Management page.
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Welcome Back Edition
Aug. 23, 2017
Racial diversity on campuses under scrutiny
AARON DORSTEN | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Students walk on Main Street Monday, August 21, 2017. PARKER MALATESTA | NEWS EDITOR
At the beginning of the month, the New York Times reported that the Justice Department had an internal job posting seeking people to work on “investigations and possible litigation related to intentional race-based discrimination in college and university admissions.” The agency is looking to review a 2015 complaint saying that Harvard University discriminates against Asian-American students applying to the school. It was compiled by 64 Asian-American groups, said Justice Department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores. “This Department of Justice has not received or issued any directive, memorandum, initiative, or policy related to university admissions in general,” Flores said. “The Department of Justice is committed to protecting all Americans from all forms of illegal race-based discrimination.” University of Cincinnati College of Law Dean Verna Williams believes there is a lot at stake in regard to the recent developments.
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“It is striking to me that, at a time when race-related violence and overt acts of hatred are on the increase, the Justice Department is turning its attention to dismantling affirmative action,”Williams said. Williams also said that, historically, affirmative action has not entirely constituted of requirements regarding race. “The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld affirmative action in higher education twice in recent years; it has recognized that, in certain limited circumstances, institutions may consider the race of candidates without violating the 14th Amendment,”Williams said. “Specifically, race may be one factor in an admissions process that considers the myriad attributes of applicants — from their hometown, and summer experiences, to the hobbies in which an applicant engages or special skills they possess.” Williams also pointed out that affirmative action is a positive reaction to the acts of racism we still see in the U.S. today. “As recent events in Charlottesville suggest, race continues to be a salient factor in
our society,” she said. “Institutions like the University of Cincinnati have a unique role to play in providing a diverse and inclusive learning environment that, in time, will ensure that acts of racial terror remain relics of the past.” Filed in Boston in 2014, the lawsuit was spearheaded by the nonprofit organization Students for Fair Admissions. The suit alleges that Harvard University intentionally discriminated against Asian-Americans in admissions through limiting the number of Asian students selected by holding them to a higher standard compared to students of a different race. They claim that Harvard practices violate federal civil rights law and equal protection, both under the 14th Amendment. In a statement, director of the American Civil Liberties Union Dennis Parker said the move “would mark an alarming shift in direction.” “The idea that the Justice Department would sue colleges over their inclusive policies is an affront to fairness and sends a
dangerous signal that it will no longer work to protect the most vulnerable,” Parker said. Last year, in a 4-3 decision, the Supreme Court upheld racial preference in admissions of public institutions, ruling that the University of Texas at Austin could keep its policy of using race as an additional variable when reviewing distinct black and Hispanic applicants. The fight against the University of Texas was brought by conservative legal activist Edward Blum. He is the president of Students for Fair Admissions, the group that is now suing Harvard. They filed a synonymous suit against the University of North Carolina in 2014, which is still pending.
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Welcome Back Edition
Aug. 23, 2017
Matt Kearny helps students kickoff school year MADALYN NORMAN | CONTRIBUTOR
ALL PHOTOS BY: DAVID GIFREDA | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Three students attending the Red and Black Bash pose for a picture on Friday August 18.
Welcome Weekend 2017 kicked off Friday with the annual Red and Black Bash hosted by University of Cincinnati Programs and Activities Council for UC students. The Red and Black Bash, being the first big event of the school year, was a fun and safe way to signal the end of the summer and kickoff the new school year. This year’s concert included performances by Vinyl Theatre and Matt Kearny, singer of the popular summer song “Ships in The Night”. The sun was just starting to set over Sigma Sigma commons as clusters of students headed out to the Red and Black Bash to see what the night had in store. Some were relaxing on the nearby hill, a game of Frisbee had started up and was growing larger as more joined in to play and others stood in line to get the free items offered by sponsor booths. As it got closer to Vinyl
Theater’s set time, a crowd of eager students started to gather in front of the stage erected just earlier that day. At the front of that crowd, eagerly pressed against the barricade, stood Tessa Weismann, a fourth-year computer science major
and Nick Cesarz of Vinyl Theater took the stage and started their set. People began moving closer to the stage and swaying to the band’s indie sound — music perfect for a concert on a summer night. After the first band
and dedicated Vinyl Theater fan. “I saw Vinyl Theater open for Twenty One Pilots three years ago and have been following them ever since,” Weismann said. “I was excited to see them perform again.” Soon after, the lights on the stage dimmed as Keegan Calmes, Chris Senner, Josh Pothier
performed, the second act of the night, Mat Kearny, came out — a folk rock solo artist based out of Nashville. All went according to plan — that is, until tortillas started flying. “Kroger was handing out free bags with lots of cool stuff in them … including tortillas,”Weismann said. “Leave it to college students
to start throwing them around like Frisbees onto the stage and crowd.” Also in the crowd was Laura Tebben and Kurt Lewis, both fourth-year computer science majors. Tebben didn’t particularly know the acts, but came out to enjoy a night of music with friends, “Kurt invited me out last minute and I thought, ‘Why not? It’s free!’” said Tebben. “It was better than I expected because [Mat Kearney] really connected with the audience and was a cool guy!” Kearny ended out the night with the summer hit “Ships in the Night”, and even met some of the people who waited for him after the show, including Tebben Lewis. “That was definitely my favorite part,” said Lewis. “He was a cool guy; I even got him to give my girlfriend a video shout out since she was unable to come and he is one of her favorite artists.”
Drunken Bento: here to stay? ISABELLA JANSEN | LIFE AND ARTS EDITOR
Long has 200 W. McMillan been home to an array of different restaurants, but none have seemed to have the ability to stand the test of time after the relocation of Chicago Gyro. For a short period of time some may remember this location being known as the Smiling Moose Deli, followed by 200 West and more recently the Sushi Lounge. Then, this past summer, the location changed from Sushi Lounge to Drunken Tacos seemingly overnight. While McMillan and Calhoun combined look to have every kind of food imaginable, it has been missing a good taco place. Drunken Tacos, just like Izen’s Drunken Bento, is a late-night café that serves until 2:30 a.m. on weekends and 1:30 a.m. during
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the week. Both are owned by Inho Cha. Izen’s Drunken Bento has long been a favorite sushi place for University of Cincinnati Students, making it no surprise that Drunken Taco is quickly following in its footsteps. The casual atmosphere, friendly staff, speedy service and tasty options make it the perfect place to hang out. For starters, there are several tacos, one tastier than the next. They are also all listed at a reasonable price for any broke college student to afford. Not usually being a huge fish fan, I went a little out of my comfort zone and went for the Baja Fish taco. I was pleasantly surprised with how delicious the mango salsa and fried fish combination ended up being. It was filling and delicious, but the amount
of purple cabbage on the small tortilla was slightly overwhelming. Moving on to other menu items, the Patron can only be described as being the burrito of all burritos. A mixture of every possible meat lays on top of the status quo of beans, onions and queso. The Patron is protein-packed with chicken, steak, shrimp — and even chorizo. One may think that this excessive combo is an overkill of meats, but they would be wrong. Of course it is filling, and you are probably going to need to take some home, but can a meat lover really ever have too much meat? For all of the vegetarians out there, Drunken Tacos provides vegetarian options for all sections of the menu. Whether it be a tofu torta or a vegetable taco, there are plenty of
options for vegetarian customers. For the legal students who are simply looking for a place close to campus to enjoy some delicious margaritas, instead of venturing all the way to Ludlow, this is also a great option. Drunken Tacos offers a wide variety of frozen margaritas ranging in price and flavor. Some definitely are on the pricier side, but on Monday nights, a big selection from the drink menu cost only four dollars each — talk about a steal. You may even have enough left over to indulge in their delicious — but spicy — chips and queso. Drunken Tacos is the perfect place for a quick bite, tasty lunch or dinner, a Friday night pregame and even a late late-night snack. It just might be the one to last the test of time.
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Welcome Back Edition
Aug. 23, 2017
CCM celebrates 150th anniversary NOELLE ZIELINSKI | STAFF REPORTER
In 1849, Clara Baur came to the United States at the young age of 13. After traveling back to Europe in 1867 to study piano and voice methods, Baur established the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. “Clara Baur couldn’t vote when she founded the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, but she laid the foundation for one of the world’s top schools for the performing and media arts” Rebecca Butts, faculty member of CCM, said. Baur’s love and devotion to music allowed the conservatory to succeed and prompted the opening of the next major musical institute in Cincinnati: The College of Music of Cincinnati. The College of Music of Cincinnati was established in 1878 by Reuben R. Springer and George Ward Nichols together with a group of cultural leaders who had previously founded the May Festival. The college grew rapidly, constantly acquiring new real estate. Both colleges continued to grow. When the post-war elevation in enrollment began to decrease after 1948 both colleges felt the pinch. The two colleges remained academic rivals but it soon became evident that the two would benefit from merging into one. This happened in 1955, when both institutions combined to create the College Conservatory of Music. On August 1st, 1962, the College Conservatory of Music became the 14th college at the University of Cincinnati and since then it has grown and evolved into one of the most
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prominent colleges of music in the country. This year, CCM is celebrating its 150th anniversary. In honor of this, CCM is holding a year-long sesquicentennial celebration beginning in the fall of 2017. This celebration will include eight diverse productions. These productions range from classics such as William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”, Leonard Bernstein’s “Candide” and “Jesus Christ Superstar” from Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rice. This year’s lineup also includes two ballet productions, an opera double-bill featuring Giacomo Puccini’s “Gianni Schicchi” and “Suor Angelica”. Lastly, the season will include the Mainstage Series debuts of Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahren’s “Seussical” and Caryl Churchill’s “Love and Information”. Butts is most excited for “Seussical”, as it features work from a CCM alumnus. “Personally, I’m most excited for ‘Seussical’ because it is one of the first musicals I performed in as a student at Princeton High School,” said Butts. “It’s composed by CCM alumnus Stephen Flaherty, and we are excited to feature his work as part of CCM’s 150th anniversary season. Seussical is a colorful, fun musical that brings all of my favorite Dr. Seuss characters to life.” These productions are only a part of the year-long celebration. Along with these, CCM will be hosting guest artist performances and a one-of-a-kind alumni showcase event. Guests can also look forward to a series of offcampus concerts and world premiere
performances. CCM will kick off this celebration on Aug. 25 with a 150th birthday party and welcome picnic for students, alumni, faculty, staff and friends. The celebrations will continue throughout the entire school year with several new performances as well as annual traditions such as the annual Moveable Feast Gala Event in January and the Valentine’s Day-Themed Concert in February. The Sesquicentennial Celebration will also uphold, maintain and expand on the values of tradition and inclusiveness that CCM very first established. “CCM offers something for everyone, from orchestral music to jazz and choral, acting to dance and opera. Our electronic media students create new films while our student composers write new works. This is a college of creativity and innovation, it never slows down and it never stops,” Butts said.
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Aug. 23, 2017
Welcome Back Edition
How to survive first semester
SHAE COMBS | PHOTO EDITOR
Thousands of students attend the Organization Fair Sunday, August 20, 2017 on McMicken Commons.
JOEY MORAND| STAFF REPORTER
The start of the school year can be a stressful time for students returning from summer vacation and flat-out terrifying if you are a college freshman. For many students, their freshman year of college is their first time in the real world. Mom and Dad are no longer there to make sure nothing happens to their special snowflake and students must deal with real life situations on their own. Freshman year can be one of the greatest years of your life — if you learn to manage you school work and social life. Do not let being on your own scare and overwhelm in your first semester.
The easiest way to do well in school is simple: go to class. I know that sounds easy, but trust me, with no one there to force you to get up in the morning. It is tempting to just skip a class and stay in bed all day, however, that can lead you down a slippery slope. Heather Runk, a second-year marketing student, said building a relationship with your professors is vital to a successful year. “Make friends with your professors,” said Runk, “It lets them know you are serious about their class, and they can really help you out in the long run.” if you happen to miss a class or two, Langsam Library is a great place to catch up. There are plenty of spaces to get away from the hectic campus life and focus on school work. Langsam also offers computers and printers for students to use. Besides Langsam, UC offers other facilities for the students such as the Rec Center and dining halls. Dining halls are great because you can pig out whenever you want. You have swipes for a reason; don’t let them go to waste. (If you cannot use them all, find an upper-classman; I’m sure he or she would be happy to use them.) Also keep in mind that, yes, while pigging out on the unlimited food at the dining hall is acceptable from time to time, the freshman 15 are real and they can sneak up on you. You cannot always just go for the junk food. The rec center — if it is not packed — is a great place to relieve the stress of the day and to burn off that soft serve
from the dining hall While school can be difficult sometimes, a good group of friends can help to alleviate some of the stress. Alex Walling, a third-year construction management student, said who you hang out with can make or break you. “Go out and make friends, but make sure they don’t lead you down the wrong path,” said Walling. Walling said a good group of friends will go out and have a good time and will always have each other’s backs. Friendship is taken to a new level when you and your friends decide to move in together. Living in a confined space can make or break the friendship; that is why it is important to respect and get along with your roommates. Jake Tiernan, a third-year urban planning student, has lived with four roommates for the last three years and said respecting everyone’s personal space is vital to keeping everyone in the house happy. “It is fun living with your friends, and having them right down the hall, but every now and then you just need some time to yourself,” said Tieman. Go to class, make conscious food and friend choices, and don’t forget to find a place here at UC that allows you to escape every so often. If you follow these tips, surviving your first semester at college will be a breeze and help set you on the path to have a successful time at UC from beginning to end.
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Aug. 23, 2017
Welcome Back Edition
Fall Means Football in Cincy JASON SZELEST| SPORTS EDITOR
ALEXANDRA TAYLOR | DESIGNER
FC Cincinnati players come together and hug after FC’s 1-0 US Open Cup match victory over Columbus Crew, Wednesday June 14, 2017 at Nippert Stadium.
FCC dominates Cincinnati summer sports DAVID WYSONG | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
For the second year in a row, Cincinnati’s hottest summer trend continued to sweep the city. Futbol Club Cincinnati has spent the past few months breaking attendance records and upsetting some of the best soccer teams in the United States, all with hopes of receiving an invitation to Major League Soccer. Throughout this season, FC Cincinnati has participated in the annual Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, a tournament field featuring teams from every level of men’s professional soccer in the United States. With the United Soccer League being at a lower level than the MLS, FC Cincinnati was not considered a favorite to make a deep run in the tournament — however, they quickly exceeded expectations. While beating the likes of inner-state opponent Columbus Crew, as well as the Chicago Fire – both MLS teams – Cincinnati made a run to the final four, with just one more win needed for a trip to the finals.
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FC Cincinnati hosted the New York Red Bulls in the semifinals match. After leading 2-0 in the 75th minute, they eventually lost 3-2 in overtime to the Red Bulls. New York scored two goals within three minutes in regulation to force extra time. “[I am] disappointed, yes. I think anytime you are up 2-0 in a game and you don’t win, you’re going to be disappointed at the end. But throwing that aside, [I have] nothing but pride, absolute pride in the group of players that put everything they could out there on the pitch tonight for our team, our club, our city,” FC Cincinnati head coach Alan Koch said after the loss to the Red Bulls. 33,250 fans showed up for the match, the second-largest in tournament history. MLS commissioner Don Garber was also attendance. Garber will play a significant role in whether FC Cincinnati receives an invitation to the MLS. “I heard that the MLS commissioner was here tonight, so I would hope that he takes notice of what’s going on here
and I’ll tell you what, I don’t think it’ll be too long before we’re back here again playing in more meaningful matches,” said Red Bulls’ head coach Jesse Marsch. FC Cincinnati is 8-9-7 on the season, good for ninth in the Eastern Conference and one spot back from the USL playoffs. Despite having a losing record, FC Cincinnati is averaging 20,466 fans per home game. The second-highest in the USL is Sacramento Republic FC with 11,569, according to Soccer Stadium Digest. “The atmosphere [at Nippert Stadium] is absolutely electric. There are always so many fans there that if you’re going to an FCC game, you know you’re going to have a good time,” said fourth-year construction management student Ryan Burch. FC Cincinnati will next play Ottawa Fury FC Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in Nippert Stadium.
The University of Cincinnati football team is looking to rebound from a disappointing 4-8 season, following five-straight winning seasons in which they appeared in a postseason bowl game. There is no beating around the bush here, one glaringly obvious change has been made to the team that could make or break the results for football this year. Tommy Tuberville, who was outscored 114-41 in three bowl appearances during his four-year span at UC, is out, and former Ohio State University defensive coordinator Luke Fickell is in. According to senior running back Mike Boone, the biggest difference between Fickell and the old regime has been the amount of energy instilled every day. “To me, it’s the energy. Those guys come in day-in and dayout with top of the line energy,” Boone said. “They are on us from the time we get here to the time we leave. They harp on energy and having a positive attitude. They are driving us to be fierce competitors.” The coaching staff plans to use Boone as the leader of a running game that they are hoping to revitalize this year, after averaging only 3.6 yards per carry while scoring eight times last season. “As a running back, you love to hear that we are going to be a run-oriented team,” Boone said. “We need to come in day-in and day-out and execute what they want us to do. Along with the offensive line, it just makes us work hard.” The biggest question for UC football this season resides at the quarterback position, where three different players saw meaningful snaps last year. Throughout much of camp, junior Hayden Moore and sophomore Ross Trail have battled for the starting spot, but Moore has ultimately pulled away, partially due to an injury Trail suffered that cost him
practice time. However, Fickell plans to have both ready to go this year. “I think we will have a good idea of the way we are going [at the quarterback position],” Fickell said. “I can honestly say that no matter, we are going to have both of them ready. I think that the key for us is that if one of them is in there, the other one has got some type of game plan.” For Moore, the fact that the team is not being projected to finish well following a down year adds fuel to the Bearcats’ fire this season. “We love [the low expectations],” Moore said. “The coaches love that we are not picked to go very high, and we love it too. We have something to prove, we have a chip on our shoulder.” Cincinnati will begin their program redirection against Football Championship Subdivision opponent Austin Peay University next Thursday at 7 p.m. in Nippert Stadium. The game will be broadcasted on ESPN3, ESPN’s online-only channel.
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Aug. 23, 2017
Welcome Back Edition
Women’s soccer seeks to continue success
TNR FILE.
JASON SEITZ | SPORTS EDITOR
Fall sports are back in action at the University of Cincinnati. For the women’s soccer team, they are opening the year with hopes of completing their fourth consecutive winning season, after not producing a winner
since 2008 prior to the streak. This offers a rare opportunity for the seniors on the squad, as they have a chance to go their entire careers without putting together a losing season. Senior defender Taylor Pavlika contributes the turnaround to the mentality the team has taken with their
approach on the field. “I think it is our working mentality and our relentless grind,” Pavlika said. “Just pushing each other through. Especially with the mentality we have on Sundays to not lose is something that I think is rare and very accommodating to our team. I think if we keep that up, we should have a winning season again this year.” The preseason polls seem to agree with Pavlika, picking Cincinnati to finish third in the American Athletic Conference. Do not tell that to head coach Neil Stafford, though, who is drinking none of the preseason hype Kool-Aid. “As far as the rankings go, they don’t mean anything to me,” Stafford said. “I think
that is just more activity for social media for the conference. I’m not sure what preseason judgements are being made, I don’t really see how they help teams out at all. At the end of the day, it’s how you finish, not how you begin. I have always been a big believer in that.” A main reason for the hype is that the Bearcats return a lot of experience to this year’s roster, although they will be replacing four-year starter Natalie Smith in goal. Fortunately for Cincinnati, they have players like Pavlika and preseason conference defensive player of the year Vanessa Gilles in the backline to help the new keeper. “I think what is great is that those defenders can give
confidence to our goalie, the goalie can probably be a bit more relaxed with having players of that caliber in front of her with that experience,” Stafford said. In addition to having a battle-tested backline, Stafford’s focus this offseason has been how the team defends as a whole and how it should provide more help to an inexperienced goalie situation. “We have been working a lot on our defensive shape, the importance of how our forwards defend,” Stafford said. “It is so relevant to our success.” Preseason first-team allconference forward Julie Gavorski, who scored eight goals last season to lead the team, has felt the effects
over the years of Stafford emphasizing the importance of well-rounded players. “It has been a big thing since freshman year because how we get goals is just from pressuring from behind,” Gavorski said. “It has been a big part of our culture that you are not just going to score based on your position. You have to work for it.” The Bearcats have started their season off on a positive note, winning their first two contests against the University of Buffalo and Boston University. They will be back in action Thursday against the University of Pittsburg at 7 p.m. in Gettler Stadium.
TNR gives outlook on football team’s season DAVID WYSONG | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CLAUDE THOMPSON | MANAGING EDITOR JASON SZELEST | SPORTS EDITORR
University of Cincinnati football is right around the corner. The team gives their outlook on the 2017 Bearcat football season. David If you ever looked for proof in God, the fact that Tommy Tuberville isn’t the head coach of the Bearcats this year could be just that. Luke Fickell is now calling the shots for Cincinnati and their future looks bright — at least brighter than it did last year. Since stepping on campus, Fickell has successfully improved UC’s recruiting classes. In 2016 they were ranked No. 6 in the American Athletic Conference. Now, they are No. 3 for the class of 2017 and No. 1 for 2018, according to the Bearcat Journal. However, old habits die slow and that could prove to be challenging for the players coached under Tuberville the past few years — they did go 4-8 last season. Fickell has more energy and
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understands football in the 21st century better than Tuberville does. So, the Bearcats should surpass their win total from last year; it will just be challenging to have a winning record with Tuberville’s legacy still lingering around Nippert Stadium. Prediction: 6-6. Jason Every Bearcat fan across the country can relate in the sentiment of utter bliss felt following the departure of woebegotten coach Tommy Tuberville. While I have a lot of faith in new leader Luke Fickell, I think expectations need to be put on hold for the time being. This is a team that could not find the end zone for over ten-straight quarters at one point in the season last year. While much of that can be attributed to the listless mentality bestowed by Tuberville, there are still glaring holes on the roster that need to be fixed before this program starts winning again. Quarterback is a big concern, with Moore and Trail competing for the job. Both struggled last year, and the latter
has thrown more touchdowns to the opponents during his career. However, when you look at the schedule, combined with a winning mentality Fickell will bestow, the Bearcats should find some success. Prediction: 8-4. Claude Thompson It’s such a relief to look at the Bearcats football team and honestly not know how good the team is going to be. Before, there’d be this underlying dread that the team would underperform, especially in bowl games, where UC was blown out in their last three appearances. With Luke Fickell as captain of the ship, Cincinnati has a bright, but uncertain future. The two quarterbacks haven’t inspired much hope in seasons past, and the never-solved mystery that was Gunner Kiel no longer hangs over the team like some kind of sad, non-festive mistletoe. Looking at the schedule, the team is set up for a demoralizing, blowout loss early in the season to Michigan, which could lead to a downward spiral. I think the team has the potential to make a big run in the AAC.
AARON DORSTEN | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Mike Boone (5) runs the football during the Spring Game. April 14, 2017.
In conference, I see losses to the University of South Florida and the Naval Academy. Michigan and Marshall will defeat them in non-conference play. Prediction: 8-4.
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Aug. 23, 2017
Welcome Back Edition
Opinon: Confederate statues must be removed RYAN HOLBROOK | CONTRIBUTOR
The past couple of weeks in America have been marked by intense debate over Confederate monuments standing around the country. These monuments of figures like former Confederate General Robert E. Lee and former Confederate States of America President Jefferson Davis exist not only in the former confederacy, but in Union states as well. While some argue these monuments are a part of American history or pay tribute to southern heritage, in actuality they are landmarks of hatred, white supremacy and of traitors to this nation. For these reasons, they must be taken down. In Charlottesville, Virginia, neoNazis and white supremacists marched with Tiki torches under “Unite the Right”, an alt-right gathering in protest of Charlottesville’s removal of a statue of Lee. As they marched, protesters chanted Nazi Germany slogans like “Blood and soil” and “You will not replace us”. Taking down a statue
of someone like Lee is a slap in the face to what the neo-Nazis believe. The marches turned deadly as counter-protesters were beaten, and Heather Meyer was murdered by neo-Nazi James Alex Fields, Jr. with his car. Former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard David Duke and altright icon Richard Spencer were in attendance at the protests cheering through white supremacist march. White supremacist marches and gatherings like Charlottesville have sparked more discussion on whether to keep confederate monuments. Defenders of these monuments say they represent the South and their heritage and that removing them would erase the history of the confederacy. Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin called the removal of confederate monuments a “sanitization of history.” Bevin could not be more wrong. The confederacy will still be taught in schools to children across the country, books and movies will continue to depict it, and there is
no way the removal of a few statues could reverse historical events. The actual history of the confederacy is one of hatred, slavery and treason against the United States. Those characteristics are nothing to celebrate or admire. Those characteristics should be constantly ridiculed and shamed like those who promote neo-Confederate ideas like Richard Spencer, David Duke and multiple Trump administration officials who flat-out refuse to harshly criticize these people. Historically, Cincinnati and the state of Ohio welcomed slaves escaping the confederate south, yet confederate monuments stand here too. In Franklin, Ohio, a monument celebrating Robert E. Lee was removed from shrubbery and there are currently no plans to relocate it. Other states and localities should follow.
PBARBARA HADDOCK TAYLOR/BALTIMORE SUN/TNSN
It is my hope one day that African Americans in the United States will not have to learn in a school named for Jefferson Davis, not have to walk down the street to see a statue of Robert E. Lee and not have to walk into a public building with the confederate flag flying above.
Public officials should order the removal and destruction and these monuments, replacing them with monuments of black leaders and United States Civil War heroes.
Opinion: UC and Metro must keep their relationship intact AUGUST RICKSECKER | CONTRIBUTOR
UC and the city of Cincinnati are intertwined as a distinct and as valuable parts of the Cincinnati college experience. For some, the bus provides a convenient mode of transportation to access off-campus entertainment and shopping. For others, however, it is a lifeline to get to and from internships, jobs or even to be able to commute to class on a daily basis. In the past, this need has been aided by UC’s relationship with Cincinnati’s Metro, specifically the agreement that provides discounted
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ridership to students and faculty of the university. The pass reduced semester costs to $53 or reduced per ride cost to $1. This type of relationship is common among urban universities and their local transit authorities. Ohio State offers free transit ridership to all its students, plus Cincinnati State and Antonelli College offer the same discounts as UC locally. This partnership between UC and Metro has been under financial review recently. “UC and Metro have had and will continue to have a great working relationship,” said Bahir Emlemdi,
undergraduate student body president, who is currently acting as a liaison during the discussions between UC and Metro. Unfortunately, Metro had to recently reevaluate the services they provide to, according to Emlemdi, “serve Cincinnati residents to highest of their capabilities.” This includes cutting the semester discount pass currently offered to UC students. Although the discounted single ride is still available on the UC website, the university is trying to promote other modes of transportation, such as NightRide, UC Shuttles and UC’s bike share. Their
routes are more limited than what the Metro has to offer, so these services will have to pick up the slack for students who need to but may not be able to afford to the Metro with the recent cuts. For many, the bus is nothing more than a passing part of the city they have yet to truly interact with. Many people have anxiety or doubts about riding the bus. In fact, statistics show that riding transit is significantly safer than driving. The bus is more than a novelty. It connects students as well as long-term residents with the various parts of Cincinnati. When considering the high costs of
owning a car, the bus is all that many can afford. So, whether you may be a passive user of the bus, or if it is a critical resource to your day, this is my call to you: don’t let this be the trend. We all stand to benefit from the connectivity that Metro provides, and while they are still financially able to negotiate such deals with UC, we must take advantage. Take the bus to a Reds game, down to Findlay Market to do some shopping or even to the Westside to check out the Union Terminal Museum. You won’t just be helping yourself, you’ll be helping someone else who depends on the relationship between
Metro and UC to get to and from jobs or classes. For more information and to Apply, go to: http://www. uc.edu/af/facilities/services/ ucmetro.html
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Aug. 23, 2017
Welcome Back Edition
Opinion: American colleges must decrease tuition rates MAGGIE STACY |CONTRIBUTOR
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Ohio college students pay excessive tuition fees every academic year, most falling short on necessary funds. Most students wonder why their education costs thousands of dollars and fail to find answers. Many students know they cannot obtain degrees or enter their desired career fields without a massive amount of debt following them at all times. College students are stuck in an endless cycle. They must go into debt to get their degrees, they get their degrees and hope to land a career with which they can pay off their debt. More and more students have a difficult time entering
the workforce after graduation, and without a career, how will they pay their debt? The real question students need to ask is, “Why am I paying so much money for my higher education?” Colleges and universities have a reasonable response. The institutions themselves must pay for upkeep and necessary construction. They must pay their faculty and staff as well as provide food for students on meal plans. Colleges must come to agreements with textbook publishers to provide books to students. If universities did not provide these services, they would not be able to stay open.
These services are essential to operating a university — and are not cheap. The fact still remains that each American College student pays an average of $6,192 in tuition alone per academic year. With an average of 294,376 students per public college or university in Ohio, why is each student paying such excessive tuition? Does a university truly need an annual average of $1,822,776,192 in tuition alone? The University of Cincinnati has an average annual tuition cost of $11,000 per undergraduate student. According to collegedata.com, of the top ten bestranked universities in Ohio, UC has the
third-highest tuition cost. Among these schools, only Miami University and Ohio University have higher tuition rates than UC. If our college degrees take an estimated four years to obtain, each degree will cost students approximately $44,000. We as students understand that our colleges need funds to stay operational, but we need to question why our college would need as much money as they are receiving from tuition fees alone. Many countries in Europe offer free college education. They do so by raising taxes for their citizens, something most Americans would never tolerate. However, if we think
about the debt each college-educated American is in, raising taxes is clearly more cost-effective. It would cost our country much more to later financially assist every college graduate living below the federal poverty line because they cannot pay off their college debt. As student loan debt surpasses credit card debt as the highest source of debt among Americans, we must change something about the costs associated with the American higher education system. Decreasing tuition rates is a way that American colleges can invest in our future.
Opinion: Laptops in classroom are a distraction to learning MOUNIR LYNCH | OPINION EDITOR
Laptops in class: necessity or just another distraction? Any UC student knows that they need their laptop every day. Many assignments, tests and classes at UC are now exclusively on the Internet, with students going to the classroom to learn from their teachers and their fellow students in discussion. Look around any class that you may enter at UC and the vast majority of students are on their laptops taking lengthy notes or reading the lecture PowerPoint their professor uploaded online. At the same time, many students spend time in classes online shopping, watching Netflix, playing games, using social media and more non-class related activities that aren’t often noticed by the professor. Many college freshmen spend their first semester in introductory level classes. At UC, these are mostly large,
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often dull lectures with hundreds of students, one faculty member and maybe a couple of teaching assistants. Many students see taking notes on paper as old-fashioned and tiring, or just do not feel confident that they will record all the necessary information in their notes in time. Of course, most students have adapted fast typing skills and can type more information on their laptops in much less time than they would through writing notes by hand. However, studies show that writing class notes by hand lead the student to select the most important information to write on paper. During this process of prioritizing information, students can filter out information they already know that is being taught in class. Studies show that when writing notes by hand, the brain processes more information than it does when typing notes quickly and often verbatim.
In an article published by NPR news last year, psychologists Pam Mueller of Princeton University and Daniel Oppenheimer of the University of California at Los Angeles shared research that discussed why taking notes by hand is more beneficial to learning. “When people type their notes, they have this tendency to try to take verbatim notes and write down as much of the lecture as they can,” Mueller told NPR. “In a setting with hundreds of students in a lecture, there is no time for the professor to stop and wait for slow note takers to get everything they can down. In that respect, it is understandable why many students who are afraid of missing information use their laptops to take speedy notes.” According to the psychologists’ study, students who took handwritten notes did a better job retaining information. “The students who were taking longhand
notes in our studies were forced to be more selective because you can’t write as fast as you can type. And that extra processing of the material that they were doing benefited them,” Mueller told NPR News. The amount of notes that students can find on their laptops may make studying more difficult as well. When reviewing typed notes for an exam, students often have pages and pages of content to go through. There is no doubt that college students need laptops for learning. However, more professors should consider banning laptop use during class sessions. It may decrease failure rates in classes and reduce the amount of distractions in the classroom.
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