THE OAKLAND POST OAKLAND UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER
APRIL
1
2015
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
PAT. Meet ‘The Mayor’ PAGE 10
FOOLIN’. The Oakland Roast PAGE 11
MOTTO. Behind the branding PAGE 19
GOOD VIBES Students turn up and turn out for WXOU’s 49th Birthday Bash PAGE 16
Photo by Kaylee Kean/ The Oakland Post
thisweek
ontheweb Laugh all you want, but is the selfie stick here to stay? Blogger Jade Vickery breaks down the latest “me culture” accessory for looking fetch on the go, wherever you go. Read more at www.oaklandpostonline.com/blogs.
A p ri l 1 , 2 01 5 / / Vo l u m e 4 0 . I s s u e 5 7
POLL OF THE WEEK What is love? A
Baby don’t hurt me.
B
A game for two to play.
C
An open door.
D
A battlefield.
Vote at www.oaklandpostonline.com
LAST WEEK’S POLL What’s your go-to ice cream flavor? A) Vanilla - plain and simple. 22% B) Chocolate. Is this really a question?
PHOTO OF THE WEEK
22% C) Chocolate and vanilla swiiirrl...
SHALL WE DANCE? // Members of Oakland University’s Albanian American Student Organization perform at International Night on Friday, March 27. The group displayed a traditional Albanian dance before performing a freestyle dance known as Shota. Check out the complete photo gallery of the night at oaklandpostonline.com.
Photo by Nowshin Chowdhury/The Oakland Post
Submit a photo to photos@oaklandpostonline.com for a chance to be featured. View all submissions at oaklandpostonline.com
22.4% D) You people are boring. I like fun ice cream. 31.7%
THIS WEEK IN HISTORY April 3, 2002 Student apartments, which were currently under construction, faced the possibility of getting cable services after a reworked deal with Comcast and the Board of Trustees.
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BY THE NUMBERS April Fool’s edition
23
17
FALSE ALARM Police cars swarmed the street in front of Wilson Hall last Wed. to pull over and arrest an armed robbery suspect - only to realize they had the wrong person.
JAVA AND JAMS Cafe O’ Bears came alive as local entertainers gathered for strong coffee and smooth tunes at Friday’s Acoustic Coffee House.
1996
April 4, 2001 An OU student collapsed from heart failure during her voice training class in Varner Hall. She was 44 and died en route to the hospital.
40%
the year Taco Bell enraged Americans report the world by claiming they pulling yearly April Fools pranks bought the Liberty Bell
NOT JUST FOR KICKS Preparation for the fall season continues as the men’s soccer team took on the Michigan State Spartans Saturday afternoon under the new Oakland Athletic Dome.
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most whoopee cushions sat on in 30 seconds, achieved by Japan’s Cherry Yoshitake in July 2014
April 6, 1994 Two indecent exposure incidences occurred at Kresge Library before Easter Weekend. According to an article in the Oakland Post, it was “people who got their jollies out by exposing themselves.” — Compiled by Cheyanne Kramer, staff reporter
3 min.
length of the spaghetti-tree hoax report, broadcasted by the BBC on April 1, 1957
600+
amount of times OU’s 2014 fake announcement of a Post-Apocalyptic Survival Studies major was shared on Facebook
Editorial
The views expressed in Perspectives do not necessarily represent those of The Oakland Post.
‘Meninism’ is no joke By Oona Goodin-Smith Editor-in-Chief
I
n the spirit of all things April foolery, there’s a lot to laugh about this year: waking up to a fresh blanket of snow in April, Nickelback’s newest attempt at a revival, and the possibility of ever finding a legal parking spot in P2. A little humor never hurt anybody – in fact, according to PBS’s “This Emotional Life,” laughter may actually be the best medicine, proven to have physical, cognitive, emotional and social benefits, ranging from increased creativity and self-esteem to the reduction of physical pain. In recent years, Internet humor has become the name of the game, with memes, parody accounts and ironic hashtags popping up to give us that online pick-me-up. One hashtag in particular, #MeninistTwitter, arrived on the Internet scene in late 2013 in the name of funny and has stuck in the name of anti-feminism, spawning the informal movement known as “meninism.” Originating as “men sharing jokes – some of which were criticised [sic] as offensive by feminists,” according to Benjamin Zand of the BBC, the movement is one meant to “promote equal rights and gender equality,” says The Telegraph. Often defended as
“good-natured,” “meninist” tweets today range from asking “Where’s men’s history month?” as we close out Women’s History Month to questioning other physical and social gender double standards to mimicking anti-rape, abortion and domestic violence ads and campaigns from “the man’s perspective,” according to BuzzFeed News. The punchline: the gender gap still exists, even for us millennials, and statistically, women lose almost every time. “Meninism” is not a Twitter movement but the society in which we live. According to a 2014 report in Forbes, “collegeeducated women working full time were paid an unexplained 7 percent less than their male counterparts were paid one year after graduation.” Male figures dominate leadership positions, boardrooms and media – a study by the Women’s Media Center last year found that a whopping 63 percent of bylines in today’s journalism (those controlling our news intake) are owned by men. While we question the lack of men’s history month, let’s remember that history was predominately written by white males – it’s been less than a century since American women even won the right to vote for our country’s leader. A majority of our history is taught through the male lens by
Corrections Corner The Oakland Post corrects all errors of fact. If you know of an error, please e-mail managing@oaklandpostonline or call 248.370.2537. You can also write us at 61 Oakland Center Rochester, MI 48309. Letters to the Editor Writers must provide full name, class rank, phone number and field of study. Please limit letters to 250 words or less. Letters may be edited for content, length and grammar.
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default. Laughing, yet? It’s 2015, and while there’s no denying progress has been made, in the words of James Brown, “it’s a man’s man’s man’s world” and when the reality of any marginalized group is belittled and mocked, we are only moving backward in progression and time. Is misandry or ignoring male inequity the answer? Absolutely not – the world is cruel to all. In fact, a TODAY Show study examining the male body image found nearly twothirds of American men to be “dissatisfied with looks” or their body – a growing trend often ignored in male culture. Instead, we must work to build up and support a group’s struggle or concern – not belittle them through near-sighted stabs at humor. At the 26th GLAAD Media Awards on March 21, Scandal actress Kerry Washington may have said it best: “We can’t say that we believe in each other’s fundamental humanity and then turn a blind eye to the reality of each others existence and the truth of each other’s hearts. We must be allies…to be represented is to be humanized. And as long as anyone, anywhere is being made to feel less human, our very definition of humanity is at stake and we are all vulnerable.” It’s the truth, and that’s no joke.
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The Oakland Post // April 1, 2015
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Perspectives
The views expressed in Perspectives do not necessarily represent those of The Oakland Post.
Letter to the Editor: Post headline was offensive Student ‘found the title to be very ignorant and offensive’ for last week’s Alpha Lambda Delta story Alexandra Hudas Health science major, junior
T
o whom it may concern: I am currently a fulltime student here at Oakland University. I am writing to you about a recent article I have read in the Oakland Post that was published on March 25, 2014. This article in question discusses Alpha Lambda Delta, the national collegiate honors society around the country, and how Oakland University’s chapter has reached recordbreaking membership. While I applaud Alpha Lambda Delta’s achievements and found the article very wellwritten, I also found the title to be very ignorant and offensive. Being a Greek-affiliated woman here at OU, I often face deep discrimination around
campus and in society in general. Greek life is often clouded with the stereotype that all people do is party, participate in illegal drugs and do not care about their studies whatsoever. While some people, Greek and non-Greek, do participate in these risky behaviors and activities, a very large majority affiliated with a Greek association do not. Though you won’t see this often in the news, Greek life, especially here at OU, is extremely passionate about philanthropy and helping out the community. Just take a quick look on facebook or on our social media pages, and you can find us participating in food drives, blood drives, and other charitable events- all while sporting our letters proudly with a smile. In addition, our academics are
extremely important to us, and many fraternities and sororities have GPA requirements that their members must follow and maintain in order to participate in events. I am extremely disappointed that the Oakland Post has chosen a title for an article that perpetuates such a false stereotype. In addition to my sorority, I am also an active member of the OU Honors college and currently working on my senior thesis proposal to graduate. I am also a member of Alpha Lambda Delta and have a higher than average GPA of 3.7 as a Health Science major with a double minor in Exercise Science and Wellness, Health Promotion and Injury Prevention. I am also involved in the OU Center for Multicultural Initiatives, working as a Peer Mentor.
I place my academics in high regard and try my best in every class I take. I know many of my sisters, as well as members of other Greek organizations, have a similar work ethic and have the same, if not higher, GPAs. With a statement like “Geek not Greek,” how can you expect us to ever gain the respect we deserve? I am also disappointed in Alpha Lambda Delta for making such shirts. As a member of their organization, the slogan makes me feel isolated and banished from my own academic community. I do not understand why an academic community that prides itself on their increase in membership and service would condone such a such a discriminating slogan. I know many Greek people who are also members of Alpha Lambda Delta, as well as the
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Honors College, who succeed in and out of the classroom in leadership positions. However, many people who are uneducated about Greek life will probably never know this because of our stereotype in popular media. We deserve respect for our achievements just like our non-Greek peers. I hope you take this into consideration when writing your next article. This in no way hinders my love of reading the Oakland Post, nor does it hinder my respect for Alpha Lambda Delta. However, I feel like this is an issue that continues to be downplayed time and time again. I can only hope that one day people will actually take into account the positive service and academic success that Greeks are achieving around the worldnot just the negative.
HIRING FULL AND PART TIME Classic Lanes in Rochester Hills is hiring for full and part-time positions. Hiring all Positions - to include: Servers, Bartenders, Customer Attendants, Kitchen Help. Experience preferred, but will train the right candidates. Must be self-directed, follow directions well and have a friendly disposition. IMMEDIATE OPENINGS - PLEASE APPLY IN PERSON 2145 Avon Industrial Drive, Rochester Hills, MI 48309. 248-852-9100 ● myclassiclanes.com
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April 1, 2015 // The Oakland Post
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Perspectives
The views expressed in Perspectives do not necessarily represent those of The Oakland Post.
R
ecently, pop music star Madonna travelled across the country speaking to national media about her upcoming tour and release of her new studio album, Rebel Heart. Madonna paid a visit to radio icon Howard Stern’s talk program, dis cussing everything from David Letterman to donuts and even past lovers. She was also asked to speak on Garrett Kolodziej her thoughts about Communication her hometown of major, senior Rochester, MI. While this wasn’t the most important question, it became the most controversial portion of the interview causing a social media uproar locally. People don’t seem to think that Madonna has any right to ridicule the place she grew up. Contrary to popular belief, the pop star exposes a very fatal flaw about the city and region we live in. Although she attended school at Rochester Adams High, her family lived in Pontiac. Madonna spent much of her childhood as a free spirit with parents who encouraged her to not be bound by conventional beliefs. Much of the area that surrounds Pontiac can be characterized as upscale, wealthy white-collar families. It’s also guided by a conservative mind frame suggesting safe neighborhoods and discourages suspicious and urban influences on children. As a child, I can’t fathom the idea of having to channel my beliefs and lifestyle at a school and an area that simply disregards this behavior as reckless and outlandish. Yet, the entire city of Rochester and Metro Detroit is turning their back simply because she doesn’t want to be guided by this false sense of reality. I do believe that she saw “biased and provincial” thinking when she was a
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“It’s okay to be critical of outsiders, but to completely disregard one opinion because you don’t love the city or understand the person doesn’t mean you’re wrong.” Garrett Kolodziej Communication major, senior
child. She chose not to partake in a frame of mind that has left Rochester/Detroit and the surrounding region the butting joke of America. Thinking like this has only left Michigan with a slew of political, social and racial problems. It’s okay to be critical of outsiders, but to completely disregard one opinion because you don’t love the city or understand the person doesn’t mean you’re wrong. It just means the people of Rochester are too naïve to think that all white kids with no harsh upbringing in an upper class environment don’t want to be cosmopolitan. We’re all different, and with a culturally diverse region like Metro Detroit, there should be some applauding her. Not many kids get the opportunity to live a privileged life. There are many of those kids, like myself, however, that don’t care to have material things. The residents of Rochester want you to think otherwise. It certainly doesn’t help when you have a Mayor publicly bashing someone and feeding into the stereotypes commonly associated with outlying suburban towns like Rochester. It will take some time for Rochester residents to learn how to think for themselves and not the group. The digital generation we live in gives us an instant voice, and one that is clearly rescinding any support for the pop star locally. She will most certainly lose fan support, but I don’t think she cares. And neither should you, the audience. Madonna stirred the pot locally with these comments. Now it’s time for everyone to start eradicating this problem of groupthink and become a better community for all.
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The Oakland Post // April 1, 2015
5
Campus
Grizzlies on the
Prowl
“What’s your favorite April Fool’s prank?”
POLICE FILES Vandenberg employee reports assault and battery
An OUPD officers responded to call reporting an assault on a housing employee in West Vandenberg at about 3:45 a.m. on March 26. The employee said she had encountered a drunk student rummaging through a trash can in a trash room. She requested his ID and he gave it to her. When she did not give it back, the student became aggressive, grabbing her shoulders and grabbing at her hand for the ID. He shortly gave up and left his ID and the building. The employee does not want to prosecute the student, but stated that she felt uncomfortable with him being in the same building as her.
Marijuana found in Hamlin Hall
Christina Pulidindi, freshman, biomedical sciences
“Last year, me and my friend covered my other friend’s car in colorful post-its. She wasn’t mad, she was kind of expecting it and it was funny.”
Evan Towne, senior, psychology
“A few years ago, I rubberbanded the sink hose and my dad tried to turn the water on and it sprayed all over him. He was kind of mad because it was 6:30 in the morning when he turned it on.”
On March 27 around 7 p.m., OUPD officers were dispatched to Hamlin Hall to investigate a complaint of marijuana odor. After knocking on the door they believed the smell was coming from, the officers were greeted by a student with bloodshot and red, watery eyes. The student and his friend both admitted to having been smoking marijuana. The officers asked if there was any in the room and they replied that there was. In the room, the officers discovered the leftovers of two hand-rolled joints, a marijuana grinder and more marijuana in a duffle bag. Citations were issued to both students for marijuana use. All evidence was collected by the officers.
Students caught tampering with fire suppression system
A fire systems inspector informed the OUPD that someone had been tampering with the fire suppression system in the Engineering Center March 24. After viewing surveillance video, OUPD officers located and confronted the suspects. They admitted what they had done but stated that they had no idea the know they had turned was a part of the fire suppression system. Since there was no damage and no intent to sabotage the system, the students were not criminally charged. — Compiled by Megan Carson, Copy Editor
Refinance
Time for a new ride?
6
Hannah Dugan, junior, communication and psychology
JoJo Marino, sophomore, business
“Every year, my friends and I do the same prank on the same friend. We tape the entrance door with newspapers and then when she finally opens the door, crumpled newspapers fall on her. She finds it funny though.”
“The fake sneeze prank when you spray someone with water when they’re not looking and make a sneezing sound.”
April 1, 2015 // The Oakland Post
Visit OU Credit Union for rates as low as
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Campus
Culvert report: rebuilding the deteriorating pipe Construction on new culvert and bridge to begin this summer Shelby Tankersley Staff Reporter
O
Courtesy of The Oakland Post
Multiple police departments responded to a “be on the lookout” (BOL) message on Wednesday, March 25.
False alarm wakes up campus OUPD responds to call for backup from Auburn Hills police Kaylee Kean Staff Reporter
T
wo people were pulled over on campus Wednesday, March 25 in an investigation on an armed robbery in Pontiac. They were not the suspects. Around 9:41 a.m. a tan minivan was pulled over outside of Wilson Hall, according to Oakland University Chief of Police Mark Gordon. Police cars from OU, Oakland County and Auburn Hills departments surrounded the scene as officers handcuffed the male driver of the van. According to witnesses he was detained for over 15 minutes until police figured out he was not the suspect. Earlier in the morning an armed robbery had occurred on Perry Street in Pontiac, according to Gordon. The Oakland County Sheriff’s Department was investigating and sent out a “be on the lookout” (BOL) alert to other area departments. The BOL said to watch out for a tan minivan and male driver. Auburn Hills police saw the www.oaklandpostonline.com
van and followed it to campus, according to Gordon, contacting OUPD for backup and pulling the van over outside on Wilson Blvd. “The driver matched the description, the vehicle matched the description on the armed robbery,” Gordon said. More cars began to arrive: four from the Auburn Hills department, two from the Oakland County Sheriff’s department and two from the OUPD. “They had him get on his knees and they handcuffed him and put him in a car,” said Latasha Curry, accounting clerk in Student Business Services. She said she was walking to her office in Wilson when she noticed the lights and cars. “Initially it looked like it was a traffic stop,” Curry said. “There was no speeding or anything, no sirens.” But soon officers were using their cruiser doors as shields and had guns drawn as the driver got out of the car. He put his hands up and slowly walked away from the van, according to Curry. The passenger of the van, a young female, was also asked out of the vehicle and pulled over to speak with officers. After speaking with the woman, police took the handcuffed man out of the police car and brought him into the entrance
of Wilson, where they spoke for “quite a while.”
Precautionary measures It could have been a potentially dangerous situation, Gordon said, so the highest measures of precaution were taken. Once officers realized the man was not the suspect, they released him, apologized and thanked them for their cooperation. “That was it,” Gordon said. “It was unfortunate that this happened, it was the wrong person, and as soon as they knew that they had the wrong person they let him go.” Curry said it was a scary and surreal thing to watch. “You know what’s crazy?” she said. “I left because I mentor in high school in Pontiac and I was coming down Perry and that street shut off because they had maybe three cars blocking off. “You know that (OUPD) is associated with the Auburn Hills Police Department, but you just don’t think of anything serious happening on campus.” None of the departments identified the people who were pulled over.
Jackson Gilbert, sports editor, and Salwan Georges, photo editor, contributed to this story.
ver the last 50 years, a culvert, or pipe, has been slowly deteriorating underneath Meadow Brook Rd. OU plans to do some construction to fix it over the summer. They were tossing around the idea of just building a bridge across the road, but they decided on building a new culvert to replace the one that is already there. The section that will be under construction is on the hill that leads to the apartments. “The bridge would be completed by September 2016. The culvert will be completed by October 2015,” John Beaghan, vice president for Finance and Administration, said. In August 2014, the OU made repairs to the culvert, but it appears that the emergency supports won’t hold out for another year, so they had to make this decision rather quickly. They also had to take into account what would be best for the students. Since the bridge won’t be completed until September 2016, it will block off a heavily trafficked area of OU’s roads. It would particularly inconvenience those who live in the apartments. On top of that, building a
new culvert is significantly cheaper than a bridge. “The bridge cost would be approximately $5.1 million. The culvert cost is approximately $2.9 million,” Beaghan said. “At this cost differential, there is no advantage to building a bridge, which is why the board approved the culvert proposal.” Unfortunately, since the culvert isn’t planned to be finished until October, that portion of Meadow Brook Rd. will be closed when students come back to school. For residents who do a lot of driving, this might not be the welcome back they are hoping for. “I leave campus four or five times a week,” sophomore Erin Worman said. For students who leave campus often for either work or recreational reasons, the new construction may leave them leaving later than they hoped. “It would make things inconvenient, but I leave during times when it isn’t a high traffic area,” Worman said. “When classes get out, it will probably make it difficult to leave campus when so many other people are leaving at the same time.” Though it might make driving at the beginning of the school year a hassle, the new construction will ensure that Meadow Brook Rd. remains a safe place to drive. After all, the emergency supports won’t hold out forever.
Erika Barker / The Oakland Post
Construction crews working on the new bridge and culvert project should be finished by the start of of the fall 2016 semester.
The Oakland Post // April 1, 2015
7
Campus
Rochester Hills mayor’s open reply to Madonna’s hometown jibes goes viral Kayla Varicalli Campus & Administration Editor
F
rom writing a letter to Madonna in his bed to landing a five-minute interview on CNN, Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan Barnett quickly found himself — and his letter — in the public eye. Shortly after the letter went viral, he visited OU’s Ethics in the Media class on Thursday, March 26. Students took the opportunity to ask Barnett his motives and effects of his come-back letter to Madonna. It all began when Madonna originally called residents of her hometown “basic, provincial thinking people” in an interview with Howard Stern. Her comments didn’t sit well with Barnett. On Sunday, March 16, he wrote a letter to explain to Madonna how Rochester Hills is anything but simple-minded. “I spent about 25 minutes at
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April 1, 2015 // The Oakland Post
home writing this in my boxers,” Barnett said. “My goal was to have it run in The Oakland Press as an opinion piece, but then it just blew up.” Barnett wrote the letter with hopes of publishing in three local newspapers and newsletters. Shortly after releasing the letter though, his comeback went viral. “All you need is one small news outlet to make it a critical news story,” OU’s media relations director Brian Bierley said. Within 24 hours, Barnett was interviewed from media outlets across the country. After interviewing with the local television stations, national news picked up the letter within three days, looking to speak with Barnett. “She is a brilliant publicist and marketer,” Barnett said. “As I look back at it, she needed someone like me to write a note because it kept her very relevant last week.”
“My goal was to have it run in The Oakland Press as an opinion piece, but then it just blew up.” Bryan Barnett Mayor of Rochester Hills
With the nation’s eyes on Barnett and the city, he used his knowledge in public relations to shed a positive light on Rochester Hills. Barnett said the letter’s large audience brought exposure to Rochester Hill’s up-and-coming community and the constructive changes the city has seen since Madonna walked the streets in 1978. Since the letter came out, there has been a 90 percent increase in traffic on the city’s website, Barnett said. Positive feedback has served as 95 per-
Dave Jackson / The Oakland Post
Mayor Bryan Barnett of Rochester Hills’ letter to Madonna concerning her jibes at his town, went viral and has brought the city into focus.
cent of the responses given. The Rochester Hills’ mayor also found a large spotlight on himself. Though he turned most of the attention to this city, Barnett focused on writing a positive letter to Madonna and strongly backing up his decision. “She’s a global superstar who could crush me,” he said. “I had one shot at Madonna so I wanted it to be appropriate.”
Though Barnett’s letter invited the Michigan-native singer back to the city, Madonna has not responded. Even with no celebrity rebuttal, Barnett said he is satisfied with the encouraging publicity. “The news doesn’t generally come to mayors of my size cities and say ‘tell us how great our town is,’” he said. “Thanks to Madonna, we got that positive coverage.”
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Campus
Paying the ultimate IT’S LATE. DO YOU KNOW WHERE price for cheap oil
YOUR WINGS ARE? LATE NIGHT HAPPY HOUR SUNDAY - FRIDAY
Erika Barker / The Oakland Post
Michigan drivers have been enjoying the lower cost of gasoline as average prices dropped.
UCLA professor talks gas, geopolitics at political science lecture Melissa Deatsch Staff Reporter
O
ne year ago today the Detroit Metro area was fueling their cars with an average price of gas at about $3.62. Today Michiganders find themselves with the average price of gas more than a dollar cheaper at $2.43, according to The Daily Fuel Gauge Report. This past year has seen a fairly steady decline in gas prices across the country. For car owners, including Oakland’s commuter-dominated campus, this has come as a relief after suffering the high prices of 2011-2013. Across the globe, however, many experts are breathing the same sigh of relief, including professor Michael L. Ross. Ross is a professor of Political Science at the University of California Los Angeles. His 2012 book, “The Oil Curse: How Petroleum Oil Shapes the Development of Nations,” was named an Outstanding Academic Title by Choice Magazine. The Oakland Political Science department hosted Professor Ross this past Thursday for a lecture on international affairs. Ross spoke on the geopolitics of oil and the global effect of cheaper oil prices. Professor Matthew Fails, associate professor in the political science department, said the department chose Ross because of his expertise on a unique topic. “Oil has profound political consequences,” Fails said. “We are currently in the midst of historic declines in the price of oil, which presents the possibility that these effects might become magnified.” Ross mentioned that the topic of gas
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prices in the United States has become a very sensitive issue—such a sensitive issue that the federal tax on gasoline hasn’t been raised since 1993. Ross, along with many politicians and economists, feels that with gas prices currently so low, now is the time to raise the federal gas tax without causing too much damage to the economy. “We need to get off fossil fuels. There are no two ways around it,” Ross said. Having high oil prices lowers the amount of fossil fuels emitted, and “governments aren’t doing what they should be doing and taking into account climate change.” On top of the issue of climate change, Ross sees another main global effect of cheaper oil prices. There can be no discussion on the global effect of oil prices that doesn’t address the Middle East. Before oil was found, most of those countries were so poor they were barely even countries. Their government’s control comes from their immense wealth of oil, so when prices fall it means more chaos in the Middle East. However it may not be all bad, countered Ross. Ross stated in his lecture that lately we have seen most countries attempting to be internationally cooperative, except the key oil exporting countries. The countries dependent on oil imports are very likely to cooperate but the oil exporting countries are the ones with control. A drop in oil prices may force an increase in cooperation from oil exporting countries. There is no telling where the price of oil will go next. The price of oil is so sensitive to changes in supply and demand it is almost impossible to forecast. Ross explained that if there’s one thing history has told us, it’s that oil prices are not likely to stay steady. “Prices may look low now but what they are, are volatile,” Ross said.
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9
Campus
Other notable Michigan mayors Mayor Mike Duggan Deroit’s sitting mayor accepted the keys to the city on Jan 1, 2014. A University of Michigan graduate, operationhope.org Duggan has been involved as an attorney and a businessman in the Detroit area for the last 32 years.
Photographs courtesy of Anthony Spak
RIGHT Patrick Matz is the unofficial ‘Mayor of The Oakland Center’. No matter what is needed, whether it be a fresh garbage bag, directions towards a free scantron, or just a sympathetic ear, The Mayor is always there for OU students. ABOVE Matz sports a unique OU license plate, highlighting himself as “Mayor”.
‘The Mayor’ tells it like it is Custodial veteran Patrick Martz is the Oakland Center’s unofficial mayor Anthony Spak Special to the Post
B
e good to The Mayor and The Mayor will be good to you,” Luke Philips, a wise former WXOU employee told me on the first day of my new job at the station. A question arose. The mayor…of what? Patrick Martz has been a daytime custodian in the Oakland Center since 2001. However, some of those who know him best refer to him as “The Mayor,” or just “Mayor,” of the building. “I was elected by the people,” Mayor says with a grin on his face one day as we talk in the WXOU office, referring to the origins of his name. Mike Parsons, a former assistant program director at WXOU in 2007, remembers giving Martz the nickname during a walk the two shared in the Oakland Center. “It seemed like he said something to everyone who walked by,” Parsons re-
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April 1, 2015 // The Oakland Post
calls. “I turned to him and said, ‘What are you? The Mayor of the Oakland Center?’” Eight years later, students still use the nickname and Mayor is still as friendly as ever. “Pat knows what’s up,” student body Vice President Liz Iwanski says, “He has the name ‘The Mayor’ for a reason.” Mayor cares about the students he serves, just like a city mayor cares for his or her constituents. When a student needs a Scantron, Mayor points them towards the Student Congress office for a freebie. When your office is low on hand sanitizer or needs fresh garbage cans, Mayor is already on his way with a fresh bag. When there is free food floating around, Mayor can usually point you in the right direction. “It’s the little things,” Mayor tells me as I follow him out to clean the back porch area. “I care about you kids and try to help you out.” Mayor also offers guidance to stu-
dents in need just as any good public official would, if they’re willing to open up. He doesn’t need textbooks or Powerpoints to teach students and set them on the right track. His lessons are delivered face-to-face, in layman’s terms. “I tell you like it is. That’s how I live,” Mayor says, settling into one of the brown leather chairs of the office. “If you do, people will respect you.” In a university full of scholars, professors aren’t the only sources of knowledge. Mayor has given me better advice on life, relationships and success than most of the classroom instructors I’ve had. I can tell by his dark steel toe Craftsman work boots tapping on the carpet that Mayor doesn’t want to get too comfortable during our conversation. He still has another hour and a half left of his shift and the floors aren’t as clean as he’d like them to be. Before we part, he leaves me with another thought to ponder. “Next time you see someone who needs help, stop and return the favor.”
Mayer Hawthorne This Michigan musician has been creating some of the finest music in the state. Hawthorne hails from in Ann Arbor soultrain.com and remembers growing up on classic Motor City music. After performing and recording as a solo artist for five years, Hawthorne now performs with DJ Jake One under the name Tuxedo.
Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick Dubbed “The Hip Hop” mayor by the local news media, Kilpatrick was elected to office in 2002 vibe.com with street credibility and youthful appeal. A corrupt city government, taxpayerfunded Cadillac Escalades and a dead stripper followed. His term ended with two felony misconduct charges that stemmed from his inappropriate cell phone relationship with Christine Beatty, Kilpatrick’s chief of staff.
— Compiled by Anthony Spak, Special to the Post
www.oaklandpostonline.com
THE OAKLAND ROAST OAKLAND UNIVERSIT Y’S (OTHER) INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER
APRIL
1
2015
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
LESS PARKING. Just kidding, we’re done for now PAGE 0
BILLS. How to get out of ‘em PAGE 12
SPOTTED. Gary Russi caught on campus PAGE 13
WE BE CLIMBIN’ New student group reaches for respect by reaching new heights PAGE 116
Design by Kelly “Let’s Roll” Lara/ The Oakland Post
Satire
Spotted: Former president seen on campus Gary Russi is found wandering the woods by the Kettering Magnetics Lab, no one knows why By Kaylee Kean Post Historian
I
t was a dark, cold morning — roughly 2 a.m., to be specific. Senior Devon Mahieu was taking a jog around campus as part of her daily morning routine. She always starts from her apartment and makes her way to the woods on the opposite end of campus, where the Kettering Magnetics Laboratory hides in peaceful solitude. Except this time, something was different. Mahieu had stopped to tie her shoe near the lab when she heard a crackling nearby. She got out her bear deterrent, turned off her music and crouched behind some bushes. When she looked out, she saw a shadowy figure rustling through the grass around the lab, seeming to search for something. Mahieu watched the figure wander in, out, around and over the lab for roughly 30 minutes before she recognized the figure to be Gary Russi, former Oakland University president. She posted a detailed account on Yik Yak, which members of The Oakland Roast staff saw and went to investigate. After Mahieu finished Yakking she quietly left the scene. As she did so, all she could hear was the faint sound of his singing float through the tree leaves. “What is love? Baby don’t hurt me... don’t hurt me... no more...” SOME BACKGROUND LOL Russi served an unprecedented 18-year term as president of Oakland University, beginning in 1996. He was contracted to work until 2014, but retired in August 2013. He announced his retirement on June 12, 2013, the same day that his wife Beckie Francis was terminated from her position as OU’s women’s basketball head
2 April 1, 2015 // The Oakland Roast
Josh Soltman / Emma Watson’s Boyfriend
Gary Russi, former OU president, was caught wandering around the magnetics lab on Wednesday, April 1.
If you look closely, you will see Russi spent some time perched on the roof. What was he looking for? Will he be back any time soon?
coach for allegedly emotionally and mentally abusing players. It was a mess for the media, the university and the university’s powerful couple. In August Russi left quietly with almost a quarter-million OU dollars (legally taken, of course), and no one heard from him for months. In March 2014 The Oakland Post reported that
he was happily living in Sioux Falls, South Dakota as Chief of Staff of Celebrate Community Church, the largest church in the state. It’s been nearly a year since then. Why is he in Michigan? WHAT’S NEXT? While there can only be speculation on what the former pres-
ident was doing back at his old stomping grounds, one thing is for certain: Something is amiss. What was Gary Russi doing back on campus, when he is supposed to be living in South Dakota? Why was he at the magnetics lab, specifically? What sort of sinister plot is he concocting — is his wife involved? When will Leonardo DiCaprio finally win a damn Oscar? Why did Zayn leave One Direction? Why can’t Josh Soltman get a respectable girlfriend? These questions are on many minds, and we will do our best to answer them. Jackson Gilbert, Kingslayer, contributed to this report. So did Grace Turner, unicorn whisperer; Shelby Tankersley, combat tank; Jimmy Halmhuber, Greek correspondent; Dani Cojocari, cat manager; Parker Simmons, man of justice; Kevin Teller, staff rockstar; and Selah Fischer, DIY addict.
WHAT WE KNOW WHO Gary Russi. WHAT Russi was the president of OU from 19962013. He retired a year early after his wife and then women’s basketball coach, Beckie Francis, was terminated, resulting in much unwanted attention. LAST SEEN Before his appearance at the lab, Russi was reported living in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. TO LEAVE TIPS If you have any intel on the former pres and his plans, please type it all down using a typewriter, put the files in a manilla envelope and wedge the envelope in the door to the Elliott Clock Tower when it is midnight and no one can see you.
www.oaklandroastonline.com
Satire
Grizz on the street
Forever a loan By Cheyanne Kramer / Credible Staff Meme
What is YOUR favorite thing about Oakland University? By Josh Soltman / Single and Ready To Mingle
With graduation approaching, many are left with the burden of paying off their student loan debts. Many opt for the old checkbook, but here are a few alternatives for consideration.
9. Live in a van. It’s not easy paying for a dorm or
an apartment. Why pay for water, gas and electricity when you can just pay for the gas in your car? Follow in the footsteps of Internet legends and live in your car for a year. Don’t worry about showers. You can just bathe in the lake.
8. Live with your parents. Who cares if you
have a job, significant other or school? Your parents will always let you live in their basement and eat Doritos while you play “Call of Duty.”
7. Get hit by a car. That’s right. Get hit by a car,
and use the insurance money to pay off your student loan debt. Plus, you get time in the hospital to do homework.
6. Find and save pennies. If you love saving,
Jake Alsko, graduated “I’m not trying to be a dick, but, I was the best thing that Oakland University ever had.”
Hamburglar, McDonald’s “My favorite thing was probably all the babes in yoga pants. After a nice hamburger I like just sit in the OC with a beverage and enjoy the show as they all walk by.”
this one’s perfect. You’ll find a few pennies if you look around campus, and if you save every single one you find, you might save a dollar or two a year. A little can go a long way.
5. Sell everything. I’m sure someone will buy
that old guitar you have in your room. Who cares if it’s old and doesn’t play, you might get a quarter for it. Hey, while you’re at it, sell your diploma! Maybe you’ll get a dollar — it’s printed on some really nice paper, after all.
4. Start a band. Start a metal band, and put every penny you make towards paying your debts. You’ll be famous — and have no more student loans. Who cares if you’re a biomedical major? The world doesn’t care when you’re that good at playing the recorder.
3. Move out of the country. Apparently if
you work outside of the United States, you can be exempt from a lot of taxes. The money you save on taxes can go towards your debt. So, guess I’m moving to Canada, eh?
2. Sell your lecture doodles. Remember all
Snake, Garden of Eden
Link, Zelda’s boyfriend
“I like to bite people who eat apples, and there are a lot of people at OU who eat apples, so I bite them.”
“Hyeeeh kyahh hyahhh haa hyettt hyahhhh haaa hyaaa hum jum jum hyaaah haa!”
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those pointless notes you took in your lectures? The ones with your beautiful drawings scribbled on top of illegible handwriting? Sell them on eBay! You have enough lecture notes that you don’t ever use, that even if you got 10 cents a page, you’ll end up being a millionaire!
1. Get hooked on /r/millionairemakers.
Reddit users have created their own lottery where everyone pitches in and a randomly selected commentor gets money from the rest. The first winner got over $11,000. Nowhere close to the million dollars you need to pay your student loans, but it’ll pay for a semester... maybe.
The Oakland Roast // April 1, 2015
3
Satire CAMPUS BRIEFS Free norovirus
Students, staff and faculty at Oakland University will have an opportunity to receive the norovirus for free right in the confines of the Oakland Center. On April 3, those who were sick with the virus will be bringing their unwashed towels and trash cans to the Gold Rooms for anyone who wants to contract the virus and get the real “noroexperience.”
Polar vortex No. 2
Dinkly Doo / The Oakland Post
On April 1, students hoping to start a new org climbed the 151-foot Elliott Tower without harnesses or aid.
Grizzly Climbers gain altitude to gain respect OU students climb Elliott Tower without harnesses in order to draw attention and raise money By Sean Gardner Master Ninja
T
hree students were found climbing the outside of the Elliot Tower, according to multiple reports,
April 1. In what looked like a scene from a movie, the students found themselves scaling the 151 foot tower — harness free. “Not enough exciting things happen on this campus,” Greg Belay, one of the Elliott Tower climbers, said. “MSU has couch burnings and Michigan has Jim Harbaugh.” Dressed in bright neon colors, the climbers seemed to want the attention as the sun shined down on them. Hundreds
4 April 1, 2015 // The Oakland Roast
of students gathered, creating a panic, which raised eyebrows at OUPD — sending them to the scene. “At first, we thought it was some sort of student protest,” Johnny Law said. “Then a faculty member pointed to the top of the arch of the tower.” First responders and firetrucks were sent to the scene, as well, preparing the cherry picker to get the students down. However, the climbers insisted on having no help. Belay and his fellow climbers claim to have years of experience in harness-free climbing. “You can usually find us bouldering at Planet Rock Climbing Gym in Madison Heights,” Belay said. “It’s the official home of the unofficial student organization, Grizzly Climbers.” OU’s next ninjas The idea for the club has come from the new fad of parkour and the popularity that has come from “American Ninja Warrior” — a TV show where competitors try to complete a series of obstacle courses. Their goal is to compete on the Ameri-
can circuit and then, eventually, find their way to the famous Japanese version. “Since Oakland will not recognize us, it is hard to get any funding and support,” Belay said. The climbers said they have taken to practicing on benches, tables and now the Elliott Tower in hopes of raising awareness about their club and get official representation. “All we are asking for is a little bit of respect,” Amber Bidoigt, Grizzly Climbers vice president, said. “Sure, we are not as beneficial as the debate team, but we are a place for like-minded individuals who like to be adventurous.” The climbers did finish their trek to the top of the 151 foot tower. Unfortunately, their biggest challenge was met at ground level — where Oakland University President George Hynd was patiently waiting. Hynd gave no comment on the future of the Grizzly Climbers club or its members. Contact the writer at climberfanatic@ ninja.com.
Another polar vortex will be hitting Michigan next week, particularly in the Rochester/Auburn Hills region. There is an expected 24-feet snowfall over the seven day period, and media is advising everyone to store up food, loot stores and remain in their homes with as many stolen goods as possible. Oakland University will remain open and running during this week. Administrators said they have already made preparations for the onslaught of outraged social media posts and Yik Yaks from disgruntled students. Bundle up and be ready.
Grad Crapper returns
The Poopetrator, known for leaving urine and fecal matter in Elliott Hall on more than one occasion, has escaped police and is returning to campus to thank his friends for their support and leave one last gift for the Oakland University Police Department. A group is currently being formed to follow the Poopetrator’s steps and carry on his legacy. They are running around saying “urine for some justice!” - Compiled by Kaylee Kean Chocolate Manager www.oaklandroastonline.com
themix
didyouknow
April Fool’s Day is said to have originated from a similar French holiday. Pranksters tried to play tricks on their friends by sticking a picture of a fish on their backs and yelling “Poissons d’avril!,” which means “April fish” in English. - thefw.com
TOP TUNES
TOP 10 WAYS TO CELEBRATE EASTER 10. CHUBBY BUNNY. Go back to your childhood and play “chubby bunny” to see how many of those plushy, yellow, innocent Peeps you can stuff into your mouth. 9. PRIDE OVER YOUR EGG-HUNTING SKILLS. As you gaze over you stash of sweet, sticky, candy booty, appreciate how skilled you’ve become at the annual Easter practice. 8. VISIT THE EASTER BUNNY. Go pose for a picture with the Easter Bunny at the mall, even though you’re 21 years old. 7. GET A PET BUNNY. Bring a new furry friend home—without telling your mother beforehand. 6. CELEBRATE JESUS. Celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ by cracking a cold one and throwing some wieners on the barbie. 5. SIMULATE ANIMAL CRUELTY. Nothing feels better than biting the head off of your chocolate bunny. 4. PICK A FIGHT. There will always be a fierce battle over the last Cadbury egg. 3. PRAY IT WON’T SNOW. Hope that it won’t snow on Easter this year in Michigan. 2. PONDER EASTER TRADITIONS. Wondering how the hell bunnies, chicks and eggs became associated with Christ’s raising in the first place.
wxou albums of the week
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Father John Misty – “I Love You, Honeybear” Tuxedo – “Tuxedo” Matthew E. White – “Fresh Blood” Jose Gonzalez – “Vestiges and Claws” Adventures – “Supersonic Home” Sonny and the Sunsets – “Talent Night at the Ashram” Cloakroom – “Further Out” Jeff Rosenstock – “We Cool?” Ryley Walker – “Primrose Green” Joe Hertler and the Rainbow Seekers – “Terra Incognita”
1. DITCH THIS JOINT. Get out of the country, head to Rome, eat some pizza and see the Pope’s benediction. And eat more pizza. – Compiled by Andrew Wernette Special to the Oakland Post
YAKS of the WEEK
1. “S(no)w.” 2. “I don’t always find a parking spot in P1, but when I do—there’s a Prius parked in it.”
Yik Yak: The voice of the 3. “I guess Zayn wanted to go a different people direction.”
4. “I’ve got biiilllsss.
They multiplyin’. And I’m losinggg controlll. And the stress that they’re providing, IT’S ELECTRIFYING!”
5. “My grades never
bothered me anyway…”
6. “Plot twist: there isn’t
8. “Got 3 girls’ numbers
today. You could say this group project is getting serious.”
9. “Homeless chic is my
new look this semester.”
10. “Goals for 2015: less
upsetti, more spaghetti.”
a bake sale in South Foundation.”
7. “What do you feel when you run out of coffee? Depresso.”
–Compiled by Shelby Tankersley, Staff Reporter
Joe Hertler and the Rainbow Seekers “Terra Incognita” Joe Hertler and the Rainbow Seekers’s Facebook page describes them as “Post-Motown Folk Rock.” Formed in Michigan, a state with a rich history of both Motown and Folk music, the band’s second album combines these genres with bits of funk and Hertler’s soulful voice. The result is an album you can hum with, dance to and reflect on. Hertler is a graduate of Lake Orion High School and has been present in the Michigan music scene over the last few years, particularly in the East Lansing area, where Hertler attended Michigan State University. This album and his current U.S. tour have now given him more exposure outside of Michigan including a recent appearance at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas and a spot at Summer Camp Music Festival in Chilicothe, Illinois this May. Joe Hertler and The Rainbow Seekers perform at The Loving Touch in Ferndale with guests Red Pill and Trey Simon this Friday, April 3 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door. – Anthony Spak, WXOU Music Director
www.oaklandpostonline.com
The Oakland Post // April 1, 2015
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Life
Letting the good times (rock and) roll
MY MEATS ATE
REAL VEGGIES
Radio station prepares for months to host musicfilled celebration Kaleigh Jerzykowski Staff Reporter
T
alented bands from across Metro Detroit and beyond rocked it out March 26 to ring in WXOU’s 49th
year. Pines, Search the City, Shapes and Colors, Get At Me and rapper Tunde Olaniran were just a few of the artists that performed on dual stages in the banquet rooms of the Oakland Center from 6:30 p.m.-11 p.m. WXOU general manager Josh Nagy said that this event took many months of preparation. “I used to be the promotions director for WXOU and I planned the 47th Birthday Bash,” Nagy said, “and I started planning [this] in November...for the end of March.” Promotions director Jon Kassab agreed that paying attention to details was crucial when it came to the success of the evening. Kassab was in charge of selecting performers for the event, and he said that it came down to choosing artists that would best represent WXOU. Local and non-local bands were both options for the event, he said, but it was a matter of what would pique the interest of WXOU listeners. “[Planning] it was fun,” Kassab said, “but I didn’t realize that contracts have
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April 1, 2015 // The Oakland Post
Julie Atwood / The Oakland Post
TOP Accompanied by background dancers, Tunde Olaniran gets soulful and personal with his single “Brown Boy.” BOTTOM Get At Me travels to play at the Birthday Bash from St. Louis, Mo.
so much fine print. You have to make sure everything is right.” Working with the bands that played for the Bash required the most preparation, Kassab said, and it was imperative that every protocol, FCC regulation and contract term was honored. “I’m friends with Shapes and Colors, and they told me about [the event],” Lyndsey Biernat said of her pals in the headlining band. Biernat said that while her loyalties remain with Shapes and Colors, her favorite performance of the night was by Get At Me, a pop/rock band from St. Louis. Months in the making, the event drew a crowd that danced, sang and even ate birthday cake in celebration and appreciation of WXOU.
SERIOUS DELIVERY!
TM
★ JIMMYJOHNS.COM ★
TO FIND THE LOCATION NEAREST YOU VISIT JIMMYJOHNS.COM ©2014 JIMMY JOHN’S FRANCHISE, LLC ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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Life
New club launches for gamers Student organization for creating video games looks for members, sound designers and artists Cheyanne Kramer Staff Reporter
T
he Video Game Making Club at Oakland University is one of the many ways students can get involved with gaming. With Bumpers Game Room seeking renovation this summer and the popularity of gaming on the rise, many students want the chance to make their own idea come to life. President Neil Ferman started the club last semester. Since then, he has heard from over 60 students and has a strong team of about 12 that work biweekly producing games. “We’re in need of sound designers and artists right now,” Ferman said, “We haven’t completed any full game yet, but we’ve tested 2D platforms so far.” Ferman also said that it could take up to three years for a full game to be produced. So far, there is no clear cut path for the first game the club will make. “Personally, I’d like to see a role-
playing game. But there’s a lot that goes into those, so nothing’s set in stone,” Ferman said. The main problem the club has had thus far is that many members come for a few meetings, but don’t stick around. “Making a game is hard and takes a group of dedicated people,” Ferman said. “There have been people who come in for a few meetings and never come again.” Some students didn’t even know that the Video Game Making Club existed at Oakland, and their reactions to it were mixed. “I might join a club like that if I had spare time,” freshman Brian Curtin said. “I’d like to see how the whole process works and what level of complexity the members of the club are at. I didn’t know we even had a club for this, though.” But other students, like Nicholas Reed, said that sometimes there is a lot to be offered with playing games, too. “The best part of playing games is the immersion into the game, like getting
Dave Jackson / The Oakland Post
Student Neil Ferman started the Video Game Making Club last semester. Along with many others, this club has faced challenges in recruiting busy students participate in it.
lost in a good book, but you can watch the story unfold and control it to a certain degree,” Reed said. “And making games is kind of like writing a book. I’d get to take an idea that I find enjoyable, forge it into reality, and share it with others.” However, as of yet, the Video Game Making Club hasn’t shared any of its
content with the general student body. But Ferman said there’s a possibility of a beta release of some platforming games to be released soon. For more information, the Video Game Making Club can be found on Grizzorgs, where more information can be found about meeting times and locations.
SPB’s Acoustic Coffee House showcases talented professionals and OU students Shana Bosley Staff Intern
S
tudents got over the hump last week with warm coffee and smooth tunes. The Student Program Board’s Acoustic Coffee House event brought together professional artists and talented students March 25 at Café O’Bears. The event featured Mieka Pauley and The Ballroom Thieves, in addition to many students that sang and read poetry. Comedian Danny Ashcraft opened the night with laughter. Mieka Pauley, Starbucks Emerging Artist of the Year and Cosmopolitan Magazine Fun Fearless Female of the Year, performed many original songs that offered a strong and
www.oaklandpostonline.com
dignified vibe for the night. “I was always into music,” Pauley said. “In high school, I played in rock bands and when I was in college, I started street performing, and I ended up making a living off of that.” Pauley said she was a shy girl, except for when she was performing. “Guitar is my main instrument, but I know piano more. It’s like a language, because at some point, you’re not thinking about it anymore—it just is,” Pauley said. The Ballroom Thieves also performed many songs and brought a fast-paced, feel good atmosphere. Percussionist Devin Maunch, cello and bass player Calin Peters and guitarist Martin Earley got the crowd clapping along to their beats.
“Guitar is my main instrument, but I know piano more. It’s like a language, because at some point, you’re not thinking about it anymore—it just is.” Mieka Pauley Singer Junior Ellen Searle was one of the first students to perform during the event. She sang “More Than Just the Spare,” which was a song that was supposed to be in the movie “Frozen,” but was eventually omitted. “I was a choir girl in high school. I was in musical theatre, too,” Searle said. “I’m too
Danielle Cojocari / The Oakland Post
The Student Program Board hosted an event called “Acoustic Coffee House” where students enjoyed coffee, live music and poetry readings.
busy in college to do things like choir or musical theatre, but I love to sing and perform. That’s why I go to open mic nights. I’ve never been in the center of things and open mic nights give me the opportunity to do so.” In addition to singing, some students read poetry. Junior
Latecia Span read her own poem titled “Natural Beauty.” “The media doesn’t know what beauty is, so I said this poem to tell people that it comes from within,” Span said. Overall, the night was full of chatter and music. “It was liberating,” Span said. The Oakland Post // April 1, 2015
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Campus
OAKLAND UNIVERSITY | College of Arts and Sciences
History of a historian Richard J. Burke Lecture in Philosophy, Religion and Society Designed to tackle some of today’s compelling issues — from war to religion to sexual ethics — the Richard J. Burke Lecture in Philosophy, Religion and Society sparks serious, thought-provoking discussions between scholars, students and the community.
Join us for this stimulating lecture. Admission is free, but reservations are requested. To reserve your space, call (248) 370-3390 or email zimmerm2@oakland.edu.
Kaleigh Jerzykowski Staff Reporter
T
en years ago she was teaching American history at the University of Tours in France’s Noir Valley, but marrying a Michigander changed everything. “That was my opportunity to change careers,” said Dominique Daniel, humanities librarian for the history and modern language departments and coordinator of archives and special collections at Oakland University. Daniel has been working at OU for the last six years after a career as an adjunct history professor at Wayne State University, and before that, as a professor in France. “American history is a popular topic with French students,” she said. “Everybody recognizes the role of the US in the world and wants to know more.” “French people have a love/hate relationship with the US,” she laughed, saying that the French are familiar with American pop culture and politics, although they don’t necessarily agree with everything that happens on American soil. Daniel received her doctorate in American history from the University of Paris Seven, with a concentration in United States immigration policy research. Upon coming to America, she pursued a master’s degree in information science from the University of Michigan where she worked as a teaching assistant while working on her degree. While teaching in her home country was exciting for Daniel, she truly cherishes her current job.
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The Oakland Post // April 1, 2015
“I like the campus, and I like that the library is located right in the heart of [it],” she said. In addition to working in Kresge’s archives where she is in charge of pulling photos, music and print materials requested for special events like the upcoming inauguration of President Hynd, Daniel said that she loves working the library reference desk. “We work one-on-one to help students research specific projects they’re working on,” she said. And for Daniel, the success of the students she assists is one of the most rewarding parts of her job. In fact, each year, two students are awarded a $1,500 scholarship for demonstrating academic excellence in research papers with the Frank Lepkowski Undergraduate Research and Writing Award. Daniel said that helping students excel in the research field is one of the things that make her job at OU so special, but working with so much new technology in the library is the cherry atop a career that’s already a perfect fit. “People would expect librarians to say that books [are their favorite], but it’s the technology,” she said. “I work with technology more than I do books. That’s new for me.” Daniel likes the diversity of tasks that she gets to work on at OU, including working in the archives, helping departments on campus find what they need in the library and doing private informational sessions with classes. “Overall, it’s really enjoyable to communicate with students and help with their assignments,” she said.
MORAL OBJECTIVITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE Friday, April 17, 2015 | 7 p.m. Banquet Rooms A and B, Oakland Center Even though traditionally the idea of objectivity has tended to be associated with physical reality, there have been powerful discussions on moral and political objectivity in recent years, broadening the scope of argumentative resolution of conflicting views of the moral good. What does objectivity in moral and political reasoning demand, and what are its implications for conceptions of justice and injustice in the world? Reception to follow
AMARTYA SEN is the Thomas W. Lamont University Professor and Professor of Economics and Philosophy at Harvard University. Until 2004, he was the Master of Trinity College, Cambridge. He has served as President of the Econometric Society, the American Economic Association, the Indian Economic Association, and the International Economic Association. Amartya Sen’s books have been translated into more than thirty languages, and include, among others, Choice of Techniques (1960), Collective Choice and Social Welfare (1970), Poverty and Famines (1982), Commodities and Capabilities (1987), Development as Freedom (1999), Identity and Violence (2006), and The Idea of Justice (2009). Amartya Sen’s awards include Bharat Ratna (India), Commandeur de la Legion d’Honneur (France), the National Humanities Medal (USA), Ordem do Merito Cientifico (Brazil), Honorary Companion of Honour (UK), Aztec Eagle (Mexico), Edinburgh Medal (UK), the George Marshall Award (USA), the Eisenhauer Medal (USA), and the Nobel Prize in Economics.
cas10537/3.15
Former American history teacher in France uses her experience to assist students interested in research
Zack Seckler
Dave Jackson / The Oakland Post
Dominique Daniel says one of her favorite parts of working in Kresge is the new technology.
DR. AMARTYA SEN discusses ...
ABOUT RICHARD J. BURKE (1932-2012) As the first faculty member hired at Oakland University, Richard Burke watched OU evolve from promising beginnings to a present day filled with possibility. To help bring those possibilities to fruition, he established the annual Richard J. Burke Lecture in Philosophy, Religion and Society. www.oaklandpostonline.com
Life
‘To follow virtue and knowledge’ How literature and history inspired the university motto, crest and mascot tue and knowledge.” The OU motto, “seguir virtute e canoscenza,” is the original Italian phrasing from Odysseus found in Dante’s work. “I’m always fascinated with how great lines of literature can lead their own separate lives from the work they were originally in,” Grimm said, with OU’s motto being a shining example of such a literary legacy. “[Odysseus’] speech was designed to encourage his men to go with him past the bounds of knowledge,” Grimm said, “and the short speech recognizes the courage needed to go through a thousand perils, just on the brink of launching into the unknown.”
Kaleigh Jerzykowski Staff Reporter
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igma Tau Delta, Dante’s epic poem “Inferno” and the Golden Grizzlies have a unique connec-
tion. Oakland University’s motto, “seguir virtute e canoscenza,” Italian for “to follow virtue and knowledge,” is emblazoned on the university’s seal, adorning all official documents and materials. Kevin Grimm, English professor and expert on medieval literature, gave a talk at the Honors College on Thursday, March 26 to shed some light onto what the motto means to OU and its students.
Pioneers and grizzly bears OU was founded in 1957 under the name “Michigan State University: Oakland,” with an “aerospace pioneer,” as Grimm described it, for a mascot. Grimm explained the appeal for a newly founded university in the Cold War era to have a morale-boosting, strong, innovative, male aerospace pioneer as a talisman. However, this imagery wasn’t realized in a completely correct manner. An OU student drew up the university’s mascot, depicting this aerospace pioneer as a buckskin pioneer—think Davey Crockett. The character stuck. When OU became an NCAA Division I school in 1998, there was reconsideration of the mascot, Grimm said, for this new age of university athletics. Grimm, who participated in the think tank responsible for deciding what the new mascot should be, was
Julie Atwood / The Oakland Post
Professor Kevin Grimm sheds light on history and meaning of the university motto.
less than impressed with the choice of a grizzly bear. “You dance with who you came with,” Grimm said, and thought that a change in athletic divisions wasn’t a good enough reason to abandon the old standby Pioneer mascot. “[But] the Grizz has grown on me,” Grimm said, remembering the exciting billboards that dotted I-75, showing only the fierce eyes of a newly reimagined bear behind a shredded covering just a few years ago as a part of OU’s rebranding initiative.
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Although OU changed mascots, the university motto stuck and followed the Grizz into the new millennium, even though it was originally drafted to accompany the Pioneers. The motto and the Pioneers had a powerful connection so meaningful that it has seemed to transcend time and university changes all together.
Ancient inspiration Each OU student is expected to log into his or her “MySAIL” account to access important information on classes, financial aid and university resources, and students have this account for however long they attend OU. But what does a sail have to do with anything? OU’s sail is modeled after the sail on the ship Odysseus captained for his final, heroic journey. “[Odysseus] was one of the most clever and well-spoken Greeks...and is a fitting patron saint for a modern university,” Grimm said. In Canto XXVL of Dante’s “Inferno,” the poet quotes Odysseus’ final speech to his men aboard that ship in line 120: “Consider your birth, you were made not to live like brutes, but to follow vir-
The motto and yOU Jason Durina, treasurer of honors society Sigma Tau Delta explained that Odysseus’ inspirational words have a special impact on the lives of the English majors who call Sigma Tau Delta home. Durina said that OU’s motto encapsulates the spirit of drawing wisdom from the past in order to grow as individuals, and “therefore is a fitting summation of all those who pick up books through the world.”
OU motto meanings MOTTO “Seguir virtute e canoscenza” which translates from Italian as, “to follow vitrue and knowledge”. It was taken from Odysseus’ speech as quoted from Dante’s Inferno. SAIL Modeled after the sail on the Greek ship Odysseus captained on his great literary journey. MASCOT Intended to be an aerospace man, but became a frontier “Pioneer” instead. With the induction of OU into the NCAA Division I, it changed to the Golden Grizzlies.
The Oakland Post // April 1, 2015
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Life
Senior dances through life, problems Graduating student uses sickness, loss to teach others about positivity Grace Turner Staff Reporter
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ore than 45 surgeries and a three-year life expectancy hasn’t stopped senior communication major Jessica Zacharias, 21, from loving life. Her health problems affect her every day, and she has so many that doctors don’t have a single diagnosis. Through dancing, charity, faith and writing, however, she manages to feel just fine. “I just call myself Jessica,” she said. “It’s just the Jessica problems.” Dance through the hard times Zacharias said that dancing has gotten her through her struggles. She started dancing when she was three and has been on OU’s athletic dance team for four years. She has been captain for two. “Dance has been my best friend,” Zacharias said. “It has allowed me to release emotions that I was holding on to, it let me be happy and live in the moment. But at the same time it let me stomp my feet and get the anger out. To this day, doctors have said that’s what healed me.” Brittany Harris, dancing director of OU’s athletic dance team, said the other dancers trust Zacharias and look up to her. “She’s very inspiring, she’s just really happy,” Harris said. Earlier this year, Zacharias had a knee injury. She was still the captain of the dance team, but couldn’t dance. She found a new outlet by teaching dance and plans to study to become a dance therapist after she graduates this spring. “It’s what healed me, so might as well go after it,” she said. “It does do wonders, it does do great things. It moves people.” A life of complications Zacharias’ health challenges started at birth. She couldn’t breathe because her esophagus was not connected to her trachea. Her first car ride was in an ambulance to another hospital, where she had her first operation. This birth defect affected other organs. She has holes in her 61-percent-
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April 1, 2015 // The Oakland Post
Nowshin Chowdhury / The Oakland Post
“It (dance) has allowed me to release emotions that I was holding on to. It let me be happy and live in the moment,” Zacharias said.
capacity lungs. Her arteries leak, her heartbeat is irregular and she has weak bones. She ate through a feeding tube until second grade. “I love food,” she said, explaining that it fills the stomach differently than liquefied nutrients. It is still hard for her to eat sometimes because of the complications with her esophagus. While some of her complications can be improved with operations, medical procedures always come with risks. “My body has just been through so much that there’s always a possibility that I won’t wake up,” Zacharias said. Even with her medications, Zacharias’ health complications run rampant. She passed out on a cruise in her junior year of high school and her heart stopped beating for two minutes. “I’ve tried to balance the normal part of life, but in my college years, I’ve learned to accept that there is no normal and to embrace who you are and to let it shine,” she said. Despite all of this, however, friends say Zacharias is always smiling. “People… say she’s an angel walking on this earth,” said Marianna Stepp, one of Zacharias’ friends and a senior studying human resource development.
“I try to make the best of everything because I know that life is full of dark, challenging times, but it’s only like that so we can grow and help each other,” Zacharias said. “And when you experience events that are surrounded with joy, happiness and laughter, that’s when you know it’s all worth it.” Shining her light, sharing her story Zacharias faced a new challenge in October 2013 when one of her best friends, OU junior health science major Hailey Brouillet, died from injuries from a car accident. Zacharias and Brouillet had been friends since they were five years old. “My life literally changed in a day. In a second,” Zacharias said. “I miss her every day.” Zacharias said she finds comfort in knowing that Brouillet is safe. “She said she did everything she wanted to do,” Zacharias said. “She made people laugh. She was happy.” In April 2014, Zacharias helped raise money for a study abroad scholarship in Brouillet’s name with a 5K at Michigan State University. Zacharias said her faith helps her as well. “I really believe in angels,” she said. “I feel like we can make our own heav-
en down here.” Zacharias said she tries to share her light with others, and so did Brouillet. “It’s the stuff we learned in kindergarten, but we tend to forget,” she said. “It’s to be nice to each other, it’s to follow your heart.” Zacharias said she tells her story to help others. “Telling it can bring so many people that inspiration or motivation,” she said. She is writing two books. One is a memoir titled “The Truth Behind Letting My Journey Shine,” and the other is a self-help book titled “Let Your Journey Shine.” Zacharias said she wants to help others find what she calls their “shine,” or what makes them happy. “Everyone has a different shine to them,” she said. “Once we find our purpose, that is when we are alive.” As Zacharias prepares for graduation, she said she sees her life as a blessing. “Knowing that I survived these four years at Oakland, knowing that I will graduate, it’s so much more than a piece of paper,” she said. She said she wants to bring her own sunshine and live by her motto —“always shine and journey on.” www.oaklandpostonline.com
Puzzles Across
1: Arms and legs 6: Rough waters 10: Blockheads 14: Strong animosity 15: Happy time? 16: Borrrring 17: Extremist 18: Blood vessel connected to a capillary 20: Darnel 22: Obsolescence 23: ___ for tat 24: Lowlife 25: Remote room? 26: Ally 31: Egg-shaped 32: Employ 33: Lump of clay 37: Guns in the garage 38: Innocent and Urban 40: ‘Ix-nay’ 41: ‘Blast!’ 42: Get going 43: An expectant father, e.g. 44: Piercing 47: Spider in the kitchen 50: Acorn dropper 51: Ad ___ committee 52: Muscle contractions 54: Dig discovery, perhaps 59: Italian appetizer 61: Leaf in a book 62: Dogwood dropping
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63: Break time 64: Cake cover 65: Ale ingredient 66: A or B, in personalities 67: Writes up
Down
1: Look sullen 2: Without expending much energy 3: Little bit 4: City name ending, sometimes 5: ‘___ on My Own’ (‘Fame’ song) 6: Squeaky-clean 7: ___ d’oeuvre (appetizer) 8: Away from the office 9: Antecedes 10: Geishas’ sashes 11: Viva voce 12: Far from faithful 13: Metallic quality 19: Bridle path excursion 21: It may be financial 24: Investigator’s assignment 26: Line 27: Kaput 28: Stellar phenomenon 29: Punch ingredient? 30: Coin of Nepal or Pakistan 33: Biting midge 34: Places
35: Sesame starter? 36: Ice mass 38: Game bird 39: Sty cry 43: Sight from a Malibu beach 44: Pageantry 45: Seat of power 46: Nonsense 47: Religious song 48: Breathing problem 49: Province of South Africa 53: Use a sieve 54: Capping 55: Central points 56: Got grounded? 57: French film 58: Dresses nattily, with ‘up’ 60: Szechuan sauce source
The Oakland Post // April 1, 2015
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Sports
Indoor triathlon attracts local Oakland athletes The event raised over $350 for charities in the area
Courtesy of the Oakland Athletic Department
Sarah Hartley has already exceeded her totals from the past two seasons in home runs, RBIs and total bases.
Hartley thriving for Oakland ‘She’s not satisfied with just being okay, she wants to be great’ Kristen Davis Staff Reporter
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he sacrifices junior Sarah Hartley has made for softball are finally starting to pay off. Through 25 games this season, she’s already exceeded her previous two season totals in runs, hits, doubles, triples, home runs, RBIs and total bases. Her on-base, slugging and batting percentages are also well above her career averages. “She’s not satisfied with being okay, she wants to be great,” head coach Connie Miner said. “She seeks out coaching and that’s a good sign of someone who wants to keep improving. I think everyone is working hard, but she’s just got that next level.” Miner has watched Hartley work hard to improve her strength and explosiveness since she first came to Oakland in 2012. She won her first career Horizon League weekly honor this season when she was named player of the week. She has hit a team-high six home runs and scored a total of 21 runs so far this season. Along with her talent and work ethic, Hartley’s leadership skills are also exceptional. “She’s an outstanding teammate. If someone makes a mistake, she’s the first one I see saying, ‘Hey, I got your back, we got this,’” Miner said. “It’s never about Sarah. It’s always about her teammates.
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April 1, 2015 // The Oakland Post
She’s always looking out for her team.” Her success goes beyond the field, too. Hartley is a pre-physical therapy student and currently volunteers in the acute joint physical therapy area of Crittenton Hospital. She also represents the softball team in the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, which is an organization of athletes that focuses on the core values of student athlete well-being, integrity, respect and stewardship. For now, Hartley’s goals for the year are to win the conference and make a deep postseason run. With a team that’s playing remarkably well and a coach that believes in their ability wholeheartedly, those goals are very attainable. OP: How much work did it take to get to this point in your career? SH: A lot. In summer time growing up, people would be like ‘Hey, do you want to go up north?’ and I’m like ‘Oh sorry, I’m playing softball.’ You make a lot of commitments and give up a lot for it, but it’s paid off. OP: What does it feel like when you hit a home run? SH: It feels good. When you hit a home run, it’s like your easiest swing. It just happens. I think I’ve hit more home runs this year than I have my whole life.
OP: What has enabled you to hit so many home runs this season? SH: Being more relaxed and not pressing so much to get a hit. I know the people behind me can pick me up and if I get a bad at-bat, the next girl behind me will hit the ball. I think that helps a lot. Not all the pressure is on me to hit the ball. OP: How do you balance school and softball? SH: I have teammates with the same classes as me and we work together. Also, not procrastinating helps. The more I put on my plate, I feel like I actually do better in school because I have less time to procrastinate. I just get it all done instead of waiting until the day before.
Jackson Gilbert Sports Editor
Local campus athletes competed against each other over the weekend in Oakland’s Indoor Triathlon held at the campus Rec Center. The event was open to Oakland students and faculty. Team and individual competitions were held at the same time. Twenty-two students jumped in the pool at 10 a.m. on Sunday to begin the 750-meter swim, a total of 16 laps there and back. After exiting the pool, the athletes then did a 20-kilometer (just over 12 miles) bike ride on the stationary bikes, followed by a 5k run to round out the triathlon. A total of five teams ended up entering, with the rest competing on their own.
Competing for charity Athletes paid $20 individually or $45 as a team of three to enter. The proceeds were split between Athletes Unlimited and the Healthy Pon-
tiac Coalition. Ted Tansley, the Program Assistant for Club Sports, who organized the event, said the goal was to raise $200 total for the two charities. The event blew that number out of the water, raising well over $350.
Tough competition Syed Murtaza, the club sports treasurer and sophomore psychology major, was among the 22 participants. Competing for the winning men’s team, Murtaza said he felt good about the event but probably wouldn’t be doing another triathlon for a couple months. “It’s tough running on a treadmill, most runners will agree,” Murtaza said. “I was able to talk to people while I was running the whole time so that kind of got me through it. It was for a good cause.” Murtaza was a varsity level runner for Troy High School and is now the officer of the Oakland running so he’s no stranger to competition. Campus recreation encourages all students and staff to get involved. They post all events on their website at www.oakland.edu/ campusrec.
OP: Why do you want to be a physical therapist? SH: I think it’s the sports aspect of it. If I was hurt, I would want someone to help me get back as quick as possible. OP: How would you explain what you do as a member of SAAC? SH: As an athlete, it’s hard to go out and get internships because we don’t have time. So you have to do other things to make yourself look better than others. We basically are in charge of athletics, academics, community service, informing our team and getting our team involved.
Danielle Cojocari / The Oakland Post
Participants biked 20 kilometers as a part of the indoor triathlon.
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Sports
Oakland weekend series moved to Milwaukee Golden Grizzlies win one, lose one against Panthers Scott Davis Staff Reporter
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Nowshin Chowdhury / The Oakland Post
Freshman midfielder Austin Ricci kept the momentum flowing during Oakland’s match against Michigan State.
Grizzlies go toe-to-toe with MSU Men’s soccer plays to a tie against tough MSU defense Scott Davis Staff Reporter
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s part of the Michigan Cup Series, Oakland and Michigan State played to a 1-1 draw at the Oakland Athletic Dome Saturday afternoon in the fourth of six scheduled spring games. The match against the Spartans was the team’s second in the Michigan Cup, which is comprised of the University of Michigan, Detroit Mercy, Western Michigan, Michigan State, Saginaw Valley State and Oakland. The teams play two matches each and then a championship game will be played April 11. Oakland headed into Saturday’s match 1-0 in the Michigan Cup as they defeated Saginaw Valley, 4-2 March 14. This was Michigan State’s first match in the Michigan Cup and they will play Saginaw Valley www.oaklandpostonline.com
this coming week. The Spartans got on the board early in the first half, but the Golden Grizzlies were able to tie it on a free kick from junior forward Matthew Dudley shortly after. No goals were scored for the rest of the match, but both teams showed intensity throughout. “I thought we showed good character to come back from a goal down that we didn’t deserve to be after the way we started the game,” Dudley said. “I was proud of the way our team played overall today and managed to stay disciplined in a heated game.” The two teams have a lot of recent history as this was their third meeting in the past six months. Oakland defeated the Spartans, who were ranked tenth in the country at the time, 2-0 at the Oakland Soccer Field Oct. 22. The teams would then meet in the NCAA tournament as Michigan State ended the Golden Grizzlies’ season with a 1-0 victory at DeMartin Stadium in East Lansing. “I think a game between Oakland and Michigan State is always going to be an intense
game; obviously there were a lot of emotions in this game,” men’s soccer head coach, Eric Pogue, said. “To be fair I don’t think there were a ton of chances either way so I think it was pretty even both ways.” Seeding will be determined after all of the Michigan Cup matches are completed before the April 11 championship at the Ultimate Soccer Arenas in Pontiac. The first tiebreaker is head to head, the second is goal differential and the last is goals scored. The Golden Grizzlies will face off against Bowling Green at the Oakland Bubble this Friday night in an exhibition match.
fter some last-minute changes, Oakland’s baseball team traveled to Milwaukee for a weekend series where it picked up an extra inning win and a loss. The Golden Grizzly team was supposed to have their first home series this past weekend, but due to unplayable field conditions, the series had to be moved to Milwaukee instead. Oakland was still considered the home team even though playing in Milwaukee. The series started with a doubleheader Saturday where Oakland walked-off in the 11th inning, winning 10-9. Milwaukee held a 9-8 lead going into the bottom of the 11th inning, but Oakland loaded the bases and outfielder Jake Morton hit a single to center to give the Golden Grizzlies their second conference win this season. “I’m really proud of the guys with how they responded to the adversity in game one,” head coach John Musachio told GoldenGrizzlies.com. “They showed a lot of heart and found a way to win.”
Oakland had to come from behind to get the victory as Milwaukee scored four in the fourth inning. The team added two in the bottom of the fourth but then exploded for six runs in the eighth. Third basemen Spencer Marentette lead the team with four hits, while outfielder Robby Enslen had three hits to go along with his two RBIs. In the nightcap, Milwaukee got the better of Oakland as they won 11-4. The Golden Grizzlies had a 3-2 advantage after two, but the Panthers took over from there. A six run sixth inning for Milwaukee put them up 10-4 and they never looked back. Enslen had another multi-hit game as he went 2-5, while first baseman Zach Sterry and outfielder Tyler Pagano also had two hits. Nate Green, Oakland’s starting pitcher, dropped to 1-3 on the season as he went four innings giving up six runs on nine hits. The series finale scheduled for Sunday was cancelled due to inclement weather. Oakland now sits in fifth place in the Horizon League with a 2-6 record. Oakland’s next Horizon League series will take place this Thursday through Saturday against Youngstown State at the Oakland Baseball Field. Thursday’s first pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m., while Friday and Saturday’s are scheduled for 1 p.m.
COMING UP NEXT GAME: Friday, April 3 Oakland vs. Bowling Green LOCATION: Oakland Bubble FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit GoldenGrizzlies.com
Danielle Cojocari / The Oakland Post
The Grizzlies took the Panthers 10-9, but fell 11-4 in the second game.
The Oakland Post // April 1, 2015
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Sports
Catching up with Oakland softball Preseason tough matches have Grizzlies prepared for the Horizon
Men’s basketball
Golden Grizzly point guard Kahlil Felder was named a finalist for the 2015 Lou Henson Award which is given to the nation’s best mid-major player. Felder averaged 18.1 points and 7.6 assists per game and was the only player in the country to average at least 17 points and 7 assists per game. This is the fifth time an Oakland player has been nominated since 2009 and the winner will be announced at the CollegeInsider.com Awards Banquet on April 3 in Indianapolis.
Kristen Davis Staff Reporter
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he Oakland softball team opened Horizon League play on March 20-21 with two victories over the UIC Flames, extending its record to 1114 overall and 2-1 in conference play. The Grizzlies have been on the road almost every weekend since preseason play started on Feb. 6. They played in North Carolina, Florida, Ohio and Illinois against tough Division 1 opponents like Purdue, Miami of Ohio and Dayton. Head coach Connie Miner purposely schedules challenging teams to face in the preseason to better prepare the team for league play. “I think when you go out and schedule like that, when you come back, you’re in a better position for success,” Miner said. “You need to be challenged to find out what you’re really made of. They’ve really responded well this year.” The time spent on the road also helped build the team’s chemistry. During the spring break trip to Florida where the team played in tournaments at Florida Gulf Coast University and the University of South Florida, Miner noticed the team becoming closer than they were before. “I really saw them come together for the common goal and get on the same page. It’s really showing on the field,” she said. “When you can be on the same page, have respect for each other and have each other’s back, great things are going to happen. I see them really believing in each other and having faith in each other.” She credits the success of the season so far to the fact that everybody on the roster is contributing. “In the 11-inning win against UIC, I think I only had one sub left to go,” Miner said. “They are all doing so much for each other. I just have this calmness and confidence about the whole team. It’s fun to just sit back and watch.” Offensively, eight players are hitting above .300 and as a team, they are hitting just below that mark. Seniors Sarah Cupp and Courtnee Johnson, junior Sarah Hartley and
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April 1, 2015 // The Oakland Post
THE SPORTING BLITZLABEL
Men’s golf
Oakland’s mens’ golf finished fifth at the Wallace Jones Invitational in Delhi, Louisiana last week. The team finished with a +12, while Evan Bowser was the top finisher finishing par for the course. Oakland will travel to Dayton, Ohio this Sunday to take on Wright State in the WSU Invitational.
Track and field
Photo courtesy of Oakland University Athletics
The softball team has played to an 11-14 record and started off 2-1 in the Horizon League.
freshmen Julia Morales and TJ Bindus are all hitting exceptionally well. Although offense has been the strength, the team has focused on being more consistent on defense and so far, their efforts have been successful. The pitching staff of senior Kayla Hensel, juniors Erin Kownacki and Laura Pond, sophomore Kaley Waalkes and freshman Haley Zemmer have different pitching styles, but they complement each other. Kownacki earned Horizon League pitcher of the week for March 1622 after she threw two consecutive complete games with a 1.56 ERA and eight strikeouts in the team’s two victories over UIC. Overall, Miner is proud of how far the program has come since she first
arrived at Oakland in 2012. “They are doing such an outstanding job both on and off the field,” she said. “They have worked so hard and bought into what I am trying to do with them and the program. They deserve all of the credit and focus.” If field and weather conditions permit, the Grizzlies will play at home April 3-4 against Valparaiso – their first home game this season. The team is also hosting its second annual raffle softball raffle on April 18. Tickets can be bought from the O’rena or from any softball player for $20 and will be entered into a drawing for prizes including TVs, tablets, Tigers tickets and giftcards. Being present at the raffle is not necessary to win and all of the proceeds go to the softball team.
The Oakland track and field team travelled to North Carolina this past weekend to compete in the Raleigh Relays. Candice Mack broke the 400m school record with a time of 57.18, which was good enough for the 16th place out of 119 runners. Other highlights include Gino Vitella finishing seventh out of 52 throwers in the shot put (16.33m), Aaron Davis’ sixth place finish in the 200m (22.34), and personal records in the 5000m from Jenae Curley (18:02.07). Oakland will hoest the 10th annual dual meet against Detroit Mercy this Saturday at the new track facility.
Women’s tennis
The women’s Golden Grizzly tennis team dropped two matches this past weekend as it took on defending Horizon League champion Youngstown State on Saturday and Cleveland State on Sunday. Despite taking out two of three doubles matches against YSU, Oakland fell to the Penguins 5-2. On Sunday, the Vikings cruised to a 6-1 victory over the Golden Grizzlies. Oakland will play at home this Friday at 3:30 p.m. as they take on the Wright State Raiders. — Compiled by Scott Davis
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